#Coin Stock Photos

[the-angry-acrobat]

tag yourself; the crows 🐦‍⬛

kaz brekker: a thousand thoughts, the city at night, coffee so dark that no amount of sugar can sweeten it, big risk-taker, laughing hard so no one knows that you’re really upset, neon lights, spontaneous tattoos, good memory and so remembers very bad ones, loves your friends and would do anything for them, focused on your goals, has your back, overachiever, messy handwriting, graffiti, adventurous, blunt texts, crazy strong, loose coins, works unbelievably hard, good with numbers, never gets enough sleep, dog lover, good ideas at 2am, middle fingers up, hides their true emotions, ambitious  

inej ghafa: vivid dreams, black eyeliner, has a lot of secrets, laughter late at night, kittens, always there for people, salty waves and sharp winds, passionate about everything, black fishnets, loves fruit, resilient, combat boots, tired, writes poetry, dark makeup, watching movies at 2am, bracelets, reading in the light of a streetlamp in the middle of the night, ripped stockings, thrift stores, likes cold weather, coffee at midnight, resonates with the ocean, wishes on 11:11, deep conversations, “look at the moon”, feels like they’re in a sort of dream, a ride or die, people-watcher, glows from within, midnight snacks, holding hands, loves the sky, mysterious, alone a lot of the time, supportive, speaks with their eyes, gives good advice, graceful movements 

nina zenik: loud music, milkshakes, lace, very strong-willed, close friend group, messy bedroom, keeps a diary, long journeys, polaroid pictures, loves chocolate, loud laugh, sunset skies, bilingual, liquid lipstick, judgmental, can always make you laugh, sings in the shower, warm hugs, stuffed toys, singing at the top of your lungs even if you can’t sing, unbroken promises, running mascara, dancing like nobody’s watching, opinionated, crying to a friend over the phone 

jesper fahey: bright eyes, always rushing, piercings, colourful eyeshadow, vibrant colours, dirty jokes, rule-breaker, in love with adventure, dark sunglasses, overbearing emotions, lying in fields, dusty old books, comfortable silences, nail polish, antique stores, morning light filtering through a window, crazy dancing anywhere and everywhere, always looking for something new to do, so fun to be around, absentmindedly searching for the thrill of danger, always tries their best, hard days, pillow fights, the glow of city lights past midnight, needs validation, old architecture, staying up really late, makes sure everyone is having a good time at a party

matthias helvar: trust issues, deep thoughts on long trips, likes cold weather, etc watching rain slide down a car window, different mood every minute, poetic, would help you move, coffee stained cups, tired eyes, giving your whole heart to someone, watching black and white movies, easy to confide in, involved in a lot of things, driving at night with the car windows down, constellations, kind of lost in their own way, freezing cold weather, spare change, dog lover

wylan hendriks: watercolour paintings, forever changed by the people they love, memory boxes full of old photos, live has never been worse but never better, spinning around and around until you get dizzy, old tape recordings, dawn light filling a room, summer days, ink pens, getting lost in crowds, having paint streaks on your face and arms and clothes, parked car conversations, contagious laughter, biting your tongue, been through a lot, just wants to escape at random times

[carrd-and-blog-resource]

I really love Pixabay, and I want to point out how useful it is for graphic makers (and flag makers too)!

Pixabay is a stock image website full of 100% free, royalty-free stuff - photos, videos, music, illustrations, GIFs, sound-effects and vectors. Everything is completely free to download, there's no "premium license" bullshit, and you are even allowed to use and remix content without attribution! Here is their license summary page.

I've been using Pixabay for years now, so I have several collections of different stuff:

Transparent images - Transparent vectors of stuff

DNI banner resources - Blank banners, backgrounds and other assets I thought could be useful for making DNI banners/banner graphics in general

Clipping masks and icon frames - Stuff, mostly vector images, that could be used to frame an icon or to clip images onto

Rentry graphic stuff - Misc stuff I think could be useful for Rentry graphics, include some transparent images, icon frames I haven't moved into the other collection yet, backgrounds, textures, etc

Stamp resources - Textures, images of stamp borders, and other stuff maybe useful for stamps

Could be useful for flags? - I started hoarding these when I was considering making a coining blog, it's basically just various vector symbols, flags that have editable versions available for download, stripes, stuff like that

Tiled backgrounds - What it says

All-in-all, Pixabay has a lot of good stuff, and I think it should be in every editor's toolbox.

[tamapalace]

Bandai Japan Schedules Tamagotchi 28th Birthday Events

Mark your calendar, we’re going to celebrate the 28th anniversary of Tamagotchi! After 28 years, Mametchi looks so good without using anti-aging face cream. Bandai Japan has announced that to celebrate the 28th anniversary of the iconic Tamagotchi brand, they’ll be hosting an event at 

Tokyu Plaza Harajuku (Harakado) 3rd floor, OSHI BASE Harajuku, from Saturday, November 2nd, 2024 through Thursday, November 28th, 2024 11:00 to 21:00.

There are five points of the birthday celebration you need to know about!

Point 1, the latest products are on display for the first time. There will be an exhibition area full of the highlights. You’ll Tamagotchi Original Angel Series, which Bandai Japan is crediting the European and American markets for the revival. You’ll then see some of the latest Tamagotchi Connection wave 2 shells.

There is also a collaboration booth with COIN PARKING DELIVERY, and anonymous Japanese artist, at the back of the exhibition area and you can experience shooting at the photo spot in the booth. There will also be a birthday cake photo spot too!

Point 2, you can meet “1123 Mametchi” on the Tamagotchi Uni Tama Search! 1123 being the birthday of the Tamagotchi brand, and of course Mametchi’s birthday too. You can see him dressed as a king, as he should be! There will be also be a spot where Tamagotchi’s can connect with each other.

Point 3, Mametchi and Kuchipatchi will be making appearances, and you know you need a picture of them. The greeting of both iconic characters as well as Mr. Shirai and Myaku Myakiu of COIN PARKING Delivery will be an awesome experience!

You will need to enter a lottery with a numbered ticket to take advantage of the meet and greet. The schedule is above.

Point 4, there will be a pre-sale of the Tamagotchi Connection wave 2 shells (which are scheduled for release on Saturday, November 23rd, 2024), the COIN PARKING DELIVERY Tamagotchi Original collaboration shell, and the Tamagotchi Original Angel Series! That is awesome because the Tamagotchi Original Angel Series doesn’t hit Japan until January 25th, 2024!

There’s even Tamagotchi x COIN PARKING DELIVERY merchandise that will be sold! Purchase are limited to three per person, and stock is limited, and will end once the stock is depleted. These will be sold at other events too.

