Monthly Members' Fics — Dec 2023

Return to Normal by Jestemburakiem (Lithuania/Russia, Past America/Lithuania) If Tolys had no problem being America's maid, he should have no problem being Ivan's Or alternatively, the obligatory maid fic

Clean by mossy_man (Russia/Turkey) Turrus pwp of 1799. Contains fucking, fisting, washing.

something so flawed and free — Chapters 3 & 4 by hopeless_nostalgia (England/Japan) After a year of convoluted diplomacy, all fell apart and war was declared between Japan and Russia. "It might be a long while before we are able to meet again," Kiku writes to his ally. It feels as though the distance between them has become wider, and in the midst of this gale, the only way for them to communicate is through slow letters and short telegrams. A continuation of hide and seek. But I *think* you can understand this just fine without reading it.

Call To Alms — Chapter 8: Crash and Burn by DoomSpiral (Lithuania/Prussia, Lithuania/Russia) Gilbert Beilschmidt scrapes the gallows by the skin of his teeth--and promptly makes this everyone else's problem, as per usual. Tolys Laurinaitas returns to Moscow after the war only to find he has less of a grasp on his role at the estate, and his self control, than he thought. They make it through (hand in unlovable hand). Alternatively: After the second world war comes to a close, Tolys and Gilbert are forced to work through a graveyard of old memories, and reluctantly come to new terms with each other.

An Unexpected Reunion by DubiouslyKind (America/England) Alfred is a busy college student convinced by his best friend to attend a concert. When he arrives to see an infamous band play with Arthur at the head, he gets more than he bargained for - and the cost may be more than either of them were willing to pay.

Expect the Unexpected by DubiouslyKind (America/England, America & England) Arthur sees the garage lights on in the middle of the night. What he discovered was certainly not what he was expecting.

2:30 by Delgumo (Canada/Russia) It’s two in the morning and Matthew Williams has an important choice to make: To go home and watch TV or see his off-and-on (currently off) boyfriend. He finds the choice fairly obvious, however irresponsible it may be.

I Have A Better Deal by Skoati (Ketzexi) (Germany/nyo!Russia) Ludwig is a demon who keeps getting summoned by one human for the wrong reason.

A Gift For Italy by Skoati (Ketzexi) (Germany/nyo!North Italy) Germany got a present for Italy, but her reaction isn't as expected.

Muses by FangsofLightening (South Italy/Spain) Romano was searching for a muse. He found one in Antonio, and so much more.

Some Things Are Best Left Unforgotten — Chapter 1: An Object in Motion by DubiouslyKind (America/England) The son of a demon and a witch meets a fairy when he was a child. As an adult, they continue to meet throughout different lifetimes. Arthur cannot escape him or their complicated past, but he is unsure if he really wants to either.

What Good Neighbors Do Pt. 2

Modern Osferth x Reader

Warnings: mentions of difficult family situations, mentions of neglect/emotional abuse

This is a continuation of my first drabble posted yesterday. Thank you for the response! I will probably make a whole series.

Note:

First, let me know if you'd like to be included with a tag list. Also, if anyone can figure out how to do that, I would be grateful since I haven't been on tumblr since 2016 🤣.

Reader is from the American South, American Thanksgivings typically look a bit different down here (we eat a LOT).

Also: in this AU, Uhtred and the Boys were all in the British army (to make it applicable to modern situations). There are mentions of Uhtred and Finan cross training with the American army, and that actually happens quite a bit. Just in case that question comes up.

It was your first Thanksgiving away from your family, your first holiday in England. Thanksgiving had always been a special holiday for your family, but this would be the first time in your life that you weren't spending it with them. For you, this would be a very hard week. Even though you'd found a close circle of friends in Osferth and your neighbors, you still missed home terribly.

You thought of how much you missed your family as you sat in the shared back garden with your new neighbors, Osferth, Sihtric, and Finan, as your landlord's wife, Thyra, threw the ball for her dogs and yours.

"You've been quiet, Y/N." Osferth observed. He had a cup of coffee in his hand, a habit you'd started him on when he (more often than not) joins you for dinner.

"I'm sorry, guys. I guess I'm just a little homesick. Thanksgiving is this Thursday, and this is the first year I've never been with them." You explained.

"I hate to hear that." Osferth said, "What does Thanksgiving look like for you?"

"Where do I even start?" You chuckle, "Me, my mom, my grandmother, my sister, and my aunts all spend days cooking all kinds of food and desserts. My dad starts the night before, smoking different kinds of meats. The whole family comes to my grandparents' farm. We play games, we eat, we go see the farm animals. It's a lot of fun, and I'm really sad I have to miss it."

"I thought you only ate turkey on Thanksgiving?" Sihtric asked.

"Not my family. My dad usually makes different kinds of barbecue. Everyone in the family likes something different." You explained.

"I'd pay good money to have barbecue again." Finan said, taking a sip of his tea. During his time in the Army, he'd briefly trained in America with Uhtred.

"Where did you and Uhtred go, Finan?" Y/N asked.

"Kentucky, Texas." Finan said, "Still the best ribs I've ever had."

You laughed, "I'm convinced you would let yourself get kidnapped if there was food involved, Finan. That goes for you too, Osferth."

Osferth chuckled, tussling your hair slightly.

"If it was your food, maybe." Osferth replied.

You blushed; over the last few months, you and Osferth had grown very close, but neither of you seemed to want to be the first to venture outside of just friendship. You flirted constantly, and it was obvious to everyone how you both felt, but neither of you seemed compelled to take the leap.

"What if we had a Thanksgiving?" Came Thyra's question, throwing the ball for your dog, Brownie.

"I, for one, would not say no to more food." Finan said.

"I could make plenty of food. I'm sure it could be really nice." You said.

"I could help you," Osferth offered, "I'm sure it couldn't be too hard."

"I could help, too." Thyra said, coming over to sit with the four of you, "Gisela makes the best chocolate cake."

"Let's do it." You said, "It could be a little Friendsgiving. I think everyone would like it."

Osferth reached out, patting your shoulder lightly. "I think this is going to be a lot of fun."

You smiled at him, he was impossibly optimistic. You hoped you could pull this off.

-------------

When Thanksgiving came around, though, you had never regretted your decision more.

You only had one tiny oven in your flat, and only so much counter space. You were struggling keep up, and you'd run out of refrigerator space the day before.

Osferth and Finan had arrived at your place early that morning, and your stress rolled off of you in waves. Growing up, Thanksgiving was always a shared task, and you'd taken on the brunt of it. Osferth was the only one of the men who knew how to cook, and you'd immediately put him to work.

"What have you made, pray tell?" Finan asked, looking at the various dishes of food scattered everywhere.

"Well, Beocca and Uhtred are making the meat... I'm making mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing, rice stuffing, macaroni and cheese, about four different casseroles, deviled eggs..." You trailed off, trying to remember everything Thyra, Gisela, and your other neighbor, Hild, were making. Sihtric and his girlfriend were also bringing a variety of desserts, since his girlfriend was a pastry chef.

"If we run out, I'm going to laugh." Osferth said. He was mixing the dough for the rolls, laughing softly as he tried to find room anywhere in your kitchen. You'd settled on the small table you'd found on the side of the road with Thyra--Finan had helped restore it--and there was barely any room left there.

"To be fair," You said sheepishly, "We usually have a long buffet line for the food, usually in my grandma's living room."

"What does everyone else do while the food cooks?" Osferth asked.

You laughed, taking a shot of whiskey to calm your nerves. "We drink. And play games."

"I like the drinking part." Said Finan, wearing one of your vintage aprons and pouring himself a bit of whiskey.

"Well, to be fair, some of us aren't allowed to drink anymore. Not since Thanksgiving five years ago." You said.

Osferth stopped making the rolls and looked up, "What happened five years ago?"

Osferth knew more about your family than the others, he knew part of the reason you'd chosen to move halfway across the world. He knew where this story was likely headed.

Taking another shot of whiskey to deal with the anxiety rising in your throat, you laughed. "Well, Thanksgiving five years ago is when half my cousins, mostly Aunt Lisa's kids, along with my Uncle Bobby, kind of started a brawl in the front yard. Half of us wound up going to jail."

"To JAIL?" Finan asked, putting yet another casserole in the oven.

"I didn't have to, but my sister did. You'd like my sister, Cassie. But anyway, I suppose my cousin Blake was three sheets to the wind, and I guess he took a swing at Cassie, and all I know is that by the time the deputies showed up, all of them were in the yard." You explained, getting the dish of macaroni and cheese ready.

"Sounds like fun." Finan said.

You shrugged. "It comes with its own problems."

"What do you mean?" Osferth asked.

"My family is big and loud. I love them, and I miss them, but I'm kind of the odd person out. I'm the first one to graduate from college. It's hard, sometimes, feeling like I'm out of place in my own family." You said.

"I know the feeling." Osferth said, a look in his eyes you hadn't seen before, "I've never actually spent a holiday with any family other than my uncle or my mum."

"Wait, what?" You asked.

Osferth shrugged, "My dad and my mum never married. He came around some, when I was little, but it was never consistent. He always gave her money, I guess, but then she got sick, and we moved in with my uncle Leofric. My dad got married, had more kids. His new wife didn't like me. She didn't want me around for holidays, always said that I made them look bad. My sister has always tried to reach out, but I never got to see what a big family holiday was like until I met Uhtred."

You and Finan both stood, mouths agape. As flustered as your family could make you, you'd never been outright excluded.

"My uncle never had a lot of money, growing up, especially after my mum died." Osferth added, "When I joined the Army and spent that first Christmas with Gisela and Uhtred, Gisela had gifts for me. Gisela and Uhtred practically raised me."

"Yes, yes they did." Finan said, trying to lighten the mood. Tears filled your eyes, your heart broken at the realization that the only family Osferth had ever really known was there, on that street. You couldn't help the urge, walking forward and putting your arms around him as tightly as you could.

You couldn't think of anything to say, you just kept your arms around Osferth for longer than necessary, and he didn't push you off. Of course, Osferth never rejected affection from you.

Cutting the tension, Finan cleared his throat.

"As cute as this is, I think we should probably find some tables, as there is more food here than this flat can hold and Y/N has evidently decided to feed the whole neighborhood. I'm going to go see if Beocca or Uhtred have any folding ones." Finan said, taking off the apron and placing it on the hook on the wall.

That left Osferth and you alone, for the first time in nearly a week. You couldn't help but smile as the whiskey warmed you and you turned on some music to help you finish cooking.

"Thank you, for helping me do this." You said, feeling a little more bold than normal.

"I can't say no to you." Osferth chuckled, watching you spin around in sock feet.

"I'm sure you could, if you wanted to." You teased.

