#jackass national landmark | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

rantingfangirl · 7 years ago

Text

Operator

Summary: While Lovino Vargas didn't have the worst job in the world, he had to say that it was pretty high up there.

Pairing: Spamano

Credit for prompt goes to @aphdicksquad

This is being moved from my old account

While Lovino Vargas didn't have the worst job in the world, he had to say that it was pretty high up there. He was a 911 telephone operator, and while you would think it would be easy, it really wasn't.

Sure, some days were quiet. Most of the calls he got weren't even emergencies. People asking why the traffic was taking so long, or how some idiot broke another's computer. But other days were teeth gritting, hair clenching, and you could just feel the tears gathering in your eyes. Like when their's an accident, and a child is dead, or a rape, and you just wish that you could freak out and start screaming and crying, but no. You have to stay calm, or it'll just make the situation worse.

And the thing is, he had to deal with that day after day, from seven to three. The only vacation days being national holidays, and even then there was a chance that you would be called into work. It was stressful, and even though Lovino had thought about quitting multiple times, he didn't, the thought of helping people, even if it was just one or two a day, made him stay.

As he pulled into the parking lot, the sky dark and the air smelling like it was about to rain, the large, dull office building looming over like a prison, Lovino knew that if it wasn't for the fact that he was saving lives on occasion, he would've quit a long time ago. Found some other job that wasn't so stressful, so nerve breaking, some other job where he would just be ignorant of everything that was happening around him. All the pain, all the suffering. He liked the nervousness and headaches, though. It made him feel alive and remind him of everything that he could lose.

Lovino stepped into the building, the glass doors shutting behind him with a slam. Coffee in hand, he walked over to the desk and computers where he would spend the next eight hours.

But before he could, something, no someone, stepped in front of him, and if he had not been careful, he would've spilled his coffee all over the two. Looking up, he saw his co-worker, Mathias, standing in front of him.

"Hey, Lovino!"

"What do you want?" he said, one of his eyebrows raising. He didn't particularly like Mathias, but it wasn't like he hated him, either.

"My computer's acting all funky, and I was wondering if you could take a look at it for me."

Of course. Everyone had now thought that he was some time of tech-wizard after he rebooted his computer when it froze. It was common sense, really, and truth to be told, the only thing that Lovino knew about computers was the stuff he learned in public school technology class. He walked pass Mathias, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I don't know, why don't you go get someone else to do it for you? Like, Eduard? You know, because it's his damn job to fix stuff like that."

Behind him, he could hear the complaints and whines as Mathias pouted. It's not like Lovino cared. It really was Eduard's job, being the IT guy and all. It was rude to do something that someone else was supposed to do because that would lower their performance grade. And Lovino would probably mess it up anyways, creating more work for the Estonian in the long run.

Finally sitting down, Lovino logged into his computer, starting the day just like any other, and got to work. As the hours ticked by, the sky eventually cleared up, the sun shining bright with minimal clouds. Nothing important really happened, only a minor car accident, no casualties or injuries, thankfully, and some jackass asking what the hold up was after being stuck in traffic following the car accident, "Come on! I have to go to the grocery store, man!" and Lovino telling the guy to not call when he doesn't have an emergency, wishing he could yell, "No one cares about your milk!"

In fact, the day was fifteen minutes close to being done for him when the phone rang. Already pulling up multiple transfer numbers, he answered the phone with, "911, what's your emergency?" There was labored breathing on the other side, and Lovino began to think the worse. Was the person being chased by a knife-wielding maniac, close to being dead? Or maybe they were running out into their yard, their beloved house and belongings going up in flames, rendering them homeless. What if they're being abused, and finally mustered up the courage to call the police on their long-term abuser? After three years of doing this, Lovino learned to expect everything and to start thinking about the bad stuff first.

"Oh hi," a shaky laugh sounded, the man sounding like he was close to passing out, "You see, this is a kinda funny story. So I was, you listening? Anyways so I was walking down the sidewalk, yeah? And I'm right below a tree when I hear something. I look up, and get this, there's a kitten in the tree! I can't just leave a kitty in a tree, of course, so I start to climb the tree, and it's like, a really tall tree, and when I get to the top, I get the kitten, but the branch below me breaks, and that was my way down, so I'm kinda stuck in the tree."

Lovino just sat there, processing what the man said before slapping his hand over his face, leaning down. He's scared of heights, yet he climbs a tall tree to save a cat? The cat has feet, and if it can get up to the top of the tree then it can get down.

