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sourwormsaresour · 3 years

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La Squadra Names

Based on this naming convention post I responded to and a few headcanons about the members sprinkled here and there added in.

Risotto Nero ➡️ Dante di Nero

Reasoning Behind Real Name:

Named after biological mother and aunt’s biological father, Dante Ferraro I.

Last name came from adoptive uncle’s side.

Family Background:

Most of the biological mother’s side of the family originated from the Piedmont region. Biological father’s side came from Sicily.

Family traces back to Sicily and Armenia, although there is no more connection to the latter.

Biological parents currently live in Sicily. Risotto and his immediate family resided in Turin.

Reasoning Behind Code Name:

Name chosen by Sorbet and Gelato when initiated. Was given a list of names and picked the first one that caught his eye.

Became Risotto Nero after being promoted to leader of La Squadra.

Immediate Family Info:

Grew up with his adoptive aunt, uncle, and younger cousin.

Cousin’s name was Alberto di Nero. RIsotto picked it out himself when he was five.

Sorbet ➡️ Alessandro Versace II

Reasoning Behind Real Name:

Named after his father and hoped to carry the family name.

Preferred to be called Sandro by his closest peers and teammates. Most still call him Sorbet out of respect.

Family Background:

Family came from Calabria, Italy but have long history of family members being from Sicily.

Part Greek and Sicilian on his father’s side by descent.

Immediate family lived in Calabria until they had to move to Sicily when they became poor.

Reasoning Behind Code Name:

Name was chosen by the mafioso that recruited him to Passione.

Original code name was Granite di Versache before stepping down as senior member of La Squadra.

Immediate Family Info:

Grew up with a father and mother. Was an only child.

Had a dog name Dolce as a child but gave it away when his mother became too sick to care for it.

Gelato ➡️ Fabrizio Rosso

Reasoning Behind Real Name:

Named after his mother’s late half-brother, Fabriano “Rico” Cavallaro.

Was nicknamed “Pazzo Rico” as a kid for how crazy he was willing to go to get what he wants.

Unknown whether the surname comes from his mother’s side or father’s side.

Family Background:

Both parents claim their respective families came from Sicily, Italy, but there are no historical record to confirm or deny it.

All surviving family members had in Sicily all their life and no one ever thought about leaving their region alive.

Majority reside in some run-down neighborhood sprinkled around the region.

Reasoning Behind Code Name:

Name was chosen by Polpo when he was inducted into Passione.

Original name was Affogato Rosso before stepping down as senior member of La Squadra.

Immediate Family Info:

Grew up with a father, mother, and 12 younger siblings. Only 7 of them would be alive or not missing by the time Gelato was 18.

Remaining siblings are named Stefano, Leone, Noemi, Oscar, Carina, and Carlo. Carina and Carlo are twins and Noemi was part of a set of triplets.

Stefano and Noemi are Gelato’s full siblings while the rest are half-siblings. He still regards all as his full blood.

Ghiaccio ➡️ Ghiaccio Francescon

Reasoning Behind Real Name:

Originally went by Ariana Bianchi before transition. Named after his mother’s favorite opera Ariane et Barbe-bleue.

Never got a chance to choose a new name as a male so he stuck with his code name instead.

Last name was mother’s maiden name. Original last name came from his step-father.

Family Background:

Part Venetian on his mother’s side. Biological father’s side is unknown, though rumored to be of French origin as well as Italian.

Step-father came from Florence but grew up in Venice before meeting Ghiaccio’s mother.

Family mostly lived all around the world, depending on what they needed to train for, but their home is based in Rome.

Reasoning Behind Code Name:

Name given to him by Risotto when he joined La Squadra.

Ghiaccio personally asked Risotto for one and immediately took the name to heart ever since.

Immediate Family:

Had a biological mother but raised by step-father after she passed away. Biological father was ex-husband that his mother divorced before Ghiaccio was born.

Grew up with step-father and older half-brother. Half brother’s name is Amadeo Müller. Last named belong to previous ex-husband before Ghiaccio’s biological father.

He later became known as Secco under Cioccolata’s control.

Illuso ➡️ Isidoro de Spagnola Fernández

Reasoning Behind Real Name:

Simply goes by Isidoro by his friends or just Illuso to his teammates.

As a designer, he went by the moniker ISI, due to it’s seemly symmetrical appearance, and signed his work as such.

Follows naming convention where both surnames are used as part of his name. de Spagnola is his father’s surname and Fernández is his mother’s surname.

Family Background:

Immediate family immigrated from Spain so parents can pursue their art careers.

Overall family history goes as far as a noble family of Castille that started marrying into the royal family before eventually off-shooting from the Habsburgs in the 1500s.

Only a few distant family members have remained in Spain. Others, like Illuso’s immediate family, have moved to other places around the world.

Reasoning Behind Code Name:

Moniker was eventually used for his mercenary alias and eventually evolved to become the name Illuso.

Wanted to stand out from the other “food-based” code names.

Immediate Family:

Grew up with a mother and father as well as two older siblings. Mostly raised by older siblings due to parents’ negligence.

Older sister and brother are named Catalina and Hugo respectively.

Prosciutto ➡️ Francesco di Aiello

Reasoning Behind Real Name:

Given by his mother because it sounded regal and “Hollywood” enough to possibly make it big as an actor.

No one knows his real name is Francesco except for Pesci during a night of excessive drinking. The latter was sworn into secrecy afterwards.

Takes on mother’s surname but has considered changing it for various reasons.

Family Background:

Mother’s family came from Campania and history goes as far as that. Biological father is unknown but rumored to be from Rome or Sardinia.

Moved around a lot in Rome to avoid getting evicted.

Reasoning Behind Code Name:

Name given by Ghiaccio after noticing how the Stand’s abilities resembles the moisture being sucked out of pork when making Prosciutto.

Initially was skeptical about the name reasoning but went with it anyways.

Immediate Family:

Grew up with a single mother and half younger brother. Younger half brother’s name is Cassio Montagna.

Biological father left the family after Prosciutto’s birth, despite promising to help raise him.

Cassio left home shortly after witnessing Prosciutto kill their mother and became his biological father’s legitimate son soon after.

Neither brothers have seen each other since. Cassio refuses to acknowledge Prosciutto, despite the other trying to reach out whenever he can.

Formaggio ➡️ Massimo Umbro

Reasoning Behind Real Name:

Named after actor Massimo Serato, who his father was a fan of.

Grew up struggling to pronounce his name and ended up earning the nickname Mo for a while. Absolutely hates that nickname now and will beat you up if you call him that out of nowhere.

Was nicknamed “Il Surcieddu” as a kid by an old visiting Sicilian man that he tried to pickpocket.

Family Background:

Both sides of the family come from the Umbria region, father was from Perugia and mother from Terni.

Family history goes back to the 1000s from farmers residing in the area. No one in the family does farm work anymore.

Family is full of cousins and distant relatives that either live in Umbria or Sicily.

Reasoning Behind Code Name:

Came up with the name Formaggio as a joke but stuck with it. Was actually eating cheese when he came up with it.

Tried to get his teammates to call him Gio as his nickname instead but it never happened.

Immediate Family:

Grew up with a mother and father, alongside 6 other siblings as a middle child.

Older brothers are Mattia, Gabriele, Lorenzo, and Tommaso. All of them passed away right before Formaggio decided to change his life around and become a line-worker at a factory.

Younger sisters are Guilia La Porta and Sofia Orsatti. Both have already married and taken their husbands’ names by the time Formaggio first met La Squadra

Pesci ➡️ Luca Passalacqua

Reasoning Behind Real Name:

Named by his grandparents. Parents wanted to name him Andrea but were ordered not to.

Pesci has debated on whether to be called Andrea instead ever since he joined La Squadra.

Nicknamed Lulu by Sorbet and Gelato.

Last name dates back to an old merchant family known for foreign imports during the Renaissance.

Family Background:

Both families come from Portofino, though they have some family history of being from Venice and Milan. However, his grandparents’ controlling nature makes it hard to confirm or deny facts beyond what they’re willing to say or fabricate.

His father’s side has established a successful fishing business for years, even centuries, under that name.

Mother’s side is mostly unknown to Pesci, since she was adopted as a child and grew up in Portofino.

Reasoning Behind Code Name:

Given the name Pesci after a member commented about his background in the fishing industry.

Stuck with it after Prosciutto mentioned it was a good name to have.

Immediate Family:

Grew up with his father, mother, and paternal grandparents. Was an only child

Parents struggled to conceive him and pressured to so by grandparents. Pesci always asked for a sibling and never understood why he never had one until he joined La Squadra.

Melone ➡️ Ezio Romana

Reasoning Behind Real Name:

Parents literally chose a random name that would be simple yet memorable in an academic setting.

Considered changing his last name to his late wife’s in memory of her.

Family Background:

Family history is unknown beyond being Italian. No one on both sides really bothered to track their heritage. Most members live around the world in various countries.

Only knew that parents used to live in France and Germany before moving to Italy in order to pursue their education and careers, and may be French or German too.

Lived in Rome his whole life until he moved alone to study at Polytechnic University of Milan.

Moved to Turin briefly for work before going back to Milan to pursue his doctorate and new job.

Reasoning Behind Code Name:

Had a habit of signing his letter E sideways, making it resemble the letter M.

Illuso suggested choosing a name that started with an M and the name Melone stuck ever since.

Immediate Family:

Grew up with a mother and father as an only child.

Had a late wife named Vittoria “Tori” Ann Shelly, a student from England he met during a work event and eventually was a classmate of his during their doctorate program.

Melone refuses to talk about ever since she passed and will get terrifyingly angry if pushed to do so.

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sweeethinny · 3 years

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Still Into You

''Pack your bags, we are going to travel on Friday.'' Harry informs her as soon as Ginny enters their house, carrying a good amount of folders and papers that will help her better understand what to write in the next report on fraud in the Quidditch.

‘’Hm… what?’’ She sent everything upstairs, taking off her coat and shoes, with each move followed by Harry, who looks very much like a child who just knew he was going to get a gift.

''Let's travel. I got a portal key for us. Let's go to Tuscany.’’

‘’When did you decide that?’’ Ginny leaned over him on the couch and kissed him, affectionately and with a longing that didn’t even seem like they had lunch together a few hours ago. The silence that followed for the minutes they were clinging like two teenagers, was strange and, at the same time, good. The kids were all at Hogwarts less than a month ago, but they hadn't had quality time to enjoy the silence and privacy they had lost almost 15 years ago.

‘’This afternoon.’’ Harry pulled her onto his lap, his arms around her waist as he spread kisses along the side of her neck, intoxicated with the scent that danced in his nostrils. It had been so long since they had a moment just for them, that Ginny was slow to relax and enjoy the caresses, without fearing that any of the children would invade the room demanding attention.

