#shans shuffle units

[scamoosh]

hi these r shitty but . concept sketches 4 various shuffle units :3

[agapaic]

Hey if your still taking promts i was wondering if you could do a fic were mo is a stoner idk why but he seems like his style fits it

24.

‘You look like you’re lost.’

‘And you look like you’re high.’

It takes him a second, but Guan Shan straightens from where he’s sitting on the campus green, and clears his throat. He squints upwards. His tongue feels slow. ‘You want help or not, chicken dick?’

The man considers him. He can’t be much older than Guan Shan, but the clothing leaves a spark of uncertainty. A post-grad, maybe? Teaching assistant? It’s the button down and slacks, the flash of a wrist watch that probably cost three years of Guan Shan’s tuition fees, plus maintenance. Guan Shan doesn’t look at it for too long.

‘I’m late for a meeting in the Psychology building.’ He glances at his watch. Sunlight glints off the metal. ‘I thought it was around here somewhere…’

‘I’m headin’ there now,’ Guan Shan says. ‘I’ll show you.’

His eyebrows lift. ‘That seems… uncharacteristically generous of you.’

‘Spoken like a fuckin’ smug psychologist bastard.’ It’s a little harsh, his tongue loosened by a mind that is still too open, too prone to brutal honesty of a particular brand. The man opens his mouth to counter the insult, but Guan Shan asks hurriedly, ‘You meetin’ the new professor too?’

His gaze slides to Guan Shan’s. A small smile begins to surface, and Guan Shan finds himself caught on it. He hates it.

‘Sure,’ the man says. He holds out a hand. As if testing something, he says, ‘I’m He Tian.’

Uncertainly, Guan Shan takes it. He makes a startled sound when He Tian grips his hand hard enough to hurt, and then pulls Guan Shan to his feet with a sudden yank. Guan Shan stumbles, shoulder knocking into He Tian’s chest, and He Tian steadies him with a hand on his arm. 

‘I’m not high,’ Guan Shan blurts, taking a few jerky steps back. Blood has rushed to his cheeks, reddening the tips of his ears. He’d been enjoying the summer sun, the low hum of cicadas, a blushing warmth on his skin. He could’ve slept there, let the high carry him along into the evening, stomach empty and blood sugar low. Now, he burns. ‘A fuckin’ warnin’ would’ve been nice.’

‘Sorry,’ He Tian says, sounding not sorry at all. ‘I misunderstood.’

Guan Shan swipes his backpack from the ground, loops it over one shoulder, and grinds the spliff in the palm of his hand before dropping the crushed remnants into his pocket. 

He jerks a chin towards the north part of campus, and He Tian falls into easy step beside him. He’s taller by a few inches, long legs keeping up with Guan Shan’s gait; people usually tell him he always seems rushed, like he’s always running from something. He Tian makes none of the usual protests, lopes along as if they’re out for a summer evening stroll, but quips, ‘Where’s the fire?’

Guan Shan glances at him, gravel crunching under their feet. ‘Chasin’ your ass, apparently. Thought you were late.’

‘They won’t mind.’

There’s a touch of something about the phrase—insouciance. Arrogance, almost, if it wasn’t said with such little care. On the contrary, Guan Shan knows firsthand that the problem with arrogant people is they care too much. 

‘Guess you’re on good terms with them,’ Guan Shan remarks gruffly. ‘My professor would rip me a knew one if I was late meetin’ them.’ 

They round the old Arts Department building, wisteria and ivy smothering the red brick, and begin to climb the small set of steps up to the Psychology building. It’s a strange, ugly unit built in the seventies that Guan Shan thinks looks like a peeled pineapple, stout and round, with twisting staircases and curved windows that don’t open fully and make the place stifling in the heat.

He Tian is looking ahead, but the side of his face is marked with that same little smile, as if he’s suddenly recalled a joke to tell a friend. Guan Shan hates it because he doesn’t know the punchline; hates it because he wants to.

‘Somehow,’ He Tian says, ‘I get the feeling you wouldn’t mind keeping anyone waiting.’

Guan Shan isn’t impressed by the man’s attempts at psychoanalysing him. He’s had girls do it before. Guys, too. People who want to flatter him and make him seem interesting so he’ll cut them a deal on their supply. He won’t.

‘What gives you that impression?’ he asks now, disinterested, kicking open the door to the building entrance and holding it open for He Tian to follow in behind. 

‘Just a hunch.’

When he doesn’t expand, Guan Shan shrugs and gestures towards the building’s atrium, adorned with so many windows and yet stifled by the concrete. ‘This is it. Ugliest fuckin’ buildin’ on campus. What floor?’

He Tian slides out his phone from his pocket, flicks to a scheduled event on his calendar, and says, ‘Third. You?’

‘Same.’

Guan Shan leads, suddenly conscious of his feet, wary of tripping—conscious of his legs, the weight of his body with another so close behind him. He has the feeling that He Tian would tug on his ankles and smile, bored, while Guan Shan’s cheek smashed into the step—has a feeling He Tian would carry him up them with as much careless ease. The high is starting to fade now, the fuzz at the edges of his skin growing from a pleasant numbness to a persistent, perpetual ache. He’ll have to light up again when he’s back, just to sleep. 

Eventually, they reach the third floor, climbing a winding staircase and pressing in close to the railings to let students and staff make their way down, and Guan Shan shuffles along the corridor until he finds the room number he’s looking for. 

He juts a thumb at the door. ‘This is me,’ he says. ‘Guessin’ you’re not too stupid to find yours.’

‘I’m smart enough,’ He Tian says, humoured. He isn’t offended by Guan Shan, which jolts him a little. He’s amused, and Guan Shan can’t tell if he’s being laughed at. ‘I’ve found mine, too.’

He’s looking at Guan Shan intently, something unsaid passing between them, a secret finally shared, and it’s only then that Guan Shan takes in the name on the door, the sheet of paper listing office hour slots. 

Jiaoshu He Tian — Psychology

Guan Shan’s stomach swoops.

Fuck. 

‘You’re—’

‘A smug psychologist bastard,’ He Tian says, playing with the words like a new flavour palate on his tongue. ‘That’s right, isn’t it?’

‘Jiaoshu…’ Guan Shan starts, voice dropping, eyes lowering. Are they still bloodshot? Can He Tian still smell it? ‘That’s not—’

I’m on scholarship. I need this. Ma’s gonna kill me.

‘Don’t worry,’ says the professor. He pats Guan Shan on the shoulder, hard, and leans around to unlock the the door to his office. His office. His voice is low. ‘I’ll be gentle.’

—

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[corkcitylibraries]

Ireland Reads | 10 BorrowBox Picks for Children and Young Adult Readers

by Jordan McCarthy

The Ireland Reads day offers the perfect opportunity for every kind of reader to celebrate the magical gift of reading. Regular readers, new readers and those who are about to rediscover the wonders and joys of reading, can enrich their lives during a time when our daily routines need it more than ever.

While our libraries may be closed, the online resource, BorrowBox, is one of the real gems being offered by libraries during lockdown. More and more readers are using the platform which has thousands upon thousands of wonderful eAudiobooks and eBooks.

And better yet, this online service, like all the others offered by Cork City Libraries, is free to all library members. If you haven’t yet joined, you can do this for free at www.librariesireland.ie/join-your-library.

Whatever we choose to read or listen to this month, we know that we are nourishing our health and wellbeing in doing so. The possibilities a good book – or magazine, comic, newspaper or whatever you choose to read - can bring to our lives are endless.

“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” – J.K. Rowling’

Below are ten of the top picks currently available on the Children’s and Young Adult section of BorrowBox. Like all great kids’ books, they will prove gripping and engaging for many adult readers, too.

So, squeeze in a read this month. You can find out more about the Ireland Reads initiative by visiting irelandreads.ie. And don’t forget to pledge your reading time!

  Long Way Down  by Jason Reynolds - Young Adult

(Available on eBook and eAudiobook)

‘‘Now

I’m wishing I would’ve

laughed more

at his dumb jokes

because the day

before yesterday,

Shawn was shot

and killed.’’

This remarkable Y.A. thriller is set over the course of 60 seconds. Written in lyrical, verse-like prose, it tells the tale of a revenge-seeking William, whose brother has been shot dead.

But when Will sets out to get his revenge, some ghosts from his past appear in the elevator on his way down to the ground floor.  Will he go ahead with his murderous plan?

There’s a sense of urgency in this fast-paced novel, though he soon realises; it is a ‘long way down’ from the 8th to the ground floor.

  Hero On A Bicycle by Shirley Hughes – Children (10+)

(Available on eBook and eAudiobook)

‘‘He stopped and slung his bicycle against a nearby wall to get his breath back and consider the situation. At that moment someone came up silently behind him and clapped a strong hand over his mouth.’’

Set in Florence, Italy during World War II, this is historical fiction at its finest. The Allies are closing in on Nazi-occupied Florence and 14 year-old Paolo has been taking secret bike rides late every night to beat the boredom of life under curfew. He misses his dad – an anti-Fascist who is in hiding - and rues the fact that he is too young to join the military.

However, when Paolo receives a frightening message on his way home from one of his late-night treks, he suddenly becomes involved in the thick of the action. Can he become the hero during his hometown’s greatest time of need?

This is an excellent novel, which captures one family’s struggles during war.

Not suitable for younger children, some upsetting themes.

   Zom-B; Underground  by Darren Shan – Young Adult

(eAudiobook)

‘‘Can you hold on to your humanity when you're a monster....’’

This fantasy-horror, dystopian novel by the ‘Master of Horror’ is book two in the Zom-B series.

B Smith is the main protagonist in this story, which is set during a zombie apocalypse. When she wakes up in a laboratory-style military camp, ‘B’ learns that she has become ‘Zom-B’.

Can she meet the demands of her captors or is she doomed?

Will she be a monster forever?

  The Dog Who Lost His Bark by  Eoin Colfer – Children

(eAudiobook)

‘‘In his short doggy life, Oz has suffered at the hands of BAD PEOPLE. Somewhere out there, he believes, is an AWESOME BOY – his BOY. Maybe when they find each other he will learn to BARK again ...’’

Patrick comes from a very musical family and he has wanted a pet dog for a very long time. When he rescues an abandoned puppy on his summer holidays, he calls him Oz, and so begins a strong friendship between a boy and a dog – at least that’s what we hope!

Oz is a nervous little creature and he can’t bark, or at least he doesn’t bark when he moves to his new home. Will he ever bark again? Maybe the musical family will be able to get him barking again!

