#Volunteers enter South Africa

[gurutrends]

Volunteers enter South Africa shaft to aid miners

Dozens of volunteers have entered an abandoned gold mine in South Africa to help what could be thousands of illegal miners who have been underground for a month. Because the miners entered the shaft in Stilfontein deliberately, desperate to retrieve gold or mineral residues, the authorities have taken a hard line, blocking food and water supplies. Earlier in the week, one government minister…

[videogamepoc]

Before Israel’s war in Gaza, Palestinian programmer Doaa Ghandour was working on Palestine Skating Game’s grind rails. Any skater — be that skateboarding or roller skating — knows rails are essential to street-style skating. In Palestine Skating Game, these grind rails weave through the West Bank, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater-style, for use as you spray graffiti on the Israeli-built separation wall. It’s easy to see the appeal of Palestine Skating Game in its early prototype on Itch.io: The futuristic Bethlehem is made all the more colorful with paint splatters and graffiti, set to what the team describes as “Arabic electronic music.” And it’s designed to be enticing: “The idea is that if you immerse Westerners in that kind of art and music from the region, you’ll start to actually see people from the region as human beings,” Palestine Skating Game’s current project lead told Aftermath in November.

Palestine Skating Game has been in development for roughly two and a half years. The inspiration initially hit after the project lead, who was granted anonymity by Polygon, saw We Are Lady Parts, a TV show about an all-women Muslim punk band. Development has changed since then — it had to. “We have to acknowledge the existence of a lot more suffering,” the project lead told Polygon. “We are having to do the thing where we had one creative vision for the project, and now we have to figure out how that changes with respect to the events unfolding.” Israel’s war in Gaza is entering its fourth month. Nearly 28,000 people have been killed in Gaza, 388 in the occupied West Bank, and 1,139 in Israel, according to Al Jazeera. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently hearing a genocide case against Israel, wherein it argues that “the acts and omissions by Israel complained of by South Africa are genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group,” as reported by Vox. Israel denies the accusation, saying its attacks are justified as a response to Hamas’ terrorist attack in Israel on Oct. 7, where roughly 1,200 people were killed. “Israeli Occupation Forces have cut off all medical supplies, as well as water and food, from Palestinians in Gaza, amidst the continued carpet bombing and genocide. It has left our friends to navigate the most severe humanitarian crisis of our time,” the fundraiser reads. Palestine Skating Game has been in development for roughly two and a half years. The inspiration initially hit after the project lead, who was granted anonymity by Polygon, saw We Are Lady Parts, a TV show about an all-women Muslim punk band. Development has changed since then — it had to. “We have to acknowledge the existence of a lot more suffering,” the project lead told Polygon. “We are having to do the thing where we had one creative vision for the project, and now we have to figure out how that changes with respect to the events unfolding.” The project lead said the team, which is Ghandour, writer Hadeel, and himself with four other developers and volunteers, want to make it easy for people — even those unfamiliar with the conflict — to see what’s happening in Gaza. “We want to make it easier for people to see, Oh, here’s how the West Bank has been slowly eaten up and balkanized,” he said. “We also just want it to be something that people want to share with their friends. There should be so many fucking cool things in this game that people will immediately want to say, ‘Hey, you’ve got to see this.’” The Palestine Skating Game team — the core group, four paid developers, and roughly 15 volunteer developers — is working on a full vertical slice, or a polished, short demo, of the game. They’re also hoping to run a Kickstarter, GoFundMe campaign, or other investment to fund more development.

[hillbilly---man]

Controversial Olympics opinions:

(been listening to too many olympics podcasts lately so my brain is stuck on it lmao. Sorry about it)

They should get rid of golf It's only been in the Olympics like five times (and the first two times were in 1900 and 1904... let's be real). And we shouldn't be making host cities build golf courses!

Tbh they should get rid of sports for which the Olympics aren't the most prestigious international competition The Olympic Games are a good way to showcase smaller sports, but there's no room in the program for much expansion. Take out tennis, take out golf, take out football (soccer)

Strongly reconsider equestrian events Personally I think it's weird that there are events where horses are so central. If motor sports aren't permitted, it seems odd that horses are. It also rubs me the wrong way that equestrian events feel so much more.. upper-class than the rest. Honestly I'll stop short of saying "get rid of these" because I admittedly don't know much about the sport

Bring back tug-of-war It's easy to understand, and wouldn't require an extra facility or anything. It's also a sport that doesn't require expensive equipment or specialized training facilities... a low barrier of entry means you don't have to be wealthy to be competitive. It would be so cool

Consider permanent hosts I do like the idea of moving the Games around so that we get to see elements of local culture embedded into the Olympics. It's a showcase not only for the athletics but also the arts (I have more to say on that next). Unfortunately, the Olympics has gotten to a point where it's difficult to find a host city that's able to support the Games. Can you imagine a village of like 2300 people like Lake Placid hosting the Olympics today?? Not to mention the displacement and other human rights violations that are often tied to the preparations... There are people who think they should just pick a city each for the Summer and Winter Olympics and have them be a permanent host. That's certainly better than destroying lives and local economies like it does now... but what about that cultural showcase thing? I have an idea: Permanent host locations, but invite a different nation to organize each time. That way smaller, poorer countries can "host" and showcase themselves without the enormous cost and difficulty of physically hosting. Also don't let them both be in fucking France

Bring back the art competitions! There were official art competitions as part of the Olympics in the early days, but they voted to replace them with exhibitions in the 50s. I just think it'd be cool for someone to get a gold medal in music or architecture nowadays.

Fucking pay the athletes As much goddamn money as the IOC makes, it's criminal that it's on the backs of people who they're not even paying to be there. Most Olympic athletes aren't raking in massive endorsement deals, and a lot of them are paying to get there out of their own pockets or via GoFundMe. Pay the volunteers, too, while you're at it. You don't have to make them rich, just make it so you don't have to already be well-off to do it.

Let indigenous nations compete as their own team if they want There's talk of allowing the Haudenosaunee Nation to enter a lacrosse team at the 2028 Olympics, but the IOC isn't in favor as of now because they don't have their own National Olympic Committee. Bad excuse; make an exception. After all, the Refugee Olympic Team exists. Y'all literally make the rules

Ban Israel They banned South Africa for decades due to Apartheid. They've banned several other nations due to wartime actions. There's precedent; they can do this (they won't)

Incorporate the Paralympics into the Olympics (if they want) The parenthetical is there bc I don't know enough about what the Paralympic athletes actually want. If they prefer their own event, swag HOWEVER, from an outsider's perspective, I think it's kind of frustrating how it's treated as a secondary competition. There's less coverage, less attention, and the medals don't count the same in the eyes of most people. For example: did you know that American swimmer Trischa Zorn has 41 gold medals? Michael Phelps just has 23. But HE'S the one who gets to be the "most decorated Olympian of all time" because Trischa's medals are in the Paralympic Games. I think seeing adapted sports alongside their conventional counterparts would be fascinating. Put those in primetime with everything else! People who don't care to seek them out need to see disabled athletes too

[darkmaga-returns]

10 shocking stories the media buried today.

The Vigilant Fox

Dec 04, 2024

10 – Dr. Peter Hotez warns of a series of potential pandemics “coming down the pike,” claiming it will all “come crashing down” on Trump “on January 21st.”

Is that a threat?

Meanwhile, a mysterious “flu-like disease” has claimed 179 lives and counting in Africa, leaving health officials scrambling for answers as they admit they “have no idea what it is,” The New York Post reports.

While on MSNBC, Hotez named every disease he could think of in less than 60 seconds, claiming all of them could pose a serious threat to public health under the new Trump administration, especially because of RFK Jr. and “anti-vaccine” activism.

This includes:

• Bird flu

• New coronavirus (SARS)

• Dengue

• Zika

• Oropouche virus

• Yellow fever

• Whooping cough

• Measles

• Polio

“We have some big picture stuff coming down the pike... All that’s going to come crashing down on January 21st on the Trump administration,” Hotez warned.

Video: https://x.com/Patri0tContr0l/status/1864341348200927446

(See 9 More Revealing Stories Below)

9 - Whoopi Goldberg freaks out on Charlamagne after he says Biden lied about pardoning Hunter.

CHARLAMAGNE: “He didn’t have to volunteer that lie to begin with.”

WHOOPI: “I’m gonna stop you there for a second.”

CHARLAMAGNE: “Uh oh.”

WHOOPI: “Only because you don’t know it was a lie. We don’t know why he changed his mind.”

CHARLAMAGNE: “You really think he just changed his mind over Thanksgiving weekend all of a sudden?”

WHOOPI: “No. I’m gonna tell you what I think. I think he changed because he got sick of watching everybody else get over… because at some point, you get to the place where you just go, so I’m just gonna follow the straight and narrow always ‘cause that’s what’s expected of Democrats.”

CHARLAMAGNE: “But that’s their fault! They’re the ones that go out there, and they stand on this moral high ground. They don’t have to do that.”

8 - The Jimmy Kimmel Show drops a surprisingly funny segment making fun of CA Governor Gavin Newsom.

And get this—Californians were so clueless that they actually believed they were talking to the real Gavin Newsom.