‘’And what made you schedule a trip to Italy, may I know?’’ She let herself be graced and lying on their soft gray sofa, which they had bought a few years ago, on a trip to Spain. They never got to have sex there, just a few kisses, but today Ginny felt ready not to go up to the room.

''Let's enjoy our time alone,'' Harry said, his head hidden in the curvature of her neck, kissing and nibbling at her skin, while his hands roamed her chest, belly and waist, opening the buttons of the off-white shirt she was wearing it, and taking it out of her pants, to then open the pants that Ginny was wearing. ‘’We’re going to travel, see other places, wake up late… have sex in peace.’’ He smiled when he felt his wife tremble under his hot, heavy body.

‘’I thought you were going to participate in the training of the new Aurors, over the weekend.’’ She reminded him, smiling at the memory of when she snooped on Harry training; sweating, without a shirt, with a red chest and hair. It had been a sight she used a lot, when they spent a lot of time away from each other.

''No, I let Joane deal with them, she has a lot more patience than I have.'' Harry tossed Ginny's shirt away, lowering his head and kissing her freckled bust, both hands wrapped around her breasts hidden by the beige bra, which wasn’t even that pretty, but that Harry seemed amazed at the view.

''For those who have three kids and a godson, you're a guy with little patience.'' Ginny laughed at the tickle when he nibbled her breast gently, taking a hand behind her and undoing it the button with the mastery of someone who has done that for years.

‘’My children don’t give me even a third of the work that the new Aurors do. They are always so dreamy and annoying, and they hate it when I tell them that in real work, it's a lot less field than school makes it seem, and more boring and paperwork.'' He looked up, emerald green eyes the same color as the stone Ginny chose for their wedding ring, shining in her direction, while the sun bathed their bodies through the huge windows facing the back of the house, where the sunset painted the sky with shades of orange, pink and purple. ''Besides, between staying with more than 50 young people who have just left school, who can barely look me in the eye, stuck in the training shed, stinking of sweat, and being with my lovely wife, having a good wine and enjoying Tuscany... I already have my choice.'' He winked.

‘‘You’re an idiot,’’ She laughed, messing up his hair even more and taking his glasses off Harry’s face, lifting her hips so he could take off her pants more easily. ‘’I’d love to go to Tuscany. Elizabeth can cover my schedule.’’ Ginny would never get used to that look of happiness that Harry gave her every time they agreed to do something kind of stupid. Like when they ran away to get married alone on the beach, or when in the middle of the night, they bought an old, abandoned house near Godric’s Hollow, and started planning what is their home today.

Sometimes they were just two impulsive adults, which explained why their children were impulsive too, most of the time.

After that, the two were more silent, enjoying the sensations of being alone but not yet so used to the idea of being able to make noises. Ignoring the always-regulated dinner time, and letting the night and the starry sky wash over them, while enjoying each other's bits, licking, sucking, making them come.

It was intoxicating how Harry knew exactly what to whisper in her ear, where to put his hand, his mouth, his speed. It was always better than the last time, it seemed that they never stopped getting better and better at what they did, sweating as if they had done the gym at the highest level, without the strength to stand, just lying next to each other, naked, in the dark and almost totally silent house, except for Sir playing in the garden with the new toys that Lily had bought for him before leaving for Hogwarts.

‘’I love you.’’ Ginny said, turning to look at him, running a hand over Harry’s face, which already had some small wrinkles. The beard she liked so much tickled her hand, while he had the best and disheveled look he had when he trained. But now, it was just for her.

‘’Me too,’’ Harry smiled, kissing her forehead. ‘’Today when I thought about going to Tuscany, I thought about how many times I imagined us living it together. Traveling, raising a family, being adults…’’ He laughed nasally, also turning to look at her, in the same silly passionate way he always did, which made Ginny’s heart melt through her ribs. ‘’I wanted to go back in time and tell that Harry to be patient, that we were going to live it all.’’

‘’But it wouldn’t be funny.’’ Ginny snuggled into his chest, listening to his heart beating at a slightly faster pace, but seeming to gradually decrease. ‘’If you knew what was going to happen, you’d try to do it differently and maybe we wouldn’t end up here. Together.''

‘’You can be right… Do you think we did everything right?’’

‘’Definitely not.’’ She looked at him, smiling in the corner and ignoring the tightness in her chest that those thoughts generated. ‘’But we’re trying every day. James has been behaving better, Albus has managed to be less headstrong like his father,’’ Ginny laughed, ruffling Harry’s hair and wrinkling her nose in a frown. ‘’Lily… well, we don’t know yet, but we haven’t received a complaint yet, which is something to celebrate.’’

‘’And with us? Did we make the right choices?’’

‘’Are you doubting about marrying me, Mr Potter?’’ Harry denied, holding Ginny even more tightly to his chest, closing his eyes and seeming to relax.

''Never. It’s the happiest thing that’s ever happened in my entire existence,‘’ Harry opened his eyes again. ‘’But maybe we could have been more understanding with each other on some points, don’t you think?’’

‘’Any human relationship will have ups and downs, it’s life.’’ This time, it was Ginny who closed her eyes and relaxed against him. ‘’But I wouldn’t change nothing in our history.’’

‘’Not even to make me fall in love with you earlier?’’

‘’Not even for that. I needed that time to understand who I was, who I was not, and who you were.’’ She kissed right on Harry’s heart, now calmer, so relaxed that she could risk sleeping right there.

The two were silent, enjoying each other, holding each other and being bathed in darkness. Ginny felt her body fall into a sleep spiral that seemed so much more serene than anything else, that it was even a little scary. She did not sleep peacefully when the children were in the house, always ready to wake up and help one of the children or stop a fight. It had been years since she had known what silence was.

''Will you marry me?''

''Again?''

‘’Yes.’’ Harry sighed. ‘’This time, I promise to be able to speak my vows without starting to cry.’’

‘’But it was so beautiful.’’ Ginny smiled, kissing his chest again. ‘’Yes. I accept.’’ She didn’t need to look at him, to know that her husband was also smiling.

''Great. Maybe on this honeymoon you can swim naked.’’ They laughed, the memory of the two 22-year-olds, invading their minds.

‘’So I hope.’’

#hinny #hinny headcanon #Harry Potter #Harry and Ginny #harry x ginny #ginny potter #I don't know I just needed to write this #doesn't make sense #but yeah

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blankdblank · 3 years

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Brother Dearest Pt 76

“There is nothing I support more than mothers caring for their children. Our Democracy is built on the combined efforts of our mothers. Baroness Bunny Pear Howlett swore before God and the world to joyously welcome every life she will be given the gift of bringing into this world and raise them in a God fearing home. I will never oppose her honoring that vow and raising more citizens of this fine country and our neighbor to the North, Canada. We have no right to lay our opinion higher in respect than that vow and her responsibility to love and cherish the precious gift those children are. That is all I have to say on the matter.” The words were a bullet to the head of any try to shoot down a try to erase your achievements for the simple stolen glimpse of your cleavage exposed to the world.

On the cusp of speechless Truman had called you and had wanted to see where you stood on the issue. All you had tried to do to mend the issue led to his argument in support of said efforts no matter what his personal thoughts of showing nursing mothers on the front page. In truth you were clearly as blown over by the story and after calls from the Brocks and even Father Thomas, who offered words of support agreeing that it was a beautiful intruded upon moment and any effort you could use to support any other struggling mothers should be acted upon.

It seemed that this would blow over and papers dug back to what they knew, it was a beautiful moment, because you didn’t have very many of those left and James was supportive to not blemish the legacy of his daughters’ mother for them to grow up aspiring to. Even Mr Yarbrough had to admit it was a bit amusing for how people had gone to such extremes in this matter and calmed after to at least a dull roar. And was all the more pleased as he sat grading your latest assignments while you sat for the exams in History, Geography and Religion to see that the issue had not thrown you off of your school work.

“Is that me?” Loki asked in his stroll into the sun lit room that had a few easels propped up and drying. From the easel you turned lowering your paint brush having painted a portrait of Loki lounged on one of your armchairs with a bouquet of fireworks hovering above his palm. “It is almost lifelike.”

“Took me a while to get the fingers right, I think I might have made Beau and Jeff’s arms go numb in letting me stare at their hands.”

Lowly he chuckled and stated, “It is masterfully done. I am flattered, thank you.” He stepped to the other easels noting the portrait of James and Victor both seated in armchairs in front of the fireplace with their children from their first marriages, Xander on the arm of his father’s chair and Victor’s children on his lap. A portrait now that they had their younger daughters would grant some proof of their elder siblings for them to grow up with that the men treasured and readied a nail in a special place to hang it when it was properly dried and framed. “This one is beautiful, more relatives?”

You caught his eye answering, “That is Xander, James’ son from his first marriage and Victor with his daughter and his son from his first marriage.” Loki’s eyes swept over your face taking in the hint of sadness in your expression. “They’re all buried in the family graveyard on these lands with their mothers. We talked about when Leanora was born having some sort of portrait for the girls to know what their older siblings looked like. The guys asked it just be the kids, didn’t want to have me and Jeanie having to peer up at our predecessors.”

“You have done them justice. Our grandfather does not have as skilled a portrait executed with such love in it.”

“They’re beautiful babies. Almost makes me wish there was easier access to cameras back then to have given them more to hold onto. Part of why they have taken trunks of pictures since we’ve met I bet. Deep down they’re making notes to hold onto for when they imagine they will have to bury me.” Loki chortled and you said, “They’re going to be so disappointed when we have to build a new house for the pictures we’ve accumulated by the time I hit a century and have still refused to die.”

“I doubt disappointment would cross their minds in reaching the first century mark on your second lifetime.” His eyes traveled to the third couple portrait that could be hung separately or together of a trio of people seated for tea, “And these?”

“Friends, Howard Stark and Ana and Edwin Jarvis. They chose some cribs for the girls for our Brooklyn home and I’m terrible at picking gifts for them. Howard is very rich and I believe Ana and Jarvis have all they could want already.”

“A gift of this caliber would be treasured.”

“What do you do for fun?” You asked making him grin at you as you finished a detail on the edges of his finely draped velvet cape down the front of the leg of his chair of a charming bit of speckled fur that he now dearly ached to have one just like it.

“I have taken up glass blowing recently. Quite agitating at first, however I am told that I am improving, perhaps a different view point of a Master Smith could see my efforts is helpful in such a discovery.”

“I could imagine burning myself rather frequently in that hobby.” You said making him chuckle again.

“The heat is rather a fickle aspect of the hobby. Remaining hydrated is key, a pitcher of water is always nearby in case of overheating.”

“Loki, welcome back,” James said carrying two of his girls with the third in a sling he fashioned across his chest. “I’ve found a way to grow another arm.” He said making the Prince chuckle again. “You are just in time for lunch, Sarah made some lemon squares, don’t know what’s in them but you look up for an adventure.”

