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fakeyellow · 5 years ago

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Kamilah recounts how she and the others regrouped once Eden/MC became possessed by Rheya. Part 2 of “insane” Kamilah. Part 1 here.

Final Part 3.

Summary: Since the First Vampire’s rise and fall 500 years ago, Kamilah Sayeed has moved into legend, a woman drenched in the blood of thousands.

Rosella has made it her mission to find out why.

An indeterminable amount of time had passed since Rosella’s capture and she found herself longing for Kamilah’s return. Her mind was going crazy with the countless possibilities of what might have happened and her throat was aching with thirst. How long had it been since she’d fed? Had Kamilah forgotten about her?

When at last she heard the sounds of the opening doors, her head snapped up before Rosella tried to contain her eagerness.

Kamilah stepped in, looking as perfect as she had that first time, dressed in that same blood-red suit but for once, Rosella’s attention wasn’t on her. It was on the blood pack in her hand.

Her head followed the movement of the bag as the woman walked near her, her fangs already out in anticipation. She felt the unlocking of one cuff and immediately, she snatched the blood bag with her free hand and began greedily sucking it down.

The bag now empty, Rosella licked the side of her lip where a small amount of blood was before gratefully saying, “Thank you.”

Kamilah, who had been unfazed at her nearly feral display of feeding, seemed surprised at the words of thanks before nodding once. Noticing how the vampire didn’t seem to be in any hurry to re-cuff her free hand, Rosella wondered if perhaps Kamilah knew that she wouldn’t run away even if she was set free (Or maybe it was because Kamilah could kill her in a second if Rosella showed even the slightest sign of wanting to escape).

A silence had fallen over the room and Rosella felt the need to fill it with anything, to get Kamilah talking before she decided she was in the mood to kill her today.

“So, E-,” Rosella quickly changed direction when she noticed Kamilah’s eyes flashing dangerously at the first syllable, “Rheya. Once Rheya had control over a body, what happened?”

There was still so much that had happened between the First Vampire’s resurrection and the beginning of Kamilah’s ruthless campaign that Rosella wanted, no needed to know.

It was silent for so long that Rosella began to lose hope. This was the day Kamilah finally grew tired of her and killed her.

Uneasy, Rosella began to fidget, accidentally letting her wrist come in contact with the rings of UV light emitted by the cuffs. The pain that flared up was instantaneous, so intense that she almost missed the soft words Kamilah began to speak.

—-

Rheya had killed all of the Order of Dawn soldiers down in the chamber before running away, leaving the massive headquarters to the four of them. They sat in one of the many debriefing offices and Kamilah wondered how many vampires must have been killed by plans made in this very room.

The first to break the tension hanging over the room, Lily voiced a similar thought to which Jax darkly muttered, “Too bad most of the soldiers are scattered throughout Europe. Rheya could have killed all of them.”

Adrian looked up at this and sharply rebuked, “Jax.”

“What?” Jax said, throwing his hands angrily up in the air, “We’re all thinking it. The First Vampire’s walking again, she might as well destroy the Order of Dawn while she’s at it. Not that we’ll live to see the benefits of that, but if she’s going to kill us, she better kill those bastards too.”

Kamilah was tired. As one of the oldest vampires in the world, she knew that everyone would be looking to her for leadership in these tumultuous times. She had over two thousand years of experience, and yet it never seemed to get easier, it was never not her. Kamilah felt the oppressive burden of leadership weigh down her shoulders and she closed her eyes briefly, her only sign of weakness, before she snapped to attention.

“We need to operate with the assumption that Rheya and Gaius are going to reunite and return,” she remarked and Lily, already looking pale, swore before sinking down in her chair.

“Kamilah’s right. We need to gather as many vampires as we can. Thanks to Vlad, Rheya has no shortage of vampires willing to join her cause,” Adrian smoothly picked up where Kamilah had left off even as Jax snorted.

“As if she needs willing vampires. She can probably just force them.”

“Jax!” They all turned to the source of the cry, surprised to see that it was Lily, uncharacteristically serious, “I get it. Everything sucks and I want nothing more than to hide in a bomb shelter and wait it out but we need to work on finding a way to beat them. Your Gloomy Gus act isn’t helping at all. Either offer some ideas or just shut up!”

Kamilah nodded approvingly, “I’ll reach out to all of my contacts. We can count on 300 vampires, maybe 400 if they can be convinced of their necessity.”

Adrian mused, “Not counting our overlapping connections, I think I can call in around a hundred. Jax?”

Jax gave a tired sigh, but he responded without any dark remarks, “If there’s anything I’ve learned, there’s a lot of Clanless still in hiding. I’d say around 1-200. Not including the Clanless who have already joined my clan.”

Lily added, “I’ll also have Fangbook display an announcement to every user. That’ll be able to get a lot of the younger vampires.”

Adrian eyed Kamilah carefully before he spoke, “There’s still the matter of Rheya.”

And here lay the crux of their situation, the problem that seemed to suck out all the oxygen in the room, the crisis they could avoid no longer.

The First Vampire was walking again. In Eden’s body.

The horror she had felt at that moment was greater than any she had felt in her life and Kamilah had been able to do nothing but dumbly watch as the woman she loved became but a shell for a legend. It felt like her heart had twisted itself into a tight knot and not relaxed since that very moment; how was it that each heartbreak she experienced was even more poignant than the last?

It seemed that when it came to Eden, Kamilah was capable of nothing but failure. She had failed to protect her from Vega, Gaius, Kavinsky, the Order, the list went on and on until her biggest failure yet.

Kamilah felt an urge to run out of the room and just chase after Eden, consequences be damned, but she pushed it down, pasting on an emotionless facade.

At her silence, Adrian continued delicately, “We all saw Eden drink from the Tree but it’s not clear what happened afterwards. Her eyes flashed red like a vampire but she didn’t have fangs. If I had to guess, I’d say Rheya’s possessed her and given Eden her abilities but Eden’s maintained her mortal body.”

They all remained silent after Adrian’s declaration, processing what this meant for Eden. Jax slammed the table in frustration as Lily frantically tapped her leg, her brow furrowed in worry. And then Adrian and Kamilah both looked at each other and said in unison, “Serafine.”

Kamilah nodded, “Serafine’s the only person who might know what happened and what to do.”

Lily perked up, her eyes wide behind the thick frames of her glasses, “Do you think she can maybe do her mind control thing like Jameson and kick Rheya out?”

“Perhaps,” she gave Lily. And seeing how Lily’s despondency completely disappeared, replaced with a fervent optimism, Kamilah envied her this. That she could be so filled with hope after one single word from Kamilah, that Lily trusted her unconditionally. There had only been one person able to pull her out from her feelings of numbness and shame, but she was far from her now.

“But we shouldn’t get too ahead of ourselves. Serafine might not know anything about this. We should be prepared for the worst,” Adrian interjected carefully and winced, “As the last resort, if there’s nothing we can do, we need to behead Rheya.”

“What?!” Lily jumped up from her seat, outraged, “So you’re just going to kill Eden?! Just like that?! What if she’s still in there?! You all saw how Rheya faltered for a second! Eden might still be in there fighting for her life! She never once gave up on any of us, but you’re not even going to give her a chance?!”

Jax avoided Lily’s glare of betrayal, “I agree with Adrian. We should still be on the same page if things turn for the worst. We can only kill Rheya using a weapon made out of the Tree, right?”

Adrian nodded and Lily looked desperately at Kamilah, in a fervent plea for help.

And although her heart was screaming at her to stop all this talk of death, Kamilah could not in good conscience fight Adrian and Jax on this. If worst came to worst, Rheya and Eden had to be killed for the greater good of the world… Right?

Feeling as if she were personally signing Eden’s execution warrant, Kamilah finally spoke, “We need to be prepared. But Lily’s right. We have to be careful, Eden may still yet be in there.”

“We can’t give up on her. Not after all she’s done. We kill her when we can’t do anything else.”

Serafine still looked a bit worse for the wear, even though she had long changed out of the tattered remains of her dress from the night of the club massacre. But her spirit was wholly intact and she determinedly kissed everyone on their cheeks in greeting; imprisonment was no excuse for bad manners.

Greetings over, Serafine became grave, “I’ve read through the Book.”

Serafine had been told about Rheya’s possession of Eden and although she hadn’t heard of anything like it, she had volunteered to research the Book. Even in the short amount of time they’d known each other, Eden had made an impression on Serafine, and if there was anything she could do, she would do it.

“What did you find?” Adrian asked, and Kamilah let out the smallest of sighs, thankful he had asked first. She’d been fighting not to betray her impatience the entire morning although Serafine’s keen eyes already seemed to have picked up on her eagerness. If it had been any other time, Serafine would have poked fun at her old friend for finally having found a woman she truly cared for (no wonder Eden hadn’t seemed interested in Adrian and Jax).

As it was, Serafine focused back on the tome in her hands, “I found several instances of vampires taking control over weaker vampires they had Turned, which isn’t exactly like Eden’s case but similar.”

“And?” Lily asked, bouncing on her heels with excitement, “were they able to regain control of themselves?”

Serafine hesitated, “Well, in one case, they tried destroying the body of the maker and controller.”

“And?” Adrian prompted.

“Both the maker and the controlled dissolved into ashes.”

“What happened in other cases?” Kamilah quickly asked, moving on from the unfruitful example.

“The controlled person died in every single instance."

A bleak silence fell over the five of them until Serafine spoke up again, “But these were all vampire vampire situations. It might be different with a Bloodkeeper. She has mental powers that these vampires most likely didn't’ have.”

Jax scoffed dismissively, “Yeah but we’re dealing with the First Vampire.”

And cynical though his words were, nobody could deny the truth in them.

Serafine wasn’t a particularly optimistic person but seeing just how broken and hopeless they all looked, she felt the need to speak, “You said Rheya faltered for a moment, right? That’s a good sign that Eden was even able to evoke a physical response. That means she’s still in there, she’s still fighting. If you can get me close enough to touch her, I may be able to help her.”

Kamilah nodded in thanks but Adrian still seemed unsatisfied.

“If it doesn’t work…” he trailed off.

Jax answered for all of them, “She dies.”

—-

A/N: I’m an idiot and I need to be studying but I can’t get this idea out of my head. There’ll be one more part to this.

#playchoices #kamilah x mc #kamilah sayeed #adrian raines #lily spencer #jax matsuo #serafine dupont #my writing #bloodbound

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96thdayofrage · 5 years ago

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Four hundred years ago on Aug. 20, 1619, the English warship White Lion docked at Port Comfort (now Fort Monroe), Virginia. It carried “20 and odd” Angolans who had been prisoners on a Spanish ship that was captured by the White Lion’s crew.

That day is universally recognized by historians as the beginning of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, in which millions of Africans were enslaved and sold to do labor in America and elsewhere.

The slave trade is the first modern American business model, and must be recognized for its impact on the world, said Lonnie Bunch III, the first African-American Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“The slave trade helped many parts of Europe become Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, so in a way it helped create modern Europe, and it obviously helped begin a long, slow decline that really continues to affect both Africa and the United States,” Bunch said.

This year is “a time to commemorate and to remember that there are people on whose shoulders we are standing, whose labor and whose belief in a country that ultimately didn’t believe in them ultimately made America live up to its stated ideals,” Bunch said.

But, for many, commemoration is not the same as celebration.

“You are not going to see me jumping up and down with joy over this,” said historian Charles L. Blockson, for whom the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple University is named.

“We have a statue of a phony prize-fighter at the steps of the art museum. So what? Where is the statue of the Black architect who was responsible for designing the Art Museum? But this is the way it has been for African Americans during those 400 years. Slaves. Indentured servants. Jim Crow. Segregation. And now look at the racist, Donald Trump, that we have in the White House on the heels of the first Black president in more than 200 years. What is there to celebrate? We are history. But we would be foolish to celebrate the racism of this country.”

Ironically, it was Trump who in 2017, signed the 400 Years of African-American History Commission Act, establishing a 15-member commission to coordinate the 400th “anniversary” of the arrival of those enslaved Africans in the English colonies. Bunch is a member of the commission, which has had events across the country to mark the occasion, including symposiums, films, exhibits, festivals, lectures and poetry readings.

Efforts marking the commemoration also have been initiated in Africa. Ghana last year launched a year-long marketing and reunification initiative aimed at boosting tourism and further strengthening ties with people of African ancestry in the United States, South America and the Caribbean. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recently went to Ghana for some of its events.

Debate about the date

Some historians note Africans had a presence in the Americas before 1619, and those are the dates that should be recognized.

The first African to arrive in America, Juan Garrido, came here as a free man, according to an article on The Root by Harvard historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. Born in West Africa, Garrido moved to Spain where he met Juan Ponce de Leon. They sailed together to Cuba and Puerto Rico, and in 1513, while sailing with de Leon in search of the Fountain of Youth, he arrived in what would later be called Florida. He continued on to Mexico and later died in what is now Mexico City.

Estevanico, a Moroccan slave owned by Spanish explorer Andres Dorantes de Carranza, was part of an expedition to colonize Florida and the Gulf Coast in 1527. Estevancio, Dorantes and two other Spanish explorers were captured and enslaved by Native Americans who lived on the Louisiana Gulf Islands. After they escaped in 1534, they headed west and helped chart parts of what is now known as Arizona. When others fell ill, Estevancio continued alone into what is now New Mexico. Some historians believe Estevancio was killed by Native Americans in New Mexico; others believe the Native Americans helped him fake his death and he continued to live in the West.

It is believed that some Africans accompanied English explorer Sir Francis Drake on his North American expeditions in the 1570s and 1580s.

But the key differences between the Africans who came to America in the 1500s and the “20 and odd” who arrived in 1619 is some of the “20 and odd” were sold into slavery or indentured servitude and stayed in America.

“In essence, from the beginning of what became America, there were Africans involved in shaping a nation,” Bunch said.

“This gives us an opportunity to say this is not an ancillary story. This is an opportunity to think as Americans how issues of race and culture have really shaped this country and continue to be a part of what we celebrate, but also a part of the ongoing struggle to help America live up to its ideals.”

Shaping the nation

The African population remained fairly small in the years that followed. A muster from 1620 showed 32 Africans living in Virginia and a muster from 1625 counted 23, according to The Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation. Hundreds and thousands more would follow.

The Southern enslaved population exploded after Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin. Data from Weber State University show the number of enslaved people in the South was 654,121 in 1790, had increased by almost 68% to more than 1.1 million by 1810, and reached 3.9 million by 1860.

Historians estimate that as many as 12 million enslaved Africans were dragged across the Atlantic Ocean and exchanged for goods via the triangular route between Europe, Africa and the New World (North and South America and the Caribbean). America’s involvement in the brutal system lasted until 1866.

Field slaves mostly harvested cotton, tobacco and sugar cane, and performed manual labor. House slaves generally worked in the master’s quarters and lived easier lives.

According to James H. Sweet, professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, slave resistance began in British North America “almost as soon as the first enslaved Africans arrived in the early 17th century. This took the form of slowed work production and even theft by the enslaved.”

At least nine insurrections occurred between 1691 and 1865, the most famous being Nat Turner’s 1831 rebellion in Southampton, Virginia that left 60 whites dead and resulted in the deaths of 100 enslaved by combat or retribution.

So divisive was the issue of slavery that it led to the bloodiest war in American history, the Civil War. Slavery’s aftermath produced a potholed history that gave rise to domestic terror groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, which lynched thousands of African Americans; resulted in the denial of constitutional rights such as voting; created separate and unequal schools; and led to the denial of basic human rights such as African Americans being unable to drink from the same water fountains as whites.

Even today vestiges of slavery hang over the nation, from the debate over whether the descendants of slaves should receive reparations, to the stubborn racial wealth gap between Blacks and whites, to the over-representation of African Americans ensnared in the criminal justice system.

“We have many unhealed wounds as a people,” Blockson said.

“I think about everything we had to sort of overcome as a people to get to this point,” said Ibram X. Kendi, director of the Antiracist and Policy Center at American University and author of the National Book Award-winning “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America.”

