#Good Friday 2025 in Canada

[traveljunctioncanada]

Good Friday Travel Guide: Where to Go & How to Save on Flights

Good Friday is a day of reflection and solemnity and is also the perfect time to travel and enjoy. With offices and schools closed, it gives people to break the shackles of mundane life by travelling to their favourite destinations. Additionally, it also gives the chance to take advantage of numerous cheap Good Friday flight deals. So, whether you are looking for a peaceful retreat, city adventure or beach holiday, Good Friday long weekend is the time to make your travel dream come true. For those who observe Good Friday as a day of reflection and solemnity, it can be a good time for travel. With many businesses and offices closed, it gives people a break from their regular routine. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an exciting city adventure, travel during this time offers the advantage of fewer crowds at certain destinations. Additionally, it's an opportunity to take advantage of special holiday sales and low-demand flight times.

Best Destinations for Good Friday Travel

Good Friday is the time to escape and explore destinations perfect for an unforgettable get together with family and friends. So, if you are looking to make your Good Friday a memorable moment below are the destinations you must visit.

Vatican City, Rome: Vatican City in Rome is the perfect escape for those looking to experience both religious history and astonishing architecture. Thousands visit the Vatican, especially to see the Pope’s Good Friday service and attending a service here can be a touching experience. Must-see landmarks here include St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.

Jerusalem, Israel: Jerusalem is one of the holiest and spiritual places for Christians. The destination is the cradle of Good Friday observance and offers profound experience to the visitors. Must-visit spots are the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Via Dolorosa, and the Mount of Olives.

Paris, France: Paris is the perfect options for those looking for a romantic escapes. With its unmatched museums, and world-famous landmarks such as Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral, the city of love is the perfect blend of relaxation and culture. Though, it can get crowded, long weekend may provide excellent opportunity to visit these spots with lesser crowds.

Kyoto, Japan: Kyoto in Japan is perfect for those looking for peace and tranquillity. With its beautiful gardens, traditional temples, and traditional tea houses, Good Friday offers the perfect time to visit and enjoy the serene outdoors.

Banff National Park: Nature lovers can dive into the exquisite Banff National Park known for its thrilling and beautiful wilderness.  Trekking is the best way to soak the majestic scenery of the park laden with lakes and alpine forests. You can also spot animals and birds and, if they permit, capture them on your smartphone.

How to Save on Good Friday Flights

So, you have decided to escape on a long Good Friday holiday weekend. However, unable to find last-minute Good Friday flights deal.  Worry not; here we offer you some practical tips to save on flights when planning for your Good Friday holiday.

Book Flight Tickets in Advance: Booking flight tickets in advance is a great way to get the best Good Friday travel offers. Especially during events and festive seasons, purchasing tickets at least weeks and months in advance increases your chance of securing better prices and options.         

Visit Online Travel Website: Many online travel website offers incredible discounts on Good Friday airfare sales.  These online websites are your best bet if you are looking for budget flights. It is recommended to visit these websites frequently or subscribe to their social media channels and newsletters to stay informed about amazing airfare deals.

Be Flexible with Your Travel Dates: Flexibility in travel dates can save you more. For example, boarding a flight a couple of days before Good Friday and returning on a flight on Tuesday can not only save you a good amount but also help you avoid peak travel times. If you are open to shifting your travel dates by a couple of days, your chances of securing the Best Good Friday travel offers are higher.

Look for Alternative Airports: If your location has a secondary airport, you can save a good amount if you have a flight that lands there. It is a well-known fact that primary flights arriving at primary airports charge more due to various fees compared to secondary airports. But always check the transport connectivity if you are booking a flight to an alternative airport.

Consider Budget Airlines: Budget airlines are another alternative for travellers looking for cheap flights for Good Friday. Especially if you are travelling short-haul, these flights can land you great deals on airfares. However, these airlines charge additional fees on checked baggage and seat selection. Still, they offer you great value if you are willing to pay less.

Book Connecting Flights: Yes, you heard it right - sometimes a connecting flight can cost you less compared to a direct or non-stop flight. Just make sure that you have plenty of time for layovers. And before booking the flight, please check the baggage policy of the airline to avoid additional costs.

Good Friday is the best chance to escape the daily monotonous life and explore new destinations. Whether you are looking for a spiritual awakening, urban adventure or a tranquil escape, Good Friday flight travel deals and discounts are the perfect time to fulfil your long pending bucket list with affordable flight deals. No matter wherever you fly, just remember that travel goes beyond the destination, it is about the experiences you enjoy along the way.

[rabbitcruiser]

Good Friday

Observed in remembrance of the crucifixion of Jesus, this significant event is usually marked by church services and solemn reflections.

Let’s dive into the fascinating story of Good Friday, a day that’s all about remembering, reflecting, and a bit of solemnity.

It’s a day celebrated across the globe, honoring the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It’s Good Friday, and it’s anything but your average Friday.

Good Friday falls on the Friday just before Easter Sunday. This day is special because it commemorates a key event in Christianity: the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Think of it as a moment in history that’s both tragic and transformative. This makes it a pivotal day for many around the world​​​​.

So, why do people observe Good Friday? Well, it’s a day to ponder the sacrifices made by Jesus, who Christians believe died on the cross to offer humanity redemption and eternal life. It’s a mix of mourning the death of Jesus and looking forward to the hope his resurrection brings.

Christians spend the day in prayer, fasting, and attending church services, which often include re-enactments of Jesus’ final hours.

This observance isn’t just about looking back. It’s also about finding hope in what’s to come, symbolizing new beginnings and the powerful love that the narrative of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection brings to the forefront​​.

Good Friday is a day steeped in deep meaning, observed with both solemn rituals and hopeful reflections. It’s a moment when time seems to pause, inviting everyone to reflect on profound themes of life, death, and what comes after.

Whether you’re deeply religious or just curious about the traditions, there’s something about Good Friday that invites introspection and offers a glimpse into the heart of human longing for redemption and new beginnings.

History of Good Friday

Good Friday has a rich history that dates back centuries, evolving into a day that holds profound significance for Christians worldwide.

It commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, an event that is central to the Christian faith. According to scientists, it took place around 33 A.D. The day is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday, marking the end of Holy Week​​​​​​.

The origins of Good Friday’s observance can be traced to early Christianity, with its significance growing over the centuries.

It embodies the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, who died on the cross for humanity’s sins, paving the way for salvation and eternal life. This act of love and sacrifice is the cornerstone of Good Friday’s observance. This leads to its name, which reflects the good that came from Jesus’ sacrifice despite the sorrow of his death​​​​​​.

Traditions and rituals on Good Friday vary widely among different Christian denominations and cultures. However, common practices include fasting, prayer, and attending church services. These services often recount Jesus’ hours on the cross, from noon to 3 p.m.

Those hours reflect the hours of Jesus’ agony. In many places, the day is also marked by the veneration of the cross. It represents Jesus’ crucifixion and meditations on the “Stations of the Cross,” which depict the final hours of Jesus’ life​​​​.

The historical and spiritual depth of Good Friday underscores its importance in Christianity. It’s a day of reflection on Jesus’ sacrifice and the profound love that led to humans’ redemption.

How to Celebrate Good Friday

Good Friday offers a unique opportunity to pause, reflect, and engage in meaningful traditions that honor the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Here are some creative and solemn ways to observe this day:

Embrace a Day of Fasting and Prayer: Dive into a spiritual journey by fasting and dedicating time to prayer.

This practice honors the sacrifices made on Good Friday and brings a deeper focus to your spiritual life. Consider abstaining from food and digital distractions to allow for quiet reflection and connection with the divine​​​​​​.

Silent Reflection: Carve out moments of silence throughout the day to meditate on the gravity of Good Friday. Whether through prayer, reading scripture, or simply sitting in quiet contemplation, this practice can help you internalize the day’s significance and find personal meaning in the observance​​​​.

Engage in Acts of Kindness and Charity: Reflect Jesus’ love and sacrifice by extending kindness and help to those in need. Volunteer, donate, or perform acts of kindness as a tangible way to honor the spirit of Good Friday. This could be as simple as helping a neighbor or more structured, like volunteering at a local charity​​.

Participate in a Good Friday Service: Attending a Good Friday service can be a powerful way to commemorate the day. Many churches offer services that recount the story of Jesus’ crucifixion through readings, hymns, and prayers.

Family Time and Storytelling: Spend quality time with family discussing the meaning of Good Friday. You could read Bible stories or watch films that depict the life and sacrifices of Jesus Christ. This not only educates younger family members about the day’s importance but also strengthens family bonds through shared faith​​.

Walking the Steps of Jesus: If possible, retracing the steps of Jesus to Calvary can be a moving way to connect with Him. While not accessible to everyone, even virtual walks or meditations on this journey can provide a profound sense of closeness.

Source

[tejennnn]

🎆Happy New Year 2025 + Shop reopening!

I’m back! I took a social media break for the last week of 2024 (+ coincidentally got a terrible sinusitis and fever during that period smh) and spent the last moments of 2024 mingling with my in-laws. Sobs I miss drawing already 🥹

I had my first phở of my life in Christmas day! And goodness the taste of the broth is so heavenly-- WHY I DIDN'T TRY THIS EARLIER IN MY LIFE ((I'm deeply sorry my VN oomfs)) 😭😭😭😭😭

Also I reopened my Etsy shop! 📢  Did a partial restock of keychains only-- some stickers and keychains will be restocked in February ;;;

📢  My shop is open until Friday, January 24th 7:00 AM GMT+7 and closing until early Feb for Lunar New Year holiday. Will notify any changes or updates soon here, if any!

⚠️ Due to the ongoing EU GPSR regulation & the aftermath of 2024 Canada Post strike, I will be holding up all shipments to EU countries and Canada until further notice 🙇🏻‍♀️

My courier confirmed that my previous Canada-bound packages are still on the waiting list while CanPost is catching up with the backlogs :”) Also I’m still keeping an eye on some packages that are still on the way!

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Food For Fraught http://Newsday.com/matt

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

March 31, 2025

Heather Cox Richardson

Apr 01, 2025

On April 1, 1861, Secretary of State William Henry Seward wrote an astonishing letter to President Abraham Lincoln. Less than a month after Lincoln had taken office, Seward had little faith in the apparently uneducated president from the raw West and was angry that the Cabinet had overruled him to provision South Carolina’s Fort Sumter rather than evacuating it. Seward was convinced that he, rather than Lincoln, should lead the administration.

Seward complained that Lincoln had not yet established “a policy either domestic or foreign” and said he had figured out the solution to the nation’s political crisis, in which seven states—South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas—had seceded from the Union in the weeks after Lincoln was elected president but before he took office. “[W]e must,” Seward wrote, “Change the question before the Public from one upon Slavery, or about Slavery for a question upon Union or Disunion.”

The way to do that, he wrote, was to rally Americans around the flag. To do so, he told Lincoln, “I would demand explanations from Spain and France, categorically, at once. I would seek explanations from Great Britain and Russia, and send agents into Canada, Mexico and Central America, to rouse a vigorous continental spirit of independence on this continent against European intervention. And if satisfactory explanations are not received from Spain and France, Would convene Congress and declare war against them.”

Modestly, Seward concluded: “Either the President must do it himself…or Devolve it upon some member of his Cabinet…. It is not in my especial province. But I neither seek to evade nor assume responsibility.”

In other words, Seward proposed taking charge of the U.S. government from the elected president, and then bringing Americans together by starting a war with Spain, France, Great Britain, or Russia—who was on the other side really didn’t matter. A crisis could be created with any of them. The point was to quell dissent at home by turning Americans against another country.

Lincoln spoke directly to Seward about his letter and then dropped the matter, leaving the secretary of state’s preposterous suggestion on the floor like the lead balloon it was. The two went on to forge a strong relationship, with Lincoln as the head of the administration and without starting a war with another country.

