#relocation companies in UK

[earthrelocationusa]

Relocating to the UK can be an exciting adventure filled with new opportunities and experiences. Whether you are moving for work, education, or personal reasons, understanding the benefits, challenges, and essential tips can make your transition smoother.

[vansandhands]

Tips for a Stress-Free House Move

Creating a Moving Checklist is the most important when planning a relocation. Obtain quotes from movers, declare and organise your home, purchase packaging supplies, measure the dimensions of the new room, plan any renovations, schedule a day off from work to move, start packing the goods you use the least, and carefully pack and mark every last item by room.

Vans and Hands offer the expertise and knowledge to help you move, from an apartment in the city to a home in the suburbs or from the calm countryside to the heart of London.

Read Top 11 Tips for Moving a House Stress-Free for a fun and stress-free move.

On the day of the relocation, make sure everything is clean and damage-free, check for damage and snap photos, and vacuum any region of the house that could be difficult to access after the furniture is set up. Moving into a new home includes using the right size boxes, weighing heavy items, leaving empty spaces, mixing items from different rooms, labelling each box with a description of its contents, taping, and unique crating.

To ensure easy packing, use a couple of pieces of tape and pack pictures in paper or bubble wrap. Packing the kitchen involves a lot of different types of items, such as dishes, cups and bowls, glasses, and shoes. Pack clothes in cardboard boxes, and suitcases, or leave them in the dresser. Storing TVs should be double-boxed or stored in a separate box with packing paper.

[thelawsofdaylight]

I'm sorry if this isn't approriate, but I don't really understand why you find Les Mis a good target for a climate protest? I get that the musical has themes that align with the protesters but like... what was the good outcome? Are there really People in that audience that don't know climate change is happening? How Will this change their mind? What action is meant to be brought on by trowing soup at paintings or disrupting a performance? Does that actually help the cause of combatting climate change at all? Does it help make people more aware, does it have an effect on the mechanisms of polluters? Isn't there anything more focused that these resources (both money and the incredible bravery and drive of the People themselves) could be better focused on. These protest feels so different from like, people chaining themselves to a private jet or the schoolchildren going up to parliaments by the thousand to demand policy chances to better their future. All of the JSO actions feels so performative, I just don't see how they are actually doing anything of even the mechanism by which they are meant to accomplish anything? Which doesn't mean that the people involved aren't great people or that the reaction of the Les Mis crowd wasn't fucked up. Just... what was even the goal?

Hey! I know it's been a while since I made that post supporting the JSO protestors but I've gotten a few asks like this in the time since (and am still getting them) so I'm responding to this as the most good-faith one in my inbox and hopefully it answers others that have been asked to me in the past couple weeks as well. Disclaimer: If I'm responding to things outside the remit of this ask, it's likely that it's because someone else sent an ask about it and I've been juggling them all in my head as I've been thinking on a response.

I think in order to answer the first part of the ask we have to tackle the second. 'What has this action achieved' only works as a comprehensive criticism if we look at it in isolation to all of JSO's other actions. What I mean by this is: JSO launched by blocking oil refineries for days on end. In the two years they've been active they've done similar actions, including but not limited to disrupting fuel distribution centres, petrol stations, interrupting fossil fuel conferences, and, most recently, trying to stop the relocation of asylum seekers to prison barges. Their actions go far beyond blocking roads and disruption of public events. I think this is important to establish as I don't know how much of a working knowledge anyone not in the UK Climate movement actually has about JSO and I think it's good we're all on the same page.

But if they do all that (effective, important) direct action, then why target Les Mis? What does a West End show have to do with fossil fuel companies and climate change? And in response to these questions I'll ask one of my own: were you aware of the fact that JSO tried to stop migrants from being deported until I mentioned it just now? A lot of these actions, the ones that actually target infrastructure and confront those directly responsible, get little to no media coverage. When news of the Les Mis action first broke out, I saw so many people on Twitter with the same reactionary takes: why target Les Mis when the Conservative Party Conference literally happened the same weekend? And that's a fair and valid point- if it wasn't for the fact that JSO were at the conference. I know this because I was there too. They had a huge bloc in the march and went on to do other actions in the city after the march had ended. The whole thing, the entire 10,000+ strong protest, got maybe 30 seconds coverage on the local news and not even a mention of JSO's presence (or of climate change in general for that matter.) JSO's previous actions directed at fossil fuel companied themselves get very little, if any, coverage compared to their big flashy sports/awards show/performance interruptions.

