#published 10/22/2021

[vintagelasvegas]

Little White Chapel, 1301 Las Vegas Blvd - est. 1954

Photo c. '62. Unknown photographer, Roger-Viollet collection.

The chapel was built by Arvid and Neva Barnhart in 1954 and operated by Neva’s mother Lorene King in its early years. Charolette Richards bought the chapel from the Barnharts in ‘81, expanded in the 90s, and operated the chapel until selling to Vegas Weddings in 2022.

The original chapel built in 1954 still exists with several additions on the property in the Richards years: The flower shop next door was demolished in the late 80s and replaced in ‘91 with a small office building and the “Tunnel of Love” drive-through. In the mid 90s they acquired the neighboring property at 1299 LVBS and replaced it in ‘99 with a new chapel, flower shop, and office building.

Charolette Richards proved to be a master promoter. Her drive-through earned the chapel its fame. Other efforts included “A Little Chapel in the Sky” a hot-air balloon chapel, and weddings in a hospital, on a roller coaster, at the finish line of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and in a helicopter (“Too noisy, not a bit romantic,” she said). She was dubbed “Wedding Queen of the West” by Las Vegas Woman magazine in ‘92. Richards owned the chapel until 2022, and died in 2023.

Photos of Little White Chapel

About the opening date.

The chapel has used the tagline “since ‘51” in recent years. Barnhart family states the chapel was built in 1954, a date supported by all of the earliest public records of the chapel. Whether the chapel was built from an existing house is unclear. Clark County’s Assessor record dates the chapel even later at ‘55.

Charolette Richards was ex-wife of Merle Richards who owned Little Church of the West until the 80s. Mr. and Mrs. Richards also opened Algiers’ Little Church. Mrs. Richards many interviews often blurred the details of her long history in the chapel business. Some of the reports have erroneously stated that Richards opened the chapel. In an interview with Vintage Las Vegas in 2021, she could not recall the date she bought the chapel. The Barnhart family stated the chapel was sold to Richards in ‘81.

Postcard c. 1954

c. 1950s

Kodachrome slide Jun. '62

10-inch record of Harvey and Loretta Davenport's wedding on 12/7/63. The record was mailed to the couple a month after the ceremony.

Postcard, '70s

Review-Journal, 3/30/84. Photo by Scott Henry.

Charolette Richards in her office in the Little White Wedding Chapel, 7/19/94. (Photo by Massimo Borchi/Atlantide Phototravel)

Little White's cameo in Anora (2024).

Sources: “Mary Helen Bogut, Married to Ernest Harsany Sunday.” Review Journal, 7/25/54; Clark County Assessor; interview with Hollis Thompson Barnhart and Gerri Barnhart Barker; D. Sorrentino. “Valentine’s Day very busy.” Review-Journal, 2/14/81; J. Allen. “You Bet Your Life: Vegas-Style.” Sun-Sentinel, 1/24/99; P. Arrillaga, Associated Press. “A Vegas Valentine: What’s love got to do with it?” Cape Cod Times, 2/14/2006; D. Phenix. “A whole lot of love.” 8News Now, 8/3/22.

Published 12/14/2017, Updated Mar. 3, 2025.

[usedpidemo]

4th anniversary update! (reflection, future, and other thoughts.)

Hi everyone! π here.

Can you believe how fast time has flown by? It’s been four years since I opened this account and began my blogging/writing journey. Four years. Even writing this, it’s still kinda insane to comprehend that I’ve been this chronically online for so long. Normally, whenever I have a hyperfixation or interest, it tends to be strong for a few weeks, hell up to a year maximum, before it ultimately flames out—but not writing and specifically this blog. I may not be as active as I used to, but even during my limited down time, I always get that itch to write, and I wish I cherished and made the most of the times when I was actually free, because Lord knows how hard finishing up college is.

As is now tradition, here’s a brief timeline and log of the blog so far:

First work: Sandwich (Red Velvet Wendy) (published 05/13/21)

Number of works published: 105 (1 fic every 13.91 days)

Work with highest note count: Tell your friends (Ive Yujin x Wonyoung) (published 01/14/23, 1317 notes)

500 followers: June 18, 2021 (36 days)

1000 followers: October 12, 2021 (152 days)

2000 followers: June 18, 2022 (401 days)

3000 followers: November 12, 2022 (548 days)

4000 followers: May 22, 2023 (740 days)

5000 followers: December 18, 2023 (950 days)

6000 followers: September 10, 2024 (1216 days)

Current follower count: 6626 followers (1 new follower every 4.54 days)

It feels like I’ve written quite a lot, but at the same time not enough considering how long I’ve been doing this hobby/profession. As of writing this update/reflection, I’m smack dab in the middle of the final two weeks of college, so I do apologize there isn’t anything huge or bombastic to celebrate the milestone, but rest assured, once I finish up finals, activity will ramp up for at least a few months—from June to August. 

I can’t understate or declare my sincerest gratitude and appreciation for each and every single of you, be it reader, follower, or lurker. For giving me a chance and for all the feedback, both good and bad, it motivates me to always be better. Never in my wildest dreams would I think that I could make something out of writing, but now, it’s become a passion, and more importantly, a semi-reliable source of income on the side. So once again, thank you. 

—————

I cannot stress how bad 2024 was. Like even with a few good moments, 2024 was easily one of the toughest years of my life. So much so that the fallout continued into 2025 and even now. The family was dangerously close to falling apart, our business was tanking, and there was so much going on that every facet of our lives was put through the ringer. It was taxing for all of us—emotionally, financially, spiritually, physically. 

Five months into the new year, and the challenges never seem to stop. We’ve been forced to temporarily close our restaurant and go into a big corporate restructuring. Utilities and daily needs at times feel like a huge blow to our budget. The mall that houses our shop won’t release our assets unless we pay them an exorbitant fee despite the fact they did not provide some sort of compensation when they closed off our section because they were building a new parking area and at times, were seemingly trying to sabotage and undercut us. Everyday feels like a struggle just to get by.

However, not all hope is lost. For one, the relationship between my mother and my sister has slowly been repairing since December, and thank God. I can’t imagine how worse off we would be if there’s still this tension between the three of us. Then there’s this property that, court willing, we could turn into another form of passive income or outright sell for millions. And then there’s me. I’m currently hard at work writing up my thesis, hence the lack of activity and new fics. While I won’t have to formally defend it till December, I have to submit a proposal for my final this semester. It’s been hard. Business and research has never been my strong suit; if I had a choice, I should have gone into a creative course when I first started college, but circumstances kept that from happening. Nevertheless, graduating has been my mom’s priority for me so that I can help out in some shape or form.

So once again, I apologize for lack of activity recently. Thankfully, it’s only at least two more weeks, then we can get back to writing. But also, I’ve been trying to find a part-time job online so I can make some money on the side while waiting for the next academic year to start. Gonna be a challenge to balance so much all at once; I don’t even know if I’ll follow through on the latter.

With all that said, while this isn’t in my field of expertise, and this is something I usually keep to myself, I have been doing AI edits of K-pop idols in my free time. Edits that would probably get me booted off this site; they’re really lewd. I’ve been keeping a stash for a few months and I figure that there are people who actually pay for this stuff (wild!). So I’ve made the executive decision to add a membership that you can subscribe to, both in Ko-fi and Patreon. 

Membership on either site will give you the same benefits—from having a dedicated server/access to the aforementioned edits/pics, the ability to request an idol you wish to have an edit of, the ability to vote on membership-only polls deciding what I will write next, discounts on commissions, and previews to my upcoming works, including being able to read them days ahead of their public release. 

