#she's been the highest ranking female of the troop for years

[statisticalcats2]

The introductions have been completed with the Brookfield Zoo gorilla troop! I'm so happy they seem to be getting along well. Their habitat is open to the public again now so I'll need to visit soon!

[jordanianroyals]

Royal Wedding in Amman | By Rami G. Khouri, June 16, 1978

An American girl became a queen yeaterday as 26-year-old Princeton University architecture graduate Lisa Halaby took the name of Noor al Hussein, the faith of Islam and the hand in marriage of King Hussein, ruler of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordon.

The new queen's mother was barred from the four-minute ceremony itself - Koranic law dictates that the bride be the only female present - but the new queen beamed radiantly down at her two-inches-shorter, 16-years-older royal husband at a reception afterward attended by some 500 friends and relations. Soft drinks subbed for champagne at the reception, though, as Moslem law again prevailed.

Queen Noor, whom Jordonian officialdom had reffered to earlier as "Moslem Miss Noor Halaby," had converted to her husband's faith. she had been expected to attain the rank of "pricess" because she was not an Arab, but was dubbed his queen by the Jordanian monarch. Only one other of his four wives, the late Queen Alia, a Palestinian, had been so honored.

But Queen Noor's Arab ancestry - her father was of Syrian descent - had been played up by the state-run media since her engagement to the king was announced, and, of course, it is all up to the king as to visit what he wishes to name his wife.

The bride smiling throughout the ceremony and the two-hour reception that followed was dressed in a white Christian Dior wedding gown and had a women band of white flowers holding in her long blond hair in place.

Diamond earrings and bracelets added sparkle to her composure, as she and the king posed for photographers immediately after the wedding ceremony.

Queen Noor - her name means "Light of Hussein" - was visibly settling comfortably into her new role, and she and the king exchanged frequent glances and comments that grinning broadly.

Five hundred guests waited for them on the lawn of the Zahran Palace, home of the queen mother and traditional site of royal marriages. The couple emerged to cut the seventier one-yard-high fruitcake wedding cake with a golden Hashemite sword, and mingled for 10 minutes with the royal family that had gathered to congratulate them.

The casual, happy atmosphere of the occasion was captured decisively when one of the king's young daugthers from a previous marriage rushed up to Queen Noor and exclaimed "I really like your dress," for which she was rewarded with an equally enthusiastic embrace, and a hug and a kiss from the king. Queen Noor had helped design the gown.

The guests included the elite of Jordonian society, the diplomatic corps, government officials, senior officers of the armed forces and selected friends of the new queen. But no foreign guests were to be seen aside from the Halaby family, Mrs. Cyrus Vance and a handful of the queen's friends from the United States. Oneof Hussein's ex-wives, the English-born Princess Muna, was also present. The former Toni Gardner, she now lives in London but returns frequently to Amman where she still has a palace.

Smartly dressed, flag-bearing troops of the Hashmeite horse guard flanked the entrance to the Zahran palace, in Amman's most exclusive residential neighborhood, while the armed forces band played lively music in the background and tough Bedouin security forces got caught up in the general gaiety around and continually preventing photographers from swarming over the royal couple.

The father of Queen Noor, former Pan American Airlines chairman Naheeb Habaly, said "We have feelings of pride, pleasure and some anxiety," and revealed that the king and queen will visit the United States before the end of the year "so she can have an American-style reception in Washington for all our friends in the United States."

The wedding ceremony itself was a traditional all-male affair, with the king and his bride sitting together on a settee flanked by the chief justice of Jordon's highest Islamic court; Crown Prince Hassan and Prince Mohammad, and the bride's father, with his gray business suit and black bow tie.

The king first signed three copies of the marriage contract, and Habaly followed suit, signing in Arabic to the left of the king's signature. The chief justice, Ibrahim Qatan, then recited the couple repeated. The vows derived from the Koran, the Islamic holy book, simply stake that the couple has been married according to the agreements reached between them them in the marriage contract and according to the laws of God and his prophet.

Then, the royal couple, with the king at the wheel of their silver Mercedes 600 limousine, drove out of the palace grounds and off to an undisclosed destination, followed by the usual contingent of two security cars, and the cheers and quiet clapping of the several hundred guests who gathered at the gate to see them off.

There was a festive feeling throughout Amman today, but no special decorations or signs of public celebration, in keeping with the wishes of the newlyweds for a low-key ceremony. Newspapers were filled with notices of congratulations from citizens throughout the country, and some shopfronts and taxicab windows sported large black-and-white pictures of the king and queen. Otherwise, life in the Jordanian capital went on as usual. (Washington Post)

[farelian]

Galactic Quarrels: Lift-Off

There it is, standing atop of a launch platform in the grassy plains of the Sahara, the first intergalactic spacecraft of the UTF. The Green Sahara project is one of humanity’s most ambitious project they have ever pulled off, turning the desolate desert into a green, vibrant with life, forests, and fertile soil. 

Drawn on the side of its hull is the UTF Flag, and under it, painted with bold white text is “TFS Ambition” Besides the construction of the domes, this, is humanity’s greatest achievement in history.

A white hunk of metal pointed at the sky, ready to spearhead humanity into a new era of intergalactic exploration. Engineering and land crew scattered across the field and landing platform, dwarfed by the massive starship and its open cargo ramp revealing it’s dark cargo hold as vehicles drive up and down the ramp transporting the necessary components and rations the crew needed for their journey.

In its center, is the Hyperdrive, the pride of human inventions. The hyperdrive can open a subspace tunnel to its destination and travel through it almost instantaneously, well, that’s what it’s expected to do. With no prototype testing, everyone was certain that the ship is just a massive metal death trap, even the High Marshall of the UTF is doubting the hyperdrive’s hypothesized capabilities.

This entire event can be humanity’s proudest moments, or humanity’s most embarrassing, and catastrophic technological failure in centuries. The crowd formed a few kilometers away from the launch site is in the thousands and the assembled stage for the highest-ranking crew members stood strong under the heat of the African sun. UTF, UNE, and ROF representatives sat in their VIP seats on the front, while senior officers and the chosen crew sat behind them.

The UTA government is a Representative Democracy with militaristic influence. Each human government in its borders must choose officials to become representatives at UTF meetings, these meetings will be sent up to the National Council where a group of twenty UTF council members will converse with the representatives. The decisions in these meetings will then be sent up to the Marshalls, this group of nine people will answer to the High Marshall.

Every citizen has the right to vote, with each Marshal and the High Marshall having a service term of twenty years where a national election will take place on every human world to vote for the next High Marshall and his/her Marshalls.

Marshall Oprinchuk Nil Vladislavovich walked up to the stage wearing his ceremonial uniform that consists of a military black suit, the UTA Emblem on his upper left breast and a red and black with three white stripes armband on his left arm. He proudly stood in front of the audience and VIPs, other marshalls and part of the national council are here. He looked down at his wrist, a holographic projection of the script he has to read for the speech.

The blonde-haired man with blue eyes took a deep breath, as his hands hold the lectern. “Ladies and Gentlemen, in this glorious, and joyful day, we are gathered here to witness the launch of humanity’s first-ever intergalactic starships, the TFS Ambition. Years of technological innovations and development lead us straight to this moment, where humanity will finally achieve its dreams of sailing across the black sea we call space, the final frontier.”

Vlad paused and looked at the crowd, all silent, filled with patriotism and pride of humanity. “The ship and her crew will embark on a journey, like none other. They will explore the great unknown as the first pioneers of intergalactic travel. They will explore distant stars, explore countless systems for the greatness of humanity and uncover the mysteries of the universe.” Several flashes of cameras taking pictures and live footage of the speech broadcasted across Sol.

Broadcasted all over the world, every restaurant, every mall, every pub and homes, everyone is watching. “These men and women will spearhead us to a new age, of exploration and technological wonders. On their journey, they will face many dangers previously unknown to us, but they will fight through it with courage and bravery,” Vlad leaned forward on the lectern, closer to the mic. “The time has come, the time where the universe meets humanity with all of its might, the time where humanity ascends into the intergalactic stage

I wish the crew of the TFS Ambition good luck, bring humanity into a golden age of technological ascendancy, and prosperity. Thank you” Applause erupts from the crowd, and howling of the excited civilian filled the staging grounds. Vlad walked off the stage and the applause drags on. Taking a seat back on the VIP section, he let out a sigh of relief. The young Marshall’s heart, no older than 28 years old, was beating in fear of messing up the speech.

He received a nudge on the hip from his side, he looked over to see Marshall Jane Honner, the more experienced and prideful Marshall, smiling at him. “You did good kid”

As the applause ends, another man walked up to the stage. Wearing a green army uniform similar to the Marshal’s uniforms in design. The man wearing it is a hardened-veteran, white-bleached hair and a scar-filled face, General Wolf Stone. Walking to the lectern, he holds the edges with his hands as he looked on to the crowd. He breathes in, then started. “I am honored to be able to speak in front of everyone this glorious and prideful day. Since the days of War Amongst Friends, the UTF has evolved into this state of cultural prosperity and endless economic growth, and I am happy to see this development.” 

The young General, only recently promoted, is seen as a war hero. He fought and kill like other soldiers in the war, but he saves hundreds of civilian lives in the process, regardless of origin. His most popular act of bravery is the defense of Kohl Union Hospital in Western Europe, the hospital was used as a field hospital for Martian and Pro-Dissolve armies, housing wounded troops and civilians with much martian staff. When the Pro-Earth armies marched on, ignoring the order to fall back, he fought with his unit against the onslaught of Pro-Earth troops, supporting the evacuation of the hospital, instead of the initial plans of abandoning them to their fates.

“The war left people devastated, families separated, cities ruined, and humanity shattered. So I am very pleased that we set our differences aside and form the UTF, and I am proud to become a part of this government.” Wolf looked on to his wife on the far back, smiling with tears, beside her is the smiling seven-year-old Michael Stone. “But humanity managed to rebuild itself, families reunited, and we united under one banner once more.”

“The Grand Army of the UTF will stand side by side with the United Space Corp on this journey, and I wish you all good luck” The applause that followed is not as grand as the previous one, but still ear-deafening nonetheless. Trumpets roared in ceremonial anthem as UTFJets flew overhead creating the UTF flag in the blue sky.

Next on the agenda is singing the UTF anthem, everyone stood up from their seats, while the previously crowded civilians formed symmetrical lines that stretched across the field. Palm to their chest above their hearts, as they sang the anthem. A choir of instruments and their magnificent beautiful sounds filled the staging ground once more, instruments playing as the people sang the lyrics in perfect sync, filled with pride and determination.

Five minutes passed and everyone returned to their seats, The stage’s back curtain was drawn back to reveal the magnificent TFS Ambition in all of its glory. It’s launch thruster spewing cold white smoke, eager and ready to launch. “With the end of this ceremony, without any further interruptions or delays, all remaining crew of the TFS Ambition shall board the vessel,” The female announcer said over the speakers.

The crew for the ceremony stood from their seats and made way to their vehicles, and drove off to the launching platform. The crowd watched in anticipation, the Marshalls and Council Members watched on with pride in their seats. The three massive television screens turned on to show footage of the busy bridge, a camera outside the vessel, and the camera crew keeping an angle on the beauty.

The last of the vehicles parked as the crew hastily entered the spacecraft with the ground crew clear of the launch site. The massive ramp slowly closes with its hydraulics, and with a hiss, the cargo hold is sealed shut. The captain of TFS Ambition already gave a speech earlier at the start of the ceremony, entered the bridge as she sat on the captain seat. “Run diagnostics on all systems, check and double-check the engines and cargo hold”

“All systems optimal, engines are heated up and ready to fire” The Engineering officer reported.

“all cargo and containers have been strapped down and secured for launch Captain,” The logistical head said over comms.

“Check and double-check the reactor coolant, run second diagnostics of every system”

“Coolant is at optimal levels, and all systems re-checked, no anomalies”

The Captain grinned, taking a prideful stance on the captain seat as she looked onwards out the bridge’s windows. “Olympus this is TFS Ambition, all systems checked and we are ready to launch” She contacted the orbital station.

The comms buzzed. “Copy that Ambition, you may launch when ready, good luck out there” 

“release platform stabilizers, initiate first burnout sequence”

The ship roared into life as the engines activate sending a small rumble across the ship, the long stabilizers attached to the ship broke off. “Systems are good, hyperdrive secured”

“Initiate second burnout sequence” A larger rumbling occurred on the ship as the engines are tested for any problems for launch. 

“All systems green, ready to launch on your command Captain”

The Captain leaned forward in her seat, looking out the window at the blue sky. “Let's meet aliens, engage thruster launch in 5...”The bridge crew, logistics, engineering, medical, and maintenance crew strapped themselves down in their seats. “four... three” The Captain leaned back on the chair strapping herself in also. “Two... one... fire!”

Thrown and pushed back onto their seats, the thrusters fired at full capacity launching the spacecraft into the air and up at the sky. “Lift-off achieved!” everywhere on human worlds, Mars, Luna, Earth, those stationed on the research station above Jupiter, all cheered wildly, happiness and adrenaline flowing through their bodies.

The crew itself was happy that the ship didn’t explode on the launch, but could only smile as the Gs hit them like a truck. They passed the clouds as they began burning through the atmosphere, and a few seconds later, they are in space and the weight was now, non-existent. “Turn off the engines!” The crew was about to cheer before a commanding bark from the captain silenced them. “Don’t celebrate yet, getting out of the atmosphere is easy, the real challenge is will the Hyperdrive work? Or will we be turned into goo”

Aimed at Alpha Centauri, the ship crew run diagnostics once more. Navigations checked and verified their transit route. “Engage hyperdrive” The crew tensed up as the Hyperdrive activates, a rhythmic  “Beat” spreads across the ship slowly going faster, and faster until it’s beating so fast that it's just a single note.

“Warp in 3... 2... 1... warp” In an instant, the crew felt nauseous as the space in front of them opened up into a tunnel, and without skipping a beat, the ship goes barreling through it in speeds humans have never experienced before. And just like that, the ship was gone.

Attempts on contacting the ship and its crew after the warp was unsuccessful, only static and an empty video feed. Only for the day after, the crew hailed back, and everyone screamed in joy.

The Grand Marshall smiled out from her private estates in the city of New Falklands, a floating city on the southern Atlantic Ocean, the rousing and ear-piercing cheering and screaming from the television, and from the streets and buildings below filled her ears.

“We did it”

[causeiwanttoandican]

The deal that cuts ties between Royal family and Harry and Meghan - explained in full

Edward Malnick Victoria Ward Patrick Sawer Jack Hardy

It was, perhaps, the most significant announcement about the future of the Royal family for almost three decades.

And in a glimpse of the disaffection with tradition that partly lay behind their move, the public was informed of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to renounce their royal titles in a post on the couple’s Instagram page, at 6.30pm yesterday.

The post itself conveyed a heartfelt statement by the Queen that appeared to speak as much as a loving grandmother as a monarch concerned about the future of the Royal family.

The Queen said she was “pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family”, following their wish “for a more independent life”.

A separate statement from Buckingham Palace revealed that the Duke and Duchess – whom the Queen said had “so quickly become one of the family” – would step back from royal duties, including official military appointments, give up their His and Her Royal Highness titles, and no longer formally represent the monarch.

