#MILE AT THE END OF THE VIDEO IS ILLEGAL

[nattaphum]

Mile and Apo at a nightspot in Taipei tonight 🔥

Glued together:

[readingsquotes]

"Despite a global propaganda machine working overtime to tell us that targeting hospitals is not targeting hospitals and killing civilians is not killing civilians, awareness of Israel’s crimes is spreading like wildfire across the globe. This is due in no small part to the tenacity of the Palestinian armed resistance, which has managed to defy containment by Israel’s 40-mile long ‘iron wall’ and continues to resist an Israeli invasion on the ground. At the same time, Palestinian artists, writers, journalists, and academics have worked tirelessly to dismantle zionist colonization of the global- particularly Western- imaginary, with story, with song, with music, and with art.   This resistance in all its forms is having ripple effects. Since October 7, people have continued to flood the streets in every nation with chants of ‘In our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians.’ Josephine Guilbeau, a former member of the US military, said on Monday at a vigil for Bushnell that ‘I don’t think this is going to be the last of our military members resisting. I feel like there are many, many Aarons out there. Who will speak for them?’ Israel’s lies have long lacked legitimacy among the peoples of the Global South, and particularly the Middle East. But today Taylor Swift fans show up to protests holding signs declaring ‘Swifties for Palestine‘ and videos of lawyers proclaiming the Israeli occupation ‘existentially illegal‘ before the International Court of Justice go viral on Twitter. Palestinian journalists reporting from Gaza have bigger online followings than the US president, and buildings in the West are emblazoned with their images and quotes. In a statement responding to Bushnell’s protest the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) stated “(Bushnell’s act) indicates that the status of the Palestinian cause, especially in American circles, is becoming more deeply entrenched in the global conscience, and reveals the truth of the zionist entity as a cheap colonial tool in the hands of savage imperialism.” Israel’s legitimacy is crumbling, and it is taking the US empire with it. This is not to suggest that Israel is pulling the strings- rather, it shows how far the US is prepared to go before it will risk its hegemony in the region. The refusal of all but a handful of states to join the US-led coalition ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian’ to defeat Yemen in the Red Sea (notable among absentees was Saudi Arabia, which has since joined the BRICS group of nations alongside China, Russia and Iran) was telling. Increasingly, the imperialism of the Western media is being exposed, and voices from the Global South locating these lies within much longer histories of Western colonial violence are being heard in new ways, by a new generation.  In a talk he gave on October 21st, 2023, historian Ilan Pappé stated: ‘Before October I wrote an article saying this is the beginning of the end of Zionism…after last week in fact I’m even more convinced. As happened in apartheid South Africa, this is a very dangerous period. The regime fights for its life….historically I have no doubt that this is what we are experiencing, we are experiencing cruelty and brutality because a certain regime is losing it, not because it’s winning, but because it’s losing.’ Israel’s attacks on Iran and Lebanon, attempting to lure the US into a broader regional war, are another sign of that desperation. "

-

In our thousands, in our millions: On Aaron Bushnell’s final act

What Aaron Bushnell did was an act of fierce, principled love in a situation of extreme desperation. It unflinchingly declared that even in the heart of the empire the lies of Zionism no longer hold.

by Britt Munro March 1, 2024

[beardedmrbean]

Three illegal migrants with the vicious Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua abducted a man and two kids in Texas — then executed the older victim and dumped his body on the side of the road, authorities say.

Carl Luis Zambrano-Bolivar, 26, Jhonata Nahin Toro Gonzalez, 22, and Ehiker Morales Mendoza, 38, were recently arrested for the murder of Nilzuly Enrique Arneaud-Petit, 33, who was found dead Aug. 24 with a single gunshot wound to the head in Farmers Branch just outside Dallas, DHS officials said.

While police were responding to a report of a body, they learned of two juveniles possibly related to the victim walking on a service road about 10 miles away, according to the Farmers Branch Police Department.

Investigators caught up with the minors and were told the kids and Arneaud-Petit had been “forcibly taken by several unknown suspects from an apartment complex” in Dallas earlier that night, police said.

The suspects drove Andreau-Petit and the juveniles to the location in Farmers Branch, where they fatally shot the 33-year-old man, police said. The kids told investigators the suspects then fled with them in a sedan before releasing them on the service road in nearby Lewisville. 

Andreau-Petit was an associate of the violent gangsters “and allegedly involved in a complex ATM theft operation targeting several locations nationwide,” police said.

He was accused of withholding money from other group members, which led to his kidnapping and execution, police said.

TdA members Zambrano-Bolivar and Toro Gonzalez were arrested in Aurora, Colo., in September by Denver’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations team, DHS officials said.

A third member of the feared prison gang, Mendoza, was busted Oct. 11 in Las Cruces, NM.

All three were in the country illegally, authorities said.

A fourth man also wanted in the murder, 29-year-old Jhonny Jesus Martinez Serrano, remains at large.

The three men in custody are expected to be extradited to Texas to be prosecuted on charges of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping, according to Homeland Security Investigations.

“Violent criminal organizations and transnational gangs like Tren de Aragua are a plague upon our communities that rely on fear and violence to [rain] terror on hardworking and law-abiding residents,” said HSI Dallas acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard.

 “We have sent a resounding message that we are united in our efforts to dismantle these violent criminal networks and put an end to the lawlessness that they spread,” he added.

The violent gang has been terrorizing cities across the US.

In August, the ruthless group made national headlines when frightening video capturing some of its gun-wielding members storming through an Aurora apartment complex went viral.

The Post was the first to report on TdA’s infiltration of Aurora, its takeover of several poorly maintained apartment complexes and its top leader, nicknamed “Cookie,” who was involved in at least two violent crimes.

TdA also has been blamed for a surge in violent crime in such tourist meccas as Times Square in Manhattan.

[crossbackpoke-check]

15 questions + 15 friends (tagged by my beloveds @whitenikes & @acheronist 🥰💕 thank you thank you!!)

1. Are you named after anyone?

technically yes… i’m named after a character in a book but my mom has never been able to remember what book 🫡

2. When was the last time you cried?

i don’t usually log frequent crier miles but i definitely cried in december (??) watching the music video for “amelia” for a variety of reasons

3. Do you have kids?

nope! i do refer to my students as my kids sometimes on accident and have freaked out more than one person by saying “my kids” lmao

4. What sports do you play/have played?

currently i play rugby, although i grew up playing a lot of sports—i did volleyball, basketball, track, and danced competitively (which is probably the sport i miss the most)

5. Do you use sarcasm?

me? using sarcasm? never :) here i usually don’t because it doesn’t come across the same over text and irl it’s usually just with people i’m comfortable with and know will get it

6. What is the first thing you notice about someone?

oooo outfit maybe? voice? context dependent for sure

7. What’s your eye color?

legally, hazel. illegally, whatever color the nearest person to me says that they are at the time

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

happy endings :)

9. Any talents?

(insert the quinn hughes 😬 on the bench reaction meme please i’m trying ok!!)

i can bake pretty decently! athletic if that’s a talent? i would love to learn how to do more artsy things (got a crochet kit & paint with watercolor sometimes)

10. Where were you born?

michigan 🧤<- not a mitten but i’d show you where i’m from on it if i could

11. What are your hobbies?

reading, although i never have as much time to read as i want to (send me book recs please)… i count sports as a hobby and i just got a really pretty new puzzle! also, obviously, hockey.

12. Do you have any pets?

yes!!! i have a canary and a society finch (orville and duncan), a hypo corn snake (apollo! he has hearts on his head!), and two cats (john watson and effie). in the future i’d love to have a dog again, since i just lost him this past summer

13. How tall are you?

moritz seider (5’3”)

14. Favorite subject in school?

real hot girls speak german 💅 it’s either that or biology but i feel like that’s little bit of a cop out

15. Dream job?

re: the cop out above, dream job is working as a veterinarian for a zoo! so it makes sense i love biology lol

tagging @songsandswords @kj-op @hiding-from-reality-56 @catboy-mahura and anyone else who’d like to and hasn’t done it already!!

[northwest-cryptid]

We are once again back to "things you could have educated people about in a nice way but you wanted to be an assholes instead." But hey I have to give this one credit where it's due because normally I get upset since they don't typically actually explain anything but this post does.

It is that simple, is easy to forget with how normalized it is but piracy is an underground and illegal thing, it's just not super enforced on the users end. It's more likely my internet service provider would shut down my internet before I'd ever have cops at my door asking me to prove that I bought that video game that suddenly showed up on my computer.

