#port Newark

[admiralgiggles]

I like the composition?

[thomasottio]

Wire on Metal Strap by Thomas Ott

Via Flickr:

Shot on my Mamiya RZ before 9/11 at the Newark Port. There was so much beautiful scrap metal and junk to shoot there until it got shut down after 9/11.

[trendynewsnow]

Newark Liberty International Airport's Ambitious Transformation Plans

Newark Liberty International Airport’s Transformation Plans Newark Liberty International Airport, a historic hub with a legacy spanning 96 years, has often been described in various ways. However, one label that has eluded it in recent times is “world class.” In fact, the airport has developed a reputation for being one of the least desirable transportation options in the United States. On…

[greenridge823]

Costa Rica Day Nine. A Early Walk In San Jose And Back Home To Northeastern Pennsylvania

I decided to sleep  in a bit on my last day in Costa Rica.  I was staying at the Holiday Inn next to the San Jose airport and my flight wasn’t until 1 p.m.  So I  didn’t set my alarm .   It wasn’t until  around 7 a.m. when I awoke. This was late for me when on vacation.  After a cup of coffee I left the hotel to explore the surrounding neighborhood.  I love exploring new cities and usually spend…

[transit-fag]

Updated best cities list with an improved and streamlined formula. AQI has been removed and the rest of the formula has been reworked

St. Paul, MN

Newark, NJ

Arlington, VA

Burlington, VT

Urbana IL

Champaign, IL

Elizabeth, NJ

Trenton, NJ

Mount Vernon, NY

Paterson, NJ

Ithaca, NY

Washington DC

Minneapolis, MN

Boulder, CO

Denver, CO

Wilmington, DE

State College, PA

Baltimore, MD

Pittsburgh, PA

Portland, OR

Jersey City, NJ

Ann Arbor, MI

Hoboken, NJ

Yonkers, NY

Eureka, CA

San Francisco, CA

Lebanon, PA

Port Townsend, WA

Boston, MA

Portland, ME

[dailyoverview]

Shipping containers at Elizabeth Marine Terminal in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The massive facility handles more than 2.3 million twenty-foot equivalent containers every year. Working with the adjacent Port Newark, it is the principal container ship facility for goods entering and leaving New York metropolitan area.

40.674111°, -74.145871°

Source imagery: Nearmap

[legobiwan]

More thoughts because I apparently need to draft an entire backstory before I can write a "drabble" (which will definitely not be a drabble), aka, more lore ideas for a show that's already been picked over with a fine-tooth comb a million times, but here we are, years late, Starbucks in hand, as the old meme goes.

At the end of the whole Weirdmaggedon fiasco, Ford makes his hilariously inept proposition for him and Stan to go sailing the Arctic (Ford's heart was in the right place, but this is not how you want to introduce the possibility of fulfilling your childhood dream to your estranged and traumatized brother of 30+ years).

Anyway, Ford's lack of social skills aside, we know the general location of where they're heading from Ford's fancy-pants watch.

Now, they have a few options to get to the Spooky in the Arctic.

Take the Panama Canal

Take the Northwest Passage

Start their trip from the East Coast

Option 1: The Panama Canal, aka, a legitimate, if unlikely idea

While private vessels can cross the canal, it looks like the cost of doing so runs about $2500, maybe not an issue for the Pines twins by the end of the show, but in addition to this, crossing the Canal requires 4 linemen, who Stan and Ford would have to hire. My instinct says they wouldn't be so interested in this, at first. Maybe Ford's fixation on the Arctic was just an excuse, but given his canonical enthusiasm, I doubt he would want to deviate too far from that course. Likely the Stan twins come back later do the Canal, on their way back to Oregon. Maybe.

Option 2: The Northwest Passage, aka Death

A route through the Arctic has been the dream of many an explorer for centuries. In recent times, mostly due to global warming, the Northwest Passage has become a sliver of a option to get from West to East. Territorial and political disputes aside, it's still a wildly unsafe option, and one I imagine Ford would love to give a go at, considering all the lore surrounding the Franklin Expedition. Stan, however, would vote this down immediately. He'd like for him and his brother to live to see sixty. And not resort to cannibalism. At least not immediately.

Option 3: Setting Off From Jersey, aka, You Can Go Home Again (But Not For Too Long)

Our final option is for the Pines twins to set off on their adventure from the good old East Coast. Aside from the narrative symmetry, it's also the most practical option. This leaves us with some tantalizing loose ends. Do Stan and Ford build their boat in Oregon and then haul it cross-country? (And what a trip that would be). Or would they have it shipped and meet it later? (Realistic, but boring). Or maybe they go back East and build/order/buy the boat there. And by there, I do feel like there's no other place they could go through with this idea than Jersey. Now, they can't go from the major ports (the Port Authority Ports of New York and New Jersey, which are mainly located in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Newark, and...Bayonne). But! There are a bevy of slips and marinas up and down the Jersey coastline, perfect places to build/buy/refurbish a vessel (and a relationship). A place to leave a lifetime of ill-will behind and start anew.

This makes me think about Stan and Ford, back in Jersey after all that time, probably not too far from where they grew up. It would be a wonderful setting to explore some kind of character piece (especially if they go on some of bonkers road trip to get there) and narratively, it just fits too well.

There's no real thesis to this analysis, aside from the idea that Stan and Ford likely began their journey in the exact place they ended it so long ago. As I said, narrative symmetry and all that jazz.