He took a deep breath, "Sir, please calm down," he really wanted to yell at the guy, but that would be breaking protocol, which could significantly damage his work performance. "It's going to be alright."

A shaky laugh, "Oh I assure you, I am perfectly calm. Totally! The calmest someone could be!" It was obvious that the man was freaking out, and even if Lovino tried to calm him down again, the attempt would be fruitless. He seemed like the type of guy to be extremely stubborn when it comes to situations such as this.

So Lovino continued, "May I have your location?"

"I don't know where I am. There's a green house across the street, though."

Great. Usually, the people who called had an exact location or at least somewhat of an inkling of where they were. Other times, they could give a specific landmark that would tell Lovino where to send whatever services were needed.

Lovino pinched the bridge of his nose, "Sir, are there any street signs located in your line of sight?"

There was a ruffle of leaves and a faint meow on the other side. The man was speaking to the cat, stuttering breathlessly to it how everything was going to be fine, which would normally make Lovino want to roll his eyes if it hadn't felt pity for him. Eventually, there was a gasp. Another ruffle. The man started to rattle off the street name, making Lovino scramble for his notebook.

Lovino wrote down the street name, which happened to be five minutes away, and pulled up his computer to send the fire department. All the while, he was telling the man to "please stay on the line, help is coming soon," and to keep calm.

Minutes later, sirens sounded on the other side. Lovino didn't understand why they would bother, as it was just getting some poor idiot and a cat out of a tree. But that wasn't his part to decide, so he just kept his mouth shut and made fun of the firefighters silently.

There was a ruffle of leaves and a quick "Hey, thanks!" before the call ended. Lovino slouched back, sighing as he took a sip of his coffee. As protocol stated, he wasn't allowed to hang up until the person who called did, and after that, he was free to carry on with whatever else he had to do.

This was going to make a great story, though.

Returning from a lunch break, Lovino sat in his chair, booting up his computer. It had been three weeks after the initial call he got from Antonio, the guy stuck in the tree. Yes, they were now on a name-to-name basis, or somewhat of one, with Antonio having taken calling him Lovi and he calling Antonio "sir", as protocol stated. He didn't really know how the man got his name, and, to be honest, he wasn't really sure why the man managed to get stuck in a tree two or three times a week saving various neighborhood cats, but he did. Even when he was deathly afraid of heights, which he often tried to deny now.

It was a slow day, which wasn't uncommon. Lovino lived in a city where crime was moderate, not like Philadelphia where there was a shooting every day, but it wasn't a small town where crime was rare, either. It was just simply medium, and he rarely got a call reporting a murder or theft, anyways.

Lovino pulled up the CAD system*, the colored code spreading across the screen. It was a good thing that they had computer assistance these days, as he wouldn't know what to do if he had to pull up the numbers of the fire department or the police station from that giant book in one of his desk drawers. Lovino talked to the more senior dispatchers sometimes, and, from what he could tell, the books had been a giant pain in the ass to go through, making the process longer and more stressful.

He sat there, waiting, running through all of the other things that were included in his job, such as transferring information from his notebook to his computer from earlier calls, since he found it easier and quicker to write and then type later. Lovino was just finishing entering the information when the phone started ringing. Lovino sat down his notebook.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"Oh hey, Lovino," a familiar voice seemed to become louder the more he spoke, "I thought today was your vacation day!"

Of course, it had to be him. Lovino really should've expected it, the past calls have recently seemed to come in a pattern, and Antonio had always tried to strike up a conversation, to his failure, making the calls that much longer. Lovino was surprised how he hadn't been yelled at by the floor supervisor yet.

"Sir, what's your emergency?" He didn't have time for this.

"I'm stuck in a tree again." Figures, though it always baffled Lovino how the man on the other like had managed to get stuck in a tree every single week and not have learned how to get out.

"Sir, do you know your location?"

"So professional!"

"I'm sorry, sir, may you repeat your location?"

Just like before, just like every single time this happened, a ruffle of leaves as Antonio tried to find the street signs. Most of the time, he was stuck in the residential trees, and with the cookie-cutter houses that infested the entire town with their dull uniformity, it was difficult to locate where he was with relative location. It was easier like this, though, Lovino wouldn't have to remember the street names near the respective landmarks.

