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gstqaobc · 3 years ago

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💜💜💜HI FROM PG💜💜💜

Hello there everybody! I thought I would send a message or a post and just let you all know that I miss you and I miss being a very active part of Skippy‘s blog!!

I had my second vaccination the Astrazeneca on Tuesday and had my doctor assessment yesterday and my arm is getting better it’s still is not 100% so I am taking it low and slow and using the dictation software. I know so many of you have left messages such kind words of love and support and I really really really appreciate them! And I want to say a special message to💜🙏🏻💜 CHERUB, 💜🙏🏻💜you know that you are in my prayers every single day. Jesus is with you he will never leave you or for sake you no matter what happens. I will be back probably in another week I think with if my arm continues as it is progressing.

Now I have a few things I wanna say about what’s happening here first I wanna say the visit to Scotland was a rousing success and as usual our Catherine slayed Fashion wise and interpersonal skills wise! I saw someone write a comment that they didn’t like her in the brown and the khaki but I had commented a couple of weeks ago when she wore that beautiful camel coloured coat that I wish she would wear browns and taupes more often so I was just elated to see her wear those long wide leg pants that were hemmed exactly as they should be not dragging on the ground! I just think that this couple can do no wrong and they both very well for the future! Now I am not biased by my affection for the Cambridge is at all ha ha Ha! By the way I received my Hold Still book this week and I also received from Royal Mail Her Majesty’s at 95th birthday stamp first day cover and coin which was reasonably price I think £20? Anyhow the book is very substantial and because of my left arm being the way it is I have yet to be able to look at it because it’s quite heavy and it is a huge book, but I am looking forward to the day when I can hold it and I can enjoy looking at the pictures! Again I say Catherine kudos to you on your fabulous projects! Catherine I also wonder if you’re stealing my word wowza because when you met with Mila for tea, you said wowza as she showed her dress twirling. I’m wondering are you borrowing from PG?? Aka me?? 😂😂😂🤣🤣Catherine you are most welcome to share the word while that I think we are the only two people on the planet that still say it ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!

OK now onto our Harry. Heads together in the UK and many other mental health organizations around the world are doing fabulous work. CBT or cognitive behavioural therapy, cognitive restructuring, EDMR, Hipnosis, that’s spelt wrong but hey I’m dictating hypnosis is spelled HYPNO either we go anyhow those are all legitimate therapies done when they’re done by trained professionals! One thing that has always driven me crazy about Oprah and Dr. Phil who is her who is her surrogate, is they do mumbo-jumbo therapy on tv and have people share their just horrific interpersonal stories with an audience and a television audience! It just it just sickens me to make people so vulnerable for attention and ratings and money and advertising! When I saw Harry doing the tapping and whatever I just felt whether he was doing it for real or whether he’s towing the line as I believe it is just so wrong to show somebody at their most vulnerable!! It just sickens me.

However let’s let us ask ourselves why is this happening now? When ‘her’, l will continue to use the descriptor ‘her’ was doing all the talking a.k.a. lying because every time her lips move we know she’s lying and now she’s been silent. But for the last well since about the time that the Duke of Edinburgh passed away Harry allegedly has flown back to the to the United States where apparently he’s lived for two years one article said which surprises me but anyways what what’s truth and in articles. And he has been everywhere good morning America that all these Apple things with Oprah and celebrities and doing this and that and the other all for mental health!

You know sometimes it’s too much of a good thing. There’s a lot of excellent organizations in Canada there’s a CMH a Canadian mental health Association all over the world. But this constant stream of video and him in our face that’s not normal and the things he saying or lies and their provable lies that they’re not difficult at all. This is NOT NORMAL! IT IS A DELIBERATE OVERSATURATION FILLED WITH SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES IN THE VIDEOS, TRUST ME, SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES IN ADVERTISING IS REAL. TAKE A MAGNIFYING GLASS TO A FASHION MAGAZINE AND LOOK CLOSELY. YOU WILL BE AMAZED WHAT IS EMBEDDED IN THEM. JUST LIKE THE DISNEY VIDEOS THAT WERE SHOWN TO HAVE ADULT DRAWINGS.

In knowing Harry’s dedication to his Queen, his grandmother and his grandfather why on earth would he pick the first few days after the funeral to dig in like this and go so public? Why? We really must ask ourselves why? I will tell you why he is continuing to expose evil! There are all kinds of organizations that I’m not gonna name any “churches” some start with the letter S which many celebrities are members of Tom C is one. These organizations manipulate people and just like the NIXVM did in Canada. These backers are evil people and they’re willing to use people for anything in anyway at any purpose. The last picture I saw of Harry it was a video but I didn’t watch the video he looks so pale and so gaunt and so unwell that even though I believe he is doing the right thing and exposing all this and eventually hopefully eventually this will wrap up with him being free and everyone brought to justice let’s hope and pray, this is taking a terrible toll on him an absolute terrible toll. I have to again harken back to London scoop, everything has come to pass that she foretold way back several years ago when she came upon this information about this plot. I did a post one post last week where I propose the thought that the plot to integrate the British royal family began in the 1990s with princess Diana and I still believe that. I don’t know all the reasons or who the people would be but things things are just smelling very funny very very funny and I don’t mean funny as in laughter I mean funny as an off off off off!!!

So I say let us continue to pray for our Queen her family pray for the Cambridges, that they all stay safe and healthy the whole family to especially pray for Harry, whether do you think he’s doing his duty or you think he’s fallen under her trap and has become some whimpering child, pray for him all the more then because he needs it. If you really believe that he is he is doing this on his own free will because he’s mesmerized by her or he is woke and has become part of the woke world my goodness he needs more prayer than ever! To be released from these bondages!!

OK kids that’s my more than my two cents worth! As you all know it’s never one word thing with me I am very elaborative! I miss you all miss you and you all know who you are! Take care sending you all my love and prayers, PG!! I beg you all please don’t forget about me because I shall return I shall return!

To my dear Skippy, thank you for always being there. Thank you for relay messages. Most especially thank you for this safe space, your friendship and your prayers.

To my MM Anon/ Kensington Anon, thank you so much for your kind messages of love and support I have really appreciated it. I just feel like I’ve let everybody down by not being able to do the stories about the Cambridges. But I shall return soon hopefully in a week I’ll see how my arm is but it’s getting better hopefully in a week. I hope this finds you well, I hope you read this I don’t know if you ever checked my blog but if you do you will see this here.

💜🙂🙏🏻✝️💟PG💟✝️🙂🙏🏻💜

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿

#@skippyv20 @sandiedog

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princessmadafu · 4 years ago

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That Book (excuse the long post)

I didn't want to jump into the fray without first thinking over the published extracts of FF and the various critiques and synopses in the press. I'd just like to send huge thanks to YankeeWallee and everyone that YW herself thanks for the collated screenshots of the excerpts and RoyahNikkah's review. I'll do what the rest of you do and state here that these are my personal opinions and anything quoted comes under "fair usage", etc. Long live free speech!

My over-riding reaction is, what an absolute pile of lies, lies and more lies. Starting with Scobie's sources, of which he says there are at least two per nugget of information. I believe most of the book has come directly or indirectly from MM herself, and that any "sources" have MM's blessing, sanction or outright order to disclose. FaceTiming in the bath? How would Scobie know? Unless he was in the bath with her, this can only have come from herself or the friend being FaceTimed. There is too much of a highly personal nature for it to be Scobie's own investigative work. So there's the first lie, straight from the weirdly-toothy Sussexy horse's mouth; of course she collaborated!

Some of us had our reservations right from the start of Harry and MM's relationship, but we were prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt and join in the welcome of a biracial, divorced American actress. Right-wing, left-wing, a-political or not-royally-bothered, we all thought, Let's give the pair a chance to see what they can do.

How about this article from Spiked on the engagement of Harry & MM from 2017:

Meghan Markle: Generation Woke's Princess Diana - spiked

"...look no further than the fawning response to the engagement of Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle – one of those rare occasions in which both the Telegraph editorial team and the identity-politics set erupted in simultaneous celebration."

How quickly the celebration wore off as the pair of them squandered our goodwill. Another article from Spiked from July 2019, less than two years later, is harsher, when we've all been insulted, preached at and condemned as racists by PH&MM:

Meghan Markle is the worst kind of snob - spiked

"With the possible exception of a few sad social outcasts, no one has a problem with the fact that Meghan’s mum just happens to be black. No, Meghan is criticised for being snobby, elitist, hopelessly out of touch and possessing all the self-awareness of a flea. It’s not Meghan’s skin colour that annoys people, but the fact that she thinks nothing of donning an outfit that costs more than most people in the UK earn in a year and then getting her minders to order the public not to take photos of her. [...] There are heaps of reasons for people not just to criticise Meghan and Harry, but to ridicule their hypocrisy and puncture their pomposity. And not one involves the colour of Meghan’s skin. Meghan comes in for criticism because she is the worst kind of snob who condescends to tell others not just what to do, but also what to think. The fact that she is biracial is completely irrelevant. Of course, there is an obvious solution for Harry and Meghan if they do not like the public attention and criticism. Harry could denounce his claim to the throne. They could give up the titles, move out of the palaces and fund their own lifestyle. I can’t for the life of me imagine why they don’t."

Prescient, no? Six months later and they announce they're off. She played him like a fiddle. The raptures she went into over Botswana and wanting the spend the summer? Did she feed his fantasies of moving to Africa permanently? How strange that Africa became Canada, which then became Los Angeles? Strange my perky little bottom! She had this planned all along. I don't know if PH is with her over there, but she certainly seems to be feeding the illusion that she is now Hollywood Royalty. If she couldn't cut real Royalty, she definitely won't cut the LaLaLand version which is a lot less restrained in voicing its opinions of jumped-up wannabes. Especially the Markly ones who cut, dump, run and show no loyalty or staying power.

The following points, in no particular order, are mostly from an assortment of DM writers and comments from members of the public.

"The book claims the so-called ‘old guard’ tried to undermine the couple and ‘were concerned that the global interest in and popularity of the Sussexes needed to be reined in’." A little self-aggrandisement here, possibly? Global interest, maybe, of the rubber-necking car crash variety, but global popularity? When was that, exactly? Royal staff are all well aware that the purpose of the Royals is to support HMTQ; that is their job. If the Sussexes needed reining in at all, it was because they weren't doing their job properly.

"Harry and Meghan believed ‘few inside the palace were looking out for their interests’ and felt that most courtiers could not be trusted with their sensitive information." Ditto, the courtiers' job is to look out for the interests of HMTQ; PH&MM's job was to look out for the interests of HMTQ, not themselves.

"They believed that these ‘men in grey suits’ were stifling their attempts to launch their initiatives, and when they tried to air these frustrations ‘the conversations didn’t lead anywhere’." I mean, come on! PH is 6th in line. He knows that. There is no "they" involved here - it's all MM again, isn't it, thinking she's more important because she's more popular and she famously gets what she wants... She thought she could snap her fingers and make whatever she wanted happen. She ignored the hierarchy and the protocols, and probably (I suspect) got dimwit Harry believing that she knew best, and that together they could change the world.

"One source said Harry felt that some of the old guard at the palace ‘simply didn’t like Meghan and would stop at nothing to make her life difficult’." I can well believe that staff at the palace didn't like her - she showed her true colours quite early on - but deliberately making her life difficult? I suspect this is what MM told Harry. Twisted the truth, naturally. I'm guessing she made a few ridiculous OTT demands, or wanted some unworkable project, and the staff, knowing their jobs as they do, tried to point out the flaws in her ideas, prevent her making a fool of herself, or otherwise politely protect her from herself. Goodness knows, she made a fool of herself often enough, barging in front and all that...

"The book concludes that Meghan was ‘totally foreign’ to this group of advisers, who ‘could sometimes be even more conservative than the institution they guarded’." They were guarding an institution with over a thousand years of history from someone with neither understanding of nor respect for British history, the Monarchy, or the duties of the RF; and she made no effort to learn.

"Another insider said: ‘The fact is that Meghan was welcomed with open arms and everyone did their best to offer their help about how to navigate such a tricky public role – advice she would often choose to ignore." The arrogance of the woman! And she was welcomed. She just believed that she knew best.

