#this photo is actually from the detached unit which is only a few years old and beautiful inside

[everydayesterday]

here's a real estate photo that shows my house! (through the window on the other side of the street—that's my red roof and front windows)

[bifacialler]

This is maybe weird question, but. I'm strugling with drawing faces. My problem is, that any method of admeasuring face can't help me .Is there anything you can recommend me to do it better?

…this is a first art ask I ever got, this is exciting! =))

You wanted an essay. Here is an essay.

Let me start with a preface:

Faces are complicated. They are formed not only by bone and muscle, aka the ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE, but the also exist as parts of HEADS, that are parts of BODIES, and out bodies are basically objects like any other that exist within the multi-dimentional space of perceived reality, aka SPACIAL POSITIONING.

Sounds terrifying, I know.

Good thing about it is - we all are unique, therefore all faces are unique! Before starting with anatomy and such, I think it is important to welcome this idea that this Uniqueness IS Beauty. Therefore every face, no matter the proportion, racial features, anything else, is BY DEFAULT beautiful.

Basically, when drawing a face, the artist’s job (especially if this artist is of academic school, or focused on realism) is to detach from personal perception of aesthetical, and focus on studying the beauty of nature’s design. There will be time for personal taste and creative decisions.

To break the rules you need to know what rules there are.

How to Draw a HEAD

(Mostly because you can draw a disambullated head with some of that shoulder action and get away with it. When you draw just a face - it’s… well it can serve a purpose, but there will be questions. It’s generally better to think of a face as part of a head, it makes life a lot easier.)

As it is customary, the process of drawing an object starts with understanding two basic concepts:

The base shape: if you simplify the object to it’s most basic 3-dimentional shape, what shape would it be (a box, and elongated box, a sphere, a pyramid and so on.) Out of which comes the next one-

Where that object exists in relation to you, aka the Artist, since you are the one who will be drawing it. You have the power. The Power of Perspective.

A head is an object like any other. And a head, as an object, is A BOX.

The basic proportions of the box - and I’m talking the commonly art teacher accepted medium - are:

4 units tall : 2 units wide : 3 units deep

What is a unit, you ask? Will come to that, when talking about points and proportions.

So we have a box, and it’s something like this. 

(Picture belongs to Stan Prokopenko, who is a remarkable artist of anatomical drawing, and generally a professional art teacher. I suggest watch everything he ever made, he has ton of stuff on anatomy. http://www.stanprokopenko.com/)

The grey line in the middle signifies the line of symmetry of the face. It’s on the front plane of box, in the middle. The box is much easier understand that a head with a face. 

What we do with the box? We rotate it in any possible we can come up with, while keeping in mind the proportions. It’s important to always keep those proportions in the back of your mind. 

Why we do this? Because this box will tell us about about the lines of perspective that will interact with our portrait’s features. As you can see on Stan’s picture, the yellow lines indicate which way perspective goes.

(Perspective is a whole another topic altogether that would require a separate tl;dr post, so I’m going to step over it in this essay.)

I took the liberty to use one of your pictures to illustrate, especially since you asked for some feedback. 

Overall this is a good drawing, but see how the orange lines start to stray away from the perspective the box exists in? By sticking to the directions the box helps us with, we can get rid of that feeling of something being crooked - becasue all the facial features will exist in the same architecture as the rest of the head.

Second reason why the box is our friend is becasue on the box we can clearly understand: okay, this side is facing the light, and this is the side is in the shadow. This is the break line between the planes of the object. 

But Ler, you may say, the face is curvier than a box.  

Yes, young padavan. Here is a trade secret: first we tackle the overall, and then we go into details. (then we come back to overall, then back to details, and so on, until you can’t find anything sticking out of the unity of the piece, and you can decide that your job here is done. [it is never done, but perfect is an enemy of good, and sometimes good is “good enough” and “as good as I can do at the moment which is still good”)

This may sound familiar, because it is - it’s a lot like the Loomis method, which is, in it’s essence, your good old illustrative version of academic portrait, but without the hassle of learning all skull bones and facial muscles and crying yourself to sleep.

See how he clearly identifies here the border between the frontal planes of the faces and the side ones? Look how is is not afraid of laying that tone on the sides? This is what I’m talking about. He got it from The Box. 

(I would suggest reading Loomis’s books in general, and especially “Drawing the Head and Hands”, where the illustration above is from. His method of drawing heads is quite good, and he explains it in a very approachable way.)

Now that we sorta figured out the head in space, and the box the head truly is, lets figure out 

Where Do We Put The FACIAL FEATURES

There are a few different school of thought on “where the features are” and “what are the proportions”, so I’m going to share with you how I work around them.

My personal approach is a mix of different methods, and years of life studies - as I explained in the beginning every face is unique and has different proportions, and the more “cartoony” and “caricaturistic” (is this a word?) the style is, the more those proportions are exaggerated. 

My approach to placement of features goes like this [unless I got a life model before me, then I measure with my pencil, old school style.] It’s pretty math intense, so buckle up.

1) [Purple] Cranium is a SPHERE. The axis of the sphere is your friend. Cut it in 3 equal parts. Add one part down - hey presto, this is the height of your head. [Remember the thing about the proportions of the box? These are the units I was talking about. It’s all coming together now.] 

2) [Purple] Eyes exist in the middle of the axis. 

3) [Orange] The protrusion of the face is *design* and may vary. Rule of the thumb: make it an arc, similar to what I did. The lower jaw corner falls into the same cathegory, but I prefer it to be on the same level as the corners of the mouth.

4) [Magenta] Mark 1/7th of the height from the top - that’s your hairline. 

5) [Red] After you mark the hairline, divide the remaining part of the height in 3 equal parts. Lower part is chin to root of the nose, the middle one is root of the nose to eyebrows (actually to the glabella, but let’s call it eyebrows), the upper - from eyebrow to hairline. this is the Rule of Thirds. In reality nothing is perfect.

6) [Yellow] This is the tricky part. This is where I personally mark the border between the frontal facial planes and the side ones. There is a general guideline on how it’s done, but it does require understanding the skull and the subplanes of the frontal plane of the face. In layman’s terms, go from the hills of the forehead down to the middle of the brow, around the eye socket, over the cheek bone, through the middle of the cheek (preferably on an arc) to the chin bone, not foregetting the chind also has upper plane and lower plain and yes, there is a break between them, rounded as it is. 

7) [Dark green] Back to eyes. They are also spheres. In the drawing above I marked them as “width of 1 eye = 1/5th of the face’s width”. This is my design (and also the “fashion portrait design”, but don’t get me started) . What is not my design is that the distance between eyes is about the width of one eye, very convenient. The distance between the ear and the outer corner of the eye is 1 third of the rule of thirds. (see point 5) Don’t forget: eyelids cover the eyeball like peel covers the orange. It has thickness.

8) [bright blue] EAR! Love ears. Their traditional space is snuggly in the middle third. Also their angle usually follows the angle of the nose. 

9) [light green] Nose and Mouth. 

Nose.Take your middle third. Divide it by three (approximately). The top part is where the dip of the nose is. For reference is about the same level as the eyes, maybe a bit higher. The nose itself is a trapezoid. The general width of it - the space between the eyes. There is a shadow under it, in most cases. When drawing from reference, pay attention is the root of the nose goes lower than the edges of the nostrils. It’s important. That’s where character hides.

Mouth. Take your lower third. Divide it by two. That’s - no, it’s not the slit of the mouth. That’s the dip under the lower lip. Take the distance between the eyebrows and the eyes, measure it, and apply from the root of the nose down. That’s where the upper edge of the upper lip is. The width of the mouth is very different, but I prefer somewhere between the irises. 

Oof, that’s about it.

If you are looking into indepth anatomy, I’m going to recommend the bible of all anatomy artists, Mr Gottfried Bammes, and “The Complete guide to human anatomy for artists and illustrators”. No better book was ever assembled. I wouldn’t suggest “reading” it, it’s dry as stale bread, but it has hundreds of illustrations that are pretty self-explanatory.

How to combine this whole knowledge together?

By drawing. Honestly, the rest comes with practice. Lots and lot’s of it. 

I would personally suggest downloading a million photos of faces, plugging them into photoshop and studying then step by step as per process above. 

Second, I would suggest making studies of separate parts of the face: mouth, ear, eye and nose. Break them down into basic shapes. Look at what covers what. There things do in, where they come out. 

Third. After you do your studies on photos, draw the faces you studied. But don’t draw them to minute details. Be as constructive as possible. Basic shape - ok. Hairline - ok. Thirds in proper perspective! - ok. Border of light and dark sides - ok. And so on. 

First hundred many look like crap. It’s okay. You are learning. Then things will get better. The more you draw - the better it goes. The more your drawing chakras open. 

I hope this was helpful. Have fun. Do art. Post art. 

[words-writ-in-starlight]

I read your Steve and Logan bits and they are amazing. But consider this; Steve learns that Logan, who's older than WW1, has lost his memories. He gives a statement in an interview describing this man, this patriot who always looked after other people in his own gruff way, describes his side-burns, his claws, his cigars. And suddenly, people are calling into the station; "Yeah, think I met this guy a few years ago" "My granddad has this photo..." "So, In this bar one time..."

And all these people call in, sharing their own memories of this mysterious Cryptid named Logan who is apparently an immortal, grumpy, wandering dad-friend who's also a patriot and he helped punch out Nazi's and free camps and beats up assholes who don't respect women. And the whole while Logan is watching this from a TV screen with Kitty or Rogue holding his hand so gently, after they dragged him to the couch in a hurry. "You recording this?" "Don't worry, we won't let you miss a single word."

Okay but if we’re gonna do this we’re gonna do this HARDCORE HISTORIAN STYLE, and it initially comes up while Steve is being interviewed for a book about the Howling Commandos or a bit for the History Channel or something.  Because this person is like “Hey, there are a bunch of stories of you showing up somewhere with only one dude for backup, was that Bucky?”  And we’ll assume that this is before the whole Winter Soldier thing, so that’s not a hideously loaded question.  

And Steve kind of laughs and he’s like, “Oh, wow, God, that was actually this dude on detached duty from the Canadian special forces, he and I got sent on a bunch of missions together.  His name was Logan, he was the weirdest guy I ever met, and I knew some pretty weird guys, but he could take a hit even better than I could, so when the Howlies were laid up, they sent us out together.”  And he launches into this story about how one time he and Logan stole a plane complete with pilot and stormed a prison camp that was holding German Jews before sending them up to Poland, and the historian he’s talking to is taking frantic notes and trying not to drool because THIS IS A NEW GUY.  CAPTAIN AMERICA’S STORY IS METICULOUSLY WELL DOCUMENTED BUT NO ONE’S EVER MENTIONED THIS GUY.

There are no pictures, obviously, so Steve does a sketch for this historian, because he’s helpful like that and also because.  Like.  Listen.  Steve’s been through a lot of weird shit, and to be sure this Logan he used to know could take a bullet and keep coming no problem, but this dude’s probably been dead fifty or sixty years.  No harm in giving him a little posthumous glory, right?

So this historian runs back to her university and starts doing research on the Internet.  She reaches out to her coworkers first, then to anyone else she knows, then to the premier WWII and Captain America scholars of the world, and asks all of them “Do you happen to know who the fuck this dude is?”

And like, no, they don’t.  They’ve got no idea.  Steve’s not even totally sure what the guy’s real last name was, because Jameson is common as hell and there’s no Logan Jameson on the books.  So they start doing research into this WWII cryptid, and finally they reach an old woman who listens to her grandson’s boyfriend talk passionately about this new project he’s working on and goes “Oh, yeah, I met Cap in Germany one time, there was a guy with him who sounds kind of like what you’re talking about.”

This passionate history major immediately sends an email in all caps to his adviser and it just says “MY BOYFRIEND’S GRANNY KNOWS WHO WE’RE TALKING ABOUT PLEASE COME TO KANSAS ASAP THANKS” or whatever, because, listen, historians are Like That.  Speaking as someone who could easily have claimed to be a history major based on my thesis, I would have gone to Kansas in 0.2 seconds if someone had been like “What’s up we found that book you were after but we can’t take it out of the museum.”  It does stuff to you.  Trust me here.

So this woman tells the story of how Cap and his weird buddy broke her and her mother and father out of a temporary prison camp, and this history professor immediately takes all the tiny bits of information and starts asking around, looking for literally anyone else who knows this Logan dude.  He saved your ass one time in Paris?  He gave you some rations in Berlin?  He beat your grandfather’s ass in Russia?  He took three bullets for you?  You had a passing conversation?  This historian and his extremely pumped undergrad who just changed his senior thesis want to hear about it.

And then someone gets in touch with them and is like “Hey, I know you’re looking for WWII stories, but this guy saved my dad’s entire unit on the Somme and I have pictures?”  And someone else is like “Hey, I have a file from a Vietnam MASH unit for a Logan who looks like that guy, do you want it?”  And someone else is like “Uh, fuck all of y’all, I think this is him in the Civil War, what do I do about that?”

AND SO BEGINS LOGAN, THE HISTORICAL CRYPTID.

This undergrad is taking an extra year of college and basically getting a Bachelor’s degree in Tracking Weird Mutants Through History, and also his adviser is very lucky to be on tenure, because otherwise he would have been laughed out of the college three times by now.  But there is an absolute preponderance of evidence, is the thing, so it just turns into this massive quest to investigate exactly whether or not Logan the Mystery Dude was actually in China for the Boxer Rebellion or whatever.

Forget this being a collaborative effort between colleges, there are multiple continents involved in this by now.  Canadian government is under pressure to turn out their WWII special operations files for this guy from five different big name universities in five different countries, including their own.  Things are getting a little wild in academia.  Steve’s been interviewed nine times and he has a filter set up in his email specifically to catch stuff from the University of Toronto.

It takes a little bit for Kitty’s bubbe to get a phone call.  Kitty’s bubbe has been living a quiet-ass life in Illinois and likes it that way, especially because her last name is not Pryde and therefore Kitty and her weird friends can crash at Bubbe’s house whenever they’re in the area without any trouble.  It’s fine if her granddaughter wants to run around in spandex and save the world and shit, she’s honestly much more chill about it than Kitty’s parents, but Bubbe does not care for news crews in her neighborhood thank you very much.

But so eventually this nice old Ashkenazi woman gets a phone call from an extremely pumped undergrad who read a very brief statement she gave in a news article forty years ago about Captain America, who she is very grateful to for breaking her, her older sister, and their little brother out of a prison camp during WWII and also helping them get across the border.  Did she happen to see anyone else?  Why yes, very polite young man, the Captain had another man with him, he was very grumpy but he let my brother ride on his shoulders so I liked him very much.  That’s great, would she mind if someone came and talked to her about that?  No, very polite young man, not at all, when would work for you?

And she gives Kitty a call that night, because she gives Kitty a weekly call since Kitty and her parents are going through a rough spot to the tune of “please God stop risking your life//listen I’m saving people I’m not going to stop learn to cope”.  Bubbe mentions offhand that she’s going to have a talk with this very polite young historian about the Shoah and Kitty’s understandably a little concerned for her bubbe’s mental health, and asks some questions.  

So Kitty hears her bubbe out in increasing degrees of shock, hangs up the phone, and immediately goes and does an extensive google.

Then she goes and hammers on Logan’s door until he says to come in, slams her computer down in front of him, and says “Holy shit, Logan, why didn’t you tell us that you knew Captain America?”

“Uh, because I mostly didn’t,” Logan says, wary.  “Don’t remember that much.”

“You might want to take a look at this, then,” Kitty says, and Logan looks through her fifteen tabs and thanks her and calls the university that seems best informed.

Which is the story of how an extremely pumped undergrad gets a phone call from the object of his thesis that opens with “This is gonna sound pretty fuckin’ wild, but my name is Logan and I’m pretty sure you can catch me up on the last hundred years better than I can.”

Oh, and then Logan and Steve meet up again and it’s very nice and sweet and that undergrad gets a full ride to the PhD program of his choice.  The full ride’s name is actually Tony Stark, who’s doing a favor for Steve, who’s doing a favor for Logan, who’s secretly doing a favor for the undergrad, but no one really knows that.

