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mariacallous · 1 year

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One hundred miles west of Johannesburg in South Africa, the Komati Power Station is hard to miss, looming above the flat grassland and farming landscapes like an enormous eruption of concrete, brick, and metal.

When the coal-fired power station first spun up its turbines in 1961, it had twice the capacity of any existing power station in South Africa. It has been operational for more than half a century, but as of October 2022, Komati has been retired—the stacks are cold and the coal deliveries have stopped.

Now a different kind of activity is taking place on the site, transforming it into a beacon of clean energy: 150 MW of solar, 70 MW of wind, and 150 MW of storage batteries. The beating of coal-fired swords into sustainable plowshares has become the new narrative for the Mpumalanga province, home to most of South Africa’s coal-fired power stations, including Komati.

To get here, the South African government has had to think outside the box. Phasing out South Africa’s aging coal-fired power station fleet—which supplies 86 percent of the country’s electricity—is expensive and politically risky, and could come at enormous social and economic cost to a nation already struggling with energy security and socioeconomic inequality. In the past, bits and pieces of energy-transition funding have come in from organizations such as the World Bank, which assisted with the Komati repurposing, but for South Africa to truly leave coal behind, something financially bigger and better was needed.

That arrived at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021, in the form of a partnership between South Africa, European countries, and the US. Together, they made a deal to deliver $8.5 billion in loans and grants to help speed up South Africa’s transition to renewables, and to do so in a socially and economically just way.

This agreement was the first of what’s being called Just Energy Transition Partnerships, or JETPs, an attempt to catalyze global finance for emerging economies looking to shift energy reliance away from fossil fuels in a way that doesn’t leave certain people and communities behind.

Since South Africa’s pioneering deal, Indonesia has signed an agreement worth $20 billion, Vietnam one worth $15.5 billion, and Senegal one worth $2.75 billion. Discussions are taking place for a possible agreement for India. Altogether, around $100 billion is on the table.

There’s significant enthusiasm for JETPs in the climate finance arena, particularly given the stagnancy of global climate finance in general. At COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries signed up to a goal of mobilizing $100 billion of climate finance for developing countries per year by 2020. None have met that target, and the agreement lapses in 2025. The hope is that more funding for clear-cut strategies and commitments will lead to quicker moves toward renewables.

South Africa came into the JETP agreement with a reasonably mature plan for a just energy transition, focusing on three sectors: electricity, new energy vehicles, and green hydrogen. Late last year, it fleshed that out with a detailed Just Energy Transition investment plan. Specifically, the plan centers on decommissioning coal plants, providing alternative employment for those working in coal mining, and accelerating the development of renewable energy and the green economy. It is a clearly defined but big task.

South Africa’s coal mining and power sector employs around 200,000 people, many in regions with poor infrastructure and high levels of poverty. So the “just” part of the “just energy transition” is critical, says climate finance expert Malango Mughogho, who is managing director of ZeniZeni Sustainable Finance Limited in South Africa and a member of the United Nations High-Level Expert Group on net-zero emissions commitments.

“People are going to lose their jobs. Industries do need to shift so, on a net basis, the average person living there needs to not be worse off from before,” she says. This is why the project focuses not only on the energy plants themselves, but also on reskilling, retraining, and redeployment of coal workers.

In a country where coal is also a major export, there are economic and political sensitivities around transitioning to renewables, and that poses a challenge in terms of how the project is framed. “Given the high unemployment rate in South Africa as well … you cannot sell it as a climate change intervention,” says Deborah Ramalope, head of climate policy analysis at the policy institute Climate Analytics in Berlin. “You really need to sell it as a socioeconomic intervention.”

That would be a hard sell if the only investment coming in were $8.5 billion—an amount far below what’s needed to completely overhaul a country’s energy sector. But JETPs aren’t intended to completely or even substantially bankroll these transitions. The idea is that this initial financial boost signals to private financiers both within and outside South Africa that things are changing.

Using public finance to leverage private investment is a common and often successful practice, Mughogho says. The challenge is to make the investment prospects as attractive as possible. “Typically private finance will move away from something if they consider it to be too risky and they’re not getting the return that they need,” she says. “So as long as those risks have been clearly identified and then managed in some way, then the private sector should come through.” This is good news, as South Africa has forecast it will need nearly $100 billion to fully realize the just transition away from coal and toward clean vehicles and green hydrogen as outlined in its plan.

Will all of that investment arrive? It’s such early days with the South African JETP that there’s not yet any concrete indication of whether the approach will work.

But the simple fact that such high-profile, high-dollar agreements are being signed around just transitions is cause for hope, says Haley St. Dennis, head of just transitions at the Institute for Human Rights and Business in Salt Lake City, Utah. “What we have seen so far, particularly from South Africa, which is the furthest along, is very promising,” she says. These projects demonstrate exactly the sort of international cooperation needed for successful climate action, St. Dennis adds.

The agreements aren’t perfect. For example, they may not rule out oil and gas as bridging fuels between coal and renewables, says St. Dennis. “The rub is that, especially for many of the JETP countries—which are heavily coal-dependent, low- and middle-income economies—decarbonization can’t come at any cost,” she says. “That especially means that it can’t threaten what is often already tenuous energy security and energy access for their people, and that's where oil and gas comes in in a big way.”

Ramalope says they also don’t go far enough. “I think the weakness of JETPs is that they’re not encouraging 1.5 [degrees] Celsius,” she says, referring to the limit on global warming set as a target by the Paris Agreement in 2015. In Senegal, which is not coal-dependent, the partnership agreement is to achieve 40 percent renewables in Senegal’s electricity mix. But Ramalope says analysis suggests the country could achieve double this amount. “I think that’s a missed opportunity.”

Another concern is that these emerging economies could be simply trapping themselves in more debt with these agreements. While there’s not much detail about the relative proportions of grants and loans in South Africa’s agreement, St. Dennis says most of the funding is concessional, or low-interest loans. “Why add more debt when the intention is to dramatically catalyze decarbonization in a very short timescale?” she asks. Grants themselves are estimated to be a very small component of the overall funding—around 5 percent.

But provided they generate the funding needed to bring emissions down as desired, the view of JETPs is largely positive, says Sierd Hadley, an economist with the Overseas Development Institute in London. For Hadley, the concern is whether JETPs can be sustained once the novelty has worn off, and once they aren’t being featured as part of a COP or G20 leadup. But he notes that the fact that the international community has managed to deliver at least four of the five JETP deals so far—with India yet to be locked in—shows there is pressure to make good on the promises.

“On the whole, the fact that there has been a plan, and that that plan is broadly in progress, suggests that on balance this has been fairly successful,” he says. “It’s a very significant moment for climate finance.”

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crystalgood · 2 years

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There are many different types of beef available on the market, but two breeds stand out above the rest: Wagyu and Angus. Both are incredibly tender and flavorful when cooked correctly. However, there are some key differences between these two cuts of meat that can make them more or less suitable for a particular dish. What is Wagyu Beef? Wagyu beef is a type of meat that comes from cattle native to Japan. It is highly marbled and has a unique flavor that makes it perfect for gourmet cuisine. Wagyu can be found in various cuts and is a popular choice among chefs across the country. It is known for its buttery taste and rich texture, which makes it a favorite at many steak restaurants. Unlike other beef, Wagyu has a higher ratio of mono-unsaturated fat and lower saturated fat, which means it is healthy for the body. Additionally, Wagyu meat is a good source of protein and iron. Wagyu beef is a rare and expensive item that can be enjoyed in fine dining restaurants, but it is not available at most grocery stores or even gas stations. This is because it is a high-end cut that requires extensive breeding and care. What is Angus Beef? Angus Beef is beef that has been raised and processed from the Angus breed of cattle. Angus beef is one of the most popular and well-known types of beef available in the United States. Originally bred in Scotland, the Angus breed is a highly acclaimed beef breed that is known for its high-quality meat and marbled appearance. It also has a reputation for being strong, healthy, and hardy. As a matter of fact, the Angus beef is the most popular type of beef in the country today. This is why you might see Angus listed on the menus of top steakhouses and fast food chains. You may have heard of USDA Prime beef, which is the highest grade of beef that the US Department of Agriculture can grade. This means that the beef has a lot of marbling, which enhances flavor and tenderness. In order to be certified as Certified Angus beef, the meat must meet eight different standards for quality. Among them is that the hide of the beef must be at least 51 percent black in color. Wagyu vs Angus Nutrition Fact Comparison: Wagyu and Angus are two of the most popular types of beef in grocery stores and steakhouses around the world. They are both high in quality and can be incredibly flavorful when cooked correctly. Both Wagyu and Angus are lean cuts of meat that contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and protein. They also have low levels of fat and calories, making them an excellent choice for those looking to reduce their calorie intake. According to a study published in the Journal of Animal Science, eating Wagyu beef can help lower your risk of heart disease. The protein in this type of beef is rich in oleic acid, which is known to reduce inflammation in the body. Wagyu is also higher in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), an omega-6 fatty acid that can reduce the levels of LDL, or “bad cholesterol,” in your bloodstream. CLA may also improve your overall health by reducing inflammation and improving the function of your immune system. What About American Wagyu? Wagyu is the name of a breed of Japanese cattle that produces high-end steak. This beef is known for its exquisite flavor, tenderness, and remarkable marbling. In order to produce Wagyu, breeders must be very careful with their herds and take special care in developing the genetics of the cattle. They use special feeds, including forage, grasses, and rice straw. Combined with longer periods for fattening, they develop a remarkable level of marbling in the meat. The American Wagyu Association manages the registration of these cattle in the United States and Canada. It also provides certification for these animals, making it easy for consumers to find genuine Wagyu. However, there is still a lot of confusion over what American Wagyu actually is. While the AWA has a labeling system that allows them to describe varying degrees of Wagyu purity, there are other factors to consider as w

ell. Crossbreeding between Japanese and American cattle has created four common classifications of Wagyu in the United States, based on genetics. These include F1, F2, F3, and Purebred. Difference Between Wagyu vs Angus? There are a lot of beef choices out there, but two types stand out above the rest: Wagyu and Angus. They both have unique characteristics that make them a great choice for many dishes. The main difference between the two cuts of meat is that Wagyu has more intramuscular fat than Angus. This gives it a melt-in-your-mouth texture and an incredibly intense flavor. Angus has less fat and a more traditional flavor profile, but it’s still a good option for those who want a high-quality cut of steak that won’t break the bank. Choosing the right cut of beef can be tricky because of the different taste, texture, and nutritional benefits that each type offers. However, there are a few key things to keep in mind when making the decision: First of all, Wagyu is much more expensive than Angus, but it is worth it for its exceptional flavor and tenderness. Angus is also more common and available, making it an ideal option for anyone who doesn’t have a big budget. Wagyu vs Angus Which One Is Better? Both Wagyu and Angus are high-quality cuts of beef that can make a fantastic addition to any dinner table. However, there are many different factors that can help you determine which one is best for you. The first thing to consider is your budget. Both Wagyu and Angus can be quite expensive, so it's important to decide what you want from your steak before making a purchase. If you're looking for a steak that has a more buttery texture, you should try Wagyu. This is due to the fact that Wagyu beef contains significantly more intramuscular fat, which gives it a melt-in-your-mouth texture. In contrast, Angus is lower in fat and has a bolder flavor. It also has a higher marbling score, which makes it more tender and juicy than other beef cuts. Regardless of which type you choose, both beef cuts are rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Both of these nutrients are essential for maintaining a healthy diet. How To Choose Wagyu Vs Angus? Wagyu and Angus beef are two of the world’s most sought-after cuts. Whether you’re looking for the ultimate steak or simply a gourmet meal, you’ll find that both Wagyu and Angus are exceptional options for any occasion. Both types of beef have unique marbling that creates tender and juicy cuts that are incredibly flavorful and delicious. But it’s important to understand the difference between the two so you can make an informed decision when choosing a cut for your next dinner. Unlike Angus cattle, wagyu animals are bred to marble for a longer period of time. This means that the meat will have a higher amount of fat on it, giving it more flavor and texture. This fat melts at a lower temperature than other types of beef, creating a buttery, rich flavor that’s unlike anything you can get with ordinary cuts of beef. This makes wagyu a popular choice for many food lovers because it has such an intense and enticing flavor. You can also expect a high ratio of monounsaturated to saturated fats, which can help lower cholesterol levels in the body. Conclusion: When it comes to a steak dinner, there are few things that can top the rich flavor of high-quality beef. Two names that are often associated with premium cuts of steak are Wagyu and Angus. Wagyu is a breed of cattle that originated in Japan and has earned a reputation for producing some of the most marbled, tender and juicy meats around the world. It has a delicate texture and rich beef flavor that many steak connoisseurs claim to be impossible to replicate. The secret to Wagyu’s unique flavor lies in its fat marbling. The fat in this breed is incredibly dense and interspersed throughout the muscle, which creates a buttery taste. Compared to Angus, Wagyu is also higher in mono-unsaturated fat and omega-3 fatty a

cids. This type of fat can help reduce the risk of heart disease and may even lower cholesterol levels. If you’re looking for a high-end cut of steak, Wagyu is worth the extra money. However, if you’re on a budget, Angus is an excellent choice.

