#washington trip 2015

[hettolandija]

16 august 2015 (Sunday) - Jensen and Misha were on a boat trip with their families. Jensen posted two photos from this trip on monday (when he was already back in Vancouver filming 11x04) and Misha posted his photos a few days later. [photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4] I got curious where exactly they were cruising, because even when they were talking about it at conventions, no one metioned any specific place. (Jensen at Mincon 2015 main panel - video & gifs. Misha at Vancon 2015 - video & gifs). So I opened Google Earth, turned 3D terrain on and found the locations.

They were on a trip on Bellingham Bay (Washington State) and the first photo is near Guemes Island:

The second one is near Vendovi Island:

Third one is close to Bellingham city:

And the last one is entering the harbour in Bellingham:

Here is a map with marked locations of where approximately each photo was taken:

[feminismisstillahatemovement]

WASHINGTON — The FBI source who reported President Biden’s alleged role in a bribery scheme said that a Ukrainian businessman claimed to keep as “insurance” 15 audio recordings of first son Hunter Biden and two of Joe Biden, a Republican senator revealed Monday.

Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) made the staggering claim in a Senate floor speech after FBI Director Christopher Wray last week allowed House Oversight Committee members to see a redacted informant file about the claim that Hunter and then-Vice President Joe Biden received $5 million apiece to serve the interests of Burisma Holdings owner Mykola Zlochevsky.

“Congress still lacks a full and complete picture with respect to what that document really says. That’s why it’s important that the document be made public without unnecessary redactions for the American people to see,” said Grassley, accusing the bureau of needlessly redacting information about the recordings from the file shared with House lawmakers.

“Let me assist for purposes of transparency,” the 89-year-old went on. “The 1023 [form] produced to that House committee redacted reference that the foreign national who allegedly bribed Joe and Hunter Biden allegedly has audio recordings of his conversations with them. Seventeen total recordings.

“According to the 1023, the foreign national possesses 15 audio recordings of phone calls between him and Hunter Biden,” Grassley continued. “According to the 1023, the foreign national possesses two audio recordings of phone calls between him and then-Vice President Joe Biden. These recordings were allegedly kept as a sort of insurance policy for the foreign national in case he got into a tight spot. The 1023 also indicates that then-Vice President Joe Biden may have been involved in Burisma employing Hunter Biden.”

The senator concluded: “So, as I’ve repeatedly asked since going public with the existence of the 1023, what, if anything, has the Justice Department and FBI done to investigate? The Justice Department and FBI must show their work. They no longer deserve the benefit of the doubt.”

Grassley learned of the informant file this year from a whistleblower and told House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.), who issued a subpoena to the FBI. The informant is a longtime paid FBI source.

Grassley said the FBI’s alleged disinterest in the Biden bribery allegation contrasts with its treatment of former President Donald Trump, who on Tuesday will become the first former president arraigned on federal charges for allegedly mishandling classified information after he left office.

“It’s clear that the Justice Department and FBI will use every resource to investigate candidate Trump, President Trump and former President Trump,” Grassley said. “Based on the facts known to Congress and the public, it’s clear that the Justice Department and FBI haven’t nearly had the same laser focus on the Biden family.”

Hunter Biden earned up to $1 million per year from 2014 to 2019 to serve on the board of Burisma, despite having no relevant energy industry experience.

Then-VP Joe Biden met with a Burisma executive at a DC dinner in April 2015, which featured in The Post’s explosive first report on Hunter’s abandoned laptop.

As vice president, Joe Biden also allegedly pushed US support for Ukraine’s natural gas industry during a trip to Kyiv just days after Hunter quietly joined Burisma in April 2014.

(Text source: New York Post)

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Emily Singer at Daily Kos:

Montana Republican Senate nominee Tim Sheehy appears to have been caught in yet another lie about his military service. NBC News reported on Thursday that despite Sheehy claiming to have been discharged from his service in the military because he was declared medically unfit to serve, his discharge records say Sheehy voluntarily resigned and did not cite any medical conditions. 

[...]

This is the latest false claim Sheehy appears to have made about his time as a Navy SEAL, service he has touted on the campaign trail in his quest to unseat Democratic Sen. Jon Tester. In April, The Washington Post reported a discrepancy in a story Sheehy told about being shot in the arm. On the campaign trail, Sheehy said he was shot in the arm while serving in Afghanistan in 2012. However, in October 2015, Sheehy went to the emergency room after a trip to Glacier National Park, where he reported having a gunshot wound in his arm. He told a park ranger that he had shot himself in the arm in the park by accident, and was fined $525 for illegally discharging a weapon in a national park. He later said he purposefully lied to the ranger about the gunshot wound because he hadn’t reported being shot in the arm to the military. He said he didn’t report it to the military at the time because the wound may have been from friendly fire and he didn’t want anyone in his unit to get in trouble.

[...] Questions about his military service are not the only scandal Sheehy has faced during the election. Sheehy was hit by a lawsuit in April from former employees of his aerial firefighting company of defrauding them out of millions of dollars.  Sheehy has also been slammed by Native American groups in the state after he used racist stereotypes in talking about the Native population in the state. At a fundraiser in November 2023, Sheehy talked about going cattle branding on Montana’s Crow Reservation, and said it’s “a great way to bond with all the Indians out there while they’re drunk at 8 AM.” Polls show Sheehy, a multimillionaire Minnesota transplant, leading Tester in the race, which could determine control of the Senate. Tester has an uphill battle to overcome the likely double-digit win former President Donald Trump will pull off in the state, which would require Tester to win over a number of GOP voters.

GOP Montana Senate nominee Tim Sheehy caught in yet another lie about his military service record.

This should be disqualifying, but sadly, he’ll defeat incumbent Jon Tester (D) and flip this seat (and likely the Senate) red.

[not-that-syndrigast]

Stucky fanfic recs

below you can find some of my all time favourite Stucky fics that have ruined my life 💕 not really sorted except for the first three which are my all time favourites

creative | canon adjacent | AU | modern AU | small steve | sexual content

United States v. Barnes, 617 F. Supp. 2d 143 (D.D.C. 2015)

The Associated Press @AP

Winter Soldier set to stand trial for Washington D.C. massacre and treason apne.ws/1og6SWE

(Creative, canon adjacent)

End OTW Racism | Steve Rogers at 100: Celebrating Captain America on Film

“Heil Hydra,” the enemy agent shouts.

“Heil this, motherfucker,” says Captain America, shooting off a rocket.

Steve and Bucky find out Hollywood has been busy since they went away. A historical survey, including but not limited to: one set of exploded genitals, a brief interlude in France, Mel Gibson and other masterworks of casting, eight Academy awards, several dinosaurs, and something Tony Stark has ominously dubbed “the masterpiece.” Art included.

(creative, canon adjacent)

A long winter

In 1945, Steve Rogers jumps from a nosediving plane and swims through miles of Arctic Ocean to a frozen shore.

In 1947, Steve Rogers marries Peggy Carter.

In 1966, the New York Times finds the lost letters of Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes.

(AU)

Just say you do

Steve just wanted a job. He wasn't expecting a marriage proposal. And he certainly wasn't expecting to accept.