Once he finally got Antonio to give him the street name, after asking multiple times and getting frustrated when he wouldn't move fast enough, Lovino made the call to send the fire department.

He wanted to leave Antonio to make the call, it seeming awkward to talk about someone when they're right on the other side, but if he did, his floor supervisor, Kirkland, or jerk, as he not-so-affectionately called him, would be on his ass. Kirkland always had gotten up on everyone when it came to protocol, and would not hesitate to report someone.

Lovino stayed with Antonio, gathering information such as his surroundings and if there was any culprit that he should know about. It wasn't until the sirens started blaring and Antonio hung up that he realized that he never once heard the faint, familiar mew of a cat.

Lovino pulled into the parking lot of a bright, colorful cafe. Red tulips lined the sidewalk as he walked in the door, a bell jingling to announce his arrival. The cafe was small and wasn't full at the time, but that was fine. Lovino was only here for a quick coffee, so it wasn't like he would be here again.

As he walked up to the counter, already knowing what he wanted, he fished out his wallet and ordered, "Grande blonde roast and a blueberry muffin." Lovino had dinner at his brother's house tonight but particularly didn't want to eat whatever Feliciano's boyfriend was making.

There was a silence. He looked up only to see the green-eyed man at the register gawking at him like he had two heads. Lovino drew his eyebrows together, but before he could say anything, the man said, "Are you Lovino?"

Yay! I finished Operator. This had actually been in my Grammarly docs for a while, but I never found the time nor inspiration to continue it. So it just sat. It wasn't until I was thinking, "Wow, I really need to update my FF.net and Fanfiction blog," that I really got started. So, here it is, and I hope you guys enjoyed! Have a great morning, day, and/or evening!

*The CAD system is computer aided dispatch. Basically, let’s 911 dispatchers send the emergency services easier. It’s also used with taxis.

#Aph SpaMano #SpaMano #Aph South Italy #Aph Spain #RantingFangirl

18 notes · View notes

daydreamsandirony · 7 years ago

Text

Bunny de coco's maiden voyage to South Africa, Cape Town (Part I)

The Lion King.

That's the first thing that comes to mind when someone says the words 'South Africa'. Well, at least before I made my maiden voyage to the place about a month ago.

An 11-day adventure that turned out exceeding the expectations of both myself and my travel companion's, the initial prospect of setting foot in a country with a considerable reputation for violent crime made me admittedly apprehensive about the trip. Muggings, stabbings... Googling 'South Africa safety' only seemed to add to my futile distress.

What did put my mind at some ease was the fact that my travel companion/ better half had previously resided in the country and was familiar with all its quirks.

So, setting my wimpy fears aside and bidding some temporary goodbyes, we headed for Cape Town on a 1.30am Singapore Airlines flight outbound of Singapore - a nearly 14-hour journey that consists of a layover in Johannesburg.

During the layover, some passengers disembark the aircraft and cleaning crew hop on to spruce up the plane.

Stepping off the plane, we were eager to get the trip started. First things first, we aimed for a Vodafone store to get local SIM cards - one for each of us.

Excitement soon turned into agony, as I learned that things don't usually go your way in Africa. We stood at the store for two hours waiting for the cards to work, only to get a refund for one of them before hopping over to another service provider store. Welcome to Africa, they say.

After the debilitating SIM card saga, we got our rental car sorted - something which involved me shuffling in an open car park whilst trying to stop our two big luggage from being wheeled away by the gust. Acquainted with what the Cape Town breeze could do, I was thankful I didn't bring any kind of airy skirt with me. (Well, except for the olive hobo dress I was wearing then.)

Anyhow, on to our journey.

A coastal city encircled by dramatic mountains such as Table Mountain, Devil's Peak, Lion's Head and Twelve Apostles, it's impossible not to marvel at the spectacle that is Cape Town's geographical beauty. Unlike any place I've ever been or seen, the cosmopolitan city tucks perfectly between jaw-dropping peaks and glittering coastlines - I'm not sure there's any place like it.

There's much to do in captivating Cape Town. And while we only had two days in the Mother City, we sure didn't need to go shark cage diving or hike up to Lion's Head to fully enjoy the city's offerings. (Heck, we didn't even get up to Table Mountain thanks to the wind)

Cruising around leisurely in our car, here's what we did do.