"Omid Scobie said Meghan’s high-profile career as an actress and the fact that she was a divorcee left her ‘ripe for exploitation’." High-profile career, mwah! Actress, mwah! Divorcee, so what? Charles and Camilla are both divorce/es, Anne is a divorcee, so is Andrew, and a whole bunch of other lesser royals. As for being ripe for exploitation, I think we all know how this panned out and MM wasn't the one being exploited! Far from it. She milked every opportunity and opening her new title and her new husband could bring her.

"During one of their final engagements as senior royals, Meghan was ‘purposefully snubbed’ by Kate in front of a global TV audience, the authors claim." Well now, where to start on this one? MM threw a hissy fit because she wasn't allowed to walk in the procession with HMTQ, C&C and DDoC. The DDoC decided to appease MM by pulling out of the procession and taking their seats. Now I don't know what DDoC thought about that but I can just imagine them comparing MM's behaviour with that of their own beautifully behaved kids. I can just imagine them thinking thank God she'll be gone soon! I doubt there was any purposeful snubbing at the service but MM has no manners and no idea how to behave, not even in church. The DDoC are too well brought-up to "carry on" in a place of worship, nor would they lean across seats for a happy little chat, just a quick turn round for a friendly word with Edward and Sophie immediately behind them before the arrival of C&C and HMTQ. Churches are not places to be gossiping and grinning inanely, and you definitely don't push your way through the chairs when the service is over! She is so rude and ill-mannered.

"The book claims Meghan and Kate’s ‘cordial but distant rapport’ was apparent when the pair appeared alongside each other at the King Power Royal Charity Polo Day last summer." I don't remember the dates exactly, but I should think by this time DoC was well and truly fed up with MM's shenanigans; the doe-eyes she'd been pulling at PW, the rumours she and the SS had been fanning about PW and une petite liaison with a long-time friend... Cordial but distant was probably the best MM could hope for at this stage; DoC was hardly about to play Happy Families with the troublemaker.

"The couple were dismayed when no photograph of them and their son Archie was displayed during the Queen’s Christmas speech last year." It was quite clear that the photos on display represented the direct line of succession, from HMTQ's father through to her great-grandson - five generations of the Monarchy. I truly believe that MM wanted to "modernise" the RF to such an extent that PH would be elected King! With MM at his side, dripping in all the jewels she could get her greedy mitts on! I realise it must be hard for PH to get to grips with his status as "Pretty Much Relegated Former Spare", but she must have been really feeding his insecurities if she got him upset about the absence of a photograph.

"Prince Harry was the first to say 'I love you' in his relationship with Meghan Markle, with friends revealing the couple were 'immediately obsessed' with each other, according to the latest extract of a bombshell biography." Oooh, how would Scobie know something as intimate as this? Immediately obsessed with each other, I can well believe; MM with his status, title, money, the palaces, the jewels... and she reeled him into her fantasy world with lies and perfectly posed KamaSutra yoga until he was obsessed with this chameleon woman, at the same time both mother-figure and hot, sexy, adoring, sophisticated, intelligent, humanitarian animal lover. Oh the lies, the lies; "Will you walk into my parlour, said the Spider to the Fly."

"They enjoyed a romantic dinner, with staff taking great pains to ensure their privacy, whisking them in through a staff entrance usually used to bring in fish discreetly." This is their second date at SoHo House, and again, how would Scobie know little details unless MM had told him herself? I like the hint of shade by the writer noting that the entrance was used to bring in fish discreetly - there's definitely something fishy about MM!

How about some comments from DM readers?

"Every single shameless self-serving tabloid "leak" and publicity stunt she has orchestrated has backfired specularly. Hence why Harry has gone from beloved military man and active working Royal to a national embarrassment within two short years! Her efforts at aggressive self-promotion are no match for her lack of talent or perspective in that area. She could have heeded advice from other, more dedicated Royals, but No. Meghan knew better and decided that she was deserving of instant worship fit for her 'celebrity' expectations. The Duchess of Cambridge has earned respect over years with quiet dedication to her causes. Meghan felt entitled to all the glory instantly, and was clearly slighted to learn that respect is not something to be commanded. She is a culture vulture with no respect or understanding of the very people that she promised to represent." [Jace T Adams]

"The narrative of the relationship is laughable. Everyone knows they first met in Canada when Harry was there for Invictus. He needed a girl for the night and Meghan was arranged for him. She must have been impressive as they had a date the next day and the rest is history." [Lady M]

"You can't work with someone you don't trust and these two have proven untrustworthy." [ellegrav]

I have no inside information on any of above, but people better placed than I am are making similar judgments on the contents of FF; people who've spent their working lives following and reporting on the RF.

"The Queen’s former press secretary Dickie Arbiter told the Mail: ‘I think it has their fingerprints all over it. We had a similar scenario in 1992 when Diana swore blind she hadn’t helped Andrew Morton and yet a year later it came out that she had indirectly helped him so history is repeating itself. ‘There are too many things that we have seen in the serialisation that could only come from the horse’s mouth, like deciding to gatecrash Sandringram when they landed from Canada."

And Jan Moir: JAN MOIR on the Meghan and Harry biography that has put ...

What did the pair of them want or expect? Top billing, it seems. What is remarkable is that Harry’s whole life and entire upbringing have been devoted and calibrated to him being a prince. Surely he understands how it works? Surely he could have explained the system to his vexed new bride? Primarily, that being royal is a form of active service, with ranks and a hierarchy so uncomplicated that schoolchildren throughout the realm understand the line of succession and its importance to the Windsors — and to us.

And Robert Hardman: ROBERT HARDMAN: Harry and Meghan are ... - dailymail.co.uk

Yet Finding Freedom is a struggle against protocol and seating plans. It is based on the perceived unfairness of a pecking order which has governed — and preserved — the monarchy for 1,000 years.

We can't all be wrong!

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goldendayszine · 4 years ago

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✨ We’re back ✨

Happy Pride and Happy Birthday Simon Snow! 🎉 The Golden Days zine has been relaunched!

Thanks to your incredible support the first time around, we were able to raise over 7200 USD for OutRight Action International. Since then, OutRight has been working hard during the COVID-19 crisis to aid the LGBTQ+ community around the world, as it is disproportionately negatively affected by the pandemic. Especially now, as government regulations in many places are loosening, the need to keep up funding and protections is very important. You can read more about OutRight's COVID-19 Emergency Fund here There is also another extremely important international concern right now, and it would be remiss of us to not give the Black Lives Matter movement the attention it deserves. As such, we now have an ActBlue page set up so that donors can give to the Black Lives Matter Global Network as an alternative place to donate. They are an organization in the US, UK, and Canada fighting white supremacy and racial injustice, working tirelessly to improve all Black lives.

https://outrightinternational.org/#GoldenDays

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/goldendays

Donations of 10 USD or more when using the above links will grant you a digital copy of the zine

☀ The zine features 3 short comics, 21 illustrations, and 14 stories ☀

[Zine Previews] [Contributors] [Mobile-Friendly Contributors Post]

PLUS, we have a brand new BONUS STORY!

Our beloved @f-ing-ruthless-baz had to step down from being a contributor originally, and we are so very happy to have them back for the relaunch! Their story is wonderful—we can’t wait to share it with you.

All previous donors will be provided with the bonus story, as well!

Your 10 USD or more donation also grants you one entry into our raffle!

Each additional raffle entry is 2 USD (For example: a 20 USD donation = 6 entries) The more raffle entries you have, the higher your chances of winning!

You must donate at least 10 USD to one of the organizations to receive the zine. However, you may split your additional donations for raffle entries across both organizations as you see fit.

Previous donors wishing to enter the raffle may forgo the 10 USD minimum and only donate as much as they would like.

ONE WINNER WILL RECEIVE:

A deleted scene from rebel rebel by Ban/@basic-banshee

About 500 words

OOAK watercolour painting by @duod

Seen here

Pride print by @vkelleyart

Seen here

Handmade bookmark by @penpanoply

Quote and paper will vary

4" Sticker by @krisrix

Seen here

OOAK sketch by @krisrix

Created just for you!

THREE WINNERS WILL RECEIVE:

Pride print by @vkelleyart

Seen here

The relaunch is open from June 21 - July 5

On July 24th, contributors will still be free to publicly post their pieces, as initially planned.

But if you missed out on the zine the first time around and want the whole package, then this will be your last chance to get it!

Donate 10 USD or more to OutRight Action international using our custom Golden Days campaign link:

https://outrightinternational.org/#GoldenDays

Donate 10 USD or more to Black Lives Matter Global Network using our custom Golden Days campaign link:

https://secure.actblue.com/donate/goldendays

☀ The raffle winner will be drawn on July 8th ☀

Important: You must use our Golden Days campaign links to be eligible for the zine and raffle.

Zine and raffle fulfillment won’t begin until after the relaunch period has closed. You will receive your zine on July 8th.

Zines will be sent to the email address you provided when donating.

You must donate at least 10 USD to one of the organizations. However, you may split your additional donations for raffle entries across both organizations as you see fit.

Previous raffle winners are not eligible for the raffle. Contributors are also not eligible for the raffle.

[Zine Previews] [Contributors] [Mobile-Friendly Contributors Post]

Thank you for your enthusiasm for this project. We hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy.

🌈 Happy Pride! 🌈

#simon snow #baz pitch #snowbaz #simon snow series #carry on #wayward son #carry on zine #golden days carry on zine #golden days zine #outright action international #black lives matter #black lives matter global network #announcement #relaunch

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newstfionline · 3 years ago

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Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Offices after COVID: Wider hallways, fewer desks (AP) The coronavirus already changed the way we work. Now it’s changing the physical space, too. Many companies are making adjustments to their offices to help employees feel safer as they return to in-person work, like improving air circulation systems or moving desks further apart. Others are ditching desks and building more conference rooms to accommodate employees who still work remotely but come in for meetings. Architects and designers say this is a time of experimentation and reflection for employers. Steelcase, an office furniture company based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, says its research indicates half of global companies plan major redesigns to their office space this year. “This year caused you to think, maybe even more fundamentally than you ever have before, ‘Hey, why do we go to an office?’” said Natalie Engels, a San Jose, California-based design principal at Gensler, an architecture firm.

Canada sets record temperature of over 114 degrees amid heat wave, forecasts of even hotter weather (Washington Post) Lytton, a village in British Columbia, became the first place in Canada to ever record a temperature over 113 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday—and experts are predicting even hotter weather to come. The temperature in Lytton soared to just under 115 degrees Sunday, according to Environment Canada, a government weather agency. “It’s warmer in parts of western Canada than in Dubai. I mean, it’s just not something that seems Canadian,” Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillips told CTV News on Saturday. Even in the metropolitan hub of Vancouver, parks, beaches and pools have been flooded with residents eager to cool off as the temperature hit 89 degrees at the local airport on Sunday—a record in a coastal city that usually has mild weather. The high temperatures in the region have been blamed on a “heat dome”—a sprawling area of high pressure—now sitting over western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Experts say climate change can make extreme weather events like this more common.

Florida condo collapse echoes tragedies in Brazil, Egypt and India (Washington Post) Around the world, in countries with paltry building codes, little enforcement of existing rules and the proliferation of informal housing, tragedies like Thursday’s building collapse in Florida—where scores of people are still missing—have taken a heavy toll. Among the missing is the first cousin of a former president of Chile, where in 2019 at least six people died when two houses collapsed in the port city of Valparaiso. Others are from Argentina and Colombia, sites of two deadly building tragedies that killed at least a dozen people in each country in 2013. On Friday, five people were killed in the coastal Egyptian city of Alexandria after a five-story building collapsed—an all-too-frequent event in a country where planning permits are often bypassed or violated and makeshift structures house millions of people. At least two people died in Brazil when a four-story residential building crumbled June 3 in a slum in Rio de Janeiro, were organized crime is known to have a hand in shoddy construction projects. In India, buildings are routinely at risk of collapse during the annual monsoon rains. The night of June 9, at least 11 people, including eight children, were killed in Mumbai when a two-story building collapsed on nearby structures, the BBC reported. Local authorities said it was likely due to heavy rains.

