#ban the easterling

[valacirya]

Other people still speaking Quenya doesn't mean that the banning of a language is not a form of cultural genocide (you can't recognize the term when applied in the clearest sense in fiction but accuse ofc it's “everybody else” that doesnt know what it means and minimizing it). If you wanna invoke “real life” shit, languages that have been banned are still public knowledge, doesn't mean barring them wasn't an act in the name of eliminating that culture. The lang. survived *despite* his actions, not bc he was so accepting of them. And attempting to monopolize the common tongue or make your own tongue the lingua Franca of a place is still... xenophobic? It's xenophobia.

He wasn't "making" his language the lingua franca of Beleriand. It already was. Thingol was protecting his culture and people from being assimilated into the Noldor, who came with the express intent of establishing their own kingdoms and showed disdain towards the Sindar ("dark elf in his dark caves"). And like I said in the post, the ban was a way to enact some sort of consequence for the Noldor who murdered his brother's people, stole and burned their ships, lied to him about it and also disrespected him and his people. I really don't think he was trying to "eliminate" Noldorin culture. He told Finrod where to build Nargothrond because Finrod valued his input and showed respect and admiration for the Sindar. He honored Hurin and Morwen even though they were vassals of Fingolfin/Fingon. He doesn't prevent Cirdan or the Laiquendi from establishing positive relations with the Noldor, and he takes in Noldorin refugees after Nargothrond's fall, as well as Sindar who worked for the Noldor after Bragollach. The ban was his way of protecting Beleriandic/Sindarin culture, showing his authority, and yes, as a consequence for the Kinslaying.

I expressly did not "invoke real life shit" in my post because I don't feel comfortable using terms like racism to describe fantasy events (unless we're talking about authorial intent like how Tolkien wrote the Haradrim and Easterlings, which was undoubtedly racist). But if you want to go down that path, don't forget that Thingol and the Sindar were native to Beleriand, and the Noldor came to take and rule territory (among other reasons). Again, do not like applying this here and it's not an exact comparison but if we go with a simplified idea of colonizer/colonized, then the Sindar are in the position of the colonized. In a (limited) comparative hypothetical scenario, the ban is like if Mughal emperor Jahangir banned English in the subcontinent and told his subjects to speak only Persian/Hindi-Urdu with the East India Company. I see nothing wrong with that.

Also, not only did Quenya survive and remain accessible, in LotR it was still considered the "High Elven" tongue compared to Sindarin, so the ban didn't even make it taboo or associated with kinslaying.

To each their own though. I'm just defending my opinion, I don't expect you to agree with me.

[grey-gazania]

Tell us about your Easterling conlang! Was it inspired by any real world languages?

No real-world languages at the moment, at least not consciously, though once I get deeper into developing the grammar that may happen. Tolkien doesn't give us much for the Easterling languages, just a few names. (I know he later changed his mind and said Bor & Family and Ulfang & Family were Easterling names and not Sindarin, but I find it too hard to swallow that Bor and Uldor just happened to have names that were cognates with Sindarin terms reflecting their choices in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad.)

So I took some of the sounds that Tolkien seems to have disliked, and then I used the OT constraint model to develop a functional phonology. I ended up with a quantity-sensitive monopodal language with syllable structures of CX(C) and CX:, where X is anything more sonorant than a glide. Its feet are trochees and are aligned with the left side of the word. It requires onsets and CC-voice-agreement, and bans epenthesis and adjacent identical segments. It also bans [g] in outputs. It allows complex clusters and deletion when necessary to prevent violations of higher-ranked constraints. It does not force agreement in place of articulation.

It's called Lathtesh ('speech'). The Easterlings call themselves Rikishim ('sun-people').  The plural morpheme is -ishim, though the output obviously changes based on the noun it's modifying. So nuv ('mountain') becomes nuvishim, but ki ('person') becomes kishim because *kiishim would violate the Onset constraint, and *ki?ishim (? = glottal stop) would violate the Dep constraint. Brodda ('wolf') becomes broddashim for the same reasons, as well as the additional reason that *broddishim would violate the Max-Root constraint.

(Just to make things more fun: the input that leads to ri ('sun) is actually /iri/, so if for some reason you wanted to make the compound word 'mountain-sun' you'd actually end up with nuviri, not *nuvri.)

Verb conjugations are not gendered. The first-person plural morpheme is -li, and the third-person singular is -o. So verbs ending in consonants are easy - khavral ('to be', with kh being the voiceless uvular fricative) becomes khavrali ('we speak') and khavralo ('he/she/it speaks'). Verbs ending in vowels behave differently; lathta ('to speak') becomes lathtali ('we speak'), but stays lathta for 'he/she/it speaks' because *lathto would violate the Max-Root constraint.

...I might have got a bit carried away here. Hope you don't mind!

[arofili]

men of middle-earth ⧎ easterlings and southrons ⧎ headcanon disclaimer

          While many tales tell of the Three Houses of the Edain, those mortal Men who came to Beleriand and became elf-friends, there are fewer stories in the West of those Men who arrived in the westernmost continent in later years. They are called Easterlings, for like all Men they Awoke in the East of the world, and spent more time there than did the West-men before moving to other lands.           The Easterlings who eventually made their way to Beleriand were related in kin and culture to the Khundolar and Chayasír tribes who were active in later Ages. They were led by two major chieftains, Kulren and Pegmûl, both of whom allied themselves with the House of Fëanor and were given lands around Himring and Thargelion in which to dwell. One such Easterling who entered the service of Maglor was the healer Tanrad, who took the name Ídhron and married the Bëorian woman Arasdil, the sometimes-lover of her elven-lord.           In the Fifth Battle, these Easterlings were crucial to turning the tide of the war: for though Kulren’s folk remained faithful to the Union of Maedhros, the sons of Pegmûl had secretly pledged their service to Morgoth and betrayed Caranthir, ultimately leading to the Union’s utter defeat. After the battle, Kulren and his sons were given Sindarin names honoring their bravery and loyalty, all with the prefix Bór-, “faithful,” while in memory of their hideous treachery, Pegmûl’s family were named with the prefix Ul-, “ugly.”           In the aftermath of the Nírnaeth Arnœdiad, those Easterlings who survived were treated to Morgoth’s twisted sense of repayment. Kulren’s people were rounded up and enslaved in the mines of Angband, while Pegmûl’s folk were corralled into the mountainous lands of Hithlum and shut out from the more fertile lands of Beleriand, cheated of their promised reward.           Ban was a Man who had marched under the banner of Kulren in the Battle, and had been friendly with the dwarves of Belegost, learning a little of their tongue. Though he and his wife Tandra were slain, their son Blodren survived, and escaped the captivity of Morgoth before reaching Angband. Blodren found no refuge in any land, for he had fought against Pegmûl’s allies and was now hated by the Edain for his distant kinship to the traitors of the Nírnaeth, for they did not distinguish between the two groups of Easterlings. Thus Blodren became an outlaw, falling in with the Gaurwaith, who also held him in suspicion but did not turn him away for his skill in hunting. Blodren found a strange fellowship with the dwarf Mîm when the Gaurwaith took up residence in the Bar-en-Danwedh, for he had inherited his father’s proclivities toward dwarves, but in the end this was not enough to save him when Mîm betrayed his captors, and he was slain by an orc-arrow in the Battle of Amon Rûdh.           In Hithlum, the attempts of Pegmûl’s folk to till the rocky lands were mostly unsuccessful. While a portion of these folk continued to eke out a quiet existence in the mountains, others turned to cruelty toward the House of Hador who had dwelt there before the Fifth Battle. Brodda, one of Uldor’s captains, seized the lands of Dor-lómin and claimed Húrin’s halls as his own, taking Húrin’s kinswoman Aerin to wife against her will. Later he would be slain but Húrin’s son Túrin, who returned to Dor-lómin searching for his mother and sister, but Brodda’s death only brought about harsher treatment to those Hadorians who remained.           Another tyrant in Dor-lómin was Lorgan, who set about attacking and enslaving the Grey-elves of Mithrim and any Hadorian refugees who had escaped his dominion. He allied himself with orcs to flush out the Folk of the Swan from their hiding-place in the caves of Androth, and though many escaped, Lorgan’s greatest prize was the capture of Tuor, son of Huor, who had been fostered by the elves. Lorgan kept Tuor as a slave for three years, treating him cruelly, but eventually Tuor escaped and began to harry his servants as an outlaw. Lorgan put a price on his head, but after four years of failing to recapture him, Tuor vanished, never to return.           When Húrin Thalion was released from Angband, he was given an escort of Easterlings back to his homeland of Dor-lómin. His reappearance alongside the soldiers of the Enemy made the men of Dor-lómin believe he was in league with the Dark King, and thus Húrin was shunned by his own people and prevented from rousing any rebellion against the Easterlings who had occupied his land. Only a small company of outlaws dared to follow Húrin when he departed, following him first to the halls of Lorgan, who had enslaved his nephew Tuor, though Húrin did not know this. Lorgan feigned friendship with Húrin, but when Húrin declared he was not in Morgoth’s service Lorgan allowed him to leave unhindered, guessing his Master’s purpose was to use Húrin’s bitterness to sow discontent among the remnant of the Edain.           Lorgan lived out his days in tyranny, eventually perishing when one of his cronies killed him and took his place. Though the Easterling Incomers who occupied Hithlum never thrived in their lands, they lived there until the War of Wrath, mingling with the House of Hador sometimes in oppression and sometimes in cooperation. When Morgoth called upon them to fight at his side against the Host of the Valar, the more prosperous Easterling lords heeded his orders, but others fled with the remnant of Hador’s folk to the Havens of Sirion, where they were absorbed into the contingent of Men led by Elros Tar-Minyatur, who would in time become their King.

[serregon]

24, 25 for the Tolkien ask!!

24. Your job is to write The Silmarillion: The Musical. What is one of the songs?

A lot of symphonic and power metal songs give me big middle earth vibes and if it was up to me the soundtrack would just be Nightwish and Epica. But I think the song that gives off the biggest silm vibes is Children of Cain by Demons and Wizards. It’s a Very Fëanorian song, like just look at the lyrics. “No earthly punishment / You're banned from heaven's shore / How could you deceive? / These rites of old / Your father's law / Can't control it / You can't control it... You’re no son of mine”, like that’s literally the oath. And then there’s “A precious moment so bright / But it's now out of sight / Father, oh father / There's no redemption / For what I have done”, which makes me think about Maedhros and Maglor being burned by the Silmarils. That and I also have a meta theory that the Fëanorians are based on the biblical Cain.

25. You get to have a conversation with J.R.R. Tolkien. What would you want to talk about?

Are Túrin and Beleg gay?

I want to know more about some of the worldbuilding he just kind of completely glossed over in his writing. Like some of the cultures we don’t know much about. What are the Avari like? How are they different from the Eldar? And what about the Easterlings? What happened when they met the blue wizards?

thanks for the ask!

[yarpharp]

I read a post about how fandom's gotten to be a bit of an echo chamber of overblown discourse when it comes to the consumption of certain pieces of literature and honestly? That's such a mood.

Like, I LOVE the Lord of the Rings series. It's one of my top ten book series of all time. But the books also could be labeled as too-eurocentric and at times racist. Well, that's because they are. Tolkien literally wrote his trilogy by smashing iconic tropes from Ye Olde European epics and folklore. It is absolutely Euro-centric because the trilogy is a study in story tropes from Europe. And yeah, the descriptions of the orcs dance an insanely fine line between Fantasy Monster and Blackface Caricatures. There are "easterlings" from the East who worship Sauron and enact ritual human sacrifice. It's not great.

But also the books were written in the 1950s. Tolkien was an Englishman who was the product of his time. Your job, as a reader in the present day, is to think critically about those issues. And also, value what content it does have that is worth appreciating.

A running theme of Nature vs. The Machine, the issues of Legacy, the fact that "For The Greater Good" can be easily twisted into a horrible path to destruction if you let it, Family, Found Family, War, questioning the concept of the We-They Dichotomy, etc. They're solid themes. The fact that honestly? The descriptions of many of the main cast are very vague; I always mentally envisioned Aragorn as POC until the Peter Jackson films shattered that mental image.

Idk. You can still value a book even if it's outdated or controversial. You should be able to read it critically and puzzle out the issues, not reflexively blanket ban it just because it does contain those themes. Blanket banning shit just censors you into a bubble and you won't gain anything.

[jbird5by5]

Saddened by the passing of Singer/Songwriter/Actress Olivia Newton-John ( 2022)

Olivia Newton-John, the Grammy-winning superstar who reigned on pop, country, adult contemporary and dance charts with such hits as “Physical” and “You’re the One That I Want” and won countless hearts as everyone’s favorite Sandy in the blockbuster film version of “Grease,” has died.

She was 73.

From 1973-83, Newton-John was among the world’s most popular entertainers. She had 14 top 10 singles just in the U.S., won four Grammys, starred with John Travolta in “Grease” and with Gene Kelly in “Xanadu.”.

“Physical,” the bouncy, R-rated smash released in 1981, was No. 1 for 10 weeks and was named Billboard’s song of the year despite being banned by some radio stations. An aerobics-friendly promotional clip, filmed in the early years of MTV, won a Grammy for best video.

Both musically and image-wise, she reinvented herself during those years. The blonde, ever-smiling Newton-John initially favored mild pop-country songs such as “Please Mr. Please” and “Have You Never Been Mellow” and soft-breathing ballads like “I Honestly Love You,” which in 1975 won Grammys for best female pop vocal and record of the year. But she picked up the tempo in “Grease,” especially after Sandy ditched her white sweaters and blouses for waist-high, black leather pants.

She had a few hits after “Physical,” but her career declined and Newton-John became more likely to make news because of her private life. In 1992, as she was preparing a concert tour, her father died and she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Newton-John married John Easterling, founder of the Amazon Herb Company, in 2008. She was involved in numerous charitable causes, serving as goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme and as national spokeswoman for the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition. She also founded the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia.

Olivia Newton-John was born on September 26, 1948, in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. She had many hit singles and appeared on TV series with Cliff Richard as well as in the film Toomorrow (1970).

She is survived by her husband; daughter Chloe Lattanzi; sister Sarah Newton-John; brother Toby Newton-John; and several nieces and nephews.

My Condolence to Family and Friends

#R.I.P. 😔🙏🥀

[seregel-caranthiriel]

🌟FILL IN THE QUESTIONS AS IF YOU ARE BEING INTERVIEWED FOR AN ARTICLE AND YOU WERE YOUR MUSE

1. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

"Seregel"

2. WHAT IS YOUR REAL NAME?

"Sercëmael Laurënel"

3. DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU'RE CALLED THAT?

"My mother name was a term of endearment, since it means Gold Star. My father name means Bloodstained, and it turned out to be prophetic. Seregel was the combination in Sindarin after Thingol banned Quenya, and it means Blood Star."