NEWSOM (Actor): “There’s 217 officially recognized gender choices that you have in California.”

CALIFORNIAN: “Wow! 217?”

NEWSOM: “Like, I have a macadamia nut allergy. Like, that might be how you identify.”

7 - CNN admits Kash Patel’s odds of being confirmed as FBI Director are “climbing ever higher.”

“The key number here is zero. That���s how many GOP senators have come out against him... Kash Patel’s [odds] to lead the FBI seems to be climbing ever higher.”

This news comes as the media melts down over Kash Patel's extensive list of Deep State enemies.

6 - Stephen Miller Issues a Stark Message to Illegals: EVERYTHING Changes on January 20

“It will be the end of the invasion. It will be the beginning of the liberation.”

1. “President Trump will issue a series of executive orders and actions that will suspend the entry of illegal aliens into this country.”

2. “There will be no benefits. There will be no entry. There will be no asylum. There will be no admission.”

3. “You may be prosecuted. You will certainly be arrested, and you will absolutely be deported.”

4. “Every presidential authority, including his absolute authority under Article 2 to defend the territorial sovereignty of the United States, will be used.”

5. “The entire world—Mexico, Northern Triangle, Central America, South America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East—will get this message: there is no unlawful route to enter the United States of America.”

While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe to this page for more daily news roundups.Subscribe

#5 - CEO of UnitedHealthcare Killed in “Targeted Attack”

#4 - Police Threaten Man Investigating Mysterious Booms Heard in Idaho

#3 - Ukraine Accused of Training Terrorists in Syria

#2 - Mexico to Ban Toxic Genetically-Modified Corn From U.S.

Mexico recently released an 182-page scientific dossier on genetically modified corn and its effects on human health, the environment, and biodiversity, including the biocultural richness of native corn in Mexico.

The summary immediately cuts to the chase that there is “no scientific consensus on the safety of human or animal consumption and the releasing into the environment of GM crops.”

Prepared by Mexico’s National Council for Humanities, Science, and Technology (CONAHCYT), the summary adds, “What there is, however, is a corpus of scientific research that has shown that transgenesis is an imprecise technology with unexpected and undesired effect; in particular, it has demonstrated the risks and harms it entails.”

Read More: https://thehighwire.com/editorial/mexico-plans-to-modify-its-constitution-to-ban-toxic-us-genetically-modified-corn/

[luulapants]

On Hardship

Let’s start with a thought exercise: how would you describe the difference between discomfort and pain? Where is the line?

.

I took a call with a family fleeing Florida because anti-trans laws and increasing local hostility meant they were no longer safe. We were struggling to find a short-term living arrangement they could afford.

“What if someone in our church fostered your cat for a couple months?” I suggested. “Just until you find somewhere permanent.”

“No,” they said immediately. “No, we can’t do that.”

.

I knew a yoga instructor who used the mantra, “Be comfortable with being uncomfortable,” while advising students to stop if they felt pain. “The body knows if something is wrong,” she said. “An injury, that’s pain. But you can’t make progress if you’re 100% comfortable.” Her issue was that many people aren’t attuned enough with their bodies to tell the difference.

.

We got an SOS from a reverend in Florida, getting multiple calls a day from trans folks trying to get out. “I can’t keep up,” she said, “It’s a full time job.”

.

My friend worked for several years with refugee populations in South Asia, Eastern Europe, East Africa, and the Middle East. Many refugees came from comfortable, even affluent lives. They held advanced degrees, worked good jobs, lived in nice homes. There are struggles to adjust, but once someone enters a refugee program, my friend describes a sort of resignation to hardship: not that it will be forever, but accepting they’ll be uncomfortable for a while.

.

“We have housing for trans people struggling with homelessness,” a local resource center told me. “We don’t have anything that the folks you’re working with would be satisfied with.”

.

I grew up in my dad’s wilderness survival school. You could drop me in any forest in North America with nothing but a knife and seasonal clothes, and I’d probably be able to survive indefinitely. That’s how I was trained. During shelter building classes, students would ask, “Won’t there be insects in it?”

“Yes,” the instructor would agree. “Almost certainly.”

.

“I’m over-stressed,” I told my therapist last week. “I finish my real full-time job, then I’m on the phone trying to find money to break a trans person’s lease.”

My stress-induced parasomnia is back. My house is a mess. I’ve had some infected wound or another for three weeks straight. I expected my therapist to tell me I need to step back, as she usually would when I’ve taken on too much, to tell me I need to prioritize my mental health and prevent burnout.

“If I don’t do this,” I told her, “I don’t think anyone else is going to. I have to.”

To my great surprise, she said, “You’re right. You do.”

.

Consider a boomer litany against snowflake millennials: “This generation could never storm the beaches of Normandy!” Ignoring that both of our generations were conned into horrendous wars. Everyone my age knows at least one guy from their hometown that went bugnuts in Afghanistan. Americans know how to go to war. It’s within our national image, something people choose to do.

But, I contend, we don’t know how to be refugees, a status of circumstance. It isn’t participation-trophy-induced entitlement. We were trained not to think of ourselves that way. “The Refugee” is an othered, foreign entity: dirty-faced, usually nonwhite, speaking a foreign tongue. Refugee-ism is something that America does to others, not something we can be. There is comfort guaranteed in American identity. Our military recruits must be indoctrinated out of the expectation of comfort because the rest of us are indoctrinated into it.

I don’t know how to feel about the family that won’t let their cat be fostered. I don’t blame them. I certainly wouldn’t tell them off for not being willing to have their comfort taken by bigots. But they scare the shit out of me. The resignation my friend described in refugees, I haven’t seen it yet. These folks know they’re fleeing, but I don’t think they know they’re refugees. The few volunteers on my team, I don’t think they get it yet either, that this warrants hardship.

Eventually, I think, the realization will come. When? When arrests begin? Deaths? We’ll know when we have refugees saying, “Give me a room, a basement, anything,” when we have volunteers saying, “I can do a midnight pickup then go to work the next day - it’ll suck, but it has to happen.” I don’t want these things to happen. We don’t deserve the hardship, but being willing to endure it is not the same as saying it’s okay. We have to learn the line between discomfort and pain, hardship and death.

[lboogie1906]

Sergeant William Hannibal Thomas (May 4, 1843 - November 15, 1935) was born in Pickaway County, Ohio to free parents. He performed manual labor and broke the color line by entering Otterbein University in 1859. His matriculation at the school sparked a race riot and he withdrew. Denied entry to the Union Army in 1861 because of his race, he served as principal of Union Seminary Institute.

After twenty-two months’ service as a servant in two white Union regiments, in 1863 he enlisted in Ohio’s first all-Black military unit, the 127th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Appointed sergeant, he became a decorated combat soldier. He received a gunshot wound in the right arm that resulted in its amputation. He suffered pain and medical complications from this wound for the remainder of his life.

He resided in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina, and Massachusetts. After attending divinity school, he worked as a journalist, teacher, theologian, lawyer, militia officer, trial justice, and elected official. The State Department appointed him consul to Portuguese Southwest Africa. He faced allegations of financial and moral improprieties from church, state, and local officials. He launched the short-lived magazine The Negro. He published Land and Education, a monograph that urged Blacks to reform themselves through prayer, improved moral values, education, and land acquisition.

He is known for The American Negro, a book that censured Blacks, especially women, and clergymen, as immoral, irresponsible, and destined to fail. He differentiated between mulattoes like himself, whom he considered superior, and Negroes, whom he judged to be hopelessly depraved. Few contemporary white critics denounced African Americans with as much crude rhetoric as he employed in The American Negro.

His book catapulted him onto the national stage. White supremacists cited The American Negro as justification for the repeal of the Fifteenth Amendment. African Americans, including Charles W. Chesnutt, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Booker T. Washington, were charged with hypocrisy and sought to suppress his book. They dubbed him “Black Judas. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[waywardxrhea]

Part Twenty - You Got a Friend in Me

[slow burn romance between Steve Rogers and SHIELD agent Emma Baker]

Warnings: 18+, contains humor, fluff, mental health, family trauma, romance, angst, language, violence, (potentially smut later on).

installment list

Word count: 1.6k

Wanda and Emma begin the process of forgiveness.

One night Emma is sitting alone in the common area watching reruns of Friends when Wanda wanders into the room. Wanda can tell that Emma still needs time before she could forgive her completely, but she wanted to form a connection with her, after all, the only women living in this area of the compound were the two of them and Natasha.

So Wanda takes a seat in a chair opposite Emma's and says, "I don't think I've seen this one before."

Emma asks, "This episode or the show?"

"The show," Wanda replies. "My family used to watch sitcoms together to learn English, but they were usually older ones."

Emma nods and after a little bit of silence between the two of them watching the show, she says, "This was one of my favorites when I was a teen."

Wanda smiles and tells her, "You have good taste." Emma finally turns to look at Wanda and returns the smile. When she looks into Wanda's eyes she sees happiness, purity, and an eagerness to want to make friends. At that moment, a chunk of the wall she had built up between herself and Wanda falls off.

A few days later Emma volunteers to cook dinner for everyone as an ice breaker for her first meal with the team. While cooking, Emma turns on some music and quietly sings and dances. From behind her, Steve enters the area to get a drink. He sees her dancing and smiles as he comments, "You sure like to dance when you cook don't you?"

