#North Central Region

[rabbitcruiser]

Thomas Jefferson Day

Thomas Jefferson, a founding father of the United States, was born on April 13, 1743. He held many roles and did much during the formative years of the country, including being the main author of the Declaration of Independence and the country’s third president. He wrote his own epitaph, highlighting what he most wanted to be remembered for: “HERE WAS BURIED THOMAS JEFFERSON AUTHOR OF THE DECLARATION OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE OF THE STATUTE OF VIRGINIA FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND FATHER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.”

Thomas Jefferson Day is a legal observance, but it is not a public holiday. A joint resolution approved on August 16, 1937, authorized the President of the United States to proclaim April 13 as “Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday” each year. The following year, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Presidential Proclamation 2276 to designate the day. Subsequent presidents have made similar proclamations. In Alabama, Thomas Jefferson’s birthday is officially celebrated on Presidents’ Day, along with George Washington’s.

Thomas Jefferson was born at the Shadwell plantation in Albemarle County, Virginia. His mother, Jane Randolph Jefferson, was from a prominent Virginia family, and his father, Peter Jefferson, was a planter and surveyor. After graduating from the College of William and Mary in 1762, he began studying law. As there weren’t official law schools at the time, Jefferson studied under a Virginia attorney. He began his work as a lawyer in 1767.

He married Martha Wayles Skelton on January 1, 1772. They had six children, but only two daughters lived to adulthood. Martha died in 1782 at the age of 33, and Jefferson never remarried. Besides keeping himself busy with politics throughout his life, he had many other interests, including gardening, architecture, music, and reading.

Jefferson was a member of colonial Virginia’s House of Burgesses between 1769 and 1775. He wrote “A Summary View of the Rights of British America” in 1774, which brought him to a wider audience. It said that the British Parliament didn’t have the right to use authority over the colonies. He was then selected to be a delegate to the Second Continental Congress. During this time, a panel of five was chosen to draft the Declaration of Independence. Of the five, which also included John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, Jefferson was chosen to write the draft. It was adopted on July 4, 1776.

In the fall of 1776, Jefferson resigned from the Continental Congress and was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, which was formerly the House of Burgesses. In the late 1770s, he drafted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. It was a notable forerunner to the First Amendment, and Jefferson thought it was one of his most substantial contributions, being important enough to include in his epitaph. After his time in the Virginia House of Delegates, he was Governor of Virginia from 1779 to 1781.

Following the Revolutionary War, Jefferson was part of Congress, which was known as the Congress of the Confederation at the time. He served from 1783 to 1784, and then became Minister to France in 1785, taking over the position that Benjamin Franklin had held. Because he was overseas, he was not able to attend the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

In the fall of 1789, Thomas Jefferson returned to America and became the first secretary of state. He helped found the Democratic-Republican Party, which opposed Alexander Hamilton’s Federalist Party, a party which wanted a strong central government with strong powers over the economy. Jefferson believed in a federal government with a limited role and believed in strong state and local governments.

He ran for president in 1796 and received the largest amount of votes after John Adams, so he became vice president. He ran against Adams again in 1800, and this time beat him. But his electoral vote count tied that of his running mate, Aaron Burr, and it was up to the House of Representatives to declare Jefferson as president. Because of this, the Twelfth Amendment, which stipulated separate voting for president and vice president, was ratified in 1804.

Jefferson served two terms as president and was in office from 1801 to 1809. During his first term, in 1803, he helped orchestrate the Louisiana Purchase, in which the size of the United States doubled with the purchase of land for $15 million from France. Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on an expedition, known as the Corps of Discovery, to explore the new land. With this trip, information was gathered about geography, plant and animal life, and American Indian tribes. During his second term, which he secured with over 70% of the popular vote, Jefferson worked to keep the country out of the Napoleonic Wars. He implemented the Embargo of 1807 after merchant ships were getting harassed by France and Britain. It was an unpopular move, though, as it shut down American trade and hurt the economy; it was repealed in 1809. Jefferson did not run for a third term in 1808.

