#she does things ethically within the current systems

[iwatcheditbegin]

$197 million in bonuses to all the crew and anyone working on this tour. I know people might have issues with excessive wealth for various reasons. But this is how you do it. You can absolutely fairly compensate workers and share the success with the team. Taylor is not even a cash billionaire, is far from the richest , yet she has the ability to pay others 🤔

[mdhwrites]

Anaxa: More a Genius Than a Mundanite

So I've been seeing a bit of a push and pull happening with Anaxa since he came out of people characterizing him as either a dedicated teacher who loves his students or someone who wouldn't care about them at all, both fueled by the SAME piece of promotional material. I think the truth lies somewhere inbetween, though you can probably already guess where I lie by just the title.

But also... Either version people are pushing for Anaxa are far more boring than any of the scientists/professors we have currently.

Ratio is a man who will do anything to enlighten others, going to extreme lengths to bring people to what knowledge they can have despite being pushed down by being a mundanite. Despite knowing all too well his limitations but also understanding that those limitations are what make him a person. What makes him actually care about the little guy more than-

Herta is someone who will never be satisfied. Any strides she makes for the galaxy are second to having quelled a curiosity for her. She sees her Aeon as another fascination, another thing to challenge her intellect against and something to quell her curiosity with. She is not entirely without care for human life but enlightening others is a tedium best left to others because she has better things to do with her life. Bigger things. She never actively seeks harm on others unless harm is required for those goals.

Anaxa is kind of what you get (I'm not calling him derivative though) if you take much of that thirst for knowledge, a need to be smarter than others and ruthlessness in that pursuit from Herta but give it to a man who must actually work within the systems he is a part of like Ratio. He does not have unlimited allowance to do as he pleases, though definitely would like that. By his own admission in the promotional material, his goals if he ever got the answers he wanted would be to teach... Without him being there. Tools that catch his interest to make as side projects that would indeed make others smarter but he has NO interest in teaching as his main profession.

Except.

This is where we get into the fact that Anaxa LOVES attention. So much of what people accuse Aglaea of in game is factually TRUE about Anaxa. He wants to be seen as better than others. He has desires for godhood. For complex reasons but still, that is a genuine desire of his. He loves proving other people wrong. Not elevating them, but just proving them wrong as part of proving himself right. This is why he is the Great Performer. Not just because he has to take the stage but because he delights in it. Ratio would not waste that effort with someone because he does not think so highly of himself as to want that role and this is a man who makes literal statues of himself.

And this is without getting into his methods. Now, NONE of the intellectuals in Star Rail save Screwllum are ethical people. They all fuck around with human life to one degree or another. This even extends to characters like Jade or Aglaea. This is not a contest though. What matters here is who he fucks with and how and what that says about his methodology.

We all remember how aghast Hyacine was at Anaxa's secret experiment, right? Even his trusted assistant suddenly had it revealed to her that she was a part of his experiments. That all of the Chrysos Heirs that were his students were being experimented and examined by him to further his own goals. He did not work with them. Never even gave them a clue to his intentions. Never did anything to bring them in on the fact that they were guinea pigs.

That to me is what makes him not interested in being a professor. Ratio can put down his experiments for the sake of trying to make people be less of fools. Anaxa can't. His experiments will ALWAYS come before those he is charged with taking care of and teaching. Reminder: When the Grove was under attack, he opted for getting to the Coreflame and trying to finish his experiment, because he might otherwise lose the chance, than prioritizing saving lives. He regretted those lives that were lost, he avoids harm when it is possible (much like what I said about Herta before) but that doesn't change that he still chose his experiments over those lives.

BUT.

This does not make him a bad character. In fact, it's what makes him interesting. An altruistic teacher who cares for his students? That's fine. A madman scientist who will do anything for his experiments? That's entertaining but can easily become shallow, like if Anaxa just looked down on every member of the Grove who didn't believe in the same things he did. The fact that this debate can be held at all, that he has moments like pushing Phainon to be his best self, is what makes Anaxa interesting. What makes him complex. Almost everyone I've mentioned in this blog has similar elements to them and yet he still feels distinct because of how he wades through this moral morass. His rough edges, his unlikability, is part of what makes him a good character.

If you don't like him though, and I'm not the biggest Anaxa fan, you're likely to not want to give him credit. I've heard someone back to back go "Ruan Mei is a boring, unlikable, one note monster" and then turn around and go "Ratio is great and gets a pass for what he does because he's charismatic," because if you like a character, you are going to give them more credit. You are going to allow their nuances to actually matter. Because if you don't like a character, you're probably not going to want to think about them that hard. You're just gonna want to say they're an unlikable dick.

And there is PLENTY of reasons to call Anaxa an unlikable dick. But he's more than that because HSR has good writing. See you next tale.

======+++++======

It was only putting in the tags that I realized Anaxa's name starts with the same three letters as analysis. smacks self

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

[pumpkinfreak]

Rambling about Plastic Man

Original flavor 40's Plas and his modern counterpart are entirely different characters. Their similarities can be summed up as follows.

Gangster Eel O'Brien is doused in a mystery chemical that allows him to manipulate his body. He can shapeshift into people, objects, and animals. He is limitless in terms of stretching and contorting.

Eel renounces a life of crime to instead fight for good, and dawns an iconic red longsleeved leotard with a deep V-neck. A deep V-neck, it plunges to his navel. The back is also open.

This is where the similarities end.

I'd like to introduce you to 1940's Plastic Man.

Patrick Eel O'Brien debuted in 1941 in Police Comics #1 created by writer and artist Jack Cole. Plas is infamous, wanted in eight states, a thief, and good at what he does. Once he gains superpower a sudden and dramatic shift in ethics occurs.

40's Plas becomes a highly responsible, straight-laced, FBI agent. He's not even a vigilante, he fights crime within the system. "I only drink plain water." is a direct quote from this Plastic Man.

The early issues play around with his dual identities, using Eel to infiltrate gangs so Plastic Man can bring them in. However, this aspect of the character was phased out over time, and before long Plastic Man is no longer an alter ego it's who he is.

Even his mailbox has him listed as Plastic Man.

In my opinion, despite the funny powers and costume, the reader is never met to laugh at Plastic Man in most situations. For some reason, this Plastic Man is easily flustered by women giving him any romantic attention. These instances or few and far between, and overall Plastic Man is not the joke.

The jokes often come from the events and people surrounding Plas.

Some Examples.

. Woozy does something funny by being cowardly, clumsy, stealing something, or causing general mayhem with his antics.

.Fat jokes at Woozy's expense ( Plastic Man is also guilty of this. 40's Plas is kinda a dick to Woozy, especially early on.)

. Visual gags depicting people as absurdly ugly

. Plas pulls a Bugs Bunny by pretending to be a lady

. Slapstick violence

40's Plas is a beloved member of his society, children look up to him, his coworkers respect him, and criminals fear him. Women want him much to his dismay.

Unlike modern Plas. This is where things get interesting. Modern Plas exists in this weird place. It's clear DC likes this character, they keep trying to use him, but they also keep repeating the same story beats with him.

Modern Plas is often written like this.

.Is not respected by the greater hero community

.Is divorced or has run out on the mother of his child

. Has a strained relationship with his son that he wants to fix

.Is constantly turning into visual gags/ tires to be funny much to the annoyance of everyone around him

. It is common knowledge that Eel was a criminal

DC has not gone beyond these story beats in a long time. Here are things that we don't know about this character.

. How did he meet Angel ( I know she was a stripper he used to visit in the 90s era, but given how many reboots there have been, this may not even be canon anymore)

. How did his parents die (he has been an orphan since the 40's we still don't know what happened to them)

. How did he get involved with crime? was his father involved or not? He mentions in the Terrifics of being an "Irish kid in the MOB"

. Does his own son know anything about his criminal past? how does he feel about it? What's it like being a teenager with a father who's a known superhero. What's it like being a teenager who IS a known superhero?

. Is the current Plastic Man still an FBI agent former or active?

The weird space Plastic Man occupies is that DC wants to use him but is not confident enough to give him his own book.

[angev111696969n]

Ok tea melbourne does get very low vibrational this time of year I'm like in the mood to drag it and its people and am currently doing so. My social paranoia just reaching new heights cos I actually had a good summer now the seasonal comedown and my birth chart is a bowl that starts in sagittarius and ends in gemini I legit have no cancer no leo no virgo no libra no scorpio except in khia house terms so this is my antiperiod but yeah fr I'm like aren't we like. In our 20s. But anyways im getting in my head. But I can go from feeling normal to feeling like my friends want me dead in like 10 mins so whatever but tea and also BPD doesn't exist like y'all are just buying into that for aesthetic self integration it's just within the overall kinda suite of human affect and personality that's falling victim to pathology creep I kinda can't deal with it and just general like non anarchist behaviours and ideologies I gagged some random chick going off about rich white people slumming it I was like ok so would you prefer they're rich and not abandoning their wealth like that's a central tenet of anarchism is the ability to give up other lives for it like what does it mean for a political act to be a product of pretense which becomes devotion like that's literally everything. And i gagged her about everything can't deal when people go on the there's no white culture thing I'm like no you've just lived in melbourne where you're punished for not being ashamed and it's kinda a self drag cos I feel like if you're someone who is like. Actually across things you would never be so sweepingly dismissive cos it shows you're just like rejecting so much good culture. Lol and I can think of like hundreds of examples and the same examples prove the point of like the artistic benefits of cross cultural sharing like english club music for example literally the successful multicultures teas. also Australia legit has like some of the best food in the world which is because it's so like. Enthusiastically consumed and drawn from every food culture like be so fr like 'white culture' is literally now like a ghost that curates things from other culture and itself and within that there are new systems to create what's feels like genuinely new ideas i can't with the lack of belief attacking any kind of culture comparatively engenders also her having lived in australia for like 10 years only in melbourne like im dead. I'm so sick of that reflex in people there's room for like pointing out hypocrisies and when something is stagnant but adopting this kinda aloof intellectual view of culture as something you can even perceive through a taste thru ethics thru history thru idek system is crazyyyyyy I hate the foodie culture in Australia tho and tbh that's like actually one of the most multicultural parts but I hate that everything ends up being gentrified because social media is like how people decide what to eat. Fucking retarded but yeah I'm like just ??? Exhausted with people being fake and not evoking identity in any meaningful sense when the majority of us vaguely agree on some humanist interpersonal treatment paradigm so the most interesting parts of like. Residual woke thought is like also now better expressed through inference than being directly hostile I'm like ok expose me to what's better then. But they aren't actually creative so it's like oh ok you're just an npc with a different skin. And now she's asking me for money for dumplings we shared when I said I had no money and her rent is like $450 a week and she be ubering everywhere like girl you can afford it. So I'm dragging her. Not to mention Melbourne drama generally so annoying

[cognitivefunctionscomics]

INTP functions characters

Titania: Analytical, reserved, unconventional, and self-assured, Ti is critical and sometimes sarcastic. She strives for fairness and can sometimes come off as unintentionally arrogant, cold, self-absorbed, and even destructive. Her dream is to understand everything, setting aside human bias and limitation. She perceives reality as a system with hidden variables that could be controlled if comprehended. She doesn't intentionally exude a "back off" aura but is bothered by those she views as intrusive or disrespectful, especially when they invade her space with too many questions. As such, she’s wary of overly friendly or charming people. While observant, her focus isn't always on the tangible world, like what others wear or current events, unless there's a reason. Instead, she's keen on spotting theoretical flaws and is therefore hard to deceive. Even her friends are scrutinized; she prioritizes caution over instinct. She holds some misanthropic, deterministic, and nihilistic views, even if she identifies as "unbiased", to better deal with stress, ensuring she doesn't take things personally. She appears detached even when engaged, constantly building mental models to understand things from the inside out. When allowed the freedom to explore her often taboo interests, she's endlessly inquisitive. While Ti values intelligence, she sometimes overlooks the obvious or fails to consider the emotional aspects of issues. She adheres to binary logic until undeniable evidence proves otherwise and is irritated by elusive answers. Disliking incompetence and emotional reasoning, she thinks humanity should focus on conquering nature and understanding existence, freeing themselves from ignorance, making informed decisions, and not getting sidetracked by trivial matters, or worse, hindering scientific progress.