(Modern AU, small Steve)

ain't no grave (can keep my body down)

It's six in the morning, and Steve is heading out on a run when he nearly trips over a bouquet of sunflowers on the front steps of his brownstone.

For a second paranoia takes over, and he kicks the flowers a little, waiting for them to explode. They don't. They also came with a card, which he picks up. The front of the card has a tasteful picture of the Brooklyn bridge at sunset. It's very nice and sedate, like the kind of card you would buy to give to your boss. On the inside someone has written a short message in big, shaky block letters.

I AM SORRY FOR SHOOTING YOU.

Steve sits down hard on the steps.

(Canon adjacent)

casual encounters

“You have never once been careful in your entire life.” Bucky huffs out a laugh. He looks away. “Maybe I’m offended you didn’t think to ask me.” He says it like a joke, but he can’t bring himself to laugh again.

“Bucky,” Steve says, scandalized. “You’re my friend. I’m not gonna use you to experiment sexually.”

(Modern AU, small Steve, sexual content)

If they haven't learned your name

Steve gets out of the hospital in two days, but just barely. “I’m fine,” he tells Sam, Nurse Eunjung and the phalanx of doctors assigned to make sure Captain America didn’t bleed out and die and get bad PR all over their nice clean hospital. “I have an advanced healing factor. It’s fine. See? I’m standing.”

“That is not standing,” Sam tells him.

“You’re bending the IV stand,” Nurse Eunjung adds pointedly. “Let go and sit down, they don’t grow on trees.”

aka Steve and Bucky's Global Honeymoon Revenge World Tour.

(Canon adjacent)

choices we're given

Steve Rogers is a good man and a good agent. There's really no excuse for the assassin in his bed.

(Modern AU, sexual content)

through the woods

There’s a legend in Mansewood, nearly as old as the town itself, about a pack of werewolves that once lived in the forest. They say only one survives; a monstrous and snarling beast with fur like a blizzard and fangs the size of daggers. They say it guards the lands and all creatures in it, and no hunter has faced it and lived to tell the tale.

Steve doesn’t care about any of that. He only wants to know if it prefers T-Bone or ribeye, and would it please stop tracking dirt through his house? He just mopped the floor.

(Modern AU, sexual content)

[sonyaheaneyauthor]

Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence has long been regarded as dangerous for her Syria contacts and stance on Ukraine

Guardian international staffThu 5 Dec 2024 18.00 AEDTShare

In 2018, a Syrian dissident codenamed Caesar was set to testify before the House foreign affairs committee about the torture and summary executions that had become a signature of Bashar al-Assad’s brutal crackdown on opposition during Syria’s civil war.

It was not Caesar’s first time in Washington: the ex-military photographer had smuggled out 55,000 photographs and other evidence of life in Assad’s brutal detention facilities years earlier, and had campaigned anonymously to convince US lawmakers to pass tough sanctions on Assad’s network as punishment for his reign of terror.

But ahead of that hearing, staffers on the committee, activists and Caesar himself, suddenly became nervous: was it safe to hold the testimony in front of Tulsi Gabbard, the Hawaii congresswoman on the committee who just a year earlier had traveled to Damascus of her own volition to meet with Assad?

Caesar at the closed member-only briefing with the House foreign affairs committee in 2018. Photograph: Syrian Emergency Task Force

“There was genuine concern by Democrats in her own party, and Republicans and us and Caesar, about how were we going to do this?” said Mouaz Moustafa, the executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, an activist group, who had previously traveled with Gabbard in Syria in 2015. “With the member sitting on this committee that we believe would give any intelligence she has to Assad, Russia and Iran, all of which would have wanted to kill Caesar.”

During a congressional trip in 2015, Moustafa recalled, Gabbard had asked three young Syrian girls whether the airstrike they had narrowly survived may not have been launched by Assad, but rather by the terrorist group Isis. The one problem? Isis did not have an air force.

Photographs from the 2018 briefing showed a heavily disguised Caesar sitting in a hoodie and mask giving testimony before the House committee.

“I often disguise [witnesses],” said Moustafa, who had worked closely with Caesar and served as his translator. “But that day I was especially wary of Tulsi.”

There is no evidence that Gabbard sought to pass any information about the Syrian whistleblower to Damascus or any other country, nor that she has any documented connection to other intelligence agencies.

But within Washington foreign policy circles and the tightly knit intelligence community, Gabbard has long been seen as dangerous; some have worried that she seems inclined toward conspiracy theories and cosying up to dictators. Others, including the former secretary of state and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, have gone further, calling her a “Russian asset”.

Those concerns have been heightened by Gabbard’s nomination under Donald Trump to the post of director of national intelligence, a senior cabinet-level position with access to classified materials from across the 18 US intelligence agencies, and shaping that information for the president’s daily briefing. The role would allow her to access and declassify information at her discretion, and also direct some intelligence-sharing with US allies around the world.

Tulsi Gabbard during an antiwar rally to mark the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine in February 2023. Photograph: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

Gabbard and her supporters have denounced those attacks as a smear, saying that her history of anti-interventionism in Syria and Ukraine has been misrepresented as a kind of “cold war 2.0”.

In Washington, she has staked out a unique foreign policy position as a strong supporter of Israel and the “war on terror” – but also as a critic of US rivalries with countries like Russia and Iran (she strongly criticised Trump’s decision to assassinate the Iranian general Qassem Soleimani as an “illegal and unconstitutional act of war”).

“When it comes to the war against terrorists, I’m a hawk,” she told a Hawaiian newspaper in 2016. “When it comes to counterproductive wars of regime change, I’m a dove.”

Jeremy Scahill, the leftwing US journalist and activist, wrote that to “pretend that Gabbard somehow poses a more grave danger to US security than those in power after 9/11 or throughout the long bloody history of US interventions and the resulting blowback is a lot of hype and hysteria”.

But Gabbard has repeatedly shared conspiracy theories, including claiming shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine that there are “25+ US-funded biolabs in Ukraine which if breached would release & spread deadly pathogens to US/world”. In fact, the US program stemming back to the 1990s is directed at better securing labs which focus on infectious disease outbreaks.

Tulsi Gabbard and Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, in October. Photograph: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

And she has repeatedly supported dictators, including Assad, suggesting that reports of the 2013 and 2017 chemical weapons attacks were false, and calling for the US to “join hands” with Moscow following its 2015 intervention in Syria.

Establishment Democrats and Republicans have openly questioned whether or not she poses a threat to national security.

“I worry what might happen to untold numbers of American assets if someone as reckless, inexperienced, and outright disloyal as Gabbard were DNI,” wrote Adam Kinzinger, a former congressman who served on the foreign affairs committee with Gabbard in 2018 when Caesar testified.

The person close to the intelligence community said that there were continuing concerns about Gabbard’s contacts in the Middle East, stemming back to the controversial 2017 meeting with Assad – an encounter that Gabbard has insisted she does not regret.

Those contacts may be explored during a Senate confirmation hearing early next year, the person said.

Gabbard was briefly placed on a Transportation Security Administration watchlist because of her overseas travel patterns and foreign connections, CNN reported last month, but was later removed.

