#popular places to visit in usa

[travelnags]

Want to explore famous places and create unforgettable memories? Book your USA adventure with Travel Nags. Discover our exclusive offers and plan your dream vacation now!

[celestial-kestrel]

It's that time of year again where Mari Lwyd starts to be talked about and shared around and an INCREDIBLY misleading post gets shared a lot. As someone who grew up with Mari Lwyd I wanted to clear some things up.

Also hello, if you are unaware who Mari Lwyd is. This is about the Welsh tradition of the horse skull who visits houses during the Christmas to New Years period in Wales asking for alcohol.

First off and probably the most important one:

Mari Lwyd is not a cryptid!

I can not emphasise this enough. She. Is. Not. A. Cryptid. There is no story or mystery about a ghost or zombie horse roaming the Welsh valleys. She's not even supposed to be a ghost or a zombie. It's just a horse skull on a stick with a guy under a sheet. She's a hobbyhorse and a folk character used to tell Welsh stories and keep songs alive. When people spread the misinformation that she's a cryptid, it's the equivalent of saying Kermit the Frog is a cryptid.

She is actually only one character in a wider cast of characters who go door to door or, in more modern times, pub to pub. The cast of characters can change town to town and village to village but there are some common ones I see time and time again. The Leader, the Merryman, The Jester and The Lady are just some I see regularly. Punch and Judy used to be more popular a few years ago but I haven't seen them in a while as their tradition has mostly fallen out of popularity. In most cases, almost the whole cast will be played by men. Even the characters are considered and referred to as female. Though this again depends and varies by which group is partaking in the Mari Lwyd tradition.

This point also goes onto my second point,

Mari Lwyd does not rap.

I think this comes from a very common misunderstanding of what rap is vs spoken word. Rap is a very specific style of music originating from the African American communities of the USA and has it's own structure and motifs unique to it. It's a lot more complex than people give it credit for as a style of music and just flippantly assign anything similar to it as being rap. If someone is talking fast or reciting poetry, it is not rap. Or anything that is an exchange of words between two people is not a rap battle. Mari Lwyd does not do rap, actually something that gets left out of these posts is the fact Mari Lwyd does not even speak. It's actually the Leader, who does all the speaking and song based banter between the house/pub owner for entry. Mari Lwyd just clicks her mouth, bites people and bobs her head around.

I think Mari Lwyd is a really beautiful and unique part of Welsh culture. She's not actually as wildly celebrated as a lot of the posts make her out to be. Actually, I think most Welsh people themselves learn about Mari Lwyd through the internet as well. Her popularity is increasing thanks to the drive of local groups wanting to keep the traditions alive and a renewed desire to document Welsh traditions before they're gone. Which is why it's such a shame that she's turned into something she's not to earn horror points on the internet. I think this is why it bothers me so much to see the misunderstandings of the culture and the folk tradition. Mari Lwyd's origin is very hot debated as well as how long it's been going on for. But I think it's thanks to a lot of traditions like this that the Welsh language and our stories weren't lost forever. Welsh culture is recovering as is the language. But it's still in a very fragile place. I think it's why it's important to document and correct information when it's spread.

Anyway, if you want to see the tradition in action, here's a lovely video from the Cwmafan RFC going to one of the pubs for charity. It includes the song exchange with the pub owner for entry and the whole pub singing and joining in once Mari Lwyd and the rest are inside.

As well with another video from St Fagan's showcasing the more traditional and door to door form with the larger cast.

[forcenewz]

Top 10 Best Must Visit Places in United States 2024

Are you planning to visit a popular destination in the united states? Here forcenewz shares the top 10 tourist destinations in the united states (USA) with its images and the best travel time to go there details. In this beautiful place, you can enjoy your vacation with your family and kids. Check list of best places to go in the united states today!

[scottlava]

GREAT GREAT SHOWDOWNS HUNT: Day 3 (1 of 2)

1. Washington, D.C., USA - On a class trip to this important spot one day a tragedy happened. One of the students came late, but was luckily wearing his crime fighting costume.  Where was this important spot?

UPDATE: This one has been found!

2. Detroit, USA - This young woman had a problem with people slowly pursuing her. She decided to visit her two friends at their work one day to talk about her problem. Where did they film this chat?

3. Brooklyn, USA - These two foreigners move to the big city together.  Where is their apartment?

UPDATE: This one has been found!

What is happening: I will post some little paintings of characters from popular film scenes from March 9th through 16th. These paintings shall be placed into envelopes and hidden somewhere at the locations in which these scenes were filmed. This could happen in your town!

The first person to find these paintings shall keep them as a gift from me! I only ask that you post a picture of the found painting in your possession, so I can congratulate you in front of the world. Post it on twitter or instagram or email me. LET THE HUNT COMMENCE! 

GOOD LUCK!

[brain-sturgeon]

Hello . I hope you doing well . Im Ahmed Alhabil . With my Parents , wife and my 2 kids living in Ga*za . I have make this go fund me link to fund my family to evacuate from Ga*za to the safe place .

Help us so that we can continue to live and be

able to secure water, food and medicine

My line On Butterflyeffect Project Cheet Is 79👈 

Can you please help as much as you can . Press all buttons on my wall ,

And donate any amount to safe life ..

I will appreciate your help❤️

you can creat video to help us ❤️.

I beg you to visit my page, view it, and donate via the link in the bio💔

🍉Dont forget 5$ USA=55kron Norwegian 🍉

https://gofund.me/d1c51876

this is a verified campaign - #163 on the vetted gaza evacuation fundraiser list

Got a few of these asks and from looking at the accounts they seem to be legit (but as always, check for yourself) unfortunately this blog isn’t too popular so share around if you can.

Also!!! This is the new link to donate, I haven’t been on this account in some time so by the time I got to this it’s changed.

[dadsbongos]

chapter 1 - two of hearts

2.2K words

warnings - bi reader (just because i felt like it)

masterlist / next chapter

Eddie squints, fingers tightening around the plastic bag of devil’s lettuce in his palm, “You came here for what?”