I would like to reiterate that none of my published fics/written work will be paywalled; this is a bit more degenerate in nature. I recommend if you’re gonna avail of the membership to subscribe to Patreon, since I don’t wanna nuke my Ko-fi account with the explicit content I might upload on it, and Patreon is seemingly more adult content friendly. Regardless, this is all optional and changes nothing otherwise, but is merely another means of showing support :). As long as it’s on any of the four sites I post on—Tumblr, AFF, AO3, and Wattpad—my work will be readily available to read. Also, this is all completely optional; support if you’re compelled to do so, but don’t feel the urgency to help. Everything will work out by itself.

As the clock winds down on another year around the Tumblr sun, I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank everyone—to the community, to my peers, to all my followers, and to you, dearest reader, for sitting through another year with me. I don’t need to beat it over your head that my personal life has been shit, but if a recent movie has reminded me of anything, it’s that we’re never alone (shoutout Bob). If I were given a chance to walk a different path or redo everything, I would go through this journey all over again—that’s how special and meaningful it has become. Most importantly, the story isn’t over yet; there’s still pages to be written, memories to be made, and a great reward that’s waiting at the finish line. 

With grace,

Peter / π

[calderacitylovers]

Zutara SlowBurn FanFiction: Personal Favs, part II

·        DESTINY IS A FUNNY THING by Megara Pike | Published: 2020-08-21 | 198K Words | 45 Chapters

ATLA Season 3 rewrite, fills in a lot of blanks between canon scenes. From the Southern Raiders to Sozin's Comet through coronation and aftermath. Growing friendships, bonding, being there for each other, a carnival & a cave, epic spirits' appearance on the Ember island, sparring, nightmares, assassination attempts, political ruses, and covert operations. Lovely, sweet. Exciting plot.

 ·        ATLA Book 4: Ashes by elayne_cypher | Published: 2018-10-27 | 306K words | 34 Chapters

This action-packed story picks up right after Ember Island Players and continues well after the war. Zuko is facing many challenges as a new Fire Lord. Romance, tough decisions, rebels, traitors, out-of-body experiences, secret headquarters, angst, teamwork, fire jets. The story has a bunch of OCs.

 ·        Refraction by caroes3725  | Published: 2020-09-09 | 215K Words | 37 Chapters

After breaking up with Aang, Katara needs to figure out her place and role in the patriarchal world. As determined Katara stubbornly bulldozes her way through Fire Nation political scene, her feelings for Zuko grow. Diplomatic visits, Gaang reunion, bonding with Kanna, insights into the life of Caldera city, stuffy politicians, cute correspondence, tropical storm, women supporting women, assassination attempts, personal boundaries. A sweet well-written coming-of-age story with a healthy measure of slow-burn and mutual pining. Katara and Zuko are both POVs, but the story mostly follows Katara. Bonus: Mai is NOT a clingy resentful idiot, but a smart person and a good friend. Some explicit language here and there, a bit of mild smut.

 ·        I Asked You First by halfhoursonearth | Published: 2020-10-03 | 142K words | 22/? Chapters

Ongoing, incomplete. Post Southern Raiders ATLAS3 rewrite. Mostly canon-compliant with blanks filled in between familiar scenes. Zuko and Katara develop a close friendship built on trust and sharing each other’s fears and hopes. Includes mentions of implied child abuse, Lu Ten’s diaries, exploring Avatar Roku’s legacy, sharing a balcony, heart-to-hearts, a hot spring under the stars, an actual date, and artbending. It’s incomplete, but what we have is bliss. Slowburn, mutual pining. Zutara-centric, but also explores the personalities of Team Avatar and their relationships.

 ·        Katara Alone by cablesscutie | Published: 2020-05-31 | 21K words

Katara is not an “unnecessary accessory to a more powerful man”. After the war, she is willing to forge her own path as she turns to people who need her the most on her journey of self-discovery. Features character exploration, correspondence, exploring outback villages of Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom, sweet reunions, and new firebending skills.

 ·        THE PHOENIX AND THE DRAGON - THE COMPLETE SERIES by JasmineTeaLatte | Published: 2021-06-11 | 100K words | 31 Chapters

This story picks up after The Ember Island Players. Zuko and Katara get to know each other during a late-night conversation by the campfire. In this story, you will find healthy boundaries, protective Sokka, a dash of Taang, sparring, funny banter & lots of flirting.

·        HESITATE by tiffaniesblews | Published: 2020-07-11 | 22K Words | 12 Chapters

This story picks up right after Zuko's coronation and spans two years afterwards. Zuko & Katara talk, share a few beautiful moments, write to each other, and reunite for the 2nd anniversary of the war ending. Very sweet, fluffy story about two sweethearts figuring out their feelings for each other.

·        LIKE WE'RE MADE OF STARLIGHT by Naladot | Published: 2021-11-28 | 5K Words

Katara leaves her post as the ambassador to the Fire Nation to take up a new one as the ambassador to the Northern Water Tribe. Her absence makes Zuko realize that he's got an unfortunate crush, which he is determined to keep secret. Unfortunately for him, subtly has never been one of his strengths—especially when he arrives in the Northern Water Tribe and she keeps taking him on what seem to be dates.

·        FIGURE IT OUT by clearascountryair | Published: 2021-12-20 | 35K words | 13 Chapters

After choosing not to kill Yon Rha, Katara rethinks her sense of self and others' perceptions of her. Or,    In which Katara learns that there’s a really big difference between being kissed when you don’t want to be and being kissed when you do. Aged-up 3B/Ember Island AU.

-  I FOUND YOU by that_turtleduck | Published: 2020-11-01 Completed: 2024-02-24 Words: 157,541 Chapters: 28/28

After divorcing Aang, Katara uproots her family and travels to Caldera. There she finds comfort, kindness and support from an old friend. Katara tries to find her footing as an independent political figure. Great story & relationship dynamic of Momtara & Dadko in their early 30s (Ember island, diplomatic meeting, dancing, turtleduck pond, letters). Delicious slow burn with rewarding spicy resolution in the end (explicit open door). Titters on the side of Anti-Aang.

Here’s a link to Part I of my personal favorites.

Here’s a link to Wholesome Zutara Short Stories.

[poisonousquinzel]

Ivy and Janet take the long way home!

is it controversial to say that i'm just kinda done with this comic? i cannot express enough how shady janet's overwhelming presence is to me now knowing how the second arc was intended to happen.

janet is gww and emma rios' original character. janet does not exist outside of gww's writing, and it feels so telling that the second it got extended she brought her original character back to create biphobic stereotypes in harley and ivy's relationship. she kisses both of them, she insults harley before doing so, yet janet gets no consequences for her actions. she calls herself a homewrecker and a femme fatale, that is not an apology or acknowledgment of her wrong doings. she is never called out by the narrative, everyone just loves her despite giving us nothing to love about her. we know jackshit about her and it's been 22 chapters since she showed up again in #8.

frankly it feels like she's replacing harley in the relationship in a comic that was repeatedly advertised as a LOVE STORY between harley and ivy originally. i dont expect harley to be a main player since she's got her own comic, but the amount that they've been kept apart and separated, the lack of genuine scenes between them even when they lived together, the ooc way harley is written post #9, janet has been inserted into that role. she's living with ivy now, lounging around half naked and being draw somewhat intimate together at times. it's beyond inappropriate considering Ivy has cheated on her girlfriend (who she is still dating!!) with Janet twice, and a third if we throw in the out of nowhere unsolicited kiss with Bella in the last chapter.

AND THEY STILL CALL HER JANET-FROM-HR SHE HASNT WORKED IN HR SINCE SHE MET IVY IN 2021! WHY THE FUCK DOES EVERYONE KEEP CALLING HER THAT

the second more chapters were approved, the love story was tainted by ivy cheating in #10 and #11, as the narrative never acts as though the kiss in #11 was unsolicited, same with the harley kiss in #14. it acts as though janet had genuine moments with them, she did not. the published work does not depict that, ivy was high and literally had the inner dialogue of "At that point, I stop resisting. The hallucinogens. The weird vibes. Janet." before they hooked up during an orgy.

and honestly, the damn nerve of gww to say in interviews that harlivy fans would be happy with their reunion knowing she was having ivy cheat with her pushy lame ass original character immediately afterwards.