4. ARE YOU SINGLE OR TAKEN?

"I am single up until a few days before the Battle of the Five Armies."

5. WHAT IS YOUR POWERS AND ABILITIES?

"Well, in the past 7 millennia I have mastered my masking spells. I hide my scars, since þauron has a bounty on my head and the ones on my face make me easily identifiable. I can change my eye colour, but if I concentrate for more than a few seconds I can alter my appearance entirely. I am very good at drawing life-like figures, and I can transfer my memories in the paints. Anyone who touches my paintings sees my memories of the person I drew. I also cry tears of blood. After we met the Aftercomers, I realised that me crying led them to a most painful death, due in which they lost blood from their eyes, ears, nose, mouth, even from underneath their fingernails. It lasts a few minutes, but to them it's like years of torment, and it stops when I wipe my eyes and stop crying."

6. WHAT IS THE COLOR OF YOUR EYES?

"Red."

7. HAVE YOU EVER DYED YOUR HAIR?

"If you're talking about this red highlight, I assure you that I was born with it. I have never dyed my hair."

8. DO YOU HAVE ANY FAMILY MEMBERS?

"I assume you mean alive family members? Because I have Elrond, his children, uncle Káno and Galadriel this side of the Beleagar. As for what's happening in Aman, I have no idea if anyone else has been reembodied."

9. DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?

"I have my horse, Canyo, who was gifted to me at my 30th begetting day by uncle Findekáno. He is a son of Nahar, the stallion of Oromë, and he has been my faithful companion through many hardships."

10. TELL ME ABOUT SOMETHING YOU DON’T LIKE.

"I hate the inactivity of the ones in power to right what was wrong and help the wronged party. While Moringoþo killed Finwë, the Valar did nothing. When Oromë rightly pursued him, he was stopped. When we declared that we were going to have our vengeance, the Valar didn't try to stop us, to help us. Manwë had Námo pronounce our Doom. Dear Eru, I can still hear it. 'Tears unnumbered ye shall shed; and the Valar will fence Valinor against you, and shut you out, so that not even the echo of your lamentations shall pass over the mountains. On-' my apologies, you need not hear that. But I do think you see my point."

11. DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES OR ACTIVITIES YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

"Bold of you to assume I have spare time. Jokes aside, I mostly enjoy riding, especially on the plains of the Ridermark. And drawing."

12. HAVE YOU EVER HURT ANYONE BEFORE?

"I'm a Fëanorian, people get hurt wherever I go."

13. HAVE YOU EVER… KILLED ANYONE?

"Aside from the Orcs and the Easterling traitors of the Nirnaeth... the occasional Dunlanding that thinks I am a defenceless maiden that he can rob, rape and murder. And the First Kinslaying. No Finwëan born in Aman is innocent of it, except Itarillë and Tyelpe who where only a toddler and a child back then."

14. WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL ARE YOU?

"I beg your pardon?"

15. NAME YOUR WORST HABITS.

"I am hostile towards people I don't know, especially mortals. Not so much towards Dwarves as Men though."

16. DO YOU LOOK UP TO ANYONE?

"Not anymore. I used to, but they all ended up doing horrible things, things I was incapable of imagining."

17. GAY, STRAIGHT OR BISEXUAL?

"Bisexual."

18. DO YOU GO TO SCHOOL?

"No. I have been to the schoolroom since I was an adolescence back in the Years of the Trees."

19. DO YOU EVER WANT TO MARRY AND HAVE KIDS SOME DAY?

"I don't see why not want it. The question is whether I will allow it to myself. And if anyone could ever love someone like me."

20. DO YOU HAVE ANY FANS?

"Fans who wish my death."

21. WHAT ARE YOU MOST AFRAID OF?

"Nothing at this point in my life."

22. WHAT DO YOU USUALLY WEAR?

"My black riding gear with a cloack of the Galadhrim. The occasional dress for Tarnin Austa, but I prefer dress robes."

23. DO YOU LOVE SOMEONE?

"What's left of my family."

24. WHAT CLASS ARE YOU?

"Royalty. I am a princess of the Ñoldor, and in Beleriand I was the Lady of Thargelion and later Amon Ereb."

25. DO YOU HAVE MANY FRIENDS?

"No, no more than 5 spanning over the millennia."

26. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON PIE?

"I like pie."

27. FAVORITE DRINK.

"Miruvorë. It's like wine, but much stronger."

28. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE?

"In my rooms in the palace in Tirion, I had a window that opened into a balcony that looked North and West. But I had a window that created a nook and looked over to the East. From there I could see Tol Eressëa. I had piled it with blankets and pillows, and as I gazed at the Great Sea, I dreamt of faraway lands. Indis would sometimes come sit with me there. She told me stories of her youth, of a starlit lake, of three great mountain ranges, the second being as tall as the Pelorí and twice as perilous, of two great rivers, of a lonely mountain with a lake at it's feet. I ended up seeing them all, I just wish I did under much better and happier circumstances."

29. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SOMEONE?

"Not at this point."

30. WHAT IS YOUR DICK SIZE?

"What's yours?"

31. WOULD YOU RATHER SWIM IN THE LAKE OR THE OCEAN?

"I think the ocean? I mean, the waters in Lindon are wonderful, and I have the fondest memories of swimming in Alqualondë when I was young."

32. WHAT’S YOUR ‘TYPE’?

"I don't think I have one?"

Tagged by: @lady-of-the-abyss

Tagging: I don't know, @goldberrie @melkors-ass @thirdoffinwe @straightouttahimring

[orbemnews]

Lawmaker proposes bill to prohibit social media companies from censoring Texans TEXARKANA, Texas – The Lone Star state is taking aim at social media companies. An East Texas lawmaker authored a bill to prohibit big tech companies from censoring Texans. Nearly two dozen states have proposed similar legislation. “The new town square, it’s social media. Like it or not, that’s where people go to express views and have debates,” said state Sen. Bryan Hughes, (R-Mineola). Hughes has proposed legislation to ban social media platforms from what he believes is censorship of Texans online. The new bill would allow any Texan who believes they have been canceled, censored or de-platformed to file a lawsuit against companies like Twitter and Facebook. “A few people in San Francisco that control these social media companies, these tech giants. They want to be the gatekeepers for free speech. We can’t let any small elite group do that,” said Hughes. Jeff Easterling has worked more than 30 years with radio and television stations. He’s also been administering numerous social media pages in the Texarkana area, such as Texarkana Cheers and Jeers, Bowie County News and Reviews and many more. “There’s more phones now than there are mail boxes in the United States of America, so social media is where the people are,” said Easterling. Easterling said he’s for community standards and taking a stand against bullying online. However, he’s against people being censored for expressing their political views, which he says happens when outside fact-checkers get involved. “To judge whether my story should be there, or your story should be there, or whether their story should be there. I’m kind of against that, but as far as, the community standards, they’ve stepped in, there’s way too much social media bullying,” said Easterling. Some experts have raised doubts about whether Senate Bill 12 would hold up in court. If the bill is signed into law, Hughes has acknowledged that it would almost certainly be challenged in court, but he believes all viewpoints need to be protected. “We’re going to move it quickly to give Texans a chance to fight back when they get knocked off line, when they get punished just because they exercise their free speech. This is a big deal and Texas is leading the nation on this,” said Hughes. In the past, Facebook and other social media companies have said they have the right to monitor and ban users on their platforms when those users post speech that promotes violence. The Texas Senate has given initial approval of Senate Bill 12. It’s now awaiting action in the Texas House of Representatives. Gov. Greg Abbott is hoping to sign it into law by Sept. 1. A similar measure was introduced two years ago, but failed to pass. Source link Orbem News #Bill #bryanhughes #censoring #Companies #jeffeasterling #Law #Lawmaker #legislation #Media #prohibit #proposes #Senate #Social #Socialmedia #state #Texan #Texans

[ceescedasticity]

Part the Third

Celegorm and Curufin reach Himring without incident.

Curufin attempts to spin the whole thing as a success: Thingol had an interest in the Silmarils, and now if he tries to act on that his daughter will stop him! Really heads off a major potential problem. And yes, Finrod did almost die, and Maedhros didn't want that, but he'll be fine, and hopefully he'll be a more useful ally in the future.

Maedhros is like: Never in the history of Arda has being tortured for a month made someone a better ally.

…He can't actually disagree that Thingol trying to get a Silmaril would be a TERRIBLE complication, he's not sure how they could handle it if the guy actually got one, and having someone in place who is likely to put a stop to it without further straining already fragile relations is… good. But he doesn't believe Curufin set things up that way on purpose.

Celegorm is ranting and raving about Lúthien choosing a mortal over him. At least half of what he's actually UPSET about is that Aredhel looked at him like an enemy and then she was hurt and she's still really mad at him — but that's not what he's being noisy about.

The story about Lúthien marrying Beren gets around, and most of the versions don't include taking down Sauron and breaking every chain in Tol-in-Gaurhoth, and of course some of the really epic stuff from canon didn't happen. It sounds a lot more… attainable.

And Aegnor hasn't exactly come out and admitted that Barawen and Gildor (and Gilhíril) are his children by Andreth? But no one is working very hard to cover it up right now, either.

—And that also means Beren and Lúthien know that one of Aegnor and Andreth's children is apparently mortal but aging very well, and the other two appear to be elves. Not that anyone necessarily knows what to do with that…

Sauron isn't any more forthcoming about what happened with his boss than Sauron is in canon. He attributes everything to Noldorin warriors and the Hound of Valinor.

Angband does produce some extra-big wolves, which are no fun at all for anyone to deal with, but if they're looking for Huan they're looking in the wrong place.

Is Maedhros still pushing for an offensive now, without the hopeful example of the stolen Silmaril?

And perhaps more importantly, without the desperate need to make sure there is something to look at besides the stolen Silmaril, to convince himself and his brothers that the two in Angband are attainable.

So, probably not with the same fire. But defeating Morgoth or at LEAST reestablishing the Siege is still objectively desirable. It doesn't seem likely conditions will improve if they wait.

So talk to Azaghal, talk to Marce the Easterling (not yet called Bór), talk to Húrin of Dor-lómin, talk to Círdan. Talk to Fingon, a lot.

He goes to Nargothrond early, as soon as Fingon agrees it's a good idea — as soon as Aredhel has confirmed that Galadriel will at least let him in and hear him out.

(The official word is that the House of Finarfin will henceforth grant no hospitality to Celegorm and Curufin as they have shown themselves incapable of observing the obligations of guests; their brothers are not banned absolutely but neither should they be certain of their welcome.)

He has several goals.

First, see what must be done to repair relations.

Which are much more reparable than they were in canon! Nargothrond hasn't lost its king. It hasn't been unwittingly used as a base to abduct and try to pressure into marrying the princess of an allied kingdom, courting invasion. And Galadriel can afford to compromise more than Orodreth could — she's at less risk of being seen as weak.

Galadriel wants a public apology for Celegorm and Curufin's behavior and promise to keep them on a shorter leash in the future; material reparations of horses and very good steel; and for Maedhros to figure out and undo whatever the HELL Curufin did that has eaten away at Nargothrond's courage until a not inconsiderable number of the nobles are afraid to go OUTSIDE.

…Maedhros hadn't realized Curufin had picked up that particular trick at all, much less adapted it for large-scale use. Okay, yes, he can undo that with… an oration, probably, just — he has to adapt the fix for large-scale use. He's never had to talk more than two people at a time out of this before.

…

Just — don't ask.

Second reason — check on Finrod, as a cousin. Even a DAY in Sauron's custody would be too much, and a MONTH— He's already talked to Aredhel about it, and Maeglin, and she said Finrod was shielding the rest of them. Maedhros is concerned — he CARES, dammit.

Orodreth and Finduilas are passionately against it — most of the people who were present from the… quasi-takeover are particularly hostile. Possibly it's side effects of Curufin's thing; possibly they're compensating for their own guilt; possibly both. At any rate Finrod agrees to see him, and Galadriel and Arameldis don't object, so.

It goes fine. Finrod is too weary to be gracious OR angry, so they have a relatively open conversation. Maedhros tells Finrod he didn't fail, and means it. Finrod says he'll take that under advisement, but he's smiling a little.

He thinks Finrod will be okay, as much as any of them are.

Third reason — check on Celebrimbor. Maedhros isn't going to try to talk him into coming back, but wants to make sure he's well.

He is! Celebrimbor is keeping busy, working with Galvornil and Maeglin to try to reverse-engineer galvorn, with the goal of making better armor.

(After Eöl was exiled and took off east, the Marchwardens were sent to Nan Elmoth to clear out anything dangerous. There was quite a lot. They had to send back to Melian for advice at least five times. But there were also a lot of things which weren't dangerous, and after some consideration Thingol decided the most moral option was to pack everything portable off to Nargothrond. So they have some samples to work from.)

So that's good.

Fourth reason—

Maedhros does everything very properly; requests an audience, brings a gift, and generally behaves with utmost respect.

He asks what it would take for Lúthien to consider joining an assault on Angband.

Lúthien says she'll think about it.

To be continued after I decide whether I'm going to do something really outrageous.

The start of my very self-indulgent bullet point outline of a less-Doomed fixit:

The Doom of Mandos isn't VERY different — just a few key sentences: "Their Oath shall drive them, and yet betray them, and even forsworn shall it bring them grief immeasurable. To evil end shall all things turn that they begin well, unless they come to understand the meaning of kin."

It starts off pretty much the same. It's not like Fëanor is listening to the Valar at this point.

Losgar still happens.

The Helcaraxë still happens.

Fëanor's death still happens.

Maedhros's capture still happens.

But Elenwë lives — maybe she's walking in a different place because she had to break up an argument between Turgon and Fingon about 'understanding the meaning of kin'.

And Argon lives — Elenwë saves his life. (She was a champion javelin thrower in Vanyarin athletic contests, before she got married and those sorts of risks became less appropriate.)

The tense reunion is basically the same, even if Turgon in particular is a little less hostile.

Maedhros's rescue is the same.

Giving the crown to Fingolfin is the same.

Early interaction with Doriath is the same; Thingol's Ban is the same.

[You know what this is already self-indulgent, maybe I'll just add some of the OCs from 'Absence of Evidence'.]

The arrival of Iestorwen Laethriel is the same. However, she's obviously not going off past Ered Luin by herself.

Ulmo's message to Turgon and Finrod is a bit different. Still the piece about hidden strongholds, but also something to the effect of "if you don't hang together you will surely hang separately".

Finrod's own behavior doesn't change much, but later on he does convince Galadriel not to take off for east of the Ered Luin.

Turgon's behavior would be a bit different even without the different message, because Elenwë wanted to come to Middle-earth, and holing up in a hidden city was not what she had in mind.

Gondolin is still very isolationist, but Turgon does send very trusted envoys — Aredhel, Glorfindel, Elenwë a lot more often than he'd like, rarely himself — to Barad Eithel at least every five years.

