#toll road rebel

[wigoutlet]

#teslamodels #teslamotors #cybertruck #toll road #elon musk #turnpike #toll road rebel #pick up truck

[happilyfeatherafter]

Dean’s VOs in The Winchesters (season one!)

(LISTEN ALONG WITH AUDIO HERE)

Dean episode 1: 

( Ten Years After's "I'd Love to Change the World" ) ♪ ♪ 

March 23, 1972. The day Dad came home from the war, and the day he met Mom. Now I know this story might sound familiar, but I'm gonna put the pieces together in a way that just might surprise you. And in order to do that, I have to start all the way at the beginning. 

[END OF EPISODE]

What they didn't know is that the Akrida weren't just a threat to Earth, but to all of existence. Now, like I told you, there's gonna be some surprises. Hell, I'm still trying to find all the puzzle pieces myself. But I'll explain everything. And until then, I'll keep picking the music. 

♪ ♪ Spread them wide ♪ ♪ Rich or poor ♪ ♪ Them and us ♪ ♪ Stop the war ♪ 

Dean episode 2: 

( punchy, percussive music ) ♪ ♪  The ties that bind a family together can be complicated. Parents raise you, teach you what's right and wrong, and in some instances, how to kill monsters. But no matter who you are, there comes a time when you have to break from them and make your own way. And if you're not careful, things can get pretty ugly. 

Dean episode 3: 

( dramatic music ) ♪ ♪ ( screams ) ( sizzling ) ( growling )  There's no map to being a hunter. No playbook. You gotta follow your gut. But that can only take you so far. Truth is, you can't do it all on your own. You need other people to help guide the way... Your friends, your family. Otherwise you just end up lost. 

Dean episode 4: 

( eerie music ) ♪ ♪  Fighting the battle between good and evil isn't easy, especially when the first monster you have to face is the one inside yourself. ( soft dramatic music ) 

Dean episode 5: 

( dramatic music ) ♪ ♪ Spending a lifetime of hunting monsters takes its toll. There comes the time when you gotta let out that pain inside you. If you don't, it'll eat you alive. 

Dean episode 6: 

(Lata) I am centered. I am at peace. I create my own path, and I walk in it fearlessly. (end Lata)

Hunting has a way of changing a person. After a while, right, wrong, good, evil, they all start to look the same. And then it makes you start to wonder, "Who's really the monster here--them or me?" 

[END OF EPISODE]

Hunting's not for everyone. You have to be strong, stay sharp, make tough decisions, and it's not easy, But then again, the righteous things never are. 

Dean episode 7: 

( birds chirping ) Comes a time in every hunt when the fightin' starts. And the difference between winning and losing isn't whether you have the holy water, the wooden stake, or the silver bullet. It's whether you've got the grit to get the job done. (Mary on radio)

Dean episode 8:

(John Moran’s “Rebel”) ♪ ♪ Being a hunter, it means living a life of sacrifice-- not a lot of room for dreams. But you open your heart and get a little lucky, you'll find you gain more than you lose. ♪ ♪

Dean episode 9:

( mellow bluesy music ) ♪ ♪ This isn't how I saw things going when I pushed over that first domino. Thing is, I've had more than a few dances with free will and fate, but as my dad used to say, "Fate is what you make it."

Dean episode 10:

Hunting and happy endings don't usually mix, so when you get your chance, you got to ask yourself, "How far will I go to get it?"

Dean episode 11:

Being a Hunter means always being on the move, No matter how hard you plan, no matter how hard you work, at a certain point, we all run out of road. It's what we do with those crossroads that defines us.

Dean episode 12:

♪ ♪ ( carnival music resumes ) ♪ ♪ ( giggling manically ) ♪ ♪ ( shrill giggling ) ( whispering voices ) ( strange sounds ) 🤡🤡🤡

Hunting's a dishonest business. You gotta lie all the time about who you are and what you do. But the hardest lies aren't the ones you tell other people. They're the ones you tell yourself.

(Mary to John) Another day looking for this mystery man and still nothing. It's like this guy's a ghost. (End Mary to John).

Dean episode 13:

*RECORD SCRATCH* HE’S HERE!!!!! We’re going in universe baby.

(Opening scene, dramatic music ) ♪ ♪ 

Dean: John Winchester. 

John: Sir, can I help you? 

Dean: This is for you. 

John: Where did you get this? Who are--  [...] One ticket for Lawrence, Kansas. 

Ticket lady: Okay.

BOBBY, IT’S FREAKIN’ BOBBY!!!: We're not supposed to meddle with things, ya idjit!

Dean: You always said if I was gonna be stupid, I might as well be smart about it. 

Bobby: Yeah, that does sound about like me. We're not even supposed to be here. 

Dean: Come on, the letter was meant for him. I just, uh, you know, gave it a nudge. 

Bobby: You keep an eye on things here. I'm gonna get the damn cavalry. 

Dean: How you gonna do that? 

Bobby: I got no freaking idea. One last hunt, huh? 

Dean: One last hunt. ♪ ♪

[Insert finale including lots of chat about the ‘ruggedly handsome' mystery man here. For Akrida!Queen exposition science: You're here to talk about the man with no name...he was digging around in things that should have stayed buried. ... The Akrida. You see, our mysterious friend isn't from around here. There's only so much he could do. His hands were tied. Credit where it's due... he did manage to stay ahead of me for a while, but... I can assure you that he's not going to be a problem anymore. ... Well, there's this portal. You see--I'm sure you've heard of it. It's not quite up to code yet, but I managed to pry it open just enough to toss a certain someone and his car into it. No human can survive that gateway, so his body will be torn to shreds for centuries. Anyway, this, um... this old journal... it's all that's left of him.]

Back to the end of the show:

( electricity crackling ) ( engine revving ) ( engine revving ) ( dramatic music )  ♪ ♪ 

John: Mary! ... How did you guys survive? 

Dean (gestures at Baby): She kept Mary safe... me too. Of course, there's not a lot that can tear me apart. I'm already dead. I was stuck in the world between worlds, so I stayed close to that portal, and as soon as I saw baby come through, I hopped in and grabbed the wheel. 

Samuel: So who are you? 

Dean: I'm a Hunter, just like you. But I'm not from this Earth. 

Ada: And how did you get here? 

Dean: When I died, I made it to heaven. And she was waiting for me. So I went for a drive, and then I took a little detour. 

Latika: Through the multiverse. (Dean points ‘bingo’.)

Carlos: S-so what were you looking for? 

Dean: That's a good question, Carlos. I was looking for my family. See, I come from a long line of Hunters. I guess I was hoping that somewhere out there was an Earth that had a version where my family had a shot at a happy ending. When I was driving, I caught wind of the Akrida. Turns out that they were one of Chuck's last creations. 

Millie: Who's Chuck? 

Dean: God. It's a long story, but, uh... basically, he's a real dick. He left the Akrida behind to wipe out all of existence in case he failed. Well... he failed. Eventually the Akrida were going to make their way to my world, and I got family there, so I couldn't let that happen. 

John: T-the letter, why did you-- 

Dean: I took my little detour. The rules were simple. Don't mess with anything. Well... I gave it a little nudge. Thought it might need a little help. Looks like it worked out pretty well. So now that the Akrida are gone, you all can choose your own destiny. You can write your own story. 

Jack: And you can get back to yours. 

Dean: It's all right. It's all right. They're--they're with me. This is Bobby. That's Jack. They're family. Excuse me. You okay? 

Bobby: I told you I'd figure it out. Didn't say I wouldn't get us in more trouble. Look at 'em. Man, this is all kinds of weird... seeing Samuel with a full head of hair. 

Dean: Right? ( chuckles )

Jack (~~or is he?~~): Dean. 

Dean: Yeah. No, I know. I know, Jack. 

Jack: When I restored things, I wanted mankind to make their own fate. That meant no interference from on high, anywhere... no exceptions. 

Dean: I couldn't let our world get destroyed. Sam's still down there, okay? He deserves a good, long life. Hell, they all do. ( indistinct chatter ) So, if you want to cast me out of heaven... so be it. 

Bobby: If we're taking a vote, I'd say you give the guy another chance. 

Jack: There's always another case with you Hunters... even in death. Well... if you're going to meddle in things, finish what you started. After this... it's time to get around to the... "there'll be peace when you are done"... part of the song.

Dean to John: Listen, um... b-before I go... I want to give you two something. My dad... he, uh... Kept a Hunter's journal, looked just like this. I lived my whole life by that damn thing. Well, this is my Hunter's journal. So if you're gonna stay in this game... This will help guide you through it. 

John: Thank you. 

