The Libertarian – September 2020

Cover by BoomyJR
No.ArticleSectionAuthor
0IntroductionSpecial midgetbella
1The Tale of MagicInformativeshavethefun
2Magic Within USDFInterview:MariaMint:
3Swish and FlickReviewTraidKelly
4The Magical WayCreativeK1e24
5World Peace DayInformativeHomasa
6Brew It YourselfRecipeDisco99x
7What Power Will You Decide?InterviewK1e24
8Greek MythologyInformativeDinsky
9Vanish Into My Arms, and Be FreeCreativeInfinicorn
10A Sorcerer’s Revision NotesRecipeDisco99x
11Our Year So FarInformative:MariaMint:

Team Leader Introduction

By midgetbella

Cover by LucyLuc

It’s with great pleasure and excitement I bring you this month’s Libertarian! We’ve had many OPA members working extremely hard this month on producing a Libertarian full of exhilarating content for the whole of USDF to enjoy. The theme for this month is Magic! 

Magic can be interpreted in many different ways: sourcers and witches, spells, enchantments, superpowers and even moments. Like the first time you see snow falling from clouds above you, achieving your life long dream or even the day you get to say the words ‘I do’. We bring you this issue to highlight the different ways that magic can be perceived.

We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we enjoyed creating it, and we’re wishing you all a magical month in USDF full of goodwill and positivity!


By buckyyyyyy

The Tale of Magic

By shavethefun

Cover by chiari.cord

Did you know that magic dates back to before the common era? Throughout history, there have been many individuals who practiced rituals that their societies called magic. These people began to refer to themselves as magicians or witches. Magic was utilized in a variety of rituals, medical recipes, and to eliminate evil. The ancient Mesopotamians believed that magic was their only defense against ghosts, demons, and evil sorcerers. To defend themselves, they would leave offerings called kispu in the people’s tomb in the hope of appeasing them.

Magic was also an important part of ancient Egyptian religion and culture. It was practiced by the literate priestly hierarchy, illiterate farmers, and herdsmen. Furthermore, the interior walls of the pyramid of Unas were covered in a plethora of magical spells and inscriptions, running in vertical columns.

The belief in magic was also carried on through the Middle Ages and the renaissance. Diversified instruments or rituals used in medieval magic included potions, amulets, talismans, prayers, dances, and chants. The idea that magic was conjured, taught, and worked by demons seemed reasonable to those who read the Greek magical papyri and found that healing magic appeared alongside rituals for murder, accumulating wealth, and personal benefits. Therefore, these perceived magical rites resulted in massacres of religious minorities.

By the nineteenth century, Europeans no longer saw the practice of magic as sin.  Folklorists inspected rural communities across Europe in search of magical practices, which they understood as remnants of ancient belief systems. In the twentieth century, magic also proved to be a topic of interest to the Surrealists, an artistic movement based mostly in Europe.

While magic was a staple of religion and medicine, it was also used for entertainment. Illusion magic dates back to the ancient Persians and Greeks.  Ritual acts made by Persian priests were known as Mageia, and later magika. These terms were defined as any foreign, or illegitimate ritual practice. 

During the 19th and 20th centuries, many stage magicians took advantage of their advertisements. The same level of originality that was used to produce famous ancient deceptions such as the Trojan Horse would be used for amusement. A trick with three cups and balls has been performed since 3 B.C. and is still performed in magic shows. Illusions were also used by the practitioners of cults and religions from ancient times to scare people into submission. 

However, the profession of the illusionist gained popularity in the 18th century and magic shows were a common source of entertainment at fairs, where magicians would entertain the crowd with certain tricks. These were sword swallowing, juggling, and fire breathing. The escapologist and magician Harry Houdini developed a range of stage magic tricks, many of them based on what became known as escapology. Houdini had a talent for lockpicking and escaping straitjackets, but also made use of the range of fake equipment and collision techniques with individuals in the audience. As a form of entertainment, magic soon evolved from theatrical venues to television, which opened up new opportunities for illusions, and brought stage magic to huge audiences. 

Today, magic still remains in folklore, entertainment, and rituals. However, magic is now more commonly believed to be mythical. Despite this, many tv shows and movies use magical elements for the masses to enjoy. Magic will continue to be around for many more years, as we continue to promote magic in art, media, science, and religion. 


Magic Within USDF

By :MariaMint:

Cover by chiari.cord

Introduction

Everyday at USDF, you learn something new. That could be how to report correctly at an attention, what FEAT symbols equal your FEAT stack, or maybe something as simple as what you have to do for your next rank. However, education isn’t the only thing that happens daily at USDF; magic happens. I went around our military asking a handful of our very own personnel what were their most magical moments in their tenure at USDF. Interviewees range from a selectee all the way up to the DepSecDef! Hold onto your witch hat and broom, it’s going to be a whimsical ride!

