#Flag Adoption Day reflections

[manasastuff-blog]

"National Flag Adoption Day"#trending #ytshorts #viral

Discover the importance of National Flag Adoption Day on July 22nd! This significant day celebrates the unity and history of our nation, reminding us of the values and freedoms our flag represents. National Flag Adoption Day is a moment to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who have served our country and to honour the symbol that binds us together. In this video, we delve into the history, significance, and various ways people celebrate this patriotic day. Whether you're participating in parades, attending ceremonies, or simply flying the flag, National Flag Adoption Day is a time to show your pride and gratitude. Join us as we explore the rich traditions and meanings behind this special day. Don't miss out on understanding why July 22nd holds a unique place in our hearts and in our national history.

Call: 7799799221

Website: www.manasadefenceacademy.com

#NationalFlagAdoptionDay#July22nd#FlagDayImportance#PatrioticCelebration#NationalUnity#HistoricalSignificance#ProudToBeAmerican#FlagDayTraditions#HonorOurFlag#UnityAndFreedom#traning#viral#celebrations#manasadefenceacademy

[sneakysnowmannightshade07]

RAFAL in Relation to Other People

Warning: I won't be woobifying Rafal here or really putting him as a victim, so this may offend or bother people who stan him and forgive all his faults. Additionally, this has some toxic stuff here so if that is a trigger then I recommend not going through with it. And if you will go as far as to AGREE with it just because "my blorbo could have possibly said it", then I'm afraid you are missing my point and would rather have you click off.

So we already know how Rafal is as a brother, but how could he act in different familial relationships, like being a lover/spouse or a father?

As a lover/spouse: I'm sorry, but whether Rafal means to or not, he would easily be that toxic person in your life. He always is right (and you are wrong), and he appears to be the type to disregard one's feelings. If he hurts someone, he hardly ever apologizes, but you have to apologize to him. The closest he'll come to is a bullshit excuse. ("It wasn't my intention.") He makes you question yourself and the validity of your opinions, because, again, he is right. You can never get through to him or call him out, because at the end of the day, you are the problem, you are inferior, you have a childish mind, you are too sensitive. He slowly picks away at your self esteem, which was already low when you met him in the first place. (People drawn to him tend to have confidence issues??)

You don't leave him maybe because he doesn't have bad intentions, because he instilled in you codependence and now you don't know what to do without him, or maybe Rafal somewhat regretted hurting you, so you accept that. And ultimately, you trusted him, you believed in him, so, stupid you has to face the consequences. Everything that happened is your fault because you should have seen Rafal wasn't a good person!

Rafal just seems wayy too sheltering and overprotective and he'd take away his lover's ability to make most of their own choices or have their own lives-- slowly but surely, and perhaps, unintentionally.

Not to mention, he is possessive af! Red flag right there.

I hope that any lover of Rafal leaves him and they see their own worth, instead of running back to him. Because to be honest, he seems like a hypocritical, arrogant, and insufferable jerk. (most of the time) Either that or Rafal gets his act together and has some self reflection. He isn't a vampire for crying out loud!

As a father: oh. The father who is very, very, VERY overprotective and sheltering. A helicopter parent, even. He makes you think sometimes, "why do I have this curse of a father??" and sometimes you wish something could happen like a virus doing its job and you are "free." (Please don't actually wish this on your difficult parents unless they are really shitty!) Rafal embarasses his kids but being rather ultrastrict and old-fashioned and they probably don't know much of the world because of him. Everything has to be "educational" (which isn't a bad thing in itself but for the love of whatever please don't overdo it and make it corny) so no video games, etc. Also if Rafal reads an article with research on how veggies can give cancer, your salads will be taken away!

Rafal will also go like, "I'm your only friend. You don't need friends because you have me," and he may break up some friendships you have. Oh also: no boys.

I feel like Rafal fits dad energy more, though even there he would be WAY too much. (Go away Rafal! Go adopt orphans and make their lives miserable instead of bothering other people.) But who knows? Maybe as the years go on he would cool down, or back off when they become adults. Unless they form a codependent relationship with him and he has to be the center of their lives, which is very possible. Let's watch Rafal slowly destroy a home because he's in the way! And of course, instead of giving his children's household space, he defends himself and puts himself in the right. His kids may call Rafal every day in a modern context and totally neglect their family. Or the family is going out? Rafal has to be there too, and his kid says nothing.

If Rafal comes home from work in a bad mood, I'm sure his kids try to run off because if they don't he will find something to criticize and they will get hour long lectures. I also feel like he'd lecture on other occasions and then get mad when his family doesn't care and they want to get back to what THEY have to do??

[shiho7567]

DP x BNHA Prompt

I've read many fanfics where danny comes into the bnha dimension and encounters aizawa and he adopts him (his erasure works on his ghost power, etc.) now that gave me an idea

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

danny phantom and bnha is in the same universe

and america has different rules, lets say people can get certificates to use their quirks for their jobs and the fenton's make their children get the certificates to help them in the lab

danny had cryokinesis until his accident when he was like 10/11, then he got his ghost powers ad ghost half, this fused with his quirk and keeps him alive

jazz has some emotional based quirk like emotional construct, like her emotions dictate what she can do, due to the ecto-contamination she can also communicate/influence ghosts

the main reason i had this idea was with aizawa uses his powers on danny in ghost form, danny flops down and dies, aizawa must live with having killed a kid

i have already written a start

After finishing her first semester in University Jazz decided to return home for a surprise visit to her family in Amity Park. It has been a few days since Danny contacted her and she was a little bit worried, but if something bad had happened he would have told her.

After parking her car in front of the building FentonWorks, she made her way inside. What stroke her as strange was that no one was in sight. She could not even feel the ghosts that would normally enter her sights.

That should have been the first red flag, that something wrong was going on.

Having figured that her brother was probably out with his friends and her parents downstairs in their lab, she decided to go see her parents first.

What she saw when she arrived at the lab was something she never would have imagined ever seeing. There in front of her were both her parents in full on safety gear and their hazmat suits, hunched over a metal table in the middle in the room. On the table strapped down was her little brother with a hoarse voice, no doubt from crying loudly for hours, silently begging them to stop that he was still alive. Only seconds after the door closed behind her did she see what was really happening her parents had their hands in her brother open chest. They must have touched something extremely vulnerable as her brother gasp sharply and his head turned to the side, seeing her. Jazz could see his eyes that were almost completely dull from hopelessness and terror, fill with tears and hope upon landing on her, her figure reflecting in his eyes.

[ofmdrecaps]

11/09-10/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; David Jenkins; Rhys Darby; More Starfury Republic of Pirates Pictures!; Samba Schutte; Vico Ortiz; Kristian Nairn; Samson Kayo; Guz Khan; Damien Gerard; Dominic Burgess; Articles; LettersToSeaForSeason3; Love Notes;

= David Jenkins =

Chaos dad has broken his silence of several days with a very important question (about his pups).