Dean to Mary: I know you're thinking about quitting Hunting. Believe me, I understand. But you need to do me one favor. Keep an eye out for a yellow-eyed demon. And if you even catch a hint of that son of a bitch... I need you to use this. 

Mary: Your family... did you ever find a version where they had a shot of a happy ending? 

Dean: I think I did. 

John: You never told us your name. 

Dean: Hetfield... James Hetfield. (Hetfield is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder, and a primary songwriter of heavy metal band Metallica.)

( Nick Drake's "One of These Things First" ) ♪ ♪ (Dean, Bobby and Jack vanish with baby). 

Transcripts from: https://tvshowtranscripts.ourboard.org/viewforum.php?f=1550

#SPNWIN #The Winchesters #Dean Winchester #no negative comments in tags pls #SPNWIN spoilers #SPNWIN 1x01 #SPNWIN 1x02 #SPNWIN 1x03 #SPNWIN 1x04 #SPNWIN 1x05 #SPNWIN 1x06 #SPNWIN 1x07 #SPNWIN 1x08 #SPNWIN 1x09 #SPNWIN 1x10 #SPNWIN 1x11 #SPNWIN 1x12 #SPNWIN 1x13 #seriously make a separate post with any negativity I do not wish to see it #this includes ship war or character war stuff I simply do not want to see it

[spiritdreamt]

AU ; YOU SENT ME BACK TO WHERE I ROAM (DND/BG3)

    percy’s father is a scholar, and her mother is the daughter of a popular tavern-owner. though both are human, percy was born with pink skin, a tail, and the beginnings of horns—a tiefling. when she was a child, they split, and margaret remarried to a merchant while louis married a widowed minor noblewoman. there was almost immediately tension between persephone and her stepmother, but with margaret and her new husband on the road, there was no escape for the young girl.

     from a young age, she also possessed the ability to see the dead. her father and her stepmother sought the opinion of multiple experts to figure out the reason for both that & her devilish appearance, but nobody was sure. the priests and doctors consulted on the matter seemed to think it was some ancient familial deal come back to haunt the bloodline. louis’s new wife blamed margaret’s ancestors, and treated percy’s abilities with fear. she pushed for percy to act normal, to make herself small and pleasant—all framed as being for percy's own good. her inherent abilities went untrained, her horns filed down (they never did grow back), and still her stepmother was unappeased. the abuse took its toll, and percy fled for bard training as soon as her father allowed her.

once among peers, she began to explore her own abilities, and she became almost a rebel. she would slip out with classmates to explore the rougher sides of town. eventually, she met a young man there named felix, a few years older than her, who took her under his wing and taught her how to be a rogue. percy fell for him quickly and felix returned her affections, showering her with affection and telling her how much he loved her. she thought they would be together forever, but one day felix broke the news: he was a nobleman's son, and his father was demanding he come home and get married. percy, naive, begged him to tell his father that he loved her. felix simply said look at yourself, percy. he'd never allow it. and even if he did, the others would never accpet you. or us

     felix wanted her to remain his mistress, but percy, heartbroken and betrayed, left without another word. her heartbreak only increased when she discovered she was pregnant with felix’s child. knowing she would be disowned, the terrified young woman sought the help of one of her bard mentors, a man named maxwell finch. max, ever a father figure to her, happily took both her and her soon-to-be child under his wing. once the babe, a tiefling girl named laura, was weaned, percy set out on her own as a traveling bard. her daughter remains with max, where she is safe.

      now 27, she makes money from performing in taverns—sometimes music, but often stories or poems—and takes commissions to compose poetry for nobles and royalty. what extra money she has, she spends on gifts to send back home to her daughter.

alternate — baldur's gate. the only difference from her normal dnd verse is that she was captured by mind flayers & tadpoled. i'll write her either as tav or as a companion, depending on plotting.

#au ; you sent me back to where i roam (d&d).

[viralvava]

heard you weren't feeling too good so how about telling me all about your boys D and Rocambole from VHD for the character opinion bingo? (sorry if i got the names wrong i'm still new to this dsfskksd)

<3 you got the names right hehe

d!!! i LOVE love love d. as one of only three slash four commonly recurring characters in the entire series due to vhds status as incredibly episodic, he is quite literally everyones blorbo, and for good reason because hes amazing. however also due to vhd being written very carefully so as to not ever show what d is actually thinking, ever, at all, 90% of him is left up to interpretation, which breeds a completely insane amount of variety when it comes to opinions om him, and i think thats really lovely. my personal take is that hes largely apathetic to life in general -- much like rocambole (ill get to that), he doesnt particularly enjoy life but also has no intentions of losing his, unlike the sacred ancestor (his vampire god king manwhore mad scientist eugenicist openly suicidal incredibly obsessed really shitty father), and such... however i think one thing that is plainly obvious about d is that he is trying very hard to get all the money ever and win at capitalism. d kind of functions more as a vehicle for other characters to develop than develops himself, at least obviously so, which means you really have to read between the lines, but the fratricide arc (best 'arc' and only 'arc') is really good for implicit possibly unintentional d character development :) my favourite d characterisation moments are probably the "what have i imparted to you, my only success?" speech in armageddon, and "if youre going to regret something, dont do it in the first place" from on the night road. however! one thing i get very salty about regarding d is, due to the movies lacking the context for d's family issues and therefore almost the entire core of the books story, and also softening d a lot from his book horrible self, common interpretations from people who only watched the movies (which are good i swear) or dont respect the books (i understand not liking them, but respecting them is different) usually end up treating him like alucard 2, which is just... wrong. its wrong.

lord rocambole!!! my beloved glup shitto!! my favouritest little bastard that nobody else remembers or cares about!!! the most forgettable brother from the fratricide arc!!! the most half-baked brother!!! the most missed opportunity ever!!! the most obvious prototype character for what would later be valcua ever!!! this wont be as long as d's commentary because ive already rambled a lot about rocambole in other posts, but i adore him, i really do, hes my terrible wife. despite being known, apparently, as a "god of atrocity" and a born mass murderer, bastard son of the sacred ancestor (the only one of the 5 actually specified to be a bastard son which is crazy), hes... well, he's certainly nowhere near as bad as lawrence "death toll of 5 million+, chucked a planetoid at the earth, tortures people for fun" valcua, in personality and what we see actually described of him, but valcua certainly doesnt get such nasty titles. rocambole is woefully underdescribed, unlike valcua we're never told exactly what he did to earn his fate and moniker, and his personality and actions onscreen can actually read as respectable! hes polite, has no personal issues with d, and is scarily well-adjusted for a vhd character in his area, all things considered, accepting his inevitable death by the sacred ancestors degree in a way valcua simply couldnt, and etc. my favourite thing about him is how he acts as a kindred spirit of a kind to d: both not particularly wanting their life but also hating the idea of just giving it away for no reason, both knowing that they cant fight openly against the sacred ancestors will but still rebelling in every way they can just to make their own will known -- ive gone into more detail about that part specifically in another post. needless to say, i love rocambole :)

actually, ive seen a sudden boost in awareness of him recently, which is really really great -- ive seen people actually drawing him!! and since you follow me, youve seen my spam reblogs of said art, oops :p but it makes me really happy to see :)

#thank you <3 really

[mariacallous]

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the Turkish-Syrian border on Sunday evening has leveled buildings and devastated communities across southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria. While a complete picture of casualties will not be available for weeks, the death toll has already soared past 11,000. Every hour brings news of hundreds of more deaths, even as rescuers work tirelessly to pull survivors from the rubble.

In rebel-controlled northwestern Syria, the earthquake has wrought disaster on communities already devastated by over a decade of civil war. More than 4.1 million of the area’s 4.5 million population are dependent on humanitarian aid. Over 2.8 million people were already internally displaced from other parts of Syria — 1.7 million of whom were in some ways spared the worst of the earthquake by living in camps in situations of abject deprivation. Buildings across northwestern Syria were severely damaged before the earthquake by years of shelling by the Syrian government, and survivors of building collapses are being displaced to city streets and already overstretched IDP camps in freezing temperatures. Since early 2015, the border between Turkey and northwestern Syria has been effectively closed to refugees, meaning that communities displaced by the earthquake have nowhere to go.

