#Synthetic Monarchy

[panvolkkaraczewski]

Quantum Drip

[boinin]

I didn't want to give too much weight to Hiiragi's tarot reading schtick. Yet, it's an author insert moment, and Kaneshiro loves foreshadowing. I have a worrying feeling that these fortunes may hold true for Chigiri, Barou and Nagi.

Full disclosure: I know very little about tarot, but did some high level reading through Wikipedia and other sources.

Chigiri gets the 15th card of the Major Arcana, the Devil. In the official translation, Hiiragi notes this to represent seduction, betrayal and ruin. Oof.

The obvious connection is to Chigiri's leg—the fortune could be tied to how he was seduced by football, became addicted to it, but will subsequently be betrayed by his leg... leading to ruin.

The Devil tarot card doesn't normally show a bomb, so this is for dramatic effect. Thematically, it implies that Chigiri should find purpose (or know where to seek it) beyond football, ahead of the day his luck runs out. 🥺 Not the outcome I want for our princess, but a second ACL injury has long been speculated by fans. Chigiri himself is aware that it's a risk when playing at this level.

Barou chooses number 12, the Hanged Man. Hiiragi cherry-picks his interpretation; in addition, this card is associated with motifs of self-sacrifice, learning, and change in perspective. It can also be interpreted as a voluntary state, rather than something that befalls a person.

It's a good fit for Barou, who doesn't double down on his ego so much as grow to show why he's deserving of his nickname in the first place. Barou is a king on the pitch, and expects a level of servitude from his teammates, but not without constantly improving his own skills and talent. He's no lazy despot, though despot he may be.

The Hanged Man fortunes supports his emotional outburst during the Ubers match. Barou remarks that he needs the challenge of despair to grow. As such, the trials he puts on himself are deliberate, much like the tarot reading suggests.

Nagi gets #13, Death (because of course he does). This fortune seems to be the most thoughtful of the bunch, unsurprisingly. Hiiragi's interpretation, while intended to provoke Nagi above all, holds up well against what little I've read on tarot.

The Wikipedia page for the Death arcana had some additional nuggets of insight, or rather further ammunition for those of us manifesting a second NagiReo divorce:

Reo is frequently referred to as princely and compared to royalty in the series, with his superfluous wealth and the way he confidently takes on leadership roles among teams. His signature colour, purple, has monarchial associations due to how rare and expensive purple pigments are in nature (prior to the invention of synthetic dyes).

Of course Reo, this royal youth, opposes Nagi's desire to change... seemingly at every hurdle.

It's not deliberate sabotage though, more that they're hamstrung by their co-dependency. Unlike almost every other relationship in Blue Lock, which arose from rivalry or a shared desire to improve, Nagi and Reo's friendship is rooted in the naive promises they made before entering the programme. @thyandrawrites had a great post exploring this recently, which I recommend if you want to delve deeper into the reasons for their underperformance in the Neo Egoist league.

My take is, in essence, if these two could agree to remain friends while moving away from being inseperable on the pitch, they'd both flourish.

Back to tarot: Wikipedia also has a tidbit on reversed cards, which I understand aren't a hardwired aspect of reading tarot (it refers to physical cards that are revealed upside down after being shuffled and dealt). The interpretation Wikipedia gives of an inverted Death card is reminiscent of Nagi's status after he plays against Isagi and Bastard München.

In short: Nagireo bad for one another, and Nagi will undergo quite the metamorphosis in his journey through Blue Lock, if this fortune holds.

---

Analysis aside, I wouldn't put too much faith into what these fortunes mean for the characters. Tarot itself isn't immutable, and for every motif listed above, the characters also have other tropes influencing the paths they take. For example, Chigiri shares the whole hero/princess trope with Kunigami, which has more plot significance than his leg injury at present. Nagi embodies the role of a natural prodigy who has neither the knowledge or experience to deploy his talents consistently. Barou embodies an villain or anti-hero archetype, when juxtaposed with Isagi. Each character has more to the eye than a simple playing card can reveal which is why I'm here yapping at length about them during my lunch break

[sionisjaune]

Alien princess cake fic? ...please elaborate pretty please 👀

This was the first part, but here is more:

Jenson arrives on Mercedes just in time for the wedding. He disembarks the ship with an anxious spring in his step to a docking bay strung with white banners and silver garlands. The wide bay windows indicate that the palace grounds are similarly decorated—gauzy curtains and bushels of native foliage. It’s unclear whether white is a wedding color on Mercedes or just the color of Nico’s family. 

The bay itself is quite full of ships of all makes and models—terrestrial and otherwise. Jenson spots a sleek aircraft of obvious Newey design. Seb must be here for the wedding too.

Jenson is well known to the palace denizens now, so the guards posted inside the bay leave him alone to wander inside the palace proper. He ducks under a voluminous spill of white mesh and into the royal halls. The palace is styled somewhere between a swanky hotel and a laboratory—everything white and chrome and carbon with luxurious swaths of synthetic silk and opalescent surfaces. Frosty and imperial like Nico himself. 

Guided by memories of the last time he visited six Earth months ago, Jenson finds his way to the royal suites at the center of the palace. The number of guards lining the halls increases the further Jenson walks, watching him impassively from behind chrome faceplates. He reaches the final doors to the inner sanctum, clears his throat and taps the badge on his coat. 

“Is the prince in?” Jenson asks. 

“Which prince?” says the guard. 

Right. The system of governance on Mercedes remains baffling to Jenson, and there are precious few people willing and able to explain it to him. Seb tried once—humanophile that he is—with imperfect metaphors and bizarre turns of phrase. It involves an executive chancellor, something like a senate and a fuck ton of princes. It’s like a monarchy but not, Seb said. 

“Nico,” says Jenson. The guard nods sharply and moves aside. The door behind him is some kind of energy barrier that fizzles out of existence long enough for Jenson to pass. 

He finds Nico almost immediately inside the hall, conversing passionately with a group of uniformed personnel. An inappropriate grin tugs at Jenson’s cheek at the sight of Nico’s blonde head. Not blonde. In Mercedean, there is no analogous word. In Nico’s opinion—Jenson recalls the irritated pitch of his voice when he explained—his hair is light yellow. 

Jenson stops in front of the group. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?” he says, and revels in the moment where Nico’s shoulders shoot up beside his ears before he spins around. A split-second later, Jenson has two arms full of Nico and a wet mouth open against his.

Jenson pulls back and allows Nico to slip out of his arms. He can feel his own cheeks heating and wastes half a second wondering how it reads to Nico. Mercedeans lack the subdermal capillary network necessary to blush. Seb told Jenson that. 

“You’re back,” says Nico, shining happily. “I have an amendment to the trade agreement that I want you to take back to your minister. Later, naturally.” Nico’s English is near perfect, but Jenson’s ear lingers on the flat, ambiguous accent and the slightly too long pauses between words. “Also, this is Lewis. My—fiance, was it?” 

Nico steps aside to reveal another white-coated Mercedean. His complexion is darker than Nico’s, but he has the same slick, pearly shine to his skin that Nico does. Jenson’s heart accelerates. Fiance—that’s another word with no analog in Mercedean. Apparently, the pre-marriage period is culturally insignificant. 