Emma lets out a noise of surprise at the sudden voice behind her and she jumps, almost hitting her head on an open cabinet door. "Gosh, you scared me," she exclaims with a laugh.

The commotion causes Wanda to enter the room too, her hands aglow with red wisps, thinking there was an intruder. "Oh it's just Steve," she says after taking in the scene. The red disappears from her hands as she relaxes. It was small, probably just an instinct, but the little gesture warms Emma's heart and yet another bit of the wall that was built up falls. As Steve grabs his drink, Wanda turns to Emma and asks, "Would you like any help?"

"Oh I can get it, I don't want to ruin the fun out there," Emma tells her with a smile.

"I insist if you'll take my help," Wanda tells her, hoping to have a talk with Emma. She wants to apologize for what she showed her back in South Africa.

"Okay, deal. I could use an extra hand, I've never cooked for this many people before if I'm honest." Emma pauses and looks at Steve, asking, "Wanna help, Cap?"

Steve puts his hands in the air and laughs as he tells her, "If I helped, everything would end up burnt."

Emma and Wanda share a laugh as the pair of them begin working together to prepare the meal. "Thank you for the help," Emma says after a couple of minutes of silence.

"It's no problem," Wanda tells her with a smile. "What's next? Salt and pepper?"

"Yep," Emma replies and Wanda flicks her hands causing the two containers to drift over from their place on the spice rack.

"Have you ever seen Star Wars?" Emma asks curiously upon seeing the gesture used so casually rather than combatively. Although Wanda had used her powers negatively on her the last time she encountered them, they still fascinated her. "Your powers remind me of the Force from those movies. It's pretty cool."

Wanda smiles, replying, "I'm glad you think so, especially after...what I did last time I used them on you." Emma nods and tries to figure out how to respond, but Wanda speaks again first. "I'm really sorry by the way. I was blinded by anger and thought I was doing the right thing. Ultron told me to try and tear all of you apart, so messing with everyone's heads seemed like the way to go."

Emma thinks for a second before responding, "I understand why you did what you did, the whole doing something out of anger and wanting to do what you thought was right. I don't blame you. Looking back on it from a different perspective, it was actually pretty genius."

Wanda laughs a little before continuing, "I just know what I did really hurt you and I want to extend my sincerest apologies. One look into your mind and I could tell you were broken already and I took advantage of that... I hope at some point you can find it in yourself to forgive me."

Emma smiles a bit and says, "I've done a lot of forgiving lately. Of myself and others. This is no different. From what I've seen and what I've been told, you're a very nice person when you're not under a psychopathic robot's orders."

Wanda laughs at the last part and replies, "I hope I'll never have to be under those circumstances again."

"Not if the rest of us have anything to say about it," Emma tells her with a light nudge on her arm. She then asks, "Hey could you maybe chop up those onions for me please?"

"No problem," Wanda tells Emma and instinctively uses her powers to bring the knife towards her hand.

Out of the corner of her eye though, all Emma sees is a knife flying toward them and shouts, "Wanda get down!"

Emma takes cover behind the counter as Wanda follows the order, dropping the knife in the process. "What's wrong?" Wanda asks while shielding herself with her powers.

When the knife drops, out of the reflection of a pan hanging on the wall, Emma realizes it had been Wanda in control of the knife. She sighs and leans her head against the counter while closing her eyes. "I'm sorry, it's nothing...I just saw the knife flying and freaked out..."

As Emma tries to regain her composure, Steve reemerges into the kitchen after hearing the commotion and surveys the scene. He sees the knife and presumes it was what clattered to the ground and then sees Emma's state and goes over to her, kneeling beside her, asking softly, "Hey Em, is everything all right?" He tentatively reaches out to rub her arm to calm her down a bit and wanting to comfort her. Wanda comes over to her side as well, feeling bad for what she did. Emma calms down at the sound of Steve's voice and opens her eyes to meet his and Wanda's concerned ones.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause a scene," she says as she stands up on shaky legs. She heads off so she can have a few moments alone, telling them, "I'll be back."

As Wanda and Steve watch Emma leave the kitchen, Wanda asks, "What happened?"

Steve sighs and tells her, "Back a couple of years ago Emma was attacked by the Winter Soldier. When he went after her he used knives, so now when it comes to them she's hyper-vigilant."

"The Winter Soldier...also known as James Barnes, your best friend from when you were younger right?" Wanda asks which earns a look of slight confusion from Steve. "What? HYDRA made me into what I am, I know a thing or two about the infamous Winter Soldier."

"Well yeah, that's Buck," Steve replies with a sigh. "She used to love hearing stories from when we were kids, but ever since the attacks, she flinches every time I mention him. She tries to hide it so she doesn't stop me from talking about my past, but I don't want to hurt her so I just leave it be. Sam listens to all my stories now."

"Oh, I'm sorry Steve," she tells him. Thinking about Emma's response to Barnes even all these years later, she turns to Steve and asks quietly, "Do you think she'll forgive me? I know she said she does but...actions speak louder than words and if she's still shaken from what happened with the Winter Soldier..."

Steve pats Wanda's back and responds, "If there's one thing I know about Emma it's that she's an extremely forgiving person. I messed up big time a little while back and we made amends. I'm sure if she ever gets to meet the real Buck she'll forgive him. I know she'll forgive you too, trust me."

"Thank you," Wanda replies with a smile as Emma comes back into the kitchen. Steve makes his way out of the kitchen, giving Emma a warm smile on the way out.

As Emma rejoins Wanda at the kitchen counter, she tells her, "I'm really sorry about what just happened, I had no clue. Using my powers has just become so second nature that I didn't even think of what I was doing."

Emma laughs halfheartedly, telling her, "It's okay, you didn't know. No need for apologies. Maybe just from now on, no wielding knives with your powers without a warning?"

"Deal," Wanda replies with a small laugh as the two of them begin to work together seamlessly to finish the meal for the team. As the pair prepare to bring the food to everyone, Wanda says, "I know we've gotten off on a few rocky patches, but I do want you to know that I really want to be here for you."

Emma smiles at the words and replies, "Thank you, Wanda." The two then plate all the food and take it out to the others who were in the middle of a board game, hoping this would be the start of a long-lasting friendship.

link to the next part

[zara24smit]

ALLATRA: Antarctica's Unique Ecosystem Under Threat

SHOCK! Antarctica, the last bastion of pristine nature, is under threat! Invasive species, carried by streams of plastic waste, are invading the fragile ecosystem, threatening to destroy its unique flora and fauna. 

Antarctica's unique ecosystem has come under threat due to invasive marine species and pollution entering from the Southern Hemisphere.

                      ***

Researchers from the University of New South Wales in Australia have found that floating debris, including both plastic and organic matter, can carry species invasive to Antarctic waters.

Previously, Antarctic marine and terrestrial habitats have been isolated from the rest of the planet for millions of years. This isolation implies that local species are not adapted to competition and may not be able to compete with widespread species from different parts of the world that are encroaching on their territory.

According to scientists, invasive species, particularly small marine invertebrates, can reach the shores of Antarctica on floating objects such as:

algae,

Driftwood,

pumice, or plastic.

And not only from remote islands of the Southern Ocean, but also from Australia, New Zealand, as well as South Africa and South America.

Scientists warn that the growing amount of plastic and other human-made debris in the ocean is increasing the chances of biota reaching Antarctica, and the consequences for local marine ecosystems could be quite significant.

It is noteworthy that according to experts, starting from 1979, every decade, due to invasive species displacing regional species, economic losses in the world have been increasing fourfold.

In total, such species cost the global economy more than $423 billion per year. Moreover: it is invasive species that have led to the extinction of 60% of animals and plants. The main reason for this is climate change.

Our planet, in the period of the approaching 12,000-year cycle, needs protection from external cosmic influences. As well as global cleaning from waste and plastic, which we, humans, have been irresponsibly mass-producing and dumping into the ocean for decades.

This is just one of the alarming signals that our planet is sending. Climate change is relentlessly bringing us closer to the point of no return. But there is hope!  

ALLATRA International Public Movement and the partner project Creative Society are uniting scientists and volunteers around the world to counter climate collapse. 

"We are facing a huge problem," say ALLATRA volunteers. "We need to urgently combine all the knowledge and resources of humanity to save the planet and people from disaster."

ALLATRA not only warns, but also offers solutions.  

On May 11, 2024, at the Prague Summit, ALLATRA volunteers presented an innovative technology that could become a key element in the fight against global climate change: atmospheric water generators (AWG).

AWG is not just a technology, it's a survival strategy.

It is important to know that the ocean is largely the "kitchen of weather," it also shapes the climate over land.

The ocean's function is similar to an air conditioner - to remove heat from the atmosphere into space. However, due to the fact that the ocean is completely polluted with plastic, it has lost this function, which is why there is an abnormal heating of the Earth's core with all the consequences that follow.

                   ***

So, what will such technology as AWGs allow to do:

Cleaning the ocean from microplastics: AWGs will help restore the ocean's heat-conducting ability to absorb heat from the atmosphere and clean it from plastic pollution that is killing marine life. 

