#HTTP persistent connection

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved on our archive

Not covid specific, but good to remember: Masking and other airborne disease prevention keeps you from getting other diseases like the flu too. Covid's not the only threat to your long-term health out there.

By Felicity Nelson

A study of around 500,000 medical records suggested that severe viral infections like encephalitis and pneumonia increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Researchers found 22 connections between viral infections and neurodegenerative conditions in the study of around 450,000 people.

People treated for a type of inflammation of the brain called viral encephalitis were 31 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. (For every 406 viral encephalitis cases, 24 went on to develop Alzheimer's disease – around 6 percent.)

Those who were hospitalized with pneumonia after catching the flu seemed to be more susceptible to Alzheimer's disease, dementia, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Intestinal infections and meningitis (both often caused by a virus), as well as the varicella-zoster virus, which causes shingles, were also implicated in the development of several neurodegenerative diseases.

The impact of viral infections on the brain persisted for up to 15 years in some cases. And there were no instances where exposure to viruses was protective.

Around 80 percent of the viruses implicated in brain diseases were considered 'neurotrophic', which means they could cross the blood-brain barrier.

"Strikingly, vaccines are currently available for some of these viruses, including influenza, shingles (varicella-zoster), and pneumonia," the researchers wrote in their paper published last year.

"Although vaccines do not prevent all cases of illness, they are known to dramatically reduce hospitalization rates. This evidence suggests that vaccination may mitigate some risk of developing neurodegenerative disease."

In 2022, a study of more than 10 million people linked the Epstein-Barr virus with a 32-fold increased risk of multiple sclerosis.

"After reading [this] study, we realized that for years scientists had been searching – one-by-one – for links between an individual neurodegenerative disorder and a specific virus," said senior author Michael Nalls, a neurogeneticist at the National Institute on Aging in the US.

"That's when we decided to try a different, more data science-based approach," he said. "By using medical records, we were able to systematically search for all possible links in one shot."

First, the researchers analyzed the medical records of around 35,000 Finns with six different types of neurodegenerative diseases and compared this against a group of 310,000 controls who did not have a brain disease.

This analysis yielded 45 links between viral exposure and neurodegenerative diseases, and this was narrowed down to 22 links in a subsequent analysis of 100,000 medical records from the UK Biobank.

While this retrospective observational study cannot demonstrate a causal link, it adds to the pile of research hinting at the role of viruses in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

"Neurodegenerative disorders are a collection of diseases for which there are very few effective treatments and many risk factors," said co-author Andrew Singleton, a neurogeneticist and Alzheimer's researcher and the director of the Center for Alzheimer's and Related Dementias.

"Our results support the idea that viral infections and related inflammation in the nervous system may be common – and possibly avoidable – risk factors for these types of disorders."

This study was published in Neuron.

Study link: www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(22)01147-3?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0896627322011473%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

[the-griffons-saddlebag]

⚔️ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺! Constellation Whip
Weapon (whip), very rare (requires attunement) ___ The handle of this whip is a magic spyglass. When you peer into the night sky through the spyglass, the stars are magically connected by an illusory series of lines that illustrate the namesakes of any constellation you know. The spyglass can be collapsed or extended using a bonus action while you hold it. You can speak its command word as part of extending it or as a bonus action on another turn to cause a stream of tiny stars to pour from the spyglass’s lens. The stars collect in a whip-like line, connected by a glimmering lash. The lash and stars disappear when you speak the command word again or when you collapse the spyglass or let go of it. While the lash persists, the spyglass can be used as a whip, which deals radiant damage instead of slashing damage. Between dusk and dawn, your reach when using the weapon increases by an additional 5 feet. The whip sheds bright light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. 𝙂𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙧. Once on each of your turns when you hit a creature with the whip, you can choose for it to leave behind a mote of starlight. The next attack roll against that creature before the end of your next turn is made with advantage. On a hit, the mote explodes immediately after the attack and deals 4d6 radiant damage to the target. On a miss or at the end of the effect’s duration, the mote winks out harmlessly instead. ___ ✨ Patrons get huge perks! Access this and hundreds of other item cards, art files, and compendium entries when you support The Griffon's Saddlebag on Patreon for less than $10 a month!

[damnfandomproblems]

https://damnfandomproblems.tumblr.com/post/780124777049407488/httpswwwtumblrcomdamnfandomproblems780096141

A long response but I had some things to say:

1: "I'm not an anti but..." proceeds to call fanart of fictional characters pedophilic and equates fanart and people who draw it to actual literal child molesters who hurt and legitimately groom literal children despite people, including victims and organizations who deal with this, kindly asking people to not do this because misusing and watering down terms and making light of serious things like this harms more people than fanworks of pixels.

2. This response completely missed the point of what they're responding to. First of all, fanworks are not comparable to literal groomers so bringing them up takes away from your point and makes others not take you seriously because it shows you don't know what you're talking about. Lastly the other person didn't say this stuff doesn't exist "at all", they said it's not the big epidemic antis are trying to claim it is, because it's not.

3. Fandoms were built on these kinds of works along with the "non-icky" works. People have been creating and enjoying these kinds of works since long before you or I were born. It didn't increase the amount of predators in the world because that's not how it works. People didn't go out to harm kids because someone wrote or drew AkatsukiShipping (Dawn x Cyrus). Attacking people for shipping it doesn't make you a hero, it makes you an asshole. These works have always and will always exist. If you truly want to protect children, go after legitimately harmful things. Maybe start with learning what pedophilia (a persistent attraction to REAL, prepubescent kids, which does NOT inherently make them a child molester) and grooming actually is and how it actually works.

4. Yes, there are groomers in fandom spaces but the majority of people aren't, no matter what they ship or who they simp for. But most of the people you mentioned are streamers. Big name streamers, who use social media to find and get close to victims. There are also groomers who use social media but aren't in fandom spaces. Why aren't you condemning streamers and social media then? From what you said, it has more to do with the platform than fandom stuff and subject matter. This just makes you bringing up fanart more confusing. Most of these people just made videos of them playing games, not making fanart. Why bring it up trying to equate the two. Again, their grooming is more connected to social media than fandom stuff.

5. You know what else has groomers? Education, a lot of groomers I see are revealed to be teachers. Hollywood, actors and celebrities are shown to be horrible people. Religion and the wealthy. Why aren't you condenming them? I hear about more groomers outside of fandom spaces than I do in them. If you think it's a widespread problem then stop looking for it and stop only looking at that type of content. I've heard about all the Minecraft groomers too but it's still not a huge number, it's not an epidemic.

6. "I would argue the real life groomers are the reason antis are scared of "problematic" ships... because they're trying to find any sign someone isn't trustworthy, but don't know what to look for" again, you did the same thing at the start of your ask by comparing fanart to something actually serious. You want to know what to look for? To start with, stop looking at people's ships and tastes in fiction. Look at the people. Look for if they're trying to isolate and get close to a literal kid, not pixels. They're not a pedo and not grooming anyone if all they're doing is drawing NSFW fanart of Ash.

7. Again, proshippers aren't saying or doing that. We just know what words mean and what a groomer actually is. Antis however are doing the same thing you did, comparing fictional characters and ships to living beings being harmed. Antis aren't concerned with legitimate predators; they see "icky" fanworks they don't like and try to run people off the internet for making them. When they call someone a predator, it's because they don't like something they ship, and their only "evidence" is fanart of not real characters. Fandoms have always done these things. And groomers have always existed, long before fandoms have, and they exist outside of fandom just as much as they do inside of it. Changing or getting rid of fandoms won't help. That's why we say antis are making up problems that don't exist. Because they are. Because they think ships reflect your morals and are more concerned about the equivalent of a pebble with big googly eyes than people, including kids. You're rarely going to find predators by looking at what people ship or who they simp for, and if you do it's because they're hurting a real person, it doesn't relate to the fiction they like. But antis don't care. They don't want to try to solve real problems. They just want to control what other people do. So they'll make up a problem in an attempt to accomplish that. That's what we're talking about.