Mike sighs, a hand threading through his tangled hair as he reaches out for the weed, Eddie yanking the bag back before he can snatch it. Laying his hands flat on the wooden picnic table, Mike looks up tentatively at Eddie, as if approaching a wild animal, “So.”

“Uh oh?”

“Just listen - so, the deal is that my girlfriend, Jane- “ Mike reaches up and gestures between the both of them, “You remember her, right?”

“Yeah,” Eddie nods surely, stuffing the bag of contraband into his black, metal lunchbox, “Nice girl.”

“Well, she’s got this strict dad, right?”

“Hopper?” Eddie hums, “He seems nuts.”

“He is, he’s got this rule that Jane can’t date unless her sister does,” and this is when the shoe drops - Eddie’s eyes widen, “Which is where you come in,” he watches Eddie’s expression carefully, “I wanna hire you to take out my girlfriend’s sister.”

Eddie’s response is trapped in his throat, then his head shakes - before he can even think straight, he’s waving his hand in refusal, “No. Her? No! You could not pay me to take her out.”

You’re a renowned tempestuous young woman - or as he hears muttered between his peers, a “heinous bitch”.

“What if I actually pay you?”

Eddie tilts his head, knuckles rapping against the wood bench, “Well how much?”

“Thirty per date. Upfront.”

He knows Mike can afford that with his comfortable family in their lofty, two-story house.

So Eddie punches up.

“Forty,��� and he internally rejoices when one of Mike’s hands outstretches to shake his - but instead of relenting this excitement, he asks, “What kind of stuff does she like?”

Mike blanks. That airheaded stare people get in their eyes when they have no clue what you’re saying but try to appear as though they do. Mike gets that look a lot.

“You don’t know?” Eddie’s brows raise, he grins and blows air through puckered lips, “You’re a terrible brother-in-law, Michael.”

“She’s the older one! It’s her job to get to know me.”

“Bad excuse.”

“Whatever,” Mike rolls his eyes and pushes himself up from the table, swinging a leg over the bench, “Thanks,” before he can wander too far, he pauses, “Actually, there’s this club - The Sunset - she goes Wednesdays and Saturdays.”

“And tomorrow is Saturday,” Eddie blurts.

Mike hums, over-exaggerated and nothing except sarcastic, “Tomorrow is Saturday - so have fun at The Sunset, Munson!”

The Sunset is a popular spot just outside Hawkins - particularly favored by women in outfits from Molly Ringwald’s closet and kind hearts from a Miss USA interviewer’s daydream. Definitely not the first place people would search for Eddie “the freak” Munson if he were a wanted criminal.

But forty bucks is forty bucks.

So Eddie “the freak” Munson drags a hand over his face and groans, loud and tired, “Sounds like a date.”

From the outside, The Sunrise is an average bar. Few and far windows, plain paint with a red neon sign plastered across the top half of the building. Another neon sign, royal purple, animates itself to spell ‘OPEN’ glass tube letter by glass tube letter.

Based on the inside, Eddie can tell that men typically don’t visit these parts. If he were to speak plainly, he thinks men - specifically, the men that visit bars - are usually insufferable. It’s in the rose pink, rose painting-speckled, peachy-lit hallway that he comes to completely realize this. Even with the same cheesy checkerboard tiled floors, The Sunset with all its shifting lamps and bulbs that paint its women in oranges, pinks, purples, and blues - is far more aesthetically pleasing than The Hideout. But The Hideout has always been safer for metalheads.

And judging by the beloved Stacey Q’s Two of Hearts that he can hear all the way from the hallway, this place is not so tender to his particular breed of outcast. It’s more loving to your brand - the brand that dances with Barb Holland and Robin Buckley under princess pink lights. He decides to linger by the bar’s white counter that, aside from a couple of copper rings, is nearly sparkling clean.

When your throat suddenly cinches and your skin beats a little hotter between soft dresses and softer skin in the crowd, you lean into Barb and raise your voice for her to hear, “I need water!”

“Get me one too?”

Robin perks up and despite your suspicion of her not knowing what you’re talking about, pitches in, “Me too!”

And despite the rolling of your eyes, you nod and meander to the bar.

As you wait, a voice crawls over the back of your neck, “Woah, fancy seeing you here.”

It's one you recognize damn near instantly, not that you’d ever let him know that. So when three bottles of water are in your hands and the bartender is paid, you quirk a brow at the Eddie Munson, “Do I know you?”

“Eddie,” he sticks out a hand, smile glittering like cartoon pearls in the dim lights, “Eddie Munson.”

You don’t take his hand - part by choice and part by how full your own are - but you do say your name back, “What’re you doing here of all places?”

His hand falls against the counter when you make no move to shake it, “Oh, you know, just heard this was the spot to be.”

Taking a peek at the thin Slayer shirt sagging off his sinewy arms, you turn him around by the jean-vest shoulder and trace the DIO patch in the center of his back. He almost jumps at the feather trace that sparks through his spine. It’s bizarre. Spinning him back around, you grin - snarky and critical and all disbelieving, “Yeah, this sure is your spot.”

Through shifting crowds and bumping elbows and shoulders, you still manage to catch how Barb and Robin stare at you so bewildered and wide-eyed. You pay Eddie no mind - you don’t even look back. So Eddie resigns himself to a sigh before leaning across the counter to a woman with inky black coils and ‘NIA’ printed across the top corner of her uniform top.

“Is there a phone I can use?”

She jerks her head to a bubblegum phone on the wall, “Press ‘1’ before dialing.”

Eddie forgets to press ‘1’ and so calling his woodland princess friend takes two tries.

“Cunningham residence - Chrissy speaking.”

“Chris! It’s Eddie, I need a favor,” his back straightens, and he leans against the black sparkly wall, “Is there a party you know about that the general population doesn’t yet?”

He can hear the gears in her head click as she hums, “Stacey Bennett is planning something for this weekend, why?”

“I need something to bring Hopper’s daughter to,” and slams the phone onto the candy pink hook.