After his presidency, Jefferson retired to his home, Monticello. “Monticello” means “little mountain” in Italian. Indeed the home is located on a small mountain, on the edge of the Shadwell property where Jefferson was born. He had begun clearing the area for a home in 1768. He designed the home and gardens himself, and he continually worked on the house throughout his life. Art and gadgets filled the rooms, and he kept records of everything that went on at the plantation.

During his retirement years, he also helped found the University of Virginia. He helped design both its buildings and its curriculum. He also made sure it wasn’t a religious school and that there wasn’t a religious litmus test in order to attend it.

In 1815, he sold his 6,700 volume personal library to Congress, to replace the books that had been destroyed by the British in the War of 1812, when they burned the Capitol, which housed the Library of Congress at the time. Jefferson’s books became the foundation of what became the Library of Congress’s new library.

Although Jefferson is revered as one of the founding fathers, he is not a man without contradictions and shortcomings. He was a promoter of liberty and wrote “all men are created equal,�� but was a slave owner throughout his whole life, during which he owned a total of about 600 slaves. He believed blacks were inferior humans and didn’t think coexistence would be possible if they were free. And although he never remarried after the loss of his beloved wife, Martha, he went on to father more children with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings. Some of the slaves that were in his bloodline were freed after his death, but most of his slaves were sold.

Thomas Jefferson passed away at Monticello at the age of 83, on July 4, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. As if the date of his death wasn’t ironic enough, fellow founding father John Adams died on the same day. Thomas Jefferson died first, but Adams did not know that Jefferson had died, and his last words were “Thomas Jefferson survives.” Jefferson was buried at Monticello. Monticello was sold off following his death to pay debts, but a nonprofit organization acquired it in the twentieth century and it was opened to the public in 1954.

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[misery-has-no-company-now]

Meanwhile, in the central north...

South Dakota: You can trust me! Let's not forget who pulled you out of the river when we were six.

North Dakota: Let's not forget who pushed me in.

***

Wyoming: I have feelings for you.

Montana: You do?

Wyoming: Yes, I feel you're very annoying.

[postcard-from-the-past]

In the Crypt of the Chartres Cathedral, Beauce region of north-central France

French vintage postcard

[runwayrunway]

No. 19 - Wizz Air

Wizz Air, whose name I regret to inform you is not short for Wizard Air, is an extremely successful low-cost carrier based in Hungary with subsidiary branches in Abu Dhabi, Malta, and the UK, and two former branches based in Ukraine and Bulgaria which are both now defunct. Their planes are a common sight at airports across Europe and beyond, so they should at least have the decency to make them look nice. 

How did they do?

I do think it goes without saying that there’s a reason I’m doing Wizz Air at this specific time. While not a pride livery, these planes are...pretty undeniably bisexual pride flag colors. In fact, here is the bisexual flag color-picked from Wizz Air planes. Guess which is which!

Well, also, I got a request after I had already written most of the post. It would feel a bit rude to not mention that. 

That is...beside the point of my actual assessment. How well designed are these planes?

The various Wizzes Air use this livery. They’re nice and colorful, standing out from what’s around them. You almost never see this sort of pink used on an airplane. The painted winglets are classy and the overall shapes are plenty alright. I always find the use of a website on an airline’s livery to be somewhat tacky, but, well...they are a low-cost carrier, I suppose. Anyway, they’re at least less prominent than on the old livery: 

And, to be perfectly honest, I really like the old livery too. There are still some planes flying around wearing it and I think the two designs are both better for the existence of the other. They feel like two parts of a whole and I love that about them. They very cleanly cover half the plane each, all the way up to the current one painting the ventral fairing while the old one leaves it white, and it feels very complete, like they’re inversions of each other. Even the logo is filled in on the old one and outlined on the new one. It’s just...it’s good! I like it! I really like these planes!

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi adds the extra bit of logo to the tail. I think it looks...completely fine and does not impact my opinion at all, which is a good thing in this case, because I like the thing it’s based on. 

image: Wizz Air Twitter

The interiors are apparently also matching Wizz Air color! It’s a small detail but it really goes a long way for establishing a mood, and it feels like something fairly often overlooked. Even other strongly-branded planes often have plain black seats. 