8. Most proshippers aren't burying their heads in the sand. But every anti I've encountered is seemingly living in a fantasy where they're some super heroic knight singlehandedly saving the world by attacking innocent fandom dwellers. And they try to force others to play along and get mad and throw tantrums when you don't want to. We're not pretending fandoms don't have problems, we're just tired of people thinking everything is serious and has a deep reason for existing and messing with the places we come to to have fun and get away from everything.

Posting as a response to a previous ask.

[utopians]

I don't want to be that guy but that's not pseudoscience? The prefrontal cortex isn't fully developed until around the mid to late twenties bc the synaptic connections between neurons in that part of the brain are the last to develop. Source: https:// doi.org /10.1038/ s41386-021-01137-9

I think there might be a miscommunication happening here -- the pseudoscience isn't the assertion that synaptic development continues into adulthood, it's the assertion that synaptic development defines adulthood.

I have now read this whole article and the only assertion that it makes that's relevant to this discussion is that synaptic development continues "into the 3rd decade of life". this doesn't -- at least in my opinion -- give any meaningful credence to the idea that the brain isn't fully 'mature' until this point, bc this idea relies on the assumption that 'maturity' is a static biochemical state that the brain organically reaches and not a complex interplay of life experience, societal conceptions of 'maturity' and 'adulthood', and individual variations in development/cognition in addition to the broader process of brain development. additionally, 'brain development' is far more complicated than just the synapses of the prefrontal cortex finishing development, and is a process that continues throughout one's life.

CONTINUED below the cut bc I don't want to annihilate everyone's dash with this but I have a lot more to say

continuing the previous thought: if we're measuring maturity strictly by brain development, then things get extremely dicey, because the brain continues changing beyond your twenties and throughout adulthood! consider this study, which finds that the age of peak performance for different cognitive abilities varies widely, with some peaking around 20 and others closer to 50. the brain doesn't reach a state of 'maturity' in its cognitive functions at age 25 that it then maintains consistently through adulthood, it's far more complicated than that.

essentially, while synapses in the prefrontal cortex keep developing into your 20s (curious as to where you got 'mid to late twenties' from as well; the study only references 'the third decade of life', which could mean anything from 20 to 30), the idea that this development means anything particularly concrete about maturity or adulthood is based on (imo) a faulty and oversimplified understanding of both the brain and what 'maturity' actually means in the context of society. if your conception of 'maturity' asserts that adulthood begins in the late twenties, this conception may be due for a serious reevaluation.

and the reason I'm concerned about all this isn't because I'm a pedant -- it's because this matters in our current political climate. conservative politicians in the UK are currently trying to raise the legal age at which one can transition to 25 based on exactly this faulty conception of maturity, which argues that trans people can't make 'adult' decisions about their own bodies until this point. this is wildly infantilizing and patronizing, and I imagine I don't have to explain why it's a problem, but to elaborate: adulthood and maturity aren't apolitical concepts, and the assertion that adults don't have the right to bodily autonomy because they have been deemed medically incompetent by a truly arbitrary metric is an act of political violence.

I highly recommend this slate article: it goes into this topic in a lot more depth than I do, and features commentary from a lot of neuroscientists who know a lot more about this than me.

[whencyclopedia]

The 1944 Plot to Assassinate Hitler

A group of German generals attempted to assassinate the leader of Nazi Germany Adolf Hitler (1889-1945) using a bomb on 20 July 1944 but failed. The conspirators were against Hitler's conduct of the Second World War (1939-45) and Nazism in general and wanted an honourable surrender while there was still a chance of saving Germany from destruction.

Hitler was injured by the bomb left by Claus von Stauffenberg (1907-1944) but lived to instigate brutal reprisals on anyone remotely connected to the plot. The conspirators, called the Schwarze Kapelle ('Black Orchestra') by the Gestapo, the Nazi secret police, included senior generals, diplomats, and aristocrats who had hoped to stage a coup d'etat following Hitler's death. The conspirators were hunted down as several thousand were tortured and brutally executed.

Hitler & Stauffenberg at the Wolf's Lair

Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-1984-079-02 (CC BY-SA)

Hitler as War Leader

Adolf Hitler was the absolute dictator of Nazi Germany and the supreme commander of all Germany's armed forces. In addition, all armed forces personnel had to swear allegiance to Hitler personally. Germany had started WWII with a string of victories, which included the Fall of France in 1940, but from 1942, the Allies began to gain the upper hand. As a war leader, Hitler proved incapable of appreciating the strategic consequences of his decisions. Operation Barbarossa, the attack on the USSR, ended in failure for many reasons, but Hitler's persistence in overriding his generals, such as his decision to halt the advance on Moscow and insistence that the army at the battle of Stalingrad fight to the death, did not help. Distrustful of experts, Hitler believed his generals were too pessimistic, and so he made himself the Feldherr or commander of the German armies in the field. It was also in 1942 that the North Africa Campaign seriously deteriorated following defeat at the Second Battle of El Alamein (Oct-Nov 1942). Nevertheless, Hitler continued his military meddling by dismissing generals on a whim. Even if he had not been strategically inept, the sheer volume of work he gave himself by refusing to delegate meant that Hitler's decisions were not based on detailed analysis of any given military situation.

The D-Day Normandy landings of June 1944 finally opened a second front, and Germany found itself squeezed between the two armies of the Allies. It seemed to many of Germany's top generals that the war was already lost and it would be better to surrender with honour now before Germany itself was invaded. This was not an option for Hitler, and so a group of generals decided to take matters into their own hands.

Hitler the War Leader

Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-B24543 (CC BY-SA)

Continue reading...

[trashyreptilian]

Another reference sheet done. This one took way longer than expected lmao,,

Reblogs are appreciated! :3

===============================================

Biography (long read):

-General Info-

Full Name: Him Age: Ageless (Formed in 1975.) Height: 8'0'' ft Gender: Male Sex: Sexless Species: Wrath simulacrum (Inceptor) Homeplace: Huntstrail, Michigan (US) Romantic/Sexual Orientation: Biromantic Asexual

-Other Info-

Personality?: Him is looked down upon by its own species, and had earned himself the status of an outcast during its earlier years. This is why he typically tries avoiding other simulacrums. However, due to its past connection with an underground brawl ring, sometimes it gets entangled into fights. Whether they're started by others, or by it desperately seeking relief from its own mind, trouble follows it either way. His hostile attitude doesn't make it better. One would expect it to display this kind of violence upon humanity, instead of fellow demons. But Him's uncaring on the matter, reasoning that it's acting in self-defense and showing some justice for all the human lives its kind take away. It evidently feels far more sympathy for humans, aware of how fragile and complex they are. He has a fascination in their way of living and thinking. Even gained a lot of knowledge about their history and other topics in his own free time. With its closest relationship being with a human, the odd fondness is no surprise. Although having poor management of negative emotions, it represses them for the few he cares for. It can't bear to unload its burden onto anyone. Him tends to be just cold in general, but when comfortable he's willing to show his much nicer and curious side. It knows how to be gentle. When it feels an attachment to someone, he'll display genuine gestures of care and will be willing to spend time with them if asked.

Thinks Before Acting?: In a neutral state, sure. Unfortunately, that might fly right out the window once it's starting to become agitated. Pure blinding rage can easily take a hold of it. Making it impulsively lash out or spew out some truly heinous words, that it may or may not regret later.

Positive Traits?: Selfless, inquisitive, caring, persistent, attentive and loyal.

