#they'll have to get through Poland first

[multidimensionalguidance]

Where does your spouse come from? Part 2

This is the continuation of Part 1 where I've mentioned where the 7th house lord can move and how this can give us insights of the country where they might come from (if they are foreigners), and a lot of other details in regards to our romantic partnerships. I've already covered from Aries/1H to Virgo/6H, and will continue with the rest.

Remember to take a look at where your 7th house lord is moving. Where is the planet that rules that sign sitting, and what are other planetary aspects is it receiving as well. Is it in a friendly sign or not? Is the house beneficial or not?

Note: I use sidereal calculations, so for the most accurate results on this it would be preferred for calculations to be adjusted.

First of all, it is always good to start with intuitively choosing the countries you’ve always been curious or lured towards. Cultures you’d like to get to understand and explore! Click this link to look at the dates of independence or incorporation dates of those countries to see if it matches the lord of your 7th house.

Second, please pay EXTRA attention to this descriptions the most if your 7th house lord is in the 9th house or 12th house. Look for the planet or sign that resides there in order to get an even more accurate prediction.

Lastly, even if your 7th house lord falls in any other house, these descriptions will still aid you towards understanding your protentional romantic, business, or any other type of close relationships.

Libra/7H: Turkey, Poland, Amsterdam, Berlin, Panama, Antigua and Barbuda, and Austria all have Sun in Libra. These are some of the countries your spouse might be from or related to through family. They will be very social or at the very least aware of how social dynamics function. They care about their appearance and will feel uncomfortable not presenting themselves within their preferred aesthetics. They will enjoy art or be quite creative themselves, so do expect dates that revolve this sort of activities. Communicating with others in a non-conflictive way is a very big thing, and perhaps it is the way their environment encouraged them to be as well. They will be smooth talkers, and express themselves in a politically correct manner. You might meet them in a place that feels harmonious, in the sense of following a certain aesthetic. Other people might introduce them to you or they might be a small push required from others (or even you) to make them feel comfortable enough with approaching you full force. They could come from places that are pleasing visually, and where people enjoy fine arts. There's a sort of "poshness" to their surroundings that promotes elegance in general, so that will influence them as well. They will enjoy windy weathers and food that looks and taste good (emphasis on the first than the latter). They will have a very good appearance or at the very least maintain a "clean" look. Most of their features will be somewhat softer, and it will be noticeable in their gaze. They use their eyes to attract others, knowingly or not. They'll probably identify the wifey qualities within you quite fast, and will make it known the way they feel. If this house or planet is not heavily afflicted, then finding a business or marriage partner should not be too difficult to achieve at all.

Scorpio/8H: Lebanon, Thailand, Finland, Iceland, Albania, United Arab Emirates, Monaco, Kenya, and Barbados, could be one of the countries that your spouse might be from or enjoy a lot. They will have a secretive/reserved nature which makes them quite alluring. They will come from an environment that encouraged a lot of chaotic changes, and forced them to develop defensive mechanisms that relay on control tactics. Their weather could be as well quite changing in nature or experience many chaotic natural events. You will meet them in private places or within a small gathering. As simple as a small group of friends visiting a beach or river. It could also be after one or both of you just experienced really difficult situations. After some sort of transformation occurred where one or both had to mentally set themselves to heal/grow. You might engage in secret or very close conversations that will allow feelings to develop quickly and intensely. They might enjoy risky situations that drive adrenaline through the roof. Spicy food or heavily relied on meat/protein could be a big part of their diet. You and your partner are prone to being obsessive and desire to control each others feelings to a certain degree, just for the sake of creating a false sense of comfort. This connections will be karmic by nature and sometimes necessary for our growth, so be aware of the difficulties and learn when to let go for your own sake. They might have sharp features, a very intense gaze, and an aura that is felt by others. They are also more prone to having dark hair or eyes. There will also be material growth or a focus towards each others resources, but be mindful to not allow others to use you entirely for financial gains nor attempt to do the same yourself. All of your connections will naturally have darker and taboo themes sitting on the surface to be explored. You will enjoy or have some fixation for each others body, specifically the sexual zones. Chemistry is not the same as connection, so be mindful of that since not everyone is a fit for serious relationships simply because the sexual aspects are very positive.

Sagittarius/9H: UK, Haiti, Brunei, Bulgaria, Qatar, Cuba, Sudan, Slovenia, and Kazakhstan are some of the countries where they might be from or strongly feel connected to for some way. They are adventurous, restless, optimistic, funny, well cultured, and spiritual in some way. They might come from environments that are very traditionally tied to religion or spiritual institutions, temples, etc. They might be used to being perceived or surrounded by foreigners as well, which allows them to adapt easily to others and be familiar with different languages. You'll meet in an airport, temples, university or education areas, ceremonies (like a wedding), legal departments, at a bank, etc. They'll enjoy going to different places, be it doing sports, trying new cuisines, and overall just staying busy. You both will most likely travel together, or there might be some distance between the two of you at some point. This is a connection that will broaden your horizons and allow you both to evolve spiritually. Their appearance will be different from your native country, so they will definitely be a foreigner with looks that make them stand out. Expect them to be tall, possibly have green eyes and/or to be fit. They might love horses or learned how to ride horses when they were young. You might become more spiritual or devoted to a religion after meeting them or after marriage. Your partner/spouse will definitely be traditional, even if they have an open mind and avoid placing judgement on situations they are unfamiliar with. They will pay extra attention to your thighs and butt, so don't be surprise if they stare too hard or mention it directly. You are both going to push each other to achieve a higher awareness or consciousness. The laughs and jokes will also be plenty as well, and that will help a lot when dealing with any difficulties in the relationship, but just make sure to not sweep things under the rug.

Capricorn/10H: Buenos Aires, Singapore, Romania, New Zealand, Grenada, and Nauru might be some of the countries your partner/spouse might be from or have a connection with. They are responsible, career oriented, structured, service oriented, grounded, and the type to show their love by actions rather than words. They might come from environments that were rough or challenging to be around, in the sense that the weather or people could be harsh to deal with. People might think they're older than his actual age, and not necessarily due to appearance but the way they think, speak, move, and behave. They simply have a very mature personality and this is mainly because they had to grow up fast and their parents were probably very demanding or not as present as they should have. Expect them to be around people that have authority or coworkers. You might meet them in governmental institutions or spaces, abandoned places, a city hall, at work, at the chiropractors, and overall in any public space. They probably prefer to eat the same type of food with little variety, but they like high quality places that feel and look luxurious. Your connection will be karmic by nature and initially might feel too serious or difficult. Now, it does promise longevity and growth towards your career, profession, and status. Your partner/spouse will enjoy his work a lot and socializing with people as well, but despite the fame or notoriety they might have they'll enjoy being alone with you the most. They will be the type to externally seem very outgoing, yet actually prefer being introverted or away from the public, an this happens due to the excessive time that they invest in working with others. In terms of appearance, they might be medium in heigh, have a sharp gaze, strong legs, and brown/dark colored eyes. There's a good chance they'll be older than you, if not in age, then definitely in their way of thinking or seeing life. You might end up meeting their parents soon in the relationship as well. The both of you will have to put some necessary efforts to make the relationship work, as there will be challenges in the way. The relationship will be very public or known by others even if you both try to be lowkey about it, so be careful to not allow others to get in the way.

Aquarius/11H: Lithuania, Saint Lucia, Ghana, Dominican Republic, Wales, Estonia and Kuwait are some of the countries they might be from or associated to in some way. They'll be independent, creative, innovative, cunning, friendly yet introverted, and have many niche interest. Their environment might have random and unexpected weather changes, which fits their own nature as well. It's likely their surroundings taught them to be flexible, open minded, and comfortable with being themselves. They will be very experimental with their food, and might even have a bit of an odd yet interesting taste. Their preference in music will be *chef's kiss* so you'll be adding their playlist to your favorites and sharing music often. You might meet them through your friends, the internet, social media, networking circle, NGO's, charities, inside an airplane, at a tech facility, or at any big events. They'll be popular and probably well known by others, be it because of their impressive skills or simply for who they are. They are the type to be very close to their friends and alliances because thanks to them they are able to progress through life. You will learn the value of being part of a community and planning long term towards your future investments. You will both pursue your dreams and long term goals together. They might be the type to give you many gifts in all shapes and form. Surprising you and putting a smile on your face with their quirks will always be a goal for them. In terms of appearance they might look different, but not in a bad way, rather that there is something about them that makes them look like they do not belong to this world. One of the main themes of your relationships will be about independence and freedom. Your partner/spouse does not like to feel restricted or boxed in, so if you're the clingy type then the more negative aspects might show up with them pulling away or putting some distance. Communication is essential in all relationships, but with your partner it will be even more so. They will prefer you to be straight forward and blunt, even if it might seem rude, but do no worry because they are experts at listening, understanding, and finding a solution.

Pisces/12H: Hungary, Ireland, Iran, Greece, Denmark, and Pakistan are some of the countries that they might be related or connected to in some way. They'll be dreamy, artistic, inspirational, bubbly, and very physic. Their environment might have been uprooted in spiritual or religious beliefs, similarly to Sagittarius/9H, but the difference is that they are more likely to follow those traditions to such depths that it might lead them to "lose" themselves or develop escapist intentions behind it. They might have visited temples or churches growing up, so they are usually very accepting of others. In terms of the physical surroundings they might have grown around big sources of water (lakes, beaches, ponds, etc) or visited them often. If they are not allergic to any sea food, then they will eat it a lot. They enjoy their privacy and despite their ability to camouflage in different groups they will only confide the most in themselves or you. You might meet them a church, temple, a club, close to large bodies of water, foreign lands, hospital, asylum, or even places where they legally sell recreational dr*gs. There will be a sense of mystery or unknown in the relationship, where you or your partner feel as if you're unsure where the connection is leading which might be confusing. They might have a history of using substances or doing things that are not seen well by the law. You will feel like despite their past and background it is easy for you to look past it all and be very understanding with them. There's a need for being careful of not allowing the relationship to become a vicious cycle where you encourage each others bad habits, insecurities, etc. In terms of appearance, they will have eyes that almost look half asleep in some way and that makes them seem seductive in a way. They might be tall or medium height, fit or slender, have curly hair, and use glasses. You will both feel like the connection is fated or destined in some way. There might also be a distance between the two of you at some point, be it because you both live in different places, a loss in the relationship, meaning going separate ways to eventually get back together, or to stay separated. Either way, if there is no harsh affliction or malefices then despite everything you will both become very spiritual and psychic together. You will feel like communicating telepathically is very much real, and it will be common for you both to dream often of each other. This is the type of connection that you don't ever forget about and that teaches you a lot about the parts of yourself that you might not see. The connection will show you both the good, bad, and wonderful that exists within each other.

