#lam card shop

[jackhues]

(mockingbird au!) mother's day - platonic!hughes

request: okay hear me out for your mockingbird au maybe it’s mother’s day or father’s day and un buys a gift of either jim or ellen and a little card with something like to the second mom i always wanted 🥺🫶🏼

requested by: anon : )

notes: continue sending in requests for the au! check out the request rules below! thanks for requesting <3

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mockingbird! au request rules!

tags: @woodruff-edwards , @austinbutlerscaresme , @svechnikovvv ,  @hockeyboysarehot , @emptyflowerpots , @mysticaldonkey ,  @lam-ila ,  @babydollmarauders , @starjoyyy , @kjohnson-91  , @gavinbrindley, @hischierdevils , @jackhughesily , @panarin10 , @equallyshaw , @power2myheart , @lynnismypseudonym , @beccaiscold , @akengii , @nowandkei , @cinnamonpancakes ,  @mitchymainer ,  @lifeofpriya , @marshmallow-babe, @hughesx3 , @emsully2002  ,  @starsandhughes , @huggy-hischier73 ,  @doglady5678 , @thatoneblog , @exonct07 @hughesmedicine , @qwanelledingele , @mindless-rock , @ireadthensuetheauthors , @huggy-hischier94, @slaythehousedownboots , @diary-of-jj

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gif not mine!

"ooh, this one's cute," you held up a card.

jack looked up from the corny jokes he was reading on the other cards, looking through the one you picked out.

the two of you were doing mother's day card shopping for ellen, but couldn't decide on one card. you'd already bought a cute gift from the both of you, but the card was one place you and jack couldn't agree.

"i just think she'll like the jokes more," jack said, holding up his corny joke-filled card.

"it's ellen, not jim," you reminded him.

"but this one's so funny," he tried again, reading one of the jokes and laughing like a four year old.

"let's just get both cards," you decided, placing them in the shopping cart. "one from each of us. that way, we can write her a personalized message."

"i like that idea," jack smiled. "why didn't i think of it?"

you laughed, "that's something i'd rather not get into right now. c'mon. we still need to get wrapping paper."

--

you tapped the pen against your chin thoughtfully, stumped as to how to write the card. sure, you'd written cards before, but never one for ellen.

this was your first mother's day being jack's girlfriend, and in such a short amount of time, ellen had already become more of a mom to you than your own mother.

she was supportive and kind, cheering you on whenever you needed her.

she was caring and sweet, always ready to be your shoulder to cry on if needed.

she was always there for you, taking you in as if you were her own child.

she was the one who showed you what a mother's love should look like.

how could you ever convey all that in a single card?

you stared at the blank page, promising yourself you'd try.

--

"where's my phone?" you moved the couch pillows, trying to find it.

jack patted the ground, helping you in your search. your ringtone had been blaring for a while, but you had no idea where it was.

"oh, here it is!" jack pulled it out from under his coffee table triumphantly. "look, it's my mom!"

"hurry and answer it," you told him. "i don't want her to hang up."

he fumbled for a second, before answering the facetime message. "hi mom!"

"hi jackie," ellen waved, sniffling slightly. "where's y/n? i want to see her."

"i'm right here, ellen," you said, taking the phone from jack and waving to his mom. her eyes were watery, and she kept sniffling on the facetime. "what's wrong? are you crying?"

jack looked up at that, noticing his mom's teary eyes and shaky voice.

"it's a good kind of crying, i promise," she laughed a little. "your card, it was so beautiful. i just, i loved it so much. the way you--" she shook her head, wiping her eyes, "i just loved it, y/n. and you should know, i'm glad you and jack met. i'm glad i was able to show you all of that, to be all of that for you. because i promise, you mean just as much to me."

"now you're gonna make me cry," you laughed to try and stop the tears.

ellen laughed as well, the two of you doing your best to keep the tears at bay. it was a special moment for you two, being able to share how important you were to each other.

at least until jack continued, "i'm so fucking confused right now."

[konradnews]

Honolulu Cookies, Seasonal "Holiday Confetti". Ornaments/message cards and other goodies.

Honolulu Cookie Company launched its holiday collection on October 30. The company said that shipping to Japan is not yet available (as of October), but limited items are available at Yahoo! Shopping and some Costco stores. The collection features boxes and gift cans in different sizes and designs, playfully designed by Hawaiian artist and designer Jana Lam. In addition to the standard cookies,…

[arcanemoody]

So...

last day at the center ended up being 90 minutes long -- the early morning stomach troubles were not a fluke. More likely: a strain of sapovirus I picked up from one of the kids, resulting in a mild but really annoying form of gastroenteritis. I got a shared assistant to take over my shift, finished 25 cards and placed them in kids mailboxes, made it all the way out to the front parking lot before I threw up. Twice.

I've basically been convalescing on the sofa ever since. No fever, minimal nausea, haven't thrown up since that last time. But the random attacks from my upper and lower GI tract basically means I haven't been able to do anything I was planning to do for my first weekend of funemployment (LAM shift, shopping for new harnesses with Rocket at Men's Room, Saw 3D at the Music Box).

More evidence I made the right decision? Probably.

Rocket's been amazing while I've been basically a zombie.

Fun fact I considered placing under a cut (but fuck it): my back door is raw, particularly as we approach the end of Day 2. I started to tell Rocket to get the lube from our party bag, because that's what often helps when I'm irritated... when I realized we had Aquaphor on the bathroom counter. AKA the stuff I've been putting on kids' irritated bottoms for 18 months. Worked great.

[iquangminh-blog]

in card visit shop thời trang quần áo số lượng ít giá rẻ tphcm

Tìm kiếm: mẫu card visit shop thời trang, name card shop quan ao, thiết kế logo cho shop online, thiết kế card cho shop, mẫu card visit thời trang, mẫu card visit mỹ phẩm, card visit studio, mẫu card visit cá nhân đẹp, in card visit tphcm, mẫu card visit đẹp cho thuê xe, mẫu card xe khách, in card visit lấy liền tphcm, mẫu card visit lái xe, in name card số lượng ít, mẫu card visit đơn giản, mẫu…

[i-am-bitterly-jittery]

On Death's Doorstep (pt 14/?)