“That I am.” He said smiling in the excited coo of the girls who saw him when he came closer. “Their curls are coming in nicely. A very good sign for healthy childhoods for my people full head of hair early on.”

“Yes, dad said I had a full head of curls by my first month too.” Drying the brush you rinsed off with a half damp and paint stained rag you left on the table to say, “Should be time to pump again, before they get fussy on you.”

“They would never,” James teased as you came closer kissing the trio on their heads and raised palms to lead the duo to the sitting room in your wing.

As the pump worked underneath your bra and t shirt against your bent legs you gave each of the girls some personal time while Victor lounged with his Petal reading her a story to Teddy and Loki’s artistic battle in making their own castles out of the hoard of colorful blocks while Marigold stretched for a nap across the Prince’s lap. The phone ringing turned your head and with a stretch of your fingers the phone floated closer so you could lift the receiver, “Hello, Howlett Pear, Creed residence.”

“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth is calling for the Baroness,” an aid spoke through the line in a cool crisp tone.

“Oh, of course, I’ll hold for her Majesty.”

“Just a moment, Baroness.”

The line switched and her voice came through the line, “Bunny, how are you this morning? We have gotten a copy of Mother magazine it was quite a masterful spin on the hassle at hand.”

“Thank you, and we’re all doing well here.”

“And your classes are going well, the papers have all stated that your grades are pristine top marks.”

“Classes are going well, still tutors at home twice a week until next Tuesday when I start on campus.”

“We all certainly hope that you will be treated with ample respect.”

“I will be, everyone is very respectful up here. If I can how is Princess Elizabeth’s pregnancy going?”

“Swimmingly, the first trimester was rough but on her way to the third she is very strong. Thank you for asking. She has been very happy to hear that things are lightening up for you. Have your girls gained any more weight?”

Questions continued as more information was shared and eventually she had to hang up and see to other matters leaving you to return to focus on your family and keeping Teddy and Marigold from Lording over the Prince more than he could handle for as long as he could.

“We finished another bundle of the Spain trunk, did you want to give it a look?” Jeff asked and after a moment to register what he meant from the mindset of playing you gave him a nod.

“Sure, where would we have to go?”

Beau smiled saying, “The directory is in the sitting room by our room. Not far of a walk.”

Once on your feet with the whole group including the children, the elder three watched the brothers guide you to the sitting room with a bronze fountain shaped like a tree with layered branches topped with groupings of bronze leaves layered with crystal leaves settled inside of a bronze basin filled with pebbles shaped from crystals. “I’ve seen this before,”

Beau stated with a smile, “Not uncommon a reaction for the first return to using it.”

In your step closer Loki took notice of the familiar structure to the one back on the abandoned Beserker territory on Asgard that with a lift of your palm had the top of the fountain light up and release a fine mist that in the more it pooled out into the room and darkening as it did. Similar to your galaxy mist in silvery blue it chose a more silver and pink tinted hue with soft hints of cheerful chimes from the creatures who dwelled inside of it that let out in recognition of who was tapping into the hive minded database.

Jeff to the list of runes that hovered in front of your raised palm stated, “We should start here,” and showed you the meaning of the runes. “This shares the translations both in written word, spoken and in reenactments. And we can show by means of the map that will show exactly where it took place and when.”

Up to your lap when you took a seat for the replay of your history you took hold of one of your girls with James at your side treasuring the tales while holding his other two daughters while they napped. Perfectly content in knowledge of the path that helped to lead you three here to this coveted moment. Both of the brothers however took enjoyment in the end of the translated bits to hear what had been learned on their own travels before this lifetime. All of it a road map to now with details that even stunned Loki, including in his trips to Norway as a child that you had been there, a fact that stunned not just himself but his mother when he returned and as usual gave her an update on how things with your family were going.

That tv of yours however had Frigga on the visit before gather up a collection of books from their own schools for children to help advance your knowledge even more as she had grown to see how unfair it was to keep you from copies on such an ignorant planet compared to their own. Materials would be far from accessible to you but at least in time until your full power had awoken she might be taken as an ally in hastening the growth of your ever hungry intellect that scoured for more. Even she could sense that the gap in knowledge was hindering your return and when she approached Himdall his grin eased out along with his palms to accept the books bound together in a leather set of straps.

“Heimdall, kindly gift these to Mother.”

He bowed his head, “I shall, and she will be ever grateful for the gift.” She nodded and timidly turned to head back to the doorway she would transport herself back into the Palace. However she paused and looked back at him when he said, “Mother bears you no ill will, Queen Frigga. The decisions of Odin and his father long ago shall not bear down upon you or your sons and people. These books will help greatly to improve her capabilities to effect change upon Midgard as she always had. You have no reason to fear her growth in the coming years, in fact a friendship should very well grow if you would welcome it. For now, I shall deliver your gift.” There was no time for an answer as in a galaxy colored mist his body vanished to appear at the doorway of your library in a final touch up of readying the table for your tutoring the following day.

A gentle knock on the door had you look up to find Heimdall there who bowed his head and approached as you greeted him, “Heimdall, you can come in. Hope it’s nothing serious to bring you out here to our little planet.”

In a shake of his head he lifted the books on his palms stating, “Not at all, Queen Frigga sent me with these for you,”

When he came closer his eyes adoringly shifted over your girls, namely Nova in your arms who let out an excited squeal that had you and everyone around you chuckle, “Our girls have learned they can be very loud.”

“A joyful greeting, I am honored.” He said lowering the books onto the table that your fingertips smoothed across the leather bound cover of the top textbook larger than a phone book with runes you couldn’t read across the cover.

“Are these in your language from Asgard?” you asked and he nodded offering his hand to the girl who wiggled her fingers his way that wrapped around his fingers in a cross eyed awed stare.

“Yes, Ancient Asgardian.”

Elliot spoke next, “I have some ledgers that we can help teach you from when you are ready.”

And your father said next, “Those books can be quite dense at times, best to take it gradually and we will explain the lessons thoroughly as they tend to build upon the prior lessons as you work your way through in several of their subjects.”

When you looked to Heimdall you said, “I thought Asgard was afraid of me. Why would Queen Frigga give me these?”

“With aid of our Brothers in time you would have learned of these some day, Prince Loki has shared the difficulties of education here and its limits so far with Queen Frigga. Our lessons to what you are learning now would have you equal to a child’s lessons on Asgard. That is unfair, and in the coming years a great deal more to gift you would be helpful for what you might face.”

“I suppose it might help, every now and then there’s mention of the ship headed this way. Can’t help but think if they know so much more that I might be taken as an ignorant fool far below what they expected when they get here.”

Heimdall gave you a comforting grin, “This physical form of yours is merely a piece of a far more breathtaking whole. Mother is with us, always, and while you come to remember that path is all the more beautiful. Midgard is far beyond what we are accustomed, your travels and time here will gift them knowledge in their own ignorance. There is no need to fear, love is patience and trust, together we will learn and grow.”

“Thank you,” you said as Nova released his hand, “And please tell Queen Frigga thank you.”

“I am certain in time we will add a good deal more to your library and when our Brothers will arrive they will have possession of a supply of the records of our people for you to explore as well.”

He bid you and your family a farewell and Elliot called the journal he added to the books he moved to a nearby shelf to be looked over when you were ready so that the dinner your stomachs demanded could be finished and enjoyed.

Across the top of your bed James laid with view of his girls in their squirms calming down to the bedtime story he was reading to them to lull them off to sleep. They had no clue what he was saying but to every stolen kiss or nuzzle of his face against their little selves savoring their scents and tries to keep hold of his head and hands. He absolutely loved these moments and didn’t even look up when you snapped pictures of them as he loved to do when you stole your own time cuddling with the trio. The roll of film was filled and you sighed taking the camera to its usual spot on a table outside the dark room where Victor would see it and in the usual pattern develop the film to give to you later.

Along with his own pictures and those from Dawn and Eddie he savored his time in that dark room surrounded by loving moments with his ever growing family. Proud more and more on the echoes of giggles and racing tiny feet through the manor that had sat empty for so long. Stone and earth held memory and even this place in its neglect since that flood bore a depression much like their own and now seemed to glow all its own glee for the souls now claiming shelter inside its refurbished borders.

Film was bought by the barrel on top of your gifted supply it seemed and a welcome expense to have permanent copies of the gradual growth of every child and the woman he loved who had gifted him his own. Always a bit of doubt lingered he might not be the right choice as a husband but as a father he knew she treasured him for that and wouldn’t have picked another to share this with. Mixed within the pictures of the girls was one of yourself. Normally quite casual the moments James wanted to keep were tame, this one had you in just your underwear, perhaps in a try to lure a more adventurous night when he was in a late shower or changing.

Spread across the bed slumped back comfortably from an alluring pose on your side with curls sprawled about your face that widened his smile. It wasn’t just the moment he’d stumbled across to lure an intrusion but much like the photograph of James on your honeymoon the dance of flame and shadow across your skin had turned this stolen moment into art. Show of his adoration for you and a try to begin again what you formerly had to have him stumble into a far more intimate moment. He knew what his brother felt, pure love and awe at the strong force of a woman who put to test the meaning of labor to birth the girls who looked more like you by the day. A couple more weeks and far from that time in London when you walked out in the underwear gifted to you to see if it was correctly draped across your starved frame now he could see their efforts to coat you with leisurely weight to suit daily energy requirements and to signal you were well fed.

He left it to dry and carried on until he saw the image of the tiny hands tangled in James’ hair and arms holding his head down at his bend to their whim he could but wouldn’t break no matter how easily he could. Every image was left hung to dry to be handed over later and sorted to be added to the collection of others on his way to finish readying for the day trip ahead to go and visit Norma on set as you’d been promised a trip to do so and see how your project was coming about.

Economics, Government, Political science, Anthropology tests and an afternoon trip to town that ended with a rainy drive back home for an early night to cuddle in bed for the drive and flight in the morning. Norma still was on set but now that you had settled a suitable schedule for feedings the brothers zapped you all closer to the airport where Howard’s plane waited to fly you all out to the location that he was filming in today. To keep your girls safe they would remain at home and not even Leonora would be coming at Norma’s request knowing how much press was around to keep her safe from being plastered around the world more than she could manage.

Ample milk had been stored and your parents gladly took charge with Edie of the children while Elliot and the twins delved more into translations of those documents as they had daily to make use of the summer while they had it. Eddie stayed with you as you parked and the stroll over to the waiting plane while Dawn took Teddy and Marigold to her family’s home to get more work done on their paper.

“Bunny, glad to see you, today should be fun.” Howard said when he came close post stroll out of his plane from final checks.

“I’m sure it will be.” Victor said carrying the bag with the paintings in it turning Howard’s head to them.

