#waste removal westminster

[bigbenblog]

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[303junk]

[rubbishwaste]

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[coochiequeens]

The truly sad thing is that TRAs are not going to take a moment for self reflection and look at the perverts that have overun the TQ+ movement. Instead they are going to lash out at "TERFs".

Judges have ruled that the UK government acted lawfully in blocking Scotland's gender self-ID reforms.

Legislation making it easier for people to change their legally-recognised sex was passed by the Scottish Parliament last year.

The UK government blocked it from becoming law over fears it would impact on equality laws across Great Britain.

The Court of Session in Edinburgh has now rejected a Scottish government legal challenge to the veto.

The Scottish government has 21 days to decide whether it wants to appeal against the ruling, and the case could ultimately end up in the Supreme Court in London.

The legislation received cross-party support in Holyrood, passing by 86 votes to 39 after a highly-charged debate.

Campaigners against the reforms warned the legislation could risk the safety of women and girls in same-sex spaces such as hospital wards and refuges.

Supporters argued it would make the process of obtaining a gender recognition certificate (GRC) easier and less traumatic for trans people.

The legislation would remove the need for trans people to be diagnosed with gender dysphoria by a doctor before they are allowed to change their legally-recognised sex in Scotland, and would lower the age that someone can apply for a GRC from 18 to 16.

The period in which applicants would need to have lived in their acquired gender would be cut from two years to three months.

The UK government stepped in to block the bill from receiving royal assent after it was passed by MSPs, using powers contained in section 35 of the Scotland Act for the first time.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack raised concerns that the reforms could adversely impact on the 2010 Equality Act, which applies in Scotland, England and Wales and sets out protections for groups including women and transgender people.

The Scottish government challenged the move at the Court of Session - Scotland's highest civil court - with its top law officer, Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain, arguing that Mr Jack did not have "reasonable grounds" to block the bill.

Ms Bain also claimed that if the UK government was successful, Westminster "could veto practically any act of the Scottish Parliament having an impact on reserved matters because he disagreed with it on policy grounds".

But in her written ruling, judge Lady Haldane dismissed the Scottish government's appeal and said the block on the legislation was lawful.

She said Mr Jack followed correct legal procedures when he made his decision to invoke section 35 and that the Scottish government had failed to show that he had made legal errors.

The judge wrote: "I cannot conclude that he (Mr Jack) failed in his duty to take such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to acquaint himself with material sufficient to permit him to reach the decision that he did."

Lady Haldane also said that "Section 35 does not, in and of itself, impact on the separation of powers or other fundamental constitutional principle. Rather it is itself part of the constitutional framework."

Welcoming the judgement, Mr Jack said it "upholds my decision to prevent the Scottish government's gender recognition legislation from becoming law".

He added: "I was clear that this legislation would have had adverse effects on the operation of the law as it applies to reserved matters, including on important Great Britain-wide equality protections.

"Following this latest court defeat for the Scottish government, their ministers need to stop wasting taxpayers' money pursuing needless legal action and focus on the real issues which matter to people in Scotland - such as growing the economy and cutting waiting lists."

Alister Jack blocked the legislation because of its potential impact on equalities law that applies across Scotland, England and Wales

Humza Yousaf decided to proceed with the legal challenge shortly after succeeding Nicola Sturgeon - a passionate supporter of trans rights - as first minister earlier this year.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, he described the ruling as a "dark day for devolution".

Mr Yousaf said: "Today's judgment confirms beyond doubt that devolution is fundamentally flawed. The court has confirmed that legislation passed by a majority in Holyrood can be struck down by Westminster.

"The only way to guarantee we get true self-government is through independence. Sovereignty should lie with the people of Scotland, not a Westminster government we didn't vote for with the ability to overrule our laws."

He was the only one of the three candidates in the SNP leadership contest who backed taking legal action and the issue has been deeply divisive within the party.

Colin Macfarlane, director of nations at LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall, said the ruling would "mean more uncertainty for trans people in Scotland who will be waiting once again to see whether they will be able to have their gender legally recognised through a process that is in line with leading nations like Ireland, Canada and New Zealand."

Labour's shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray said it was "disappointing this legalisation ended in the courts but this ruling should be respected".

Shortly after the reforms were passed, double rapist Isla Bryson - who changed gender after being arrested for attacking two women - was remanded to a women's jail.

Bryson was subsequently moved to a male prison after the case sparked widespread anger. The Scottish government said the new legislation had no impact on the decision about where Bryson was held.

As befitting an unprecedented case, this is in Lady Haldane's words a "novel and complex" ruling.

She actually concluded in part that this is a situation where many decisions could have been taken, and that "there is possibly no single right answer" - but that the courts should only intervene in the case of a clear error in law.

The judge concluded that Alister Jack was entitled to make a decision on this, and that he had taken the proper steps to come to a view, without going into the even knottier territory of whether it was the right one.

All of that complexity means there could be room for appeal.

The Scottish government will be combing through the ruling to see if there are grounds to go back to court.

Mr Jack has urged them not to, telling them not to waste public funds on further legal action.

But ministers will perhaps put more weight on the position of the Scottish Greens, their partners in government, who are absolutely furious about the "horrible, heartbreaking and unjust" outcome.

Challenging UK ministers on this has been a red line for the Greens in the past. It may be that Scottish ministers have little choice but to fight on if they are to keep their partnership government together.