[<<First],,,,[<Prev],[Next>] [ODD Masterlist]

Word Count: 1267

Rating: Teen

Pairings: none in this part

Warnings: swearing, criminal activity, mentions of an abusive relationship

~~~START~~~

Janus had been preparing for this particular job for months — since before Virgil came to live in their building. It took a lot of careful observation and planning — much more than usual as it was a stealth job instead of a smash-and-grab.  

One of their legal cases was a little… lacking in terms of evidence, and Janus was certain that the government was purposefully withholding information. So they’d decided to go find it themself.  

First, they found an office building that was high security enough to have the information they were looking for while also being low security enough for them to get into without too much of a hassle (they’d really prefer to not need Logan’s assistance with this one).  

Then, they’d selected a target, one with a similar height and build to themself. They could have easily slipped the façade of a taller or shorter person over themself, but that would make physical interactions like handshakes more suspicious as their hand would not be at the angle one would have suspected — these discrepancies were subtle, but they tended to nag at people long after they’d finished interacting with the disguised Janus. They much preferred for people to forget about them after they were out of sight.  

Their target also needed to have both guaranteed access to the information that Janus was looking for, and a job that would not raise too many questions as to why they were looking for those things. Not to mention being unsociable enough to keep verbal interactions to a minimum, Janus could only use mental illusions on one person at a time, after all.  

After finding the perfect target, Janus would need to get their behaviors, mannerisms, and schedule down-pack — no one could be allowed to have any reason to think Janus was anyone other than who they wanted them to think they were.  

It was a thin tightrope that they were walking, but if they played their cards just right, no one would be any wiser.  

Once they had all their plans perfectly laid out, it was all a simple matter of poisoning his victim — 34-year-old office worker Simon Anderson — with a non-lethal drug that would take him out of commission for just one day; hacking his phone so that when he tried to call in sick to work, Janus would receive the message instead; and sending the twins out to cause a little chaos across town, just for a little added distraction.  

Simple.  

Simon Anderson took the 7:30 bus to work. While on the bus, he listened to true crime podcasts through his earbuds. He always stopped at the coffee shop between the bus stop and his office building to buy a vanilla latte. He arrived to work five minutes late every day despite having plenty of time to get coffee along the way because he was always hitting on the clearly uninterested barista.  

When he finally reached the office, he would head straight to his desk — a corner office with a south-facing window. Once at his desk, he changed from a true crime podcast to a cooking podcast, and began his job of looking at documents and emailing colleagues.  

Today was no different.  

Maybe some of the other baristas and regulars at the coffee shop noticed a change in Simon’s voice, but what did they care, he was just some stranger to them. And maybe if someone came into his office, they would find him listening to the news instead of to Francis Lam, but Gemini was attacking several stores downtown, who could blame him for being interested? And maybe a strange thumb drive was plugged into the computer, overriding the computer’s security, and enabling the download of interesting files, but it was so tiny, who would even notice? 

No, Simon Anderson was no different today than he was yesterday, or would be tomorrow — maybe he was a little bit less productive than usual, but he hadn’t slept well the night before, the chicken curry he’d had for dinner hadn’t sat quite right in his stomach.  

Office jobs were boring, and Janus hated them. They’d worn the same kind of clothes underneath their façade that Simon usually wore, and they were the stiffest, itchiest, absolute worst clothes Janus had ever worn; but they were necessary in case anyone touched them in an unexpected way — like patting them on the back, or brushing against their arm.  

They found the information they needed for the case pretty quickly — no security camera footage my ass — and they were almost tempted to leave — fake puke in the bathroom until Simon’s boss insisted he go home — but there was an email in Simon’s inbox that intrigued them.  

From: Kathy Alman 

Hey Simon,  

Can you send me the Knightcaster file? I have a new lead I’d like to follow.  

All the best, Kathy.  

Janus stared at the email.  

Knightcaster file, eh?  

Faking sick to go home early was moved to the back burner, they had a new mission now. They quickly found Knightcaster’s file, as well as files on Atlas, Serpentine, Dr. Frankenstein, and Gemini.  

How had they not thought to do this sooner? 

They also searched for all the information they could find on Kathy, and what kind of “leads” she was attempting to follow. Then, to buy time, they sent her a corrupted version of Knightcaster’s file, one that wouldn’t open, but also wouldn’t suggest that they’d done anything to it.  

Looking through their own file, as well as Frankenstein and Gemini’s, was a bit of a relief. None of the files contained any compromising information, only records of their exploits, their powers, and general observations — much like Logan’s files.  

There weren’t any mentions of public defender, Janus Ekins, or retired sociology professor, Logan Crofter, or high school dropouts, Roman and Remus Kingsley. And there was absolutely nothing to suggest that any of the three villains knew each other, or ever collaborated in any way.  

Absolutely nothing to suggest that they had anything to worry about from the government.  

They took a break from their new mission for lunch. Simon Anderson’s usual lunch was sticking a tuna melt in the microwave in the break room, and while Janus appreciated how truly human-repellent this man had made himself; their soul died a little sticking that tuna into the microwave and then having to eat it in the tuna-stinking room! 

Janus may be a supervillain, but Simon was a monster.  

After their lunch break, they were back to scanning through files — this time about Knightcaster, Atlas, and the whole Sponsored Superhero Program set up in the first place.  

It wasn’t great.  

Atlas’s file was full of, in Janus’s opinion, glaringly red flags. Covert ops, shady backroom dealings, the highly unethical experiments that gave him his powers in the first place, outright crimes committed while on duty that got swept under the rug — not to mention the power he’d held over Virgil due to his military status.  

Power that Janus wasn’t sure Virgil even knew about. Atlas got paid, Atlas could leave the building whenever he wanted, Atlas– 

If Atlas wasn’t already dead, Janus would have half a mind to kill him themself.  

Janus debated reading Knightcaster’s file for a long time, before deciding to read about the Sponsored Superhero Program first and circle back later.  

And oh boy was the SSP file juicy.  

Imprisonment of superpowered individuals, forced experimentation, the “Martyr Protocol” — the language was vague, and many parts of the files were redacted, but a plan was starting to form in Janus’s mind.  

They would need to infiltrate a more secure facility. 

~~~END~~~

Just in case it’s not clear, this chapter and the last two chapters all happen more or less concurrently

Fun fact, google docs really wanted to change "no security footage my ass" to "no security footage of my ass" and it's like no google, that's not the tone here

ODD taglist:

@royalty-of-all-things-snuggly @pixelated-pineapple @knight-shives @misunderstood-shadowling @lost-in-thought-20 @remy-the-lemon-berry @jinxcrafter @apinkline2715 @gothfoxx @donutsarepartybagels @xoaningout @meganmoneky14

[dailyunsolvedmysteries]

Murder of Nurin Jazlin

Nurin Jazlin (8) was abducted just outside the family's rented apartment in Wangsa Maju in August 2007. 28 days later on the morning of 17 September 2007, a brand-new gym bag was left in front of a shop lot in PJS 1/48, Petaling Jaya, discovered by the shop owner. It contained an unidentified child's naked body which had been stuffed in the fetal position; police believed that she had been dead for more than six hours before the discovery.

A cucumber and a brinjal (eggplant) were found stuffed inside her genitals and had caused her rectum to rupture. She had been raped and murdered. It was determined that bacterial infection had contributed to her death. At the time, Nurin Jazlin's parents were not able to identify the body as their daughter's due to the changes in her physical features; it was even suggested that the child might be a foreigner, as she lacked the scar which would be caused by the mandatory BCG vaccination against tuberculosis. Her parents initially maintained hope that their daughter might be alive and were the victims of several prank calls from people claiming that Nurin was under their care.

