#Guam homes for rent

[guam-realtor]

Discover the Best Guam Real Estate Agent at RomaGuamProperties.com

When it comes to buying or selling real estate in Guam, having a reliable and experienced Guam Real Estate Agent by your side can make all the difference. At RomaGuamProperties.com, you'll find a team of dedicated professionals ready to assist you in your real estate journey. Whether you're looking for your dream home, an investment property, or need expert guidance on selling your current property, their expertise and personalized service will ensure a smooth and successful transaction.

1: Why Choose RomaGuamProperties.com for Your Real Estate Needs?

At RomaGuamProperties.com, their commitment to client satisfaction sets them apart as the go-to Guam Real Estate Agent. Here are a few reasons why they should be your top choice:

Extensive Local Knowledge: With years of experience in the Guam real estate market, RomaGuamProperties.com has an in-depth understanding of the local neighborhoods, market trends, and property values. This knowledge allows them to provide valuable insights and guide you in making informed decisions.

Diverse Property Listings: Whether you're searching for a luxury beachfront villa, a cozy family home, or a commercial property, RomaGuamProperties.com offers a wide range of property listings to suit every preference and budget. Their website is user-friendly, allowing you to explore available options and find your ideal property effortlessly.

Professional and Personalized Service: The team at RomaGuamProperties.com prides itself on delivering exceptional customer service. They take the time to listen to your needs, understand your goals, and tailor their services accordingly. From property showings to negotiations and paperwork, they handle every step with professionalism and attention to detail.

2: Buying with Confidence - Your Dream Home Awaits

Finding your dream home can be an exciting yet overwhelming process. With a trusted Guam Real Estate Agent from RomaGuamProperties.com, you can navigate the buying journey with confidence. Here's how they assist you:

Property Search: Whether you have specific requirements or need assistance in defining your preferences, RomaGuamProperties.com helps you find properties that align with your needs. They provide detailed information, high-quality images, and virtual tours to help you make informed decisions.

Expert Negotiations: When it's time to negotiate the best price and terms, you can rely on the negotiation skills of the RomaGuamProperties.com team. They have a deep understanding of the local market and can effectively advocate for your interests.

Streamlined Transactions: From coordinating inspections and appraisals to guiding you through the paperwork and closing process, RomaGuamProperties.com ensures a smooth and hassle-free transaction. They work diligently to minimize any potential obstacles and keep you informed at every step.

3: Selling Made Easy - Maximize Your Property's Potential

If you're planning to sell your property in Guam, partnering with a knowledgeable Guam Real Estate Agent is essential to maximize its potential. RomaGuamProperties.com offers comprehensive selling services, including:

Accurate Property Valuation: RomaGuamProperties.com provides a detailed analysis of your property's market value based on current market conditions and comparable sales. This ensures that you set the right price to attract potential buyers while maximizing your return on investment.

Strategic Marketing: To give your property maximum exposure, RomaGuamProperties.com utilizes a variety of marketing channels, both online and offline. From professional photography and virtual tours to targeted advertising campaigns, they ensure your property stands out in the competitive market.

Expert Guidance: Selling a property involves complex paperwork, negotiations, and legal considerations. RomaGuamProperties.com handles all these aspects with expertise, ensuring a seamless selling process. They keep you updated on market feedback, offers, and assist in evaluating the best offers to achieve a successful sale.

Conclusion: When it comes to Guam real estate, RomaGuamProperties.com stands out as a trusted and reliable Guam Real Estate Agent. With their local knowledge, personalized service, and commitment to client satisfaction, they are your partner in finding your dream home or successfully selling your property. Visit their website today to explore their property listings and experience their exceptional service firsthand.

[guamhomeslizduenas]

Looking for your dream home in Guam? Explore an extensive selection of Guam homes for sale on GuamHomesLizDuenas.com. Whether you're seeking a beachfront retreat, a cozy family home, or an investment property, our trusted real estate agent, Liz Duenas, and her team have you covered. Start your search today and find the perfect home that fits your needs and lifestyle. Visit GuamHomesLizDuenas.com for the best Guam homes for sale.

[islepropertiesguam]

Embark on a journey to homeownership with Guam Real Estate Properties, your trusted partner and the best realtor in Guam. Our expert team is dedicated to turning your real estate dreams into reality. Discover personalized service, in-depth market knowledge, and a commitment to your satisfaction. Whether you're buying, selling, or investing, rely on the expertise of the best realtor in Guam. Visit our website now to start your real estate journey with confidence!

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #17

May 3-10 2024

Vice President Harris announced 5.5 billion dollars to build affordable housing and address homelessness. The grants will go to 1,200 communities across all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. 1.3 billion will go to HUD's HOME program which builds, buys, and rehabs affordable housing for rent or ownership. 3.3 billion is headed to Community Development Block Grants which supports housing as well as homeless services, and expanding economic opportunities. Remaining funds focus on building housing for extremely low- and very low-income households, Housing for people struggling with HIV/AIDS, transitional housing for those with substance-use disorder, and money to support homeless shelters and homeless prevention programs.

At the 3rd meeting of the Los Angeles Declaration group in Guatemala Security of State Blinken announced $578 million in new US aid to Latin America. The Los Angeles Declaration is a partnership between the US and 20 other nations in the Americas to address immigration, combat human trafficking, and support economic development and improved quality of life for people in poor nations in the Americas. The bulk of the aid, over $400 million will go to humanitarian assistance to the Venezuelan people. Inside of Venezuela over 7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance due to decades of political and economic instability. Over 7 million more have been forced to flee the country and live in poverty across the Americas. The aid will help Venezuelans both inside and outside of Venezuela.

The Department of Energy lead an effort to get the G7 to agree to phase out coal by the early 2030s. The G7 is a collection of the 7 largest Industrial economies on Earth, the US, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and Italy. To avoid catastrophic climate change the International Energy Agency believes coal needs to be phased out by 2035. However this has been a sticking point with the G7 since 1/3rd of Japan and 1/4th of Germany's energy comes from Coal. This agreement to phase out represents a major breakthrough and the US plans to press for even wider agreement on the issue at the G20 meeting in November.