“So I stand in appreciation of our ancestors to be able to survive and thrive so that we could all be here at this historic moment.”

Kendi said now is a time to honor our ancestors for the “strength they exhibited” to survive slavery and all of the residual pain associated with being “in a country that has rejected Black people whenever possible for centuries.”

“If you were to ask me the word that describes African Americans in this country, one of the main words would be resilient,” Kendi said. “I think you just don’t survive upwards of 250 years of enslavement, another 100 years of a second trauma of enslavement through Jim Crow, and another 50 years of mass incarceration and hyper segregation and police violence without being extraordinarily resilient.”

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askmountainstate · 6 years ago

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Halloween Bash

Alex sat next to John glaring into the crowd at the annual Halloween Bash Alfred held every year. It was ridiculous and full of people Alex knew Alfred never once spoke to in his long life and a multitude of nations he didn’t even like.

“Would you stop giving the death stare? You look like you’re about to go pillage a village there, Mr Pirate,” John commented as he tied back his long hair.

Alex snorted and sat back. “I don’t know why I even come to this stupid thing. I don’t even have a date.”

“First of all, you come because it’s always held in your city. Second, you never bring a date because you’re so damn hung up on a dumb 400 year old crush. You always end up getting too drunk to function and go home with me. It happens the same every year.”

“Okay that happened once! And I’m not hung up on a dumb crush. I got over that in the 1860s.”

“Sure you did since you’re staring at Thomas right now.”

Alex hadn’t actually realized that’s exactly who he’d been staring at. Though it didn’t matter that John was the one that noticed. John always noticed. Thomas never did. Currently he was too wrapped up in doing shots with Scott, giving the state of Maryland a much too explicit kiss between every one. Their dumb tradition of doing whiskey shots at every party they went to hadn’t gotten old for them yet.

“I hadn’t meant to stare at him in particular.”

“Well you’re still doing it. You’ve missed how West Virginia appears to have struck another deal with old Russia. Or that Northeast and South disappeared out the front door a half hour ago. Oh look! They came back! Ben’s lion ears are crooked. Oh and you missed Alfred somehow getting stuffy old England in tights again. When are you gonna wear tights to this thing?”

“Would you shut up already? Why are you so observant?”

“Lots of practice people watching my dude. Discrete staring. You should learn how to do it sometime so you don’t look like a kicked puppy every time Scott even says a word to Thomas.”

Alex snorted.

“You know Alex, you really gotta move on. They’ve been together forever. Almost 200 years now. That’s half our lives. You gotta face it. It’s not gonna change.”

Alex sighed and leaned his head against his hand, knocking his pirate hat crooked. “Yeah I know. I tried once. Back before the Constitution. It was just the two of us for a while. I tried and he turned me down like I was a beggar asking for loose coins. He was torn up about Scott. Yeah he was hurt bad but that’s what war does. He couldn’t tear himself away from that. I think he loved Scott way before we even fought for independence. There’s nobody else for Thomas. If he was given a million chances to redo everything he’d pick Scott every single time.”

“If you know that why do you still hang on to that hope? There’s billions of people out there. There’s forty six other states to choose from. There’s states closer to you. I’m pretty sure Marianne is single. So is Emma and Owen. Not to mention all the Midwest. I’m pretty sure the rest of the northeast is single as fuck. Not counting Ben he’s super married and I’d like to see you try and put moves on him. You’ll take a rifle to the face like Thomas did.”

“Emma doesn’t like men first of all. Second of all Owen is a little...different. Marianne won’t give me the time of day.”

“You have a thing for Thomas but not his brother who is just like him in a hell of a lot of ways. The three of those guys look exactly alike. They all have the same freckles and everything.”

“Thomas has different colored eyes than his siblings. They’re a different blue. And Emma has more freckles than her brothers.”

“Dude get a grip. You gotta move on.”

“And don’t you think it’s fucked up to try and get with the siblings of the guy I like and his sister in law.”

“Well they aren’t married so Marianne is probably free game. Shit if you don’t make the moves on her or me tonight I might go after her myself.”

“I’m not making any moves on you, dick.”

“You don’t say that when you’re down on the Shore rolling in the sand with me.”

“SHUT UP!” Alex snapped. He settled and thought for a second. “Wait did you say Thomas and Scott aren’t married?”

John modded. “Yeah I talked to Scott last summer when we were trading ideas on how to make our boardwalks better than Florida’s. He said they don’t wanna get married. They’re afraid of the political issues. You know it’s always a mess in that area when it comes to politics with DC right there and all that.”

“You’d think sharing land for DC would make them getting married make more sense.”

“Nah. Most of the city is on Maryland land. Jefferson made that decision. Honestly I think that helped us out a bit more in the war, locking Maryland down. Kept the city on our side.”

“Not even that war could tear them apart…”

“Well look what it did to Ben and Eli. If it did anything it unified the coast.”

Before Alex could speak, Thomas sat heavily across from them. “What’s up? You guys seem bored.”

Alex fought the urge to perk up. “Where’s Scott?”

Thomas spun the glass jar he’d brought with him on the table. “He went to talk to his sister after Emma challenged me to drink a whole jar of her deadly moonshine.”

“Did you win?” John asked, leaning back in his chair.

“Of course not. Nobody beats Emma in a moonshine drinking contest.”

Alex fiddled with his sleeve. “What was she talking to Russia about?”

“Getting her roads fixed or some shit. Her government won’t do it so she’s going to Russia to see if he’ll help. He tried to once in the 60s but Alfred blocked it and her government took over and actually did it.”

John waved at one of the waiters wandering around the party for a drink of his own. “Don’t you make it hard for her to fix her highways since you won’t get your ass in gear?”

Thomas rolled his eyes. “She hasn’t sent me a proposal yet. She’s working with Scott right now.”

“So he’s the one dragging ass.”

“Your roads haven’t changed since 1776 so shut your mouth, Jersey Shore.”

Scott appeared for long enough to give Thomas a big sloppy kiss that went on too long before disappearing again, his squirrel tail for his costume bouncing behind him as he went. Thomas watched him go almost in a daze. Alex turned his head away while John made gagging noises.

“You guys are gross,” John commented.

“I’m way too drunk to give a shit what you think,” Thomas replied, still watching Scott try to get Emma to dance to something that was very much not country.

“What did you come over here for anyway? To flaunt that we’re single and you’re not?” Alex asked, glaring over at Thomas.

“Are you still hung up on me? Move on already. I hear you sleep with Ol Jersey enough to make it official,” Thomas snapped, turning steady blue eyes on Alex.

Alex snorted. “Want another hole in your mouth? Seems you didn’t learn your lesson the first time.”

Thomas narrowed his eyes at Alex. “First of all, mind your damn business. Second, Id like to see you try. You couldn’t hit the broadside of a ship with a musket back during the Revolution.”

Alex’s face heated. “Shut up Thomas! You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He stood up and grabbed John by the collar of his shirt and yanked him after him. “I think I’m done with this family get together.”

Thomas simply snorted and stood up himself. “Seems the rumors are right. You always leave this party with Johnny Boy.”

Before Alex could snap back, Thomas had already strutted away. He joined Scott and wrapped his arms around him to sway to the music. Alex spun back toward the door and hauled John after him.

#fic #this is so long im sorry #long post #aph new york #aph states #aph new jersey #aph ocs #aph maryland #aph west virginia #aph virginia

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unhinged-diaries-blog · 7 years ago

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Down another pound!

I don’t know what I’m doing but I really seem to have turned a corner. I woke up this morning and weighed myself and I lost another pound. I know what I’m doing by not watching what I eat but at the same time watching what I eat but not necessarily counting the calories just winging it is not the healthiest.

Currently with my schedule I will wake up in the morning, get a ride to the bus stop at stop for Starbucks. I will usually have a Venti acai strawberry refresher, depending if I’m hungry or not I may have a breakfast sandwich and I go with the lowest calorie count which is about 200 give or take for a egg whites, bacon sandwich and that will get me through until 2 PM.

After I eat I wait at least 30 minutes before I start drinking water again but now I still eat so slow that really I drink water in our later. I haven’t had a protein shake in a week and a half and I know we need to get back on the wagon. This is the first time all week i’ve had coffee made it home and I added not creamer but cashew protein milk and sugar because even though I do have Splenda fuck that splenda is gross.

For lunch I packed 2 1/2 ounces of Turkey pastrami, and ounce of strawberries and a cookie because I’m definitely going to need sugar and in the office I’m at I don’t have a car and there’s no way I’m gonna be walking 10 minutes away just to get something to drink and then 10 minutes back so basically a lunch.

When in reality I have lunch in the office. I know I’m going to get to work early and as long as I do my job he really doesn’t care he’s so relaxed and that’s what I love most about this job. I skip school today because I was exhausted. I did not fall asleep until 23:59 last night but I think in reality I didn’t fall asleep until 1 o’clock because all I heard was my dog whining because she was in her kennel, one of my cats trying to get into a closet which was pissing me off

I think I eventually fell back asleep until 630 were my husband kept asking me if I wanted a ride or if I was going to school and I’ve actually said fuck it I’m so tired I’m not going and I know I’m going to get docked off attendance points but at this point I really don’t give a fuck because I’m doing what I need to needs to be done, I’m taking photos and I will turn in the project that was due yesterday turned in today. A lot of the students didn’t take the photos needed for yesterday‘s Photo essay I took my photos on Sunday and I realize that a lot of students didn’t because who’s going to want to shoot with their camera for an hour when it’s 115° heat?

I sure shit will not do it and my professor is so relaxed about it that he is like basically we’re going to have to wait till it’s cooler which is awesome minutes south but I mean at the end of the day it sucks when you’re really needing shoot and certain students schedules like myself are so fucked up that the only time they didn’t have time to shoot is during sunset or early in the morning and I know for a fact I’m not gonna be shooting early in the morning waking up an hour heading to where I need to shoot for an hour and a half and then somehow catching a bus that will take me down the street to go to class for an hour and then having to go to work for five

that’s feasibly not possible especially after 730 is when the sun starts to rise and it gets extremely hot. I’m just really shocked over all with the sleeve it’s finally working the way I want it to work that I’m losing weight faster than when I was stalling over the last 3 1/2 months. I’m not upset by any means I’m just excited that my luck has finally really fucking tired because I needed this break so hard. Got a email from my boss last week my old boss and she asked me is there anything we can do to change your mind I’ve been sitting on it for days and I don’t even know what to say to her. What do you say to someone who treat you like a number in a place you work?

Do you say that pay per performance is bullshit and because of how you are in sales you get to go down to minimum wage? Do you say not thenwork itself it’s hard it’s the fact that you treated like we don’t matter, when we have legit questions and email the entire staff the entire coaching team no one gives us a fucking answer, when we have several terrible days are performance get stocked and are paid get stocked and the fact that I got dad to minimum wage is absolute bullshit and after three months of working there that’s when everything changed I went down from $10 an hour due to my performance and bad calls and the audit etc. to minimum-wage

that is not a living fucking wait especially when they know I’m a student, they know my schedule, and they know my limits. The email itself my boss said she didn’t want to lose me and I’m just thinking if you don’t want to lose people you should treat them better. If you don’t want to lose people management should be better and the entire structure should be better instead of going to the cycle that’s wrong did I did that wrong this is how I fix it

I wouldn’t say all that many call centers are you’re a number they won’t work with your schedule they don’t give a shit if you breathe or die as long as you keep the money coming in and follow their rules you basically get a keep your job but if you have a voice and say what we’re doing it wrong you’re the asshole and eventually get reprimanded for it this job is no future this job is a job you take when you have nothing else and you were forced to take this job to make money

I’ll probably sit in the email a couple more days before I really give her an email back. Things are great in the first three weeks I like this job, things were good until I saw the in tire Spectre my back. I saw how my buddy, R got fucked up his check and they took out almost $400 they over charged him, they don’t necessarily answer all emails and they are completely overwhelmed to where where we stand donors to validation nine times out of 10 we lose those donors

they’re tired of waiting and validation is taking so long that at one time I was waiting six minutes to get a pledge and to have a flight finished and who the fuck wants to wait six minutes on the phone trying to basically finish this transaction I fucking doubt I can see why donors are pissed and how you tell him multiple times not to call and they still won’t take you off the list but I guess at the game when it comes to donating anywhere

I think I just finally got tired of it so I talk to my friend and she had received my resume and sent it over to my current boss and he basically save me out of a bad position. I would’ve stayed with my old job until I just couldn’t take it anymore. It got to the point where after work I would be counting down the hours until I went to bed, and wondering how was going to make it through another day when I’m waking up early, and getting bad sleep, and I am hoping I get hit by a car because I feel my life is so bad at this point but that she dropped and things are a lot better

Now the next thing I’m waiting on is if I get excepted into this internship and I should know by this week. I really hope this goes through because I need this more than anything I have one more year of this and I am done with school for now I just need to keep on pushing and realize this is it going to last forever at least suck right now but you were so close to the fucking finish line it’s not funny and that’s what keeps going and that’s what keeps me going knowing I’m so close to finishing after seven years and struggling and death and toxic families and moving I’m finally here getting my bachelors and nobody can take that away from me. No one in my mediate family has her bachelors and I’m going to be the first want to do it and it’s not because I’m a woman but because I chose to put my career first had to take shit jobs and she keep going when I wanted to absolutely quit. I wanted to quit when my brother died being here all alone in Vegas with Noel family I wanted to in my life when my dad died because I thought my future but nothing without him, and now six years later I have a finally I finally have a future to look forward to and no one can take that away from me out of the bad days no matter things Zaidi no matter the depression I have a future in life I’m finally looking forward to

Happy Wednesday

#mine #personal #s #vsg #wls #wlscommunity #vsgjourney #wlsjourney #junesleevers #lofe #college student #university tales

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nrsranger · 3 years ago

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3.10

Kathmarine system

Kathmarine Moon

Firebird Squad

1040 hrs

Joker said that and oriented his X-Wing to the desolate moon, as Tripper, Gungan, and Book’s X-Wings followed him.

“Ok hold on, were entering the gravity well of the moon things might get a little bumpy” Joker said “So hold on to your cockpit ornaments, we don’t want any stuffed loth cats flying around”

The turbulence, intensive and each pilot struggled to keep their X-wing in formation, a few seconds later, Joker leveled out his dive and flew 200 feet above the surface.

“Where’s the TIE base?” Tripper asked.

“Firebirds, intel indicates it is over that ridge, about 400 kilometers away, Gungan stay low, we don’t want to appear on their sensors, or this mission will be over quicker than Hutt developing a pulmonary condition.”

Gungan did not reply, he dipped his nose below the horizon and returned to the elevation the others were at.

“How much resistance will we face?” Book asked

“Heck if I know?” Joker said “but it is a TIE base so prepare to bug out fast becauseI think that were going to be chased out so fly and fly fast”

“Nah, 15 credits to each of you that we will knock it out so fast that the second stage pilots won’t even get to their ships let alone get off he rock” Tripper bet

“I’ll take that” Joker said

“Mesa to” Gungan joined in

“I’ll get in on this action,” Book said.

“Alright your son, we’ll find out in a minute or two. Tripper returned as the ridge Joker pointed out earlier grew steadily closer and taller. Tripper flipped the switch that armed his proton torpedo, he heard the beep that signified that it was armed. He looked up and focused on the ridge he saw two jutting stalagmites that were just wide enough to fit his X-wing if he turned sideways. He decided on his course of action three seconds before he needed to act.

He slammed his stick sideways rotating his X-wing 90 degrees sliding through the stalagmites with three meters on each side to spare. He corrected himself and took in the situation. The TIE base was a large circular dome with a 100 meter radius, four GH-27 anti starfighter cannons surrounded the base of the dome. There was one large hangar door and six small doors that could launch a single TIE fighters faced the 3 o’clock position, if the X-wings were coming in on the 12 o'clock vector. Tripper leveled his X-wing to half the height of the dome, he checked his targeting computer and fired his proton torpedo, which scored a direct hit dead center of the side of the dome. He checks his wingman accuracy before pulling up. Gungan hit just off center of the dome, Book took his vector around the side and his torpedo hit a smaller launch door, Joker took his shot high on top of the dome, leaving a total of four large holes in the dome,

“Target hit, repeat, Target hit!” Joker said

“Did we knock it out?” Book asked in an green optimistic voice

“Negative!Five TIEs are launching,” Tripper said, checking his rear sensor.