This heart-warming children’s tale, from the creator of the Artemis Fowl series, shows how important music can be in the healing process.

  Rugby Spirit by Gerard Siggins - Children

(eAudiobook)

‘‘A new school, a new sport, an old mystery ... the first instalment in Gerard Siggins’ beloved and bestselling Rugby Spirit series.’’

Eoin Madden is the grandson of a legendary Irish rugby player. When he starts a new school in Dublin, leaving behind his GAA playing days in Tipperary, his rugby adventure begins.

In Casterock College, rugby is everything! But Eoin has never even held a rugby ball before. And the bully, Richie Duffy, is making his life even more difficult. Can Eoin make an impact in his very first season on a school rugby team?

This is one for fans of sport and fiction. It provides lots of insight into the game of rugby, too.

   Once by Morris Gleitzman – Children

(Available on eBook and eAudiobook)

‘‘Once I saved a girl called Zelda from a burning house.

Once I made a Nazi with toothache laugh.

My name is Felix.

This is my story.’’

Once is the first book in Morris Gleitzman’s Felix and Zelda series. Set during the Second World War, this novel is a tale of hope, friendship and survival.

Felix is in a Catholic orphanage in Poland in 1942. The son of Jewish booksellers, he fears that the Nazi’s are burning Jewish books and believes that his parents’ store could be next.

The young Jewish boy departs the orphanage, longing to find his mum and dad, and to warn them about the Nazis. Felix soon discovers that his hometown has changed utterly. A race for survival ensues.

Not suitable for younger, some upsetting themes

   Sabrina; Season Of the Witch by Sarah Rees-Brennan – Young Adult

(eAudiobook)

‘‘To be a witch is to kiss the moon.’’

Inspired by the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, this fantasy novel is a prequel to that Netflix series. It is the story of what went before the "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" show.

Sabrina is half-mortal, half-witch. Before she turns 16, and becomes full-powered, she realises how scared she is of joining the dark side and leaving her mortal life behind.

Can she discard her boyfriend Harvey, and her other mortal friends? This is her origin story; a spooky adventure for fans of the Sabrina series.

   Ultimate Football Heroes; Rashford  by M & T Oldfield - Children

(Available on eBook and eAudiobook)

‘‘When the referee blew his whistle, Marcus started his well-practiced penalty routine:

Four little shuffles to the left,

then short steps forward to try to fool the keeper, and then BANG!’’

The Ultimate Football Heroes series is a biographical story of the life of a star footballer. It charts the rise of some of world football’s biggest names, from the playground to the pitch.

Marcus Rashford is one of the most exciting players in the English Premier League. The Manchester United star has been one of the standout stories over the last year, with his campaign to keep free school meals available for children in the UK.

In Rashford, we learn about the life of Marcus – from when he would watch Man Utd playing on TV as a baby, to scoring important Champions League goals for the Red Devils.

A fast-paced story, full of action, it is one for all the family to enjoy. Others in the series include Kane and Delli Alli, which are available on BorrowBox.  

   Slam! You’re Gonna Wanna Hear This by Nikita Gill – Young Adult

(eBook)

‘‘Poetry is the language of Fire, Fury and Freedom,’’ says Nikita Gill.

Slam! is a collection of poems performed at ‘slams’, or spoken word competitions. It features established and emerging voices, with themes such as home, kin, protest and desire among those in the collection.

Slam! highlights the importance of poetry for the times we live in. It provides an ideal introduction into modern poetry and is a terrific publication.

   The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien – Children

(Available on eBook and eAudiobook)

‘‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.’’

J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy novel is the prequel to his Lord of the Rings saga. Tolkien wrote the story for his own children before it was published into a worldwide bestseller. First published over 80 years ago, it continues to be enjoyed by young and old.

This otherworldly tale features the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, who has been recruited as a burglar by Gandalf for an epic quest. Expect trolls, goblins, dwarves, elves, giant spiders, and the dragon, Smaug, as Bilbo and the gang make their way across Middle Earth in search of treasure.

[greyias]

FIC: Smoke and Mirrors - Chapter 6

Title: Smoke and Mirrors Fandom: SWTOR Pairing: Theron Shan/f!Jedi Knight Rating: T Genre: Pre-Relationship, Slow Burn Synopsis: Something’s rotten on Carrick Station, and Theron won’t rest until he finds out what. But picking at the frayed threads of suspicion quickly unravels a conspiracy much larger than even the Republic’s top spy can handle on his own. (A mostly canon-compliant retelling of the Forged Alliances storyline, as seen through the eyes of Theron Shan.) Author’s Notes and Spoilers: See Chapter 1.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Crossposted to AO3

“You zigged when you should have zagged.”

“Excuse me?”

“Unless you’re wanting to take a stroll through the Tomb of Naga Sadow, you may want to backtrack a little.”

There was a snort of frustration picked up over the mic, but the dot on the fuzzy projection of Korriban halted its progress, and after a few moments, started to retrace its steps.

“I’m glad you have a map,” Highwind said, but he couldn’t tell if the slight trace of irritation in her tone was directed at him or herself. It didn’t really matter in the long run, just as long as she stayed on track.

“At least someone does.” Kira’s dark mutterings were probably meant to be under her breath, but the overtuned mic still picked them up. “With all the rubble it’s easy to get turned around here.”

“The first wave may have been a bit… overzealous,” her partner agreed.

Theron thought about pointing out that the first wave of the operation had been completely for her benefit, but bit down on his tongue before the comment formed completely. He needed to keep her focused on the task at hand, and that was easier if she didn’t get irritated with him chiding her over the comm. Half a galaxy away, it wasn’t as if he could march up to her and physically set her back in the right direction, and the incident with the slave pens had already strained Darok’s patience dangerously thin. The taller man was still stalking back and forth, and in between coordinating the rest of the teams on the ground and in the air, was flashing both Theron and his holographic map a thoroughly displeased glare.

“So, does Mapboy have any other helpful tips? Maybe a nice food stall to pick up a quick bite before we go face down the most dangerous Sith in the Galaxy?”

“Kira.” Highwind’s recrimination sounded almost like an exasperated older sibling who was tired of lecturing her younger sister, but still did it anyway out of habit.

“Mapboy?” Theron echoed. “Is that all I am?”

“You are more than a map, Theron,” Highland was quick to reassure him, almost as if she didn’t pick up his undercurrent of sarcasm.

“Yeah, you’re a voice in her ear too.”

“Kira.”

“What? I’m only getting half of this conversation, I have to amuse myself somehow.”

“Perhaps you should remain focused on the mission.”

There was a quiet series of beeps and trills barely picked up by the microphone.

“See. Teeseven agrees with me.”

“I am fairly certain he was confirming we were heading in the right direction.”

“You are,” Theron piped in, “just take a right and it should be straight ahead.”

“A… right? Are you certain?”

“Yes. Why?”

The hum of a lightsaber being activated nearly drowned out Kira’s exclamation of: “Exactly when did the K’lor’slug population explode into an infestation?”

“Thank you for the directions, Theron.” Another hiss of lightsabers sizzled over the comm. “But I’m afraid I need to cut our conversation short.”

“You’re so polite. Go take care of your bug problem.”

“There’s always time for diplomacy. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

His eyebrow arched of its own accord, and he couldn’t help but wonder if he had just been on the receiving end of a very, very subtle dig. He shook his head, trying to ignore his rising curiosity about his asset and focus back on the job at hand. Once the package was secured and safely in SIS’s hands and the mission complete, his role as her handler would be done. Unless Jace decided to inelegantly smash through Dromund Kass (and Theron wasn’t sure he could put it past the Supreme Commander completely), there wasn’t going to be much need for him to make smalltalk with the heaviest hitter in the galaxy for the foreseeable future. She was a bit too… flashy for the shadows that Theron preferred to lurk in.

The apparent “horde” of K’lor’slugs seemed to not be that much of a match for the two Jedi and their little astromech, but the sounds of lightsabers crashing and blaster fire continued over his audio feed. The closer they got to the Academy, the heavier the opposition it seemed. The deep furrow in Darok’s brow seemed to ease the closer Theron’s team got to their objective, but there was a larger issue at hand. His map got even sketchier once they reached the interior of the Academy, and unless he was able to get eyes in there, the strike team would be wandering around blind.

His fingers flew across the keys, mind already processing a workaround. If that little T7 unit was as good at slicing as his file seemed to indicate, there might be an opportunity for Theron to get some eyes inside — as well as extract a little something extra for his old pals in the Analytics division to sink their teeth into. Those data nerds would just love the chance to pick apart every piece of the Academy that they could. He just needed to make a few programming adjustments to prep the communication relays for the data stream. He listened with half an ear, keeping one eye on his programming and the other on the dot representing the strike team’s progress towards the Academy.

The cacophony of the seemingly endless series of encounters faded, and the sudden silence was a bit eerie. The mic picked up the sound of footfalls echoing through what was a large cavernous room. From the position of the dot on his holomap, apparently they had finally arrived at the entrance to the Academy. Jace and the Highwind Fanclub Division of the SIS had been right about one thing — this woman seemed to be able to fight as if she was an entire army.

“Going to be a lot more close quarters combat in here.” The mic picked up Kira’s soft mutterings. “Even before those bombings this place was always a death trap.”

“It will be okay, we just have to stick together,” the older Jedi assured her. “Do you know which way we should head?”

Theron was about to pipe in about his need for an access point, when the voice on the other end of the line cut him off. “Not really. Things look different at this height.”

Theron frowned, wondering what the hell that meant, but the conversation on the other end continued, oblivious to the third party listening in.

“I’m going to guess we follow the highest concentration of Sith standing between us and something else, and just go that way.”

“Do you think they were able to evacuate the students when the bombings began?”

“I don’t know,” there was some reluctance coloring the younger Jedi’s tone, “do you really think that’s a priority?”

“If this were Tython being attacked, the Masters’ first instinct would be to try and protect the initiates and padawans. The highest concentration of Jedi would be defending the students.”

“The Sith aren’t Jedi, and Korriban isn’t Tython.” There was an undercurrent of steely fury to Kira’s tone that was a bit of a surprise to hear her taking with her partner. “It has a way of corrupting people. Nothing good ever came from this place.”

“That’s not true.” Highwind’s reply was just as firm, but instead of fury it was laced with affection.

“Name one thing.”

“You.”

“I… Master…”

The rest of their conversation was drowned out by the sudden rushing in Theron’s ears, as he suddenly put the pieces of the conversation together, and had to physically bite down on his tongue to keep from cursing aloud. Of course the Jedi Order had recruited from within Korriban’s walls, they preached about forgiveness and redemption all the damn time. If they had been a bit more open about their personnel records, perhaps the SIS could have gleaned valuable intel from the converts, instead of having to scrap pieces together from everything else.

