#cenotaph my beloved

[eco-lite]

My favorite moments from David Mack's Control. Most of them are Garak, even though he's barely in this book...

[Text ID: “’I'm well aware that you're all fugitives of the highest order in the Federation. Nothing new for you, Doctor, or for your inamorata"—he let contempt drip off that last word—"though I have to imagine being the target of an interstellar dragnet must be something of a new experience for your friends.’” End ID]

Okay this is hilarious. David Mack establishes that Sarina Douglas (the genetically-engineered woman Julian helps in "Statistical Probabilities." Remember her?) and Julian have been in a relationship for a while, but he's also clearly a garashir shipper who loves to make Garak suffer. Jealous!Garak my beloved.

[Text ID: “Garak shot a wary look at his bodyguards, then he moved closer to Bashir. ‘Are you asking as a Starfleet officer? As a doctor? Or as a man in need of asylum?’ ‘I'm asking as your friend.... Help us, Elim.’ It might have been nothing more than Bashir's imagination, but he thought he saw the faintest hint of jealousy in Garak's eyes when the castellan glanced at Sarina. But then Garak looked back at Bashir and smiled. ‘Very well, Julian. For an old friend... anything is possible.’” End ID]

Poor Garak. This is truly painful. Especially since Julian recognizes his jealousy and doesn't ever address it.

[Text ID: “’Executions without judicial oversight? It's an obscenity masquerading as national security.’  ‘Yes. And it's also how the Obsidian Order kept total control over the Cardassian Union for nearly a century.’ That put an end to Bashir's perambulation. ‘Wait, no. I didn't mean to say—' ‘That any part of the Federation could ever have anything in common with the Obsidian Order? Or with the Tal Shiar? Oh, how I envy your naïveté, Doctor. To believe that any nation state could ever endure without having an appendage willing to stain itself in blood—what a luxury it must be to live in the arms of such delusion.’ He expected a tirade from Bashir. A red-faced defense of the Federation's principles, its integrity, its virtue. Instead the doctor reined in his dudgeon and approached Garak's desk. He set his knuckles on the polished wood and bowed his head while he drew a calming breath. ‘I can't deny there's rot in the core of Starfleet. In the heart of the Federation. I've seen it.’ He looked up at Garak, and his eyes had the hard, unyielding focus of a man ready to go to war. ‘I came to you because I need to know how to stop it. How to end it. How to destroy it.’ ‘Well, that's simple, Doctor. What worked for Cardassia will work for the Federation. To excise this cancer from your body politic, all you need to do is kill the body, burn it down to ash, then resurrect and rebuild it with wiser eyes and a sadder heart.’ Bashir's brow creased with scorn. ‘You mock me.’ ‘Not at all, Doctor. You saw what happened to this world at the end of the Dominion War—to all the planets of the Cardassian Union. The Dominion burned us to the ground. Slew all but a fraction of our population. Left us with nothing but cinders and cenotaphs. That is what it took to free Cardassia from the grip of the Obsidian Order. Are you ready to pay that price so the people of the Federation can bask in the purity of their liberty? Is it worth the blood of billions? Is it worth seeing your worlds on fire?’ ‘You make it sound as if there's no middle ground,’ Bashir protested. ‘No choice besides surrender or slaughter.’ Garak saw no reason to blunt the truth's cutting edge. ‘Why else would such programs exist, Doctor? What is the value of intelligence if it doesn't lead to action?’ This time Bashir rose to Garak's challenge. ‘What is the value of action if it betrays all that we stand for?’ His shoulders slumped as if they bore a terrible weight. ‘Garak, I didn't come here to be lectured, or to be told I'm too idealistic. I came here for advice.’ ‘Of what sort?’ ‘The kind that will help me stop Thirty-one. Permanently.’ Maybe the doctor was foolhardy. Perhaps his mission was doomed to fail. But there was no denying the man possessed the courage of his convictions. Garak tried to remember what that had felt like in his long-ago squandered youth—and then he realized, to his shame, that he had never known the sweet sting of such passions. ‘If you want to kill Section Thirty-one,’ he said, ‘you'll need to turn their greatest strength against them—transform it into their most dire weakness. They thrive on secrecy, on anonymity, just as the Obsidian Order once did. Take that away from them. Expose them and they'll be vulnerable—and that's when you strike the killing blow.’ He set his palms on the desktop and leaned forward to emphasize his final piece of counsel. ‘But make sure you leave nothing of your enemy intact. When your work is done, don't try to turn their assets to your advantage. Destroy them all, every last one—or else the monster will simply rise again.’” End ID]

Although the concept and plot of this book is really interesting, I was generally not impressed by the characterization in this book. But Garak is an exception. I love this passage because it's a brief return to Garak and Julian's cherished philosophical debates. And it so perfectly encapsulates Garak's world-view after all he's been through. He's under no delusions of how far a society will go to "protect itself." Or how hard it can be to dismantle a broken system. He's experienced both tragedies first-hand.

[Text ID: “’The codicil concerning Doctor Bashir indicated a ninety-four percent likelihood that he would seek the aid of his former lover and Deep Space Nine crewmate, Captain Ezri Dax. Instead, he ran to Castellan Elim Garak.’" End ID]

Ha. That's telling, isn't it...

[Text ID: “’Have you considered the possibility that you've chosen the wrong side?’ The question felt to Bashir like a vote of no confidence. He hoped he had heard Garak wrong. ‘What do you mean, the wrong side?’ ‘I merely mean to ask, Julian, if you've ever stopped to entertain the notion that perhaps Section Thirty-one serves a valid purpose?’ The question itself offended Bashir. ‘Don't be absurd, Garak. Thirty-one wields deadly power with absolutely no legal accountability or oversight. It commits countless crimes against Federation citizens and foreign peoples. It steals, defrauds, counterfeits, murders. It acts in the name of the Federation while betraying every principle for which we stand. Its continued existence is an insult to our entire civilization.’ Garak struck an imperious pose. ‘Really? An insult? What if that insult to your Federation is the only reason it still exists?’ He prowled forward, crossing Bashir's imaginary boundary of personal space. ‘Every nation-state in history has relied, at one time or another, on the services of such organizations for their very survival. Why should yours be any different?’” End ID]

Devil's advocate as always. But Garak has a point. Cardassia was only able to maintain it's strictly military society--the status quo--because of the Obsidian Order. Based on his own experience, it's reasonable to think that Section Thirty-one may be the only thing holding the Federation together. No matter how much its actions go against the holier-than-thou principles the Federation claims to uphold.

[Text ID: “’Beliefs are dangerous things, Julian. Once we invest in them, it can be hard to challenge them without invoking cognitive dissonance. But in this case, I suggest you try. Because if I'm correct, going to war with Section Thirty-one can only end badly for you. Either you will lose, and you and all your friends will suffer gruesome fates I'd rather not imagine; or you will win—and in so doing, end up inflicting more harm than good upon your beloved Federation.’" End ID]

Not Garak trying to predict the ending of the book. Somehow the real ending was a mix of both. And that "beliefs are dangerous things" line... Yeah.

[Text ID: (Referring to the décor of the Federation Headquarters in Paris, which is scientifically constructed to be soothing and discourage potential violent behavior) “Like the Federation's pervasive imperialism, the lobby's social controls were subtle and hideously effective.” End ID]

Damn, you said it, not me. I do love this book's determination to deconstruct every charitable feeling the reader might have about the Federation.