"We are eventually going to get Harley on-screen and not just in flashbacks and through letters, so people who are waiting for that reunion will be very pleased."

this unsolicited kissing shit has become a concerning fucking pattern in this book at this point i can't pretend it's not. why the hell does this keep happening?

[kira-akira]

Bernie Sanders Introduces Long COVID Moonshot Legislation

This legislation "provides $1 billion in mandatory funding per year for 10 years to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support Long COVID research, the urgent pursuit of treatments, and the expansion of care for patients across the country." Announcement on Sander's twitter and the Long COVID Moonshot website.

This announcement references the number 22 million for adults affected by Long COVID in the US but that number is certainly much higher; in 2022 the CDC reported that 7.5% of US adults have Long COVID and that number can only have increased.

Here is an article published today on PBS if you need a primer or a refresher on what Long COVID is and why everyone needs to care about it. From the article:

"Long COVID is a complex chronic condition that can result in more than 200 health effects across multiple body systems. These include:

Heart disease

Neurologic problems such as cognitive impairment, strokes and dysautonomia. This is a category of disorders that affect the body’s autonomic nervous system – nerves that regulate most of the body’s vital mechanisms such as blood pressure, heart rate and temperature.

Post-exertional malaise, a state of severe exhaustion that may happen after even minor activity — often leaving the patient unable to function for hours, days or weeks

Gastrointestinal disorders

Kidney disease

Metabolic disorders such as diabetes and hyperlipidemia, or a rise in bad cholesterol

Immune dysfunction"

I know it's easy to give into despair but THERE IS HOPE for the future! For decreasing transmission of COVID-19, for developing preventatives against Long COVID, and for treating Long COVID. To highlight just a few of the possible pathways to prevention and treatment being currently researched:

The possibility of using antivirals to treat not just Long COVID but any autoimmune disease

The development of N95 masks that can sense SARS-CoV-2 in exhaled breath using a printed immunosensor

A nasal vaccine that halts transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (though does not stop the user from developing COVID-19)

A Japanese research team is looking to treat COVID-19 by using embryonic stem cells to target the virus

The possibility of using already-developed arthritis drugs to treat Long COVID respiratory symptoms

Researchers just identified a possible protein to target in treating Long COVID fatigue

This is an incredibly small collection of studies researching potential treatments but they themselves and the decades of research they are built on had to be funded. In fact, since the pandemic began, more than 24,000 scientific publications about COVID-19 have been published, making it the most researched health condition in any four years of recorded human history.

So there is hope! But all this research needs money. Money that Long COVID Moonshot will provide. And while we wait for research to bear fruit, that $1 billion per year will also be crucial in caring for those suffering from Long COVID in the meantime.

So What Can You Do?

Keep masking - We've just hit 900,000 new COVID cases per day in the US and this wave is not even at its peak yet (For reference, Fauci stated back in 2021 that getting under 10,000 cases per day would allow for mask mandates and safety measures to relax...)

Go on the Long COVID Moonshot website and write to your legislators in support (You can use their script, it only takes 1 minute!)

Keep yourselves and others informed - On the Moonshot website they also offer handy graphics and facts sheets that you can post wherever you can. Spread the word!

And if you or someone you know has Long COVID, you can write in to the Long COVID Moonshot website about your experience

And remember, no one is safe from Long COVID; your chances of developing Long COVID increase with every reinfection. Until research like what Long COVID Moonshot will fund discovers viable preventatives and treatments, the only way to not get Long COVID is to not get COVID-19 in the first place.

Stay safe, stay hopeful, support Long COVID Moonshot, and mask up!

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Wise Woman

1 The wise woman builds her house, But the woman of folly tears it down with her own hands. 2 He who walks in his uprightness fears Yahweh, But he who is devious in his ways despises Him. 3 In the mouth of the ignorant fool is a rod of lofty pride, But the lips of the wise will keep them. 4 Where no oxen are, the manger is clean, But much revenue comes by the strength of the ox. 5 A faithful witness will not lie, But a false witness breathes out lies. 6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding. 7 Leave the presence of a fool, As you have not known lips of knowledge there. 8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, But the folly of fools is deceit. 9 Ignorant fools scoff at guilt, But among the upright there is favor. 10 The heart knows its own bitterness, And a stranger does not share its gladness.

11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, But the tent of the upright will flourish. 12 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. 13 Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, And the end of joy may be grief. 14 The one who turns back in his heart will be satisfied with his ways, But a good man will be satisfied with his. 15 The simple believes everything, But the prudent one discerns his steps.

16 A wise man fears and turns away from evil, But a fool gets angry and feels secure. 17 A quick-tempered man acts in folly, And a man of evil schemes is hated. 18 The simple inherit folly, But the prudent are crowned with knowledge. 19 The evil will bow down before the good, And the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 20 The poor is hated even by his neighbor, But those who love the rich are many. 21 He who despises his neighbor sins, But how blessed is he who is gracious to the poor. 22 Will they not wander in error who devise evil? But lovingkindness and truth will be to those who devise good.

23 In all painful labor there is profit, But mere words from the lips lead only to want. 24 The crown of the wise is their riches, But the folly of fools is folly. 25 A truthful witness delivers souls, But he who breathes out lies is deceitful. 26 In the fear of Yahweh there is strong security, And his children will have refuge. 27 The fear of Yahweh is a fountain of life, To turn aside from the snares of death. 28 In a multitude of people is a king’s splendor, But in the dearth of people is a prince’s ruin. 29 He who is slow to anger has great discernment, But he who is quick-tempered raises up folly. 30 A tranquil heart is life to the body, But jealousy is rottenness to the bones. 31 He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him. 32 The wicked is thrust down by his own evil, But the righteous takes refuge even in his death. 33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, But in the midst of fools it is merely made known. 34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people. 35 The king’s favor is toward a servant who acts insightfully, But his fury is toward him who acts shamefully. — Proverbs 14 | Legacy Standard Bible (LSB) Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. Cross References: Leviticus 5:7; Ruth 4:11; 1 Samuel 2:36; 2 Samuel 19:7; Job 8:15; Job 21:25; Job 28:28; Psalm 16:11; Psalm 36:4; Psalm 41:1; Psalm 109:17; Psalm 144:14; Proverbs 1:5; Proverbs 2:15; Proverbs 10:22; Proverbs 11:30; Proverbs 12:6; Proverbs 17:4; Proverbs 19:4; Proverbs 19:23; Proverbs 23:9; Proverbs 29:11; Ecclesiastes 7:9; Isaiah 33:6; Habakkuk 3:16; Matthew 24:45; Matthew 25:40; Romans 6:21; 1 Corinthians 3:19; James 1:19; James 4:9; Revelation 1:5

Proverbs 14 Bible Commentary - Matthew Henry (complete)

[covid-safer-hotties]

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Resistance After Antiviral Treatment - Published Sept 26, 2024

Key Points Question Is there an increased frequency of SARS-CoV-2 antiviral resistance in individuals receiving antiviral therapy?

Findings In this cohort study with 156 participants, nirmatrelvir resistance mutations were detected more often in individuals who were treated with nirmatrelvir, especially those who were immunosuppressed, compared with untreated individuals. However, all mutations were present at relatively low frequencies, appeared transiently, and were unlikely contributors to instances of virologic rebound.

Meaning In this study, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 strains with resistance to nirmatrelvir after treatment was rare, irrespective of virologic rebound.

Abstract Importance Previous studies have identified mutations in SARS-CoV-2 strains that confer resistance to nirmatrelvir, yet how often this resistance arises and its association with posttreatment virologic rebound is not well understood.