[scotianostra]

Newark Castle and Dooocot.

Second on my journey yesterday, Newark stands high on the coast near the old fishing port of St Monans.

Dating from the 15th century and extended in the 16th it was heightened and Dutch gables were added in the late 17th. Some parts of the castle were occupied well into the 19th century when the tower walls were cut back to provide additional living space resulting in subsequent collapse.

Recently it was considered for restoration.

Its most famous owner was Sir David Leslie, brother of Alexander, both fought in the English Civil war.

The impressive, crumbling, ruins of Newark Castle are sometimes also known as the "Castle of St Monans" andlie about half a mile southwest of the quaint villge (picsof which to come).

If visiting park at the kirk, or catch a bus from Leven and ask the driver to give you a shout at St Monans, alternatively it is part of the Fife Coastal Path. I walked from here to Anstruther on Wednesday and was lucky to get a fine sunny day for it.

The castle is reputed to be the home of the 'Green Lady', the ghost of Jean Leslie, daughter of Sir David Leslie. The caves beneath have also been used for smuggling.

The last pic is from 1867 and shows how much Newark Castle has deeterioratedn in the past 150 years or so.

I will make a return here and seek out the scant remains of another castle nearby, and a number of caves in the area.

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Thursday, August 29 - 3:30 p.m.

New York/New Jersey: Community picket at #AllWaysForwarding 701 Newark Ave, Elizabeth, NJ 07208 (2 blocks from North Elizabeth NJTransit stop, 20 mins from PennStation)

Join us for our 3rd picket as we continue to build pressure against ALL-Ways & @ZimShipping! All-Ways Forwarding is a freight forwarding company that dispatches #ZIM shipping containers. ZIM is the #ZionistEntity's largest & oldest shipping company, a strong supporter of the #genocide. ZIM directly profits from the occupation of Palestinian lands. From 1947-49, during the #Nakba, #ZIM transported settlers, military equipment & food to the newly formed zionist entity. Now it even transports agricultural products from #Egypt to Europe, while #Gaza is starved & trucks bringing food & medicine aren't allowed into #Gaza through the #Egyptian gates. Let’s stop the flow of “isr@eli” commerce by picketing #AllWays & demanding that they stop dispatching #ZIM containers weekly to & from the port in #Elizabeth, NJ!

- Port Workers & Communities for Palestine

Via PAL-Awda NY/NJ

[thelensofyashunews]

Mach-Hommy Explores Diasporic Duality on New Album #RICHAXXHAITIAN

Mach-Hommy–the acclaimed and prolific artist who keeps his government name unpublished, maintains no social media presence, and covers his face with a bandana of the Haitian flag–releases #RICHAXXHAITIAN, his first solo studio album since 2021, out now on all platforms. Released in time for Haitian Flag Day (May 18th), #RICHAXXHAITIAN channels the troubled political evolution of Haiti, as well as its rich cultural inheritance. Galvanized by the country's turbulent past, Mach-Hommy presents a beacon towards a better future.

#RICHAXXHAITIAN is the fourth album in a tetralogy of albums that examine Mach-Hommy's relationship with his homeland and provide a wide-ranging account of how its issues intersect with problems facing the world at large. While the first album in the series, H.B.O. (Haitian Body Odor), reclaimed an ugly stereotype, and his two acclaimed 2021 albums, Pray For Haiti and Balens Cho (Hot Candles), chronicled hardship and recovery, #RICHAXXHAITIAN is a small musical panacea for his homeland amidst poverty and political strife, combating the public's negative images of Haiti by focusing on the greatness and prosperity of the country's diaspora. Over the course of the album, Mach-Hommy emphasizes the country's potential, strategizing ways that his troubled homeland could become an exemplar of Black cultural and economic excellence.

#RICHAXXHAITIAN draws from a variety of musical styles, welcoming producers like Grammy-winning producer Conductor Williams, along with Multi-Grammy-winning producer KAYTRANADA, Grammy-nominated producer Quelle Chris, longtime associate Sadhu Gold, and others, to indulge their most creative impulses. The album progresses from vintage samples from the pre-rock era to futuristic electronic, jazz, and soul music, sketching a potential path for Haiti to evolve from developing nation to Afro-Futurist paradise.

Last week's single, "#RICHAXXHAITIAN," a collaboration with KAYTRANADA and L.A. legend 03 Greedo, exemplifies Mach in the latter mode, using a house-inflected instrumental and an interpolation of Afrobeat legend Odion Iruoje's "Ikebe" to provide a luxurious platform for both emcees to flex their hard-earned wealth. Focus track "COPY COLD," produced by Quelle Chris, draws from the other end of the spectrum. The song features a guest verse from Black Thought, who has long praised Mach-Hommy and called him one of his favorite emcees, as both emcees unfurl some of their densest verses to date. Originally recorded as a demo during a difficult period of Mach's life, nearly ten years ago, Mach was inspired to dust off the old tape with the hopes of collaborating with an emcee of Black Thought's caliber on the track. Over Quelle Chris's rippling piano instrumental, the two rappers beat against the current mode of label-driven rap beef, instead elevating the art of the emcee with kindred spirit collaboration.