Here, The Telegraph details the key changes agreed as part of the deal between the couple and their family, and their significance to the Duke and Duchess:

Titles

The Sussexes, who will now go by Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will give up their HRH style – which Prince Harry has had since birth and Meghan since their marriage on May 19, 2018.

Some royal watchers had predicted that the couple may have been preparing to surrender the style after it emerged that their son Archie, born on May 6 last year, had been given no title.

Joe Little, the managing editor of Majesty magazine, said: “The fact Archie isn’t Earl of Dumbarton or styled HRH makes me wonder whether this wasn’t already part of a wider masterplan.”

Their home

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have indicated they will spend the majority of their time in North America, but retain Frogmore Cottage as a UK base, and that they will pay commercial rent on the home.

Taxpayers paid £2.4 million to renovate the cottage, which the couple moved into just nine months ago – leaving Kensington Palace, which only fanned rumours of a rift with the Cambridges.

The couple have agreed they will pay the Sovereign Grant cost of the refurbishment back to the public purse. Work on the property in the Berkshire property overran and it was reported that the couple made constant design changes, meaning the builders fell behind schedule.

Their new website sussexroyal.com says the Duke and Duchess moved to Windsor for “various reasons”, and that their previous residence of Nottingham Cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace “could not accommodate their growing family”.

There is now expected to be a short “transition period” during which the couple will divide their time between Britain and Canada, before spending the majority of time in North America.

The Duchess is on Vancouver Island with their eight-month-old son Archie, and the Duke is expected to join her there soon.

Military patronages

The announcement that the Duke of Sussex will lose his military patronages comes as a significant blow to the prestige that he has enjoyed until now.

Prince Harry’s military titles and patronages include that of Captain General of the Royal Marines, a position he was understood to have been particularly proud of, having been appointed in December 2017, when he succeeded his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, in the role.

He will now also lose the other military titles and patronages which he has been awarded since serving two tours of Afghanistan with the British Army, where he rose to the rank of Captain.

These are: Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Honington; and Commodore- in-Chief, Small Ships and Diving.

Commonwealth

One of the major roles lost by the Duke of Sussex in his deal with Buckingham Palace is Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, which had been the focus of several overseas tours.

The Duke was appointed to the position by the Queen in 2018 with a view to helping young people use “Commonwealth platforms” to address social, economic and environmental challenges facing their generation.

It was work that the sixth in line to the throne pursued with zeal. Last year, he visited South Africa, Angola and Malawi on an official diplomatic engagement in the role.

Prince Harry had also seen it as part of his future work with his wife. In his first speech in April 2018, he said he was “incredibly grateful” the woman he was, at that point, about to marry, would join him in the job.

The role of youth ambassador – his most high-profile at the time – is considered particularly important because of the Commonwealth’s demographic, with 60 per cent of the population of its 53 member nations being under the age of 30.

Despite Harry stepping back from the position, he and Meghan will remain president and vice-president respectively of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.

Security

Buckingham Palace will not comment on the couple’s future security arrangements save to say these will be determined by well-established risk assessments carried out by the police and security services.

But experts have warned that taxpayers will need to fund police protection for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for years to come. They fear couples will continue to be at risk from terror groups, political fanatics and lone obsessives long after they separate from the Royal family.

Dai Davies, who was head of Royal Protection from 1994 to 1998, said: “We don’t want the situation where Harry and Meghan are being followed, without protection, by paparazzi or people with a fixation and we need to be sure that protection is of the highest level.”

Ministers and senior police officers are thought to be determined to avoid the mistakes made over Diana, Princess of Wales, who in 1993 turned down police protection except when she was with her sons or staying at Kensington Palace.

That left her relying on private security at other times, leading to her being in the hands of the Ritz Hotel’s head of security Henri Paul on the night she died when their car crashed in the Pont de l’Alma underpass as he tried to evade photographers.

What they can keep

As Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, the newly-independent couple will retain many of their patronages in a private capacity.

The Duchess, who has made clear her intention to continue to work on causes relating to female empowerment, remains as patron of SmartWorks, a charity which provides clothes and mentoring to disadvantaged women seeking employment.

She is also patron of the National Theatre, animal charity Mayhew and The Association of Commonwealth Universities.

Prince Harry will continue to work with his key charities, including the Invictus Games and Sentebale, which helps children affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana.

Others close to his heart include WellChild, which supports families caring for seriously ill children, and African Parks, a conservation charity.

He remains 6th in line to the throne, with Archie Mountbatten-Windsor at 7th. He is also expected to appear at several scheduled engagements in the UK before the new arrangement takes effect in spring 2020.

The future

What is to come for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remains uncertain, with many details still yet to be agreed.

The SussexRoyal branding, under which they operate their social media, has already been copyrighted, but aides were last night unable to say whether they would retain it as non-working members of the Royal family.

Experts have pointed out that their official branding could allow them to make millions as a direct result of their former status.

Buckingham Palace will no longer have influence or oversight of the Sussexes’ working lives, leaving serious questions about whether the couple can continue to operate as “SussexRoyal”.

A source said the couple have not yet secured any commercial deals.

The couple’s foundation, due to launch later this year, may also need to be renamed.

Although they will no longer automatically be part of official public events, they are likely to appear at family occasions at the invitation of the Queen.

Aides have not yet indicated whether they will appear on the balcony at Buckingham Palace for Trooping the Colour, at Remembrance events or occasions such as Royal Ascot.

Last night, the couple’s website, sussexroyal.com, published a promise to update “information on the roles and work of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex...in due course”.

[littlemissrainhoe]

it seems like years since it's been here

It’s late, but it’s here! Day 4 of @tododeku-week ! Theme: Scars. I fell asleep before I could finish this. On the plus side, I got more than 5 hours of sleep last night so that’s great. ^^

[AO3]

-

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope.” — Helen Keller

-

Shouto closes his eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun and the gentle caress of the wind on his face. When was the last time he felt such peace?

Life at the palace had never been easy. His father, King Todoroki Enji, has always been an ill-tempered man. A knight who had fought through the ranks and became legendary for his many kills in battle, he was rewarded with the princess’ hand in marriage by the previous king right before he died. When he ascended the throne, his first decree was to expand the kingdom by sending his troops to the smaller kingdoms and subjugating them. Within only a year, his kingdom became far richer and stronger than ever before, and King Todoroki became someone to fear.

This was clear especially within the castle. It was clear from the start that Todoroki Enji, who only knew of violence and fury, was not a family man. Though he had four children with the queen, he only acknowledged her usefulness to give him heirs. From a very young age, had countless of tutors for them and personally trained his eldest, Touya, who would go to bed bruised and hurting. The king had no patience for incompetence, often pulling out the whip whenever he was displeased with them.

It got even worse when Touya ran away. Losing his heir apparent worsened the temper of the king, his anger reaching levels they had never seen before. He launched a countrywide search for his brother, even going so far as to have spies stationed in the neighboring kingdoms for the capture of his missing heir. But no one saw hide or hair of Touya ever again.

Enraged, the king had all evidence and traces of Touya removed from the castle. His portraits, his clothing, his books—all of them burned and thrown away until it was as if there had never been a Todoroki Touya that existed in the first place.

With his eldest brother gone and Fuyumi and Natsuo deemed incompetent for being born female and lacking intelligence respectively, Shouto was chosen to succeed him. If the king kept a close eye on Touya before, it’s nothing compared to how much he watched Shouto now. If he wasn’t being brutally beat-down by his father in training, he was bombarded with a parade of tutors on languages, mathematics and politics. He didn’t have any time for himself, an attendant barely leaving his side to guard his comings and goings. He was so isolated, he barely even saw the other members of his family or even ridden his horse or visit the gardens—activities his father considered a waste of time.

Once, he snuck over to his mother’s parlor, seeking for the comfort of her embrace after a particular rough sword training. Unaware of his mother’s growing instability, he guilelessly approached her and she poured her boiling tea on his face.

That was the last time he ever saw her. From what Shouto knew, his father had her sent away to be locked up somewhere, although he made sure that the village people did not know of this.

Remembering the stark fear and disgust in her mother’s eyes as she compared him to his father, Shouto vowed to one day disgrace Todoroki Enji in the face of the public as Shouto took over the throne from under his nose.

He began to rebel, running away from his security detail and talking back to the king; for despite the punishments he’d be given, he knew full well his worth in this kingdom. Without the queen to bear more heirs and his remaining siblings already dismissed for the throne, Todoroki Enji only had Shouto left—and he relished over the hold he had over his shitty father.

Years went by and the rage within him only grew. Like a dark, swirling vortex, it swallowed him whole—the hatred and anger: at his father, at the world, at himself. Entrenched in isolation, he let his heart grow as cold as a winter’s evening—carelessly cruel to the world around him.

It wasn’t until he met Midoriya Izuku that he got a complete revival.

Shouto met Midoriya one a fine spring day when the air was breezy, the flowers were blooming, and certainly not the time for an attempted kidnapping. Not that this was the first time it happened to him, but he’d had a rather trying day with his father and his advisors—all so eager to pawn him off to the highest bidder—that he completely missed the group of mercenaries following him until he got cornered like a novice. Of course, none of them were a match to his prowess of the sword, but six-to-one was still six-to-one and Shouto ended up on the wrong end of a particularly gnarly-looking thug’s sword.

Just as he thought he was done for, Shouto heard a thud and the thug fell face-first, out cold.

“Are you alright, sir? Are you hurt?” came a panicked voice before him.

Chaotic green hair and a smattering of freckles greeted him, electric green eyes peering at him in worry as the man dropped the brick he used to knock his kidnapper out. A commoner, by the looks of it. He probably saw the kidnappers and decided to step in at the last minute to receive gratitude from the king.

Well, Shouto thought derisively, unfortunately for him, that bastard is more likely to have him banished so that no one ever finds out that his heir was almost bested by a couple of thugs.

But that’s not what happened at all. Instead of useless simpering, his savior only continued to fuss over him—offering salves and bandages for his wounds. He did not ask for any favor—never mind that he didn’t even recognize Shouto, whose scarred face and bicolored hair weren’t spared by the villagers’ wagging tongues.

Wounded, lost and now lacking a horse, the man firmly insisted on taking care of him. On one hand, it was such a novel thing to be talked to this way—not as Prince Shouto, future king, but as just Shouto—that he couldn’t bring himself to say no. On the other, he realized he had no idea where he was. Shouto was so distracted by his annoyance at his father at the time that he didn’t even notice that he had reached the borders.

The man secured Shouto behind him, making sure he won’t fall off or aggravate his injuries, and once again he marvels at this man’s strange compassion. When was the last time I’ve seen someone so kind? Someone so pure and unmotivated by greed or power?

“Oh!” the strange man said, turning back to Shouto with a big smile on his face. “My name is Midoriya Izuku! Pleased to make your acquaintance, sir!”

“Midoriya,” he said, the name falling from his lips, unbidden. “You can call me—”

   “Shouto?”

At the call, he opens his eyes. This is not a dream, he tells himself, still incredulous about his luck. This is real.

Turning back, he sees the man he was just thinking about. Izuku still looks the same as he first saw him—eyes still wide and kind, smile as bright and pure as his heart. His body is a lot stronger than it was before, although perhaps that is a given when one is travelling distant lands to defeat great evil. (Also escaping his father’s knights adamant on taking their prince back—except for Iida, but only because he chose to join their party.)

It feels like such a long time ago, meeting in that deserted street as strangers. And now he’s here, with this brave, amazing man who has the heart of a hero—whose warmth has melted his frozen heart and taught him how to live again.

“Are you ready to go?” he asks.

Shouto looks behind him, the view atop the hill unchanged and as wondrous as ever in the light of day.

“Yes,” he replies, walking to the man he now calls his partner—his heart full of love and warmth and hope.

The sun shines bright as they walk towards the future.

[god-of-mischief]

Loki fic idea

I want a fic set during Thor 1 where Lady Sif and the Warriors 3 manage to bring Thor back to Asgard before Loki could use the Destoyer to kill Thor/get his powers back and without Loki killing Laufey and destroying Jotunheim so that an Asgardian Civil War breaks out for the throne. HCs below the cut:

Thor has no real reason to outright attack Loki on sight when he gets home but he does get angry that Loki lied to him (although in the AU Loki could just tell the truth and say that Odin was in the Odinsleep and may never awaken but that Thor still couldn't come home)

However, since Thor hasn't become worthy, he's still somewhat of an arrogant asshole and wants the throne even though he is still mortal

Loki, of course, refuses because Thor is 1) mortal, 2) arrogant, and 3) bloodthirsty. None of which they need when at war with Jotunheim -- a war which Thor started

This rivalry over the throne at a time of war of course raises tensions and people take sides

The younger warriors who trained with Thor, including Sif and the Warriors 3, and grew up hating the Jotunns and wanting to kill them will of course support Thor. I also think the nobles will support him as well because he's terrible at politics and therefore easy to manipulate while Loki is not.

I have a lot of elaborate headcanons for Loki that I want to fit in here. So:

There is a royal spy/assassin ring that only takes orders from the crown and Loki has been training with them for centuries, one of the reasons he doesn't train with the normal warriors. Their sneaky and subtle fighting style suits Loki perfectly, and they encourage magic because they aren't stupid and bigoted. This organization is very secretive and only the highest ranking people know about it. Thor doesn't know because Odin couldn't trust him yet to keep it a secret. Odin would've handled them during the first few years when Thor would have been king until he was ready. Loki, however, was picked out by their leader when he was young cause he saw Loki's potential in sneaky combat and magic. In fact, he was so good that he was promoted to be the leader/captain/whatever after several centuries. Thor and the Warriors 4 have no idea. The spies/assassins definitely take Loki's side with the throne debate.

The Valkyries did not totally die out. They were still mostly killed by Hela and Brunnhilde did escape to Sakaar but there must have been some retired/old Valkyries back in Asgard. So they decided to rebuild the order and by Loki's time, they were back to their formal glory. Because of their elite warrior status and sneaky fighting styles (as seen by Brunnhilde and her knives) they work closely with the spy/assassin ring. Since Loki is genderfluid, I also see her training with the Valkyries and the tattoo only shows on her female form. This is not quite as big a secret but it's not talked about much. Thor and the Warriors know but they don't really make the connection that Loki is an elite warrior of Asgard. The Valkyries definitely take Loki's side.

I see Loki as hating the greedy and power-hungry aristocrats and preferring the common people of Asgard. While Thor is the warrior prince, Loki is the prince of the people. There are a lot of headcanons about Loki going to schools and orphanages and such. I also see him advocating for greater representation for the people and for equal rights for women and male sorcerers since he is also a minority. Loki also helps repair the damage in the taverns where Thor and the Warriors visit. So the common people definitely support Loki. This is interesting cause while they outnumber everyone else, they don't have as much power. However, the blacksmiths are in charge of supplying weapons and armor so they can make a difference.

The magicians guild also supports Loki. Thor has constantly belittled magic, along with his supporters, and they do not like that. They would love to have a king that understands and supports them.