Objective To examine the prevalence of emergent antiviral resistance after nirmatrelvir treatment and its association with virologic rebound.

Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study enrolled outpatient adults with acute COVID-19 infection from May 2021 to October 2023. Participants were divided into those who received antiviral therapy and those who did not. The study was conducted at a multicenter health care system in Boston, Massachusetts.

Exposure Treatment regimen, including none, nirmatrelvir, and remdesivir.

Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was emergent SARS-CoV-2 antiviral resistance, defined as the detection of antiviral resistance mutations, which were not present at baseline, were previously associated with decreased antiviral efficacy, and emerged during or after completion of a participant’s treatment. Next-generation sequencing was used to detect low frequency mutations down to 1% of the total viral population.

Results Overall, 156 participants (114 female [73.1%]; median [IQR] age, 56 [38-69] years) were included. Compared with 63 untreated individuals, the 79 who received nirmatrelvir were older and more commonly immunosuppressed. After sequencing viral RNA from participants’ anterior nasal swabs, nirmatrelvir resistance mutations were detected in 9 individuals who received nirmatrelvir (11.4%) compared with 2 of those who did not (3.2%) (P = .09). Among the individuals treated with nirmatrelvir, those who were immunosuppressed had the highest frequency of resistance emergence (5 of 22 [22.7%]), significantly greater than untreated individuals (2 of 63 [3.1%]) (P = .01). Similar rates of nirmatrelvir resistance were found in those who had virologic rebound (3 of 23 [13.0%]) vs those who did not (6 of 56 [10.7%]) (P = .86). Most of these mutations (10 of 11 [90.9%]) were detected at low frequencies (<20% of viral population) and reverted to the wild type at subsequent time points. Emerging remdesivir resistance mutations were only detected in immunosuppressed individuals (2 of 14 [14.3%]) but were similarly low frequency and transient. Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data analysis showed no evidence of increased nirmatrelvir resistance in the United States after the authorization of nirmatrelvir.

Conclusions and Relevance In this cohort study of 156 participants, treatment-emergent nirmatrelvir resistance mutations were commonly detected, especially in individuals who were immunosuppressed. However, these mutations were generally present at low frequencies and were transient in nature, suggesting a low risk for the spread of nirmatrelvir resistance in the community with the current variants and drug usage patterns.

[comfortlesshurt]

2024 Skyler Wrapped

Little 2024 update because my ass can never get enough statistics! (I enjoy the writing, but I fear my true love is math.)

Anyway, skip this post if it will bother you reading about a year of someone else's achievements! I will totally understand. Literally jerkin' myself off under the cut on this post, my dudes.

This year's new fics (in order of date first posted):

Ratings and TWs can be found at the links. Please check the TWs before reading!

09-Jun-2024: 5 Times Lance Doesn't Matter +1 Time He Finally Does (my first fic after an 18-month break!)

01-Jul-2024: Smiling 'cause you're used to it (a house that's always haunted) (first fic where I truly let myself go wild & write for my own dick & no one else)

03-Jul-2024: Chemicals, chemicals in my brain (where'd you go, where'd you go anyway?) (first time writing the fluffy part & enjoying it)

01-Aug-2024: Nowhere to call home (so I'll pack and run away) (first time completing a writing challenge on time)

10-Sep-2024: What are you wondering? (What do you know?) (I hate this one actually, but I wrote it this year so we'll just give it..... shortest fic I've written in AWHILE)

15-Sep-2024: On it, yes, indeed (on it, watch me bleed) (ugh opposite problem... I loved this one! but there's nothing really standout about it, I guess. just accept that I love it even if it doesn't have a Special Thing)

14-Oct-2024: 5 Times Keith Relies on the Blade +1 Time... (first time creating something to celebrate a fictional character's birthday. also first OCs with more than one line of dialogue, I think)

07-Dec-2024: With talk of love (as I make-pretend) (first work for a gift exchange! whole new scary experience for me!)

22-Dec-2024: Maybe this thing works out (if I'm lying too) (longest thing I have EVER written and shared. the inspiration for this thing is endless, I fear)

Stats I thought were interesting:

I wasn't actually back in fandom until June 3rd, 2024, so all the AO3 stats are based on the difference between my snapshot of that date and my snapshot on December 31st, 2024. Not a huge difference; it's just chopping out all the January through June interaction with my Spider-Man stuff that was already up since the last time I took a stats snapshot before that was 2021.

Published in 2024: 92k words, all VLD!

Written in 2024 but not yet published: 188k words, also all VLD

General new stats in 2024: 128 new work subs (we're so back), 20k new hits, 1.2k new kudos, 94 new comment threads (and i happy screamed at every single one), & 339 new bookmarks (and i crept through every single one with comments or tags attached... like a creep...)

New finished works: 7

New unfinished works: 2

Top artist for title lyrics this year: Those Who Dream at 16 unique titles (1 work title & 15 chapter titles)

Word count range for 2024 published fics: 527 (complete snippet) to 26k (WIP)

Most common additional tags: Keith-centric, POV Keith, Hurt/Comfort (these are surely surprising to you....)

Number of times I used the word 'just' in published & unpublished fics this year: 993 (0.355% of all words I wrote were this word.......)

Other milestones: first time writing someone who was Not My Blorbo and having fun with it, first time writing without it being an escape from something terrible, first shipfic, first time participating in a fandom event where there would be Consequences if I'd backed out, first explicit content posted on my main account, closest I've ever gotten to finishing NaNo* with one single project, first time c*mm*ssioning art for my fics, first time learning you have to censor the word c*mm*ssion to avoid getting scam bots in your tumblr DMs (just a huge milestone year actually)

New word count for this year technically doesn't beat my previous record of 315k in 2021, but 1) I was only employed full-time for 5 months of 2021 so I had way more free time then and 2) I didn't write a single word in 2024 before June 3rd, so 280k in 7 months of 2024 feels like a lot more than 315k in 12 months of 2021.

Also since literally no one IRL cares, some non-writing achievements I'm also proud of for 2024! Going in rough order from earliest in 2024 to latest:

Quit the most abusive job I've ever experienced

And immediately got my first job in my intended career field

Finally coded an AO3 stats tracker after 6 years of having it in the back of my mind

Grew my first ever eggplant (it was very small....)

Paid off my car

First semi-solo business proposal presented with a base price totaling more than all of the bids combined that I supported over 2 years at my last job

Made new friends I love <3

Acquired an unquenchable thirst for vld merch....

Went to my first con

And finally as of today, I'm under 89% of my original mortgage balance & on track to own this thing in half the original loan term! (praying this series of words doesn't wake up the sugar daddy bot again, he LOVES when I discuss my mortgage)

Also, some shoutouts for the year! In order of when we first met:

@zelandiangelo for being one of the few OGs I know still around and always being so nice to talk to and supportive. ;_; In case anyone's forgotten, they're the one who convinced me to write and post my first ever hurt/comfort fic and sucked me right back into fandom after I'd been clean for like... six years at that point.

For the record, there are other OGs and I'm glad to see them around! We're just not as close (but you can change that in 2025 ;) )

@hurtwithabitofcomfort for also being crazy supportive through all the fandoms I've been through. I didn't get to shout 'em out last year since I wasn't active on Tumblr then, but they're the one who kicked off me getting back into writing in 2023. I know I didn't SHARE anything from 2023, but they made me see how much I loved writing again around that time when the rest of my life kinda sucked and I was giving up on everything.

@perpetuallylatetothefandomparty for their incredibly nice comments! Deadass, I probably would've just posted my first one or two fics of this year and disappeared for another year or two if they hadn't been such a constant presence this summer, hyping up all the gen fics I was working on then.