[vonbrunk]

Ultra Hexacon -- transforms from robot to Nintendo 64 and back!

Painstakingly created five years ago throughout the summer of 2013, this is an updated photo shoot and video of my ambitious LEGOformers Ultra Hexacon and Tetragon to commemorate the five-year anniversary. I made a few small improvements in the design of the main robot Ultra Hexacon, and took newer images with my current Nikon D750. These articulated creations were my most elaborate, ambitious, and difficult LEGOformers to date, whose complexity eclipsed that over previous and subsequent transforming game systems/accessories. Throughout the spring and summer of 2013, I worked a job that had fewer hours than other companies, and had a shorter commute time: this allowed me to focus a great deal of time and effort at creating these models. These were each built completely organically with trial and error, and without any digital assistance. In other words, I purchased the pieces I needed, and then built several mockups and demos before making final versions of each robot. Because of this, there are no instructions available, and I don't have any clones of either Ultra Hexacon nor his scorpion controller Tetragon. Ultra Hexacon -- the game console -- was the first and most difficult of my Nintendo 64 series. He's much larger than his predecessors like the Game Boy and Game Gear, and has more articulation compared to previous ones as well. One of the most difficult obstacles in his construction was the addition of his head. An early idea was to have the head detach and transform into a Rumble Pak, akin to the Transformers Headmasters series. I eventually managed to conceal his head on rotating hinges in the upper shoulder area, albeit his head can't turn sideways. His shoulder cannon turns into the game console's power supply, and the ammo magazine doubles as the memory card for the controller. The name "Ultra Hexacon" makes reference to the original North American name for the Nintendo 64, which was called "Ultra 64" in 1996. "Hexacon" comes from the proper mathematical term for a a 64-sided polygon, known as the obscure "Hexacontatetragon" -- this is also where the controller's name "Tetragon" comes from. Transformed into their alt modes, both Ultra Hexacon and Tetragon are united as a gestalt called "Hexacontatetragon." Tetragon was never originally intended to be a scorpion; this was merely a last minute decision. From the beginning, Tetragon was supposed to be a smaller anthropomorphic robot, however after several days of attempts to create a functional design, I scrapped the idea and instead decided to make the controller transform into some kind of animal. Early ideas consisted of making Tetragon transform into a dinosaur-like creature as a reference to Turok the Dinosaur Hunter. I gave up with this idea and simply made it into a scorpion, as a result of experimenting with the hinges and joints of the Tetragon's basic structure. The black cord for Tetragron to plug into the socket of Ultra Hexacon is actually a LEGO component: it's a rare, elongated black rubber Technic hose piece which has been discontinued. This means that aside from the stickers I printed, every single piece of Ultra Hexacon and his accessories are 100% real LEGO pieces, and contain no extra modifications. When released in August 2013, these creations were a huge hit on social media, but unfortunately I released these a few months before getting a smarthphone and joining Instagram, and at the time I was on a two-year hiatus from Twitter. This means the popularity of these creations were centralized to Facebook and Tumblr, and weren't flaunted much elsewhere. They were however picked up by some aggregate sites and had articles published about them. I also entered this in a LEGO contest on the website Instructables, and won 1st place. I received a lot of backlash and negativity because I posted the photos by themselves on Instructables without any instructions to build: at the time, Instructables allowed users to upload artistic creations they built rather than giving step-by-step instructions, thus a lot of my 2012-2013 entries on my Instructables account are merely photo shoots of my LEGO creations, but no how-to-build guides. After the backlash, I decided to only submit subsequent Instructables entries with real tutorials and thorough step-by-step guides, rather than simply showing off what I built. From 2014 upwards, I made Instructables tutorials for my electronic LEGO creations, with such extreme details as illustrations of schematics as well as online links to purchase proper battery types. With that said, these creations contain absolutely no instructions, as I've created each of these organically without the aid of digital assistance. Despite this fact, I receive tons of e-mails and messages requesting to provide instructions on how to build Ultra Hexacon or Tetragon. It's a hard pill for my fans to swallow, but I rarely ever chronicle my LEGO models with instructions, as I make my creations the old fashioned way. Also, I would rather encourage people to be inspired by my work and build their own original creations, rather than copying my work verbatim.

[liveonthisplanetanymore-blog]

How Much Does Bark Box Cost a Month?

There are several more exciting things which are possible to teach your dog to do. If your pet will end up being outside in sunlight you then must take that extra methods to guard them from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Your dog demands special services to make certain it stays happy and healthy. Dogs are believed of as man’s greatest friend. Other dogs may be excitable or superior strung. Aging dogs must have brain games merely to continue to keep their minds sharp. Just about everyone loves to observe a sweet dog. After the dog is recent its typical lifespan, it normally shows a lot of the signs of human old age. The puppy has to find out how to have the smaller sized toys out. People that say that it’s costly to adopt pet canines may have observed the problems linked to an ill pup. There are certainly apt to be a great deal of techniques you may obtain your pet dog to avoid the behavior. I’ve always loved buying Klaus toys because his excitement is so apparent really. This is a pup who appreciates the actual fact that I purchased something for him really, or at least it appears enjoy it. Unlike my cats who actually couldn’t care much less about obtaining presents that aren’t edible. Obviously, when Barkbox reached out to discover if Klaus want to execute a review I jumped on the opportunity.

bark box working

Let’s execute a quick run-down of what BarkBox is and what they provide; BarkBox is a regular monthly subscription box for dogs of all sizes. Each box comes with two bags of treats, one chew, and two toys. Everything is tied with a theme together. All of the treats are organic and manufactured in the Canada or US. BarkBox monthly is billed, and decreases in cost if you invest in 6 or 12 month plan. You additionally have the option to become listed on the excess Toy Club for yet another $9 per month. The first box ships immediately and subsequent boxes ship on the 15th of each month.

Klaus getting a whole box of things was the absolute cutest! He would take a toy, run over to the other side of the living room, set it down, and run back to see what else we had for him. The box he received was New York City themed. Actually “Poo York City! ” I must say i enjoyed all of the silly takes on on words within the package. “Pawsonalize. ” “Guaranpeed. ” “ BarkBox r Middle. ” So cute! He’s not really picky about treats so that it was no surprise that he loved those (As seen in one of the photos above, Professor was also very interested in the bag of treats. A few days later he would rip open the bag and try to steal them. ) The toys were a huge hit too. I’ve mentioned in the past how much Klaus loves squeaky toys so I was stoked to find that both of the toys in his box had squeakers.

I was a little bit worried about the toys not holding up for very long though. Klaus is a selective plaything destroyer meaning there are playthings that he shreds instantly but something of an identical quality might last for weeks for no particular cause. Been in regards to a couple weeks it’s, and surprisingly plenty of he hasn’t destroyed either plaything. Better still fresh is that he discovered a fresh favorite toy, a ball shaped like the statue of libertyHe literally carries it everywhere, and is constantly placing it on my arm in hopes that I’ll try to steal it from him. Mmm. I love soggy toys. He is currently laying beside me on the couch with that ball under his chin. When he finally does destroy that toy I could purchase him another from the BarkBox actually, which is a real way to buy toys and treats without the subscription.

Klaus really, enjoyed the complete experience really. So much to ensure that I would feel guilty not doing this for him every month honestly. Barkbox was strike! At the chance of sounding cliche, and using the same silly expression everyone who provides ever written an assessment has said probably, I believe Klaus would up give it two paws! xoxoBarkBox Review

If you keep running out of doggie treats and goodies, or maybe you get the wrong ones, you need help. Thanks to Barkbox’s monthly plans, your furry best friend could have all the treats it requires because of its size and age. Barkbox may be the ultimate monthly pet dog subscription box program that will deliver playthings and treats for the one you love dog when they require it most.

Why a Monthly Pet dog Subscription bark box is necessary?

Dogs, like individuals get uninterested in the same toys and treats just. Barkbox offers not simply a variety of items but also an array of canine themed goodies. Different every month, think of it as a doggie present box!

What Comes in a BarkBox? Toys and Treats?

The themed goody boxes come with at least two impressive toys, a chew, and two bags of all-natural treats. Every month, the pet subscription box holds a different surprise for your dog, which they will love!

How do you Bark Box get started?

We can see that you currently need to get started - it's the best option ever designed for dog fans and dogs! To get started with, you need to simply take one of the plans available that are detailed below.

THE DOGMANS IN THE CITY BarkBox

This theme represents the miracle on the 34th squeak. It is the perfect festival package. If you forgot to get your honest and loyal furry dog a gift for Christmas, or you were unable to obtain the right present, this Barkbox: The Dogmans In The City awaits.

The featured toys for  BarkBox this theme include:

Howliday Spectacular Dancers

This is a tug toy with other toys in it. The dancers have safe and sound T-clothing rope for a good tugging and grip. It is filled with three traditional squeakers shaped like lighting which your beloved will receive a kick out of.

Holly, Jolly, and GabeShould you have a chewer in the homely house, permit this plaything indulge it. Holly, Jolly, and Gabe come in one size and perfect for small to medium sized dogs. They also have different squeakers perfect for sinking teeth.

But these three colorful heroes Holly, Jolly and Gabe independently don’t hang, they hold on a pup, tummy safe, t- clothing rope well suited for tugging and gripping. They shall light your pup ’s spirits.

Squeaky Wish List

Everybody knows that pup that treats toys just like the most complex puzzles ever created, right?

Why not fulfill BarkBox that dog’s curiosity with the Squeaky Desire List?

This toy includes a squeaker mat with irresistible crinkly texture, and also a space to cover up treats. Hiding treats in the envelope will keep your loved one captivated for hours definitely!

Dogsmas Tree Delivery

This multi-part toy supplies the right dose of multi-part joy. It includes a gentle and squeaky car and also a detachable, fluffy tree that is squeaky too.

Canine Carols Collection BarkBox

This is the healthiest treat your pup needs. It is free of wheat, soy, and corn. It also has options for sensitive tummies and allergies.

Other than the squeaky toys, every dog needs a chew-thingy. This Six-In . Duck Chew is all organic and made with US-sourced meat.The plans available for you start from as low as $20 monthly. The best part is normally that the goodies you will receive every month are valued at over $40! All the boxes cost the same amount, no matter what the size of your loved one. Other than the monthly plan, there are six-month and total annual plans, which you can cancel from at any time. Note that you get free Barkbox shipping for all Barkbox plans any place in the United Canada and Claims. For clients, your first container gets delivered out between 2-8 business times. Then simply because a normal Barkbox subscriber your boxes will be shipped from the 15th of each month.

For a month’s membership of Barkbox, you can pay just $29.

The six a few months ’ subscription costs $25 per Barkbox. This course of action needs you to pay in advance with a discount - six months would be $142 in advance.

The total annual plan will cost you $20 per Barkbox. Once again like the 6 month plan if you pay for the whole year to begin it will only cost you $239!!!If you would like to gift a box to another dog lover then Barkbox have you covered as well! They have the option to send one box as a gift which includes a gift note for

You need to remember that every time you sign up for a plan, you are getting into a commitment that lasts the entire duration of the program.

The plans are renewed in the event that you don’t cancel the program automatically. Cancellation is suitable, at any right time. Worth mentioning may be the truth that you cannot get yourself a discount if you join the 6 or the 12 months strategy but cancel it throughout the subscription.

CHEWRASSIC Bark Box

This theme is filled with all sorts of dinosaurs that may arouse your dog’s interest once you open the box - your pet has been looking forward to 65 million human years for these treats so please usually do not delay them any more from these yummy doggy treats?

Some of the top prehistoric, never fossilized dinosaurs making up this theme include:

TOYS and  BarkBox

This is an adorable, squeaky, plush dinosaur that comes with a crinkly shell. This toy promises to make your canine friend the happiest dog around, regardless of the mood they were in before!

Herbert the Herbivore

The use of unique and safe materials to make this toy ensures that your dog has the best tugging experience. Herbert the Herbivore has a super-durable spiky bonus toy inside and a pull-through, stomach-safe t- shirt rope.

Airborne Archie

Sounds fascinate dogs, and this toy makes that special sound that will fill your dog with joy. Airborne Archie includes a crinkly mat body and an enormous plush head.

Jurassic Pork and BarkBox

You cannot vacation to the prehistoric times without visiting the Jurassic Park, is it possible to? This deal with is delightful and manufactured in the USA. It has sweet potatoes, pork, and pumpkin, and it is free from corn, soy, and wheat. Pawfect for your loved one!

Dinosaur Meat, Basically

Since not all dogs have the strong teeth of a T-Rex, this soft and easy-to-chew chicken is perfect. It is dried up for the maximum chewiness and sourced froYour dog deserves the very best quality toy, which bone may be the best chew it could get. It is long lasting, nontoxic, and made out of great focus on detail. Though hard, thisall-natural nylon chew is certainly safe, and a very tasty is had because of it smoky flavor.

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[somedaysiamspike]

Dream, dream, dream ...

Been a while since I posted a dream, but last night’s is definitely worth documenting ...

I was traveling in Greece, having just covered the Olympics in my old job. Because the Olympics were over, I was using up some vacation time to do some solo traveling.

Note: In real life, I actually did cover the Olympics in Greece, and I did have a couple of days of free time afterward to explore Athens, but I didn’t really enjoy myself very much because the city felt so empty after the excitement of the previous three weeks. Plus, I was spent having soaked all my energies into covering one of the biggest stories of my life and felt more like chilling than exploring. I was  thinking about that Greece trip a couple of days ago, which is probably why it appears at the beginning of this dream.

In the dream, it was completely opposite of that real-life experience. The Olympics were over, the hard work was done, and I was eager to explore. I ventured east, traveling in some sort of grand, modern tunnel to get across the strait from Europe to Asia. Then I was on a train and reached some sort of border-crossing in the middle of Turkey. I had to get off the train and stick my head into some tiny compartment on a set of rails to get across the border and onto another train. Physiologically, it made no sense. The contraption should decapitate anyone who stuck their head into it, but that was the way to cross the border, and I got across in one piece.

I kept traveling east, and made it to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I remember thinking how fast it was to get there by train from Turkey. It was only a few hours! (In real life, it’s probably impossible by train.)

In my dream, Riyadh wasn’t a desert city. It was a beautiful place set next to a mountain range, like something you’d see in Arizona. I decided to climb one of the rocks way high up – being the reckless person I usually am – to take in the view and take some photos with my camera. (My real one, not the cellphone.)

I remember shaking and trying to keep my balance as I took the photos. I thought, “Gee, this trip has made me tired. I need some rest.” I climbed down, then was trying to decide where to go next. I then remembered that I should probably check the date of my plane flight from Athens back to the U.S. I’m glad I did. The flight on United was leaving at 11:10 p.m. that night, as written in pencil in the little date book I carried in my pocket.

Fortunately, it was only 2 o’clock, and I calculated I had plenty of time to travel by train back across Saudi Arabia, get to Athens, pack, and still make the flight. (Haha, if this were real life.) I did the reverse trip across the border in Turkey with my head in that weird contraption.

I must’ve made the flight OK, because the dream immediately jumped to the US. I had landed, and was making the last leg of my trip on my way home to North Carolina – on bicycle. I rode through a small community that was having a lovely festival of some sort. Croquet. Flowers. Fun. All on luscious green grass among trees. I really wanted to stay. I asked one of the people if this was a yearly event. He said it was, so I wrote it in my calendar and said I would be back next year.

When I got to North Carolina, I got a ride from Hank Farrior, a really good guy who worked with me at the radio station in Williamston a long time ago. Haven’t seen him in real life in many years. It was good to see ol’ Hank.

He drove me down a country road, and then the dream got really strange.

Hank was no longer there. I was standing in front of a house on a rural road. It seemed I was both alone, and surrounded by people. There was a woman inside the house, maybe a young girl? For some reason, we knew someone had to go inside and talk to her. A tall, handsome man volunteered. I knew he was doomed.

