#State Route 14

[rabbitcruiser]

Zion Overlook, UT (No. 1)

Your drive up Cedar Canyon to the plateau begins with a bang as you drive through the vibrant Cedar red hills, half way up you thread the narrows of the Ashdown Gorge and near the top you are treated to a small geologic amphitheater, not unlike the massive one found in Cedar Breaks National Monument.

Cresting the plateau at nearly 10,000 feet you will find the Zion Overlook remarkable. Through a forest of spruce and ponderosa the earth rapidly falls away fanning out toward the majestic canyons of Zion National Park.

Next up you will come to the Navajo Lake Overlook. A prehistoric volcano eruption dammed the east end of the present day lake. Volcanic activity was once common on the plateau. The surrounding forests have sprung up from these ancient lava flows. From the lookout you will see the turquoise waters of this narrow lake nestled at the center of a beautiful pine and aspen valley.

Source

#Cedar Canyon #State Route 14 #Highway 14 #Dixie National Forest #Kane County #travel #original photography #vacation #tourist attraction #landmark #landscape #countryside #blue sky #clouds #flora #nature #summer 2022 #USA #grass #Utah #cityscape #tree #forest #woods #hills #valley

[thorsenmark]

California Route 62 Heading off into the Mountains of Southern California by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (Mountain Station) with a view looking to the north-northeast across a valley to snowcapped mountain peaks. Looking closely at the image in the valley, one can see dozens (if not more) of wind turbines.

#Azimuth 14 #Blue Skies #California State Route 62 #Central and Southern California Ranges #Coachella Valley #Day 3 #Desert Mountain Landscape #DxO PhotoLab 6 Edited #Joshua Tree National Park and California #Joshua Tree Ranges #Landscape #Landscape - Scenery #Little San Bernardino Mountains #Looking NNE #Mount San Jacinto State Park #Mountain Peak #Mountain Station #Mountains #Mountains in Distance #Mountains off in Distance #Mountainside #Nature #Nikon D850 #No People #Outside #Pacific Ranges #Palm Springs Aerial Tramway #Peninsular Southern California Ranges #Project365 #Ridge

[hannieehaee]

them accidentally ditching you on your bday pt. 2 - vu

content: angsty, gender neutral, established relationship, etc.

part 1

wc: 4512

a/n: lmk if u want a pu ver pls <3 if there's part i forgot to make gender neutral pls lmk!!

masterlist

jeonghan -

jeonghan had no idea what to do. he'd never been in this position before. he prided himself in being a good friend and specially boyfriend. nothing in this world mattered to him more than his loved ones, which was why he was extremely disappointed in himself at having disregarded you and hurt your feelings in such a careless way. he knew it was your birthday, and he had wanted so badly to be with you, but he had been an idiot and let it slip his mind. there was no other way to put it. it made him sad more than anything, to know that you had spent the night worried over him only to wake up to zero communication from him, having spent a good 14 hours into your birthday without any word from him. he needed to fix this, he just didnt know how.

this was so unlike him. jeonghan had always known himself to be an attentive person. he noticed any time you changed your hair almost immediately, he'd notice new additions to your recipes, he'd take note of any time you switched things up in your apartment, he'd remember any and every important date. even now. he had remembered it, except he had skipped over it due to his idiocy, which really only made it worse.

after getting mocked by joshua for ten minutes as he racked his brain to find a solution, he decided to just improvise. he'd go to your apartment and see if you'd at least let him in to try and explain his way through an apology. he would pull all the dramatics if he had to. there was not a single care for his dignity in his mind right now. nothing would prevent him from showing you his utmost remorse.

only thirty minutes later and he was now outside your apartment window, looking up from his secluded spot inside the complex's garden. he pondered about calling you, but decided that going for a more unconventional route might do the trick a bit better. spotting some pebbles nearby, he grabbed a few, beginning to chuck them at your window. okay, kind of corny, but knowing you, he knew you'd appreciate the thought. he spent an unfortunate ten minutes throwing pebble after pebble until you finally opened your window, sticking your head out as soon as you spotted him down below.

"jeonghan. what the hell are you doing?", you seemed and sounded pissed. but, hey! that was a good sign. at least you were acknowledging his presence.

"my love!', he clutched at his heart, 'let me come see you. please. i want to apologize."

"fuck you, yoon jeonghan. why dont you go treat your hangover somewhere else?", you went to close your window, only to stop in your tracks as he yelled out again.

"wait! do you want me to beg? i will. i love you. i dont care what i have to do. i'll climb to the roof and profess my love for you for all of seoul to hear," yes, he was being overly dramatic, but he was also being genuine. if you actually wanted him to scream out to the world how much he regretted his stupidity, he would. you didnt even have to ask.

but he also knew public displays were a huge no for you, dating an idol and knowing the controversies being known as the significant other of the yoon jeonghan would bring. he was putting you in a bit of a spot. you could either let him up to apologize, or wake up to some ominous article stating yoon jeonghan of seventeen might be taken.

fortunately for him, you chose the former, which now placed him in your living room as you crossed your arms and huffed at him. okay, one step at a time. it was time to put jokes aside and get serious.

"angel ... i'm so sorry," he cooed at you, stepping forward a bit.

"jeonghan, dont talk to me like im a baby. im not in the mood."

"but you are my baby," he pouted at you, "you're my angel, my everything. i'm sorry. i didnt show you how much you mean to me last night. all i want to do is love you and take care of you. you can punish me all you want. i deserve it. but please let me sleep in your arms. im already away from you most of the time. dont deprive me one more day," and he meant all he said. you were his favorite form of comfort, and the thought of you being angry or hurt by him made him scared. he never wanted to risk you being ripped away from his arms, specially not due to his own doing.

"jeonghan ..."

"no, wait. i'm sorry. i shouldve never forgotten. i dont know how it happened. all i ever want to do every day is come back home to you, but i did the opposite on the worst day possible. i'll apologize over and over until you forgive me if that's what it takes. please just let me be with you on your birthday. i dont want you alone. i dont want you sad. i want you happy and content in my arms. please? i love you."

he mustve broken you down, as you landed in his arms immediately after he finished his speech. he couldve sworn he saw you eyes puffy and swollen before he wrapped his arms around you. his suspicion was confirmed just seconds later when he heard you sniffle against him.

"aigooo, no angel. dont cry. didnt wanna make you cry. you're making me look like such a bad guy, baby, making you cry on your birthday," he cooed at you as he held you as tight as possible.

you separated yourself from him, finally looking into his eyes while he caressed your cheeks, wiping any lone tears in them, "im so sorry, angel. forgive me? let me stay, please."

"yes, hannie. i love you."

"i love you so much more," and he'd spend the rest of his life the day showing that to you.

joshua -

joshua had not been this hungover in a while. he wasnt sure how this happened. last thing he remembered was his manager rushing him into a car right after the award show, letting the group know they'd been invited to an after party, and the company had deemed it smart to be in attendance for public image purposes. all members agreed enthusiastically, excited to mingle among their peers and maybe make some new connections in the process. joshua had been the lone member to be skeptical, knowing he had promised he'd be back to the hotel at an appropriate time in order to get on the phone with you and celebrate what was remaining of your birthday with you despite the current distance between you. however, he did not want to get in the way of his members' fun, so he kept any objections to himself and joined them with matching enthusiasm.

his original plan was to roam the party for an hour or so, which wouldve allowed him to get back to call you on time, but ironically, time got away from him. the next thing he knew, he was waking up at 11am in the morning in mingyu's hotel room, head pounding and phone full of unread notifications. he wasnt sure how this happened. the last thing he remembered was being at the party, margarita in hand as he and his members drank their souls away in celebration of yet another successful award show season. it was around three margaritas in that joshua had begun to disregard his phone, and with that you as well. as soon as he saw the dejection in your messages upon waking up, he spammed you with texts and voice memos expressing his regret, but received no response from you. he had hurt you and now you were ignoring him. and with good reason.

joshua knew that there wasnt much he could do from his current location, specially while you were (justifiably) icing him out. so he committed to his next best option. he immediately booked a ticket back to korea, letting his manager know that he'd just be returning home two days in advance to the rest of the members. all they had scheduled left was an interview tomorrow, so his absence would probably not have that big of an effect. five grueling hours later and he arrived to korea, exhausted and still slightly hung over, but with a whole speech planned to beg for your forgiveness.

in the process, he had tried calling you again and again, still earning no response. this disheartened him, making him think that maybe his grand gesture would only be taken negatively. he picked up some flowers on the way, gift he had bought in japan a few days ago in hand, ready to knock on your apartment door. despite the exhaustion, he was here. a day late to celebrate your birthday, but still here nonetheless.

your face upon answering the door had been of surprise, not anger like he feared, but that only lasted for a few seconds until you started to berate him.