[Text ID: “Alone with Bashir, Garak looked at his friend. He circled in front of him. ‘Are you still with me, my dear doctor?’ He squatted in front of the hoverchair and tried in vain to make eye contact with his friend. ‘Are you blind to the sight of me? Deaf to the music of my voice?’ Bashir's silence and his wounded stare into an empty distance disturbed Garak in ways he feared to confront. This was not the man he remembered from Deep Space 9, or the confidant with whom he had trusted his private musings in the aftermath of the Dominion War. This man was detached from the world, in it but separated from it by a barrier as unbreachable as it was intangible. This was the shattered husk of a good man, the sorry remains of one who had refused to bend to the cruelties of the world and ended up broken instead.” End ID]

I didn't realize this book leads directly into Una McCormack's Enigma Tales (excellent book, go read it!) until this point. That knowledge makes this moment hurt more, I think.

[Text ID: “There was naught left for Garak to do now but keep his friend safe, in a clean and well-lit place, and give him whatever time he needed to heal himself—or at least to die in peace, with his last measure of privacy intact and jealously guarded by someone who loved him.” End ID]

Time to curl up in a ball and stare into the middle distance for a while...

[harry-sussex]

These new military appointments really have me back in my rabbit hole of “I literally still cannot believe Prince Harry left the royal family and lost everything to become…… whatever he is.” Like, some of those were HIS appointments, he would have gotten more as the son of the King, he was such a good Prince, and he went and threw it all away for… what, exactly? For what? He lost everything and threw it all away for nothing… and he has nobody to blame but himself. It’s still unfathomable to me that he had to bow passing the cenotaph during QEII’s funeral procession. He should have been saluting! In his Blues and Royals uniform! Alongside his brother, father, uncles! He should have been an HRH, a Duke, and a Prince! His lifelong birthright that he threw away! Tossed aside like it was nothing, like it never meant anything to him, when it so clearly did for so long! He was on top of the world, Britain’s and the world’s beloved People’s Prince, who would have continued to excel and thrive in the role he was born to take over, including new military appointments, new honors from his father, and patronages taken over from his grandparents and now… he’s lost them all and other people are taking them over instead because he threw it all away for NOTHING! For NOTHING! It would be easier to digest if he walked away and was successful, happy, and thriving in his new life but… he’s not. He’s lost and doesn’t have a clear place in this new world of his. He threw it all away - everything he was and everything he was good at and everything he was born to be - for nothing and he hasn’t been the same since. He made such a mistake and days like yesterday - where his absence is the elephant in the room, where the void of his missed potential hits like a punch to the gut - makes it sting like that very first day all over again.

[focsle]

hey! I just wanted to say I'm planning a trip to New England and added New Bedford's Whaling Museum to my list of things to do thanks to you! (And anything else you recommend doing up there? Lizzie Borden's house is already also on my list... morbid curiosity.)

It depends on how wide your range is! In New Bedford tho, the Seamen’s Bethel right across from the Museum has some poignant cenotaphs. There’s also a good historic house museum there, the Rotch Jones Duff House, if that’s your thing. And there’s huge warehouse-like antique place called New Bedford Antiques at the Cove if you wanna find some weird little tchotchke. Kickin the shit out of myself for passing on a seachest I found there cos it had a busted becket. Little did I know!

Depending on how long you’re there, there’s a ferry to go out to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket if you want some nice island time. Takes about 1 hour to get to the former, 90 mins for the latter.

Mystic Seaport in CT is about a 90 min drive out of New Bedford that’s very good too. Where the beloved Charles W. Morgan lies.

OH….you should do a whale watch somewhere, if you’re going in the summer. Tis the season for it.

[radiant-flutterbun]

Lair review for @pumpkin-bread​

First impression: I’ve reviewed your lair a few times before but your lair is always impressive! It’s filled with so much lore, love and care. All you dragons are so interesting and full of personality.

Arcturus

He’s a beautiful dragon and genone! I absolutely love the midnight cloak and how you’ve layered his other apparel on top of it. The horns and glasses give him so much personality. His overall look is scholarly yet elegant. And his lore reflects this! He’s a lovely stuffy coatl. I hope he finds his sister.

Menace

An XYY genone! Nice! He has gorgeous colors that drew me to him. I LOVE the accent, the wings from it are very eyecatching. I love how nicely the wind halo matches his seafoam glimmer. I also picked him because of his name and broadcast message. Trouble makers are fun.

Etienne

Her broadcast message said she wasn’t a dragon so I had to click on her. Ooo she’s a changeling. One that went against her purpose! I love that! Very, very interesting! As for the dragon herself, she has nice soft colors. She’s very beachy and tropical looking. She just looks sweet. Her accent really adds to her and makes her look even more from a tropical rainforest.

Logan

This is a really handsome looking imp! That accent is just SO GOOD. Very pretty. Very gothic. Accents like these are why I’m often broke on FR. I’m glad you were careful not to cover the accent up with much apparel. And we’ve got another grump of a dragon. I love him.

Fracture

Plum constellation looks impeccable on this dragon. I love the witchy (gender neutral) vibe you’ve got going on with how you’ve dressed him. The garden hat actually works better than the witch’s hat here. And the shadow aura really solidify his magical aesthetic.

Mistfall

Arcane primal has to be one of my favorite primal types and it’s very cool that you got it from a scatterscroll! Mistfall is a really stunning dragon. Again i’ve picked a dragon with plum. I guess I’ve never realized how good plum looks with starcon! The greens from radioactive work really well by blending with the purple that comes from radioactive butterfly. The green is just the right amount of green if that makes sense? It looks really nice with her otherwise purple-blue colors. Again another excellent choice of accent too.

Sorrow

Angelic wildclaws by beloved. That accent is *chef’s kiss*. I guess I should expect by now for your lair to be filled with beautiful dragons wearing beautiful UMAs. I should also expect by now lovely dressed dragons. I love the mix of blues and gold in his outfit. The gilded rose collar layered over overcoat is SO GOOD. Loved his bio too. He seems like a good priest.

Trina

It’s by coincidence that I chose Trina after Sorrow (Love that they’re friends), I chose the dragons prior to reading their bios. I chose Trina mostly because her broadcast message got a chuckle out of me and I had to see what she was complaining about lol. I too hate the cold, Trina. The gijinka art is her bio is very pretty. I like how the candles go with the inkwell wings too.

Paisley

The first aether I get to review! I love her vibrant pinks and soft blues. The accent look very nice on her. She really makes an excellent aether. i couldn’t imagine her being any other breed. So sad she got hurt during the crash tho! Glad she seems to be doing ok though. She seems like a sweet dragon.

Cenotaph

Oof ok this dragon really hits a lot of things I love ok. We’ve got death theming, abyss shell, VEIL BABY. I love this little guy already. 10/10 would adopt. Absolutely gorgeous little baby. Did I mention abyss shell is VERY good? And both wisteria hawkmoth and violet diaphanous give a green accent that looks so good! And her lore? A little gravekeeper with amnesia? I’m going to cry.

[whereiwander]

MISSION SAN CARLOS BORROMEO DEL RIO CARMELO, CARMEL, CALIFORNIA, USA (December 25, 2022) Christmas this year found me at the mouth of the Carmel Valley, in one of the most authentically restored Catholic mission churches in California. Founded in 1770 by Spanish Franciscan priest, explorer and colonist, Saint Junípero Serra, the mission is named for Carlo Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, Italy, and was the site of the first Christian confirmation in Alta California. I was here maybe in the late 2000s with my niece Selene, but because we had arrived at dusk, the basilica was no longer open and we had time only for snaps at the courtyard. This year though, I was happy to have attended Christmas Mass with my sister Monique and her two sons Chris and Gab. There is much to see here--the spacious courtyard with its inviting fountain and a statue of the beloved saint; the basilica itself, its dissimilar bell towers, and its magnificent retablo; the museum, sanctuary, and cenotaph. I ought to come back.

[songofdeath]

“My friend has passed.” The young man spoke solemnly, dark eyes staring down at the ground, uncertain if his decision to visit the tally-men was right. Patricians had their own rituals and worked with renowned morticians who had honed their craft for generations, but the tally-men were for everyone and Jericho knew word wouldn’t get back to his parents this way.

