You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.

C.S. Lewis

Summer Starts in the Northern Hemisphere!

Today is the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere -- the solstice! People located in the Northern Hemisphere will have the longest day of the year today, and people located in the Southern Hemisphere will have the shortest day of the year.

The angle between the Earth’s orbit and the axis of its rotation creates our seasons, tilting each hemisphere toward the Sun during summer in that half of the Earth. This is summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and winter in the Southern Hemisphere. The other half of the year, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, creating winter in the north and summer in the south.

Solstices happen twice per year, at the points in Earth’s orbit where this tilt is most pronounced.

These days are the longest (in the summer hemisphere) and shortest (in the winter hemisphere) of the year, and mark the change of seasons to summer and winter, respectively.

For more Earth science, follow NASA Earth on Twitter, on Facebook, or on the web.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[A white fortune cookie paper with black text reading: You will make a change for the better.]

The paradox of education is precisely this — that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated. The purpose of education, finally, is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself, to make his own decisions, to say to himself this is black or this is white, to decide for himself whether there is a God in heaven or not. To ask questions of the universe, and then learn to live with those questions, is the way he achieves his own identity. But no society is really anxious to have that kind of person around. What societies really, ideally, want is a citizenry which will simply obey the rules of society. If a society succeeds in this, that society is about to perish. The obligation of anyone who thinks of himself as responsible is to examine society and try to change it and to fight it -– at no matter what risk. This is the only hope society has.

James Baldwin (1924-1987) American novelist, playwright, activist

This is for everyone who experiences a lot of negative self talk and is working so hard on being kinder, more loving to their bodies and minds: I am so sorry to hear that your mind is not a peaceful place at the moment, but I promise you that the war will not last forever. You deserve so much respect and recognition for fighting against these toxic thoughts on a daily basis, my love. You are such a beautiful, amazing soul and I hope that one day your focus will finally shift from all the 'ugly' and 'bad' parts you see to all the incredible things about you. That is the you the world already sees and you deserve to see it, too.

[A white fortune cookie paper with black text on the front and an icon of a bee. It reads: It’s time to break out of your routine and try something new.]

Because you have no interest in changing a world that suits you so well.

I’m just saying.... cashapp Girlsbestkeptsecret so we can continue to give you content

To everyone who sees this:

My home country, Myanmar (Burma) is in a serious situation.

On the first of February 2021. the military seized power. They had detained government officials, including our State Counsellor, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and our president, U Win Myint.

Every form of connection, both wifi and mobile data, all was cut off this morning. We did not know what was happening for the whole of the morning, until 5 in my house when the internet was back on.

They had cut all news channel, we do not know what really is happening inside our country other than their power seizure, and we do not know what is happening in the world right now. Every news channel except the military owned are now cut.

There are now curfews to stay at home after 8pm in Yangon, whether the same law apply to other cities are unknown.

There is not much we can do as citizens other than hope that our little voices reach the world. The best we can hope for is.

I am in the dark and cannot shed much light on the situation. You might have heard and know better by now. The 8888 uprising is one that had happened in the past, we hope this is not another one. Some think that the worst may result in our country disappearing off the face of the Earth, but I can only hope for the best.

The internet and electricity may be cut off again at 12 in the night, Myanmar Time, but some said this is a rumour. I do not know yet.

Spreading awareness on this situation is extremely important to us, we are no strangers to being left in the dark corner for a long time.

Speaking from my heart, I hope that we can stand as a union of humanity, rather than divided by any borders or nationalities. The military oppression will not only affect our country, our children, our lives to the biggest extent, it can tear the centuries our country had survived into nothingness. In the 88 uprising, countless bodies had been buried alive, the streets had been covered with blood, and tears drown the country. We can only hope this is not 88 again. 

To every bystander, to help us, spreading awareness is important. It’s extremely important to research as well and get to the bottom ( and avoid circular reporting), and I will try to explain as much as possible if there is time. 

There was another announcement that all travel to outside the country will be shut down till April 30.

This is a petition you can sign:

https://www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-we-would-like-to-report-about-the-military-coup-in-myanmar-burma

Edit (March 19, 2021): The military still holds power. We are not free yet. There are increasing violence and brutality erupting around the country. Yet we are being silenced.