The older generation of warriors who fought in Jotunheim, maybe or maybe not including General Tyr, would probably support Loki since they have actually experienced war and do not want to experience war again. Thor being king would certainly lead to war while Loki has a greater chance of solving it peacefully, or of using his strategic intelligence to minimize loss of life and end the war quickly instead of Thor's strategy of run in and start killing.

There would also be the debate in some people whether they are loyal to the throne no matter who sits on it or whether they are more loyal to one of the brothers (*cough* Heimdall *cough*) But I think that Heimdall would chose to support Thor based on his actions in the movie.

Frigga, of course, is heartbroken and knows that she could end this and take the throne but she can't leave Odin's side because her magic and her connection to Odin are the only things keeping him from dying in the sleep (insert fancy wording for soul becoming lost). She debates with herself because she needs to stay in order to try and get Odin to wake up faster and end this but if he doesn't wake then she may have to let him die in order to end the fighting. She personally doesn't think Thor is ready for the throne, especially with him being stupid enough to demand it while mortal and disowned, but she doesn't let the public, or either of her sons, know this.

Another debate within some of Thor's followers is that while they really want to support him, he is mortal and therefore weak. But some of them just say the hell with it, he's Thor, he's invincible even when mortal.

Loki, of course, is still internally freaking out because of his revealed heritage. He is having an internal debate where he knows that for the good of Asgard, Thor can't have the throne but a Frost Giant shouldn't be king cause they are monsters. All of his "friends" have deserted him for Thor, which further hurts them because while he knew they favored Thor, he had still thought of them as his friends. He is hurt the most by Thor though because of his brother's lack of faith in his ability to rule.

Thor views Loki as trying to take away his glory and his birthright. He doesn't think of Loki as a warrior and therefore shouldn't be king while at war. He still loves his brother, but their relationship is going to be permanently soured by this.

During this time, Jotunheim has been preparing for war. They have probably received rumors somehow of the chaos in Asgard (shape shifting Jotunn spies???) and are waiting for the fighting to begin and end so that they can attack when Asgard is at it's weakest. Laufey also really wants to kill Thor while he is mortal, possibly sending shape shifting assassins after him.

Loki's spy ring received word of this so he assigns some of them to secretly protect Thor even though they are fighting cause he doesn't want his brother to die.

I'm not sure if I want the fighting to actually begin and end with a Victor, begin but be stopped by an awakened Odin in the middle of fighting, or be stopped by Odin right before the fighting could start.

If they do fight, the Warriors 4 will have a very hard time convincing Thor not to join in cause he is mortal. He is not happy about this. Because of this, he is unable to direct them when they fight Loki, cause of course they go after him.

They still see Loki as a traitor and an usurper so they try to kill him. While Loki has the magical and assassin combat skills to fight them, it's hard cause it's 4:1, he's still hurting over their betrayal, he knows Thor will never forgive him, and despite their betrayal they were his friends and he doesn't actually want to kill them. So yeah it's a tough fight. I want Loki to win and have them locked up in the dungeon, but also for him to be seriously hurt and trying to hide it from everyone and trying to stay strong.

Thor is very surprised that Loki didn't kill them. In his mind, he made Loki the enemy and so mainly remembers his worst qualities and his animosity with the Warriors 4. Loki's mercy helps reverse that somewhat.

For the fighting, the assassins kidnap the leaders of the resisting warriors to weaken the command structure, but not Thor for plot reasons. The common people refuse to supply Thor's men with weapons/armor/food so they are weakened. The Valkyries as elite warriors can take down the Einherjar easily but they really don't want to destroy the entirety of Asgard's military so they do their best to knock them out and take them as prisoners of war but, of course, there are casualties.

There's a big final battle between what's left of Thor's forces and the Valkyrior, the assassins, the older warriors, and the town's people who took up arms. Loki's troops outnumber Thor's and he wins. When Thor and Loki finally face each other after all this time, I imagine Thor as angry and betrayed while Loki is sad, disappointed and betrayed (and scared cause once Thor learns he's a Frost Giant and gets his powers back he is dead -- "I'll hunt down the monsters and slay them all").

At this moment, Odin wakes and he and Frigga interrupt Thor's shouting match at Loki while two Valkyries hold him down. Odin is pissed. At Thor for defying his orders and starting a civil war, and at Loki for not being able to resolve it peacefully (Loki can never be perfect in Odin's eyes). However, he is far more pissed at Thor.

Loki at this point collapses from previously mentioned serious injury and Thor turns back into worried, but still pissed, older brother.

The rest of Thor's troops, including Heimdall, are put in the dungeons to be dealt with later. Thor is put under house arrest and cannot leave his room due to a magical barrier put up by Frigga, who is also pissed at Thor.

Loki almost dies, but does recover. While he does so, Odin and Frigga actually sit down and talk with Thor about his unacceptable behavior. He is on his way to learning his lesson, but not there quite yet. In this conversation he is also told of Loki's heritage. Thor is horrified, but not because his brother is a Frost Giant (although he does have some issues with that, centuries of racism don't disappear in one night) but because of the lies that have been told to Loki his whole life and the fact that he was dealing with this on his own while also having to fight his brother in a civil war.

When Loki wakes up, there is a long conversation with him, Odin, and Frigga about his heritage and his place in the family. Cue mental breakdown from all the stress and self-hatred. Odin realizes what a terrible father he has been and vows to fix it.

Laufey is pissed because he missed his shot due to Odin waking and the Asgardian spies subtly ruining his plans in hilarious ways behind the scenes. Throw some humor in there to relive the angst. Odin sends a diplomatic party down there to end the war peacefully. As Asgard can't afford a war right now, they have to give up the Casket. However, they did secretly enchant it so it can't be used as a weapon (insert complicated spell here).

When Loki is well enough, he and Thor have a much needed conversation that is very emotional. Loki wanted to avoid this as long as possible but Frigga basically dragged him by the ear. It is very emotional, and Thor has had some revelations about his dismissive behavior towards Loki while he was healing so he is not pissed anymore. Loki is super frickin nervous about his heritage reveal, and while Thor is uncomfortable with it, he still accepts his brother. So they make up, but there still is an underlying tension that may never go away.

After this, Thor is sent back to Earth to finish learning his lesson, where SHIELD is all over him cause they realize he's an alien. They tell him how they protect the earth so he decides to join them. He then works with Steve Rogers a lot on missions and meets Tony Stark. Hilarious drinking competitions and contests to see who can get a date the fastest at bar begin. Thor wins. Always.

On Earth, Thor learns about racism, sexism, and homophobia which are all problems in Asgard. He learns how to accept those who are different and how to implement reform in Asgard. The moment when he accepts this is when he becomes worthy and gains his powers back.

During his time on Earth before he gained his powers back, Loki had been visiting frequently and so has introduced himself to SHIELD and the members of the not-yet-formed Avengers. They appreciate his talent for strategy and subtlety, especially his magic abilities. Let's just say Loki loves Midgardians. He loves pranking them even more though.

When Thor is welcomed back to Asgard the heir issue is brought up again. To immediately make Thor the heir again would be very insulting to Loki, plus Thor still isn't ready to be king since he probably didn't pay attention in his politics class and doesn't know much about being a king besides starting wars.

So Loki remains the heir, but since he much prefers leading the spy ring to being king, he makes a deal with Odin that he will help Thor learn politics so that several decades/centuries in the future Loki will publicly hand over the title of heir to Thor so that he will be king.

Heimdall is relieved of his post and his powers (which I headcanon to come from the Soul Stone which has yet to be revealed) are transferred to either one of the Valkyries or one of the spies. Heimdall is executed for treason (seriously he committed it like 3 times: he allowed them to go to Jotunheim and start a war, he allowed the Warriors 4 to retrieve Thor, and he joined a coup to try and overthrow Loki). The Warriors 4 should have been executed as they committed treason just as much, but they didn't have positions as important as Heimdall's and they were following their prince the first time. Also, Thor and Loki advocated for them (further surprising the Warriors 4 and making them feel guilty for hating him). However, they are dismissed from military service with dishonorable discharge and banished from Asgard. (Meaning they live when Asgard is destroyed by Hela in the future)

There are too many warriors who supported Thor to be banished or executed so they are freed but are put on heavy probation, heavily fined, and are on house arrest indefinitely which is enforced by magic.

After a few months of Thor being back in Asgard, Amora or Lorelei (or some Asgardian somewhat villain that the princes used to know) appears on Earth with the scepter in place of Loki in the Avengers. Thor and Loki both go down to Earth and join the Avengers and take her down.

Cue the rest of the Marvel series but tweaking Loki's role a bit so it works out with the AU.

The end. This was a lot longer than I originally thought. I would write this, but I don't have time so if anybody does want to write this, please tag me.

[dipulb3]

For the first time, girls were eligible to be Eagle Scouts -- and nearly 1,000 earned the elite rank

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/for-the-first-time-girls-were-eligible-to-be-eagle-scouts-and-nearly-1000-earned-the-elite-rank/

For the first time, girls were eligible to be Eagle Scouts -- and nearly 1,000 earned the elite rank

That’s when she started attending meetings with her brother. When she turned 8, she got special permission to get an official uniform, and she joined the co-ed group Venturing at 14.

But because she wasn’t a boy, she couldn’t earn badges to achieve the highest rank: Eagle Scout.

“I always wanted to be able to earn everything that my brother and all his friends were earning,” Johnston told Appradab. “I had my own book, and I would check off the requirements and everything, so I would wonder like, ‘Well why can’t I earn these?'”

Now a 19-year-old at St. Michael’s College in Vermont, Johnston joined nearly 1,000 women across the country who became part of the inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts in February.

Boy Scouts of America (BSA) held an inauguration ceremony for the women who reached this prestigious rank on February 8, the organization’s 111th anniversary.

“In earning the rank of Eagle Scout, young people gain new skills, learn to overcome obstacles, and demonstrate leadership among their peers and in their communities,” a statement from BSA sent to Appradab read. “These benefits are invaluable, and we are elated that they are now available to both young men and young women.”

It isn���t easy to become an Eagle Scout

Becoming an Eagle Scout is a rigorous process. A candidate has to earn 21 merit badges varying in subject from first aid to business, assume leadership roles and execute a large community service project. All of this has to be done before turning 18.

Because of the difficult requirements, only 6% of Boy Scouts become Eagle Scouts, BSA told Appradab.

Girls were first allowed to join BSA in February 2019. There are currently about 140,000 girls in Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA, BSA told Appradab.

Since girls were only allowed into the organization in 2019, some like Maine resident Mia Durbin, who turned 18 on January 3, faced a time crunch. She noted older girls in the organization had to “have a plan” to finish as quickly as possible, though some received time extensions due to the pandemic.

BSA previously implemented a one-time extension in January 2019, giving newly admitted girls who were 16 or 17 years old 24 months to complete Eagle Scout requirements.

Being in BSA was “kind of in the family,” Durbin said. Her dad and uncles were Eagle Scouts, and her grandfather was their scoutmaster. Like Johnston, she had attended BSA events with her siblings growing up.

Earning badges and completing projects became difficult as the Covid-19 pandemic limited in-person activities. Some tailored their projects to help others during the pandemic: Johnson organized a food and donation drive for the New Hampshire Human Society, Durbin donated 201 care packages with masks and hand sanitizer to local homeless shelters and 17-year-old Ysa Duenas from Chesapeake, Virginia, made foot-operated sanitization machines for her local YMCA.

“I was trying to just make sure that I’m doing my part to help keep the community safe,” Duenas said.

They faced questions on why they’d want to be a Boy Scout

Aside from completing difficult tasks in a constrained timeline, the girls in this class faced a key barrier: being among the first female Scouts in BSA. Lauren Krimm, a 19-year-old from Maryland, recalled facing pushback from peers who questioned why she would want to join BSA as a girl.

The most hurtful comments, she said, came from other girls.

“I had to forge the path, I had to clear the way and prove that we can do it and that we are going, they, no matter how hard others push back, we’re gonna keep moving forward,” Krimm said. “Of all the people who I thought would have given me backlash, that was the last group of people I expected.”

Durbin said she too faced criticism, recalling an instance when she was 14 when parents questioned why a girl was a staff member at Boy Scout camps.

Duenas noted that upon joining BSA, she was elated at the prospect of spending more time with her male friends. This excitement was short-lived, however, as she said the boys “didn’t want me there.”

She instead found camaraderie with other girls in her troop.

“It was a little heartbreaking, but it really fueled me because I was like, ‘Well, if you don’t want me here, that’s fine, but I’m going to do the same thing you’re doing but better,'” Duenas said. “Being able to have that community of, you know, strong independent women who were able to drive themselves empowered me.”

And they hope to encourage other girls to follow them

Cooking abilities, time management and improved communication are just some of the lessons from BSA the female Scouts said they’ll carry with them going forward. Along with these skills comes the prospect that other girls will be able to follow in their footsteps.

“If you have the ability to join, join and work your hardest at it,” Johnston said. “It won’t always be easy, you might face some resistance, but I really hope that that gets easier for future girls.”

“Not everyone is going to be super excited about everything that you want to accomplish in life, but you don’t need to pay any mind to people who are telling you that you can’t do something or that you shouldn’t,” Durbin said.

While they hope their achievements encourage younger girls, these women said the most memorable and enjoyable parts of becoming Eagle Scouts didn’t come from being the first.

Instead, they’ll remember the hard work involved and the community they found through being a part of BSA.

“I didn’t do it so I could be on TV and I could get interviewed and go down in history. I did it because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, something that I knew I’d be proud of and that nobody can ever take away from me,” Krimm said.

“Every girl and boy who would use Eagle Scout worked hard for it. There is no difference, except for when we got to be able to do it.”

[statisticalcats2]

StatisticalCats' gorilla family

Notes: There are other gorillas I talk about but these are the main ones. These are the gorillas from the troops in my two "local" zoos that I visit frequently.

To have even a little bit of simplification, I am only listing parents and offspring if they're one of "my" gorillas and only listing siblings if they have lived/are living together and are one of "my" gorillas.

Parents, siblings, and offspring are the only relationships I'll list, but some named gorillas have other types of relation or are even related in multiple ways with others. I'm just going for as simplified as this very unsimple thing can be fiuhwd

I will be including some gorillas who are now deceased.

Brookfield Zoo

Ramar (M) Born: 1968 Died: April 2018 Offspring: Kamba Info: Born in the wild and raised in the entertainment industry. Ramar was one of the lucky few animals in the industry whose handlers weren't violent with them. When Ramar reached adulthood, his handler realized he should be with other gorillas in a more suitable environment and Ramar was moved into zoo life. He went through several zoos without much success in fully meshing with a troop (likely a negative consequence of his upbringing away from other gorillas) before reaching Brookfield Zoo where he finally settled well enough with a troop to even father children. Ramar led the troop from 1998 to 2012, spending the remaining years "in retirement."

Jojo (M) Born: April 1980 Died: July 2022 Offspring: Azizi, Nora, Zachary, Ali Info: Jojo was born and spent many years of his life at my other frequented zoo, Lincoln Park Zoo, though the last time he lived there was before I started visiting. Jojo was quite famous inside the US zoo community, known for his excellent leadership skills. He had a unique stern look that would catch people's eye and pictures of him have featured on branded vodka bottles, book covers for the Tarzan novel, and even on a background poster in the popular tv show New Girl!