Later DNA tests conducted confirmed the body as Nurin Jazlin's. Her body was later claimed by her family from the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) and she was buried at the Muslim cemetery in Taman Ibukota.

Inspector-general of police Musa Hassan initially suggested that he would investigate whether Nurin's parents had been negligent, an offence which could lead to charges under Section 33 of the Child Act 2001. The suggestion provoked public outcry, most prominently from Lee Lam Thye, chairman of the Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation, who responded that punishing the parents further would be unfair. On 28 September, federal agents raided a shop in Section 7, Shah Alam, where they arrested four men and one woman between the ages of 27 and 35 in connection with the murder. The woman was released after questioning, while the men were remanded to police custody for seven days. However, they were released unconditionally three days later due to lack of evidence. Police then proceeded to put up an award of RM10,000 for information leading to the arrest of Nurin's killer; an anonymous private businessman agreed to match that with an additional RM10,000. 

On 2 October, police arrested an Indonesian woman at a market in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan; when confronted, the woman attempted to swallow a SIM card she was carrying. On 11 October, police released video footage captured by a CCTV camera near a shoplot in Petaling Utama, Petaling Jaya, where the sports bag containing the body of eight-year-old Nurin was found. The CCTV footage was sent on 26 September to the FBI to enhance the clarity of the blurred images. The first clip, captured at about 1 pm on September 16, showed a motorcyclist carrying a sports bag (with Nurin's body in it) and leaving it at the shoplot. The second clip, recorded one hour later, showed a woman loitering around the shoplot who was later picked up by three men arriving at the scene. The enhanced footage, however, failed to reveal the face of the motorcyclist and the license plate of the motorcycle.

The case remains unsolved.

[jefferoni-quotes]

God Wanted Me Dead // Lams

-

The famous; you saved my life, now you gotta put up with me. Tumblr post, "god wanted me dead, now you get to find out why"

Ship: Lams

AU: Modern AU

TW: Death mention

A request from Wattpad!

-

"You saved my life!"

Alexander clutched onto John's front and gasped for any breath he could muster. His chest heaved with every shaky inhale he dragged into his lungs.

"Of course! I couldn't just let the bus hit you!" John explained, holding Alex up as he regained any and all strength in his legs. Alexander patted John's arm and John let go of him. "You sure you're alright?" John asked, brushing a little bit of dirt off the smaller mans shoulder.

"I'm fine, thank you. How can I repay you?" Alexander gazed up at him joyously, he began to dig through his pockets. "I only have my card on me... if you give me a minute I can run to an ATM-"

"Hey, dude it's fine. You don't have to give me anything," John held his hands up and smiled, "I'm just happy to help."

Alexander halts his search through his hoodie and looks up again. "Then... let me buy you a cup of coffee? Please, I gotta thank you in someway!" He insisted, "unless you don't drink coffee... in which case there's a really nice boba tea place-"

"You talk a lot, don't you?" John interrupts with a chuckle, "you must be studying law." He gestured to Alexander's college sweater with the embroidered word, "PRINCETON". Princeton was one of the most prestige universities in New York, and John was rather impressed.

"How'd you guess?" Alexander looked quite smug as he spoke, the shine in his eyes growing and glowing.

John smiled, "it's a gift," he insisted.

Alexander narrowed his eyes and shook his head lightly. "Listen uh... John? You look like a John," Laurens listened intently and gasped, "holy crap did I guess correctly?" Alexander interrupts his sentence when John's expression of surprise registers with him.

John nodded.

"Well, John, what I'm trying to say is... theres this nice coffee shop called Beanies just down the road if you'll let me buy you a cup," Alexander explained.

John smiled slyly, "I'd like that a lot..." He made a gesture with his hands, clearly awaiting for him to introduce himself.

"Alexander. Alexander Hamilton." Alex gaze dwindles upwards as he looked into the sky, his pupils squinting, becoming cat like.

"Well Alexander, Alexander Hamilton, I would love for you to buy me a coffee," John smiled sweetly, placing his hands in his brown suede jacket pockets. "I've never had a coffee from Beanies, I typically use the Starbucks down the street."

"Yeah? Well they sell damn good coffee there," Alexander began to walk down the street, John following hot on his heels. "So, Mr John, what do you do?" He asked sombrely as they turn the corner. They pass a Starbucks and John looks in longingly.

"Oh me? I'm in a vet apprenticeship!" He beamed with a passion and cracked his knuckles, taking them out of his pockets.

"How intellectual," he mused with a hum, stopping abruptly at the glass door of the coffee shop.

"After you."

-

John sipped an americano, watching Alexander fumble as he desperately tries to pour a packet of sugar into his coffee. "Want some help there, bud?" John offered, extending his hand.

Alexander swatted him away. "No! I can do it myself, bitch."

John blinked.

"Sorry," Alexander said with sorrow, "I shouldn't be so snappy, you stopped me from dying."

John laughed, as he wasn't quite sure how to reply.

"You know... I've been having quite the few near-death experiences recently..." Alexander mused absent-mindedly.

"Maybe you're just to powerful for god to handle," John chuckled as he took large drink from his large americano.

"God keeps trying to nerf me," Alexander chuckled amusingly, glancing up from his drink and smiled.

"How peculiar!" John brimmed with joy.

"So, tell me about yourself, John!" Alexander insisted, his cup clattering onto the table as he placed it down in a hurry. His smile shone in the dim cafe light.

John shuffled slightly uncomfortably, and coughed into his fist. "Well... I'm from Charleston, South Carolina... uh..." he trailed in thought, "I have 4 siblings." Alexander furrowed his brow as John spoke. He was evidently sweating and appeared to be unsure, but he didn't cease in speaking, so Alex continued to listen.

"My family is Christian, unlike myself." He stopped, "sorry if I'm being too personal!"

"No, no, I like to listen, go on." Alexander found himself leaning on his hands, elbows planted on the table.

"Well. I'm pretty gay, and my father wasn't too happy with that. So, he lost a son, and I lost a dad."

Alexander frowned.

"But, please! Tell me about you!" John gestured to Alexander with a wave of his hand before tucking hair behind his ear.

"Oh me?" Alexander pondered for a second, "I grew up in Nevis, in the Caribbean... uhh... I was raised by my mom, but she died when I was 12. I came here, New York, at 19 after a hurricane destroyed my town." John was sure Alexander was still talking ten minutes later. But...

If he was still talking John didn't know what about. He was just stuck watching Alex's lips move and watching the way his eyes perked up whenever he smiled.

"You?"

Oh god. He hadn't been listening.

"Huh? Oh! Pardon? Could you repeat the question?" John blabbered the reply he knew always worked in vet school.

"I'm 20, you?" Alexander repeated with a slight roll of his eyes.

"Right! I'm 21!" John grinned.

-

They tell the story often, of how they met. The details are usually exaggerated beyond comprehension.

-

It's a year after that date. John is strung across the couch, when the all too familiar sound of Alexander rocketing downstairs sounds.

He appears in the doorway of the living room, a ginger cat in his arms.