[bakerstreetdoctor]

Okay, I'm finally gonna do a part 2 of my pics from the book on/by Fabrice jfksksjsj

Karl: *builds a house right next to a river*

River: *floods*

Karl: *fucking ignores it until it's about to come into his windows and he has to be dragged out*

Yes, Karl might be in exile, yes his improvised house just flooded, yes he might be living from hand-outs from the Porte, but by god, is he going to build his Mini-Castle which he is going to absolutely deck out so he can impress any visitors

So, since Karl obviously lost the Kalabalik, got arrested, and hundreds of his subjects taken as prisoners/slaves, he had to beg Fabrice to pleaseeee buy his people out. Fabrice was like "yeah sure, but... You know you already owe me 24 grand". Karl was SO out of touch with his spending I swear to god 😭 I wonder if Fabrice was ever paid back lmao

Oh my god, Karl sounds SO out of touch here: yup, I got arrested, yup they're going to drag me to Adrianople to decide my further fate which might include just banishing me to some island, but, Fabrice, if you're so inclined pleaseee visit me, it's all gonna be alright and they'll surely give me 100000 troops to cross through Poland which I'll surely not misuse to kick Saxon-Polish-Russian butt :333

Which was only cut short when the Pasha arrived and asked when he was finally going to leave

😭

Wow, for the first time in his life Fabrice has to work, so sorry for that my guy. What does be do tho? Rent a room in the harem from a Turk he's on friendly terms with and then yammers he has to be helped in and out of his clothing by his female servant 🥴🥴

Okay, so his autopsy showed that he probably broke his foot during the Kalabalik, so it would make sense that he kept to the bed and afaik it's known he later on caught malaria, which would make sense that he kept to his bed even longer.

HOWEVER, apparently he didn't leave the bed the entire time, not even to piss and shit, he wore night jacket and night cap which he was apparently ashamed of, and when he finally left the bed he was "as weak as a child" and had to relearn how to walk for a second there. But then mastered (idk if by foot, which would be extreme, or on horseback) 6 miles (1 mile≈7.5 km) on the same day.

Then very non-sequitur Fabrice launches into an anecdote about Karl fasting for 6 days (I think this means like actual, no eating at all fasting) on a whim, the sitting down and eating a big bowl of fruit and milk. And that he often heard him say that for a person who feels healthy it's enough to eat once every three days and then sleep in some corner.

Girl what the fuck. No fucking wonder he gets so fucking erratic in Bender.

Okay, we're finally at Pitești. Where Karl promptly shuts himself in a barn with a couple of officers, half of whom kinda look like him, and every few days he lets a pair of them leave. One of them was so much so thought to be him, that he was welcomed somewhere with so much honours that General Schulenburg and some others were fighting (?) who could help him out of the carriage and kiss his hands

During the siege of Stralsund when the allied troops rained bombs on the city, Karl was having a secretary read depeches to him. When a bomb exploded in the building they were in and greatly devastated it Karl asked the secretary, who naturally stopped reading "Well what happened?" and the secretary was like "The bomb of course!" And Karl, being himself: "That ain't got nothing to do with the reading. Continue 😒"

[mechanicalinertia]

Bubblegum Black mega-ish chapter notes: Chapters 9-12

Yes, that's right! If you only follow me through tumblr, you probably thought I was dead! But no, I just chose to hold off on my usual notes-post until I'd finished the ridiculously long and complicated battle between Hotel Moscow versus D-Company. So the notes will be for four fucking chapters now.

Also, for the record, I'm probably going to stop just posting these on tumblr, and start mirroring them to SpaceBattles or Sufficient Velocity. I mean, how many people have a tumblr account that will let them read all the way through? Not many, I imagine. Well, let's get into it.

CHAPTER 9

The OCs: So! New characters, hm? I don't think they'll be playing a major role in the fic for the most part, but once I figured that Balalaika would have experience operating a powersuit - not because of any particular reason beyond the assumption that they existed during the Kazakh conflict, and then that she needed a way to stand alongside the Sabers in mecha-fighting - then I thought it would be fun to have other suit operators that were Balalaika's comrades-in-arms and thus people the Sabers could fight alongside too. It helped me, in turn, figure out how to humanize Hotel Moscow just a bit, having these specific people with specific talents.

KB-43 Oktyabr: The predecessor to the ADP's K-suits, the Model 43 'Walking Armor' was drafted as a mechanized system in between World War 3 - when light power armor was used for individual infantry protection and lugging heavy equipment - and the Kazakh conflict. UralVagonZavod, the developers, were flush with Chinese money and talent, the alliance between China and Russia supposedly ironclad - the only problem was that Russians hated UVZ for their top-attack vulnerable tanks, the ones that were not so impressive in the Ukraine war and were even less impressive during the botched attacks on Finland and Poland. Building the first powersuits, then, was a last-ditch attempt to not have Russia's legendary tank-building house liquidated and folded into other parts of the Rostec state defense conglomerate. It worked. KB-suits might require more maintenance than other powersuits, might lack the versatility or strength of more modern K-suits, but they're a bit like AK rifles in that regard. They're just fucking everywhere. Also, they're literally just the Russian Arms Boris ACPA from Cyberpunk 2020:

KB-65 Nasyschat: 'Saturate' in Russian, appropriate for its light artillery capabilities. This is the Russian Arms Bombardier ACPA from Cyberpunk 2020. Note that in both armor's cases I've severely reduced the amount of weapons they carry. This can either be read as a concession to Hotel Moscow not having the logistical might of the old Russian army, or just acknowledging that the amount of weapons an ACPA can carry is fucking goofy. Most ACPA could squish even 2077 Adam Smasher with ease. It's wild.

GSh-30-V: The 30mm cannon the Boris uses in CP2020, but built by the KBP boys as a rifle (hence the V) patterned off old Gryazev-Shipunov autocannons. I'm sure that this realistically does not make sense. Eh.

KPV: 14.5mm machine gun. Note my joy in turning old Russian guns into powersuit weapons. Ha ha ha. hoo hoo hoo. hee hee hee.

Semi-auto incendiary-flechette shotgun: This, in retrospect, makes no sense. The ammo doesn't make sense and neither does the use of shotguns to take down armor. Well, what the hell. Once again, I blame Cyberpunk 2020's humongazoid 'borg / ACPA weapons, specifically the United Arms CLAW, a 4-gauge mag-fed autoshotgun. If anything I've toned that fucking monstrosity down a bit by making it semi-auto. Kinda like the KS-23, another Russian goofy-gun, now that I think about it.

Instrument Vzloma: Breaching instrument. Which is hardly an appropriate term for a man-sized axe wielded by a giant powersuit, but what the hell.

Balalaika's speech, getting inside Balalaika's head in general: I actually don't want to say much here; the speech, and her internal monologue, should speak for themselves.

Tou Chi The Blaster: Real Black Lagoon character, for those of you who don't know the manga / anime. Kinda one of a million loser gunmen with big attitudes and bigger addiction problems in Roanapur.

More Regrets: Considering how big the missiles are in IRL anti-ship missile boats, I think my image of almost a missile turret for the 2069 Black Lagoon is a smidge off. Obviously the boat's much bigger than an Elco, but its ordnance is much bigger too, right? Yeah. Well, what the hell. Sci-fi tech.

Rock's guns: The shotgun in question is an SASM-18, a futuristic retread of the mag-fed semi-auto SPAS-15, using a motorized cocking system to replace the pump-action switch for specialty rounds so one need only pull the trigger. Oh, and eight shells instead of six. As for the Type-37... I have plans for a detailed look at what's basically Rock's 'hero gun' going forward, even if said gun is somewhat impractical. But I kind of want to put them in an actual chapter instead of dumping them to the side here. So let's put a pin in that for now.

Lena meditating: I know I've said this before someplace, but I'll say it again: It's strange that 2032 Linna's prowess as a melee expert supposedly comes from her aerobics and dance training, and not just plain ol' martial arts. (and then 2040 Linna has no talents either way, but that's beside the point). I still think it'd be nifty if Lena had martial arts training, was still a vain materialistic yuppie but also good at keeping her body in tip-top shape through various techniques. Fuck, now I'm remembering a bit I read of Shawn Hagen's BGC Shadowrun crossover where she just got muscle grafts. How tasteless. And, again, yes, the Sabers are superheroes, of course they're going to rescue people soldiers would write off as dead.

Duhmin, and Roanapur's history: I like this bit of writing. But it explains itself, really. I rewrote the opening of this scene like three times, by the way.

CHAPTER 10

Marya Zaleska: One of Hotel Moscow's big cargo ships (presumably able to carry some weapons at some point) in canon.

Swimmer Rounds: Are apparently a real thing! I think if you look for the most recent Nammo ammunition catalogue you can find them somewhere in there. Wild shit.

Icewolf: So, here's some lore about how hacking works in this cyberpunk-y universe! The old internet was bricked by cyberweapons, not by Bartmoss, and now crude memetic organisms, evolving from those old pieces of software like microbes, are bred, learned from, weaponized for various purposes. In an age where computers are explicitly brain-structured (ie neuromorphic), it makes sense to go for biological metaphors, I think. Like... like Hacker Pokemon? Is that too trite?

Tardigrade: No, there is no prior fic where this type of Boomer showed up, but I really enjoy the idea of the Sabers having had enough adventures that a lot of things that show up in this fic don't necessarily surprise them all that much. Anyway, incoming miniboss encounter!

The Boomer / Powersuit: The thing Balalaika fights here is heavily inspired by the D.D. Mass Production Type, a scribble found in the B-Club and then in the BGC RPG EX book:

Weirdly enough, according to both the B-Club and the RPG, this was a never-seen design for a Battlemover, but I swear I've seen it in an establishing shot of GENOM Tower's entrance in OVA 6. I don't understand what's going on - is it the same thing? I want to believe it is.

47C Kappa Boomers: Not much to say about these. They're there.