"joshua? what are you doing here?"

"baby, i'm so so sorry. can i come in? please?"

you moved aside without further words, gesturing for him to continue talking.

he suddenly remembered the flowers and boxed gift in hand, signaling to them before handing them to you, "oh, these are for you," he felt extremely inadequate, something that was very rare for him. he had practiced a whole speech, a whole profession of love and regret, but now his mind was blank. you just looked so. disappointed. he couldn't stand it.

'i'm sorry. i- i have no good excuse. the party got the best of me and i completely spaced out on our plans. i never meant to forget about you. please believe me.'

"joshua ... this was your idea. you had me waiting all night just to ghost me. you spent my birthday partying without even thinking of me."

he grabbed onto your hands, placing the flowers and gift on the table before doing so. he held onto you as he began to get exasperated in his speech, "there's no world in which i wasn't thinking of you. you're all thats ever on my mind. i didnt even wanna go to that stupid party, but i didnt want to inconvenience anyone. please, i- i wanted to call you. i ... yeah, i got drunk and distracted. and thats my fault. im sorry. i came back early to be with you. to make up for being a dumbass. please let me make it up to you. please? i'll serenade you like i promised. i'll get on my knees. do you want me to get on my-"

you interrupted him as he began to kneel halfway through his speech, slapping at him lightheartedly as he began to get more dramatic by the second. he knew it was hard for you to get angry at him when he started pulling all stops like he did. he came back and begged on his knees, even offered to express his love to you through song. he was making you hold in your laugh. these were all good signs, right?

"you .. you're such an idiot, hong jisoo. i hate you," but he knew you didnt mean it. he could hear and see the smile on your face, knowing he had been successful at wearing you down.

"if you ever do this again, ill date jeonghan instead."

"ouch!", he dramatically grabbed onto his chest, as if you'd just wounded his heart, causing you to laugh, "hannie? okay, can't blame you. he's pretty cute," he chuckled, "but for now ... let me spend the day with my love? hmm?", he pulled you closer, nuzzling his nose against yours as you feigned annoyance at him.

"fine," you rolled your eyes, "i'm still mad at you, though."

yeah, he had a lot of making up to do, but this was a start.

jihoon -

jihoon had not stopped beating himself up over his actions ever since you hung up the phone. he had spent the entirety of the day rethinking all his choices leading up to this. he had wanted to go running to you and apologize, but you had specifically asked him to stay away, so he wanted to respect your wishes. still, he felt like complete and utter shit at the way he disregarded you so easily. he wished he could go back in time and slap some sense into himself.

he had always been scared. scared that his job would someday get in the way of your relationship. it had been so hard for him to find someone to love; someone who loved him just as much. and the moment he found you he treasured you more than anything, but now his stupid workaholic tendencies had gotten in the way. he was terrified right now that you'd start to see the error in your choice to be with him. that you'd want to find someone who wouldnt so easily put his job over everything else.

it was now 11am of the following day, and you had not called him yet. he was beginning to get worried. were you icing him out? had he hurt you that badly? he could never blame you for feeling hurt at his neglect, but he could also not help his own feelings of dejection at you ignoring him due to your anger. alas, he still gave you all reason; this had been his own doing.

he waited a couple hours before giving up on waiting, instead choosing to confide in a few of his members to inquire as to what they'd do if they ever pulled something like this with their own significant others. after being scolded for a good few minutes due to his carelessness towards you, they told him that maybe showing up to your apartment as a demonstration of his affection to you (joined by a sincere apology, of course) would make you look his way again.

so now he was here, about to knock on your door with your favorite flowers in hand. he was terrified. the two of you had never fought. there had never been a single time in which you'd hurt each other's feelings. it had all been nothing but love and tenderness in your relationship thus far. he was your best friend, and you were his. yet he had no idea how to communicate to you how much you meant to him, and how much of a stupid mistake his slip up had been.

before he could think further, he forced himself to knock on your door, hoping you wouldnt immediately throw him out. to his surprise, you opened the door and even wordlessly gestured for him to enter. you looked ... sad. you looked the way he'd feel had you ghosted him on his own birthday. yeah, he didnt care much for his birthday, but your absence would wound him nonetheless. he imagined it felt the same for you.

"i ... i'm so sorry. i dont know what to say .. i- i fucked up. so badly. i have no idea how or why i forgot. there's nothing i can do to make up for it, but please know im so fucking sorry."

"jihoon ... how? you picked my birthday of all days to lock yourself in your studio? i've never judged your busy schedule. i understand your career. i respect it. i get that you cant help being busy. your job is too demanding of your time, but for you to ignore me when you had full control of your free time? why?", he could see how disappointed you felt at his neglect; how hurt you felt at him, not only through your words, but through your closed off body language. you were hugging yourself with your arms, not holding eye contact as you stared anywhere but into his eyes. despite your confident words, your demeanor was deflated. and it was his fault.

"it was- it was a mistake. it was all my fault. i cant argue my way around it. but i love you. i didnt .. i didnt mean to neglect you. you're all i think about. every song ive ever written, even before meeting you, was about you. you're everything. i'm just an idiot. i dont know how to do this ... ive never loved like this. i have no idea what to do when i fuck up. all i can do is promise you to be better. please give me a chance to be better. i'll be more attentive. i know i'm cold, and im not too affectionate, but i love you. i'll make it up to you. please, just dont let this be the end. i'll keep you in my studio with me whenever i lock myself away. won't ever go a day without letting you know what im doing, how im doing. please. i'll do anything to show you."

he worried his ramble mightve been too much, feeling to scared to even hold eye contact with you as he went on and on about how much he loved you. unexpectedly, upon looking up, he found your reddened eyes, with a stuffy nose to match. fuck. had he hurt your feelings again?

"jihoon ... i- i love you. i'm sorry. i cant believe you could ever think i wanted this to be the end. i was hurt and mad- i am hurt, but i love you," you sniffled your way through your short speech, but jihoon heard it perfectly fine. these were the words he prayed to hear from you all of last night as he stayed up thinking about you.

"fuck. thank god," he couldnt help himself in hugging you, holding you tightly against his arms, and sighing in relief at your reciprocation, "i love you. i'll take the week off. let me take you away and show you how much you mean to me. please? will you come with me?"

"yes, jihoon. i love you."

