#*world circus federation

[xunzilla]

Having resolved to investigate the dubs vs. subs question, the DYEWSPH2TER SOCIETY watches the new Dungeon Meshi.

IZUTSUMI (DUB): The name of your race is pretty strange. I heard it came from your kind getting one of their legs chopped off for committing too much thievery!

GIANLUCA D'BOVRIL: She would not say that.

ZEPHANIAH EZEKIEL THUD: Why not?

GIANLUCA D'BOVRIL: "Committing too much thievery"? She's a slave bought from a freak show and she speaks fluent Ciasslcal English?

SIMPLICIO J. RHETORICUS: Is the language of the island diglossic?

GIANLUCA D'BOVRIL: They're ruled by the elves. But let's not get into translatology. (A horrid, ill-formed word: two parts Latin, one part Greek.) The manga renders Senshi's dialogue in an atrocious fantasy accent, but it makes clear a nuance of the original: he's a weird foreigner who lives alone in a cave and his only friends are orcs.

SIMPLICIO J. RHETORICUS: Does Izutsumi's country have a different language?

GIANLUCA D'BOVRIL: Izutsumi's country is fantasy Japan. Look at their names. "Shuro" is a mispronunciation of a name Laios is unfamiliar with.

SIMPLICIO J. RHETORICUS: The dwarves' names also fit Japanese phonology. Senshi, Namari...

DICTIONARY: 鉛 なま̅り̅ nàmárí, lead (chemical element). Perhaps related to Goguryeo 乃勿 *namur; cf. Korean nap, OC (Zhengzhang) ra:b.

TYPESETTER: U+0305 COMBINING OVERLINE should render above the characters ま and り, but on some systems may display as spacing characters following them. We apologize for our inability to reliably display simple linguistic text without platform-dependent markup in 2024. 😔👎💩

ENCYCLOPEDIA: Vowel length in Zhengzhang Shangfang's reconstruction of Old Chinese represents Type A syllables.

GIANLUCA D'BOVRIL: Izganda?

SIMPLICIO J. RHETORICUS: Is that an official name? The scan thought Laios and Falin Touden were Laius and Farlyn Thorden.

ENCYCLOPEDIA: Lajos is a Hungarian masculine given name, cognate to English Louis. People named Lajos include Lajos Kossuth, who in 1849 presented the Hungarian Declaration of Independence. A bust of Lajos Kossuth was added to the Small House Rotunda of the United States Capitol Building in 1987.

ZEPHANIAH EZEKIEL THUD: 1987?

ENCYCLOPEDIA: "A Gift to the People of the United States from the American Hungarian Federation"

GIANLUCA D'BOVRIL: Did you think he was more important? At any rate, he was a nobleman.

ZEPHANIAH EZEKIEL THUD: It sounds Greek to me.

HANPHECIUS HUMBUG: Hungarians don't have saunas.

ZEPHANIAH EZEKIEL THUD: Didn't you think he was Faroese? It's a fantasy west.

GIANLUCA D'BOVRIL: Why would Japan care about Hungarian names? But this is a stupid diversion. Where were we?

SIMPLICIO J. RHETORICUS: Dubs vs. subs.

GIANLUCA D'BOVRIL: Of course! A critical matter. A noble pursuit. In this fallen world, in which the noblest by nature are forced to toil in drudgery while petty-minded merchants build generational fortunes that their mediocre heirs piss away, many are unfortunately unable to read Japanese. So we debate dubs vs. subs.

SIMPLICIO J. RHETORICUS: I grew up on 4Kids. I can't stand the English VA voice. The Japanese one is bearable.

GIANLUCA D'BOVRIL: Thank you for your valuable contribution.

VRISKA: why do you all have the same voice

ZEPHANIAH EZEKIEL THUD: We live in a bourgeois republic.

SIMPLICIO J. RHETORICUS: Let's grant that Izutsumi's country speaks a different language. "Committing too much thievery" is a clumsy phrase. "Thievery" sounds silly compared to "theft". And it's a vague Latinate verb that lets the noun carry the meaning - very indirect! We don't live in the kingdom of nouns.

ZEPHANIAH EZEKIEL THUD: Why couldn't Asebi, Toshiro's retainer, have been taught to speak like that? Toshiro went to the island for training. But would they pay real islanders to teach them the nuances of the language?

SIMPLICIO J. RHETORICUS: She was bought at the age of six; even if the circus had the same language as the island, that's well within at least the tallman critical period.

ZEPHANIAH EZEKIEL THUD: She would've been taught out of dictionaries, which don't say anything about connotation.

VRISKA: okay not to be rude but can i say something about some of the papers i've read

GIANLUCA D'BOVRIL: I didn't pay that much attention to "thievery". It's simpler, more regular. For all I know "theft" might be too hard a word to put in a mass-market translation. "Committing too much theft" would still sound too classical. It seems like the wrong intent.

ZEPHANIAH EZEKIEL THUD: Why couldn't a slave learn the acrolect?

GIANLUCA D'BOVRIL: How broad-minded. Would your escaped slave also write her own sermons?

VRISKA: oh my god shut up

VRISKA: what does the sub say

IZUTSUMI (SUB): That odd name for your race. I heard it's because lots of you got a foot lopped off for stealing.

VRISKA: the manga?

IZUTSUMI (MANGA): I hear that the reason your race got that name is because a bunch of halflings got punished for theft by having one of their feet cut off! Guess they had to deal with having half as many, huh?

VRISKA: yea the dub is bad

ZEPHANIAH EZEKIEL THUD: It could be a deliberate choice. I personally think that "thievery" is awkward, but it's a possibility to keep in mind. We'll see if what follows bears it out.

VRISKA: marcille sounds like a college republican horse girl

VRISKA: #notwrong

[whisperingrockandroll]

Ranking Aquato family members by how likely they are to commit tax fraud (least to most)

8 - Razputin Aquato

Of all the members of the Aquato Clan, Raz is currently the only member confirmed to be working for the government. He's the absolute model of a federal employee. The kind of agent they would make naively optimistic 50s movies about. The kind of hero who is everything J Edgar Hoover was not. Honest, caring, loyal, hardworking, excited to chase the call of adventure alongside his heroes, who are also employees of the federal government. He's not a slave to authority, but he could best be described as "Lawful Good" in D&D terminology. As such, Raz would never commit tax fraud. He only wants to help people, rescue their brains, and occasionally commit arson and kill animals. But only when its cool. Also, he hates math.

Likelihood: Never.

7 - Dion Aquato

Dion is a contentious character. Some people hate him because of the way he bullies and insults Raz. Others like him because they see past that and see him as depressed and anxious teenager who's taking his insecurities and pain out on his little brother out of jealousy and the fear of his entire world changing around him. But we're not here to talk about that: we're here to ask if he'd commit tax fraud. The answer is he's simply not smart enough to. We're talking about a guy who heard from his toddler-aged brother that real living human beings reproduced via eggs. He simply isn't smart enough to figure it out. He'll either need a caregiver or spouse to file his taxes for him, or he'll download a terrible app on his phone that he can just barely navigate and might still have to go through an audit just because he got stuff wrong.

Likelihood: Too dumb to commit tax fraud. Even if he were smart enough, he'd probably get frustrated and bored very quickly.

6 - Augustus Aquato

Auggie won't lie to you, the thought of cheating on his taxes has definitely crossed his mind. There's a lot of overhead on a circus, even a small one. With how much the family struggles financially, the temptation has always been there to write off a few fake expenses. But he never has, because he's a responsible father and husband, and would never want to endanger his family by putting their finances and freedom in jeopardy.

Likelihood: Highly unlikely. Good dad energy too strong.

5 - Mirtala Aquato

The member of the family we know the least about. She seems kind enough, though often times sarcastic and smart-alikey. A spirited and adventurers young lass, she might find certain parts of the Internal Revenue Code to be arbitrary, annoying or overly cumbersome. The thought might occur to her to commit tax fraud, but its doubtful she'd ever go all the way through with it. The potential jail time and fines would likely be enough to make her decide against it.

Likelihood: Might do it under pressure, but very unlikely otherwise.

4 - Donatella Aquato

A very passionate Italian mother, often times theatrical. Also very uncool about guilt-tripping her kids! Not cool, Donna! Though in fairness it's treated as a gag, and seems to just be her way of burning off the conflicting emotions she's going through. Still, sometime in the VERY near future she needs to give her son a hug and an apology! Moving on to the tax fraud, she's most likely faced the same temptation as her husband, but likely has weaker moral reservations. Donatella strikes me as the rebellious type, the kind who'd angrily stare down the head of a government agency for talking shit to her. Were it not for Augustus reminding her of the dangers, she'd probably get "creative" with her return filings.

Likelihood: Possibly. Similar motivations to Augustus but less moral apprehension. It'd take some pressure before she gives in.

3 - Frazie Aquato

She's a bitch but I like her. She throws shit around and says fucked up evil things. But she still clearly has a heart, can have a pleasent conversation with Raz, and even admits she misses him. Like Dion, she's a dumb teenager with issues, she's just slightly less douchey about it. Slightly. Would she commit tax fraud? This girl breaks into private government property, tosses pinecones at people and skulks around in trees like a spider monkey.

Likelihood: Would commit tax fraud, but doesn't make enough money. She lives in the woods.

2 - Queepie Aquato

This child is an agent of chaos. He runs around in the forest at the age of like 4 and is under no threat by wild animals. If anything, the wild animals are scared of him. His mind conjures up insane and silly conspiracies about psychics that he doesn't even believe and tells his older brother just to fuck with him. This kid will claim his toys and dependents to help fund his pirate radio station.

Likelihood: Already commiting tax fraud with his co-conspirator Morris Martinez.

1 - Nona Aquato

Nona has been committing massive tax fraud for decades, but only by accident. She's been filing as her dead sister, whose identity she unwittingly stole. By now, she's in her golden years, and I'm sure she figures it's too late to stop now. Might as well go the extra mile and fudge some of those numbers. Especially since she recently reconnected with her friend Cassie O'Pia, infamous criminal counterfitter. The stuff Cassie knows about cooking books will be instrumental to her fraudulent claims.

