#March 2020 Calendar Office

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Hugo Lowell at The Guardian:

The US supreme court has ruled that former presidents are entitled to some degree of immunity from criminal prosecution, dramatically reducing the likelihood that the federal criminal case against Donald Trump on charges he plotted to stop the transfer of power will proceed before the 2024 election. The court’s conservative majority – which Trump helped create – found 6-3 that presidents were protected from prosecution for official actions that extended to the “outer perimeter” of his office, but could face charges for unofficial conduct.

Trump is accused of overseeing a sprawling effort to subvert the 2020 election, including two counts of conspiring to obstruct the certification of the election results, conspiring to defraud the government, and conspiring to disenfranchise voters. Among the accusations: Trump spread false claims of election fraud, plotted to recruit fake slates of electors, pressured US justice department officials to open sham investigations into election fraud, and pressured his vice-president, Mike Pence, to obstruct Congress’s certification of Joe Biden’s win. To determine whether Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results came under the protected auspices of his official duties, the supreme court remanded the case back to the presiding US district judge Tanya Chutkan, who will have to review the indictment line by line.

The court left the bulk of the analysis up to Chutkan. But Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, found that Trump’s threat to fire the then-acting attorney general for refusing to open investigations were protected, because the justice department is part of the executive branch. Roberts similarly found that Trump’s effort to pressure Pence was probably protected, as the president discussing responsibilities with the vice president was an instance of official conduct. “Trump is at least presumptively immune from prosecution for such conduct,” the opinion said. The final decision on the Pence question rested with Chutkan, wrote Roberts. The burden was on prosecutors to “rebut the presumption of immunity” and whether charging Trump would “pose any dangers of intrusion on the authority and functions of the Executive Branch”.

And on the matter of Trump’s remarks on January 6, Roberts wrote that they too were probably protected, since presidential addresses were an integral function of the office. But the opinion also allowed that in Trump’s case, it may be more appropriate to categorize his speech as that of a candidate for office. The ruling in Trump’s election subversion case was one of the last handed down by the supreme court this term. In waiting until the end, the conservative majority played into Trump’s benefit and legal strategy of trying to delay any trial as much as possible. The effect of the ruling to block a prompt trial, after the court moved quickly to keep Trump on the ballot in March, has already ignited fierce criticism by liberals and others who believe Trump’s case should be resolved before voters cast their ballots in the forthcoming election.

Trump’s legal strategy for all of his federal criminal cases – he also faces charges in Florida for illegally retaining classified documents – has been to delay them until after the election, in the hope that he will be re-elected and can appoint as attorney general a loyalist who would drop the charges. As the calendar now stands, a trial in Trump’s election subversion case cannot start until 20 September at the earliest, since Trump’s lawyers have 88 days left on the clock to prepare a defense after the case was automatically frozen when they launched the immunity appeal.

Sad day in America, as tyranny will be rewarded if Donald Trump wins again: The radical right-wing 6-3 majority on SCOTUS rules in Trump v. United States in an opinion by Chief Justice John Roberts that Trump has total immunity for acts done in an official capacity but no immunity for private acts.

The case has been remanded back to the DC Circuit Court to determine whether Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 elections count as "official duties."

[imsadstuff]

Loving You Is Red - A Jeon Jungkook Fic, teaser 3

Link to fic: here

Synopsis:

Jeon Jungkook's name was unheard on the Formula 1 paddock till he got a chance to drive a Mercedes car as a reserve driver. His 2020 starts looking brighter as he signs with Ferrari and meets you, his teammates little sister. So many cliched tropes, strangers to friends to lovers, slow burn, dating brother's best friend, and most importantly Jeon Jungkook looks smoking hot in a Ferrari!

Author's Note:

So, this has been collecting dust in my drafts since I watched Drive to Survive last year, watched the new season, and got motivated to write this fic.

The fic is going to be released on 17th March 2023, mark your calendars!!

Please comment under if you want to be added to the reading list for this fic! ❤ Also, if you have any thoughts or ideas, please feel free to comment or message me and for the love of Jungkook, don't be a ghost reader!

Race 8 Austrian Grand Prix 2020

“Why?” Jungkook asks as he’s walking to the Ferrari office. It’s a meeting and photoshoot heavy day for him.

“Because I have a job now, even if it’s sorting my father’s emails and arranging his meetings, I can’t be there every weekend” you explain calmly as you swivel around in your office chair.

“What’s your day like today?” he asks as a fan stops him for a picture, he’s becoming better at being popular as every race happens.

“We have a few apartment showings, so I’ll be shadowing him, start to figure out if I want to do this or not” you say sipping on your coffee, you’d been arriving early at the office to have some moments of peace before the chaos starts.

“What is your day like?” you ask him and he just grunts, knowing how bad it is to sit through meetings.

“I have a strategy meeting, another meeting with the communications team, lunch with a bunch of promoters and in the evening we’re shooting a bunch of videos for ferrari’s youtube channel” Jungkook reiterates his schedule for the day, and he’s already starting to feel tired.

“Press has just been awful since the last race, no wonder we’re having comms meeting two days in a row” Jungkook had been trying to stay away from the negative headlines but everyone was absolutely shitting on Phillip this week.

“They like pitting you and Phillip against each other, last week was all the ammunition they needed” you had been screening all the click baity articles, they were absolutely making Phillip lose his mind.

“Do you think he hit me on purpose or was I really in his blind spot?” Jungkook asks opening the door to the conference room, most people are already here. Phillip is already slouched against a chair, looking defeated already.

“No comment” “Boo Freaking Hoo!!” he says and you can’t help but smile like a stupid idiot.

“Call me later if you can�� you say and Jungkook hums a goodbye as he takes a seat opposite Phillip. 

“So, lots of bad press, people are divided” Claudia says, placing down multiple article print outs and newspapers on the table. 

“And thank you Phillip for snapping at the sky sports reporter, just handing them their headlines” this hasn’t been Phillip’s week, and he’s done with cameras and reporters.

“We need to take hold of the narrative or at least change it because the sponsors aren’t happy with the two drivers seemingly fighting each other. How about you go golfing or something this tuesday” Claudia suggests and Phillip immediately nods his head no. 

“He can’t golf to save his life and I have my sister’s birthday party that day-”

“So, just invite Jungkook, because I really need the news narrative to change” Claudia says with an authoritative tone, the two of them can’t even think about going against her. 

“I don’t want to intrude on a family thing-” Jungkook sounds a little offended by the whole situation, mostly he’s a little ticked off about you not telling him about your coming birthday.

“It’s not, it’s a surprise party with a few friends, I was going to invite you anyway” Phillip says and Claudia smiles widely.

“This is sorted then, I need at least a story with the birthday girl on the two of your instagram’s” The two of them are left alone as Claudia leaves, there’s still this animosity in the air.

“Just so we’re clear, I didn’t hit your car on purpose,” Phillip says, looking Jungkook square in his eyes.

“I know that,” Jungkook replies, a little too confidently.

“How can you be so sure?” Phillip asks as he sits up straight.

“You’re competitive, not petty” Jungkook leaves with a big smirk on his face, he’s been enjoying the season so far a little too much.

taglist:

@blancflms @nadzzzblog @kookiewhtaee @jksoftii @oiseul @elisaaru @coralmusicblaze @tearyjjeon

(comment under if you want to be added to the tag list)

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

President Trump Special Counsel “Election Interference Case” in DC Suspended Indefinitely

February 2, 2024

In the ridiculous federal election interference case in D.C., President Trump’s attorneys argued to the DC Circuit appellate court that President Trump holds inherent constitutional immunity. In essence, because President Trump was acquitted by the Senate of claims he incited or instigated the January 6, 2021, events, lawyers arguing under the constitution that only impeached and removed presidents can be criminally prosecuted.

From the Comments:

The initial 3-judge panel of the court has taken up the appeal, and all subsequent lower court activity was suspended until the constitutional issue is resolved. Again, if President Trump does not have immunity, then all preceding and future presidents can be criminally prosecuted for any/all events and decisions while holding office. This is a core issue, and the DC Circuit Court of Appeals has to tread very carefully with these ramifications at the forefront.

The decision of the 3-judge panel could also be followed by a full en-banc review by all judges in the circuit. Then, depending on their decision, it could -likely will- go even higher to the U.S. Supreme Court. All of this takes time, and the initial 3-judge appeals court have not provided any hints on their timeline.

Apparently, as a consequence, the entire trial of the case has been removed from the lower DC court docket. The removal took place within the last few days, and the Washington Post noticed the removal. This removal means the timing of the case, if at all, is completely unknown now.

WASHINGTON – Former president Donald Trump’s March 4 trial date on charges of plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election has been dropped from the public calendar of the federal court in Washington, a sign of what has long been anticipated — that his claim of presidential immunity from criminal prosecution would delay his trial while it remains on appeal.

The change did not appear on the official criminal case docket before U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, who has made clear since Trump filed his appeal on Dec. 7 that all trial deadlines would be suspended while he challenges the case. On appeal, Trump is arguing that the government does not have authority under the Constitution to bring charges against him for actions he took while president after the 2020 election through the Jan. 6, 2021. (read more)

In addition to the challenges within these core issues, the Lawfare approach by Jack Smith, Mary McCord and Andrew Weissmann, faces multiple additional hurdles.  These are all issues that surface when Lawfare, the application of twisted legal theory intended to manipulate public opinion, runs into the reality of ever-increasing scrutiny from courts.