"And why would I want to do that? Why say no, when I can watch you dance to some ancient old song?" Osferth teased. You playfully hit his stomach, laughing.

"Don't disrespect Dolly like that!" You exclaimed. He laughed in response, taking your hand and spinning you around.

Truthfully, even though you missed home, you found you'd never felt more at home than you did in your small kitchen, with Osferth.

---------------

As it turned out, there was so much food that tables had to be set up outside. Uhtred and Beocca had outdone themselves with ribs, chicken, roast beef, and ham. Gisela had brought a herring dish and chocolate cake. Thyra had made cabbage, roast vegetables, chicken tikka masala, and several desserts. Hild and Mr. Pyrlig had brought dishes too, and then there was the vast feast you and Osferth had made.

Truthfully, the neighborhood didn't need much of an excuse to get together, as you realized. Watching everyone stand around, talking and laughing, you realized that you'd found a family. You felt an arm sneak around your waist, and you looked around to see Osferth, who had snuck nearly half a tray of deviled eggs.

"I've never had these before, my uncle was not a good cook." He said.

"How many have you had today, Osferth?" You asked.

"I couldn't tell you. Not enough for me to regret it." He replied.

You gave him a playful nudge with your elbow and then went to grab a plate of food, taking a seat in between Osferth and Thyra. There wasn't a lull in conversation, everyone was having a good time and you couldn't help but feel warm watching everyone smile and laugh. Afterwards, you, Osferth, Finan, and Sihtric played with the children while everyone else ate dessert. Gradually, the day turned into night, and you were a bit sad to watch everyone go.

No fighting, no extra stress. As it turned put, everything had been perfect.

-----------

Later that night, in your tiny kitchen, you and Osferth washed and dried what appeared to be an endless pile of dishes, Thyra and Beocca boxing away leftovers to take to everyone in the neighborhood. You truly missed having a dishwasher then, though you didn't mind the company.

"You know, Osferth, you should have invited your uncle." You said, handing him a freshly washed baking dish.

"I would have, but it's a little late for that." Osferth said, drying the dish and putting it aside.

"Why?" You asked.

"He died when I was sixteen." Osferth replied, his voice a little hollow.

"Osferth, I'm so sorry. Could I ask...?" You began.

"How?" Osferth answered, "A roadside bomb in Afghanistan."

"You've been on your own since you were sixteen?" You asked.

Osferth shook his head. "No. I spent a month living with my dad, until his wife decided she couldn't stand the sight of me and kicked me out. Wound up getting sent to a boys' home, until Beocca and Thyra took me in. I had been staying with them while my uncle was deployed, turns out my uncle had named them my guardians in his will."

"Osferth..." You whispered, "I don't even know what to say. I'm so sorry. Why didn't you say anything?"

Osferth chuckled ruefully, wiping his forehead with his elbow. "Everyone else already knew. I don't talk about my family much, no one really wants to ask. I spent the better part of my life being the bastard throw away, as my stepmother used to tell me. Beocca and Thyra, Uhtred and Gisela, Finan, Sihtric...and even you make up for that."

You stopped washing the dishes, turning to look at Osferth. He wasn't very good at hiding his emotions; at least, not around you. You could see the lingering pain in his eyes. You moved to wrap your arms around him, hugging him as tightly as he'd let you. He rested his sharp chin on the top of your head, sighing heavily, as if he were letting go of a breath he didn't realize he held.

"For what it's worth, Osferth, I'm really, really glad you're here." You said, letting go just enough to look up at him. He smiled, placing a chaste kiss to your forehead.

"I'm glad you're here too, Y/N." Osferth replied.

There was a pause for a moment, both of you looking at each other with a vast array of words that you seemed to want to say. However, neither of you spoke, you simply returned to washing dishes.

You couldn't help but release a shaky sigh as your stomach did flips; it seemed that every time you were in Osferth's presence, you felt butterflies. You glanced over toward Osferth and noticed he was looking at you, too, giving a slight smile as he continued to dry the dishes.

You finished the night by watching a Christmas movie, Beocca and Thyra bidding you goodnight before they went upstairs to their own apartment. As you sat next to Osferth, you wished so badly that you could tell him all the things that were in the forefront of your mind.

However, his soft eyes watching the movie said that could wait for another day. He was there, with you, sharing in a favorite tradition.

Someday soon, you would tell him. Tonight, you thought, that it could wait.

------

Thanks for reading everyone!

Could we get one fic about Frankie and reader after their divorce? Maybe they divorced because of the mission and his coke addiction and lot of broken promises. But they still share kid. And they still love each other. What if he gets better and they secretly starts to date again? Maybe their daughter get mad at mama for starting dating because she want their parents to be together again and she do not know they are dating each other. Maybe little hurt and comfort?

Second Chances - Oneshot

Masterlist

Pairings: Frankie Morales x Reader

Warnings: Like AO3, I choose not to list any warnings. (I looooove this request. Sorry it took me so long to write it ♥️ I had it half written out but then I just got busy... Hope it was worth the wait)

You shouldn’t have been surprised after two years of being divorced that he’d finally jump back on the wagon. He was handsome, kind, an amazing father and everything a woman should ever want in a man. It had been a mutual decision to get divorced but it hadn’t hurt any less. You’d maintained a relationship with him for your then, one-year-old daughter, but the truth of it was… you’d never stopped loving him. 

South America was what had killed your marriage. You’d begged and pleaded with him not to go but he’d sworn that this job would change your lives for the better. 

Instead, he’d come back empty-handed and down a friend. You’d tried to forgive him but the hurt had just been too great this time. You had understood the drugs to a certain degree. They’d helped him cope with his demons but when Mia had been born, you’d told him it was the drugs or his family. 

He quit cold Turkey. 

Unfortunately, however, his supplier hadn’t taken well to that and had planted drugs on his bird. This led to his suspension from flying. Two weeks after he’d come back, they’d cleared him and you’d been the first person he’d called but it had ended up such an awkward conversation. That excitement had been extinguished the moment he’d chosen to leave. 

Two years on, things had improved. You were able to spend time together without it feeling forced or awkward. You took it in turn to have Mia each week. He’d found an apartment not far from the house so she was able to see him regularly. It all was surprisingly easygoing but the news you’d received when picking your daughter up that afternoon just threw a spanner into the works. 

“A date.” You managed to squeak, inwardly scorning yourself for your reaction. 

“Yeah. Uh… Well, she’s a friend of Will’s. He met her through his fiancé. Said she’s nice.” He replied nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck “Worth meeting her, right?” 

“I guess.” You replied with a shrug and his brows drew together. 

“You guess?” He asked, “Are you okay with it?” 

“I have no right not to be.” You answered and he sighed “I guess I just never thought you’d move on so quickly.” You finished, shrugging your shoulders lightly. 

“So quickly?” He scoffed “I’ve waited 2 years, hoping we’d find our way back to each other but I’m done waiting. I don’t want to be alone anymore.” 

“Frankie I-“ 

“Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that but I do still care about you and if me going on a date upsets you then I won’t go.” He said simply and you felt your stomach twist. 

“No, you go.” You said, trying your hardest to keep your voice level “You deserve to be happy.” 

He nodded then handed you Mia’s bag as he called out for your daughter. When she barrelled into your legs, you told her to say your goodbyes, that spoke your own and left. 

Sobbing silently to yourself the whole way home. 

~ 

A knock on your door tore you from your show. Glancing at the clock, you scrunched your face in confusion at the time. 

Who could that possibly be? 

Your question was quickly answered when you opened the door to reveal a nervous Frankie and your stomach dropped. 

“What’s wrong?” You asked, noting how upset he seemed “I thought you had your date tonight?“ 

“I did.” He replied, eyes wet and bloodshot. 

“So?” 

“So it went great. Amazingly even but when we got back to hers and things started to happen-“ 

“I don’t need to hear this Frank.” 

“I suddenly couldn’t stop thinking about you.” He said, choking on a sob as he let out a stuttered breath. 

“Whatever helps you, Frank.”

“What do you want from me?” He sobbed “I tell you I’ve got a date and you get weird with me. Then I go on it, and I’m so hung up on how you reacted that I can’t get it up. I left there feeling fucking foolish because I’m holding out hope that my ex-wife still loves me.” 

“What?” You asked, stepping back in shock “What are you trying to say?” 

“That I don’t wanna do this again.” He sobbed and your face dropped 

“Oh.” 

“I mean dating. Getting to know someone new and learning about what they like and don’t like.” He stated “I want to come home to my family. To come home to you smiling up at me as you grade papers whilst Mia plays dress-up.” He paused, scraping a hand over his face to rid himself of his tears “I want stability and familiarity. I don’t want to start from scratch.” 

You stepped closer to him. Taking his shaky hand in yours and placing a soft kiss on his knuckles. Then, you looked up and into those dark brown eyes that had captured your heart all those years ago. The air crackled between you as you breathed him in and then, he closed the distance. 

The kiss felt like him. 

It was soft and sweet, yet passionate and loving. It made your toes curl and your spine tingle, then when you finally parted… you smiled. 

“I don’t want that either.” 

“Okay.” He said with a small nod before placing a soft peck on your lips “So what now?” 

“What about dinner?” You suggested and he grinned at you. 

“Sounds good.” 

~

Three months on and things were going strong. You’d been on several dates but had opted not to tell your daughter for now. She’d been begging you for a while to ‘love Papi again’ and so you didn’t want to get her hopes up in case it didn’t work out. 

“I don't wan' you go, mumma.” Mia screamed as she stomped her foot in true toddler fashion. 

“I won’t be late, sweetheart.” You promised as you knelt to kiss her furrowed brow. 

“Why does Unky Ben have me… why not Papi.” She sobbed and your heart twisted a little as you lied to her. 

“Because Papi’s got to work late tonight sweetheart.” 

“I want Papi.” She shrieked and you looked up at Ben who was watching the scene with amusement. 

Not even they knew that you were actually going on a date with Frankie. You’d decided to keep it a secret from everyone until you felt that the time was right but it was getting harder to lie now. 

How many more times could you get the Miller’s to sit before they cottoned on? 

“Getting serious with this chap then.” He said when you finally got your toddler to stop screaming. 

“I hope so.” You said shyly, eyes drifting to Mia who’s opted to play Helicopters. 

“She still bugging you to get back with Fish?” He asked and you nodded. 

“I get it. Who doesn’t want their parents to get back together? But it's just so messy and complicated.” You said with a sigh. 

“Hey, I get it.” Ben said, holding his hands up ‘Come from a broken home, remember?” 

“I’d hardly say ours is broken.” 

“Well, it ain’t whole.” Ben interjected and you sighed. 

“I guess not.” You replied sadly. 