New Cuba policy on hold while Biden deals with bigger problems (Washington Post) Five months into his administration, President Biden’s campaign promise to “go back” to the Obama policy of engagement with Cuba remains unfulfilled, lodged in a low-priority file somewhere between “too hard” and “not worth it.” “I would say that 2021 is not 2015,” when Obama reestablished full diplomatic relations with Havana and opened the door to increased U.S. travel and trade with the communist-ruled island, only to see Donald Trump slam it closed again, a senior administration official said. “We have an entire world and a region in disarray,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. “We are combating a pandemic and dealing with a breaking down of democracy in a whole host of countries. That is the environment we are in. When it comes down to Cuba, we’ll do what’s in the national security interest of the United States.” But if the current state of the world and national security demands on the administration make addressing the relationship with Cuba one hard problem too many, what makes it not worth the effort is a purely domestic matter. For the most part, it comes down to two words: Robert Menendez. The Democratic senator from New Jersey, the powerful chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, is a key player in issues the administration sees as far more important than Cuba in a Senate evenly split along party lines. The U.S.-born son of immigrants from pre-communist Cuba, he is strongly against reopening the door to Havana.

Venezuela migrants cross US border in droves (AP) Marianela Rojas huddles in prayer with her fellow migrants, a tearful respite after trudging across a slow-flowing stretch of the Rio Grande and nearly collapsing onto someone’s backyard lawn, where, seconds before, she stepped on American soil for the first time. It’s a frequent scene across the U.S.-Mexico border at a time of swelling migration. But these aren’t farmers and low-wage workers from Mexico or Central America, who make up the bulk of those crossing. They’re bankers, doctors and engineers from Venezuela, and they’re arriving in record numbers as they flee turmoil in the country with the world’s largest oil reserves and pandemic-induced pain across South America. Last month, 7,484 Venezuelans were encountered by Border Patrol agents along the U.S.-Mexico border—more than all 14 years for which records exist. While some are government opponents fearing harassment and jailing, the vast majority are escaping long-running economic devastation marked by blackouts and shortages of food and medicine.

Peru’s election limbo (Foreign Policy) Supporters of both Pedro Castillo and Keiko Fujimori took to the streets of Peru over the weekend as the June 6 presidential election still does not have an official winner. Castillo’s apparent 44,000-vote victory has been delayed by Fujimori’s accusations of fraud in an election process that international observers, including the United States, have described as free and fair. An electoral jury charged with adjudicating contested ballots resumes its review today, with an official result only possible once the jury’s work has concluded.

Who needs hackers? (Foreign Policy) A spat between Russia and the United Kingdom over a British naval vessel’s transit near Russian-occupied Crimea took a bizarre turn over the weekend when classified documents about the operation were found in a sodden heap behind a bus stop in Kent. The documents, given to the BBC, describe the boat’s journey—which caused Russia to scramble military jets—as an “innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters,” and includes potential routes that would have avoided a Russian response. The British government has launched an investigation into how the documents leaked. Responding to the incident, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova mocked the British government. “Why do we need ‘Russian hackers’ if there are British bus stops?,” Zakharova said on Telegram.

The Far-Right Stumbles in France (Foreign Policy) The French far-right fared poorly in regional elections over the weekend, failing to win control of even one of France’s 18 regions and potentially denting Marine Le Pen’s chances ahead of next year’s presidential contest. Le Pen will hope that the low turnout belies greater support on the national stage. An estimated 34.5 percent of French voters cast a ballot on Sunday.

Spain, Portugal further restrict UK travelers (AP) Spain and Portugal have placed new restrictions on U.K. travelers. Portugal says they must go into quarantine for two weeks unless they have proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 finished 14 days earlier. The policy took effect Monday. The government says people can quarantine at home or in a place stipulated by Portuguese health authorities. Arrivals from Brazil, India and South Africa come under the same rule. All others entering Portugal must show either the European Union’s COVID Digital Certificate or a negative PCR test. In Spain, beginning Thursday, people arriving from the U.K. in the Balearic Islands will have to show they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a negative PCR test.

India Shifts 50,000 Troops to China Border in Historic Move (Bloomberg) India has redirected at least 50,000 additional troops to its border with China in a historic shift toward an offensive military posture against the world’s second-biggest economy. Although the two countries battled in the Himalayas in 1962, India’s strategic focus has primarily been Pakistan since the British left the subcontinent, with the long-time rivals fighting three wars over the disputed region of Kashmir. Yet since the deadliest India-China fighting in decades last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration has sought to ease tensions with Islamabad and concentrate primarily on countering Beijing. Over the past few months, India has moved troops and fighter jet squadrons to three distinct areas along its border with China, according to four people familiar with the matter. All in all, India now has roughly 200,000 troops focused on the border, two of them said, which is an increase of more than 40% from last year. China is adding fresh runway buildings, bomb-proof bunkers to house fighter jets and new airfields along the disputed border in Tibet, two of the people said. Beijing also adding long-range artillery, tanks, rocket regiments and twin-engine fighters in the last few months.

U.S. targets Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Syria strikes (Washington Post) U.S. forces launched airstrikes on facilities on both sides of the Iraq-Syria border, the Pentagon said Sunday, in response to recent drone attacks on U.S. troops in the region carried out by Iran-backed militias. Two militia locations in Syria were attacked, along with one in Iraq, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement, which described the strikes as defensive in nature. Officials have said militias employing small, explosive-laden drones to attack regional U.S. personnel is one of the chief concerns for the U.S. military mission there. Syrian state media said, without providing evidence, that U.S. strikes hit residential buildings near the border around 1 a.m. local time, killing one child and wounding three residents.

Palestinians protesting against Abbas (AP) Thousands of Palestinians have taken to the streets in recent days to protest against President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority, whose security forces and supporters have violently dispersed them. The demonstrations were sparked by the death of an outspoken critic of the PA in security forces’ custody last week, but the grievances run much deeper. Abbas’ popularity plunged after he called off the first elections in 15 years in April and was sidelined by the Gaza war in May. The PA has long been seen as rife with corruption and intolerant of dissent. Its policy of coordinating security with Israel to go after Hamas and other mutual foes is extremely unpopular. Protesters at the Al-Aqsa mosque on Friday accused the PA of being collaborators, a charge that amounts to treason.

Ethiopia declares immediate, unilateral cease-fire in Tigray (AP) Ethiopia’s government on Monday declared an immediate, unilateral cease-fire in its Tigray region after nearly eight months of deadly conflict as Tigray forces occupied the regional capital, soldiers retreated and hundreds of thousands of people continue to face the world’s worst famine crisis in a decade. The cease-fire could calm a war that has destabilized Africa’s second most populous country and threatened to do the same in the wider Horn of Africa, where Ethiopia has been seen as a key security ally for the West. The declaration was carried by state media shortly after the Tigray interim administration, appointed by the federal government, fled the regional capital, Mekele. Meanwhile, Mekele residents cheered the return of Tigray forces for the first time since Ethiopian forces took the city in late November. Ethiopia said the cease-fire will last until the end of the crucial planting season in Tigray. The season’s end comes in September.

After pandemic free-for-all, parents struggle to reinstate screen-time rules (Washington Post) The week after Rebecca Grant took away her kids’ video games for a month, after a year of relaxed pandemic rules, her 10-year-old son was livid. The ban wasn’t an easy decision for Grant. The 46-year-old mom of two from Fremont, Calif., did hours of research and read multiple books from parenting experts. She joined Facebook groups for families in similar situations and closely watched her children’s behavior, which had been worrisome for a while. “He was really not taking it well,” Grant said. “In a way, it reinforced my decision. He’s just so attached to this [video games], he’s not rational.” After 15 months of various levels of shutdowns, families in the United States are trying to come out of a tech-filled haze for summer. It’s a chance to swap out Xbox time for bike rides with friends, or Zoom school for summer camp. But parents are discovering that subtracting screen time is much harder to do than adding it. They are facing resistance from kids accustomed to their freedom or just struggling to find alternatives to fill the time before a more normal fall school semester begins. While some parents just want their kids to be social or active again, many have noticed personality and behavioral changes in their children. They’re irritable, argumentative and have poor focus. Some have become anxious or depressed, or throw more tantrums and fly into rages. “Having all that screen time all day for a whole year, their nervous system is really disregulated, and those symptoms need to be reversed,” said Victoria Dunckley, a child psychiatrist who studies the impact of screens on children and the author of “Reset Your Child’s Brain.” “All this overstimulation is putting them into a state of stress.”

#headlines #news

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usafricahf · 4 years ago

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Solving the Housing Crisis in Africa

Ameet Dhillon

Marketing and Business Development Executive

The continent of Africa has about 1.3 billion people today and many demographers believe it will nearly double to 2.5 billion by 2050. Africa also has the youngest average population with a median age in 2012 of 19.7--the worldwide median age was 30.4. This unparalleled level of growth, coupled with youth, presents many problems such as housing: The African Development Bank estimates there is a deficit of 50.5 million housing units in Sub-Saharan Africa. Every government in Africa recognizes residential housing as a key problem, yet it is hardly being addressed. The problem seems almost intractable, particularly in the so-called “social housing” segment which is often defined as a residence that costs less than $25,000 USD. So what is the problem and is there any way to solve it?

Let’s briefly discuss the various issues that are compounding the housing crisis and then we will get to an innovative approach to solve, or at least lessen this problem. The issues with housing in Africa are numerous, but there are at least four main problems that must be overcome. The first is inconsistent or poor-quality construction due to a lack of international-class training for construction trades such as concrete mixing, roof installation, and final finish. The second is limited economies of scale because house construction is often project managed by the owner or his/her representative. As a result, cost overruns are common, and construction can take years to complete. The third is a lack of trust in real estate developers which is often what leads to the aforementioned second problem. Finally, the fourth and perhaps the biggest problem is financing. Without some sort of reasonable financing, a housing industry simply cannot exist. Imagine for a moment trying to buy your current residence in the US, Europe or indeed anywhere in the world by paying cash at the time of purchase. Would you be able to buy your house under those circumstances? For most people, the answer is no, yet that is the environment that the majority of African homebuyers face today.

These problems seem almost insurmountable; how do we even begin to address them? Rather than walk the reader through some theoretical exercise on what could be done, I will describe what two innovative companies (full disclosure: I am Managing Director of one of them) are successfully doing right now to prove these problems can be overcome. I don’t claim these companies have fully solved the problem, but they have laid out a clear blueprint in parts of West Africa that anyone else is free to emulate anywhere on the continent. In fact, the principals of both companies are willing to share their formula for success with anyone; just for the asking; no strings attached. Email [email protected] to begin a discussion.

American Homebuilders of West Africa (AHWA) and US-Africa Housing Finance (USAHF) are both US-registered LLCs that symbiotically work together to build, sell and finance houses in West Africa. The following diagram illustrates the relationship between the two companies.

AHWA markets, builds, and sells houses in West Africa and USAHF provides the financing by purchasing loans originated by AHWA. Private investors provide the capital to USAHF (earning an annual 9%, us-dollar return over the last three years) which begins the virtuous cycle that propels this relationship forward.

One thing you will notice is the total lack of government help or any kind of philanthropy in this model to date. Both businesses are for-profit (and currently profitable) and have thus far relied 100% on private capital raised in the United States. Having said that, there is an appropriate place for governments, foundations or other quasi-government institutions to get involved to provide much needed catalytic capital to move the respective businesses forward more quickly and efficiently. Since the business model for both companies has been proven; now is the time for large institutions to step up and provide support.

So how did these companies overcome the four problems laid out earlier where others have failed? The first problem of poor construction quality is not conceptually hard to solve given that construction techniques are well understood in the US, Europe, and other developed markets. However, to do it in an environment that is used to accepting poor quality as a "fact of life" requires investing in the local team's development and a great deal of diligence and desire to produce a quality product. Fortunately, the co-founders of AHWA all have that desire and thus construct houses that anyone can be proud to live in. Part of this diligence can be traced back to their experience as peace corps volunteers in Cote d’Ivoire in the 1990s. As an example of their dedication, one of the co-founders of AHWA, Jonathan Halloran, personally trained the local African team in how to build a safer ladder (see photo below), use power tools effectively and organize a logistics depot.

Jonathan's theory is you teach one group how to do it in an international-class way and they will eagerly pass on that knowledge to anyone who will listen. Fortunately, most Africans are eager to listen and learn as they genuinely want to see their country and indeed their continent progress.

The second problem--limited economies of scale--, and the third--lack of trust in developers--go hand in hand. If there is trust in housing developers, then there is no need for individuals to build their own house and suffer the associated pain and heartache. Ask any member of the African diaspora and they will relate either a personal story or one of some close friends or relatives that involves getting “scammed” while trying to build a house back in Africa. AHWA has gotten over the trust problem the old-fashioned way: They provide a quality product to their customers and “word of mouth” over time has done the rest. AHWA is now a trusted brand in Guinea, West Africa and beginning to develop in neighboring countries such as Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal with many more to come.