Had Theron known that a member of the strike team had first-hand knowledge, even outdated knowledge, it would have been something he could have leveraged. He snorted an angry breath, wondering what other key pieces of intel the close mouthed Jedi were keeping under wraps. 

He keyed his mic, probably a little more forcefully than necessary, and let out a long breath before speaking in the most even voice possible. “Looks like you’ve made it to the Academy.”

“We have.” There was a brief hesitation. “Is there a problem?”

“Yes,” he said, a little more terse than he cared for, “I don’t have eyes in there. You’ll be walking around blind.”

“That might be a problem. It’s rather large in here, how are we looking on time?”

Theron glanced at the chronometer and grimaced. “We’ll be cutting it close. Do you see anything that looks like a data or security terminal?”

There was the sound of shuffling, before her voice filled the line again. “Yes, I think we can make something work. Why?”

“If you lend me your astromech’s slicing skills for a few minutes, between the two of us we can probably slice into the mainframe. Piggyback the data off your comm signal and I should be able to get a layout of the whole place. Maybe a little more, depending.”

“You can do that?” She actually sounded impressed.

“You’d be be surprised what I can do with a few loose security protocols and enough free time.”

“See, I knew you were more than just a man with a map.” 

He didn’t know what to make of the light teasing tone, and instead focused on his fingers flying across the keyboard, finishing the final line of programming. “To be fair, I’m just getting a new map.”

“Is that all you’ll be doing with this uplink?”

Sharp one, that Jedi. “My primary concern is getting you to the Dark Council chambers. Any extra data I find on my way there, well, that’s just a side benefit.”

“I admire your dedication to your profession.”

Now that he couldn’t tell if it was meant as a jest or not. There was only so much subtext one could determine without facial cues, especially if the other party tended to be a little deadpan in their responses.

He was making some final adjustments to the relay when a message pinged from the far end. The HUD in his left eye implant superimposed a text read out of the message, and his lip curled ever so slightly into a smirk.

Modifications to Jedi comm unit = unauthorized use of Republic equipment // Violation of Regulation C1726 + Galactic Communication Act SR.7628

Theron’s fingers flew across the board as the tapped out a quick response. T7-01 I presume. You going to tattle on me?

The response was immediate and succinct. T7 = here to help // You = help?

That’s the plan. I’ve got a fun little surprise for the Academy’s security system if you can get me a connection.

T7 = slicing access point now //  Imperial security algorithm = predictable; layers deep // Sith Academy = closed network

Theron nodded absently, even though the little astromech couldn’t see. He’d expected that, but luckily his unauthorized modifications would be a temporary patch for that. With a few more keystrokes, his last minute programming was being sent half a galaxy away. 

Got a code packet incoming, might make that whole place a little more accommodating for digital visitors.

Code packet = virus // T7 = unfamiliar with program  // Safe for Republic network?

Code is brand new — but targets the closed system, two-way data transfer will be safe. Don’t worry, I’m not going to scramble the comm systems and leave you guys running around there blind.

Theron waited, but he didn’t see an affirmation via text whether the astromech had uploaded the spike into the access point. Not for the first time that day he wished that he was physically there. It was easier to just do things himself rather than trying to convince various personalities to follow his lead. Asking for forgiveness was generally easier than asking for permission — although he probably needed work on that whole apologizing part of that tactic. But usually his results negated much of the need for an apology.

His fingers remained poised over the keyboard, ready to send a ping on the status when a rush of data started flowing across every available port. A smirk threatened to form as the entire Sith Academy’s network was laid out before him. It was possible he was one of the first Republic agents to actually see all of this (and live long enough to tell the tale). 

Good job. Thanks, T7.

Theron = talented slicer // unorthodox; talented

Thanks. I think. I should have what I need now to get you guys the rest of the way. Just need to sort through it. 

Theron = need T7 here? 

No, you guys should stay together. As long as I’ve got a connection to the comm we should be good. 

It was easy to see why Highwind was so fond of the little astromech, willing to stay behind even in a place crawling with Sith that wouldn’t hesitate to hack him in two. Then again, this was the same droid that supposedly had helped take out the Sith Emperor with the Jedi in question. Teeseven might very well have been capable of taking them on.

Theron focused back on the task at hand. There was too much intel to completely sort through at the moment so he diverted the majority of it to a data silo that could be safely mined once completely disconnected from the Republic grid. For now he only needed the facility’s blueprints and way to access the security feeds, even if there was a part of him wanting to rub his hands together greedily at the possibilities of what he now had in hand. Whatever was locked behind the Dark Council’s doors was a far more valuable prize — but just because it wasn’t the motherlode didn’t mean valuable intel still couldn’t be gleaned from what he had just acquired.

There was only so much that the hijacked comm channel could handle though, so once he found what he was looking for, he stopped the upload so he didn’t overload his connection. No need to be greedy, they were already lightyears ahead of where they had been in terms of intel now as opposed to when the day started.

He flung the wireframe projection of the Academy’s layout on the holotable on top of the little dot representing Highwind’s strike team. It filled him with no small amount of glee as Darok’s eyes nearly doubled in size as he got his first look at the layout of the Sith stronghold. It was an unseen deviation in his plan, but as his initial shock faded to grim satisfaction it was apparent that it wasn’t an unwelcome one.

The glitchy visual feed from some of the still functioning security cameras Theron kept limited to the HUD for now. The last thing he needed was Darok breathing down his neck as the strike team tried to navigate what was clearly a crumbled mess. The state of destruction inside of the Academy was quite extensive, as bombings and their aftershocks had done a number on the place. He pivoted around the camera he had hijacked in the foyer, ignoring the way the twisted faces carved into the giant obelisk taking up the center of the room sent a shiver down his spine. Perhaps it wasn’t all bad being stuck on Carrick Station.

Deciding to cut out eavesdroppers, he activated the subvocal portion of his comlink implant. “So, is the Sith’s new decorating scheme courtesy of Darok’s overzealous bombings, or did you get in on the renovations as well?”

On his HUD he saw Highwind’s head head swivel around, taking in the room. Even with the distance of the camera he could see her frown. “You can see us?”

“Part of that ‘little more’ I mentioned earlier.” 

“The voice in your ear is being creepy, Boss.”

He saw Highwind shoot the younger knight a look, but didn’t respond to Kira verbally. “I hope this means you have a map.”

“Of sorts. From what I can see here, the Dark Council chambers are on the upper levels. There’s an elevator on the second floor that you’ll have to take to get there.”

“I am hearing some hesitation in that statement.”

Theron let out a sigh, minding to keep it quieter than he truly felt. Mostly so he didn’t have to involve Darok in this conversation.

“Apparently the access codes for the elevator aren’t stored on the Academy’s main network.”

“Main network?”

“Paranoid Sith. Apparently they’d rather have several closed networks rather than have everything all together. It’s almost like they expected to be invaded.”

“Fancy that,” Highwind remarked dryly.

“Teeseven and I might be able to slice the elevator manually if we work together, but that’s going to take a while.”

“That sounds like a big ‘might’,” she returned. “Is there time for you two to try that?”

Theron glanced at the countdown, pressing his lips together. “We can try, but there’s no guarantee we’ll crack it before your return window closes. Pretty sure that encryption is going to be pretty complicated. Have I mentioned the Sith are paranoid?”

“Is there any other way to get access to that elevator?”

“Are you talking about the elevator to the Dark Council chambers?” Kira piped in. “If it’s anything like it used to be, the high level instructors always had access codes. The Sith don’t change their game plan much if everything is working.”

“It’s worth a try. Theron, can you find them?”

“Hold on,” he muttered, cycling through the various security feeds of the destroyed rooms. 

Almost all of them were empty. Having never stepped foot in the building before, it was hard to say how occupied everything usually was, but it appeared that the younger students and acolytes might have been evacuated. That would probably make his very perplexing knight on the other end of the line somewhat happier. There were still Sith crawling through the hallways, clearly defending something at the far end. That something turned out to be another Sith, whose importance was marked by the fine robes and markings indicating their high status. A quick check on other hallways confirmed a few more individuals.

“Found them.” He frowned at the map, trying to calculate the best path to take the team through. “First one’s down that hall on your right — if you can get past all of their faithful guards first.”

“We will manage.”

That was starting to sound less and less like overconfidence and more a statement of fact. He sat back, monitoring their progress through the map and available security feeds. Her fighting style changed to accommodate the closed quarters, and the acrobatic flips and twirls incorporated the walls and rubble. The finer details of the lightsaber work was lost to the fuzzy, unstable connection, but even with that it still looked more like some frenetic dance.

By the time they had the codes in hand and stood in front of the elevator, it was clear that even the Jedi super endurance was getting a test today if the sheen of sweat he could make out on the security cameras were any indication.

“I don’t really have much on the upper-level defenses,” he said quietly, this time out loud as Darok’s impatience was starting to show again. “You can try to find an access point once you’re up there—but I’ve got a feeling you’re going to face some heavy opposition.”

“Will your modifications to the comm allow you to talk to me up there?”

He glanced at the weak signal stretched to the limits, and the heavy shielding indicated by the blueprint. When the Sith wanted to protect their communications, not even his best slicing tricks could get him in remotely. His experience infiltrating the Orbital Defense Command Center on Ziost proved that.

“It’s unlikely.”

This was the worst part of the op, the one thing that he couldn’t account for. Despite Darok’s planning, Theron’s intel, and his entire bag of slicer tricks, once she stepped through that door it was all out of his hands. He shifted his weight and crossed his arms, trying not to glare at the giant hole in the map that represented the Dark Council chambers. 

“It will be all right,” she said quietly, and it took him a moment to realize she was talking to him. “You have gotten us this far — the Force will take us the rest of the way.”

He almost snorted aloud, but caught himself at the last moment. Whatever beliefs or mental exercises she needed to lean on were fine, especially if that’s what helped her accomplish the mission. It wasn’t his place to comment on that, especially when he needed her to stay focused on the end goal.

“Good luck,” he said instead.

He watched on the security feed as they stepped inside of the elevator until the doors closed and they disappeared from his view completely. He glanced back up at the map on the holotable, where the dot representing the strike team started to move up before suddenly winking out completely as they hit the shielded area.

“They’re in,” he said to Darok, and for once, the colonel was silent.

All that was left now was the waiting — and hoping that the little Jedi lived up to her larger-than-life reputation.