So yeah, some of JSOs actions are 'performative'. But I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that even performative actions have their place within the wider struggle. I understand not liking public disruption as a tactic and I understand the issues with it, but I also think it's worth reflecting on why groups like JSO use it.

Editing my draft here to report that earlier today they smashed the frame of a painting that was previously vandalised by the Suffragette movement in 1914. That's a performative action, sure, but you have to admit it makes a point. Just like the tageting of Les Mis, a play about an unjust society and the people striving to change it, makes a point about hypocrisy. It gets the media coverage. We can debate all day about the usefulness of that coverage and if chasing media headlines should be our goal in the first place... but at the end of the day, it's been proven that JSOs membership grows every time they do something like this. It gets more people to join, which means next time it comes round to blocking key infrastructure, they'll be in a stronger position to succeed.

This isn't to say don't criticise them at all! I actually think criticisms like this one are a key part of organising and, done with care, can only make our movements stronger. I have my own issues with JSO- namely, the carelessness with which arrest is actively encouraged/promoted as the only valid form of resistance- but that's a whole other conversation and one that doesn't undermine my support and solidarity for the activists who are doing those actions (and sacrificing a whole lot in the process.) I think mass direct action movements are rarely ever perfect but I also think we need to show solidarity first and foremost when people are trying to do the right thing, especially if how they're doing it is in conjunction with or as a response to other tactics.

[notwiselybuttoowell]

Outgoing special rapporteur David Boyd says ‘there’s something wrong with our brains that we can’t understand how grave this is’

The race to save the planet is being impeded by a global economy that is contingent on the exploitation of people and nature, according to the UN’s outgoing leading environment and human rights expert.

David Boyd, who served as UN special rapporteur on human rights and the environment from 2018 to April 2024, told the Guardian that states failing to take meaningful climate action and regulating polluting industries could soon face a slew of lawsuits.

Boyd said: “I started out six years ago talking about the right to a healthy environment having the capacity to bring about systemic and transformative changes. But this powerful human right is up against an even more powerful force in the global economy, a system that is absolutely based on the exploitation of people and nature. And unless we change that fundamental system, then we’re just re-shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic.”

The right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment was finally recognised as a fundamental human right by the United Nations in 2021-22. Some countries, notably the US, the world’s worst historic polluter, argue that UN resolutions are legally influential but not binding. The right to a healthy environment is also enshrined into law by 161 countries with the UK, US and Russia among notable exceptions.

Boyd, a Canadian environmental law professor, said: “Human rights come with legally enforceable obligations on the side of states, so I believe that this absolutely should be a game-changer – and that’s why states have resisted it for so long.

Boyd said: "By bringing human rights into the equation, we now have institutions, processes and courts that can say to governments this isn’t an option for you to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions and phase out fossil fuels. These are obligations which include regulating businesses, to make sure that businesses respect the climate, the environment and human rights."

Over the course of his six-year mandate, Boyd met thousands of people directly affected by rising sea levels, extreme heat, plastic waste, toxic air, and dwindling food and water supplies, while undertaking fact-finding missions to Fiji, Norway, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Portugal, Slovenia, Chile, Botswana and Maldives.

“Powerful interconnected business and political elites – the diesel mafia – are still becoming wealthy from the existing system. Dislodging this requires a huge grassroots movement using tools like human rights and public protest and every other tool in the arsenal of change-makers.”

On his first trip as special rapporteur to Fiji, Boyd met with community members from Vunidogoloa, a coastal village left uninhabitable by rising sea water, who were forced to relocate to higher ground. Last year in Botswana, he met with Indigenous people from the Kalahari desert no longer able to handle the worsening heat and water scarcity.

Over the past 30 years, the world has pinned its hopes on international treaties - particularly the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris accords – to curtail global heating. Yet they do not include mechanisms for holding states accountable to their commitments, and despite some progress, greenhouse-gas emissions have continued to rise and climate breakdown is accelerating.

It’s not just taxpayer subsidies propping up polluting industries and delaying climate action. The same multinationals are involved in negotiating – or at least influencing – climate policy, with a record number of fossil-fuel lobbyists given access to the UN Cop28 climate talks last year.

Boyd said: “There’s no place in the climate negotiations for fossil-fuel companies. There is no place in the plastic negotiations for plastic manufacturers. It just absolutely boggles my mind that anybody thinks they have a legitimate seat at the table.

“It has driven me crazy in the past six years that governments are just oblivious to history. We know that the tobacco industry lied through their teeth for decades. The lead industry did the same. The asbestos industry did the same. The plastics industry has done the same. The pesticide industry has done the same.”