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robertpalley · 2 years

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Playing Golf - Reaping the Benefits and Avoiding Injuries

The origins of golf can be traced back to 15th-century Scotland, where gentlemen would play the game on the coast near Edinburgh. The game, which involved hitting a pebble with a bent stick over the sand dunes, quickly became popular but was soon banned by the Scottish parliament because men would neglect their military training to play. In 1502, King James IV of Scotland, the first monarch to play golf, approved its play once more.

Five hundred years later, golf is still widely popular. The combination of the mental challenge and the physical exercise involved make this pastime a complete activity for the brain and body. Despite being slow-paced, it offers multiple health benefits.

Like other types of physical exercise, golf can improve cardiovascular health. Walking an entire 18-hole golf course a few times per week allows you to get in the necessary cardiovascular exercise to stay fit and even burn calories. Furthermore, golf can improve lung function, which contributes to better heart health.

A study conducted in Scandinavian countries found that playing golf can increase life span. According to the study, golfers’ mortality rate was 40 percent lower compared to non-golfers. A different study, presented at a conference of the American Stroke Association, evaluated nearly 6,000 adults over the age of 65 over 10 years and found that the death rate among golfers was nearly 10 percent lower compared to non-golfers.

In addition to better heart and lung function, golf can improve muscular tone, stability, and balance. The movement required to swing the golf club involves a rotation of the upper torso and shifting the weight, which contributes to improved balance and stronger muscles.

The benefits of playing golf are not just physical. The sport can also improve mood and reduce stress. Golf courses are usually surrounded by nature, and spending time in a natural environment can contribute to lower stress levels and a better mood.

Lastly, golf can improve social interactions, which in turn has a beneficial effect on mental health. Playing golf can be an opportunity to spend time with friends and strengthen social connections. Whether played as a pastime or a competitive sport, golf can help build a sense of community.

Golf has an overall low risk of injury, but this does not mean injuries cannot happen. You can take a few easy steps to reap the above-mentioned benefits and avoid injuries. Firstly, warming up and stretching before playing golf is essential to avoid strained muscles.

Secondly, improving technique can significantly reduce the risk of injuries. Taking golf lessons can help with this. Incorrect technique is among the most frequent causes of injury when playing golf.

Having good equipment also plays a key role in avoiding injuries. This includes appropriate shoes and clothing as well as the right golf clubs. Furthermore, it is important to wear appropriate clothing and sun protection, especially in the summer months, to avoid UV light damage.

Lastly, if an injury does occur, you must stop playing and get appropriate treatment. Continuing to play with an injury, even if it appears minor, can lead to further damage and longer recovery times, which will also prevent you from returning to your golf practice.

#Robert Palley

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studionafay · 2 years

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Contactless users made an average of 220 ‘touch and go’ transactions last year, totalling £3,327 per person A record 91.2 percent of all eligible transactions were made using the technology Mobile contactless transactions above £100 jumped 109 per cent, accounting for 4.1 percent of all contactless transactions by value Northern Ireland and Scotland are the fastest growing regions for contactless usage Data compiled from billions of Barclays debit and credit card transactions to provide a comprehensive view of the UK’s changing payment behavioursThe total value of all contactless payments jumped 49.7 percent in 2022, as Brits embraced the £100 transaction limit and returned to high street shopping following the easing of all coronavirus restrictions.New data from Barclays, which sees nearly half of the nation’s debit and credit card spending, reveals that a record 91.2 percent of all eligible card transactions* were made using contactless payments last year – a sign that consumers and businesses are continuing to shift to next-generation technology when buying and selling.The average contactless user made 220 ‘touch and go’ payments last year, up from 180 in 2021, with the average value per transaction rising 18.5 percent to £15.13. Even when comparing 2022 against the contactless transactions made at the end of 2021, after the higher £100 limit had been introduced, transaction values were still 5.3 percent up on 2021’s figures.Growth in retail, hospitality and leisureWhile all sectors saw an increase in the total value of contactless transactions, spending more than doubled in the hotels, resorts & accommodation category (+101.4 percent). Meanwhile, there was also robust growth in electronics (+97.5 percent), bars, pubs & clubs (+91.9 percent), restaurants (+90.5 percent) and clothing (+82.7 percent).The rise of mobile walletsThere was also rapid growth in the value of mobile wallet contactless payments over the £100 card limit. These payments accounted for 4.1 percent of the total value of all contactless transactions last year, compared to 3 percent the previous year.Christmas came early for contactless shoppingAs UK shoppers rushed to complete their festive purchases, Friday 23 December was the busiest day for contactless shopping – the total value was 92.1 percent higher than the daily average during 2022.Silver Spenders For the second year running, the fastest growth in contactless usage came from the over 65s, where the percentage of contactless users rose by 3.8 percent. Across the UK, the regions with the largest increase in the share of contactless users were Northern Ireland (4.9 percent), Scotland (4.8 percent) and Yorkshire and the Humber (2.8 percent).Adam Lishman, Head of Consumer Products at Barclays: “The popularity of contactless payments took another leap forwards last year. The higher £100 limit, introduced at the end of 2021, really made its mark as shoppers flooded back to high streets following the easing of coronavirus restrictions, leading to a surge in transactions. Brits are also becoming more comfortable making high-value contactless payments from their mobile, with these transactions accounting for an even greater share of total contactless spend.“While check-out-free shopping is gradually becoming more prominent, thanks to improvements in mobile technology, in the short term it’s hard to see another payment method competing with contactless when it comes to both speed and ease.”*Eligible transactions are defined as face-to-face / in-store transactions made with a debit or credit card, up to the value of the contactless limit.**Only a very small proportion of transactions in these categories are made using contactless, and as such the growth is not representative.Image courtesy of Unsplash.

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ierm-institute · 2 years

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indodatacenter · 2 years

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Microsoft's Innovative Underwater Data Center Location

Microsoft has taken the first step to create an underwater data center. The company is currently working on building a prototype that it will submerge in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. The idea behind this project is to take advantage of cold water's natural cooling effect, which helps reduce the amount of energy used to cool servers.

As humans struggle with carbon emissions and climate change, Microsoft believes this new technology could help reduce its overall environmental impact.

Quick Facts about Microsoft's Underwater Data Center Project

The underwater data center will allow Microsoft to store information in a frigid environment powered by renewable energy sources like wind turbines and solar panels. This will help reduce its carbon footprint and power consumption significantly.

Here are some quick facts about this project:

The project was first announced in 2017 when Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella visited Finland and announced plans to build the "world's first utility-scale underwater data center." The company also revealed that it had worked on this project for three years.

The purpose of creating this data center is to help reduce Microsoft's carbon footprint and dependence on fossil fuels like coal. The company wants to use this facility as a proof-of-concept prototype that other companies looking to build similar facilities in other parts of the world can access.

Microsoft has decided that submarine data centers are the best solution for its needs after it tested several options at an experimental facility in Scotland called "Project Natick."

The water temperature in the Northern Atlantic is between 55°F and 60°F year-round, making it ideal for running servers in a climate-controlled environment.

Not only does this protect against fluctuations in temperature, but it also prevents any dust or other contaminants from damaging sensitive equipment.

Environmental Benefits of Underwater Data Centers

The first and most obvious benefit is that underwater data centers will have a much smaller carbon footprint than traditional facilities.

This is because they use significantly less energy to operate their servers and cooling systems, which means they won't be contributing to climate change as much as their land-based equivalents.

The second advantage is that the data center's location will be more secure than those on land. While above-ground facilities are vulnerable to terrorist attacks or other physical threats, an undersea facility would be much harder for hostile forces to locate and attack.

In addition, if there's ever a civil unrest situation like those seen in Hong Kong or Venezuela, where protesters storm government buildings and destroy property, then an undersea facility would be much safer from damage than one on land would be.

The Microsoft undersea data center is about 30 feet below the water's surface. It will have a capacity of 12 megawatts, which is enough to power about 8,000 homes.

The data center will also use renewable energy, and Microsoft says it will be able to generate more than 1,000 tons of CO2 per year - equivalent to taking 200 cars off the road for a year.

Another benefit of underwater data centers is the lack of noise pollution. Since the facility is underwater, you don’t need to worry about disturbing nearby residents or wildlife with noise from operations like air conditioning units and fans, which can be loud enough to damage hearing over time.

Conclusion

In today's digital economy, data centers are becoming an increasingly important part of society. By 2020, the world's data center industry will be worth $250 billion and require up to $1 trillion in infrastructure investment, according to estimations.

Read more about: data center investment amount

Data centers use a lot of energy and emit much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The average data center employs more than 600 kilowatts (kW) of power — enough to power more than 100 homes — and consumes up to 1.5 percent of all electricity produced in the U.S., according to Microsoft.

Because of this, data centers have become a target for environmental groups that want to see their carbon footprint reduced as much as possible. Some companies have already begun working toward making their data centers more sustainable by reducing their energy consumption and seeking out renewable energy sources for their operations.

Microsoft is taking this idea one step further by building its first underwater data center off the coast of Scotland in collaboration with Scottish utility company Aquamarine Power Limited (APL). The goal is to create a "living laboratory" where researchers can study how marine life interacts with underwater infrastructure and new clean energy technologies like APL's tidal turbines.

#Data Center #Green Data Center

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redscarf44 · 2 years

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The Perfect Style Of A Red Scarf

During an appearance Friday night time on the Toronto International Film Festival to promote her eponymous 10-minute short movie, the 32-year-old singer offered slightly extra insight in regards to the scarf and the which means behind it. But simply because it seemed like she was about to dig deep on one of her most famous symbolisms, Swift stopped from doing exactly that. This award-winning memoir of a shattered childhood remembers a haunting time which chills the soul. At almost each flip, we hearken to the heart-pounding battle of a little lady, and her wrestle between her perception in Chairman Mao and the Communist Party, and her beloved household learn more.

A pink scarf was launched into the Republic of Korea Air Force as a device to aid visible location of downed South Korean airmen, it became and stays an iconic item of uniform in the Republic of Korea Air Force. This preview is partially blurred.Sign up to view the entire essay. Taylor grew to become visibly flustered as she explained the red cashmere scarf which means and she had to stop herself from spilling any extra particulars on what the metaphor really meant. Well, it all started with Taylor’s significantly awkward affirmation that the headscarf that everybody has been stressing over is definitely a metaphor. Alas, the singer has by no means addressed Gyllenhaal’s feedback publicly or shared any more particulars about their relationship.

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Senior woman carrying a tartan scarf above the shores of Loch Quoich within the Knoydart region of Scotland. On a snowy day, two Shetland Sheepdogs are all dressed up in scarves and sun shades. Red scarf for events in Lodosa, a part of the everyday costume of... Designed to keep you warm, shawls are perfect for bundling up whenever you're feeling chilly. These shawls have a trendy fashion, maintaining you up-to-date with the most recent tendencies.