Combine these fraudulent legal theories with the reality that President Trump’s status is almost certainly “presumptive presidential nominee” in the eyes of the entire judicial branch, and things change.  The pretending justification for the Lawfare claims now hit the non-pretending and visible reality of political intent.

The judicial scrutiny gets even more focused, and the explanations demanded as justifications to target President Trump increase.  As the calendar of the November election gets closer Jack, Mary and Andrew will have to rely on ideologically aligned black robes to maintain their Lawfare pretense.  Some of the robes will not be comfortable with the demands of Jack, Mary and Andrew.

Some of the robes may not pretend, and that poses a problem for Jack, Mary and Andrew.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

I just noticed...

Warner Bros. has recently dated their all-animated adaptation of THE CAT IN THE HAT... March 6, 2026...

This is the first of their new "Warner Bros. Pictures Animation" initiative, the plan being to have two animated films out every calendar year.

All jokes about this movie possibly being shelved and turned into a tax write-off aside (I don't think any animated movie is safe under the Zas), that's the same day as...

An untitled Pixar movie...

Pixar currently has two animated movies set for 2026, one on this date, and in June. June presumably goes to TOY STORY 5, which is - at this point, per Disney CEO Bob Iger - eyeballing 2026. It being the summer release is a given, I feel. TOY STORY 3 and 4 were June releases in their respective release years, 1 & 2 were Thanksgiving frame releases... Walt Disney Pictures claimed 3/6/2026 first.

Games of chicken in animated movie scheduling are nothing new, in fact... Some high profile animated movies used to open head to head. THE LITTLE MERMAID vs. ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN in 1989, OLIVER & COMPANY vs. THE LAND BEFORE TIME in 1988, A BUG'S LIFE just a few days within release of THE RUGRATS MOVIE in 1998, you get the idea. They don't do that kind of thing now, though... Unless the demographics are wildly different.

But I wonder who blinks. The Pixar movie set for this date is most likely an original movie (it's not "Ducks", that appears to be a hoax), which are playing a different game at the box office these days. Open low (like, say, ELEMENTAL last year w/ $29m) and then leg it out to a solid gross... THE CAT IN THE HAT, on the other hand, is based on a beloved Dr. Seuss book... Which happened to have a live-action version preceding it, which itself was preceded by a half-hour animated TV special...

Just like...

HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS and THE LORAX.

Those movies opened with $67m and $70m respectively. So, I think CAT IN THE HAT is primed to have a pretty good opening weekend come 2026. That is, if it makes it to the finish line and avoids the dreaded beast at the end of the castle, and makes it out alive.

As for the Pixar original, that's a little trickier to predict. ELEMENTAL was the first original Pixar in theaters following shut-downs in 2020. Its $29m opening is on the higher end of non-sequel animated movies released over the past couple of years, though it was foolishly written off. Legs, of course, came to the rescue. ELIO is the next original, which I think could gross around there. Maybe less, because it's an animated sci-fi story. Could be another case of STRANGE WORLD, TREASURE PLANET, etc. Whatever the 2026 original is, the box office prospects are up in the air...

It all boils down to who blinks.

One of them will have to try out February, maybe around Valentine's Day. Probably the Warner movie. Easter's locked up by the MARIO sequel. Not like February can't work for a family-friendly animated movie, look at THE LEGO MOVIE.

Interestingly, Pixar's been trying to do this 2-a-year every other year thing. 2020 had ONWARD open in March, and if plans worked out, SOUL in June. ONWARD got cut right off by COVID's outbreak, SOUL went straight to Disney+. In 2022, TURNING RED went straight to D+ in March, LIGHTYEAR went to theaters in June. This year was supposed to be that situation, too, with ELIO being out this month being followed by INSIDE OUT 2 in June... But ELIO was delayed all the way back to June 2025.

So maybe 2026 is another one of those situations, where Pixar wants to have two movies out, but ends up rescheduling one of them. I have a feeling TOY STORY 5 stays right in its place, but it's possible that could get delayed to 2027. TOY STORY 3 was once thought to be a 2009 release, and it ended up coming out in 2010. TOY STORY 4? Two delays: From its original summer 2017 slot to summer 2018, to summer 2019.

Plus, this could aaaaall be moot within a few months. Animated movies are always moving forward and backwards.

Worth noting, this wasn't the first time Warner Bros. tried stepping on Disney's toes in one of their major corners. Right now it's with animation, last time... It was with superheroes...

That was when - in mid-2014 - an untitled CAPTAIN AMERICA movie was on the boards for May 6, 2016. A follow-up to the very well-liked CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER... (Side note: I refuse to believe that that was a decade ago. A DECADE.) Continuing on, Warner shockingly moved their BATMAN V. SUPERMAN to that same date. Later in 2014, Marvel revealed that the 2016 CAPTAIN AMERICA threequel was subtitled CIVIL WAR... Eventually, Warner conceded, and moved BATMAN V. SUPERMAN up a few paces, to March 25, 2016.

So, we'll see how this one goes... Or if both of them vacate the premises...

[brookston]

Holidays 3.7

Holidays

Alexander Graham Bell Day

Arbor Day (California)

Be Heard Day

Bird Day (California)

Bloody Sunday Anniversary Day (Selma, Alabama)

Chamorro Heritage Day (Guam)

Cybercombine Day (Prudentianopolis)

Doronicum Day (French Republic)

Equal Pay Day (Gleicher Bezahlungstag; Germany)

Finnmarkslopet Dog Sled Race (Finland)

First Planting Festival (Elder Scrolls)

Get Grandma To Write Down Her Meatloaf Recipe Day

Hamilton Lavity Stoutt Day (British Virgin Islands)

International Brick Maker Day

International Day of the Anti-Fascist Woman

International Women’s Day (Angola, Tajikistan)

INTERPOL International Day of Remembrance for Fallen Officers

Jose Abad Day (Philippines)

Liberation of Sulaymaniyah (Iraqi Kurdistan)

Mahasivarathri Day (Sri Lanka)

Maritime Day (Slovenia)

Masaryk Day (Czech Republic, Slovakia)

Maslenitsa (Russia)

National Ben Day

National Carol Day

National Cooper Day

National Day of Lesbian Visibility (Argentina)

National Heroes and Benefactors Day (Belize)

National Sauna Day (Japan)

National Sharon Day

National Slam the Scam Day

National Teresa Day

Neil Diamond Day (Las Vegas)

Nones of March (Ancient Rome)

Plant Power Day (UK)

Say Hello Day

Suez Canal Day

Teacher’s Day (Albania)

Texas Energy Day (Texas)

307 Day

Transport and Telecommunication Workers Day (Turkmenistan)

World Oneness Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Cereal Day

National Crown Roast of Pork Day

National Flapjack Day

Punsch Roll Day (Sweden)

1st Thursday in March

Kid Lit Art Postcard Day [1st Thursday]

Nametag Day [Thursday of Name Week]

National Hospitalist Day [1st Thursday]

National Vending Day [1st Thursday]

White Ribbon Day (Massachusetts) [1st Thursday]

World Book Day (Ireland, UK) [1st Thursday]

Independence & Related Days

Aleutian Islands (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Sulaymaniyah Liberation Day (Iraqi Kurdistan)

Festivals Beginning March 7, 2024

Antikmässan (Stockholm, Sweden) [thru 3. 10]

Brazilian Beer Festival (Blumeneau, Brazil) [thru 3.9]

Cincinnati International Wine Festival (Cincinnati, Ohio) [thru 3.9]

Crufts Dog Show (Birmingham, England) [thru 3. 10]

Eastern Bison Association Winter Conference (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) [thru 3.9]

Fulton Oysterfest (Fulton, Texas) [thru 3.10]

Limassol Carnival (Limassol, Cyprus) [thru 3. 17]

National Coffee Association Convention (Nashville, Tennessee) [thru 3.9]

New England Brew Summit (Portland, Maine)

Red, White & Snow (Park City, Utah) [thru 3.9]

Sustainable Wine Dinner Series (Los Angeles, California)

The WhiskyX (Miami, Florida)

Feast Days

Ardo (Christian; Saint)

Barbara Eden Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Billy (Muppetism)

Boris Kustodiev (Artology)

Contradiction Day (No It’s Not!; Pastafarian)

The Devil Is God Reversed Day (Everyday Wicca)

Drausius (a.k.a. Drausin; Christian; Saint)

Empodocles (Positivist; Saint)

Edward Landseer (Artology)

Esterwine (Christian; Saint)

Festival for Vedovus (God of the Dead & Volcanic Movements; Ancient Rome)

Impeachment of March Goblins (Shamanism)

José Olallo (Christian; Saint)

Junoalia (Old Roman Festival to Juno)

Leonid Feodorov (Russian Greek Catholic Church)

March Storms and Blasting Rods Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Milton Avery (Artology)

Paul the Simple (Christian; Saint)

Perpetua and Felicity (Christian; Saints & Martyrs)

Piet Mondrian (Artology)

Psyche’s Day (Pagan)

Pierre-Henri Dorie, Siméon-François Berneux (Christian; part of The Korean Martyrs)

Theophylact (Christian; Saint)

Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church (Christian; Saint)

Treachery Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Tuan Reincarnation Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 11 of 60)

Premieres

Alice the Collegiate (Disney Cartoon; 1927)

The Caine Mutiny, by Herman Wouk (Novel; 1951)

Coal Miner’s Daughter

Foxes (Film; 1980)

The Edible Woman, by Margaret Atwood (Novel; 1969)