In his final interview before handing over the special rapporteur mandate, Boyd said he struggles to makes sense of the world’s collective indifference to the suffering being caused by preventable environmental harms.

[snootlestheangel]

A Guide to All Things Snootles

Primarily a COD blog but it's just straight brain rot. Lotta reblogs but also some very nifty homemade stuff. I am super friendly, I promise! Feel free to send any kind of ask/dm, I'd love the interaction :D

Here's my side blog dedicated to my OG work: @snootlessimperfectworld

Snootles-made ask game

Shadow Company OCs found under "Snootles's Shadow OCs" Initial Post and Ask Reblog; Ness Dump; Flash Dump; Truck Dump; Woody Dump: Here is Art of Ness and Here is a Comic ft. Ness I FUCKING LOVE THESE ARTISTS

The SoapGaz Bromance Series: 1st Post, 2nd, 3rd

Girl!Dad Price: OG Post; Incorrect Quotes (based on a work, see WIPs further down); Random Thing; Another Girl!Dad thing

Things for To Love, To Let Go: Post One, Some Things, Worldbuilding

Sleeptalking!Soap: The Reblog; The Ask

Gaz Has A Twin SIster: Proof, Further Evidence

Soap is Lightning, change my mind

Random YouTuber AU ft. GazAlex: AO3 Link, OG Post, Next Post, First Drabble;

My Posted WIPs:

Silence is Golden But Consequences are Red ;a SoapGhost fic; alternate universe; angst; slow-burn; features the SoapGaz bromance

Of Earthly Things ; SoapGhost fic, Cryptid!Ghost, Cryptid Hunters 141 AU; Cryptids, monsters, witches, demons: anything you heard fairytales of or anything warned about by the elders are very much real. Very real and very much a part of everyday life.The 141 is a small, private group composed of researchers and other cryptid enthusiasts that specialize in monitoring the inhuman populations around the UK. They offer their knowledge and resources to assist those dealing with issues regarding those that aren��t human. It isn’t uncommon for the 141 to help get rid of a goblin infestation, or relocate a fae circle to one of the designated areas. And life is pretty normal for the small team. At least, it is that way before the new hire. Something about him just doesn’t seem to be quite human…

Guardian of Mercy and Men : A Price x f!OC; Price encounters an old friend of his that he had fallen in love with all those years ago; some angst and fluff as they navigate their feelings for each other when she is assigned to the 141 as a combat medic.

To Love, To Let Go : Self-indulgent fic where, after an apocalyptic event in the US, Price meets a kid named Bailey Gray who has lost everything since The Incident. Together, with the help of Nik and the 141, they learn how to love new and let go of others.

Unending Devotion ; Dad!Price fic; he's a girl dad; NikPrice; Gaz is best big brother; daughter is animal hybrid; some angst, some fluff, and everything in between; about to feature a Graves hero arc

His Wounded Cry ; Wolfshifter!Ghost fic; SoapGhost; technically slow-burn?; Ghost gets a family again; just Ghost being loved like he deserves, okay? Here's the worldbuilding post

Dead City ; Left4Dead AU with Task Force 141 trying to survive the apocalypse. Has SoapGhost, some angst, some fluff, lots of cheesy jokes/references to Left4Dead, and Gaz being the unluckiest mf-er to ever exist

Break For Your Heart ; a GhostSoap Prison Break AU ft. Unhinged!Soap and Is Weird to Cope!Ghost; found under the tag "break for your heart" or "prison break au" or "it's unhinged!soap time"; ao3 link

Cheers to the Unknown ; Monster AU featuring Just A Dude!Ghost; random posts made here; most likely won't be full, coherent story, just ramblings all tagged under "cheers to the unknown" Here is the initial post that started this and here is the follow-up worldbuilding post

Random Short Works

It Means I Love You SoapGhost short; catshifter!Ghost

Artemis to His Apollo Gaz has a twin sister short fic

What Am I? SoapGhost angst short; comfort?

COD Boys Play A Board Game: exactly what it sounds like

Thistle A very painful short fic I did that has MCD but I used it as coping for losing a loved one

Screaming Into The Void A short SoapGhost angst fic set in an apocalyptic world

[promptsforyourwhumpfic]

WT #5: "It's Broken"

Summary: Spy AU. r/AITA post from a throwaway account asking if they're the asshole for accidentally torturing their best friend.

WC: 1363

Am I the asshole for torturing my best friend, despite him not knowing it was me? [UPDATED] + Poll

Throwaway account for obvious reasons. 

