#the pointe dubai hotels

[ronda1466]

New Best Places to Visit for Families in Dubai 2024 / Dubai is the best place in the world and it's a family-friendly lifestyle destination. which is located near the iconic Dubai Creek it's an area rich in historical sites. you can go there shopping, you can go to restaurants, you can book a you can. you can go there for a walk it's a beautiful waterfront destination so you should check it out

please subscribe to my channel: @DMmahfuz14318

Al Seef, a charming waterfront destination, seamlessly blends traditional architecture with modern amenities, offering a cultural and leisurely experience. Palam, known for its vibrant markets and diverse culinary scene, invites visitors to explore the rich tapestry of its local culture. Bluwaters Island stands as a contemporary haven, boasting luxurious residences and leisure options against the backdrop of stunning sea views. Lamar Plaza, a dynamic urban hub, captivates with its bustling atmosphere, housing a mix of shopping, dining, and entertainment establishments.

the point is it's a lifestyle destination as well is located on Palm Jumeirah you can go there by Plam Monorail which is connected to the Dubai metro and Dubai tram, it's a beautiful waterfront destination with a wide variety of restaurants, and shops, and has entertainment for kids, they have beautiful fountains, cinema, a night club, to gyms. so it's a great place just to go and hang out there I think it's a bit hot now so I recommend you to go there at night.

Blu Waters Island is a breathtaking destination, renowned for its pristine beauty and serene atmosphere. The crystal-clear azure waters that surround the island create a mesmerizing backdrop for visitors. With lush greenery and vibrant flora, the landscape is a perfect blend of nature's wonders. The white sandy beaches stretch along the shoreline, offering a tranquil escape for sunbathing and relaxation.

The island boasts diverse marine life, making it a paradise for snorkeling and diving enthusiasts. A leisurely stroll through tropical gardens reveals a rich tapestry of colorful flowers and exotic plant species. As the sun sets, the sky transforms into a canvas of warm hues, casting a magical glow over the island. Blu Waters Island is dotted with charming seaside cafes and restaurants, where visitors can savor local delicacies while enjoying panoramic views.

Adventure seekers can explore hidden coves and secret trails, adding an element of excitement to their island experience. Luxurious resorts and cozy villas provide world-class accommodation, ensuring a comfortable stay amid nature's splendor. Whether you seek relaxation or adventure, Blu Waters Island offers an idyllic retreat that captivates the senses and creates lasting memories.

Lamar Valley, located in Yellowstone National Park, is a breathtaking destination with its unique combination of scenic beauty and diverse wildlife. As the sun sets, the golden hues illuminate the vast meadows surrounded by towering mountain peaks. The Lamar River meanders through the valley, reflecting the surrounding landscapes. Bison herds graze peacefully, creating an iconic scene against the backdrop of lush grasslands.

The valley is also a prime location for spotting wolves, providing a thrilling wildlife viewing experience. Visitors can explore the area through hiking trails, such as the Lamar River Trail, offering panoramic views of the valley and its pristine wilderness. With its untouched landscapes and abundant wildlife, Lamar Valley stands as a testament to the natural wonders found within Yellowstone National Park.

[scribblesoul-20]

Hotel Cleanliness Expert - Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai

Job title: Hotel Cleanliness Expert – Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai Company: Job description: DescriptionPOSITION SUMMARYOur jobs aren’t just about giving guests a clean room and a freshly made bed. Instead, we want to build an experience that is memorable and unique. Our Guest Environment Experts are skilled in a wide range of housekeeping functions with responsibility for maintaining the…

[overseepos-blog]

What advantages does a Point of Sale (POS) system offer to businesses in Dubai

In the bustling metropolis of Dubai, where commerce thrives and competition is fierce, the need for efficient and effective retail management is paramount. One tool that has been transforming the landscape of retail shops in Dubai is the Point of Sale (POS) system. In this article, we will delve into the benefits of POS software in retail shops and explore how it can help overcome common issues faced in the industry.

Benefits of POS System in Dubai:

STREAMLINED OPERATIONS:

A well-integrated POS system can streamline various retail operations, from inventory management to sales tracking. This automation reduces the time and effort required for manual data entry and administrative tasks, allowing staff to focus on providing excellent customer service.

ENHANCED SALES AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT:

With a POS system, retail shops in Dubai can efficiently manage their inventory levels. Real-time tracking of stock levels helps prevent overstocking or understocking, ensuring that popular items are always in supply while reducing the risk of losses due to shrinkage.

IMPROVED CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE:

Modern POS systems offer features like customer relationship management (CRM) and loyalty programs. These tools enable retailers to better understand their customers' preferences and shopping habits, leading to personalized shopping experiences and increased customer retention.

EFFICIENT CHECKOUT PROCESS:

The quick and efficient checkout process provided by a POS system enhances customer satisfaction. Dubai shoppers appreciate the convenience of contactless payments, integrated card processing, and mobile wallet options, making transactions smooth and secure.

ACCURATE SALES REPORTING:

In the competitive retail market of Dubai, data-driven decisions are crucial. POS software generates detailed sales reports and analytics, allowing retailers to identify top-selling products, seasonal trends, and areas for improvement.

MULTI-STORE INTEGRATION:

For retail chains in Dubai, managing multiple locations can be challenging. A robust POS system can centralize operations, allowing business owners to oversee and coordinate activities across different stores, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

Overcoming Common Issues in Retail Shops:

INVENTORY MANAGEMENT:

Retailers often struggle with inaccurate inventory counts and stockouts. A POS system's real-time tracking helps maintain optimal inventory levels, reducing instances of out-of-stock items and improving overall stock accuracy.

EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY:

Employee theft and inefficiency can harm a retail business. POS systems with employee management features enable owners to monitor staff performance, track working hours, and implement security measures to mitigate losses.

DATA SECURITY:

Dubai's retail businesses need to prioritize data security. POS systems provide encryption and data protection features to safeguard customer information and financial transactions, ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations.

CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT:

Attracting and retaining customers is a constant challenge. POS systems support customer loyalty programs, offering incentives and rewards to keep shoppers coming back.

INTEGRATION CHALLENGES:

Many retail shops in Dubai use various software for accounting, marketing, and inventory management. Selecting a POS system that integrates seamlessly with these tools can solve integration issues and streamline operations.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT:

In a fast-paced retail environment, downtime can be costly. Opt for a Overseepos POS system that offers 24/7 technical support to address any issues promptly and keep your business running smoothly.

In conclusion, the implementation of a POS system in Dubai's retail shops can be a game-changer. The benefits of streamlining operations, enhancing customer experiences, and addressing common retail challenges are essential for success in this competitive market. By choosing the right POS software and staying updated with the latest industry trends, retailers can thrive and continue to contribute to Dubai's vibrant retail landscape.

[giftdubaionline]

Restaurant POS System Dubai - Overseepos.com

Retail Point of Sale system (POS), also known as POS Software has come a long way from being a bolt-on application for cash registers. Today, the cash register as the cornerstone piece of retail technology has been replaced by PCs, tablets, and mobile devices.