Negative Traits?: Impatient, self-loathing, aggressive, over-protective, stubborn and vindictive.

Way Of Speaking?: Only speaks fluent English and has no noticeable accent in its speech. His voice is low and gravelly, and usually stays at a calm tone. Which makes him more intimidating when talking, without ever having to raise its volume. But when he does, it steadily sounds more demonic. With inhumane growling interrupting its words while trying to talk. (Headcanon voice: https://youtu.be/cFHCt0eE3P0?t=5460)

Occupation?: Doesn't have a profession to uphold. He'd rather steal cash and goods if absolutely needed. Neither does it have any simulacrum tasks, duties, or anything else alike. Since he's trying to maintain self-isolation from his community. Though unless, you consider being the surrogate father and only caretaker of a young adult, a job by itself. Then yes, it still has his hands full with parental responsibilities.

Powers/Skills?: His species have unique powers and abilities. Though, what kind varies. It doesn't just depend on what stage they're at, but which sin they have too. Simulacrums are also far more biologically advanced than humans. So besides excluding most biological traits in this section. Here are all the noteworthy powers to mention. Within biological traits; aura detection and night-vision. Can tell what species someone is by naturally feeling their aura, the other one lets him see crystal clear in the dark. Within evolutionary abilities; body alteration, it can twist and contort his body in whichever way wanted. That's truly useful when under high negative emotions, as he'll morph into something that gives him a more uncanny and beastly-like look. Surface adhesion, free to walk or sit on walls and ceilings without the risk of falling. Personal matter manipulation, power to manipulate the entirety of its own being into a different state of matter. Either black smoke, or black liquid. It's a perfect way to flee and to get in through somewhere without notice. While in use, he's still fully sentient and is even able to talk. But the voice will be much quieter, less comprehensive. When materialized, he can also alter his overall shape and volume. Within sin-based abilities; primal strength. Simulacrums are already much stronger than humans. Now just times that typical strength for a wrathian by at least 10 and maybe more. Him always uses his teeth in combat the most. As he possesses two sets of uneven sharp teeth, one appearing up front, the other at the back of the first set. The only kind of drawback is that in some instances, it may go overboard and reach an animalistic state of mind. Kinda like a severe rush or high. But for someone who's experienced, like it, he manages to use this as a deadly advantage. Heightened senses, perception of external stimuli is very strong. His sight, smell and hearing are way more sensitive. But one sense that's particularly strong for him, is smell. If there's any kind of scent to fixate, he can track it down. At times, he's capable of visualizing a clear line of smell.

Hobbies?: Most beloved pastime of his is reading books, there's nearly nothing topping that. Soon in its first week of living, it quickly grew a passionate fascination for human literature. Since then it's been near impossible to see it without a book in its hands. Favorite genres are history and biology, texts that explore factual knowledge are its typical go-to. Given the chance, it'll go on a lengthy monologue about a random topic it happened to read recently. Happens to like board games too, which is mostly influenced by his son, Alfred. Though, it prefers simple card games as they cause less frustration. One hobby that might be a bit unexpected. Would be teaching his pet cat tricks. Some context. An unusual fixation it developed, was for felines. Whether it's big wild ones or tiny domesticated ones, he loves them all. Due to certain circumstances, it couldn't get its hands on a cat for a long time. When finally given one, it didn't take long to get attached. He soon started basic behavior training but later moved on with teaching tricks. And it continues to do so. He also likes to roam around random areas of his city. While it'd rather spend time inside, like a stay-at-home dad, it won't shy away from exploring. But he's very careful to not get caught by anyone. It'll hide and observe from a distance, usually people-watching. Arguably only one pastime surpasses reading, and that's spending time with his son. While he does ask at times, it prefers letting Alfred offer his time when he can. So far, it has rarely refused anything he's offered. Even if it felt like it needed to.

Habits?: Frequently smokes, nearly every day. Sounds bad at first but since he's a demon, there are no consequences. He likes the "feel" of it, and unironically loves the bad smell. When experiencing really bad stress, anxiety or annoyance, it roughly bites at its own skin. More precisely, usually his hands or arms. It clings onto the skin, letting his teeth sink in deep. There's been moments where it almost bit off a finger. However, the worst tendency it has is the way he handles negative emotions. It often chooses to bottle everything up, and deal with his problems alone. It'll lie or change the subject when anyone brings up its issues. In return, this creates a sort of vicious cycle where it bottles up its feelings, refuses to handle them in a healthy manner, violent conflicts ensue against random simulacrums to calm itself, and then later acts as if nothing's happened, pretending to be moving on.

Relationships? (Simplified): Its closest relationship is with a human, Alfred Thorn. It has known them for nearly their whole life, first interaction happened when he was 1 years old. Though, the original purpose of it even being around the little Thorn family was much sinister. It was there to replace his human target, Alfred's actual biological father. Replace them in a rather dark, literal sense. But due to it stalling its own progress, the target in question had abandoned the family when Alfred was 3. And before he could even notice the demon secretly living in their house. It had two choices; hunt the target down, or stay where he was for the young boy. A simulacrum wouldn't even entertain the second option, but Him grew attached to the child. Feeling a strange protective instinct just towards him, despite the confusion at his own unnatural feelings. From that point on, it decided to take the role of a father figure. Learning how to take care of a human child. During the early years, it was very conflicted with its own actions. Questioning if what it did was right, or moral. He eventually came to terms and stuck by with its decision. Interacting with a human has pretty much influenced the way it thinks. Nowhere near a perfect parent, but clearly loves Alfred and is overprotective of them. He has given it a sense of purpose for its existence, it greatly values that. Even the name "Him" he gave it, was kept. One thing it struggles the most with him, is opening up emotionally. Mostly because of his own personal struggles. Naturally, his tendency to bottle things up had rubbed off onto his own son. Yet despite it, they've formed a strong familial bond and friendship. Both are secretive of this relationship, for rather obvious reasons. They now live together as outcasts. Trying to make the best out of their lives while living in a small crummy apartment.

There's another human he's familiar with, Simon Belrose. Them and Alfred are very close friends, at some point he should have met Him. Even if it was never planned to happen. Their first encounter was rather terrible due to unfortunate circumstances. In which Simon didn't exactly see Him in its friendliest state, even though the aggression wasn't directed towards him. To say the poor guy was shocked to find out that his closest friend had been raised by some kind of demon, would be a huge understatement. It took a while for either of them to talk with one another. Him allowed Simon to approach it at his own pace, and remained avoidant whenever they happened to be in the same room. The last thing it wanted was to scare them more than he already did. Once they actually managed to strike up a conversation, things steadily got easier as Simon felt comfortable being around it. Both were able to strike up a basis for friendship with their common admiration for literature. Simon slowly introduced it to the fantasy genre, then moved over to Broadway musicals and everything else related to theater. As time flies, getting to know each other better, doing activities together. Simon sees Him as a supportive uncle figure. And it; views and treats them like he was just another kid of his.

Moving onto otherworldly beings. Xanthan, a theraangel, is someone Him was unaware of up until Alfred introduced them. It had absolutely no idea his son had been talking to this stranger in secret. Thing of note; as a simulacrum, it had believed that angels were long extinct because of the Overlord's indoctrination. Their first meeting also went terribly to put it simply. It had started awkwardly, then nearly ended in a physical fight if not for Alfred standing in between the two entities. Once they could manage a somewhat level-headed talk, Him was skeptical at the suggested idea of redemption. The angel insisted since its fatherly-like relationship with a human made it a fit candidate. Its hostile attitude was held back from getting worse by Alfred's insistence to trust the stranger. Through some arguing, it agreed to try the whole redemption thing. But only in exchange for Xanthan's proposed guardianship over Alfred, becoming his guardian angel. After that, they remain barely tolerant of one another. At a much later point, they feel more respect for each other. Him begins to admire Xanthan's way of fighting, and gradually grows interested in his past as a former envy simulacrum. Thanks to that, a friendship finally forms. As they both continue to bond, and feel genuine care for the other. The unexpected closeness they develop, makes its feelings complicated to its confusion. And at a further date, when Xanthan confesses his romantic love for it, just makes him even more confused. It doesn't give a proper answer to his confession, instead asks for some time to think it over. With Alfred's help and encouragement, Him reciprocates Xanthan's feelings. Kickstarting its first romantic bond.