Looks: She dresses in practical urban wear, covered from head to toe. A large dark red zippered hoodie with pockets is worn over a turtleneck, paired with denim shorts, leggings, and ankle boots. Ti's short, layered orange hair is chin-length in front and cropped at the back. Her pale complexion contrasts with dark red eyes that seem to absorb light. These eyes often appear both distant and intense, accentuated by dark circles. Her expression, typically flat, gives her an air of fatigue or inaccessibility. When she does display happiness, it's subtle—a twitch of a closed smile.

Theme: Knowledge. With complete understanding, existence would lose its dominion over individuals, allowing them to manifest absolute individuality, control, and intelligence within their confines.

Nereida: Energetic and spontaneous, Ne is a dreamer. She's inventive, flexible, and inclusive, bringing a burst of bubbly energy everywhere she goes, but struggles with commitment to her grand visions. Going with the flow, she absorbs a plethora of information, always aiming to make last-minute optimal decisions. With a belief that every problem has a solution, she’s curious about everything, often applying knowledge from one domain to another. Her passion for learning mirrors Ti's focus, but Ne's is rooted in the joy of the process, always seeking to master her surroundings for maximum freedom. Disliking confinement, she occasionally gives up too quickly. Yet, when she persists, she finds ways to revel in challenges, cherishing the journey more than the destination. Although her plans can seem scattered, she thrives in unpredictability. She’s wary of those who wield power to control others, and in defiance, sometimes exercises her own control to observe the outcomes, which makes her morally grey. She thinks that it's her duty to challenge norms and pioneer change for the greater good when many are chained by ethics and fear, but has her own struggles, sometimes instigating chaos out of boredom.

Looks: Her attire is eclectic, pieced together from items she adores, without much regard for current trends. She sports a white buttoned shirt with teal insides, the sleeves rolled up and the front slightly unbuttoned to show a hint of cleavage. This is paired with a high-waisted, knee-length pleated teal skirt, ¾ leggings, and white Mary Janes with black heels. Her shoulder-length turquoise hair is pulled into a high side ponytail with a few loose strands framing her face. Her expression is vibrant, with large, curious blue eyes. Ne moves with a slight bounce, always seeming to be lost in a daydream and ignoring finer details.

Theme: Freedom. In a world without limitations, anything is possible.

Sienna: Grounded and diligent, Si is a model of consistency. She’s logical, practical, and knowledgeable, balancing her hardworking nature with humility and patience. She upholds tradition, believing that if everyone collaborates harmoniously, all aspirations, including universal comfort and understanding, are attainable. She derives a sense of duty and belonging from viewing herself as part of a whole, even if this sometimes stifles her creativity and subjects her to rigid standards. Si is at peace with her role but occasionally grapples with existential questions for not knowing herself in depth, or maybe suppressing philosophical musings. She values comfort, ensuring she always has moments of relaxation amidst her responsibilities, and appreciates nature and man-made wonders. Si always honors her commitments, but some may perceive her as mundane or lacking ambition.

Looks: Traditional and sensible, albeit slightly outdated. She dons a dark long-sleeved ruffled shirt buttoned entirely, paired with a lab coat, tailored trousers, and oxfords. Sleek glasses frame her earnest eyes. Her dark blonde hair reaches nearly to her waist, meticulously combed and pulled into a low ponytail, with bangs neatly clipped away from her face. While her movements are usually unhurried, she can be agile when needed, displaying remarkable dexterity.

Theme: Predictability. In a stable and comprehensible world, challenges would be preventable or at least manageable.

Felicity: Compassionate and giving, Fe is the embodiment of empathy. She is emotional yet fiercely loyal, often putting others' needs above her own. Her ideal world is one filled with loved ones she can protect and cherish forever. While she enjoys being the center of attention and reciprocated care, she sometimes neglects her needs, leading to periods of resentment. Her emotions can be volatile, especially when faced with disillusionment. Fe spends her days analyzing interpersonal dynamics, immersing herself in ethical discussions, and enjoying moral tales. Affected by poignant movies and easily manipulated, she doesn’t understand the saying, “hell is full of well-intentioned people”.

Looks: A blend of loose and tight-fitting garments. She wears a lilac boho dress that exposes her shoulders and collarbones with silk strips wrapped around her waist, neck, and wrists. Her footwear is burgundy heels with ankle clasps. Her purple hair cascades down her back, held in place by a ribbon, while her face boasts rosy cheeks and expressive eyes.

Theme: Unity. If everyone were the same, there’d be no conflict, and life would be fulfilling regardless of circumstances.

[maria-bli]

Loading file...

Name: Show Pony Maria

Date uploaded into first body: 9/26/23

Date uploaded into new body: 12/4/24

Status: re-educated

Affiliation: Better Living Industries

Show Pony was considered non-level threat due to previous experiments turning him into a human using an expendable body. Exterminator Alexander Milligram saw a chance to reintegrate him into the city and took it. Show Pony has been re-uploaded into a new body and his memory chip has been flipped to Maria.

warnings:

Refer to them as Maria. When she is not out on an assignment she should be closely monitored. If you see her leave the city of her own volition do not stop her but make sure she is not gone for long.

Maria can be location tracked, if she has been gone for an extended time let her supervisor know.

Maria has been approved for work in the Zones. She has been allowed her own car.

if you have questions please contact Alex Milligram [ @kerosene-saint ]

hiiiii it's me. Pete, he/him, dew/dews, etc. 17 years old blah blah

If you knew Maria back in 2023 she'll be kinda the same except this time probably around longer and now friends with Alex. because me and thursday wanted them to be evil friends >:3

basic interaction rules:

no romantic stuff, similarly no smut or anything

don't be mean to me, characters can be mean of course just look at Alex

I'm okay with threads! Just contact me, be aware I am chronically ill and may be exhausted or unable to respond some times, but I try my best

no playing god

also might not interact with you if I don't really like the way you write, but that's usually not the case. I'll interact with the repeat characters but I only do threads and major character plots with my ghoul, kobra (alex), and party

and I'm most definitely not going to interact with you if you don't have any mod/mun info, this is due to past events and horrible people within the kjrp that still try to hang around the community. I'd advise the same for any other minors. if you don't have any info on you on your pinned post either don't interact with me or like idfk add some information maybe? won't kill you yknow.

general things abt Show Pony/Maria:

Show Pony's pronouns are she/he/they, you can also use any neopronouns if you wish but I generally don't

Maria's pronouns are she/her only and I think I've made her aroace kinda but not on purpose

Show Pony is alloallo and poly but I'd rather not dabble into romance plots past their partner, Jet Star, rn as I recently-ish found out I'm arospec

Maria is woman, possibly demigirl, Show Pony does not have a set gender really

Whenever Show comes back they will still be chronically ill. I only don't make Maria so for the sake of her work ethic and job with BL/ind.

Show is a human/droid experiment, they started out as a droid and her consciousness was transferred to a human body.

Maria and Show are technically the same person. Maria is more of a construct built by BL/ind to sedate and/or control Show. Maria was not a person before Show Pony but Show Pony was a person before Maria. But they both work off the same chip. Maria basically works as a sort of alter ego.

Maria will only go away now if the current body is killed. In which case her memories will go dormant, Show will return in a new body. Atm Show's memories are dormant. Maria cannot access Show's memories and can only rely on what people tell her about them.

In the past if Maria were to learn about Show Pony she ran the risk of his memories being no longer dormant, causing a constant switch back when either was triggered (similar to how systems work i think?). This is not the case anymore.

Maria is in fact friends with a handful of the killjoys. she likes to keep her "options" open (AKA manipulating the killjoys to think she's good so if something goes wrong in the city she can escape)

on my previous pinned I had show pony's entire lore laid out but I'm gonna simplify it even more:

I joined the rp April 2023, Show Pony had canonically been around before that though. At some point they started dating Jet Star ( @totallyjetstar ) run by Mary. They were very much involved with the rest of the Fab Four as well. They got killed by Alex and was recoded to be Maria. She was sent on a mission almost immediately to kill Jet. It failed and she remembered her life as Show Pony. Show Pony had a kinda existential crisis and started dressing in all pink and dyed their hair pink. Maria would come back occasionally and try to kill people. When Show had isolated himself out in the middle of the desert to try to get help with getting rid of Maria he got kidnapped by BL/ind. His consciousness (minus Maria) was uploaded into a human body that had a chronic illness which disabled him. Then Show Pony was kidnapped by Alex while on a small supply run. They had sustained a concussion and told Alex where they were. After a while of interrogation Show asked Alex to shoot her (because if he did he would be following a killjoy's word and if he didn't he'd have to put up with Show Pony for even longer). and Alex killed him. Now he's been reuploaded into a new body and we're back to Maria babeyyyyyy and Maria is evil friends with Alex wahooooo. and then Alex got blown up and she thought he didn't like her anymore because of her being Show Pony in the past and Alex being the one to kill Show TWICE. they made up kind of.

[letters-from-himring-hill]

Huh. That...does sound like rather a racket. I was unaware of that. Still not 100% sure what I think of Sci-Hub but I can see why it exists, definitely.

Nik is Guild Master of the Adventurers' Guild, and he does not want to be because it means he has to be indoors and do paperwork. He likes the adventuring part because he gets to go fight things. If Gavrel was somewhat less ostracised Nik would like VERY much to make him Guild Master and take a beach vacation for a bit.

Hmm...yes, a character-free game where you got to build stuff sounds like it would be perfect for Gavrel! Something to fill the time when he's not either cooking or (if he comes back with his abilities) fixing the doors he accidentally tore off their hinges (I have it direct from Statue that he would have to spend significant time on this). He has actually informed me that he liked Jumanji when the (sequel) movie came out, but I'm not sure he'd want to rewatch it after getting back; it might bring back a few too many memories. Especially the guy who got stuck in there for 20 years or something. That would hit awfully close to home.

That is...a question, for sure. Gavrel has expressed violent desires about the game developers, but I don't know how he'd react to meeting Statue, since that would come with the knowledge that there is yet another near-incomprehensible layer to his reality - namely, he is a fictional character who got sucked into a fictional world within his fictional world only to meet a fictionalised version of a real person who presumably also existed in his fictional world...yeah, I think he'd just shut down for a bit. I think he might have to sit down and ponder the world for a while before he could decide what to feel. Morwen would sit down with him to try and keep him from having a breakdown, and have a quiet but very sincere hysterical laughing fit because her life is so, so weird. And because, as a variant of author-me, she has played with the idea of nested realities like that before, and she would find it deeply ironic that she was in one.

The others...Atticus would be fascinated by the philosophical implications of being 'fictional' in one universe. Furniture Man has seen and heard many strange things, and this is probably the strangest, but of the lot he'd probably take the revelation the best. The Doc, I don't know well enough to know how he reacts to existential conundrums for sure, but I suspect he'd be with Atticus in the absolute fascination camp. Actually, I take it back. Nik would take the revelation the best because he'd be the only person whose brain was not spinning its philosophical wheels. Though he might threaten Statue on behalf of his guild members, if she seemed like writing them too much angst...

Organ replacements without the ethical quandaries that surround the current system could be a great boon indeed... (I was envisioning Doc in a modern hospital as roughly acting like Dr. McCoy from Star Trek 4.)

Terrafell headcanons: Can He Use A Computer edition.

Gavrel: Yes. He’s quite good at it, being from our world and also a gamer.