Once he entered the house, the building took on a grotesque shape, like it was being digested by a monster. The man was thrust from the second story window with a long burgundy noose around his neck. He hung in the misty mid-air, then dropped to his death.

Then the girl/woman emerged as a spirit through the walls of the house. She also had a rope around her neck, but it wasn’t attached to anything, so she kept going, soaring through the air while sitting on an easy chair. I felt detached from the whole thing, like I was watching a really scary horror movie.

Then I woke up.

#decapitation!

#now that’s a theme to have in a dream, huh?

[localocksmithnearme]

Buick Fob Keys And Remote Program Hoboken NJ

Often, people might be alittle gawky and distracted and one common disturbing things that might take place is locking or breaking the keys to your car trunk, ignition or door. Our legitimate key made, pop a lock and ignition repair pros are viable adequate to arrive to your location and get your key made, car door unlocked or ignition replaced or repaired onsite eliminating the towing-truck to the local dealer with a rapid rescue to get you back in whatever Buick you drive. Hoboken Key Replacement administer a complete road-side car lock-smith service, meaning that we carry suitable appliances vital to program, copy or cut every single Buick smart key, chipped key, flip-key or sidewinder key on-the-spot.

Models: Riviera, Encore, Grand National, Century, Rendezvous, Regal, Terraza, LeSabre, Wagon Station, LaCrosse, Standard Coach, Park Avenue, Enclave, Sail and Rainier

Buick keys replacement in Hoboken NJ

If you broken your ignition key or forgot where you put your vehicle key, you have several possibilities to procure a newish set of Buick key replacement:

Driving to the Hoboken NJ regional dealer is sometimes presumably a brisk or modest way to make a brand-new key by the vehicle identification number, but in some circumstances (like General-Motors) the dealer want you to have an original vehicle registration or title with an identical address on your photo ID. In some other conditions, the dealership have no access to old-fashioned key codes by the VIN number (like Mercury, Lincoln and Mazda), the dealer may create substitution keys just for types from the previous 10 years.

Sit on top of the bureaucracy above, in a lot of occasions, your car is locked on the street in a far country side, with a broken key in the ignition or locked with the key in the truck and to choose the dealer will entail around surplus $100 for a towing truck service.

About Buick key lock platform

Buick is a U.S.A car-maker originated in 1903, on the whole exists as a subordinate of GM with product range consist of average vehicles.  Buick originate employing transponder keys in 1997 on several models. A transponder key can accommodate a remote clicker, to lock or unlock the doors and trunk locks and perhaps even ignite the car, however a simple metal bladed chipped key will be sufficient to manually perform similar purposes.

In 2007,  Buick began to employ Passive Entry Passive Start (PEPS) keyless device on several models.

Ignition switch repair

The Buick ignition switch use three phases that power on specific system when the key is turned. The ignition switch will power on the electrical components on the first stage, power on the fuel supply on the 2nd stage and start up the engine on the third stage.

A noticeably common thing we get asked in our dispatch center is to assist with, is troubleshooting ignition cylinder problems. Although we are usually pleased to try and diagnose your condition, it can be incredibly hard to do so over the phone. Apart from having relevant Buick diagnostic and lock bumping tools, an essential knowledge of how vehicle ignition cylinder function is required, still prior to calling an ignnition key smith please check the options below:

No dash board lights

If you turn the key in ignition on but lights doesn't come on at the dashboard meaning that no electrical power running from the car battery. It could be A deflated battery or maybe even a failed alternator or electronic wiring connection could be the reason for this. Light up the front lights, if they wont light up, it's actually means the battery has died which is a task for a  mechanic.

Hard to turn the ignition key

Most vehicle have a steering wheel locking mechanism that is being locked when you pull off the ignition key out of the switch  at the end of each drive. Many times, the steering wheel can lock in a position that puts physical force to the ignition cylinder, and wont let the key from turning (usually happens when parking on a hill) or when each of two front wheels is depressed against an object (e.g. sidewalk corner).

Warning: Before you try troubleshooting this problem, make sure that your vehicle shifting gear is on park.

Hold the  wheel and try to swing the  steering wheel  right and left and left and right at the same time as lightly shake left and right the ignition gripping the key - this might help to release the steering wheel.

The ignition is remarkably critical component of any car and consisting of so many small detachments that can be difficult to inspect by a non-experience hands, so the only thing an owner can do bearing ignition lock  complications is to make sure you’re actually trying to light up your very own motor vehicle and ask a car lock man to come out to your location to rekey, reprogram  replace the ignition or key which will priced as around $150–$350.

Transponder chipped key originate

Due to the high rates of motor vehicle theft back in the 1990’s, exceedingly all cars since roughly 1995 accept electric key-lock employing anti theft system, transponder chip key or P.A.T keys.

A chipped key provide additional security that the standard car key can't. In addition to cutting the key, the chip inside the key bill need to be programmed to be in sync with the engine control unit for your car engine to fire up.

In the last few decades cars are employing electric keylock, car larceny was almost eliminate, though backing up a stolen and lost key or even simply duplicating a key prescribe de-coding of the vehicle computer unit by a compatible key programmer owned by a locksmith or the dealer-ship, hence has become incredibly expensive.  

Buick keyless device

Buick smartkey allow a driver to lock and unlock the door to your car besides flaring up the car yet avoiding utilizing the metal bladed key, and beginning at 2007, a lot of Buick models in the market are furnished with some sort of a smart key system that accommodate a short range remote transmitter.

Using a key-less entry, opening the door to your Buick is usually obtained by delivering an audio and infrared waves signal from a transponder in the proximity key to an ECU in the car on an enciphered channel when you just walking by within 5 ft of the vehicle with the key-less entry on a key ring or in the pocket.

This RF signal and the Buick smartkey infrastructure, furthermore enable push start ignition (also known as Crash starting or Push starting). In this method a user is adept of igniting a vehicle engine by clicking a push buttons on the dash board alternative to twisting a key in a key crack.

Copy vs lost car keys

The times of making a car key by having an inexpensive mechanical key blank and cut at the locksmith or a hardware store by the VIN are bygone. Nearly all modern vehicles come with transponder keys and immobiliser and furthermore smart keys and push-start ignition.

The keys include an assembled chip which communicates with the engine control unit in the motor vehicle. If the ECU does not identify the authorized key, the car will not start.

This modern electronic keylock technology integrate additional security and convenience and prooves to be remarkably useful antitheft structure, yet outplacing them if they get broken or lost should be done by the dealership or a mobile locksmith with a unique Buick diagnostic hardware and key programmer and normally might be $100-$150 more then a metal bladed key.

24 hrs vehicle lockout

Have you ever locked your keys in your vehicle or trunk? If the answer is yes, you understand how distressing it might be when a driver facing similar scenario.

We dispenses complete twenty four hour popalock service in town at cost effective price. Employing our special lock cracking devices to unlock your car averting any hardship to the vehicle van, truck, pickup or SUV.

Car locks correcting

Did you got one of your Buick keys kidnapped?, lost the keys to your car? or purchased a fresh Buick ignition and require to reconstitute an outdated one?, wish to guarantee that no one else receive the skill to flare up your car? Good News! You have come to the right place, as things go changing of vehicle locks is one of Hoboken Key Replacement essential quirk. Our experts can re-key the internal pins inside your ignition or door lock, so it would adopt the new key and disdain the outdated one. Elevate the phone and call our call centre to get your car lock adjusted by a professionally trained keysmith in no time at all

Conclusion

Did you broke your keys in the ignition, purchase a duplicate smart-key and need it programmed or lost the last key to your vehicle? Outstanding news! We are on a line of duty 24 hr and will come out to you within the least possible amount of time to effortlessly implement you with ignition repair, motor vehicle lockout and replacement keys) on premises. If you locked your self out or lost your car key call us (973)200-4870. Our specialists haul lock picking and key programmer devices and will arrive at your location instantaneously to unlock your car door, replace a lost key or repair your ignition lock at your location and put you on the road once again ASAP. . If you’re scouting for Buick key replacement service 24HR in Hoboken New Jersey,  call (973)200-4870 for a reliable local mobile locksmith, lost car keys made, ignition repair, transponder, keyless entry remote fob cut and program.

[hrk4]

The year that was...

Dear Friends:

Season’s Greetings!

Ten years ago, in December 2010, for the first time I wrote my reminiscences of the year. It was inspired by a short photo-blog that my friend Aditya J. wrote after his first few months in Seoul, where he had been sent onsite. Looking at my work over the past decade through my writings should have evoked in me some sort of emotional response, be it joy or disappointment or pride or despair or even disdain. I read through all the older posts (which, in total, came to around 10,000 words) and by the time I was done, there was a strange feeling of “Ok, fine, but never mind. What next?” It was not apathy, for I undertook most of those activities with genuine interest. It was also not dissatisfaction, because I’ve accomplished a fair deal in ten years given my limitations and circumstances. It was more an acceptance of what has happened without any sentimental coloring added to it. There was inexplicable sense of detachment; a feeling that these memoirs are those of a familiar character but not me.

When I started writing these end-of-the-year e-mails—initially to a small group of family and friends, and later online—there was a need for me to prove to the world that I was indeed doing something of value, especially given that I had quit a mainstream career and was pursuing my interests full-time. It was perhaps a plea, a boast, a shout that was aimed at bringing people’s attention to the fact that I was not wasting my life but actually doing something worthwhile. By the end of the following year, I seem to have realized that it was really pointless trying to prove anything to anybody. However, this cute little exercise in self-awareness was captivating for the sort of perspective it offered me. And I decided to write it again. And again. And again. For ten years on the trot. It is now aimed merely as self-reflection and I post it online simply because there are a few people who have shown interest in browsing through these yearly jottings of mine. Maybe there is yet a self-indulgent streak in me but I suppose this annual drill has a modicum of value.

In the grand—and painfully slow—process of the maturing of the mind, I found (to my utter surprise) that a few precepts that I had known in theory for several years seemed to be slowing blossoming into practice. More and more I moved towards my sva-dharma, my innate nature. I began refusing opportunities, staying away from certain people, avoiding particular institutions, putting a stop to certain activities – basically saying No! to anything that took me away from my natural temperament. I was also privy to several episodes in the lives of my friends where they suffered a great deal simply because they went against their fundamental nature. Only now do I truly understand what Krishna said in the Gita when he said, “The dharma of another is dangerous!” I also began realizing the value of being more inclusive and getting work done rather than trying to do everything myself. I ended up doing something that I had deemed impossible when I was a college freshman.

One accomplishment that I’m genuinely glad about this year is losing fifteen pounds (at least it sounds more than seven kilograms!) Mostly thanks to the persistence of my friend Shreesha and the good nature of people around me who allowed me to act whimsical with regard to food and pushed me to exercise. Another is the publication of the Bhagavad-Gita Audiobook, which appears as a series on Shaale. I had recorded this with Jurgen Nigli and Somsubhra Banerjee in 2015–16 but had somehow not found the time to edit and bring it out. I’ve started publishing it from Gita-Jayanti 2019 and it will run as a series with 20+ episodes (a new episode every Saturday).

This year I was involved with the production of quite a few books, the prominent ones being Art Gallery of Memories – Volumes 1, 2, 3 (by D V Gundappa), Evolution of the Mahabharata (by S R Ramaswamy) and Shiva Rama Krishna (by Shatavadhani Dr. R Ganesh). I designed a bunch of books and also worked on the digitization of portions of some Sanskrit texts. I made my Kannada writing debut with an essay I co-wrote with my friend Vikram for the anthology ‘ನಿರ್ಲಿಪ್ತಿ.’ I got a chance to present a few lectures and workshops through the course of the year for variegated audiences on different topics. I also attended two excellent workshops on Indian temple art and architecture.

My unfinished projects and failed schemes are, quite naturally, far more in number but I’ve learnt not to take those too seriously. One year’s failure is another year’s success. One year’s incompleteness is another year’s discretion. This became amply clear when upon the request of my colleague I prepared my curriculum vitae after a gap of seven years.

In April 2019—along with a group of friends—I completed reading the five-volume pièce de résistance of Bharat Ratna Pandurang Vaman Kane – History of Dharmaśāstra, which runs into some six thousand pages. The study group started in October 2016 and met once every week. We read fifty pages before every session and met every Wednesday night for a few hours, discussing the nuances with rich insights provided by all participants. I continue to be a part of several study groups with friends, which is really a wonderful way to spend ‘social time’ without feeling guilty for having wasted the hours and yet having a great deal of fun. As part of these study groups, I got the chance to read two classics – Macbeth and Parva. महापुरुषसंसर्गः कस्य नोन्नतिकारकः? (When has the company of a great person ever failed to elevate the lives of others?)

A few months after I finished reading the History of Dharmaśāstra, I had the golden opportunity to meet P V Kane’s grandson in Pune (along with my friends Kashyap and Raghavendra). He shared wonderful stories about his grandfather and was glad to hear about our study group that read the entire work from cover to cover. Sudha Murty, the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation had invited the Prekshaa team for dinner to her home and we had a great time interacting with her as well as with N R Narayana Murty and Rohan Murty about a variety of topics related to culture. Along with my friends Arjun and Kashyap, I had the great fortune of visiting Dr. S L Bhyrappa’s home twice this year.

I had the remarkable experience of encountering the works of two great artistes of our time: I saw a couple of dance concerts of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam, who is a phenomenon in the world of dance and culture. No music, no film, no drama can come anywhere close to watching her perform live. I say this as an ardent connoisseur of all these arts. I got the chance to see the paintings of Sri. G L N Simha and also meet him briefly. A most unassuming man, he has painted some of the finest works related to Indian traditional texts.

2019 was a year of meeting several friends (who don’t live in Bengaluru) and of making new friends. It was also a year of losing many elderly relatives and friends. We can’t avoid old age and death but we sure can prepare for it better.

As always, my year is incomplete without a certain amount of travelling. Apart from trips to Ajanta-Ellora, Belur-Halebidu, Chennai, Harihara, Hampi, Kanchipuram, Mysuru, Panjim, Pune, and other smaller towns and villages, I had the chance to visit two important pilgrim centers – Prayagraj for the Ardh-Kumbh Mela and Kanchipuram for the darshana of Atthi-varadar. Although I’m rather faithless in many ways, it was fascinating to see the devotion in millions of our people. It is rather discouraging when I come face to face with the truth that simple faith of the so-called ignorant masses is what keeps Sanatana-dharma alive and not the kind of stuff that I do. That said, I can’t not do what I do because my joy lies here :)

I look forward to 2020 with a hope to cultivate more focus, more stillness of mind. Can I be happier for longer? How can I be more mindful on a daily basis? Can I live with lesser? How can I best choose my projects? – these are the sort of questions I shall probably be grappling with through the year.

One more year has whizzed past. Perhaps I’m just getting used to the speed. Or perhaps I’m somewhat more confident of slowing down in the future. Who knows what’s in store! I smile as I look towards tomorrow.

Wishing you and your family a joy-filled, healthy, and prosperous new year!

Cheers, Hari

PS: At the start of the year, India’s political situation was rather dicey. The country was going to have the once-in-five-years Lok Sabha elections. PM Narendra Modi had done a decent job during his first tenure (2014–19) and there was not a single leader in any party (including his own) who came close to him in terms of either integrity or skill in implementation. The opposition parties were threatening to unite across board with the sole agenda of defeating Modi. Inspired by what Dr. S L Bhyrappa told me and my friends when we met him in 2018, I called for a meeting of a few friends on Republic Day 2019. We all had the same goal: to get Modi re-elected in 2019. To ensure that we don’t have a hung parliament and to give another chance to a politician who had done something positive after ten long years of absolute corruption, deceit, and anti-nationalism, we wanted to work in our own humble way. Starting from that meeting on a warm Saturday afternoon, we went a long way in our campaign. It was entirely funded and run by volunteers who came together of their accord. What we did in terms of the details is unnecessary here but it came as a huge relief that Modi & co. stormed back into power in May 2019. The extraordinary work that they have done in the past six months makes me feel that everything we did during those early months of the year was worth it. Things are not perfect but at least we can be happy that the best people among the ones available to us have been elected to the highest offices of the country. I don’t know what value I added in the process but the process added a lot of value to me!