All of the nation's or people's history prior to Year Zero was deemed largely irrelevant, as it is going to be purged and changed from the ground up. During the purges that accompanied Pol Pot's Year Zero, teachers, artists, and intellectuals were significantly focused and executed. "Basically, the headband is a metaphor and we turned it pink as a outcome of pink is a very important colour in this album, which known as Red," she said. "And, I suppose when I say it is a metaphor ... I'm simply going to stop."

Taylor Swift revealed the which means behind the red scarf referenced in “All Too Well,” but not without maintaining things cryptic.

Taylor Swift was requested in regards to the infamous scarf referenced in her music ‘All Too Well’ after Sadie Sink wore the red accessory within the 10-minute version’s brief film.

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These silk scarves have a delicate finish and an opulent style, bringing a touch of elegance to your wardrobe. In China, the headscarf is emblematic of blood of revolutionary Red Guards, as recalled in Red Scarf Park and the title of Red Scarf Girl by Ji-li Jiang about her experiences during the Cultural Revolution.

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The unique model of "All Too Well" consists of the lyrics, "And I left my scarf there at your sister's home / And you have nonetheless obtained it in your drawer, even now." An all powerful asian god that sucks the blood from her enemies. She has a legion of followers who will do things at her every command. “I’ve been fascinated with the dynamic of the age of the character that Sadie’s enjoying and what a precarious age that's, when you would fit back at your family residence sort of, but you type of don’t. You might fit in an adult’s cultivated apartment the place they've, like, a French press they usually have all the issues that adults have, however you type of don’t.

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Red Scarf shares data, recommendations and advice with its readers, and partners with a selection of rigorously selected brands to showcase their choices to the site’s followers and followers. The Red Scarf web site offers high-quality, up-to-date info on everything from the place to eat out and what to see and do within the UK, to where to find the best bargains. When she dropped "All Too Well" just about everyone received caught up in the pink scarf craze.

A helpful glossary interprets international phrases and phrases used in the textual content. Taylor’s awkward response mixed with the confirmation that the headband is a metaphor ties into a longstanding fan principle that the headband represents her virginity. “I don't care what anyone tells me i’ll at all times imagine that the scarf represents taylor’s virginity,” one fan tweeted final November. A memoir of a chinese girls life by way of the revolution of china.

Even Maggie Gyllenhaal got sucked into the lyrical storm when she was requested about it in 2017 during an appearance onWatch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. In 1986 Ruscha made the unique drawing on which the headband is predicated, impressed by a phrase he noticed inscribed in stone above the entrance to the science block of Los Angeles’s storied Hollywood High School. In the current international political climate, where suspicion and demonization of science and medicine have been widespread, this prescient picture has gained new resonance and topicality. Like the most elegant of scientific theories, Ruscha’s pictures and idioms are at once irreducibly straightforward and heroically expansive. Elsewhere during the TIFF interview, Swift talked about making the decision to work on the movie saying, “It wasn’t like I awakened in the future and I was like, ‘You know what I wish to direct. I didn’t go to movie school.” Swift then cited engaged on numerous music movies and claiming her long hours on set for every of them gave her a glance into working behind the digital camera, sparking her interest in the pursuit.

But in true Swift fashion, she’s still earning money off her heartbreak and selling a pink knit scarf as merchandise on her web site. For years, followers have speculated concerning the whereabouts of the missing item, which options prominently in “All Too Well,” the singer’s beloved 2012 ballad allegedly inspired by her short-lived romance with Jake Gyllenhaal. Safety begins with understanding how developers collect and share your data.

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#red scarf

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ssuckitlosers · 3 years

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rest of the british isles drinking headcanons? dunno if you've already done this

Sorry this took so long for me to actually post, my ability to write headcanons left the station for a hot sec but anyways. I feel like they’d all chose a pub over a club anyway, with maybe the Ireland’s maybe being the exception.

Hws Drinking Headcanons:

Hws England’s: here

Hws Scotland: Alistair is the most frequent drinker in the British Isles. Most nights, he’ll have pint or two and talk with the other regulars at, what is definitely, a old man pub. Even when he opts to stays at home he’ll usually pour himself a scotch to drink. Alistair’s reason for drinking is probably a mix of habit and that he just likes it. But, unless he’s drinking with another nation, he’s very rarely drunk. He usually only drinks enough to be slightly buzzed. (When he is drunk though-he’s an extroverted drunk. He’s usually pretty standoffish with anyone that he doesn’t know but as soon as he’s drunk he’ll have full on conversations with strangers. He’ll go to the bathroom and not return for an hour cause he stopped to chat with people kinda vibe.)

Hws Ireland: Whenever they drink, their aim is usually just to have a good time. So they tend to only drink when with other nations, which is still pretty frequently. Beer is their drink of choice, it’s usually Guinness, but it’s always Irish and good luck to any poor soul who tries to argue that another country makes better beer. Wagers should be expected on a night out with them. They’re the first one to suggest putting a bet on pub games or on who’ll win the sports game they’re watching. (I’m sure you can imagine how competitive UK countries gets.) And some bad decisions are guaranteed when they’re drinking with Alistair or Arthur (“I bet you can’t-“just you fcking watch me”) They’ll either end a night out having earned some money or a new memory of Arthur embarrassing himself, so win-win. (They’re a pretty laidback drunk I think, they’re just vibing. Probably the friend leaves without telling anyone and decides that the hour long walk is better than getting a taxi. I also imagine they tell good stories when their drunk.)

Hws Northern Ireland: How physically old is he?? I can never decided but I’ll say he’s at least 18 for now. Regardless though, the other countries in the British Isles will still tease him. He’s doesn’t let any of the British isles order his drinks for him because without fail Ireland or Scotland will always order him a half pint and then make a joke about him being a kid… Anyway, he’s drinking to have fun. He’s the one whose trying to get everyone as drunk as possibly and starting the chants to get his friends to chug their drink. And he’s notoriously good at bouncing coins into people’s drinks so they have to finish their drink. Plus he’s probably the person convincing everyone to play a drinking game. If he’s having a pint he’ll also chose an Irish beer but probably favours a spirit and a mixer. In hindsight I realise that he’s essentially a mix of Ireland’s ‘here for a good time’ and England’s ‘here to get plastered’ attitudes. (He’s probably a pretty high energy when he’s drunk. Probably cracks a lot of childish jokes and laughs too much at things that weren’t that funny.)

Hws Wales: Dylan probably drinks the least often out of the UK countries? He’ll have a few pints when he’s watching a rugby game or something but he doesn’t frequently go to the pub or drink at all. That being said though, somehow he can still drink the most alcohol in one sitting out of the British Isles. Does he have a high tolerance or is he just act the same drunk as he does sober? Who knows, but it annoys Arthur and Alistair to no end. He doesn’t drink a lot of spirits though, he prefers beer or cider. (I kind of feel like he just acts the same as if he was sober when he’s drunk. Like he’ll give a proper goodbye to everyone at the end of the night but still wake up the next morning in a field somewhere and just never mention it.)

#hetalia #hws scotland #hws ireland #hws northern ireland #hws wales #hws uk bros #I’m gonna charge that tagggg #hws United Kingdom #better???#hetalia headcanons #I kinda wanna do one of these for the tom*to gang ngl #apparently wales had the highest percentage of beings drinkers in the uk in 2016 🤔#a percent above Scotland #I kinda feel like Ireland’s would maybe fit north more??? mannn idk I don’t have too much of a vibe for them #asks #alistair kirkland #dylan kirkland #my headcanons

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watchmegetobsessed · 4 years

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VALERIE - Part VII. (Harry Styles)

wow, its crazy we are on part 7 already! not much left of the story! thank you for the kind words on the previous post, i really need the encouraging, i’ve been having some rough days lately and they always make me smile, so please, if you enjoy this part, make sure to lik/reblog/leave a comment or basically do ANYTHING! please!

word count: 5.8k

SERIES MASTERPOST

masterlist

Staying up until six am was definitely one of your worst decisions, especially at a house with kids who do not know boundaries and do everything as they please.

You growl in irritation when you hear muffled screaming from outside. Can’t a girl just sleep in?!

“Mmm,” you groan, burying your face further into the pillow.

“Harry! Harry!” Margaret’s bossy voice echoes out in the hallway and your eyes immediately snap open.

Sitting up you realize that you’re still in Harry’s room, more specifically in Harry’s bed, but he is not there next to you anymore, however Margaret’s footsteps are getting threateningly close. She can’t find you in Harry’s bed, she has such a big mouth, your whole family will talk about it in no time and that just can’t happen.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” you mumble in panic, jumping out of the bed and before you could process the running shower’s sound, you run into the bathroom and shut the door closed right before Margaret barges into Harry’s room. You even lock the door, knowing well she is nosy enough to come in there as well.

“Harry! Good morning!” her voice comes from the other side of the door and you rest your forehead against it huffing. That was close.

“Good morning to you too, princess!”

Harry’s voice comes from right behind you and it sends a shiver down your spine as your eyes widen. You didn’t even think that he might be in here, and apparently, he was. Turning around you find yourself standing almost toe to toe with a very much naked Harry who probably just got out of the shower. Your lips part first at the sight of him, then you suck them into your mouth, not even daring to move.

“Come and play with us!” Margaret demands. Harry’s green eyes burn into you intently, even when he answers your niece.

“Will be out to play with you in a minute. Go and grab the cards while I finish in here,” he calls out and for a few seconds you forget to breathe, trying your best to keep your eyes up on his face.

His skin glistens in the light, still damp from the shower, droplets are running down his tattoo-covered chest and arms while his wet hair is falling into his forehead. He is surely a spectacular sight so early in the morning and you almost hate how your body reacts to him without your consent.

Margaret’s little footsteps move over to the door before she runs out and you hear the door shutting, but the two of you still stand at the same spot. His arm reaches past you and you suck on your breath even though he doesn’t even touch you. Calmly he grabs the towel that was hanging on the door beside the door and he comfortably wraps it around his waist, eyes still burning down on you.

“I don’t mind you watching, but I think she is gone, so…” A small smirk is hiding in the corners of his mouth as he watches you snap out of your trance.

“I, uhh--yeah. I’ll just… go. See you l-later I guess,” you stutter finally turning around and walking out of the bathroom, Harry’s soft chuckle following you.

You make your way out of his room quite fast and sprint back to yours. Once the door is shut and locked behind you, back pressed to it you slide down to the floor in desperate need to take a few deep breaths.

There’s no use to try and convince yourself you don’t find Harry attractive. That would be absolute bullshit, because then you wouldn’t have slept with him years ago in the first place. What frightens you however is that your newly funded friendship with him is taking away the hatred that kept you away from him all these years and you are starting to see him in a completely different light. And that cannot happen, not when you think your life is changing for the better.

You have Marcus now. You have a balanced, healthy relationship with a guy who seems to be the perfect fit for you. There’s no need to ruin everything because your stupid crush on Harry is making a comeback.

“Get your shit together,” you tell yourself pushing yourself up from the floor, shaking your limbs out a little. You have an entire day ahead of you spent partly with Harry, you can’t lose your mind.

***

The weather is oddly warm, so following breakfast almost everyone moves outside to the backyard to soak the late december sunshine in. Aunt Teresa and your mom are taking a look at the little flower pots at the corner of the terrace, taking guesses what kind of plants will push out from the ground once spring comes. The kids are running around playing tag, making the best out of the huge backyard and endless possibilities of outside games while you sit with Lily and Jeremy, Valerie in your arms, feeling a little tired after her breakfast. Rosa put her into an overall and a fluffy hat, only her sweet little face is out, a hint of blush tinting her cheeks.

From the corner of your eyes you see Harry walk out and he stops next to you, squatting down so he can take a look at Val.

“Hey there, Princess,” he grins widely and Valerie starts babbling to him, as if she was having a whole conversation with him while he hums along, pretending to understand every word.