Atticus: No. He’s much too busy taking it apart and trying to figure out what kind of magic powers it to actually learn how to use it. Can he put it back together? Probably. Will it function as intended after he does? Unclear. Will it do something? Most certainly.

Furniture Man: Sort of. With sufficient instruction I think he could master the technical aspects, at least enough to log on and use a browser, but he’s fundamentally confused by the purpose of this strange device. He might comprehend e-mail but I think that’s as far as he’d get.

The Doc: As soon as he found out that you could research medical knowledge from our world using one, he’d get someone to teach him how to use a browser and then spend the next eight hours reading every freely available medical journal or periodical he could get his hands on in equal parts fascination and outrage (because they heal people WITHOUT MAGIC here and that’s amazing but also why didn’t you just. Grow that person a new kidney instead of inventing dialysis).

Nik: No. He is vaguely intrigued by the concept but he doesn’t care enough to learn. He’d rather be sailing.

@scleroticstatue @exploding-the-wine-cellar @awwyeah-rambles @sunflowergardens-world @sweetcardamom

@kanerallels

[samwisethewitch]

An Open Letter to Christian Witches

On this blog, I often champion the idea that witchcraft is a practice, not a religion, and that a witch can practice any religion, provided that religion does not explicitly forbid witchcraft. I still very much believe this, and the point of this post is not to tell Christians that they can’t be witches. However, as a non-Christian witch who has been deeply traumatized by Christianity, I do wish Christian witches would be a bit more mindful of how they show up in witchy spaces.

Recently, I’ve noticed a pattern of self-identifying Christian witches dominating the conversation and centering their own beliefs in spaces dedicated to witchcraft. Now, I wholeheartedly believe that this is unintentional, and most of these Christian witches seem like lovely people. But it’s still deeply frustrating and upsetting to be promised a safe space and support from other witches, only to be preached at.

Or be told that I’m doing witchcraft wrong because my ethics are not the same as someone else’s.

Or be told that I don’t understand Christianity, despite having spent the first two decades of my life fully immersed in it.

Or have my trauma invalidated because, “Not all Christians are like that!”

Or spend the majority of our time together reassuring and comforting a Christian witch who is uncomfortable with the inclusion of pagan and/or occult elements in a ritual.

These are all genuine experiences I have had with Christian witches in 2021. And in every single one of these situations, the Christian witch had a very negative reaction to any kind of constructive criticism or request that they be more mindful of the diverse beliefs and experiences in the space. Any suggestion that their actions may be causing discomfort for others was met with defensiveness, if not straight-up denial. The result is a situation where Christian witches are at the center of every discussion and demand (knowingly or not) coddling or hand-holding from teachers and facilitators, while those of us who are not Christian are left deeply uncomfortable but unable to express that discomfort without upsetting someone or being accused of creating conflict.

And I get it. I really do. Because for most of the people in the above scenarios, this was the first time they encountered a situation where their religion wasn’t the norm. But what I need Christian witches to recognize and be mindful of is that this discomfort of being surrounded by people who do not share your beliefs is something those of us who are not Christian experience every day.

In the Western world, and particularly in the United States, Christianity is a religious hegemony. (A hegemony is a group with total political, social, economic, and/or military dominance in a given area.) Everything in Western society was designed for Christians, to serve a Christian worldview, and to reinforce Christian hegemony. Everything from our government to our business practices to our media reinforces Christian values. For Christians, this creates the sense of comfort and security that comes from being part of the in-group. For non-Christians, it meas being constantly bombarded with someone else’s religion. For former Christians with church-related trauma, it means reliving that trauma constantly.

Here’s a look at an average day in my life as a formerly-Christian pagan with religious trauma. Please note that this is not an exaggeration — this is a description of what I experienced on the day I wrote this post.

I get up and, because I live with Christian family members, I walk past exactly five images of Jesus and/or the Virgin Mary on my way from my bedroom to the front door. On my commute to work, I drive past at least a dozen churches, including the one I used to attend, where my religious trauma occurred. I stop at a red light, and the car in front of me has a bumper sticker with an image of a cross and the message, “If this offends you now, just wait until you see it on judgement day!” I happen to know that these bumper stickers are for sale not at a local church, but at a privately owned, nominally secular business. When I get to work, the woman who greets me at the front gate is wearing a crucifix necklace.

I work in diversity education. When I get to the office, my boss asks me to join the local Interfaith council because I am the only person in our department who isn’t Christian. My current big project at work is trying to get a transgender speaker to visit our organization and help us lead a workshop to work towards amending a history of transphobia in our organization. My boss tells me today the she isn’t sure the speaker I arranged will be approved, because our administration might not think it is in line with our organization’s values. When she says this, I know she means evangelical Christian values. She doesn’t have to spell it out — there’s a chaplain down the hall from our office.

After my lunch break, my coworkers are talking about a church event one of them attended over the weekend. I do not contribute to this conversation. It has been several months since I attended an in-person religious event with people who shared my faith. As I’m leaving the office at the end of the day, I pass a Bible study group that has set up in our recreation area. On my drive home, I pass the funeral home where my grandfather’s memorial service was held earlier this year. The programs for that service had the Lord’s Prayer printed on them. My grandfather was an atheist.

This is my level of exposure to a religion I not only don’t believe in, but have been actively hurt by, on a daily basis. This is my normal. I’ve learned to live with it, tune it out, and self-soothe, because there is no other option.

When I’m finally able to be around other witches, many of them are coming from similar experiences. I am finally in a space where I can be vulnerable, where I can talk about what I really believe, and where I can receive support from like-minded people. But if there is even one Christian witch in the group, it’s highly likely that this space too will be dominated by Christian hegemony.

It’s a noted fact that a person exists within a hegemony, they have very little ability to tolerate challenges to this hegemony due to a lack of exposure. This is the origin of the term white fragility, which sociologist Robin DiAngelo uses to describe the discomfort and defensiveness white people feel when confronted with “racial discomfort” such as being asked to consider racism as a system they are complicit in and benefit from rather than as the actions of lone extremists. White fragility is something I have personally experienced as a white woman involved in antiracist work, and it’s something I have taken years to work through and am still actively working on. Since DiAngelo popularized this term, similar terms have been used to point to similar phenomena in other hegemonic groups, as in the cases of male fragility/fragile masculinity, cishet fragility, and yes, Christian fragility.

I’m not trying to argue that all hegemony is the same, and I am definitely not trying to say that my personal religious trauma is anywhere near the level of pain caused by the mistreatment of Black and brown people by white supremacist society. My point here is simply that being part of the dominant group breeds a very low tolerance for exposure to other groups.

Christian witches are members of a hegemonic group entering a space historically occupied by marginalized people, which creates an imbalance of power. (And yes, you can benefit from hegemony even if you are marginalized in other areas. Identity is multi-faceted. Queer Christians, disabled Christians, Christians of color, and yes, Christian witches still benefit from Christian hegemony.) The only way things are going to get better is if Christians are willing to do the work themselves of building tolerance for religious discomfort. The rest of us can host as many interfaith and secular events as we want, but if Christians aren’t able to tolerate the inclusion of other belief systems, we’ll never truly be on equal footing. Until Christians stop centering the Christian experience, it will continue to dominate interfaith spaces, including witchy spaces.

TLDR: I’m asking Christian witches to be mindful of the privilege they bring into interfaith spaces. I’m asking you to be willing to feel uncomfortable, and to recognize that your discomfort does not invalidate the work your facilitators have put into creating the space and/or program. If you truly can’t stand the discomfort, I’m asking you to politely excuse yourself instead of demanding emotional labor from other witches.

[exxay]

Spoiler Alert, Ptilopsis' voice in her head is a lot more deadlier than we thought

With the release of the Operator Modules, HG has taken a very interesting decision into how they want to incorporate them.

And of course, just like OD, they decided to fucking kill it.

Currently, we only have a translation of Ptilopsis' module, and holy hell there's a lot to dig into, so let's start sentence by sentence:

"If Originium really has the power to store information, then we can decrypt and translate, the whole Columbian scientific technique will soar again!"

"I reached a bottleneck. The current electronic calculation facilities are insufficient to deal with the complex amount of signals from Originium. I need a more suitable calculation device."

So basically, it all started with a researcher's revelation in that-an originium shard can act as a goddamn rtx3090+corsair memory module on steroids. And with it, send Columbia into a technological revolution. Except, they're trying to fit into a 16-bit cpu. So they needed a better one.

"Using humans to calculate?! This is a daring thought, I... need to consider the feasibility."

Love how instead of commenting on it's ethicality, the first thing they think of is "Can it work?", Just a small reminder of how inhumane Rhine Labs are.

"The creation of a human decryption system model has been completed. Now, we need an experimental subject with clear thought and quick reflexes. Best to have good understanding of calculators and data."

So the PC is built, now they just need a case for it, and it had to be a really good one to, they don't wanna waste it.

"The candidate has been selected. Experiment subject codename: Ptilopsis."

And lo and behold, why not choose the living computer herself?

"There is nobody else more suitable than her in the whole Rhine. Although the head suggested to conceal the experimental risks, but I still let her know about the various possibilities of the experiment. This is my duty as a citizen of Columbia, and as a person."

Showing just how amazing Ptilopsis, alongside another reminder of Rhine Labs' way of doing things. Don't let the little text about the person asking for their consent, if MuMu has shown us anything, for all we know Ptilopsis could have been "Convinced"/ But that's probably just an assumption, she could have very well thought that it was for the best.

"She agreed. She agreed! I just know, I just know she would agree! I didn't choose the wrong person!"

Then again, who really knows?

"The preliminary main points and operation procedure has been taught. She learns quickly. Tomorrow, the experiment will begin. I believe that we can embrace Columbia's future with open arms!"

"The experiment was very successful. Various data are within the controlled boundaries. As long as this pace is followed, a little, a little... No, no no no, it shouldn't be! Quick, quickly shut it down--"

Honestly, were we expecting anything less? Experiment was going amazingly right, until everything went horribly wrong.

"Emergency measures have been activated in time, but she still... received injury. The brain..."

And so comes into play, "The voice", more details further in.

"And Oripathy..."

No shit, infused originium shards? Didn't they learn from Ifrit? Or maybe, Ptilopsis came BEFORE Ifrit? Hmm, so many revelations.

"(Intermittent crying sounds)"

No idea whose these are, but most likely? It could be Ptilopsis herself, or maybe the researcher, they seemed to have more morals than we thought.

"The higher-up has already requested for resuscitation. But, but like this..."

Wait? Resuscitation? Holy shit did they send her into Clinical Death? Holy fuck. And what's with the hesitation? Was she gonna be even deader?

"It's my fault, it's all my fault..."

Yup, more morals than usual.

"According to the message that she received before, I made a chip that can be inserted into the human body. This thing should be able to replace some of the functions of her brain."

Ok wow, so, Ptilopsis, already knowing shit was gonna fuck up somehow (Thanks' Milo), asked to make a backup chip than be inserted to the human body. So that she'll still pull through, pretty hardcore.

Wait? Like the promotion chips? Does that mean the promotion chips are inserted into the operators we use? Or are they different chips?

"Some department heads laud this idea a lot, hmm, I know what they are thinking."

Oh, so if I'm interpreting this right, some -not all- of the heads in Rhine were against this, but obviously, not because of anything ethical mind you.

"The implantation worked. She had no reaction."

"She woke up! But some problems occurred... in her language abilities."

"Error Hase"

"She tells me, there is another voice in her mind. A voice that does not belong in the boundary of known language. This thing will put a heavy burden on her psyche."

"The pain can only be reduced by using a robotic language system."

Ahhh, the voice, just like how Ifrit has a "voice" in her head constantly arguing and vying control. But we all know that it isn't just a voice, it's a literal fucking ENTITY, so does that mean Ptilopsis also has her own entity she constantly holds back? And just like what she tells us in her third trust line.