Aredhel takes off for Himlad from one of these trips, so rather more people are aware she's missing. There's a great deal of worry. No one's felt her die, but that's not a guarantee.

When they hear about it in Menegroth (sooner than they would have without Galadriel still there), Melian has a feeling that yeah actually this is kind of their problem.

Nothing more than that, though, and they conclude it's Nan Dungortheb, not Eöl. Melian doesn't like Eöl but she hasn't seen THIS coming.

Doriath sends some marchwardens with Galadriel to aid in searching Nan Dungortheb. Obviously this does not lead to finding Aredhel, but it does lead to understanding one another a bit better.

Meanwhile the arrival of the Edain has been much the same.

(Caranthir admires Haleth, especially how she manages to be a leader while being prickly and not particularly polite, but he's already married to a Nandorin/Avarin woman named Alpheth.) (Haleth for her part isn't into freaky unnatural glowing-eyed beings. It's Bëorings who are into that. Freaks.) (This is my go-to version of their interactions regardless of Doom.)

Eöl weaves his defenses more densely to the north because of the searching, and they stay up even after it dies down. Aredhel and Maeglin eventually escape south. (And Galvornil.)

They go to Nargothrond. Unlike Gondolin in canon, they already have a vague suspicion that some sort of foul play may have been involved. And unlike Gondolin in canon, they can just keep someone outside the front door — they don't have to bring them in or kill them. Eöl isn't admitted.

Thingol is not pleased about the diplomatic fallout. He repossesses Nan Elmoth. Eöl disappears into the east.

Maeglin stays in Nargothrond. (With Galvornil.) Aredhel stays too until he's older, but eventually resumes traveling.

(Another go-to version regardless of Doom: Aegnor and Andreth get secretly married in defiance of advice. Their immediate families eventually find out, but they don't want to tell anyone else. They have three kids: Gilrodel Barawen, Gilhíril Bardhis, and Gildor Bronadui. When visiting Nargothrond or Dorthonion they're presented as kin and given a confusing patronymic. Barawen chooses mortal, Gilhíril and Gildor choose elf, not that any of them realize it at the time.)

Up next: Dagor Bragollach

[y3s2-20192020]

The Special Economic Zone X The Domestic Economy

On any day of Laem Chabang, tons of cargoes are being unloaded, among them many are fault declared filled with illegal objects such as chemicals, vehicles, and drugs

In the case of the chemical explosion in Laem Chabang, in the end, the most we could do about it is to implement a safety protocol and enforce frequent monitoring to ensure safety.

After decades of intensive law enforcements and criminal prohibition to prevent illegal drug use, cities are still filled with violent traffickers and drug offenders overcrowding jails and prisons, but still loads of drugs are crossing Thailand’s borders unimpeded. Not only has prohibition been proven to be a failure, but it also gave rise to the thriving black market.

So why bother trying to stop them?

In the end, loopholes will still exist.

There is also a growing trend of decriminalisation across the globe, the highlighted countries are those where drugs and in some places cannabis have been decriminalised, with a scale to show its effectiveness.

Although most are shown to not be working as well, in 2020, drug decriminalisation in Thailand is projected to be successful- with the difference being that drugs would only be decriminalised in the special economic zone.

For the projected scenario, I propose a  special economic zone located at the tip of Laem Chabang’s to-be third phase in which the possession, trade, storage, and use would be legal in the special economic zone with no criminal offense.

The zone consists of “the visible” and “the invisible” spaces that can coexist together from the blue spaces in between them which are the hospital and experimental labs. “The visible” refers to the pharmaceutical drugs and hospital zones whereas “the invisible” refers to the drug trade and storage zones.

The zone also provides drug use rooms separated for temporary use (ranging from minutes to hours) and overnight stays, and facilities to accommodate users while using drugs.

TESTIMONY from a user - called SOMCHAI, 43, THAI

After a stressful week of work, my co-workers and I got on a speed boat from Pattaya bound for Laem Chabang Port phase 3’s new zone I just heard about. We wanted to be the first ones to check-in to this new zone. 

We got off the boat and went through such a tiresome process of going through security checks...the funny thing is I could make up a fake name to conceal my identity...how funny is that, so I went with Somchai- the most common Thai name, let’s see how many Somchais I will meet here 

...

Upon arrival, I was craving for anything that would make my stress go away, so after going to the main gathering space, I was led here.

“Silk Road”... you mean the trade route? 

Or is it the online black market, is it operating again?

I entered the space from curiosity on what it really is.

I found several people lying around as if they are high from something...

The zone Somchai has just entered called the “Silk Road” is the space in the zone selling drugs and also a space for people to “rest” after a period of drug use for the effects to wear away which would be under the supervision of staff.

“How do you want to feel today?”- I heard a voice from behind the shelves

What do you mean by that though- “Stress-free of course, happy? rebellious? confident and FUN! i guess.”

She told me to wait and appeared with this medicine-like packet but it was labelled by the feelings I just told her...how weird.

She told me to take them one at a time to experience those feelings. Well..I doubt it. 

...

After checking my identification and completing the payment, I exited. I opened the packet to see familiar looking tablets and rolled leaves…

The prescription of drugs will be by pharmacists and instead of directly prescribing, users will be asked “what they want to feel?” in turn drugs would be given based on their answers 

In this relation, it would help to ensure safety of the users and try to make connections on the effects of drugs on emotions.

For example, an architect student feeling tired would label themselves as feeling “sleepless” and would be prescribed a stimulant to speed up the central nervous system.

Instead of concealing trafficking related activities (that would never be properly resolved) but trying the reverse, the proposal is trying to expose or make visible the invisible and evaluate on the impacts it would bring and take away. 

The zone is an “Extrastatecraft” as Keller Easterling describes, “...rather than dissolving into the domestic economy, as was originally intended, the Export Processing Zone absorbed more and more of that economy into the enclave.”

By implementing the special economic zone, there will be a much larger network and trade involving the circulation of money around the port area than what is currently happening- attracting people from the opportunities the zone provides.

On a larger scale, Thailand’s relationship with other countries would be affected through the drug trade especially with China and its Belt and Road Initiative, and China’s role of the main drug precursor chemicals and its experiment on designers’ drugs.

Taking advantage of being a port, the zone would get access to drug precursors from all over the world without any restrictions from laws.

Most precursors have both licit and illicit applications which is the main reason why most are banned.

In the middle, the visible and invisible coexist at the laboratory. With all the precursors as a material floating around, regardless of its licit or illicit application, new types of drugs would constantly emerge from the zone’s laboratory.

Once the Kra Canal opens, it would affect the trade routes allowing for a shorter trade route from the west.

As the idea may not be digestible to everyone at first, a layer of access to pharmaceutical drugs is added since in certain countries, drugs are not affordable and this could help add a more ethical and legitimate layer to expose the zone and to implant the idea of drug usage to be normalised in Thailand. 

In the zone where the maritime silk road would be implemented two main countries lacking in its pharmaceutical drugs are Africa and India. Once the Kra Canal opens, a new pharmaceutical drug trade route could be established with China as the main supplier in this region.

In relation to pharmaceutical drugs, the hospital zone is targeted towards those that seek treatment and for taking people into trials for the invented drugs to be tested for side effects.

As for the logistics zone, or the “behind-the-scenes,” it would be off-limits to people coming in for using drugs.

On the architectural scale, the recreational spaces are designed to enhance the sensory experiences of drug users- of see, smell, hear, and touch aspect.

Each space is designed in relation to several aspects that have an effect on emotion such as the material and colors. 

Upon entering the space, the surrounding has evoked Somchai’s past experience...

He recounts his experience of using drugs

After injection, I felt a rush- my heartbeat, blood pressure, and pulse soared.

Unlike the rush from other types of drugs, this lasted for 30 minutes

The rush was followed by “the high,” making me feel aggressively smarter and argumentative, I kept interrupting other people and finishing their sentences… it lasted for 4-16 hours

Then came “the binge”- I started injecting more, re-experiencing “the rush” but a “smaller rush,” until finally a “no rush” and “no high,”

The next thing I remembered was waking up from a long sleep...it was like a dream.

And since “people using drugs are not happy around people using another drug” because the experience they have would be different. Drugs are categorized into 3 main groups- depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens- depending on the effect it has on the nervous system.

The zone would be divided for people using stimulants that speed up or stimulate and for people using depressants that slow down the nervous system.

Since the purpose of most people taking drugs is for self-relief and to feel better, these spaces are designed to heighten those experiences influencing the user’s feeling under the effect of drugs.

To complete Somchai’s tour of the zone, he enters the festival zone designed for people using hallucinogens.

I entered the zone, greeted by the booming electro music 

I came prepared with colorful pills with designed stamps on them

…

I swallowed the pills and within minutes, this is what I started experiencing…

Once a drug enters the body, it becomes a space of exception. With the human body as a medium/material coming from the domestic economy into the SEZ, once human use drugs, it would affect certain organs in the body similar to the quote from Extrastatecraft, “...swallowed the city whole, the zone is now the germ of a city-building epidemic,” drugs inhibit the body but once the duration of drug effect is gone, the body will be free from being inhibited.

The society also treats drug users as a zone of exception by labeling them. By refraining from using these popular rhetoric equating drug use with moral failure could prove to be more effective than the prohibition war on drugs.

 Zones of exception are everywhere, we are confronted with it in both good and bad ways. We wouldn’t be able to build cities without zones of exception since capitalism won’t be able to exist as capitalism generates growth, wealth, and development.

A single zone may not be enough, and the zone would have to be distributed as hubs perhaps on current sites where drugs are traded in proximity to water- multiplying itself across the region and instead of dissolving, the zone dissolves the economy into the enclave.

[delovidenie]

TikTok’s Highest-Earning Influencers 2020 | The Countdown | Forbes (Forbes)

Shortly after President Trump threatened to ban TikTok last weekend, 19-year-old Addison Rae Easterling did what she does best. She posted a short-form video imagining her life without the wildly popular social media app: She’d return to LSU, where she started out as a freshman last year studying broadcast journalism. But Easterling isn’t just one […]

Сообщение TikTok’s Highest-Earning Influencers 2020 | The Countdown | Forbes (Forbes) появились сначала на Деловидение.

https://delovidenie.com/tiktoks-highest-earning-influencers-2020-the-countdown-forbes-forbes/

[arofili]

Men of Middle-earth Edit Series: Appendix D

Continued from Appendix C. This section will contain information on the Easterlings, Southrons, the Nazgûl, the mortal characters who appear in The Lost Road, and other miscellaneous Men who didn’t fit well into another category.

~~~

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Appendix A: House of Éorl Appendix B: Misc. Númenóreans, Misc. Dúnedain Appendix C: Middle Men, Northmen Appendix D: Easterlings, Southrons, Nazgûl, The Lost Road, Misc. Men (you are here!)

~~~

Note: We don’t know what any of the canonical Easterling and Haradrim words mean, so I’ve made up translations for their names and given myself a bank of word-parts with which to create OC names. I adopted a lot of names in this section from various adaptations; an asterisk* next to a word indicates that it appears in an adaptation (such as LOTRO or MERP), but not within Tolkien’s canon. These people would have possessed many languages, not just the jumble of word-parts I’ve assembled here, and of course would also include many, many more sub-cultures than I can depict, but I’m doing my best with the extremely limited information we have. None of this is canon unless explicitly stated.

EASTERLING GLOSSARY -(a)r || pluralizer || made up meaning (*Khundolar, *Jangovar, *Sûhalar) ban || “strength” || real element (Ban father of Blodren), made up meaning blod || “pride” || real element (Blodren), made up meaning brod || “great” || real element (Brodda), made up meaning chaya || “wind” || made up meaning (*Chayasír) da || “-ness” || real element (Brodda; “greatness”), made up meaning dola || “horse” || made up meaning (*Khundolar) dra || “beauty, beautiful” || entirely made up ekh || “wild” || entirely made up gan || “master” || real element (Lorgan), made up meaning gûr || “wisdom” || entirely made up hala || “axe” || made up meaning (*Sûhalar) -i || pluralizer || entirely made up; Veradja dialect -iag || “workers” || real element (Variag), made up meaning -ja || “language, speech” || made up meaning (*Veradja); Veradja dialect jango || “victory” || made up meaning (*Jangovar) kha || “power, powerful” || real element (Khamûl; Khand), made up meaning khor || “black” || entirely made up khund || “noble, nobility” || made up meaning (*Khundolar) kul || “song” || entirely made up lor || “fierce” || real element (Lorgan), made up meaning lund || “dark” || entirely made up mûl || “lord” || real element (Khamûl), made up meaning nab || “friend” || entirely made up -nd || “land of” || real element (Khand), made up meaning; Veradja dialect peg || “sword” || entirely made up rad || “light” || entirely made up ren || “one who is” || real element (Blodren), made up meaning sír || “to love” || made up meaning (*Chayasír) sû || “fire” || made up meaning (*Sûhalar) tan || “gentle” || entirely made up tavu || “sea” || entirely made up thû || “king” || one of Sauron’s early names, here made into his name among the Easterlings va || “sail” || made up meaning (*Jangovar) var || “money” || real element, made up meaning (Variag); Veradja dialect verad || “moon” || made up meaning (*Veradja) zakh || “mountain” || entirely made up

SOUTHRON GLOSSARY ashū || “south” || entirely made up boz || “open” || made up meaning (*Bozisha) can(na) || “oasis” || made up meaning (*Sud Sicanna) dala || “night” || made up meaning (*Dalamyr) (f)az || “land” || entirely made up ghyr || “worm” || entirely made up hash(a) || “silence” || made up meaning (*Hasharin) -i || pluralizer || entirely made up inkā || “north” || derived from canonical Inkā-nūsh, “north-spy” mahûd || “troll” || meaning guessed from context (*Mahûd Men) mak || “oliphaunt” || derived from canonical mûmak, “war oliphaunt” mir, myr || “desert” || made up meaning (*Miraz, Dalamyr); spelling varies by dialect mû || “war” || derived from canonical mûmak, “war oliphaunt” nūsh || “spy” || derived from canonical Inkā-nūsh, “north-spy” póac || “jungle” || made up meaning (*Tûl Póac) rin || pluralizer || made up meaning (*Hasharin) raz || “blue” || made up meaning (*Miraz) rûv || “wealth” || entirely made up sar || “magic” || entirely made up sica || “great, greatness” || (*Sud Sicanna) sud || “city” || made up meaning (*Sud Sicanna) tûl || “town” || made up meaning (*Tûl Póac) vek || “lord” || entirely made up yetta || “heart” || entirely made up zish(a) || “plains” || made up meaning (*Bozisha)

~~~

EASTERLINGS AND SOUTHRONS

~~~

First Age Easterlings ft. Tanrad Ídhron (OC), Ban, Tandra (OC), Blodren, Brodda, Lorgan; First Age Easterlings article The story here is mostly canonical. I’ve done my best to give these Easterlings a sympathetic portrayal, emphasizing their diversity and humanity, but that is difficult when all the named Easterlings have negative portrayals in canon. We’ll get more to other Easterling groups (the Khundolar and Chayasír) in a future edit. Tanrad is an OC; his story is covered in a little more detail in the edit I made about his wife Arasdil (also an OC). I gave Bór and Ulfang and their kids names in their original tongue, because they would certainly not have had Sindarin names when they came to Beleriand, and were definitely given those particular Sindarin names after their deaths, because no one would call their ally a name that means “ugly beard.” The story of Ban and Blodren is covered in my edit about the Gaurwaith; you can find out about the alterations to that story here. Brodda and Lorgan’s tales are mostly canonical, with some embellishment. We don’t know the manner of Lorgan’s death; I made that up. The Easterlings supposedly fought on Morgoth’s side in the War of Wrath, but I don’t buy that every single one of them did, especially since there had to have been people who were more chill and people who had mixed Hadorian-Easterling ancestry at this point, so I had some of them escape to join the other army. Elros’ position in the War of Wrath is a headcanon.