Immediate international assistance for northern Syria is crucial, in both rebel-held and government-controlled areas hit by the earthquake such as Aleppo. Yet getting aid to northwestern Syria in particular has been stymied by political dynamics that have wasted crucial time needed to rescue survivors. Russian veto power at the U.N. Security Council has choked the flow of humanitarian aid to northwestern Syria to a single crossing, the roads to which have been heavily damaged by the earthquake and rendered impassable. While other crossings exist, they have yet to be opened three days after the earthquake. And Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s well-documented history of aid diversion has made Western governments wary of bending to pressure from the Syrian government to direct aid for northern Syria through regime authorities instead. Indeed, one of the first statements made by the Syrian government following the earthquake was to demand that all aid for the earthquake response be channeled through government authorities, even aid intended for areas outside of its control. The Syrian government has received support from countries including Russia, Iran, and a host of Arab countries who have sought normalization with the regime, though there is little evidence that this will reach rebel areas soon enough for rescues.

Instead, local humanitarian organizations already on the ground in northwestern Syria have effectively had to fend for themselves. Organizations such as the White Helmets, long accustomed to rescuing victims of bombings, have become largely responsible for rescue efforts, along with family members and friends of those trapped. Without the equipment or vehicles necessary for rescues, however, countless individuals are being lost who might’ve been saved with earlier interventions.

Across the globe, being in a conflict zone creates both heightened exposure to natural disasters and compounds their effects, particularly for already-displaced populations. A 2019 report by the Overseas Development Institute highlighted how communities displaced by violence in Colombia subsequently fell victim to deadly landslides after settling in a highly landslide-prone area. In the aftermath of the disaster, many survivors remained in the area, unable to return to their communities of origin.

In the case of earthquakes, it is impossible to predict exactly when they will strike again. Sunday’s earthquake was the strongest to hit the Turkish-Syrian border in almost a century. But the deep devastation has underscored that residents and IDPs in northwestern Syria will likely remain in damaged buildings and in dire humanitarian conditions because they simply have nowhere else to go. This situation requires concerted international efforts to facilitate assistance for search and rescue efforts and humanitarian aid as well as progress beyond the current disastrous status quo.

Immediately opening additional crossing points for international assistance to reach northwestern Syria is the first necessary step. Analysts have called for two crossings at the Turkish-northwestern Syria border to be opened as well as crossings from Kurdish-controlled northeastern Syria. With every minute these borders remain closed, hope diminishes for rescuing earthquake victims alive. Other analysts have called for exploring other aid delivery options, including potentially through regime areas even given the risks of aid co-optation.

Second, while facilitating expeditious search and rescue efforts, these expanded crossings must be used to coordinate shelter and assistance for newly displaced communities. Over 90% of Syrians in the northwest are reliant on humanitarian aid. A single crossing and the paltry level of aid that existed prior to the earthquake are insufficient to meet the population’s humanitarian needs. A widescale emergency shelter construction effort will be crucial in the coming weeks and months, particularly given freezing temperatures across the region.

Third, a concerted international funding effort needs to be made for earthquake survivors in both rebel-held and regime-held areas. Before the earthquake, Syrians were suffering the effects of economic implosion, regime bombardment, sanctions, and the infrastructural destruction of over a decade of war. In 2022, the response plan for Syria was less than 50% funded, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine has diverted global attention from other conflicts. Yet in government areas, international support for earthquake survivors will almost certainly be co-opted by the Syrian government, as it has done for a decade of relief efforts. And while the United States and other donors fund humanitarian relief in rebel-held northwestern Syria, analysts have pointed out that the approach was deeply unsustainable even prior to the earthquake disrupting the single humanitarian crossing. Navigating this environment while rapidly assisting earthquake survivors will require a determined diplomatic effort and political will that appear largely absent for the moment.

Finally, newly-homeless earthquake victims in northwestern Syria should be allowed to seek shelter in Turkey. Southeastern Turkey is suffering the devastating effects of the earthquake, with roads destroyed and countless buildings collapsed. But given access challenges to northwestern Syria and the ongoing Syrian regime shelling of earthquake-affected rebel areas, the border area would more easily serve as a hub for mobile and camp shelters and assistance for earthquake survivors of both countries. The Turkish public holds largely negative opinions toward the approximately 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, and politicians across the spectrum have argued that refugees should be repatriated. Erdoğan is also politically navigating the earthquake response within Turkey, and admitting refugees even temporarily would be unpopular. As such, this option may be politically infeasible. Yet the current situation necessitates a dramatic response and the option of safety for communities that have now suffered the devastating effects of both war and natural disaster. While the Turkish government is deeply stretched by the earthquake response in Turkey, it is also responsible to ensure international assistance gets to Syrian communities given its extensive military presence in northern Syria. At a minimum, if refugees are not being allowed into Turkey, Ankara needs to expand access to areas effectively controlled by the Turkish army in the north for displaced communities and support shelter coordination. As the international community responds, the needs of Syrians trapped in northwestern Syria as well as displaced in Turkey cannot be forgotten.

[wordexpress]

Over 7,800 Killed In Turkey, Syria Earthquake: "Children Freezing From Cold"

Turkey-Syria Earthquake: The latest toll showed 5,434 people killed in Turkey and at least 1,872 in Syria, for a combined total of 7,306 fatalities.

Sanliurfa, Turkey: Rescuers in Turkey and Syria battled bitter cold Tuesday in a race against time to find survivors under buildings flattened by an earthquake that killed more than 7,800 people.

Tremors that inflicted more suffering on a border area, already plagued by conflict, left people on the streets burning debris to try to stay warm as international aid began to arrive.

But some extraordinary survival tales have emerged, including a newborn baby pulled alive from rubble in Syria, still tied by her umbilical cord to her mother who died in Monday's quake.

"We heard a voice while we were digging," Khalil al-Suwadi, a relative, told AFP. "We cleared the dust and found the baby with the umbilical cord (intact) so we cut it and my cousin took her to hospital."

The infant is the sole survivor of her immediate family, the rest of whom were killed in the rebel-held town of Jindayris.

The 7.8-magnitude quake struck Monday as people slept, flattening thousands of structures, trapping an unknown number of people and potentially impacting millions.

Whole rows of buildings collapsed, leaving some of the heaviest devastation near the quake's epicentre between the Turkish cities of Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras.

The destruction led to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declaring Tuesday a three-month state of emergency in 10 southeastern provinces.

- 'Children are freezing' -

Dozens of nations including the United States, China and the Gulf States have pledged to help, and search teams as well as relief supplies have begun to arrive by air.

Yet people in some of the hardest-hit areas said they felt they had been left to fend for themselves.

"I can't get my brother back from the ruins. I can't get my nephew back. Look around here. There is no state official here, for God's sake," said Ali Sagiroglu in the Turkish city of Kahramanmaras.

"For two days we haven't seen the state around here... Children are freezing from the cold," he added.

A winter storm has compounded the misery by rendering many roads -- some of them damaged by the quake -- almost impassable, resulting in traffic jams that stretch for kilometres in some regions.

The cold rain and snow are a risk both for people forced from their homes -- who took refuge in mosques, schools or even bus shelters -- and survivors buried under debris.

"It is now a race against time," said World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"We have activated the WHO network of emergency medical teams to provide essential health care for the injured and most vulnerable," he added.

- 23 million could be affected -

The latest toll showed 5,434 people killed in Turkey and at least 1,872 in Syria, for a combined total of 7,306 fatalities.

There are fears that the toll will rise inexorably, with WHO officials estimating up to 20,000 may have died.

WHO warned that up to 23 million people could be affected by the massive earthquake and urged nations to rush help to the disaster zone.

The Syrian Red Crescent appealed to Western countries to lift sanctions and provide aid as President Bashar al-Assad's government remains a pariah in the West, complicating international relief efforts.

Washington and the European Commission said on Monday that humanitarian programmes supported by them were responding to the destruction in Syria.

The UN's cultural agency UNESCO also said it was ready to provide assistance after two sites listed on its World Heritage list in Syria and Turkey sustained damage.

In addition to the damage to Aleppo's old city and the fortress in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir, UNESCO said at least three other World Heritage sites could be affected.

Much of the quake-hit area of northern Syria has already been decimated by years of war and aerial bombardment by Syrian and Russian forces that destroyed homes, hospitals and clinics.

Residents in the quake-devastated town of Jandairis in northern Syria used their bare hands and pickaxes to search for survivors.

- 'Hear their voices' -

"My whole family is under there -- my sons, my daughter, my son-in-law... There's no one else to get them out," said Ali Battal, his face streaked with blood and head swathed in a wool shawl against the bitter cold.

"I hear their voices. I know they're alive but there's no one to rescue them," added the man in his 60s.

The Syrian health ministry reported damage across the provinces of Aleppo, Latakia, Hama and Tartus, where Russia is leasing a naval facility.

Even before the tragedy, buildings in Aleppo -- Syria's pre-war commercial hub -- often collapsed due to the dilapidated infrastructure.