The OverSee Pos software for restaurants in UAE is a windows-based point-of-sale software that is specially designed for your portable billing needs or to save some physical space in your restaurants. Your Retail Point of Sale system software can be used on almost every windows-based device. Whether you have an internet connection or not OverseePOS System will function the same Because of its design to run in both offline and online modes. All the daily usage data and reports will be stored in the device even if there is no internet connection. And once the internet connection has been established all the data will automatically be stored in the cloud server which you can roll back anytime.

Oversee Restaurant POS system Dubai can be very useful and it is very easy to handle on a daily basis business. You get key features on POS devices in Dubai, to eliminate human errors that can be a problem for your business.

Offering one of the most powerful POS software systems, OVERSEE is a trailblazer in modern restaurant management. With seamlessness at the helm of every feature, restaurant owners can effectively manage their back-office ordering and reporting, purchases, inventory, staff, and other aspects of a restaurant's workflow. With our POS system, We revolutionize the industry with our range of hardware and software systems – To know how to speak to our consultants today.

Oversee restaurant POS software UAE encompasses several features and keeps various considerations in mind as we recommend the best systems for you. We also fulfill your hardware requirements, such as the POS Printer Dubai, which forms an essential part of the recommendation process. Inquire with us concerning the obligatory hardware requirements and the add-ons that You can use for your restaurant. For instance, card readers that accept all types of credit cards along with contactless payment options are a mandatory requirement. In addition, ensure that the chargeback protection is activated and make sure that your payment processor works following the compliance requirements. Enclosed with the current POS hardware Dubai, you may need cash drawers and tablets for depositing your cash payments and accepting and completing orders, respectively.

[bangtanhoneys]

BTS WEDDING SERIES: Honeymoon

SEOKJIN - LANDAA GIRAAVARU, MALDIVES

If there had been two things you both had wanted to do, it would have been eating and relaxing with a bit of fishing thrown in for Seokjin and privacy for you. It had been hard enough planning a wedding with a public figure but planning a honeymoon where all eyes would be on you if you even stepped outside your hotel room, it boiled down to the fact that it meant only a private island would do. 

Yoongi had stolen the idea from you when it came to his wedding but Seokjin being Seokjin, he had done his research and found an island in the Maldives which was home to the luxury Four Seasons resort where all your needs would be catered for. 

It had been an extremely long flight from Seoul and then another long trip from the airport to the actual island itself. By the time you even stepped into your hotel room, all you both wanted to do was sleep. 

However, you had two weeks of private beaches, Michelin-starred dining, snorkelling, fishing and enjoying a world-class wellness spa. 

“It’s going to be hard to go back to Seoul after this,” Seokjin commented as you both sat outside on the terrace, designed to look like you were in Marrakech rather than the Maldives. There were two more nights before you left the most magical place on earth that would soon disappear due to climate change. 

“I know, being wined and dined and looked after for two weeks under the sun with nothing to do other than relax,” you sighed as you dined on traditional Arabic food. 

“But back to Seoul as husband and wife though.”

YOONGI - BALI, INDONESIA

When you had sat down with Yoongi, amid all your wedding planning, to discuss the honeymoon there were only a few things he wanted: privacy, a place where the two of you could escape if it all got too much, relaxation and a bit of adventure. 

Maldives had been on top of the list but Seokjin had already claimed that (as he helpfully pointed out) but Bali was also another contender. Private villas but still on a resort, waited on hand and foot, but in the traditional setting of Indonesia where you still could go and explore. It would be warm but not too warm. 

The presidential villa had been booked within seconds of Yoongi looking at it, with two bedrooms (god knows why but you knew he’d escape into that room if he got too hot), two bathrooms and a huge outdoor lounge with a large heated pool and absolute privacy.

That’s what it had advertised and that’s what you got when you were led to your private village by a member of the resort who unlocked the door for you, handed over the key and left you to it.

“Holy shit,” you whispered as you walked down the steps onto the grass, and admired the pool for a moment but it was the view that took your breath away. Palm trees, jungle, and unbothered trees that swayed in the breeze.

“They even stocked up the mini bar,” Yoongi commented as he joined you on the small lawn, obviously not having seen what had taken your breath away.

“What? What?” he asked, holding up his hands in defence as you excitedly slapped his arm. “Oh.”

The two of you stood there in complete silence, the only sound was the breeze and a bird off in the distance.

“Okay, this was a good choice if I do say so myself.”

HOSEOK - BARCELONA

It had been pretty easy picking a honeymoon destination - you both had wanted a place filled with history, somewhere warm, somewhere you could do a bit of shopping, somewhere that wasn’t Dubai or Hawaii or Paris. Something different.

Which is how you found yourself stepping off the plane to sunny Barcelona, a private car to take you to your fancy hotel in the middle of the city and the keys to your suite in your hand before you could even think that you were actually on your honeymoon.

“Wow, jagiya, come and take a look at this!”

Hobi’s voice distracted you from where you were unpacking your two large suitcases that contained enough clothes for a month (even though you were only here for two weeks). He stood on the balcony and as you joined him, you could see the famous Passeig de Gracia, one of the major avenues in Barcelona and one of the most expensive ones.

“It has everything we wanted to see,” he carried on about the list you two had made before you had left, detailing everything you wanted to see in Barcelona from the art to the history to the architecture to the fashion. It seemed if not all of it, most of it was one this one particular avenue. 

“And the beach is a half an hour walk or a 20-minute train ride as well,” you commented after pulling out your phone to check where on the map in Barcelona you actually were.

“Before we do any sightseeing, let’s go and get something to eat. That flight was too long.”

NAMJOON - ROME

Of course, it was easy to plan a honeymoon around Namjoon’s interest. There were so many cities and countries to pick from, whether he had been there or not, and it all came down to one place in the end - Rome. It had the history, the art, the galleries, everything the two of you wanted to see while you were on your two-week honeymoon and if you fancied going to the beach, there was a beach which was an hour away. 

He had planned a detailed itinerary for the two weeks and had researched everything from the places you wanted to go, to the hotel, to the food, to even the public transport. If there was one thing he had full control over in any aspect of the wedding planning, the honeymoon had been in his hands.

You just had to look after the passports. You weren’t making that mistake again. 

You weren’t sure if it was the time difference, the sound of Rome waking up or the fact that Namjoon had woken you up by walking into the door to the bathroom, but you rolled over in the softest bed you had ever laid in and stretched. 

Today would be the first full day in Rome and you had VIP passes for the Vatican, Namjoon pulling his BTS card to make sure you get into all the places that the public could very rarely access. You needed to pack a bag with your ID, wallets, sunglasses, sunscreen, your passes and your phone to take plenty of pictures. 

But before all that, you could hear Namjoon’s stomach rumble from the bathroom in time with your own stomach reminding you that you hadn’t eaten since the plane. 

“Breakfast?” Namjoon asked, poking his head around the doorway with his toothbrush in his mouth.

“Breakfast,” you sighed as you got out of bed and joined him in the bathroom. “Is it too early to eat gelato?”

JIMIN - CALIFORNIA

How Jimin managed to blag a three-week honeymoon was beyond you. Somehow Jimin managed to pull his charm when he had discussed the details with the rest of the guys as well as the team. But you shouldn’t be surprised when it came to Jimin and his skills, especially when he pulled out the honeymoon of a lifetime out of his bag. 

Starting in San Francisco, you’d have three days there to visit the famous sights of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Driving down the coast would be the Big Sur where you’d spend a day enjoying the beach and the small towns that the coast had to offer before arriving in Los Angeles where Jimin had booked a two-day trip to Disneyland.