“Bye, sweetie.” You called out, wincing at the look you received in return. 

“You not going to say bye to mummy Mia?” Ben asked as he stepped towards the toddler. 

“Nope… mummy replace Papi.” She grumbled, “I hate her.” 

That final statement broke you and you sprinted out into the evening air, desperate to keep yourself together long enough that your daughter didn’t see you cry. 

You'd walked quickly to where Frankie said he'd pick you up from and you were relieved to see his truck sat waiting. You'd more or less managed to pull yourself together by the time you clambered into his truck but there are no hiding things from Francisco. He could read you like an open book.

"What's wrong?" He asked as his brow pulled together to form a concerned frown. 

"Just had our three-year-old toddler tell Ben she hates me because I'm replacing her father." You sobbed "I'm not sure how much longer I can do this." 

"You want to break up?" He asked suddenly and your head whipped up to look him in the eye.

"What? NO!" You yelped, shocked he'd jump. to that conclusion. "I just mean that I'm not sure how much longer I can keep us a secret from her." 

"Then we fess up." He stated simply "Ben and Will have their annual grill off this weekend. Why don't we tell everyone then?" 

"You sure?" You asked, biting your thumbnail nervously as you looked up at him through your lashes. 

"Baby, I have no intention of fucking this up a second time." He replied with nothing be sincerity in his features "I'm so happy that we've found our way back to each other and I'm gonna do whatever it takes to make this last." 

"I'm glad to Frank." You replied, smiling sweetly at him as he leaned in to kiss you "Now can we eat, I'm starving." You finished after he pecked your lips affectionately and he nodded, giving you his signature wink before pulling away. 

~

Grill day... 

Mia loved to visit her Uncles Will and Ben. Mainly because, like her father, she loved to swim and spent as much time as she could in their pool. You were nervous about today, however. Today was the day that you were going to come clean to the group that you and Frankie had gotten back together. But it was also the weekend that some other truths would come out. 

There were two major secrets you'd been keeping. You just hoped they'd be well received. 

Frankie arrived a little after you and he grinned when his daughter clambered out of the pool and sprinted over to him. Leaving a toddler-shaped wet patch on his burgundy button-up. You and he shared a look and brief hellos before he made his way over to Ben and Will who were already arguing over who would win the grill off. 

It had started as a joke but each year they had you all gather at theirs and judge who was better on the grill. So far Will had one every time. 

Soon the smells that filled the air made everyone's stomachs start to grumble. Frank of course joined Mia in the pool, tossing her when she asked or playing splash. You watched from afar, your heart swelling at the sight of your husband and your daughter together. 

Husband... Did I say, Husband? 

"Foods up." Called Will and everyone gathered around the table that you'd carefully laid out. Mia sat on Ben's lap whilst everyone ate, telling him all about her new friend at school and how she'd given her a new Moana scrunch that was now her absolute favourite. 

You were sat beside Frank, watching your daughter talk her favourite uncles eat off as he nodded along to everything she so energetically told him. A hand grabbing your knee pulled your attention to the man beside you and you glanced at him a moment, smiling sweetly at him as you grabbed it and gave it a squeeze. 

"So how's it going with that guy you've been seeing?" Asked Will, smirking at the irritated huff that escaped your daughter. 

"Good yead... Getting pretty serious." You replied, trying your hardest not to smirk. 

"What about you Catfish?" Ben asked as he wiped the BBQ moustache off of Mia "You been seeing anyone?" 

"Yeah actually." He replied casually. 

"Not you too Papi." Mia squealed, her eyes growing wide. 

"And you guys are okay with this?" Will asked, motioning between the two of you. 

"More than okay." You said sweetly before you looked at Frank with a smile, leaning in and placing a soft kiss on his lips. 

Mia's dramatic gasp rendered you all speechless. 

"Mumma... U smooch Papi." She screeched and you nodded before looking between Ben and Will who were equally gobsmacked. 

"You two?" Will asked. 

"Yup." 

"Back together." Pushed Ben. 

"Affirmative." 

"Like... Together together." 

"Yes, Ben." Frankie replied, smirking at his friends' obvious confusion. 

"Mummy love Papi again?" Asked Mia and you smiled sweetly at your toddler as you nodded. 

"Mummy never stopped sweetheart." You replied, smiling when Frank's arm snaked around your shoulders to pull you close. 

"Shi-sheesh Guys, this is amazing," Ben stated in disbelief.

"Thanks, Ben." You replied happily "And nice save." 

"Ta." 

"I actually have more news." You stated, pulling away from Frankie so you could look him in the eye before down at your hands "I uh... Well, I have a confession to make." 

"Confession?" Frank asked, his expression morphing into one of confusion and mild panic. 

"I uh... Well, I never actually um..." You struggled to find the words, your heart in your throat as you glanced at everyone. 

"Never actually what?" Will pushed and you sighed. 

"I never actually sent the papers off." 

"Papers?" 

"Our divorce papers." You said finally and everyone's expressions changed "We're um... Well, we're still married, Frank." 

"We are?" He asked, his expression impossible to read. 

"Yeah... I uh... Well, I went to do it but then when it came to it I couldn't." You said, your nervousness plain to see "I guess I too was holding out hope we'd work all this out." 

"Huh." Frank hummed and you started to panic then. 

"Shit... Crap... Sorry... Mia don't repeat those words." You said, turning to look at your daughter a moment before returning your attention to Frankie "I'm so sorry Frank I just-" 

His lips on yours silenced you then and you practically sobbed in relief when he pulled away and smiled at you. 

"Nothing to be sorry for." He said, grinning from ear to ear "This is the best news I've received in a long time." 

"Well, hold that thought." You said, grabbing your bag and pulling out a small nondescript box. 

Handing it to him, you watched nervously as he opened it, pulling out the envelope at the top to reveal what sat underneath it. His eyes grew wide as he stared at him before his head shot up to look at you. 

"Really?" He asked and you nodded. 

"Surprise." You said, waving your hands by your head as you smiled nervously at him. 

He opened the envelope next and his hand flew to his mouth as he looked at its contents. Tears slipped down his cheeks as he looked at you again before pulling you into a biting kiss that soothed your frayed nerves. 

"What the duck is going on?" Ben yelled.

"Bad word!" Mia scorned. 

"I said, duck." 

"I'm pregnant." You replied, smirking at Ben and your daughter before Frankie placed when you'd given him on the table for everyone to see. 

A Clearblue test the stated pregnant on the digital screen and the scan pictures from the scan you'd gone to the day before. You'd been so caught up in everything with Frankie that you'd not realised that you'd missed a whole two periods. So, after taking the tests, you'd asked your nurse friend nicely to do you a solid and she'd gotten you in for a test the following day. 

"What that?" Mia asked as she pointed at the pictures on the table. 

"That's your new baby brother or sister." Will said as he bopped her nose. 

"Oooooh." She replied, wiggling in her uncle's lap "Thank you. I wan' sister pwease." 

"We don't get a choice on what it is bebita." Said Frankie as he chuckled at his daughter's request.

"At least try mummy." She pleaded, looking at you with her soulful brown eyes "Pwease." 

"I'll do my best sweetheart." You said cuddled into Frank, smiling when he placed his hand over where your new baby resided "I promise." 

Tags: @hayley-the-comet @ajeff855 @mavericksicybabe @supernaturalgirl20 @dihra-vesa @nicolethered @practicalghost @theanothersherlockian @gallowsjoker @little-mrs-morales @sunnshineeexoxo @aliwritesfic @maryfanson @sherala007 @ayrusss @greeneyedblondie44 @elegantduckturtle @jediknight122 @goodgriefitsawildworld @voteforpedro09 @vanered15 @prostitute-robot-from-the-future @mishasminion360 @snacswell @giggly-otter @athalien @mssbridgerton @huitzilinthebudgie3 @samanthacookieone @salome-c @radcollectivesoul @pedrohoe04 @thekohakuriver1 @paintlavillered @ktmadden86 @hotchlover @kirsteng42 @djjarins @balekanemohafe @misscampacyn @dreamalittlebiggerdarling @pedromandoverse @destiny-tsukino @mysun-n-stars @tombraider42017 @littlemisspascal @thatpinkshirt @bison-writes @evyiione @girlofchaos @vanemando15

"My adventure with Winx" Corriere Adriatico 2014 interview with Iginio Straffi (translated)

(Original)

Iginio Straffi at the head of Rainbow is pleased: "This is a very important milestone. Since the first season came out ten years ago we have come a long way, much further than we thought. In a decade we have produced 150 episodes, two movies (a third is coming out after summer), two stage musicals and two on ice. Not to mention the many activities including a thriving merchandising business that adds, in addition to a plethora of gadgets, millions of books sold. We are now covering two generations of children, which gives us hope that Winx can become a cartoon classic."

Which of the Winx are you most fond of and why?

"As a dad I have to say all of them, but in truth I am most attached to Flora: she is perhaps the most "helpless" and has very sweet features that connote a more helpful and more open character. But at the same time I admire Bloom for the exact opposite: she is strong, decisive, with edgy features that make her a leader. And then there's Stella, Aisha, Musa and Tecna."

How does a cartoon figure come into being?

"After building the storybord draft, the character's character is outlined, and on these directions the figure is born."

It may not have been easy to carry on the same storyline for 150 episodes.

"Absolutely true. I had originally conceived a storybord with a maximum of 78 episodes and a film to deepen some issues left open. Then, the growing success led me to approach an evolution of the story to create new themes to develop. From a fantasy world we lowered our Winx into the earthly world by making them superheroines. In cartoon universes dedicated to boys there are a multitude of superheroes and it seemed right to find a counterbalance."

And what do the superheroines do?

"They tackle the Earth's ills, from pollution to deforestation. One of the characteristics of Winx is the strong educational message, so we made them guardians of our planet."

Which country has best received Winx?

"Italy first and foremost, but we are doing very well in Russia and Turkey. In steady growth phase Europe, America and South America."

So many initiatives underway at Rainbow…

"We are in full swing: the 7th season of Winx , the 2nd season of Prezzy, a third film about Winx is being prepared, also new characters are in the studio. Rainbow MagicLand, the amusement park near Rome, is doing well. And in these early days of the year we are strengthening our offices in Asia where we will soon concentrate our efforts."

Your mentor Fr. Lamberto Pigini (translator's note: yes, the business catholic priest) is turning 90, is the relationship always strong, and what is your wish for him?

"I hope he can continue to inspire all his collaborators so that we never stop. His message has always been clear: create jobs, turn the economy around by communicating positive values. Although he is no longer a partner in Rainbow, he remains the most listened-to friend. It is thanks to his stimulus that we have continued our efforts here in Villa Musone (Frazione di Loreto) and have built this ultra-modern company with very high standards of livability, so much so that visitors from all over the world compliment us and take us as an example."