Bór the Faithful ft. Kulren Bór, Nabren Díbór (OC), Kultan Borlad, Kulnab Borlach, Kulrad Borthand 95% of this is headcanon, as we know very little about the lives of Bór and his sons aside from their loyalty to Maedhros. I’ve given them all names in their own tongue (they’re alliterative...sorry) because they wouldn’t have been called Bór__ from the jump. Some of the Easterling women were said to be “proud and barbaric” so I had Bór’s wife be a warrior also. We know that Bór died in the Nírnaeth, and that his sons killed Ulfast and Ulwarth before they themselves were killed, and that’s pretty much it for the canon info. Everything else I made up. I tried to justify the meanings of their Sindarin names by their roles/personalities/fates, and I thought Maglor putting them into song, since he would have known them personally, was a fitting way for those names to be applied to them posthumously. Ekhda = wildness; ekhren = wild one: this is basically the concept of a berserker.

Ulfang the Black ft. Pegmûl Ulfang, Lorrad Emerul (OC), Khagan Uldor, Lundda Ulfast, Mûlda Ulwarth Like the previous edit, this is almost entirely headcanon. We do know that Ulfang died before the Battle, leaving Uldor to lead his people into treachery; likewise, we know how Ulfang’s sons died. I made up pretty much everything else. Again, I’ve tried to portray these people sympathetically; they’re definitely not the good guys, but they did have reasons for doing what they did. Also I gave them all new names in their own tongue, because just like Bór and his sons, they wouldn’t have been called Ul__ (“ugly __”) from birth, especially not since they were named before encountering anyone who spoke Sindarin.

Easterlings (of the Land of the Sun) ft. the Easterling subgroups of: the Wainriders, the Balchoth, and the tribes known as the Khundolar, Jangovar, Sûhalar, and Chayasír (LOTRO) So, SO much of this headcanon, though a great portion of it is canon as well! And there’s a lot of LOTRO details thrown in for good measure, though again I have not played that game and am getting all my info on it from Tolkien Gateway. Let’s begin: Túvon is a proto-Sauron character who interacted with Men shortly after they Awoke, not wholly evil but whose arc would have turned against Men if Tolkien hadn’t scrapped him as a character and replaced him with Thû the Necromancer, who himself also replaced Tevildo, Prince of Cats. Since the Thû’s development leads into the creation of Sauron, but Túvon feels like a different sort of character, I have decided to distinguish between them and make Túvon into a lesser servant of Morgoth who also meddles with the Easterlings after the First Age. Everything about him after the first paragraph is entirely headcanon, and even that first part should be taken with a heaping grain of salt. Since there’s not really a great place for Sauron’s name of “Thû” to be reincorporated in his main storyline, I’ve made it instead his moniker among the Easterlings. Most of the places I mention are actually canonical locations! (Though a lot of this is taken from BoLT and not mentioned elsewhere.) Hildórien is where Men Awoke; the Land of the Sun is a name for the lands east of Rhovanion, aka Rhûn (which just means “east,” so I think that’s a name applied by western peoples and not what its inhabitants called their lands); Kalormë is the second-highest mountain in Arda (after Taniquetil) and sits amid the mountain range known alternately as the Mountains of the Wind and the Walls of the Sun (eta: I was wrong, Mtns of Wind are a different place); Palisor is the middle-most region of Middle-earth, aka the western edge of Rhûn / the eastern edge of Rhovanion; the Inland Sea is the Sea of Rhûn, which I’ve given the Easterling name “Tavukhor” (Black Sea) (eta: nope the Inland Sea is somewhere else; but I still call the Sea of Rhun Tavukhor); Sauron is said to have an “eastern stronghold” that the Blue Wizards failed to discover, so I made that a Dark Castle in Khundoland. Khundoland is just the name I made up for the homeland of the Khundolar. I didn’t actually intend for it to have the suffix -land; I just replaced the -ar suffix with the -nd suffix I had decided meant “land” (see Kha+nd, “land of power”) and it happened to turn into a sort of cognate to English, lol. The summaries of Sauron’s attacks against the West that involved his Easterling subjects are mostly canonical, with embellishment and an attempt to at least explain the Easterlings’ actions. Again, I’ve tried to make them sympathetic; they might be servants of Evil, but they’re just people working under a cruel overlord. Some are evil themselves, others aren’t, others just don’t care. It’s complicated. The Wainriders and Balchoth are described as a “confederacy of Easterlings,” so I took that to mean they’re from many different tribes united under Sauron’s banner. However, since I’d established the Khundolar as both Sauron’s main army and as horse-riders, I thought it made sense for them to make up the bulk of those forces. Their women are said to be trained in arms, though they stayed home to protect their villages; I altered this so that women were also warriors in the wagon-riding hosts. From LOTRO, I took the names of four major Easterling tribes: the Khundolar, the Jangovar, the Sûhalar, and the Chayasír. (There are doubtless more, but I had names to use with those four, and I can’t go over every single subculture that would’ve existed in Arda...at least not without anything to build off of!!) In the game (again, according to Tolkien Gateway, not my personal experience), the Khundolar attack Rohan and fight in the Battle of the Morannon; from that I developed the idea that they were horse-mounted warriors like the Rohirrim, and then you can see how I built more upon them as Sauron’s main Easterling servants. The Jangovar in the game attack Dale and Erebor, so I decided that they were probably closely situated to that area: thus, I picked the Sea of Rhûn to be their base, and made them sailors also. (This also happened to fit in nicely with my headcanon for the Nazgûl Kullund, an OC I’ll explore in a later edit.) The Sûhalar are “shorter in stature and armed with axes, to their point where some mistake them for dwarves”: from that quote, I decided that, like dwarves, they would dwell in mountains (also where I’d decided Túvon lived, so I put them together), and who knows maybe they’re part-dwarf in ancestry too, idk. They fought at Pelennor Fields. Finally, the Chayasír are, in the game, the only group who don’t fight with Sauron. They don’t particularly like him and stay out of the War. I decided that they were closest in kin to the Khundolar, Sauron’s strongest supporters, and that one of Sauron’s earliest moves in the East was to divide the two groups so they’d be easier to control, which worked when it came to the Khundolar if not the Chayasír (who were probably the less populous group to begin with). I also decided that the Khundolar-Chayasír people would be where Bór and Ulfang’s people originated from. Anyway, in LOTRO, an “unknown calamity” takes place in their part of Rhûn on the same day that the One Ring is destroyed, and the Chayasír refugees flee to the lands around Dale and the Iron Hills. Those folk are not happy about this, since they’d just won a war against the Jangovar, but while the Chayasír don’t see themselves as being related to the Jangovar, it’s hard to convince the people of Dale of that. None of the refugees will say what exactly happened in Rhûn, just that it’s absolutely impossible for them to go back. This whole situation is quite interesting to me: I decided it was a final curse of Sauron upon them and their lands that forced them to leave, in retribution for “betraying” him; it could be many other things, but this one has an element of mystery and magic to it which could explain why they’re reluctant to talk about it. Plus, zombies! I decided Aragorn in his kingliness would intervene on their behalf, and I moved them to the Desolation of Smaug, which is a shitty piece of land no one else wanted, but they’ll be okay in the long run. This is in contrast to the other three tribes of Easterlings, who kind of come together after their leader is vanquished, and pull themselves together much faster. Sometimes saying “fuck you” to evil is worse for you than if you’d gone along with it...but I imagine the Chayasír are proud they refused Sauron’s service. They’re probably cool people with a strong moral code. Idk. I didn’t actually go much into that in the edit, as you can see.

Veradi of Khand ft. the people of Khand and its capital city Zakhrad (my creation), the Variags We know very little about Khand from canon, so this is almost entirely headcanon. We do know that Khand and Rhûn had a bit of a rivalry before the Variags joined forces with the Wainriders, and that there were Variags at Pelennor Fields, but literally everything else is made up. I took the word “Veradja” (the name of their language) from MERP, but the meaning I gave to it is my own. I did take inspiration from the little summary about the Variags in LOTRO when crafting this story, but nothing super specific. Gûrban the Nazgûl will appear again in a future edit :) In our world, “Variag” is a word of Slavic origin meaning “mercenary,” so I decided to import that meaning into Middle-earth and have the Variags be just a specific military group from Khand and not the catch-all term for everyone who lived there. Since we have next to no information on these people, I had a lot of fun coming up with traditions and intrigue—and it’s very exciting to have a specifically known region outside of the vague “east” of Rhûn and “south” of Harad! To me this suggests a sovereign nation, and the nature of the term Variag implies that they aren’t really bound to Sauron’s will the same way his other Mannish servants are, so it was really great to be able to explore a non-Dúnedainic civilization that isn’t Evil with a capital E. Of course, this is all guesswork and headcanon, so don’t give Tolkien too much credit!

Haradrim ft. the Haradrim subgroups of: the Kingdom of Rûvashû (my creation), the Kingdom of Yettafaz (my creation), the Miraz of Tûl Póac (MERP), Cultists of the Blue Wizards, the Bozisha (MERP) of Lostladen, the Kingdom of Abrakhân (LOTR Strategy Battle Game), the Hasharin and their leader Dalamyr (LOTR SBG), Troll-men, Suladân (LOTR SBG) the Black Serpent of Sud Sicanna (MERP) Like with the East, MUCH of this is headcanon! We don’t even know much about Harad’s geography, and almost all of the names here were pilfered from Tolkien Gateway’s notes on various adaptations (mostly games I haven’t played). I painstakingly integrated those word parts into my made up conlang, adapted them into my verse, and only THEN did I realize upon looking at the main the main article for the MERP game that the game designers had done much of that for me...but whatever, I’m using the names but completely throwing out their ideas because fuck it. And only the Far Harad stuff had the potential to be useful, anyway; the Near Harad info was painfully Gondorian-based and not at all what I was interested in. Sar-Myrin is a (mis)translation of “Tar-Mairon” into cobbled-together version of the Haradrim tongue; they heard “Tar-” and thought “Sar” (magic) which wasn’t really inaccurate, and then Myr (desert) rin (pl.) = myrin = deserts, thus Mage of the Deserts. The Númenóreans and their descendants had much more interaction with Harad than they did Rhûn, so much of the story here is focused on those conflicts; I’ve done my best to make the Haradrim sympathetic despite their service to Sauron. Most of what the Númenóreans did in Harad is canon, though much embellished. I made up everything about the Southron Nazgûl; their kingdoms of Rûvashû and Yettafaz are entirely my own creation, though I borrowed the titles “High Sorcerer” and “Forsaken Reaver” from LOTRO. We do know that there were Southrons who moved to the woods and mountains to escape Sauron, but the names Tûl Póac and Miraz are Middle-earth Role Playing (MERP). The bit about the evening star is a nod to a detail from BoLT where Eärendil and Voronwë, flying in Vingilótë, see “tree-men” and “pygmies” in the south. I’ve referenced the Black Númenóreans Herumor and Fuinur in previous edits, but here I gave them an origin story and a name to their kingdom: Abrakhân, a name I stole from the LOTR Strategy Battle Game; since I translated Abrakhân as “faithful brother” I thought it a fitting title for my headcanon that Fuinur and Herumor were brothers. The Harashin were also taken from the LOTR SBG, as is the character Dalamyr. The bit about the Haradrim using the Nazgûl’s Black Breath to poison their arrows is actually canon! I’ve also talked about Karasalêth and Zâinazimril (aka Berúthiel) in other edits, but here’s the story from their side of things. Aside from Eärnil I’s death being arranged and not accidental, everything about him, Círyandil, and Círyaher is canon, as is the bit about the Corsairs, who I covered in another edit. We know that (though Rómestámo’s name refers to the East and not the South?) the Blue Wizards were more successful in Harad than they were in Rhûn, so I gave them a greater focus here than in the Easterling edit. The names Veksari and Sarazzin are my own creations. Lostladen is a canonical location that we know very little about; Bozisha is a name I stole from MERP and repurposed for my own needs. Inkā-nūsh (or Incánus) is a canonical name for Gandalf that he earned traveling in the South. I skipped over a lot of the minor conflicts during the reign of the Stewards, mostly because this was getting very long and they weren’t that interesting and the majority of them were by the Corsairs who I’d already covered. “Mahûd men” is a name for half-trolls (who were canonically at Pelennor Fields) that I stole from the LOTR SBG, as is the name Suladân in reference to the canonical figure of the Black Serpent. In the Fourth Age, it is canon that Haradrim emissaries went to Gondor, and Tolkien mused that perhaps the Blue Wizards didn’t return to Valinor and that they had a lasting influence in the form of “magic cults” in the South, though those last ideas are dubiously canonical at best.

Hashavis Kuilizîth ft. Hashavis Kuilizîth (OC) A late addition for B2MeM22; this is Berúthiel’s mother. Everything here is headcanon or covered in another edit’s notes. Her name in the Haradrim tongue is “hasha” (quiet) + “vis” (lady); I tweaked the pre-established word part “vek” (lord) to get “vis.” Her name in Adûnaic is “kuiliz” (quiet), which is derived from Primitive Elvish “kuilez” (quiet), + “îth,” a canonical feminine suffix.

~~~

NAZGÛL

~~~

Nazgûl ft. Tar-Míriel (Witch-king of Angmar), Khamûl, Eärmerco (OC), Rôthi Lustahondë (OC), Vekmû (OC), Sarnūsh (OC), Kullund (OC), Gûrban (OC), Aiwareiks (OC) We know, canonically, that Khamûl is an Easterling, and that three of the Nazgûl were once Númenóreans, including the Witch-king. The deeds of the Nazgûl over time are canon in broad strokes, but not in details; everything about my OCs is made up, and I’ve covered many of their stories in other edits. Tar-Míriel as the Witch-king is one of my favorite headcanons; if you want a bit more detailed take on her origin story, check out this fic I wrote.