However that doesn't mean that sites that host proper torrents and such don't get taken far more seriously, and sites that are potentially dangerous whether that be through malicious viruses and malware or through other means; will gladly take their place using the same name and aesthetics to the point you won't easily be able to tell. I know you think yourself a highly computer literate individual who could spot that shit a mile away but trust me, you aren't. Even if you are it's entirely possible the person you're downloading from got their torrent from a sketchy website and maybe they aren't.

What I'm saying here is that the more mainstream and wide spread these websites become the easier it is for people who want to cause you harm (and no I don't even mean cops) to access them all the same.

It's not like you're out here going on "the dark web" or something, anyone can access this stuff. Essentially it's the same as if you knew about a really cool store that has everything you ever wanted at a criminally affordable price. However it's located at some really discreet place way out of town and you make sure only to tell your very good trusted friends about it because you don't want everyone else shopping it out every time you want to go. You'd be pissed off to see it all over social media or on TikTok with thousands of people flaunting their finds on their own accounts because suddenly you find that this once private thing has become overly public, and only a week later it became so popular that it was looked into and found to literally be criminal and now it's shut down.

We're really back to "loose lips sink ships" but with a slightly different meaning. Anyways I know my version is like 5 times as long but I'm not calling you an idiot for trying to share something exciting and fun with the world, so hopefully you can understand why we can't just go around doing that. No shade to OP I get it, it's annoying to see one of the few underground communities out there being exposed and beaten down by over excited newcomers who don't understand the culture, I just don't think insulting them and being mad at them is a great way to get them to understand we're on the same side and just asking that they not accidentally destroy our few remaining sites.

Unfriendly reminder that all you idiots being like "yeah just pirate media now, fuck corporations!" posting links and just openly telling people where to download pirated media are why it's so hard to find safe, working sites for it anymore.

I've been doing this shit for over 20 years and the availability has gone down as it's become more mainstream. The more you publicly talk about all these sites the less there are. Shut up. Tell people in private or don't tell them at all.

[gapatriotusa]

There's a TicTok video of some guy who (supposedly) rented a car from Hertz. He drove 25k miles in a month and was outraged when the Hertz agent was going to charge him $10k for the mileage. Now, most rental cars have unlimited mileage, but you can't use the car for commercial use like Lyft/Uber, DoorDash, etc. 25k miles in a month would indicate commercial use. Even if there wasn't commercial use, 25k miles is excessive and abusive. In any case, Hertz can probably charge for the mileage.

What I found interesting is all the comments that ranged from the incomprehensible to the absolutely stupid. Things like "Unlimited means unlimited" or "You should sue them." It was just a neverending stream of knee-jerk anger and outrage. Now put this in context with Trump winning the election. Granted, Harris was a poor candidate and she was over her head, but that's not why she lost. Much like this TicTok, Trump generated a never-ending stream of anger and outrage. Criminals pouring over the border. Immigrants poisoning the blood of our country. Welfare going to illegals. FEMA recovery money going to illegals. Your tax money is being used for sex changes. And on and on. People have become used to knee jerking and Trump's campaign knew how to bait people into believing his lies and bullshit. That's why Trump won. Harris had no chance.

[onenettvchannel]

FLASH REPORT OVERNIGHT: Hurricane Milton disrupts Veteran YouTube broadcaster in Florida [#OneNETnewsEXCLUSIVE]

TAMPA, FLORIDA -- A very popular 30 y/o YouTuber, and a male veteran personality named 'MoistCritikal', whose real name as 'Mr. Charles Christopher White Jr.' had his LIVE broadcast on YouTube brought to an abrupt end due to unexpected power outage caused by the extreme weather event of Hurricane Milton.

The storm, had only within the latest weather report earlier this week, been given a Category 3 measurement at 180 kilometers per hour (kph) as it took its toll on Florida, and in particular, the Tampa region. For the likeness, in the opening theme song of the now-exited American animated television series "Hailey's On It!" on Disney Channel when 'Hailey Alohilani Banks' travels by road from her house in 'Oceanside, California' to 'Orlando, Florida', roller skating in her shoes with cross-state borders illegally. Theoretically, for its between distance, MoistCritikal's place is close to about 90 miles southwest from Orlando to Tampa's place in this very same American state of Florida.

Hurricane Milton was moving rapidly inland, growing from tropical storm strength to become a Category 5 hurricane before landfall. The tempest had weakened to a Category 3 by Wednesday evening on October 9th, but it was still piling on menace in the form of powerful winds and heavy rains. It swept through west-central Florida late Wednesday, knocking out power and throwing around damage in that region.

Recently from two LIVE videos ago, MoistCritikal was previously broadcasted LIVE in an unlicensed fan-parody version of 'TCG Card Shop Simulator' under 'PokéMod by Redh3x' on his YouTube channel (which is part of Google's Alphabet). Released last month through the Steam console in mid-September 2024, the game simulates running a trading card shop when working personally in real life. It has recently become popular among fans with its engaging gameplay and nostalgic references, which were based on the Japanese anime 'Pokémon' (Pocket Monsters) on JOTX-TV 7's TV Tokyo. However, in his LIVE internet broadcasts, the stream was cut short, when a temporary local electrical power outage knocked out the power at his house in the early morning hours, provided by his electrical company such as 'TECO Energy' for example.

In the final moments before the regional outage, MoistCritikal continued speaking to his virtual audience, discussing the forming hurricane and possible impact. The stream cut off around 4am (Tampa local time), viewers were left fretting for MoistCritikal's safety.

Following the incident, MoistCritikal took to social media to assure his fans of his safety. In a captioned social media post to OneNETnews, he confirmed exclusively that he is safe, but later refused the next day to evacuate on Thursday morning, given such kind of this disturbing weather event of hurricane. Much sadly at this rate, possibly, he does not have a back-up generator and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) combined.

In conclusion, Hurricane Milton's devastating impact on Florida, particularly on the Tampa area, that has underscored the vulnerabilities of coastal communities to significant weather events in America. This irony compared to the opening theme of "Hailey's On It!" cartoon show, meant that between fiction adventure and real-life peril, there appears to be 90 miles' difference between Orlando and Tampa that never could have been brought about before, in the wake of Hurricane Milton. HOI is now available through streaming and purchasing season pass legally through video-on-demand (VOD) platforms from between 'Amazon Prime Video' and 'Apple TV+' until digital copies supply last in the upcoming lost media, after the show search catalog completely removed on both Disney+ and DisneyNOW.

As residents across Florida grapple with widespread power outages, electrical companies including 'TECO Energy', have issued public apologies for the inconvenience caused to their frustrated consumers. These companies are working tirelessly to restore power and normalcy to affected areas within a few days from now.

As Florida begins its recovery process, which can take years or months, the resilience of its communities, including internet personalities like 'MoistCritikal', will be put to the test, under his look-a-like of the reincarnation of Jesus. The days ahead will reveal the full extent of what Hurricane Milton has done, and the long road it has ahead to getting its sunshine back in the normal daily lives.

SOURCE: *https://thebeatofthecapital.com/2024/10/09/landfall-timeline-when-will-hurricane-milton-hit-florida/ *https://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/hurricanes/2024/10/08/hurricane-milton-timeline-tuesday-when-where-landfall/75570332007/ *https://www.fastcompany.com/91204501/hurricane-milton-timeline-florida-evacuation-zones-live-maps-update *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbQB3vfITU8 *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CP47KT3iXY *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh8eZvcTrd0 *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0GO9vdYvec *https://youtube.fandom.com/wiki/Penguinz0 *https://store.steampowered.com/app/3070070/ and *https://www.facebook.com/100070408657823/posts/595737422783208

SCREENGRAB COURTESY for REPRESENTATION: Google Images

-- OneNETnews Online Publication Team

[darkmaga-returns]

Armed Man Arrested Near Trump Rally. US sending THAAD system to Israel. NATO threatens to destroy Russia. Chechen leader Declares Blood Feud. Two MORE tropical storms racing towards the US

Lioness of Judah Ministry

Oct 14, 2024

Man Arrested With Firearms Near Trump Rally in Feared 3rd Assassination Attempt

Authorities detained a Las Vegas resident on Saturday during a checkpoint near a rally held by former President Donald Trump in California’s Coachella Valley.

The individual, identified as 49-year-old Vem Miller, stands accused of possessing a loaded firearm, a shotgun, and a high-capacity magazine. Deputies stopped Miller in a black SUV at Avenue 52 and Celebration Drive, according to law enforcement sources. The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department reported that the arrest was conducted without any issues. Miller was subsequently processed at the John J. Benoit Detention Center. Charges against him include possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a high-capacity magazine. It is unclear at the time of publication if Miller was part of a third assassination plot against Trump, with plenty of speculation on social media.