If you are being honest, seeing him for the first time at breakfast after your bathroom encounter, especially with that smug smirk playing on his pink lips, you needed a few moments to get your thoughts straight, but luckily, Harry didn’t tease you about it, not even for a second, so soon enough your nerves settled and you were able to feel comfortable around him again.

Valerie reaches out for him and he looks into your eyes asking for permission to take her from you.

“All yours,” you smile letting him lift her up from your arms and holding her in a sitting position he leaves to slowly walk around the backyard and show her the many wonders of nature around us.

“He is so good with kids,” Lily speaks up and tearing your eyes away from Harry, you see that she is looking in his way too.

“He is,” you nod turning back in his direction. He is showing her a dried out, brown leaf and she is watching him twirl it around in his hands as if it was one of the seven wonders.

“I’m glad Rosa chose him to be the godfather. I’m sure he and Valerie will be best friends. And she has you too,” Lily smiles at you. “You two are the perfect godparents.”

You just smile at her shyly before turning your gaze back to Harry. He catches you watching and murmurs something into Valerie’s ear before taking her little hand and making her wave in your way. Chuckling you wave back and mentally you not how you want to remember this picture forever.

After lunch you help Teresa and Etta wash the dishes while Jeremy, Lily, Joe and Harry settle for a round of scrabble at the dining table. When you’re done in the kitchen you join them, pulling a chair next to Harry you take a look at his letters.

“I have absolutely no idea what to do,” he sighs, fingers tapping on the edge of the table.

“You have a word, and you could make it go through the triple,” you tell him, Joe and Jeremy looking up at you with a mixture of shock and anger.

“Hey, no help from outside!” Joe points at you, but you just chuckle taking Harry’s letters into your hands.

“Is it your turn?” you ask him before you’d put them down to the board. Harry nods and curiously watches you put his letters connecting to a T that was already there.

“Crottle?” Harry asks reading out the word once you are finished, the E ending up on the tile that triples the score of the word.

“I’m 99 percent sure it’s not a word,” Jeremy huffs, clearly annoyed Harry just took the lead with your word.

“It is,” you smile proudly, leaning back in your seat.

“And what does that mean?” Joe chimes in.

“It’s a kind of lichen. In Scotland they use it to dye wool. Look it up, I’m telling the truth,” you chuckle seeing the doubtful looks.

“It is, look,” Lily tells him, handing her phone over, she probably just searched for it. Jeremy reads it then hands her back her phone, mumbling something under his breath before adding the scores to Harry’s column.

“How do you know this word?” Harry asks with a soft chuckle, but you just shrug your shoulders, folding your arms on your chest.

“I don’t know. Probably heard it somewhere.”

“Clever,” he smiles and as he turns back to the board his hand reaches over and gives a gentle squeeze to your thigh above your knee.

It’s such a short and insignificant action, doesn’t even last longer than just a second before his hand moves back to the table, but you find yourself thinking about how his touch felt even minutes later, when it’s his turn again. This time he has an idea of his own, luckily you don’t have to help him, because if he asked you to, you couldn’t have come up with anything, mind still stuck on that one touch.

Before dinner the kids find a few huge bags full of fallen leaves that must have been collected through the fall and they are quick to make a big mess, gathering the leaves into one enormous pile and they start jumping into it, no matter how many times their parents tell them to stop making such a mess. They just keep telling them that they’ll clean it up.

“I used to love doing that,” you smile at them, sitting outside on the veranda. Harry turns to you grinning.

“Why don’t you join them?”

“What?” you chuckle. “I’m not a kid anymore.”

“Stop being so lame! Come on, I’ll jump in with you,” he offers and standing up he holds out a hand for you, but you just shake your head.

“I’ll pass.”

Harry rolls his eyes and you really think he’ll just move on, but the next thing you know is that he throws you over his shoulder, running down to the pile of leaves as you scream from the top of your lungs, demanding to be let go.

“Oh, I’ll let you go, don’t worry!” he chuckles and you already know you stand no chance against him. His strong arm is curled around your thighs too tight, there’s no way you can escape.

“Harry! Please don’t thro--Fuck!” you scream when with one swift and elegant move he throws you off his shoulder, tossing you right into the middle of the pile, leaves flying everywhere as the pile swallows your body.

You instantly hear the kids' laughter and when you push the leaves out of your face you stare up at a grinning Harry who is very much satisfied with the work he just did.

“Very funny and mature,” you grimace, but can’t hide the smile that tugs on your lips.

“It is. Come on,” he chuckles holding out a hand with the intention of helping you out of the pile, but you have a better plan.

Getting a strong grip of his hand you pull on him forcefully, hoping you have enough strength to pull him out of his balance and bring him down into the pile beside you.

Luckily, your plan works out. He wasn’t expecting your revenge, so he easily loses balance once you pull on him, making him fly straight into the pile next to you, leaves rustling under his body, making an even bigger mess than it was before.

“Hah! I bet you did not expect this!” you scoff once his head pops out from under the dry leaves. He shoots you a murderous look before launching right at you and soon enough a whole fight blossoms where the two of you are constantly throwing handfuls of leaves at each other, trying to bury the other into the pile.

“Okay, okay, stop!” you shriek when your hair is full of crumbles and you’ve been rolling around for quite a while. Harry is kneeling beside you, hands full of leaves, ready to attack any moment.

“I only stop if you say that you’ll never plot anything against me and that I’m your one and only true king.”

“What?” you snort. “I’m not saying that!” Harry is quick to throw one handful of leaves right into your face making you scream again. “Alright! Alright! I will never plot anything against you!” you hold your hands up, trying to stop him from throwing the other bunch from his hand.

“And?”

“And…” You look at him, holding your laughter back as he patiently waits for you to finish. “And you are my one and only true king.”

He takes a deep breath through his nose before finally throwing the leaves away. He holds a hand out for you, but you stare at it hesitantly.

“Don’t be such a baby, I’m not gonna do anything,” he rolls his eyes, but you see the hidden smile on his lips. At last you take his hand and he helps out get op from the ground. Your pants and hoodie is filled with dirt stains and crumbles, it’s gonna take a while to get them out of your hair as well.

“You two are worse than the kids!” Lily laughs as you and Harry basically do a walk of shame, getting inside the house all dirty and muddy.

“All his fault!” you say, holding your hands up innocently.

“Uh-huh, no one believes that,” Harry snorts.

“Since I look like this because of you, I’m gonna take a shower in your bathroom. I need the luxury to wash this all off myself,” you state walking down the hallway.

“Only after I’m done in there.”

“Hey!” you snap pointing a finger at him. “The least you can do is to let me go first!”

“You have to beat me, Love,” he smirks and the two of you launch at the same time.

You knew you’d stand no chance, since you have to get all your stuff in your room before running into his, but you still tried. Holding your towels and showering and hair products to your chest you barge into his room, only to find it completely empty, the bathroom door closed.

“Ah, fuck you!” you call out with a frustrated growl, but just as you are about to leave, the door opens and Harry peeks out.

“It’s cute you thought you could beat me,” he chuckles walking out and holding the door open for you. Walking past him you stick your tongue out at him before you shut the door behind you and after a moment of hesitation you lock it.

It feels great to wash the dirt off yourself and when you step out of the shower you feel like a new person. You wrap your hair up into one of the towels before curling the other one around your body. Gathering your things you hold everything to your chest tightly, this way holding the towel as well as you walk out of the bathroom.

Harry is lying on his bed, scrolling through his phone when his eyes snap over to you. He doesn’t shy away from taking a long look at your uncovered legs as you walk around the bed heading to the door.

“The bathroom is all yours, thanks for the chance,” you smile shyly.

“So you’re not staying to wash my back? Not a nice way to treat your king!” he teases you, but you just roll your eyes at him before walking out of his room and shutting his door.

Even though you know it was just a joke, your mind wanders over to the scene where the two of you shower together, hands touching and feeling up each other. You suck on your breath, shaking your head, trying to get rid of the thought as you lock yourself up in your own room while Harry is probably over at his bathroom, just getting under the hot water.

***

After dinner you all gather in the sunroom, wrapped in fluffy blankets, drinking tea or hot chocolate, Aunt Monica of yourse scotch, and you start opening gifts one by one, watching everyone’s reaction.

Of course, the kids go first, tearing their presents’ wrapping apart as they reveal all the new toys. Dolls, board games, books and video games, they are truly spoiled, but with such a big family they can always expect some pretty cool gifts. Then it’s the adults’ turn. Sitting on the sofas and armchairs, you hand around the boxes and watch each other get surprised.

Your mom and dad have bought you a beautiful gold ring, one you’ve been talking about for ages after the first time you saw it at a shop. Rosa and Steven ordered a bunch of books from your Amazon wishlist and framed a montage of you and Val, it was truly a sweet gesture.

From your cousins and aunts you get some clothes and gift cards to your favorite places, just what you’ve been needing.

“These ones are the last,” Rosa smiles up holding two not too big gifts, an excited smile pulling on her lips. “They are from Valerie, to her amazing godparents.”

She hands one to you and one to Harry and you place it carefully on your lap. Exchanging a look with Harry the two of you start opening the wrapping paper at the same time. As soon as the glittery paper is gone you can’t help the smile that pulls on your lips. Seems like Rosa had a thing with framing pictures this year, because you are looking down at a photo of you, Valerie and Harry from a few weeks ago.

It was taken in their backyard and you’re holding her in your arms, smiling widely as Valerie is giggling happily at her mother behind the camera. Harry is standing close to you, one arm around your shoulders, his other hand holding Val’s tiny hand. He is hunching down a little to lessen the height difference between the two of you, a genuine smile plastered across his handsome face.

“Thank you,” you breathe out feeling a little sentimental about the photo. Seeing the three of you so happy and carefree in one picture reminds you how much things have changed since Valerie’s arrival. She really is the reason why you and Harry are now… friends. Yes, you definitely see him as a friend now instead of an enemy.

Gift opening ends and you all just stay there in the sunroom, talking and laughing, but your eyes wander over to Harry, because there is one gift left that hasn’t been opened. You bought it quite randomly and you don’t even consider it a real Christmas gift, but you’ll give it to him anyway. Later, when it’s gonna be just the two of you.

“You know, if someone showed me this picture a few months ago I would have told them it must be photoshopped,” Harry chuckles sitting down next to you. The kids have whined long enough to play one round of UNO where everyone plays. You were the second one to get rid of all your cards, Harry following you in the next round so now you are left out of the game that is seemingly taken very seriously by everyone. Loser has to clean up all the wrapping paper, so no one shies away from throwing in their best cards.

Harry is holding the framed photo in his hands, he got the exact same one, but in a darker colored frame.

“Crazy, right?” you chuckle. “I think it’s our first photo together since the wedding,” you say thinking about it.

Harry nods realizing you’re right. You had one photo taken at the wedding. When Rosa and Steven were having their first dance they asked everyone else to join them at the end and Harry was quick to ask if you wanted to dance with him. Naturally, you said yes, so you slow danced, not even noticing that the photographer snapped the moment when your cheeks were pressed together, your arms hugging his neck as he held you close by your waist.

You still have that photo saved on your phone, though it brought you quite some pain when you first saw it, the memories from that morning flooding back to you ruthlessly when you scrolled through the pictures a few weeks later.

“It was time we had a new one,” he smiles at you and that smile means a lot to you. It shows that your newly funded friendship is just as important to him as it is to you. It’s nice to know he is not just acting so Rosa wouldn’t worry about the two of you. You successfully overcome that stage by now.

It’s nearing midnight when the party dies down and everyone slowly starts to return to their rooms. You do the same, using Harry’s bathroom to shower without even asking him. He just chuckles when you walk in. He is already in his night clothes, scrolling through his phone.

When you’re done you’re walking past his bed, but before you leave you stop at the door.

“Harry?”

“Hmm?” his eyes move up to you.

“I have something for you.” Harry looks at you a little puzzled, but you don’t go into details, just go back to your room.

Just as you were expecting, he follows you and by the time you throw your dirty clothes into your suitcase he is standing at the door. You grab the little box and sit on your bed gesturing to him to do the same. Curiously eyeing you, he closes the door and joins you, a small smile tugging on his lips.