[mariacallous]

Late last month, Sweden expelled a Chinese journalist who had been reporting from the country for nearly two decades. She had, it turned out, been engaging in what the government described as activities harmful to the country—espionage, in other words. But being expelled was not the end of the world for the journalist, who, judging by her social media presence, seemed to quite enjoy getting back to Beijing. Like her, most of the growing number of foreign spies caught in the West only face expulsion, and often a hero’s welcome at home. It may be time for Western governments to adopt the Estonian approach and put all arrested spies on trial.

“After 18 years away from Beijing, I’m back. I’m going to rediscover the miracle of loving you!” the Chinese journalist posted on her webpage after being expelled from Sweden late last month. Last fall, Swedish authorities picked up the trail, arrested her, and put her in pre-trial detention. Now they’ve removed her from the country. Problem solved—but not much of a deterrent to future efforts.

These days, Western authorities are unmasking a whole lot of spies, especially ones working on behalf of Russia and China. In the United Kingdom, authorities have charged two young Britons—including a parliamentary researcher—with spying for China. Last year British authorities identified Christine Lee, a Chinese businesswoman well-connected in Westminster, as a Chinese agent of influence. This April, a Chinese staffer working for a German member of European Parliament, Maximilian Krah, was arrested after reportedly working for Chinese intelligence for over a decade. Around the same time, German authorities arrested three Germans who had been spying for China.

Last August, the United States arrested two U.S. Navy sailors—naturalized U.S. citizens of Chinese ethnicity—on charges of espionage for China. Two years ago, Norwegian authorities arrested Mikhail Mikushin, a GRU officer who had been working undercover in the country posing as a Brazilian academic. The year before that, Swedish authorities arrested a married couple that had entered the country as Afghan refugees after establishing that they were Iranian intelligence agents. Jan Marsalek, the fugitive ex-chief operating officer of the billion-dollar German payment-processing firm Wirecard, turns out to have spent years working closely with Russian intelligence while also running the firm. Indeed, Russia may have used Wirecard to pay its undercover operatives in other countries, the Financial Times reports.

These arrests are just part of the haul, and Western jails are likely to become fuller still, because powers hostile to the West are expanding their espionage. Over the past couple of decades, Russia and China—and in some cases also Iran—have expanded traditional espionage on targets like the armed forces and other national-security institutions. But that’s just part of what they’re interested in. Every aspect of Western societies, from startups and university R&D to civil society, interests the intelligence gatherers and their masters.

It doesn’t matter that much of the information they collect can be found in newspapers and other publicly accessible sources: The objective is to hoover up as much information as possible. To be sure, agents coming from closed societies may not realize, or may find it convenient to sell to their bosses, just how much information is open in the West. But there’s also value in sheer quantity. And because Western governments have expelled a considerable number of Russian diplomats over the past few years, the number of undercover operatives is thought to have grown even more. Just this May, the U.K. expelled Russia’s defense attaché, Maxim Elovik, for spying.

But what should Western governments do after arresting the suspected spies? Like the two Britons arrested for spying, Western citizens caught in their home countries face prosecution. But what about Chinese, Russians, and other foreigners spying on our countries? Until now, Western governments have usually simply expelled them, as Sweden did with the Chinese journalist. Sweden has also expelled operatives who have been spying on Chinese dissidents, Uyghurs, and Tibetans on Beijing’s behalf. In 2010, after arresting a network of 10 Russian undercover spies including the flame-haired Anna Chapman, the United States swiftly expelled them to Russia in exchange for four Russians serving prison sentences for alleged espionage on behalf of America.

Eight years later, the FBI arrested another glamorous Russian spy, Maria Butina, who had been infiltrating U.S. political circles. By the end of the following year, though, she was safely back in Russia after serving a brief jail sentence. (In the case of diplomats and military officers serving under diplomatic accreditation, expulsion is the only punishment available.)

Expulsion, though, is hardly a deterrent. Russia rewarded Chapman with an extraordinary career as a television personality, while Butina was smoothly elected a member of the Duma.

One European country already takes a radically different approach and does so consistently: Estonia. When the Baltic country began building up its security institutions in the 1990s, after winning independence from the Soviet Union once more, its budding spy catchers eagerly learned from Western colleagues. Then, though, they did things their way. “Over the past couple of decades, Estonia has caught more spies than many larger Western countries, and we prosecute them,” Toomas Hendrik Ilves, a former president of Estonia, told me. “And since we have rule of law, we don’t prosecute unless we have a clear case.”

The decisive moment was Herman Simm, said Arnold Sinisalu, a veteran counterintelligence officer who until last year directed Estonia’s counterintelligence agency, the Internal Security Service. In 2008, the ISS arrested the respected top Ministry of Defense official on charges of spying for Russia, and soon thereafter he was put on trial. “After we prosecuted Simm, we decided that we should go to court as much we can every time,” Sinisalu told me. “And one of the most important decisions we made was that we won’t hide any information. We had those discussions in 2008 and 2009. Since that time, we have done it like this every time.”

Estonia has indeed done so, including last month, when a professor at the University of Tartu was convicted of spying for Russia and sentenced to over six years in prison. “Lots of Western academics said, ‘he can’t be a spy, he’s anti-Putin,’” Ilves noted. “But would a spy go around saying, ‘I’m for Putin?’ This is the world we live in. Anyone can be spying on us.”