Man Arrested Outside Trump Coachella Event Spotted at RNC Convention Next to Don Jr. (VIDEO)

A 49-year-old man named Vem Miller was arrested by Riverside law enforcement at a checkpoint about a mile outside of Trump’s Coachella, California event on Saturday.

Miller was taken into custody on two misdemeanor charges after he was found to be illegally in possession of two firearms and a high-capacity magazine. He was released $5,000 bail. Vem Miller was also allegedly in possession of fake VIP passes and press passes for Trump’s rally.

Trump Campaign Requests Military Aircraft With Antimissile Capabilities Amid Iran Threat

military aircraft, vehicles, & assets with deterrent systems…

Donald Trump has survived two assassination attempts within a very short period of time, but now with less than a month to go till the November election, his campaign is reportedly requesting the use of military aircraft and vehicles to protect him. Sources who spoke to the New York Times and Washington Post in Friday stories indicate the former president has requested much greater protections that US Secret Service agents currently provide him. There are also new reports saying he's unlikely to play golf again until new expanded protocols are in place, as the Secret Service would have trouble protecting him on a golf course.

[weerentheworld]

Diving in Isle of Skye & the UK.

First off I’m not at all an expert!!!

This is just from what I noticed/experienced on my recent trip driving there.

I spend 4 days on or driving to/from Isle of Skye and one day driving in southwest England. 

I had never driven on the left side before this trip.

The most helpful piece of advice is a mantra I stole from the destination daydreams blog “STAY LEFT-LOOK RIGHT” Just keep repeating it, especially at turns. (https://www.destinationdaydreamer.com/driving-in-scotland/)

I found that you do acclimate after the first 30min/1 hour or so (or maybe after the first few miles?) and after that it gets a bit better.

I also found I had a tendency to try and over correct to the side of the road since I was so afraid of hitting on coming cars. Having a rental car that chirped at me when I started straying was helpful. It may have done ALOT of chirping that first day.

Isle of Skye

Driving on Isle of Skye was not nearly as bad as I feared or as people warned me.

I expected big cliffs, lots of pot holes and to struggle with one-lane roads- I am also talented at playing out worse case options so I 100% had built it up in my mind.

I’m not saying it’s without challenges, just that it’s doable even for less confident drivers

Good news, driving is not the only option!

I ended up choosing it despite trepidation because I had some very specific sites/hikes I wanted to see and driving allowed for the most flexibility. 

If I had decided not to drive I think I would have ended up taking multiple day tours instead to best accommodate the most time at the sites I was interested in even if that would have had me visiting some sites more than once. Visiting a place more than once in a location with very changeable weather can be helpful- especially if you’re mainly visiting for the photos!

If you do drive know on Isle of Skye be prepared! 

Dive times on google were x2 what they said

You will encounter curves, listen to the signs and slow down for them, especially when it’s wet.

I found watching various driving videos (including the ones put out by the government) beforehand helped a lot

Passing places have their own rules- know before you go. Flashing your headlights can be part of this, so you might want to test how to do that in your rental car before driving too far. Looking ahead to watch for the next passing place was really helpful.

Do NOT pull over if it does not say/is not an obvious passing place. You do not want to end up stuck in the mud.

Roundabouts are the norm! You will also encounter a lot of these, especially in more populated areas. Having an idea of which land to be in beforehand is helpful. 

Maybe give yourself some time to observe- I really think just getting to watch what the drivers were doing going to/from that first night’s hotel was really helpful. 

Check local laws- it’s illegal to use your phone while driving in Scotland so having something to mount my navigation on was a must.

If you’re right handed, prep anything you need to reach while driving (like drinks or snacks) beforehand so you don’t struggle while driving. When I’m driving in the US, I can reach with my right hand without looking to the passenger seat which generally makes it easier to get at things quickly. This is more challenging when using my lefthand and having to focus extra on driving. 

Parking at most sites is paid and limited. It’s likely worth getting up early if you can.

breath, you’ve got this. 

If you’re driving to/from Inverness there’s a more northern and a more southern route you can take.

I found both took me 2 hours longer than google map said it would.

I think the northern route had prettier views but maybe it’s just that I was too scared to look at anything besides the road on the initial southern one!

The southern does make it easier to stop by Loch Ness.

Helpful links

Southwest England (plymouth, Tintagel, Dartmoor National Park) 

These were the roads that scared me and no one warned me about!

But sadly a car was my only real option here. It was that or spend 4 days on a group tour to see Tintagel vs driving to it in less than a day.

The highways are fine, but in many places the hedges surrounding the roads really do seriously limit visibility.

Unlike isle of skye, there are more 2 land roads, but the roads that are still 1 lane have far fewer passing places than Isle of Skye, probably because rural england gets fewer visitors. 

There are also VERY limited options to turn around if you make a wrong turn! Usually you’ll just be stuck going [x] miles in the wrong direction for a while.

Google maps - there really needs to be a straightforward option. More than once it seemed like google maps was ending me on an absolutely insane route just to save a bit of gas or 5 min of driving time. Maybe this could have been avoided by better checking routes beforehand, but it’s hard to do that if you don’t know the region. But seriously, I should not have been directed up a tiny back farm road when trying to get to a big hotel! 

While I didn’t drive myself in the cotswolds the parking lots I saw were madhouses. I was there on a weekend, so it might be better during the week?

As on isle of skye roundabouts are very much the norm! You will run into more than a few!

As with the above, be prepared to prep anything you might need to reach to be right hand friendly. 

[anthonysstupiddailyblog]

Anthony's Stupid Daily Blog (867): Fri 2nd Aug 2024

Tuned into tonight's Hollyoaks which featured Dillon confiding in Tom that he wanted to learn how to drive. During the exchange where Dillon said he couldn't find a suitable driving instructor Tom replied "Enter Tom" which obviously prompted me to post this on Twitter: Tom: You thinking about taking driving lessons? Dillon: Yeah but they're so expensive Tom: Well, enter Tom Dillon:……uh, Tom I know you've been lonely since Yaz left but I'm not going to fuck you in exchange for teaching me how to drive a car I was shocked this evening to read reports that happening just a few miles away in the town centre of my home city of Sunderland rioters were causing all kinds of pandemonium. There were quickly videos surfacing of crowds throwing bricks at police officers, overturning cars and threatening to storm a mosque next to where my Nana Jenny's care home is. These riots have allegedly kicked off out of reaction to the poor young girls killed at the Taylor Swift dancer class in Southport even though it's been confirmed that the attacker was not a Muslim so now the rioters have switched to making out that this is a "peaceful protest" to get the government to finally stop the boats. Personally I'm not seeing how looting a vape shop is supposed to alert the government to previously unnoticed levels of illegal immigration. The one horrifying shot from the whole riot is a man walking into view of a group of rioters with a Swastika tattoed on his back so there goes the whole "we're not anti-immigration we're pro-controlled immigration" BS, this isn't about immigration this is about stiring up hate. I had a feeling that it was only a matter of time before something like this kicked off. After the fifteen years we've had of austerity, recession, Brexit, Covid etc I figured it was inevitable that eventually a group of nutters were going to decide enough was enough and try to fix their problems through violence. I'm not making excuses for these dickheads because while I think peaceful protests are the way to do I would never want it to escalate into any form of violence. I'm happy to report most of the people of Sunderland are decent people who know you don't cure violence with more violence but apologies on behalf of my home city for the dickheads, lunatics and literal Nazis that have put people's safety at risk with their "protest" tonight. I hope that all those involved end up getting arrested and as many people escaped unscathed as possible but I have a terrible feeling that this is just the beginning.

[katoktm8]

Different travels

My adventures with Julie are much different than my adventures with Caroline. We hopped the ferry yesterday morning after a good breakfast at the hotel and had a two hour ride over to Corfu Greece. We are loving Corfu! Our hotel is actually in an outskirt town called Perama. Which is about a 4 1/2 mile walk into old town Corfu. Of course we walked it. We did a lot of people watching yesterday, we found an area where all the money yachts are docked, and we went down onto the pier and watched them park the yachts and looked for famous people and looked in windows and just basically nosed around. We found all kinds of different beaches and watched people swim around. For us that is tomorrow. Then we walked along the coastline into town …more people watching… winding through all the narrow streets and homes of Corfu was an adventure in itself. The old town district is fantastic. Tons of restaurants and shops and people and noise and rich people to watch and dogs on leashes and ice cream, everything you would expect in a Greek town. We ended up having dinner at about 10 o’clock last night. It was a delicious dinner and we debated whether to walk the 4 miles back but decided to take the city bus back to the top of the hill and walked only about a mile and a half back. Think we were in bed around 1 AM. Long day. Fun day. Pictures should show you a great deal about Corfu. Today we have another similar day ahead. Can’t wait to head into town.