“I got you a Christmas present,” you tell him smirking in excitement, and you see his face completely fall.

“Fuck, Y/N, I didn’t know you would, so I didn’t get you anything. If I would have known--”

“Shush, it’s not even a real gift. Just a little something that reminded me of you.”

You hold out your hand, palm facing up as the box sits in the middle. Harry hesitantly glances down at it, back at you and then his eyes settle on the box as he slowly takes it. You watch his fingers work on it, gently opening the little paper box that you didn’t even wrap.

The little silvery keychain slides out into his palm and he examines it with furrowed eyebrows, reading the two words it forms.

“For fuck’s sake,” he chuckles shaking his head when he finally realizes what it says, holding his gift up that reads ‘twerk it’ and it even lights up if he switches it on at the back.

“I just saw it and it screamed for you, I couldn’t not buy it,” you laugh, enjoying the scene a tad bit too much. It’s a subtle reference to the night in the bar when the two of you sang together at the karaoke machine and Harry swore he did not twerk in the middle of the performance, but you remember it clearly, no need to deny. You’ve been teasing him with it since then constantly and thought it would be funny to take it a step further.

“I’m… speechless,” he chuckles, carefully sliding it back into the box. “I’ll put it to my keys. I’ll always know which one is mine,” he shakes his head.

He stays in your room and the two of you are quick to start chatting about anything and everything. Harry tells you about Christmases at his family and you think how fun it all sounds, wishing you could go with him tomorrow.

“When are you leaving in the morning?” you ask. The two of you are now comfortable in bed, an unspoken agreement has been settled that you’re sleeping together again. Deep down you were hoping for it to happen again, but you weren’t sure how it would stand with Harry, you thought he only agreed to it last night because you both were drunk. But when he slid under your covers when he was in the middle of a story you smiled, knowing he won’t be leaving tonight.

“Um, I have to leave before seven. My flight is at eleven and I need to get my stuff from my place before I head to the airport,” he sighs, fidgeting with the pillowcase as you are both lying on your sides facing each other. “Do you have a lift back home?”

“Yeah, already talked to Aunt Monica,” you nod into the pillow.

Harry lets out a yawn and buries his head deeper into the pillow, making himself comfortable. His eyes flutter closed and you use this chance to take a good look at his peaceful features. He truly is a beautiful man, no doubt about that. You wonder if he realizes that about himself too, or he thinks otherwise.

Reaching to the nightstand you turn the lamp off, bringing darkness over the room and turning back to face Harry you try to relax and fall asleep, but it’s not really working. There are too many thoughts whirling around in your mind and quite a few questions you want to ask him.

“Harry?” you whisper, hoping he hasn’t fallen asleep.

“I still think you have a good ass, if that’s what you want to ask,” he mumbles keeping his eyes closed. You let out a chuckle.

“It’s not.” You see his eyes open as he glances at you waiting for you to tell him what’s on your mind. “Why were you such an asshole that morning?”

Out of everything you’d ever wanted to ask, this is the most burning question you’ve been dying to find an answer to since day one. Now, after such a wonderful time spent around each other your confusion about his actions just grew way bigger and you just couldn’t keep it to yourself anymore. This side of him you got to see during the holidays is nowhere near the one that kicked you out of his room in the morning, but a lot like the one you first met the night before. The switch between these two sides was so fast and unexpected, you couldn’t wrap your head around it, not even years later.

His jaw clenches and he stays silent for quite a while, you start to think he won’t even answer, but then he speaks up.

“I… don’t know. I panicked.”

“From what? Me?”

“I just…” Sucking his bottom lip in between his teeth he bites into it harshly before letting go of it. “This is how it has always been. This is what I always do.”

“With other girls?” you ask and he nods.

“But I do realize that I was an asshole. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I’ve never felt more humiliated.” Your voice dies at the end as you feel your throat closing up. Even after all these years you still remember clearly how his words made you feel.

“I’m so sorry, you didn’t deserve to be treated like that,” he breathes out and reaching out he quickly pulls you into his embrace. You bury your face into his chest without a second thought as you try to swallow your tears. “I fucked up, I’m sorry.”

“You could have just told me you didn’t want anything serious. It wouldn’t have been that painful than being treated like a slut,” you mumble, his hands soothingly caressing your arm over his stomach and your back.

There’s a short pause before he speaks again. “I know. I’m sorry, Y/N.”

It’s the last thing that’s spoken. Once you have gotten it all off your chest, you feel relief and calmness coming over you as Harry keeps gently stroking your skin. Sleep comes to you faster and easier than ever.

It’s bright outside when you turn around in bed, arm reaching out, expecting to find Harry lying next to you, but it’s just the empty mattress. Taking a deep breath you open your eyes and realize that you in fact are alone in your bed. Checking the time on your phone you see that it’s already past nine, meaning that Harry might even be at the airport by now. Pulling your knees up to your chest you stare down at the side of the bed where Harry slept. You can’t help, but feel disappointed he didn’t even say goodbye, but he probably just didn’t want to wake you up.

You shuffle over to his room and it stands empty. Sitting down to the edge of the bed you stare out the window, an unsettling feeling boiling inside you as you think about Harry flying away from the country. It’s silly, you know he is just going to see his family, but selfishly you wish he stayed there with you the whole time and the two of you went back home together.

Walking back to your room you see that you have a new text. It’s from Harry. Opening it you see that he just sent you a video. It’s nothing else, but his hand as he locks his home’s door, turning the key twice, his keychains and other keys jingling in his hold and that’s when you see the gift he got from you yesterday. You can’t push your smile down.

“Have fun at home! X” you write him quickly, and he is quick to like the message, no reply.

It’s a whole blur between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, you spend time with Marcus, clean up your apartment for the new year like you usually do, get some work done between the holidays and go furniture shopping with Rosa and Steven. In just a blink of an eye you are getting ready to head out to this lowkey party Marcus invited you to tag along for New Year’s Eve. You didn’t really have plans, you usually did something spontaneous with one of your friends or colleagues. Last year you were with Rosa and Steve. She was already heavily pregnant so it was a rather quiet evening, you were in bed by one am.

It seems like this year is gonna be a little more excited, but you are just not that thrilled to celebrate, if you’re being honest, but you go anyway.

It really is just a small gathering with food and drinks in a nice apartment downtown. Everyone seems nice and Marcus makes sure to include you in every conversation so you don’t feel like a stranger.

When the clock strikes midnight he pulls you close and kisses you softly as everyone cheers and glasses a clinking around you. Soon enough the phone calls and texts start flowing in and everyone seems caught up in all the well wishes as the first minutes of the new year pass by.

Harry’s name is the last one to pop up on your screen, but he is calling you instead of just shooting you a text. Excusing yourself you step out to the balcony so you can hear him.

“Hey,” you breathe out answering the call.

“Happy New Year!” he cheers, some chatter coming from somewhere behind him and you wonder who he is celebrating with.

“Happy New Year,” you smile wrapping your free arm around your figure. You should have brought your coat with you. “Having fun?”

“Yeah, but no one wants to do karaoke, I have the lamest friends,” he tells you chuckling and you let out a laugh.

“Should have invited me too.”

“Definitely,” he huffs. “That way my face could have been the first thing you saw in the new year!” he jokes and you laugh letting your head fall back.

“I truly missed out on that, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, shame.” You hear someone call out his name and he shouts back a quick reply. “I gotta go, but happy new year again, Y/N,” he softly says into the phone, his voice sweet like honey.

“Happy new year, Harry,” you smile before the line cuts off.

Your gaze wanders over to the bright city lights ahead you and a thought runs over your head, sending a shiver down your spine.

Why did you enjoy this short conversation with Harry way more than the kiss you shared with Marcus at midnight?

***

You watched your sister and her new husband slow dance in awe. The bright shine in her eyes was something you were sure you’d never forget. You’ve seen the fill up with tears so many times, you wished you’d only see her like this for the rest of her life.

After the second half of the song couples started joining them on the dancefloor, including your parents and cousins with their spouses. A soft sigh escaped your lips that you wouldn’t share this feeling with them, but then a hand appeared in your sight.

“Want to dance?”

Harry was smiling down at you with so much charm, you felt a little stunned at first, just staring up at him with parted lips before you realized that he was waiting for your answer.

Sliding your hand into his, you tried to ignore how the warms of his palm made you shudder and after you stood up he walked you right to the dance floor, the two of you turning to face each other. It took a few seconds to figure out where your hands went, but eventually it all came together and you started dancing, chests pressed together and you were very aware of his hand on your waist. You’d had a few champagnes by now and you could definitely feel your cheeks heating up from being so close to him.

“I have to tell you this is my first time slow dancing with a guy,” you admitted biting into your bottom lip. Harry turned his head a little so he could look into your eyes.

“Really? What about school dances?”

“I was… I never had a proper date at them. Usually went with my friends.”

Harry’s eyes lingered over your gaze and for a heart beat, they wandered down to your lips before his green orbs returned to your eyes. You felt his hand squeeze your waist gently as a smile tugged on his lips.

“It’s an honor to be the first one.”

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dwellordream · 3 years

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“...The most obvious difference between male and female monarchs is that women, in addition to their ordinary governmental tasks, were also expected to undertake the burden of dynastic reproduction. Being kings made it harder for these women to be queens; fulfilling their reproductive responsibilities proved extremely difficult. High child mortality rates compounded the difficulties of locating politically suitable spouses during their childbearing years, so that only about 40 percent of Europe’s female monarchs (far below the 70 percent rate for their male counterparts) were succeeded by their direct descendants. All but one of these heirs came from marriages made before the mother began her personal reign.

Royal heiresses inevitably confronted an extremely narrow choice of possible husbands. Their dilemma had three horns. Marrying one of her own subjects almost guaranteed disaster by raising a single clan far above every other noble lineage in her kingdom. Marrying any foreigner of nonroyal status reduced her own prestige, but marrying another king or crown prince would automatically merge her kingdom with his and compromise its autonomy. Somehow all these pitfalls had to be avoided in order to preserve their heritage intact.

…Whatever scriptural and customary wisdom said about the subordination of wives, such conventional notions were rarely applied to or internalized by women rulers. Folk wisdom knew that a married woman who was older than her husband had a better chance of exercising authority autonomously, so it is not surprising that some of Europe’s greatest heiresses married men younger than themselves. At Naples, Robert the Wise did this with his granddaughter, Europe’s first major heiress. In 1469 and 1477 two women whose inheritance rights were sharply contested and who were able to choose their own husbands, Isabel of Castile and Mary of Burgundy, also did this, with highly satisfactory results.

In the following century Mary Tudor was better positioned to retain England’s autonomy after her marriage by being almost twelve years older than her husband. Even Mary Stuart of Scotland, seldom praised for her political astuteness, chose a man four years younger than herself when she decided to remarry during her personal reign. No subsequent female monarch ever remarried, although a few extremely successful female rulers flaunted affairs with much younger men in their old age. The earl of Essex was thirty-three years younger than Elizabeth I. The interchangeable gigolos of Catherine II’s final years averaged thirty years younger than their employer, although her only politically important bedmate, Grigory Potemkin, whom she may have secretly married, as Louis XIV did his last mistress, was just ten years younger.

When they were fortunate enough to have surviving children, reigning mothers were able to avoid the often severe and occasionally murderous antagonism between fathers and crown princes. No mother who was a divine-right monarch ever abdicated in favor of an adult son, although Maria Theresa officially shared power with hers after her husband’s death; Catherine II went to the opposite extreme by excluding hers from any political responsibilities.

Daughters may have been even more difficult to manage than sons. Old Europe produced only one mother–daughter royal inheritance, and relations between Isabel the Catholic and her second daughter, Juana, turned remarkably bitter after Juana unexpectedly became heiress-apparent in 1502. After Isabel died two years later, the only daughter to acquire a major European kingdom from an extremely politically active mother became the only female sovereign in European history who refused to exercise any political authority whatsoever.”