@voltrohgodwhat for being so easy to talk to and being the kind of friend where either of us can like... disappear for a month and still be totally cool with each other. Also for sharing WIPs that still haunt me on a weekly basis because they're so unique and good ;_;

@existwound for being too intimidatingly cool for awhile but STILL hyping me up. If you've liked anything I've posted in the past three months or so, you've probably got Astra to blame for brainstorming it with me, letting me ramble about it, giving me fresh ideas when I'm stuck on something, or hyping it up.

@langst for always yapping to me about Klance and ALSO hyping up my WIPs and letting me ramble about ideas. Also special shoutout to El because she got me back into writing sprints and that is the source of a LOT of this recent word count. There is something so special about getting to stomp people's asses as you write.......

I'm not gonna harass all the writers I like who aren't like... people I talk to regularly, but even though this has been a VERY light reading year for me, there's a whole little list of VLD writers who I read over and over and like... instantly got motivation to write on my own fics afterward. If you've been in any of my 2024 fic rec lists, it's you... you are my motivation....

(Also, I am OLD and don't have my incredible teenage memory anymore, so if you see me add someone to the shoutouts later, no you didn't and I'm SORRY for not remembering in the first place.)

And final thing! Goals for 2025!

500k written in 2025: Just a little above my daily average in 2024 when you account for the 5 months I wasn't writing this year. The goal is to keep up the pace I've had since June 2024, but extend it through the full 12 months of 2025. Might be a bit of a reach but hey, I'll be happy to get anywhere near 500k in a year, so it works!

Start posting In Love and Death by the end of 2025: I'm running SO behind on where I thought I'd be with this project when I started, but there is no excuse for this to not be close enough to finished to start posting by the end of next year. Mark my words.......

Continue posting work I love: I fell out of habitually writing the last time because I was writing based on what I thought other people wanted to read and holy shit, it is so much easier to write what I want to read. So I'm gonna keep doing that in 2025. In 2024 we moved between gen whump, semi-shippy whump, and shippy non-whump, and I enjoyed them all because that was what I felt like writing at the time. I'll slide between them all as I feel like it again in 2025.

Prioritize my mental health online: I've mostly gotten through it fine, but every burst of bad mental health that affected my writing this year was a direct result of continuing to follow people who are just plain assholes and ruining my mood for no good reason when I'm trying to enjoy scrolling my dash. In 2025, I'll be reminding myself more often that no one is talented enough to make up for being a dick, and I will be more brutal with the unfollow and block buttons for anyone who's making my fandom experience worse.

[encantober-official]

#encantober

Encantober is an Encanto fandom event with themes for each day of the month of October (link to theme list in a copy/pasteable format Here), inspired by the concept of Inktober. Encantober is open to any and all content, including art, drabbles, one-shots, and more.

Fanworks can be shared via the #Encantober tag on tumblr and/or posted as part of the AO3 collection HERE.

Rules:

Works must be a part of the Encanto (2021) fandom. OCs, AUs, and crossovers are permitted.

Works must adhere to one of the Encantober themes.

Series of Encantober works are welcome.

No incest.

QA:

Q: Can I link prompts together? Or multiple prompts into one work? A: Linking works together to create a story series is a wonderfully creative idea! However, combining multiple prompts into one work defeats the purpose of the daily prompt challenge. Each work (or chapter in a series) should focus on one prompt.

Q: Do I have to participate every day? A: You do not have to participate every day. This is meant to be fun, so please don’t stress yourself out. 

Q: Do I need to publish my work on the specific day listed? A: No. We ask that you not publish before the specific day you're filling, but we will reblog late entries.

Q: Why aren’t my posts being reblogged? A: Either you posted it out of order (we will reblog late prompts, but not early ones!), forgot to tag #Encantober, or the admin team just missed it! We’re doing the best we can across timezones <3 

Browse:

Use the links below to find the works for each prompt in our archive!

1 Sunset, 2 Siblings, 3 Reunion, 4 Mystery, 5 Cold, 6 Heart, 7 Storm, 8 Question, 9 Time, 10 Help, 11 Liminal, 12 Nerves, 13 Fear, 14 Safety, 15 Midnight, 16 Grief, 17 Home, 18 Sleep, 19 Clock, 20 Vision, 21 Age, 22 Reflection, 23 Roots, 24 Memory, 25 Quiet, 26 Lost, 27 Grave, 28 Moon, 29 Mask, 30 Blood, 31 Sunrise

[shirasuphoto]

Work

★Award

2025

フジフイルム スクエア・東京ミッドタウン「“PHOTO IS”想いをつなぐ。あなたが主役な写真展 2025」（富士フイルム）

2024

「東武スペーシアX 運行開始1周年記念『東武スペーシア Ｘ のある風景』フォトコンテスト」（東武百貨店　池袋店）

2023

「地方民鉄フォトコンテスト2022　みんてつ賞」（日本民営鉄道協会）

2022

フジフイルム スクエア・東京ミッドタウン「“PHOTO IS”想いをつなぐ。あなたが主役な写真展 2022」（富士フイルム）

「#よこかな×#海まちさんぽ Instagram投稿キャンペーン」入賞（横浜市金沢区）

2021

フジフイルム スクエア・東京ミッドタウン「“PHOTO IS”想いをつなぐ。50000人の写真展」（富士フイルム）

2020

河口湖美術館「第21回富士山写真大賞　番外編」

2019

東京都美術館「第23回総合写真展　入選」（公益財団法人 国際文化カレッジ）

世田谷線カレンダー「世田谷線写真コンテスト」（NPO法人まちこらぼ）

鉄道博物館「“PHOTO IS”想いをつなぐ。50000人の写真展」（富士フイルム）

フジフイルム スクエア・東京ミッドタウン「“PHOTO IS”想いをつなぐ。50000人の写真展」（富士フイルム）

新宿ヒルトピア アートスクエア「1000人の写真展「わたしのこの一枚」」（東京写真月間2019実行委員会）

2018

東京都美術館「第22回総合写真展　優秀賞」（公益財団法人 国際文化カレッジ）

鉄道博物館「“PHOTO IS”想いをつなぐ。50000人の写真展」（富士フイルム）

相鉄湘南台駅「相鉄20000系デビュー記念写真展」（相模鉄道株式会社）

Circle name:復刻館 -Fukkokukan-

★ Made books

2025

2024

2023

★Joining event(*Doujinshi event)

*Doujinshi - self-published books

2025

11/23（日）　文学フリマ東京41（申請中）

9/21（日）　TAMAコミ第11回（申請中）

8/23（土）　ZINEフェス写真

8/17（日）　コミックマー��ット106　シ-60b

6/7（土）　ZINE FEST TOKYO　5階 B21

6/1（日）　 COMITIA151（落選）

5/11（日）　文学フリマ東京40　R-19（南1-2ホール）

4/27（日）　おもしろ同人誌バザール九段下　ホール34

4/11（金）～5/11（水）　おもバザハンズ横浜

4/5（土）　 ZINE FEST TOKYO

3/23（日）　TAMAコミ10

3/15（土）　旅チケット10　旅224　

2/16（日）　COMITIA151　O08b

2024

12/30（月）  コミックマーケット105　ハ-19b

12/29（日）　おもしろ同人誌バザール大崎・冬

12/1（日）　文学フリマ東京39　I-63

11/17（日）  COMITIA150　ち11b

11/3（日）　おもしろ同人誌バザール　も-38

8/18（日）　COMITIA149　け15b

8/12（月）　コミックマーケット104　ノ27a

8/11（日）　おもしろ同人誌バザール大崎（スパンキーエリア）

5/26（日）　COMITIA148　Q30b

4/28（日）　COMIC1☆24　K42b

3/3（日）　 サンシャインクリエイション　F18b

2023

12/31（日）　コミックマーケット103　ア23a

12/3（日）　COMITIA146　E52a

8/13（日）　コミックマーケット102　Y28B

★Donation for library

横浜市立図書館

My Train No.1 京急1000形

My Train No.2 横浜

東急8500系

東急8500系　2020系がいない日常

国会図書館

HOMMAGE No.5 山手線

My Train No.1 京急1000形

My Train No.2 横浜

My Train No.3 上越線

My Train No.4 地方私鉄

My Train No.5 乗って楽しい 鉄道の旅

My Train No.6 201系

My Train No.7 西武

My Train No.8 関東大手私鉄有料特急

東急8500系

東急8500系　2020系がいない日常

東急8500系 サークルKの終焉

東急8500系 さよなら いつもの電車

★Can buy

メロンブックス　／　フロマージュブックス

★Link

About(2024.10) Post:10.10 2024

[bananaofswifts]

Taylor Swift’s third re-recorded album, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), has earned over 575,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first four days of release (July 7-10), according to initial reports to Luminate — marking the biggest week for any album in 2023. Of that sum, album sales comprise over 400,000 copies – the largest sales week for an album this year, too.