After Los Angeles, it would be San Diego and then onto the amazing Joshua Tree National Park and then onto the Sequoia National Park and the Yosemite National Park and finally onto the Napa Valley where Jimin had booked a wine tasting experience for you.

And you’d be back in San Francisco to go back to Seoul and reality.

It sounded amazing as you read through the itinerary again and you couldn’t wait to spend every moment with your husband, who was currently fast asleep in his chair with his legs stretched out. The two of you had a late night of packing, getting the last-minute bits and finalising the trip, it had left with you two with two hours of sleep before your alarm had woken you up to get to the airport.

Tucking the papers away into your bag, you slipped your eye mask over your eyes and made yourself comfortable against Jimin’s chest. You’d have access to Jimin 24/7 as husband and wife, so you’d need all the sleep you could get.

TAEHYUNG - PARIS, FRANCE 

The City of Love - glamourised by artists, playwrights, poets and served as the setting for some of the greatest love stories of all time. So it hadn’t come as a surprise when Taehyung had booked a week in Paris for your honeymoon, knowing it had been a city on your bucket list for a long time and Taehyung had never really got to experience it with someone who he loved as much as he did you. 

He had planned the week to the detail with visits to Versailles, cocktails at the Hemingway at the Ritz, a private tour of Lourve (because if Beyonce could do it, so you could you) and dinner at some of the most expensive top end restaurants the city had to offer. 

There was no need to take any clothes because you’d be spending the first day in Paris buying your wardrobe on his card. 

And as you woke up on your second day in Paris, with a wardrobe designed by Celine, and breakfast on the balcony that overlooked the Eiffel Tower and your husband ruffling his fluffy hair as he came out of the bathroom and stumbled through the living area to where you were waiting.

“Happy?” he asked, already pouring the complimentary champagne that came with the breakfast into the crystal glasses.

“We could be in Daegu and I’d still be the happiest person in the world.”

JUNGKOOK - AUSTRALIA

Jungkook wasn’t afraid to admit that he was a bit of a homeboy. While he loved the fact his career allowed him to go to some amazing places such as the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, South America and even New Zealand - he loved nothing more than being home in South Korea. 

So when it came to figuring out where the two of you wanted to go for your honeymoon, the answer had been in front of you the entire time. Jungkook was known for just going with the flow but needed somewhere with adventure and somewhere where he could flex his photography and videography skills. You, on the other hand, didn’t care where you went or what you did. 

A road trip was going to be the answer and after many many many weeks of being indecisive, you finally decided Australia was going to be the place. It took a week of planning the route, booking the campervan and the flights and soon you were flying into Darwin, to start your two-week road trip down the spine of Australia’s outback known as the Explorer’s Way.

“It’s been awhile,” Jungkook commented as he loaded up the campervan with the two suitcases and the bags of food you had bought at the local store near to where you got your campervan.

“At least you only have to share the bed with one person,” You laughed as you closed up the doors and settled into the passenger seat, the rough itinerary the two of you had planned in your lap.

“So where to first? Kakadu National Park wasn’t it?” Jungkook asked, already plugging in the name of the park into the navigation.

“Three hours away,” you said as you got your playlist started.

“Let the honeymoon begin!”

[nalyra-dreaming]

What is the "night island"? what impact can he have on the plot of the series, and why is this place important for Armand's story?

Hey!

"Night Island" is a luxury shopping island/resort (originally off the coast of Miami iirc), with hotels, and entertainment centers that Armand purchases for Daniel while they are together.

Daniel owns it in the books (Armand gives it to him(*)).

Later, after the events of QotD (Akasha's rising) Night Island serves as a place where the surviving vampires come together and even after most leave the island stays a place where vampires stop by from time to time.

Now, for the show:

AMC is (still**) developing a mini-series that will follow art thieves who try to steal something off Night Island, not knowing what kind of creatures call it home.

**I say "still" because it was delayed with the strikes there was no news for a long while, but it has been stated they're still on it.

AMC will release the mini series somehow in relation to Devil's Minion developing, because the connection cannot really be severed.

It is also a very cool setup to come back to later in IWTV, whenever they choose to do Akasha.

Also:

There was a post back then (which was deleted after), which announced "Night Island" (I think simply too early). It had black sand around the card, and black sand is at a certain beach close to Pompeii. And Pompeii... and the Villa of Mysteries... is a very important moment for Daniel and Armand. :)

As for impact...

It depends on how they will choose to use Night Island - as a show and a moment in the show. If they only have other vampires there and references the mini-series could have relatively little impact.

But either way the island/resort itself (as in story-point) will play a bigger role in the show at some point.

In Daniel's and Armand's past... and likely their future.

(* btw - if it should turn out that the tower in Dubai is the show's Night Island and that Daniel has forgotten he owns it... THAT would be funny 😅 - but I think it will stay an island)

[its-avalon-08]

charles leclerc x reader part4

themes

enemies to lovers redbull v/s ferrari female driver overprotective max and checo spice maybe??

Chapter 4: Drunken whispers and flashing lights

The desert night shimmered under the Yas Marina floodlights, a glittering oasis in the arid landscape. Abu Dhabi, the final act of the F1 drama, and Y/N and Charles were locked in a fierce tango for second place.

Their cars were two blurs of silver and red, dancing cheek-to-cheek on the razor's edge of the track. They carved identical lines, their engines in a guttural duet, refusing to yield an inch. The tension crackled through the air, thicker than the desert sand.

Then, in a heartbeat, the dance became a discordant crash. Charles, desperate for the podium, made a sudden lunge for the inside line. Y/N, caught off guard, spun out, her car pirouetting into the gravel trap like a wounded ballerina.

She nursed the damaged Red Bull back onto the track, the fire of humiliation burning in her eyes. The race, once neck-and-neck, became a one-woman show. Y/N unleashed a fury unseen before, tearing through the field like a vengeful storm. She carved through lap times, overtaking rivals with ruthless precision. By the time she crossed the finish line, Charles was a distant third, the sting of defeat etched on his face.

The after-party was a cacophony of champagne corks and forced smiles. Y/N, despite her podium finish, remained aloof, her eyes never landing on Charles. He, in turn, mirrored her coldness, his gaze perpetually averted. The tension between them was a storm cloud hanging over the celebration, casting a shadow on everyone's enjoyment.

Later, as the crowd thinned and the music morphed into a quiet hum, Y/N found herself stumbling down the hotel hallway, the champagne leaving a dull ache in her head. Charles, emerging from his own solitude, caught sight of her and felt a pang of guilt pierce his carefully constructed mask.

He reached out, but Y/N, before he could touch her, stumbled, her voice slurred with inebriation. "Why do you hate me so much, Leclerc?" she mumbled, her words thick with unshed tears. "What have u iever done to you? I just wanted to prove... prove that I deserve...my spot...here."

Charles froze. In that moment, the carefully constructed walls around his heart crumbled. He looked at Y/N, her vulnerable words hanging in the air, and he knew he had to confess.

"It's not hate, Y/N," he rasped, his voice choked with emotion. "It's...terror. You see, you remind me of someone...someone I..."