03 Greedo and Black Thought lead a long list of collaborators that make #RICHAXXHAITIAN one of Mach-Hommy's most ambitious albums to date. Mach connects with R&B/jazz luminary HEPHZIBAH on "SONJE," an Afro-Futurist and psychedelic highlight that approaches the dissonant highs of 70s jazz fusion. Buffalo-based activist/singer/songwriter Drea D'Nur graces "POLITickle" with her luminous vocals, putting a button on a song that directly comments on how global capitalism tramples culture and fosters poverty. Mach rolls out the red carpet for Roc Marciano on the brief, but brilliant "ANTONOMASIA," as the two underground heroes trade verses over big band jazz samples and tribal drums. Mach feels right at home when rapping with frequent collaborators like Your Old Droog, Tha God Fahim, and Big Cheeko, providing a familiar anchor for longtime fans and ice cold bars for anyone who might not be familiar with their chemistry.

Born in Newark and raised in Port-Au-Prince amongst the elders of his culture, Mach-Hommy has always strongly identified with his home country's struggle, and his people's resilience. Haiti was the world's first Black republic formed as the result of a successful slave revolt. The Caribbean nation's very existence was a thumb in the nose of white supremacy, heralding the gleaming potential of Black self-government in the new world. Of course, the colonial powers could not let this stand: shortly after Haiti won independence, its former colonial overlord France levied a punitive tax, designed to cripple the young nation's economy and prevent it from growing into a power in the Caribbean. Still, despite the various man-made and natural disasters that have plagued the island nation over the centuries, the people of Haiti have grown strong, developing an influential cultural tradition and a vibrant diaspora, of which Mach-Hommy is a proud member. 

Attempting to transform our modern dystopia into a utopia using only his rhymes and force of will, Mach-Hommy invites us all, from his most loyal investors to his freshest fans, to imagine a brand new world. With #RICHAXXHAITIAN, that seemingly impossible dream creeps ever closer.

“I’ve always wanted to rep for Haiti and the cultural and intellectual richness we’ve provided the world,” Mach-Hommy says. “From our musical styles like kontradans  that have influenced world music, our natural resources which provide so much raw  material for so many important advancements in technology, our thinkers that  pioneered philosophical movements and Black pride, and our spiritual leaders who  kept the religious traditions of Guinea alive and intact, the religious traditions of Ayiti….” 

Buy #RICHAXXHATIAN on vinyl, CD, and cassette at Zotanica

[admiralgiggles]

This serves as a (blurry) reminder that the majority of my photos were actually taken in a city.

[letswrites]

C.L- Never be the same

Masterlist

Synopsis

Playlist

Chapter 1

-----------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2: airports and dirty dancing

November, 2023

Newark, New Jersey, USA.

She couldn't hate anything more than she hated airport's lounges. Why wait so much to catch a plane? Why do they always say "come 3 hours earlier to check in" if check-ins take less than 3 hours to be done? Stupid airlines. At least she had company: Lando Norris. They were in Newark, New Jersey, he was heading to the United Arab Emirates, she was too, her winter vacation was going to be hot in Dubai that year. Their meeting wasn't an accident, Lando informed her about his stopover in the city next to hers, and she, for some reason, booked her flight to that same airport. They didn't get the same plane, tho. Her flight time was an hour later than his but they had a little time together at that insignificant airport lounge."Seems someone isn't here today" his voice called her. She didn't move from the spot she was staring at "If you are alright blink once. If I must call the ambulance because you got paralyzed don't blink" she tilted her head and turned to him "if I were paralyzed how would I blink?" "Exactly" she chuckled "hey, you are socializing!" "Sorry" she sniffed, "Just wanna get into the plane and sleep like a rock" "if you want to start your adventure now..." he sat closer to her "... My shoulder is all yours" she smiled without showing her teeth, warming his heart, he loved when she was sincere. She hasn't been very sincere lately "thank you, mr. Norris" she stood up and kissed his face "I will hop into the cafeteria first. Want anything?" "what are you having?" "Iced coffee" "how do you intend to sleep if you are taking coffee?" "I am immune to caffeine" "so why drink coffee?" "Tastes good" she shrugged, he laughed "you're very complex person" "I know that" I would like a latte and a doughnut, please" "Which flavor?" "Jelly" "okay, be back in a minute”

…

"Porte quatre, porte quatre..." Pierre mumbled to himself, struggling to find the correct gate, so when he saw Lando, sitting with his headphones in his head, he felt nothing but relief "please tell me this is gate 4" the British man places his headphones on his neck and opened a bright smile "Gate 4 and driver number 4" "Enfin!" Lando chuckled "Are you good, mate?" "I am now" he placed his bag on a chair and tugged in there his passport "Is not easy to find a gate on a foreign country with a Japanese lad hanged on your hair" "Yuki?" "Yeah" "Where is he?" "What do you mean?" the French guy turned around to see his former teammate knelled on the floor, wearing a shoe he probably lost on the way "cette putain de merde..." Lando laughed to the scene of Yuki running with his bags to reach Pierre and the other standing with his hands on the hips, a feet tapping the floor quickly and repeatedly "I told you to stay close to me" "sorry, it was my shoe" "seems like you become a father" "I think so" "it was an accident!" "Why haven't I been invited to the party?" She showed up with a Starbucks cup in one hand and Lando's latte in the other with a bag between two fingers on the other "the party just started" "This is Pierre. She's Daniel's girlfriend's friend" "I thought I was your friend too!" "You are, for now" Pierre turned to her, stretching his arms to a handshake "Hi, nice to meet you" "Salut, plaisir. Comment allez-vous?" "Tu. S'il te plaît. Je suis pas mal. Et toi?" "Bien. Pourquoi t'es pas mal?" "Could be better" he came back to his bag "What happened?" "We got a bit lost" "We?" he stepped to the side "that's Yuki" he smiled like a child and stretched his hand out "nice to meet you" she shook his hand "I would say the same but you just placed your stuff where I was siting so..." he widened his eyes "oh my God! Sorry, I- I will take this out and..." "I am kidding! Is nice to meet you too" "but you were sitting here" "I can stand or sit on the floor. No big deal" "I can't let you..." "She can sit on my lap" Lando said. The trio looked at him "at least you rather sit on my lap, I think you can take the chair, Yuki" Pierre and she laughed "alright" Lando pulled her onto his lap, she giggled "Your doughnut. It only had glazed" "No problems. Thank you! Tell me how much it was so I can pay you back" "No, no. You don't have to" "Come on! I insist" "that's your problem. You don't have to pay me back" "Are you sure?" "Yeah" she could tell Lando was disturbed with that "You buy me something next time" "okay" his face muscles relieved "coffee?" "I am good, sweatheart" "okay" "Doughnut? "Sure! Glazed is my favorite flavor" "And it happened to be the only flavor left, huh?" she giggled "I swear to you" he smiled,  she wrapped her arms around his shoulders as they both carried on listening to the Alpha Tauri's and Alpine's pilots argue like a married couple while shared the doughnout.