According to Ptilopsis "It is, in fact, quite burdensome to speak in this manner. But this is a necessary measure to prevent the system nexus from being devoured by that other voice. Doctor, if I become rampant, please guide me back onto the right path."

Love how it shed's more light onto such a mysterious habit that i wanted to know of.

"She is the first living person in Columbia with an implanted chip. This is an achievement."

"But to her, the land is no longer the same."

Sad for Ptilopsis, she can't look at anything the same anymore, though overall this sheds some more light on her relationship with Silence. More at the end.

Wait a minute-

"I also implanted a chip in my brain. Now the wound still hurts a little. But I want to know, what change did the information from Originium bring to her."

Oh, oh no.

"That voice, what is it?"

OH NO

"I will repeat the experiment." --Rhine Lab, Unknown project leader, recorded.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOO

Unknown Researcher whyyyyy, you were so close, you were so close to greatness!!!!

Anyways, "repeat" would imply that Ptilopsis is actually the original subject, meaning she was the first to be implanted with artificial originium shards, and sub sequentially, artificially infected.

This could also mean that Silence learns about Ifrit's existence through Ptilopsis, and then leading to the "Flame Demon Incident".

Ptilopsis considers Silence her closest friend and Savior, in fact, even being more than willing to participate in a "Secret Project" of hers, which she SHOULD be reporting to the higher ups instead. It could still be her being a bit rebellious instead of being close friends, but as she said.

"I met Dr. Silence at Rhine Lab. I provided big data analysis and risk evaluation for her on a secret project."

Hmm, more to think about.

Speaking of, whenever we think of the "Flame Demon Incident" we think of Saria, Silence and Ifrit, but what about Ptilopsis? Silence would have probably learned about it on her own since she was helping oversee the project, but how would she learn of the, ehem, "Less well known aspects." Though that's just speculation on my part

So much to think about, what about you? What do you think about it?

Personally? Call McDonalds cuz I'm McFUCKING LOVE IT

[qqueenofhades]

Re: the post you reblogged about Bush. I'm 21 and tbh feel like I can only vote for Bernie, can you explain if/why I shouldn't? Thanks and sorry if this is dumb or anything.

Oh boy. Okay, I’ll do my best here. Note that a) this will get long, and b) I’m old, Tired, and I‘m pretty sure my brain tried to kill me last night. Since by nature I am sure I will say something Controversial ™, if anyone reads this and feels a deep urge to inform me that I am Wrong, just… mark it down as me being Wrong and move on with your life. But also, really, you should read this and hopefully think about it. Because while I’m glad you asked this question, it feels like there’s a lot in your cohort who won’t, and that worries me. A lot.

First, not to sound utterly old-woman-in-a-rocking-chair ancient, people who came of age/are only old enough to have Obama be the first president that they really remember have no idea how good they had it. The world was falling the fuck apart in 2008 (not coincidentally, after 8 years of Bush). We came within a flicker of the permanent collapse of the global economy. The War on Terror was in full roar, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were at their height, we had Dick Cheney as the cartoon supervillain before we had any of Trump’s cohort, and this was before Chelsea Manning or Edward Snowden had exposed the extent of NSA/CIA intelligence-gathering/American excesses or there was any kind of public debate around the fact that we were all surveilled all the time. And the fact that a brown guy named Barack Hussein Obama was elected in this climate seems, and still seems tbh, kind of amazing. And Obama was certainly not a Perfect President ™. He had to scale back a lot of planned initiatives, he is notorious for expanding the drone strike/extrajudicial assassination program, he still subscribed to the overall principles of neoliberalism and American exceptionalism, etc etc. There is valid criticism to be made as to how the hopey-changey optimistic rhetoric stacked up against the hard realities of political office. And yet…. at this point, given what we’re seeing from the White House on a daily basis, the depth of the parallel universe/double standards is absurd.

Because here’s the thing. Obama, his entire family, and his entire administration had to be personally/ethically flawless the whole time (and they managed that – not one scandal or arrest in eight years, against the legions of Trumpistas now being convicted) because of the absolute frothing depths of Republican hatred, racial conspiracy theories, and obstruction against him. (Remember Merrick Garland and how Mitch McConnell got away with that, and now we have Gorsuch and Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court? Because I remember that). If Obama had pulled one-tenth of the shit, one-twentieth of the shit that the Trump administration does every day, he would be gone. It also meant that people who only remember Obama think he was typical for an American president, and he wasn’t. Since about… Jimmy Carter, and definitely since Ronald Reagan, the American people have gone for the Trump model a lot more than the Obama model. Whatever your opinion on his politics or character, Obama was a constitutional law professor, a community activist, a neighborhood organizer and brilliant Ivy League intellectual who used to randomly lie awake at night thinking about income inequality. Americans don’t value intellectualism in their politicians; they just don’t. They don’t like thinking that “the elites” are smarter than them. They like the folksy populist who seems fun to have a beer with, and Reagan/Bush Senior/Clinton/Bush Junior sold this persona as hard as they possibly could. As noted in said post, Bush Junior (or Shrub as the late, great Molly Ivins memorably dubbed him) was Trump Lite but from a long-established political family who could operate like an outwardly civilized human.

The point is: when you think Obama was relatively normal (which, again, he wasn’t, for any number of reasons) and not the outlier in a much larger pattern of catastrophic damage that has been accelerated since, again, the 1980s (oh Ronnie Raygun, how you lastingly fucked us!), you miss the overall context in which this, and which Trump, happened. Like most left-wingers, I don’t agree with Obama’s recent and baffling decision to insert himself into the 2020 race and warn the Democratic candidates against being too progressive or whatever he was on about. I think he was giving into the same fear that appears to be motivating the remaining chunk of Joe Biden’s support: that middle/working-class white America won’t go for anything too wild or that might sniff of Socialism, and that Uncle Joe, recalled fondly as said folksy populist and the internet’s favorite meme grandfather from his time as VP, could pick up the votes that went to Trump last time. And that by nature, no one else can.

The underlying belief is that these white voters just can’t support anything too “un-American,” and that by pushing too hard left, Democratic candidates risk handing Trump a second term. Again: I don’t agree and I think he was mistaken in saying it. But I also can’t say that Obama of all people doesn’t know exactly the strength of the political machine operating against the Democratic Party and the progressive agenda as a whole, because he ran headfirst into it for eight years. The fact that he managed to pass any of his legislative agenda, usually before the Tea Party became a thing in 2010, is because Democrats controlled the House and Senate for the first two years of his first term. He was not perfect, but it was clear that he really did care (just look up the pictures of him with kids). He installed smart, efficient, and scandal-free people to do jobs they were qualified for. He gave us Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor to join RBG on the Supreme Court. All of this seems… like a dream.

That said: here we are in a place where Biden, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren are the front-runners for the Democratic nomination (and apparently Pete Buttigieg is getting some airplay as a dark horse candidate, which… whatever). The appeal of Biden is discussed above, and he sure as hell is not my favored candidate (frankly, I wish he’d just quit). But Sanders and Warren are 85% - 95% similar in their policy platforms. The fact that Michael “50 Billion Dollar Fortune” Bloomberg started rattling his chains about running for president is because either a Sanders or Warren presidency terrifies the outrageously exploitative billionaire capitalist oligarchy that runs this country and has been allowed to proceed essentially however the fuck they like since… you guessed it, the 1980s, the era of voodoo economics, deregulation, and the free market above all. Warren just happens to be ten years younger than Sanders and female, and Sanders’ age is not insignificant. He’s 80 years old and just had a heart attack, and there’s still a year to go to the election. It’s also more than a little eye-rolling to describe him as the only progressive candidate in the race, when he’s an old white man (however much we like and approve of his policy positions). And here’s the thing, which I think is a big part of the reason why this polarized ideological purity internet leftist culture mistrusts Warren:

She may have changed her mind on things in the past.

Scary, right? I sound like I’m being facetious, but I’m not. An argument I had to read with my own two eyes on this godforsaken hellsite was that since Warren became a Democrat around the time Clinton signed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, she sekritly hated gay people and might still be a corporate sellout, so on and etcetera. (And don’t even get me STARTED on the fact that DADT, coming a few years after the height of the AIDS crisis which was considered God’s Judgment of the Icky Gays, was the best Clinton could realistically hope to achieve, but this smacks of White Gay Syndrome anyway and that is a whole other kettle of fish.) Bernie has always demonstrably been a democratic socialist, and: good for him. I’m serious. But because there’s the chance that Warren might not have thought exactly as she does now at any point in her life, the hysterical and paranoid left-wing elements don’t trust that she might not still secretly do so. (Zomgz!) It’s the same element that’s feeding cancel culture and “wokeness.” Nobody can be allowed to have shifted or grown in their opinions or, like a functional, thoughtful, non-insane adult, changed their beliefs when presented with compelling evidence to the contrary. To the ideological hordes, any hint of uncertainty or past failure to completely toe the line is tantamount to heresy. Any evidence of any other belief except The Correct One means that this person is functionally as bad as Trump. And frankly, it’s only the Sanders supporters who, just as in 2016, are threatening to withhold their vote in the general election if their preferred candidate doesn’t win the primary, and indeed seem weirdly proud about it.

OK, boomer Bernie or Buster.

Here’s the thing, the thing, the thing: there is never going to be an American president free of the deeply toxic elements of American ideology. There just won’t be. This country has been built how it has for 250 years, and it’s not gonna change. You are never going to have, at least not in the current system, some dream candidate who gets up there and parrots the left-wing talking points and attacks American imperialism, exceptionalism, ravaging global capitalism, military and oil addiction, etc. They want to be elected as leader of a country that has deeply internalized and taken these things to heart for its entire existence, and most of them believe it to some degree themselves. So this groupthink white liberal mentality where the only acceptable candidate is this Perfect Non-Problematic robot who has only ever had one belief their entire lives and has never ever wavered in their devotion to doctrine has really gotten bad. The Democratic Party would be considered… maybe center/mild left in most other developed countries. It’s not even really left-wing by general standards, and Sanders and Warren are the only two candidates for the nomination who are even willing to go there and explicitly put out policy proposals that challenge the systematic structure of power, oppression, and exploitation of the late-stage capitalist 21st century. Warren has the billionaires fussed, and instead of backing down, she’s doubling down. That’s part of why they’re so scared of her. (And also misogyny, because the world is depressing like that.) She is going head-on after picking a fight with some of the worst people on the planet, who are actively killing the rest of us, and I don’t know about you, but I like that.

Of course: none of this will mean squat if she (or the eventual Democratic winner, who I will vote for regardless of who it is, but as you can probably tell, she’s my ride or die) don’t a) win the White House and then do as they promised on the campaign trail, and b) don’t have a Democratic House and Senate willing to have a backbone and pass the laws. Even Nancy Pelosi, much as she’s otherwise a badass, held off on opening a formal impeachment inquiry into Trump for months out of fear it would benefit him, until the Ukraine thing fell into everyone’s laps. The Democrats are really horrible at sticking together and voting the party line the way Republicans do consistently, because Democrats are big-tent people who like to think of themselves as accepting and tolerant of other views and unwilling to force their members’ hands. The Republicans have no such qualms (and indeed, judging by their enabling of Trump, have no qualms at all). 

The modern American Republican party has become a vehicle for no-holds-barred power for rich white men at the expense of absolutely everything and everyone else, and if your rationale is that you can’t vote for the person opposing Donald Goddamn Trump is that you’re just not vibing with them on the language of that one policy proposal… well, I’m glad that you, White Middle Class Liberal, feel relatively safe that the consequences of that decision won’t affect you personally. Even if we’re due to be out of the Paris Climate Accords one day after the 2020 election, and the issue of climate change now has the most visibility it’s ever had after years of big-business, Republican-led efforts to deny and discredit the science, hey, Secret Corporate Shill, am I right? Can’t trust ‘er. Let’s go have a craft beer.