- William Monter, The Rise of Female Kings in Europe, 1300-1800

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all-things-are-nothing-to-me · 4 years

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The New Nihilism

It feels increasingly difficult to tell the difference between—on one hand—being old, sick, and defeated, and—on the other hand—living in a time-&-place that is itself senile, tired, and defeated. Sometimes I think it’s just me—but then I find that some younger, healthier people seem to be undergoing similar sensations of ennui, despair, and impotent anger. Maybe it’s not just me.

A friend of mine attributed the turn to disillusion with “everything”, including old-fashioned radical/activist positions, to disappointment over the present political regime in the US, which was somehow expected to usher in a turn away from the reactionary decades since the 1980s, or even a “progress” toward some sort of democratic socialism. Although I myself didn’t share this optimism (I always assume that anyone who even wants to be President of the US must be a psychopathic murderer) I can see that “youth” suffered a powerful disillusionment at the utter failure of Liberalism to turn the tide against Capitalism Triumphalism. The disillusion gave rise to OCCUPY and the failure of OCCUPY led to a move toward sheer negation.

However I think this merely political analysis of the “new nothing” may be too two-dimensional to do justice to the extent to which all hope of “change” has died under Kognitive Kapital and the technopathocracy. Despite my remnant hippy flower- power sentiments I too feel this “terminal” condition (as Nietzsche called it), which I express by saying, only half-jokingly, that we have at last reached the Future, and that the truly horrible truth of the End of the World is that it doesn’t end.

One big J.G. Ballard/Philip K. Dick shopping mall from now till eternity, basically.

This IS the future—how do you like it so far? Life in the Ruins: not so bad for the bourgeoisie, the loyal servants of the One Percent. Air-conditioned ruins! No Ragnarok, no Rapture, no dramatic closure: just an endless re-run of reality TV cop shows. 2012 has come and gone, and we’re still in debt to some faceless bank, still chained to our screens.

Most people—in order to live at all—seem to need around themselves a penumbra of “illusion” (to quote Nietzsche again):—that the world is just rolling along as usual, some good days some bad, but in essence no different now than in 10000 BC or 1492 AD or next year. Some even need to believe in Progress, that the Future will solve all our problems, and even that life is much better for us now than for (say) people in the 5th century AD. We live longer thanx to Modern Science—of course our extra years are largely spent as “medical objects”—sick and worn out but kept ticking by Machines & Pills that spin huge profits for a few megacorporations & insurance companies. Nation of Struldbugs.

True, we’re suffocating in the mire generated by our rule of sick machines under the Numisphere of Money. At least ten times as much money now exists than it would take to buy the whole world—and yet species are vanishing space itself is vanishing, icecaps melting, air and water grown toxic, culture grown toxic, landscape sacrificed to fracking and megamalls, noise-fascism, etc, etc. But Science will cure all that ills that Science has created—in the Future (in the “long run”, when we’re all dead, as Lord Keynes put it); so meanwhile we’ll carry on consuming the world and shitting it out as waste—because it’s convenient & efficient & profitable to do so, and because we like it.

Well, this is all a bunch of whiney left-liberal cliches, no? Heard it before a million times. Yawn. How boring, how infantile, how useless. Even if it were all true... what can we do about it? If our Anointed Leaders can’t or won’t stop it, who will? God? Satan? The “People”?

All the fashionable “solutions” to the “crisis”, from electronic democracy to revolutionary violence, from locavorism to solar-powered dingbats, from financial market regulation to the General Strike—all of them, however ridiculous or sublime, depend on one preliminary radical change—a seismic shift in human consciousness. Without such a change all the hope of reform is futile. And if such a change were somehow to occur, no “reform” would be necessary. The world would simply change. The whales would be saved. War no more. And so on.

What force could (even in theory) bring about such a shift? Religion? In 6,000 years of organized religion matters have only gotten worse. Psychedelic drugs in the reservoirs? The Mayan calendar? Nostalgia? Terror?

If catastrophic disaster is now inevitable, perhaps the “Survivalist” scenario will ensue, and a few brave millions will create a green utopia in the smoking waste. But won’t Capitalism find a way to profit even from the End of the World? Some would claim that it’s doing so already. The true catastrophe may be the final apotheosis of commodity fetishism.

Let’s assume for the sake of argument that this paradise of power tools and back-up alarms is all we’ve got & all we’re going to get. Capitalism can deal with global warming—it can sell water-wings and disaster insurance. So it’s all over, let’s say—but we’ve still got television & Twitter. Childhood’s End—i.e. the child as ultimate consumer, eager for the brand. Terrorism or home shopping network—take yr pick (democracy means choice).

Since the death of the Historical Movement of the Social in 1989 (last gasp of the hideous “short” XXth century that started in 1914) the only “alternative” to Capitalist Neo-Liberal totalitarianism that seems to have emerged is religious neo-fascism. I understand why someone would want to be a violent fundamentalist bigot—I even sympathize—but just because I feel sorry for lepers doesn’t mean I want to be one.

When I attempt to retain some shreds of my former antipessimism I fantasize that History may not be over, that some sort of Populist Green Social Democracy might yet emerge to challenge the obscene smugness of “Money Interests”—something along the lines of 1970s Scandinavian monarcho-socialism—which in retrospect now looks the most humane form of the State ever to have emerged from the putrid suck-hole of Civilization. (Think of Amsterdam in its heyday.) Of course as an anarchist I’d still have to oppose it—but at least I’d have the luxury of believing that, in such a situation, anarchy might actually stand some chance of success. Even if such a movement were to emerge, however, we can rest damn-well assured it won’t happen in the USA. Or anywhere in the ghost-realm of dead Marxism, either. Maybe Scotland!

It would seem quite pointless to wait around for such a rebirth of the Social. Years ago many radicals gave up all hope of The Revolution, and the few who still adhere to it remind me of religious fanatics. It might be soothing to lapse into such doctrinaire revolutionism, just as it might be soothing to sink into mystical religion—but for me at least both options have lost their savor. Again, I sympathize with those true believers (although not so much when they lapse into authoritarian leftism or fascism)— nevertheless, frankly, I’m too depressed to embrace their Illusions.

If the End-Time scenario sketched above be considered actually true, what alternatives might exist besides suicidal despair? After much thought I’ve come up with three basic strategies.

1) Passive Escapism. Keep your head down, don’t make waves. Capitalism permits all sorts of “lifestyles” (I hate that word)—just pick one & try to enjoy it. You’re even allowed to live as a dirt farmer without electricity & infernal combustion, like a sort of secular Amish refusnik. Well, maybe not. But at least you could flirt with such a life. “Smoke Pot, Eat Chicken, Drink Tea,” as we used to say in the 60s in the Moorish Church of America, our psychedelic cult. Hope they don’t catch you. Fit yourself into some Permitted Category such as Neo-Hippy or even Anabaptist.

2) Active Escapism. In this scenario you attempt to create the optimal conditions for the emergence of Autonomous Zones, whether temporary, periodic or even (semi)permanent. In 1984 when I first coined the term Temporary Autonomous Zone (TAZ)

I envisioned it as a complement to The Revolution—although I was already, to be truthful, tired of waiting for a moment that seemed to have failed in 1968. The TAZ would give a taste or premonition of real liberties: in effect you would attempt to live as if the Revolution had already occurred, so as not to die without ever having experienced “free freedom” (as Rimbaud called it, liberte libre). Create your own pirate utopia.

Of course the TAZ can be as brief & simple as a really good dinner party, but the true autonomist will want to maximize the potential for longer & deeper experiences of authentic lived life. Almost inevitably this will involve crime, so it’s necessary to think like a criminal, not a victim. A “Johnson” as Burroughs used to say—not a “mark”. How else can one live (and live well) without Work. Work, the curse of the thinking class. Wage slavery. If you’re lucky enough to be a successful artist, you can perhaps achieve relative autonomy without breaking any obvious laws (except the laws of good taste, perhaps). Or you could inherit a million. (More than a million would be a curse.) Forget revolutionary morality—the question is, can you afford your taste of freedom? For most of us, crime will be not only a pleasure but a necessity. The old anarcho-Illegalists showed the way: individual expropriation. Getting caught of course spoils the whole thing—but risk is an aspect of self-authenticity.

One scenario I’ve imagined for active Escapism would be to move to a remote rural area along with several hundred other libertarian socialists—enough to take over the local government (municipal or even county) and elect or control the sheriffs & judges, the parent/teacher association, volunteer fire department and even the water authority. Fund the venture with cultivation of illegal phantastice and carry on a discreet trade. Organize as a “Union of Egoists” for mutual benefit & ecstatic pleasures—perhaps under the guise of “communes” or even monasteries, who cares. Enjoy it as long as it lasts.

I know for a fact that this plan is being worked on in several places in America—but of course I’m not going to say where.

Another possible model for individual escapists might be the nomadic adventurer. Given that the whole world seems to be turning into a giant parking lot or social network, I don’t know if this option remains open, but I suspect that it might. The trick would be to travel in places where tourists don’t—if such places still exist—and to involve oneself in fascinating and dangerous situations. For example if I were young and healthy I’d’ve gone to France to take part in the TAZ that grew around resistance to the new airport—or to Greece—or Mexico—wherever the perverse spirit of rebellion crops up. The problem here is of course funding. (Sending back statues stuffed with hash is no longer a good idea.) How to pay for yr life of adventure? Love will find a way. It doesn’t matter so much if one agrees with the ideals of Tahrir Square or Zucotti Park—the point is just to be there.

3. Revenge. I call it Zarathustra’s Revenge because as Nietzsche said, revenge may be second rate but it’s not nothing. One might enjoy the satisfaction of terrifying the bastards for at least a few moments. Formerly I advocated “Poetic Terrorism” rather than actual violence, the idea being that art could be wielded as a weapon. Now I’ve rather come to doubt it. But perhaps weapons might be wielded as art. From the sledgehammer of the Luddites to the black bomb of the attentat, destruction could serve as a form of creativity, for its own sake, or for purely aesthetic reasons, without any illusions about revolution. Oscar Wilde meets the acte gratuit: a dandyism of despair.

What troubles me about this idea is that it seems impossible to distinguish here between the action of post-leftist anarcho-nihilists and the action of post-rightist neo-traditionalist reactionaries. For that matter, a bomb may as well be detonated by fundamentalist fanatics—what difference would it make to the victims or the “innocent bystanders”? Blowing up a nanotechnology lab—why shouldn’t this be the act of a desperate monarchist as easily as that of a Nietzschean anarchist?

In a recent book by Tiqqun (Theory of Bloom), it was fascinating to come suddenly across the constellation of Nietzsche, Rene Guenon, Julius Evola, et al. as examples of a sharp and just critique of the Bloom syndrome—i.e., of progress-as-illusion. Of course the “beyond left and right” position has two sides—one approaching from the left, the other from the right. The European New Right (Alain de Benoist & his gang) are big admirers of Guy Debord, for a similar reason (his critique, not his proposals).

The post-left can now appreciate Traditionalism as a reaction against modernity just as the neo-traditionalists can appreciate Situationism. But this doesn’t mean that post-anarchist anarchists are identical with post-fascism fascists!

I’m reminded of the situation in fin-de-siecle France that gave rise to the strange alliance between anarchists and monarchists; for example the Cerce Proudhon. This surreal conjunction came about for two reasons: a) both factions hated liberal democracy, and b) the monarchists had money. The marriage gave birth to weird progeny, such as Georges Sorel. And Mussolini famously began his career as an Individualist anarchist!

Another link between left & right could be analyzed as a kind of existentialism; once again Nietzsche is the founding parent here, I think. On the left there were thinkers like Gide or Camus. On the right, that illuminated villain Baron Julius Evola used to tell his little ultra-right groupuscules in Rome to attack the Modern World—even though the restoraton of tradition was a hopeless dream—if only as an act of magical self-creation. Being trumps essence. One must cherish no attachment to mere results. Surely Tiqqun’s advocacy of the “perfect Surrealist act” (firing a revolver at random into a crowd of “innocent by-standers”) partakes of this form of action-as-despair. (Incidentally I have to confess that this is the sort of thing that has always—to my regret—prevented my embracing Surrealism: it’s just too cruel. I don’t admire de Sade, either.)