She does not have a background in intelligence, although the Hawaii native served in the army national guard for more than two decades, and has deployed to Iraq and Kuwait.

Moreover, there are concerns that her choice could affect intelligence sharing among US foreign allies, including the tightly knit Five Eyes intelligence group that includes the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand, as well as Nato and allies in Japan and South Korea.

“Much of the intelligence we get, at least from the human collector side, is from our partners,” said John Sipher, formerly deputy director of the CIA’s Russia operations, noting that the cooperation was usually informal, “personality- and trust-based”.

“They’re going to be really hesitant to pass [information] to a place that that is becoming more partisan and less professional … they would be making their own checklist: ‘Hey, this sensitive thing that we would in the past have passed to the CIA that could do us damage if it becomes public … Let’s just not do that this time.’”

[justforbooks]

Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), also known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, media personality, and actor. His initial fame dates back to 1992 following his guest appearance on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, "Deep Cover", and later on Dre's debut album, The Chronic that same year. Broadus has since sold over 23 million albums in the United States, and 35 million albums worldwide. His accolades include an American Music Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and 17 Grammy Award nominations.

Produced entirely by Dr. Dre, Broadus's debut studio album, Doggystyle (1993) was released by Death Row Records and debuted atop the Billboard 200. Selling 800,000 copies in its first week, the album received quadruple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) the following year and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top ten singles "What's My Name?" and "Gin and Juice". He was the lead performer on Death Row's soundtrack album for the 1994 short film Murder Was the Case, wherein Broadus made his acting debut. His second album, Tha Doggfather (1996), likewise debuted atop the chart and received double platinum certification.

In 1998, he parted ways with Death Row in favor of Master P's No Limit Records, through which he saw largely continued success with his albums Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told (1998), No Limit Top Dogg (1999), and Tha Last Meal (2000). He then signed with Priority, Capitol, and EMI Records to release his sixth album Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss (2002), which was further commercially oriented. This effectively continued upon him signing with Geffen Records to release his next three albums: R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece (2004), Tha Blue Carpet Treatment (2006), and Ego Trippin' (2008); the former spawned the single "Drop It Like It's Hot" (featuring Pharrell), which became his first to peak atop the Billboard Hot 100. He then returned to Priority and Capitol—upon his hiring as chairman of the former label—to release his tenth and eleventh albums, Malice 'n Wonderland (2009) and Doggumentary (2011), both of which saw mild critical and commercial response.

During this time, Broadus starred in films and hosted several television shows, including Doggy Fizzle Televizzle, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood, and Dogg After Dark. In 2012, following a trip to Jamaica, Snoop converted to Rastafari and adopted the alias Snoop Lion, under which he released a reggae album, Reincarnated (2013), and a namesake documentary film about his Jamaican experience.

His thirteenth studio album, Bush (2015), was produced entirely by frequent collaborator Pharrell, while his fourteenth studio album, Coolaid (2016), was released the same year as his induction into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame. In 2018, Broadus became "a born-again Christian" and released his first gospel album, Bible of Love in March of that year. In November of that year, Broadus was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2022, Broadus acquired Death Row Records from MNRK Music Group (formerly known as eOne Music), and released his nineteenth studio album, BODR (2022)—preceded by the independently-released I Wanna Thank Me (2019) and From tha Streets 2 tha Suites (2021).

The Washington Post, Billboard, and NME have called him a "West Coast icon"; and Press-Telegram, "an icon of gangsta rap". In 2006, Vibe magazine called him "The King of the West Coast". ABC News journalist Paul Donoughue, cited him among the 1990s acts that took hip-hop into the pop music charts. Broadus received the BMI Icon Award in 2011. In 2023, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Broadus popularized the use of -izzle speak particularly in the pop and hip-hop music industry. A type of infix, it first found popularity when used by Frankie Smith in his 1981 hit song "Double Dutch Bus". The Guardian's Rob Fitzpatrick has credited his album Doggystyle for proving that rappers "could reinvent themselves", expanding rap's vocabulary, changing hip-hop fashions, and helping introduce a hip-hop genre called G-funk to a new generation. The album has been cited as an influence by rapper Kendrick Lamar, while fellow rappers ScHoolboy Q and Maxo Kream have also cited him as an influence.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[official-trainwrecks]

Trainwrecks S1 Episode 16 is up! In which Duke and Victoria become the proper definition of friends during a trip to the University of Washington.

(Pictured: Myself at the University of Washington, 19 years later.)

Trainwrecks is a free-to-read fiction serial that follows a group of six Seattle-adjacent friends from the year 2004 to the year 2015. Join Luna Cruz, Sebastian Velasquez, Dimitri and Victoria Hale, Duke Kingston, and Jasmine Nolan as they stumble their way from adolescence to adulthood, falling in love, making mistakes, overcoming their pasts, and staying together through it all.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Save the Eagles Day

With eyesight that is eight times better than humans, majestic eagles build their nests on top of high cliffs to get the best vantage point. And with a grip that is up to ten times stronger than humans, eagles are incredibly powerful. Both of these attributes make them amazing hunters. But there was one point when these birds almost became extinct.

National Save the Eagles Day is here to raise awareness about and promote the plight of these marvelous birds.

History of National Save the Eagles Day

Native to North America, Bald eagles were on the endangered species list for several decades but, thankfully, they were saved from extinction and removed from the list in 2007.

While bald eagles and golden eagles are the most well-known in Canada and the US, there are 60 different species of eagles that live all over the globe, many of them in Eurasia or Africa. These birds of prey have large wingspans and spend a lot of their time looking relaxed as they glide effortlessly throughout the air.

National Save the Eagles Day was founded by the local community of Ridgefield Village Park and the Bergen County Audubon Society in an effort to rescue one particular couple of eagles whose habitat was at risk.

When these two eagles, named Alice and Al, built their home in Ridgefield overlooking Overpeck Creek, there was some concern about health risks that might be involved and a development corporation decided to remove the eagles. However, the local community was unhappy with the solution and they decided to organize a way to allow this eagle couple to keep their home. And they succeeded!

Even though National Save the Eagles Day was originally established around a specific set of eagles, it has now gained traction and the celebration has spread!

National Save the Eagles Day Timeline

1782 Bald Eagle is adopted as US symbol

With anecdotal accounts of upwards of 100,000 nesting eagles, Americans choose this as a symbol of freedom.

1971 The Eagles band is formed

A frontrunner in American country rock, this band originally consists of Don Henley, Randy Meisner, Glenn Frey and Bernie Leadon.

1978 Bald Eagle is declared endangered

Under the Endangered Species Act, the US government works to protect the bald eagle, which has only 500 breeding pairs left on the planet.

2007 Bald Eagle removed from endangered list

While still protected, the Bald Eagle emerged from the endangered list as their populations had recovered significantly to more than 300,000.

2015 Save the Eagles Day begins

Founded in an effort to save a particular pair of eagles that were nesting in New Jersey, the first Save the Eagles Day is celebrated.

How to Celebrate National Save the Eagles Day

Get involved and have fun with National Save the Eagles Day by trying out some of these fun ideas:

Go Eagle Watching

Heading out early in the morning to go eagle watching might be the perfect activity to do in celebration of National Save the Eagles Day! Of course, it depends on location, so some people might need to turn it into a road trip to get to a good park or another place that is known for eagle watching.