Lewis pulls Jenson in for a one-armed hug and a chaste kiss on the mouth. The wedding begins in two Mercedean planetary cycles (approximately four Earth days—Mercedes is a giant, lazily rotating planet) and lasts for another one and a half. Husband, unlike fiance, is a word that exists in Mercedean, although it isn’t gendered. 

“Ambassador Button,” says Lewis. His voice resonates with a barely perceptible delay through the universal translator. Jenson has the interface set to British English, so it comes out with a London accent. “My apologies. I was off-world during your last visit.” 

“Nice,” says Jenson. “I could use a vacation myself.”

“Not a vacation,” says Lewis, curtly. “Occasionally, my interplanetary responsibilities pull me away from home. I’m sure you can relate.” 

“Of course,” says Jenson, puzzled. As far as he knows, Mercedes doesn’t have significant interplanetary relations besides the budding kinship with Earth. He files the information away for later consideration. “These days, I feel like I’m hardly home.”  

-

In the middle of discussing the trade agreement, Nico collapses the holo display and places his hand firmly over Jenson’s crotch. Jenson freezes, aware that his mouth is working soundlessly like a trout. 

“What,” says Nico, flatly. He squeezes Jenson once. “This is where your genitals are located, no?” 

Jenson swallows and nods. “Yep. You got it. Quick question, are you familiar with the word infidelity?”

Nico screws up his face and begins massaging the beginning of Jenson’s erection. “Infidelity…” he says, as though tasting the word. “Infidelity is when there is a treaty between two parties and one party does not comply with one or more agreements within the treaty?” 

“Ah,” says Jenson, when Nico presses hard with the heel of his hand. How the fuck does he know where Jenson’s balls are, and not what sleeping around is? “Say, am I going to get thrown in jail for cavorting with the aristocracy?”

“You are not making any sense,” says Nico, climbing into Jenson’s lap. “Come here. We are going to have sex. Are you familiar with this word?” 

“Sure am,” says Jenson, his heart pounding. Nico rolls his hips into Jenson’s cock. “Just making sure we’re on the same page.”

Nico leans down to kiss him. It’s a long, soaking wet kiss that makes Jenson wonder whether Mercedean morphology includes extra salivary glands. Jenson wraps his arms around Nico’s waist decisively and pulls him down to grind against Jenson. Fuck it. Nico is the most beautiful thing Jenson has ever had in his lap—and that includes the bodacious Ferrari dancers at the port DC took him to—and it’s Jenson’s job to learn the culture anyway. 

“The same page?” Nico says, squirming. “Page like in a book?” He pulls back, scrunching his nose, skin shining. Jenson wonders if the iridescence is everywhere. Fuck, he wonders what Nico has in his pants.

“Don’t worry about it, princess,” says Jenson, planting kisses along Nico’s jaw.

“My title is not necessary under these circumstances,” says Nico, breathily. 

Jenson laughs. “Whatever you say, sweetheart.” 

[trcvelers-chcsen]

Anonymous asked:

[ Close walkman and press play. ]

QUEST STEP: INVESTIGATE THE MYSTERIOUS WALKMAN (complete)

"Give that walkman back, or I swear on all three of my fucking lives, I will-" they began to threaten, but it was too late.

The play button was clicked. The tape began to play. Knives was thrown toward the device, the exo desperate to destroy the offending material before it could reach their non-existent ears, but it was dropped to the ground to the ground in shock before it could be struck.

Apollo stepped back, their hands shaking uncontrollably as the recording on the tape played...

Two voices rung out betwixt the ratting of gunfire, and the high-pitched whines of energy weapons.

One has an electronic overlay. It's familiar. This is Apollo's voice.

The other is decidedly more organic. This voice is unfamiliar.

"...I thought I'd find you here," the unfamilar voice stated, almost fondly. "The fleet is almost ready. Come with us, Apollo. We'll explore the cosmos together, just like we always wanted!"

The shuffling of gravel and asphalt could be heard in the background, as though one of the two conversants had just stood up from a crouch.

"About that..." Apollo responded. "I see New Monarchy colors filing onto your fleet."

Gravel crunched beneath feet as the audio indicted that Apollo had turned to face the other voice.

"You all wanna ditch this planet 'cause the City was attacked, with a bunch of the traitors that fucking attacked it? How does that make sense?"

"I-I don't-" the other voice attempted to respond.

There was a pregnant silence, a muffled explosion bursts in the distance before the voice responds.

"Threes, darling, please..."

"Don't you fucking call me that, Set," the exo interjected. Their synthetic voice wavered. "Not unless you plan to stay."

"Wh... You know I can't do that, Apollo. You know why I can't do that, Apollo," the other person - Set - responded, putting emphasis on their name, faer voice getting closer.

"So you're just gonna cut and run, leave these people to die, because some troublemakers can't accept change?"

"The Last City is doomed, Apollo," Set barked back. "There is no future here!"

"We are Guardians, Set!" the Gunslinger implored the Stormcaller. "We've always made our own fate! We kill gods when we work together!"

Set gave a sort of watery half-chuckle.

"Y'know, I've always found that hopeful streak of yours beautiful, Apollo," the Warlock sniffled. "But now isn't the time for hope. It's the time for action."

"Then don't go!" Apollo begged, their voice cracking through their voice module. "Please... we can fight whatever comes for us... together...!"

There was a sniff picked up over the recording, though it was unclear who it had come from.

"...I'm sorry, Apollo. I just... I can't believe that. I want, to, but..."

"...But what, Set?"

"What if we die our final deaths fighting a losing battle...? I can't lose you, and I can't lose Starshine!"

Apollo let out a scoff.

"What if, huh? What if I go with you, and whatever is out there is more dangerous than what's gonna happen here?"

Another pause. A moment of silence.

"It's all a gamble, Set," they continued, their voice softer now. "Not even the Vex, with their Forge Worlds, and star-powered matrioshka brains have a perfect handle on the future. Not where it concerns the paracausal."

There's another sniff.

"I personally like my odds better here," Apollo finished. "And, I'd prefer that gamble if you were here with me."

A wavering, choked sob bubbled from Set. The crunch of gravel indicated Apollo, stepping closer to comfort their terrified human companion.

"Stay. Please... we'll take our future into our own hands. Stop the Darkness. Live here, on Earth, the beautiful blue planet humanity first emerged on!"

"I-I..." Set sobbed.

"I need you, Set... I need to gamble on us... BOTH of us... making it through this alive...!" Apollo implored.

"I..." the Warlock attempted again. "...I can't take those odds, Apollo... I'm sorry..."

The Hunter made a noise like they'd just been stabbed in the gut. And judging from the expression on the Present-day Guardian's face, it probably would've hurt less to be stabbed.

"...So that's it then...?" Apollo questioned, their tone shifting. "We're over...? Done in by fear, and a mutable future that has yet to come to pass?"

"WE SAW YOUR FUCKING GRAVE IN THAT PREDICTION ENGINE, APOLLO!" Set roared. "You, me, and Helios, listening to Saint giving your FUCKING eulogy!"

"I don't plan on dying any time fucking soon, Set! I don't give two shits WHAT some flawed supercomputer thinks is gonna happen!"

"It's all the proof I fucking need to know we're all dead if we stay here! If you die, who the hell can survive?"

Apollo swore under their breath.

"I've seen firsthand how bad the Vex are at understanding us!" The Gunslinger challenged. "And if you had half the fucking spine needed to see that, you wouldn't be running off to gallivant through the fucking stars with traitors!"