CHAPTER 11

Oh boy oh boy oh boy: Rock finally killed someone himself! What fun! What excitement! I suppose it has to happen in every longer Black Lagoon fic. And I suppose Rock never gets to feel very good about it. And I suppose... what else? I think Revy's reaction was about right here. I really ought to chill on Depression!Rock for a bit, but that'll wait until the next arc.

KA-77: Basically the Russian version of the Bell V-280, the tiltrotor replacement for military helicopters, kitted out with gunship weapons. Fun fact: Tiltrotors don't actually have a worse safety record than helicopters. For a near-future sci-fi setting, they're a much more sensible new VTOL than vectored-thrust vehicles like the Harrier jumpjet or the AVs from Cyberpunk the franchise. Then again, BGC has those really cool-looking enclosed-fan 'aerodynes' the ADP use all the time, so that's an entirely different form of VTOL I didn't use...

Junayd Lakhani: The man himself! He's kind of a preening weenie! That's kind of the point! Also, yes, I resorted to an MGSV-style Fulton recovery system almost as a joke that became a real thing. I do not regret this.

CHAPTER 12

Honestly, I think I've got enough here. Things work out, they explain themselves, and I don't feel like writing extremely long notes for these chapters anymore. Let's just vibe, for now.

[rainbowroadonsteroids]

it's my monthly respawn time and what better to do than show off a tf2 merc oc i have and some shit about them 🗿👍

There were a couple sketches I did not too long ago bc why sleep (it's almost 4am where I live btw), but I have more sketches of them of course. They were actually my first TF2 merc oc, and they're a support class mercenary who specializes in chemistry, hence being called The Chemist. They even have a chemical lab in the base that they've had to beg to get secured, as Scout keeps killing himself going in there. I'll rehash some of the basic notes too in case it's unclear on the image.

(Basic Notes)

The Chemist's legal name is Shannon Ridley.

They 35 years old in the game, and 39 years old in the comic; they were born circa 1933.

They are trans and nonbinary, and they use they/them pronouns.

They are 6'2" (189cm) and 200lbs (91kg).

They are Irish and Polish, and due to being raised in Ireland, they have an Irish accent. (When angry enough it bleeds into a near Scottish sounding accent.)

For the most part, they'd be the only merc to ever be consistently referred to by name, as most of the other mercs refer to them as Ridley (sometimes with a prefix of Mx. or Dr.), and their first name is rarely ever said.

Their lab coat is tight on them, aside from the bottom half of it. The upper half is tight though and it clings to their torso.

They are androsexual, which essentially just means they're attracted to masculinity.

Like how the other mercenaries have unique teeth shapes, Ridley has a vampire-like tooth structure, with their canines being pointy like fangs.

Their hair is a darker reddish-brown color, though for a while it was dyed to be a slightly brighter tone.

They carry a special carrier with them that stores their chemicals in a secure manner.

While they may be a strong merc they aren't the fastest. Their speed sits at about 93%, matching with Demo; so while it isn't terrible, it could be faster.

Their health matches with Medic (when he has Vita-Saw equipped), with their health being 140/210.

They seem to be close friends with Demoman. On the opposite spectrum, they're seen chasing Scout around a lot of times.

(Not so Basic Notes)

Ridley has attachment issues, and seems to want to cling to loved ones out of fear they'll leave them.

They have a romantic (and more) interest in Medic, though they get skittish about talking to him about it.

The "scars" they have above their chest are just tattoos.

They have a PhD in biochemistry, a master's degree in chemistry, and a bachelor's degree in biology.

Their bedroom is rather messy in comparison to their workspace, however like with their workspace, they don't like having open food containers in the area.

They overheat rather fast, and require white noise to sleep. Their solution? Two fans going constantly.

They were originally born in Poland, however due to the time period and certain circumstances, their parents made it so they could flee and at least try to live a good life. However, their aunt took this as an opportunity to raise the daughter she never had, at the expense of Ridley's own happiness.

Ridley is intersex.

They'd likely be one of the only mercs to not have a driver's license as they don't feel comfortable with driving like... at all.

They do research with Medic a lot, and they like to teach him stuff about chemistry, much as how he likes to teach them about medical practices.

They're a martial artist, and has a black belt in taekwondo. (They also do training sessions with Heavy, and Soldier has been mistaken a few times in thinking they're calling Heavy a hussy because of them saying "huss" when they do something.)

They do not use the bases tap water and instead has a water jug they use. They also claim they're trying to petition Teufort to install new water pipes and deep clean the water intake system, to no avail.

They crochet in their free time, and one of their melee attacks involves them trying to stick a crochet hook through someone's eye.

I'll likely post something later on that goes more in depth about them, but in the meantime, here they are! (And watch me disappear for like a few more months lmao)

[contentloadingandstuff]

Hello everybody!

I must admit, I didn't expect 200 followers at any point. But here it is.

Do I deserve it? I have no idea. The quality of my writing is not mine to judge anyway.

Yet it seems you like it, no matter how much I doubt myself. Still, it will take time for me to come to terms with the fact. But I'll get around to that eventually.

For now, I would like to thank everyone who liked, commented, reblogged and followed. The blog may seem like something entirely menial, but it means the most to me.

I hope to stay around for quite a while longer. There are still many ideas to write down, many requests to do, many stories to tell. Especially with the AU. I've actually been doing work on an actual fic with a plot. It's not much, but I feel it's a step in the right direction.

Now, an update on the requests. There are five remaining, but I feel like they'll extend into the first week of April, so I'll open up asks around then. In the queue we have Miko smut, some smut HC for my selected character, Miko whump, Eula fluff (or smut) and a meta ask. I plan to do the last one earlier, since it's just easier.

I know progress has been slow recently. Life hanged me on a hook, and that hook was Scourge Hooks: Gift of Pain. Despite this, be assured that I do my best to push through that 16% penalty and Mangled status effect.

Speaking of, I was wondering about opening asks for another game - Dead by Daylight. The characters are great, and having 1.2k hours of playtime makes me want to give them some love. I think I'm alright with writing everything - fluff, angst, whump especially, and smut - with a limited cast for the last one. Would you be interested in that?

Oh, and one more thing. I was also thinking of opening the asks for more irl questions - inquiries about my country, Poland. Everything except politics and encyclopaedic knowledge would go, because it's just fun to answer those types of questions for me. This is not a thematic blog by any means, so I think it would be okay. But what do you think?

And last, I thinking of ways to make the posts look more "professional", if that makes any sense. I've never done web design in my life, so... yeah. I don't know how that will go. But I'll try.

Once again, thank you all! You mean the most!

[floralcrematorium]

What about,

🌴, 👻, 🤢.

I'm not really sure what else to say.

Thanks for the ask! Sorry I really ramble on in this one

🌴 - Out of the official nations, who do you consider the most underrated?

Of the main group? Definitely China, but that's something everyone can agree on.

I'm not sure who I would consider underrated per say because that implies I'm familiar with them and think they deserve more attention. There's a lot of characters I'm not familiar with either because of a lack of canon attention, fandom attention, or disinterest on my part (thinking specifically of Australia and New Zealand on that last point, sorry!). It also depends on like,,, the corner of the fandom you've found yourself in. I try to branch out because I like to know about characters outside of the ones we see most often in source. That and fans making content for the East Asia and South East Asia characters go hard in regards to all aspects of putting their faves out there.

I think the two characters who come to mind that I don't see a lot of content for are Cameroon and Thailand. Cameroon is seen maybe? Once? In the source material? And I can't remember seeing Thailand more than once in the anime as well. I've been seeking out more SE Asia content as I look to learn more about the Philippines (I am attempting to reconnect with my heritage so I seek Piri content, but that's not the point here), and I think I run into people talking about Mr. Thailand the least? Like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines are relatively new characters (I know they've been out for a couple years but I've been back in the fandom for like. a month) and get a good amount of attention. I also know Vietnam seems to be pretty well liked? Anyway, I really need to catch up on the webcomic because I know there was a SEAsia arc that I've taken a peek at but haven't read (not gonna lie to you besties, the only webcomic strip I've read read since being back is the furby one).

I also never see anything about Moldova (probably because he is a child) and Cyprus (unless it's to make fun of his haircut).

👻 - There are lots of explanations about what happened to Prussia after he was dissolved and why he's still around. What's yours?

Full transparency, I am going completely off of memory here. I personally think that nations still maintain their physical beings even after their official dissolutions -- the land may be under a different name, but their culture still lives on through their people. Poland being the prime example. I don't have enough knowledge on Partitioned Poland so I'm not going to ramble about something I have no business rambling about, but long story short: Poland was a powerful state, then didn't exist in name but Poles maintained their cultural identity through their fight for independence, and then Poland became a sovereign state again? Knowing the way Germany was divided following the Potsdam conference, I think Prussia as a,,, human thing must've undergone something similar to Poland. I know the timeline of Prussia's real life dissolution is a bit dubious; You'll get different answers (the unification of Germany, pre-WWII, 1945/47, and 1957).

I personally think so long the culture and people of a nation persist, so does their personification. I think nations are physically powerful in some way (See: Alfred's super strength) and are capable of unnatural regeneration and such, but I don't think they're almighty supernatural beings. I like the idea that first and foremost they are human. Their loss of sovereignty doesn't mean they'll die, but they're no longer seemingly invincible.

Also, Gilbert is one spiteful motherfucker. God will have to kill Gilbert himself.

🤢 - What aspect of canon bugs you the most? Could be a name, an age, a birthday, etc.

A lot. There's the obvious easy answer of... early canon material and the English dub, but that's something literally everyone talks about and we've all heard it enough.

It's not my business to speak on the names of other nations' names, but I've seen lots of criticism and suggestions for better names for characters like Greece, Egypt, and all 5 Nordics

Age is the one that bothers me the most. I cannot talk about it without rambling and getting disorganized so here are very very basic points. I have deleted 3 separate drafts of rants, so here are simple bullets with no further explanation:

Veneziano and Romano should not be depicted as children during the Renaissance considering a. the cities they respectively represent at their core are old as fuck and b. Italy as we know it today was unified in 1861. There's a lot of nuance and history here that I don't have the time to get into

Why is Alfred a teenager when a. America as a sovieregn state today is older than both Italy and Germany, who are given the human ages in Hetalia of 20 while Alfred is 19, and b. the United States entered a state of rapid growth (cough imperialism cough colonialism cough Western capitalism). I think he should technically older, but am not too mad because personality wise, he is very much 19

Why is Canada depicted as the same age physically as America all the time when Canada's road to independence was much much more drawn out than America's (this is a topic I need to look into further because I have No solids answers)

Why is China the only Hetalia who is given their age in regards to the actual age of the country whereas everyone else gets the age of their human body (I know it's probably just for the bit on how old China's been around, but Japan and India are also pretty damn old)

Aging can be based on numerous different things which. Is. Confusing. This is why I don't like writing nationverse lol

ANYWAY

Something else that bothers me are the things in Alfred's design that represents parts of the country. His bomber jacket has a 50 on the back and he wears it in the WWII strips when Alaska and Hawai'i weren't legally states yet. Also why are his glasses Texas????? Huh???? The cowlick being Nantucket is cute, I like that. BUT TEXAS????? I kinda wish there was something to represent the Great Lakes, but hey, that's what headcanons are for

Why do they keep darkening Francis' hair color?????? I actually really like it darker, but I swear with each season his hair gets a shade darker and it's kinda funny

Anyway. This took too long to write, sorry it's so long to read.