“He was a Vastaya. I don’t know what his family believed in.” He sounds a little embarrassed at the admission. “I can’t go to his funeral and I don’t know if he’ll even have one, so…” He finally looked up at the other man, realising he was perhaps only a little older than Jericho himself. “If you could hold a farewell for him of some kind, I could pay you as much as you like.” He hurriedly reassured the other, taking a rather hefty coin pouch out of his pocket and extending his hand to the young tally-man. “His name was Ina’Sae Mehr.”

The tally-man withdrew his mask from his face, as a show of respect to the man who still lived and deemed to visit them. Indeed from his attire it was clear he didn't belong here. It makes Karthus a little nervous, gore and the scent of rot is still on his clothes from today's haul of bodies. He usually spent a long time laying them out neatly for their rituals, and he never actually had to schedule a meeting with someone before.

"Vastaya..." Karthus had seen a few vastayan bodies, but he was unsure he could identify the person the stranger was looking for.

"The vastaya are long lived. Some claim deathlessness. I hear that a tribe in Shimon turn to rocks when they die, so they can return to the earth they came from." The quip is unwarranted, a simple fact he remembered of one of the vastayan tribes.

Karthus stops when he sees the pile of money offered. There is an... inkling of temptation, but in the hallowed halls of Kindred, he feels a bit... guilty. So he holds his hand up, his long slender fingers wrap around the sack of coin, and Karthus pushes it into the stranger's chest.

"The tally-men do not accept payment. Death is natural, and we must ensure peace of the dead who cannot pay for burial." That was, naturally, the deal with them, and why nobility did not use their services. Only those who had no where else to send their beloved would send them this way.

"Ina'sae Mehr..." Karthus repeated the name. "If this person came through here, I am sorry, we don't know the names of the people buried here. If you like, I can take you to some of the graves of the vastaya. I remember the last one that came here. It was about two months, 5 days ago. Buried in the 347th row, maybe... 36 graves deep from the left? Or 35."

"Oh." Karthus bowed his head. "If you want to make a donation however, you can place money in the alms boxes." Karthus gestured to a black metal box covered in dust, welded to the wall.

"... You want a farewell for him, yes?" Karthus finally came together and recognized what the man was asking. "We can place his name on our wall." Karthus walked back a bit, and carefully lit a few candles to light up the back wall behind the altar. Behind it were thousands of names, from ceiling to floor, written in small scrawl, all in Karthus's handwriting, carved with a small metal tool. "... Is there something else you want me to do?" Karthus looked him over.

"I can light a candle. Or send out a paper boat. Or place coins. We have an empty graveyard, you know, for people whose bodies don't make it here. The cenotaphs have to be brought by other people, though, I don't make gravestones, although I could try."

[elisaenglish]

And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time

“What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives? They have never entered into mine, but into yours, we thought—Haven’t we all to struggle against life’s daily greyness, against pettiness, against mechanical cheerfulness, against suspicion? I struggle by remembering my friends; others I have known by remembering some place—some beloved place or tree—we thought you one of these.”

-E.M. Forster, Howard’s End-

There’s a past participle that must not be marginalised in the act of remembering. That emphasis on the current, and ongoing, process of reflection as it pertains to us informs the forecast to come, the wisdom of generations wrought from their pain, ours, and enough light to counteract the frost with fire or an adept vice versa should the need arise—and bedded all in one is all succession.

Art be my cenotaph or, as E.M. Forster writes in Howard’s End, “The house was very quiet, and the fog—we are in November now—pressed against the windows like an excluded ghost.” The almost-presence, ephemeral but all too real, reminiscent of Cathy at Heathcliff’s window or those gothic storms apostrophised, here in blood-beats and temporal lines, flesh, bone, stardust ground and atomised, is gathered as is tender life to heart.

It is the back. It is the now. But it’s never quite what we expect despite our capacity to dream, invent. As Forster continues:

“Actual life is full of false clues and sign-posts that lead nowhere. With infinite effort we nerve ourselves for a crisis that never comes. The most successful career must show a waste of strength that might have removed mountains, and the most unsuccessful is not that of the man who is taken unprepared, but of him who has prepared and is never taken. On a tragedy of that kind our national morality is duly silent. It assumes that preparation against danger is in itself a good, and that men, like nations, are the better for staggering through life fully armed. The tragedy of preparedness has scarcely been handled, save by the Greeks. Life is indeed dangerous, but not in the way morality would have us believe. It is indeed unmanageable, but the essence of it is not a battle. It is unmanageable because it is a romance, and its essence is romantic beauty.”

For a novel published in 1910, we are drawn to its prescience. The circuity that aches from season to season, across epochs and claws its way beneath our ribs, half-buried but no less potent nor diminished. “[S]o wide and so widening is the gulf that stretches between the natural and the philosophic man,” Forster ponders. The “vague aspirations, the mental dishonesty, the familiarity with the outsides of books,” the unholy fucking everything that mistakes marker for destination, existence for meaning—it’s the cost of forgetting, of leaving every grave unknown.

What then? What of death? What of life? Teetered on the edge of each, a moment hangs austere though ours for having. “What he said wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t right, and a false note jarred,” Forster writes. “One little twist, they felt, and the instrument might be in tune.” Blazoned by the metaphor, voice transforms; incandescence surges forth for context. Hence, in consonance with the core, a blush unfolds:

“London was beginning to illuminate herself against the night. Electric lights sizzled and jagged in the main thoroughfares, gas-lamps in the side streets glimmered a canary gold or green. The sky was a crimson battlefield... but London was not afraid. Her smoke mitigated the splendour, and the clouds down Oxford Street were a delicately painted ceiling, which adorned while it did not distract.”

Depicted this way, the city itself is an epiphany, precursor to that “tinge” unfurled in Mrs Dalloway and no less relevant to our breath here now. “There are moments when virtue and wisdom fail us,” Forster maintains. But to deny oneself, to consign oneself to a futile thread alone, is to miss the essential bond we bear. As Forster conveys by the end:

“It is only that people are far more different than is pretended. All over the world men and women are worrying because they cannot develop as they are supposed to develop. Here and there they have the matter out, and it comforts them. Don’t fret yourself... A place, as well as a person, may catch the glow. Don’t you see that all this leads to comfort in the end? It is part of the battle against sameness. Differences, eternal differences, planted by God in a single family, so that there may always be colour; sorrow perhaps, but colour in the daily grey.”

And attention, too, at times of loss and that peace in moving forward. “Connect,” as Forster writes. As in constance, as in stream—deep in careful consciousness, honour for the dead that remain through us. And seek: “...connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer.”

[tabloidtoc]

People, November 23

Cover: President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris -- it’s time for America to unite hallelujah! 