Jontu (M) Born: January 1997 (adult) Info: I first met Jontu when he was living in a bachelor troop at Saint Louis Zoo. After Jojo's passing, Jontu was chosen to move to Brookfield and become the troop's new silverback, arriving in Febrary 2023. While this is his first time leading a family troop, he was the dominant male in his bachelor troop so he has some leadership experience, though I don't know how prepared anyone could be for the strong-willed Brookfield girls! The girls love him (other than Binti who just vaguely co-exists with him but that's how she was with Jojo too) and he's settled well into the troop.

Binti Jua (F) Born: March 1988 (adult) Offspring: Koola Info: Gained fame outside of the zoo community in 1996 when she rescued a little boy who fell into the gorilla habitat. Binti's been the lowest ranking of the troop since Jojo's years, at least partially through her own choice. I've been told how many children Brookfield was hoping Jojo would father and the number makes me think they expected him to father children with Binti. That never happened which is likely by her own decision. Binti seems to have had enough with the social politics of troops and is content to stay out of the ranking and just live her life.

Koola (F) Born: February 1995 (adult) Parent: Binti Jua Offspring: Kamba, Nora, Zachary Info: Koola is the highest ranking female and actively maintains her position. If I understand things right she's held her rank since Ramar's years of leadership, she is dedicated. She's strong-willed and assertive. She actually helped Jontu to learn the schedules and procedures of his new home!

Kamba (F) Born: September 2004 (adult) Parents: Ramar and Koola Maternal siblings: Nora, Ali Offspring: Zachary Info: Kamba's lower ranking but seems to be actively trying to gain rank.

Nora (F) Born: November 2013 (adult) Parents: Jojo and Koola Maternal sibling: Kamba Paternal sibling: Zachary Full sibling: Ali Info: Nora's a very interesting personality because she's dealt with anxiety since even before the pandemic shaking things up, but she's also inherited her mother's strong will and assertiveness. She's actually actively taken rank over her older sister Kamba since Jontu's arrival. Possibly even before, as I can remember visiting after Jojo's passing but before Jontu's arrival and noticing Nora "taking charge" in interactions quite a bit! I'm very curious if in the future she'll reach even higher and try to take the highest rank from her mom who has held it for around 20 years! She loves wood wool and often hogs as much of it as she can to nest with.

Ali (F) Born: June 2018 (juvenile) Parents: Jojo and Koola Maternal sibling: Kamba Paternal sibling: Zachary Full sibling: Nora Info: Ali's the only juvenile of the troop and still has her white spot on her bottom to prove it! She's a bit of a troublemaker and loves to play with both gorillas and enrichment items including food! Also a little fun fact: I quite possibly witnessed Ali being conceived lmao

~

Lincoln Park Zoo

Family troop

Kwan (M) Born: March 1989 (adult) Offspring: Amare, Patty, Nayembi, Bella, Mondika, Djeke Info: Kwan grew up as the only juvenile in his troop, something that was possibly reflected in his first step into fatherhood with Amare. Amare was known to basically be allowed to do whatever he wanted. Kwan did get better at being a parent as he had more kids. He's very child-oriented and seems to see all of his kids as being equal instead of varying in rank. While there is a highest ranking female in the troop, Kwan seems to consider all the kids to be the next rank after himself. Kwan used to have a noticeable problem with the outdoors, not liking to be outside and being nervous when any of his troop was outside. He would often start displaying and trying to herd everyone back inside within 10 minutes of anyone being outdoors. He's gotten over this nervousness about the outdoors and now no one would ever guess he used to have such a problem with it!

Bahati (F) Born: September 1990 (adult) Paternal sibling: Rollie Offspring: Bella Info: Currently the highest ranking female. Her opinion means a lot to the troop. She's a very good mother and has even kept a closer eye on Djeke since the death of his own mother Bana.

Bana (F) Born: March 1995 Died: March 2024 Offspring: Patty, Djeke Info: Tends to be the lowest ranking but active in trying to gain a higher rank. She's a very good and protective mother. She successfully gained rank and was the highest-ranking female until her death in March 2024.

Rollie (F) Born: October 1996 (adult) Paternal sibling: Bahati Maternal sibling: Amare Offspring: Nayembi, Mondika Info: Formerly the highest ranking female. She loves food even more than the average gorilla, her biography on display in the zoo even describes her as "very food-oriented"! More of a hands-off mother than troopmate Bana, it's been very interesting seeing such different styles of parenting happening right next to each other. My perception of her is that she's very attractive by gorilla standards, I've heard that Kwan fell in love with her at first sight and she has other family members that seem to show a trend of such things, a whole family of gorgeous gorillas!

Nyah (F) Born: September 2013 (adult) Info: Originally from Buffalo Zoo. Moved to Lincoln Park Zoo in September 2024.

Bella (F) Born: February 2015 (juvenile/teen) Parents: Kwan and Bahati Paternal siblings: Patty, Nayembi, Mondika, Djeke Info: Bella liked her independence from an early age but had an interesting phase when her younger brothers were born where she seemed to get jealous about no longer being the baby of the troop. She started napping and resting cuddled up to mom again after years of sleeping on her own and even tried to nurse again. She's since adapted to the change though and has become a good big sister!

Mondika (M) Born: May 2019 (juvenile) Parents: Kwan and Rollie Paternal siblings: Patty, Bella, Djeke Full sibling: Nayembi Info: He was born on Mother's Day which was really exciting!

Djeke (M) Born: June 2019 (juvenile) Parents: Kwan and Bana Full sibling: Patty Paternal siblings: Nayembi, Bella, Mondika Info: He and Mondika were born exactly a month apart and are very close. In some ways they're like twins because of how close they were born.

Bachelor troop

Amare (M) Born: July 2005 (adult) Parent: Kwan Maternal sibling: Rollie Paternal siblings: Patty, Nayembi Info: Amare was basically allowed to do whatever he wanted by his parents growing up which had interesting effects when the bachelor troop was formed and he was among them. In some ways Azizi had to do some fast-track parenting despite being only less than 2 years older than Amare. Amare's had some nervous characteristics but also actively tries to gain rank. He's been the lowest ranking for a time, I'm unsure where exactly he's at now. In an interesting turn of events he's seemed to switch tactics from directly challenging the highest ranking bachelor to instead playing nice and (re)befriending him!

Umande (M) Born: February 2006 (adult) Info: My special guy! The first time I visited Lincoln Park Zoo I was expecting to get most attached to Azizi because of his relation to the Brookfield troop who had been the only ones I knew at that point. But Umande really stole the attention my first visit, he actually came right up to my sister and I and knocked at the window like "Hey! Don't pay attention to Azizi, pay attention to me!" He tends to be the most visible of the bachelors and spends a lot of time by the windows. He's been a huge show-off but he's settled down some over the years. He challenges the other boys quite a bit but it's hard to tell if he genuinely wants to gain rank or just likes causing trouble! He's the gorilla that I suspect actually remembers and recognizes me from my frequent visits, which is why I call him my special guy!

Mosi (M) Born: October 2006 (adult) Info: Mosi is currently the highest ranking and actively maintains his position. It was really surprising when I learned he had overtaken Azizi! I do think it means something that it was Mosi that Azizi stepped down to, I think he would have fought harder the whole time if it had been either of the other two. Mosi has a friendly and gentle nature and has kind of been the peacemaker of the troop since it's formation. I remember when he was the smallest of the troop but he's now actually the biggest! And boy is he big! He has very long limbs too, he can leave you stunned when he's standing and that's just down on all fours. He's so big that the zoo actually called his former zoo to ask if they had expected him to grow so big, it was a shock to Lincoln Park!

Saint Louis Zoo

Zachary (M) Originally from: Brookfield Zoo Born: September 2015 (juvenile/teen) Parents: Jojo and Kamba Paternal siblings: Nora, Ali Info: Zachary was moved to Saint Louis Zoo in an exchange where Jontu was moved to Brookfield. Zachary's at an age where it could have caused problems with a new silverback for him to still be in the troop. I had been pretty concerned for him when it happened because even though he was an older juvenile he was still quite a mama's boy and he would be moving to a troop with two grown adult males. If Jojo hadn't passed away Zachary would have probably been living in his natal troop for at least a couple more years. Thankfully he's doing well in his new home, especially after being joined by another young male of a similar age! The two aren't yet living with the two older males, but they're getting along great with each other. Brookfield Zoo is one of the very few remaining AZA accredited zoos that has no outdoor habitat for their gorillas (which will thankfully change come 2025!) so this move introduced Zachary to the outdoors for the first time! I've been so happy to see pictures and videos of him outside!

Detroit Zoo

Nayembi (F) Originally from: Lincoln Park Zoo Born: November 2012 (adult) Parents: Kwan and Rollie Paternal siblings: Amare, Patty, Bella, Djeke Full sibling: Mondika Info: When Nayembi was an infant she suffered a major facial injury that required her to be removed from her troop and receive surgery. She was hand-reared by keepers for a time as she healed and was thankfully able to be successfully reintegrated with her troop, including her mother. Her past injury is noticeable but doesn't impede her in any way! She's quite rambunctious and has inherited her mom's love for food. It was really common to see her gather up an insane amount of food. I've witnessed Kwan have to get involved sometimes because she would even steal from her siblings. (She was theoretically higher-ranking than her siblings but this was an example of how Kwan seems to consider his children an equal rank.) I was surprised she was moved out before Patty, she's always been the less mature of the two. From what I've seen she's doing very well in her new home though! She gets along with the silverback Mshindi and is socially savvy enough to defer to the other females for now.

Milwaukee County Zoo

Azizi (M) Born: December 2003 (adult) Parent: Jojo Info: Azizi was the highest ranking of the Lincoln Park bachelor troop from the very start. He has a naturally dominant personality that he inherited from his dad and I've heard that he started practicing silverback responsibilities like looking out for the troop's safety from an early age. The years shook things up though and he was no longer the highest ranking by the time he moved out, though he would still try to gain his rank back. He inherited Jojo's severe facial features (my sister often jokes that Azizi looks more like Jojo than Jojo did!) The shortest and smallest of the bachelors but still over 400 pounds. He has uniquely short legs that barely reach past his belly when he's sitting with them extended! He moved to Milwaukee County Zoo in January 2024 to lead a troop of two females!

Louisville Zoo

Patty (F) Born: October 2012 (adult) Parents: Kwan and Bana Paternal siblings: Amare, Nayembi, Bella, Mondika Full sibling: Djeke Info: "Little Miss Mom". She's a very good babysitter to her younger siblings. She's very smart and mastered the voluntary memory and pattern-recognition tests faster than any of the other gorillas. I had actually assumed she would be the first of the older daughters to leave the troop but ended up being wrong. She was moved to Philadephia Zoo in April 2024, however things didn't work out there and she was moved again in July 2024 to Louisville Zoo.

[creeping-shadow-heralds-storms]

Hannah Beech

Thu, March 4, 2021

Ma Kyal Sin loved taekwondo, spicy food and a good red lipstick. She adopted the English name Angel, and her father hugged her goodbye when she went out on the streets of Mandalay, in central Myanmar, to join the crowds peacefully protesting the recent seizure of power by the military.

The black T-shirt that Kyal Sin wore to the protest Wednesday carried a simple message: “Everything will be OK.”

In the afternoon, Kyal Sin, 18, was shot in the head by the security forces, who killed at least 30 people nationwide in the single bloodiest day since the Feb. 1 coup, according to the United Nations.

“She is a hero for our country,” said Ma Cho Nwe Oo, one of Kyal Sin’s close friends, who has also taken part in the daily rallies that have electrified hundreds of cities across Myanmar. “By participating in the revolution, our generation of young women shows that we are no less brave than men.”

Despite the risks, women have stood at the forefront of Myanmar’s protest movement, sending a powerful rebuke to the generals who ousted a female civilian leader and reimposed a patriarchal order that has suppressed women for half a century.

By the hundreds of thousands, they have gathered for daily marches, representing striking unions of teachers, garment workers and medical workers — all sectors dominated by women. The youngest are often on the front lines, where the security forces appear to have singled them out. Two young women were shot in the head Wednesday and another near the heart, three bullets ending their lives.

Earlier this week, military television networks announced that the security forces were instructed not to use live ammunition, and that in self-defense they would only shoot at the lower body.

“We might lose some heroes in this revolution,” said Ma Sandar, an assistant general secretary of the Confederation of Trade Unions Myanmar, who has been taking part in the protests. “Our women’s blood is red.”

The violence on Wednesday, which brought the death toll since the coup to at least 54, reflected the brutality of a military accustomed to killing its most innocent people. At least three children have been gunned down over the past month, and the first death of the military’s post-coup crackdown was a 20-year-old woman shot in the head on Feb. 9.

The killings have appalled and outraged rights advocates around the world.

“Myanmar’s military must stop murdering and jailing protesters,” Michelle Bachelet, the top human rights official at the U.N., said Thursday. “It is utterly abhorrent that security forces are firing live ammunition against peaceful protesters across the country.”

In the weeks since the protests began, groups of female medical volunteers have patrolled the streets, tending to the wounded and dying. Women have added spine to a civil disobedience movement that is crippling the functioning of the state. And they have flouted gender stereotypes in a country where tradition holds that garments covering the lower half of the bodies of the two sexes should not be washed together, lest the female spirit act as a contaminant.

With defiant creativity, people have strung up clotheslines of women’s sarongs, called htamein, to protect protest zones, knowing that some men are loath to walk under them. Others have affixed images of Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the army chief who orchestrated the coup, to the hanging htamein, an affront to his virility.

“Young women are now leading the protests because we have a maternal nature and we can’t let the next generation be destroyed,” said Dr. Yin Yin Hnoung, a 28-year-old medical doctor who has dodged bullets in Mandalay. “We don’t care about our lives. We care about our future generations.”

While the military’s inhumanity extends to many of the country’s roughly 55 million people, women have the most to lose from the generals’ resumption of full authority, after five years of sharing power with a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi. The Tatmadaw, as the military is known, is deeply conservative, opining in official communications about the importance of modest dress for proper ladies.

There are no women in the Tatmadaw’s senior ranks, and its soldiers have systematically committed gang rape against women from ethnic minorities, according to investigations by the U.N. In the generals’ worldview, women are often considered weak and impure. Traditional religious hierarchies in this predominantly Buddhist nation also place women at the feet of men.

The prejudices of the military and the monastery are not necessarily shared by Myanmar’s broader society. Women are educated and integral to the economy, particularly in business, manufacturing and the civil service. Increasingly, women have found their political voice. In elections last November, about 20% of candidates for the National League for Democracy, Suu Kyi’s party, were women.

The party won in a landslide, trouncing the military-linked and far more male-dominated Union Solidarity and Development Party. The Tatmadaw has dismissed the results as fraudulent.

As the military began devolving some power over the past decade, Myanmar experienced one of the most profound and rapid societal changes in the world. A country that was once forcibly bunkered by the generals, who first seized power in a 1962 coup, went on Facebook and discovered memes, emojis and global conversations about gender politics.