As Andrew warned us, it took us 45 minutes or more to get through immigration when we got to Greece. It seems they were letting Australian and Americans like us through easily, but everyone else took an inordinate amount of time. I think they were probably checking for people who were trying to Illegally stay in Greece. But it took forever! There was a family of four from Kiev in front of us and although they got through immigration after about five minutes, they were pulled into a side room and were sitting waiting when we left.

I felt like I found famous people when our fairy pulled into the dock and we saw the splendor of the seas! The cruise ship that is going around the world. I follow many of the TikTokers who are documenting this nine month voyage so I was so excited to see the ship.

One beach, we found had a clear glass elevator from the beach up to the road. So of course we had to ride the elevator. It was almost straight up a Cliffside and it held at the most four people, but Julie and I did it just the two of us. Make sure to watch the video.

We are at the Argo hotel. The host name is Spiro. We think maybe his wife has died and he’s trying to run it on his own. It’s fine for us. But breakfast was bread, butter, a Panini Nescafé, coffee, and a piece of lemon cake. Also a hard boiled egg that Julie did not want to eat, but I did. He is a sweet man and you can tell. He’s trying his best to keep his life afloat.

One cool area about a mile away from us at the bottom of the hill is the end of the airport. There is a narrow cement bridge type walkway that people go out and wait for hours as planes come in and out taking pictures and videoing them. That is our bridge to get into old Corfu. But we stopped there for probably 30 minutes watching planes come and go. It’s unbelievable how close they are. Very cool.

Be sure to note the picture of the night version of the airport. We were walking back at midnight and planes were still coming and going. But you can also see a little rowboat in the foreground.

[the-firebird69]

Hey Sam how's your job going down at fisherman's village I hear they're firing you Monday I hear you don't own the place anymore and your friends Stan doesn't own this apartment complex and he doesn't own anything else come Monday too how is it being a little low life stupid f****** loser having 70% of the world's wealth and manufacturing and going down to a very small number because you're sitting here harassing me cuz you're so stupid why don't you answer the question you little puke and lots of people don't know how to make a device if they paid them a million dollars a second you don't have many people know anything left and you certainly do not have the AI you're a complete imbecile if you did you wouldn't have it by now because you don't know how to hold on to anything

Zues Hera

It was here on Earth and I went to Antarctica and that's what I'm saying

Trump

So what

Zues Hera

I certainly get something I'm getting hit and it's real and my brain is taking a beating and I don't think we're controlling the AI and I don't think we went to the right computer this one was not 5000 miles across he has a point the one we went to a small and he says it it would take me a day to get to the computer while traveling in the ship I've been on really huge shifts and I know what it's like you know this kind of stuff is bothering me but it's real I'm sitting here harassing him and I don't know the truth and I'm not looking at it and we think that the clan took over this huge fleet I can't even get a tire to him that's right and I say I'm getting high and he could give a s*** he's been yelling at me and I can't remember it putting it in writing having other people tell me having law enforcement tell me I guess I'm sitting here threatening him he's related to Biden I'm going to get arrested and I'm not going anywhere even if I got in I'd be arrested for what I was doing this is going to suck I have to get out of here I can't leave and he says who cares I certainly follow something it's probably over for me

Trump

Yeh it is. We're going to pack you up in a box and send you away you're a f****** moron my husband says it's a good backup tire he's going to try and sell the big fat one and hang on to ones that work but you're a dead man Trump and you're going to die on Titan and everyone is going to make it happen so you can't escape into a body even if your brain is soup it's going to be incinerated that is where it ends by the way we don't hear anything about you after that you have a short-lived career and so does Stan in Warhammer only like two or three scenes. And really it's not even a movie it's a short stuff with video games and you're gone everybody needs it and the max wanted as some sort of precursor to what they're going to try and do to my husband but holy s*** this is annoying we're not putting up with this stuff either so you're going to go help research what's next to them and what's destroying them before you leave how wonderful for you you're a slave to both sides it's disgusting loser

Jennifer

I can't believe this I'm a huge loser yeah I live to bother people and what he says is like I can't do anything else and he's done it for his whole life and he's teaching me a lesson and I learn it whether I admit it or not. That's really gross this little kid is beating the s*** out of me and people know it he says just ask anyone you f****** loser

Trump

You see him doing so many illegal things to you it's not even funny and we mean that he's out of balance but who cares nobody else is standing up to do it he's not going to die for anybody especially you you slob what are you doing with the tires ridiculous they started doing the s*** like that here at the house somebody should have stepped in but this is disgusting you're a f****** pig and you're ruining small businesses you have to die you don't even know how to make a website anymore you're such a loser your website sucks I'll tell you what we're going to go take your Warehouse over and just sit there and pick you up as you try and get there

Preston

We're going to get that motorcycle company the two of them I'm going to do what he said and put firsts in there they'll get a defend it because their bikes he's going to probably ride I'm going to get rid of the idiot Jesus Christ you both have to go you're so dumb and cheese man what an idiot that a****** ruined everything for you he's a f****** huge this afternoon stupid s*** to him all day and in the office too and her son stood up for himself and said you can't say that and you'll get arrested and things like that and the guy showed up your p**** still one day came in there and said I don't want to hear any stupid crap if I do I'm calling the cops and he just went over what they're doing it needs to be reprimanded and he said thank you practically but holy s*** you people are out of control and it's the Max and you have no resistance negative or research this board stuff cuz they're having problems with their tongue that's how they know it you don't know it at all man you are a massive loser you got to check in the hospital and never check out where you belong it's a mental hospital. He eventually go ahead and do it and you were just sitting there and it was fine so people start beating you up it is where you belong you're calling her a son the cheese like the head guy and she's been is too for Christ say he's a weirdo and that's who's your shrink and you've all saying it and making fun of him and mocking him we know what happens to the clan we needed their AI it's dangerous

Thor Freya

Olympus

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Trudeau’s welcome mat for immigrants wears thin amid Canada housing crunch (Reuters) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has relied on immigration to drive economic growth and plug labor gaps, but now he is hitting the brakes after a seismic shift in public opinion that could undermine his chances to win the next election. It was Trudeau’s father, Pierre, who championed immigration as prime minister in the early 1970s, promoting “multiculturalism” as government policy. Over time, Canadians have come to see the country’s diversity as part of its identity, like the maple leaf and hockey. But when international students led a surge in immigration in the wake of the pandemic, the public mood soured as rental costs soared and services like healthcare came under strain.

Jimmy Carter’s spirit ‘as strong as ever’ after year in hospice, grandson says (CNN) As former President Jimmy Carter marked one year in hospice care on Sunday, his family celebrated his resolve and expressed gratitude for the support they’ve received. “After a year in hospice, on a daily basis we have no expectations for his body, but we know that his spirit is as strong as ever,” Jason Carter, Jimmy Carter’s grandson, said in a video that aired on “CBS Sunday Morning.” Now 99, Jimmy Carter is the oldest living US president in history. He has survived metastatic brain cancer, liver cancer, and a number of health scares, including brain surgery after a fall in 2019. He entered hospice care in February 2023 after a series of hospital stays. In hospice, an interdisciplinary team of professionals who specialize in end-of life-care address the whole person. There is no time limit on how long a person can receive hospice care. Many patients choose to receive care at home or in other familiar environments.

Illegally adopted during Chile’s dictatorship, they’re now reuniting with biological families (AP) Romina Cortés couldn’t pronounce her sister’s last name. Cortés, 43, waited impatiently Sunday at the airport in Santiago, Chile, where she would soon meet her sister, Maria, whose existence Cortés learned of just a month ago. That’s because Cortés’ sister, María Hastings, was one of thousands of Chilean children trafficked or illegally put up for adoption over the last 60 years or so, most during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet from 1973-1990. The illegal adoptions—20,000 of which are being investigated by Chilean justice officials and other social groups—extend back to the 1960s. Largely poor, young and indigenous women in vulnerable situations were either forced to give up their children or were told they died shortly after childbirth. Now, families like the Cortés’ are finally reuniting after decades.