…

Charles had his eyes off the phone for less than a second and the first thing he saw was her. She was smiling, laughing of something and the place she was sitting on didn't make him any happy. Nor her behavior with her new "chair". His gaze landed at Lando's hands: one was resting on her soft thigh and the other feeding her with a doughnut. Huh, disgusting thing. The doughnut and the scene which became even more worst when he noticed her fingers running through the McLaren's driver hair, caressing his curls as it was an ordinary thing. 

He couldn't feel less dirty: on his phone screen he had his girlfriend wishing him a good flight along with heart emojis and a warm 'I love you' and even so he was jealous of a person who didn't belong to him but he would give up of tons of things for it to be the opposite. And it got even uglier when he replied Alex with the same warm 'I love you'. Did he really mean that? The truth was he had been exchanging messages with her during the past 6 months. Without having any guts or rights to invite her to do something. He also knew Lando have been stopping by way too much in NYC which made him even more furious.

 "When did this happen?" he questioned himself "When did I become that person?" he continued, before greeting Pierre and Yuki. He knew that he must forget about it, but he couldn't  help but feel annoyed with them acting like that "where's Esteban by the way?" "He left yesterday" Pierre said, quite relieved "Oh! What about Daniel?" "I have no idea" Yuki answered focused on his videogame. She stretched herself "hey, Charles, am I invisible to you now?" "Oh, I wish" he thought "no! I was just about to greet you. Both of you, beautiful couple" he leaned and kissed her face, tapping Lando's back, friendly "we aren't a couple" she defensed herself "sure" he said with a disbelief tone "we really aren't" "I believe you guys" "she is taken already" Lando joked. Charles' heart stopped "With her job, of course" "That's true" Charles exhaled the air he was holding and said "Yeah! Me too. Not with my job, with a girl. A woman..." "we already know that..." Lando continued "yeah, just reaffirming" he talked in a rush, he sounded breathless, like he had ran a marathon, but it was only the anger taking control of his body in the same pace her nails lightly scratched Lando's nape "Charles, are you okay?" "Yeah!" he said almost shouting, out of control "I just had too much Redbull" " "Are you drinking RedBull?!" Lando asked, incredulous"yeah?! I just need to sit a bit" he placed his bag on the floor and sat down. "Hey" Yuki started "hum?" "will you be joining us in Abu Dhabi?" "Not Abu Dhabi, Dubai" "what are you doing in Dubai?" "I decided to take my ass to vacations" "so you are going on vacations and decided to spend your time with 4 guys in an airport lounge?" "I didn't ask for that" they looked at her "I mean, the lounge and waiting part, I like you guys" "why don't you join us at a night out tomorrow?" "What night out?" Lando asked "the one I am inviting you to. Pierre?" "I am there already" he said while ate his peanuts "What about the two of you?" "Well, I heard is close to Abu Dhabi" she grabbed her phone "Oh! Very close. Count on me, I'm a party animal, babe" "if she's joining, I'm in" "Charles?" "Hum… oui! Porquoi pas" Yuki looked at Pierre "Oui is yes, right?" "Yeah" "Great!".

//

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Why has he agreed with that? "Terrible idea" he looked himself in the elevator’s mirror, he could tell hundreds of reasons for not accepting. And he couldn't regret more when he saw her walking through the hotel pool, wearing a nice bubblegum-pink top tank blouse and ripped white jeans shorts and a pair of golden glittery flip flops. Her breasts were like perfect and firm pillows. No bra. Nipples were showing under the blouse. Her not too much but still toned thighs looked so squeezable and he prayed, oh he prayed, to not be seen by her. Sometimes it feels like Jesus, Buddha, Ali, Shiva, Dalai Lama, Papa, The Queen of England, Santa Claus, any sanctity, didn't exist cause the first thing she did was to direct her gaze to the bar behind him. Damn! He should have hidden. She smiled and waved, walking towards him. He smiled back and walked into her encounter as well "hey!" "Hi!" she hugged him, she smelled like vanilla ice cream and strawberry lip gloss the one he found at that club's floor in Miami. The one he would adore to taste. Directly from her lips. "you look nice" he let her go against his own wishes. He turned around showing his look, he wore a white shirt and beige shorts with a Lacoste salmon slip on shoe "thanks! You too" "Merci, monsieur" "De rien, mademoiselle" she got weak hearing him speaking French, it hurt more than anything on her core. She smiled, tho, when he offered an arm "Puis-je avoir le plaisir?" she tangled their arms "Sure!" he giggled. They walked to the bar where Pierre, Yuki and Pierre's girlfriend already were "Hey! There you are" "Where's Lando?" she asked, Charles frowned "I'm right here" he appeared from behind her and pulled her for a hug "I'll order some drinks. What do you want?" she thought "Something that tastes like Strawberry "I bet your lips does" Charles thought "Alright. Anything for you" she giggled "Can I join you, Lando?" "Sure, Char".

