#'$60????? are they giving out gold bars with the tickets too?????'

[suffer-forever]

Frank Iero fans, you all should have been suspicious of how in touch these band members are when this shit happened:

like. this is what people are really paying for their shows unless you are lucky enough to find $100 nosebleeds. all of my chem's peers are still charging $20-45 a ticket for the most part. these are no longer the cute emo kids who live in the next county over and they never will be again!

[verdantspringcourtyard]

Revolving Realm of Sin Event

A new 2-week long event that coincides with the release of SP Menreiki. It's a relatively simple event that consists of 2 main parts; tower climbing and a draft duel type activity. The former only lasts for 1 week, while the latter lasts for 2 weeks

Tower Climbing

(sorry, don't know how to translate the name of this so it's just gonna be called Tower Climbing here)

Defeat Menreiki bosses and unlock some server rewards. Costs 1 event AP to do or 5 AP to do with no event currency drops, it's solo only, there's no time limit and can be done on auto. When entering this part for the first time, can pick your preferred drop type (evo, gold, EXP or souls) and can also pick a support shiki. Drops are pretty much the same in all the stages and between stages 5-10 there's only a difference of 4000 for event currency (s5 gives ~4000, s10 gives ~9000). The support shiki feature lets you borrow another person's shiki, however, the selection you can choose from is random. When a support shiki gets borrowed a lot, the owner of said shiki will get some rewards. Only people with 16 or more 6* shiki can put one up for borrowing.

Every time you defeat a boss within 10 turns a new stage will be unlocked, there are a total of 10 stages of increasing difficulty. Also after defeating a boss you may notice a bar on the left side of the screen. Depending on whether you can defeat bosses in more/less than 10 turns, you'll move faster/slower up the bar. If you move fast you'll out run Menreiki, if you move too slow she catch you. There doesn't seem to be any benefit or penalty to this.

There are some entire server rewards that include; some gold, 100 AP, 30 mochi, 4* white daruma, 50 gold orochi scales, a SP Menreiki chat sticker, special realm card and 1 blue summon ticket. Rewards are unlocked by getting a shadowy eye item from defeating bosses, can get an amount equal to the stage difficulty (s10 gives 10 eyes).

Buffs

Before challenging the boss, you may notice a mask icon for some buffs. The masks can be obtained by defeating bosses or by buying them from the exchange shop, max you can get is 100. The buff effects are;

10: Ally with the highest crit DMG has a 60% to gain another turn with reduced onibi cost for skills.

30: Increases ATK by 1500 and crit by 15%, excess crit will be converted into crit DMG.

50: After an ally moves, have a 100% chance to get 2 onibi.

70: Single target (and random target) damage also deals 15% splash damage.

100: Increases damage dealt in the 1st 3 turns by 30%/20%/11%.

The masks also provide 1% ATK and 1% DEF buffs per 1 mask. It caps out at 100%.

Courtyard of Reincarnation

dThis is a fun draft duel type activity where you make your way through randomly generated stages. Requires 1 key to play through 1 stage, when you have no keys can use 20 AP instead but you won't get any event currency. Before starting, you must pick 7 shiki to use in your current playthrough. In each stage, you must make your way through various branching rooms that all lead to the Menreiki boss at the end. There are 4 room types;

Boss: Fight against a random drafted team. Upon winning you will be presented with 3 choices; take 1 of the enemy team's shiki, receive extra exclusive currency or take the enemy's buff.

Elite Boss/End Boss: Same as regular bosses but with a boss Menreiki.

Random Encounter: Will be given a random offer that you can take or decline. Offers include; replace 1 of your shiki with ? shiki, take a ? buff, take a ? summonable shiki or evo a shiki.

Shop: Can purchase items from a random selection with the Courtyard's unique currency. Every shop has 5 shiki, 3 buffs, 1 summonable shiki, "evo a shiki" option and a revive item.

After clearing a stage you will be presented with 3 choices; continue (requires 1 key or 20 AP), take a break or quit (progress will be reset). With every stage cleared, the enemy stats will be gradually increased. If you get defeated by a boss and have no revives, your current playthrough will end and your progress will be reset.

When it comes to picking shiki for your draft team, it's important to pay attention to their passive marks. Every shiki has 2 passive marks, when your team has 2 or more of the same mark, the passive effects for it will be unlocked. It's best to make a team with 5 of the same mark.

The best teams on CN test server were the Kinnara + Peach&Karashi team, SP Ubu team and full 5 N frog teams. In the later stages, a reviver shiki may become necessary.

Far and Wide Corridors

This is an Ibuki/Talisman Pass type thing. There are 2 sets of rewards, top row is F2P and bottom row is P2W. The cost to unlock the bottom row is 68 s-jade (CN price). Rewards are unlocked by getting EXP from the tower climbing and Courtyard of Reincarnation, need a total of 700 EXP to unlock everything. A max of 100 EXP from tower climbing and 60 EXP from the Courtyard can be farmed every day. The EXP is not a drop so you need to check this part of the event to see how much you have.

Rewards for the top row include; gold, 100 AP, gold orochi scales, 2 3* pamphlets, 2 black daruma shards, 4* white daruma and an animated icon frame. Rewards for the bottom row include; a bunch of event AP, 500 AP, 100 demon souls, 2 5* EXP pamphlets, 10 black daruma shards, 5* white daruma and a new realm skin.

It is not possible to get the new realm skin without spending money.

Exchange Shop

The exchange shop has 3 tabs. The first 1 is unlocked by default, while the 2nd and 3rd tabs become unlocked after accumulating a total of 1-2 mill event currency. The most notable items are:

Tab 1: an animated icon frame, a loading screen illust (same as the one in the prelude event), 2 SP Menreiki chat stickers, 1 blue summon ticket, 3* white daruma, a bunch of items for the event that refresh daily.

Tab 2: a new loading screen illust, 2 SP Menreiki chat stickers,1 blue summon ticket, 6* transfer ticket, 4* white daruma, 50 jade.

Tab 3: random SSR/SP, a black daruma, new Hakuzousu skin, new loading screen illust, 2 SP Menreiki chat stickers, 5* white daruma, 50 jade, shiki shard event pack, guaranteed 6* soul event pack, daruma/AP event pack and a realm card/jade event pack.

Each event pack can be bought a max of 200 times.

If you want to farm for a lot of event currency, you will need to buy the event AP for the tower climbing and farm that during the week it is available. Although you can get event currency from the draft duel Courtyard, it's not optimal for farming due to be being really slow and having no auto.

Recommended Teams

Tower Climbing

The first 3 teams require targeting, while the last 2 teams are full auto. Minimum SPD to move before enemies is 124.

Note for beginners: on test server, the moment you cleared a stage with a support shiki, they were automatically removed from your team. In other words, support shiki could not be used to farm this part of the event.

[miss-kittys-magical-library]

60. “have you always been this beautiful?” + 68. “You owe me a kiss.” for sean/reader plssss?

Glitter in The Air (Sean X Reader)

A/N: This is just pure Sean Falco bubble gum cotton candy fluff just for Joz ☺️☺️😍

You held your finger above the mouse and debated which road to take:

Add him. It's only been four years, but he's bound to remember you.

Forget it. It’s been four years, how would he ever remember you?!

Without a second thought you clicked add friend on the Facebook name “SeanFalco92.” You typed out a little note just in case.

Hey, Sean.

I'm sorry about what happened at the University. You're a bit infamous. Not every day the quiet Irishman gives it to the campus police. That fire hydrant was ugly anyways.

Y/N, The Dark Room Princess

Then you switched off the internet to prevent yourself from nervously checking every ten minutes to see a response. So you poured yourself a cup of coffee and put your headphones in. It was gonna be an all-nighter on your grad school thesis.

Your computer made a loud ping noise that startled you from sleep you didn't realize you had fallen into. You raised your head and looked at the time “11am.” Thank God, still a few hours until you had to turn in your thesis. Then you were free to never worry about university again, until the loans rolled in. You groaned.

Still you adjusted yourself and your glasses to read the message that had come up alongside the friend request acceptance.

Hey! Yeah it's totally been awhile. How have you been? I felt the wrath of my parents when they bailed me out. Due for a bit of community payback for a few months. Sorry “Service.” Next time I won't get nicked.

Not quite sure about the dark room reference, but was thinking you should meet me at the carnival on Friday. I know I shouldn't be on campus, but I had tickets before everything went down. Care to be my reason for still showing my face after all that humiliation?

Sean

You shook your head and laughed. He definitely didn't remember you, and you weren't exactly sure what he was up to. Who turns down an opportunity to spend the night with Sean Falco?

You took your time replying. Showering. Eating lunch. Printing your thesis and assembling it. Not wanting to appear eager in your reply. He pinged again.

You there? It looked like you were online. Sorry, didn't mean to appear so needy or forward. I just thought it’d be nice to be reacquainted.

You cocked an eyebrow, cheeks flushed a bit and finally returned a response.

Yeah. I would like that. I live in the Madison apartments. Get to Union station (I'm guessing you lost your license?) and we’ll take the Gold Line back to campus. See you at 7.

Sean's comeback was immediate.

It's a date!

Your face grew even hotter. Fuck, it's a date.

-----

You couldn't help but be nervous as you paced around the front steps of your apartment complex. You felt confident in the cute outfit you rushed out and bought impulsively. Or how you bit the bullet and got your hair done too after you delivered your thesis. You claimed it was in celebration of the rest of your life and nothing to do with the tall, lanky Irishman now headed your way.

“Sean!” a bit startled as you turned around in his direction.

Curly hair a bit wild, his jeans looking industrial but you knew they weren't bought that way. The purple tee-shirt he wore somehow made his leafy green eyes positively stunning. His hand was outstretched with a flower held towards you.

“T’ought I might go a bit old-fashioned t’night,” you took the --- from him. “Maybe a bit o’ congratulations for finishing your t’esis paper.”

Glad your hair covered your ears because you knew the tips were bright red. You never remembered his lilt being that strong or noticeable. Maybe for some strange reason it was his nerves too?

“A Peony? Sean, these are my favorites! How’d you know?” you smelled it briefly before you tucked it away behind your ear. Pleasantly surprised. “Thank you.”

“I may have creeped around your photos a bit, hope ye don't mind?” Sean raised his hands and crinkled one of his eyes shut.

“This is my first flower from anyone, so I'll take some light stalking in the meantime. We should hurry though, the train leaves in ten minutes.”

The two of you side by side. You sat turned to face him, back towards the window of the car. Sean faced forward and stole sideways glances while you talked.

“So what does a young lady with a Masters in Art History do fer livin?”

“I want to restore old paintings at the Met in New York, but I'll probably be stuck here in Portland till I'm thirty. What about you, think you can bypass a degree and still be a photojournalist? Maybe and Irish Ansel Adams?”

Sean laughed, “How did you know any of that?” He looked directly at you with a gleam in his eyes.

“You really don't remember me do you?”

You took a chance and slid your hand into his to prevent him from picking at a loose thread in his shirt. Sean easily enclosed it without hesitation.

“Mostly!” Cheek hidden in his smile. “I just thought something about ye clicked in my brain. Can't figure out why, but was hopin’ going out with ye would jog my mind. Is t’at ok?”

There was no time to answer. Soon enough you were back on campus. You talked Sean into some french fries and corn dogs before tugging at his hand excitedly.

“Ok, the Ferris Wheel! Let's do that first? We should be able to see downtown, and it'll be dusk by the time we get on.”

Sean hesitated as his eyes glanced up towards the top. A flash of nerves behind his eyes, but he gave up and shrugged. Obediently following you in line while he ate, a bit sullen.

Surely the guy who just fought a fire hydrant and a cop wouldn't be scared of heights, you thought. Then you flashed back to that day Freshman year and Sean's panicked voice in the dark. His ragged breath and palms that sweat through your tee shirt as he held onto your shoulders.

You shoved a cheese fry in your mouth as the line staggered forward slow and steady. The conversation had died quite suddenly, but you knew you had to take the chance. Cheesy romantic comedy as this all was, who doesn't want to be with a hot guy alone stuck on a ride?

“Uh y/n?” The giggle was back in Sean’s voice now as you broke from your reverie. “You've got some..” His thumb swiped at the corner of your mouth before he lifted it to his own. “Cheese.”

“Thank.. you?” The tension was silent and awkward.

Then, as the two of you simply stared at each other, Sean let out a sound somewhere between a strangled laugh and a snort. It was infectious, and you instantly joined in. That type of laughter you aren't sure how people achieve, but it leaves you breathless and annoying to everyone in your sight.

“I don't know.. why..I licked.. my thumb,” he wheezed around the most childlike giggle. “It was like a weird compulsion.” The way he said the word came out like “way-rd,” and instigated more laughter from deep inside you.

It seemed to ease Sean’s apprehension as the two of you began to board the ride, though. A calm coming over him as you both quieted down. He white-knuckled the bar as it clicked into place over your laps. Eyes wide as it lurched into motion.

You brushed your fingers tentatively over his clenched fist. Sean had a glazed look in his eyes as you slowed and stopped multiple times. You inches towards the top. He really was frightened.

“I've just gotta get over this. I'm confronting my fear is all.” He sounded so serious with a hint of pride, you stifle a chuckle with a bite of a lip.

Sean peered slightly over the edge of the car and looked downwards. Then it halted suddenly and he grabbed your hand and covered it with his massive one. You squirmed around to hold it properly as he squeezed his eyes shut. The car swung back and forth a bit on the precarious side, even for you. One last time, and it would start spinning in its giant lackadaisical circle.

Forward. Pitch to a stop even harder than the last few. This time Sean buried his face in your shoulder, and you relished this surprising role-reversal. But then he looked up at you in the most serious manner.

“Have you always been this beautiful?”

At the same exact time you said:

“First claustrophobia now heights”

You both sat up straight and gaped.

Again simultaneously.

“How d’ye know I'm claustrophobic?!”

“Did you just call me pretty?”

For the moment, Sean was no longer afraid. Your sentiment about his fear distracted him long enough that he loosened up immensely. Long fingers scratched at his mess of curls while deep in thought. Your eyebrows knit together in confusion, heart beating wildly in your ears.

Sean tugged at his chin with a forefinger and thumb. Obviously deep in thought as he gazed off into the sky. It was like a lightbulb finally popped on over his head.

“Jesus (jaysus) Dr Bacher’s photography course. Freshman year!”

You smiled, “By Jove I think he's got it!”

“T’at’s how ye know me. We got right stuck in that darkroom door. It was like a pitch-black tube really. Man I bloody well panicked.”

“I thought you were screwing with me at first! Your hands were so sweaty my tee-shirt was wet from where you were groping me. I kept thinking how every single girl in our class would've killed our professor to be stuck with the hot Irish guy. All that heavy breathing, my teenage brain thought it was sexual tension.”

“I was 18 wedged in a small space with a cute girl. It was claustrophobia, but it was also sexy.”

You bit the inside of your cheek and smiled. The two of you ignoring the ride and it's slow rotations. Still holding hands.

“I don't think I imagined that..” you struggled with the next line.. “parts of you were totally poking into me.”

Sean's mouth dropped open but he repeated his prior sentiment. A bit higher pitched. “I WAS 18 IN A SMALL SPACE WITH A HOT GIRL!” His lilt was more pronounced.

“Who gets a fear.. boner,” you rolled back into the hysterics from earlier on the ground.

Sean's face a deep crimson as his mouth tightened into a straight line. He looked away, but you knew he was playing along. Those eyes betrayed him with a hint of a smile.

“You told me if I got us out you’d take me on a date.”

“I said I'd kiss ye if we got out alive. Never knew how long it’d be til someone found us.”

“You did!” you agreed excitedly. “The door just needed hoisted up and back on the track. Which I did! Then we stumbled out and I practically threw myself in your arms for that kiss.”

“Wait, did we?” Sean turned back to you as the Ferris wheel slowed to another stop. Neither of you remembered it moving.

“No. Stupid ass Derek Sandoval was in the classroom waiting for you.”

“Oi! Watch now, he's still my mate.” Sean's turn to tease now.

“I bet he is.”

The two of you sat back in the car. Your fingers still entwined but the fright had melted away. Sean let out a long steady breath as he really looked out on the carnival and the multicolored lights as they danced around you. The stars blanketed the sky.

“Sean?”

His face heavenwards. “Yeah y/n?

“I think you owe me a kiss,” your words soft, almost a whisper.

Sean’s gaza came back down from the clouds. The music and noise from the crowds seemed to fade away as your breath caught in your throat. Without a second thought, he let go of your hand and put his arm around you. That soft mouth leaned over and almost melted with yours. Your bodies enveloped in a hug as Sean slid the tip of his tongue between your lips. Your own darted forward to fight with it.