Erlkönig, by Franz Schubert (Lied; 1821)

From Genesis to Revelation, by Genesis (Album; 1969)

The Golden Eggs (Disney Cartoon; 1941)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (Film; 2014)

Grateful Gus (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1958)

Highlander (Film; 1986)

The Home Guard (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1941)

The Long Goodbye (Film; 1973)

Mame (Film; 1974)

Mickey’s Grand Opera (Disney Cartoon; 1936)

Mirror (Russian Film; 1975)

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (Film; 2008)

Mr. Peabody & Sherman (Animated Film; 2014)

My Beautiful Launderette (Film; 1986)

The Nude Who Never, by Ted Mark (Novel; 1965)

The Old Mill Pond (Happy Harmonies Cartoon; 1936)

Olive’s Sweepstake Ticket (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1941)

Our Lady of the Flowers, by Jean Genet (Novel; 1943)

Page Miss Glory (WB MM Cartoon; 1936)

Pistol Packin’ Woodpecker (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1960)

Post Office, by Charles Bukowski (Novel; 1971)

A Room with a View (Film; 1986)

Royal Cat Nap (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1958)

Sailor Moon (Japanese Anime Series; 1992)

The Six Million Dollar Man (TV Series; 1973)

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, by Robert Frost (Poem; 1923)

Taboo (Adult Film; 1980)

Things Ain’t What They Used To Be, recorded by Johnny Hodges and his Orchestra (Song; 1941)

Way Out West, by Sonny Rollins (Album; 1957)

Young Americans, by David Bowie (Album; 1975)

Today’s Name Days

Felicitas, Perpetua, Reinhard (Austria)

Bogoljub, Felicita, Perpetua, Teofil (Croatia)

Tomáš (Czech Republic)

Perpetua (Denmark)

Ralf, Raul, Rolf, Rudolf, Ruudi, Ruut (Estonia)

Taika, Tarja, Taru (Finland)

Félicie, Félicité, Nathan (France)

Felicitas, Felizitas, Perpet, Reinhard, Volker (Germany)

Evgenios (Greece)

Tamás (Hungary)

Quintilio, Tommaso (Italy)

Ella, Elmira (Latvia)

Felicita, Galmantė, Rimtautas, Tomas (Lithuania)

Are, Arild (Norway)

Felicja, Nadmir, Paweł, Polikarp, Tomasz (Poland)

Efrem (Romania)

Tomáš (Slovakia)

Felicidad, Perpetua (Spain)

Camilla, Ottilia (Sweden)

Davon, Devan, Deven, Devin, Devon, Devonta, Devonte, Devyn, Dewey, Lothar, Luther (USA)

Today is Also��

Day of Year: Day 67 of 2024; 299 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of week 10 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Nuin (Ash) [Day 19 of 28]

Chinese: Month 1 (Bing-Yin), Day 27 (Geng-Wu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025)

Hebrew: 27 Adair I 5784

Islamic: 26 Sha’ban 1445

J Cal: 7 Green; Sevenday [7 of 30]

Julian: 23 February 2024

Moon: 10%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 11 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Thucydides]

Runic Half Month: Tyr (Cosmic Pillar) [Day 13 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 78 of 89)

Week: 1st Week of March

Zodiac: Pisces (Day 18 of 30)

[ninjacat1515]

Walking around these offices is an experience if you're alone in the building.

Half the cubicles have loads of personal items from employees who are now exclusively working from home but never bothered to gather up family photos, figurines, and more. And all of said cubicles also have calendars that remain frozen on March 2020.

So it like the world ended and I'm a survivor meandering around random places feeling nostalgic for a bygone era.

[hopeintheashes]

March 2020 stuff under the cut. Long post. Edits for clarity and confidentiality.

I just needed to... process, I guess.

_ _ _

March 22, 2020: The Beginning of All of This

The Penzu prompt is: Why I'm Writing.

I'm writing because this is unprecedented. Because I might want to look back on it someday.

The journey so far. I've cross-checked dates with my texts, work calendar, and VPR as best I can.

Sunday, 3/8 - Time Change Sunday. I hate time change. I know it's going to be a rough week. I have no idea how rough.

Monday, 3/9 - Tired. The kids are tired. We end with take two of our department meeting. Good news, mostly. Next year is sort of starting to feel within reach. Williston and Wilmington are closed, but only as a very short term measure. The first confirmed case in Vermont was announced yesterday. It's in Bennington County. That's pretty far away.

Tuesday, 3/10 - Pretty normal day at work. Still tired. Haven't managed to switch over re: the time change. When I get home, there's an email from the Community Chorus director: Rehearsal is cancelled... because everything on campus is cancelled... because no one is allowed on campus... because they're closing down the campus... and sending all the students home. "What? What??" -- out loud. I had no idea this was coming. It feels like a physical, electric shock. I text K - are we still on for the Welcome to Night Vale this weekend? She's going to find out. They've just announced that there's an outbreak in New Rochelle. Woodstock isn't that close... but it's certainly not that far away.

Wednesday, 3/11 - Eval Planning meeting at School A. After the actual business, we talk about the coronavirus. What else is there to talk about? They're going to close the schools, my coworker says at some point in the day. It's not if, but when. I feel weirdly calm about that. Certainty is better than uncertainty. I text K: Regardless of what the venue decided, I'm not going to venture into the Hudson Valley. It seems safer to stay in Vermont.

Thursday, 3/12 - Three meetings back-to-back at School B. They're meetings that have been on the books for weeks, but still, I'm starting to feel the rush of trying to get everything done. Just in case.

Friday, 3/13 - Now I'm feeling the pressure. There's a 7:30 a.m. meeting with a parent. Five adults including me all in a room just big enough for a table for four. I've been vaguely worried about germs all week, but it's the first time that I think, we shouldn't be doing this. I don't know how to speak up about that. I try not to touch my face. By the end of the school day, my anxiety is running high. They're going to close the schools... right? What does that mean? No one knows. There's an email from the superintendent: The governor is holding a press conference tonight. I watch live. "We're not closing the schools." What do you mean, we're not closing the schools? Am I allowed to opt out even if I'm not personally in a high-risk group? Everything is upside down.

Saturday, 3/14 - My brother's birthday. I text him Happy Birthday. My sister-in-law is making him pie. They're not going out. His office is insisting that everyone come in in person. They're right next to the outbreak in New Rochelle.

Sunday, 3/15 - Admins have been in meetings all weekend. They're in meetings all day today. Another press conference: We are closing the schools. It's mandatory starting 3/18. We have two days to wrap everything up before we step into the abyss. They say the closing goes through 4/6. It still seems possible that we might be back then.

Monday, 3/16 - I'm at School A. We have almost exactly 2/3 of the kids there. As far as I know, it's the highest percentage in the district. I find out later that School B had 1/3. Someone says, "School C [the wealthiest in the district] had like 15 kids in the building." I believe it. The inequalities are already showing strong. [Context note: Those are near-exact matches for the percentage of each student body who qualify for free/reduced price lunch. These are the kids who need to be at school to be safe and fed. The ones whose parents can't stay home.]

After school: Staff meeting. We'd had an agenda... it's out the window. We're just trying to make it through the next two days. Everyone is facing this head-on. Pressing ahead. I half-expected things to fall into panic, but they never did. As I'm going to bed, we get a call: School is off for tomorrow. Yesterday was, it turns out, our last day with the kids. No fucking closure. None at all.

Tuesday, 3/17 - The superintendent says to think of today like a snow day, so I do. I do laundry, and dishes, and watch mountaineering films. One day at a time.

Wednesday, 3/18 - We go in in person. It feels wrong, but we have to pack up our rooms. School B > District Office > School A. Bouncing around, trying to keep our distance. In a lot of ways, it feels like the very end of the year. Spoken or unspoken, everyone is now operating under the assumption that we're not coming back.

Thursday, 3/19 - I go in briefly. Sign my Medicaid billing logs, make sure my coworker has what she needs to finish packing up the room, deliver the paperwork to the district office. And-- that's it. It's remote from here on out.

Friday, 3/20 - Two virtual meetings, then trying to figure things out, then one more virtual meeting. Everything's moving fast, inconsistent. Frustration is starting to build.

Saturday, 3/21 - Finally, some good things: a 3-hour Google Hangout with my college friends.

And-- that's where we are. I'm watching the UU service. Starting to read Rumi. Hopefully convincing Mom and Dad that it's time for them to learn how to do video calls.

More later. We go on.

_ _ _

March 29, 2020: Another Week In

Another week. I'm busy. Busier than I was before. It's weird.

Mon, 3/23 - Fri, 3/27 - Just... work. So much work. Trying to figure out how any of this is going to work.

Thursday, 3/26 - The governor announced that we won't be going back for the rest of the year. It was the next logical step... it still feels like a loss.

Somewhere in all of that, I had a moment of sheer hopelessness, like I've never had before: a flash of, if it's always going to be like this, what's the point in going on? Just a flash, but it scared me.

I talked with friends (phone call or video call) almost every day this week. It helped.

Yesterday, I caught up on sleep. I think. I was still really tired. Some lovely person on Ao3 went through my whole catalog with detailed, pull-quote gushing comments. It was a very nice ego boost. :-)

Today, I watched a different UU service (it was okay), did laundry, went shopping, cleaned all the groceries, did virtual Community Chorus rehearsal, and practiced guitar. That makes me sound productive. I was, in the sense that I got all that done. I also just about panicked about steeping foot outside my house (and into another enclosed space; walks outside are still fine), and was in pain from cramps for hours this afternoon and evening. So.