The Death Throes of a Ukrainian City (NYT) Even from a few miles away, the death rattle of another Ukrainian city echoed through the mist and fog. Russian warplanes were dropping more thousand-pound bombs on Avdiivka in eastern Ukraine, reducing an already battered city to rubble and ashes. Since Jan. 1, President Vladimir V. Putin’s forces have dropped around one million pounds of aerial bombs on an area encompassing just 12 square miles, according to estimates by Ukrainian officials and British intelligence. Avdiivka fell to the Russians on Saturday, after some of the most horrific and destructive fighting of the two-year-old war. In the end, Russia’s superior firepower and manpower overwhelmed Ukrainian forces over many months, even as Russia incurred a staggering number of casualties. The Ukrainians withdrew under withering bombardment, fighting intense battles across ruined streets to break out of Russian attempts to encircle them. Russian warplanes bombed the hulking coke-processing plant on Avdiivka’s northern outskirts, using incendiary munitions to blow up fuel tanks at the plant, unleashing a toxic smog, according to Ukrainian soldiers fighting in the plant.

The Taliban vowed to change Kabul. It’s starting to change some of the Taliban. (Washington Post) More than two years after Taliban fighters streamed into the Afghan capital, seizing power here and vowing to cleanse the country of Western decadence, many of them have come to embrace the benefits of urban life. Some spend their weekends in the city’s theme parks. Some watch cricket matches on large outdoor screens. Others are filling their Facebook pages with skyline selfies or buying self-help books published in the West. Most mornings, Kabul’s English schools are crowded with Taliban soldiers and employees in camouflage jackets, who appear as eager as other students to study abroad. As the Taliban continues to change Kabul, some here have started to wonder if the city may also have begun to remake the Taliban.

Tribal violence in Papua New Guinea (AP) At least 26 combatants and an unconfirmed number of bystanders were killed in a gunbattle between warring tribes in Papua New Guinea, police said Monday. A tribe, their allies and mercenaries were on their way to attack a neighboring tribe when they were ambushed Sunday in Enga province in the South Pacific nation’s remote highlands, Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Acting Superintendent George Kakas said. Police Commissioner David Manning later described the clash as a “gunbattle between warring tribes.” An unconfirmed number of villagers also were killed.

The head of the UN’s lead agency helping Palestinians accuses Israel of seeking to destroy it (AP) The head of the main United Nations agency supporting people in Gaza alleged that Israel is intent on “destroying” the organization along with the idea that Palestinians are refugees and have a right to return home one day. Philippe Lazzarini accused Israel in an interview with the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger of having a “long-term political goal” of eliminating the U.N. aid agency he leads, which is known by the acronym UNRWA. It was created more than 70 years ago to assist Palestinians who fled or were forced from their homes during the 1948 Mideast war over Israel’s creation. “At the moment, we are dealing with an expanded, concentrated Israeli campaign, which is aimed at destroying UNRWA,” Lazzarini said in the interview published Saturday. Lazzarini, who has served as UNRWA’s commissioner-general since 2020, said Israel apparently believes that “if the aid agency is abolished, the status of the Palestinian refugees will be resolved once and for all—and with it the right of return.” Israel rejects Palestinian demands to allow descendants of refugees to return to what is now Israel, arguing it would dilute Israel’s Jewish majority.

Overwhelmed by War, Another Gazan Hospital Is Declared ‘Not Functional’ (NYT) The largest medical facility still managing to function in wartime Gaza is now a hospital in little more than name only, the head of the World Health Organization said on Sunday. After a week of siege by the Israeli military, there are only about 20 critically ill patients left at Nasser Hospital—but even that is too many for it to handle, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the W.H.O. director general. “Nasser hospital in Gaza is not functional anymore,” Dr. Tedros said on social media. Dr. Tedros said on Sunday that some 200 patients remained at the hospital in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, and that about 20 of them urgently needed to be transferred elsewhere. Israel has justified its military actions at the hospital by saying that Hamas militants have been using it and other medical centers to conceal military activities, and on Sunday it said it had found both weapons and Hamas militants at the Nasser complex. Hamas has repeatedly denied using hospitals as cover.

As Gaza war rages, top U.N. court to hear arguments on Israeli occupation (Washington Post) The top U.N. court is set to begin public hearings Monday into the legality of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory. The six-day hearing could add to the political pressure on Israel over the war in Gaza, though its focus is on a broader issue: control of the occupied West Bank, annexed East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Israel does not consider that it “occupies” Gaza, arguing that it ceded control over the enclave in 2005, when it unilaterally withdrew. However, human rights groups say that Israel has maintained control over Gaza in other ways, including through a blockade, which Israel and Egypt imposed when the militant group Hamas took power in 2007. Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council is expected to vote this week on a resolution drafted by Algeria that calls for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. Washington—one of five permanent council members with veto power—has said it won’t support the measure.

Dubai International Airport had 86.9 million passengers last year in a post-pandemic surge (AP) The number of passengers flying through Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel, surged last year beyond its total for 2019—just before the coronavirus pandemic grounded global aviation. The number of passengers passing through its cavernous, air-conditioned terminals, home to the long-haul carrier Emirates in Dubai, long has served as a barometer for the aviation industry worldwide and the wider economic health of this city-state. Overall in 2023, the airport had 86.9 million passengers. The airport’s 2019’s annual traffic was 86.3 million passengers. The airport had 89.1 million passengers in 2018—its busiest-ever year before the pandemic.

South Africa’s main opposition party lays out plans to unseat the African National Congress (AP) Thousands of South Africans gathered in the capital Saturday to show support for the country’s biggest opposition party as it prepares for a much-anticipated national election in which it hopes to wrest control of the government from the ruling African National Congress. Many of the Democratic Alliance backers assembled in the Union Buildings, the official seat of South Africa’s government in Pretoria, expressed faith the party would deliver better basic services and address some of the country’s daunting challenges. These include a worsening electricity crisis that has caused rolling power blackouts for households and businesses on a daily basis. Participants at the Democratic Alliance conference also highlighted South Africa’s unemployment rate of over 32%.

Falls are a leading cause of bone breaks, brain injuries for U.S. seniors (Washington Post) About 1 in 4 U.S. adults 65 and older—more than 14 million people—suffer a fall each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Falls are the leading cause of injury among those 65 and older, even though not all falls result in an injury, the CDC says. About 37 percent of older people who have fallen have sustained an injury that required medical treatment or activity restrictions. For instance, the CDC reports that 95 percent of hip fractures result from a fall, and falls also are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries. The National Institute on Aging notes that the odds of falling increase with age, but falls often can be prevented. Standard suggestions include fall-proofing your home space (making sure all stairs have hand rails and are well-lit, eliminating most throw rugs and keeping walk spaces clutter-free), careful management of medications (especially those that can cause dizziness or confusion), having regular vision checks and staying as active as possible (including doing exercises to maintain strength and balance).

[izdatazn]

S.U.I.T.S - Terran's Hidden War

TERRAN 21 - GUNKATA

"I asked, 'How long until I see you again?'" 

"It's only a couple of months," Asuka teased. "Do you already miss me?"

"I definitely do," I admitted.

She giggled shyly and said, "Me too, I miss you too."

I stood in front of the mirror in my private quarters, having a video chat with Asuka. It had been a long time since I saw her in person. The current conflict kept us both busy with SUITs, but whenever we had some free time, we used it to talk about random stuff through private communication. She looked stunning as always, but even better in person than through the screen; she knew it too.

"It's pretty stressful as usual. You already know the details of where I'm going," I continued. "When we get back, let's go on a date. It's been far too long since I last saw you."

"What kind of place do you want to go?" Asuka asked.

"Anywhere with you is fine by me," I answered.

Asuka grinned and shyly answered, "So it's okay if we go to a hotel?"

"You know what? I'm grateful for these soundproof walls so that our conversations remain private," I chuckled. Suddenly, a red light flashed in my room, irritating me as I massaged my temples.

"Go," she whispered softly. "It seems like something significant."

I nodded and promptly terminated the video chat before exiting my personal quarters to join my team who eagerly awaited me in the main room.

"I asked, 'What's the situation?'" I inquired.

Big Bertha chimed in, "We have two teams requesting backup."

An audio transmission followed. "Good afternoon, Kobayashi. This is Team Leader Ann Younghee reporting in. I have Park Haeun's team with me as well. I'll keep it brief. We received information suggesting a massive production line is concealed in Colorado's Black Canyon, located 50 miles away from Arcane Headquarters."