“How many proton torpedoes do we have left?” Joker asked

“0” Book said

“1 torpedo” Gungan said

“I got 2 left” Tipper said

“Ok, I’m out too.” Joker said “Book and I will engage the TIE’s, Gungan Tripper fire all ordinance, I want to return to chief with empty maginse.

“Roger SL” Tripper said pulling his X-wing around, into the jaws of the oncoming TIEs”

The TIE fighters deployed in a two row formation three in front and two in back, centering themselves between the space of the three.

“We could use some A-Wings right about now” Book said

“Quite a new guy, all comm chatter is recorded, and you don’t want to be caught saying that.” Joker said “Gungan, Tripper, super playbook super ascend”

“What, I don’t know that one?” Book said

“Ok when I give the mark, Gungan and Tripper will ascend, our job is to fire indiscriminately and knock out as many TIE’s as we can” Joker filled in

“Ok” Book said

“We're almost in range!” Tripper said

“Ok, 5..4..3..2..1, MARK” Joker said

Tripper pulled his stick back hard, a warning light flashed on his console indicating his internal compensators were maxed out, he and Gungan mentaly counted to ten, when they reached ten they leveled out, and put all power to the engines.

After Gungan and Tripper pulled up Joker and Book, opened fire two TIE fighters in the front row went down, all three remaining TIEs open fired one TIE fighter in the front row scored four hits on Jokers X-wing

“Joker your hit, you alright?” Book asked

“Yes, but my shields are down,” Joker said back.

The TIE fighters' formation Joker and Book’s formation passed through each other, two TIE fighters pulled a 360 while the last remaining TIE looped up and matched Gungan and Tripper's elevation.

Joker and Book swung around in a wide arc in opposing directions. Each TIE fighter picked their target and followed their arcs Joker straightened out, and pulled an inverted spin, and in a few seconds his quad laser cannons pointed at the incoming TIE fighter, with two full cycles of his cannons the TIE fighter exploded with a nonexistent fireball.

Tripper checks his rear sensor array.

“Dang Farrik, we go one on us, Gungan, invasive man-” Joker shouted, swerving his X-Wing out of the sites of the TIE fighter, he cut off as he saw the green, plasma bolts hit Gungans X-Wing knocking out the lower left S-foil, Gungan fought for control, and briefly regain control while Tripper pulled his X-wing around, pulling in behind the TIE fighter, but before Tripper could open fire, the TIE fighter shot first, this time there was nothing Gungan could do, as his X-wing exploded in an short lived fireball. Three seconds later Tripper let loose with his cannons turning the TIE fighter into ash.

Tripper pushed the death of his comrade out of his mind, there will be time to mourn later even though it was hard he had to, he had a mission to carry out.

When the anti starfighter cannons open fired, Tripper rolled his X-wing 10 meters to the right, lined up his second to last shot and fired, then slowed his X-wing almost to a stall, just for the few precious seconds for the torpedo to penetrate the dome, then with his last shot, fired it on the same mark. He pulled up on his yoke looping up and away from the dome.

“It’s time to blow this womp rat stand.” Tripper said pulling up and out of the gravity well of the moon

“Let’s go” Joker said as he and Book followed Tripper.

“Joker to Ranger flight control, eta three minutes prepare for a combat landing for three X-wings” Joker said

“Negative, Joker Star Destroyer is in range, we are pulling out immediately, redezu at predetermined coordinates.” The Flight Control Officer said.

“Roger, Ranger Control,” Joker said.

“Ok flight, the droids have the coordinates, come to a heading of 263 mark 43” Joker said “oh and let's stay clear of that Star Destroyer.”

“Heading confirmed” Tripper said

“Heading confirmed” Book copied

“Roger flight, jump in 3..2..1” Joker said as the stars stretched into star lines

0 notes

newstfionline · 4 years ago

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Headlines

As wildfire smoke becomes a part of life on the West Coast, so do its health risks (Washington Post) Every morning for the past few weeks, JoEllen Depakakibo has had a new kind of morning routine. She sets her alarm for 6 and opens the Environmental Protection Agency’s AirNow site on her phone. If the Air Quality Index (AQI) passes 150, called “unhealthy” by the EPA, Depakakibo has her employees shut the main door and turn on a medical-grade air purifier inside Pinhole Coffee Shop, the cafe she opened here six years ago. If it passes 200, they close the cafe. She’s had to shut five times in recent weeks because of the smoke that has stubbornly settled over the city. The fires are also having a massive impact on people far from any actual flames. Massive plumes of smoke have converged and covered almost the entire western edge of the United States. It has drifted into the neighboring states of Nevada and Arizona, lowering air quality in some parts. And smoke has even blotted out the sun thousands of miles away in D.C. The haze along the West Coast has created the most polluted air in the world over the past week, forcing millions of residents indoors. And the smoke is creating short- and long-term health risks for everyone exposed, health experts say.

Showdown set as US to declare UN sanctions on Iran are back (AP) In defiance of overwhelming opposition, the United States is preparing to declare that all international sanctions against Iran have been restored. Few countries believe the move is legal, and such action could provoke a credibility crisis at the United Nations. Virtually alone in the world, the Trump administration will announce on Saturday that U.N. sanctions on Iran eased under the 2015 nuclear deal are back in force. But the other members of the U.N. Security Council, including U.S. allies, disagree and have vowed to ignore the step. That sets the stage for ugly confrontations as the world body prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary at a coronavirus-restricted General Assembly session next week. The question is how the Trump administration will respond to being ignored. It already has slapped extensive sanctions on Iran, but could impose penalties on countries that don’t enforce the U.N. sanctions it claims to have reimposed. A wholesale rejection of the U.S. position could push the administration, which has already withdrawn from multiple U.N. agencies, organizations and treaties, further away from the international community.

MiGs on the campaign trail (Foreign Policy) The fundraising arm of the Trump campaign issued a digital ad centered on supporting U.S. troops, which ran from Sept. 8 through Sept. 12. The only problem? It used photos of Russian fighter jets, Politico reports.

Remote work vs. office work (Bloomberg) A Gallup survey conducted for Wells Fargo found 42 percent of the 1,094 workers it surveyed looked favorably on working remotely compared to just 14 percent who viewed it negatively. Other surveys conducted for large employers have found similar interest in at least partial work-from-home moving forward. When a management consultancy asked 1,000 people in June what they were looking forward to when returning to the office, 20 percent said “nothing at all.” In related news (via Business Insider), the vast majority (83%) of millennials currently living near a major tech hub, such as Silicon Valley or New York, plan to or are considering a move to a more affordable city because of COVID, according to new data from a survey of 500 US tech workers by domain extension provider .Tech Domains. It coincides with US tech giants pioneering new flexible working policies because of the pandemic.

Gulf Coast braces for 2nd round of flooding in Sally’s wake (AP) Homeowners and businesses along the soggy Gulf Coast began cleaning up Thursday in the wake of Hurricane Sally, even as the region braced for a delayed, second round of flooding in the coming days from rivers and creeks swollen by the storm’s heavy rains. In hard-hit Pensacola and surrounding Escambia County, where Sally’s floodwaters surged through downtown streets and lapped at car door handles on Wednesday before receding, authorities went door-to-door to check on residents and warn them the danger wasn’t over. With the Florida Panhandle and Alabama on alert, Sally’s rainy remnants pushed farther inland across the Southeast, causing flooding in Georgia and threatening more of the same on Friday in North Carolina and Virginia. Forecasters said Georgia could get up to a foot (30 centimeters), and South Carolina 10 inches (25 centimeters).

For Mexico, a somber Independence Day (Washington Post) Troops marched in formation across a deserted public plaza in the Mexican capital Wednesday, and military planes rocketed across a clear blue sky to mark the country’s independence from Spain. But while many Mexicans enjoyed the day off, lingering in bars and eateries across the city, the prevailing mood was one of brief escapism from a dark and worrying time, defined by the devastation of a virus that has take more than 71,600 lives and hammered the economy. “We are proud, but we are angry and sad at the same time,” said Laura Santander, 28, a physician who was sipping rum and Cokes with friends at a noisy cafe. “This is our nation’s birthday, and normally we love to celebrate and shout and carry on. But we know the pandemic is not going to go away for a long time. It is eclipsing our pride.”

Back to the past in Bolivia? (Foreign Policy) An opinion poll published on Wednesday suggests that Luis Arce, the candidate representing former Bolivian President Evo Morales’s Movement for Socialism, is leading all other candidates for next month’s presidential election, a sign that Morales’s legacy in the country is still strong. Arce served as the country’s minister of finance from 2006 to 2017, and was a close ally of Morales. According to the poll, Arce’s support stands at 40.3 percent, distantly followed by former President Carlos Mesa and current interim President Jeanine Áñez, the former senator who took over the presidency after Morales’s forced resignation in November.

Lesbos and its migrants (NYT) One week after a fire razed Europe’s largest migrant camp, on the Greek island of Lesbos, few countries have offered to take in any of the 12,500 people who became homeless, and while the Greek government has quickly erected a makeshift tent camp, migrants and aid workers fear it will fall into the same squalid conditions that have symbolized the continent’s failures.

As India’s virus cases rise, so do questions over death toll (AP) When Narayan Mitra died on July 16, a day after being admitted to the hospital for fever and breathing difficulties, his name never appeared on any of the official lists put out daily of those killed by the coronavirus. Test results later revealed that Mitra had indeed been infected with COVID-19, but the virus was deemed an “incidental” factor. “He died because of the virus, and there is no point lying about it,” Abhijit Mitra said of the finding. Such exclusions could explain why India, which has recorded more than 5.1 million infections—second only to the United States—has a death toll of about 83,000 in a country of 1.3 billion people. India’s Health Ministry has cited this as evidence of its success in fighting the pandemic. But experts say the numbers are misleading and that India is not counting many deaths. (Other countries are reportedly guilty of the same.)

U.S. Sending Weapons to Taiwan as Tensions With China Remain High (Foreign Policy) The United States is planning to sell a range of new weapons to Taiwan, deepening its commitment to the island nation amid deteriorating relations with Beijing. Sources told Reuters that the sales include seven major weapons systems, including mines, cruise missiles, and drones; a huge supply of weaponry that represents a major departure from the more conservative approach taken by past administrations. Details obtained by the Wall Street Journal said that the deal was expected to total around $7 billion, and would include $400 million worth of sophisticated drones, complete with sensors, logistics, training, and other equipment. The move is sure to provoke a strong reaction in Beijing. China has long considered Taiwan to be part of its national territory, and it strongly opposes any overtures by the United States to develop deeper ties with the country.

Churches have become South Korea’s coronavirus battleground (Washington Post) In South Korea, Christians find themselves at the center of pandemic controversy, after places of worship and Christian communities were blamed by President Moon Jae-in for two waves of coronavirus infections. The ensuing dispute has mixed religion, epidemiology and politics in a nation where nearly 1 in 3 people identify as Christian and where those who do often lean conservative, putting them at odds with Moon’s center-left government. As a result of the controversy, Seog’s Gyesan Jeil Church—in Incheon city, southwest of the capital, Seoul—was forced to switch to largely online services last month. And the pastor is not happy. “Except for a few rule-breakers, most churches, including ours, have been carefully observing health rules at excruciating emotional and financial cost,” he said in an interview. “Enforcing these restrictions unilaterally upon all Protestant churches, this is nothing short of communism.” Meeting with leaders of Protestant groups in the Seoul area last month, Moon urged compliance with the coronavirus rules.

Under lockdown, Israel faces bitter start of Jewish New Year (AP) Eating apples dipped in honey on Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish tradition to symbolize a sweet start of the New Year. But in Israel, bitterness prevails on the eve of the holiday as the country faces a second nationwide lockdown to stem a raging coronavirus outbreak. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has imposed a three-week lockdown, beginning on Friday afternoon—just hours before Rosh Hashanah starts. Israel’s first lockdown, in March and April, put a damper on Passover, the Jewish spring holiday marking the deliverance of the ancient Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. Now, the Jewish High Holidays look to be similarly subdued. Religious and secular Israelis alike mark Rosh Hashanah with festive holiday feasts with family and friends. They pack synagogues, often spending hours in prayer, especially during the fast of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which falls later this month.

Tracking device for UAE visitors (Reuters) International passengers arriving at Abu Dhabi airport will now have to wear a tracking device while they complete a mandatory 14-day home quarantine due to COVID-19, according to state-owned Etihad Airways. Daily infections in the United Arab Emirates rose this month to their highest since the outbreak started, which officials have largely blamed on people not practicing social distancing.

Sudan flooding (AFP) The White Nile and Blue Nile rivers are Sudan’s lifeblood. Heavy rains, however, have transformed them into a force for calamity. More than 100 are dead and more than half a million are homeless in the worst flooding in at least a century. Khartoum is the worst-hit area, inundated by waters from both Nile tributaries. Humanitarian aid has been slow to arrive, and many have been sheltering in schools and government offices.

#headlines #news

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covid19updater · 5 years ago

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COVID19 UPDATES: 03/26/2020

Brazil: Brazil’s coronavirus-driven political meltdown seems to be moving very fast and not in a good direction. Governors of all Brazil’s 27 states to convene later tonight to discuss president Bolsonaro’s behaviour

France: French Public Health Official Reports 2,827 People In Need Of Life Support Due To Coronavirus (prev 2,516) - Latest French Death Toll From Virus Stands At 1,331 Deaths (prev 1,100)

NYC: Despite #coronavirus restrictions, NYC subway cars are still PACKED. This video, taken YESTERDAY, shows passengers in an overcrowded train with little evidence of social distancing LINK

Michigan: 2 members of Detroit PD die from COVID 19

US: At least 11 states have reported over 100 new cases of coronavirus on Wednesday, according to updates from each state's Department of Health or state officials. Here is the breakdown from each of these states: New York added over 5,000 cases New Jersey added over 700 cases Louisiana went up 400 cases Pennsylvania reported 276 new cases Texas increased by 259 cases Florida jumped over 215 cases Georgia went up 150 cases Ohio added 140 cases Indiana gained 112 cases North Carolina climbed 106 cases Virginia added 101 cases

US/DOD: EXCLUSIVE-U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY ESPER ISSUES A STOP MOVEMENT ORDER HALTING ALL TRAVEL AND MOVEMENT ABROAD FOR UP TO 60 DAYS

US: BREAKING: 5 more U.S. Navy sailors aboard aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt test positive for Covid-19 in Western Pacific, bringing total to 8 in past two days: U.S. officials The warship has a crew of 5,000.

NYC: CoV patient died in NYC hospital lobby waiting for bed

World: Wednesday's major coronavirus updates: - USA: +11,204 cases, +146 deaths - Spain: +7,457 cases, +656 deaths - Italy: +5,210 cases, +683 deaths - Germany: +3,907 cases, +47 deaths - France: +2,931 cases, +231 deaths - Iran: +2,206 cases, +143 deaths - UK: +1,452 cases, +43 deaths

RUMINT (Massachusetts): So some very solid info that I just got from my LEO friend down in Massachusetts... people here had posted a few days ago that they noticed a ton of power company trucks all over the place, both convoys and just sitting around in parking lots. Apparently the deal with that is authorities are extremely worried that a normal power outage due to a tree going down or a car hitting a pole would cause mass panic, making people think shit just totally hit the fan because of CoV. Because of this they are having the linemen pre-staged all over the place to respond immediately to any power outage and get it back on as soon as possible so people don't run downtown and start looting stores thinking society just collapsed.

Florida: Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo says he has heard of two additional cruise ships coming to Port Miami with passengers who have tested positive for COVID-19. He says he is concerned because the port is controlled by the county, not the city.