"Excuse me?!"

"I said what I fucking said. I can't believe I fell in love with a fucking coward."

"FUCK YOU."

"It'd be better than fucking talking to you at this point," they retorted. Gravel crunched as they turned away from their now former lover. "Goodbye, Set."

"N-no... W-wait- I didn't..."

Apollo, judging from the sound of footsteps, had begun to walk away.

"C-come back, please...!"

"...If it's any consolation, I really don't want you to die either... I hope you stay safe, wherever you end up going."

"Stop, Apollo... please just fucking stop...!"

"I love you, Set..." they croak. "But I have a world to save. And you said yourself you can't take that gamble on me."

"No...!"

"I'm sorry."

Set's desperate sobs slowly began to turn into a building growl. The sound of footfalls stopped.

"Wh... my radar turned..."

A sound like thunder boomed through the recording, and the buzzing of electricity became the desperate wail of a jilted lover.

"What...!?"

There was a shuffling and skidding, a stretched boom, familiar to Guardians as the dreaded sound of an incoming Chaos Reach, followed by a second boom, and the familiar ring of a single shot of a Golden Gun.

And all.

Goes.

Silent.

"...A... poll... o..."

"N-no..." the exo's voice rung out through the silence. "N-no, no, no, no, I didn't mean to- it was reflex, I-"

Crunching, irregular footfalls presumably bring Apollo back to Set's side, as the slow crackling of flame emanated from nearby.

"...S-sor... ry..." were the Warlock's final words, before presumably disintegrating into Solar light and ash.

The sound of a transmat firing swept the recording, a new voice crying out at the guardian.

"What did you do...?! Fae just wanted you to come WITH faer, you stubborn asshole!!"

"I-I didn't... fae just... S-Set... I..."

The stammered half-sentence was cut off by the sound of Apollo, scrambling to their feet, stepping backward, and running.

The recording cuts off there.

"...So." Apollo stepped forward, body tense, voice shaking.

"...Are you fucking happy, now that you got to witness the second worst day of my third damn life?"

The Guardian snatched the device from the ground.

"Don't fucking answer that. I don't give a shit how you feel."

Apollo would punctuate their remark by transmatting away.

[i-gwarth]

There's whisperings on the online winds of a Dishonored 3. Gonna be honest - the existence of such a title is artificial, synthetic. The story arc of Dishonored was wrapped very neatly, with a bow and a Morleyan rose, in DOTO. It's fairly evident that creatively, they didn't plan for a third one with that ending.

What they may have been planning for is Deathloop. Twisting the dark fantasy of the setting into scifi, while simultaneously making it more light hearted and funny. It was a good turn. It refreshed the series and didn't let it stagnate. Deathloop didn't need to be a DOTO sequel, didn't need to be set in the same world. The fact that it did is nothing but a fun little easter egg.

What would Dishonored 3 even be about? Well... I have some ideas.

Deathloop carries some hints that in the century since DOTO, something big went down in the Isles. It's all but confirmed that a massive war was fought. The evidence of industrialized militarism on a scale previously unseen in the setting is littered all over Blackreef. So far we'd seen city guards and patrol ships in the Dishonored games, with vague whispers of an army and a Navy. Blackreef has tanks, planes, more munitions stockpiles than you can shake a stick at and... as of the Goldenloop Update... "Fissile Arms"? As in nuclear fucking weapons? This points to a massive amount of escalation in armament within 100 years (consistent with real life, let's face it). It's not confirmed but it's also suggested that the Empire disbanded. The two, I believe, are connected. The red yarn that links the Empire with War also ties into Tyvia.

Tyvia, the problem child of the Empire. Remote, rich, all but self-governing. A committee of "elected representatives" (read: stalinist-style apparatchiks) led by 3 judges control every aspect of life, ever since the old Princes were overthrown. One of the first notes we find in Dishonored 2 is a demand for more Tyvian independence in the form of trade inspections.

A destabilizing, looming conflict in the Isles, with Tyvia agitating for more autonomy or even complete control of its neighbors, is my bet for the background setting of a third installment. The Judges are known to dispose of lackeys they have no further use for; they did it to Zhukov. So, in keeping with the title of the series and the necessity for the protagonist to be "fallen from grace", perhaps the third Dishonored game will have us playing as a Hero of Tyvia, working to foment or prevent a catastrophic war with the other isles.

Keep the dark tone of the previous Dishonored games but use a more scifi aesthetic for the magic powers. Pursue further the trend of the games paralleling the advent of political modernity, with the monarchy of the Empire being under threat from a populist dictatorship with revolutionary rhetoric. After all, like I told my mother - revolutions don't bring out the best in people. And such a historical junction point would be an excellent framing for a story where, once again, your bodycount directs the course of events.

It could work

[void-botanist]

Happy STS! Have you ever had to cut an interesting part of a character's backstory/lore because it didn't make sense with the overall story that you were trying to tell?

Happy STS future! This is such an interesting question because usually the lore got majorly changed whenever I moved settings - not necessarily to the point of being unrecognizable, but over the last couple of decades the setting shifts have been pretty wild, especially in what is now locality space. And with the setting shifts, the story also changed, so it all kind of worked in tandem. As I've gotten older I've thought more about themes and motifs and such and been interested in overall story goals rather than just playing dolls with all my little guys, but setting is still a big part of that. All that said, here's a few major lore changes:

In pretty much every version leading up to the current canon, almost everyone on Pajiir was white by default. Which meant that Dez was white by default and built by white people. He was essentially an uncanny valley synthetic white guy, except I mostly ignored the uncanny valley part. But as I started developing the current canon, I realized that even aside from questions of technology, Dez looking like A Human at all added a lot of layers I wasn't interested in exploring and didn't really make sense with how he related to his human builders (a big part of his character before was how he would just blend in with everyone else). So the circumstances of his build evolved with his design, and he kind of paved the way for building out the biotech in the setting. By the same token, Syndy's old version looked human in the same way that Ratchet from Robots looks human (like, more than Dez but still not Human TM) but with all of the lore about the Navaren monarchy's intentions for her, it made sense to make her look Human TM and also like the archetypal Attractive Navaren Woman.

In old versions of locality space there was a MAJOR thread of queerphobia that WAS actually baked into the lore and the way the story unfolded (mostly in terms of the now-crew of the Nicea). But especially as I figured out how queer I was, I realized that wasn't the story I wanted to tell, and that weird worldbuilding aside I was also treading into experiences that were very much not my own (e.g. Catholic queerphobia) that I didn't need to get at the heart of my story. But it did survive a couple big setting shifts, and extremely informed the shape of Isabel's backstory (it still does, just without the queer = inherently bad part) and how Declan was allowed or not allowed to grieve Cady.

On a funnier note, Christina has always been a powerful witch, but there was also a time in past canons where she was highly theatrical about all of her spells, which kinda seemed to be a function of her wanting to impress people and make friends despite having -1 charisma otherwise. But I found that her conflict with Althea inside the witch council was more interesting, and I dropped the theatrics in favor of her being more like an expert who has forgotten how to talk to non-experts. And also not being alone because of negative charisma but for other people's safety, which is so much more compelling.