"i love you. you have no idea."

seokmin -

seokmin felt extremely scared. you weren't answering any of his calls. he knew you were physically okay, but he also knew your feelings were hurt, and you were probably extremely angry at him. you had all reason to be angry at him. he ditched you and kept you in the dark all day. on your birthday! seokmin had never been in a situation like this before. he had always prided himself in being the best boyfriend that one could ever be, even sometimes introducing himself as your boyfriend instead of with his own name. except today he had disappointed both you and himself beyond belief.

he knew you'd asked him to stay away for the night, and he'd usually respect your one and every wish, but today he needed to go against the current and go and beg for your forgiveness.

in very non-seokmin fashion, he exited the event just as quickly as he'd arrived, not even caring to say goodbye to his friends. you were his number one priority, after all. specially today of all days. he had his driver stop by a flower shop on the way, hoping the innocent gesture would maybe have you show some mercy on his stupidity.

he showed up to your apartment immediately after, having mentally prepared a whole speech for you on the way there. he was going to tell you how much he loved you, and how this was just a completely stupid slip of his mind, that this would never happen again, but all these thoughts left his mind as soon as you opened the door, eyes swollen and glossy. every rational thought went out the window upon spotting your saddened state causing seokmin's eyes to match your own as he felt himself begin to tear up. he couldnt help himself in immediately embracing you in a tight hug, thanking god when he felt you hold him back.

you two sniffled against each other for a bit, neither of you full on crying, but still being overly emotional at the situation. seokmin mumbled endless apologies against your hair, running his hands up and down your back as if to soothe you. he was over the moon to hear an 'i love you' from you in the middle of your sorrowful mumbles against his chest, doubling the sentiment as he cried to you how much he loved you and how badly he regretted letting you slip his mind for even a second. when he pulled back, he expressed the same sentiment all over again.

"my baby ... i love you so much. please let me make it up to you. i- i brought you flowers!", he finally recalled the flowers he had dropped as soon as you closed the door behind him ten minutes ago, "i know it doesnt make up for anything, but please let it be a start. i'll do anything you want. just want you to never cry over me like this again, baby. i love you too much to make you cry," he wiped at your tears as he said this, caressing your cheeks while he looked at you with pure adoration in his eyes.

"minnie," you pouted at him, "stay the night? please? want you at least for the bit that's left of today."

"today? oh, baby. i'm giving you my whole week. told you i was gonna make it up to you. i'll do everything you want, my love. now let me take you to bed, yeah? wanna hold my beautiful angel to sleep."

he slept soundly that night, knowing you had somehow forgiven him and even given him the privilege to hold you in his sleep, also knowing he'd do anything and everything necessary to make up for his stupid mistake.

seungkwan -

he had put literally everyone else above you. on your birthday. there was truly no other way to spin it. he had never felt more guilt in his life, and it was all completely on him. having even thought of going out with his friends on your birthday shouldve given him the first red flag in his stupid plan. why didnt he just bring you along? god, he was such an idiot. and then allowing mingyu and dongmin to entice him into a two hour long live broadcast just to secure some fanservice was just the nail in the coffin.

he knew he hurt you badly. he had promised you he'd be there, but had just left you in the dark all day. he couldnt blame you for not wanting to see him today, but now he was stuck tossing and turning in his bed as he itched to hold you in his arms. he had called the company immediately after your call, letting them know he'd be skipping the usual dance practice and recordings in favor of being with you, which is what he should've done all day today.

it wasnt long until he grew too restless to simply stay in bed while he knew you were probably in a similar position, except most likely sad and angry. he couldnt help himself when he decided to head to you, feeling bad at calling up his driver at such late hours of the night. the journey to your apartment was a short one, which left him with little time to think over what he'd say to you in order to convey his regret. he didnt care much for what he said, he just wanted to alleviate your hurt somehow.

just as he expected, you were awake, now standing in front of him as you opened the door to your apartment. your eyes were puffy, a huge indicator that you'd been crying. your eyes also wouldnt meet his, with your eyebrows lowered in clear sadness. seeing you and knowing your current state was his fault felt like a kick in the gut. he had never made you cry before, so he was extremely disappointed in himself. worst of all, seeing you cry made him start to tear up a bit himself.

"baby ..."

"what do you want, kwan? i thought you were busy all day," your words carried venom behind them, but your delivery was still of someone who had been hurt.

"no, baby. you know that's not true. i'm never too busy for you. i'm so sorry. i was such an idiot. there arent enough apologies i could give you. i- i never meant to hurt your feelings."

"you still did."

"i ... i know. i'm sorry. i love you. the last thing i ever want is for you to be hurt by me. i never shouldve gone out with my friends to begin with. you're too understanding of my busy schedule, and i dont deserve it. i shouldve made time all day for you today."

"was ... was it that important? being gone today specifically?", you seemed insecure in your question, which only made seungkwan's heart soar at making you feel insecure around him in any way.

"no! no, of course not. i wasnt thinking. i shouldve told them id go with them next time, or taken you with me! i was so stupid, i'm sorry. you're my priority. i need you to know that."

"it's- it's fine, kwannie. i understand. you dont see your friends that often, you-"

"no! stop. dont try to rationalize it. i made a mistake. you dont have to cover for me. i hurt you and i made you feel unimportant when you're the most important person to me. im so sorry. please never doubt that. i get you all to myself so little, and staying away from you was such a stupid mistake."

more tears had started flowing down your cheeks the further the conversation went on. he wasnt sure if it was because you were touched by his words, or because he was failing at making you feel better. as he neared you enough to wipe your tears with his thumbs, he hoped it was the former.

"baby .. don't cry over me. please. i'm just an idiot. you should never cry over me. i only ever want you to feel good things when thinking of me. i- im so sorry."

"kwannie ... i love you. i understand. i know you dont want me to understand, but i do. you have to make your choices when you're as busy as you are, and .. even though it did make me feel unimportant, i get it."

"it'll never happen again. i'll- i'll keep you by my side day and night. let me- please let me keep you to myself tomorrow. just wanna be with you. please?"

for the first time in the night, he saw you shoot him a small smile, uttering the words he wanted to hear most, "yes, kwannie. will you .. will you stay? please"

"you don't even have to ask."

a/n: thank u to everyone who enjoyed this lil series aaaa i hope it was realistic enough T-T sorry if the reconciliation seemed rushed, i just didnt want any of them to end up with an angsty ending hehe also sorry for seokmin's being shorter than anyone's i just cannot imagine that man ever hurting anyone's feelings.

#seventeen fanfic #seventeen x reader #svt fanfic #seventeen #svt #svt x reader #seventeen imagine #seventeen oneshot #seventeen angst #svt angst #svt scenarios #seventeen scenarios #svt fluff #seventeen fluff #seungkwan x reader #seungkwan fanfic #seokmin fluff #seokmin fanfic #seokmin x reader #joshua fluff #joshua fanfic #joshua x reader #woozi scenarios #woozi x reader #jihoon fanfic #jihoon x reader #jeonghan fanfic #jeonghan x reader #jeonghan fluff

[zvaigzdelasas]

Haiti’s deepening crisis — armed groups launching an assault on the government, and the de facto prime minister on indefinite layover in the San Juan, Puerto Rico airport — is a predictable consequence of 14 years of U.S. support for undemocratic regimes connected to Haiti’s PHTK party as it has dismantled Haiti’s democracy.

Haiti has a chance at reversing this descent and returning to a more stable, democratic path, but only if the Biden administration will let it.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry was stranded in San Juan Tuesday on his way back from Kenya, where he had signed an agreement for Kenyan police to come bolster his repressive, corrupt and unpopular regime. The armed groups, including many that had collaborated with Henry’s regime, took advantage of his absence to attack government infrastructure, and free 5,000 prisoners, many of them members of armed groups. Henry had planned to fly to the neighboring Dominican Republic and take a helicopter ride back to Haiti’s National Palace under the cover of darkness. But Dominican authorities refused entry to the prime minister’s chartered plane, which re-routed to San Juan.

Prime Minister Henry has not yet resigned, and the State Department denied reports that it demanded his resignation. But Henry has clearly lost the support of the United States, which for two years had allowed him to resist Haitians demands for fair elections. Absent Washington’s support, Henry has little chance of regaining power.

This dire situation is not only predictable, it was predicted. Haitian-American officials, Haitian civil society, members of the U.S. Congress, and other experts had been warning for years that the U.S. propping up Henry would lead to increasing tragedy for Haitians. The United States, which installed Henry in power in the first place, ignored these pleas and stood resolutely by its friend. With U.S. support, Henry’s unconstitutional term as prime minister exceeded any other prime minister’s term under Haiti’s 1987 Constitution. Levels of gang violence, kidnapping, hunger, and misery also reached unprecedented levels.