But Seward’s missive demonstrated a historical truism: when one country invades another, it usually reflects the problems of the invader’s domestic politics, no matter what the justification for the invasion is.

Although President Donald Trump never mentioned taking over Greenland—or Canada, or Panama, or Mexico—during the 2024 campaign, he has made such takeovers a key objective of his administration. On March 6, Trump addressed “the incredible people of Greenland” during a joint session of Congress, telling them that the U.S. needs Greenland “for national security and even international security…. And I think we’re going to get it. One way or the other, we’re going to get it.” On March 29, Trump told Kristen Welker of NBC News: “We’ll get Greenland. Yeah, 100%.” He said that there’s a “good possibility that we could do it without military force” but that “I don’t take anything off the table.”

On Friday, Vice President J.D. Vance led a delegation to Greenland, an island of about 56,000 people that is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark. As founding members of both the United Nations in 1945 and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, Denmark and the United States are allies of long standing. Immediately after World War II, the American military maintained 17 bases and installations in Greenland, with thousands of soldiers, but now it maintains only the Pituffik Space Base on Greenland’s northwest coast with about 200 soldiers. It was there that Vance landed with his wife, as well as disgraced national security advisor Mike Waltz, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) on Friday after Greenlanders and Danes opposed a more extended itinerary.

Vance told Denmark it had “underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change.” Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen dismissed Vance’s assertion, saying that Denmark is “a good and strong ally.” Danish foreign minister Løkke Rasmussen noted that a 1951 agreement between the U.S. and Denmark “offers ample opportunity for the United States to have a much stronger military presence in Greenland. If that is what you wish, then let us discuss it.”

Greenland sits between the United States, Europe, and Russia on the Arctic Circle, where melting ice is making the seas more navigable. Climate change also offers access to Greenland’s rare earth minerals that are of strategic importance for modern economies, as well as oil and gas reserves.

The Trump regime wants those resources, but perhaps even more to the point, the U.S. invading another country—any other country, but particularly an ally—demolishes a key founding principle of the post–World War II order: that countries will respect each other’s borders and sovereignty. In seizing Greenland from Denmark, the U.S. would justify Russia’s seizure of Ukrainian territory.

That the United States is even talking about this is bonkers. Leaders from Greenland and Denmark have said the island is not for sale. National security scholar Tom Nichols posted: “The President of the United States just implied he would use force against an ally in an unprovoked war of aggression and conquest—and the entire world is so used to ignoring him like a crazy grandpa in the attic that it’s not the biggest story on the planet.”

A Fox News poll conducted from March 14 to March 17 showed that only 26% of Americans like the idea of taking over Greenland.

Americans also aren’t keen about the regime sweeping up legal U.S. residents in its deportation programs. A CBS News/YouGov survey from March 27–28 showed that 71% of Americans thought it was “not acceptable” for immigration authorities to mistakenly detain legal U.S. residents as part of the regime’s larger deportation program, while only 29% thought it would be acceptable.

And yet, today Nick Miroff of The Atlantic reported that Trump administration attorneys admitted in a court filing that officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement had seized and deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia by accident. Abrego Garcia fled gang threats in El Salvador when he was 16, and came to the U.S. He has no criminal record, works full time as a union sheet metal apprentice, is married to an American citizen, and is the father of a disabled U.S. citizen. He had been granted legal protected status from return to El Salvador after a judge found he was likely to be targeted by gangs if he was sent back.

The U.S. government did not charge Abrego Garcia with a crime but deported him to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) because of an administrative error. “This was an oversight,” the government told the court. But, because he is no longer in U.S. custody, the government said it is beyond the reach of U.S. courts to get him back.

Abrego Garcia’s attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, told Miroff he had never seen a case where the government ignored protective legal status and deported someone. “They claim that the court is powerless to order any relief,’’ he told Miroff. “If that’s true, the immigration laws are meaningless—all of them—because the government can deport whoever they want, wherever they want, whenever they want, and no court can do anything about it once it’s done.”

Tomorrow, voters will have a chance to weigh in on the government when elections take place in two Florida districts to fill seats vacated by the resignations of Mike Waltz, now national security advisor, and Matt Gaetz. Wisconsin, too, will hold an election, for a ten-year term on the state supreme court. That position will likely determine whether Wisconsin’s congressional maps remain gerrymandered in favor of Republicans, permitting them to pick up more seats than they have earned. Such skewing has made it possible for Republicans to retain control of the House of Representatives, and candidate Susan Crawford is likely to vote in favor of fair maps to replace the gerrymandered ones.

While it is supposed to be a nonpartisan election, President Trump has thrown his weight behind candidate Brad Schimel. Billionaire Elon Musk has thrown his checkbook, putting almost $20 million behind Schimel. On Sunday Musk traveled to Wisconsin, where he said the election could determine “the future of America and Western Civilization,” warning that a court with Crawford on it would redraw the gerrymandered districts and “add seats for Democrats.”

On Sunday, Musk gave away two checks for $1 million each to individuals who attended his rally for Schimel and signed a petition against “activist judges”. Musk got around the Wisconsin law against exchanging an item of value to get someone to vote or not to vote by claiming the checks were for “spokesperson agreements.” But the video recorded by one of the recipients linked her vote to Musk’s check, saying, “I did exactly what Elon Musk told everyone to do: sign the petition, refer friends and family, vote, and now I have a million dollars.”

The other check for a million dollars went to the chair of the Wisconsin College Republicans, who has worked for Republican campaigns.

“Let me talk for a minute or two about my opponent, Elon Musk,” Crawford told supporters on Monday. She announced her candidacy for the race before Trump was elected, and according to Scott Bauer of the Associated Press, she said she never imagined she would be fighting against “the richest man in the world.”

Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler said he thought “people do not want to see Elon Musk buying election after election after election. If it works here, he’s going to do it all over the country.”

Meanwhile Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) has been speaking on the floor of the Senate since 7:00 tonight because, he said, “I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis.” “These are not normal times in America. And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[blissfullyunawares]

Hi friends! I’m a writer and I want to share some of my best templates with you!

My favorite pages in my writing composition notebook:

Character Development Worksheet

Name / Nickname

Age / Gender

Heritage / Family

Motives

Strengths

Weaknesses

Backstory

Setting / Time Period

Other Details / Notes

Dialogue Prompts

Essentially: Someone says something to your character, how do they respond?

Purpose: Character Development

Writing Prompts

Essentially: Something happens, an action or event, and your fictional world or characters respond or adapt

Purpose: World Building & Writing Practice

7 Act Structure

The structure gives me a way to plot the story, insert the characters, and build a compelling narrative that moves toward a set arc. This allows each character to find motive to move forward.

This is what I’m referring to:

🫶🏻 Tag for Credit OP: @thewritingumbrellas

I renamed them or gave them a short list of alternate names for each act to allow for my own interpretation.

The Realization (Act7) for example, in my mind is the Resolution, Acceptance, or Rejection and the perfect place for a good ending, tragic outcome, or cliff hanger.

List: Possible Character Names

One of the biggest roadblocks I found as a writer is the Internet (I know, I know!) and my solution for this was writing the old school way (pen and paper, baby!).

In the back of my notebook, I’ve written down possible names I would use in future stories. No need to generate names, no need to get distracted.

There’s a list for first names, and a list of last names, so there’s no need to sorry about looking it up.

List: Public Places

World building is fun, and I want mine to be immersive, so I’ve included a list of public places that range from ancient civilizations, to Victorian era Canada, to the Wild West.

A quick run through my list of places and I’ll have an idea of where my characters are off to on their next adventure!

Follow for More!

When you follow along in 2025, you’ll get

⚡️ 2 Dialogue Prompts Weekly ⚡️

⚡️ One Liners from Recent WIPs ⚡️

⚡️ Feedback Fridays ⚡️

WAIT!! FRIEND!!

If you liked this post, and you’re interested in a writing toolkit for your very own fictional conquest, please leave some emojis in the comments below! 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

I’m working on a library of tools for writers and D&D enthusiasts (and I’m super excited to share it with youuuuu)

Until next time 💕

[thedialoguedilemma]

The Dilemma Bulletin: Friday January 24th, 2025

Keeping you informed about the daily events of the Trump Administration

Trump’s Sec of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth receives a tie confirmation vote in the Senate with Republican Senators Murkowski, Collins, and McConnell joining all Democrats in voting no. This comes after multiple accounts submitted by Hegseth’s family member detail his alcoholic and violent past.

Vice President JD Vance votes to confirm Pete Hegseth as the Secretary of Defense after tie vote in the Senate.

Trump visits Asheville, North Carolina to survey Hurricane Helene efforts after his party sabotaged the federal government response to the recovery efforts.

Trump visits Southern California meeting with California Governor Gavin Newsom and elected officials to survey wildfire damage after his party refuses to guarantee California non conditional federal assistance.

Trump threatens to sign an Executive Order completely overhauling or getting rid of FEMA altogether. States such as Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas would pay billions in natural disaster aid from their state budgets alone if FEMA is banished.

Chicago Public Schools confirm Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have tried to enter a Chicago elementary school with teachers and staff refusing them entry. ICE claims that these were not their agents.

Trump removes security detail for Anthony Fauci after him and his followers threatened his safety on a repeated basis as he worked tirelessly to save their lives during the Pandemic.

Target rolls back on their DEI policies as Costco defends their DEI policies.

Trump floats the idea of only sending California federal aid for Wildfires if they implement Voter ID which has nothing to do with wildfires. These same conditions would not be applied to North Carolina.

According to TIME Magazine (who named Trump their Person of the Year 2024) 2/3rds of his Executive Actions so far can be traced to Project 2025 after Trump claimed not to know anything of it.

Trump boasts of his “scientific ability” assessing how California can suck water out of its trees and how he may sign an Executive Order to release valves from Northern California and Canada. This is not how trees work and these valves would not work.

Trump talks about how Democrats use the environment to make themselves “feel good” and claims Dems will be talking about asbestos soon. Asbestos is widely banned from being used in the US due to health risks.

[spnfanficpond]

Weekly Pond Newsletter

Happy 2025! Here's hoping this year brings us all the time, energy, peace, and inspiration that we need to finish that thing we've been wanting to finish since *checks notes* Seriously?!?! 2018? It's been 6 years? How about the other one... *checks notes* 2023. A year and a half. *SIGH* Yeah...let's get all the good shit for 2025 and finish this stuff.

Old Business:

Ummm.....There is none because we took time off for the holidays and back surgery and partying and adulting.

New Business:

Manta Rays chatting in the Discord server - We've got TWO Manta Rays chatting in the Discord server this week! Admin MJ will be in there in a few hours (11am EST), and Admin Marie will be in there on Friday at 8pm EST!

Competitive Writing Sprints - Manta Ray Arthur will be hosting a session of competitive writing sprints on Wednesday at 11am EST! Add words to your WIP and also win fabulous prizes!

SPN Rewatch: FanFic Edition - Next weekend, we will gather in the Discord server on Saturday at noon EST to discuss the final two episodes in the third season: 3.15 Time Is on My Side and 3.16 No Rest for the Wicked! Be sure to watch the episodes ahead of time and take notes! For more info and to see all of the notes we've gathered about previous episodes, check out The Archive.

Fishing For Treasures - Next weekend, the @fanficocean will be celebrating FFT with Underappreciated Works! We here at the Pond will be celebrating on the 18th and 19th. Keep an eye out for posts explaining how to participate!

Coming Soon - The New Member Spotlight for December, the Monthly Prompt, and the Angel Fish Awards will all be coming along soon! Some sooner than others. All late, but better late than never, right? (See above gif of Dean. No, not that gif, the other gif. Yeah.) ALSO, a writing challenge for Valentine's Day!!

(Divider by @glygriffe!)