Reducing extreme weather events: Thanks to AWGs, the climate will become more stable, and extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, and hurricanes will become less frequent.

Improving atmospheric thermal conductivity: AWGs contribute to improving atmospheric thermal conductivity, which helps to stabilize the climate and reduce the risk of global warming.

The use of AWGs is a contribution to the implementation of the UN SDGs, based on the principles of sustainable development and care for the planet. 

ALLATRA is not just fighting for survival. ALLATRA is fighting for the future, for a planet where we can live in harmony with nature, where beautiful Antarctica will remain an oasis of life, and planet Earth will be home to all of us.

Join us! Together, we can change the course of history and create a Creative Society where science and technology work for the benefit of all humanity.

Spread this information on social media.

Like, share, comment, and applaud. By doing so, you are saving people and the planet.

#ALLATRA #ClimateCrisis #CreativeSociety #Technology #UnifiedScientificCenter 

[riverdamien]

The Golden Rule!

Sunday!

June 9, 2024

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time!

“Sloughing Towards Galiless!”

“The River Runs Through It!”

“Practicing the Golden Rule!”

Mark 3:20-35

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Jesus and Beelzebub Mark 3:20-28 NRSVUE

20 Then he went home, and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” 23 And he called them to him and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.

Treat others as you would like to be treated.”

As we enter days of hot weather, I know that summer will pass by rapidly, my favorite time of the year. My mind wanders to mountains, streams, and fishing on days like this week, a very warm week. I will read of my friend’s Dana’s days at her mountain cabin in the Rockies and follow every Facebook, wishing I was there. I return to A River Runs Through It, a book that  that encapsulates the essence of finding meaning and peace in the flow of life. This summer I am going to be laid back, simply doing outreach at a slow pace, getting out of town when I can, reading and praying, having no volunteers, simply being laid back reflecting and enjoying this time, in my thirtieth year, understanding that I am closer now to the end than the beginning.

Today we hear of “strong men” in Israel, Africa, South America; we hear of “strong men” in our political race, that divide, and hurt many. In I Samuel 8:4-20 we read of the Israelites requesting a king, rather than governing themselves, and Samuel warns them loud and clear, they are making a mistake, he tells them to trust God, and follow the commandments. They insist and the rest is history.

In this election year Jesus gives us the Golden Rule which has stood the test of time as one of the most powerful principles ever invented for both moral and meaningful living. It has been shared across continents, cultures, and eras, and its message is simple: to live in harmony with the world around you, treat other people the exact way you would want them to treat you.

The Golden Rule holds benefits for our friends and the people we love. But it also holds benefits for society as a whole, us as individuals, and even our enemies (which might be an unpopular thing to desire, but a life constantly chasing revenge is an awful way to live).

The principle teaches us that we are responsible for how we treat others and that we always have a choice in the matter. More than that, we should choose love, empathy, kindness, and compassion. And I can think of no better way to be remembered than living out those attributes.

My whole life, my ministry has been committed, and dedicated to treating everyone through this Rule. Ultimately this is all that matters.

The Golden Rule is often memorized and often cited, but it is more than a philosophical idea to be written down in autobiographies and self-help books.

It is a practical approach to living that can help us filter good choices from bad ones. And we can apply this filter to the smallest actions (like the words we say) to the most significant of decisions (reconciling with a family member).

Our  society seems more divided than at any other time in my life. Depression and anxiety is higher than it has ever been.

 The prevalence of social media seems to indicate we are more connected than ever, but feelings of loneliness and isolation are on the rise. With this backdrop, the Golden Rule offers a path to friendships and healthy relationships that makes it feel more golden than ever. The Golden Rule is the key to our living in this time of divided relationships, and hate and anger.

The Golden Rule is important because it helps us overcome our natural inclination toward selfishness. It challenges us to think beyond our own needs and desires and consider the well-being of others.

In friendships, this shift in mindset can make a significant difference. When we prioritize the needs of our friends and treat them the way we would like to be treated, we create an environment of mutual respect.

In society, this same shift would probably result in more trust, more understanding, and greater unity. Nobody wants to be called names online and have strangers jump to unfounded assumptions about their motives. We would be wise to think about and interact with others the way we’d want them to think about and interact with us.

There are some who might argue that living by the Golden Rule would result in getting bullied, pushed around, and taken advantage of. But I disagree. When we respond to unkindness with kindness, we begin to break the cycle of retaliation. And peacemakers tend to attract others who support them and stand up for them. Kind people don’t always win in this world, I agree. But neither do unkind people. I’d rather roll the dice with kindness.

Now, as we are all aware, it’s one thing to acknowledge the wisdom and timelessness of the Golden Rule, but living by it is a completely different type of challenge.

 There are practical ways that we can begin to embody this approach in our relationships and friendships—for ourselves, our friends, and society. But before I do, it might be helpful to acknowledge the forces that work against us.

 “Know thy enemy,” Sun Tzu famously said. By recognizing the challenges that keep us from following the Golden Rule, and the reality that these forces are both internal and external, we are better poised to overcome them.

Here are a few of the enemies stacked against us:

We all have natural tendencies in our heart and soul, and many of these pull us away from our desired outcomes. For example, the pull inside us toward selfishness, jealousy, and revenge can sometimes overshadow our desire to act kindly. The very human urge to put ourselves first and protect our own interests makes it hard to follow the rule as often as we’d like. So we have in San Francisco five thousand homeless, and so many more in dire poverty just scraping by.

Society often promotes a worldview where success is measured by material wealth, status, or power. This messaging can lead us to believe that achieving these goals requires us to prioritize ourselves over others. The assumption that getting ahead means outdoing or outmaneuvering others makes it difficult to practice selflessness. Success is being a great sports player, hospitals are named after social media kings; success is going to the right schools, hanging out with the right people. Success is measured by results. Real success is loving others, caring for others, walking with others.

When we’re hurt or angered, our immediate response often overshadows our ability to consider the long-term benefits of peace. In the heat of the moment, it’s easier to react impulsively than to reflect on the impact of our actions.

When we have time to think about how we intend to respond in an upcoming circumstance or conversation, following the Golden Rule becomes easier. But when a difficult circumstance seems to come out of nowhere, it takes great patience, wisdom, and intentionality to follow the Golden Rule.

Life can be harsh and even cruel. Truthfully life sucks! Sometimes this cruelty comes from other people; sometimes it arises from circumstances. But either way, the harsher we are dealt with, the easier it becomes to deal harshly with others. As you get older you learn quickly how harsh life can be, we best walk with others in their shoes, making their lives easier, not expecting anything in return.

The pervasive cultural message to “look out for number one”  encourages us to prioritize our own needs and preferences above all else. And while, in the long run, following the Golden Rule is the best way to prioritize our needs, it doesn’t always feel that way. In fact the mood of the world now, it seems completely absent.

All of that to say, living by the Golden Rule isn’t easy. But how? What are some practical ways we can accomplish this in our relationships?

My goal with the following list isn’t to argue that living out the Golden Rule in our relationships is easy to do—I’ve already said it isn’t.

My goal is to offer both old and new ideas that help display the number of opportunities we do have each day to live it out. And hopefully improve all of our relationships because of it.

Make it a habit to understand your friends’ perspectives and emotions. Empathy is the foundation of meaningful friendships, so ask more questions.

A friend recently told me that when he is talking to a friend and disagrees with something they say, rather than arguing for his position, he’s learned to simply respond with the phrase: “Tell me more.” Far better than getting into an argument over who is right, it usually results in more understanding. I don’t agree half with what I hear, but this is their story, I listen, caring for them, not for myself.

Choosing to genuinely listen is a simple, but powerful way to honor the Golden Rule. Set aside distractions and give your friends your full attention. This is what we want when we have something we want to share with others. When we listen actively, we validate our friends’ experiences, make them feel seen and heard, and treat them exactly the way we want to be treated. Few of us really listen, so overcome with our social media, and our own self-centeredness, I have not to listen to others creates a lonely life.

 Finally be generous with encouragement, communicate openly and honestly, offer  help as the other requests without imposing our values upon them, show kindness in simple ways, and most importantly forgive, forgive, none of us are perfect, and forget, never hold a grudge. Most importantly prioritize quality time.

Treating others just the way you want to be treated—keep this idea at the forefront of your mind and you’ll be amazed by how often it changes the way you act. And you will be amazed at how well it improves your relationships. Keeping this in mind you can truly be “The Strong Person!” Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

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"For LGBTQ+ young people, having an affirming community makes all the difference. Your participation and fundraising efforts help The Trevor Project continue to provide free, secure 24/7 suicide prevention and crisis services. This effort will also support Trevor’s ongoing public education, advocacy, and research initiatives, all in hopes of building a world where LGBTQ+ young people are safe and free to be themselves.

I am sacrificing a meal a day to donate! Join Me!

"Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

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Dr. River Damien Sims, sfw, D.Min., D.S.T.

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Prayer of St. Brendan!

"Help me to journey beyond the familiar

and into the unknown.

Give me the faith to leave old ways and break fresh ground with You. Christ of the mysteries I trust in You to be stronger than each storm within me.

I will trust in the darkness and know that my times, even now, are in Your hands.