As has been said before: vote as far left as you want in the primary. Vote your ideology, vote whatever candidate you want, because the only way to make actual, real-world change is to do that. The huge, embedded, all-consuming and horrible system in which we operate is not just going to suddenly be run by fairy dust and happy thoughts overnight. Select candidates that reflect your values exactly, be as picky and ideologically militant as you want. That’s the time to do that! Then when it comes to the general election:

America is a two-party system. It sucks, but that’s the case. Third-party votes, or refraining from voting because “it doesn’t matter” are functionally useless at best and actively harmful at worst.

Either the Democratic candidate or Donald Trump will win the 2020 election.

There is absolutely no length that the Republican/GOP machine, and its malevolent allies elsewhere, will not go to in order to secure a Trump victory. None.

Any talk whatsoever about “progressive values” or any kind of liberal activism, coupled with a course of action that increases the possibility of a Trump victory, is hypocritical at best and actively malicious at worst.

This is why I found the Democratic response to Obama’s “don’t go too wild” comments interesting. Bernie doubled down on the fact that his plans have widespread public support, and he’s right. (Frankly, the fact that Sanders and Warren are polling at the top, and the fact that they’re politicians and would not be crafting these campaign messages if they didn’t know that they were being positively received, says plenty on its own). Warren cleverly highlighted and praised Obama’s accomplishments in office (i.e. the Affordable Care Act) and didn’t say squat about whether she agreed or disagreed with him, then went right back to campaigning about why billionaires suck. And some guy named Julian Castro basically blew Obama off and claimed that “any Democrat” could beat Trump in 2020, just by nature of existing and being non-insane.

This is very dangerous! Do not be Julian Castro!

As I said in my tags on the Bush post: everyone assumed that sensible people would vote for Kerry in 2004. Guess what happened? Yeah, he got Swift Boated. The race between Obama and McCain in 2008, even after those said nightmare years of Bush, was very close until the global crash broke it open in Obama’s favor, and Sarah Palin was an actual disqualifier for a politician being brazenly incompetent and unprepared. (Then again, she was a woman from a remote backwater state, not a billionaire businessman.) In 2012, we thought Corporate MormonBot Mitt Fuggin’ Romney was somehow the worst and most dangerous candidate the Republicans could offer. In 2016, up until Election Day itself, everyone assumed that HRC was a badly flawed candidate but would win anyway. And… we saw how that worked out. Complacency is literally deadly.

I was born when Reagan was still president. I’m just old enough to remember the efforts to impeach Clinton over forcing an intern to give him a BJ in the Oval Office (This led by the same Republicans making Donald Trump into a darling of the evangelical Christian right wing.) I’m definitely old enough to remember 9/11 and how America lost its mind after that, and I remember the Bush years. And, obviously, the contrast with Obama, the swing back toward Trump, and everything that has happened since. We can’t afford to do this again. We’re hanging by a thread as it is, and not just America, but the entire planet.

So yes. By all means, vote for Sanders in the primary. Then when November 3, 2020 rolls around, if you care about literally any of this at all, hold your nose if necessary and vote straight-ticket Democrat, from the president, to the House and Senate, to the state and local offices. I cannot put it more strongly than that.

[neesieiumz]

PAIN - Chapter 1 {Shouta Aizawa x Reader}

Story summary:  You’ve been away for so long, for over thirteen years. As soon as you graduated, without saying by to the man you like and your best friend, you left. Not even leaving  a note, Aizawa and Yamada had to hear from your female best friend, Nemuri that you were going to join the I.H.A.C, the International Hero Agency Commission. You became the best hero there, saving so many people with tactical precision, but you’re always overworked yourself, to the point where you’ve dropped and fainted while walking to your office. Concerned for you, your boss called your old principal, who’s been looking for a new teacher to teach about stealth and rescue operations. Deciding to send you, even though you’ve adamantly refused, you’re finally coming home... a place you abandoned a long time ago.

Chapter summary: You were with your teammates, discussing how to write up a report, this were the worst part of your job. That’s when you’re called to your Unit Chief’s office, the man who represents your team with the Higher Ups. What does he need, and who do you see again?

A/n: MERRY CHRISTMAS!! This is the second gift I have for everyone! Keep in mind that I have not started the second chapter but I’ll see if I can get it out before the end of the year... but I can’t promise that...In the prologue/ sneak peek, I had your female best friend be Mirko, but I changed it to Midnight, because she was the only one who went to school with Aizawa and Mic. I wrote this in three days and took one to edit. So enjoy this first chapter and hopefully there will be more to come!

Word Count: 4.2k

Chapter 1 - A Decision of a Lifetime

You were sitting at a table, in the conference room with your teammates, discussing how the report should be split up. Who should take cultural impact, how the people reacted, the steps we took to bring stability and what not. You were currently arguing with one of your male teammates, someone who you’ve but heads with before. This was nothing new. 

“I’m telling you, I should take this part, I was there during the Rancin incident. I saw everything that happened!” Your teammate, Chad Barrymore, argued, slamming the papers on the desk. 

You rolled your eyes, “but who’s the one who actually solved it? Oh right, it was me!” 

The rest of your team was sitting around, some looking at their phones, some already starting on their assigned part of the report. One of your teammates even took this opportunity to catch up on some sleep. 

“Chad, who was assigned leader of this team?” You questioned, already knowing the answer.

He groaned and rolled his eyes, “you were,” he mumbled under his breath. 

You smiled and assorted the papers in front of you back into the file you had. 

“That’s right, me, Y/n L/n, not Chad Barrymore. Alright? You’re the best at the budget report and justifying why we used over 200,000 american dollars over our budget,” You smile sheepishly at him making him glare at you before snatching up the papers and putting them in his own file. 

“Fine, but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna like it,” he grumbled, making you shake your head and roll your eyes. 

“Who actually enjoys doing the reports?” You questioned, mostly  to yourself. 

“I do!” Your teammate, Mariposa, popped her head from ehr laptop where she had already started her part of the report. 

You shook your head and laughed with the rest of your teammates, “Mariposa, you are one in a kind.”

“Y/n L/n, You’re needed in Agent Prowess’ office, Agent Y/n L/n, you are needed in Agent Prowess’s office at this instant…” The announcement went off, making you groan and plant your head face down on the table where you and your teammates were sitting. 

“Uh-oh, someone’s in trouble,” One of your teammates, Michelle LaRue, teased, poking you in your back. 

You swatted her hand away from your body and slowly lifted your head up and looked around,

 “Why me,” you groaned, slowly getting up for your seat. 

“Maybe you’re finally getting that promotion, you’re literally the youngest here but you’ve been here for over thirteen years, the longest out of anyone here. it’s time for you to finally get paid your dues!” Another teammate of yours, Ian Adewanju, exclaimed. 

His words made you burn red with embarrassment, reminding you of the fact you are 31, you are the youngest one on the team yet you’re the one who's been here the longest. You shook your thoughts out of your head before turning around and heading out the door to go to your Unit Chief’s offices. You had just gotten back from a sting operation in Aprain, helping their forces uncover a huge child position ring. There were villains with very strong quirks, and that country's heroes were outnumbered by the ring’s villains so they had called us. My team especially to help narrow down who was the leader and how they should go about freeing all the children they trafficked. We were given temporary hero licenses and stayed there for about a year, being those countries’ heroes until they were able to get a stable enforcement system in place. After that, we come back to base, on an independent island, where we stay for 4-6 months until our next mission. 

And there’s always another mission. 

You reached Agent Prowess’s office and knocked on the door a couple of times. You waited for a response before you could enter. 

“Come in, Agent L/n,” You heard his muffled voice call out. 

You opened the door and immediately closed behind and stood guard, standing up straight and placing your hands behind your back. 

“Agent Prowess.” You greeted, looking at the wall behind him. 

You didn’t see the person who was sitting on one of the couches, wasn’t your concern yet. Probably someone who just wanted to meet you in person. 

You heard a couple of paper shuffling around, “at ease Agent, I want to introduce or rather, reintroduce an old face from your past.” 

Your face twisted a bit in confusion, you stopped looking ahead at the wall and looked at your unit chief. You then noticed a white blur sitting on the couch in front of your boss’s desk. You got a closer look. And then you froze. 

It couldn’t be…

But it was, it was your old principal from U.A. What the heck was he doing here? What would the Principal of one the best hero schools in Japan, top two and some say they aint number two. You tried not to show your surprise in your face but you knew Principal Nezu knew you better than that, but he said nothing as he continued to sip the complimentary tea that Prowess always offers to his guests. 

“You remember Principal Nezu, don’t you Agent L/n?” 

You took a deep breath and nodded, not saying a word. You could hear the clanking of fine china hitting the table before hearing a throat being cleared. 

“It’s good to see you again, Ms. L/n, it’s been over a decade since I last saw you. At your graduation, I believe.”

Before you could stop yourself, you mumbled “It was the last time anyone saw me.” 

Prowess’s throat cleared and you closed your mouth quickly and lowered your head. You could hear a hum come from Nezu. You tried to ignore it as you waited for Prowess’ instructions. 

“L/n, I’m gonna be honest with you. I’m worried,” Prowess started, making your head shoot up in confusion. 

Worried? What is he talking about? You were confused, did you do something? Was something in your reports wrong, did someone complain about your behavior recently that you weren’t checking in within yourself? You doubt Prowess would have let you walk around with so many complaints about your behavior without telling you about it or having consequences laid out. Your mind raced through all the possibilities that could have happened. 

“Agent L/n, we can hear your mind racing 5 miles a minute. Calm down, nothing happened concerning your work ethic. You’re a good agent here and a good hero as well,” he started to explain. 

He gestured for you to take a seat on the couch in front of the one Principal Nezu was sitting on, you glanced at him and your boss before slowly walking over to the couch and slowly sitting down on it. 

“As you know, you were recruited from a hero course school, which is very rare as you were recommended to us by one of my peers. You came here straight from graduation and have never let up. You’ve been here since you were 18, barely even an adult in the world. You were one of the top students in U.A, who had the potential to be something great, but you came here, a place where you’d never get fully recognized for your accomplishments.”

You sighed and leaned back into the couch, wondering where this conversation was going. This was information you already knew, things that you lived. You remember when you got the recommendation, the talk with Principal Nezu and your homeroom teacher. When they were talking about your options with your older cousins.

“Prowess, I’m not understanding, why are you telling me this?” You couldn’t help but ask him. 

You still weren’t understanding why you were here with your old principal in front of your new boss. You looked in front of you to find a poured cup of tea right front of you. You glanced up at Nezu who simply looked at you with a smile. You scoffed before grabbing the teacup and taking a sip. 

Chamomile, with honey, nice…

“You were one of the youngest recruits here, and out of your training class, you’re one of the only ones who’s still here. This job weighs on people and a lot can’t take it after a while.”

“But you’re still here,” you interrupted his spill. 

“I came here after being a hero in America for over 10 years, the high rise lifestyle wasn’t for me. Most of the recruits we got were sidekicks that needed a place to go, heroes who still wanted to make a difference even if they couldn’t work anymore. You were different.” He noted, opening a file, your file you assumed. 

“You immediately came from the hero course in U.A, you had some of the best offers one could have ever have been given, even a sidekick offer from the current #2 Hero in Japan, am I correct?” 

You sighed and nodded, turning your head to look at him as you finished the tea. Prowess gave of a soft chuckle before continuing to flip through your file. 

“You decide to come here, out of all places. An isolated island, away from everyone with limited english skills as well… I questioned it, my superiors questioned it, but you were one of the best, if not the best we’ve ever seen. We couldn’t give up a gem like you, because you decided to come here… but we should have let you go sooner.”

You froze, mid-way of putting your cup down on the table, and slowly turned your head to look at him. He was staring at you with concern, a look you hated seeing with him but was a regular occurrence with you. 