Prosecuting foreign spies is gutsy. “If somebody is in prison, it’s the best way, honestly, to send a message,” Sinisalu told me. It’s also risky, because the spies’ paymasters can retaliate by arresting random Estonians or other Westerners on bogus espionage charges. In recent years, Russia, China, and Iran have shown they’ve no compunction about doing so. But, Ilves said, “taking a tough line hasn’t hurt Estonia. The standard policy of being hush-hush, just sending the spies away, what does it give you? It’s certainly not going to give you better relations with that country.”

Indeed, the risk of having Westerners arrested by hostile regimes may be a price worth paying to reduce spying against our countries. (And these days, Western citizens with no pressing need to visit hostile countries should avoid doing so.) Yes, Sinisalu conceded, hostile countries may retaliate by arresting Westerners, “but if our guys are arrested in Russia, then there we have something we can use in negotiations with the Russians. If you come empty-handed, what are you going to do? Arrested spies are like a treasure that you can trade with them.”

Put differently, an expelled spy is a treasure unnecessarily relinquished. Modern Estonia came late to the counterintelligence game. But an immeasurable advantage of belonging to the Western alliance is that it’s composed of friends who can learn from one another. And at the very moment Western governments have to tackle growing espionage, there’s a country whose blueprints they can study. We may soon see more prosecutions of foreign spies.

[eretzyisrael]

Israel's Good News Newsletter to 7th May 23

In the 7th May 23 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

Israelis have developed and implanted the world’s smallest heart pump.

Medical experts come to Israel to learn about healthy aging.

Israelis show the Jewish State in its true light to the United Nations.

Israeli technology can solve the problem of unrecyclable plastic.

Israeli airport security scanning is keeping our skies safe.

Oil from Jerusalem is used to anoint King Charles.

Read More: Good News From Israel

This week's newsletter takes you inside many of Israel's achievements. Israeli medical successes include the world's smallest heart pump; a mother and daughter heart transplant; removal of painful internal human tissue by freezing; and how to live longer by maintaining a healthy inside.  Israelis went inside the United Nations to show how Israel benefits the world; Israeli apartments are being strengthened inside to protect them against earthquakes; and Israeli children receive education even while inside hospitals. You can read the inside story of Israel's Iron Beam laser defense project; the inside-out process of an Israeli startup that turns any plastic waste back into petrochemicals; an Israeli sunscreen with minerals that go inside coral reefs to promote growth; and an Israeli airport scanning system that can check inside passenger baggage 10 times faster than any human-operated X-ray device. So many Israeli companies are working inside US States to benefit their economies; and inside companies such as Volvo and thousands of cities worldwide to make transportation safer and more efficient.

Finally, the atmosphere inside Israel has been uplifted by the story of Lucy Dee's husband and remaining children coming to the hospital to listen to Lucy's heart which is now beating inside an overjoyed Israeli woman.

The photo is of the inside of Israel's Knesset - Parliament, the decision-making institution of the most democratic country in the Middle East. The photo was taken during the announcement that the President of Israel would travel to London and walk on Shabbat to Westminster Abbey to attend the coronation of King Charles III of the United Kingdom.

[katchleeifyoucan]

As someone who really wants to visit London one day, what are your basic traveling tips for going there? 😊

ooo okay here’s just some stuff off the top of my head!

get an Oyster card and take the tube (subway) and buses everywhere. i promise it’s easy to navigate but Ubers/taxis are just a waste of money tbh

Citymapper. Citymapper. Citymapper.

public transport “etiquette” is interesting there. people don’t look around, they keep to themselves, and they don’t talk much, even to their friends and people they know

when you ride an escalator— stand on the right, walk on the left

this is so random lol but be prepared for familiar brands to taste different (mostly applies to chips/crisps, candy, and soda)

Greggs is a place that’s quick, easy, inexpensive, and honestly pretty good for what you’re paying

when you go out to eat, tipping isn’t really a thing there (because servers actually get paid). some places will have an optional 10% service charge but you can have it removed if you really want

because servers aren’t making all their money off tips, they’re not going to try to rush you out, and so you have to actually ask for the bill when you’re ready to leave

so the Indian and Bangladeshi food is really good because many people migrated to the UK from those countries. you can ask them to make it mild if you don’t like spicy, but it’s worth trying. maybe go to Brick Lane!

this goes for any place you’re traveling, but leave time to do “nothing.” don’t overpack your schedule because you’ll enjoy it less overall. leave time here and there to wander aimlessly and just romanticize your life yk?

that being said, prioritize certain touristy things you want to do but don’t do them all. i’d recommend a walking tour of the City of Westminster and the Tower of London!

it’s the heart of theatre so see at least one show! can be a musical if you really want, but the plays are better! or maybe one of each! if a show offers them, get rush tickets to save money (comment or dm if you have no idea what that means lol)

Covent Garden during the day (try Ben’s Cookies while you’re there), Soho at night. Soho has good food, good pubs, and good nightlife. just a fun place to be!