In your note on Gasly's PSG match blurb I can add one thing, there is no person who suffered more bullying than Gasly for standing in front of Ronaldinho, especially on broadcasts in South America and and some commentators didn't even know who he was, and talking about Ronaldinho here in Brazil, besides being known as one of the best players here, he is known for being in random encounters, like being in the same place as Gasly, like being arrested in Paraguay and winning the prison championship playing for the prisoners' team against the police team and having won a piglet, as well as having participated in a reality show in Turkey, having walking in the PFW, appears playing a drum surrounded by Russian women in the World Cup final in Russia and so on.

I'm sorry if that note came out as an offensive thing or like I was calling anyone out, I didn't want it to be read in that way!

It was more in the way that I reacted to it naturally because there's this family story where my parents almost behaviourly conditioned me to associate the number seven with Figo, and everytime I saw the number, I would immediately yell out his name even if it was just a random number seven on TV or a book 😅 and the euro 2004 for us (I'm Portuguese) is so ironic to the point where making jokes is the way we deal with it (and cry ugly tears apparently - that home video shows a very distraught 4-year old me bawling my eyes out)

I did not watch the game, so I didn't know what was discussed there, but I get why it would be weird and make no sense why people would bully Pierre for sitting in front of him - like, what does he have to do with it? It's not like he chose where he was sitting in such detail, and what's the issue with it?

Lando was there too (a couple of seats to his left), and from what I read, it seems he went a little unnoticed - he didn't get pointed out many times from what I read here -, and if that's the line of thought you're going with as in there are double standards and people just go at Pierre for no proper reason, then yes, I agree it's quite stupid and it doesn't make much sense (still, media can be really shitty, disrespectful and full on rude, so I'm not too surprised as much as it disgusts me)

I'm sorry if this wasn't the answer you were looking for and if the note earlier made it feel like I was after someone!

How different would it be if YouTube is made in a different country? Like Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Japan (of course Japan would’ve came up with this idea if they did have access to the internet like America back in the 2005) Turkey, Britain, Ireland, basically any country you would’ve thought of. Of course there will always be some greedy ass company looking to take over a good service app and turn it to shit.

Also what happened to the creators of all things great? I know Steve Jobs died and never got to see his Apple company become so successful that the people working there manufacturing the phones can do whatever the duck they please in order to get profits. I mean, I don’t know what happened to the creator of Google, does he/she/they know that the people fucked up a good company that is called YouTube. Did the YT creators saw that shit was about to hit the golden fan? Did corruption seep too far into their brains. If money made these creators make the services they are today, then FUCK YOU! I HATED WHAT YOU DID, ENJOY YOUR FUCKING CASH WHILE THEY FUCKING LAST!

if you left it to the hand of the greedy people and they won’t let you operate it like how you want it, then I’ll give you deepest sympathies. I would say sorry that you couldn’t save your creation in time and would forgive you, heck, even give you a channel to start on if I get to moderate my own service app.

Sorry Sunny, if you’re reading this: I do swear when I’m angry to a point about something that upsets me so much.

Friday, November 3, 2023

Voters are skeptical of Biden’s age. But Trump’s flubs draw attention, too (AP) To hear Donald Trump tell it, President Joe Biden is so senile that he doesn’t know where he’s speaking and feeble enough that others are making decisions for him. Yet Trump has made notable flubs of his own. The former president mixed up the city and state where he was campaigning last weekend and had to be corrected by a local official. He recently called Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the leader of Turkey and has repeatedly mispronounced the militant group Hamas as “hummus.” Biden is now 80 and Trump is 77. Trump was the oldest person elected to a first term—until Biden was. Today, the age factor is shaping up as an important issue in a possible rematch in 2024 of their first race, in 2020.

Hurricane Otis produced 205 mph gust, among strongest ever measured (Washington Post) A weather station near Acapulco measured a 205 mph wind gust, one of the highest ever observed in the world, as Category 5 Otis made landfall last Wednesday as the strongest hurricane on record to strike the west coast of Mexico. The storm killed more than 40 people and produced catastrophic damage in and around Acapulco, with economic losses expected to top $10 billion.

A Record Oil Gusher Infuses Tiny Guyana With Wealth and Worries (WSJ) Guyana is suddenly the world’s next great energy powerhouse. Through a series of discoveries starting in 2015, Exxon Mobil and its partners have found more than 11 billion barrels of oil off the Guyanese coast, spurring massive investments and transforming one of South America’s poorest countries into the world’s fastest-growing economy, according to the International Monetary Fund. The jarring new reality has caused alarm for some locals, and some fear their country is becoming a subsidiary of Exxon.

Bolivia cuts ties with Israel (Washington Post) Bolivia’s government said it is severing diplomatic ties with Israel in response to its ongoing attacks on Gaza, condemning the “aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive.” Chile and Colombia announced that they would recall their ambassadors. Israel’s Foreign Ministry called Bolivia’s decision to cut ties “a surrender to terrorism.”

Brazil to militarize key airports, ports and borders in a crackdown on organized crime (AP) Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Wednesday he is sending the armed forces to boost security at some of the country’s most important airports, ports and international borders as part of a renewed effort to tackle organized crime in Latin America’s largest nation. The decision comes days after members of a criminal gang set fire to dozens of buses in Rio de Janeiro, apparently in retaliation for the police slaying their leader’s nephew. Brazil will mobilize 3,600 members of the army, navy and air force to increase patrols and monitor the international airports in Rio and Sao Paulo, as well as two maritime ports in Rio and Sao Paulo’s Santos port, the busiest in Latin America—and a major export hub for cocaine.

A world of fear for Europe’s Jews (NYT) Perhaps not since the Holocaust, which saw the annihilation of about two-thirds of Europe’s Jewish community, have the Jews of Europe lived in an atmosphere of fear so acute that it feels like a fundamental shift in the terms of their existence. Across a Europe of daubed Stars of David on apartment buildings, bomb threats to Jewish stores and demonstrations calling for Israel’s eradication, Jews speak of alarm as pro-Palestinian sentiment surges. “There is a feeling of helplessness that has never been experienced before,” said Joel Rubinfeld of the Belgian League Against Anti-Semitism.

Ukraine ‘fatigue’ prevalent in Europe, Meloni tells Russian prank callers (Politico) In a call with people she thought were officials from the African Union, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni leaked that many people in Europe were experiencing “fatigue” with the ongoing war in Ukraine. Unfortunately for Italy’s leader, she was actually talking to a pair of Russian pranksters named Vovan and Lexus, who released the call audio online. “I see that there is a lot of fatigue, I have to say the truth, from all the sides,” she said. “We [are] near the moment in which everybody understands that we need a way out.” The call comes as both Europe and the U.S. have noted a decline in popular support for the war in Ukraine. “Exhaustion with the war rolls along like a wave,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a recent interview. “You see it in the United States, in Europe. And we see that as soon as they start to get a little tired, it becomes like a show to them: ‘I can’t watch this rerun for the 10th time.’”

Putin is expected to seek reelection in Russia, but who would run if he doesn’t? (AP) Vladimir Putin isn’t quite the man he used to be—more than a decade has passed since the Russian president engaged in public stunts to boast of his vigor by hugging a polar bear or riding a horse barechested in the mountains. The war in Ukraine has further dented that strongman image. Putin is still expected to seek another term when Russia holds presidential elections next March. In fact, he has pushed through changes in the constitution to allow him to run for two more six-year terms. But 71 is an age when death or serious illness are hardly distant concerns for the man who has ruled Russia for 24 years. If Putin was not on the ballot for some reason, it’s not clear who might take his place.

Myanmar rebels seize vital border town as China calls for ceasefire (Al Jazeera) Myanmar’s military government says it has lost control of an important town on the border with China after days of fierce fighting with armed groups. The loss is a major blow to the generals who seized power from Myanmar’s elected government in February 2021 and have since struggled to contain opposition to their rule. The town, bordering China’s Yunnan province, is central to the flow of trade from Myanmar to China. More than a quarter of Myanmar’s $1.8bn border trade with China passed through Chinshwehaw from April to September, state media reported in September. China is a key ally and major weapons supplier to Myanmar’s military government, whose power grab nearly three years ago it has not called a coup.

The Hermit Kingdom Becomes More Hermit-y (NBC News) According to media reports from across the globe, North Korea is preparing to close up to a dozen of its embassies worldwide. North Korean state media said that state diplomats conducted “farewell” visits to Angola and Uganda last week, and the country also appears set to close its diplomatic missions to Spain and Hong Kong. “They appear to be withdrawing as their foreign currency earning business has stumbled due to the international community’s strengthening of sanctions, making it difficult to maintain the embassies any longer,” said South Korea’s inter-Korean affairs ministry. “This can be a sign of North Korea’s difficult economic situation, where it is difficult to maintain even minimal diplomatic relations with traditionally friendly countries.” Of course, South Korea might not be the best source for unbiased news on its neighbor to the north.

Amnesty International says Israel using white phosphorus in Lebanon (AP) Amnesty International says that the IDF has hit civilians in southern Lebanon with white phosphorus shells multiple times over the past month. White phosphorus is a controversial incendiary munition that’s useful for illuminating military targets at night and setting up smokescreens. It’s also a deadly weapon that can cause widespread destruction when aimed at civilian populations, setting buildings ablaze and burning human flesh to the bone. Russia has come under heavy criticism for using the weapon against civilian populations in Ukraine—a move that’s considered a war crime. Video evidence reviewed by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the Washington Post also shows the IDF using white phosphorus in Gaza City.

Rafah Gate Opened (NBC News) Hundreds of foreign passport holders and groups of severely injured Palestinians were allowed to cross into Egypt yesterday, the first civilians to leave the Gaza Strip during the three-week conflict. Egypt had thus far declined to allow refugees across the border, citing the potential for an unmanageable number of refugees, concerns refugees won’t be allowed to return to their homes following the war, and mistrust of Hamas and other Islamic militant groups. US officials suggest as many as 600 American citizens remain in Gaza, some of whom were among those allowed to exit with the initial group. Separately, Israel has effectively begun a ground invasion of the 140-square-mile territory, with at least four reported incursions. Analysts say troop movements appear designed to isolate Gaza City from the south.