Then the car hulked into motion again and you broke apart. A smirk on Sean's face revealed a dimple, and you joined in with a grin of your own.

“Well, that was worth a four year wait.”

Tag list: @joz-stankovich @robertsheehanownsmyass @magic-multicolored-miracle @elliethesuperfruitlover

[opiatemasses]

The Truth Behind the Exploitation of Pacific Island Rugby

Anyone who follows international rugby will know of the Pacific Islands and the excitement they bring to the game. The Pacific Islands comprise Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. Rugby is the national sport and heart of the islands’ communities, produce some of the world most talented athletes. More than a quarter of the players in the global game come from the Islands, and yet they have a combined population of only 1.5 million people (less than the population of West Yorkshire).

This clip is a personal favourite of mine, illustrating some amazing skill, I could watch this all day.

This shows the other side of the Pacific Island players, the sheer brute force they possess.

And yet the Islands are being exploited in direct contradiction to World Rugby’s values. I’d like you to keep these values in mind as we explore these issues.

Power Imbalance

This inequality underpins the other issues. The Pacific Islands along with tier two and three nations have limited influence over decisions made for the global game.

There are 10 nations in tier one, each receiving three votes making up 60% of the World Rugby Council. In contrast, tier two and three comprise 120 nations and are allocated nine votes between them, and make up 20% of the Council. The other 20% is made up by regions, representatives of the continents.

How can the global game grow and develop when decision-making is skewed in the interests of tier one nations, at the expense of the other 120 nations?

 A system where votes are shared more evenly would be more representative of the global game. In an interview, Ben Gosper (CEO of World Rugby) shut the proposition of Pacific Island nations achieving a three-vote status down swiftly; laughing he said - “I can’t see this happening while I am here”.

This dismissive attitude isn’t in the best interests of the global game and needs to change for the game to move forward and to give these nations a chance to thrive.

This table illustrates how votes are allocated. Notably Japan have recently gained two-vote status, representing an improvement in their ability as they challenge the tier one nations (who can forget that South Africa game). However, it has coincided with an increase in the amount of Pacific Island players in their team with 10 of their 30-man squad at RWC2019 being of Pacific Island heritage including captain and Japanese rugby hero, Michael Leach. World Rugby are rewarding Japan for ‘poaching’ these players.

Importing Pacific Island Players – Eligibility Rules

Pacific Island players have to move abroad to earn a living, not only at club level but often to play for a different nation with no return to their home nation because of the “one nation for life rule”.

Over 600 players with Pacific Island heritage play in the European leagues and more in the Super League, including some of the world’s best like Billy Vunipola and Ardie Savea. This is because there are no pathways for young talents in the islands, with limited funding and no professional teams. The financial draw is huge as players are expected to pay back into their Islands economy and help their family and village, so much so that overseas rugby players contribute about 20% of national GDP to the Islands. This is more than tourism, hospitality and agriculture combined contribute to the UK’s GDP.  

Is it ethical to be taking these players - some as young as 13 - having them sign contracts and move to another county with massively different cultures? (which could have negative effects on players wellbeing). With players moving at such a young age they are eligible to play for the nation they now reside. This is understandable as other nations pay considerably more. An England player is paid £25,000 per international match, whilst a Tongan player earns £80.

This causes problems for the Pacific Island teams. Not only do they lose the majority of their best players but even when tier one nations discard them they are unable to return to play. A prime example of this is Charles Piatau. He has Tongan heritage but played for New Zealand 17 times, however is now surplus to requirements. He has stated “I’d love nothing more than to be able to represent Tonga.” A player such as him beneficial for Tonga’s development.  

Image from Charles Piatau’s Twitter (@CPiutau)

There is an obvious fix to this situation.  This would be to amend the eligibility laws, which would allow players to return to their heritage nation after a sufficient ‘cool-off period’ (for example, two years), where they haven’t played for their tier one nation.

This potential solution is currently blocked by World Rugby and its Council. Ben Gosper claimed that the Council, rejected the idea. Why? One possible explanation is because the Council is made up of 60% tier one nations and allowing tier two nations to grow in ability is not in their best interest. This brings us back to protectionism and clear disregard of their own values of ‘respect and integrity’.

Unevenly distributed funds

The issue here is the share of revenue from international fixtures. Currently the home nation takes all of the revenue from tickets and match day earnings, which is ordinarily payed back with a reverse fixture. However, the Pacific Island teams have drawn sell-out crowds against the home nations 12 times and had the favour returned only twice in the past 10 years. This would bring more exposure to rugby on the islands, but is not viable. In 2016 Samoa hosted New Zealand and made a loss of $1 million; because the host nation has to pay for the flights of the visiting nation and Samoa’s stadia are too small and tickets are priced at $4 each to ensure locals can watch, and therefore cannot support the inherent costs.

If we take a look at England vs Fiji in 2016, the game sold out. There was a total of £34 million earned from the game, each England player received £22,000 whilst each Fijian player was paid £400. The rest was kept by the RFU and nothing was given to Fiji’s union. Fijian rugby gained nothing from this game in terms of development or growth, barring some exposure to high level rugby for their team and supporters.

I suggest profit sharing, where Pacific Island teams play tier one nations but take home a share of the profits they help generate. If a model was put in place to share the profits 80/20, losing this 20% wouldn’t have a significant effect on tier one nations but would have a hugely positive effect for the Pacific Islands, who could grow the game in their region become a stronger team and a greater competitor.

Corruption within the islands

These issues are all important, however the corruption, poor governance and leadership within the islands must be addressed before anything meaningful can change.

Due to the lack of external funding and income from home games, Pacific Island rugby relies on their government and public funding for up to 60% of their finances. This means that politics and politicians retain a tight hold on the sport.

In preparation for the 2011 RWC the Samoan public raised 6 million Samoan Tala (£1.8 million), to pay for the players wages, accommodation and equipment. However, the players were the lowest paid at the tournament (£1000 a week), their accommodation was poor. Captain Seilala Mapusua reported they turned up to training to find there were no balls.

Where did this money go? An independent audit of their finances found that it went missing at the hands of the Board members who took the money for themselves. Even more astonishing is that the Prime Minister of the country is one of the Board members (for more information read here or  watch here).

Arguably more shocking is the governance of the Fiji Union where the President is Frank Bainimarama, who is also the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Union is Francis Kean, Frank’s brother-in-law. This displays a corrupt path to power which more often than not leads to the wrong people running an organisation.

They were both involved in the coup of the Fijian government in 2000 and 2006. Francis Kean was also convicted of man slaughter in 2006 and served one week in jail before his bother-in-law released him, yet he remained the Chairman of Fiji Rugby and was even nominated for promotion to the World Rugby Executive Committee in early 2020. This nomination was withdrawn only after protests from players and fans, and he was stood down less than a month after his nomination, not on grounds of being a convicted killer but on homophobic allegations. World Rugby claimed they were unaware of his background. For more information on this click here

Image from Netani Talei’s Twitter (@NetaniTaleiE)

This governance leads to further issues for the players as many of them are scared to speak up and express their concerns; as C (former Fiji captain) said in an interview “Frank can make you fucking disappear”.

Politics runs deep in Fiji rugby, as Ben Ryan who led Fiji 7s team to an Olympic gold medal in 2016 said he would have the military come to the gym telling him what players to select and to not pick players because their parents weren’t supporting Franks political party.

Image from Ben Ryan’s Instagram (benryan7s)

These issues of governance need resolving, but if reform can’t come from within the Islands it must come from World Rugby. I suggest a programme from World Rugby to appoint specialist and leaders to the Pacific to, in the short-term aid in running their Unions and checking the finances but in the long run to train the next generation of leaders for the Union and set-in place the standards of governance that must be met, in order for them to start making progress on and off the field.  

What needs to be done?

There are 5 key actions:

We need to change the way we view these nations and give them a hand up to help them develop in the long-term instead of handouts to keep them afloat in the short-term.

World Rugby need to take responsibility for the governance of these nations.

World Rugby need to change their voting system and stop the blatant protectionism of tier one nations.

Pacific Island teams need to receive a fair share of revenue they help to generate.

A simple change to the eligibility laws, to give players freedom to play for their heritage nation.

Ask yourself, if you consider the RFU and WR values to be legitimate and worthy, why are they not being upheld in relation to the Pacific Islands?

Leave a comment below with your thoughts on this issue. I’d love to hear them.

What can you do to help?

Please share this blog post and help to spread awareness. 

Support Pacific Island Rugby Welfare– they are a charity that do great work in supporting Pacific Island rugby players and their families and are really the front line in battling these injustices.

Make sure to support their posts and petitions and stay up-to date on this issue by following them on twitter - @pacificwelfare.

Support them with whatever you can through Patreon.

I would also highly recommend you watch the documentary ‘Oceans Apart’ on Amazon Prime if you wish to educate yourself further on these issues. (Watch here).

There are links throughout the blog to articles which expand further on what we have covered here, so please read them and educate yourself further.

Remember to leave a comment and let me know your opinions on this issue.

N0802218

References

Kihl, L., Skinner, J., & Engelberg, T. (2016). Corruption in sport: understanding the complexity of corruption. European Sport Management Quarterly, 17(1), 1-5.

McDonald, B. (2014). Developing ‘Home-Grown’ Talent: Pacific Island Rugby Labour and the Victorian Rugby Union. The International Journal Of The History Of Sport, 31(11), 1332-1344.

Naha, S., & Hassan, D. (2017). Introduction: ethical concerns in sport governance. Sport In Society, 21(5), 721-723.

[aliypop]

The Mafia Meet Up

Word Count :  2,279

A/N : Trying out a fic with Lucifer and my Character Yonah

Warning: Smut

Yonah sat at her desk taking calls and enjoying her usual Saturday at the GCPD when suddenly the sound of files dropped onto her desk, behind the stack was Jim Gordon holding a ticket to L.A.

"What's this for?" Yonah asked, watching the way Jim was acting. 

"It's an undercover mission, you'll know the rest when you get there," Jim said, 

"Sunny side LA here I come..." Yonah said, getting off the plane she could already tell this was going to be a bumpy ride of a weekend, the sun was bright and beating hot almost like hell itself, as she made her way to the LAPD she couldn't help wonder what this case was all about. 

"Detective Wayne you're here, I'm Detective Espinoza," he said, taking his hand out for her to shake it, in which Yonah did, he was handsome, but she still was lost on the case. 

"So about this case?" she asked, 

"Well, we're gonna pair you up with hopefully.." 

"Another beautiful day isn't it," Yonah paused as she heard a familiar voice coming from down the hall, it was sweet smooth and seductive the sound of a pure handsome devil, "I'm Luci-" he paused looking down at the shorter woman. It had been a while since she had even seen him, "Lucifer.." Yonah smirked, "You're a detective now?" she asked, as Dan looked at the two confused, but getting an idea for the case.

"It's settled.." 

The case was for the two to sell that they were a couple, not just any couple, but one of L.A.'s toughest crime lords, ever since the mobs of Gotham started to arrive, L.A. has been more of a mess than usual, and it was up to Lucifer and Yonah now to fix it. Sitting in the middle of Lux was Yonah who was reading over the case, 

"Do you think we can pull it off?" she asked, looking up at Lucifer. 

"Depends if you want me to, love." He smirked watching her blush, he always enjoyed teasing Yonah whenever she was around him, It was almost as if he made it his goal in a sense, "So who's gonna be the don in the relationship?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

 "Both of us.." she grinned, "Now Luci?" scooting closer laying her hand on his thigh giving it a little squeeze, " If they ask, you were the son of an opposing mob don of mine, " she began leaning in closer towards him, "by the way Luci.," she whispered in his ear.

"What is it you desire.." she asked, her eyes glowing a violet color as she noticed Lucifer staring into them. 

"Well I..," 

"I'm just kidding I'm heading to bed, you're welcome to join me?" she hinted at him. 

"Tired already, Ms. Wayne," he asked watching her walk up the steps, 

" I never said I was tired, I only said I was heading to bed, Mr. Morningstar." she purred waiting for his reaction, Lucifer began to run up the steps after her as he caught her in his arms. Yonah looked up at him as she kissed him under the Jaw her free hand already in his devilish black hair, Yonah only gave him a little smirk as she kissed down his neck pinning up him up against the wall, 

"We'll finish this tomorrow, perhaps?" Yonah said walking away from him, as he left speechless, there was something about her that made him want to beg for her to tame him which was odd since that was usually his effect on women,    later the next night Yonah was busy setting up for their plan, she knew it was up to her to set up the whole mafia meet up, but it had to be done with the right appearance. Yonah walked down the steps wearing a tight-fitting mermaid gown that was trimmed in gold with red on the bottom of it. 

Lucifer couldn't keep his mouth closed when he saw her, he wanted to tremble in her presence and let her have his way with him. "Well, you look at you.." he smirked, "Don't you look good enough to eat?" 

"Later babe, the guest will be here any minute," she smirked, fixing his tie as she pulled him by it to face her height, "And behave please,"

"What if I don't want to?" he whispered, Yonah looked at him pure lust in her eyes. "Then I'll make you." she giggled hearing a knock on the door as her eyes were wide, 

"They're here, we're doing this.." she began to panic.

Lucifer opened the door while Yonah went back upstairs to redo her make up for an interesting entrance. 

"Carlo Falcone, sorry my wife couldn't c-" he paused watching from the steps of the club, a beautiful woman who looked like a goddess, straight from a movie, "That's your girl?" he nodded over to her.

"Luci aren't cha gonna introduce ya fiance to ya new fri-" Yonah said looking at Carlo, his blue piercing eyes staring her down almost like a piece of steak, 

"Yonnie?" Carlo said taking a seat as Lucifer began to get jealous, 

"Carlo.," Yonah growled at him, The last time she saw him he wasn't exactly on good terms with him, "Ya went from working a club, to owning one huh," he smiled sitting down at the bar. Lucifer grabbed Yonah by the waist her eyes wide, knowing that was a turn-on of hers. "So how long have you two been together?"

"Years.." Lucifer said kissing her forehead, "My sweet little Yonah came to me one night shot 60 of my men down and I was hooked ever since," he laughed as Yonah gave him a giggle, 

"60 men, Yonah you never told me you were such a gunslinger,"

"They don't call me Pink Enchantress for nuthin, isn't that right Lucikins," she placed her hand on his chest as she kissed his ear. "I call her my little Star," he said blushing hard at her, 

"She's my princess.." he laughed.

"But I'm also your queen," sitting on his lap as she kissed him sweetly, "So what about you Carlo, how's your pussycat of a wife,"

"Myra.. she's doing good keeps me up at night, when she's not in Arkham you talk to her lately.." Yonah's palms began to get sweaty as Lucifer held her hand, he knew that topic was a sensitive one, but he didn't think it would hurt her this bad. 

"Haven't talked to her since she married you," Yonah laughed sheepishly, she then looked up at Carlo, "Probably couldn't do ya like I did however.." she mumbled under her breath, "What was that?" Carlo asked watching the couple who he could feel were truly in love, as the night progressed Carlo was drunk and spilling every little fact needed, while Lucifer kept teasing. 

"Not now sweetie, he's confessing," she smirked as Carlo kept talking while Lucifer kept whining like a spoiled brat, "We're just here to raise hell to start a few new rings here and there maybe aside from that drug dens the usual," Carlo said,

"If you don't cut it out, Luci...  I will punish you," she whispered to him.

"But sweetheart I’m impatient, "  he groaned,

"It's almost over," she grumbled, a few hours passed Carlo was gone, and Yonah was upstairs taking the evidence that she had and closing it up safely. sitting in front of the fireplace she took her robe off now covered in pink from her lace corset to her garters, "Lucikins, where are ya," she asked, "I got a surprise for ya.,"

Lucifer walked in breathless at the fact of what he saw, Yonah sitting there almost like a present, he didn't exactly know what to do, until she saw him, "Well if it isn't my Lucikins,"  unbuttoning his shirt she couldn't believe that this was happening, Lucifer melting in her hands like putty,   he wanted her badly to the point he could almost taste it, 

"Doesn't it get tiring asking what others desire," Yonah asked walking behind him, her hands on his waist, "What are your needs, what do you desire truly.." she whispered pulling him down to the bed.