So I work for a… company with enemies. Lots of enemies. And my job is to make sure those who come prying, don’t get off easy when they get a little too nosey. Seven of these enemies come in the form of branded assassins, and they’ve been on our asses for a while. I won’t use their name as I don’t want any hate/harassment to go towards them, but If you didn’t know, they’re the UK’s legion of puppies - legal assassins and infiltrators who are conditioned to think they’re doing good, but truthfully they’re just nuisances. Like, really annoying. Why can’t we be chased by the French ones? They’d put up a much better fight…

Ugh. Anyway, the pups got in the way of several shipments that stopped the boys getting paid, they nearly got my brother arrested and they killed a dozen higher-ups - you wanna know how hard they are to replace? They do all this for clout and money; bigger enemies pay the small enemies to try and take us out, and for what? We’re a family business, for christ's sake! All we do is move shit around and own a few stores, what’s so threatening about that? Nothing I’ll say! I’m just trying to put food on the table and these assholes are trying to stop that. Not all of us belong to institutions who feed us cucumber sandwiches and lobster at the drop of a hat. 

He’s probably there right now, swaddled in a private hospital with a team of doctors putting him back together. 

I’m not looking for sympathy, but I guess I hate them so much because one of them killed my dad. I was a wreck! 

So yeah, I fucking hate them. They took everything and continue to take - my brother had to step in and take over dads role and it hasn’t been easy for him! For any of us! And those bastards got away with a pat on the back and a warm bed while we had to relocate a warehouse for the millionth time. My dad was just sitting in his office holding his gun as he usually does - so what if it happened to be pointing in the direction of the pup? Those  guys are so insecure they see anything as a threat. ‘Shoot on sight’. Hah. That mentality will get them killed if they weren’t so damn hard to catch. 

But imagine the satisfaction when we finally managed to get our hands on one - a live one. The small one with the blonde hair, is probably about 5 '5 and built like a stick insect. (I’m practically six foot, well-built and can bench about 200lbs) 

They’d gotten sloppy - too egotistical. Their mums had probably told them they’re the best in the world and they ran with it. We cornered the rat in one of our warehouses, and he relented when he realized he wasn’t enough to beat over a dozen armed men when all he had on him was knives. What, is he just old enough to graduate from safety scissors? No guns? Fucking amateur. 

He didn’t go down without a fight, and it was quite a show, too. Bastard managed to nick my arm, but my brother managed to crack the back of his head with a pipe and he was out cold… Well, we assumed so anyway because of those damn masks -  If you hadn’t been living under a rock, then you’d know the pups have these masks practically glued to their face. They all have their own ‘looks’, the blonde one’s is molded into a frown with those soulless, black eyes. The reason we didn’t take it off there and then is because… well, last time someone did, everyone in the room went missing, and I don’t know about you guys but I’m quite comfortable here. We play a very dangerous game - luckily I’m always one step ahead. 

I’ve had six years to think about this - to wonder what It would be like to get one of them. My brother called me crazy, but I could hardly wait as they took his headpiece and tracker from his uniform. Look, I know it wasn’t the short one that killed my dad but he was close enough, but who wouldn't want to enact revenge on the closest thing to their fathers killer? Granted it wasn’t the short one that killed my dad, but it was close enough to send a message and I only had forty minutes before the fanfare arrived. So that gave me about thirty minutes to do whatever I wanted… 

I wasted no time in getting my hands dirty. Just seeing his stupid mask made me feel all kinds of stuff, but mostly rage at what one of his teammates had done to my life. I saw red. 

So I cut every limb deep enough to see bone. I broke several fingers, his leg, and carved him a new six pack after I’d rearranged his ribs. I ripped his clothes enough to see the pale flesh they hide beneath layers of tactical gear. I took his gloves so I could at least have a trophy - a reminder of the time I beat up a ‘Sin. 

I almost feel guilty for loving it, but I hated how he made no noise. He was conscious, I knew this because of the heavy breathing but he didn’t say a single word. Not one. Not even a whimper.

So I hit harder. And I kept on hitting until my knuckles bled because the smug bastard didn’t deserve it. He didn’t deserve to be silent, but I’m also not sure he deserved the beating. I know, what a plot twist. 

I guess I should explain the title now, because how do I know I just tortured my best friend? Well. I think I did. Because only one person I know has a very specific scar between his pointer and thumb - right in the fleshy part. It stretches across his palm as well as down the back of his hand towards the wrist. It’s barely visible now, but I’ve known him for years, so even beneath all the blood I can still trace the faint line. I’m so used to seeing his hands and the scar… and that mop of blond hair that I know it had to be him. He’s also the only person I know that bites his nails down to the cuticles. 