He stopped, the memory a raw wound in his soul. But he saw the flicker of understanding in Y/N's eyes, the shared pain of loss that transcended rivalry. He continued, his voice a low thrum.

"You remind me of what I could have lost...of what I almost did lose. And seeing you race, so fearless, so brilliant...it terrifies me. Because if anything happened to you...I wouldn't be able to live"

He couldn't finish the sentence. The thought was too unbearable. But Y/N, her eyes shimmering with tears, reached out and touched his cheek, a silent reassurance.

"Charlie, you don't like me but you're afraid to lose me" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "But I... spend too much time thinking about...."

Before she could finish, her head dipped forward, sleep claiming her. Charles caught her, holding her close, the weight of her vulnerability a burden he wouldn't shirk.

He looked down at her sleeping face, a silent promise forming on his lips. "Just rest, Y/N," he murmured, his voice thick with a mixture of regret and newfound resolve. "Not like you'll remember this when you're sober."

But Charles knew, deep down, that this night, this unexpected vulnerability, would be a turning point. The game had changed, the rivalry transformed. And as he held Y/N close, beneath the glittering Dubai sky, he couldn't help but wonder if their next dance would be a tango of a different kind.

[vlad-theimplier]

WIP Wednesday: Custos Custodium

In which Jensen and the Task Force take on Sheppard in Dubai. I rearranged some lines to give a bit of characterization to anyone but Jensen and MacReady (who have plenty), and to make the tactical briefing a little meatier. Apparently, one of the divergence points between our world and the world of Deus Ex is that 10mm caught on over 9mm, but we know NATO exists and still prefers its familiar cartridges.

Anyway, Jensen does actually like some of his coworkers. Read all about it at https://archiveofourown.org/works/55686901/chapters/141357007

“Listen up, all of you!” Miller said in commanding tones. “We’ve finally got a lead on this man, an arms dealer goes by Sheppard.”

Jensen’s eyes widened behind his shades as the name registered with him. This was the bastard who’d escaped their grasp in Detroit—he damn well wasn’t getting away this time. John “Sheppard” Trent, 42, looked the way he remembered from Detroit, anonymous but mean. And as if Jensen needed another bone to pick with the man, Miller added a nugget of new intel: “He’s ex-Belltower. One of the Special Forces commanders who disappeared during the Incident.”

“And he’s come out of hiding?” MacReady asked. “That cannot be good.”

“It’s not. He’s selling weapons and military-grade augments to terrorists.” Miller swiped at the screen to reveal an Indian man with swept-back hair, stubble, and a haunted look around the eyes. “This is Arun Singh, the undercover agent who lured Sheppard out of his hole. Best UC Interpol’s got. For three years he’s worked to get us in tight with the Jinn, an Iraqi smuggling cartel that’s infected the Eastern Hemisphere like a plague. Last week, our arms dealer sent a message to the Jinn, offering to sell them a shit-load of black-market merchandise dirt cheap. They told Singh to handle the buy.”

A woman’s voice came over comms in a German accent, overriding MacReady’s scoff. “They’re not going to like it when Interpol disrupts their party. Is Singh’s cover really that good?” Dietrich, Jensen realized, looking at the screen. And she was worried about the right things.

“It is right now,” Miller answered. “We need to keep it that way.” He swiped again at the screen to show a sprawling but incomplete edifice, jutting out of the sea in graceful curves of steel and white concrete marred by tarps and scaffolding. An inset proclaimed it the “Desert Jewel.” “This is where the deal’s going down: a half-finished high-rise hotel that’s been abandoned ever since the incident. It is not a pretty picture inside.”

“Let me guess.” MacReady, of course. Mouthy bastard. “Most of the laborers were augmented with heavy-duty industrial rigs. So when the Incident hit and they all went schizo, things got gruesome real fast.” He stared at Jensen. Jensen stared back, curling his lip deliberately.

Miller nodded. “And no one except for some homeless junkies has been inside the place ever since.”

“So what’s the plan, Director?” Jensen asked.

“Singh’s meeting Sheppard on the ground floor, inside the hotel’s main atrium. He’s sent the bulk of his Jinn crew to the penthouse levels to secure a vantage point. I want MacReady’s team to take up positions overlooking the atrium and make the arrest. Dietrich, put the SAW and the marksmen on this little artificial island section here, across the lagoon from the atrium, where you can suppress and snipe as needed. Frost, you’re in reserve, up on the roof just back from the atrium. Rig ropes for descent. Jensen, you’re going in solo from the penthouse.”

Suited him fine. “My objectives?”

“Keep the Jinn from joining the party. As far as we can tell, only one route connects the atrium to the penthouse level—a halfway-decent elevator shaft here.” Miller swiped again, and a wireframe schematic popped up insertion points and the elevator in question. “I want you to block access to it.”

“Fine. Just cut me loose. If anyone spots me… I assume non-lethal is preferred? Doubt I’ll have time to cuff ’em, but Singh’s cover will be stronger if he’s not the only one still breathing when this is done.”

Miller nodded approvingly, but MacReady couldn’t resist a jab. “And if anything does happen to him, you’ll be the one telling his wife. After you get out of the hospital, of course.”

Jensen ignored him. So did Miller. “One last thing,” he said. “Singh told us the Jinn are using some kind of portable wi-fi device to boost communications. It could pick up anything he sends our way. He’s got a better chance of maintaining cover if you disable it, but if it comes to it, your number one priority is keeping the Jinn out of that atrium.”

“I’ll keep an eye out.”

“Good. Any questions?”

Lieutenant Frost chimed in. “Sir. Director. Why is this our op? Not that I mind—we’re all itching to mix it up—but Station Muscat is practically next-door.”

“Muscat’s resources are occupied elsewhere. We were the closest station with the manpower for an op this size. We did get the intel on this mission at the very last minute, no fault of Singh’s, so we’re all scrambling a little. Sheppard has stayed ahead of the Task Force for so long by pulling exactly this kind of stunt, on the rare occasions he shows his face at all. It’s our job to make sure it doesn’t work this time.”

“Aye aye, sir.” Frost took the answer as the gentle reprimand it was meant to be, and Jensen once again admired Miller’s leadership acumen. There were no further questions. The agents and soldiers turned to the briefing screens and reviewed the scant intelligence they’d received, or busied themselves checking their weapons and armor, as the trio of VTOLs sped onwards.

According to the map, they were coming in over the Persian Gulf a few hours later when Miller spoke up once more: “Ears here.” He checked the screen to make sure the other two teams were looking. “A new wrinkle has arisen to keep us on our toes. Sandstorm coming up out of the southwest, straight from the desert. It’ll be barreling down our asses—we can’t afford to make mistakes. Our pilots will keep us up-to-date on the storm’s progress. The window’s tight, but all signs indicate the deal is on. As you were.”

Silence descended once more. The indicators for their birds crept towards Dubai. Around Jensen, the agents began rechecking their rifles and donning their helmets. He gave his own weapons a perfunctory once-over, then rolled his shoulders and wrists. He crossed his left arm over his chest, running his blades out at the wrist and elbow, slow, then lightning fast. The myomer and servos whined quietly, just audible over the rush of wind and engine.

MacReady leaned forward. “Not gonna go all wonky on us now, Hanzer, are ya?”