[alltheworldsrpg-blog]

WELCOME TO ROSWELL, ZARA RHODES!!

ADMIN CAMERON: What caught my attention about Zara was how carefully she was written, The Halogen’s past can go south very easily and you were able to handle that with grace. The plot section of your app really gives me confidence about her future growth as a character, and her dynamic with The Pulsar is everything I was looking for and some. 

You’ve been accepted as THE HALOGEN with the faceclaim of JESSICA DE GOUW. Please follow all rules and regulations as laid out by the Roswell Town Council, especially concerning any non pre-approved biologic. All UFO’s outside of city limits must be stickered or will be towed. Enjoy your stay in the first city of extraterrestrials.

OUT OF CHARACTER.

NAME/ALIAS + PRONOUNS:

Riley, he/him

AGE:

18+

TIMEZONE + ACTIVITY:

GMT. I don’t know about numbers, but I’m usually active every couple of days at least. I might not always be on tumblr because it’s blocked at work but I tend to write in notepad then post when I get home during quiet spells, and I’m off on Wednesdays and weekends.

TRIGGERS:

Removed for privacy. 

ANYTHING ELSE?:

I like sci-fi, superheroes and social justice. And I love this rp.

IN CHARACTER.

SKELETON TITLE:

The Halogen

FULL NAME:

Zara Rhodes – Zara means to blossom, I chose it because she’s only just starting to figure out who she is and developing into that person. Her motives might have been selfish and not entirely pure but she’s still growing. I chose the name Rhodes because I liked the sound of it and it summons images of loftiness and pretentiousness in my head.

GENDER + PRONOUNS:

Cisgender female, she/her

SEXUAL + ROMANTIC ORIENTATION:

Panromantic Pansexual

DATE OF BIRTH + AGE:

26 years old, July 13 2033, I chose Cancer as her star sign because they’re described as being inconsistent, difficult to predict, and seeking adventure but also security and that they keep others guessing and that’s how I picture her character.

OCCUPATION:

Law student

FACECLAIM:

Jessica De Gouw

BIOGRAPHY:

London has always been a city of immigrants, home of people from all backgrounds and walks of life, but the London Zara was born in fostered a different kind of immigration. She shared playgrounds with alien children (from the other side of the park, at her mother’s insistence), and she sat near them on the train (only when there were no other seats left, and even then her father would shield her as if she were some kind of fragile thing). From childhood, Zara knew two things; that aliens were part of life and that this was a bad thing.

She was eleven when her famous, wedding photographer father was all over the internet headlines because he’d famously refused to photograph an alien couple’s wedding. To Zara, it wasn’t such a big deal. It was his business and he should be allowed to run it the way he wanted. Her parents were business-people and it was their right to refuse those who weren’t technically human. After all, human rights laws didn’t exactly cover them. Her parents sheltered her from mixing with them as best they could, but that changed when she moved away, went to the United States for college.

Zara had lived in her dorm for only a day when her room mate casually dropped the fact they were a Centaurian in conversation. Zara was less than pleased. She made no attempt to hide her anti alien rhetoric, with slogans on shirts and posters on walls that could be classed as hate speech. She attended anti alien rallies, even tried to get them kicked out of school. She would get irritated when her room mate didn’t recognize her photographs at the campus gallery shows, even more irritated that they could hardly enjoy her work at all. After all, she was the human, and wasn’t this supposed to be all about her?

It would have been so easy to switch rooms. Her parents could even have afforded a fancy little apartment for her, and the room mate never moved either, intent on being ‘tolerant and understanding’. Zara’s motivations were less pure. She was determined to show her alien room mate a better way of life, to ‘tame’ them, and so it was almost ironic that she was the one who ended up being the student and the Centaurian the teacher. It took weeks, months, even years of debates, philosophical conversations, compassion and understanding that Zara probably didn’t deserve, but eventually it started to sink in. Aliens were a little different, but there was nothing fundamentally wrong with them. They could be friends. They could even be people you fell in love with, and boy, did Zara fall hard.

She was ashamed. She felt an intense need to make up for her actions, her blindness. Zara switched her major, choosing to pursue criminal justice as a pre-requisite for law school instead of the photography and artistic focus she’d held at the behest of her parents. Her parents didn’t take too kindly to it, especially when they discovered her reasons. She got the impression they thought she would grow out of it. But she never did. Zara used their last name to get some galleries interested in her photography and began selling it to make up for the money they were no longer so keen to send her. She even started her own online store. She wanted to be important in a different way, like her room mate was. She wanted to be an activist.

Zara never got the chance to truly share her feelings with her room mate even when graduation turned into summer turned into them renting a place together as ‘friends’. There might have been some flirting and some drunk confessions, but Zara pretends not to remember. For now. She doesn’t want to rock the boat on their living situation, and she tells herself that having recently been accepted into law school means she doesn’t have time for a relationship just yet anyway, but it’s all just an excuse. Really, she’s just waiting for the perfect moment, and she has no idea that the moment might not turn out to be perfect after all. Because the world isn’t perfect. In fact, it’s pretty broken, and Zara has yet to see just how deep the cracks go.

MUSING + HEAD-CANONS.

HEAD-CANONS:

I imagine Zara to be kind of like that activist with the best of intentions but she’s still learning. She’s come from a place of privilege with well-off human parents, upper middle class, white, and for most of her life she didn’t acknowledge or think about that. She’s only just starting out on this new journey. She’s growing as a person but she’s still in that sort of awkward stage where she doesn’t know when to talk and when to listen, and she also kind of turns her activism into a display, with social media posts etc.

Is a total pinterest ho and she loves those studyspo style pics.

Kind of a hipster.

But good intentions and has a lot of room for affection in her heart, even if it’s currently misplaced.

Zara was loved and a little spoiled as a kid. She wasn’t raised to have responsibility. She wasn’t punished for messing up and she didn’t have many rules. Who she is now is a result of the effect this can have on a child and their development so that its even affecting them as an adult in their mid 20s. Responsibility is starting to catch up with her and I find that a fascinating theme to explore. You can’t go through life as a free spirit not caring about anything in the long term, because then when you care about something completely, like Zara does now with Pulsar, then it’s kind of like a sensory overload that she doesn’t know how to handle, and now that she’s learning, for lack of a better term, social justice, she’s sort of diving in at the deep end and doesn’t really realise it takes time to be a good ally.

Her favourite color is blue, but she also likes blacks and greys. She likes pastel colors and a soothing aesthetic from her surroundings. She likes things to be neat and in order.

She still keeps up with photography, but primarily as a hobby. Selling her photos sometimes earns her a bit of pocket money and she still has her online store, but she doesn’t do much new photography for profit any more. Saying that, she’s happy to lend a hand and take snaps for the student paper or websites at local protests etc.

PLOTS + CONNECTIONS:

I want to explore the balance between responsibility and the impulsive artistic nature she has. She’s creative and intellectual, she believes so deeply in fate and chances, in a way that could something her mind used in the past to absolve her of her responsibility. She goes where her heart and impulse tells her which can be a dangerous way to live and that I feel has kind of come back to bite her now that she’s only just learning how to be a responsible adult.

The problem with being ruled by your heart and not your head is that it can get you in trouble, as you’re living a life without balance. If she’s taking her balance and the idea of morality from Pulsar that means it could be seen as a co-dependent relationship, which isn’t healthy either, but there’s also something about her and Pulsar that’s very pure and real too. Basically she’s a mess of contradictions. I love when characters have such realistic faults and they’re all rounded characters. She’s a free spirit and yet also has this dark side to her that’s capable of jealousy and insecurity and bitterness. It just feels like the realistic faults and struggles real people have, so I want to explore those.

Right now she doesn’t have any awareness of the fact Pulsar doesn’t feel the same way about her. She’s got a kind of confidence and sort of detachment from reality that she hasn’t picked up on any subtle cues that might have been dropped, but also the skeleton implies Pulsar might be leading her on a bit, which gives a few various avenues to explore when Zara actually finds out about it. I can see her reacting in a few different ways. She’s probably initially going to be pretty angry and upset. She’s going to be jealous of anyone Pulsar might be spending time with, but she doesn’t want to push the issue so she would instead focus on being angry that Pulsar wasn’t honest with her from the beginning.

I think it’s important not to fall into the trope of “I became a better person for you, so you owe me your love” especially as in this situation, Zara is sort of in the position of the oppressor, but I do think it might take her a bit of time to accept the reality of the situation because she’s so used to people fawning over her and thinking she’s fantastic. I want to try and find a balance between her disappointment and her spoiled attitude but also the fact she does respect Pulsar as a person and their free will.

I’d like to see her be exposed to some of the resistance people and be a little shocked and have her eyes opened about what a different form of activism looks like. It can be dark and gritty. It isn’t always sitting in a classroom learning about alien rights laws and spouting philosophy.

I’d also like her to come into contact with the anti alien people who she used to pal around with and who she turned her back on when she started listening to Pulsar and fell in love.

Those are the sort of connections I can see her building too. She’s kind of in an interesting position being that she’s touched on and has the ability to be part of both worlds. She tries to stay clear of the anti alien people now, but it would be interesting for some of them to try and tempt her back in, and especially if they do it to sort of take advantage of her being upset after she learns about Pulsar not reciprocating her feelings. Contrast to that, the types of aliens or alien supporters who use a more radical form of approach than Pulsar does I’d love to see her interact with and see how she responds to that.

WRITING SAMPLE:

Removed for privacy.

ETC:

https://ru.pinterest.com/mccluskry/zara/  Pinterest for her

http://vigilantwriter.tumblr.com/tagged/insp%3A-zara and my muse tag for her including some edits (its a queue so the tag will get bigger as my queue posts them)

[eretzyisrael]

HOW A PRO-PALESTINIAN AMERICAN REPORTER CHANGED HIS VIEWS ON ISRAEL AND THE CONFLICTBYHUNTER STUART  FEBRUARY 15, 2017 12:17

A year working as a journalist in Israel and the Palestinian territories made Hunter Stuart rethink his positions on the conflict.

The author walks past Ofer Prison near Ramallah, during a Palestinian protest outside the facility in November 2015. (photo credit:COURTESY / JONATHAN BROWN)

IN THE summer of 2015, just three days after I moved to Israel for a year-and-a-half stint freelance reporting in the region, I wrote down my feelings about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. A friend of mine in New York had mentioned that it would be interesting to see if living in Israel would change the way I felt. My friend probably suspected that things would look differently from the front-row seat, so to speak. Boy was he right.

Before I moved to Jerusalem, I was very pro-Palestinian. Almost everyone I knew was. I grew up Protestant in a quaint, politically correct New England town; almost everyone around me was liberal. And being liberal in America comes with a pantheon of beliefs: You support pluralism, tolerance and diversity. You support gay rights, access to abortion and gun control.

The belief that Israel is unjustly bullying the Palestinians is an inextricable part of this pantheon. Most progressives in the US view Israel as an aggressor, oppressing the poor noble Arabs who are being so brutally denied their freedom.

“I believe Israel should relinquish control of all of the Gaza Strip and most of the West Bank,” I wrote on July 11, 2015, from a park near my new apartment in Jerusalem’s Baka neighborhood. “The occupation is an act of colonialism that only creates suffering, frustration and despair for millions of Palestinians.”

Perhaps predictably, this view didn’t play well among the people I met during my first few weeks in Jerusalem, which, even by Israeli standards, is a conservative city. My wife and I had moved to the Jewish side of town, more or less by chance ‒ the first Airbnb host who accepted our request to rent a room happened to be in the Nachlaot neighborhood where even the hipsters are religious. As a result, almost everyone we interacted with was Jewish Israeli and very supportive of Israel. I didn’t announce my pro-Palestinian views to them ‒ I was too afraid. But they must have sensed my antipathy (I later learned this is a sixth sense Israelis have).

During my first few weeks in Jerusalem, I found myself constantly getting into arguments about the conflict with my roommates and in social settings. Unlike waspy New England, Israel does not afford the privilege of politely avoiding unpleasant political conversations. Outside of the Tel Aviv bubble, the conflict is omnipresent; it affects almost every aspect of life. Avoiding it simply isn’t an option.

During one such argument, one of my roommates ‒ an easygoing American-Jewish guy in his mid-30s ‒ seemed to be suggesting that all Palestinians were terrorists. I became annoyed and told him it was wrong to call all Palestinians terrorists, that only a small minority supported terrorist attacks. My roommate promptly pulled out his laptop, called up a 2013 Pew Research poll and showed me the screen. I saw that Pew’s researchers had done a survey of thousands of people across the Muslim world, asking them if they supported suicide bombings against civilians in order to “defend Islam from its enemies.” The survey found that 62 percent of Palestinians believed such terrorist acts against civilians were justified in these circumstances. And not only that, the Palestinian territories were the only place in the Muslim world where a majority of citizens supported terrorism; everywhere else it was a minority ‒ from Lebanon and Egypt to Pakistan and Malaysia.

I didn’t let my roommate win the argument early morning hours. But the statistic stuck with me.

Less than a month later, in October 2015, a wave of Palestinian terrorist attacks against Jewish-Israelis began. Nearly every day, an angry, young Muslim Palestinian was stabbing or trying to run over someone with his car. A lot of the violence was happening in Jerusalem, some of it just steps from where my wife and I had moved into an apartment of our own, and lived and worked and went grocery shopping.

At first, I’ll admit, I didn’t feel a lot of sympathy for Israelis. Actually, I felt hostility. I felt that they were the cause of the violence. I wanted to shake them and say, “Stop occupying the West Bank, stop blockading Gaza, and Palestinians will stop killing you!” It seemed so obvious to me; how could they not realize that all this violence was a natural, if unpleasant, reaction to their government’s actions?

IT WASN’T until the violence became personal that I began to see the Israeli side with greater clarity. As the “Stabbing Intifada” (as it later became known) kicked into full gear, I traveled to the impoverished East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan for a story I was writing.

As soon as I arrived, a Palestinian kid who was perhaps 13 years old pointed at me and shouted “Yehud!” which means “Jew” in Arabic. Immediately, a large group of his friends who’d been hanging out nearby were running toward me with a terrifying sparkle in their eyes. “Yehud! Yehud!” they shouted. I felt my heart start to pound. I shouted at them in Arabic “Ana mish yehud! Ana mish yehud!” (“I’m not Jewish, I’m not Jewish!”) over and over. I told them, also in Arabic, that I was an American journalist who “loved Palestine.” They calmed down after that, but the look in their eyes when they first saw me is something I’ll never forget. Later, at a house party in Amman, I met a Palestinian guy who’d grown up in Silwan. “If you were Jewish, they probably would have killed you,” he said.

I made it back from Silwan that day in one piece; others weren’t so lucky. In Jerusalem, and across Israel, the attacks against Jewish Israelis continued. My attitude began to shift, probably because the violence was, for the first time, affecting me directly.

I found myself worrying that my wife might be stabbed while she was on her way home from work. Every time my phone lit up with news of another attack, if I wasn’t in the same room with her, I immediately sent her a text to see if she was OK.

Then a friend of mine ‒ an older Jewish Israeli guy who’d hosted my wife and I for dinner at his apartment in the capital’s Talpiot neighborhood ‒ told us that his friend had been murdered by two Palestinians the month before on a city bus not far from his apartment. I knew the story well ‒ not just from the news, but because I’d interviewed the family of one of the Palestinian guys who’d carried out the attack. In the interview, his family told me how he was a promising young entrepreneur who was pushed over the edge by the daily humiliations wrought by the occupation. I ended up writing a very sympathetic story about the killer for a Jordanian news site called Al Bawaba News.

Writing about the attack with the detached analytical eye of a journalist, I was able to take the perspective that (I was fast learning) most news outlets wanted – that Israel was to blame for Palestinian violence. But when I learned that my friend’s friend was one of the victims, it changed my way of thinking. I felt horrible for having publicly glorified one of the murderers. The man who’d been murdered, Richard Lakin, was originally from New England, like me, and had taught English to Israeli and Palestinian children at a school in Jerusalem. He believed in making peace with the Palestinians and “never missed a peace rally,” according to his son.