"Hey, Lexi."

"Jack."

"What've you got there?" John asked.

Alexander glanced down at the cat. He paused. "Nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing," John sighed.

"Its a cat."

"How long have you had this cat hidden from me?"

"A month."

John heaved a breath out and stood up, the words of David Copperfield on the TV still ringing in his ears. He walked over to Alexander and gazed down at him.

Alexander swallowed the lump gathering quickly in his throat.

"What's his name?" John questioned brightly with a shining beam. He scratched the cat behind the ears and listened to him purr.

"Jackie..."

"Good thing I'm not allergic, ay?" John laughed. "Next time, tell me."

"Hey! You saved my life, now you have to put up with me!" Alexander insisted.

"I don't think that's the saying."

"It is now."

-

Words: 1148

Tag list:

@a-mad-tea-time @skyluni @khiara1776 @beetlejuicebeetlejuicebeeeecause @slushy-sloosh-musical-person @walkingtrashwithanxiety @patt0n-sanders @karixx-png @tryingtohealandgrow

Just comment if you wanna be added!

Requests are open for writing! (Hamilton and Starkid)

(Reblogs > Likes)

Peace out!

[hbtravelersworld]

. Countries such as Australia, Canada, French, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Korean, Thailand, British and United States all contributes significant tourist growth for Hong Kong. This article presents some critical traveler tips for tourists so that you could enjoy more and have a wonderful trip to Hong Kong.

1. Personal Identity and Safety Tourists must carry valid personal identity documentation such as passport during their stay in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a very safe city according to the low crime rate. However, due to the densely population, it is not suggested to take a large amount of cash when going out since most of the shops in Hong Kong accepts credit cards. Expensive belongs should be locked in the safe in hotel. You could easily find policemen on the streets whenever you have encountered any problems.

2. Service Charges Most of the restaurants except fast food shops will add 10% service charges to the bill. Therefore, you may choose to give out the odd dollars from the changes as the service tips. For taxi driver or bellboy in the hotel, there is no pre set norm for the service tips, you may choose to give out whenever you think the service is deserved for.

3. Telephone Service All local telephone call is free except for the public telephone which charges HK$1 for every 5 minutes. Emergency call is 999 and it is free to call even in public telephone. You could either use IDD telephone call card or credit card for long distance call, or simply through operator for collect call in all public telephone counter.

4. Drinking Water The drinking water in Hong Kong reaches World Health Organization standard. However, you may also choose to buy the bottle water in the supermarkets if you think it is necessary.

5. Taxi All taxi only accept cash and they have invoice print out whenever you request. It is easier to catch the taxi in the taxi stop or outside the hotel. Many of the taxi drivers could understand simple English. It is suggest writing down your destination (in English) on paper to minimize misunderstandings. The taxi charges is based on the meter which is HK$15 for the first 2 Km and HK$1.4 for the subsequent 0.2 Km. Besides, there are tunnel charges ranging from HK$3-45 depends on which tunnel you have to take. The charging table is clearly shown on the inner side of the doors so you could check it before you pay. In case of any complaints or lost case, you may record down the name of the taxi driver and his license plate number which is clearly shown on the front seat stand, and reports to the police hotline: 2527 7177 whenever necessary.

6. Mass Transit Railway (MTR) Hong Kong has 6 MTR routes, which covers most parts of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and New Territories. Tsuen Wan Route: Tsuen Wan to Central Kwun Tong Route: Yau Mat Tei to Tiu Keng Leng Tseung Kwan O Route: North Point to Po Lam Main Route: Sheung Wan to Chai Wan Tung Chung Route: Tung Chung to Hong Kong Airport Route: Airport to Hong Kong Due to the convenience of MTR and the compact area of Hong Kong, most tourists find it is not necessary to rent car during their stay. Besides, due to the very heavy traffic and the complexity of the city roads, it is not recommended for tourists to drive. In case you really need car rental, you may consult your hotel, and be ready with your passport and driving license.

7. Kowloon Canton Railway (KCR) The KCR is the major railway which links up the New Territories and the city of Kowloon. It runs through Tsim Sha Tsui East to Lo Wu which takes about 40 minutes for the whole route. Lo Wo is the final station which you could pass through to enter China with valid visa. The train will depart for every 3 to 10 minutes, and the earliest one will be started at 5:35 a.m. while the last one will be departed at 12:20 p.m. The ordinary fair and the first class fair are HK$18 and HK$36 respectively from Hung Hom to Sheung Shui.

8. Tram The tram service has been started in 1904 and it is the oldest transportation system in Hong Kong. It only services the Hong Kong Island running from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan plus another route to Happy Valley. The earliest tram starts at 6: 00 a.m. and run until 1:00 p.m. and the fair is HK$ 2 for adult and HK$ 1 for children under age12. It is the cheapest transportation in Hong Kong, and you are highly recommended to take a ride at the upper stairs so that you could enjoy all the street scenery of Hong Kong.

9. Star Ferry The scenery of Hong Kong harbor is famous in the world, especially the night scenery. Besides, there is spectacular light show by the commercial buildings in the Hong Kong island at 8:00 p.m. every night which you must not miss. The Star Ferry has been serving on the harbor for more than 100 years, and the fair is less than HK$3 per rides. You could take the Star Ferry from Cental to Tsim Sha Tsui at around 8:00 p.m. You could enjoy the harbor scenery on the ferry and continue with the light show at the Starlight Road of Tsim Sha Tsui.

10. Hong Kong International Airport The most convenient route to the Hong Kong International Airport is through the MTR which takes about 23 minutes from Central. It passes through stations of Kowloon, Olympic, Tsing Yi, and the train will be departed for every ten minutes. With the MTR, you would never miss the airplane due to the traditional traffic jam. Other than the MTR, you could take the Airport Bus which starts from 6:00 a.m. at the morning until 11:00 p.m. at night. It covers most part of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon with major hotels.

[365-money-diary]

DAYS 43-49

DAY FORTY-THREE

7:30 AM - Up a little early so I can close on my house. The process is pretty easy and I feel safe about it and such. We do it on the front porch with 6 foot folding table.

8:30 AM - I need to re-caulk the side door trim before I can start painting so I do that while I make my chemex. This is fun (not) because I don’t own a caulk gun. 

10:30 AM - Eat a plant yogurt

12:00 PM - Snack on chips and salsa – damn the salsa I made is so good this time. Also make salad for lunch. I’m set up in the kitchen today which is clearly a bad scene because I keep going to the pantry for more snacks. Relocate to the bedroom.

2:00 PM - I really should get my barre class out of the way today. I have a 4PM happy hour and I know I won’t want to work out after that, so I do a 10 minute low impact ride and then start class.

4:00 PM - I get done with most of the class and hop on zoom. Make refried beans in the instant pot for dinner while we chat.

5:00 PM - Finish the zoom and knock out the last 10 minutes of barre. I don’t like to split the classes up like that but oh well. 

