#Virginia Beach Police

[feminist-space]

https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/virginia-beach/suspension-for-boy-who-told-principal-of-student-with-bullet-in-vb-private-school/

"An 11-year-old boy who alerted his principal at St. John the Apostle School in Virginia Beach after another student brought a bullet to class is in trouble at the school.

His family said he’s being punished for speaking up and doing the right thing, and they’re upset because the reporting student received the same suspension as the student who had the bullet.

The family also thinks the adults involved at St. John the Apostle School in Virginia Beach need to have, “in their words,” an ounce of grace dealing with an 11-year-old child who was only trying to do the right thing.

The 11-year-old saw the bullet, but he was about to begin mandatory testing, so he waited until the testing was over, which was about two hours.

“We teach our children, ‘see something say something’ but that means ‘see something, say something’ when it is safe,” said the family’s attorney, Tim Anderson.

Said the reporting child’s mother, Rachel Wigand: “He doesn’t want retaliation or people to dislike him, so he is going to do it anonymously.”

To do that required his waiting until after testing, and then he told the school principal.

“Said thank you for reporting that, but in the same breath you are suspended because it wasn’t quick enough,” Wigand said.

And the reporting student and the student with the ammunition received the same two-day suspension.

“If you punish a child for reporting, they are not going to report anymore,” Anderson said. “It makes school more dangerous. She doesn’t want that. I don’t want that; nobody should want that.”

A woman who answered the door at the school only replied, “I’m sorry,” before slamming the door closed. There was no response to a question shouted through the door about why the student who reported the bullet was suspended.

The school’s attorney, who serves as general counsel for the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, wrote to Anderson that “the school will not reduce the discipline,” said that the child should “bring safety issues to staff immediately” and “please confirm parents will support the school’s decision.”

Do the parents support the school’s decision?

“I do not,” Wigand said. “I think it is extremely harsh, and unjust and the most ludicrous decision to do that, to suspend the reporting person.”

Anderson said there is no policy in the school’s student handbook for failing to report possession of ammunition.

“There is no punishment if you don’t immediately report it,” Anderson said. “I mean, what if he would have jumped up, and said ‘there’s a bullet in his bag.’ They would have locked down the school. It would have caused chaos.”

According to the reporting child’s mother, what happened has changed the dynamic of the classroom when the two students returned to class Monday after the two-day suspension that began on Thursday.

“He ultimately requested that he be allowed to be out of that desk group and move his desk over,” she said. “… There was no communication … between the two, according to my son.”

They also argue that the way the school handled the situation by suspending both removed the element of anonymity, as opposed to getting the information, calling police, finding the bullet and suspending only the student who had the bullet without any reveal of Wigand’s son.”

What message is the reporting student’s mother giving to her son now?

“I’ve told him that it is out in the school,” she said. “Hold your head high. That he did the right thing. He should relay that to the other students and say, ‘if this were you, what would you do?'”

Legal action could be pending on this.

Wigand and Anderson said that, if the school does not reconsider the two-day suspension as part of Wigand’s son’s record, they will go to court as a last resort.

In a statement from Superintendent of Catholic Schools Dr. Michael Riley, it said wouldn’t comment about student or family matters, but that it expects students “to bring safety issues to the attention of school staff immediately.”

[coochiequeens]

Another reason not to have sons.

Left Side: Andre Eugene [L] and his mother Donna Hyman [R]. Right Side: A photo of Gigi the poodle on Hyman's Facebook.

By Reduxx Team January 27, 2024

A trans-identified male is in custody following the horrific stabbing death of both his mother and her beloved dog. Andre Eugene, who reportedly identifies as a “woman,” is facing charges of murder in the second degree and aggravated cruelty to animals.

Eugene’s mother, Donna Marie Hyman, was found dead in her Brooklyn apartment on January 19 after police were called by Hyman’s sister. The woman says she had received a call from Hyman, but when she answered could only hear blood-curdling screams.

Content warning: descriptions of how he killed his mother and her mini poodle

Hyman was found “lying lifeless on the floor” and had been stabbed over 50 times in the head and chest. The corpse of Hyman’s mini poodle, Gigi, was found outside of the building, having apparently been stabbed and thrown from the 11th floor.

According to court records, police officers found Eugene “naked and covered in blood” in the building’s lobby. Despite the obvious indications of foul play, Eugene reportedly attempted to claim that Hyman had died by suicide and that Gigi had fallen from the balcony by accident.

Eugene was later treated for stab wounds that were suspected to be self-inflicted, as well as a dog bite.

Eugene worked as a paraprofessional with kindergarten-aged students at the Henry D. Woodworth School in Brooklyn. At the time of this writing, his name still appears on the staff roster for the school.

From the staff list at Henry D. Woodworth.

Following Eugene’s arrest, there were some discrepancies in the way in which the crime was reported. While most media outlets correctly referred to Eugene as Hyman’s son, information was later released by police which indicated that Eugene identified as a transgender “woman.”

While it is unclear when Eugene began to transition, multiple early photos of him and his mother posted to her Facebook show him with a masculine appearance. Comments under photos featuring Eugene all suggest he was well-liked by friends and family.

Eugene with family members. Source: Donna Hyman / FACEBOOK.

Though Eugene’s gender identity is not mentioned anywhere on Hyman’s Facebook where she often shared photos of her family and friends, two photos of Gigi, her poodle, were posted that suggest Hyman was in favor of LGBT causes. In one, Gigi is seen with a Gay Pride Month banner. In another, the dog is centered in an Human Rights Campaign photo frame that says “Fighting For Transgender Justice.”

Eugene is currently being held at the Eric M. Tyler Center on Rikers Island, a facility that houses male adults and adolescents. His intake information lists his sex as “male.”

There have been multiple incidents involving trans-identified males murdering their parent or parents in recent years.

In December of 2022, Nikki Secondino, a trans-identified male Instagram influencer, fatally stabbed his father and severely injured his sister while on a violent rampage over a laptop. Secondino gave a chilling confession to police after being arrested, revealing that he had first bludgeoned his father’s head with a hammer and then stabbed him with a knife. He then stabbed his sister when she attempted to intervene.

Months later, a trans-identified male in Virginia Beach was arrested and charged with the murder of his father. As previously reported by Reduxx, Michael Aaron Horwitz, 34, stabbed Dr. Abbey Horwitz to death at his home for reasons which are still unclear. Horwitz is being held at the Virginia Beach Jail awaiting trial.

here's an article written just over a year ago

"The Femicide Census, co-founded by Clarrie O’Callaghan and Karen Ingala Smith, records the death of every woman killed by a man in England and Wales. The number of women killed by sons has shown a steady and alarming rise since 2016, after decades of remaining stable. The number of grandmothers killed by grandsons has also risen. While younger women are more at risk of being killed by a partner or ex-partner, it is women in their 60s and older who are risk from their older sons and grandsons."

[ajesterwrites]

8. seize the day

summary: you visit Vicki in the hospital and run into an unexpected visitor. bonnie's suspicions grow.

pairings: stefan salvatore x reader, matt donovan x reader (platonic)

warnings: none, not much happens in this chapter

word count: 3.7K

"I'm confused," Caroline was saying as you, her, and Bonnie strolled down the bustling hallways of Mystic Falls High. Bonnie had just explained last night's events while you cast your eyes in every direction, on the lookout for Jeremy and his stoner friends, ready to bust him on the spot. "Are you psychic or clairvoyant?"

"Technically, Grams says I'm a witch," Bonnie clarified. "My ancestors were these really cool Salem witch chicks or something. Grams tried to explain it all, but she was looped on the liquor so I kinda tuned out. Crazy family? Yes. Witches? I don't think so."

"Yeah, well, feel free to conjure up the name and number of that guy from last night."

"What guy?" You asked, snapping your eyes to Caroline. In your string of rants all morning, no guy had ever been brought up.

"There was this really hot guy at The Grill and I really felt a spark, you know?"

"But it was one of those love-at-first-sight sparks," Bonnie added. "She told me they didn't even talk."

"I know what I felt," Caroline insisted. "And I'm telling you, there's something there."

An entertained smile stretched across your face as you glanced between the two of them.

"Oh look, there's Matt!" Caroline said bubbly.

The other two girls looked to see him standing in the front of the school, right in the field, and you looked around. You hadn't even realized you'd left the building.

"Matt!" Caroline called out. He turned and smiled when his eyes landed on her. Your schoolmate and his best friend since childhood, Tyler Lockwood, muttered something in his ear, and they both laughed before performing a not-so-secret handshake. When that was over, Matt made his way to the group, where there was a chorus of greetings.

"How's Vick?" You asked. The last you heard, Vicki's wounds had been taken care of, and she was fast asleep.

"She's fine," Matt cleared up. "They're keeping her overnight to make sure there's no infection, but she should be able to come home tomorrow."

"Were you able to reach your mom?"

"Called and left a message. She's in Virginia Beach with her boyfriend, so... we'll see how long it takes her to come rushing home."

You frowned. You didn't know Kelly Donovan that well, but despite her trashy behavior and questionable choices, the one thing you never doubted was that Mrs. Donovan loved her kids to the moon and back. Even if she had a funny way of showing it. "I'm sure she'll be back soon."

"Yeah."

"Do the police know what animal attacked her?"

"She said it was a vampire."

You froze. "What?"

Matt stopped alongside you, unaware of the horrified look on your face. "Yeah, she wakes up last night and mutters 'vampire' and passes out. I think she was drunk."

A vampire...in Mystic Falls? But that would mean... your stomach flipped at the mere thought of him.

Ryder.

But he wouldn't...he couldn't...he promised he would never–

"So what's up with you and the new guy?" Matt asked, nodding toward Stefan, who was sitting at a table across the lawn. You hadn't even noticed he was there.

"He's cool." While you'd already made your feelings for Matt clear, you didn't want to rub it in his face that you may have found someone you actually liked. Liked... such a strong word.

Matt scoffed. "I can tell. He was with you at the Grill...at the bonfire..."

You went quiet, choosing not to entertain the implication. You glanced at Bonnie and Caroline, who'd somehow managed to sneak twenty feet away from you as you and Matt spoke, but they were still watching attentively. "Um, we're all headed to the hospital. Do you wanna come?"

"I'll take my car. I'm probably gonna stop somewhere first. If she's awake, she'll probably want to eat something other than hospital food." 