Likelihood: Serial tax scammer

[mybeingthere]

Calder was born in 1898, the second child of artist parents—his father was a sculptor and his mother a painter. In his mid-twenties, he moved to New York City, where he studied at the Art Students League and worked at the National Police Gazette, illustrating sporting events and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Shortly after his move to Paris in 1926, Calder created his Cirque Calder (1926–31), a complex and unique body of art. It wasn’t long before his performances of the Cirque captured the attention of the Parisian avant-garde.

In 1931, a significant turning point in Calder’s artistic career occurred when he created his first kinetic nonobjective sculpture and gave form to an entirely new type of art. Some of the earliest of these objects moved by motors and were dubbed “mobiles” by Marcel Duchamp—in French, mobile refers to both “motion” and “motive.” Calder soon abandoned the mechanical aspects of these works and developed suspended mobiles that would undulate on their own with the air's currents. In response to Duchamp, Jean Arp named Calder's stationary objects “stabiles” as a means of differentiating them.

Calder returned to live in the United States with his wife, Louisa, in 1933, purchasing a dilapidated farmhouse in the rural town of Roxbury, Connecticut. It was there that he made his first sculptures for the outdoors, installing large-scale standing mobiles among the rolling hills of his property. In 1943, James Johnson Sweeney and Duchamp organized a major retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, which catapulted Calder to the forefront of the New York art world and cemented his status as one of the premier American contemporary artists.

In 1953, Calder and Louisa moved back to France, ultimately settling in the small town of Saché in the Indre-et-Loire. Calder shifted his focus to large-scale commissioned works, which would dominate his practice in the last decades of his life. These included such works as Spirale (1958) for the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and Flamingo (1973) for Chicago’s Federal Center Plaza. Calder died at the age of seventy-eight in 1976, a few weeks after his major retrospective, Calder’s Universe, opened at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.

(Pace Gallery)

[mariacallous]

Months out of law school, Yosef Weitzman already has a huge courtroom role in the biggest antitrust trial of the century. In a US federal trial that started last week, Google is accused of unlawfully monopolizing online search and search ads. The company’s self-defined mission is to make the world's information universally accessible, yet Google successfully opposed live streaming the trial and keeping the proceedings wholly open to the public. Enter Weitzman.

The fresh law graduate is among a handful of legal or antitrust geeks trying to attend most, if not all, of the public portions of the trial, fearing a historic moment of tech giant accountability will escape public notice. Some have pushed off day jobs or moved near to the Washington, DC, courthouse. All are obsessively documenting their observations through social media and daily email newsletters.

The trial is scheduled to run near-daily through November and few news outlets can dedicate a reporter to a courtroom seat for eight hours a day for the duration. Most reporters focused on Google are based in San Francisco. Legal and regulatory publications that can commit charge hundreds of dollars for content subscriptions. Any antitrust junkie—or frustrated Google Search user—wanting an affordable readout from the sparsely attended, era-defining trial, must rely on Weitzman, or a handful of others firing off tweets, skeets, and Substacks. “Regardless of your view on this trial and Big Tech, it will affect everyone, so it’s important that the public is aware of what’s going on as the trial unfolds and to record what happens,” Weitzman says.

Megan Gray, an attorney who has sparred with Google in various legal proceedings over two decades but isn’t involved in this case, has felt compelled to take the 30-minute train ride to the courthouse to capture nuances that don’t come through in summaries or transcripts. She has attended all but one day of the trial so far, pushing her legal work into the evenings. “We’ll see if I can go the whole 10 weeks,” she says.

Tim Wu, a Columbia University law professor and a former tech antitrust policy adviser to president Biden, stopped by the first day of the trial but like other interested scholars is otherwise stuck at his distant day job. “It seems obvious that the trial should be easier for the public to follow,” Wu says. “Unlike, say, the trial of a celebrity, there's no serious danger of something like this becoming a circus.”

Weitzman got his gig after Matthew Stoller, a noted critic of Google's power, decided to hire someone to attend every day of the trial and write about it for his email newsletter Big, which focuses on monopoly issues in tech and beyond and has about 100,000 subscribers. “You can’t cover anti-monopoly politics without recognizing how important this case is,” Stoller says.

A rare combination of experience as a sports section editor of his school paper at the University of Pennsylvania and a fascination with antitrust law helped Weitzman secure the gig. He packed up in Philadelphia and has signed a monthlong sublet within walking distance of the court, but has not figured out where exactly he’ll live for the remainder of the trial. Some new law graduates travel the world in the few months before starting their first job. Weitzman is making a muggy commute to an uncomfortable bench in the courtroom’s public gallery, working up to dozen hours a day. “I’m not complaining at all,” he says.

Weitzman’s write-up is summarized in Big occasionally and sent out in full each day in a temporary offshoot newsletter on Substack, Big Tech on Trial, which had about 2,700 subscribers after the trial’s first week. He is being paid by Stoller and the American Economic Liberties Project, a nonpartisan anti-monopoly advocacy group where Stoller is director of research.

The last major Big Tech antitrust trial, against Microsoft beginning in 1998, helped open the door to Google amassing the power it now holds over online search and ads. In the current trial, Google’s attorneys argue that the company became the dominant search engine because consumers prefer it—not because they are forced to use it by deals in which Google pays to be the default on phones and browsers, as the US Department of Justice alleges. Attorneys general for every state except Alabama are also involved in bringing the case.

Prosecutors and Google chose to forego a jury, so judge Amit Mehta will decide who wins. He denied a request from groups that included Stoller’s American Economic Liberties Project to allow remote public access for the trial after weighing prosecutors’ support for streaming and Google’s opposition. Mehta cited his own “serious concerns” about unauthorized recording of witness testimony. He also worried about accidental leaks from portions of the trial that will be closed to the public to protect the trade secrets of Google and witnesses.

Stoller calls Mehta’s decision elitist. “This judge was persuaded that the risk that Google would have information it doesn’t want made public get out was too high, and so he only allows people who can take two months off and spend that time in DC to actually hear the case,” Stoller says. He argues that closing the courtroom for some testimony to protect Google’s secrets prevents the public from understanding fundamental details in the case.

The Judicial Conference, which oversees federal district court operating rules, just issued a policy permitting “public live audio” of court proceedings, but it doesn’t cover trials. The conference says it’s still studying whether it can extend access without raising the risk of witnesses becoming intimidated or altering their testimony because of the remote audience. Media and civil rights organizations say widespread streaming of cases during the pandemic, including witness testimony and antitrust trials, did not cause problems.

With the Google case limited to in-person viewing, Weitzman mostly watches from Mehta’s courtroom, where use of phones and computers is barred. For variety he can sit and work in a media room at the courthouse where journalists can watch a closed-circuit broadcast. A separate overflow room for non-media doesn’t allow use of laptops or other personal devices but offers perks over the courtroom including cushioned seats, ample space, and better air conditioning.

Weitzman’s daily dispatches recite and explain the significance of each day’s exchanges between attorneys and witnesses as well as the judge and the attorneys. Among the most striking revelations so far is that Google secretly maneuvered to try to increase search ad pricing without informing advertisers when sales were on pace to miss Wall Street expectations in 2019. Google declined to comment for this story. “My main goal has been to just be accurate and report on what’s happening inside in the courtroom … in a fair way that doesn’t distort what actually happened in favor of either side,” Weitzman says.

Weitzman’s reports flag when he couldn’t hear or understand some of the dialog and weave in references to trial exhibits. He’s called out internal Google emails and presentations, some of which the Justice Department was posting on its website until Google told the judge about the links earlier this week. Prosecutors pulled the uploads pending Mehta’s take on the practice.

The debate over the exhibits has featured in posts on X (formerly Twitter) from the courthouse by Gray, the independent lawyer. She also has tracked genders, age, and races of presenting attorneys. Based on her perceptions, the Justice Department has fielded four women and three persons of any gender under 45 years old, while Google’s team has featured none in either category; there have been no racial minorities on either side. “It reinforces how old and entrenched Google is,” Gray says. What she characterizes as the arrogant and obstreperous demeanor of testifying Google employees’ has spurred spirited laughter in the overflow room, she says. “You can’t get that through a 2D transcript,” she says.

Beside Gray, Weitzman and journalists at outlets including MLex and Reuters attending in person have all posted their reflections on X. But as people have decamped from the service during Elon Musk’s ownership, it doesn’t provide the definitive conversation on marquee tech events it once did. A Bloomberg journalist at the trial has been skeeting on Bluesky, and a one at Law360 has shared trial musings on Threads.

The dispersed conversation makes newsletters like Weitzman’s, which also aggregates information from elsewhere, more important. Luther Lowe, senior vice president of public policy at business reviews app Yelp, a long-time Google foe, turned his weekly note on Google antitrust news into a daily operation for the trial. He’s attending when he can, but mostly relying on instant transcripts, which cost $1.20 per page and run over 300 pages per day. “The cost of the transcripts by the end of trial will be in the tens of thousands of dollars,” he says. “I want to know what’s going on in real time.” But taking 10 weeks off to sit on his hands and observe everyday isn’t an option.

Even Google’s search rivals Microsoft and DuckDuckGo, which stand to benefit the most if the government wins, don’t have people watching the trial every day. Nor do advocacy groups such as the Tech Oversight Project or Chamber of Progress.

Closer to the courtroom but also missing are US lawmakers and their aides, who are occupied across the street at the Capitol trying to avert a government funding collapse that could suspend the trial next month. When lawmakers get back to considering how to regulate large tech companies, lessons from the Google trial could prove valuable. Congressman Ken Buck, a Colorado Republican, watched opening arguments from the courtroom to show support for the government’s case. Now, his spokesperson Victoria Marshall says he’s following the action through X—and hoping that future trials have greater access.

[ebisul]

TCW Rewatch: Season 3 Episodes 1-4

Not much to say about these episodes but I love the clones and Riyo Chuchi so it’s nice to see them.