Following the earthquake, prisoners mutinied at a jail holding mostly Islamic State group members in northwestern Syria, with at least 20 escaping, a source at the facility told AFP.

Turkey is in one of the world's most active earthquake zones.

The country's last 7.8-magnitude tremor was in 1939, when 33,000 died in the eastern Erzincan province.

The Turkish region of Duzce suffered a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in 1999, when more than 17,000 people died. Experts have long warned a large quake could devastate Istanbul, a megalopolis of 16 million people filled with rickety homes.

#Earthquake #Turkey

[darlingandmreames]

2022 Fic Year in Review

Alright y'all, time for one of my favourite new year activities- looking back at all of the weird shit I wrote last year! I always love being able to look back and see all the things I've created and the progress I've made. So without further ado, here it is: Your Local Trash Goblin's 2022 Fic Year in Review!

Fandoms Written For: Inception (6), The Batman (2), Star Wars Rebels (1), The Guest (2), Encanto (1), Kingdom (1)

Total Word Count: 231,264

Fic With the Most Comments: With Words I Thought I'd Never Speak

Fic With the Most Bookmarks: A Remedy for Sadness

Fic I'm Proudest Of: Mile Deep Hollow

January

A Remedy for Sadness

Fandom: Encanto

Rating: General

Word Count: 3.5k

Summary: Julieta healed injuries and sicknesses with the food she made. But more than that, she used her food to show love.

I went through a brief period where I, like many on Tumblr, was absolutely obsessed with Bruno we don't talk about him and this was the result lol. I had a really fun time writing the sibling dynamic between Bruno and Julieta since that's not a dynamic I necessarily end up writing very often

February

Title: One Hand Above the Skin (My Head Below the Water)

Fandom: The Guest (Choi Yoon/Hwa-pyung)

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 3.4k

Summary: Choi Yoon had been told over and over that facing evil directly took a permanent toll on one's mind and soul. Park Il-do was gone but his minions weren't, and Yoon found himself starting down several roads he wasn't sure he could come back from in an attempt to handle it

My K-drama obsession during internship interviews lol. Excellent show, highly recommend it

Title: Warmth Untouched by Cold

Fandom: Kingdom (Lee Chang/Yeong-shin)

Rating: General

Word Count: 2.3k

Summary: If someone had told Yeong-shin a year ago that he would willing stay by the side of a noble, he would have laughed in their face. Long months of travel and late nights around a fire had bred a sense of familiarity and companionship, though, and the more Yeong-shin came to know the former Crown Prince, the more he found himself caring for the very human man who existed behind the title

Decided to rewatch Kingdom as a post-internship match treat, and ended up revisiting an old WIP I had for it! Unironically one of the most beautiful shows I've ever watched, please do yourself a favour and watch it

March

Title: Only Human

Fandom: Star Wars Rebels (Kallus/Zeb)

Rating: General

Word Count: 41.7k

Summary: After two years in the rebellion, Kallus had finally found his place. It hadn't always been a smooth process, but he'd found enough acceptance to get by. That didn't mean he didn't still have a few secrets, though, secrets he'd kept for most of his life. Between the passage of time and the chaos of moving the base from Yavin IV to Hoth, keeping those secrets was about to get a lot harder. But maybe that wasn't the worst thing in the world

My entry for the 2022 Kalluzeb Minibang! I'd had the hc of Kallus being partially non-human for a while, and it was really fun to finally write a story to go with it. Plus it has some amazing art!

April

Title: Running Through My Veins Like Sin

Fandom: The Guest (Choi Yoon/Hwa-pyung)

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 32.2k (on-going)

On GOD I am going to finish this fic eventually, I promise agdkfjdh. I absolutely writing Yoon in this fic and I have a wonderful arc planned out for him, so I AM going to finish it. I just got distracted agdkd

Title: Comfort is a Heavy Blanket

Fandom: The Batman

Rating: General

Word Count: 2k

Summary: Alfred knew why Mr. Wayne had let an injured Carmine Falcone into his house to give him treatment, but that didn't mean he liked it. It was a dangerous situation, and the realization that five year old Bruce had witnessed all of it just made it worse

Oh The Batman. I saw you in theaters three times and you gripped me like a rabid animal. I absolutely loved Bruce and Alfred's relationship in this movie as well as the phenomenally Autistic Vibes(tm) of Battison

July (aka A Very Busy Month)

Title: With Words I Thought I'd Never Speak

Fandom: The Batman (Bruce/Martinez)

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 24.6k (on-going)

Summary: In the year following the Riddler's attacks, Martinez somehow found himself involved at least peripherally with two of Gotham's odder figures: Batman and Bruce Wayne. For all his initial dislike of Batman, a year's worth of cases resulted in a somewhat grudging respect for the vigilante's intelligence and investigative skill, even if he never quite became any less strange and unsettling. Martinez developed a new found appreciation for Bruce Wayne as well, an odd but likeable man who was pleasant to work with in his own awkward way. During an investigation into a death possibly connected to Penguin, Martinez accidentally learns that the two odd characters he's spent an increasing amount of time interacting with over the past year are actually the same person, who's far more complex (and far more human) than he'd ever realized

If I wasn't prepared for the death grip The Batman had on my brain, I DEFINITELY wasn't prepared for falling into the Bruce/Martinez dumpster fire. I love them so much. I also got distracted while writing this fic, but I have the basic plot points mapped out, and on GOD I will finish this one too

Title: As Warm As Whiskey (And Ten Times Better)

Fandom: Inception (Arthur/Eames)

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 1.3k

Summary: Watching Arthur get drunk was a process Eames had seen many times over the years, but that didn't make him enjoy it any less

It had been too long since I'd written for my Disaster Criminal Blorbos, but I was about to fix that lol. A short fic inspired by an Inception30DayChallenge prompt

Title: Such Great Heights

Fandom: Inception (Arthur/Eames)

Rating: General

Word Count: 51.5k

Summary: When the market crashed four years ago, things went to hell for a lot of people. Eames has done okay, though- his job as a reporter at the New York Herald Tribune was secure enough that he managed to keep it, and he was good enough at it that he made enough to get by. He has a strict rule, though: no photographers. Working with freelancers has always been a crapshoot, and it's only gotten worse over the past few years. When the Rockefellers insist on a photographer for the Tribune's upcoming story on their new building, though, Eames is forced to choose between dropping the best paying story he's had in four years or working with Arthur, the freelance photographer hired on the recommendation of Eames' editor, Dom. He's an odd man who clearly has a past and who, as Eames spends more time with him, is just maybe worth getting to know a bit better.

My entry for the 2022 Inception Big Bang! It was inspired by a combination of a real life photographer and a surprisingly fun horror movie about WWI zombie parasites (no parasites or zombies in the fic itself). I had a lot of fun writing it, and it has some amazing art!

Title: A Stranger's Kindness

Fandom: Inception

Rating: General

Word Count: 2.9k

Summary: Long before a reporter met a photographer in New York, a young woman found a soldier in a field in France.

The story of how Arthur and Mal met

A short prequel to Such Great Heights! Arthur and Mal's friendship wasn't a central part to the larger fic, but it was a relationship I found really interesting while developing the story and I wanted to expand on it a little more

Title: Relinquish

Fandom: Inception (Arthur/Eames)

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 3.4k

Summary: Arthur liked to be in control, or at least on even footing with whoever he was interacting with. That was how he’d always been. Just…maybe not with Eames. The thought of letting someone else take control, letting Eames take control, was…different. Intriguing. Enticing. Enough so that he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it. Maybe even imagining what it would be like, more often than he cared to admit over the recent weeks, and what had started as a bit of teasing had started to become more and more serious in his mind.

This one's literally just porn. I had a lot of fun writing it lol

Title: Taking the Leap

Fandom: Inception (Arthur/Eames)

Rating: General

Word Count: 1.7k

Summary: Personal information wasn't something easily or freely shared in the world of extraction. But sometimes the risk of vulnerability was worth it

Trans Arthur and nonbinary Eames my beloved ^-^ this is the first entry into what will eventually become a series

December

Title: Mile Deep Hollow

Fandom: Inception (Arthur/Eames)

Rating: General

Word Count: 60.6k

Summary: Eames had worked countless jobs with Arthur over the years, enough that he had long since picked up on Arthur's on-job habits. Long hours, little sleep, too much work shoved into too little time- that's just what Arthur was like on jobs. The Fischer job felt...different though. Arthur didn't usually start jobs looking this tired or worn down, and his insistence that he was fine didn't usually ring this hollow. It was worrying, and Arthur's increasingly unconvincing reassurances weren't doing much to help.