Page 3: Chatter -- Katie Holmes on what she’s valued during the pandemic, Jenny McCarthy on Wendy Williams accusing her of using lip fillers, Sam Smith on dreaming of living in Scotland, Nicki Minaj on her newborn son, Dave Chapelle on the country coming together, Emma Stone hinting at expanding her family on Entertainment Tonight 

Page 4: 5 Things We’re Talking About This Week -- Bruce Springsteen sets a record for the ages, Friends makeup is there for you, Wedding Crashers may get a sequel, Victoria Beckham disses David Beckham’s style, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello adopt a dog 

Page 7: Contents 

Page 8: Star Tracks -- Jason Momoa who is in Toronto filming the second season of his series See bundled up for a ride on his Harley Davidson bike before grabbing lunch with friends 

Page 9: Royals Mark Remembrance Day -- Prince William and Prince Charles wore their military uniforms to lay wreaths of poppies during the annual Remembrance Day service, Princess Kate stood on a balcony overlooking the Cenotaph in London for the ceremony, across the pond Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited the Los Angeles National Cemetery in honor of Remembrance Day laying flowers that Meghan picked from their garden at the gravesites of two Commonwealth soldiers 

Page 10: Chris Hemsworth showed off his chiseled physique after hitting the beach in Byron Bay in Australia, Ariel Winter who was reportedly house-hunting this fall lugged around a humongous roll of bubble wrap

Page 11: Orlando Bloom stepped out in Montecito with a new puppy, Mario Lopez and kids Dominic and Gia got their fight on at a jujitsu class, Rita Ora on the red carpet at MTV’s European Music Awards in London 

Page 12: Cute Couples -- Chrissy Teigen and John Legend celebrated President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in a drive-by caravan in Los Angeles, Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox held hands during a stroll in L.A., Wells Adams and fiancee Sarah Hyland 

Page 13: Hugh Jackman and wife Deborra-Lee Furness masked up for a walk with their dogs in NYC, Saweetie and Quavo stepped out for a date night in L.A., also at the Biden victory parade Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk in a classic Mercedes-Benz convertible 

Page 15: Scoop -- Clare Crawley and Dale Moss blow up The Bachelorette

Page 16: Tayshia Adams takes over The Bachelorette 

Page 19: Priyanka Chopra Jonas -- my happy life at home with Nick Jonas, Dancing with the Stars pro Gleb Savchenko’s divorce from Elena Samodanova is getting acrimonious over rumors he had an affair with his DWTS partner Chrishell Stause 

Page 20: Heart Monitor -- Kate Moss and Nikolai von Bismarck getting serious, Erika Girardi and Tom Girardi divorcing, Susan Kelechi Watson and Jaime Lincoln Smith engagement off, Julia Michaels and JP Saxe going strong 

Page 21: Vanessa Lachey on motherhood and movies and staying sane, Al Roker reveals aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis 

Page 23: Passages, Why I Care -- inspired by her grandfather former President George H.W. Bush activist Barbara Pierce Bush is encouraging others to volunteer 

Page 25: Stories to make you smile! This lovable pup Hina brings her own special charm to the family photos

Page 27: People Picks -- The Crown 

Page 28: The Life Ahead, Big Sky, Chris Stapleton -- Starting Over, Q&A Lily Rabe 

Page 29: Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, Ammonite, I Am Greta, One to Watch -- Dash & Lily’s Austin Abrams 

Page 31: Books, Star Picks: What We’re Reading -- Alex Winter, Jane Lynch, Tamron Hall 

Page 32: Cover Story -- Decision 2020 -- it’s time to come together -- a divided nation in the grips of a pandemic turned out in historic numbers to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

Page 40: Alex Trebek -- a life well-lived -- inside the extraordinary career and final days of the beloved Jeopardy! host -- a romantic and an optimist who believed kindness should always prevail 

Page 46: Kylie Minogue -- a pop queen’s private world -- the Australian pop star talks about her three decades of fame and her new love and finding joy in a time of darkness 

Page 51: COVID-19 survivor story -- I’m the luckiest person alive -- one of the first coronavirus cases in the U.S. Gregg Garfield spent 64 days fighting for his life 

Page 54: Debbie Allen -- what I know now -- after 50 years in showbiz the award-winning actor and director is still dancing her way through life 

Page 59: Author and former NFL player Emmanuel Acho -- I felt called to help people understand racism -- devastated by the death of George Floyd the sportscaster launched Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man to help heal America’s racial divide 

Page 62: Murdered mom-to-be -- fatal affair? -- pregnant Kassanndra Cantrell was having a secret relationship with an ex and now police have charged him with killing her 

Page 64: The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal -- the man behind the mask -- you can’t see his face in the hit Star Wars series but protecting Baby Yoda is a dream role for the actor who is the son of refugees from Chile 

Page 66: Country star Carly Pearce -- surviving heartbreak and finding strength -- this summer she filed for divorce from fellow country singer Michael Ray after just 8 months of marriage and now the hitmaker is opening up about the decision she never wanted to make 

Page 71: Laverne Cox -- right now the world needs empathy and love -- the actress and activist has spent years leading the fight for transgender rights and inspiring the next generation 

Page 73: The 50 best beauty products of all time 

Page 87: Second Look -- David Koechner and Jessica St. Clair on The Goldbergs 

Page 88: One Last Thing -- Stevie Nicks

[queerpontmercy]

pick four characters and then roll a d4 for each of these numbers to determine which char to answer for: 1 4 5 6 17 22 24 26 39 27 51 57 60

tumblr did me so dirty but I finally got all of these in one doc, thank you <3 I decided to alternate between my Beam Saber pilots for character #4, so we have Solace “Trash Panda“ Altiora the infiltrator, and Dr. Finch Tandem, the officer/cat herder. Put under a cut because fuck this is so long...

What does Solace typically keep in his pockets?

I rolled a 3 for Leucien, but I already described his pockets, so...Solace is messy and generally keeps a tube of lipstick within easy reach, which means inevitably he’s also got a few tissues stuffed in a pocket from the last time he had to apply blot it. Other than that, he always has at least one knife on him, and that could feasibly be in a pocket. No, he’s not just happy to see you. 

Other than that, you know he’d never tell but honestly? I think he keeps his old prayer beads on his person, despite having left the Cenotaph both physically and spiritually. There’s something grounding about them: something organic in a world full of unforgiving machinery and vastly unknowable AIs, perhaps. It’s still soothing. Shut up. 

4. If Tanith was a work of art, how would you describe her?

This is such an interesting question for Tanith-- the most important bit for her would be that it’s something functional and beautiful, made lovelier still by use. A well-loved sea shanty with lyrics that keep time out on the water, a handsome medicine chest with fanciful carvings of beasts on each wooden panel…oooooh maybe a set of three nesting clay pots/jars! The first one is big and solid, rough gray-green with a fitted lid and decorations like barnacles and limpets, and below that is one with blue and brown glazes, pooling and mixing into each other, and the last (smallest) one is delicate and porcelain, almost opalescent from within where the light hits it, with the most simple, graceful curved shape It’s meant to house something rare and precious. 

5. How does Tanith express she’s comfortable?

She doesn’t like to sit in her emotions or thoughts, and spends a lot of time trying to transmute them into practical action. You’d know she’s comfortable if she let herself be still, taking in the world with quiet acceptance, and told you what was on her mind-- what she saw, or remembered, or was thinking about, without worry, just being. 

6. How does Fen express that they’re uncomfortable?

Fenestra argues about stupid shit-- pedantry in particular is such a refuge. Having a hill to die on helps her feel slightly in control, since feeling powerless is definitely one of the things that makes her most uncomfortable. She’d never admit to it, but it’s also a way to knock Threats down a peg or two. 

17. Does Leucien swear? What’s his favorite phrase/word?

For sure, but since Leu is 3 feet tall, he almost certainly got the “ohhhh i had no idea, you’re so iiiiinnocent~” treatment after saying one (1) fuck word. I was tonight years old when I learned he’s partial to “oh balls,” which is decidedly not one of my (Sketch’s) phrases, but I guess it makes sense intrinsically? Most swear words are either profane, sexual, or insulting/derogatory. Gnomes in this campaign aren’t religious, culturally speaking, and he’s not the kind to start a fight. 

Now that means there’s actually a good chance that he has at least once, in a fit of extreme frustration, blurted out “Aerum’s b--” before very hastily correcting to “face, face, I was gonna say face.”

I’m shocked I have so much to say about this, but...he was an academic, and I also have a strong hunch that he had a terrible little pretentious phase where all his swear words came from Old Gnomish or Dwarvish or oooh, maybe languages his old friend Aza had picked up, but...at this point he reasons it’s better to say the things in Everendian/Common if you want people to know what you’re saying. 