Episode 1: Clone Cadets

* Echo and Fives Kamino backstory episode

* Why does cutup have such a wildly different accent

* Dont be mean to 99

* Or Echo

* No wonder you fucking suck, you all treat eachother like shit

* Shaak ti vouching for domino squad and the humanity of the clones <3

* I love Shaaki Ti

* The interaction between cutup and brick is my favorite bc hes so snarky toward him and has like zero respect for him

Episode 2: ARC Troopers

* Is this episode another flashback episode? It ties into the Rishi Moon episode in season one i think

* The Hevy tribute on their armor is such a great detail

* Kamino was already having an issue stretching Jango’s dna and now the dna is getting targetted, is it not possible to clone the clones? Or use one of the unaltered clones dna? How does cloning work?

* Oh no not Colt:(

* Love to see Obi Wan throwing Grievous around

* Oh no…

* Rex comforting Cody after 99 is so sweet

* I do like that we get more clone episodes this season

Episode 3: Supply Lines

* Separatists attacking Ryloth

* Naming him Ima-Gun Di is cruel amd hilarious

* The Jedi Council are contacting Bail to help get supplies to Ryloth due to the Separatists destroying the fleet protecting Ryloth and breaking their supply lines

* Why would anyone ever send JarJar to do any negotiations

* I still dont totally understand Dooku’s motives, I want to study him like a bug

* Toydaria is closed to outsiders, for what purpose? Like specific reason, other than the ongoing war.

* I thought Toydaria was one of the Republics allies??? That was liek the whole first episode of this series?

* Toydaria already sided with the republic over the separatists in the very first episode what changed?

* The freedom fighters are losing faith in the Republic to help them

* The Trade Federation is arguing against helping the Twileks

* Toydaria denies Organa the formal base to transfer supplies, but allows them to transfer what they have behind the trade federation’s back

* JarJars only skill is circus tricks?

* Cpt Keeli has a sick ass design

* Oh :(

* Oh shit hes.. oh no hes dead dead this time

* I should stop liking side clones

* If I ever have to see Cody die i think I would actually mourn irl

* “The Republic has heart, my friend, but I am not convinced it has the strength to prevail”

* King of Toydaria is reconsidering his neutrality and sets up a meeting with the Jedi?? Why not the Senate? Or something like that?

* Actually the Senate’s whole issue is that its ineffective because procedures and such slow all progress to a halt, so i kinda get it

Episode 4: Sphere of Influence

* The Riyo Chuchi episode!

* Trade federation has blockaded pantora, causing political unrest and rallying pantorans against the Senate. Dooku offers aid in exchange for and alliance with the Separatists

* Its well known that the Trade Federation is aligned with the Separatists, so says riyo, but last episode it was treated like it was meant to be uncertain in universe

* Ok no i get it, the TF trades with both republic and separatists and claims to be neutral although they have a clear bias and repeatedly blockade republic worlds

* I love Riyo so much

* The new pantoran chairman is pushing to ally with the separatists to aid their people

* Its an interesting tactic the separatists keep using, to blockade a world with a “neutral” party and then offer their assistance in exchange for an alliance, using the issues of the Senate to their advantage bc the Senate would never vote to help in time.

* Its very “cause problems to set yourself up as a hero” of them especially after the kidnapping

* I do really enjoy the political espionage episodes i think theyre so enjoyable

* I have a really ungood feeling about today, i just got wild deja vu from this episode

* How old is Riyo Chuchi? She looks to be slightly older than ahsoka by maybe a few years? But the youngest Senators were mon mothma at 19 and leia at 18 so she must be older

* The Pantoran Chairman is friends with Jabba??? How?

* Pantorans have better aim than most droids or soldiers we see

* Girlboss Chuchi is one of my favorite characters

* So the trade federation is just allowed to blockade whoever? That can’t possibly be legal

War Crime Counter

Separatists: 13

Republic: 7

[arctic-bookclub]

after seeing this amazing post by @the-purest i felt compelled to create this so enjoy :] jurgen leitner rant [code monster edition] under the cut because it’s long:

Ph1LzA: THE CODE MONSTER?

STUPID IDIOT MOTHERFUCKING CODE MONSTER? GODDAMN FOOL PICTURE TAKING EGG KILLING CORRUPTED BINARY BASTARD SHITHEAD IDIOT AVATAR OF THE WHORE BIGGEST CLOWN IN THE CIRCUS LAUGHED OUT OF TOWN COWBOY MOTHERFUCKING CODE MONSTER

STOP PINNING ME WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE CODE MONSTER I HATE IT SO MUCH WHY DOES IT HAVE SO MANY FUCKED UP WEAPONS WHY DID IT DECIDE TO FUCK AROUND AND FIND OUT ONLY TO REFUSE TO FIGHT ME IS IT AN EGG? IS IT A BASTARD? BINARY BITCH HAS SUCH A VISCERAL EFFECT ON ME NOT EVEN ON THE SERVER NEVER SEEN THIS CODES FACE AND I KNOW IT HAS THE WORLDS SHITTIEST HAIRCUT GET AWAY FROM ME

if i wanted to get into heaven and god said the code monster is waiting inside i would piss on gods feet for the sole purpose of getting sent back down

if i have to deal with the code monster dropping one item in person on quesadilla island in minecraft not only will i close the game i will delete my launcher out of spite and have to redownload all the mods again for the experience of being able to miss all the times when its mentioned or alive

i don't even know why i hate it so much. it takes pictures but i am just mad because i am angy

it better have some fucked up backstory to explain this if it’s just some federation shithead who’s a fan of angst and wanted the eggs dead i'll go ham

better have had a been a failed corrupted egg because if it isn’t i'm going to make it

paypal.com/IFuckingHateTheCodeMonster

servers not even about it. vaguely mentioned what is supposed to be maybe its purpose and i lost it

where the fuck is the code monster if it’s still alive i'm going to so deeply wish it wasn't

weak creative mode code

i'll punch the code and its sad cowardly creative mode binary numbers will simply flake apart under my epic huge meat fist and it will disintegrate until all that's left is one final picture it kept on it at all times titled Now You Fucked Up in ancient morsecode

i'm not breathing i'm hyperventilating at this point

i hope there's a date given for when the code died or will die so i can make it a reminder on my phone

everyday once a year i will see it and do anything but pay respects to the code who had so many fucked up if true theories about it

[starseedpatriot]

Taking down global deepstate is an iterative and incremental process on all fronts. One front slowing in progress doesn't negate the others.

The Israel attack seems to be the final act in this movie. I sense we need the world on the brink of WW3 for these reasons and many more:

1) People see how the Military Industrial Complex works

2) We ALL learn just how deeply the US has been infiltrated by deepstate on federal, state, and local level, and across all industries and corporations.

3) We ALL see that the deepstate is truly trying to control population growth through the mass murdering of millions across the globe using BigPharma as weapon, poisoning our food and drinking water and using inflation to add extreme financial pressure to citizens.

4) We ALL see that it isn't just US Deepstate, it is in fact a global cabal that controls deepstate factions in ALL countries using a massive satanic system of systems corporate structure of murderous treachery.

5) For all to see... [They] traffic humans on a global.scale because they see us as a commodity, not humans. Women, men, and children used as s3x slaves, indentured servants, and organ donation.

6) For ALL to see it isn't just one "entity" such as Blackrock, Vanguard, Statestreet, WEF, WHO, Bilderbergs, CIA, MI6, Hamas, or even just one country. It is all of these entities and many more working together on one mission:

TOTAL GLOBAL DOMINATION

We needed to add the middle east to the equation to finalize the Abraham Accords CiC Trump started.

Tell me... do you really believe:

1) Hamas committed suicide attacking Israel? A flea biting an elephant...

2) Deepstate just "sold" Elon Twitter that contained evidence of all [their] crimes against humanity?

3) Blackrock purposefully lost 100s of billions of dollars going waaay over the top with ESG putting a tranz (e.g. Bud Light), men in many women's sports, morbidly 0bese women (e.g. Nike, Victoria's Secret) to advertise products "FORCING" a narrative so hard, so fast, so often that is repulses the psyche of humans?

4) Put such a clown in the White House that installs a cabinet of highly obvious freaks of nature? That vacations at all the wrong times in such an obvious fashion? Who's son's laptop is a primary key to.take down the entire corrupt system?

5) To indict Trump in such an obscenely obvious way, over and over and over again?

6) DOJ and J6 circus... 100s of Patriots rotting in the DC gulags... multiple "left" activated "Insurrections" mimicking J6 that go totally unpunished?

EXPOSURE, EXPOSURE, EXPOSURE

Sole purpose?

To fuel THE GREAT AWAKENING!

[everybodyisasebfan]

Sebastian Vettel über seinen Abschied  - Seb’s interview with der Spiegel

Sebastian Vettel on his farewell: "I want to do it like Stefan Raab".

Four times world champion, now it's time for Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel to call it a day. Here he explains why he is now at odds with the racing circus - and how he imagines his life without horsepower.

As a child, he dreamed of being like his idol Michael Schumacher. With four world championship titles (from 2010 to 2013 with the Red Bull team) and a total of 53 Grand Prix victories, Sebastian Vettel, 35, will end his Formula 1 career on November 20 in Abu Dhabi after 16 years - the only German driver to be more successful was Schumacher. In order to be accepted into the guild of the really great drivers, Vettel lacks a title with a second racing team. He tried in vain for six years at Ferrari. Now he is embarking on a new chapter in his life.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Vettel, the first race of the new season will start in Bahrain on March 5 next year. Will you be sitting in front of the TV with chips and Coke?

Vettel: I don't know, I haven't made any plans yet. But I'm not sure I want to watch the race at all. Formula 1 was my purpose in life for 16 years. Now I secretly expect myself to be able to cope without Formula 1 - as if I were going through withdrawal.

SPIEGEL: You deliberately want to keep your distance so that the transition to a new life is successful?

Vettel: I think both can be nice and right: Cutting the cord and holding on. If you enjoy doing something, you can hang on to it. But I want to go the other way, detach myself and realize: There are enough other exciting things, I can manage to open the next door and find my happiness there. That's why I'm definitely not going to stand in front of the camera at the first race as an expert with a microphone in my hand and give my two cents. My role models are people who have succeeded in simply disappearing and taking the next step in life.