"You.." he mumbled,

"What was that?" she smirked, twirling a pair of handcuffs in her hand, "My sweet baby, that's too vague.." she began to laugh making him shiver, " What is it you truly desire,"

"I want you to make me yours love, tear me apart till I'm a bloody mess!" he grinned leaning closer towards her his eyes filled with a lustful desire, Yonah laughed seeing how he was acting, reaching out for to kiss him, "Aw is my little devil begging? " she pushed him down on his back pinning him down as she latched the cuffs on his wrist, 

"Oh my.. Lucikins don't you look adorable, " pressing kisses down his chest hearing a sharp breath from him, "Well.. we've gotta get rid of these," she began to say as she removed his pants for him, Lucifer was already a blubbering melting mess that Yonah already knew how to control. She knew had bad he wanted her on top of him. As her hands began to roam further down, she couldn't help but torture him just to remind him how big of a brat he was. 

Reaching over the side of the bed she grabbed her riding crop, brushing it up against his skin, "You know what I do with boys like you," she asked tilting his chin to look directly at her as he shook his head,

"Take a guess.." she said as she straddled him, her finger making small circles on the little skin of his wrist. Lucifer whimpered before responding, "You pleasure them?" Yonah laughed at his response, "If they're well behaved.." she said, striking him with the riding crop, "But you Lucikins have been very naughty."  she said kissing him with a fiery passion as she bit his bottom lip sliding her tongue inside his mouth, creating more heat between the two. He loved the way she was denying him what he wanted she was brutal like that, and he didn't mind it one bit, pulling away from him she could tell how aroused he was, but she'd be damned if she stopped with the teasing.

"If you behave then you can touch.." she smirked striking him again, watching him nod in agreeance only made her happy as she unlocked the cuffs from his wrist he couldn't keep his hands off her, untangling the silk bow of her corset he sat there in pleasure watching it fall enchanted by the way she looked like an Angel ready to indulge in the sin that was him. 

"Shall we?" he smirked watching her sink onto him like a queen sitting on her throne, waiting as she adjusted to his size Yonah knew that this was where she belonged being praised as if she ruled hell itself and right now she did, holding onto her shoulder as she threw her head back while she began to ride him, starting off a slow, a few moans and paints began to fill the room,  Lucifer had his hands on her hips as he began to guide her to go faster.

"I think we need some music.," Yonah said panting a bit, as Lucifer nodded, "I couldn't agree more," 

I can be your sugar when you're fiendin' for that sweet spot

Put me in your mouth, baby, and eat it 'til your teeth rot

I can be your cherry, apple, pecan, or your key lime

Baby, I got everything and so much more than she's got

"Harder!" Yonah moaned pulling at those dark locks of his as he penetrated her harder, Yonah knew that when they were both done neither one of them would be walking for a few days, 

"Lucifer!" she moaned louder, collapsing on top of him as Lucifer kissed her hard as he then kissed down her neck his arm around her waist as he was now on top of her.

"You didn't think I would let you have all the fun did you, love, "he asked as he began leaving hickeys  down  her neck stopping at her breast and eventually to her thighs, "Oh darling you're nearly dripping for me," he laughed watching how red she turned as he licked his fingers,

"Cut it out.." she said blushing hard, 

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, you taste delicious... " he said, hearing her moaning his name left him on a high he never wanted to come down from, watching her eyes roll back from every nibble and the swirl of his tongue sent her on another tower of pleasure. 

"Oh, Lucifer!" she growled, arching her back, "More!" 

"I haven't even started the real show yet," he smirked.

Rounds became hours and those hours became a new day, Yonah and Lucifer were snuggled up cuddling next to each other laughing and catching their breaths, "How are ya holding up Mr, Morningstar?" she asked watching Lucifer react to the way her fingers were in his hair. 

"Well, we're eating ice cream and watching cartoons, pretty good, though I must say you.. clearly are a devil tamer." he joked as she kissed his cheek. 

"Even the devil himself can be a brat," she smirked before noticing all the bite marks and bruises she left on him before she sat on his lap leaning back into him giving him a certain look, "It's 5 pm somewhere.." she shrugged taking the ice cream placing it on his neck as she licked off hearing him take another deep breath.

[transslyblue]

Also "1-99"

(1) Do You Sleep With Your Closet Doors Open Or Closed?

Haha, closed. I don't like seeing the dark void that I call a closet

(2) Do You Have Freckles?

Yea, but you can't really see them unless you're close

(3) Can You Whistle?

Yes

(4) Last Song You Listened To.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame musical, the Tavern Song

(5) What Is Your Favourite Colour?

Blue, but I also like a variety of purples and greens

(6) Relationship Status.

Single and not looking

(7) What Is The Temperature Right Now?

69º F

(8) Did You Wake Up Cranky?

Yea, unless I wake up myself

(9) How Many Followers?

118, but I need to go through and block any bots. (;w;)

(10) Zodiac Sign.

Leo

(11) What Is Your Eye Colour?

Blue/green hazel. My eyes are multi-coloured so they have blue, green, and brown with a very grey look to them.

(12) Take A Vitamin Daily?

I forget daily

(13) Do You Sing In The Shower?

Yup!

(14) What Books Are You Reading?

I really want to get back to reading some more Lovecraft, but i don't have much time to read

(15) Grab The Book Nearest To You, Turn To Page 64, Give Me Line 14.

"Minutes before librarians ate him."

(16) Favourite Anime?

Uuuuhhhhhh, hm. I guess it'd have to be InuYasha, but I like a lot of anime

(17) Last Person You Cried In Front Of?

Err,,, it was a very close friend. Idk if they'd want me to say who they are tho

(18) Do You Collect Anything?

Rocks and those snowglobe musicboxes

(19) What Did You Have For Lunch?

Yogurt and a protein bar. Ik, ik real healthy and filling

(20) Do You Dance In The Car?

Depends on the song, but not really

(21) Favourite Animal?

Owls and cats

(22) Do You Watch The Olympics?

Not really, but when I do it's the diving Olympics

(23) What Time Do You Usually Go To Bed?

2am

(24) Are You Wearing Makeup Right Now?

I don't wear makeup. Though I have considered it

(25) Do You Prefer To Swim In A Pool Or The Ocean?

Either. Pool is safer though

(26) Favourite Tumblr Blog?

Oof, idk if I can pick just one, so imma name a few. @ohhimarx @mirosuikaaa @masochist-incarnate they're all really friendly and nice

(27) Bottled Water Or Tap Water?

Whichever is most convenient at the time

(28) What Makes You Happy?

The sound of rain, art, my friends talking to me, I have a list that I've posted, so I won't list out here

(29) Post A Gif Of What You’re Currently Feeling Right Now.

(30) Do You Study Better With Or Without Music?

Haha, I don't study;;;

(31) Dogs Or Cats?

Cats

(32) If You Were A Crayon What Colour Would You Be?

Blue-tiful lol, for real though probably bubble blue

(33) PlayStation Or Xbox.

Does Switch/ds count?

(34) Would You Swim In The Lake Or Ocean?

Idunknow

(35) Do You Believe In Magic?

Not really, but I won't bash on anyone who does

(36) What Colour Shirt Are You Wearing?

Black, but is a Link being a meme

(37) Can You Curl Your Tongue?

Yes

(38) Do You Save Money Or Spend It?

I save more then I spend.

(39) Is There Anything Pink Within 10 Feet Of You?

Yea, it's a pink pillow of Lion from Steven Universe and a music stand from when I was in middle school

(40) Do You Have Any Obsessions Right Now?

Kirby in general

(41) Have You Ever Caught A Butterfly?

Nope, but I have touched one before

(42) Are You Easily Influenced By Other People?

Yes and no. It really depends on how long I've been around them

(43) Do You Have Strange Dreams?

Omg yes! I remember a few and they were all lucid dreams! (I looked up the term from last time I answered this question)

(44) Do You Like Going On Airplanes?

Never been on one

(45) Name One Movie That Made You Cry.

Of Mice and Men

(46) Peanuts Or Sunflower Seeds?

Both

(47) If I Handed You A Concert Ticket Right Now, Who Would You Want The Performer To Be?

Panic!At the Disco, Fallout Boy, or The Neighborhood

(48) Are You A Picky Eater?

Not really. There are some foods I refuse to eat, but otherwise I eat pretty much anything

(49) Are You A Heavy Sleeper?

Yes

(50) Do You Fear Thunder / Lightning?

Nope! I actually like thunder

(51) Do You Like To Read / Write?

I enjoy reading. As for writing, eh. I'll write out my ideas but I'mno good at fleshing them out to be interesting

(52) Do You Like Your Music Loud?

Yes. But not too loud, just enough where I don't hear everyone around me

(53) Would You Rather Carve Pumpkins Or Wrap Presents?

Carve pumpkins! I really am bad at wrapping presents

(54) Put Your Music On Shuffle, What Is The First Song That Came Up?

Hurts - Illuminated

(55) What Season Are You In Right Now? (Weather)

Spring and dying from pollen

(56) What Are You Craving Right Now?

Idk, something salty tbh

(57) Post A Screenshot Of Your Tumblr Feed.

(58) What Is Your Gender?

I'm a transgender male, so i use he/him pronouns.

(59) Coffee Or Tea?

Both, but I like tea more

(60) Do You Have Any Homework Right Now? If So, What Is It About?

I'm not in school anymore soooo no

(61) What Is Your Sexuality?

Idk. Questioning I guess

(62) Do You Make Your Bed In The Morning?

No

(63) Favourite Pokemon?

I already answered this one, so I'll say a new pokemon that I love. Rowlet!

(64) Favourite Social Media?

Bruh I am not a fan, but Tumblrs the one I'm on most.

(65) What’s Your Opinion On Instagram Stories?

Idk. I don't have an Instagram

(66) Do You Get Homesick?

Yes

(67) Are You A Virgin?

Yes, and I plan to stay that way for awhile

(68) What Shampoo And Conditioner Are You Using Right Now?

I use Suave, but I also use TeaTree when I get really bad dandruff

(69) If You Were Far From Home And Needed To Sleep For The Night, Would You Choose To Rent A Crappy Motel Room For $60 Or Sleep In Your Car For Free?

Depends on the place. But most likely I'd risk the motel.

(70) Are Both Of Your Blood Parents Still In Your Life?

My mom yes, my biological father... It's complicated

(71)  Whats The Next Movie You Want To See In Theaters?

I don't really watch movies, so none

(72) Do You Miss Your Ex?

I don't have an ex

(73) What Is Your Favourite Quote Right Now?

Be the person you needed when you were younger. I have no clue who said it, but I live by that

(74)  What Eye Colour Do You Find Sexiest?

Eyes in general are great. Idk how anyone can not find something they like in any eye colour

(75) Did You Like Swinging As A Child? Do You Still Get Excited When You See A Swing Set?

YesYesYesYes

(76) What Was The Last Thing You Ate?

Nachos

(77) What Games Do You Have On Your Phone?

Voez and Pokémon Go

(78) Would You Give A Homeless Person CPR If They Were Dying? Why Or Why Not?

Yes, because no oen deserves to die. I'd do my best to help any homeless person

(79) Been On The Computer For 5 Hours Straight?

Haha, not today. Yet

(80) Stalked Someone On A Social Network?

Not really

(81) Do You Like Meeting New People?

Yes!

(82) Do You Wear Rings? If You Do, Take A Picture Of Them.

I don't wear jewlery much. But I would like to get my ears pierced properly

(83) Do You Sleep With Your Bedroom Door Open Or Closed?

Closed! I don't want people or my cat to walk in

(84) What Are Three Things You Did Today?

I woke up, did laundry, answered these questions

(85) What Do You Wear To Bed?

Pajama pants and a t-shirt

(86) List All Of Your Different Beauty Products You Have Right Now.

I've got none. Unless you want me to name what body wash i use. :/

(87) Are You A Day Or Night Person?

Night person

(88) List All Of Your Video Games On Your Phone, Console Etc.

Phone: Voez, Pokémon Go

Switch: Legend of Zeld: Breath of the wild, Super Smash Bros Ultimate, Kirby Star Allies, Mario Kart 8, PuyoPuyo Tetris, Bayonetta 1&2, Hyrule Warriors, Just Dance 2017, Super Mario Party, Let's Go Eevee, Mario Odyssey, Undertale, Shovel Knight, Pokémon quest, Mom Hid my Game, Deemo, Sonic Mania, Detention, The Coma, Cave Story

3DS: Kirby Clash Deluxe, Kirby Triple Deluxe, Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn, Kirby Planet Robobot, Kirby Canvas Curse, Kirby Mass Attack, Kirbg Super Star Ultra, Kirby Squeak Squad, Pokémon Y, Pokémon Platinum, Pokémon Ultra Moon, Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Pokémon Heartgold, Legend of Zelda Link Between Worlds, Legend of Zelda Majoras Mask, Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D, Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass, Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks, Super Smash Bros, Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon, Wario Ware Gold, Super Princess Peach, Animal Crossing New Leaf, Castlevania Dawn of Sorrow, Cooking Mama, Cooking Mama 2, Sonic Colors

Gameboy Color: Pokemon Blue, Legend of Zelda Link's Awakening

This is over the course of many years

(89) Tell Me About A Dream That You Had And When It Happened.

I had this dream where I was flying a red paper plane. It took forever to carry it up this tapestry, but i did it. When I finally took off this group of white paper planes were chasing me so I shook them off and landed, taking shelter in this museum. This museum held other people hiding and was actually an abandoned grocery store. Then I woke up.

I don't rememebr when this was, but I wrote it down. I have a few more if you're interested.

(90) Favourite Soda Drink?

Strawberry Ramuné

(91) What Sounds Are Your Favourite?

Rainstorms,

(92) Do You Wear Jeans Or Sweats More?

Jeans, since I can't wear sweatpants to work

(93) How Do You Look Right Now?

Uhhh, probably a slob since I've been in pajamas all day

(94) Name Something That Relaxes You.

Stuffed animals

(95) What Tattoo Do You Want?

Idk. Haven't really wanted one. Maybe a connect the dots one.

(96) Favourite YouTuber?

Idk. I watch Pyrocynical and Markiplier, but other than that I listen to music, watch speedpaints, and speed plays of various videogames

[xanth-the-wizard]

Random Town Encounters (1d100)

The complete list of my Town Encounters #1-5! Vote for the next set of Random Encounters HERE. (Image Credit: x)

[1] An enormous bear stumbles around town wearing human clothing. They’re attempting to order drinks at the local tavern, but so far they haven’t had much luck [2] You arrive early morning into a quiet little village. Unfortunately nobody is around to greet you because they have all been turned into candy [3] A festival is taking place in the center of town. They seem to be celebrating a historical figure that looks oddly similar to someone in the party [4] Dashing through the streets, a bandit has stolen a powerful magic artifact. Anyone they pass by are turned to stone. A hefty reward will be given to anyone who can catch them [5] Hm? In your back pocket there’s a piece of paper with directions to somewhere in town. If asked about the location, nobody seems to know where it is [6] While walking through the streets a child runs into the party at full speed, falling to the ground. They apologize profusely as they begin to collect their dropped goods. This includes a baby dragon [7] Rumor: The guards in this town are not human, they never sleep. Most people speculate they are from another realm [8] Enticing smells fill the air, there seems to be a cooking competition in town. And it looks like it’s not too late to sign up. Anybody know how to make a killer quiche? [9] Rumor: Beneath the city lies an ancient tunnel leading to a thief’s lost treasure. But everyone is too afraid to look for themselves. When prompted on what is down there, people dance around the question [10] Sentient vegetables rebel against the local chef. At first glance it seems to be a harmless prank, but anyone bit by the veggies begin morphing into vicious vegetables themselves [11] Magic is outlawed in this district of town. Anyone who casts any spell begins to glow [12] Little ducklings follow behind the party, quacking merrily. They are perfectly harmless but without their mother. Did somebody order 8 new beautiful children? [13] Ghosts have driven out the living from the town leaving behind a literal Ghost Town. The Ghosts are actually quite friendly, too friendly [14] Rumor: Grandma Crabapple, a sweet old lady who lives alone in her cottage up on the hill is actually a Doppelganger. Looks like we’re going to have to eat her famous cherry pie and get to the bottom of this mystery [15] The local tavern has been recently reconstructed, a group of rowdy adventurers burned it down a few months back. The locals don’t take kindly to any adventurers now [16] Every year in spring a nearby lake floods, threatening the village’s safety. But every year the cobblestone wall surrounding them keeps them safe. But this year, something goes horribly wrong. And it’s probably one of your player’s fault [17] Rumor: The local school is teaching children to summon demons and worship the devil [18] Rotten tomatoes fly as an Orc Bard attempts to perform in the streets for gold [19] A potion brewer has set up shop in town, they have an extra special brew that grants anyone who drinks it invisibility. But the effect happens randomly and without warning [20] Perched upon a crumbling building, a gargantuan bird watches the town silently. The villagers claim that wishing upon one of the bird’s feathers can grant a wish. Unfortunately the bird doesn’t shed very often and doesn’t like to be bothered [21] Rumor: The alcohol in the bar is watered down with a substitute that creates intense cravings for more alcohol [22] Transcending space and time, you cat appears. They are to scale with your figurines and demand your attention [23] Goblins have invaded! Oh, looks like they’re just selling baked goods at reasonable prices. You win this time Goblins… [24] The water wells have frozen over unexpectedly. A sentient ice elemental is passing through [25] You have entered into a town created with sand and dirt, there is a lone tower in the center. A wizard has created their own town by controlling local ants. The wizard smells really bad [26] A real life celebrity has a look-alike in your campaign, and they are the bartender at a small tavern with dreams of being famous [27] A Magic Shop is selling the most illegitimate looking magic items you’ve ever seen. But for some reason people are flooding to their stand and buying all of their merch. Do they not realize? [28] Rumor: In this small farming town, the Scarecrows are said to awaken at night looking to exchange bodies with anyone who loses to them at their game. The game is hopscotch [29] You’ve been handed a flyer for a local religious group. It seems they worship an Insect god. Surely they are up to no good! Oooh, look! They have a buffet! [30] A horse cart race is under way, are you in? [31] Out of the sewers, four turtles emerge. They have varying magical mutations. One can turn invisible, another has super speed, the remaining turtle’s powers are unknown. They are causing quite a ruckus in town [32] Rumor: Eerie whistling is heard by the graveyard every night. The townspeople believe it is a restless spirit [33]  Tap dancing frogs, followed by synchronized flying ravens appear. A local swamp witch is accomplishing her dream. She expects applause and tips, or else [34] A group of local teens are attempting to fundraise a dangerous project. They promise that it will revolutionize the world [35] Rumor: The leader of this town is actually a dozen frogs in a trenchcoat [36] You are given a free lotion sample at a stand. The lotion has strange side effects including but not limited to, sprouting wings [37] A villager appears to the party, they are an obvious caricature of your favorite video game character [38] Servants of a local noble rebel. They are protesting outside the castle [39] There is a college within the town that holds forgotten history. It’s a favorite among the world’s most powerful magicians. Surely you’ll meet someone interesting inside? [40] Many clues lead you to believe that there are witches hiding in the city. The truth is, the entire town is a coven, everyone is a witch. Can you trust this coven? [41] There is a flea-market in town with hundreds of vendors selling everything from valuable artisan goods to worthless junk. If you’re lucky you may find a neglected magic item for sale [42] A thieves guild takeover is currently underway and somehow you’ve managed to get involved [43] An earthquake ravages the city, within the rubble ancient prophetic texts are discovered [44] Rumor: Beneath the meat shop there is an illegal underground fighting ring. What will you do? Stop it from getting out of hand, make some bets, or sign up as a fighter yourself? [45] Riots in the streets spark as an unjust ruler is appointed into a position of great power [46] Taco Bell is real and Baja Blast is now canon [47] Rumor: An unknown infant Monster is roaming the streets. It is incredibly dangerous and there is a bounty for its capture. People believe it is a Basilisk [48] Twin scientists advertise around town for their Monster business. They buy and sell monster parts and some interesting Monster related goods [49] The town drunk happens to know a lot of interesting/important information but nobody seems to be listening [50] The world’s first train operates within this bustling city. While visiting a catastrophic event occurs involving a busted engine [51] Rumor: Pranksters have animated the children’s toys and stuffed animals at the local General Store causing some traumatic memories for the local kids. People believe the culprits are the store owners themselves. But how true is this claim? [52] Rumor: The abandoned castle on the hill is full of tremendous treasure and wealth. But so far nobody has discovered where it is hidden [53] Local crime lord strolls around town with their new love interest. Everyone is afraid of this criminal but do nothing to stop them from taking advantage of their town [54] An industrialized revolution is happening! Lots of unique goods and services are all over the city. But this massive urban development comes with a steep cost. Nature spirits are planning an attack on the city for invading their homeland [55] You are in a town blessed by nature. Colorful fauna is everywhere and on every building. It is a beautiful culmination of nature and society. They also grow rare and exotic crops [56] Yup. It finally happened. The most chaotic member of the party has a bounty. Good luck [57] This town is inhabited entirely by avian beings. They are friendly, but most places are inaccessible if you can’t fly [58] A local Barber is willing to give your party’s pet a cool new haircut. What’s that? They have no hair you say? No problem! Stylish wigs are also an option [59] “Welcome! Tonight is the big game! The Bardic and Wizarding colleges are going to face off! Be sure to buy your tickets now!” [60] Zelda-esque mini games are all over the place! Smash pots, hit some targets, win some rupees! [61] A town of sentient horses. An equestrian experience nobody will forget [62] Stone guardians have become animated and are rampaging through the town. First we must stop the guardians. Second we have to figure out who did this [63] Rumor: Buildings are falling apart as bricks and stones are disappearing randomly. Some believe the bricks are alive. It’s the curse of the Were-Bricks! [64] A special promotion for a local tavern is given to anyone who can catch and dispose of the rats from their basement. Problem is, these rats aren’t just simple street rats [65] Did somebody say, Shopping montage? A trendy fashion store has opened up, it’s the perfect to accessorize! Maybe some new outfits for the next campaign arc? [66] Just put your players in the town of Whiterun from Skyrim. Perfect [67] And while I’m talking Skyrim, instead of stealing Whiterun. Instead you should just quote the Skyrim NPC’s constantly. “Let me guess… someone stole your sweetroll.” [68] Rumor: A mad scientist has created life, but the being has escaped and stalks the dark alleyways [69] A bird delivers an important letter to a member of the party… That or it’s a 25% off coupon for a local Costume store [70] The circus is in town! But something’s not quite right. The attendants of the shows can never recall what happens during the performances but are always dying to go back [71] A knock off group of Fantasy Avengers appear and take credit for the party’s heroic deeds. They do this multiple times throughout the campaign. I’d suggest settling this debacle once and for all in battle! [72] “Welcome! Have you checked out our main attraction? It’s our pride and joy! People come from all over the world to catch a glimpse of this spectacle!” Examples: House made entirely out of food. A skyscraper that can reach space. A wishing well that supposedly grants one word wishes. A captivating glowing orb of pure hatred and hellfire [73] Rumor: During a full moon a store opens up for business selling strange artifacts. Rumors also suggest the owner of this business is the Devil himself [74] Giant Snail races are being hosted tonight, care to make a wager? [75] Rumor: The local fortune teller has been warning the village of some ominous futures. Surely this is just a ploy to snag some extra profit? [76] A carnival you say? Introduce a bunch of sleazy carnies to con your party into massive debt. A debt so large that it can only be repaid with even sleazier side quests [77] A FUN carnival you say? Let your players participate in some fun games to show off their strengths and clever skills (AKA cheating) [78] Local orphans take a liking to your party, they are very sweet [79] Roll initiative! A mugger has attacked- Oh! False alarm. It’s only a knife salesman [80] A bored god appears within the city demanding the town’s finest ales and to battle an honorable adversary [81] The local Odditorium* is an enticing tourist trap that is offering a questionable new promotion (Think, The Mystery Shack from Gravity Falls or Ripley’s Believe It or Not!) [82] The most unlikely individual offers the party an assassin job. Unfortunately, this job is wacky and requires dressing up like members of a circus [83] A blessing! Local flower shop gifts a player a lucky daffodil. Good fortune and prosperity is in their future [84] A curse! One of your players has been struck with a curse of familiarity. In every town you enter someone will swear they look just like someone else and mistake them for said person [85] Rumor: There’s a rumor going around about your party. A bad one. Nobody trusts you [86] It is migrating season for Unicorns and this town is in the middle of their migration path. Despite their beauty, these Unicorns are dangerous and untrusting [87] The entire town is riddled with traps and wires, be careful where you step [88] As your party travels through the town, one member of the party seems to be teleported to another realm. In reality they haven’t moved at all. Stranger things have happened I’m sure. It’s probably nothing (It’s definitely something) [89] Rumor: A man known as the Master of Riddles lives in town. He will reward anyone for solving his riddles. But the rewards are unlike anything anyone’s ever seen [90] Taxidermied animals rampage through the streets, a Necromancer is to blame [91] Your reoccurring “Big Bad Villain” just happens to be in town. They don’t immediately recognize the party and seem to be doing some pretty domestic stuff. Is this their hometown or is this just a pit stop in their travels? [92] This river settlement is quite large. They have just begun developing this area, most buildings are still being constructed. The tavern, inn and a few shops are open. Trouble looms in the distance as a large beast’s home is directly below [93] Local pants thieves begin messing with the party and it is hilarious [94] Rumor: Inside the oldest building in town there is an ancient door that is said to lead to the heavens. Nobody has ever been able to open the door, not even with magic. The key’s location is an unsolved mystery. Some say the key is buried somewhere nearby [95] Rumor: Local inventor claims to have created a machine that can fly and is willing to pay anyone to give it a test run [96] Dozens of missing person and lost item posters are all around the town (For an extra twist, one of the missing people is someone in the party) [97] In the center of town lies a guild of mice adventurers. They protect this town and make sure all outsiders are trustworthy [98] Take all the snacks and drinks you and your players brought to today’s session and create a boss fight out of it! It emerges from the earth with little to no warning [99] A group of teens run around the city role playing their favorite book characters. Unfortunately these characters are swashbuckling looters. Time to put these kids in time out [100] A traveling merchant sells odd wooden closets, drawers, and chests. When opened, these objects lead to portals between dimensions. Suddenly, one of the closets tip over and the doors swing open

[linzhilin1]

I gave my parents a big villa

In the past, I was the object of ridicule by my relatives and friends. Many relatives and friends would even say in front of me, you see, what’s the use of letting him go to this university? It’s not returning home. Maybe it was because they took care of my face; they didn’t say the latter sentence, that is, I went to college for 4 years and ended up going home to eat my old age. That’s true. After graduating from college, I found a simple job with income. It was only over 4,000 yuan, but my girlfriend didn’t ask me for too much dowry. We got married like this. We didn’t have a house, a car, or three gold coins. It can be said that this was a complete naked marriage.

But when my child was two years old, I was laid off by the company, and my major was not easy to find a job, so I spent a year in a hurry. I couldn’t pay the rent, and I couldn’t pay the child’s care fees in kindergarten. In desperation, my wife and I both went home. As a result, my wife and children all depended on my parents, and my parents didn’t have a pension. So even though my mother was in her 60s, she still went out to work so that our family could eat, so I was laughed at. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go to work, but that no unit could look at me, and finally, I gritted my teeth and found a Filipino company. At that time, I heard that the benefits at CG Company were very good, so I bought a plane ticket to fly directly to the Philippines without any hesitation.

When I arrived at the CG company, I was very satisfied with the company. The decoration of the company is very luxurious and tall. There are 23 floors, of which 22 are offices. Our dormitory is in another building, and the working atmosphere is here. Very strong, you can make money as long as you work hard and spend your time.

I earned more than 25,000 yuan in the first month at CG and doubled my income in the second month. In the 12th month of the year, my salary also reached more than 89,000 yuan, and my bank deposits also reached 1.32 million yuan.

  As long as other young people go out to bars to the beach to have fun in their spare time, the price of goods in the Philippines is not high. If you go out to play once in RMB, it is only 700 or 800 yuan. Based on our income, every day, My income can even reach four or five thousand yuan or more, which is not unaffordable for me, but instead of going out to play like other people, I saved the money.

  I worked in a CG company in the Philippines for two years, and I never returned to China during the two years. By the time I returned to China, I had already deposited 7.62 million on my bank card. The first thing I did after returning to my hometown was to contact a real estate company. , bought a 3-story villa for his parents for 3 million and took his parents to the villa after returning home. They could hardly believe their eyes when they looked at the villa.

Yes, I have tested my ability with my own actions. If someone is gnawing old, it is not because he did not work hard but because he did not find the opportunity. After finding the opportunity, he will even give his relatives a comeback more than the average person. Many people are very contemptuous of the old people, thinking that they must not be able to get any results. In fact, some people who are old people are even better than ordinary people in terms of mind and ability. The reason why they don’t have jobs is that they haven’t found a job that you can look up to but don’t find a promising job. Once you find such a job, they will work harder than the average person, so don’t look at the old clan with coloured eyes; they have their hidden secrets.

[realaccountingsupports]

Delta reports savvy moves up to 2010 SkyMiles devotion program

Delta Air Lines (DL) has reported a record of moves up to its SkyMiles devotion program for 2010. The progressions are being made as a feature of DL's consolidation with Northwest Airlines (NW). Delta discloses to Forrester that its remaining parts are on target to completely consolidate SkyMiles and the Northwest WorldPerks programs by October 2009. 

Because of the consolidation, it's accepted that the Delta SkyMiles program may have in excess of 70 million individuals (net of duplications Between Delta SkyMiles and WorldPerks), overshadowing the lasting classification pioneer, American Airlines AAdvantage, which has in excess of 60 million individuals. 

Probably the best advantages of the new SkyMiles program will include: 

A 500-mile least on all flights 

what's more, for all clients. 

Forrester's take: This proceeds with a current Delta advantage. Nonetheless, it's as yet incredible information for continuous fliers in that Delta isn't removing this. In mid-2009, a few carriers, including American Airlines (AA), Continental Airlines (CO), and United Airlines (UA), dispensed with the 500-mile least mileage credit for granting the real miles flown. The greater part of the carriers, including AA and UA, later reestablished the 500-mile credit, yet just for tip-top-level individuals. I expect we will see the vast majority of Delta's key rivals reestablish their 500-mile least. 

1 full "EQM" (Elite Qualifying Mile) and base mile on all 

admissions paying little heed to booking channel 

Forrester's take: This is very shopper cordial. It likewise shows the effect of the downturn. Delta might have concluded that in 2010 it would move to confine this advantage to appointments made through favored channels, conceivably barring channels like online travel services (OTAs). Forrester's online relaxation travel channel gauge shows that aircraft destinations are assessed to catch about 70% of all recreation appointments, expanding to 77% by year-end 2013. Be that as it may, Delta isn't Southwest Airlines (WN) or JetBlue Airways (B6). Those transporters produce about 75% or a greater amount of their appointments through their own Web locales. Delta, interestingly, produces about a large portion of that volume by means of Delta.com. Additionally, given a portion of the past quarrels that intermittently ejected among NW and online organizations, and incidental altercations among Delta and the OTAs too, it's brilliant for SkyMiles shopping to offer this. 

A half EQM and base mile reward on passages booked in Delta are the three most noteworthy (generally costly) economy-class stock classes: Y, B, and M charges 

Forrester's take: This, as well, proceeds with a current SkyMiles advantage. Once more, it's shrewd for DL to keep up with this, particularly in this downturn. A) Fewer individuals are purchasing business/top-notch tickets (IATA's latest premium travel report, covering May 2009, shows a 23.6% year/year decrease in global premium lodge travelers), making it more imperative to keep this advantage. B), Delta needs to give it's anything but the motivation to "exchange up." While I don't figure anybody in their right brain would purchase these admissions just to acquire more SkyMiles focuses, this is one way Delta says "pay more, get more." It's decent, and it's keen – however, for what you shell out at these value focuses, Delta ought to likewise throw in vouchers for its purchase on-board supper/nibble offering also. 

Premium security access, need 

seats, need boarding and postponed things charges for everybody in the first class 

agenda. 

Forrester's take. Ding, ding, ding, we have a champ. On the off chance that a world-class SkyMiles part goes with relatives or companions, all reserved together in a similar traveler name record (PNR) – aircraft represent reservations record – his/her partners all get similar civilities. The favored seating access and postponed checked stuff charges will, almost certainly, be among the most appreciated and valuable advantages. 

Rollover MQM (Medallion Qualifying Miles). Delta will turn into the first 

aircraft to permit clients to for all time turn over any Medallion Qualification 

Miles (MQM) acquired over a Medallion edge toward the year's end, which 

will enhance their capacity to acquire status the next year. This is a 

perpetual component and not an advancement and will produce results this year. 

Forrester's take: Keep ringing that chime, we have another victor here. This one is fantastic. To start, we have the downturn and the absence of any authoritative time span for recuperation. Business and recreation travel is down, as represented by the $257 million overal deficit Delta revealed in its June 2009 quarter. Delta additionally faces developing contest from "minimal expense" transporters like AirTran Airways (FL), WN, and B6, which are extending their scope across a greater amount of DL's North American course organization (WN, for instance, as of late entered New York LaGuardia, and will before long enter Boston Logan). Delta additionally faces a growing Star Alliance – current SkyTeam accomplice CO leaves Book with Miles for Star October 24 How may this turnover program work? It's anything but dissimilar to the "turn over minutes" program some cell phone suppliers offer. Suppose a SkyMiles part procures 62,000 miles in a given schedule year. 50,000 miles qualifies the part for Gold SkyMiles status. The part would thus be able to turn over their "extra" 12,000 miles (62,000-50,000 for Gold) towards the next year's Medallion status capability. That is shrewd, on the grounds that it (once more, hypothetically) keeps the part flying DL and its SkyTeam union accomplices once they hit a limit.

[verdantspringcourtyard]

Sealand Homecoming Event

A new week long event that coincides with the release of SP Ootakemaru and SP Ubume. It is the 1st half of the 2 part event "Promise with the Ancient Sea". It's similar to War of Mt Oe and some more recent events that have characters replace our onmyouji like Bound by Love. Consists of 3 main parts; False Islet, True Island and the Final Battle. There is also is a puzzle but it's more of a side thing that you should be able to complete without even trying.

General Info

Battle Report

Like War of Mt Oe, there is an "event chat" labelled Battle Report. In the Battle Report there are 3 tabs;

Report - displays how long until the Evil Spirits start attacking the Sacred Trees, how long the attacks will last, how much of total HP/shield for the Sacred Trees is left, a daruma that displays rewards for protecting the Sacred Trees every evening when tapped on, etc.

Chat - event chat, unsure if this tab will be CN only.

Treasure - view Morale and Treasure, this tab is removed when the Final Battle starts.

Treasure

Morale is a server-wide buff for ATK and DEF on the True Island map. Every time an Evil Spirit Lair has been successfully defeated(?), Morale will go up by 1 level and every level increases ATK and DEF by 0.5%.  

Personal Treasures are found on the False Islet map by clearing Treasure Hunting zones. They provide buffs that only affect you in battles on the True Island map.

Treasure effects;

Jeweled Fish: Event AP cost to challenge Evil Spirits on the True Island map is decreased by 1.

Bell Taiko: Changes the effect of Morale from "every level increases ATK and DEF by 0.5%" to "every level increases ATK and DEF by 1%".

Japanese Umbrella: Increased conversion of Miasma Crystals into shields for the Sacred Trees (was 30%, now increased to 50%).

Lunar Jade: Damage dealt to Evil Spirits in their lairs is increased by 10%.

Suzuka

Upon starting the event you may notice that the character you'll be controlling and who'll be replacing your onmyouji is Suzuka. She has her own upgradable skills, 3 are slightly different versions of her existing skills while another 3 will be passives. Her skills can up upgraded with Bells obtained in Treasure Hunting zones and by donating 30 Miasma Crystals to a Sacred Tree. The passives have extra effects that can be upgraded multiple times even after reaching max skill level.

Her skill description can be read on the wiki version of this guide.

Recommend upgrading Suzuka's special 2 first. After all skills are maxed, focus on doing additional upgrades to passive 2. If you want to min-max then only focus on special 2 and passive 2, ignore her other skills.

False Islet

During the event you can explore the map of Mt Suzuka by going "Treasure Hunting" or going to the "Evil Spirit Lairs" and "Sacred Trees".

Treasure Hunting

Everyday there will be a couple of these Treasure Hunting zone you can clear until all 4 Treasures have been found. Clearing a zone gives 10000 event currency and after clearing a most of the zones for a region, a Treasure will be revealed on the map. To clear an area you must clear all 2-4 activities in it, all activities cost 3 AP to do, can be done on auto and all give Miasma Crystals. Activities do not need to cleared all at once, you can leave and re-enter areas if you want to. Activities are;

Evil Spirits (Bosses): Defeat 1 of 3 types of bosses, can be done solo or co-op. There is a 3 minute time limit but HP carries over between attempts.

Evil Spirit: Has ~240k HP and has 5 minions. Drops ~5000 event currency, random 5-6* souls and evo materials. 

Young Spirit: Has ~190k HP, has 2 minions and are very weak. Drops ~3000 event currency, random 4-6* souls and evo materials. 

Fierce Spirit: Has ~640k HP, has 5 minions and can hit a little bit harder than a regular evil spirits. Drops ~13k event currency, 1 random 6* soul and evo materials.

Knowledgeable Evil Spirit (Quizzes): Answer the questions about Sealand. Answer incorrectly and you'll have to fight a boss. Depending on the question the boss might relate to it, ie if the question is about Kani then the boss might be Kani. Alternatively, you can skip answering altogether and just fight a boss (solo or co-op). On auto only the correct answers will picked for you.

These quizzes are not ones used for Demon Encounter. Rewards are the same regardless of whether you answer the quizzes correctly or fight the boss instead.

Sealand Daruma: Defeat the tanky daruma boss for daruma shards, can be done solo or co-op. Drops ~5000 event currency.

Treasure Paper Doll: A paper doll gives you rewards such as puzzle pieces, bells, R-SSR shiki shards and daruma shards.

Tamatebako (Turtle Reward Box): Get rewards such as bells and select 1 of 4 items (30 AP, 1-5 white daruma shards, R-SSR shikigami shards or 15k gold).

Tales of Mt Suzuka: Listen to the Sea Butterfly tell tales of Mt Suzuka and get rewards such as a bells, R-SSR shiki shards, daruma shards and gold.

Since Treasure Hunting zones are only available for the first few days of the event and the activities to clear them aren't very hard either, would not recommend doing it on auto. Save your mochi for other stuff.

Evil Spirit Lairs

Fight the bosses of these lairs, costs 5 AP to do and can be done on auto. A total of 100 Miasma Crystals and 100 additional event currency drops can be farmed from the bosses, this amount is shared between all 4 so there's no need to fight each one 100 times. They drop 5000 event currency, event AP, a Miasma Crystal, orochi scales and random 4-6* souls. The types of souls you'll get can be chosen from a daily selection, kind of like Choose Your Soul weekend events. The faster you defeat a boss, the more event currency you get.

*Special Note: Memory Scroll fragments can also be obtained as drops here, however the drop rate seems to be rather low.

Sacred Trees

Use Miasma Crystals to restore the shields protecting the trees. Get 200 event currency per 1 Miasma Crystal. Using 10-20-30 crystals gives 15 AP, 5 Mochi and 3 Bells.  

True Island

To switch between the True Island and False Islet maps, tap the eye at the top of the screen. This can only be done when Evil Spirit Forces start attacking.

Everyday from 6 PM the server must fight Evil Spirit Forces to prevent them from attacking the Sacred Trees. The various Evil Spirit Forces coming out of their lairs all have their own stats for strength, HP and mobility. As the days go on there will be more and more of of them. Each one also has its own timer showing how long until they reach the nearest Sacred Tree. Challenging them requires 4 event AP, battles have a 2 minute time limit and HP is shared server-wide. Drops of event currency depend on how much damage you dealt, for reference; dealing ~3mil damage gives 7500 and dealing ~5mil gives 12000.

When the 4 Sacred Trees take too much damage, this bar at the top of the screen will decrease and the server-wide rewards for protecting the them will also decrease. To qualify for the server-wide rewards everyday, you must do a total of 8mil accumulated damage and/or donate 30 Miasma Crystals. The rewards can viewed by tapping the red daruma at the top of the screen or in the Battle Report tab.

Rewards for total remaining HP for the Sacred Trees:

100% - 10000 event currency, 3 black daruma shards and 40k gold

75% - 8000 event currency, 2 black daruma shards and 30k gold

50% - 5000 event currency, 1 black daruma shards and 20k gold

25% - 3000 event currency, a blue daruma and 10k gold

0% - 2000 event currency, a blue daruma and 10k gold

The rewards will sent out after reset and claimed from a paper doll in your courtyard.

Final Battle

After the last day (on the 2nd Wednesday of the event after maintenance), the server must work together to purify the Evil Spirit Corpse form of SP Ootakemaru to return him normal. There is no specified end date but we're intended to defeat the boss within a day.

When the boss enters a weakened state, the boss won't attack and we must purify the 4 objects on him (boat, sword, lantern, torii gate). The weakened state is basically a free damage phase, so if you're a beginner try to do much as damage as possible. The state ends when 1 of the 4 objects has been purified. When 4 objects are purified, the boss gains an new skill.

Costs 8 AP to challenge the boss and there's a 3 minute time limit. Can get ~1000 event currency per 1mil damage dealt. Before challenging the boss, can pick Kujira, Kani, Fuuri or Sasori to give you a buff. Can change the buff at any time.

Buffs;

Kujira: Suzuka has 60% chance to double crit when dealing crits.

Kani: Crit damage for all allies is increased by 100%.

Fuuri: Suzuka becomes immune to normal attacks.

Sasori: All allies deal 20% splash damage when dealing single target (and random target) attacks.

The rewards for total accumulated damage are; 50k gold, 50 AP, 50 gold orochi scales, 4* specoal kekkai/realm card, 3 black daruma shards, 10 skin tickets and an icon frame.

Handbook

Main Story: Can reread the main story of the event here.

Side Stories: Can reread the stories involving Yaobikuni, Uminari, Kujira and Kani Hime here.

Puzzle: Puzzle pieces received from paper dolls in Treasure Hunting zones will be automatically placed here. The total rewards for completing the puzzle is; 50000 event currency, a white daruma, a 3* white daruma, a 4* white daruma and a loading screen illustration.

Past Stories: Can reread the 15 short stories told by the Sea Butterfly encountered in the various regions of Mt Suzuka here.

Exchange Shop

The most notable items in the first tab are: lots of event AP, 2 event icon frames, 2 loading screen illustrations, new Sasori Onna skin, random SSR/SP, black daruma, 3-4-5* white daruma, lots of daruma (white, blue and red), 4 blue summon tickets, lots of skin tickets, totem tickets, demon souls, AP, mochi, lots of gold, special realm cards, etc. The icon frames are the exact same, one is still and one is animated.

The type of items that can be obtained from the packs are;

Jewelry: gold, jade, AP, evo materials, bio affection items, etc

Sculpture: R-SSR shikigami shards, gold and EXP buffs, etc

Painting: 6* souls, EXP souls, orochi scales, demon souls, totem zone tickets, etc

Gourmet: daruma, daruma shards, realm cards, bio affection items, soul and evo buffs, etc

Recommended Teams

Don't need very specific teams for this event, so as long as you already have teams that are regularly recommended for events you should be fine.

False Islet

The Treasure Hunting zone bosses and lair bosses aren't very strong, so you should be able to use the same team to clear everything.

True Island

If you don’t have Enmusubi, you could potentially use Shoyou/Bukkuman for the last 2 teams instead.

Final Battle

As long as you have a team that does really well against a single enemy, you shouldn't have too much trouble with this.

If you’re not using a team that needs kyoukotsu on Ushi, then remember to swatch her set from shadow to watcher as the fight goes on.

As for which buff to pick, Kujira's and Kani's buffs are probably the best ones. If you're a beginner and you want to give Suzuka some survivability then pick Fuuri. If you're using Kinnara/SP Tama + double Youkinshi or double Shuten + Shira then Sasori's buff is an option.

[orbemnews]

March 12, 2020: The Night the City Sighed to Sleep March began with an ominous drumbeat. A packed cruise ship with a coronavirus outbreak was left floating for days off the coast of California. South by Southwest was canceled. The N.B.A. suspended its season. And then, on March 12, Broadway shut down, and with it every large gathering in New York City. By the time the grates came down, it was not much of a surprise. The city that never sleeps was grinding to a halt. But it was impossible to imagine what was to come. The staggering death toll. The vast job losses. The isolation. The endlessness. That evening, a group of Broadway bigwigs — theater owners and producers, mostly — gathered to drown their sorrows at Sardi’s, the industry hangout famous for its celebrity caricatures. They noshed, they drank, they commiserated, and they hugged. Several of them wound up infected with the virus, although there were so many meetings, and so few masks at that point, who knows how they got it. They posted signs on their theaters saying they expected to be back four weeks later. Now it’s been 52. Do you remember your final nights out? We gathered scenes from around the city as the curtains closed. MICHAEL PAULSON Fondue Fountains, Buckets of Bouquets and Fresh Dolce The dressing rooms at the Brooks Atkinson Theater were filled with flowers. The ruby chocolate fondue fountain was booked for the after-party. Brittney Mack’s mother and her brother and her best girlfriends had all flown into town, not about to miss the moment when the 30-something Chicagoan made her long-awaited Broadway debut as a 16th-century English queen. But it was not to be. Ninety minutes before the scheduled opening of “Six,” an eagerly anticipated new musical about the wives of King Henry VIII, Broadway shut down. “I got to the theater early, and there were gifts from all over — buckets and buckets of plants, and cookies, and so much love, and I was like, ‘Hell, yes,’” Mack recalled. “And then the assistant stage manager came in and said the show is canceled, and I just said, ‘How dare you!’” “It was very, very overwhelming, and all of a sudden I felt incredibly alone. And then I was like, ‘But my dress! And the earrings!’ So many perspectives hit me, and I realized this happened to our entire industry, and I thought, ‘What the hell are we all going to do?’” What most of the “Six” family did was to gather. Mack went out for drinks with her friends at Harlem Public, near her apartment. Meanwhile, the show’s producer, Kevin McCollum, fresh off canceling an 800-person opening night party at Tao Downtown, hosted about 100 members of the show’s inner circle at the Glass House Tavern, a few doors down from the theater. “Looking back, it was ridiculous that we did that, but we didn’t know what we didn’t know, so we had a buffet of crudités, and a host of droplets, I’m sure,” he said. “We were in shock. There were people crying. We were giving it our best stiff upper lip, for the British, but we were emotionally devastated.” George Stiles, an English composer, was among many British friends of the show who had flown over for the opening. Stiles was once in a band with the father of Toby Marlow, who wrote “Six” with Lucy Moss, and had become a mentor and then a co-producer. “Never before has something that I’ve been involved with felt so poised to go off with a crack,” Stiles said of “Six” — quite a statement given that he wrote songs for the stage musical adaptation of “Mary Poppins.” “I was anticipating the euphoria of the crowd, and the fun of the red carpet-y nonsense, and the everyone wanting to be the last one to sit down.” Instead, he and his husband and Marlow’s father licked their wounds at Marseille. What was on the menu? “The sheer awfulness of being this close to a wonderful Broadway run.” Stiles has since put his “suitably regal” gold and black Dolce & Gabbana outfit “into very careful mothballs,” anticipating that there will yet be an opening night to celebrate. “We are very gung-ho,” he said, “and hopeful, fingers crossed, that it wont be too many months away.” PAULSON “We Love You, New York! Don’t Touch Your Face!” Only about half of the people who bought tickets to the March 12 show at Mercury Lounge had turned up, but there were still throngs of people drinking, talking and grooving to the band. Debbie Harry of the band Blondie was there, and so was the music producer Hal Willner. He would die less than a month later from Covid-19. Onstage, Michael C. Hall, the star of “Dexter” and lead singer of the glam rock band Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum, belted and wailed into the microphone. The staff members at Mercury Lounge knew they were watching their last live concert for a while; what “a while” meant, they had no idea. Bands had been canceling their appearances at an increasing rate, and on a call earlier that day, the owners had asked the staff members if they were still comfortable working, said Maggie Wrigley, a club manager. The line was silent for a moment, before one employee spoke up to say that no, it was no longer comfortable. Others piped up to agree: They felt exposed and vulnerable to the virus at work. Because the late show had already canceled, the owners decided that the club would shut down that night after the early show. At about 9:30 p.m. — painfully early for a Thursday night on the city’s club scene — the audience was asked to leave. “We love you, New York! Don’t touch your face!” Hall yelled at the end of his set. Alex Beaulieu, the club’s production manager, sanitized the microphones and packed the drum kit, amps and cables for longer term storage. “We locked the door and sat at the bar and had a drink,” Wrigley said of the club’s staff, “and we just kind of looked at each other, with no idea what was going to happen.” JULIA JACOBS A Swan Song, Cut Short For Sheena Wagstaff, chairman of modern and contemporary art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the spring of 2020 was destined to be bittersweet. The Met Breuer, the museum’s experimental satellite space, was going to close, three years ahead of schedule. But its final show was one she’d spent years preparing: “Gerhard Richter: Painting After All,” a survey of the stern and skeptical German artist, filling two floors of the landmark building and including loans from 30 different collections. The exhibition, intended by the now 89-year-old artist to be his last major show, opened March 4. It had the makings of a blockbuster, and it ought to have introduced New York to four paintings called “Birkenau” (2014): streaked, abraded abstractions that obscure imagery of the titular death camp. On March 12, the show’s ninth day, Wagstaff realized it had to close. At first the gravity of the crisis wasn’t fully clear. “I had every anticipation that it was going to reopen in May at the very latest,” Wagstaff said recently. But soon she realized that “Birkenau” — a culmination of Richter’s 60-year engagement with German history and the ethics of representation — would not find an audience. “Beyond a kind of personal huge disappointment, it was that the artist, so aware of his own mortality, was denied the possibility of actually making a mini-manifesto to the world. Alongside that was the curtailment of the Breuer. What we ended up with was this implosion.” Richter never saw the show. A few days before it came down, Wagstaff stood alone with “Birkenau”: paintings about the possibility of perceiving history that, now, no one could perceive at all. “It was a kind of haunting experience,” she said. “They became almost anthropomorphic. They’re sitting there on the walls, and there’s nothing, there’s no one to witness them. The paintings are witnessing something, and that witnessing cannot be conveyed any further.” By autumn, the Met had ceded occupancy of the Breuer to the Frick Collection. Most of Richter’s paintings had been crated up and shipped back to their lenders. Yet “Birkenau,” which belongs to the artist, stayed in New York. Wagstaff brought these most challenging works into the Met’s main building, introducing into the lavish Lehman Collection these four speechless acts of remembrance and horror. “It was a trace of the show. The viewing conditions weren’t perfect,” Wagstaff conceded. “We had really limited attendance; we still do. But people stayed in that room for a really long time. For those who came to see it, it was a revelation.” JASON FARAGO One Final Set By March 15, Broadway theaters and concert halls were empty, but in the dim light of the Comedy Cellar, audience members sat shoulder to shoulder sipping drinks and watching stand-up comedy. Masks were not required. The comedian Carmen Lynch was hesitant about showing up that night: Her boyfriend was heading out of the city to stay with his family in Connecticut, and she planned to join him — it seemed like it was time to hunker down. But, Lynch said, she knew that the days of doing multiple shows in a single night were ending, and she wanted to make as much money as possible before the inevitable shutdown. She exchanged texts with fellow comedians to feel out who was still performing. “I thought, ‘I’m not doing anything illegal. I’ll just do this one show and then leave,’” Lynch recalled. So her boyfriend took her suitcase to Connecticut while she stayed to perform — one set at 7:45 p.m. another at 8:30. Before each comedian would walk onstage to tell jokes in front of the club’s famous exposed brick wall and stained glass, they would reach into a bucket to take a microphone that had been recently cleaned. Just before Lynch went on, the comedian Lynne Koplitz took the stage, removed the sanitized microphone from the stand and theatrically wiped it down with a white cloth another time, saying, “I’ve wanted to do this for years!” When Lynch finished her second set, she didn’t linger. She called an Uber and felt relieved when the driver accepted her request for an hour-and-a-half drive to Connecticut, not knowing how long she’d be gone (until summer) or what the city would be like when she returned (eerily empty, store windows boarded up). She drove away, and in retrospect, she remembers it like a scene in a disaster movie. “It’s like you’re in the car,” she said, “and you turn around and there’s an explosion behind you.” JACOBS Source link Orbem News #City #March #night #Sighed #Sleep

[guapo-t-w]

Local Tidewater VA Beer Festivals

Upcoming Local Beer Fests:

Fri, Oct 27 - Masquerade in Ghent, 6 - 10:00 pm, Colley Ave., Norfolk. Ghent's largest Halloween street party and costume contest - Masquerade in Ghent will take place in the heart of Ghent on Colley Avenue between Shirley Avenue and Brandon Avenue. Show off your Halloween costume at the annual Costume Contest Parade. The parade starts at 6:30 pm and judges will award cash prizes for "Best In Show," "Best Family or Group," and "Best Adult." Prize packets will be awarded to "Best Pet Costume," "Best Young Adult" (male & female ages 13-18 years old), "Best Child" (male & female ages 5-12), "Best Infant." Register for free online at: ghentnorfolk.org by Wednesday, October 25. There will be a $25 registration fee for entries submitted after October 25. ViewItDoIt will be streaming the parade live! Your out-of-town friends and family can see all of the fun. And, you will be able to provide live testimonials! After the parade, get ready for a monster mash with live music by MBMA Plus, there will be activities for kids, refreshments and adult beverages. Masquerade in Ghent is free and open to the public. Ample parking can be found along the streets and parking lots. Don't miss the frightfully, fun-tastic time at this year's Masquerade in Ghent!

Sat, Oct 28 - Party in the Park, Hosted by The Princess Anne Garden Club, 1 - 4:00 pm, First Landing State Park, 2500 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach. Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 28th for this fun event, Party in the Park! Enjoy live music while sipping on wine or beer. Explore the silent auction offering fabulous gift baskets, art, vacation homes, etc. Dine on delicious BBQ and chicken chili! Tickets $40 pre-sale and $45 Day of Event.

Sun, Nov 5 - House of Blues, Brews, and Stews, presented by Atlantic Shores, Virginia MOCA, 1 - 5:00 pm, 2200 Parks Avenue, Virginia Beach. Enjoy casual camaraderie at the Blues, Brews, and Stews, while listening to headlining act 'Love Canon' with opening act 'More Perfect Jones'! All the stews and blues you can handle | cash bar with craft brews | souvenir beer cup and wine glass | access to the Boardwalk Art Show silent auction | admission to MOCA's current exhibitions, including "Wayne White: Monitorium". **VIP EXCLUSIVE: Stews and blues with the VIP experience | Lounge in the tent next to the stage | 3 drink tickets | private bar gourmet grub by the Chefs at Atlantic Shores. Purchase Tickets: Early bird - $30 | $45 VIP; After Oct 16 - $40 |$55 VIP; At the door - $50 | $65 VIP. Children are welcome to attend, too! Ages 6 and under FREE, ages 7-12 are $15.

Sun, Nov 5 - 8th Annual Virginia Roast & Toast, Hosted by Hermitage Museum and Gardens, 3 - 6:00 pm, 7637 N Shore Rd., Norfolk. It's a staple of the season! The Hermitage Young Associates Board presents the 8th Annual Virginia Roast & Toast. All-inclusive tickets include mouth-watering Virginia oysters and barbeque, our favorite local craft beers, wine, live music on the gorgeous shoreline, and the chance to bid on exclusive auction items from local businesses. All ticket buyers will receive free museum admission and the opportunity to see our outdoor Stickwork installation by artist Patrick Dougherty. $55.00 Hermitage Members; $65.00 Non-Members. All proceeds support the Hermitage's year round schedule of one of a kind programs and exhibitions! Online tickets go on sale Monday, September 11th - this event has sold out 7 years in a row!

Sat, Nov 11 - Virginia Living Museum Oyster Roast Fundraiser, 3 - 6:00 pm, 524 J Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News. Enjoy all-you-can-eat fresh local Rappahannock Oysters, fried seafood, chowder, dessert buffet, craft beers, wine, full bar, DJ/live music, commemorative glass, raffles & more at the Virginia Living Museum's sixth annual Oyster Roast! Voted Best of the 757 Gold for Outdoor Festivals four years in a row by Coastal Virginia Magazine, this event is always a sell-out. Food will be provided by Mathews Lions Club and Waypoint Seafood & Grill. Desserts by Stratford University Culinary Students. New this year, the Virginia Living Museum has partnered with St. George Brewing Company to brew an exclusive Oyster Stout! Enjoy live music by Louis Vangieri and Phil Poteat. All proceeds benefit the Museum's award winning educational programs and animal care needs. Tickets go on sale September 1. Tickets: $50, $60 week of event, Age 21 and up. Tickets include commemorative glass and two beverage tickets for beer or wine!  https://thevlm.org/events/museum-events/oyster-roast/

Sat, Nov 18 - Oyster & South Festival, Hosted by Greenbrier Farms, 1 - 5:00 pm, 225 Sign Pine Rd., Chesapeake. Just as it is every year, Oyster & South will be held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving! We have found this date perfectly sets a "thankful" tone, that brings family, friends, and the community together to celebrate our heritage & lifestyle, and gladly "giving-back" to those who really need our support! This event is an amazing opportunity for you to create awareness, introduce or just re-affirm your business' community connection. If you are looking to connect with "salt of the earth" people, then this is your festival. It is only through the support and generosity of our community that we are able to produce Oyster & South festival each year and give back so much to great charities! See you on the farm!

Drink Happy - Be Safe

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www.brew-n-rock-tidewater.blogspot.com

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[travelguy4444]

20 Things to See and Do in Bogotá

Posted: 03/25/2019 | March 25th, 2019

The capital of Colombia, Bogotá was the home to the region’s indigenous people, the Muisca, when the Spanish came around plundering gold and resources, and it’s been the country’s main city ever since.

Before I went, everyone told me Bogotá wasn’t anything special: dirty, crowded, hard to get around, and lacking the charm of the other big cities in Colombia.

“Spend a few days there and move on,” they all said.

Well, I spent a few days there — and then a few more.

I LOVED Bogotá.

It felt like the most “Colombian” city I visited. It’s not like the gringofied cities in the rest of the country. Its “gritty” nature was what appealed to me.

Bogotá was a vibrant, lively city I couldn’t get enough of.

The museum scene is incredible, there’s a lot of history, a blossoming art community, an exciting food scene, a wild nightlife, and super welcoming people.

It is also a huge city with a ton of tours, day trips, and other things to do. You could easily spend a week here.

To help you make the most out of your visit, here are my top 20 things to see and do in Bogotá.

20 Things to See and Do in Bogotá

1. Take a Free Walking Tour

One of my favorite things to do when I get to a new destination is to take a free walking tour. It’s a great way to get the lay of the land, see the main sights, and have a local expert answer any and all of my questions.

BeyondColombia has a great free walking tour that will give you a solid introduction to the city. It also has a free food tour, which is a terrific way to get a taste of some local Colombian dishes (you’ll spend around 18,000 COP/$6 USD on food for the tour). Just be sure to tip your guides!

For a more specialized tour, check out the Bogotá Graffiti Tour. This one operates by donation, using the money raised to reinvest in future community art projects.

2. Stroll in the Botanical Gardens

Opened in 1955, the Botanical Garden of Bogotá is home to almost 20,000 plants. There is a focus on regional plants, usually those that are endemic to the Andes and other high-alpine regions of the continent. It’s a really peaceful place to walk around, and there are some food stalls nearby, so you can grab a quick bite as you explore the gardens and browse the exotic flowers and trees.

Cl. 63 No. 6895, +57 1-437-7060, jbb.gov.co. Open daily 8am-5pm (9am-5pm on weekends). Admission is 3,500 COP for adults and 1,800 COP for children.

3. Climb Monserrate

Standing tall at over 3,000 meters, you can see Monserrate from pretty much everywhere in town. It’s a popular spot to take in the view, and since there is a church at the summit, it’s also a popular spot for local weddings. You can walk up yourself in under an hour, or you can take a cable car or funicular to the top. Keep in mind that the walk up isn’t that safe at night or alone — thieves scout out the route. Be careful!

The funicular runs Monday-Saturday 6:30am-11:30am and Sundays 5:30am-4:30pm. The cable car is available Monday-Saturday 12pm-11:30pm and Sundays 10am-4:30pm. Tickets for either vehicle are the same price: round-trip tickets cost 21,000 COP for adults (12,000 COP on Sundays).

4. Visit the Museo del Oro (The Gold Museum)

This is the most interesting museum in the entire country and sees over half a million tourists every year. Opened in 1939, the Gold Museum documents the importance and use of gold in pre-Hispanic civilizations in Colombia and is home to over 55,000 gold items. There’s a lot of information to take in, so be sure to get the audio guide (8,000 COP) or join one of the daily free tours.

Cra. 6 No. 15-88, +57 1-343-2222, banrepcultural.org/bogota/museo-del-oro. Open Tuesday-Saturday 9am-6pm and Sundays 10am-4pm. Admission is 4,000 COP for adults and free for children. Admission is also free for adults on Sundays, but it gets busy quickly so be sure to arrive early!

5. See the Salt Cathedral

Located about an hour’s drive from the city in Zipaquirá, the Salt Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church that was built in the tunnels of an old salt mine. It’s 200 meters below ground, making this one of the more unique religious sites in the country, if not the world. Every Sunday, up to 3,000 people attend church services here.

Parque de la Sal, +57 315-760-7376, catedraldesal.gov.co. Open daily 9am-5:40pm. Admission is 58,000 COP for foreigners, with discounts available for seniors.

6. Check out the Museo de Botero

Founded in 2000, this museum is home to one of Latin America’s most important art collections. The museum was created after Fernando Botero donated hundreds of his works to the Banco de la República de Colombia with the promise that they would be displayed in a free museum for everyone to see. In addition to his own pieces, included in the donation were works by Monet, Picasso, and other world-famous artists. Take a free tour or get the audio guide (not free).

Cl. 11 No. 4-41, +57 1-343-1316, banrepcultural.org/bogota/museo-botero. Open Monday and Wednesday-Saturday 9am-7pm and Sundays 10am-5pm (closed Tuesdays). Admission is free, and free guided tours are available daily; see the website for updated times. Audio guides are available for 10,000 COP.

7. Explore La Candelaria

I really loved this neighborhood. This is the old part of Bogotá. You can wander the narrow cobblestone streets and take in the eclectic architecture, with art deco, colonial, and baroque styles all calling the neighborhood home. Many of the city’s best attractions (also, many hostels) are here too, such as the Botero Museum, the Gold Museum, and several churches and universities. Watch live music while hanging at Plaza Chorro de Quevedo, try the local chicha (a drink made from corn, often fermented to be alcoholic) on the side streets, and take in some of the amazing restaurants in this district.

8. See the Santuario Nuestra Señora del Carmen

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Carmen is a Gothic church located in La Candelaria. The church has a red-and-white striped pattern — both on the outside and inside — making it look like a giant candy cane. Built from 1926 to 1938, the church stands almost 60 meters tall has some incredible Byzantine and Moorish art.

Cra. 5 No. 8-36, +57 1-342-0972. Open Monday-Friday 7am-7:30am and 10am-4pm, Saturdays 7am-7:30am, and Sundays 7am-12:30pm.

9. Visit Simon Bolívar Metropolitan Park

This is one of the most popular parks in Bogotá. Created in 1979, it spans almost 1,000 acres. You can find people exercising, relaxing, or attending concerts here. The park is named after the famous Simón Bolívar, who led the liberation of the region from its Spanish overlords.

Open daily 6am-6pm. Admission is free unless there is a concert or event in progress.

10. Wander Plaza Bolívar

This is the main square of Bogotá, home to Colombia’s Palace of Justice, the Cathedral of Bogotá, the mayor’s office, and the Capitol Building. It’s the historical heart of the city, with buildings from as early as the 16th century. Under the Spanish, the plaza was home to bullfights, circus acts, and public markets. Watch out for the plethora of pigeons!

11. Head to the Laguna de Guatavita (Lake Guatavita)

If you want to take a break from the city and get some fresh air, head out on a day trip to Lake Guatavita. Located around 60 kilometers north of Bogotá, this small lake is a sacred site to the region’s indigenous people and is apparently where the rumors of El Dorado originated. There are also hot springs in the nearby town of Sesquilé if you’re in need of some relaxation.

Day trips to the area last around 6 hours and will vary in price. Expect to pay at least 180,000 COP per person.

12. Explore Parque 93

This is the area of town with some of the best restaurants, nightclubs, and bars in the entire city. The park itself is home to an ongoing rotation of temporary art exhibitions. Located in one of the nicer areas of town, you’ll find a lot of good restaurants and cafés lining the park.

13. Attend Gringo Tuesdays

This is a weekly language exchange that evolves into an international party. Every Tuesday, you can meet with other locals and travelers for a few hours of conversation. Once that’s over, the real party begins and goes late into the night. It’s a fun, social night out if you’re looking meet fellow travelers. A lot of hostels organize party buses to the event, so if you’re coming from La Candelaria, this is a good transportation option.

Street 85 No. 11-53, Promenade del Faro, +57 311-492-0249, gringotuesdays.com/en. Every Tuesday, the language exchange occurs 4pm-8pm, followed by the party, which runs 8pm-3am.

14. Discover the National Museum of Colombia

Situated in the heart of Bogotá, this is the oldest and biggest museum in the entire country (and one of the oldest on the continent). Built in 1823, it’s home to over 20,000 pieces of art and historical artifacts, some dating as far back as 10,000 BCE. The building was actually used as a prison initially (it definitely looks imposing) until it transitioned into a museum in 1946. If you’re a history buff or just want to learn more about the country, this museum is a must.

Carrera 7 No 28-66, +57 1-381-6470, museonacional.gov.co. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm and Sundays 10am-5pm. Admission is 4,000 COp for adults, 3,000 COP for students, and 2,000 COP for children aged 5-12.

15. Wander the Usaquén Market

Every Sunday, artisans line the cobblestoned streets to sell all sorts of local crafts and goods. While it’s usually referred to as a flea market, things here are a bit nicer and more upscale than some of the other markets. It’s still quite affordable, though, and makes for a fun way to spend the day.

The market runs 11am-4pm every Sunday in Usaquén.

16. Explore the Museo Santa Clara

This church was built in the 17th century and is actually one of the oldest in the entire country. It was deconsecrated in the 1960s and converted into a museum by the government. There are over 148 baroque paintings that almost entirely cover its walls, making this one of the most beautifully decorated churches you’ll see in Colombia.

Cra. 8 No. 8-91, +57 1-337-6762, museocolonial.gov.co. Open Tuesday-Friday 9am-4:30pm and Saturday-Sunday 10am-3:30pm. Admission is 4,000 COP for adults and 2,000 COP for children.

17. Grab a snack from La Puerta Falsa

This little shop has been serving locals for over 200 years! La Puerta Falsa (The False Door) is a small restaurant with room for fewer than 20 people, yet the tamales and ajiaco soup have been community staples for generations. If you’re looking to try traditional Colombian food, this is the place to go!

Calle 11 No. 6-50, +57 1-286-5091, restaurantelapuertafalsa.inf.travel. Open daily 7am-10pm though its schedule isn’t set in stone.

18. Visit the Iglesia de San Francisco

Built in the 16th century, this Catholic church is the oldest surviving church in Bogotá. The interior is incredibly ornate, with a beautiful altar that dates back to the 17th century. It’s still in use, and you’ll likely see some locals praying during your visit, so make sure to dress appropriately and be respectful.

Av. Jimenez De Quesada No. 7-10, +57 1-341-2357. Open Monday-Friday 6:30am-10:30pm; 6:30am-12:30pm and 4pm-6:30pm on Saturdays; and 7:30am-1:30pm and 4:30-7:30pm on Sundays. Admission is free.

19. Sample the local brews

Bogotá (and the country has a whole) has a growing craft beer scene. Bogotá Craft Beer offers a four-hour tour that takes you to some of the best bars and breweries in town. The tour includes a knowledgable guide as well as secure transportation from place to place. I highly recommend it.

Tours are available daily 4pm-9pm and need to be booked in advance via their website. Tickets are around 95,000 COP per person.

20. Take a food tour

Bogotá is a great city for foodies, and the best way to get a sense of the culinary offerings is to take a food tour. Bogotá Food Tour will take you around La Macarena, Bogotá’s bohemian and artistic neighborhood. The tour lasts three hours and will take you to three different restaurants where you can sample a local dish and drink. Tours also include pickup and drop-off at your accommodation.

Tours are available Monday-Saturday and begin around 7pm. Booking in advance is required so you can secure your transportation. Tickets are 188,500 COP per person.

***

It’s true that Bogotá is an “edgy city” with a lot of petty crime. Yet I loved the atmosphere and vibe of the city. It had grit (kind of like Naples, Italy). I loved the art, the museums, the food. The city has so much to offer travelers. You can really fill a lot of time between all the sights, tours, parks, and activities. I would have liked to stay longer in Bogotá if I could.

I’d budget three to five days for your visit. It will definitely be worth it.

Book Your Trip to Colombia: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe, so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time. My favorite places to stay are:

Masaya Hostel – This is a cool hostel located in La Candaleria. It has lots of common space where you can meet people and some comfy hammocks you can relax in; it also hosts all sorts of activities and excursions, from live music to salsa lessons.

Botánico Hostel – This cool hostel is relvatively new. The beds are comfy, it’s in a good location, and it offers free breakfast too!

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel — and I think they will help you too!

Want More Information on Colombia? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Colombia for even more planning tips!

Photo credits: 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 20, 21

The post 20 Things to See and Do in Bogotá appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

source https://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/things-to-see-and-do-in-bogota/

[tamboradventure]

20 Things to See and Do in Bogotá

Posted: 03/25/2019 | March 25th, 2019

The capital of Colombia, Bogotá was the home to the region’s indigenous people, the Muisca, when the Spanish came around plundering gold and resources, and it’s been the country’s main city ever since.

Before I went, everyone told me Bogotá wasn’t anything special: dirty, crowded, hard to get around, and lacking the charm of the other big cities in Colombia.

“Spend a few days there and move on,” they all said.

Well, I spent a few days there — and then a few more.

I LOVED Bogotá.

It felt like the most “Colombian” city I visited. It’s not like the gringofied cities in the rest of the country. Its “gritty” nature was what appealed to me.

Bogotá was a vibrant, lively city I couldn’t get enough of.

The museum scene is incredible, there’s a lot of history, a blossoming art community, an exciting food scene, a wild nightlife, and super welcoming people.

It is also a huge city with a ton of tours, day trips, and other things to do. You could easily spend a week here.

To help you make the most out of your visit, here are my top 20 things to see and do in Bogotá.

20 Things to See and Do in Bogotá

1. Take a Free Walking Tour

One of my favorite things to do when I get to a new destination is to take a free walking tour. It’s a great way to get the lay of the land, see the main sights, and have a local expert answer any and all of my questions.

BeyondColombia has a great free walking tour that will give you a solid introduction to the city. It also has a free food tour, which is a terrific way to get a taste of some local Colombian dishes (you’ll spend around 18,000 COP/$6 USD on food for the tour). Just be sure to tip your guides!

For a more specialized tour, check out the Bogotá Graffiti Tour. This one operates by donation, using the money raised to reinvest in future community art projects.

2. Stroll in the Botanical Gardens

Opened in 1955, the Botanical Garden of Bogotá is home to almost 20,000 plants. There is a focus on regional plants, usually those that are endemic to the Andes and other high-alpine regions of the continent. It’s a really peaceful place to walk around, and there are some food stalls nearby, so you can grab a quick bite as you explore the gardens and browse the exotic flowers and trees.

Cl. 63 No. 6895, +57 1-437-7060, jbb.gov.co. Open daily 8am-5pm (9am-5pm on weekends). Admission is 3,500 COP for adults and 1,800 COP for children.

3. Climb Monserrate

Standing tall at over 3,000 meters, you can see Monserrate from pretty much everywhere in town. It’s a popular spot to take in the view, and since there is a church at the summit, it’s also a popular spot for local weddings. You can walk up yourself in under an hour, or you can take a cable car or funicular to the top. Keep in mind that the walk up isn’t that safe at night or alone — thieves scout out the route. Be careful!

The funicular runs Monday-Saturday 6:30am-11:30am and Sundays 5:30am-4:30pm. The cable car is available Monday-Saturday 12pm-11:30pm and Sundays 10am-4:30pm. Tickets for either vehicle are the same price: round-trip tickets cost 21,000 COP for adults (12,000 COP on Sundays).

4. Visit the Museo del Oro (The Gold Museum)

This is the most interesting museum in the entire country and sees over half a million tourists every year. Opened in 1939, the Gold Museum documents the importance and use of gold in pre-Hispanic civilizations in Colombia and is home to over 55,000 gold items. There’s a lot of information to take in, so be sure to get the audio guide (8,000 COP) or join one of the daily free tours.

Cra. 6 No. 15-88, +57 1-343-2222, banrepcultural.org/bogota/museo-del-oro. Open Tuesday-Saturday 9am-6pm and Sundays 10am-4pm. Admission is 4,000 COP for adults and free for children. Admission is also free for adults on Sundays, but it gets busy quickly so be sure to arrive early!

5. See the Salt Cathedral

Located about an hour’s drive from the city in Zipaquirá, the Salt Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church that was built in the tunnels of an old salt mine. It’s 200 meters below ground, making this one of the more unique religious sites in the country, if not the world. Every Sunday, up to 3,000 people attend church services here.

Parque de la Sal, +57 315-760-7376, catedraldesal.gov.co. Open daily 9am-5:40pm. Admission is 58,000 COP for foreigners, with discounts available for seniors.

6. Check out the Museo de Botero

Founded in 2000, this museum is home to one of Latin America’s most important art collections. The museum was created after Fernando Botero donated hundreds of his works to the Banco de la República de Colombia with the promise that they would be displayed in a free museum for everyone to see. In addition to his own pieces, included in the donation were works by Monet, Picasso, and other world-famous artists. Take a free tour or get the audio guide (not free).

Cl. 11 No. 4-41, +57 1-343-1316, banrepcultural.org/bogota/museo-botero. Open Monday and Wednesday-Saturday 9am-7pm and Sundays 10am-5pm (closed Tuesdays). Admission is free, and free guided tours are available daily; see the website for updated times. Audio guides are available for 10,000 COP.

7. Explore La Candelaria

I really loved this neighborhood. This is the old part of Bogotá. You can wander the narrow cobblestone streets and take in the eclectic architecture, with art deco, colonial, and baroque styles all calling the neighborhood home. Many of the city’s best attractions (also, many hostels) are here too, such as the Botero Museum, the Gold Museum, and several churches and universities. Watch live music while hanging at Plaza Chorro de Quevedo, try the local chicha (a drink made from corn, often fermented to be alcoholic) on the side streets, and take in some of the amazing restaurants in this district.

8. See the Santuario Nuestra Señora del Carmen

The National Shrine of Our Lady of Carmen is a Gothic church located in La Candelaria. The church has a red-and-white striped pattern — both on the outside and inside — making it look like a giant candy cane. Built from 1926 to 1938, the church stands almost 60 meters tall has some incredible Byzantine and Moorish art.

Cra. 5 No. 8-36, +57 1-342-0972. Open Monday-Friday 7am-7:30am and 10am-4pm, Saturdays 7am-7:30am, and Sundays 7am-12:30pm.

9. Visit Simon Bolívar Metropolitan Park

This is one of the most popular parks in Bogotá. Created in 1979, it spans almost 1,000 acres. You can find people exercising, relaxing, or attending concerts here. The park is named after the famous Simón Bolívar, who led the liberation of the region from its Spanish overlords.

Open daily 6am-6pm. Admission is free unless there is a concert or event in progress.

10. Wander Plaza Bolívar

This is the main square of Bogotá, home to Colombia’s Palace of Justice, the Cathedral of Bogotá, the mayor’s office, and the Capitol Building. It’s the historical heart of the city, with buildings from as early as the 16th century. Under the Spanish, the plaza was home to bullfights, circus acts, and public markets. Watch out for the plethora of pigeons!

11. Head to the Laguna de Guatavita (Lake Guatavita)

If you want to take a break from the city and get some fresh air, head out on a day trip to Lake Guatavita. Located around 60 kilometers north of Bogotá, this small lake is a sacred site to the region’s indigenous people and is apparently where the rumors of El Dorado originated. There are also hot springs in the nearby town of Sesquilé if you’re in need of some relaxation.

Day trips to the area last around 6 hours and will vary in price. Expect to pay at least 180,000 COP per person.

12. Explore Parque 93

This is the area of town with some of the best restaurants, nightclubs, and bars in the entire city. The park itself is home to an ongoing rotation of temporary art exhibitions. Located in one of the nicer areas of town, you’ll find a lot of good restaurants and cafés lining the park.

13. Attend Gringo Tuesdays

This is a weekly language exchange that evolves into an international party. Every Tuesday, you can meet with other locals and travelers for a few hours of conversation. Once that’s over, the real party begins and goes late into the night. It’s a fun, social night out if you’re looking meet fellow travelers. A lot of hostels organize party buses to the event, so if you’re coming from La Candelaria, this is a good transportation option.

Street 85 No. 11-53, Promenade del Faro, +57 311-492-0249, gringotuesdays.com/en. Every Tuesday, the language exchange occurs 4pm-8pm, followed by the party, which runs 8pm-3am.

14. Discover the National Museum of Colombia

Situated in the heart of Bogotá, this is the oldest and biggest museum in the entire country (and one of the oldest on the continent). Built in 1823, it’s home to over 20,000 pieces of art and historical artifacts, some dating as far back as 10,000 BCE. The building was actually used as a prison initially (it definitely looks imposing) until it transitioned into a museum in 1946. If you’re a history buff or just want to learn more about the country, this museum is a must.

Carrera 7 No 28-66, +57 1-381-6470, museonacional.gov.co. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm and Sundays 10am-5pm. Admission is 4,000 COp for adults, 3,000 COP for students, and 2,000 COP for children aged 5-12.

15. Wander the Usaquén Market

Every Sunday, artisans line the cobblestoned streets to sell all sorts of local crafts and goods. While it’s usually referred to as a flea market, things here are a bit nicer and more upscale than some of the other markets. It’s still quite affordable, though, and makes for a fun way to spend the day.

The market runs 11am-4pm every Sunday in Usaquén.

16. Explore the Museo Santa Clara

This church was built in the 17th century and is actually one of the oldest in the entire country. It was deconsecrated in the 1960s and converted into a museum by the government. There are over 148 baroque paintings that almost entirely cover its walls, making this one of the most beautifully decorated churches you’ll see in Colombia.

Cra. 8 No. 8-91, +57 1-337-6762, museocolonial.gov.co. Open Tuesday-Friday 9am-4:30pm and Saturday-Sunday 10am-3:30pm. Admission is 4,000 COP for adults and 2,000 COP for children.

17. Grab a snack from La Puerta Falsa

This little shop has been serving locals for over 200 years! La Puerta Falsa (The False Door) is a small restaurant with room for fewer than 20 people, yet the tamales and ajiaco soup have been community staples for generations. If you’re looking to try traditional Colombian food, this is the place to go!

Calle 11 No. 6-50, +57 1-286-5091, restaurantelapuertafalsa.inf.travel. Open daily 7am-10pm though its schedule isn’t set in stone.

18. Visit the Iglesia de San Francisco

Built in the 16th century, this Catholic church is the oldest surviving church in Bogotá. The interior is incredibly ornate, with a beautiful altar that dates back to the 17th century. It’s still in use, and you’ll likely see some locals praying during your visit, so make sure to dress appropriately and be respectful.

Av. Jimenez De Quesada No. 7-10, +57 1-341-2357. Open Monday-Friday 6:30am-10:30pm; 6:30am-12:30pm and 4pm-6:30pm on Saturdays; and 7:30am-1:30pm and 4:30-7:30pm on Sundays. Admission is free.

19. Sample the local brews

Bogotá (and the country has a whole) has a growing craft beer scene. Bogotá Craft Beer offers a four-hour tour that takes you to some of the best bars and breweries in town. The tour includes a knowledgable guide as well as secure transportation from place to place. I highly recommend it.

Tours are available daily 4pm-9pm and need to be booked in advance via their website. Tickets are around 95,000 COP per person.

20. Take a food tour

Bogotá is a great city for foodies, and the best way to get a sense of the culinary offerings is to take a food tour. Bogotá Food Tour will take you around La Macarena, Bogotá’s bohemian and artistic neighborhood. The tour lasts three hours and will take you to three different restaurants where you can sample a local dish and drink. Tours also include pickup and drop-off at your accommodation.

Tours are available Monday-Saturday and begin around 7pm. Booking in advance is required so you can secure your transportation. Tickets are 188,500 COP per person.

***

It’s true that Bogotá is an “edgy city” with a lot of petty crime. Yet I loved the atmosphere and vibe of the city. It had grit (kind of like Naples, Italy). I loved the art, the museums, the food. The city has so much to offer travelers. You can really fill a lot of time between all the sights, tours, parks, and activities. I would have liked to stay longer in Bogotá if I could.

I’d budget three to five days for your visit. It will definitely be worth it.

Book Your Trip to Colombia: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe, so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. I use them all the time. My favorite places to stay are:

Masaya Hostel – This is a cool hostel located in La Candaleria. It has lots of common space where you can meet people and some comfy hammocks you can relax in; it also hosts all sorts of activities and excursions, from live music to salsa lessons.

Botánico Hostel – This cool hostel is relvatively new. The beds are comfy, it’s in a good location, and it offers free breakfast too!

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

World Nomads (for everyone below 70)

Insure My Trip (for those over 70)

Looking for the best companies to save money with? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use to save money when I travel — and I think they will help you too!

Want More Information on Colombia? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on Colombia for even more planning tips!

Photo credits: 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 20, 21

The post 20 Things to See and Do in Bogotá appeared first on Nomadic Matt's Travel Site.

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[travelwithannmoses]

Customer Service | 10 Best Companies You Should Learn From

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The Customer Service Target Market Support Assistance Concept

Ann Moses

It doesn’t matter how deep your customer’s pockets are, it only matters how well you treat them. Imagine how different the movie would be if it was made now. What are the chances of Vivian tweeting out her anger and hurt, her tweets going viral with tons of people chipping in their own frustration, the movement gaining momentum and leading the store to a digital suicide?

In a service business, nothing is more important than having people on your team who’ll do more than represent your current culture-you must have people who push the culture you have forward, not the other way around.

More often in customer experience, you could get away with doing the bare minimum. That is mostly enough. But enough is far from memorable. It is when you go out of your way that you make people’s day!

We’ve cherry-picked 10 brands that have an unbeatable track when it comes to cultivating their customers’ happiness.

Zappos

Did you know that up to 42% of consumers expect a response with 60 minutes? Apparently, a prompt response is the norm, not exception anymore.

If there is a gold standard in customer service, it has got to be Zappos. Their support success stories are the stuff of urban legends. One such instance, they won a customer for life by overnighting a pair of shoes, free of cost, to the best man in need.

On social media, Zappos doesn’t hold back from having a little fun with emojis and GIFs, but they always adhere to their golden rule of putting their customers first. And it pays off, each time!

Delta Hotels

Mike McCready, your average Jo, was attending the #PSEWEB conference in Vancouver when he stayed at Delta hotel. While he liked his room at the Delta, the view was rather ugly and he tweeted that with his followers. He didn’t tag the hotel, merely commenting on it, as he didn’t think anything would come out of the tweet.

He was in for a pleasant surprise when Delta responded within an hour- offering another room with a better view! And he had a dish of sweets and a handwritten card from the staff awaiting his arrival in his room. Mike was so profoundly impressed that he wrote an entire post about it, the very same day.

Amazon

If happy customers are what you have in mind, then an exuberant customer service team is what you should already have. Let your customer service team have fun. Amazon has an exciting story to tell of what can happen when companies give their teams more freedom in their client communications.

One such instance, when a witty customer service person engaged in a Thor and Odin roleplay with an equally witty customer, to the delight of everyone. ( https://www.thesun.co.uk/archives/news/1133174/now-thats-customer-service-amazon-worker-engages-in-hilarious-thor-roleplay-to-help-replace-customers-lost-book/ This Thor and Odin exchange was legendary. The hilarious communication between an Amazon employee and a customer couldn’t go better even if it was scripted!

Now, can you imagine how dry things would have been if the Customer Service was asked to reply only with strictly professional (read stuffy), straightforward answers? More people than you’d think would appreciate humor. Just don’t crack jokes at the expense of a pissed off customer.

Westjet

There is nothing more cheerier than surprise gifts (as Westjet proved)! In December 2013, the Canadian airline staged what would become the most stunning example of ‘giftvertising’ yet.

When Santa Claus greeted each of the passengers boarding the two Westjet flights with “What would you like for Christmas?”, they thought it was a just an interesting Xmas celebration. From a warm scarf and clean underwear to holiday tickets and a big tv, their answers ranged from whatever first came to their mind.

In the following year, the number of visits to their websites doubled, with bookings increasing by 77% compared to the same month in 2012 and revenue rising by a whopping 86%!

Customer Service 10 Best Companies You Should Learn From

Slack

Putting out figurative fires is what a customer service company does all day. But doing it gracefully is indeed an art! Sometimes it’s when things aren’t going perfectly that a company’s true colors come out.

As is the case of Slack when they dealt with their app-wide outage like a pro in late November, 2015. For a new company on the block, they have more than their share of passionate customers for whom Slack has become an indispensable part of many teams’ work day! That’s why when Slack went down ten months ago, users blew up Twitter.

They responded to every complaint on social with speed and humility, and diligently shared regular updates until the issue was resolved, and the app was up and running again!

Salesforce

Transparency can leave a huge impact on the ones who are on the receiving end of it. Salesforce has an excellent customer service, that plays a vital role in making it the customer’s favorite.

As they put it, “Success is built on trust. Trust starts with transparency.”

Salesforce is so utterly customer focused and upholds transparency so much so that the company publicly disclose in real time when its cloud services are unavailable or face some reliance issues. Now that takes some nerve!

Apple

The one brand that has inspired the type of customer loyalty which sometimes borders on the maniacal, Apple earned its loyalty through their exemplary customer experience. “You’ve got to start with the customer experience and work backward to the technology.” Steve Jobs – Co-founder of Apple

While the Apple products are the very definition of innovation and ease, the real soul of the company is its employees. Apple mitigates the need for reactive customer service with a focus on building intuitive products and providing quality training for users. Apple staff are highly knowledgeable and committed to passing on that knowledge in an empathetic way. They demonstrate enthusiastic, empathetic, and knowledgeable customer service. The sheer quality of training the staff undergoes make the entire customer experience seamless, and most of all, effortless.

Nordstrom

At a Nordstrom store, a woman lost her diamond from her wedding ring while trying on clothes. She was crawling on the floor under the racks when a store worker noticed her. He asked what was going on, then joined the search.

When they came up empty, he sought two building-services workers to join the search. To everyone’s relief, the finally found the shiny diamond on one of the bags of the store’s vacuum cleaners.

Customer Service 10 Best Companies You Should Learn From

The video clips that captured this incident was shared proudly with the stakeholders in a meeting when the President of Stores Erik Nordstrom said, introducing his three employees who went out of their way to help the customer. “I’ve never been through a vacuum-cleaner bag. It’s kind of disgusting, this raises the bar,” he said!

Southwest Air

Southwest is not among the most well-known airlines in the U.S. for nothing. They have the most amazing personality as is evident from what they have to say about themselves on their website.

“We like to think of ourselves as a Customer Service company that happens to fly airplanes (on schedule, with personality and perks along the way).”

One of their memorable support stories is as follows: when a woman athlete landed at the airport but her running gear didn’t show up, she was understandably distressed about the relay race that was soon to happen. She resolved to go to Walmart to buy herself a replacement before a Southwest team member drove 3 hours to deliver the bag to her so that she could continue with her team and go on with the race.

As is evident here, their dedication to customer service is simply a class apart!

JetBlue

Who, but JetBlue has an exclusive Customer Bill of Rights?

“JetBlue Airways is dedicated to bringing humanity back to air travel. We strive to make every part of your experience as simple and as pleasant as possible.” They ensure that their service is thoroughly human, especially on social, responding within minutes, guiding customers throughout, and responding with emojis and GIFs to any questions customers might have.

They have no qualms whatsoever when it comes to delivering personal service. One time, when the customer’s flight was delayed and it seemed like she was going to miss her second flight too, the manager booked her another flight home that took off from another airport and made the effort to drive her to another airport so she would make her flight on time.

It only takes a handful of disastrous customer experiences to shatter the credibility that took your brand decades to built. It pays to be long-term greedy and leave no stones unturned to ensure a supreme customer service.

Want to find your company on this list? There are no shortcuts save putting your customers in the center of everything you do. You need to know what they desire to offer them exactly that. And how do you do that?

By asking them, of course. Customer feedback surveys and market research surveys will give you precious insights into what your customers are expecting of you. Craft highly engaging that your customers would enjoy filling up.

Understanding some of the insights from these best company’s customer service departments will give you better ideas as to how you can improve your service.

Click here for more information.

source http://travelwithannmoses.info/service/

[brajeshupadhyay]

Urban India didn't care about migrant workers till 26 March, only cares now because it's lost their services: P Sainath

One of the most telling human stories to result from the COVID-19 outbreak and the resulting nationwide lockdown is that of stranded migrant workers. But theirs isn't a new story; it's taken a pandemic for urban India to take note of an issue that has remained an unseen aspect of the country's economy for much of its contemporary history. P Sainath, founder of People's Archive of Rural India (PARI) and Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient, has chronicled the migrant condition for several decades. In an interview, he details the current situation of workers, and the possible way forward.

Recently, 16 workers from MP were killed under a train in their sleep in Aurangabad. What does it say about us that our first reaction is to question why the dead workers were sleeping on the tracks, and not those who pushed them to walk home?

How many English publications even bothered to give names of the workers crushed under the train? They just had to go faceless, and nameless. That is our attitude towards the poor. If it had been a plane crash, you would have helplines giving information. Even if there had been 300 killed in the crash, their names would appear in the newspapers. But 16 poor guys from Madhya Pradesh, eight of them Gond Adivasis, who gives a shit? They were walking along those railway lines as a guide to home — to a station from where they hoped to get a train home. They slept on the tracks because they were exhausted and probably believed there were no trains plying on those lines.

With a workforce as huge as the one in India, what do you think of the communication of governments to workers?

We gave a nation of 1.3 billion human beings four hours to shut down their lives. MG Devasahayam, one of our legendary civil servants, had said, "A small infantry brigade being pushed into a major action is given more than four hours notice." Whether or not we agree with the migrant workers, the rationale in leaving was absolutely sound. They know — and every hour we are proving — how untrustworthy, inconsiderate and cruel their governments, factory owners and middle-class employers like us are. And we are proving that with laws to restrict their freedom of movement.

You created panic. You sent the country into complete chaos with millions on the highway. We could have easily converted the marriage halls, schools and colleges and community centres that were shut down into shelter homes for migrants and homeless. We declared star hotels into quarantine centres for people returning from abroad.

When we arrange trains for the migrants, we charge them full fare. Then we put in AC trains and Rajdhani class fares of Rs 4,500. To make it worse, you say the tickets can be booked online, assuming they all have smartphones. Some of them buy those tickets. But in Karnataka, they cancel them because the chief minister meets the builders, who say the slaves are escaping. What you are witnessing is the quelling of an anticipated slave rebellion.

We have always had one standard for the poor, and one for others. Even though, when you list essential services, you are finding out that it is only the poor people who are essential, apart from doctors. Many of the nurses are not well-off. Besides them, there are sanitation workers, ASHA workers, aanganwadi workers, electricity workers, power sector workers, and factory workers. Suddenly you are finding how inessential the elite are to this country.

Migration has happened for decades. And their condition was terrible even before the lockdown. How do you see the way we treat our migrant workers in general?

There are many kinds of migrants. But you have to understand the class distinctions of migration. I was born in Chennai. I did my higher education in Delhi, where I lived for four years. I then migrated to Mumbai, and I have been living here for 36 years. Each shift I made benefited me because I come from a particular class and caste. I have social capital and networks.

There are long-term migrants, those who leave from A to B and remain permanently in B.

Then there are seasonal migrants. For example, the sugarcane workers in Maharashtra who migrate to Karnataka for five months and very significantly vice versa — work there and go back to their villages. There are migrants in Kalahandi who go to Raipur during tourist season and pull rickshaws. There are those who go from Koraput in Odisha to the brick kilns of Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh for some months.

There are other groups, too — but the people we should be most concerned with are what some of us call footloose migrant workers. The footloose migrant has no clear idea of a final destination. They will come with a contractor and work at a construction site in Mumbai for 90 days. At the end of that period, they have nothing. The contractor will then put them in touch with someone in some other part of Maharashtra, and bus them there. And that goes on indefinitely. That is a wretched life with total, unending insecurity. They are in millions.

When did the state of migrant workers begin to worsen?

Migrations have taken place for more than a century. But they have exploded in the past 28 years. The 2011 Census shows us that between 2001 and 2011, India saw its highest migrant flows — in our independent history.

The 2011 Census noted that for the first time since 1921, the number of people urban India added to its population was higher than the number of people rural India added to its population. The growth of rate of population is much smaller in urban areas, yet you have more people added to urban India’s population.

Go back and search for a panel discussion or interview with experts on television fully dedicated to these facts of the 2011 Census. How many discussed the migrant labourers and the intensity with which migrations happened from rural to urban, rural to rural, and so on?

Any discussion around migration is incomplete without rural distress, which is at the root of migration, right?

We smashed agriculture, and millions of livelihoods collapsed. Every other livelihood in the countryside has been savaged as well. Handlooms and handicrafts together are the biggest employers in the country after agriculture. Boatmen, fishermen, toddy tappers, toy makers, weavers, dyers; one after the other, they are going under like ninepins. What option did they have?

We are wondering if the migrant workers will come back to cities. Why did they come here in the first place?

I do believe the substantial number of migrant workers will come back to the cities. It will take a long time perhaps. But we have long ago destroyed the options they had in villages, ensuring our army of cheap labour.

How do you view the proposed relaxations of labour laws in several states?

First, it is an undermining of the Constitution and existing laws by ordinance. Second, it is an issuance of a bonded labour proclamation by ordinance. Third, it actually sets back the gold standard on working hours by 100 years. The most basic thing is every convention on labour in the world has respected the eight-hour work day.

Look at the Gujarat notification. It says that no overtime will be paid to the workers. The Rajasthan government provides for overtime pay for extra hours, but with a limit of 24 hours a week. The workers will work 12 hours a day for the straight six days.

All of these things have been done quoting exemptions and exceptions in the Factories Act. It says the maximum number of hours a worker can be asked to work — including overtime — is 60 hours. At 12 hours a day, these are coming to 72.

More importantly, the workers have no say whether they want to do the extra hours or not. There is an assumption that productivity goes up with longer working hours. But it goes against many studies done in history. A lot of factories in the past century adopted the 8-hour day because their surveys showed them that productivity dropped off strongly in the extra-long hours because of fatigue and exhaustion.

Regardless of that, it is an attack on basic human rights. It is an enslavement of labour. The states are essentially acting as a contractor, dalal procuring bonded labour for the corporations. Be sure this will affect the weakest sections — Dalits, Adivasis and women — the most.

Ninety-three percent of the workers in India have no rights that they are able to enforce anyway because they work in the informal sector. You are trying to say, "Let us destroy the rights of the remaining seven percent as well". The states are arguing that investment will come with the change in labour laws. But investment comes to places where there are also better infrastructure, better conditions and generally a stable society. If Uttar Pradesh had been any of that, it would not be the state from where largest number of workers migrate across India.

What could be the consequences of this move?

​Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have suspended all labour laws for three years, barring three or four laws that they cannot get around because of the constitutional and legal complexities. You are saying it doesn't matter how miserable the conditions are, the labourers have to work. You are dehumanising people and are saying that they are not entitled to the rights of ventilation, toilets and breaks. This is an ordinance by chief ministers and there is no legislative process behind this.

What do we need to do going forward?

You absolutely need to improve the conditions of labour in the country. The pandemic affects them the way it does because of the gigantic inequalities in our society. What we are doing is a violation of very many international labour conventions that we are party to.

BR Ambedkar saw this clearly. He understood that it wasn’t just about government that we have to talk. We have to talk about workers being at the mercy of business. The states are suspending laws that he helped bring in, that he laid the grounds for.

We have a labour department in state governments. What should its role be?

The role of the labour department in the state should be to protect the rights of the labourers. But you have a union labour minister who is also appealing to the workers to listen to the corporations. You want something to change, you have to change your social contract. If you cannot address one of the most unequal societies on the planet, you can’t do anything about it. It will get worse — and very rapidly.

Most of the workers going back home are young, and angry. Are we sitting on a volcano?

The volcano is exploding. We are trying to not look at it. See the hypocrisy of the governments, media, factory owners and us as a society.

Till 26 March, we never knew about the migrant labourer. Suddenly, we see millions of them in the streets. And we feel the pinch because we have lost our services. We didn’t give a damn until March 26. We didn't think of them as human beings with equal rights.

There is an old saying: When the poor become literate, the rich lose their palanquin bearers. Suddenly, we lost our palanquin bearers.

How do the migrations particularly affect women and children?

It is particularly devastating for women and children. Wherever there is contraction of nutrition, women and girl children are the biggest sufferers. And they are incredibly more vulnerable in health terms. There are ways young girls suffer that rarely are thought about let alone mentioned. Millions of girls in schools across the country are entitled to free sanitary napkins — suddenly the schools are shut, no alternatives provided for. So millions are returning to unhygienic alternatives

What about the difficulties of migrant workers walking back home?

Migrant workers have often walked long distances. For example, the migrant workers walk back to South Rajasthan from their factory or middle-class employers in Gujarat.

But they did that in different circumstances.

They walk 40 kilometres, stop at a dhaba or a tea stall, work there, and get a meal in return. In the morning, they will leave. Next big bus station — they do the same. That is how they earn their way back home. With all of those places closed, they are exposed to dehydration and hunger, diarrhoea and other diseases.

What should we do in the future to improve their condition?

A complete delinking and breaking with the path of development we have chosen, and a massive attack on inequality. The sufferings of the migrant workers arise from their unequal situation.

You cannot do it without realising the importance of "justice for all: Social, economic, and political…" Embedded in your Constitution. And it is not an accident that social and economic precede political. I think there was a clear sense of priority in those people who wrote it. Your Constitution tells you the way.

The Indian elite and government really think that we can go back to business as usual, and that belief is going to lead to incredible oppression, suppression and violence.

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