Hetalia Asks

[johnsgrandtour]

Auschwitz, Oswiecim, Poland

We're breaking up chronology here. I have more stuff from Warsaw and Krakow to post but I'd rather get this post up first.

First off, it was a very rainy day and still very busy so a lot of my pictures are bad. There's just a mess of people with umbrellas so I'll be pretty selective with my pictures.

Here's the wall from inside the compound. There's a lot of barbed wire fences inside the compound too. Dividing up the buildings into their zones.

Moving inside the buildings now. Inside the buildings they'll have every photo the Nazi's took of the prisoners and have them on walls lining the halls with their name and number. It's as horrific as you can imagine.

And here's the gas chamber and crematorium. You could feel the dread that hung in the air as you walked through it.

It's worth it to visit it at least once, but I never want to go back. I'm headed to Katowice tomorrow so I'll try and get the rest of Warsaw up soon!

[campnorthstarmaineme]

2 Weeks Sleepaway Camp

Title: Embracing Adventure: A Journey through 

2 Weeks Sleepaway Camp

As summer approaches, children and parents alike anticipate the excitement and adventure that come with sleepaway camps. Over the course of two weeks, campers immerse themselves in a world filled with new friendships, outdoor activities, and unforgettable memories.

In the serene embrace of nature, beneath the canopy of towering trees and the twinkling canvas of stars, lies a world of adventure waiting to be explored. For many, the notion of a sleepaway camp conjures memories of youthful exuberance, camaraderie, and boundless exploration. As the summer sun casts its warm glow upon the earth, children and adolescents embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth in the idyllic setting of sleepaway camp.

Introduction:

Summer camp holds a special place in the hearts of millions of people around the world. It's a time of adventure, growth, and forming lifelong friendships. For many, it's a cherished part of childhood, offering a break from routine, a chance to explore nature, and an opportunity to discover oneself. In this article, we'll delve into the magic of summer camp, exploring its benefits, traditions, and the lasting impact it can have on campers.

The Benefits of Summer Camp:

Personal Growth: 

Summer camp is a place where children can step out of their comfort zones and try new things. Whether it's conquering a fear of heights on the climbing wall or learning to work as a team in a canoe, campers are constantly challenged to grow and develop new skills.

Independence: 

Camp provides a safe environment for children to gain independence and learn to make decisions on their own. From choosing their activities to managing their time, campers learn valuable life skills that will serve them well beyond their time at camp.

Connection to Nature:

Whether it's swimming in a lake, hiking through the woods, or gazing up at the stars, campers develop a deeper appreciation for the environment around them.

Friendship and Community: 

One of the most cherished aspects of summer camp is the friendships that are formed. Away from the distractions of everyday life, campers have the opportunity to forge deep connections with their peers. Whether they're roasting marshmallows around a campfire or working together to solve a challenge, campers learn the value of teamwork and camaraderie.

Memories That Last a Lifetime: 

Ask anyone who has attended summer camp, and they'll likely regale you with stories of their time spent canoeing, singing campfire songs, and making lifelong friends. The memories created at summer camp are cherished for years to come, serving as a source of joy and nostalgia long after the campfire has burned out.

The Lasting Impact of Summer Camp:

The benefits of summer camp extend far beyond the summer months. Research has shown that attending summer camp can have a lasting impact on children's social, emotional, and cognitive development. Campers return home with increased confidence, resilience, and a sense of independence that stays with them long after the campfire has burned out.

In conclusion, summer camp is more than just a vacation—it's a transformative experience that shapes the lives of those who attend. From personal growth and lifelong friendships to cherished memories and lasting impact, the magic of summer camp is undeniable. So whether you're a seasoned camper or considering attending for the first time, don't miss out on the adventure that awaits at summer camp.

Camp North Star is situated in beautiful Poland Spring, Maine, surrounded by many beautiful and natural landscapes that we get to share and enjoy with our campers. Trips are offered every session and happen on the days we are not on our normal activity schedule. Trip days are a time to relax and enjoy time with friends and bunkmates.

Camp North Star is the top premier Maine sleepaway camp for boys & girls. We offer the best overnight summer camps for kids & teens in New England. Call Now: (207) 998-4777.

We give Different types of camp north star like-

Sleep away Camp

 Summer Camp

 Sport Camp

 Boys & Girl Camp

Thank You, For More Service’s Please Visit Our Websites.

[versilperihelion]

i did feel like looking up which portrait was which and give some descriptions as a totally normal thing to do at 6 am soon before work cause who's gonna stop me, monarch cops? (well work's gonna stop me cause no way i'm getting this done in 45 minutes), so thank you for doing half of it and imma attempt to describe each in short based on what the wikipedia says through the lens of what we were taught about each of them at school for how they're remembered. there will be tangents for important context and embedded wikipedia links for convenience.

top-left (my life is a living hell and i have nobody to blame but myself), John II Casimir Vasa (Jan II Kazimierz Waza, imma call him J2K here)

*inhale*

okay so.

we must first talk about parallel universes the royal elections in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (PLC from now on, lazy). 1573 the nobles decided that after the second major dynasty ended heir-less they'll be electing each new king. that seemed like a good idea at the time for them with all the juicy benefits they could make the king promise them, plus they'd keep from losing local prestige points. that proved to be a bad idea long-term cause it weakened the PLC and allowed external influence to seep in and you can read more about the partitions of Poland. But other than that, select a king from some valid noble home, make him promise benefits to the nobility, roll in the dough.

so J2K was a Vasa. you might recall that name from one ship known for its extraordinary lack of buoyancy. that's cause J2K was from that Swedish family and the third (...and last) Vasa king elected in a row. this will be important in a few sentences. first, let's talk about the Cossacks in the south-east who revolted against the rule of the catholic nobles and were supported by Russia that invaded so that's already bad. but Russia was also taking over the north-eastern parts (current Estonia-Latvia area) which Sweden didn't like cause they wanted to dominate the Baltic that i can only barely and as a technicality call a sea. and didn't help that J2K was making claims to the Swedish throne, even titling himself as the king of Poland and Sweden in official stuff, which was a bit of a no-no across the tiny pond.

so if you want to have a gist of how bad the Swedish invasion was, in Polish it's most commonly referred to as the "potop szwedzki", or the Swedish Deluge, with the word deluge only really used in that form otherwise to talk about the biblical one, the big boi water. sooooo yeah. J2K abdicated eventually and left to France cause he was on good terms with them. and the folks here had to pick up the pieces. a fun thing to note with that earlier how election diminished the king's power and empowered the nobility, it's commonly said and taught (though it's incorrect) that the first instance of the use of liberum veto was during J2K's reign - it was on the parliament deciding the next election, but close enough. what was liberum veto, in short? imagine there's a session of a parliament of representatives of nobility. one dude stands up and shouts "fuck this shit!" and that is binding as "this session of the parliament is now dissolved, everyone go home". sounds like a stable political system, right? also fun fact, guess who was supportive of the Swedish Deluge, given PLC was mostly catholic at the time (with the eastern parts being local majority orthodox as we gathered last paragraph)? one certain self-appointed lord protector from a small island to the west. you know, the one near Calais. wild times those years were.

no wonder the country got erased from the maps for 123 years huh

fuck me it's 7 am now and i'm just 1/9 through.

------

top-middle (my life is a living hell and God will regret letting me live), Mieszko II Lambert (imma call him M2L)

and now we go back to when years started with 10-. this guy was the third confirmed ruler of still young and recently established properly Poland, and its second king. there were rumors (convenient for German rulers at the time) that he usurped the throne after the death of his father. he may have also not treated his two brothers too well, whicih would check out later.

when Germans were busy M2L went lootin' which understandably lead to a war.it went badly and more states allied against him. so his two brothers struck back to grab power, M2L had to try to flee to Czech, he was captured and castrated (he had a son prior to that, fortunately), while his brother Bezprym took control, sent back the Polish crown jewels (given by the Holy Roman Emperor to M2L's and Bezprym's father after being recognized as a proper king. not M2L's own ones, that'd be weird), and was murdered a year later. M2L returned, formally rejected getting the crown back, and split the country between him, his other brother, and a nephew. got all the pieces back eventually before dying but left the country messy, weakened, and a bit less christian than was made by his predecessors, with pagan uprisings and whatnot.

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top-right (my life is a living hell and i'm making that everyone else's problem), Sigsmund II Augustus (Zygmunt II August, Z2A)

so you know that second major dynasty and whatnot and how when it ran out the elections were established? yeah that was the last guy of that dynasty.

well, he did formally unify the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania, till now just in a personal union, into one state - the PLC. he also had the total of three wives (one after another), at least one controversial for his court, fought a war with Russia and Sweden for control over the Baltic that ended with nothing interesting, and died causing a problem for everyone with needing to introduce elections. which well, as we've established, wasn't really really that big of a problem to the nobility. until it was but that was the future nobles' problem.