Simmons and O’Niells are fun pub chains!

tbh that’s all that’s coming to mind rn but please lmk if you end up going and we can chat more about it! i’m planning to go back a couple of times and then move there permanently :)

[etrey]

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[expertwaste]

Revitalize and Beautify: Beauty Services, Cryotherapy, and Laser Hair Removal in Westminster

In today's fast-paced world, taking care of oneself often falls by the wayside. However, revitalizing and beautifying treatments are more accessible than ever, especially in Westminster. Services such as beauty treatments, cryotherapy, and laser hair removal are designed to help individuals look and feel their best. While you pamper yourself, it’s also crucial to maintain a clean environment. Expert Waste offers affordable solutions like cheap bin rental and Vaughan bin rental to ensure your space stays pristine, allowing you to focus on your beauty regimen.

Westminster is home to a variety of beauty services aimed at rejuvenating your appearance and boosting your confidence. One popular treatment is cryotherapy, a process that involves exposing the body to extremely cold temperatures for a short period. This method is known for its numerous benefits, including reducing inflammation, promoting weight loss, and improving skin tone. With cryotherapy, you can achieve a youthful glow and enhanced overall well-being.

This treatment offers a long-term solution for unwanted hair, providing smooth and hair-free skin with minimal maintenance. Laser hair removal targets hair follicles, preventing future growth and saving you time on daily shaving or waxing routines.

While indulging in these beauty services, it's essential to keep your surroundings tidy. Expert Waste provides cheap bin rental services, ensuring you have a convenient and cost-effective way to manage waste. Their Vaughan bin rental options are perfect for any clean-up project, whether it's after a beauty treatment session or a home renovation. With Expert Waste, maintaining a clutter-free environment has never been easier.

Revitalizing and beautifying treatments in Westminster, such as cryotherapy and laser hair removal, can significantly enhance your appearance and well-being. To complement these services, Expert Waste offers reliable and affordable waste management solutions like cheap bin rental and Vaughan bin rental. By choosing Expert Waste, you can ensure a clean and serene environment, allowing you to fully enjoy the benefits of your beauty treatments. Treat yourself to these innovative services and experience a new level of confidence and cleanliness.

[bigbenblog]

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[303junk]

303 Junk Removal - Hauling - Recycling Denver Colorado

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[blueboxwasteservice]

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[specialbrewbutterbeer]

Turning My Back (Part III) (Sirius Black x Reader)

Word Count: 3235

TW: Mentions death, angst

AN: I hope you enjoy this final part! I finally got back into the groove of it and got it done. Please let me know if you liked it and Requests and replies are super appreciated! <3

(Part I) (Part II)

REQUESTS (OPEN)

MASTERLIST

"What?" Sirius said out loud as he read the final letter, confused and processing what he was reading.

"What is this?" He asked, with a gruff tone in his voice, turning to (Y/n). In his hand he held the letter and what he had found underneath it, a tiny photograph album, about the side of his hand. It was plain and brown, and tied with brown twine and a folded, yellowed piece of paper tucked inside.

"You've no right be angry about it." She said firmly and through gritted teeth, breathing heavy as she was clearly still nervous, despite her clear tone.

He knew that, but it didn't change the fact that he was angry- or upset. He just stared back at her, waiting for something else from her that might prove it wrong.

"Open it." She instructed, and his eyes fell obediently back down to what was in his hands. He put the letter itself down and pulled the twine off of the album, removing the peice of paper- significantly less well preserved than the rest, he unfolded it and read from it.

"12th of March, 1982, Remus John Lupin - aged 22 years, Bachelor, and (Y/n) (Y/m/n) (Y/l/n) - aged 21, Spinster, were married at the Headquarters for the Ministry of Magic in Whitehall, within the City of Westminster, London" He read and spoke with absolute clarity, sure not to misread or misunderstand. Once again he glanced back at her, but now her eyes were toward the floor.

"I don't understand-" he muttered, finally opening the tiny album, finding photos of her and Remus, no bigger than the size you'd keep in your wallet. They wore smart clothes, she wore that same dress that he recognised from the first photograph, though it hung poorly off her body on her now- like she'd begun wasting away, a short veil and clutched a small bouquet of flowers, and Remus a suit, which fitted him equally as poorly. They forced smiles and kissed eachother softly, nothing like a first kiss usually was. The final picture had come loose, but it was them both sat outside the Ministry, Remus with a cigarette on his lips, and (Y/n) close to his side, her head on his shoulder, if you looked closely you could just make out that she'd been crying, his suit jacket over her shoulders and arm tight around her. It was painfully clear that, though they were not a couple in love, there was more love there than Sirius wanted to recognise.

"Barely six months- after-" Sirius struggled to understand it. He paused and looked to her, her eyes still hadn't rise to meet him. "Was this something I should have known about- is this why-" she cut him off by shaking her head. She lifted her hand and turned the page for him.

There was a second copy of the certificate- with a large black inky stamp over it. '12/12/82 ANNULLED UNION BY WAY OF NON-CONSUMATION AND GROUNDS OF ABANDONMENT'. He breathed a sigh of relief- though he had no real claim to be relieved.

"But- why?" He asked.

"It was my only shot at getting custody of Harry. They wouldn't let me have him if I were on my own, and Remus and I..." She sighed. "He was all that was left. He was sweet to me, and we needed eachother, and- I couldn't let Harry go without the biggest fight I could put up. So we agreed to do it."

"It didn't work?" He questioned.