I think there's a post about gratitude. Maybe I'll make that one separately.

_ _ _

March 29, 2020: Gratitude

In the midst of inexorable low-level panic and the kind of abject hopelessness I thought I'd banished from my life, I've been trying to focus on the positives. It sounds superficial and fake. It's not. I don't think. So, things I am grateful for:

At this exact moment, as far as I know, I and the people I love most in the world are healthy and safe.

From everything I've heard so far, all of my students are housed and fed and accounted for.

I still have a job, and a paycheck, and health insurance, and meaningful work to do on a schedule that looks a lot like it usually would, except that I get to sleep in by an hour.

Levels of video chatting with friends that hasn't happened since they were studying abroad a decade ago (and with much better technology, this time!).

Video chatting with my parents - I've finally convinced them to give it a try!

I have a piano and a guitar and a violin and a mandolin and a clarinet and a flute in my house, and I have been playing two of those things.

As much as being alone sucks (I literally don't know when the next time I will get to touch another human, or even an animal), it does mean that I have control over my environment in a way that does bring my anxiety down.

I found another series to love.

My house is slowly becoming cleaner in the "neater and tidier" sense, as moving around and putting things away is a desirable break after several hours of staring at a screen.

It's walking weather, and the crocuses are starting to appear.

_ _ _

from a later entry: May 23, 2020: Every time I go out, it is into a different world

Sun, March 29 - laundry, groceries

Laundry felt dangerous. I don't have it written down any time between March 6 and March 29. I'm not 100% sure that's right, but it could have been... I think I did four loads. Hand sanitizer, avoiding others. Hot water in the washer; everything through the dryer. Just about holding your breath in between.

A few people had started wearing masks. Hardly any. No masks on staff. First visit with plexiglass shields for cashiers. A few employees wearing masks, but not many. Very few cleaning supplies of any kind. Very few eggs. Almost no flour, although I did snag some. 

From March 18-April 17 (School Closure through Spring Break), everything was full out, all the time, all day, every day. Mind-numbing, exhausting, stressful, feeling like you're failing at everything all the time. One of the administrators tried to ban the expression "building the plane while we're flying it" and the word "overwhelmed." I… think he was kidding?

Wed, April 15 - groceries

  First time wearing a mask in public. Now, at least half the people were doing the same. That weird, involuntary grin of, holy shit, this is happening, the world has turned upside down, this is not a drill kicked in when I passed the first set of other customers wearing homemade cloth masks (not bandanas, not those neck gaiters you can pull up over your face, made-for-the-purpose honest-to-god face masks). I was glad that because of the mask, they couldn't see my face and misinterpret it as excitement - it was a thrill, but a thrill of adrenaline, of, alright, so we're doing this, of, we're off to war.

  Not 100% of staff were wearing masks, but definitely more than last time. Got a little more flour, but it was still in short supply. I think this was the week that most everything was back in stock (except toilet paper, Lysol, or hand sanitizer), certainly everything in the produce section, but weirdly - no bananas. Just that day. Or two weeks; how would I know.

_ _ _

April 10, 2020: Two More Weeks

Two weeks since I went grocery shopping. Two weeks since I did laundry. Two weeks since I was in a shared enclosed space.

I've stopped walking around the block. Too many people. Now I'm in the woods.

I'm finding parts of the park I never knew existed. Going off on trails on a whim. I found the waterfall.

Everything feels both sped up and slowed down. There's so much to do for work. The district's lawyer described it as drinking from a fire hose. That feels... more right than not.

I keep thinking I should go grocery shopping. This internal sense of time. It's time to go to Hannaford's. It's time to wash my clothes. When I actually look in the cupboard and the fridge and the closet, though, I have enough. I'm doing fine.

Even my bank account is fine. For the first time since I moved up here, I'm not worried about money. This morning, after my paycheck and before I paid my credit card bill, I had $6000 in the bank. It's been years. If the stimulus check comes through, I'll get $1200. It doesn't feel fair. I still have a job. Some people are going to donate theirs. I can't bring myself to give up the piece of mind.

Every time I talk to Mom and Dad, they're so-- unworried. They're being careful, but they don't seem stressed. I think it helps that they're up on the hill. No one in sight but the cows.

I feel like I should be writing. The barrier is the amount of time. I think it's been a year.

I think I need to eat something real. I'm not sure what. Or maybe sleep. I don't know what I want. Nothing sounds good.

I listed to As It Is' album The Great Depression on repeat while I was out walking. It felt good, and now it feels insubstantial.

It all feels insubstantial.

I think I need to eat. I definitely need to make bread. I'm out. There's still crackers, and tortillas, and stuff like that. I'm not too worried. But I should probably make some bread.

I feel like I'm failing all the time.

And then I go in the woods and I don't feel like I'm failing. It snowed today. Big fat flakes. Then back to rain. Snow-rain-snow-rain, all my rain gear slick but I was warm and safe, sliding in the mud.

I see my kids and I don't feel like I'm failing. I found a way to put away my school stuff, and that didn't feel like failing.

Productivity is good. And exhausting. It's hard to tell the difference between inertia-exhaustion and hard work-exhaustion.

And I'm always in pain. All this sitting around is terrible.

I need to get up and eat.

_ _ _

April 10, 2020: update from two hours later

I ate real food.

It helped.

_ _ _

Epilogue: August 17, 2020: Two to go

Last entry was three work days left. Today's is two days until work begins.

Summer has been... summer: walking in the woods in the rain and sleeping weird hours and cleaning my entire house and watching entire shows in one go.

In a lot of ways, the strangest part was not being able to camp with A, not because of lockdown, but because her baby is too young. Like the downtown construction, might as well consolidate all the weirdness into one year.

Some parts feel normal. Someday (I assume) we'll be able to go back into indoor spaces with strangers and not wear masks. To hug our students and give high-fives. To visit family without checking the map to see if it's allowed. For now, though, the masks at least feel normal. Feel safe. Feel right. It's going to be a long time before I feel safe around strangers again.

_ _ _

postscript: and then i spent a year processing it all through fiction.

[asylos]

I posted 24,363 times in 2022

That's 21,469 more posts than 2021!

197 posts created (1%)

24,166 posts reblogged (99%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@one-thousand-bees

@pyromanicdaydreamer

@lunarcatninja

@skadren

@salva

I tagged 651 of my posts in 2022

#miri cats - 51 posts

#miri writes - 47 posts

#dracula daily - 36 posts

#my child - 10 posts

#youtube - 9 posts

#morning reblog - 7 posts

#art - 6 posts

#i don't go here - 6 posts

#cats - 5 posts

#queueueue - 4 posts

Longest Tag: 136 characters

#a friend and i were playing with randoms and when i found out one of them was another girl i went out of the way to be extra nice to her

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Received my Hanafuda deck from @risingoflights this week! The cards not only look good but feel really good too. Very happy to support the making of this on Patreon.

16 notes - Posted May 23, 2022

#4

Dracula Daily Responses

 June 17

It has been��� weeks since I last heard from my dear friend Jonathan. My heart was pounding from my chest with excitement, my hands trembling as I gripped the envelope and tore it open. He is alive! But trapped, still, within his chambers. Still he looks to those in service of the Count for aid, and unsurprisingly finds none. 

June 18

The radio bursts alive with a short blast of static, and again I hear the voice of Dr. Seward. He speaks quickly, and I can only assume it must be of his patient Renfield once more. It seems to be the only subject which captures the doctor’s attention, since Miss Lucy’s refusal of his proposal. The man is apparently keeping spiders as pets now. What a peculiar man. Though I do find such creatures helpful in keeping the house free of other pests, I would hardly make the effort to attract them myself as they come and go as they please. My cats find them entertaining.

23 notes - Posted June 18, 2022

#3

Dracula Daily Responses

(Previous days https://asylos.tumblr.com/post/684810916316037120/may-1819-below-the-cut-oh-my-poor-friend-it-was)

May 24th:

Another letter mislaid upon my door, from Miss Lucy to my dear Mina. I shouldn’t read it, but I cannot help myself. I hope for some news of my dear friend Jonathan buried within, but I am doubtful. Perhaps the gossip within will lighten my spirit for a moment or two.

Miss Lucy has had quite an eventful time since her last letter! Three proposals! A dream for many girls her age. The doctor who she had thought might be a good match for Mina, had our dear Jonathan not been already in her heart, was first to propose. Ah, but Lucy was already firmly set on another. Ah yes, Mr. Holmwood, who she spoke of before. I do recall this now. Surely he must be one of the three proposals this day? 

Ah it seems Mr. Holmwood was trying to find time to make his proposal but just couldn’t seem to get Miss Lucy to himself before the other two, even with her aid. Mr. Morris therefore was the second of the day. And this man too, realizing Miss Lucy’s heart belonged to another, pledged to be a great friend to her. What a blessing to her to have found such good and honest men in her life. Oh Miss Lucy, I do agree, they should let a girl marry as many men as would agree to marry her together and be happy.

Ah, and then Miss Lucy, you rob us of the details of Mr. Holmwood’s proposal! But such happiness is a blessing.

I shall reseal this quickly and send it on its way to dear Mina so she can share in her closest friend’s joyous news. Hopefully it will distract her too for a moment from our worries.

27 notes - Posted May 24, 2022

#2

I went into the office today to clean out my desk (the office is moving, I’m still remote) and my area had been gutted by IT. My phone doesn’t even have a receiver. But my @risingoflights calendar was still there, left on March 2020.