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THE LOST ROAD & OTHER MISCELLANEOUS MEN

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Heden ft. Heden, Gyda (OC), Beorn Hedensson, Eoh, Mildwyn (OC), Ottor Wǽfre I chose to adapt the story of Eriol into my personal canon, with some alterations, but not the story of Ælfwine. This is largely because Ælfwine came as a revision of Eriol, and Eriol’s text stands mostly on its own. The core story here is “mortal man comes to Tol Eressëa and learns of the Elder Days,” but I changed some of what comes next. However, this first edit is about what comes before. Heden is described as “the leather and fur clad,” and I extrapolated that to get his professions. We know Eoh lived on the coast, but Eriol was not born there, so therefore Eoh must have moved inland, and since we know Beorn killed him that means his brother must have come with him. The duke and his lands are taken from Eriol’s story, but the duke as the father of Eoh’s wife is my idea. There are two versions of Eoh’s death, one where he is killed by his brother Beorn and one where he is killed in the last sack of the city. I decided to combine the two by having Beorn inciting the violence, though his reasons for doing so are my invention. We don’t know why there was war in the duke’s city other than who their enemies were, so it’s possible that Beorn was involved. The fate of Eriol’s mother is also taken directly from his story; I imagine that aside from starvation, she was treated poorly by her people, who blamed her and her father for failing to defend the city. Eriol’s enslavement and escape are also part of his story, though he does not dwell on that time, so neither do I.

Eriol ft. Ottor Wǽfre Eriol, Cwén, Hengest and Horsa, Naimi Éadgifu, Vorindo Heorrenda I decided in adapting Eriol’s story that he did not, in fact, come from our world: instead he is a Man of Middle-earth in later Ages (the Sixth? Seventh? idk), and it’s still definitely MIDDLE-earth, not Earth. Thus, though the text gives the island the name of Heligoland (a real place off the coast of Germany), I left it vague, keeping only nonspecific terms like the North and Western Seas. We don’t know how Cwén died, so I filled in that gap; we also don’t know how old her sons were when Eriol left for the sea, or who cared for them with their mother dead and their father absent. (I also headcanon them as twins, so uh...very Elrond and Elros vibes tbh.) So, not wanting to abandon them entirely, I gave them to Cwén’s family to be raised. Eriol’s not getting any Dad of the Year awards, but I don’t like the thought of him leaving his kids to the wolves. Ausir claims that the ancient sailor Eriol meets is Ulmo himself. The “westernmost island” where Eriol meets Ulmo is not specified in the text, but I thought it would be neat if it was Tol Morwen, which is the westernmost island on maps of Middle-earth after Númenor. The summary of the stories Eriol hears on Tol Eressëa is lifted directly from the Book of Lost Tales (both parts I and II). I changed the figure of Rúmil to that of Evromord, as Tolkien was planning on if he’d got around to revising this story more, largely because it felt strange to me that Rúmil would be on Tol Eressëa instead of in Tirion. I changed the name Vairë to Vairilmë to better distinguish between the Vala and the elf; I modeled her name after Vardilmë, the daughter of Vardamir. I changed the narrator of Turambar’s tale from Eltas to Ausir because it didn’t make sense to me that Eltas, a mortal from the First Age, would be somehow living on Tol Eressëa at all, let alone after all this time. I also called Littleheart by his Quenya name Ilverion. You’ll get more on all these elven characters in later edits. I was vague about Meril’s magic ability to make Eriol young again, as I’m not sure how I feel about the concept of limpë; it was also important to me to remind everyone that mortality cannot be permanently escaped: Eriol regained his youth, but he would in time grow old again. We know very little about Naimi: just her relation to Vairilmë, her marriage to Eriol, and her name Éadgifu. I gave Heorrenda the Quenya name Vorindo because of course his mother would also name him in her tongue. The end of Eriol’s tale gets confusing, as Tolkien never finished the story, so I did my best to finish it myself. Meril does warn Eriol against leaving Tol Eressëa (probably because its magic was keeping him alive and hale, even as he aged?), but he ignores her. We don’t know how Naimi felt about all that. In the original version of the story, Eriol returns to bring Men to Valinor in “the Faring Forth” (kind of like a continuation of the Great Journey?) and there’s some kind of great battle that happens (the War of Wrath??), but that was scrapped in the Ælfwine version, and I decided I liked that better. Heorrenda does go with his father and finishes the Golden Book. The whole point of Eriol’s story was originally to provide a mythological origin for England: Hengest and Horsa are the legendary Anglo-Saxons who sort of found England (it’s complicated and they probably weren’t real), and Tolkien meant for Tol Eressëa to become England! But as I mentioned earlier, that’s not in line with my headcanons, so I kept things vague. One last fun fact: apparently Heorrenda was a name Jirt liked to use as the name of the Beowulf-poet, which implies that he was a contemporary of Beowulf!

The Last Ship ft. Lissa Fíriel, Círdan, Celeborn, Galdor of the Havens This story is adapted from Tolkien’s poem “The Last Ship.” Since we know Círdan sails to Valinor on the very last (official) ship from Middle-earth, and that Celeborn comes with him, they were obvious candidates for the elves on this ship; I added in Galdor of the Havens to round things out. I gave Fíriel the original name of Lissa, because in this poem “Fíriel” feels like a name the elves give her (referencing her mortality) rather than her actual name. I added a bit of feelings/backstory to why everything is happening the way it did; the poem itself really focuses mostly on Fíriel’s encounter with the elves from her perspective.