6:00 PM - Finish making the beans as well as rice and jackfruit for burritos. K isn’t hungry so I watch an episode of The Challenge before making the burritos.

7:30 PM - Ok these are really good. Dang! I don’t want to drink tonight so I open a La Croix and try to hydrate.

DAY FORTY-THREE TOTAL: $0

DAY FORTY-FOUR

8:00 AM - I’m awake and I feel really good. K is still pretty conked out and I get the idea to go to Cartel. I haven’t been in a few months because cases were super high but now seems like a good opportunity. This is the one thing I do behind K’s back. It’s contactless and it’s super safe so I don’t really consider it to be a risk but I know he isn’t ready to drink things directly out of containers they’re served in on the same day you buy them so let’s just leave this between us. Buy a hot oat milk latte and tip $10. $17.57 

10:00 AM - Make a chemex so K doesn’t suspect anything. Hang with him on the couch for a bit and then start moving around the furniture in the kitchen to start taping.

11:30 AM - Take a break to cook breakfast - tofu/egg tacos with field roast sausage.

12:15 PM - Back to taping. It takes forev, but I think I did a good job.

3:45 PM - First coat done. Watch an episode of The challenge before I apply the second.

5:30 PM - Done with the second. Watch more of the challenge.

7:00 PM - Dinner tonight is pozole. I take my time making it and drink a glass of wine while I cook.

8:00 PM - Dang this is so delicious.

DAY FORTY-FOUR TOTAL: $17.57

DAY FORTY-FIVE

9:00 AM - Woah I am SO SORE. What the hell? My quads. Make a chemex and work on putting the kitchen back together, but I run out of time and have to meet with S and her BF on zoom. K joins me and it’s a really good time. 

11:15 PM - Ok back to tape removal. 

12:15 PM - Done! / Looks good! Make more tofu tacos for breakfast.

2:00 PM - My boss is applying for citizenship in the US and she asked me to help build her a website. I have totally spaced it over the past two weeks and get cracking on it today. Make some good progress and send her what I have.

4:00 PM - Watch some episodes of The Challenge. For whatever reason this feels like the first time I’ve actually relaxed this weekend and I am here for it.

6:00 PM - We drive to a bar I DJ at on the reg during non-pandemic times to do a pick up of their Valentine’s Day special. Neither K or I are big V Day fans and we feel like this is good enough to “celebrate.” We get two veggie dogs, fries and a bottle of wine to take home. J (my friend who owns the bar) runs my card for $31ish and I tip $20. K insists he pays and he venmos me $50. $1.89

7:00 PM - I haven’t had fries in like… a year. And these ones are really delicious! The wine is good too. Spend the rest of the evening catching up on my blog. I haven’t felt very motivated to work on it this month.

8:00 PM - Get a charge from Amazon… S is buying movies again. Make a venmo request for $16 and she fulfills it. $0.19

DAY FORTY-FIVE TOTAL: $2.08

DAY FORTY-SIX

8:30 AM - WOW I am still sore WTF. Make a chemex and notice my tea kettle has a rust spot. Damnit. At this point, I would rather just buy an electric kettle with a gooseneck spout to get rid of both of my kettles, but I’m trying to stick to my budget this month. I’ve been covering K’s groceries throughout the pandemic and he owes me around $2k at this point. Because of this, I’ve kind of cut back on clothing and other frivolous purchases until he starts to pay me back so I can still save money every month. But rust is rust and I don’t want to get sick. Buy a Stagg EKG kettle with a nice wood handle. $160.62

10:00 AM - plant yogurt, a clementine and Pure Barre weekly charge. $15

12:00 PM - It’s salad time but I’m kind of out of tempeh and am a little burnt out on the miso Asian vibe anyways. Toss together some greens, bell pepper, onion, carrots, snap peas, cucumber, and a frozen Quorn spicy chicken patty and top it with cashew ranch. It’s honestly really good. 

4:00 PM - Call M to wish him a happy bday. Tell him either next Sunday or the Sunday after that we will do a lunch thing together in his backyard to celebrate. Drink a nuun while we chat.

5:15 PM - I do a pure barre workout but make the mistake of doing it on my work computer at the post-workday slacks are coming in hot this AM. My body’s HR doesn’t really pick up but I still feel proud of myself for pushing thru the soreness.

7:00 PM - K and I eat big burritos for dinner with jackfruit, beans, rice, lettuce, tofutti sour cream, cheeze, and jalapenos with chips and salsa. They’re so good and I am sad that we’re out of tortilla chips and salsa now.

8:00 PM - Since dinner was kinda big and I had fries yesterday, I spend the evening hydrating instead of drinking wine. K and I watch a 4 part docuseries on Elisa Lam & the Cecil Hotel. At some point he goes off to work on some stuff and I wrap up this website I’m building for my boss who is working on getting her green card.

DAY FORTY-SIX TOTAL: $175.62

DAY FORTY-SEVEN

9:00 AM - Make a chemex. Finish the site and send it to my boss who approves. Hopefully I don’t have to actually post it for her. I hate dealing with hosting and such. 

10:00 AM - I don’t really want yogurt today and find a small portion of tofu scramble leftover from Sunday. Heat that up and top with truffle hot sauce.

12:00 PM - Kill the rest of the salad ingredients today by making the same dish as yesterday but with peas instead of red bell peppers. Review the site I made for my boss. She sends me a $100 amazon gift card! How sweet.

5:00 PM - Get sucked in a meeting and am not able to leave until 5:30. I’m not interested in exercising this late so I zone out on the couch for a bit and snack on some gf pretzels. Start a new season of The Challenge. Drink a glass of wine.

7:00 PM - Heat up leftover pozole for dinner. Eat with K while we “watch” a hockey game. 

8:30 PM - Pour another glass of wine and chat on the phone with Q. I end up feeling super antsy halfway through our conversation and decide to take a walk. I do a nice loop down to the lake and back to my house. Next time we decide that we will walk together.

10:30 PM - I check my phone after our conversation to see 100 slack messages from various team members. Looks like there is something going on which will affect the report I have to give tomorrow. Read thru, ask some questions and feel good about what I have to change.

DAY FORTY-SEVEN TOTAL: $0

DAY FORTY-EIGHT

8:15 AM - Up a little early today so I can adjust my report. Make a chemex while I pull numbers.

9:30 AM - Present the info. It’s good stuff! My boss is out of town so I think today should be pretty chill. Get a note from my bank that the wire of leftover funds from the mortgage stuff has been transferred to my checking totaling $1250.39. 

12:00 PM - Make broccoli fried rice for lunch. Things turn chaotic for the rest of the day and by the time I know it, it’s 4:00 PM

4:15 PM - Decide to cut out early today and take a live barre class. 20 minutes in (10 minutes before 5), I get a message from my teammate asking to hop on zoom. She has computer issues so I’m actually able to finish the class before she’s ready. 

7:00 PM - Finally done working. Rinse off and make pasta for dinner. Drink 3 glasses of wine. 