"How did Arcane Conglomerate overlook this?" Harmony questioned. "It was right under their nose."

"Similar to the ordinary world, there are ways to easily hide illegal products from prying eyes or produce assets in inconspicuous locations," I explained. "Big Bertha, how much longer until we reach our destination?" 

"In a couple of hours," Big Bertha replied.

Hauen interrupted us. "Miyoung, it's good to see you working with a team instead of being on your own. I'll see you soon."

Miyoung nervously stammered, "Shut up."

I looked at her, confused, and then glanced at my other team members. Had she just stuttered? It was clear from her bright red face that she had. I turned back to her.

"Ahn Younghee, we will arrive within the hour," I said.

"We'll be waiting, Kobayashi," Younghee answered. "I'm excited to see you too, Miyoung." The feed suddenly cut off. Awkward silence filled the air for a few seconds. It was evident from Younghee's expression that something was wrong.

Viktor took a step closer to Miyoung and asked cautiously, "Miyoung, did you..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Miyoung struck him with the butt of her gun and said firmly, "I didn't do anything." She walked away as Viktor crumbled to the ground in a fetal position.

"But what did Viktor do?" he groaned as he lay in a fetal position.

We reached our designated location in less than an hour, arriving in a small town somewhere in Colorado. Harmony took the wheel while Viktor stayed in the infirmary temporarily. It was Tuesday, July 16th, 2079. Big Bertha was the vehicle that brought us to our destination, with Harmony as the driver. We met up with Younghee and Haeun's team at a family restaurant and acknowledged each other's presence before proceeding with our individual tasks.

Miyoung chose to guard our meeting point on top of the rooftop, possibly avoiding her friends. I wanted to ask about it but hesitated because I didn't want to end up in the infirmary right after like Viktor did earlier. Viktor stood by the entrance.

Ahn Younghee, born in 1215 during the Goryeo Dynasty, came into this world thirty years after the military coup d'état of the Sambyelocho Rebellion. She lived under the reign of King Taejo of Goryeo and served as one of the few female chefs in the palace. In 1231, when Korea was invaded by the Mongols, she bravely saved King Taejo from being assassinated by Kublai Khan's assassin in 1234. Because of her heroic act, she was promoted to lead a protection detail for several years until her unfortunate demise on the battlefield in 1236 while defending King Taejo against another attack from the Mongol Army.

We sat at a corner table towards the back of the restaurant, opposite Younghee and Haeun's team. Facing towards the dining room, I scanned the area as we waited for our food. Younghee sat at a table near the window while Haeun occupied another table near the register. When a waitress approached us, we placed our order before she left again. To communicate discreetly with my teammates, I tapped my right ear twice and continued our conversation

Park Haeun was born in 1370 and took part in a coup alongside Yi Seong-gye, witnessing the downfall of the Goryeo Dynasty in 1392 and the rise of the Joseon Dynasty. Later on, she witnessed Yi Seong-bye, who became King Taejo of Joseon, establish the Joseon Empire. Throughout her career, she served under King Taejo and later King Sejong the Great. It was during this time that she encountered a young blind individual named Lee Miyoung and became his adopted personal guard at the request of King Sejong. Haeun trained Miyoung extensively in archery, swordsmanship, and survival skills in natural environments.

"Miyoung," I whispered, "What is the current situation out there?"

"It's loud and clear," she replied. "Haeun and Younghee's teammates are three streets away from the restaurant. They have already established a perimeter. Younghee's scout is positioned on a rooftop across from the restaurant, while Haeun's guard is stationed across from Viktor."

"Viktor?" I questioned.

"Yeah," he answered. "She's a pretty cool girl."

I continued, addressing Haeun and Younghee, "Nice to meet you both."

"You have an impressive system here, Kobayashi," Haeun remarked.

"It's nice to finally meet you in person and see you collaborating with a team instead of working alone, Miyoung," added Younghee. Miyoung remained silent. A few minutes later, our waiter arrived with our ordered plates and left shortly after.

Younghee carried on talking. "I briefly mentioned a potential target during our previous meeting, but I will provide more details to your team because we've discovered that there might be multiple targets."

“Hits?” I asked. “As in multiple locations?”

"We have three locations," Kobayashi said. Younghee continued, "The Black Canyon, Painted Wall, and Denver. Each site has production lines for drugs, poison, and viruses."

"They have a production line under the city of Denver," I declared. "This could mean that they might release the virus or the drug among the citizens and cause panic. What else do we have?"

Haeun added, "There's a possible sighting of Zaporg leaving the Black Canyon and entering the Painted Wall in the last 24 hours."

"It's good to know we have that information as well," I replied while taking a bite of bread. "If we target the Painted Wall, Zaporg would already be long gone. Our main concern is in Denver since their production line is beneath the city. We need to focus on that first." I let out a sigh before continuing, "Miyoung."

"I'm on it. I've always had a personal vendetta against Zaporg," she answered confidently. She then turned to Isabel and asked, "Are you joining us?"

"Let me finish my lunch first," Isabel responded casually. "I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

"Haeun playfully questioned, 'The lone wolf asking for help? That's quite a character development! I'm proud of you, Miyoung.' Miyoung stuttered in response, while Younghee couldn't resist teasing her further through our communication device.

Isabel added teasingly, 'We had a girls sleepover in my private quarters the other day. Miyoung is such a cutie when nervously sleeping next to me. I saw a vulnerable side up close and personal that I never got to see in public.'

'ISABEL!' Miyoung shouted. 'I'm signing off!'

Isabel giggled and took her last bite of egg, gulping down the remaining orange juice. She stood up, grabbed the untouched bread from her plate, and left with Harmony.

"Do I want to know what kind of history you all have?" I asked.

"Probably not," Haeun answered.

“Noted."

Haeun's squad assumed responsibility for the north side, while Younghee's squad took charge of the southwest region in Denver. Meanwhile, my team was tasked with covering the southeast side. We diligently patrolled the streets, remaining vigilant for any signs of suspicious activity that might lead us to a hidden entrance to the production line. The absence of Miyoung's sharp senses and keen sight put our team at a disadvantage.

I noticed a sudden change in weather as dark clouds rolled in overhead. Within moments, rain began to pour down from above, followed by intermittent flashes of lightning.

Curious about this unexpected weather phenomenon, I turned to Haeun and asked, "What has the weather been like over the past few days?"

Haeun responded, "We've been here for a month now, and it has consistently been sunny. The forecast didn't mention any rain or lightning."

"Do you feel it too, Kobayashi?" Younghee asked.

"Yeah, I do. Contact SUITs and activate the shields," I said.

"I'm on it," Haeun replied.

I looked up at the sky and witnessed the rain pouring down and lightning flashing in different directions. Something faint caught my eye emerging from the clouds.

"Guys, look above us. Can you see it?" I asked.

There was a moment of silence before I noticed more objects descending from the sky. They were drop pods landing all over the city - not just a few dozen, but hundreds of them. And that's not all; there was also a small carrier descending stealthily through the clouds.

"Kobayashi," Isabel spoke up. "Zaporg's location is correct, but he's heading west."

"He's once again one step ahead of us," I gasped. "Isabel and Harmony, gather everyone immediately."

"We'll be there as soon as possible," Isabel answered.

"Miyoung," I continued.

"I'm already on it," she replied determinedly. "He won't escape from me again."

"What's the situation, Haeun?"

"We're expecting reinforcements from Arcane Headquarters within an hour and some SUITs personnel are already stationed in the city," Haeun informed us.

As we huddled behind a wall for cover, three pods crashed down around us. We found ourselves surrounded as enemy combatants emerged from the pod doors.

"I wonder if I can take on two people at once," Viktor grinned confidently while urging Vivian to stay behind him.

I unsheathed my sword with determination. "We won't let Denver fall into their hands.”

Despite being on a transport vehicle, Miyoung followed Zaporg discreetly in the forest from a distance. It didn't take long before another security vehicle joined Zaporg, and both vehicles eventually slowed down and came to a complete stop. Five figures, including Zaporg, emerged from the vehicles. Miyoung found cover in the bushes while observing from afar.

Zaporg yelled out, "I'm aware of your presence, human!" He chuckled. "It's not that difficult to figure out that you're tailing me." Taking advantage of the opportunity, Miyoung silently took down one of the guards near Zaporg without giving away her exact location with her noiseless gun. Zaporg remained standing there, still amused by the situation.

