Happy Tuesday everyone!
Just a quick note to start with, I'm going to be making these posts on Tuesdays instead of Mondays. My schedule has changed and made it hard for me to get these done on Mondays, so here we are!

New Bills

S-246 - Lebanese Heritage Month Act
S-246 comes from Senator Jane Cordy (Progressive Senate Group, Nova Scotia) and would declare November to be Lebanese Heritage Month. It's passed the Senate without a problem and is now waiting for its Second Reading.
S-216 - Effective and Accountable Charities Act
S-216 comes from Senator Ratna Omidvar (Independent Senators Group, Ontario) and makes some changes to the rules for charities in the Income Tax Act. S-216 would allow charities to give resources to someone that isn't a qualified donee as long as they take reasonable steps to make sure those resources are only used for charitable purposes. (A qualified donee is pretty much anyone that can issue donation receipts.) S-216 has gone through the Senate without change and is now waiting for its Second Reading.
S-222 - An Act to amend the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act (use of wood)
S-222 was introduced by former Senator Diane Griffin. (Diane was required to retire last year before S-222 could finish its progress.) It would make changes to the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act regarding construction and maintenance of public works and properties. The Minister will need to consider any potential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when making requirements for these projects, and can allow for the use of wood or other sustainable resources if they help with these reductions. S-222 has passed through the Senate and is currently waiting for its Third Reading in the House of Commons.

Old Bills

C-281 - International Human Rights Act
C-281 is back from its committee reading with a few small changes to the wording in the French version. All the parties agreed to the changes and it's now waiting for its Third Reading.
C-244 - An Act to amend the Copyright Act (diagnosis, maintenance, and repair)
C-244 has come back from its committee reading with a few changes. C-244 is all about allowing people to bypass copyright protections when it comes to diagnosing and repairing their devices. The first change the committee's made to it is to remove the part that allows people to manufacture and sell devices that allow you to bypass these protections. It looks like the concern is that that might go against some of our treaties with other countries, an argument that shows up a lot when changes to copyright are discussed. Instead it now clarifies that you're allowed to bypass these protections for someone else, so a store with access to the tools could offer repair services but can't sell the tools to do it yourself.

Opposition Motions

We've got two fun ones here!
Motion from Pierre Poilievre (Conservative Leader, Ontario, Carleton))
Pierre's got the first Motion this week:

Given that,
- Canada is in the midst of an opioid crisis that has killed over 35,000 people since 2016
- Since 2017, the federal government has spent over $800 million on its failed Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy, including over $100 million in funding for hard-drug supply projects across Canada, and plans to spend an additional $74 million to "scale up" these projects over the next five years
-Since tax-funded drug supply was ramped up in 2020, opioid deaths have only gone up, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
- In 2020 slightly less than 7,000 people died of opioid overdoses, while only 3,000 died of overdoses in 2016, according to the Library of Parliament
- In British Columbia alone, yearly drug overdose deaths have increased by 330% between 2015 and 2022
- Recently, a Global News reporter in East Vancouver was able to buy 26 hits for $30 in just 30 minutes of a dangerous and highly addictive opioid that is distributed in tax-funded drug supply programs and flood our streets with cheap opioids
The House call on the government to immediately reverse its deadly policies and redirect all funds from taxpayer-funded, hard drug programs to addiction, treatment, and recovery programs.

Garnett Genuis (Conservative, Alberta, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan)) proposed an amendment to this, adding to the end:

and to directly sue the companies responsible for causing and fueling the opioid crisis for all damages associated with the crisis and direct all funds recovered through such litigation to prevention, treatment, and recovery programs.

So we're going to start by talking about Garnett's amendment. A quick peek at the numbers from the Public Health Agency of Canada says that between January and September of 2022 78% of opioid-related death involved opioids that were only non-pharmaceutical. "Pharmaceutical origin" means the drug was made by a pharmaceutical company and approved for medical use in humans, so 78% of the deaths were caused by drugs that don't fall under this category. Suing the companies for the other 22% probably won't accomplish anything, so this amendment is just noise.
Garnett's amendment failed with the Conservatives voting in favour and everyone else voting against.
As for Pierre's Motion there's three points I'd like to look at here.
First, just something worth noting is that if the references to 2016 make you think this is a problem caused by the current government that isn't the case. 2016 is just when The Public Health Agency of Canada started tracking these deaths.
Second, the number of deaths in 2022 between January and September was 8% lower than the same period in 2021. The Public Health agency says this isn't a significant decrease in trend, but it's still worth noting that things might be slowing down.
Finally we're going to look at that Global News article Pierre talked about. An article was published the day before they ran the story he mentioned, and was updated afterwards. First up the program is being run by the BC government, not the feds. Several anonymous doctors told them how fast the government-supplied opioids are being sold on the street, but the doctors willing to go on the record argue that the number of prescriptions are a drop in the bucket of overall deaths. Global also calls out that 86% of the deaths involved fentanyl, which isn't being supplied by the program so the safe supply really isn't the cause of the problem. (The doctors also mentioned they'd rather have people getting the safe supply off the street instead of something that might contain fentanyl)
Pierre's Motion was defeated with the Conservatives voting in favour while everyone else voted against.
Motion from Jenny Kwan (NDP, British Columbia, Vancouver East))

Given that:
- The House called on the government to launch a public inquiry into allegations of foreign interference in Canada's democratic system, on March 23 and May 8, 2023.
- The government did not heed this call, and instead appointed an independent special rapporteur who has recommended against holding a public inquiry, despite noting significant gaps and leaving many questions either unasked or unanswered
- Serious questions have been raised about the special rapporteur process, the counsel he retained in support of this work, his findings, and his conclusions
- Only a full public inquiry can fully restore the confidence of Canadians in the integrity of our democratic institutions
The House call on the Right Hon. David Johnston to step aside from his role as special rapporteur, and call on the government to urgently establish a public commission of inquiry which would be:
- Led by an individual selected with unanimous support from all recognized parties in the House
- Granted the power to review all aspects of foreign interference from all states, including, but not limited to, the actions of the Chinese, Indian, Iranian, and Russian governments
- Asked to present its report and any recommendations in advance of the next dissolution of Parliament or, at the latest, at the fixed election date as set by the Canada Elections Act
and instruct the Standing Committee on Procedure and House affairs to provide a report to the House as soon as possible with a recommendation on who could lead such a commission of inquiry and what its terms of reference should include.

All I'm going to say here is that it doesn't look like appointing David Johnston did enough to address the public's concerns about election interference. This is a pretty big problem, as people need to have faith in our democratic system for it to work. It doesn't really matter what David's findings or credentials are, if the public doesn't believe the results it isn't good enough.
Jenny's Motion passed with the Liberals being the only party to vote against it.

Closing Fun

And that's all for the week! I leave you all with fun exchange between Mark Gerretsen (Liberal, Ontario, Kingston and the Islands)) and Clifford Small (Conservative, Newfoundland and Labrador, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame)).

Mark: Mr Speaker, I find it incredibly rich that, on the one hand, when I made a comment that was interpreted to mean that the member for Wellington—Halton Hills) was not telling the truth, all hell broke loose on the Conservative side of-

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Clifford: Mr. Speaker, that was unparliamentary language by the member across the way.
(Note: The Speaker decided it was not)

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Mark: Mr. Speaker, I will rephrase it. When I did that, the Conservatives lost their marbles, but when the member says-

​

Clifford: Mr. Speaker, he is being derogatory to people who suffer from mental illness.

“A rat race is an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. The phrase equates humans to rats attempting to earn a reward such as cheese, in vain. It may also refer to a competitive struggle to get ahead financially or routinely.” I learned there isn’t much here for me in the west. A lot people fighting other trivial stuff. Get the new iPhone, the new car, for what? It’s like children playing a game at the park to see who can get at the top of the play set.
So I decided that I had enough with clown world. I’m exploring some options to work remotely as I’ll need it to work overseas. I’m planning to move to south east Asia or the Caribbeans. I’m also planning to get off my meds as there are herbal remedies in my opinion that can do the job but better.
The archons are starting to lose their grasp on humanity as I believe The Great Awakening has come. The American Dream is simply a dream. The thoughts of owning a house and a fateful partner are over. But if i focus and I don’t get distracted, I might be able to accomplish my own dream.