[commanderlurker]

Uninvited Guest

Also on AO3.

Jonas probably should have laid off that last whiskey, but watching a mark sure does make a man thirsty, and it’s not like he can’t handle his liquor. At least the whiskey made up for a boring evening. He wanders back to his apartment, steady enough, wondering how he’ll spin ‘Day 245: Still nothing’ in his report.

Gives the door with a wide berth, checking for vagrants or miscreants lurking in his alcove. He’s about to enter his passcode when he gets that no good prickle on the back of his neck. Something’s up. He narrows his eyes and scans the door. Lock’s still in place, so no forced entry. He slips a spike in the entry panel and runs the history through his data pad. No brute force on his passcode. Something more sneaky than that. Too sophisticated for the local gangs. He immediately thinks Empire. Imperial Intelligence. He unholsters his balster, keeping it raised as he enters his passcode.

The door swishes open and Jonas sticks to the wall, eyeing the entrance hall. Nothing. Not a sound. He steps in, quiet, and pads down the hall. Lights are off. Just how he left them. He flicks them on and someone groans. Male. His heart rate spikes. Injured SIS agent? Injured intruder? He pokes his head around the corner, finger touching the trigger.

Jonas Balkar is too seasoned to do something as base as gasp out loud, but he does blink when he spies the man asleep on his couch, face screwed up under the lights, beer bottles strewn over the floor. Six bottles. Jonas’ whole supply. Wow, Theron Shan, you haven’t called in seven years and now you break into my house and drink all my beer? Rude.

Jonas holsters his blaster and walks over to Theron. His grey and red jacket is new, for various definitions of new. It’s patched and worn, scorch marked, but Jonas has never seen it before. Four days of stubble, by Jonas’ reckoning. And a real stupid haircut. Shaved sides that look like they’re on week three of growing out, with his usual carefully styled swoosh on top. Yeah. Real stupid. Jonas shakes his head. He resists the urge to clap his hands and yell wake up and instead fetches a blanket. He tucks Theron in and can’t help notice the dark circles under Theron’s eyes, the scarring around his implants, the wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. Even as he sleeps he looks tired. Exhausted. Beyond exhausted. There’s a story there, but it can wait.

*

Sleep doesn’t come. Jonas lies in bed, mulling over Theron’s arrival and what it could mean. Theron left the SIS, what, seven years ago? And not on good terms. Jonas couldn’t blame him for leaving. He always was one to follow a cause. And destroying the invading Zakuul empire? Didn’t get a cause much bigger than that. Theron Shan, Spy Master of the Alliance, sorry, Eternal Alliance, working alongside a sith and a Jedi Knight to bring peace and harmony to the galaxy by uniting the Empire and the Republic against a common enemy. Noble. Lofty. Ambitious.

Doomed to fail.

A shuffle of footsteps, the rustle and thunk of boots and clothes hitting the floor. Theron slips into bed. His foot nudges Jonas’ foot. Knuckles brush against Jonas’ back. Jonas holds in his sigh. He should be pissed off. Nothing for years, no calls, no holos, no messages, and Theron breaks into Jonas’ apartment thinking he can just go back to the way they were?

A shudder, a choked sniff.

Oh. Oh no. Theron, what have you done?

They never were good with feelings. Sex they could do. Very well, Jonas might add. But a cheer-you-up BJ probably isn’t appropriate right now, so Jonas rolls over and wraps Theron up in his arms. They shift around, finding resting places for knees and legs and elbows as some dam bursts inside of Theron. Snotty keening sobs wrack Theron. All Jonas can do is hold him and stroke the one stretch of back his hand can reach, and run his fingers over the stubble of that stupid haircut.

Lovers do what lovers must. He holds his idiot spy until sleep comes to both of them.

*

Bed’s empty when Jonas wakes up. He shouldn’t be disappointed or surprised. Before he can chastise himself, clinks from the kitchen tell him his uninvited guest hasn’t done a runner. He gets up, wanders through with a yawn. How do you say ‘hi’ to someone who hasn’t returned your calls for seven years, who just walked out without even saying goodbye, who’s ignored the intel you’ve been feeding him? Hey asshole, welcome back. Or, Missed you, with a kiss.

“Morning babe--what the the fuck happened to your back?” Jonas stares at the jagged round scar on Theron’s bare back, still red and angry, just to the left of his spine.

“Lightsaber pike.” He doesn’t turn around, just keeps fiddling with the caf machine.

“Lightsaber pike? Theron, look at me.”

Theron’s back rises and falls with a long sigh. He turns, eyes down. There’s another jagged scar on Theron’s chest. The pike must have gone right through. How is he still alive? And what is doing here? Theron finally looks up. Deep pain fills Theron’s eyes, agony and guilt. Jonas’ stomach turns. His heart aches. Whatever Theron’s done, whatever he’s been through, he’s come here for refuge.

“Talk to me,” Jonas says.

“I need caf first.”

“Move over, I’ll do it. You go sit down.”

Theron smiles, or attempts to -- it’s more of a half grimace -- and shuffles out the kitchen. Jonas watches. He manages to tear his eyes away from the scar. Still got a great ass. And that hair is even worse from the back.

*

Takes two pots of caf and one pot of tea for Theron to catch Jonas up on the last seven years. The last nine months are the most grueling, most agonising. The most Theron. Theron stops and starts, frowns, taps his implants. Like he’s trying to remember what really happened, and not just what he thinks happened. Objectivity can be an elusive bastard.

Months of deep cover have taken their toll. Jonas knows what that’s like. Compromising your own morals for the greater good, for the mission, lying to yourself for so long that you start believing the shit you’re talking. Doing all that and almost dying right at the end, right when you’re almost free.

“As soon as I was up and walking again, the Commander asked me to leave Odessen. Leave the Alliance. Everything I worked for--Everything I did--” Theron shudders and sighs. The anger dissipates. “At least they rescued me. Could’ve left me to die I suppose.” A sip of tea. “Lana. I thought Lana might fight for me, but in the end I guess...I guess I broke her trust, too.”

Jonas wants to say that everything will be alright, that Lana (a Sith. Sounds nice by all accounts but still, a Sith) and the Commander will come around eventually, but he’s never seen Theron so… lost. Defeated. Not even after Ziost.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do. I can’t see Trant wanting me back. Malcolm…” Theron shudders. “No. He burned that bridge. Not me. The Alliance... The SIS…”

Jonas takes Theron’s cup and sets it down. He pulls Theron into a side-by-side hug. Their skin is sticky. Soft. “You always were one for noble causes.”

Theron snorts. “Sorry for breaking in. My head’s all over the place. I haven’t had a chance to decompress. I didn’t know where else to go. I thought of you first and knew it was a terrible idea but I couldn’t think of anyone else. I just had to go somewhere and I didn’t want to be alone.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Sorry for not calling.”

“You’ve been busy.”

Silence.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Theron whispers. He sniffs. A tear hits Jonas’ arm.

“Small steps. First, a shower. I just have sonic here, but the pleasure baths are down the road. We’ll have a proper soak there later. Then food. Clothes.” Jonas ruffles Theron’s hair. “Then we do something about this mess.”

Theron laughs. Not a full laugh, but it’s the best he’s done all morning.

“Then we’ll figure out the big stuff. The galaxy always needs saving from something, and there’s always a Shan involved.” He kisses Theron’s temple. “Welcome home, Theron.”

“Home,” Theron says. “Yeah. I guess you are.”

[newstwitter-blog]

New Post has been published on News Twitter

New Post has been published on http://www.news-twitter.com/2017/03/06/la-times-china-begins-annual-political-sessions-with-synchronized-tea-pouring-and-the-shadow-of-a-leadership-shuffle-12/

La Times: China begins annual political sessions with synchronized tea pouring and the shadow of a leadership shuffle

The world’s largest legislature opened its annual meeting on Sunday with one major goal: to avoid any controversy.

China set a slightly lower growth target but couched it in optimistic terms; announced the slowest rise in defense spending in seven years; and pledged to speed up efforts to eliminate the layer of smog that envelops the country’s skies.

The National People’s Congress, a largely ceremonial body, sticks to a script and proceeds like an overly choreographed play — down to servers’ synchronized pouring of tea. But officials are working even harder this year to praise their boss and make sure nothing goes wrong. The reason: A leadership shakeup this fall could lay the foundation for President Xi Jinping to extend his years in power.

“We owe all the achievements made over the last year to the sound leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core,” Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told nearly 3,000 delegates at its opening session.

The party granted Xi “core leader” status in October, something it did not do for his predecessor, Hu Jintao. Xi, 63, holds at least 12 titles, including Communist Party head and commander in chief.

Li projected economic growth this year “around 6.5%, or higher if possible,” just under the target last year of 6.5% to 7%. Expansion slowed to 6.7% in 2016, the weakest in a quarter century, but still among the fastest in the world.

“The projected target for this year’s growth is realistic,” Li said, in a work report he read aloud for more than an hour and a half. “An important reason for stressing the need to maintain stable growth is to ensure employment and improve people’s lives.”

Fleets of buses carted delegates to the opening at the Great Hall of the People, a massive gray-columned building on Tiananmen Square that represents the political heart of China. Soldiers saluted the vehicles from their posts along the 10-lane thoroughfare, almost empty of traffic.

The high-security event is known as the “two sessions” because it also involves the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. More than 2,000 people belong to this advisory group, including basketball star Yao Ming and actor Jackie Chan. All fit into a cavernous room that looks up at a stage with the Communist Party emblem and two giant screens. Cadres — many in matching suits with stone-faced expressions — turn pages of text in near unison, a collective flutter that sounds like birds taking flight.

Officials said the military budget would rise about 7% this year, the slowest pace since 2010. Documents released at the opening session did not detail the amount of the defense budget, but a Finance Ministry official told the Associated Press it would reach $151 billion.

This suggests China has little intention of starting an arms race with the United States, where President Trump just recommended a 10% increase in military spending to $603 billion.

“Fundamentally, this is about the United States worrying that China could catch up and surpass the U.S. in its ability,” Fu Ying, a spokeswoman for the National People’s Congress, told reporters on Saturday. “But in fact there is still a huge gap in ability between the U.S. and China, which is still a developing country.”

Li did not mention Trump in his report but said China stands for “peace and stability” in the face of “profound changes in the international political and economic landscape.”

He included vows to “work faster” to address air pollution caused by coal burning, to lower government debt, and to improve the environment for foreign investors.

“We will make our skies blue again,” he said.

As he spoke, Xi sat in the second row of the stage, directly in its center.