I saw the scar when I raised the bar I was using above his hand - he’d been strapped to a chair, with his arms tied to the armrests. His fingers were broken for sure, but at the time I wasn’t done… the irrational anger I had had blinded me, but the sight of the scar swung me back to my senses. I paused for a solid minute, the pipe I was using poised above his hand. 

“It’s broken.” He finally rasped. 

And I stopped. 

I stopped. Like, I physically recoiled because despite the fact that he was hiding behind that stupid mask he actually spoke. I could put a voice to a body and for some reason I felt so sick I nearly threw up because it was so unmistakably him. 

So I dragged his body back to the spot and left him. I had time to spare but I couldn’t face it. If it was him, then he must have known it was me. I mean, I was wearing a pretty good disguise - a hoodie, sunglasses and bandanna - but I’m worried y’know, I don’t want this to affect our friendship going forward. 

I’m sitting in my car typing this and wondering AITA for torturing him? Because it was just to teach him a lesson but on the other hand… he’s my best friend and I genuinely didn't know? Like, I stopped right away! On the other hand, he is part of something that actively ruins the family business so I don't know. 

UPDATE: He does know it was me. 

I think we’re still friends.

[classicrockblog1]

Andrew Latimer (born 17 May 1949) is an English #musician and #composer. He is a founding member of the #progressive #rock #band Camel and the only member who has been with them since their formation in 1971. Although he is best known as a guitarist and singer, Latimer is also a flautist and keyboardist.[3]

Along with partner Susan Hoover, Latimer relocated to America where they established a music production company named Camel Productions to release Camel's new studio albums: Dust and Dreams (1991), Harbour of Tears (1996), Rajaz (1999) and A Nod and a Wink (2002) as well as a host of "Official Bootlegs" on CD. The band went on the road in 1992, 1997, 2000, 2001, and 2003. They released their first full concert DVD in 1997 titled Coming of Age which began a series of subsequent DVD releases. In mid-2006, Latimer and Hoover returned to the UK and established Camel Productions UK Ltd.

Progressive rock guitarists such as Steve Rothery (Marillion),[7] Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth),[8] Bryan Josh (Mostly Autumn)[9] and Bruce Soord (The Pineapple Thief)[10] cite Latimer as one of their primary influences. Musician and producer Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree is a known fan of Camel and has stated, "Andy Latimer means very much for me."[11]

Latimer received a Lifetime Achievement award at the 2014 Progressive Music Awards.[12]

[whenua-and-moana]

Banaba

How the West Made an Island Unhabitable (and Consumed its People's Bones)

Banaba, aka Ocean Island, is a small island in Micronesia. It's legally part of Kiribati [kih-rih-bas] but geographically, culturally, and politically very distinct. At three hundred kilometres from its nearest neighbour, Banaba is one of the most isolated places on earth.

It is also among one of the most ecologically devastated.

In the 1900's, a UK / Aotearoa / Australian owned mining company dug up and shipped away huge amounts of Banaba's phosphate-rich soil for use as fertilizer. They grew rich and created Aotearoa's massive agricultural industry from literal stolen land.

More than just the physical earth was taken. Phosphate mining stripped the layers where Banabans had buried their dead for thousands of years. The dust of their bones fed the lands of the West, creating rich green fields that Banabans would never see the profits of.

When I say 'huge amounts' of earth; 90% of the island's surface was stripped away.

[Left image: an aerial view of Banaba showing a roughly oval island with no vegetation in the centre. The outside is ringed by a thin strip of forest. Right image: a photo of the edge of a mining area. In the background is a forest, but then the ground drops off sharply into irregular rocky terrain.]

The ancient sacred caves were destroyed. The island's only source of fresh water was irreversibly polluted and left it unusable to this day. The interior of Banaba became one great hollow of uneven rock, so full of dips and pillars that it is now almost completely impassable on foot. It was left a barren land.

Banaba is not the only Pacific island devastated by phosphate mining; most notably, its neighbour Nauru had 80% of its surface stripped away. But nowhere has been exploited to quite the same extent as Banaba.

There were further indignities and horrors inflicted on the Banaban people, including indescribable atrocities carried out by Japanese occupiers during WWII, and tbe Britain-led forceful relocation of Banabans to Rabi Island in Fiji. Many still live there today. Others have migrated away.