9:30 PM - K and I play Mario Kart for a while before turning in.

DAY FORTY-EIGHT TOTAL: $0

DAY FORTY-NINE

8:30 AM - Today has to be more chill than yesterday… It just has to be. Make a chemex. See that my hair dresser is selling shirts for her shop. Venmo her. $25

12:00 PM - Prep chicken seitan shreds. Broccoli fried rice for lunch with seltzer. 

1:30 PM - Finish making the seitan, eat an apple, gf pretzels and carrots. I realize I forgot to eat breakfast this AM. Ugh.

5:00 PM - My butt is super sore from yesterday but I do my barre workout anyways. It’s so nice to not be interrupted. My cal burn is low but I don’t even care. It’s just nice to move.

6:00 PM - Rinse off and prep dinner. We make buffalo chicken sandwiches with roasted potatoes. They turn out pretty good and I’m excited to eat them over the next few days.

8:00 PM - Drink a glass of wine. I google if I can have more since I’m getting the COVID vaccine tomorrow and it seems like one is ok but maybe not more so I decide against it.

DAY FORTY-NINE TOTAL: $25

[thebluerosestudio]

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[twentyminutemiso]

Wednesday

Uni work, getting stressed about billy

Khadija’s birthday teefah meeting us there junes first dj set (nicki minaj) bebeluna said they stalked my twitter, joe on the bar, junes friend ella, shani ivie, alice and alex’s argument, juni da moment playing good music, samanomono, yuki and matisse, june lam and kindness

Thursday

Organiclea

Teefah

Friday

Uni work

Squid game with squid dinner palomas and donuts

Tk maxx

Saturday

Jess baby shower

Dotori and rowans

Sunday

Hungover

Dore’s bday, i’ve posted him a ribcage hoodie and i gave him a ‘best uncle’ bday card i got for cheap from charity shop, me and han drove to leyton with their christmas CD on, parking up the curb. In their kitchen with crisps and falafel, trying dandelion and burdock, chatting to pol rosie teacher called ashley, hannah jones came, chatting to oscar I, cix, rebecca, ash in the garden, ash getting set on fire by tealights and pol putting them out, zaahid and freya arriving, glo sticks

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[thisweekingundamwing]

This Week in Gundam Wing (April 19-25, 2020)

Here’s your weekly roll-up Gundam Wing fandom!  Show your creators some love!  :D

--Mod LAM

Fanfiction

Ashes to Ashes (Series) by @tziganecaffiends, @zaganthi, and  Perryvic

Pairing: Treize x Wufei

Characters: full cast

Rating: MATURE / EXPLICIT

Tags / Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, major character death, poor coping mechanisms, alternate universe - Stargate Fusion, aged up characters, others (check series page for individual installments’ tags)

Summary:  Life is fucked up, and then you fail to die. 

Every Moment (Ch.6/6) by @bobo-is-tha-bomb

Pairing: Heero x Reader

Characters: 5 pilots + Relena, Une, Reader

Rating: MATURE

Tags / Warnings: romance, drama, angst, lemon, lime, violence, reader-insert

Summary:  You really didn’t want to go on a mission with Heero Yuy. In your opinion, he was a robot, an iceberg, and as cold as the North Pole. And you really hated the fact that people started spreading rumors about you. Now, you have two weeks to get to know him better, get comfortable with the idea of playing his wife, and keep from getting into a catfight with Wufei’s secretary (who has quite a crush on Mister Yuy herself). You thought you would be able to handle the mission, but a couple of alcohol influenced kisses really send your world spinning. And it would only get worse during the mission… And really… your careless actions do have very big consequences.

Grocery Shopping with the G-Boys (Ch.2-3/5) by @bobo-is-tha-bomb

Pairing: N/A

Characters: 5 pilots 

Rating: General

Tags / Warnings: crackfic, self-insert, silliness, humor, script format

Summary:  Grocery shopping can’t be such a hard task, right? Well... you’re about to find out!

Forgive and Forget (Ch.6/6) by @bobo-is-tha-bomb

Pairing: Duo x Reader, Wufei x OC

Characters: Reader, Heero, Duo, Wufei, Sally, OC

Rating: MATURE

Tags / Warnings:  romance, drama, angst, violence, lemon, reader-insert

Summary:  You’d infiltrate Preventer and expose that fact that it employed and protected terrorists. But that mission proves to be quite a challenge, all information regarding personnel carefully guarded. And the challenge becomes even greater when you meet Special Agent Duo Maxwell. He is pretty much the man of your dreams, all devilish charm, good looks, and bravado. And he kisses like the Devil. You are swept under and recklessly pursue and affair with him. But there is still your double agenda, and that is bound to make everything come crashing down around you. Especially when you find out that Duo is not exactly the man he said he was…

Traitor to the Cause (Ch.11-17/30) by @destinysblackrose

Pairing: Heero x Relena, Duo x Hilde, Zechs x Noin

Characters: Heero, Duo, Trowa, Wufei, Zechs, Relena, Noin, Cathy, Sally

Rating: Teen and Up

Tags / Warnings: angst, drama, action, series continuation, no Frozen Teardrop, political intrigue

Summary:  Set starting in AC 199, the ESUN government decides that the most dangerous threat to peace is the still-anonymous Gundam Pilots. The government demands that Relena identify them and turn over all records from their time in the Sanq (Cinq) kingdom. Relena refuses and is branded a traitor; she escapes, and thus lives in exile. A warrant has been issued; no territory within ESUN is safe... Meanwhile, the Gundam pilots do their best to move on, trying to live normal lives.

LAM!verse Snippet Saturday by @lifeaftermeteor

Pairing: N/A (series pairings = Duo x Heero, Wufei x Relena, others)

Characters: Duo, OC

Rating: General

Tags / Warnings: post-canon, ESUN, political maneuvering 

Summary: “What was the response?”

Fanart

Trowa and Cathy by @lemontrash

Dorothy, Duo, and Wufei by @grey-sentry

Heero and others by @roirence

Trowa on Wufei’s instagram by @2pcb

Grocery Shopping with the G-Boys: Trowa by @hiddenmangaka​

Heero Yuy by @kaiyeau

Other Fan Work

Discussion and Headcanons

G-Boy Handwriting Headcanons, started by @cuteciboulette

Relena and Hilde interaction, shared by @ricobrzenskasenpai

30 Day Gundam Wing Challenge hosted by @memoriesofgundamwing​

Day 19: character that is most like you

Day 20: character that you wish was real

Day 21: character you wish had more screentime

Day 22: favorite Heero non-battlefield scene

Day 23: favorite Duo one-liner

Gunpla

Mecha Collection by @macks-mechas

Scans, Edits, and/or Silliness

Monthly Gundam A by @caterpie

Glory of the Losers (Duo & Hilde) by @disturbed02girl​

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Page 5

Page 6 

Page 7

Pokemon Trainers Cards by @incorrectgundamwingquotes​

Gamer of the Day: Dorothy Catalonia by @gamer-of-the-day

@incorrectgundamwingquotes continues to make us laugh <3 (Exhibit A)

1x2 Fluffy Sims by @janaverse

Hilde in AC:NH by @gundayum

Calendar Events

Cocktail Fridays continue over at @gwcocktailfriday​

Post your submission on Friday between 3-5PM 

This week’s prompt is here

We’re throwing a Gundam Wing Pride 2020 over at @wingqueero

Sign up here to participate.  Also be sure to check the FAQ.