“Why? You want to put a control chip in me? Don’t worry, I’m in spec.” Jensen locked eyes with him and bent his right hand almost to his right shoulder. His blade flicked out halfway, the tip coming to rest against his temple without even dimpling the flesh. Then, slowly, he pointed the blade at MacReady, giving him a chance to flinch or hold up a hand, to show fear.

“But if I do lose it, I guarantee you’ll never see it coming.” And he snicked the blade out to its full extension against the shoulder of MacReady’s combat vest. The alloy rang quietly on the ceramic plates, but MacReady didn’t move. Every eye turned to look at them, including Miller’s. Jensen withdrew the blade.

“Agent Jensen! Am I gonna have a problem with you on this op?”

“Nossir. MacReady just had some questions about my capabilities.” He met Miller’s gaze through his shades, deferential but uncowed, letting the double meaning hang in the air.

“Good. Because you’re our only Aug, and our only infiltration specialist. I intend to make good use of you.” That last was delivered as much to MacReady as to him, Jensen thought.

Miller resumed reassembling his rifle, ramming home a magazine of 7.62 NATO. Jensen grimaced. He supposed the AIC didn’t plan on getting tied down in a firefight, and Dietrich’s heavy gunner could always share, but it bothered him that their commander might find himself running dry in a pinch. At least the sidearm he wore was a ten-mil like everyone else’s. Not that Jensen had an augmented leg to stand on: no one else on the op—hell, probably no other agent in the hemisphere—carried a forty-five, but he could jam nine-mil into the Destrier in a pinch. Still, if they’d had time to actually plan this mission, they could’ve optimized logistics a little better. Or at all.

Chikane broke in on his maundering. “Time to put away your happy thoughts, gentlemen. We’re approaching the target.” The team was one-third women; Agent Montañez—Carmen—rolled her eyes. Jensen met them and twitched his hand by his crotch in a subtle jerk-off gesture. She hid a smirk behind her gloved hand.

Fortunately, Miller missed the byplay this time. “You’re up first, Jensen. Let’s do this.”

The pilot opened the team circuit as Jensen stood. “Strike-One, Strike-Two, this is Strike Leader. Engage hush drives and descend to angels one-five.” The VTOL quieted, slowed, and dropped in the sky. Jensen rode the change in altitude effortlessly. He thought about telling Chikane he flew like someone’s grandmother, but Malik wasn’t there to laugh.

The cargo ramp descended, and the jump lights came on red. Jensen rolled his shoulders. They were low—less than two thousand feet, for sure. He’d told Miller about the Icarus, of course, but he might have played up his skydiving “experience” a little. Well, too late now. Green lights and a tone. He stepped forward and leapt into the sky.

[dwindlinghaze]

hiii lovely congrats on 500 you deserve it and so much more!! i wanna request 🩰 dancing princesses for marauders bc i want to know who someone else would ship me with for once hahah

so my gender preference is male, i love reading (especially murder mysteries, historical fiction and romcoms), i love the mcu and i've watched pretty much all of marvel movies, most of them even twice, three or more times. i'm slightly socially awkward, but i have a close knit group of friends who i'm extremely extroverted around. i'm a math and economics girl, and i love history. i'm super delusional. i'm hindu. i absolutely love travelling, my favourite places i've been to being rome, london and dubai. i'm 5'4, closer to 5'5, i have kind of golden skin and a slightly chubby face. my love languages are terms of endearment, words of affection and physical touch.

thank you!! if you can do this, that would be great! if not, that's okay too don't put too much on your plate lovely<3

helloo 🫧🤍 thank you sm for participating in my 500 celebration

☾⋆｡𖦹 °✩

🩰 : i ship you with james potter

╰┈➤ i think james is into murder mysteries. once he played a game of solving a murder case with the marauders and asked you for help, knowing that you must be so much better than them in the field.

╰┈➤ he'd also ask you a million question after you've finished a novel of a murder case.

"wait wait- hold on, so the brother of the man was the one getting arrested because the other guy who is supposedly the man's friend framed him? for money?" he asked bewildered, pointing his fingers in every direction accusingly in the air. "well- not exactly," you laughed and shook your head. it was a task to tell him stories because he tend to pull conclusions way too fast. it's funny though.

╰┈➤ james didn't know anything about the mcu at first before you mentioned how big of a fan you are to him. you like to tell james about the background of each avengers but it was all too confusing for him, though he's invested after watching the avengers with you. you were showing him every marvel movie in its chronological order.

he never shuts up about the modern technologies in the film. "look at that! that's so cool if you ask me. the avengers tower is absolutely ahead of time, i mean- who would ever thought about making that!" he rambled. "i know right? i want to know what's your favourite character," you questioned him. "maybe pietro maximoff?" he shrugged. (jk i don't know which one he'd like but pietro it is because yes;))

╰┈➤ when he first saw you in the light of day? he's absolutely infatuated by how beautiful you were; your skin glows golden under the sunlight. he's all over you, words falling off of his lips about how beautiful you are with his arms firmly circled around your waist.

"have i mentioned how stunning you look?" he said in awe as he watched you doing basically nothing. "thank you," you thanked him with a smile and a small kiss. his arm dropped down to your level in order for him to place his warm hand over the small of your back, rubbing them gently.

╰┈➤ travelling with him during holiday breaks to all the places you want to visit !!

"pack your bags honey 'cause we're going to rome!" he announced on a normal thursday afternoon. you were just finishing up your last bit of work and was taken aback by his surprise. "since uh- when? i mean when?" your eyes widened in disbelief yet a glint of anticipation can't be unseen. "i know you're free next week so next week," he grinned. "i've already bought tickets and booked a hotel."

╰┈➤ once you're sure the relationship is serious and committed, you will introduce him to your close friends! james loves the positive energy together with how full of joy you were around your group of friends. it makes him extremely happy being surrounded with the people you love and love you.

╰┈➤ just imagine celebrating hindu festivals with him !! he would be in awe of every single thing.

╰┈➤ james' love language is definitely words of affirmation. he loves expressing his feelings by words. sometimes they're extremely cheesy and mortifying but at the end of the day, you both know that he means well and that it's all true.

[xtruss]

The World's Tallest Building, The Burj Khalifa, Dubai , UAE. Image: Stéphane Compoint

Inside The Supertall Building Boom

What Skyscrapers Reveal About The Countries That Build Them

— September 20th 2024

A skyscraper is a statement of ambition. No surprise, then, that Saudi Arabia wants to build the world’s tallest. Construction on the Jeddah Tower stopped in 2018 but will restart soon; when completed, it will be the first building ever to rise to a dizzying 1,000 metres. The Jeddah Tower’s nearly 170 storeys will house the usual combination of luxury flats, hotel rooms and offices. On one side visitors will be able to gaze on a new financial district; on another, across the Red Sea.

The building may cost around $1.2bn, but that is a trifling sum given the more than $1trn that Saudi Arabia is spending on developing infrastructure, luring tourists and repositioning itself on the global stage. Leaders see the tower, which resembles a jagged splinter of glass, as a symbol of the kingdom’s power. It “sends a financial and economic message that should not be ignored”, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who is overseeing the project, has said.

If that is the case, other places are sending out similar steely messages. There are 236 “supertall” buildings across the world—a label given to anything bigger than 300 metres—and 160 of them have been erected since 2014, according to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), a research group. Another 96 are under way. These hulking piles reshape skylines and cities. And, as well as reaching skyward, they point towards geopolitical and cultural trends. Which countries are building supertalls, and why?