SPIEGEL: Who are you thinking of?

Vettel: Stefan Raab, for example. He was so omnipresent in the German television industry, announced he was quitting - and then, practically overnight, there was silence. Now you'd have to ask him whether he's happy with that or not. But first of all, I think it's admirable when someone detaches themselves from public attention to such an extent that you have the feeling that they haven't become dependent on it: He hasn't become dependent on it. That's a big risk, especially in sports.

SPIEGEL: Roger Federer loved tennis so much that he was still fighting a battle against his ailing body at the age of 41. U.S. football star Tom Brady has returned from short-term retirement at 44, and your colleague Fernando Alonso is entering the cockpit you will leave behind at Aston Martin at 41. Why do you think you won't mind the loss of attention?

Vettel: Of course I don't know how I'll react after my last Grand Prix. On the other hand, I've been practicing a strict separation for years: When I get home, I hang up my racesuit and leave the job behind with it - apart from fitness training and a few phone calls. I have no pictures of myself at home on the wall, no trophies on display. I have a lot of other interests to look forward to. And with three kids at home, it's never boring anyway.

SPIEGEL: Cultivating vanity is one thing, but experiencing the pleasure or fun of driving at the limit is something else. So it's not just your mind that will have to go through withdrawal, but your body as well?

Vettel: I've thought about that a lot. What happens when that's no longer there: the thrill, the adrenaline, the challenge, the competition as well, all of the things that make racing so special.

SPIEGEL: ... can you describe the thrill of having to get the maximum out of yourself, the car and the track on a qualifying lap?

Vettel: The special thing is that I don't have time to think, to look where I'm going, where I'm turning in. If I'm hurtling toward a corner at 300 km/h and hit the brakes a blink of an eye too late, then I miss the apex. But it's impossible to feel the blink of an eye, to measure it for yourself. We're talking about five hundredths of a second, which no human being can pinpoint. To hit the exact right moment anyway, that's the thrill.

SPIEGEL: So do you rely on your intuition?

Vettel: I would call it anticipation. You always have to be one step ahead. Imagine a drawn circle that you trace with your hand. Not a millimeter over and not a millimeter under. Because on that line is the maximum grip. That's the perfection you're looking for on a qualifying lap. You need to have blind faith in the vehicle and merge with it. When a lap like that is successful, there's an incredible sense of satisfaction.

SPIEGEL: Are you addicted to this feeling of perfection?

Vettel: Absolutely. That's a big part of my identity. Another, of course, is simple ambition. Even outside the car, I constantly find myself wanting everything to be perfect. With me, things always have to be completely accurate. I can't stand a picture hanging crookedly on the wall. It disturbs me, distracts me, has to be corrected. My wife sometimes gets annoyed with me about that, but that probably happens to many women with their husbands.

SPIEGEL: You haven't been in tune with your race cars for a long time. You won a single Grand Prix in 2019 and none since. There is no trace of perfection.

Vettel: That's why I was considering retiring even back then. In 2017 and 2018 I competed for the world championship with Ferrari, won five races in each year, but still only finished second behind Lewis Hamilton in the end. Spending so much energy, including mental energy, for two years in a row and then coming up short - that's when doubts emerged: Will this ever work out? Is there still hope?

SPIEGEL: After your world championship titles with Red Bull, you switched to Ferrari for one reason only: to become world champion there.

Vettel: Of course. But in 2019 it quickly became apparent that we weren't competitive. At the same time, I had a new, young teammate who simply started off unburdened by disappointments. Charles Leclerc took the wheel and hit the gas. He was carrying less weight around with him. He drove the way I saw myself during my first Formula 1 years. I, on the other hand, saw my goal slipping out of reach. That did something to me that I didn't immediately understand. Then, when my contract with Ferrari ended in 2020, the thought of leaving was very present.

SPIEGEL: What kept you from doing that?

Vettel: Somehow I still had a few unanswered questions or unsettled scores with myself. To put it simply, I wanted to know: Can I still do it, am I still good enough to compete at the top of Formula 1?

SPIEGEL: But there was no offer from a top team, only from Aston Martin.

Vettel: 2021 was a development year for me - with high hopes that things would get better in 2022 from a sporting point of view.

SPIEGEL: Things turned out differently, and Aston Martin continues to lag behind. In retrospect, was it a mistake not to have quit two years ago?

Vettel: No. In order to get answers to the unresolved questions, it was important to have this time. However, the fact that I'm not currently in a race car with which I can show what I'm actually capable of has also contributed to my retirement.

SPIEGEL: You announced your decision in a lengthy video that you posted - unusually for you - on Instagram. Your main motive was to have more time to spend together with your three children.

Vettel: Absolutely. But it's a bundle of motivations. As far as my children are concerned, I've been living in a conflict for years. They are my priority, but on the other hand I'm very dedicated to my sport, and every year it's become more difficult to do right by them - in part because there are more and more races each season. At the same time, I can't escape the changing times, can't ignore what's happening to our world and environment, where we're all collectively headed. And what part I play as a racing driver.

SPIEGEL: Despite your passion for racing, have you become estranged from Formula 1?

Vettel: Yes. I don't want that to be understood as a negative thing for Formula 1, but in recent years I've often asked myself the question: Do I still fit in here? It doesn't make me a better person, for example compared to the other drivers, if I ask myself that question. But I think I've always been a bit different from most in the Formula One bubble. The issues that concern me, the things I see like that, are quite different. Estranged is an appropriate word.

SPIEGEL: You profess to be a Green voter, travel to European races by train or RV, campaign for biodiversity and waste reduction, demonstrate for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community - this has earned you applause, but also scorn and criticism. Do you understand when some call you a hypocrite?

Vettel: I've asked myself in recent years how I should approach the fact that I fly to Japan, Brazil or Abu Dhabi and consume resources. But I couldn't change that as a Formula 1 driver. And so I'm increasingly caught in a conflict between the views and values I hold and what I do. It doesn't fit together. In retrospect, it bothers me that I didn't realize until this late that I could use my voice to draw attention to such problems.

SPIEGEL: Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher - three of the greatest stars of the Grand Prix circus have made a comeback. Is that out of the question for you?

Vettel: I'd like to rule it out. But I can't. I don't know what I'll do in one or two years' time. As far as the physical side of things is concerned, I'm in a sport that you could easily return to after a two-year break. However, I hope that in two years' time I'll still be saying: No thanks, I don't need racing anymore.

SPIEGEL: Is that a bit of a worry about a relapse?

Vettel: I think that's a concern for almost all professional athletes. You grow into your career, it's a development that starts as a child, whether you're a cyclist, a soccer player or a racing driver. Hardly anyone reaches the top of their sport after changing careers or coming in late. I am aware that the second step into life after sports is much more difficult.

SPIEGEL: For decades, racing drivers were something like the car industry's top ambassadors. Now, manufacturers favor electrically powered cars and are gearing up for a mobility revolution that aims to drastically reduce traffic in cities. What is your opinion on this?

Vettel: I see it as a great opportunity. Because of my job, I've seen many cities all over the world - in some of them, people don't even consider opening their windows. People there are dying because of how bad the air is. I think cities where it's a given to ride a bike, like in Scandinavia, are mega-cool. And I like to use on-demand networks. You can spin that further and wonder what happens to all the parking spaces if not everyone wants to own a car. That's all space that can be given back to the people, which would improve the quality of urban living. I'm not afraid of this change.

SPIEGEL: Will automotive racing still be around in ten years?

Vettel: Only if it manages to put itself at the forefront of the movement, so to speak. Above all, that means bringing a technological development to the race cars that really has relevance. In the future, can we afford to waste resources just to have fun? No. Motorsport has to find an answer to the question: What's the point?

SPIEGEL: Formula 1 sees itself in a pioneering role. From 2026, the new regulations will provide for hybrid engines, half of whose power will come from an electric motor and half from a combustion engine powered by synthetic, CO2-neutral fuel.

Vettel: A few things immediately come to mind. I think 2026 is too late to see it as a pioneering role. Synthetic fuels already exist, so why wait another four years? We're running on E10 gasoline this season and acting like it's a big deal. I find that a bit embarrassing, E10 has been available at the gas station for over ten years. I see synthetic fuels more as a bridging technology because their production requires a lot of renewable energy. This energy would be better used for heating and warm water - before it is spent with great difficulty and low efficiency for the production of synthetic gasoline.

SPIEGEL: Is Formula 1 on the wrong path?

Vettel: Formula 1 is far too preoccupied with the present and looks far too little at the opportunities of the future. It's busy expanding - instead of having the foresight to become the pacesetter for tomorrow's mobility.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Vettel, thank you for this interview.

[goopeculiar]

That Summer, 1935 baekhyun/chanyeol, R, 31680 words. A circus with pitch black tents rolls into the city for two nights only. There is no record of its existence or of the people who run it, but when it disappears, ordinary citizens disappear along with it. Enter, Baekhyun Byun, a Federal Agent with everything to prove by following his instincts. But when he chases the truth he discovers with horror that everything in this world is not as it seems – sometimes the truth is more terrible than the lie.

[rustbeltjessie]

Check out this playlist on @8tracks: I will share with you my bottle o' hooch. by matildawhiskey.

1. Against Me! - Pints of Guinness Make You Strong 2. World/Inferno Friendship Society - With a Good Criminal Heart 3. The Devil Makes Three - For Good Again 4. Hank Williams III - Wild and Free 5. Sassparilla - Whiskey Hurricane 6. Old 97s - Doreen 7. Frank Morey - Barmaid, Barmaid 8. Morning 40 Federation - Corkscrew 9. Circus Contraption - 23 Beers 10. 1 Man Banjo! - Carnival Drum/Harlequin King

[bookoformon]

"Remember." Moroni, Chapter 10. Conclusion to the Book of Mormon.

I was walking down the street six years ago when I had this unswering need to figure out what was up with those kooky Mormons, and I started reading their Book. It was the worst mistake in my life. I have suffered greatly, long and long at the hands of these very strange immoral persons for long and long in every possible way. They put on a good show with their freckle faced, apple cheeked, coiffed dudes in starched white shirts with name tags on them, and very formal church services, but underneath, they are the most vile, evil, polluted, and diseased sub-species of humanity one could ever hope not to meet.