That’s all for this week! To see all Pond events, and also other SPN-related things like conventions and online concerts, check out our Google calendar! Click here for a static view in Eastern US/Canada time (desktop only, no mobile app access, sadly), and click here to add our calendar to your own Google calendar! We try to keep it as up-to-date as possible. If there’s something you want to see on the calendar that’s not there (maybe a convention we missed, cast birthdays, or something similar), send us an ASK and let us know!

Hope you have a great week! - From your Admins and Manta Rays, @manawhaat, @mrswhozeewhatsis, @mariekoukie6661, @thoughtslikeaminefield, @heavenssexiestangel, and @spn-fanfic-reblog-writes!

[misfitwashere]

March 31, 2025 

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

APR 1 READ IN APP

On April 1, 1861, Secretary of State William Henry Seward wrote an astonishing letter to President Abraham Lincoln. Less than a month after Lincoln had taken office, Seward had little faith in the apparently uneducated president from the raw West and was angry that the Cabinet had overruled him to provision South Carolina’s Fort Sumter rather than evacuating it. Seward was convinced that he, rather than Lincoln, should lead the administration.

Seward complained that Lincoln had not yet established “a policy either domestic or foreign” and said he had figured out the solution to the nation’s political crisis, in which seven states—South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas—had seceded from the Union in the weeks after Lincoln was elected president but before he took office. “[W]e must,” Seward wrote, “Change the question before the Public from one upon Slavery, or about Slavery for a question upon Union or Disunion.”

The way to do that, he wrote, was to rally Americans around the flag. To do so, he told Lincoln, “I would demand explanations from Spain and France, categorically, at once. I would seek explanations from Great Britain and Russia, and send agents into Canada, Mexico and Central America, to rouse a vigorous continental spirit of independence on this continent against European intervention. And if satisfactory explanations are not received from Spain and France, Would convene Congress and declare war against them.”

Modestly, Seward concluded: “Either the President must do it himself…or Devolve it upon some member of his Cabinet…. It is not in my especial province. But I neither seek to evade nor assume responsibility.”

In other words, Seward proposed taking charge of the U.S. government from the elected president, and then bringing Americans together by starting a war with Spain, France, Great Britain, or Russia—who was on the other side really didn’t matter. A crisis could be created with any of them. The point was to quell dissent at home by turning Americans against another country.

Lincoln spoke directly to Seward about his letter and then dropped the matter, leaving the secretary of state’s preposterous suggestion on the floor like the lead balloon it was. The two went on to forge a strong relationship, with Lincoln as the head of the administration and without starting a war with another country.

But Seward’s missive demonstrated a historical truism: when one country invades another, it usually reflects the problems of the invader’s domestic politics, no matter what the justification for the invasion is.

Although President Donald Trump never mentioned taking over Greenland—or Canada, or Panama, or Mexico—during the 2024 campaign, he has made such takeovers a key objective of his administration. On March 6, Trump addressed “the incredible people of Greenland” during a joint session of Congress, telling them that the U.S. needs Greenland “for national security and even international security…. And I think we’re going to get it. One way or the other, we’re going to get it.” On March 29, Trump told Kristen Welker of NBC News: “We’ll get Greenland. Yeah, 100%.” He said that there’s a “good possibility that we could do it without military force” but that “I don’t take anything off the table.”

On Friday, Vice President J.D. Vance led a delegation to Greenland, an island of about 56,000 people that is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark. As founding members of both the United Nations in 1945 and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949, Denmark and the United States are allies of long standing. Immediately after World War II, the American military maintained 17 bases and installations in Greenland, with thousands of soldiers, but now it maintains only the Pituffik Space Base on Greenland’s northwest coast with about 200 soldiers. It was there that Vance landed with his wife, as well as disgraced national security advisor Mike Waltz, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) on Friday after Greenlanders and Danes opposed a more extended itinerary.

Vance told Denmark it had “underinvested in the people of Greenland, and you have underinvested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people. That has to change.” Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen dismissed Vance’s assertion, saying that Denmark is “a good and strong ally.” Danish foreign minister Løkke Rasmussen noted that a 1951 agreement between the U.S. and Denmark “offers ample opportunity for the United States to have a much stronger military presence in Greenland. If that is what you wish, then let us discuss it.”

Greenland sits between the United States, Europe, and Russia on the Arctic Circle, where melting ice is making the seas more navigable. Climate change also offers access to Greenland’s rare earth minerals that are of strategic importance for modern economies, as well as oil and gas reserves.

The Trump regime wants those resources, but perhaps even more to the point, the U.S. invading another country—any other country, but particularly an ally—demolishes a key founding principle of the post–World War II order: that countries will respect each other’s borders and sovereignty. In seizing Greenland from Denmark, the U.S. would justify Russia’s seizure of Ukrainian territory.

That the United States is even talking about this is bonkers. Leaders from Greenland and Denmark have said the island is not for sale. National security scholar Tom Nichols posted: “The President of the United States just implied he would use force against an ally in an unprovoked war of aggression and conquest—and the entire world is so used to ignoring him like a crazy grandpa in the attic that it’s not the biggest story on the planet.”

A Fox News poll conducted from March 14 to March 17 showed that only 26% of Americans like the idea of taking over Greenland.

Americans also aren’t keen about the regime sweeping up legal U.S. residents in its deportation programs. A CBS News/YouGov survey from March 27–28 showed that 71% of Americans thought it was “not acceptable” for immigration authorities to mistakenly detain legal U.S. residents as part of the regime’s larger deportation program, while only 29% thought it would be acceptable.

And yet, today Nick Miroff of The Atlantic reported that Trump administration attorneys admitted in a court filing that officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement had seized and deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia by accident. Abrego Garcia fled gang threats in El Salvador when he was 16, and came to the U.S. He has no criminal record, works full time as a union sheet metal apprentice, is married to an American citizen, and is the father of a disabled U.S. citizen. He had been granted legal protected status from return to El Salvador after a judge found he was likely to be targeted by gangs if he was sent back.

The U.S. government did not charge Abrego Garcia with a crime but deported him to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) because of an administrative error. “This was an oversight,” the government told the court. But, because he is no longer in U.S. custody, the government said it is beyond the reach of U.S. courts to get him back.

Abrego Garcia’s attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, told Miroff he had never seen a case where the government ignored protective legal status and deported someone. “They claim that the court is powerless to order any relief,’’ he told Miroff. “If that’s true, the immigration laws are meaningless—all of them—because the government can deport whoever they want, wherever they want, whenever they want, and no court can do anything about it once it’s done.”

Tomorrow, voters will have a chance to weigh in on the government when elections take place in two Florida districts to fill seats vacated by the resignations of Mike Waltz, now national security advisor, and Matt Gaetz. Wisconsin, too, will hold an election, for a ten-year term on the state supreme court. That position will likely determine whether Wisconsin’s congressional maps remain gerrymandered in favor of Republicans, permitting them to pick up more seats than they have earned. Such skewing has made it possible for Republicans to retain control of the House of Representatives, and candidate Susan Crawford is likely to vote in favor of fair maps to replace the gerrymandered ones.

While it is supposed to be a nonpartisan election, President Trump has thrown his weight behind candidate Brad Schimel. Billionaire Elon Musk has thrown his checkbook, putting almost $20 million behind Schimel. On Sunday Musk traveled to Wisconsin, where he said the election could determine “the future of America and Western Civilization,” warning that a court with Crawford on it would redraw the gerrymandered districts and “add seats for Democrats.”

On Sunday, Musk gave away two checks for $1 million each to individuals who attended his rally for Schimel and signed a petition against “activist judges”. Musk got around the Wisconsin law against exchanging an item of value to get someone to vote or not to vote by claiming the checks were for “spokesperson agreements.” But the video recorded by one of the recipients linked her vote to Musk’s check, saying, “I did exactly what Elon Musk told everyone to do: sign the petition, refer friends and family, vote, and now I have a million dollars.”

The other check for a million dollars went to the chair of the Wisconsin College Republicans, who has worked for Republican campaigns.

“Let me talk for a minute or two about my opponent, Elon Musk,” Crawford told supporters on Monday. She announced her candidacy for the race before Trump was elected, and according to Scott Bauer of the Associated Press, she said she never imagined she would be fighting against “the richest man in the world.”

Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler said he thought “people do not want to see Elon Musk buying election after election after election. If it works here, he’s going to do it all over the country.”

Meanwhile Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) has been speaking on the floor of the Senate since 7:00 tonight because, he said, “I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis.” “These are not normal times in America. And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate.”

—

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

Vanity Fair's Wild About Harry Mea culpa for launching MeGain Markle & publishing her propaganda

"Inside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Big Business Ambitions, 5 Years After Their Royal Exit | Vanity Fair"

FEBRUARY 2025 ISSUE

Inside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Big Business Ambitions, 5 Years After Their Royal Exit

Ensconced in their cozy Montecito mansion, the Sussexes are living the American dream. By all accounts, the love is real. But their foray into moguldom has not always been a smooth ride.

BY ANNA PEELE

JANUARY 17, 2025

The house proved it: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex could have it all. Their Montecito home offered all the fresh promises of a 21st-century California mansion and the cloistering of a gated neighborhood from which they could emerge on their own terms. In the house’s 13 fireplaces, described as “mostly centuries old examples brought over from France,” there was even some European history, stripped of any potentially uncomfortable context.

At $14.65 million for more than 18,000 square feet, half the current median price per square foot in Montecito, Rockbridge was a steal. The oligarch owner’s romantic relationship had deteriorated to the point where he was compelled to offload far below market value, according to a source with knowledge, and the property seemed just right for the duke and duchess, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. It was the perfect launchpad for Archewell, their nonprofit and entertainment studio—an approximation of a part noblesse oblige, part aspiring independently wealthy mogul model, one that Elizabeth, Charles, and William rejected by fiat during the January 2020 “Sandringham Summit.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex during the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at the USPA National Polo Center in Wellington, Florida, on Friday April 12, 2024.PA IMAGES/ALAMY.

This January marks five years since that failed parley. Leaving the royal family has brought tests for the couple—legal, financial, reputational, personal, and practical. Going from divinely chosen (or at least chosen by someone else who was divinely chosen) members of a 1,200-year-old institution to start-up founders in exile is a tough adjustment. But there has also been opportunity. Over many months, Vanity Fair spoke with dozens of people who have worked with and lived alongside the couple to understand the impact they’ve had on their new coastal California community, the challenges of enacting the ambitions of two first-time CEOs, and how their experience with the monarchy foreshadowed some of their current difficulties. (Harry and Meghan declined to be interviewed for this article.)

Harry still works closely with the charities he founded: the Invictus Games Foundation and Sentebale, an organization focusing on “mental fitness” and the impact of poverty and HIV/AIDS in southern African countries. “He has real gravitas when he speaks about his work in Africa,” says someone inside the couple’s circle. And he is free from “Willy,” as well as the future king’s supposed dominion over that continent, as Harry confessed in his 2023 memoir, Spare. “Africa was his thing,” Harry said. Archewell also encompasses Meghan’s efforts to empower and educate young women, like the 40x40 initiative, where for her 40th birthday she asked 40 well-known friends, such as Melissa McCarthy and then first lady of Canada Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, to each spend 40 minutes on Zoom mentoring a woman returning to the workplace in the wake of the pandemic. On March 14 of last year, the fourth anniversary of their flight to California, Meghan rejoined Instagram to announce American Riviera Orchard, a home goods and sundries line. The Sussexes have announced Meghan’s second podcast, though not the title or premise of it. Archewell Productions also recently produced two high-profile Netflix series—a docuseries called Polo, which premiered December 10 and features the world of Harry’s buddy Nacho Figueras, and the reality show With Love, Meghan. The latter is a hospitality endeavor that, according to the Netflix promotional language, “reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-to’s and candid conversation with friends, new and old.” Three days before her show’s scheduled premiere date of January 15, Meghan announced that the series would be pushed to March 4 “as we focus on the needs of those impacted by the wildfires in my home state of California.” The couple has been volunteering amid the crisis in Los Angeles and donating to people displaced by the fires, as well as taking in friends who had to evacuate their own homes.