You smiled. Matt had always been so thoughtful. Even when you broke up with him, all he could ask was if she was going to be okay, nevermind the pain he was going through. "Okay. Catch you later?"

"Yeah," He said, giving you a small nod and awkward smile before walking away. Bonnie and Caroline went to your side, eyeing him as he left.

"Poor guy," Caroline said.

Bonnie nodded, sympathy gleaming in her eyes. "I know, right? What happened to Vicki is horrible."

"Vicki?" Caroline repeated, furrowing her eyebrows as if that was the dumbest thing she'd heard all day. "I'm not talking about her, I'm talking about Y/N. He's totally in love with her."

"What are you talking about?" You asked. With her, there were always switching subjects. One minute, you were talking about sexism, and the next, your primary topic was about who was the hottest out of Edward and Jacob (although the answer was obvious—clearly, it was Jacob). It was a wonder anyone could keep up with her, but you and Bonnie had been doing it for years.

Caroline gave you a look. "Don't play dumb." She turned back to look at Matt, who was getting into his car. "I mean, look at him. How can you look into those sad puppy eyes and say no? You're killing him."

"No, I'm not."

"You are literally clutching his heart and ripping it out of his chest."

"Have you been watching Indiana Jones again?" You asked. Bonnie laughed, and Caroline rolled her eyes. "Look, I already made it perfectly clear to him that I'm not interested."

"You didn't give him the It's not you, it's me speech, did you?" Bonnie chimed in.

"No. I just told him that I'm not the one for him. Last night at the bonfire."

"I didn't know you believed in soulmates." Yet another reason to grow suspicious of you.

And you instantly caught on. "I don't."

"Well, I do," Caroline piped up, unaware of the tension between her two friends. "Like that guy at the bar!"

Bonnie teasingly rolled her eyes before trading looks with you, who laughed.

The walk to the car and ride to the hospital was filled with Caroline raving on and on about the sexy stranger. She barely took any breaths as she droned about the man, from his solid jawline to his intense blue eyes, but there was something else about the conversation that grabbed your attention.

"...weird ring..."

Although you'd been occupied with your latest artwork, your pencil froze on the page. "Wait, ring?"

"Yeah, I saw it when he waved," Caroline casually mentioned, but then noticed the wary look on her friend's face. "Don't worry, he wasn't married or anything."

Who else do I know that has a weird ring? Could be a coincidence.

But you knew better. You'd learned the hard way to trust your gut. You refused to believe it was a coincidence that a man that neither of you had ever seen before arrived in town around the same time as Stefan. But then again, you didn't have enough information. You hadn't even seen the ring...it was too early to jump to conclusions. You returned to your art.

Bonnie shrugged, deciding to play with the ring angle. "Unless he wanted to hang at a bar because there was trouble in paradise."

"No, that wasn't it," Caroline said confidently. Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Hello. Are you forgetting my parents are divorced? If his marriage was falling apart, I'd know. He didn't have the jaded, tortured look in his eyes. And besides, there's no way that was a wedding band. If it was, his wife would really have to hate him to let him wear that thing in public."

"Hence the trouble in paradise."

"Whatever," Caroline scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"What are you doing?" Bonnie suddenly asked, glancing at you through the rearview mirror.

You looked up from your work. "Uh, just sketching something."

Caroline cocked her head to the side. "Since when do you draw?"

"Since always," You said simply, not wanting to get into details. You chuckled softly to ease suspicion but didn't miss the look Bonnie made. Get it together.

You glanced at Caroline, who didn't seem to have the slightest clue about what was going on as she stared out of the window. Caroline cared about her friends—in her own special and occasionally smothering way—but she tended to be trapped in her own bubble and oblivious to the events around her.

"Can I see?" Bonnie asked. It was nothing special. You had only recently begun drawing, so it wasn't as great as you wanted it to be. Because you struggled with hands, you decided on a pair of eyes.

Cold, unassuming eyes narrowed with suspicion. They were to be colored green when you got home.

You held your notebook up, and Bonnie's eyes darted to the drawing for a brief moment, as her attention was on the road, but an impressed look loomed on her face. "Wow. That's amazing, Y/N. I had no idea you could draw so well."

"Yeah, did you go to some prestigious art school while you were gone?" Caroline asked with a soft laugh. You forced a smile. I wish, you thought as you closed the book shut.

"I'll be back in five minutes," You promised when Bonnie rolled into the hospital parking lot. "Not planning on having any conversations."

"Whatever happened with you and Vicki anyways?" Caroline asked as she surveyed her nails, thinking of the nail polish color she'd use for the event coming up.

"Nothing, we just had a falling out," You replied dismissively as she climbed out of the seat. "Be right back."

You grabbed your bouquet of flowers and a Get Well Soon card before going inside. You hadn't been in the hospital in months... when you woke up from the car accident and learned your parents were dead. Everything was still the same. The walls were a bleak, pasty white. Nurses wore flowery and colorful scrubs to bring some semblance of life. The floors squeaked loudly. The air was full of misery, and the halls echoed with a chaotic symphony of noise. You shivered. This was one place in Mystic Falls you hadn't missed.

After getting the room number from the receptionist, you made your way to Vicki.

You and Vicki hadn't talked since—well, since you had that "psychotic break", also known as one of the biggest physical fights you'd ever been involved in, although it was mostly you packing the punches. And Vicki hadn't told anyone because that would mean telling people why, and she wasn't ready to do that. After all, who'd want to tell the world that they deflowered a fourteen-year-old boy? Especially one that was her best friend's brother?

As you turned the corner and passed a room, you caught a glimpse of a familiar leather jacket. You stopped, went a few steps back, and saw the gelled golden hair on the figure's head.

Stefan?

When he spun around, his eyes immediately landed on you.

"What are you doing here?" You asked.

"Just...visiting family."

"Oh," You said reluctantly, watching as he cast nervous glances at the door. Was someone coming? "Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Is everything okay? No offense, but you look a little...shady."

"What? No, everything's fine," He answered calmly, but his radiating anxiety made sweat glands roll down your neck. What is he so afraid of? "Uh, you on your way to see Vicki?"

Maybe he has a medical condition. That'd explain why he's here—he might just not want anyone to know. You nodded, attempting to reply fast enough so he wouldn't get the idea that you were checking him out. "Yeah."

"You should go do that," He suggested. Except it didn't sound like a suggestion or an order. It was more like...a plea. Huh. That's weird.

"Um...okay. Nice seeing you."

"Yeah, you too," He said, giving you the weakest attempt at smiling. You couldn't imagine what he could possibly be doing that had him so on edge but didn't question it. Instead, you gave a small smile and continued to Vicki's room. But as if his strange behavior wasn't enough, it wasn't even five seconds later when Matt practically ran into you. Before he could knock you to the ground, you skidded aside.

"Woah!" You yelped, raising your hands in surrender.

"Did you see him?" Matt asked frantically, his eyes darting around the place.

You raised an eyebrow. "See who?"

"Stefan," He said impatiently, looking slightly frustrated that you couldn't read his mind. "Did you see Stefan?"

"Oh yeah, I just saw him go in there," You replied, pointing to the room down the hall. Matt pushed past, and you frowned, not staying behind to watch him dash away. You didn't know what was going on but didn't care enough to figure it out.

When you finally reached Vicki's room, you exhaled slowly. You hadn't been nervous before but now...your palms felt sticky. It was only Vicki. It's not like you should be scared. In fact, Vicki should be scared of you. But...a pit formed in your stomach. You'd be in and out. No need to sweat it. "Just...drop the stuff and leave," You whispered to yourself. Then you took a deep breath, reached for the handle, and opened the door.

Vicki was fast asleep, and you mentally applauded the universe for your luck.

With slow, heedful steps, you walked to the other side of the bed and placed the flowers and card in between the lamp and telephone rested on the dresser. And then, with even quieter steps, you started to head out.

But as soon your fingers brushed against the silver handle, a groggy, confused voice said, "Y/N?"

You froze. Shit...so much for being lucky.

You smoothly spun around, bringing a fake smile to your lips. "Hey."

Vicki sat up and stared at you, trying to decipher the reality of the moment. "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing. Just bringing you some stuff," You responded coolly. Vicki turned to glance at items on the dresser. The confusion on her face didn't settle. "Um...I remember you told me one time that you liked tickseed sunflowers, so...yeah. I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"No."

"Oh. Okay, good. Well-"

"I'm sorry," Vicki interrupted. 

"What?"

"I'm sorry," She repeated. You gaped at her. Vicki never apologized. Everything she did, good or bad, was something that you just had to be okay with. Over the years, you'd gotten used to that.

"You don't have to apologize," You said, waving your hand dismissively.

"Yeah, I do," She insisted. Her eyes darted to the floor. "Am I why you went away?"

"Yes, I woke up one morning and decided to skip the town I've lived in my entire life because of some crackhead slut," You responded. You shared laughter, recalling your crude nicknames for each other. You could never be friends again, you knew that. But...in a strange way, you missed her.

Despite this, you realized something. She was awake. You'd wanted to avoid her but this could work in your favor. She'd told Matt that she saw a vampire...which meant that she hadn't been compelled to forget. If it was true, you had an opportunity to see if it was Ryder.

You opened your mouth to ask, but the words never left your tongue. No. Ryder had no reason to attack Vicki. He wouldn't hurt anyone unless it was for his own survival. You needed to trust him. When he finally answered your calls, he'd tell you that he wasn't even in the woods. He was perfectly safe. An animal attack Vicki. He wouldn't do that. And he'd ask you if you really thought he was capable of that, sounding all hurt the way he did, and you'd feel guilty for a second. Then you'd say "Of course not" and everything would be fine again.

"Goodbye Vicki," You said after a moment of quiet. "I hope you feel better soon."

Vicki nodded and a smile of all things appeared on her face. This might've been one of the first times she smiled without being in a drug-induced haze. That's so weird, You thought as you left the room. But almost refreshing.

As you strolled down the halls, a deflated and puzzled Matt came your way. "Did you find him?"

Matt shook his head. "No."

"That's too bad," You replied, unsure of how to respond. Matt stood there, nodding. You cleared your throat. "Well I should get going. Bonnie and Caroline are waiting for me."

"Right."

"I'll see you later?" You asked, uncertain. He nodded. You smiled and began to walk away.

"Hey Y/N?" He called. You stopped for a moment. "Thank you."

"No problem."