22. What kind of person would Finch never side with?

Finch would never side with a landlord cop bully. Well, definitely not a landlord or cop either. But man, the kind of leader who throws their weight around for the sake of it and intimidates innocent people into carrying out their orders? They really, truly despise ‘em. And leaders who treat the individuals under their wing as pieces of a calculated risk rather than full people. They’d honestly rather die than become that kind of leader. 

24. What’s a controversial food opinion Leucien would have?

Pineapple on pizza is good actually you guys are just mean

Leu thinks the fact that there’s such a thing as “controversial food opinions” is fascinating. He’ll try anything once, so point-blank disregarding something as disgusting feels like snobbery to him. And even badly-cooked food can tell you so much about the people who make it, so and that learning’s a pleasure in and of itself. 

26. What would Tanith want for her funeral?

In Tanith’s culture, dying orcs are dressed in burial clothes, shrouded, and left to make their “final voyage” on their own in quiet contemplation. She would uphold this tradition. Burial and scattering of ashes at sea are common, but I actually think Tanith might want to be buried at the “interfaith” shrine she established on the mainland post-campaign-- Ishka willing, to be its guardian and perhaps, in a way, guide the lost on their journeys after her death. 

She would certainly want her dear friends and party members to speak in her memory at a ceremony, especially Cae and Avris, who saw her through so much. Nothing prepared. Just what comes from the heart in the moment. Perhaps she has also transcribed an old Orcish lullaby for her beloved Anya to play at the end, with the music drifting through the air and quietly dissipating, like sea foam as it hits the shore. 

27. If they were a ghost, how would Solace haunt in the afterlife?

Solace would be such a chaotic asshole ghost but he’d have the time of his (after)life. He already has such a great time being a local cryptid as it is, convincing people that an abandoned amusement park or shopping mall might be haunted. It’d be even worse in death. The thing is, if he was a ghost and knew nothing could hurt him, he’d be even more unsubtle, he’d really want to see the impact of his tricks and shenanigans for once after a lifetime or lurking. 

39. What does Finch believe their party lacks?

Finch knows that their squad has each other’s backs in the practical way-- they’ve seen teammates trauma out or take major damage protecting each other. But they think that what the Intrepid is missing is emotional vulnerability, and it’s important? If we’re not honest with ourselves, how can we be honest with each other? It keeps them up at night sometimes. 

51. What makes Tanith a hypocrite?

She’ll forgive everyone except herself, obviously. Since she was able to get some closure with her ex Kleiya, who didn’t die but was transported to another plane, she hasn’t been nearly as consumed with guilt over who she used to be, but still? She’ll tell someone not to burn out all at once, she’ll tell someone they’re good just as they are, and never believe it herself. :/ 

57. How does the way Leucien acts seemingly contradict his ability scores?

FitD scores don’t translate as well, so...Leu it is! 

He’s got +3 charisma, but he’s the most awkward man in all of existence and can’t be normal for even two seconds. I actually don’t think it’s that contradictory; charisma is a force of personality, after all, and Leu’s got that. He became an object of cult worship in a matter of months, after all...But also I do think he’s got an endearing, bookish, understated charm, and hey, that’s a kind of charisma. D&D often makes charisma out to be the smooth-talking seduction stat, but I really enjoy when it can be more than that.

He’s also got decently high wisdom, but I’ve been playing him with small dog energy. We’ll figure it out, I suppose.

60. Who does Fenestra go to when she needs to bounce ideas off of someone?

Fenestra has a littol greyromantic wtf-is-this crush on Eli, another of the Oracle’s apprentices. :3 They have honed different ways of seeing the future. Fen captures big fragmented portents that don’t make sense until later, whereas Eli is a lot more scrupulous, and tends to focus on details and possibilities, mapping out the pieces of a butterfly effect. They really respect his different way of thinking; it’s been incredibly helpful, and if she were feeling mentally stuck Fen would go to him, no question. He’d listen.

[whatsjenniupto]

A Stopover in Hiroshima

Many visit Hiroshima either as a day trip from Osaka, Kobe, or Kyoto. The beloved Shinkansen bullet trains mean it only take 1.5 hours between the cities leaving plenty of time to explore the city. I was in route from Osaka to an even tinier town just two stops further than Hiroshima: Iwakuni. A town that even most Japanese I met had never heard of which therefore meant that I was beyond convinced I had the name wrong. Every time I said it.

But that’s beside the point. The tour of Hiroshima started and ended at Hiroshima Station. The first goal was to locate a coin locker which was a surprisingly harder task than expected. Since so many visit Hiroshima as a day trip, the coin locker bank is pretty packed at all times, but eventually an empty locker was located. 

Once everything is finally stored away, proceed to hobble out to a bench, take off your right shoe, take your coin locker key, and start tearing at the elastic band at the top of your Toms which you are pretty sure is actually causing a stress fracture in your foot. Nothing else could possibly hurt this bad. 

Yank.

Yank.

Yank.

Mildly realize that there are now at least three people looking at you with concerned faces as you tackle your shoe with a murderous glare. 

Yank.

Yank.

Yank.

YOU WILL BREAK.

Yank.

Yank.

Yank. 

YES!!! Oh, the relief. Let’s do this!

A 15min walk from Hiroshima Station (even with a potential stress fracture hobble) are the Shukkeien Gardens 縮景園. Dating back to the 1600s, the gardens were opened to the public in 1940 just five years before they were almost completely destroyed by the atomic bomb. There is one very crooked tree that managed to survive the blast as well as a memorial to the initial survivors of the bomb who managed to get to the gardens for sanctuary before succumbing to their injuries. 

If a 15min walk is too much to start your walking tour off with, there is an option to take one of the famous Hiroshima streetcars to the gardens: Lines 1, 2, or 6 to Hacchobori 八丁堀, or Tram 9 to Shukkeien-mae 縮景園前駅.

Next up on the walking tour is Hiroshima Castle 広島城, a short 10min stroll from the gardens. The grounds are extensive, but the highlight definitely is the reconstructed castle. On the way through the grounds to the castle, there are a number of large stone ruins marking the locations of buildings before the bomb.

Continuing toward the exit on the southern side of the castle grounds, you will pass Gokoku Shrine. Hiroshima’s mascot is the carp, and there are just a few references to the connection as you pass by the shrine where the Hiroshima Toyo Carp baseball team come every year in hopes for victory.

While there are references to the August 6 bombing across the city, the Atomic Bomb Dome 原爆ドーム starts to paint a much clearer picture of the destruction. New building complexes rise around the shell, providing proof of the resilience of the people in Hiroshima. The dome is a 16min walk from the castle and the start of the Peace Memorial Park 平和記念公園 grounds. 

The Children's Peace Monument commemorates all the children lost because of the bombing, specifically Sadako Sasaki who died of leukemia in 1955. While battling leukemia, Sadako decided to fold 1000 paper cranes. Japanese tradition states that if 1000 paper cranes are folded, one wish will be granted and Sadako’s wish was a world without nuclear weapons. Thousands of cranes fill boxes surrounding the monument with more continually donated by people from around the world. 

Continuing through the Peace Park, you will walk by the Peace Flame, which was lit back in 1964 and will continue burning until there are no more nuclear weapons, and the Cenotaph, where the names of known victims of the bombing are preserved. Further on is the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Unfortunately, the main building was undergoing earthquake renovations, so the exhibits were quite condensed when I was there. While the full exhibit wasn’t an option, the bit I was able to go through really painted quite the picture and made me think.

At some point, a trip on one of the vintage streetcars is a must. The Hiroshima tram network is the longest in Japan and is famous for building its trolley population from all the discontinued cars around the country. Stepping onto the trams is a delightful step back in time. My suggestion would be to grab a tram from Genbaku Dome-mae (Atomic Bomb Dome) 原爆ドーム前 to Hiroshima Station on line 2 or 6. If you’re hunting for food though (possibly the famous Hiroshima Okanomiyaki), lines 1, 2, 5, and 6 all go to Hiroshima Station. The best part is that the system now is a part of PASPY which means if you have extra money on your Tokyo PASMO (like I did), you can use it up here rather than digging for change.