One day, I was not precisely where I was supposed to be and met a man who trafficked in drugs and underage porn for the Mormons, some of whom were very prominent in world government, like Josh Hawley, Mitt Romney, Karl Rove, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Mike Pence, Jared Kushner, Donald Trump, King Charles, and others of their ilk. Washington DC is a small town. I spoke to the police several times about this but nothing prevented their activities from proceeding. A shame for the many hundreds of little boys and girls they filmed, raped, even killed waiting for an appropriate federal if not global response to what I discovered.

When they learned I turned them into the authorities, the Mormons, who were invited by Donald Trump, attacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Once again they were not properly prosecuted or apprehended and again, I was sexually assaulted, including by the President himself hundreds of times and left for dead in mid-December at a hotel on Vermont, Avenue NW. As I have said under separate cover, in their employ and company were members of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Iranian Republican Guard, indicating a much deeper agenda that just gay kiddie porn, about which the Mormons are positively obssessed, along with the extraction of repurposing of male boy semen.

They talk about and lagabout doing nothing else but extracting and inserting the stuff in the strangest of places and manners, all the while fueled by enough crystal method, porn, bondage gear, and boy buttholes to fill a circus big top the size of at least two Wal Mart Super Centers. This they do when they aren't fucking around with global geopolitics, elections, picketing, yelling, screaming or defiling the ground every where they step foot.

At first I thought they were just weird, but I did not suspect how dangerous or how widespread their religious fervor actually was. I thought they were just defending their turf, the prevalence of their practices of incest, child abuse, and drug abuse, but as it turns out they were planning to attack Israel, kill every Jew, Muslim, and every typically developed adult living there. Then along with their friends in Russia, China, North Korea and elsewhere, try to conquer the world. Thanks to our negligence of the crimes of Donald Trump they almost got away with it.

They attacked Israel on October 7 and thousands of innocent people are dead, but at least the secret is out and the world can respond. The sight of some of the very same cunts that raped me running towards the settlements in Israel and beating drums in front of universities within the guises of freedom fighters enraged me in ways I cannot explain. Especially after the body count was tallied, is tallied now all the time.

I too lost everyone I love and everything I own trying to survive the filth called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints but I survived, and just as I planned, discovered the long lost secret of the Book of Mormon, lost since Abraham Lincoln, the last great Mormon Prophet was assassinated in 1865.

The Book of Mormon is as I have said the greatest American artifact and one of the most significant in human history itself. The authoring of the Book did one thing that has never been done since time began- it aroused an entire nation against the horror of slavery and genocide of the black man without hesitation and the effort was successful. Not before nor since has the world witnessed such Christian activism.

If we believe God would send for Moses to free the Israelites from Pharaoh in a work of fiction, surely we now we know he would do it for real to soothe the cries of the black man in America and this, He and His Prophet did indeed do.

How we must wish the real Mormons were still with us today instead of the ones that are the seminal residue of the losers that were left behind after the real saints of the faith were hosed off by anti-abolitionist forces out of revenge for Emancipation Day. All 6,000 original Mormons were killed, their identities lost, all but one, the most famous American to have ever lived.

The final chapter of the Book, like all good religious texts is hooked to the first. After the chapter concludes we will unveil the final mystery contained in the Book of Mormon and send everyone on their way.

I remain determined to end the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and bury every member, Donald Trump in particular, and end the Republican Party out of vengeance for what they did to this country and its allies. I believe the Book of Mormon can help all of us heal and make of ourselves a better people after this revenge is complete.

CHAPTER 10

A testimony of the Book of Mormon comes by the power of the Holy Ghost—The gifts of the Spirit are dispensed to the faithful—Spiritual gifts always accompany faith—Moroni’s words speak from the dust—Come unto Christ, be perfected in Him, and sanctify your souls. About A.D. 421.

1 Now I, Moroni, write somewhat as seemeth me good; and I write unto my brethren, the Lamanites; and I would that they should know that more than four hundred and twenty years have passed away since the sign was given of the coming of Christ.

2 And I seal up these records, after I have spoken a few words by way of exhortation unto you.

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

6 And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is.

7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.

8 And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.

9 For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom;

10 And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

11 And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

12 And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;

13 And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things;

14 And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits;

15 And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;

16 And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues.

17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.

18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.

19 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that all these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand, only according to the unbelief of the children of men.

20 Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity.

21 And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.

22 And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity.

23 And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me.

24 And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth—that if the day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away among you, it shall be because of unbelief.

25 And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God.

26 And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not.

27 And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust?

28 I declare these things unto the fulfilling of the prophecies. And behold, they shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the everlasting God; and his word shall hiss forth from generation to generation.

29 And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true.

30 And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.

31 And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

34 And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen.

THE END

The Values in Gematria are:

1 Nephi 1: 1- I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

The Number is 11412, יא‎דא‎ב ‎"I will love it."

Moroni 10: 1: 1 Now I, Moroni, write somewhat as seemeth me good; and I write unto my brethren, the Lamanites; and I would that they should know that more than four hundred and twenty years have passed away since the sign was given of the coming of Christ.

The Number is 15914, י״הטאד, Y'Hatad "Pin in place what is at stake..."

10:34: And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen.

The Number is 9408, ט‎דאֶפֶס‎ח, tdafesah, "The place where people who love one another gather to celebrate the Passover."

Here ends the forum called Time and Spirit, a splendid Midrash on the scripture known as the Book of Mormon entitled an Additional Testament of Jesus Christ.

"You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. "Don't abuse or take advantage of strangers; you, remember, were once strangers in Egypt."

-Exodus 22:21.

The Book of Mormon, which was given by the Archangel Metatron, "who lives within the cell as its potency sap" begins in 600 BCE in Jerusalem in Nephi 1, and ends at 421 AD in the Book of Mormon its namesake in the very same place. The final Gematria "600 BC to 421 AD" is 160, אס‎ ‎"The Ace". Who completes the Book of Mormon and celebrates the Passover is verily of the potential to be a King of Israel.

Who taps into this potent power of the Mor, the Myrrh, the Balsam of God and grants the freedom of America to the rest shall be its new Prophet and spread the Good News to those who need to hear it the most.

It was my sincere hope the Church would reform America and make it great again, that this uniquely miraculous manifestation of the Spirit of God in the lives and lifetimes of man would repeat itself. I had a vision of weaponless, corruption free nation with an LDS synagogue on every corner, and everyone young and old in our country would love going in order to learn about the Book of Mormon, our own uniquely American scripture. There is still so much we can learn from it. That dream is not dead.

[cyarskaren52]

White Terrorists Safely Taking Siege Of Capitol Highlights Policing Double Standard, Twitter Reacts

Source: Jon Cherry / Getty

Today (Jan. 6), Donald Trump supporters, in this case also terrorists since they’re on in the same, were able to stroll into the Capitol in Washington as Congress was certifying the electoral votes that mean Joe Biden will take office on Jan. 20. As a Black man, watching the obvious double standard in how white people are policed versus people of color, today’s circus of political struggle was infuriating.  

to make it here without dying is the epitome of white privilege pic.twitter.com/Uw5FV33bpO — Noah Caine (@NoahCaine) January 6, 2021

Source: Caroline Brehman / Getty

Almost immediately, the contrast was striking. While the protests after the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, as just one example, in 2020 were marred with suspect arrests and the brutalization of protesters, Trump’s flunkies were able to stroll into the Capitol wears America’s elected officials were convening.

These terrorists were met with little resistance and soon enough were dispersed throughout the Capitol, forcing lawmakers to shelter in place in their offices as if a gunman was on the loose. Social media was soon enough littered with photos and video of MAGA acolytes trespassing in the offices of people like Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as rioters also broke windows and waved the Confederate Flag in the building.

this is what #whiteprivilege is. Had it been Black Lives Matter they wouldn’t have even gotten the chance to get inside. Many would have already been arrested, pepper sprayed, and shot at. pic.twitter.com/WdE5nswZFe — matorma (@_matorma) January 6, 2021

Nevertheless, the police seemed to do their absolute best not to put hands on protesters. Many immediately noted that if these were people of color “protesting” they’d sure be catching batons upside their head, or worse. Pick any large Black Lives Matter protest this is obvious. The jig was particularly noted on Twitter, with hashtags like #whiteprivilege and #amerikkka trending that highlighted the obvious difference in policing tactics when it’s Black people peacefully protesting.

Throughout the day, hundreds of the rioters committed federal crimes. But reportedly, only 13 people were actually arrested while the entire world witnessed all types of trespassing and vandalizing property, at least.

Perhaps the biggest show of disrespect to many (like say people have to worry about if they’ll make it home if a cop pulls them over), was the footage of what looked like a member of SWAT helping a “protester” in a Trump hat down the Capitol steps while gently holding her hand.

The privilege. #civilwar2021 #whiteprivilegepic.twitter.com/3TtLbPXIPj — Mikayla Corean (@MikaylaCorean) January 7, 2021

Son.

Peep more of the outrage and head-scratching (but not really) police behavior below. Whether you say “defund” or “reform” how the authorities deal with its citizens through the lens of systemic racism must be addressed, expeditiously.

Breonna Taylor shot while sleeping  Ahmaud Arbery shot while jogging  Tamir Rice shot by playing in his front yard  Blm protesters shot while fighting for civil rights  Maga rioters breaking into the US Capitol without being shot or killed Is the definition of #whiteprivilegepic.twitter.com/5z9bhtsJuO — Myxtli Martinez (@diorinblush) January 6, 2021

1. Yes, this is looting.

Trump supporters now LOOTING from the Capitol building. you have got to be kidding me. why even have officers at this point?what are they gonna do? oh yeah help them loot the paintings now i guess.#CapitolBuilding#whiteprivilege#Capitol pic.twitter.com/xKBYGVb3JJ— Neda (@poetic_women) January 6, 2021

2. The Ops were nowhere to be found.

Where were these guys today? Or do they only show up when people of color are around.#whiteprivilege #Amerikkapic.twitter.com/IA2uZ6pliC— Kirk Acevedo(@kirkacevedo) January 6, 2021

3. What’s the difference?

What is the DC Penalty for Black ppl who simply break a metal barrier? Ask the mother of #KaronHylton who was arrested by MPD two weeks ago. fir wanting answers for her dead son. Why is DC Police treating Black grieving mothers like this but not Capitol rioters? #WhitePrivilegehttps://t.co/XelQwqjP85— ChuckModi (@ChuckModi1) January 6, 2021

4. 