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middle-left (i have no idea how i got here, even less where i'm going and i have nobody to blame but myself), Stanisław II August Poniatowski (SAP from now on)

*inhale* oh boi. where do we begin with you. like he tried. he tried to some extent. but really couldn't.

on one hand he was a reformer, propagator of art and sciences. on the other, he got elected with support of Catherine II of Russia with whom he maintained an alliance. you might have a vague "oh no" of where this might be going.

elected as part of a military coup done by the nobles supported by Russians, he inherited a huge fucking mess, but still tried to do at least something useful despite not being too liked. the big mess at the time was regarding the law protecting non-catholics from discrimination. i'm really not gonna go into all of this mess, you can look it up. Russians being orthodox and having the king very on their side were very involved. political reform plans kinda died cause he had to enshrine all the privileges granted to the nobles and the PLC became a Russian protectorate.

some nobles got together to fight back against the Russian influence and threat to the catholic faith in the country. how did that go? oh. the first partition of the PLC ceding some territory to Prussia, Russia, and the Habsburg Austria to avoid the growing influence of Russia upsetting the balance of regional power. wwwwwwwwwelp.

sadly it's really not that much of a surprise. with how the state had been weakening with nobility doing whatever they wanted it was a matter of time. Russian ambassador was effectively co-ruler along with SAP. SAP to his credit still tried to do something and it was around that time that he was doing a lot of the science and art promotion. he also tried to do some reforms, cleaning up the political mess, leading to the constitution of the 3rd of May (1791), putting some more limitations on the noble abuses of power, putting peasants under royal protection, adding some equality, and turning the PLC into a constitutional hereditary monarchy, notably the second such constitution document in the world after certain thirteen colonies did theirs. 3rd of May nowadays is a national holiday commemorating it and leading to many people taking 2/5 off to have a tree free days block which if 1/5 lands on a monday or 3/5 on a friday, hell yeah dude. so clearly it was a momentuous-

oh, Russia doesn't like the whole hereditary monarchy thing limiting their influence and is invading. well shit. PLC tried to defend itself, its ally Prussia decided nah we're out, or in fact you know we're in on Russia's side, and SAP had to back down. so you know how i said "first" partition of the PLC? yeah time for the second one, Habsburgs sat that one out cause they weren't really participating.

and then there was the uprising headed by general Tadeusz Kościuszko, participant in the American war of independence, trying to do something after the king effectively gave up. it was also around the time of the French revolution. wild times huh. anyway the uprising failed and the third partition completely took all the remaining territory of the PLC and split it between Prussia, Russia, and Austria. SAP abdicated. and went to Russia where he fared pretty well for himself. until 1918 Poland would only exist as two rump states for a bit, the Duchy of Warsaw set up by Napoleon, and the "Kingdom of Poland" set up by the Congress of Vienna and given into the Russian sphere of influence (soon annexed) so the tsar stops his tantrum and lets them do the rest of the work. Lithuania didn't even get these rump states till that time. sorry guys. you kinda got a Wales treatment in this whole deal.

soooo yeah. Stanisław August Poniatowski. gold star with "you tried" in comic sans.

------

middle-middle (i have no idea how i got here, even less where i'm going and God will regret letting me live), Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki (MKW)

phew okay. who's next after all that. oh. Wiśniowiecki. ffffffine.

this guy was elected right after J2K. you know, the first guy from this list. he ruled for four years. he just. really didn't do much. he faced internal conflicts between royalist faction and pro-French faction, had a war with the Ottoman Empire and had to bail from it cause he got food poisoning, handed over the military command to hetman (field marshal) Sobieski, who won the battle, got that shit on track, and not too long later when MKW died got elected as the next king and gained respect of the Ottoman Empire. so yeah. biggest achievement of MKW? making Jan Sobieski look even better.

------

middle-right (i have no idea how i got here, even less where i'm going and i'm making that everyone else's problem), Sigismund III Vasa (Zygmunt III Waza, Z3W)

hey so remember the first guy from the list, the third Vasa king in a row? this was the first one. during his time, Poland (and Lithuania counted together) reached their, and let me quote the Historia Civilis channel here, "beefiest" territory. he was also legitimately the king of Sweden at the same time. well, for a time until the war with Sweden cause there was a fear that he'd try to bring catholicism back to Sweden. so that eventually lead to what we know about J2K. oh yeah and then there was the thing with going against Russia during the time of several False Dmitrys there. that's how Romanovs got the throne there.

but anyway until that happened, during that war with Russia, PLC actually did pretty well, getting all the way to Moscow and there was a possibility of his son taking Russian throne, if and only if he converted to orthodoxy. he did not. the empire struck back. i don't know for sure but i think the meddling with the whole Time of Troubles, and the rejection of the orthodox faith, and making a mess in Moscow might be at least part of why Russia has historically be so hell-bent on taking Poland. the anniversary of kicking the Polish out of Moscow is a holiday in Russia now, the Unity Day.

so yeah Z3W had a really big chance and chose his faith (that got him into a war with Sweden) over making Poland the beefiest state in history. bummer. at least alt-hist folks can have a field day with that one. also he moved the capital from Kraków (Cracow) to Warszawa (Warsaw), so i guess i can thank him for making Kraków less smoggy in the 21st century.

------

bottom-left (i'm having a GREAT time and i have nobody to blame but myself), Jogaila, Ladislaus II Jogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło, W2J)

so you know that second big dynasty? this is its first guy and the reason why we in the end had the PLC in the first place.

originally the grand duke of Lithuania, got picked to take the Polish crown after the last guy of the first dynasty died without a male heir, the crown went to a guy from Hungary for a bit, and then to his daughter who was crowned king (yes, not queen), and then married Jogaila, he got baptized, they became co-regents, and kicked the collective asses of the Teutonic Order in 1410.

solid lad. well remembered. did fine. his portrait is on the 100 PLN banknote.

------

bottom-middle (i'm having a GREAT time and God will regret letting me live), Bolesław II the Bold (Bolesław II Śmiały, B2S)

either the Bold (Śmiały) or the Generous (Szczodry). historians can argue about that, i don't feel like it. remember M2L from earlier? that's his grandson. and between these two there was a bit of a mess to say the least.

he tried to get Poland out of the imperial dominance from the west so in the conflict between the Holy Roman Empire and the papacy he sided with the latter. well, it worked, he got crowned king after all that mess with M2L. didn't really take much shit, and when a bishop opposed the punishments he was handing out, he handed out one for that bishop too. until that point where he had to flee to Hungary and his brother took the throne, he did fine in strengthening the state.

------

bottom-right (i'm having a GREAT time and i'm making that everyone else's problem), Bolesław I the Brave (Bolesław I Chrobry, B1C)

okay who's last. ah, right, twenty dollars the hedgehog.

so that was the son of the first guy we historically know for sure ruled Poland the father of M2L. he supported christianization of Poland and when a bishop from Prague went to the territory of Prussians (the Baltic tribe, before the Teutons took over and made the place German) and got sliiiightly killed, B1C bought his body back for as much gold as he weighed. that was nice enough of him to do that the Holy Roman Emperor came over in year exactly 1000, gave him some gifts (allegedly reliquaries), recognized his sovereignty over Poland, and established an archdiocese so the church in Poland had some local leadership. then the emperor died, new one didn't like him so much, there was another war, and at some point B1C was crowned as the first king of Poland.

oh yeah and the 20$ the hedgehog non sequitur joke is cause he's on the 20 PLN banknote.

------

it is now 9 am for me. whoever got this far, enjoy looking up more of this stuff if you're curious. both a pity and hooray that none of the rulers from around the feudal fragmentation made it into those 9 cause it would've been interesting to bring up but at the same time not sure if i'd feel like writing that. have fun taking that wikipedia dive.

New Meme Alignment Chart came to me in a fit of Mania this morning. Have fun kids!

[the-firebird69]

Na, na,na gonna have a good time | I do solemnly swear... Fishbone Familyhood Oath. ABC In Concert 1991... #OGFishbone Angelo Moore Norwood Fisher @christophergordondowd @phdfish Walter Kibby | By Fishbone | Facebook

His first idea is the best is to advertise the generic beer in the lower income areas first Cork and then this area here which is in Brooklyn it's an African-American neighborhood and the several others around that area and we're going to go ahead and do it today I'm going to put it out there and it will make millions of dollars in the first day fast PGA did it it couldn't keep up with the production and he had to stop making the generic beer for real he couldn't he could not do it

Gu

He had huge sales like 10 billion orders and 20 billion orders and he just said flat out I can never make them demand they won't want it if I can't and shut the doors

Oya

We're going to sell this beer and it's going to be great there's tons and tons of reasons why mostly when you make the beer the alcohol kills a lot of the stuff that doesn't come out when you double boil and he says you should triple boil it then and you should get it from a cleaner source and there's other ways to do it too to get the particulate out there is reverse osmosis and you don't need to use filters up and there is a way to do that but really boiling works very well it takes time but you need to boil it boil it and reverse osmosis and we're going to do that it doesn't take much effort

Garth

There are a few methods boiling works the best reverse osmosis has a filter but you don't need the filter in his right you should boil it a couple times and then reverse osmosis anything about humongous system in and it works very well it's like a diff lock or a floccular and you don't have the material in it it'll make you sick and we're going to use that in hours and we made huge ones and we're ready for this day we're going to start selling cuz everyone else is. He's got a great idea and he wants to go ahead and say it have me say it and she does too and it's to make these bars in a lower income areas that serve the generic beer only and it's one beer at these big bars they serve decent food hamburgers hot dogs Pizza that are made well salads and just regular salads okay like you have it Olive garden and big too and and to have in the beefy I mean with a big tomatoes and onions and garlic in there and olives and a lot of lettuce heads of lettuce and a lot of Italian dressing and pizza spaghetti and meatballs hot dogs hamburgers and some steaks and steak sandwiches though more so some fish but really that's it and desserts would be no sugar added ice cream and yogurts and we're going to go ahead and do this this is awesome and the menu is perfect chips we can have fries pretty much and drinks and will be serving the water that we use in the beer and people can taste it. Huge huge huge microbrewery tanks will be there like 90 ft tall and they'll get down a pit and you can see through the glass and it's going to be Giant and just bursting with beer and there'll be a self-serve place where you use a machine and it's an individually served and you put your bottle up and you fill it and then it tells you how much by weight and then you go pay your clothes and go pay for it and if you forgot stuff to seal it with we have a whole bunch of caps and seals and people love it and we'll have a whole bunch of cozies for your stuff and for your beer when you take it home and we'll be selling those they have these Poland spring water things or even Walmart has like a two and a half gallon sometimes it's three gallon fridge and use the spigot we're going to sell those with beer and mostly though we're going to be selling beer in plastic bottles and aluminum cans at the at the bar and their plastic bottles will look like a normal beer bottle and we'll be selling big ones and then we'll be selling the soda bottles but they're all the same soda bottle in 1 l 2 l and 3 l and the 3 l has the big gold cap gulp cap. And we will have a few different size beer cans one like the fosters and we'll have a tall and a regular they might make small ones like 10 oz and some people like those. I'm going to try the plastic in a few places but we'll start with aluminum and people would like the plastic it keeps it cold and you don't get any aluminum and really this these day and age you don't get the aluminum that's what they make it out of and our beer doesn't dissolve it with the preservatives we use several but not many at least what it is when you in the beer brewery I'm going to go ahead and start this up this sounds awesome other people are doing it now and we might have like a two beers one higher end with a green beer bottle that says beer and has a nice label and then the generic it's going to be awesome we'll probably put the other beers in later but this will we're going to start with in the basic menu is awesome people come from all around because the portions are huge you like 1 lb hamburgers and more and the pizzas would be big

Thor Freya

I'm going to prove this idea and we're going to start today and renovating and looking for people to partner with

Olympus

Oh my God sign me up no I got my own brew and my own brand

Bja

I got my own Brew in my own brand I'm going to make this and we have peanuts there too

Bg

We'll hv peanuts and popcorn

Thor Freya

[beardedmrbean]

"I'm scared that there will be a nuclear war," said Henry, 13 in the town of Sarstedt in northern Germany.