Point 5, Tama Stickers! Bandai Japan is bringing those Angel Balloons and Monster Balloons Tama Stickers that we’ve seen throughout the World Tamagotchi Tour! These will be given out to those who follow one of the Tamagotchi official social media accounts.

[chosos-mascara]

omg any choso fluff would do for me but, could you write a little something about him and reader going into a photo booth! i think that could be really cute, with all the poses and then getting to keep the pictures at end 🤭 i think choso would really like that

it took a while for choso to ask you out. weeks, if you were to be specific.

he wasn’t a regular to the small record store you worked in - you’d learn months later that in fact, it was an inconvenience to get to. a bus ride into the centre of town and then a twenty-or-so-minute walk had deterred him from venturing so far before, but when holed up on that side of town searching for a certain album, he found you.

a customer assistant. not a glamorous title, but god were you perfect. when he got talking to you, he realised you weren’t just cute but smart too, and not only that, you happened to know the artist he was looking for. out of stock, but it could be ordered in just for him if he’d return in a few days.

and, he did. not just for his album, but to see you again. the next visit he’d no excuse to travel so far when there were stores closer to him by miles, but he made the journey once again, and again, until you knew him by name. he’s wasted a stupid amount of money over the past two months on bus fayre and albums he didn’t need just for an excuse to see you again. the tenth or so visit, he asked you out: “there’s this local arcade that also serves drinks, if you’d like that.”

all night you’ve been playing with him, air hockey, racing games, guitar hero and some retro ones too. he’d passed up on the dance mat due to his clothing choice (he’s scared his hair would look a state, and his jewellery would likely make the ordeal uncomfortable) until you’d found yourself with a few coins left, and a photo booth in front of you.

“should we?” you ask him through an anxious grin - you think it’s the perfect way to commemorate the night, though you’re awfully worried he won’t feel the same way. your fears are eased when he breaks a small smile and gestures forward. you’re grinning as you step into the booth, sitting in the edge of the stool.

“there’s only one seat?” he asks, and you find yourself heating up a little when he watches you scooting up toward the booth wall.

“we can share?” you leave it up to him but you’re glad when he accepts, half of the small metal seat now occupied by him. he’s pretty squashed against you, his arm almost opening the curtain through the lack of space, his body tensing up from feeling you against him.

your heart is racing too because after all of this time crushing over him he’s so close, and so comfortable at your side. choso’s thigh is pressed on yours, his right arm on your left, and you’re trying not to focus on how amazing he feels pushed up onto you while you’re picking a template.

you decide on a string of four photos, a black and white filter over them.

you’re not sure how to pose for the first one, so there’s a some blur. both of you look a little awkward.

with the second, you remember there’ll be a three second countdown, and you use that time to put your head onto his shoulder. you’re shocked when he leans into you, and the flash goes to capture you in this moment.

for the third photo, you’re unsure, and a little late to decide as it captures the two of you face to face, a look of endearment as you’re staring into his eyes, wondering what he’s thinking.

you realise now, his breath is warm on your skin. you’re so close, so awfully close, and his eyes are lowering until you’re sure they rest on your lips.

he leans before you do, though you’re not far behind.

the fourth photo is captured when his mouth meets yours, but you won’t need a picture to remember exactly how this feels. you’re sure you’ll live in this forever, because this moment lasts so long with his lips over yours, a drawn out and heartfelt kiss filled with affection.

you pull back smiling, and he’s shyly matching your lovesick expression.

that little print out is under a magnet on your fridge two years later, in a home you share.

[doledition]

Dahlia the 'Redeemed'/ Dahlia the Paranoid (Softlaunch)

(should i be studying? yes. will i? no. will i instead softlaunch one of my dol pc's and watch as it fades into the depths of this blog? you betcha.)

(art by @dol-dee) not pictured is Sayaka from madoka magica or cady heron/janis ian from mean girls or jennifer from rule of rose because i uh....ran out of space. whoops

You wake up. 

The room is old. It stinks of rot and brine, as though the Forest Lake had grown legs and crawled in. Outside, the wind slams against the window pane, and red light streams in through the window. Looks like another blood moon. 

The ground is littered. Your clothes lie in a pile next to the bed, along with some unfinished homework. No matter- you’ll finish it tomorrow in the library before class. And even if you don’t finish it, your grades are enough to tide you over. It’ll be fine. 

A loud bang rings from outside. You look. A tree smacks against the window, and a tiny tremor ripples through the room. The framed photos on your desk shudder before settling back down. 

You get up. 

The red glow bathes the room in a hellish daze, and for a second everything looks unfamiliar. You know what everything is, logically: the plush teddy bear face down on your bed isn’t a drowned corpse, and the wallpaper is composed of vines, not tentacles.  There is no knocking from the mirror, no red freshwater filling the room. 

Your head itches. Your horns ache. You are forgetting something. 

The scent of rot intensifies. A putrid scent, sinking into the nooks and crannies of the room. The tank by the window has misted over. You wipe your hand against the glass (when did you walk over here) and peer down to look inside (no turn back don’t-). 

There is a rotting corpse inside. The slime begins to disintegrate before your eyes, the tentacles vanishing at the sides. And the smell-god the smell.

A wail rises from outside, above the sound of crashing wind and trees.  You look outside the window. A pale figure stands outside, watching you.

Dahlia Tripti Rahman was not born in Dolville; no, she was born in a small flat in Oldham, to a runaway teen mother whose presence had become naught but a mystery in Dahlia's life. She was promptly abandoned by said mother to her grandparents-whose flat she'd been born in-and took off into the night, with nary even a singular look back.

Her childhood, from what little she remembered, was good. Fine. She had friends, who she played with, and family, who she loved. Her eyes set her apart-they were pink, bright pink, bordering on obscene, almost-but it was a minor thing. People thought she was cool. She was loved. Her grandparents didn't have a lot: her toys and clothes were hand me downs from other family members, she grew up in her mothers old, small room, and her fridge was rarely ever fully stocked.

Yet she was loved, and all was fine.

Then, came the move. When Dahlia was 7, the small family had sold their flat for a small, rundown house in dolville, domus street. When they moved, it was a mess, all old creaking wood and whispers and buzzing noises, lotus leaves. Dahlia was only allowed outside under adult supervision, and nothing more. It would only be later, however, that she realised why.

One night, Dahlia and her grandparents went out on a walk. It was late, and there was some tension hanging in the air. They went to the park, and walked around the fountain. Dahlia tried to grab some coins, her grandmother stopped her and-

She doesn't remember much about that night. Just a man, creeping up behind them, a stab and a scream, and next thing Dahlia knew her grandparents were dead and she was orphaned.