And the overall impression is really the thing here. All the individual parts are irrelevant compared to the holistic vibe of Wizz Air, which is undeniably pretty fun. The snappy name, the nicely composed text logo with the exclamation point, and the multiple bright colors lend these jets an exciting, bubbly feel. I’ve never flown with Wizz, so I’m not sure if they’re as fun as their planes make them look or as joyless as their direct competitor Ryanair, but these planes are some of the few which feel to me as if they’re following in the footsteps of PSA, at least visually - fundamentally upbeat, in emphatic defiance of the pasteurized nature of mass air travel. 

Grade: A

(I still wish it was short for Wizard Air though.)

[kelila]

The best thing about making your own reincarnation in the Triforce cycle is that you can make your own Hyrule. I love making maps, this'll be fun.

*eight maps and like four versions of Hyrule later*

This sucks and I have no idea where anything is. ...I love making maps.

(please note I am not good at making maps. Which is why I keep changing it.)

[licenseplateshowdown]

Prairie–Tundra Region Quarterfinals

North Dakota vs South Dakota

[britomart]

[ID: tags reading #Love trains in England bc they’re just like ‘This train is for: Trimble. Stopping at: Pobb. Crumpton. Chortle-upon-Smythe. Dickhole. Newcastle. Oldcastle. Badger’s. Glen. And: Thrimbing” /end ID.]

trains will announce you're stopping in places you never knew existed

[trendynewsnow]

North Korea's Military Support for Russia: A New Alliance

North Korea and Russia: A Growing Alliance In a surprising turn of events, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has opted to dispatch troops to support Russia in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine. This move raises questions among analysts about what Vladimir V. Putin, the President of Russia, might provide in exchange for North Korea’s military backing. The regime in Pyongyang, under tight…

[tovaicas]

have you ever started a project and then noticed dark knowledge that spiraled into a mental breakdown. no? that's how my extended map of gridania for a friend is going

[rabbitcruiser]

World Donkey Day

Visit a petting zoo, or simply do some research into the underappreciated, stalwart, useful and intelligent beasts of burden known as donkeys.

World Donkey Day is a show of respect for one of the most enduring and respectable animals in the Equidae family. Throughout history, it has served throughout the world as both a mount and a beast of burden in some of the most challenging terrains and forbidding climates, and has done so with pride and endurance. It’s unsurprising that these beasts’ success is due in part to their stubborn nature, and World Donkey Day honors them for this along with their other, perhaps more laudable, traits.

History of World Donkey Day

Two subspecies of the donkey, the Somalian and the Nubian, were bred together to produce what we think of as the modern Donkey. Available evidence points to the Donkey having been working alongside humanity since 4000 BCE, most likely in Nubia, as a more versatile and resilient pack animal than the ox they were presently using. Since then they have been bred and transplanted all over the world as cultures moved, and the world expanded, and can now be found just about everywhere.

They’re also the progenitors of the sterile mule, a cross-breeding of horse and donkey that results in a breed with the strengths of both. Sadly mules are almost entirely sterile, and the exceptions so rare that no breeding stock of pure mules has ever been able to be achieved, in part due to there having yet to be recorded a case of a breedable mule stallion. Strangely, there have been cases where female mules have birthed what are, for all appearances, pure horses when bred with a horse.

Without the help of donkeys, it is hard to imagine that the modern world could ever have come into existence. These hardy pack animals provided civilization with the motive energy needed to generate wealth, well before the advent of steam power or electricity. For that reason, many people consider donkeys just as fundamental to our society as writing, pottery, and metallurgy.

World Donkey Day is all about celebrating their stoic spirit and individual charm. These creatures aren’t afraid of a hard day’s work. In fact, they more or less invented the concept. Donkeys pull carts, operate mills, and carry cargo for miles and miles, well after other species would have given up. For that reason, they have a special place in our hearts. They’re willing to put in the effort (for no pay) all to serve us – their grateful human masters.