[italicwatches]

I Couldn’t Become a Hero, So I Reluctantly Decided to Get a Job - Episode 09

So last time we had actual plot stuff. Which s concerning. But for right now let’s just go in. It’s I Couldn’t Become a Hero, So I Reluctantly Decided to Get a Job, episode 09! Here we GO!

-The store…Payday! And not just normal payday, but Seara got to authorize a bonus for everyone for keeping the store afloat against Amada! And Fino is just staring at her first proper pay envelope, and YEAH! Her first human wages…She’s…She’s so damn excited…! And Raul gives her a simple piece of advice. Make sure you spend some of it on something memorable. Something you can look to and remember this day. You’ll be glad you did.

-Opening!

-Episode 09: How the Demon Lord’s Daughter Spent Her First Paycheck

-Dinner! A big group dinner for the whole gang, and Seara’s paying. She always treats the crew on payday. And Fino can’t resist going for the kid’s variety meal with free toy. That is very, very Fino. She’s a delight.

-Anyways the food arrives and Fino realizes it’s not just one toy you can get…There are 180 possible toys. And now she has one. Out of 180. …SHE MUST GET THE REMAINING 179. Or you could just, not, do that. And so Raul ends up volunteered to go take Fino shopping for all the necessities she needs…Oh, and this whole time, the mysterious man from before was listening.

-Cut to the apartments and trying to pick through catalogs and form a plan…And Fino is being very unintentionally sexy and Raul is breaking. Alas, poor Raul. Also the first thing Fino wants is a way to deal with cockroaches. They’re the WORST, far more devilish than anything in the demon wood GOD THERE’S ONE NOW! It was just a cicada. And as it escapes, Fino realizes she ended up clinging to Raul at some point and this just got weird. …Deep breaths, you two. Focus.

-New day! Out in town! And they run into Elza and Lam-chan. And it totally looks like a date, much to everyone’s amusement. Also, their plan is the 100 gold shop to start with the bare basics. Good plan. Fino will conquer the world of shopping!

-Hard cut to Fino looking like a nervous wreck at the thought of being a customer for the first time. Poor thing. And she ends up with a member card for the dollar store and shit this kid is so damn excited. It’s adorable. And she’s just all giddy at the idea of this cycle she’s entered. She helps people find the magic items they want. For her work, she gets paid, and some of that money comes from the hard-earned currency their customers spent. She takes that pay, and uses it to buy the things she needs and wants…Some of which very well may have been made by her customers. And some of it, by people who she’s never even met, but still made this useful or fun or tasty thing that’s now hers. It’s just…Amazing, the way humans work together so eagerly and freely, you know?

-…Damn, Fino is a bright spot in a dark world.

-And Raul’s spent a lot of time since Fino entered his life, figuring himself out…But having been raised in human society, the very idea of this broad-scale cooperation is…I mean, he’d never even considered it that way before. And when you stack it up like that…He thought his life had no purpose, that his job was pointless if he wasn’t being a hero, slaying and capturing monsters to help stop the Demon Lord…But in the end, it’s all part of making the world a little better, isn’t it?

-We will be pointedly ignoring how this sentiment doesn’t hold so well in our world due to the near-total prominence of companies doing some pretty evil shit with their wealth, because dammit, I want to hold onto Fino’s enthusiasm and optimism just a little.

-And thus it becomes a day of more shopping! And to really feed all of that enthusiasm, Raul takes Fino to the open-air market…Where she nearly runs right out into the street when she takes a wrong turn and Raul has to save her. You two are lucky that wasn’t an isekai truck! You could have both ended up…in…a fantasy world…running on video game logic…

-…Oh.

-Right.

-…Carry on, then.

-Also Fino’s suddenly feeling Things around Raul and doesn’t know what to do with those. It really doesn’t help when a jewelry vendor really pushes some lovey-dovey stuff for the young man and his girlfriend. And is Fino going to figure out what that means yet? Nope, because Raul is too busy getting all nervous…

-And then geeking out over a fuckin’ gorgeous sword being sold by a vendor. Man, he loved to admire the earlier models back in school, and this is even better! And this is a quality vintage one that they’re selling for only 100,000, when they used to go for two million! Also Fino has wandered off back to that jewelry vendor. Oh man, it’s so tempting to splurge on the sword…Fino, what do you think? …Fino? Where did she…

-She got lost and gets yanked into a doorway. Oh no!

-Raul goes hunting and seeking…And ends up running right into Fino! In a pretty dress? It seems a shopkeep was just very aggressive in getting her into something cute and Raul’s brain just cracks at seeing her all dressed up.

-And she finds herself super wanting to know what he thinks about the outfit and being super excited at the thought that he likes them…And Raul has that “Was my friend always this cute?” moment. And a polaroid photographer even snaps a photo of the happy couple…

-And then it comes out that Fino basically spent her whole paycheck on mostly useful nicknacks. And now she has no food money. …Shit. The market is a terrifying force!

-And that stall is making crepessssss. …Fine, you get a crepe. Eat up, Fino. And of course she’s all super excited and it’s soooo good and just kiss already you two goofballs. And then, she has him close his eyes…! Wait, is she going to…?

-No, she just got him a little gift, a thing to remember this day, and thank him for always being there for her. And now they’re both all blushy and what did she get him? A cellphone charm! Made with the hair of a hero who nearly slew the demon lord, but was struck down! Of course. That’s Fino.

-Eventually they’re headed back home, when Raul stops to get a drink…Only for Fino to scream?! She manages to force them to back off by the time he gets to her, but…

-Oh.

-Fuck.

-The forces, human and demon alike, that want her to take the throne and restart the war. It was a pair of out-of-work heroes. That want her to throw the world back into chaos, so they have a purpose again…

-…FUCK.

-Credits.

Well…That’s not what I expected. And yet, it makes all too much sense.

Capitalism makes villains of us all.