Dahlia had a huge family. But that family didn't live in Britain. They lived in Bangladesh, India, Germany, Sweden- no one to come and claim her, no way to get to them. Her mother had disappeared after she was born, and for all intents and purposes, Dahlia had no one. So off she went to Bailey's orphanage, and there she would stay.

She met another orphan, Robin, shortly after arriving. They took to each other fairly quickly- they were both new to the Orphanage, and Robin was perhaps the kindest person there in those early days. The other orphans thought of her as weird. She liked weird books, she had a weird smile, a strange laugh, and her eyes- her eyes were pink.

She was bullied, mercilessly and cruelly. She was the new girl, the strange girl, who didn't fit into the already cut throat nature of the orphanage youth, who was an obvious 'other'. Bottom of the pack- easy target, for orphans who were so adjusted to violence.

The days passed-well, they passed. Not good, not bad, but somewhere in between. Bailey was strict, and kept the orphans under lock and key, rarely ever letting them leave unless it was with one of the caretakers. Dahlia though- her curiosity was too strong, and she'd find ways again and again to run off to the world beyond the Orphanage, if only to be immediately taken back.

Dahlia would grow up as a curious child, wanting to explore every nook and cranny of the orphanage, yet also extremely paranoid, convinced the boogeyman was out to get her. She both cowered behind her curtain, convinced that the world was out to get her, but also pressed her face against the window, eager at any glimpse of the outside world she could get. She was a bright girl, and good at sniffing out liars. You could barely get away with anything with Dahlia, and she was a bit of a snitch (only to orphans she didn't like though. Everyone else was fine.)

Dahlia turned 18 the day before school started. She was- well, she was excited. She didn't hate the orphanage- no, she liked it. She'd managed to tamper down on her 'weirdness' and ended up making friends with many of the orphans, being a bit of a protective figure for them. She'd assist Robin in caring for the younger orphans, and grew up settling fights and disagreements. But she was so ready to just leave to straighten her wings and be allowed to go outside the Orphanage without supervision. But of course, even though she'd still look for places to live, she'd stay at the Orphanage until Uni! Bailey wouldn't mind, would she?

Oh well, Bailey didn't mind at all. In fact, it didn't seem like Bailey wanted her to leave at all…which was how Dahlia ended up, bewildered and confused, somehow having to pay off a debt she didn't know she had. She, the second upon leaving the orphanage, was assaulted, and while she managed to fight them off, realised her worst fears had been confirmed. She still had to go to school, but kept to herself in those early days, only ever talking to Robin, and then going straight to work as an Office intern. She didn't- well, she didn't think that Bailey would do something truly bad to them (even though she very obviously had a criminal background) but still…better safe than sorry?

Dahlia hated the school. Well, still hates. Filled with pieces of shit, filthy vile monsters, who couldn't give half a shit about others. The teachers- with the exception fo two- annoyed her. High and mighty fucks. Her classmates were horrid little shits, who bullied and tormented her any chance they could. And what was up with that weird guy who kept staring at her in between classes? And that one girl she ran into, who thought she owned her…ugh.

There was another normal person in the school though, besides her and Robin. A boy named Sydney who, while being incredibly religious and spacey eyed (and undeniably rather judgy) was the most normal person at the school, and Dahlia, by some miracle of nature, managed to befriend him.

Dahlia excelled in her classes. She, despite her old reservations, wormed her way into becoming the favorites of her teachers, even working with Winter on the weekends at the museum. Sure, most of her classmates thought she was a freak and stayed away from her, but Dahlia preferred it that way. She didn't need the approval of future rapists and mass murderers. Sure, maybe she wanted to sit in a crowded lunch table for once instead of sitting with Robin in a hallway or eating it with Sydney in the library but. It could be worse, right?

The debt was climbing ever higher, until it was no longer 100 euros or 150 euros but then 200, three hundred, and soon a thousand. Dahlia had been jumping from job to job, from being a shitty housekeeper to working at the cafe to working at the dog pound, but she never seemed to be able to make enough money. And after taking on Robin's debt, she was strapped for cash. So, she opened up a side business and began growing plants. Gave her some cash, but not enough. So then…she turned to stealing. And she was fucking good at it. Stripping at Briar's was dangerous, scared her- but gave her a rush all the same. And the money was good.

Soon, she stopped going in to work and began rotating between four different avenues- she'd treasure hunt on the weekends, and then the week after she'd sell the valuables to Winter and help with the exhibits. After school, she stripped and fucked at Briar's, carefully climbing her way until she could do private shows and take private clients. She'd work on her plants before school, and stole at any chance she could.

There was something…odd about the town. Something strange lurking in every corner, and Dahlia became obsessed with trying to uncover what could be behind it all. She ran across every nook and cranny of the criminal underworld trying to fit together the pieces- why did Quinn take the ivory necklace away from the museum? Who was that strange cult in the forest, or chanting away in the park? What was up with the Temple's secrecy, and how were the elites in town connected? And who was that shadowy figure following her around, attacking her every bloodmoon…

Eventually, Dahlia's dallying caught up with her. She stole one too many things, freed too may people from the pillory- she was sent to prison for months, and there Dahlia went through one of the worst periods of her life. She had to learn how to be manipulative, how to lie as though her life depended on it, how to 'play nice'. She sucked up to her fellow inmates and the gaurds, until she managed to fulfill Wren's deal and caused a mutiny in the prison, escaping. Now, Dahlia keeps her head low, and eyes to the ground. She joined the temple, has high grace, and has kept her virginity intact…just don't ask her why she and Sydney go into the temple prayer room every friday.

She's 'redeemed', so to speak, desperate to not end up in prison again. She does legitimate jobs- works for Winter at the museum, and takes to her job as a High Grace Nun with gusto. She's gone back to working in the cafe. She's redeemed…surely.

(...)

Anyways, this is her backstory (not including actual PC's she's interacted with, that would make this a whole lot more complicated.) during her actual PC launch i'll talk a little bit more about her personality, her 'quest' to save the town, all that good stuff. for now, have her backstory-very long, apologies- and a character inspo board.

Post edited putting the character inspo up top!

[thistaleisabloodyone]

Heya, I couldn't help but notice that you have a lot of Rampage merch. I am a new fan and I would like to buy some of their merch. So I wanted to ask you, where did you buy it? Could you give me some recommendations?