James said, “Brought you something, Bunny made them.”

Howard said, “You didn’t have to make me anything, not even my birthday.”

“Well consider it payback for the cribs and filming my story.”

“Ooh, now I’m really curious.” He said with a smirk following you inside the plane he sealed the steps to get to his seat saying, “You can sit up front if you like, Bunny.”

Jarvis who was securing your bags gave you a nod and watched you timidly join Howard up at the cockpit to ease down onto the co-pilot seat in the Douglas DC-3 that had you tuck your legs up to sit on to be able to see over the nose of the plane. Howard chuckled saying, “I will be sure to pack a few phone books next time.”

“It’s alright, have to use them for our truck too. Nothing new, I live in the land of giants.” You said making him smirk.

He began to flip switches and start up the plane explaining what he was doing all through the roll to the runway and lift off until you were in the air. “Maybe one day I could give you some lessons. You know the time I flew Steve into enemy lines to rescue Bucky was on one of these. You been in a few in the service I bet.”

“Couple, only it’s a bit odd without the gunfire.”

After another glance your way he asked, “You still doing well? You look well fed a bit more than last time.”

“Still good, first time so far from the girls, but I suppose I have to get used to that for what class on campus start next week.”

“If I can say, we’re all proud of how you handled that press with your magazine spread. Masterful, downright masterful on the shift of it. Everyone on set agreed. You should have never had to face that but you handled it well. Hate that you have to, press can be vultures, but I imagined they had standards.”

“All spilled milk at this point.” After a moment you asked, “Would it be rude to ask if you have another Mrs Stark on the horizon to anger someone else’s dad?”

That had him chuckle again, “Not yet. Always up to help a woman out of a sticky situation if I can help it.”

While others were setting up things for the first scene and gathering the cast that gradually was getting ready your focus turned to Ana Jarvis who came into view with a wrapped bundle laid against her chest. The heartbeat inside had your smile widen and you asked, “Now where did you find this angel?” Widening her smile.

“This is our daughter, Celeste. Last year we found out we could not have children, but there was an orphanage back in New York who called us, a young mother could not provide for her child and put her up for adoption. She is beautiful and has orange hair and eyes like Edwin’s.” She said on the verge of tearing up for how fated the move turned out to be.

“Congratulations,” you said to the both of them and from the bag Victor handed you to bring out the portrait of the couple parting their lips. “If I would have known I’d have added her. A sort of thank you, for the cribs and being so kind.”

Ana said, “Oh thank you,” she said using her free arm to give you a hug that when she ended she turned to look at it again, “It is beautiful, did you paint it?”

“Yes, I have one for Howard too.”

“You have what for Howard?” He asked with a smirk on his path back on his way to check something else only to gape at the portrait and the one of him you offered him. “Bunny, I love it, thank you.”

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to hang them together or separately, however you liked.”

Howard smiled and said in collecting the both of them, “I’m going to put these somewhere safe until we get the clear to head home later, be back in a few, get comfortable.”

Sure enough like a magnet in the silent nightclub of a set to the piano as the guys took in the artwork and other details soft notes filled the air. Just a few random notes bled into a familiar tune. One that would frequent the radio station Steve tuned into at night when he thought everyone else was asleep. Without thought your fingers continued in their dance across the keys without comment until murmurs could be heard from outside the set, “Did they hire another band?”

Another said, “We aren’t even late!”

“We got a contract! They can’t do this!”

Sight of you however in a blue off the shoulder lace dress with a knee visible under the hem of the skirt on the bench had the band that you had met years prior at the White House dinner after receiving your medals. Jarvis with a grin eased into his usual fix it mode and clarified you were merely passing time. Your notice of the band as they approached had you grin and ease off the bench, “Hello.”

“Baroness Pear Howlett,” they each said offering their hands you shook then looked to their horn player who said, “We have to do a sound check and warm up before the scenes, care to play with us?”

“Don’t you need the piano?” you asked and they chuckled.

Their piano player said, “I am good on a dime, if you don’t mind that is.”

Without anything else to do again the song ‘Into Every Life A Little Rain Must Fall’ recorded by The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald was what you began with after they named the tune you had been tapping out. A nod from you had the pianist sit beside you on the spacious bench ready to help you liven up the tune to give a wider range for the others to jump into. Hushed giggles and conversation on ways to shift the tune made for a smile worthy sight when Norma hurried onto set to claim a hug and kiss from Victor and cuddled with him as the other actors bled into sight to fill the seating and standing room.

Shirley Temple and her mom beside Howard’s side had him smirk at Shirley’s soft gasp and comment to her mother, “Momma, it’s really Bunny Pear,” clinging to a magazine spread on you from when you had been featured in Kodak’s magazine.

Howard’s arrival had you and the guys stop playing luring a grin from you for a slip away to his side where he said, “Aren’t you just a treasure trove of talents. Guess your Priest wasn’t kidding about those times you snuck in to play the piano.”

“Well you can blame Steve and Bucky. One would get sick or hurt and they’d play the radio or their few records all night.”

“A rude habit that comes in handy, Bunny, come meet Shirley,”

The teen’s wide smile and flash of the magazine had you smile as she said, “I always cut out stories on you.”

“Well I hope last year’s stories didn’t upset you, papers had some fun with the whole frog debacle.”

“I just knew it wasn’t true,” and she asked, “Could you sign my magazine?”

You smirked and accepted the pocket journal and pen James handed you from your purse widening her grin, “Only if you sign my book too.” She gladly agreed and you traded then traded back and the conversations and introductions continued through the rest of the main cast. Beginning with Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh who proudly signed your book trading for a signature of their own to comments on favorite films as Cary Grant shyly traded his own set for yours before a group picture one of the extras gladly took on your camera James remembered to grab.

Howard however stunned you by placing your family in the crowd and had you up again at the piano for the stunning addition for the background music bits of dialog for a few takes of those scenes. However when it came time to have the band perform fully you, for giggles as Howard suggested with the band’s blessing you helped to sing along as they played, ‘If I Didn’t Care’ also by The Ink Spots. With minimal conversation between the leading men that took two takes after you had excused yourself to join the men in the audience. When the lighting and wardrobe was being shifted to move to a different scene earlier in the film for two more of the band’s own songs you accepted a bottle of apple juice Eddie opened for you Cary Grant came over to your side with a nervous glance your way.

“Thank you,” he said luring a widening grin across your lips. “Howard said you picked me specifically for this role, it’s a heck of a role. You wrote a fantastic screenplay.”

“Well you certainly were at the top of the list for who I would have chosen for Roger,” in the twitch of his brow taking the hint that he might not have been your first choice you said, “I actually had the idea from a dream I had when I was pregnant. Though I do have to admit Roger was a tap dancing rhino in my dream.” You said widening his smile again in an amused chuckle. “But outside of a horn and tail you were at the top of the list.”

“Consider me tickled pink the rhinos are all on strike,” he joked making you giggle and smile as Norma came over to help you share more on the story for the continued series of pictures an approved photographer was allowed to take for a spread on the filming so far. Namely a glimpse at the story of yours Howard was bringing to life.

Lunch however for Howard came with his flying you back for the drive home, and when you were safe on the ground again he said, “Don’t you worry. I’ll keep taking good care of your paperback baby.” He said making you grin in his move back to the steps to climb back in the plane not wanting to leave his friends just yet while also knowing that he had to get back to finish filming for the day.

Victor looped his arm around your back needing someone to cuddle with as Eddie said, “That was fun. And that much fun deserves a big lunch. Seems like they are killing the nightclub scenes.”

James smiled at you and said, “I think for certain now we’ll have a spot in the film at least. If he doesn’t put you singing in it.”

“Oh he better not, I’m not in the screenplay.”

You said and Victor chuckled out, “I highly doubt that matters. He’s got exclusive footage with Bunny singing live. Who wouldn’t buy a ticket for that and to see my Nora on the silver screen.”

“Jeanie, yes, me, no. Leave the band to the job they were hired for.” You were helped into the car for the drive back you all joked through until the excited swarm of babies welcomed you back to your home and main jobs of the summer.

Pt 77

All –

@sherala007, @mariannetora, @jesgisborne, @knitastically, @catthefearless, @theincaprincess, ggbbhehe4455, @lilith15000, @alishlieb,

Not nsfw(smut) - @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore

X Marvel-Cast - @himoverflowers, @theincaprincess

Brother Dearest - @thorinanddwalinsdwarrowdam, @swoopswishsward

#James Howlett x oc #Victor Creed x Norma Jeane #Eddie Brock x OC #Venom #Tutoring #Trip to Stark Filming Location #Howard Stark #Edwin & Ana Jarvis #Marvel #Loki

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everything1011 · 3 years

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Morocco And Western Sahara: “A Complicated Relationship”

The stewing 46-year-old clash among Morocco and the Polisario Front over the contested domain of Western Sahara, a Northwest African space of around 252,120 km2 (approximately 97,000 sq. miles), has as of late taken a dismal turn following quite a while of impasse. In mid-November 2020, the Polisario Front, a development looking for freedom for the region, proclaimed a finish to a 1991 UN-expedited truce understanding and a re-visitation of outfitted battle against Moroccan powers that had entered the Guerguerat waterfront line point with Mauritania—an UN-watched cradle zone—in negation of the 1991 arrangement. Rabat looked to scatter unarmed Sahrawi dissidents obstructing the intersection point connecting Morocco to Sub-Saharan Africa. In response, the Polisario Front announced that the conflict was at this point not about fights however about a total Moroccan withdrawal from Western Sahara.

A Short History of the Western Sahara Conflict

Previously a Spanish settlement, the region of Western Sahara was attacked and involved by Moroccan and Mauritanian soldiers in 1975 after what has come to be known as the Madrid Accords, when Spain singularly pulled out from its province. Through this demonstration, the two nations disregarded the 1975 International Court of Justice (ICJ) assertion that neither Morocco nor Mauritania have regional sway over the Western Sahara. The United Nations didn't perceive the Madrid Accords, and a 2002 assessment of the UN Office of Legal Affairs clarified that colonizing powers can't just surrender the keys of one country to another. In 1976, the Polisario Front, perceived by the United Nations as the lone real agent of the Sahrawi public, declared (from banish in Algeria) the foundation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) as an autonomous state.

In 1976, the Polisario Front declared (from banish in Algeria) the foundation of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) as a free state.

In 1979, Mauritania marked a truce with the Polisario Front, pulled out from involved Western Sahara, and perceived the SADR. Morocco then, at that point added the Mauritanian part of the region that had been surrendered by Spain. To forestall further assaults, Morocco's military in the long run assembled a vigorously mined and watched 2,700-kilometer embankment, one of the biggest military foundation projects on the planet. When of the truce in 1991, Morocco had stated its command over more than 66% of Western Sahara in its western part along the Atlantic Ocean. The United Nations guaranteed a submission on the situation with the domain, including the choices of freedom, self-sufficiency, or mix with Morocco. The choice was to be coordinated and led by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), yet it presently can't seem to happen. The arranged choice has been more than once postponed because of a debate among Morocco and the Polisario Front over who is qualified to decide on the situation with the region.