By contrast, his killers ‒ who came from a middle-class neighborhood in East Jerusalem and were actually quite well-off relative to most Palestinians ‒ had been paid 20,000 shekels to storm the bus that morning with their cowardly guns. More than a year later, you can still see their faces plastered around East Jerusalem on posters hailing them as martyrs. (One of the attackers, Baha Aliyan, 22, was killed at the scene; the second, Bilal Ranem, 23, was captured alive.)

Being personally affected by the conflict caused me to question how forgiving I’d been of Palestinian violence previously. Liberals, human-rights groups and most of the media, though, continued to blame Israel for being attacked. Ban Ki-moon, for example, who at the time was the head of the United Nations, said in January 2016 ‒ as the streets of my neighborhood were stained with the blood of innocent Israeli civilians ‒ that it was “human nature to react to occupation.” In fact, there is no justification for killing someone, no matter what the political situation may or may not be, and Ban’s statement rankled me.

SIMILARLY, THE way that international NGOs, European leaders and others criticized Israel for its “shoot to kill” policy during this wave of terrorist attacks began to annoy me more and more.

In almost any nation, when the police confront a terrorist in the act of killing people, they shoot him dead and human-rights groups don’t make a peep. This happens in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh; it happens in Germany and England and France and Spain, and it sure as hell happens in the US (see San Bernardino and the Orlando nightclub massacre, the Boston Marathon bombings and others). Did Amnesty International condemn Barack Obama or Abdel Fattah al-Sisi or Angela Merkel or François Hollande when their police forces killed a terrorist? Nope. But they made a point of condemning Israel.

What’s more, I started to notice that the media were unusually fixated on highlighting the moral shortcomings of Israel, even as other countries acted in infinitely more abominable ways. If Israel threatened to relocate a collection of Palestinian agricultural tents, as they did in the West Bank village of Sussiya in the summer of 2015, for example, the story made international headlines for weeks. The liberal outrage was endless. Yet, when Egypt’s president used bulldozers and dynamite to demolish an entire neighborhood in the Sinai Peninsula in the name of national security, people scarcely noticed.

Where do these double standards come from?

I’ve come to believe it’s because the Israeli-Palestinian conflict appeals to the appetites of progressive people in Europe, the US and elsewhere. They see it as a white, first world people beating on a poor, third world one. It’s easier for them to become outraged watching two radically different civilizations collide than it is watching Alawite Muslims kill Sunni Muslims in Syria, for example, because to a Western observer the difference between Alawite and Sunni is too subtle to fit into a compelling narrative that can be easily summarized on Facebook.

Unfortunately for Israel, videos on social media that show US-funded Jewish soldiers shooting tear gas at rioting Arab Muslims is Hollywood-level entertainment and fits perfectly with the liberal narrative that Muslims are oppressed and Jewish Israel is a bully.

I admire the liberal desire to support the underdog. They want to be on the right side of history, and their intentions are good. The problem is that their beliefs often don’t square with reality.

In reality, things are much, much more complex than a five-minute spot on the evening news or a two paragraph-long Facebook status will ever be able to portray. As a friend told me recently, “The reason the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is so intractable is that both sides have a really, really good point.”

Unfortunately, not enough people see it that way. I recently bumped into an old friend from college who told me that a guy we’d both known when we were freshmen had been active in Palestinian protests for a time after graduating. The fact that a smart, well-educated kid from Vermont, who went to one of the best liberal arts schools in the US, traveled thousands of miles to throw bricks at Israeli soldiers is very, very telling.

THERE’S AN old saying that goes, “If you want to change someone’s mind, first make them your friend.” The friends I made in Israel forever changed my mind about the country and about the Jewish need for a homeland. But I also spent a lot of time traveling in the Palestinian territories getting to know Palestinians. I spent close to six weeks visiting Nablus and Ramallah and Hebron, and even the Gaza Strip. I met some incredible people in these places; I saw generosity and hospitality unlike anywhere else I’ve ever traveled to. I’ll be friends with some of them for the rest of my life. But almost without fail, their views of the conflict and of Israel and of Jewish people in general was extremely disappointing.

First of all, even the kindest, most educated, upper-class Palestinians reject 100 percent of Israel ‒ not just the occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank. They simply will not be content with a two-state solution ‒ what they want is to return to their ancestral homes in Ramle and Jaffa and Haifa and other places in 1948 Israel, within the Green Line. And they want the Israelis who live there now to leave. They almost never speak of coexistence; they speak of expulsion, of taking back “their” land.

To me, however morally complicated the creation of Israel may have been, however many innocent Palestinians were killed and displaced from their homes in 1948 and again in 1967, Israel is now a fact, accepted by almost every government in the world (including many in the Middle East). But the ongoing desire of Palestinians to wipe Israel off the map is unproductive and backward- looking and the West must be very careful not to encourage it.

The other thing is that a large percentage of Palestinians, even among the educated upper class, believe that most Islamic terrorism is actually engineered by Western governments to make Muslims look bad. I know this sounds absurd. It’s a conspiracy theory that’s comical until you hear it repeated again and again as I did. I can hardly count how many Palestinians told me the stabbing attacks in Israel in 2015 and 2016 were fake or that the CIA had created ISIS.

For example, after the November 2015 ISIS shootings in Paris that killed 150 people, a colleague of mine ‒ an educated 27-year-old Lebanese-Palestinian journalist ‒ casually remarked that those massacres were “probably” perpetrated by the Mossad. Though she was a journalist like me and ought to have been committed to searching out the truth no matter how unpleasant, this woman was unwilling to admit that Muslims would commit such a horrific attack, and all too willing ‒ in defiance of all the facts ‒ to blame it on Israeli spies.

USUALLY WHEN I travel, I try to listen to people without imposing my own opinion. To me that’s what traveling is all about ‒ keeping your mouth shut and learning other perspectives. But after 3-4 weeks of traveling in Palestine, I grew tired of these conspiracy theories.

“Arabs need to take responsibility for certain things,” I finally shouted at a friend I’d made in Nablus the third or fourth time he tried to deflect blame from Muslims for Islamic terrorism. “Not everything is America’s fault.” My friend seemed surprised by my vehemence and let the subject drop ‒ obviously I’d reached my saturation point with this nonsense.

I know a lot of Jewish-Israelis who are willing to share the land with Muslim Palestinians, but for some reason finding a Palestinian who feels the same way was near impossible. Countless Palestinians told me they didn’t have a problem with Jewish people, only with Zionists. They seemed to forget that Jews have been living in Israel for thousands of years, along with Muslims, Christians, Druse, atheists, agnostics and others, more often than not, in harmony. Instead, the vast majority believe that Jews only arrived in Israel in the 20th century and, therefore, don’t belong here.

Of course, I don’t blame Palestinians for wanting autonomy or for wanting to return to their ancestral homes. It’s a completely natural desire; I know I would feel the same way if something similar happened to my own family. But as long as Western powers and NGOs and progressive people in the US and Europe fail to condemn Palestinian attacks against Israel, the deeper the conflict will grow and the more blood will be shed on both sides.

I’m back in the US now, living on the north side of Chicago in a liberal enclave where most people ‒ including Jews ‒ tend to support the Palestinians’ bid for statehood, which is gaining steam every year in international forums such as the UN.

Personally, I’m no longer convinced it’s such a good idea. If the Palestinians are given their own state in the West Bank, who’s to say they wouldn’t elect Hamas, an Islamist group committed to Israel’s destruction? That’s exactly what happened in Gaza in democratic elections in 2006. Fortunately, Gaza is somewhat isolated, and its geographic isolation ‒ plus the Israeli and Egyptian-imposed blockade ‒ limit the damage the group can do. But having them in control of the West Bank and half of Jerusalem is something Israel obviously doesn’t want. It would be suicide. And no country can be expected to consent to its own destruction.

So, now, I don’t know what to think. I’m squarely in the center of one of the most polarized issues in the world. I guess, at least, I can say that, no matter how socially unacceptable it was, I was willing to change my mind.

If only more people would do the same.

[suiciderealestate]

3/19/2020 - 3/20/2020

Today is the first day of spring and the second day of my Saturn return. Last night I went on a hike in Mount Juliet with Annie, and though we both broke more promises to ourselves that we would remain in quarantine, the world felt so oddly at peace with our decision even amid this quiet panic. The sky was overcast, the trees emerging into a slow bloom and the ground alive with the first green of spring, baby grasses and flowers and mosses bursting in verdant jubilance as the world quietly boiled around us.

The air in Nashville tastes fresher than I remember air ever tasting. My house feels like a redoubt against this plague, but I won’t know if coming here was really a good decision until the last of the virus is gone. By coming to Nashville I made a bet, that if I sequestered myself away from the pathogen and prevented myself from ever getting it then my life would come out for the better somehow. The only catch is that though my chances of contracting the virus are currently less than they would have been in NYC, my chances of contracting the virus and then spreading it to my parents when they probably would have never otherwise come into contact with it is exponentially higher. If this virus takes the lives of my parents because of me I do not know if I will ever be able to forgive myself.

Saturn is supposedly the planet of discipline, and so I have become constantly wary of my impending celestial castigation. Last night after our hike, Annie and I made the selfish decision to dine in at a Mexican restaurant one last time. We went to my old favorite, U.S. Border Cantina, a restaurant I’ve celebrated as my favorite since I was a child. The quality there has fallen off a little bit, but you can’t blame the owner, Mrs. Naranjo. I’m sure she’s doing the best she can after the death of her husband a few years ago.

We went into the restaurant and there was hardly anyone there, save for a decently filled table on one side and another booth near the front manned by a solitary geriatric. On the tables there were none of the usual menus with drink specials and other offerings, no salt or pepper, nothing save what was brought to the table after we sat down. I can only pray that means the table was properly sanitized because as I ate my mediocre beef chimichanga and drank what will probably be the last margarita I drink for some time, I couldn’t help but think that the risk wasn’t really worth it. There are still only 154 documented cases in Tennessee, but I can only imagine the actual count is ten times higher than that. Davidson County has seventy-five of the recorded cases, which is forty-five cases more than have been documented in Williamson County, the county with the second highest number of recorded cases that at one point had more documented cases than Davidson County.

America’s response has been slow. The ignorance of the nation echoes the ignorance of the people. Just as people who have not truly experienced tragedy think themselves immune to it, so, too, do relatively prosperous nations. The United States has known hardship, but with its quickly rotating cast of presidents and executive administrations, our democracy seems blighted by a sort of systematic amnesia. President Trump, who typically refutes reality in favor of his own blinkered phantasmagoria, has proven to be a particularly ill-equipped figurehead during this crisis, which has not been replicated in its nature and intensity for more than a century.

When the virus showed up in Wuhan, China, people, including myself, looked upon it with a sort of detached amusement. It was like standing on a beach and watching a fire erupt on a distant island, the smoke rising up to the sky with a promise that the mayhem could never cross the water. But a virus is not like a fire or a tornado or a hurricane, things you can see and theoretically run from, things you can confront and fight or deliberately hide from. This virus is dangerous, especially in the era of “fake news,” because no one can see it and it uses our friends and loved ones as vectors to enter our bodies and lives like so many tiny Trojan Horses.  

But I see how someone might see this as senseless hysteria. Spring is coming into bloom. The birds are chirping. The air is cool but refreshing. It feels like the world is so gentle right now, a mother to its newborn year, cradling the awakening life with a tenderness that belies the virulence of this pandemic. In Venice, where the intensity of the Italian lockdown has cleared the canals of boats and their attendant pollution, dolphins and swans have appeared in the elucidated waters for the first time in sixty years.

The world keeps spinning, even flourishes, in the face of this pandemic. While humans sequester in their quiet panic, Earth seems to rejoice in our temporary absence. And once our planet catches wind of a solution to its perennial blight, it may give recourse to these invisible antidotes once again. The Spanish Flu ebbed into human consciousness lightly when it appeared in January of 1918, around the same season COVID-19 appeared in China this year. Then it tapered off during the summer months when temperatures rose, but then when fall returned the flu came with it and with a vengeance. The Spanish Flu terrorized humanity for exactly two years before it finally disappeared in December of 1920. This illness isn’t going to go away any time soon. This is a cleansing. The virus is an immune response to the human contagion.

I couldn’t have left New York at a better time. When Sami told me he didn’t want me to live with him anymore, it hurt at first but then I remembered the containment zone in New Rochelle. About forty-five minutes later I notified him I would be leaving in two days. I left in three. The night before I left, Eli expressed some semblance of disappointment in me for what must have seemed to him a waste of investment. When I left the next day there were just more than seventy documented cases in New York. Today, eight days later, there are more than 5,100.

I remember the morning it was decided that I would be leaving. I was in an Uber home and the sun was just rising, casting fiery reflections across the glass faces of office buildings in SoHo. I had spent the entire night with Rin, banking on a $100 payment for taking photos and video that ended up being only $60. She told me I hadn’t done as much work as last time when in reality the only difference between the two photo sessions was that this time she did more cocaine. I suppose I did more cocaine, too.

She had begged me all night not to move home to Nashville. She was to be my Candy Darling or my Edie Sedgwick or some other such downtown superstar, and I was to document everything — a more submissive, pay-as-you-go, mono-talented Andy Warhol. If anything, I was to be her Andy Warhol and she was simply to be a benefactor. But those last two weeks I discovered an authenticity and a sadness in Rin that stripped her of her mean girl facade and made her seem much more human. I left that morning knowing it would be the last time I would see her for awhile. But now, even being at home, I am constantly shrinking at the invisible threat that my time with anyone, and especially my parents, could be running out.

The day we left New York, I could feel something ominous in the air. It wasn’t a prescience. I knew the virus was there, even if I couldn’t see it, but something about that day felt different than the days before it. Face masks were becoming more common. More people than ever were walking around with them on when we passed through Manhattan. There was a palpable anxiety that made even the sunlight feel like an omen. I alternated driving for seven hours and drove the last seven hours to Nashville myself. I didn’t want to stay at a hotel. I wanted to minimize as much as possible my time in the radius of what would become the virus’ epicenter over the next week.

Two weeks have not yet passed. I still have the better part of a week before the fourteen-day incubation period ends. At that point I will know for sure that I didn’t contract the virus in New York, but in Nashville I’m still not safe. There are almost three-hundred confirmed coronavirus cases statewide. In Davidson County alone there are more than one-hundred confirmed cases, more confirmed cases than there were the day I left New York City, and just over a week later there are more than 5,600 confirmed cases in NYC and forty-three have died, more than half of the number of cases confirmed a week ago. In almost one week, the number of cases in New York City has increased one-hundred fold.

All my life I have been irreverent. I have used my irreverence to cope with the everyday traumas of existence, to make a joke out of the manifold circumstances that routinely render me despondent. If there were ever a time for reverence, it would be now. What is happening across the planet could be considered a very holy thing. It is in a way a rapture, a culling of life force that has overstayed or overstepped its intended cycle on this planet.

I have already been irreverent in the face of this disease. I have not respected its potency or reach in my actions, only in my words. Every choice I make is now unavoidably an active choice. For my family, the decision to get takeout from Taco Bell could be a life or death decision. The decision to dine in one last time at a mostly empty Mexican restaurant could be a life or death decision. Even the decision to see a friend and go with that friend to a park to unwind could be a life or death decision. I have already decided to do each of these things against my better judgement, and I will not know the consequences of any of these actions for up to two weeks, which means I will never know which decision I am being punished for if I am in fact punished, only that I am being punished for one of a host of decisions, each marked by the same sense of ignorant irreverence. And for our irreverence, the price is death; not necessarily ours, but probably someone literally and figuratively close to us.