...

"So? Are you guys dating?" "What?! No. We told you" "Hooking up, then" "Not yet" "Lando" Charles leaned on the bar's counter "Can't you flirt with other girls?" "What?!" "There are so many girls that would like to be in your bed, can't you make them happy?" "Why can't I flirt with the girl I want?" "I don't like when you flirt" "Why not?" "I..." he cleaned his throat "I just don't like it. I know I have zero rights to say something like that but I just dislike it" Lando sighed "It's because of it that you freaked on the airport?" he nodded "Does your girlfriend knows?" "Not a single clue of her existence" "I see" "We are not doing anything but... I don't know. I don't have a clue why I asked you to not flirt with her. Just forget about it!" Lando touched his shoulder "I definetly won't stop flirting with her. At least not while you still have a girlfriend and she's out there single" That's fair" "But if you decide to flirt with her even in your condition... I won't put myself in between tha two of you" "Are you teeling me to..." NO! No, no, no. I ain't telling you to do anything. I'm telling you that I don't have a problem if we both hit on her. If we do, she's the one who should choose, you know? And if she chooses you, I can't do anything about it" Charles nodded "Okay" Lando poked the shouder he had his hand on , then turned to the bartender to grab the drinks leaving Charles with his mind poisoned by his ideas "Give me some help here, bro" "Sure"

…

 That night something happened. Something new for her: she saw a slightly drunk Charles. Maybe tipsy only. But one thing she was sure about: he was a very weak person for alcohol. "Bonsoir, madame 'je suis très ivre pour me souvenir de ton nom'. Comment allez-vous?" "I'm excited, mr. Lord Percival. And you?" he giggled "Moi, j'étais perdu, mais j'ai vous trouvé. Le feu dans ma noirceur" she giggled "You're too sweet" "And you are excited, hein? Why?" "I love a night out every now and then! Don't you love it?" "Ouais... De temps en temps" he stared at nothing. She smiled, he looked so cute when he got lost inside his own head "revenons à la drague..." she gasped "what?!" "Puis-je m'asseoir ici?" "That's your chair, Charles" "Sure... In this case, I'll sit here" she giggled "Ok" "Would you like a drink?" "Already have mine" she lifted her glass "Thanks anyway" "Je vous en prie" he lifted his own drink, sipping it "donc... Avez-vous quelqu'un dans votre vie?" She grinned "I don't. My job only. And you already know that" "Can you please play my game!?... S'il vous plaît?" she smiled "Ok. And you, do you have someone in your life?" "Oui. J'suis pris déjà" "So you can't flirt with me" "But I ain't sure if I'm happy in this relationship" her smile faded away, she frozen and her hands got cold "Anyway, do you have a girlfriend?" He nodded "So you don't flirt with me!" "Ok, ok. Je te drague plus" she sipped her drink "You said you are not sure, huh?" "Eh... I'm but from time to time I don't. We both spend so long apart... Well, that's complicated" "I see" "Anyhow... Would you like to dance?" "Yeah! Let's go" he gave a big sip on his drink "Alright, let's go!". At the dance floor, Charles couldn't be more lost "I never danced reggeaton before" "It's very easy. I teach you" she paused to think "You just have to move your hips like Shakira" she showed him "And rub your body on your dance partner's body" "Like that?" "Yes" he slightly rubbed his hips on her ass, she closed her eyes, feeling her legs shaking "What about now?" "Place your hands on my belly" he did "Like this?" "Exactly. And now we move" they did "Et voilà! We are dancing latin music" "That's nice. You're a good teacher".

...