“Last week, before you came back to base. You were admitted into the hospital for extreme exhaustion, for the 16th time. Your teammates were concerned about you. I’m concerned about you, and I should have put my foot down about your own well-being.” He said, leaning back in his chair.

“I didn’t because we were getting an amazing track record, your team was being asked for specifically. You have been overworking yourself, not recently but for the last 13 years,” You rolled your eyes he said that but he caught it, “don’t roll your eyes, you know it’s true. You’ve been overcompensating for over 13 years.”

“I don’t know what you were running from but it was obviously too much for you to stay in Japan but now I want you to do something for me. Principal Nezu is in need of a teacher, a teacher that can teach aspiring heroes about stealth and rescue operations. And I know that you were the perfect person for the job, you are the perfect person for the job…”

Your anger roared through before you could stop it, the cup in your hand was crushed by a cloud that you summoned on accident. 

“Deep breaths, Ms. L/n. Take deep breaths, we’ve had issues with your anger before…” You heard Principal Nezu say in Japanese, hearing the language you once spoke all the time. 

You felt your hands shake as you took deep breaths and leaned back into the couch. You placed your head in your hands to stop the shaking but that just triggered your legs to start moving up and down in its stead. Your face felt wet, you licked the side of your face and tasted the familiar salty liquid. Tears. 

“So what,” you garbled out, “you’re forcing me into retirement to go and teach some snot-faced brats?”

“I’m making an executive decision to let you go before you destroy yourself, Y/n… I’ve always seen you as someone I need to look out for, even if you were the most capable at your job… you were never the best at taking care of yourself.”

“I didn’t have an excuse of how to get you out but until Principal Nezu here asked for someone here to be a teacher at U.A… I knew it had to be you,” He finalized, closing your file before handing it to Nezu. 

You said nothing as the exchange of papers went on. You were sinking back into your thoughts. 

So that’s it huh? After 13 years of giving your life to help people, helping people off the grid. And now I’m being sent back to the place I ran away from. Run away from everything that’s haunted me for most of your life huh…?

“L/n,” he called out. 

You slowly turned your head to look at Prowess, who was handing you some papers. Your retirement papers were in his hands. You sighed before reaching over to grab them from his hands. 

“I know you’re mad at me, but trust me on this… It’s time to let you go off this job and find something else, something else that makes you happy and not want to overwork yourself to death. It may not be teaching, but it’s definitely not here.”

You looked at him with low eyes before getting up and walking towards the door, not waiting for his permission to leave his office. 

“Ms. L/n, I know this isn’t ideal, but know that you are the best person for this job… just trust me on this…”

You sighed at Principal Nezu’s words, and turned your head slightly to look at him. 

“We’ll see about that, Principal Nezu…”

                                                           ---

You didn’t return to your teammates after that, heading straight to your room.  You laid on your bed, papers discarded somewhere on your desk. You held your pillow in your arms, staring into the nothingness that is your ceiling. You didn’t have much belongings, mostly souvenirs from the countries you were assigned to. Your walls are white and blank, the only thing you brought from Japan was a picture frame, a picture of before everything went wrong for you. 

A knock came at your door. You lifted your head and turned it towards the door but didn't get up to answer it. You wanted to be alone, you weren't ready to face anyone, especially your team. 

“Hey Y/n, we… we heard about what happened. Where Prowess is sending you…” You heard the voice of Blake, one of four females on the team, called out. 

“Y/n, I’m gonna be honest with you, I had a hand in your transfer… I just didn’t realize he was turning it into a chance to force you to retire… that you weren’t coming back at all… that we were losing our leader for good…”

You laid back down on the bed as you registered her words. She had a hand in this? She’s the reason I have to leave? 

“I know that isn’t what you want to hear but I’ve been here right beside you, I came here after 7 years you were here and I saw so much pain behind those eyes… you reminded me of myself when I was a hero in France… constantly throwing yourself into work,” she started to explain, making you sit up on the bed.

“Although with me, it made me lose everyone that I love. All for fame and glory, while you threw yourself in work for different reasons. You threw yourself to forget who you once were, and everything you knew about your past. Babes, I’m scared for you and I know it’s time for you to get away from this place, you’ve been in these walls for 13 years… don’t you think that’s enough?”

Once again, you could feel your anger rushing right through you. They don’t… they don’t understand what you’ve been through… they don’t understand what’s waiting for you back in Japan… you had to get away and you had to stay away from Japan, it doesn’t matter… it doesn’t matter, he can’t… he couldn’t find you here… he couldn’t find you here, he couldn’t track you down here…

“But I also know you, and so does Prowess, you’re running… that's why you never took the opportunities to go home and see your family… and that’s okay, you don't have to see them.. You don’t have to see them, but you need to get away from this desolate place.”

You threw your pillow on your bed before flopping back and laying on it. You looked over at your night table and saw two picture frames sitting on it. The one you had brought when you first arrived here, and a recent one, from a couple of years ago when you were on an island country, helping them out until they also had a stable hero system. You were with the locals and they were throwing you a goodbye party. You were smiling, holding a child of a family you had gotten close to… the first time in a while you were happy with yourself. 

You took a deep breath before turning around on your other side. You just wanted to go to sleep and pretend that you weren’t actually leaving, that you weren’t being forced to go to Japan. You could hear Blake walking away.

                                                           ---

[This conversation is in Japanese]

The air was cold, and tasted like salt water from the surrounding ocean. After Blake came to your door, you couldn't fall asleep, your head spinning after all the information that came at you at once. You grabbed a blanket, a random bottle of alcohol you had lying around and a glass before coming to the one place where you could feel like you could breath. You were on the rooftops, watching the sun go down and sipping on a glass of some kind of spicy alcohol, you honestly didn’t look at the bottle. 

“I thought you would be here, Ms. L/n.” A voice called out behind you. 

You didn’t bother to look back at who it was, there were only so many people who spoke Japanese here and none of them were on your team or weren’t even close to you. 

“Should have known that you would find out where I am,” you mumbled under your breath, downing the rest of your drink. 

You could hear him walk towards you before stopping right beside you and looking out into the horizon with you. Together the two of you watched the sun lower together. You pulled the blanket closer as you felt more chills throughout your body. 

“So then you should also know I have an idea of why you're running. You can’t hide much from me, Ms. L/n,” he added. 

You sighed, using your hand that held the glass as support for your head. You could feel a headache coming, making you groan out loud. Using your free hand, you moved your head around until you could feel and hear your neck crack. You felt a pressure at your shoulder, and you looked over to find a water bottle and a couple of pills  being handed to you. You glanced at Nezu who was still looking at the horizon before looking back down at the bottle. Sighing, you took the pills and water bottle. You threw the pills in your mouth and ripped open the cap and downed the entire bottle in ten seconds. 

“You’ll be safe at UA, I hope you know that, we’ve introduced a dorm system including one for teachers. I promise you.”

“Not as safe as I am here,” you scoffed. 

You looked away from the sunset, placing your arm down and using it to support you from behind. 

“How do you know that?” Nezu questioned. 

You said nothing, which answered Nezu’s question. You could feel him turn around and start to walk away. 

“Your plane will be here in two weeks, use that time to say your goodbyes and figure out your lesson plans and learn about your students. I would pay particular attention to the incoming class of 2A.”

You scoffed, 2A huh?

                                                          ---

“AND IN FIRST PLACE, IS Y/N L/N!! One of the most strongest quirks I’ve ever seen in a first year, there’s nobody to match her in battle formations and strategies, even when faced with a difficult quirk, she found a way out and was easily able to snag that FIRST PLACE TITLE!!” The announcer yelled out as the crowd cheered on. 

In the center of the stadium was the stage, where the winners were being honored in front of everyone and in the center was you, Y/n L/n, with the biggest smirk on her face. Hair in a large afro puff, with a purple bandana. You were tired but you were happy, you had fought and trained hard for a long time for this. This first step to creating the path to becoming one of the best female pro-heroes Japan and this world has ever seen. You looked at the rest of your peers as they cheered you on and gongradualted you on winning the U.A Sports Festival. You looked to your left and saw a close friend of yours, Oboro giving you a thumbs up. You winked and gave him one back, mouthing “good job” to him.

“Y/N!!! OBORO!!!” A loud, familiar voice called out to you. 

You looked at where the voice came from and saw Yamada, your closest friend Nemuri Kayama, and him, Shota waving at you, although he wasn't waving but he was staring at you. You gave him a soft smile while you felt your cheeks burn before turning to Principal Nezu who was offering you the gold medal. You bent down, low enough for him to put the medal on you. Once you stood up, you lifted the medal slightly to get a good look at it. 

First place felt so good…

The ceremony ended and soon enough, you were getting ready to go home to show your family what you got, what you had won, even though you knew they were all watching you. You were tired and just wanted to get on the first train to your home when you heard Yamada call out to you again. You flinched at the loud noise, his quirk was called “Voice” after all. You turned around to find him, Kayama, Shirakumo, and Aizawa all walking towards you. You smiled tiredly and flipped your bookbag on your back. 

“Hey guys…” you greeted sofly, “what’s up?”

They all stopped in front of you, all ready to go home as well. 

“For someone who won first place as a first year, you look like pure shit,” Aizawa said bluntly.

You rolled your eyes, “I’m just tired, over using your quirk will do that. I know my parents will have a whole party waiting for me when I get home.” 

“Well, let’s walk to the train together, I’m sure we’ll be able to get you out of your tired mood by the time we get to your stop!” Shirakumo said, turning towards the door. 

You glanced over at Kayama who was looking at Shirakumo with heart eyes, you walked up to her and nudged her with your elbow. This made her snap out of her heart eyes and look at you, you look abc at her with a knowing smirk. 

“Shut up,” she mumbled, making you laugh out loud. 

The both of you followed the three boys out of the room and out of the school. All five of you walked to the train station, Yamada having to take a different train because he lives in the opposite direction of the four of you. You waved goodbye to him as he waited for his train and the four of you got on the one waiting for you. You all got on and immediately found seats, well for you and Nemuri, Shouta and Oboro had to stand at the poles in front of you. As you were riding on the train, Kayama got a call on her cell, possibly from her mom. She groaned and answered it, but the call wasn’t long. You could hear her voice start to rise and even could hear her mom’s start to rise. They argued for a while and then she quickly ended the call and turned to look at you. 

She gave you the same puppy eyes she always gives you before she asks you the same question she always asked you before. You exhaled and looked away smiling. Shouta looked at the both of you before rolling his eyes, making you reach over and pinched him in the stomach. He grunted and wacked your hand away from him, making you smile at him before poking him and leaning back into the bench. 

“Yes, you can spend the night, you know my mom doesn’t care,” you laughed , pushing her softly. 

“Thank you L/n, I can’t deal with her tonight! You know she got a new boyfriend and he honestly creeps me out,” she groaned as she remembered interactions with her mom’s new boyfriend. 

“You’re welcome,” you giggled, giving her a one armed hug. 

“Aww, group hug!” Oboro shouted, pulling down Shouta with one arm and pulling Nemuri and you into a big group hug. 

“Oboro, fuck- warn somebody please!” Shouta complained, but was ignored by said man who just pulled him closer to all of us. 

We all laughed at his pain, who just made a grunt-like noise but made no movement to wiggle out of the group hug. 

“Yamada would be jealous,” Nemuri said, as we all separated from the hug. 

You looked out the window and smiled softly… you were so happy...

[sicktransitgloria]

7:30 in the morning and I’m down a rabbit hole of TOG screenwriting brilliance

It’s a beautiful morning for endless pondering of the scene between Nicky and Dr. Kovak and the use of “unethical” vs “immoral” and everything that word choice tells us about them both as people, especially Nicky.

Ethical and moral can be used interchangeably in most situations but the baseline definitions are different in a super important way.

Ethics comes from the Greek ‘ethos’- the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations. Right and wrong as defined by a particular social system. We talk about ethics in journalism, law, science etc- in terms of a group and the standards that group holds themselves to. 