Of course, as we know, the problem with the Traditionalists is that they were never traditional enough. They looked back at a lost civilization as their “goal” (religion, mysticism, monarchism, arts-&-crafts, etc.) whereas they should have realized that the real tradition is the “primordial anarchy” of the Stone Age, tribalism, hunting/gathering, animism—what I call the Neanderthal Liberation Front. Paul Goodman used the term “Neolithic Conservatism” to describe his brand of anarchism—but “Paleolithic Reaction” might be more appropriate!

The other major problem with the Traditionalist Right is that the entire emotional tone of the movement is rooted in self-repression. Here a rough Reichean analysis suffices to demonstrate that the authoritarian body reflects a damaged soul, and that only anarchy is compatible with real self-realization.

The European New Right that arose in the 90s still carries on its propaganda—and these chaps are not just vulgar nationalist chauvenist anti-semitic homophobic thugs—they’re intellectuals & artists. I think they’re evil, but that doesn’t mean I find them boring. Or even wrong on certain points. They also hate the nanotechnologists!

Although I attempted to set off a few bombs back in the 1960s (against the war in Vietnam) I’m glad, on the whole, that they failed to detonate (technology was never my metier). It saves me from wondering if I would’ve experienced “moral qualms”. Instead I chose the path of the propagandist and remained an activist in anarchist media from 1984 to about 2004. I collaborated with the Autonomedia publishing collective, the IWW, the John Henry Mackay Society (Left Stirnerites) and the old NYC Libertarian Book Club (founded by comrades of Emma Goldman, some of whom I knew, & who are now all dead). I had a radio show on WBAI (Pacifica) for 18 years. I lectured all over Europe and East Europe in the 90s. I had a very nice time, thank you. But anarchism seems even farther off now than it looked in 1984, or indeed in 1958, when I first became an anarchist by reading George Harriman’s Krazy Kat. Well, being an existentialist means you never have to say you’re sorry.

In the last few years in anarchist circles there’s appeared a trend “back” to Stirner/Nietzsche Individualism—because after all, who can take revolutionary anarcho-communism or syndicalism seriously anymore? Since I’ve adhered to this Individualist position for decades (although tempered by admiration for Charles Fourier and certain “spiritual anarchists” like Gustave Landauer) I naturally find this trend agreeable.

“Green anarchists” & AntiCivilization Neo-primitivists seem (some of them) to be moving toward a new pole of attraction, nihilism. Perhaps neo-nihilism would serve as a better label, since this tendency is not simply replicating the nihilism of the Russian narodniks or the French attentatists of circa 1890 to 1912, however much the new nihilists look to the old ones as precursors. I share their critique—in fact I think I’ve been mirroring it to a large extent in this essay: creative despair, let’s call it. What I do not understand however is their proposal—if any. “What is to be done?” was originally a nihilist slogan, after all, before Lenin appropriated it. I presume that my option #1, passive escape, would not suit the agenda. As for Active Escapism, to use the suffix “ism” implies some form not only of ideology but also some action. What is the logical outcome of this train of thought?

As an animist I experience the world (outside Civilization) as essentially sentient. The death of God means the rebirth of the gods, as Nietzsche implied in his last “mad” letters from Turin— the resurrection of the great god PAN—chaos, Eros, Gaia, & Old Night, as Hesiod put it—Ontological anarchy, Desire, Life itself, & the Darkness of revolt & negation—all seem to me as real as they need to be.

I still adhere to a certain kind of spiritual anarchism—but only as heresy and paganism, not as orthodoxy and monotheism. I have great respect for Dorothy Day—her writing influenced me in the 60s—and Ivan Illich, whom I knew personally—but in the end I cannot deal with the cognitive dissonance between anarchism and the Pope! Nevertheless I can believe in the re-paganaziation of monotheism. I hold to this pagan tradition because I sense the universe as alive, not as “dead matter.” As a life-long psychedelicist I have always thought that matter & spirit are identical, and that this fact alone legitimizes what Theory calls “desire”.

From this p.o.v. the phrase “revolution of everyday life” still seems to have some validity—if only in terms of the second proposal, Active Escapism or the TAZ. As for the third possibility— Zarathustra’s Revenge—this seems like a possible path for the new nihilism, at least from a philosophical perspective. But since I am unable personally to advocate it, I leave the question open.

But here—I think—is the point at which I both meet with & diverge from the new nihilism. I too seem to believe that Predatory Capitalism has won and that no revolution is possible in the classical sense of that term. But somehow I can’t bring myself to be “against everything.” Within the Temporary Autonomous Zone there still seems to persist the possibility of “authentic life,” if only for a moment—and if this position amounts to mere Escapism, then let us become Houdini. The new surge of interest in Individualism is obviously a response to the Death of the Social. But does the new nihilism imply the death even of the individual and the “union of egoists” or Nietzschean free spirits? On my good days, I like to think not.

No matter which of the three paths one takes (or others I can’t yet imagine) it seems to me that the essential thing is not to collapse into mere apathy. Depression we may have to accept, impotent rage we may have to accept, revolutionary pessimism we may have to accept. But as e.e. cummings (anarchist poet) said, there is some shit we will not take, lest we simply become the enemy by default. Can’t go on, must go on. Cultivate rosebuds, even selfish pleasures, as long as a few birds & flowers still remain. Even love may not be impossible...

#hakim bey #Nihilism #t.a.z.#anarchism

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fgffbfghtr · 3 years

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. Above all she’s jealous of me. A goal was called on the ice, but after video review

Some of these were upgrade options in our system (approx. Just feel, I be happy. Above all she’s jealous of me. A goal was called on the ice, but after video review, the goal was disallowed due to goaltender interference. Shortly after the hour fixed on for the landing of the boat, Mr. Not since the Trident. He's on target to go for Tendulkar's numbers, if you look at the numbers and look at his age.". I’ve been wanting to embrace you as a brother for ever so long; she has told me so much about you! We’ve somehow not made Mens JORDAN Hoodie friends or got on together till now. Conference had set for itself was proving tougher than expected. What surprises one Snow may yet surprise another. On the Criminal records we are asked to put imprisonment if the sentence is penal servitude but as we in the UK know penal servitude means transportation to a penal colony. Whether it was her boy or Dalla’s he could not be sure. Plumm took the second, for double the stakes. 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firsthopemedia · 3 years

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The Problem Of Illiteracy FIRST HOPE MEDIA http://firsthope.media In general terms, illiteracy is an inability to use language -- an inability to read, write, listen and speak. Today, it is usually taken to mean being unable to read and write at a level adequate for written communication or at a level that will allow an individual to function at certain levels of society. In the simplest of terms, illiteracy is the opposite of literacy. In some societies, the standards for what constitute literacy are different from others. For example, some cultures believe that only people with skills such as computers skills and basic numeracy may be considered literate. This takes into account the fact that there are people who can add and subtract, but can't read letters as well as people who can learn to use a computer to a limited extent but may still not be able to read text. One example is Scotland, which defines literacy as: "The ability to read and write and use numeracy, to handle information, to express ideas and opinions, to make decisions and solve problems, as family members, workers, citizens and lifelong learners." That's probably as specific as you can get in defining what literacy is all about. On a global level, analysts and policy makers consider illiteracy rates as an important factor in a country's or a region's "human capital," and with good good reason, as it turns out. Based on numerous studies into this area, they conclude that literate people are easier and less expensive to train and have broader job opportunities and access to higher education. In Kerala, India, for example, female and child mortality rates declined dramatically in the 1960s, after girls who had been schooled to literacy in the education reforms after 1948 began to raise families. There are recent findings, however, that raise questions on correlations such as the one listed above, arguing that these may have more to do with the effects of schooling rather than literacy in general. Illiteracy rates are highest among developing countries, especially those in the South Asian, Arab and Sub-Saharan African regions where illiteracy is prevalent among 40 to 50% of populations. The East Asian and Latin American regions also have relatively high illiteracy rates ranging from 10 to 15%. In contrast, the illiteracy rate in developed countries is only a few percent. However, it is important to note that illiteracy rates vary widely from country to country and often are directly proportionate to a country's wealth or urbanization level, although many other factors play a determining role.

#Illiteracy #education #rates #society

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stratharchives · 4 years

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‘The woman at the back’: Miss Wanda Zamorska

The above photograph (reference: OP/4/129) from our institutional collection dates from around 1920 and shows students working in the Botany laboratory at the Royal Technical College (RTC), forerunner of the University of Strathclyde. Whilst the students’ names are unknown, our catalogue entry for the photograph indicates that ‘The woman at the back, wearing a hat, is possibly Miss W. Zamorska, demonstrator in Botany and Bacteriology.’ Standing by the blackboard against the wall and dressed all in black, the diminutive female figure almost fades into her surroundings; yet she deserves recognition as one of the most reliable and long-standing members of the Department of Botany and Bacteriology. To mark International Women’s Day (8 March), this post explores the family background, life and career of Miss Zamorska, highlighting her contribution to the teaching of Botany at a time when relatively few women were employed in the scientific departments of the RTC.

Family background

Wanda (occasionally spelled ‘Vanda’) Zamorska was born in Glasgow on 9 June 1861, to Albert Zamorski and Martha Grundy Zamorska.[1] Though Polish by birth, Albert Zamorski appeared in the 1861 Census of Scotland as a British subject. He married Martha Grundy Cooper in Manchester, England in 1858, and the couple had their first child, Emily Bogumila, known as Elma, in 1859 or 1860. By April 1861, Albert and Martha had settled in Scotland and were living at 123 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow. Their second daughter, Wanda Caroline, arrived two months later, followed by Casimir James (born 1862), Alberta Mary (born 1865), and Thaddeus Robert (born 1868). A sixth child, Isabel Maud(e), was born in 1870 but died in infancy.

Wanda’s father worked as a Commission Agent, specialising in elastics and silks. He initially ran his business from 72 Wilson Street in Glasgow,[2] and subsequently operated from a warehouse at 62 Argyle Street. The Glasgow Post Office directories for the 1860s show that the Zamorski family lived for brief periods in several different streets in the West End of Glasgow, and by 1869 they were residing in Annfield Terrace, Partick.

On 9 May 1871, Albert died, leaving a young widow and five children aged under 13. Fortunately, they were not penniless: Albert’s estate was valued at £193 8s.,[3] and Martha Zamorska appears to have taken on, or at least maintained some involvement in, her late husband’s business, which was now known as A. Zamorski & Co., Commission Merchants and Agents.[4] In 1872, she and the children moved from Annfield Terrace to 235 Dumbarton Road, and from thence to 296 Bath Street in 1873. By 1880, they were living at 3 Elmbank Street.

The firm of A. Zamorski & Co. appears to have ceased trading in the mid-1880s and in 1889, Martha Zamorska died. Wanda and her siblings, all of whom were still living at home, subsequently moved to Rupert Street, where the eldest, Elma, was head of the household. The 1891 Census reveals the profession or occupation of each member of the family. Elma is described as a teacher of singing, Wanda as a teacher of music, Casimir as an architect, Alberta as a dressmaker, and Thaddeus – the only one who was not self-employed - as a mercantile clerk. In 1898, Casimir married and set up home in Willowbank Crescent, Glasgow with his wife, Jane. Wanda and her other siblings stayed together in Rupert Street until 1909, when they relocated as a family to Carrington Street.