Israel makes a desolation and may call it peace (Washington Post) The Roman historian Tacitus famously conjured a line that still resonates from antiquity. “They make a desert, and call it peace,” concluded a bitter Caledonian enemy of the Romans, speaking of the injustices wrought by the powerful empire as its legions rampaged across the land. Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, cast their ongoing campaign in the Gaza Strip as a war of justice and retribution against the savagery of Islamist group Hamas, which is responsible for the single deadliest assault on Israel since the Jewish state’s founding. In their zeal to punish Hamas, Israel has already triggered a deep humanitarian crisis for the besieged enclave of 2.3 million people and killed more than 8,500 people, including over 3,500 children, and destroyed thousands of buildings in the crammed territory amid relentless aerial bombardments. A statement from UNICEF, the U.N. children’s agency, called Gaza “a graveyard for thousands of children.” “It’s a living hell for everyone else,” the statement said.

War and the young (NPR) The other night, we accepted an invitation to visit the Israeli military spokesman’s office. My colleagues and I observed how young almost everyone seemed. Israelis commonly perform compulsory military service after high school. With the exception of a few senior officers, hardly anyone seemed to be out of their twenties. We’d come to see the latest version of an Israeli government video showing the Hamas attack on Oct. 7. On screen, many people were young. One scene, taken from security cameras in a home, shows two boys in their underwear, having been surprised in bed by the early-morning attack. Their father tries to herd them into a shelter but is apparently killed in front of them. Another scene shows Palestinian attackers, mostly very young men. As Israel responds to the Hamas-led attack, much of the suffering has fallen on the young. As of today, Gaza’s Health Ministry said more than 8,500 people had been killed. The U.N. says nearly 70% of them are women and children. Many civilians tell stories of searching for water for their children; Israel cut off the supply at the start of the war. War is nearly always conducted by the young, though older people tend to send them. It often is inflicted on the young, who are not consulted beforehand. There’s a special irony of this conflict in that it turns on arguments over land that stretch back generations—even centuries—long before any of today’s participants were born.

‘AI’ named Word of the Year by Collins Dictionary The abbreviation of artificial intelligence (AI) has been named the Collins Word of the Year for 2023. Lexicographers at Collins Dictionary said use of the term had “accelerated” and that it had become the dominant conversation of 2023. The Collins announcement comes as UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hosts a summit for 100 world leaders, tech bosses and AI researchers to discuss how best to maximise the benefits of this technology while minimising the risks. Elsewhere, the Beatles have used it to help retrieve John Lennon’s vocals to create their “last song”, which will be released tomorrow.

Three Supermen in Santo Domingo (1986)

Film review #551

Director: Italo Martinenghi

SYNOPSIS: FBI agent Brad Scott is once again required to team up with the international thieves known as “The Supermen,” this time they travel to Santo Domingo in South America to disrupt a money counterfeiting operation by some local crime gangs.

THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: Three Supermen in Santo Domingo is a 1986 film and the final instalment in the Three Supermen series of films. The plot is fairly typical and familiar to those who have watched any of the other films: an FBI agent has to team up with the international thieves known as “The Supermen,” this time travelling to Santo Domingo to stop a counterfeiting operation run by a local gang. There’s no time travelling or outlandish elements in this film; it’s just a simple crimefighting, slapstick bit of fun, although obviously the supermen still have their bulletproof suits, that villains never quite work out that they could just shoot them in their uncovered heads. There’s a variety of action scenes (which consist of a fair amount of speeding up and reversing footage instead of actual stunts), and setups involving disguises, and elaborate plans, but nothing too exciting.

As always, the film revolves around the three supermen, and once again, they are played by different actors; all with the exception of one, Sal Borgese, who has been playing the mute superman since the second film (in the ones which you could consider “canon” anyway). The names of the characters also change quite a lot, and this time it seems like they’ve just resorted to calling Sal’s character Sal. The other two actors change every film, and this time the change is quite apparent, as they are obviously a lot younger than Sal. One of them is Stefano Martinenghi, who is the son of the director, and clearly only got the role because of this: he doesn’t really fit the role of the charming, cheeky lead. The actor playing the role of FBI agent Brad Scott also doesn’t really work because he seems way too young, and typically the role goes to someone who is older and more straight-laced, to balance with the supermen’s goofiness. There are glimmers of that personality, but not much. The rest of the cast aren’t really worth mentioning, as the villains don’t really stand out, and the supporting cast barely exist on screen.

It’s perhaps worth mentioning at this point that this film series has been going on for nearly twenty years at the time this film was made; and there is no reason for it to have done so. The original was a cheap b-movie that spoofed sci-fi and spy films that were popular in 1967, but had a somewhat interesting twist by having professional acrobats play the lead roles, which led to some fun action scenes and well-choregraphed fights. The first film, while nothing more than a typical b-movie, did everything it really needed to, but for some reason it became a series that went on to satirise other types of films, such as Westerns, cold war plots, martial arts films, and even got a Turkish rip-off version...which further still, somewhat fused with the Turkish rip-off scene when production of the films moved to Turkey. The whole production of this series is all over the place, but I suppose credit should be given to the films somewhat adapting to changing to cultural trends. Three Supermen in Santo Domingo doesn’t really offer anything special in this regard though, and while it keeps things simple, it definitely feels like a format that is well past its sell-by date in 1986, and since this is the final film in the series, the makers probably knew this too. Definitely deserves credit for going for twenty years, but its last hurrah is uneventful.

I just transferred my lease over to the new tenants, two sisters from Turkey, who I thought were quite charming at first, but after spending 15 minutes talking to them, it turns out they’re raging racists. I wish I recorded that conversation. They kept dropping these incendiary, racist remarks about the neighborhood being overrun by Mexicans/Indian/South Americans who are having babies, and being a burden on the system. They were so casual about it but I could tell it was important to them I agreed, but I gently pushed back, talking instead about my work teaching English to immigrants and how they’re a value to society, and how my students are from Mexico, Columbia, Africa, and TURKEY

It gives me the sense that for some victims of racism, subscribing to the idea of a strict social hierarchy within which they’re above others is comforting. That was the vibe I got from these two sisters, who themselves are immigrants and disadvantaged. 

But I’m just sort of describing the nature of all hatred and elitism. From my experience teaching kids, it’s always the ones who are the most comfortable in their own skin, who are the least exclusive when it comes to with whom they socialize. So this got me thinking that the motivation to demonize people is always present in most people. It’s just the groups we demonize who change depending on what's socially acceptable. 

It’s a thing I see happening. As the public becomes more woke to the fact that the poor are poor due to capitalist economic forces outside of their control, it becomes unacceptable to demonize them. But the old way of thinking that it’s okay to call the poor scum doesn’t just dissolve. That motivation to demonize a group to maintain the stratification of classes for the purposes of establishing one’s own status still exists. And so hatred just moves on to the next group that’s still socially acceptable to demonize. So overweight people were like the last group of people it was okay to dehumanize until the body positivity movement brought awareness that doing so is on par with racism, and so now it’s all about calling lonely men creepy incels. Soon, I predict, people will stop calling depressed men inherently awful when people begin to recognize the mental health crisis happening among them. At this point, the shift will move from men to the rich, which is where it should stay because the rich are in fact scum who are a burden to society :)

I mean this line of reasoning makes me think that being rich is really just about knowing that there are people below you. Is that what it's all about? And if so, is the drive to be rich stronger in societies where the poor are worse off? In America, for example, being poor means being at risk of dying due to lack of access to healthcare, and being forced to live in violent, run-ridden neighborhoods. So the pursuit of wealth is about distancing yourself from the reality of the poor. As evidence that this is true, look at the average middle-class American who has all his/her basic needs met. Now compare that person to an ultrarich and powerful Roman Emperor from 2000 years ago. The middle-class American's quality of life is actually far beyond that of the wealthiest emperor. He/she has access to modern medical science, air conditioning, mental health therapy, all the food they want, etc. So if the pursuit of wealth were just about accumulating things that make life good, Roman emperors wouldn't be driven to wage war to maintain what is essentially, by our standards, just a normal existence.

But I guess, since our status in life determines who we get to sleep with, we are driven by our biological imperative to believe in a social hierarchy of humans, and our need to have people below us. But what happens when someone achieves complete acceptance of all people, seeing everyone who does poorly in life or commits terrible crimes, as just being a victim of not having their needs met as children? What motivates that truly empathetic person, who lives in a world where everyone's humanity is seen as just as real, worthy, and valued as their own?

Since the breakup, I've been the most sensitive I've ever been. Everything makes me sad. And I can't see people get hurt, on TV or on the street. People, through my new frame of reference, are victims. I want everyone to be okay. And maybe this feeling, that all people have value, is making me less motivated by money and status to succeed. At this point, I just want to make enough money to buy a new camera. I also don't want to die alone and so that's really just the thing that is driving me to get a good well-paying teaching position. Not much else.

My favorite books in Feb-2023 - #19 How Democracies Die Hardcover – January 16, 2018 by Steven Levitsky (Author), Daniel Ziblatt (Author) NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Comprehensive, enlightening, and terrifyingly timely.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors' Choice) WINNER OF THE GOLDSMITH BOOK PRIZE • SHORTLISTED FOR THE LIONEL GELBER PRIZE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Washington Post • Time • Foreign Affairs • WBUR • Paste Donald Trump’s presidency has raised a question that many of us never thought we’d be asking: Is our democracy in danger? Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt have spent more than twenty years studying the breakdown of democracies in Europe and Latin America, and they believe the answer is yes. Democracy no longer ends with a bang—in a revolution or military coup—but with a whimper: the slow, steady weakening of critical institutions, such as the judiciary and the press, and the gradual erosion of long-standing political norms. The good news is that there are several exit ramps on the road to authoritarianism. The bad news is that, by electing Trump, we have already passed the first one. Drawing on decades of research and a wide range of historical and global examples, from 1930s Europe to contemporary Hungary, Turkey, and Venezuela, to the American South during Jim Crow, Levitsky and Ziblatt show how democracies die—and how ours can be saved. Praise for How Democracies Die “What we desperately need is a sober, dispassionate look at the current state of affairs. Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, two of the most respected scholars in the field of democracy studies, offer just that.”—The Washington Post “Where Levitsky and Ziblatt make their mark is in weaving together political science and historical analysis of both domestic and international democratic crises; in doing so, they expand the conversation beyond Trump and before him, to other countries and to the deep structure of American democracy and politics.”—Ezra Klein, Vox “If you only read one book for the rest of the year, read How Democracies Die. . . .This is not a book for just Democrats or Republicans. It is a book for all Americans. It is nonpartisan. It is fact based. It is deeply rooted in history. . . . The best commentary on our politics, no contest.”—Michael Morrell, former Acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (via Twitter) “A smart and deeply informed book about the ways in which democracy is being undermined in dozens of countries around the world, and in ways that are perfectly legal.”—Fareed Zakaria, CNN About the Author Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt are Professors of Government at Harvard University. Levitsky’s research focuses on Latin America and the developing world. He is the author of Competitive Authoritarianism and is the recipient of numerous teaching awards. Ziblatt studies Europe from the nineteenth century to the present. He is the author, most recently, of Conservative Parties and the Birth of Democracy. Both Levitsky and Ziblatt have written for Vox and The New York Times, among other publications.