Source: David's Bsky

He also shared this awesome work by @tabbystardust, which is still one of my faves.

Source: David Jenkins Instagram / Tabby Stardust

= Rhys Darby =

Rhys was interviewed on Flightless Bird with Rhys' old buddy David Ferrier! You can check out the Spotify Episode here!

Source: Rhys' Bsky

Another excerpt from Rhys' 25 year show on his instagram!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rhys Darby (@rhysiedarby)

Source: Rhys' Instagram

= Darby Daily Doodle =

Source: Rhys Darby's Free Substack

Source: Rhys Darby's Free Substack

He was also on Craigio On the Radio!

Source: Craigio On The Radio

== More Starfury Pictures! ==

Starfury Conventions posted some more picture from the convention!

Source: Starfury Twitter

= Samba Schutte =

Samba's posting more selfies of his latest work.

Some of the shows that Samba's been doing voice work for have been getting some acknowledgement over at The Velma Awards! First up was Monster High which received the "Best Guest Star Extravaganza".

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory won "Best Queer Relationship That's Just a Plain Ol' Relationship" in the Velma Awards!

And BAFTA Nominations are up! Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has been nominated for three BAFTAs! Congrats Samba and Damien!

Best Game

Multiplayer

Audio Achievement

Animation

Source: Samba's Instagram

= Kristian Nairn =

Apple Music has been recommending Kristian's new track!

Source: Kristian Nairn's Instagram Stories

= Vico Ortiz =

I'm running a bit late so the Tales of the Trancestors just happened in this weekend! Check out some BTS for it!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by CHLOE BALDWIN (@chloeglowyflowy)

Source: ChloeGlowyFlowy Instagram

= Samson Kayo =

Samson is out in Abu Dhabi for the F1 Filming.

Source: Samson's Instagram Stories

= Guz Khan =

Guz finished filming the last season of Man Like Mobeen recently, and he spent a few minutes reflecting on watching the last episode <3

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Guz Khan (@guzkhanofficial)

Source: Guz's Instagram

= Damien Gerard =

One of Damien's recent works "Blame!", a short film by Suzanne Roche is an official selection for the 2024 Hollywood Best Indie Film Awards!

Source: Damien's Instagram Stories

= Dominic Burgess =

Have a lot of extra cash and want to dine with Dominic and help out a Charity at the same time? Well good news! You can! You can bid on a chance to dine with Dominic at this Charity Auction!

Source: Dominic's Bsky

== Articles ==

Our friends over at @adoptourcrew have been keeping us posted with lots of articles about OFMD. It's nice to see the show being featured in so much media even a year later after S2 ended!

Source: Adopt Our Crew's Bsky

== LettersToSeaForSeason3 ==

More helpful information about the LettersToSeaForSeason3 to netflix! Mailing window cheatsheet:

US: 12/31/24 - 01/07/25

Europe: 12/26/24 - 01/02/25

Other International Locations: 12/22/24 - 12/29/24

Source: Aproperpirate's Twitter

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Never Left Podcast =

Source: NeverLeft Podcast Spotify

= OFMD Colouring Pages/Wrapping Paper! =

Our fabulous crewmate @patchworkpiratebear is back! They've made wrapping paper for the holidays! Check out these adorable patterns! If you want some high res versions to download you can do on on the Repo.

Source: PatchworkPirateBears Bsky

== Love Notes ==

Hey there lovelies. I have been having a bit of week so I'll be brief so I can make sure to get this out tonight. We are coming to the end of the year, and I hope very much that you are being kind to yourself. Please oh please give yourself a hug tonight, drink some water, or some tea, and have one of your favorite treats. The new week is starting soon and you'll need your strength. Be good to yourselves <3 Sending hugs your way.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dominee Calderon (@selfloverainbow)

Source: Self Love Rainbow

[summer-of-bad-batch]

Adopt a Summer of Bad Batch 2024: Post Credits Prompt!! (Or all of them!!)

These are the prompts that were part of the vote, but didn’t quite make it into the top 26 for the event…and may I just say that there are some absolute GEMS on this list…

I hope you are as creatively inspired by these prompts as I am!

And if you use them for the Bad Batch fandom, perhaps add them to the Summer of Bad Batch 2024: Post Credits Collection on Ao3? 🥹👉👈 It would make me so happy to see them there!!

PROMPTS BELOW THE CUT!

And yes, all the prompts are in alphabetical order 😅

“And yet, you still questioned it.”

Beach Day

Birthday (Decanting Day)

Black Eye

Campfire

“Can we keep it?”

Camping

Capture the Flag

Castaways

Cleaning

Climbing

Clumsy

Cooking Disaster

Curiosity as an Act of Compassion

Denial

Domestic

“Don’t be suspicious.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

Fairytale

Fake it ‘til you make it…

Fireworks

Fishing

Forgotten Memory

Going to the Fair/Carnival

Growing Pains

“Get your own!”

Head Cold

Hike Gone Wrong

Hobbies

Home

Homecoming

Ice Cream

Island Life

“I am calm!”

“I hate you.”

“I have a plan.”

“I told you we were gonna get lost.”

“I wanted to see what would happen.”

“I will throw sand in your sheets.”

“I’m drinking a smoothie on this pristine beach. Unless someone is dying, leave me alone.”

“It can be our secret.”

“It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.”

“It’s for your own good.”

Late

Leaving a member behind on a planet by accident

Loyalty

No Lights

Not Alone

Not Enough Room

“Not on my watch.”

Only One Cup of Caf

Origins

“Omega, no.” // “Omega, yes!”

Pink

Pins and Needles

Poison

Prank War

“Please don’t do that…ah, they did it.”

Rainstorm

Recovery

Reflections

Repairs

Replacements

Rivalry

Runaways

Safety

Sailing

Sand Castles

Seashells

Secrets

Silent Treatment

Sketches

Snow Day

Stormy Nights

Stranded

Summer Day

Summer Nights on Pabu

Sunburn

Sunshine

Sunlight

Surprise Party

Survival

Target Practice

Thick as Thieves

“That was never what I meant.”

“That would have been information to share earlier.”

“That’s never going to happen. I won’t let it.”

“That’s why you’re my favorite.”

“There, I fixed it…well, mostly…”

“This is what we fought for.”

Upkeep

Wanted Poster

What if…

“What did I say about pets?”

“Why is it always me who does the dirty work?”

“You always say that.”

“You did what?”

“You’re drinking out of my favorite cup.”

[floral-ashes]

Another moving book review of Gender/Fucking: The Pleasures and Politics of Living in a Gendered Body, this time by philosopher Gwen Marshall. 🔥

First time someone comments on the poetry peppered through the book, which I find interesting since I am a bit self-conscious about my poetry skills! 💖

“Florence Ashley is a transfeminine law professor, ethicist, and (as virtually all publicly visible trans folks are forced to be) an activist. Rather than a dry review in the style of an academic journal, I'd like to provide a more personal report.