Base Question: What are the magical moments that you have had throughout your time in USDF?

DepSecDef xStarlight11

“Some of the most magical moments I experienced were when I finally made friends here. I will admit at first it was really a struggle to make friends because I was new to Habbo, I wasn’t used to how it works and what could be done. I was lonely for a long time in the early days of my career and at a point I AWOL’d but eventually making friends was a major highlight for me. Another was getting DDOT&E when there was a command reform. I did not expect in my wildest dreams to ever get a position in JSD from the first application I put in. 

Being CSAF was also one of my most favourite magical moments here. Playing an active role in keeping people happy and having fun with them has got to be the best thing I have ever been through. And now, the most magical moments are when we make a breakthrough and do things no other organization has ever done before. USDF has been the pioneer of all innovative ideas for 5 years straight and we still have more coming up very soon.”

USD I Fotoshop

‘’The TV Show Telephrase event I worked on for the Marines x Navy collab back in early 2019. The entire building process and the final product were magical. That was my first big event as the Director of the Events Division in the Marines. I think it was magical because I got to befriend so many people through our combined efforts to build on-point rooms. We spent hours together every day and I think it’s what played a big MAGICAL role in sparking my love for events.’’

2nd Lt Koobo

“I think my most magical moment was my commissioning ceremony! Even though it wasn’t really a “ceremony” per se, it really felt like the culmination of all my hard work in OJSIG and OCS prior to that moment. I expect more and more of my fellow USDF members to experience the same magic when they all get into OCS and graduate! OORAH!”

CPT Cluster

“Appointments. I don’t know why, but every time I’ve been appointed to a position it has felt magical, surreal. I have played Habbo a long time and I have never had the rush of excitement, or emotions as it was when I was first appointed into a position. I felt so honored, and I think it helped carry my dedication and motivation into the role itself going forward.

Also, and this is a little sad, but I have felt emotions like no other when some of my close friends leave. Be it sad, or happy; I knew the importance of them and when they left it definitely was a sorrow feeling. But there was also a rush of memories, and those memories were usually ones I held dearly to my heart. The saying goes, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone and it’s so true. When our friends are active duty and are present, we forget about how much they mean to us in the moment, clouded with other duties and so forth. But when they leave, it really hits me differently and I would consider it a “magical” feeling because it’s not just pure sorrow, it’s a rush of good memories and phrases and words that were shared. It’s hard to explain, but I have felt it enough to know that feeling is one that I do not enjoy, but one that I appreciate because it brings back the good times in a rush of thoughts and emotions.”

CWO5 AresK2

‘’The most magical moment I’ve had in USDF was my first time attending a commissioning ceremony. I was a JNCO without much knowledge in what is called “OCS” and seeing people getting elevated from one stage to another was definitely mesmerizing. Once the ceremony was over, all the officers gathered in HQ and waited for the newly commissioned ones, calling attention every time one of them exited the sentry. It was totally career changing for my view on USDF until then and made me set some personal goals.’’

CW4 KelseyAnnie

‘’Probably one of them was getting into Army Events! Because I really didn’t think I would at all and everything I’ve done with that has been a highlight for me in USDF. And probably as well, getting into OMP because everyone had said it was a hard office to get into and I got in first time. Aha, super basic but it’s the small things!’’

CW5 Merilon

“The most magical moment in my career here in USDF is definitely now I am in OISA, one time our alliance MinDef wanted to see our basic drill moves and I was able to create a squad called ”The Ocakes” to perform a few combined with the biggest HQ Tour OISA has ever had. I was really proud to be their Squad Leader, and we had a lot of fun together during our practices. Because of this moment, we still exist and we planned another big show with MinDef and one for the CIA closing ceremony.”

MGySgt ,-Spell

“Definitely being the only NCO in OJSIG. It’s so nice to be accepted into an office with such a low acceptance rate, especially being the only NCO since several months ago. Winning two awards at the Marines awards night definitely is a close second, though! Especially considering my last award I won because I was the only one eligible.”

SNCO/SEL CesearMillan

“The magical moment for me was really those fresh 7 Enlisted that joined together last August 12. Such a magical thing for me to see those enlisted lining up sentry and followed up with a full 4 manned FEATs. Truly a rare moment in the graveyard shift.”