“Even though these are dark days and my heart breaks with all these images of bloodshed, I’m more optimistic because I see women on the street,” said Dr. Miemie Winn Byrd, a Burmese-American who served as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army and is now a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu. “In this contest, I will put money on the women. They are unarmed, but they are the true warriors.”

That passion has ignited across the country, despite Tatmadaw crackdowns in past decades that have killed hundreds of people.

“Women took the frontier position in the fight against dictatorship because we believe it is our cause,” said Ma Ei Thinzar Maung, a 27-year-old politician and former political prisoner who, along with another woman the same age, led the first anti-coup demonstration in Yangon five days after the putsch.

Both Ei Thinzar Maung and her fellow rally leader, Esther Ze Naw, protest by day and hide by night. About 1,500 people have been arrested since the coup, according to a local monitoring group.

The pair were politicized at a young age and spoke up for the rights of ethnic minorities at a time when most people in Myanmar were unwilling to acknowledge the military’s ethnic cleansing campaign against Rohingya Muslims. At least one-third of Myanmar’s population is made up of a constellation of ethnic minorities, some of which are in armed conflict with the military.

When they led their rally on Feb. 6, the two women marched in shirts associated with the Karen ethnic group, whose villages have been overrun by Tatmadaw troops in recent days. Esther Ze Naw is from another minority, the Kachin, and as a 17-year-old she spent time in camps for the tens of thousands of civilians who were uprooted by Tatmadaw offensives. Military jets roared overhead, raining artillery on women and children, she recalled.

“That was the time I committed myself to working toward abolishing the military junta,” she said. “Minorities know what it feels like, where discrimination leads. And as a woman, we are still considered as a second sex.”

“That must be one of the reasons why women activists seem more committed to rights issues,” she added.

While the National League for Democracy is led by Suu Kyi, its top ranks are dominated by men. And like the Tatmadaw, the party’s highest echelons have tended to be reserved for members of the country’s ethnic Bamar majority.

On the streets of Myanmar, even as the security forces continue to fire at unarmed protesters, the makeup of the movement has been far more diverse. There are Muslim students, Catholic nuns, Buddhist monks, drag queens and a legion of young women.

“Gen Z are a fearless generation,” said Honey Aung, whose younger sister, Kyawt Nandar Aung, was killed by a bullet to the head on Wednesday in the city of Monywa. “My sister joined the protests every day. She hated dictatorship.”

In a speech that ran in a state propaganda publication earlier this week, Min Aung Hlaing, the army chief, sniffed at the impropriety of the protesters, with their “indecent clothes contrary to Myanmar culture.” His definition is commonly considered to include women wearing trousers.

Moments before she was shot dead, Kyal Sin, dressed in sneakers and torn jeans, rallied her fellow peaceful protesters.

As they staggered from the tear gas fired by security forces on Wednesday, Kyal Sin dispensed water to cleanse their eyes. “We are not going to run,” she yelled, in a video recorded by another protester. “Our people’s blood should not reach the ground.”

“She is the bravest girl I have ever seen in my life,” said Ko Lu Maw, who photographed some of the final images of Kyal Sin, in an alert, proud pose amid a crowd of prostrate protesters.

Under her T-shirt, Kyal Sin wore a star-shaped pendant because her name means “pure star” in Burmese.

“She would say, ‘if you see a star, remember, that’s me,’” said Cho Nwe Oo, her friend. “I will always remember her proudly.”

[inkuisitivskins]

As if I Deserve You

Fanfic prompts

2. “You love me as if I deserve you.”

@gardengeisha

Ok so I’ll admit it took a little plotting out to get a good idea for this one! I had never read or written any fic about this ship (though I do like it!) and I also haven’t ever written Riza save for tiny cameos in things, so I’m still a little nervous about if I got her in-character enough. Like, I love Riza, but there’s a reason I’ve only written Livmiles? If I was going to write something with her, it would be Royai, but even then, the fact still remains that I feel like I don’t know her as well as I should xD It’s kind of pitiful and funny at the same time that I’m worried about her being in character rather than Liv considering Liv is the one with less screen time and character development lmao. Still, if I didn’t and Riza’s ooc at all, I really apologize ;;;;

I was super excited for this ask though, because I’ve been wanting to try new ships like this :D So thank you so much for the ask and I hope you like it! I just decided on the idea of them falling in love rather than them already being together at the beginning of the fic, because I wanted to explore how their relationship would have started. It’s canon that Olivier likes Riza (and Havoc, for some reason haha) when she mentions that she doesn’t care about what happens to Roy, so I decided to use that. Also, enjoy Roy being annoying haha

As if I Deserve You on Ao3

She watched the general from her bench in silence. While joint training sessions had been held between the Eastern Command and Briggs troops before, this was the first that she had been present for. In times past, the colonel would have her stay in the office with him, and they would work on paperwork-- however, Roy had requested to participate in the training exercises this year, and naturally, he brought his adjutant with him.

Riza sipped her water as she awaited Roy’s call to fall in beside him. The East soldiers milled about around her, resting for a few minutes before the exercise would begin. Some talked amongst themselves, while others did the same as her; watching the Briggs men in silent awe. The Briggs general gave her soldiers only a few brief moments of rest between drills. The actual joint exercises had not even started yet, Riza noted; she was making her soldiers practice even before then. She didn’t even let them sit down during their short rests; she’d keep them in formation, at ease, allowing them to get a drink only if they requested permission prior. Even then, she would timethem as they ran off, quenched their thirst, and ran back to her, before saluting and requesting to rejoin the platoon. The Eastern Command soldiers around her would mutter to themselves about how iron-hard of a fist the female general ruled with, how scary she was-- Riza even heard one man say under his breath that he was glad he wasn’t under her command, calling her a derogatory name in addition. The first lieutenant shot him a nasty look, causing him to shut up, warning him about the need to respect higher-up officers. Though, in the moment, she couldn’t help the way her own thoughts contradicted those of her peers-- she wasn’t sure what they had been watching, but what she had seen was an excellent display of one of the highest forms of military prowess. Not one Briggs soldier rolled their eyes, sighed, or pulled a face when their leader would shout an order. They moved as one body, their form impeccable, and intimidating. Just through their actions, she could tell how deeply their respect for their commander was. It was admirable, and Riza could not take her eyes off of the impressive display. Not only from the Briggs soldiers, but, primarily, their general. Looking the whole part of a high-up military commander, one step below a potential spot in the Fuhrer’s cabinet, the highest-ranked woman in the military-- she was obviously very stoic, and fearsome, and regal .   The Eastern soldier was so distracted, she didn’t even notice her commanding officer step up beside the bench she was sitting on. “Lieutenant, are you about ready to start?” Roy asked, slightly startling her. Inwardly, she cursed herself for dropping her guard; something she always prided herself in holding strong. She looked up at him, “I’m sorry, sir, what was that?” “I’m just going to do a quick inspection before we join our platoons, since the actual competitive drills are later, if you wanted to go ahead and join me. Armstrong wanted us to do a few combined ones before then, and I don’t want us to get embarrassed if our men are looking shabby compared to hers,” He smiled amusedly to himself. “Though, I don’t think there's’ any topping that form of theirs, huh?” “No, sir,” Riza replied simply, stealing one last glance at the general as she yelled at her men, as authoritative commanding as a superior officer could seemingly get.   Roy followed her gaze, a small smile creeping up onto his features, “You haven’t been properly introduced yet. Let’s go say hello.” “That won’t be necessary, Colonel,” the blonde said, a little too quickly; solidifying Roy’s hypothesis. “I insist, Lieutenant. She’s a peach,” he spoke, his inflection sarcastic and playful as he started towards the Briggs soldiers. Hesitantly, yet over-obedient, Riza stood, following her commanding officer. “Olivier,” the colonel greeted once within earshot. The general, from behind, seemed to flinch at the sound of his voice, slowly turning to glance at him with one of the most sour expressions that Riza had ever seen; one to rival her own, in fact. He saluted her once she turned, Riza reflecting his gesture out of protocol and respect to a higher officer. “What do you want?” Olivier scowled back at him. “I’m busy.” “Just wanted to introduce you to my adjutant, General,” he smiled, lowering his salute. “We three will be working closely with one another, I thought it best to go ahead and have our introductions.” Olivier’s gaze flicked over to Riza, and the lieutenant immediately knew where she got her infamous name-- the Ice Queen. Her blue eyes were cold; the color a frozen-over lake, the ice thin, revealing the hue beneath. “This is First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, sharpest shooter you’ll ever find,” his dark eyes darted between the two blonde women. “Lieutenant, Major General Olivier Armstrong.” “It’s nice to finally meet you, ma’am,” She greeted the general, retaining her typical stoicism. Olivier gave her a small nod in greeting, Riza noticing her anger dissipate for a moment, before shortly returning upon her looking back unto Roy. “I don’t ever want my first name to come out of your filthy mouth again, Mustang. Now, you had better rally up your men, or mine are starting without yours,” she scowled, spinning back around and calling an order, slightly more forceful than she had been before. Roy spun as well, heading back over to the East soldiers, Riza in tow, unaware of his smirk. “If I didn’t know any better, sir, I’d say you knew the general beyond simply being officer comrades,” She offered carefully, walking slightly behind him, to his right, attempting to read his expression from the back of his head. “Chris has known the Armstrong family for longer than I’ve been alive,” Roy responded without turning back to her as he referenced his aunt. “I mean, she knows everyone , so that’s not too big of a surprise, but the general and I have at least been acquainted for quite some time.” He stopped, allowing Riza a moment to take her place beside him, “It doesn’t seem like she likes you at all, sir.” “She doesn’t,” he chuckled nervously, before smiling gently to himself. “Seems like she likes you, though.” “Excuse me?” “She hardly lets anyone call her ‘ma’am’.” Riza blinked, brown eyes widening slightly, “Was I not supposed to?” Ignoring her, Roy called the East soldiers to fall in in front of him, beginning their inspection, leading into their training.

It was later on, during their lunch break, when Riza finally got a moment to speak with the general. They sat at their own table, away from the other officers; and, miraculously, it had been Olivier who approached her , asking if she could sit with her. The lieutenant was unsure about if it was because she had been alone at her own table, Roy having a conversation with someone else back in the mess line, or what. Frankly, she was appreciative of the company, even if Olivier had remained silent, eyes downturned to her food, for the first ten minutes of them sitting together. It was the first lieutenant who struck up a conversation, complementing the major general on how well-behaved her soldiers were. Olivier’s response was short, and polite, but very obviously guarded. Wanting her to feel more comfortable, Riza continued talking with her, and while the conversation was rather one-sided at the start, the Briggs soldier gradually opened up somewhat, the Eastern sniper noticed. She knew the general wasn’t quiet out of shyness; she was typically an excellent judge in character, and she could tell that the other blonde was just calm, and calculating. Before she knew it, their break was over, and their conversation had to stop. However, that was not the end.

Over the course of the East-Briggs joint training session, they timidly grew closer. Riza noticed that her and Olivier could relate on many occasions; probably something the general had never found in someone else before, she guessed. While Riza had experienced discrimination in the military, once she got to know the other woman, she learned how much she had also endured. Olivier, on the other hand, was in Ishval before the Civil War began, only sent to police the area during initial conflicts, but before the fatal shooting of the Ishvalan child, so she was not in the active, brutal combat-- while Riza, however, was in the thick of it. Now matter how much she wished to forget about it, that fact always returned to her. However, having someone else who understood hardship throughout multiple complex layers of her career, Riza was comforted somewhat. The admiration she watched the general with soon evolved into something more than career-oriented respect. It was a sinking pit in her chest, the stray flutter of a heartbeat; unexplained. This was foreign to her; she’d like to consider her a friend, though none of her other female friends ever evoked such feelings within her. She didn’t know what was wrong. The sinking feeling only grew worse once Olivier had to leave, bringing her men back up to their snowy fortress to further defend their northern border. Their farewell short, Olivier having been rather rancorous due to Roy being present during their goodbyes, which resulted in Riza being unable to say something about it. That, plus she was afraid. Above all else, she respected Olivier, and did wish to harm the initially unsteady friendship that had developed between them. Not to mention, the latter was her superior officer-- not directly, of course, but she was still Olivier’s subordinate in a sense. It was illegal. Still, a few months after Olivier’s departure, Riza found it in herself to send a letter, trying to drop hints. She was not expecting anything to come of it but her own closure for getting her feelings off her chest in the most subtle way and wording she thought possible. If anything, she wanted to keep their friendship alive. What she did not expect was the eagerness on the general’s part to continue their correspondence. Also a very subtle show emotion, of course, for they were similar in that way. She knew the fact that Olivier returned her letters at all already showed that she very much cared to remain friends. And Riza would gladly take that.

Several months into their letter exchange, Roy’s team was transferred to Central. Being adaptable, the change was rather easy on Riza, yet their was a hiccup in their conversations due to the address change. Though she knew it wasn’t either of their faults, the doubt slowly began to creep in; a new letter should be here by now, perhaps Olivier did not wish to speak with her any longer. Had the first lieutenant changed for the worse? She was getting more engrossed in her work, and the distance between her and her friend was a difficult burden to bear, after having grown so close to her just through written correspondence alone. However, just as she had always told herself, she would respect Olivier’s boundaries, if that were the case. As her hopes slowly faded, she finally received a letter to her new address; Olivier confiding in her the fact that she was soon being forced to travel to Central for a meeting. Riza couldn’t help but feel a rare pang of delight in her stomach as her brown eyes scanned the beautiful calligraphy of the northern general.

During Olivier’s visit to Riza’s apartment, she had to hold back her excitement. The Briggs soldier sat down on her couch, glancing curiously around the lieutenant’s living area, “Simple, I like it.” “Thank you,” Riza smiled gently, skillfully stomaching her nervousness. “I’m so glad you’re here, it’s great to see you again.” For the first time she had seen, Olivier returned the smile. It was a very small expression, but present nonetheless, “I’m happy to see you, too. Sure beats having to wait for the post to get letters back and forth.” Nodding gently, Riza offered her a drink, to which Olivier happily agreed to. As she began making the general’s coffee, she continued, “How are things at Briggs?” Olivier’s sigh granted her a glance from the other woman, “Fine. The weather hasn’t been in pleasant, so the mail is only just now fixing itself. I’m glad you got my most recent letter, but I’m sorry you missed some of the others.” “Not your fault,” Riza mustered up a pleasant tone. “Did I miss anything important?” Olivier shook her head, though Riza had her back turned as she prepared her drink, “Nothing, just checking in. I wanted to make sure you were settling in alright, but I suppose the weather plus the whole moving situation didn’t really mix well. I hope the move wasn’t hard on you, and everything went smoothly.” This brought a gentle smile to Riza’s lips, “I’m very thankful I have a friend like you, Olivier.” She avoided telling her how kind she was, just to avoid the unavoidable contradiction from her. She knew Olivier had a heart beneath the ice, thought that ice was what kept her and her men safe and strong up in one of Amestris’s most dangerous and dangerously unpredictable regions. “Don’t mention it,” Olivier shrugged lightheartedly. “No, really,” Riza turned back to her, the mug held delicately in her hands as she carefully made her way to the couch. Olivier reached out to take the coffee, gingerly taking it from the lieutenant, their fingers lightly brushing against one another. Upon noticing that the other woman had paused, staring at her, Olivier looked back up into Riza’s brown eyes, her own gaze inquisitive and questioning. 