President Biden announced a major investment deal in Racine, Wisconsin, site of the failed Trump Foxconn deal. In 2018 then President Trump visited Racine and declared the planned Foxconn plant "the eighth wonder of the world.". However the promised 13,000 jobs never materialized and the Taiwan based Foxconn after bulldozing 100s of homes and farms decided not to build. President Biden inked a deal with Microsoft for the land formally given to Foxconn which will bring 2,000 new jobs to Racine to help replace the 1,000 job losses during Trump's Presidency in the community.

200 tribal governments and the US territories of American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, published climate action plans. The plans were paid for by the Biden Administration as part of a 5 billion dollar Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program. The federal government is supporting all 50 states, territories, DC, and tribal governments to draft climate action plans, which will be used to apply for more than 4 billion dollars in grants to help turn plans into reality

As part of marking Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), the Biden Administration announced a number of action aimed at combating antisemitism and supporting the Jewish Community. This included $400 million in new funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. The Program has supported Synagogues and Jewish Community Centers with security improvements like bullet proof windows and trainings for staff in how to handle active shooter and hostage situations. The Department of Education issued guidance to all schools districts and federally funded colleges stressing that antisemitism is banned under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These actions come as part of the Biden Administration's National Strategy To Counter Antisemitism, the first ever national strategy addressing the issue by any Administration.

USAID announced $220 million in additional humanitarian aid to Yemen. This new funding will bring US aid to Yemen over the last 10 years to nearly $6 billion. Currently 18 million Yemenis are estimated as needing humanitarian assistance, 9 million of them children, and the UN believes nearly 14 million face imminent risk of famine. The US remains the single largest donor nation to humanitarian relief in Yemen.

The Department of Interior announced nearly $150 million to help communities fight drought. The funds will support 42 projects across 10 western states. This is part of the President's $8.3 billion dollar investment in the nations water infrastructure over the next 5 five years.

[fatehbaz]

In 1913, a year before the Panama Canal was completed, the journalist Frederic J. Haskin wrote that “the conquest of the Isthmian barrier was the conquest of the mosquito.” This was a period when America [had] [...] by 1902 taken control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam. [...] The connection between mosquito control and the United States’ imperial conquest can be seen in the work of William C. Gorgas, the Alabama-born Army surgeon who led efforts to eradicate yellow fever and malaria -- both mosquito-borne diseases -- during the first US occupation of Cuba (1898–1902) and was subsequently appointed Chief Sanitary Officer of in Panama. [...] Gorgas claimed that he had “made sanitary discoveries that will enable man to return [...] and again live and develop in his natural home, the tropics.” [...] In particular, the dwellings erected for the Isthmian Canal Commission (ICC) conjoined the management of mosquitos with manipulating the interactions between people of different races and social classes. [...]

Gorgas arrived in Panama in 1904 [...]. Gorgas and others saw sanitation work as indistinguishable from the military occupation in Cuba and the success of the canal construction in Panama. [...] Spraying was largely carried out by mosquito brigades, which checked households for compliance [...]. But [...] these brigades also policed the activity of local residents. [...]

---

There was much debate not only about who to enlist to build the canal, but also how to prevent organized resistance and revolt among them. 

As one official testified to the US congress in 1906, “there must be on the Isthmus a surplusage of labor. Otherwise, we will have interminable strikes.” [...] 

Furthermore, rather than one vulnerable workforce, Chief Engineer John Stevens believed that having several different nationalities and ethnicities would be easier to divide and create competition, compelling them to work harder.

In order to do this, the ICC created a segregated, dual payment system: the gold and silver rolls. [...] [W]hite workers from the US were mostly hired for skilled positions and received payment in gold. These “gold-roll” employees could spend leisure time in segregated clubs [...]. West Indians and Black workers from the United States were mostly assigned to the silver roll. [...]

[T]he gold- and silver-roll system constituted an apartheid society, a perverse reincarnation of the contemporary Jim Crow system that was in full effect at the time in the United States. [...]

---

Although the ICC offered free housing to all its gold-roll employees, silver-roll employees paid rent. [...] As late as 1910, Galician workers on the silver roll were still living in boxcars ventilated only by a few small punched openings. [...] When West Indians requested basic amenities like blankets and shelter to keep their clothes from being soaked in the rain, the US government responded that they didn’t even need sheds. [...] For white workers [...] Type 13 [housing types] not only features a wraparound screened porch as a circulation space, but also a prominent band of empty space surrounding the enclosed bedrooms [...].

The distinctions associated with the categorical, systematic definition of different domestic architecture for different classes of people follows a history of typology in architecture and criminology that was closely associated with scientific racism, social Darwinism [...]. 

George W. Goethals, who took over as Chief Engineer of the project from Stevens in 1907, responded to requests for mosquito nets and screens for West Indians by repeating a common and racist misunderstanding: “It is generally admitted … [t]hat the colored people are immune.” Yet in 1912, “as many as two-thirds of all West Indians reported sick or required medical attention … [m]ost of them catching malaria several times [...].”

---

Structured by prejudice, anti-mosquito architecture allowed malaria to continue spreading while reinforcing racial hierarchies. [...] US imperial concepts about the tropics as a place [...] “[...] divided the civilized, temperate North from the heat, humidity and backwardness of the tropics.” [...] While managing the laborers through their relationship to insects -- and each other -- this low-cost architecture was crucial in the broader effort to turn the Isthmus into an imperial outpost and render the landscape tropical.

---

All text above by: Dante Furioso. “Sanitary Imperialism”. e-flux (Sick Architecture series). May 2022. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me.]