Accounts you can follow to keep up-to-date:

Tumblr : @aletteroflovetome (Feel free to send me an inbox or message me, I will try to answer any questions about the current situation), @soft-noble-light @myanmarupdates , @georgiaeden8585 , @castaliasworld, @surprisebitch , @smolonigiri

Instagram : @ootdmyanmar @listenupmyanmar @spotlight_myanmar @fullbellies_forlife @humansofmm @instamyanmar @worldwideburmesestudents @whats.happening.in.myanmar @castalia_iris

Facebook : @Myanmar Now @Irrawaddy Burmese @RFA Burmese @BBC Burmese @Mizzima @DVB News

Twitter : @TostevinM @cvdom2021 @eieitoelwin @FrontierMM @freya_cole @cape_diamond

Hashtags to follow : #WhatsHappeningInMyanmar #JusticeForMyanmar #Myanmar #RejectMyanmarMilitaryCoup #AgainstMyanmarMilitaryCoup

Link to donate to CDMers :

https://linktr.ee/tosavemyanmar

CDM (Civil-Disobedience Movement) is a movement where government workers do not go to work, to stand up against the military junta, and stop all their procedures. Many government workers are participating in this, however, they have to do this at their own financial, and sometimes, personal risk. Currently, everyone who participates in CDM receives no pay, and as of now, they have to move out of government provided housing(or get shot if they don't work). Most are virtually incomeless, but the public is supporting them. It would be a great help to continue the support.

My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.

— Maya Angelou

"Never forget that walking away from something unhealthy is brave, even if you stumble a little on your way out the door."

—Mandy Hale

So what exactly has protesting accomplished?

👉🏾Within 10 days of sustained protests:

Minneapolis bans use of choke holds.

👉🏾 George Floyd’s murderer was originally charged with 3rd degree murder. He is now being charged with 2nd degree murder.

👉🏾The other three officers who stood on scene and did NOTHING to help Floyd are being charged with aiding and abetting 2nd degree murder.

👉🏾Breonna Taylor’s Cade has been reopened.

👉🏾Louisville, KY’s mayor is ordering an outside review of the entire city police department.

👉🏾Dallas adopts a "duty to intervene" rule that requires officers to stop other cops who are engaging in inappropriate use of force.

👉🏾New Jersey’s attorney general said the state will update its use-of-force guidelines for the first time in two decades.

👉🏾In Maryland, a bipartisan work group of state lawmakers announced a police reform work group.

👉🏾A seminar scheduled in December for KC police that trains cops to kill without hestitation was cancelled.

👉🏾Los Angeles City Council introduces motion to reduce LAPD’s $1.8 billion operating budget.

👉🏾MBTA in Boston agrees to stop using public buses to transport police officers to protests.

👉🏾Police brutality captured on cameras leads to near-immediate suspensions and firings of officers in several cities (i.e., Buffalo, Ft. Lauderdale).

👉🏾Monuments celebrating confederates are removed in cities in Virginia, Alabama, and other states.

👉🏾James Miller resigned from his role in the Defense Asvisory Board at the Pentagon in response to the Secretary of Defense’s support of LEOs clearing out White House protestors with tear gas so Trump could take a publicity photo.

👉🏾Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he will oppose Trump’s threats to deploy federal troops to stop protestors across the US.

👉🏾Street in front of the White House is renamed "Black Lives Matter Plaza.”

Military forces begin to withdraw from D.C.

Then, there's all the other stuff that's hard to measure:

💓The really difficult public and private conversations that are happening about race and privilege.

💓The realizations some white people are coming to about racism and the role of policing in this country.

💓The self-reflection.

💓The internal battles exploding within organizations over issues that have been simmering or ignored for a long time. Some organizations will end as a result, others will be forever changed or replaced with something stronger and fairer.

Globally:

🌎 Protests against racial inequality sparked by the police killing of George Floyd are taking place all over the world.

🌎 Rallies and memorials have been held in cities across Europe, as well as in Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand.

🌎 As the US contends with its second week of protests, issues of racism, police brutality, and oppression have been brought to light across the globe.

🌎 People all over the world understand that their own fights for human rights, for equality and fairness, will become so much more difficult to win if we are going to lose America as the place where 'I have a dream' is a real and universal political program," Wolfgang Ischinger, a former German ambassador to the US, told the New Yorker.

🌎 In France, protesters marched holding signs that said "I can't breathe" to signify both the words of Floyd, and the last words of Adama Traoré, a 24-year-old black man who was subdued by police officers and gasped the sentence before he died outside Paris in 2016.