The face of #whiteprivilege and treason. pic.twitter.com/MszBfzmtGk— Democratic Coalition (@TheDemCoalition) January 6, 2021

5. 

this aged well #whiteprivilege #Amerikkka#CapitolBuilding pic.twitter.com/edb7NRnW8F— genny gomez (@gennygomez_) January 6, 2021

6. 

To Visually Show You The Differences.. #whiteprivilege #Trumppic.twitter.com/pcNnVtmxn5— Mari (@Marioun98) January 7, 2021

7. 

Can we all agree now that #whiteprivilege is frighteningly real ? Although , not sure why it's dressed as Jamiroquai 😳 ? pic.twitter.com/GUNvPUGR3f— Tanita Tikaram (@tanita_tikaram) January 6, 2021

8. 

Those thugs need to be dealt with 🤧#WashingtonDC #whiteprivilege #DCRiotspic.twitter.com/ycYJifC3Jg— زاكاريا (@ZForZachariahh) January 6, 2021

9. Where is the lie?

My black kids won’t be able to safely wear a hoodie in their own community but these terrorists are able to walk calmly (and freely) around a Capitol they have forcibly overtaken. This is America.#whiteprivilege#CapitolBuilding #DCProtestspic.twitter.com/vbbzoSe4Vp— Jahnisa (@SimplyJahnisa) January 6, 2021

10. 

Remember when they thought KNEELING for black lives during the national anthem was disrespectful? #whiteprivilegepic.twitter.com/SyA1cxYKtx— Harry Cook (@HarryCook) January 6, 2021

11. 

How Black people are watching the real thugs and terrorists at Capital Hill.... #whiteprivilegepic.twitter.com/eSLoErFq1t— It's Cinta (@MsTigerEyes) January 6, 2021

12. 

US Capitol security when white people riot #WashingtonDC #whiteprivilege #TrumpRallypic.twitter.com/s2pn9bZ5uO— Prosper (@Prosper458) January 6, 2021

13. 

14. 

all because they didn’t get their way... let this be BLACK folks tho. #whiteprivilegepic.twitter.com/b9VMNtdIRf— GS. (@_speakingofg) January 6, 2021

Sent from my iPhone

[mariacallous]

Accused of working with the Russian security service, Latvian MEP Tatyana Ždanoka mockingly donned sunglasses at a press conference – as if in a spy movie. The accusations won’t be laughed off that easily: Re:Baltica has obtained almost 19,000 of Ždanoka’s e-mails detailing how she served the Kremlin.

It’s been just over 10 years since the early February days when Kyiv’s central square, the Maidan, swarmed with thousands of protesters. Since that previous November, Ukrainians had been urging pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych to strengthen cooperation with Europe. The protests came to a head at the same time as the self-proclaimed international movement “World Without Nazism” (WWN) arrived in the Ukrainian capital.

The WWN burst into public view at a massive table in the luxurious Government House, where Yanukovych gave his  account of what was happening on the Maidan. Guests at the table warned Ukrainians of the “threat of radicalization.” Among them, with dyed red hair, sunken eyes, and a perpetual smile that seemed more like a smirk, sat Latvia’s Tatyana Ždanoka. This performance was aimed at the audiences of pro-Russian Ukrainian and pro-Kremlin television channels. 

We at Re:Baltica are familiar with this traveling circus because we investigated it in our 2016 documentary “Masterplan.” The WWN cropped up in places where Russian propaganda about the alleged resurgence of fascism in Europe needed spreading. As a member of the European Parliament (EP), Ždanoka’s presence allowed the Kremlin-controlled media to say that Europe was worried about it, too.

What we did not know at the time was that immediately after the televised meeting Ždanoka corresponded with a person identified by our Russian partners at the independent outlet The Insider as an officer of the Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia’s largely domestic spy agency, which also has a mandate to operate in the post-Soviet space.

“Hello! Do you have any interesting observations after your trip to Kyiv?” wrote one Sergei Krasin to Ždanoka the day after she sat at the table with Yanukovych.

Only that particular Sergei’s surname is not Krasin, but Beltyukov, and he has been working for the FSB since at least 1993.

Ždanoka replied that her feelings were contradictory. Yanukovych is too cunning to read in just an hour and a half of conversation. But he seemed “quite calm, composed and confident. I thought he would be more lost,” wrote Ždanoka. “There is a feeling that he is ready to use force. (…) On the other hand, some observers assume that Yanukovych will sign the agreement with the EU very soon, getting the maximum benefit from all sides.”

Her prediction about Yanukovych’s potential use of force came true. With the Ukrainian president’s permission, special forces and snipers killed more than 100 civilians on the Maidan. When not even lethal violence proved capable of driving the protesters from the square, Yanukovych fled to Russia. Ultimately the agreement with the EU was signed by Ukraine’s new President, Petro Poroshenko, who was elected in May 2014 after parliament voted 328-0 to relieve the departed Yanukovych of his authority. 

At the end of the email Ždanoka sent from revolutionary Kyiv to FSB officer Sergei, she wrote that she had also walked around the Maidan. What happened there seemed to her to be “a mixture of drama, horror film, and comedy.”

Ždanoka corresponded with Beltyukov from 2013 until 2017, according to the almost 19,000 emails sent by Ždanoka that Re:Baltica obtained. And he was not her only FSB contact. Re:Baltica has already written about another – an old acquaintance of hers, Dmitry Gladey.

Ždanoka denies cooperating with the FSB. She answered questions sent to her on a live YouTube stream but said little about the substance of the queries. She calls the leaked emails fake and speculates that it is actually the author of this article who is, in fact, working for the Russian security services.

See you at the Shokoladnitsa

Ždanoka’s letters to Beltyukov are short. The tone is businesslike. Both largely used email to arrange meetings, preferring to discuss substantive issues in person. The FSB officer regularly congratulated Ždanoka on New Year’s and her birthday. When she arrived in St Petersburg, Beltyukov met her at the airport. He did not forget to flatter her.

In one letter, he praised Ždanoka for appearing on Kremlin TV channels: “What you are doing is very important in the current situation.” Ždanoka replied with formal gracefulness: “Thank you for your kind words.”

Ždanoka usually combined meetings in Moscow with television appearances, while Beltyukov came on business. One place they met was a café called “Shokoladnitsa” in the center of Moscow, near the FSB headquarters. Ždanoka seemed to feel at home in Moscow. In exchange for participating in propagandist Vladimir Solovyov’s television programs, she was given a car for the day, and an acquaintance booked an appointment for her at a hairdresser.

Ždanoka and her handler were visibly working to help one another. Ždanoka had information and could organize events that Beltyukov wanted to see take place. He, in turn, could help her with contacts — and money.

In one email, Ždanoka begins with an apology: “Sergei, I couldn’t get a reply. Tomorrow my assistant Andrey Tolmachov will contact by the phone number you gave me.”

Russia needs exhibitions in Brussels

The busiest period of exchanges between the MEP and the FSB officer came in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea and started its conflict in the eastern Ukrainian Donbas region. These events would culminate in the full-scale Russian invasion almost a decade later.

In late summer 2014, Beltyukov asked whether Ždanoka “could organize an event on a European platform (for example, a photo exhibition) with documentary evidence of war crimes in south-eastern Ukraine. If you have such an idea, I am ready to join you.”

“Of course, Sergei, it is possible,” replied Ždanoka. “Thank you for your offer to help. But how can I find out more about your assistance?” The question seems to be about money.

At that time, Ždanoka was preparing to hold a hearing at the European Parliament on tragedy in Odesa. In May 2014, a building in which pro-Russian protestors had barricaded themselves caught fire as demonstrators from the pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian sides fought. As a result, 42 people were killed, and more than 200 injured. The event in Odesa is one of the central themes of Kremlin propaganda that calls Ukrainians fascists.

“The date is linked to the events in Odesa, but we will try to draw attention to current events in south-east Ukraine,” Ždanoka assured Beltyukov. 

She continued to organize events dedicated to the Odesa tragedy for several years afterwards.

At the end of 2014, Beltyukov wrote, “You may soon be contacted by D.G. There is an opportunity to apply for a grant offered through St Petersburg State University. At first glance, the idea seems interesting.”

Ždanoka replied that D.G. has already called her and added, “I look forward to meeting our mutual acquaintance in Riga.”

Protest provocations in Riga

D.G. is most likely Dmitry Gladey. Ždanoka previously told Re:Baltica that he is an old friend with whom she took skiing lessons in the Caucasus in the 1970s back when they were students. They continued to meet in St Petersburg, where Gladey and his wife lived, and also in Riga when Gladey’s daughter married a Latvian man.

Recently, The Insider revealed that Gladey was a member of the FSB’s Fifth Service, the group tasked in 2004 with countering the “color revolutions” in Russia’s neighboring countries. Service’s last known task was to destabilize the situation in Ukraine.

Re:Baltica has obtained correspondence between the two from 2005 to 2013, and the exchanges do not sound like normal chatting between friends. Ždanoka reported to Gladey about events she has organized, who has been invited, trips she has made, and what she has observed. 

One example comes from March 16 which Latvian nationalists celebrate as remembrance day for legionnaires who were recruited by Nazi Germany to fight against the Soviet Union during World War II. During their annual march to lay flowers at Freedom monument in Latvia’s capital, pro-Russian activists who call themselves “anti-fascists“ always try to stage a protest.