Also original Sid was ?dead? and ?trapped? in the space-timestream? so he could go anywhere in the 15 dimensions and be at any time (I think) but had his own rules of engagement to not mess things up, which meant that at some point he stole Horatio from the past to act as a midwife for an endangered magical creature? and ran around delivering cryptic messages and one-liners to various characters who were being arrested for actions related to said magical creature? and was generally just incredible and great but also probably was the thing that made me realize that all the dimension and creature stuff was just plot fluff because I wasn't focusing on the character level of the story, even though that was obviously what I wanted to write. This did not cause me to actually write anything better for some time, because you really can't top an overly dramatic ghost man.

Nicea taglist: @kahvilahuhut @kk7-rbs @outpost51 @writernopal @athenswrites

[elmalo8291]

Absolutely. Here’s a structured evolution of the world we live in—focused on human civilization, technological change, and planetary influence—from early history to today, with a slight nod toward where things are heading:

🌍 I. The Primordial Era (4.5 billion – 10,000 BCE)

Formation of Earth: Collision, cooling, and chaos. Heavy bombardment creates oceans and atmosphere.

Origin of Life: First microbial life forms in the oceans ~3.5 billion years ago.

Evolutionary Pressure: Natural selection leads to multicellular life, land colonization, dinosaurs, then mammals after mass extinctions.

Hominids Appear (~6 million BCE): Walking upright, developing tools, migrating.

🔥 II. The Human Dawn (10,000 BCE – 3000 BCE)

Neolithic Revolution: Farming, domestication, permanent settlements.

Proto-Technology: Pottery, weaving, early metallurgy.

Spiritual Awareness: Shamanism, animism, celestial observation.

🏛 III. Ancient Civilizations (3000 BCE – 500 CE)

Rise of Empires: Egypt, Sumer, Indus, China, Mesoamerica.

Writing & Law: Cuneiform, hieroglyphs, Hammurabi’s Code.

Philosophy & Religion: Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and later Christianity.

Engineering Feats: Pyramids, aqueducts, roads, astronomy.

Collapse Cycles: Drought, warfare, and internal rot bring civilizations down.

⚔️ IV. The Medieval World (500 – 1500 CE)

Decentralization: Feudalism, kingdoms, theocracies.

Islamic Golden Age: Science, medicine, algebra, optics.

Crusades & Trade: Cultural cross-pollination, East-West exchanges.

Plague & Collapse: Black Death, Mongol invasions reshape power.

🚢 V. Renaissance to Enlightenment (1500 – 1800 CE)

Renaissance: Rebirth of classical learning, art, and science.

Scientific Method: Galileo, Newton, Descartes—order from chaos.

Colonial Expansion: Empires spread through conquest and exploitation.

Revolutions Begin: American, French—liberty vs. monarchy.

⚙️ VI. Industrial Age (1800 – 1945 CE)

Mechanization: Steam, coal, textile revolution, railroads.

Urbanization: Factory cities, slums, labor reform.

World Wars: Nationalism, empire clashes, technological warfare.

Electricity & Communication: Telegraph, telephone, early radio.

💻 VII. The Digital Age (1945 – 2020)

Nuclear World: Cold War, MAD doctrine, atomic anxiety.

Space Race: Apollo landings, satellites, GPS.

Internet Revolution: Global connectivity, social media, data explosion.

Globalization: Interconnected economies, climate awareness.

🧠 VIII. The Post-Digital Tipping Point (2020 – Present)

AI & Automation: ChatGPT, robotics, algorithmic governance.

Climate Crisis: Wildfires, floods, mass migrations.

Pandemics & Resilience: COVID-19 changed systems forever.

Cultural Fragmentation: Truth questioned, media splintered.

Space Renaissance: Mars missions, lunar bases, private spaceflight.

🔮 IX. Probable Near Futures (2025 – 2100+)

Artificial Intelligence: Ubiquity in decision-making and creative work.

Synthetic Biology: Engineered organisms, CRISPR, designer cures.

Planetary Engineering: Geoengineering, carbon capture, climate interventions.

Decentralized Power: Blockchain, DAO governance, post-nation actors.

Post-Human Trajectories: Brain-machine interfaces, artificial consciousness.

Interplanetary Migration: First outposts on Mars or the Moon; Earth becomes one world among many.

Would you like this rewritten from a mythological, cyberpunk, or speculative fiction lens? Or do you want to explore alternative timelines, like what if Rome never fell or AI emerged in the 1800s?

[cudoredan]

FAAAAAAKE hehe

first meeting prompts.

he feels out of place in this boutique. initially drawn in by the pretty fabrics from the outside, now that he stands here he finds it all much too fancy, the synthetic fragrances in the air much too strong, contrasting sharply against the nature of him. just as he turns to leave, a regal voice addresses him in something akin to recognition.

ethos doesn’t expect to be recognized in his own world, let alone in this one. he is used to being a visitor to places, a stranger to people, although lately he’s come to realize the body he’s in must’ve had a past. the stranger mentioned something along the lines of ‘ it’s good to see you again ’ and that suggestion, ‘ again ’ , is what gives him pause. it stirs the host with curiosity.

he regards the handsome young man, purple eye meeting lavender. he looks like a prince, making this the second time he’s been discerned by a royal. it’s funny, with his general disdain for monarchy.

“ sorry, do i know you? ” do you know me?

[lux-refracted-light]

As a person who's lived in both places, I will totally roast both countries

Insults towards the British (specifically English):

Your cuisine has no flavor. Except beans on toast and cheese on crumpets, that shit slaps. And you can make desserts--if anyone says your desserts are bad, I'll fight them

You add too many fucking us in your words. What are you, French? Colour doesn't need a u. Also you refuse to see the sexiness of a z instead of an s in other words. Like yes the s looks more refined but the z is sexy so it stays.

You have free healthcare but proceed to make it worse than it already is by defunding it. Buddy you have like 2 CAT scanners in your entire country, I think you should be pro-funding it.

You are TERF island. It's ironic that the US is actually better for trans rights than you are, because we're not that good at trans rights.

You make public school kids wear uniforms and have no self-expression, like wtf is that about. Also can't stalkers more easily identify where your child goes to school if they have their uniform on???

Your slang sounds so fake, I'm sorry but it does. You can't tell me you actually say bangers and mash and toad in the hole and chuffed to bits. You can't be serious, you're doing it for the bit, right?

Some of your snacks sound like they have fake names. This is only half an insult because I actually like hula-hoops and quavers and wotsits but they have such silly names.

Chips is the crunchy thing, fries is the thing that's chewy inside, and crisps don't fucking exist. Fuck you.

You don't know what nachos are. You pronounce them wrong, use flour tortilla chips, and put ketchup in your salsa. What the fuck is wrong with you. I hate what you've done to my nachos.

When the best pizza England has is Domino's, you know you have done something wrong. Tuna and sweetcorn pizza is a crime against humanity.

While I'm at it, it's cute that you think your baked potatoes have jackets, but why are you putting tuna and sweetcorn and mayonnaise in it. You're ruining a perfectly good baked potato.

You didn't photoshop Boris Johnson, a man you called BoJo, onto photos of banjos enough. I was the only one I knew doing that. Fuck that racist banjo.

All your immigrants have to be in the big cities, I never met a person who wasn't white out in the country in England. Let them out and enjoy the rural lifestyle please? Please there was only one other non-white kid in the small village I was in PLEASE

You haven't gotten rid of your monarchy yet, and still worship them as celebrities. Buddy they are living off your taxes, they can be celebrities once you don't pay them money when they're already rich, and start giving it people who actually need it.