“They have this naivete and their hopefulness about what’s possible in terms of storytelling and good works and all those things,” says producer Jane Marie, who collaborated with the couple while they developed audio projects at Archewell and later produced a podcast with Michelle Obama. “I wish I had that kind of optimism.”

Optimism abounded as the couple embarked on their Spotify deal in 2020, both for them and for those who were coming in to help do the work. “I thought that I had the role of a lifetime,” says a person who worked in media projects, who was a “fan” going in and eager to make the type of life-changing content Harry and Meghan seemed to want to create. “I thought I was gonna be besties with Meghan and Harry and we were gonna, like, run around the world saving people.”

Interest in the couple was unslakable. But it remained to be seen whether they were actually interesting, beyond Harry’s uniquely difficult upbringing and Meghan’s years of defending herself from shoddy treatment and racism, whether in the British press or from members of her husband’s family. As one former Spotify employee put it, “The thing you’re escaping is the reason you’re compelling.”

Those stories would be meted out in different media: breathless reports of a $20 million Penguin Random House contract (Spare) and $100 million partnership with Netflix (Harry & Meghan). (According to a representative for Netflix, “We don’t disclose our financial deals with talent, but I can confirm to you on the record that the $100M figure is not correct.”) On the August 2022 cover of The Cut Meghan did to promote her first—and only—Spotify podcast, Archetypes, she said, “I’m, like, so excited to talk,” and “It’s like I’m finding—not finding my voice. I’ve had my voice for a long time, but being able to use it.” When repeatedly asked by the interviewer what she wanted to say with her newly free voice, Meghan demurred. “I have a lot to say until I don’t. Do you like that? Sometimes, as they say, the silent part is still part of the song,” she said, noting, “I’ve never had to sign anything that restricts me from talking. I can talk about my whole experience and make a choice not to.” (One of the people who spoke with VF for this story says they signed a nondisclosure agreement to be employed by Harry and Meghan.) A person who worked closely with the couple and “loves them” says, “I have no idea what [Harry’s] interests are beyond polo. No clue what his inner life is like.”

The development process was challenging. The former Spotify employee says, “They had this idea to do a podcast because they knew celebrities did them,” a category differentiated between celebrities who get a lot of money to begin podcasting, like Harry and Meghan, and celebrities who get large deals after proving themselves to be capable podcasters, like Smartless’s Will Arnett, Sean Hayes, and Jason Bateman. The former Spotify employee says Harry and Meghan “didn’t do what celebrities do on podcasts, which is turn on the mic and talk. They wanted a big theme that would explain the world, but they had no ideas.” Someone who worked closely with them on audio projects disputes this version, lamenting that because of Meghan and Harry’s insistence on silence from employees and their own reticence, the public doesn’t know about good projects that had to be abandoned for practical reasons. “It feels like the only story is ‘They didn’t satisfy their contract,’” she says. “It’s not like work wasn’t being done.”

As time passed—it would be nearly two years between the couple’s deal being signed and the premiere of Archetypes—Spotify began applying pressure to produce something (anything!) that people might listen to.

People involved with production say the couple did trial runs on some big ideas, like a This American Life–style show where Harry and Meghan took turns hosting and talking to interesting civilian guests. As Bloomberg reported, Harry wanted to host a series where he interviewed powerful men with complicated stories, like Mark Zuckerberg, Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump. The concept wasn’t just that the men shared challenging early lives; it was that their experiences made them into sociopaths, or so Harry envisioned, one person familiar with the ideation process says. (The person who worked in media confirms there was a “sociopath podcast.”) The person who worked closely with the couple on audio projects recalls Harry saying, “I have very bad childhood trauma. Obviously. My mother was essentially murdered. What is it about me that didn’t make me one of these bad guys?” To implore a season’s worth of world-famous sociopaths to talk about how they developed sociopathy would be what is referred to in access journalism as “a booking challenge.”

As time passed—it would be nearly two years between the couple’s deal signing and the premiere of Archetypes—Spotify began applying pressure to produce something (anything!) that people might listen to. The former Spotify employee says Harry came to the Los Angeles office once and asked for a cup of cocoa. There was none in the office, so employees scrambled to obtain some. An idea was pitched to Harry—what if he reviewed a hot chocolate every week while chatting with a different friend?—which he and his team considered and rejected. Another concept was that Harry would “fix” something every week, ranging from a flat tire to global warming. “He wanted to do a podcast about disabled people who compete in the Invictus Games,” the former Spotify employee says. “But there’s no crossover between the audience who would listen to that and people who want to hear about Harry’s life.” (Harry and Meghan did produce a 2023 Netflix docuseries called Heart of Invictus, which significantly underperformed Harry & Meghan.)

The former Spotify employee says it was challenging to engage Harry, and a person who interviewed for a job with the couple says, “I just felt like he kind of didn’t want to be there doing that at this time.... My expectation was ‘charming receiving line.’ And it was clear he wasn’t that person. At least that day.” And at least in the context of a hiring manager: A person who worked on an event during Harry’s book tour says he has the “greatest manners I’ve ever seen. Hands down. Like I can’t believe his knees are as supple as they are. He was getting up and down anytime somebody walked into a room.... He was unfailingly kind and friendly to everyone.”

During the interview, the potential employee says, Harry’s attitude was either “Well, why should I do this?” or “Why are we doing this?” The interviewee says they wondered, “Didn’t Spotify pay you a lot of money to do this?” The person inside the couple’s circle says, “He looks like the kind of guy who would, frankly, happily work for charities for the rest of his life and would be very happy if Meghan made all the money and he didn’t need to.”

On his self-titled podcast, Bill Simmons described his own experience working with the Sussexes at Spotify. “The Fucking Grifters. That’s the podcast we should have launched with them,” Simmons said. “I have got to get drunk one night and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to try and help him with a podcast idea. It’s one of my best stories.… Fuck them. The grifters.”

Harry and Meghan became increasingly nervous about how their content would impact them. Marie says, “I can say that they had really great ideas for shows, interesting pitches, interesting guests. But them as the deliverers or either of them as the hosts of these more kind of edgy ideas would have been like…they would have had to move again. I think it’s a combination of self-censorship for good reason and the corporate powers that be that run podcasting that don’t know what that is [to create valuable shows]. In combination, those things make it really hard to make good stuff.” The person who worked in media projects imitates the thought process behind any decision about the couple’s projects: “Well, he has a million things that he has to protect, and he has the book, and they have the documentary, and they don’t want to make the queen upset, and their public image.…”

That source says the idea for Archetypes came from another employee—not Meghan—though the employee didn’t own any of the intellectual property. Archetypes began production in January 2021. Though the former Spotify employee says the initial expectation was that Archewell would handle production for the series, the process took so long that Spotify’s studio Gimlet was called in. A source familiar with the production of Archetypes says this required additional cost to and resources from Spotify, though a current Spotify employee refutes that the extra support was a burden. (Virtually the entire Gimlet team would be laid off in the year following Archetypes’s release, but employees blame mismanagement at Spotify rather than any individual project.)

The former Spotify source says, “Archetypes was complicated as a podcast concept. You had to explain what the archetype was, then why the woman embodied it, but also how it wasn’t true about her. Every episode was like, ‘This is my friend who has been called that archetype but is not that archetype.’” These archetypes—actually stereotypes—included diva (Mariah Carey) and bimbo (Paris Hilton and Iliza Shlesinger). As for those “friends,” there was an expectation that Meghan would be able to use her personal Rolodex to book the show, the way hosts like Simmons and the Pod Save America guys do. The person who worked in media projects says the assumption was, “Meghan’s gonna be on the phone with the pope tomorrow.” The former Spotify employee says in addition to Taylor Swift, they heard rumors that Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion were asked to come on the show and declined. (Other people who worked on the podcast also say they heard those names mentioned, though a source close to the situation says Megan Thee Stallion’s team knew nothing about any request.)

According to the source in media projects, Meghan would agree to provocative ideas and then walk them back. In one episode, she wanted to actually say the word bitch because, as the source remembers Meghan saying, “You hear it all the time.” It ended up with Meghan calling it “the B-word.” An episode titled “Slut,” intended to center on how trans women’s sexuality is used against them, was retitled “Human, Being” by Meghan and had to be completely reimagined late in production. “Every episode got more and more watered down and further away from actual conversation,” the source says. “It felt like very Women’s and Gender Studies 101 taught in 2003.” (Though the Spotify contract has widely been reported as worth $20 million, two sources told VF such deals are generally not paid out in lump sums; in other words, the couple would not likely have received the full amount without meeting benchmarks beyond making one 12-episode season of a podcast. Spotify does not comment on deal terms.)

The issues extended into the actual workplace. Terry Wood, an executive vice president at Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Productions, was brought in to be what Meghan would later call her “right hand” when Archetypes won a People’s Choice Award in 2022. The source familiar with the production of Archetypes describes Wood’s anger, saying that she yelled at Spotify staffers when Meghan changed her mind about episodes. (Wood did not respond to VF’s request for comment.)

The source who worked in media projects says Meghan’s own relationships with employees tended to follow a familiar pattern. She would be warm and effusive at the beginning, engendering an atmosphere of professional camaraderie. When something went poorly, often due to Meghan and Harry’s own demands—such as a teaser for Archetypes being released five months before the show premiered and before there was any tape to promote—Meghan would become cold and withholding toward the person she perceived to be responsible. The source says it was “really, really, really awful. Very painful. Because she’s constantly playing checkers—I’m not even going to say chess—but she’s just very aware of where everybody is on her board. And when you are not in, you are to be thrown to the wolves at any given moment.” In practice, they say, that manifested as “undermining. It’s talking behind your back. It’s gnawing at your sense of self. Really, like, Mean Girls teenager.” Marie had a different experience with Meghan: “She’s just a lovely, genuine person,” she said.

The person who worked in media projects read stories in the tabloids about Meghan “bullying” palace aides and couldn’t imagine such behavior actually happened. After working with her, though, this person realized, “Oh, any given Tuesday this happened.” While it beggars belief that Meghan actually shouted at a palace aide, as has been reported, a person who interacted with her professionally says, “You can be yelled at even if somebody doesn’t raise their voice. [It’s] funny that people don’t differentiate between the energy of being yelled at and literally somebody screaming at you.”

Two sources say a colleague with ties to Archetypes took a leave of absence after working on three episodes, then left Gimlet altogether. Several others described taking extended breaks from work to escape scrutiny, exiting their job, or undergoing long-term therapy after working with Meghan. The person who interacted professionally with her says, “I think if Meghan acknowledged her own shortcomings or personal contributions to situations rather than staying trapped in a victim narrative, her perception might be better.” They added, with the soggy laugh of a plebe rendering judgment on the Duchess of Sussex, “But who am I to criticize Meghan Markle? She’s doing great.”

It’s hard to imagine how someone who seems so earnestly intent on being kind and engaging in world-improving (if also brand-building) activities could wind up engaging in revanchism with people so below her in status. A partial answer might be found in an episode of Archetypes in which Meghan interviews Mindy Kaling, who assumed Meghan was popular as a child. While attending Immaculate Heart Catholic school in Los Angeles, Meghan tells Kaling, “I never had anyone to sit with at lunch. I was always a little bit of a loner and really shy and didn’t know where I fit in. And, and so I just became, I was like, okay, well, then I’ll become the president of the multicultural club and the president of sophomore class and the president of this and French club. And by doing that, I had meetings at lunchtime. So I didn’t have to worry about who I would sit with or what I would do because I was always so busy.” (It brings to mind Swift’s “Mastermind” lyrics: “No one wanted to play with me as a little kid / So I’ve been scheming like a criminal ever since / To make them love me and make it seem effortless.”)