55 notes - Posted March 31, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I have received several days' entries of my dear friend Jonathan’s journal, in his most familiar shorthand. He has arrived in foreign lands, and has written in lush detail of his travels so far, both of the land itself and the peoples therein. I have found his descriptions of the food there most tantalizing, and amusing that he had so much trouble with it and yet, he makes note to remember to fetch the recipes to bring home to his beloved Mina still. (Ah Mina, I should write to her soon. It has been far too long!) The castle that was his destination is most interesting, and I cannot wait to hear more about his stay, and the peculiar master of it. I shan't write back to him at this time, as he will surely be on his way back before any such letter would reach him.

89 notes - Posted May 5, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[cpwdindiahelp]

Essential Financial Guidelines for CPWD Registration: Your FAQs Answered

1. What are the financial soundness requirements for CPWD registration in the Buildings & Roads category?

Answer: The financial soundness requirements for CPWD registration in the Buildings & Roads category vary based on the class of registration. The requirements are specified in Table 4 below:

Table 4: Minimum Requirements for Financial Soundness – Buildings & Roads Category

2. What are the financial soundness requirements for CPWD registration in the Horticulture category?

Answer: The financial soundness requirements for CPWD registration in the Horticulture category are specified in Table 5 below:

Table 5: Minimum Requirements for Financial Soundness – Horticulture

3. What documents are required for CPWD registration for different classes?

Answer: For CPWD registration, the following documents are required for all classes (Class I(Super), Class I(AAA), Class I(AA), Class I(A), Class I, Class II, Class III, Class IV, and Class V) irrespective of the category:

Either Banker’s Certificate or Networth Certificate

Average Annual Turnover Certificate for works during the last three financial years from a Chartered Accountant.

For enlistment under Rule 6.1.7 and 6.1.9, only the Banker’s Certificate is required.

4. How should the Average Annual Turnover Certificate be prepared?

Answer: The Average Annual Turnover Certificate must be:

Issued by a certified Chartered Accountant on their letterhead.

Verified by CPWD officers using the UDIN website.

The certificate should cover the financial years ending on 31st March of the year preceding the calendar year of application or the last financial year if an audited balance sheet is submitted.

Enhanced by 7% per annum to bring the turnover figures to the current value.

Example 1: If the date of application is 21.05.2024 with an unaudited balance sheet of the last financial year, the relevant years for turnover will be:

2022-23 (Enhanced by 7%)

2021-22 (Enhanced by 14%)

2020-21 (Enhanced by 21%)

Example 2: If the date of application is 21.05.2024 with an audited balance sheet of the last financial year, the relevant years for turnover will be:

2023-24 (No enhancement)

2022-23 (Enhanced by 7%)

2021-22 (Enhanced by 14%)

5. What are the requirements for the Banker’s Certificate?

Answer: The Banker’s Certificate must:

Be issued by a Scheduled Bank on its letterhead.

Be addressed to the enlisting authority in the format prescribed in Annexure V-1.

Be uploaded after scanning from the original.

Be not more than 3 months old on the date of application.

The required amounts for the Banker’s Certificate are given in Table 4 for Buildings & Roads category and Table 5 for Horticulture category.

6. How should the Networth Certificate be prepared?

Answer: The Networth Certificate must:

Be in the format prescribed in Annexure V-3.

Be issued by a certified Chartered Accountant on their letterhead.

Include a certification that the net worth has not eroded by more than 50% in the last three years ending on 31st March.

Be verified by CPWD officers using the UDIN website.

The required amounts for the Networth Certificate are given in Table 4 for Buildings & Roads category and Table 5 for Horticulture category.

7. Are work experience and financial soundness required for unemployed youth applying based on their education?

Answer: No, work experience and financial soundness are not required for unemployed youth who are applying for CPWD registration based on their educational qualifications.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 3.7

Holidays

Alexander Graham Bell Day

Arbor Day (California)

Be Heard Day

Bird Day (California)

Bloody Sunday Anniversary Day (Selma, Alabama)

Chamorro Heritage Day (Guam)

Cybercombine Day (Prudentianopolis)

Doronicum Day (French Republic)

Equal Pay Day (Gleicher Bezahlungstag; Germany)

Finnmarkslopet Dog Sled Race (Finland)

First Planting Festival (Elder Scrolls)

Get Grandma To Write Down Her Meatloaf Recipe Day

Hamilton Lavity Stoutt Day (British Virgin Islands)

International Brick Maker Day

International Day of the Anti-Fascist Woman

International Women’s Day (Angola, Tajikistan)

INTERPOL International Day of Remembrance for Fallen Officers

Jose Abad Day (Philippines)

Liberation of Sulaymaniyah (Iraqi Kurdistan)

Mahasivarathri Day (Sri Lanka)

Maritime Day (Slovenia)

Masaryk Day (Czech Republic, Slovakia)

Maslenitsa (Russia)

National Ben Day

National Carol Day

National Cooper Day

National Day of Lesbian Visibility (Argentina)

National Heroes and Benefactors Day (Belize)

National Sauna Day (Japan)

National Sharon Day

National Slam the Scam Day

National Teresa Day

Neil Diamond Day (Las Vegas)

Nones of March (Ancient Rome)

Plant Power Day (UK)

Say Hello Day

Suez Canal Day

Teacher’s Day (Albania)

Texas Energy Day (Texas)

307 Day

Transport and Telecommunication Workers Day (Turkmenistan)

World Oneness Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Cereal Day

National Crown Roast of Pork Day

National Flapjack Day

Punsch Roll Day (Sweden)

1st Thursday in March

Kid Lit Art Postcard Day [1st Thursday]

Nametag Day [Thursday of Name Week]

National Hospitalist Day [1st Thursday]

National Vending Day [1st Thursday]

White Ribbon Day (Massachusetts) [1st Thursday]

World Book Day (Ireland, UK) [1st Thursday]

Independence & Related Days

Aleutian Islands (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Sulaymaniyah Liberation Day (Iraqi Kurdistan)

Festivals Beginning March 7, 2024

Antikmässan (Stockholm, Sweden) [thru 3. 10]

Brazilian Beer Festival (Blumeneau, Brazil) [thru 3.9]

Cincinnati International Wine Festival (Cincinnati, Ohio) [thru 3.9]

Crufts Dog Show (Birmingham, England) [thru 3. 10]

Eastern Bison Association Winter Conference (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) [thru 3.9]

Fulton Oysterfest (Fulton, Texas) [thru 3.10]

Limassol Carnival (Limassol, Cyprus) [thru 3. 17]

National Coffee Association Convention (Nashville, Tennessee) [thru 3.9]

New England Brew Summit (Portland, Maine)

Red, White & Snow (Park City, Utah) [thru 3.9]

Sustainable Wine Dinner Series (Los Angeles, California)

The WhiskyX (Miami, Florida)

Feast Days

Ardo (Christian; Saint)

Barbara Eden Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Billy (Muppetism)

Boris Kustodiev (Artology)

Contradiction Day (No It’s Not!; Pastafarian)

The Devil Is God Reversed Day (Everyday Wicca)

Drausius (a.k.a. Drausin; Christian; Saint)

Empodocles (Positivist; Saint)

Edward Landseer (Artology)

Esterwine (Christian; Saint)

Festival for Vedovus (God of the Dead & Volcanic Movements; Ancient Rome)

Impeachment of March Goblins (Shamanism)

José Olallo (Christian; Saint)

Junoalia (Old Roman Festival to Juno)

Leonid Feodorov (Russian Greek Catholic Church)

March Storms and Blasting Rods Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Milton Avery (Artology)

Paul the Simple (Christian; Saint)

Perpetua and Felicity (Christian; Saints & Martyrs)

Piet Mondrian (Artology)

Psyche’s Day (Pagan)

Pierre-Henri Dorie, Siméon-François Berneux (Christian; part of The Korean Martyrs)

Theophylact (Christian; Saint)

Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church (Christian; Saint)

Treachery Day (Church of the SubGenius)

Tuan Reincarnation Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 11 of 60)

Premieres

Alice the Collegiate (Disney Cartoon; 1927)

The Caine Mutiny, by Herman Wouk (Novel; 1951)

Coal Miner’s Daughter

Foxes (Film; 1980)

The Edible Woman, by Margaret Atwood (Novel; 1969)

Erlkönig, by Franz Schubert (Lied; 1821)

From Genesis to Revelation, by Genesis (Album; 1969)

The Golden Eggs (Disney Cartoon; 1941)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (Film; 2014)

Grateful Gus (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1958)

Highlander (Film; 1986)

The Home Guard (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1941)

The Long Goodbye (Film; 1973)

Mame (Film; 1974)

Mickey’s Grand Opera (Disney Cartoon; 1936)

Mirror (Russian Film; 1975)

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (Film; 2008)

Mr. Peabody & Sherman (Animated Film; 2014)

My Beautiful Launderette (Film; 1986)

The Nude Who Never, by Ted Mark (Novel; 1965)

The Old Mill Pond (Happy Harmonies Cartoon; 1936)

Olive’s Sweepstake Ticket (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1941)

Our Lady of the Flowers, by Jean Genet (Novel; 1943)

Page Miss Glory (WB MM Cartoon; 1936)

Pistol Packin’ Woodpecker (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1960)

Post Office, by Charles Bukowski (Novel; 1971)

A Room with a View (Film; 1986)

Royal Cat Nap (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1958)