Penguin viewing at Boulders Beach

One of the only spots you can get this close to African Penguins, Boulders Beach lies just outside of Cape Town, at Simon's Town. A convenient stop as you drive towards Cape Point, the popular tourist attraction costs R65 a visit, as part of the Table Mountain National Park. Considering that the fuzzy chaps are of an endangered species, I guess it's pretty reasonable as fees for conservation efforts.

Once known as Jackass Penguins due to the funny braying sounds they make, the flightless African Penguins are also the only penguins found on the continent.

Climb up to Cape Point

OK, we didn't really climb up to Cape Point. We took the funicular, which takes you to a higher point, but you'll still have to do some cardio up the stairs to get to the viewing point below the old lighthouse.

Cape Point has been a navigational landmark for sailors since its discovery in 1488, and continues to be significant in modern day. The old lighthouse at Cape Point is still used as the main monitoring point for other lighthouses that lie along the South African coast, while its newer counterpart remains the mightiest lighthouse around its coastline today.

Besides the remarkable lookout spot, Cape Point also offers shipwreck trails, hiking trails and other outdoorsy activities for those keen on spending a full day or more there. Whale-watching is also possible when annual migration occurs in June to October.

Continue on to the southern tip of the Cape Peninsula

A short drive from Cape Point, the Cape of Good Hope lies on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, and is in fact its southern end. The real southwestern-most point of Africa, it is often confused with Cape Point.

And while Cape Point offers an undisputedly epic view of the peninsula's end, the Cape of Good Hope is untamed wilderness at its best. Watching the roughest waves crash against the rocky shore, and what with less tourists, the site's alluring ruggedness is unbeatable.

Catch sundown from Signal Hill Road

A spectacular vantage point to watch the beautiful city bowl light up as the sun goes down, stopping by the side of Signal Hill Road was amazing. A must for any Cape Town traveller, with Devil's Peak, Table Mountain and Lion's Head providing a panoramic backdrop - you can even see part of the Twelve Apostles.

Hiking up to Lion's Head and Signal Hill is also viable from Signal Hill Road, but we much enjoyed sitting by Signal Hill Road admiring its resplendent views.

Walk about the V&A waterfront

South Africa’s oldest working harbour brimming with retails shops, markets and restaurants, the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is one of Cape Town's busiest attractions. They've got everything - you can take a boat tour around the harbour, or even visit a diamond museum or ocean aquarium.

I got myself some souvenirs from a curio store (African art & craft gifts) here.

Just drive along the coast

From Clifton to Camps Bay where we stayed, continuing down Victoria Road to Hout Bay, we drove along the coast soaking up Cape Town's beachy vibes and stopped for photos whenever we wanted. You'll find yourself split between being in awe of Camps Bay's swanky houses cropped against the Twelve Apostles mountains on one side, and the cerulean Atlantic waters on the other. I can tell you it is a pretty crazy sight no photo can do it justice!

Our two days in Cape Town was pretty fantastic even though we didn't get to take the cablecar up to Table Mountain due to the gust, nor did we do anything adrenaline-pumping. A great start to our South African journey, I'd definitely return to Cape Town in a heartbeat!

Now on to the next leg of our trip.

Next up on Bunny de coco:

Bunny de coco and her companion continue on to Johannesburg and drive for 5 hours through dense fog and deep potholes to get to the Kruger National Park (Safari time!). Along the way, they stop at one of the most magnificent spots in the world, where something magical happens.

#South Africa #travel #Cape Town #Africa #road trip #Mother City #penguins #Boulders Beach #mountains #Twelve Apostles #Table Mountain #Lion's Head #Signal Hill #Cape Point #Cape of Good Hope #Camps Bay

1 note · View note

awesome-voleaksan-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Here are the best 10 most remarkable places in Ireland:

Place Documentary,

1. Sacred Cross Nunnery

Sacred Cross Monastery is situated in Co Tipperary. It's a perfectly reestablished church where there are a few relics were kept ie. the Genuine Cross which was brought here in 1233. It likewise turned into a position of medieval journey. You can even now visit it since it's a dynamic area. At 2pm each Wednesday and Sunday there are free guided visits.

It's a decent case of the Irish Gothic craftsmanship. Shockingly it was deserted yet in 1880 turned into a National Landmark. It took an additional 80 years to get back its unique shape.

2. Kilmacduagh Round Pinnacle

Kilmacduagh Round Pinnacle is situated in Co Galway and it's really the tallest round pinnacle on the planet. It's a truly noteworthy sight since it's 34m tall and it has a lean like the Inclining Tower of Pisa. This ascetic site isn't as prominent as Clonmacnoise in spite of the fact that it's more seasoned than that; from the seventh century.