CRESCENT CITY, CIRCA 2064.
The city was almost unknown at the start of the century. It didn't have the vibe of Seattle's Boeing SeaTac, or the overwhelming might of NorCal's "Silicon Valley." In fact, it wasn't much of a city at all. But, after decades of investment, its become a small but incredibly influential force on the American West Coast.
It was Crescent City's peculiar legal situation which made it so attractive to industry. Due to reforms in the late 2030s, the Government had stewardship over a huge swath of land as "a sovereign territory within Northern California." Ironically, that same wave of reform in NorCal also pushed corporate interests to search for less restrictive jurisdictions.
At any rate, an extremely lucrative deal was hashed out with the governmental leadership: a special economic zone in Crescent City's port, heavily dominated by corporate interests. In exchange, an exorbitant yearly rent payment would be distributed to the city’s council, and corporate forces (they claimed) would help police on the remaining sections of the city’s land. NorCal, happy for the excuse to give the companies their own neoliberal playground, turned a blind eye to the whole affair. Cyberlibertarians flocked to the city for its lax laws on body-modding, drugs, guns, gambling and prostitution. Companies flocked to the city for tax purposes.
In a matter of years, undeveloped coastline became choked with skyscrapers. Illegal squatter communities formed in the barren, native highlands, away from the pressing control of the city. However, Corporate forces still regularly arrive to burn down encampments, and wasteland-dwelling rebels ride through city streets on jeeps or bikes. The city itself is a patchwork of high-rise complexes and immigrant communities, carved into expansive "corporate parks" created by rival factions. Heavyweights like Shuzuoka, Bryer-Stanley, and Nwajiuba can all be found there.
The so called “Red Zone” was a pleasure district, located in the heart of Crescent City’s corporate wonderland. It had sprung up in the late 2050’s, a new development that promised a world of pleasure, hedonism, and stress relief. New buildings, a monorail link to the Metro, it had been the hot, new development. It was the go-to place in town to get fucked up, and get fucked. Bars, body-modding clinics, tattoo parlours, strip clubs, and brothels were the norm, and it had a reputation for the particularly wacky and weird. It was also where I lived and worked.
The establishment I was working in was called Bloom, owned by the elegant and elusive Lady Sapphire, a former sex worker herself, who’s hard work had earned her an empire of debauchery. And she loved it that way. Her marketing has lots of Georgia-O'Keefe-style suggestive flowers, but in neon. Lady Sapphire’s Bloom was one multi-story building. Strip club on the ground floor and basement, the bar, club and discotheque above that, photoshoot and private rooms upstairs, and actual living quarters on the top floor. Bloom is a jack-of-all-trades: stripclub, porn studio, a tight-knit community for the women who work inside it. Everyone gets a vote and everyone decides on pay... but everyone knows Lady Sapphire is really the one in charge.
I worked there as a security guard, meaning I was always on the front line of wacky and weird. Out of everyone in the city, why did Bloom hire me as security? To quote Lady Sapphire: “One, you can take a punch. Two, you're not an asshole. Three... Indy thought you were cute."
I’d gotten the job when I’d gone to the Bloom with a friend after losing a bet. Supposedly it was a "consolation prize." Really, it was just an excuse for him to see some tits. One of the other patrons had gotten rough with one of the working girls, Indy. I didn't even have to think about it: I stood up to him, and when it escalated, I beat the ever-loving crap out of him. Lady Sapphire likes to say I "saved the guards some ammo" that day, and she wasn't kidding: when I had looked up, a guard already had a loaded shotgun in hand. Some of the girls patched me up and just like that, I was hired by Bloom as a bouncer...and more, if I was up for it.
—————————
The Metro ride is packed today: office drones in their starched collars and pants, studiously avoiding eye contact with anyone. Early birds in astonishingly spiky and skimpy party-wear.
The monorail rumbles four stories off the ground. A few tourists gawk at the windows, staring down at the huge, flashing billboards that run down East Avenue. It was intentional, Indy ahd explained one night, excitedly recounting a holovideo she watched on the city's urban planning. The rail lines got laid down first, so the corps could have stuck it right in the middle of the street if they wanted. But they wanted a monorail, just for people to gawk at the view. Increase the ad-value.
I stop at three or four different stations along the way. More partygoers. A homeless man with a long, empty face, trying to shush the yapping Chihuahua in his arms. One of the office drones thinks she's being real stealthy as she gives her coworker an over-the-pants handjob.
I reach my stop and exit into the Red Zone. Partygoers flood out onto the streets. Several of them stop to listen to a Mariachi band playing. The lead singer clearly has some kind of augmentation: he sounds like he's singing three or four notes at the same time, belting out a Spanish ballad.
Bloom is around the corner--four stories tall, plus a basement, with an animation of a huge neon flower opening and closing luxuriously. The smell of spices drifts to me from the kebab stand across the street. I’ve got two hours before peak time, when I’ll properly need to be on the clubfloor. Been working here two or three months, and I know the gig pretty well by now.
The monorail journey seemed to always be different, and yet always the same. Something was always going on, it was never the same faces, but it had become so routine that it all felt like an extension of the same ride. I rubbed my hands as I left the station, my hot breath fogging in the air. How the fuck did these people not freeze to death? Working in this district, I saw more tits, cocks and pussies in a half hour commute that any normal person would see in their life. But then, that’s the nature of the district that I found myself in. This was a place of pleasure; degeneracy, debauchery, and good old fashioned hedonism to its core.
I push past the queue of early birds, knocking at the door and getting greeted in by the previous shift, my thick, knee-length Black coat flowing behind me as I walked. I adjust my armour weave under my shirt, and check the handgun strapped to my thigh. If some fucker tried me, they’d better go for the head. It was warm inside, gentle synthy music drifting in the entrance hall, soft neon lights around. All flowers opening their petals in an almost far-too-obvious suggestive way. I catch a couple of the girls as I head to the lower security office to clock in. They smile flirtatiously, exactly as they always did. I couldn’t fault them or be mad. It WAS their job after all.
Inside the office was Garrett. The oldest, meanest, toughest son of a bitch the district had. You fucked around with Garrett, and you found the fuck out. Normally in an irreversible kind of way. I mean, MAYBE if you could afford cyberware, maybe it would fix it.
Maybe.
“Elias.” He grunts simply. I nod. “Garrett.” I swear the only time I heard this guy say more than one word was when he talked to Lady Sapphire. Then it would be like 5 words. At maximum. I clock in and turn to him. “Am I on cams, doors, or patrol tonight?” I ask. “Patrol.” He says again. I purse my lips. Happy fella, weren’t we?
“Alright. You probably know already but I think the vending machine guy is due tonight. And have you seen Indy? She had a surprise for me, she says.” He raised an eyebrow. “Nope.” He replied. I pat his shoulder and wink. “Helpful as always buddy. See you on the floor.” He slaps my hand away, and I chuckle as I walk out.
Patrol. Right. I start climbing to the second floor. I hear the screams of delight as the doors open downstairs and I roll my eyes. My voice is deep under my breath.
“Let the fun begin.”
———————————————
Well, that might be the longest stream of semi-coherent consciousness I’ve managed to get into one post. If you’ve made it this far, well done for getting through it. Hopefully you’re the kind of person I’m looking for, and hopefully the type to get the vibes and themes for what I want to play. Those who get it, get it!
Theme-wise, this is my rendition of the now classic cyberpunk genre. Corporate and liberal wonderland, gritty, drugs, body mods, alcohol, and sex galore. Everything turned up to 11, and maybe some more after that.
As eluded to in the wall of text above (sorry, I get carried away sometimes), I’m playing Elias. Elias is a young-ish guy in his 20’s, hired on the spot by one of the establishments in the pleasure district after an “incident” while he was visiting. He caught the attention of the owner, Lady Sapphire, the guards, and Indy, the girl working there that he aided.
For appearance, he’s a big guy. Standing at 6’3 with a muscular and athletic body, he is definitely a presence in person. He has jet black hair and facial hair, both kept short. Blue eyes, a wonder to look into (or so he claims he’s told). Most often wearing a long black coat and matching trousers and boots, with armour-weave underneath. In short, he looks like a more handsome version of the typical futuristic security guard. He talks shit, takes shit, and gives shit.
And what about you? Well, I’m open to you playing just about anyone that you wish! Will you play as one of Bloom's patrons, a woman with cash to burn, neon hair, and a will to let yourself free? Are you a regular, or here for the first time and guided by reputation? Will you play one of the girl's working there, a woman under my protection? Are you new or established? Have we met, spoken, even hooked up already? Do you like me or not? You could be Indy, the girl I saved the day I was hired. How has our relationship changed? Do you feel like you owe me, or that I owe you? Are you even still working there? Or maybe you want to step into the shoes of Lady Sapphire, the gorgeous empress at the top of it all. Do you want to thank me for a job well done? Offer me promotion as a personal guard? Or do you just like to fuck staff members now and then? I will leave how you look and what your personality is open to interpretation, as I feel it will be best for you to really make the character your own!
Kink-wise, I am quite open. Anything not explicitly listed in my limits below should be able to be worked in, provided you ask me about it. That being said, here are some of my favourites: Domination, cheating, seduction/dirty talk, sexy outfits/lingerie, rough sex, risky sex, creampies, giving and receiving oral, being deepthroated, face fucking, face sitting, making out, spit, impact play, anal, light restraints, and threesomes (FFM).
My limits are as follows: underage, being pegged, anything bathroom related, beast, vore, gore, and lack of detail.
Now, down the more boring admin stuff. This post took quite a lot of effort to write, and so I would really appreciate a creative and detailed response from you, if you are interested. I'm not asking for you to write a novella for a response, or even to match me, but one paragraph just saying you like the idea or "I want to play" just won't cut it for me, I'm afraid. Don't rush a response to grab my attention, as long as this is up, I'm still looking for someone to play with. You're far more likely to catch my attention if you really show me that you're interested! I typically write between 2 and 5 paragraphs in normal messages, and at the very least aim to get at least one response out per day, but I am normally better than that. I am also located in GMT timezone, and while I am open to talking to people from any timezone, please understand that I may not always be around. I try to communicate when I won't be around for a little while. I adore creativity and detail, even if it's weird or out there. In other words, go for it and ask me!
I am looking to roleplay ONLY on REDDIT. Yes, this is a dealbreaker. PMs (Orange Envelopes) are preferred, but chat will work if it's detailed enough. If you've made it this far, 1.) you're VERY appreciated, and 2.) please include your favourite flower in the title of you message so I at least know you reached the bottom. I am really looking forward to writing something with you here!
All the best, and I hope to see you soon!

500 hours later and I was looking for a change. Wanted to still be of use but with different method then usual.
As of lately I have 3 favourite ways to play the game. I'd say very effective and game changing in most cases.
1) Most likely boring for majority but who's to judge. Be a solo SL (solo since your OP's won't be effective for your teammates, sadly) and just drive a supply truck. Your goal for the rest of the game is to keep building (or rebuilding) garrisons and dropping supplies all over the map for obvious reasons. One would say that you'd be that guy that won the game but not many will notice, not that it mathers though. You will also learn the good spots for garrison placement and how to spread them effectively since the minimum range is 200m.
2) Situational but yet another way to change the game in your favor, by a lot. Once again, be the solo SL on Remagen as Ally. Park your truck in the middle of the map and just wait for the enemy airheads and supply drops. Yes, people don't pay much attention from what I've noticed and most likely you'll be the only one moving from west to east coast stopping their tries to get past the bridge. Germans usually win if they manage to get a sneaky airhead on enemy side.
3) Try to assemble an AT gun crew that includes anti tank guy to build it, engineer for supplies and squad lead for spotting with binoculars besides helping with a supply truck. Surprisingly, it's quite fun!
Anyway, those are my 3 newest ways to play a game. Please share yours, I'd love to hear and try 'em.
Since English is not my native language, I bet this all could of been better worded.

There is a MacDonald’s at the corner of 13th and Harvard. The parking lot extends all the way back to Indianapolis and has a high, solid wall surrounding it. In this parking lot, at the far back (south east) corner, someone likes to sit and play loud (enough bass to make the trim of the car rattle and, now, an external speaker for extra ambiance) music. Before 6am. There is a house immediately opposite the privacy wall with only the wall and a single lane driveway separating house from parking lot.
I walk my dogs by this area nearly every morning and hear the music playing more often than not. Every time, I ask myself, self, what would I do if I lived in that house and had to listen to that music in the morning?
It’s got to be an employee of MacDonald’s so they have to know it’s going on. It’s been happening long enough that something has to have been said between the residential home and the business. Yet, it continues. This morning, the music stopped at 6am when, presumably, the driver had to start their shift.
Just curious what others might do in the same situation?
Also, am aware that there might be a reason the person plays the music like that…. Just don’t know the full context. Please share, if you know.

Hi, I’m an artist and I received a residency (a gallery/institution sponsors an artist and allows them to work in their space, all fees covered) for a month in your town. I’m from NYC and I’ve only ever been to London before. What should I look out fodo? I’ll be in the city center, for all of July.
How’s temperatures? Is it still comfortably 70 degrees F? Or is it even hotter? Is it safe to walk at night? Is there public transit? Or is the entire city (reasonably) walkable? Are there dangerous parts of town? What demographic is Norwich anyways? Since it was by the coast, I assumed it’s like the Hamptons but I may be misguided…
I am also a dairy avoiding vegetarian. Will it be easy to find food for me? My plan was just a lot of indian food for me lol.
I’m also an young East Asian woman, I don’t have issues with being racially profiled that often in NYC, but would I in Norwich?
Lastly, just swing random recs for me! Restaurants, theaters, parks, museums, etc… anything I absolutely should go to!
Thanks!

In just under two weeks, ARMYs will descend upon Singapore to see SUGA! Help an ARMY out and let them know about safety, how to get around, where to eat, tourist attractions, BTS-related things to do, or anything else that you think someone should know when they visit! (Special thanks to the mods for your input and feedback for this guide!)

BTS' Past Visits

Red Bullet Tour (2014 BTS Live Trilogy Episode II) at the The Star Performing Arts Centre (13 Dec 2014)

• Fancam
• Official photos by Hallyu Singapore
• Official photos of Hi-Five session by Hallyu Singapore. Session was for all Cat 1 VVIP ticket holders ($268), who got a Hi-Five Pass and Concert Poster. The first 100 VVIP ticket holders also got to go up on stage to get a "Dark & Wild" album autographed by BTS.

Music Bank performance (4 Aug 2017) at the Suntec Convention Centre

• Fancam
• Quiz game video
• Outing at the Merlion statue and Singapore flyer: Photos Set 1 Photos Set 2.

Love Yourself World Tour (19 Jan 2019) at the National Stadium
This made history as the first time a K-pop group held a concert at the venue (largest concert venue in the country) and tickets sold out in about 3.5 hours! (45,000 audience)

• Concert review
• Witty notice from the Singapore Police Force abt avoiding ticket scams (it uses the BTS song titles!)
• Bonus: Jimin picked Marina Bay Sands as his special spot in the BTS x Street Galleries collaboration with Google revealed on ARMY Day (July 9) 2022

Concert Venue

Do note that it’s currently the June school holidays too (26 May-26 Jun), so the Sports Hub and surrounding areas may be crowded with many other visitors besides the concert-goers. Please be mindful!

• Singapore Indoor Stadium, right next to the National Stadium (both are part of the Singapore Sports Hub) where BTS performed at their last concert here in 2019. In fact, the Indoor Stadium was then used as the waiting zone for the standing zone ticket-holders.
• Concert guidelines been posted yet (will update here when they are), but here are the general guidelines for events there (links opens a pdf)
• The nearest MRT station is the Stadium station, on the Circle line - here is a train map (with Stadium MRT circled out in light purple). You’ll know when you’ve arrived as the station design is quite unique! Go up the elevator and follow the signage - the path is sheltered.
• You can find Kallang Wave Mall right next to the venue, for a spot of shopping and dining before the concert (opening hrs:10am-10pm daily). There is another smaller mall Leisure Park Kallang located next to the carpark, which houses an ice skating rink, bowling alley and cinema alongside more food options. The open space in front of the MRT station and the two malls is where ARMYs are likely to gather to exchange fan support and stuff
• The nearest hawker centre (i.e the affordable street food) is Old Airport Road Food Centre, one of the oldest and largest hawker centres in the country. It is about 20 mins walk away from the stadium, or you can simply alight at the Mountbatten/Dakota MRT stations (one or two stops away from Stadium MRT station respectively); both are about a 5 mins’ walk away from the food centre. Here is a list of recommendations (unfortunately, not a lot of Halal food stalls here. Let me know if you need those).
• There is also a McDonalds’ & KFC near Mountbatten MRT if you want something more familiar, or potentially try whatever new promo is currently going on at these places.