Insults towards USAmericans:

You aren't the only country in the Americas, not even in North America, stop acting special

You use way too much salt and synthetically made chemicals. Some of that is fine but it doesn't need to be in every goddamn thing

You think wearing your own flag and pledging allegiance to it is normal. Buddy that's a piece of cloth

English people spell grey right actually. Don't tell me to put an a in that bitch, grey is always going to be an e-type of word

You think your cheddar cheese slices are real cheese. Don't talk to me or my blue stilton ever again, unless you're putting it on a burger or a sandwich, in which case that is perfectly acceptable behavior

Your conservatives literally hate everybody and aren't even shy about it. At least in England they pretend to give a shit about their victims while they kill people. USAmerican conservatives can go "I love killing Mexicans and Jews and Black people and queers" and people will still be like "ok" and vote for them. England conservatives will be ousted for fucking a dead pig in college, and if they say a slur they have to at least make a 10-minute apology, and they can't just say "yeah I hate these people for an unchangeable facet of their identity" outright, they have to dress it up in dogwhistles.

Why are guns. Seriously why do we still have them and feel so attached to them. Please it's not funny anymore, the kids are dying because bastards with guns are shooting them. Please.

Your public school food just fucking sucks ass. Seriously, when I lived in England, where the baseline food tastiness was lower, their school food was still better than yours. Come back when you have pizza baguettes and unpackaged muffins and elderflower blackcurrant soda in a bottle!!!

Why is there a suspicious lack of banana flavored milk. Like guys you're missing out on the banana milk, it's the good shit

Adding on to this, Hershey's is only good for s'mores and anyone who eats a Hershey's bar by itself is my enemy. Go get you some Lindt or Cadbury's, Milka if you aren't allergic to hazelnuts, and your eyes will be opened to a whole new world of chocolate.

Most Americans don't know what nachos are either. You expect my to call your fritos and fake cheese sauce nachos??? No, the cheese needs to be baked on top, and you have to put a bit of salsa and sour cream on there. Otherwise that's just pre-dipped chips.

You don't even have sidewalks or public transportation most places. What the fuck, how are people supposed to get around without a car???

Yeah I think I aired out every grievance I had with both countries ever, except for maybe the ones with predominant religious groups, but they tend to be much the same across countries sooo

-Chara

European: Americans will be like I’m going to watch a whore movie and eat a hamburger slathered in lard

Americans: it’s true I do do this.

American: British people will be like alright I’m off to eat some wheezy bangers (beans and bread out of a can)

Brit: I’ve seen this reblogged by several people I normally trust so: How mocking British cuisine and dialect has a long classist history and how it became frighteningly normalized on an American (uniquely cruel, uniquely ignorant) internet: a thread. 1/?

[market-spy]

The Blooming Business of Botanical Ingredients: More than Just a Green Trend

Exploring the Lush Landscape of the Global Botanical Ingredients Market

The Growth Spurt:

Picture this: from a humble USD 164.4 billion in 2022, the global botanical ingredients market is gearing up to flex its green muscles at a whopping USD 299.71 billion by 2031. That’s a growth rate of 6.90%, making even the most ambitious house plants jealous. So, what’s fueling this exponential growth? Let’s dive into the fertile soil of reasons.

Health, Wellness, and the Quest for the Perfect Smoothie:

In a world where wellness is the new black, it’s no surprise that the demand for botanical ingredients is skyrocketing. With consumers on a perpetual hunt for the elixir of life (or at least a decent antioxidant), these green wonders are finding their way into functional foods, dietary supplements, skincare potions, herbal medicines, and probably your neighbor’s green smoothie. It turns out, plants are not just for Instagram aesthetics; they’re also great for your insides.

Powder, Liquid, and the Battle of the States:

In this botanical battleground, the powder form reigns supreme. Versatile, easy to handle, and a favorite among cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals, powders are basically the royalty of botanical ingredients. Meanwhile, liquid botanicals are the rebels with a cause — quick absorption, versatile applications, and a knack for being the cool kids in the beverage and skincare industry. It’s a tug of war between the powdered monarchy and the liquid revolution.

Spices, Herbs, and a Dash of Cultural Richness:

In the plant kingdom, spices wear the crown, ruling with their strong aroma and medicinal prowess. Used for flavoring, coloring, and preserving food, spices are the rockstars of the botanical world. However, don’t underestimate the herbs, the rising stars of the market. With their health benefits and growing popularity in herbal teas, skincare products, and dietary supplements, herbs are the underdogs giving spices a run for their money.

For More Information: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/botanical-ingredients-market

North America vs. Asia-Pacific — The Battle of the Green Giants:

In this epic showdown, North America holds the crown, thanks to rising awareness and a penchant for plant-based products. However, don’t count out the Asia-Pacific region, with India, Japan, and China leading the charge. Their rich herbal traditions, demand for natural ingredients, and a dash of cultural heritage have catapulted them into the fastest-growing market segment. It seems the East is truly meeting the West in the botanical battleground.

The Forces Shaping the Botanical Battlefield:

Health and Wellness Awareness: The world’s waking up to the importance of health, and botanical ingredients are the superheroes in this narrative. Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunity-boosting — these are the Avengers of the natural product world.

Demand for Natural and Organic Products: The era of synthetic ingredients is waning. The cool kids on the block want natural and organic, and botanical ingredients are here to deliver. Whether it’s cosmetics, healthcare, or food, the demand for natural products is driving the botanical boom.

The Thorny Issues:

Amidst the green euphoria, there are a few thorns in the botanical garden:

Regulatory and Quality Control Challenges: Navigating the regulatory maze can be trickier than finding a needle in a haystack. Differing standards across nations and regions can leave manufacturers scratching their heads and checking labels like confused botanists.

Supply Chain Complexity and Sourcing Woes: Harvesting, processing, and sourcing botanicals require a delicate touch. Throw in regional limitations, climate change, and environmental concerns, and you’ve got a recipe for supply chain chaos.

The Battle of the Brands:

In this fierce competition, giants like Naturex, Givaudan, and Ransom Naturals are duking it out for supremacy. The secret sauce? Rigorous R&D, global distribution channels, and a dash of sustainability. But it’s not just the big shots; startups are joining the fray, armed with organic certifications and a commitment to sustainability. The fight for the botanical throne is getting intense, and consumers are the ultimate judges.

Recent Developments — Not Just Your Average Cup of Tea:

From Nestlé’s botanical baby foods to Johnson & Johnson’s cosmetic concoctions, it seems everyone wants a piece of the botanical pie. Even Coca-Cola is jumping on the green bandwagon with a new beverage line. Herbalife Nutrition is also in the mix, promising supplements made from botanical goodness. It’s like a botanical renaissance, and we’re all invited.

Key Market Trends — It’s More than a Fad, It’s a Lifestyle:

Functional Plant-Based Ingredients: Move over, synthetic additives; it’s time for plants to shine. Consumers are craving functional ingredients that boost health, and botanicals fit the bill. From functional beverages to dietary supplements, it’s a green revolution.

Organic and Natural Products: The world’s gone au naturel, and the botanical ingredients market is basking in the spotlight. Cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals are clamoring for these natural wonders as consumers become more conscious of what they put on and in their bodies.