People are cracking under the pressure of this forced tedium. For some, like my parents, this new “social distancing” protocol is hardly a deviation from their established way of life. But by merit of the simple fact that so many simple things in our lives have become potentially deadly and only will become more so in the coming months is or at least should be deeply unsettling. And if not unsettling, then maybe freeing, freeing in the sense that this invisible thing will wash over us and change everything. Events like this mark both endings and beginnings. We choose the way we manifest them.

[snap221me]

If you’re like me, you’ve had at least one nightmare where your motorcycle gets stolen. The closest encounter I’ve had was when my neighbour got his CBR stolen, while mine was parked less than 10 meters (30 feet) away. MFW I heard what happened the next morning:

The same evening I came back home at around 12am, and sat next to my motorcycle until it was daytime. I was that worked up. Anywho, I spent the next few days researching security measures, and common practices of thieves. I’m sharing the results with you in hopes of saving a few wheels out there.

At this point in my life I didn’t have a garage, so I had to park in front of my building

1. Say NO to gated-parking garages in apartment complexes.

That’s the first place where thieves go “shopping”. This is especially relevant in the US. The following high-risk places are:

apartment complex parking spots

parking garages

detached garages at apartment complexes

College “bike parking”

Shopping mall parking spots

So where do I park? If you absolutely cannot park inside the house/garage, rent a self-storage unit near your home. Make sure you invest in heavy duty locks — normal garage doors are easy to break into, as easy as stealing door codes are.

If you live in the US, parking at home/home garage has additional benefits: in addition to theft, you can be charged with breaking and entering. The charges get worse if the residents are at home, even worse if a child is present in the home, and worst if any of the tools they carry can be classified as weapons. TLDR, park in your garage and make some babies. If none are an option, see #7.

Sen. Bernie Sanders revealed a secret Wednesday night.

2. NEVER leave your spare keys or documents in the trunk.

This one should be no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at how many people do this out of convenience.

3. Be wary of second-hand dealers and bike-mover companies.

When getting a bike from a second hand dealer, try to leave as little information as possible — no address, full name etc. More than often they are involved in the game. Same goes for motorcycle movers. Try to arrange your own transport whenever you can.

4. Is your bike a high-risk target?

If you own any of the following, brace yourself:

Super Sport

Harley

0–3 year old model

These are highest on the “shopping list” for thieves. Anything that is 7+ years old is unlikely to get stolen. Still, that doesn’t mean you can leave it unchained in the street, got it?

5. If someone already tried stealing your bike and failed, they WILL be back for it.

Get that bike someplace safe. NOW.

an hero

6. If you just got a replacement for your stolen bike, they WILL be back for it.

While you are reaping that sweet sweet karma from your insurance, and enjoying your new pair of wheels, they are already putting you on the “to-do” list. See #5 for instructions.

an hero

7. There is no single-best security solution.

You first need to understand how the minds of thieves work. They will be looking for the fastest/most quiet way of stealing that bike. Therefore, a combination of security systems that look tedious to break will be the best solution. What does this mean? A best solutions is having ALL 3 of the following:

1) A disk lock on the REAR wheel

Do not buy anything that costs under $90–100. I’m serious. Best bet options would be something like this XENA Disk Lock or ABUS Disk Lock, both equipped with alarms. Cutting these locks will most probably not be an option, while removing a rear wheel is a lot harder/longer than the front one.

2) A chain lock going trough HARD PARTS of the bike

ex. frame, braced swingarm etc. If this is not an option, opt for sliding it through the rear wheel and placing the disk lock on the front one. Just make sure that you don’t chain it to a picket fence.

Pro-tip: try to have the chain as high as possible. When the chain is not near or touching the ground it’s a LOT harder to cut.

Same as the disk lock, don’t buy anything below $100. Some safe options are this KRYPTONITE Chain, this ABUS Chain or anything in the same category. Every thief has a pair of nice bolt-cutters that can cut trough any cheap chain. High-end chains will take a LOT more time to cut, as well as make a lot of noise. Time and noise are the thief’s worst enemy.

3) Lock the damn steering

Yes, I know some are very easy to break, but add it to the two above, and it’s just another item on the “time schedule”.

Note 1

In case you have LoJack or anything similar installed, make sure you keep the wiring and boxes out of the obvious places. They will definitely be looking for any non-OEM wires/hardware under the seat and tank. LoJack stickers are even worse; only maybe when you don’t actually have a gps unit, in which case — good job making them look. If you want to go really crazy, make/buy something like this and stick it in the headlights or something.

Note 2

In case you cover your bike with a tarp, get another cheaper lock with an alarm and use that to tie up the tarp around the bike. That’s an additional hassle for thieves; it makes noise, and they have no idea what’s waiting for them underneath in terms of security.

Photos by North Vietnamese photographers show the war like it’s never been seen.

8. Chain bikes one to another when travelling.

This one should be a no-brainer as well.

9. How to spot a “scout”?

Your bike will be scouted numerous time, and you better be sure that by now the thieves know your daily routine.

A common occurrence would be a person walking with a dog or a kid. What they are doing is checking for any devices that have alarms. If someone spots them while scouting, they can say the dog or kid tipped the alarm off.

10. So how is it done?

The average time thieves would spend on stealing a bike is 30 sec. The most they would dare spend is a couple of minutes. This is where the 3 points from #7 come to play — time.

The order of events being carried out during a job are the following:

The ignition is set up to be ready for start

Safety equipment removed (disk lock, chain)

Steering lock is snapped

Ignition is plugged, bike is started

The bike is taken out of sight and checked for GPS devices

Sometimes, the bike might be left someplace else in the neighbourhood; covered and locked up. In case your bike goes missing, make sure you scout the area for any covered bikes.

Final Note

A lot of this info came from posts and comments on /r/motorcycles, so I want to pay my respects where they are due.

Original Article : Medium

Rick Santorum dropping out of 2016 race after lackluster showing in Iowa If you’re like me, you’ve had at least one nightmare where your motorcycle gets stolen. The closest encounter I’ve had was when my neighbour got his CBR stolen, while mine was parked less than 10 meters (30 feet) away.

[localocksmithnearme]

Mitsubishi Ignition Repair & Key Replacement Spring TX

Mitsubishi Ignition Repair & Key Replacement Spring TX - CALL (832)930-4422

http://www.springkeyreplacement.com/mitsubishi.html

Spring Key Replacement is a savvy trustworthy and expeditious vehicle lock out and keys replacement services to the touching Spring TX area. Our courteous and proficient lock-smiths are serviceable ready to arrive to your place of choice quickly to assist you with any Mitsubishi keys, ignition or locking trouble for vans, trucks or SUVs accommodating an extensive portfolio of car main computer reflash, Jeep Wrangler keys replacement, fobic key and proximity key duplicated or cutting of sidewinder keys all done at your location twenty four hour.

Mitsubishi keys replacement in Spring TX

If you broken your key in the ignition or lost the keys to your car, you have a few ways to get a brand-new set of Mitsubishi key replacement:

Driving to the Spring TX local dealership is some times seemingly a economical or brisk possibility to form a brand-new key by the VIN, but in some scenes (for example GM) the dealer-ship want you to obtain a stringent vehicle title or registration with an identical street address on your photo ID. In some other occasions, the dealer do not have access to previous key codes by the vehicle ID number (for example Mercury, Lincoln and Ford), the dealer-ship able to forge replacement keys merely for types from the last ten years.

On top of the constraints above, in varied occasions, your vehicle is locked on the way in a boondocks area, with a broken key in the ignition or locked with the key in the truck and to favor the dealer-ship will combine approximately additional hundred dollars for the tow truck service.

About Mitsubishi key-lock technology

Mitsubishi is a Japanese car manufacturer of first class vehicles runs as a Mitsubishi Group sub-division and one of Japan's widest vehicle maker of average motor vehicles around the world. stationed in Tokyo, introduced to the public in 1870,  Mitsubishi primarily combine similar kind of eletronic key-lock technology on most of their models beginning at 2000.

On outdated vehicles, to copy a supplemental key on-board, owner should have at the minimum 1 programmed master key, withal to copy another key for later vehicle, an exclusive key programmer and diagnostic devices is needed.

Since 2007,  Mitsubishi models may combine the FAST Key System for it's key-less entry or a push button start ignition as a standard or optional mechanism.

Ignition repair

As a result of locking and unlocking the car ignition so many time, it is highly common to undergo some sort of ignition complication and the manifestation could be key will only turn half way in the ignition, ignition key wont turn at all, key is stuck and you can't decommission the engine and dash-board security lights are on and you can't start up your car.  

The source of those burdens might be a dilapidated key or an ignition lock complication and in each one of those situations, ignition repair or replacement is a task for a skilled personal, so our recommendation not to tamper with the ignition tumbler by non experience individual as it might will bring about a greater hardship.

</p> <h5>Dilapidated Mitsubishi ignition key</h5> <p> When you own an old vehicle and you are making a number of driving trips each day, your ignition key can wear out from heap load of times it has been inserted and turned in the ignition switch. As years pass by, the ignition key can forget the strictly completed peaks and valleys that match it to the ignition. harming the key and prevent it's functionality.

Call your Mitsubishi dealer-ship after finding your vehicle ID number to ask if he are able to make a supplementary key. If the dealer-ship cannot get this job done, the worn ignition key has to be issued by an automotive lock-smith utilizing dedicated cutters, key programmer and diagnostic equipment in consonance with the VIN number.

</p> <h5>Worn Mitsubishi ignition switch</h5> <p> When the complication caused by the ignition tumbler, it could be by virtue of obstacle or dust trapped in the ignition crater hole or maybe a loose or detach rod or spring inside the ignition switch restricting the ignition from turning around. Using dedicated ignition programming, repairing and diagnostic equipment a keysmith ought to extract any obstacle or dust from the inside of the keyhole rekey or strengthen ignition tumbler pins or maybe even replace the whole ignition.

Transponder chip key cut and program

Vehicle locks, ignition and keys have progressed in the 90’s with advances in electric chips and sidewinder cutting infrastructures which authorize actions like power windows, mirror adjustment, remote start, automatic door opening and locking and many more.

The idea behind this is to obtain anti-theft instrument where the vehicle consist of vehicle computer and the key consist of a small size chip ordinarily concealed in it's plastic crest.

As soon as the owner enter the key into the ignition key-space, signal is committed to the car computer system. If the engine control unit will not know the code, the car wont turn over. This infrastructure actually means that on top of the fact that the key need to be shaped to fit the cylinder, it also should be properly coded to the immobiliser.

Mitsubishi keyless entry

Push-button start ignition platform are equipped with a fobik device that a car owner can stash in his briefcase, pocket or purse, or everywhere in close proximity to the immobiliser in the car.

The chip in the smart key sends a distinct low level audio and infrared waves indication message to the ECU, which in turn assures that the right indication message has been transfered and enable the driver to remotely open and close the car doors and trunk locks and furthermore push a button on the dashboard to turn over or shut down the car without using a key or pressing a button on the fob.

Much as smart keys and push-button start ignition evolved into being populously feasible, even on mid-level vehicles, these technologies haven't yet reached the status of  necessity as electrical windows and door locks, still, the comfort aspect is a the main issue for many smartkeys buyers.

Copy vs lost car keys

The platform of cutting and programming a car key varies amid particular year and models of your Mitsubishi. For some types of vehicles, on-board programming could be employed to copy a spare transponder key. This interface eliminates the need for overpriced key programmer and key codes when matching a new transponder key to the car. Vehicles with no On-board key copy  option need to have an extra key coded using an appropriate key programmer that is accessible solely to Mitsubishi dealer or a certified locksmith.

This equipment priced as about a few grands to own which is one of the main reasons making a computerized car key costs way more than it does to simply cut an old-style mechanical key.

If you lost your last key you will most likely need to get your vehicle towed to the dealership or ask a locksmith to arrive to your juncture to decode the immobiliser to employ the new key and dismiss the old one. This rekey process require proof of ownership papers such as insurance, registration or title and will priced as about $180–$270.

Twenty four hour vehicle lock-out

Locked out of your car? You are exactly in the right web page Spring Key Replacement can help. Our mobile worker dispense a savvy lock out services 24 seven. With our modernized lock crackerjack apparatus besides professional and affable trained agent, we guarantee reliable and fast service for your popalock requisites.. It is our goal to accommodate premium swiftest motor vehicle lock-out We expertise in practically all key troubles onsite, for almost any auto manufacturer, model and year.

Car locks correcting

Did you got one of your Mitsubishi keys robbed?, procured a fresh Mitsubishi ignition and need to recover an previous one? or forgot where you put your car key?, want to assure that no one else receive the skill to burst your car? Good News! You should continue reading, in view of changing of vehicle locks is one of Spring Key Replacement prime facet. Our professionals can refit the internal pins into your door or ignition lock, so it would adopt the new key and reject the out-of-date one. Elevate the phone and call our call center to get your car lock alterated by a highly trained key smith hurriedly

To conclude

Did you purchase a copy keyless entry device and need it programmed, lost the last key to your vehicle or locked your keys in the vehicle? Congratulation! Our man-power in working order 24 hours and are able to be with you expeditiously to comfortably dispense Mitsubishi owners with vehicle lock-out, ignition repair and replacement keys) on-site. If you lost your car key or can't turn your key in the ignition pick up the phone and dial (832)930-4422. Our masters have key programmer and lock cracking appliances and are able to be with you rapidly to unlock your car door, replace a lost key or program a brand-new switch blade key at your location and put you on your way to your next activity as swiftly as possible. . If you’re scanning for Buy keys online Spring Key Replacement.

[efdort]

If you’re like me, you’ve had at least one nightmare where your motorcycle gets stolen. The closest encounter I’ve had was when my neighbour got his CBR stolen, while mine was parked less than 10 meters (30 feet) away. MFW I heard what happened the next morning:

The same evening I came back home at around 12am, and sat next to my motorcycle until it was daytime. I was that worked up. Anywho, I spent the next few days researching security measures, and common practices of thieves. I’m sharing the results with you in hopes of saving a few wheels out there.

At this point in my life I didn’t have a garage, so I had to park in front of my building

1. Say NO to gated-parking garages in apartment complexes.

That’s the first place where thieves go “shopping”. This is especially relevant in the US. The following high-risk places are:

apartment complex parking spots

parking garages

detached garages at apartment complexes

College “bike parking”

Shopping mall parking spots

So where do I park? If you absolutely cannot park inside the house/garage, rent a self-storage unit near your home. Make sure you invest in heavy duty locks — normal garage doors are easy to break into, as easy as stealing door codes are.

If you live in the US, parking at home/home garage has additional benefits: in addition to theft, you can be charged with breaking and entering. The charges get worse if the residents are at home, even worse if a child is present in the home, and worst if any of the tools they carry can be classified as weapons. TLDR, park in your garage and make some babies. If none are an option, see #7.

Sen. Bernie Sanders revealed a secret Wednesday night.

2. NEVER leave your spare keys or documents in the trunk.

This one should be no-brainer, but you’d be surprised at how many people do this out of convenience.

3. Be wary of second-hand dealers and bike-mover companies.

When getting a bike from a second hand dealer, try to leave as little information as possible — no address, full name etc. More than often they are involved in the game. Same goes for motorcycle movers. Try to arrange your own transport whenever you can.

4. Is your bike a high-risk target?

If you own any of the following, brace yourself:

Super Sport

Harley

0–3 year old model

These are highest on the “shopping list” for thieves. Anything that is 7+ years old is unlikely to get stolen. Still, that doesn’t mean you can leave it unchained in the street, got it?

5. If someone already tried stealing your bike and failed, they WILL be back for it.

Get that bike someplace safe. NOW.

an hero

6. If you just got a replacement for your stolen bike, they WILL be back for it.

While you are reaping that sweet sweet karma from your insurance, and enjoying your new pair of wheels, they are already putting you on the “to-do” list. See #5 for instructions.

an hero

7. There is no single-best security solution.

You first need to understand how the minds of thieves work. They will be looking for the fastest/most quiet way of stealing that bike. Therefore, a combination of security systems that look tedious to break will be the best solution. What does this mean? A best solutions is having ALL 3 of the following:

1) A disk lock on the REAR wheel

Do not buy anything that costs under $90–100. I’m serious. Best bet options would be something like this XENA Disk Lock or ABUS Disk Lock, both equipped with alarms. Cutting these locks will most probably not be an option, while removing a rear wheel is a lot harder/longer than the front one.