In other words, Meghan was a good person trying to do good things in spite of—and at times because of—unkind people. The person familiar with the production of Archetypes says at least one employee who had a terrible experience got a handwritten thank-you note and gift from Meghan. Is it any surprise that a sense of victimhood and righteousness could continue to exist in a person who had been treated so horribly by the press and her husband’s family? (Not to mention those little B-words at Immaculate Heart.) That people whom Meghan may have perceived as enemies or interlopers—members of the loathsome media, or insiders at the palace, or people who actually knew how to make a podcast, or her pitiable father and half sister selling her secrets and history to tabloids for cash—might have seemed more powerful than her in some way, despite her immense fame and wealth and privilege? And then whatever happened to them, well…they shouldn’t have gotten between Meghan and her good work. As Harry knows, trauma can warp your perspective.

Spare, Harry’s best-selling and beautifully written (by J.R. Moehringer) memoir, chronicles the prince’s lonely former life with MRI-level self-examination—if not always top-tier self-awareness. Harry recounts an anti-poaching trip to Namibia in which he insisted on sleeping outdoors despite his team telling him, “We just saw proof that there are lions out here, boss.” Harry claims everyone with him—including a bodyguard, local police, a ranger, and Namibian soldiers who were all there to protect him—went to bed in their tents or trucks rather than staying up to ensure he wasn’t eaten by lions in the night. The book also discusses in great detail Harry’s issues with his family, opening on his reunion with now King Charles and Prince William, who in addition to “beloved brother” Harry describes as his “arch nemesis,” possessing a “familiar scowl” and “alarming baldness.” It doesn’t get more flattering for Willy in the ensuing pages.

At an event in 2023, someone privately asked Harry if he’d heard from his family. He said he hadn’t. This person asked Harry if he thought he was going to, and he said he hoped so. “That’s sort of what made me so sad,” the source says. “His hope seemed very genuine. And I was just kind of like, ‘Oh, no.’ ” The source believed Harry hadn’t absorbed the gravity of what it would mean to sell millions of copies of a tell-all book about a famously insular and circumspect family in the middle of a years-long public relations crisis. “The power of the written word, and the power of the narrative…” this person went on. “I don’t know if that’s something he understood while he was doing it.”

In addition to painting Dorian Gray–style personal portraits of family members, in Spare, Harry accuses the offices of his brother, father, and Camilla of briefing the press against Harry to distract from or trade away negative stories about themselves. Harry sued the publisher of the Daily Mail for libel for publishing an article in 2022 that said Harry tried to conceal his efforts to obtain taxpayer-funded security, but the prince ultimately dropped the case, and a judge ordered Harry to pay the Mail’s publisher nearly 50,000 pounds in legal fees.

Harry is currently involved in two other lawsuits that further alienate him from his home country and its tabloid media. He is moving forward with an invasion of privacy case against Sun publisher News Group Newspapers, which follows a settlement from Mirror Group Newspapers for a phone-hacking charge. But more isolating is the suit regarding state police protection for him and his family when they are in Britain, which Harry, Meghan, and their older child, Archie, were stripped of when they left the UK in 2020. There are clear dangers to the family’s safety—a person who worked closely with them says strangers take Lyfts to their house, and in 2023 the couple was involved in what a spokesperson called a “near catastrophic car chase” with paparazzi. (There were no injuries, collisions, or charges filed.) The person who interacted with Harry in 2023 also described a “very scary paparazzi situation” after employees at the hotel where Harry was staying allegedly tipped off photographers to his presence. Nevertheless, the High Court in London twice struck down the UK lawsuit. Harry is appealing.

According to someone familiar with Harry and Meghan, the legal case was at least part of the reason Harry didn’t attend the June wedding of his longtime friend Hugh Grosvenor, ​​Duke of Westminster. The source says if he’d come back for the event, it could have imperiled his claim that he needs government-funded protection. “‘Well, you were here in May and you were absolutely fine attending a wedding,’” the source says, imagining the response in court. “So I’m sure a lot of the decisions about time in the UK are also being made based on how it looks for the case.”

Of course, there’s also Willy. The source says that after invitations went out, Harry and Grosvenor had a conversation. (Vanity Fair has also reported that Harry may not have formally been invited.) The source says they discussed Harry’s discomfort at the thought of being re-mired in the familial claustrophobia of Windsor turf. “It suddenly becomes all about the brothers, and did they look at each other, and how close were they stood?” the source says. Which is exactly what happened at Charles’s 2023 coronation and their uncle Lord Robert Fellowes’s funeral in August.

You can imagine the Zapruder-footage-level scrutiny by the press. The source says they miss Harry, or at least the person they pretended he was in their papers. “I think with a lot of the reporters they like the version of Harry that they helped create,” they say, describing how they would reminisce about when Harry would come over and pal around with them. “Yes, but he also, when you left, would make fun of you all behind your backs and hated you guys.”

“They are so hot for each other,” according to a person who worked closely with the couple. “Like, you know how you meet those couples where you’re like, the way they’re looking at each other, I should probably not be here right now?”

But who is the real Harry, now that he’s been released from the zoo in which he was raised? By one telling, the person who interacted professionally with Meghan says he’s socially marooned beyond his nuclear family. “She was up-front about the fact that Harry hadn’t made many friends yet,” the source says of Meghan’s assessment of her husband. The person who worked in media projects with the couple also has a guess. “I think Harry doesn’t know what he wants because he grew up in a fishbowl, and so he doesn’t know what real life really is,” they say. “I think he probably wants to be left alone and be able to go kiss babies every once in a while but not have to worry about money. I don’t think he wants to be famous the way Meghan wants to be famous.”

Harry and Meghan are, in the estimation of everyone Vanity Fair spoke with, deeply in love. “They are so hot for each other,” the person who worked closely with them said. “Like, you know how you meet those couples where you’re like, the way they’re looking at each other, I should probably not be here right now?” When Harry is solo, the person inside the couple’s circle says, “he’s very personable, he’s very at ease with people, quite like Diana... he just has this way of, like, making people feel very comfortable.” When he’s in public with Meghan, “there is a circus,” the source says. “He’s so protective of her because people are so nasty to her.... It’s a whole different experience.”

Harry has explicitly drawn parallels between his wife and his late mother. “My deepest fear is history repeating itself,” Harry wrote in a 2019 statement about Meghan’s treatment by the press. “I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person. I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.”

While Harry is vigilant about Meghan’s safety, the person who worked closely with them says Meghan’s role in their dynamic is caregiver and facilitator; she’s the one who makes things happen. “Pre-Meghan,” says the person familiar with the couple, “Harry would just pop in [to the palace press office], ask a few questions, and leave, like he was a little bored but also very keen.” It’s almost impossible to imagine today’s Harry willingly engaging with the media in search of purpose. The source who worked with Harry and Meghan says, “I can picture him meeting Meghan and being just a deep breath of, like, ‘I’ve been so exhausted, and you make everything so easy.’... I don’t want to be like, oh, it’s an Oedipus thing or whatever, but it kind of feels like she’s reparenting him in a way.”

It’s easy to imagine a folie à deux emerging from the singular blend of circumstances: a need to believe in each other and the primacy of their relationship in the face of shared trauma and the real obstacles they encountered as they idealistically endeavored to break the wheel, while occasionally breaking the spirits of those tasked with executing their shared vision. “You don’t” tell them no, the person who worked in the couple’s media projects said. “I left because I couldn’t live with myself anymore.”

This intracouple permission to stray from other people’s realities may have led to some of the points of contention that people bring up when questioning Meghan’s fidelity to emotional truth above literal truth: her assertions that she neither googled Prince Harry nor looked up the etiquette for meeting the Queen of England and didn’t know she was supposed to curtsy until the ride over.

“Meghan is the type of woman who would check a menu out online before going to a restaurant to pick what she was going to eat,” says Tom Fitzgerald, a fashion and cultural commentator who, with his husband, Lorenzo Marquez, comprise the brand Tom and Lorenzo. (A resident of Montecito who ate lunch in the same restaurant as Meghan said the server told her Meghan had called ahead to ask about the privacy of the seating arrangement.) “So the idea that she didn’t know she was supposed to curtsy for the queen, I just didn’t find it particularly believable, because [based on] everything she ever told us about herself, I cannot imagine that she went into meeting the royal family completely cold, with no research whatsoever.” Fitzgerald also points to Meghan’s repeated claims that she was forced to wear neutrals during her time in the palace in order to avoid upstaging or competing with Queen Elizabeth and other senior members of the family, noting that Meghan’s wardrobe is now primarily composed of that palate.

A royals reporter believes that Meghan assumed her husband’s vision rather than researching the job of being a royal, and the reporter has a more positive view of the folie. “Oh, that’s such a good idea for a successful marriage,” the reporter says. “It’s a terrible idea for a job, but...if you’re joining this big network of people, you’ve got to see this through your husband’s eyes, be your husband’s advocate in it. And it’s no wonder this relationship works, even if the family business part of it fell apart.”

It’s a charming (if Freudian) dynamic—a husband and wife who organize each other’s lives and well-being, who flirt and hold hands and want the world to be a better place, even to the exclusion of evidence that suggests their well-meaning way of disrupting institutions is not always the best approach. That instinct to do things as Harry and Meghan believed they should be done, rather than how they are typically accomplished, was exacerbated during their time as senior working royals. It led to conflict with Harry’s family and palace staff, the reporter says, because Harry “doesn’t understand himself. He doesn’t understand a monarchy. His family didn’t do a very good job of inculcating him into the family legend partially because he didn’t care; partially because he was just kind of abandoned at the age of eight.”

However, the couple’s regal charisma while effortlessly changing the world has been showcased to great effect on their most successful reimagining of monarchy x Markle: Harry and Meghan’s common royal tours, to Nigeria in May and Colombia in August. “Invictus Games for sure is a very clear product, a brand, an organization that Harry spent a decade building, which is why in many ways I think the Nigerian tour worked,” says Elaine Lui, the celebrity commentator behind Lainey Gossip. “When they appear together in non-Invictus circumstances, that’s when people are like, I’m not really clear what they’re representing here.” That’s contrasted with an actual royal tour, when individuals are acting on behalf of the sovereignty and its various causes; or, as Lui points to, an independent actor like Angelina Jolie, who went to places like Afghanistan and Ukraine with the backing of the United Nations Refugee Agency. (In September, Harry appeared in front of a small group at the United Nations in New York to highlight issues in Lesotho, one of the countries where his charity Sentebale focuses its efforts.) Lui says, “She could leverage the history and the reputation of a very established philanthropic organization to say, ‘Hey, I’m lending my celebrity to this cause and in raising this awareness, we can actually attach the effect or the results to the UNHCR.’ ” With the gauzier parts of Meghan and Harry’s tours—what Harry called the “reasons to meet the people at the heart of our work”—Lui says the question is how are they helping anyone, and how is Archewell distinguishing itself from any other foundation? After raising more than $13 million in 2021, according to public disclosure forms, the charity grossed $2 million in 2022. The nonprofit has not yet shared its 2023 or 2024 revenue. “Yes, it has them as spokespeople,” Lui says. “But they haven’t had yet—because it’s still quite new—a track record of being able to make philanthropic achievements independent of the palace.”

How complete that independence is is another point that rankles people about Meghan and Harry. If you still use a title and descend upon commonwealth or developing countries and let little girls curtsy to you, as one did to Meghan in Colombia, it doesn’t seem like you’ve totally left the monarchy behind. It also doesn’t give you a lot of room to critique it.

The Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan litigates in painstaking detail Harry’s and Meghan’s mental health declines as she was bullied at the very least in sight of, and by many accounts at the behest of, an imperialist establishment. Yet this doesn’t seem to sour them to the idea of participating in a hereditary bloodline. In the doc, Harry says that during their last week as working senior royals, the couple, ruing the circumstances of their exit, kept telling each other, “We would have carried on doing this for the rest of our lives.” When Charles ascended the throne after Elizabeth’s death, the couple’s children became Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Some people familiar with the production of Archetypes and Harry’s book tour said they were instructed to address the couple as sir or ma’am, though the request was dropped in one instance after the person pushed back. (Other people say they were encouraged by Harry and Meghan to call them by their first names.) “I think ultimately it’s cachet and sets them apart as different and special,” the source familiar with the couple says. “In the US, success, money, fame, all of that stuff exists out here. But a blood title, it’s few and far between.” (Many members of Meghan’s current inner circle—which includes Kaling; Figueras’s wife, socialite Delfina Blaquier; Tracy Robbins, the fashion designer and wife of Paramount Global co-CEO Brian Robbins; and parenting influencer and activist Kelly McKee Zajfen—are basically living by the rules of “American aristocracy,” according to Lui. They “stay behind the scenes…wield their power quietly��[and] look down on people who are very public, too thirsty.” On the other hand, all of the aforementioned are slated to appear on With Love, Meghan.)

A Black studies scholar who is also an African American woman noted the way racism is discussed in Harry & Meghan: as the one-off actions of Princess Michael of Kent wearing a blackamoor brooch to a brunch where Meghan was present, or the distant colonialism that still furnishes the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster and the jewels in the family’s tiaras, or Harry saying that the royal family merely had “unconscious bias.” “It’s a very common discursive move,” the scholar says. “Locating racism in individual bad actors or locating it in the past.... Queen Elizabeth becomes a kindly grandmother. She’s in the back of a car [or] her carriage, under a blanket. There’s that story, which is really kind of sweet that Meghan tells in the documentary, but [it] can’t connect that with the larger ideology of England—and thereby Queen Elizabeth—being like, ‘We are the natural rulers of the world.’ And that includes the segregation of people of color.” The cultural critic says this framing makes it so Meghan and Harry “can tell the story of being victims of the system, but it’s all about them being disenfranchised from whiteness and white privilege.”

The couple repeatedly expressed frustration in Harry & Meghan that Meghan wasn’t tapped as an asset for upholding the crown’s international interests in an era when Prince William was tasked with expressing “profound sorrow” for the “appalling atrocity of slavery” during a tour to Jamaica. As historian David Olusoga says in the docuseries, “Part of what makes the inability of the palace to defend Meghan an even bigger disaster is that the center of the argument for the monarchy in this country is the commonwealth. The commonwealth is 2.5 billion, mainly Black and brown people. Here was a woman who looked like most of the people in the commonwealth.” Harry speaks shortly after and says the palace and its denizens “have already missed an enormous opportunity with my wife and how far that would go globally.” The source familiar with the couple says it’s important to note that Harry isn’t an anti-monarchist. “He just didn’t like the way things were run within the institution,” he says. “His issues are about people and behaviors, not tradition.”

The source, who is also a person of color, defends Meghan’s right to want a piece of the empire for herself. “If I was in the same position and I was treated the way I was by the institution, it wouldn’t stop me from still feeling that that title is mine and deserved,” they say. “If anything, it would feel like you’re giving in to the pressure to exclude you in the first place. So actually it would probably make me want it even more. Damn well I’m going to slap it on my kids’ names too.”

Natalie Portman, Jeff Bridges, John Carradine, Kirk and Michael Douglas, Jonathan Winters, Gwyneth Paltrow, Adam Levine, Jimmy Connors, T.C. Boyle, Leonardo DiCaprio, Neil Young and Daryl Hannah, Michael Keaton, and of course Oprah are among the many celebrities who have peacefully coexisted with other locals in Montecito, an unincorporated part of Santa Barbara County. When a Montecitan’s labradoodle ran up to a child and licked their ice cream, the kid’s father—Kardashian affiliate Scott Disick—ran up to the pet owner with concern; not because he was upset that the cone was ruined but to reassure the person that the ice cream was vegan and wouldn’t upset the dog’s stomach. Katy Perry has, per usual, had some legal real estate issues, and Ellen DeGeneres has become unpopular for her immaculate, usually off-market flips that have supposedly driven house prices up. “I think everyone, including the A-list celebs, would prefer that it’s not on the map like it is,” the Montecitan says. It’s a place where no one would ever “bother” a famous person beyond saying hello at the coffee shop, as they would to anyone else. One resident says Montecito’s defining characteristics are “quiet” and “neighborliness.”

The prince and “the starlet,” as the Montecitan calls her, have become local villains, according to several people who spoke with VF. They attribute the increase in housing prices to them as much as DeGeneres and point to out-of-towners coming in, driving too fast, and taking up all the street parking by local trails like the one Meghan was photographed hiking on while Harry was in the UK for Charles’s coronation. You can’t just walk into Lucky’s for dinner anymore. While the Montecitan says neither he nor his friends have ever met the couple (two others mentioned Harry biking in town), they popped up in the video for DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s vow renewal, and the Montecitan saw photos of Harry playing polo at a nearby field, which will also be featured in Harry’s Netflix docuseries. Meghan’s Netflix project was filmed at a house near theirs.

American Riviera Orchard—which on Instagram has a logo styled with a royal-looking crest and written in Meghan’s perfect calligraphy and is known internally as ARO—is located in Montecito. Though an 1898 book published by the Southern Pacific Company rail line states, “The Montecito is known as the American Riviera,” today that honor is understood to belong to Santa Barbara; no one Vanity Fair spoke with had ever heard Montecito referred to by the name. “It’s such a kind of hucksterism,” one resident says. “It’s just finding every way she can to monetize something.” And in doing so, bringing more attention to the place where the Sussexes say they want to be left alone. “I still think they’re the most entitled, disingenuous people on the planet,” the Montecitan says. “They moved away from England to get away from the scrutiny of the press, and all they do is try and get in the press in the United States.” Lui says the most common criticism she hears about Meghan (though she notes it’s true of Harry as well) is “you can’t cherry-pick the good parts and leave out the bad parts” of fame. However, she points out, “all celebrities do this. ‘Don’t take photos of me. Oh, but here, let me step out, conveniently, and get papped. Only give me good reviews of my movie or my album. And if you don’t like my music, I’m gonna post on Instagram that you’re so shitty as a reviewer.’ ”

Whether American Riviera Orchard will be well-received—or received at all, at least in name—remains to be seen. On August 31, the US Patent and Trademark Office rejected the trademark application: “Registration is refused because the applied-for mark is primarily geographically descriptive,” the response read. In other words, you can’t claim a place. (Tell that to Queen Victoria.) The same day, according to the New York Post, the office reportedly received a complaint from storied pear purveyor Harry & David regarding the similarity in name to its Royal Riviera line. As far as the substance of the brand, Lui says Meghan’s first lifestyle effort, The Tig, was popular in Lui’s circle in Toronto while Meghan was filming Suits there. However: “American Riviera Orchard to me is giving 2014. It’s not giving 2024,” she says. “Fame arrests you at the moment it arrives. And I wonder if that is your health-and-wellness-lifestyle version of that, where she had to suspend The Tig and quit it the moment that she became Harry’s girlfriend, then fiancée, and then his wife. American Riviera Orchard is maybe picking up from where The Tig left off.”

The source familiar with the couple says, “I think there’s one thing that no one could take away from Meghan is how hard she works, how much effort goes into everything that she does. Ultimately that’s all she needs. And I think that’s why American Riviera Orchard probably will be a massive success. Even if in two years’ time it doesn’t exist anymore and she’s on to the next, it will have that moment. There’ll be no way that you can say that it wasn’t successful.”

A few years ago a rumor began circulating around the book world about another prospective project for Meghan. This story, which a person with knowledge confirms the broad details of, was that Meghan’s team had a conversation with a publishing house to gauge interest in the idea for a potential book. The concept, for which there was no written or formal proposal, was post-divorce. Not a general book on life after marital dissolution, or one about Meghan’s past experience. (She was married to producer Trevor Engelson from 2011 to 2014.) This book—this notion of a book, really—might center on a post-Harry divorce. Not that there was actually one in the works! Just…if this a priori divorce ever came to be, would this publisher theoretically be interested in a book that took place in its aftermath? Another source with knowledge says, “If that’s true to any degree, she would have been approached and not vice versa.” No offer was ever made, and no manuscript was produced. After all: There was no divorce.

The source familiar with the couple says Meghan’s metabolism for campaigns that she can move on from—Archetypes, the ephemeral 40x40 mentorship program, the forthcoming lifestyle line and show, the wisp of a possible book about a divorce that might never happen—are part of why she’s better suited to celebrity outside the palace. “The royals don’t work like that,” the source says. “How many years has Kate been talking about early childhood development, like 11 now, 12? We still haven’t really seen anything.” (Princess Catherine launched Shaping Up, a campaign focused on “increasing public understanding of the crucial importance of the first five years of a child’s life.”)

In that time, Meghan has gone from star of a syndicated cable series to paradigm-changing princess to her husband’s conduit out of royal life to the founder of a hybrid charity–Hollywood start-up. She has earned as much faith in her own force of will as a sovereign might have from believing that they were anointed by God to lead.

As for what she’ll do with that power, look at what it means for her to make the world a better place, which she and Harry genuinely seem to want to do. Jameela Jamil, Chrissy Teigen, and Omid Scobie, the author of Finding Freedom (about Harry and Meghan’s time in and departure from royal life) and Endgame (about the ensuing years within the Windsor dynasty), have all publicly discussed Meghan unexpectedly reaching out during difficult times in their lives and offering solace, even though they weren’t close. Lui sees it as something Meghan took from her royal years, just as Harry has taken his impeccable manners and the ability to patronize the fuck out of a charity. “That’s what they do,” Lui says. “They bless you with their royalness, and that’s the gift. It’s not like Princess Diana was ever best friends with all the people that she visited in the hospital.”

“I think that they don’t know what ‘change the world’ means,” says the person who worked in media projects. “They want to be people who are looked at as people who want to change the world.” Maybe that’s why Meghan has continued—on Nick News, in The Tig, on panels, on Archetypes, in Colombia in August—to bring up the story of writing a letter to Procter & Gamble about a sexist soap ad, taking credit for them changing the spot so that it no longer suggested women should be the ones doing dishes. Procter & Gamble declined many requests from VF to confirm that Meghan was the impetus for the switch, and in 2021 the company partnered with Archewell with the goal of “elevat[ing] the voices of adolescent girls to ensure their point of view and lived experience is heard at the tables where decisions are made.” Whether or not Meghan’s letter is what prompted the change, the fact that more than 30 years later she continues to speak up about having spoken up suggests it’s the kind of mission she aspires to. Marie, who has worked with many celebrities, says of the Sussexes’ aspirations, “I think it’s actually better than where most people start out.”

To point out the modesty of that world-bettering feels like contributing to the essential problem of Harry and Meghan: No matter what they do, they just can’t win. (If, I guess, you don’t count the overwhelming portion of their beautiful lives that exists outside of Daily Mail headlines and blog comment sections.)

If Harry’s burden is the soft oppression of no expectations, Meghan’s might be the opposite: the betrayal of not living up to an unachievable ideal. “I think the whole world was waiting for her to be that person, and then she never jumped,” the source who worked in media says. “Diana walked amongst land mines. Meghan couldn’t even say the word slut.”

Anna Peele is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. Her culture writing looks seriously at subjects that are sometimes considered frivolous. Anna spent the first eight years of her career as an editor at men’s magazines, where she wrote a widely read Esquire cover story of Miles Teller

© 2025 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.

[eretzyisrael]

Mike LaChance

Microsoft has fired two software engineers who objected to the Israeli military using the company’s artificial intelligence products. These engineers chose the company’s 50th anniversary event to voice their protests, so it’s probably safe to assume that played a role in the decision.