In Conclusion — Where the Green Road Leads:

As the demand for clean label products rises, botanical ingredients are taking center stage. With consumers shifting to preventive health approaches and an increasing focus on holistic wellness, the botanical ingredients market is set to flourish. It’s not just a trend; it’s a lifestyle, and the global botanical ingredients market is here to stay.

So, next time you sip your herbal tea or apply that anti-aging lotion, remember — you’re not just following a trend; you’re part of the green revolution. Embrace the botanical goodness, and let the plants guide you to a healthier, more vibrant future.

About Us-

SkyQuest Technology Group is a Global Market Intelligence, Innovation Management & Commercialization organization that connects innovation to new markets, networks & collaborators for achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

Contact Us-

SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

1 Apache Way,

Westford,

Massachusetts 01886

USA (+1) 617–230–0741

Email- info@skyquestt.com

Website: https://www.skyquestt.com

[sqinsights]

The Blooming Business of Botanical Ingredients: More than Just a Green Trend

Welcome, fellow Earthlings, to the fascinating world of botanical ingredients! In a market that’s blooming faster than a sunflower on steroids, it’s time to unravel the secrets behind the green revolution. Forget decoding and navigating through jargon; let’s take a stroll through the flourishing fields of the global botanical ingredients market.

The Growth Spurt:

Picture this: from a humble USD 164.4 billion in 2022, the global botanical ingredients market is gearing up to flex its green muscles at a whopping USD 299.71 billion by 2031. That’s a growth rate of 6.90%, making even the most ambitious house plants jealous. So, what’s fueling this exponential growth? Let’s dive into the fertile soil of reasons.

Health, Wellness, and the Quest for the Perfect Smoothie:

In a world where wellness is the new black, it’s no surprise that the demand for botanical ingredients is skyrocketing. With consumers on a perpetual hunt for the elixir of life (or at least a decent antioxidant), these green wonders are finding their way into functional foods, dietary supplements, skincare potions, herbal medicines, and probably your neighbor’s green smoothie. It turns out, plants are not just for Instagram aesthetics; they’re also great for your insides.

Powder, Liquid, and the Battle of the States:

In this botanical battleground, the powder form reigns supreme. Versatile, easy to handle, and a favorite among cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals, powders are basically the royalty of botanical ingredients. Meanwhile, liquid botanicals are the rebels with a cause — quick absorption, versatile applications, and a knack for being the cool kids in the beverage and skincare industry. It’s a tug of war between the powdered monarchy and the liquid revolution.

Spices, Herbs, and a Dash of Cultural Richness:

In the plant kingdom, spices wear the crown, ruling with their strong aroma and medicinal prowess. Used for flavoring, coloring, and preserving food, spices are the rockstars of the botanical world. However, don’t underestimate the herbs, the rising stars of the market. With their health benefits and growing popularity in herbal teas, skincare products, and dietary supplements, herbs are the underdogs giving spices a run for their money.

For More Information: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/botanical-ingredients-market

North America vs. Asia-Pacific — The Battle of the Green Giants:

In this epic showdown, North America holds the crown, thanks to rising awareness and a penchant for plant-based products. However, don’t count out the Asia-Pacific region, with India, Japan, and China leading the charge. Their rich herbal traditions, demand for natural ingredients, and a dash of cultural heritage have catapulted them into the fastest-growing market segment. It seems the East is truly meeting the West in the botanical battleground.

The Forces Shaping the Botanical Battlefield:

Health and Wellness Awareness: The world’s waking up to the importance of health, and botanical ingredients are the superheroes in this narrative. Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunity-boosting — these are the Avengers of the natural product world.

Demand for Natural and Organic Products: The era of synthetic ingredients is waning. The cool kids on the block want natural and organic, and botanical ingredients are here to deliver. Whether it’s cosmetics, healthcare, or food, the demand for natural products is driving the botanical boom.

The Thorny Issues:

Amidst the green euphoria, there are a few thorns in the botanical garden:

Regulatory and Quality Control Challenges: Navigating the regulatory maze can be trickier than finding a needle in a haystack. Differing standards across nations and regions can leave manufacturers scratching their heads and checking labels like confused botanists.

Supply Chain Complexity and Sourcing Woes: Harvesting, processing, and sourcing botanicals require a delicate touch. Throw in regional limitations, climate change, and environmental concerns, and you’ve got a recipe for supply chain chaos.

The Battle of the Brands:

In this fierce competition, giants like Naturex, Givaudan, and Ransom Naturals are duking it out for supremacy. The secret sauce? Rigorous R&D, global distribution channels, and a dash of sustainability. But it’s not just the big shots; startups are joining the fray, armed with organic certifications and a commitment to sustainability. The fight for the botanical throne is getting intense, and consumers are the ultimate judges.

Recent Developments — Not Just Your Average Cup of Tea:

From Nestlé’s botanical baby foods to Johnson & Johnson’s cosmetic concoctions, it seems everyone wants a piece of the botanical pie. Even Coca-Cola is jumping on the green bandwagon with a new beverage line. Herbalife Nutrition is also in the mix, promising supplements made from botanical goodness. It’s like a botanical renaissance, and we’re all invited.

Key Market Trends — It’s More than a Fad, It’s a Lifestyle:

Functional Plant-Based Ingredients: Move over, synthetic additives; it’s time for plants to shine. Consumers are craving functional ingredients that boost health, and botanicals fit the bill. From functional beverages to dietary supplements, it’s a green revolution.

Organic and Natural Products: The world’s gone au naturel, and the botanical ingredients market is basking in the spotlight. Cosmetics, food, and pharmaceuticals are clamoring for these natural wonders as consumers become more conscious of what they put on and in their bodies.

In Conclusion — Where the Green Road Leads:

As the demand for clean label products rises, botanical ingredients are taking center stage. With consumers shifting to preventive health approaches and an increasing focus on holistic wellness, the botanical ingredients market is set to flourish. It’s not just a trend; it’s a lifestyle, and the global botanical ingredients market is here to stay.

So, next time you sip your herbal tea or apply that anti-aging lotion, remember — you’re not just following a trend; you’re part of the green revolution. Embrace the botanical goodness, and let the plants guide you to a healthier, more vibrant future.

About Us-

SkyQuest Technology Group is a Global Market Intelligence, Innovation Management & Commercialization organization that connects innovation to new markets, networks & collaborators for achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

Contact Us-

SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

1 Apache Way,

Westford,

Massachusetts 01886

USA (+1) 617–230–0741

Email- info@skyquestt.com

Website: https://www.skyquestt.com

[panvolkkaraczewski]

— Do you know what's the difference between military intelligence and military paperwork?

— No madame.

— Intelligence might be wrong, but paperwork is always correct, especially when it contradicts reality.