[shyadri]

As the voting period comes closer and closer, and anti-voting posts are becoming more common, I wanted to share my experiences as a Puerto Rican woman during these times and my experience voting in the last elections. In 2020, I was in college and renting my first apartment and I was so excited for multiple things. My own room in college, my own kitchen, my own bathroom. The most exciting thing was the address and bills. Because with them I could use them as evidence of residency to finally apply for a driver’s license for the state.

A driver’s license so I could vote.

In the DMV, receiving the license in my hands, I was so excited, ecstatic, thrilled. Finally, I’m gonna vota, As soon as I went back to my apartment, I went straight to the computer to the voting registration website for my state. I feel like I could almost cry.

Due to COVID, I applied for early voting so I could avoid the mass of people. I got there, showed my license, got to the booth, and I voted. I could help prevent Trump from being re-elected. I could make a difference. Months later when Biden won, I felt so relieved, cause I helped with that, I made a change. Sure, I did NOT like Biden at all, but I could at least stop Trump.

I was heard.

After graduating, I moved back home, back to PR. It was hard saying goodbye to my friends and to my little town I grew to love. But what was harder than anything else you guys probably don’t get.

I said goodbye to my voting rights.

Because Puerto Rican residents can’t vote for US primaries or presidency.

We have our own government; our own parties and it is VERY important to vote there as well. But your favorite party could win, your favorite candidates in place making the plans you want.

But the US president can deny any major plans to Puerto Rico if they want to.

And we can’t vote for that.

We are US citizens, we use the same passports and currency as everyone else. But because we are an unincorporated territory, which is just modern slang for colony, we can’t vote for the President. Who can change our entire lives, and we can’t vote. Not just PR, but Guam, Virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands residences CAN’T VOTE EITHER despite being US citizens. American Samoans has it worse, where they don’t even get US citizenship at birth.

Voting is a right, is our right as citizens. Voting shouldn’t be a privilege, but it is for many. I needed to get accepted to college, have the money for the plane, tuition, and food, to go to college, have the money to rent for evidence of residency, because college dorms don’t count, have the money to pay for the process of getting the license and the transportation to go to the DMVs. It shouldn’t be like this, but it is.

So don’t you asshats go and throw your fucking vote away. Don’t you DARE say it’s not worth it. Because Biden and Trump ARE NOT THE SAME. Biden is shit, but Trump is the devil. I wish Hillary Clinton was president, because when Hurricane Maria came and destroyed PR, what did Trump do? He threw paper towels to the audience like FUCKING BASKETBALL BALLS. This man wouldn’t know the difference between a Cuban, a Puerto Rican, and a Mexican, and would try to kick all of us out of the country because he is PROUD OF HIS RACISM. Clinton and Biden would have decency during the Hurricane Maria situation. Because if Trump wins, you fucks don’t get the right to complain if you didn’t vote in the first. Be the change you want to see. Use the damn right your fucking ancestors fought and died for to give to you guys. Because there are still people who don’t have the right, and probably won’t get it in their lifetime.

Don’t waste your right.

[whattheabcxyz]

2023-06-28

Singapore

Man threw Singapore flags & his own shorts into fire, then walked home naked - he had been drinking

Condo rents dropped 0.6% in May while HDB rates rose for 35th straight month

SIA chief Goh Choon Phong’s total annual pay jumps 86% to $6.7m

British cyclist crashes into Singaporean woman & her child @ East Coast Park - the victims were both injured; the cyclist left his number but has been uncontactable since the incident ...when caught I recommend he be caned, then deported, with his wounds still fresh & festering

Environment

Singapore: Oil slick spotted on shores of East Coast Park - some sea creatures were also found dead &/or covered with oil

Sports

Sport participation in Singapore hits all-time high - walking, jogging & calisthenics top 3 activities

Politics

Prigozhin heads into Belarus exile - won’t be long before he dies under suspicious circumstances

Singapore & US navies conclude bilateral exercise in Guam

Education

NUS enters top 10 in global university ranking for 1st time - it means nothing

Maritime

^ Last historical cargo boats in Singapore River to be removed from Clarke Quay

Society

Mentally ill woman wrongly convicted of 1980 murder may finally be released after 43 years in prison

Prosecutors to seek death penalty against Bryan Kohberger for Idaho murders

People

Actor Julian Sands confirmed dead 5 months after disappearing while hiking - his remains were found by hikers

Entertainment

Ryan Seacrest named next host of Wheel Of Fortune

Gossip

Ken Lim faces 5 more charges of sexual offences against 3 women

[awesomeforever]

March 30, 2022 // Franchising.com // ORLANDO, Fla. - Buddy’s Home Furnishings will expand its Virginia footprint through an agreement signed with WRE, LLC, an established multi-unit operating group with plans to convert six of their rent-to-own locations to Buddy’s storefronts. Owned by Robert Smith and Ernie Thompson, WRE, LLC has operated in Virginia since 2002. In 2018, after more than 16 years in the retail industry, the company stepped into the rent-to-own space. “We both had backgrounds in the furniture and retail industries,” said Smith. “After we went into business together, we saw a real need for alternative financing options in our community, which is how we were introduced to rent-to-own.” “In the past, balancing backend and operational issues along with merchandising has been a challenge,” said Thompson. “Thanks to the support of the team behind Buddy’s, we’ll now be freed up to focus more on our valued customers and supplying the community with everyday necessities.” The existing Virginia stores, previously known as Hometown Sales & Leasing, are located in South Hill, Blackstone, Ashland, Smithfield, Kilmarnock, Farmville. The conversions will take place over the next six months. “This feels like a fresh start for us,” said WRE District Manager Bryan Caulder. “Buddy’s franchise model is the perfect combination of what we’ve been doing and what we’ve been missing. I’m excited to see how much better we can be together and the impact we will have on these communities in Virginia.” “We couldn’t be happier to go into business with the team at WRE,” said Buddy’s CEO Michael Bennett. “They share our vision for growth, and we’re thrilled to expand our Virginia footprint alongside their dedicated team.” Buddy’s adopted the franchise model in 2009 and was acquired by Franchise Group, Inc. in 2019. The rent-to-own retailer recently ranked in the prestigious Entrepreneur 2021 Franchise 500 and Franchise Times’ 2021 Top 400 lists. For more information or to inquire about franchising, visit OwnABuddys.com. Buddy's Home Furnishings, a subsidiary of Franchise Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:FRG), is a retailer specializing in the sales and rental ownership of furniture, electronics, and appliances. Buddy's has more than 300 stores in the United States and Guam. For more information, visit BuddyRents.com.  SOURCE Buddy’s Home Furnishings ### Meghan StanfordPR Specialist See.Spark.Gomeghan.stanford@seesparkgo.com(678) 634-8090 Request Information Buddy’s Home Furnishings is backed by more than 60 years of proven success, is recession resistant and offers impressive unit economics. Several single and multi-unit development opportunities are available and in high demand. Franchising.com is produced by Franchise Update Media. Franchise Update Media has its finger on the pulse of franchising with unrivalled audience intelligence and market driven data. No media company understands the franchise landscape deeper than Franchise Update Media. P.O. Box 20547 San Jose, CA 95160 PH. (408) 402-5681 About | Advertise | Contact The franchise opportunities listed above are not related to or endorsed by Franchising.com or Franchise Update Media Group. We are not engaged in, supporting, or endorsing any specific franchise, business opportunity, company or individual. No statement in this site is to be construed as a recommendation. We encourage prospective franchise buyers to perform extensive due diligence when considering a franchise opportunity. Copyright © 2001 - 2022. All Rights Reserved.  Legal Notices | Privacy Policy source