Polisario Front Returns to Active Resistance

Disappointed with many years of political impasse and gridlock, the Polisario Front chose to get back to dynamic obstruction after the Guerguerat episode in 2020. Since the Polisario Front knows about the dissimilarity of military force, one can reason that its furnished acceleration is a strategic move as opposed to a substantial answer for end the occupation. Its point is to apply strain to push for a shift in political direction by achieving recharged global consideration regarding the neglected reason and finishing famous dissatisfaction.

Sahrawis have become profoundly disappointed by the absence of development on their mission for public self-assurance and Morocco's obstructing the submission and abuse of the region's regular assets.

Sahrawis have become profoundly baffled by the absence of development on their journey for public self-assurance and Morocco's blocking the choice and double-dealing of the region's regular assets. Involved Western Sahara holds under its sand the absolute biggest phosphate saves. It gives admittance to rich fishing waters that run along its 690-mile shore and contains immense seaward oil and gas assets. What's more, Western Sahara is an objective of western sustainable power organizations like Siemens and Enel. Ali Salem Tamek, the VP of Codesa, a Sahrawi common liberties aggregate, said that "Worldwide organizations are separating our country's regular assets without speaking with or helping the Sahrawi public." Indeed, efficient double-dealing of these assets is seen by the Sahrawis as the hidden purpose for the Moroccan occupation.

Enter the Trump Administration

The situation turned out to be more confounded after previous US President Donald Trump's one-sided acknowledgment of Morocco's case of power over Western Sahara in December 2020, in a compensation for Morocco's standardization with Israel (and in repudiation of global law). Trump's announcement was instantly dismissed by the United Nations, the European Union, and the African Union (AU), setting the United States in opposition to the majority of the world on this issue. The Polisario's outfitted acceleration, combined with Trump's choice, have returned the Sahrawi issue to worldwide consideration.

Trump's acknowledgment of Morocco's case—which President Joe Biden still can't seem to switch—disregards global law and all UN goals that attest Western Sahara's all in all correct to self-assurance. A particularly one-sided acknowledgment has no effect if the EU and Morocco's nearby neighbors, Spain and Algeria, reject it, which they did. Algeria endeavored to campaign the Biden Administration to turn around Trump's acknowledgment, and Spain and Germany facilitated with European nations to keep the EU from following the US move. Germany's inflexible stance on the issue caused a strategic disagreement with Morocco and brought about Rabat's suspension of discretionary binds with Berlin.

Trump's acknowledgment of Morocco's case—which President Joe Biden still can't seem to switch—abuses global law and all UN goals that certify Western Sahara's on the whole correct to self-assurance.

The United Nations keeps on posting Western Sahara as a non-self-administering an area anticipating decolonization—a global legitimate status revered in the UN General Assembly's 1960 Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. It additionally helps that self-assurance to remember people groups is secured in the United Nations Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as a right of "all people groups."

Morocco and Western Sahara

Morocco considers Western Shahara a basic piece of its domain and sway because of recorded ties. The ICJ perceived those ties yet settled that this doesn't add up to responsibility for domain. In any case, Morocco keeps on demanding that it has the full right to guard its regional respectability and its sway over the Western Sahara. On this premise, Morocco has excused Sahrawi calls for freedom and has demanded uniquely on offering Sahrawis self-rule, an arrangement that traces all the way back to 2007 and has the help of the United States and France. Questioning the level of the guaranteed self-sufficiency, considering Morocco's long history of profoundly incorporated government, the Polisario Front immediately dismissed the arrangement and demanded full freedom for the Sahrawis.

In this specific situation, the hotly anticipated US acknowledgment of Morocco's power over the region invigorated Moroccans. It additionally encouraged the government to adopt a more strong strategy with the European Union to follow after accordingly with the United States. In January, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said that the EU should leave its "usual range of familiarity" and "back Rabat's proposal of Western Saharan self-rule inside the Moroccan state." As if to apply some tension on the EU, Morocco as of late permitted approximately 12,000 individuals to cross its line with Spain's Ceuta area, considered Europe's southern limit. Those included 2,000 unaccompanied youngsters, inciting the EU and Amnesty International to blame Morocco for putting transient kids' lives in danger to pressure Spain, Morocco's greatest exchanging accomplice, and the remainder of the EU nations with the goal for them to perceive its power over Western Sahara. In April, Spain had conceded Brahim Ghali, head of the Polisario Front, to a Spanish clinic on philanthropic grounds to be treated for COVID-19, a demonstration Morocco was not timid about blaming for its hazardous play in Ceuta.

The African Union and Western Sahara

The African Union, of which SADR is an establishing part, backs the right of Sahrawis to self-assurance. After Trump's turn, the AU underlined the right to self-assurance for the Sahrawi People and the decolonization of the region while asking Morocco to regard provincial lines, as they existed at the hour of freedom, as cherished in article 4 (b) of the AU Constitutive Act. At its 547th gathering in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in March, the AU's Peace and Security Council (PSC) asked the UN Security Council to completely accept its obligations and "take all vital means to quickly resolve the Western Sahara struggle." In different gatherings, the PSC additionally chose to effectively reconnect in the quest for a political arrangement of the long-standing clash by resuming their office in Laayoune, in Western Sahara, and organizing a field visit to the region to assemble firsthand data on the creating circumstance.

Notwithstanding the AU's uncompromising stance on the decolonization of Western Sahara and its obligation to the privileges of Sahrawis to self-assurance, Morocco has had the option to accomplish a few increases with a few African nations.

In any case, notwithstanding the AU's uncompromising stance on the decolonization of Western Sahara and its obligation to the privileges of Sahrawis to self-assurance, Morocco has had the option to accomplish a few additions with a few African nations in persuading them to open offices in the involved Western Saharan urban areas of Dakhla and Laayoune. This is a certain affirmation by these nations of Morocco's cases to the region. The PSC of the AU approached the UN Secretary General to demand the UN legitimate insight to give a lawful assessment on the kickoff of offices in the non-self-administering an area of Western Sahara. Those accomplishments came because of Morocco's rejoining the AU in 2017 following a 33-year nonappearance in dissent of the African Union's acknowledgment of SADR as a part state. Morocco understood that its confinement in the African mainland didn't help in accomplishing its objective in legitimizing its case over Western Sahara. Morocco has been extending its political and monetary impression on the mainland to accomplish more help.

Algeria's Support of the Polisario Front

Algeria, the Polisario's principle patron and unfaltering ally, has sabotaged Morocco's drive to totally bring Western Sahara under its sway. Algeria gave some restricted help to the Polisario when it was established in 1973 to battle for autonomy contrary to Spain's pilgrim rule. It was not until Morocco's extension of Western Sahara in 1975 that Algeria tossed its full weight behind the Polisario. The Moroccan-Algerian contention originates before the issue of Western Sahara; indeed, the two nations were associated with 1963 in a line war, named as the Sand War, over the spaces of Tindouf and Bechar, encouraging an international competition and doubt between the two Maghrebi powers. Cold conflict international relations further exacerbated these pressures and divisions since Algeria adjusted itself to the Soviet coalition and hostile to pioneer camp and the traditionalist Moroccan government aligned with the West.

Right up 'til the present time, Algeria advances itself as a hero of the right of the Sahrawi individuals to self-assurance. In his new interview with Al Jazeera, the leader of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, unequivocally reasserted that Algeria’s "firm" position on the Western Sahara issue has not changed and that Algeria won’t acknowledge the done deal that Morocco is attempting to force in the last African settlement. He likewise helped Morocco to remember Algeria’s tactical prevalence. It is vital that Algeria and Morocco are seeking mastery over the Maghreb locale and the Western Sahara issue is critical to accomplishing that evenhanded.

The Western Sahara Is the World’s Responsibility

The breakdown of the 30-year UN-expedited truce in Western Sahara and the acceleration that followed came because of the United Nations' inability to execute the choice, subsequently introducing a three-decade political stagnation of the circumstance on the ground. This implies that the association just as the EU ought to effectively pursue settling the long-standing struggle. Strategic inaction has been compounded by the shortfall of an UN individual emissary; it has been more than a long time since the latest deputy, Horst Köhler, surrendered in May 2019. It is critical to name another agent to guarantee a solid and commonly adequate political arrangement that will permit the self-assurance of individuals of the Western Sahara. Absolution International (AI) is asking the UN Security Council to reinforce MINURSO, the UN peacemaking mission, to do the choice in Western Sahara. Computer based intelligence mentioned from the UN to add a basic freedoms part to its next order because of the absence of autonomous associations and writers to screen denials of basic liberties in the domain, since they are denied admittance by Moroccan specialists.

Reprieve International is likewise mentioning something very similar for the Tindouf outcast camps in Algeria for additional common freedoms observing. While the Moroccan specialists have denied admittance to free common liberties gatherings, the Polisario Front has permitted them to screen the camps and seems to have represented no snags to visits by Human Rights Watch (HRW), as expressed in the 2014 HRW report of a fourteen day research mission to the camps in late 2013. Furthermore, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has an office in Tindouf camps to shield the privileges of Sahrawi outcasts.

In March 2021, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International uncovered the weighty police observation outside the place of the Sahrawi basic liberties and favorable to freedom extremist, Sultana Khaya, since November 19, 2020. Khaya and a few individuals from her family have been held under house capture. With recordings as documentation, the two basic liberties associations presented the maltreatment to which she and her family were oppressed by Moroccan security powers. By a similar token, powers of the SADR under the Polisario's order have additionally captured activists and pundits and blamed them for conspiracy. Undoubtedly, the Western Sahara issue isn't just a public freedom battle yet in addition a rights worry for the global local area.

Notwithstanding its new political increases, Morocco has so far neglected to definitively propel the Western Sahara dossier in support of its. The Western Sahara stays the last state in Africa that requires decolonization. Settling the contention ought to be under the sponsorship of the United Nations. It would shield the North African area from additional strife and destabilization and assist with ensuring Europe's southern boundary. To be sure, any infringement of worldwide law in the Western Sahara would prompt extreme results internationally.

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emsylcatac · 4 years

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Oh man, really appreciating the extra French cultural insight on ML, so thank you for all of your elucidating! Have you made any posts covering common school events/milestones, and/or how teens tend to celebrate holidays in Paris? I know exams are different and that proms aren't really a thing, and the show has given us some insight into field trips (not too different), but do you know of anything else fandom tends to miss?

Heya!! :D

Thanks for your feedback & you’re very welcome!!