Tune my spirit to the music of heaven,

and somehow, make my obedience count for You"

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"The people I love the best jump into work head-first without dallying in the shallows and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight. They seem to become natives of that element, the black sleek heads of seals bouncing like half-submerged balls.

- Marge Piercy, from “To Be of Use”

[2024change]

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What has been spoiled through man's fault, can be made good again through man's work. It is not immutable fate that has caused the state of corruption. Then we must see to it that the new way is safely entered upon, so that any re-currencies may be avoided. The same with debasing attitudes, and fashions, that corrupt human society. To do away with this corruption, in such a way it unfolds in orderly sequence.

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[levadamadeira]

There are around 4500 people involved in the 14th edition of the Madeira Island Ultra Trail (MIUT), one of the biggest sporting events in the Autonomous Region of Madeira. The event has already ensured television broadcasting for several international channels, and a magazine has been created for this purpose. Around 3000 athletes, 750 volunteers, joined by PSP elements, rangers, IFCN elements, doctors, firefighters, nurses, physiotherapists, Civil Protection professionals, drivers, among others, accounting for around 4500 people involved, in what is the biggest sporting event in the Region. The routes of the five MIUT races cross the island from one end to the other, crossing the municipalities of Porto Moniz, Calheta, Ponta do Sol, Ribeira Brava, São Vicente, Santana, Câmara de Lobos, Funchal, Santa Cruz and Machico. MIUT has gained high international recognition for its organizational excellence, and this year the organization has entered into a partnership with the communications company BenefitSucess, producing a 12-minute magazine, broadcast on several international channels, such as Bein Sports (United States America, France, Spain, Egypt, Qatar, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East and North Africa), Dubai TV, FOX Sports (South America), ONE Sports (Canada), Abu Dhabi TV, thus guaranteeing an enormous diffusion of the Madeira brand and the event itself.

[xtruss]

Seaweed encroaches on the coast of Le Gosier, a city on the French Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe, on April 23, 2018. The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt, as its known, is making its way through the Caribbean again this year and is headed toward Florida. Photograph By Helene Valenzuela, AFP/Getty Images

A giant, Rotting Mass of Seaweed Threatens Beach Season in the U.S.

The 10-million-pound mass of floating seaweed—called the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt—is heading to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean right as tourism peaks.

— By Sarah Gibbens | Mrch 16, 2023

A 10 million-pound blob is riding ocean currents, heading for the tip of Florida.

The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt—a goopy mass of leafy, floating seaweed stretching across 5,000 miles—is meandering its way past Florida and through the Caribbean.

“In the vast expanse of the ocean, it can be an oasis,” says Brian Barnes, a marine scientist at the University of South Florida. The patches of seaweed can be a home and source of food for passing fish and sea turtles.

Historically, sargassum has been a natural part of the ocean ecosystem, but in the past decade that oasis has blossomed into a nuisance capable of causing serious damage—and a rotting, smelly one at that. Here's what we know about where it came from—and whether you need to worry about it.

Where Did it Come From; Where is it Going?

Volunteers and municipal workers collect sargassum in Puerto Morelos, a port town in Quintana Roo, Mexico, on August 8, 2018. The clumps of seaweed colored the water brown and gave off a fetid smell. Photograph By STR, AFP/Getty Images

“I try to shy away from the term blob. That’s not really what it is,” says Barnes, who says that the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt is really a series of many small blobs with individual patches that are as large as an acre. Smushed together, he adds, it would be roughly the size of Delaware.

Sargassum is a golden-hued seaweed, a large macroalgae, that’s continuously whisked atop the ocean’s currents. Unlike other types of seaweed, such as the kelp that’s anchored to the shallow ocean floor, sargassum is adapted to life on the open sea and lives solely in floating patches.

Much of it can be found in the western Atlantic’s Sargasso Sea, which is such an important ocean habitat to so many marine creatures it’s been called the “golden floating rainforest.”

Because sargassum is made for life adrift, it regularly travels across the sea. The ocean is full of different currents that move across the globe like conveyor belts. The sargassum nearing U.S. beaches will have spent time off the western coast of Africa, then the high seas of the Atlantic Ocean, and finally in the Caribbean Sea, where much of the sargassum resides this time of year.

Based on currents, Barnes says, the sargassum will likely soon enter the Gulf of Mexico, make a U-turn, and then reenter the Atlantic Ocean, passing by southern Florida from around April to June.

A Growing Threat

Residents remove sargassum from the shores of Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico, on May 15, 2019. Worried about the increase in seaweed washing up on Caribbean beaches, scientists, hotel owners, and government officials have been working to find ways to get rid of it. Photograph By Rodrigo Arangua, AFP/Getty Images

Sargassum has existed for about 30 million years, but blooms of this massive size are a rising concern.

“To our best knowledge, 2011 was the first year that there was a big bloom of this stuff,” says Barnes.

Dangerous algal blooms like red tides are often fueled by pollution, and sargassum is no different. When farmers spray fertilizers on land, they release chemicals laden with nutrients to help crops grow. When those fertilizers leak into rivers and make their way out to sea, they release the same plant-growing nutrients onto sea plants, unintentionally giving them a boost.

In the past decade, one culprit has been the Amazon River, says Cynthia Heil, the director of the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium’s Red Tide Institute.

When that excess sargassum piles up on beaches, it’s—at best—a nuisance for businesses that rely on tourists flocking to clean, seaweed-free beaches.

After a large sargassum bloom in 2018, occupancy rates at Riviera Maya hotels along the Yucatan Peninsula dropped.

This year, that same shoreline is bracing for three feet of sargassum.

In addition to blocking beach access, sargassum stinks, says Heil. As it decomposes it releases a gas called hydrogen sulfide that smells like rotten eggs. That gas can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, according to the Florida Department of Health. Tiny sea creatures, like jellyfish, may also live in sargassum and can irritate skin.

The seaweed, in excess, can also harm the ecosystem. The thick, tangled mass can smother coral reefs and mangroves, and tiny creatures living in the land like crabs and clams.

Currently, there’s no easy fix for getting rid of sargassum, say scientists, and removal can cost tens of millions of dollars.

[peashooter85]

Why was the first Union officer killed in the American Civil War wearing a grey uniform?

On May 21st, 1861 the 11th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment stormed Alexandria, Virginia, a mere week after Virginia had declared secession from the Union.  The regiment’s commander, Col. Elmer Ellsworth, entered a local tavern to remove the Confederate flag that was flying on the roof of the building.  While descending the steps with the flag he was ambushed and shot by the tavern’s owner,  James W. Jackson, who was in turn bayoneted to death by another soldier. Col. Ellsworth became the first Union officer killed in the American Civil War, and one of the earliest deaths of the war in general.  Today his uniform is on display at the New York Military Museum, complete with the bullet hole from his fatal shooting. However, to those not so much versed in Civil War history, something may seem odd about the uniform.  Ellsworth was a colonel in the Union Army, but he was wearing a grey uniform. 

Most Americans have learned that during the Civil War the Union wore blue and the Confederacy wore grey uniforms.  However in the early months of the war this was not a hard and fast rule, more like a suggestion.  At the beginning of the Civil War the US Army consisted of three classes of soldiers. The first were the 16,000 regular soldiers who made up the army before the war.  These men would have had their regular service uniforms which would have been blue.  Then there were the volunteers who enlisted when the war began.  While many would have been issued standard uniforms many other units designed their own uniforms which were unique to that regiment.  Finally there were local militia companies and regiments who existed before the war and had their own uniforms, most of which were not standard US Army issue. The men of the 11th NY Infantry were of the 2nd category, personally recruited by Ellsworth from New York City firefighters.  Ellsworth himself designed the uniform, and since he was part of the zouave fandom, he designed a zouave uniform.  Zouaves were originally French light infantrymen stationed in North Africa who wore a unique type of uniform with a North African flair.  Since people at the time thought the French were awesome many militaries copied French uniforms. Both the Union and Confederate standard uniform was based on the French pattern.  People at the time thought zouaves were especially awesome, so in no time militaries around the Western world were creating their own zouave units.  This included Spain, Britain, Italy, Turkey, Brazil, Poland, the United States, and the Confederacy. Ellsworth made his uniform grey most likely because his first command was as the drillmaster of a militia unit called the Rockford Greys, which also happened to be a zouave unit.

11th NY Volunteer Infantry, early war

Thus the early Union Army was a hodgpodge of different volunteer and militia units with their own unique uniforms.  The Confederate Army had an even bigger problem with uniform standardization as it was an army created completely by scratch comprised entirely of militia with their own unique uniforms or volunteers.  Many early Confederate soldiers didn’t even have uniforms and went into battle wearing civilian clothing.

The result was that on both side you had a wide variety of uniforms in a wide variety of styles and colors. There were Union soldiers wearing grey and Confederate soldiers wearing blue.  There were soldiers wearing uniforms that were from the wrong century and they might have had time machines.

2nd New Hampshire Militia Regiment

The Amoskeag Veterans, a militia unit from New Hampshire

There were soldiers who wore kilts

79th New York Volunteer Infantry

There were soldiers who wore Prussian style pickelhaubs with a skull and crossbone on them

Palmetto Rifles, a militia unit from South Carolina

There were soldiers who fought in wars of independence in their home countries and wore the same uniform after immigrating to America.