When you approached the car, you noticed Bonnie speaking vehemently while Caroline just shook her head. Frowning slightly, you opened the car door and slid into the backseat, only to be met with a tense silence. And that's when you knew what they were talking about. You.

But you didn't mention it. Instead, you grabbed your sketchbook, flipped it open to an empty page, and got to work on the first thing that appeared in your head. Caroline began to say something, but Bonnie stopped her with a warning look and turned up the radio to mask the tension.

◇◇◇

Fast forward half an hour, the girls were sitting at a table outside of the Mystic Grill, their textbooks and homework pages scattered as they sat in silence, trying to complete their work. Bonnie and Caroline took consistent glances at you, struggling to figure out if you knew something was wrong, but you seemed unfazed. Only once had you locked gazes, and Caroline was quick to look away.

"So..." Caroline started, placing her drink on the table. Her two companions looked up at her. "Comet tomorrow. You guys excited?"

The Night of the Comet Festival was a celebration hosted in honor of a comet that passed over Mystic Falls every one hundred and forty-five years. It was one of the town's many cherished events, and like plenty of other occasions, it wasn't taken lightly.

"Not anymore," Bonnie replied.

"Let me guess, something to do with your psychic Salem witch family?"

"I was talking to Grams, and she said the comet is a sign of impending doom," Bonnie explained. "The last time it passed over Mystic Falls, there was lots of death. So much blood and carnage, it created a bed of paranormal activity."

"Yeah, and then you poured Grams another shot, and she told you about the aliens," Caroline responded perkily and turned to her other friend, missing the hurt and offended look on Bonnie's face. You frowned. "So Y/N...you never told us what happened."

You raised an eyebrow. Was this about your absence? It seemed like an odd way to bring that up. But you didn't want to jump to conclusions and out yourself, so you kept your perplexed expression and kept your questions short.

"With. . .?"

"With you and Stefan, silly!" Caroline exclaimed with a laugh and added what appeared to be in a joking way, "God, it's a good thing you're pretty."

You smiled calmly, thinking of how the old you probably would've reacted incredibly harsh in response to Caroline's not-so-subtle diss. "I already told you everything. We just talked."

"You and Stefan talked... all night?" She asked, raising her eyebrows with disbelief. You nodded. "There was no sloppy first kiss or touchy feely of any kind?"

"Nope."

"Not even a handshake?"

"Not even that."

"Come on, Y/N, we are your friends!" Caroline replied dramatically. "Okay? You are supposed to share the smut!"

You laughed. "Sorry Caroline, but nothing happened. You know if it did, you'd be one of the first people to know."

"Okay, what is with the blockage? Just jump his bones already!" Caroline exclaimed. Bonnie looked over at, her face twisted into a 'What the hell' expression. "Okay, it's easy." To make her point and really break it down, she gestured with her hands. "Boy likes girl, girl likes boy, sex!" She clapped her hands together.

"Says you," You snorted. "Last time I checked, you didn't score the guy from the bar."

"I was drunk!"

"Uh huh," You said, amused by her defensiveness.

Caroline scoffed. "Whatever, Y/N. Still doesn't change the fact that you two are totally crushing, and there is nothing like doing the good ol' devil's tango to seal the deal."

"Thanks, but I'm not really looking for a fling right now."

"But you do want a meaningful relationship, right?" Bonnie asked. "I mean, you're seeking a connection. If you have that with Stefan, why not just go for it?"

You thought about that. Really, what was the worst that could happen? You liked him and it seemed he liked you too. And even if he rejected you, it would suck, but at least you wouldn't spend an eternity wondering what could've been. You only had one life—you might as well live it to the fullest.

"You know what? You're right," You declared, rising to your feet. You shoved your papers between the pages and slammed your book shut. "So what if I've only known him for a day? I had more fun talking to him for seven hours than I did in the last four months. Carpe diem."

"Carpe what now?" Caroline asked.

"Carpe diem," You repeated energetically. "Seize the day. That's what I'm going to do. Thanks guys, you're the best!"

"We know!" Caroline called after you as you darted towards the parking lot to grab your bike from the car. You turned, looking at the pride in Caroline's smile and the enthusiasm gleaming in Bonnie's eyes. Then you hopped on your bike and, kicked your feet on the pedals, and rode away.

[cowandcalf]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💙

Thank you so much, babe @stephmcx for thinking of me! What a great idea to self rec our stories! It's not that easy to pick five of all the stories I wrote for the boys. They're all my brainchildren but some are highly self-indulgent and these five stories are some of the more recent ones I wrote. I proudly present:

Be Your Very Best In The Darkest Time Summary: "Steve! Fuck, where's the damn blood coming from?" His brother searches frantically for the wound and pats down his shoulders, making him tilt his head to the side. "It's not your neck. Damn it, Steve, you're bleeding like a stuck pig. Stay with me." The urgency of the moment is a silent waver in Freddie's voice. (174'645 words)

Change Summary: Maybe Steve is so wound up in this strange, strange mood because it is the first breather he can take after the crazy start with Five-0. (6137 words)

That Big Heart Of Yours Summary: The Navy taught Steve the way to stay alive at all costs. What the Navy didn't teach Steve was how to ask for help. Long years of sustained combat and crime investigation have left mental scars and physical tiredness. Steve's convinced the best way to face the daily pain is stubbornness and the good old rule: ignore and override. But he hasn't considered Danny in this scenario.(15'505 words)

Surrender Summary: Danny has been assigned to a police deployment for four weeks to work with the Virginia Beach police department. He meets the team at a bar for one last beer before he heads back home to Jersey. The bar is a meeting point for military personnel. Danny runs into a soldier with an intense, annoying glare, muscles for days, and the most arrogant behavior the world has ever seen. His name is Steve. (62'788 words)

At Night Thoughts Are Hunting Summary: The night forces the boys to name those feelings they try to hide from during the day. (6639 words)

[beardedmrbean]

A Virginia school suspended one of its students for taking too long to report that a fellow pupil had a bullet.

An 11-year-old sixth-grader was suspended for a day and a half at St John the Apostle Catholic School in Virginia Beach after he waited two hours before reporting that his friend had shown him a bullet, attorney Tim Anderson said, according to The Washington Post.

Anderson represents the student and his mother, Rachel Wigand.

The school faced threats of violence last week after the news of the suspension. St John’s was closed down for two days and a man in North Carolina was arrested.

Officials at the school pointed to the recent school shooting in Winder, Georgia at Apalachee High School, in which four people were killed and nine were injured, when defending their punishment, saying that the delay could have had disastrous consequences.

“The message it sends is, instead of ‘See something, say something,’ the kids are better off not saying anything,” Anderson told the paper.

“It’s creating a more dangerous environment,” he added.

St John’s is part of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, which told The Post that “The school’s culture of safety requires that students and adults alike report potential threats as quickly as they are made aware of them; in a real emergency, gaps in reporting time — especially hours-long gaps — could have major consequences for school safety.”

Wigand’s son was shown a bullet by a classmate on the morning of September 5, adding that the boy had found it in his parent’s coin jar. Her son didn’t see it as a threat.

The mother said her son waited until he could make an anonymous report, taking a math test for an hour and a half before going to an art class alongside the boy who had shown him the bullet.

Anderson said that during a fire drill, the boy went to the school interim principal to report the bullet. The attorney said police eventually found the bullet in the pupil’s bag.

The lawyer said both students were suspended for a day and a half.

“There’s no way somebody would suspend you for reporting something,” Wigand told The Post. “I couldn’t believe it.”

After reviewing the school handbook, she noted to school officials that it stated nothing about reporting anything apart from sexual harassment.

Anderson said that the principal remained “adamant” that the 11-year-old be punished.

Wigand emailed Catholic and school officials threatening legal action if the school didn’t reverse its decision, but a lawyer for the diocese responded that they would not back down.

The lawyer wrote that the sixth-grader placed himself and others in danger by not reporting the bullet earlier.

“Failure to report a safety concern affects the safety of everyone in the school,” diocese attorney Leslie Winneberger wrote, according to The Post.

“The school cannot, and will not, take chances when it comes to student safety, especially true in light of the school shooting in Georgia this past week,” the lawyer added.

The school was closed on Thursday and Friday after getting an email threat because of the punishment of the 11-year-old. A man was arrested in North Carolina on Friday for allegedly making the threats.

Temporary private security has been hired to patrol the school premises, Superintendent Michael Riley told parents on Friday.

Wigand said she has spoken to school officials on several occasions about removing the suspension from her son’s record but that her calls and emails have gone unanswered.

“He’s upset because one of the things he didn’t want was to be bullied and didn’t want to be labeled a ‘snitch,’” Wigand told the paper.

She added: “I told him to stay strong and he did right. Let others know, if you see something that’s unsafe, you need to report it.”

[lboogie1906]

Dorothy Cotton (June 9, 1930 - June 10, 2018) was a civil rights activist and leader, known for being the only woman in the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s inner circle. She was the highest-ranking woman in King’s SCLC. She ran SCLC’s Citizenship Education Program for twelve years, which helped empower disenfranchised African Americans to register to vote. She helped organize student involvement in the 1963 Children’s Crusade in Birmingham. She traveled with King to Oslo, Norway when he won the Nobel Peace Prize, and she was in the room next to King’s the night before his assassination.

Born Dorothy Lee Foreman in Goldsboro, North Carolina, her mother, Maggie Foreman, died when she was three, leaving her father, Claude, to raise her and her three sisters.

She enrolled at Shaw University, before transferring to Virginia State. She earned a BA in English and Library Studies and earned her MA in Speech Therapy from Boston University.

She married George Cotton, who worked in the motor pool in Fort Lee. They separated when she left Petersburg to work for the SCLC, but they never divorced.

Her life as an activist began at Gillfield Baptist Church in Petersburg where Rev. Dr. Wyatt Tee Walker was the pastor; he was the leader of the local branch of the NAACP, and she became his secretary. She organized protests against segregation in the public library and the whites-only lunch counter at the local Woolworth’s. She met Dr. King. When King extended an invitation for Dr. Walker to become the new executive director of the SCLC, she went along with her boss to Atlanta.

She organized the SCLC’s night marches in Saint Augustine, Florida, she took a dozen local children for a “wade-in” to protest a segregated beach. This ended in a horrific beating by local police, she suffered permanent hearing damage in her left ear.