Diana Ross’ I’m Coming Out falls down over the floor and the lighting shifts a little more blue and purple. His back sinks into the wall and that’s how he realizes it's foam - that’s also how he comes back to how utterly wrecked a foam wall would be in The Hideout. The lobby and outside hallways would be stained, too.

He finds your eyes through the crowd and can’t yet determine what his fascination with the dark lights reflecting off your skin means. He shoots you a wink. You shout into Robin’s ear before squishing through the people - a plastic water bottle crinkled in your fist.

With narrowed eyes, you ask, “You stalking me?”

“No, but there’s a party at Stacey Bennett’s this weekend,” he leans closer so the both of you can hear each other, “I’d just about die to take you.”

“What’s your sudden obsession, Munson?” you eye him from head to toe warily.

With folded arms, he shrugs, “You just look drop-dead gorgeous tonight.”

“Only tonight?”

“Yeah, usually you look hideous.”

You giggle at that and he likes to imagine the good sum his guardian angel just rolled for that to happen. Nudging Eddie in the ribs, you squeeze the plastic bottle closer to your chest, “This really isn’t your scene, Eddie. You might wanna scram.”

“I will,” he untucks his arms just to put up his hands as if they’re tied at the wrist, “but you should definitely come to the party with me.”

Mimicking a slice against his bound hands, you nod, “You can take me, if you agree to drive Robin and Barb too.”

The rush of success almost makes him hop and heel-click right in front of you, “Gladly.”

By the time you return to Diana Ross’ now fading song, Barb leans into you as Eddie did - but this feels less exciting than when Eddie did it, “What was that about?”

Cyndi Lauper’s I’ll Kiss You consumes the dance floor and Robin snickers in that cute way to make you question why people don’t flock to her as they do to Chrissy Cunningham. She punches you on the arm, “Looked like true love or something.”

“No talking about boys at The Sunrise,” you’re surprised they even let Eddie’s ass in, “But we’re going to a party this weekend, so plan something nice to wear.”

Mr. Kennedy is an English teacher from a John Hughes movie and as much as you appreciate his grounded teaching style with students - he also has bizarre ideas for final exams.

“You’ll be making a yearbook with the partner I’ve written on this slip of paper - your yearbook will have to show how your relationship has changed from now until the end of the year and how you’ve gotten to know your partner.”

A slip of folded paper is dropped on your desk with a scitter and you peel the folds apart to see a chicken scratched Eddie Munson. You raise a hand as the boy jingles over with his chain loop and dented lunchbox. Mr. Kennedy pauses mid-stroll down the aisle of desks on your left and sighs.

“Yes, Ms. Opinion on Everything?”

At that, you deflate, body wilting entirely, “I don’t have an opinion on everything.”

“Yes?”

Eddie never really noticed how Mr. Kennedy would speak to people besides himself, but when he sees you try and perk up despite his annoyance - it’s like his eleventh-grade hallucigenia-induced ego death all over again.

“Is there a page limit for the yearbook?”

Mr. Kennedy nods curtly, in the blunt way that usually got people to giggle until it was aimed at them, “Maximum six pages - full offense, I don’t feel like reading a hundred essays.”

That’s when you turn to face Eddie, brows raised and arms folded across the desk, “Dickhead, am I right?”

“Precisely what I was thinking.”

You were the one to pitch a section structure. Hobbies and interests. Favorite things. Academics and extracurriculars. And the future. Eddie could hardly say what exactly he liked about your plan but he knew it was good - something about the categorized neatness. The way he could peek at how your brain would operate.

“Wow,” he leans on one hand while you’re already jotting ideas for your yearbook, “you’re so smart and you don’t have a boyfriend yet?”

Automatically, as if he’d flipped a simple light switch, you’re groaning and drenched in sarcastic giddy, “Noooo, nobody’s even asked me out yet.”

“Now, I find that hard to believe,” he should be writing what he knows about you - Robin and Barb and the colors pink, blue, and purple - but he’s too busy trying to have you admit he’s something akin to a date.

“Well, you better get to believing it because there’s nobody in my court,” just as you’re pulling back and he’s decided to get at least some work done, you sigh, “Well…”

Eddie shoots straight, bats his eyelashes and leans forward, “‘Well’? Pray tell.”

Shaking your head, there’s a small smile on your lips - something Eddie has to search for, “Some super suave sucker asked me to Stacey Bennett’s party.”

He bats your arm like you’re lifelong friends, “That’s exciting!”

As if he isn’t talking himself up.

“Mhm,” you finally put down your pencil, both hands souped in your lap as you look into Eddie’s baby cow eyes. You find them bizarrely cute. That makes you sick, “But I’m really unsure because even though we’ve technically known each other for years, he’s only just now expressing interest,” he presses his mouth thinly and it's a crime to hide those plump lips, “It’s weird.”

“I dunno,” he drums his fingertips against the desk, “The sucker seems like a nice guy.”

But his tummy twists in knots because he knows you absolutely have a reason to be suspicious. All the same, though, you shrug and he watches a couple bricks fall out of your wall.

“Yeah… maybe.”

You two return to your yearbooks after that. Walls a little shakier than before as you jot down things you know Eddie is ostracized for and adding small oddities you’ve noticed. Metal, D&D, chains and a black bandana, pushy nature, and a strangely comforting aura. Eddie clicks his pen a few dozen times before putting down a bulleted list that looks nothing like your categorized paper.

Robin, Barb, the colors pink, blue, and purple; and a good intuition.

He wishes he had more - but he’s never claimed to be the most observant guy in the room. Briefly, he considers asking Mike if that’s something you look for in a partner.

[t3a-tan]

56 for whichever OC(s) you think fits best

From this!

56). "If you ever compare them to vermin again, I'll beat the shit outta you!"

Angst and fearplay in this one— you have been warned.

---

Oscar liked Freddie. He was a bit of a dick, pompous, a bit bratty— but he was loyal, and Oscar was loyal in return. They had fights every now and then but ultimately the two could settle down and back each other up when it counted.