Riza breathed in deeply, fully unaware of what she was about to say. She wanted the other woman to know how much she had grown to care about her, and how much she appreciated her friendship-- a side she knew was seldom witnessed among the Briggs soldiers. “You’ve been so kind to me, and I feel like you shouldn’t. You love me as if I deserve you.” In an attempt to soothe the general’s somewhat surprised expression, Riza gave a lighthearted laugh, trying to ease the seriousness of what she just said. That probaby wasn't the best word choice she could've used, and all at once, she feared that she had given away her feelings. “What makes you say that?” The question caused Riza to falter. She did love Olivier, and while she didn’t believe she reciprocated, she had meant platonic love, in this specific instance. “I just… Sometimes, I don’t feel like I deserve to have friends. I’ve done so many horrible things, so I suppose whenever something good comes into my life, I latch onto it,” Brown eyes turned to the carpet in embarrassment. “I’m sorry. Is the coffee okay?” Though she tried to change the subject, Olivier continued looking up at her for a moment, before carefully setting the mug down in front of her, “You don’t think I’ve done horrible things, too?” Riza was silent. " You’ve been the closest friend I’ve had in a very long time, Riza,” it was her turn to glance away. “My whole life, I’ve been used to maintaining these walls I’ve set up around me. We’ve both done many things we aren’t proud of, but we’ll pay for them in due time, when the opportunities present themselves. You may think you’re not deserving of me, but I feel the same way.” She stood, the two women now eye-to-eye, thanks to their similar height. “We both deserve to be happy in the moment. I tend to pride myself in the fact that I read people rather well, Riza, and forgive me if I’m somehow mistaken in thinking you’d agree, but,” her eyes searched hers, and while her voice was level and calm, Riza detected a flash of nervousness in her gaze. “I’d like to be more than friends. I feel comfortable around you, and you’re one of the few people who actually make me happy. When I read your letters, even though you weren’t at Briggs with me, I felt like I wasn’t alone. My men respect me, yes, but we’re still fundamentally different than one another. I never fit in with the crowd, but you make me feel as if I’m not an outlier or some sort of black sheep.” The Eastern soldier stood in stunned silence for a moment, causing the general to continue, her tone wavering with uncertainty, “If not, I understand.” A wave of relief washed over Riza all at once, and she involuntarily let out a sigh, wholly surprised. She honestly hadn’t expected this, “I can’t believe you feel the same way.” Olivier offered her a small comforting smile, Riza unable to read the other blonde’s own hidden surprise. The Briggs officer tensed nervously the moment the lieutenant gently wrapped her arms around her in a hug. “Thank you, Olivier,” she spoke softly. Olivier returned her embrace, the gesture somewhat awkward since the general wasn’t a very touchy person, though Riza was aware, so didn’t mind in the slightest, “For what?” “Everything,” Riza smiled to herself. “I’m just so happy, I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. I’ve felt this way for so long, but I was so afraid…” “I understand,” The other woman replied. “I’m sorry if I worried you.” Riza shook her head as she held her, a soft laugh coming forth, “I had no idea you felt this way. I was always so nervous about giving myself away somehow.” “That’s just after a lifetime’s worth of practice in hiding,” Olivier smiled to herself. “Though you’re very good at it, too. I had a feeling in the back of my mind for so long, but I never wanted to bring it up, just in case I was wrong. I didn’t want to drive you away.” The Eastern soldier’s head shook gently again. She embraced her a little tighter, wanting to be affectionate due to her overwhelming relief-borne happiness, though all while respecting Olivier’s uneasy space. Finally, she spoke once more;

“All that matters now is that we’re together. You were worth the wait.”

Once again, I hope you enjoyed! I really like seeing Olivier in all sorts of different ships, so this was really interesting for me to try :D

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/world/us-military-reports-major-spike-in-sex-assaults/

US military reports major spike in sex assaults

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Pentagon officials commemorate Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month in March 2015

The US military has reported a major spike in sexual assaults despite years of efforts to address the problem.

Figures show 20,500 instances of unwanted sexual contact occurred in 2018, up from 14,900 in 2016 which is the last time a survey was conducted.

Alcohol was involved in one third of cases, and female recruits ages 17 to 24 are at the highest risk of attack.

On Thursday, Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan directed the military to “criminalise” sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment can fall within other legal violations of military behaviour, but is not yet a “stand-alone” criminal offence.

The directive from Mr Shanahan was among a series of other recommendations, released in a memo on Thursday.

“Sexual assault is illegal and immoral, is inconsistent with the military’s mission and will not be tolerated,” he wrote.

In the US, sexual harassment is illegal, considered a form of sexual discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which also covers discrimination based on race, skin colour, religion and national origin.

What does the report show?

The report released on Thursday surveyed the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, and estimated a total of 20,500 cases in 2018.

The total figure is based reports of attacks as well as an extrapolation of survey data which was gathered through a poll of over 100,000 troops. Researchers say the survey has a 95% level of confidence.

Incidents of unwanted sexual contact – which ranges from groping to rape – rose by around 38% between 2016 and 2018.

Only one out of three cases were reported to authorities, the report found.

In 2006, only one in 14 victims reported sexual assault crimes, the Pentagon said.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Marines acknowledged they had “historically viewed an increase in reporting as an indicator Marines feel more empowered to report more confident in the care victims receive”.

“However, with the number of estimated assaults rising, especially among our young Marines, the Marine Corps must evolve its prevention methods and continue to foster a climate and culture of dignity, respect and trust,” the statement said.

Service members who reported sexual assault v estimated totals

In more than 85% of cases, victims knew their attacker. The majority of cases involved young women whose attacker was often a superior officer.

The report should be “a trip wire”, said Nate Galbreath, Deputy Director of the Department’ of Defense’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office.

“This is what tells us that there’s something going on that we need to hone in on,” he told ABC News.

“We’ve got a higher prevalence for women 17 to 24. We’re going to be focusing very, very tightly on that.”

What is the reaction?

Congresswoman Jackie Speier, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee’s personnel panel, told the USA Today newspaper that the military “must accept that current programmes are simply not working”.

“Congress must lead the way in forcing the department to take more aggressive approaches to fighting this scourge,” she said, calling for intervention from US lawmakers.

On Thursday, Mr Shanahan revealed some of the recommendations made by the Sexual Assault Accountability and Investigation Task Force, which was created last month after the urging of Senator Martha McSally.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Media captionSenator Martha McSally: “I was ashamed and confused”

Senator McSally, who was the first female US fighter pilot to fly in combat, revealed in March that she had been raped by a superior officer while serving in the Air Force.

In response to the report, Mr Shanahan directed the US Department of Defence “criminalise” sexual harassment “to combat this scourge”.

He detailed prevention, accountability and support efforts in order to “eliminate” sexual assault, including new methods of identifying repeat offenders.

“We must, and will, do better,” he wrote in the memo.

It is unclear if he would need congressional approval to make changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice – the US military’s legal code, to make the offence a “stand-alone crime”.

In his memo, Mr Shanahan also announced plans to train commanders in a new programme to uncover serial sex offenders.

“To put it bluntly, we are not performing to the standards and expectations we have for ourselves or for each other,” Mr Shanahan said.

“This is unacceptable. We cannot shrink from facing the challenge head on.”

In a series of tweets, Gen Robert B. Neller, the highest ranking officer in the US Marine Corps, joined in condemning the behaviour captured by the study.

According to the report, compared with the Navy, Army, Air force and Coast guard, the Marines had the highest rates of sexual assault throughout the US Armed Forces – sitting at 11%.

“Marines know that sexual assault is a crime,” Gen Neller wrote. “We are better than this.”

Democratic Senator and 2020 presidential contender Kirsten Gillibrand also responded on Twitter, calling on Congress to take action where the defence department has “repeatedly failed”.

Sen Gillibrand has been an outspoken advocate of victims of sexual assault and has pressed for legislation to make it easier to prosecute sexual violence in the military.

In her tweets, she cited a 2013 statement from the chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – the highest US military post – that called sexual assault in the military a “crisis”.

[caveartfair]

New York’s First Feminist Monument Is Hiding in Plain Sight

Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington, Joan of Arc, at Riverside Park, 93rd Street, New York, NY, 1915.  © The Trustees of Columbia University, Department of Art History & Archaeology. Courtesy of the Media Center for Art History.

Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington at a ceremony honoring the canonization of Joan of Arc, New York, NY, May 15, 1920. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

This past June, New York City called upon its citizens to put forth suggestions for women who should be honored with new public monuments. “More Women Deserve Statues in New York,” read a New York Times headline, followed by a list of the paper’s own top 10 contenders: a heady mix of activists, writers, and cultural firebrands. The contest came at a moment of national reckoning with our public monuments—questions of who they honor, and why—as statues of figures entangled in the more unsavory moments of American history have been torn down, and many others vandalized.

These debates have spurred Americans to examine the histories and personal accomplishments that go unrecognized in our shared spaces. The number of public monuments featuring historical women in New York, for instance, can be counted on one hand. Therefore, it seems an apt moment to rediscover the city’s first monument made by a woman—and the first to feature a real woman as its subject—unveiled over 100 years ago to phenomenal fanfare. That would be Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington’s bronze statue of Joan of Arc, an icon of female power that has resided for the past century on a quiet, tree-lined block on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, shrouded in a leafy enclave on Riverside Drive.

Astride her massive bronze horse and clad in a full suit of medieval armor, Joan of Arc spears her sword into the sky, poised to lead her long-gone troops into battle. This statue may, at first, seem to adhere to the traditional conventions of heroic sculpture, yet every aspect of its creation and display belongs to an extraordinary story—one, like so many others, that has been largely erased from collective memory. This Joan of Arc served as a kind of alter ego for its creator, Hyatt Huntington: an imposing, nearly 6-foot-tall socialite who was among the most prominent sculptors of her day (and one of the few commercially successful women artists at the time).

Haskell Coffin, Joan of Arc saved France—Women of America, save your country—Buy War Savings Stamps, 1918. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Poster depicting an issue of the periodical, The Suffragette, ca. 1912-15. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Hyatt Huntington moved to New York from Boston in 1902, intent on pursuing her art career. She was immersed in making lifelike, emotionally charged animal sculptures depicting cranes, polar bears, tigers, and monkeys. (The newly opened Bronx Zoo provided inspiration and live models for the artist, whose pouncing stone jaguar sculptures remain on view there.)

The artist found acclaim in the city’s booming statuette market. Local foundries rapidly sold editions of her smaller works, and by 1912, Hyatt Huntington counted herself among the highest-paid professional women in the United States. She received prestigious awards, as well as recognition from institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Academy, which collected her works. Thriving and financially independent, Hyatt Huntington waited to marry until 1923—at the age of 47—wedding American philanthropist Archer Milton Huntington.

Although she had a prosperous career in New York, it wasn’t enough for her. At the beginning of the century, Paris retained a firm grip as the center of the art world. Determined to make her mark upon the Parisian salons, Hyatt Huntington made several long trips to Paris between 1906 and 1910, where she continued with her animal sculptures. Yet her ambitions grew. She soon began a search for the perfect war horse to use as a model for an equestrian statue, a form that had been considered the height of sculpture since ancient Rome.

Hyatt Huntington searched far and wide for the right horse to inspire her sculpture, which was eventually exhibited at the 1910 Salon in Paris. But the truly radical touch was who she placed atop that steed: Joan of Arc, clad in armor and holding her sword aloft. Hyatt Huntington had dared to depict a sacred French subject.

Sexism quickly reared its head. The jury doubted whether Hyatt Huntington could have made the sculpture herself (some rumors go that she locked herself in the studio so no one could claim a man had come in to help her), but the work was awarded an honorable mention anyway. More fortuitously, an executive from Tiffany & Co, the New York–based luxury jewelry and design firm, took notice of Hyatt Huntington’s sculpture. He also happened to head New York’s Joan of Arc Statue Committee, a diplomatic outfit that had formed the year before with the goal of fostering friendship between the U.S. and France. Upon her return to America, Hyatt Huntington made several small models of Joan on her horse, which were exhibited by the committee, before creating the final, monumental version on Riverside Drive.

Jules Bastien-Lepage, Joan of Arc, 1879. Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

On December 6, 1915, prior to the U.S. entering World War I, thousands lined the streets to catch the unveiling of Hyatt Huntington’s Joan. Prominent guests in attendance included the French ambassador, who gave a speech, and Mina Miller Edison, wife of Thomas Edison and a high-ranking member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The turnout for such an event seems remarkable, considering the audacity of Hyatt Huntington’s artistic ambitions and the forthright military aspirations of her subject. Not only was this the first public monument in New York by a woman, it was the first-ever monument in the city to honor a real woman, rather than an allegorical figure.

Hyatt Huntington had transformed a historical woman commonly depicted as a humble and pious teenage servant of God into the very image of martial valor. Her Joan of Arc reflects the era’s changing social norms, and fits in perfectly with the increasingly liberated image of Joan that had been gaining popularity at the turn of the century, as women struggled for their rights.

Earlier depictions of Joan, such as Jules Bastien-Lepage’s Joan of Arc painting from 1879—in the Met’s collection by the time Hyatt Huntington arrived in the city—play on her meek, saintly nature. Rarely showing the heroine in battle gear, they seem to skirt the issue of her military genius. A plate from Louis Maurice Boutet de Monvel’s popular “Joan of Arc” illustration series, printed in full color on the front page of the December 6, 1914, edition of the New York Times, shows Joan in armor on her horse, but her hands are bowed in prayer. Instead of a battle scene, friars slowly lead her to Orleans (where, the viewer must know, she will, out of the frame, win a decisive victory).

Meanwhile, suffragettes and women activists called upon Joan as a patron saint, featuring her in rallying posters and magazines. During a 1911 demonstration for women’s right to vote, Marjorie Annan Bryce even dressed up as Joan, riding down the street on a white horse. It could not have been a coincidence that the Times featured the unveiling of Hyatt Huntington’s monument beside an article about delegates of the Congressional Union for Women’s Suffrage, some on horseback; some marching their way to the White House to propose an amendment to the Constitution.

Additionally, during the war, U.S. bonds to spur female participation in war efforts featured an armored Joan, sword raised to the sky, alongside slogans like “Joan of Arc Saved France: Women of America, Save Your Country—Buy War Savings Stamps.”

Hyatt Huntington herself identified with the heroine. In February 1917, she impersonated Joan of Arc at the Fête des Fous, a medieval-themed pageant organized by the Architectural League of New York for the most affluent members of New York society, including Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. The Times reported in its February 27, 1917, edition that as Hyatt Huntington—clad in full armor—rode into the party on a white horse, “a big American flag was unfurled at the back of the French heroine and saint and as the lights were turned up the notes of the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ were sounded and the entire audience, standing, sang the national anthem.”