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is a re-recorded version of Swift’s 2010 No. 1 Billboard 200 studio album Speak Now. The 22-track re-recorded edition includes new recordings of the original album’s 14 standard tracks, along with bonus cuts and previously unreleased “From the Vault” recordings. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) follows Swift’s re-recorded Red and Fearless albums, released in 2021. Both debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

If Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) debuts at No. 1 on the July 22-dated Billboard 200 chart (which reflects the tracking week ending July 13), Swift’s count of No. 1 albums will rise to 12, surpassing Barbra Streisand (with 11 leaders) for the most No. 1 albums among female artists. Swift would also tie Drake for the third-most No. 1s among all acts, with only The Beatles (19) and Jay-Z (14) ahead of them. (The Billboard 200 began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in March 1956.) The top 10 of the July 22-dated Billboard 200 chart is scheduled to be announced on Sunday, July 16.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

2023’s previous largest week, by equivalent album units earned, was tallied by Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time, which launched with 501,000 units in the week ending March 9, as reflected on the Billboard 200 chart dated March 18. The year’s largest sales week was held by the debut frame of Stray Kids’ 5-STAR with 235,000 copies sold in the week ending June 8, as reflected on the June 17-dated charts.

Sales: With over 400,000 sold in only four days, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) already has the largest sales week for any album since Swift’s own last studio album, Midnights, debuted with 1.14 million copies sold last year (week ending Oct. 27, 2022; as reflected on the Nov. 5-dated Billboard charts).

Vinyl sales comprise over half of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’s sales – as the three-LP set has sold over 225,000 copies on wax. The latter marks the second-largest sales week for a vinyl album in the modern era (since Luminate began electronically tracking sales in 1991). It is second only to the first week of Midnights’ vinyl LP, with 575,000 sold in its opening frame. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is available in three color variants on vinyl – orchid marbled, violet marbled and a Target-exclusive lilac marbled color.

The remainder of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) sales is comprised of CDs, digital album download purchases and cassette tape sales.

Streaming: The collected 22 songs on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) generated more than 200 million on-demand official streams in the U.S. July 7-10, according to Luminate. The most-streamed tune on the album, by audio on-demand official streams, is the “from the vault” cut “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version),” with over 13 million on-demand official audio streams in those four tracking days.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

NASA’s Perseverance Rover to Begin Long Climb Up Martian Crater Rim

Aug. 14, 2024

After 2½ years exploring Jezero Crater’s floor and river delta, the rover will ascend to an area where it will search for more discoveries that could rewrite Mars’ history.

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover will soon begin a monthslong ascent up the western rim of Jezero Crater that is likely to include some of the steepest and most challenging terrain the rover has encountered to date. Scheduled to start the week of Aug. 19, the climb will mark the kickoff of the mission’s new science campaign — its fifth since the rover landed in the crater on Feb. 18, 2021.

“Perseverance has completed four science campaigns, collected 22 rock cores, and traveled over 18 unpaved miles,” said Perseverance project manager Art Thompson of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “As we start the Crater Rim Campaign, our rover is in excellent condition, and the team is raring to see what’s on the roof of this place.”

Two of the priority regions the science team wants to study at the top of the crater are nicknamed “Pico Turquino” and “Witch Hazel Hill.” Imagery from NASA’s Mars orbiters indicates that Pico Turquino contains ancient fractures that may have been caused by hydrothermal activity in the distant past.

Orbital views of Witch Hazel show layered materials that likely date from a time when Mars had a very different climate than today. Those views have revealed light-toned bedrock similar to what was found at “Bright Angel,” the area where Perseverance recently discovered and sampled the “Cheyava Falls” rock, which exhibits chemical signatures and structures that could possibly have been formed by life billions of years ago when the area contained running water.

It's Sedimentary

During the river delta exploration phase of the mission, the rover collected the only sedimentary rock ever sampled from a planet other than Earth. Sedimentary rocks are important because they form when particles of various sizes are transported by water and deposited into a standing body of water; on Earth, liquid water is one of the most important requirements for life as we know it.

A study published Wednesday, Aug. 14, in AGU Advances chronicles the 10 rock cores gathered from sedimentary rocks in an ancient Martian delta, a fan-shaped collection of rocks and sediment that formed billions of years ago at the convergence of a river and a crater lake.

The core samples collected at the fan front are the oldest, whereas the rocks cored at the fan top are likely the youngest, produced when flowing water deposited sediment in the western fan.

“Among these rock cores are likely the oldest materials sampled from any known environment that was potentially habitable,” said Tanja Bosak, a geobiologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge and member of Perseverance’s science team. “When we bring them back to Earth, they can tell us so much about when, why, and for how long Mars contained liquid water and whether some organic, prebiotic, and potentially even biological evolution may have taken place on that planet.”

Onward to the Crater Rim

As scientifically intriguing as the samples have been so far, the mission expects many more discoveries to come.

“Our samples are already an incredibly scientifically compelling collection, but the crater rim promises to provide even more samples that will have significant implications for our understanding of Martian geologic history,” said Eleni Ravanis, a University of Hawaiì at Mānoa scientist on Perseverance’s Mastcam-Z instrument team and one of the Crater Rim Campaign science leads. “This is because we expect to investigate rocks from the most ancient crust of Mars. These rocks formed from a wealth of different processes, and some represent potentially habitable ancient environments that have never been examined up close before.”

Reaching the top of the crater won’t be easy. To get there, Perseverance will rely on its auto-navigation capabilities as it follows a route that rover planners designed to minimize hazards while still giving the science team plenty to investigate. Encountering slopes of up to 23 degrees on the journey (rover drivers avoid terrain that would tilt Perseverance more than 30 degrees), the rover will have gained about 1,000 feet (300 meters) in elevation by the time it summits the crater’s rim at a location the science team has dubbed “Aurora Park.”

Then, perched hundreds of meters above a crater floor stretching 28 miles (45 kilometers) across, Perseverance can begin the next leg of its adventure.

More Mission Information

A key objective of Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including caching samples that may contain signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, to help pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet and as the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith.

NASA’s Mars Sample Return Program, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), is designed to send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.

The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.

TOP IMAGE: This panorama shows the area NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover will climb in coming months to crest Jezero Crater’s rim. It is made up of 59 images taken by the rover’s Mastcam-Z on Aug. 4. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS

CENTRE IMAGE: One of the navigation cameras aboard NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover captured this view looking back at the “Bright Angel” area on July 30, the 1,224th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

LOWER IMAGE: This map shows the route NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover will take (in blue) as it climbs the western rim of Jezero Crater, first reaching “Dox Castle,” then investigating the “Pico Turquino” area before approaching “Witch Hazel Hill.”   Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

[thedinanshiral]

Time is an illusion

After trying to calculate an estimate for Emmrich's age, i thought "hey, why not calculate what Dragon Age year would be my birth year?" and next thing i knew i was falling down a black hole.