39th New York Volunteer Regiment, a unit comprised of Italian immigrants, many of whom fought in the Italian Unification Wars.

Literally anything could go.  If I find out tomorrow that there was a Union regiment who dressed up as Roman legionaries and a Confederate Regiment who dressed up as Greek hoplites and they fought each other in a small early war skirmish in Kentucky it would not shock me.

This uniform madness all culminated at the First Battle of Bull Run, AKA First Manassas, where the wide variety of uniforms resulted in chaos and confusion.  According to Gen. William T. Sherman friendly fire incidents occurred during the battle due the confusion.  In one incident, the 33rd Virginia Regiment stormed two Union artillery batteries without being fired upon because they were wearing blue uniforms.

After the Battle of Bull Run both sides began the mass issuance of standardized uniforms to end the confusion and streamline logistics.  By 1862 most soldiers had standard issue uniforms.  There were some exceptions, most notable were zouave units because zouaves were just the bee knees I’ll tell you what. However, even then Union and Confederate zouaves wore blue and grey respectively.  Specialized units might wear special uniforms, for example Union sharpshooters wore green uniforms as an early form of camouflage. Often milita and volunteer regiments wore standard uniforms with unique accessories so that they could retain some uniqueness.  For example the 79th NY Infantry continued to wear kilts and the 39th NY Infantry wore their wide brimmed Italian hats with ostrich feathers.  The 2nd Wisconsin “Iron Brigade” wore the hardee hat as a distinction because they were an elite unit of shock troops. However for the most part, the uniforms in the Civil War became the same.

2nd Wisconsin Iron Brigade

3rd New Jersey Hussars

44th Mississippi Infantry

[greatworldwar2]

• 28th Māori Battalion

The 28th (Māori) Battalion, more commonly known as the Māori Battalion, was an infantry battalion of the New Zealand Army that served during the Second World War.

The 28th (Māori) Battalion had its origins before the start of the Second World War. In mid-1939, as war in Europe began to be seen as inevitable, Sir Āpirana Ngata started to discuss proposals for the formation of a military unit made up of Māori volunteers similar to the Māori Pioneer Battalion that had served during the First World War. This proposal was furthered by two Māori MPs, Eruera Tirikatene and Paraire Paikea, and from this support within the Māori community for the idea began to grow as it was seen as an opportunity for Māori to participate as citizens of the British Empire. At first the New Zealand government was hesitant, but on October 4th, the decision was announced that the proposal would be accepted and that the battalion would be raised in addition to the nine battalions and support units that had already been formed into three brigades of the 2nd New Zealand Division. Nevertheless, it was decided that the battalion's key positions, including its officers, non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and signallers, would initially be filled largely by New Zealanders of European descent. This decision was met with some consternation, so assurances were made that over time suitable Māori candidates would take over these positions. In this regard, it was decided that the battalion's first commanding officer would be a regular officer, Major George Dittmer later promoted to lieutenant colonel in January 1940 and that his second-in-command would be a Reserve officer, Lieutenant Colonel George Bertrand, a part-Māori who would take up the position with the rank of major.

Almost immediately effort was focused upon selecting and identifying the officers and NCOs. To this end volunteers were called for among units that had already formed as part of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF) and from new recruits. At the end of November, 146 trainees reported to the Army School at Trentham, where even serving officers and NCOs were required to prove their suitability for positions in the new battalion. Concurrently, recruiting of men to fill the other ranks positions began in early October and within three weeks nearly 900 men had enlisted. The process was carried out by recruiting officers who worked closely with tribal authorities, and the recruits were restricted to single men aged between 21 and 35, although later married men were allowed to join, but only if they did not have more than two children, of similar ages. On January 26th, 1940 the battalion came together for the first time, marking its official raising at the Palmerston North Show Grounds. Upon formation it was decided that the battalion would be organised upon tribal lines. The unit consisted of a headquarters company and four rifle companies, designated 'A' through 'D': 'A' Company (Kamupene ā – Ngā Kiri Kapia – the Gumdiggers) was recruited from the Northland to Auckland ; 'B' Company (Kamupene B – Ngā Ruku Kapa – Penny Divers) from Rotorua, the Bay of Plenty and Thames–Coromandel; 'C' Company (Kamupene C – Ngā kaupoi – The Cowboys) from the East Coast from Gisborne to East Cape and 'D' Company (Ngāti Walkabout) from Waikato, Maniapoto, Hawkes Bay, Wellington and the South Island, as well as some Pacific Islands and the Chatham and Stewart Islands.

February saw the issuing of equipment and the commencement of training; punctuated by medical inspections and dental treatment as well as ceremonial duties. A lack of previous experience in technical trades also hampered the battalion's training, as the unit was short of men who were able to serve in roles such as clerks, drivers and signallers – most personnel were drawn from mainly rural backgrounds. Consequently, candidates for these roles had to be trained from scratch. The organisation of the battalion was finally completed in March, when the men were allocated to their respective companies, and on March 13th, 1940 the 28th (Māori) Battalion was declared on active service. After 14 days leave, the battalion conducted a five-week concentration period before embarking on May 1th, 1940. The battalion's strength at this time was 39 officers and 642 other ranks. Sailing upon the Aquitania via Fremantle and Cape Town, the battalion arrived at Gourock, Scotland, after six weeks at sea. Initially they had been destined to join the rest of the 2nd New Zealand Division in the Middle East, but due to concerns about a possible invasion of the United Kingdom by the German Wehrmacht, the decision was made to divert the division's second echelon, a brigade-sized force that included the 28th (Māori) Battalion, to Britain to help bolster the island's defences. In late June or early July 1940 the 28th (Māori) Battalion was attached to a mixed brigade under Brigadier Harold Barrowclough. During this time they manned defences in the south of England and undertook further training. The battalion suffered from a lack of equipment, largely due to the priority given to re-equip British units following the losses suffered by the British Expeditionary Force in France, and consequently training was largely focused upon anti-gas procedures and route marching. On July 6th they were inspected by King George VI and he was said to have been impressed by the "smartness of the close order and arms drill of the Māori Battalion" and "by the fine physique, keenness and determined demeanour" of the men.

Shortly afterwards the Mixed Brigade began quick deployment and defensive manoeuvres in earnest, as fears of invasion grew. In between exercises, further training was undertaken and the battalion also worked to improve fixed defences throughout July, August and into September. In September, a divisional review was undertaken and amidst massive German air raids upon London, the New Zealanders were declared to be ready for front-line service in the event of a German landing. Warning orders for deployment to Egypt were cancelled and the New Zealanders were placed under command of XII Corps, taking up defensive positions in the Folkestone–Dover region. In October, the Māori Battalion was attached to "Milforce", under Dittmer's command, along with a squadron of tanks, a squadron of cavalry and a medium machine gun company. Later in the month, the battalion received the order to begin preparing for redeployment to Egypt and an advance party was dispatched in mid-December. On January 7th, 1941 the rest of the battalion left for the Middle East. After sailing via Freetown, Cape Town and Durban, the Athlone Castle sailed up the east coast of Africa and entered the Suez Canal, arriving at Tewfik harbour on March 3rd, 1941. In the afternoon the battalion entrained and two days later they arrived in the desert, where they were met by motor transport which carried them to camp Garawi, about 20 miles (32 km) from Cairo. At this point they were met by about 300 reinforcements which were used to replace men who had been laid down with influenza and to bring the battalion up to a higher establishment. Shortly afterwards they were moved to Alexandria, where they embarked on the Cameronia, bound for Greece.

On April 6th the German invasion of Greece and Yugoslavia began. In order to help defend Greece, a composite force of three divisions of Australian, British and New Zealand troops were to be deployed, and were grouped together under the title of 'W' Force. However, by the time the invasion began only two of the three divisions had arrived, and the New Zealanders were consequently spread thin, holding a position to the north of Katerini, where they were tasked to defend the strategic Olympus Pass to the south. During this time, the 28th (Māori) Battalion was attached to the 5th Infantry Brigade, which was later grouped with other Australian and New Zealand units to form the Anzac Corps. Vastly outnumbered, within two days the situation for the Allies was not good as the Germans had broken through the defences along the Bulgarian border and the Yugoslav resistance had collapsed. As the situation worsened, orders came down from brigade headquarters that the passes would be held "to the last man and last round".

On April 9th, the fall of Salonika precipitated the order for the battalion to withdraw from their positions at Katerini south to Olympus. As events unfolded elsewhere, the battalion remained in position, digging in and constructing defences until April 12th when they were ordered to withdraw behind the Mavroneri Gorge and reposition themselves on the western aspect. At this time the 5th Infantry Brigade's orders were changed from a holding action to a delay and withdrawal. It was in the Petra Pass, alongside the 22nd Battalion, that the 28th Battalion fought its first engagement of the war. In preparation for the coming attack, the Māori built their position, running out barbed and concertina wire and digging in while German bombers droned overhead. As German forces were halted at Platamon by the 21st Battalion, thrusts towards Larisa once again put the battalion's position in doubt and they were again ordered to withdraw. In the end the Māori remained in position until April 17th. Throughout the previous two days the battalion worked hard to repel repeated attempts by elements of the German 2nd Infantry Regiment to infiltrate their lines, before they finally received the order to fall back. Withdrawing over difficult terrain towards the pass, the manoeuvre continued into the night as the Germans continued to harass their rearguard units. The move was carried out with considerable urgency because the intention was to blow a bridge up just after the battalion had withdrawn across it in order to delay the German advance. In the end the battalion only just made it. After meeting motor transport, the battalion moved back to Ay Dhimitrios, which they began to prepare to defend in order to help seal off the exit of the Olympus pass. The withdrawal continued, though, and on April 19th the Māori Battalion was called upon to conduct a delaying action as the rest of the 5th Infantry Brigade pulled back through Larisa towards Lamia, 80 miles (130 km) south. Here they took up position in a marsh and as they made preparations for its defence, on April 22nd, in Athens, the decision was made that the units of the British Commonwealth forces would be withdrawn from the country.