The United States is still insisting on getting Kenyan troops to Haiti. The State Department has persistently — if so far unsuccessfully — tried to deploy non-American boots onto Haitian ground since Henry requested them in October 2022. The mission’s deployment initially stalled because it was widely rejected as a bad idea that will primarily serve to prop up the repressive regime that generated the crisis. Haitian civil society [groups] repeatedly insisted that the first step towards security must be a transitional government with the legitimacy to organize elections and determine how the international community can best help Haiti.

Concerns that the intervention would serve only to reinforce an unpopular regime led the countries that the Biden administration first tapped to lead the mission, including Canada, Haiti’s Caribbean neighbors, and Brazil, to pass. The U.N. itself concluded that the mission would require too much “robust use of force” to be appropriate for a peacekeeping mission. So, the Security Council took the unusual step of authorizing the mission, but on the condition that it not actually be a U.N. mission that the organization would have to take responsibility for. The Biden administration, likely concerned about election-year cell phone videos of troops shooting indiscriminately in crowded neighborhoods — as the last foreign intervention did — declined to send U.S. troops for the mission (but is considering deploying a small Marine contingent to Haiti in early March).

Last August Kenya — which did not even have diplomatic relations with Haiti but did need the hundreds of millions of dollars that the United States offered — agreed to lead the mission. The exploratory delegation Kenya sent to evaluate conditions in Haiti quickly realized how deadly the planned mission would be for Haitians and Kenyans alike, and proposed to limit its scope to protecting public infrastructure.

The United States was not open to renegotiating the deal, and Kenya withdrew its proposed limits. But Kenya’s High Court temporarily blocked the deployment as unconstitutional. Ariel Henry’s visit to Kenya was for the signature of an accord that Kenya’s President William Ruto hoped would overcome the court’s objections. Kenyan lawyers insist that the agreement itself is illegal, and are continuing their challenge. In the meantime, Kenyan officers who had volunteered for the mission are changing their minds. Another obstacle appeared on March 7, when the White House conceded that the mission cannot be deployed without congressional approval of funding.

The State Department’s insistence that the Kenyan deployment must nevertheless happen raises fears that the United States will also continue its policy of installing and propping up undemocratic regimes in Haiti. Finance Minister Patrick Boisvert, who Henry tapped as interim prime minister when he left for Kenya, increased concerns of authoritarian governance on March 6 when he declared a three-day curfew and state of emergency throughout the Port-au-Prince region in an edict that did not even mention the legal basis for his authority. The next day Boisvert raised more fears by extending the emergency measures for a month and adding in a ban on all protests.

The State Department’s rescinding its support for Henry might have been promising had the gangs not already made his ouster inevitable. State’s claim that it now supports “an empowered and inclusive governance structure” that will “pave the way for free and fair elections” might have been promising if it had not added the condition that the new government must “move with urgency to help the country prepare for a multinational security support mission.”

A legitimate, broadly supported, sovereign transitional Haitian government might request foreign police assistance. But a government allowed to form only if it accepts a U.S.-imposed occupation force originally designed to prop up a hated, repressive government is not sovereign. It may not be legitimate or broadly-supported either.

The United States tasked CARICOM, the federation of Haiti’s Caribbean neighbors, to forge a civil society consensus. CARICOM has enjoyed credibility in Haiti in the past, but over the past few months it has faced criticism for trying to strong-arm civil society into an agreement that maintained Henry’s power. Not surprisingly, CARICOM-led talks on March 6 and 7 failed.

When allowed, Haitians have a history of coming together to make their way out of a crisis. Haiti became a country in 1804 by defeating Napoleon, with almost no outside help. In 1986, when the U.S. finally withdrew its support from Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier, Haitians eventually wrested power from the military and held fair elections. In 2006, they voted their way out of the crisis created by the U.S. kidnapping of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide two years before. In August 2021, shortly after the killing of Haiti’s last president, Jovenel Moïse, a broad-based group presented the Montana Accord that would have created a transitional government leading to elections in two years. The U.S. vetoed the accord, citing, among other reasons, that the two-year time frame was too long. That was 30 months ago, and there are no elections in sight.No amount of submission to U.S. demands by Prime Minister Henry and his predecessors can justify the absolute horror that our support has allowed them to inflict on the Haitian people. It is time for the United States to let Haitians come together and make their way out of the current crisis. Civil society [groups] [see] an opportunity for democracy in the crisis, and people all over Haiti have been meeting, discussing and negotiating to develop platforms for a broad-based, legitimate transitional government that can hold fair elections. It is expected that soon — maybe within weeks — one of these platforms will rise to the top, and civil society will coalesce around it. The United States needs to let that process happen without interference or conditions.

8 Mar 24

[natimiles]

RANDOM FACTS ABOUT ISAAC

★ He’s been revived for five years when we meet him. (Chapter 23 — His Side Story)

★ He denies that the residents, especially Arthur and Dazai, are his friends, but he genuinely cares about them. He turns to them for advice when he needs it and he admits to himself he has a family there. (Dramatic Ending — His Side Story)

★ He can’t tolerate blood straight. He needs food with his Blanc or Rouge, or he enters an inebriated state.

★ He actually likes apples. He eats them whenever he gets a chance and he even baked us an apple pie on Interlude — which also means: he can cook!

★ He fiddles with his hair when he’s embarrassed. and it's endearing

★ Even after a few years together, he still has a hard time expressing his feelings with words — so he prefers to do it with actions. (His Birthday Story — Episode V)

★ He’s easy to talk into doing things, mainly due to his contrarian personality.

★ He’s anxious as fuck. He worries about everything.

★ On a related note, his self-esteem isn’t the best. Whenever there’s a problem, he often jumps to the conclusion that he’s useless or not good enough.

★ Not into PDA. He likes holding hands, but refrains from kissing or hugging unless he’s sure no one is around or looking — he even drags us somewhere else, like his room or an alley.

★ He said he was ‘pure of body’. (Chapter 14 — His Side Story)

★ In fact, he’s never even kissed anyone before us, as it says in his route: “Lips that had never touched another person…” (Chapter 12)

★ He gets riled up quite fast. It doesn’t take much more than a few touches — it can even be us fiddling with his hair.

★ He says he’d rather be gentle, but every time things start heating up, he asks if it’s okay to be less gentle.

Countdown to Isaac’s Birthday: random facts | 9 days!

#he's such a sweetheart #countdown to isaac's birthday #ikemen vampire #ikevamp #ikevamp isaac #random facts #ikevamp facts #natimiles

[right-there-ride-on]

Chronology of Major Gyjo moments (sources cited)

Gyro refuses to leave Johnny behind despite making it a point that he won't be slowed down by him

Chapter 14 - Across the Arizona Desert: Continuing on the Shortest Route

2) After being attacked, Johnny states the only one he trusts is Gyro

Also, early example of Johnny being willing to give the corpse up to save Gyro (even before Sugar Mountain!)

Chapter 27: Tusk (Part 3)

3) Gyro disobeying his father and familial tradition by giving in to his urge to save Johnny (and thereby fight like a 'true man' for what he wants)

Chapter 35: The True Man's World (Part 3)

4) Gyro putting his faith in Johnny to defeat their attacker. When Johnny thinks he's failed, he cradles Gyro's face and asks for forgiveness. (it's a major moment. to me)

Chapter 44: A Silent Way (Part 5)

5) Ok this one is just a little sus but I'm putting it in anyway: Gyro dreaming of that time he slept with one of his patients, only to immediately wake up and have a domestic scene with Johnny. For what purpose...?

Chapter 45: The Promised Land Sugar Mountain (Part 1)

6) Johnny gives up the corpse parts for Gyro (again), immediately followed by them drinking away their sorrows into the sunset. Who's doing it like them.

Chapter 48: Tubular Bells (Part 1)

7) Gyro finds the Golden Rectangle, previously described as, “… the foundation for every perfect structure for beauty" (Chapter 43: A Silent Way, Part 4) in Johnny eyes, and refuses to answer Johnny's question about where he's finding it. The implications of what Gyro thinks of Johnny's physical appearance are obvious.