US: Hospitals across U.S. consider universal do-not-resuscitate orders for coronavirus patients LINK

NYC: An emergency room doctor in Elmhurst, Queens, gives a rare look inside a hospital at the center of the coronavirus pandemic. “We don’t have the tools that we need.” LINK

NYC: manager at Mount Sinai West hospital in NYC - where staff were forced to wear TRASH BAGS as protective equipment - dies of coronavirus at age 48 LINK

California: 17-year-old teenager died of coronavirus after being released from a Los Angeles hospital LINK

UK: London hospitals are facing a "tsunami" of coronavirus cases and are beginning to run out of intensive care beds, a senior hospital figure has said. LINK

Italy: Italy's death toll from Covid-19 could be severely underestimated. The town of Nembro, near Bergamo, had 158 deaths so far this year vs 35 on average in the recent past. Only 31 deaths were attributed to Covid-19.

Portugal: 60 deaths and 3544 cases now in Portugal! +17 deaths, +549 new cases and 18,3% rise on cases. 61 critical.

Texas: Warning: 2 men wearing scrubs, masks trying to perform in-home coronavirus tests LINK

Singapore: Health officials in Singapore reported 73 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, making it the country’s largest single-day increase in cases.

Italy: ITALY'S LOMBARDY REGIONAL GOVERNOR SAYS CORONAVIRUS DATA ON WEDNESDAY "NOT VERY GOOD", NUMBER OF CASES UP BY SOME 2,500

Switzerland: A strange pattern has emerged in COVID-19 CFRs in Switzerland. COVID-19 has been twice as likely to kill patients in French-speaking cantons of Switzerland than in German-speaking, and more than twice as likely to kill patients in Italian speaking cantons than in French ones.

UK: BREAKING - United Kingdom is changing how #COVID19 deaths are recorded and made public, a Downing Street spokesman confirmed. Seems the UK is starting to hide deaths now.

Germany: BREAKING - "We already have many infected with #COVID19. And we have many dead already." Germany's Health Minister adds: "This is still the calm before the storm."

Russia: BREAKING - The Russian Ministry of Defense has allocated 8.8 billion rubles for the construction of 16 makeshift field hospitals for #COVID19 patients across the country.

Germany: BREAKING - Germany's Minister of Agriculture complains about staff shortages in the food supply amid #COVID19. Foreign seasonal workers are lacking in slaughterhouses and dairies. Sowing of grain also at risk.

RUMINT (New Orleans): "I am an ER MD in New Orleans. Class of 98. Every one of my colleagues have now seen several hundred Covid 19 patients and this is what I think I know. Clinical course is predictable. 2-11 days after exposure (day 5 on average) flu like symptoms start. Common are fever, headache, dry cough, myalgias(back pain), nausea without vomiting, abdominal discomfort with some diarrhea, loss of smell, anorexia, fatigue. Day 5 of symptoms- increased SOB, and bilateral viral pneumonia from direct viral damage to lung parenchyma. Day 10- Cytokine storm leading to acute ARDS and multiorgan failure. You can literally watch it happen in a matter of hours. 81% mild symptoms, 14% severe symptoms requiring hospitalization, 5% critical. Patient presentation is varied. Patients are coming in hypoxic (even 75%) without dyspnea. I have seen Covid patients present with encephalopathy, renal failure from dehydration, DKA. I have seen the bilateral interstitial pneumonia on the xray of the asymptomatic shoulder dislocation or on the CT's of the (respiratory) asymptomatic polytrauma patient. Essentially if they are in my ER, they have it. Seen three positive flu swabs in 2 weeks and all three had Covid 19 as well. Somehow this ***** has told all other disease processes to get out of town. China reported 15% cardiac involvement. I have seen covid 19 patients present with myocarditis, pericarditis, new onset CHF and new onset atrial fibrillation. I still order a troponin, but no cardiologist will treat no matter what the number in a suspected Covid 19 patient. Even our non covid 19 STEMIs at all of our facilities are getting TPA in the ED and rescue PCI at 60 minutes only if TPA fails. Diagnostic CXR- bilateral interstitial pneumonia (anecdotally starts most often in the RLL so bilateral on CXR is not required). The hypoxia does not correlate with the CXR findings. Their lungs do not sound bad. Keep your stethoscope in your pocket and evaluate with your eyes and pulse ox. Labs- WBC low, Lymphocytes low, platelets lower then their normal, Procalcitonin normal in 95% CRP and Ferritin elevated most often. CPK, D-Dimer, LDH, Alk Phos/AST/ALT commonly elevated. Notice D-Dimer- I would be very careful about CT PE these patients for their hypoxia. The patients receiving IV contrast are going into renal failure and on the vent sooner. Basically, if you have a bilateral pneumonia with normal to low WBC, lymphopenia, normal procalcitonin, elevated CRP and ferritin- you have covid-19 and do not need a nasal swab to tell you that. A ratio of absolute neutrophil count to absolute lymphocyte count greater than 3.5 may be the highest predictor of poor outcome. the UK is automatically intubating these patients for expected outcomes regardless of their clinical presentation. An elevated Interleukin-6 (IL6) is an indicator of their cytokine storm. If this is elevated watch these patients closely with both eyes. Other factors that appear to be predictive of poor outcomes are thrombocytopenia and LFTs 5x upper limit of normal. Disposition I had never discharged multifocal pneumonia before. Now I personally do it 12-15 times a shift. 2 weeks ago we were admitting anyone who needed supplemental oxygen. Now we are discharging with oxygen if the patient is comfortable and oxygenating above 92% on nasal cannula. We have contracted with a company that sends a paramedic to their home twice daily to check on them and record a pulse ox. We know many of these patients will bounce back but if it saves a bed for a day we have accomplished something. Obviously we are fearful some won't make it back.We are a small community hospital. Our 22 bed ICU and now a 4 bed Endoscopy suite are all Covid 19. All of these patients are intubated except one. 75% of our floor beds have been cohorted into covid 19 wards and are full. We are averaging 4 rescue intubations a day on the floor. We now have 9 vented patients in our ER transferred down from the floor after intubation. Luckily we are part of a larger hospital group. Our main teaching hospital repurposed space to open 50 new Covid 19 ICU beds this past Sunday so these numbers are with significant decompression. Today those 50 beds are full. They are opening 30 more by Friday. But even with the "lockdown", our AI models are expecting a 200-400% increase in covid 19 patients by 4/4/2020. Treatment Supportive worldwide 86% of covid 19 patients that go on a vent die. Seattle reporting 70%. Our hospital has had 5 deaths and one patient who was extubated. Extubation happens on day 10 per the Chinese and day 11 per Seattle. Plaquenil which has weak ACE2 blockade doesn't appear to be a savior of any kind in our patient population. Theoretically, it may have some prophylactic properties but so far it is difficult to see the benefit to our hospitalized patients, but we are using it and the studies will tell. With Plaquenil's potential QT prolongation and liver toxic effects (both particularly problematic in covid 19 patients), I am not longer selectively prescribing this medication as I stated on a previous post. We are also using Azithromycin, but are intermittently running out of IV. Do not give these patient's standard sepsis fluid resuscitation. Be very judicious with the fluids as it hastens their respiratory decompensation. Outside the DKA and renal failure dehydration, leave them dry. Proning vented patients significantly helps oxygenation. Even self proning the ones on nasal cannula helps. Vent settings- Usual ARDS stuff, low volume, permissive hypercapnia, etc. Except for Peep of 5 will not do. Start at 14 and you may go up to 25 if needed. Do not use Bipap- it does not work well and is a significant exposure risk with high levels of aerosolized virus to you and your staff. Even after a cough or sneeze this virus can aerosolize up to 3 hours. The same goes for nebulizer treatments. Use MDI. you can give 8-10 puffs at one time of an albuterol MDI. Use only if wheezing which isn't often with covid 19. If you have to give a nebulizer must be in a negative pressure room; and if you can, instruct the patient on how to start it after you leave the room. Do not use steroids, it makes this worse. Push out to your urgent cares to stop their usual practice of steroid shots for their URI/bronchitis. We are currently out of Versed, Fentanyl, and intermittently Propofol. Get the dosing of Precedex and Nimbex back in your heads. One of my colleagues who is a 31 yo old female who graduated residency last may with no health problems and normal BMI is out with the symptoms and an SaO2 of 92%. She will be the first of many. I PPE best I have. I do wear a MaxAir PAPR the entire shift. I do not take it off to eat or drink during the shift. I undress in the garage and go straight to the shower. My wife and kids fled to her parents outside Hattiesburg. The stress and exposure at work coupled with the isolation at home is trying. But everyone is going through something right now. Everyone is scared; patients and employees. But we are the leaders of that emergency room. Be nice to your nurses and staff. Show by example how to tackle this crisis head on. Good luck to us all."

China: BREAKING - China is drastically reducing the number of international flights from Sunday, as they fear a second wave of #COVID19 from foreign countries. But they cried when others banned flights from China.

US/DOD: US Army Goes To Highest State of Health Protection: SUBJECT: FRAGO 13 TO HQDA EXORD 144-20 ARMY WIDE PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) OUTBREAK// (U) REFERENCES. REF//A/ THROUGH REF//WW/ NO CHANGE. REF//XX/ [ADD] FRAGO 12 TO HQDA EXORD 144-20 ARMY WIDE PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) OUTBREAK, DTG: 230210Z MAR 20// 1. (U) SITUATION. [ADD] MITIGATION MEASURES TAKEN BY THE ARMY TO BLUNT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 HAVE PROVEN INSUFFICIENT. COVID-19 CONTINUES TO SPREAD GEOGRAPHICALLY AS THE NUMBER OF INFECTED PERSONS CONTINUES TO RISE. CIVILIAN CAPABILITY AND CAPACITY ARE BECOMING MORE STRESSED AS DENSE POPULATION CENTERS CONTINUE TO REPORT HIGHER RATES OF INFECTION THAT ARE IMPACTING MAJOR TRANSPORTATION HUBS AND SUPPLY CHAINS. ADDITIONAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS ARE REQUIRED TO PROTECT THE FORCE FROM FURTHER SPREAD OF COVID-19. FOR EXAMPLE, TO MAINTAIN STRATEGIC READINESS AND PRESERVE OUR RAPID-RESPONSE CAPABILITIES, WE ARE PLACING RAPID-RESPONSE FORCES UNDER HPCON DELTA.

France: The newspaper "Die Welt" reports on Italian conditions in France: A team of German doctors discovered during a visit to Strasbourg that triage had long reigned in Alsace. Means: Patients are sorted according to chances of survival. Brigitte Klinkert, President of the French department Haut-Rhin, to "Die Welt": "We have been doing triage for two weeks. Patients over 80, over 75, and sometimes over 70 can no longer be intubated because we simply lack the ventilators. It cannot be said often enough, because not only the German neighbors, but also the French outside of Alsace are not yet aware of the situation here. "

NYC: BREAKING - Last night EMS in New York took 6,406 medical 911 calls. The highest volume ever, surpassing the level of calls on 9/11 when the terrorist planes hit the WTC.

US: BREAKING - U.S. Navy to test all sailors on aircraft carrier in Pacific as #COVID19 cases grow, and grow, and grow. 24 sailors aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt have now tested positive for the virus. TR pulling into Guam soon, Navy says

World: GLOBAL CORONAVIRUS CASES REACHES HALF MILLION MARK WITH CHINA, ITALY AND US ON TOP 3 LIST #breakingnews

New York: 34% OF NEW YORK CORONAVIRUS TESTS ARE COMING BACK POSITIVE

Italy: BREAKING - Italy reports 6,153 new #COVID19 cases and 662 new deaths. Total now 80,539 coronavirus infections in the country and 8,165 dead. MOST NEW CASES IN FIVE DAYS

Louisiana: Another update on hospitalization of covid patients in Louisiana: Today, 676 patients (29%) are hospitalized. 239 of them are on ventilators, which are in short supply, especially in New Orleans.

US: FAUCI SAYS THINKS CORONAVIRUS WILL CONTINUE ON THROUGH SUMMER, DOES NOT THINK IT WILL "DISAPPEAR"

New Jersey: NEW JERSEY CORONAVIRUS CASES INCREASE BY 2,492 FROM DAY EARLIER TO 6,876, DEATHS UP BY 19 TO 81 -GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY

New York: The number has now climbed to 351 members of the NYPD that have tested positive for coronavirus

UK: BREAKING: UK reports 2,129 new cases of coronavirus and 113 new deaths, raising total to 11,658 cases and 578 dead

France: LATEST DEATH TOLL IN FRANCE FROM CORONAVIRUS STANDS AT 1,696 DEATHS (VS 1,331 yesterday) - PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIAL

NYC: NBC News: 131 FDNY members have tested positive for COVID19. More than 2,000 members of the agency are on medical leave, most of them with flu-like and coronavirus-like symptoms, per senior FDNY official.

RUMINT: Report from a friend who is an ER PA in a mid size city. No, I will give no other identifying info about him. Testing 250-300 per day. Some positives with low grade (101 and below) fever, but those also have diarrhea. Their first cases were idiots who went to Mardi Gras. No, he in not in NOLA. These assholes transported the virus to their hometown. They expect it to really ratchet up next week, and go full on crazy the week after.

RUMINT (NYC): So many police officers in NY infected, many in quarantine, and more to follow. When the “urban youths” figure out the cats are unable to come out, it will be full on mayhem time. The guard will be necessary to tamp that shit down. If the rubber bullets don't at first work, I suspect there will be shoot to kill orders. Otherwise, the non rape/pillage/loot people will be butchered.

Anonymous Doctor’s Evaluation of COVID19: Ebola is a knock out expert. HIV plays the long game but only ends 1 way, COVID is the illegitimate brother to them both.

US: BREAKING: U.S. overtakes China as the country with the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases

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kizmetcandy · 8 years ago

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My Candy Love - Episode 35 Guide

(Thanks for understanding for the delay with getting the guide up due to the death I had in my family)

Notes:

- Negative result for LOM / Neutral result for LOM + Positive result for LOM

/ or + Means my Love’O’Meter is at 100 so the result is either neutral or positive

If an answer does not have -, /, or + beside it, it means I don’t know the result

LOM: Love’O’Meter; Low LOM is around 75 points or lower. High LOM is 75 and over.

Action Points: 400-600 Action Points depending on how lucky you are on finding people within the episode.

Illustrations: There are 5 Illustrations in total. One Illustration with each boy. Illustration is based on outfit choice and one dialogue choice. Four episode replays are needed to get all Illustrations.

Auntie: Found during the objective: ‘Go back to the high school.’ She can be found at the Park Entrance at Night, or the Café at Night. The gift is a Polaroid.

Hidden Item: Can be found during the objective: ‘Move away from the park’. The item can be found at the Café at Night, under the café sign. (I’ll post a picture at the end of guide). Item is Kaleidoscopic Glasses.

Money:

Lysander Outfit $185 Armin/Castiel Outfit $200 Nathaniel/Kentin Outfit $205

Outfit:

Candy

(Choice)

A. (I stared yelling.) (- with Charlotte)

B. (Without thinking, I jumped on the silhouette.) (- - with Charlotte)

Nathaniel

[You Start Discussion]

A. Do you think she’s hurting because you no longer live with her? +

B. Do you know if, by chance, she’s the type of person that goes onto dating sites? /

C. It about time she grows up, she’s pathetic. -

She usually never goes out, she’s real house cat. I spent an hour looking for her. I was so scared something might happen to her.

A. Oh, I see…. I would have done the same. +

B. I was really scared without you, you know… /

C. It couldn’t have waited? –

(Choice)

A. (I just wanted to kiss him…) / Illustration with Nathaniel

B. (I could stay here staring deep into his eyes for hours…)

C. (I want to congratulate him as well. Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.)

Castiel

Mind your own business for once… Why do you even care?

A. It’s not good for you… +

B. It against the rules! –

C. I don’t actually… You’re right. /

Are you going to tell on me?