[samplesalesnyc]

10 Crosby + ATM Sample Sale

10 Crosby + ATM Sample Sale

When: Opens in 7 days Where: 260 Sample Sale – Soho, 151 Wooster Street, New York, 10012 How: Free Entry Shop for Derek Lam’s contemporary brand 10 Crosby + ATM and expect luxury ready-to-wear and accessories at this sample sale in New York at up to 80% off! All sales final. No returns or exchanges. Cash and cards accepted. COVID Safety Precautions: Source:…

[newstfionline]

Monday, March 1, 2021

Travel: Few hints of spring for a battered industry (The Week) Prospects for a swift travel rebound are dimming, said Mike Cherney and Eric Sylvers at The Wall Street Journal. After the worst year for tourism on record, the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines was expected to be “the great panacea” in 2021. “But at current vaccination rates, less than 20 percent of the world’s population is expected to be inoculated this year,” according to recent estimates. The spread of coronavirus variants from places like South Africa, Brazil, and the United Kingdom means governments will remain cautious before easing travel restrictions, and many travelers appear hesitant to begin booking trips again. Air tickets issued for international travel in the coming six months actually fell in February. Overall, they remain down 85 percent from this time in 2019. One travel data company projects travel bookings will stay below 2019 levels until 2024. The recovery in Europe will be “even slower.” Faced with these gloomy prospects, some countries are pushing for “vaccine passports,” said Tariro Mzezewa at The New York Times. The hope is that digital technology can accelerate things. The idea of a “golden ticket” for certain travelers is “deeply contentious,” said Barry Neild at CNN. In addition to privacy and fraud concerns, the World Health Organization last month said it worried about “the fairness of allowing those inoculated to trot the world while others continue to endure lockdown.”

A third Covid-19 vaccine has been approved (NYT) The Food and Drug Administration authorized Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine for emergency use on Saturday, making a third vaccine available in the U.S. It’s the first approved vaccine to require one dose instead of two. Shipments are expected to start within days, on top of the millions of doses being churned out by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

As USPS delays persist, bills, paychecks and medications are getting stuck in the mail (Washington Post) Mark Currie of Virginia had three checks snagged in postal delays in three months. In New Jersey, Lois Fitton says she was forced to pay interest on a credit card balance because the bill never arrived. Jim Rice says two insurance companies canceled policies for his property management business in Oklahoma after the payments got lost in the mail. As the service crisis at the U.S. Postal Service drags into its eighth month, complaints are reaching a fever pitch. Consumers are inundating members of Congress with stories of late bills—and the late fees they’ve absorbed as a result. Small-business owners are waiting weeks, even months, for checks to arrive, creating cash-flow crunches and debates on whether to switch to costlier private shippers. Large-scale mailers, such as banks and utilities, are urging clients to switch to paperless communication, a shift that would further undercut the agency’s biggest revenue stream. The prolonged performance declines have eroded the reputation of one of the few government agencies that boast generations of broad public support.

Trump returns to the spotlight (NYT) Most former presidents adopt low profiles after leaving the White House, but Donald Trump is returning to the stage with a prominent appearance at the end of the Conservative Political Action Conference, where a golden statue of him greets attendees. For now, Mr. Trump is serious about running for president in 2024, although some aides expect that he ultimately won’t go through with another bid.

Truck-borne gunmen kill 11 in Mexico’s western state of Jalisco (Reuters) Unidentified gunmen riding in a truck opened fire with rifles on Saturday to kill 11 people in Mexico’s western state of Jalisco, causing injuries to a woman and a youth as well, authorities said. Jalisco, where a former governor was shot dead in December, is one of the epicenters of Mexico’s drug-related warfare, and home to the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The state prosecutor’s office said 10 men with gunshot wounds were found dead outside a home in Tonala, a municipality in the Guadalajara area, with another male body discovered inside.

Ten arrested in Barcelona as protests over jailed rapper turn violent (Reuters) Ten people were arrested in Barcelona on Saturday for assaulting police officers in fresh unrest over the jailing of a rapper for glorifying terrorism and insulting royalty in his songs. Pablo Hasel, known for his anti-establishment lyrics, was arrested on Feb. 16 after failing to report to serve his sentence, prompting debate over freedom of expression and sparking sometimes violent protests in Barcelona and Madrid. Hasel was convicted for lyrics and tweets that included references to Basque separatist group ETA, calling Spain’s former king Juan Carlos a mafia boss and likening Spanish judges to Nazis. On Saturday evening police in Barcelona chased protesters after they hurled glass bottles, set fire to a police van and smashed the fronts of shops and banks. Some “hooded groups” were looting along Barcelona’s famous Rambla street, while firefighters were dealing with fires in shops and banks, police said, adding there were “several banks with serious damage”.

Italy’s Sardinia to open up as infections fall (AP) While new COVID-19 cases surge in Italy’s north, the island of Sardinia has earned coveted “white zone” status, allowing for evening dining and drinking at restaurants and cafes and the reopening after months of closure of gyms, cinemas and theaters. Starting on Monday, the region of Sardinia, with an incidence of fewer than 50 cases per 100,000 residents, will be able to allow the most liberties since a second wave of coronavirus infections last fall prompted the government to tighten restrictions nationwide after easing them during summer. Sardinia is a popular vacation destination.

UN Human Rights Office says 18 killed in Myanmar crackdown (AP) Security forces in Myanmar opened fire and made mass arrests Sunday as they sought to break up protests against the military’s seizure of power, and a U.N. human rights official said it had “credible information” that 18 people were killed and 30 were wounded. That would be the highest single-day death toll among protesters who are demanding that the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi be restored to power after being ousted by a Feb. 1 coup. “Deaths reportedly occurred as a result of live ammunition fired into crowds in Yangon, Dawei, Mandalay, Myeik, Bago and Pokokku,” the U.N. Human Rights Office said in a statement referring to several cities, adding that the forces also used tear gas, flash-bang grenades and stun grenades.

Hong Kong detains 47 activists on subversion charges (AP) Hong Kong police on Sunday detained 47 pro-democracy activists on charges of conspiracy to commit subversion under the city’s national security law. The former lawmakers and democracy advocates had been previously arrested in a sweeping police operation in January but were released. They have been detained again and will appear in court on Monday, police said in a statement. They allegedly violated the new national security law that was imposed by Beijing for participating in unofficial election primaries for the semi-autonomous Chinese territory’s legislature last year. The pro-democracy camp had held the primaries to determine the best candidates to field to win a majority in the legislature and had plans to vote down major bills that would eventually force Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to resign.

COVID curbs dampen carousing on Jewish costume festival Purim (Reuters) COVID-19 curbs have curtailed celebrations of the Jewish costume festival of Purim, with Israeli police preventing parties and some rabbis urging people not to drink too much so social distancing is maintained. Drawn from the biblical Book of Esther’s account of how the Jews were spared genocide in ancient Persia, Purim is commemorated with the wearing of all kinds of fancy dress costumes, donating food for feasts—and drinking to excess. But this year, Israel, which began emerging from its third national lockdown on Feb. 21, reimposed night curfews for the long Purim weekend and limited access to Jerusalem. Purim parties were banned, with fines for anyone hosting them. That led to spontaneous street parties in Tel Aviv. Police commander Ziv Saguy said they were giving out 200 fines an hour. Excessive drinking is a key part of the festival but several ultra-Orthodox Jewish leaders took out a front-page ad in a community newspaper urging a more abstemious Purim this year. “He who gets drunk loses his clarity of mind and is liable not to conduct himself with the necessary caution to safeguard his health”, the ad read, according to the Arutz 7 news site.