Mentioning enemies. It doesn't have any troubles with humans, at least it seems like so currently. In the past, it had some violent thoughts about Alfred's biological mother. Whom was a relapsing alcoholic, and targeted her abuse only onto Alfred. But since moving away from the house, and into an apartment with his son. Neither have given her as much thought anymore, at least they try not to. Other simulacrums typically fall onto this term, mostly the ones Him has had fights with. Only the ones who survived the first time anyway. There's no particular rivalry with anyone. Yet one figure will cause trouble in the future, a simulacrum who perfectly contrasts Him in every way. A sort of walking reflection of everything it could have been if not for its empathy towards humanity. Another fairly important simulacrum to mention would be a fellow wrath simulacrum (specula). It's someone Him had working relations with, tying back to its past with an underground brawl ring. They had a little friendship going on, until certain events escalated and had to cut ties. Him is entirely silent about them, not even his son knows of them. They've only ever seen each other by accident, maintaining a frenemies vibe when briefly talking. Lastly, Lucifer. The Overlord, its creator. Him's disobedience wasn't looked over. The way it delayed taking out its target was one thing. But what really got it under their radar were the rumors spreading around that it had begun to care of a human child. Lucifer confronted Him merely once. Making it crystal clear that its actions were immoral, and if it caused any major fight back against their plans, they'd take care of it immediately. Since then, neither have come face-to-face again. What they said, ingrained into Him's psyche. While it's no longer loyal to them, no less it still fears what the Overlord’s truly capable of.

================================================

General rules for all of my FCs and OCs:

-While I'm fine with getting inspired by my work, please do not just steal the designs. -I am uncomfortable with my characters being unknowingly shipped with other people's characters. -Fanart is all well, great and welcomed! As long as it isn't sexual. I'm fine with gore but please, keep my characters away from your own sexual material.

[fandom-susceptible]

Ghosting

So I've been thinking about the lore of Ghosting in The Dragon Prince a lot, and so here's what we know from canon:

Ghosting is the ultimate punishment in Moonshadow elf society, worse even than death, and is taken very, very seriously

Moonshadow elves who abandon their own or shirk their duty are candidates to be Ghosted

The Ghost Spell is cast at a place called the Well of the Forgotten by a Keeper, but the entire village that was wronged by the ghost must democratically cast a vote. Only if the vote is a unanimous yes is the candidate actually ghosted. (source: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/hot-brown-morning-potion/episodes/Episode-5---The-Deluxe-Elf-Interview-with-Devon-Giehl-and-Iain-Hendry-e9nllr)

Ghosts can enter the Silvergrove and presumably other Moonshadow settlements as well, but are invisible without use of some sort of aid (the reflection in a blade made by a moon mage, a moon pool, another spell). People in their village will appear faceless to them. They cannot hear their people's voices nor can they be heard. They are effectively banished. (Season 3, Episode 3, "Ghost)

There aren't many Ghosts, but enough have been Ghosted in the past 15 years to have crossed paths with each other and have noted trends amongst them. once Ghosted, the trend is the Ghost also considers their Moonshadow life to be dead, and takes a new name as a result. (Chasing Shadows - Part 1)

Even one voice gone unheard is enough to justify revisiting the decision to Ghost someone. The Moonshadow connection to death itself plays a role in this, in summoning the spirit of those that may have died as a result of the actions of the Ghost, for them to decide if the Ghost is worthy of forgiveness. The trick of it is that once again, even one dissenting voice from those directly wronged is enough to make certain the Ghost - and whoever vouched for them - is banished forever (Season 7, episode 4, "Unfinished Business").

So . . . from this and some of the other details we have about Moonshadow elves, we can extrapolate some pretty interesting things about their culture.

Zubeia notes in the short story "All Storms End" that Moonshadow elves live in tribes in the forest. Bloodmoon Huntress informs us that the stories humans tell about elves being bloodthirsty monsters that eat people are stories that are also told in Xadia, about Moonshadow elves in general. The same stories are told by Moonshadow elves about a specific elf - the Bloodmoon Huntress. All of these impressions coming with the grain of truth; the huntress was real and once led a cult of Moonshadow elves that drank blood and ate people during the reign of Luna Tenebris as Queen of the Dragons. This cult persisted for perhaps centuries before drawing the attention of Avizandum and Queen Aditi, who set about eradicating it.

Now, given that other elves tell the story as though all moonshadow elves are guilty of the Cult's crimes into the modern day, it seems unlikely that the stereotype wasn't in effect when the Cult was actually active. Which means the Sunfire soldiers who burnt through the Moonshadow Forest looking for the Cult probably weren't making much of a distinction between what Moonshadow elves they found, because they would have believed them all guilty.

So after their forced emigration from their homeland in what is now Katolis, the Moonshadow elves have now undergone not one, not two, but potentially three genocides; their cultural genocide, which likely resulted in a lot of physical deaths in the Mage Wars; the potential genocide of the Cult of the Blood Moon, which most likely preyed primarily on other Moonshadow elves given their base of operations in the Moonshadow Forest; the Sunfire Empire and dragons' war on the Cult, which was likely directed at them all, until Kim'dael surrendered herself to Aditi and confirmed the rest of her Cult had been eliminated.

I have a pet theory that the Cult is why Moonshadow Elves have assassins, too. They could not defeat the Cult's supernatural powers with mere guards, and their numbers had dwindled so far that outright battle was unwise, so they resorted to, as Runaan calls it, precision violence. It's all that's left to them as a viable battle strategy against the much more powerful forces that surround them on all sides.

This explains why there's only a handful of Moonshadow villages, all living in the same forest, while the Earthblood elves have at least three major societies (Drakewood, other forests, mountains), the Tidebound have several cities and a thriving maritime civilization, the Skywing have at least two separate subcultures (nomads and Celestials) and some of the greatest feats of engineering in Xadia (the Celestial Spire, the city of Innea), and the Sunfire have a proud and powerful Empire.

And with that history, it's no real wonder that they consider betrayal or abandonment the ultimate taboo, worse even than an individual death. Betrayal or abandonment that results in more deaths than the individual would be unacceptable to a race that's dying out.

But here's where I think it's even worse than that. The Ritual of the New Moon calls upon the spirits of those who died as a result of the actions of the Ghost. The magic of the Moonhenge, at the Moon Nexus, the former center of their civilization, could be harnessed to open a portal into the realm of death. Rayla and Callum do this in the book "Through the Moon" and also in the final episode of season 6, attempting to help Rayla find her parents and make peace with their deaths (and in the latter case, bring one of them back with her).

My hunch is that the waters of the Moon Nexus used to be used for a lot more things like that, the same things as the Well of the Forgotten and the Moonpool in Moonshadow Forest. Also, it's telling that the Moonshadow elves leave a guardian at the Nexus even though its power was, theoretically, largely destroyed.

What if the Ghost Spell is . . . worse than we even think?