Eagle watching requires some patience and dedication, but it can also be very satisfying. Head out early because eagles are the most active in the morning, from sunrise until about 10am when bald eagles are likely to be hunting and feeding.

While it might seem odd, some people don’t realize that, in some locations like Washington state, eagle watching is more likely to be successful in years that end in even numbers. This is because “even” numbered years tend to have higher populations of salmon that are swimming upstream. In addition, they may be most prevalent in certain areas in the month of December. And they also seem to enjoy hunting more on days that are cloudy!

Learn Fun Facts About Eagles

One cool way to celebrate National Save the Eagles Day is to raise awareness by learning and sharing some bits of trivia and fun facts about these fascinating birds.

Unlike most species, the female bald eagle is slightly larger than her male partner.

Sadly, most eagle related deaths are caused by humans, including impact with man-made structures, gunshot and poisoning.

While hawks have a strong cry, eagles actually sound a bit silly. Because of this, most films and television shows replace the actual sound of eagles with that of hawks.

Eagles can dive up to 100 miles per hour when hunting and they fly at about 30 miles per hour when traveling casually.

Make a Donation to Save Eagles and Other Wildlife

One superb way to be involved with helping out on National Save the Eagles Day is by making a financial contribution to a charity that helps to protect and rescue animals that are in danger. Consider learning more about one of these charities:

American Bald Eagle Foundation. Working to protect and preserve the habitat for bald eagles, this organization educates and also performs research activities to better serve the needs of these eagles.

American Eagle Foundation. This organization is similar to the one above, but it works to meet the needs of not only the bald eagle but also other birds of prey as well. Their mission is threefold: to conserve, educate and protect.

Defenders of Wildlife. This organization works to protect and help out all wildlife, including the bald eagle which is the only eagle that is unique to North America.

National Wildlife Federation. This is another charity dedicated to protecting and helping at-risk wildlife, including birds of prey.

Listen to Songs by the Eagles

In honor of the day, how about queuing up some music that was made by the classic rock band themselves, the Eagles? With more than twenty albums to their credit, as well as some video albums, there’s plenty of options for listening to this trailblazing country rock band.

Check out one – or several – of these favorite songs by the Eagles in celebration of Save the Eagles Day:

Hotel California (1976). One of the most famous songs by the band, this interesting tune tells a strange story that has been said to be about “excess in America”.

Take It to the Limit (1975). From the album, One of These Nights, this song is all about the encouragement to keep on trying, even when life gets tough.

Peaceful Easy Feeling (1972). From their debut album, this song’s lyrics are about a girl the singer is interested in, but he’s decided ahead of time that he’s not going to let her disturb his “peaceful, easy feeling”.

Take It Easy (1972). Written by Jackson Browne as well as Eagles band member Glenn Frey, this was the first single released by the Eagles and its message is about not getting “too big too fast”.

National Save the Eagles Day FAQs

How do eagles fly?

Eagles are able to fly through the air primarily by their ability to soar.

What do eagles eat?

Eagles typically have a diet of small mammals and birds, such as rabbits, grouse, gulls and more.

What saved the bald eagle from extinction?

Captive breeding, habitat protection, law enforcement and reintroduction efforts helped minimize the risk of extinction for the bald eagle.

Do eagles eat hawks?

Eagles who prey sometimes will eat small hawks or baby hawks after attacking their nest.

Do eagles mate for life?

Usually, bald eagles mate for life, making them loyal spouses and parents for their average 30 years of life.

Source

[askstevella]

See you again event bonus scene / Earth 65

—-

A couple of hours after Steve return home with Thiego, he gave himself some time to breathe. To let Thiego hang out with his little sister, as you can hear some laughter, a light sense of sobbing and chatter coming from down the hallway. Hell he could hear Natasha and the girls rolling into a little conversation with his wife, Liane even mentioned she is gonna paint her nails a pretty teal color.

Yes it sounds horrible to some that he didn’t see his own wife right away the moment he returned but he wanted to freshen up properly before he did. Which meant he took a quick trip to the flower shop downtown and the farmers market, then came home to have a nice little shower. As he showered, all he could think about was the memories that the other version of Stella placed to the forefront of his mind as he smiled softly at the mere thought. He forgot about the tiny yet memorable moments he shared with his wife.

The day they met in 2010 to him asking her out on a date as she gladly said yes, to their soft dating period where he kept that secret time away from the team. He didn’t bother to tell his teammates about dating the SHIELD nurse yet for 2 years, it never came up until 2012 when the battle of New York came Natasha noticed how he kept his gaze every once in a while on a few agents and nurses on the Helicarrier. She smirked but didn’t say a word until after the battle was over and jokingly teased Steve, along with Tony and Bruce about who it was that he liked.

He was even shown his period from 2013–2015, where SHIELD and The Avengers members worked alongside one another to do good. His time in Washington DC for 2 years living with her as Stella and his friend down the hallway who pretended to be a nurse was actually a agent called Sharon Carter. Finding out about SHIELD being compromised with Sam Wilson, Natasha, Fury and Maria. Bucky being alive and searching for him.

They took a lot of hits but everything turned around as Sam and Steve found Bucky, able to coax the man into coming to get some real help after a couple of visits to his apartment. Bucky said yes, coming to live at Avengers Tower with the others, meeting Elle and after a long while starting to date Sam.

Steve remember the whole Ultron thing with Elle, 2015 was a great year having been together for 6 years at that point as the idea of marriage and kids started to roll around in their heads. Especially after the whole Clint Barton farm visit, talking with Laura and meeting his beautiful family. Bucky was teased by Sam about having little monsters running around the compound.

And they did talk about it, as 2016 he got down on one knee in front of everyone during a dinner party, giving a sweet speech and asking who to be his girl til the day he died, as she said yes. Bucky, Natasha and Tony were the first ones to think of a engagement party, as all the girls and guys gushed. It was also the year of the accident for Elle, as she was pretty banged up and went in and out of surgery, as he stood by her and did everything he could to nurse her back to health. In which she did, getting a dose of magic added to her system. Months later the two were married having a little celebration at the compound.

Years later, The Accords happened (nothing bad since the avengers were able to fool and outsmart the government. Hell Black Panther was on their side along with The X-Men), Thanos never really came in full force as he was a huge one and done, but Ultron did make a few returns across the years. Yet the series of heroes and anti-heroes, young and old were able to defend their world every time.