[guam-realtor]

Looking for expert guidance in navigating the Guam real estate market? Look no further than RomaguamProperties.com. Our team of dedicated Guam realtors is here to assist you every step of the way. Whether you're buying, selling, or investing in Guam properties, our experienced real estate professionals have the knowledge and expertise to help you achieve your goals. With a deep understanding of the local market trends, negotiation skills, and personalized attention, our Guam realtors are committed to delivering exceptional service. Trust RomaguamProperties.com to connect you with a reliable and trustworthy Guam realtor who will make your real estate journey a seamless and successful one. Visit our website today to learn more about our services and find your perfect Guam realtor.

[guamhomeslizduenas]

Hire the best Guam Realtor – Real Estate Agent. Liz Duenas is a popular name in Guam Real Estate, visit our site for Guam Homes for Sale, Rent, etc.

[acquariusgb]

9/11 Bill POV

While Hillary was in Washington and Chelsea in New York, Bill was in Australia. Here's an extract from Man of the World by Joe Conason, describing the events from that day.

In Clinton’s suite at the Sheraton Mirage, a luxurious hotel surrounded by palm trees, he turned on the television to see the nightmarish images that would soon become a historic symbol of horror for Americans. Across the bottom of the screen, a crawling ticker listed the names of passengers on the four flights hijacked by the al Qaeda terrorist teams. Suddenly, Clinton saw the name of a friend, someone who had worked with him for years, a man with a family of his own. “Oh my God,” he breathed.

He knew Chelsea was in New York City, visiting a friend before her scheduled departure for England. Now he had to find out exactly where she was and who was with her, but nobody had been able to find her yet. When Hillary finally got through to his room, she pretended to know already that their daughter was safe, hoping to calm him—even though she felt inwardly frantic as her Senate staff continued to try to locate their daughter.

By her own account, Chelsea had been watching television at her friend’s apartment in Union Square when the second plane hit, and quickly tried to call her mother in Washington—but as she spoke with an aide in Hillary’s office, overburdened phone lines went dead. In a panic, she left the apartment and headed downtown, searching desperately for a pay phone to reach Hillary’s Senate office again. She was standing in line at a pay phone, about twelve blocks from the disaster scene, when she heard the deafening roar of the second tower collapsing. She headed back toward Union Square, eventually found her friend, and they walked uptown, like thousands of other New Yorkers. When she found a working phone and reached Hillary, her mother burst into tears of relief.

At Clinton’s office in Harlem, Karen Tramontano and members of the foundation staff were meeting in a conference room with a panoramic southward view when they saw the first plane. Someone came running into the room and suddenly they were watching the catastrophe on television. Tramontano picked up a phone immediately, trying to reach Band in Australia.

With all flights into the United States canceled, the Clinton entourage was stranded in Australia. After talking with Band, Tramontano placed a call to Condoleezza Rice to ask for help. After some wrangling that involved more calls from Band to the Secret Service and to Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, the Pentagon dispatched a military aircraft to pick them up at Cairns Airport in Port Douglas. “It won’t be very comfortable,” Rice warned, “but it’s the only plane we have available out there right away.”

It wasn’t comfortable at all aboard the C-130 cargo plane and the trip took almost twenty-four hours. There were no seats, there was no food, and at thirty thousand feet, the interior of the plane was cold—very, very cold. They stopped in Guam and switched to a refueling plane, which was no better. Band had tried to scrounge some sweaters and other warm clothing at the hotel, but they were all bone-chilled, starved, and exhausted when the plane finally landed at Stewart Airport, a New York National Guard airbase about fifty miles north of Chappaqua. Almost immediately they departed for Manhattan, where they headed to Union Square.

Despite their ordeal, Clinton was grateful to have gotten home, unlike thousands of Americans left overseas with no way to return until the airports reopened. Among them was Al Gore, who had been in Vienna when the terrorists struck, giving a speech to an Austrian Internet forum.

Evidently the Bush White House was not prepared to provide military transportation for the former vice president, who could find no way to get back except via Gander Airport, a tiny facility in Newfoundland. From there, he and an aide would have to drive southward across the Canadian border.