[Image: Banaban girls performing a traditional dance on Rabi Island.]

The traumatic experiences of Banabans, the mass murders and the separation from their ancestral land have all caused significant cultural loss. This includes the loss of the Banaban language.

Approximately three hundred Banabans have returned to their home island, surviving due to supplies shipped in every few months. The only freshwater source remains unusable and severe droughts strike Banaba every three to four years. Although a desalination plant exists there, the vulnerability of the island became all too clear in 2021 when the plant broke down in the middle of a drought. It took three months for repair equipment to arrive. During that time the residents had no fresh water. Their only food was fish because all of their crops had died. They survived by sucking the liquid from fish eyeballs.

And an Australian mining company wants to do it all again.

Part of the reason that people returned to Banaba, despite the difficulties of life there, was to protect it from further mining. But in August last year, the Australian mining company Centrex announced a plan to restart phosphate mining on Banaba. The plan has been paused due to protests from the Banaban people, but it could be restarted again at any time.

We cannot leave it here. If you want to do one small thing to help, you can sign this petition from Banaban community leaders to stop the proposed new phosphate mine. But more than that, Banabans have been campaigning for Australia and Aotearoa to fund ecological restoration projects, especially for the sacred caves that were once the island's source of fresh water. As Katerina Teiawa says:

"We need to move away from this same continuous narrative of ‘the poor Banaban people, who have no water, help them’ and move towards an approach that is actually finding a solution.

This whole thing is a series of crises. We can’t just keep telling the story of devastation and vulnerability over and over again. Where does the crisis end, if not with justice?"

[beardeddetectivepaper]

£57,054/£89,000‼️‼️

Dears, My name is Doaa and I live currently in the UK, while my entire family resides in Gaza, enduring harrowing conditions. The situation is extremely devastating, with people being killed, and infrastructure destroyed, rendering Gaza almost uninhabitable. I had no choice but to start this campaign aimed at saving the lives of my family members by supporting their temporary relocation to Egypt. They have only Palestinian passports, which means I have to pay to facilitate their exit from Gaza. This is the only viable option to guarantee their safety and bring an end to the ongoing struggles they face. My only hope now is to be reunited with them again. I kindly ask for your support in donating to and/or sharing my campaign within your networks. No one in Gaza has been untouched by loss – not even myself. I have experienced the tragic loss of three cousins, along with their partners and children. There are too many heartbreaking stories, and my greatest wish is to prevent such tragedies from befalling my own family. This morning, I had the chance to speak with my 12-year-old nephew, Yamen. He is particularly close to me among my nephews and nieces, he used to regularly text and call me. He loves drumming and I vividly recall the joy he expressed when I gifted him drums for his birthday last year. However, his voice this morning trembled with weakness as he expressed his exhaustion, missing school, and his strong desire for an end to this ongoing nightmare. This breaks my heart.

The most recent time I was reunited with my family was in June of last year. I relished our time together at the seaside, engaging in activities and playing with my nieces and nephews.

My two sisters deserve to witness their children's growth and success, just like mothers everywhere in the world. My brother, Seif and his family, shown in the picture below, are facing the ongoing hardships of war, which has taken a toll on them. His daughters, in particular, are unable to experience the simple joys of childhood that they once experienced. My heart is heavy for my nieces and nephews, who have grown up amidst perpetual wars since birth. These children deserve a life of peace, where they can play, embrace the innocence of childhood, and pursue their dreams without the constant fear of war casting a shadow over their lives. Tragically, my two sisters have lost their homes, which were obliterated by Israeli tank shells.

In order to leave Gaza via the Rafah border, people are required to pay fees of US$5,000 per adult and US$2,500 per child to Hala Company in Egypt, totaling approximately GBP71,400. Donations will not only cover these fees but also expenses such as transportation, visa fees, accommodation, and living costs in Cairo, Egypt. Additionally, the funds will account for the GoFundMe transaction fee, which amounts to 2.9% plus 25p per donation. I am organising this campaign to facilitate the evacuation of my family from Gaza. With the people of Gaza left feeling abandoned and no political leader intervening for more than seven months to halt the ongoing atrocities, I was left with no option but to take this action. My family and I long for a safe haven and the chance to live a normal life. The situation unfolding for my family in Gaza surpasses any imaginable horror. While we have endured wars in the past, this one is uniquely devastating. Words simply cannot capture the depth of horror, disappointment, and sorrow I feel. The encouragement I received to start this campaign and your assistance signifies more than just financial help; it's about rescuing my family. Please consider donating to and spreading the word about my campaign within your network. Alternatively, you can donate to the account registered at: Doaa Althalathini Monzo Bank Sort code: 04-00-03 Account: 39864307 BIC number: MONZGB2L IBAN: GB60 MONZ 0400 0339 8643 07 Once again, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your love and support. I hope to soon share happier news about my family with your invaluable support. With deepest appreciation, Doaa

[scotianostra]

On November 25 1835 the steel magnate and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, was born in Dunfermline.