The First Men ft. Ermon, Elmir, Nuin This story is adapted from the Silm chapter “Of Men” and from Gilfanon’s Tale. I decided Nuin was part of the Hwenti Avari, and also that they were nonbinary :) The name meanings of Ermon and Elmir are my own translations. I altered this story a bit to make Túvon (Tu) the bad guy, and I edited him out from the beginning. In the original text, the bad guy was actually Fangli (Fankil), but since they are both proto-Sauron figures I decided the change didn’t really matter all that much.

~~~

My Peoples of Arda Edit Series continues with the Elves of Arda Series!

[absynthe--minded]

Valarin names (Mānawenūz, Aʒūlēz, Tulukhastāz) were transliterated because they’re unpronounceable in Quenya or Sindarin and Valarin is also supposed to be very very hard physically for elven or human throats to actually form the words, so there I think it’s less about grammar and more about practicality.

Quenya names were transliterated or reconstructed out of component parts as part of the Ban, but I think also we have to take into account that canonically the Noldor learned Sindarin far more easily than the Sindar learned Quenya, and there’s a good chance that Fëanor transliterated his own name before his death, or his sons did, as it would be Faenor in proper Sindarin. Also, Taliska (and presumably Easterling) makes heavy use of Z/dz, which is nonexistent in Sindarin. I think it’s less grammatical and more a combination of phonemes and consonants that aren’t easily said + the Sindar already seem to struggle with languages more than the Noldor or the Edain do. In that case, why not just transliterate your name so it kind of sounds the same?

What are your taliska deep thoughts? Any mannish language hot takes? Cold takes you don’t like?

my current Mannish language hot take is that we don't actually know for sure which Sindarin names in the First Age are actually Sindarinized Taliska or Easterling except for Tuor's (originally Tûghor, though you wouldn't know it to read it). And I don't think the Sindarinization is malicious, at all! But (for example) there's no way to pronounce Zimrahin in Sindarin unless you make it Simrahin; there's nothing saying that other characters don't also have that same convention going on

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Usa today Fast food jam, virtual Derby, mask seizures: News from around our 50 states

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Usa today Alabama

1st viscount montgomery of alamein: The pronounce penitentiary system on Wednesday reported its fourth case of COVID-19 in an inmate. The Division of Corrections acknowledged the inmate at the Elba Community Essentially basically based mostly Facility/Community Work Middle was once moved to the Easterling Correctional Facility and placed in an isolation cell, the set apart he’ll fetch scientific treatment. Inmates at the Elba facility were quarantined. The penitentiary system has to this level reported four COVID-19 cases and one prisoner loss of life. Inmate advocates and successfully being consultants derive expressed concerns that the pronounce’s overcrowded prisons would turn out to be a breeding ground for a deadly outbreak and told additional adjustments. Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn acknowledged the penitentiary system is distributing masks and taking other precautions. Alabamians for Appealing Justice, an advocacy community, donated extra than 3,200 bars of antibacterial soap and other hygiene presents to the system, which acknowledged the items will seemingly be disbursed to inmates deemed at excessive probability.

Usa today Alaska

Juneau: Gov. Mike Dunleavy has proposed disbursing extra than $1 billion in federal coronavirus relief abet by technique of a route of that would no longer require the Legislature to reconvene. A legislative legal legitimate, on the opposite hand, has raised questions with that device. Dunleavy has requested the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee to examine his view to distribute funds to support municipalities, nonprofits, exiguous agencies, colleges and other areas. Relate legislation lays out a route of by which a governor can submit to the committee plans to bag and use on a budget item additional federal or other program funds. Despite the reality that the committee disagrees, a governor can proceed. Nevertheless Megan Wallace, director of Legislative Ideal Companies, raised concerns with use of the formula for the federal abet in a memo responding to questions from Sen. Bill Wielechowski.

Usa today Arizona

Phoenix: Almost $18 million of federal funding equipped to the metropolis in accordance with the coronavirus outbreak would pay for housing enhance that entails renting hotel rooms for homeless of us and offering abet to other low-earnings of us. Mayor Kate Gallego acknowledged the Metropolis Council’s unanimous approval Tuesday to be used of a grant is the largest investment in battling homelessness in the metropolis’s historical past. The metropolis’s plans for spending the money consist of renting about 100 rooms at a hotel to rental 100 seniors or of us with chronic successfully being points who're at bigger probability for COVID-19. Assorted facets of the metropolis’s view consist of extra refuge beds and housing enhance. The metropolis estimates it might perhaps well reach 200 folk and 555 households experiencing homelessness.

Usa today Arkansas

Little Rock: Next week the pronounce will ease its ban on optional surgeries at some level of the coronavirus pandemic, and an announcement might perhaps well moreover advance on the lifting of restrictions on other agencies, Gov. Asa Hutchinson acknowledged Wednesday. The pronounce will permit hospitals and clinics to renew some optional surgeries starting Monday, Hutchinson acknowledged. The pronounce had ordered successfully being care services to reschedule procedures which can be safely postponed. Relate Health Secretary Dr. Nathaniel Smith acknowledged the services might perhaps well derive to meet certain conditions, including requiring patients to be examined for the virus 48 hours earlier than the plan. Smith acknowledged the the ban is being lifted for procedures that don’t require an in a single day conclude in the successfully being facility. It was once no longer straight away obvious whether or no longer the tell would obvious the device in which for the resumption of surgical abortions, which the pronounce has halted.

Usa today California

Sacramento: The California Freeway Patrol acknowledged Wednesday that it is mercurial banning rallies at the Capitol and other pronounce companies and products on memoir of of the pandemic. The change in coverage got here after quite so much of of protesters gathered on the Capitol grounds in Sacramento on Monday, many with out carrying masks or following solutions to stay extra than 6 toes apart to sluggish the unfold of the coronavirus. The same community had deliberate additional rallies in coming days against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s orders that folk stay at home instead of obligatory activities. The CHP acknowledged it was once caught without warning when protesters neglected public safety solutions. The match permit “was once issued with the concept that the disclose would be performed in a vogue according to the pronounce’s public successfully being guidance. That isn't any longer what happened, and CHP will opt this ride into memoir when pondering permits for this or any other community,” it acknowledged.

Usa today Colorado

Denver: Greater than 67,000 extra of us filed for unemployment in the pronounce final week, bringing the overall preference of most recent capabilities for the past month to comely over 279,000, the Division of Labor and Employment acknowledged Thursday. The preference of most recent unemployment capabilities final week was once no longer as much as the 104,217 contemporary claims reported at some level of the old week. Alternatively, self-employed and gig employees and others no longer previously able to derive unemployment advantages were completely allowed to initiate filing claims Monday and are no longer integrated in the most recent legitimate depend. Esteem other states, Colorado needed to advance support up with a brand contemporary route of for accepting those claims and verifying the amount of cash to which those employees were entitled. To this level, extra than 30,000 of us derive filed claims by technique of the contemporary application, the division acknowledged.

Usa today Connecticut

Hartford: Experts are expressing sigh in regards to the outcomes the pandemic is having on those desiring support for drug addiction and other behavioral successfully being companies and products. Dr. J. Craig Allen, the scientific director at Hartford HealthCare’s Rushford treatment center, acknowledged isolation and nervousness can wreak havoc on those with substance abuse points in the completely of times. He acknowledged there has been a decline in those wanting for support at the same time there has been an elevate in sales of issues similar to alcohol, vaping merchandise and cigarettes. Hartford HealthCare has dilemma up what officials are calling a “warm line” for of us who derive to remark about with a restoration specialist. In the meantime, the Connecticut Division of Psychological Health and Addiction Companies launched Wednesday that it has been awarded a $2 million federal grant to take care of behavioral successfully being care needs of assorted populations heavily suffering from the pandemic.

Usa today Delaware

Dover: Detention center officials in the pronounce pronounce they derive no longer derive any plans to expedite the beginning of inmates on memoir of of the coronavirus pandemic. The Delaware Relate News experiences Division of Correction companies and products are working at no longer as much as 75% capability. The division acknowledged COVID-19 has largely been restricted to a minimal-security housing unit at James T. Vaughn Correctional Middle. Officers acknowledged there's tall rental to take care of extra cases. DOC Commissioner Claire DeMatteis expressed concerns in regards to the set apart inmates would roam if they were launched and the reality that there's restful a probability to publicity on the out of doorways as successfully. “The opposite facet of releasing inmates is the set apart derive they roam,” she acknowledged. “We’re all about reentry; now we’re comely going to delivery out a bunch of of us and not using a space to head, no successfully being care, no job, no prospect for a job. Exactly how does that support us?”

Usa today District of Columbia

Washington: The board that oversees the metropolitan intention’s Metrorail system is taking reduction of lowered ridership by greatly increasing a series of deliberate repairs closures over the summer. The expanded summer shutdowns will have an effect on northern Virginia in declare – the overall Silver Line, which serves Reston and the Tysons Nook areas, will seemingly be closed. Nine stations in Fairfax and Arlington counties will shut. Carrier on the Orange and Silver lines will discontinuance in Virginia at the Ballston set apart of abode. A lot of of those stations had already been slated for closure this summer to restore rider platforms and affect other repairs. Metro officials pronounce ridership declines of as grand as 95% due to coronavirus provide an different to derive even extra repairs with less disruption. The closures initiate up May well presumably presumably well also 23 and are anticipated to speed by technique of the autumn. Free shuttle buses will speed from among the closed stations.

Usa today Florida

Miami: A cargo of 1 million face masks en path to South Florida for firefighters was once confiscated final week by the federal authorities, Miami-Dade’s top emergency management legitimate acknowledged. Frank Rollason, the director of emergency management for Miami-Dade County, told WLRN on Wednesday that the masks were for firefighters who deliberate to initiate up at-home contemporary coronavirus testing for homebound Miami-Dade residents who can’t produce it to power-by technique of testing web sites. “We thought we were in excellent-wanting real shape with having that quantity coming in, and so they were – we were – usurped,” Rollason acknowledged. Miami-Dade has the largest preference of confirmed cases in Florida, with practically 10,300 as of Thursday morning. Statewide, there are extra than 28,500 confirmed cases. WLRN experiences that other shipments of masks meant for municipalities moreover were confiscated by the federal authorities.

Usa today Georgia

Atlanta: Gov. Brian Kemp’s view to initiate up cracking delivery the economic system faces two predominant hurdles – the pronounce is struggling to magnify testing for contemporary coronavirus infections and to select on out tracking of those in contact with contaminated of us. With out those capabilities, Georgia dangers a quick rebound of the COVID-19 illness as Kemp lets in some agencies to reopen in coming days. The Republican governor’s decision has been wondered on memoir of the pronounce has yet to blow their personal horns persevering with progress in those areas, and it will seemingly be complicated to select on out up. “The virus strikes sooner than authorities does,” acknowledged Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Middle for Health Safety. “So if I needed to bet on who would advance out of the gate sooner, it'd be the virus.” Georgia has ranked in the backside 10 per capita in testing.

Usa today Hawaii

Hilo: Day-to-day arrests on the Colossal Island derive plunged 33% for the explanation that governor issued a conclude-at-home tell on memoir of of the coronavirus pandemic, the Hawaii County Police Division acknowledged. Hawaii Police Chief Ferreira confirmed the decrease in arrests at some level of the duration after Democratic Gov. David Ige’s emergency proclamation took conclude March 25, The Hawaii Tribune-Herald experiences. The decrease has varied explanations, including an expanded use of citations by officers to take care of some crimes, Ferreira acknowledged. “We’re no longer actively going on the market and pursuing (suspects on) bench warrants,” Ferreira acknowledged. One other ingredient is the smaller preference of of us committing crimes in their automobiles, including using below the have an effect on. “Due to bars are closed, and on memoir of of the conclude-at-home tell, you've got less of us on the roadway,” Ferreira acknowledged.

Usa today Idaho

Boise: Gov. Brad Little’s efforts to flatten the curve and sluggish the speed of infection and unfold of the coronavirus after it made a mercurial entry into the pronounce final month derive succeeded. Nevertheless with infections slowing, the Republican governor is going by technique of rising unrest within his possess celebration, and groups are chafing at his conclude-at-home tell and the closure of nonessential agencies despite the probability of a 2nd wave of infections. Calls to disobey derive increased alongside with a smattering of defiant actions across the pronounce. “I feel once it appears admire we’ve purchased past the worst of it, it makes it seem admire, ‘Why don’t we delivery support up?’ ” acknowledged Jaclyn Kettler, a Boise Relate University political scientist. “At the same time, there’s quite quite so much of probability we might perhaps well no longer absolutely realize.” Idaho is outlandish in that most states going by technique of coordinated pushback for virus closures derive Democratic governors.

Usa today Illinois

Springfield: Republicans in the pronounce’s Residence on Tuesday suggested ways to slowly reopen agencies and serene down restrictions on public interplay as the probability from COVID-19 doubtlessly recedes. With Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s conclude-at-home tell scheduled to speed out April 30, GOP lawmakers are wanting for relief for a devastated economic system and frustrated constituents. Fetch. Tag Batinick of Plainfield acknowledged he hoped their proposed changes would fetch “opt-in” from the public. There was once no explicit initiate date talked about. The proposal got here comely a day after Pritzker raised the specter of a conclude-at-home extension when he launched that the rising preference of COVID-19 cases, anticipated to height in the latter half of of April, now received’t top out till mid-May well presumably presumably well also. At his day-to-day briefing later Wednesday, Pritzker gave a lukewarm response to the GOP plans, which consist of reopening vehicle dealerships, golf programs, pronounce parks, division retail outlets and hair salons.

Usa today Indiana

Indianapolis: The pronounce’s first coronavirus infections happened no longer no longer as much as a pair of weeks earlier than the predominant illness for a resident was once confirmed in early March, the pronounce successfully being commissioner acknowledged Wednesday. That will maybe indicate the virus will were spreading around Indiana for seemingly six weeks earlier than the statewide conclude-at-home tell took conclude March 25. “We tracked cases that we thought doubtlessly went support to no longer no longer as much as mid-February,” acknowledged the successfully being commissioner, Dr. Kristina Field. The sooner infections are in line with the resolution of two coronavirus deaths in California in early and mid-February, showing that the virus was once spreading in the U.S. successfully earlier than successfully being officials realized it. “There will seemingly be folk that never hit the successfully being facility system that will thoroughly derive had COVID-19, and so they received’t know that till we derive that real antibody test on the market to blow their personal horns that they are immune,” Field acknowledged.

Usa today Iowa

Des Moines: The pronounce’s livestock producers face tumbling prices after quite so much of of meatpacking employees derive examined certain for COVID-19, resulting in Midwest processing flowers greatly slowing production or closing. The pronounce might perhaps well turn tragic for pork producers, who face the possibility of euthanizing thousands of animals backed up on farms across the pronounce. “Producers face unsuitable picks,” acknowledged Dermot Hayes, an Iowa Relate University agriculture economist. Pork processing capability has shriveled by about 25%, crushing hog prices, which derive tumbled about 50% since January. Iowa is the nation’s largest pork producer, with practically about 25 million pigs in confinements. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley acknowledged Tuesday he’s heard estimates that the country has about 100,000 pigs that needs to be slaughtered day to day but aren’t. “Put together that over 10 days, and with 1,000,000 pigs, you’ve purchased a substantial sigh,” the Iowa Republican acknowledged.

Usa today Kansas

Topeka: Gov. Laura Kelly has suspended extra than one regulations licensing successfully being workers to provide it more uncomplicated for them to work in successfully being care companies and products and nursing properties. The executive tell Kelly issued Wednesday suspends necessities that scientific doctors supervise physician assistants, evolved note purposeful nurses and licensed purposeful nurses. The tell moreover lets in nurses with slothful or lapsed licenses to produce companies and products and permits scientific or nursing college students to volunteer to work in successfully being care companies and products. “Our successfully being care companies and products need as grand flexibility as imaginable as we device our projected height infection payment in the approaching days to provide certain that hospitals derive no longer turn out to be overwhelmed,” Kelly acknowledged Wednesday. The governor acknowledged the tell is a “first step,” and successfully being care services face “broader and additional complex challenges.” She acknowledged she will no longer take care of them with an executive tell and known as on the Legislature to retain in mind rewriting licensing rules.

Usa today Kentucky

Louisville: Making it by technique of the predominant Saturday in May well presumably presumably well also with out a Kentucky Derby will seemingly be tough for quite quite so much of of us in the Bluegrass Relate. Churchill Downs has a view, though. The home of the Escape for the Roses is planning to host a daylong, at-home, virtual Kentucky Derby celebration that’ll characteristic a virtual speed among all 13 past Triple Crown winners to select on out $2 million for COVID-19 emergency relief funds. The 146th Kentucky Derby has been postponed till Sept. 5 because of public successfully being concerns over the rising coronavirus pandemic. A assorted broadcast will air on NBC from 3 to 6 p.m. May well presumably presumably well also 2 that contains the 2015 Kentucky Derby that kicked off American Pharoah’s historical Triple Crown speed. As successfully as, the published will highlight Churchill Downs’ first-ever virtual horse speed – The Kentucky Derby: Triple Crown Showdown, a pc-simulated model of a speed below the historical Twin Spires of Churchill Downs.

Usa today Louisiana

Novel Orleans: Masks will seemingly be urged attire even when conclude-at-home orders and restrictions on industry exercise are eased at some level of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. John Bel Edwards acknowledged Wednesday. He eminent successfully being workers’ guidance announcing upright masks retain patients contaminated with coronavirus from spreading it to others. “Judge of carrying a masks in public as comely being smartly mannered to others,” Edwards acknowledged at his day-to-day details conference, calling masks-carrying allotment of “contemporary standard” of lifestyles when restrictions are lifted. It remained unclear precisely how and when restrictions will seemingly be lifted, but Edwards acknowledged he expects to bring extra details as early as Monday. Louisiana’s recent conclude-at-home emergency tell, banning gatherings of extra than 10 of us and forcing closure of many nonessential agencies, expires April 30. The Democratic governor has been reluctant to speculate on what's going to seemingly be performed next.