If most Moonshadow elves' spirits can be contacted through their sacred waters, what if Ghosts who died in shame can't be? What if that's why that's a worse fate than simply death? Because what is there to fear, if you're a Moonshadow elf, comfortable with the idea that life and death are a cycle and death is simply the next phase your soul will experience? Unless - you don't know what happens anymore, because you've been rejected, you are no longer Moonshadow. It's not just a horrible fate for you, who will have your own afterlife to worry about, it's a punishment for your descendants, too, who will never be able to call on your spirit like they should have been able to do.

This also fits with how insistent Rayla was that she had to make up for her parents' mistake. Why Runaan brought her on the assassination despite the fact that he knew she was too young and not ready. Tiadrin and Lain had been Ghosted, and Rayla, as their daughter, who was expected to have learned from them, was suffering the shame of their banishment. So he brought her into his home to protect her from that shame, brought her to Katolis to try and give her some measure of redemption - and we all know how that turned out. Still, this makes Rayla's outburst to Callum about how she HAS to stay and die for Zubeia make sense - because to her, what's happened to her truly is worse than death, and the only thing she can culturally do at this point to redeem herself in any way is to die in the line of duty. And her spirit STILL won't be welcomed home.

Now imagine her, or Runaan, facing Hendyr, the Skywing Dragonguard who knew Tiadrin and Lain stood to protect the egg, and finding out that he knew, but never said anything. Figured they were dead either way, so what's the difference between them being dead and their people calling them ghosts?

A big difference, when your arcanum is so tightly connected to life and death.

The one hitch in this thought is that Tiadrin and Lain are found in a spell in the Moon Nexus, but they pass on to somewhere else after being found. Also, it doesn't necessarily have to be true; the living elves simply have to believe that being a Ghost bars you from their contact, which would be reinforced by the fact that they don't speak the names of Ghosts. They don't even try with the living ones, and they would have no way of knowing when a Ghost actually died, even if they cared.

[onesidedradiostatic]

Prev. https://www.tumblr.com/onesidedradiostatic/768663529880436736/re

Oh I see what you’re saying now! There’s been no “positive integer” of ace Mammon in the show! And you’re right!

I personally don’t hold out any hope that the show will ever cover or explicitly bring it up, outside occasional secondary/metatext, like the pride piece or social media. (I feel similarly about Alastor.) Can’t feel let down by the absence of something you hoped for if you never let yourself hope for anything! <— I tell myself, curled up on the floor. The old and factually incorrect “can’t miss what you never had” fallacy. /sarcasm

I’ve got aroace goggles but they’re not rose-tinted…. Likewise,

“(also having the "good" characters tell the ace character he's unfuckable and that he should keep fucking himself kindaaaaa doesn't sit right with me, I really don't want to read bad faith into mammon being made ace rep but it gets kinda hard like this)”

I feel this too, and nihilistically I feel like it’s just another one of those commonplace things that Hellaverse-style writing tends to use for comedic effect that inadvertently (or via unexamined bias, ie “this came so quickly and naturally to you that you didn’t pause to think about how this could come across to other people in your target audience or if there was a more effective way to do this before giving the go-ahead and locking it in? Ok.” Disclaimer: this is common in lots of media! I don’t intend to say it’s something unique to the H.verse writing. It can happen to anyone, like catching a cold, but it’s the hope that the writing and editing process will catch these instances and make them better, but stuff can slip through, it happens. No offence intended) implies something Less Than Ideal like a harmful stereotype or perpetuating casual bias and then assigning them Morality etc. We don’t need an aspec rendition of the Hays Code/Disney/dudebro film “queer-coded villain who you can tell is bad because they’re queer and that’s bad because it’s not good like the good guy!”

The “You like/don’t like sex/romance? What’s wrong with you? I’m the normal one!” can be toxic/dehumanising in both directions when one side thinks it’s superior to the other. But the common M.O is

- the old “If sex/romance = value/virtue/humanity, Then less/no sex/romance = less/no value/virtue/humanity”

- (Bonus points when it equates sex/romance with the capacity to love and be loved!)

- which when used as an insult is basically just a rehashed cousin of those nice-guy “fuck you you’re ugly anyway” and manosphere “I don’t want to fuck you therefore you have no/negative value”

- weirdly but not that surprisingly, it shares a few vibes with ablism, probably because certain people see aspec as something “missing or defective”. Which has historically been thrown at all lgbtqia+ so it’s sad that it persists from within the queer umbrella

- But, loosely speaking of theoretical connections to ablism… I’m not claiming that fidget toys are exclusively for one type of neurodivergence/or ASD. But there is enough fodder for a potential bad-faith reading “show implies aspec symptom of neurodivergence/ASD, says they’re unfuckable and less valued than neurotypical amatonormatives! correlation does not equal causation!” type thing. I’m too sleepy to go there.

- Saying “you’re unfuckable” to someone who doesn’t want to Do The Fucks isn’t an insult in of itself, (it’s like saying “You’ll never get a girlfriend!” to a gay dude, they’d be like “that’s exactly what I want!”) but the connotation that fuckable= worth as a person, therefore they have no worth, is. Like, you could just say “you’re a worthless piece of shit” and not bring sex into it at all, but it’s Hellaverse and sex is everywhere, including the language. It’s the lingua franca… the lingua fucka?

I could assume a goodish faith usage of insulting an ace character as unfuckable/‘the only person who’ll fuck you is you die mad’* in the “I know this bothers you, so I’m using it to bother you” way. Like how in the pilot Angel used -isms to bother Vaggie. :/

*’the only person who’ll fuck you is you’ is also a bonus trope of ‘aspec people are autosexual/autoromantic or self obsessed’ 😂

But yeah otherwise it sits weird.

There’s so much one could write and explore just on the general topic of “Aspec and Othering in the Hellaverse”, it’s actually fascinating. Whether it’s a good fascinating or bad fascinating is irrelevant though. Gender and Sexuality in horror and horror-inspired media is always a blast to look into. (You can’t tell me Alastor isn’t a little horror inspired. How his aspec-ialty can play a part in his portrayed uncanny-valley not-humanness to other sinners, being part device, performance and contradictory animal, etc etc. There’s heaps to go on if anyone felt inclined. Goodnight tumblr)

(prev)

this is a lot so I don't think I can cover everything here but yeah

I personally don’t hold out any hope that the show will ever cover or explicitly bring it up, outside occasional secondary/metatext, like the pride piece or social media.

alastor was at the very least allowed a verbal confirmation in hazbin itself so I don't think it's impossible for mammon (or octavia) to have allusions to their asexuality in their show, really I accept even subtext. for mammon it's still not even subtext yet, just word of god. but again, I won't fully judge him as bad rep here because obviously the show isn't over yet so reference to his asexuality could still come up in the future, I just had some hope it would happen sooner than later y'know and also ASMODEUS got to show up in full pan wear but we don't get any reference to mammon being asexual?

but yeah sorry this one is kinda nitpicking at this point, moving on, all you said after that yeah exactly what I meant about bee saying no one wants to fuck mammon as an insult, I know it's probably not intentionally shaming an ace character for it but it still can have bad implications even with good intention as just a lighthearted canon-typical joke

and this actually

- But, loosely speaking of theoretical connections to ablism… I’m not claiming that fidget toys are exclusively for one type of neurodivergence/or ASD. But there is enough fodder for a potential bad-faith reading “show implies aspec symptom of neurodivergence/ASD, says they’re unfuckable and less valued than neurotypical amatonormatives! correlation does not equal causation!” type thing. I’m too sleepy to go there.