Carnegie's name is synonymous with big business and large-scale philanthropic endeavour. Andrew Carnegie was the son of a poor weaver from Dunfermline who amassed the largest fortune ever seen before his death in 1919.

It was from the small harbour in the Fife coastal village of Charlestown that the young Carnegie left Scotland along with his family in 1848. His father, William, a handloom weaver from Dunfermline, decided to relocate to Allegheny, Pennsylvania, in the hope of a better life.

Carnegie was a ruthless and gifted businessman. By 1899 his companies controlled 25 per of American steel production at a time when demand for the building material was growing at unprededented rates. The subsequent almagmalation in 1901 of the four big American steel companies made Carnegie the richest man in the world, and allowed him to give away more $350 million dollars - half a billion in toda

y’s money - in his lifetime.

Carnegie famously wrote that “the man who dies rich dies disgraced”. He further elaborated his theory of philanthropy, known as the Carnegie dictum. It called for individuals to spend the first third of one’s life getting all the education one can, to then spend the next third making all the money one can, and finally to spend the last third giving it all away for worthwhile causes.

Towns across the UK and Ireland benefited from public libraries paid for by Carnegie and his charitable trusts. Among the other institutions founded in his name is New York’s famous Carnegie Hall, a venue considered to be among the most prestigious in the world. A more modest venue with the same name stands in his home town Dunfermline, allowing generations of less well-known performers and local school children to claim that they too have performed at Carnegie Hall.

The remains of a dinosaur - Diplodocus carnegiei - were named after the philanthropist in 1901. He sponsored an expedition led by John Bell Hatcher which found the near complete skeleton in in the Morrison Formation in Utah. Carnegie paid for casts of the dinosaur to be displayed at museums around the world

The inscription on Andrew Carnegie’s gravestone reads: “Here lies a man who knew how to enlist the service of better men than himself.” He was buried at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in North Tarrytown, New York.

[katiajewelbox]

“Recognize when things no longer serve a purpose and begin to harm you. You let it go not because of arrogance or pride but because it doesn't fit into your life anymore. So close the chapter, learn the lessons and shake off the dust. Don’t waste your life. Move on.” (Mufti Menk)

This post is a highly personal story and pretty atypical from what I share on social media, but I feel it is crucial to be open about what has recently happened in my life to satisfy people’s curiosity. A heartfelt thank you to the folks who have given me emotional support during this journey so far.

As some of you may know, I was in a long-term relationship that recently ended. The person I once loved found me at Imperial College several years ago. At first, it seemed like a perfect match. We had a beautiful friendship as well as many shared values and goals in life. Our bond seemed so strong that we made plans for our future life together. However, we ended up being long-distance during most of our relationship due to the pandemic and other complications. We diligently stayed in touch and kept each other company during this stressful time while staying hopeful about our future as a couple.

However, things drastically changed between us in the last year. When my Dad became sick and passed away, my partner completely let me down in terms of help and emotional support. That made me feel very alone in the relationship when I needed the strength of a loving partner. This year he did travel from his home country to the UK to spend time with me. We had a lovely time, but sadly it turned out our life goals had significantly diverged during the time apart.

His life now revolved around his career and building wealth. He made it clear that he expected me to leave the life I have built for myself in the UK to relocate to his home country and later to follow him around the world while he built his career. He also pressured me to take unreasonable personal and financial risks for the sake of “our” future, which made me feel unsafe with him. Over the last year, he became less open in our interactions and seemed to be hiding many important things in his personal and professional life from me. When I was struggling with depression last year, he was cold and sarcastic towards me. In addition, he become more critical and judgemental towards me, while showing hints of possible coercive controlling tendencies.

Over the course of our serious conversations about our future plans, I came to a heart-breaking realisation – I did not love or trust him anymore. I tried to be open minded and explore the possibilities of taking a leap of faith with him in our potential life together, but there were too many red flags to ignore. When I imagined my future with him I felt dread, and when I imagined my future without him I felt free and hopeful. After much reflection and soul-searching, I realised that we had to go our separate ways and I decisively ended the relationship. He was shocked and disappointed, but in time he may find someone who is a better fit with his socioeconomic background and culture. At least, he will find solace in his career, which is his real love in life.