Everyone in extraction had their limits, even Arthur. And Eames knew he was getting close to seeing what those limits really were.

This is the fic I'm proudest of this year. Not only is it the longest fic I've ever published, but it was also one that had been sitting in my WIPs folder for 2 or 3 years. I really loved the concept but had gotten distracted and never ended up finishing it at the time. I'm actually really glad I waited because I think I'm a stronger writer now, and this fic ended up better for it. It's one of the angstier fics I've written while still having a happy (or at least very hopeful) ending, and I'm really proud of how it ended up turning out

And that's it! Adjusting to my internship work schedule was a process so unfortunately that cut down on the amount of time/brain power I could spend writing, but I'm still super proud of what I put out this (last?) year. To ever increasing skills and another year of good writing!

-Your Local Trash Goblin

#fic year in review #i legitimately love doing this each year #its so much fun to look back #local trash goblin speaks #local trash goblin writes stuff

[vaqro-a]

𝟎𝟔.   𝐉𝐔𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑   !

✰ ⸻    𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐓   𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒    !   ༄ㅤ/ㅤalways accepting . / @femtaile .

is your muse a lucky person ? do things randomly tend to go their way without much effort, or do they have to work for bad luck ?

now, the cowboy wouldn't consider himself a lucky person; after all, survival has nothing to do with luck. It took skill, both active and passive, for him to reach where he is on the road. it took a lot of hard work, and a lot of playing his cards right. However considering the path with his life took to get where he is now, he would consider himself quite lucky in the way things did go wrong a lot of the time and he did suffer quite a bit he lost his family early on, had to work as a child in gruesome environments such as factories and farms; he broke away from the from the only people he ever called true friends. blackwatch was considered by many around him a true lucky point in his life. the fact it took him from a life of crime and immorality into something he could call noble. it doesn't end well, though, does it?

when was the moment in your muses life that they had to grow up, a situation where they just knew it was time for them to mature ? perhaps a traumatic event, maybe even an exciting one !

as the fourth child of a happy and stable family, cole was never expected to grow up so quickly; he could do things at his own time, at his own pace: he could fail and he could succeed and no matter what he would be loved by his parents and his siblings. The truck time That changed when his lands were stolen by omega corporation and his family was butchered in front of that night scarred him deeply; in the span of hours, he became an orphan, alone in the southwestern desert, having to fend for himself in the worst ways possible.

cole found work in places no child should be working [ not that any child should be working ]. his first job, at the pork factory, was especially traumatizing. this is where he had to process remains and discard entrails — living and breathing dead bodies cut open and disemboweled. for someone who grew up to that point respecting animal life [ the ranch was small, the livestock raised respectfully ]. the shock of saying those bodies in a similar manner to the ones of his family only added to the toll. from there the cowboy became more and more cynical and jaunted — less willing to trust people.

julian, someone who came to meet at the ace valentine megafarm was the exception, at least at first. they became inseparable friends and, eventually, each other's first love. Julian would eventually betray him to save his own neck from certain death. cole never forgave him. ashe would come a little later after julian, showing him that family is something you can choose. the three of them, alongside a hacker called frankie formed the deadlock rebels. It was a good time while it lasted. then, he would spent fifteen years serving blackwatch.

so it is safe to say that in a short span of life [ seventeen years, though the most of his trauma happened from eleven onward ] cole had to go from that happy – if naive – child to a hardened, cynical men. a killer. a mercenary. a soldier. a bounty hunter. he never had the opportunity to access what happened to him in anything but a dissociated way; he can't frame himself within the parameters of his old name and that is not a coincidence, but truly a consequence of his life experiences: that he refers to himself only as Cole Cassidy.

has your muse found their happiness in life ? their purpose ? if so, when and how did that happen ?

He has had his moments of happiness, though brief and sparse, in life since the incident at the ranch when he was eleven. for all he reserves his criticism for overwatch [ especially at the end ], he cannot deny those fifteen years were his happiest. he had a family among those ranks: GABRIEL REYES, ANA AMARI AND HER DAUGHTER FAREEHA, ANGELA ZIEGLER, AMELIE AND GERARD LACROIX, GENJI SHIMADA, LENA OXTON — just to mention a few names. however, as it is known, that moment in his life came to an end in a long and torturous process that left him feeling empty inside. then, as a bounty hunter and mercenary [ a man on the run from many things ]. It's not that he didn't want it, it is simply that he didn't think himself for deserving of that feeling.

DOESN'T DETAIN HIM FROM REACHING FOR THAT SUNSET. this idea [ an archetypal notion of the lonesome hero riding off to sunset, symbolizing he has prevailed over the antagonist ] he has that will find his happiness when he is done working, even though he believes, deep down, he will never stop until he dies — the hero cannot exist within the vacuum, after all. be it the epic or the tragedy, the hero rarely lives on to the end of his own story [ doesnt keep him from accepting the call ]. so he entertains himself with the fantasy he will buy himself a farm, raise some livestock and grow his own food; he may even have a family. it is less of a plan and more of a distant daydream. whatever happens, happens.

what gives your muse confidence, what makes them optimistic ? or are they pessimistic ? what makes their life purposeful ?

The cowboy's confidence relies and foremost on his own abilities. he is fully aware of what he is capable of, as he is entirely aware of how far he can take a bluff. it doesn't make him particularly optimistic toward any outcome — simply that given opportunity, he can go down fighting a good fight. he has no deep purpose in life, especially as of the time around recall. he wants to find widowmaker, he wants to free echo, but thats about the end of it. ANA'S LETTER PROVES, HOWEVER, THAT HE SEEKS A HIGHER PURPOSE. the hero fights not for himself, but for those he considers dear to him and / or swore to protect.

#femtaile #* ⊹ 。*´ ❪ theory. ❫ㅤ ››› ㅤthe revelation of a submerged self . #* ⊹ 。*´ ❪ continuum. ❫ ››› ㅤ time doesn’t erase the demons we don’t see .

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 11.21 (before 1960)

164 BCE – Judas Maccabeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family, rededicates the Temple in Jerusalem, an event that is commemorated each year by the festival of Hanukkah. (25 Kislev 3597 in the Hebrew calendar.) 235 – Pope Anterus succeeds Pontian as the nineteenth pope. 1386 – Timur of Samarkand captures and sacks the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, taking King Bagrat V of Georgia captive. 1620 – Plymouth Colony settlers sign the Mayflower Compact (November 11, O.S.) 1676 – The Danish astronomer Ole Rømer presents the first quantitative measurements of the speed of light. 1783 – In Paris, Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes make the first untethered hot air balloon flight. 1789 – North Carolina ratifies the United States Constitution and is admitted as the 12th U.S. state. 1851 – Mutineers take control of the Chilean penal colony of Punta Arenas in the Strait of Magellan. 1861 – American Civil War: Confederate President Jefferson Davis appoints Judah Benjamin Secretary of War. 1877 – Thomas Edison announces his invention of the phonograph, a machine that can record and play sound. 1894 – Port Arthur, China, falls to the Japanese, a decisive victory of the First Sino-Japanese War; Japanese troops are accused of massacring the remaining inhabitants. 1900 – Claude Monet's paintings shown at Gallery Durand-Ruel in Paris. 1902 – The Philadelphia Football Athletics defeat the Kanaweola Athletic Club of Elmira, New York, 39–0, in the first-ever professional American football night game. 1905 – Albert Einstein's paper that leads to the mass–energy equivalence formula, E = mc², is published in the journal Annalen der Physik. 1910 – Sailors on board Brazil's warships including the Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Bahia, violently rebel in what is now known as the Revolta da Chibata (Revolt of the Lash). 1916 – Mines from SM U-73 sink HMHS Britannic, the largest ship lost in the First World War. 1918 – The Flag of Estonia, previously used by pro-independence activists, is formally adopted as the national flag of the Republic of Estonia. 1918 – The Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 is passed, allowing women to stand for Parliament in the UK. 1918 – A pogrom takes place in Lwów (now Lviv); over three days, at least 50 Jews and 270 Ukrainian Christians are killed by Poles. 1920 – Irish War of Independence: On "Bloody Sunday" in Dublin, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) assassinated a group of British Intelligence agents, and British forces killed 14 civilians at a Gaelic football match at Croke Park. 1922 – Rebecca Latimer Felton of Georgia takes the oath of office, becoming the first female United States Senator. 1927 – Columbine Mine massacre: Striking coal miners are allegedly attacked with machine guns by a detachment of state police dressed in civilian clothes. 1942 – The completion of the Alaska Highway (also known as the Alcan Highway) is celebrated (however, the highway is not usable by standard road vehicles until 1943). 1944 – World War II: American submarine USS Sealion sinks the Japanese battleship Kongō and Japanese destroyer Urakaze in the Formosa Strait. 1945 – The United Auto Workers strike 92 General Motors plants in 50 cities to back up worker demands for a 30-percent raise. 1950 – Two Canadian National Railway trains collide in northeastern British Columbia in the Canoe River train crash; the death toll is 21, with 17 of them Canadian troops bound for Korea. 1953 – The Natural History Museum, London announces that the "Piltdown Man" skull, initially believed to be one of the most important fossilized hominid skulls ever found, is a hoax. 1959 – American disc jockey Alan Freed, who had popularized the term "rock and roll" and music of that style, is fired from WABC radio over allegations he had participated in the payola scandal.