On the off chance that you might want to see the exhibition hall room and the encased territories at that point there is a key which you can get in the home over the street. Know that the memorial park is still being used so please demonstrate regard when guests are around.

3. Meet the jackasses

Likely not the most famous place in Ireland but rather it's as yet worth to visit. In District Plug, only outside of Liscarroll you will discover the Jackass Haven. There are roughly 3600 jackasses and quiet were saved in the previous 28 years. In the event that you go to Ireland with kids don't miss this place since youngsters adore jackasses. They are truly adorable and they truly acknowledge embraces and petting.

It's allowed to visit. Open from Monday to Friday between 9.00am to 4.30pm; Saturday and Sunday from 10.00am to 5.00pm, on Bank Occasions between 10.00am to 5.00pm.

4. Father Ted's Home

When I lived in Ireland I generally viewed the sitcom called Father Ted. I believe it's totally splendid. Fortunately you don't need to go to Rough Island (it's simply fiction at any rate) you just need to go to Province Clare, to Glenquin.

It isn't so much that convoluted to discover it. Here are the bearings to Father Ted's home: you will discover it on the Killinaboy to Boston Street. From Corofin the most effortless alternative to take the R476 to Killinaboy. You will see a destroyed church, you need to turn right then past the school. It will be a stream to your left side and on the off chance that you take after the street you will discover the house on the left.

You can have a tea there which you will always remember. They make heavenly darker bread, scones, natively constructed jams and sweets. They will likewise reveal to you the account of their Dad Ted encounter. Father Ted's Home had some acclaimed visitors too ie. Steven Spielberg. In the event that you need you can partake on a guided voyage through the ranch as well.

5. Seals in Ireland

Ireland is an extraordinary place to spot seals, particularly when you visit the Aran Islands. On the island of Inishmore, on the shoreline called Portmurvy where a province of seals live. They look like enormous shakes so you need to watch them deliberately until the point when they flip their tails or they move. They truly like "sunbathing" here.

Step by step instructions to discover Portmurvy shoreline: You'll locate a side street to the directly amongst Kilronan and Eoganacht that will lead you to a long shoreline. One of them is Portmurvy where the seals live.

6. Knockma and its pixie legend

As indicated by the legend, Pixie Lord of Connacht called Finnbheara lived and assembled his fortification in Knockma Woods. The Ruler of Connacht called Maeve is covered at the highest point of Knockma Slope. There's additionally an intriguing story behind the greenery secured stones of Knockma - in 1846-47 amid the potato starvation individuals were reprimanded for irritating the stones which caused the starvation itself.

Knockma Woods is found quite Province Galway and you can go for a dazzling stroll there. The vast majority of the trail is tough however it's truly justified regardless of a visit. When you achieve the highest point of the slope you will see truly baffling pixie fortifications, stone dividers and stone structures too. The view is completely magnificent from here. Near the carpark you can likewise observe the remaining parts of Castlehackett.

7. Dunbrody Nunnery

Dunbrody Nunnery is an awesome Cistercian Monastery which is 800 years of age. It's in Region Wexford and there's likewise a wonderful garden that you can visit. Give yourself a lot of time to visit the convent and the garden on the grounds that there are numerous things to see.

On the off chance that you get worn out after a long walk then you should visit the beautiful lunch nook. In the event that you visit it with youngsters make sure to watch out for them all the time on the grounds that the fences are entirely high. You can visit Dunbrody Convent from Mid May until Mid September.

8. Barack Obama and Ireland

There is a little Irish town called Moneygall in District Offaly that is really Barack Obama's genealogical home where the Kearney family lived. He went by Moneygall in 2011 and from that point forward the tourism is blasting around the local area.

There are better places around the local area that are associated with Obama ie. the tribal burial ground in Cullenwaine and the familial church in Templeharry.

9. Blennerville Windmill

Blennerville Windmill is situated in Province Kerry and it's over 200 years of age. Trust it or not it is as yet working and it's the biggest plant in Ireland.

It was really worked in 1800 and tragically it was in a truly terrible state by 1846 yet fortunately the Tralee Urban Board got it and remodeled it in 1981.

There is additionally a guest focus where you can see the flour making procedure and apparatus. It's truly intriguing. The most straightforward approach to arrive is to drive from Tralee towards Dingle on the N86 for about a mile. When you cross the extension you will see the plant and afterward you need to turn left.