This book aroused me, laid bare my trauma, and rang a bell deep in my soul. I’ve never felt so seen. Their erotic tales resonated with my own encounters. Their poetry remains with me still, days later. And their analyses? They may very literally change the course of my life.

Ashley's account of the way trauma informs their adoption of the role of bottom in their sexual encounters revealed to me my own, similar journey. Now I have weeks or months of material to work through with my therapist -- maybe at the end of it, I'll come out on Top?

Their description of their experiences navigating dating, the internalized homophobia of cis men, and our own internalized compulsory heterosexuality have me setting off on another journey of self-discovery, one concerning my sexual orientation. And their brilliant dissection of the ways in which TERF rhetoric and transphobia corrupts even the most self-assured transfemme's sense of self is all-too-familiarly heartbreaking. Many times in reading this book, I had to put it down to sob and hold myself, waiting for the reignited trauma to pass. Unlike other times when old trauma is triggered, however, these episodes feel like healing.

Finally, Ashley's account of what is to be done in their final chapter shook me to my core. As someone who once waved the flag of revolutionary socialism myself, I saw my own loss of hope reflected in Ashley's words. Rather than adopting a nihilism, however, they propose a palliative activism. We cannot save this world, circling the drain as it is. We cannot undo the rampant spread of transphobia, certainly not any time soon, if ever. Captialism has won. What we can do, however, is put our world in hospice and try to alleviate the suffering of our loved ones and our communities as much as possible, bringing some peace and pleasure to those we love, while the world slowly dies around us. This is the ideology I have been looking for. And if we adopt this palliative model, despite the horrors around us, we can imagine our loved ones, and ourselves, happy.

Ashley's influences are clear. References to previous trans writers, gender theorists, and philosophers abound, but they present them and connect them in profound and revolutionary ways. Or palliative ways, perhaps?

In sum, this book could change your life. It changed mine.”

Link to review.

Where to get the book.

[fullscoreshenanigans]

We have seen Norman and Yuugo with mustaches/no hair/different hair. Now i would like to see Lucas with a big barb or mustaches or long hair XD

Or Emma having long hair when she is found by his family after two years.

I'm going to decline putting Emma (or Violet) into a longer hairstyle unless said style is at Miku levels of recognition and the character association is the main focus rather than aesthetics because I have too much baggage associated with it, specifically of it falling into stereotypical portrayals of feminine beauty that associates her adopting it as necessary for her to achieve self-actualization and a reflection of her maturing into a more demure young woman worthy of being arm candy for Norman or Ray (outside of Mama Emma AUs where it's a symbol of patriarchal oppression, but those have their own issues). I don't believe there's anything wrong for female characters to have long hair in general, but specifically with her it seems to lend itself to conformity that prioritizes the boys, and while I have seen exceptions, my anecdotal experience with them hasn't been good, so 80% of the time when I encounter it it's a red flag that I'm probably not going to enjoy the material lol

For Lucas, with how resourceful he and the Goldy Pond Resistance are I can't say I'm surprised they found the means to maintain their facial/body hair (the demons might have provided them with these materials but it doesn't seem like it would be a priority compared to food, medical supplies, weapons, other toiletries), but more so that there was time and effort put into it when hunts were going on every three days. Like with Yuugo, though, there's something to be said about maintaining as much semblance of a normal life and routine as one can under those circumstances. Think I'd be most interested in seeing him with a beard for how uneven it would be with his scars.

(Chapter 69)

[shadowthorne]

I guess it's a good time to announce that I got a puppy! We adopted her three days ago. She's fourteen weeks old now, and allegedly a germen shepherd/ leonberger mix. She's already about 30 pounds and huge.

He name is ATV, or Attie for short 💕

She was from an accidental litter on a hobby farm, her momma is an outdoor livestock guardian, so at 14 wks old, she has never been in a house, played with toys, rode in a car, gone to the vet, worn a collar or walked on a leash, or taken a bath, nor is she used to all the sounds that come with city living. She was extremely shut down when she got home, but she's already blossoming and opening up so well!

She's silly, she's sweet and gentle. She has started following me around like a little shadow and she's getting so brave and gaining confidence so fast. We went from having to carry her in and outside, to her walking on a leash the entire way and sniffing and exploring. At first, when she saw someone or something scary, she would try to bolt, now she sits down and looks up at me, sees that I'm calm, and proceeds to watch calmly too. We ran across the same maintenance guy (a big guy in a reflective vest with little flags and a noisy walkie) a couple of times and the most recent time she even gave him a little, covert sniff while we were walking by. So she's doing great!

She's also figuring out that toys are really fun! She likes to gather them all into one place and proceed to play with all of them in turn. She figured out that if she steps on one, it'll squeak, and she squeaks back at it 😂

She's curious about the cats, but afraid of Marble, who gave her a good growl when she first got here, so she's very respectful of his space. They've shared a few covert sniffs when the other isn't looking. Sinn got a little too excited and ran right up to sniff her nose on the first day and she got scared and helped, and he's been taking that personally... But he's venturing out of the room he was hiding in as we speak to observe from that cat tree.

Our biggest hurdle right now is potty training and sleeping through the night. I expected potty training to be rough, since she's lived outside her whole life. What I wasn't expecting is that she would hold it literally until she can't hold it anymore, even if we're going outside every other hour so she can try... She can definitely hold her bladder all night, which is impressive for a baby, let alone one used to peeing wherever and whenever, but it makes it really hard to figure out when she needs to go and how to encourage her to go outside instead of inside. Plus she has no vaccines on board, so we have to be very careful where we take her, so longer potty walks to help encourage her to go aren't an option right now.

The crate is also very scary... She's happy to go in it during the day, but at night she freaks out a little. She's ended up sleeping locked in the bathroom both nights, which isn't the worst set up, and somehow much less scary to her?? She settled down on the tile and goes to sleep pretty fast honestly. So we're feeding her in her crate and giving her treats and toys in there and trying to make that a fun spot for her

[earthflaxmachina]

The Metahistory of David and Aurèle

Requested by an instagram user.

They're only from 2022 but they have a funny contextual origin lol. once again I wont be including every single image of them cuz most of them are on derekdemetripoo.

Edit: I was going to title this a "Brief" metahistory but it's actually almost as long as Paz's so it's not so brief actually.

HONOURABLE MENTION 1 - LIFE: 5th August 2021

Figure 1. Death and Life | Figure 2. Death and Life bio, both 5/8/21

This has no relation to David or Aurele per se, but it should be mentioned the similar themes of opposites and yin and yang. Plus none of this is on derekdemetripoo so I might as well archive it. This was after Devil's Adequate era during early office era. Death had a sibling that was supposed to contrast with him. Hence, Life. I mostly wanted to do something with the reflected wound infliction trope. Later on she would become Devil.