Midtown Manhattan in 1955, looking downtown towards the Empire State Building, then the tallest building in the world Image: Getty Images

The Middle East is home to 20% of all supertalls. The United Arab Emirates, like Saudi Arabia, is showing off its oil wealth and status as one of the region’s fastest-growing economies. It has 35 supertalls; Dubai alone boasts 31, more than any other city. Its behemoth is the Burj Khalifa, which, at 828 metres, has been the world’s tallest tower since opening in 2010. (Reportedly only 71% of the Burj Khalifa is usable space; the rest is “vanity height”.)

Asia has a great love of heights, too, having built more than two-thirds of all supertalls in the past decade. A recent addition is Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur, which was completed last year. At 679 metres tall, it pushed its way into second place. China, which had barely any skyscrapers before 1980, now has five of the ten tallest. The country is home to more skyscrapers per person than America. Some 70% of the supertalls under construction are going up in China. Twenty-five of them, if completed, will rank among the world’s top 100 tallest buildings.

China’s upward trajectory has practical causes. Until recently, the country’s population was surging, rising from 980m in 1980 to 1.4bn today. And those seeking work are still moving from the countryside to the cities, where 66% of people live. Height also helps with urban density, making commuting distances shorter.

But politics provides additional mo­tivation for city planners to think big. “Officials in small cities are particularly prone to build tall,” says Jason Barr, an economist and the author of the book “Cities in the Sky: The Quest to Build the World’s Tallest Skyscrapers”. Strivers in the Communist Party see supertalls as a way to put their lower-tier cities on the map—and perhaps gain attention from central-government bigwigs.

Only 10% of supertalls built in the past decade have sprung up in America, the ancestral home of the skyscraper. (The first were built in New York and Chicago in the late 1880s.) New York, a city known for its gigantic buildings, has gained a few, including super-thin towers south of Central Park in a cluster nicknamed “Billionaires’ Row”. There are still many economic incentives to go high, particularly in New York: land is expensive, and its population is among the most concentrated of any American city. But gaining approval for new buildings is a complex process, thanks to 3,300 pages of zoning regulations.

The number of storeys may be soaring, but some countries nevertheless prefer to stay closer to the ground. In the European Union only Poland has a supertall building (Britain, an ex-member, has one too: the Shard). Skyscrapers are often regarded as “gauche” on the continent, says Daniel Safarik of CTBUH. In London and Rome new edifices are not allowed to block views of certain landmarks, making it hard to build upwards. Paris has banned construction of new tall buildings in response to “ugly” skyscrapers. On X one French person called the Montparnasse Tower, a Brutalist building from 1973, the greatest affront to Paris since the Nazi occupation.

When designing a supertall, architects must not have their heads in the clouds. The first serious order of business is to make sure the building does not get buffeted or blown over. “Wind is the governing factor” of supertall design, says Gordon Gill, who co-designed the Jeddah Tower. As buildings go up and up, so do wind forces. Engineers calculated that the Burj Khalifa, for instance, needed to be able to stand tall amid winds of 150mph (240kph), equivalent to a strong tornado.

The proposed Xi’an Greenland Tower in Xi'an, China, draws inspiration from the detailed armour of terracotta soldiers from the Qin dynasty Image: Adrian Smith, Gordon Gill Architecture

To avoid a statement of grandeur becoming a parable of ineptitude, architects have to “confuse” the wind using diff­erent shapes. Thinness, tapering, twisting, round edges and cut-outs at the top of the building all help, and there are interior as well as exterior solutions. At 432 Park Avenue in New York, five double-floors are left empty to let the wind pass through. Taipei 101 in Taiwan features a steel pendulum, weighing some 728 tonnes, that swings to counteract wind-induced movement.

Given the role of skyscrapers as symbols, architects must also pay close attention to what they look like. Note that the Woolworth Building in New York, the tallest in the world from 1913-30, has a copper roof and gargoyles to reflect its status as a “cathedral of commerce”. Today those commissioning supertalls, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, want the building to stand for cultural confidence as well as a specific sense of place.

Top: 432 Park Avenue in New York and Taipei 101, Taiwan (Bottom) Image: Getty Images, Bridgeman, Alamy

Mr Gill says he consults historians to learn about relevant symbolism: for the façade of the proposed Greenland Tower in Xi’an, he evoked the armour of the terracotta soldiers of the ancient Qin dynasty. The spiral shape of Israel’s first supertall, currently under construction in Tel Aviv, recalls a biblical scroll. Merdeka 118 looks rather like a syringe, but its design was supposedly inspired by the shape of Tunku Abdul Rahman’s hand, evoking the statesman who proclaimed Malaysian independence in 1957.

The proposed 1 Park Avenue in the port city of Dubai, UAE (top) was designed to symbolise the motion of water. The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (bottom left), were meant to evoke the Islamic architecture of South Asia like the Qutb Minar, an 800-year-old minaret in Delhi, India (bottom right). Image: Alamy, Getty Images, Adrian Smith, Gordon Gill Architecture

The sky is not the only limit for supertalls. Enterprising countries all want spectacular buildings, at least until they decide they have had enough. China’s officials are clamping down on “weird” buildings. Edifices that look like “giant trousers”—the nickname given to a building in Beijing designed by Rem Koolhaas—are now verboten. In 2021 the government imposed a height cap of 500 metres and banned cities with fewer than 3m residents from building above 250 metres. (It is thought that safety problems, an oversupply of commercial offices and lots of vacant residential buildings motivated this policy.)

More engineering breakthroughs are needed, too, if buildings are to go higher. It was elevator innovations that helped set off skyscrapers in the late 1800s. But Adrian Smith, one of the architects on the Burj Khalifa, says that lift technology has long been a limiting factor. Existing steel cables have a travel distance of around 500 metres, meaning that it is not possible to get a single lift to the top of many supertalls. (Wind also puts extra strain on the cables.) Yet multiple banks of lifts are difficult to fit into tall, thin buildings. The Jeddah Tower will instead use carbon-fibre, a lighter material that can take lifts higher.

If and when it is possible for buildings to rise higher, no doubt some tycoon or tyrant will want to start a mile-high club. Supertall buildings are monuments to human ingenuity and modernity. But most of all, as Mason Cooley, an American humorist, put it, “A skyscraper is a boast in glass and steel.”

The Burj Al Arab in Dubai, UAE, which recalls the sail of a Dhow, a Common Arab Sailing Vessel Image: Getty Images

— This Article Appeared in the Culture Section of the Print Edition Under the Headline “The Edifice Complex".

[suncitytours]

Embrace the Sun: Exploring Abu Dhabi on a Sun City Tour from Dubai

As the golden rays of the sun illuminate the vibrant landscapes, Sun City Tours beckons travelers on an extraordinary adventure from Dubai to the enchanting city of Abu Dhabi. Embark on a journey that promises not just a change of scenery but a transformative exploration through the heart of the United Arab Emirates.

With Sun City Tours as your guide, traverse the captivating Route from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, immersing yourself in the contrasting yet harmonious tapestries of these Emirati gems. The day unfolds with each stop revealing the grandeur and allure that define Abu Dhabi's essence.