I'm a bit worried about the infantilisation too, I've already seen people compare mammon talking about sex as an asexual to being like a child talking about sex

and mammon's constant use of toys in the trial doesn't really help with it, I worry that the logic behind mammon as ace rep comes down to "he's too childish and immature to understand sex and just pretends to understand it when he talks about it like a child" and that's on top of the whole "I can't see him caring about anyone legitimately therefore he's ace" logic which I have ALSO seen people say in response to him being ace

I don't want to assume that these were the actual intentions behind making him ace, of course these qualities can co-exist on top of being ace but the problem starts when you start correlating them and I think it's already bad that these are takeaways some parts of the fandom have

maybe I'm judging too early, maybe I just need to wait for mammon to be referenced as ace in the show itself and see how it's treated. but just. idk. there's just a lot of factors at play that makes me skeptical of him as ace rep, I was already skeptical when he was revealed as ace rep in the helluva pride art but this episode's showing of him has made me even moreso. genuinely, I do think having a canon sex-favourable ace is good! great in fact! but I can't praise it just for that when there's no indication of him being ace that you can see from watching the episode, if there is ever an episode that indicates him being asexual while being sex-favourable then I will praise it

anyways sorry for having topics surrounding ace mammon be so negative, I feel like it could overshadow the fact that I still really enjoyed the episode!!

[planet-gay-comic]

🌿 Romeo & Jamil - Gay Love Story in Andalusia 1100 AD 💖 🎶 Watch the Video: https://youtu.be/3iBkzEKmg2M

Around the year 1100, Europe was deeply divided. While the north was dominated by religious rigor and feudal violence, the southern Iberian Peninsula—Al-Andalus—was experiencing a remarkable period of cultural and intellectual flourishing.

🔸 In cities like Córdoba, Seville, and Granada, the Almoravids, a Berber dynasty from North Africa, had unified Al-Andalus under their rule. Though religiously conservative, they proved remarkably tolerant in practice—allowing Muslims, Christians (Mozarabs), and Jews to coexist in relative peace.

🔸 Between the Islamic south and the Christian kingdoms in the north, there was no open war at this time—more a tense equilibrium, a kind of "cold peace".

📚 Córdoba: A Beacon of Knowledge

Córdoba was considered one of the most advanced cities in Europe, with libraries, medical schools, translation centers, and breathtaking mosques. Its legendary library reportedly held over 400,000 manuscripts—an unimaginable number for the time.

➤ Ironically, the conservative Almoravids helped preserve and translate ancient Greek philosophy into Latin, particularly works by Aristotle and Plato, which would later inspire the European Renaissance.

Alongside science, poetry, music, and courtly culture flourished—full of sensual and aesthetic sophistication. The muwashshaha, a poetic form blending Arabic and Romance language elements, is just one example of this cultural fusion.

💗 Homoerotic Expression in Andalusian Culture

An often overlooked but fascinating aspect of this era is the presence of homoerotic relationships and culture.

Islamic law officially forbade same-sex intercourse, but romantic affection between men—especially in literature and poetry—was widespread and deeply rooted.

➤ Poets like Ibn Hazm, al-Muʿtamid, and Ibn Quzmān wrote about the beauty of young men with a candidness that would be unthinkable in many Islamic societies today.

➤ Ibn Hazm’s classic work “Tawq al-Hamama” (The Ring of the Dove) explores both heterosexual and homosexual love with remarkable sensitivity.

The contradiction between religious doctrine and cultural practice created a kind of tolerated ambiguity: homoerotic themes were acceptable—as long as they remained poetic, symbolic, and discreet.

Even under the stricter Almoravid regime, this tradition persisted, revealing just how deeply embedded homoerotic aesthetics were in the culture of Al-Andalus.

🛡️ Christian Spain: Repression and Hypocrisy

In contrast, Christian northern Spain was far more rigid. Homosexuality was often punished harshly by both church and state.

And yet, close male bonds flourished within monasteries and knightly orders—relationships often disguised as "brotherly love" that may have had deeper layers.

The ideology of the Reconquista further stigmatized anything perceived as “Moorish,” even when those cultural practices were secretly admired or emulated.

🌍 Bridging the Divide

The idea that in 1111, two young men—a Christian from the north and a Muslim scholar’s son from the south—could form a bond, is not just poetic. It’s historically plausible.

➤ Encounters did happen—along trade routes, in border zones, through diplomacy, or even educational exchanges. Christians did sometimes study in Al-Andalus despite the tensions.

Figures like Ibn ʿAmmār, or certain noble intermediaries between the two worlds, show that cross-cultural friendships and romances weren’t mere fantasy—they were part of history.

✨ A Complex Legacy

Al-Andalus was no utopia. Political power struggles, inequality, and religious tension existed. But for a brief time, it was a place where knowledge, art, and human connection transcended barriers.

The fact that homoerotic poetry and aesthetics flourished in such a conservative religious context reminds us that medieval history was far more nuanced and layered than many modern narratives suggest.

Text supported by Claud 3.7 Sonnet, GPT4o Images: FLUX1.1 Image to video: Kling AI 1.6, Hailuo Minimax Sound: SUNO AI v4.5

[hotvintagepoll]

About the whole Hedy Lamarr being responsible for Wi Fi, it’s not entirely true.

Her collaboration on the patent was about trying to avoid jamming by using frequency hopping, quite a novel concept at the time.

Frequency hopping *isn't directly* used in Wi Fi, but the concept has been used extensively in radio communications.

You could say that it was one of the concepts that was built upon to eventually create many of the radio technologies we use today.

It seems without Hedy and Antheli frequency hopping would have been developed anyway. They created Frequency-hopping spread spectrum, but Tesla already mentioned Frequency hopping https://patents.google.com/patent/US725605.

But the main problem is there's no proof Hedy's invention helped to develop Wi Fi, Bluetooth etc. She was never cited by Bluetooth inventors and Jaap Haarts never heard about Hedy’s patent. She’s been over-credited for a while now but the meme about her contributions persists.

I have 0 technological experience to be able to tell whether this is true or not, but I feel like this is worth posting because the WiFi thing has been mentioned in a significant amount of Hedy's propaganda.

I don't have a stance—posting so the more scientifically informed people in the notes can discuss one way or another.

(EDIT: want to add in the case that this ask is correct and she's not really connected to the invention of WiFi—there will be other propaganda posted today that mentions the WiFi thing as fact. so if you check this later and are like ??? why is hotvintagepoll continuing to post this wifi claim despite her earlier ask debunking it???? what IS the truth.jpg, it's because I set the queue yesterday in the assumption those claims were right and then passed out for the night. I'll check back later today and if the reasonable consensus is yeah, no, she didn't invent WiFi (despite being very cool and accomplished in other ways), I'll probably remove those queue'd posts since I don't want to spread misinformation.)

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

The Ties that Bind: Cassandra Cain and Jason Todd Becoming Friends

by Wonderland_Owl Cassandra Cain (Wayne) and Jason Todd, both adopted by Bruce Wayne, share a history of hardship but have different approaches to heroism and perspectives on Batman. Cass is eager to connect with Jason as a friend and sibling, while Jason is hesitant to accept both Bruce and her. Despite this, Cass's persistent kindness aims to understand Jason rather than fix him, acknowledging his troubled past. Together, they stand at the edge of change, ready to explore a potential friendship, each carrying their scars but hopeful for a deeper bond forged through their shared experiences. Words: 2760, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Series: Part 8 of Batfamily Adventures Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Wayne Family Adventures (Webcomic), Batman (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: Gen Characters: Cassandra Cain, Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, Batfamily Members (DCU), Rogues Gallery (Batman), Black Bat, Orphan (DCU), Red Hood Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s) Additional Tags: Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily (DCU) Feels, Protective Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily Shenanigans (DCU), Jason Todd is a Batfamily Member, Comfort No Hurt, Good Sibling Jason Todd, Protective Jason Todd, Good Sibling Cassandra Cain, Protective Cassandra Cain, Flash Fic, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Originally Posted on Tumblr, No beta we die like our democracy, Cassandra Cain and Jason Todd are Siblings, Good Older Sibling Cassandra Cain, Selectively Mute Cassandra Cain, Cassandra Cain is Orphan, Jason Todd is Red Hood, Batfamily adventures, Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Domestic Batfamily (DCU), Flash Fiction, My First Work in This Fandom, Cassandra Cain is a Wayne, Bruce Wayne Adopts Cassandra Cain, Cassandra Cain is Bruce Wayne's Favorite, Jason Todd-centric, DC stands for Disregard Canon, No More Dead Robins, Jason Todd Loves Jane Austen, Cassandra Cain Has Eldest Daughter Syndrome, BAMF Cassandra Cain, BAMF Jason Todd, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Dark Comedy, Comedy, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Family Fluff, Dysfunctional Family, Caring Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily-centric (DCU), Batfamily Angst (DCU), Not Canon Compliant, Awkwardness, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Rewrite, Out of Character, Developing Friendships, Family Feels, Team as Family, Family Bonding, Not Beta Read, Originally Posted Elsewhere, Some OOC, Cassandra Cain is Black Bat, Cassandra Cain-centric, Headcanon via https://ift.tt/0LXDucV