10. Mummies in Dublin

Truly, you read it in that spot are mummies in Dublin, in St. Michan's Congregation. There is additionally an organ there evidently played by Handel. There are many individuals who went by the congregation's sepulchers, even Bram Stoker who made the Dracula stories.

There are five long internment vaults where individuals from Dublin's most persuasive families were covered like the Shears siblings. The consistent dry air helped the mummies remain in this state. It's an exceptionally weird yet fascinating background

0 notes

aparigrhaa · 8 years ago

Text

Cape of Good Hope

Today was one hell of a long assed but fruitful day. A lot of strenuous hikes and rides but also, some of the most beautiful sights of nature and its creatures. The main aim of today was to get to the Cape of Good Hope which was only accessible by driving (which I unfortunately cant), so I signed up for this mountain biking group tour I saw on a backpacker blogger’s site. Made some new friends and made our first stop to Hout Bay to see some wild seals!

Sorry if the seals just look like black spots in the picture. I was too concentrated on watching them dive into the water and just basking around on the rocks.

I dont know about you, but I think apart from Japanese kids, African kids are the next cutest! Being in Africa kinda makes me start liking kids again. Also, what a terrible idea to have drank apple juice on an empty stomach before the bouncy boat ride (the waves were rough). Never had seasickness but this wrong move of mine made me throw up into the sea:(

Along Chapman’s Peak Drive, we stopped for some photos but it was rather foggy due to the nearby forest fire yesterday. Chapman’s Peak Drive is super cool. Its this lane of roads cut into the side of the mountains where the twelve apostles are and the views are absolutely stunning! Sadly I was on the wrong side of the car to take pictures.

Drove by Ocean View, a local township since the days of the Apartheids. Townships are like Brazil’s favelas, sort of. Its dangerous to wander into one alone as poverty and crime are rife. Why the name Ocean View where this is nowhere near the ocean? During the Apartheid, coloured (mix race) and black people were forcibly removed by the government and placed into Townships such as Ocean View. The people forced to reside in Ocean View originally lived in seaside neighborhoods such as Simon’s Town and Noordhoek.

Interesting dwelling.

This is Renata from Poland, she really really loves the ocean.

Entering the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve which is part of Table Mountain National Park. Here we begin our 10km bike ride to the Cape of Good Hope. It was physically challenging because the winds were crazy and there was a bit of traffic. The boisterous wind was charging at us from the west and it kept blowing us onto the middle of the road which was really dangerous by the way. At one point I had to stop because I couldnt control my handlebars due to the wind.

Stopped for a little picnic before heading for the road again. A wild ostrich in the grasslands next to the road. It ran across the road about 3km ahead of me!

You can tell how crazy the winds are from this picture. Also, isnt this entire place amazingly beautiful? I am so overwhelmed by the breathtaking landscapes I’ve been traveling through. Mother Nature is so amazing. I wish I could live in a place like this; nature is enough for me.

But I would not like to live with baboons. Omg they are some fucking crazy wild monkeys. We were surrounded by them despite us being a huge group and they kept advancing towards us with no signs of fear. Until our guide Pedro appeared magically with a bicycle pump to save us all. Apparently the baboons are afraid of the sound the pump makes and the harsh gush of wind it creates hahahahah! Pedro said he knew we were in danger when he realised we were not where he instructed us to be after a long time.

And finally! At the Cape of Good Hope! Thats me trying to get a good grip. A good grip on life maybe hahaha.

Here is an African family that cut the queue. Yes, there was actually a line to take pictures at this landmark and this family was so inconsiderate. I dont care if you have kids of whatsoever, this is basic manners.

If its not clear enough maybe the picture below can clear your conjectures. Yeap! It is a carcass of a dead whale washed up ashore:( Its been there for three weeks. Fortunately the wind was blowing west so there was no smell. Pedro said last week when he came the smell was horrid!

The point where the two oceans meet; the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean.

Our last stop was at Simon’s Town, on Boulder’s beach where wild colonies of African Penguins dwelled. They were previously known as Jackass Penguins because of the sounds they made but obviously the name wasnt the best hahaha. Arent these little creatures the cutessttt!!!

Its been such a lonnnngg day I am not gonna write any further. Tomorrow I have a bus to catch, Namibia here I come. Goodnight!