MCPON Papegaaiduiker 

“My most magical moment at USDF has to be my promotion to E7. It was the day after my birthday, and I was about to log off for the night, and I was on the front row, when ENS (now CPT) Cluster and my mentor CWO4 (now CWO5) Underterminated stood for the Attention. It was a really nice moment being promoted with my mentor there; he had lovely things to say about me, and it has stayed with me ever since!”

Conclusion

Overall, I think we can say that everyone has had their fair share of magical moments while employed at USDF. The environment at USDF is almost identical to Hogwarts, buzzing with life, mysteries, and new paths to discover. For a minute, think to yourself: ‘’Have I ever had a magical moment within USDF?’’, and I can almost guarantee you’ll be able to think about it. At the end of the day, these magical moments shape our future within the military, and every step we take, no matter how big or small, will lead us to success. Thank you for reading this interview portion of our whimsical libertarian this month! Stay Magical!

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”― W.B. Yeats


Swish and Flick

By TraidKelly

Cover by TraidKelly

As someone who is familiar with the Harry Potter franchise, whether it be through the books, the movies, or even the Wizarding World website and material, you may notice that the franchise is very two-sided. Either you love it, or you dislike it. At least, that is how it has been recently. With the recent events surrounding J.K. Rowling and her viewpoints, please note this review will remain unbiased, and will simply come from someone who recently watched the films again, all in a row. Please also be aware this will mostly be a spoiler-free review of all 8 films. Some scenes may be talked about in brief summary.

The movies of Harry Potter create a world full of imagination. One where you can almost literally step into and experience yourself. The music, the camera shots, the characters. It is all very well done. Whether you personally enjoy the films or not, they are mostly well-made movies. Let us go through some of the main points of interest within the making of the film.

First, how about we start with the plot. The movies did very well at keeping tight to the plot of the books. This really allowed the films to shine just as much as the books did in popularity. From the beginning shot opening on a dark night in a suburban community, to the final shot bringing us all the way back to the first time Harry and his friends entered the train station, except this time with the next generation of Witches and Wizards. All the scenes in the films seemed to have their place. Nothing truly was out of place, as most, if not all scenes, had a reason for being in the films. The films took us on a journey through Hogwarts, London, from Europe, throughout the United Kingdom, and more. The best thing was you truly felt like you were there with the characters.

How about the characters? Can anyone say, ‘perfect casting’? While some characters did not have as much development as one may have hoped, they all seemed to be cast with just the right person for the job. Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, and of course, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger. The perfect trio for the perfect of friends in the movie. Even smaller roles like Luna Lovegood, Viktor Krum, and the voice of Dobby have had a lot of thought put into who should be cast as these characters. The chemistry between the cast also shines bright when watching the film. There is a specific moment where Harry (Radcliffe) and Hermione (Watson), dance together to cheer themselves up. When dancing, you see them transition from crying to laughing to loving each other as friends should. And the best part about this was there was only chemistry of friendship here. Not a hint of either of the friends feeling more than that. Hands down one of the best scenes of the film series.

The music, oh the music. Who can forget John Williams’s amazing ability to make the viewer feel trapped, but in a good way? While there were other conductors and writers of the music, most of the songs that we all remember and hum along to when they get stuck in our head, were by John Williams.

And finally, let us talk about the directing. Most films in the franchise actually had a different director from the previous installment. However, somehow, they all fit together perfectly. As the years went by in Hogwarts, and each film released, the themes of the movies became darker and darker. Just as the books did. Rowling, the writer of the books, had planned it this way, so the books would grow with her audience.

What would you rate the Harry Potter films if you had to? How about the books? Put some thought into it and share with your friends! And I guess there is not much else to say except… Mischief Managed!


The Magical Way

By K1e24

Cover by koleq

It all started when we had recently entered into a new partnership with MoM… We saw less and less of our leaders and more and more unexplained actions happening. We saw events take place that have never been experienced or heard of before! Like the time the DepSecDef managed to rebuild the entire R&R with a few simple flicks of her hand, or the time that we bypassed the limit of room pop as USD C windowsdonkeys mumbled under his breath. All of this in a fast time period, only weeks after our MoM partnership.

I write this down, not knowing if this may be the last thing I do. I speculate that the partnership involved a lot of perks for senior command, learning of the spells, incantations and potions that MoM uses on a day to day basis. In secret, under lock and key. I write this down in speculation as the evidence lines up.

I expect that these showings of magic were meant to go unnoticed, unseen by the main body of USDF, but many of the extraordinary events in recent months always had an OSD member within a shout. There’s been many times that we were simply told that it is done quickly due to their experience, I no longer wish to believe this. It was magic!