#Events

[backstoriesofsims]

Quick Summary

Joanne, raised under strict political parents, rebelled to escape constraints. Her journey led to festivals, protests, and a nomadic band life with Marc, the drummer. Throughout she would sell art to make it by. Despite becoming pregnant with Cecilia, their bond strained as Marc pursued stability, diverging from the band. Exhausted by the band's turmoil, Joanne settled in Evergreen Harbor, honing her artistry while waitressing. Through resilience and hard work, she founded an art store, driven by a sole purpose: securing Cecilia's future

Full Backstory

Childhood

Joanne Everhart grew up under the watchful eye of strict, politically driven parents. Faced with the suffocating constraints of her upbringing, she summoned the courage to break free from the suffocating expectations. Leaving behind her high school education and siblings, Joanne ventured into the world to escape the madness surrounding her.

Teenage to Young Adult Hood

She moved away and found a group of friends at a festival, this grew into her constantly going to different festivals, even attending protests. Along the way, she became a part of a band where she had a small role and she bet her boyfriend Marc,

Joanne's life on the road alongside her drummer love interest and friends was a whirlwind of music, art creation, and nomadic adventures. Over time, her artistic talents blossomed, becoming a source of income that sustained their nomadic lifestyle. This almost came to a halting stop when she found out she was pregnant with her daughter Cecilia. But Marc assured her it'd be fine and they would still have this fun crazy life but with an extra and small member.

However, her relationship with Cecil's father, Marc, began to fracture. Over the years he made his decision to depart from the band for a more stable career opportunity as a drummer created a bigger divide between them as their passions diverged further.

As the strain of the band's drama and financial struggles took their toll, Joanne made the difficult decision to part ways. Exhausted and feeling financially drained from shouldering most responsibilities, she sought refuge in Evergreen Harbor, following a friend's suggestion.

Adulthood

Finding solace in this new town, Joanne forged a path for herself, honing her artistic skills further while working as a waitress to make ends meet. Then frequent bars to get through harder days. Through perseverance and hard work, she saved enough to establish her own art store, driven by the determination to provide a better future for her daughter, Cecilia.

Current

Although their relationship is slightly strained now, she loves her grandchildren and especially loves when Luna has time to spend at the shop. She has been trying to bring back the spark at the shop.

#sims 4 #sims background #sims 4 gameplay #the sime 4

[skendong]

Africanistan: The Ultimate War on Terror

Africanistan

“We love our country. But to love it you have to be alive. A corpse has no homeland.”

On an enslaved mass Europe drew cold lines. Millions tangled in exploitation’s cruel dance. The hope for a continent in Barbarian hands, A united, stable Alkebulan a utopian dream.

The General Act of Berlin announced in 1885, Only Ethiopia and Liberia would be spared. Foreign soldiers descend on coastal shores, The latest weaponry blots out Africa’s light.

If trading in its people weren’t brutal enough, Now minerals overflowed in Europe’s dockyards. The conniving aggressors greedy for more, Almost wipe out each other in two world wars.

Post-1945 nations clamor for independence, Communists subverting old colonial rules. America and the Soviets in devilish mode, Instilling their doctrines lit a hellish fuse.

Carnage in Africa, the frontiers unclear, Instability, ethnic conflict and terror ushered in. Popular movements had freedom in sight, Extinguished by a cold war decadence.

The Berlin Wall tumbled and a flicker of hope, Now Africa is courted like a beautiful bride. China’s approach is different from the west Understanding Africa’s worth, they invest.

Excess supply meets unlimited demand, Building roads, schools, bridges and ports. Russia still supply 50% of its arms: Africa seeking fresh prospects anew.

Twelve years ago, Clinton’s emails revealed, Whispers behind closed doors unveiled. Muammar Gaddafi’s vast hidden wealth, Treasure trove of aurum and silver’s stealth.

Nearly one hundred and fifty tons of gold, Knowledge of this secret stash WikiLeaks told. A plan was conceived in the Colonel’s heart, A pan-African currency, a project to impart.

Franco British intrigue craft a motive strong: Oil, boosted influence and reputations to uphold. In Tripoli the embattled streets run red, No-fly-zone, armed clashes and countless dead.

Islamists and Tuareg separatists in Mali, An excess of arms has primed the north grizzly. Thousands have perished, a million displaced, In an endless conflict Mali’s fate defaced.

4,000 of Timbuktu’s manuscripts plundered, Ansar Dyne’s destruction leaves culture sundered. Pick-axed and hammered saintly shrines and tombs, Protecting faith’s purity, the extremists fumed.

Burkina Faso ravaged by relentless perdition. Executions, looting and arson the story. Civilians in the crossfire recruited for militia: Volontaires pour la défense de la patrie.

A coup thwarts another coup’s dark intent, President Captain Traoré standing firm. Jihadist activity distresses the land, Neighbouring countries offer a united hand.

As in Niger, skating on alert’s icy brink, Deposed President Bazoum a bargaining chip. Charged with treason, he’s already condemned, ECOWAS threaten war but their plan is insane.

Twenty-nine dead soldiers in the south ignite, A counter-offensive killing terrorists overnight. Niger taking measures to neutralize the threat, France’s withdrawal cast conspiracies of doubt.

Boko Haram and Jama’at Ahl al-Sunna, Spread fiery rhetoric stoking angst in Nigeria. In the troubled north their dominant sphere, 3.6 million have been displaced.

In Zamfara state the usual tale of woe, Gunmen agitate and lawlessness flows. Many lives lost; sixty villagers snatched, And students wheeled off in pick-up trucks.

In Cameroon, lingering tensions of old, The struggle for language, a tale unfolds, Torturing, killings and arson explodes, Amnesty International raises its voice.

Rebel groups rise, in the bushes they hide, A decade of turmoil, divisions collide. Factories halt and roads broken wide, This anglophone crisis the violence divides.

In Central Africa, where hunger takes toll, Half the population in an arduous hole. To be born and survive is a fragile goal, 8% don’t see their first year of life.

Wagner’s entry and the Rwandans fight, Purged Séléka rebels from the country’s towns. The first in a decade, a calm before a storm, In a region still marred by conflict’s blight.

Congo-Kinshasa remains insecure, Six million displaced as suffering obscured. UN’s future shaky, talks aim to repair, Gender violence haunts, survivors in despair.

Poison of greed smeared diamonds with blood, Minerals fueling war, displacement and hunger. Political solutions urged as elections draw near, UN peacekeepers targeted; challenges severe.

Chad, with oil wealth, yet so impoverished, Bearing the weight of war-torn refugees. 300,000 and counting fled from Sudan, A fragile security, a nation in unease.

Under guise of wiping people’s tears away, The UAE covertly aids with brazen lies. In a remote town of Chad an operation thrives, Weapons and drones for the RSF side.

Hemedti and Burhan, once brothers share, A conflict spurring chaos in Khartoum and Darfur. Bullets, rockets, and the fighter jet’s snare, The devil on horseback returned with flair.

Sudanese Armed Force’s strafing strews panic; Home invasions, bombed hospitals, people can’t go out. The pillaging and the killing systematic – As night fell, death lingers, ready to pounce.

In Ethiopia it seems the madness rages on, Sexual violence and other crimes scarring the soul. Terror in Tigray and now fighting in Amhara, A nation’s recurring agony takes a heavy toll.

Government battle with their former kin, Allied forces turned foes in a war so grim. Abiy Ahmed planned to unite within, But too many militias disagree with him.

Somalian troops have engaged for years, Hide and seek with Al Shabab, left a brutal scar. Thousands have fallen but does anybody hear? Screams and blood sacrifice an endless affair.

A truck bomb in Beledweyne’s town square, Killed 21 innocents sprouting anguish over here. Buildings razed, plenty wounded on the ground, Never-ending turmoil like Black Hawk Down.