She traveled extensively with King in his final years. She held several positions at various community organizations before moving to Ithaca to work as the Director of Student Activities at Cornell University. She opened a consulting firm in Ithaca. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[pixelatedquarter]

Medley/Magic 8 Ball/Setlist Swaps (All Medley songs are partial and on piano unless otherwise noted)

Day 1, Chicago:

Lake Shore Drive (Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah cover) GINASFS Saturday features Sisky Business

Day 2, Maryland Heights:

What A Time To Be Alive Of All The Gin Joints In All The World

Day 3, Bonner Springs:

I'm Like a Lawyer With the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You) Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year Hum Hallelujah replaces The Take Over, The Breaks Over

Day 4, The Woodlands:

Somebody To Love (Queen cover)/Take On Me (A-Ha cover) Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years)

Day 5, Dallas:

What A Catch, Donnie (After) Life Of The Party

Day 6, Phoenix:

Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia) Homesick At Space Camp Hum Hallelujah after, but not replacing, The Take Over, The Breaks Over

Day 7, Chula Vista:

Nothing compares 2 U (Prince cover) (Coffee's For Closers) Saturday features Mikey Way

Day 8, Los Angeles night 1:

Mr. Blue Sky (Electric Light Orchestra cover)/Golden G.I.N.A.S.F.S./America's Suitehearts

Day 9, Los Angeles night 2:

Every Breath You Take (The Police cover)/I've Got All This Ringing In My Ears And None On My Fingers (After) Life Of The Party/Bang The Doldrums Homesick At Space Camp replaces Chicago Is So Two Years Ago Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year (ft. William Beckett) replaces The Take Over, The Breaks Over Hum Hallelujah after this slot Saturday features Sisky Business

Day 10, Mountain View:

Allison (Elvis Costello cover) The Patron Saint Of Liars And Fakes

Day 11, Salt Lake City:

What A Time To Be Alive/Hold The Line (Toto cover) The Kids Aren't Alright

Day 12, Englewood:

Goin' North (David Stump cover, acoustic guitar)/Golden Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner Bang The Doldrums replaces The Take Over The Breaks Over

Day 13, Rogers:

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love And Understanding(Elvis Costello cover, acoustic guitar)/What a Catch Donnie I Slept With Somebody In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me

Day 14, Sommerset:

(No medley because of the thunderstorm) Fame \< Infamy Setlist shortened, eliminating: A Little Less Sixteen Candles A Little More Touch Me, Chicago Is So Two Years Ago, Calm Before The Storm, Disloyal Order Of Water Buffaloes, The Take Over The Breaks Over which gets replaced by Thnks Fr Th Mmrs, and the entire piano section (Medley w/Don't Stop Believin', Last Of The Real Ones, Save Rock And Roll and Baby Annihilation/Magic Trick w/ Crazy Train)

Day 15, Cincinatti:

What A Catch Donnie/Golden Favorite Record Hum Hallelujah replaces The Take Over The Breaks Over

Day 16, Noblesville:

What A Time To Be Alive/Golden Where Did The Party Go Homesick At Space Camp replaces Chicago Is So Two Years Ago, Bang The Doldrums replaces The Take Over The Breaks Over

Day 17, Cuyahoga Falls:

Hallelujah(Leonard Cohen cover)/I'm Like a Lawyer With the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You) 27

Day 18, Bristow:

Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner (Full, Acoustic Guitar) She's My Winona Bang The Doldrums replaces The Take Over The Breaks Over, 27 replaces Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet

Day 19, Charlotte:

Lean On Me (cover)/What A Catch Donnie Dead On Arrival Hum Hallelujah replaces The Take Over The Breaks Over Tosh Peterson on drums for all songs

Day 20, Virginia Beach:

What A Time To Be Alive/Golden 7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen) (Patrick on drums) Hum Hallelujah replaces The Take Over The Breaks Over Tosh Peterson on drums for all songs except 7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen)

Day 21, West Palm Beach:

Dancing Queen (ABBA cover)/Golden Tell That Mick He Just Made My List Of Things To Do Today Bang The Doldrums replaces The Take Over The Breaks Over

Day 22, Tampa:

What A Catch Donnie/Golden Miss Missing You Dead On Arrival replaces Chicago Is So Two Years Ago, Hum Hallelujah replaces The Take Over, The Breaks Over

Day 23, Atlanta:

Nothing Compares 2 U (Prince Cover)/I've Got All This Ringing In My Ears And None On My Fingers From Now On We're Enemies Bang The Doldrums replaces The Take Over The Breaks Over

Day 24, Clarkston:

What A Time To Be Alive/Golden Don't You Know Who I Think I Am? Chicago Is So Two Years Ago features William Beckett Hum Hallelujah replaces The Take Over, The Breaks Over Coffee Mug (Descendents cover) before Hold Me Like A Grudge

Day 25, Toronto:

What A Time To Be Alive/Golden West Coast Smoker/G.I.N.A.S.F.S. Hum Hallelujah replaces The Take Over, The Breaks Over Last Of The Real Ones eliminated from the set

Day 26, Queens:

What A Catch Donnie/Just One Yesterday I Am My Own Muse/27 Stereo Hearts (Gym Class Heroes cover features Travie Mccoy)/Cupid's Chokehold (Breakfast In America) (Gym Class Heroes cover features Travie Mccoy) replace Don't Stop Believin' (Patrick on piano, featuring all of the band), 7 Minutes In Heaven (Atavan Halen) replaces The Take Over, The Breaks Over, Enter Sandman (Metallica cover, partial) replaces Crazy Train (Ozzy Osbourne cover, partial) Last Of The Real Ones eliminated from the set

Day 27, Boston:

W.A.M.S. XO/G.I.N.A.S.F.S. Shipping Up to Boston before Bang The Doldrums which replaces The Take Over, The Breaks Over, Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond cover) replaces Don't Stop Believin', Enter Sandman replaces Crazy Train Last Of The Real Ones eliminated from the set

Day 28, Darien Center:

Get Busy Living Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows) (Acoustic guitar)/Golden You're Crashing But You're No Wave/27 Enter Sandman replaces Crazy Train Last Of The Real Ones eliminated from the set

Day 29, Holmdel:

I've Got A Dark Alley And A Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song)/What A Catch Donnie Bob Dylan/I Am My Own Muse Dead On Arrival replaces Chicago Is So Two Years Ago, Bang The Doldrums replaces The Take Over, The Breaks Over, Enter Sandman replaces Crazy Train Saturday features Games We Play on bass Last Of The Real Ones eliminated from the set

Day 30, Camden:

Jet Pack Blues/I've Got A Dark Alley And A Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song)/Golden Pavlove/27/G.I.N.A.S.F.S. Dead On Arrival (ft. Royal & The Serpent) replaces Chicago Is So Two Years Ago, Hum Hallelujah replaces The Take Over, The Breaks Over, Enter Sandman replaces Crazy Train Last Of The Real Ones eliminated from the set Gabe Saporta was meant to perform at some point of this set, his flight got cancelled

Day 31, Summer Sonic festival ,Tokyo:

Pseudo IOH slot of doom - 8 Ball (tourdust debuts): Thriller/Immortals Significantly different setlist than the NA tourdust No medley

Day 32, Summer Sonic festival, Osaka:

Pseudo 8 Ball: Immortals Fake Out replaces Thriller from the Tokyo setlist Significantly different setlist than the NA tourdust No medley

Day 33, FanFest, Philadelphia:

Pseudo 8 Ball: I Don't Care Significantly different setlist from the others, due to it being a sports event and not an official tour date. Saturday not planned, added while they were already onstage (this and the pseudo 8 ball what elevated this performance into day 33)

Honorable Mentions:

VMAs pretaped performance of We Didn't Start The Fire iHeartRadio performance, significantly different setlist, technically the WDSTF live debut.

Day 34, Warsaw:

Golden Bang The Doldrums Dead On Arrival replaces Chicago Is So Two Years Ago, Hum Hallelujah replaces The Take Over, The Breaks Over Last Of The Real Ones eliminated from the set

Day 35, Prague:

I'm Like a Lawyer With the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You) G.I.N.A.S.F.S. Dead On Arrival replaces Chicago Is So Two Years Ago, Hum Hallelujah replaces The Take Over, The Breaks Over Last Of The Real Ones eliminated from the set

Day 36, Milan:

What a Catch Donnie I Am My Own Muse Dead On Arrival replaces Chicago Is So Two Years Ago, G.I.N.A.S.F.S. replaces The Take Over, The Breaks Over Last Of The Real Ones eliminated from the set

[puissantveil]

Amber Alert in VA Beach!

One Zuri Dorsey has gone missing in Virginia Beach, and my heart sank like a rock when I saw that little girl was Black. I still remember having just got off work when Keir Johnson and her daughter Chloe disappeared in Hampton. Six years later they're still missing.

I fear posting the alert will do more harm than good - not only do the police probably not give a crap, but calling the cops could be dangerous in its own right for a lot of people. Nonetheless, from the poster itself:

The Virginia State Police and the Virginia Missing Children Clearinghouse have issued an AMBER Alert on behalf of the Virginia Beach Police Department, for a child abduction that occurred on December 9, 2023 at 0715 hours.

The child is believed to be in extreme danger and was last seen at her residence at 1351 Sapphire Drive in Virginia Beach. Abducted is Zuri Dorsey, 2 years old, black female, brown hair, brown eyes, 2 feet tall, 34 pounds. Last seen wearing a pair of underwear.

The child is believed to have been abducted by Deandre Alante Dorsey, 27 years old, black, male, brown hair, black eyes, 5' 11", 160 pounds. Last seen wearing black jogger pants and a black hoodie. They may be in a red 2016 Honda Accord with North Carolina registration RAZ9972.

For further information contact the Virginia Beach Police Department at (757) 385-4401 or visit vsp.virginia.gov/active-alerts

[nicklesonraison]

The Biggest Names from Jeffrey Epstein’s Unsealed Court Documents

The names of acquaintances and associates of wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein—including that of former U.S. presidents and British royalty—were released on Wednesday evening in a set of court documents that were part of a suit against Ghislaine Maxwell in 2015.#Epstein  #EpsteinList #Epsteinadasi #EpsteinClientList EpsteinIsland EpsteinFiles EpsteinDocs

The documents, the first in more than 200 that are expected to be unsealed over the next few days, are part of the defamation lawsuit filed by victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre. Maxwell has previously called Giuffre a liar after she alleged that Epstein and Maxwell had abused her. (That case was eventually settled in 2017, but Maxwell was later sentenced to 20 years in prison for recruiting young girls for Epstein to sexually exploit in a criminal investigation of Epstein’s acts after his death.)