My time is running short, I fear that I may be found by those not wanting for this information to be exposed. Find attached each event, the power that was used and the OSD+ member overseeing it. I feel them coming close, I fear this may be the last message, I fear that I may never be able to bring to the surface-

The transmission ended in static as a loud blast was heard just before it cut out, the final never sent.


World Peace Day

By Homasa

Cover by LucyLuc

When is the International Day of Peace?

The International Day of Peace, also known as World Peace Day, is celebrated annually on the 21st of September. This date was determined in 2001 during the UN General Assembly, taking effect starting 2002. Prior to 2002, the International Day of Peace took place on the third Tuesday of September. This tradition began at the same time as the establishment of the International Day of Peace in 1981 (International Day of Peace, n.d.).

What is the International Day of Peace?

The International Day of Peace is a day dedicated to honoring world peace. The UN recognizes this day as a day focused on “strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.” This year, the theme for the International Day of Peace is “Shaping Peace Together” (International Day of Peace, n.d.). 

Why is the International Day of Peace important? 

In March this year, UN Secretary-General António Guterres tweeted this: “Today I am calling for an immediate global ceasefire in all corners of the world. It is time to put armed conflict on lockdown and focus together on the true fight of our lives – the #COVID19 pandemic.” The International Day of Peace is ever so important during this time of the COVID-19 outbreak. It is a much-needed reminder for us that we are not enemies of each other during this time of the pandemic (Guterres, 2020). The theme “Shaping Peace Together” reminds us that we are fighting this virus together, that we are fighting through the hard times together, and that we will shape peace together.

How can I celebrate the International Day of Peace this year?

This year, you can celebrate the International Day of Peace through a simple good deed that promotes shaping peace together. A simple task would be to educate yourself on the many conflicts and discrepancies happening around the world today. You can do this simply through reading or watching the news daily. Another thing you could do is to reflect on the topic of peace. Write a brief reflection on whatever peace means to you. Finally, donations – there are many causes in need of donations (Get Involved, n.d.). My suggestion is to keep updated with the news and choose a cause and organization that you want to support. 

There are many more fantastic examples of how to celebrate International Day of Peace on these websites: https://internationaldayofpeace.org/. https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/idp_what_you_can_do_to_help_-_one-pager.pdf


Brew It Yourself

By Disco99x

Cover by Disco99x

Select your desired potion from the options below and follow the simple steps to create your own elixir!

MOOD BOOSTING BREW

(Citrus Peach Cooler)

You will need:

  • 2 lemons, juice only
  • 2 limes, juice only
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • 1 lime, thinly sliced
  • peach nectar
  • cloudy lemonade
  • a few sliced strawberries
  • sparkling water
  • mint sprigs

Combine the lemon and lime juice in a large cauldron. Add the sliced lemon and lime with a handful of ice cubes. Fill one-third of the cauldron with peach nectar and pour your lemonade until the cauldron is almost full. Drop in the strawberries for extra cheerfulness along with the mint sprigs and top up with sparkling water to finish.

WARNING: Side effects may include uncontrollable giggling.

LOVE POTION

(Rose Lemon Spritzer)

You will need:

  • 2 tbsp rose water (optional)
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1-2 tbsp honey (or to taste – use agave if vegan)
  • A few drops of blood orange or pomegranate juice for colour
  • 3/4 cup sparkling water
  • fresh roses for garnish

Mix the rose water, fresh lemon juice, honey and blood orange or pomegranate juice in a magical cocktail shaker and fill with ice. (Alternatively, use a water bottle with a screw cap or a glass with a plate covering the rim.) Shake until combined and then strain into a vial. Fill to the top with sparkling water and garnish with fresh roses. Give to the one you love and wait for the mixture to take effect.

WARNING: Side effects may include obsessive behaviour.

LIQUID LUCK

(Apple, Elderflower and Mint Sparkle)

You will need:

  • 75ml elderflower cordial
  • 1 litre cloudy apple juice
  • small handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
  • bottle sparkling water

Stir in your elderflower cordial with cloudy apple juice. Add a dash of mint leaves, whilst mixing well. Pour into a chilled glass and top up with bubbling sparkling water.

WARNING: Side effects include extreme hiccups.


What Power Will You Decide?

By K1e24

Cover by BoomyJR

We all have that one ability we would want to do, that one power we would like to have. If you haven’t then… I guess your fantasies aren’t as big as others. But most, if not all of us have the power we would oh so like to be a reality. In this article I decided to ask the questions of; What power would you have? Why that power, and how would you use it?