#South Africa #Cape Town #Cape of Good Hope #Hout Bay

0 notes

iconoclast33-blog · 8 years ago

Text

The Trump Caucus, who are they? We should be very curious. Where did the congressional base support come from? He did not get into office as a solo act. Two of his supporters even seem to be honest and sane!

1. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.) http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/03/why-did-ny-rep-chris-collins-endorse-donald-trump

a. Do you remember Carl Paladino? Sure you do. He's the wealthy developer and racist jackass who somehow managed to win the Republican nomination for New York governor in 2010 and proceeded to run a campaign drenched in almost fetid ugliness. He hasn't changed much in the intervening years and he is—unsurprisingly—supporting Donald Trump for president. A few days ago he sent a message to his email list:

b. We haven't heard from you following my last memo. The press said I was trying to bully you; obviously that is a misnomer. After all, you are the duly elected representative of your constituents and you know what is best for them. Don't you?

c. ....This is our last request that you join Trump for President and try to preserve what's left of your pathetic careers in government. Whatever you do, staying neutral is not an option. Pick a horse in the race and you may salvage some of your constituents' respect for you. Not choosing paints you as a coward. The bus is leaving the station very soon. Get on, or you'll be left behind.

2. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.), http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2017/01/like_it_or_not_lou_barlettas_f.html

a. has joined 101 other members of the House in urging President-Elect Donald Trump to move the American embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. During the presidential campaign, the president-elect strongly supported the move to Jerusalem, which Israel considers to be its capital city. Currently, the U.S. embassy in Israel is the only American embassy not located in the capital as identified by the host nation. (AP Photo/Eitan Hess-Ashkenazi, File) (Eitan Hess-Ashkenazi)

b. http://heavy.com/news/2016/11/lou-barletta-donald-trump-transition-team-member-congress-pennsylvania-who-is-bio-wife-illegal-immigration/ Lou Barletta, a noted hard-liner on illegal immigration, is another member of Donald Trump‘s transition team and has supported the billionaire’s run for the Oval Office since March 2016. He’s one of four members of Congress on the Executive Committee, alongside Chris Collins, Marsha Blackburn, Devin Nunes and Tom Marino.

3. Tom Marino (R-Pa.), http://www.alternet.org/rss/breaking_news/545029/rep._tom_marino,_on_subcommittee_for_africa,_doesn't_know_libya_is_in_africa/

a. Rep. Tom Marino, on subcommittee for Africa, doesn't know Libya is in Africa.

b. Trump has come under heavy fire in the last two days for not immediately renouncing former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke’s support in a TV interview. But Marino, citing Trump's daughter Ivanka's religion, said Trump isn’t racist. Billy Long (R-La.),

4. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.),

a. http://www.latimes.com/la-na-trailguide-05262016-meet-donald-trump-s-unlikely-e-1464276047-htmlstory.html Cramer takes a mostly traditional Republican " all of the above" approach to energy policy -- rolling back environmental regulations, including the landmark Clean Power Plan now making its way through the courts, and continuing production of oil and coal. Though he has made headlines with his thoughts on a modest carbon tax , he is skeptical of climate change.

b. http://inthesetimes.com/article/19578/donald-trumps-energy-adviser-doesnt-know-how-electricity-works Donald Trump’s energy adviser does not know how electricity works. In response to an audience inquiry about promoting renewable electricity sources, Cramer punted the first response to Houser, saying of the question, “this is a good nerdy one.” When his turn came, Cramer said, “Great question. … It is complicated when you talk about the movement of electricity. You know, neurons go where neurons want to go once they’re on the line, right?” Contra Cramer, neurons are nerve cells in animal nervous systems (including humans’) engaged in electrochemical processes that allow us to think and feel and follow through on basic cognitive functions. Unlike electrons, they are not generally found flowing through the electric grid. Cramer serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, is a former member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, and was previously North Dakota’s Public Service Commissioner, a role that involved overseeing the state’s electric utilities.

5. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.),

a. http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/11/17/mike-kelly-trump-has-a-mandate-to-implement-colossal-change/ Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Mike Kelly wants President-elect Donald Trump to begin repealing President Barack Obama’s executive orders the moment he assumes office. “President-elect Trump has a clear mandate to implement colossal change within the federal government,” Kelly said in a statement.

b. http://kelly.house.gov/press-release/icymi-rep-kelly-profiled-one-president-trumps-8-favorite-house-members First elected in 2010, Rep. Mike Kelly is one of three Pennsylvanians in the group, and he became a staple on the campaign trail with Trump in the Keystone State. As the owner of a successful chain of auto dealerships in western Pennsylvania, he relates to Trump as a businessman and innovative leader.

6. Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.),

a. http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/432179/scott-desjarlais-americas-worst-congressman-endorses-donald-trump America’s Worst Congressman Endorses Donald Trump. If you’ve heard of DesJarlais, it’s likely because he became somewhat notorious in 2012 when it was revealed that the allegedly stalwart “pro-life” politician had supported two of his ex-wife’s abortions, had a whopping six affairs, and was caught on tape apparently pressing one of his mistresses to terminate her pregnancy.

The Chattanooga Times Free Press has the details: A decade before calling himself “a consistent supporter of pro-life values,” Tennessee physician and Republican U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais supported his ex-wife’s decision to get two abortions before their marriage, according to the congressman’s sworn testimony during his divorce trial.

Obtained by the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the couple’s 2001 trial transcript also confirms DesJarlais had sexual relationships with at least two patients, three coworkers and a drug representative while he was chief of staff at Grandview Medical Center in Jasper, Tenn. During one affair with a female patient, DesJarlais prescribed her drugs, gave her an $875 watch and bought her a plane ticket to Las Vegas, records show.

And lest you think that DesJarlais has since reformed to become a man of sterling character, trial transcripts revealed that he lied to his constituents about taping his former mistress: The 679-page transcript reveals new details about DesJarlais’ interactions with a 24-year-old-patient, who claimed she became pregnant with DesJarlais’ child during a short fling in 2000 and that the doctor later pressed her to have an abortion. Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/432179/scott-desjarlais-americas-worst-congressman-endorses-donald-trump

b. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/08/scott-desjarlais-reelection-110028 NASHVILLE—Two abortions. Maybe three, if you count the one he pressured a girlfriend—who happened to be his patient—to get. Pulling out a gun during an argument with his first wife. Prescribing pills to another patient while they dated. Getting reprimanded by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners for dallying with patients, an ethics violation.

Voters in Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District had plenty of reasons not to vote for incumbent Scott DesJarlais last week. The Tea Party Republican might have snuck under the radar to win a first term in 2010 and held back an onslaught of negative publicity long enough to capture a second one in 2012, but a third time? When conservative voters in this district, which stretches from the edges of Chattanooga to Nashville, went to the polls, they were widely expected to run off a pro-life, family-values conservative who had shown in divorce court that he could bend those beliefs in his own life. If this was supposed to be a throw-the-bums-out kind of year in Congress, then DesJarlais was the ultimate bum….

As a reporter who has followed DesJarlais these past 21 months, I have watched with a mixture of amazement and respect as he—running for re-election for the first time since it surfaced that his personal life could have been a storyline from “Nip/Tuck” and written off by political handicappers in both Tennessee and Washington—has managed to mount a comeback with little money or political support. In a year in which incumbents have beaten back challengers nationwide, a DesJarlais win could very well be the most extraordinary feat of them all, putting him alongside the likes of Ohio’s notorious James Traficant, who served nearly 20 years despite charges of tax-evasion, taking bribes from mobsters and forcing his aides to clean horse stalls on his farm, in the ranks of some the most improbable congressional hangers-on of all time.

Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/432179/scott-desjarlais-americas-worst-congressman-endorses-donald-trump

7. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.)

a. Upon election to Congress, Reed was appointed to the House Judiciary Committee and House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He was selected to be a vice chair for president-elect Donald Trump's transition team.

b. Surprisingly, although he was an early supporter, Reed criticized comments made by Trump. “Women are never to be talked about in this way. As someone with eight older sisters, a wife and daughter I care deeply about, it is disappointing and offensive to hear these words,” Reed said. “It is not right and these comments must be called out for what they are, just wrong.”

8. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.)

a. http://www.breitbart.com/2016-presidential-race/2016/06/17/hunternottrumpflack/ “I am done with trying to articulate or explain or answer for what Donald Trump says,” said Rep. Duncan Hunter (R.-Calif.). “I think he’ll make a great president,” said the Marine officer and combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. “I think he’ll make good decisions on the economy, on the border, on national security–doesn’t mean I endorse what he says.”

b. http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/283800-duncan-hunter-i-am-not-a-trump-surrogate

0 notes