He is not alone. Young Germans are increasingly worried about the war in Ukraine, specifically the idea that the conflict may spill into other countries, or that Russia might make use of its nuclear weapons. This is according to a survey of 206 13- to 17-year-olds polled on March 2 and 3 by theInternational Central Institute for Youth and Educational Television (IZI) in Munich, a think-tank funded by Bavarian public broadcaster BR.

"Nine out of ten teens are anxious and worried about the situation in Ukraine," the study found.

They have two specific concerns: First "that other countries will be attacked because one country is not enough for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin." This could specifically be a NATO or EU nation like Poland, thus bringing about "World War III."And secondly: "Russia will threaten us with nuclear bombs" and the German authorities wouldnˈt be able to warn people about an imminent attack in time to reach safety.

'Where should I flee to?'

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has made young Europeans think what only three weeks ago was unthinkable: that war could come to the European Union.

"The possibility of World War III, or even worse, nuclear war, terrifies me and many of my friends," said Gül, 17, who lives in Rheinfelden, near Germany's border with Switzerland. "My parents came to Germany from Turkey in search of a better life. And now I ask myself what we will do if there really is a world war. Where should I flee to? What will my life look like? Will I even get out of this country alive?"

German teenagers were born after the wars in the Balkans that saw NATO involvement and German participation in the late 1990s. Fears of Russian aggression are even more a thing of the past — not only for the youngest in society.

"For my parentsˈ generation, growing up during the Cold War, nuclear conflict felt like a real possibility," said Julia, a 35-year-old high school teacher in southern Germany.

"And even after the fall of the Soviet Union, they continued to be skeptical of Russia and didn't see it as changing very much. They say they feel prepared for this moment, though the large scope of the attack surprised them. But for my generation and the generation I teach, war, especially nuclear war, in Europe felt like the most remote thing imaginable … until three weeks ago."

German TikTok and Instagram are flooded with videos about how to prepare emergency rations, as well as speculation on how likely an attack on Germany may be. They are attracting hundreds of thousands of likes.

Google searches for potassium iodide tablets, which help prevent radiation poisoning, have skyrocketed across Germany following reports of an attack on Ukraine's largest nuclear power station.

Depressing and difficult

"It is difficult listening to the news because what is happening right now in Ukraine is scary, even for us German teens," said Erin, 17, in Frankfurt.

"It is depressing because we have sympathy with the teenagers in Ukraine. Seeing daughters and fathers having to say goodbye and not knowing when they will see each other again is very hard for me," she said. She added that the subject was barely discussed in school, but she was divided on whether or not it should be, since the topic weighed so heavily on her.

The IZI study found that despite what adults might assume, most German teens were still getting the bulk of their information about the war from their parents, public television, and the website of mainstream news services — sources they considered more likely to be accurate.

13-year-old Henry said that he was "worried about the people in Ukraine" and that students in his class quickly began collecting donations for refugees.

According to IZI, after news on the ground, the thing teens most wanted most was to know how to assist people their own age who had to flee their homes.

Not only was social media filled with "how you can help" posts, but interest groups like sports clubs and the environmentalist movement Fridays for Future have temporarily shifted focus to collecting donations and organizing solidarity marches in support of Ukraine.

Sociologist Klaus Hurrelmann with the Hertie School in Berlin believes this might turn out to be part of a real shift in young Germans' priorities: "Fear of war could replace concerns about climate and the environment, which have always been ahead in surveys over the past ten years," he told the daily Die Welt.

IZI study leader Maya Göth calls on parents and teachers to allow teens to "express their thoughts and concerns," in a constructive way, instead of downplaying them.

[gwenkmu]

Okay that's literally the beginning of one of my stories so here we go (english is not my mother tongue so sorry for mistakes)

« Human ?

-Well, yes, that's – that's how we call ourselves, replied Leon.

One of the creatures handed him a cup full of something that looked like wine. Leon took it and mumbled thanks. Strange creature, it was. Quite frightening at first sight, but they were actually rather nice. Maybe they were nice. Or maybe they were feeding him so that he would taste better. But it was a little too late to run now – if he distrusted these monsters, he should have never followed inside their town – but he was so exhausted – the whole night wandering in the woods – horrible woods – no food, no water – he was so relieved when he saw the town – and he nearly died of terror when he came upon three of these creatures – he drew his sword to defend himself – but he was so exhausted – they told him to calm down – proposed him food and rest inside their town – and yes it looked like a trap – but what other option had he, going back inside the woods – he was too exhausted, he would'nt have lasted one hour – so let's follow the monsters, he thought – if I'm lucky they'll kill me quickly – and he was too exhausted to think – too exhausted to fight – so he went into the town.

That wasn't really a town, actually. More like a slum. Or a refugee camp. Huts that looked more like wreck, all askew, shacks built with rotting beams, with sheets of metal – and materials Leon couldn't recognize. At what must be the center of this wretched mess were this more or less circular place were Leon were sitting, on the ground, next to a fire, speaking with one of the creature – some kind of lioness, big lioness, with enormous fangs, who just asked Leon what he were.

(Leon knew he should have been surprised. Because speaking with a lionnesse, whatever its fang looked like, wasn't supposed to be normal. But he was to thirsty and starving and tired to get surprised.)

« Human, repeated the lioness. I have seen others like you. »

(Maybe there were creatures from the tales, thought Leon through his weariness. Maybe all that little folk and werewolves wasn't fantasy of old centuries, but just creatures that lived in the deepest of the woods. Did they have their fellow in France ? Or did they prefered less civilised country, like Poland ?)

Leon took a sip from his cup and winced. The drink looked like wine, but tasted like some too spicy, alcoholic fruit juice. He never drank anything like that before. Were this rum ?

« What do you want to do, now ? asked the lionness.

-Find back the river. »

The monster stared at him with amazement.

« Which river ?

-Well, I suppose you know better than me, that river with an umprononceable polish name, we have to cross it on our way to Russia. »

He took an other sip. That beverage wasn't that bad, once you were used to it.

« Because, maybe you haven't heard in this remoted place, but the Emperor is going to invade Russia. And (he raised a finger to prevent objections) do not tell me it's too far away and too big and too cold and anything. We're speaking of the Emperor. Napoleon. If he decided to conquer a land, that land can do nothing but submit. And (he raised his finger higher) the Emperor has the greatest army ever seen. The Cossacks won't stand an hour against us.

-Oh, said the lioness. You're a soldier of this great army, aren't you ?

-I am (his voice was overflowing with pride).

-And you're all alone ? Where's the rest of the army ?

-I didn't desert if that's what you insinuating, grunted Leon. I've been sent as a scout to find a ford – to cross that river I can't remember the name. But I lost my way in the forest, and then the night fell, and that's been hours I'm walking and trying to find back my regiment. So if you're kind enough to guide me...

-We can't help you, said the lioness.

-I have money to pay you, sighed the soldier.

-That's not the question. We can't help you because we don't know where your river is. »

There were a moment of silence. Leon stared at the lioness with astonishment. He noticed that some others creatures were standing around, listening to them, but he didn't care.

« Isn't that your land ? he finally said. Come on, surely there can't be so many rivers around ! And if really you don't know, just give me the direction of the nearest city – I know Poland enough to...

-Soldier, interrupted the lioness. Whatever Poland is, you're not there anymore. »

New moment of silence.

« But, replied Leon. That's not possible. I walked an entire night, but that's not enough to reach the borders, and...

-That's not a question of borders (there were impatience in the lioness' voice). You're lost, soldier. Totally lost. Like all of us. You've lost your world. »

The only thing Leon could answer were :

« ...what ?

-You crossed inadvertently some kind of.. portal, probably near that river of yours. You stumbled out of your world, the world where there's a place called Poland, an emperor and a great army, and you fell into an other world. This one.

-That's not really a world, pointed out an other creature, behind Leon – a really strange one with big eyes like a fly. A world has laws, logic, consistency. Here there's nothing of this. It's just a place.

-All right, all right, grunted the lioness, so you fell into a place, this one. The place between the worlds.

-Between the... worlds ? (Leon were trying to understand, but all of this sounded so strange that it barely made sense inside his brain. Weariness and hunger didn't help.) So where... where's the way home ? To Poland ? »

The lioness burst out laughing – a bitter laugh.

« The way home ? Oh, if we knew it, we wouldn't be here !

-You... »

Leon frowned.

« ...you're lost too ?

-We all are, said gloomily the fly-eyed creature.

-Many things, many people fall into that place, said the lionness bitterly. There are those who try their luck – who take the road and look for a way out. There's a way in, so surely there is a way out, but I don't know if one can find it. And the road is hazardous. As for us, we didn't take the chance. We decided to make our lives here. »

Leon glanced at the dilapidated shacks around him.

« Doesn't seem really nicer than a road life, he muttered.

-It's not a paradise, replied the lioness, but we have what we need. If you decide to stay, soldier, you'll find here a steady life. You'll have friends around, a roof over your head, water and food every day – almost every day. »

Leon drained his cup at one gulp.

« I didn't become a soldier to have a steady life, he said. If the Emperor is going to Russia, I'm going too. I fear no road. And then, I just have to find back that bloody river, it won't be that hard, will it ? »

1953

"Oh dear, little human. You're a long way from home."