A. Of course, I even have a hidden camera for the principal. /

B. You know I wouldn’t do that. -

C. It depends… If I’m quiet, what do I get in return? +

They always have to show up at the wrong time. It’s so annoying…

A. I understand… I don’t think I would have known how to get away from them either. +/

B. I was really scared without you, you know… /

C. You’re emancipated… You couldn’t have told them that you had something important planned?-

(Choice)

A. (I just wanted to kiss him…) / Illustration with Castiel

B. (I could stay here staring deep into his eyes for hours…)

C. (I want to congratulate him as well. Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.)

Lysander

Hmm? Oh, hi Nickname.

A. Rosa told me that her and Leigh were leaving this weekend, are you going with them? –

B. Rosa told me about your father getting better, that’s great news! -

C. You know, I still can’t believe you came to Iris’ party. +

I’m fine, thanks for asking.

A. I heart that your father is doing a bit better. You must be relieved… -

B. I heart that Rosa and Leigh are going away for the weekend. Are you going to take some time for yourself as well?

C. (I contented myself with just staring at him, trying to figure out if behind this polite response were hidden dark emotions.) +

I’m alright, I was just thinking… About my father.

A. You must be relieved that he’s doing better now.

B. Are you worried because Leigh and Rosa are going away for the weekend?

C. Do you want me to come with you to go visit him? +

I couldn’t escape and our conversation lasted so long.

A. I understand better now. It’s normal, he’s your big brother. +

B. I understand better now. He’s your big brother after all, it’s normal. /

C. You couldn’t tell him that you had something important planned? He’s your brother, not your dad… -

(Choice)

A. (I just wanted to kiss him…) + Illustration with Lysander

B. (I could stay here staring deep into his eyes for hours…)

C. (I want to congratulate him as well. Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.) /

Kentin

If I had been there, you can believe that I wouldn’t have left them off the hook

A. I don’t doubt that… Thanks for being on my side. /

B. You wouldn’t have been able to do much, you know… No one saw them do it… -

C. It’s crazy… We haven’t spent a lot of time together lately but… I realize that I can always count on you. +

Like you said. He was in a really really bad mood. It’s been a while since he lectured me like that.

A. I understand that you weren’t able to go out… If I had been in your place, I wouldn’t have been able to do much either. /

B. I was scared without you, you know… +/

C. You could have a least snuck out after he went to bed? -

(Choice)

A. (I just want to kiss him…) / Illustration with Kentin

B. (I could stay here staring deep into his eyes for hours…)

C. I want to congratulate him as well. Without him, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.)

Armin

[Choice]

A. Hey! You don’t need to get defensive, I didn’t do it on purpose. /

B. What are you doing? /

C. If I had known that I was this scary before, I would have taken advantage to scare Amber. +

Well… It’s simple. We’re going to go.

A. Excuse me?!! / (- with Boyfriend)

B. There’s nothing simple about that… -

C. I was hoping someone would say that! + (+ with Boyfriend)

Yeah, but that means that everyone can see who you’re talking and flirting with… Is it a polygamous app or what?

A. Yeah, it seems to be rehibition, indeed. /+

B. It’s mostly for people who can live with it! /

C. I don’t find that bad… It’s a system that’s based on popularity. /+

Anyway, I gotta go now. No you think you can manage without me?

A. Yeah, no worries! /

B. I’ll try… /

C. I think I can find someone to help me, don’t worry.

Well, it seemed like there was a lot going on in his head for a while, and he chose the wrong time to pour it all out… [It appears that the illustration is dependent on outfit choice and not dialogue. Illustration at end of episode when dating Armin.]

A. I knew what he was feeling… It had to come out one day or another. / Illustration with Armin (I got Illustration)

B. I was scared without you, you know. + Illustration with Armin (A Candygirl told me she got the Illustration with this answer. I have yet to confirm)

C. You couldn’t explain to him nicely that it was the wrong time? -

Alexy

[Choice]

A. Maybe you should give him some space? He must need to be alone sometimes. +

B. You should talk to him about it, if it hurts you. /

C. He will surely get over it, you don’t need to worry. -

Rosalya

To the beach. It’s been awhile, I need to see the water.

A. Oh, I’m jealous… I would love to go to the beach with my sweetheart. /

B. I wonder if one day I’ll be able to go away for the weekend with my sweetheart… For now, it would be way too stressful. /

[You Start Discussion]

A. Excuse me Rosa, but I have to go. /

B. (Well, I’m not just going to leave Rosa stranded here. Something tells me she won’t appreciate it much.) /

Hmm no, why? Is there a problem?

A. (I prefer to be honest, even if I can’t tell them everything.) + (+ with Alexy too)

B. (I prefer changing the subject.) –

C. (I prefer to lie.) /

Patrick

[Choice]

A. I didn’t do anything, I swear. Amber is the one who started it. /

B. I have bad grades in art, is that it? /

C. No, I don’t have anything to say. /

Priya

Great. I feel like I’m going to have a good day.

A. Can I know what’s making you so happy? /

B. You’re lucky… /

C. Uh hum, me too… /

[Choice]

A. Is that why you two were always sitting together? –

B. So… You did all of that for me? +

C. You really think that will calm her down once and for all? /

Capucine

[You Start Discussion]

A. Did Amber stop bothering you? /

B. How are things with Samuel? ++

C. …How are you? +

Iris

We just got kicked out of class… I really didn’t need that…

A. (I have to reassure her, it’s the best way to get back to where we were in our conversation.) /

B. (I have to reassure her, make sure we’re on the same wavelength. So that I can come back to the subject at hand more easily.) /

(Choice)

A. (After all, who cares…) / (++ If you chose A in precious dialogue)

B. (No! I want to keep it a secret!) /

[You Start Discussion]

A. How old was he? / (- with Armin later)

B. He didn’t go to Sweet Amoris then? / (/ with Armin later)

C. What was his name? / (+ with Armin later?)

Amber

Thin what you want, but it’s a fact.

A. What are your thoughts on dating sites? /

B. How would you react if you found out that your boyfriend was two-timing you? /

C. What do you think of Iris? /

Lucia (Candy’s Mother)

(Choice)

A. It won’t happen again. /

B. We just find it romantic to see each other at night… /

C. Please don’t tell dad… /

For Hidden Item:

#my candy love #mcl #episode 35 #episode guide

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lauraramargosian · 5 years ago

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The man who took Mac Miller’s life has been arrested.

Football season is upon us and I just can’t help but think of one person who would be about as stoked as I am.

Mac Miller loved football and that means one thing, he wanted The Pittsburgh Steelers to win with every new year, which is why we thought of Mac Miller and his favorite Football team.

The last time we were blessed with Mac’s presence was while he was watching a game with friends before he crossed the bridge.

Miller is literally, such a positive influence. He always spoke up to raise awareness, he loved his fans because he felt as though they could understand him better than most people.

In fact, he said that those who listened to his music deeply knew him better than some friends in his life.

Fortunately, that did not mean he didn’t love his friends. He loved all his family, friends and fans. That’s exactly what makes losing Mac Miller to opiates so sad.

With that in mind, we know Mac was battling demons and he had friends that did as well. For example, Frankie Grande.

Reddit community carries on Mac Miller’s legacy.

It’s no secret that Miller always tried to help those battling similar demons. But what Frankie shared was going above and beyond. It’s the truth and the life Mac Miller lived, that man would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need of help.

“I am beyond heartbroken over Malcolm’s death. He was a good friend and was wonderful to my sister. He was the reason I went to the rehabilitation center where I was detoxed safely from all of the drugs alcohol and medications I was taking when I couldn’t imagine living without them. It was the place where I found the community of support that showed me that living life without drugs was a possibility and I would never have discovered that if it weren’t for Malcolm. I remember when I would get 30, 60, 90 days clean and Malcolm would be there with a gift and a card and words of encouragement… telling me that he knew how hard getting sober is and how impressed he was that I was succeeding.

Addiction is a TERRIBLE disease… many people are suffering from addiction like I am and many many of them are losing. Those of us who are struggling with addiction must stay strong. We must continue to work HARD on ourselves every single day and help each other. Our disease is strong but WE ARE STRONGER and I vow to work every moment of my life to keep myself sober so that i may be there for others. This is a difficult road but YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TRUDGE IT ALONE. To anyone who needs help, help is there. you just need to have the courage to ask, which I know can be EXTREMELY difficult… but when you do I GUARANTEE support will be there. do not be ashamed if you are losing the battle against addiction, shame feeds the disease, humility defeats it. please ask for help! you are NOT ALONE! I am here… and I will continue to be here… for you…

Ariana Grande will always love Mac Miller.

Malcolm my friend, you will be dearly missed. and I know you will be looking down on me from heaven, proudAF for every day I live my life clean and sober… 453 days and counting… Thank you from the bottom of my heart

AA: (212) 870-3400 NA: (818) 773-9999 Suicide Prevention Lifeline: :800-273-9255”

After Mac Miller’s passing his family also took to social media to share their love those who lived in the world of Mac Miller.

“Malcolm McCormick, known and adored by fans as Mac Miller, has tragically passed away at the age of 26. He was a bright light in this world for his family, friends and fans. Thank you for your prayers. Please respect our privacy. There are no further details as to the cause of his death at this time.”

Presently, it was announced that FINALLY someone was arrested for selling Mac Miller opiates that were laced with fentanyl.

According to Mirror who reported on the case, the man seems to have no remorse.

He allegedly said: “I think I should probably not post anything… just to be smart.” When asked how he was, Pettit allegedly responded: “I am not great … Most likely I will die in jail.”

Reader question: What if you could have interviewed Mac Miller?

With that in mind, let’s all celebrate Football season the right way, wishing love to all teams including The Pittsburgh Steelers.

Good luck to every team but here’s a huge shout out to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Macs family, friends and fans.

Most importantly, a big f*ck you to the dude arrested in taking one of the most loving souls on this planet away from the world.

Mac Miller – The Star Room (Feat. Delusional Thomas)

youtube

Mac Miller and Dylan as kids.

Photo by: Christaan Felber

The post The man who took Mac Miller’s life has been arrested. appeared first on Positive Celebrity News and Gossip.

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#Positive celebrity gossip #celebrity gossip #news #love #positive vibes

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cle-guy · 6 years ago

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Hall of Fame Thoughts: Active Players & the 2019 Ballot

I have spent too much of my life considering who should, and should not, enter the Hall of Fame, especially since I missed the 2018 induction ceremony when Jim Thome spoke this year. As a lifelong Indians fan it is possible Thome is the only player to enter Cooperstown as an Indian in my lifetime; I hold out hope Vizquel, Lofton, Sabathia and Lindor prove me wrong in the future. However, with the largest class since 1936 entering the Hall of Fame I want to jot down several miscellaneous thoughts on baseball’s repository of immortals.

Class of 2019

Compared to 2018, 2019 seems boring. There are three parts to the ballot worth reviewing: returning BBWAA ballot players, new BBWAA ballot players, and the Today’s Game Ballot. To start let’s look at returning BBWAA players; here are the remaining candidates from last year’s ballot who rolled over into 2019 by vote percentage:

Edgar Martinez (10th): 70.4% Mike Mussina (6th): 63.5% Roger Clemens (7th): 57.3% Barry Bonds (7th): 56.4% Curt Schilling (7th): 51.2% Omar Vizquel (2nd): 37.0% Larry Walker (9th): 34.1% Fred McGriff (10th): 23.2% Manny Ramirez (3rd): 22.0% Jeff Kent (6th): 14.5% Gary Sheffield (5th): 11.1% Billy Wagner (4th): 11.1% Scott Rolen (2nd) 10.2% Andruw Jones (2nd): 7.8% Sammy Sosa (7th): 7.8%

Overall not a ton of noise here, although there are a few interesting storylines to follow:

1. Barry Bonds & Roger Clemens are creeping up the ballot, but may stall. I have been bullish on their chances in the past, but am less certain at this point. Joe Morgan’s letter to Hall of Fame voters was less than well received in most circles I read regularly.

2. Omar Vizquel’s debut of 37% on a crowded ballot is encouraging for him. As a comparison: Jack Morris debuted at around 20%. I am not certain there is another 37% of the electorate which will find Omar as a definite yes on their ballot space, but we shall see.

3. Curt Schilling made up all the ground he lost. I am an ardent Schilling fan, and hope he can jump up to where Mike Mussina finds himself this year, speaking of which....

4. Mussina wont make it in 2019 (barring an truly exceptional jump), but he will make the Hall of Fame some day. I’m happy for Mike. His debut of 20% was concerning, but (similar to Blyleven), the sabermetrics crowd went to bat for him, and he’s made progress in bounds.

5. Scott Rolen, Jeff Kent, Fred McGriff, Gary Sheffield & Andruw Jones seem screwed. They’re all deserving candidates. I think Jones and Sosa fall off the ballot this year.

6. Edgar Martinez will enter the Hall of Fame, possibly resoundingly. It is highly unusual for a candidate to come as close as Edgar and drop: only Jim Bunning has done so in the past and he faced an excruciating ballot. The new crop this year largely boils down to a few candidates, nobody in Edgar’s class.

The newcomers to the 2019 Ballot are:

Mariano Rivera. He’s the class of the ballot, and arguably the classiest player from the New York Yankees 1990s Dynasty, and their long 2000/2010s playoff run. With the saves record, the best ERA+ of any pitcher over 2,000 IP, and an astonishing post season record: he will top 90% of the vote.

Roy Halladay. The best pitcher of the 2000s in my opinion. His recent death, morbidly, will probably help his case. The sabermetric crowd will probably all forcefully press his case. In an era with few workhorses: Halladay threw a ton of innings. Halladay posted eight seasons with over 200 innings pitched, and led the league in innings pitched four times. He led the league in complete games seven times. He won two Cy Young Awards, and could have easily won at least another award. Overall: his peak is clearly Hall of Fame worthy, and the best of his peers.

Todd Helton. An underrated first baseman and his peak JAWS score exceeds the average. His offense was buoyed by Coors Field in its hey day, but he (like Larry Walker) slaughtered pitchers at Coors. He posted a .300/.400/.500 slash line for his career, and was an excellent first baseman. He probably could have won an MVP four or five times, but was eclipsed by Barry Bonds as a young man. It doesn’t help that he played for generally poor Colorado Rockies teams, and only played in the Playoffs twice. I think Helton deserves a full look, and would strongly consider voting for him.

Andy Pettitte. I’ll admit being annoyed by Pettitte. He was a great pitcher: better than Jack Morris, and thus has a credible Hall of Fame case. However, I think this (like Morris’) is entirely due to the fact he played for great Yankees teams. I expect Pettitte to get a decent amount of support, probably around 20%.

The Today’s Game Ballot has not been announced yet, but I do not expect anything exciting. Most of the interesting recent players are either not up for induction yet, or are on the BBWAA ballot currently. It will be interesting to see if they add any non-players to the ballot, or reconsider Mark McGwire. Other than that nothing to see here.

In conclusion: we can expect at least a two person ballot in 2019, with Mariano Rivera & Edgar Martinez getting nods. There’s an outside shot at a four player class, with Halladay & Mussina being the favorites there. We will also need to monitor the cases of: Schilling, Helton, Bonds, Clemens and Vizquel to see how the electorate reacts.

Active Players

It may be a cliche but it is possible to determine whether a player merits Hall of Fame induction before he retires. For this list, I will use JAWS as my main guide. I will rank the players by how positive I am they will enter the Hall of Fame, and use a score during the game to rank them, without further ado, here they are:

Game Over Edition:

Albert Pujols, First Base, 2nd All time

We’ve known for a long time Pujols will enter the Hall of Fame. Pujols is not only among the best first baseman ever: he’s among the best players at any position ever. Only the Iron Horse ranks ahead of him in the JAWS rankings. There is little to say about Pujols, which better writers have not written already.

Adrian Beltre, Third Base, 4th All Time

The ranking here continues to amaze me. Adrian Beltre is an amazing player, who truly blossomed late, despite some excellent seasons as a young man. He might make it to 500 home runs, but at 39 he’s running out of time. He probably deserved at least one MVP during his career.