"It did for a while." She spoke, her eyes in a distant far off place. "They wouldn't let me stay at our flat, or Godric's Hollow, they said that was too dangerous, so the moment Harry was in my arms I moved in with Remus." She sighed. "He wasn't there most of the time, he was scared his Lycanthropy would hurt us. He never told me that outright, but I'm not stupid, I knew it. So he made excuses to be away, and it was just me and Harry." She began to tear up again. "I had him for three months, I couldn't even see it through to his birthday. The Ministry decided that Remus' Lycanthropy and his trying to keep us safe was abandonment of the household, and as I was classed as a single guardian again they decided I was unfit on my own. They took him back to that aunt of his and I never saw him after that. I had no more chances, no more resources or loopholes to keep him." Tears slid down her cheeks as she explained. "By christmas Remus and I were officially 'estranged' and I could file for annulment. I didn't want it that way- I still wanted someone- anyone to stay with me but we were both too fragile for that. I've not seen or spoken to him since then. It's always been too much to bear." She wiped her cheek with the back of her hand and sat down on the edge of an armchair.

"The day we-" She hesitated, never having said the words out loud before. "The day we got married, was freezing cold. That summer was blazing hot, but it was snowing when I stood back in that fucking office undoing it all." She spoke quietly. "It wasn't what I imagined when I was a little girl, when you asked me." She looked up and finally met Sirius' gaze. "We only took pictures, because the Ministry wanted them to be sure it wasn't a fraudulent marriage- which I suppose it was in the end." She broke the gaze again. "It's such a strange thing to focus on now. And I expect they'll be the only ones I'll ever have-" She mused sadly, she didn't know why she was still talking.

"Why are you showing me all this?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know. I just-" She stumbled over her words. "I want you to know I didn't just abandon him." She spoke through a sob, putting her shaking hand to her mouth to muffle the sound- feeling awful about how little she could control her emotions. "And the whole time- I wished it were you..." (Y/n) spoke under her breath, half hoping he wouldn't hear.

Looking in the mirror, at herself in her underwear, the only matching set she had, which happened to be a pale colour so thankfully didn't show under the dress, she shivered. It was a cold, wet day, which felt fitting. The rain tapped it's gentle fingers on the window and grey light filtered in.

She sat down on the bed and looked down at where her engagement ring had been. She had taken it off months ago, she didn't even know where it was now, she hated it so much.

It had only been a cheap place holder, a sort of braided, plated silver thing, that didn't fit well but had a small stone.

She used to like looking back on the night she was given that- but now it was a sour, hateful memory.

There was a scarcely audible knock on the door.

"Come in-" She squeaked out, not even looking up.

It was tentatively pushed open, and Remus entered quietly. He pressed it closed behind him, and looked at (Y/n). She glanced to him, suddenly with tears stinging her eyes.

He stood awkwardly in his suit- it was cheap grey polyester, he had a pink satin tie that was tied poorly and he'd clearly tied and untied it more than once.

They weren't shy around eachother, (y/n) being still sat in her underwear made no difference to him. After all these years, each of them had seen all of the others.

He went and sat beside her and put an arm around her. She felt the cold, shiny material against her skin and could smell his herbal aftershave.

There was an immense sadness that hung thick in the air. It was suffocating, like a toxic, acrid smoke.

She'd limply curled her hair and put as much makeup on as she could manage with the little energy she had. She sat up and took a deep breath, before picking up a pair of stockings and pulling them on slowly as she sat on the edge of the bed.

Remus stood, he went to the wardrobe, where he had emptied half of it out for her to put the few clothes she had in. On the door, on a metal wire hanger, hung the dress. He picked it up delicately, his scarred hands so gentle, feeling the fabric under his fingertips. He turned it over in his hands as he slipped it off the hanger and unbuttoned it. He turned and held it up for (Y/n) to step into, which she did, steadying herself with a hand on his shoulder and another flat on his chest.

He pulled it up over her body, she slipped her arms into the sleeves and held it up on herself by holding her arm across her breast and splaying her fingers across where her hand sat, it now being too loose to stay up undone just by the shoulders. Meanwhile, Remus carefully placed his hands on her arms and twisted her around. He moved her hair over her shoulder and began buttoning the dress up.

Some of the buttons were loose, frayed or missing. She had loved this dress once but now it was faded, neglected- more so than when she had first aquired it second hand.

Finally, he guided her to the edge of the bed and sat her down. The shoes she had wanted to wear were sat by the bedside, so he kneeled, and slipped them on her feet, buckling the tiny strap around her ankle.

When he was done, he looked up at her. She was staring out the window- over his head. Her eyeline flickered to him as he straightened up and she let out a soft whimper- like she'd been holding her breath until she looked at him, her lip quivering. She leant forward and wrapped her arms around him. He immediately did the same, holding her tight as he felt her shaking in his arms. He felt too numb still to let his own eyes water- so all he felt he could do, to soothe himself in some way too, was to be a comfort to her now.

They left Remus' flat. She clutched a bouquet of silk flowers, bound in white satin ribbon and Remus' long coat over her shoulders. Remus had helped her pin a short blusher veil in her hair, which now flowed out behind her as they walked. Both the veil and silk flowers had been Lily's. It was all they had to make it look like a real wedding. Remus held her hand tight.

It wasn't a long walk to the Ministry, but it was excruciating. They put on faux smiles at every sweet comment from a stranger, congratulating the couple on their way to the altar, every nostalgic glance from an old couple and every little girl that looked up at (y/n) with wonder- so unknowing and so in awe of her, because she was a bride and despite it all she was still pretty if you didn't know what she had once looked like.