Over the course of the next two days, the battalion withdrew towards Athens, where they arrived in the early morning on April 24th. They continued on to the beach at Porto Rafti, destroying their vehicles and other equipment as they went. In the confusion of orders and counter orders, the battalion's carrier and mortar platoons had gotten separated from the rest of the unit. By 9:00 pm on April 24th when the final move to the beach commenced they still had not arrived. Of the various groups that had become detached from the battalion, some were able to make their own way to the embarkation beaches, but a number of them were ultimately captured. The battalion's casualties in Greece were 10 killed or died of wounds, six wounded, 83 captured, 11 wounded and captured. After being evacuated from Greece, the Māori Battalion embarked upon the landing ship, infantry HMS Glengyle and was taken to Crete where they formed part of the island's hastily formed garrison. On May 20th, 1941, the Germans launched the opening stages of their campaign with large-scale glider and parachute drops of troops from Maleme to Canea. The landings were focused around the airfield and no troops landed in the area being held by the Māori, nevertheless, a small force of glider troops were found to be occupying a house on the beach about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) from them. A platoon was dispatched to attack them and after a brief fire-fight in which two New Zealanders were wounded and eight Germans were killed, the 10 remaining men in the house surrendered. The main German attack was focused upon the 22nd Battalion which was defending the airfield. Hard pressed, late in the day the 22nd requested reinforcements and the 5th Infantry Brigade commander, Brigadier J. Hargest, sent one company from the 23rd and one from the 28th. The task was given to 'B' Company and, as the company commander only knew the direct route, they had a night approach march of over 8 miles (13 km) to cover. During the march they came in contact with a platoon-sized force of Germans which briefly held up the company before reinforcements could arrive.

The German force surrendered, but in doing so one of their number threw a grenade at the New Zealanders, wounding two men. In response the Māori fixed bayonets and carried out the first bayonet charge by a New Zealand force during the war, killing 24. A short while later they killed another eight in a separate engagement. Continuing on towards the 22nd Battalion, they bumped into a number of small pockets of Germans before eventually linking up with the 22nd Battalion's headquarters where they were told to return to their own lines as the decision had been made to withdraw. Eleven hours later the company reported back to the 28th Battalion's lines. Over the course of the next ten days the battalion was involved in a series of engagements as they fought to defend the island, with the most notable probably being the bayonet charge that they undertook with the Australian 2/7th Battalion at 42nd Street on May 27th, in which 280 Germans were killed, with the Māori accounting for 100. However, it soon became clear that the garrison on Crete would need to be evacuated and on 28 May the bulk of Creforce began to disengage the Germans and begin the retreat towards Sfakia. The 5th Infantry Brigade took turns with two Australian battalions and the commandos of Layforce to carry out a rearguard action to guard the pass through which the troops had to traverse in order to escape. On May 30th, the final order was received, although due to shipping losses it was not possible to evacuate everyone. In order to maintain fairness, each battalion was allotted a certain number of men who would have to remain and defend the embarkation beaches to allow the others to get away. The 28th Battalion was allocated 230 men to embark, while six officers and 144 men would have to stay behind. A large number of men volunteered to remain, and at midnight the remainder headed down to the beach and were taken off on a landing ship two hours later. The battalion suffered 243 casualties during the brief defence of the island, including 74 men killed and 102 men wounded.

After their escape from Crete, the 28th (Māori) Battalion was evacuated to Egypt where they were re-issued with summer uniforms and began to receive reinforcements. In June they carried out a ceremonial parade for King George VI and the Queen, and the commander of the 2nd New Zealand Division, Lieutenant General Bernard Freyberg. Throughout July, the battalion undertook desert familiarisation training before moving to Kabrit where they concentrated with the rest of the 5th Infantry Brigade for a three-week combined operations exercise. Later, in August, they moved to a position 20 miles (32 km) west of El Alamein, known as the "Kaponga Box" where throughout September and into October they undertook the unfamiliar task of road construction. In October, the brigade received orders to link up with the rest of the division in preparation for their commitment to the battle along the frontier. Their first task was to capture the seaside town of Sollum, which was taken on 23 November from its Italian garrison with only a few casualties. Follow-up artillery inflicted 18 killed and 33 wounded. Two hundred and forty-seven Italian prisoners were taken. Following this, the 5th Infantry Brigade was placed under the command of the 4th Indian Division and the 28th Battalion took up positions near Bardia. Three days later the battalion attacked a column of tanks and motorised infantry before ambushing a column at Menastir on 3 December. Later, notable actions were undertaken at Gazala and at Sidi Magreb where over 1,000 Italians prisoners were captured. Following this, the battalion was deployed to Syria before returning to Egypt in June 1942. Now officially under the command of a Māori for the first time Lieutenant Colonel Eruera Love.the Māori took part in the 2nd New Zealand Division's breakout from Minqar Qaim, undertaking a successful bayonet charge. At this time, the battalion's skills with the bayonet earned them a reputation as "scalp hunters" among German commanders, including Rommel. In September and October the battalion took part in important actions as part of the offensive in the Munassib Depression and at Miteiriya Ridge during the Second Battle of El Alamein. In November the battalion supported the final breakthrough by Allied forces that decided the outcome of the battle. Nevertheless, the battalion remained in the fighting and in March 1943, at Medenine it undertook a defensive role before switching to the offensive at Point 209 in the Tebaga Gap, where it was responsible for almost completely destroying a German panzer grenadier battalion. Two weeks later, on the night April 20th, 1943, the battalion took part in the 5th Infantry Brigade's attack on the Tunisian village of Takrouna. The village was situated atop a steep slope, and the attack stalled due to heavy concentrations of indirect fire and landmines, which wounded a number of men. The battalion returned to Egypt with the 5th Infantry Brigade in late-May and underwent a period of refit and retraining, during which the bulk of the original unit was given three months leave and returned to New Zealand.

Having taken no part in the Allied invasion of Sicily in July August, the 2nd New Zealand Division was committed to battle again in late 1943 as part of Eighth Army during the Italian Campaign. The Māori Battalion subsequently arrived in Italy on October 22nd, landing at Taranto. 5th Infantry Brigade undertook a period of training in close-country tactics, remaining in camp at Taranto until 18 November when it was ordered to move north 250 miles (400 km) to join the Eighth Army. The 2nd New Zealand Division had moved into the front line in November in order to relieve the 8th Indian Division and would take part in the advance across the Sangro planned for the end of the month. The brigade subsequently occupied positions around Atessa, with the Māori Battalion in brigade reserve, occupying a series of low hills which formed the Sangro river valley. During December the 2nd New Zealand Division took part in the Moro River Campaign. By this time the attacking battalions had exploited forward towards the Winter Line and the Māori Battalion moved forward by truck on December 1st, crossing the Sangro. Heavy congestion on the road delayed the battalion's movements, and although scheduled to assault towards Elici, they arrived to find the 23rd Battalion and the Division Cavalry had already completed the task. The Māori were again ordered into reserve, occupying positions 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Castelfrentano. As part of the Fifth Army's advance up the Liri valley, the Māori Battalion's next major engagement came in early 1944 when they took part in the fighting around Monte Cassino. The position at Cassino was dominated by an historic Benedictine monastery. Throughout January the Allies continued their advance, but as they were checked by the German positions at Cassino the advance stalled. They met very stiff resistance, and although they managed to reach the railway station they were unable to wrest control of it from its defenders. Lacking armoured support, which had failed to arrive, they fought through the morning and into the afternoon, but when their position was assaulted by two German tanks they were forced to withdraw. In March they were again involved in fighting around Cassino, however, it was not until May that the position was eventually captured, by which time the New Zealanders had been withdrawn from the line, and transferred back to the Eighth Army.