Miguel Cabrera, First Base, 11th All Time

I was a little hesitant to put Miggy here, but let’s not lie to ourselves here: Miguel Cabrera is a slam dunk, first ballot, Hall of Famer. Two MVPs, four batting championships, Triple Crown winner: he’s amazing. He’s an even better hitter than Jim Thome, who was a slam dunk Hall of Fame hitter himself. Here I’ll add some personal thoughts.

Miguel Cabrera played for the Detroit Tigers, who tortured the Indians during his career. Even as he got older it seems like the Tribe could never get Miguel Cabrera out. He’s hit walk off home runs, he’s wrecked our good pitchers, he’s done EVERYTHING against the Tribe. He reminds me of a David Ortiz, in many ways, except we played him more often. Manny Acta intentionally walked him with the bases empty and nobody out...just because he tortured us so badly. While I never liked the man: the man could hit, and he moved around the diamond to make room for players. I will applaud when he reaches Cooperstown.

Ichiro Suzuki, Right Field, 17th All Time

I deliberated even writing about Ichiro in this column as well. Ichiro is, in my opinion, retired. He stopped playing because he simply couldn’t continue (although he found ways to torture the Indians at the beginning of the year as well). He was a magician in his time, and a terrific fielder. I have less to say about ichiro than Miguel, but if you include his time in Japan he is the all time hit leader for the Major Leagues.

A Three Run Lead in the 9th Edition

Joe Mauer, Catcher, 7th All Time

It’s a shame Mauer must languish below the list above: but there’s serious doubts about whether Mauer will make it to Cooperstown, among some. The issue? Mauer did not remain at catcher long enough in the eyes of a few. While in some ways I see their point, his peak in my opinion simply screams Hall of Fame. No, Mauer was not quite in the Johnny Bench territory, but his peak had more value than Yogi Berra. At 39.0 7JAWS: he ranks 5th all time in peak value at Catcher. He also crossed the 2,000 hit plateau, which Jay Jaffe correctly points out is a barometer for many in the BBWAA community. I think if Mauer posts a few more decent seasons he’ll get 60.0 WAR, and be fine.

I will add a few more words about Mauer as well. Mauer was an amazing presence for the Twins. I remember his 2009 season, when he won the MVP (should have won in 2006 as well). He miraculously developed power, as if his contact and fielding abilities were not enough. In the beginning of the year, when the Indians had pretensions of contending, he effectively ended the Tribe season before it began in an early season. That season: he batted .365 with 28 homeruns, while winning a Gold Glove! It was an epic season which I will not forget.

Clayton Kershaw, Starting Pitcher, 48th All Time

The fact Kershaw ranks this high is impressive. For the record: he already ranks AHEAD of Koufax. Now, I am not saying Clayton Kershaw is Sandy Koufax, he isn’t, and it’s why he’s not quite in “slam dunk” territory...yet. However, what Koufax has accomplished is historic. He’s won three Cy Young Awards, and missed out on Cy Youngs three times, despite superb seasons. At age 30, Kershaw may be slowing down, but he’s effective enough to collect some counting stats. He’s already pitched 2,000 innings and 2,221 strikeouts, which is impressive at 30. He only has 148 wins, which could hurt him, and his post season record is pitiful (which is why Koufax is incomparable), both of which could hurt him. However, barring a meltdown Kershaw should get a plaque in Cooperstown. Unfortunately for me, I have yet to see Kershaw pitch in the big leagues (being in Cleveland in all), so I have little to add here.

Justin Verlander, Starting Pitcher, 62nd All Time

I wavered on Verlander but....I am becoming convinced. He probably wont win the Cy Young this year, leaving him with the single victory (he was robbed, as far as I am concerned, by Boston pitcher Rick Porcello in 2016). However, he has a Cy Young, he has an MVP, and he has a World Series ring. Overall, there is little left for Verlander to do in a career. I think he needs 200 wins, which he’ll get, and I think he needs one more strong season (or 4-5 decent to good ones). If he can add some postseason glory to his resume, he’ll be good.

Amusingly enough, as an Indians fan, my fondest memories of Verlander are all the starts the Tribe pummeled him. And in his career: Verlander has had numerous clunkers against the Indians.

A One run lead in the 9th Edition

Zach Greinke, Starting Pitcher, 51st

Wait a minute, didn’t I just rank Verlander higher? Yes, yes I did. It comes down to consistency for me. Greinke posted some better seasons than Verlander, but Verlander’s been more consistent. I’d say Greinke has won one Cy Young, and probably has never quite deserved another. Verlander has had an argument numerous times, got robbed once, and I’d probably give the 2012 Cy Young to him over David Price. Greinke also lacks much of a post season resume. Overall, I’d put Greinke’s chances high, but I feel his case is missing something, not unlike Kevin Brown’s.

Yadier Molina, Catcher, 26th

There’s another catcher on this list I will discuss later, but Molina I think may already have punched his ticket to Cooperstown. He’s already regarded as one of the best catchers ever, defensively, and he’s been decent offensively at times. Unlike Mauer, he’s managed to stay behind the plate (which helps his case), and he’s packed a ton of hardware: eight Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, and two World Series rings (four pennants). The statistic minded crowd may give him deference, as catching stats are less understood than other fielding metrics, which helps. Unlike other glove first candidates (AHEM: Omar Vizquel), his bat has not been as big a drawback. Barring a collapse, he should be in good shape.

Barely leading in the 8th Edition

C.C. Sabathia, Starting Pitcher, 72nd

OK. Sabathia’s case is far more personal to me. He’s a little older than Greinke & Verlander, and he started younger. So overall he’s been around a lot longer, and pitched more innings. Sabathia was drafted and started as an Indian. He grew up in Cleveland, and finally put it all together in a Cy Young campaign in 2007. In 2009, with the Yankees, he won a World Series and started a strong string of seasons where he went 59-28 with a 134 ERA+, pitched 705 innings and struck out 624. Sabathia’s biggest problem? He was never quite the best pitcher in the league. In 2009 Zach Greinke was otherworldly. In 2010 Felix Hernandez was damm good. In 2011 Verlander went off. It also doesn’t help that, his best season (2008) was split between the AL & NL. In 2008 Sabathia led the league in innings, shut outs, and complete games, striking out 251 while dragging the Milwaukee Brewers into the post season. He reinvented himself in 2016 as a solid back end starter. Sabathia’s case is being a workhorse, in an era with precious few of them. He will get to 3,000 strikeouts (and may be the only one to do so), and 250 wins as well. The problem? His peak was just a touch short.

I have several favorite Sabathia stories, but I’ll share two. The first is his shutout of the Yankees. That was a fun start, where Sabathia reared back and showed his raw emotion and fastball. The second: his near no-hitter in Pittsburgh. I would have called the lone hit an error on his part...but I am biased.

Chase Utley, Second Baseman, 11th

Many may challenge me for being bullish on Utley: but I think I am right. Utley lacks hardware, yes. He lacks counting stats (no 2,000 hits), yes. But the sabermetric community is strong around him (they’re already preparing the battlegrounds here) and unlike sabermetric darling Scott Rolen: he’s only played for two teams (Philadelphia & Los Angeles). I sense something different about him. He already exceeds both the career and peak scores in JAWS, and he played a critical role in the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies World Series. I think he’ll surprise, and sneak in.

Buster Posey, Catcher, 16th

The best argument for Posey is his peak: he’s already past the catching threshold. Then again, so is Thurmon Munson (a Yankees legend), Gene Terrance and Ted Simmons and they’re not in yet. Posey has some things they don’t, however: youth. He’s only 31. He’s still hitting well, and he’s won three World Series. Overall, the portents lead to enshrinement, but if he gets injured and falters he wont make it.

Tied in the 6th Edition

Joey Votto, First Baseman, 17th

He’s already cleared the 7JAWS threshold for first baseman. However, Votto is short on counting stats (1,693 hits & 266 HR), and his resume is pretty bleak outside of some stunning on-base percentage seasons. People still do not respect the walk, and while Votto did win an MVP, he will drop down because he spent his entire career on largely middling Reds clubs. He’s still going strong at age 34, but he’s going to need several more good years to earn entrance in my opinion.

Evan Longoria, Third Baseman, 21st

Two bad things happened to Longoria recently:

1. He got traded to San Francisco (so he wont spend his whole career in Tampa Bay)

2. He got old.

The first is mildly comical. However, it is true players who spend their careers in one place get an advantage over those who play for many ballclubs. The second problem is larger: Longoria has been underrated in his career, largely since the Rays have fallen off a cliff since his debut. More importantly, however, Longoria is old. He’s not hitting as much anymore, and this season his on-base percentage dropped below .300. His power is sapped, and his glove inconsistent. He needs to rekindle what he had in 2016 if he hopes to reach Cooperstown.

Ian Kinsler & Dustin Pedroia, Second Baseman, 18th & 19th

These two guys are largely in the same boat. Both have peaks not quite amazing enough to get in on their own. Both are middle aged (36 & 34), but both are so dang close they cant be written off yet. Of the two, Pedroia has the better chance at glory with an MVP and two World Series rings to his name. At 34 he’s hurt, again, and may not recover. Kinsler is older, but remains a spry defensive player at 36. However, Kinsler has never won a ring or an MVP. Both should get to 2,000 hits, but both need to age a bit more gracefully to stay the course.

Max Scherzer, Starting Pitcher, 87th

I am going to catch flak for this, but I don’t think he’s there yet. Largely due to age. Scherzer has been stunning since his emergence at age 28: winning 3 Cy Youngs, and deserving them. However, Scherzer does not have age on his side in my opinion and I think he may be falling off a hair. If he stays the course, he can make it. If not...he’s another short lived pitcher like Johan Santana.

#cooperstown #baseball #hall of fame

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bloginstantmooncollector-blog · 7 years ago

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Health insurance question?

"Health insurance question?

I am in the process of getting my own health insurance (can't be a dependent anymore) and I've been searching all morning for a plan that covers Medical, Dental, and Vision all in one. I can't seem to find any plans that offer that but I definitely need all of them. Is there anyone out there who actually has such a plan (preferably for an individual) or know where I can find information about plans that offer ALL 3 of these coverages? Please don't tell me to just search the internet because I have done that all morning and have even filled out forms for quotes and I am not getting the results I have been looking for. Thank you!

BEST ANSWER: Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://freeautoinsurance.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr

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https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/car-insurance-i-sell-my-old-buy-new-one-bigger-engine-mulder"

0 notes

thelastvanti-blog · 8 years ago

Text

Chapter One: Where’s My Daddy?

Word Count: 3579

A frostbitten morning. The air was cold enough to tear through flesh with its razor-sharp winds and freezing temperatures. Not many could survive in the harshest of punishments nature had to deal out to the northern continent of Regenbolt. Smaller animals scurried back towards their burrows and dens in hopes of being saved from the deadly weather while the giants roamed. The Frogen Giganternma, or more commonly referred to as the Frost Giants, roamed the frigid and dangerous land even on the worst of days. The population of 260,000 Frost Giants had evolved over thousands of years to create their own way of surviving Regenbolt. Their skin had shed off years ago to become solid ice that was thick and sturdy enough to survive the worst blizzard with minimal damage to the Giant. Their normal heights of mere feet had grown to taller than that of 200 men for a male and almost 400 men for the women.

This day was not only the marking for the first day of the rebirth of the sun, but of the welcoming of the Frost Giants’ newest addition to their royal family. The Delovushks were the strongest and smartest of the Giants and had been ruling over them for centuries now. Their queen, Snö, was hailed as the greatest leader of all time. Their king Frosna was the kindest king, but fiercest male in all the kingdom, that being the one reason Snö had given Frosna a chance years ago. Women were the warriors, the generals, the rulers and males were to follow orders from them. To find a male who could fight amongst a woman was rare and genes quickly picked up by the royal family to keep the line full of warriors.

Today, they held a public viewing of the princess who was to be named the very same day. All Giants from every corner of the land came to see the child in her ceremonial crystal garb and give her their blessings. When a child was born to the royal family, the child would not be seen for 100 years to ensure the child does not die within those important and sensitive years. Most children of giants did not survive past 100 and it was a great and important tradition of showing the child to world after those years as to not induce mourning in the masses who would get attached. The viewing went from the dawn of the sun till it was halfway in the sky. At that time, three figures would enter the grand hall of the viewing area to catch a glimpse of the child. All were not Frost Giants, hailing from the three other kingdoms with whom were close trading partners and military allies. Before stepping to see the child, all three knelt before the king and queen respectfully. All wore a thick coat that reached the floor and draped around them as they knelt.

The king and queen, in a flurry of white powdery snow, called upon the power of the earth and changed themselves to forms more like the three before them as well as their daughter. Now, instead of two hulking beasts made of ice and snow, they were pale faced, pure white haired humanoid figures. Snö bore deep violet eyes and Frosna, eyes that were an unnatural shade of electric blue. “My dearest friends,” Snö begun, “It is good to see you all have made it here with minimal incident. As you know, our weather cannot be predicted. If so, we would’ve pushed back the viewing till tomorrow.” Her voice was pure velvet, creating a beautiful hum within the large halls. Her voice was met with laughter from the smallest of the three figures.

This figure was a woman with deep brown hair that covered her eyes and a smile that could be compared with an innocent child. “Snö, you know that we would’ve come today no matter how hard or far you would’ve tried to move this back. After 278 years of failed copulation between you two, you bear a daughter. This is a momentous occasion not only for you but for all of us.” The woman’s voice was higher pitched than Snö, but had an aura of authority that revealed that she was not to be trifled with. She looked towards the second woman beside her who had stepped forward as well. This woman had long, flowing black hair that ended in red that only could be compared to licks of fire. Her eyes were red such as the blood that flowed from men and women such as the first woman and hid behind a pair of glasses.

“Lady Krystalline is correct, this is such a momentous occasion, only war could keep us apart and now, I do not even know if that is true anymore. We even bear gifts for the child when she grows to begin her training.” The woman pulled out a small box which was followed by the other two following suit. She gave the queen a meek smile before adding onto what she was saying, “If nothing else, we would only come to hear the name of the new princess so we can properly address her when we see her again.”

Snö could not hold back a giggle at hearing the pleas, “Skyrine, you have become soft on me while I was locked away during pregnancy and stuck in this castle while watching my daughter! Begging is so beneath you and hardly looks good on a 589-year-old vampress such as yourself. I wonder if you do the same to Krystalline when you do not get your way.” She teased Skyrine and laughed as she got a flush of red from the woman in response. Though they were from opposite worlds, the four rulers had grown together and had all created an unbreakable bond with each other which made them the most powerful people in the world. Few from smaller countries dared to trifle with them, knowing that if one of their countries were to be targeted for an attack, the other three would come in for defense within a fortnight.

The queen was to say something else when a giantess came through the hall doors, collapsing onto her knees. The loud crash of the ice against the floor caused the three to cover their ears, especially the man who had the ears of a fox. Snö ran to her sister after giving her daughter to Frosna, becoming her true form once again as she went to the fallen giantess’ side. “My sister of ice, what has become of you? What has given you such grave wounds? Please give me an answer!” she begged, seeing a deep gash in the chest of the fallen. It was no easy task to mortally wound a Frost Giant in their true form, especially one of higher ranking like the two of them.

The giantess replied, “I, Halvdager of the northern front have seen death itself my queen. A being that is neither Mythic, Anim, Human or Giant, but a mass of darkness. It cried out like a child who had lost her father! Where’s my daddy? Where’s my daddy? I miss my daddy! The mass wailed before lashing out at my battalion, killing Spets, my lover and 7 others. Magic. It was pure, unadulterated magic that struck us! My queen, I fear for the village in which my station overlooks as the mass was moving forward as I escaped to relay this. It moved slow but I fear it is already too late!” She cried out in pain and held onto Snö, “Do not go there my queen, send out our sorcerers, but stay here and be safe... The being seeks out a father and I fear it may come for the king and your daughter.”