Hope you have a nice day

Love ya!!!🩷🩷🩷

Hello! Welcome to the fandom, I hope you're enjoying your stay 😊

For RMPG merch, I get them through three primary sources (long, rambly additions in indent so you can skip if you want):

CDJapan - albums, DVD/Blu-rays, books; does offer proxy service

This is where I buy my discs, like my CDs and my Blu-rays (... and that one time I accidentally bought the DVD version of Gene's United Journeys tour [/regrets]). I've also gotten a few books and magazines through here - my (first) copy of Riku's photobook, the 16Future book, the Anan magazine, etc. I have used their proxy service (where they act as the intermediary to buy things from Japanese stores for you) once. It wasn't the 'here's a thing I want to buy, can you buy it?' method, but they had a listing for the Exile Tribe Station edition cover of Etoile that you could buy through proxy and I was like "Hi, yes, please, I'll take that." They are letting you search Mercari on the website now, which is interesting. Have not used that aspect of their proxy service.

Exile Tribe Station Global - Tour merch, calendars, books

This is the official international merch store for Exile Tribe - you can buy tour merch here, as well as the yearly calendars and miscellaneous other things. Things tend to be out of stock here, unfortunately, especially the cheap things like the cards, but they do apparently restock occasionally because I just finally got Likiya's coin purse and Takuma's cup set for CyberHelix There is a Japanese store which has better stock, but you have to use a proxy service to use it and I am Lazy:tm:. Also, I want to use their global store so they keep it running - going off of my order numbers, they've had 219 orders through the global store since May 23rd last year and I account for six of those, so. If I can't get what I want through the global store, I go to stop #3.

Neokyo - proxy service, works with a number of websites. I typically use the Mercari listings

There are other proxy services - obviously CDJapan has added a search to their website for doing Mercari proxy purchases - but Neokyo is the one I use and I'm at 95 out of 99 purchases successful. (I've had 3 cancelled by seller, 1 cancelled because the seller never took the payment) They are a little expensive, there is a service fee on every purchase, but I find it worth it because I don't have to deal with buying things through a language barrier 😂 This is where I got most of my acrylic stands, basically all of my photo cards, my Ravers jersey, etc. Any disc I can't buy off of CDJapan - like Shokichi's first album, the High&Low soundtrack, etc. - I buy from here. This is how I got my first press copies of the first two albums. I also have the playing card deck in a shipment on its way, which I'm very happy about.

Quick notes - keep an eye on what cannot be shipped internationally. CDJapan's list is here, Neokyo's list is here. Whatever proxy service you use, if you choose to use a different one, should have a copy of it. Apparently the photo acrylic key chains from the new CyberHelix merch are magnetic, so you cannot buy it, it cannot be shipped internationally (at least according to CDJapan and Neokyo). Keep an eye out and don't accidentally buy a listing with it in it.

[esshetic]

June Bloom

As I pen this down from my cozy hotel room, perched with a mesmerizing view of the vast Atlantic Ocean, in the heart of Agadir, Morocco, I am consumed by the undeniable energy that this June's astrological transits bring with them.

The energy and intuitive guidance that this month's celestial movements bring are far removed from the traditional psychic or paranoia-ridden predictions that old patterns might suggest. Instead, they are firmly rooted in the present, in the reality that is here and now. I encourage you to take a step back at the beginning of this week, take stock of your situation, and ask yourself some important questions - is there something missing in your life? Or is it all just a perception and there is nothing actually missing? Are you content and happy with the way things are? If not, why? If yes, can you come to terms with this status quo and permit it to change, if need be?

Welcome to June - a month that is teeming with activities, much to the delight of Gemini. This month, you might feel overwhelmed, as if you're juggling an unimaginable number of things all at once. Yes, it does seem like it’s nonstop for the majority of the Gemini season and you wouldn't be wrong in feeling so. The calm only descends after the summer solstice, when the sun transitions into Cancer. The Cancer season, by the way, carries with it a unique charm, but for now, let's stay centered on navigating the rest of the Gemini season in June.

The energy during this time is too dynamic and volatile to be confined to a single viewpoint or approach. I perceive the Gemini season as a fast-flowing stream that bubbles and rushes, making it nearly impossible to grasp what's happening in its entirety. There are countless narratives, perspectives, and situations unfolding simultaneously, making it arduous to pinpoint and capture them. It's more about being malleable and adaptable to what is, rather than trying to predict, and even more critically, control the future.

Embrace the spirit of the chameleon.

Remember that opinions are not set in stone and are bound to change. Gemini, often deemed wishy-washy, thrives in the gray area, effortlessly seeing both sides of the coin and camouflaging into one side depending on the situation at hand. It is about understanding every point of view in any given situation. Do not let the constant flux and changing faces drive you to the brink of madness.

The new moon in Gemini on the 6th of June brings with it a certain madness. Why does the energy building up to this new moon feel like a full moon culmination?

The humble dandelion is a symbol of hope. I have a tradition of selecting a photo that resonates with the season for me, and this time, I chose my tranquil view and an image of a dandelion, which rings true as a beacon of hope. Despite all the chaos and madness that currently engulfs the world, the dandelion stands as a reminder that there is always hope for a brighter, better future.

For the Sings

Gemini, June will be a significant time for you where your voice will matter, and your presence will not be overlooked. You will not only be seen but also heard.

Cancer, for you, June will be a month where worries are put aside, providing you with a chance to relax and enjoy the summer's warmth.

Leo, your June will be filled with strategic planning and preparation. This is a perfect time for you to get ready for future endeavors.

Virgo, June might be a bit of a worry for you, as you might find yourself dissatisfied with the outcomes. However, remember that not all results are final.

Libra, June will feel like a victory parade for you. The stress you've been carrying will lift off your shoulders, leaving you feeling lighter and happier.

Scorpio, brace yourself, as June might be a bit hectic for you. It might feel like you're fighting for your life, but remember that challenging times often bring the best out in people.

Sagittarius, for you, June will be a time to reflect and relax, offering a perfect balance between introspection and leisure.

Capricorn, June will open new doors for you, providing opportunities for you to move forward with big ideas and strategies. Be open to new ventures.

Aquarius, your June will be a mix of emotions - sometimes sad, sometimes mad, sometimes bad, but overall, you will find reasons to be glad.

Pisces, June might be a bit of a juggle for you, especially when it comes to managing your love life. Remember, you are in demand and loved by many.

Aries, June might seem hard and filled with grief spirals for you, but remember, when you hit rock bottom, the only way is up.

Taurus, June will feel like a victory parade for you, with rewards and recognition coming your way.

Remember, this is just a quick intuitive guidance. If it does not fully resonate with you, that's completely okay!

[mariacallous]

Browsing through the official photos of the annual BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan last month yields intriguing surprises. In several of them, Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a mock-up banknote featuring the flags of the five core BRICS countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Looking at the pictures, one could be forgiven for assuming that the BRICS had just launched a common currency. This is exactly what Moscow would like the world to think as part of its bid to demonstrate that Russia is far from isolated on the global scene.