They danced for 20 minutes "It was funny!" "That's true but I'm very tired. Might call it a night" "okay" he said disappointened. After saying goodbye to Pierre, Kika and Yuki she called herself an Uber "That's sad I can't say goodbye to Lando" "I deliver your message if I find him" "Thanks. You're an angel" but Charles was anything but an angel, he knew exactly where Lando was and made very sure that she wouldn't find him"Voulez-vous que je attends votre voiture avec vous?" she giggled "What?" "You" "Qu'est-ce qu'il y a?" "When you're drunk, you speak french. Formally" "I... I am not that drunk anymore. The dance made me feel better" she smiled "I would love if you waited with me" "Good" They had a silent ride till the hotel lobby. A true walk of the shame. "Sorry for flirting with you" "It's okay. You were just kidding, it's fine" "Yes, but..." she stopped in front of a glass door and he approched her "I wish it wasn't" she blushed "Char, I..." the tension between them could be cut with a knife "I've gotta go. Thanks for the night, have a good rest of it" she leaned up and kissed his cheek "wait" he held her arm. He felt guilty and she felt cheap. What was the worst? He hitting on her? Or she almost bending to it? "I..." "Charles, no" "Please... I'm sorry. So so sorry" "you have nothing to be sorry for" "I do have. I'm taken, I was drunk, had hit on you... I shouldn't have. I'm really sorry" "/ should be the one apologizing. You have a girlfriend, I knew that from the beginning. I don't know what happened, I would never dance like that with someone already taken" he locked his gaze on hers "but danced with me" "yeah..." She looked away "that's exactly why I'm so ashamed of myself". He reflected for a few seconds "Fine. We're both ashamed, both sorry, I accept your apologies, do you accept mine?" "Of course..." he exhaled "that's good" "But..." "Oh, no, no, no. No buts" "We should stay away from each other" "No..." "Yes. I ain't going to be in between your relationship, Charles" he looked to his feet "Charles..." "Hum?" "You know I care about you" "I care about you too. That's exactly why we shouldn't distance from each other" "it's exactly why we should" he sighed "I don't agree with that. I will text you as soon I land in Monaco" "who said I will reply?" he smirked "You will, I know you will. Tu peux pas résister à moi" she blushed "well, I..." He smiled "just keep an eye on your phone" he winked at her "bye, Charles” "Bye…” he waved at her before she opened the door and left. He wanted to walk out the door but his girlfriend's face kept him from doing that. Instead, he tucked his hands in his shorts pockets and made his way back to the elevator, pressing the button without being sure of anything but where he was going to spend the rest of the night: at the bar.

[mariacallous]

Within five miles of Kim Gaddy’s home in the South Ward of Newark, New Jersey, lies the nation’s third-busiest shipping port, 13th-busiest airport, and roughly a half-dozen major roadways. All told, transportation experts say, the area where Gaddy and her neighbors live sees an average of roughly 20,000 truck trips each day.

Researchers cite the exhaust produced by all of that road travel as a major reason why asthma rates among Newark residents is about twice the national average.

“You hear of Newark every time somebody gets killed, it’s a homicide, but asthma is the silent killer—and that is a real health injustice,” said Gaddy, 60, who founded the South Ward Environmental Alliance, a local climate change advocacy group. “You know, asthma, heart attacks, respiratory illnesses—these are the things that harm our community.”

The South Ward is hardly an outlier. A new report by the American Lung Association shows how polluted air continues to place the health of millions of other Americans in jeopardy.

The lung association’s latest “State of the Air” report—an annual survey of air quality nationwide—found that more than a third of all Americans, or about 131 million people, are living in communities with unhealthy levels of air pollution.

The report also found that from 2020 to 2022 the nation experienced more days with air quality that would be classified by the association as hazardous than at any other time over the past quarter century.

While acknowledging the efficacy of a series of clean-air measures that have been enacted over the past 50 years, officials with the association said that the report also underscored how the warming planet continues to worsen levels of unhealthy air.

“We have seen impressive progress in cleaning up air pollution over the last 25 years, thanks in large part to the Clean Air Act,” said Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the association, in a statement. “However, when we started this report, our team never imagined that 25 years in the future more than 130 million people would still be breathing unhealthy air. Climate change is causing more dangerous air pollution. Every day there are unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution means that someone—a child, grandparent, uncle, or mother—struggles to breathe. We must do more to ensure everyone has clean air.”

The association’s report measured three types of air pollution: short-term particle pollution, such as the smoke and other particles from wildfires and other brief air-quality changes; year-round particle pollution, such as concentrated pollution from industrial plants, vehicles, and other sources; and ozone pollution.

Wildfires are making things worse and creating more short-term spikes in air pollution, said Laura Kate Bender, a national vice president at the association.

“That’s not the only source of particulate matter air pollution, but when it comes to what’s different, wildfire smoke is really the big driver of those spikes in particles that we’re seeing in these places,” said Bender. “And it’s the driver of those days on which it is very unhealthy or hazardous to breathe where we’re hitting this purple and maroon levels, which we’ve seen more of this year than ever in the history of the report.”

She added: “That is why we’re able to say that we’re really seeing the impacts of climate change showing up in this year’s report results.”

The report found that 12 percent of Americans live in areas that received failing grades for all three types of pollution. The data also showed that people of color are more than twice as likely than their white counterparts to live in communities with poor air quality in all of those measures.

For Gaddy, who is African American, the report’s findings confirm what she and her neighbors in Newark’s predominantly Black South Ward have experienced for years. Gaddy and her three children were all diagnosed with asthma; her eldest child died of a heart attack in 2021 at the age of 32.

“It’s just the cumulative impacts of pollution is what is harming us,” Gaddy said. “And so, unfortunately, that’s what happens in our city.”

The New York/Newark metropolitan area has 1.8 million adults with asthma and 370,000 children with the disease, according to the report.

Researchers are hopeful that a series of new auto emissions standards that were announced last month by the Biden administration might significantly reduce some forms of particle pollution.

Under the newly proposed standard, by 2032, 56 percent of all new vehicles that are sold should be electric; the proposal also calls for increases in plug-in hybrid vehicles or other partially electric cars and more efficient gasoline-powered cars.

“We’ve seen the Environmental Protection Agency finalize a number of new standards to clean up the air pollution and address climate change, with more on the way,” said Bender.