[nityarawal]

Melody (Gray) Stole Your Song

Bro #50ShadesOfGold NOT #50ShadesOfRed or #50ShadesOfGray

Afternoon Songs

Sitting In My Car

The Sun Warms

My Bones

You Can't Get Me

Down

Triangulating

Blues

No You Won't

Dylan Peeps

In From Koyt Radio

Paid My Landlord

What Was Owed

He's A Stingy Bastard

10 Years Younger

Hustling The Ranch

He Deserted

The Farm

With Too Many 

Hookers

Lured Me In

With Promises Of

Court Help

Alibis With

Integrity

Lured Me In

With Melodious Lies

On Her Nurse

Mothers

Boytoys

Plea

Restraining Order

Threats

Raping Her Youngest

Stop Raping Our Kids

Sing Sage And I

Your Either On 

Court Hooking Side

Or Ours

Scream #4BillionMothersStrong 

Stop Rapin' Our

Kids

The Courts Don't Lie

You Say

Just A Story

Says Byron Katie

Rotating Judges

Dying Attys

Spirocheted By

Syphilis

Alzheimers

Dykes Like

Melody Virus

Wasp Toothless

Cronies

Every Age

Hooking

Eloning

Daniel Wants 

To Fundraise

From

Begging For Electrical

Bills

Covered

Paid

Won't Let Us

Heat Or Dry

Our Shelters

Seeking Food

To Pregnant 

Dogs

Water

Nursing 9 Pups

At Risk

Of Frostbight

Danny To Cold

To Care

In His 90 Degree

Bedroom

Worried

Of Neighbor's 

Losing Limbs

Diabetic Squatting

With Rats

In House Of Dan

Under Sheriff Parsons

Slumlorders

Diabetic Starving

Frost With Intelligence

Dog

Special Forces Knife

Who Beat

A Neighbor

Mr. Alexander

On The Head

Took His Wallet

Concussed

Then Threatens

A Tenant

For His $1000 (Thousand

Dollar)

Loss

He Begged

Who'd Let A 

Neighbors

Dog

Rape The Mother

Charly

Of His Long Haired

Australian

Sheepdog

Nearly Killing Her King

Daddy 

Cyrus Stud

Of Doje Incest

If It Wasn't You

Then Fess Up

For The Intelligent

Hoes

Hurting Us

Elon Didn't Want

To Be Melody's

Sex Slave

Doped Up Batman

Or Robot

For Queen

Chowmilla

We Wanted To

Sing Of Finer

Things

Than Your

Mean

Snipped

Injured

Dicks

Heart Chakras

Eunuch

Fettishes

For A Fallen

Monarchy

King Of Butt

Plugs

Nonce Charles

Synthetic

Football Bros

Wanderlust

Take Your 

Robots

To The Underworld 

Abort

The Hookers

Invitro

Projects

Chords

We're Not Covering

Practicing Medicine

Anymore

For The Airforce

Natoma

Or Nasa

You Hear

Our Astronauts

Aren't The "W" 

Word

For Britain

Or Canada

Our Martians

Aren't Your

Sex Dolls

To Experiment

On

And Starve

From Love

With Warlocks

That Got No

Melody

Spin Dr's. RAPED

YOU

4000 (Four Thousand) Nerve Endings 

Butchered

From Your Dicks

To Your Hearts

Cry

My Love

Recycle Tesla

It's Worth Crying

About

Buy Don't Hate

Your Aunties

Mommies

Because

We're Not

The Cougars

Or Dogs

Raped

Who Molested

You

Not The Step-dad

Rapunzels

Capitalizing

On Your

Suffering

Not The Cougars

Of Idyllwild

Who Stole Your

Melody

At Courts

Most We're Muses

Murdered

By X- Sheriff Keith

Harper

Like Heiress Lydia Abrams

And Jody Fitz Kik Patrick

But Melody And Nurse

Darlene 

Would Know

Dancing

Vampires

Dr. Natalya

Dr. Tima Ivanova

Dr. Browning AI

From BBVA To

PNC

Dr. Queresheri

Jihad

Invisible

Dr

Provider

Dolls 

Receptionist Bribes

Coroner

With A Black Market

To Vegas

Thunder From Down

Under

Hungarian Spies

Warlock Bribes

Melody World

Know

She Stole Your

Song Bro

But You Let

Her

You Know

Peace,

Nitya Nella Azam Davigo Moezzi Huntley Rawal 

[hydralisk98]

"Karalis" clef / keymap between 16^12 Angora & real-life Earth

PREFACE

List of Civilizations (~36-60 entries with 48 as recommended value for a grand scale Civ5CE full-timewise-width scenario pack)

(Civ_1 to Civ_12) Shoshones (as the eponymous Shoshoni, also somewhat similar to the Western USA + Cascadia + British Colombia to be frank), Maya (as the Atepec), Morocco (as the Tatari), Celts < Scotland < Gaelic Picts (as the Aberku), Brazil (as the March+Burgund+Hugues cultural co-federated group), Persia (as the Taliyan), Poland (as the Rzhev), Incas (as the Palche), Assyria (as the Syriac), Babylon (as the Ishtar), Polynesia < Samoa (as the eponymous Samoan),

(Civ_13 to Civ_16) Korea (as the Hwatcha), Sweden (as the Mersuit), Japan ≈ Austria < Portugal (as the Arela), China ≈ Siam < Vietnam (as the Cao),

(Civ_17 to Civ_20) Indonesia < Inuit (as the Eqalen), Carthage (as the Eyn), Mongols < Angola (as the Temu), Netherlands (as the Treano);

(Civ_21 to Civ_36) Hungary (as the Uralic & Caucasus peoples, including Avars & Hungarians) Aremorica (as a different, more inner continental Gaulish Breton, flavor of Aberku druidic Celts, from which the Angora names derives from) Sumer (some additional mesopotamian civilization into the mixture) Burgundy (as a releasable Occitan cultural state from Brazil) Lithuania (as the Chunhau cantonese seafarers) Carib (Classical Nahuatl / Nubian civilization of darkest skin cultures, integral part of a historical slave market before it got shutdown) Austria (as a releasable March cultural state from Brazil with some exiled cities) England (as a releasable Hugues cultural state from Brazil) Spain ≈ Castille ≈ Aragon (as the Medran) Nippur ≈ Nibru ≈ Elam (as another, east-ward mesopotamian state) Myceneans < Minoans (as a seafarers aggressive culture) Ethiopia < Kilwa ≈ Oman (as a Ibadi Islam outspot of trade) Venice < Tuscany (as another Treano state) Byzantium ≈ Classical Greece (as the pious religious orthodox Zapata government akin to tsarist Russia dynasty & Vatican Papal States during the late 18th century) Ottomans < Turks (as the Turchian turkic culture group) Hittites (as the Hatris / Lydians culture group)

List of major religions (~16)

Pohakantenna renamed as Utchwe pantheon (most popular belief system for synthetic beings and overall Tropix-y fast technically-inclined adaptation into their culture for machines and automata class sapients)

Arianism (akin to Catholic Christianity but borrowing much from the now-defunct branch of the same name)

Al-Asnam (Druidic faith system)

Chaldeanism (Mesopotamian faith system)

Ba'hai (Syncretic non-exclusive religion akin to how the GNU Hurd works & how "Free Software Foundation" views the world)

Calvinism (Huguenot monotheism)

Tala-e-Fonua (Seafarers indigenous belief system)

Jainism / Buddhism tradition (inner way reincarnation monastery system)

Judaism (harmonious unity)

Zoroastrianism / Confucianism (akin to a abacus wirebox of esoteric doctrines likewise to pre-Taiwan exile Republic of China)

Ibadiyya & Shia (dialects of Islam)

Canaanism (Carthage belief system)

Pesedjet (Numidan Hieroglyphics belief system)

Hussitism (central slavic dialect of monotheism)

Mwari (Carib religion very much about celebrating the dead much and very much alot of esoteric practices emulating Voodoo to some moderate extent)

Orenda (Eastern Turtle Island faith system about animistic balance with fey & humans)

List of major states / sovereign governmental structures in the Planetary Community of Angora alongside their web extensions into the Latin script...