The final problem is financing and this is perhaps the most vexing of all. Providing a home loan to a borrower is more complicated than it might seem at first glance. There is the obvious issue of raising the capital to fund the loans (this itself is hard enough when the target market is Africa), but perhaps more difficult is the underwriting process. The lender cannot just provide a loan to anyone; the borrower must be properly vetted via some systematic and repeatable process. This requires getting to know a prospective borrower and assessing the associated risk. To ease this daunting task, initially, USAHF only plans to offer loans to the African diaspora living in OECD countries such as the US, France, Canada, UK, etc. In addition, a 30% down payment is required along with customary verification of income, debt and the like.

One unique aspect of the joint AHWA/USAHF underwriting model is that they allow borrowers to pay monthly into what is effectively an "escrow account" for up to 24 months in order to reach the 30% down payment level. This is not only helpful for the borrower but also provides invaluable data and confidence about the borrower’s ability to pay. If someone has the financial discipline to make a monthly payment for a year or more without even having a house, the likelihood of them defaulting once they actually have the house is very low. In other words, they are an excellent credit risk.

The final piece of the financing puzzle is a well-developed process to handle the inevitable loan default. No matter how good an underwriting process you have, some number of defaults are expected. In fact, many bankers will tell you that if you don’t have any defaults that means you are too strict in your underwriting and should loosen the requirements. Both AHWA and USAHF have an agreed process in place for default and have successfully navigated the process multiple times with minimal impact on either business as well as the borrower. Because of the high demand for AHWA houses, resale has been relatively smooth and as expected prices are rising and this insulates the defaulting borrower from large losses.

In conclusion, both AHWA and USAHF believe they have a profitable, sustainable and replicable model that over time can solve the housing crisis in Africa. However, governments, DFIs, foundations and other similar types of institutions will need to step up and provide catalytic capital to make this promise a reality. To learn more please click on this presentation or email [email protected] or check out the website at www.usafricahf.com.

Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Any such offer is made only pursuant to a private placement memorandum.

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toriii131466628 · 4 years ago

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100 reasons not to kill yourself

1. We would miss you.

2. It’s not worth the regret. Either by yourself if you failed or just simply left scars, or the regret everyone else feels by not doing enough to help you.

3. It does get better. Believe it or not it will eventually get better. Sometimes you have to go through the storm to get to the rainbow.

4. There’s so much you would miss out on doing.

5. There is always a reason to live. It might not be clear right now, but it is always there.

6. So many people care, and it would hurt them if you hurt yourself.

7. You ARE worth it. Don’t let anyone, especially yourself, tell you otherwise.

8. You are amazing.

9. A time will come, once you’ve battled the toughest times of your life and are in ease once again, where you will be so glad that you decided to keep on living. You will emerge stronger from this all, and won’t regret your choice to carry on with life. Because things always get better.

10. What about all the things you’ve always wanted to do? What about the things you’ve planned, but never got around to doing? You can’t do them when you’re dead.

11. I love you. Even if only one person loves you, that’s still a reason to stay alive.

12. You won’t be able to listen to music if you die.

13. Killing yourself is never worth it. You’ll hurt both yourself and all the people you care about.

14. There are so many people that would miss you, including me.

15. You’re preventing a future generation, YOUR KIDS, from even being born.

16. How do you think your family would feel? Would it improve their lives if you died?

17. You’re gorgeous, amazing, and to someone you are perfect.

18. Think about your favourite music artist, you’ll never hear their voice again…

19. You’ll never have the feeling of walking into a warm building on a cold day

20. Listening to incredibly loud music

21. Being alive is just really good.

22. Not being alive is really bad.

23. Finding your soulmate.

24. Red pandas

25. Going to diners at three in the morning.

26. Really soft pillows.

27. Eating pizza in New York City.

28. Proving people wrong with your success.

29. Watching the jerks that doubted you fail at life.

30. Seeing someone trip over a garbage can.

31. Being able to help other people.

32. Bonfires.

33. Sitting on rooftops.

34. Seeing every single country in the world.

35. Going on roadtrips.

36. You might win the lottery someday.

37. Listening to music on a record player.

38. Going to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

39. Taking really cool pictures.

40. Literally meeting thousands of new people.

41. Hearing crazy stories.

42. Telling crazy stories.

43. Eating ice cream on a hot day.

44. More Harry Potter books could come out, you never know.

45. Travelling to another planet someday.

46. Having an underwater house.

47. Randomly running into your hero on the street.

48. Having your own room at a fancy hotel.

49. Trampolines.

50. Think about your favourite movie, you’ll never watch it again.

51. Think about the feeling of laughing out loud in a public place because your best friend has just sent you an inside joke,

52. Your survival will make the world better, even if it’s for just one person or 20 or 100 or more.

53. People do care.

54. Treehouses

55. Hanging out with your soul mate in a treehouse

55. Snorting when you laugh and not caring who sees

56. I don’t even know you and I love you.

57. I don’t even know you and I care about you.

58. Because nobody is going to be like you ever, so embrace your uniqueness!

59. You won’t be here to experience the first cat world emperor.

60. WHAT ABOUT FOOD?! YOU’LL MISS CHOCOLATE AND ALL THE OTHER NOM THINGS!

61. Starbucks.

62. Hugs.

63. Stargazing.

64. You have a purpose, and it’s up to you to find out what it is.

65. You’ve changed somebody’s life.

66. Now you could change the world.

67. You will meet the person that’s perfect for you.

68. No matter how much or how little, you have your life ahead of you.

69. You have the chance to save somebody’s life.

70. If you end your life, you’re stopping yourself from achieving great things.

71. Making snow angels.

72. Making snowmen.

73. Snowball fights.

74. Life is what you make of it.

75. Everybody has a talent.

76. Laughing until you cry.

77. Having the ability to be sad means you have the ability to be happy.

78. The world would not be the same if you didn’t exist.

79. Its possible to turn frowns, upside down

80. Be yourself, don’t take anyone’s shit, and never let them take you alive.

81. Heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary. Be your own hero.

82. Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections.

83. One day your smile will be real.

84. Having a really hot, relaxing bath after a stressful day.

85. Lying on grass and laughing at the clouds.

86. Getting completely smashed with your best friends.

87. Eating crazy food.

88. Staying up all night watching your favourite films with a loved one.

89. Sleeping in all day.

90. Creating something you’re proud of.

91. You can look back on yourself 70 years later and being proud you didn’t commit

92. Being able to meet your Internet friends.

93. Tea / Coffee / Hot Chocolate

94. Sherlock season three.

95. Cuddling under the stars.

96. Being stupid in public because you just can.

97. If you are reading this then you are alive! Is there any more reason to smile?

98. being able to hug that one person you havent seen in years

99. People care enough about you and your future to come up with 100 reasons for you not to do this.

100. But, the final and most important one is, just, being able to experience life. Because even if your life doesn’t seem so great right now, literally anything could happen

Depression Hotline: 1-630-482-9696

Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-8433

LifeLine: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Sexuality Support: 1-800-246-7743

Eating Disorders Hotline: 1-847-831-3438

Rape and Sexual Assault: 1-800-656-4673

Grief Support: 1-650-321-5272

Runaway: 1-800-843-5200, 1-800-843-5678, 1-800-621-4000

Exhale: After Abortion Hotline/Pro-Voice: 1-866-4394253

Child Abuse: 1-800-422-4453

UK Helplines:

Samaritans (for any problem): 08457909090 e-mail [email protected]

Childline (for anyone under 18 with any problem): 08001111

Mind infoline (mental health information): 0300 123 3393 e-mail: [email protected]

Mind legal advice (for people who need mental-health related legal advice): 0300 466 6463 [email protected]

b-eat eating disorder support: 0845 634 14 14 (only open Mon-Fri 10.30am-8.30pm and Saturday 1pm-4.30pm) e-mail: [email protected]

b-eat youthline (for under 25’s with eating disorders): 08456347650 (open Mon-Fri 4.30pm - 8.30pm, Saturday 1pm-4.30pm)

Cruse Bereavement Care: 08444779400 e-mail: [email protected]

Frank (information and advice on drugs): 0800776600

Drinkline: 0800 9178282

Rape Crisis England & Wales: 0808 802 9999 1(open 2 - 2.30pm 7 - 9.30pm) e-mail [email protected]

Rape Crisis Scotland: 08088 01 03 02 every day, 6pm to midnight

India Self Harm Hotline: 00 08001006614

India Suicide Helpline: 022-27546669

Kids Help Phone (Canada): 1-800-668-6868, Free and available 24/7

suicide hotlines;

Argentina: 54-0223-493-0430

Australia: 13-11-14

Austria: 01-713-3374

Barbados: 429-9999

Belgium: 106

Botswana: 391-1270

Brazil: 21-233-9191

China: 852-2382-0000

(Hong Kong: 2389-2222)

Costa Rica: 606-253-5439

Croatia: 01-4833-888

Cyprus: 357-77-77-72-67

Czech Republic: 222-580-697, 476-701-908

Denmark: 70-201-201

Egypt: 762-1602

Estonia: 6-558-088

Finland: 040-5032199

France: 01-45-39-4000

Germany: 0800-181-0721

Greece: 1018

Guatemala: 502-234-1239

Holland: 0900-0767

Honduras: 504-237-3623

Hungary: 06-80-820-111

Iceland: 44-0-8457-90-90-90

Ireland: 1800-247-100

Israel: 09-8892333

Italy: 06-705-4444

Japan: 3-5286-9090

Latvia: 6722-2922, 2772-2292

Malaysia: 03-756-8144

(Singapore: 1-800-221-4444)

Mexico: 525-510-2550

Netherlands: 0900-0767

New Zealand: 4-473-9739

New Guinea: 675-326-0011

Nicaragua: 505-268-6171

Norway: 47-815-33-300

Philippines: 02-896-9191

Poland: 52-70-000

Portugal: 239-72-10-10

Russia: 8-20-222-82-10

Serbia: 21-6623-393

Spain: 91-459-00-50

South Africa: 0861-322-322

South Korea: 2-715-8600

Sweden: 031-711-2400

Switzerland: 143

Taiwan: 0800-788-995

Thailand: 02-249-9977

Trinidad and Tobago: 868-645-2800

Ukraine: 0487-327715

Uruguay: 095 73 8483

You will be missing out on every single wonderful thing yet to happen to you.

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chimilkie · 5 years ago

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bts reacts; you fall asleep on facetime

au:// requested by @bitesizedwizard , sorry it took so long i was on a temporary hiatus when you requested <3

kim seokjin

you both had a rather busy past few weeks and communication was at an all time low. jin and the boys had just started their north american tour and your boss had been keeping you after hours at work to finish a business portfolio for the new ads the company was about to release. today was a rather stressful day for you, as your boss was even more up your ass to get all the ideas and projects recorded.

jin had finished off dinner with the boys and successfully recorded a rather long and enjoyable vlive with jungkook and jimin, but he couldn’t help the overwhelming need to a least have a short conversation with you. so as soon as he was locked into the safety of his hotel room, he pulled out his phone to facetime you, whilst completely forgetting about the time difference between LA and seoul.

you answered the phone on the brink of sleep and completely folded into all the blankets on your bed. “hi baby, i just finished watching your vlive.” you smiled, yawning immediately after the words left your lips.

��oh sorry jagi, i forgot about the time zone. you must be so tired.” he apologized quickly, a frown pulling at the corners of his lips.

“no, no.” you dismissed, rolling your eyes at his concern. “it’s worth it to get to talk to you. it’s been awhile. tell me about what’s been going on.” he went on about how everything’s been going, only hesitating to continue when he heard your soft snores.

in the end, he opted to just whispering everything to you so that you wouldn’t wake up and waste sleep on him.

min yoongi

you had been at his studio with him only an hour ago, where you two had eaten the thai food you bought together. you had ranted to him about the unfairness of treatment among individuals at your work and he told you all about the progress of the song that him and hoseok had been working on together. so really, there was no reason for him to facetime you an hour later once you were tucked into the warmth of your bed comforter.