HONOURABLE MENTION 2 - DEVIL: 4th September 2021

Figure 3. Devil first appearance (4/9/21) | Figure 4. Death and Devil (5th September 2021)

I reconceptualized Life to be a bigger contrast, hence the dark grey skin opposed to Death's light gray skin. Also: red vs blue. Still twins by now. More Devil art:

Figure 5. Death and Devil bio (8/9/21) | Figure 6. Death and Devil smoking lead (9/9/21) | Figure 7. Death and Devil commenting on Harlow's picture (13/9/21)

Figure 8. Devil reading (29/9/21) | Figure 9. Genderbend Devil (20/1/22) | Figure 10. Devil's origin (20/1/22)

In Figure 6, they're meant to be sitting on something, but nothing's there so it looks weird. Also they were aroace (see: the flag), but now I don't think much on Derek's (Death) sexuality. The girl with the crop-top in Figure 7 was originally an adopt named Kehlani, but I don't have much use for her anymore so I'm trying to resell her on toyhouse.

Figure 9, as bad as it looks, Death is supposed to be in shock. Even though Death has the ability to shapeshift, he probably didn't do it as much or to the same degree that Devil did. As implied by Figure 10 (a rewrite of Devil's origins), Devil has a bit of an identity problem because he wasn't born as his own person, but rather a clone of Death, so he probably shapeshifted pretty liberally to make up for his lack of individuality. Pretty interesting concept, too bad it's not canon anymore. By Figure 9, we had already made it into early TBOD development. This would be the end of Devil. The only relevance he bears now is his shared tail shape with Aurele.

AURELE'S CONCEPTION: 11th September 2022 (hashtag never forget)

Figure 11. What would eventually become the basis of the au (11/9/22)

Almost exactly 2 years ago I drew this doodle of Aarum with short hair. The idea was to draw him and Derek with swapped hairstyles (Aarum short and Derek long) but I gave up on Derek because he looks ugly w long hair. This was also supposed to be a roleswap au, so that's why Aarum has a weird choker instead of his scar. In the end since I gave up on drawing swapped Derek it just looks like Aarum wearing a choker, which is ooc. lol

AURELE'S CREATION: 19th October 2022

Figure 12. Aurele's first ref (19/10/22)

So this was when I decided to actually start cooking up the swap au. You can tell at this time Aurele was more like Aarum instead of a separate identity. The part about emotions doesn't really make sense because if he were what Derek is, he wouldn't have any to begin with, but maybe he chose to turn them on.

The pet panther thing does carry on to modern Aurele. Here is name is "Aurélien" and it was later that I gave him the nickname Aurele for short. Whether or not his name is still Aurélien I don't really care, I'm gonna keep calling him Aurele.

DAVID'S CREATION: 20th October 2022 (my birthday!!!!)

Figure 13. David's first concept | Figure 14. David's first bio, both 20/10/22

On my 17th birthday, I created David!!!! So he shares his conceptual birthday with me, but his canonical one with Derek. To this day I still love the David I drew with his bio, it's so insanely sexy even though it was the first time I'd properly drawn him. Very proud of that. He has never looked as good I'm afraid.

Now the swap au was complete. Back then I gave David the same surname was Derek because they're the same, duh. I later changed it to Demos to separate them as different characters. Since this was an au there was no kind of canon within it, whatever I happened to draw of it had little relevance or weight. Also, the infamous gay sex angst:

Figure 15. First sex on main (14th November 2022)

I still chuckle about how serious I was when I posted this. Needless to say it's not canon at all. It honestly reads better as David x Aarum than David and Aurele.

AURELE REBRAND: 10th December 2022

Figure 16. Aurele redesign (10/12/22) | Figure 17. Aurele and Derek (14/12/22)

Now came the era of true Aurele. He was no longer an Aarum copy but his own, chaotic person. Ultimately this is a way more interesting take on the swap au because if you had that much power you'd turn out different too. Also taking into account the sheer lack of social interaction that comes with it, making him more dense than Aarum is.

Figure 18. Derek and Aurele again (11th March 2023)

From time to time I would draw Derek and Aurele together as a funny hypothetical situation. It was never canon.

SIDEBAR: DAVID'S INTERESTS PT 1

Figure 19. David and The Muppets (1/02/23)

It was around this time that I got hyperfixated on The Muppets so I made it one of David's interests. Weirdly enough, he had the kermit tie when I first drew him (before my Muppets fixation), so that interest was already there, but it was an arbitrary decision. I only amplified it after it became a hyperfixation. By the way, I have his tie irl. I don't have that exact watch, but a close one. I hid it somewhere in my room because the ticking was driving me insane, I think it's still somewhere there.

THE WHITE HOLE THEORY: 27th November 2023 onwards

Figure 20. First concept of the White Hole theory (27/11/23)

The caption on the original instagram post:

"essentially this theory suggests dereks universe was actually created by aurele destroying his (inspired by an existing take on the big bang) bc he wanted to give david all his power to see what he could do w it. which was basically a reset but w david (now derek) in power and having forgotten everything. aurele was still sprinkled around in the new universe, thats what aarum is. he is as much aurele as derek is david. which is to say, sort of, in essence!. so yeas. i guess u could say. love endures 😊❤️! i also like this theory bc it implies derek isnt alone in that aurele was like him before the restart. but they cant ever meet in their true /essences/. only with one being sort of a reincarnation of themself this isnt to say both universes are exactly the same, bc theyre not. for one, derek's universe is actually a multiverse. bc derek created the multiverse (youll see why in the book), whereas aureles was just one this is not canon lol im just having fun, call it dubiously canon...."

That's about it. It basically still holds up to modern development. Now there was some weight to this au, in that it might not even be an au! it might be the u! but before the u even existed. Fun!

Figure 21. Aurele painting (26/8/24)

DAVID LORE UPDATE: 4th June 2024

Figure 22. David facts (4/6/24)

Felt it was somewhat relevant to include this. A bit more about David's origins however his birth year here is 1935 instead of 1937, so he would've been 34 when he died. Maybe it was a mistake, or maybe it was a lore change. Not sure. I think I like 32 better.

SIDEBAR: DAVID'S INTERESTS PART 2

Figure 23. David and Aarum (15th May 2024) | Figure 24. First appearance of David's art (11th August 2024)

I had already been entertaining the idea of David being interested in animation (like me~~~~) and I eventually made it canon (Figure 23). From that interest, he'd also know how to draw and maybe even animate (Figure 24), his art style was inspired by Hanna-Barbera cartoons & The Beatles cartoon, both of which were around when he was alive.

From Figure 24, I began to think of another plot point in David's afterlife, from the patreon:

"if u didnt catch the august request dump, davids fake imaginary girlfriend is charlotte and i think after he died aurele would offer to make her real but it wouldnt work out bc of the ethical concerns."

Figure 25. David and Charlotte (22/8/24)

Everything after December 2023 is pretty streamline, so there's no need to really talk about those individually. There is actually a bit of plot in David & Aurele's life, but I never wrote it or drew it or even talked about it. I just thunk it. I will probably get into that in the future. Now I'm really sleepy after writing all this.