Mozambique is a land in flux and dread, An insurgency’s deadly shadow looms overhead. A million displaced in Cabo Delgado’s fright, Another nation struggling as violence excites.

Loved ones beheaded, homes razed to ashes, Men and boys compelled to join armed groups. Livelihoods vanished, education’s lost ground, Healthcare and food scarcity in critical loop.

South Africa’s parliament hall burned down, Tensions with the U.S. begin to install. Naval drills in the Indian Ocean enthralled, South Africa, Russia and China allied.

ANC has past links with these erstwhile friends, USA frustrated and controversy found. Accused of arms smuggling aim to undermine, South Africa’s neutrality in the war in Ukraine.

Changing alliances and strategic coalitions, South Africa chooses in this dangerous game. Africanistan unfurling amid proxy’s friction, Ever-evolving struggles in a global campaign.

Djibouti is a gathering of strange hosts. Military bases for France, Spain and Germany, The United States, United Kingdom, and Italy, Japan and Saudi Arabia: if there’s revolts?

Russia and India seek a presence to be, Thugs guard the continent by land and by sea. On African territory set long-term plans, Colonial frontiers drifting in the sands.

African nations in the Arab League’s clique? Non-Arab lands in a union they sit. A paradoxical blend of conquest and culture, Arabs enslaved blacks so lest not forget that.

What does America bring, a weak dollar’s sway? Backed by the military they print dollars every day. What does Britain bring but a duplicitous role? Preaching democracy, education, and birth control.

The sordid past of Françafrique’s grim view, A fierce dawn breaks and the policy renews. Africa’s roar is a force to be reckoned, Winds of change, chains strained and broken.

For too long held in their pernicious stay, Imposing notions that affect us today. White supremacy’s harshness, Arabian superiority, The darker skinned hue lambasted with no pity.

A narrative marred by such horrible stains, Yet within our hearts, resilience remains. Awakening from this long and troubled sleep, No longer inferior, our dignity we’ll keep.

For we are equal, capable with open eyes, Our brilliance shining as our spirits arise. From depths of subjugation, we’ll break free, A proud united people and strong, we’ll be.

Youth and time is aligned on terrain, The West grows decrepit and demographics wane. Empires decline as the past conveys. Like a sphinx we’ll rise even a millennium away.

So, bear the turmoil Alkebulan my land, Relay this on the hills and shout up to the sky – Proclaim to those seeking to seize our hand, AFRICA RISING, we shall cry again.

https://skendongpoetry.com/archives/11314

#africa #poetryiwrite #current events #literature

[songsdreamt]

SONGSDREAMT. an original character written primarily as bg3's tav, secondarily as a bg3 companion. sideblog to @spiritdreamt . rules & basic info under the cut.

RULES

hi! i'm puck, she/they, 24

more in-depth rules can be found here . percy is a fandomless oc, i just decided to consolidate her baldur's gate au here

i'm mutuals only, and i follow back from @spiritdreamt

i'm multi-ship and i love love love shipping! obviously with plotting first, but if you're interested i'm almost certainly interested.

18+ only please!

any smut will be on my usfw sideblog, @inpiink .

i haven't played through the entire game yet, but i don't care about spoilers! i know bits and pieces of the overall plot & the various companions' arcs, though not all of it.

memes never expire, and they're the best way to start interacting! you can also im me on here or ask for my discord. i love to chat & plot & just talk about my girl, so PLEASE don't be afraid to say hi

ABOUT

name. persephone potter age. 27 race. tiefling height. 5'3" hair. black, though in light it's clearly a dark purple eyes. black sclera, bright green iris skin. a light, cool-toned pink. gender. female, she/her sexuality. bisexual class. bard, college of lore / rogue background. entertainer personality. extroverted and bubbly, one could be forgiven for mistaking percy for being a bleeding heart. in reality, she places the well-being of her loved ones above all else; though at times helping the downtrodden is the best path to getting aid for those she cares about. silver-tongued, she tries not to lie to her allies but is more than willing to speak falsehoods to her enemies—and she does it well. at the end of the day, though, percy will do anything for her friends. abilities. percy is trained in the bard college of lore, but she also has some basic rogue training as well. equally important is her ability to see the dead in the form of ghosts—they have haunted her for as long as she can remember, and she speaks to them as easily as she speaks to the living.

BIO

    percy’s father is a scholar, and her mother is the daughter of a popular tavern-owner. though both are human, percy was born with pink skin, a tail, and the beginnings of horns—a tiefling. when she was a child, they split, and margaret remarried to a merchant while louis married a widowed minor noblewoman. there was almost immediately tension between persephone and her stepmother, but with margaret and her new husband on the road, there was no escape for the young girl.      from a young age, she also possessed the ability to see the dead. her father and her stepmother sought the opinion of multiple experts to figure out the reason for both that & her devilish appearance, but nobody was sure. the priests and doctors consulted on the matter seemed to think it was some ancient familial deal come back to haunt the bloodline. louis’s new wife blamed margaret’s ancestors, and treated percy’s abilities with fear. she pushed for percy to act normal, to make herself small and pleasant—all framed as being for percy's own good. her inherent abilities went untrained, her horns filed down (they never did grow back), and still her stepmother was unappeased. the abuse took its toll, and percy fled for bard training as soon as her father allowed her. once among peers, she began to explore her own abilities, and she became almost a rebel. she would slip out with classmates to explore the rougher sides of town. eventually, she met a young man there named felix, a few years older than her, who took her under his wing and taught her how to be a rogue. percy fell for him quickly and felix returned her affections, showering her with affection and telling her how much he loved her. she thought they would be together forever, but one day felix broke the news: he was a nobleman's son, and his father was demanding he come home and get married. percy, naive, begged him to tell his father that he loved her. felix simply said look at yourself, percy. he'd never allow it. and even if he did, the others would never accpet you. or us felix wanted her to remain his mistress, but percy, heartbroken and betrayed, left without another word. her heartbreak only increased when she discovered she was pregnant with felix’s child. knowing she would be disowned, the terrified young woman sought the help of one of her bard mentors, a man named maxwell finch. max, ever a father figure to her, happily took both her and her soon-to-be child under his wing. once the babe, a tiefling girl named laura, was weaned, percy set out on her own as a traveling bard. her daughter remains with max, where she is safe.       now 27, she makes money from performing in taverns—sometimes music, but often stories or poems—and takes commissions to compose poetry for nobles and royalty. what extra money she has, she spends on gifts to send back home to her daughter. recently, she was captured by mind flayers & infected with a tadpole. now she's searching for a cure, too afraid to tell her traveling companions about the daughter she has hidden away for fear that they'll treat her differently.

#pinned. #dni

[cryptoguys657]

Turkey-Syria quake updates: Syria to open new aid entry points, U.N. says; death toll tops 37,000

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad approved plans to open two new border crossings to allow aid to enter the country’s rebel-held northwest from Turkey, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said, though details about the plan have yet to emerge. “I’ve never in my life seen the level of destruction as I did on the road from Aleppo to Damascus,” World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom…

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[gamegill]

Turkey-Syria quake updates: Syria to open new aid entry points, U.N. says; death toll tops 37,000

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad approved plans to open two new border crossings to allow aid to enter the country’s rebel-held northwest from Turkey, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said, though details about the plan have yet to emerge. “I’ve never in my life seen the level of destruction as I did on the road from Aleppo to Damascus,” World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom…

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[newnewz]

Turkey-Syria Earthquake Toll Tops 33,000, Legal Action Against Builders

With chances of finding more survivors growing more remote, the toll in both countries from Monday's earthquake and major aftershocks rose above 33,000.

Antakya, Turkey: Rescuers pulled more survivors from the rubble on Sunday, nearly a week after one of the worst earthquakes to hit Turkey and Syria, as Turkish authorities sought to maintain order across the disaster zone and began legal action over building collapses.

With chances of finding more survivors growing more remote, the toll in both countries from Monday's earthquake and major aftershocks rose above 33,000 and looked set to keep growing. It was the deadliest quake in Turkey since 1939.

In a central district of one of the worst hit cities, Antakya in southern Turkey, business owners emptied their shops on Sunday to prevent merchandise from being stolen by looters

Residents and aid workers who came from other cities cited worsening security conditions, with widespread accounts of businesses and collapsed homes being robbed.

Facing questions over his response to the earthquake as he prepares for a national election that is expected to be the toughest of his two decades in power, President Tayyip Erdogan has said the government will deal firmly with looters.

In Syria, the disaster hit hardest in the rebel-held northwest, leaving homeless yet again many people who had already been displaced several times by a decade-old civil war. The region has received little aid compared to government-held areas.