It has occurred to me that I should probably... publish more of the random, insane things that go through my head rather than keep them locked up in my private digital notebooks forever. So with that said, please have this thing nobody asked for,

PREPARE

FOR MY GREAT EUROSLANDER POST

(disclaimer obvious satire piece is satire)

Directory of Europe (as written by an ignorant US tourist)

BRITISH ISLES, aka the only places we care about (wait they're islands?? I thou--)

England: Harry Potter Land and so London, very Posh, quite barmy out innit, god save the queen King, I want to hop into a queue and buy some fish and chips and good english tea, *waves the union jack aggressively*

(i feel so bri’ish!!1!11 did i do the accent right [is speaking cockney])

Ireland: EIRISH ((does several bad (scottish)ireland imitations)) and so beer and drienk, my grendfather was born ‘ere so I understind everythin’ aboot this playce

N. Ireland: I understand nothing about this place

Scotland: Aye Laddie, kilts and bagpipes and castles and ACCENTS (we're so scottish)

(wait you guys sound irish--)

Wales: tbh we didn't know you existed until we looked up the funny nonsense words

what do you mean there are native languages spoken in ENGland that aren’t english

THE SOUTH (Boonies)

Spain: Mexico 2.0

wtf do you mean it's more similar to california, california speaks Only English, a spanish-speaking country could never be as advanced

Italy: PIZZA (and old people) (and fascists), florida if floridians ate proper food

Greece: boring ruins and so poor, none of this was ever significant

Portugal: tbh we thought you were a territory of Brazil

Turkey: Earthquakes and Muslims (terrorists) (barbarians) (Iran begins here)

THE EAST (Mordor)

Hungary: We know nothing about it except that it's led by that one guy all our Conservatives really like for some reason, but hey he's White and European and Will Smith did a dance video in Budapest so they’re probably fine, also LOL they must be Hungry

Russia: Very Bad And Mean, We Boycott You For 1000 Years :( (but actually we still buy all your stuff and want your tourist traps and money)

Ukraine: *waves flags* (we did not care about you before but you're White and European and frankly Russia just isn't playing to our interests anymore, so we'll back your war while we look the other way on all the ones in those Non-White Countries)

Poland and like 70 other countries: Witcher 3 and commies

THE WEST (Civilised Countries)

Germany: yeah sorry like 85% of us still think you’re nazis, you're sort of just screwed on that front

France: PARIS and EIFFEL TOWER and ROMANCE (and also rude people)

Belgium+Luxembourg+Switzerland: Alps and croissants and swiss cheese and yodelling (and also rude people)

The Netherlands: 67,342 people skipped over this country because "the netherlands" sounds like the sticks

(we later figured out you were the dutch and we apologized that you have to live out in the sticks)

Austria: The Sound of Music

THE NORDICS (Socialist Paradise/Hell, speaks Weird Shit)

Denmark: we thought it was in America (the Actual America, not the rest of it) like all other good companies are tbh, but LEGOS

(you mean nothing to us otherwise)

Sweden: The ones who will take us, but too liberal and socialist high taxes and immigrant for our tastes (ALL (nonwhite) immigrants are illegal) (enlightened Conservatives STAY OUT)

Finland: The forgotten edge of the world, everyone here lives with eskimos and polar bears

Iceland: Hawaii vacation but Cold and Exotic

Norway: So rich and socialist, but they're White and European and sell oil so we can't knock it tbh

Greenland: the USA definitely claims this. we just haven't taken it back yet because there are absolutely no colonies living on this useless rock

(however once we begin shipping all the illegal immigrants out like how our lord and saviour Ron Desanctimonious has shown us, we will require it once again)

tune in next time for my post where I do all 50 states of the USA and destroy half the world as a result

Mattis Shows Why He Got Fired

LOS ANGELES (OnlineColumnist.com), July 1, 2022.--Speaking at a security forum in Seoul, 71-year-old former Defense Secretary James Mattis showed why Trump fired him for insubordination among other things.  Mattis used his time is Seoul to spew rubbish on the Ukraine War, saying Russia’s performance on the battlefield was “pathetic,” referring to his assessment, the same one given by 79-year-old President Joe Biden and 45-year-old Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, both tout Ukrainian battlefield success.  “We have a saying in America—we say that nations with allies thrive, nations without allies wither and we’re watching Russia wither before our eyes right now,” Mattis told White House news channel CNN.  Mattis knows that 69-year-old Russian President Vladimir Putin has carved up Ukraine like a Thanksgiving turkey.  Ukraine is now land-locked losing the entire Black Sea coast.    Mattis enjoys a good opportunity to rip Putin and the Russia Federation.  But as Defense Secretary under former President Donald Trump. Mattis was fired Jan. 1, 2019, largely because he advocated war with the Russia and China, something Trump saw as destructive and counterproductive.  Mattis’s belligerent rhetoric toward Russia and China didn’t help U.S. national security, putting the U.S. into the exact position under Biden where the U.S. has almost no clout on the world stage.  Biden’s boast of strong transatlantic relations with historic partners but has destroyed relations with Russia and China, both needed for U.S. national security in the modern world.  Mattis talks about Russia having no allies but what do you call China?  Russia plays an active role in the BRICS economic bloc, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, now considering adding oil-rich Iran.    Mattis says Russia has no allies but clearly its relationship with Beijing is good  enough to compensate for the loss of oil and natural gas under strict U.S. and EU sanctions.  Biden thought his threats of sanctions would stop Putin from invading Ukraine but found out the hard way that if Biden’s willing to arm Ukraine to the teeth, Putin was ready to take what he calls “special military operations.”  Mattis spent his time in Seoul slamming the Russian military which has run roughshod over Ukraine.  No one imagined Feb. 24, that the Kremlin would seize 25% of Ukraine’s sovereign territory, taking over the Black Sea coast, home to Ukraine’s most strategic ports. Kiev finds itself land-locked and partitioned after four months of war.  Mattis condemned “the immoral, the tactically incompetent generals in charge of your operations,” only making things worse for the Biden White House.    Mattis can slam Putin and the Russian military all he wants but who controls  Ukraine’s Black Sea coastline?  How has Russia “withered” in the Ukraine War?  Putin’s met nearly all of his objectives, sealing off Donbas from Kiev, now looking at years, not months, if ever to reclaim lost sovereign land.  Zelensky accuses Putin of war crimes but he continues to battle the Russian Federation.  Biden told the press in Madrid that he would continue to battle the Russian Federation until victory.  Ukraine’s War is no longer about Ukraine working out its border dispute with the Kremlin but the U.S. fighting a proxy war to topple the Putin government.  When you look at the battlefield maps, Russia has partitioned Ukraine, seizing all of its Black Sea coastline, leaving Kiev land-locked.  How is Biden going to vanquish the Russian army when they’ve had their way with Ukraine’s military?    Zelenksky believes in Biden’s mission to take down Putin’s government, or has Defense Secretary Lloyd Austion said April 26, to degrade the Russian army to the point it can no longer wage war.  “One lesion is don’t have incompetent generals in charge of your operations,” Mattis said, reported by CNN.  If Russia’s generals or the battle plan is so “incompetent,” why does the Kremlin control 25% of Ukraine’s sovereign territory, the entire Black Sea coast and inflict some 1,000 casualites a day?  Where’s Mattis evidence of Russian “incompetence,” when they’ve secured so much sovereign territory in Ukraine?  Mattis likes to recite White House platitudes about the Ukraine War, that Ukraine only needs more weapons to defeat the Kremlin.  Mattis said neither side has inflicted a “knockout blow,” but he sees Ukraine doing that sometime soon.  Mattis has no facts only White House talking points.    Where’s Mattis’s proof that Russia has botched the Ukraine War, leaving Ukraine ready to land a “knockout blow” on the Russian Army.  Mattis looks at the same war maps as anyone else produced by Jack Keane and the Institute for the Study of War.  They show that since the war began Feb. 24, Zelensky has lost 25% of Ukraine’s sovereign territory, including the entire Black Sea coastline.  “In 2 months of fighting, there has no yet been a knockout blow.  It will come, as RU forces become more depleted,” said Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, former commander of U.S. forces in Europe, also making unproven statements.  Mattis and Hertling know that Ukraine has lost its shirt in its war with the Russian Federation.  Things deteriorated for Zelensky once Biden told the press March 26 in Warsaw, Poland that Putin should no longer continue as Russian president.  Krelin officials took threat seriously. About the Author John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