“yes, baby?” you grunted once you hit the green accept button. you sat up slightly to lean on your elbow while you spoke to him.

he sighed lowly as he shut the door to his studio. “sorry doll, did i wake you up?”

you smiled softly and fell back once more to lean into your pillows. “nope, just laid down. why’d you call?”

“just wanted to know if i could spend the night at your apartment, i don’t want to call manager sejin to come get me and bring me to the dorms.” he mumbled, as a particular gust of wind blew the hair out of his eyes once he stepped out of the management building.

“of course, you know that the door’s always unlocked for you.” you mumbled quietly as sleep started to take over for you. actually, the door was currently unlocked for anyone considered you were too tired to actually lock it when you came inside. when he heard your light snores coming through the microphone, he rolled his eyes with a small smile on his face.

“i’ll be there soon then, jagi.” he mumbled, but still kept you on the line anyway because, why not?

jung hoseok

does this even really count?

so here’s the thing, you wanted to play overwatch with jungkook and jimin but he wanted to watch the new ninja turtles movie with the rest of the boys. so what do you both do to be able to still spend time with eachother? you guys facetimed eachother, even if you both were only a few rooms apart. and even though you weren’t talking to each-other, as to not break jungkook’s concentration or disturb the movie, it was enough to know that if anything needed to be said you guys were on the phone already.

no offence towards kookie, he was a great overwatch player, very skilled if you do say so yourself. but you were quite bored with the outcome of your decision to stay with jimin and jungkook instead of watching the movie with your boyfriend.

you turned to look at your phone screen, hoping to see the boys cleaning up the living room so that you could just call your boyfriend into his bedroom and cuddle for the rest of the night. unfortunately, it didn’t seem like the movie was even halfway over and you let out a quiet breath of air before standing from the floor to flop on jungkook’s bed.

the movie was over quite quickly in hoseok’s opinion so when he turned to his phone and saw the facetime had been over for about 40 minutes now, he couldn’t help but frown. but he immediately understood why when he entered the maknae’s room and saw you fast asleep, with your dead phone next to you. “how long has she been asleep?” he turned to his dongsaengs.

jungkook shrugged but turned to smile at him. “she talks a lot in her sleep though.”

kim namjoon

you were stuck in traffic on the way to your hotel. you had decided that it would be nice to travel to canada for a week or so, and you had just gotten out of all the traffic around the airport. it was a rather long uber drive to the hotel you were staying at, so you facetimed your boyfriend figuring there was nothing else you could do. “hey jagiya, how was the flight?” he asked almost immediately after he picked up the phone.

you giggled softly and smiled out the window as you admired the scenery. “pretty good, nothing major worth telling. how was practice today? jimin was telling me yesterday that you guys were beginning to learn a new choreography?”

“yeah! about that, jin completely tripped and laid himself out on the floor.” namjoon let out a rather loud laugh that you grinned uncontrollably at. “man, it was really funny, you should have been there.” you chuckled and shook your head at their antics, before glancing up at the gps.

“joonie, i have 45 minutes left of this ride. you wanna like, i don’t know, rap for me or something?” your voice came out gentle, already on the brink of sleep yet you didn’t want to tell him that. when his voice began flowing through the speaker, you leaned your head against the window and closed your eyes. when he heard your soft snores, he stopped and raised his voice a little to talk to the driver.

“excuse me, uber driver?” he spoke in clear english.

“yes, sir on the phone?” a woman’s voice called back jokingly.

“make sure she gets there safely, alright?” he grinned just thinking about you.

“of course, sir. it’s my job, after all.”

park jimin

please ignore the fact that saipan and korea are only an hour apart oops

the boys were filming in saipan and he called you to show you how pretty the beach was there, forgetting that with the time zones you were most likely already asleep. when you answered with a groggy hello and were rubbing your eyes in front of the camera and frowned and felt regret fill his stomach. “i’m sorry babe, did i wake you up? i just wanted to show you the beach we’re filming at right now, but if you want to go back to sleep i can just take some pictures and send them to you later.”

“um, no! you know how much i love the beach, show me jagi!” you grinned, sitting up on your elbow to see more clearly. he grinned happily into the camera before turning it around to show you the crystal blue water and clean sand lining the beach. “oh my god! it’s so beautiful there, i wish i could’ve gone with you guys.”

“it’s not as beautiful as you, my love.” he grinned cheekily once he turned the camera back around to face him. “do you want me to stay on until you fall asleep again?”

“please do.” you yawned covered your mouth with the back of your hand. “i’ll put the phone next to my pillow so it’s like your here with me.” he laughed wholeheartedly into the microphone and leaned up against one of the chairs namjoon had set up for them.

and he did stay on with you until you fell asleep and he wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but maybe he stayed on after you fell asleep too just to hear your slow breathing and pretend he was there with you.

kim taehyung

he and the boys were on the plane ride back to korea after finishing all their uk tour stops. the plane ride honestly felt like it had been going on forever now but they had only been off the ground for not even 15 minutes. “hyung are we there yet?” he whined shoving himself into namjoon’s side to pout up at him. he had done this multiple times already and each time he repeated the action his hyung became more and more agitated.

“would you just call y/n and leave me alone before i punch you in the neck?” joon hissed, shoving taehyung’s body away from his own.

taehyung pouted once more and shuffled farther away from him to tuck his knees to his chest and pull out his phone. “jeez hyungie, no need to be so sour.” he quickly dialed your number and patiently waited for the facetime to connect. after a few rings you picked up and smiled into the camera. “y/n! thank goodness you picked up! namjoon-hyung is getting pretty salty and i can’t seem to figure out why.”

“maybe it’s because you shoved your porky little body into my six times and we haven’t even been flying for 20 minutes you inconsiderate, uncultured swine-” before namjoon could continue his rant for any longer, seokjin cut in with an apologetic smile towards their manager who was asleep next to him. “alright joonie, i think that’s enough for right now.”

“wow so you really managed to piss him off, huh? you must get pretty annoying.” you chuckled softly, rolling up in a fluffy blanket on your couch.

“damn right he does.” namjoon muttered behind taehyung causing the younger to gasp dramatically. “why don’t you just sing me to sleep baby? at least your voice isn’t annoying.” you joked, only calming down when his voice finally echoed through the speaker on your phone.

jeon jungkook

the boys were in the company van on the way back to the dorms from an award show. jimin was extremely happy as he had won an award specifically because of a traditional dance he had done, and that had automatically put all the other boys in a wicked good mood. kook knew you were at the dorms waiting for him so he pulled out his phone to facetime you. “are you calling y/n?” hoseok shouted out happily from the first row of seats. he nodded and pressed on your contact button before sitting back to wait for your answer.

the facetime made a noise and almost immediately your excited face popped up on his phone screen. he grinned happily, flashing his bunny teeth before opening his eyes to speak. “hey jagi-”

“CONGRATULATIONS JIMIN!” you screamed over him happily. “i always knew you were the most talented one!” as jimin grinned proudly with his eyes almost disappearing, sounds of complaints from all the other boys echoed through the car. jungkook shook his head jokingly with a roll of his eyes before speaking up once more.

“are you already in bed jagiya?” he smiled seeing the blanket wrapped almost completely around your face. you nodded happily before covering your mouth with the back of your hand as a yawn escaped your mouth. “go to sleep baby, me and the boys will be there soon.”

you nodded once more before smiling softly at him. “i love you kookie.”

and ignoring the huge grins from all his hyungs around him, he smiled back at you with just as much love. “i love you so much more than you’ll ever know.”

#jeon jungkook #kim taehyung #kim namjoon #kim seokjin #min yoongi #park jimin #jung hoseok #bts #bangtan boys #bts reactions #bts imagines #bts masterlist #bts reacts #bts requests #jhope #suga #rm #jin #v

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thelaramieprojectessay913 · 4 years ago

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laurahphoto · 5 years ago

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Amazing music photographers around the world

We’re currently facing a world crisis unlike we have seen in a generation. Due to shutdowns of pretty much all normal life, the music industry has completely shutdown touring. Festivals and tours all over the world have been cancelled, and the loss of income to all of those connected to that industry will be devastating.

This is my very small attempt at trying to help out some of my favourite photographers, nearly all of whom are affected by these shutdowns. I’ve tried my best to link to all their print stores, instagram and websites, but if there are direct ways you want to help them, please reach out. Give them a follow. Share their posts. Tell them how amazing they are. Spirits are low right now, and boosting someone’s spirits is one of the best things we can do to get through this.

We’re all in this together. I hope you discover your new favourite photographer.

UK/EU

Bethan Miller // Cardiff, UK

Bethan Miller is a Cardiff based photographer who works within music, event and wedding photography. I’ve followed Bethan’s work for years, and seeing her come as far as she has, and being a full-time freelancer is incredible. She tours regularly with rising UK band Holding Absence, and her work with them truly captures their moody-vibe. PRINT STORE // INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Corinne Cumming // London, UK

Best known as ‘Captured by Corinne’, one of the music industry’s NICEST humans on the planet, London based Corinne is also an incredible photographer, from her work with Rock Sound with some of your favourite bands, to her unmatched stunning studio work with Drag Queens. I feel so proud when I see her work - we would often share the pit together when we were newbies and now she’s a full-time photographer and owner of her own studio, Hot Dog Studios.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Isha Shah // London, UK

Honestly, a true legend. Isha’s work is so vibrant, innovative and quite genius. She’s able to work with a range of artists and musicians, and also inspires other creatives with her creative collective, Platform London. Never afraid to speak up, Isha’s no BS attitude makes her so unique, and honestly my feeds would be way too quiet without her.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Jennifer McCord // London, UK

Finding beauty in the minimal, Jenny’s work is emotive in the way she photographs some of the most delicate moments, no matter whether she’s shooting live music, portraits or weddings. Seeing her grow from shooting hardcore shows to working with Ellie Goulding, Jenny is IN DEMAND, and there’s a reason why.

PRINT STORE // INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Phoebe Fox // London, UK

It blows me away that Phoebe (SHOTBYPHOX) is only 22. She has toured with artists such as Anne Marie, SWMRS, Anteros and The Amazons and is a powerhouse of beautiful content. Her work is clean, bold, and simply stunning.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Zac Mahrouche // London, UK

Zac shoots a lot of live music, but also creates some really beautiful editorial/fashion photos. I can always look to Zac’s work for inspiration, and I love the way he presents his work across socials.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Doug Elliott // Brighton, UK

The moody cold tones of Doug’s work make it really atmospheric and cinematic. It’s been amazing to follow Doug’s journey over the years and see him work with artists such as Against The Current.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Martyna “Gingerdope” // Stroud, UK

One of the most unique viewpoints in music photography come from Gingerdope. She captures some of the most delicate, overlooked moments on tour, and has introduced me to some of the UK’s best indie bands.

ONLINE STORE // INSTAGRAM

Ellie Mitchell // UK

Ellie is a machine, and seems to be always touring! I admire how she works within particularly male-dominated genres and has become one of the most consistent music photographers out there.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Arne Desmedt “CardinalsMedia” // Antwerp, Belgium

I’ve followed Arne’s work for a while, and he always delivers stunning, dynamic live photos across multiple music genres. His portfolio is an endless stream of incredible shots.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Sarah Louise Bennett // London, UK

Another amazing woman working in the music industry, and killing it with every shoot she does. Sarah is so hardworking, producing stunning covers/features for Upset & Dork magazines and continuously setting the bar high.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

CANADA

Brandynnleigh // Calgary, AB

One of THE most creative photographers out there, I love the concepts and essence of her work; there’s a story within every photo and there’s a vintage feel to them that works perfectly. Brandynnleigh is based in Calgary and shoots live music as well as portraits, conceptual projects and landscapes.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Lindsey Blane // Vancouver, BC

Ok, I’m biased, because Lindsey is one of my closest friends but also a ridiculously talented human, a bit of a workaholic and someone who gives every project 110%. When we met, we were both working at a camera store (in different locations) and she stalked me on Instagram and messaged me on Christmas Day 2016, and within weeks she was sleeping on my sofa a couple times a month, so she could come over to Vancouver from Victoria and shoot some shows/build her relationships with artists. It’s paid off and seeing her work with some of the biggest artists in Canada is mindblowing.

PRINT STORE // INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Brandon Dacosta // Toronto, ON

Brandon works with a range of indie artists including Canadian bands Bearings and Belmont. His work is so energetic and he checks off everything live music photography is all about. Brandon always delivers stunning content, and as a photographer who tours so much, he will need as much support as possible!