🚨BREAKING: Microsoft Fires Anti-Israel Engineers Who Disrupted Anniversary Party Microsoft terminated the jobs of the employees who protested at company events Friday over the Israeli military’s use of Microsoft’s AI. Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal were terminated today. pic.twitter.com/DtM8yQ3ewJ — Shelley G (@ShelleyGldschmt) April 7, 2025

From CNBC:

Microsoft terminates jobs of engineers who protested use of AI products by Israel’s military Microsoft terminated the employment of two software engineers who protested at company events Friday over the Israeli military’s use of the company’s artificial intelligence products, according to documents viewed by CNBC. Ibtihal Aboussad, a software engineer in the company’s AI division who is based in Canada, was fired Monday over “just cause, wilful misconduct, disobedience or wilful neglect of duty,” according to one of the documents. Another Microsoft software engineer, Vaniya Agrawal, had said she would resign from the company on April 11. But Microsoft terminated her role Monday, according to an internal message viewed by CNBC. The company wrote that it “has decided to make your resignation immediately effective today.” Both employees chose Microsoft’s 50th anniversary event to publicly voice their criticism.

What Microsoft had hoped would be a celebratory period has turned into a brutal few days for the company, which is being hit, along with the rest of the market, by President Donald Trump’s widespread tariffs.

More from the Associated Press:

The protests began Friday when Microsoft software engineer Ibtihal Aboussad walked up to a stage where an executive was announcing new product features and a long-term vision for Microsoft’s AI ambitions. “You claim that you care about using AI for good but Microsoft sells AI weapons to the Israeli military,” Aboussad shouted at Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman. “Fifty-thousand people have died and Microsoft powers this genocide in our region.” The protest forced Suleyman to pause his talk, which was livestreamed from Microsoft’s campus in Redmond, Washington. Among the participants at the 50th anniversary of Microsoft’s founding were co-founder Bill Gates and former CEO Steve Ballmer.

Listen to the audience groan as Agrawal begins her protest.

This is Vaniya Agrawal, the software engineer who disrupted Microsoft's 50th anniversary celebrations at its headquarters. She attacked Satya Nadella, Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates for investing in Israel: "Shame on you all. You’re all hypocrites. 50,000 Palestinians in Gaza have… pic.twitter.com/TNgYt5uJB8 — Rakesh Krishnan Simha (@ByRakeshSimha) April 8, 2025

[rabbitcruiser]

World Marbles Day

If you have at least once played marbles, you’ll know the thrill of knocking them out of a ring. World Marbles Day celebrates this excitement, bringing together enthusiasts from around the world.

People of all ages gather to share their skills and enjoy the friendly competition. This vibrant event turns a simple game into a lively occasion filled with joy and camaraderie.

It highlights the timeless appeal of marbles, a game that continues to unite people across generations.

How to Celebrate World Marbles Day

Host a Marbles Tournament

Turn your backyard into a marbles arena! Gather friends and family, draw a large ring, and let the games begin.

Competitors can bring their favorite marbles, and you can even award a quirky prize to the champion. It’s a fun way to spend the day, and everyone gets to enjoy some playful competition.

Marbles Trading Party

Invite neighbors and friends over for a marble trading party. Lay out your collections and start swapping! Share the stories behind your favorite marbles and learn about others’ treasured pieces.

This is a fantastic way to expand your collection and make new friends.

Creative Marble Art

Get creative with marbles! Use them in an art project by incorporating them into paintings, sculptures, or even jewelry.

Kids and adults alike can enjoy this fun activity. Display your marble masterpieces at home or give them as gifts to friends.

Learn and Teach

Teach kids how to play marbles or learn a new game variation yourself. There are plenty of resources online with different game rules.

Spend the day mastering new skills and then challenge your friends to a friendly match. It’s educational and entertaining!

Marble Baking Challenge

Bake marble-themed treats! Create cookies or cupcakes decorated with marbles (not real ones, of course!). Use colorful icing to mimic the look of marbles.

This sweet activity is perfect for baking enthusiasts and makes for deliciously fun snacks during your marbles tournament.

Marble Museum Trip

Visit a local museum or toy store with a marble exhibit. Discover the history of marbles and see some unique and vintage pieces.

It’s a great way to learn more about the game and its cultural significance. Plus, you might get inspired to add some rare finds to your own collection.

Reasons for Celebrating World Marbles Day

World Marbles Day honors the rich history and joy of marbles. The day commemorates the first British Marbles Championship held in 1588 in Tinsley Green, England​.

Initially used to settle disputes and win hearts, the game now unites people through its enduring charm. Celebrating this day keeps the tradition alive, encourages new players to learn, and fosters a sense of community among enthusiasts​.

History of World Marbles Day

World Marbles Day began in 1588 with a marbles tournament in Tinsley Green, England. Two suitors competed in marbles to win the hand of a milk maiden, starting a tradition that continues today.

The British Marbles Board of Control now organizes the annual event known as the British and World Marbles Championship. Participants from around the globe, including the U.S., Australia, and Japan, join the competition.

Initially, players used clay marbles, but glass marbles became the norm in 1962 due to their beauty and durability​. The tradition was revived in 1932 after waning in popularity, and the tournament was renamed in 1938 to include international players.

Today, World Marbles Day not only honors the historical roots of the game but also celebrates its ability to bring together people of all ages for friendly competition and community spirit​.

World Marbles Day FAQs

How did ancient Roman children’s games influence the development of marbles?

Ancient Roman children played games with nuts, which were similar to modern marbles.

They used nuts in games like ‘nuts in the pot,’ where players aimed to toss nuts into a small hole. This practice laid the groundwork for contemporary marble games.

What role did marbles play in Native American cultures?

Native American tribes crafted marbles from clay and stone. They used them in various games, some of which held ceremonial significance. These games fostered community bonds and passed down traditions.

How did marbles become a tool for decision-making in history?

In 1588, two suitors in Tinsley Green, England, played marbles to decide who would marry a local maiden.

This event led to the first British Marbles Championship, highlighting marbles as a means to settle disputes.

What are some unique marble-related traditions in Germany?

In Germany, children traditionally played marbles during Easter. They believed that winning marbles during this time brought good luck for the year. This custom added a festive element to the holiday.

How did marbles become a symbol in literature and art?

Marbles have appeared in various literary works and artworks as symbols of childhood and nostalgia. For instance, in the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” marbles represent innocence and playfulness.

What are some myths or superstitions associated with marbles?

Some cultures believed that marbles possessed protective qualities. Children carried marbles as talismans to ward off evil spirits. This belief added a mystical aspect to the simple game.

How did the Industrial Revolution impact marble production?

The Industrial Revolution introduced machinery that mass-produced marbles, making them more accessible. This shift transformed marbles from handcrafted items to popular toys worldwide.

What are some unusual materials used to make marbles?

Beyond glass and clay, marbles have been made from materials like steel, wood, and even precious stones. These variations catered to different games and aesthetic preferences.

How do different cultures name marbles?

Various cultures have unique names for marbles. In England, they’re called “taws,” while in Australia, they’re known as “aggies.” These names often reflect local dialects and materials used.

What is the significance of the ‘alley’ marble in gameplay?

An ‘alley’ is a term for a prized marble, often made from alabaster. Players valued alleys for their superior quality and used them as shooters in games.

Source

[horsedylan]

I got tagged in this quite a long time ago but was too lazy to do.

Full name: Alicia

Nicknames: Lisha, Alishima,

Birthplace: Canada

Birthday: April 12th.

Where Do You Live Now?: Canada.

Parent(s): as if.

Sibling(s): I don't have any siblings.

Looks: Roughly 5'3, long light brown hair, glasses

Favorite Animal(s): Jeez i wonder. I also like cats and polar bears. birds

Favorite TV Show(s): Not big on shows tbh, but To Your Eternity, Breaking Bad, and Tuca and Bertie are what come to mind first.

Favorite Kind(s) Of Music: everything except country. if country has no haters i am dead.

Favorite Movie(s): why is this so difficult to answer when asked lol

School: graduated and out for the time being.

Future School: not sure

Future Job: Nursing maybe if i can get my anxiety under control.

Boyfriend/Girlfriend: dont have one.

Best Buds: dont really have friends right now (im okay with it)

Favorite Candy: not big on candy, more of a savoury type of gal.

Hobbies: video games and whatever the hell this blog is.

Things You Collect: video games.

Do You Have A Personal Phone Line: 2025 lol

Favorite Body Part Of The Opposite Sex?: Nose, hair, hands.

Any Tattoos And Where Of What?: No but maybe some edgy barbed wire on my wrist

Piercing(s) And Where?: used to have a nose piercing and earrings but they're gone.

What Do You Sleep in?: depends on how hot it is.

Do you like Chain Letters: meh

Best Advice: be silly and embrace your interests whilst ignoring people who would make fun of you for them. it CAN get better.

Favorite Quotes: "Love is the most important thing i know, to love is to enter a completion of oneself"

Non-sport Activity You Enjoy: music and daydreaming.

Dream Car: something reliable with lane assist.

Favorite Thing To Do In Spring: stand in the sun for a few minutes

What’s Your Bedtime: i try to maintain a sleep schedule but it just never works out. too much coffee.

Where Do You Shop?: thrift store but i dont shop much.

Coke or Pepsi: neither, dr pepper.

Favorite Thing(s) To Wear?: black hoodie.

Favorite Subject(s) In School?: i liked computer science when i was in school.

favorite Color(s): black, dark bloody red.

Favorite People To Talk To Online: all my moots are delightful to talk too.

Root-Beer or Dr. Pepper? dr pepper

Do You Shave? yee

favorite Vacation Spot(s): somewhere quiet

Favorite Family Member(s): not close with my family

Did You Eat Paint Chips When You Were a Kid? No i did stick my fingers in mouse traps tho

Favorite CD you own: i dont own any

The ONE Person Who You Hate The Most: dont really have anyone i hate

Favorite Food(s): this changes but burger and pizza n sushiii n chow mein girlll

Who Is The Hottest Guy or Girl In The World?: dylan right now til this hyper fixation inevitably goes away.

What Is Your Favorite Salad Dressing?: blue cheese

When You Die, Do You Wanna Be Buried or Burned Into Ashes? buried but not embalmed.

Do You Believe In Aliens?: in the sense that there are species beyond earth yes, not like Alien Aliens

If You Had The Chance To Professionally Do Something, What would You Do?: not sure

Things You Obsess Over: dylan and love

Favorite Day of the Week: Friday

A Teacher You Hate: dont have a teacher but my elementary school teacher was pretty mean.

Favorite Disney Movie: is the fox and the hound disney

What Is Your Favorite Season? summer

What Toppings Do You Like On Your Pizza? black olives

Do You Like Your School Food Itself (As In The District Food): my school didn't have this sort of thing, it was too small.

If You Could Live Anywhere, Where Would You Live? a ranch with good scenery.

Favorite Thing(s) To Do On Weekends: video games.

Favorite Thing(s) To Get Clean up: not sure what to make of this

Favorite Magazine(s): in 2025? no

Favorite Flower(s): sunflower

Favorite Number(s): 5

Favorite Ice Cream flavor(s): mint chip

What Kind of Guys/Girls Are You Attracted to?: its been random.

What’s Your Most Embarrassing Moment? i dont want to think about my embarrassing moments thank you.

If You Could Change One Thing About Yourself What Would It be? my fucked eyes.

Do You Eat Breakfast First Then Brush Your Teeth or Brush first ten eat breakfast: eat breakfast first.

Favorite Time of Day: morning despite not being a natural early riser.

Can A Guy and Girl Be Just “Best Friends?”: imma natural born manhater baby

Do You Ask The Girl / Guy Out Or Do You Wait For Them To Come To You?: avoid like the plague

Do You Mind Paying For Sex? what?

What’s The Most Important thing In Someone’s Personality: empathetic, loyal, silly

Do you have a pager or cell phone? cell phone

Favorite Sport: hockey

What Was the Best Gift You Ever Received? my ps4?

How Long Did This Letter Take You To Finish?: idk

What Did You Listen To While Completing It?: jerma wrestling stream

Are you or would you like to be married in the near future (next 5 years)? not particularly.