Snö nodded solemnly and watched as Halvdager lay still in her arms. She only stood after a few minutes, leaving the dead on the ground. “Fonata, what do you make of this threat that has befallen us?” the queen did not turn to the three as she asked. Fonata froze as she was not called by Krystalline by the queen. Fonata searched her mind for an answer for the queen, not knowing exactly what to make of the threat. It was all wrong. What she knew the being to be should not have had the ability to use magic, let alone the type Halvdager described the mass using.

“An Akio-.” She started but was cut off.

“You and I both know this being is no simple vengeful spirit.” Snö snapped. “My queen, please just listen,” Fonata sighed, “Yes, it is not a normal vengeful spirit as all Akios are but you must remember that an Akio takes on properties in its new form based off areas and the circumstances concerning its death. You have seen one yourself where it was of Frost Giant heritage but came back to haunt you in a form that involved fire as you killed the man by burning him alive. Just for a second think of how the being may have passed on and how it has passed on. The Akio, from Helvdagers description, seems to be that of a child who could have died from some sort of smoke inhalation or suffocation and could have died with untapped magic.”

“So, a little girl was killed and has turned into this being with magic because she had magic in life?” Skyrine let out a long breath and looked up to Snö, “This is not a fight you can take on without the help of at least a high sorceress like Fonata but know this, I do not see that you will come out as a victor in this battle if you go out to the front lines. Halvdager is right in that you must stay here where it is safe.”

Snö looked back to the group and then to her daughter who was hiding behind her father, “I am Snö Delovushk. To not go is to cause a grave disservice to my ancestors who have created this great land. No being, dead or alive, can befall me and best me in combat. With or without my own magic, I will prevail!” she stated with a powerful boom before walking out to go towards the village in which Halvdager was stationed near. If her two greatest allies would not back her up, she would deal with the problem herself. I am the greatest queen in the history of our kind. No being will best me! Snö repeated this in her head as she mounted her steed created from her magic and the sturdiest ice from the northernmost tip of her land. With a sharp click of her teeth, the steed sped off to wherever she sent it.

Fonata sighed and ran a hand through her hair, “I had almost forgotten how stubborn Frost Giants were when it came to honor and wanting to protect their home.” She went to the kind and knelt, “I apologize for not being able to stop the queen from going out to attempt to take care of the Akio. I wish to be blunt with you, lord. I do not think she will make it out well, if at all. She learned nothing from watching her own sister die in her arms and is to reap what she will sow when concerning the being.” It was true that no one appreciated to hear what Fonata had to say when it came to things they would regret because of her honesty, but the king could do nothing but agree with her statements. “My wife has run out there, not knowing what she is facing. She is my fiercest Snowfall but her ferocity may meet its match in this strange invader of our land. Fonata, Reneria, Nijiru… I wish not to task you with cleaning up after my wife, but I must ask such now, and if you could, please save my Snowfall from herself,” Frosna pleaded with a desperate look in his once cool eyes.

The three looked to each other and Nijiru spoke, removing his mask which had imitated the appearance of a fox, “All of us must go. The king and his daughter is safest here but even with the power you possess Fonata, it may be little to protect yourself as it lashes out. We will be your strength as you cast out this demon.” He looked to his left as a whirl of white flames sparked from the ground and grew till it burned out, revealing a large carriage with flaming steeds at the helm. Nijiru got into the driver’s seat and waited till the women boarded before setting out towards the fight, following Snös’ footprints into the deadly storm.

The snow seemed to bounce off the carriage and not even bother the steeds. In the passenger’s seats, Fonata and Skyrine prepared their cast to drive out the Akio and send the troubled spirit to the other side where it would find peace. As they neared the area, though, Fonata could feel the negative energy of the Akio making the air heavy and hard to breathe. It stunk of evil energies and whispers of anger rung in her ears. Visibility sunk from a few meters ahead to a mere couple of centimeters from the black smog surrounding them. This did not deter Fonata, no, but made her more conscious of her actions to undertake. This was no normal Akio, they knew that much, but as they came closer and closer, Fonata questioned whether this was in fact an Akio or a user of the darkest of magic.

“Heel you beasts!” Nijiru ordered and held the reigns tight to stop the steeds which caused the carriage to jump, “Apologies but we have made it to the mass and my beasts urge us to retreat. I believe it better to go on foot towards our objective.” He jumped from his seat and went to the carriage, helping both Fonata and Skyrine out. The snow and wind still did not affect the three even as they left the safety of the carriage and Skyrine had created a light to help their journey. “It will not be far now my friends. We are upon the mass and it seems to feel us approaching.” He stated calmly.

The three walked carefully but stopped as they spotted an enormous mass of ice to their left. It was the body of a Giant and it was easy to tell who this was. Skyrine went to the fallen giantess and spotted their injury; a small entry wound through their chest with an exit wound at a different spot than expected. “She was killed by a single strike at an angle. It quite possibly went through her vital organs with no problem. The markings within the wound state that there was no friction with the attack. It was definitely magic that caused this,” Skyrine looked towards Fonata who had been examining the features of the giantess to figure out an identity, “She died immediately.”

Fonata turned from the giantess towards the approaching black mass. It stretched to the edges of the horizon, seeming to swallow up everything in its path. A shriek erupted from the mass, Where’s my daddy? I want my daddy! I want my daddy! I want my mommy! Where’s my mommy? Not wishing to waste any more time, Fonata begun a spell that would seal away the being. The best thing to do would’ve been to destroy the supposed Akio but after feeling the power it held up close, destroying the being would require more magic than she had at the time. With her spell, she would seal away the monster for 100 years which would give her or another sorcerer of her ability the adequate amount of time to gain enough power and master it enough to destroy this creature.

From her now upraised hands grew light that tinted a deep and brilliant shade of violet. The light reached out to the being in the form of chains that wrapped themselves around the form of the mass. As it begun its escape attempt, more and more chains flew from her hands to wrap themselves around any spot that the mass seeped through from. The cries for its father turned into different cries now, Let me kill him! He must pay! He has killed his own daughter! This man must pay for his crimes! With a sigh, Fonata put all her magic into this sealing spell and into a rune lock that would make it impossible for the mass to escape without her letting it out. The Akio was begging for retribution and Fonata would work with her allies to find this father and bring him to justice for a crime that had been committed. She would not allow this child to not get justice.

“Fonata! Come quick! This is of the utmost importance!” Skyrine called from the dead giantess. The sorceress finished the seal and hurried over, stopping short of her friends as she spotted a sword the giantess clung to even after death. It was the same sword the queen held and wielded in battle. “We must get this news to the king as fast as possible. Nijiru, go to the castle and relay what has happened. The queen has been killed and the invader has been sealed away as it could not be killed at this moment,” Fonata ordered. Nijiru did not hesitate and hurried away to his steed. The two women waited patiently by the body of their close friend for the Frost Giants quick decomposition.

Decomposition begun with the ice around the appendages melting off, which gave of a repugnant odor in which no match could be found. Then, the body would begin cracking around joints and old wounds which created loud booms that could make average men and women temporarily deaf. Once the cracking ended, the body would shatter off those points and all organs other than the heart would freeze over and shatter into fine ice crystals. The heart would beat once more before falling still and hardening into the most beautiful and sturdy natural gems. The hearts would go for hundreds of thousands on the black market for their beauty. Gems from the men would be clear, with little to no colorization to it. A womans’ would be a brilliant red with speckles of gold, but Snös’ was a light blue with much more golden specks than a normal woman. This was normal for those of the Delovushk line since they were more proficient in magic than all and all carry an extinct gene for the blue heart.

“That was 30 minutes long… If she had really died instantly, you and I know that it wouldn’t have taken the usual amount of time for her to decompose, Skyrine,” Fonata spoke aloud as she held her friends’ heart, “Snö did not die quickly.” A hand went around her shoulders as the two watched the snow fall from above. Now that the mass had been contained, the air had grown lighter and the smog dissipated. The two could now see about 5 other hearts in their immediate vicinity; all of which were much smaller than the one Fonata held. Children, Fonata realized, Snö had been protecting children when she was struck down. “This being was not an Akio. Whatever it is, we must find a way to kill it before more lives are lost.”

“Dead? Snö cannot have perished! She is the strongest of us all! What are we to do without our queen?” Frosna exclaimed, pacing around his hall, now in his natural form. The king had sent off his daughter to her room, but the small princess had stayed to hear what had become of her mother and her friends. “Nijiru, please tell me you jest. I know it is nearly the day of jokes for your country and I would appreciate you leaving the tradition back home for this occasion.” The king muttered the last words with a tone of annoyance. Nijiru was a prankster but Frosna knew the man was serious when the time called for it. He was just praying that he had slipped and told him a cruel joke.

“It is no joke Frosna. We all saw your wifes’ sword within the hand of the fallen giantess. When the heart comes back, we can further prove the identity of the fallen but for now, what will you do? We will be behind you 100% if you choose to take over the throne for a temporary time before your daughter becomes of age.” Nijiru explained simply for the distraught giant. He watched Frosna sit in the throne that once belonged to his late wife and went to his side, “I know this will not be easy but we are going to work towards killing the black mass and exacting revenge for Snö. Believe me, she will be avenged but I just wish to know what you will do.”

Frosna sighed, “For another 100 years, I will rule over my land. By then, my daughter will become of age and take the throne from me and the threat will be long gone. I will entrust to you three the destruction of this beast and the vengeance of Snö. So be it by the King of Regenbolt.”

First / Next

#writing #story

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footyplusau · 8 years ago

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Blues larrikins and legends: New AFL book does justice to Carlton’s grandest days

Between 1979 and 1982, Carlton dominated league football, winning three of the four premierships on offer, and winning 76 of 98 games, a strike rate of 78 per cent.

It’s a record that stands up very well against other great teams of the modern era, Brisbane in the early 2000s, Geelong between 2007-11 and Hawthorn’s recent three flags in a row. Yet for some reason, the Blues aren’t often mentioned in the same breath.

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McLachlan: MRP have tough decisions to make

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Previous slide Next slide

AFL plays of round 9

Dangerfield sets the standard, Tiges lose again at the death, Eddie banks another GOTY contender, Bucks bark sparks Pie revival and North run and carry undoes the Dees.

McLachlan: MRP have tough decisions to make

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McLachlan: MRP have tough decisions to …

McLachlan: MRP have tough decisions to make

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan believes the Match Review Panel will have some hard choices to make from Round Nine.

Plays of round 6

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Plays of round 6

Dangerfield sets the standard, Tiges lose again at the death, Eddie banks another GOTY contender, Bucks bark sparks Pie revival and North run and carry undoes the Dees.

Dockers into top eight

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Dockers into top eight

After a wet start Fremantle pulled away from Carlton in the second-half to win by 35 points.

Bernie Vince goes down

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Bernie Vince goes down

Ben Cunnington took his frustrations out on Bernie Vince, sending the Demons star crashing to the turf with a gut punch.

Kangaroos hold off Demons

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Kangaroos hold off Demons

North Melbourne have notched their third win of the season, defeating Melbourne 104-90 at the MCG.

Essendon crush West Coast

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Essendon crush West Coast

The bombers took the Eagles to task at Etihad stadium, dominating them from the outset to win by 61 points.

AFL plays of round 9

Dangerfield sets the standard, Tiges lose again at the death, Eddie banks another GOTY contender, Bucks bark sparks Pie revival and North run and carry undoes the Dees.

Perhaps that has something to do with the reputation those champion Carlton teams forged away from the football field.

The Blues were big drinkers, hard partiers, and tales of their exploits, like an infamous visit to The Lodge when the players walked away with the silver service cutlery, or the late night adventures of the likes of Wayne Johnston, Jimmy Buckley and Val Perovic, have become the stuff of football legend.

But on Tuesday, the football deeds of those famous Blues will be as front and centre as those stories at the launch of Larrikins and Legends, a new book taking an in-depth look at Carlton’s finest era, the function held, very appropriately, at Peter “Percy” Jones’s North Fitzroy Arms hotel.

Author Dan Eddy has spent considerable time interviewing not only the stars of those triumphant days, but it seems, many of the bit players as well, and the result is fascinating reading.

After Carlton won the 1972 premiership, its third in a five-year span, the Blues drifted for several years despite a glut of individual talent and roll call of instantly recognisable names. It was Alex Jesaulenko’s appointment as captain-coach six rounds into the 1978 season that whipped, almost literally some would argue, an under-performed group into top gear.

Jesaulenko’s torturous training sessions, in which players would run ridiculous numbers of laps, sprints over and over again, and drag tyres filled with bricks around behind them, themselves became the stuff of legend, a story from Carlton cult figure Vin Catoggio typical:

Jubilant Carlton players run a lap of honour after winning the 1979 grand final against Collingwood. Photo: Peter Cox

“Wayne Harnes was competing with somebody else, and he was that tired that he fell to the ground and couldn’t get back up,” Catoggio said.

“Jezza went up beside him and said, ‘Harmesy, get up!’ He said ‘I can’t,’ and Jezza said again ‘get up!’ to which Harmsey said, ‘Fuck you, I can’t!’ ‘If you don’t get up we’re going to stay out here as long as you want,’ so everyone was yelling ‘Harmesy, get up!’ He dragged himself to his knees, then got up on his feet and went for the next ball and again fell flat on his face. It was incredible to watch.”

Wayne Harmes, Ken Sheldon and Jimmy Buckley (the latter pair having swapped guernseys) celebrate the 1979 grand final win.

After a rare loss in 1979, Jesaulenko had promised his players a tortuous Tuesday evening session and duly delivered. It began with three 1500-metre time trials, then 10 x 800’s,10 x 400’s, 10 x 200’s, and then man-on-man contesting for the rest of the night. “We started at five o’clock and we got off the track at twenty to eleven,” Harmes recalls.

But Carlton, already a skilful side, reaped the benefits of the extra physical and mental resilience their brutal coach had instilled in them, particularly Harmes.

In the grand final against arch enemy Collingwood, it was he who not only won the very first Norm Smith Medal, named after his great uncle, but who delivered one of football’s most famous moments, chasing his own errant kick to the boundary, diving full-length and fisting the ball into the path of Ken Sheldon, who kicked what proved to be the match-winning goal in the five-point thriller against Collingwood.

True to the club’s reputation of the time as loud, boisterous and perhaps arrogant, what ensued was not a basking in the premiership glow, but a civil war, when during a bitter boardroom split, Jesaulenko backed the incumbent, George Harris, lost, and promptly departed for St Kilda.

Jesaulenko’s old mate Percy Jones, asked to fill the breach in 1980, got Carlton to second on the ladder, only for the Blues to go out of September in straight sets. He, too, was unceremoniously tipped out. But the next man for the job, former Hawk David Parkin, would prove a masterstroke.

Carlton powered through the 1981 season, finishing on top of the ladder, comfortably beating Geelong in the second semi-final to earn a second week off, ready to face Collingwood, again playing the role of underdog, preparing for its fourth final in as many weeks.

Parkin was meticulous in his planning, his side perfectly prepared and a warm favourite. But grand final nerves remained an issue.

“Before the game, I went into our rooms and only five blokes were ready for the pre-match warm-up,” he recalled. “So I went into the medical room and there were seven players who were receiving a local anaesthetic, and I had known nothing about their ailments prior to that.

“That made 12, so where were the other eight players? I wandered through each room, and finally I found them. They were all lying on the floor holding hands in a darkened room listening to the psychologist, Laurie Hayden. … I staggered out of there thinking, ‘We’ve got seven physically, and eight mentally, who are incapable of doing the job today. As bad as Collingwood are, we’re not going to win with five players.”

For a time, it looked like the Blues wouldn’t, either. But two late third-quarter goals to Buckley and Rod Ashman pegged back a 21-point Collingwood lead. And in the last term, Carlton came right over the top to win by 20 points.

“My greatest memory is when Jimmy Buckley slotted the goal, and as we were going to the huddle he said, ‘Boys, they’re fucked! I can see it in their eyes, we’ll beat this mob’,” recalls rover Alex Marcou.

“I immediately turned to watch the Collingwood players at the huddle and they were arguing with each other because we’d kicked a couple of quick, late goals. I thought to myself, ‘Yep, Bucks is right.’ We were pretty fired up.”