Figure 26. David and Aurele by David (21/8/24)

Hope you enjoyed, goodbye.

[dailyanarchistposts]

Sect History and Strategy

The National-Anarchists have their origin in the National Front, a far right British party with an impressive 1977 dark horse electoral success based on their xenophobic anti-immigrant platform. After the election, the group fractured into many internal factions before splintering into different sects. Troy Southgate, the main English-language National-Anarchist ideologue, is a veteran of this internecine maze. He joined the National Front in 1984, and subsequently joined a splinter group that eventually split again before becoming the National Revolutionary Faction (NRF), a small cadre organization openly calling for armed guerilla warfare.[10]

In the late 1990s however, the NRF started to morph into the National-Anarchist movement; the two were referred to interchangeably for a number of years, until the NRF disbanded in 2003.[11] Southgate’s ideology does not seem to have changed substantially with the shift, and he continues to circulate his NRF-era essays.

The NRF’s only known public action as “National-Anarchists” was to hold an Anarchist Heretics Fair in October 2000, in which a number of fringe-of the-fringe groups participated. However, when they attempted a second fair, a variety of anarchists and anti-fascists blocked it from being held. After the same thing happened in 2001, Southgate and the NRF abandoned this strategy and retreated to purely internet-based propaganda.[12]

The fair reflected Southgate’s adaptation of the Trotskyist practice of entrism — the strategy of entering other political groups in order to either take them over or break off with a part of their membership.[13] Southgate argues, “The NRF uses cadre activists to infiltrate political groups, institutions and services… It is part of our strategy to do this work and, if we are to have any success in the future, it is work that must be done on an increasing basis.”[14] He claims that the NRF infiltrated the 1999 Stop the City demonstration and the 2000 May Day protest, as well as activities of the Hunt Saboteurs Association and the Animal Liberation Front.[15]

Beyond its tactical uses, entrism is a philosophy for the National-Anarchists as they recruit members from the Left and in particular anarchist groups. Instead of simply calling themselves “racist communitarians,” they purposely adopt the label “anarchist” and specifically appropriate anarchist imagery. Examples include the use of a purple star (anarchists typically use either a black star, or a half black star, with the other half designating their specific tendency, i.e., red for unionists, green for environmentalists, etc.), or a red and black star superimposed with a Celtic cross (the latter being a typical symbol of White Nationalists). The allied New Right factions in Australia and the UK also use the “chaos symbol” —an eight pointed star —which they adapt from left-wing counter-cultural anarchists.

The fascist use of the “black bloc” political formation at demonstrations is also an appropriation of anarchist and far left forms. In recent years, German fascists calling themselves Autonomous Nationalists have marched in large black blocs, waving black flags (a symbol of traditional anarchism), and even appropriated the symbolism of the German antifascist groupings.[16]

As far back as 1984, Pierre André Taguieff, an expert on the European New Right, condemned the “tactic of ideological scrambling systematically deployed by GRECE,” a rightwing think tank that embraced some leftist critiques of advanced capitalism while promoting core fascist ideas.[17] Here we see that ideological scrambling deployed on a grassroots level.

It needs to be stressed that, despite the name, National-Anarchists have not emerged from inside the anarchist movement, and, intellectually, their origins are not based in its ideas. Anarchists typically see themselves as part of a cosmopolitan and explicitly antinationalist left-wing movement which seeks to dismantle both capitalism and the centralized state. They seek instead to replace them with decentralized, non-hierarchical, and self-regulating communities. Although similar to Marxists, anarchists are just as adamant in their opposition to racism, sexism, and homophobia as they are to capitalism. In the United States, anarchists were key players in the formation of labor unions, were the only political faction to support gay rights before World War I, were leaders in the free speech movement, and were active in helping to legalize birth control. The White Nationalists’ embrace of the anarchist label and symbolism is more than little ironic, since anarchists have a long history of physically disrupting White Nationalist events, for instance by groups like Anti-Racist Action. Anarchist military units were even formed to fight Franco in Spain and Mussolini in Italy.

[manasastuff-blog]

"National Flag Day" #trening#viral#nationalflagday

Discover the importance of National Flag Adoption Day on July 22nd! This significant day celebrates the unity and history of our nation, reminding us of the values and freedoms our flag represents. National Flag Adoption Day is a moment to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who have served our country and to honour the symbol that binds us together. we delve into the history, significance, and various ways people celebrate this patriotic day. Whether you're participating in parades, attending ceremonies, or simply flying the flag, National Flag Adoption Day is a time to show your pride and gratitude. Join us as we explore the rich traditions and meanings behind this special day.

Call:77997 99221

Website: www.manasadefenceacademy.com

#NationalFlagAdoptionDay#July22nd#FlagDayImportance#PatrioticCelebration#NationalUnity#HistoricalSignificance#ProudToBeAmerican#FlagDayTraditions#HonorOurFlag#UnityAndFreedom#trendingF#viral#manasadefenceacademy

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Neil Shenvi and Pat Sawyer

Published: Feb 13, 2024

On October 7th, 2023, most Americans watched in horror as Israel experienced the deadliest terrorist attacks in its history. In the days and weeks that followed, some of that horror mingled with confusion.

For example, on Oct. 8th—before an Israeli counteroffensive was launched—BLM Grassroots issued a “Statement in Solidarity with the Palestinian People,” writing that they “stand unwaveringly on the side of the oppressed” and “see clear parallels between Black and Palestinian people.” Two days later, BLM Chicago posted a graphic featuring a paraglider with a Palestinian flag and the text “I stand with Palestine” (terrorists had used paraglides to attack a Music festival on Oct. 7th, killing over three hundred civilians). Even more bizarre posts began turning up on social media. The Slow Factory, a progressive group with over 600k followers on Instagram, posted a graphic stating “Free Palestine is a Feminist issue. It’s a reproductive rights issue. It’s an Indigenous Rights issue. It’s a Climate Justice issue, it’s a Queer Rights issue, it’s an Abolitionist Issue.” The group “Queers for Palestine” began showing up with signs at various demonstrations. A banner hanging from a building at the University of British Columbia announced, “Trans liberation cannot happen without Palestinian Liberation.”

What explains these signs and sentiments, which seem to be springing up organically around the country and other parts of the world? How is the Hamas-Israel war connected to climate change? Why is it a feminist issue? Why are “queers” standing in solidarity with Palestine when Israel’s government is far more permissive than Palestine’s (for example, same-sex activity is criminalized in Gaza)? What has inspired an outpouring of egregious and unconscionable antisemitic rhetoric and behavior in various cities and on a number of college campuses?

The answer is, in a word, intersectionality. In this article, we’ll explain the intersectional framework that undergirds these phenomena and will then offer a brief reflection on how it can be resisted.

* * *

Intersectionality was a term coined by critical race theorist Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989. She used it to describe the discrimination faced by Black women, whose social location (that is, their relationship to power within U.S. society) was predicated on both their race and their sex simultaneously. In other words, a Black woman’s experience cannot be reduced to merely the sum of her race and sex experiences. Instead, she occupies a unique (and uniquely marginalized) category that is shaped by both her Blackness and femininity.