To the Kremlin’s chagrin, however, things did not go according to plan in Kazan. No BRICS currency was launched, and the official captions to Putin’s pictures do not even mention the banknote. The Kremlin also failed in its efforts to push for the adoption of BRICS Bridge, a financial mechanism that would help the group’s economies bypass Western channels. Interest from other BRICS members was so lukewarm that the scheme did not even make it into the final summit communiqué. Russia is unlikely to stop pressing, however: Developing non-Western financial mechanisms is an almost existential imperative for Moscow—and it highlights how finance has become a new arena for great-power competition.

In Kazan, the Russian summit hosts had a simple goal: to launch as many financial schemes as possible in order to mitigate the impact of Western sanctions on Moscow. Proposals include BRICS Pay (a scheme that would allow visitors from BRICS countries to make payments in Russia); BRICS Clear (an attempt to circumvent Euroclear, Clearstream, and the other Western firms that provide the global infrastructure for trading securities, such as stocks and bonds); BRICS (Re)Insurance (a bid to mitigate restrictions on the provision of insurance for Russian-owned aircraft and ships); a BRICS ratings agency (an alternative to the Western giants Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s); and the BRICS Cross-Border Payments Initiative (a scheme to facilitate payments between BRICS countries in their own currencies, such as the Russian ruble or the Brazilian real).

All five mechanisms matter, but attendees in Kazan quickly understood that Russia cared even more about a sixth scheme—BRICS Bridge. The project’s goal is both simple and ambitious: getting rid of intermediaries for international transactions made with central bank digital currencies (digital coins issued by central banks and stored on mobile phone wallets). To understand BRICS Bridge, picture a long-haul flight between, say, India and Brazil. Instead of having to go through an airport hub (a correspondent bank that is often located in the United States), these systems allow payments to make a direct trip between Indian and Brazilian banks. The benefits of going direct are obvious: Financial transactions do not need to make a stopover in a correspondent bank likely to be located in the United States or go through Swift, the Western-controlled global payment system between banks.

The symbolic dimension of BRICS Bridge is massive. As Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said in 2023, “Every night, I ask myself why all countries have to base their trade on the dollar. Why can’t we do trade based on our own currencies?” This is not only about countries wondering why they need to settle cross-border trade using the greenback instead of their own currencies. Another aspect of the frustration is linked to the dollar being the currency of choice for issuing sovereign debt, putting developing economies at the mercy of the monetary policy of the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Bypassing Western financial channels also offers a layer of protection against sanctions from G-7 countries and their allies, since in most cases those sanctions only bite if the sanctioned country’s firms use Western currencies or have ties to G-7 economies. This highlights how BRICS Bridge is part of the effort by the West’s adversaries to sanctions-proof their economies by ditching Western currencies (in addition to reverting to old-fashioned barter, Russia now settles around 80 percent of its international trade in non-Western currencies) and building alternatives to Swift (like China’s homemade mechanism, CIPS). Dodging Western financial mechanisms also makes it easier to hide sensitive transactions that could trigger U.S. secondary sanctions, such as Chinese sales of military gear to Russia.

A final advantage of BRICS Bridge has to do with its digital nature. BRICS central banks could easily program a digital mechanism so that it blocks transactions that run counter to their interests or, in extreme scenarios, restricts Western access to their markets. Even short of these scenarios, the digital nature of BRICS Bridge would make it easier for surveillance-heavy dictatorships like Russia or China to track international transactions. By pressing ahead, BRICS economies could also be seeking a first-mover advantage in establishing a digitalized global financial architecture—betting that controlling emerging standards in the sector will enable them to weaponize global finance in the future.

Considering the potential benefits of BRICS Bridge, it may look surprising that Russia’s push for the mechanism’s adoption was met with lukewarm reception in Kazan. Moscow’s initial plans were to trial the scheme in 2025 before fully launching it around 2027. The fact that this timeline now looks unrealistic did not come as an entirely unexpected development for Moscow. A few weeks before the summit, China, India, and South Africa had already skipped a BRICS finance ministers’ meeting that was supposed to talk about the scheme.

The reluctance of other BRICS economies to get on board highlights three reasons why the development of non-Western financial mechanisms is unlikely to prove straightforward.

The first obstacle has to do with BRICS members’ diverging views of the urgency of such plans. At one end of the spectrum, Russia is the most enthusiastic backer of BRICS Bridge; the country has nothing to lose as Western sanctions already restrict its access to Western payments schemes. Other BRICS members are less convinced. China is doing preemptive work to have backup plans in case it were to be cut off from Swift or Western currencies, but it has no interest in ditching the dollar or Western financial channels any time soon. Meanwhile, Brazil’s plans to de-dollarize appear to have more bark than bite. South Africa and India are even less eager to connect to BRICS Bridge; bankers in both countries are uneasy about getting too cozy with non-U.S. financial initiatives for fear of antagonizing their Western partners.

A second factor hindering the development of BRICS Bridge is that the system can work only if all BRICS countries issue their own digital currencies. They are far from that point. Among them, only China has both a pilot digital currency in circulation—the digital renminbi—and the infrastructure in place for cross-border payments—through mBridge, a scheme that appears to have inspired the architecture of BRICS Bridge. (Shortly after the Kazan summit, the Bank of International Settlements, which led the development of mBridge, announced that it was withdrawing from the project after media reports suggested the scheme could help dodge sanctions.) Yet China’s extensive capital controls that restrict cross-border transactions will hamper the global rollout of the digital renminbi, including for use among the BRICS grouping. Without China on board, the mechanism is unlikely to have much global clout.

Basic economic theory highlights a final difficulty. With BRICS countries registering trade imbalances among themselves, it is hard to imagine how, say, Russian oil firms would not end up with huge piles of digital rupees for their sales to India. The issuance of a common BRICS currency would prevent such an issue. However, plans for what has been dubbed the “R5” (a potential joint currency replacing the rand, real, renminbi, ruble, and rupee) or for the “unit” (a potential gold-backed digital currency) can be dismissed as far-fetched for now if BRICS countries cannot even agree on launching BRICS Bridge. This looks a bit like a chicken-or-egg problem: BRICS Bridge is unlikely to launch before the five major BRICS economies have a common digital currency, but launching such a currency is useless if BRICS Bridge is not operational. As long as the BRICS countries do not come to a political agreement on the need for BRICS financial systems, these debates could last for a while.

Should Western policymakers lose sleep over BRICS Bridge? Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has turbocharged the fragmentation of the global trade landscape between geopolitically aligned blocs. It is therefore no surprise that financial systems are becoming increasingly geopolitical, as well. The threat posed by such schemes may be overestimated in the short term, since the dollar and Swift are nowhere near losing their global hegemony. However, we can bet that non-Western financial mechanisms will become more mainstream in the long run, further fueling the fragmentation of the global financial landscape. Perhaps the only certainty is that Russia will continue to pretend that it is successfully leading efforts to launch BRICS financial schemes—even when there are none to write home about for now.