Remus had the rings in his pocket, in a folded manilla envelope, and the camera to take photos.

By noon they were married by a man sat at a desk, who didn't stand once for the entirety of the event, witnessed by the secretary of the official and a file clerk who happened to be passing by the office, and were stood in a different department of the Ministry- filling new forms to take custody of their dead friends' baby son.

As they did, Remus stood and watched his now wife frantically scribble in boxes and columns and rows. When they were officially declared man and wife and it was all over, she had sobbed. That's when they had gone out for some air, he'd smoked the cigarette and she had clung to his side, wearing his suit jacket, and the clerk, who had been taking pictures at the ceremony very kindly for them, and then shown them a side door they could slip out of for a moment, took the picture that so many years later Sirius would hold, having come loose from the photo album.

He was so- conflicted. Marrying his best friend's girl- if only for the practicality of it, felt like some kind of very odd betrayal. She was also his best friend, all he had left, it felt like he was betraying her too- though it was her idea.

It was a betrayal in that he couldn't be who she wished he were- though, god bless him, he tried. He didn't know that she wasn't kidding herself though, she knew just who he was. She would never knowingly pretend he was anything else.

His head had been so clouded since that night. He was numb, and life was so different. They'd lost everything, everyone. He would be glad to have Harry back, though he was scared also. He didn't know how this would all go in the long term. He had enough foresight most of the time to put one foot in front of the other- he was still in shock from it all.

He was so glad he had her, he could give her some comfort by doing all this, she could have Harry. They were all eachother had left now.

He had always imagined he'd be a best man at their wedding- not the groom. He knew, when she stood there, holding his hands as they uttered empty and yet powerful and comforting vows to eachother, that when her eyes glassed over as she looked up at him, she was wishing it were Sirius. He wished it were Sirius. If it were maybe it would mean all this would never have happened.

She should have had more meat on her bones, she should have looked healthy, her hips shouldn't jut out, her shoulders shouldn't have been been so pronounced, her ribs shouldn't show, her hair shouldn't be so thin, there should have been some chub on her thighs and stomach, her cheeks shouldn't be so hollow, her hands shouldn't shake, her nails shouldn't be so brittle, her teeth shouldn't be so ground down, she shouldn't be so diminutive and hunched.

She had been healthy, happy, beautiful when she was like that. She was still pretty, but nowhere near as beautiful as she had been when she was happy. When she was happy she ate, slept through the night without fits and she didn't feel so much guilt.

She felt so ill that she'd loved a killer, someone who apparently never loved her, used her, and who was always something so evil. It consumed her absolutely.

A week later, she and Remus were sat on the floor of the living room in the flat. It was scattered with toys and folded laundry or sheets on clothes horses, drying out. This was their final solace, paradise like she'd never known compared to the hellish landscapes she'd been traversing in the past months.

She was smiling again, Harry was babbling out words, sat between her legs and against her chest as she read to him from a little cardboard book.

Remus sat against the sofa, watching. Behind him, on the sofa, was a pillow and old duvet- it's where he was sleeping. He'd given his bedroom to (Y/n) to sleep in, and had put up the cot for Harry. She had tried to insist that he didn't, but he promised he didn't mind. She was thinking were Remus would be long term, where would he sleep if not at least in his own bed? It was a small double, there was room- but she respected that, as close as they were, he didn't think it felt quite right- not uncomfortable, they weren't shy- but just not right.

He wasn't thinking that way. She hoped that they could give Harry a somewhat average life, two parents, a mother and father figure, a happy one at least. She hoped they could both tell him one day of how wonderful his parents were, and that they loved him so much, but also reassure him that she and Remus were there for him always, that he would never have to explain to anyone anything he didn't want to, he would always be able to say he had a mum and dad and they were married and loved him and that there would be nothing too unusual about his life.

He was intending to drift away a bit, allow her to be Harry's parent, as all his old insecurity cropped up and with the stress of the events of the past months making the full moons more and more difficult.

It wasn't that he was never around, as the Ministry later claimed, he was- and he wanted to be. He wished he could feel more secure, but he wasn't. He felt it was better off if he limited his involvement. He adored Harry and (Y/n). If he thought he could be the father and husband they needed him to be, instead of a liability, he would have been.

In the end, it just couldn't be. The bliss wouldn't last. She couldn't bring herself to blame Remus for that. Like her, he was just doing what he thought was best. She was glad she had the little time she did, because of him.

"You did?" Sirius looked at her as he heard her speak. His eyes were pooled with a lifetime of regret, all of it pouring into that pair of glassy eyes like floodgates had opened. He had left her so vulnerable, so damaged and robbed. He had always been so focused on his own loss, just wanting her all these years. He had always fantasised about winning her back again, having some semblance of hope that his life, as he had never been able to form a new one inside Azkaban, so the life he had before that night was all he had, could be salvaged. He'd lost sight of how dire her life had become, how desperate she had been. It struck him now. And it struck him also that he could never love anyone else more, or even as much, as he loved her.