PRINT STORE // INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Shayla Lee // Edmonton, AB

A multi-talented incredible human, Shayla has continued to develop her own unique style and approach to her work, particular with electronic and EDM acts. We were introduced by Lindsey Blane (she threw us all in a car and took us to Bumbershoot) and have been great friends since. Shayla is also a writer and runs her own blog, Femme Riot. She attends more festivals than I knew existed and creates weird and wonderful photos/collages.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE // FEMME RIOT

Timothy Nguyen // Vancouver, BC

One of the most humble, kind humans I’ve had the pleasure of calling my friend. Having road-tripped down to Seattle for Warped Tour and Bumbershoot, Tim is always so much fun to be around, and you can always lean on him for advice. An amazing photographer with a big heart, you’ll see him catching no sleep and shooting 5 gigs in one night.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Kelli Anne // Vancouver, BC

My favourite Kiwi, and potentially one of the funniest people I know, Kelli has come a long way since she started taking photos on her phone at concerts. She is now one of the most consistent live music photographers, continuously producing incredible content. Her portrait work is always STUNNING and I’m jealous of how she achieves those warm dreamy tones.

PRINT STORE // INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Bailey Morgan // Vancouver, BC

I’ve only known Bailey a short amount of time, but she is slowly becoming one of my favourite photographers. She has a heart of gold and creates beautiful visuals, working mainly with music, portraits and families. She recently set up Rebel Gal Creators, a collective of womxn photographers.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE // REBEL GAL CREATORS

USA

Heather Hawke // Los Angeles, CA

Heather is more than just a photographer. She works within the music industry in PR, runs her own magazine - Decorated Youth and writes thoughtful articles and interviews. She also has really great taste in music. She’s a hard-working powerhouse, and a wonderful human. Support her work!

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE // DECORATED YOUTH

Sara Feigin // New York, NY

I met Sara at a gig in London waaaaay back. She moved back to the States, where she is currently working as a photographer and writer. Her artist portraits are among my favourite, and she continues to blow me away with her consistency.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Kaytlin Dargen // Fargo, ND

I know her as ‘kaydargs’, I’ve loved her work for so long. She has such a unique style and perspective, always putting out incredible work. She works with lots of bands, and I loved her recent album cover for Hot Mulligan. A true artist, and a big inspiration of mine.

PRINT STORE // INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Carter Howe // Los Angeles, CA

Carter’s work feels like a movie - dramatic and emotional. I love how her photos are so well executed, and how she finds beauty in the ordinary.

PRINT STORE // INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Alyson Coletta // NJ

A live-music photographer who’s work continues to always make me feel like I was at the concert she shot. She always captures ‘the moment’ whether it’s an arena or tiny sweaty show. Message her to buy any print off her IG/website!

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Maggie Friedman // New York, NY

One of the most active music photographers, she’s probably shot at least five of your favourite artists. Minimum. A content-machine, Maggie’s work is always outstanding. You can buy a print buy messaging her!

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Melodi Ramirez // Austin, TX

A versatile photographer, often switching between bad-ass live music and strong bold portraits.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Cina Nguyen // Washington, DC

Known as her handle ‘ilikeyourface’ on IG, Cina creates art-pieces with her surreal, dreamy photos. I could honestly look at her work all day.

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Victoria Sanders // Chicago, IL

Victoria Sanders does’t just photograph concerts - she’s an advocate for pushing for more women in music, and cofounded The Photo Ladies, bringing together a community of women around the world who work in music. Oh and she takes amazing pics, of course.

PRINT STORE // INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Gina Scarpino // New York, NY

Inspirational portraits & live music photos, Gina’s got a real eye for visual concepts, and I always admire how well she executes all of her work.

PRINT STORE // INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Natalie Somekh // Newport Beach, CA

Natalie has a vintage feel to her portraits + live music photos which are super dreamy. Message her for prints!

INSTAGRAM // WEBSITE

Kat Nijmeddin // Los Angeles, CA

Kat is a photographer/designer who works with Pure Noise Records. I really love how energetic her photos are, yet her tones are soft and pastel colours which create a really cool style. PRINT STORE // INSTAGRAM

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ingek73 · 5 years ago

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We Need to Talk About the Sussexes’ “Global Brand”

Sunday, 23 June 2019

Amidst a flurry of Saturday morning tasks, I caught up with my sister on the phone yesterday. We mulled over several topics before she inquired about the blogs and reports concerning the Royal Foundation: "Why do they blame Meghan for everything? What exactly is she supposed to have done that's not in line with the way the royals operate professionally?"

I've thought about these questions quite a bit since. It led me to carefully consider the reaction to news the Sussexes will leave the Royal Foundation and start their own charitable arm later this year. Surely, this is positive news? Well, apparently not. For this announcement has been met with....you guessed it....more criticism levelled at Meghan. Never mind it's been widely acknowledged the Sussexes did not push for the split, although all four are said to be pleased with the outcome. Headlines and furious social media posts appeared recently with such titles as "This is all Meghan's fault", "The Sussexes don't know their place", "They are not happy with their place within the family", "All they care about is creating a 'global brand'". You get the gist of it...

The term "Global Brand" has been bandied about along with outlandish speculation. Harry and Meghan have been accused of attempting to profit personally, running amok from Buckingham Palace with their own agenda and using this platform to break the royal mould. In the eyes of some the Sussexes are the downfall of the monarchy. What with their solid work ethic, proven successful projects, worldwide popularity and desire to use their roles for good, the Queen and her top aides must be positively shaking in their boots (or in Her Majesty's case her black patent Anello & Davide shoes). This is all sounding rather ridiculous isn't it?

Why has this been allowed to continue, escalate and take over the narrative you might ask? It's stemmed from an era of click-bait media where the lay of the land allows online journalists to write first, ask questions later, or better still don't ask them at all. A seething online fan war where misinformation becomes factual and, particularly, a complete lack of understanding, education and knowledge about the monarchy is worn as a badge of honour. I'm going to underline that because this is the crux of the issue and one which badly needs to be addressed before we are to endure months and years of vicious attacks against the Sussexes' foundation and future work. As long as this level of false information circulates on the internet and readers accept this as reality, it's not going anywhere, and I for one find it outrageous.

So, back to my sister's questions... "Why do they blame Meghan for everything? What exactly is she supposed to have done that's not in line with the way the royals operate professionally?" Step by step, I intend to answer that question using facts and senior members of the Royal family.

A 'Global' Royal Family?

As noted above, talk of a global 'Sussex Brand' has been used in the most derogatory sense. Members of the Royal family never focus on global issues, right? Incorrect. The royals' work in the UK is of course their primary job, but it isn't representative of their roles' sum total. Not at all. Representing Her Majesty in the Commonwealth and globally, in addition to supporting their own causes around the world plays a part in the working lives of most of the Royal family. I'm pleased to have learned of, and I'm delighted to share, the extent of those efforts by members of the British Royal family.

Certainly, when one is searching for an exemplary example of charitable work on any scale, we need look no further than the Prince of Wales. I could easily dedicate ten posts to his life's work and only barely scratch the surface. What I will focus on are his efforts and successes outside the UK to demonstrate the reach the Royal family has had for decades. Since Charles founded the Prince's Trust in 1976 (using his navy severance pay) to help vulnerable people get their lives back on track, his interests have grown to the point where he has over 400 patronages. His boundless desire to help others and to maximise the impact of his role has seen him launch, lead and support a number of charities further afield.

Have you heard of the Prince of Wales's Foundation Romania? Established in 2015, to take forward Charles' work in the country, the foundation develops a number of projects to support architectural heritage preservation, farming and sustainable development in Romania. As with much of Charles' work, it's about taking a practical, results-driven, sustainable approach. Relevant skills and practical courses are delivered to small farmers, producers of artisan food as well as Romania's wounded soldiers. Charles fell in love with the country, culture and people following a visit to Transylvania in 2007. During a speech at the Babes-Bolyai University he said: "I have often been asked about what brings me so often to Romania, what makes this place so special. The answer is, to me, very simple: you, my Romanian friends; your cultural and nature patrimony, your traditions, but also your capacity for innovation and change. All that you represent after centuries of history – your identity and your entire potential. All the energy you can expand to change something. These are the things that make you truly special in the entire world."

As with all members of the Royal family, the Commonwealth is an important part of Charles' life. Throughout his visits to member nations, he knew he wanted to make a lasting impact wherever he could. The Prince's Trust Australia delivers social impact by "transforming lives and building sustainable communities in Australia". Promoting enterprise skills, sustainable communities and supporting young people and defence members and their families are the core areas of the trust.

The Prince's Trust Canada is a registered Canadian charity established by Charles in 2011. It provides entrepreneurship training for veterans and transitioning Canadian Armed Forces members, helps young people reach their potential through employability programs, and supports Indigenous communities as they revitalise and protect their languages.

Next, we look at the Prince's Trust International, the definition of an organisation with global reach. Since its launch, the focus has been on delivering pilot programmes in countries around the world. They now have pilot programmes underway and established partners delivering programmes in Australia, Barbados, Canada, Greece, Jordan, Malta, Pakistan and New Zealand. If that's not enough, the plan is to move to a number of others countries in the coming years. Much like the Prince's Trust UK, the goal is to support and enable young people to avail of opportunities and improve their futures.

The Duchess of Cornwall is President of the Brooke, a worldwide organisation providing veterinary treatment for horses and donkeys. They reach over two million working horses, donkeys and mules across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Organisation staff include vets, animal welfare experts, and advocacy and development specialists. Camilla, a lifelong animal lover, is also a joint president of Elephant Family, a charity founded by her late brother Mark Shand in 2002 to save the Asian elephants. Again, supporting causes close to her heart is in addition to her duties on behalf of Her Majesty - it's not a case of running roughshod over the monarchy.

Shortly before the Earl and Countess of Wessex married, the Wessex Youth Trust was established to help, support and advance registered charities which provide opportunities specifically for children and young people. The Trust is proud to support worthy organisations both at home and internationally. "Internationally, funds have been directed to a wide variety of organisations - a Down Syndrome speech therapy centre in Moscow, and an orphanage in Chernobyl; a paediatric ophthalmology unit, training scheme and Flying Eye Hospital in Nepal and the Philippines as well as an HIV/Aids support programme in Uganda. In addition, donations have also been made to disaster relief operations - such as 9/11 and a children's home in Sri Lanka which helped victims of the 2004 tsunami."

Sophie has been a global ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness since 2013. More from the Palace: "In 2013, this role took Her Royal Highness to the Orbis flying hospital programme in India and Qatar where she saw first-hand the many global issues around preventable blindness. Following the Countess' visit to India and Qatar, Her Royal Highness wrote an article for the Telegraph to coincide with World Sight Day. In India, Bangladesh and Nepal the sight-saving organisations are focusing on childhood blindness. In Sudan, Pakistan and Egypt the organisations are focusing on the Trachoma Elimination Programme. Her Royal Highness has drawn much attention to these on-going projects through her visits to the regions and has helped drive the plans forward through working closely with the organisations, and many youth and community events."

More from Buckingham Palace:

'On International Women’s Day 2019, the Countess publicly announced her commitment to champion the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and the UK’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI), at a reception for Women Peacebuilders at Buckingham Palace. WPS both recognises the disproportionate impact of conflict on women and girls and the positive role women play in building peace and stability.

The PSVI aims to prevent conflict-related sexual violence as well as responding to the needs of survivors, tackling stigma and strengthening justice and accountability. As a central pillar of the Countess’s work, HRH has spoken at the Commission on the Status of Women at the UN in New York, and attended a Foreign Office conference on PSVI with survivors, government and NGO representatives. The Countess also continues to highlight international efforts towards women’s role in peacebuilding - in India, for example, HRH learnt about the country’s contribution to UN Peacekeeping and heard from women peacekeepers on active deployment.'

A life of service has seen Princess Anne travel all over the world. After serving as President of Save the Children since 1970, Anne officially became Patron in 2016. Most recently, she has travelled to Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. (with many thanks to Helen G for her research on this). In her role Anne has also visited China, Cambodia, Botswana, Madagascar and the Philippines. Save the Children strives tirelessly to protect children and give them the best possible opportunities in life.