[feverinfeveroutfic]

sometimes you just have to look at your streaky-haired buck-toothed sexy as holy fucking fuck guitarist bf to feel your reason again.

“Fire Land”

“Night Goat” (Asphyxiation)

“keyholes through keyholes” (Knife Play)

“Tommy Atkins” (Double Penetration)

“The sky is bleeding” (Tender)

“Absence of Light” (Knotting)

“Smoke” (Jealousy)

“Morning Glory” (Spanking)

“Rio Grande” (Hand Jobs)

“Pine Island” (Sex Toys)

“By Starlight” (Distracted Sex)

“Let’s go, Robot Man” (Masturbation)

“Lithium” (Blow Jobs)

“The Knife” (Boot Worship)

“Hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have — but I have it” (Masks)

“With Hobnail Boots” (Size Difference)

“Squeeze Me, Macaroni” (Orgasm Denial)

“Breaking the Girl” (Orgy)

“cry on, black rain” (Roleplay)

“Snake Skin and Bones” (Corset)

“Little Wales” (overstimulation)

“Virgin Blood (Blame Báthory)” (Threesome)

“Himalayan Pancake Breakfast” (Gags)

“Boy with a Coin” (Crossdressing)

“Exhumed” (Cheating)

“Groundhog Day” (Teacher/Student)

“The Hourglass” (Face Sitting)

“Iron and Lace” (Shibari)

“Fisherman’s Wharf” (Sensory Deprivation)

“…hours” (Pegging)

“Red Sky at Morning” (Mirror Sex)

“Bury Me in Smoke” (Sex Work)

“Pretty Noose”

“Candy apple crush with a side of peanuts” (Food Play)

“Death Becomes You” (Exhibitionism)

“Memento Vivere” (Scent)

“The Peppermill” (Hookers)

“Lie in Our Graves” (Sex Pollen)

“Tan parecido a una rosa” (Cunnilingus)

“Into the Night” (Dominance)

“Dark Entries” (Voyeurism)

“the bends” (Shower Sex)

“Sugar Skulls” (Edging)

“Barbed Wire on a Heart” (Branding)

“Some way my head creeps” (Lingerie)

“Man with No Face” (Formal wear)

“Four Funerals” (Somnophilia)

“Devil’s Tower” (Leather/Latex)

“Salt on a Wound” (Aftercare)

“Bathurst Island” (Xenophilia)

“Ashes and Wine” (Multiple Orgasms)

“Pleasures of the Flesh” (Dirty Talk)

“Less than zero” (Sex in Public)

“Roanoke” (Outdoor Sex)

“Roots” (Erotic Photos)

“Palladium” (Glory Hole)

“Chiaroscuro” (Blood)

“Knowing Me, Knowing You” (Gangbang)

“Drowned World” (Licking)

“Hysteria” (Stockings)

“Ghost Markings” (Vampire)

“Cold and Ugly” (CBT)

“Fuzzy Navel” (Costumes)

“Malibu” (Temperature Play)

[theinstagrahame]

Just published this MOSAIC Strict supplement, as part of the Tiny Library Modern Fantasy game jam:

And in a nutshell, it's about adding this to your RPGs:

For the uninitiated, kinstones are half-coin fragments that Link finds scattered throughout Hyrule: chests, monster drops, hidden in grass, etc.

Some NPCs have the matching halves of these coins, and when you "fuse" them together, it changes something in the world.

From a game design perspective, what I found cool was that it encouraged players to explore the world, interact with as many NPCs as you can, and try to gather up a collection of Gemstones. Rewarding exploration and interaction on both ends.

It's not especially fancy: you have a rollable table and some prompts for when to give players Kinstones and how to generate some for NPCs. If a player has the B4 gemstone, they need to find an NPC with the matching B4 half.

But it's definitely the most complicated thing I've made layout wise to date. I taught myself some basics of Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer before I even sat down to make the card itself. With the exception of the icons in the center of the image (which game from Game-Icons.net), the rest of these coins were photoshopped.

I then went through and made a series of unique split lines for each coin, in Affinity Designer:

Then I made the table that players can roll on during the game, with the complication that it needed to fit on one side of a single bridge-sized card.

After that, I just had to cram all the rest of the rules on the other side of the card. No big deal, except that I tend to be verbose and 2.25 by 3.5 inches is pretty small...

The current set-up on Itch includes a simplified PDF with the same table, and the rules text in a larger font, plus some tips and tricks I couldn't fit on the card. I hesitate to call it "plaintext" because I did include images of the coins (with image descriptions as an attempt at accessibility).

If I have time, I want to create a package of the tokens as PNGs for use in Virtual Tabletops (VTTs) and other online games. I also really want to make a laid-out version that someone could print onto a page of business card printer stock, so people can punch out a set of gemstones, cut the cards in half, and play physically. But that is more work, and I recently lost my job so I need to work on that first...

[jaynovz]

Trick or treat! 💙🏴‍☠️

The door swings open to the foyer but hmmm there's no candy bowl, and no one there? Oh but wait, just barely visible in the gloom you make out a huge black cat staring at you unblinkingly.

He's standing on a single chocolate gold coin. Take it if you dare I suppose. 🐈‍⬛👀

[image id: a stock photo of a black cat silhouetted in a doorway. /end id]

[muscacat]

Musca, Maggottail ⛧ he / it / any

adult ⛧ aroace intersex grossboy

more info ⛧ main: @prettypinknarc

hyperspecific coining ⛧ r*dqueers dni

Titles — [ not required to use, but I appreciate it if you do :3 ]

the dark forest cat, the tom cat, he with a maggot infested tail, he who rules the dark forest, the mean tom, the tom with many names

Credits —

Art in pfp / banner, Maggottail pixel art, Forest + Maggots are stock photos. Fonts: Aozora Mincho Heavy and Who Asks Satan

Tags —

#wading through the swamp . . . [ coining ]

#wandering all alone . . . [ posts ]

#fighting in the fog . . . [ asks ]

#the first cat ive seen in years . . . [ reblogs ]

#the stories are dizzying . . . [ info ]

[mars-and-the-theoi]

I have been busy, busy, busy today with my deities! I (re)started a deity journal, redid my altar and made room for some new deities, and have been sorting out offerings! Anyways-here’s the new altar. It’s one big one cause I’m sort of scrapped for space so I make do with what I have but I like how it’s coming along so far and as I keep going I’ll probably make more changes to it:

Photo 1: that’s where I keep a lot of my stuff for offerings stocked so like obviously I have a lot of teas, some jerky, a bottle of brandy in the blue and white thing I have written or typed up prayers that I use, the second drawer is stuff for me to write prayers or letters/notes, and the bottom drawer is more candles.