I am sharing this story to encourage anyone who feels trapped in a situation by social expectations or fear to reclaim their freedom. Sometimes, what seemed perfect at an earlier stage of one’s life can turn out to be a nightmare as people and situations evolve. I feel much more optimistic about my future now that I am free to pursue my dreams and be true to myself.

Art Credit: AI generated composition based on the French Impressionist style by Katia Hougaard and DALL E.

[reginaxxmarie]

Intro to 1st Sgt. Naomi “Velvet” Quinn

(these came from pinterest bc i can’t draw for shit but i tried to find art that best captured how i envision her)

Velvet is 26 years old, she joined the army at 17 after graduating high school at 16. she is mixed race, her mother is white and her father is black.

5’1, she is petite but not thin. i picture her to be more toned but curvy. she was athletic as a teenager because she rode horses but definitely had to be in better shape when joining the military. she has stretch marks but she’s not self-conscious about them, she views them as a testament to her commitment, as she does with her scars.

grew up rural Louisiana in a very small town, has a pronounced but smooth southern accent as most people in the central area do.

her position in the military is sergeant 1st class and weapons specialist in the special forces detachment A. it took her 7 years to earn the 1st sergeant title as it is a time served position. she joined the 75th ranger regiment special forces and trained additionally for the occupation of weapons specialist. this means she knows how to maintain as well as operate all different kinds of weaponry, even foreign ones. this job also required her to be a skilled diver, parachutist, and endurance runner. (home girl got stamina FOR DAYS) this made her very desirable for the 141.

as far as combat, she’s skilled in mma but specializes in brazilian jiu-jitsu. she prefers long-distance weapons but because of her skill set, she’s good with any weapon you put in her hands. has a fixation with knives, she carries two pearl handled throwing knives that she affectionately named thelma and louise and they are her children. touch her knives and expect to not have hands.

owns a doberman named Loki that her sweet older neighbor looks after while she’s away. after a particularly awful mission, feeling safe in her own home proved difficult so she adopted Loki to keep her company and he does just that. after being recruited by Price for the 141, she relocated to the uk so Loki would be closer to her.

she has no piercings but has a large dragon on her sternum, a sleeve on her right arm, and “Sua Sponte” (of their own accord), the ranger motto, between her shoulder blades.

looks like a cinnamon roll but will kill you with her bare hands. she is an omnivert by nature. once she’s comfortable with you and sure she can trust you, she’s quite open. but if she senses something is off, she shuts down.

i ship her with ghost. she is the sun that he orbits around. upon arrival, she had a flirtationship with gaz but it ended as quickly as it started when they realized they were better off as friends.

soap is most def her bestie in the group. those two gossip like old women. together, it’s always crackhead energy and shenanigans. once they tried to sneak into ghost’s room to steal his mask and paint it but just as she grabbed it, ghost shot up out of bed, knife swinging. in a panic, she pushed soap towards him and sprinted to the door. unfortunately she never made it to said door because ghost picked up his heavy ass boot and yeeted it at her head.

she fits in well with the 141. the boys are extremely protective of their little velvet, despite her being perfectly capable of defending herself. they love to play with her hair because how is it so SOFT?! and they are positively enamored by her hair care routine when she explains to everyone but gaz that because she has mixed hair, it takes quite a bit of maintenance.

as she is in the gen z realm, she has a tendency to say some pretty outta pocket shit that has pepaw price REELING. some days he’s not sure if she needs a grippy sock vacation or a smack to the forehead. basically she’s a feral gremlin most of the time.

on the battlefield she’s much like könig in the sense she’s absolutely A MENACE. once the adrenaline gets flowing, she’s unhinged but never in a way that puts her team in harm’s way. she becomes a machine, built for the mission. if you asked price, he’d describe her as a thoroughbred in the starting gate, vibrating with energy. she’s deadly and she knows it. her first mission with the 141, she took down a man twice her size and crushed his windpipe with her boot. ghost would never admit it but watching her completely annihilate a man who was every bit as big as him, had him feeling like a horny teenager. mans was ready to risk it all.

very much into hard rock. she’s quite y’allternative but she appreciates all types of music. she likes everything except for what she doesn’t like.

i do so hope you enjoyed this snippet of Velvet and i fully intend to write a fic with her and post more facts if that interests any of you. 💕🤘🏼