While seeking help with their predicament, a former Gore aide—who had also worked in the Clinton White House—called the Harlem office. Gore and Clinton had exchanged messages within the first hours after the terrorist attack, but had not spoken yet. Distant as relations between their bosses had become, the staffers remained friendly. When Gore’s aide reached Tramontano, they talked casually about “the crap that’s gone on for far too long” between Gore and Clinton—who literally had not spoken since a bitter two-hour argument about who was to blame for the disastrous outcome of the 2000 election. She suggested that on the long drive down from the Canadian border, Gore might stop in Chappaqua. When Tramontano reached Clinton to discuss the proposed sleepover, she wasn’t surprised by his enthusiasm. That evening around 8 p.m., the former vice president picked up his cell phone to speak with the former president for the first time in many months.

“Why don’t you come down here, and then we’ll fly down together Friday morning?” Clinton asked. An Air Force jet provided by the White House would take them to the capital for the special memorial service on September 14 at the National Cathedral.

Hours after midnight, driving a rented car, Gore arrived at the five-bedroom colonial on Old House Lane. Clinton was waiting for them in the living room, where he had been napping on and off, and got up to greet Gore.

As he climbed the steps to the front porch, the former vice president noticed a refrigerator, sitting where it had been moved while the kitchen was undergoing renovation—a tableau that struck him as more hillbilly Ozarks than chic Westchester. Eyeing the fridge, he cracked, one Southerner to another: “Well, you’ve really come a long way, haven’t you?” At the door, Clinton roared with laughter.

They stayed up almost until dawn, talking mostly about the 9/11 attacks, their own efforts to deal with terrorism, and the murky times ahead. Chelsea met them in the morning at Westchester Airport to fly to Washington. On the flight down, Gore invited the Clintons to join his family after the memorial service for lunch at his home in Arlington, Virginia.

At the cathedral, a century-old Gothic Revival structure on the northern outskirts of the capital, Clinton sat in a front pew alongside President Bush and the other living former presidents, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H. W. Bush. He listened as the president delivered words of compassion for the bereaved and a warning to the enemy. He was speaking out forcefully in support of Bush at every opportunity, starting with his departure from Australia. He had canceled all of his speaking engagements abroad to remain in Manhattan, spending hours at local vigils and especially at the Armory on Park Avenue, where he tried to comfort families whose loved ones were missing and presumed dead.

“They cheered, they wept, they hugged him,” wrote a reporter for London’s Daily Mirror. “All around him, New Yorkers gathered, some to pass on their thanks that he had rushed to their side, others to grab his hand and use him as an emotional crutch. . . . All felt lifted to be in the presence of the man they had looked to for most of the past decade when their country was in its hour of need.”

The Mirror correspondent was not alone in contrasting Clinton’s instinctive leadership with the unsteadiness displayed by his successor in the early hours following the attack, although Bush soon righted himself and took command. America and the world had turned a page, moving beyond the petty controversies that had almost consumed Clinton in the days after he left office. Gaunt, somber, and worried, he and his fellow Americans now found themselves in a very different world.

Not everyone was willing to leave old habits behind, however, especially among Clinton’s most rigid detractors on the right. Even as Bush and congressional leaders prayed for the nation to unite, the habitual haters simply could not resist a fresh opportunity to target him. Nothing mattered more than proving (or at least asserting) that the terrorist attacks of September 11 should be blamed not on the current president, but the one who preceded him. Before long a writer for National Review warned, only half-jokingly: “If we members of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy don’t get back to our daily routine of obsessive Clinton-bashing, then the terrorists will have won.”

[semperreformanda]

I know Americans still struggle with poverty and healthcare and rising prices but…y’all still got it so good out here. I was by no means poor in the Philippines or anything but based off observation y’all are in a good place. You can get government assistance here, food stamps, whatever; Filipinos don’t really have that. During the pandemic when people got laid off the government handed out assistance and that was a LOT of money for an extended amount of time. If you weren’t paying rent you can live without a job comfortably for months. Meanwhile at the peak of the pandemic Filipinos got a few canned goods and $100, if you’re lucky.

When I got to Guam and my husband one day randomly decided to buy a TV for his mom, I was a little shocked 😂 my dad has a full time job but we never just bought a TV randomly, we would save up for months. I don’t know, it’s the little things like that I guess, that reveals first world vs third world differences.

I don’t know where I’m going with this 😂 but it’s just interesting to think about. People here are always like “oh I love the Philippines the food there is SOO cheap” and they go to restaurants I never tried because it’s expensive 😂 I used to feel bad spending 200 pesos ($4) for lunch but coming here to Guam and comparing prices…it’s so crazy. I don’t know

Sometimes I feel guilty knowing friends and family back home deprive themselves of pleasures because things are expensive. They survive off the bare minimum. And there’s nothing wrong with that! But just seeing the difference between living in a first world and third world country just puts things into perspective. Like I said we were middle class because my dad worked so hard for us, but he still doesn’t even like buying jeans for himself because he’d rather use the money for bills or whatever. It’s not like this here, for most at least. Idk it’s just interesting

[namjisoongi]

‘Homecoming’ (J-Hope ff) (part 4)

📍Plot: A day spent with aunt Lisa, Tiana, and Via.

As I was asleep, I felt something lightly shake my shoulders. I kind of got startled once I woke up to see aunt Lisa standing in front of me, “Sorry to wake you up, but I’m just letting you know that I’m getting some groceries from the store. You want anything on my way back home?” She asks, I sat up on the bed to stretch, “Can I have a Lemon Tea and a King Car, if you don’t mind?” I answered, “Alright, I’ll see you later, then.” She says, walking out of the room. “Okay.” I answer, getting out of bed and did my usual morning routine and headed out to the living room to see Tiana and Via awake as well. “Good morning, Adi.” I hear Via greet me, “Good morning girls.” I greet back at them. “You girls want some breakfast?” I ask, “No thanks, we already ate right after mom cooked. There’s more rice, eggs and bacon on the stove.” Via answers, “Okay.” I say, heading to the kitchen to make my own plate. “What are we watching now?” I ask as I sat down on the couch next to them. “We’re watching ‘Ron’s Gone Wrong’ on HBO.” Tia answers, I took a few bites of my food as we all continue to watch the movie.