Watch more from TIME Click to unmute

Names of figures that were previously associated with Epstein, such as Prince Andrew and former presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, were mentioned in the court documents, but there was little new information outside of what was already known to the public. Some documents had previously been released in other court cases, while Epstein’s high-profile contacts have been covered extensively in the media.

In December, U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska ordered the documents to be released, though she gave people until Jan. 1 to appeal the order in case they did not want their name to be revealed. The names of victims who were minors when they suffered abuse were not released, though some have previously spoken out about Epstein’s actions in media interviews.

Here’s what to know.

What the documents reveal For the most part, the documents say little about the actions taken by individuals outside of Epstein, though there is a 2016 deposition from Johanna Sjoberg, one of Epstein’s victims, that mentions politicians and figureheads in the U.S. and abroad.

While celebrities like Bruce Willis, Cameron Diaz, Cate Blanchett, Kevin Spacey, Naomi Campbell, and Leonardo DiCaprio are also mentioned in the records, they have not been accused of helping Epstein in any capacity. Sjoberg was only asked if she had met the aforementioned people, which she denied.

Connections to Epstein previously led high-level executives to resign from their positions, including Barclays chief executive Jes Staley. Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent suspected of scouting girls for Epstein, killed himself in a Paris jail in 2022 while awaiting trial for rape accusations.

The documents on Wednesday confirmed the scale of both Epstein’s alleged sex-trafficking ring and his powerful social network. Prince Andrew—the younger brother of King Charles III—was one of the names referenced in the documents, mentioned by a witness for touching her breast.

Andrew was also previously accused of raping Giuffre when she was a teenager. After a lawsuit filed by Giuffre in 2021 and amid growing public pressure, Andrew was forced to relinquish his military titles and public duties—even as he repeatedly denied the allegations. The two settled the lawsuit in 2022 after Andrew paid Giuffre an undisclosed sum of money.

The case against Epstein Jeffrey Epstein was a convicted sex offender who would lure young girls under the impression that they would be giving him massages that would then “become increasingly sexual in nature,” according to the 2019 indictment against him. Jennifer Araoz, one of the victims, said that Epstein would invite her to his house and pay her hundreds of dollars after her visit. While they initially spoke about her life and goals, he later became abusive, Araoz said.

Epstein had long avoided facing any consequences for his actions. He was first investigated for sexual misconduct in 2005 after a woman claimed that he had molested her teenage stepdaughter. Palm Beach police eventually charged Epstein with counts of unlawful sex with a minor in May 2006, but then State Attorney Barry Krischer sent the case to a grand jury, which indicted him with one count of soliciting prostitution. The charge was minor, leading to much criticism and causing the FBI to open a federal investigation against Epstein. But Epstein ended up serving a short 18-month sentence in 2008 for recruiting an underage girl for prostitution after he struck a plea deal with U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta to avoid being charged with any federal crimes.

Epstein later came back under scrutiny in 2018, after the Miami Herald looked at Acosta’s role in negotiating a short sentence for Epstein. In July 2019, Epstein was arrested after federal prosecutors looked at his behavior between 2002 and 2005.

The case against him revealed that the victims, some as young as 14, were paid to provide sexual services to him and his friends, and to recruit other young girls to his circle of victims. Epstein’s employees would also sexually abuse the young girls.

He was facing charges for sex trafficking and conspiracy in July 2019 when one month later, he died by suicide in a New York federal jail. The investigation continued after his passing, leading prosecutors to convict Maxwell for sex crimes in connection to her dealing with Epstein.

Here are other names high-profile mentioned in the documents:

Bill Clinton The former president was mentioned in the documents released on Wednesday, in Sjoberg’s testimony that Epstein had told her “Clinton likes them young, referring to girls.” She also said that she knew Epstein had “dealings” with Clinton but did not know they were friends until later media reports.

The former president’s ties with Epstein has long been the subject of media scrutiny—intensified in the wake of the financier’s indictment. The two had connected while Clinton was working on his nonprofit group the Clinton Foundation, and in 2002, they took a trip to Africa on Epstein’s private jet.

In 2019, Clinton’s office said that the former president did not know about Epstein’s “terrible crimes,” and that he had not spoken to Epstein in “well over a decade.” A spokesperson for Clinton told CNN on Wednesday that it has “been nearly 20 years since President Clinton last had contact with Epstein.”

Records show that Giuffre’s attorneys wanted to get a deposition from Clinton. Giuffre, the plaintiff in the defamation lawsuit against Maxwell, did not accuse the former president of doing anything with her, but attorneys saw Clinton as a “key person who can provide information about his close relationship with Defendant and Mr. Epstein and disapprove Ms. Maxwell’s claims.”

Donald Trump The former president—whose relationship with Epstein was also widely reported—was also mentioned in Sjoberg’s 2016 deposition. Sjoberg testified that she and Epstein once made an impromptu stop in Atlantic City due to poor flying weather. Asked if she had given Trump a massage, Sjoberg said no. Trump once called Epstein a “terrific guy,” but later said he had a falling out with him. “I don’t think I’ve spoken to him for 15 years. I was not a fan of his,” Trump said in 2019.

Michael Jackson Sjoberg recalled meeting late musician Michael Jackson at Epstein’s house in Palm Beach, but said no when asked if she had massaged him.

Sarah Kellen Kellen, Epstein’s former assistant, was named in testimonies of victims detailing their encounters with Epstein. She was said to have helped schedule his “massages,” which his victims said was a euphemism for sexual services.

A judge had described Kellen as “a criminally responsible participant” in Epstein’s scheme.

But Kellen was never charged and has remained out of the public eye. Kellen said through a spokesperson in 2020 that she herself had been sexually and psychologically abused by Epstein for years.

Jean-Luc Brunel Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent suspected of scouting girls for Epstein, killed himself in a Paris jail in 2022 while awaiting trial for rape accusations.

Giuffre said in her deposition that she was sent by Maxwell to have sex with Brunel “at many places.” The documents also say that Brunel would bring girls as young as twelve "to the United States for sexual purposes and farm them out to his friends, especially Epstein."

Bill Richardson Bill Richardson, the former governor of New Mexico who died in September, was also mentioned. Giuffre said in her deposition that Maxwell had instructed her to give Richardson a massage. In 2019, a spokesperson for Richardson denied he ever met Giuffre, according to Las Cruces Sun News.

Leslie Wexner Leslie Wexner, the billionaire founder of L Brands (which owns Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works), was also mentioned in Maxwell’s deposition. When asked if she had ever provided Giuffre with “an outfit of a sexual nature to wear for Les Wexner,” Maxwell said “categorically no.”

Epstein was Wexner's money manager and a trustee of the Wexner Foundation During an L Brands investor conference in Sept. 2019, Wexner called Epstein's action "abhorrent." Wexner says he cut ties with Epstein in 2007.

Glenn Dubin Hedge fund manager and billionaire Glenn Dubin was mentioned in the documents, with Giuffre testifying that “Ghislaine told me to go to Glenn Dubin and give him a massage, which means sex,” Giuffre said in her deposition..

Dubin has previously denied Giuffre’s allegations.

Dubin’s wife, Eva Andersson-Dubin, was also referenced in the unsealed documents. Maxwell said in her deposition that she was friends with Andersson-Dubin.

Alan Dershowitz Alan Dershowitz, Epstein’s lawyer, was also mentioned in the newly-released records. The documents say that Epstein forced a minor to have sex with the former Harvard law professor multiple times. The documents also say that Dershowitz “was an eye-witness to the sexual abuse of many other minors by Epstein and several of Epstein’s co-conspirators.

Dershowitz would later play a significant role in negotiating the NPA on Epstein’s behalf.” NPA stands for non-prosecution agreement, which allowed Epstein to avoid serving a severe sentence when he was first charged with soliciting a minor for prostitution.

“Of course I’m on that list, I was his lawyer. I flew on his plane,” said Dershowitz in a Youtube livestream after the list came out.

Marvin Minsky Computer scientist and former MIT professor Marvin Minsky was also mentioned in the documents. Giuffre said she was asked to have sex with Minsky when he went to Epstein’s island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

[ausetkmt]

Amid Robert Rundo’s Extradition, the White Supremacist Active Clubs Network Remains a Threat

Robert Rundo, co-founder of the white supremacist Rise Above Movement, is back in the United States, extradited to California from Romania to once again face federal rioting charges. Rundo, who left the United States for southeastern Europe after his criminal case was briefly dismissed in 2019, remained an active participant in the transnational white supremacist movement during his time abroad. Rundo’s time in Europe was characterized by his emergence as a prominent white supremacist leader, driven by his development of “white nationalism 3.0.” 

This decentralized model has resulted in the creation of localized white supremacist Active Clubs, which promote fraternity and a so-called white “warrior spirit,” while also engaging in physical training for what members perceive to be an impending race war. Rundo also established a propaganda arm, Media2Rise, and an online merchandising entity, Will2Rise, to create a white supremacist brand that could expand Active Club messaging and deepen connections between Active Clubs and other white supremacist groups like Patriot Front.

As Rundo returns to the United States to face federal charges five years after his initial arrest, the Active Club network, now the latest iteration of his white supremacist movement, represents an enduring threat and legacy that will persist long after the founder’s potential incarceration.

The Rise of the Rise Above Movement

Rundo co-founded the Rise Above Movement (RAM) in 2017, alongside fellow white supremacist Ben Daley. RAM quickly established itself in the Southern California white supremacist scene, growing from a small crew of right-wing gym enthusiasts to roughly 50 active members. Rundo’s strategic messaging in the early years of RAM played a key role in the group’s initial success, establishing the organization’s brand as the “premier MMA club of the Alt-Right.” As part of this branding, RAM focused on mixed martial arts (MMA), race-based physical fitness, and transforming keyboard warriors into real-world street fighters. Rundo and Daley’s framing allowed the organization to expand its influence beyond the borders of the United States and network with a growing white nationalist fight scene in Europe.