As the tour commences, bid farewell to Dubai's glittering skyline and embrace the allure of Abu Dhabi's rich heritage. The voyage through the Dubai-Abu Dhabi Motorway with City Tours offers not just a drive but a narrative, weaving through small towns, each whispering tales of the UAE's culture and heritage.

Iconic Landmarks and Cultural Treasures

The Abu Dhabi City Tour from Dubai, curated by us, leads travellers on a cultural odyssey. Witness the majestic Sheikh Zayed Mosque, an architectural marvel that stands as a beacon of the nation's cultural identity. The opulent Emirates Palace Hotel awaits, adorned with breathtaking domes and exquisite opulence.

Heritage, Tradition, and Modern Marvels

Explore the bustling central souks, brimming with local handicrafts and an opportunity to test your bargaining skills. Dive into the roots of Emirati tradition at the Abu Dhabi Heritage Village, followed by a pause at the Abu Dhabi Breakwater Point, offering a panoramic view of the city's stunning skyline.

The Journey's End and Beyond

The tour isn't just a chronicle of historical landmarks but also a glimpse into modernity. The Marina Mall, the iconic Coin Tower, the Presidential Palace, and the adrenaline rush at the Formula 1 Yas Marina Circuit await travellers, concluding with a quick stop at the Ferrari theme park and Yas Island.

With departures from various locations in Dubai, our Sun City Tours ensures a seamless and immersive Abu Dhabi city tour. This journey offers not just sightseeing but an unrivaled chance to absorb the culture, history, and modernity of the UAE, leaving travelers with memories to cherish and stories to tell.

[highsocietyhq]

HSHQ'S TIMELINE !

which of these mains do you guys remember ? highsocietyhq or haisocietyhq or vikrp or chambordrp... hshq has had many forms over the years !

chambordrp was originally created by admin m sometime around 2014 ? 2015 ? admin j joined the admin team and for a while the group set at chateau chambord, france was just one group among many #royal rp or #rich kids rp groups. chambordrp had to be closed due to low activity but pretty soon admin m opened it again and some of the oldest members rejoined. chambordrp was revamped into vikrp in 2016 ( ? ).

vikrp set in iceland lasted for 6ish months maybe before closing... and then reopening again. i don't remember properly. around this time i ( admin e ) was part of the admin team and admin evy joined the team a bit before vikrp was revamped into haisocietyhq. admin m had gone awol at this time.

haisocietyhq set in shangHAI was when things started to shift from petty drama to something a bit bigger. i think in shanghai we added monarchs ? or maybe that was already in vik, but anyways, in shanghai people actually applied for monarchs. i think dukes and duchesses were a new addition.

then we wanted to move from shanghai to 'a greek island'. but we had a problem: the constant url change was a problem. we couldn't change the url every time we moved, that would cause confusion in the tags. 'highsocietyhq' was already taken by a closed group. what a shame ! but then i figured i'd lose nothing by sending an im to the url's owner and hallelujah ! the owner actually saw the im and was kind enough to give the url to us !!!!! that was amazing. and random. so that's the story behind our url. in shanghai we had our first plot drop/event hybrid when there was an earthquake and i think the hotel suffered some damages.

the greek island plotline was pretty chill until it wasn't. the invasion was pretty wild and i was in summer 2018. when i think back on it, i think it's one our most successful events in terms of character development and engagement. people wrote a lot and it was insanely interactive.

oslo follower the greek island. i have to admit i don't remember much from the oslo period. the plotdrops that i wrote back then were surprisingly frequent though and it was cool that people were really into developing the major plotlines !

dubai followed oslo shortly after nye if i remember correctly. i don't remember the excuse for the move. it wasn't anything major. dubai was fun and different. the big city vibe was fun.

dubai lasted for 8 months and then, in september of 2019, came phuket ! phuket was a lot chiller. i remember us planning all sorts of shocking plot twists. one was a flood and a complete power failure. that never happened. one idea was having them get stranded on a cruise ship.

mar del plata still feels like a fever dream. we moved to mar del plata in august 2020. i swear i always forget we were there. the only thing i remember from this era is the hike/earthquake event. we wanted drama and since we had failed to deliver the flood/power failure/dramatic pd this was really needed !

in april 2021 came tokyo ! i personally enjoyed big city backdrops a lot more so i liked tokyo a lot. i also remember being very pleased with the grapics if i may say so myself. tokyo lasted for a long time and rae won the points game that allowed her to pick like 5 possible locations for a future location change.

i don't remember them all but on the list were regina and casablanca. and we planned to make the regina era really brief and it was supposed to be a quirky comedic era. but you know us ! we don't know how to keep up with a schedule lmao. i think the regina sidequest lasted from spring of '22 and ended in august '22 when we moved to spain for that long event.

the spain was supposed to be a month long thing that would end in an invasion. but the dash was fairly quiet, the admin team was busy af and it just wouldn't happen. the invasion, as you all probably remember, came a year late lmaoooo

we really hoped that the invasion would have been something akin to the one in 2019 but you know, times had changed, people didn't have 8 hours to spend on the computer. the invasion was still a fun extreme event and i'm so glad it succeeded as well as it did because there was room for failure.

after the invasion we finally made it to casablanca where we had planned to end up almost 1,5 years prior lmaoo

and now it's been almost 10 years of a silly little royals group and 8 years of hshq. i genuinely think it's so damn remarkable how far we've come especially considering how the average lifespan of an rp group is like some months. admining this group has been such a privilege !!! thank you !!!

[nalyra-dreaming]

I haven’t read the books so forgive me if this is a silly question, but how is Louis okay with Claudia/Armand’s crew slaughtering the people in the hotel but was angry at Lestat when he offered to kill the soldiers? Is it because he was still kinda new at being a vampire?

Hey!

Not a silly question, I hope I can elaborate my take on this properly.

So... Louis is not "okay" with the vampires slaughtering those at that mansion.

If you look at his face (for example) when Santiago plays with that man you can see that he is desperately trying not to show his disgust at this, his revulsion. He does not like it, but knows better than to question anyone on this, of course.

He does not like playing with his "food" (you mentioned the soldiers, I've written about the scene itself here). One thing Louis does in the books later on is killing whoever crosses his path, indiscriminately, which is why Akasha also calls him one of the most predatory vampires. And I think this killing indiscriminately is a direct expression of that.

But he is not at that point yet, he is clinging to his morals, still deep in the rite of passage (and he wouldn't be Louis if he ever fully let go, but he does accept who and what he is ultimately).

But... they are in Paris, they have encountered a coven. They've been invited to join the hunt. He cannot really refuse that because they know they do not know the rules yet and they are aware that these vampires are stronger than them.

So he's not exactly "okay" with them ... killing so many. But how can he judge? He doesn't know half of it, and that he knows. And so he draws the line in the sand for himself there, and tries to keep an open mind. Make the best of it.

All this said, I think it also is important to keep in mind that... Louis is a killer. They all are.

He and Lestat were - by his own words - very happy for the first years, and you can rest assured that they also hunted elaborately.

And... later in the books Louis is absolutely okay with keeping humans as snacks in dungeons.

They are vampires. They kill.

Louis has not accepted that yet, then. And in Dubai he has not arrived at that acceptance state yet either, I'd argue.

But... he will.