[riding-history]

During the Battle of Haldighati, Chetak, the beloved horse of Maharana Pratap, laid down his life while protecting Maharana Pratap. Later, an cenotaph was built near Haldighati in honor of Chetak, the loyal horse of Maharana Pratap. For the travel guide of other famous travel Destination of India, please visit my website Ridinghistory (please visit this link as much as possible Share your WhatsApp / Facebook group) #nature #history #rider #backpacker #roadtrip #wildlife #saveforest #saveearth #travelblog #rajasthantourism #incredibleindia #ridinghistory

(Image Shot on Samsung Galaxy on nxt / Lightroom / Snapseed )

[altughuner-blog]

Kolhapur to me stood for the temple of Mahalakshmi, Kolhapuri Chappals, Hot Chillis and Lavani dance. I first visited the city as part of the luxury train Deccan Odyssey trip. Got to spend just a couple of hours there that gave me a glimpse of Places to visit in Kolhapur. I knew I would come back. It took me a few years to return, but this time I savored the sights, sounds, and flavors of the city.

I remember wearing a saffron Pheta at the city railway station. This was my first taste of Kolhapuri culture.

Brief History of Kolhapur

In the recorded history, Kolhapur was ruled by Shilaharas from 10th-13th CE. In the medieval times by Maratha rulers with Shahu Maharaj its best-known ruler. Tarabai – the daughter-in-law of Shivaji Maharaj also ruled the region. Her idols can be seen all over the city.

In the Pauranik literature, it is a part of the Karvirpur Kshetra.

Places to Visit in Kolhapur

Mahalakshmi Temple – This is the biggest attraction in the city. So we did a complete post on Mahalakshmi Temple in Kolhapur. Do read it.

New Palace

New Palace

The New Palace actually dates back to 19th CE. Since it replaced an old palace, the name new stuck to it. Since there is little possibility of any new palaces coming up, the name suits it.

Built in a combination architecture in dark grey, the palace has unique eight angles with a clock tower in the middle. The ground floor of this building is now a museum where the collections of the royal family are displayed.

The erstwhile royal family continues to stay in one part of this palace. There are huge displays of Royal portraits, old furniture, artifacts, statues, Ganjifa cards, a gallery of stuffed animals that were hunted by the kings. Of course, there is a display of weapons and arms.

Durbar hall with high ceilings, carved pillars, and panels of exquisite glass paintings depicting life events of the royal family is the high point of this palace. The museum is well organized and documented. Opposite the building, there is a small lake and a zoo. We could see a lot of birds including the migratory ones on the trees standing in the lake.

This obviously is among the list of Places to visit in Kolhapur.

Bhavani Mandap – Old Palace

The Bhawani Mandap

Bhavani Mandap is the old palace that you enter through a big gate. This palace was destroyed in a fire and that led to the construction of the new one. Construction here is massive and medieval in the same dark grey stone. There is a life-size statue of Sahu Maharaj, the beloved king of the city.

We moved towards the imposing stone gate of Bhawani Mandap.

City Library

Before that, we visited the Karvir Nagar Vachan Mandir or the local library. On the left of the main gate, we saw the lovely Rajaram Mahavidyalaya. This beautiful building has nuances of Rajasthani architecture like Jharokhas and arches, Mughal as well as colonial architecture. Built in 1880, this building still runs like a school.

Another gate of Bhawani Mandap

We entered Bhawani Mandap, but instead of a building, we found ourselves in an open ground with shops all around. There were hustle and bustle all around. There was street food on one side and the temple offerings including the beautiful Saris on the other.

Straight ahead, I remembered watching Dandpatta during my earlier trip here.

Dandpatta Video

Here in this city, I got to see these young men and women showcasing the traditional Maratha Martial arts. Watch the video.

Dandpatta is the traditional martial arts practiced by women. It was a sheer delight to see young girls in saffron saris playing effortlessly with the swords in their hands. Young men also presented their skills with the swords but I missed the traditional attire.

Bhawani Mandir

Last time, I missed visiting the Tulja Bhawani temple. This time I visited it and discovered a small museum here.

Shivaji Gaddi, Bhawani Mandap

Shivaji Gaddi – Bhawani Mandap

There is a life-size statue of this favorite King of Kolhapur – Shahu Ji. There are dioramas of animals, including a giant bison that were apparently hunted by Shahu Ji Maharaj.

When you stand in the vast courtyard of Bhawani Mandap, you get a glimpse into the world of walled cities. I wonder how life would have been, well protected by the strong walls on all sides, and right next to the Mahalakshmi temple.

Kolhapuri Saaj

The interesting part of this museum-cum-temple is a throne that was once used by Shivaji Maharaj. A portrait of his hangs behind the throne.

Apparently, there is an underground tunnel that connects Bhawani Mandap to Panhala fort, some 20 km away. No one seems to know about it though.

Kushti or Taaleem

Pahalwan at Gangavesh Akhara

Kolhapur is a great center for Wrestling or Kushti as we call it in India. It would not be wrong to say wrestling is the favorite sport of this city. It was well patronized by its erstwhile Kings and the legacy continues to live.

The Olympian K D Jadhav who won a bronze in 1952 Olympics, was spotted and trained by the then King Shahaji II in the city.

There are two places that I recommend you to visit for wrestling enthusiasts.

Khasbag Kushti Maidan or the Khasbag Wrestling Stadium

Khasbagh Kushti Maidan

I have never seen a wrestling stadium in India, and that too such a big one. It has a covered platform that I assume would have been the place where the King sat. The legacy may have passed on to the current day VIPs.

In the center is the wrestling ring with soft soil in it. All around the stadium is just a slope with a layer of cow dung. However, it is designed in such a way that wherever you sit, you will get the full view of the ring.

I have never seen a dedicated wrestling stadium like the one I saw in this city.

Gangavesh Taleem or Akhara

Gangavesh Taleem or Akhara

The city has many Akharas or Taleems as they are known locally. Gangavesh Akhara is quite popular. I visited it around noon time when the wrestlers and their Guru Ji were resting after their daily practice.

I saw the large space dug within a large room. The soil is nurtured with Haldi or turmeric, ghee, and herbs. It is worshipped like a deity before the wrestlers start their daily practice. On the wall was an image of Hanuman, the Isht Devta of all wrestlers.

Read More – Pahalwan Routine at Tulsi Akhara in Varanasi

Watch this video of Tulsi Akhara

Other important Akharas in the city include Shahupuri Akhara, Motibag Akhara, and New Motibag Akhara.

Normally, women are not allowed in Akharas during practice time. So, please check with the authorities or take prior permission to visit the Akharas.

I am told that wrestlers from around the country come here to learn wrestling. This includes the famous wrestlers of Haryana, who have won many Olympics and other international medals in wrestling.

Traditionally, wrestlers or Pahalwans came from villages and hinterlands. It was kind of a family sport for many families. However, with recent success stories in professional wrestling, many young men and women are taking it up as a career. Akharas are also opening up for women.

Pahalwans I spoke to at Gangavesh Akhara were all preparing for some tournament or the other. May they rise and shine.

Rankala Lake

Rankala Lake Kolhapur

It is a huge lake little more than a kilometer away from Mahalakshmi temple. The nightlife of the city is centered around this lake. You will see a long queue of street food sellers along the lake.

Rankala Lake is a man-made lake. It has a temple in the middle just like Panchganga River has along its ghats. One of those places to visit in Kolhapur for the waterbody fans.