From its inception, RAM sought to act as the “violent vanguard” of the white supremacist movement, taking the mantle from the prominent skinhead gangs of the 1980’s and 1990’s. RAM members functioned as street fighters who wanted to commit acts of violence against those they regarded as their adversaries. They positioned themselves as white patriotic crusaders who were fighting against the perceived threat posed by “communists” or antifa and advocated on behalf of a perceived victimized white population in the United States. 

In 2017, RAM members were part of a series of violent clashes at rallies in Berkeley and Huntington Beach, California. On April 15 of that year, a fight broke out between white supremacists and anti-fascist activists at a rally near UC Berkeley, which resulted in 20 arrests and at least 11 injuries. Rundo was arrested during the event on suspicion of battery of a police officer. Though these charges were later dropped, he celebrated the violence of the day — which became known by white supremacists as the “The Battle of Berkeley” — remarking that the event signaled an “awakening in the White American consciousness.” In August 2017, RAM members also traveled to Charlottesville, Virginia to take part in the deadly “Unite the Right” rally. Three RAM members would later be charged and sentenced for provoking and engaging in fights as part of their conspiracy to riot.

On October 24, 2018, Rundo was taken into custody after he and three fellow RAM members were charged with planning and intentionally engaging in violent attacks and assaults against counter-protesters at various political events in Huntington Beach, San Bernardino, Berkeley, and more. In 2019, the case was temporarily dismissed because the judge ruled parts of the 1968 Federal Riot Act unconstitutional. An appellate court subsequently overturned that ruling.

The de facto Leader of a Decentralized International White Supremacist Network

Rundo fled to Europe soon after his criminal case was temporarily dismissed. While living outside the United States, he reportedly lived a transient lifestyle in eastern Europe. During this period, Rundo sought to maintain relevance within the U.S. white supremacist scene, as well as secure means to finance further extremist activities.

Starting in late 2020, Rundo began to shift his focus towards creating a decentralized international white brotherhood, called “Active Clubs.” Rundo explained this shift in a December 2020 essay, calling it “White Nationalism 3.0.” Rundo imagined a movement of small white supremacist cells that would focus on local-level engagement, making it harder for researchers and law enforcement to identify and shut down their operations.

White Nationalism 3.0 was a departure from many of the traditional white supremacist groups of the past. The model also distanced Rundo from the movement, making it difficult to tie him to any one crew’s illicit activity but allowing him to serve as a de facto leader from afar. The Active Club network reflects a larger trend driving the current white supremacist landscape: replacing hierarchical organizations with decentralized and localized cells. Local regional crews will carry out the group’s core goals while simultaneously pursuing their own local objectives. This “do-it-yourself” white supremacist activity has grown in prominence in recent years, largely in response to federal law enforcement actions targeting hierarchical white supremacist movements like Atomwaffen Division and The Base.

Active Clubs are largely the ideological successor of RAM. They promote a white supremacist worldview that is inspired by the prominent “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory, advocate for raising “white racial consciousness,” and train so-called white “warriors” for an ongoing war against a system that they claim is deliberately plotting against their race. These Active Clubs are deeply rooted in physical fitness and influenced by Rundo’s time in the European MMA-ultranationalist scene. According to Rundo, the Active Club network was meant to “fill the gap” among American white supremacist groups. This decentralized network of European-styled MMA athletic clubs represented a clear organizational shift. RAM was limited to Southern California, but the decentralized Active Club network has now established new nodes across the United States and even abroad. 

In addition to launching the Active Club model, Rundo wanted to build a white supremacist brand empire that would allow him to raise money for his activities abroad, while also bringing the white supremacist community together under stylized optics. Rundo launched Media2Rise in the summer of 2020, a media production arm that serves as a white supremacist news platform. Media2Rise crafts stylized documentaries covering white nationalist events and leadership, such as those by the white supremacist Patriot Front or the National Justice Party. In 2021, Rundo founded Will2Rise, a far-right merchandise company selling everything from clothing, stickers, and even soap sporting white supremacist slogans. The clothing line has since become a staple among white supremacists, regularly being worn by members of groups like Patriot Front, the National Justice Party, and, of course, Active Clubs.

Looking Ahead

Acutely aware of the threat of criminal trial, Rundo set out to create a community resilient enough to withstand any potential arrests of key leadership, including himself. As of August 2023, ADL data shows that Active Clubs claim to maintain an active presence in at least 33 states, including Arizona, California, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. In addition, Active Clubs continue to emerge abroad, in countries like Lithuania, France, Estonia, the Netherlands, and Croatia. While the true extent of Active Club membership is opaque, it is unlikely that any resulting prison time for Rundo, or further arrests of key leadership, will significantly stymie this growing decentralized network.

Rundo’s arrest and extradition have become a rallying cry within the international white supremacist landscape, who view the legal process against him as an injustice. “Free Rundo” stencils, stickers, banners, and graffiti have been distributed across the United States and Europe, framing Rundo as a political prisoner facing “federal hoax charges.” Immediately following Rundo’s arrest, individuals associated with Will2Rise and Media2Rise released a public statement: “We can assure you that although one of our movement’s most dedicated activists has been detained, our struggle still continues.” Will2Rise is now crowdfunding for Rundo’s legal fees and brand empire. “Free Rundo” demonstrations have been held in Russia, Sweden, Canada, and more, illustrating the degree to which his influence has expanded.

Regardless of the outcome of Rundo’s trial, new Active Clubs continue to form in both the United States and abroad, while the Will2Rise and Media2Rise franchises remain active nodes for the white supremacist ecosystem. The Active Club network in the United States continues to be one of the most active elements of the white supremacist landscape, regularly organizing fight nights, distributing propaganda, and hosting demonstrations. Perhaps most concerningly, Active Clubs are increasingly targeting LGBTQ+ events in their offline activities. Recent incidents in Montana, Wyoming, Washington, and Oregon have seen local Active Club members protesting drag queen story hours and Pride festivals. As anti-LGBTQ+ narratives and conspiracies continue to serve as potent drivers for extremist mobilization and violence across the United States, the addition of Active Club members seeking to return to the violent origins of RAM only further increases the risk of extremist-related violence within the United States.

[deadassdiaspore]

Bahamians were among the first settlers in Miami. The first name on the city charter in 1896, when the city was incorporated, was a Black man named Silas Austin. Out of 368 men who voted to incorporate Miami,162 of them were Black.

In 1896 Florida had a state law that required a minimum number of registered voters to incorporate. 368 voters signed to incorporate Miami. Black people mostly occupied Over town and Coconut Grove, which is also the oldest inhabited neighborhood in Miami.

The Black population was largely made up of Florida born Black folks, Bahamians and Black people who came further south from southern states like North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Overtown was Miami’s Black Wallstreet. It was once a thriving cultural & arts scene & the epicenter of Black wealth in Miami. Overtown hosted major entertainers who performed at Miami Beach but could not stay at those hotels due to segregation and racism.

Georgette’s Tea Room in overtown was one of the place for the affluent black community to meet like Billie Holiday and Nat Cole who were frequent visitors.

Fisher Island was once owned by a Black man, Dana Albert Dorsey, Miami’s first black millionaire. He later sold the island in 1919 to Carl Fisher who was developing Miami Beach. He also owned Miami’s first black-owned hotel, Dorsey Hotel & also owned the Negro Savings Bank.

Virginia Key Beach was once a Black beach when there was segregation. Black people were excluded from enjoying many of Miami’s amenities. Local Black leaders protested & in response, Virginia Key Beach was designated as the exclusive public park for Black people in 1945.

Black people also had their own police precinct with black police officers in 1944, but segregation restricted them from patrolling white neighborhoods. They also had their own courthouse.

[latenightsleuth]

The Jenner Beach Murders 2004

Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen Murders: How Were They Killed? Where is Shaun Gallon Now?

By Viswa Vanapalli at The Cinemaholic March 29, 2021

Investigation Discovery’s ‘People Magazine Investigates’ is a documentary series where People Magazine’s journalists team up with Investigation Discovery to have a second look at some of the most high-profile cases in the country. The episode ‘Jenner Beach Murders’ explores the random killings of a loving couple who were camping out on a beach in Jenner, California, in 2004. A case that stumped investigators at the time with an apparent lack of motive, it was only solved in 2017 after a confession. Curious to know more about the case? We’ve got you covered.

How Did Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen Die?

Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen had met each other in 2002 at the Appalachian Bible College in Beckley, West Virginia. Both devout Christians, the 22-year-old Lindsay hailed from Fresno, Ohio, while the 26-year-old Jason was from Zeeland, Michigan. They fell in love quickly, bonding over their Christian faith and their fondness for the outdoors. Within six weeks of knowing each other, they were engaged. In August 2004, the couple was working as counselors at Rock-N-Water, which was a Christian summer camp close to Coloma, California.

On August 13, they decided to take a spontaneous road trip to San Francisco, about a month before their planned wedding. It was during this trip that they would end up missing and eventually killed. When Lindsay’s mother was notified that the couple had not returned from their road trip, an extensive manhunt ensued. About five days after they left for their road trip, the couple was found by a helicopter pilot on a secluded part of Fish Head Beach, Jenner, California.

They were found still zipped up in their sleeping bags and were shot in the head once with a .45 caliber Marlin rifle, a rather uncommon gun. Police quickly ruled out robbery as a motive since Lindsay’s jewelry wasn’t missing and the car they traveled in was still there. There were no signs of a sexual assault either. Beyond that, the authorities were finding it difficult to zero in on a motive. The time of death was estimated to be either on the night of August 14 or the early morning of August 15.

The investigators speculated that the couple might have chosen to camp at the beach after realizing that there were no available rooms at the motel close by. As time passed, the police started to run out of credible leads. With no motive and unable to find the murder weapon, the trail ran cold. It was more than a decade later when the murders of Lindsay and Jason would be solved.

Who Killed Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen?

Shaun Gallon had long been someone the police had looked into regarding the couple’s killing. A self-proclaimed survivalist, he had multiple run-ins with the law. In fact, he was arrested just six days after the bodies were discovered, but on an unrelated weapons charge. Shaun’s father, David, had also told police that he had disposed of his son’s guns after Shaun had called him from prison to do so. In 2009, Shaun was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon for shooting a man with a homemade bow and arrow. Over the years, the police found nothing to tie him to the murders, nonetheless.