Sailor Moon (Japanese Anime Series; 1992)

The Six Million Dollar Man (TV Series; 1973)

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, by Robert Frost (Poem; 1923)

Taboo (Adult Film; 1980)

Things Ain’t What They Used To Be, recorded by Johnny Hodges and his Orchestra (Song; 1941)

Way Out West, by Sonny Rollins (Album; 1957)

Young Americans, by David Bowie (Album; 1975)

Today’s Name Days

Felicitas, Perpetua, Reinhard (Austria)

Bogoljub, Felicita, Perpetua, Teofil (Croatia)

Tomáš (Czech Republic)

Perpetua (Denmark)

Ralf, Raul, Rolf, Rudolf, Ruudi, Ruut (Estonia)

Taika, Tarja, Taru (Finland)

Félicie, Félicité, Nathan (France)

Felicitas, Felizitas, Perpet, Reinhard, Volker (Germany)

Evgenios (Greece)

Tamás (Hungary)

Quintilio, Tommaso (Italy)

Ella, Elmira (Latvia)

Felicita, Galmantė, Rimtautas, Tomas (Lithuania)

Are, Arild (Norway)

Felicja, Nadmir, Paweł, Polikarp, Tomasz (Poland)

Efrem (Romania)

Tomáš (Slovakia)

Felicidad, Perpetua (Spain)

Camilla, Ottilia (Sweden)

Davon, Devan, Deven, Devin, Devon, Devonta, Devonte, Devyn, Dewey, Lothar, Luther (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 67 of 2024; 299 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of week 10 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Nuin (Ash) [Day 19 of 28]

Chinese: Month 1 (Bing-Yin), Day 27 (Geng-Wu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025)

Hebrew: 27 Adair I 5784

Islamic: 26 Sha’ban 1445

J Cal: 7 Green; Sevenday [7 of 30]

Julian: 23 February 2024

Moon: 10%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 11 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Thucydides]

Runic Half Month: Tyr (Cosmic Pillar) [Day 13 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 78 of 89)

Week: 1st Week of March

Zodiac: Pisces (Day 18 of 30)

[dertaglichedan]

The J6 case against Donald Trump has been dropped from the court's public calendar in Washington, DC. The case, brought by special counsel Jack Smith and presided over by Judge Tanya Chutkan, currently has motions pending that are on appeal.

"Former president Donald Trump’s March 4 trial date on charges of plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 election has been dropped from the public calendar of the federal court in Washington, a sign of what has long been anticipated — that his claim of presidential immunity from criminal prosecution would delay his trial while it remains on appeal," the Washington Post reports.

The motion currently on appeal is one brought by Trump's attorneys stating that he has presidential immunity from the charges as he was still in office at the time the alleged offenses occurred. Trump brought the motion to Chutkan, who denied it, and Trump then appealed.

Smith took the motion to the Supreme Court and asked them to rule on it quickly, but the court declined to do so, leaving the matter for the lower court to decide. This process has caused a delay of the trial that Smith wanted to ram through the court system as quickly as possible.

Chutkan had said that trial deadlines would be suspended as the motion brought by Trump moves through the appeals court. President Joe Biden's Department of Justice has accused Trump of staging the J6 riot, which happened while Trump was still in office

[systango-technologies]

Solana NFT Marketplace Development|Connect With Us To Build One Today

The Solana NFT marketplace has gained tremendous traction since the launch of its blockchain network in March 2020. It has set a benchmark in the NFT industry by offering lightning-fast transaction speed, optimal fees, and hassle-free transaction processing. 

Interestingly, in April 2023, Solana had a whopping trading volume of $90 million! Can you believe it? It’s impressive, considering that Solana was just an idea pitched by Yakovenko back in 2017. 

Now creators and businesses from different industries like music, entertainment, and consumer products are getting into the NFT craze. Some find it convenient and affordable to work with existing platforms that handle NFT sales and already have a  base. But many prefer freedom and control with their own NFT marketplace. It gives them more flexibility to do things their way and create their own unique NFT experience. 

Considering this, there are ample blockchain networks on which you can build your NFT marketplace. But Solana stands out amongst them. 

Konstantin Anissimov, the chief operating officer at crypto exchange CEX.IO, explains that Solana takes a unique approach to tackle the limitations of earlier blockchain solutions. It combines proven cryptographic strategies with dynamic innovations, offering a powerful solution to overcome the challenges faced by the first generation of cryptocurrencies. 

In simple terms, the Solana blockchain brings together the best of both worlds to provide a more advanced and efficient blockchain platform. As an NFT marketplace development company, today we will discuss the nitty gritty of Solana NFT marketplace. We will cover the following aspects:

Why Build An NFT Marketplace On Solana?

List Of Best Solana NFT Marketplaces

How Do We Ace Up Your Solana NFT Marketplace Development?

Our Solana NFT Marketplace Development Services

Why Build An NFT Marketplace On Solana?

Building an NFT marketplace on Solana is a smart decision for several reasons. Solana has established itself as a fourth-generation blockchain platform, offering exceptional scalability and remarkable transaction speeds. Solana NFT marketplace stands out from other blockchain platforms due to its unique combination of Proof-of-History (PoH) and Proof-of-Stake (PoS) mechanisms. This combination ensures efficient rewards for miners or validators, making it more environmentally friendly than traditional Proof-of-Work (PoW) systems. Solana contributes to its unparalleled performance and scalability with its core features, such as Proof-of-History, Tower BFT, Turbine, Gulf Stream, Sealevel, Pipeline, Cloudbreak, and Archivers. Additionally, the native cryptocurrency of Solana, SOL, has various uses within the Solana ecosystem, including paying for transactions and earning staking rewards. While Ethereum remains popular, Solana’s superior throughput, lower transaction fees, and energy efficiency make it a compelling option for investors and developers. With its strong foundation and rapid growth in the Web3 market, Solana has the potential to revolutionise the world of NFTs and overcome traditional blockchain limitations. Connect with our blockchain experts to curate a plan & build a robust Solana blockchain NFT marketplace today!

List Of Best Solana NFT Marketplaces

Are you looking for the best Solana NFT marketplaces? We��ve got you covered with our list of the top choices. Let’s dive into the highlights of these featured Solana NFT marketplaces:

Magic Eden

SolSea

One of the largest marketplaces on Solana, SolSea offers unique tools for creators and a user-friendly interface. Keep an eye on their Calendar feature for hot project releases.

Solanart

Solanart is one of the popular Solana NFT markets for digital art enthusiasts. It showcases notable collections like Degenerate Ape Academy and provides helpful stats on listed NFTs.

Hyperspace

This Solana NFT aggregator allows trading across various marketplaces from one platform, making it convenient for beginners and experienced traders.

Coral Cube

An NFT aggregator that grants access to a wide range of collections, including those available on the secondary market. Coral Cube’s rarity rank feature guides buyers in their selection.

DigitalEyes

Known for its user-friendliness, DigitalEyes offers a seamless interface and supports a variety of Solana wallets. It has an impressive collection like Galactic Gecko and Degenerate Ape to discover.

Exchange.art

Although a newcomer, Exchange.art has made its mark with a diverse range of valuable NFT collections. No listing fees, no curation process, and the ability to make offers on any NFT make it an intriguing choice.

These Solana NFT marketplaces offer unique features, excellent user interfaces, and support for various wallets. Each has distinctive characteristics that you can explore to find the one that suits you. And for better guidance on Solana NFT marketplace development, you can contact our blockchain experts!

How Do We Ace Up Your Solana NFT Marketplace Development?

To ace up your Solana NFT marketplace development, we offer a range of advantages and essential steps that ensure a thriving platform.

Advantages of Solana NFT Marketplace Development:

We provide a user-friendly management and login interface, simplifying listing crypto assets, creating NFTs, setting metadata, and placing them on auction within your Solana NFT marketplace.

We focus on designing an attractive storefront that seamlessly interacts with smart contracts, enabling the creation of NFTs and linking them to crypto assets.

Security is our priority, and we ensure a secure wallet solution for your users’ feasibility

A comprehensive search feature with customisable filters allows users to easily navigate and explore your NFT marketplace.

We can establish a Native Platform Token as an Application Native Token, expanding the market supply and offering users the option to purchase NFTs with the native platform Token.

Boost bidding activity through a time-based auction and bidding system, increasing the number of NFT bids.

NFT metadata storage is hosted on the IPFS File System, a decentralised and distributed storage system, ensuring data integrity and accessibility.

Our admin panel provides you with comprehensive control over user management, token management, NFT management, data management, and static content management.

Steps Of Solana NFT Marketplace Development:

We start by designing an exemplary user interface for your NFT marketplace, ensuring an intuitive and engaging user experience.

Our expert developers code the necessary functionalities required for your NFT marketplace.

We write smart contracts that power the core features of your NFT marketplace.

Rigorous smart contract audits are conducted, covering all appropriate test cases to ensure reliability and security.

We connect the smart contracts to both the front end and back end of your marketplace, ensuring seamless integration and functionality.

Thorough client testing is performed by uploading your marketplace to the test net, ensuring its stability and performance.

Finally, we prepare for the public beta release or mainnet deployment, marking the official launch of your Solana NFT marketplace.

Are you looking to develop your Solana NFT marketplace? Partner with Systango now! We offer customised services and clone scripts of popular NFT marketplaces, ensuring you have the tools and expertise to disrupt the NFT market. From concept to design to deployment, we’ll guide you on every step to build a world-class Solana NFT marketplace.