Eddy was able to speak to virtually everyone connected with Carlton of the era. Except, perhaps not surprisingly, the famously reclusive Bruce Doull, who left him an apologetic voicemail. Not that the author was short on tributes from his teammates testifying both to his champion qualities as a defender, and the extent of his shyness.

Warren “Wow” Jones, who would play the game of his life in the 1982 grand final, recalls a moment involving Doull from that very game.

“He hadn’t spoken to me in about five years, and at quarter-time I’ve grabbed a couple of oranges out of the bucket and I’m counting the pips as Parkin’s talking. Suddenly, Brucey tapped me on the shoulder and I thought ‘Shit! Bruce is going to ask me for some advice or something.’ I said ‘Yes Bruce?’ and he said, ‘Mate, you’re standing on my toe’!”

And it was that 1982 back-to-back triumph over Richmond, one of the most brutal grand finals of the modern era, which set the seal on this Carlton side as one of the greats.

The Tigers had finished on top of the ladder and dispensed with the Blues in the second semi-final. Carlton had struggled to get over Hawthorn in the preliminary final.

Parkin, sensing he would need a different plan of attack for the re-match with the warm favourite, took some gambles. Richmond key forward David Cloke had kicked five goals on Perovic in the second semi-final. Parkin decided to go with the much lower-profile Mario Bortolotto on Cloke with Perovic taking Michael Roach instead.

He also started a potential match-winner Peter Bosustow on the interchange bench alongside Marcou. Both gambits paid off big time, Cloke and Roach quelled, and the “Buzz” and little man Marcou playing big second halves in a bruising, draining game played in difficult conditions.

Carlton were known for their big third quarters. It was no exception in the game that mattered most, the Blues booting 5.4 to Richmond’s 0.6 to take a 17-point lead to the final break, the historic win sealed by Marcou’s goal on the run late in the final term.

Nine Carlton players, Doull (who’d played in his first flag back in 1972), Sheldon, Buckley, Harmes, Johnston, Marcou, Mark Maclure, Peter McConville, and skipper Mike Fitzpatrick played in all three premierships. They were heady days that wouldn’t last.

Carlton wouldn’t win the flag again for another five years. Indeed, the Blues have won only another two in the subsequent 35 years, and endured, through the mid-2000s, their darkest hours, and their only wooden spoons.

But the Blues of 1979-82 aren’t remembered so fondly by the faithful only because they were representative of the last great era Carlton have had, nor just for their exploits around the various pubs, bars and nightclubs of Melbourne.

They were a super football team, full of bona fide stars and which played eminently watchable football, and one which in hindsight was only a breath or two away from winning four consecutive premierships.

Theirs is a legacy that deserves more acclaim and it’s one Eddy’s book does a fine job in delivering.

Larrikins & Legends, by Dan Eddy (Slattery Media Group). Books available at books.slatterymedia.com.

The post Blues larrikins and legends: New AFL book does justice to Carlton’s grandest days appeared first on Footy Plus.

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alanfrederickpg · 8 years ago

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Top 10 Cities Where Downtown Is Making a Comeback

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In some respects, “downtown” is a uniquely American invention—considered by die-hard urbanites to be as much a state of mind as a physical location. But make no mistake: Downtown is also a place. The term was coined In New York in the early 19th century to describe the lower tip of Manhattan, the bustling heart of the city’s business, commercial, and residential life. That notion swept coast to coast, defined by skyscrapers, department stores, apartments, and plentiful gigs��no longer tethered to the concept of south, north, or center.

In the U.K., it’s called the “city centre,” in Germany, das Zentrum. Here, a century of explosive downtown growth defined the rise of America’s cities. They were the place to experience … everything and anything. We were drawn to them like luna moths to street lamps.

The lights are much brighter there. You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares.

Sadly, by the time Petula Clark‘s “Downtown” became a hit, in 1965, city hubs had already suffered through a couple of decades of ugly decline. In the post-World War II era, Americans left the cities en masse for the burgeoning suburbs. That urban flight led to years of neglect, rising crime, and industrial decay.

But the American downtown has come crawling back from its near-death experience.

Thanks to a surge of redevelopment in the mid-1990s, loft apartments were carved out of vacant office buildings, empty storefronts were taken up by trendy cafés, and once-downtrodden neighborhoods started to attract artists, rather than criminals.

They’ve become places where people actually want to live.

“People, young ones especially, love historical buildings that reintroduce them to the past,” says Dan Cort, author of the book “Downtown Turnaround.” “They want to live where they can walk out of the house, work out, go to a café, and still walk to work.”

The past few years have seen a long list of high-profile companies moving their headquarters back downtown. Motorola Solutions ditched a Chicago suburb for the city’s once-gritty West Loop; Amazon is building its headquarters, featuring three crystal domes, in downtown Seattle.

Such revivals boost property values to new heights and bring in some much-needed tourism dollars.

To find downtowns that are rising from the grave, our data team considered several factors for downtowns* in the 200 largest U.S. cities:

Downtown residential population growth since 2012

Number of restaurants, bars, grocery stores and food trucks per capita, and growth since 2012

Number of department stores and independent retailers per capita, and growth since 2012

Number of jobs per capita, and growth since 2012

Home price appreciation since 2012 (we picked downtowns where the median price was no more than $400,000 in 2012, so they were really in need of revival)

“Premium” of buying a home in downtown, compared with the median home price of the whole city

Residential and commercial vacancy rate (the lower the better).

Our top picks are not yet the ones that never sleep, but thanks to having turned around, they are now what the Urban Land Institute calls “18-hour markets“—a mix of shops, restaurants, and entertainment that generate excitement deep into the evening. Just listen to the music of a gentle bossa nova…

1. Pittsburgh, PA

Median home price in downtown: $353,000 Home price growth since 2012: 31% Population growth: 32%

When the steel industry imploded in the late 1970s, Pittsburgh was devastated. About 150,000 manufacturing jobs vanished, companies went bankrupt, and stores downtown shuttered tight. In the Cultural District, turn-of-the-century theaters were left to deteriorate, and the businesses left were mostly strip joints, massage parlors, and low-end bars.

But then the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, a nonprofit art organization, renovated the theaters, bringing in a slew of concerts and touring Broadway shows. In the last decade, Pittsburgh has also constructed new performing arts centers, commissioned public art projects, and developed new urban parks.

A total of $7.8 billion in tourism revenue flowed into the Pittsburgh region in 2014.

“There’s so much beauty now to the downtown,” says Janna Sandleitner®, a Realtor from RE/MAX who works in the area.

In the downtown “Golden Triangle,” there are rooftop bars, hipsterfied eateries, and craft breweries. The renovated Market Square Place is buzzing day and night, and there’s even an influx of experimental public art. The latest installation: an “interactive jukebox” that played sound tracks while 6,000 LED lights flashed, making the square look like a giant spinning record in the sky. Cool, right?

“Before, downtown was just a place where people worked; now more people stay, eat, drink, and hang out,” says Michael Zhong, who landed a job in financial services downtown after college.

2. Indianapolis, IN

Median home price in downtown: $309,400 Home price growth since 2012: 20% Population growth since 2012: 10%

Until four years ago, Indianapolis was a city where cars reigned supreme. What else would you expect of the home of the Indy 500? Streets were designed primarily to improve traffic flow, pedestrians were a rare breed, and the downtown had only 1 mile of bike lanes.

Then in 2013 came the Cultural Trail, an internationally acclaimed 8-mile biking and walking trail. It loops around every major cultural and entertainment venue in downtown, from the Indiana State Museum to the Indianapolis City Market. It helped change the landscape.

The trail also connects to the Indianapolis Canal on the west side of downtown, where crystalline waterways in the summer are filled with paddle boats and gondolas imported from Venice. On the banks, free morning yoga sessions are held weekly in the summer, a perfect way for city dwellers to work off a mid-week slump.

“Walkability is a huge draw. Downtown is definitively among the most premium real estate in Indianapolis,” says Realtor Lynn Wheeler from F.C. Tucker, who specializes in downtown real estate.

3. Oakland, CA

Median home price in downtown: $688,000 Home price growth since 2012: 111% Population growth since 2012: 13%

Lake Merritt in Oakland

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They used to call this place “the Detroit of the West.” And no, that wasn’t a compliment.

Not long ago, no one wanted to live in Oakland because of the shuttered buildings, sky-high crime rate, and all-around lousy vibe.

“When I lived in San Francisco in 1998, there were certain BART stations you just didn’t get off in Oakland. But it’s changed drastically,” says Arron Sweeney, a Oakland Realtor with King Realty Group. Spurring the transformation: the city’s close proximity to the crazily overpriced San Francisco.

Over the last few years, the city has bulked up its police force and installed effective crime-stopping community efforts, like its Ceasefire program. In 2016, 88 murders were recorded in Oakland—still a lot, but substantially down from 145 a decade ago. Crime is concentrated on the east side, while downtown has become a lot safer, Sweeney says.

As crime receded, priced-out San Franciscans started to move across the bay—first in a trickle, then a flood. They turned the downtown around.

Now companies looking to expand from cramped San Francisco are also heading east. Next year, Uber will move its headquarters to downtown Oakland, bringing in 3,000 workers and joining the music-streaming pioneer Pandora and the health care giant Kaiser Permanente. Downtown Oakland is one of the few job centers in the Bay Area that is truly accessible by public transit, only an 11-minute train ride away from San Francisco’s Financial District.

4. Detroit, MI

Median home price in downtown: $219,900 Home price growth since 2012: 150% Population growth since 2012: 15%

The Motor City’s fortunes rose and fell—and then fell some more—with the automobile industry. A decades-long decline virtually emptied out the once-teeming downtown. In 2013, Detroit filed the largest municipal bankruptcy case in U.S. history, from which it emerged in December 2014.

But while urban blight still plagues downtown, recovery efforts are steaming ahead. Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, is building a 400-unit mixed-use complex in the northeastern corner of downtown, and another 200 micro-units for young professionals.

“Rather than incremental investments, upfront, these developers are putting in billions of dollars,” says Christopher Leinberger, professor of urban planning at George Washington University. “Those developers are confident that downtown Detroit will fundamentally change, and are willing to take risks.”

The once desolate place again boasts job opportunities. The Detroit Pistons recently announced their move back to downtown, which is expected to generate more than 2,000 jobs; a new Microsoft office and the expansion of CDK Global, which helps auto manufacturers improve online marketing, will add nearly 300 more.

To get an idea of just how far downtown has come, drive down Woodward Avenue and count the restaurants that weren’t there three years ago.

“There’s definitely a reason to be in downtown after dark now,” says Larry Else, a broker at Downtown Realty in Detroit.

5. Columbus, OH

Median home price in downtown: $272,000 Home price growth since 2012: 20% Population growth since 2012: 9%

Revitalized downtown district in Columbus, OH

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After the manufacturing industry went south, Columbus became known as true “flyover country.” But that’s changing. Old warehouses south of downtown have been turned into breweries, restaurants, and cafés.

Could it be? Columbus is getting stylish, hosting a well-attended yearly Fashion Week in October (the city is home to the headquarters of both Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch), and plenty of cool indie clothing stores in the Short North neighborhood, a mile north of downtown’s skyscrapers. Oh, and the city set a world record in 2014 for the largest ever drag-queen show.

“It feels like a little SoHo,” says Marin Roth, owner of clothing store Rowe Boutique in Short North. “There are a lot of urban families who are choosing to stay and raise their kids in the city.”

Old-timers remember the Scioto River, which flows through downtown Columbus, as muddy, broad, and lifeless. That has changed since 2013, when the city removed the Main Street Dam. The once submerged land became a 33-acre park with grass, trees, and bike paths.

6. Austin, TX

Median home price in downtown: $395,500 Home price growth since 2012: 6% Population growth since 2012: 25%

The story of downtown Austin isn’t entirely about rising from the ashes, like the other cities here. Rather, it’s about a small urban area known best for hole-in-the-wall bars and middle-of-the-night taco joints exploding into a full-on hipster mecca. A YouTube video of downtown in 1996 shows hardly any traffic and lots of single-story stores, leaving plenty of sky in the skyline.

Today’s downtown is a place that attracts Silicon Valley techies long after the crowds of the music and technology festival SXSW empty out. Dozens of software, game, mobile, and chip design companies have already converged on downtown, and Google signed a lease on a 29-story office building that’s still under construction.

Right next to downtown, the University of Texas at Austin’s 50,000-plus students contribute to the neighborhood’s vibrant lifestyle, and many stick around after graduation. Sixth Street, known for its nightlife and music venues, has expanded to a five-block stretch. It’s even closed to car traffic on weekends.

“Other cities have nightlife starting from Friday. Downtown Austin has a thriving nightlife that starts on Thursday,” says Jane Ko, who runs the food blog “A Taste of Koko.” As for when it ends? Anyone’s guess.

7. Los Angeles, CA

Median home price in downtown: $617,500 Home price growth since 2012: 63% Population growth since 2012: 10%

Sometimes, when the air is clear enough, you can see all the way from LA to downtown LA.

Davel5957/iStock

Amid its world-renowned suburban sprawl, downtown L.A. was a wasteland of half-empty office buildings. Until recently.

In the 100-year-old Grand Central Market, more than half the food stalls are new recruits since 2013. The Downtown Independent theater draws cool young crowds to its free screenings, and a deserted bank building was turned into the Last Bookstore, a bookstore/creative space already famous for its tunnels built from books and its typewritten scrolls flowing overhead.

“Five years ago, if you told people, ‘I live in downtown L.A.,’ people would be like, ‘Oh, really? Why?'” says Brigham Yen, a broker from Miren.Co, a commercial real estate firm downtown. “Now, they’re like, ‘Wow, that’s so cool!'”

The revival of downtown can be traced back to 1998, when developers converted the first vacant building into loft apartments. Residents followed, so did a new contemporary art museum, the Broad, in 2015, and an expanded train line that finally connected downtown to the beach town of Santa Monica in 2016. A recent Los Angeles Times article says downtown “hasn’t seen this much construction since the 1920s.”

8. Dallas, TX

Median home price in downtown: $333,900 Home price growth since 2012: 26% Population growth since 2012: 25%

When the real estate market in Texas crashed in the early 1990s, nearly one-third of the offices in Dallas were left empty—the biggest chunk of urban vacancies in the country.

That era has ended. Abandoned downtown offices are now luxury lofts, and more new condos have gone up. Once a ghost town after dark, downtown has found new life.

A bold move in 2012—opening an urban park over the freeway that once isolated downtown—further catalyzed revival. The new Klyde Warren Park not only added 5.2 acres of green space, but made downtown walkable.

To make downtown truly livable, the Farmers’ Market was revived as a seven-day shopping destination. More than 100 booths wait to be discovered, from homemade jams to freshly baked French macarons. And try the jalapeño-flavored popcorn. You’ll thank us later.

9. Chicago, IL

Median home price in downtown: $395,000 Home price growth since 2012: 18% Population growth since 2012: 21%

For the longest time, downtown Chicago, aka the Loop, was where office workers toiled in the lakefront skyscrapers—and then hopped a train home to more distant and pleasant neighborhoods.

That’s changing with the recent building boom—not offices, but apartments. The residential population in the Loop has grown 21% since 2012, mirroring a national trend that has young professionals moving back downtown where they can walk, bike, or scoot to work. To attract that young talent, more than 40 companies have announced relocation, mostly from the suburbs, to downtown, according to a Chicago Tribune analysis.

And after hours, there are plenty of reasons to stick around. The hottest neighborhood for restaurants is just west of the Loop, in Fulton Market. And the nearby Revival Food Hall, which opened in 2016, features the Midwestern branch of Mario Batali’s Eataly, serving up a multistory Italian food experience.

And while Chicago is frequently cited by our president for its high crime rates, the Loop is also relatively safe compared to the rest of the city. It had one homicide in 2015 and two in 2016, according to a report from the University of Chicago Crime Lab.

10. Providence, RI

Median home price in downtown: $242,800 Home price growth since 2012: 21% Population growth since 2012: 4%

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