Unfortunately i don't have the exact source as this was said earily on during the glorious week of reveals and news and we were all so very excited i forgot to take notes then but i remember it was first said the time skip to The Veilguard was of 9 years since Trespasser. Then it was said to be 10 years since Trespasser. And yesterday someone asked Weekes on his socials and he replied he thought they'd said the year was 9:52 but we'll have to wait until someone releases an "official answer".

Well, here is my non-official answer: the year is Harvestmere 9:53 Dragon. But most of the game should occur during 9:54. How did i reach that conclusion? A mix of in-game and IRL time estimates.

First a disclaimer: I believe Dragon Age: The Veilguard will be released in November 2024. I only have my gut feeling and DAI's 10th anniversary, and DAO's 15th anniversary to go by to claim that; this whole thing hangs on a November release.

Ok so I went back to my first point of reference which is The Flame Eternal short story from 2021 which states said story happened "thirty years ago" in 9:22 Dragon. This sets the present of Thedas at that time as 9:52 Dragon.

In Inquisition if you ally with mages, during In Hushed Whispers when asking what year is it in that demon infested future the Inquisitor is told it's "Harvestmere 9:42" and Dorian comments you've missed a whole year. This would mean Inquisition -the game- starts in Harvestmere 9:41 Dragon. Let's say the events of the game take a whole year so it ends in 9:42 Dragon. Then Trespasser makes a jump two years ahead of that, to 9:44 Dragon. This is the year we should center these calculations on. Everything up to that point, DAO, DA2, and even DAI occur asynchronously, meaning they don't happen at the same time we're playing them. That's how a 10 year difference between the Fifth Blight in DAO and Inquisition only took 5 years of ours, and how in the span of a few months of ours 2 whole years passed between DAI the Exalted Council in Trespasser. While we as players experience these events in our present time, they do not correspond to our present time, this is specially clear in DA2 when not even the events of the game happen in the present of Thedas as it's Varric telling Cassandra the story of Hawke. The game begins already letting us know this already happened, more or less as Varric narrates it.

But why should the calendar of a fictional fantasy game match with ours? Well it shouldn't necessarily, but they've set the game roughly 10 years after the previous one, and 10 years have passed IRL as well, and thats enough for me. The short story saying 9:22 was thirty years ago published in late 2021 also matches this. So after establishing that our present and Thedas' seems to be marching at the same rate now, sort of, i took a look at their calendar. Without going into much detail they have 12 months as well and the calendar in use originated in the early Tevinter Imperium, so the months have an original Tevene name used for official records and academia, and a common name used by the people; i'll be using the latter. DAI begins in Harvestmere 9:41, Harvestmere is the 10th month of the thedosian calendar but just because our times kinda match now that doesn't mean Harvestmere is equivalent to our October. It seems it's equivalent to November. The following month, Firstfall, is when thedosians celebrate Satinalia, which obviously sounds awfully much like Saturnalia, a roman festivity that took place during December. Tevinter Empirium is based on Rome, so i think taking this into consideration is enough to say Firstfall is equivalent to December but since we're here the other detail that adds to this is Harvestmere seems to be November also because DAI begins in Harvestmere, and it was released in November 2014.

Following this train of thought i looked at Trespasser's release date, September 2015. If Firstfall is our December, that'd make our September their Matrinalis, so we could estimate then that the Exalted Council takes place around Matrinalis 9:44 Dragon. The All Soul's day is celebrated at the beginning of Matrinalis, so the lack of mention of it during the Exalted Council tells me the day had already passed.

But 10 years after Trespasser IRL would be September 2025, so how do i make it make sense?

If September 2015 coincides with Matrinalis 9:44 Dragon, then September 2025 would do so with Matrinalis 9:54 Dragon, there's a 10 month difference between Sept. '25 and Nov.'24, so that'd make Nov'24 match with Harvestmere 9:53, merely 2 months away from 9:54 Dragon. Nobody's saying the time skip is exactly 10 years down to a precise date so i think just the year being 9:54 should suffice.

This little difference made me look back at the trailers and realize hey, that's not where the game begins, right? Can't be. What do you mean we immediatelt get hired by Varric and go after Solas at Level 1??? Where's the tutorials??? Is Rook always Tevinter or that's just in the case of choosing Shadow Dragons as a faction? What if Rook's faction is the Mourn Watch, what's a Watcher of Nevarra doing in a Minrathous bar fighting Venatori? What's a Veil Jumper from Arlathan Forest doing in a Minrathous bar fighting Venatori? What's a Grey Warden doing in a Minrathous bar fighting Venatori?? Who says "yeah sure let's go" when a couple of dwarves approach them at a Minrathous bar after fighting Venatori like "hey we gotta stop an elven god from taking down the Veil and destroying the world, wanna come?"?????? The cinematic trailer was just that, ilustrative, but the gameplay trailer was more intentional in everything it showed, and what it didn't show at all. We are introduced to a Rook who happens to be of the Shadow Dragons so them being in Minrathous needs no explanation, and they start at lv.1 and immediately thrown into combat with nothing resembling a tutorial ( except for some commentary edited in to present different aspects of the new system, as it's a gameplay reveal trailer).

So my guess is, yeah the game starts in Harvestmere 9:53 Dragon, and in the two months left until 9:54 Dragon maybe we're shown Rook at their home, or where their faction is, maybe establishing some relationships within said faction ( friends, family, rivals, etc) and thats' when we get a quick tutorial and some context because remember, technically one doesn't need play the previous games first to play The Veilguard. New players must have some introduction to the world of Thedas, what's what, who's who, where's where and what's at stake. So i think the two months difference is when all that -plus a trip to Minrathous if they're not already there- can be crammed into so the action truly starts in 9:54, more or less 10 years after the events of Trespasser.

Not saying i'm correct in my estimations here, and as i mentioned at the beginning all this hangs on a November release, and the time skip being of more o less 10 years. If in the end any of that turns out to be different everything i presented in this post falls like a house of cards. But hey, it was fun putting it up.

If you've read this far, thank you and congratulations, you're a very patient person.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Robert Meranto, Wilfred Reilly

Published: Jan 22, 2025

Successful policy innovations often come from the most unexpected people and places. As citizens quipped for a half century, only arch Cold Warrior Richard Nixon could open up Communist China. Today, perhaps, only some Donald Trump acolytes such as Elon Musk can make black lives matter, undoing years of bloody damage from progressive activists and indifference from everyone else. If there was ever a tempting target for the Trump administration’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), American policing and criminal justice is it, boasting whole orchards of low-hanging fruit. Success in protecting black (and all other) lives could simultaneously increase President Trump’s already substantial support among racial and ethnic minorities and free sensible Democrats from the grip of their party’s extremists.

For more than a decade — Trayvon Martin was killed in 2012, Michael Brown in 2014 — Black Lives Matter has been an untouchable sacred cow for progressive Democrats, attracting at least $10 billion in donations and goosing progressive voter turnout, per serious scholars such as Harvard’s John Della Volpe. The dominant BLM narrative paints police as an existential threat to black people. Activists even claim, falsely, that modern police evolved from antebellum patrols organized to apprehend escaped slaves. In reality, of course, such institutions as the city watch and the king’s guard date back to an era when there were walled cities and kings. Robin Hood’s great opponent was the sheriff of Nottingham, and, as Guy de la Bédoyère notes in his excellent book Praetorian, the first true lawmen were probably pensioned-off Roman legionnaires. Any paradigm that simply denies all of this essentially requires that activists smear critics as racist, contributing to the toxic state of contemporary discourse.