As of now in the—

“Daddy?”

~~~

Steve was in the kitchen in his thoughts already, creating a simple meal and organized a special bouquet of flowers when he heard the small voice. He looked over his shoulder to see a pair of brown eyes and rich light blonde curls meeting him halfway. Her cute little dress and wearing indoor shoes, as she held up her notebook.

Sarah Theodora Rogers. She was a spit image of his mother from the first name to her short blonde curls. However her eyes and nose were all Elle’s and her facial expressions were a clever mix of both parents. Her middle name was inspired by Thiego Strange, her uncle.

He smiled, placing her on the kitchen counter pushing the curls away from her faces.

“What are you doing here? I thought you and Pietro were spending the day together.” He asked with a smile, looking at the sandwich that was being grilled in the frying pan.

She shrugged with a smile, “Oh I was! But then we got sidetracked at the park after he realized he had to guy groceries and then he met a pretty girl…”

“And then he went a date with her?”

“No, he asked her where he could buy some donuts, so he can give them to Ji-Hoon.”

“Ah okay, what about afterwards?”

“Then he dropped me off at Wanda and Ethan who were watching Sitcoms. Uh, I got bored and found you.”

“And found me you did. I’m making lunch, you hungry?”

She nodded with a grin as he went to work making her a grilled cheese and ham sandwich. He would have mad something more grand but he knew she would have liked something more simple today. Besides she adored his sandwiches more than anything!

Sarah noticed the two sets of flowers. She pointed out the daisies and tulips, asking, “Who are those for?”

“The daisies are for you. The tulips are for mama. You like ‘em?” He asked, placing two plates next to the frying pan ready to put the sandwiches on them.

“Very! I um..uh daddy, I have a question. Is momma gonna be okay? Like get better?”

He put the sandwiches on 2 different plates and paused. He couldn’t lie to her in a sense, he was smart enough to notice and braver than he could believe, being very proud of her for it.

He tried to find the words and nodded, “..okay. Uh, honestly sweetie, i don’t know the true answer to that. I like to believe she will get better and push through it, especially with how much love and support we all give her..there are days where she doing better than most, there are days where she weaker than others..but she will get better.”

“And if she doesn’t? I know about life and death, Grandpa Stephen says that he sees it a lot in the hospital..auntie Nat says it is part of life..” Sarah repiled with a curious look on her face, as if trying to make sense of it all.

“Well, remember that birdie you and Theigo found one day after school?”

“Yeah?”

“And how she was hurt really badly so you tried to take care of her? Then afterwards she was doing fine and once the world made it clear, she flew away into another life..”

“Yeah it was sad but she looked calm when she died.”

“Mhm exactly, she wasn’t scared. Remember what happened a few days later?”

Sarah smiled this time and nodded, “My teacher got us a class bird! Her name Ruby, even though she is blue. It was like she was meant for our class, or least that’s what my teacher said.”

Steve chuckled, “Exactly. What happened with your birdie, is that she moved on but her spirt stayed to bring joy. So her next life, she must’ve became that bird to watch over your class, like a mascot.”

“So what I’m hearing is that Mommy is gonna turn into a bird?”

“Hahaha, maybe. Depends on what life has in store for her but I know for certain that she will be watching over us and let us know she’s still around in her own way.”

“How do you know so much, Daddy?”

“I just do. Just like I know your grandma Sarah, who you’re named after, is doing the same thing right now.”

Sarah smiled brightly and hugged her father, as Steve wrapped his arms around her tightly showering her face with kisses as she giggled. Once the father-daughter duo pulled away, Sarah brought the flowers to her room then came back following her father into the living room as he requested of she can bring the tulips to her mom for him as he carried the sandwiches.

~~~

In the living room, sat Elle on the couch with a blanket over her legs to keep her warm as she flipped across channels looking for something entertaining enough to watch. She looked very much less pale than when he left as she got a lot of color back, she laughed like herself again at the movie silly slapstick humor and her hair looked to be in a low ponytail.

She was playing with a old colorful fan in her hand, waving her around making silly flirtatious eyes as the paired walked into the room.

It made Steve’s smile grow at the sight. She was doing a lot better today and he thanked the universe for that gift. He winked at her doing so.

Sarah was the first to reach the couch, holding the flowers up to her mother giggling as she curled into her arms. Elle wrapped her arms around her daughter kissing her cheeks and thanked her for the bouquet, giving the fan over to her to play with. She knew how much Sarah loved that fan as she stayed twirling it around, resting her head on her shoulder.

Steve sat down on the other side of his wife, pressing a kiss to her cheek and handed her the plate. She thanked him, watching Sarah take her own plate and started to dig in, looking up at the silly film as she did so. Elle took a bite of her sandwich, humming at the delicious food in front of her and rested her head on her husband’s shoulder.

Midway through eating, Elle stopped and looked at her husband. Steve glanced over as he locked eyes with her alert, asking, “Are you okay? You need anything?”

She scoffed chuckling, “Relax! I’m fine..I feel better today.”

“You look better. You’re cheeks are rosy and your not as pale.”

“I noticed. A little tired but I’m fine. I know what you did earlier.”

He raised an eyebrow as he click onto what she meant and sighed, “Elle, doll, I’m sorry it’s just…”

“I know..” She simply replied, with a half hearted smile, “I overheard Thiego and Bruce talking with Nat down the hall when Liane was painting my nails. They weren’t subtle enough about it..you are insane, you know that?”

“I had a plan! Make the plan, execute the plan and expect the plan to not go off the rails. Yes, I was a little extreme the last 48 hours..”

“A little?”

“A lot. I broke a few short grids, bruised a rib or two..then made a mistake to take ones life over another..not my best move. I was not thinking straight, baby..and ran past a few stop signs as well to buy myself some time.”

“You broke into another Earth’s SHIELD headquarters and tricked a few people to get to another version of me..meanwhile Thiego was searching across the fields of earths causing some damage to strike a deal. You two could’ve been arrested for that.”

“I know. I know! I made that version of Cap to look like public enemy to SHIELD by causing that damage..I’m sorry, I messed up but it was because I was afraid..”

“..of losing me? Instead of staying with me and enjoying whatever time the universe is giving us..”

“Well if you say like that, I sound even worse.”

This time Elle snorted and chuckled shaking her head at his comment. She didn’t blame him for it, she knew the people in her life would do anything to make things right, find another way to fix things. Even if it meant getting hurt or something.

Steve rested his forehead against hers, a simple yet gentle move he does plenty of time before during moments like this. She leaned into his touch. He sighed and smiled, letting out a chuckle.

After a moment tears came to the blink of her eyes as he spoke, “I got your note today..it was lovely. Bittersweet like a poem, almost like a song. You’re my first love, Elle. I don’t want to see you gone yet..but when it comes I won’t be as scared or furious as I think I would be..”

She smiled had her eyes wet and asked, “Why’s that?”

“Because I know you won’t be alone. None of us will. You gave me the greatest gifts I could ever ask for. I could not thank you enough for being my wife and friend from the day I woke up in this century. You gave me a beautiful little girl who laughs like you and has my mother’s name.”

“And Thiego likes to brag about her being his mini me.”

“This is about me, not him.”

Both of them laughed, snorting at the joke. She knew he was joking. Steve was being humorous with that last comment, of course he was happy that his brother in law got a wonderful gift as well.

She smirked, waved for him to continue his lovely speech, “Go on, Mr Rogers. I like where this is headed.”

“Don’t get cheeky with me now, Elle.” He replied with a smile and winked, “If you do, I might have to take you to bed later. In all seriousness, you are always gonna be my light in dark. Despite the problems we have had over the years, we always find a way to make it home to one another.”

“You are my home. My family.”

“And you’re mine. I know when the time comes I will see you again any form. Even if we’re both two little birds flying in the park.”