Electronic Visa Replace System Evus Frequently Asked Questions

A ten-year naturalization fee was the very best for those born in Africa and South America and the lowest for LPRs from North America, together with Mexico and Canada . The ten-year naturalization fee was nearly 70 % for Indian-born green-card holders, 60 % for these from the Philippines, 52 % for Cubans, forty four p.c for LPRs from China, and 27 percent for Mexicans. The share of green-card holders who naturalize within a certain time period, similar to inside ten years of receiving a green card, varies by LPRs’ nation and area of birth and sophistication of admission. USCIS is taking longer to process naturalization functions, with common processing instances rising from 5.6 months in FY 2016 to 9.1 months in FY 2020 to eleven.7 months as of the end of January 2022. In FY 2021, refugees’ major nations of nationality were the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Myanmar . Combined, these nations accounted for seventy five % of all refugees resettled that 12 months. Your Visa Class, or class, appears within the upper right-hand portion of your visa. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will not acquire a charge for an EVUS enrollment when the web site opens for early enrollments. ROC nationals with household registration in Taiwan are utilized a separate ordinance known as Measures for the Control of Chinese Citizens Traveling to or from the Region of Taiwan. The term of "illegal resident" is also used, nonetheless a ROC nationwide is just thought-about as an unlawful resident when his or her Taiwan Compatriot Permit expires and she or he haven't applied for renewal before the doc's expiration date. The penalty for illegal residence is a warning and CNY a hundred per day of unlawful stay. A return ticket is required in addition to all the aforementioned documents if the passenger is arriving at one of many ports of entry listed above. Second-generation immigrant kids are any U.S.-born youngsters with no much less than one foreign-born father or mother. First-generation immigrant children are any foreign-born youngsters with a minimum of one foreign-born parent. Check out the Migration Data Hub’s State Immigration Data Profiles for extra data on the labor force participation of immigrants and the U.S. born within the United States, each of the 50 states, and the District of Columbia. Immigrants constituted 17 p.c (28.6 million people) of the civilian labor pressure (166.three million) in 2019, which contains each employed and unemployed people. Immigrant participation within the labor force has more than tripled since 1970, when immigrants accounted for roughly 5 p.c of the civilian labor pressure. Want to know the place immigrants from a selected area or nation of origin settled within the United States? Obtain Types If you prefer that we return your passport by mail , a self-addressed Canada Post Xpresspost return envelope must be enclosed. This office assumes no duty for any damages, losses, or delays subsequently incurred. The price of the Turkey visa is calculated and displayed on the payment web page. On November 4, 1998, China amended its adoption legislation, effective April 1, 1999. Under the revised legislation, Notarial Adoption Certificates are not required in the adoption course of, nor are they used to determine the effective date of adoption. Instead, a Certificate of Registration of Adoption is used, and the efficient date of an adoption is the date of registration . These certificates are issued by the provincial-level Ministry of Civil Affairs, which is liable for approving all adoptions of parentless or deserted youngsters who becomes the wards of the Chinese state. Prior to January 1981, there were no standardized adoption legal guidelines and rules in China. Commonly, adoptions had been orally agreed to by the adoptive father or mother and natural dad and mom and/or surviving members of the family. The applicant then needs to use for a visa from the Chinese embassy in the country where he/she is currently resident and submit a well being declaration to the Chinese authorities. We understand that this particular visa software requires proof of a confirmed flight reservation. The passport and the travel certificate issued by the People's Republic of China, the principal certificates used by Chinese residents for coming into and leaving the country, shall be stored and utilized by the bearer. A number of visas issued for folks planning to stay in China for greater than one hundred eighty days require conversion right into a ‘temporary residence permit’, which is actually a long-term visa, inside 30 days from entering the nation. Holders of aforementioned visas bearing such stamps as VOID, CANCELLED, or CANCELLED WITHOUT PREJUDICE usually are not eligible for an R.O.C. Travel Authorization Certificate from the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior. Citizens ofCambodia,India,Indonesia,Laos,Myanmar, andVietnamcan apply on-line for an R.O.C. Travel Authorization Certificate from the National Immigration Agency, Ministry of the Interior. Links to exterior websites are supplied as a comfort and shouldn't be construed as an endorsement by the us Department of State of the views or merchandise contained therein. If you wish to remain on journey.state.gov, click on the "cancel" message. Person who is on the Chinese nationwide security warrant listing. Chinese Language Vaccines Cansino Or Sinovac For China Visa In Quito, Ecuador While there is presently little to no neighborhood transmission in most parts of China and the pandemic is properly underneath management domestically, clusters of COVID-19 cases do often seem. As a outcome, the nation's domestic journey insurance policies are subject to alter with little advance discover. As of this writing on January 27, 2022, CLI is at present limiting enrollment to students inside mainland China. No, visa facilitation solely applies to those that have been inoculated with China-made vaccines. The entry coverage still requires passengers to observe the rules/procedures as summarized and posted in this authentic article. To efficiently travel to Singapore, travelers may even need to make certain that their travel dates are cleared with Singapore’s Immigration and Customs Authority. The authorities has introduced the rule as an easing of its visa application procedures. But it does not assist travelers from international locations like the United States where Chinese vaccines usually are not obtainable. Since this announcement, some people have begun traveling internationally to get the Chinese vaccine in hopes that it is going to facilitate their entry into China. “Starting from March 15, China supplies visa facilitation to incoming foreigners who have acquired Chinese vaccines and hold a vaccination certificate,” confirmed Zhao Lijian, China’s Spokesman, throughout an official press convention. The Chinese embassy in the Philippines mentioned earlier on Monday China would return to pre-pandemic visa requirements for these fully vaccinated with Chinese vaccines. On Saturday China announced streamlined visa procedures for vaccinated foreigners entering Chinese-ruled Hong Kong. Vaccinated passengers travelling to China by air will still want to point out unfavorable checks as beneath current guidelines, overseas ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian stated, in accordance with an official transcript of a every day briefing. The transcript didn't provide additional details on how visa purposes can be simplified. Applicants eligible for such visa facilitation would both have acquired two doses of Chinese-made vaccines with the stipulated hole in between, or have acquired a single-dose Chinese-made vaccine at least 14 days prior to the applying and obtained the vaccination certificate, based on the statement. Chinese Vacationer L Visa Software Necessities B. Passport, which must be legitimate at least more than three months and have a full empty web page inside passport. A China Tourist and Business Visa could be obtained simply in Hong Kong. It may be obtained with the help of a journey agent but a minimal of 3 full working days ought to be allowed for this process. If you understand the type of visa you need, you can select the particular one beneath or you'll be able to examine Tanzania visas to search out the proper one for you. Travel and Visa makes obtaining your Russian visa simple, secure, and fast. If 台胞證辦理 know the type of visa you need, you presumably can choose the particular one under or you probably can examine Russian visas to find the right one for you. Travel and Visa makes acquiring your Vietnam visa easy, safe, and fast. "Mainland visa restrictions on foreigners in HK to be lifted". "China to store foreigners' fingerprints upon entry, starting with Shenzhen". The visitor stays solely throughout the cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou and Shantou. The Malaysia visa software kind requires eligible vacationers to offer a few important particulars to have the ability to be accredited. You can apply for an eVisa or eNTRI from wherever on the planet besides in case you are in Malaysia or Singapore. There’s usually no need to visit a consulate or embassy in the course of the course of. To apply for the Indian visa as a Chinese citizen, appicants should fill in the on-line utility type, which accommodates a few primary personal, passport, itinerary, and security questions, that take solely 15 minutes to complete. International Students Stressed Out By Visa Rule Adjustments Alternatively, you can ask your university for guidance. Often, admissions departments will assist you to to prepare on your travels, and, in some nations, they even apply for the scholar visa on your behalf. Make sure you examine with your college, nevertheless – don’t assume someone else is going to type every little thing out. In fact, as quickly as you achieve acceptance from a college, the very first thing you need to begin to think about is your journey documentation. Ensure you've a valid passport and travel insurance, in addition to a pupil visa when you want one. Your circumstances in your home country, potential circumstances in Australia, value of the course to your future, & details of any earlier travels to Australia. This is all to do with you meeting theDIBPcharacter requirements. Everyone, student or otherwise, who wants to enter Australia might be assessed in opposition to character requirements. As mentioned above, internships aren't a particularly licensed exercise underneath the brand new descriptions of F and M visas, and with out further official steerage it’s not clear whether internships are impliedly inside their scope. As to why your employer is asking you to leave China, I could only speculate. Perhaps the employer is nervous that they or you may be topic to penalties for using you in China with no work allow and residence allow. I even have been working in China for the past yr and a half. I’m about to complete employment with one firm and go away to journey for 3 months. South Africa Visa Requirements For Chinese Language Residents Nothing in these phrases and situations shall profit or be enforceable by any individual apart from the person. This Agreement sets forth the whole understanding and agreement between the user with VFS GLOBAL with respect to the subject matter hereof. three.5 Clients should carefully verify all the data on the visa issued to them and make sure that it is appropriate on the time after they acquire their passport containing the visa. 台胞證 高雄 must reveal to have flight tickets and permission to travel to their ultimate destination. The ETA can be requested online in minutes from outdoors Australia and permits for a number of entries of as a lot as 3 months at a time. Online visas for touristslike the eVisitor visa usually require minimal documentation — for instance, a copy of the traveller’s passport. The ETIAS watchlist might be established based on the knowledge supplied by the Member States and Europol. As said, the ETIAS software is anticipated to solely take about 10 minutes to fill. After 10 minutes, you'll obtain a notification that your session has timed out and also you might be requested to start from the beginning. To keep away from this, try to go through the application carefully and save your info. There are countries within the EU, which aren't within the Schengen Zone, and you can't enter them with the ETIAS authorization. The applicant will obtain the record of the extra paperwork he/she has to send by way of an e-mail. This means that Chinese nationals should get their visa before leaving for South Africa. South African eVisa purposes are processed inside a couple of business days. Applicants ought to take their expected date of departure in consideration and apply a while in advance. Electronic Visa Replace System Evus Regularly Requested Questions But in some locations some very specific forms of part time job with limited time is allowed. Private Visit Issued to members of the family of foreigners residing in China for work, examine, and so on. China Highlights tailor-makes China excursions to assist vacationers discover China their way. B. Passport, which needs to be legitimate a minimal of greater than three months and have a full empty page inside passport. A China Tourist and Business Visa could be obtained simply in Hong Kong. It may be obtained with the assistance of a travel agent but no much less than 3 full working days must be allowed for this procedure. Click on right here to see the list of countries and the visa free period in Hong Kong. For Tourist L Visa candidates, you want to book prematurely the round-trip flight tickets and your lodging. The two Special Administrative Regions of China, Hong Kong and Macau, keep their own unbiased border control insurance policies and thus have their very own separate visa necessities. In most cases, the legitimate length of a single keep in China is 30 days. The size of the extension is decided by the type of visa and a quantity of entry visas can't be extended. Please contact your travel advisor for help in visa extensions. China “M” enterprise visas are issued for business and commerce actions, corresponding to visiting clients, meeting with enterprise partners, and attending commerce gala's. China Visa Utility And Requirements Didi, China’s version of Uber, has turn out to be more and more well-liked. Didi is an app-based transportation service provider based mostly in Beijing. Didi has over 550 million users in over four hundred cities round China. Didi’s services in China embody taxi hailing, non-public automobile hailing, ride-sharing, and bike sharing through Ofo. Didi has an English version of their app that can be linked to a overseas bank card as well as a foreign cellphone quantity. Didi Express automobiles, the most affordable and hottest choice, are usually related in value to metered taxis if not cheaper. The Governments of the United States and China entered into an arrangement on a reciprocal foundation, to problem visitor visas with 10-year validity. The arrangement acknowledged that travelers can be required to periodically full a web-based kind updating their biographical info. Completing this type will assist facilitate the admission of Chinese travelers into the United States. If applying at an embassy, applicants should examine the Turkey visa value from China and the accepted cost strategies. No, Chinese nationals cannot go to Turkey without a visa. Travelers should have a visa to enter the country, even for brief stays. Since 9 November 2020, so as to meet the wants of Chinese residents making use of for passports and journey documents within the UK in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese Embassy within the UK has been accepting passport and travel doc applications by submit. Applicants are now not capable of submit their applications in particular person. These Terms apply to any provide and any settlement between you and CVSC and to the provision of any service supplied to you by or on behalf of CVSC in respect of, however not restricted to, the processing of visas, passports and/or documents for you or on your behalf.

Why was the first Union officer killed in the American Civil War wearing a grey uniform?