Kailashgarhchi Sawari Mandir

Portrait of Shivaji Maharaj

This was not on my list of Places to visit in Kolhapur, but thanks to Twitter, I discovered this little known gem.

This is a small temple located inside the lanes of the city. It is an ancient Shiv temple that was renovated a few years back. Shiva here lives as Kailasheshwar, just like he lives as Vishveshwar in Kashi. Kolhapur is also treated as Kashi of Karvirpur Kshetra. Nandi in golden color sits outside the temple door as does the Deepstambhas of the temple.

Shivaji Durbar Painting – Kailashgarhchi Sawari

What took me to this temple is the paintings of Shivaji Maharaj that is the official portrait of him declared by the Maharashtra Government.

Mahabharat War Scene by G Kamble

The temple has many exquisite paintings by the noted painter – Sh G Kamble including:

Shivaji Durbar

Shahu Ji Maharaj portrait

Mahabharat War scene or Ranbhumi painting with a 3-D effect

Shiva Tandav painting.

Panchganga River & its lovely temple

The city is located on the banks of the Panchganga river. I wanted to visit the river, but no one told me that it has lovely ghats. I noticed them while passing over a bridge on the river on my way to Panhala Fort. On our way back we stopped here at the ghats.

Panchganga Ganga Ghats

The ghats of Panchganga are full of various temples and tall Deepstambhas. All temples are made in stone, have a single room with a pyramidical Shikhar and a Nandi outside the main door. Each temple is at a different level. When we visited in early April, some were totally submerged in water with only the roof visible, others were half submerged while some were just inside the water.

This reminded me of temples on the ghats of Tapti at Burhanpur that are used to measure the water levels. I wonder if these temples also had a similar purpose. For now, no one could answer this for me. Opposite this ghat is a huge temple which stays closed most of the time.

I could also see some carved hero stones on the ghats. The place was filthy and full of garbage. I hope the authorities do something to keep it clean. It can be such a beautiful location for locals as well as travelers to visit in the mornings and evenings.

One person said, these are not temples but they are cenotaphs of the royal family of Kolhapur. Any information on this would be highly appreciated.

Town Hall Museum

Town Hall Museum

While the New Palace Museum is popular with tourists, the town hall museum has some of the local archaeological gems. The place used to be a Jain Mutt, but in 1949 it was formally converted into a museum. The architecture is totally colonial.

Vishnu Murti – Town Hall Museum

Some must-see artifacts at Town Hall Museum here are:

Shivalingas with a Sri Yantra on it

Vishnu Murti

Sculpted Elephants

Excavated artifacts from Brahmapuri area of the city

Hero stones and Sati Stones

Lavani Dance

Lavani performance by a troupe

During my Deccan Odyssey trip, I got a glimpse Kolhapuri Lavani. Local TV artists presented various dance and singing styles of the region in a small package based on – a day in the life of a village home in the region. They ended the performance with a dedication to Ambabai – the presiding Goddess of Kolhapur. There was so much energy in the room that we could almost feel the presence of the divine.

Mujra

Board Announcing Mujra in the city

I saw boards announcing Mujras in the city. I could not attend one this time, but I do want to see one next time I visit the city. Will update this space then.

What to Eat

Sabudana Wada

This city is famous for its non-vegetarian cuisine. For vegetarians, there is Misal Pao and Wada Pao. I did enjoy my street food inside the Bhawani Mandap one evening. My favorite being Sabudana Wadas.

Places to visit near Kolhapur

Kopeshwar Mahadev Temple – a beautiful ancient temple about 70 km from the city. It can be easily done as a day trip from the city.

Panhala Fort – This is located just on the outskirts of the city.

Narsobachiwadi – a temple at the confluence of Panchganga and Krishna River. You can do it on the way to Kopeshwar Temple.

Jyotiba temple – This is a beautiful temple complex where the deity is offered Gulal or bright pink colored powder.

Siddhagiri Museum – An attempt to recreate the ethnic life of Maharashtra. I did not particularly like it.

Amboli Ghats – It is the best place to see waterfalls in the western ghats.

Travel Tips

No photography is allowed inside the Mahalakshmi temple, Town Hall Museum, and New Palace. Most of the other places photography is allowed.

Places to visit in Kolhapur city is easy for the visitors with autos available everywhere for commuting.

There are all kinds of Hotels in the city. I stayed at Maratha Residency and it was a decent place to stay on a reasonable budget.

The city is well connected to Mumbai, Pune, and Belagavi.

The post Places To Visit In Kolhapur – The Cultural Heart Of Maharashtra appeared first on Inditales.

[eckerdwinterterm17]

British History, 1/20/17

           Everywhere you look in London, there’s history. The blue circles on every other building, announcing which famous Brit resided there. The countless cathedrals and chapels. The museums that boast free entry so that everyone can enjoy the culture. The pubs on every corner that boast the year they were opened. The innumerable statues of monarchs, dukes, parliament officials, prime ministers, writers, artists, lawyers, war heroes, famous horses. The beloved Cenotaph and the rows of memorials that flank it. The enormous somber plaques in every park and train station, devoted to the brave men who served in some company of some battalion of some regiment of some brigade of some division of the Great War. The way the reverence for Winston Churchill almost rivals that for the royal family. The ubiquitous red poppy, worn on the lapel to honor the fallen. The continued loyalty to the Crown, even when everyone acknowledges that the royal family wields no actual power.

           America, on the other hand, encourages modernity and individualism. Instead of repurposing old buildings, we just wreck them and then rebuild in their place, and I was gonna tie this to individualism, but I can’t really think clearly right now because Trump is the goddamn president and I can’t stop crying. But anyway, our advertisements promise their products will help us stand out and break free. Our heroes are rebels and outlaws. One of our most famous and wealthy corporations was built on the slogan, “Think Different.” And this is, in my mind, because our nation was built on exactly these values. The first settlers in America came here in order to practice their religion without fear of oppression. The Declaration of Independence was, by its very name, a breaking free of the status quo. The First Amendment of the Constitution is intended to guarantee our right to speak freely about what we believe and be unafraid of consequences.

Carina Graham, Eckerd College

[radiant-flutterbun]

Please appreciate this weirdo now that they’re relevant to my lore

[esprit-de-corps-magazine]

Re-Dedication of the Afghanistan Memorial

By Richard Lawrence

To see all the pictures, go to:

https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/rlpgalleries/2019/afghanmemorial/

Three months ago, the Canadian Armed Forces dedicated a memorial to those Canadian Forces members, civilians, and foreign combatants under Canadian command who died in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014 (the Fallen).  To be absolutely correct, the Kandahar Airfield Cenotaph was placed in a building within the new NDHQ (Carling Campus) called the Afghanistan Memorial Hall and it’s important to know that these two things are separate entities that are now combined within a secure perimeter which is not generally open to the public.  The original dedication was a closed affair to which family members of the Fallen were not invited and a great hue and cry erupted because it was felt that the family members had been disrespected.  With hindsight aplenty, the CAF agreed that it had misstepped and on 17th August, 2019, rededicated the Afghanistan Memorial Hall with as much pomp and circumstance as could be mustered and included almost 700 family members of the Fallen.

The Cenotaph began life in 2003 at Camp Julian (Kabul, Afghanistan) when Capt. Sean McDowell conceived an idea to create a memorial to the first six Canadians killed.  On Remembrance Day, 2003, it was unveiled at the camp and it included a two-tonne boulder from the site where the jeep was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED) with two plaques attached (provided by Rod McLeod) and two marble plinths with an engraved inscription.  In November, 2005, Camp Julian was closed and the Cenotaph moved to Kandahar Airfield.