"Despite it all- Sirius. Despite the fact that I believed you a murderer, traitor, the man who had destroyed my innocence, our family, our life- I wished you were there with me." She spoke and Sirius just watched "To be more accurate, I wished that you, as I had thought I had known you, as you maybe once were, were there with me." She brought her hand from her mouth and looked down at the box, all it's contents now spread on the bureau. All the photos, some happy, some deviating. All the paperwork, receipts of funeral flowers, the invoice for the headstones, certificates and letters and small mementos. Even the wedding rings that she and Remus had used, sat back in their little crumpled envelope.

She placed it all back in and closed the box. She never liked looking at it.

"but now? I just want to see my Godson."

[mariacallous]

England never gets Scotland right. Last week the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, repeated Downing Street’s familiar gloat over another reverse for Scottish home rule. London’s supreme court dismissed the Scottish National party’s bid for an “advisory” plebiscite on whether to hold another independence referendum. Just go home, said Sunak, and run Scotland better. He seemed to think the SNP’s Nicola Sturgeon would apologise for wasting his time. He merely reinforced her party’s antipathy to London and all its doings.

The court’s decision was legally robust but politically inept. Sturgeon’s poll would have been purely advisory. The court appeared to be saying that independence was a forbidden subject to Scottish opinion, lending force to her claim that “the notion of the UK as a voluntary partnership of nations … is no longer a reality”. In the unlikely event of the Scots “advising” another referendum, then real questions might be asked as to what independence involved.

Why not ask them now? Sunak’s best policy would be to take the initiative. He should appoint a commission to ask what devolved powers does Scotland lack within the UK. Federal constitutions across Europe have exhaustive experience of “devo-max”. Scotland already controls its own health, education, transport and planning. It enjoys extensive fiscal discretion, notably over income tax. It could have more, as over corporate and sales taxes. But the quid pro quo would be the steady removal of the Barnett subsidy – £35bn last year – which underpinned a Scottish budget deficit that was 22% of GDP. It has since fallen to 12.3% of GDP, but if an independent Scotland were to seek admission to the EU, rules state this would have to reduce to 3% – a crippling adjustment.

European federalism takes many forms: Swiss, Spanish, German or Italian. All offer models and lessons and it is hard to see why Westminster is so dismissive of them. The instinct against home rule for UK nations recalls the fierce hostility to Irish devolution in the 19th century that led to total independence. It has been a long haul, but this year Ireland had the highest rise in GDP of all OECD countries. The UK is 38th. If I were a Scot looking to Dublin, I would find independence an attractive goal.

Maximising Scottish devolution must make sense. One issue is Europe, with EU membership overwhelmingly favoured by the Scots. The Northern Ireland protocol is now being fashioned to enable it to remain within the UK, but as a member of Europe’s single market. There is no reason in principle why Scotland should not follow suit. Things might get messy along Hadrian’s Wall, but there is a similar EU border between Norway and Sweden, and Germany and Switzerland. Where there’s a will there’s a way.

London should be proactive not reactive. Scotland is evenly divided on independence, which is a solid base for a federalist conversation. Sunak’s commission should ask simply what Scotland feels it shares with the rest of Britain and what further powers it wants for itself. It should be challenged on its deficit and fiscal autonomy. The debate should be on realities not legal niceties. Then the Scots can vote.

[sassyfrassboss]

They got PETA singing their glory over adopting the beagle

https://twitter.com/baronessbruck/status/1562602143537696768?s=21&t=tzMp4-bd7SKL1JYj92-s3g

PETA commenting on comments saying how great they are too!

This is the same organization claiming its opposition to factory farming, fur farming, animal testing, and the use of animals in entertainment. It also campaigns for a vegan lifestyle and against eating meat, fishing, the killing of animals regarded as pests, the keeping of chained backyard dogs, cock fighting, dog fighting, beekeeping, and bullfighting, among other things.

The same PETA that protested at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 2009 dressed up in Ku Klux Klan robes and passed out brochures implying the Klan and American Kennel Club have the same goal of "pure bloodlines".

The same PETA that considers the word pet to be "derogatory and patronises the animal", and prefers the term "companion" or "companion animal". "Animals are not pets," Newkirk has said

The same PETA that supports hearing dog programs when animals are sourced from shelters and placed in homes, but opposes seeing-eye-dog programs "because the dogs are bred as if there are no equally intelligent dogs literally dying for homes in shelters, they are kept in harnesses almost 24/7”

The same PETA that opposes animal testing—whether toxicity testing, basic or applied research, or for education and training—on both moral and practical grounds. Newkirk told the Vogue magazine in 1989 that even if animal testing resulted in a cure for AIDS, PETA would oppose it. The group also believes that it is wasteful, unreliable, and irrelevant to human health, because artificially induced diseases in animals are not identical to human diseases. They say that animal experiments are frequently redundant and lack accountability, oversight, and regulation. They promote alternatives, including embryonic stem cell research and in vitro cell research.

In 2008 and in 2014, the same PETA conducted an advertising campaign linking milk with autism. Their "Got Autism?" campaign, a play on words mocking the milk industry's Got Milk? ad campaign that ran from 1993 to 2014, stated "Studies have shown a link between cow's milk and autism."

The same PETA also claimed milk was strongly linked to cancer, Crohn's disease, and other diseases. In 2014, PETA's Executive Vice President confirmed their position, and additionally stated that dairy consumption contributes to asthma, chronic ear infection, constipation, iron deficiency, anemia, and cancer.