It appears that in 2005 Ždanoka herself organized provocations at these events in order to “prove“ to her colleagues in Europe that Latvia still harbored Nazi sympathies. That year “anti-fascists” dressed up as Jewish concentration camp inmates with yellow stars on their chests were in attendance, providing material for Russia’s TV channels. 

Her FSB handler’s questions indicate that was aware of the plans before the protest took place: organize the confrontations, photograph them, and send news to her colleagues in the European Parliament with the message that Nazis marched in Latvia’s capital.

“I hope you managed to get some rest? I look forward to the promised updates on the March 16th article – the text of your statement, the reactions of MEPs, and the consequences,” he wrote afterwards. 

“We had a good rest, but also had an adventure,” replied Ždanoka. “I’m sending the text and accompanying photos. The first short text explaining the photo was sent on March 16th to the Greens (53 people) in my group. A longer text was sent on March 17th to the same Greens and another group on minority issues (42 people). We will get the full reaction of MEPs next week.”  (Ždanoka, until April 2022, was a member of the Greens/European Free Alliance group.)

The letter was accompanied by photographs from the march which showed Ždanokas’ costumed supporters  being detained by the police. Another picture showed swastika-adorned posters littering the ground. Only one photo shows the Legionnaires  – old men standing calmly with flowers in their hands.

Ždanoka also forwarded Gladey a statement she had sent to her European Parliament colleagues. In it, “the MEP expresses her outrage” at the violence used by the police “against anti-fascist protesters.” The attachments also included a reaction from other Latvian MEPs calling Ždanoka’s release a “masterpiece of demagoguery.”

Wars of Influence in the East

In September 2013, Moldova, one of the poorest countries in Eastern Europe, received a severe economic blow when Russia banned the import of its wines, allegedly over insufficient quality control. In reality,  Russia was using economic pressure to prevent the signing of a cooperation agreement between Moldova and the EU at the Eastern European Partnership Summit in Vilnius a month later.

The context for  these developments dates back to 2009, when the EU established the Eastern Partnership (EaP) to bring the countries on its eastern border out of Russia’s orbit. Moscow used available arsenal – trade restrictions,  withholding natural gas supplies, information warfare – to prevent this.

As MEP, Ždanoka regularly traveled to the EaP countries and reported her observations to Gladey. This means that Russia effectively had eyes and ears in multiple important European meetings, particularly those that concerned the potential Western accession of countries close to the Kremlin’s heart. 

Back in the summer of 2010, Ždanoka first sent Gladey a program of the visit of deputies from potential EaP countries to Brussels. Later she reported back on who is ready to start the program without Russia’s ally Belarus.

“I checked my notes. Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan strongly favor full Belarusian membership, while Ukraine and Moldova are ready to accept the “compromises” offered by the European Parliament. (…) But all of them are apparently not opposed to starting work without Belarus.”

A few months later, she and other MEPs went to Moldova. In the report to Gladey, she summarized who was present, what was said, and the relationship between politicians there.

Ždanoka mentioned that a lunch was planned with then-President Mihai Ghimpu, who did not turn up due to illness. The president was represented by a deputy with a “thinly disguised dislike” for Ghimpu. “He joked that his illness was a consequence of the wine festival at the weekend.”

In 2012, Ždanoka traveled to Azerbaijan. Before such visits, MEPs are provided with thick folders containing analysis of the country’s economy and politics, CVs of senior officials, information on support from international funds, and briefings on key issues such as the oppression of youth protests. Ždanoka forwarded the nearly 70-page report to Gladey. These documents were not confidential, but nor were they meant for the general public.

And then came the climax. 

At the Vilnius in November 2013, the EU planned to sign cooperation agreements with several countries, and Russia was increasing the pressure. Wine imports from Moldova and chocolate from Ukraine had been banned. Russia threatened to cut off gas supplies, a serious concern given the approaching winter.

The MEPs agreed to adopt a resolution condemning Russia’s pressure. Ždanoka sent this, too, to the FSB officer.

“In the meantime, I am sending the draft resolution prepared by the Greens. I can’t access the other groups’ drafts, but you can get an idea from this one. Tomorrow, a compromise will be discussed and agreed upon with several groups. The debate will take place on Wednesday, and the vote on Thursday. T.Ž.”

Two days later, she sent the final version of the resolution and the text of her speech to Gladey. In it, she acknowledged that Russia was exerting pressure, but pointed to the EU’s alleged duplicity: Moldova would no longer be able to export wine to Russia, but the EU offered no alternative market. She used Latvia as an example, saying that it had joined the EU, but “the marriage was not equal.”

In essence, Ždanoka echoed the message that the Kremlin has been spreading in the Baltics for years: the EU is treating you unjustly, and if you stay with Russia, your country will be better off.

“I am shocked,” German MEP Rebecca Harms, then leader of Ždanoka’s EP group, told Re:Baltica after hearing about the emails.

“It makes clear that she had not only ‘another opinion’ on Russia-related issues (some in my group always accused me of suffering from Russophobia and from a lack of tolerance for different opinions) but was really [an] informant. I really regret that I was not strong enough to organize a majority to expel her from the Green group.“

Complaining about Russian diplomats

Ždanoka didn’t just report on live events. She also offered helpful advice to her Russian friends on how they could be more effective. 

In a 2009 email, Ždanoka sent an FSB officer “an analysis of the errors in the work of some structures that affect Russia’s image abroad.”

She pointed out that Russian diplomats abroad are ill-prepared to work with the media and are easily “outflanked” by their Baltic and Georgian colleagues, who are “young, dynamic (…) trained in the West and fluent in foreign languages.” 

She noted that this dynamic was clearly visible during Estonia’s 2007 “Bronze Soldier” event. Then Tallinn’s removal of a Soviet WWII monument was met with Russian-inspired riots and Kremlin-executed cyber attacks. Another example was in connection with the Russia-Georgia war of 2008, when Moscow’s diplomatic chicanery proved incapable of convincing the wider world that Russia was anything other than the aggressor. 

Ždanoka, in her written analysis, was also critical of Russian officials who treat foreign trips as tourism and compensate for their lack of arguments in discussions with an “arrogant attitude”: “Russia has gas and oil, so you have to respect us.”

Finally, she proposed the creation of a special ministry to promote Russia’s image abroad, taking the example of the “Latvian Institute,” which is mainly staffed by Latvians with foreign roots. They know how to talk to foreigners, she wrote. At the same time, Ždanoka lobbied for her own activities and mentioned that personnel for the proposed the new ministry could be recruited at the European Russian Forum she was organizing.

A highlight event: European Russian Forum

For several years, the European Russian Forum (ERF) was Ždanoka’s most important event in Brussels. She booked the venue in the EP building almost six months in advance and took on the role of hostess, with important Russian officials sitting at her side. Among the Forum’s founding members were representatives from the Moscow Mayor’s Office, the Russian Orthodox Church, and Ždanoka’s political group in the EP. Funders included the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Russkiy Mir (Russian World – ed.) foundation.

The forum, along with a series of discussions and exhibitions, allowed Ždanoka to bring a number of questionable people into the EP building: Russian politicians, some of whom are currently on sanctions lists; agents of influence who have subsequently been tried for espionage; and even some with links to the security services.

Through these soft power activities, Ždanoka helped whitewash Russia in the minds of some MEPs while creating content for Kremlin TV channels. The main message was that the EU cannot do without Russia and must make friends.

“What is typical of her and a number of other MPs who work in that pro-Russian style is that the Moscow media exploits it. It is all filmed,” said MEP Sandra Kalniete from Latvia.

However, she and other current and former MEPs interviewed by Re:Baltica believe that Ždanokas’ political influence in EP was marginal.

“Expanding the European Russian Forum was the key,” says another long-term Latvian MEP Roberts Zīle. “To bring the concept of the Russian world to the West.”

Not moving to Russia

After her election to the EP, Ždanoka started actively renovating her family home in Valdai, Russia, a popular holiday destination. The photos show how the sad-looking one-story house with an attic slowly came to life with new, dark green wooden walls and white window frames. Ždanoka sent the builders a kitchen plan and decided where to put the appliances. It is not clear from the emails whether anyone lives there, but it is implied that relatives live nearby.

Ždanoka will no longer be part of the new EP, as the Latvian parliament passed a law preventing her from standing because of her communist past. She has served 20 years in the EP.

After Re:Baltica and its partners published information about her cooperation with Russian special services in January of this year, Latvia’s security service (VDD) initiated a probe but declined to comment on the findings for this article. The European Parliament’s inquiry resulted in a fine of €1,750 and a ban on representing the EP in foreign visits and other events. Ždanoka claims it was a punishment for mistakes in official declaration.

In her YouTube address devoted to Re:Baltica’s questions to her, Ždanoka showed colorful brochures listing the participants of events she has organized. According to her, it had all been transparent. The Russian Foreign Ministry is listed as one of the co-financiers of the events. The rest, like her trips to Russian-backed Syria and Russian-occupied Crimea, was covered by the European Parliament – that is, the taxpayers of the European Union.

Ždanoka also called herself “an agent of peace”.

Asked by Re:Baltica whether she intends to move to Russia after her career is over, she snapped: “I am not going to move to Russia. Where you were born, there you are useful. I was born in Riga.”