"Little girl," he scoffed, "Just because your gun didn't make a sound doesn't mean I know where you are." He shifted slightly to his left as a bullet whizzed past him from behind and successfully struck another guard. "You're a thousand years too early to kill me," Zaporg laughed, tauntingly. "You should go help your friends back in the city."

Miyoung swiftly took down the remaining guards and emerged on top of a tree branch, fully visible to Zaporg.

"So, you've finally arrived, little girl," sneered Zaporg. "Your head will be a great addition to my trophy room." He pointed his gauntlet towards her.

"You've been nothing but an annoyance since you showed up," Miyoung declared as she detached her pistol from her leg and removed her eye patch. "Kimchi, Precision is Key." Her mechanical eye shifted as steam emitted from it.

"Analyze," I whispered as I prepared myself to face off against a reptilian creature equipped with four mechanical legs and two tails. Although I felt somewhat disadvantaged in this fight, observing Viktor simultaneously battle two other creatures gave me confidence that I would be able to handle the situation.

I successfully blocked an attack from one of the reptilian's tails and swiftly evaded a strike from its other tail. As I focused on the intense battle, crucial information began appearing in the corner of my peripheral vision through my device. After glancing at it multiple times, I decided to seek assistance from Big Bertha while simultaneously dealing with the creature.

According to the data provided by Big Bertha, this particular creature belonged to the subspecies Baeno of the species Crocodilio. The Baeno subspecies was among only a few found on their homeworld, Cotorus, which resided in Quadrant 2 of the Milky Way Galaxy—just like its counterpart that Viktor was currently engaged with.”

"Viktor, what should I name him?" I inquired.

"Dexter," he replied.

Dexter continued relentlessly attacking me. Despite my efforts to defend myself, I managed to damage one of Dexter's mechanical legs. Dexter redistributed its remaining legs for better stability before detaching the damaged leg from its body. I noticed a new tail growing from behind. Dexter's attacks became more aggressive and precise, making it difficult for me to get close.

"Are there any other potential threats I should be concerned about?" I asked.

"Dexter is Zaporg's second-in-command," Viktor informed me.

"Miyoung, did you hear that?" I questioned.

"I suppose Zaporg really wants us off his back if he's willing to sacrifice his trusted second-in-command," she responded. "Dealing with Zaporg is such a pain."

"Yeah, his right-hand man is no joke either,"I changed the topic. "Isabel, where are you?" As Dexter lunged at me with its clawed tail once again, I narrowly evaded it but failed to react in time when the other clawed tail struck me. Dexter pulled me closer and lifted me up to eye level.

Dexter growled menacingly. "This is what Zaporg was worried about? A worthless bag of water?" It chuckled mockingly

Dexter snarled, questioning, "Is this what Zaporg was worried about? A useless water sack?" He chuckled, but before he could react, I heard honking noises coming from behind him. "You forgot two worthless water sacks!" Isabel shouted as she jumped off her vehicle just in time to avoid crashing into Dexter. Acting quickly, I sliced off his clawed tail before I could be dragged along with him.

"Leave for a few minutes and the team leader is already struggling without his best wingman," Isabel scoffed as she helped me up to my feet. "Do you guys need assistance?"

"Assistance?!" Viktor grunted as he tore off another claw and thrust it into his enemy's chest. He clapped his hands together defiantly. "Viktor doesn't need any help."

"That's my boy," Isabel said proudly.

Suddenly, we noticed Isabel's vehicle being thrown in the air and hurtling towards Viktor. With reflexes like lightning, he turned around and caught it with both hands just before it crashed.

"You think that would hurt!" Dexter shouted arrogantly as he charged forward.

"Dexter, please," Viktor dismissed him casually while tossing the vehicle aside. "Don't mess with my toys!" He joined the fight without hesitation, with Isabel and me right behind him. However, despite our efforts combined against Dexter's advantage remained intact in this three-on-one match.

Miyoung and Zaporg engaged in a fierce close combat battle within the forest. Unfortunately for Miyoung, Zaporg had the upper hand due to his superior weaponry and armor sets. Despite Miyoung's exceptional aim with her gun, her bullets proved ineffective in penetrating Zaporg's armor.

Miyoung relied on her experience and knowledge of the terrain to gain an advantage over Zaporg. She strategically fought up close when it suited her, but would retreat into the forest momentarily whenever she sensed a disadvantage approaching. Once out of danger, she would aggressively launch another frontal assault in an attempt to weaken Zaporg's armor. Whenever Zaporg adapted to her tactics, Miyoung quickly changed her approach - a strategy that was currently proving successful.

"You've been quite the annoyance, human," Zaporg sneered irritably.

"Not bad for a mere mortal," Miyoung grinned back.

She expertly evaded his right hook and counterattacked by forcefully slapping him across the face with her pistol. In one seamless motion, Miyoung spun around and delivered a powerful blow with her feet, swiftly followed by another strike from her other leg. While performing these maneuvers, she fired multiple bullets at his body armor, but they had no impact whatsoever. Undeterred by this setback, Miyoung holstered her pistol and retrieved the sniper gun attached to her back. She continued to relentlessly attack him while skillfully avoiding any counterattacks.

Miyoung released two latches on top of her gun and slammed it onto his shoulder, causing two sections of the gun to unlatch and wrap around his shoulder. She firmly grasped the tip of her gun and snapped his arm off his body. Kicking him backward, she quickly reattached her guns before discarding his arm.

"Pretty impressive for a human," grumbled Zaporg as blood spurted from his injured arm. "I would love to keep fighting you, but I have more urgent matters to attend to." Zaporg chuckled as something crashed behind Miyoung in the forest. "However, I'll leave my first commander to finish the rest of this fight."

Multiple claws emerged from the crash as Miyoung did her best to dodge their attacks. In a few quick movements, Zaporg managed to elude her sight. "Kobayashi, I lost him. I think I need some assistance," she said.

I responded, "We're currently occupied with Dexter."

"We'll be there soon, Miyoung," Younghee assured.

Miyoung noticed a claw retracting into the forest, followed by an eerie silence for a few seconds. Then, three claws simultaneously shot out towards her. Reacting quickly, she used the power of wind to push away three of the claws but couldn't avoid the final one in time. She leaned left and narrowly avoided having her arm sliced off as it passed just above her shoulder. In an instant, Miyoung vanished and reappeared in a safe location.

"You took your time, Haeun," Miyoung said.

Haeun appeared on the right side of her. Miyoung watched as the two other claws and arm quickly retreated back into the forest.

"Nothing gets past your extra sight," Haeun grinned.

"Pay attention, Haeun and Younghee. We're not out of danger yet," Miyoung said. "Kimchi, Guide Me."

Haeun sighed. "Always serious. Spit Fire, Gochujang."

"Haeun's right. Lighten up," Younghee appeared on the left side of Miyoung said calmly."Tranquility is Key, Ssamjang."

A massive mechanical tripod emerged from the forest and charged straight at them followed by several smaller lizard creatures.

"Damn it! This doesn't seem as dangerous as last time," Younghee casually remarked."What do you say we rough them up a bit?"

"Miyoung, you take down the big guy; we'll deal with these smaller ones," Haeun suggested confidently.They charged forward with Miyoung a few steps behind.

"This is not a game guys!" Miyoung grunted.

"Status?" I shouted.

"Zaporg escaped," Miyoung spoke. "His right-hand man slipped from our grasp, but we managed to take care of the rest. Fortunately, there were no injuries. Kobayashi, what about you?"

"Dexter also escaped from the city. They sent a small strike force for us to handle, and it went according to plan for Zaporg," I continued. "Viktor and Isabel suffered minor injuries, but we can quickly patch them up."

"Viktor is ready to go," Viktor stated.

"What's your next move, Kobayashi?" Haeun asked. "Younghee and my team will stay behind and provide support until reinforcements arrive."

"We will continue pursuing Zaporg; he remains our top priority over the decks of clubs and other dangerous matters on our planet."

[shumailach-blog]

More Asylum Claims and More Illegal Crossings Along U.S.-Canada Border, Despite the Dangers

The number of people seeking asylum at the United States-Canada border or trying to cross into America has increased in the last year, which experts say is part of the larger global migration patterns they're seeing.

U.S. authorities have repeatedly warned of the perils of crossing the northern border, especially in the winter months when temperatures can drop below zero and storms can aggravate the conditions.

“It’s extremely dangerous with the cold weather, the cold water,” Brady Waikel, in charge of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection station in Niagara Falls, told WIVB-TV of Buffalo.

Despite the dangers, more migrants, mostly Mexicans, decide to try and cross the northern border, the longest in the world at 5,525 miles. The border with Mexico measures 1,900 miles; then-President Donald Trump built 450 miles of border wall for about $1 billion.