In 2017, Shaun was accused of killing his brother, Shamus, with a rifle and was arrested as a result of that. During his questioning, he confessed to the killings of Lindsay and Jason. He told the police where he had hidden the spent shell casings from the crime scene. He stated that after he noticed the two sleeping on the beach, he went to his car to bring his rifle, came back, and shot them both at close range. He had also confessed to the attempted murder of someone else that he knew. In 2019, 40-year-old Shaun was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Where is Shaun Gallon Now?

Shaun Gallon pleaded no contest to all the charges against him. As a result, the death penalty was not pursued. For his role in the murders of Lindsay, Jason, and Shamus and the attempted murder charge, he was instead sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. He also was sentenced to more than 94 years for other crimes. During his confession, he had told the police that he had killed Lindsay and Jason out of spite.

A news release from the Office of the District Attorney mentioned additional charges, “There were multiple special allegations and enhancements alleged against Gallon, including that he murdered multiple victims, that he committed great bodily injury on those victims, that he used a firearm to inflict great bodily injury on each of his murder victims, and that he had suffered a prior “strike” conviction in 2009 for assault with a deadly weapon. In his change of pleas, Gallon admitted all charges and enhancements.” According to prison records, Shaun is incarcerated at California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo, California.

Full article: https://thecinemaholic.com/lindsay-cutshall-and-jason-allen-murders-how-were-they-killed-where-is-shaun-gallon-now/

[onceuponastarryeye]

books read in twenty-twenty-four

hour zero - agatha christie (5/5)

if you could see the sun - ann liang (4/5)

his last bow - arthur conan doyle (4/5)

labor and monopoly capital: the degradation of work in the twentieth century - harry braverman (4/5)

the count of monte cristo (adapted text) - alexandre dumas (3.5/5)

before we say goodbye (btcgc #4) - toshikazu kawaguchi (5/5)

contagion - robin cook (2.5/5)

beach read - emily henry (4.5/5) (rr)

death by drowning and other stories - agatha christie (5/5)

little fires everywhere - celeste ng (4.75/5)

mrs. dalloway - virginia woolf (3.5/5) (rr)

five little pigs - agatha christie (4/5)

cinema e memória - milene de cássia silveira gusmão; paulo henrique alcântara; euclides santos mendes (3.5/5)

rouge - mona awad (3.75/5)

first love - ivan turguêniev (4/5)

the moving finger - agatha christie (3.5/5)

the memory police - yoko ogawa (5/5)

entre flechas e sapatos de cristal: fadas madrinhas s.a - kézia garcia (4.5/5)

the hunger games (thg #1) - suzanne collins (5/5) (rr)

the next girl - karla kovach (3/5)

the invisible man - h. g. wells (3.5/5)

death comes at the end - agatha christie (4/5)

welcome to the hyunam-dong bookstore - hwang bo-reum (4/5)

teias mortais - bel rodrigues, felipe castilho, jim anotsu, luisa geisler, samir machado de machado (5/5)

catching fire (thg #2) - suzanne collins (5/5) (rr)

introdução à filosofia de bergson - paulo césar rodrigues (4/5)

the very secret society of irregular witches - sangu mandanna (4.5/5)

the hollow - agatha christie (3.5/5)

hold tight - harlan coben (2.75/5)

the atlas complex (tas #3) - olivie blake (3/5)

todas as minhas libelulas (memórias dos pardes #1) - gabrielli casseta (5/5)

uma aprendizagem ou o livro dos prazeres - clarice lispector (5/5)

mockingjay (thg #3) - suzanne collins (5/5) (rr)

seis doses de culpa - luther alt (4/5)

the labours of hercules - agatha christie (4/5)

emily wilde's encyclopedia of faeries - heather fawcett (4/5)

a man lay dead - ngaio marsh (4/5)

manual de cortej para princesas desencantadas - alien, maina, lyra, gabi, raquel & dulci (5/5)

taken at the flood - agatha christie (4/5)

capitalismo de plataformas - nick srnicek (4/5)

the reapperance of rachel price - holly jackson (4/5)

funny story - emily henry (4.25/5)

normal people - sally rooney (5/5) (rr)

18 brumário - karl marx (3.25/5)

extraordinary stories - edgar allan poe (4.25/5)

roteiro perfeito - vi carvalho (4/5)

they came to baghdad - agatha christie (4/5)

the familiar - leigh bardugo (4/5)

cidades pequenas não guardam seguredos - kézia garcia (5/5)

método científico: uma abordagem ontológica - ivo tonet (3.5/5)

the starless sea - erin morgenstern (5/5)

jantar secreto - raphael montes (3.75/5)

mrs. mcginty's dead - agatha christie (4/5)

atenciosamente, seu primeiro amor - tatielle katluryn (3.5/5)

the poverty of theory -edward thompson (2/5/5)

penance - eliza clarke (4/5)

the time machine - h. g. wells (3.75/5)

they do it with mirrors - agatha christie (4/5)

nothing more to tell - karen mcmanus (3.75/5)

persuasion - jane austen (5/5) (rr)

a sound of thunder - ray bradbury (4/5)

the chalk man - c.j. tudor (3.75/5)

after the funeral - agatha christie (3.5/5)

a hundred years of solitude - gabriel garcia marquez (4/5)

ariel - sylvia plath (3.75/5)

i'm the girl - courtney summers (3/5)

a pocket full of rye - agatha christie (4/5)

the piano (creepers series) - edgar j. hyde (3.75/5)

natural beauty - ling ling huang (3.5/5)

northanger abbey - jane austen (5/5) (rr)

uma estrada de histórias - rúbia albuquerque (3/5)

o amor é como a lua - vi carvalho (4/5)

into the drowning deep (rolling in the deep #1) - mira grant (5/5)

destination unknown - agatha christie (4/5)

gentilmente, amor - gabrielli casseta, kell carvalho, vi carvalho, maina mattos (4/5)

whose body? - dorothy l. sayers (3.75/5)

o ardil da flexibilidade - sadi dal rosso (3.5/5)

hickory, dickory, dock - agatha christie (3/5)

joyland - stephen king (4/5)

a detetive ruby johnson e o mistério da mesa 44 - noemi de paula (2.5/5)

the secret history - donna tartt (5/5) (rr)

rolling in the deep (rolling in the deep #0.5) - mira grant (3.75/5)

4:50 from paddington - agatha christie (4.5/5)

a mulher na sociedade de classes: mito e realidade - heleith saffioti (4.25/5)

the woman in cabin 10 - ruth ware (2.75/5)

days at the morisaki bookstore - satoshi yagisawa (4.5/5)

intermezzo - sally rooney (3.5/5)

house of hollow - krystal sutherland (4/5)

crime and punishment - fyodor dostoevsky (4/5)

the pale horse - agatha christie (4.5/5)

the other turn of the screw - henry james (4.5/5)

two sides to every murder - danielle valentine (3.5/5)

história das mulhers no brasil - mary del priori (3.5/5)

the frightened lady - edgar wallace (3/5)

cat among the pigeons - agatha christie (3.75/5)

the da Vinci cod - dan brown (3/5)

some choose darkness - charlie donlea (4/5)

twelfth night - william shakespeare (3.5/5)

[newstfionline]

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Thousands evacuate from Nova Scotia wildfires (AP) Wildfires in Canada’s Atlantic coast province of Nova Scotia have caused thousands to evacuate. The Halifax Regional Municipality said late Monday that preliminary estimates indicate approximately 200 homes or structures have been damaged, based on initial visual inspections by first responders. Halifax deputy fire Chief David Meldrum said an estimated 14,000 people were told to flee their homes, most of which are about a 30-minute drive northwest of downtown Halifax.

Police agencies are desperate to hire. But they say few want the job. (Washington Post) The San Francisco Police Department is down more than 600 officers, almost 30 percent of its allotment. Phoenix needs about 500 more officers to be fully staffed. The D.C. police force is smaller than it has been in 50 years, despite troubling gun violence and carjackings, as officers leave faster than they can be replaced. Police departments across the country are struggling to fill their ranks, creating what many current and former officials say is a staffing emergency that threatens public safety. They cite an exodus of veteran officers amid new police accountability measures that followed the 2020 murder of George Floyd, increased hostility from the communities they police, and criminal justice laws that seek to reduce the number of people in jail. Advocates for police reform see the moment as an opportunity to hire a new generation of officers and reimagine policing. But as agencies seek fresh recruits, they are getting fewer qualified applicants than in past years—leading some to make the risky move of lowering the bar for hiring to fill their ranks.

Gun violence rages with at least 20 mass shootings recorded over Memorial Day Weekend (USA Today) Gun violence erupted across the U.S. over Memorial Day weekend: At least 20 mass shootings left 16 people dead and over 80 injured. The Gun Violence Archive, which tracks mass shootings, logged 20 incidents in which at least four people were injured or killed, not including shooters, from Friday afternoon through Monday night. The bloodshed started with a spree in Arizona, where a 20-year-old man was accused of killing four people and injuring one in five different shootings in the Phoenix area. Over the next three days, people were killed and injured in Virginia, Mississippi, New Mexico, Illinois and more. And Monday evening, as Memorial Day revelers in Hollywood Beach, Florida, celebrated the holiday, nine people were injured by gunfire along a boardwalk.

Drought-struck Barcelona quenches thirst with costly desalination (AP) Where once the population of Barcelona drank mostly from its rivers and wells, Spain’s second city now relies upon a labyrinth-like mesh of green, blue and purple pipes inside an industrial plant to keep it from going thirsty amid a prolonged drought. Water is pumped from two kilometers (1.2 miles) into the Mediterranean Sea to where the Llobregat desalination plant sits on an isolated stretch of beach. After journeying through several cleaning and filtering systems it reaches its final stop: the twisting and turning multi-colored channels that squeeze every drop of water free of its salt. Barely used after being built in 2009, Europe’s largest desalination plant for drinking water is running at full throttle to help the greater Barcelona area and some five million people adapt to the impact of climate change, which has contributed to the drying up of southern Europe’s fresh water reserves through heat waves and drought. In April 2021, before the drought, rivers provided 63% of Barcelona’s drinking water, wells provided 34% and desalination just 3%. Two years later desalination makes up 33% of Barcelona’s drinking water, while wells provide 23% and its shrinking rivers just 19%, according to Barcelona’s municipal water company.