[my-weird-news]

Raging Washington Wildfires: 2 Lives Lost, Hundreds of Buildings Devastated 😢

Wildfires: Nature's Uninvited BBQ Party Gone Wrong Well, well, well, if it isn't the latest episode of "Mother Nature's Hot Mess Express"! 🌲🔥 And let's just say, this time she really outdid herself. Wildfires have decided to set up camp in eastern Washington, leaving destruction and chaos in their blazing wake. Two people have already met their unfortunate demise, probably thinking, "Well, at least I won't need sunscreen anymore." One unlucky soul was discovered lifeless in the midst of the Gray fire, which sounds more like a failed color experiment in a paint factory than a wildfire. 🎨 Another unfortunate person was found crisped to a golden brown in the Oregon fire. I guess even the wildfires thought "Portlandia" was a bit overrated. So, let's get this straight: the Gray fire thought it was a good idea to spark up near Medical Lake in Spokane County. Not exactly the ideal spot for a lakeside vacation, I'd say. By the time Monday rolled around, this fire had transformed 15.6 square miles of land into its personal barbecue pit. Meanwhile, over 5,000 residents were forced to pack their bags and experience an unexpected "camping trip" in the city's evacuation centers. What a way to test your survival skills! Hold on to your marshmallows, because those brave Canadian firefighters are battling these infernos too. It's like a cross-border firefighting exchange program! Thousands of people are huddled in evacuation centers, probably exchanging stories about how their pets are the real MVPs in a crisis. And here's the kicker – at least 185 buildings have been roasted, toasted, and generally reduced to ashes by the Gray fire's pyromaniac tendencies. But fear not, folks, the number is expected to skyrocket as officials play the world's most depressing game of "Where's Waldo: Charred Edition." Isabelle Hoygaard, the official spokesperson for the Gray fire circus, confirmed that the small town of Medical Lake and its not-so-distant neighbor, Silver Lake, have received special attention from the flames. It's like a twisted real estate makeover show hosted by a fire-breathing dragon. Now, let's not forget the Oregon fire, which decided it was a great idea to join the blazing party. This fire started its own little forest rave northeast of Elk, Washington. It's like the forest version of a college frat party gone wrong, complete with too much heat and not enough water to go around. The flames devoured 15.8 square miles of land, leaving a trail of disappointment in its wake. But wait, there's more! Over 80 buildings have been turned into s'mores by the Oregon fire, and about 150 more are eagerly awaiting their turn to experience the crispy crunch. It's like the universe's worst bake sale – instead of cookies, you get burnt shingles and a side of regret. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee took a little field trip to the charred remains and decided to declare a statewide emergency. And, of course, he took to social media to announce his findings, probably with a selfie in front of a smoking tree stump. He's even had a chat with President Biden and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell about getting some federal aid. Both of them agree that these wildfires are the Earth's way of reminding us that it's really mad about climate change. In the meantime, investigators are on the hunt to find out what exactly sparked these fiery fiestas. Dry, windy conditions were obviously the uninvited guests, turning a barbecue into an all-you-can-burn bonanza. 🔥 So, let's hope Mother Nature gets the memo and starts sending invites to cooler events. Until then, remember: when nature throws a party, it's always BYOB (Bring Your Own Buckets). Stay safe out there, folks! 🚒🔥🌲# Wildfires: Nature's Uninvited BBQ Party Gone Wrong Well, well, well, if it isn't the latest episode of "Mother Nature's Hot Mess Express"! 🌲🔥 And let's just say, this time she really outdid herself. Wildfires have decided to set up camp in eastern Washington, leaving destruction and chaos in their blazing wake. Two people have already met their unfortunate demise, probably thinking, "Well, at least I won't need sunscreen anymore." One unlucky soul was discovered lifeless in the midst of the Gray fire, which sounds more like a failed color experiment in a paint factory than a wildfire. 🎨 Another unfortunate person was found crisped to a golden brown in the Oregon fire. I guess even the wildfires thought "Portlandia" was a bit overrated. So, let's get this straight: the Gray fire thought it was a good idea to spark up near Medical Lake in Spokane County. Not exactly the ideal spot for a lakeside vacation, I'd say. By the time Monday rolled around, this fire had transformed 15.6 square miles of land into its personal barbecue pit. Meanwhile, over 5,000 residents were forced to pack their bags and experience an unexpected "camping trip" in the city's evacuation centers. What a way to test your survival skills! Hold on to your marshmallows, because those brave Canadian firefighters are battling these infernos too. It's like a cross-border firefighting exchange program! Thousands of people are huddled in evacuation centers, probably exchanging stories about how their pets are the real MVPs in a crisis. And here's the kicker – at least 185 buildings have been roasted, toasted, and generally reduced to ashes by the Gray fire's pyromaniac tendencies. But fear not, folks, the number is expected to skyrocket as officials play the world's most depressing game of "Where's Waldo: Charred Edition." Isabelle Hoygaard, the official spokesperson for the Gray fire circus, confirmed that the small town of Medical Lake and its not-so-distant neighbor, Silver Lake, have received special attention from the flames. It's like a twisted real estate makeover show hosted by a fire-breathing dragon. Now, let's not forget the Oregon fire, which decided it was a great idea to join the blazing party. This fire started its own little forest rave northeast of Elk, Washington. It's like the forest version of a college frat party gone wrong, complete with too much heat and not enough water to go around. The flames devoured 15.8 square miles of land, leaving a trail of disappointment in its wake. But wait, there's more! Over 80 buildings have been turned into s'mores by the Oregon fire, and about 150 more are eagerly awaiting their turn to experience the crispy crunch. It's like the universe's worst bake sale – instead of cookies, you get burnt shingles and a side of regret. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee took a little field trip to the charred remains and decided to declare a statewide emergency. And, of course, he took to social media to announce his findings, probably with a selfie in front of a smoking tree stump. He's even had a chat with President Biden and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell about getting some federal aid. Both of them agree that these wildfires are the Earth's way of reminding us that it's really mad about climate change. In the meantime, investigators are on the hunt to find out what exactly sparked these fiery fiestas. Dry, windy conditions were obviously the uninvited guests, turning a barbecue into an all-you-can-burn bonanza. 🔥 So, let's hope Mother Nature gets the memo and starts sending invites to cooler events. Until then, remember: when nature throws a party, it's always BYOB (Bring Your Own Buckets). Stay safe out there, folks! 🚒🔥🌲 Read the full article

[first-impressions-gaming]

GAMING RECAP (JULY 12-16)

FTC appeal denied while the UK allows Microsoft time extension to close Activision Blizzard deal

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been denied its appeal of a federal judge's ruling that allows Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard.

This is a major victory for Microsoft, bringing the company one step closer to becoming a gaming giant.

The FTC filed its appeal yesterday, hoping to stop the deal from closing by its deadline, July 18.

Meanwhile, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has extended its deadline for a final decision on the acquisition (thanks, GI.biz). This means that Microsoft has more time to close the deal, and it also gives the CMA more time to review the proposed changes that Microsoft has made to its acquisition plans.

Continue reading

PlayStation 5's highly customizable Access controller to hit market in December

Sony has announced a launch date of December 6 for its new PlayStation 5 controller, Access.

Previously known as Project Leonardo, the heavily customizable controller is aimed at broadening accessibility for PS5 users with disabilities, allowing them to play for longer and with greater comfort.

The Access controller lets you customize your layout with different buttons and stick caps in various shapes and designs, operate the controller from any 360° orientation, and connect third-party accessibility accessories using its four 3.5mm expansion ports. Many settings for the Access controller are available on PS5, and you can configure each to meet your needs. You can map buttons to create up to 30 control profiles, adjust stick settings, toggle commands on/off, or disable some of the controller's buttons. Access will be available for preorder starting July 21 and will run you $89.99/$119.99 CAD/¥12,980/€89.99/£79.99.

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July’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalogue and Classics titles announced

This month’s additions (which are listed in full below) include The Ascent, It Takes Two, Sniper Elite 5, Snowrunner, and SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated.

All games listed below will be available beginning on July 18.

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium | Game Catalogue

It Takes Two – PS4, PS5

Sniper Elite 5 – PS4, PS5

Snowrunner – PS4, PS5

World War Z – PS4, PS5

The Ascent – PS4, PS5

Undertale – PS4

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated – PS4

Melty Blood: Type Lumina – PS4

Dysmantle – PS4, PS5

Circus Electrique – PS4

Dynasty Warriors 9 – PS4

Samurai Warriors 5 – PS4

My Little Pony: A Maretime Bay Adventure – PS4, PS5

Fast & Furious: Spy Racers Rise of SH1FT3R – PS4, PS5

PlayStation Plus Premium | Classics

Gravity Crash Portable – PS4, PS5

Twisted Metal – PS4, PS5

Twisted Metal 2 – PS4, PS5

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There's an official Assassin's Creed Mirage "haptic gaming suit" on the way

If you've ever had the overwhelming desire to feel exactly what it would be like to shimmy up a wall in 9th-century Baghdad, help is at hand; a company has just announced a "haptic gaming suit" that'll be compatible with - and themed around - the upcoming Assassin's Creed Mirage.

Haptics firm Owo's Mirage-themed tie-in has been created in partnership with Ubisoft and looks something like an extremely snug short-sleeved shirt, albeit packaged alongside various bits of hardware. While wearing one, players can experience "multiple different sensations" that reflect those of Assassin's Creed Mirage's protagonist Basim.

Owo says these "sensations" will include the likes of "impacts and parkour", with the standard version of the haptic suit able to mimic 30 different sensations, including "axe", "insect bites", "severe abdominal wound", and "ball".

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[grigorianlive]

📳 WHY IS THERE SO MUCH CONTENT IN TIK TOK PROMOTING THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, PRC AND DPRK 🇰🇵 AND WHY IS TIK TOK DANGEROUS?

➡️ You see, although Tik Tok is run by a Chinese private company, it is run under the auspices of the CCP 🇨🇳, which initially affects the main focus of the social network very much.

➡️ And while Instagram is a free social network where you can absolutely freely post either Ukrainian nationalist or racist propaganda content - no one is stopping you. But Tik Tok… although it has a +/- democratic policy towards everyone, it still gives priority to pro-communist content - pro-Russian, pro-chineese and pro-north-Korean narratives are promoted. And all this was done, of course, at the initiative of the Politbureau of the Communist Party of China (I can continue to call it the communist circus, because the PRC does not deserve recognition on this channel).

➡️ Now, let’s talk about privacy. Well, we can say for sure that Chinese agents have quite a lot to do with data leaking in TimToj. You may ask if why this happens. Well, China wants to find the people, who are good enough to bring the Chinese communistic ideas to world and make the entire world sleeves of Chinese regime. If they do something against Chinese regime, then they are blocked! After several posts (amount of posts against Chinese communism can vary between 5 and 30 posts) your account will be shut down and you have no other choice - to get rid of your content!

GRIGORIAN LIVE

#dictatorship #history #propaganda #PRC #massmedia #propagandamassmedia