(45 minutes later)

“This movie kind of reminds me of Big Hero Six.” I commented on the movie. “That’s what we were thinking before you came in.” Tiana says as I burped loudly out of nowhere. “Excuse me.” I say. Once I finished eating my breakfast, I digested on the couch while watching the ending of ‘Ron’s Gone Wrong’ with the girls before I start heading to the kitchen to clean my dishes. “Adi, I have a quick question.” Via says as she chews on another grape, “Shoot.” I say, taking a small sip of my water, “Have you ever thought of sticking around a little longer?” She asks, I set down my cup on the table in front of me, “Here? On Guam?” I ask, thinking of the context of her question, she nods. “I was just wondering. I mean, I know that you have so much to do back to where you’re living now, but it would be cool if you stayed.” Via tells me, “Hmm…” I say as I thought of an answer to come with, I leaned in a little bit, “Between me and you two…” I start to answer, “I thought of sticking around here a little longer as well. I mean, I could take more classes online, help you guys out with the house, and maybe find a job that would be suitable for me.” I tell them.

(10 minutes later)

After a few episodes of watching Full House, I got up from the couch to the kitchen and cleaned all of my dishes. “Girls, I’m home.” I hear aunt Lisa call out. They all walked into the kitchen to put all the groceries away, I helped out after I was done cleaning the kitchen. As I finished helping them out with the groceries, I went to use the bathroom. I closed and locked the door behind me, and sat on the toilet to do my business. I wiped myself after I finished my business, flushed the toilet, cleaned my hands and headed out of the bathroom. I looked around the house to check on the girls before I looked for aunt Lisa, I checked outside the garage to see that she’s feeding the animals in her little farm. “Hey, aunt Lisa. Um, I wanted to talk to you about something.” I say as I stood by the pig fence, “Sure. What’s up?” She asks as I watched her feed the pigs. “So, I was thinking… maybe, I should stay with you guys for a while longer.” I answer, waiting for her to respond. “Is this what you want? I mean, I don’t want to hold you back.” Aunt Lisa asks as she walks up to a different fence to feed the chickens and goats.

“I’ve been thinking about it with the girls and I decided that I would like to stay. I can talk to my school for me to take all of my classes online, I can start looking for a job and to be able to help you guys with rent, the meals, everything. I’m also willing to drop Tiana and Via off to school and to pick them up afterwards every day of the week.” I answer. “If you really want to stay and help us out, I wouldn’t mind that at all, but I’m going to set some house rules for you.” She says, setting down the stuff for the animals to eat and sat on a rocking chair.

“#1) Going to church on Sunday’s are mandatory. #2) While I’m still at work, you’re in charge of making the meals. #3) Keep the house clean, feed the animals, etc. #4) You are responsible to take the girls to and from school. If they are late or absent from school, it’s going to be on all three of you. Unless it’s an emergency. #5) Via and Tiana has soccer practice every day of the week right after school. #6) Always wear something decent while family and friends are over. #7) Treat others how you want to be treated. #8) No slamming doors when you are angry. #9) There is no maid in this house. If you make a mess, clean it up yourself. #10) Respect each other in this house. And lastly, #11) If you ever want to ask me to let you go hang out somewhere with some friends, be sure to be back no later than 2:00 a.m, got it?” Aunt Lisa says, “Got it.” I answered, memorizing the rules in my head. I went to a spot around the house that was quiet, and dialed my school to let them know I’m going to be on Guam a little longer. After a while of convincing them, I am able to take online courses.

I walked back into the house and went back into the living room again. “I’m so bored.” Via says, “Same.” Tiana says in agreement. “I have an idea.” I say as they both turned their attention to me. “Why don’t we as aunt Lisa if we could go for a drive somewhere?” I added. “Sure, why not?” Tiana says, we all walked out to the garage where aunt Lisa was still placed. “Mom, is it alright if Adi takes us out for a drive?” Via asks her, “Sure, but where are you all going?” She asks as she moves back and forth on the rocking chair. “I was thinking if we would look around the mall and maybe get some ice cream after.” I answered, she takes out the car keys from her pocket and hands it to me. “Be safe and be back in two hours.” She tells us. “We will. See you later mom.” Tiana and Via says before running to see who gets shotgun. I started the car and drove Tiana and Via to the Micronesian Mall to look around, and probably buy a few things. We made it to the mall, parked somewhere in the parking lot and started heading inside. We worked our way around the first floor before heading to the other stores on the second floor. “Let’s go check out what’s showing in the movie theater.” Tiana says and we followed her lead on the escalator to the second floor. We scoped through the movies with upcoming ones coming soon, and we decided to just look somewhere else. I noticed a Bestseller book shop a few feet away from the movie theater. “Hey, let’s go check in there.” I pointed to the shop. As we looked through each and every aisle of books, my eyes were set on some books. I decided what book I wanted to buy first, but I ended up buying all the books I thought would be interesting. After we looked inside the book store, we looked around the shops and bought some new outfits from half of the clothing stores. As the time went by, we all started walking back to the parking lot with some stuff and started driving back home.

I parked, and turned off the car by the garage. I helped the girls carry some of their stuff to the house. “Mom, we’re home.” Via calls out once we entered the house. We all put our stuff in the room, and tried on all the outfits we bought. “What you think of this outfit?” Via asks, wearing a baby blue sweater and pants, “Very blue.” Tiana comments. “Come on, I’m serious.” She says, “It’s cute…” She says as Via gives her a look, feeling a ‘but..’ coming up, “but it’s still very blue.” Tiana finishes. “Okay, you’re done. Get out.” Via says, throwing a pillow at Tiana’s direction. “This is my room too, so I’m going to have to say ‘No, thanks.’ because I’m not leaving.” Tiana says back.