Paranoid atmosphere (Washington Post) Parishioners have denounced Russian priests who advocated peace instead of victory in the war on Ukraine. Teachers lost their jobs after children tattled that they opposed the war. Neighbors who bore some trivial grudge for years have snitched on longtime foes. Workers rat on one another to their bosses or directly to the police or the FSB, the Federal Security Service. This is the hostile, paranoid atmosphere of Russians at war with Ukraine and with one another. As Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime cracks down on critics of the war and other political dissenters, citizens are policing one another in an echo of the darkest years of Joseph Stalin’s repression, triggering investigations, criminal charges, prosecutions and dismissals from work. In March last year, Putin called on the nation to purge itself by spitting out traitors “like gnats.” Since the invasion began, at least 19,718 people have been arrested for their opposition to the war, according to legal rights group OVD-Info, with criminal cases launched against 584 people, and administrative cases mounted against 6,839. Many others faced intimidation or harassment from the authorities, lost jobs, or had relatives targeted, the organization said.

Russia says drones damage Moscow buildings in pre-dawn attack (AP) Russian air defenses stopped eight drones converging on Moscow, officials said Tuesday, in an attack that authorities blamed on Ukraine. The attack caused “insignificant damage” to several buildings, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said. Two people received medical attention for unspecified injuries but did not need hospitalization, he said. The attacks have raised questions about the effectiveness of Russia’s air defense systems. A senior Russian lawmaker, Andrei Kartapolov, told Russian business news site RBC that “we have a very big country and there will always be a loophole where the drone can fly around the areas where air defense systems are located.”

30 international peacekeepers injured in fierce clashes with ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo (AP) The NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo, KFOR, on Tuesday raised the number of its troops injured in fierce clashes with ethnic Serbs to 30. The Serbs had tried to take over the offices of one of the municipalities in northern Kosovo where ethnic Albanian mayors took up their posts last week. A statement said that 11 Italian soldiers and 19 Hungarian ones “sustained multiple injuries, including fractures and burns from improvized explosive incendiary devices.” Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spent the night with his troops on the border with Kosovo. They were placed on the highest state of alert on his orders last week. Vucic said 52 Serbs were injured in the clashes, three seriously. Kosovo and Serbia have been foes for decades, with Belgrade refusing to recognize Kosovo’s 2008 sovereignty.

Erdogan continues divisive rhetoric following victory (Washington Post) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sang and smiled, reveling in the applause of the supporters he addressed Sunday after the toughest election of his long career. In victory, though, instead of soothing the nation, he lashed out at a familiar set of villains, in remarks that may set the tone for his next term. He was dismissive of his opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu. “Bye, bye to Mr. Kemal,” he said. And he ruled out any release for an imprisoned Kurdish political leader, calling him a “terrorist.” As the country moved on from the election, Erdogan would not easily abandon the bitter rhetoric, analysts said, setting Turkey on a divisive and turbulent course for the foreseeable future, even as Erdogan juggled a need to stabilize the economy as well as Turkey’s often stormy relations with allies in the West. In fact, “I think he is going to harden” his rhetoric, said Berk Esen, a professor of political science at Istanbul’s Sabanci University. “We are going to see him adopt a very polarizing discourse using ethno-religious themes” to maintain his “winning coalition” of voters. The value of the Turkish lira sunk to a record low on Tuesday, just days after Erdogan entrenched his authority into a third decade.

Chinese police clash with protesters over plans to demolish mosque (Washington Post) Residents of a majority-Muslim town in southwestern China clashed with police over the weekend as they tried to stop the demolition of a domed roof from a centuries-old mosque, part of the Chinese Communist Party’s expanding effort to control religion. The incident appeared to be related to a court judgment from 2020 that ruled some of the mosque’s most recent renovations were illegal, and ordered demolition. With a history that may stretch as far back as the 13th century, the Najiaying Mosque was expanded many times over the years to add buildings, as well as four minarets and a domed roof. In 2019, part of the structure was listed as a protected cultural relic. In recent years, however, Communist Party restrictions on the pious have escalated sharply. The country’s top leader, Xi Jinping, has demanded absolute political loyalty of faith communities and the “Sinicization” of religion. Surveillance of religious leaders has also intensified. A nationwide database of officially approved Islamic, Protestant and Catholic religious teachers was launched this month. The campaign has focused on Islam and Christianity because of the party’s deep-seated fear of faith being a vector for foreign influence.

North Korea says it will launch its first military spy satellite in June (AP) North Korea said Tuesday it would launch its first military spy satellite in June and described space-based reconnaissance as crucial for monitoring the United States’ “reckless” military exercises with South Korea. The statement came a day after North Korea notified Japan’s coast guard that the launch, sometime between May 31 and June 11, might affect waters in the Yellow Sea, East China Sea and east of the Philippines’ Luzon Island. Japan’s defense minister warned its forces to shoot down the satellite or debris, if any entered Japanese territory, and its coast guard issued a safety warning for ships that would be in the affected seas during the expected launch, citing a risk of falling debris. While North Korea’s rivals have condemned the country’s planned launch as a banned test of ballistic missile technology, it’s less clear whether the satellite itself is advanced enough to support the North’s stated goals of tracking and monitoring U.S. and South Korean military activities in real time.

Celebrations in Jordan ahead of kingdom’s first major royal wedding in years (AP) Several thousand cheering and flag-waving Jordanians packed a sports stadium for a free concert in the capital of Amman as part of celebrations leading up the kingdom’s first major royal wedding in years. Crown Prince Hussein, 28, is to marry Saudi architect Rajwa Alseif, 29, on Thursday at Zahran Palace in downtown Amman, the same wedding venue previously chosen by the prince’s father, King Abdullah II, and his grandfather, the late King Hussein. The nuptials come after a rough patch for the royals, including a public rift between the king and his half-brother, and are seen as a way of shoring up public support at a time of persistent economic difficulties.

Racers chase cheese wheel down a hill in chaotic UK race (AP) The big cheese of extreme U.K. sports events is back. Hundreds of spectators gathered Monday to watch dozens of reckless racers chase a 7-pound (3 kilogram) wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down the near-vertical Cooper’s Hill, near Gloucester in southwest England. The first racer to finish behind the fast-rolling cheese gets to keep it. The cheese-rolling race has been held at Cooper’s Hill, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of London, since at least 1826, and the sport of cheese-rolling is believed to be much older. Few competitors manage to stay on their feet all the way down the 200-yard (180 meter) hill, and this year several had to be helped, limping, from the course. Matt Crolla, 28, from Manchester in northwestern England, won the first of several men’s races. Asked how he had prepared, he told reporters: “I don’t think you can train for it, can you? It’s just being an idiot.” Delaney Irving managed to cross the finish line first to win the women’s competition, even after having been knocked unconscious. Irving, 19, said the race was “good … now that I remember it.”

[essieaoki]

☆ & * .   ♡   i n t r o d u c t i o n  …  

[ ESSENCE AOKI, NONBINARY, SHE/THEY ] ; have you seen ESSENCE ‘ESSIE’ AOKI around VIRGINIA BEACH? the TWENTY-FOUR year old VIRTUAL DISPENSARY is known for ( SKULL FISHNETS, GETTING ARRESTED AT PROTESTS, STANDING UP FOR THE UNDERDOG, SPEAKING OUT AGAINST INJUSTICES, THE DARK FEMININE  ) … around the CHIC’S BEACH district they have a reputation of being SPUNKY and BOLD but also ROWDY and MISCHEVIOUS. rumor has it they’re hiding SHE MOVED TO VIRGINIA BEACH TO TRACK DOWN HER MISSING OLDER SISTER …let’s hope the GOSSIP HOTTIE doesn’t find out ! kay,25,est,she/her  

essence maoira aoiki was given a rough start to life from the get go. growing up in a busy beach town in the united states known as virginia beach, virginia, her mother was a teenage mom, struggling with drug addiction and stuck in an abusive relationship with a boyfriend, essence’s father. from the start he didn’t want her, and though it killed essence’s mom to do so, she ended up letting her sister, essence’s aunt, custody of baby essence and her older sister raina. this was the beginning of essence’s abandonment wound. essence still kept somewhat of an relationship with her mother up until she was around the age of twelve. she was mature for her age, she had to be. her circumstances in life required her to grow up fast to survive. though they didn’t live a fancy life, essence, her older sister, and her aunt were safe, and they were there for each other, so much so, essence calls her gijiroku, which is japanese for mom. essence and her older sister are extremely close, they’re more best friends than sisters, and she’s taught her everything she knows about life. she always guided her, kept her secrets, and protected her even when she thought she didn’t need it. the two were inseparable and everyone was jealous of how the two demanded attention whenever they entered a room. essence was always a wild child, she had a lot of passion and fire burning inside of her and she couldn’t help but to let it out. some were intimidated by her. she was the kind of kid on the play ground who wasn’t afraid to get rough. she stood up to bullies and always used her strength and power for good.

she was rough around the edges, blunt, and sometimes too impulsive, but she was good at heart, and truly cared about people and treating everyone kindly and with respect. she’s extremely close to her japanese roots and has a space dedicated to her culture in her apartment she shares with her aunt. the path that led her to living in a completely different country is a path she’d never imagined life would take her. a year ago, out of thin air, her sister raina disappeared. she left her job at the boardwalk one summer night and was never seen again. no evidence left behind, no suspects, nothing. it was almost as if she didn’t want to be found. this sent essence into a spiral, and she couldn’t accept the fact that her sister was gone. no one in two seemed to care anymore after six months, the police kept telling her and her aunt that there was nothing more they could do and eventually the case went cold. essence has spent every ounce of her free time since searching for clues and tracing her sisters steps. while passing out missing persons flyers she received a credible tip from a brother of her sister’s boyfriend that led her to virginia beach. essence’s aunt was on board from the beginning and the two of them moved from richmond, va and now are living in a cute town house in virginia beach while they search for raina in hopes that she’s still alive.

while living in virginia beach, essence has come up with creative ways to make a living so her and her aunt can afford to live in their townhouse. taking up a real job would leave them with less time to find raina, something they both would rather not sacrifice. essence doesn’t discuss her business with her aunt and her aunt doesn’t ask any questions. little does she know, essence is behind a huge dark web virtual dispensary that sells things like psychedelic mushrooms, weed, and lsd. no other drugs than those. she’s somewhat of a computer genius and has hidden her identity securely enough to where she’s confident she can’t be traced, though she knows this can only go on for so long before she’s caught, keeping that in mind she plans to save most of the money up and then delete the entire system from existing. the tricky part is knowing when to finally close up shop.