Chapter 52: Wrecking Ball (Part 2)

8) Gyro sacrifices his hand, his only other point of reference for the Golden Rectangle, in order to save Johnny from a hit he probably could have tanked. Even Gyro looks a little surprised at himself... Also, they are all over each other this arc. Gyro is especially protective.

And, a little later:

Chapter 53: Wrecking Ball (Part 3)

9) Once it's revealed that Valentine intends to kill the rest of the racers (at least the ones who pose a threat to him), and makes an attempt on Johnny's life, Gyro attempts to convince Johnny to drop out, implying that he would drop out with him.

Of course, this is immediately followed by Johnny begging Gyro to, at the very least, help Lucy and see what she knows about the corpse parts. Seeing Johnny's distress at being so close to his goal only to have it snatched away from him convinces Gyro to stay in the race (something that will ultimately get him killed) and theorize how they can use the spin to defeat Valentine (via the stirrups). He tries to play it off but goddamn he is in love with him.

Chapter 72: Ticket to Ride (Part 2)

10) Shuiesha coloring may imply that Johnny is wearing Gyro's shirt beneath his own?? It's got the same collar and everything.

First appearance of this coloring choice is Chapter 63: 7 Days in a Week

11) Exchange of secrets no one else knows (they are each other's most important person!)

This panel in particular:

Chapter 76: D4C (Part 9)

12) And last but not least, thee set of chapter titles ever, in which Valetine attempts to bargain with Johnny to spare his life in return for bringing back Gyro. Johnny refuses, not because of any moral quandary about saving the life of an evil man, but because the Gyro brought back would not be the same. On top of that, he recognizes Valentine as a liar.

When it's all over, Johnny just breaks.

And that's the end of the chapter!

Chapters 88 and 89: Break My Heart, Break Your Heart (Parts 1 & 2)

13) Johnny's Goodbye (I like this scene more in b+w what can I say)

Chapter 95: The World of Stars and Stripes (Outro)

Obviously Johnny and Gyro have a lot of smaller moments too, but these are the ones that come to mind when I think of them!

#gyjo catalogue #gyjo repository #gyjo #gyro zeppeli #johnny joestar #steel ball run #sbr #holy fuck the resolution is garbage #anyway. I fully believe they were in love. I love gay people #my posts

[wolfiafuntime]

Modern! Cult Leader! Zhongli

 My first brainrot!! Or rather, the first one I'm actually writing about lol.

 Ft. Modern Sagau X Nonbinary! Reader (you get called adorable once)

 TW: cults, children being in cults, diet control, murder

Published: June 14, 2023

Words: 1,742

Pages: 5

 This brainrot takes place in a Modern! SAGAU. Where, within the state/city (haven't decided yet) of Teyvat, at Akademiya University, a young and self-absorbed Zhongli- who longs for money, violence, and fame- decides to start a cult.

 He makes up this genderless god who created the universe and all life within it. He says that each planet within our solar system once had its own dominant race. That the god fell in love with one of their creations- a dragon-like harbinger of war known as Rex Lapis- and who's love was returned. That together, the pair had seven children (Anemo, Geo, Electro, Dendro, Hydro, Pyro, and Cyro), and they were going to have another. But sadly, before they could be born, one of the planet's kings had grown jealous of their not only their love, but also their power. So, with his cunning wit, the king convinced six other planets to do a hostile takeover. One that killed both the Creator and their kids.

 He says that the grieving Rex Lapis, in a blind fury, went and slaughtered every living being that had contributed to his beloved's death. When he was finally finished, he went to the only planet that hadn't betrayed his spouse (Earth), and laid down for a several-million-year depression nap. At first, the people of Earth treated him with kindness. They cleaned his body while he slept, and created various shrines around him so they would have a proper place to put their offerings. But as the years went on, the people mysteriously stopped taking care of him. And so, life began to bloom across the Rex Lapis's body, and he slowly but surely turned into a mountain.

 He says that, when Rex Lapis had finally woke up, with life all across him, he didn't have the heart to move. For it reminded him of both his spouse and some of his children. And so, he used his powers to create a tiny solid projection of himself that he could act as his eyes and ears for the new world outside him. And, after getting a good look at everything, he decided to make a human form and conjure various other things he would need to disguise himself as a member of modern society. But doing so had stretched his what was left of his powers (which were weakened from years of disuse, like atrophied muscles) thin. So thin he couldn't do anything more without them breaking, and trapping himself within the mountain for who-knows how long.

 This human, as you've probably guessed by now, named himself Zhongli.

 Zhongli says that he felt insulted by the people for forgetting his beloved spouse, who oh so graciously gave them life. But without his powers, he couldn't seek vengeance like he wanted. So, he decided to take a more peaceful route and start spreading the gospel of his spouse and kids.

 The first few members of his cult are an odd bunch. A drunk wannabe musician, a pair of abused sisters, a married lady, and more. As a reward, he gave each of them a piece of jewelry, crafted with one of his children in mind, so they could identify each other. He called these accessories 'Visions', and said that they 'revealed the mortals who see the truth'. Each vision represented a different one of his born children.

 To keep his cultists where he wanted them, he created the 'creators diet', which, while being versatile, successfully damaged his servants' ability to think. He had them pray every morning, every night, and every time they faced any trouble. He had the cult move into a house located on the very mountain he claims his body is trapped under. This house, which he claims was made with power he gained from all the worshipping, is a building many family reunions were held when he was a child. One that his grandparents, who he had not talked to for years at that point, just so happened to give him before dying.

 The house was fairly large. Two stories, with two rooms on the ground floor (a large living room and large dining room (with a small kitchen attached)), and eleven rooms (ten bedrooms and a communal bathroom) on the floor above. One of the ten bedrooms was a master bedroom, which he obviously had to himself. While the members spent only slept in and cleaned the house, due to the distance from the city and the fact they all had jobs, he still had them meet every Monday at noon for 'group prayer' and group sparing. During these prayer sessions, he would have his servants give nearly all of their money to him. After all; he was a dragon. And what was a dragon without treasure?

 To his mild surprise, but great amusement, the cult grew very big within a few years. Too big for him to manage. So, he divided the job amongst six of the seven original members; a reward for 'enlightening' so many people. He also gave them physical rewards- another, different piece of jewelry he called gnosis, that he 'infused with his power' so that when their natural death comes, they would be able to sit beside his spouse and kids in celestia. Through them, he was able to get six different houses that his expanding cult could move into. Sadly, not everyone could move into one of the buildings. But considering the members that couldn't were all very big names within Teyvat, he was fine with making exceptions.

 As the years went on, he slowly started decorating himself with various makeup and props to make himself look more dragon-like. Horns, cat-pupil eye contacts; he even went so far as to get his arms tattooed brown and gold! All to show his people "the growth of his power".

 "The more acolytes I-- and my beloved, of course- gain, then more of you should be able to meet their grace when your natural death comes. Why, with enough of you, we might even be able to raise them from the dead!" <- Something Zhongli will soon regret saying on a regular basis. 

 Sadly, some of them meet their 'natural death's fairly soon. Like Makoto and Rukkhadevata, who had discovered the truth through his goddamn parents of all people. Of course, he killed all four, but that brought some new problems. While Makoto was easily replaced by her sister, he not only needed a replacement for Rukkhadevata, but she had a daughter that needed to be taken care of. Her father didn't know she even existed, and he feared her discovery would start an investigation into his cult. Little did he know that his murders already did.

 It took him a few years to discover, but when he did, it was already too late. He, in another panic to preserve everything, killed the mole. But, worried that there was another one, he made plan and slowly acted on it over the following months. First, he had one of the archons buy him a house and faked a 'power tear' because of overusing said powers (he, before leaving, compared it to a muscle tear). Then, he had all but one of the houses change the day and time of the weekly prayer session. Finally, through his archons, he had the seven houses turned into buildings for newcomers, with the only members ever coming for the weekly prayer session (Which he also altered to be on separate days depending on the house they're in).