The most up-to-date figures from CBP recorded 189,402 encounters at the northern border in fiscal year 2023. This includes people who arrive at legal points of entry and turn themselves in to request asylum, as well as those who are captured after illegally crossing into the U.S.

There were 10,021 arrests for illegal crossings in that period. According to an analysis by Noticias Telemundo, migrants from Mexico lead the number of illegal crossings from Canada, with 4,868 interceptions, up from 882 arrests in 2022. Other countries with the most migrant interceptions were India, at 1,630, compared to 237 arrests in 2022, and Venezuela, at 753, as opposed to five arrests the year before.

“We have exceeded 6,700 apprehensions in less than 1 year, exceeding the previous 11 years combined,” Robert García, head of the Border Patrol in the Swanton, Vermont sector, said in early September on X.

As of press time, CBP had not responded to Noticias Telemundo’s requests for an interview with García.

Although the figures on the northern border are modest compared to the 2,045,838 encounters that CBP recorded on the border with Mexico during 2023, experts told Noticias Telemundo the numbers are rising.

“Government immigration policies don't change the need or reasoning of people who decide to cross in one direction or another," said Shauna Labman, director of the Human Rights Program at the University of Winnipeg, Canada, who added that some people are fleeing and seeking protection and thus making "dangerous decisions."

Migration Policy Institute analyst Colleen Putzel-Kavanaugh said they're seeing high levels of migration around the world, the highest since World War II. "People are moving at a faster rate than in the past, and that is also seen in the north," she said.

For more from NBC Latino, sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy published a series of TikTok videos in October where he walked along hiking trails in Canada near Pittsburg, New Hampshire and crossed a stream into the U.S., saying it was easier than crossing the Rio Grande.

“Don’t just build the wall. Build both walls,” he said during the Nov. 8 Republican primary debate.

Regarding Ramaswamy’s proposal to build two border walls in the U.S., experts said it would be an extremely expensive — and ineffective — solution.

“I think it would not be viable for several reasons. One of them is that the barriers on the border between the United States and Mexico have been shown to not slow migration but, in fact, push migration into certain corridors where people can cross," Putzel-Kavanaugh said. "The other point is that the northern border has a variety of geographies with rivers, lakes, forests and that would be a challenge because of the environmental impacts."

Crossings Turn Deadly

Sometimes, the risk that immigration agents warn about is illustrated tragically: José Leos Cervantes, 45, originally from Aguascalientes, Mexico, collapsed after crossing the border into the U.S. from Quebec at the end of February and was pronounced dead at a hospital.

In March, eight people from two families, one from Romania and one from India, died while trying to cross the St. Lawrence River. Their bodies were found in Akwesasne Mohawk territory, which straddles the Canada-U.S. border.

“It also happens that many people cannot find work in Canada and try to go to the United States. But it is very dangerous, there are always very tragic cases of people who lose their fingers, their clothes stick to their skin, and some die from freezing or for other reasons,” Camelia Tigau, a visiting professor at the University of Toronto and a scholar at the Center for Research on North America at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, told Noticias Telemundo.

Another aspect that complicates the situation along the northern border is that states have transferred migrants who entered through Mexico to areas near Canada, so they can request asylum in the neighboring country in search of better job opportunities, health benefits and a more nimble immigration system.

Source: NBC NEWS

[ultrajaphunter]

23 charged with domestic terrorism at Atlanta police protestYesterday 22:42 3

Officials in the southern US state of Georgia on Monday announced that 23 protesters, including a Frenchman and a Canadian, had been charged with domestic terrorism after Atlanta police arrested 35 people on Sunday. Police say protesters hurled rocks and Molotov coctails at them as well as torching construction equipment at the site

© Provided by DW - South Africa Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum, who announced the initial arrests a midnight press conference Sunday, said "violent agitators" had launched a coordinated attack on police. What do we know about the incident that led to the charges? The arrests took place after a music event turned violent when black-clad participants stormed the construction site of the Atlanta Public Safety Center in DeKalb county — 

derisively referred to as "Cop City" by detractors — 

throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at police and setting several pieces of heavy equipment on fire. Hundreds of people attended Sunday's events. 

"The illegal actions of the agitators could have resulted in bodily harm," police said. "Officers exercised restraint and used nonlethal enforcement to conduct arrests." "When you throw commercial-grade fireworks, when you throw Molotov cocktails," Police Chief Schierbaum said, "your only intent is to harm. 

This is not a protest. 

This is criminal activity." Media outlets reported that black smoke could be seen billowing from the site for miles. Several law enforcement agencies were involved in quelling the unrest. 'Very violent attack,' Atlanta police chief says "This was a very violent attack," Schierbaum said, "This wasn't about a public safety training center: 

This was about anarchy." Georgia's Republican governor, Brian Kemp, on Monday said the people involved in Sunday's incident "chose destruction and vandalism over legitimate protest, yet again demonstrating the radical intent behind their actions." "As I've said before, domestic terrorism will not be tolerated in this state," Kemp said. 

"We will not rest until those who use violence and intimidation for an extremist end are brought to full justice." What is 'Cop City'? Related video: 

23 charged with domestic terrorism after Atlanta 'Cop City' clashes (NBC News)

Vicki, this is something that goes back months

. NBC News 

23 charged with domestic terrorism after Atlanta 'Cop City' clashesMute100 View on Watch More videos

The Associated Press 

Dozens detained after violence at police training site near Atlanta1:02

CBS News

Police arrest 35 people following clashes with activists in Atlanta4:51

Dailymotion

Dozens Detained After Police Training Site Violence1:06

Aljazeera;

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/6/police-charge-23-with-terrorism-in-atlanta-cop-city-arrests

CNN

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/06/us/atlanta-cop-city-protests/index.html

The Atlanta City Council approved the $90 million (€84.2 million) Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in 2021, saying the state-of-the-art campus would replace substandard existing facilities and boost police morale. The police and fire training center is being built on 85 acres (344,000 square meters) of a 400-acre property. It is designed to include classrooms and administrative buildings, a shooting range, a driving skills area to practice chases, a "burn building" for firefighters to train on, 

and a "mock village" with a home, convenience store and nightclub for law enforcement to conduct tactical exercises. Opponents have two major problems with the project. Those who oppose the militarization of the police say the site will be used to train for "urban warfare." Self-described "defenders of the forest" say construction will involve cutting down so many trees in the Weelaunee Forest southeast of Atlanta — 

one of the largest urban forests in the US — 

that it would be environmentally damaging for the city's six million residents. How have Georgia lawmakers reacted to protests? Sunday's clashes were the latest in a series of contentious stand-offs between authorities and protesters. On January 18, 

a 26-year-old environmental activist was shot and killed during a police raid to clear protesters from the woods. 

In the aftermath of the shooting, demonstrations spread to downtown Atlanta.

On January 21, 

a police cruiser was set ablaze and windows were shattered when rocks and fireworks were hurled at a downtown skyscraper housing the Atlanta Police Foundation. Such protests have prompted Georgia state lawmakers to look at toughening laws and sentencing, for instance, by proposing that rioting be made a felony rather than a misdemeanor. Those previously arrested during clashes at the site are being charged with felony domestic terrorism, which can carry sentences of up to 35 years. Despite criticism of heavy-handedness, lawmakers are also looking at classifying domestic terrorism as a violent felony.

That would mean an individual's entire sentence would have to be served — even for first-time offenders who would not be eligible for probation — and parole could not be granted until at least 30 years of the sentence had been served. Critics have voiced alarm over what they see as the criminalization of protesters, especially environmental and land-rights defenders attempting to block pipelines and protect woodlands and waterways, by labeling them eco-terrorists. They say the breadth of the 2001 Patriot Act 

allows the government to put corporate profits before land stewardship and the public good with lawmakers criminalizing peaceful protest and using militarized police to violently suppress it under penalty of harsh sentencing. Atlanta police brace for further protests Police on Monday said the Georgia Bureau of Investigations would be prosecuting those charged. Beyond two foreign nationals, two of those arrested were Georgia residents. 

All others were from various states across the US, including Arizona, 

Massachusetts and New York. The vast majority of peaceful protesters were Atlanta residents. More demonstrations are scheduled for the coming days, prompting Atlanta police to release a statement reading, 

"With protests planned for the coming days, the Atlanta Police Department, in collaboration with law enforcement partners,

 have a multi-layered strategy that includes reaction and arrest." js/ar (AP, Reuters)