Freddie grew up in a rich household. His parents had split up when he was young, but he was still the darling child of both. His father was an extremely wealthy man, and his mother had a popular set of exercise DVDs that brought in extra money, not to mention a fitness brand.

He was originally from the USA like his father, but he and his mother moved to England when he was four years old, because she wanted to experience the royalty of English life.

Whatever the hell that meant.

Oscar had the opposite upbringing. His parents stayed together when they really shouldn't have, and eventually his father was arrested for domestic abuse and never came back home after; only sending money through the post. His mother was a gambling addict who kicked Oscar out when he was sixteen because he reminded her of his father too much. She called, but she wouldn't ever help him out.

To be fair, she never had money left to help him out in the first place.

During that time Freddie's mum let him stay in their house and, since he was such a close friend of Freddie's, they paid for Oscar to have a small place to stay once he was 18, so long as he paid the bills.

Oscar was very thankful to his friend's family— without them he'd have probably ended up on the streets.

And despite that all… he knew it would be a disaster if Freddie met Sammy.

He would text Freddie about Sammy often, but he never mentioned her size in any of those messages, or her trauma (it wasn't really his to tell). Freddie started out at first being a womaniser, praising Oscar and telling him to 'get it in quick before she loses interest', to which Oscar always responded: 'fuck off you prick'.

Eventually though, he realised how much Oscar genuinely really liked her, and encouraged him to voice his feelings. He got excited whenever Oscar told him about any cute moments that had happened, and was really happy to see his friend actually caring this much about someone.

That was all great. What wasn't great was Freddie making a surprise visit to his house after Oscar had mentioned he was hanging out with Sammy that same day.

"So? Where is she?" The blonde asked as he barged in, despite Oscar very specifically telling him to get out.

Luckily he had heard Freddie's obnoxiously loud car coming and so Sammy had time to hide— but not enough time to actually get into the walls. Oscar was worried for her and simultaneously embarrassed to have Freddie possibly expose his feelings for Sammy.

Sure, he could tell that Sammy was reciprocating in many ways, but he could also see that she was hesitant. She needed time. A lot of it. And he would respect that— in fact, Oscar was very specifically avoiding mentioning his feelings directly because he knew how much she hated being put on the spot.

"She just left, now go..!" Oscar insisted. He didn't want to force his closest friend out of the door so he was instead trying to stay in front of Freddie, keeping in mind where Sammy was hidden behind a picture frame just a few feet away.

"That's some bullshit, mate. If she just left you wouldn't be this pressed over me visiting." Freddie pointed out, unfaltering as he once again pushed past Oscar, chortling like he wasn't being a complete ass at that moment. To Freddie he was just being mischievous, but Oscar just felt cold at the thought of Sammy being seen.

He hated seeing her so scared…

"Watch out—" Oscar noticed a second too late that Freddie was just about to trip over the coffee table as the blonde stepped backwards.

Just as he began to fall back, Freddie turned himself, grabbing onto a nearby shelf to restore his balance. The shelf shook, knocking off the picture frame his hand had just barely managed to knock in his hasty correction.

Freddie caught it quickly, an apology on the top of his tongue until he noticed there was a tiny…thing on the shelf. It was right next to his hand— he had been very close to squishing the little thing entirely.

Before he could even really comprehend what he was looking at, Oscar butted in.

"Shit! Sammy, are you okay?" He knelt beside the shelf for some reason, hands in his lap as he spoke to the tiny thing.

Wait.

"You're Sammy!?" Freddie exclaimed, shocked. Before Oscar could stop him his hands descended upon the minuscule girl, grabbing her up into both hands, pinning her tiny limbs with his comparatively large fingers. He brought her close to his face, mouth agape with wonder.

"Don't hurt her..!" Oscar spoke urgently, immediately back on his feet and hovering anxiously. He would intervene, but if he grabbed Sammy back then she could get hurt— or fall… and die. Freddie hardly heard him.

"Well, I can't say she's my type… I didn't know you were into the whole helpless kink thingy Osc." Freddie joked, watching with amusement as the tiny creature squirmed in his grip. "She's like a little mouse…"

Oscar flushed red, with both embarrassment and anger at the insinuation.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! Can't you see she's scared?? Put her down…!" He demanded more harshly this time, taking a step towards Freddie only for the other boy to turn away in response, provoking a frightened yell from Sammy. Oscar's heart was racing— he couldn't even imagine how hers must be in this moment.

"I'm only messing, mate~ She's so small. Like a little bug… God, you could snap her so easily. Is that why her arm's all fake and shit?" Freddie hummed, brushing a thumb over the prosthetic curiously. He chuckled. "I have to admit though, the appeal is growing on me…"

"Freddie if you don't put her down right now I swear—"

"Having a little pet mouse all to myself…" Freddie realised he was going a bit too far in that moment, and he moved to put the tiny girl down finally. What he failed to realise though was that Oscar was not just a bit annoyed.

He was pissed.

The moment Freddie opened his hands and let the girl tumble back out onto the shelf, he was sent sprawling onto the ground after Oscar punched him straight across the face. Freddie sat there in shock for a few moments. He knew Oscar didn't always like his sense of humour but he was never this angry.

Now though the red-haired boy was standing above him, positively fuming.

"If you ever compare her to vermin again, I'll beat the shit outta you!" He shouted. Oscar really didn't care about loyalty to Freddie right then— not when he saw how callously and cruelly his best friend was treating Sammy, just because she was smaller than him.

"Wh— I was kidding..! I didn't even hurt her!" Freddie couldn't help but get defensive, pushing himself to his feet and puffing out his chest as he stood his ground. Oscar was blowing things way out of proportion, clearly…

Well, he thought so until he heard a weird choking sound.

He and Oscar both looked towards the source of the noise at the same time.

Freddie froze up when he saw the girl was curled up on the counter, tears streaming down her face and gripping her arms so tightly that he could see her nails starting to draw blood. Her eyes were wide and terror-stricken, rocking herself back and forth, choking on her own breaths in between shuddering sobs.