The calming tone comes months before a twice-a-decade Communist Party Congress, when five of the seven top leaders may step down. Analysts speculate Xi might maneuver to bend a retirement rule to ensure he stays in office when his term ends in 2022 — also the 100-year anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding. He could open up that possibility this fall by keeping his longtime ally and anti-corruption chief, Wang Qishan.

Unlike the National People’s Congress, the party congress is full of intrigue and uncertainty.

Chinese officials already are shuffling positions. Last month, they installed two men with ties to Xi as head of major economic agencies: Zhong Shan, a former deputy to Xi in eastern China, as commerce minister, and He Lifeng, who helped Xi with his One Belt One Road infrastructure initiative, as head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Xi did not speak during the opening sessions, but on a Sunday panel he reiterated a message of economic globalization, one strikingly at odds with Trump’s isolationist agenda.

“The door of China’s opening up will not close,” he said, according to the official New China News Agency.

His repetition is not unintentional.

“Xi’s speeches and policy initiatives at the ‘two sessions’ will send important signals about how China will march toward what Xi called the ‘great dream of revitalizing the Chinese nation,’” the news agency said in an analysis of the event.

Even the nosebleed seats were full during Li’s kickoff speech. But by the end of the first hour, with a view of the glowing red star on the ceiling and the country’s top leaders below, many in the audience had started taking selfies.

Meyers is a special correspondent. Nicole Liu in The Times’ Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

ALSO

China, upset over a planned missile-defense system, is taking aim at South Korea’s pop stars and TV shows

Sri Lankans who once embraced Chinese investment are now wary of Chinese domination

As Europe closes its doors to migrants, hundreds are stranded at a train station in Serbia

This post has been harvested from the source link, and News-Twitter has no responsibility on its content. Source link

[scamoosh]

looks at your shirt

fan shuffle units you say? I'm listenin (⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)

YES YES um um. here r the lineups :] these r just 4 funsies so i wasnt rlly worried abt puttin ppl from the same unit/prev shuffles 2gether LOL ^^

i have ideas 4 like . outfits/centers/sets/music style etc etc for each one but i dont wanna make this a super long post wrjnejsj. my personal fave is the scene kids one but i am v fond of all them ngl..... but. i dont have name ideas for any of them LMAO so . suggestions r welcome :-]

[scamoosh]

hi shan its leo i just cant ask w my blog bc. my main isnt my enstars blog ANWYAY. i already know about nagihiyo in the 50s shuffle unit but i think u should tell the people about nagihiyo in the 50s shuffle unit bc i genuinely have not stopped thinking abt them

WRJWJRJW keeping ur main a secret from me..... wounded (joke)

um um yeah :3c the 50s themed shuffle unit outfits r split into leather jacket greaser looks n cute poodle skirts (+ one combo outfit of both 4 mama bc hes the center teehee) so hiyori gets the jacket and nagisa gets the poodle skirt and like . a cute high pony or smth and there r lots of twirls and dips teehee :3c tbh i get kind of tired of the way hiyori is characterized just bc he has a feminine voice so. part of it is that i just want 2 see him get 2 lead and also nagisa has more hair 2 style with the poodle outfit hehe BUT yeah they dance 2gether and both get flustered etc etc. gay ppl <33

anyway the sketches r quick bc i was lazy but heres the outfits :3c

[greyias]

One Tag Meme to Rule Them All

(aka one giant catch up post)

So rather than flood your dash with lots of posts, I’ve decided to combine everything together in one post! This will be either the Best Idea Ever™ or possibly the worst. I am going to boldly fly in the face of tradition and not actually tag anyone (mostly because I’m answering like almost a week late), but if you would like to tag yourself in, the more the merrier.

Onwards!

First up, tagged by @rinskiroo!

11 Questions

1. Do you watch personalities/shows on Youtube? - I do! My favorite that are still consistnetly pushing out content are probably Nostalgia Critic and Todd in the Shadows, but I have a special place in my heart for The Spoony Experiment and especially Paw Dugan, who’s infectious love for everything he plays is a joy to watch.

2. Hulu or Netflix? - It used to be just Neftlix, but Hulu Live sucked me in by letting me watch my favorite shows, so it’s about even now.

3. Favorite Disney movie? - Tough choice! I love so many! I think right now it may be Tangled, because I adore Rapunzel.

4. Favorite band/singer? Abney Park

5. Fanart you would commission if you had unlimited monies? Oh goodness... so many ideas, but only one slot... I think I would probably commission something in the style of the painted of the Star Wars movie posters and the game’s splash screens for the expansions. The hard part would be deciding what part of the Knight’s saga to represent.

6. Your OTP to end all OTPs? It seems to be Jedi Knight (Hero of Tython)/Theron Shan at the moment. It’s consumed me completely.

7. Dream car? Tesla Model X

8. Favorite cookie? Sugar!

9. Cake or pie? Mmm, pie

10. Favorite Star Wars creature? WHY MUST I CHOOSE? I CHOOSE PORG. NO WAIT EXOBOAR. I CAN’T CHOOOOOSE

11. Would you rather crawl through the dungeon or fight the dragon? Can I make friends with the dragon? Must we fight? Maybe he wants my pie! Either way, if there’s a dragon, I’m probably going in that direction and getting crispified. Because dragons.

This is the part where I’m supposed to make up 11 more questions and tag some peeps but, uh, I got nothing. So... on to the next meme!

Music Meme

Tagged by: @jeswii, @aki888, @insufficient-focus, and @lumielles.

Put your music on shuffle and write the first 10 songs that come on, then tag 20 people to do the same 

*cracks knuckles* All right... let’s see what comes up on the giant shuffle for my Amazon Music app...

Barely Breathing - Duncan Sheik

Everything You Want - Vertical Horizon

Crash and Burn - Savage Garden

Pain - Three Days Grace

Finale - John Williams (Last Jedi Soundtrack)

I Believe In A Thing Called Love - The Darkness

Thunder - Imagine Dragons

Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift (yes I can’t help but think of the thonghawk when this comes up on shuffle)

Smile - Uncle Kracker

Victorious - Panic! At The Disco

Since everyone is tagging themselves, I’ll need 20 volunteers to carry on in my stead ;)  Uh, let’s see what’s next...

Boldy Memey Thingy

Tagged by: @aki888, @fallen-in-faith, and @jediserenity82

1ST RULE: tag 9 people you want to get to know more!

2ND RULE: BOLD the statements that are true.

APPEARANCE - I am 5'7 or taller - I wear glasses - I have at least one tattoo - I have at least one piercing - I have blonde hair - I have brown eyes - I have short hair - My abs are at least somewhat defined - I have or had braces

PERSONALITY - I love meeting new people - People tell me I am funny - Helping others with their problems is a big priority of mine - I enjoy physical challenges - I enjoy mental challenges - I am playfully rude to people I know - I started saying something ironically and now I can’t stop saying it - There is something I would change about my personality

ABILITY - I can sing well - I can play an instrument - I can do over 30 pushups without stopping  - I am a fast runner - I can draw well - I have a good memory - I am good at doing math in my head - I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute - I have beaten at least 2 people arm wrestling - I can make at least 3 recipes from scratch  - I know how to throw a proper punch

HOBBIES - I enjoy sports - I’m on a sports team at my school or somewhere else - I’m in an orchestra or choir at my school or somewhere else - I have learned a new song in the past week - I exercise at least once a week - I have gone for runs at least once a week in warmer months - I have drawn something in the past month - I enjoy writing- Fandoms are my #1 priority - I do some form of martial arts

EXPERIENCES - I have had my first kiss - I have had alcohol - I have scored a winning point in a sport - I have watched an entire TV series in one sitting - I have been at an overnight event - I have been in a taxi - I have been in the hospital or ER in the past year - I have beaten a video game in one day - I have visited another country - I have been to one of my favorite band’s concerts

MY LIFE - I have one person that I consider to be my Best Friend - I live close to my school/work - My parents are still together - I have at least one sibling - I live in the United States - There is snow where I live right now - I have hung out with a friend in the past month - I have a smartphone - I own at least 15 CDs - I share my room with someone

RELATIONSHIPS - I am in a Relationship - I have a crush on a celebrity - I have a crush on someone I know - I’ve been in at least 3 relationships - I have never been in a Relationship - I have admitted my feelings to a crush - I get crushes easily - I have had a crush for over a year  - I have been in a relationship for over a year - I have had feelings for a friend

RANDOM - I have break-danced - I know a person named Jamie - I have had a teacher that has a name that is hard to pronounce - I have dyed my hair - I’m listening to a song on repeat right now - I have punched someone in the past week - I know someone who has gone to jail - I have broken a bone - I have eaten a waffle today - I speak at least two languages- I have made a new friend in the past year

5 Things

I was tagged by @inyri​!

5 things you’ll find in my bag: -lady stuff -hair brush -wallet -ear buds -hair ties

5 things you’ll find in my bedroom: -my bed -my dogs’ crates -ten million blankets (because I get cold) -laundry that I’m dutifully ignoring -chargers for my electronics

5 things that make me happy: -my puppies! -my friends! -coffee -SWTOR -writing

5 things I’m currently into: -Star Wars/SWTOR -writing -Agent Carter, one season down, one to go! (thanks @laylainalaska! Fannish squee wins again) -Brooklyn 99 (although I’m out of new episodes :( ) -Tangled: The Series (again, I really adore Rapunzel)

5 things in my to-do list: -get the kitchen clean (again) -get laundry done for week after next -finish editing Forged Alliances in the giant secret video project I’ve been slowly working on for the past two years -write some of those poor prompts in my askbox -maybe start posting the SoR Fic O Doom

5 people I want to see do this: *looks for five people to raise their hands*

Aaaaand... I think that’s it, so uh, feel to tag yourself in on any of these. Thank you all for the tags, this was fun!

[newstwitter-blog]

New Post has been published on News Twitter

New Post has been published on http://www.news-twitter.com/2017/03/06/la-times-china-begins-annual-political-sessions-with-synchronized-tea-pouring-and-the-shadow-of-a-leadership-shuffle-11/

La Times: China begins annual political sessions with synchronized tea pouring and the shadow of a leadership shuffle

The world’s largest legislature opened its annual meeting on Sunday with one major goal: to avoid any controversy.

China set a slightly lower growth target but couched it in optimistic terms; announced the slowest rise in defense spending in seven years; and pledged to speed up efforts to eliminate the layer of smog that envelops the country’s skies.

The National People’s Congress, a largely ceremonial body, sticks to a script and proceeds like an overly choreographed play — down to servers’ synchronized pouring of tea. But officials are working even harder this year to praise their boss and make sure nothing goes wrong. The reason: A leadership shakeup this fall could lay the foundation for President Xi Jinping to extend his years in power.