Although Crenshaw’s first examples focused on race and gender, intersectionality was rapidly applied to other categories like sexuality, class, and disability, just as Crenshaw intended. Indeed, precursors to Crenshaw’s conception of intersectionality can be found in other Black feminist writings. For example, the Combahee River Collective Statement insisted in 1977 that it is “difficult to separate race from class from sex oppression because... they are most often experienced simultaneously” and feminist Beverly Lindsay argued in 1979 that sexism, racism, and classism exposed poor Black women to “triple jeopardy” (see Collins and Bilge, Intersectionality, p. 76).

So in what ways does intersectionality shape progressive views on the Israel-Hamas War?

First, through its embrace of the social binary; second, through its implicit adoption of the category of “whiteness,” and finally through its commitment to solidarity in liberation.

The Social Binary

While the concept of intersectionality can be understood narrowly to refer to the trivial claim that our identities are complex and multifaceted, Crenshaw intended a far more robust understanding rooted in a prominent feature of critical social theory, what we call the “social binary.” The social binary refers to the belief that society is divided into oppressed groups and oppressor groups along lines of race, class, gender, sexuality, physical ability, religion, and a host of other identity markers. Crenshaw did not merely believe that Black women (and White men, and Hispanic lesbians) all had different social locations, but that they had differently-valued social locations.

In a 1989 paper, Crenshaw asked the reader to “[imagine] a basement which contains all people who are disadvantaged on the basis of race, sex, class, sexual preference, age and/or physical ability” and who were then literally stacked “feet standing on shoulders with the multiply-disadvantaged at the bottom and the fully privilege at the very top.” This understanding of intersectionality necessarily assumes a hierarchy of oppression and privilege such that people can be ranked in order from most to least oppressed.

Although Crenshaw didn’t discuss “colonial status” in the body of her paper, she did state in a footnote that Third World feminism is inevitably subordinated to the fight against “international domination” and “imperialism.” It is at precisely this point that intersectionality affects progressive understanding of Israel-Palestinian relationships.

Later critical social theorists, and especially postcolonial scholars, believe that colonialism—like white supremacy, the patriarchy, and heterosexism—divides society into oppressed and oppressor groups. Because the Israeli government is positioned as a “colonizing foreign power,” it is therefore necessarily oppressive. Conversely, Palestinians are then necessarily positioned as a colonized, oppressed group. Never mind the spurious assessment of both. Note here that critical theorists make these judgments not on the basis of the actual history of the region (which is complex) or a careful analysis of particular Israeli policies (which are certainly open to debate). Rather, the mere identification of Israel as a “colonial power” is all that is needed to set up a social binary between the Israelis and Palestinians.

The social binary then explains why some progressives make such a quick, simplistic analysis: intersectionality deceptively primes them to see the world in these black-and-white terms.

Whiteness

A second factor that contributes to a reflexive pro-Palestinian perspective by some in the U.S. is the ascendance of critical race theory and an attendant understanding of “whiteness.”

CRT, which was birthed concurrently with intersectionality in the late 1980s, conceptualizes whiteness not as a skin color or even as an ethnicity, but as a social construct that provides tangible and intangible benefits to those raced as “White.” (Notwithstanding that white skin and whiteness are often conflated when it serves the interests of progressives). Whiteness as a social construct signals that “whiteness” is fluid and malleable and need not only include people traditionally understood as White. For example, in his important 2003 book Racism Without Racists, sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva hypothesized that America could develop a “triracial order” consisting of “Whites,” “Honorary Whites,” and “Collective Black.” On Bonilla-Silva’s reading, Whites would include not just Anglo-Saxons, but also “Assimilated white Latinos,” “Some multiracials,” “Assimilated (urban) Native Americans,” and “A few Asian-origin people.” On the other hand, the “Collective Black” category would include “Vietnamese Americans,” “Dark-skinned Latinos,” and “Reservation-bound Native Americans” (see Bonilla-Silva, Racism Without Racists, 228).

Critical race theorists have long wrestled with the place of Jewish people within their racial hierarchy. On the one hand, Americans did not traditionally consider Jews “White” and the U.S. has explicitly discriminated against Jews in the recent past (Jewish admission quotas at Ivy League Schools being one glaring example). On the other hand, many critical race theorists today believe that most Jews have assimilated to whiteness and benefit from “White privilege” and therefore should be classified as White. In her chapter “Whiteness, Intersectionality, and the Contradictions of White Jewish Identity,” Jewish psychologist Jodie Kliman writes that,

As European Jews have slowly ‘become’ white over the last three generations (Brodkin, 1998), we have internalized White supremacy in general and anti-Black prejudice in particular...Immigrant Jews and their descendants assimilated into US society, becoming white, or sort of white...

Unfortunately, to the extent that American Jews are viewed as “White adjacent” while Palestinians are viewed as “Brown,” the former are members of an oppressor group and the latter of an oppressed group. This categorization adds another layer to knee-jerk progressive support for Palestinians.

Liberation

Finally, the glue that binds together pro-Palestinian, pro-LGBTQ, and feminist activists is a shared commitment to mutual liberation. Again, this commitment is not new; it is found in the earliest texts of critical race theory, including those authored by Crenshaw herself. For instance, in the 1993 anthology Words that Wound, she and other co-founders of CRT wrote that a “defining element” of CRT is the commitment to ending all forms of oppression: They write: 

Critical race theory works toward the end of eliminating racial oppression as part of the broader goal of ending all forms of oppression. Racial oppression is experienced by many in tandem with oppressions on grounds of gender, class, or sexual orientation. Critical race theory measures progress by a yardstick that looks to fundamental social transformation. The interests of all people of color necessarily require not just adjustments within the established hierarchies, but a challenge to hierarchy itself (Matusda et al., Words that Wound, 6-7).

This last point is crucial to understanding the automatic solidarity between, say, LGBTQ activists and decolonial activists. One could, in principle, accept that both LGBTQ people and Palestinians are oppressed groups and still conclude that their goals are mutually exclusive. For example, most Palestinians are Muslim and traditional Islam rejects the sexual autonomy demanded by LGBTQ activists. Yet an intersectional framework insists that homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, and colonialism are all “interlocking systems of oppression” that can and must be overturned simultaneously—never mind the details.

Lest anyone worry that we’re misinterpreting or overstating the degree to which popular progressive sentiments surrounding this issue are shaped by a fundamental commitment to intersectionality, consider the article “Palestine is a Feminist Issue” from the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights. It begins with a quotation from Mariam Barghouti “Fundamentally speaking, feminism cannot support racism, supremacy and oppressive domination in any form” and immediately explains intersectionality in its opening paragraph: 

Intersectional feminism is a framework that holds that women’s overlapping, or intersecting, identities impact the way they experience oppression and discrimination. Intersectionality rejects the idea that a woman’s experience can be reduced to only her gender, and insists that we look at the multiple factors shaping her life: race, class, ethnicity, disability, citizenship status, sexual orientation, and others, as well as how systems of oppression are connected... When we look at the world through an intersectional feminist lens, it becomes clear that Palestine is a feminist issue.