"He touched me, he touched me, he touched me— H-he touched me… no no no…" She sobbed, practically hysterical, shaking and crying and fuck.

I did that.

Freddie wasn't used to people actually getting upset at his jokes— and if they did get upset then usually there were other people egging him on to continue. Freddie wasn't a malicious person, but he was naive in terms of understanding how much his words could affect others.

He didn't know what to do. Other girls whenever he would make harsh jokes like that would banter right back at him, not break down in tears. So he stood there… helpless.

Oscar quickly knelt down near the shelf again, his hands at the edge of it but keeping them out of sight for Sammy to avoid scaring her further. His expression looked scared, worried for her, his anger put on the back burner as he focused solely on the tiny borrower in front of him.

"Hey shh shh shh… You're alright, I'm here, okay? It's me, Oscar. You're here with me and you're safe. I won't let anyone touch you. I promise..." He assured softly, trying his best to coax her out of the panic attack she was stuck in.

Sammy remained a trembling mess; sobbing and hyperventilating for a while longer as Oscar slowly helped her calm down. Freddie watched with a mixture of guilt, shock, and shame.

Once the girl was able to think and speak more coherently she climbed into Oscar's hands, huddling up against his fingers as she continued to shake and hiccup. Oscar cradled her to his chest, before turning a harsh glare in Freddie's direction. The blonde took a step back, intimidated.

"Osc, I didn't mean to scare her that bad— I really didn't..!" He defended himself, hands raised in surrender. Freddie had never seen someone so viscerally upset by his jokes before, and it had spooked him quite a bit. Not to mention he had never seen Oscar properly angry before.

"Then what the hell was all that about?? That was cruel and you know it, Freddie. You have no idea about all the shit she's been through..!" Oscar responded, a growl in his tone though he didn't raise his voice to avoid startling Sammy into another panic attack.

"Well, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't know she would freak the fuck out— how was I supposed to know?" Freddie couldn't help but get a bit defensive again, though he did glance guiltily down at the tiny girl curled up within Oscar's hands.

Oscar usually might take the time to explain why his friend was being ignorant right now… But this time, he just wanted Freddie to leave.

"Get out. If I keep looking at your face right now I'm gonna end up punching it again…" Oscar gestured towards the door, his glare making it very clear that he wasn't just making an empty threat.

As much as Freddie wanted to defend his intentions, he recognized that he was only going to make things worse by sticking around. He looked down at Sammy again.

"I uh… I really am sorry, by the way. In hindsight I went too far." He apologised, though based on how she only made a small whimpering sound and curled up tighter into herself, he doubted she was really listening. Oscar curled his fingers inwards to hide her from Freddie's vision.

"Out." He ordered once more, and this time Freddie listened, leaving the house as if he was the true victim in all of this. Oscar relaxed as soon as the door was shut, his entire demeanour softening as he looked down at Sammy with a concerned gaze.

He let out a sigh, holding her against his chest, feeling how she leaned against him with what little weight she had. Oscar would never take for granted the trust she was giving him at this moment. He closed his eyes.

"I'll protect you…"

[pummoosun]

On today fun fact about Poland, here's some examples of historical polish houses, from an Facebook group about poland

Just like the person in the post is saying, those are just few examples! But it's really fun to just share with others what traditional things from your country/region are, especially when your country or region is "not pupular" by masses to look into or visit or even google about

Lets be real, even places that are popular by tourism or in popular medias such as television, books or movies- such as england, france or USA, are not represented to the max with actual details for specific regions and their people

If any age or pet regressors, or flips, or dreamers, or caregivers or anybody alike wants to add to this with some examples of traditional fun facts from your own country/region, you are welcome to reblog and talk/show about any traditional/folk stuff you want! Its super fun to share with each other such things! Its a good way of learning things in fun way too!

[eretzyisrael]

No Jews attended opening of renovated Ben Ezra synagogue

A  restoration project undertaken in 2022 by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities culminated in a grand opening with Egyptian dignitaries of Cairo’s Ben Ezra Synagogue – site of the Cairo Geniza –   at the end of August 2023. There were no Jews in attendance for the opening: Egypt is more interested in encouraging tourism than in restoring cultural ties with the Egyptian-Jewish diaspora. Meanwhile it bans access to historical records and has aggressively seized a Geniza discovered in 2022. Must-read by Kate Fitz Gibbon in Cultural Property News (with thanks: Boruch)

Interior of the Ben Ezra synagogue: the Cairo Geniza was discovered in the attic

The Ben Ezra Synagogue is located in Fustat, in Old Cairo. Originally founded in the 9th century CE, it is considered the oldest synagogue in Cairo. The current building dates mostly to the 1890s; the synagogue has been partially destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries. The synagogue has been restored more than once and has served as a tourist destination in Cairo for years. Visits are expected to increase after the current rehabilitation of the synagogue.

Since the number of Jews remaining in Egypt can now be counted on one hand, the Sisi government’s focus is exclusively on promoting foreign tourism, not on restoring cultural ties with the Egyptian Jewish diaspora. Cairo’s Jewish population numbered almost 50,000 before the 1956 and 1967 wars. The forced emigration of the vast majority of Egyptian Jews in the mid-20th century left the Ben Ezra synagogue deserted and dilapidated for decades.

For its re-opening as a tourist site, the synagogue has been cleaned, its ceiling repaired and its lighting and wall decoration restored. The synagogue is not intended for worship, but to be seen as a relic of Jewish history in Egypt.

Tourist travel to Egypt underwent a significant drop in popularity after turbulence of the Arab Spring and the violent crackdowns that followed. It has still not recovered, but rather than learning from the travel industry’s dictum that “democracy promotes tourism,” the Egyptian government appears to hope that building museums and promoting new venues will distract the world from its authoritarian rule. Notwithstanding Egypt’s appalling human and civil rights abuses against political dissenters and multi-year prison sentences given to TikTok-ing teenage girls for “violating family values,” Egypt’s government has made conciliating gestures in some areas of culture. One is to encourage cooperation between Egyptian authorities and foreign Jewish heritage organizations dedicated to restoring ancient sites and cemeteries.