[ggukkiereads]

hi! i was wondering if you could help me find a jk fic! i don't remember it too well, but i do remember that jungkook worked for yn's dad and her dad, him, and yn went on a business trip to this resort. i remember jk got jealous at one point bc yn was flirting w people at the resort. im sorry its so vague! thank you <3

🌷Hmm I am not sure. This sounds like Risqué by @mercurygguk? Kindly check out the chapters and see if it’s the one you are looking for? The second story has similar vibes but they went to Dubai instead and it was more of a luxurious hotel. 

If it’s not, hope you can share more details you remembered about the fic? Others who find this familiar can reply to this post, thankssss! 

.

[the1975attheirverybest]

"To the next government that invites The 1975. Let this be a warning to them. And do some proper research before inviting them."

Almost all the countries in the world are moved by money and investment. The concerts, as you have seen, move a lot of money within the local economies. That is why it is important that artists with large platforms "social pressure" on countries that violate human rights by not appearing in those countries or by making "controversies" there so that they change their conservative way of governing. As long as people continue to say "it's their culture and it must be respected" while rights continue to be violated, nothing will be achieved. It's like the big hotels in Dubai that take super famous artists to make propaganda and more people go to the country, if they wanted to make a change for that country they should refuse and do something but they also sell themselves for the money. Or like Dua Lipa who refused to go to sing in Qatar and if the countries had refused to play that country, maybe they would have changed something in their society but since they didn't care about it, they stayed the same. It is important that artists express themselves whenever they can.

That’s exactly what I meant when I said that sometimes, when you have a Platform like the 1975 does, making a mess is THE RIGHT thing to do. And that’s why I had fake matty, in my silly little one shot, make the fake point that if the 1975 had simply refused to go in thr first place/ pulled out, it wouldn’t be as big. What would it be? Like a headline in rolling stone magazine? “British Band 1975 declines invitation to perform at international festival due to anti-LGBTQ laws.” Compared to “MATTY HEALY SHUTS DOWN FESTIVAL. SAYS THE BAND IS BANNED FROM COUNTRY” ?

And, again, there was no easy no-damage solution here. Whatever they did/said was gonna stir shit up because that’s how oppression usually is! But just cuz it’s not perfect, doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.

[ingek73]

Royals made almost £2m from sale of horses received as gifts from prominent figures

Palace insists horses given to late queen, including 34 from emir of Dubai, were ‘personal gifts’

King Charles III and his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, appear to have made almost £2m from the sale of horses that were gifts from prominent figures.

The Guardian has identified more than 40 horses that were apparently given to the queen by a Dubai sheikh, a Muslim religious leader and a Saudi royal.

Some of the horses were sold for profit by the queen, who was a passionate enthusiast for breeding and racing thoroughbreds. Others have been auctioned by the king, who in recent months has been selling some of the horses inherited from his mother, which are estimated to be worth at least £27m.

The queen’s most generous provider of racing and breeding stock by far is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the emir of Dubai and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates. He appears to have been the source of at least 34 horses given to the royals.

The Aga Khan, Prince Shah Karim al-Husseini, the spiritual head of Shia Ismaili Muslims, appears to have given the royal family five horses, including Estimate, who gave the queen one of her most memorable victories on the track, in the 2013 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

Estimate (L), ridden by Ryan Moore, wins the Gold Cup at Ascot in 2013. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

The queen also received a horse from Denford Stud, which is owned by Prince Faisal of Saudi Arabia, a half-brother of the crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman; and another from a breeding operation owned by Qatar’s al-Thani family.

In total, 41 horses that raced in the royal colours over the last 15 years were given to Elizabeth, according to a Guardian analysis.

Of those, 29 went under the hammer at a public auction at some point over the past decade, realising a total of £1.93m.

Buckingham Palace indicated that it regards the horses given to the queen as private gifts. A spokesperson said: “Personal gifts given to Queen Elizabeth by those who knew her late majesty privately would remain private, as they would for any other individual.”

They said the monarchy’s gifts policy “makes very clear that gifts are classed as personal when they are given by people whom the member of the royal family knows privately and not during, or in connection with, an official engagement or duty.”

What are the rules on gifts for the royal family?

The policy, introduced in 1995, distinguishes between “official gifts”, which are generally those received in connection with a royal’s official role or during the course of a formal engagement, and “personal gifts”, received from people who members of the royal family know personally, which are not publicly declared.

However, the gifts of horses to the queen raise questions about whether the policy is sufficiently clear to deal with circumstances in which the relationship between the Windsors and their benefactors is more blurred.

The queen’s relationships with Sheikh Mohammed and the Aga Khan were arguably both official and personal, having been developed through formal encounters and a mutual interest in horse racing.

Queen Elizabeth II and Sheikh Mohammed at Epsom in 2011. Photograph: David M Benett/Getty Images

Sheikh Mohammed met the queen on several official occasions, according to the Court Circular, including at a reception in Buckingham Palace in November 2009, and in Abu Dhabi the following year when he hosted the queen and Prince Philip at the official launch of the design for the Zayed National Museum.

All the queen’s horses … and their £27m value to the new king

The queen and Sheikh Mohammed also attended the official signing of a “friendship treaty” at the Emirates Palace hotel in 2010. They appeared at various racing events in the UK, including at Royal Ascot in 2009 when Sheikh Mohammed joined the queen, Philip and Prince Andrew in their carriage.

Their relationship became more complicated in 2020 after Sheikh Mohammed was found by the high court to have abducted two of his own daughters and subjected his ex-wife to a campaign of intimidation. Palace officials subsequently briefed that the queen would no longer allow herself to be photographed with Sheikh Mohammed.

The court later awarded his ex-wife sole custody of their children after concluding that Sheikh Mohammed had used the military spyware Pegasus to carry out cyber-attacks on her and her lawyers, and published threatening poetry about her. A judge concluded he should have no face-to-face contact with the children, on account of his “abusive behaviour”.

Between 2013 and 2015, three horses presented to the queen by the Aga Khan, were sold for between £2,625 and £14,700.

The Aga Khan in London in 2019. Photograph: Jeff Spicer/AFP/Getty Images

The queen and Prince Philip hosted the Aga Khan and his family at a dinner party at Buckingham Palace in July 2008 to celebrate his golden jubilee. Ten years later, she hosted him at another dinner party, this time at Windsor Castle, for his diamond jubilee. Both were official engagements documented in the Court Circular.

The queen appears to have had a long history of accepting – and at times even demanding – horses as gifts. The Times reported two years ago that she accepted gift horses from Sheikh Mohammed even after his wife fled to London.

Last month, the German magazine Der Spiegel said it had found state papers documenting how the queen had asked for two horses as a gift while on a state visit to West Germany in 1978. The country’s president approved the gift in the interests of good relations, despite it being the most expensive gift given to a visiting head of state since the end of the second world war.

Susan Hawley, the executive director of Spotlight, a transparency campaign group, said UK ministers would generally be expected to publicly declare similar gifts and, if they wanted to keep them, reimburse the government. She said it was “not at all clear” why royals should be subject to different guidelines.

“Rules on not accepting gifts and disclosing any that are made are there for a purpose – to protect the reputation of the UK and its public institutions from accusations of being open to influence to the highest bidder,” she said.

WTF sells a gift. For profit.

Thats just rude.