Sightseeing/Activities

Non-exhaustive list (all prices are in SGD)

• National Gallery Singapore. There is a special Namjooning Tour as part of the Gallery Wellness Festival. Slots are fully booked for the guided tours on 25 & 30 June. You could try the self-guided tours instead, which start on 17 July. Gallery passes for general admission to the permanent galleries (needed to access the tour) cost $20 for non-Singaporeans aged 13-59. Closes early (by 3pm) on some weekends in June and July (see dates on website).
• National Museum Singapore. Has very interactive and engaging exhibits. Highly recommended (I used to be a volunteer docent there for abt a year). Tickets cost from $15 (for access to permanent galleries only)
• Singapore Zoo & adjacent parks (Bird Park, River Wonders, Night Safari). We have one of the best zoos in the world! Single park tickets cost $50. Multi-park options also available. .
• Gardens by the Bay. Pretty gardens with outdoor sections and 2 indoor air-conditioned conservatories - you may have heard of the supertrees that have been featured in the movie "Crazy Rich Asians" and K-drama "Little Women". Provides a welcome respite from the heat. It’s free to visit the outdoor areas, but it’s really worth it to pay for entry to the conservatories. There are various pricing packages, so best to check out the website yourself.
• Singapore Botanical Gardens is our first UNESCO World Heritage site, the first and only tropical botanic garden on the list. Admission is free.
• The Merlion and the Marina Bay area. I personally recommend going at night to see the famed cityscape of Singapore all lit up (the temperature’s cooler too!). Marina Bay Sands Mall has a light and water show every night. There is also the iLight Festival going on now until 25 June with artistic light installations (mix of free and paid attractions). Bonus: Yoongi wore a Merlion Singapore t-shirt in a travel-themed Lotte Xylitol ad!
• You can also ride the Singapore Flyer for an aerial view of our city like the boys did! Admission costs $40.
• Visit our ethnic enclaves, Chinatown, Little India, Kampung Glam and Geylang Serai to see old shophouses, shop for souvenirs and try ethnic food
• One of the fanbases here, BangtanSG, has teased an ARMY event from 11-13 June. Will update when more details are released.
• Sentosa & Universal Studios Singapore theme park - you can access the island via various modes of transport with varying admission fees. Transport within the island is free.
• If you don’t want to think too hard, the best airport in the world for 12 years running is also an attraction in itself! See its dedicated section below for more information.
• Singapore is also located in the centre of Southeast Asia - if you’ve never been in this oft-forgotten region of the world, take the chance to check out our neighbouring countries as well! Malaysia can easily be reached via bus, and Indonesia via ferry.

(Note: You may want to check out Klook for discount tickets/passes)

Dining

Singapore is a food paradise with various cuisines from the local ethnic groups, as well as international ones. For Muslims, there are a lot of Muslim-owned or Halal-certified options around (look for this certificate, or the label “Muslim-owned”), including most of the fast food chains like McDonald’s/KFC/Burger King/Subway.
Carrying some cash with you (~$10 per pax) is a good idea, especially if you’re venturing out to hawker centres; while many places now have an electronic payment system in place, cash is still king in terms of versatility, and anecdotally most stores prefer cash or will charge a credit-card payment surcharge.

Where to eat?

• Most of the malls have a good selection of dining options, ranging from the (relatively affordable) multi-stall foodcourts to fast-food restaurants, cafes, and more upmarket restaurants.
  • It can get crowded during lunchtime (12-2pm) as office workers come out for their break, so try to avoid those hours if possible, or make advance reservations.
  • If you are staying/shopping in Orchard Road, Far East Plaza (level 4 & 5) and Lucky Plaza (multiple levels) have relatively more affordable food options for the area..
  • There’s a myriad of other malls in the suburban areas outside of Orchard to be explored.
• Hawker centres: A “hawker” in Singapore refers to a street food vendor, and in Singapore they’ve been centralised into food centres to create an iconic Singapore dining institution. These places are generally not air-conditioned, but they are the most affordable dining option. If you see an item on a table even if it’s something innocuous like a tissue paper packet or name-card, it means the seat's been reserved (“chop-ed” in the local slang) by people who are off queuing for their food.
  • Look for stalls with the longest lines (the most popular stalls will have long queues all day long), but most stalls should have decent food.
  • Newton Hawker Centre (near Newton MRT station) and Lau Pa Sat (near Telok AyeDowntown/Raffles Place Stations) are probably the most well-known to tourists, but beware of touts and over-charging, especially at Newton.
  • Taking the MRT out to slightly less central areas like Ang Mo Kio, Toa Payoh, Kallang, etc. should bring you to other hawker centres that cater to locals.
• Order in: GrabFood and Foodpanda are the two most popular food delivery apps with extensive coverage all around Singapore. Deliveroo is also available. Just be prepared to pay upwards of $5 delivery fee during peak periods, and the listed online prices are usually higher than in-store. The apps also have pick-up available if you’d simply like to order in advance.
• The ethnic enclaves like Kampung Glam (Malay/Muslim), Chinatown and Little India have a higher concentration of the respective ethnic cuisines, but most places in Singapore have a good mix of different local and international cuisines

What to eat?

Breakfast (These are generally very affordable options that should cost you below $10 per person, particularly if you go to food courts/hawker centres)

• Tea/coffee with kaya toast and half-boiled eggs. Available at most hawker centres (usually at the drink stalls), and chains like Ya Kun Kaya Toast and Killiney Kopitiam in malls. Order tea/coffee like a local by referring to this guide.
• Among the fast-food chains, KFC offers the more local option of chicken porridge (congee)
• Roti prata, a south-Indian flatbread (also known as paratha in India, or roti canai in Malaysia), available at most hawker centres and Indian coffee-shops
• Nasi lemak, coconut milk-flavoured rice with a variety of side dishes (usual ones: omelette, fried chicken wing/fried fish, fried anchovies).
• Beehoon, rice vermicelli with a range of toppings like fish cake, luncheon meat (spam), chicken wings, veggies etc.
• Chai Tow Kway (“carrot cake” - it’s actually radish cake), Tau Huey (soya bean curd pudding) + Youtiao (chinese fried dough)
• Mee Rebus, a Malay noodle dish with thick & spicy potato-based gravy topped with hard-boiled egg, bean sprouts, fried shallots, tau kwa (fried beancurd) and spring onions

Lunch & dinner

• Chilli crab: I don’t have any personal recommendations, and it could be costly because the crabs are usually charged by weight, which may vary daily. The link gives a run-down of some popular places
• Hainanese chicken rice: Again, no personal recommendations, but you can find this in most foodcourts and hawker centres. You should be able to find one of these for $5 or less.
• Murtabak/Briyani: My favourite is ZamZam Restaurant (est, 1908) at North Bridge Road in the Muslim enclave of Kampung Glam, but there is a whole row of Singapore-Indian restaurants serving a similar menu there
• Everything under the sun :) Google maps & data coverage generally works well in most parts of Singapore, so search & explore! Some sites you can start at include Chope & Burpple.

Snacks

• A must try, it’s sold by any ice cream man you see roaming around with a popup like this
• We have a ton of bubble tea (boba) stores if you’re craving it, you’d probably find a bubble tea store or two within 20mins of walking anywhere. Koi/Gongcha/LiHo are quite standard options, and then there’s others like Playmade/Chichasansen with their own unique points. Here’s a list with 61 of them...
• There’re plenty of 7-11s and convenience stores around, as well as “mama shops” around public residential housing.

Getting Around

Singapore has a great public transport system. It’s really easy & cheap to get around on the MRT (mass rapid transit trains) and buses. Use Google Maps or the City Mapper app to navigate yourself and get route recommendations (the latter also has transport arrival timings and fare estimates. It also works in many cities globally, so is very useful for tourists). Various transport passes are available for tourists, but you can also use your contactless credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) to pay for the fares (no registration required).
In general, using the Circle Line (yellow) or Downtown Line (blue) should get you to most tourist attractions. Orchard Road (main shopping belt) can be accessed via the North South Line (red), between Orchard and Somerset MRT stations. Map for reference, with links to versions in Chinese/Malay/Tamil available for download.
Taxis and ride-hailing cars: We have Grab and Gojek in place of Uber.

• The largest local taxi fleet - the blue Comfort Cabs - also have their own ride-hailing app to compete, although they can also operate via the traditional meter & can be booked via phone call/flagged down as usual. Fares can be paid via cash post-ride or credit card for all these private car options.
• Ride-hailing tends to be very expensive. At peak periods, ride-hailing services could be even more expensive than taxis, but at least you know the price beforehand. All malls have a taxi stand where you can stand in queue and hop on the next available cab. Queues can be long at morning and evening peak periods, so avoid taking cabs then if you can.

General navigation
All signs are in English, and the locals - esp the younger generation - are able to speak English fluently. If you’re really lost, feel free to approach others to ask for help! People are generally friendly and helpful despite initial appearances :)
As a side note: in general, if Google Maps is asking you to circle around a building to get somewhere - don’t. You can cut through most places on the ground floor quite easily, even the residential buildings (unless they’re private properties like condominiums/landed housing). MRT stations are connected to a good number of places via sheltered corridors if they’re nearby enough. Enjoy the aircon & shade instead of walking outside in the heat if you can.

Shopping

• Orchard Road is our main shopping belt, running from Orchard to Somerset MRT stations. You can find many shopping malls there, with collections ranging from upmarket to fast fashion. Check out Design Orchard, a retail space for fashion and lifestyle items by Singapore designers.
• For an old-style emporium experience drop by Mustafa Centre. It used to be open 24 hours but this was disrupted by COVID19 and now it is only open until 2am (best place for late night shopping!). It's not a glitzy mall, but has crowded aisles chock full of all manners of things, including snacks and souvenirs (avoid going on Sundays when it gets super crowded with migrant workers on their day off).
• Already mentioned above are the ethnic enclaves Chinatown, Little India, Kampung Glam and Geylang Serai with smaller standalone shops. Special mention for Haji Lane in the Kampung Glam area, a small street with cute boutiques.
• The many, many other malls scattered across the country - a brief list. For example, Paya Lebar alone (just another station up from Dakota!) is connected to several malls like Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ), PLQ 2, PL Square, Singpost centre, and a couple more within a 5-mins’ walk (Tanjong Katong Complex, City Plaza, KINEX etc.).

Weathewhat to wear

The weather is especially hot these days (max temp of up to 35 degrees celsius, or 95 Fahrenheit), with possible spurts of heavy rain at certain times of day, so dress light and carry an umbrella (most places do have sheltered walkways between buildings and bus-stops/MRT stations though, so don’t worry too much about getting around in the rain). Mall air-conditioning can be cold, so hv another layer (e.g. cardigan/wrap/scarf) on hand. Remember to hydrate frequently & avoid staying outdoors for too long!

Airport

• Singapore Changi Airport is often voted by travellers as the best airport in the world, with lots of shopping, dining and leisure options in the various terminals. BTS (except Jin who took a different flight) stopped over at Changi Airport on the way to New Zealand for Bon Voyage 4 (airport lounge scenes shown in Episode 1)! While you may not have access to the business class lounge like them, there are various other options to rest and hangout, like the many gardens (some even accessible from the public areas) and even a free 24h cinema (Terminal 3 transit area).
• Jewel Changi Airport which is attached to Terminal 1 is an attraction in itself. It's worth arriving 2-3 hours earlier than your flight check-in time to grab a meal and have a look around Jewel. A particular highlight is to take the skytrain between Terminals 2 and 3, cutting across the centre of Jewel, to get a spectacular view of the indoor waterfall. There is also shopping aplenty (Tip: NTUC Fairprice supermarket in Jewel has a nice selection of food and non-food souvenirs which are pretty affordable).
• There are various transport options for getting to the city from the airport. Public transport like MRT is convenient if you are travelling light, else there is a shuttle service to selected downtown hotels. Taxis and ride-hire cars can be expensive, especially with the airport surcharge.
• Sort of related, Yoongi gave a shout out to our national airlines (Singapore Airlines) for its great seat and amenities in business class in BV4! (He said: let's always fly Singapore Airlines in the future!). The airlines must have taken notice, because they recently announced that they would be adding BTS content like songs, MVs, LY New York concert, and Break The Silence docu in their in-flight entertainment system to commemorate BTS' 10th anniversary. An ARMY also spotted a write-up abt BTS in their in-flight magazine.