Elle paused for a second to understand what he meant by the birds reference, noticing his gaze fell to Sarah who was minding her own business watching the movie, as it clicked what he meant. She smiled at that, knowing that no matter who it is that goes first to fly around in heaven their daughter will be safe and sound.

She nodded at her husband and chuckled, “Yeah, two beautiful birds. I love Mr. Rogers.”

“I love more Mrs. Rogers.” He replied, leaning forward to cup her face with a hand and press a long awaited kiss onto her lips.

She leaned into his touch placing a hand to the back of his cheek as she returned kiss in full force.

They stayed there for a couple of moments, locking lips with one another whispering sweet nothings, resting their foreheads together out of old habits. Steve lazily wrapping an around her body, bringing her in closer using the other hand to reach over to tickle Sarah’s side grabbing her attention as she giggled trying to wiggle away from her parents.

Elle opened her arm, wiggling her fingers to tickle their daughter as tried to crawl away but Elle gently reached forwarded lifting Sarah into an embrace. The little girl giggled and smiled, curling into her mother’s arms in glee stealing a bite of the sandwich her mom didn’t finished, then placed the sandwich in front of her father who took bite himself humming.

Elle mock gasped, “Hey that was mine!”

Steve finished chewing and chuckled, “You didn’t finish it! And I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry.”

“Are not.”

Sarah giggled, “Yes you are, daddy! You and uncle Thor and uncle Bucky always are hungry.”

Steve gasped and tickled her, “Who’s side are you on, young lady?”

“Mommy’s side!”

The small family laughed smiling, deciding to enjoy the film that was placed on the TV.

——

Thank you so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! Tell me what you think about?

Tags: @missstrawbs2001 @purpleprincessonfyre @meiramel @gcthvile @rickb-chaos @gaminggirlsstuff @wizzzardofoz @mallowbee4 @thechoooooosenone @luna-d-marsh @rooster-84 @sherloquestea and etc

[sergeifyodorov]

Dylan for the character ask please??

Okay let’s be real here my first intro to dylan was the same as all of youse. MCSTROME YAOI!

IMPRESSION NOW

DYLAN!! Hockey’s most important unimportant character. I think he’s fascinating -- beyond… that relationship that he has with Davo, which I will touch on momentarily, he’s obviously a student of the game; an intelligent skater and, from his interviews, pretty apparently someone who’s smart and really knows what he’s talking about and looking at, which is why he can easily play centre to high-power finishers like DeBrincat and Ovi. (And why Kane’s aging snuck up on everyone. You forget that a winger does not drive a line.)

I also think this intelligence comes with a pretty wry/deadpan sense of humour, which combined with the Eyebrows (magnificent ones!) and the dark circles gives a certain painted-on look. Like he’s in drag of himself.

not super insightful in this bullet point but he’s wayyyy bigger than i thought he would be

girldad and he is INFATUATED with that toddler weslie he loves his kid and his soon-to-be second kid so much

okay. Let’s talk about the big one now. In juniours, he and Connor had. Some sort of a relationship Going On there… besties but in a toxic-homoerotic-teenager way where you know they are absolutely not going to be okay after any part of it no matter what. And they’re definitely not ok. Dylan’s like “we’re still close to this day!” but i personally believe that is a LIE until proven otherwise… girl they did not LOOK AT EACH OTHER after dylan eliminated connor in that sillie little handshake line in the bubble. What are we talking about here. That’s not a normal healthy teenage-besties thing to do -- Stamkos and Tavares were OHL buddies, and they hugged in the handshake, Matthew Tkachuk and 1634 were USNTDP/OHL buddies and they looked at each other, talked in the handshake. something is not right i know it… fellas what happened between you…

FAV MOMENT

i am going to say eliminating connor as like. Peak narrative momente… but as more of a movement than a moment i do like the new direction he’s going in with the washington capitals… becoming an old man (dad of several children) and also ovi’s daughter

IDEA FOR STORY

i think dylan is settling down right now and becoming more of his own man than a character in the tumult. Baby dylan needs to go on a Dramatic Road Trip though. Confront some demons (metaphorical or literal, your pick). Have some gay sex. Full on early-seasons Supernatural type beat… he needs to feel the open road and kiss men and cry singular manly tears and banish ghosts. not in the same way quinn blinded-by-angels hughes does it. dean winchester activities.

UNPOPULAR OPINION

baby leafsfan thoughts i think… whats his deal w that. has he moved past it now into solely red-wearing symbolism or is he still tied. I think of the three baby leafsfans of 2015 he has moved on the most

FAV RELATIONSHIP

Actually let’s look away from your classic mcstrome stuff and talk about dylovi for a second. they have something and im not afraid to say it. that brunette bitch with the eyebrows WILL be assisting on 895 and you can bet your ass on it

FAV HEADCANON

in the iconic words of lizzo, “i heard you a freak, too” iykyk

[montecristohq]

𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐌𝐀𝐏 — 𝙪𝙣𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨.

MONTE CRISTO .

monte cristo is a ghost town northwest of monte cristo peak in washington . the town was active as a mining area for gold & silver from 1889 to 1907 , and later became a resort town that operated until 1983 . following disastrous flooding of the road in december 1980 , and the decision not to make bridge or road repairs , the lodge closed for good . it burned under suspicious circumstances in march 1983 . people who hike to the monte cristo ghost town have reported voices yelling into the void , the sound of chopping wood , footsteps inside the cabins , the sound of hoarse laughter from the center of camp , and even apparitions that seem to shapeshift amongst the trees .

THE FISH LADDER.

ebbing off from a majestic waterfall, the fish ladder runs along the edge of the river. the incredible power of these falls have generated over the years, & the spring that flows through this narrow section of river is thunderous. however, the falls gradually become a turbulent stretch of thrashing whitewater. if you visit at lower flows you'll see the evidence of this power in the riverbed's smooth and sculpted granite. incredibly, a 240-foot tunnel was blasted out of the granite to allow the fish to access the fish ladder. built in 1954, they constructed what was at the time the world's longest vertical baffled fish ladder to provide salmon with an opportunity to reach the 30 miles of river above the falls.

OLD TRACKS & TRAIN BRIDGE.

the everett and monte cristo railway was built to transport gold & silver ores from mines in the central cascade mountains to a smelter in everett, washington. the first train reached what became the town of monte cristo in august 1893. however, the mining boom ended in 1903 as the failure of the railway to maintain service to monte cristo in the face of floods, landslides, winter snows, fires, and other disasters led to collapse of the industry. the railroad found a second set of customers among the timber companies. the everett and monte cristo tracks gave access to large areas of virgin forest, so the railroad was used to move raw logs down to existing mills. as the railway pushed further into the woods, new sawmills and roof shingle mills were established, and finished lumber and shingles were also shipped out by train. tourism was a part of the business from the beginning of the railroad. the mountain scenery was then and still is an attraction. a resort hotel, the inn at big four, was opened in 1921 along the rail line for guests who wanted more than a day trip to the mountains.

DWELLINGS.

maybe of the cabins are locked up, but old tools belonging to workers of the original township are still scattered about. these small buildings are less than half a mile from the main town & were mostly used as workshops and storehouses. *this will be the base camp. room assignments are as follows : kody + isla. reeve + kingston. milo + thomas. eliza + camille. muses are welcome to re-assign rooms or move thorugh in-character interactions.