CCM Wirzbowski

“Truthfully I think it would be the power of influence. Which would entail making people do what you want and believe what you want them to believe. This is clearly an ostentatious power and one that could be used for evil and hurt those who could fall victim, but I’d use it to give people insight into the world that isn’t theirs. Show people what it’s like to have difficulties in life or lead extraordinary lives. This way you could infiltrate change in a way that could benefit others. In saying this, it could be a curse because if the person with the power was to use it in a sense of their own belief rather than to extend what others believe in, it could turn the world sour if misused.”

1stSgt ,-Spell

“A forcefield of changeable size, to make sure people are always 2m/6ft away from me. I would use it in two ways; A) as a human hamster ball and b) to make sure people are social distancing!”

CWO4 Nick1x

“Definitely control of time. This obviously brings the question of going all the way back in time and changing all the main historical events to turn them good, but I’m not talking about that much power, I’m talking about days maybe a week at max. Time is such a powerful thing to control so it would be so cool to have its power. Imagine there is a car crash, I could just pause or rewind time and stop it from happening just like that, and now a few more people can live a good life. However, even the little things count like when you drop your food, BOOM! Pause time and just pick it back up like nothing ever happened. So with the power of time I wouldn’t change the entire world and create different timelines, I would just use it to help others out and make the world a slightly better place.”

CWO5 MaximumGenie

“Realistically, I would like to have the ability to open up a ‘gateway’ to anywhere I would want to go in the world. So that I can also not be late for things, but also go for a vacation hideaway to escape from my responsibilities anytime, anywhere. I believe anyone would want that. But abilities such as flight / levitation or being a psychic would sound good too for convenience. I would be able to move heavy things without lifting a finger, or just to fly around freely in the skies.”

CWO5 1998Hailey1998

“I would say like teleportation so that way I can move quickly from point A to point B, and be able to sleep in without having to rush to get somewhere , and it’s better for the environment.”

1stLt William.qwewy;

“If I were to have a super power, I would like to have the ability to control the weather! It would be amazing! Imagine if it’s hot, I can use my super power to make it cloudy. If it’s a dry season or drought, I can make it rain. And if it’s the rainy season, I can make it a sunny day! Having a super power to control the weather would be the best!”

By buckyyyyyy

Greek Mythology

By Dinsky

Cover by chiari.cord

Magic is a major player in many ancient cultures and religions. Mythical legends from ancient Egyptian, Roman, or Greek mythology for example all rotate around the supernatural power of the gods. These ancient cultures used mythical legends to explain natural phenomena such as the weather and seasons, as well as to teach various lessons and morals such as greed, bravery, and heroism. Most of these legends revolve around heroes like Hercules or Theseus. One myth, however, is not about a powerful warrior, but a simple musician in love. This is the story of Orpheus and Eurydice.

This ancient Greek legend is about Orpheus, a man with a supernatural talent for music, and his lover Eurydice, a wood nymph. Orpheus was thought to be the son of Apollo, the god of music, and the Muse Calliope. He had a magical voice that charmed anyone who listened to it. Neither gods nor mortals could resist his singing, and even rocks and trees would bend to his will. He accompanied Jason and the Argonauts on the quest for the Golden Fleece, his music overpowering the Sirens’ seducing voices and charming the dragon guarding the Fleece to sleep. Unlike all other Greek heroes, Orpheus fought with his musical talent instead of with his muscles.

One day when Orpheus was playing his lyre for an audience in the woods, him and Eurydice met. She fell head over heels for Orpheus due to his beautiful music and he was enamored by her beauty. Soon enough, they got married and had a great celebration. While returning home from their wedding, Eurydice stepped on a nest of snakes and was bitten by a deadly viper. She died in Orpheus’ arms and he fell into a deep despair. Eventually, he decided to travel down to the Underworld and demand that Hades allow Eurydice to return to the world of the living. He played a tune on his lyre so beautiful that the rocks opened and created a tunnel straight into the Underworld. Orpheus confronted Hades and his wife Persephone. He begged the two to let Eurydice return with him through his music. Hades openly wept as Persephone’s heart melted. Even the ferocious guard to the Underworld, Cerberus the giant three-headed dog, covered his ears and howled with despair. So moving was his voice that Orpheus convinced Hades to allow him to try and bring Eurydice back. All he had to do was lead her back the way he came without looking back until they reached the surface. Fueled with the joy of being reunited with his love, Orpheus agreed to the terms and began the trek back. He managed to reach the world of the living without looking back once, but he was so eager to turn around and hug Eurydice that he looked back when only he had exited the Underworld, not Eurydice. She was swept back into the Underworld and he fell into despair once again.