I haven’t done any post regarding school events or holidays yet, so let’s do that now!

School events/milestones:

First just a quick explanation of the French scholar system:

Maternelle (= Kindergarten): 3 years, from 3-4yo to 5-6yo – Petite section · Moyenne section · Grande section

Primaire (= Primary school): 5 years, from 6-7yo to 10-11yo – CP · CE1 · CE2 · CM1 · CM2

Collège (= Secondary school | Junior high school): 4 years, from 11-12yo to 14-15yo – 6ème (said sixième) · 5ème (cinquième) · 4ème (quatrième) · 3ème (troisième) – school start around 8:30am and ends around 4:30pm, with 1h lunch-break and 15min break in the morning & afternoon. – except on Wednesday ends around 11:30 or 12:30.

Lycée (= High school): 3 years, from 15-16yo to 17-18yo – 2nd (said seconde) · 1ère (première) · Tale (terminale) – Same about breaks & lunch breaks & start of school, but usually ends around 5:30pm. – except on Wednesday ends around 11:30 or 12:30 (or if you’re unlucky like I was the school organises exams on Wednesday afternoon from 2 to 4h straight but most schools have free Wednesdays afternoon)

Currently, Marinette & Adrien are in their finale year of ‘collège’ so in ‘3ème’ (called ‘troisème’).

So about major end-of the year exams:

End of 3ème (around the end of June usually): ‘Brevet’ – it’s a national exam and every student in the whole France have the same examination questions. They have to revise courses they had during the whole year and can be pretty much interrogated on anything they’ve learned. One exam per subject. Writing exam subjects are: French, Mathematics (main ones), History/Geography, Sciences (with Physics/Chemistry and/or Earth&Life Sciences and/or Technology). Added to that, they have an oral exam. It’s about Art History or a project they’ve conducted throughout the year (alone or in groups, however they get an individual score) Side note: this one is pretty ‘easy’ to have and you really need to want to fail to actually fail. It also takes into account the general score you have during the year and allows you to have a few points in advance. For instance, I was a good student and my general score was high enough for me to have enough points to already have the ‘brevet’ before even taking up the exam. It’s usually the case if your general score is equal or above 16/20 I think)

End of Terminale (around mid-June): ‘Baccalauréat’ – it’s again a national exam but much more important. You can’t pursue your studies if you haven’t passed it and will need to repeat the Terminale year. Subjects vary depending the course students chose when they entered their “1ère” year (it’s kind of a lot to explain everything there especially because the system have completely changed this year and teachers & parents are complaining about it, so I’m going to quickly talk about the ‘old’ system where basically you chose between scientific course, economic & social course or arts course; there’s others but those were the main ones). Again, you need to revise everything you’ve learned throughout the year and can be interrogated on anything. There’s writing exams as well as oral exams and practical exams (for sciences).Side note: Contrary to the ‘brevet’ this one is harder to get. I’m not saying it’s super hard, but students with school difficulties can fail even if they worked for it. Only the score you get at this exam is taken into account, not the general score you got during the year so you can’t “have” your Baccalauréat before taking up the exam.

End of 1ère: some exams of the “Baccalauréat” occur in the 1ère year but not a lot as well as a group project.

Proms, holidays & others undercut to avoid long post:

Regarding school proms, we indeed don’t have them as much as people in Canada or the US. It mostly depends of your school: some will organise them at the end of 3ème or Terminale because it’s the end of a ‘cycle’ sort of, but they’re mostly just events with food brought by everyone and music. You rarely have to find a partner to go to a prom with you, except maybe if the school you’re in has decided on that. Some schools don’t organise any.

Other special event that can be organised in your school (and again it depends how strict the director is and all) is carnival. We all come with disguises for the day. My ‘lycée’ was pretty strict about it but we managed to allow it during my finale year and organise a concert during lunch-time. We had to be recognisable though so no full-mask or full-makeup. But the previous years it was forbidden. We didn’t have any carnivals during collège. It again also depends on your school’s policy.

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Holidays

We have 4 in-between holidays and one summer holidays:

“Vacances de la Toussaint” (vacances meaning holidays): 2 weeks around end of October & Beginning of November, including the 1st of November. Usually, people tend to stay at home or visit family members that are living far from their home. Some might travel a bit as well but it’s not often. So some teens will visit their friend, maybe celebrate Halloween but Halloween isn’t that big of a thing here and it’s disappearing more and more.

“Vacances de Noël” (= Christmas holidays): 2 weeks including Christmas day and New Year. Mostly spent in family, some might go skiing but it’s rare and there’s less chance to have enough snow for that in the mountains.

“Vacances de Février” (February holidays): 2 weeks in February, sometimes a bit in March; dates change every year because all of the French regions don’t have the same dates for these holidays so teenagers will be in holidays 1st, 2nd or 3rd depending the year & region. Lots of people who can afford it will go skiing in the mountains one week; it’s pretty expensive so not everyone do that but still a lot.

“Vacances de Pâques / vacances de printemps” (Easter holidays / Spring holidays): Again 2 weeks, with dates changing like in February. Mostly around April, sometimes end of March. People tend to stay home or go a bit in the South of France if they can afford it or have enough time where the weather is warmer, some will visit family members, etc.

“Grandes vacances” (= big holidays or as you would say, Summer holidays): Lasts 2 months in July & August. School ends either end of June or beginning of July depending the grade you’re in and the end of the year exams you have, and will start again at the beginning of September. Some teens would go on family holidays somewhere (mostly to the sea or the mountains or abroad), some in summer camps, some would stay at home, some all of those.

Anyway, in all those holidays teens can meet-up and hang-out with their friends, do sleepovers, etc.

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School trips

School trips always have a cultural & educational purpose and will depend on the subject they’re being made for. You can visit museums, special cultural or historical places, etc. Most of the time you leave for the day by bus.

In some cases you can do a 3 to 5 days (or more depending your school) trip to another European country like England or Spain or Germany, maybe Italy. Those are opportunities to learn more about the other country’s culture (I know that when we did those trips we stayed in hosting families) learn and speak a bit the language, and learn history of the country depending on the outings of the day.

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Anything else fandom tends to miss?

Ok so it could take a lot of time and everything isn’t coming to my mind but one of the main thing I tend to see in fics is “Americanisation” of the French school system if that makes sense. Which is logical because it’s kind of hard to understand how everything works in another country without living in it.

For instance lots of people in fics write things like “they share maths classes together but not French, so Adrien takes Marinette to her class before going to his” and not really: you stay the whole year with the same classmates and share all your courses with them. Only exceptions are if you took some particular options (like someone took Latin and the other took ancient Greek or nothing), or depending the 2nd language you chose to learn (German or Spanish usually but some schools offer more choices). Or if you’re in a practical course, then you class might be split in half but with Marinette & Adrien’s class, they’re already not numerous so I’d say the whole class would share them together.

There’s a lot of other things but they’re not coming to my mind right now or are too long to detail there (for instance what I said above about scientific/economic&social/arts courses), but I’ll make sure to share them if I think about it :)

Thanks for the ask, I hope I answered what you were looking for!! ♥

#ask #mirthalia #ml french culture

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barely-alive-shrimp · 3 years

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About PSP Jeanne d’Arc ’s historical references

You know, Jeanne d’Arc for PSP is a funny game: while clearly not being very historically accurate (orcs and magical armlets in the Hundred Years’ War? Huh, they don’t tell you about things like that on History lessons), it still contains some interesting nods to history, some of which are quite obscure. I’ve collected some of them, mostly about historical figures and some events that I consider to be most interesting. This is going to be a long post, and there will be some spoilers, but I’ll put a warning so you could skip that part if you haven’t played the whole game yet. Oh, and sorry for any mistakes – I’m not a native speaker, so I hope there won’t be too many of them. I tried my best :P

[Note: I kept referring to her as Jeanne d’Arc here, although, as far as I understand, it is more common to call her Joan of Arc in English. I’ll leave it as it is, if you don’t mind ^^’]

Okay, I think I’ll start with the characters. There are quite a lot of characters who were based off real people: aside from the most obvious ones (Jeanne d’Arc, Gilles de Rais, Henry VI, Charles VII and some others), we have the following (I tried to find some paintings and pictures where possible):

Jean and Bertrand are based off Jean de Metz and Bertrand de Poulengy, who were Jeanne’s trusted allies during the Hundred Years’ War. They both had great respect for Jeanne and escorted her on her journey to the dauphin.

Colet’s prototype is most likely Colet de Vienne, a royal messenger who also escorted Jeanne d’Arc on her way to Chinon. Little is known about him, other than that he was accompanied by an archer named Richard – probably a prototype for Marcel. I guess they changed his name so he won’t be confused with the other Richard, who is also a playable character. By the way, it seems that the name ‘Marcel’ means “little warrior” in French, so if game developers chose that name intentionally (and I think they did), that’s a very nice little touch!

Étienne de Vignolles, more known as La Hire, was among France’s best commanders and was one of Jeanne d’Arc’s most trusted allies. Described as quite an arrogant man, he was a fearsome warrior and fought alongside Jeanne at Orleans and during the Battle of Patay. You can also find this prayer of his: “God, I pray Thee that today Thou wilt do for La Hire that which Thou wouldst have La Hire do for Thee, if he were God and Thou wert La Hire.” – perhaps, much like his in-game version, he did have a habit of talking about himself in the third person.

Richard was probably based off Brother Richard, a Franciscan monk who knew Jeanne. I couldn’t find any other information about him, though, except for this design for an opera.

The next one is a bit of a stretch, to be honest. It seems Bartolomeo does have a historical prototype, but it’s not clear who it was; he may or may not be based off Bartolomeo d'Alviano, an Italian captain who fought on the side of Spain against France. He didn’t have much to do with the Hundred Years’ War, though; moreover, he was born after Jeanne was burned at the stake.

Robert de Baudricourt was a captain of the royal garrison at Vaucouleurs. When Jeanne d’Arc came to him, saying she has a mission from God and asking for assistance, he was very skeptical at first, but since Jeanne was very persistent, he eventually provided her an escort to visit the Dauphin. The game didn’t change it much.

John Talbot was an English military commander known as “English Achilles” for his bravery. Despite being one of the most feared warriors, he was respected so much that when he was captured, Charles VII released him without asking for ransom.

Sir William Glasdale was an English captain who commanded the troops in the fort Les Tourelles. Jeanne d’Arc wrote a letter to him, pleading him to lift the siege of the fort, but he refused to do so, and Jeanne’s troops started the assault to take Les Tourelles back. During the assault, Glasdale fell into the Loire River and drowned, as his armor was too heavy.