Our Solana NFT Marketplace Development Services

Solana NFT Marketplace Website Development

We will help you launch your very own NFT marketplace website. With our expertise, we ensure meticulous smart-contract auditing services and provide complete maintenance and support to keep your platform running smoothly.

Solana NFT Marketplace App Development

In today’s mobile-dominated world, having a feature-rich NFT marketplace app is essential. Our skilled team excels in Solana NFT Marketplace App Development, crafting advanced mobile apps that operate seamlessly on the Solana blockchain, tailored to meet all your business requirements.

Solana NFT Minting Development

Our expertise extends to Solana NFT Minting Development, where users can mint their digital assets as NFTs. We offer multiple minting modes, enhancing market visibility and providing a user-friendly minting experience for your platform.

Solana NFT Smart Contract Development

Our certified smart contract developers undergo meticulous testing and audit processes to ensure bug-free and secure smart contracts that power your NFT marketplace.

NFT Marketplace Maintenance & Support

We understand the importance of maintaining a highly functional and trustworthy marketplace. Our dedicated professionals will diligently support the team, providing ongoing maintenance and support services. We ensure your marketplace remains uninterrupted on its roadmap to success. Systango’s Solana NFT Marketplace development services let you use the full potential of the Solana blockchain for the booming NFT market.

Our comprehensive range of services caters to your business-specific needs, ensuring a seamless and successful NFT marketplace venture. Connect with us now!

Original Source- https://www.systango.com/blog/solana-nft-marketplace-development

[particularj]

[Picture ID: Washington Post article snapshot showing Republican Mark Brnovich, a middle aged white man with a beard in a suit in front of a blue curtain, from previous footage. Headline states: Arizona’s top prosecutor concealed records debunking election fraud claims

Byline states: Newly released documents show how Republican Mark Brnovich publicized an incomplete account of his office’s probe of the 2020 election in Maricopa County

END ID]

Article behind paywall, linked at bottom.

PHOENIX — Nearly a year after the 2020 election, Arizona’s then-attorney general, Mark Brnovich, launched an investigation into voting in the state’s largest county that quickly consumed more than 10,000 hours of his staff’s time.

Investigators prepared a report in March 2022 stating that virtually all claims of error and malfeasance were unfounded, according to internal documents reviewed by The Washington Post. Brnovich, a Republican, kept it private.

In April, the attorney general — who was running in the GOP primary for a U.S. Senate seat — released an “Interim Report” claiming that his office had discovered “serious vulnerabilities.” He left out edits from his own investigators refuting his assertions.

His office then compiled an “Election Review Summary” in September that systematically refuted accusations of widespread fraud and made clear that none of the complaining parties — from state lawmakers to self-styled “election integrity” groups — had presented any evidence to support their claims. Brnovich left office last month without releasing the summary.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/22/arizona-election-fraud-claims-mark-brnovich/

10,000 hours is roughly equivalent to 5 full-time staff positions working entirely on the investigation for a full calendar year.

He actively suppressed the truth for his own political gain and to support the wide ranging Republican narrative of election fraud, of which there was literally no evidence.

This should be a crime, abuse of office maybe? My fear though is that making such a thing a crime would enable Republicans to charge Democrats and anybody they don’t like with the same purely for revenge and political purposes.

[snugsodium]

7 Easy-to-grow Indoor Plants to Beautify and Strengthen Your Routines

Lockdown - now one of the official 2020 words of the year, was undoubtedly daunting when speculations of it started to spread back in March. You can probably remember when the concept started as uncertainties exchanged in your office, between coffee breaks and packing-up farewells. Images of barricaded thoroughfares, closed-up shops, economic unrest, safety protocols, and compromised site visits came to mind. An unexpected end to the fast-paced workplace culture that you once looked forward to and prepared for when everything was still normal was put in place.

Fears about the lockdown were mostly in parallel with the global standstill. Will all of your investments for the future or plans for career advancement come to a halt as well? Will you be really stuck inside your homes for who knows how long, watching the spectacles from your phones while awaiting COVID-19 test results and vaccines?

Filipinos, of course, would not let the long days of the lockdown just revolve around watching precious calendar days get crossed out. Filipinos are motivated when they finally see how all their hard work brings them closer to the lifestyle they always dreamed of, especially if it involves finally purchasing that premium condo or house and lot in one of Makati’s upscale properties. For many who have endeavored to achieve progress in their lives and the lives of people around them, seeing concrete evidence of growth may most likely be just among the tiny victories than can give them further motivation.

[brookston]

Holidays 3.14

Holidays

Bird Sanctuary Day

Celebrate Scientists Day

Constitution Day (Andorra)

Crowdfunding Day

Day of Solidarity (Lebanon)

Dietician’s Day (Canada)

Dita e Veres (Summer Day; Albania)

Dog Theft Awareness Day (UK)

Dribble to Work Day

Emakeelepäev (Estonian Native language Day; Estonia)

Equal Pay Day

Genius Day

Gold Record Day

Gyalpyo (a.k.a. Gyallo Loshar (Nepal)

Heroes Day (Saint Vincent and Grenadines)

Immortal Barzani Day (Iraq)

International Ask A Question Day

International Day of Action for Rivers

International Day of Mathematics

Learn About Butterflies Day

Legal Assistance Day

Legal Assistants Day

Logistics Innovation Day

Medicine Day (Turkey)

Moth-Er Day

Mother Tongue Day (Estonia)

My Freedom Day

Nanakshahi New Year (Sikhism)

National Botox Cosmetic Day

National Children's Craft Day

National Landscape Day (Italy)

National Learn About Butterflies Day

National Valerie Day

National Write Your Story Day

Pi Day

Save a Spider Day

Science Education Day

Steak and BJ Day [ website ]

Ten Most Wanted Day

314 Day

Vinterfestuka begins (Narvik Sun Pageant; Norway)

Volunteer Day (Ukraine)

White Day (China, Japan, Korea)

World Book Day

World Imagination Day

World Sikh Environment Day

Zeppelin Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bake a Pie Day (a.k.a. Bake a Pie in Solidarity Day)

National Potato Chip Day

National Reuben Sandwich Day

2nd Tuesday in March

Gambling Disorder Screening Day [2nd Tuesday]

Organize Your Home Office Day [2nd Tuesday]

Independence Days

Aebmark (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Kingdom of Wellmoore (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Acepsimas, Bishop of Assyria (Christian; Saint)

Archimedes Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Berthe Morisot (Artology; Saint)

Boniface, Bishop of Ross, in Scotland (Christian; Saint)

Charlene the Chicken (Muppetism)

The Diasia (Festival to Ward Off Poverty; Ancient Greece)

Equirria (Ancient Roman Chariot and Horse Race; 2nd of 2 / 1st one Feb. 27)

Feast of Hyperborea

Festival of Veturius Mamurius (Armor Makers; Ancient Rome)

Henri Fantan-Latour (Artology; Saint)

Hindu New Year (Indonesia)

Joseph and Aithilahas (Christian; Martyrs)

Leobinus (Christian; Saint)

Matilda, Queen of Germany (a.k.a. Maud; Christian; Saint)

Media Hiems IV (Pagan)

Pi Day (Pastafarian)

Zeno (Positivist; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Prime Number Day: 73 [21 of 72]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Tycho Brahe Unlucky Day (Scandinavia) [13 of 37]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 12 of 60)

Unglückstage (Unlucky Day; Pennsylvania Dutch) [11 of 30]

Premieres

Allegiant (Film; 2016)

Bad Words (Film; 2014)

Bird of Paradise (Film; 1951)

Body and Soul by Joe Jackson (Album; 1984)

A Boy Named Goo, by The Goo Goo Dolls (Album; 1995)

Gung Ho (Film; 1986)

Hair (Film; 1979)

Horton Hears.a Who! (Animated Film; 2008)

The Mikado, by Gilbert & Sullivan (Comic Opera; 1879)

The Pacific (TV Mini-Series; 2010)

The Prisoner of Second Avenue (Film; 1975)

The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (Film; 1958)

3 Feet High and Rising, by De La Soul (Album; 1989)

Tommy (Film; 1975)

Veronica Mars (Film; 2014)

Today’s Name Days

Eva, Evelyn, Mathilde (Austria)

Borislava, Borka, Matilda, Miljana (Croatia)

Matylda, Rút (Czech Republic)

Eutychius (Denmark)

Malde, Maldi, Matilde, Meta, Milda, Milde, Tilde (Estonia)

Malla, Matilda, Mette, Tilda (Finland)

Mathilde (France)

Eva, Evelyn, Mathilde (Germany)

Benedict, Efrasios, Mathilde (Greece)

Matild (Hungary)

Matilde, Valeriano (Italy)

Matilde, Tilda, Ulrika (Latvia)

Darmantas, Karigailė, Matilda (Lithuania)

Mathilde, Mette (Norway)

Bożeciecha, Jakub, Leon, Matylda, Mechtylda, Michał (Poland)

Benedict (Romania)

Antonina (Russia)

Matilda (Slovakia)

Matilde (Spain)

Matilda, Maud (Sweden)

Benedict, Rostyslav, Slavko (Ukrainę)

Adalbert, Albert, Alberto, Dalbert, Delbert, Elbert, Mathilda, Matilda, Maude, Tilda (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 73 of 2023; 292 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 11 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Nuin (Ash) [Day 24 of 28]

Chinese: Month 2 (Yi-Mao), Day 23 (Xin-Wei)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 21 Adar 5783

Islamic: 21 Sha’ban 1444

J Cal: 12 Ver; Fiveday [12 of 30]

Julian: 1 March 2023

Moon: 50%: 3rd Quarter

Positivist: 17 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Zeno]

Runic Half Month: Beore (Birch Tree) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 84 of 90)

Zodiac: Pisces (Day 23 of 29)

Calendar Changes

March (a.k.a. Martius; Julian Calendar) [Month 3 of 12]

[shumailach-blog]

Australian Visitor Visa Wait Times Have Blown Out With Some Nationalities in Limbo for Months

Tourists have been waiting three times longer to get their visas approved for travel to Australia this year compared to pre-COVID-19 times, with a new report showing specific impacts on visitors from one country.