At Kandahar Airfield, the Cenotaph was redesigned to accommodate the growth of additional plaques.  The boulder was placed on a platform, and two wooden wings were added with the plinths replaced with marble walls containing the same inscription. In 2008 Canadian artist Sylvia Pecota donated a plaque of an angel caring for a wounded soldier which was placed on the boulder.  Over time, it continued to be added to with more wings and the addition of non-Canadians and civilians who lost their lives under Canadian command. After the last Remembrance Day in Kandahar (2011), the Cenotaph was painstakingly dismantled and returned to Canada where in May, 2014, it was put on display on Parliament Hill and then toured other Canadian cities and Washington, USA.  In May, 2019, with the Cenotaph installed in the Afghanistan Memorial Hall at NDHQ, a limited guest-list dedication was held which the CDS later viewed as an error in not making the event more public.  That led to this rededication of the Afghanistan Memorial Hall on 17th August, 2019, 

The day broke cloudy and humid and rain had fallen during the early morning but the forecast was that further rain would hold off until after noon.  Families, VIPs, guests, and military members strolled down the reflecting pond to the venue site and into their seats where, 30 minutes prior to the ceremony start, big LED screens on both sides of the Memorial Hall came to life with a slide show of the Fallen, accompanied with music from the Ceremonial Guard Band.  After the last of the Fallen was shown, the show continued calling attention to landmark moments in the Afghan campaign until it was time to start the ceremony with over 700 people in attendance – mostly family members of the Fallen.

The official party arrived with Governor-General, Julie Payette accompanied by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Jonathan Vance, and the Minister of National Defence, Harjit Sajjan.  The national anthems of Afghanistan, the United States of America, and Canada were played after which everyone was seated in anticipation of the first event of the program. To that end, Honourary Colonel Terry Kelly, singer/songwriter of “A Pittance of Time”, took to the podium where he sang “Portraits of Honour” to a crowd that was absolutely silent during the performance.  When finished, it was time for the remarks from the official party and representatives from Afghanistan and the USA with the Governor-General first to speak. 

H.E. Payette spent time speaking of seeing images of the Fallen being brought back from ramp ceremonies and down the Highway of Heroes, and of the people paying their respects along the highway, regardless of weather conditions.  She noted the sacrifices of the families, during deployment and during loss and recognized the struggles of those coming home, some with injuries seen and not seen.  Minister Sajjan amplified her remarks and recognized that the memorial is, “… a tangible reminder of your loved one’s service and sacrifice.”��  

The First Secretary of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Mr. Fahim Ebrat, thanked all the families for their sacrifices and remarked that the sacrifices had not been in vain as the people of Afghanistan now have access to education, healthcare, and other public services and “… women and girls have a restoration of rights and have political representation in the provincial consult and national parliament.”.  All this made possible by Canadian and U.S. forces. In concluding he said, “… their legacy is also individually etched in the living hearts of my people and is now forever part of our history.”

Mr. Richard Mills Jr., Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy (Ottawa), reflected on the time of 9/11 and of the Canadians welcoming everyone caught in the air when the U.S. closed its airspace. He spoke of the partnerships between Canada and the U.S.  and then looked to the future of Afghanistan saying, “The United States will move forward seeking an honourable and enduring outcome to the war in Afghanistan that will be worthy of the tremendous sacrifices that the U.S. and Canadian Armed Forces have made.  … [to] ensure security for the Afghan people and their right to choose their country’s future.” 

The last speaker was General Jonathan Vance, who twice commanded the forces in Afghanistan and has firsthand knowledge of events and the Cenotaph in theatre.  He spoke of moments of reflection at the Cenotaph and when on his second tour, he purposely stopped in to remember Corporal Nick Bulger, who was the 121st Canadian killed when his jeep hit an IED in July, 2009.  General Vance was in that same convoy where along with the death of Cpl Bulger, five others were injured.  At this moment, General Vance had to stop and take a moment and when he started speaking again, it was obvious that emotion had overtaken him as his voice quivered a bit before completely regaining his composure.  In fact, there were a couple of occasions where the General just took a pause, showing that these remembrances had a strong effect on him.  On closing, he regretted the limitations of the first dedication and recognized the need to have the families involved.  “Today it’s about you, the families.  You are and always will be beloved to us in uniform.”

With remarks completed, the rededication took place inside the Memorial Hall followed by the Last Post, two minutes of silence, a flypast, finishing with the Lament and Reveille.  Wreaths were then laid against the wall of the Memorial Hall followed by the “Send Off” by Major-General Guy Chapdelaine, Chaplain General.  The Governor General was then taken into the Memorial Hall by General Vance where they looked at the plaques and memorial books and were then followed in by the families.  And, as if God was looking down and saw the ceremony completed, the skies opened up and the rain started to fall as people moved to the reception area. 

Some of the families then took the opportunity to speak with the media, although not many. Media had been asked to respect the solemnness of the occasion and not take images of the families in the Memorial Hall but once it cleared, a couple allowed themselves to be followed.

The final occasion of the day was when Lieutenant-General Jean-Marc Lanthier, Commander of the Canadian Army (until the 20th August) and Vice-Chief of Defence Staff, spoke to the media and took questions.  He had served twice in Afghanistan, where in 2009 he lost ten members in the first eight weeks. He was asked why the Memorial Hall is in this publically inaccessible area, to which he responded, 

“… the fact that here you’ve got the senior leadership of the Canadian Armed Forces, you’ve got almost ten thousand people that work on the campus and daily we’re reminded of the graveness of our decisions as senior leaders and members of the defence team.  This is why this is here …”. 

He also noted that the Kandahar Airfield Cenotaph, as originally conceived, was never meant to be a national monument.  “It is … a monument for the soldier and they’re now resting amongst their own.  That’s important for us.” 

Before leaving, he took the opportunity to remind everyone that there will be a national monument to the Afghanistan War placed across from the Canadian War Museum in the future and if anyone wants to see the Afghanistan Memorial Hall, all they have to do is make an appointment via the Afghanistan Memorial Hall web page, email, or call, and accommodations will be made and escorts provided. 

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/bases-support-units/canadian-forces-support-unit-ottawa/afghanistan-memorial.html

[sixstringnation]

Vancouver Reunions

Voyageur meets Douglas Coupland‘s “Golden Tree” in Vancouver.

I had arranged the trip to B.C. in advance to be ready to accept a deluge of Vancouver-area school bookings that never materialized. But it was all worth it just to be able to spend some time with my dear friend and radio documentary collaborator Paolo Pietropaolo, his amazing wife Natasha Aziz and their unbelievably perfect children, Mela and Tasio. Apart from getting to spend some all-too-rare and much needed quality time with them, it gave me a chance to meet some of their friends and immerse myself – however briefly – in their East Van community. And being there in Vancouver for Remembrance Day meant that I got to experience the Vancouver Police Pipe Band playing at Memorial South Park – one of the city’s oldest cenotaphs.

Some great meals, some great coffee, some great cocktails, some great walks. It was the usual Vancouver experience. On a forest loop walk near Spanish Banks, Paolo and Natasha’s friend John Irving – the Director of Engineering for the city of Richmond – told me about Douglas Coupland‘s latest public art installation at a new development at the corner of Cambie St. and Southwest Marine Drive in South Vancouver. It’s a 43’ tall construction of steel-reinforced, gold-painted fibreglass in the scale-sized mirror image of a beloved Vancouver landmark – an 800-year-old hollowed out cedar that was a meeting place for some, a hazard for others and a symbol of the city’s relationship to the ancient nature that it inhabits. In fact, it has nothing to do with the legendary Golden Spruce of Haida Gwaii – part of which forms Voyageur’s resonant top – but the comparisons would be inevitable so I just had to visit.

I had the good fortune of meeting Doug Coupland at a dinner at the home of our mutual publisher, Scott McIntyre, back in 2009 – and, while we had a brief correspondence thereafter, I haven’t spoken to him in years. I consider this visit to Cambie and SW Marine something of a reunion!

Vancouver Reunions was originally published on Six String Nation