Conclusions

While the reaction of some progressives to the Hamas-Israel war took many people, especially Jewish people, by surprise, it was largely predictable given the powerful influence that intersectionality exerts on our culture. Intersectionality can lead to a grotesque moral calculus that justifies Hamas’ rape of Israeli girls as an understandable response of the oppressed lashing out at their oppressor. It has caused university presidents at our elite institutions to shamefully equivocate and prevaricate when given opportunity to unapologetically condemn antisemitism. Unfortunately, these examples are natural outworkings of the intersectional worldview.

For those who are alarmed by what seems to be growing acceptance of anti-Semitism within some segments of the left, we offer the following action items.

First, we should resist critical theory’s simplistic moral categories of Oppressor vs. Oppressed. To the extent that we see every conflict as a battle between innocent victims and cruel victimizers, we will gloss over the moral complexities of reality.

Second, we need to see people primarily as individuals rather than as avatars of their demographic groups. It’s much easier to dehumanize abstract categories than the nervous old woman across the street or the energetic cashier at the grocery store. Personal connection is an antidote to demonization.

Finally, we need to be realistic about the perniciousness of “woke” ideology, which has been infiltrating our institutions, universities, businesses, and places of worship for decades. Many social movements have waved the banner of progress and justice while slaughtering tens of millions. If we don’t learn from history, we very well may repeat it.

[haggishlyhagging]

[Note: Woolf wrote the below as one paragraph. Unfortunately this website’s formatting is incompatible with such repleteness.]

My aunt, Mary Beton, I must tell you, died by a fall from her horse when she was riding out to take the air in Bombay. The news of my legacy reached me one night about the same time that the act was passed that gave votes to women. A solicitor's letter fell into the post-box and when I opened it I found that she had left me five hundred pounds a year for ever. Of the two—the vote and the money—the money, I own, seemed infinitely the more important. Before that I had made my living by cadging odd jobs from newspapers, by reporting a donkey show here or a wedding there; I had earned a few pounds by addressing envelopes, reading to old ladies, making artificial flowers, teaching the alphabet to small children in a kindergarten. Such were the chief occupations that were open to women before 1918.

I need not, I am afraid, describe in any detail the hardness of the work, for you know perhaps women who have done it; nor the difficulty of living on the money when it was earned, for you may have tried. But what still remains with me as a worse infliction than either was the poison of fear and bitterness which those days bred in me. To begin with, always to be doing work that one did not wish to do, and to do it like a slave, flattering and fawning, not always necessarily perhaps, but it seemed necessary and the stakes were too great to run risks; and then the thought of that one gift which it was death to hide—a small one but dear to the possessor—perishing and with it my self, my soul,—all this became like a rust eating away the bloom of the spring, destroying the tree at its heart. However, as I say, my aunt died; and whenever I change a ten-shilling note a little of that rust and corrosion is rubbed off; fear and bitterness go. Indeed, I thought, slipping the silver into my purse, it is remarkable, remembering the bitterness of those days, what a change of temper a fixed income will bring about. No force in the world can take from me my five hundred pounds. Food, house and clothing are mine for ever. Therefore not merely do effort and labour cease, but also hatred and bitterness. I need not hate any man; he cannot hurt me. I need not flatter any man; he has nothing to give me. So imperceptibly I found myself adopting a new attitude towards the other half of the human race. It was absurd to blame any class or any sex, as a whole.

Great bodies of people are never responsible for what they do. They are driven by instincts which are not within their control. They too, the patriarchs, the professors, had endless difficulties, terrible drawbacks to contend with. Their education had been in some ways as faulty as my own. It had bred in them defects as great. True, they had money and power, but only at the cost of harbouring in their breasts an eagle, a vulture, for ever tearing the liver out and plucking at the lungs—the instinct for possession, the rage for acquisition which drives them to desire other people's fields and goods perpetually; to make frontiers and flags; battleships and poison gas; to offer up their own lives and their children's lives. Walk through the Admiralty Arch (I had reached that monument), or any other avenue given up to trophies and cannon, and reflect upon the kind of glory celebrated there. Or watch in the spring sunshine the stockbroker and the great barrister going indoors to make money and more money and more money when it is a fact that five hundred pounds a year will keep one alive in the sunshine. These are unpleasant instincts to harbour, I reflected. They are bred of the conditions of life; of the lack of civilisation, I thought, looking at the statue of the Duke of Cambridge, and in particular at the feathers in his cocked hat, with a fixity that they have scarcely ever received before.

And, as I realised these draw-backs, by degrees fear and bitterness modified themselves into pity and toleration; and then in a year or two, pity and toleration went, and the greatest release of all came, which is freedom to think of things in themselves. That building, for example, do I like it or not? Is that picture beautiful or not? Is that in my opinion a good book or a bad? Indeed my aunt's legacy unveiled the sky to me, and substituted for the large and imposing figure of a gentleman, which Milton recommended for my perpetual adoration, a view of the open sky.

-Virginia Woolf, ‘A Room of One’s Own’ in Alice S. Rossi, The Feminist Papers: From Adams to de Beauvoir

[flagwars]

People’s Flag Wars: Round 1, Bracket 14

See the symbolism below.

The First Light flag is the official flag of Syracuse, New York, designed by Eric Hart.

Symbolism: “Through the use of simple color and shape the First Light flag shares a complex story of our people and personality, our geography and weather, our past and future, and our relationship to our surrounding area.

Six-Pointed Star: Symbolizes the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee, of which the Onondaga Nation plays a central role. It symbolizes the six historical names by which Syracuse has been known: Salt Point, Webster's Landing, Bogardus Corners, Milan, South Salina, and Cossits' Corners (not incl. Corinth). It is the sun, a guiding light. Its central placement on the flag marks Syracuse's central location in New York State.

Mirrored triangles: Symbolizes the hills of Onondaga. The word onoñda'gega' means, "people of the hills" in the Onondaga language. The left triangle is the hill westward toward Hiawatha Lake. The right triangle is the hill eastward toward Thornden Park. The space between the triangles is the Onondaga Valley.

Star set between triangles: Symbolizes the sunrise over the Onondaga Valley.

This is described in a line from Syracuse University's Alma Mater, ". where the vale of Onondaga meets the Eastern sky." Represents a new day, a bright future, and good fortunes ahead.

Orange Star on White: Symbolizes our history of using the sun to pull white salt from our salt springs. It also represents the sun warming us during our cold, white winters.

The Chevron: Symbolizes the Roman numeral "V" indicating the five Syracuse Common Council Districts. It also represents "The V-Sign," international symbol for peace and friendship.