We’ve tried to achieve a balance between being succinct and informative, but certainly the above info is not exhaustive. So do feel free to ask in the comments below if the info you need is not here! Fellow SG ARMY, or those familiar with Singapore, feel free to chime in!

Hi, there! I’m currently looking at a place on East Livingston Avenue (really close to Bendi Wok n’ Bar) and was wondering if anyone has any input on the safety around that area, especially at night? I’ve walked in the area in the daytime and it feels safe. I’m a single woman in my early-mid 20s, so safety is a huge factor for me. My main concern is car break-ins (this apartment building does have a off-street lot, however). I love how close E Livingston is to coffee shops and parks, but safety is still my priority. If anyone has any input, I’d greatly appreciate it! :)

Hi all, incoming transfer student here. I'll need a parking spot (all day access preferably) near the east campus starting this fall. I saw somewhere that some lots had waiting lists up to six years (???) Does this mean I have no chance of getting a spot this fall?
If you had or currently have a parking spot how difficult was it to actually secure it?
Thanks

Looking for Around the Horn?
Hey Sportsfans — it's time for Week 10 of baseball Power Rankings: Happy first Monday of June, everyone! Hopefully you've paid your rent, paid your bills, and sent us our monthly check to keep your favorite team higher than they deserve. Have a fabulous Monday!
Every voter has their own style / system and the only voting instructions are these:

"To an extent determined individually, you must take into account how strong a team is right now and likely to be going forward. You must, to some degree, give weight to the events and games of the previous week."

TRANSPARENCY: This link will show you who voted each team where and has added neat statistics!
New Voter Chance: Are you a fan of the Dodgers? We received tepid response last week and are still looking for a new Dodgers voter. I'll be reaching out to Dodgers shortly to help with the search. -- apologies for the delay. Check out this link to see how to apply!
If something is a little messed up, feel free to pester me let me know.
Total Votes: 29 of 29. Technically a perfect vote?

#		Team	Δ	Comment	Record
1		Rays	0	Why replace writers with AI when the Rays bullpen has proven to be the most cost efficient way to generate drama in 2023? The team doing so well makes it hard to complain, but Jason Adam also makes it so easy, yanno? Happy pride month y'all! In other positive news, Glasnow has looked good if not otherworldly in his return, he'll look to continue finding his groove. Yandy Diaz also hit a quintessential little league homerun, which should make everyone everywhere happy!	42-19
2		Rangers	0	hahahahaha offense go brrrrrrrt. Big week this week with a series against the struggling Cardinals and then the big weekend matchup against the Rays. Ending another month on top of the division and we are having fun!	38-20
3		Braves	0	Horrid start to the week by losing a series to the Oakland "Triple A's" (don't @ me...I heard their own annoucers call them that), but we salvaged the week in AZ thanks to Eddie Rosario playing OUT OF HIS MIND and capping off our weekend with a go ahead Slam in the top of the ninth on Sunday. We are banged up on the hump, but are pushing through. If this is a rough patch, I am happy. First up this week is the Mets. A very important series to get it all back on track.	35-24
4		Astros	+2	Crucial series win against the Angels to finish off the weekend. Saturday's game was a lot of fun, aside from the top of the 7th inning - but we don't talk about that. Let's talk instead about how Alex Bregman's grand slam, 4-walk day can be 100% attributed to his wife throwing out the first pitch (it was Girls Night Out) and Bregs subsequently skipping the photo op with her to finish his warm-up.	35-24
5		Dodgers	-1		35-25
6		Orioles	-1	Alternating wins and loses all week this past week. Losing two out of the last three series is not great. I then thought about it and obviously the Orioles can't win every game and can't win every series, so thinking they can, means I have more confidence in this team than I have in a very long time. Aaron Hicks has been a pleasant surprise filling in for Cedric, batting .455 with an OPS of 1.208. Even though the fans were severely against getting him, he seems to have been the right move so far. The next six games are against Milwaukee and KC, hopefully we go at least 4-2.	37-22
7		Yankees	0	Another strong road trip, another handful of injury questions. Is Nestor really hurt, or is this a “get right” phantom stint? Will Judge need IL time? Wtf’s Bader’s situation? In better news Stanton, Kahnle, and Donaldson are back, and Rodon is set to face live batters. It would be really fucking cool if we could get off the IL merry-go-round though.	36-25
8		Blue Jays	+1	Very nice bouceback week(ish) after our AL East foes took us to Pound Town, with series wins over Minnesota and Milwauke (Algonquin for "the good land") before sweeping the Nye Mets. Bassitt continued to build on his '23 legend by nearly throwing another CGSO while his wife was going into labor in another country. Vladdy lasered his first HR not off a shitting-his-pants position player since May 4th, and still hasn't hit one at home, which is WILD. Belt overcame DFA screams from dipshits after an abysmal April (.519 OPS) with a hero-ball May (.940 OPS). Big tests coming up, tho, with HOU, BAL, MIN, and TEX next on the docket. Someone throw an irradiated spider at Manoah or something.	33-27
9		D-Backs	-1	The Diamondbacks had a decent week, sweeping the Rockies in four games and coming within one out of taking two of three from the Braves. Alas, the Diamondbacks' bullpen is still the Diamondbacks' bullpen. Additionally, Geraldo Perdomo's abysmal peripherals are catching up with his early-season performance, and third base remains a question mark, as Josh Rojas still doesn't have a single home run on the season.	35-25
10		Twins	0	A 4-3 week, including another series win against the reigning WS Champions! The lineup still isn't consistent though and we're being carried by our good pitching. There's time to fix those issues as the summer goes on, especially in the AL Central where we don't have a lot of competition.	31-29
11		Brewers	+2	In the words of noted Brewers fan Tom, "i don't understand how each day the lineup can look worse than the day before, like each day feels like rock bottom then it gets even worse somehow" That's pretty much Brewers fandom opinion of the Spring Training esque lineups Milwaukee is trotting out day after day. Somehow the team was 4-2 in the last week though. (Thanks Reds). Also, Reddit effectively kiling third party app support is terrible, and might actually be the thing that gets me to leave this Californian Hotel.	32-27
12		Red Sox	0	You know, I liked baseball more when we weren't .500. Losing Chris Sale to the injured list right as we get Whitlock and Paxton back is cruel but predictable. Our rotation has a lot of talent, but lacks the stamina to actually go deep into games. Houck, Whitlock, Pivetta and Kutter are all decent to really good 1st/2nd time through. Pair them up and have them each throw ~3-4 innings and you've basically Frankenstiened two 110 ERA+ starters! CHaim hire me please :)	30-29
13		Pirates	+4	The Pirates had a miserable May. The pitching went from excellent to merely good while the offense was put on life support. The Bucs, who were 20-9 at the end of April, had dropped under the .500 mark on Memorial Day. Since then, the Bucs have won 5 straight — 2 against the Giants to pick up the Pirates' first (and only) series win in May, and then a sweep of the Cardinals for the first time since 2018. Yeah, the Pirates are only 31-27, but that puts them just a game out of first in the NL Central. Not bad considering where this team stood a week ago.	31-27
14		Angels	0	When he has been on the field and not getting into it with fans or wasting away on the injured list, Anthony Rendon has been a quietly solid presence in this Angels lineup. Slated to return back to the lineup within the next couple days, the team could use a boost in the middle part of the order, especially with runners on.	31-30
15		Mariners	-4	A Mariner is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. The profession of the Mariner is old, and the term Mariner has its etymological roots in a time when sailing ships were the main mode of transport at sea, but it now refers to the personnel of all watercraft regardless of the mode of transport, and encompasses people who operate ships professionally, be it for a military navy or civilian merchant navy, as a sport or recreationally. Up next: 2 @ Vedder Cup bros, 3 @ Troutanis	29-30
16		Mets	-1	Since my last update, we swept the Phillies and we got swept by the Blue Jays. This is a weird Mets team who I think may just be pretty mediocre, though I suspect they'll stick sneak into the playoffs. Our record is back at .500 and we have the Braves in Atlanta next, which is not the kind of shit you want to see. Omar Narvaez will likely return from the IL this week, creating an interesting roster crunch which shouldn't be interesting at all, since current backup catcher Tomas Nido has an OPS of .278.	30-30
17		Marlins	+1	Sweepy has been busy so far this year. The fish complete their 4th sweep of the season on the visiting A's, reports are sketchy but apparently he was last spotted saying "Mets are over rated". We'll get further clarification on what he meant by that next time he resurfaces. Sandy is going through it right now, if im being honest i think hes working through some mechanical issues cuz hes still lowkey struggling with location. His last outing was fairly good save one inning where he allowed a bunch of runs but he is slowly improving. Very slowly. The his week the marlins are gonna host the royals, followed with a trip to south side chicago.	32-28
18		Giants	-2	The Giants went 2–4 with two 1-run losses. Normally losing a series to both the Orioles and Pirates would be problematic, but in the New Age, both teams are good and the Giants played hard 80% of the time. They are 5–7 in 1-Run Games, and 1-2 in extras, and with a +1 Run Diff (18th in MLB, -5 spots) they are slightly underperforming expected W/L Record. The Giants will be without Joc, Yaz, Conforto, Estrada, and Bart until tomorrow (expected), and Alex Wood is the latest casualty – gone for 12ish days. The rotation, led by Cobb, Webb, and Disco, will rely even more on the bullpen which usually means Jacob Junis (yay!) and Manaea (: / ). Cleaning up their act some, the bullpen ERA is now 20th in MLB (+3) and the whole staff at 15th in RA/G (=). The inconsistent offense, hampered by injuries and some mini-slumps, sits at 14th in RS/G (-2). Giants fans must hope a return to health will boost the bats, the younglings liven back up, and the bullpen holds the line @ Coors Field ( : / ) and vs the question-mark-of-a-team Chicago Cubs.	29-30
19		Padres	+1	It was the first game at Petco for my Niece and her Father. He'd long written off the Padres, as a team of nobodies that would never try to win at a sport that ultimatley rigged for markets that weren't in San Diego County. As a sign of goodwill from my Sis, his ex-wife, they had amazing seats, down by the first base side, that were each in the triple digits. Over the last few years he'd gotten into the sport for the first time since '98, and for my Niece, it was the first time following any pro sport in her life. They sat down at their beautiful seats, had a couple of 'dogs, and by the third inning, San Diego was behind 7-0. Sigh. The Padres average 39k at Petco, ranking 5th in the majors in attendance. They have a 13-17 record in those games.	27-32
20		Guardians	+3	I was on vacation this week, so I haven't been as aware of baseball as I should be. I did go to two games at Camden and two at Nationals Park while on my trip. The Guardians won a series against the Orioles and split one with the Twins, so now I'm being optimistic and will probably embarrass myself again. Also, I hope the Reds ranker is doing okay.	27-32
21		Phillies	-2	What a miserable week it was to be a Phillies fan. They salvaged a 2-4 record by winning the weekend games against the Nationals, but were dreadful all week in games that were just close enough to keep your hopes up. The Phillies are currently 4.5 games out of the 3rd wild card spot with 3 other teams ahead of them. Trea Turner, who you'd think would have one of the highest floors in the league, is hitting .232 with a dreadful .276 OBP. Alec Bohm hit the IL, which means the infield regularly includes one or two of Josh Harrison, Kody Clemens (who's actually been quite hot the past few weeks), and AAAA quality Drew Ellis (who went 3/3 with 2 walks and 2 home runs on Sunday). The bats and pitching have completely died, but that's thankfully set the stage for Nick Castellanos to do what he does best. This week: a homestand with 3 against the Tigers and 3 against the Dodgers.	27-32
22		Cubs	+2	This week was a much needed bounce back for the Cubs, as they took 2 out of 3 from both the Rays and Padres. Unfortunately, the week was marred by yet more struggles in the clutch and with RISP as well as Justin Steele's injury. Steele is out for at least 2 starts with forearm soreness, and will be dearly missed as he has kept the Cubs in game after game. The Cubs continue their West Coast road trip this week with sereis against the Angels and Giants following today's game in SD.	26-32
23		Cardinals	-2	The Cardinals should be playing better, they aren't. They've been bad all season. Short of collective epiphany that sees them 30 up in their next 40 (lol, doubt it) there's no useful information I can put in this box past "Fire John Mozeliak."	25-35
24		Reds	+1	It finally happened boys. After just a month of being separated, she gave me official divorce papers. I think she’s made it abundantly clear she has no interest in fixing things, and you know what? I get it. It’s alright. She told me straight up that she didn’t feel anything between us anymore, and no amount of therapy or counseling is gonna fix that, whatever was there is gone. She’s felt like that for a while, I just refused to see it, I was in denial. But i’m not anymore. I’m free, I am once more ready to set sail on the ocean of loneliness until I find land. I hope I can find land. I gotta find land. How we’ll divide time between our son is yet to be determined, but I know we’ll find a good compromise. I’m just…happy that the air is clear. No more pretending to enjoy each other's presence, no more fake smiles to mask our emptiness. No more. Anyway, let’s talk Reds baseball. We had a good road trip where our offense managed to shine but a horrid home series where we got pantsed by a division rival. The front office just refuses to throw the fans a bone. We continue to give playing time to people like Will Benson and Stuart Fairchild, all the while prospects like Elly De La Cruz and Christian Encarnacion-Strand are tearing up AAA to the point where there’s really nothing left for them to do. Both had problems with their Walk%, so what happened? The last couple weeks both have significantly improved their walk rate. They have nothing left to do in AAA if you ask me and plenty of the fanbase. Imagine if both can be successful in the MLB, what kind of boost of energy that would give to this team while they’re still in striking distance of the NL Central crown. Our starting pitching is still a major liability, Graham Ashcraft has just flat out forgotten how to pitch. The Bullpen is still keeping us in games and our offense can be truly clutch at times, but consistency is one thing we’ve lacked all season. Consistency, consistency, consistency. It’s not here. But with an injection of young talent, things could definitely turn around, or I guess you could say something that’s become a bit of a motto here in Cincinnati and with our recent ownership groups: We’re just a couple years away.	26-33
25		Tigers	-3	RIP Riley Greene. RIP Eduardo Rodriguez. I guess the White Sox walkoff on Saturday where a Jose Cisnero pitch domed the home plate umpire for a wild pitch was emblematic of this week (shrugs). As a side note, man is this linup brutal, sporting a team slash line of .226/.302/.349 for the season. Yikes! This week: 3 at PHI, 3 vs. ARI.	26-31
26		White Sox	+2	The AL Central being so competitive/non-competitive is the worst thing for the White Sox right now. Despite being 9 games under .500, they are only 5.5 games back in the division. They're stuck in limbo right now. In any sane world, they would already be selling parts, but in all likelihood, they'll have to sell some of the future at the deadline, only to go on a cold streak in mid September, finish 8 games out in the division, and make this awful season feel even worse.	26-35
27		Nationals	-1	Rough week for the Nats losing 5 of 7 and getting even worse news with the announcement of Strasburg being shut down from all physical activity. While I can't speak for all Nats fans, I can speak for myself: Stephen Strasburg has absolutely nothing to prove. I genuinely would be ecstatic for him to ride off into the sunset without throwing another pitch before unvailing a statue with Zim on the corner of Capitol and Potomac.	25-34
28		Rockies	-1	No Blurb Submitted	26-35
29		Royals	0	Congo rats to Scott Barlow on notching his 50th career save. And congo rats to Aroldis Chapman for rebuilding his career and being a trade chip. The Royals are going to fuck up the return, but at least he can get something back in another couple of months. I'm looking forward to surgery so I can be too drugged up to give a shit about this team.	18-41
30		Athletics	0	More a question than a curse, how could hell be any worse?	12-49

Last summer I made it a project to go to all the parks I could in Bloomington and Monroe county. I missed a few, but I thought I would give some highlights. Even as a townie, there were some I had never been to, and many have been updated in recent years. Most frequently, I go to parks with kids ranging in age from 5-10, but I will list features that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Full info with addresses etc can be found here .
Bryan Park -- A Bloomington classic. Everyone should go to Bryan Park at least once. There are two main playgrounds, a baby/young kid one, which is fenced in, and a bigger kid one down the hill. There is also a smaller playground on the eastern side of the park. Paved/accessible trails border and go through the center of the park, and there are many mowed fields you can run and sprawl in. Nice park for a picnic. The City also hosts events here throughout the summer.
Broadview Park -- Smaller park on the near-westside. There is a fun climbing wall/barrel structure that inspired my kids to play pirates. This playground is one of the only fenced-in locations, useful if your kid is a runner.
Butler Park (9th Street Park) -- Another park with nice large fields to play in. Good sledding hills in the winter. The playground features some unique climbing equipment (ropes with a circle thing in the middle), as well as boardwalks, slides, etc. Access to the B-Line trail, and also hosts the People's Market in the summer on certain weekends.
Goat Farm Park / Rogers Family Park -- Newly renovated trail system! This park is now accessible from the Rogers Rd / High Street roundabout, as well as Elliston Dr (at Sherwood Oaks Park). Large native prairie area, interspersed with paved multi-use trails. Wonderful area to walk, ride bikes, rollerblade, etc. No playground in this section, but it is adjacent to Sherwood Oaks Park, and if you continue up the trail, Olcott Park.
Griffy Lake Nature Preserve -- Another Bloomington classic. Footpath trails in the woods (not accessible), as well as a new, accessible walkway for fishing and enjoying the lake. If you haven't been to Griffy in a few years, you should check out the new walkway, and the new / improved Griffy Loop Trail. Also, be sure to check out the dam-side trails. This area is scheduled for improvement in the coming years, but still has nice trails and a neat view of the dam. Good area to fly kites, as well.
Highland Village Park -- Smaller playground surrounded by mowed open field, and a paved trail encircling the park. Fun spinny toy with balls in it, younger kid played with for a long time, as well as swinging step stones that were a challenge for bigger kid.
Leonard Springs Nature Park -- Footpath hiking through the woods, as well as a large staircase. There is a waterfall here, and a wetland at the bottom. Nice spot to find frogs, toads, skinks, and other wildlife. Limited parking.
Lower Cascades Park -- Another one recently updated, be sure to check it out if you haven't been lately. The playground is GIANT, with a huge "big kid" area featuring multiple levels of equipment and boardwalks, as well as a "little kid" area adjacent. This is the playground most-requested by my 6 year old. The City has put a lot of work into improving the river bank area, with new limestone steps going down to the river. They have also completed a paved wooden boardwalk leading up to the waterfall, which is super nice and accessible for wheelchairs, strollers, etc. Limestone shelter houses def give the taste of Old Bloomington.
Miller Showers Park -- No playground. You can walk / bike around the paved loop and talk to your kids about traffic and the water features ( "a state-of-the-art stormwater retention facility and beautiful gateway to the city of Bloomington.")
Olcott Park -- Awesome park on the southside. This playground has a nice mix of equipment for babies/little kids and bigger kids. There are long, low boardwalks and small slides suitable for toddlers. There are also taller features which interest bigger kids. Mature trees surround the playground giving a nice amount of shade. There are sports fields here as well, which are frequently in use. The whole park is surrounded by a paved walking trail, much of which goes through woods, and connects to a paved trails that heads to Sherwood Oaks Park / Goat Farm.
Park Ridge Park -- Hidden gem on the eastside! This park is small, but has a unique, super-TALL, 3-story play structure. Excellent if your kids like heights, pretending to be in an eagle's nest, rocket to space, etc! Surrounded by mature trees, the whole park is well-shaded. There is also a picnic area with a shade canopy set up. Directly behind this park, there is a long paved walking trail that borders the train tracks and some apartment buildings. It crosses Pete Ellis (near the post office) and then lets out near 10th and the Bypass. Nice for walking, riding bikes, etc.
Park Ridge East Park -- Basic playground with large fields surrounding, and several tennis courts. Extra large climbing wall. Easy walk to Bruster's Ice Cream.
RCA Community Park -- Big, sprawling park on the west side. Pickleball courts seem to get good use. The playground is great if your kids like "floor is lava" / "ninja warrior" type games, because there are lots of more challenging climbing and jumping type structures. There is a small baby area, but most of the equipment on this playground is better for bigger kids. There are also large open fields, and an big wooded area with trails (some accessible, some not) throughout.
Sherwood Oaks Park -- Basic playground, tennis court and basketball court. The playground is kind of lackluster, but the real draw here is the creek access. There are multiple areas here where you can access Jackson Creek, with large banks of geodes, fossils, and sandstone to play and explore. There is a pedestrian bridge going over the creek, which is really nice, with areas to play on either side. LOTS of wildlife, including fish, crawdads, aquatic sow bugs, turtles, frogs, banded water snakes (non-venomous), fishing spiders, deer, etc etc. If your kid loves water, nature, fossil-hunting, skipping rocks, etc, it's a great spot.
Southeast Park -- Small playground surrounded by tennis courts, and connected to a paved trail. The walking trail is quite nice and leads through a wooded area and under a (non-sketchy) bridge.
Switchyard Park -- Another one you shouldn't miss! This park really has something for everyone. With the playground specifically, there are super-cool, Dr Seuss-inspired hills and tunnels built in, two really nice limestone slides, and the best rope-climbing structure in town. There is also a splash pad active in the summer. Beyond that, there is a skate park, a dog park, pickleball courts, basketball courts, community gardens, amphitheater, wide open spaces for sprawling or picnics, on and on. There is a large pavilion which the City uses for events, as well.
Waldron, Hill and Buskirk Park (3rd Street park) -- This park has recently been renovated, it's on my to-visit list! Short walk to the Chocolate Moose.
Winslow Woods Park -- Hidden gem of a nature park in town. There is a small, but fun playground, bordered by Winslow Woods. The woods have extensive foot trails through them, great for exploring. There are numerous sinkholes and on area that looks like a cave entrance to me, but I didn't go poking around too close. This park is next to the Community Orchard, as well, which is neat to check out.
Jackson Creek Park -- Monroe County Park. The playground is really lackluster, but this is your other option if you want creek access. I will say this park is a lot more isolated compared to the others, and I felt it was too remote to hang out just me and the kids.
Karst Farm Park -- Monroe County Park. Fantastic county park on the far west side. Do not miss! Multiple playgrounds and sports fields. They also have a splash pad, which is far superior to the one at Switchyard---really fun water features, and it is fenced-in. The only thing is that their splash pad has limited days, so be sure to check before you head over. The playground next to the splash pad is amazing for both big and little kids. Multiple boardwalks and levels to play on, music features, new bouncy turf for the ground, shelter houses and shade canopies, absolutely a great park.
Beanblossom Bottoms -- Part of the Sycamore Land Trust. This is a wetlands nature preserve with boardwalks and foot trails leading through it. Super unique nature preserve in southern Indiana, full of wildlife and a natural environment you rarely see around here anymore. Be sure to wear bug spray and look out for snakes.
​
Parks with fenced in playgrounds: Byran Park, Broadview Park
Parks with accessible creeks: Sherwood Oaks Park, Jackson Creek Park, Lower Cascades Park, Bryan Park (mostly overgrown / grassy, not stone banks)
Parks best for kids who love to climb: Switchyard Park, RCA Park, Park Ridge Park
Best accessible walking trails: Goat Farm/Sherwood Oaks/Olcott (all connect), Switchyard (B-line goes throughout), Southeast Park
Best playgrounds with shade: Park Ridge Park, Olcott Park
Best playgrounds for bigger kids: Switchyard Park, RCA Park, Lower Cascades

Race Information

• Name: Green Park Reading 10k
• Date: 4th June 2023
• Distance: 10 Kilometers
• Location: Reading, Berkshire, UK
• Website: https://www.greenparkreading10k.co.uk/
• Time: 52:01

Goals

Goal	Description	Completed?
A	Sub-52	No
B	Sub-50	No
C	PB (49:19)	No

Splits

Kilometer	Time
1	4:49
2	4:57
3	4:55
4	5:05
5	5:09
6	5:10
7	5:16
8	5:34
9	5:36
10	5:22

Training

After I stopped running during the pandemic, I effectively started from zero again. I've spent the past year or so losing weight and getting back to the fitness I once had. Thanks to a good effort with dieting last autumn and winter I ended up losing nearly 20kg, which has been rewarded with new overall PBs for the 5k, 10k and Half Marathon distances so far in 2023.
For this event I had no specific training, my free time has been limited recently due to the arrival of my first child about a month ago. The 10k has always been my favourite distance, so just taking part in parkrun every Saturday morning and one or two HZ2 5k runs in the evening during the week has been enough for me to keep my fitness stable.

Pre-race

This was a last-minute entry for me, I signed up a week before race day after seeing an advert online, my son now seems to be settled in so I had no worries about going out for the morning. I had previously signed up for this event in 2017, but had to drop out as I fell ill over that weekend. The same almost happened again as I came down with a small stomach bug on Friday and had to miss parkrun on Saturday morning. Thankfully 6:30am on Sunday morning came around and I was feeling a lot better.
This was forcasted to be the hottest day of the year so far in the UK, so I opted for a vest for the race with my thin waterproof running coat to give me a little warmth during the colder early morning. For nutrition I took my two-bottle belt, one bottle containing 300ml water and the other holding Lucozade Sport. Turns out I had to give myself an early warm-up anyway as my bus was running too late for my train, so a medium-paced 4k run from my home to the train station was required!
I managed to grab my usual pre-race coffee and pastry at Basingstoke station while waiting for my connecting train, just under 2 hours before the start time. Getting to the event this year is also a lot easier thanks to a new train station (Reading Green Park) opening last week, about a mile from the start line.
Lightly jogging from the station to the race village, I could feel the temperature starting to rise. Some participants in the 3k fun run were running along the home stretch. The race village itself seemed fairly well organised, the queues for the late entrant bibs and bag drop moved very quickly. The toilet queues weren't too bad when I went, but started to stretch back closer to the start time. Still by no means chaotic.

Race

I was aiming for 50 minutes, so I spent a few minutes trying to judge whereabouts in the starting pen to place myself. The rear was fairly cramped but the further forward I moved the more spacious it became - the opposite to usual! The race started at 10:30am exact, the first 2km following an out-and-partial-back through the business park. 2 kilometers gone in 9:46, so far so good.
After 2km we left the business park via an access road for a lap of the Berkshire countryside. To be honest if you've run a rural road race recently (try saying that a few times!), there's not much different here. Trees, hedges, fields, farms, slightly under-maintained roads. It's a "nice" course, relatively flat as well with only a couple of small hills near the bridges over the M4 motorway.
The big difference here was the heat, "only" 15ºc at the start but being the first hot day of the year nobody was used to it. By 4km I was starting to struggle to stick to my intended pace. Being mainly an East-West route there was very little shade offered by the trees and hedges. By 6k it was becoming more important just to finish without stopping rather than trying to get a faster time. A sub-50 target became sub-52, and the drink I picked up at 6k went half down my throat and half over my head.
I kept on going, sticking with a small group who also seemed to be struggling with the heat. The next couple of rural kilometers ticked by gently until we were back onto the business park for the final 1.5km. I was up to a 5:30/km pace but wasn't really concerned about a quick time by this point. I picked up a bit of speed in the home stretch but it wasn't quite enough to get me under 52 minutes.

Post-race

I shambled over to the end of the funnel to pick up my medal, goodie bag, and most importantly, a bottle of water. Then to the nearest tree to finally get in the shade. That was definitely one of the tougher 10k races I've ran in, I've run in warmer conditions but those races made allowances for the summer heat with more water stations and mist showers. This is a spring race that got caught out by an early summer day, and had the weather been a bit cooler I suspect this would be a very fast course.
Despite the slower time I was still happy with my finishing position. In the top 33% of all finishers, top 50% of all men and just outside the top 50% for age category.
I have no regrets about signing up for this race. It seemed well organised and friendly, which is especially welcome since this was their post-pandemic comeback. The course itself is a bit generic but there's nothing particularly wrong with it. If I've not got any other more local races this time next year, I'll probably be back for 2024.
Made with a new race report generator created by herumph.

Sandusky OH 10/10 I know Sandusky is not a major city but it's my favorite place in Ohio and I have lots of great memories here, some cool lighthouses and obviously cedar point
Beaufort NC 10/10 again another water front smaller area, lots of fun things to do and made many memories here over thr last 12 years I've been going there, lots of cool shops as well.
Traverse city MI 10/10 Ohioans all hate Michigan and vise versa but yet again another water front area with lots of fun things to do.
Chagrin Falls OH 10/10 This place is really awesome, everything is walkable here theres shops and restaurants everywhere and also The creator of Calvin and Hobbles based it on this town.
Cincinnati OH 9/10 Cincinnati is the best of the 3 C's in my personal opinion, lots of preserved historical areas, Cincinnati tops Columbus in mostly everything according to US N&WR, I will probably move here to go to collage in around 2 years
Pittsburgh 9/10 Downtown Pittsburgh is a very fun experience and it's very walkable, the water front is really great as well, I haven't been here in around 5 years but I enjoyed it.
Charlotte NC 7.5/10 I never really got to explore Charlotte but the part I went to was pretty nice but legit kinda boring, the reason i felt it was boring is because there is not much real culture left in Charlotte, its all been taken over by nissan altimas with dented bumpers. there is some high crime rates in Charlotte but the majority of it was alright. it's a pretty good place overall but I wish it had some of its original culture left.
Columbus OH 7/10 Columbus is the most midwest feeling city in Ohio, everyone moves to Columbus for work and collage mostly and that's why personally think it's the most boring of the 3 C's, there is some cool neighborhoods like German village that are similar to Cincinnatis historical homes. But theres 100s of new genfrcation building that dont have the same downtown feel as it should. Basically when people think Ohio they think Columbus.There is a new Intel plant being built in Columbus which will bring some more money to the states economy.
Richmond VA 7/10 I haven't explored Virginia as much but I have been to Richmond, it was a pretty good place. Richmond has excellent food and some cool historical homes. Outside of the city is just your basic american metropolitan area but overall it's alright.
Akron OH 7/10 My hometown and current place of living, there has been a lot of improvement over the past 10 years to akron and there is lots planned for the next coming 5 years. Akron has the beat metro parks in the state and also has The CVNP starting at merriman Valley. Our downtown is pretty small but very walkable and there restaurants and bars everywhere, what we need downtown is more stores but the main income goes to The restaurants downtown. We also have lots and lots of old homes, my personal favorite style is the tutor style house. All down portage path and merriman road are all all historical homes. The worst parts of Akron (east side) are basically the average neighborhood in Cleveland which I why I think akron Is 100% a better place than Cleveland. Basically if you got rid of the shitty cleveland like east side it would give akron a giant boost.
Winston salem NC 7/10 This city reminded me of akron a lot, the metropolitan size of it is basically the same, the downtown isn't as fun in my opinion but Akrons isn't all that either. I stayed in the worst area to stay at in winston salem tho (hanes mall) but I wad only there at night so it wasn't all day. If I where to move somewhere out of state it might be here just because I got used to it so easily and have family close in SC. Pilot mountain is also worth visiting and has some great hikes and views, you can see the phallic building of WS from the peak lmao.
Norfolk VA 6.5/10 the area we stayed at here was legit pretty dangerous, my grandma booked a hotel in the shittiest neighborhood at a days inn, but I still am a huge fan of naval shit so this place was awesome. There's tons of boating stuff to do here and some really cool miltary equipment to look at. Honestly if we didn't stay in the worst part of this place it probably would of gotten a 7 but maybe I should try it out again.
The rest will be posted later after this

I've worked on translating this and correcting as much as possible what the AI translator got wrong.
This depicts the experience of the Swedish Defense and Civil Defense Ministers trip to Ukraine from a human level.
​
First Tweet
https://twitter.com/CarlOskastatus/1665700384784932867
​
We are in a secret location where soldiers are being trained for war. Sweden's Minister of Defense, Pål Jonson, and I are in Ukraine.
The temperature in the sandpit we descended into is approaching 30 degrees. The Ukrainian gnats are as big as small flies and occur at a frequency that makes a Swedish cloudberries bog feel as gnat-free as a winter day. The men in front of us each hold an AK-47 in their hands. On a given order, they raise their rifles and open fire towards each other. They aim and shoot at the sand wall just inches to the side of each other. With live ammunition at a distance of about 20 meters. We stand another 20 meters away without earmuffs. That alone would surely be a matter for a personnel responsibility board back home in a country with over 200 years of peace. But here, there is war. The young men who have just pointed loaded rifles at their comrades lacked military experience just a couple of weeks ago. In a few more weeks, they will be fully trained. But they won't be mustered out and travel in Asia for their conscription compensation. They will go directly to the front, and everyone knows that for some, it will be a one-way trip. There is a seriousness in the eyes of everyone we meet, but not a hint of despair.
We continue walking in the fine sand amidst the continuous and deafening clatter of automatic rifles. At regular intervals, the dull pounding is interrupted by the sound of tank salvos that strike deep in the pit of the stomach. All of this is framed by a lush Ukrainian early summer landscape. Amidst all the impressions, a kind of dissonance arises. What is beautiful, good, and meaningful takes lifetimes to build. It takes decades to build a cathedral, centuries to build a city, but it only takes a moment to destroy them. In some way, this transience manifests one of humanity's darkest asymmetries. This fragility is most clearly expressed in human life itself. Nothing is as vast, complex, and beautiful as life, yet it can be extinguished irreversibly with the slightest means in an instant. I think of the young men in front of me. Those who today would have been doing something entirely different if it weren't for their country currently facing an enemy that not only wants to use death and destruction as a political tool but to erase everything that is uniquely Ukrainian. The young men have just fired a salvo in the sand wall next to their comrades, not out of carelessness or recklessness, but because it is considered one of the few things that can give a mental sense and a semblance of preparation for the hellish torment that awaits them at the front.
It is the morning of May 26th. The night was spent in Kyiv, part of it in a shelter. The heavy Russian bombers fired cruise missiles during the night, and one of them was heading towards Kyiv. From the parking garage that served as our shelter, we could hear the air defense system, in the form of the American Patriot battery, working successfully. As we get into the cars, the convoy rolls northwest out of Kyiv. Alongside the wrecks of Russian tanks, triumphantly placed in Maidan Square, and sandbags in front of basement windows converted into shelters, the physical traces of war are almost non-existent in the city environment.
After a fifteen-minute drive, our cars stop. We are standing on a bridge abutment, but in front of us, where there used to be a bridge, there is now only an empty space about ten meters above the Irpin River. The gap is lined with twisted beams, reinforcement bars, and broken concrete elements. On the other side of the destroyed connection lie the suburbs of Irpin and Bucha, forever inscribed in the history books for the war crimes committed by Russian forces there. It was here, on the other side of the bridge abutment, that the Russian advance came to a halt. It was here that Kyiv was saved, here and in a few other places. I am shown pictures of the men who held the bridge abutment. Dressed in ordinary down jackets and armed with a mixed assortment of whatever was available. "History never repeats itself, but it rhymes," said Mark Twain. It was on this very river that the Red Army once fought against Hitler's Germany. Back then, the Russians defended themselves against Nazi brutal expansionism; now, 80 years later, it is a bitter, power-hungry Russia that is waging an unprovoked and flagrantly illegal war of aggression, with a narrative as twisted and damaged as the broken bridge element in front of us.
The bridge is already being rebuilt, but a few hundred meters away, the traces of what was irreversibly done are visible. After crossing the river on a temporary bridge, we stop at what looks like a gigantic scrapyard in a parking space. Stacked on top of each other are the wrecks of burned-out cars. Just over a year ago, these vehicles belonged to people fleeing for their lives. Most in vain. Small messages are written on the wrecked cars. Sunflowers, the symbol of Ukrainian resilience, are painted on the burned-out wrecks. When the bridge over the Irpin River was blown up, long lines of cars trying to escape were formed. While the evacuation was taking place, Russian forces indiscriminately fired into the rows of cars with civilians fleeing.
The man who receives us in front of the burned-out wrecks is the mayor of Irpin and the commander of the territorial defense for Irpin, a kind of equivalent to the home guard. Together with his counterparts in the suburbs around Kyiv, he was tasked with evacuating his municipality and defending Kyivagainst the Russian advance. Over 95 percent of Irpin's population was evacuated. Lives were saved to an extent that is difficult to comprehend, but in his gaze, there is also a testimony to those who could not, would not, or did not have time to be saved. For his efforts, he and his colleagues were awarded the "Nation's Hero" medal. It is hard to imagine a more deserving recipient of such an honor. He thanks us for the great support that Sweden has provided. Pål and I object, saying that it is we who owe him and everyone in his position a thank you for the immensely significant efforts they have made for their residents, for their country, and for all of Europe. We are told that we must continue our journey, but we would love to stay and express our gratitude and reverence even more. Irpin's strong man, in the most fitting sense of the word, receives a big hug from me and Pål before we roll on.
In the car, it is impossible not to think about municipal preparedness back home in Sweden. There is a lot of good being done in Preparedness Sweden, but often we encounter the objection that the state must open its wallet for the right things to happen, or in the worst case, for something to happen at all. The contrast to the meeting with the mayor of Irpin is monumental. Not once did he mention resources, even though he acted under a constant and ongoing existential resource shortage. Sweden's municipalities receive over 100 billion kronor in general state grants every year. I think about the core mission of municipalities and wish that more municipal politicians could also meet the mayor of Irpin and contemplate what truly constitutes the core activities of a municipality. Later that day, in my Twitter feed, I read about a medium-sized Swedish municipality that has 40 communication officers employed. Often, municipalities of the same size emphasize that they now have one preparedness officer, as if that is an achievement. Politics is about prioritizing.
​
Second tweet:
https://twitter.com/CarlOskastatus/1665701191135756291
We have just turned off the highway towards Chernihiv and made our way onto smaller and smaller roads. The cars are rolling through an avenue of trees reminiscent of central Sweden, but in the image of what could have been Sweden, there is also a foreign element between each tree. On knocked-down wooden stakes, there is a small plastic sign with the unmistakable skull against a high-contrast background. "Danger - Mines." Everything except the narrow gravel road is ventured upon with life thrown into the equation. What used to be productive fields on either side of the road has been transformed into a dangerous no-man's-land. The men who meet us when we step out of the cars are engaged in mine and ammunition clearance. Twenty meters behind us, subordinate personnel walk around in the ruins of what used to be a building. The on-site chief apologizes for a moment as he makes an announcement on the radio for everyone to cease their search activities to ensure that nothing happens while we walk around.
Beside us are fenced-off areas surrounded by knee-high plastic tape. Inside the boundaries lie several artillery shells. Visually, the enclosed area reminds me of the training facility I visited with the Prime Minister at the MSB (Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency) outside Kramfors in April. There, indicators and markings were practiced on various replicas of mines and grenades. However, in front of us today, there are no replicas, only live undetonated grenades. This morning's findings are recounted by a member of the team. In addition to regular mines and unexploded grenades, the Russians have booby-trapped where one least expects it. It can range from aircraft bombs placed in a basement connected to a door handle to a small amount of explosive hidden in a discarded lighter lying on the ground. There are also examples of how booby-trapping is placed under regular mines and even under or around dead bodies. The person in charge on-site raises his hands in the air and bluntly states, "At the rate we are currently able to clear and secure areas, it will take us 750 years to rid Ukraine of mines and unexploded ammunition." Sweden is already helping in this area, but it becomes apparent that we and everyone else should do more. I promise to bring the question home and investigate what we can do.
A short distance from the burned-out wrecks of agricultural machinery at the mined and now unusable fields lies the small village of Yahidne. When the Russian campaign began encountering resistance in the advance towards Kyiv, Yahidne became yet another scene of Russian barbarism. The village's school was converted into a Russian military command center, the surrounding buildings were leveled, and the village's 300 inhabitants, including women, children, and the elderly, were gathered and forced into the basement of the school. The following 28 days turned the basement into a concentration camp. The captured residents began to die because they were deprived of the most basic human need - sufficient access to oxygenated air. In an article about Yahidne, some surviving villagers describe how the school, up until the invasion, was the pride of the village. A point of gathering, a place of hope for the future. The young generation's ticket to a better life than their elders. But it didn't turn out that way. What remains now is the school building as a trauma for all those who survived the hell in the basement. A place few want to approach. A building that still stands, but was used to destroy an entire village. A ruin of what could have been, and a testimony to what instead became.
I like transformer stations. The revelation is likely not surprising to those who have followed me in my previous role as chairman of the Parliament's Committee on Industry. Now we have arrived at one of the major transformer stations that are crucial for the residents of Kyiv to receive their electricity, heating, and water. The location we are at is a prioritized target for Russian remote warfare. We look at fallen high-voltage lines and burnt-out transformers. A cat comes up to us and greets us. The CEO tells us that it lives in one of the newly built technical stations. The old one turned into a pile of debris after being hit by a Russian cruise missile, but the cat survived and doesn't seem to have any plans to leave. I think about the information warfare on social media and how the carefree cat, if it were known, could have become a symbol of Russian imperfection.
By targeting this location and others like it, Russia has repeatedly attempted to disrupt the Ukrainian power grid in order to break the Ukrainian resistance and defense will. What Ukrenergo, the Ukrainian counterpart to the Swedish power grid, has achieved during this ongoing war is unparalleled. In Sweden, we have sometimes had the notion that our power plants are the most prioritized targets for military attacks, which has led, among other things, to the unfounded conclusion that we would need to shut down our nuclear power plants in times of heightened readiness. Anyone who knows how the power system works could tell you that this is a mistaken assumption, which is also confirmed by the outcome in Ukraine. Power plants are difficult to combat, but substations, transformer stations, and junction points are essentially easier targets. By attacking transformer stations linked to major consumption points, one not only causes significant problems for all downstream electricity consumers, but also creates imbalances that can propagate throughout the system and, in the worst case, destroy and disable the entire or parts of the power supply in a country.
The CEO tells us about the relentless race against time during the winter, repairs during ongoing remote warfare, and the ability to proactively shut down parts of the power system to better handle the imbalances caused by disabled junction points in the system. Ukraine's power system partly resembles the power system Sweden had in the 1980s—robust and predominantly based on predictable electricity production. This has been crucial for Ukraine to successfully endure the winter against all odds. Heavy predictable electricity production not only makes the power system less susceptible to disruptions but also makes it easier to sectionalize and run parts of the system in what is called emergency operation when other parts are vulnerable or have stopped functioning. This has enabled Ukraine to proactively shut down parts of the power grid during remote warfare, reducing the risk of disturbances spreading and damaging the entire system. Heavy predictable production is also one of the prerequisites for restarting the power system after a grid collapse. Sweden has reason to draw several lessons from what we have seen in Ukraine. Several of these are manifested in the parts of the Tidö Agreement concerning energy policy. In addition to this, the importance of reserve components and a well-functioning air defense cannot be emphasized enough to protect the power system from the pressures that an armed attack brings.
When we enter the room where Ukraine's Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov receives us, it is immediately noticeable that he has a warm and close relationship with Pål. Reznikov is interested in motorsports, and instead of the usual customary gifts, Pål has managed to arrange a pair of racing gloves signed by none other than Kenny Bräck, whom Pål knows from Värmland.
When Pål visited Reznikov already in December, they traveled together to Odesa and Mykolajiv. The Swedish Minister of Defense was then the minister in all of Europe who had traveled furthest east in Ukraine. If Pål had been able to decide for himself, without the involvement of Säpo, we would surely have been well on our way to the front to visit soldiers in the trenches by now.
I may be biased since we are colleagues, but before taking office, I didn't know Pål in any deeper detail. Behind an occasionally soft-spoken and strict demeanor, there is a person with material orientation and thematic knowledge at a level unique to the role, and a work ethic and drive that simply cannot be found everywhere. No other Defense Minister in modern times has had as many significant parallel commitments on their plate. NATO membership, a war in Europe with the development of military support packages, EU presidency, and the management of increased defense budgets. The conversation with Reznikov is candid and serious at the same time. We talk about the military support from Sweden that is coming soon and what the future needs look like.
It is time to move on from the Ministry of Defense to the place where we will meet with the President of Ukraine. It is not possible to overestimate Volodymyr Zelensky's importance for the determination and Ukrainian successes after February 24, 2022. No one knows exactly where we are going except the Ukrainian security service leading the way ahead of us. Checkpoints and security checks follow one another. Finally, Pål, myself, and the Swedish Ambassador, Tobias Thyberg, sit alone in a waiting room. After a short while, the door opens, and we are welcomed inside. Zelensky has a firm handshake and a presence in the room that is unparalleled. He thanks Sweden for everything we do, and we discuss the future. Our bilateral meeting was scheduled for fifteen minutes, but the conversation lasted for half an hour. We are escorted out of the building whose interior had clearly been transformed to meet the demands of war.
Last tweet:
https://twitter.com/CarlOskastatus/1665701959825752066
The final visit to Chernihiv is coming to an end. We have just been shown young men and women who are undergoing training to become mine and UXO clearers. The commander on site leads us into an adjacent building and says that it is finally time for some entertainment. In a large auditorium where we are the only guests, a military orchestra is lined up on the stage. To the right, on a big screen, a slideshow with the Swedish and Ukrainian flags is playing. As we sit down, we find out that many members of the orchestra are fighting on the front lines. Like everyone else, they have also suffered losses. The orchestra begins to play, and it is impossible to remain unaffected. Here I am, in a country at war, which has suffered so many hardships, listening to an orchestra playing ABBA for me and Sweden's Minister of Defense. It is impossible not to love Ukraine.
On the way home, I sit alone with Pål and summarize the impressions. There is so much that touches deeply. We talk about defense willingness and the importance of trying to increase understanding of what the security situation means and can mean for Sweden in every given situation. The Baltic countries have a gloomy view of what lies ahead. We talk about the mayor of Irpin and his men in territorial defense who fought with what they had and contributed to Kyivnever falling during the critical first days. Pål summarizes frankly: "It's about making a decision from the beginning, you have to give everything right away and fight hard, so damn hard. It hurts, but there is no alternative."
Carl-Oskar Bohlin
Minister for Civil Defense, Sweden

So I finished up season one, and I gotta say, I really liked this show. Seeing some new faces on HGTV and a new regional location was nice. Having grown up on the east coast and with lots of family in the NE region, I could really relate to these choppy houses more than I can to 800k-plus California homes where "the kitchen is just ugly". I think Denese is a quality designer and really listens to the homeowners on what their needs are for their homes, and I think the way Mike puts actual thought on how to open the homes up within their budgets is well thought out and clever. I enjoy that they get their dads involved, who were actually involved in the trades. It is a great way to get that "family touch" that HGTV seems to be shoving down viewers' throats with bullshit doctor sonogram visits or a picnic in the park with the kids. Anyway, I hope it was successful enough that they bring it back for another season.

Returned last week from a 3 week trip in Japan, my first!
Did the very typical route of Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto-Tokyo but did things a little different stayed in 7 hotels throughout my stay. Why? My wife and I are very much food and nightlife focus and love to get a feel of neighborhoods, this enabled us to do one inconvenient journey to then set up base for the next few nights, get a feel of neighborhoods and avoided expensive Taxi fares at night.
This trip report will focus mostly on the wanky food, coffee and drinking spots that I enjoyed - as well as some tourist highlights
 

Tokyo ^{May 10-18}

Shibuya

First couple of nights was a treat hotel stay as this was a delayed Honeymoon. We stayed in the Cerulean Tower in Shibuya on an executive floor and it was worth every cent. Mostly just chilled around the hotel adjusting with the jet lag and using the executive perks. Whilst we stayed here we drank at R261 CIGAR & ROCK and mostly the Executive lounge "free" cocktail hour.
 
Notable spots:
SG Low - great foreign friendly introduction to Izakaya culture.
L'Intemporel - Amazing French fusion tasting course with wine pairing, not cheap (honeymoon remember) but we wanted to try Japanese influenced French and it did not disappoint!
 

Shinjuku

Stayed at the Tokyu Stay East Side, spacious but basic and a little bit away from the madness but close enough to explore the nightlife in the area, also close to Shinokubo.
I know Golden Gai can be a questionable visit but my wife and I loved it, found some real niche bars that we enjoyed, hotel was in close proximity, loved Piss Alley too
Experienced my first basement of a shopping center and was blown away. I know that everyone recommends it but holy shit, the food options are endless. Great if you want to take some treats back to the hotel.
 