[watsername]

okay prior to Turin here's how I feel about the songs,, reasons under the cut

(link to tier maker, I added in an extra column)

S TIER

ITALY- BRIVIDI, MAHMOOD & BLANCO

- im not usually a ballad fan but this made me cry the first time I listened to it, its just so passionate !! they both have such beautiful voices and they go together so beautifully!!! I watched their Sanremo performance and it was just beautiful honest to god its in my Spotify on repeat already

UKRAINE- STEFANIA, KALUSH ORCHESTRA

- I love the way Ukraine has been combing cultural elements with modern music in Eurovision I mean we had it last year with SHUM and it just works so well!!!! that's what eurovision is about baby !!! its so catchy !!!

LATVIA- EAT YOUR DALAD, CITI ZĒNI

- im not even apologising for this its an unironic banger its at the top of my Spotify on repeat I listen to it all the time I will not stand for criticism!!! its fun and danceable and catchy and literally just iconic. I will kill myself if they don't qualify for the finals

A TIER

DENMARK- THE SHOW, REDDI

- girlboss moment !! I wasn't sure what to expect n then I thought it was a rock ballad but its just a rock song with a build up and honestly. it slapped. I love a good punk rock drummer the high energy the guitar solo yaaaas I loved it. that drummer hot too

UNITED KINGDOM- SPACE MAN, SAM RYDER

- man has a powerful voice!! im surprised at the uk this year I think we have a chance or scoring decently this year !! I haven't seen any live performance so I really hope hes able to hold up those high notes live !!!! kind of emotional, although not my favourite style of music. vaunt wait to see how they stage it !!!!

SPAIN- SLO-MO, CHANEL

- very catchy song and great performance !! its got that kind of glamorous energetic sex appeal that a lot of people expect to see in eurovision !!!! its got great potential to go viral especially on tiktok as a dance challenge or anything really

AUSTRALIA- NOT THE SAME, SHELDON RILEY

- such an amazing live performance !! such a gorgeous voice !!! its a beautiful song but you still have the sense of camp portrayed through the costuming and drama of the performance and its done so well you can see the story in the performance its just so beautiful I want to move this one up to S tier now pretend its in S tier

FRANCE- FULENN, ALVON & AHEZ

- witchy vibes, loved it, great harmonies all four of them have such gorgeous voices . the only thing I didn't like was that lone dancer she seemed a little out of place, but im willing to bet it'll look good in Turin.

SLOVENIA- DISKO, LDS

- when I first heard it I was like omg I love the vintage vibe then realised it was called disco bc its based on 70s disco bc I have no working braincells. its funky its catchy its upbeat I love it. my main man seemed a little awkward on stage Id love to see him get into it a little more but I bet they'll do great !!! love the bass line

FINLAND- JEZEBEL, THE RASMUS

- I love a good punk song no surprise its coming from Finland lmao I vibe with it it'll probably end up in a Spotify playlist

ISREAL- I.M., MICHAEL BEN DAVID

- he really did it for the girls and the gays !!!!!!! it was camp it was fun it was glamorous what's not to enjoy!! at times feels like a verse on a ru Paul song but I don't know if that subtracts from or adds to the vibe

POLAND- RIVER, OCHMAN

- lowkey didn't think id enjoy this one but I did !! its been growing on me !!!! he has a gorgeous voice and the chorus gets stuck in my head

CYPRUS- ELA, ANDROMACHE

- its not my favourite of this years entries but it gets stuck in my head from time to time and she has such great control over his voice its gorgeous

B TIER

The Netherlands- DE DIEPTE, S10

- its catchy, but its just generally not the kind of music I vive to , great ballad though

BELGIUM- MIS YOU, JÉRÉMIE MAKIESE

- extremely talented guy wow cant wait toes it live I bet if its staged right and this high notes come across well it'll be such an emotional performance, a little too slow paced for me and although he sung it beautifully I wonder what it would have been like if he optioned up after the bridge instead of staying low

AUSTRIA- HALO- LUM!X

- don't get me wrong great vocals honestly, the song itself just didn't stand out much to me . a kind of mid tier song for me.

ROMANIA, LLÁMAME, WRS

- cultural banger girls and gays edition !!!! not my favourite entry but still pretty decent nonetheless

MALTA- I AM WHAT I AM, EMMA MUSCAT

- love the theme Malta's been going with lately with the whole self love and worth stuff, but this years vaguely remind me of Disney channel or like that phase in 2015 where people would release songs about being confident or how strong they and that snot necessarily a bad thing its just. a thing.

SWEDEN- HOLD ME CLOSER, CORNELIA JAKOBS

- again didn't stand out for me much, but she has a lovely voice

C TIER

ALBANIA- SEKRET, RONELA HAJATI

-loved the instrumentals but it felt to me a little too broken up like I love a good bit of chreography but it felt more important than the vocals at times

ICELAND- MEÐ HÆKKANDI, SYSTUR

- I expected to pick up a little more than it did, and folk isn't really my favourite thing but all and all its not a bad song I get why people enjoy it

MONTENEGRO- BREATHE, VLADANA

- powerful voice its great, just too slow paced for me, the instrumentals vaguely remind me of Karma from last year, I vibe with that

GREECE- DIE TOGETHER, AMANDA GEORGIADI TENFJORD

- makings of a viral song if im honest I can see it in a few peoples Spotify playlists, just not mine really. the last chorus was beautiful that was the highlight of the song to me

CZECH REPUBLIC- LIGHTS OFF, WE ARE DOMI

- lots of potential if im honest, its just not my favourite song. nothing wrong with it, just not my style, cant wait to see how they stage it though if its staged well it'll do really well I think

AZERBAIJAN- FADE TO BLACK, NADIR RUSTAMLI

- almost reminds me of tout l'univers ?? like just a specific part I feel like it could go straight into tout l'univers. overall a good song just not for me, bound to be beautiful with staging

NORTH MACEDONIA- CIRCLES, ANDREA

- I don't really have any criticisms on this song, its just not my taste really,

GERMANY- ROCKSTARS, MALIK HARRIS

- I enjoyed it but the rap felt a little out of place, almost like a twenty one pilots song . its not bad though

CROATIA- GUILTY PLEASURES, MIA DIMSIC

- yeah decent song, just wasn't a big fan of the staging I hope they up it a bit more at Turin. what was the point of making it look like she was playing the guitar if she was just gonna stop halfway through. the slight moment she had was good, use it let her interact with the dancer more

GEORGIA- LOCK ME IN, CIRCUS MIRCUS

- I keep going back and forth over this song I don't know, It was a bit lack lustre for me but the chorus goes hard. mid tier

D TIER

SERBIA- IN COPORE SANES, KONSTRAKTA

- I had no clue what was going on this entire song why was she singing about Megan Markle's hair. is there an issue with lack of healthcare in Serbia. I didn't really get the message

ARMENIA- SNAP, ROSA LINN

- this one felt like that 2014 phase with songs like riptide and like the vamps and everything , not exactly my favourite thing . talented don't get me wrong just not my cup of tea

LITHUANIA- SENTIMENTAI, MONIKA LIU

- really just didn't catch my attention, too slow paced for me

BULGARIA- INTENTIONS- INTELLIGENT MUSIC PROJECT

- I appreciate the classic rock vibes the guitar solo went hard but at times it felt like an anime intro more than an ESC song

SAN MARINO- STRIPPER, ACHILLE LAURO

- I know everyones thinking like ohh youre a die hard måneskin fan you think hes a second rate damiano and I will say that I think there was an odd coincidence with timing but no, I recognise that Achille Lauro has been around a lot longer than Må and is a big celeb in Italy and San Marino it just feels a bit odd that he was only selected now given his status and I hope it wasn't influenced by må bc they have completely different sounds, every Italian celeb is a slut even world class chef Gino d'acampo. Was I confused at first, yes bc im not Italian and I didn't know him but I do now. anyway its d tier just bc I didn't vibe w the song that much I just didn't have any strong feelings on it

SWITZERLAND- BOYS DO CRY, MARIUS BEAR

- im sure it'll look amazing on stage but just didn't relay have any strong feelings on it

ESTONIA- HOPE- STEFAN

- lowkey avicci vibes?? just wasn't a huge fan of the western vibe it had going on but I appreciate the song

PORTUGAL- SAUDADE SAUDADE, MARO

- just wasn't enthused by it, I hope they do something with the staging in Turin it didn't really make me feel anything with them just sitting in chairs , I just didn't get a string stage presence from them

F TIER

IRELAND- THATS RICH, BROOKE

I don't have anything to say it just did not do it for me. I just didnt enjoy the live performance. if they use the staging to their advantage they could probably qualify but its just not doing it for me

NORWAY- GIVE THAT WOLF A BANANA, SUBWOOFER

- at first I thought it was funny but its starting to annoy me now lmaoo, but not a fan of the bridge and the whole banana breakdown . choreography slaps though

MOLDOVA- TRENULETUL, ZDOB SI ZDUB &FRATII ADVAHOV

- I appreciate the cultural aspect of it, just wasn't really inspired by it , cant wait to see how it'll translate onto the stage though

this took me like 2 hours its so late but im posting it anyway

[inqilabi]

sorry maybe i misunderstood but in one of your posts when you said "Stalin and Mao killed millions" was propaganda, what did you mean? like did you mean Stalin's repressions/purges/ethnic clensings weren't real or...?? cos i'm Russian and there's hardly a family here that wasn't affected by that, including my own. It's all still in living ppls memory, it's not something we're just told by the government lmao. It's actually extremely insulting to suggest otherwise. Like literally ask a person from an ex-USSR country and 9 times out of 10 they'll tell you of an ancestor/relative that was executed/sent to gulag/forced to flee the country/etc during Stalin's rule. Esp if you ask a jewish or other ethnic minority person.

Not sure if you’re genuinely interested in the perspective, if so I can provide resource reccs. I don’t think it’s insulting to ask people to consider that the history they have known may be entirely wrong and to question the common narrative/claims they hear. 