Three Distinct Triangles: Symbolic of the city's past, present and future. The left triangle points to the past. The central triangle points to the present. The right triangle points toward the future. It represents Syracuse across the ages. Syracuse: for now and forever.

Orange Symbolic of: The Sun, Regeneration, Restoration, Courage, Passion, Creativity

Azure Blue Symbolic of: Onondaga Lake, the Erie Canal, Perseverance, Intelligence

Navy Blue Symbolic of: The hills of Onondaga, Trust, Loyalty, Industriousness

White Symbolic of: Salt, Snow, Peace, Purity”

Family flag was made by an anonymous submitter.

Symbolism: “5 brothers (5 outer rings), 2 parents, connected to look like glasses (we all have glasses), a line to represent the fact me and my little brother are the only one of our brothers who live in the same house, and cat noses to represent our very likely deceased cat.”

Vădastra, Romania is a flag by Turcu Mihai that is planned to be adopted as the official city flag.

Symbolism:

“1. The Blue Background: The blue background represents the village's connection to the Olt County and the Oltenia region. Blue often symbolizes stability, tradition, and the natural surroundings, reflecting the rural setting and historical heritage of Vădastra.

2. The Yellow Stripes: The two corrugated yellow stripes crossing the flag from the lower-left corner to the upper-right corner can symbolize various aspects. Yellow often represents wealth, fertility, and the abundant agricultural resources that are vital to the village's economy. The corrugated design could evoke the rolling hills or fields of crops found in the area.

3. The Red Section: The red section in the lower-right corner, separated by the yellow lines, could symbolize the vitality and strength of the community. Red is often associated with energy, determination, and the spirit of the people who live in Vădastra.

4. The yellow vase: Including a tallos vase in the Canton (upper-left corner) is a direct reference to the village's rich vase culture and the historical significance of these artifacts. It highlights the deep-rooted history and archaeological discoveries that have been made in Vădastra, dating back thousands of years. Also this color completes the Romanian color scheme

Overall, our flag design combines elements that represent the village's history, culture, and economic foundation, creating a meaningful and unique symbol for Vădastra.”

[consumerguide]

Celebrating the 4th of July: A Day of Freedom, Festivities, and Practical Necessities

The 4th of July, also known as Independence Day, is a cherished holiday in the United States, marking the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It's a day filled with patriotism, family gatherings, fireworks, parades, and barbecues. As we prepare to celebrate this significant day, let’s delve into some of the best ways to enjoy the holiday and ensure a smooth, enjoyable experience for all.

A Day of Historical Significance

Independence Day is more than just a summer celebration; it’s a day to reflect on the freedoms and rights we enjoy as Americans. The history behind the 4th of July is rich and profound. On this day, we commemorate the courage and vision of our founding fathers who declared independence from British rule. Across the nation, historical reenactments and educational events offer an opportunity to learn more about the origins of this important day.

Festive Activities and Traditions

Fireworks

One of the most iconic 4th of July traditions is the fireworks display. These dazzling shows light up the night sky in cities and towns across the country, symbolizing the joy and excitement of the nation's independence. Whether you’re watching a professional display or setting off your own fireworks (where permitted), it’s a magical experience that brings communities together.

Parades

Parades are another staple of Independence Day celebrations. From small town processions to grand city spectacles, parades feature marching bands, decorated floats, and local organizations showcasing their patriotic spirit. It’s a time to wave flags, cheer for participants, and feel a sense of unity with fellow Americans.

Barbecues and Picnics

No 4th of July is complete without a barbecue or picnic. Families and friends gather to enjoy delicious food, from grilled burgers and hot dogs to fresh salads and pies. It’s a day of outdoor dining, laughter, and making memories.

Practical Necessities for Outdoor Events

When planning for large gatherings, especially in public parks or open spaces, certain practical considerations can make the day more comfortable for everyone. Amidst the fun and festivities, it’s important to think about amenities like seating, shade, and sanitation.

Speaking of sanitation, one often overlooked but essential aspect of any large outdoor event is the availability of restrooms. Portable toilets, or porta-potties, provide a convenient solution. They ensure that everyone has access to clean and functional facilities, which is crucial for maintaining hygiene and comfort during the celebrations. By strategically placing porta-potties around event areas, organizers can enhance the overall experience and keep the focus on fun.

Staying Safe and Responsible

While enjoying the 4th of July, it’s important to stay safe. This includes following local regulations regarding fireworks, being mindful of fire hazards, and ensuring children and pets are kept at a safe distance from fireworks and grills. Additionally, staying hydrated and using sunscreen can help protect against the summer heat.

Reflecting on Freedom

As the day winds down and the last fireworks burst in the sky, take a moment to reflect on the freedoms we celebrate. The 4th of July is a reminder of the values of liberty, democracy, and unity. It’s a day to appreciate the sacrifices made by those who fought for our independence and to consider how we can continue to uphold these principles in our daily lives.

In conclusion, the 4th of July is a time for joy, celebration, and reflection. By blending fun activities with practical considerations like porta-potties, we can ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for all. So, gather your loved ones, celebrate safely, and cherish the freedoms that make this nation special. Happy Independence Day!

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Considering what month it is, it shouldn't be a surprise that we'd discuss an article entitled, "Reclaiming the Rainbow: The Misappropriation of a Religious Symbol." This piece sheds light on how the rainbow, a significant Biblical symbol, has been appropriated by LGBT+ movements, causing concern among many Christians.

▶️ The rainbow, traditionally a symbol of God's mercy to all humanity, has been adopted by the LGBT+ community, often causing discomfort among Christians. In today's secular climate, using the rainbow as a symbol risks giving a false impression.

▶️ A historical dive into the origin of the gay pride rainbow flags reveals that they were first made for the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade in 1978. The flag, which was initially designed with eight stripes, each representing a different meaning, has now evolved into a symbol of sexual diversity, deviating from the Christian understanding of selfless agapē love.

▶️ The rainbow, in Christian and Jewish teachings, signifies God's promise to humanity to never flood the earth again, as stated in Genesis 9:11. It is not only a symbol of God's covenant but also a sign of His grace.

▶️ In addition to its covenant symbolism, the rainbow is used in the Bible to describe the glory of the soon-coming Messiah, reinforcing its sacred significance to Christians. Its appropriation by any group profanes this divinely ordained symbol.

▶️ Isaac Newton's analysis shows the rainbow contains seven colours, reflecting the seven major notes in the musical scale. The rainbow's existence is a testament to God's design and the beauty of creation, meant to inspire praise and worship.

▶️ In conclusion, Christians are encouraged to actively promote the rainbow as a universal symbol of God's love and mercy, instead of allowing it to be claimed by single-issue pressure groups.

The rainbow is a beautiful symbol of God's love, mercy, and the covenant He made with humanity. It is also a Messianic symbol, appearing in several visions where Christ sits in judgement over the affairs of men. Let's reclaim it for its original, God-intended purpose!

Link: Here's the full article: https://creation.com/reclaiming-the-rainbow