Issue of The New York Times featuring a plate from Louis Maurice Boutet de Monvel’s Joan of Arc series, c. 1907–1909, from December 6, 1914. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Unveiling of the Joan of Arc statue by Anna Vaughn Hyatt Huntington, Riverside Park, New York, NY, December 6, 1915. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Joan was made a saint by the Catholic Church five years after the sculpture’s unveiling on Riverside Drive, almost exactly 500 years after her death. Again, in 1920, massive public ceremonies were held around the sculpture. In no small part due to Hyatt Huntington, the heroine had been reborn from a figure of virtuous obedience to one of action and emancipation.

The exhibition “Goddess, Heroine, Beast: Anna Hyatt Huntington’s New York Sculpture, 1902–1936,” staged at Columbia University’s Wallach Art Gallery in 2014, offered a much-needed reassessment of the sculptor’s work, and her contribution to New York City. (I was among the mix of undergraduate and graduate students, led by Barnard and Columbia art history department chair Anne Higonnet, who researched and curated the show.) As we discovered the breadth of Hyatt Huntington’s accomplishments, many hidden in plain sight around New York (her works were collected by almost all of the city’s major cultural institutions, and are on display in public locations from the Bronx Zoo and Central Park to the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine), we returned, again and again, to the question of why she, and her statue of Joan, had been so largely forgotten by history.

Hyatt Huntington was an artist unusual in every way: in looks, antics, independence, ambition, and success. Peers like Augustus Saint-Gaudens have remained in the canon, while Hyatt Huntington’s star has faded. The patriotic classicism of Beaux-Arts New York withered after the war, and realism fell out of style as the avant-gardists ascended.

But the other truth of the matter is that her legacy was not looked after, as happens all too frequently with women, no matter how affluent and successful. Over the years, encroaching tree branches nearly overtook Joan, hiding her from public view. But a trip to the usually sleepy Upper West Side offers an invigorating reminder of the early artistic achievements of strong women; while not always well-known today, they hold fixed places in history.

from Artsy News

[esprit-de-corps-magazine]

Regimental Sergeant-Major Enjoys Rare Mother’s Day At ‘Home’ With 40,000 Strangers

By Sub-Lieutenant Andrew J. McLaughlin, 31 Canadian Brigade Group Public Affairs

Hamilton, Ontario — Her steadfast commitment to the Army Reserve has often complicated traditional family events, and this is one of the first Mother’s Days that Chief Warrant Officer Tracy-Ann Fisher has been able to enjoy with her family.

“For the past few Mother’s Days, I’ve been away on exercises,” she lamented.

After a long line of appointments and promotions, she became one of the first female Regimental Sergeants Major in the Canadian Army, promoted to her current rank of Chief Warrant Officer in 2016 and taking over the position of Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) of 31 Signal Regiment, which has two Squadrons; one in Hamilton and one in London.

This year, however, CWO Fisher enjoyed a rare opportunity to spend Mother’s Day with her family – and over 40,000 Blue Jays fans. This holiday was clearly a little different than past ones spent in the field with her other family – those young Army Reserve soldiers. This time, the trailblazing RSM was able to savour the moment, although on a very different kind of field.

CWO Fisher’s husband is also a military spouse and parent. Warrant Officer Graeme Fisher of The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s), helps raise their two children while maintaining military and civilian careers as well. Their daughter Heather is 14 years old and her son Sean is 11. They live in Caledonia, Ontario, and frequent local sports arenas.

On Mother’s Day 2018, they were all together, as CWO Fisher was honoured by the Toronto Blue Jays’ Sunday Salute. Her family was excited for the opportunity to show their mother’s dedication. After all, they have learned from their parents’ commitment.

“My children are very independent and very capable,” she explained. “They have seen leadership and independence from both of their parental roles. Our children see our dedication and commitment; and understand the importance of teamwork and what it means to make such commitments.”

CWO Fisher joined the Army Reserve in Toronto as a Communicator in 1991, while most of the soldiers she leads were not even born yet, and thoughts of motherhood were fleeting.

“I joined the Army Reserve at seventeen as a summer job. I thought it would be exciting. I had no prior experience but my Grandfather was a Dispatch Rider overseas in the Second World War, and many other relatives fought there as well.”

Even she couldn’t have imagined the way things have turned out. She’s risen from the lowest Non-Commissioned rank of Private to one of the very highest, and during over a quarter-decade of service, she has earned a university education, become a mother, and served as an exceptional leader to countless young soldiers.

Even though CWO Fisher repeatedly broke barriers in her military career, she couldn’t have done it alone, she says. Being a mother and a military leader hasn’t always been easy. “I appreciate my children for their patience and understanding of the time I spend away from them. They understand my commitment and the love for the job that I do.”

She thinks this strong commitment has helped them, as well. “I believe my military experience has made them the kind, compassionate, resilient and understanding children that they are and I can only hope that they grow up to utilize those strengths for themselves.”

Strength clearly runs in the family. Fisher served in the Royal Canadian Artillery Corps, before returning to the Signals Regiment in Toronto, where her leadership qualities earned her a positions not held by many women in those days.

She served as Detachment Commander, Troop Sergeant, Troop Warrant Officer and eventually the Squadron Sergeant Major. She was deployed on Operation RECUPERATION after severe and historic ice storms gripped Eastern Ontario in 1998, served on Operation ABACUS in preparation for “Y2K,” and instructed young troops on a pioneering signals project at the Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics (CFSCE) in Kingston.

She has received many awards and commendations and served countless weekends and long stretches on exercises across Canada. For instance, she has travelled north on NOREX in the Arctic, and served on Operation LENTUS in May 2017 -- again supporting Canadians domestically, this time during flood relief efforts.

She earned a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Journalism from Ryerson University in Toronto, in addition to a Certificate of Adult Education from Mohawk College of Applied Arts in Hamilton. She works for the City of Hamilton as a Training and Development Coordinator for the Healthy and Safe Communities Department.

[thetrumpdebacle]

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Curated top stories

Trump willing to be interviewed by Special Counsel – U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that he is willing to be interviewed under oath by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. “I‘m looking forward to it, actually,” Trump said. “I would do it under oath.”

Venezuela presidential battle begins – Venezuela’s presidential election race got underway Wednesday. Incumbent Nicolas Maduro is favored to win with an “anti-Trump” message. Opposition parties, who “scrambled for a candidate” according to Reuters, lambasted Maduro for turning Venezuela into a dictatorship, ruining the economy, and skewing the election toward Maduro’s Socialist Party. Venezuela’s pro-government Constituent Assembly said the vote must be held before May.

Egyptian presidential candidate Khaled Ali withdraws from race – The prominent lawyer, and major political opponent for President Fattah El Sisi, said he will no longer run in the presidential election. He cited the unwarranted arrest of Lieutenant General Sami Anan, another presidential hopeful, as a reason for his withdrawal. Without Anan and Ali in the race, President Sisi’s reelection bid faces no serious contenders.

Democrats take border wall funding off the table – Democrats withdrew an offer to fund U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s wall along the Mexican border in exchange for legal protections for some undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children. The move comes after Trump signed a short-term spending measure late Monday, and after Senate Democrats agreed on legislation to fund the government for three weeks (The Guardian). However, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he pulled the wall offer because of what he said was Trump’s failure to follow through on the outlines of an agreement the two men discussed last Friday. “So we’re going to have to start on a new basis and the wall offer is off the table,” Schumer told reporters.

U.S. Gymnastics doctor sentenced for up to 175 years for molesting female athletes – After grueling testimony from 160 of his victims, Larry Nassar pleaded guilty to seven counts of first-degree sexual assault. The prison sentence could range from 40 years to 175. As the national team’s physician, Nassar would sexually abuse female gymnasts under the guise of medical treatment. The head of Michigan State University (MSU), Lou Anna Simon, resigned hours after Nassar was sentenced. She said in a statement: “To the survivors, I can never say enough that I am so sorry that a trusted, renowned physician was really such an evil, evil person who inflicted such harm under the guise of medical treatment.”

Congo court convicts 134 people for massacres – A court in the Democratic Republic of Congo sentenced 134 people for their role in the killing 800 people during clashes between rebels and the Congo military. The Congolese government has long blamed Ugandan-Muslim rebels for violence in the country after President Joseph Kabila overstayed his term limits.

Trump cracks down on ‘sanctuary cities’ – Living up to his campaign promise, President Donald J. Trump is threatening U.S. cities that fail to share the immigration status of suspects, or those they arrest. The U.S. Justice Department demanded 23 major cities, all with Democratic leadership, to hand over immigration records. Subpoenas will be issued for those that do not comply.

Defenders of so-called “sanctuary cities” argue that the policy preserves trust between immigrant communities and local police. They argue that if local police share immigration statuses with federal authorities, undocumented immigrants will be less likely to report criminal activity.

Mnuchin and Ross in Davos for Trump curtain-raiser – U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin defended Trump’s “America first” approach to global affairs, telling an audience at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, that “the economy that’s good for the U.S. is good for the rest of the world.” Acting as a warm-up to Trump’s Davos address on Friday, Mnuchin said the U.S. president will talk about the impact of his economic plans on the world. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross meanwhile defended the imposition of U.S. tariffs on certain imports from China and South Korea, saying: “There have always been trade wars: the difference now is U.S. troops are now coming to the ramparts.” (Read more on Destination Davos, WikiTribune’s rolling and regularly updated WEF story.)

Earlier

Benghazi car bombs kill 27 – Two car bombs exploded in the Libyan city of Benghazi on Tuesday night, killing 27 and wounding 30. The first bomb was timed as people left a mosque in a residential area. The second went off half an hour later as residents and medics gathered to evacuate the wounded. Libya fell into chaos following the fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Since 2014 it has been split between rival governments and parliaments based in the western and eastern regions, each backed by different militias and tribes.

Mueller edges closer to Trump interview – U.S. prosecutors appear to be moving closer to a possible interview with President Trump about whether he took steps to obstruct an FBI probe into contacts between Russia and his 2016 campaign. The Associated Press reports that Special Counsel Robert Mueller interviewed Attorney General Jeff Sessions last week. Sessions is the highest-ranking Trump administration official known to have been questioned. Mueller is looking into whether Trump’s actions in office obstructed the FBI’s investigation efforts.

What we’re reading

Financial Times journalist Madison Marriage went undercover at the Presidents Club Charity Dinner in London’s Dorchester Hotel, an annual secretive men-only event where women are the centerpieces. The report reveals that hostesses, many of whom are young female students earning extra cash, were groped, sexually harassed, and propositioned. The extraordinary expose shows the dark side of some elite charity circles, and another narrative in the sexual misconduct conversation since allegations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein first surfaced in October 2017. – Lydia Morrish

A new report by Human Rights Watch reveals widespread abuse of migrant workers in the Thai fishing industry. A number of media investigations into similar claims in 2014 and 2015 were met with severe warnings from the European Union (EU) and United States, and the Thai government promised reform. But this investigation shows the extent to which abuse can be hidden, as well as the scale of the problem that persists. WikiTribune reported on widespread crime in tuna fishing in the South Pacific late last year. – Jack Barton

A powerful undersea earthquake sent Alaskans racing to evacuation centers in the middle of the night on Tuesday. A cellphone alert warned them that a tsunami could hit communities along the state’s southern coast and parts of British Columbia. The tsunami never materialized but the entire coastal region is still under threat. In this 2015 piece for the New Yorker, Karen Schulz outlines the very present danger and its devastating consequences. As she reports, the question is not whether an earthquake will hit, the question is when.

What the WikiTribune community is up to

Facebook announced it will be rolling out a new global “privacy center” in response to a change in EU law, which will clamp down on how companies collect data. The aim of putting all core privacy settings in one place is to make it easier for users to manage their data. WikiTribune member Bethany Mosettig started this report but needs you to help complete it.

Be the change. Support WikiTribune’s mission to fix the news – Jimmy Wales

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via The Trump Debacle

[miajolensdevotion]

Women of the Bible - Deborah No. 2The Woman Who Was a Fearless Patriot

Judges 4  and 5;Hebrews 11:32-34

Name Meaning—Although we know nothing of the  early history of this prophetess-judge, it may be that her parents with a  knowledge of the unselfish and untiring service of Deborah the nurse,  gave their baby girl the same name which, as already indicated, means “a  bee.” This we do know that the practical qualities symbolized by the  busy bee were as necessary to Deborah as they were to the right  performance of the less conspicuous and humbler duties of the former  nurse Deborah. While Deborah the patriot gathered honey for her friends,  like a bee she had a fatal sting for her enemies as the Canaanites came  to experience. “Science confirms the ancient belief that, of all the  animal kingdom, the bee ranks among the highest in intelligence”  says Mary Hallet. “So Deborah stands out as among the wisest of all the  Old Testament women.”

Family Connections—We have no genealogy of  this female warrior and writer. The only personal touch we have is that  she was “the wife of Lapidoth” (Judges 4:4 ), whose name is the only thing the Bible gives us. Their  home was between Bethel and Ramah in the hill country of Ephraim. The  palm tree under which Deborah ruled and possibly lived was a land mark,  as palms were then rare in Palestine. In honor of her works, it became  known as “The Palm of Deborah” (Judges 4:5 ). Although referred to as a “mother in Israel,” we have no  record of Deborah being a mother of natural children by Lapidoth.

Occasionally,  a strong-minded and unique woman breaks in upon human history and by  her exploits leaves the impact of her personality upon events and  secures for herself an imperishable honor. England, for instance, will  never forget the bolds deeds of Margaret of Anjou, who at the head of  her northern forces swept over the country like a cyclone, destroying  armies and tearing down thrones. In France, Joan of Arc, the patron  saint of her country, professed to have divine visions as to her destiny  to restore peace to her distracted nation by the crowning of Charles.  From school days we have known how she led 10,000 troops against the  English at Orleans, and compelled them to retreat, and of how other  victories followed as her consecrated banner struck terror into the  hearts of her enemies. Ultimately, she was burned at the the stake as “a  martyr to her religion, her country and her king.” Her ashes, thrown  into the Seine, were carried to the sea, and the sea, taking them around  the world became emblematic of her universal fame.

Similarly  gifted with superior spiritual, mental and physical powers to leave her  mark upon the annals of time was Deborah whom God raised up and endowed  with a remarkable personality and varied gifts for the deliverance of  His distressed and defeated people. A woman of unusual attainments,  Deborah carved out an enviable niche for herself. With characteristic   resoluteness she occupied several positions. She Was a Wife While nothing is said of her husband and home life, there is no reason to   affirm, as some writers do, that being born to rule, Deborah was master in her own home. Some writers feel that since Lapidoth was the husband of a prominent woman, that he was “hen-pecked” or that Deborah “wore the  trousers.” Wharton inFamous Women suggests that Lapidoth was a weak man  married to a strong-willed and a strong-bodied woman. “His very name is  in the original Hebrew put not in the masculine, but in the feminine  gender. I have no doubt that while by no means so great, he was yet ‘as  meek as Moses.’” Although meek, Moses was by no means weak.