Egypt’s on-again off-again support for restoration of Jewish heritage in Cairo demonstrates both its government’s interest in promoting Jewish tourism to Egypt and its marked reluctance to commit to a more significant commitment to allow researchers and scholars access to the Jewish community’s historical records.

In the last decade, a number of Jewish sites have been refurbished and restored – with the approval of the Egyptian government but with much of the funding coming from the USA.  The Egyptian government not only cooperated in the restoration but also provided much of the funding for cleaning and restoring the Eliyahu Hanavi synagogue in Alexandria and most recently, the Ben Ezra synagogue in Cairo.

The newly restored Ben Ezra is known worldwide as the original holding place of the Cairo Geniza, discovered in an attic in the women’s section, the most private in the synagogue, in 1896. The term Geniza designates a repository of discarded writings. According to medieval Jewish tradition, no writing that contains the name of God should be destroyed by fire or otherwise; it should instead be put aside in a special room for perpetuity or buried in a cemetery. (…)

The refurbishment of two synagogues is a welcome move – but one tinged with bitterness when looking to the decades of past vandalism and deliberate destruction of Jewish cemeteries and places of worship. The importance of the known Geniza records to scholarship in the last 100 years also points to the depth of loss of another potential treasure trove of information when Egyptian authorities seized a newly discovered Geniza from a Jewish cemetery in 2022 – a treasure whose whereabouts remains unknown.

The story of the lost Geniza begins with how decades of neglect of Jewish synagogues and cemeteries in Egypt inspired foreign activists and historians to extraordinary efforts to retrieve and preserve what remains. Prof. Yoram Meital of Ben-Gurion University’s Middle East Studies Department has been active in helping Cairo’s Jewish community to restore cemeteries and places of worship. He has expressed appreciation for the Egyptian government’s support of restoration and cleanup of Jewish sites, saying that the government’s attitude has much improved under the Sisi regime. He told Israel’s Haaretz News Magazine that, “conserving Jewish heritage as part of Egypt’s heritage depends on the wide support of Egypt’s government and society.”

The position of the Jewish heritage workers volunteering in preservation projects in Egypt today is that in principle, Jewish items should remain in Egypt. The Egyptian government has remained rigidly tied to this position, and even Torahs are listed in an Egyptian agreement executed by the U.S. State Department that blocks imports of Torahs taken from Egypt and requires returning them to its government. Jewish and Christian ritual objects, including antique Torah scrolls, tombstones, books, Bibles and religious writings are covered under these agreements.

Meital has also said that the volunteers understand that restored synagogues could be used as public community centers, “on condition that they don’t change anything having to do with artifacts and architecture.” This perspective is controversial among Egyptian Jews in the diaspora, for whom Jewish religious objects should belong to Jewish communities and a synagogue is exclusively a place for worship and study.

Without the efforts of the Jewish volunteers and that of Egyptian supporters who share concerns for preservation, almost all Jewish religious heritage, whether synagogues or cemeteries, would be at risk of destruction through neglect or appropriation. Meital says that he and others working to restore synagogues have recovered over 1000 books from disused buildings, “strewn all over the place.” They also found a metal container in the cellar of a Cairo synagogue filled with records of the entire Ashkenazi community in Egypt. Their most important find was in a Karaite synagogue in Cairo, a manuscript of the Bible written 1,000 years ago. The project hopes to establish a library in Cairo to hold all the materials they have collected and are now documenting, but for now, the finds are being held in a “safe location.”

Meital’s main focus has been to photograph and document in detail the existing conditions, any inscriptions, architectural forms, or remaining ceremonial objects in old Jewish sites in Egypt for a comprehensive database. Meital says that there are 16 known synagogue buildings in Egypt – 13 of these are in Cairo. A number of cemeteries were deemed abandoned by surrounding communities and simply used as garbage dumps. Meital described how the Bassatine cemetery was so covered in trash that 250 truckloads of garbage were removed before tombstones could be cleared and righted, gates to tombs reinstalled, paths cleaned and restored, and graves polished. However, not all has gone smoothly with that renovation.

The renovation project at the Bassatine cemetery was originally inspired by Magda Haroun, one of handful of Egyptian Jews remaining in Cairo today and a staunch supporter of the preservation of Jewish history. The cleaning and restoration of the cemetery was approved by Egyptian authorities and paid for by American Jews and other sponsors. However, the authorities’ attitudes have not been entirely supportive.

In 2022, members of the Jewish community were working to clear the tons of old tires and rubbish from the Bassatine cemetery in Cairo when a Geniza – a buried storehouse of religious, family, and economic records – was discovered buried in the cemetery.

While the Jewish sponsors of the restoration have insisted that all finds from Jewish buildings and cemeteries will remain in Egypt, and only asked to be able to safely preserve them there, Egyptian authorities aggressively took possession of what appear to have been thousands of records in the buried Geniza.

As soon as the news of the Geniza’s discovery spread, the government’s Antiquities Authority broke through a cemetery wall and interrupted their removal by the Jewish community. The Jews present pleaded that at the least, a rabbi should oversee the dismantling of the relics of their community, but they were ignored. Government agents threw the records into 165 plastic sacks, loaded them onto trucks and took them away.

No access has been granted since. All information about when the records in this Geniza were made, their contents and the light they could shed on the historical community remains unknown. Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat, has urged the Biden administration to protest the seizure of records that rightly belong to Egypt’s Jewish community. It is not known whether the U.S. State Department has made a serious effort to reclaim these records for Egypt’s tiny remaining Jewish community – or sought greater access for the world’s scholars. The Egyptian government has also remained silent on what has been done with this lost Geniza.

Read article in full

[travelnags]

Pack your bags, put on your hiking boots, and get ready for an unforgettable adventure in the great outdoors of the USA. Whether you're exploring national parks, hiking through canyons, or immersing yourself in vibrant cities, you're sure to find exhilaration at every turn.