(20 minutes later)

We hear a knock on the door, “Want to go out for dinner?” Aunt Lisa asks, “Okay.” We all agreed. “Clean your room first, it’s kind of a mess.” She says, Tiana playfully puts her hands up in defense, “Woah, there, mom. You need to relax.” She says. “You little shits.” Aunt Lisa says, laughing as she walks out. We all folded our new outfits and neatly organized it in the closets and started making our way to aunt Lisa sitting on the living room couch, who is almost finished reading her book. “You girls ready?” Aunt Lisa asked, putting her book down on the couch. “Yes.” We all say in unison. “Okay, let’s go.” She says, getting off the couch, taking her wallet and keys from the the table in front of her. We all parked in front of the King’s restaurant across the Guam Premium Outlet and Ruby Tuesday on Tamuning area, and waited inside by the front door and waited for us to be seated. “Hafa Adai.” A waitress greets us, “Table for how many?” The waitress asks, “4, please.” Aunt Lisa answers, “Right this way.” The waitress says, getting 4 menus and led us to an available table booth. “Thank you.” We all thanked, “No problem.” The waitress says before walking away to tend other costumers. I scanned through the menu and decided on ordering the rib-eye steak.

(5 minutes later)

“Are you ready to order?” The waitress asks, holding onto a pen and a little paper pad to write on. “I would like to an iced tea with a rib-eye steak, well done, with a side order of rice and some mashed potatoes.” I ordered. “Alright.” The waitress says, writing down my order. “I would like to have some water and coffee with the Chamorro sausage & eggs.” Aunt Lisa orders as the waitress writes it down. “I’m going to have the grilled salmon with some iced tea.” Tiana orders, “I’m going to have the same thing, too.” Via orders the same. “Is that all?” The waitress asks, “That’s all, for now. Thank you.” Aunt Lisa says, passing the menus back to the waitress.

(45 minutes later)

We all got our meals we ordered, prayed and started eating. “Can I have some of your mashed potatoes?” Via asks, “I could even trade you for some of my salmon.” She points to her grilled salmon. “Via, stop bother Adi and eat your food.” Aunt Lisa scolds. “It’s alright aunt Lisa. Here you go, Vi.” I say as I scooped some of the potatoes into her plate. “Thank you.” She thanks as she cuts half of the salmon and puts it on my plate. “Thanks.” I thanked her back.

(30 minutes later)

We all finished eating our meals, ‘I’m so full.’ I thought to myself. I wiped my mouth and got up to go pay for the dinner. “I’m gonna be right back.” I say, picking up the bill and walking up to where I have to pay. “Hi. I’m here to pay for mine and my family’s meal.” I say, giving them the bill with two $100 dollar bills. “You can keep the change.” I say as I walked to the bathroom to use the toilet and cleaned myself up. As I got out of the bathroom, I notice Daniel sitting by the window with a couple of people 5 tables in front of where I stood. I took a detour from him seeing me walk past him and left the restaurant with my family. “Today was fun.” Via says as we walked back into aunt Lisa’s car. I hear a sound coming from my phone, notifying that I got a message. I checked to see that Daniel’s name appeared on iMessage on my lock screen. As I looked at Daniel’s message, I saw that I still had mine and his picture together saved as my lock screen background, forgetting to change it. I went to the wallpaper on my settings and looked it one last time before removing it. I opened up his message to see a whole paragraph. ‘I should probably read this later.’ I thought to myself.

“Let’s ask some random questions ‘cause I’m bored.” Tiana says randomly. “Ooh, I wanna start asking first.” Via says, “If you had to choose between watching any movie or show of your choice, but it has to be muted without subtitles. Or…. only being able to watch something in a different language and have the subtitles be in that language. What would you choose?” Via asks, “I would choose to watch something on mute with no subtitles so I could try to understand what’s going on.” I answer. “Man, imagine someone walks in on you laughing at the TV with no sound on.” Tiana says, laughing. “I would be kinda embarrassed.” I answered, “I wouldn’t.” Tiana comments, “You wouldn’t?” Via asks her, “Don’t look so surprised, you know that I’m weird with my answers.” Tiana answers back, “True.” Via says.

(15 minutes later)

We all started walking back into the house. I went in the kitchen to get some water to drink, and I sat on the chair to check the message from Daniel.

Dani: Hey, I saw you leaving King’s with your family. I wanted to talk to you, but I completely understand that you don’t want to speak to me anymore. I also sant to say that I’m really sorry for everything from yesterday. I hope we get to work things out with our relationship sometime in the future because I know deep down in my heart that I still love you. 8:21 PM

I read his message, and decided to leave it until I felt like messaging back. I finished the rest of my water, washed it and went into the living room where Tiana and Via were watching an interview on TV. “What’s showing?” I asked as I sat on the couch next to Via. “We’re watching some BTS interviews on YouTube.” Tiana says and I nodded. One guy caught my attention, I looked at him for a few minutes to try and think of where I’ve seen him from. ‘Why does he look so familiar?’ I thought to myself, but I decided to forget about it since I get a migraine trying to remember something right now.

[solesurvivorpaigeargot]

I absolutely LOVE Sketchy Saturdays and I always look forward to them!! As for my question(s)? What made you decide to start doing it(I'm glad you do but I was just curious!)?

Hoooo boi the Sketchy Saturday Origin Story: I suppose there's two versions.

The short version reads " Moving stress, deployment depression, and isolation VS. my utter determination to DO SOMETHING whilst trapped in my home " -- Sketchy Saturday was the result of that title fight, so I guess the fandom won in the end? XD

The long version, however... Well, buckle up, cause this is gonna be a ride.

It may surprise y'all to know that two years I was eyeballs-deep in the South Park fandom. The blog still exists; my mainblog, JustCallMeButtlord, built to interact with the audience of my fanfictions-- the New Kid Stories, called NKS for short [gonna be porting those to Ao3 soon, just gotta figure out what robo-reader I'm gonna use to make a quick n dirty podfic out of the series as well as help me hunt down typos my eyes galze over]. The first 'season' of stories had ended, 8 completed fics, and I was puttering about with a bonus holiday story that was several months out of season. Not that I CARED because I was on GUAM where seasons don't exist and my time blindness gets even worse becasue without seasons changing it feels like time never progrsses even after being on the island for three cocksucking years.

I don't hate Guam, I am just not built for constant heat. I am a snow creature; I like below-freezing temperatures so I can layer up in fuzzy, fluffy things and drink hot drinks and cuddle loved ones and/or furry animals. It's a lovely island, I adored my first week there... I just wasn't made to live there.

HIlariously, NKS started out of the stress of moving to Guam. Two years and 8 fics later, the place we were renting was no longer within our price range and my hubby and I were forced to move onto base. Under the leader whom I refuse to name, military pay was given a precentage raise... but it was ripped out of bonuses and OCONUS pay. OCONUS is what a military member is paid when they're stationed Outisde the CONtinental United States. This usually means overseas bases like Japan, but it also means Hawaii, aaaaaand... GUAM. So that percentage pay increase for the military at large meant belt-tightening for every service member abroad, and we were forced to move onto base.

In case y'all haven't noticed by now, I'm a raging socialist with some issued with authority. I DO NOT LIKE EXISTING ON BASE. I do not like existing in a place where the national anthem plays twice a day, every day, at 6 AM and then again whenever the hell sundown is that day. And there's an unspoken rule no one tells you that when it plays you're supposed to stop what you're doing, face the nearest set of speakers playing the song, and stare in that direction with your hand over your heart until its over. That, if you're driving, you have to put on your emergency flashers and pull over. No one tells you this. NO ONE TELLS YOU THIS.

And then, before we had secured a place on base but we had set a move out date for the rental house, the Pandemic happened. While we were between homes. The base is talking full lockdown, Guam authorities want to shut down the island but businesses are terrified of not getting the tourist season business, we don't even know if we'll be allowed to move on to base.

Surprise, I stopped writing for a while... but I picked Fallout 4 back up again. I had been forced into the series years earlier by a toxic relationship, but the game itself hadn't been bad-- just the way I'd been forced to play it by someone who was firmly not in my life anymore. When confronted with character creation, I wasn't sure whom I wanted to make... but decided to go back to an old character. A VERY old character, whom I hadn't thought of since I'd finished ME3 at least 4 years prior, and a character I first conceived of when I was 14-ish... which is now about 15 years ago.

Paige.

I've talked before about how well Paige's story maps onto Fo4, but this was before I knew that. I knew the opening, her losing her kid, and that fit with her-- but something clicked while I was playing and the part of my brain that likes to create started wandering off. Soon enough I've got a couple chapters of a ficlet that I'm TOTALLY just writing as a personal one-shot to de-stress, no way I'm publishing this, I don't wanna get distracted from NKS, I got a whole 'nother season to write! Who cares if no one is reading it anymore because South Park Fandom doesn't like continuous plots.... right?

I was burnt out as hell, the move was looming, the Pandemic was getting worse and everything was getting scarier.

Then the news came through that hubby would be deploying again.

He wasn't supposed to, but the Navy decided the safest place for their sailors was the middle of the ocean, so if you WERENT in quarantine you were going on the boat and you were living there. Didn't matter if your spouse would be alone, unpacking a whole home by themselves.

I had a friend on base. We hung out. I met with my DND group on weekends; we all lived on base now, so we could meet up in like five minutes... and then restrictions tightened. You could be fined up to 5 grand for gathering in groups greater than 5, even outdoors, and detained if suspected of going to a home that wasn't yours. I still met 2 of my friends once a week for walks; get outside, be active, talk to other humans, but besides that? I was locked up alone in a new house in a place that I did NOT like existing in.... with a fresh new hyperfixation developing.

I think it was about a week into the new house that I made the new blog. At first I tried to run it side by side with the South Park stuff, but it wasn't long before all my attention was here... aaaand it also wasn't long before I was confronted with a lot of my own despair; of lockdown, of isolation, of watching a broken system crumble and not being able to DO anything about it, and I started to kinda lose my shit. I fuss-- I can't leave things alone, and I couldn't leave this feeling alone; of being fully and entirely helpless and hopeless.

And then I sketched a thing for a friend, and it made them happy. They were having a rough time, too, and I put something together because I couldn't think of anything else. And it helped. It lifted them up, and it lifted me up, too. Someone else had recently reblogged one of those pallet challenges that floats around Tumblr, and I decided FUCK IT LET'S DO THIS THING AND CALL IT SKETCHY SATURDAY!

Little secret, the very first Sketchy Saturday request? Was me. I was so scared no one would noticed the event, I sent myself the very first request, back when the event still took anons. Soon as that first picture was up:

BANG, suddenly four more; some people off anon. I met people that day, talked to them after the very first Sketchy weekend was over, chatted about the games and characters and art and writing and just... felt human for the first time in a really long while.

I figured I'd hold on to Sketchy Saturday until the deployment was over-- once hubby was back, I'd decide whether I was keeping it or not... but he came back, and I was still super into it, and he was supportive, sooooo I kept going! And then we did Sketchy Secret Santa, and people loved it, and my volunteers are excited about being Sketchy Elves and Secret Helpers and just OH MY GOD I DID A THING GUYS. I DID A THING-- that was just me all December and January long lmafo.

AND JANUARY! Because AH HECK, WE MOVING AGAIN! Because hubby finally got orders, and OH MY GOD we're going back to WA... but it's still a move half-way around the globe, and I was SURE I'd have to shut down the event for a month while we got our shit in order and NOPE, because here come the volunteers from Sketchy Secret Santa, and they wanna fill in all month long! Like... I didn't even ask for that shit, guys. They offered it so the event wouldn't have to take a gap.

Jesus I'm getting teary just remembering it.

So yeah. Sketchy Saturday is here because I got really lonely and stressed out while Fallout 4 provided me with some... catharsis for my situation, and then a pandemic happened.

And then y'all happened, and I'm still here. :D