2) A chain lock going trough HARD PARTS of the bike

ex. frame, braced swingarm etc. If this is not an option, opt for sliding it through the rear wheel and placing the disk lock on the front one. Just make sure that you don’t chain it to a picket fence.

Pro-tip: try to have the chain as high as possible. When the chain is not near or touching the ground it’s a LOT harder to cut.

Same as the disk lock, don’t buy anything below $100. Some safe options are this KRYPTONITE Chain, this ABUS Chain or anything in the same category. Every thief has a pair of nice bolt-cutters that can cut trough any cheap chain. High-end chains will take a LOT more time to cut, as well as make a lot of noise. Time and noise are the thief’s worst enemy.

3) Lock the damn steering

Yes, I know some are very easy to break, but add it to the two above, and it’s just another item on the “time schedule”.

Note 1

In case you have LoJack or anything similar installed, make sure you keep the wiring and boxes out of the obvious places. They will definitely be looking for any non-OEM wires/hardware under the seat and tank. LoJack stickers are even worse; only maybe when you don’t actually have a gps unit, in which case — good job making them look. If you want to go really crazy, make/buy something like this and stick it in the headlights or something.

Note 2

In case you cover your bike with a tarp, get another cheaper lock with an alarm and use that to tie up the tarp around the bike. That’s an additional hassle for thieves; it makes noise, and they have no idea what’s waiting for them underneath in terms of security.

Photos by North Vietnamese photographers show the war like it’s never been seen.

8. Chain bikes one to another when travelling.

This one should be a no-brainer as well.

9. How to spot a “scout”?

Your bike will be scouted numerous time, and you better be sure that by now the thieves know your daily routine.

A common occurrence would be a person walking with a dog or a kid. What they are doing is checking for any devices that have alarms. If someone spots them while scouting, they can say the dog or kid tipped the alarm off.

10. So how is it done?

The average time thieves would spend on stealing a bike is 30 sec. The most they would dare spend is a couple of minutes. This is where the 3 points from #7 come to play — time.

The order of events being carried out during a job are the following:

The ignition is set up to be ready for start

Safety equipment removed (disk lock, chain)

Steering lock is snapped

Ignition is plugged, bike is started

The bike is taken out of sight and checked for GPS devices

Sometimes, the bike might be left someplace else in the neighbourhood; covered and locked up. In case your bike goes missing, make sure you scout the area for any covered bikes.

Final Note

A lot of this info came from posts and comments on /r/motorcycles, so I want to pay my respects where they are due.

Original Article : Medium

Rick Santorum dropping out of 2016 race after lackluster showing in Iowa If you’re like me, you’ve had at least one nightmare where your motorcycle gets stolen. The closest encounter I’ve had was when my neighbour got his CBR stolen, while mine was parked less than 10 meters (30 feet) away.

[paxtontjnw098-blog]

Does Your garage door repair commack ny Pass The Test? 7 Things You Can Improve On Today

A garage door is something you shouldn't have to consider usually. When you get home from work, you need to anticipate to press the remote button and also have your door open without issues. It should additionally close without issues as well. Yet, however, points happen, as well as this isn't constantly the situation.

Anything can fail with your garage door any time. It could get stuck open, causing a serious security hazard. It can get stuck closed, compeling you to leave your cars and truck or storage things outside, leaving them prone to thieves, mischief-makers or the aspects. A door that becomes stuck midway is additionally a safety problem.

If you inadvertently backed right into your door when trying to leave the garage as well as harmed panels, remain calm. Many individuals have done this. Some people have actually inadvertently hit the accelerator instead of the brake. Others have collapsed right into their door throughout the winter season after their vehicle slid on ice.

If you experience damage or something else incorrect with your door, you need to attend to the issue faster than later. Garage door damages not just hurts your home's aesthetic allure, yet it can trigger a potential safety and security risk as well as leave your door at risk to further damage.

COMMON ROOT CAUSES OF GARAGE DOOR DAMAGE

You can experience problems with your garage door for lots of factors. Generally, garage door troubles boil down to a few easy reasons-- a technological concern, a blockage, deterioration or simply old equipment. One of the most typical sources of damaged garage doors consist of:

Spring Breakage

There's no other way around it-- springs break. They can damage because of the function of usage-- the much more you utilize your garage door, the faster they can damage. Additionally, older springtimes are much more at risk to damage than more recent ones.

Wire Damage

The term "wire rope" refers to the garage door's lifting cables. While classified as "aircraft high quality," they can and also will become breakable gradually and also begin to battle royal. Once they begin to battle royal, they start to loosen up as well as may snap.

The Image Eye

This is a little sensor located on both sides of your garage door, usually a couple of inches from the ground. They predict an unnoticeable beam throughout your garage door, guaranteeing it doesn't closed on top of a person or things. It's a crucial safety attribute however can end up being misaligned either by an item knocking into one of them, detaching the beams or bad weather or water damage disrupting the circuit.

Electric Problems

Your garage door calls for electrical energy to open up. As well as, like with anything, a fuse can blow. You can also have water damage or torn wires. You need to call an expert to take care of electric door issues.

Deterioration

As with devices, the devices in charge of opening up as well as shutting your garage door can end up being based on wear and tear. For instance, rollers can wear out. While you can obtain even more years out of premium rollers and also ensure your door operates smoothly for several years to find, these can likewise wear out.

Challenges

Many individuals use their garages as storage devices. If you load your garage with all kind of products, something could obtain overturned mistakenly and block the photo eye sensors, making it so the door won't close. Even dirt can be a barrier.

Leaving Track

Garage doors slide along a metal track which assists them open and also close quietly. If you're having issues opening your garage door, it could be due to an alignment trouble.

These are just several of the lots of root causes of garage door damage. Having a garage door professional appeared today when you see something wrong can assist preserve it and maintain it operating well as well as in excellent condition for a long time.

FIXING OPTIONS FOR GARAGE DOORS

Garage door damages repair work is commonly the only remedy you need when you have a trouble that's influencing its function. Just because you have some springtimes damaged does not imply you need to change the whole garage door-- you simply need to replace the springs. This holds true of other components too such as the sensing units, tracks, joints, rollers and also opener.

The only time you may require a complete replacement is when you have massive useful or aesthetic damage. As an example, if you neglected to open the door and backed your car into it. Yet, garage door specialists can fix small aesthetic damage to your door, like damages, dings and also scratches.

You can also, in a lot of cases, change a specific panel or 2 instead of changing the whole door. Again, don't attempt to make any kind of repair work on your own, also if you think you recognize exactly how to deal with broken garage doors. Constantly hire a professional.

Some common repair alternatives include:

Getting Your Garage Door Inspected

Identifying garage door repair commack ny and attending to wear early is an important component of the overall care for your door. Besides keeping your garage door tidy and also lubing it regularly, sticking to a residential preventative maintenance program can help you keep your garage door running effectively. You ought to have a garage door specialist evaluate your garage door a minimum of bi-annually.

Throughout the assessment, the professional may discover small damages or put on such as:

Mild surface area damage

Small damages as well as staining

The need to repair the paint

The requirement to paint the entire door

The need to change a window

The demand to restain the door

Addressing these issues early can help maintain the looks of your garage door. Your garage door can improve curb appeal, complement the remainder of the style of your house and also completely change your house's outside. When damage start appearing on your door, it can eliminate from your home's beauty.

Deforming and cracking make certain indicators you may want to change the door. The age of the door should be part of your total decision whether to repair or change it. If your door mores than 15 years old, it's most likely an excellent idea to replace it.

Having the Garage Door Put Back on Its Tracks

Striking the door with a particular force or at a particular angle can create the door to come off its tracks. When this takes place, you'll no longer have the ability to open up and close the door, and also you absolutely should not fix it on your own. It's best to steer clear of from it entirely and call a garage door expert to come and also place it properly on its tracks.

Taking Care Of a Stuck Garage Door

A couple of reasons that your garage door would come to be embeded one placement consist of:

Sensing unit blockage: Make certain there's nothing in the sensor's path.

Wheel track blockage: Try to close the door manually to look for obstructions on the tracks. If that's not the problem, inspect the tracks for possible damages like bends or damages. https://hectorwmsd011.wordpress.com/2019/09/17/15-tips-about-garage-door-repair-commack-from-industry-experts/ Inspect to see if the door is hanging unevenly. If you discover damage or the door is hanging unevenly, call a professional.

Garage door opener: If you don't see anything obstructing the sensing units, the issue could be with the garage opener. Press the button on your opener to see if a light comes on. If it doesn't, as well as it's expected to illuminate, you may simply require to replace the battery.

A garage door that's partially opened up can position safety concerns and also provide strangers gain access to right into your house. Try to shut the door manually, but without pressure. Attempting to force the door closed can damage the motor, opener, belt as well as chain. Your ideal choice is to contact a professional who provides emergency situation garage door repair service services.

Sometimes, there can be absolutely nothing wrong with your garage door, yet the lock rather. Individuals have accidentally locked themselves out without realizing it. If you attempt to open your door and also listen to the motor running, see if the securing device or bar is in area. By eliminating the lock, the door needs to come to be complimentary and step. Keypads can additionally be the problem. Several included a trip setting or lock mode that disables the garage door. Make sure the keypad didn't lock your door.

Fixing a Damaged Garage Door Area

Whether the bottom or center area of the door is damaged, a specialist can change it without delay. Regardless of what the reason is, typically you will just require to change the broken area and not the entire door. Remember though, if you need to change 2 or more damaged sections, the expense can nearly coincide as needing to replace an entire door.

Additionally, relying on just how old your door is, it's feasible that replacing just one or 2 broken areas with the door's original color, you could wind up with a shade difference, particularly in the door luster. You can wax the intact areas utilizing vehicle wax to lessen this impact, giving each component of your door an equal luster.

Often tending to a Garage Door That Makes a Loud Sound

If your door makes screeching, squealing or grinding sounds when opening or shutting it, it can show a build-up of particles or dust in the tracks or lack of lube. Do not utilize harsh chemicals when eliminating dust to clean up the tracks. When you clean the track, layer it with lubricating substance made specifically for garage doors. You can make use of WD-40 on the hardware and tracks if you do not have access to garage door lubricating substance.

If you've attempted these steps and you proceed listening to the loud sound when utilizing your garage door, it's time to employ a professional to see if your tracks require repair work.

Dealing With a Promptly Falling Garage Door

If your door is dropping quicker than it utilized to, or if it jumps around when using it, maybe as a result of broken cords or chains. This is a reasonably economical repair service that must be done by a professional. Nevertheless, the installment might spend some time.

So, when should you fix your garage door or change it? There are specific considerations to make this decision such as:

The price to repair the door compared to changing it.

Whether a professional can deal with the trouble.

How long it will certainly require to repair your door.

Remember, if you come from a property owner's organization (HOA), they may require you gain approval from the company if you intend to replace your door since it might impact your house's visual substantially. HOAs commonly have strict policies concerning huge cosmetic modifications because they could affect the property value.

GARAGE DOOR REPAIR SERVICE EXPENSES

Garage door damages fixing expenses typically vary in cost depending upon the types of repair service you need. When it concerns absolutely replacing your garage door, the prices will extensively vary depending upon factors such as the garage door dimension, the attributes as well as even more. Repair and replacement expenses will certainly likewise vary by material type and also the sort of panels.

If your door is an older door where you can no longer find substitute sections, it could set you back more to repair it than change the door. The repair service cost will certainly rely on how poor the damages is.

Labor will generally be your greatest cost. Broken doors that require to be completely uncoupled and also reinstalled will certainly cost you in labor.

All American Garage Doors

66 Commack Rd #304, Commack, NY 11725

(631) 212-0770

[courtneytincher]

Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar Barred From Israel—But a Conflagration Is Coming

Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/GettyJERUSALEM—While the caretaker government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was busy banning the entry into Israel and Palestine of two members of the United States Congress, a much more serious and enduring danger to the Holy Land looms on the near horizon.The controversy over the visit by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn) is fraught with the kind of short-term tag-team political grandstanding that has characterized the ties between Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump. Tlaib, of Palestinian descent, and Omar, born in Somalia, are both Muslims. They are also two of the four members of Congress—not coincidentally, all of them women of color—that Trump said should “go back” to the countries they came from and make things better there rather than complain about his version of America. Now Netanyahu, fighting for reelection in the face of corruption indictments, has stopped these two from entering the country because they support the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, seeing it as a pressure tool in favor of the Palestinians. And apparently because that's what Trump demanded in a peremptory tweet, calling any such visit “weakness” on the part of his close friend the Israeli premier. But there is, in fact, a much greater and deeply practical problem facing Israel than the visit of Tlaib and Omar, and a developing crisis that is directly the fault of Trump and the U.S. Congress.* * *Fighting Fire With ... Cooperation* * *A few weeks ago, amid scorching temperatures and a typically rainless summer, fires broke out across Israel and the West Bank. Local firefighting crews successfully battled to contain the blazes, including, as they’ve done repeatedly in the past, a small detachment from the Palestinian Authority (PA). Working side-by-side with their Israeli counterparts, the Palestinian Civil Defense crews were later lauded publicly for their assistance: social media videos showed the Israeli and Palestinian firefighters smiling, shaking hands, and posing for pictures. This drew the attention of Trump’s peace envoy, Jason Greenblatt, who on Twitter called the “ongoing cooperation and coordination” between the two sides an “example of what could be when neighbors live in peace. There is so much to gain!” Yet under the Trump administration U.S. funding for those very same PA Security Forces (PASF) has, since the start of this year, been completely halted. The American-led security mission in Jerusalem that advises, trains, and equips those forces is, according to several sources familiar with the matter, out of money. Programs have been shuttered and personnel sent home. Worse still, efforts in Congress to amend the anti-terrorism bill that initially led to the cut off in aid have stalled amid political jostling between the House and Senate, per two additional sources. All this, despite widespread recognition that PA security personnel, operating in coordination with Israel, are a boon for stability in the region and Israeli security in particular. The Trump administration, though, seems fixated on unveiling its long-delayed peace plan. Congress endlessly debates the true meaning of being “pro-Israel,” including undue focus on a handful of leftwing representatives like Ohmar and Tlaib who support boycotting Israel (and these days whether they’ll be allowed entry to visit Israel). While the most positive and tangible aspect of the entire Israeli-Palestinian relationship is being left to languish. The Hush-Hush Deal That Keeps the Middle East From ExplodingThe law in question, called the Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act (ATCA), took effect at the start of February. The bill foisted an impossible choice on the PA: accept any U.S. aid and you automatically trigger acceptance of the U.S. court system’s jurisdiction in various terrorism-related civil suits—potentially opening up the PA and its affiliated organizations to hundreds of millions of dollars in liabilities and, effectively, bankruptcy. The Palestinians not surprisingly chose to forgo all American money. The problem with the law became evident once it was clear the PA wouldn’t budge and that the prime loser would in fact be the PASF. “We’re already not helping the victims [who sued the Palestinian Authority for terrorism damages],” one congressional source said back in January. “Why would we now hurt ourselves and our national interest” by potentially creating a security crisis in Israel?Despite talk in recent months on Capitol Hill about a readiness to find a “fix” for ATCA, acrimony continued between the bill’s primary sponsor, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, and the State Department, which oversees security assistance to the Palestinians. “Both sides were stuck without a move that can advance them,” says one source familiar with Grassley’s thinking. According to some reports Israeli officials were even lobbying Congress behind-the-scenes to amend the legislation and get funding back on track. Only in June did relations apparently improve enough to begin work on a real solution—which is where partisan infighting took over. Now Trump’s Shutdown Threatens Israel’s SecurityAs part of a massive Israel security assistance package passed last month in the Democrat-controlled House, a reworked ATCA provision was also included. Gone were the financial triggers in the original bill. In their place, jurisdiction in U.S. courts would be activated if the PA moved to attain member-state status at the United Nations and other affiliated bodies, as well as if it reopened an office in the U.S. (the Trump administration shuttered the de facto Palestinian embassy in Washington last fall).The Republican-controlled Senate, meanwhile, was working on its own version of a remedied ATCA bill, which was introduced last month as well. This version was, as one source put it, “more robust” than the House bill: if the PA didn’t actually withdraw from the various U.N. agencies it had previously attained member-state status in, then that in itself would be a form of consent for U.S. jurisdiction.In touting the draft bill, one Republican senator stated that it would “provide justice for U.S. victims of international terrorism while promoting the important security cooperation among U.S., Israeli, and Palestinian security forces”—nearly identical language to that used by the Democratic House sponsors. Yet the gaps between the two versions, and the two sides, are still extremely wide, according to the sources who spoke to The Daily Beast. One source lamented the fact that the Senate hadn’t actually put forward a genuine compromise version, while another blasted the House bill as a “political statement, and not an effort to get something enacted.” While talks between House and Senate staffers on this issue are known to be taking place, it all might be for naught. Yes, both versions do in theory allow U.S. security aid to resume flowing to the PA without the fear of lawsuits. But the new conditions—tied to the highly symbolic issue of international recognition of Palestinian statehood—are likely a non-starter as far as the PA is concerned.One senior Palestinian official close to President Mahmoud Abbas blasted even the new ATCA triggers as a “blackmail tool” against the PA that would “irreversibly kill the idea of a two-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “I’ve never seen a parliament issue legislation regarding a second party that’s all contingent on the relationship with a third party…it’s absurd,” he added, alluding to some of the revised ATCA provisions being contingent on Israel’s agreement. “Congress should relocate from Capitol Hill to Bet El,” he said, referring to an Israeli army base, home to the military body tasked with administering the West Bank. “They are mistaken if they think these steps [regarding UN membership and a U.S. office] will create leverage over the Palestinians.” * * *Closing Shop* * *The impact of all these Washington machinations on the ground in Israel-Palestine has been significant. The American-led security detail based in Jerusalem, officially called the U.S. Security Coordinator (USSC) mission, has seen its $60 million budget frozen due to the PA’s refusal to accept any more U.S. aid. While American military officers, led by a three-star general, are still present working out of the old U.S. consulate compound, the training programs and equipment they used to provide for the PA Security Forces have been stopped, per multiple sources familiar with the matter. Government contractors and other non-essential personnel have, for their part, returned home.“It used to be an advise and assist mission [to the PASF] so now it’s more advise,” one former European official told The Daily Beast. “But you need money to support your advice.” This official rattled off examples of the corrosion this lack of funding could have on the PASF’s long-term effectiveness: the lack of new equipment and vehicles, maintenance programs, logistical system upgrades and facility refurbishment. All this, even before the impact on the overall training programs for actual Palestinian personnel that used to be funded in large part by the U.S. Compounding matters, the American commander of the USSC, Lt. Gen. Eric Wendt, an imposing special forces veteran, is concluding his two-year term in the coming months. A new general helming a mission with no funding and unclear future isn’t a likely recipe for success.  The U.S. embassy in Jerusalem declined to say whether Wendt would be finishing his tour early. Despite its name, the USSC is in fact a multinational mission. Britain, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey contribute military officers and other law enforcement specialists to the cause. These contributions, however, are usually limited to paying the salary and deployments of their personnel or, alternatively, indirectly funding discrete initiatives. While no conversations have taken place among European states regarding the possibility of stopping their contribution to the USSC, no real decision has been made, either, about increasing their support to the PASF via this mechanism, The Daily Beast has learned. European officials are also loathe to expand the mandate of the USSC’s sister organization that solely trains the PA Civil Police (called the EU Coordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support) so that, like the USSC, it encompasses multiple other Palestinian security organs. As with most things relating to the Middle East Peace Process, American leadership is crucial—as is, by extension, Israeli trust and buy-in. The prospects of there ever being an EU Security Coordinator for Israel-Palestine is faint to non-existent. Tellingly, in the middle of this tumult, the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding late last month directly with the PA in support of its Interior Ministry and security forces. The MOU calls for technical expertise and training, rather than equipment and funding, to be provided through a third-party civilian NGO. The announcement went on to say that the U.K. “continues to believe in, and to support, the two state solution”—a vision that both the Trump administration and government of Netanyahu government have attempted to bury. As Palestinian officials never tire of explaining, they view the PASF and security coordination with Israel as a means to an end: the end being statehood. The USSC has, since its establishment in 2005, helped underpin the most stable period in the West Bank in three decades. Despite the U.S. aid cutoff and a major financial crisis stemming from a separate Israeli anti-terror law, the PASF in recent months has somehow persevered, retaining their cohesion and professionalism. A multi-city and multi-service training exercise (thought to be the first of its kind) was held in the West Bank last month. The PASF also recently undertook an ambitious operation to root out illegal weapons and other pockets of crime in the restive city of Hebron. (At least some observers maintain that both maneuvers were intended as a show of continued PASF strength, not least to its remaining international backers.) Amid a political process that’s actually regressing, Abbas has yet to sever ties with Israel despite repeated threats to do so. For now security coordination endures. That’s the good news. The question, however, is how long the PASF can continue under such political, financial and material duress. For over a decade under American auspices, the Israeli-Palestinian security relationship has been dramatically reformed. Israeli officials, Congress, and even the Trump administration admit as much in their more candid moments. Properly supported and nurtured, there is, as Trump envoy Greenblatt put it, “much to gain” from these ties; there is also much that can be lost. Israeli and Palestinian firefighters working together to put out a blaze may be a common sight these days, but it has also come to be taken for granted. With the tinder splayed out purposefully by the Trump administration underneath the existing framework of an Israeli-Palestinian peace, a real conflagration would threaten much more than just the parched fields of the Holy Land.Research for this article was made possible with the support of the Transatlantic Media Fellowship of the Heinrich Boell Foundation Washington D.C.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/GettyJERUSALEM—While the caretaker government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was busy banning the entry into Israel and Palestine of two members of the United States Congress, a much more serious and enduring danger to the Holy Land looms on the near horizon.The controversy over the visit by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn) is fraught with the kind of short-term tag-team political grandstanding that has characterized the ties between Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump. Tlaib, of Palestinian descent, and Omar, born in Somalia, are both Muslims. They are also two of the four members of Congress—not coincidentally, all of them women of color—that Trump said should “go back” to the countries they came from and make things better there rather than complain about his version of America. Now Netanyahu, fighting for reelection in the face of corruption indictments, has stopped these two from entering the country because they support the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, seeing it as a pressure tool in favor of the Palestinians. And apparently because that's what Trump demanded in a peremptory tweet, calling any such visit “weakness” on the part of his close friend the Israeli premier. But there is, in fact, a much greater and deeply practical problem facing Israel than the visit of Tlaib and Omar, and a developing crisis that is directly the fault of Trump and the U.S. Congress.* * *Fighting Fire With ... Cooperation* * *A few weeks ago, amid scorching temperatures and a typically rainless summer, fires broke out across Israel and the West Bank. Local firefighting crews successfully battled to contain the blazes, including, as they’ve done repeatedly in the past, a small detachment from the Palestinian Authority (PA). Working side-by-side with their Israeli counterparts, the Palestinian Civil Defense crews were later lauded publicly for their assistance: social media videos showed the Israeli and Palestinian firefighters smiling, shaking hands, and posing for pictures. This drew the attention of Trump’s peace envoy, Jason Greenblatt, who on Twitter called the “ongoing cooperation and coordination” between the two sides an “example of what could be when neighbors live in peace. There is so much to gain!” Yet under the Trump administration U.S. funding for those very same PA Security Forces (PASF) has, since the start of this year, been completely halted. The American-led security mission in Jerusalem that advises, trains, and equips those forces is, according to several sources familiar with the matter, out of money. Programs have been shuttered and personnel sent home. Worse still, efforts in Congress to amend the anti-terrorism bill that initially led to the cut off in aid have stalled amid political jostling between the House and Senate, per two additional sources. All this, despite widespread recognition that PA security personnel, operating in coordination with Israel, are a boon for stability in the region and Israeli security in particular. The Trump administration, though, seems fixated on unveiling its long-delayed peace plan. Congress endlessly debates the true meaning of being “pro-Israel,” including undue focus on a handful of leftwing representatives like Ohmar and Tlaib who support boycotting Israel (and these days whether they’ll be allowed entry to visit Israel). While the most positive and tangible aspect of the entire Israeli-Palestinian relationship is being left to languish. The Hush-Hush Deal That Keeps the Middle East From ExplodingThe law in question, called the Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act (ATCA), took effect at the start of February. The bill foisted an impossible choice on the PA: accept any U.S. aid and you automatically trigger acceptance of the U.S. court system’s jurisdiction in various terrorism-related civil suits—potentially opening up the PA and its affiliated organizations to hundreds of millions of dollars in liabilities and, effectively, bankruptcy. The Palestinians not surprisingly chose to forgo all American money. The problem with the law became evident once it was clear the PA wouldn’t budge and that the prime loser would in fact be the PASF. “We’re already not helping the victims [who sued the Palestinian Authority for terrorism damages],” one congressional source said back in January. “Why would we now hurt ourselves and our national interest” by potentially creating a security crisis in Israel?Despite talk in recent months on Capitol Hill about a readiness to find a “fix” for ATCA, acrimony continued between the bill’s primary sponsor, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, and the State Department, which oversees security assistance to the Palestinians. “Both sides were stuck without a move that can advance them,” says one source familiar with Grassley’s thinking. According to some reports Israeli officials were even lobbying Congress behind-the-scenes to amend the legislation and get funding back on track. Only in June did relations apparently improve enough to begin work on a real solution—which is where partisan infighting took over. Now Trump’s Shutdown Threatens Israel’s SecurityAs part of a massive Israel security assistance package passed last month in the Democrat-controlled House, a reworked ATCA provision was also included. Gone were the financial triggers in the original bill. In their place, jurisdiction in U.S. courts would be activated if the PA moved to attain member-state status at the United Nations and other affiliated bodies, as well as if it reopened an office in the U.S. (the Trump administration shuttered the de facto Palestinian embassy in Washington last fall).The Republican-controlled Senate, meanwhile, was working on its own version of a remedied ATCA bill, which was introduced last month as well. This version was, as one source put it, “more robust” than the House bill: if the PA didn’t actually withdraw from the various U.N. agencies it had previously attained member-state status in, then that in itself would be a form of consent for U.S. jurisdiction.In touting the draft bill, one Republican senator stated that it would “provide justice for U.S. victims of international terrorism while promoting the important security cooperation among U.S., Israeli, and Palestinian security forces”—nearly identical language to that used by the Democratic House sponsors. Yet the gaps between the two versions, and the two sides, are still extremely wide, according to the sources who spoke to The Daily Beast. One source lamented the fact that the Senate hadn’t actually put forward a genuine compromise version, while another blasted the House bill as a “political statement, and not an effort to get something enacted.” While talks between House and Senate staffers on this issue are known to be taking place, it all might be for naught. Yes, both versions do in theory allow U.S. security aid to resume flowing to the PA without the fear of lawsuits. But the new conditions—tied to the highly symbolic issue of international recognition of Palestinian statehood—are likely a non-starter as far as the PA is concerned.One senior Palestinian official close to President Mahmoud Abbas blasted even the new ATCA triggers as a “blackmail tool” against the PA that would “irreversibly kill the idea of a two-state solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “I’ve never seen a parliament issue legislation regarding a second party that’s all contingent on the relationship with a third party…it’s absurd,” he added, alluding to some of the revised ATCA provisions being contingent on Israel’s agreement. “Congress should relocate from Capitol Hill to Bet El,” he said, referring to an Israeli army base, home to the military body tasked with administering the West Bank. “They are mistaken if they think these steps [regarding UN membership and a U.S. office] will create leverage over the Palestinians.” * * *Closing Shop* * *The impact of all these Washington machinations on the ground in Israel-Palestine has been significant. The American-led security detail based in Jerusalem, officially called the U.S. Security Coordinator (USSC) mission, has seen its $60 million budget frozen due to the PA’s refusal to accept any more U.S. aid. While American military officers, led by a three-star general, are still present working out of the old U.S. consulate compound, the training programs and equipment they used to provide for the PA Security Forces have been stopped, per multiple sources familiar with the matter. Government contractors and other non-essential personnel have, for their part, returned home.“It used to be an advise and assist mission [to the PASF] so now it’s more advise,” one former European official told The Daily Beast. “But you need money to support your advice.” This official rattled off examples of the corrosion this lack of funding could have on the PASF’s long-term effectiveness: the lack of new equipment and vehicles, maintenance programs, logistical system upgrades and facility refurbishment. All this, even before the impact on the overall training programs for actual Palestinian personnel that used to be funded in large part by the U.S. Compounding matters, the American commander of the USSC, Lt. Gen. Eric Wendt, an imposing special forces veteran, is concluding his two-year term in the coming months. A new general helming a mission with no funding and unclear future isn’t a likely recipe for success.  The U.S. embassy in Jerusalem declined to say whether Wendt would be finishing his tour early. Despite its name, the USSC is in fact a multinational mission. Britain, Canada, the Netherlands, Italy and Turkey contribute military officers and other law enforcement specialists to the cause. These contributions, however, are usually limited to paying the salary and deployments of their personnel or, alternatively, indirectly funding discrete initiatives. While no conversations have taken place among European states regarding the possibility of stopping their contribution to the USSC, no real decision has been made, either, about increasing their support to the PASF via this mechanism, The Daily Beast has learned. European officials are also loathe to expand the mandate of the USSC’s sister organization that solely trains the PA Civil Police (called the EU Coordinating Office for Palestinian Police Support) so that, like the USSC, it encompasses multiple other Palestinian security organs. As with most things relating to the Middle East Peace Process, American leadership is crucial—as is, by extension, Israeli trust and buy-in. The prospects of there ever being an EU Security Coordinator for Israel-Palestine is faint to non-existent. Tellingly, in the middle of this tumult, the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding late last month directly with the PA in support of its Interior Ministry and security forces. The MOU calls for technical expertise and training, rather than equipment and funding, to be provided through a third-party civilian NGO. The announcement went on to say that the U.K. “continues to believe in, and to support, the two state solution”—a vision that both the Trump administration and government of Netanyahu government have attempted to bury. As Palestinian officials never tire of explaining, they view the PASF and security coordination with Israel as a means to an end: the end being statehood. The USSC has, since its establishment in 2005, helped underpin the most stable period in the West Bank in three decades. Despite the U.S. aid cutoff and a major financial crisis stemming from a separate Israeli anti-terror law, the PASF in recent months has somehow persevered, retaining their cohesion and professionalism. A multi-city and multi-service training exercise (thought to be the first of its kind) was held in the West Bank last month. The PASF also recently undertook an ambitious operation to root out illegal weapons and other pockets of crime in the restive city of Hebron. (At least some observers maintain that both maneuvers were intended as a show of continued PASF strength, not least to its remaining international backers.) Amid a political process that’s actually regressing, Abbas has yet to sever ties with Israel despite repeated threats to do so. For now security coordination endures. That’s the good news. The question, however, is how long the PASF can continue under such political, financial and material duress. For over a decade under American auspices, the Israeli-Palestinian security relationship has been dramatically reformed. Israeli officials, Congress, and even the Trump administration admit as much in their more candid moments. Properly supported and nurtured, there is, as Trump envoy Greenblatt put it, “much to gain” from these ties; there is also much that can be lost. Israeli and Palestinian firefighters working together to put out a blaze may be a common sight these days, but it has also come to be taken for granted. With the tinder splayed out purposefully by the Trump administration underneath the existing framework of an Israeli-Palestinian peace, a real conflagration would threaten much more than just the parched fields of the Holy Land.Research for this article was made possible with the support of the Transatlantic Media Fellowship of the Heinrich Boell Foundation Washington D.C.Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

August 15, 2019 at 04:42PM via IFTTT