Orpheus tried to return, but the god Hermes blocked his way and refused entry. He fell into a depression and his songs became extremely sad. Orpheus met his end when a group of women approached him and tried to seduce him. After the death of Eurydice however, Orpheus only took male lovers, which angered the women. Furious, they tried to hurl sticks and stones at him, but his music was so beautiful it stopped the objects cold. In their frustration, the women then killed him with their bare hands. His head and lyre continued to make wonderful music as it floated down the river into the Mediterranean and he finally reunited with his lost love in the Underworld.

In this myth, the magic of Orpheus’ music caused joy and suffering for many, including himself. And though he may not have been powerful in the sense of physicality, Orpheus’ music was a power in itself. 


Vanish Into My Arms, and Be Free

By Infinicorn

Cover by midgetbella

I used to think love was reserved for people in stories, with flawless skin and endless confidence. I thought it meant you would find someone who filled all your cracks and sealed you up like glue. I thought it meant months of pining for their affection, or being swept off your feet at a glance. I thought love was a lot of things, but mostly I thought it was something I would never feel.

In our lives, we are told over and over that we are not good enough. Our hair, our skin, our clothes, our personality, our work ethic. None of it is ever good enough, and so when I finally met someone who made me feel like I was more than enough, I couldn’t comprehend it. Surely, there must be some trick, I thought. Someone’s going to pull back the curtain and reveal the illusionist pulling all the strings, and the person I love will leave me, and I’ll be even more hurt than before—a wounded bunny hidden in a hat.

When someone sweeps you off your feet, you expect yourself to fall and get hurt. Except… somehow, when he swept me off my feet, he managed to catch me when I fell. What’s more, he actually managed to convince me that I was just as beautiful, just as kind, just as worthy of love as all the people in stories I grew up believing in. Through his love, I started to believe in myself, even though every part of my brain told me not to.

I’ve been through my fair share of curses, dark magic that left me broken with nothing to keep me going. And yet… even when I am at my lowest, somehow his magic lifts me up, fills me with light, sends me into unearthly euphoria. His voice radiates glowing crystals through my body, his words sink me deep into honey, his song pulses deep within my chest. That is nothing an earthly being could ever have accomplished, I know that in my heart.

Some of you may know my boyfriend, but he is so much more than any description of him will ever express. He is a magician, pure and simple. He carries with him the most beautiful energy, and what’s more, the longer I’ve spent with him, the more I’ve felt that energy building within myself. I know now that I have the power to cast spells in his heart, to fill his body with energy and passion and adoration alike. 

I used to think love was reserved for people in stories. I see now that I am a person capable of creating my own magical story, filled with love on every page. As we approach nearly a year and a half together, I can say with confidence that I am filled to the brim with magic, and with every passing day it grows stronger. You may not need to fall in love to find your magic. But there is nothing as beautiful as the magic of being in love.


A Sorcerer’s Revision Notes

By Disco99x

Cover by Disco99x

Here are some easy tricks to convince your friends and family that you’re actually a witch/wizard…

There Are No Elephants in Denmark

  1. Ask someone to select a number between 2 and 9. Ask them to multiply that number by 9. 
  2. Ask them to add the two digits of the answer. (It will always be 9).
  3. Ask them to subtract 5 from that number. (It will always be 4).
  4. Ask them to assign an alphabet letter to the number based upon A=1, B=2, C=3 etc. (They will get D).
  5. Tell them to think of a country that begins with that letter but not say it aloud. 99% of the time they will choose Denmark.
  6. Tell them to take the second letter of that country’s name and think of an animal that begins with that letter, but keep it secret as well. 
  7. Pause and appear to be giving this some thought. Then, casually, say, “I don’t think Denmark has elephants, except in zoos.”

Rubber Pencil

Hold a regular pencil by the eraser and shake it not too slowly but not too quickly either. At just the right speed, the pencil appears to be made of rubber and not wood. It’s bendy!!

Instantly Turn Water to Ice

  1. Put two or three water bottles (filled with water) in the freezer for around 2h30m.
  2.  Remove the water from the freezer and pour onto a cold surface such as an ice pack.
  3. Watch as the water magically turns to ice right before your eyes!

Bending A Straw

  1. Take a paper wrapped straw and rub the paper up and down a few times to create some static. 
  2. Then place the straw on top of a bottle so it’s parallel to the table. 
  3.  The charge from the friction you just created will allow the straw to rotate when you bring your hands up towards it.
  4. When doing it right, you can make it look like you’re bending the straw with your mind powers.