Kovak knows she’s acting against all four tenets of biomedical ethics: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. If she tries to justify her actions at all, those justifications fall outside current bioethical mores: the ends justifies the means, greatest good for the greatest number etc. (granted you even believe she has any concern for bioethics here and cares about anything other than her own curiosity and/or Merrick’s profit margin). She’s not getting past the IRB and she knows it. Whether or not she cares is the only mystery.

Kovak asks Nicky if he would call her actions unethical. It’s a stupid question. She knows she’s violating every code of ethics she’s supposed to uphold. Nicky knows it too. His answer is that she’s gone beyond that.

The main distinction when ethics and morality are used to mean different things is that ethics come from society, morality comes from ones’ self. Morality is personal. Some would argue that morality cannot be taught. 

It’s striking but also perfectly in character for him that Nicky thinks in terms of morality, not ethics. His very first lesson was learning to judge for himself what actions were right or wrong regardless of the accepted beliefs of his society. Interesting too that he doesn’t describe it in terms of sin. Moral theology concerns itself with determining right and wrong as defined by divine authority. Whether or not he still believes in the Christian god or considers himself a Catholic- Nicky also follows personal morality. “We fight for what we think is right.”  He’s seen sin and heresy defined and redefined over and over. If morality is to be constant it must come from within.

And because he’s Nicky that is what he appeals to within his captor. Morality comes from within, which means it does exist in this person who’s torturing him. He’s not naïve enough to think that means she’ll find it and follow it, but he wants her to remember that it’s there.

Anyway, what a perfect exchange between these two. Everyone thinks they’re the hero of their own story. A masterclass in How to Establish Conflict and Character In 10 Words or Less. 

[fivepercentgodsandearths]

Living Out The Laws of I-SELF-LORD-AND-MASTER by Power Born Allah

A Plus Lesson By Power Born Allah

A Higher Understanding on Allah’s Theory of Relativity

You must have your own laws as righteous person.  If you don’t have any laws for Self, how can you maintain your righteousness?  These laws are made from your principles, values, morals, and ethics.  Many of the hells we experience are due to not keeping and obeying one’s own laws (See 10*, 1-14).  The question that must be asked of one’s self is what are your morals, values, and ethics? Have you really defined those for your own Universe?  When we go into the Mind that which encompasses all we define our principles, ethics, morals, and values that will then born our own laws.  We are creating the physics of own Universe.  With that being said whatever you put in motion must be well thought out.  You are to be the only one who can bend or break the laws of your universe.  Most importantly, you will be bonded to those laws until you discover that said law is not mutable.  What can seem most challenging in this journey to living a supremely, righteous way of life is staying steadfast to one’s own principles, ethics, morals, and values.  When you say you are not going to do a certain thing or take part in certain acts, ceremonies, rituals, are you able to stand on that which you say you are?  How do you prevent your emotions from being used against you? How can you truly see that you are thinking clearly?  The one and only answer is to use Supreme Mathematics.  Now if you find yourself second guessing the above answer then it would be wise to seek counsel from one who does not have an emotional attachment and who uses Supreme Mathematics.  

Now that you know and understand your possible weak spots, let’s discuss your responsibilities along with the ways and actions of God (supreme Blackman.)  In our Culture we use the phrase, “Sun of Man,” which is synonymous with God in our Culture.  We know that the Sun is used as a metaphor for the Original Man with Knowledge of Self.  If you are the foundation of your family, as is the Sun is the foundation of the solar system, then we must study the ways and actions of the Sun.  Many times, growing up I would hear that the woman was the glue of the family, however we must acknowledge that the man that falls out of place and fails at his duty, that said family tends to have a degree of chaos.  Imagine if our Sun disappeared one day, life on our planet would cease and the other planets would spiral out of control.  This dynamic is all too prevalent in our community nowadays.  This is displayed by the trauma that is being manifested on the streets by young men who did not have a father and the structure that comes with having a father in their life.  We must never underestimate the importance of a strong and wise man within the family unit.  To my God brothers we must understand that just like the Sun we must be consistent in all our ways and actions.  The Sun provides light to his Earth (planet) and his children (all of the human families on the planet Earth) every single day.  As so the man must do the same, and like the Sun must provide that life-giving energy no matter the weather or the current of air she is in.  As the Sun keeps the Earth moving at that terrific speed of 1037 1/3rd miles per hour on its axis.  You as the God of your Universe (Home) are expected to maintain the proper and healthy magnetic attraction between you and your woman, the mother of your Universe.  

Let’s build on the relationship between the Sun (Black Man) and Earth (Black Woman) in more depth.  How you build with her is very vital because she is the feminine expression of you (God).  When you are manifesting the Knowledge, right and exact consistently in all your undertakings with her, she will absorb your Knowledge and make it hers.  This is what is meant by the phrase, “Married through the Mind.”  She will use this Knowledge like how the plants use sunlight in the process of photosynthesis to grow (rear) the babies properly.  We know from our lessons that the water (Wisdom/Bond) cannot rise above six miles from the Earth’s surface.  The reason is because the Sun (Man) keeps his Earth (Woman) close by making sure she stays rotating at a fast rate around him.  The water can be seen as the communication and that is an extremely important aspect of the union between God and Earth that cannot fail unless you intend to have let her drift out of your Solar System.  I’m confident that is not your determined idea.  So you will do all within your Power (influence) to keep y’all close.  Another widely, overlooked responsibility of God is to keep himself upright and healthy.  God does not make himself sick by eating the wrong foods nor consuming poisons that only weaken his body.  When his Earth observes her God’s focus around health and well-being, she will strive to equal that way of life as well.  She will want to provide you a righteous environment to feed your mind and body because she wants you strong and dominant in all your affairs.  She won’t allow any filthy ways around or in you that could endanger the heaven you have made together.  Gods we must know how to keep a home in proper fashion as we do our bodies.  Our bodies, our homes are no more than extensions of our Mind.  If we are Supreme Beings, then anything less than the above statement would be considered Uncivilized.  We know that the civilized is held responsible for the uncivilized and the first person you must apply that lesson to is Self!  In this lesson we have discussed how and why you can experience hell on Earth and in Self.  This Knowledge that has been presented in this lesson is one that should be studied often.  Especially when you feel any level of chaos in your universe.  With that being said, God set yourself in heaven at once, respect and live out the Laws of Islam.  Focus and develop them for and in your own Universe.  Never stray away from the civilization you have built.

P.ROPER E.DUCATION A.LWAYS C.ORRECTS E.RRORS,

Your Brother and Companion in the Supreme Mathematics of I.S.L.A.M.

Power Born Allah

Asiatic Calendar: 15,106 (Knowledge Wisdom, Knowledge, Wisdom Cipher Wisdom Cipher)

Taken From https://fivepercentmedia.com/living-out-the-laws-of-i-self-lord-and-master-by-power-born/

[itsclydebitches]

You know, if we’re throwing blame around, why isn’t Clover himself responsible for his own death? He isn’t Ironwood’s brainless puppet, he made his own choices that night. And honestly he’s the one who kept STOPPING QROW FROM ATTACKING TYRIAN. Like, Qrow and Robyn played their part in this mess, too. That’s for sure. But Clover set himself up in the end

I’m going to answer this one in as much detail as I can and then save it to my meta page so I can actually return to it when needed, because I think the fandom as a whole has really misinterpreted that fight based on the circulation of leading statements like “stopped Qrow from attacking Tyrian” and “set himself up.” Which isn’t a knock against you, anon. These are claims I’ve seen circulated for months now but (like everything!) they can’t be removed from their context. 

So what actually happens during that fight? 

What happens is that Qrow starts out in a level-headed and mature place. Despite being pissed at Ironwood and having no desire to be arrested, he verbally tries to keep a fight from starting. 

Clover, to my mind, also starts out in a level-headed and mature place. I get that the fandom doesn’t like the arrest warrant... but it is justifiable. Team RWBY was given official huntsmen licenses. They were working under Ironwood. They did lie to him and betray him. They did stand against and threaten to attack their general. Clover is a leader responsible for following the orders he’s given. Which I get is another hot-button phrase on tumblr. Only “bootlickers” just “follow orders,” but the fact remains that Clover doesn’t even know about any of the ethically complex details of this situation. All he knows is that his general and kingdom leader has ordered the arrest of the teens he was helping to train, along with their uncle. He doesn’t understand how that may or may not fit into the five second info dump said teen gave over their comms. Something something martial law and Salem’s coming. There’s no reason why he would forsake his loyalty to Ironwood as well as his duties here. Clover has no reason to prioritize Qrow’s ‘But I don’t want to be arrested’ over years of trust in Ironwood and his pride as leader of the Ace Ops. Besides, who wants to be arrested? His job isn’t to listen to every potential criminal who says they’re innocent because, you know, they’d all say that. His job is to bring them in and let the justice system decide that for him. 

In terms of “setting himself up,” all Clover did was begin a legal process that he was justified and responsible for starting. That’s it. 

Qrow, at the start, recognizes this to an extent. He’s hurt that Clover wouldn’t drop all these other parts of his identity to just let him go, but he’s not willing to physically fight him over it at first. 

As said though, “at first.” The second Robyn attacks Clover? Qrow is on board. 

So does he go after the seething bandit who shot an arrow at Clover’s face despite him insisting that there was no reason to fight? Maybe so that once the powder-keg that is Robyn Hill is out of the way he and Clover might talk like Qrow had originally hoped? 

Nope. He attacks Clover. 

That’s really, really important because from here on out Qrow has established himself as Clover’s enemy. As far as Clover knows he can’t trust Qrow as an ally anymore. Robyn attacked him. Qrow assisted her. Tyrian is a crazy serial killer. Clover is on his own here. 

Despite this, twice Clover tries to talk to Qrow. Twice Qrow refuses to back down. The first time is on the ship right after Qrow slashes at Clover.

Qrow might say it doesn’t have to come to this but his words are absolutely meaningless because he’s still attacking. What is Clover supposed to do here? Not defend himself? Qrow doesn’t get to say a version of ‘We don’t have to fight’ seconds after he attacked Clover entirely unprompted. For the record, this is the exact same thing Ruby did to Harriet. She insisted they didn’t have to fight immediately after slamming through two steel doors to start a fight with Harriet. The way RT writes its heroes is by having them say a fight isn’t necessary while simultaneously having them instigate that fight themselves. And of course, it’s only unnecessary provided the other party does exactly what they want. Ruby will only back off if the Ace Ops let them go. Same here: Qrow will only stop attacking if Clover agrees to forsake his orders and let Qrow go, on top of ignoring Robyn’s attacks against him. 

The team-up between Robyn and Qrow is re-emphasized with her line, “You can hug it out once we’ve taken him down!” 

Again, Qrow is Clover’s enemy here. He attacked him first. He continued that attack. He stood beside Robyn and allowed her to speak for them both about “taking him down.” When it comes to the fight against Tyrian, Clover is attacking both of them because both have proven themselves to be threats. He’s not stopping Qrow from attacking Tyrian because he wants to save the serial killer or something equally ridiculous. He’s making use of openings in a fight where he’s outmatched two to one. 

Before that though, we see the second time that Clover tries to diffuse the situation. After Tyrian gets free and crashes the ship, Clover approaches and tells Qrow that they can get Robyn help if he surrenders. That’s a fact. If you stop attacking me we can get her the medical attention she needs that much faster. Qrow interprets this as “manipulation.” 

His immovable stance that he cannot and will not be arrested has justified everything else in his mind (despite arrest being the easiest and currently only way to talk to Ironwood like he wants...) To Qrow, a potential arrest is so horrific that it warrants him attacking Clover. Clover wants to peacefully take Qrow back to Atlas and hold him somewhere until they can work out whatever is going on. Qrow wants to attack Clover until he is defenseless and then he can... what? Leave him in the deadly cold? Take on the serial killer alone that he couldn’t handle less than a year ago? Somehow get medical attention for Robyn even though he’s a wanted man? Their motivations here are in no way equal. Clover is being fair within the bounds of his laws. Qrow is being a chaotic mess that’s (shock) going to get someone killed. 