Usa today Maine

Portland: Unemployment claims derive slowed a bit in the pronounce but stay grand bigger than historical averages. A full of 11,560 of us made preliminary claims for unemployment compensation in the week that ended April 18, the Maine Division of Labor reported. That was once the lowest preference of preliminary claims up to now five weeks. In the meantime, contemporary cellular phone details suggests about 40% of Mainers are staying assign in their properties on any given day, abiding by the governor’s conclude-at-home tell. The proportion of Mainers staying home grew often to about 35% after the pronounce’s first coronavirus case was once launched March 12, the Bangor Day-to-day News experiences. The figure rose to its recent level after Mills issued a proper conclude-at-home tell March 31. The newspaper cited an evaluation by SafeGraph.

Usa today Maryland

Baltimore: Crime in the metropolis is persevering with to fall at some level of the coronavirus pandemic. The Baltimore Solar experiences property crime was once already on a steep decline. Violent crime is falling as successfully, though no longer as grand. Police reported 71 entire violent crimes for the week ending April 18. That’s a stark decline from the old week, which had considered 152 violent crimes reported. There were 196 violent crimes reported for the week ending March 21. For the past month, entire violent crimes are down 26% in comparison with the same duration final yr. Complete shootings and gun-connected homicides are moreover down by a third at some level of the past month in comparison with final yr. Experts had anticipated crime to dispute no in the wake of the conclude-at-home orders which were imposed so to curb the virus’s unfold and retain hospitals from turning into overwhelmed.

Usa today Massachusetts

Boston: The pronounce’s loss of life toll in the coronavirus pandemic surged past 2,000 on Wednesday, about doubling in barely seven days as the Boston intention turns real into a hot space. Public successfully being officials acknowledged there were 221 contemporary deaths, pushing the overall toll to 2,182. It was once the most deaths reported in a single day for the explanation that outbreak in Massachusetts started, and it marked the predominant time the pronounce has recorded extra than 200 in a day. Massachusetts seen its first COVID-19 loss of life March 20, and the outbreak has intensified despite strict social distancing measures and fetch in touch with tracing geared against slowing transmission. The pronounce passed 1,000 deaths April 15, when 1,108 were reported. There were extra than 1,700 contemporary cases reported Wednesday, bringing the preference of confirmed cases shut to 43,000. Greater than half of the deaths – 1,205 – were reported in long-term care centers, similar to nursing properties. The life like age of those that derive died of confirmed COVID-19 is 82, officials acknowledged.

Usa today Michigan

Detroit: A most famous successfully being care provider in southeastern Michigan acknowledged the preference of COVID-19 patients had dropped below 500 this week for the predominant time in practically about a month. Henry Ford Health Machine reported 490 patients Thursday morning at five hospitals, a signal that the coronavirus was once slowing down. It had 426 patients March 28 and additional than 700 on April 8. COVID-19 is the respiratory disease resulted in by the virus. Henry Ford acknowledged it has discharged 1,549 patients at some level of the outbreak. Beaumont Health has moreover reported a most famous descend in patients at its Detroit-intention hospitals. Each successfully being care services are mercurial shedding thousands of of us because of a lack of earnings from scientific procedures which were suspended.

Usa today Minnesota

Minneapolis: Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday ordered colleges to conclude closed by technique of the rest of the academic yr amid the COVID-19 crisis. Walz, a worn trainer, known because it “a heartbreaking decision.” The Democratic governor acknowledged he feels sorry for your entire college students who will fail to see graduations, tournaments and stay-of-yr celebrations. Nevertheless Walz acknowledged the successfully being and safety of Minnesotans is his top precedence, so distance finding out will continue by technique of the stay of this school yr. “Whereas I acknowledge distance finding out is a sigh for masses of households, it is necessary to social distancing in Minnesota and supports the successfully being of Minnesota’s households. We're going to continue procuring for methods to toughen the recent system and higher enhance our young of us,” Walz acknowledged in a statement. He moreover outlined his device for step by step loosening restrictions on agencies over time, announcing his decision will permit as much as 100,000 Minnesotans to advance support to work in industrial, manufacturing and space of job settings next Monday.

Usa today Mississippi

Tupelo: The switch to virtual occasions at some level of the coronavirus pandemic entails a competition honoring the king of rock ’n’ roll. Organizers for the Tupelo Elvis Competition launched Wednesday that the song match slated to be held in June will now be a virtual gathering. “The successfully being and safety of our patrons is predominant, but we're wrathful to portion our competition with the sphere,” Debbie Brangenberg, the manager director of the competition, told the Northeast Mississippi Day-to-day Journal. The annual fest honoring Tupelo-born Elvis Presley capabilities performances from musicians and gospel groups and entails a competitors to qualify for the Final Elvis Tribute Contest held in Memphis. Organizers are offering refunds for of us who derive no longer wish to support a virtual competition.

Usa today Missouri

O’Fallon: Leaders of counties making ready to the pronounce’s two metropolitan areas are showing an increasing dart to entire industry shutdowns necessitated by the coronavirus, breaking with metropolis leaders who derive extended conclude-at-home orders for plenty of weeks. The majority of confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19, the illness resulted in by the coronavirus, derive happened in the St. Louis and Kansas Metropolis areas. Democratic leaders of St. Louis metropolis and county, Kansas Metropolis and Jackson County derive extended conclude-at-home orders till no longer no longer as much as mid-May well presumably presumably well also in hopes of containing the unfold of the disease. Nevertheless amid a rising backlash to social distancing restrictions and the economic fallout, Republican leaders of counties adjoining to the metropolis core are opting to permit agencies to reopen sooner. Clay and Cass counties shut to Kansas Metropolis launched Wednesday that their conclude-at-home orders will expire May well presumably presumably well also 3, the same day Republican Gov. Mike Parson’s emergency tell expires.

Usa today Montana

Helena: Church buildings can protect companies and products Sunday, and a few agencies will have the choice to reopen Monday as long as they note social distancing, Gov. Steve Bullock acknowledged Wednesday in easing coronavirus restrictions while asking residents to continue heaps of the precautions they've been taking. Because of Montana took the coronavirus pandemic severely and acted mercurial and on memoir of residents made sacrifices to note directives to conclude at home and use social distancing, the pronounce had the lowest numbers of hospitalizations per capita, Bullock acknowledged. The successfully being division experiences 59 of us were hospitalized and 14 of us derive died from COVID-19. Two deaths were reported Wednesday. Reilly Neill, a worn Democratic pronounce consultant and creator from Livingston, acknowledged she thinks Bullock is performing too mercurial with out sufficient consideration for the amount of asymptomatic unfold of the virus or plans for methodical statewide testing and tracing.

Usa today Nebraska

Lincoln: A contemporary pronounce web intention designed to ramp up testing for the coronavirus logged about 20,000 contemporary registrations on its first day, and the solutions that residents submit might perhaps well support resolve which facets of the pronounce fetch examined first, Gov. Pete Ricketts acknowledged Wednesday. Ricketts acknowledged the $27 million program, comparable to ones Iowa and Utah, will support pronounce officials prefer the set apart to first use the 540,000 contemporary tests that were integrated in the tackle a non-public contractor. He acknowledged front-line scientific and public safety employees will fetch first precedence for testing, followed by those that whine quite quite so much of signs on the Test Nebraska web intention, followed by of us with comely a signs after which doubtlessly those which will most seemingly be asymptomatic. “Piece of it, frankly, will seemingly be pushed by of us filling out the evaluate,” Ricketts acknowledged at his weekday coronavirus details conference.

Usa today Nevada

Las Vegas: Relate officials condemned feedback Wednesday by Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman after she known as for casinos and other nonessential agencies to reopen and suggested the metropolis might perhaps well serve as a test case to measure the affect at some level of the coronavirus pandemic. One local legitimate known as her feedback “reckless and awful,” and yet every other described them as an “embarrassment.” Goodman, at some level of a 25-minute interview with Anderson Cooper on CNN, acknowledged she needs every little thing support delivery, including casinos, ingesting locations and exiguous agencies, and a return of conventions. The politically self reliant mayor suggested that “viruses for years were here” and acknowledged she had suggested that the residents of Las Vegas turn out to be “a adjust community,” serving as “that placebo facet,” to witness how stress-free closures and restrictions would have an effect on the metropolis.

Usa today Novel Hampshire

Stratham: Some summer gala's in the pronounce derive already been canceled on memoir of of the coronavirus pandemic. The Stratham Appealing, yearly the predominant in a season of gala's that stretches into October, on Wednesday known as off the match, scheduled for July 16-19. The annual Lancaster Appealing, held at some level of Labor Day weekend, moreover was once canceled. “As we remark of yr, the Appealing Board would often be fundraising, hiring entertainment, going in contracts, and making decisions about our comely programs,” the directors acknowledged in a statement Wednesday. “For the length of this public successfully being pandemic, when our entire community is below such an intense tension, it is miles rarely always feasible to assign a matter to or produce such commitments.”

Usa today Novel Jersey

Trenton: Gov. Phil Murphy says the two power-by technique of testing web sites operated with the federal authorities can no longer yet initiate up taking asymptomatic residents. Murphy corrected an earlier statement from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s space of job that acknowledged the testing for residents with out signs would initiate up. Murphy acknowledged the pronounce first needs to kind a waiver from the federal authorities. The pronounce operates the flexibility-by technique of companies and products with the Federal Emergency Administration Agency. One is at the PNC Monetary institution Arts Middle in Holmdel, Monmouth County. The opposite is at Bergen Community College in Paramus. Past the two federally affiliated companies and products, Novel Jersey has practically about 90 web sites other testing centers across the pronounce and conducts about 9,000 tests a day, in line with Murphy, who acknowledged he thinks the pronounce needs to double the preference of tests it does day-to-day.

Usa today Novel Mexico

Santa Fe: Psychological successfully being and substance abuse programs in the pronounce will seemingly be getting an infusion of funding as allotment of the U.S. authorities’s relief efforts connected to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Participants of the pronounce’s congressional delegation pronounce a $2 million grant has been awarded to the pronounce Human Companies Division to fund behavioral successfully being companies and products at some level of the pandemic. Officers assign a matter to the ask for such companies and products to magnify on memoir of of the public successfully being toll of the outbreak. “We're going to’t permit this pandemic to kind any lapses in habits successfully being take care of Novel Mexicans who need it,” Sen. Martin Heinrich acknowledged in a statement. “Our pronounce has long faced challenges offering sufficient behavioral successfully being resources. That has completely been exacerbated at some level of this crisis.” To determine on out fetch admission to, the pronounce has launched NMConnect, a brand contemporary app that provides free 24-hour crisis and non-crisis enhance.

Usa today Novel York

Novel York: Extra evidence is rising that far extra Novel Yorkers derive had the coronavirus than the number confirmed by lab tests, officials acknowledged Thursday. A pronounce view of about 3,000 of us realized that 13.9% had antibodies suggesting they'd been exposed to the virus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo acknowledged at his day-to-day details briefing in Albany. In Novel York Metropolis, 21% of the of us examined had antibodies. Cuomo cautioned that the solutions was once preliminary. The sample of of us examined was once exiguous, and of us were recruited for the understand at browsing centers and grocery retail outlets, which meant they were wholesome sufficient to be out in public. Experts moreover pronounce having antibodies isn't any longer essentially proof somebody is proof against the virus. Nevertheless Cuomo acknowledged radiant how many of us derive antibodies might perhaps well doubtlessly support dilemma coverage on when to reopen facets of the pronounce. Earlier Thursday, Novel York Metropolis’s successfully being commissioner acknowledged many as 1 million of us in the metropolis will were exposed.

Usa today North Carolina

Charlotte: A preference of beer and wine distributors in the pronounce are volunteering their tractor-trailers to support stock grocery retail outlets and food pantries in the center of the coronavirus. The NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers and NC Retail Merchants associations derive joined forces to produce its automobiles and commercial drivers to fetch merchandise to the retail outlets, The Charlotte Observer experiences, noting the groups are performing with the approval of the pronounce ABC Charge. Since Gov. Roy Cooper’s conclude-at-home tell went into conclude March 17, distributors misplaced about a quarter of their industry that often delivers to ingesting locations and bars, acknowledged Tim Kent, executive director of NC Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association. “I’ve purchased drivers willing to support anyone having distribution difficulties,” Kent acknowledged. “These are unprecedented times that require unprecedented measures.”

Usa today North Dakota

Bismarck: Health officials acknowledged the preference of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the pronounce now exceeds 700. The North Dakota Division of Health on Thursday moreover reported one contemporary loss of life, a lady in her 80s from Cass County with underlying scientific conditions, bringing the pronounce’s entire to 15. Health officials acknowledged 32 additional of us examined certain for COVID-19 since Wednesday, bringing the pronounce entire to 709. Health officials acknowledged two old cases reported earlier were those that lived out of pronounce and were removed from the pronounce’s tally. There were 18 coronavirus patients who were hospitalized Thursday. Officers acknowledged 741 of us were screened since Wednesday, bringing the overall examined in North Dakota to 16,330. They acknowledged 15,621 of those tests derive advance support detrimental.

Usa today Ohio

Columbus: Gov. Mike DeWine on Wednesday launched an easing up on the prohibition of optional surgeries at some level of the coronavirus pandemic. DeWine acknowledged that scientific doctors can now evaluate postponed procedures and surgeries with patients in the case of their recent successfully being pronounce and quality of lifestyles, after which scientific doctors and patients can produce a joint decision about whether or no longer to proceed. DeWine acknowledged patients needs to be told of the probability of contracting COVID-19 and ought to moreover be told of the affect of contracting the illness at some level of the post-operative restoration route of. “I’ve heard experiences that some surgeries that we had no map of battling were postponed,” DeWine acknowledged. “That has involved me a truly perfect deal, so we're starting support one step at a time.” The governor gave the instance of someone who might perhaps well need postponed hip replacement surgical treatment but now might perhaps well be experiencing extreme effort.

Usa today Oklahoma

Oklahoma Metropolis: Nine additional deaths in the pronounce were attributed to COVID-19, the disease resulted in by the coronavirus, while the preference of hospitalizations in the pronounce declined by 15, the Oklahoma Relate Division of Health reported Thursday. No longer no longer as much as 179 of us derive now died of COVID-19 in Oklahoma, with eight of the additional deaths in the 65 or older age community and one who was once 50-64, the division acknowledged. The number hospitalized is 284, down from 298 reported Wednesday. No longer no longer as much as 3,000 of us derive examined certain for coronavirus in the pronounce. Gov. Kevin Stitt on Wednesday launched plans to initiate up reopening agencies in the pronounce, starting Friday when barbershops, hair and nail salons, pet groomers and spas can reopen in cities that derive no longer derive additional restrictions. The personal care agencies ought to continue social distancing, and employees and customers ought to wear masks if they are within 6 toes of one yet every other.

Usa today Oregon

Salem: Gov. Kate Brown launched Thursday that she will opt her tell delaying non-urgent scientific procedures, if successfully being care services can present they've met contemporary necessities for COVID-19 safety and preparedness. Hospitals, surgical centers, scientific offices and dental offices that meet those necessities will have the choice to renew non-urgent procedures May well presumably presumably well also 1, Brown acknowledged in a statement. “As anyone waiting for an optional surgical treatment knows, ‘non-urgent’ does no longer indicate ‘minor,’ ” Brown acknowledged. “This is amazingly necessary sanatorium treatment that we would perhaps no longer derive told services to prolong if the specter of COVID-19 had no longer made it obligatory.” The Oregon Health Authority on Wednesday reported 57 contemporary cases of COVID-19, bringing the pronounce entire to only about 2,060. The company for the predominant time in plenty of weeks reported no contemporary deaths in its day-to-day whine. No longer no longer as much as 78 of us derive died from the coronavirus in the pronounce.

Usa today Pennsylvania

Harrisburg: The Pennsylvania Division of Health slashed the pronounce’s COVID-19 loss of life toll by 201 on Thursday, announcing probable deaths it had previously integrated in the depend were eradicated after additional investigation. The final loss of life toll now stands at 1,421, down from 1,622 reported a day earlier. The preference of deaths confirmed by a undeniable virus test in actuality rose in a single day by 69, to 1,394. Nevertheless Health Secretary Rachel Levine acknowledged Thursday that 270 probable deaths that had been added to the loss of life toll in most recent days were removed after additional investigation. Relate successfully being officials had no longer too long ago modified the device in which they depend COVID-19 deaths – now including probable deaths alongside with confirmed deaths – which resulted in a doubling of the pronounce’s loss of life toll in barely four days. A probable loss of life is one by which a coroner or scientific examiner listed COVID-19 as the explanation or contributing reason, however the deceased was once no longer examined for the virus.

Usa today Rhode Island

Providence: The pronounce has launched a brand contemporary web intention that lets in residents to examine whether or no longer they are at probability of getting or will derive shriveled the coronavirus, Gov. Gina Raimondo acknowledged Wednesday. The intention, covidselfcheck.ri.gov, launched by the pronounce Division of Health in conjunction with Diagnostic Robotics, asks residents about their signs, their imaginable publicity and other probability components – in English, Spanish or Portuguese – and recommends whether or no longer they'd maybe derive to restful view a successfully being care legitimate. “It’s no longer a replace for consulting a doctor but a details to support you're employed out when you might perhaps well maybe derive to restful derive that,” the Democrat acknowledged at her day-to-day details briefing. The intention moreover uses predictive expertise to acknowledge imaginable outbreaks earlier than they occur.

Usa today South Carolina