“We owe all the achievements made over the last year to the sound leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core,” Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told nearly 3,000 delegates at its opening session.

The party granted Xi “core leader” status in October, something it did not do for his predecessor, Hu Jintao. Xi, 63, holds at least 12 titles, including Communist Party head and commander in chief.

Li projected economic growth this year “around 6.5%, or higher if possible,” just under the target last year of 6.5% to 7%. Expansion slowed to 6.7% in 2016, the weakest in a quarter century, but still among the fastest in the world.

“The projected target for this year’s growth is realistic,” Li said, in a work report he read aloud for more than an hour and a half. “An important reason for stressing the need to maintain stable growth is to ensure employment and improve people’s lives.”

Fleets of buses carted delegates to the opening at the Great Hall of the People, a massive gray-columned building on Tiananmen Square that represents the political heart of China. Soldiers saluted the vehicles from their posts along the 10-lane thoroughfare, almost empty of traffic.

The high-security event is known as the “two sessions” because it also involves the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. More than 2,000 people belong to this advisory group, including basketball star Yao Ming and actor Jackie Chan. All fit into a cavernous room that looks up at a stage with the Communist Party emblem and two giant screens. Cadres — many in matching suits with stone-faced expressions — turn pages of text in near unison, a collective flutter that sounds like birds taking flight.

Officials said the military budget would rise about 7% this year, the slowest pace since 2010. Documents released at the opening session did not detail the amount of the defense budget, but a Finance Ministry official told the Associated Press it would reach $151 billion.

This suggests China has little intention of starting an arms race with the United States, where President Trump just recommended a 10% increase in military spending to $603 billion.

“Fundamentally, this is about the United States worrying that China could catch up and surpass the U.S. in its ability,” Fu Ying, a spokeswoman for the National People’s Congress, told reporters on Saturday. “But in fact there is still a huge gap in ability between the U.S. and China, which is still a developing country.”

Li did not mention Trump in his report but said China stands for “peace and stability” in the face of “profound changes in the international political and economic landscape.”

He included vows to “work faster” to address air pollution caused by coal burning, to lower government debt, and to improve the environment for foreign investors.

“We will make our skies blue again,” he said.

As he spoke, Xi sat in the second row of the stage, directly in its center.

The calming tone comes months before a twice-a-decade Communist Party Congress, when five of the seven top leaders may step down. Analysts speculate Xi might maneuver to bend a retirement rule to ensure he stays in office when his term ends in 2022 — also the 100-year anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding. He could open up that possibility this fall by keeping his longtime ally and anti-corruption chief, Wang Qishan.

Unlike the National People’s Congress, the party congress is full of intrigue and uncertainty.

Chinese officials already are shuffling positions. Last month, they installed two men with ties to Xi as head of major economic agencies: Zhong Shan, a former deputy to Xi in eastern China, as commerce minister, and He Lifeng, who helped Xi with his One Belt One Road infrastructure initiative, as head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Xi did not speak during the opening sessions, but on a Sunday panel he reiterated a message of economic globalization, one strikingly at odds with Trump’s isolationist agenda.

“The door of China’s opening up will not close,” he said, according to the official New China News Agency.

His repetition is not unintentional.

“Xi’s speeches and policy initiatives at the ‘two sessions’ will send important signals about how China will march toward what Xi called the ‘great dream of revitalizing the Chinese nation,’” the news agency said in an analysis of the event.

Even the nosebleed seats were full during Li’s kickoff speech. But by the end of the first hour, with a view of the glowing red star on the ceiling and the country’s top leaders below, many in the audience had started taking selfies.

Meyers is a special correspondent. Nicole Liu in The Times’ Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

ALSO

China, upset over a planned missile-defense system, is taking aim at South Korea’s pop stars and TV shows

Sri Lankans who once embraced Chinese investment are now wary of Chinese domination

As Europe closes its doors to migrants, hundreds are stranded at a train station in Serbia

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La Times: China begins annual political sessions with synchronized tea pouring and the shadow of a leadership shuffle

The world’s largest legislature opened its annual meeting on Sunday with one major goal: to avoid any controversy.

China set a slightly lower growth target but couched it in optimistic terms; announced the slowest rise in defense spending in seven years; and pledged to speed up efforts to eliminate the layer of smog that envelops the country’s skies.

The National People’s Congress, a largely ceremonial body, sticks to a script and proceeds like an overly choreographed play — down to servers’ synchronized pouring of tea. But officials are working even harder this year to praise their boss and make sure nothing goes wrong. The reason: A leadership shakeup this fall could lay the foundation for President Xi Jinping to extend his years in power.

“We owe all the achievements made over the last year to the sound leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core,” Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told nearly 3,000 delegates at its opening session.

The party granted Xi “core leader” status in October, something it did not do for his predecessor, Hu Jintao. Xi, 63, holds at least 12 titles, including Communist Party head and commander in chief.

Li projected economic growth this year “around 6.5%, or higher if possible,” just under the target last year of 6.5% to 7%. Expansion slowed to 6.7% in 2016, the weakest in a quarter century, but still among the fastest in the world.

“The projected target for this year’s growth is realistic,” Li said, in a work report he read aloud for more than an hour and a half. “An important reason for stressing the need to maintain stable growth is to ensure employment and improve people’s lives.”

Fleets of buses carted delegates to the opening at the Great Hall of the People, a massive gray-columned building on Tiananmen Square that represents the political heart of China. Soldiers saluted the vehicles from their posts along the 10-lane thoroughfare, almost empty of traffic.

The high-security event is known as the “two sessions” because it also involves the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. More than 2,000 people belong to this advisory group, including basketball star Yao Ming and actor Jackie Chan. All fit into a cavernous room that looks up at a stage with the Communist Party emblem and two giant screens. Cadres — many in matching suits with stone-faced expressions — turn pages of text in near unison, a collective flutter that sounds like birds taking flight.

Officials said the military budget would rise about 7% this year, the slowest pace since 2010. Documents released at the opening session did not detail the amount of the defense budget, but a Finance Ministry official told the Associated Press it would reach $151 billion.

This suggests China has little intention of starting an arms race with the United States, where President Trump just recommended a 10% increase in military spending to $603 billion.

“Fundamentally, this is about the United States worrying that China could catch up and surpass the U.S. in its ability,” Fu Ying, a spokeswoman for the National People’s Congress, told reporters on Saturday. “But in fact there is still a huge gap in ability between the U.S. and China, which is still a developing country.”

Li did not mention Trump in his report but said China stands for “peace and stability” in the face of “profound changes in the international political and economic landscape.”

He included vows to “work faster” to address air pollution caused by coal burning, to lower government debt, and to improve the environment for foreign investors.

“We will make our skies blue again,” he said.

As he spoke, Xi sat in the second row of the stage, directly in its center.

The calming tone comes months before a twice-a-decade Communist Party Congress, when five of the seven top leaders may step down. Analysts speculate Xi might maneuver to bend a retirement rule to ensure he stays in office when his term ends in 2022 — also the 100-year anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding. He could open up that possibility this fall by keeping his longtime ally and anti-corruption chief, Wang Qishan.

Unlike the National People’s Congress, the party congress is full of intrigue and uncertainty.

Chinese officials already are shuffling positions. Last month, they installed two men with ties to Xi as head of major economic agencies: Zhong Shan, a former deputy to Xi in eastern China, as commerce minister, and He Lifeng, who helped Xi with his One Belt One Road infrastructure initiative, as head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Xi did not speak during the opening sessions, but on a Sunday panel he reiterated a message of economic globalization, one strikingly at odds with Trump’s isolationist agenda.

“The door of China’s opening up will not close,” he said, according to the official New China News Agency.

His repetition is not unintentional.

“Xi’s speeches and policy initiatives at the ‘two sessions’ will send important signals about how China will march toward what Xi called the ‘great dream of revitalizing the Chinese nation,’” the news agency said in an analysis of the event.

Even the nosebleed seats were full during Li’s kickoff speech. But by the end of the first hour, with a view of the glowing red star on the ceiling and the country’s top leaders below, many in the audience had started taking selfies.

Meyers is a special correspondent. Nicole Liu in The Times’ Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

ALSO

China, upset over a planned missile-defense system, is taking aim at South Korea’s pop stars and TV shows

Sri Lankans who once embraced Chinese investment are now wary of Chinese domination

As Europe closes its doors to migrants, hundreds are stranded at a train station in Serbia

This post has been harvested from the source link, and News-Twitter has no responsibility on its content. Source link

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La Times: China begins annual political sessions with synchronized tea pouring and the shadow of a leadership shuffle

The world’s largest legislature opened its annual meeting on Sunday with one major goal: to avoid any controversy.

China set a slightly lower growth target but couched it in optimistic terms; announced the slowest rise in defense spending in seven years; and pledged to speed up efforts to eliminate the layer of smog that envelops the country’s skies.

The National People’s Congress, a largely ceremonial body, sticks to a script and proceeds like an overly choreographed play — down to servers’ synchronized pouring of tea. But officials are working even harder this year to praise their boss and make sure nothing goes wrong. The reason: A leadership shakeup this fall could lay the foundation for President Xi Jinping to extend his years in power.

“We owe all the achievements made over the last year to the sound leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core,” Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told nearly 3,000 delegates at its opening session.

The party granted Xi “core leader” status in October, something it did not do for his predecessor, Hu Jintao. Xi, 63, holds at least 12 titles, including Communist Party head and commander in chief.

Li projected economic growth this year “around 6.5%, or higher if possible,” just under the target last year of 6.5% to 7%. Expansion slowed to 6.7% in 2016, the weakest in a quarter century, but still among the fastest in the world.

“The projected target for this year’s growth is realistic,” Li said, in a work report he read aloud for more than an hour and a half. “An important reason for stressing the need to maintain stable growth is to ensure employment and improve people’s lives.”

Fleets of buses carted delegates to the opening at the Great Hall of the People, a massive gray-columned building on Tiananmen Square that represents the political heart of China. Soldiers saluted the vehicles from their posts along the 10-lane thoroughfare, almost empty of traffic.

The high-security event is known as the “two sessions” because it also involves the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. More than 2,000 people belong to this advisory group, including basketball star Yao Ming and actor Jackie Chan. All fit into a cavernous room that looks up at a stage with the Communist Party emblem and two giant screens. Cadres — many in matching suits with stone-faced expressions — turn pages of text in near unison, a collective flutter that sounds like birds taking flight.