Shoshoni Union of (Syndicalist) Republics (.SU)

Commune of Samoa (.CS)

Liquid Republic of Sumer (.SM)

Inuit Assembly of Tribes (.ITA)

Heavenly Empire of Vietnam (.VH)

Grand Federation of Brazil (.BR)

Theocratic Maya Unitary State (.MU)

Elected Tsardom of Poland (.PTE)

Constitutional Monarchy of Assyria (.AM)

Imperium of Portugal (.PDI)

Enlightened Despotism of Babylon (.BD)

Absolutist Authority of Morocco (.MSA)

[zvaigzdelasas]

In November 2020, the Moroccan government sent its military to the Guerguerat area, a buffer zone between the territory claimed by the Kingdom of Morocco and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR). The Guerguerat border post is at the very southern edge of Western Sahara along the road that goes to Mauritania. The presence of Moroccan troops “in the Buffer Strip in the Guerguerat area” violated the 1991 ceasefire agreed upon by the Moroccan monarchy and the Polisario Front of the Sahrawi. That ceasefire deal was crafted with the assumption that the United Nations would hold a referendum in Western Sahara to decide on its fate; no such referendum has been held, and the region has existed in stasis for three decades now.[...]

In August 2020, the United States government engineered a major diplomatic feat called the Abraham Accords. The U.S. secured a deal with Morocco and the United Arab Emirates to agree to a rapprochement with Israel in return for the U.S. making arms sales to these countries as well as for the United States legitimizing Morocco’s annexation of Western Sahara. The arms deals were of considerable amounts—$23 billion worth of weapons to the UAE and $1 billion worth of drones and munitions to Morocco. For Morocco, the main prize was that the United States—breaking decades of precedent—decided to back its claim to the vast territory of Western Sahara. The United States is now the only Western country to recognize Morocco’s claim to sovereignty over Western Sahara.

When President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, it was expected that he might review parts of the Abraham Accords. However, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made it clear during his meeting with Bourita in November 2021 that the U.S. government would continue to maintain the position taken by the previous Trump administration that Morocco has sovereignty over Western Sahara. The U.S., meanwhile, has continued with its arms sales to Morocco but has suspended weapons sales to the United Arab Emirates.

Phosphates

By the end of November 2021, the government of Morocco announced that it had earned $6.45 billion from the export of phosphate from the kingdom and from the occupied territory of Western Sahara. If you add up the phosphate reserves in this entire region, it amounts to 72 percent of the entire phosphate reserves in the world (the second-highest percentage of these reserves is in China, which has around 6 percent). Phosphate, along with nitrogen, makes synthetic fertilizer, a key element in modern food production. While nitrogen is recoverable from the air, phosphates, found in the soil, are a finite reserve. This gives Morocco a tight grip over world food production. There is no doubt that the occupation of Western Sahara is not merely about national pride, but it is largely about the presence of a vast number of resources—especially phosphates—that can be found in the territory.

In 1975, a UN delegation that visited Western Sahara noted that “eventually the territory will be among the largest exporters of phosphate in the world.” While Western Sahara’s phosphate reserves are less than those of Morocco, the Moroccan state-owned firm OCP SA has been mining the phosphate in Western Sahara and manufacturing phosphate fertilizer for great profit. [...] In 2002, the UN’s Under-Secretary General for Legal Affairs at that time, Hans Corell, noted in a letter to the president of the UN Security Council that “if further exploration and exploitation activities were to proceed in disregard of the interests and wishes of the people of Western Sahara, they would be in violation of the principles of international law applicable to mineral resource activities in Non-Self-Governing Territories.” An international campaign to prevent the extraction of the “conflict phosphate from Western Sahara by Morocco has led many firms around the world to stop buying phosphate from OCP SA. Nutrien, the largest fertilizer manufacturer in the United States that used Moroccan phosphates, decided to stop imports from Morocco in 2018. That same year, the South African court challenged the right of ships carrying phosphate from the region to dock in their ports, ruling that “the Moroccan shippers of the product had no legal right to it.”

Only three known companies continue to buy conflict phosphate mined in Western Sahara: two from New Zealand (Ballance Agri-Nutrients Limited and Ravensdown) and one from India (Paradeep Phosphates Limited).

Human Rights

After the 1991 ceasefire, the UN set up a Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). This is the only UN peacekeeping force that does not have a mandate to report on human rights. The UN made this concession to appease the Kingdom of Morocco. The Moroccan government has tried to intervene several times when the UN team in Western Sahara attempted to make the slightest noise about the human rights violations in the region. In March 2016, the kingdom expelled MINURSO staff because the then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon referred to the Moroccan presence in Western Sahara as an “occupation.”

Pressure from the United States is going to ensure that the only realistic outcome of negotiations is for continued Moroccan control of Western Sahara. All parties involved in the conflict are readying for battle. Far from peace, the Abraham Accords are going to accelerate a return to war in this part of Africa.

- Vijay Prashad

[my-timing-is-digital]

@arendelliansovereign continued from [ x ]

His brow corrugated in a quizzical frown, and his synthetic countenance was ornamented with unquenchable inquisitiveness; he was unable to fathom what she was hoping to achieve by flailing her limbs around ungovernably, but simultaneously, he was eager to discover the reason residing behind her motives. Nonplussed by her nonverbal convulsions, the android tilted his head in a sequence of ephemeral twitches, until the servomechanisms in his neck settled at an angle of 75 degrees. His yellow optical components regarded her sedulously, registering every motion, every gesture: his vehement desire to ascertain the genesis of her cognitive impediment was the principal objective in his quest to comprehend her. Was it something he said? Were his instructions unclear, inconclusive?

It was not until she hit the surface, spraying the objects ⸺ including him ⸺ within their immediate proximity with foam and water, and articulated her frustration that he understood the quandary he had, inadvertently, subjected her to; he should have instructed her to recline, instead of distributing the exact digits of the act itself. In addition, her response to his request corroborated the significant intellectual chasm between them; a predisposition of Anna’s he should take into account in his subsequent interactions with her. For his own sake, he cancelled the iteration of his proposition, which had already been formulated in his vocal processor. Repetition would do him no good.

Reverently, Data listened to her recount relative to the events that had precipitated her emergence in the woods. And judging by the preceding affairs, her being rendered in a state of inebriation sounded like a logical explanation regarding her injudicious determination to take a stroll in the blizzard that presently engulfed them. Moreover, someone with proper access to the rational hemisphere of their brain would not have ventured all the way out to this region of the main land and situated themselves voluntarily in such hazardous weather conditions.

On the verge of interpolating a personal notion in the sparse intermissions of silence his companion dropped in her one-sided conversation, the adventitious revelation that she was the reigning monarch’s relative, restricted him from expressing his curiosity. It would be inadvisable to elicit the impression that he was unacquainted with Arendelle's history and monarchy ⸺ they had to uphold the Prime Directive. Suspicion could drastically obstruct their investigation...

‘Ice?’ the android disregarded his soaked trousers after her eruption of vexation. ‘Are you implying that the Queen possesses the ability to generate ice without the aid of artificially devised contraptions or devices of any kind? Is your sister responsible for the inexplicable meteorological conversion?’