[himeofshyness]

Summary: In a world where silence often says more than words ever could, a scent can weave its own kind of magic. On the breathtaking peaks of Ginger Island, an unexpected encounter between a combat mage and a humble farmer ignites more than just surprise; it stirs something deep and ancient within them. As the seasons roll on, their lives intertwine in subtle ways that neither fully comprehends. There are no grand declarations or promises made, just the gentle, persistent pull of a connection they can’t quite put into words. It’s a tale of quiet yearning, unspoken bonds, and the invisible thread that links their lives together long before they even realize it.

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟷: 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙷𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚢𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚎 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚕𝚕

Long before any confessions were exchanged, before words could even begin to express their longing, Lance first caught a whiff of something unusual on the windswept ridge of Mount Kohldur. The summit was eerily quiet, save for the gentle rustle of grass and the soft creak of his boots against the volcanic stone. He had stood there countless times before, alone and watchful, bearing the weight of the world between missions. The air was always crisp and clean, tinged with the altitude and ash and kissed by the distant breath of the ocean. But on that particular day, something felt different.

It arrived with a single gust. Almost like a figment of his imagination. A hint of wild honeysuckle, warm and golden, drifting in from a place where no flower should have dared to bloom. Intertwined with it was something deeper, reminiscent of crushed wildberries underfoot or the sticky residue of summer jam on fingers that had stolen a taste. The scent felt out of place in this harsh realm of fire and stone. It didn’t belong, yet it wrapped itself around the folds of his cape and nestled in the quiet corners of his mind, refusing to let go.

He turned instinctively. The only other person nearby was the farmer who had just hurled a bomb at him moments earlier. Rosemary, that’s her name. A name that Marlon had mentioned with a certain respect. She had mistaken him for a monster, of course, her instincts sharp and not entirely off the mark. He had seen a flicker of shock in her eyes, followed by an apology, and then laughter, which he had brushed off with a casual wave. But something about that moment dug deep into him.

Continue reading the rest here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64899766/chapters/166815052

[whencyclopedia]

Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the first frame of government for the United States of America, establishing a weak federal government to protect the sovereignty of the states. Adopted by Congress in 1777, the Articles were effective from 1 March 1781 until 4 March 1789, when they were replaced by the current United States Constitution.

Under the Articles of Confederation, the central government (i.e. Congress) was a unicameral legislative assembly, comprised of delegates from the thirteen states. It was chaired by a President of Congress who, unlike the later office of the President of the United States lacked any executive power. Although Congress had the authority to declare war, make treaties with foreign powers, and resolve disputes between states, in most matters the central government was deliberately kept weak to protect the sovereignty of the states and could make no important decisions without the consent of at least nine states. This led to several problems, stemming from Congress' inability to levy its own taxes as well as its lack of a strong, standing army to provide for the nation's defense. Proponents of a stronger central government, known as Federalists, soon began to call for a revision to the Articles of Confederation. This ultimately led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, in which the Articles were thrown out and replaced with the United States Constitution, which persists as the frame of the U.S. government to this day.

Drafting & Ratification

By June 1776, the American Revolutionary War had been ongoing for a little over a year. King George III of Great Britain (r. 1760-1820) had recently rejected the Olive Branch Petition, a last-ditch offer of peace sent by the Second Continental Congress, and had declared the Thirteen Colonies to be in a state of open rebellion. To use the words of Thomas Jefferson, the king's response left many Americans feeling as though the "last hope of reconciliation" between crown and colony had been severed, leaving the colonies with no recourse but independence; indeed, Thomas Paine's seminal pamphlet Common Sense warmed many colonists to the idea of independence, something that would have seemed unthinkable even a year before. Radical members of Congress had spent months garnering support for their cause and urging colonial legislatures to prepare for independence. Finally, on 7 June 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia put a motion before Congress that "these United Colonies are, and of right to be, free and independent States…and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved" (Middlekauff, 331).

As the congressmen prepared to vote on Lee's motion, three committees were set up to begin laying the groundwork for a new nation. The first of these committees, the famous Committee of Five, was charged with the drafting of a Declaration of Independence, while the second committee was tasked with the creation of a 'model treaty' for establishing commercial relations with foreign powers. But it was the third committee that was given arguably the most important job of all: producing a frame of government for the 'perpetual union' that would bind the thirteen colonies together; in other words, they were drafting a constitution. This committee consisted of thirteen delegates, one selected from each colony, and was chaired by John Dickinson of Pennsylvania. It presented its initial draft of the Articles of Confederation to Congress on 12 July 1776, ten days after the vote for independence had passed.

The thirteen framers of the Articles had carefully considered the role that Congress would play in the new confederation. At a time when many Americans despised the British Parliament for its perceived corruption and tyranny, the framers wanted to avoid giving too much power to a central government that might one day become equally oppressive. Instead, they proposed a central government subservient to the individual states, arguing that this system was the best way to protect the liberties of American citizens. After much debate, Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation on 15 November 1777 before sending them off to the states for ratification. Virginia became the first state to ratify the Articles on 16 December 1777. 14 months later, the Articles had been ratified by every state except for Maryland, which was stubbornly holding out. Since the Articles needed the consent of all thirteen states before it could go into effect, the process of creating the confederation ground to a standstill.

Declaration of Independence by Trumbull

John Trumbull (Public Domain)

Maryland, a small state, was wary of the designs of its large and ambitious neighbor, Virginia. Maryland announced that it would not ratify the Articles unless Virginia gave up its claims on western territories, specifically the lands along the Ohio River. Many Virginians were initially indignant, and the stalemate continued for some time; all the while, Congress continued to operate as if the Articles were already in effect, adding to the legitimacy of the document. Finally, Virginia promised to renounce its claims to the Ohio territories. Satisfied with this outcome, Maryland ratified the Articles on 2 February 1781. On 1 March, the Articles formally went into effect, and the Second Continental Congress was rebranded as the Congress of the Confederation.

Continue reading...

[applechip118]

IMPORTANT! how YOU can help Palestine in minutes! (for US residents)

please don’t just reblog this! it’s really easy and quick and can make a big difference.

the Jewish Voice for Peace organization has a page to connect you to your local congressman and help you ask for a ceasefire! https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/resource/call-congress-support-ceasefire/

keep in mind: make sure to know if your representatives are pro ceasefire already! they have a disclaimer on it on the site, but a google search won’t hurt!

they give you a script and everything to follow, my state is already pro-ceasefire but i’m planning to use it for any previous states i’ve lived in that aren’t pro-ceasefire yet, i recommend you do the same if possible!

just in general CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES! what i’ve heard is that they’re having to literally UNPLUG their phones because they won’t stop ringing. keep being persistent, it’s working! just a quick google search is super easy, i’ll let you guys know if i find any scripts or other resources. it’s really easy to be lazy about this, like i’ll admit i have been, but five minutes out of your day isn’t that hard.

i’ll let you guys know if i find anything else! let me know if this works/if i made a mistake, and please share if you can. Palestine is still here and our efforts make a difference!