Photo 2: this is Zeus’ and Hera’s spot! Hera is one of the newer deities that I’ll be worshiping and I figured it was only fitting to put Her next to Zeus as time goes on She’ll get some more stuff as well.

Photo 3: is Pluton’s spot! I’ve actually worshiped Him for a bit longer than I have Zeus but for some reason I just haven’t mentioned that yet but trust that I adore Him and think he’s great. (Hint the coins there!)

Photo 4: is Asclepius’ and Apollo’s spot! I also figured it was only fitting to put them together as well. Apollo was the first deity i worshiped but I stopped for a while because life lifed and I could really only focus on one deity (Zeus) but I’m in a better spot now so He’s back and Asclepius is new to me! But I’m super excited to worship Him as well.

Photo 5: This is (very obviously-I think lol) Dionysos’ spot! I’ve worshiped Him for quite a while as well (about 2 years, I think) He shares that little bottle of wine with a few other deities but I figured it was fitting to keep it there. (Also hint the leopard print hair tie that I totally forgot I had until today and instantly went running to his altar spot to give it to Him)

Photo 6: this is a conjoined area for Phobos and Deimos and Ares! Phobos and Deimos are newer to me and I’m super excited to worship them, but I started worshiping Ares around the time I did Dionysos.

Photo 7: last but most certainly not least is Aphrodite! I’m new to Her (how’s that for Aphrodite April?) and I figured it was fitting to put Her next to Ares and their sons. I found that shell a while ago and while it used to be on Zeus’ altar I figured it was very fitting to give to Her now that She has Her own spot.

So yeah, it’s been A Lot™️ but it’s been fun. I love starting to worship new deities (well not ‘new’ but like y’all know what I mean) and getting to set up their spots and all that. It’s so much fun.

[honey-minded-hivemind]

Imagine the platonic yans and the reader at...

The Fair!

The sights, the thrills, the animals and art and atmosphere! Some of the best parts of Fall, when it is finally cool enough to go outside and not broil to death, and Autumn drifts into everything around you. Just imagine going to the Fair with the platonic yans...

Entering the place, waiting in line with them, and feeling hyped up as you get closer to the entrance. Discussing what everyone wants to do, and what the game plan is. Finding out where and when everything is. Adjusting the schedule to fit it all in...

Going to see the art, pumpkins, and flora on display... Taking stock of which art won prizes and seeing what the judges tastes are like, while noting which pieces the group personally enjoys. Admiring the different mediums and plants, looking over every piece and stalk. Perhaps the reader or one of the platonic yans entered something of their's into the competitions... And if they won a ribbon, you bet it's going to be displayed proudly once you get your stuff back. Not to mention already planning what to enter next year, after being inspired by what you saw this year...

Seeing the animals is another adventure. Gazing over the grazing cows, the fluffy chickens, the guffawing goats and wooly sheep and snuffling pigs... Perhaps there are even extra animals, like butterflies or moths, ducks, geese, or even baby animals! The reader is likely awing over the animals, from the most grizzly pig to the cutest duckling, while the platonic yans enjoy seeing them so happy... They take pictures. And they are keeping those pictures... Not to mention how calming it is to be around peaceful animals who get to eat while doing nothing... A soothing sort of experience compared to their usual "fare"...

Trying the foods is certainly a trip! There are so many things to try, something for every person who came. Funnel cakes, popcorn, sausage, fries, BBQ, turkey legs, tacos, fudge, and so much more to eat... Not to mention the different drinks, like sweet tea, lemonade, boba tea, coffee, slushies... Sharing is had among everyone, and plans are made to make some of the items at home... The group just has to find somewhere for all of them to sit together (while trying not to fight over who sits next to the reader)...

Playing the games is always a double sided coin. Pay money for a chance at winning a prize; miss even once and risk losing the game. Some platonic yans are better at the games than others. Knocking down glasses or blocks, climbing rope bridges, firing water guns, shooting hoops, fling a ring around a bottle, hop a ball into a fish bowl, flip the bottle upright, dart the balloons... And the competition is a bit fierce. It turns into them trying to show off, with mixed results. And the reader is a surprise for them at the games, too! Well, one... Imagine them being really good at darts. Precision. Aim. And a good hand with sharp objects... And the prizes! Stuffed bears, dogs, cats, dragons, unicorns, snakes, hamsters, monkeys, cows, pigs, tigers, aliens, Pokemon, squishmallows, etc. Possibly goldfish, if won, are given their own special tank, names, fish food, and every item a school of goldfish might want or enjoy...

And ending the day by riding the rides... Carousels, Ferris wheels, roller coasters, swinging rides, twirl-a-whirls, high rise-fast drops, and whatever else they have, they shall be ridden! It gives the platonic yans and the reader an adrenaline rush, and is a fun way to end the trip before everyone gets too tired... Faster rides first, filled with shrill screams and laughter and photo opportunities, ending with the slower rides, to savor the last moments of the Fair and relax together before everyone heads home...

And when they get home, that day will be remembered as a fun-filled trip for everyone... Plus, the platonic yans now have different pictures of their bby being happy, which they all hoard the originals, but will swap copies for the ones they don't have😊💛🧡🍂

[xtruss]

How Old Are Taxes? Older Than You Think

For Thousands of Years, Human Civilizations Have Been Collecting Taxes, in One Form or Another. From Grain to Beards to Rubber Balls, Governments Always Found New Ways to Collect Their Due.

— By Editors of National Geographic | April 11, 2024

Thanks to the detailed records in the Matricula de Tributos, historians know exactly how the Aztec paid their taxes in the early 16th century. Photograph By History and Art Collection, Alamy Stock Photo

Every April in the United States, predictable signs of spring appear: budding flowers, chirping birds, and … taxes. They may be as certain as death, but taxes aren’t a recent phenomenon; they date back thousands of years.

Over the centuries, different governments all over the world have levied taxes on everything from urine to facial hair—and officials accepted payments of beers, beds, and even broomsticks. These payments went to fund government projects and services—from the pyramids of Giza to the legions of Rome.

First Taxes

Taxation has existed for so long, it even predates coin money. Taxes could be applied to almost everything and might be paid with almost anything. In ancient Mesopotamia, this flexibility led to some rather bizarre ways to pay. For instance, the tax on burying a body in a grave was “seven kegs of beer, 420 loaves, two bushels of barley, a wool cloak, a goat, and a bed, presumably for the corpse,” according to Oklahoma State historian Tonia Sharlach. “Circa 2000-1800 B.C., there is a record of a guy who paid with 18,880 brooms and six logs,” Sharlach adds.