World Donkey Day is the brainchild of Raziq Ark, a scientist whose interests primarily concern desert animals. Around ten years ago, he noticed that nobody was celebrating the humble donkey for its efforts in helping people all over the world improve their quality of life. In recognition of all this hard work, he set up a Facebook group, chronicling the trials and tribulations of the species all over the world. Eventually, the idea to set up a World Donkey Day emerged in 2018, and we’ve been celebrating it ever since.

The concept drew widespread attention in the media. The Daily Express, for instance, ran an article covering ten facts that people don’t know about donkeys. Did you know that a female donkey is called a Jenny? Ark also has thousands of followers on his Facebook page, all showing their support for this amazing creature.

Donkeys have played an essential part in human history. Ark says that they are a “precious genetic resource and a great gift of nature.” You can’t get higher praise than that!

How to celebrate World Donkey Day

The best way to celebrate World Donkey Day, depending on where you are, is merely to research these incredible beasts and the role they had to play in the world. If you’re somewhere you can take a Donkey Ride tour like the Grand Canyon or tours of certain abandoned mines then that’s an even better way to become acquainted with these adorable long-eared equines. World Donkey Day reminds us that we owe a large part of our success on this planet to these fellow travelers on the starship Earth.

There are plenty of other ways that you can show your support to donkeys all over the world and improve their wellbeing. Many of them are in constant pain and need attention fast. Often their owners are too poor to pay for a veterinarian, so it falls to the rest of us to take up the slack. Donating to a donkey charity, therefore, is a great way to show your support for these fabulous creatures directly. Currently, there are a handful of nonprofits working hard all over the world to deliver medical attention to neglected and abused animals. These charities use donated money to provide much-needed treatment to donkeys in their hour of need.

Donkey abandonment is another major issue. Many owners will dump their donkeys at the side of the road if they can no longer afford to take care of them. The animal must then scavenge for food to survive. Giving to a donkey charity, therefore, can provide these victims with shelter where they can live in safety and peace.

Donkeys are beautiful, but neglected creatures. World Donkey Day is a chance for everyone who cares about these animals to highlight their plight and do something practical about it. Are you in?

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[iliveinprocrasti-nationn]

THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY IM SEEING FLACO PRAISE ON TUMBLR. “But he’s surviving” FUCK ALL THE WAY OFF

[northgazaupdates]

It is 8 am Gaza time and 1 am US Eastern time. As of now, from what we are seeing from multiple people on the ground in the north, there has been a *partial* withdrawal of IOF troops. It is NOT a full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and it is NOT a full withdrawal from north Gaza.

Many areas of northwest Gaza report withdrawals, but other parts of north Gaza are still besieged by IOF ground troops. Momin Abu Owda reported that Al-Tawam Junction in the northwest is now free of IOF troops for the first time since the ground invasion began (link below). However, Shukri Filfil reported that Al-Rimal in Gaza City, which is in the southern portion of north Gaza, is still under attack by IOF troops. Eshak Daour reported IOF firing gas bombs at him and a group of civilians in Beit Lahiya, which is more in the central area of north Gaza. Hossam Azam reported ground clashes very near to his location, although his exact location is not yet clear. Ahmed Kouta reported that although the ground troops pulled out of northwest Gaza, they have moved on to other parts of north Gaza, such as the central and southern regions (link below). All but the first and the latter appeared on Instagram Stories and as such there is no permanent working link, so message us for screenshots if desired. Mahmoud Ziad also documented the continued incursion of IOF personnel and machinery around Al-Shifa Hospital in the southwestern region of north Gaza, which Ismail Al-Ghoul reported as well.

The partial withdrawal is being documented by Momin Abu Owda, Dr. Tamer Al-Najjar, Mahmoud Sabbah, Hassan Hamad, Mahmoud Al-Awadia, Mahmoud Abusalama, Abood Abusalama, Mahmoud Shalha, Karam Naji, Ahmed Kouta, Anas Al-Sharif, Ismail Al-Ghoul, Fadi Al-Whidi, and more will be added as we find them.

[postcard-from-the-past]

17th-century Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, Maincy, Brie region of north-central France

French vintage postcard

[totally-a-wizard]

Question for USAmericans...

Please reblog for larger sample size :)

[licenseplateshowdown]

Prairie–Tundra Region Semifinals

North Dakota vs Kansas