Officials said the military budget would rise about 7% this year, the slowest pace since 2010. Documents released at the opening session did not detail the amount of the defense budget, but a Finance Ministry official told the Associated Press it would reach $151 billion.

This suggests China has little intention of starting an arms race with the United States, where President Trump just recommended a 10% increase in military spending to $603 billion.

“Fundamentally, this is about the United States worrying that China could catch up and surpass the U.S. in its ability,” Fu Ying, a spokeswoman for the National People’s Congress, told reporters on Saturday. “But in fact there is still a huge gap in ability between the U.S. and China, which is still a developing country.”

Li did not mention Trump in his report but said China stands for “peace and stability” in the face of “profound changes in the international political and economic landscape.”

He included vows to “work faster” to address air pollution caused by coal burning, to lower government debt, and to improve the environment for foreign investors.

“We will make our skies blue again,” he said.

As he spoke, Xi sat in the second row of the stage, directly in its center.

The calming tone comes months before a twice-a-decade Communist Party Congress, when five of the seven top leaders may step down. Analysts speculate Xi might maneuver to bend a retirement rule to ensure he stays in office when his term ends in 2022 — also the 100-year anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding. He could open up that possibility this fall by keeping his longtime ally and anti-corruption chief, Wang Qishan.

Unlike the National People’s Congress, the party congress is full of intrigue and uncertainty.

Chinese officials already are shuffling positions. Last month, they installed two men with ties to Xi as head of major economic agencies: Zhong Shan, a former deputy to Xi in eastern China, as commerce minister, and He Lifeng, who helped Xi with his One Belt One Road infrastructure initiative, as head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Xi did not speak during the opening sessions, but on a Sunday panel he reiterated a message of economic globalization, one strikingly at odds with Trump’s isolationist agenda.

“The door of China’s opening up will not close,” he said, according to the official New China News Agency.

His repetition is not unintentional.

“Xi’s speeches and policy initiatives at the ‘two sessions’ will send important signals about how China will march toward what Xi called the ‘great dream of revitalizing the Chinese nation,’” the news agency said in an analysis of the event.

Even the nosebleed seats were full during Li’s kickoff speech. But by the end of the first hour, with a view of the glowing red star on the ceiling and the country’s top leaders below, many in the audience had started taking selfies.

Meyers is a special correspondent. Nicole Liu in The Times’ Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

ALSO

China, upset over a planned missile-defense system, is taking aim at South Korea’s pop stars and TV shows

Sri Lankans who once embraced Chinese investment are now wary of Chinese domination

As Europe closes its doors to migrants, hundreds are stranded at a train station in Serbia

This post has been harvested from the source link, and News-Twitter has no responsibility on its content. Source link

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La Times: China begins annual political sessions with synchronized tea pouring and the shadow of a leadership shuffle

The world’s largest legislature opened its annual meeting on Sunday with one major goal: to avoid any controversy.

China set a slightly lower growth target but couched it in optimistic terms; announced the slowest rise in defense spending in seven years; and pledged to speed up efforts to eliminate the layer of smog that envelops the country’s skies.

The National People’s Congress, a largely ceremonial body, sticks to a script and proceeds like an overly choreographed play — down to servers’ synchronized pouring of tea. But officials are working even harder this year to praise their boss and make sure nothing goes wrong. The reason: A leadership shakeup this fall could lay the foundation for President Xi Jinping to extend his years in power.

“We owe all the achievements made over the last year to the sound leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core,” Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told nearly 3,000 delegates at its opening session.

The party granted Xi “core leader” status in October, something it did not do for his predecessor, Hu Jintao. Xi, 63, holds at least 12 titles, including Communist Party head and commander in chief.

Li projected economic growth this year “around 6.5%, or higher if possible,” just under the target last year of 6.5% to 7%. Expansion slowed to 6.7% in 2016, the weakest in a quarter century, but still among the fastest in the world.

“The projected target for this year’s growth is realistic,” Li said, in a work report he read aloud for more than an hour and a half. “An important reason for stressing the need to maintain stable growth is to ensure employment and improve people’s lives.”

Fleets of buses carted delegates to the opening at the Great Hall of the People, a massive gray-columned building on Tiananmen Square that represents the political heart of China. Soldiers saluted the vehicles from their posts along the 10-lane thoroughfare, almost empty of traffic.

The high-security event is known as the “two sessions” because it also involves the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. More than 2,000 people belong to this advisory group, including basketball star Yao Ming and actor Jackie Chan. All fit into a cavernous room that looks up at a stage with the Communist Party emblem and two giant screens. Cadres — many in matching suits with stone-faced expressions — turn pages of text in near unison, a collective flutter that sounds like birds taking flight.

Officials said the military budget would rise about 7% this year, the slowest pace since 2010. Documents released at the opening session did not detail the amount of the defense budget, but a Finance Ministry official told the Associated Press it would reach $151 billion.

This suggests China has little intention of starting an arms race with the United States, where President Trump just recommended a 10% increase in military spending to $603 billion.

“Fundamentally, this is about the United States worrying that China could catch up and surpass the U.S. in its ability,” Fu Ying, a spokeswoman for the National People’s Congress, told reporters on Saturday. “But in fact there is still a huge gap in ability between the U.S. and China, which is still a developing country.”

Li did not mention Trump in his report but said China stands for “peace and stability” in the face of “profound changes in the international political and economic landscape.”

He included vows to “work faster” to address air pollution caused by coal burning, to lower government debt, and to improve the environment for foreign investors.

“We will make our skies blue again,” he said.

As he spoke, Xi sat in the second row of the stage, directly in its center.

The calming tone comes months before a twice-a-decade Communist Party Congress, when five of the seven top leaders may step down. Analysts speculate Xi might maneuver to bend a retirement rule to ensure he stays in office when his term ends in 2022 — also the 100-year anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding. He could open up that possibility this fall by keeping his longtime ally and anti-corruption chief, Wang Qishan.

Unlike the National People’s Congress, the party congress is full of intrigue and uncertainty.

Chinese officials already are shuffling positions. Last month, they installed two men with ties to Xi as head of major economic agencies: Zhong Shan, a former deputy to Xi in eastern China, as commerce minister, and He Lifeng, who helped Xi with his One Belt One Road infrastructure initiative, as head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Xi did not speak during the opening sessions, but on a Sunday panel he reiterated a message of economic globalization, one strikingly at odds with Trump’s isolationist agenda.

“The door of China’s opening up will not close,” he said, according to the official New China News Agency.

His repetition is not unintentional.

“Xi’s speeches and policy initiatives at the ‘two sessions’ will send important signals about how China will march toward what Xi called the ‘great dream of revitalizing the Chinese nation,’” the news agency said in an analysis of the event.

Even the nosebleed seats were full during Li’s kickoff speech. But by the end of the first hour, with a view of the glowing red star on the ceiling and the country’s top leaders below, many in the audience had started taking selfies.

Meyers is a special correspondent. Nicole Liu in The Times’ Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

ALSO

China, upset over a planned missile-defense system, is taking aim at South Korea’s pop stars and TV shows

Sri Lankans who once embraced Chinese investment are now wary of Chinese domination

As Europe closes its doors to migrants, hundreds are stranded at a train station in Serbia

This post has been harvested from the source link, and News-Twitter has no responsibility on its content. Source link

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New Post has been published on News Twitter

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La Times: China begins annual political sessions with synchronized tea pouring and the shadow of a leadership shuffle

The world’s largest legislature opened its annual meeting on Sunday with one major goal: to avoid any controversy.

China set a slightly lower growth target but couched it in optimistic terms; announced the slowest rise in defense spending in seven years; and pledged to speed up efforts to eliminate the layer of smog that envelops the country’s skies.

The National People’s Congress, a largely ceremonial body, sticks to a script and proceeds like an overly choreographed play — down to servers’ synchronized pouring of tea. But officials are working even harder this year to praise their boss and make sure nothing goes wrong. The reason: A leadership shakeup this fall could lay the foundation for President Xi Jinping to extend his years in power.

“We owe all the achievements made over the last year to the sound leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core,” Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told nearly 3,000 delegates at its opening session.

The party granted Xi “core leader” status in October, something it did not do for his predecessor, Hu Jintao. Xi, 63, holds at least 12 titles, including Communist Party head and commander in chief.

Li projected economic growth this year “around 6.5%, or higher if possible,” just under the target last year of 6.5% to 7%. Expansion slowed to 6.7% in 2016, the weakest in a quarter century, but still among the fastest in the world.

“The projected target for this year’s growth is realistic,” Li said, in a work report he read aloud for more than an hour and a half. “An important reason for stressing the need to maintain stable growth is to ensure employment and improve people’s lives.”

Fleets of buses carted delegates to the opening at the Great Hall of the People, a massive gray-columned building on Tiananmen Square that represents the political heart of China. Soldiers saluted the vehicles from their posts along the 10-lane thoroughfare, almost empty of traffic.

The high-security event is known as the “two sessions” because it also involves the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. More than 2,000 people belong to this advisory group, including basketball star Yao Ming and actor Jackie Chan. All fit into a cavernous room that looks up at a stage with the Communist Party emblem and two giant screens. Cadres — many in matching suits with stone-faced expressions — turn pages of text in near unison, a collective flutter that sounds like birds taking flight.

Officials said the military budget would rise about 7% this year, the slowest pace since 2010. Documents released at the opening session did not detail the amount of the defense budget, but a Finance Ministry official told the Associated Press it would reach $151 billion.

This suggests China has little intention of starting an arms race with the United States, where President Trump just recommended a 10% increase in military spending to $603 billion.

“Fundamentally, this is about the United States worrying that China could catch up and surpass the U.S. in its ability,” Fu Ying, a spokeswoman for the National People’s Congress, told reporters on Saturday. “But in fact there is still a huge gap in ability between the U.S. and China, which is still a developing country.”

Li did not mention Trump in his report but said China stands for “peace and stability” in the face of “profound changes in the international political and economic landscape.”

He included vows to “work faster” to address air pollution caused by coal burning, to lower government debt, and to improve the environment for foreign investors.

“We will make our skies blue again,” he said.

As he spoke, Xi sat in the second row of the stage, directly in its center.

The calming tone comes months before a twice-a-decade Communist Party Congress, when five of the seven top leaders may step down. Analysts speculate Xi might maneuver to bend a retirement rule to ensure he stays in office when his term ends in 2022 — also the 100-year anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding. He could open up that possibility this fall by keeping his longtime ally and anti-corruption chief, Wang Qishan.

Unlike the National People’s Congress, the party congress is full of intrigue and uncertainty.