“Circa 2000-1800 B.C., There Is A Record of A Guy Who Paid [His Taxes] with 18,880 Brooms And Six Logs.”

Creative accounting of in-kind payments helped some cheat the tax man as well. “In another case, a man claimed he had no possessions whatsoever except extremely heavy millstones. So he made the tax man carry them off as his tax payment.”

Pharaohs' Tax Preparation

Ancient Egypt was one of the first civilizations to have an organized tax system. It was developed around 3000 B.C., soon after Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt were unified by Narmer, Egypt’s first pharaoh.

Egypt’s early rulers took a very personal interest in taxes. They would travel around the country with an entourage to assess their subjects’ possessions—oil, beer, ceramics, cattle, and crops—and then collect the taxes on them. The annual event became known as the Shemsu Hor, or Following of Horus. During the Old Kingdom, taxes raised enough revenue to build grand civic projects, like the pyramids at Giza.

Ancient Egypt’s taxation system evolved over its 3,000-year history, becoming more sophisticated with time. In the New Kingdom (1539-1075 B.C.), government officials figured out a way to tax people on what they had earned before they’d even earned it, thanks to an invention called the nilometer. This device was used to calculate the water level of the Nile during its annual flood. Taxes would be less if the water level was too low, foretelling a drought and dying crops. Healthy water levels meant a healthy harvest, which meant higher taxes.

Tax Amnesty In Ancient India

In India's Mauryan Empire (ca 321-185 B.C.) an annual competition of ideas was held—with the winner receiving tax amnesty. “The government solicited ideas from citizens on how to solve government problems,” Sharlach explains. “If your solution was chosen and implemented, you received a tax exemption for the rest of your life.” The Greek traveler and writer Megasthenes (ca 350-290 B.C.) gave an astonished account of the practice in his book Indica.

Like most tax reform efforts, the system was far from perfect, Sharlach notes. “The problem is that nobody would have any incentive to ever solve more than one problem.”

A statue of Emperor Vespasian, who notoriously taxed Rome's urine trade, oversees the Roman Baths complex in Bath, England. Photograph By Travelbild, Alamy

Render Urine Unto Caesar

The Roman emperor Vespasian (r. A.D. 69-79) may not be a household name like Augustus or Marcus Aurelius, but he brought stability to the empire during a turbulent time—partly through an innovative tax on people’s pee.

Ammonia was a valuable commodity in ancient Rome. It could clean dirt and grease from clothing. Tanners used it to make leather. Farmers used it as fertilizer. And people even used it to whiten their teeth. All this ammonia was derived from human urine, much of it gathered from Rome’s public restrooms. And like all valuable products, the government figured out how to tax it.

Some wealthy Romans, including Vespasian’s own son Titus, objected to the urine tax. According to historian Suetonius (writing around A.D. 120), Titus told his father he found the tax revolting, to which Vespasian replied, “Pecunia non olet,” or “Money does not stink.”

Itemizations For Aztecs

At its height in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Aztec Empire was wealthy and powerful, thanks to taxation. Historian Michael E. Smith has studied its tax collection system and found it to be remarkably complex, with different kinds of items collected at different levels of government.

All taxes made their way to the Aztec central governing body, the Triple Alliance. There they kept meticulous records of who had sent what. Many of these records survive today. The most famous are found in the Matrícula de Tributos, a colorful illustrated registry filled with pictographs showing exactly how many jaguar skins, precious stones, corn, cocoa, rubber balls, gold bars, honey, salt, and textiles the government collected each tax season.

Tsar Peter I tried to make Russia more "modern" by making men shave their beards or pay a tax. If they didn't pay, the police could forcibly shave them, as shown in this 18th-century Russian cartoon. Photograph By Ann Ronan Pictures, Print Collector, Getty Images

Russia’s Fashion Tax

Widespread use of coins and currency had a leveling effect on taxation systems, but rulers were not above applying some taxation muscle to achieve their ends. In 1698, Russian reformer Peter the Great sought to make Russia resemble “modern” nations in western Europe whose clean, close shaves Peter equated with modernization. After he returned to Russia, the tsar instituted a beard tax on his citizens, who favored beards.

Any Russian man who wished to grow a beard had to pay a tax—peasants paid a small fee while nobles and merchants could pay as much as a hundred rubles. Men who had paid the tax were also required to carry beard tokens wherever they went to prove that they'd paid their taxes for the privilege. Peter the Great’s beard tax did not last. Catherine the Great repealed it in 1772.

[lesoreillesouvertes]

Une après-midi à Détroit ⚡️

Je croyais que les doubles portes d’entrée étaient composées d’une porte et d’une moustiquaire ou grille. Mais en fait, la grille est vitrée et c’est un deuxième rempart au bruit et au froid ! C’eat même sur cette porte qu’il y a la serrure à code ^^

J’ai découvert il y a quelques mois, the Underground Railroad (grâce a une série encore). C’est le chemin de fuite emprunté par les esclaves du sud des Etats-Unis vers le nord et les états libres. Le vocabulaire utilisé pour rester discret était celui du transport en train, les personnes en fuite « voyageurs » ou « bagages », les endroits avec des complices pour les cacher : des « stations » et les gens qui les aidaient des « conducteurs ». Detroit était la dernière ville étasunienne de ce voyage avec pour nos de code « Midnight » ou « minuit ». Le Michigan étant un état libre ne reconnaissant pas l’esclavage, ça a été une destination privilégiée pour les africains américains. Detroit est toujours là où l’une des ville avec la plus grand proportion d’habitants africains américains. Et en tant que voyageuse, je sens une plus grande équité sociale entre noirs et blancs ici. À Chicago, il y a vraiment fort cette différence de classe social selon la couleur de peau.

En 1987, a été mis en service un mini métro aérien qui tourne en boucle autour de downtown et offre une vue sympa sur certains bâtiments et places. Il est automatique, on peut se mettre à la place du volant !

Karen qui a proposé de m’héberger sur Couchsurfing mais qui en fait à plusieurs maisons dans la ville dont 2 en auberge/Air BNB m’a invité à dîner chez elle pour me faire visiter son immense maison dans un quartier très bourgeois ! Au coin de sa rue, vit Meg White des White Stripes et elle est fan d’Halloween. Son jardin est parfait !

Et j’ai eu le droit à un parfait dîner américain en famille : gratin de mac’n’cheese, kale poêlé à l’ail, ribs à la sauce barbecue, biscuit maison et des cookies maison aussi, avant de visiter la maison puis rentrer papoter avec mes colocs.

(Ici ce ne sont que des photos de mon téléphone. Je vais partager un stock de plus belle qualité très bientôt, de Chicago à Détroit !)