“We’ve seen the tighter particulate matter standard. We’ve seen strong measures to reduce emissions from future cars and future trucks. We’ve seen measures to reduce methane and volatile organic compounds from the oil and gas industry,” she said. “And we’re calling on the administration to get across the finish line to more items on their to-do list.”

Bender said that the association hopes that the EPA will update the national ozone standard, which has not been revised since 2015.

“Sometimes people don’t realize that poor air can affect them pretty drastically,” said Amit “Bobby” Mahajan, a national spokesperson for the Lung Association. “We know that there are asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes, but we also see increases in preterm birth, cognitive impairment, and development of lung cancers in individuals who have high exposure to ozone and particle pollution.

“So not only is it important just to provide clean air, but providing clean air minimizes the number of exposures we have to these serious diseases and honestly reduces our risk of having deadly underlying conditions,” said Mahajan, who also serves as the director of interventional pulmonology at Inova Health System in Northern Virginia.

Gaddy said that she’s confident that federal officials will soon act on the recommendations of researchers and other experts to help alleviate the asthma crisis in her city.

“We know that eventually, our communities will be healed and restored to the level that they should be,” added Gaddy. “And that just because of our zip code or the color of our skin, our communities won’t continue to be these sacrifice zones.”

[night-for-night]

clouds over port newark - yashica mg-1 & expired 400 speed color film - developed at eliz digital & scanned with minolta dimage dual iii

[foodies-channel]

🍥 Bacon cheeseburger from food truck in Port Newark New jersey usa

🍔YouTube || 🍟Reddit

[mistresskayla-blog1]

Tooth First Into Her

Characters: Ray Levine x OC werewolf Jesula Paul

Lyn's Writing Event - Challenge Days - Day 30 (late submission)

May 30th: Challenge Days: Chupacabra

Characters:  Ray Levine x OC Haitian Fem werewolf – Jesula Paul

Fandom: Richard Armitage – Ray Levine – Stay Close

The character of Ray Levine was created by Harlan Coben

The character of Jesula Paul was created by Kayla B Crowe

Word Count: 1.9k (P1)

Warnings: werewolf, shapeshifting, potential smut, chupacabra, blood thirst, full moon, goat death,

Location: Haiti, Caribbean (Insulated fantasy timeline)

The Chupacabra legend dates back to the 1980s when they were started to be seen in Puerto Rico, but many accounts from the local’s date earlier, as well as farther reaching. All through the Caribbean and even as far south as Chile, and as far north as Maine. The legend states that sightings of a dog like creature that fed off the goats, draining them of their blood like a vampire.  Ray caught a whiff of this legend, and like many other expeditions he had been on, post Callie, he wanted to see this thing for himself.  He booked a flight and headed for a sighting a message board said was “fresh” and “hot” in Haiti. Ray knew whatever he found down in Haiti would be worth the trip.

The message board accounts talked about likelihood during a full moon, so Ray made sure he landed and stayed for the duration of that event, four days in the warmth, sun and spirit of the islands. It was mid may in Haiti, the full moon fell on the evening of the 22nd.  Ray flew in that afternoon from Newark, and about a day later he arrived in Port Au Prince, to a balmy 90 degrees, making him shed everything but a t-shirt when he got off the plane. And furthermore wish he owned more than 2 pairs of jeans. He popped into the shop and grabbed some cargo khaki shorts and kind of chortled at them, remembering the last time he wore khaki, in the desert with Simona. Glad to be out of the fray, and into something else, even if it was a wild goose chase by all accounts. Ray didn’t mind, he wanted to find the truth of the mysteries, stir up the natives and see what his lens could pick up.

Ray checked into his hotel room and dropped his stuff, looking out to the sea.  A bar sat along the edge of the beach, so he took a little walk down to it. Music was playing an island tune, the kind that made you want to pull someone onto a dance floor and hold them close. Ray looked over at a young couple, doing just that, he snapped a couple shots and smiled in kind. The girl’s young face was etched along the chest of her lover’s shirt, framed in the light of the sunset. The sky against the lapping shore was bigger than he had ever seen in New Jersey. The night fell fast and after a few beers Ray could watch the moon rise from the sea like a Goddess just missing her lover in rendezvous. He caught what he could with his lens, and then just stared out into the reflections, and listened to the waves crash against the shore.

A women came into view, she was clad in skirts, and a hair wrap, that made her head billow against the moon sitting on the water. Her shadow, an etching upon its face. Ray started snapping again, from afar. Hypnotized by her form as it trailed farther and farther down the beach, until she was just a spec against the looming darkness of the jungle. He swears he could smell her on the wind, as it came towards him. Some kind of rich, earthy scent, that mixed with the sea breeze in an heady manner. It electrified him away from the bar and down the shoreline to the water.

---

Jesula decided to take a walk on the beach that night, her hunger sated from some fresh local fare, she had found in the Port, by a little shack. It was getting late and the moon was rising. Another opportunity to test her mettle and see if she could change. She had become a loner because of her tribe’s rejection, and Jesula wanted more than anything to just know her true power, so she could go back to them. The life of a werewolf could be a lonely one, if you didn’t have your tribe to fall back on. Jesula wore her head wrapped, to conceal, as her ears started to punch through her thick black hair, when the moon rose to its place above the water. Her tail protruded from under her skirts, and started to sway with her hips as she walked.