We  prefer to believe that Lapidoth admired the ability and influence of his  more conspicuous wife. His name means, “torches” or “lightning   flashes,” and we can well imagine how in his quieter way he was the   encourager of Deborah in all her activities. Although not so forceful   and capable as his wife, yet he was illuminative in his own way and   behind the scenes was as good and conspicuous in faith as the woman he   loved, and in whose glory he was content to bask. Many of the notable   men of the world have testified to the succor and inspiration they   received from their wives who walked with them in full agreement as they  climbed the heights. Perhaps the shoe was on the other foot in that God-fearing home. Deborah would never have become the dazzling figure   she did, had she not had the love, sympathy, advice and encouragement of  a husband who was happy to ride in the second chariot. She Was a Prophetess Deborah  is one of several females in Scripture distinguished as being endowed with the prophetic gift, which means the ability to discern the mind and  purpose of God and declare it to others. In the days of the Old   Testament, prophets and prophetesses were the media between God and His people Israel, and their gift to perceive and proclaim divine truth   stamped them as being divinely inspired. Such an office, whether held by  a male or female, was a high one and corresponds to the ministry of the  Word today. Can you not picture how hungry-minded Israelites found their way to that conspicuous palm tree beneath which Deborah sat,   stately in person with her dark, penetrating, prophetic eyes, and poured out wisdom and instruction as she declared the whole counsel of   God? As a woman, she had intuition as well as inspiration, which is   always better than a man’s cold reasoning. Had Pontius Pilate taken the advice of his wife he would not have signed the death warrant of Jesus Christ. She Was an Agitator As one meaning of “agitation” is to   stir up or excite public discussion with the view of producing a change,  then Deborah was an effective agitator who stirred up Israel’s concern  about its low spiritual condition. The land was debauched and well-nigh  ruined, and under the rule of the Canaanites liberty had been lost. The  people were dejected and afraid, for their spirits had been broken and  all hope of deliverance had vanished. But Deborah did more than  prophesy; she aroused the nation from its lethargy and despair. Hers was  a fearless and unsolicited devotion to the emancipation of God’s  people, and she awoke in them a determination to free themselves from  their wretched bondage and degradation. Out went her call and challenge to the help of the Lord against the enemy. Day after day, she  excited those who gathered to hear her words of divine wisdom with the  certainty of deliverance from a heathen foe if only they would bestir themselves from their folly and fear and go out and fight. She Was a Ruler Deborah  was the fifth of the leaders or “Judges” of Israel raised up by God to  deliver His people from the bondage their idolatry had caused, and   instant both in word and deed she fulfilled her role as “Judge,” at a   time when men tried to do right in the sight of their own eyes. As the   position of woman in those days was of a distinctily subordinate   character, Deborah’s prominence as a ruler is somewhat remarkable. All   Israel was under her jurisdiction, and from the palm tree bearing her   name, and elsewhere, called “the sanctuary of the palm,” she dispensed   righteousness, justice and mercy. After the victory over the nation’s   foes, she ruled with equity a land that had rest from war and captivity for forty years. She Was a Warrior Having  fought with words she went forth to throw off the oppressor’s yoke with  swords, and what a fighter this patriotic and inspired heroine proved  to be. Deborah sent for Barak, the son of Abinoam of Naphtali, and told  him that it was God’s will that he should lead her forces and deliver  the country. Long slavery and repeated failures made Barak hesitate, but  ultimately he decided to lead the army provided Deborah, the  brave-hearted and dauntless ruler, went with him. Barak felt he could  face the foe if his ruler were at hand, and out they went to meet  Sisera, a mighty man of war, who had terrorized Israel for many years.  Great were the odds against Deborah and Barak, for their army5:7 ). Commenting upon our Lord’s action in taking up little children  into His arms and blessing them as being a father’s act in Hebrew  custom, Bengel says, “Jesus had no children that He might adopt all  children.” Perhaps it was so with Deborah who, as far as we know, had  never experienced actual motherhood, but yet became as a mother to all  in Israel, and the source of this spiritual motherhood was her piety.   Above all of her remarkable gifts was her trust in God which is ever the  source of any woman’s highest adornment. As she sat under her palm tree  to rule in righteousness and translate the revelation of God, her heart  was filled with that “grace divine which diffused itself like a sweet-smelling savor over the whole land.” Hers was a brilliant career because of a heart that was fixed in God. Meroz failed God, and under a  curse, vanished, but Deborah is immortal because she served God to the  limit of her ability and capacity. She was indeed the female Oliver   Cromwell of ancient Israel who went out to fight the Lord’s battles with  a psalm on her lips and a sword in her hand. consisted of some 10,000 men. Sisera commanded 100,000 fighters, and had  900 iron chariots. When the eventful moment of combat came, the  dauntless spirit of Deborah did not quail. True, tremendous odds were  against them, but Deborah had God as her Ally and “the stars in their  courses fought against Sisera.” A fearful hailstorm overtook the land,  and the Canaanites were almost blinded by the rain, and were ultimately   overwhelmed in the swollen river of Kishon. Sisera escaped but was   killed by Jael while asleep in her tent. (SeeJael .) Thus Deborah gained undying fame as the female warrior who rescued her people from their cruel foes. She Was a Poetess The prose and poem of Judges 4  and 5  are associated with the same historic event, and reveal that Deborah  could not only prophecy, arouse, rule and fight, but also write. It was  said of Julius Caesar that, “he wrote with the same ability with which  he fought.” This observation can also be true of Deborah, who, after her  victory over the Canaanites, composed a song which is regarded as one  of the finest specimens of ancient Hebrew poetry, being superior to the   celebrated song of Miriam (seeMiriam ). This song of praise, found in Judges 5 , magnifies the Lord as being the One who enabled Israel’s   leaders to conquer their enemies. Out of the contest and conquest came   the moral purification of the nation, and the inspiring genius of it was  a woman daring and dynamic in the leadership of her nation. No   character in the Old Testament stands out in bolder relief than   Deborah—prophetess, ruler, warrior and poetess. Her song is immortal   because her life was dedicated to God and her deeds heroic and sublime.5:7 ). Commenting upon our Lord’s action in taking up little children  into His arms and blessing them as being a father’s act in Hebrew  custom, Bengel says, “Jesus had no children that He might adopt all  children.” Perhaps it was so with Deborah who, as far as we know, had  never experienced actual motherhood, but yet became as a mother to all  in Israel, and the source of this spiritual motherhood was her piety.  Above all of her remarkable gifts was her trust in God which is ever the  source of any woman’s highest adornment. As she sat under her palm tree  to rule in righteousness and translate the revelation of God, her heart  was filled with that “grace divine which diffused itself like a sweet-smelling savor over the whole land.” Hers was a brilliant career  because of a heart that was fixed in God. Meroz failed God, and under a  curse, vanished, but Deborah is immortal because she served God to the  limit of her ability and capacity. She was indeed the female Oliver  Cromwell of ancient Israel who went out to fight the Lord’s battles with  a psalm on her lips and a sword in her hand. She Was a Maternal Figure The last glimpse we have of Deborah is as “a mother in Israel” (5:7 ). Commenting upon our Lord’s action in taking up little children  into His arms and blessing them as being a father’s act in Hebrew  custom, Bengel says, “Jesus had no children that He might adopt all  children.” Perhaps it was so with Deborah who, as far as we know, had  never experienced actual motherhood, but yet became as a mother to all  in Israel, and the source of this spiritual motherhood was her piety.   Above all of her remarkable gifts was her trust in God which is ever the  source of any woman’s highest adornment. As she sat under her palm tree  to rule in righteousness and translate the revelation of God, her heart  was filled with that “grace divine which diffused itself like a sweet-smelling savor over the whole land.” Hers was a brilliant career because of a heart that was fixed in God. Meroz failed God, and under a  curse, vanished, but Deborah is immortal because she served God to the  limit of her ability and capacity. She was indeed the female Oliver   Cromwell of ancient Israel who went out to fight the Lord’s battles with  a psalm on her lips and a sword in her hand.

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Kelly Clarkson's Retro, Uplifting Dream of Unity

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Kelly Clarkson's Retro, Uplifting Dream of Unity

Hillary Clinton’s recent memoir What Happened opens with a quote: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” It’s attributed to “Friedrich Nietzsche (and Kelly Clarkson).” When she learned of this citation, Clarkson, a Clinton supporter in the 2016 election, responded online with a “Yaaaasssss!,” a string of emojis, and a new hashtag: #philosophergoals.

Clarkson is one of many pop belters in a mutual-admiration society with the first female presidential nominee for a major party. But from some angles—or perhaps from the vantage point of Clarkson’s breakout year, 2002—it’s odd that such an entertainer would be so publicly tied with a partisan figure. The first American Idol winner once represented the belief that the nation is, well, one nation: united in Tuesday night TV viewing and an appreciation for Etta James’s “At Last,” if nothing else. Listening to her new album, Meaning of Life, raises the question of what’s changed—Clarkson and artists like her, or the country?

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When American Idol wrapped last year, critics mourned both it and the “monoculture” it represented. Though the oft-cited notion that it attracted more votes than the presidential election is a bit of a myth, the series held the No. 1 spot in TV rankings for more years than any other show in history. A Texan and former waitress with a big voice, Clarkson has been branded with the assumption-laden, racially blinkered, but still-potent label of “everywoman.” She even turned out to have a bipartisan sensibility: In the years since her victory, you could find her supporting not only Clinton and Barack Obama but, in 2012, also Ron Paul.

Idol’s slowly cratering ratings over the years were attributed to viewer burnout and competition from other competitions, but also the general atomization of the viewing public in the age of infinite content. With YouTube and Netflix and presidential tweets competing for attention, it’ll be rare to see any non-sports program again reach the 38.1 million people that the Season 2 finale did. As time went on, the show revealed a preference for southern and male performers, and surveys found that American Idol’s viewership skewed Republican.

Clarkson’s 15-year career has been defined both by monster hits and by a public struggle with the media-manipulation industry that Idol represented. She chafed under the direction of the record exec Clive Davis. She swore off Dr. Luke, the hitmaker and accused abuser. She fired back at body-shamers on social media. And she now isn’t mincing words about reaching the end of the record contract she signed with RCA through Idol. Meaning of Life, being released on Atlantic Records, she has said, represents the conclusion of an “arranged marriage.”

The most obvious way to read her narrative—as she has presented it, time and again in song—is as one of resilience and individuality. Who can’t relate? But through other lenses, you see a feminist struggle. You see a fight against corporate control. You see a battle against bullies. You see a mascot for decency. Is that unifying in 2017?

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Meaning of Life’s final song, “Go High,” lifts from Michelle Obama’s speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention for its chorus: “when you go low / I go high.” It’s the only news-referencing moment on the album, and the sound of the song is also the album’s most au courant. Over a door-rattling electronic bass pulse and dreamy finger snaps, the chorus sees vocal manipulation stretching the word “high” past the upper edges of Clarkson’s considerable range, as if she’s huffing helium. Clarkson wields the former First Lady’s slogan as neutrally as possible, singing only of being strong, taking the high road, and standing for something. Which is a familiar pop maneuver: See Fifth Harmony’s recent album closer, with its call to build “bridges, not walls” in a strictly inspirational sense.

The rest of Meaning of Life has Clarkson returning to the same theme that’s powered hits like “Miss Independent,” “Because of You,” “Since U Been Gone,” and “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” Over and over, she kisses off some power-imbalanced relationship and searches for a more satisfying connection. Often, she’s trying to coax a less-than-enthusiastic partner into doing better. “Remember not long ago you called me hysterical?” she asks on the stuttering highlight “Didn’t I.” “I finally figured us out my fire was hot enough to burn on for the both of us.”

But musically, there is a slight shift. Her eighth studio album is her first since leaving RCA, and she has said it’s the album she’s always wanted to make: one that answers the question, as she put it to The New York Times, “What if Aretha was born now and made a record today?” The majesty implied by such a comparison isn’t here, but you do hear what she and her team were going for: plinking piano and swaying horns (from Earth, Wind, & Fire themselves on two songs); electronic percussion and some structural features drawn from hip-hop; and plenty of big, dramatic bridges for Clarkson to make like she’s serenading Paula Abdul in 2002.

This retro-filtered peppiness and passion isn’t quite the profitable fad in pop lately. But it is a sound that female stars have adopted to a surprising extent lately, whether by enlisting the Dap-Kings (Kesha) or Mark Ronson (Lady Gaga). Demi Lovato’s new album is much in the vein of Meaning of Life, too, but with slightly more radio savvy. The swerve back to soul for these women comes off as both an aesthetic and ideological reply to a charts landscape ruled by heavily processed, rap-inflected male voices. For Clarkson in particular, it makes sense: “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” was always her perfect mission statement, simultaneously defiant and traditional. And nothing courts a mass adult audience like reminders of the classics.

Songs like “Whole Lotta Woman,” a Tina Turner–referencing stompalong, do verge on the edge of feeling like costume play—but Clarkson connects the revival-church sound to her biography, playing up her Texan bona fides. The outro is fascinating, mutating into a trap breakdown but with women singing that style’s “hey” rhythm like doo-wop. On the lead single “Love So Soft,” she similarly rotates between shimmy-worthy verses from the Amy Winehouse school and a robotic, pop-and-lock chorus. It’s an odd brew, and nothing sticks with the force of Clarkson’s greatest hits, but her diehards should be charmed.

Yet is there still a presumed casual listener, an American Idol arena, for Clarkson to court? Her album sales have fallen (from 1.1 million units for 2011’s Stronger to less than 300,000 for 2015’s Piece by Piece)—but that’s not at all shocking in the context of the decline of album sales in general. As much-discussed, this year’s pop charts seem newly indifferent to big female voices like hers, and the notion of an entertainer who can cross the country’s cultural divides is ever-more elusive. At a time when the president is calling on followers to boycott plays, TV networks, and professional sports for protesting him, Clarkson’s dabbling with the Democrats may be disqualifying for some. Online and in interviews, she’s made clear she’s unconcerned with alienating listeners with her opinions.

Some big-tent pop attempts from Clarkson’s contemporaries, like Katy Perry, have flopped—possibly for some of the reasons mentioned above, or possibly just because they aren’t making the caliber of music they used to. The onetime unifier Taylor Swift seems set on dividing her potential listenership into camps of friends and rivals with her barbed new material. Beyonce’s output has gotten ever-more daring and ever-more controversial. One exception is Pink, the hitmaking stalwart with a surprising amount in common with Clarkson—including in her balancing of outspoken persona with crowdpleasing songs. Her new record, Beautiful Trauma, just debuted with the highest sales numbers since the last album by Drake, who’s the exemplar of the kind of artist edging out radio-owning divas.

Clarkson hasn’t generated any big hits off her new material yet, but there’s still potential. Take the schmaltzy standout “Move You,” which calmly and methodically insists on being added to the canon of newlywed first-dance tracks. Over clean organ lines, Clarkson strings together lump-in-the-throat phrases: She wants to move you “like the first time that you listen to your favorite singer live” or “like the home that you were raised in.” In the third verse, the arrangement falls out for an acoustic-guitar interlude, and Clarkson describes “a soldier who is fallin’ as he holds his country’s flag and he fights for freedom’s callin’.” At a moment when arguments over what constitutes “respecting the troops” are newly tense, the line might read as a sop to the red states. But Clarkson’s salute, like her call to  “go high,” is only politically fraught if the listener makes it so. Pop’s great dream of uplift for everyone is still alive—if anyone wants it.

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