In April 1945 the battalion returned to the front line to take part in the final stages of the war. On April 1th, the battalion entered the line near Granarolo along with the rest of the 5th Infantry Brigade and for the next month they were involved in five main battles along the Senio, Santerno, Sillaro, Gaiana and Idice rivers as the Allies pursued the Germans back towards Trieste. It was in Trieste that the Māori Battalion's war came to an end. Their involvement in the final stages of the fighting in Italy had cost them 25 killed and 117 wounded, while losses for the entire Italian campaign were 230 men killed, and 887 wounded. On May 2nd, 1945 news was received that all German forces west of the Isonzo River had surrendered. While this did not officially end the fighting in Italy, it was all but over. Five days later, on the night of May 7th, the battalion received the news that Germany had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, and that the war in Europe was over. Nevertheless, tensions remained high and concerns about the intentions of Yugoslavia regarding the disputed province of Istria meant that the 28th (Māori) Battalion remained on high alert. This continued until early June when an agreement was reached and Yugoslavia withdrew its troops east of the Isonzo River. Following this the routine of the battalion became more settled. Afterwards, preparations began for the battalion's return to New Zealand. The war with Japan continued however, and at the time it was believed that the Māori would take part in further operations in the Pacific. New Zealand policy at the time was that long serving men were to be repatriated and their places taken by men with less time in service. In this regard, commencing in late May, drafts of men departed in the order of their arrival at the battalion. On 15 August 1945 news was received of Japan's unconditional surrender, ending plans for the battalion to take part in further combat in the Pacific. In September it was decided that as part of the departure of New Zealand troops from the theatre, memorial services would be held at the locations of the division's major battles. The last batch of long service men had departed shortly after the battalion's arrival at Lake Trasimene.

Throughout the course of the war, 3,600 men served in the battalion. Of these, 649 were killed or died of wounds while another 1,712 were wounded. Another 29 died as a result of service following discharge, while two were killed by accident during training in New Zealand. The Māori Battalion's service against the Germans in North Africa earned them a distinguished reputation. Such was the respect that Allied commanders had for the Māori Battalion that they were frequently used as a spearhead unit. Bernard Freyberg, the General Officer Commanding of the 2NZEF, commented, "No infantry had a more distinguished record, or saw more fighting, or, alas, had such heavy casualties, as the Maori Battalion." The battalion's reputation was also acknowledged by their opponents. Some sources state that the Afrika Korps commander, Erwin Rommel remarked,"Give me the Maori Battalion and I will conquer the world".

[thecrownnet]

Queen enters 'twilight' of reign after farewell to Philip

Now that the Royal Family has said farewell to Prince Philip, attention will turn to Queen Elizabeth II’s 95th birthday on Wednesday and, in coming months, the celebrations marking her 70 years on the throne

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press April 20, 2021

Photo: The Associated Press FILE - In this Monday, March 12, 2018 file photo, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II leaves after attending the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in London. Now that the Royal Family has said farewell to Prince Philip, attention will turn to Queen Elizabeth II’s 95th birthday on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 and, in coming months, the celebrations marking her 70 years on the throne. This combination of events is reminding the United Kingdom that the reign of the queen, the only monarch most of her subjects have ever known, is finite. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, file)

LONDON -- Now that the Royal Family has said farewell to Prince Philip, attention will turn to Queen Elizabeth II’s 95th birthday on Wednesday and, in coming months, the celebrations marking her 70 years on the throne.

This combination of events is reminding the United Kingdom that the reign of the queen, the only monarch most of her subjects have ever known, is finite. That has triggered speculation about how long she will remain on the throne, what the monarchy will look like in the future and, for some, even whether it should continue to exist.

“The queen is certainly moving now into the twilight of her reign and a new phase of her reign,’’ said Anna Whitelock, director of the Centre for the Study of Modern Monarchy at Royal Holloway, University of London. “She now is a widow, and it remains to be seen how she’s going to respond to that.’’

While most observers say the queen is unlikely to abdicate given her lifelong commitment to public service, she has already started to turn over more responsibilities to Prince Charles, 72, her eldest son. That process is likely to accelerate following Philip’s death.

Charles’ increased role began gradually, when the queen began cutting back on long-haul flights, resulting in Charles taking her place at a 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Sri Lanka.

Then in 2017, he represented the queen at the annual Remembrance Day ceremony marking the end of World War I, laying the monarch’s wreath at the foot of the Cenotaph in London. It was the first time the queen hadn’t performed the solemn ritual, other than when she was pregnant or out of the country.

Since then, Charles has taken on an increasing number of public engagements and been named the queen’s designated successor as head of the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 54 nations with links to the British Empire.

“Symbolically, the transition towards the succession is already underway,” said Ed Owens, a historian and author of “The Family Firm, Monarchy, Mass Media and the British Public 1932-53.”

“I anticipate that we’re going to see a lot more of Prince Charles in the next couple of years so that we, as a people, start to see him in his future role as king.”

For now, the longest serving monarch in British history continues to reign. But she will do so without Philip, the man the queen called her “strength and stay,” a source of emotional support in her often lonely job.

Her loss was underscored by Saturday’s funeral at St. George’s Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle, where the figure of a widow in black sitting alone offered a glimpse of the next solitary phase of the queen’s reign.

“Constitutionally, Prince Philip’s death doesn’t change anything. But, of course, at a time when the queen is approaching her 95th birthday, she’s vulnerable and aging,’’ Whitelock said. “Clearly, Prince Philip’s death has begun this transition to the future and the beginning of the end of this phase of monarchy.”

Questions about the end of the queen’s reign will also fuel the debate over the long-term future of the monarchy, seen by many as a symbol of national unity but by others as an obsolete vestige of the nation’s feudal history.

The BBC received more than 100,000 complaints about its decision to pre-empt popular TV programs for round-the-clock coverage of Prince Philip’s death, the most it has ever received about a single programming decision.

And while there is enormous respect for the queen, the same isn’t necessarily true for Charles and other members of the royal family, said Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, which campaigns to replace the monarchy with an elected head of state.

Philip’s death “serves as a reminder to an awful lot of people, who on the whole don’t think much about the monarchy from one day to the next, that change is coming,” Smith told the Express newspaper.

The queen’s reign began with the death of her father, King George VI, on Feb. 6, 1952. She was formally crowned on June 2, 1953.

During that ceremony, televised around the world, the queen promised to govern the United Kingdom and her other realms. Six years earlier, in a speech in South Africa, then-Princess Elizabeth made clear that her commitment was for life.

“I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong,” she said.

That is a pledge the queen intends to keep, said Robert Hardman, author of “Queen of the World,” which chronicles the monarch’s influence and stature around the globe.

Even as she mourned last week, the queen attended a ceremony marking the retirement of her Lord Chamberlain, who organizes all ceremonial events for the palace, and continued to hold conversations with Commonwealth leaders.

That shows she has no intention of emulating Queen Victoria, who retreated from public life when her husband, Prince Albert, died unexpectedly at the age of 42, Hardman told the BBC.

“The signal she’s been putting out during the last week is that this is going to be business as usual, that duty comes before self,” Hardman said. “She will continue with all her duties because … she took a coronation oath and she’s sticking to it.”

But she won’t be alone.

While her popular grandson, Prince Harry, has stepped away from royal duties, the rest of the royals, backed by professional staff and advisers, are likely to rally round the queen and take on more tasks. Sustaining the institution will be the bedrock popularity of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who have a reliable ability to connect with the public.

The queen may also be helped by technology.

During the pandemic, Elizabeth has connected with the public through a series of Zoom calls. The appearances, released by the palace and posted on social media, have allowed people to see the queen speaking to schoolchildren, volunteers and health service officials — smiling, joking and making canny observations in a more personal way than the scripted speeches that have dominated her public life.

Last month, for example, she held a Zoom call with a group of children and scientists where she was asked about her meeting with the first man in space, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. The monarch, who invited Gagarin to Buckingham Palace shortly after his historic flight in 1961, was asked what the pioneering spaceman was like.

“Russian,” she replied with a smile. The audience chuckled.

Just another day of working from home.

“There’ll be a lot of emphasis as soon as the funeral is done on a return to normalcy. (For) the Royal Family, it will be the ‘Keep Calm and Carry On' sort of model, which they’ve been so good at promoting over the last 70, 80 years,'' Owens said, referring to the World War II-era adage.

“They’ll want a quick return to the normal program of royal service.”

[lboogie1906]

Ambassador Charles R. Baquet III (December 24, 1941) was born in New Orleans. He earned his BA in History from Xavier University. He earned his MA in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Government at Syracuse University.

He became a volunteer for the Peace Corps. He taught English and Social Science in the Somali Republic. He joined Volunteers in Service to America. He entered the US Foreign Service in 1968 and had his first overseas assignment as a consular officer at the US Embassy in Paris. He returned to DC and worked at the State Department.

He was a general service officer at the US consulate in Hong Kong and he was Counselor for Administrative Affairs in Beirut. He returned to DC and he worked as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations of the Bureau of Administration at the Department of State.

He spent the years as Director of the Regional Management Center at the US Embassy in Paris. He was assigned as consul general at the US Consulate in Cape Town. He witnessed the end of apartheid, the release of Nelson Mandela, and the beginning of South Africa’s first complete democracy.

President George H.W. Bush nominated him to serve as the Ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti. He had the difficult task of continuing US aid programs for famine relief, healthcare, education, good governance, and regional security against the backdrop of a violent civil war in the country. President Bill Clinton nominated Baquet to be Deputy Director of the Peace Corps. He helped persuade UC Davis to establish an international program that offered master’s degrees in horticulture and agronomy, soil science, plant biology, and preventive veterinary medicine designed to attract former and future Peace Corps volunteers.

He became a member of the American Foreign Service Association, the American Black Ambassadors Association, and Rotary International. He earned an Honorary Doctorate from Hartwich College. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence