The Libertarian – June 2021

Cover by pikasyu
No.ArticleSectionAuthor
0Team Leader IntroductionIntroductionpartyicon
1Summertime StrugglesInformativeinl4rrywetrust
2Picnic in the ParkOffice Spotlight,-Spell
3Festival of FriendshipInterviewrandomkilled
4Watermelon SugarRecipeChristianM.0498
5D-DayInformativeMatiWoods
6The Big Day OutCreativehumania
7Daisy Chain & Lava LampHow ToYodar
8The View From VIPInterviewChristianM.0498
9Sunshine in the OfficeInterviewrandomkilled
10A Summer RomanceRecipepikasyu
11Joys of SummerInterviewchiari.cord
12Summer CrosswordGameOPA

Team Leader Introduction

By partyicon

Cover by Nichilismo

Welcome to the June edition of The Libertarian! Summer has arrived and you can feel it in the air! This month’s theme is the wonderful season of Summer!

Personally, being in the United Kingdom we don’t get many sunny days, but when summer comes you know that with the tiniest bit of sun the BBQs will be cooking. Summer for me is the time of year when everyone gets to enjoy being out, and that’s exactly what this month’s Libertarian reflects. So what else might summer represent? We’ve got more than just summer covered, but things like friendship and how relationships blossom this time of year all the way to tasty refreshing recipes. 

At the start of this month, I was quite overwhelmed as this is my first time working on the Libertarian as a Project Leader. I’ve grown and developed along the way, and my team has made every bit of this journey an honor for me. For that, I’d like to thank my entire June Libertarian team for all their hard work through the month and on behalf of us all, we hope you have a lovely summer! Enjoy the Libertarian: June Edition 2021!


Summertime Struggles

By inl4rrywetrust

Cover by Peaches.,

INTRODUCTION TO SOW

The Standard of Work (SoW) is a system created to monitor and ensure that personnel in offices are active in USDF. The weekly minimum is 20 points for active duty and 10 for those in Reserves 1. There are different ways to achieve SoW, such as manning HQ positions, completing office duties, and winning HQ games! However, at times it can become pretty difficult to complete SoW requirements, especially in the summer when we are all busy with vacations. In today’s article, I will explain to you different ways to gain SoW, and the rewards that come with it!

HOW TO REACH SOW

The Welcome Desk, Information Desk, Duty Desk Operator, Lobby Guide, Sentry, and Sentry Assistant positions all reward 3 points of SoW, if you man at least 1 position for 1 hour each day for four days, you will be able to gain 24 points which are 4 points more than the minimum!

Most FEATs are worth 2 points, which only tasks 10-30 minutes hosting. If you host 2 FEATs per day, in 4 days you will have obtained 24 SoW points, which again is 4 points more than the minimum. The same goes for DMAPs, AMT, and BMT!

FEATs {B, M, P, K} and PTPs {CMP, SS, BAC, PT, MD} award you 4 points per host, if you host 1 of these FEATs or PTPs a day, you will have obtained 20 points over 5 days.

FEATs {H, I, S} award you 5 points per host, if you host 1 of these FEATs during 4 days, you will have obtained 20 points by the end of the week.

Most office duties award you 2 points per duty, if you combine office duties with HQ duties or hosting FEATs, you will complete SoW in no time!

KEEPING TRACK OF SOW

There are a few different ways to keep track of your SoW, the easiest one is to note them down in your computer or phone’s notepad application. An easy way to note it down is “0.5 Welcome Desk – xStarlight11.” The format is simple and easy to move around: 

[TIME SPENT IN POSITION] [POSITION] – [WHO CONFIRMED].

You may also like to add the date you completed your shifts along with your screenshots just in case you ever get audited or your points didn’t submit due to glitchy forms. At least now you’ll have a record and proof. I use the Carl bot to track my shifts, then I copy and paste it on the Work Tracker without the need of doing any modification.

Another way to keep track of your SoW is to create a sheet on Excel or Google Sheets and log down your shifts, you can save your file on your device/cloud without losing it and usually these sheets have their own auto-save abilities.

TOP PERFORMER & HIGH ACHIEVER

There comes many rewards when achieving SoW, such as promotions and medals, and the famous “In the Spotlight Initiative”, however the most noticeable ones are Top Performer and High Achiever awards. Top Performers are awarded to the first 10 performers in the Global Standings, meaning they have obtained the most points out of everyone in USDF.

High Achievers are the two performers who have obtained the most points within their office, they will receive 10c and a HC Box from the DA&M.

POINTSCOINS
1000 Points85c Bonus (totaling 100c)
750 Points60c Bonus (totaling 75c)
500 Points35c Bonus (totaling 50c)
4th & 5th performers (500+ points)25c bonus (totaling 40c)

Although it is not a difficult task to achieve SoW, it can become a struggle at times. It is important that we take our time to enjoy ourselves when it comes to Habbo, with a good schedule, and keeping everything in check, completing SoW will become a duty that you won’t even have to think twice about doing. This will also improve your performance within USDF, by logging on at least 3 hours every two days, you will be able to achieve your SoW with ease. Thank you for reading and I hope this has helped someone!


Picnic in the Park

By ,-Spell

Cover by Legendmilk

How long have you been in OPA and what do you enjoy most about it?

I’ve been in OPA since last June, and there’s a lot of things that I enjoy about it! Mostly, I love the people, over time I feel like everyone has made me feel better and more comfortable in the Office. Not only are they friendly, but they’re always there to help guide you with what you need. Despite how much or how little you know about something, there will always be someone willing to give a hand or find the best solution for you!

~ chiari.cord

I have been in OPA multiple times in my career, but since my return to USDF I have been part of OPA for 2 months now! What I enjoy most about OPA is the people that I get to work with in events or when hosting games. There are also multiple learning experiences that OPA has to offer.

~ randomkilled

I’ve been in OPA since April 25th 2021. One of my favorite things about OPA are the games. It’s really fun seeing everyone’s faces having fun and doing activities all at once. Another thing I love about OPA are the events. Creating and playing them are really something else.

~ Siluc

What made you join OPA?

To be honest, I didn’t really have a reason why I wanted to join OPA. I joined mainly because I wanted to be in an Office, and OPA seemed like the coolest one (which it is). I also like everything that has to do with being creative and I was just starting to use Photoshop, so this seemed like a good opportunity for me to join. Events seemed fun, and I was thrilled to participate in them. I must admit, I didn’t plan on staying in OPA for a long time, as I wasn’t really sure exactly what I wanted to do, so maybe I could explore more Offices, but once I got to see everything OPA has to offer, I realized I did want to stay here long term.

~ chiari.cord

It just felt right. On my return to USDF I had other Office’s in mind to try out, but I just felt that OPA has done so much for me in the past that it’s only right for me to come back here first. And also I just know that I’ll be able to click really well with the other members as that’s how the office is. You’d never feel lonely when you’re in OPA.

~ randomkilled

Well, the first time I joined was back in 2018/2019 and it was the Radio. I remember little me thinking about how cool it would be to be on the radio.

~ Siluc

Do you have any particular memories or screenshots of OPA that you like?

I have a lot of memories, going from Radio Sessions that led to a lot of fun, like for example when I got my Radio training and almost had a panic attack, or when we did the Radio Marathon! Apart from that, a lot of Building Sessions were the highlights of projects, where we got together for an hour or so to develop our creativity into the project’s rooms. Lastly, a very special one to me was when I was OPA’s HNCO, and I had to host an OPA meeting. Of course, as always, I was very nervous, but now it’s definitely one of the greatest memories I have of the Office.

~ chiari.cord

I really don’t have a particular memory, I have lots to recall but I do have a screenshot of my very first event that I helped build and organize back in 2015. I’m the red hair guy!

~ Siluc 

I have one with an old friend who was laughing about the radio and how I accidentally had my voice changer on for about 15 mins without noticing it. At the time, it was really embarrassing but now I just find it really funny and amusing.

~ Siluc


Festival of Friendship

By randomkilled

Cover by chiari.cord

Hello there! I am CWO3 RandomKilled from the Office of Public Affairs! This interview will be about building a sense of camaraderie- and friendship in USDF and how those friendships are an important part of the growth of USDF. I would like to thank everyone who participated and took time out of their day to talk to me.

Question 1: Before we begin please introduce yourself and how long have you been part of USDF to the readers?

CWO5, SEAC Horus – I am Horus, or Nicholas although everyone just calls me Nic. I am cool, extremely funny, happy-go-lucky and awesome. My hobbies are spending time with friends, gaming, watching movies and going to the gym. I first enlisted in USDF in May 2017 and I have been a part of USDF for almost a year and a half.

LT, DCNO MP Underterminated Hi Chief! So I’m Lieutenant Underterminated, also known as Andre. I’ve been in USDF for over a year now (since February 2020) and that’s without any leaves, duty changes or discharges 😀 Since joining USDF, I started my journey in OJFD and later joined OMP in my WO ranks and it’s been my home ever since.

CWO5, XO ISA SuperMarioZ17 – Hello, I am CWO5 SuperMarioZ17 also known as Max. Currently, I am serving as Executive Officer of International Security Affairs. I have been in USDF since back in 2017 and due to real-life commitment, I decided to resign. Recently, I re-enlisted in July 2020 due to having free time and feelings ready to be back in action on Habbo. Overall, I believe I have served USDF for a year now.

Question 2: When you think of the word friendship, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

CWO5, SEAC Horus – When I think of the word friendship, the first thing that comes to mind are the memories. Creating fun and memorable times with friends are just that important to me because it strengthens the relations between myself and them. I absolutely treasure my friends because I can look back on those memories during tough times and be reminded that I still got these bunch of awesome people who will always be there for me.

LT, DCNO MP Underterminated The word friendship means a lot of things to me. I think the biggest thing it symbolizes for me is mutuality. Mutual support, trust, communication, cooperation and much more. If any of those aren’t mutual, then are they really your friend?

CWO5, XO ISA SuperMarioZ17 – First thing that comes to mind is the connection between the people who are friends and how they always support each other. They trust their friends and help them whenever they have any problems to ensure they are always happy and doing well. With that, the negative atmosphere will disappear and the positiveness will be spread.

Question 3: On the scale of 1 – 10 how important do you think it is to build friendships in USDF? And why?

CWO5, SEAC Horus It is a solid 10 for me. This is because in USDF or like anywhere else, there will always be ups and downs, the one thing that will keep you going during those downs will be the friends that you can count on. Therefore, having friendships everywhere, including within USDF is extremely important to me and I’m sure for everyone else too!

LT, DCNO MP Underterminated Probably a solid 7. Whilst you may not want or need friends at the start of your journey, it won’t make your journey in USDF impossible but just a little harder. Admittedly, it was pretty difficult for me to make friends at the start of my career here at USDF, and I was somewhat miserable. Now, it feels amazing to have people to talk to, vent to or sometimes even get a second opinion from. Just by being more sociable and making friends, my enjoyment probably went from a low 4 to a high 9.

CWO5, XO ISA SuperMarioZ17 – I will say 10 because it is important to have friends in USDF as I have experienced facing many obstacles and challenges. Some of these challenges made me unmotivated and feel like giving up on my career, but I have friends to support me and are always there for me to make sure that I always stay who I am. In my opinion, I believe it is important to have friends within USDF and this community has been a great help. I met amazing people and leaders in USDF, they are super friendly!

Question 4: Do you have that friend or friends in the USDF that you talk to daily and also work along side with them? If you do give them a quick shout out and tell the readers how your friendship with them has helped you grow as a person and in USDF.

CWO5, SEAC Horus – I do! These are the people that I have spent almost entire days talking to, despite my slow replies at times, they understand me <3 In no order whatsoever, they are – MiSsIoNfailure, eyeFad, chiari.cord, Jayceei, loozone, cagliore, Jayden:s, kimchipapi and RoyalGoldz. These people are always there to brighten my day and I can’t stress enough how much they have motivated me to do even better and improve. They are the reason why I have never felt bored whilst in USDF!

LT, DCNO MP Underterminated I would first have to say my office, OMP. I make it my mission to get to know everyone in the office and try to converse with them. The command team I work with are absolutely fabulous and we often talk casually about life and day-to-day things. Outside of my office, the likes of 1LT 1998hailey1998, CWO5 Willow1010 and a few others have all been absolutely essential to my development and growth. They allow me to let off steam, they’re always brutally honest with me, they assist me in viewing things from a different perspective and they’ve always pushed me to challenge myself. Likewise, I hope I do the same for them! I couldn’t ask for better friends.

CWO5, XO ISA SuperMarioZ17 – Well, there is a lot actually, but I will specifically mention a few people! 

First off, The OISA Command. I wanna say thank you to them for giving me this opportunity to learn as a leader and you guys have helped me a lot to improve my skills especially with my confidence and communication. Other than that I have learnt a variety of traits as a leader in leading the team. Shout out to 91-Bravo, he is an influential leader and excellent role model. 

Secondly, OISA members. I wanna say you guys have been doing fantastic and it is really fun to have you guys around in the OISA. You guys have been amazing and I saw that many of you have great attitudes who always care for others which boosted my motivation to not give up within my USDF journey.

 Ok, these are individuals who talk daily with me: goofyrxthes, srirachax, Diplomaat, William.qwewy., randomkilled, Jayden:s, kimchipapi, coolchick1313, 1-Anubis-1, Tengkolok, and -Stephan!e-. If I missed anyone I’m sorry! You guys have supported me and monitor my progress within USDF. Sometimes, I feel like giving up but in the end you guys are able to open my eyes and make me go beyond and above to stay as a great person and a leader.

Question 5: With summertime coming along, what would you and your close friends do to beat the heat and enjoy the sunny weather?

CWO5, SEAC Horus – My best friend MiSsIoNfailure and I would normally go for a swim when the pool is available, or we would enjoy the cool breeze of the air-conditioner in the gym nearby! Where we come from, it’s almost always scorching hot weather despite the season, so we would always go for a nice cup of coffee or Haagen-Dazs ice cream afterwards!

LT, DCNO MP Underterminated I think I’m the person in my friendship group that usually moans about the sun but always wants to be in it aha. My friends and I usually do a yearly barbecue, so I’m psyched for that. Other than that, unfortunately I’ll be spending a lot of time with my relatives as one of them is severely ill.

CWO5, XO ISA SuperMarioZ17 – With the current pandemic situation of COVID-19, my country restricted the movement control so we are not allowed to go outside. Probably, we will be gaming or watching movies together at our own house. If we are not in this current situation, usually we will go out and enjoy our day by shopping and then to the beach where we can get the fresh air and relax our minds from previous stressors.

Question 6: That’s all the questions we have today! Thank you for taking the time to answer them! Anything else to add?

CWO5, SEAC Horus All I wanna say is, you don’t have to make a ton of friends, just a few good ones that you can trust to have your back, that’ll be good enough.

LT, DCNO MP Underterminated I would like to end with saying even though USDF is a military simulation, the social aspect, having fun and making friends is the foundation USDF was built on. Have fun, don’t focus 100% of your energy on work, and make friends, even if it’s just one! A friend will always come in handy. Thank you for the interview!

CWO5, XO ISA SuperMarioZ17 – Hey everyone, I would like to add a few words that it is very good to have friends either in real life or USDF. Furthermore, you will be able to feel happy to have friends around where they are basically supporting you and always make sure that you are always happy. Other than that, it’s not only them who supports you, generally your role as their friend allows you to support them back and that is basically what being friends means. Lastly, I want say thank you to the Office of Public Affairs for inviting me to be part of this interview and being able to be featured in this Libertarian content.


Watermelon Sugar

By ChristianM.0498

Cover by chiari.cord

Harry Styles most likely had this drink in his hand while performing his hit single: “Watermelon Sugar”.

It’s summer time! Swimming, parks, barbeques, and so much more during everyone’s favorite season of the year, and you’ll need the perfect drink to accommodate your summer adventures. It’s true that nothing really says summer like a Watermelon Sugar Limeade! So crack open those watermelons and grab your favorite glass because this recipe is sure to be super refreshing!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 8 cups cubed watermelon (seeds removed), or 1 quart watermelon juice
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/2 cup sugar, or more to taste
  • Lime slices, for garnish (optional)

SPECIAL CHANGES:

  • Don’t want any extra sugar than what’s in the fruit? Instead of Sugar add ½ cup of Sweetener that has no sugar.
  • Want to go a little further with the summer flavor? Add 1 tbs of Cherry Extract
  • This drink is best served with ice, but depends on how cold you want it to be!

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Place ½ of the watermelon cubes (or juice) in a blender and process it until you get a smooth texture. 
  2. Strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Discard the solids left over. 
  3. Repeat steps 1-2 with the remaining watermelon juice, then stir in the sugar until dissolved thoroughly. 
  4. Add the lime juice and stir thoroughly until any pulp is dissolved. 
  5. Time to taste it! If it is still too sour, add more sugar (¼ cup) at a time and stir. Give it another taste until it is sweet enough for your enjoyment.
  6. Serve over ice and add lime slices for garnish (optional)
  7. Refrigerate leftovers in a non-reactive pitcher for up to 7 days. 
  8. Enjoy your Watermelon Sugar Limeade!

D-DAY

By MatiWoods

Cover by XxBAMItsMadixX

Our story starts in the Tehran Conference, a meeting in Iran between “The Big Three” of the Allies, that being Joseph Stalin of the USSR; Winston Churchill of the United Kingdom and Franklin D. Roosevelt of the USA. Stalin, seeing his nation being deteriorated by the German invasion and having to bear the highest number of casualties in the war, has been for years pressing the Allies to open a western front through the invasion of France. That nation was at the time under control of the Nazis.

The British however, resisted the idea at first. Advocating instead for an operation in Africa then an invasion of the Fascist Italy. Nonetheless, with the USSR winning in the eastern front, their demands would seem less and less deniable as time marched on. So it’s settled, the Allies would invade the French State in hopes to free it from Axis rule. 

An operation of this size has never been attempted before, there would need to be some extreme changes to be able to support what would become known as “Operation Neptune”. Engineering ideas only theorized at the time would have to be put to the test in wartimes. Men and materials all across the globe would have to be cut short to supply the invasion. 

The allied powers would now have a choice to make: Where in France to invade? They considered four places in France to attack: The Cotentin Peninsula, Brittany, Pas-de-Calais and Normandy. Seeing as the first two are peninsulas, the Germans could easily cut off their advances by circulating the area, so they were rejected. Calais was the closest to the British coast, so it would be the easiest operation to execute needing the fewest men and materials. There was only one problem… The Germans were aware of that and thus the area was the most protected in France.

It was resolved, if they wanted a surprise invasion in an effort to liberate Central Europe, there was no other option other than one of the farthest coastal cities, Normandy. This would mean that the number of men and material needed for such an operation was bigger than planned. As well as the biggest counterintelligence mission ever seen, to make sure that the opposing side would not know about this operation. There needed to be emergency bunkers fabricated in the sea to support this mission. They laid out their plan and invade Normandy in a surprise mission in May 1944.

As the date came closer and closer, there appeared to be one big issue, the weather conditions. As well as the need for more time to be able to make the landing gear. So the invasion would have to be postponed until June. Weather seemed to be looking worse at the end of May, however, postponing it until July would mean that alerts would need to be sent, possibly compromising the whole secrecy of the operation. That is until a meteorologist known as Captain James Martin Stagg predicts clear weather, with that, the operation is a go on the 6th June.

At 6:30 AM on the 6th of June, the soldiers arrived in Normandy. Yet, a few of the men accidentally got lost, and instead of landing in Omaha Beach, they had landed in Utah Beach. Nevertheless, under the guidance of the only general to join the ground troops in Operation Neptune, the eldest son of the 26th president, Teddy Roosevelt Jr. they decided to start the war from where they were. After what can only be classified as a miracle of leadership and heroism, he managed to coordinate his troops to victory in the first beach successfully overrun by the operation. For his heroism, he would posthumously receive the Medal of Honor on September 21st 1944.

Omaha beach, however, would not receive the same fate. The landing was not as effective, strong seas would delay the attack, as the landing craft would flood as some would sink. For those that landed in Omaha, they would find themselves extremely seasick. Unfortunately, the assault would become extremely disorganized. It would seem that withdrawing from Omaha was the only viable option.

If it weren’t for the vital linking of American troops in Utah Beach and British troops in Omaha, the operation would probably have failed. As time marched on, the army would commence to finally infiltrate German positions. Even with this, the beach would not be cleared by the troops until the start of the next day, June 7th 1944.

In conclusion, D-Day was an extreme operation necessary to stop the world from axis rule. Brave troops sailed across the British channel to fight an imminent danger to the world, some of them never coming back. In this month of June, let’s remember those who sacrificed their lives, so we could live with the freedom that we enjoy today. 


Big Day Out

By humania

Cover by cagliore

Hi everyone! How are we doing?

Just so you know, I joined USDF in February 2021. It was 4 months ago, so you guys can call me a USDF veteran. Hehe, just kidding! Okay, let’s just get on to the topic shall we? So if I’m told to choose which season do I want to pick alongside doing my daily life, I’ll choose summer. Why? Because summer even though sometimes it’s uncomfortable because of the heat, I feel that summer has this upbeat/cheer up vibes to it. It can affect our days too. But why is that? I feel like I know the reason. Maybe it’s because summer makes the sky so blue and bright! And there are lots of fun activities that we can do in the summer. For example, going to the beach, flying kites, eating ice cream, and so much more! In my opinion, summer is like that one girlfriend we all had in high school, super attractive, but almost killed you several times.

Earlier, I mentioned that during the summer, there are lots of fun things that you can do. But make no mistake, it’s the same here in USDF! During my time at USDF, although not long ago, I have participated in several events which I thought were so exciting, that I couldn’t believe I was participating. My first event, I participated in the activities made by my branch, the Army Branch.

And… This is how it went… So, because of my school, I can only attend these events at night. When I was alone in my room, I suddenly got a notification. I grabbed my phone to see what it was all about. It turns out that there is an event in which the activities will discuss a lot of exciting things. Then I saw the date and time, and I thought “apparently it won’t be long from now!” I quickly logged into Habbo and went straight to HQ. There weren’t many people there yet. I sat quietly on the front row while waiting for the event to start. After waiting for what seemed like a long time, finally the entrance to the event room was opened. It didn’t take long for me to immediately get in line and enter the event room. After I entered, many people had already chosen their seats. Because I didn’t know anyone, I sat in the very back corner. Not long after that, the event officially opened and the people who organize the event made their respective speeches. Broadly speaking, this event was filled with small talk on how to make the branch better.

While I was there, I realized I could get to know people from my branch more closely and make some friends. They turned out to be good and very smart people. There was a moment when we were asked to give suggestions for the branch, and CW5 pikasyu gave one suggestion regarding the event schedule being held that was not “Asian friendly”. Because, every time the USDF holds an event, people who live on the Asian continent will be inconvenienced or even unable to attend due to time differences. As a person who lives in Asia, I can absolutely relate to her. So I was quite excited that this has been raised!

After chatting for about 40 minutes, they held a closing game. The game was called “Heaven or Hell”. This game was really fun, we were asked to choose one of the two tiles provided, after that, if we were lucky, we would go to heaven and continue playing, but if we weren’t, we would go to hell and lose. When the game started, I saw a lot of people selecting the tile on the right and they went to heaven. I immediately followed them on the same tile but I ended up going to hell. There is a funny incident when one of the players went to hell, but couldn’t get out. As a result, he stayed in hell and claimed that he was the devil. We all laughed. Not long after that, the game ended, after the prize was given to the winner, we lined up and took pictures for a memorial.

How was it? Exciting right? That is just one of so many interesting events at USDF. This is how I spent this beautiful summer, I’m curious about yours!


Daisy Chains & Lava Lamps

By Yodar

Cover by Legendmilk

On your next outing with your friends, unleash your inner child with a Daisy Chain Crown, and create one to wear for yourself or your friends. Join me as we craft one of these cute Daily Chain Crowns together! You can even adjust it to be a necklace or a bracelet too, and the best part of this craft is that we don’t need any fancy materials, just flowers.

For this project, you will need:

  • Wildflowers
  • Scissors (for thick-stemmed wildflowers)

Steps:

  1. Pick an assortment of flowers with soft flexible stems. My favorite flowers to use are the daisies that grow among the grass in fields. Pick the stems as long as you can.
  2. Choose three flowers with longer stems and cross their stems over each other. Braid the stems together by taking the stem from the outside right and placing it between the other two. Then take the stem from the outside left and place it over the other two. Continue in this fashion for about an inch.
  3. Once you’ve braided about an inch (or the width of a flower head), add a flower by laying a flower so the stem rests on top of the center stem.
  4. Continue braiding until you’ve gone about the width of a flower head, then add a flower as you did above. Continue this way until the chain is the desired size.
  5. Once your chain is the desired length, braid the remaining ends and then tuck them in near the starter head.

Lava lamps bring individuality to any home, and kids love to play with them as the lava-like bubble goes up and down the lamp. Some lava lamps have a unique feature, and can glow in the dark!

While you can pick up a lava lamp from your local stores, it can somewhat be expensive, but if we learn how to make lava lamps together, it could turn out to be a really great gift! Lava lamps also allow you to learn a bit about science.

For this project, you will need:

  • Soda bottle with cap/empty water bottles (must be transparent)
  • Vegetable oil
  • Food coloring
  • Effervescent / Alka-seltzer tablets
  • Glitters (optional)

Steps:

  1. Empty the bottles and make sure they are fully clean.
  2. Pour water into the bottle until it’s ¼ full (if you want to add glitter, you can add it at this point for a sparkling effect).
  3. Put in five drops of any food coloring into the water, and mix it. You can mix up the colors to create a new color too!
  4. Fill the rest of the bottle with vegetable/mineral oil, making sure to top off after bubbles disappear. 
  5. Break the tablets into pieces and put them inside the bottle. As the tablets settle at the bottom, colored bubbles will form and rise through the oil. When the bubbles reach the surface, they will start going back down. You can add more to start the chemical reaction all over again.

NOTE:  If you plan to give homemade lava lamps as a gift, stop after you complete step 4, putting the cap on the bottles. Be sure to add a few sealed packages of the tablets with instructions on how to activate their own lava lamps.


The View From VIP

By ChristianM.0948

Cover by Peaches.,

The luxury life of being a Very Important Person is something we all dream of someday. You see them everyday, some more than others, but as VIPs come and go, we always appreciate their visits. Today I had the privilege of sitting down with .:Ascendancy.:  and having a little chat about the insight of their life and being a VIP at USDF.

ChristianM.0498: Thank you for sitting down with me today! I really appreciate you taking the time to do this interview.

.:Ascendancy.:: No Problem. Happy to help.

ChristianM.0498: Can you start out by telling me a little bit about yourself and your affiliation to USDF?

.:Ascendancy.:: Well, I’m an old habbo military vet who has been in various militaries like USM, CF, and for a brief time, USDF. I like this place and some of the people in it, so VIP was easy for me.

ChristianM.0498: I see, so you’ve been around the block a few times. I’m glad you’re enjoying your time here so far. Can you tell me about an experience that made you want to stick around USDF?

.:Ascendancy.:: Just the people that I know. Everyone is nice here.

ChristianM.0498: I’m glad you were able to meet a lot of nice people here! Recently, we had a HQ re-design, do you have any opinions or what is your perspective on that?

.:Ascendancy.:: I love this HQ design. All of the HQ designs have been great. But this one just seems natural.

ChristianM.0498: I have to agree with you! Have you known someone in USDF as a close friend all this time or have you met someone recently during your visits as a VIP?

.:Ascendancy.:: There have been a few yeah, but I’ve met so many nice people, and made a lot of friends. It’s really hard to decide who my closest friends are here at USDF.

ChristianM.0498: Thanks for giving a little insight about your time here in USDF. Now moving onto some more fun questions! Summer is fast approaching for many. Are you excited or are you a different season-favorite kind of person?

.:Ascendancy.:: Well, where I live the Summer can get hot and can just be uncomfortable, so I like the other seasons. No doubt Winter is a heavy favorite of mine.

ChristianM.0498: That’s interesting to hear! I also personally do not enjoy the heat as much as others, but I do love some summer beverages! What are some of your favorite drinks when it gets hot outside, or some of your favorite winter drinks to warm up just a little. 

.:Ascendancy.:: Well when it’s hot out, lemonade, or just some nice ice cold water. Winter? Coffee and Hot Chocolate. But coffee especially. 

ChristianM.0498: Coffee is definitely a favorite here too. What would you say is the most interesting thing you’ve done recently?

.:Ascendancy.:: Oof lol, there hasn’t been anything interesting going on right now. It’s just been nice and peaceful.

ChristianM.0498: That’s all the questions I have for you! Did you have anything you wanted to say or discuss before we wrap this interview up?

.:Ascendancy.:: Nope, I’ve got nothing!

ChristianM.0498: Well thank you for taking the time for this interview today, and I look forward to seeing you around HQ soon and talking again! Have a great day!

.:Ascendancy.:: No problem, happy to help.


Sunshine In The Office

By randomkilled

Cover by Cagliore

Hello everyone! I am CWO3 RandomKilled from the Office of Public Affairs!

Today we have a special interview with some of OPA’s own Sunshines in the Office, Master Gunnery Sergeant eyeFad and CWO5 melisi142! This interview will give us an insight on their life being a member of the USDF Public Affairs and the interesting stories they have!

Question 1: First off introduce yourself when did you join OPA?

MGySgt eyeFad – Hello! My name is Usef and my Habbo username is eyeFad. I joined USDF in 2015 (when it was still DEPTNAV) and have been an on and off player since then. This is the 2nd time joining OPA as I have always been in OMP. I joined on the 27th of April 2021!

CWO5 melisi142 Hello, I’m CWO5 melisi142! I joined OPA on 08 DEC 20, it took me a while to complete PAQC, but thanks to that I got more knowledge about the office members and the office itself. I’ve met so many great members here, that I’ve never considered “leaving the office” as an option. I’ve recently been appointed as XO COMM, not yet fully appointed, but slowly getting to it. 🙂

Question 2: What interest you in applying for OPA?

MGySgt eyeFad – I’m part of the events division of the Marines Council and I really enjoyed what I do here and wanted to see what OPA has to offer. I also thought that maybe a change in my USDF career would be good (I’ve always been in OMP). Also shout out to Horus who motivated me to join OPA!

CWO5 melisi142 – I applied for OPA because it’s one of my fortes and I felt like it would be a fun office with a nice environment. I really enjoy hosting games and I write my own music, so what better place than OPA to boost these two things?

Question 3: In your own words, describe how your day to day as a member of OPA and what do you do mainly?

MGySgt eyeFad – Well, I’d say fun. I’m new to OPA so I’m still learning things. I spend most of the time understanding the guides and testing them out and when I have extra time, I DJ 😀

CWO5 melisi142 – Well I daily have a few tasks as XO, but I mainly stick around the opa-chat on Discord chatting & creating a “fun, friendly and mostly positive” environment. I also try to promote and keep HQ motivated by hosting various games.

Question 4: During your time in OPA, what has been your most memorable moment so far?

MGySgt eyeFad – I think it was when I was getting my advance training for radio. I was so embarrassed because I already announced in HQ to tune in to our radio, but I didn’t know I wasn’t connected and it took me and my mentor almost 30 minutes to make the radio work. I loved that day though as I had 15 listeners ON MY FIRST DAY!!

CWO5 melisi142 – I think so far, it’s been the projects I’ve been a part of, as these have made me progress and learn a little more about some unknown concepts of my own specialties.

Question 5: Do you have any current OPA members that you look up to and go to when seeking guidance?

MGySgt eyeFad – I’m going to say everyone in OPA. Whenever I have questions, I would just post them in our channel and someone will attend to it — command member or regular member.

CWO5 melisi142 – chiari.cord, Aneha, Deconfilction, pikasyu, partyicon & ,-Spell for sure!

Question 6: What are your current goals in OPA?

MGySgt eyeFad – My current goal is to get certified in everything. This is going to be a big challenge for me as there are certifications like graphics wherein I literally have 0 idea.

CWO5 melisi142 – I wish to create a fun and creative as possible environment within all the members of the office, from the new PAQC trainees all the way up to Command members. I want to display myself as a good role model to my subordinates and also for my CWOs, being the first point of contact for them. And also by helping out, overseeing, guiding and encouraging all the NCOs/CWOs to have high initiative, good communication skills, making new friends within the office, and a spike of willingness to help others.

Question 7: Thank you for taking time out of your day to do this interview! Before you go why don’t you tell the readers why they should apply to the Office of Public Affairs!

MGySgt eyeFad – If you’re up for a challenge, apply for OPA! Most of us thought that the office was just about hosting events, but it is not! There is a lot to learn from simple graphics to managing a project!

CWO5 melisi142 – You should apply for OPA because is the best office where you can be creative & promote fun vibes. We also have projects where you can reflect you skills and work as a team with other OPA members to have a great event outcome. You will never get bored in OPA and we’re always lending a helping hand to new members, regular members or even command members to accomplish their skills or goals. If you like music, building, playing games, writing or promoting fun events, you should definitely join OPA.


A Summer Romance

By pikasyu

Covery by infinicorn

The Cafe That Sells Summer Romance!

“Welcome to Wilfurdon!”

I ordered a glass of lavender earl grey latte with a sprinkle of rose powder at Wilfurdon Cafe. I have not been here for the past two years – studying days and nights to be certified as a veterinarian at a college 700 miles away. It was a surprise to know that my favourite drink now came with rose powder. I wondered what it would taste like. I tapped my card over the reader and walked sheepishly to a pink suede sofa near a full length window overlooking the busy whimsical street outside.

People rushed down the streets, their boots clacking on the cobbled stones. It was summer but everyone had their winter gloom plastered across their face. It was not the Wilfurdon I remembered.

It was not long into my reminiscing that the sweet scent of lavender graced my nose. I turned my head to a young man, probably about my age, bringing my favourite latte towards me. He placed a cream-coloured coaster that matches the eclectic decor of the cafe, and let the tall glass sit atop. He gave me a slight smile before making himself comfortable on the seat opposite mine. He hugged the fuschia-sequined cushion and raised his left hand towards his face, waving a subtle hello.

Confused, I stared into his beautiful brown eyes and my arms mirrored his. I mouthed a shy “hello” before taking a sip. I became even more confused to see that the lavender earl grey latte looked exactly the same as it was two years back.

“Uhm, I’m so sorry…”

I glanced over his left chest and saw his name tag.

“Brandon, right? I am so sorry but I think you got my order wrong. I ordered one with rose sprinkles.”

He leaned forward and looked into my drink. He looked up and the sun perfectly shone off his face, making his skin glow and his eyes turn a bright hazel. They looked like intricate glass designs sitting in the sockets of his face. And time slowed. I could see the crevices of his lips moved slowly and his hands coming up from his lap towards the wooden table. He placed a small amulet on the table and slid it across, making it stop right beside my drink.

“Laila, right? The order is correct. I’m your rose powder.”

I couldn’t take my eyes away from the amulet. It was a small resin piece, with pink powder and crushed rose petals. Sneakily, at the bottom of the amulet signed the name, “Laila Matthews”. It was mine. It was my last gift to an old friend who had to move to another country.

“How did you get this?”

I looked up and saw the same smile I saw when I was five. His jet-black hair flopped perfectly to the right, hiding the constellation of three moles on his forehead. The images of us playing on swings and running away from our parents in the rain, although it was just around his humongous backyard, flashed through my mind. My eyes started to tear up. I couldn’t believe the friend I thought I had lost came back. For a short moment, I blamed myself for not recognising the friend I missed the most. I took another sip of my favourite earl grey lavender latte and reached my right hand out.

“Nice to meet you, Brandon. Would you like to be my friend?”

~ END ~


2021 Joys of Summer

By chiari.cord

Cover by Mariusj94

Picture yourself on a hot, sunny day. It’s the middle of summer, and the day was perfect to have a nice drink outside. Or think of yourself in a pool, with some good, cold water, and some music to go along with it. Maybe you spend your summer day outside, having a nice picnic with your friends or family, talking about everything that’s going on in your life. On the other hand, your ideal way to spend it may be by staying at home all day, under the cold AC, watching your favorite show. These and many more are some scenarios that we can create in our heads when thinking about summer. Everyone has their own views, experiences and opinions on it, based on their own lives. For this interview, I’ve asked four people some questions about this time of the year. Let’s see what they had to tell us!

Do you personally like summer? Is it a season you enjoy?

SGM ,CookieCrisp: I don’t mind it, I’m more of an autumn person, I like it when there’s a nice cool breeze.
CWO2 Femae.: Yes! It’s my favourite season of the year as I love the warmth and sun a lot.
CWO5 Horus, SEAC: I do not like summer at all, because where I come from, it’s summer like every other day of the year and summer just makes it even hotter! However, my friends and I would definitely love to beat the heat and go for a swim or something if only it wasn’t closed due to COVID-19, that’s an added horror on top of everything for this year’s summer! So no, summer is my most dreaded season.
1LT Infinicorn: To me, summer has always been an important season. It’s a time when my family gets to spend time outside, have barbeques, go to the beach, and enjoy the warm weather. Although the heat can be nearly unbearable sometimes, it’s still worth it to have those precious moments with the people I care about.

What does summer mean to you? What comes to your mind when you think of it?

SGM ,CookieCrisp: It means family time. You wouldn’t have all your family over in winter with all the snow. It’s like.. the togetherness summer brings. Whether it be barbeques, or in the pool, or sports.
CWO2 Femae.:
Summer means long days to me. During summer I am always outside either by myself or with friends, we stay out until the night and have fun. It really brings people together.
CWO5 Horus, SEAC: Summer is a season of scorching hot weather for me and it should not exist. I hate sweating while on the way out and summer always adds on to that madness.

1LT Infinicorn: Summer is burgers and watermelon in the backyard with my family, biking through my neighborhood to feel the breeze, reading outside to soak up the sunshine, and so many other wonderful moments. It’s popsicles, fruit, and iced tea. Generally, summer is my time to bask in nature and spend time with the people I love.

Do you have anything you like doing in the summer? What are your favorite activities, hobbies, or things to keep yourself entertained during these times?

SGM ,CookieCrisp: I like to play football. I used to go to the beach too and swim in the sea. Have a nice drink, Alcoholic or Non alcoholic. I also LOVE ice cream in the summer. It doesn’t hit the same in other seasons.
CWO2 Femae.:
When COVID wasn’t around I used to go to a lot of festivals which I absolutely loved doing. Now, I just like to go for walks in the sun, hang out with a friend and just chill outside, have something to eat and listen to some music.
CWO5 Horus, SEAC: One of my favourite things to do in the summer is to stay home, find a good Netflix series and binge on my favourite Belgian Chocolate flavored Haagen Dazs ice cream. Other than that, I’ll either be hanging out with my friends with air conditioned indoor activities because we all can’t wait for summer to end.
1LT Infinicorn: I’m a bit of an introvert, so most of my summer activities involve things like going for walks, biking, or reading outdoors– as well as canoeing or visiting the beach. Honestly, anything that can get me out in the sunshine!

Can you tell me one place you like to go during the summer season, or somewhere you would like to go if given the chance?

SGM ,CookieCrisp: I love camping. When the weather is nice, I love to go into the woods, build a fire, roast some marshmallows, few drinks, bit of music and just relax!
CWO2 Femae.:
I like to go to Amsterdam (I live in the Netherlands), as I love seeing the different types of people walking around there and I love Amsterdam itself as it’s so beautiful.
CWO5 Horus, SEAC: I would like to attempt to climb Mount Everest and enjoy the cooling breeze to escape the heat. I am low key an adventurous person and my friends have always been talking about taking on the challenge of at least the base camp. I just hope I make it home alive, but then again, frostbite is still better than being scorched alive.
1LT Infinicorn:
I really like taking little road trips with my family during the summer, just to see the world through a new light in a season all about renewal and energy.

Going back to your memories, can you tell me which is the best summer you’ve lived through?

SGM ,CookieCrisp: Hmm, probably a glamping one. We stayed in a caravan for a week, but it was next to a theme park and a disco sort of place but kids were allowed there, and I had won a dancing trophy from it haha!
CWO2 Femae.:
Probably 2018, I went to my favorite festival and it was just the best year I experienced during that festival. The weather was nice, the music was good, and my friends and I had a lot of fun. I had no worries in my head at all for the entire weekend and I really enjoyed that.
CWO5 Horus, SEAC: The best summer memory at the back of my head is definitely the time when I went to Thailand for a joint military exercise. After that we had 3 days of R&R and my section mates and I went to enjoy ourselves with water sports activities such as kayaking, going on a boat tour and playing beach volleyball and sipping ice cold margaritas.
1LT Infinicorn:
I’m not sure I can pinpoint just one, but I will say that summers were definitely a lot more vibrant and exciting when I was still in school and had the entire summer off. Now that I work full-time, it’s more difficult for me to make time during the summer to enjoy all the things I used to. That said, I don’t think I’ll ever forget all the wonderful memories I’ve made with family and friends year after year during the summer.

As we were able to see, summer is different for everyone. We got some very different responses, and it’s funny to think how many divergent outcomes can appear from the same questions. Personally, I’m a fan of winter. In my country we tend to get humid summers, so it sometimes becomes impossible to do anything because the heat hits too hard and it all becomes sweaty! However, I do enjoy summer a lot, since it’s the perfect time to hang out with friends, especially if you know someone with a pool, which always comes in handy. What about you? What is your view on summer?


Summer Crossword

A Libertarian Game


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