[timesproperty02]

Benefits of Using Dental Aligners for a Perfect Smile

Achieving a perfect smile is a common aspiration for many individuals, and dental aligners have emerged as a popular and effective solution to address this goal. Unlike traditional metal braces, dental aligners offer a discreet, comfortable, and flexible approach to orthodontic treatment. If you’re considering enhancing your smile, understanding the benefits of using dental aligners can help you make an informed decision about your treatment options.

Discreet and Comfortable

One of the most significant advantages of dental aligners is their discreet nature. Made from clear, BPA-free plastic, Alvy Dental aligners are virtually invisible when worn, making them an attractive option for those who prefer a more subtle orthodontic treatment. Unlike metal braces, which can be noticeable and uncomfortable, aligners are designed to fit snugly over your teeth, providing a comfortable and nearly invisible solution to teeth straightening.

Customization for a Perfect Fit

Dental aligners are customized to fit your unique dental structure. The treatment begins with a comprehensive examination, including digital scans or impressions of your teeth. Using this information, a precise 3D model of your mouth is created, and a series of custom aligners is developed to gradually shift your teeth into their ideal positions. This personalized approach ensures that Alvy Dental aligners are tailored specifically to your orthodontic needs, resulting in more effective and efficient treatment.

Convenient and Removable

One of the standout benefits of dental aligners is their convenience. Unlike traditional braces, which are fixed in place, Alvy Dental aligners are removable. This feature allows you to eat and drink without restrictions and makes maintaining oral hygiene easier. Simply remove your aligners while eating, and brush and floss your teeth as usual before reinserting them. This removability ensures that you can continue to enjoy your favorite foods and maintain a high standard of oral hygiene throughout your treatment.

Improved Oral Health

Maintaining good oral health during orthodontic treatment is crucial. Dental aligners help facilitate this by being removable, which makes it easier to clean your teeth and gums thoroughly. Traditional braces can trap food particles and plaque, making oral hygiene more challenging. With Alvy Dental aligners, you can clean your teeth and aligners more effectively, reducing the risk of cavities and gum disease.

Efficient Treatment Time

In many cases, dental aligners can provide faster results compared to traditional braces. The advanced technology used in the design and manufacturing of aligners sheets in the USA allows for precise adjustments and efficient movement of your teeth. While treatment time varies depending on individual needs, many people find that aligners offer a quicker path to achieving their desired smile.

Fewer Office Visits

Another advantage of dental aligners is the reduction in the frequency of office visits. Traditional braces often require regular adjustments and check-ups, which can be time-consuming. With Alvy dental aligners, you typically need fewer visits to the orthodontist, as the aligners are designed to be changed at home according to a pre-determined schedule. This convenience can make managing your orthodontic treatment more efficient and less disruptive to your daily life.

Predictable Results

The use of advanced 3D imaging technology in designing dental aligners allows for highly predictable results. Before you even start your treatment, you’ll have a clear view of how your teeth will shift and the final outcome of your smile. This level of predictability helps ensure that your treatment plan is tailored to meet your expectations and deliver the desired results.

Choosing dental aligners for your orthodontic needs offers numerous benefits, from their discreet appearance to their customizable fit and ease of use. With the convenience of removable aligners, improved oral health, and efficient treatment times, it’s no wonder that many individuals are opting for this modern approach to achieving a perfect smile. If you’re looking for a reliable and effective solution, consider Alvy Dental aligners and experience the advantages of a confident, beautiful smile.

At Alvy Dental, we are committed to providing high-quality dental aligners and exceptional care to help you achieve the smile you’ve always wanted. Explore our range of aligners and start your journey to a perfect smile today.

[jknerd]

DISNEY STUDIO AU: Powerline

Full Name: Kyle J. Macken

Other Names: Powerline (Stage name)

Occuaption(s): Singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer

Residence: Indiana, USA

Family: Mr. Macken (father), Mrs. Macken (mother), 8 siblings (unknown)

Relationships: George G. Goof (role model), Maxine Goof (fan)

Likes: Dancing, singing, social working, interacting with his fans/children, cartoons, Goofy’s shows/performances, Wings’ Winks/Glory B’s songs

Dislikes: Overwhelming schedules, paparazzis

Abilities/Talents: “Irreplaceable” singing and dancing, charisma, analyzing observation, 5 foreign languages

Kyle J. Macken, AKA “Powerline”, is a globally famous pop star. He is the idol/celebrity crush of Maxine Goof and majority of her peers, heavily regarded as one of the greatest musicians in genres pop, soul, R & B, rock, disco, dance-pop, techno, and so on. Other than his musical career, he engages in social works; most likely participating in social services to help the disabled and the orphans, occasionally donating as well. Currently, he is also a record producer of “Powerline Recordings”. Throughout, he has released total of 40 songs.

He was known for having his parents and 8 siblings. Being the youngest of working-class family, he was isolated and alone most of the time until he stumbled upon television channels showing the series and performances of Goofy. With Goofy as his role model and one of few that made his childhood happier, Kyle decided to pursue a career of entertainer/performer since then. Initially began as lounge/club performers, he was discovered by the recording agencies and was scouted to becoming a teen idol. His first song “GO - I’m Falling Out of Love” has become a hit, and has released more popular songs. Whenever he felt down, he would visit the broadcast channel to watch Goofy’s performances and shows, listening to songs of Wings’ Wink and its lead vocalist Glory B. At one point, he expressed his condolences when Glory B passed away. During Maxine and her friend PJ’s pre-teen years, Powerline has sang several openings and endings of popular cartoons/series as the two developed great admiration of his songs. 