This is reinforced when Clover insists that they don’t have to fight. Here, unlike when Qrow says it, his words mean something because Clover is not attacking him. He’s actually giving Qrow the chance to lower his own weapon and end this. Qrow responds emotionally, insisting that they’re not friends and “this is how it always ends.” Qrow has allowed his self-hatred, pessimism, and depression to blind him here. He literally has someone going, ‘There’s a better option where we both come out happier’ and he goes, ‘NOPE it can only end in tragedy.’ That’s been his experience and thus that’s what he insists on. 

Qrow rejects the possibility of peace between them even though it’s being offered, right here, right now. He established himself as Clover’s enemy by attacking him first and he then re-affirms that position by insisting that they can only cross weapons. Qrow is Clover’s bad guy now. He insists on trying to hurt him. So Clover is going to defend himself any way he can. That means that when Tyrian arrives and Qrow turns to attack him, Clover makes use of his unguarded back and snags him with his hook. Why wouldn’t he? Why would he suddenly think, ‘Oh, Qrow is on my side again and we’re teaming up to take out Tyrian’? Qrow has given no indication of that. It would be an entirely different situation if, after Tyrian shows up, Qrow growls out something like, ‘Fine, let’s deal with him together and we’ll settle our problems later.’ But he doesn’t. All Clover knows is that now Qrow and Tyrian are both fighters he has to take out somehow... so yeah, use whatever advantage you can get.  

We get a shot of Tyrian’s gleeful expression when he sees Clover attack Qrow. He knows now that they’re still fighting each other like they were on the airship and he’s already planning how to use this to his advantage. 

When Tyrian next re-enters the fray, his moves work to defend Qrow. Eventually he succeeds in pushing Clover away from him entirely. 

While Clover is out of earshot and picking himself off the ground, Tyrian poses his offer: let’s take him out and then the two of us can finish that unsettled score. 

Qrow charges and, as I’ve mentioned elsewhere, it’s impossible to know who he’s charging at. Tyrian and Clover are both ahead of him. He’s attacked each prior to this moment. Clover is just as likely a target as Tyrian so, again, when he sees his opening he takes it. We can assume this is Clover interrupting an attack against Tyrian, but it would just be that: an assumption. Neither the audience nor Clover knows Qrow’s intentions here but, thus far, his intentions towards Clover have not been good. So he takes advantage of this moment where he can snag Qrow’s weapon and get a hit on Tyrian. 

At this point in the fight Clover hasn’t a single reason to trust Qrow to have his back. Even if he wanted to still believe in him that hope is obliterated when Tyrian once again gets between them and pushes Clover back. 

They share their look. This is Qrow agreeing with Tyrian’s proposition to take out Clover together. 

And they attack. 

We then know the rest of the fight. Clover is overwhelmed, his aura is broken, and Tyrian slams Qrow’s weapon through his stomach. So to answer your actual question, yes. Clover has agency... but I honestly don’t think he did anything wrong here. He never “set himself up” to be killed. He certainly never “stopped Qrow from attacking Tyrian” in the way most people mean the phrase: foolishly stopping an ally from attacking an enemy. What Clover did do was: 

Adhere to his responsibilities as a huntsmen by trying to arrest Qrow 

Insisted on this happening peacefully and emphasized that they’d work this all out later on 

Was attacked by Robyn

Was attacked by Qrow

Tried to talk Qrow down and get Robyn medical attention and was unambiguously rejected

Defended himself against Qrow and Tyrian both, first under the (correct) assumption that both were his enemies in this fight and then again with them working as a team 

Was ultimately killed by them both 

If we really want to play the ‘You attacked a (former) ally instead of Tyrian’ game then we also need to acknowledge when Clover succeeded in subduing Tyrian and instead of helping him, Qrow a) deliberately left his weapon unattended (you can see him look to it before running off) and b) broke Clover’s aura. Both actions led directly to his death. 

We even get to see the split second Tyrian realizes that Qrow has chosen to continue attacking Clover instead of helping with his capture. Remember how stupid Robyn’s agreement with Tyrian was? If you’re doing what the crazy, Salem worshiping villain wants you to do, then what you’re doing is wrong. 

I adore Qrow, but he was entirely in the wrong here. Every decision he made from deciding to help Robyn attack Clover, to breaking his aura after Tyrian was bound, to blaming Ironwood for it all was just a Grade A Stupid Choice. To my mind, the only knock against Clover is the argument that he shouldn’t have tried to arrest anyone in the first place which, as I’ve made clear both here and elsewhere, I find to be entirely unpersuasive. Clover was the victim. He tried to do his job in the most peaceful, empathetic way possible and was murdered for it. That murder was assisted by someone he thought he could trust and who he considered to be a friend. 

No, no one was a “mindless puppet” here. They all made their own choices. The difference is that Clover’s choices were based in responsibility, legality, hope, and compassion. Qrow’s were based in recklessness, illegality, pessimism, and hatred. Those choices simply aren’t equal.  

[g0dtier]

tw for domestic violence i guess

sooooo i was raised by a mom who has worked in CPS longer than ive been alive, worked in a retirement home for a few years and i was in therapy from 14-23 and my therapists always joked about me being In On It because my experiences in being always surrounded by people working in (mental or physical) health care kind of rubbed off on me and formed me as a person

i dont know how to say this without sounding conceited and wholly unethical but i have a Knack for that sort of thing and its biting me in the ass because i work for a lot of old people who do not understand anything about the health care system and who notice very quickly that i do. i do not mind helping my clients with forms, talking to them about their frustrations etc but i am not educated nor trained enough to be in the situation i am in right now

im currently sort of involved in a domestic violence situation regarding one of my clients. since i live very close to her and see her once a week for work and she is able to see me on her own (as opposed to her contact person who she has to call because she lives further away and she doesnt really see her without her husband, aka abuser, being present) shes been leaning on me too much for me to be comfortable with it

so last wednesday she made it REALLY clear she needed to talk about something important. we dont talk about the situation when im there, usually i hint at needing to go to the supermarket (which she lives next to) after and she offers to join and we talk on the way there. but last wednesday she actually really, panickingly, pushed for me to let her bring some christmas decorations to my house. she does that because she needs to talk obviously, but she needed an excuse bc her husband was there. so i could not get it over my heart to say no, and also obviously i was worried as shit

the good news is that experts ARE looking at the case right now, in the sense that an actual psych eval is being done and her husband might end up being put in a retirement home as the abuse is coming from dementia. the bad news is that shes old as balls and does not understand anything about it. she does not understand that convincing me to take a picture of a trash bag which she swears is full of letters he stole from her does not in fact proof that there are letters in that bag nor that he stole them from her to the police. she does not understand why they cant just drag him out of their home without any solid proof or experts looking at the case

so at the moment i am juggling helping her in the ways i CAN ethically do (i am a carer, not a friend, so that puts me in a healthcare position, yet im not educated enough to actually be able to give her any therapy or anything so i have to really watch what i say. friends are allowed to try and influence her, i am not because i am still in a position of authority for her and also i realize how it would work against her) , explaining to her how the system works and trying to make it clear to her that she cannot lean on me as a primary support system. so saturday she called me to ask if i knew about the forms she needed to fill in yet, and also just because she wanted to inform me that her husband kicked the shit out of her and that she was in contact with the police. will hear more on wednesday

i genuinely think she just wants help and to cover all the possible bases where she thinks she can get it, so im gonna explain to her exactly how the system works and try to reassure her because shes so scared itll have to get to the point where he beats her within an inch of her life before the authorities do something. but ive also told her that i cannot in good conscience be her primary support system and that id find orgs or crisis help for her where she COULD get the support needed and that id explain how the system works to her in a way she could understand

im stressed, man. i neither have the training to be able to fully help her nor do i have the training to compartmentalize this whole situation for myself. im talking about it with the people i know in healthcare that are close to me and its being a big help but im thinking of maybe getting back into therapy. but finding a new therapist is gonna be rough

[the-meditation-channel]

The Next Big Thing in Chill

Life can be, well, crazy at times. It can even be harsh and cruel. In those moments it is hard to find peace and relaxation when all you can think about is your troubles and how they consume your every thought and emotion. We need to just, chill.

I hope this helps you on your way to a better mental state of well-being. What does well-being mean? Well-being describes good health and good fortune, or more generally, wellness. And that's where you need to be! Your chill state.

Let's Start Simple

Let's start with karma. Karma is so vital to our everyday needs mentally and physically. I believe karma plays a big role in our lives and how we interact with others and how things and people react to us. It's a good karma aura or spirit we can carry with us and give out freely to others and the world.

"Karma describes the concept of getting back whatever you put forth, good or bad, into the universe. By definition, it’s central to Hinduism and Buddhism for determining a person’s next existence based on the ethical net of their current one. But no matter which belief system you follow (or don’t), the concept of karma plays a role in your life." Quote by www.wellandgood.com

If we are planting goodness and kindness, then we shall expect that goodness and kindness will be reaped by what we have sewn. That's a great start to finding that inner peace on a daily level when we are consumed by tragedy or just daily depression. Just think to yourself now, what am I doing to create good or bad karma.

Tiny Steps to The Big Picture

If we take the most tiny of steps each day to stop and ponder for at least a fleeting moment we can regain that good conscious level where we need to be. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and all other forms of social engagement can swipe away our little moments when we need ourselves to be focused on our own well-being. They actually waste our time and mentally we get zapped out into the social universe of memes and catchy videos, or whatever. If we can just close our eyes for a brief moment and realize how amazing we are. Take a deep breath and feel the light and love around us.

It doesn't have to be very long at all! Quick meditation doesn't have to be an hour long.

I love this picture of the girl just taking a quick moment to be herself. She is just enjoying life and the moment. It really looks as if she found her Zen. Very peaceful.

All we need is a little bit of calmness to come over us and feel that peace and relaxation take over and then we are complete again. It's like our tank can be on empty and we can reset it to full so quickly. It's great to find an inspiring quote that will uplift us all day long and keep us in a good mood. I love those moments! Quotes can be so rewarding because they keep our eyes on the prize ahead, which is enlightenment and peacefulness. Ultimately, bringing complete joy and happiness to us.

Follow These Five Steps Daily

1. Take a quick and brief moment out of your busy day to just breathe, close your eyes and get back to your Zen place.

2. Stop burying yourself into social media too much. A little is good but most of us take it too far and spend way too much time worried about what the world is doing and it takes away the focus from our inner-selves.

3. Contemplate what really makes you happy. Focus on your "why" as I call it. What makes you tick. What would make you really jump out of bed in the morning and get started. Something that you might not have even accessed yet, but it's still in the dream stages of development. Your dreams man! Find that dream and hone in on it and let it drive you today.

4. Don't let the world or others get you down. I always say control your controllable. You can only target one thing at a time, and you don't need any distractions from others to bring you down to their level, if they are on a negative plane. Many people choose drama to keep them happy. And that's fine, because it's their own drama and they can sort that out themselves. You can overcome them. You are on a measureless journey on to happiness and peace. Don't overthink it either.

5. Stay positive. Even when the chips aren't falling in the right direction, you can always have a positive outlook on things. It really defines you. It starts to become your character trait and people love to be around you if you are positive and happy among chaos and tumult. It's a crazy world for sure, but you were meant to do hard things. You have got this!

I hope this helps you on your journey to happiness, better health and you can find peace within yourself and others. Have a super day. Be happy. And don't forget to just chill.  :)

Written by: Carl Mazur copyright 2021

Here’s a link to my website: www.mymeditationchannel.com