Especially considering the fact that CIA was literally created to fight USSR first and foremost, and then any other emerging socialist states thereafter. And the fact that Britain had been at it long before that. The Allies literally supplied troops for the ‘White Army’ to as Churchill put it “strangle the [Bolshevik state] at its birth” in 1917/1918. Formation of NATO itself is an alliance of capitalist anti-communist states. Not to mention that post WW2, when CIA formed, it absorbed existing Nazi and fascists into its CIA & NATO operations to terrorize any leftists orgs in Eastern Europe (Operation Gladio) because of how great they were at terrorizing, infiltrating and sabotage. And in the USA itself, Ukrainian fascists were incorporated into various intelligence orgs. A NSC directive (4A, 1947) stated the following: 

The campaign against the Soviets would include “primarily media related activities, including unattributed publications, forgeries, and subsidization of publications. Political action would involve exploitation of displaced persons and defectors, and support to political parties’ paramilitary activities, including support to guerillas and sabotage”

It is in this context that I understand the USSR. I may have criticisms of the CPSU, though it wouldn’t matter now. For us now, even though the exact conditions that the USSR faced will not be repeated again- I think it is necessary to learn from the successes and failures of the first socialist state founded amidst WW1, fall of Tsarist rule/semi feudalism/civil war, rise of Nazism and being surrounded by fascists, WW2 in which America & Britain both directly and indirectly let Germany destroy USSR as much as possible before getting involved, and the USSR was also dealing with a Japanese invasion threat in the east. To me its a feat that the people rallied behind its foundation, that there was fervor of the masses at that time- I can’t imagine it today. There were nearly 2 million party members in 1930. Some 3-4 million people enrolled to take classes with the communist party in 1933.

Yes the repressions, Yezhovshchina & reallocation of people were real. Repressions of the Kulaks and other class enemies was real. And to define class enemy, the kulak case is an interesting one: we’re talking about a class who regularly exploited peasants, & when a drought reduced the grain harvest, raised grain prices so the soviet government couldn’t afford to buy the grain to feed people (and this is where the rationing came from). The government in response encouraged peasants to form collective farms (kolkhoz), which was actually a youth peasant movement and grain harvest from these kolkhoz was soon as much as the kulaks. The kulaks then realizing that they can no longer control the markets, started murdering people in these kolkhoz. And this is the point where the Soviet gov decided to seize the kulak wheat, expropriate kulak land (dekulakization program as is known in the west) & give the land to the kolkhoz. In response, the kulaks burned their wheat, and killed their own livestock in the millions.  And despite this, most of them were only exiled, forced to reallocate or sent to the gulags. Also, forced reallocation of probably millions of people from the east to prevent Japanese invasion, and from the western region as Germany was invading did happen. 

Yezhovshchina of 1937-1938 was excessive. Here they replaced their normal voting process (e.g, Trotskyites were voted out with a vote of 700,000 against to 6000 for) with a 3 person tribunal who just handed out sentences like candy- in this period alone, I think there was some 300,000 sentences handed out. Though they were responding to Nazi infiltration among their party. Eventually the party committees got a handle of it, overturned half of the sentences. Many of the remaining sentences were never carried out because there wasn’t that much infrastructure to do so. But certainly innocent people were caught in the cross fire here. But imo the typical perception in the west that this purge was to eliminate any political opponents or to consolidate power is not true. It was primarily to eliminate Nazis in the party and any other counter-revolutionary who would have essentially handed USSR to Germany. There were definitely executions. There’s a quote from Ludo Martens on his study of the USSR that indicates a bit how unequipped USSR was to handle sentences of Yezhovshchina:

"Grigorenko, a well-known Rightist general who defected to the West, stated that, to escape the Purge, it suffice to simply relocate to another city."

There’s also interesting notes from Hitler (via Goebbel’s journal)and Churchill’s WW2 memoir that Hitler had hoped to take advantage of these antagonisms, defeatist tendencies and fascists sympathizers within the Red Army, but Stalin had succeeded in making sure via purges that the Red Army could not be taken advantage of.

But to address what is actually your main point: to assess history based on lived experience. What you stated is not reconcilable with the following examples:

Frankly I think the further breakdown of the 35+ would yield even more interesting insights. Also its expectedly low in Lithuania, Estonia & Latvia. What do we know about the history of these three countries that would help us understand that? There’s also this interview and this one specially about Stalin & the gulags, which sounds different from the experiences of your family.

Here is a quote from Ludo Martens book:

‘But how is it possible', asked a friend, `to defend a man like Stalin?' There was astonishment and indignation in this question, which reminded me of what an old Communist worker once told me. He spoke to me of the year 1956, when Khrushchev read his famous Secret Report. Powerful debates took place within the Communist Party. During one of these confrontations, an elderly Communist woman, from a Jewish Communist family, who lost two children during the war and whose family in Poland was exterminated, cried out:

`How can we not support Stalin, who built socialism, who defeated fascism, who incarnated all our hopes?'

And also, Normal Finkelstein stated that his parents, both of whom survived concentration camps, would refuse to listen to any criticism of Stalin and called anyone who criticized him a traitor. 

So how do we parse through these different lived experiences? What helps us understand the differences in these lived experiences? 

[nieded]

I love the idea of it being semi-permanent and common. Like, kids with first crushes? It's like having a cold except you sneeze out daisies. And what about widows? Or family members who you've lost? Your grief is a torrent at first, spilling lilies and forget-me-nots, but over time you start to heal. You have these moments a decade down the road, catch a memory that startles you into a coughing fit. It stops being a curse. It becomes a reminder. This person existed. They were loved. I loved them. I love them still.

Imagine black dahlias getting left at the altar. Imagine a little kid's joy at their new puppy sprouting a field of flowers for them to run through. Imagine pressed flowers in photo albums and scrapbooks that say: First Love. First Heartbreak. When they said I love you. This tulip was from my mom, and this jack-in-the-pulpit was from my dad. The wild violet was my grandmother's on the day she first held me.

A woman coughs up roses and leaves petals down the stairs for her husband, but she's really thinking about her secret lover. A traveling businessman walks through the street gathering random discarded flowers from others to bring home to his distant family. Look, I made these for you, he tells his kids. No one speaks of how they're wilted around the edges.

They call it a barren bedroom. I hear that couple is flowerless. I bet they'll divorce soon.

I hear they have arranged marriages. Then how is their home filled with flowers? It took work. It took respect. It wasn't easy, but they did it.

I hear she ran into the bathroom when Brad walked into the dance, but then she gave the flowers to James instead! I hear he accepted her flowers, turned around, and gave them to someone else instead.

It's unrequited. It's a secret. Here's a green carnation.

I think he likes Amed. I think they like Summer. I wish my mom coughed flowers for me waiting at the bus stop like Amy's mom. My grandma's back in Poland and she mails me pressed flowers every time she thinks of me.

It happened again. I had that dream about you and woke up in a bed of lotuses. Me too. I wonder what that means.

I breathed in oxygen and expelled carbon dioxide, and on the inside, I grew this field of sunflowers for you. Everyday it spills from my lips. I can hardly talk without thinking of you, and everyone can see it. It's you in the morning when I roll over to look at your eyelashes against your cheeks. The slow breath as you roll over, the spill of a single rose petal as you exhale. I cough up bird of paradise. I cough up fox gloves like a ribbon of color in a neverending magic trick. You leave early and I wake up to hyacinth left on the vanity. You are loved. I love you. It's as simple as breathing.

Terminal Hanaki? Boring. Chronic Hanahaki? Exciting.

[campnorthstarmaineme]

Sleepaway Summer Camps

Sleepaway Summer Camps

Title: The Magic of Sleepaway Summer Camps: Building Memories and Skills That Last a Lifetime

Introduction:

As the school year winds down and summer approaches, many families start thinking about summer plans for their children. While there are countless options available, one timeless choice continues to hold a special place in the hearts of many: sleepaway summer camps. These camps offer a unique blend of adventure, camaraderie, and personal growth that can shape a child's character and create memories that last a lifetime.

Exploring Nature and Adventure:

One of the most appealing aspects of sleepaway camps is the opportunity for children to immerse themselves in nature and outdoor activities. Far from the distractions of screens and technology, campers can hike through lush forests, paddle across serene lakes, and gaze up at the stars in the clear night sky. These experiences not only foster a deeper appreciation for the natural world but also encourage physical activity and a sense of adventure.

Building Friendships and Social Skills:

At sleepaway camps, children have the chance to form friendships that often endure long after the summer ends. Living together in cabins, participating in group activities, and sharing meals create a tight-knit community where bonds are forged and memories are made. Campers learn valuable social skills such as communication, cooperation, and conflict resolution, all while having fun and making new friends from diverse backgrounds.

Fostering Independence and Resilience:

For many children, attending a sleepaway camp represents their first extended time away from home. This experience can be both exciting and challenging as campers learn to navigate unfamiliar surroundings and solve problems independently. From choosing activities to managing their own schedules, campers develop a sense of autonomy and self-reliance that serves them well throughout their lives. Moreover, overcoming homesickness or setbacks builds resilience and confidence, teaching children that they are capable of overcoming obstacles and adapting to new situations.

Exploring Interests and Trying New Things:

Sleepaway camps offer a wide range of activities to suit every interest and personality. Whether it's horseback riding, archery, arts and crafts, or watersports, campers have the opportunity to discover new passions and develop skills in a supportive environment. Trying new activities encourages creativity, curiosity, and a willingness to step outside one's comfort zone, fostering personal growth and self-discovery.

Creating Lasting Memories and Traditions:

Ask anyone who has attended a sleepaway camp, and they'll likely regale you with tales of campfires, sing-alongs, and epic capture-the-flag battles. These shared experiences create a sense of belonging and nostalgia that endures long after campers return home. From silly traditions to heartfelt rituals, sleepaway camps create a unique culture that binds campers together and creates lasting memories that they'll cherish for years to come.

Conclusion:

In an increasingly fast-paced and digital world, sleepaway summer camps offer a welcome respite—a chance for children to unplug, connect with nature, and forge lifelong friendships. From exploring the great outdoors to building independence and resilience, the benefits of attending a sleepaway camp are as numerous as they are profound. So as summer approaches, consider giving your child the gift of adventure, growth, and unforgettable memories at a sleepaway camp.

Camp North Star is situated in beautiful Poland Spring, Maine, surrounded by many beautiful and natural landscapes that we get to share and enjoy with our campers. Trips are offered every session and happen on the days we are not on our normal activity schedule. Trip days are a time to relax and enjoy time with friends and bunkmates.

Camp North Star is the top premier Maine sleepaway camp for boys & girls. We offer the best overnight summer camps for kids & teens in New England. Call Now: (207) 998-4777.

We give Different types of camp north star like-

Sleep away Camp

 Summer Camp

 Sport Camp

 Boys & Girl Camp

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