THE GHOST TOWN.

the town survived as a tourist destination for several decades after its initial decline, but the county road was flooded out in december 1980, and the only remaining business in town, a lodge, burned down in 1983. that same year, a nonprofit group called monte cristo preservation association stepped in to save and restore the historical site ( cleanup of arsenic and other toxins left behind began in september 2012 and was mostly completed in 2015 ). notable buildings: the inn, the general store, the saloon.

THE MINES.

there are eight known mines surrounding the area of monte cristo : mystery, new discovery, pride of the mountains, pride of the woods, golden cord, comet, justice, and rainy mines.  some mining tunnels are dilapidated and unstable, making the traversing of them a daunting task.

ABANDONED HOMES.

MOUNTAIN CAVE.

[theculturedmarxist]

China’s path to reducing carbon emissions should be determined by China and not controlled by anyone else, President Xi Jinping told dozens of officials, at the same time as US climate envoy John Kerry is in Beijing seeking consensus on global warming.

Xi was speaking at a two-day national conference on ecological and environmental protection that started on Monday, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday night.

“China’s commitments are unswerving, but the path towards the goals as well as the manner, pace and intensity of efforts to achieve them should and must be determined by the country itself, rather than swayed by others,” he said.

“[We should] actively and steadily work toward carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, foster a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system, accelerate the formation of a new power system and strengthen the country’s capability of guaranteeing oil and gas security.”

Xi also urged the country to safeguard ecological security and nuclear and radiation safety to “ensure that the natural environment and conditions, which are the foundation of survival and development, are not threatened or damaged”.

He asked for a concerted legal, market, technological and policy effort to achieve his goals.

The conference was attended by all seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the pinnacle of the party’s decision-making apparatus, as well as a wide range of party and government bodies.

Kerry, whose four-day visit concludes on Wednesday, has met Premier Li Qiang and top diplomat Wang Yi, as he seeks consensus on the fight against climate change.

There are also hopes his trip will add positive momentum to US-China relations, in their worst shape in decades.

Kerry tweeted on Tuesday that he appreciated the opportunity to have “an important discussion” with Li on how the US and China can work together to keep the pledge to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius about pre-industrial levels – a commitment of the 2015 Paris agreement – alive.

Li called for both sides to stick to climate commitments made in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.

Xi promised in September 2020 that China’s carbon emissions would peak by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060. In 2021, he said China would tightly control coal consumption and gradually reduce it after 2025.

China has repeatedly emphasised the need to secure its energy security and deliver on its climate commitments.

The most recent government work report to address the issue – submitted to the National People’s Congress, China’s legislature, in March by the previous premier Li Keqiang – said research and development of clean energy was a priority for 2023.

In April, the National Energy Administration announced plans to add 160 million kilowatts of installed wind and solar capacity by the end of this year, boosting the share of wind and solar electricity to 15.3 per cent of society’s energy use.

“Three years after making its carbon-reduction pledge, China’s energy and industrial transitions are still far from complete,” said Ma Jun, director of the Institute for Public and Environmental Affairs, a non-profit environmental research firm.

While China’s renewable energy is increasing, China has approved more coal projects recently, noted Ma. “Due to complex geopolitical changes, China has shifted its focus to energy security,” he said.

A major stumbling block to an agreement between the US and China on climate issues is China’s use of coal power. Washington wants China to reduce its domestic reliance on coal to cut more methane emissions. But Xi has reiterated many times that it is a matter of “energy security”.

There has been a significant increase in approvals for coal power projects within China since last summer’s extreme heatwave, which led to power supply crunches in several southern provinces. The rise in domestic approvals has sparked international concern about China’s ability to deliver on its climate promise.

On Kerry’s last visit to China in August 2021, he asked Beijing to stop funding coal power projects outside its borders. A month later, at the UN General Assembly, Xi announced that China would no longer build new coal power overseas.

Regarding China and US’s differences in climate issues and carbon reduction, Ma said, “What we have to see is what kind of cooperation the two sides are going to go for, and whether they can achieve a win-win situation on what each side is good at.”

[rosecoloredknight]

tagged by @autumn-warrior !! Thank you 😊😊

Name: Alfonso (al-phone📞-so🤷🏽)

Nickname: poncho

Star sign: Virgo ♍

Height: 5’8'' but honestly, guys lie all the time when I ask for their height so I'll be humble and say 5'7"!

Sexual Orientation: Straight

Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw!! 🐦‍⬛✨📚🌌

Favorite Color: silver-ish!!

Current time: 8:14pm

Average Hours of Sleep: it depends, but most of the times 4 hours and sometimes 4-6 hours

Lucky Number: don't really have one

Last thing I googled: Etsy levian cookies to buy myself as a bday gift haha

Favorite Fictional Character: not really obsessed with any fictional character, but like there's quite a few I enjoy talking about. I mostly like characters that I get to make up my own background lore. Hence why I like Mass Effect and Dragon Age!

Favorite Artist/Band: oh geez, I've actually found new favorites!! But in general: Sleeping At Last, Twenty One Pilots, Bastille, and new ones like Henrik, Hans Williams, NF— there's just too many, if anyone wants to know more of my favorites, ask me for recommendations and I'll make you a playlist specifically for you!

Dream Trip: Washington, Michigan, Virginia, Illinois, and Germany (which I will visit two of these places next year)!

Dream Job: as a kid I wanted to be like Jeff Corwin!! But now, work in the foster care system or any social work field will be fine!

What am I Wearing Right Now: just dropped off my nephew and walking home so I'm wearing my black Steven Grant Moon Knight hoodie and black shorts!

When Did I Create This Blog: 2015!!

Current Amount of Followers: 2,451 but c'mon, mostly are bots and have crossed to the other side of the social media apps 🫡 hope y'all are safe and happy out there ❤️

What Made Me Decide to Get a Tumblr: my obsession with brutasha ship xD — I still stan them so much 😤🙌🏽

Why Did I Choose my URL: it's a spelled backwards version to "colorless". This world [or maybe it's my mental illness (?)], is always trying to make me feel hopeless, cold, bleak, and.. colorless. This constant struggle I'm always trying to rip apart from me. so yeah.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

The Guardian:

In 2018, a Syrian dissident codenamed Caesar was set to testify before the House foreign affairs committee about the torture and summary executions that had become a signature of Bashar al-Assad’s brutal crackdown on opposition during Syria’s civil war. It was not Caesar’s first time in Washington: the ex-military photographer had smuggled out 55,000 photographs and other evidence of life in Assad’s brutal detention facilities years earlier, and had campaigned anonymously to convince US lawmakers to pass tough sanctions on Assad’s network as punishment for his reign of terror. But ahead of that hearing, staffers on the committee, activists and Caesar himself, suddenly became nervous: was it safe to hold the testimony in front of Tulsi Gabbard, the Hawaii congresswoman on the committee who just a year earlier had traveled to Damascus of her own volition to meet with Assad?