[darkmaga-returns]

China Halts Rare Earth Exports to US. Carney Sold Canada’s Gold to the UK. Russia, Ukraine to hold direct talks. Trump: decision on Iran to be made soon. Scotland is implementing a digital ID system

Lioness of Judah Ministry

Apr 14, 2025

China Halts Rare Earth Exports to U.S., Threatening Supply Chains for Cars, Semiconductors, and Aerospace Industries

China has halted exports of seven critical rare earth elements to the United States, a move that threatens to disrupt supply chains across key American industries, including automotive, semiconductor, and aerospace sectors.

China’s Ministry of Commerce recently added seven rare earth elements—including dysprosium, terbium, and lutetium—to its restricted export list. These elements are essential for manufacturing high-performance magnets used in electric vehicles, advanced weaponry, and consumer electronics.

Secret way China has been strangling Americans before Trump tariffs... and the crippling impact it has on you

China has been secretly halting exports of major U.S. commodities in a stealthy attempt to undermine Donald Trump's trade war and punish Americans.

While Beijing has matched Trump's 125 percent tariff with one of its own against US-imported goods, they have also been using nontariff barriers to hit the president's supporters the hardest, Politico reported. Over the past four months, China has halted or significantly curtailed direct key U.S. agriculture and energy exports. Many of these exports include U.S. farm goods, such beef, poultry and liquified natural gas.

Smartphones, Computers, Electronic Devices Exempt from Trump Admin’s Tariffs on China

The Trump administration announced that various electronic devices, such as smartphones and computers, will be exempt from the tariffs that have been imposed on China.

In a bulletin posted Friday night by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, it was revealed that certain products would be exempted from tariffs. The tariff exemptions on certain products “apply retroactively to April 5,” according to Axios. The products would be exempt from recently applied tariffs, while other pre-April 2 tariffs would still apply. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt explained in a statement that President Donald Trump “has made it clear” that the United States “cannot rely on China to manufacture critical technologies such as semiconductors, chips, smartphones, and laptops.”

Not So Fast: Lutnick Says Semiconductor Tariffs Coming "In Month Or Two", Exemption Is Only "Temporary"

"We can't be beholden and rely upon foreign countries for fundamental things that we need."

Update (1059 ET): U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC's This Week host Jonathan Karl that smartphones, computers, chips, and other consumer electronics may soon be subject to separate tariffs in a month or so, suggesting that the exemptions announced Friday evening are only temporary. "All those products are going to come under semiconductors, and they're going to have a special focus type of tariff to make sure that those products get re-shored. We need to have semiconductors, we need to have chips, and we need to have flat panels -- we need to have these things made in America. We can't be reliant on Southeast Asia for all of the things that operate for us," Lutnick told Karl.

Trump says will announce semiconductor tariffs over next week

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he would be announcing the tariff rate on imported semiconductors over the next week, adding that there would be flexibility on some companies in the sector.

Trump spoke with reporters aboard Air Force One as he traveled back to Washington from his estate in West Palm Beach.

Japanese PM, bank chief, warn of heightened uncertainty from US tariff policy

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said on Monday that US tariffs have the potential to disrupt the global economic order.

Speaking in parliament, Ishiba said the government is not thinking of issuing a supplementary budget now, but stood ready to act in a timely fashion to cushion the economic blow from US tariffs. Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said on Monday global and domestic economic uncertainty has increased sharply due to US tariff policy. "US tariffs will likely put downward pressure on global and Japanese economies through various channels," Ueda told parliament. "The BOJ will guide monetary policy appropriately from the standpoint of sustainably achieving its 2% inflation target, while scrutinizing economic, price and financial developments without any pre-conception," Ueda said.

[laresearchette]

Friday, April 04, 2025 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: DYING FOR SEX (Disney + Star) DIRTY ANGELS (Paramount + Canada) THE MEG (Paramount + Canada) 825 FOREST ROAD (Shudder)

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT? SECRETS DECLASSIFIED WITH DAVID DUCHOVNY (Premiering on April 13 on History Canada at 9:00pm)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA MARKED MEN

CBC GEM CALL THE MIDWIFE (Season 13) THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL (Season 3) WELLINGTON PARANORMAL (Season 1)

CRAVE TV 1992 THE APPRENTICE BEWITCHED CAPTAIN PHILLIPS CHILDREN OF THE CORN CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE THIRD KIND DATELINE: GOOD & EVIL FARGO (1996) THE FLORIDA PROJECT FLOW HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II HOUSE THE LESSON NO MAN’S LAND (Season 2) STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF KITTENS: THE BUBBLES AND SHITROCKERS STORY TEN POUND POMS (Season 2)

DISNEY + STAR DYING FOR SEX (all episodes) MARIA: THE OUTLAW LEGEND (Maria E O Cangaco) (all episodes)

NETFLIX CANADA INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR KARMA (South Korea) KINDERGARTEN COP TEST (India)

MLB BASEBALL (SN) 2:30pm: Jays vs. Mets (Apple TV+) 6:00pm: Dodgers vs. Phillies (SN Now) 7:00pm: Marlins vs. Atlanta (Apple TV+) 7:30pm: Rays vs. Rangers

2025 BKT WORLD MEN'S CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP (TSN/TSN3) 4:00pm: Canada vs. Austria (TSN/TSN3) 9:00pm: Canada vs. U.S.

NCAA WOMEN'S MARCH MADNESS (TSN4/TSN5) 7:00pm: Final Four - Texas vs. South Carolina (TSN4/TSN5) 9:30pm: Final Four - UConn vs. UCLA

NHL HOCKEY (SN) 7:00pm: Chicago vs. Capitals (SN360) 7:30pm: Wild vs. Islanders (TSN2) 7:00pm: Habs vs. Hurricanes (TSN3) 8:00pm: Devils vs. Jets

NBA BASKETBALL (SN1) 7:30pm: Pacers vs. Raptors (TSN2) 7:30pm: Suns vs. Celtics (SN Now) 8:00pm: Thunder vs. Rockets (SN1) 10:00pm: Nuggets vs. Warriors

FLOW (Crave) 7:30pm: Cat is a solitary animal, but as its home is devastated by a great flood, he finds refuge on a boat populated by various species, and will have to team up with them despite their differences.

A BESTSELLING KIND OF LOVE (Super Channel Heart & Home) 8:00pm: A novelist must overcome her fears of speaking in public when her book hits the top of the bestsellers list.

ABOUT THAT (CBC) 8:30pm

NLL LACROSSE (TSN3) 9:00pm: Roughnecks vs. Rush

SOMETIMES I THINK ABOUT DYING (Super Channel Fuse) 9:00pm: A lonely and socially awkward woman tries to make a connection with a friendly new co-worker who takes her out on a date.

LOVE TRIANGLE (Slice) 10:00pm: Three singles are matched with two potential love interests to text without seeing what they look like; they meet on a blind date and move in together.

[doomedandstoned]

The Electric Highway Festival 2025 Returns to Calgary

Doomed & Stoned is proud to rally for the upcoming spring festival in Calgary, Canada: The Electric Highway 2025. The line-up for this April 4/5 event is nothing short of exhilarating.

Kicking things off with the grim rhythmic doom metal band CASTLE on Friday night, who are on the tail end of the Evil Remains Tour, which has taken them to Europe, Canada, and the US.

Robust Canadian sludge attack BISON, long a staple of the scene -- with albums stretching back to 2008 -- headlines the whole festival on Saturday, April 5th.

They will be joined by SoCal rock 'n' roll, out of control band FEVER DOG dishing out ample feel good groove and hard jamming vibes to the stage.

A splattering of Western Canadian bands (of which there are a damn good many) join the roster including LA CHINGA, BUFFALO BUD BUSTER, THE GETMINES, 88 MILE TRIP, CHÛNK, HYDRACAT, THE ASTRAL PROPHETS, BLACKSMITH & BREWER, LOVER, BUNS, and G.E.O.F.F.

There's nothing quite like the live experience. Witnessing the magic of music brought to life on stage. Feeling the impact of that massive low end rumble. There's something visceral about the whole stoner-doom sound in a concert setting that should drive you out of the house for a good show.

The Electric Highway Festival takes place on April 4 & 5 at Dickens (1000 9 Ave SW) in Calgary, Alberta. Here's the full line-up:

Friday, April 4, 2025

Castle (San Francisco/Vancouver)

Buffalo Bud Buster (Calgary)

Blacksmith and Brewer (Vancouver)

CHÛNK (Vancouver)

Hydracat (Edmonton)

The Astral Prophets (Calgary)

BUNS (Calgary)

Doors 5pm – Show 6pm

Saturday, April 5, 2025

Bison (Vancouver)

La Chinga (Vancouver)

Fever Dog (Southern California)

The Getmines (Vancouver)

88 Mile Trip (Vancouver)

Lover (Calgary)

GEOFF (Calgary)

Doors 5pm – Show 6pm.

Advance 2-day passes are available for $75. Advance single-day tickets are $40 for Friday and $45 for Saturday.

Festival passes and single-day tickets are available at www.theelectrichighway.ca/festivalstore/.

Stay up to speed with the festival with updates right here.

SOME BUZZ

The Electric Highway Festival hosts various genres that range from Desert Rock, Stoner Metal, Doom, Sludge, Trippy Psychedelic, Surf Rock, Acid Rock, Noise Rock, Fuzz Rock, Space Rock, Blues Rock, Heavy Psych, Heavy Blues, Southern Rock, Fuzzy Punk, Sludgy Hardcore bands and variations of any of the previously mentioned styles. The festival includes a vendor area with interesting goods for attendees to take home with them.

Previous editions of the festival featured one of the event’s past favorites Californian headliners Sasquatch, Juno Award-winning Canadian band ANCIIENTS, Vancouver’s La Chinga, Space Queen, Dead Quiet, and more, Gnarwhal from Yellowknife, NWT, Calgary’s Gone Cosmic, Hombre, Flashback among many more, and a whole host of other great bands.

Follow The Electric Highway Festival: Instragram | Facebook

[midoriniji]

Midori Niji × Peace by Chocolate

Yo fam! It's your girl Midori here!

Valentine's Day is coming, and I'm doing something super fun for you, my fans, because I love you all! 💖 On Friday, February 14th, I'll be setting up at the Javits Center (429 11th Avenue) as part of their Valentine's Day Expo 2025 to spread some love, and I want YOU to be there. 💁‍♀️✨

What's the vibe? Well, first of all, I'm going to be there all day (from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM) handing out some seriously delish premium Syrian chocolates that I bought from Peace by Chocolate in Nova Scotia, Canada. 🍫💕 While supplies last, I've got a bunch of super cute gift bags full of sweet treats to give out (one per guest, please)! Whether you're single, taken, or just here for the choccy, come on down!

And if you want real food, there will be vendors at the Expo selling standard Expo fare for a price. I hear there will be several tasty items to choose from!

But wait, there's more! I'm also offering FREE selfies with me—yup, you read that right! 📸 So come take a pic with your girl, and let's make this Valentine's Day one for the books.

I can't wait to hang with you! It's gonna be lit, and I promise it'll be a day full of good times, great people, and even better memories. If you're in NYC, you better pull up because you won't want to miss this.

Oh, my lawyers made me put this part in:

Disclaimer:

Your participation in this event serves as consent to have your likeness shared on social media. References to "love" in this message refer only to platonic love. Midori gives no guarantee that romantic relationships or legally binding contractual relationships will form based on this event. References to "lit" do not imply fire or condone the setting of fires. Any untoward behavior toward event participants will result in your removal from the event. Please read all allergy warnings on food packages before consumption. Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball. This event takes place in Midori Niji's fictional universe and is entirely fictional. Any reference to real-life events, locations, or gifts is for entertainment purposes only. Please note that no physical gifts or products will be distributed at any real-world events. This is just for fun and is not an official promotion.