When pressed, the same PETA cited two scientific papers, one from 1995 and one from 2002 using very small samplings of children (36 and 20), and neither showed a correlation nor a causation between milk and autism. Newer studies from 2010 and 2014 have shown no association between dairy and behavior in autism. Despite having been corrected, a PETA representative said that they will still keep the information on their website "because we have heard from people who have said it contains helpful information. Many families have found that a dairy-free diet can help children with autism, and since the consumption of dairy products has been linked to asthma, constipation, recurrent ear infections, iron deficiency, anemia, and even cancer, dumping dairy is a healthy choice that everyone can make."

The same PETA's campaign has received backlash from the autism community. A 2008 PETA billboard was taken down by the Autistic Self Advocacy Network. In 2017, British food writer, journalist and hunger relief activist Jack Monroe, demanded PETA remove their recipes from their website "with immediate effect coz I wrote them with my autism". PETA removed their recipes, but did not remove the "Got Autism?" article from their website until 2021. It has been argued that the frowny face in the campaign image negatively stereotypes autistic people.

The same PETA has been critical of Australian wildlife expert and zookeeper Steve Irwin. In 2006, when Irwin died, PETA Vice President Dan Mathews said Irwin had made a career out of antagonizing frightened wild animals. Australian Member of Parliament Bruce Scott was disgusted by the comments and said PETA should apologize to Irwin's family and the rest of Australia, and "Isn't it interesting ... how they [PETA] want to treat animals ethically, but cannot even think for a minute whether or not their outlandish comments are ethical towards their fellow human beings."

In 2019, the same PETA critisized Google for creating a slideshow Google Doodle of Steve Irwin posthumously honoring his 57th birthday. PETA started a Twitter campaign against Irwin, with several tweets criticizing Google for forwarding a dangerous message, and wrote that Irwin was killed while harassing a ray and that he forced animals to perform. A Washington Post editor wrote "PETA can add 'insulting a deceased cultural icon' to its infamous repertoire."

The White Coat Waste Project, a group of activists that hold that taxpayers should not have to pay $20 billion every year for experiments on animals, highlighted that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases provided $400,000 in taxpayer money to fund experiments in which 28 beagles were infected by disease-causing parasites. The White Coat Project found reports that said dogs taking part in the experiments were “vocalizing in pain” after being injected with foreign substances. Following public outcry, the same PETA made a call to action that all members of the National Institute of Health resign effective immediately and that there is a "need to find a new NIH director to replace the outgoing Francis Collins who will shut down research that violates the dignity of nonhuman animals."

Because of the same PETA's euthanasia rates at their "shelter of last resort", attorney Nathan Winograd, advocate for the No Kill movement, calls Newkirk of PETA "The Butcher of Norfolk".

Yikes...

[scotianostra]

On July 8th 1296 King John Balliol abdicated at Montrose.

I say abdicated, I don’t think he would have been given much choice in the matter.

Cast your mind back to March and Edwards army laying waste to the town of Berwick, this was in direct retaliation when haring of the Scots intention of signing a treaty with the French that would become known as The Auld Alliance, Longshanks was furious, he had issued orders that Balliol send soldiers to him to fight against France, this was a direct “up yours” to the English King, and there could be only one reply from England.

The way I see it Edward I always wanted to control Scotland, the Great Cause, the “competition” to see who would be King of Scots, was just a way in, he chose a man to be King that he thought he could control, but it didn’t really matter, he was that bloody minded that no matter what he would rule Scotland.

After Berwick, Dunbar fell next as Earl Warenne of Surrey marched the English north taking Edinburgh and Stirling, by the middle of the summer, Edward had travelled as far north as Elgin.

Balliol failed to offer effective leadership. He did not lead the Scots at Dunbar. When news of the defeat reached him, he fled to Comyn territory in the north. As king with only the limited powers Edward allowed him Balliol could only do so much, most of his tenure was in an admin role although he also had to contend with a certain family, called Bruce and keeping the Comyns happy.

Following another failed attempt to rally any remaining Scottish support at Kincardine Castle, the nobles requested terms from Edward. Balliol officially surrendered to Edward in July 1296.

Edward I forced Balliol to apologise publicly. He removed the Royal Badge from Balliol’s clothing. Subsequently, John became known as ‘Toom Tabard’ (meaning Empty Coat).

Balliol was imprisoned in the Tower of London until 1299 before being allowed to go into exile in France.

In the meantime Edward controlled Scotland and wanted to destroy any remaining symbols of Scottish identity and remove all evidence that Scotland was once an independent country, he ordered important records relating to the Scottish throne be removed to London -these were lost when the ship carrying them sank. The Stone of Destiny was transported to Westminster along with the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Black Rood of St Margaret, In August 1296, leading Scottish nobles and burgesses swore a personal oath to Edward in the Ragman Roll, the 1600 names on it included The Bruces, Comyns. One seal that was not on the document was that of William Wallace. There has been historical debate over the absence of the seal. Some historians argue that this is an early sign of Wallace’s resistance to the English monarch, while others believe that he was simply not important enough to be included on the roll.

Despite the efforts of Sir Andrew de Moray and Sir William Wallace, England would continue to force Scotland into subjection, it wasn’t until Bruce so brutally took the Scottish crown and began to wage his war against Edwards army that the tide would turn, ultimately on the field at Bannockburn in 1314.