Notable spots:
Kodoji Small bar in Golden Gai that is also a photography gallery. Very much a locals only joint, owner eyes you up before you allowed to drink. The regulars were lovely.
Bay Window More laid back and spacious, the owner had extensive knowledge of Japanese whiskey, very much enjoyed!
All Seasons Coffee Fantastic Coffee in an independent shop
養老乃瀧 新宿西口店 Good Izakaya in Piss Alley. Not the typical small and crowded joint, eating upstairs near the window you can see the trains go by.
Uobei Shin-Okubo I know its Kaiten sushi but my wife and I were blown away with the quality. We are Sushi novices so we are likely rating this with inexperienced palates. If you want to dip your toe into Sushi/Sashimi I couldnt recommend it enough!
Hanbey's Izakaya Yes its a chain and the food is average at best but if you book in advance you might be lucky to get a private room. Cheap and cheerful with a great vintage decor
 

Azabu-Juban

Random one to move here but we found a great deal at the Oakwood Hotel & Apartments. Has an amazing view of Tokyo Tower! We also had a steak restuarnt booked, see below, and knew we were going to the Tsukiji Outer Market and Sumo tournament so it seemed like a good base of travel.
Lined up big day of Tsukiji Outer Market - Sumo Grand Tournamet - Asakusa.
Quick take, Tsukiji Outer Market can be missed if traveling to Kyoto or Osaka. I found the markets in Kyoto and Osaka to be less hectic and a little cheaper and just as enjoyable. Tsukiji is a massive magnet to all tourists across the city, I sure enjoyed it at the time but then when I went to Nishiki Market and Kuromon Ichiba Market I found them to be just as enjoyable but with less of a crowd.
Sumo Grand Tournament - If you ever have the opportunity I would 100% recommend to go. We go the nose bleeds and got in a little early to look around. If you want to see the more high profile fights go in a little later, around 2pm. Was pretty cool to see the Sumo walking from the station to the stadium.
Sensō-ji Temple in the evening was great, noone about and you get to take on the temple as the sun sets. Couldn't recommend going later enough, felt like we had it to ourselves and you have a lot of decent food options around Hoppy street.
Made a trip out to Nakameguro on a nice day and it was a lovely chilled vibe. Checked out the vintage shops there and then had a drink chilling by the river. A nice escape from the madness of Shibuya and Shinjuku, some really lovely independent shops, cafe and restaurants
 
Notable spots:
Juban Ukyo Stand Bar Stumbled across this and loved it. If you like your natural wines and are in the area this is a go to, even have orange wine which was hard to come by elsewhere.
Northcote Coffee Shop Small independant coffee shop that makes a decent cup, owner is very lovely and happy to have a chat - she lived in Melbourne previously.
Komiyama-nishiazabu Another splash out dinner, holy shit this was amazing. The Chef used to be a butcher so he buys by the cow and takes you on a tasting course of all the different cuts. One of the best meals I've had
Turret Coffee Tsukiji If you like your coffee strong, this is the one. Like an uppercut of caffeine. Loved it!
Popeye Conveniently located next to Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Arena, if you are a craft beer drinker this is the OG spot in Tokyo. As with all craft beer its more on the expensive side, however, they offer a free place of food from selected drinks during their happy hour, helps soften the blow.
Akagaki Hoppy street wasn't doing it for us and my wife was curious of this place, we stuck our heads in and had a night we will never forget. Very much a local spot but welcoming to foreigners - if there is space. Once we mentioned were on honeymoon the Shochu didnt stop, also made a friend who booked us in at Imahan Honten, more on that later.
 
Quick take - Though its fun getting Ekiben from Tokyo station, in comparison to Konbini or bakery food its pretty poor. Opted for one to share and then grab something quality from a Konbini
Quick take ^again - if you are doing my same overall route there is no need for the JR pass. If you book ahead, a month in advance and the max, on the SmartEX site you can get discount tickets for standard and green cart. Also book an oversized baggage seat if possible, yes your suitcase might fit above or in front of you but if you book the Nozomi train - a non JR pass Shinkansen, you are likely to be one of the few foreigners in your carriage that are hauling baggage so likely no competition. These seats cost no more than the standard, they are just limited, also book the D and E seat for Mt Fuji views, were were lucky and saw it twice! Our tickets to Osaka were ¥12,370 each, little more on return as we only booked them a week in advance. In total it was ¥26,340 return each, cheaper than a 7 day pass and on faster trains.  

Osaka ^{May 18-23}

Namba

First stayed in an interesting container hotel called Distortion 9. Was really in the thick of it, just a short walk from the station.
Dotonbori is hectic, too hectic. I did enjoy the lights and restaurant displays but the sheer amount of people was overwhelming. Very much enjoyed the vibe of America-mura and Yotsubashi, lots of vintage shops and boutiques.
Shinsekai was great, highly recommend going a little later in the day to see at night. Come hungry as there are a lot of great Kushikatsu and Okonomiyaki spots about.
 
Notable spots:
SAKImoto COFFEE A great cup, can also buy and bring over baked goods from across the road.
Gokai Tachizushi Nambanankaidori Great quality Sushi/Sashimi for the price. Very much an Izakaya feel.
Umineko Great craft standing bar.
LiLo Coffee Roasters Really great cup of coffee
Luv Wine Namba A really lovely standing wine bar. The owners where very warm and welcoming. Great selection of wines and quality food.
EDENICO Coffee shop by day, bar by night. Enjoyed having a chilled afternoon here with a local we made friends with at the standing bar.
 

Kita

Moved to her to stay in a cheaper hotel as we were doing day trips for a couple of days. Osaka underground city is mental, when we first got out the station we thought we moved to a ghost town, little did I know there was an entire underground city below stretching for city blocks, makes for some confusing google map directions
Nakazakichō was a sleeper hit of Osaka, great to explore the vintage and art shops of the area and an exceptionally good coffee/cafe scene here. Wish I could have come back later to see what the buzz was like at night.
Nara Park was worth the visit but is overwhelming with crowds initially. Once you hike a little more into the hills it really opens up and you can appreciate the beauty of it more. Would have like to explore the city more but a hot day in the park really takes it out of you.
 
Notable spots:
お初天神 大衆レトロ酒場 オハツ商店 個室居酒屋 Great standard Izakaya we ate at. More flagging this for the area itself.
Not really known by tourists- I think we were the only white folk about. A gem of a spot home to a number of bars, restaurants and Izakaya
Monaca Coffee incredibly well curated coffee spot, surprised we got a seat as it seemed very popular once we got in. One of the best pour over coffees I've had.
 
Quick take If you are traveling from Osaka to Kyoto and are staying in the Gion area opt for the Keihan Main Line trains. Only costs ¥430 and drops you at Gion-Shijo/Ōebashi station. Dont be confused if you think you need a reservation, only the premium seats require that. Just take any seat you can find.
 

Kyoto ^{May 23-26}

Gion

Was really unsure whether to go to Hakone and stay in a traditional Ryokan or not but instead opted to rent a traditional Japanese home in Gion instead, much to the delight of my bank account - Hakone Onsen Ryokans are £££££. Loved our house, had the Tammi mats and a view of the local temple gardens.
Gion was beautiful but also consumed with tourists, however everyone seemed very respectful in comparison to other popular tourist magnets. Was fortunate to catch the last day of performances at Pontochô Kaburenjô. Drank like a local along the river on a nice day which was very lovely, the river is so clean!
Did two "touristy" things whilst staying here, Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine and Arashiyama. The Tori gate shrine we visited in the late afternoon. Was a little hectic at the beginning but the further we got to the summit the less crowded it became. Once we got down there was hardly anyone left. Couldn't recommend going later in the afternoon more, you get a great view of Kyoto as the sun starts to set. The hike to the top is a little more than expected, more that my wife was in heeled sandals. Shes a trooper though and scaled it with ease, I would just recommend flat shoes at the minimum.
Arashiyama was fantastic, we went on a really shitty weather day. Which was great as it only attracted the brave. We did the Sagano Scenic Rail which I can't recommend enough. Pretty spectacular getting out of that first tunnel. We had a massive down pour when going through some valleys, was wild and forever memorable especially all the thick clouds crawling through the valleys.
Bamboo forest was also empty due to the rain but we didnt stay long as how much bamboo can you see?
 
Notable spots:
RUTUBO This place was swarming with tourists unfortunatley, I guess it comes with the area, however I couldn't recommend this place enough. Specialising in smoked Izakaya dishes and drinks. Stayed here all evening and loved it.
Imozou Kyoto Kiyamachi Tried this on a whim and loved it, got a seat upstairs which was a modern traditional Japanese table and booth. Solid food and lots and lots of Sake and Shochu options.
Hello Dolly Great cocktail bar with records spinning. Lucky to get a spot as the bartenders are quick to turn people away
 

Tokyo ^{May 26-30}

Shibuya

Our final stint, Staying at Shibuya Stream as we hadn't utilised the area prior due to the fancy pants hotel and jet lag. This final stretch was to just relax a little but enjoy any spots we potentially missed. Checked out Harajuku again as we visited on our first day and holy hell, never go on a weekend hahaha. Escaped by going to Shimokitazawa which has a great vibe, stumbled upon the Neutral Case craft beer fest which was a score. I found this area better for vintage but still on the more expensive side in the smaller store. Worthy for a visit, would be interesting to see the nightlife here.
We made a friend in Osaka and his girlfriend was performing pole at THE27CLUB That was SUPER fun, a little expensive, but a great vibe.
 
Notable spots:
Ramen Nagi - Shibuya. Ichiran gets all the foreign hype but I actually enjoyed this more (can't go wrong with either tbf). The host was funny as she screamed orders to the kitchen.
BEATCAFE Great genuine dive bar. REALLY loved this place and wish I could have stayed longer but I was cooked.
WOKINI Another big favourite of the trip, great cocktails and tunes. I was pretty pickled prior to arriving, wish I got in earlier so I could have stayed all night.
PIZZA SLICE my second only western meal, was hanging out my ass because of above and sought the pizza gods for healing. Tasty slice, could have stuffed my face but said hangover was having other ideas. Great vibe in there and reasonable priced, well compared to London.
Imahan Honten A friend that we made in Akagaki the week prior married into this family run Sukiyaki restaurant. I'm so glad we did meet her because this was a great swan song. We were given a private room and got the sirloin set. Was unreal! On the expensive side but was an experience I would never forget.
NEW YORK BAR Got to get my Lost in Translation fix. Pretty exceptional views but also incredibly expensive. Still really enjoyed it but sneaky that tax and service is not included
CoCo Ichibanya After throwing down at New York Bar its only fair we balanced the scales. I was pleasantly surprised how good this was, I know everyone will throw shade or have better options but for a chain it was shockingly good.
Bellovisto We end our holiday with where we started, this time in the roof top bar of Cerulean tower. I 100% can recommend this over the New York Bar, of course you don't get the Lost in Translation clout however you get better views cheaper drinks and exceptional service. They had a live piano signer on too. Typically there was a cover charge but its free if you are staying in the hotel - something we only realised when we came back and weren't guests.....
 
Last Quick Take Go to the flea markets for cheap and unique souvenirs. My wife went to Odeo Antique Market and managed to find some bargain Kokeshi dolls and Kimonos. A little more unique than Don Quijote bits, which in the end I thought was a bit of a ripoff.
 
If you made it this far then congratulations. Feel free if you have any questions, I will be happy to share anything coffee, wine, vintage, clothing and craft beer related.
 
Lastly Craft Beer Can shops, found it hard to find can shops for takeaway but loved these two:
ISETAN CRAFT BEER BAR
クラフトビール酒屋 threefeet Tokyo 表参道原宿本店

I originally tried to post this in germany to get the word out but they won't accept it (no talk of 'illegal substances') so I will try it here instead:
Hey guys, feel like I need to bring this up after a recent trip to Germany. I tried the hash and weed from a handful of people, and all of them gave me a terrible brain fog the days after which some people who lived there also said they often got.
I have traveled to and smoked in dozens of cities on over half the continents and this brain fog is something I have only experienced in one other place, a poor country in Southeast Asia where the weed was grown by people who didn't know what they were doing and who wanted to do it as cheaply as possible.
Word was it was loaded with cheap pesticides.... well.. in Germany I felt the exact same thing.
Considering if you walk in any park at sunset you see tons of the youth smoking.... I don't know that public health emergency is a reasonable thing to say, but, if I were running the country this would be a top priority for me. My guess is they are getting a lot of cheap hash coming in from the middle east that was made with the same type of pesticide covered weed I experienced in the past, and that the weed they have is grown the same way.
I think the locals just don't know because its all theyve got and everyone else is doing it so its normalized to them. I have been around enough to say I am almost certain I had legit weed and not the synthetic stuff that is going around, but the brain fog does make me even question that a bit.
Anyone else noticed this? Or does my brain and German weed just not mix right?

Hello,
From DFW here and looking for a get away into east Texas. Which city do you all think would serve as a good base of operations for a few days? What are some must see things to do? Caddo Lake? Tyler State Park?
I have 3 boys - 3, 5, 6. So would like to be outdoors a lot.
Edit: My east Texas was too vague. We're more looking around the I20 corridor: Tyler - Longview - Jefferson.