"We have so far failed the people in north-west Syria," United Nations aid chief Martin Griffiths tweeted from the Turkey-Syria border, where only a single crossing is open for U.N. aid supplies.

"They rightly feel abandoned," Griffiths said, adding that he was focused on addressing that swiftly.

Washington called on the Syrian government and all other parties in the country to immediately grant humanitarian access to all those in need.

More than six days after the first quake struck, emergency workers still found a handful of people clinging to life in the wreckage of homes that had become tombs for many thousands.

A team of Chinese rescuers and Turkish firefighters saved 54-year-old Syrian Malik Milandi after he survived 156 hours in the rubble in Antakya.

On the main road into the city the few buildings left standing had large cracks or caved-in facades. Traffic occasionally halted as rescuers called for silence to detect signs of remaining life under the ruins.

A father and daughter, a toddler and a 10-year-old girl were among other survivors pulled from the ruins of collapsed buildings Sunday, but such scenes were becoming rare as the number of dead climbed relentlessly.

At a funeral near Reyhanli, veiled women wailed and beat their chests as bodies were unloaded from lorries - some in closed wood coffins, others in uncovered coffins, and still others just wrapped in blankets.

Some residents sought to retrieve what they could from the destruction.

In Elbistan, epicentre of an aftershock almost as powerful as Monday's initial 7.8 magnitude quake, 32-year-old mobile shop owner Mustafa Bahcivan said he had come into town almost daily since then. On Sunday he sifted through the rubble searching for any of his phones that might be still be intact and sellable.

"This used to be one of the busiest streets. Now it's completely gone," he said.

DETENTION ORDERS

Building quality in a country that lies on several seismic fault lines has come into sharp focus in the aftermath of the quake.

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay said 131 suspects had so far been identified as responsible for the collapse of some of the thousands of buildings flattened in the 10 affected provinces.

"We will follow this up meticulously until the necessary judicial process is concluded, especially for buildings that suffered heavy damage and buildings that caused deaths and injuries," he said.

The earthquake hit as Erdogan faces presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for June. Even before the disaster, his popularity had been falling due to soaring inflation and a slumping Turkish currency.

Some affected by the quake and opposition politicians have accused the government of slow and inadequate relief efforts early on, and critics have questioned why the army, which played a key role after a 1999 earthquake, was not brought in sooner.

Erdogan has acknowledged problems, such as the challenge of delivering aid despite damaged transport links, but said the situation had been brought under control.

SYRIA AID COMPLICATED BY YEARS OF WAR

In Syria, the hostilities that have fractured the country during 12 years of civil war are now hindering relief work.

Earthquake aid from government-held regions into territory controlled by hardline opposition groups has been held up by approval issues with Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) which controls much of the region, a U.N. spokesperson said.

An HTS source in Idlib told Reuters the group would not allow any shipments from government-held areas and that aid would be coming in from Turkey to the north.

The U.N. is hoping to ramp up cross-border operations by opening an additional two border points between Turkey and opposition-held Syria for aid deliveries, spokesperson Jens Laerke said.

The foreign minister of U.S. ally the United Arab Emirates met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday in the first high-level visit by an Arab official since the quake.

Several Arab countries have provided support to Assad in the quake's aftermath. Western countries, which sought to isolate Assad after his crackdown on protests in 2011 and the outbreak of civil war, are major contributors to U.N. relief efforts across Syria but have provided little direct aid to Damascus during the civil war.

The first shipment of European earthquake aid to government-held parts of Syria also arrived in Damascus on Sunday.

U.N Syria envoy Geir Pedersen said in Damascus the United Nations was mobilising funding to support Syria. "We're trying to tell everyone: Put politics aside, this is a time to unite behind a common effort to support the Syrian people," he said.

The quake ranks as the world's sixth deadliest natural disaster this century, its death toll exceeding the 31,000 from a quake in neighbouring Iran in 2003.

It has killed 29,605 people in Turkey and more than 3,500 in Syria, where tolls have not been updated for two days.

Turkey said about 80,000 people were in hospital, and more than 1 million in temporary shelters.

#Turkey-Syria #Earthquake

[xtruss]

Turkey and Syria Earthquake Latest: Death Toll Rises to 22,765 as Anger Grows Over Syria Rescue Response

The New York Times has used satellite imagery to identify nearly 200 buildings in central Kahramanmaraş that show clear signs of destruction. The city is located between the areas above the epicentres of the earthquake and an unusually strong aftershock that occurred hours later. The downtown district with taller buildings was hit particularly hard, while residential areas outside the city’s centre had less apparent destruction.

The Times reports that the imagery shows:

Whole blocks near the city’s centre have been reduced to rubble. Cars line the roads, with people — whose homes were destroyed or who feel unsafe staying in damaged or vulnerable buildings — sleeping inside. The city’s soccer stadium has been turned into an aid distribution point, where displaced families shelter in tents. A nearby hospital once surrounded by buildings now stands alone.

UN sends 14 trucks full of humanitarian aid to Syria. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Reuters has the heartbreaking story of Naser al-Wakaa, who kept his family safe through years of war, bombings and air raids until the earthquake struck their home in Jandaris in north-west Syria, levelling the building and burying his wife and most of his family under the masonry.

Rescuers pulled two of his children alive from the rubble at night, who were seen bruised and covered in dust alongside another child. But his wife and at least five of his children were killed.

He spoke to a reporter as he sat amid the ruins of his home, surrounded by broken concrete and twisted metal, grieving his loss as he held baby clothes tight to his face. In despair and confusion, he named his children – boys and girls – without saying how many he had.

He said:

“The house shook. We are used to airstrikes. We are used to rockets, to barrel bombs. This is normal to us. But an earthquake, it’s an act of God. I ran out of the house and said ‘please God, let one survive. I just want one of my kids’.”

In his home town of Jandaris, across the border from Turkey in a rebel-held enclave, many houses were razed and others were partially collapsed. Rescue workers and residents, sometimes helped by mechanical diggers, dug into ruins to find survivors.

In another part of town, rescuers pulled out five year-old Ahmed Abduljabbar, the only survivor from his family of six. His adult cousin, Ahmed Abu Chehab, spent hours heaving up broken masonry to reach him before he was whisked to an ambulance.

Drone footage shows large faultline in southern Turkey after earthquakes

From his bed in a hospital near the city of Azaz, the boy said:

“My father and I were sitting in the living room when I heard the sound of the earthquake hitting.”

The imam leading Friday prayers at a Jandaris mosque struggled to hold back tears as he preached.

A UN agency said 14 aid trucks crossed into northwest Syria on Friday, the first outside assistance to reach a region held by rebels fighting the Damascus government and among the areas worst affected by Monday’s earthquake.

After the quake, Wakaa had called for several of his sons, learning that two boys, Faisal and Mohsin, had both perished. His eldest daughter, Heba, was also found dead, along with her little sister Israa in her lap. Samiha, another sister, was found dead nearby.

Wakaa gripped a scrap of paper in his hand that had been found in a notebook buried in the rubble. In neat handwriting, were the words addressed to her father: “You are in the hands of God and in my heart, Abu Faisal.” Alongside was an inked heart.

At a cemetery, Wakaa watched in grief as gravediggers lowered the body of one of his children, shrouded in white, into a communal grave with other victims of the disaster.

Rescuers carry a woman named Zeynep to an ambulance after she was found after 104 hours trapped in rubble in Kırıkhan, Turkey. Photograph: Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters

Death toll in Turkey and Syria rises to 22,765! The death toll in Turkey has risen to to 19,388, according to the president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who said 77,711 people had been injured. The number of deaths in neighbouring Syria has been put at 3,377, giving a combined death toll of 22,765. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visiting a camp in Adıyaman. Photograph: Murat Cetinmuhurdar/Turkish Presidential Press Office/EPA

Woman rescued after being buried in rubble for 104 hours in Turkey after earthquake

A boy is carried out on a stretcher by search and rescue teams in the Turkish city of Antakya on Friday. Photograph: Emre Can Yadoglu/Depo Photos/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock

Yagiz, a 10-day-old baby who was rescued in the Samandağ district of Turkey’s Hatay province. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

An aerial view of search-and-rescue efforts among collapsed buildings in Jindires, Syria. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Flooding in the Syrian village of Tloul, after a dam collapsed following the deadly earthquake. Photograph: Muhammad Haj Kadour/AFP/Getty Images

Turkish armed forces transport 107 earthquake survivors, including children, with military transport aircraft from earthquake-hit zones of the country to Istanbul's Ataturk airport on Friday. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images