 Don't be mistaken, he still had connections to the cult and most certainly still had control over it! He made absolutely sure of it before he left. The archons, who knew of the truth and were sworn to secrecy, regularly contacted him for guidance, prayers, and offerings. But he was now living a much more normal lifestyle. It was kind of difficult for him, to be honest. He had to wear long sleeves and gloves whenever he left the house. He had no one to talk to him, no one to clean for him, no one to cook for him… But the worst of all, in his opinion, was him having to get a job.

 He can't help but be thankful for his past self's decision to complete college and get his degree, even though it had become unneeded before he had even finished school. Without it, he wouldn't be able to get a job as a funeral consultant. And, just his luck, his boss was also a member of his cult! A member of the liyue house, with a pretty little pyro vision ring worn on her ring finger of all things.

 He had a difficult time hiding his laughter. Sadly, that was just about the best thing he discovered as of late. For he made a rather worrisome discovery a few months later.

 When he first heard he was getting a new neighbor, he didn't think much of it. Other than anticipation for getting a new toy for him to use and abuse, of course. But then he actually saw his neighbor, and he froze for a second. A (s/t) person with the hair, eyes, and body to match his so-called beloved spouse. He cursed his past self for allowing that one geo boy draw the 'human form' of his 'beloved' for a moment. But then he took a deep breath, and went and introduced himself to you.

 You- kind, sweet, and adorable you. Who's personality somehow also matches the one he made up for his 'creator'. And he silently worries as he helps you carry some boxes into your deceased grandparents house. Worries about someone from his hundred-membered cult, all of whom now having homes of their own- spotting you. If you accidentally snap his followers out of his control..! No- that can't happen. Won't happen. Not on his watch.

.

.

.

 And my brainrot's died. Or rather, passed out, 'cause I wanna continue with this idea, but I have no idea on where to go from here. Maybe he kidnaps you. Maybe he manipulates you into becoming a recluse that only relies on him. Maybe he falls in love with you and decides to make you the vice-leader of his cult. Or maybe he falls into a delusion where you are his dead spouse.

#genshin impact #gi #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact x y/n #genshin impact x you #sagau #genshin sagau #sagau modern au #sagau cult au #sagau zhongli #zhongli #modern! zhongli #cult leader! zhongli #yandere! zhongli #zhongli x reader #zhongli x y/n #zhongli x you #cult leader x reader #cult leader x y/n #cult leader x you #yandere x reader #yandere x y/n #yandere x you

[ltwilliammowett]

Black Ships

The Black Ships ( 黒船, romanized: kurofune, Edo period term) was the name given to Western vessels arriving in Japan in the 16th and 19th centuries.

Commodore Perry's fleet for his second visit to Japan in 1854 - Engraving from Gleason’s Pictorial Drawing-Room Companion, Boston, May 15, 1852, Volume II, No. 20, page 305

In 1543, Portuguese initiated the first contacts, establishing a trade route linking Goa to Nagasaki. The large carracks engaged in this trade had the hull painted black with pitch, and the term came to represent all Western vessels. In 1639, after suppressing a rebellion blamed on the influence of Christian thought, the ruling Tokugawa shogunate retreated into an isolationist policy, the Sakoku. During this "locked state", contact with Japan by Westerners was restricted to Dutch traders on Dejima island at Nagasaki.

In 1844, William II of the Netherlands urged Japan to open also the mainland to trade, but was rejected. On 8 July, 1853, the U.S. Navy sent four warships into the bay at Edo and threatened to attack if Japan did not begin trade with the West. The ships were Mississippi, Plymouth, Saratoga, and Susquehanna of the Expedition for the opening of Japan, under the command of Commodore Matthew Perry. The expedition arrived on 14 July, 1853 at Uraga Harbor (present-day Yokosuka) in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Though their hulls were not black, their coal-fired steam engines belched black smoke.

Their arrival marked the reopening of the country to political dialogue after more than two hundred years of self-imposed isolation. Trade with Western nations followed five years later with the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. After this, the kurofune became a symbol of the end of isolation.

#naval history #black ships #short overview #before i get the asks what they are #western vessels #japan #16th-19th century #more about perry soon #age of sail #age of discovery #history

[matan4il]

Daily update post:

Yesterday, there were a lot of unofficial initiatives and ceremonies across Israel to commemorate one month since the massacre. It wasn't official, because the state is still in the middle of a war, but regular people felt the need to connect with the Jewish custom of marking 30 days since the death of a loved one. In many places, people stood, wherever they happened to be, for a minute of silence at 11 in the morning (myself included), or held up posters or yellow balloons in honor of the hostages and the missing persons:

This girl is absolutely awesome:

Rashida Tlaib has been rebuked for using the hateful chant "From the River to the sea, Palestine will be free." Here's a link to explanations on why it is indeed a call for, at the very least, the ethnic cleansing of Jews from the Jewish ancestral homeland.

On a personal note, I just discovered that another colleague of mine has a sister and BIL held hostage in Gaza. I said before that every Israeli has a "list" of those they know and love affected by this, and it just keep getting longer as we find out more about people's fate on Oct 7, and as the list of fallen soldiers in this war gets longer, too.

I saw a new lie being pushed, that the majority of people in Israel who were killed during Hamas' massacre were soldiers (implying the civilians were never specifically targeted, that they were collateral damage). But the numbers are very different. Out of over 1,400 people murdered on that day, only 348 were soldiers. That's before we get to the confiscated documents showing instructions that clearly stated the goal was civilians, the Hamas terrorists who were captured alive and confirmed this, or the fact that if those terrorists weren't interested in abducting and killing civilians, why take over entire civilian communities? There were no military bases in kibbutz Be'eri, kibbutz Nir Oz, or kibbutz Kfar Azza, there was no army outpost at the Nova music festival. Hamas' terrorists set up blockades on the only road leaving that festival and gunned down anyone trying to escape. Over 260 young people. Not one was in army uniform, driving an army car, or even just... armed. That's targeting civilians intentionally. A baby being placed in the oven, or being beheaded, or tied with wires to an adult and then both being burned alive, or a 14 year old girl being raped and then shot in the head in her bedroom, or firing thousands of rockets into cities, that's not "collateral damage."

The UN general secretary said it's clear something's wrong with Israel's military activity, based on the number of civilians killed in Gaza. Based on the numbers released by the highly unreliable terrorist organization Hamas, the perpetrator of a massacre, an actual crime against humanity, which doesn't allow any external inspectors come into Gaza to verify the numbers.

After Israel has been asking for European countries to send hospital ships, Italy is sending one. Israel is also working with the United Arab Emirates on the UAE being a field hospital next to the Gaza border. As many Gazans have been heeding Israel's call to evacuate from the north, Israel has prolonged the route it's securing against Hamas, to allow them an even safer passage.

Manor Salomon, a successful Israeli soccer player, was criticizing UEFA (the European soccer federation) for their refusal to denounce Hamas. For this, his IG account was closed. Prominent Israeli voices ARE being silenced.

This is 19 years old Yoav Mellev, who on Oct 7 was fighting on the Zikim beach, where Hamas terrorists landed in boats, and were massacring civilians. After he got badly wounded, he left a note, in which he said (as conveyed by his mom) that it was the best 20 minutes of his life, because he got to defend people. He died of his wounds. May his memory be a blessing.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

#israel #israeli #israel news #israel under attack #israel under fire #israelunderattack #terrorism #anti terrorism #antisemitism #hamas #antisemitic #antisemites #jews #jew #judaism #jumblr #frumblr #jewish

[radiofreederry]

Happy birthday, Jacobo Arbenz! (September 14, 1913)

President of Guatemala from 1951 to 1954, Jacobo Arbenz Guzman was only the second democratically-elected leader in Guatemala's history. A lifelong progressive who was friendly with socialists and communists, Arbenz played a prominent role in the Guatemalan Revolution of 1944 which toppled the country's repressive right-wing government. as Minister of Defense under President Juan José Arévalo, Arbenz was crucial in quashing a military coup which sought to end the revolution, a portent of things to come. Arbenz was then elected President in his own right and sought to extend the revolution, including through land reform and redistribution of uncultivated land. Much of this land was owned by the United Fruit Company, which lobbied the US government for Arbenz's removal. The CIA acquiesced, launching Operation PBSuccess, a military coup that removed Arbenz from power and unleashed decades of genocidal violence on the people of Guatemala, with the backing of the United States. Arbenz, for his part, fled into exile, where he would die in 1971.