Chinese officials already are shuffling positions. Last month, they installed two men with ties to Xi as head of major economic agencies: Zhong Shan, a former deputy to Xi in eastern China, as commerce minister, and He Lifeng, who helped Xi with his One Belt One Road infrastructure initiative, as head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Xi did not speak during the opening sessions, but on a Sunday panel he reiterated a message of economic globalization, one strikingly at odds with Trump’s isolationist agenda.

“The door of China’s opening up will not close,” he said, according to the official New China News Agency.

His repetition is not unintentional.

“Xi’s speeches and policy initiatives at the ‘two sessions’ will send important signals about how China will march toward what Xi called the ‘great dream of revitalizing the Chinese nation,’” the news agency said in an analysis of the event.

Even the nosebleed seats were full during Li’s kickoff speech. But by the end of the first hour, with a view of the glowing red star on the ceiling and the country’s top leaders below, many in the audience had started taking selfies.

Meyers is a special correspondent. Nicole Liu in The Times’ Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

ALSO

China, upset over a planned missile-defense system, is taking aim at South Korea’s pop stars and TV shows

Sri Lankans who once embraced Chinese investment are now wary of Chinese domination

As Europe closes its doors to migrants, hundreds are stranded at a train station in Serbia

This post has been harvested from the source link, and News-Twitter has no responsibility on its content. Source link

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New Post has been published on News Twitter

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La Times: China begins annual political sessions with synchronized tea pouring and the shadow of a leadership shuffle

The world’s largest legislature opened its annual meeting on Sunday with one major goal: to avoid any controversy.

China set a slightly lower growth target but couched it in optimistic terms; announced the slowest rise in defense spending in seven years; and pledged to speed up efforts to eliminate the layer of smog that envelops the country’s skies.

The National People’s Congress, a largely ceremonial body, sticks to a script and proceeds like an overly choreographed play — down to servers’ synchronized pouring of tea. But officials are working even harder this year to praise their boss and make sure nothing goes wrong. The reason: A leadership shakeup this fall could lay the foundation for President Xi Jinping to extend his years in power.

“We owe all the achievements made over the last year to the sound leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core,” Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told nearly 3,000 delegates at its opening session.

The party granted Xi “core leader” status in October, something it did not do for his predecessor, Hu Jintao. Xi, 63, holds at least 12 titles, including Communist Party head and commander in chief.

Li projected economic growth this year “around 6.5%, or higher if possible,” just under the target last year of 6.5% to 7%. Expansion slowed to 6.7% in 2016, the weakest in a quarter century, but still among the fastest in the world.

“The projected target for this year’s growth is realistic,” Li said, in a work report he read aloud for more than an hour and a half. “An important reason for stressing the need to maintain stable growth is to ensure employment and improve people’s lives.”

Fleets of buses carted delegates to the opening at the Great Hall of the People, a massive gray-columned building on Tiananmen Square that represents the political heart of China. Soldiers saluted the vehicles from their posts along the 10-lane thoroughfare, almost empty of traffic.

The high-security event is known as the “two sessions” because it also involves the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. More than 2,000 people belong to this advisory group, including basketball star Yao Ming and actor Jackie Chan. All fit into a cavernous room that looks up at a stage with the Communist Party emblem and two giant screens. Cadres — many in matching suits with stone-faced expressions — turn pages of text in near unison, a collective flutter that sounds like birds taking flight.

Officials said the military budget would rise about 7% this year, the slowest pace since 2010. Documents released at the opening session did not detail the amount of the defense budget, but a Finance Ministry official told the Associated Press it would reach $151 billion.

This suggests China has little intention of starting an arms race with the United States, where President Trump just recommended a 10% increase in military spending to $603 billion.

“Fundamentally, this is about the United States worrying that China could catch up and surpass the U.S. in its ability,” Fu Ying, a spokeswoman for the National People’s Congress, told reporters on Saturday. “But in fact there is still a huge gap in ability between the U.S. and China, which is still a developing country.”

Li did not mention Trump in his report but said China stands for “peace and stability” in the face of “profound changes in the international political and economic landscape.”

He included vows to “work faster” to address air pollution caused by coal burning, to lower government debt, and to improve the environment for foreign investors.

“We will make our skies blue again,” he said.

As he spoke, Xi sat in the second row of the stage, directly in its center.

The calming tone comes months before a twice-a-decade Communist Party Congress, when five of the seven top leaders may step down. Analysts speculate Xi might maneuver to bend a retirement rule to ensure he stays in office when his term ends in 2022 — also the 100-year anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding. He could open up that possibility this fall by keeping his longtime ally and anti-corruption chief, Wang Qishan.

Unlike the National People’s Congress, the party congress is full of intrigue and uncertainty.

Chinese officials already are shuffling positions. Last month, they installed two men with ties to Xi as head of major economic agencies: Zhong Shan, a former deputy to Xi in eastern China, as commerce minister, and He Lifeng, who helped Xi with his One Belt One Road infrastructure initiative, as head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Xi did not speak during the opening sessions, but on a Sunday panel he reiterated a message of economic globalization, one strikingly at odds with Trump’s isolationist agenda.

“The door of China’s opening up will not close,” he said, according to the official New China News Agency.

His repetition is not unintentional.

“Xi’s speeches and policy initiatives at the ‘two sessions’ will send important signals about how China will march toward what Xi called the ‘great dream of revitalizing the Chinese nation,’” the news agency said in an analysis of the event.

Even the nosebleed seats were full during Li’s kickoff speech. But by the end of the first hour, with a view of the glowing red star on the ceiling and the country’s top leaders below, many in the audience had started taking selfies.

Meyers is a special correspondent. Nicole Liu in The Times’ Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

ALSO

China, upset over a planned missile-defense system, is taking aim at South Korea’s pop stars and TV shows

Sri Lankans who once embraced Chinese investment are now wary of Chinese domination

As Europe closes its doors to migrants, hundreds are stranded at a train station in Serbia

This post has been harvested from the source link, and News-Twitter has no responsibility on its content. Source link

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New Post has been published on News Twitter

New Post has been published on http://www.news-twitter.com/2017/03/06/la-times-china-begins-annual-political-sessions-with-synchronized-tea-pouring-and-the-shadow-of-a-leadership-shuffle-4/

La Times: China begins annual political sessions with synchronized tea pouring and the shadow of a leadership shuffle

The world’s largest legislature opened its annual meeting on Sunday with one major goal: to avoid any controversy.

China set a slightly lower growth target but couched it in optimistic terms; announced the slowest rise in defense spending in seven years; and pledged to speed up efforts to eliminate the layer of smog that envelops the country’s skies.

The National People’s Congress, a largely ceremonial body, sticks to a script and proceeds like an overly choreographed play — down to servers’ synchronized pouring of tea. But officials are working even harder this year to praise their boss and make sure nothing goes wrong. The reason: A leadership shakeup this fall could lay the foundation for President Xi Jinping to extend his years in power.

“We owe all the achievements made over the last year to the sound leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as its core,” Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told nearly 3,000 delegates at its opening session.

The party granted Xi “core leader” status in October, something it did not do for his predecessor, Hu Jintao. Xi, 63, holds at least 12 titles, including Communist Party head and commander in chief.

Li projected economic growth this year “around 6.5%, or higher if possible,” just under the target last year of 6.5% to 7%. Expansion slowed to 6.7% in 2016, the weakest in a quarter century, but still among the fastest in the world.

“The projected target for this year’s growth is realistic,” Li said, in a work report he read aloud for more than an hour and a half. “An important reason for stressing the need to maintain stable growth is to ensure employment and improve people’s lives.”

Fleets of buses carted delegates to the opening at the Great Hall of the People, a massive gray-columned building on Tiananmen Square that represents the political heart of China. Soldiers saluted the vehicles from their posts along the 10-lane thoroughfare, almost empty of traffic.

The high-security event is known as the “two sessions” because it also involves the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. More than 2,000 people belong to this advisory group, including basketball star Yao Ming and actor Jackie Chan. All fit into a cavernous room that looks up at a stage with the Communist Party emblem and two giant screens. Cadres — many in matching suits with stone-faced expressions — turn pages of text in near unison, a collective flutter that sounds like birds taking flight.

Officials said the military budget would rise about 7% this year, the slowest pace since 2010. Documents released at the opening session did not detail the amount of the defense budget, but a Finance Ministry official told the Associated Press it would reach $151 billion.

This suggests China has little intention of starting an arms race with the United States, where President Trump just recommended a 10% increase in military spending to $603 billion.

“Fundamentally, this is about the United States worrying that China could catch up and surpass the U.S. in its ability,” Fu Ying, a spokeswoman for the National People’s Congress, told reporters on Saturday. “But in fact there is still a huge gap in ability between the U.S. and China, which is still a developing country.”

Li did not mention Trump in his report but said China stands for “peace and stability” in the face of “profound changes in the international political and economic landscape.”

He included vows to “work faster” to address air pollution caused by coal burning, to lower government debt, and to improve the environment for foreign investors.

“We will make our skies blue again,” he said.

As he spoke, Xi sat in the second row of the stage, directly in its center.

The calming tone comes months before a twice-a-decade Communist Party Congress, when five of the seven top leaders may step down. Analysts speculate Xi might maneuver to bend a retirement rule to ensure he stays in office when his term ends in 2022 — also the 100-year anniversary of the Communist Party’s founding. He could open up that possibility this fall by keeping his longtime ally and anti-corruption chief, Wang Qishan.

Unlike the National People’s Congress, the party congress is full of intrigue and uncertainty.

Chinese officials already are shuffling positions. Last month, they installed two men with ties to Xi as head of major economic agencies: Zhong Shan, a former deputy to Xi in eastern China, as commerce minister, and He Lifeng, who helped Xi with his One Belt One Road infrastructure initiative, as head of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Xi did not speak during the opening sessions, but on a Sunday panel he reiterated a message of economic globalization, one strikingly at odds with Trump’s isolationist agenda.

“The door of China’s opening up will not close,” he said, according to the official New China News Agency.

His repetition is not unintentional.

“Xi’s speeches and policy initiatives at the ‘two sessions’ will send important signals about how China will march toward what Xi called the ‘great dream of revitalizing the Chinese nation,’” the news agency said in an analysis of the event.

Even the nosebleed seats were full during Li’s kickoff speech. But by the end of the first hour, with a view of the glowing red star on the ceiling and the country’s top leaders below, many in the audience had started taking selfies.

Meyers is a special correspondent. Nicole Liu in The Times’ Beijing bureau contributed to this report.

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