“There was genuine concern by Democrats in her own party, and Republicans and us and Caesar, about how were we going to do this?” said Mouaz Moustafa, the executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, an activist group, who had previously traveled with Gabbard in Syria in 2015. “With the member sitting on this committee that we believe would give any intelligence she has to Assad, Russia and Iran, all of which would have wanted to kill Caesar.” During a congressional trip in 2015, Moustafa recalled, Gabbard had asked three young Syrian girls whether the airstrike they had narrowly survived may not have been launched by Assad, but rather by the terrorist group Isis. The one problem? Isis did not have an air force. Photographs from the 2018 briefing showed a heavily disguised Caesar sitting in a hoodie and mask giving testimony before the House committee. “I often disguise [witnesses],” said Moustafa, who had worked closely with Caesar and served as his translator. “But that day I was especially wary of Tulsi.”

There is no evidence that Gabbard sought to pass any information about the Syrian whistleblower to Damascus or any other country, nor that she has any documented connection to other intelligence agencies. But within Washington foreign policy circles and the tightly knit intelligence community, Gabbard has long been seen as dangerous; some have worried that she seems inclined toward conspiracy theories and cosying up to dictators. Others, including the former secretary of state and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, have gone further, calling her a “Russian asset”. Those concerns have been heightened by Gabbard’s nomination under Donald Trump to the post of director of national intelligence, a senior cabinet-level position with access to classified materials from across the 18 US intelligence agencies, and shaping that information for the president’s daily briefing. The role would allow her to access and declassify information at her discretion, and also direct some intelligence-sharing with US allies around the world.

[...] Gabbard and her supporters have denounced those attacks as a smear, saying that her history of anti-interventionism in Syria and Ukraine has been misrepresented as a kind of “cold war 2.0”. In Washington, she has staked out a unique foreign policy position as a strong supporter of Israel and the “war on terror” – but also as a critic of US rivalries with countries like Russia and Iran (she strongly criticised Trump’s decision to assassinate the Iranian general Qassem Soleimani as an “illegal and unconstitutional act of war”). “When it comes to the war against terrorists, I’m a hawk,” she told a Hawaiian newspaper in 2016. “When it comes to counterproductive wars of regime change, I’m a dove.”

[...] But Gabbard has repeatedly shared conspiracy theories, including claiming shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine that there are “25+ US-funded biolabs in Ukraine which if breached would release & spread deadly pathogens to US/world”. In fact, the US program stemming back to the 1990s is directed at better securing labs which focus on infectious disease outbreaks.

And she has repeatedly supported dictators, including Assad, suggesting that reports of the 2013 and 2017 chemical weapons attacks were false, and calling for the US to “join hands” with Moscow following its 2015 intervention in Syria. Establishment Democrats and Republicans have openly questioned whether or not she poses a threat to national security. “I worry what might happen to untold numbers of American assets if someone as reckless, inexperienced, and outright disloyal as Gabbard were DNI,” wrote Adam Kinzinger, a former congressman who served on the foreign affairs committee with Gabbard in 2018 when Caesar testified.

Having Assad apologist and Kremlin talking head Tulsi Gabbard in charge of national intelligence seriously threatens national security.

[mollymacaroni]

Here and Queer!

In the beginning, God made Adam and Steve.

I've been wanting to create a blog like this for some time now, but just never got enough motivation to bring myself to do it. Look at me now! The main thing I want to go over with this first post, is to establish who I am and what my intentions and goals are with this blog.

Introductions first. My name is Sam. I am a 20 year old queer and trans individual living in the United States. I am currently majoring in history in undergrad. History is one of my greatest passions and loves in my life. Since my 8th grade Washington D.C. trip (and y'know.. the hit 2015 musical Hamilton), I have had this ever grow, ever evolving love for history. As such an admirer of history and the absolute biggest fruitcake, it's no surprise my ass is extremely interested in queer history, specifically of the early modern era.

So, what will be my intentions and goals with this blog? In simple terms, to research and write about LGBTQ+ people, events, laws, etc. from the early modern era (around 1500s-1800s about) throughout world history. This blog won't be very academic so please do not cite me in your university paper or something! This will just be a fun way to practice my research and writing skills and to hopefully educate people on very important queer history!

I do not plan on having scheduled posts as I am a college student and working, so my life is very busy and I won't be able to research and write as much as I'd like. Majority of the research I will be doing for my writings will be online, via the internet of my university's digital library. I will hopefully make a master post for favorite sites and sources in the future.

I will be essentially writing about whatever piques my interest at the time, but I am full open to asks and submissions if there is a person or event or whatever you would like me to research more on.

Thank you so much and I cannot to spread so much queer joy and educations!

[108garys]

I just realized my supermassive mega crossover timeline is out of date, it's very much a footnotes type deal but as I did this for myself it may have some errors to correct when I update it and it was very much written to not add game choices

So here it is before I update it, let me know if anyone wants it when I do(still no quarry because I struggle to see it as part of the same universe)

Bat monster colony ship hits prehistoric earth (???/the Zagros mountains)

The gutian army attacks the akkadian temple of naram-sin during an eclipse ( 2231.bc/Akkad, the Zagros mountains 'iraq')

The town of little hope is griped with witch hysteria (1692.ad/little hope, Massachusetts America)

The blackwoods sanatorium opens (1922.ad/Alberta Canada)

The newlyweds Randolph and Mary Hodgson and a team of professionals set off on an archeolgical expedition under the funding of lady Bradshaw (1946.ad/the Zagros mountains, iraq)

The Ourang medan sets sail with a dark secret (1947.ad/Manchuria)

Anne and James Clarke get married (1948.ad/little hope, Massachusetts America)

A mine collapse traps thirty miners for about a month, twelve survive leading to the massacre of blackwoods asylum (1952.ad/mt Blackwood, Alberta Canada)

Salim Othman born on the first of May (1963.ad/iraq)

Reverend Carson begins mentoring Megan Clarke(10) (1971.ad/little hope, Massachusetts America)

James, Anne, Tanya, Dennis and Megan Clarke die in a house fire, Anthony Clarke at 18 is the sole survivor (1972.ad/little hope, Massachusetts America)

Rachel and Eric King get into a car accident on their wedding night, leading to Eric lossing a leg and massive strain on their marriage (2000.ad/Massachusetts America)

The Kings separate and work apart for a year (2002.ad)

A raid gone wrong leads to the rediscovery of the Sumerian temple and all it's secrets (2003.ad/the Zagros mountains, Iraq)

Detective Becky Marney apprehends suspected 'trapper killer' Jonathan Finn (2012.ad/NYC)

Hannah and Beth Washington vanish into a snowstorm after a cruel prank is played on one of the twins (2014.ad/blackwood pines, Alberta Canada)

Josh Washington sets up a revenge prank on the anniversary of his sisters' disappearance and gets so much more than he bargained for (2015.ad/mt Blackwood, Alberta Canada)

New information casts doubt on Johnathan Finn's guilt leading up to his scheduled execution (2017.ad/NYC)

A diving trip goes horribly wrong (2019.ad/French Caribbean, the ocean)

Anthony Clarke confronts the loss of his family/Andrew and his creative writing class face their demons (2020.ad/little hope, Massachusetts America)