[bookishwithathought]

ACOSF Bonus Chapter Breakdown Part IV - Azriel and Rhys

Part I - Azriel and Elain:

https://www.tumblr.com/bookishwithathought/749493410186117120/acosf-bonus-chapter-breakdown-part-i-azriel-and?source=share

Part II - Azriel and Elain:

https://www.tumblr.com/bookishwithathought/749514748072263680/acosf-bonus-chapter-breakdown-azriel-and-elain?source=share

Part III - Azriel and Rhys

https://www.tumblr.com/bookishwithathought/749608980299612161/acosf-bonus-chapter-breakdown-azriel-and-rhys?source=share

**This is just me, analyzing the life out of the bonus chapter and all the possibilities. My thoughts and no one else's. If you agree, great. If you disagree, love it. If you want to share why you disagree, love it even more. If you are disrespectful while disagreeing, I kindly request that you move along, and if you insist you will be left to argue with yourself**

I think Az is projecting here. He felt like he was not good enough for Mor, and she didn't show any interest in him.

From ACOWAR (emphasis mine):

“It wouldn’t have been fair to him. So I slept with Cassian, and Azriel thought I deemed him unsuitable, and then everything happened and …” Her fingers tightened on mine. “After Azriel found me with that note nailed to my womb … I tried to explain. But he started to confess what he felt, and I panicked, and … and to get him to stop, to keep him from saying he loved me, I just turned and left, and … and I couldn’t face explaining it after that. To Az, to the others.”

Why is Rhys being so persistent in his challenge of Azriel's reasoning and actions?

Possibilities:

Rhys knows that Azriel has longed for the mating bond/love for so long that his frustrations are starting to spill over and wants to stop Az from using Elain to release that frustration

Rhys wants to keep Elain from being thrown into Azriel's personal issues and potentially be hurt in the process

Rhys is challenging Az to think through his feelings instead of letting them override reason, to think about future consequence

I personally fail to see how one can read this and deny that Azriel isn't thinking long term with Elain.

He said nothing because he has no objection to Rhys's counterarguments. Because Azriel knows Rhys is reading him and his intentions correctly and has run out of excuses.

Gotten that far...certainly not beyond fantasies...:

It's important to note the use of the word "certainly" here. There is a finality to it that confirms Azriel hasn't even once considered a future life with Elain. There's a lack of permanence in Azriel's intentions toward Elain.

Azriel is thinking of the immediate. He has needs and wants that are rushing out after centuries of containing them and he wants release. Him not thinking about Elain beyond finding that release is troubling, especially considering he has had about 2 years since they met to think of plans which he hadn't once.

The author could've given a hint of Az's thoughts on the future here, but purposefully didn't, pointing to there being no future for Azriel and Elain together.

Azriel challenges Rhys on this order because Rhys is pulling rank as his High Lord on he deems to be a private and personal matter.

Lucien could, but would he?

From ACOWAR:

But understand while you may be her mate, Elain is my sister. I’ll do what I must to protect her from further harm.” “I would never hurt her.” A bleak sort of honesty in his words.

Invoking the Blood Duel could potentially hurt Elain, either by Lucien killing Azriel, tainting their connection by blood, or by being killed because Elain would be negatively impacted by his death.

On the bond, from ACOWAR:

Even Nesta seemed relatively concerned. Not for him, no doubt, but the fact that if he were hurt, or killed … What would it do to Elain? The severing of the mating bond … I shut out the thought of what it’d do to me.

Based on what we know of Lucien, he would not go to such extremes, instead respecting Elain's choices.

Azriel showing this level of disregard for Lucien is problematic. Lucien is Feyer's friend and attends their social gatherings. He works as a courtier/emissary for the Night Court. Lucien works directly with Azriel by providing reports to him. He is bonded to Elain and Azriel, being quite familiar with how the bond works and how it can affect the mates, knows it could hurt her if Lucien were killed. And yet, he is so blinded by his desires that he cannot see how unreasonable he is being. This shows Azriel is only thinking of himself.

*Love isn't selfish or destructive.*

Considering all the connections tied to Lucien, it makes sense Rhys would react with such ferocit and he is correct.

Kill Lucien and it gives Beron reason to come after the Night Court, or push him toward allying with others against the NC.

Kill Lucien and whatever effort Rhys has put into restoring the Spring Court is for nought, and it would give Tamlin reason to stand against the NC

Kill Lucien, who is working closely and living with Jurian and Vassa, and the NC loses that alliance and the human support that comes with it.

The last statement to this section is crucial and worth noting. If Rhys is indeed reading Azriel correctly, and Rhys advises Az to go to a pleasure hall if he needs sexual release, then it heavily suggests, if not confirm, Azriel pursuing Elain is only lust and frustration.

Again, this was a great place for the author to show Az's feelings toward Elain. Azriel could've verbalized an objection to Rhys's implication that it's only lust, or we could've glimpsed into thoughts of objection, but there is no response.

"Panting after her": word choice is very important. Rhys reduces Az's intent toward Elain to "panting". Strongly suggests lust.

Earlier in the chapter we see Azriel comment he only lets Rhys see the rage within because he can match it, and we see that in play throughout their interaction, coming to conclusion here.

Azriel had entered an unhealthy place mentally and emotionally, and Rhys was able to bring him back to reason.

To be continued...

[mischievous-hermione]

✨WIP Wednesday

If you're looking to dissociate into your own bubble and escape the awful developments in U.S. politics, Come Let Us Adore Him by ikindaneedahero might just be the perfect distraction—or maybe not?

Yes, the story still centers on Capitol Hill politics, but at its heart is an absolutely adorable union between 40-year-old North Carolina Representative Draco Malfoy and promising 22-year-old staffer-to-be Hermione Granger, currently interning in the office of Washington D.C. Rep. James Potter.

Hermione is the model intern and an ideal candidate to join Potter’s team full-time. Everything seems straightforward: finish school, launch a career on the Hill. But, of course, things don’t go quite as smoothly. On her final day, her path crosses with that of the young and ambitious Congressman Malfoy—whose persistent attention puts her in an increasingly complicated position.

There are no guidebooks for navigating a mutual sexual attraction to a sitting Member of Congress. Hermione will have to figure this one out herself. How can she maintain professionalism while exploring this connection? And how will they reconcile their wildly different political ideologies?

It’s all incredibly entertaining to watch unfold. But one thing that left me a little sad: Draco’s position—as a Republican from the South—on America’s geopolitical role actually felt more reasonable to me than Hermione’s progressive Democrat stance. I understand the author aimed to reflect the spirit of the 2018 political climate, but it’s disheartening to think that intelligent people could believe that stepping away from global conflicts and appeasing dictators will somehow bring peace or safety. I don’t blame anyone—only hope they’ll come to see the truth, sooner rather than later.

But one small remark: Draco with a Southern accent? I’m sorry, but he’ll always have an RP posh accent in my head. 😉

So go enjoy this masterpiece—especially if you’re still recovering from the emotional rollercoaster of @always_slytherin_ao3 in IG or @alwaysslytherin.bsky.social latest not less gorgeous fic update (which dropped today!).

Link for fic on AO3 for Come Let Us Afore Him by ikindaneedahero:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27680422#main

And Yes, Mr Minister by always_slytherin update:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/62129842/chapters/165809155