"Our crime is wanting to have our own route to the Atlantic, our own electric power and our own docks and ports. Our crime is our patriotic wish to advance, to progress, to win economic independence to match our political independence. We are condemned because we have given our peasant population land and rights."

#birthdays #jacobo arbenz

[ataleofcrowns]

Chapter 11 Progress [14/MAY]

Hey everyone, it's been a minute since my last update on the blog!! Happy mother's day to all the moms out there 💖

By the time of writing this, I have 40k words written for CH11, and I am both happy and mildly horrified to report that CH11 is looking up to be the biggest chapter yet by a mile. It's very likely the total word count will break through 90k words, primarily due to the LI routes.

First, I've finished the first draft for X's route for CH11 and am mildly exasperated by my inability to properly estimate how long these sections will be.

I thought it would amount to 10k at most, but X's route ended up with 18k words. This is mostly due to all the Imperial Court variations in their opening scene, because I'm a masochist. A single playthrough of X's route is more like 14k words, though, depending on the variations you get.

I'm also close to finishing R's route and have 8k words written for it so far. Their and A's routes will be a little less in word count, since they got more content in CH10, but they'll both likely still be 10-12k words. D's will likely be closer to X's route in word count, around 14-15k.

Altogether, this chapter's LI routes alone will likely be close to 60k for all four. So that leaves the rest of the 30k for the main plot, which I haven't started yet. I literally only have words written for R and X, as well as bits and snippets for A and D so far lol.

Please pray for me so that I can release this chapter in July and give you all a summer miracle 🙏🏼

Anyway, enough about the word count!! I've got some preview posting to catch up to, so beneath the cut you'll find various snippets for X and R's routes in CH11 that were posted on the Patreon.

Hopefully I'll be able to post some for A and D soon as well, once I dig into their routes in the coming weeks.

Here's a small preview of a bit you might see occur across all LI routes, though it still depends on who is appointed to your Imperial Court (and the Lord Samal referenced here is specific to X's route as well):

“Chief Minister, is this allowed? There must be procedure for the appointment of officials—” “It is all at the Crown’s discretion,” Chief Minister Karwan states simply, turning away from the representative again to face forward instead. “But this is highly unusual!” The Minister breathes an exasperated sigh. “Oh, quiet down! Were you not using the same technicalities to get your way a moment ago, you insolent dog?” “Do not speak to me that way!” Lord Samal erupts. “I serve Mîr Behram!” “And I was already serving the Crowns of this Empire when your master was still suckling at the teat!” the Chief Minister snaps. “Now be a good boy and come to heel, we have many more matters to discuss.”

Here's a preview for X's route:

“Why do you have that dagger?” You turn to look at $aname, taken aback by how stunned $athey appears. “$xname gave it to me.” “$cxthey gave it to you?” $aname repeats incredulously, glancing back down at the dagger in your hands. “Did $xthey tell you who it originally belonged to?” “It belonged to someone else?” You assumed $xname was the only one who owned it, but looking at it again, you can notice subtle wear and tear despite its well-cared-for state. Little scratches along its sheath, the edges of pearl looking a little worn along the handle. “Whose was it?” “$cxtheir mother’s.” Your fingers tighten around its sheath in shock, then twitch with the urge to put it away. “$cxtheir mother’s? Why would…” You look down at the dagger in complete disbelief. “Why would $xthey give it to me?”

And finally, here's a preview for R's route:

Your hands reach for $rthem, but then halt and hover in mid-air, uncertain of whether you should even touch $rthem while $rthey’s in this state. “It’s alright,” Perjin speaks quietly from beside you. “You can hold $rtheir hand, if you wish. Your magic won’t cause any problems.”  You take a slow, deep breath, calming yourself as you sit down on the edge of the bed and gently take $rname’s hand in yours. “$crtheir fingers are cold.” Alarmed, you rub $rtheir hand, feeling how clammy and cool $rtheir skin is. You turn to Perjin. “Why does $rthey feel cold? What’s happening to $rthem?” 

That was it for this update ✨

I’m posting further updates and CH11 previews on the Patreon for all tiers, as well as all sorts of fun extra LI/Crown snippets, so if you’d like more AToC content while you wait for CH11, consider pledging!!

As always, thanks so much for your patience and support 💖

#a tale of crowns #interactive fiction #progress report #preview

[rabbitcruiser]

Zion Overlook, UT (No. 2)

The Dixie National Forest has many climatic extremes. Precipitation ranges from 10 inches (250 mm) in the lower elevations to more than 40 inches (1,000 mm) per year near Brian Head 11,307 feet (3,446 m). At the higher elevations, most of the annual precipitation falls as snow. Thunderstorms are common during July and August and produce heavy rains. In some areas, August is the wettest month of the year.

Temperature extremes can be impressive, with summer temperatures exceeding 100 °F (38 °C) near St. George and winter lows exceeding −30 °F (−34 °C) on the plateau tops.

The vegetation of the Forest grades from sparse, desert-type plants at the lower elevations to stand of low-growing pinyon pine and juniper dominating the mid-elevations. At the higher elevations, aspen and conifers such as pine, spruce, and fir predominate.

The Dixie Forest Reserve was established on September 25, 1905 by the General Land Office. The name was derived from the local description of the warm southern part of Utah as "Dixie". In 1906 the U.S. Forest Service assumed responsibility for the lands, and on March 4, 1907 it became a National Forest. The western part of Sevier National Forest was added on July 1, 1922, and all of Powell National Forest on October 1, 1944.

Source: Wikipedia

#Cedar Canyon #State Route 14 #Highway 14 #Dixie National Forest #Kane County #travel #original photography #vacation #tourist attraction #landmark #landscape #countryside #blue sky #clouds #flora #nature #summer 2022 #USA #grass #Utah #cityscape #tree #forest #woods #hills #valley #Cedar City #restaurant #food #Chow Line

[olowan-waphiya]

Tribes welcome return of ancestral lands

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 By Kevin Abourezk, Indianz.Com Kimberly Morales Johnson can’t help but imagine the land that today is Los Angeles as her ancestors would have seen it centuries ago. The Tongva people used the canyons of the San Gabriel Mountains as trading routes with the indigenous people of the Mojave desert. Last year, the Tongva reclaimed land in Los Angeles for the first time in almost 200 years after being forced to give up their lands and having their federal status terminated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1950.

Sharon Alexander, a non-Native woman, donated a one-acre property in Altadena, California, to the Tongva after learning about the #LandBack movement during the 2016 Democratic National Convention and discovering that the Tongva were the original inhabitants of Los Angeles.

Johnson, vice president of the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy, a nonprofit set up by the community to receive the land, said the tribe has big plans for the property. “It needs a lot of work, but we’re all dedicated to it,” she said.

In 2022, thousands of acres of private and public land in America were returned to the care of Native peoples. Many of these lands were returned to their original inhabitants, including the one-acre property in Los Angeles.

A website called the Decolonial Atlas created a “Land Back” map charting the locations of land returns that occurred last year. Other land returns that occurred last year include 40 acres around the Wounded Knee National Historic Landmark, the site of the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre. The Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe bought the land for $500,000.

“It’s a small step towards healing and really making sure that we as a tribe are protecting our critical areas and assets,” Oglala Sioux Tribe President Kevin Killer told The Associated Press.