The Princess has been involved in the creation of several charities including TransAid, transforming lives through safe and sustainable transport in 23 countries. More from the charity: "In Sub-Saharan Africa, road deaths are the third biggest killer following HIV/AIDS and Malaria (Source: the World Bank) and the problem will only rise with the growing population. Drivers are at risk every time they sit behind the wheel due to a lack of legal enforcement and training, and badly maintained and overloaded vehicles. People living in rural areas of Africa often struggle to access vital services. Around 75% of maternal deaths can be avoided through timely access to vital childbirth-related care. Our work includes an Emergency Transport Scheme to transport pregnant mothers with complications. We also help community health workers reach the families who need them." Anne also works closely with Riders For Health, an international non profit that provides health care to rural African villages.

The Duke of York launched Key to Freedom following his 2012 Diamond Jubilee Visit to Women’s Interlink Foundation (WIF) in India. The aim of the initiative is to empower women who have been victims of abuse by helping them acquire skills to become economically independent. Today, scarves made by women participating in Key to Freedom are sold at the Royal Collection Trust Shop.

The Foundation in the US

The next segment involves the US element. I think it's only natural to assume the Sussex Foundation will have supporters from the US. After all, Meghan is American. She has very well-connected friends in the US and she's going to bring an element of support to the table from across the pond. This has been largely feted as hugely controversial and another example of Meghan not following a traditional royal path. Using facts, this can be disproved as nonsense once again. When the Royal Foundation become operational in 2011, an American wing was established. American Friends of the Royal Foundation donated over $3.6 million since its inception. Prince Harry joined the US arm of the Foundation in 2013 for a major event supporting projects including the Royal Foundation's partnership with Harlem RBI to support Project Coach.

During a visit to New York in 2014, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended a private dinner for American friends of the Royal Foundation hosted by long-term supporter, Sir Martin Sorrell, the chief executive of the WPP advertising group.

In fact, Prince Charles set up a charitable foundation in the US: "The Prince of Wales Foundation USA is the affiliate organisation of the Prince’s Trust, enabling tax-efficient giving for US supporters of His Royal Highness’s philanthropic interests. We are fortunate to have a growing base of American supporters who see real value in investing in the lives of disadvantaged and marginalised young people in the UK. The Prince of Wales Foundation was founded by HRH, the Prince of Wales in 1997."

Prince Harry's collaboration with Oprah on a mental health series has been cited as the ultimate example of the Sussexes going rogue. Not so. Prince Charles has collaborated with US entities on several documentaries including the 2012 documentary Harmony: a New Way of Looking at Our World. The piece focused on three decades of Charles' work to combat climate change. The film was based on the book of the same name, which Charles co-authored, about how man has become "dangerously disconnected from nature".

NBC released the following statement at the time of the collaboration:

'NBC is teaming up with Prince Charles for a new TV special about the environment. Harmony, which is slated to air in November, stems from Prince Charles' three decades of work fighting climate change and searching for new solutions to the worldwide environmental crisis.

"The Prince of Wales has such a passion and vision in providing leadership on this crucial climate issue that confronts the world," Paul Telegdy, NBC's executive vice president of alternative programming, said in a statement. "We are honored to partner with him to showcase these issues that are important to American audiences."

The film, which will air during NBC's annual "Green Is Universal" week, features rare footage of Prince Charles' interview with Nobel Peace Prize winner, former Vice President and longtime environmental activist Al Gore, as well as interviews with other government leaders, farmers, environmentalists and entrepreneurs.'

Charles' environmental work has not been without its setbacks. He was actually ridiculed for being one of the first to talk about climate change: "I found myself in conflict with the conventional outlook which, as I discovered, is not exactly the most pleasant situation to find yourself." Determined to following in his father's footsteps, Harry declared last year he hopes to continue his work in Australia: "Ladies and gentleman, those words were shared in speeches dating back to 1970 and up until 2002, by my father, the Prince of Wales. And yet now, nearly 50 years later, those sentiments resonate just as much today, if not more, than ever before. My father and others have been speaking about the environment for decades - not basing it on fallacy or new-age hypothesis, but rooted in science and facts, and the sobering awareness of our environmental vulnerability. And while those speeches would sometimes fall on deaf ears, he and others were unrelenting in their commitment to preserve the most valuable resource we have – our planet."

What About Commercial Partnerships?

Although the Sussexes' foundation does not yet have a name, it has been suggested (with not so thinly-veiled attacks) commercial partnerships may be in its future. Whilst we have absolutely no idea what the plan is at this time, yes it's possible and no it's not unusual. Commercial partnerships have been essential to ensuring the success of Charles' projects. Take Duchy Originals for example. Established almost 30 years ago, the leading organic brand is now stocked on the shelves of Waitrose supermarkets. It's aim is to support local producers and all profits go to charity.

Fundraising

The success or failure of any royal trust or foundation lies with its principles and the team behind it. Harry and Meghan are taking this on with a record of success. Simply look at the Invictus Games, look at Sentebale, the Endeavour Fund, Coach Core and many other projects and initiatives Harry has worked with. Meghan's first project with the Hubb exceed all goals, and smashed it's target of £250,000, raising over half a million. The ripple effect is heartwarming and inspiring. Today, the women of the Hubb were working with British Red Cross to welcome and feed refugees in Hackney London.

The pair have tangible results behind them and there's every reason to believe this will be a success. Fundraising will be an important element; again they've proven more than adept at this, raising millions for Sentebale with 'Sentebale Nights' and the Sentebale Polo Cup.

Again, fundraising has been key to Charles' success. In 2017 he raised £170 million for charity. He raised more money than anyone else in the UK. In 2013-2014 he raised £143 million for 15 of his charities. It's the year-after-year dedication that has led to these results. It's a case of beating the drum constantly, and loudly.

Overshadowing Senior Royals

The next accusation hurled at Harry, and particularly Meghan, is the suggestion they are somehow trying to overshadow more senior royals, namely the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Was Prince Charles trying to overshadow his parents with the Prince's Trust? Was Anne playing a game of one-upmanship against Charles with her tireless efforts and global work? Of course not. Harry and Meghan are not in competition with William and Kate. They are not setting out to outdo them and derail the course of the monarchy.

The Queen is the monarch. Then it will be Charles, and then William. The monarch is the head of the family, there's no issue there. The monarchy is comprised of working members and their collective efforts up and down the country, across the UK, across the Commonwealth, and across the globe. It's a team effort. That's not going to change. Harry and Meghan want to use their roles to the full, they want to work hard on behalf of Her Majesty and, like the other royals referenced, use their platforms to support causes close to their heart. This is all being done with the full approval of the Queen and Charles. The new Foundation has the full support of the family. The Queen appointed Harry and Meghan to Commonwealth roles; she passed her patronage of the Association of Commonwealth Universities to Meghan almost immediately after the marriage. That sounds to me like a monarch who has faith in her granddaughter-in-law. Not a Queen who fears the newest member is rebelling against the system. The rapturous reception the Sussexes have received in Dublin, Morocco, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga is further evidence these roles are ideal for the pair. Their popularity and soft power needs to be harnessed to the full. This is all good for Team Windsor as a whole.

Prince Harry has been a global star all his life; his wife was always going to be under the spotlight. It is not the Sussexes' fault the media are obsessed with their every move. They are an asset to the monarchy and have carried out their roles with aplomb. From the day of their engagement, Meghan has thrown herself into her role, and she hasn't put a foot wrong. To chastise and tear her down because she's an intelligent woman who wants to succeed in this role is appalling and frankly sexist. Ambition is not a dirty word, especially when it's being channeled into a life of philanthropic dedication. The royals have a fantastic platform; they are uniquely placed to be in the position to help others and effect change. The fact they are being belittled for doing their jobs is truly baffling to me. We should unreservedly expect the very best from working members of the family.

The reality is the monarchy must modernise to survive and the Sussexes will play an important role in that modernisation. More from Vernon Bogdanor who famously wrote: "Monarchy has to adapt and evolve to survive. It can't be ahead of public opinion, but it can't be too far behind."

'In November 2005, Chris Mullin, the former editor of Tribune and then Labour MP, was invited to Clarence House where he heard the prince [Charles] speak "without notes, with passion and self-deprecating humour, holding our attention for a full 20 minutes. Always he comes back to the same point. How to widen the horizons of the young, especially the disaffected, the unlucky and even the malign … What influence he has he uses, sometimes to great effect, even at the risk of treading on official toes. It isn't just talk. His mentality is can-do – and he has a track record of achievement clearly visible for anyone who cares to look. Let he who has done more cast the first stone.'

So, when my sister asked me: "Why do they blame Meghan for everything? What exactly is she supposed to have done that's not in line with the way the royals operate professionally?" My answer is quite simple. Meghan has done nothing wrong; she's simply following in the footsteps of those who came before her.

*A sincere word of thanks to those who helped with the research, facts, figures and links on this.

#duke and duchess of sussex #duke of sussex #duchess of sussex #prince harry #meghan markle #prince charles #prince of wales #princess anne #queen elizabeth #earl and countess of wessex #brf #the royal foundation

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threewaysdivided · 6 years ago

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Mental Health Help List

I’ve never really brought it up on this blog but in the past I have (and sometimes still do) struggled with pretty bad anxiety and depression (don’t worry: I’m doing perfectly fine right now). After talking to another user I thought it might be good to put together a list of strategies that I’ve found helpful during bad patches, in case they can help anyone else.

Disclaimer: Obviously these aren’t one size-fits-all and they certainly shouldn’t be used in place of a therapist. If you are struggling with these or similar problems, please seek professional help.

Mindfulness/Meditation Exercises

I know some will pooh-pooh this, but psychosomatics is an actual thing. It can be harder to bring your thoughts to a manageable place if your body is in a state of high alertness, agitation, panic or other stress. Calm one, calm the other.

Breath Slowing your breathing into a regular rhythm can do a lot to help you settle down. I find breathing to the count of four (4 second inhale, 4 second exhale) to be a comfortable pattern.

Grounding/Settling Exercise (long) This one comes courtesy of the School of Philosophy and is about pulling your mind away from your thoughts and fully into the present moment.

Find a comfortable place where you can sit/ lie with your arms and legs unfolded. Settle into a comfortable slow breathing pattern and close your eyes. Cycle through your senses:

Grounding/ Touch Fall down into your body’s weight. Feel the surface beneath you and beneath your feet, letting it press into and support you. Be aware of how your clothes hang on your body. Feel the air on your skin. Hold for 30 seconds.

Taste Open your mouth. Become aware of what you can taste. Observe but try to avoid analysing. Hold for 30 seconds.

Smell Focus on what you can smell. Be aware of the different smells around you without analysis or comment. Hold for 30 seconds.

Sight Open your eyes. Allow your mind to perceive colour and form without comment. Hold for 30 seconds. Close your eyes.

Hearing (I) Listen to your immediate surroundings. Observe without analysis or comment. Hold for 30 seconds.

Hearing (II) Extend your hearing out to its furthest. Perceive faint and distant sounds without comment. Hold for 30 seconds.

Rest Rest in the awareness of your surroundings and your body. Cycle back to any senses you found particularly comfortable. Hold for at least 30 seconds. Open your eyes when you feel ready.

Simple Sleep Exercise (short) Find somewhere comfortable to lie down. Settle into a comfortable slow breathing pattern.

Grounding/Weight Fall down into your body’s weight. Imagine your body becoming heavy and sinking into the surface beneath you.

Eyes Keep your eyes closed if possible. Give attention to how your eyeballs and the area around them feels - heaviness, pressure, weight etc. Allow your eyes to fall back and rest in your head. If keeping your eyes closed is uncomfortable, find something that is easy to look upon. Hold your vision there and let your mind perceive form and colour without comment.

Thoughts Allow yourself to think without attempting to hold a chain of thought. Keep a notepad nearby - if a thought feels urgent or like it needs further attention, write it down for later then let it go. If your thoughts start to become muddled, disjointed or nonsensical do not attempt to refocus - you are probably close to falling asleep and doing so will only bring you back to alertness.

Musical aids: Sometimes your brain will attempt to dwell and fixate on distressing thoughts/emotions despite the exercises. In this case, it can help to play background music to give yourself an extra focal point that doesn’t demand your full attention.