🌎 Cities across Europe have come together after the death of George Floyd:

✊🏽 In Amsterdam, an estimated 10,000 people filled the Dam square on Monday, holding signs and shouting popular chants like "Black lives matter," and "No justice, no peace."

✊🏽 In Germany, people gathered in multiple locations throughout Berlin to demand justice for Floyd and fight against police brutality.

✊🏾 A mural dedicated to Floyd was also spray-painted on a stretch of wall in Berlin that once divided the German capital during the Cold War.

✊🏿 In Ireland, protesters held a peaceful demonstration outside of Belfast City Hall, and others gathered outside of the US embassy in Dublin.

✊🏿In Italy, protesters gathered and marched with signs that said "Stop killing black people," "Say his name," and "We will not be silent."

✊🏾 In Spain, people gathered to march and hold up signs throughout Barcelona and Madrid.

✊🏾 In Athens, Greece, protesters took to the streets to collectively hold up a sign that read "I can't breathe."

✊🏾 In Brussels, protesters were seen sitting in a peaceful demonstration in front of an opera house in the center of the city.

✊🏾In Denmark, protesters were heard chanting "No justice, no peace!" throughout the streets of Copenhagen, while others gathered outside the US embassy.

✊🏾 In Canada, protesters were also grieving for Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a 29-year-old black woman who died on Wednesday after falling from her balcony during a police investigation at her building.

✊🏾 And in New Zealand, roughly 2,000 people marched to the US embassy in Auckland, chanting and carrying signs demanding justice.

💐 Memorials have been built for Floyd around the world, too. In Mexico City, portraits of him were hung outside the US embassy with roses, candles, and signs.

💐 In Poland, candles and flowers were laid out next to photos of Floyd outside the US consulate.

💐 And in Syria, two artists created a mural depicting Floyd in the northwestern town of Binnish, "on a wall destroyed by military planes."

Before the assassination of George Floyd some of you were able to say whatever the hell you wanted and the world didn't say anything to you...

THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT, AN AWAKENING...MANY OF YOU ARE BEING EXPOSED FOR WHO YOU REALLY ARE. #readthatagain

Don't wake up tomorrow on the wrong side of this issue. Its not to late to say:

"maybe I need to look at this from a different perspective.

Maybe I don't know what its like to be Black in America...

Maybe, just maybe, I have been taught wrong."

There is still so much work to be done. It's been a really dark, raw week. This could still end badly. But all we can do is keep doing the work.🙏🏼

𝐾𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔.

WE ARE NOT TRYING TO START A RACE WAR; WE ARE PROTESTING TO END IT,

*PEACEFULLY*.

𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝐼𝑠 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡??❤️🙏🏼

ALL LIVES CANNOT MATTER UNTIL YOU INCLUDE BLACK LIVES.

𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑦 'ALL LIVES MATTER' WHEN YOU DO NOTHING TO STOP SYSTEMIC RACISM & POLICE BRUTALITY.

𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑦 'ALL LIVES MATTER' WHEN BLACK PEOPLE ARE DYING AND ALL YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT IS THE LOOTING.

𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑠𝑎𝑦 'ALL LIVES MATTER' WHEN YOU ALLOW CHILDREN TO BE CAGED, VETERANS TO GO HOMELESS, AND POOR FAMILIES TO GO HUNGRY & LOSE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE.

DO ALL LIVES MATTER? 🇾 🇪 🇸 BUT RIGHT NOW, ONLY BLACK LIVES ARE BEING TARGETED, JAILED, AND KILLED EN MASSE - SO THAT'S WHO WE'RE FOCUSING ON.

🖤🖤 🅱︎🅻🅰︎🅲🅺 🅻🅸🆅🅴🆂 🅼🅰︎🆃🆃🅴🆁🖤🖤

IF YOU CAN'T SEE THIS, YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.

Feel free to copy/paste/share

If you used to be racist and have since changed your ways, I am proud of you.

If you used to be queerphobic and have since changed your ways, I am proud of you.

If you used to be transphobic and have since changed your ways, I am proud of you. 

If you used to be ableist and have since changed your ways, I am proud of you.

If you used to look down on people of a different economic standing and have since changed your ways, I am proud of you.

If you used to judge people based on anything other than their character and have since changed your ways, I am proud of you.

It is never to late to learn, change, and grow.