Moreover, progressives sympathetic to the BLM narrative, and some of the movement’s scrappers, occupy key positions in governmental and private bureaucracies, which — as we noted at a recent conference — they use to censor others. The paradigmatic example is Harvard administrators’ attempt to fire star economist Roland Fryer after he published a sophisticated article showing that, controlling for behavior, police do not disproportionately kill black people. Sociologist Musa al-Gharbi details how thousands of woke activists and bureaucrats have until recently enjoyed high salaries for and considerable emotional satisfaction from their imposing the “correct” paradigm and purging critics.

This sort of virtue-signaling seriously damaged Democrats at the polls, likely enabling Donald Trump’s decisive electoral win this past November. But has it saved black lives? Sadly, it has not, and neither have activist reforms. Nevertheless, since the BLM era began around 2014, more police have died on the job, and activists’ demonization of cops has likely contributed to this trend.

In fairness, the 2014–19 period saw a small decrease in police killings of civilians, with about 200 fewer dead. Alas, as we document in “Black Deaths: How Black Lives Matter Took Lives That Better Policing Could Save,” thousands more citizens, mostly black citizens, died during this period as homicide rates among black males spiked from 30 to 56 per 100,000. And even the era of declining police homicides — for all groups — appears to be over. As Covid-19 and the post–George Floyd anarchy contributed to a striking surge in crime, American law enforcement officers fatally shot 1,050 people in 2021, 1,097 in 2022, and 1,164 in 2023, compared with 995 in 2015.

For all our lambasting of activists and academics, city mayors and officials have hardly covered themselves in glory. The graphic murder of a single wealthy white tourist in 1991, with its implications for the travel industry, turned New York City policing around in ways that the killings of thousands of regular New Yorkers could not.

Decades later, top cops continue to protect important (and disproportionately white) people in downtown business districts and tourist spots, while throwing bones to progressives by de-policing the poorer, blacker parts of town that need protection the most, and where homicides have soared in the BLM era. One thing that police-union leaders and street activists have in common is a remarkable callousness toward poor lives, often “black lives.” That’s horrible but understandable given that high homicide rates among low-income minorities rarely get police commissioners fired or mayors voted out.

Enter the DOGE.

While supporters claim that the Department of Government Efficiency, headed up by Musk and until recently co-led by likely Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, can potentially save the U.S. hundreds of billions of dollars, smart critics note that most big federal spending today is in middle-class welfare programs such as Social Security and Medicare — the famous third-rail programs that politicos, including Trump, fear to slash. Absent such action, as National Review’s own Yuval Levin laments, “so far, the DOGE is pretty much a bunch of memes and an X account.”

With respect to Levin, he fails to see an opportunity. The reason to have smart, wealthy outsiders such as Musk onboard is that, unbound by the status quo, they can bring creativity and transparency to failing bureaucracies. Given that 87 percent of government employees are in state and local bureaucracies, there is no reason to limit the DOGE’s insights purely to the federal level of government. Though its role would be purely advisory, state and local governments that are open to unconventional ideas could greatly benefit from the DOGE’s counsel.

Regarding policing, for example, since the 1990s, the New York Police Department has transformed itself by learning how to hire better cops, fire bad cops, and use information technology to replace a costly paper-based system and position cops where crimes were most likely to occur. The results: an 80 percent reduction in police shootings of civilians and a more than 80 percent reduction in homicide, alongside a decrease in incarceration. In just a few years, New York went from being one of the nation’s most dangerous cities to one of its safest.

An agency like the DOGE could make suggestions of this kind to any governmental agency worth talking to. In the context of policing, this could look like advising departments not currently doing so to identify and incarcerate the few most serious criminals in every jurisdiction who are responsible for most crime, end the bizarre anarcho-tyranny of cities and larger entities that fund costly campaigns against such groups as clinic protesters and crosswalk desecrators while allowing theft below a certain dollar amount to go on at will, and most notably to ditch any expensive ceremonial activities unrelated to making arrests (“Throughout Pride Month, our painted cars symbolize . . .”).

If nothing else, the DOGE could intentionally become — as in some cases X/Twitter recently has — a go-to source for real data on topics that citizens fear to frankly discuss. High-dollar civic campaigns against “systemic racism and other root causes of crime,” for example, are unlikely ever to accomplish much — because “systemic racism” is not a significant causal factor for crime in 2024. In one of the most important and unremarked trends of the past 50 years, serious violent crime has increased by almost 400 percent between 1963 and 1993 — as welfare use increased and family stability dropped like a rock, but as racism steadily declined. This point should be made often and publicly.

Beyond policing, the potential scope of the DOGE is breathtaking. In our opinion, most things that large bureaucracies like government agencies and nonproductive Fortune 500 departments do are total wastes of space and time. Musk famously fired 80 percent of the staff of Twitter, and his platform runs slightly better today. That said, a very specific first goal for the DOGE should be to recommend that state and local governments cut the parasitical alphabet soup functions (BLM, DEI, CRT, ESG, SEL, NU-HR, AA) of as many public agencies as possible, at every level.

Doing that, and redirecting the focus of as many police departments as possible toward reality, would save not only billions of green dollars but also tens of thousands of black lives. Let’s go!

[ Via: https://archive.today/Fr6Qv ]

[usafphantom2]

IMAGES: USAF sends B-52 bombers to Indian Ocean base

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 03/26/2024 - 16:00 in Military, War Zones

U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortresses bombers were deployed on March 22 at the Diego Garcia Naval Support Center in the Indian Ocean.

The Bomber Task Force deployment offers the U.S. Air Force Global Attack Command a presence in the Indo-Pacific, with relatively easy access to the Middle East as well.

The B-52s fled to Diego Garcia from Barksdale Air Base, Louisiana, after a 30-hour direct flight. This is the first time that USAF announces a Bomber Task Force for Diego Garcia - a small island that is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory that serves as a fundamental base for the U.S. and UK military, which has hosted American troops since the 1970s. The B-1 landed there in 2021, and the last time a B-52 landed there was in 2020.

"This deployment aims to improve the readiness and training needed to respond to any potential crisis or challenge around the world, demonstrating the credibility of our forces to face a global security environment that is more diverse and uncertain than at any other time in recent history," the Pacific Air Forces Command (PACAF) said in a statement.

Although the island is in the area of responsibility of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the U.S. Air Force used the island in the past as a base to send bombers to the U.S. Central Command's area of operations.

This latest deployment of PACAF bombers follows in the footsteps of the B-52 of Minot Air Base, North Dakota, deployed in Guam at the end of January and operating there until March 6.

Tags: Military AviationBoeing B-52H StratofortressBTFUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air ForceWar Zones - Indo-Asia-Pacific

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Offering of Isaac

1 Now it happened after these things, that God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only one, whom you love, Isaac, and go forth to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from a distance. 5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there; and we will worship, and we will return to you.” 6 Then Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and put it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.

7 Then Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 And Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.

9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood and bound his son Isaac and put him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 And He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the boy, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only one, from Me.” 13 Then Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there was a ram after it had been caught in the thicket by its horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide, as it is said this day, “In the mount of Yahweh it will be provided.”

15 Then the angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares Yahweh, because you have done this thing and have not spared your son, your only one, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have listened to My voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and walked together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.

20 Now it happened after these things, that it was told to Abraham, saying, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz his firstborn and Buz his brother and Kemuel the father of Aram 22 and Chesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph and Bethuel.” 23 And Bethuel was the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah. — Genesis 22 | Legacy Standard Bible (LSB) Legacy Standard Bible Copyright ©2021 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. Cross References: Genesis 8:20; Genesis 11:29; Genesis 16:7; Genesis 16:10; Genesis 21:34; Genesis 23:1; Genesis 24:15; Exodus 17:15; Exodus 24:14; Joshua 8:10; Job 32:2; Matthew 1:1; Luke 1:73; John 1:29; John 3:16; John 19:17; Romans 4:13; Hebrews 11:17; James 1:12-13; James 2:21-22; Revelation 13:8

Genesis 22 - Calvin's Commentary on the Bible