Both Georges de La Trémoille and Arthur de Richemont were indeed Charles’s trusted servants. Georges also survived an attempt of assassination – as described, “thanks to his obesity”, and, as you can see in the game, the developers had that part in their heads, as well. :) Here’s a picture of Arthur de Richemont, I couldn’t find any paintings of real life Georges de La Trémoille, but I’ll add a picture of his in-game version a bit later.

There’s an interesting detail about Charles VII himself: have you ever looked at his in-game portrait and thought: “Man, they didn’t have to draw him such a big nose”? Well, that’s probably because real Charles VII was actually described as a man with a big nose! That’s another “well done” to the game developers.

As for Bedford – his actual name was John of Lancaster, ‘The Duke of Bedford’ was only his title. I don’t know, maybe that’s obvious, but I spent a good part of walkthrough thinking Bedford was his name. His real name not being mentioned and all the other characters calling him just “Bedford” certainly didn’t help. :P

* * *

All right, now I’m going to dive into some historical events and characters’ relationships that might spoil some events of the game for you. Please, go to the “SPOILERS END” mark if you haven’t finished the game yet and want to see everything for yourself.

SPOILERS

Okay, first of all, the game heavily implies Charles VII had a difficult relationship with his mother, Isabeau of Bavaria. Real life Isabeau of Bavaria claimed that Charles VII wasn’t the trueborn son of Charles VI, thus couldn’t be the rightful king of France, so I doubt the queen loved her son very much. The game tries to explain it with the demonic possession of Isabeau – still, her last words before she was (presumably) killed by Henry VI/Gilvaroth were confusing and quite out-of-nowhere to me.

Georges de La Trémoille disliked Jeanne d’Arc and, as some historians believe, was involved in a plot against her that ultimately led to her death – both in real life and the game. Of course, we all remember that in the game it wasn’t Jeanne who ended up at the stake…

The Battle of Patay (June, 1489) was one of Jeanne d’Arc’s greatest victories during the Hundred Years’ war. In this battle, the feared “Terror of French” John Talbot was finally captured. I’m not sure if this one was intended or not, but this stage in the game is the last time you see Talbot – well, not until he suddenly reappears late in the game, only to help you and never to be seen again.

Do you remember the part where Liane went overwhelmed with her great power and responsibility (hehe) and tried to recapture Paris by herself? Real Jeanne d’Arc also tried to break the siege of Paris, but the attempt failed and she and her troops were ordered to withdraw. After that, the nobles’ disappointment with her had reached its highest point, and Jeanne’s fate was pretty much sealed – much like Liane’s.

And, of course, the darkest nod to the history is Gilles de Rais, known as a serial killer and possibly a pedophile (there are some historians who believe he was framed, but that’s not the point for now). On the other hand, in-game Gilles is a nice and noble guy and never betrays you or does something violent. At the end of the game, he sacrifices himself so Gilvaroth would be trapped inside of his body, and, considering the real history, the demon probably got him in the end. This reference is more well-known and has been discussed at several forums, but I still cannot help but mention it.

Also, on a less disturbing note – see how Gilles is drawn with a lily? That’s because Charles VII allowed de Rais to add this flower on their family crest, which was considered a great honor, as lily symbolized the power of the Crown (that’s what I heard, at least).

SPOILERS END

These are the most interesting historical references of the game, in my opinion. Thank you for reading and feel free to correct me and/or add the details I’ve missed! My DM is closed for now, but you can correct me via reblogs, if you want. ^^

#Jeanne d'Arc PSP #JDA PSP #Jeanne d'Arc #Joan of Arc #Why am I even doing this

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foreverlogical · 3 years

Link

In his continuing quest to remain president despite having lost this month’s election, President Donald Trump has been trying to wrest electoral votes away from Joe Biden in states that Biden won. Among the most aggressive tactics that the President might use is a direct appeal to the Republican-controlled legislatures of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania to hand him those state’s electoral votes.

On Thursday, the post-election narrative seemed to edge further down that path, as the Republican leaders of Michigan’s two legislative chambers—Senator Mike Shirkey and Representative Lee Chatfield—agreed to take a meeting with the President in Washington tomorrow. Until that point Shirkey and Chatfield were signaling that they didn’t intend to second-guess Michigan’s voters, who chose Biden by more than 150,000 votes. But by taking the White House meeting, they indicated their possible openness to changing their minds.

Politically, it’s possible that they see taking the meeting as a smart move, showing unhappy Michigan Republicans that they’re on the president’s side.

But as a matter of statesmanship—and, legally, for their own sakes—they’d be smarter to cancel it.

The scheduled meeting threatens two kinds of danger. At the largest level, it threatens the system of democratic presidential elections: If state officials start claiming the right to overturn elections because of vague claims about “fraud,” our democratic system will be unworkable. But in a more specific and immediate way, it threatens the two Michigan legislators, personally, with the risk of criminal investigation.

The danger to democratic elections is well-understood. The Constitution authorizes state legislatures to decide how states choose presidential electors. For more than a century, every state legislature has chosen to do it by popular election. According to one school of thought, though, a state legislature could choose to set aside a popular vote if it doesn’t like the result and choose different electors instead. This is a pretty undemocratic idea, as well as one that misreads the history of election law: the National Review recently described it as “completely insane.” (State legislatures have the power to change the system for choosing electors in future elections, but not to reject an already-conducted election just because they don’t like the result.) Nonetheless, the President is pushing for it. By so far refusing to go along with Trump, Republican state legislators have been standing up for the idea that fair, democratic elections are more important than any individual president. If Shirkey and Chatfield are reconsidering that view, they are playing with the possibility of throwing out the results of a free and fair election. That’s not something that the system comes back from easily.

The scheduled White House meeting also poses another kind of danger—one hanging specifically over the two Michiganders whose minds Trump seeks to change. Consider: Why, exactly, does President Trump want to see these two men in person, in his office? It isn’t to offer evidence that Michigan’s election was tainted and should therefore be nullified. If he had any such evidence, his lawyers would have presented it in court, rather than abandoning their Michigan lawsuitas they did today. It’s also unlikely that Trump is planning to persuade the Michiganders through subtle legal arguments about their constitutional role. Subtle argument isn’t really Trump’s way of doing things.

The president is a dealmaker, and it’s far more likely that his agenda is transactional. When considering a course of action, he doesn’t think about principles; he thinks about what’s in it for whom. So it makes sense to think that he is inviting Shirkey and Chatfield for a private meeting to offer them something. If they help throw the election to him, he can offer a lot. Give me Michigan’s electoral votes, he might say, and I’ll give you a cabinet post or make you Ambassador to Spain. President Trump is also not above offering cash: Give me the votes, and I’ll see to it that lots of money flows to places where you want it—to your state, or to you personally. (That would be an outrageous allegation to have made about Barack Obama or George W. Bush. But the president who paid illicit cash to Stormy Daniels to protect his first presidential run shouldn’t be presumed to scruple at paying more illicit cash to protect his second one.)

The danger for Shirkey and Chatfield, then, is that they are being visibly invited to a meeting where the likely agenda involves the felony of attempting to bribe a public official.

Under Michigan law, any member of the legislature who “corruptly” accepts a promise of some beneficial act in return for exercising his authority in a certain way is “forever disqualified to hold any public office” and “shall be guilty of a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison not more than 10 years[.]”

To be sure, there’s lots of horse-trading in politics that doesn’t amount to bribery. There’s nothing legally wrong with “You vote for my turnpike project, and I’ll vote for your dam.” But the prospect before Shirkey and Chatfield isn’t legislative logrolling, with representatives negotiating policy or even pork-barrel spending. It’s the prospect of a promise to deliver something of value to the officeholder personally. In other words, we aren’t talking about Trump’s saying “Here’s what’s in it for your constituents.” The prospect, in a one-on-one meeting with this president, is Trump’s saying “Here’s what’s in it for you.”

Shirkey and Chatfield are already on record—admirably—as being against a legislative intervention to ignore the popular vote and reallocate Michigan’s electors. If they take a meeting with a man who desperately wants them to change their minds, and who has no scruples about what kind of leverage he might use to get it, and then they do change their minds and try to send Michigan’s electors to Trump, the possibility that they were bribed will be screamingly obvious.

To be sure, it might not be true: Maybe Shirkey and Chatfield fear Trump’s supporters in the next election so much that they’d change their minds without a direct bribe on the table. But the bribery possibility is strong enough that a responsible prosecutor might feel compelled to pursue it. And the relevant prosecutor—Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel—is a straight-shooting Democrat who does not pal around with Shirkey and Chatfield. If she thought the facts justified an investigation, Shirkey and Chatfield would be investigated.

If the risk of prosecution were federal, the two men might figure they had little to worry about: President Trump, in his second term, would tell the Justice Department to lay off. But the president can’t stop a state prosecution, and he can’t pardon a state crime. Nor would the president’s conversations with Shirkey and Chatfield be shielded from investigation by any sort of executive privilege: Shirkey and Chatfield are not members of the president’s federal policymaking team. So if the Michigan attorney general decided to proceed, Shirkey and Chatfield would be looking—in the best-case scenario—at the pain and disrepute of subpoenas and a criminal investigation. In a less-good-case scenario for them, they’d be looking at the loss of their office and their liberty.

The point here is not that Shirkey and Chatfield are shady characters who might be involved in bribery. Let’s assume that they are honorable and upstanding public servants. But one thing that people who try to stay clean know is that it’s unwise to put yourself in a situation where it will look like you’ve broken the law—or, worse yet, where you might be induced to do so. “Lead us not into temptation” is well known as a religious precept: it’s also excellent legal advice.

The Trump Administration is nearing its end. Any other president who got these results on Election Day would have conceded gracefully and now be cooperating in a peaceful transfer of power—giving his successor’s team the information it needed so that from the stroke of noon on January 20, it could begin protecting American national security, fighting the Covid pandemic, and so forth. President Trump is choosing to block all of that constructive work so that he can avoid admitting that the other guy won. He is doing a fair amount of damage on his way out. That damage is hurting the country in general, and it will also hurt specific people.

A drowning man grabs at anything, and a strong drowning man brings other people down with him. To this point, Republican legislators in Michigan—and in other states where Trump might try to tip the scales, like Wisconsin and Pennsylvania—have wisely kept their distance. That’s good for them, personally, and it’s also good for democracy. If they’re smart, and the country is lucky, that’s how things will stay.