Making A Coin Disappear

  1. Whilst sitting, grab a coin.
  2. Prop your elbow on the table and start to rub the coin into your elbow/forearms whilst distracting your audience.
  3. Then, drop the coin. It will fall onto the table. Make it look as though you’ve grabbed it with the same hand, when in fact you’ve picked it up with the other.
  4. Put your elbow back where it was on the table and slip the coin down the back of your shirt.
  5. Continue to rub the ‘coin’ into your elbow and slowly reveal its disappearance.

Congratulations!!! You’re a witch/wizard!


Our Year So Far

By :MariaMint:

Cover by chiari.cord

Introduction

2020, the year of bushfires and a global pandemic. It hasn’t really been the best year for the planet, has it? However, when we escape to the online world and we forget about everything happening outside our doors, USDF becomes our real world. Although there hasn’t been many positives away from our computer screens, USDF has seen a lot of positives since the start of this year! In this article, I will be recapping and running through the key changes and achievements in USDF since January.

January 2020

We started off January with a BANG as we hosted our five-year anniversary ceremony on the 11th. Over 100 medals and 12 dozen promotions were handed out. President Sycron even made an appearance to make a speech. This was a big milestone for us, therefore the celebration was granted. January also birthed 8 new OCS Candidates: -Artisan, -TahliyaSkye, :alyss, jovy227, lulu-lemon!, Science99, xaviahxx, and ACupOfTae. This would become the class of 034. Sadly, on the 20th of January, General Jarenso retired after 5 years of dedicated work and service within USDF. He served in multiple positions and roles throughout his tenure in USDF.

The 21st of January was a monumental day for USDF, as we became the first military on Habbo to organize an event with a member of Habbo Staff (Hotel Community Manager, Amaia) which was an official Habbo maze event themed around Boot Camp. The event was advertised on official Habbo platforms such as Twitter. This also was a huge achievement for us because we were the first and ONLY organization to have more than 1 badge dedicated to it, we now have 5 official USDF Badges. 

The DepSecDef was also extremely proud with how successful and advanced our National Intelligence has been ever since. This year we witnessed many classified objectives being reached successfully. This would result in Spellchek receiveing the Silver Star, with Fotoshop, TheRealMatrix, Aelonis, PocketofLint and I-Bella receiving Bronze Stars. To end off the busy month of January, SecDef Controllable announced an approved merge with DeptOfTheNavy, led by Mastership. This took place on the 25th of January.

February 2020

February was a quiet month for USDF. 3rd of February marked the date that 7 new officers were added into our officer corps! Congratulations to -Artisan, -TahliyaSkye, :alyss, jovy227, lulu-lemon!, Science99, and xaviahxx. Just shortly after on the 7th, an Alliance with CIA was established, owned by ArkhamCIA. February also birthed 5 New OCS Candidates: Synnax, Desenho, Tjedshaul, JasonAir, and YellowBalloons. Along with them would be the OFF/SEL’s from DeptOfTheNavy, forming OCS Class 035. That was it for February!

March 2020

March was also another busy month for us, full of achievements! Once again, we welcomed 8 new officers to the officer corps along with their commissioning to O1. On the 19th, USDF rejoins the Condemnation of Illegal Warfare Treaty (CIW-T) with a unanimous vote! At USDF, we do everything we can to protect the security of our personnel, and to make them feel as safe and happy as we can. Just a day later,  the SecDef and the CJCS jtfb4 introduced many changes to the officer corps. Officers were now given a list of requirements to abide by. Officer reviews were also revamped themselves to now include a different way of grading. Also, the Contribution and Achievement (CAS) was introduced along with all of this. On the 25th of March, USDF made Habbo History. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, people were stuck inside, so there were plenty of people escaping to Habbo so they had something to do while in quarantine. USDF became the first organisation ever to have a 130 room population limit increase. At all time highs, there were 142 people in HQ! 

In other news, on the 29th March, our 27th Ceremonial Parade was held for all USDF Personnel.  Two Medal of Honor’s were specially awarded on that day to jtfb4 and LostPrayer, a medal that is highly appreciated and respected in the military. March also saw the birth of 5 new OCS Candidates: Cluster, Connor78127, Konstable, kingbradleyno1, and 91-Bravo. This would form OCS Class 036. March was a busy month, and there is so much more to come in the following few months!

April 2020

April was a fun month for USDF! On April 1st, senior command played an April Fool’s Joke on us by turning our forums, PTS, Twitter, and Discord all pink! We also welcomed 4 new officers into the officer corps, along with their commissioning to O1! April 14th marked the date of our new HQ design, as well as the launch of our new secondary HQ. The USDF Personnel badge managed to hit 800 members on the 18th of April, with an increase due to people being stuck inside quarantining. From here on, it looked like it was going up following the presidential election win of USDF-Endorsed candidate Pulx. During his tenure, he ran campaigns for Habbo Staff to pay more attention to organizations and agencies within Habbo. Like every month, April birthed 6 fresh OCS Candidates: 91-Bravo, Orelsan., Poseide., summersurf34, William.qwewy, and calio3345. This was everything that happened within the month of April!