Although not a land return, the Biden administration last year signed an agreement giving five tribes – the Hopi, Navajo, Ute Mountain Ute, Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, and Pueblo of Zuni – greater oversight of the 1.3-million acre Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.

Last year, the Rappahannock Tribe celebrated the return of more than 400 acres along the Rappahannock River that is home to a historic tribal village named Pissacoack and a four-mile stretch of white-colored cliffs.

“Your ancestors cherished these lands for many generations and despite centuries of land disputes and shifting policies, your connections to these cliffs and to this river remain unbroken,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said at an event celebrating the land return. One of the largest land returns last year involved the purchase of more than 28,000 acres by the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa Tribe in Minnesota.

The Conservation Fund, an environmental nonprofit, sold the land to the tribe after purchasing the land from a lumber manufacturer in 2020. Emilee Nelson, Minnesota associate state director of The Conservation Fund, said her organization bought the land from the PotlatchDeltic Corporation after the company decided to divest of much of its Minnesota land holdings. The Conservation Fund bought 72,000 acres from the company, including 28,000 acres that were within the Bois Forte Reservation. The Boise Fort Band lost the land following passage of the Dawes Act of 1887, which led to the allotment of the land to private landowners. “Where this land was located made a lot of sense for the tribe to own it,” Nelson said.

However, he said, tribes don’t always want to purchase land or even accept a land donation, especially if they don’t think they’ll be able to put it into federal trust status. He offered advice to those considering donating their land to a tribe. “If you want to make a donation, sell the land and make a donation,” he said.

As for the one-acre land donation to the Tongva, Kimberly Morales Johnson said the tribe plans to use the land to create a community center where it will be able to host cultural workshops and where Tongva people will be able to gather plants sacred to their people, including the acorns from the oak trees on the property.

“This is about self-determination and sovereignty,” she said. The tribe is also allowing a tribal artist to live on the land and take care of it, she said. The Tongva have also begun working to return Native plants to the property and remove invasive species.

“This whole LandBack movement is rooted in healing, and instead of looking at land as a commodity, we’re looking at it as a way to have a relationship with the land and with each other and bringing back our traditions, our language, our food, our culture,” she said.

#land back #landback #land back movement #news #native news

[blueiskewl]

Maya Sacrificial Victim Discovered with Jade Ring

In a significant find, experts from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have revealed an ancient Maya burial site. This discovery sheds light on a human sacrifice accompanied by the presence of a precious jade ring.

The unearthing of this find occurred while archaeologists were diligently excavating within the ancient Maya city known as El Tigre, or Itzamkanac.

This city, with its intriguing moniker translating to “the place of the lizard serpent,” rests in the Mexican state of Cameche, adjacent to the Rio Candelaria.

The INAH reported in its official newsletter that the antiquity of these findings is estimated at around 1,200 years.

Reporting at Mexico’s morning conference led by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Diego Prieto Hernández, the head of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), shared details about this significant find.

He also talked about the use of something called “Promeza” at these historical places. This technology helps shape today’s understanding by learning from and sharing insights about the past.

The skeleton of Maya’s sacrificial victim

The found skeleton, as Diego Prieto Hernández clarified, was actually part of a burial offering. Moreover, this discovery was found on platform 1E, which is situated to the west of the big complex known as Structure 1 in the El Tigre Archaeological Zone.

The ceremonial arrangement included two big vessels. These containers were topped with ceramic bowls used as covers. Among them, one vessel caught the archaeologists’ focus. Inside, they found the skeleton of a young person.

Moreover, this individual was placed in a bent position, and there was also a striking and well-preserved jade ring accompanying the remains. This ring was quite unique and stood out.

Considering the features of the containers, experts believe that this burial can be linked to the Late Classic period, which falls between AD 600 and 800. Additionally, this era matches the peak of population and political influence at El Tigre, reported INAH.

Prieto Hernández mentioned that the investigation will progress in the laboratory. There, a micro-excavation will take place. However, the aim is to gather precise details about the physical characteristics of the remains.

Moreover, they’re also hoping to uncover any other related items, like seeds or smaller ornaments, that might be connected to this discovery.

177 pre-Hispanic human burials located in Mayan train

As highlighted by the INAH’s director, this skeleton adds to a total of 177 ancient human burials found in Section 1 of the Mayan Train project.

These discoveries come from two sources: first, during the monitoring of archaeological rescues while laying the railway tracks, and second, through the utilization of the Promeza technology in the three specific regions.

Up until August 14, 2023, a total of 2,698 structures had been safeguarded, according to INAH’s director.

These include 248 pieces of furniture, 281,353 fragments of ceramics, and 55 natural elements linked to the existence of past human communities along this segment of the train route.

By Abdul Moeed.

#Maya Sacrificial Victim Discovered with Jade Ring #Maya burial site #ancient tomb #ancient grave #ancient artifacts #archeology #archeolgst #history #history news #ancient history #ancient culture #ancient civilizations

[zvaigzdelasas]

Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim to have a new, hypersonic missile in their arsenal, Russia’s state media reported Thursday[...]

The report by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency cited an unidentified official but provided no evidence for the claim. [...]

However, the Houthis have for weeks hinted about “surprises” they plan for the battles at sea to counter the United States and its allies,[...]

On Thursday, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the Houthis’ secretive supreme leader, said the rebels will start hitting ships heading toward the Cape of Good Hope in Africa’s southern tip. Until now, the rebels have largely struck ships heading into the Red Sea toward the Suez Canal, and such an escalation would target the longer, alternative route used by some vessels. It remains unclear how they would carry any possible assault out.

Oh my God [14 Mar 24]

[contemplatingoutlander]

Putting chaplains in public school is the latest battle in culture wars

Here comes the American far-right "Christian Taliban," all set to indoctrinate a new generation of Americans into a warped, right-wing "Christianity."

Our Founders must be spinning in their graves.

Lawmakers in mostly conservative states are pushing a coordinated effort to bring chaplains into public schools, aided by a new, legislation-crafting network that aims to address policy issues “from a biblical world view” and by a consortium whose promotional materials say chaplains are a way to convert millions to Christianity. The bills have been introduced this legislative season in 14 states, inspired by Texas, which passed a law last year allowing school districts to hire chaplains or use them as volunteers for whatever role the local school board sees fit, including replacing trained counselors. Chaplain bills were approved by one legislative chamber in three states — Utah, Indiana and Louisiana — but died in Utah and Indiana. Bills are pending in nine states. One passed both houses of Florida’s legislature and is awaiting the governor’s signature. [color/emphasis added]

[See more under the cut.]

The bills are mushrooming in an era when the U.S. Supreme Court has expanded the rights of religious people and groups in the public square and weakened historic protections meant to keep the government from endorsing religion. In a 2022 case, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch referred to the “so-called separation of church and state.” Former president Donald Trump has edged close to a government-sanctioned religion by asserting in his campaign that immigrants who “don’t like our religion — which a lot of them don’t” would be barred from the country in a second term. “We are reclaiming religious freedom in this country,” said Jason Rapert, a former Arkansas state senator and the president of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, which he founded in 2019 to craft model legislation, according to the group’s site. Its mission is “to bring federal, state and local lawmakers together in support of clear biblical principles … to address major policy concerns from a biblical world view,” the site says. The group hosted House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) late last year at its gala at the Museum of the Bible in Washington. The chaplain bills, Rapert said, are part of an effort to empower “the values and principles of the founding fathers.” Critics who compare such efforts with theocracy, he said, are creating “a false flag, a boogeyman by radical left to demonize everyone of faith.” Rapert says he’ll push in the next round of chaplain bills to make the positions mandatory. Heather Weaver, senior staff attorney at the ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, called allowing chaplains into public schools “a constitutional time bomb.” “It definitely would be a much more direct route to promoting religion to students and evangelizing them than we’ve seen in the past.” she said. [color emphasis added]

[edited]

#christian nationalism #separation of church and state #establishment clause #national association of christian lawmakers #american christian taliban #michelle boorstein #the washington post