She had the hunger that was for sure. In more ways than one, but Jesula had not been with anyone, since she was born into this awareness. The thought of laying with another werewolf terrified her, would she like it, would he lose control? She had heard stories, but what about if it was a human man? What if she changed him, then would it be easier? Could it be controlled? Too many questions and not enough answers. Jesula kept walking down the shoreline, focusing on her thoughts, and the taste of blood still in her mouth. She knew no matter what, men would taste different than goats.

---

              Ray trailed after her a little while, until he reached the edge of a rock face, and did not see her anywhere, but that scent still lingered in the rustling of the palm fronds. Hitting his senses and motivating him further. Ray walked into the jungle’s edge, in the dark, barely enough light from the resort to help him. The streetlights were further away, and as the scent drifted away, he felt himself fade as well. Ray stopped and shaking off his wanderlust, he turned around and headed back to the hotel.

---

The next morning, Ray was, as usual passed out in his clothes in his bed, face first like a teenager. He rolled over, the breeze from his room coming through the natural windows. It was already humid today, and Ray peeled himself off his sheets and stumbled into a shower of cooler water. A little shave, and a fresh shirt, shorts, and oh lord, a pair of sandals. He was looking like a tourist for sure now, he chuckled to himself. “Oh if Fester could see me now” he said aloud.

              Ray went into the hotel shop again, looking for some snacks and a map of the area, and stumbled upon a little semblance of bottles on a quaint display. He pulled one out, and read the label, “Vetiver”, he said as he read the bottle. He opened the stopper and took a whiff, yep, that was what he smelled last night on his patio. It flowed in the air as he watched the full moon rise. It was lemony, woody, and earthy with a smoky undertone, bred from the grounds, the rich earth of the region and just as potent as anything else he had imagined before stepping foot here. Just as potent as that woman on the beach last night, her siren’s call that propelled him down the shoreline to her. He hoped her ran into her again, at some point, even if its only at night. Ray paid for the map, some crisps, and the bottle, and headed down the streets towards a village called Petion-Ville.

Ray walked for about an hour, taking in the bright buildings, people and culture. His camera a flurry of clicks as life happened all around him that morning. He found an art gallery and stepped inside. The Galerie d’Art Nader, is a local gallery of artists. Ray looked around at all the fabulous local color, all the art and feeling inspired, he attempted to leave the Galerie and smelled the woman from the night before. This time he heard the lilt of a woman to the scent, and when he turned towards that sound, he saw her looking right at him. She was talking to someone else, but her sharp lavender eyes against her chocolate skin took his breath away.  She didn’t smile at him, not right away, just held his gaze. She finished talking to the other woman he assumed was the owner and stepped towards him boldly.

“Is there anything that interests you?” Jesula asked.

Ray was momentarily stunned, he looked down at his camera, and then back up to her, “Oh, um, yes, but no. I wouldn’t have a place to put it. My walls are already full, but everything here, (he looked around before his eyes landed back on her) is beautiful.”

Jesula felt the heat on her neck when he locked eyes with her again. Something about him was different. She smiled a bit, “Thank you, my friend, owns this place, she is very proud to have so many local artists here.” She pointed to his camera, “Are you an artist as well?”

Ray looked at his camera again, putting the cap back on, “Oh, yeah. Of course. But I don’t paint, that is different type of creation. I am more of a documentarian. Observing life and then capturing it”. He thrust his hand out in the traditional fashion, and she took it, softly in her own. That electric motivation surged when they touched, and both of them felt it. They both visibly twitched and then retreated their mutual hands. “My name is Ray”, Ray said, Jesula looked up at his gaze again, “I am Jesula.” Putting her hand to her chest, fumbling with an amulet around her neck.

Ray found his boldness again, and asked curiously, “Are you working here, or can we, get a coffee?” He kind of chuckled because he wasn’t sure if he was messing up a custom or anything.

Jesula nodded, “We can go get some drinks, sure, let me just let her know I’m leaving.” Jesula walked away, her skirts swooshing, he noticed then some other bells were jingling on her hips. She made music as she moved, that was very attractive to his senses as well. Jesula swished back, and Ray put his hand out to escort her out. She giggled at him, lightly amused, and led him across the streets to the café. They sat down and engaged in conversation for a while, musing at each other, and the heat grew between them as the day grew warmer around them.

Leaving nothing up to chance, Ray asked her out to dinner later in the evening. Jesula accepted and offered to meet him at the bar by the Marriott where he was staying. Ray left her at the café and went back towards his hotel, taking a taxi this time. Jesula had given him some pointers on the best way to use a taxi in Port Au Prince. He was grateful when he was dropped off efficiently and with most of his cash still in his pocket.

Ray logged into his computer when he got back to his room and checked the message boards. Sure enough, someone had been tracking him, and said, “did you see the goat deaths in the area are higher during the full moon? Maybe that’s the connection.” Ray spoke out loud to the screen, “So I’m looking for goats?” he laughed. He typed that as he said it. The message chimed back, “No, but where they have loss, you will be on the trail to catch the infamous Chupacabra.” They are known to feast on the blood of goats, its what started the legend. Fay nodded, “I’ll let you know what I find.” He logged off and closed his laptop. Ticking his hands on the desk. He looked around the room, checking the time on the bedside clock. “So now what do I do?” he said to an empty room.

Part 2…planned. dripping in soon.

Taglist:

@middleearthpixie @legolasbadass @scariusaquarius @sweetestgbye @lathalea @riepu10 @evenstaredits @amylupotter @linasofia @enchantzz

Thanks to all the great writers that supported me through this challenge and those who commented and those who liked my work.