Early studies in natural sciences

Wanda Zamorska first entered the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College (GWSTC), known from 1912 as the Royal Technical College (RTC), as an evening student in session 1893-94. As well as day courses for full-time students, the GWSTC offered a variety of theoretical and practical evening classes intended for apprentices, working people and others who were unable to study during the day. Wanda and her two sisters, Elma and Alberta, enrolled for Mr Thomas King’s summer course in Botany,[5] which ran on Monday evenings from 8-9 pm. Requiring no prior knowledge of the subject, the course consisted of 15 popular lectures on flowering plants, ferns, mosses and seaweeds, plus several Saturday afternoon excursions to examine fresh plants in situ.[6] The trio enjoyed this experience so much that they returned in session 1894-95 to take a further evening course in Botany, alongside a Tuesday evening class in Experimental Physics.[7] Wanda’s aptitude for natural sciences was now apparent, as she achieved fifth place overall in the Experimental Physics class.[8] Both she and Alberta took further evening classes in Botany and Experimental Physics in session 1895-96, while Elma took Botany only.[9] This time, Wanda did well enough to claim Second Prize in the Experimental Physics class.[10] In session 1896-97, Wanda and Alberta again took evening classes in Botany and Physiography, while Elma took Physiography only.[11]

Neither Elma nor Alberta pursued further studies at the GWSTC, but Wanda’s enthusiasm was undiminished. She returned for yet another evening course in Botany in session 1897-98 and enrolled for a Geology course in session 1898-99.[12] There then follows a gap of several years until her next appearance in the GWSTC student registers, perhaps on account of her brother, Casimir’s marriage. Upon his wedding in 1898, Casimir established a home of his own and presumably ceased contributing to his siblings’ household, which may have left little money available for evening class fees.

Student and Assistant in the Department of Botany and Bacteriology

Wanda resumed her evening studies in session 1903-04, taking Bacteriology Lecture Course I and Bacteriology Laboratory Course I.[13] A new Lecturer in Botany and Bacteriology, Dr David Ellis, took up post that session,[14] and he quickly recognized Wanda’s abilities, harnessing them for the benefit of his Department. The GWSTC records show that from 1 September 1904, Wanda was employed as a part-time assistant to Dr Ellis at a salary of £13 per annum,[15] thus becoming one of the few women involved in the teaching of scientific subjects at the GWSTC in this period.

During session 1904-05, Wanda also received a Kerr Bursary in Botany.[16] The Kerr Bursaries were awarded on the basis of a competitive examination for students studying Natural Philosophy or Botany at the GWSTC, with each award of £15 tenable for a maximum of three years.[17] It is possible that the bursary, coupled with the remuneration from her appointment at the GWSTC, enabled Wanda to reduce or give up her primary occupation as a teacher of music, as in session 1905-06 she enrolled as a day student for the first time.

Over the next decade, Wanda combined her part-time duties for the Department with attendance as a student at the College. She enrolled for classes in various scientific subjects, including day courses in Organic Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry and a Special Laboratory Course in Botany, in which advanced students pursued their own practical studies on Mondays and Wednesdays between 8 and 10 pm, overseen by Dr Ellis.[18] She also qualified for first class certificates of merit (awarded for a final mark of over 80 percent) in most of her evening classes, including Bacteriology Lecture Course II, Bacteriology Laboratory Course II, Pharmacy, Materia Medica, Zoology Lecture Courses I and II, and Zoology Laboratory Courses I and II. Her last appearance in the student registers occurs in session 1914-15, when she took the Zoology Special Laboratory evening class. Like that in Botany, this course permitted experienced students to ‘pursue the study practically at any time when the Laboratory is open for Zoological work, under the general guidance of the Lecturer.’[19] It is noteworthy, however, that Wanda’s date of birth never appears correctly in the student registers, being variously recorded as 1873, 1868 and 1867 instead of 1861. Repeated clerical error seems an unlikely explanation for this, so was she deliberately claiming to be younger than her years, and if so, why?

Demonstrator and Assistant Lecturer at the Royal Technical College

In session 1906-07, Wanda Zamorska was the senior of three part-time assistants attached to the Department of Botany and Bacteriology, the others being Miss Evelyne Gilmour and Mr George Russell.[20] The assistants’ duties mainly involved preparing and conducting practical demonstrations for Dr Ellis’s classes, and their workload was about to increase markedly. On 2 April 1906, the GWSTC Committee on Mathematics, Natural Philosophy and Natural Sciences granted Dr Ellis an additional allowance of £12 for his assistants, ‘in view of the developments proposed in his Department’.[21] Wanda’s salary consequently rose from £13 to £20. The ‘proposed developments’ alluded to were two new courses that Dr Ellis was preparing to offer in session 1906-07. The first of these, arranged at the request of the Glasgow Grocers’ and Provision Merchants’ Association, was a course of practical classes in Economic Botany for grocers.[22] In the event, the grocers’ class created so much extra work for Wanda and Evelyne Gilmour that their salaries were each augmented by a further £5.[23] The second new initiative, which commenced in July 1907, was a series of vacation courses in Botany for secondary school teachers from all over Scotland. These proved so popular that the classes were ‘full to overflowing’, and in the following session they were supplemented by summer courses in Nature Study for teachers in elementary schools.[24]

In September 1911, Evelyne Gilmour resigned and her duties were absorbed by Wanda Zamorska, whose salary consequently increased from £25 to £45 per annum.[25] By session 1916-17, George Russell had also departed, leaving Wanda as the sole assistant in the Department of Botany and Bacteriology.[26] This, together with the strains experienced by all staff in their efforts to keep classes going throughout the First World War, may have encouraged her to appeal to the RTC’s Committee on Mathematics, Natural Philosophy and Natural Sciences. At a meeting on 24 September 1919, the Committee considered a letter received from Miss Zamorska and ‘agreed to recommend that her remuneration be increased to £90 for the session, a sum based upon the normal rate of 15s. per evening, and that Dr Ellis be requested to make such arrangements as were practicable to relieve her from day duties.’[27] One of these arrangements may have concerned her title, as the RTC Calendar for session 1920-21 lists Miss Zamorska as ‘Demonstrator’ rather than ‘Assistant’ in the Department of Botany and Bacteriology.

By 1920, Dr David Ellis not only held the post of Lecturer in Botany and Bacteriology but also that of Superintendent of the School of Pharmacy, plus responsibility for the School of Bakery.[28] As in previous years, Ellis’s burgeoning responsibilities affected the workload of his assistants, and at a meeting of the RTC’s Sub-Committee on the School of Pharmacy on 7 May 1923,

A letter from Dr. Ellis was read, pointing out that the great increase in the work of his department, caused by the formation of classes for the degree in Pharmacy, and the introduction of a second-year day course in Bakery, rendered necessary a rearrangement of the work of his assistants. At present, in addition to Mr. Todd, Lecturer in Pharmacy, he had six part-time assistants whose salaries amounted to £325 per session, but, as part-time assistance had not been quite satisfactory, he proposed that it be discontinued next session, and that the following be appointed full-time assistants at the salaries stated:-

Miss Zamorska £325

Miss Eadie £150[29]

Thereafter, the RTC Annual Reports list Miss Zamorska both as Assistant Lecturer to Dr Ellis in the Department of Botany and Bacteriology and as Assistant Lecturer in Botany within the School of Pharmacy.[30] She appealed to the Committee on Mathematics, Natural Philosophy and Natural Sciences for a further increase of salary in the summer of 1924, but this was not granted.[31]

Wanda Zamorska retired in the summer of 1926, aged 65, after 22 years of service to the College.[32] Acknowledging her departure, the RTC Annual Report for session 1925-26 noted that ‘Her zealous and conscientious work as a lecturer and demonstrator during this long period has been much appreciated.’[33] In a final act of consideration towards her former employers, she wrote to them in September 1926, offering for sale her set of 152 lantern slides on botanical subjects, which she had presumably used for teaching and demonstrations. The RTC agreed to purchase this for £20.[34]

Having outlived all her siblings, Wanda Zamorska died at the age of 90 on 26 November 1951. As a pupil, and subsequently as Dr Ellis’s dependable assistant, she had been associated with the College for a remarkable 32 years. In giving practical demonstrations and lectures to thousands of students, she made a significant contribution to the teaching of Botany in Glasgow and helped to facilitate the expanding number and types of classes offered by her Department. As such, ‘the woman at the back’ of the laboratory photograph might fairly be described as the backbone of the Department of Botany and Bacteriology in the early twentieth century.

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[1] ScotlandsPeople: 1861 Zamorski, Vanda Caroline (Statutory registers Births 644/8 901), accessed 3 March 2021

[2] Post Office Directory for Glasgow, 1862-1863.

[3] ScotlandsPeople: 1874 Zamorski, Albert (Wills and testaments Reference SC36/48/75, Glasgow Sheriff Court Inventories) Image 364, accessed 3 March 2021.

[4] Post Office Directory for Glasgow, 1871-1872.

[5] OE/11/3/1/6: GWSTC Register of Students, session 1893-94.

[6] OE/10/1/8: GWSTC Calendar, session 1894-95, p.186.

[7] OE/11/3/1/7: GWSTC Register of Students, session 1894-95; OE/10/1/8, GWSTC Calendar, session 1894-95, p.128.

[8] OE/10/1/9: GWSTC Calendar, session 1895-96: list of prize and certificate winners for evening classes in session 1894-95, p.226.

[9] OE/11/3/1/8: GWSTC Register of Students, session 1895-96.

[10] OE/10/1/10: GWSCT Calendar, session 1896-97: list of prize and certificate winners for evening classes in session 1895-96, p.220. Her name is erroneously spelled ‘Wanda K. Zamorski’.

[11] OE/11/3/1/9: GWSTC Register of Students, session 1896-97.

[12] OE/11/3/1/10-11: GWSTC Registers of Students, sessions 1897-98 and 1898-99.

[13] OE/11/3/1/16: GWSTC Register of Students, session 1903-1904.

[14] OE/4/1/2: GWSTC Annual Report, 20 September 1904, p.19.

[15] OE/6/1/1: RTC staff index card for Wanda Zamorska; OE/11/3/1/17: GWSTC Register of Students, session 1904-1905. The latter records Miss Zamorska’s occupation as ‘Ass[istan]t to Dr. Ellis.’

[16] OE/4/1/2: GWSTC Annual Report, 19 September 1905, p.30.

[17] OE/10/1/18: GWSTC Calendar, session 1904-1905, p.186.

[18] OE/10/1/20: GWSTC Calendar, session 1906-1907, p.183.

[19] OE/10/1/28: RTC Calendar, session 1914-1915, p.240.

[20] OE/4/1/2: GWSTC Annual Report, 24 September 1907, p.10.

[21] OE/1/15/1: Meeting of the GWSTC Committee on Mathematics, Natural Philosophy and Natural Sciences, 2 April 1906, p.133.

[22] OE/4/1/2: GWSTC Annual Report, 24 September 1907, pp.17-18.

[23] OE/1/1/12: GWSTC Board of Governors and Committee minutes, 13 November 1907, p.84.

[24] OE/4/1/2: GWSTC Annual Report, 22 September 1908, pp.22-23.

[25] OE/1/1/14: GWSTC Board of Governors and Committee minutes, 15 September 1911, p.74.

[26] From session 1912-13 to session 1915-16, the RTC calendar lists both Wanda Zamorska and George Russell as assistants in the Department of Botany and Bacteriology. In session 1916-17, only Miss Zamorska is listed.

[27] OE/1/1/17: RTC Board of Governors and Committee minutes, 24 September 1919, p.180.

[28] J. Butt, John Anderson’s Legacy: The University of Strathclyde and its antecedents, 1796-1996 (East Linton, 1996) p.126.

[29] OE/1/1/19: RTC Board of Governors and Committee minutes, p.97.

[30] OE/4/1/5: RTC Annual Report, 16 October 1923, p.14.

[31] OE/1/1/20: RTC Board of Governors and Committee minutes, 2 June 1924, p.34.

[32] OE/1/1/21: RTC Board of Governors and Committee minutes, 16 February 1926, p.22.

[33] OE/4/1/6: RTC Annual Report, 19 October 1926, p.42.

[34] OE/1/1/21: RTC Board of Governors and Committee minutes, meeting of Committee on Finance and Property, 21 September 1926, p.47.

#archives and special collections #archives #Wanda Zamorska #19th century #20th century #women #International Womens Day #IWD2021 #women at the university #women in science #women in STEM #Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College #Royal Technical College #University of Strathclyde #botany

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