Here are some of my go-to calming tracks: Gabriel’s Oboe (The Mission) Chance Meeting (Skyrim OST) Tundra (Skyrim OST) Atmospheres (Skyrim OST) Greenpath (Hollow Knight OST) Queen’s Gardens (Hollow Knight OST) Reflection (Hollow Knight OST)

Talk to Someone

If you’re on your own it can become very easy to start dwelling on harmful thoughts and fall into a cycle of negative reinforcement/circular logic that sends you into a downward spiral. Even if you’re intellectually aware of the fact, it can be hard to convince your own brain when it’s being irrational and heading into unwarranted distress or self-loathing.

If you feel like you’re trapped in a negative thought pattern, one of the best things you can do is reach out to another person. If you’re not comfortable telling them exactly what’s happening, that’s okay - all you’re really looking for is a rational anchor who’ll be willing to stay with/ talk to you until your brain can break free of the spiral and focus on other things again. Once you’re out of the hole, you can make plans to see a therapist/otherwise handle things - right now you just need a leg up. (Important: You may feel like you are burdening, bothering, stressing out, interrupting or should otherwise avoid contacting anyone. This is irrational bullshit trickery on your brain’s part. Caring goes both ways; there’s absolutely nothing wrong with saying “Hey, I’m in a bad place right now and could really use someone to talk to.”)

What if no-one’s available/ I don’t have anyone to contact?

If you can’t reach anyone or are convinced that you shouldn’t bring friends/family into it, you can get help by contacting your local crisis support and suicide prevention groups. They’re called crisis support for a reason - even if you’re reasonably sure that you aren’t going to go through with anything, you should still call if you’re in distress and need help.

America:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Call: 1-800-273-8255 Online Chat: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/

Crisis Text Line: 24/7, nationwide crisis-intervention text-message hotline Contact: Text HOME to 741-741

Trevor Project: 24-hour phone hotline for for LGBTQ+ individuals (plus limited-hour webchat and text options) Call: 1-866-488-7386

United Kingdom:

Samaritans: 24/7, toll-free crisis line throughout the UK Call: 116 123 (UK), 116 123 (ROI)

Canada:

Crisis Services Canada: 24/7, toll-free, nation-wide suicide prevention and support network (plus limited-hour text and regional chat services). Call: 1-833-456-4566

Australia:

Lifeline: 24-hour nationwide crisis support, suicide prevention and mental health support services (plus limited-hour online chat). Call: 13 11 14 Chat: https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/online-services/crisis-chat

Beyond Blue: 24/7 nationwide information and support for anxiety, depression, and suicide (plus limited-hour online chat). Call: 1300 22 4636 Chat: https://online.beyondblue.org.au/Webmodules/chat/InitialInformation.aspx

Follow this link to find additional help and support services in other countries.

Record your small wins: ‘Things I did today’

Going to give a shout-out to my Dad for this one. During bad times it can be easy to convince yourself that you’re totally useless and unproductive.

Something he suggested, and that I’ve found really helpful, is to keep a log of all the productive or enjoyable things you’ve done each day. And I do mean all of them:

Made your bed? Write it down. Prepared food for you and/or your pet? That too. Tidied/organised something? Did laundry? Watered your plants? Fantastic. Talked to someone (IRL or online)? Made or reblogged (a) post(s)? Found a cool video? Netflix Binge? Played a Game? Yep, all of that. Left the house? Ran errands? Exercised? Splendid. Did some work towards a project/ homework/ study? Absolutely put that down. Actually finished a project or reached a milestone? Biggest, Boldest, Fanciest Note you can.

The fact is that it’s very easy to discount all the small contributions you make each day - especially if, like me, you’re a former perfectionist or compulsive overachiever. I found this list to be a good weapon against irrational self-criticism - a way to present my brain with solid, irrefutable evidence that (while they might not be big or fancy) things were being done and I was being productive, no matter how much I felt I wasn’t.

Make things

Being creative helps. It doesn’t matter what you make, or what the quality is, the act of making gives you something to focus on that produces a tangible end result. Hard to feel useless when you’ve got solid proof of your efforts right in front of you.

There are ~7.53 billion people on Earth, but there’s only one of YOU. Take care of it.

#mental health #tw: depression #tw: suicide #getting help #for those that need it #long post #3WD

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cazacuflorin · 6 years ago

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100 Reasons NOT To Kill Yourself

1. We would miss you. 2. It’s not worth the regret. Either by yourself if you failed or just simply left scars, or the regret everyone else feels by not doing enough to help you. 3. It does get better. Believe it or not it will eventually get better. Sometimes you have to go through the storm to get to the rainbow. 4. There’s so much you would miss out on doing. 5. There is always a reason to live. It might not be clear right now, but it is always there. 6. So many people care, and it would hurt them if you hurt yourself. 7. You ARE worth it. Don’t let anyone, especially yourself, tell you otherwise. 8. You are amazing. 9. A time will come, once you’ve battled the toughest times of your life and are in ease once again, where you will be so glad that you decided to keep on living. You will emerge stronger from this all, and won’t regret your choice to carry on with life. Because things always get better. 10. What about all the things you’ve always wanted to do? What about the things you’ve planned, but never got around to doing? You can’t do them when you’re dead. 11. I love you. Even if only one person loves you, that’s still a reason to stay alive. 12. You won’t be able to listen to music if you die. 13. Killing yourself is never worth it. You’ll hurt both yourself and all the people you care about. 14. There are so many people that would miss you, including me. 15. You’re preventing a future generation, YOUR KIDS, from even being born. 16. How do you think your family would feel? Would it improve their lives if you died? 17. You’re gorgeous, amazing, and to someone you are perfect. 18. Think about your favourite music artist, you’ll never hear their voice again… 19. You’ll never have the feeling of walking into a warm building on a cold day 20. Listening to incredibly loud music 21. Being alive is just really good. 22. Not being alive is really bad. 23. Finding your soulmate. 24. Red pandas 25. Going to diners at three in the morning. 26. Really soft pillows. 27. Eating pizza in New York City. 28. Proving people wrong with your success. 29. Watching the jerks that doubted you fail at life. 30. Seeing someone trip over a garbage can. 31. Being able to help other people. 32. Bonfires. 33. Sitting on rooftops. 34. Seeing every single country in the world. 35. Going on roadtrips. 36. You might win the lottery someday. 37. Listening to music on a record player. 38. Going to the top of the Eiffel Tower. 39. Taking really cool pictures. 40. Literally meeting thousands of new people. 41. Hearing crazy stories. 42. Telling crazy stories. 43. Eating ice cream on a hot day. 44. More Harry Potter books could come out, you never know. 45. Travelling to another planet someday. 46. Having an underwater house. 47. Randomly running into your hero on the street. 48. Having your own room at a fancy hotel. 49. Trampolines. 50. Think about your favourite movie, you’ll never watch it again. 51. Think about the feeling of laughing out loud in a public place because your best friend has just sent you an inside joke, 52. Your survival will make the world better, even if it’s for just one person or 20 or 100 or more. 53. People do care. 54. Treehouses 55. Hanging out with your soul mate in a treehouse 55. Snorting when you laugh and not caring who sees 56. I don’t even know you and I love you. 57. I don’t even know you and I care about you. 58. Because nobody is going to be like you ever, so embrace your uniqueness! 59. You won’t be here to experience the first cat world emperor. 60. WHAT ABOUT FOOD?! YOU’LL MISS CHOCOLATE AND ALL THE OTHER NOM THINGS! 61. Starbucks. 62. Hugs. 63. Stargazing. 64. You have a purpose, and it’s up to you to find out what it is. 65. You’ve changed somebody’s life. 66. Now you could change the world. 67. You will meet the person that’s perfect for you. 68. No matter how much or how little, you have your life ahead of you. 69. You have the chance to save somebody’s life. 70. If you end your life, you’re stopping yourself from achieving great things. 71. Making snow angels. 72. Making snowmen. 73. Snowball fights. 74. Life is what you make of it. 75. Everybody has a talent. 76. Laughing until you cry. 77. Having the ability to be sad means you have the ability to be happy. 78. The world would not be the same if you didn’t exist. 79. Its possible to turn frowns, upside down 80. Be yourself, don’t take anyone’s shit, and never let them take you alive. 81. Heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary. Be your own hero. 82. Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means that you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections. 83. One day your smile will be real. 84. Having a really hot, relaxing bath after a stressful day. 85. Lying on grass and laughing at the clouds. 86. Getting completely smashed with your best friends. 87. Eating crazy food. 88. Staying up all night watching your favourite films with a loved one. 89. Sleeping in all day. 90. Creating something you’re proud of. 91. You can look back on yourself 70 years later and being proud you didn’t commit 92. Being able to meet your Internet friends. 93. Tea / Coffee / Hot Chocolate 94. Sherlock season three. 95. Cuddling under the stars. 96. Being stupid in public because you just can. 97. If you are reading this then you are alive! Is there any more reason to smile? 98. being able to hug that one person you havent seen in years 99. People care enough about you and your future to come up with 100 reasons for you not to do this. 100. But, the final and most important one is, just, being able to experience life. Because even if your life doesn’t seem so great right now, literally anything could happen

IF that isn’t enough:

Depression Hotline: 1-630-482-9696 Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-8433 LifeLine: 1-800-273-8255 Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 Sexuality Support: 1-800-246-7743 Eating Disorders Hotline: 1-847-831-3438 Rape and Sexual Assault: 1-800-656-4673 Grief Support: 1-650-321-5272 Runaway: 1-800-843-5200, 1-800-843-5678, 1-800-621-4000 Exhale: After Abortion Hotline/Pro-Voice: 1-866-4394253 Child Abuse: 1-800-422-4453 UK Helplines: Samaritans (for any problem): 08457909090 e-mail [email protected] Childline (for anyone under 18 with any problem): 08001111 Mind infoline (mental health information): 0300 123 3393 e-mail: [email protected] Mind legal advice (for people who need mental-health related legal advice): 0300 466 6463 [email protected] b-eat eating disorder support: 0845 634 14 14 (only open Mon-Fri 10.30am-8.30pm and Saturday 1pm-4.30pm) e-mail: [email protected] b-eat youthline (for under 25’s with eating disorders): 08456347650 (open Mon-Fri 4.30pm - 8.30pm, Saturday 1pm-4.30pm) Cruse Bereavement Care: 08444779400 e-mail: [email protected] Frank (information and advice on drugs): 0800776600 Drinkline: 0800 9178282 Rape Crisis England & Wales: 0808 802 9999 1(open 2 - 2.30pm 7 - 9.30pm) e-mail [email protected] Rape Crisis Scotland: 08088 01 03 02 every day, 6pm to midnight India Self Harm Hotline: 00 08001006614 India Suicide Helpline: 022-27546669 Kids Help Phone (Canada): 1-800-668-6868, Free and available 24/7 suicide hotlines; Argentina: 54-0223-493-0430 Australia: 13-11-14 Austria: 01-713-3374 Barbados: 429-9999 Belgium: 106 Botswana: 391-1270 Brazil: 21-233-9191 China: 852-2382-0000 (Hong Kong: 2389-2222) Costa Rica: 606-253-5439 Croatia: 01-4833-888 Cyprus: 357-77-77-72-67 Czech Republic: 222-580-697, 476-701-908 Denmark: 70-201-201 Egypt: 762-1602 Estonia: 6-558-088 Finland: 040-5032199 France: 01-45-39-4000 Germany: 0800-181-0721 Greece: 1018 Guatemala: 502-234-1239 Holland: 0900-0767 Honduras: 504-237-3623 Hungary: 06-80-820-111 Iceland: 44-0-8457-90-90-90 Ireland: 1800-247-100 Israel: 09-8892333 Italy: 06-705-4444 Japan: 3-5286-9090 Latvia: 6722-2922, 2772-2292 Malaysia: 03-756-8144 (Singapore: 1-800-221-4444) Mexico: 525-510-2550 Netherlands: 0900-0767 New Zealand: 4-473-9739 New Guinea: 675-326-0011 Nicaragua: 505-268-6171 Norway: 47-815-33-300 Philippines: 02-896-9191 Poland: 52-70-000 Portugal: 239-72-10-10 Russia: 8-20-222-82-10 Serbia: 21-6623-393 Spain: 91-459-00-50 South Africa: 0861-322-322 South Korea: 2-715-8600 Sweden: 031-711-2400 Switzerland: 143 Taiwan: 0800-788-995 Thailand: 02-249-9977 Trinidad and Tobago: 868-645-2800 Ukraine: 0487-327715 Uruguay: 095 73 8483 You will be missing out on every single wonderful thing yet to happen to you.

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