May 2020

OPA was extremely busy this month, along with the next few months! We also welcomed 5 new officers into the officer corps, along with their commissioning to O1. On the 22nd of May, the annual Branch Wars tournament was announced, which resulted in the branches splitting up into 4 different factions. “The Fallen” would be ruling over USDF for the next 2 months. With Pulx winning the presidential election, on the 25th of May he orchestrated an official Habbo event in collaboration with  militaries/agencies across the platform to create a maze each, with the winners able to be awarded a badge that represented each organization. The focus was to bring attention to agencies and militaries and what they do for Habbo Like every month. This month gave us the acceptance of 5 more candidates into OCS: s810, axye, Esperion, christian.sigma, and IzzieKittie. This would become OCS Class 038. This was the end of the month of May for USDF!

June 2020

June was the month of alliances! On the 4th of June, USDF established an alliance with the Harry Potter themed agency ‘Ministry of Magic’, owned by RC-Ministry. Shortly after on the 6th, USDF established another alliance with the White House, owned by WhiteHouse-RC. This wasn’t the first time we had been allies with them, so it was nice to see us together again. OCS Class 038 was whittled down to 2, welcoming them both into the officer corps, along with their commissioning to O1! OPA carried on to work extremely hard throughout the month of June to keep Branch Wars moving smoothly throughout June. June gave us the acceptance of the 8 ‘corona kids’ OCS Candidates: :MariaMint:, CheesyFlurry, christiansigma, domdomds, funnyak472, Janskyot, KeiKano, and relaxziggy. This would become OCS Class 039. That was everything for the month of June!

July 2020

We started off the month with the 28th Ceremonial Parade, where for the first time in a long time, we had the personnel attending all do a drill section. Plenty of medals and promotions were given out to deserving personnel! OCS Class 039 saw all 8 candidates graduate and receive their commissioning to O1. The next day on the 4th of July, senior command released the new and improved Work Tracker. This now included a unique verification key system for all personnel within an office that would be used when submitting SoW points. On the 17th of July, ‘’The Fallen’’ returned to USDF and began the playoffs portion of Branch Wars, with only 6 days left of the annual branch wars, who was going to be the victor? The 25th of July was a new era for the events teams across USDF. Established was the communication and collabration between branch councils and the OPA Team to create every major event that would take place from now on. OPA was able to reclaim more of the events side of USDF we once fully had.  On the 26th of July, after months of live broadcasts, training, and matches; Army (Armador) became the 2020 Annual Branch Wars victor! Medals were awarded for personnel who played a big part in organizing the event. OCS 040 consisted of one singular person, and that person was Koobo. For the first time in almost 3 years, Koobo was the only person in his OCS Class! He then went on to graduate and receive his commissioning to O1! This was everything for the month of July.

August 2020

We’re not even finished with this month, and already there have been plenty of changes within USDF. So far, we have seen the abolishment of the DJAG position, leaving OJAG an AD+ office. The DepSecDef as well as the SEAC have both now reintroduced WO Meetings, boosting motivation and interaction between the WO ranks. The OOT&E OCS Team have also recently released changes to the way OCS is handled, along with releasing a ‘Mock Entrance Exam’ for warrant officers to take as a practice for their OCS Exams. This month has also seen the acceptance of 4 new candidates into OCS: Nick1x, Infinicorn, playfun!, and -Mythology?. We are all extremely excited to see how they all do, and hopefully they all can join the officer corps! 

Conclusion

With the COVID-19 Pandemic restrictions easing more everyday, people are returning to their daily lives which does unfortunately lead to some USDF Personnel having to resign/retire. This does not mean USDF will stay quiet. With a new generation of senior command being introduced to the scene everyday, there will surely be many more achievements and beneficial changes to the military to come. Overall, the world will continue to keep spinning and USDF will continue to run as usual, but who knows what is around the corner…


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Credits

EDITORSAneha
midgetbella
WRITERSdisco99x
:MariaMint:
dinksy
disco99x
Homasa
Infinicorn
K1e21
midgetbella
shavethefun
TraidKelly
DESIGNERSBoomyJR (Cover)
Aneha (Layout)
ARTISTSBoomyJR
buckyyyyyy
chiari.cord
Disco99x
koleq
LucyLuc
midgetbella
TraidKelly

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