In Maxine’s teen years, Powerline has released his two songs “Stand Out” and “I 2 I” that has made simultaneous hits. Maxine listened to the song and realized her crush Rox shares common admiration for Powerline. With an idea, she decided to impress him by her performance of “Stand Out” for last day of school. During the process, she analyzed Powerline’s vocal structures of songs, choreography and stage manners before self-coaching and rehearsing as her two friends PJ and Barby would set the cameras and projector for the last day of school pep rally. The result lead to Maxine become increasingly popular when she performed “Stand Out” as later, Rox complimented her performance. In addition, Stanley was holding a party where she invites many students to watch Powerline’s concert live pay-per-view on TV. Although Maxine was thinking of going to the party with Rox, she was disappointed to learn of her dad already planed a week-long trip with her and Jr, losing a chance to be with Rox. On the other hand, Powerline was informed by his manager that in his concert at Los Angeles, California, he would perform with a guest star but didn’t tell exactly who. At Saturday evening where the concert took place, Powerline performs for wide scale of audiences but was briefly in state of surprise to see Goofy joining onstage in a middle of his song “I 2 I”, finally realizing he was the guest star dancing with. In addition, Goofy’s daughter joined along in a performance. Shortly after, Maxine and Jr had a chance to meet Powerline backstage by Goofy and the said singer’s manager, surprising both when hearing him actually a great fan of their father’s performances/series. As Goofy asked for his autograph in behalf of his daughter, Powerline delightfully accepted. 

In the aftermath, Powerline watched the filmed video of Maxine’s “Stand Out” performance during the assembly uploaded in the social media, and was impressed of her singing voice and choreography. At the same time, he found her singing voice sharing uncanny resemblance with Glory B. Years later, in Maxine’s college years, it was revealed he had founded his recording company “Powerline Recordings” and has been looking for potentials with great talents. He was seen looking at Maxine’s videos of song covers and choreography with interest.

[scottlava]

GREAT GREAT SHOWDOWNS HUNT: Day 2 (part 3)

UPDATE: It has been found!

Santa Monica, USA

“This jolly fellow has an exceptional bike. He visits a bike shop to pick up a new horn that his friend has been working on for him. Where is this bike shop? “

What is happening: I will post some little paintings of characters from popular film scenes from March 9th through 16th. These paintings shall be placed into envelopes and hidden somewhere at the locations in which these scenes were filmed. This could happen in your town!

The first person to find these paintings shall keep them as a gift from me! I only ask that you post a picture of the found painting in your possession, so I can congratulate you in front of the world. Post it on twitter or instagram or email me. LET THE HUNT COMMENCE!

[thenhlteaissuperhot]

why for the love of god do all the nhl players date blondes?

I mean, ninety percent of them are not even natural blondes, they dye their hair regularly and it shows - so many of them would look several times better if they just kept their hair the way it was in the first place.

As to why, I believe that it's just several factors combined so here you have my two cents:

Every time I visited the States or just watched an old reality show, I have noticed that being blonde has been kinda a thing in the USA for a long time, especially in the upper classes - like you always see the mothers of those popular and well off kids (meaning hockey moms very much included) being blonde for some reason even though there are supposed to be only 2% of actual blonde people in the States = unlike in Europe, especially the Scandinavian countries, meaning that most of those US women have to dye their hair to be blonde and fit the image, which the hockey kids see everywhere around themselves as they grow up cause hockey is a sport for riches, let's be honest.

The players don't want to stick out from the rest, believe it or not, they really don't, especially as rookies, meaning that they go with whatever everyone else goes with = blonde girls. Their role models in the league are dating blondes and so they have too. This only creates pressure on the pond of girls who are really desperate to achieve the WAG lifestyle and so they dye their hair blonde to fit the image the players normally go for even if they may not actually like that. A vicious circle for both sides involved you can say.

And of course, there are the "blonde girls are simple-minded" stereotypes, which the guys actually believe in - when they are looking for a hookup or even a relationship, they oftentimes go for girls that are "not too difficult". They are all men at the end of the day, no matter how lovely and charming they might appear to you, they just want to get laid, they don't want to deal with anything that goes beyond that. Relationship-wise, it's pretty much the same scenario, most of those guys are going for girls that will do whatever they want them to do, girls that will be completely dependent on them, girls that aren't ambitious, seeking a career they would be successful in, let alone overshadowing them thanks to it, the girls that will be ecstatic about being the conventional stay at home mum that will cheer for their husband all the time, play dumb when they cheat on her, and will always look good when they take her out - that's everything those guys need to be so-called content with a relationship, as sad as it is when you really think about it.

[rainypebble07]

as an englishgirl what goes on in the midwest of usa??? like i swear thats just the backrooms cause aint nobody living in montana or wyoming

Actually, my aunt owns a marijuana farm in Montana, so people do live there, despite popular belief!

But other than that, yeah, it's just the backrooms. The backrooms, trees, and lots of lakes (and corn if you're in Iowa).

People are either really chill and cool or extremely insane and frightening, there's literally no in between. It's an adventure, but there's actually a lot of very pretty places if you chose to look for them, so I love it despite its... quirks.

Here's some of the beautiful things I've found in my time around the midwest, because it really is stunning, if you care enough to see it, even though it has this weird reputation.

Everything is only what you make of it. Even the dove is ugly if you chose to look at her talons. And that's my advice of the day, Mia. If you ever have the chance to visit the US, give it a try! (but go to Yellowstone and Glacier and Zion before the midwest bc those are my favorite national parks)

[colloidalamber]

This may have been covered already but do all your characters exist in the same region, or like in their own enclosed area for some of them?

oh this is a good question, i do have something in mind but ive never fulled plotted it out so thats on me! My ocs live on the east side of a continent with a coast line transit system. I have two towns in mind. theres Roarrenglave to the north thats similar to Maine in the USA climate wise, its an older tower with growing modernization and buildings, it sits on the coast and fishing is very popular. on the other end south of Roarrenglave in a roughly 14 hour train ride is New Moon Coast, its similar to Virginia Beach (im american if its not obvious) and thus is more of a tourist town and hotter. My ocs are sorta scattered between the two but Roarrenglave is the main place where characters are. im not a great world builder haha. they can visit each town fairly easily even though its a long travel time