Visa processing times for tourists and business travellers blew out this year. Source: SBS News

Travellers eager to visit Australia this year waited months to get their visas approved, with most Chinese citizens left in limbo for four months, a new report shows.The Department of Home Affairs' report on visitor visas paints a stark picture of the delays in the system after Australia's international borders were re-opened on 1 November 2021. It also shows significant changes in the numbers of tourists and business visitors applying to come to Australia - and where they are coming from - compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest report details processing times between 1 April and 30 June 2022 and has only recently been released. It shows that 75 per cent of requests for tourist visas (subclass 600 and 676) were processed within 59 calendar days, 269 per cent longer than the 16 calendar days it took in 2019.

The processing of business visas (short stay, subclass 456) and (business visitor, subclass 600) also grew to 15 days, compared to a processing time of seven days before the emergence of COVID-19 and the shutdown of Australia's international borders on 20 March 2020.

The blowout in processing times has happened despite the number of visa applications being much lower.

Around 75 per cent of tourist visas were processed in 59 calendar days. Source: SBS News

In 2019, around 1.3 million visitor visa applications (including both tourist and business visas) were lodged between April-June, compared to just 695,343 in the same period this year.

Why Have the Wait Times Increased?

The report reveals data from April-June, mostly covering the period prior to the Albanese Government winning the federal election on 21 May.

A Department of Home Affairs spokesperson told SBS News in a statement that "processing times will take some time to improve as we work through older applications in the backlog".

The spokesperson said the department was implementing policy changes to allow more streamlined processing of visas.

"The department is managing risks carefully, targeting applicants who warrant it, while efficiently deciding applications for everyone else."

They said almost 2.8 million temporary and migration visas had been processed since 1 June, including more than 1.5 million visitor, 199,000 student and 43,000 temporary skilled applications.

The Albanese Government has announced it would provide an 

extra $36.1 million to hire up to 500 people for nine months to help address wait times. About 20 per cent of those positions had been filled by the end of September.

The department also recruited an additional 260 staff into roles supporting temporary and migration visa processing from the start of May, and officers previously focused on travel exemptions have been redirected to visa processing. But it's unclear whether staffing levels have returned to pre-COVID levels.

Some travellers wanting to visit Australia have waited months to get their visas approved.

Former Department of Immigration secretary Abul Rizvi said he didn't think there would be a recovery in processing times until the next report covering July-September, at the earliest.

"They should be being processed faster now, but I suspect the improvement will be gradual, it won't be sudden," he said.

Information on the Home Affairs website, which was last updated in August, advises travellers that processing of the tourist subclass 600 visa is taking around 63 days for 75 per cent of applicants - even longer than the average wait times seen earlier this year.

Certain countries experiencing longer delays

Processing times have been even longer for citizens of certain countries, with around 75 per cent of tourist visas from China taking 120 days to finalise in April-June this year. During the same period in 2019 most were processed in nine days.

The department did not address questions about why these visas were taking so much longer to get through the system.

Mr Rizvi said China's strict COVID-19 restrictions, including widespread lockdowns, could be making the processing of visas more difficult. Officials could also be taking a more cautious attitude towards processing visas from China, he said, pointing to a recent Nine investigation that exposed alleged visa rorting linked to criminal syndicates.

Mr Rizvi said it was likely the Australian government was aware of scams operating out of China, as well as other countries, and was scrutinising visitor visas more carefully.

The Australian Government may be scrutinising Chinese travellers more carefully. Source: AAP

When it comes to business visas, about 75 per cent of US citizens have been waiting 52 days for them to be processed, much longer than the average of 15 days.

But processing times have improved compared to April-June last year when most tourism visas took 160 days to process, and business visas were taking 342 days.

Arrivals Are Still a Long Way From Pre-pandemic Levels

The number of visitors arriving in Australia, including both tourists and business travellers, are still well down on pre-COVID-19 levels. Around 699,725 people visited Australia in 2021/22, more than nine times lower than the 6.5 million people in 2018/19.

Around 17 per cent of those travellers were from India, 15 per cent from the UK and 12 per cent from Singapore.

Back in 2018/19, 17 per cent were from China, 11 per cent from the US and 10 per cent from the UK. China now only makes up 2.3 per cent of arrivals in Australia, with just 15,855 travelling to the country in 2021/22 compared to one million travellers three years ago.

The number of visitors to Australia has dropped dramatically. Source: SBS News

However, more recent numbers show tourism could be starting to improve. In June this year, there were 219,607 visitor visa holders in Australia, only around 100,000 less than the 316,469 travellers in the country on the same date in 2019.

The number of visitor holders in Australia has increased by 396 per cent in the period from 17 December 2021, the week the borders opened to some fully vaccinated travellers, until 14 October this year.

Change in the Origin of Tourists

When it comes to visa approvals for tourists, there has also been a significant change in the source countries.

In 2018/19, before the emergence of COVID-19, the top source country was China, with 856,110 tourist visa applications granted, making up 17 per cent of the 5.2 million approvals. It was followed by the US, UK, Japan and Malaysia. India came in sixth with 250,874 visas approved.

China's numbers have since seen a dramatic drop of 95 per cent, to just 36,150 visas granted in 2021/22. India's numbers have remained fairly steady on 190,605 visas, making it the top country of origin. It made up 19 per cent of the one million tourist visas granted, followed by the UK, Singapore, US, Malaysia and China.

China was once the top country for the lodgement of visitor visas to Australia, but demand has dropped dramatically from tourists and business travellers. Source: SBS News

Singapore has risen from eighth position to third, despite approved visas dropping by 59 per cent, from 208,480 in 2018/19, to 84,792 in 2021/22.

Mr Rivzi said Australia may have remained a popular destination for Singaporeans compared to China, Hong Kong and Japan due to their strict COVID-19 restrictions.

"Singaporeans have got to spend their money holidaying somewhere and I think we're benefiting because we're seen as a relatively safe destination from a COVID perspective," he said.

The number of subclass 600 tourist visa applications granted under the Approved Destination Status from China also dropped to zero in 2020/21 and 2021/22, after being at 200,038 in 2018/19. Mr Rivzi said those visas were generally used by trusted tour groups and so may have been impacted by the lack of travel from China during the pandemic.

Business Visa Approvals Drop By 320 per Cent

The report also shows a significant shift in approvals for business visas. Back in 2018/19, around 504,782 business visas were granted. The top country was China, which had 82,026 visas approved (making up 16 per cent of the total) followed by US, UK, Japan and India.

Three years later, China has dropped to sixth on the list, with just 8,198 business visas granted. Overall 120,103 visas were approved in 2021/22.

The top country is now the US, making up 11 per cent of business visas approved in 2021/22, despite the number being four times lower than in 2018/19. The number of visas granted to the US dropped from 65,325 in 2018/19, to 13,444. The US is followed by Singapore, UK, India and South Korea.

Countries Finding It Harder to Get Visas Approved

Between April-June this year, Australia approved 91.9 per cent of visitor visa applications (including tourism and business visas) compared to 94.6 per cent during the same period in 2019.

It's understood the finalisation of visa applications lodged before or during the pandemic may have impacted the grant rate, as some applicants may have experienced a change in circumstances, and may no longer have wanted to travel to Australia.

COVID-19-related travel restrictions have also continued to impact the ability of Chinese nationals to travel internationally for tourism purposes.

Approval rates can vary widely between countries. Just 66 per cent of tourist visa 600 and 676 applications from Thailand were approved in April-June, compared to 95 per cent of those from the US.

Back in 2019, Thailand's grant rate for tourist visas was 82 per cent in the same period. Fiji had the lowest approval rate of 76 per cent while the highest rate was for Chile at 96 per cent.

This does not include figures for the 651 eVisitor visa, an electronic visa that only certain countries including the UK and other European countries, can apply for.

Australia approved around 83 per cent of tourist visas between April-June this year but grant rates for Thailand were much lower, at just 66 per cent. Source: SBS News

Meanwhile, approval rates for business visa 600 also dropped. Previously, most countries had high approval rates (of more than 90 per cent) for these visas in April-June 2019, and there was an overall approval rate of 94 per cent. This has now dropped to 91 per cent. In particular, China's approval rate for business visas dropped from 93 per cent in April-June 2019, to only 83 per cent this year.

By contrast, approval rates for sponsored tourist visa 600 improved from 81 per cent in April-June 2019, to 88 per cent this year. Indonesia boasted the highest grant rate of 94 per cent, a vast improvement from its 2019 approval rate of just 78 per cent.

Lebanon had the lowest approval rate of 71 per cent, although this was an improvement on its 2019 number of 55 per cent. Previously, the highest grant rate in 2019 was for Bangladesh citizens on 92 per cent.

Source: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/australian-visitor-visa-wait-times-have-blown-out/g1m5rode7