On May 21st, 1861 the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment stormed Alexandria, Virginia, a mere week after Virginia had declared secession from the Union.  The regiment’s commander, Col. Elmer Ellsworth, entered a local tavern to remove the Confederate flag that was flying on the roof of the building.  While descending the steps with the flag he was ambushed and shot by the tavern’s owner,  James W. Jackson, who was in turn bayoneted to death by another soldier. Col. Ellsworth became the first Union officer killed in the American Civil War, and one of the earliest deaths of the war in general.  Today his uniform is on display at the New York Military Museum, complete with the bullet hole from his fatal shooting. However, to those not so much versed in Civil War history, something may seem odd about the uniform.  Ellsworth was a colonel in the Union Army, but he was wearing a grey uniform. 

Most Americans have learned that during the Civil War the Union wore blue and the Confederacy wore grey uniforms.  However in the early months of the war this was not a hard and fast rule, more like a suggestion.  At the beginning of the Civil War the US Army consisted of three classes of soldiers. The first were the 16,000 regular soldiers who made up the army before the war.  These men would have had their regular service uniforms which would have been blue.  Then there were the volunteers who enlisted when the war began.  While many would have been issued standard uniforms many other units designed their own uniforms which were unique to that regiment.  Finally there were local militia companies and regiments who existed before the war and had their own uniforms, most of which were not standard US Army issue. The men of the 11th NY Infantry were of the 2nd category, personally recruited by Ellsworth from New York City firefighters.  Ellsworth himself designed the uniform, and since he was part of the zouave fandom, he designed a zouave uniform.  Zouaves were originally French light infantrymen stationed in North Africa who wore a unique type of uniform with a North African flair.  Since people at the time thought the French were awesome many militaries copied French uniforms. Both the Union and Confederate standard uniform was based on the French pattern.  People at the time thought zouaves were especially awesome, so in no time militaries around the Western world were creating their own zouave units.  This included Spain, Britain, Italy, Turkey, Brazil, Poland, the United States, and the Confederacy. Ellsworth made his uniform grey most likely because his first command was as the drillmaster of a militia unit called the Rockford Greys, which also happened to be a zouave unit.

11th NY Volunteer Infantry, early war

Thus the early Union Army was a hodgpodge of different volunteer and militia units with their own unique uniforms.  The Confederate Army had an even bigger problem with uniform standardization as it was an army created completely by scratch comprised entirely of militia with their own unique uniforms or volunteers.  Many early Confederate soldiers didn’t even have uniforms and went into battle wearing civilian clothing.

The result was that on both side you had a wide variety of uniforms in a wide variety of styles and colors. There were Union soldiers wearing grey and Confederate soldiers wearing blue.  There were soldiers wearing uniforms that were from the wrong century and they might have had time machines.

2nd New Hampshire Militia Regiment

The Amoskeag Veterans, a militia unit from New Hampshire

There were soldiers who wore kilts

79th New York Volunteer Infantry

There were soldiers who wore Prussian style pickelhaubs with a skull and crossbone on them

Palmetto Rifles, a militia unit from South Carolina

There were soldiers who fought in wars of independence in their home countries and wore the same uniform after immigrating to America.

39th New York Volunteer Regiment, a unit comprised of Italian immigrants, many of whom fought in the Italian Unification Wars.

Literally anything could go.  If I find out tomorrow that there was a Union regiment who dressed up as Roman legionaries and a Confederate Regiment who dressed up as Greek hoplites and they fought each other in a small early war skirmish in Kentucky it would not shock me.

This uniform madness all culminated at the First Battle of Bull Run, AKA First Manassas, where the wide variety of uniforms resulted in chaos and confusion.  According to Gen. William T. Sherman friendly fire incidents occurred during the battle due the confusion.  In one incident, the 33rd Virginia Regiment stormed two Union artillery batteries without being fired upon because they were wearing blue uniforms.

After the Battle of Bull Run both sides began the mass issuance of standardized uniforms to end the confusion and streamline logistics.  By 1862 most soldiers had standard issue uniforms.  There were some exceptions, most notable were zouave units because zouaves were just the bee knees I’ll tell you what. However, even then Union and Confederate zouaves wore blue and grey respectively.  Specialized units might wear special uniforms, for example Union sharpshooters wore green uniforms as an early form of camouflage. Often milita and volunteer regiments wore standard uniforms with unique accessories so that they could retain some uniqueness.  For example the 79th NY Infantry continued to wear kilts and the 39th NY Infantry wore their wide brimmed Italian hats with ostrich feathers.  The 2nd Wisconsin “Iron Brigade” wore the hardee hat as a distinction because they were an elite unit of shock troops. However for the most part, the uniforms in the Civil War became the same.

2nd Wisconsin Iron Brigade

3rd New Jersey Hussars

44th Mississippi Infantry

Hello! not exactly a request (You can expand on it if you'd like, but you don't have to!), but I can't help but imagine a Yandere England with a country!s/o that always try to make a war with him every chance they get. England declared war on Germany during ww1? Their darling is already sending supplies, troops, and medical troops to Germany. America wants to gain independence from Arthur? Oh, Arthur's darling already has her/his best generals helping Alfred. Sorry for the little rant, just a random thought that came into mind! >.<

𝒴𝒜𝒩𝒟𝐸𝑅𝐸 𝐻𝐸𝒯𝒜𝐿𝐼𝒜 𝒜𝒩𝒟 𝐸𝒩𝒢𝐿𝒜𝒩𝒟 𝒳 𝒲𝒜𝑅𝑀𝒪𝒩𝒢𝐸𝑅 𝑅𝐸𝒜𝒟𝐸𝑅

• i've thought of this concept before as well!, i like the idea of england, or any country being yandere over someone who.s just hellbent on killing them, like a yandere x mayadere dynamic. bonus points if the darling is a more powerful country than them, i don't know the idea that yandere's just always have the upper hand can get a but boring. i think certain characters would fit with a darling like this, prussia, spain, america and turkey would all only fall more in love with their darling as they spite them, admiring their darlings strength and determination, they'd probably be more offended if their darling kept declaring war on someone else. likewise hungary, denmark, estonia and maybe russia would embrace their darlings obsession with destroying them, and would turn it into a game. but i don't think many of the rest of them would take so kindly to a darling like this. canada, italy, south korea and lithuania would be quite unsettled by their darling, some even scared, even though they still adore them. the rest of them would be pretty annoyed, austria, china, vietnam and romano, although the latter is a tad scared even though he won't admit it, but they all demand their darling stop their nonsense. some of them will be a bit less on edge about it, belgium, japan, germany and macau will understand their darlings need for expansion and power, but that doesn't mean they aren't dejected about it. however france, switzerland, sweden and egypt would be absolutely crushed, either because they dislike war and violence or they can't stand the thought their darling hates them.

ENGLAND

• but out of all of them, arthur fits with a darling like this the most, heck it may even be why he became obsessed with them. he fits into different categories depending on when this is occuring, pirate england would embrace it, determined to be the one to conquer them, if it continues into colonial england time, then he's much more annoyed, but would be even angerier if they acted like this towards another country.

• he'd only ever get truly mad at them when they help alfred leave him, that's probably the point where he goes full bat-shit yandere. modern england would look back on his darlings behaviour with an understanding that they needed to expand their power, but overall is just really damn annoyed.

HETALIA IN COLLEGE

💫 Italy: Art Major

💫 Germany: Engineering Major

💫 Japan: Art Major

💫 America: Law Enforcement Major (IM THE HERO!!!! I can see him saying I am Batman)

💫 England: Literature Major(Fantasy Novels I swear the best books are from Britain I'm totally not a Sherlock Holmes whore as I hide the fact I listen to the audiobook every night and have watched almost every adaptation and actually thinking about getting a tattoo also Headcannon he writes Harry Potter Fanfiction on Ao3 as the SlytherinGentlemen you didn't hear it from me)

💫 France: Culinary Major

💫 Russia: Florist Major

💫 China: Culinary and Business Major (he is going to make a Restaurant Empire try and stop him mwa ha ha)

💫 Canada: Animal Science Major(Polar bear, Beaver and Moose thank you for coming to my Ted talk)

💫 Romano: Fashion Design Major (I swear Disney's Cruella movie gave me Romano Vibes Brilliant Born bad and a little bit mad)

💫 Spain: Dance Education Major(Spain's hips don't lie time for class)

💫 Denmark: Carpentry Major

💫 Norway: Literature Major (I can see him writing Fantasy Novels)

💫 Sweden: Carpentry Major (I can see Building Battles between him and Denmark my birdhouse is better than yours I can also see him as a stay at home Dad to Sealand and Ladonia)

💫 Finland: Law Enforcement Major (I can see him scaring everyone at the shooting range and taking down a man twice his size don't mess with him)

💫 Iceland: Volcanology Major (in his senior year in highschool however)

💫 Hong Kong: Cosmetology Major (I saw art of him cutting hair tools and everything and it became my Headcannon that he cuts nations hair in his senior year in highschool however)

💫 Macau: Business and Finance Major (He has his Father's ambition Casino Empire try and stop him Mwa ha ha)

💫 South Korea: Acting Major (come on he would do K-Dramas)

💫 Taiwan: Fashion Design Major

💫 Greece: Historic preservation and conservation major (Restoring the places his mother loved)

💫 Turkey: Culinary Major

💫 Egypt: Art Major (I can see him making Beautiful Pottery)

💫 Prussia: Musical Arts Major(he would be the best damn flute player you've ever seen also has music battles with Austria just epic Piano vs Flute)

💫 Austria: Musical Arts Major (I shall now express my utter disgust and anger with you Through the Piano)

💫 Hungary: Physical Education Major (she would be the best God damn trainer you have ever seen her Abs can achieve world peace)

💫 Belarus: Mythology and Occultism Major (I can also see her having a Ghost Hunting YouTube Channel I can also see her as a asylum patient too however the woman needs help bad)

💫 Ukraine: Agriculture Major (I can also see her as a stay at home mother I ship her with Canada and I like to think they had twins Alberta and Saskatchewan)

💫 Belgium: Culinary Major (WAFFLES!!! 😺)

💫 Netherlands: Business and Finance Major (Money makes the world go round 🤑)

💫 Luxembourg: Fashion Design Major (I Headcannon that he has heterochromia I believe his other eye is blue)

💫 Australia: Animal Science Major (crikey look at that tiger I'ma poke it with a stick as a future zoologist myself I'm going to die petting something I shouldn't I should have been born Australian)

💫 New Zealand: Animal Science Major (KIWI BIRB!!!)

💫 India: Dance Major (Bollywood Superstar)

💫 Vietnam: Agriculture Major

💫 Thailand: Animal Science Major🐘

💫 Romania: Mythology and Literature Major (I believe he would write books about Vampires but like educational ones about the past when vampires were thought to be real)

💫 Bulgaria: Culinary Major (YOGURT!!!)