Columbia: Greater than 341,000 of us in the pronounce derive acknowledged they misplaced their jobs for the explanation that coronavirus pandemic started. The 73,000 jobless claims filed for the week ending April 18 marked the predominant descend since agencies started closing for COVID-19 in March, in line with figures launched Thursday from the pronounce Division of Employment and Physique of workers. Nevertheless your entire of us reporting they are out of labor all around the last five weeks represent extra than 14% of the group in February in South Carolina. Amid that alarming backdrop, Gov. Henry McMaster known as his first assembly Thursday of a community he calls “Escape up South Carolina.” Greater than two dozen mayors, presidents of establishments of larger finding out, industry house owners, successfully being care consultants and lawmakers are tasked with determining tips about how to reopen the pronounce after closing for the coronavirus pandemic.

Usa today South Dakota

Sioux Falls: The Amenities for Illness Preserve an eye on and Prevention on Thursday urged that the operators of a meatpacking plant the set apart practically about 800 employees shriveled the coronavirus implement a strict social distancing coverage and fetch ways to beat language boundaries. Smithfield Foods closed its Sioux Falls plant indefinitely on memoir of of the outbreak and faced complaints that it wasn’t doing sufficient to give protection to its employees. A CDC group toured the plant final week and reported the firm had slowed down production lines to rental employees farther apart and assign in about 800 Plexiglas boundaries alongside the lines. Nevertheless even supposing there were completely a number of employees left in the plant, some were restful gathering closer than 6 toes apart when no longer at their work stations or no longer carrying face masks, the group realized. Plant management told the CDC that extra than 40 languages were spoken at the plant, making it complicated to remark guidance to employees.

Usa today Tennessee

Nashville: Relate officials on Wednesday finally launched extra detailed details surrounding confirmed cases and COVID-19-connected deaths in its long-term care companies and products after delivery-authorities advocates, Democratic lawmakers and others told for its delivery. The pronounce’s Division of Health had previously held off disclosing such details, announcing the pronounce wanted to give protection to “patient privateness.” Identical to old attempts by the pronounce to withhold certain details at some level of its wrestle against the coronavirus, officials eventually reversed route by conceding that the solutions was once invaluable to the public. In step with the pronounce, 37 deaths derive happened in the pronounce’s long-term care companies and products, and no longer no longer as much as 375 cases were confirmed. But discrepancies in the newly launched details stay between what the pronounce and native governments are reporting.

Usa today Texas

Beaumont: Mayor Becky Ames says she did no longer violate the metropolis’s conclude-at-home tell when she visited a closed nail shop. After a image that circulated on social media sparked criticism of the mayor showing her nails soaking in a bowl, Ames explained she wasn’t getting a beauty treatment but was once soaking her fingertips in acetone to prefer the man made nails. Ames acknowledged the salon owner told her that the shop wasn’t delivery but that she would mix up some acknowledge for pickup, in line with Beaumont Endeavor. The characterize was once taken while Ames was once soaking her nails to hunt down out tips about how to select on out them off. Ames acknowledged she didn’t know who took the photo and even realize there was once a third particular person in the salon. The owner acknowledged it was once an employee who had stopped by to select on out up nail polish to use at home. The employee has been told she will no longer return to the shop, though it was once no longer straight away known for how long.

Usa today Utah

Salt Lake Metropolis: The pronounce launched a brand contemporary cellular phone app Wednesday to tune coronavirus signs and name those that might perhaps well were exposed, known as contact tracing. The pronounce has a contract worth as much as $2.75 million with the social media firm Twenty, which makes an app that helps of us use pronounce details to hunt down their associates to dangle around. The firm veteran its expertise to electrify an app known as Wholesome Collectively for the pronounce. Of us that fetch the app will fetch day-to-day reminders to self-whine any signs, then be directed to testing if they’re at probability. If a case is confirmed, the app will use cellular phone pronounce details to stamp support everyone they can derive exposed to the virus, even those those that they don’t know or with whom they never spoke. Republican Gov. Gary Herbert acknowledged details privateness is “of upmost sigh.” Contributors would derive to opt-in, and pronounce details will seemingly be deleted after 30 days, except in cases the set apart there are real necessities to protect it longer.

Usa today Vermont

Montpelier: The Vermont Residence of Representatives held its first full, online ground session Thursday, a legislative response to the COVID-19 epidemic’s derive to conclude apart while finding a vogue to roam legislation. From properties across the pronounce, 153 contributors of the Residence and a handful of employees, some of whom were in the Statehouse, met electronically. Just a few lawmakers known as in and weren’t considered online. The session got here after lawmakers held 14 committee note sessions and heaps of smaller online meetings for the explanation that Residence gave preliminary approval final month to a resolution authorizing the web sessions. The predominant tell of industry was once to formally undertake the the web balloting system, which below the rule governing the meetings required approval by three-quarters of the lawmakers online. “This distant system for representing our constituents and assembly our constitutional tasks is clearly unsuitable,” Fetch. Anne Donahue, a Northfield Republican. “I will no longer pretend that I feel able to operate in the device in which I'd routinely retain in mind to be obligatory to meet those tasks.”

Usa today Virginia

Culpeper: Two Republican pronounce senators are representing a fitness center owner who's suing the governor over his executive tell that closed down nonessential agencies amid the coronavirus pandemic. Relate Sen. Bill Stanley and Ryan McDougle filed the lawsuit in Culpeper County on Tuesday on behalf of Merrill C. “Sandy” Hall, who owns plenty of Gold’s Health membership franchises. The lawsuit argues Gov. Ralph Northam exceeded his authority when ordering the closure of nonessential agencies, including successfully being centers, on March 23. It moreover seeks relief from the manager tell so Hall can delivery up his agencies. Whereas announcing the lawsuit, Stanley acknowledged the doorways of the gyms might perhaps well derive to restful “no longer be shuttered” and “might perhaps well derive to restful be reopened,” The Richmond Cases-Dispatch experiences. McDougle, who chairs the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus, accused Northam of failing to isolate of us contaminated with the virus so that Virginians will most seemingly be steady “against authorities overreach.”

Usa today Washington

Seattle: In a historical environment, the pronounce Supreme Court docket heard oral arguments Thursday while sitting alone in their separate chambers the use of Zoom expertise in a case that seeks the beginning of inmates in the pronounce’s prisons due to coronavirus outbreak. “They don’t derive the flexibility to protect themselves steady,” acknowledged Nicholas Straley, a legal legitimate representing the inmates. “They’re reliant on the pronounce to produce them the different to be steady. We're going to all protect out in our properties. We're going to prefer who we permit into our properties. Contributors in penitentiary derive no longer derive that possibility.” Assistant Criminal legitimate Well-liked John Samson acknowledged the corrections division has handed out face masks, created separated slumbering rental, examined 300 inmates for COVID-19 and launched some offenders, but releasing thousands extra might perhaps well pose a probability no longer completely to the public but moreover to the inmates, who might perhaps well stay up homeless. The court concluded the listening to with out announcing when it would rule on the case.

Usa today West Virginia

Base Lanes: The automobiles snaked out of the automobile parking space, up the street and onto the interstate as a newly opened restaurant at some level of the coronavirus pandemic resulted in rather a plod among cooped-up residents in this exiguous metropolis. Cook dinner Out’s gentle opening Wednesday was once a smashing success. Thursday’s first full day had customers jammed three automobiles across to fetch to the flexibility-by technique of window in Base Lanes, a community of about 10,000 that, till now, had no longer considered traffic admire this in weeks. Residents from nearby towns who had been stuck indoors for additional than a month purchased their motive to fetch out of doorways, even in Thursday’s heavy rains. Gov. Jim Justice has ordered residents to conclude home except they've a pressing derive to head someplace. And after they derive, of us aren’t supposed to derive in crowds of five or extra. Wednesday’s gentle opening on a sunny spring day resulted in a dozen of us once in some time to stand out of doorways the lumber-up window.

Usa today Wisconsin

Madison: Organizers of a rally against the pronounce’s conclude-at-home tell acknowledged Wednesday that they’ll proceed with the match even supposing their permit to protect it on the grounds of the Capitol was once denied. Two local sheriffs, meanwhile, cast doubt on whether or no longer they'd implement the pronounce’s no longer too long ago extended tell that was once designed to limit the unfold of the coronavirus. The disclose deliberate for Friday would be the most recent in a string of occasions across the country against such orders that demonstrators pronounce are unfavorable the economic system. It has the likely to be the largest yet in Wisconsin; as of Wednesday, extra than 3,300 of us acknowledged on Facebook that they are going, and 12,000 were . The extension of the statewide conclude-at-home tell till May well presumably presumably well also 26 has introduced in regards to the sheriffs in Racine and Polk counties to claim they’re no longer planning heavy enforcement.

Usa today Wyoming

Cheyenne: The Trump administration on Thursday told authorities intervention to rescue U.S. uranium mining and nuclear gasoline industries in a tough world marketplace, from making it more uncomplicated to mine public lands out West to blockading some imports of international nuclear gasoline. Republican Sen. John Barrasso of the mining pronounce of Wyoming, chairman of the Atmosphere and Public Works Committee, acknowledged Thursday that Russia had “weaponized” its nuclear gasoline to undercut uranium miners in the U.S. “The coronavirus pandemic has clearly demonstrated why America might perhaps well derive to restful no longer depend on other countries to kind necessary materials. That entails uranium,” Barrasso acknowledged in a statement.

From USA TODAY Network and wire experiences

Read or Fragment this memoir: https://www.usatoday.com/memoir/details/50-states/2020/04/23/snappy-food-jam-virtual-derby-masks-seizures-details-around-states/111593616/

[kansascityhappenings]

Owning a gun is required by law in this Georgia town

Watch Video

KENNESAW, Ga. – As the debate over guns continues in Washington and in communities across the country, there’s at least one place where owning a gun is technically required by law.

In Kennesaw, Georgia, local law says that “every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain a firearm.”

“If you’re going to commit a crime in Kennesaw and you’re the criminal — are you going to take a chance that that homeowner is a law-abiding citizen?” asked Kennesaw Mayor Derek Easterling.

Wayne Arnold is one of those citizens. Among the weapons he keeps at home are an AR-15-style .223 caliber rifle, a variety of handguns and more.

“It gives me the ability to protect myself as opposed to being somewhere where you weren’t allowed to have a firearm or it was frowned upon,” Arnold said.

“More or less a political statement”

It may be the law in Kennesaw to own a gun, but the police department says it isn’t actually enforced.

Many locals CNN spoke to assumed that the law dated back to the town’s founding, but it was actually only enacted in 1982. “It was meant to be kind of a crime deterrent,” said Lt. Craig Graydon, who’s been with the Kennesaw Police Department for over 30 years. “It was also more or less a political statement because the city of Morton Grove, Illinois, passed a city ordinance banning handguns from their city limits.”

Back then, the town had a population of just a few thousand. Over three decades later, the law is still on the books.

Today, Kennesaw, a town of about 33,000 people, has had one murder in the last six years and a violent crime rate of below 2%.

But it’s unclear whether that has anything to do with the gun law.

City officials say their relationship with the community is a key factor in maintaining public safety. “We can’t say that just that gun law contributes x number of percent to why we have a low crime rate. It may be part of it, but it needs to be looked at from a whole picture,” said Graydon. “Don’t just look at the ordinance.”

A small town that gets questions from around the country

As communities across the country re-examine their own relationship with guns in the wake of recent mass shootings, officials say they have been getting calls from all over the country — and even as far away as Norway — inquiring about the town’s gun law.

“We get a lot of calls, conversation, and it seems to keep crime control, gun safety, things like that on the minds of many of the residents, because people are constantly talking about the gun law,” said Lt. Graydon. “So that’s been somewhat of a benefit to us.”

“The first thing that most people say when they meet us, you know as a community is ‘oh, it’s not what I expected,’” said Mayor Easterling. “I don’t know what they expect of people who arm themselves with guns at home, or what they’re looking for, but really we’re not that.”

“People kind of get the image that it’s the Wild West, where everybody walks around with a firearm strapped to their side, and it’s not like that,” Arnold said. “It’s strictly a home defense system type of deal. There’s no shootouts down the street.”

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports http://fox4kc.com/2018/03/07/owning-a-gun-is-required-by-law-in-this-georgia-town/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2018/03/07/owning-a-gun-is-required-by-law-in-this-georgia-town/

[handsingsweapon]

silver splendour fashion ask

so silver splendour ch. whatever i’m on is about 50% written except i realized i’ve literally only had a bagel egg sandwich to eat today and took a dinner break.

while taking the dinner break i got started answering an ask i got privately about clothing and costuming in this world, and because i’m terrible at descriptions and because i haven’t figured out how i wanna handle the next little bit of this chapter, i thought i might as well give it a go in a post.

full disclosure before i do so: i’ve been somewhat worried about about the horrific pitfall of relying on oriental themes to convey a place as exotic, especially in regards to shen-osheth and the south, but also to a certain degree with hasetsuil in the east as well.

i hope i’ve avoided this in the world-building of the fic but i’d be lying if i said that these places weren’t based on or enriched by a) my own travels b) my desire to craft cities that are in some ways acknowledgements of the backgrounds of the canon characters who inhabit them

hasetsuil: hasetsu as it is in the show + kyoto, japan + some rotorua, new zealand

vaux romandith: lake balaton, hungary + my bad and probably inaccurate idea of what geneva might be like + the pacific northwest redwoods + entirely too many elf stories with treehouses

mosciren: park city, utah in its physiology; edinburgh in its vibe (ancient city with giant castle); but inspired architecturally by cordoba

a’ve palmera: the american southwest, especially new mexico heading into arizona (red rocks, high mesas); the canyon referenced in ch. 1 is similar to the grand canyon for size and scale and a’ve palmera is not particularly far from it

shen osheth: a weird combination of shanghai (for how cosmopolitan it is and how much trade happens there) and venice (canals, canals galore); the architecture though references elements more commonly found in polynesia 

ast petyriel: the evergreen forests of the rockies + they have all that wood, so ...

there’s sort of a logical consequence of all this that makes hasetsuil and shen-osheth the more “oriental” places to a western reader, and i wanted to say all that because i’m conscious that it might have landed me in a pickle where i’ve oversimplified somehow and created this unintentional “east meets west” vibe between the four main kingdoms of the story. hopefully that doesn’t offend too terribly; it was both deliberate and ... not deliberate. gosh i started this post trying to talk about clothes. let’s do that real quick

starting with

the northerners!

these people are snobs. they dress to impose. here’s an example for lilia, except sans hood probably, and i think what her leathers would look like if she was going to bother with armor (spoilers she never does). yakov’s the only one in the story who i think does wear metal armor and it’s specifically because his magic can make it so easy to wear and so light that he’s probably considered the most amazing smith/architect in all four realms. it would look a lot like thranduil’s leathers from the hobbit, regardless, except instead of feathers there’s probably some falling leaves (a reference to lilia) or bear motifs. this means his sons wear some pretty intricate stuff and also that viktor’s going to give yuuri a heart attack that he can’t actually die from someday by doing an all out thranduil on the throne. northern colors are black, silver, and various gemtone shades. viktor prefers blue and silver; yuri tends to dress in monochrome; lilia wears lots of emerald green; yakov wears metallics; mila wears ruby colored stuff and georgi’s in purple because i said so.  lilia is super into weaving and embroidery so they do both of those things better than anyone really. this plays out in the cloaks thing for vitya + yuri. northerners also like jewelry and smithing more than some of the other kingdoms do thanks to yakov’s metal influences.  the easterlings! the easterlings tend to wear robes and their clothes are softer and more comfortable than any of the other four kingdoms. here’s an example for minako and something for yuuri. i think most easterlings favor springtime colors; pastels and greens, but yuuri definitely hates drawing attention to himself and tends to wear things that are more muted (and stands out as a result whenever he’s at minako’s school because everyone else is fine with it). flower motifs abound everywhere though. and they likely have a whole language of flowers in terms of what different ones mean and what people like, etc. these are probably painted or dyed generally and sometimes embroidered so they have a softer, gentler effect than what the northerners wear.  they’re terrifically good at braids and folds and draping. the southrons! the southrons have the trade capitol of the whole story so they can wear literally anything, but their attire is definitely more influenced by han fu; here’s an example for guang hong in full regalia. also, when festivals are on they headdress it up better than anyone in the rest of the universe even though the northerners probably frown on this because all of the actual crowns of the rulers are variations on a circlet, something very simple and actually rather plain. their colors are the boldest and most vibrant of any of the kingdoms: strong reds and yellows and summertime brights. tl;dr yakov never approves of them or their nonsense but they’re more creative and more willing to experiment than any of the other kingdoms, fashion-wise, as a general rule, and shen-osheth has so many different cultures mingling all the time that you can really see just about anything there. the westerners! they’re the practical athletes of the bunch; see jj for example or a couple different links for women. they’re really good at making and molding leathers, and they get a lot of cotton, linen, and wool from the farms / sheep / etc. they tend to blend in with the woods more, lots of greens and browns and harvest colors.  christophe bucks this trend and wears whatever the fuck he wants because he’s christophe. due to his upbringing he got a more cosmopolitan education and so he borrows from the other cultures depending on his mood and can be a little chameleon in that way. bonus: banshees! most of the ban side live in the central zone between the four kingdoms, an area that gets intermittently referred to as the wilds (think marshes), the ranges (think mesas), the desert we’ve already seen, or the canyon. these are more inhospitable places and they’re usually traveling nomads so when you see a ranger in particular (because they patrol and provide safety for the people living in these areas) they always look packed up and ready to go anywhere. that being said they have customs of their own and probably get the most avant garde when it comes to dressing for rituals; seung-gil’s mom, for example, might have once worn something like this and i have no issues whatsoever visualizing otabek wearing a crazy and rather useless scarf. they always dress for camoflauge so their clothes will typically match their environment; otabek however has been wearing black ever since he left and went to go work for yakov as a guard (which is partly a northern thing and partly otabek being an intimidating shadow person thing) ban side paint their faces sometimes for festivals when they’re traveling with their own people, and for battles, too. they’re also the only ones who do tattoos. did this help? idk. break’s over.