VISIT WEBSITE

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armand-kaloshi · 3 years

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Short Essay #1

Legitimacy, ownership and perspective… what do those words mean to you? You can define legitimacy as what is justified and validated. Ownership can be defined as the legal right of possession. Lastly, perspective can be defined as how something is viewed, their point of view, the understanding of something given one or multiple sides. These terms are seen as themes throughout readings such from Chatterjee’s and Galeano’s writings. We see these terms, seen as themes as well in the writing of these two authors. In Galeano’s writings, it talks about Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the new world; voyage 1493. Galeano talks about the Spanish colonization of Latin America and Columbus first landing in what we know as Haiti. Columbus describes how when he first meets the Indians, he met them as peaceable as they “knew nothing of swords.” At this point, the colonization turned aggressive as the Spaniards exterminate the Indians and enslave the rest of them, returning them to Spain as well as their resources. The colonization was eagerly looking for spices such as pepper which were a rich resource as well as the gold and silver on the land that they also obtained. The colonizers had tricked and pretended to be friendly with the Native American’s just for their resources. A quotation from the writing that amplifies this text, stated on page 13, “with it he who has it does as he wills in the world and it even sends souls to paradise.” This quote explains the brought of violence, murder, and forced labor put upon the natives in Latin America. Now going back to legitimacy, ownership, and perspective; we can see all different kinds of examples that showcase these terms. The colonization, the enslaving, the murdering that all occurred in this voyage only to benefit the Spaniards. Perspective of how you can view Christopher Columbus and the other colonizers, how you can view King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella as their rulers, etc. The ownership of the murdering and colonizing and wrongdoing of the colonizers they must hold; which carries on to the legitimacy and what is truly justified of this history. Furthermore, just like in Chatterjee’s writings of nationalism that is spoken upon. Chatterjee’s writes about how India tries to adapt to the modern era at the time examples like language, and women getting involved in literature and going to school. Chatterjee’s also writes about the interaction of the Europeans and the Indians, how the Indians are behind and lacking compared to the Europeans. Legitimacy, ownership and perspective come into play again throughout such topics and examples in both of these authors writings.

With the connection and supplement of a contemporary event covered in a newspaper, I chose a writing regarding Christopher Columbus’ voyage and the facts and details of the the voyage and more about his life. Most of the details which are covered in Galeano’s writing is included in this newsletter as well, which is what you could think is an appropriate connection and supplement newspaper.

https://www.history.com/topics/exploration/christopher-columbus

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eternalrevivalist · 3 years

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Greece: A historical essay - Part 2/4

ROMAN AND BYZANTINE GREECE:

It is often said that the Romans conquered Greece with might, but the Greeks conquered Rome with their culture. Much of Roman religion, mythology, alphabet, language, culture and philosophy were heavily based on Greek ideas and sometimes even outright taken and implemented with few differences.

In terms of Philosophy, the Roman period brings us the grand life practice of Stoicism, the advancement of Platonism and Aristotelianism, the mathematically-based philosophy of the Pythagoreans, and finally the rival of Stoic thought, Epicureanism. Platonism and Aristotelianism heavily influenced the later faiths of Christianity and Early Islam, Stoicism and Epicureanism were the main two philosophies of the educated and literate class in the late Roman Republic.

Rome itself is another large topic, so I will do my best to be brief here (although I could not help myself and included some of interesting, yet irrelevant, details).

Originally, Rome was a city-state of farmers who fought for the expansion of their civilization. Most of the early history we have of Rome is filled with righteous and defensive wars. in the absence of other, non-roman, sources, we have to take these claims with a grain of salt. But regardless of how the wars were started or who was at fault for them, we know that Rome expanded rapidly through Italy, uniting the peninsula, and then continuing into Southern France, Eastern Spain, and North Africa. At their height, they controlled all lands surrounding the Mediterranean, Babylon and most of Western Europe.

The basis and ideal of Roman society was the model of the citizen-farmer-soldier, this was referred to as “Romanitas” or “Roman-ness”. A Roman was expected to actively participate in the political life of the city (citizen), have a few acres of farmland and some cattle (farmer), to sustain their family and to maintain their weapons and armor in peacetime, so they’ll be ready to defend their country whenever it is threatened as a united army of levied militia (soldier).

Politically, The Romans were in a constant tug-of-war between aristocratic and republican governance. In the beginning of the Roman Republic, the wealthy patricians and, to a degree, the middle equestrian class, were the only people allowed in most government offices. After some years of vocal plebeian dissatisfaction with this state of affairs, the Plebs got their own office in the Tribune of the Plebs, soon after laws barring Plebeians from government offices were repealed and eventually they could hold most offices and legal privileges by class were mostly nullified. For a small number of years during the late Republican period, a silver lining was found. New problems appeared though and the Republic could not avoid being replaced by an empire. This situation lend itself to 2 broad political factions: The populists and the aristocrats.

With the Roman conquests of north Africa after the Punic wars, there was a great supply of slaves coming into Roman territories. The wealthy Romans used the absence of the soldiers from their farms to buy them out and expanded them through slave labor. Since slaves require no wages, these farms operated very cheaply and with great profit compared to the small farms of the soldier-farmers who were just returning home. Most were eventually outcompeted, had to sell their farms and flood to the city for urban work. The cities were not in a much better shape, slaves there would work in manufactories of sorts, creating urban goods at little expense. In the end, Roman citizens became a squalid underclass in the fringes of Roman society, dependent on the state or rich patronage for their sustenance and selling their only property, the vote, to the wealthy each election season.

The Populist Gracchi brothers, descendants of a rich plebeian family who had gotten into the Senate, pushed for reform, specifically land reform, in favor of these dispossessed roman citizens. The Oligarchic senators, in a paranoid frenzy, murdered both of them because of their fear that they had aspirations of becoming kings. Their laws were left unimplemented or outright repealed. The state of the common citizen did not improve.

The Late Roman Empire right before Caesar’s dictatorship.

Red: The empire’s extent at 68 B.C.

Yellow: Caesar’s conquests as military commander

Blue: Pompeii’s conquests

Green: Roman client states

Afterwards, there were the Marian reforms, named after the populist Gaius Marius, which turned the Roman army into a paid professional force and then the dictatorship of his enemy Sulla. Eventually we reach the age of Julius Caesar, who established a life-long dictatorship before being murdered, his successor, Octavian (Augustus), took over and formed the Roman Empire. Caesar’s solution to the state of the average citizen was to provide them the famous “Bread and Circuses”, he created and expanded the Roman welfare state in an effort to win over the people. While this program is often disliked as a dictatorial measure to pacify the masses, I believe it is important to judge it compared to the previous state of life. Despite that, it would still be appropriate to call it a band-aid solution at best.

Throughout all of these changes, Greeks remained mostly unaffected, only being involved in the wars, civil wars and one major failed revolt, where the Greek regions were devastated for a few years. The emperor Hadrian at one point went to Greece, where he had served as Archon of Athens before the start of his rule, and tried to organize the Greek cities into an autonomous Koinon (Commonwealth/League), which was not materialized de facto in any way unfortunately.

At this point in time, Christianity appears as a faith, first mentioned around 70 A.D., it spreads to many of the Eastern Roman provinces and Greeks are some of the first ethnic groups to convert to it, creating substantial Christian communities all over the mainland, its islands, the coasts of the Levant and Asia Minor. By the 4th century, Greece is almost completely Christianized.

The Roman empire was eventually split into two parts by Diocletian, in order to be more efficiently governed. This cut off the more wealthy eastern provinces from the western Empire, which was in great need of funds. The Western Roman empire was barely able to last 170 years after the split, whereas the East lasted, in one form or another, until the 15th century A.D.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, we arrive at the Eastern Roman Empire, with its capital in Constantinople, where emperor Justinian takes the Throne in 527 A.D. He implements great legal and economic reforms, strengthens the army and sends it to many of the fallen parts of the former Western Roman empire to take them back. With his capable general Belisarius by his side, he conquers north-western Africa/former Carthage (modern-day Tunisia and north Algeria) from the Vandals, takes back Italy from the Ostrogoths and pushes the Visigoths of Spain to the interior, gaining back its south-eastern coast. These great conquests stretch the empire’s armies thin, greatly burden its economy and, combined with a devastating plague, lead to the rapid loss of all that land not even 50 years after it was attained.

Justinian’s Empire by 555 A.D.

This is often considered the beginning of the Byzantine Empire. With the loss of these territories, the empire is once again isolated mostly to the territories of the Greek population, with the only notable exceptions, Egypt and the Levant, being lost to the emerging Arab caliphate of the Rashidun and its new faith of Islam.

The Arabs would be the main enemies of the Hellenized Eastern Roman Empire until the arrival of the Turks in the late 11th century.

The Byzantine empire is considered to have become officially Greek with the reign of Heraclius (610 - 641 A.D.), who made Greek the official language of administration in the empire, abandoning Latin.

The powerhouse of the Byzantines was Asia-Minor for the most part and it was generally concentrated in Asia-Minor and Mainland Greece, occasionally ruling over most of the Balkans and parts of Syria but rarely having the strength to venture further.

Within the Byzantine Empire we get the formation of the Christian Orthodox dogma, traditions and structure. Even before the official split with the catholic church in 1054.

The Byzantine empire was legally an elective autocracy. The Emperor was viewed as a politically-neutral defender of justice and the Christian faith, the role was likened to the referee in a sporting event, handing warnings or punishment to bad actors and prizes to fair winners. The elective element came from the legal requirement that the successor to the emperor should be chosen through a vote of the senate, something which could be (and always was) bypassed by 2 methods: The emperor had the right to appoint a co-emperor/caesar/despot (the name of the title changed over time), who functioned as a vice-president of sorts, and that individual would become the emperor after the old Emperor’s death. So emperors chose their successors by handing them the office and made elections redundant. The other route was a palace coup or open rebellion. Byzantine politics were generally very cut-throat affairs and political ministers had to always watch their backs for rivals while also avoiding the emperor’s wrath.

In 1071, Byzantine forces are defeated at Manzikert by migratory Turks, who proceed to invade Asia Minor and conquer as far as the Aegean coast, the picture above shows the areas of control around 1081.

The Byzantine emperor Alexios I seeks aid from the Pope and Western Europe in beating back the Turks and Arabs, this call for help is utilized by the pope to start the first Crusade. The first few crusades help the Byzantines reconquer much of Asia Minor again, helping the “Komnenian restoration” period of Byzantium, even if they also lead to territorial disputes with the new Crusader states of the region.

Despite that, after only a few years Byzantium keeps declining territorially and is dealt a great blow during the 4th Crusade, which gets derailed by an exiled Emperor who promises great wealth to the Crusaders if they take Constantinople for him. long story short, they take it, he cannot pay them because the treasury is empty, they loot the city and divide the empire amongst themselves.

Some Greek Byzantine remnant states are created, with the most important among them being the Empire of Nicaea, the Despotate of Epirus and the Empire of Trebizond. These gradually kick the Latin states out of mainland Greece and Anatolia, until the empire is reunited by the Palaiologoi dynasty of the empire of Nicaea.

After some internal fracturing of their own, the Turks unite behind the relatively new Ottoman dynasty-state and start conquering the Greek mainland and Balkans during the 14th century, until finally taking the city of Constantinople itself in 1453. Ending Byzantium, the final remnant of the Roman empire.

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