#How to Rank Locally california

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Naomi Kritzer's "Liberty's Daughter"

Tomorrow (November 22), I'll be joined by Vass Bednar at the Toronto Metro Reference Library for a talk about my new novel, The Lost Cause, a preapocalyptic tale of hope in the climate emergency.

There's so much sf about "competent men" running their families with entrepreneurial zeal, clarity of vision and a firm confident hand. But there's precious little fiction about how much being raised by a Heinlein dad would suuuck. But it would, and in Naomi Kritzer's Liberty's Daughter, we get a peek inside the nightmare:

https://fairwoodpress.com/store/p148/LIBERTY%27S_DAUGHTER.html

Beck Garrison is a seasteader, living on a floating platform built by libertarian cranks to get away from big government, taxes, and the idea that people owe each other care and consideration. Various kinds of market trufans have built their own fiefdoms: there's a sin city, a biotech free-for-all, a lawless Mad Max zone, and so on.

Beck's father, Paul, is some kind of local functionary. He's wealthy and respected, both a power-broker and a power in his own right. He pays for Beck to get private tutoring (no public schools – no public anything) and if she needs bailing out from some kind of sticky situation, he's got her on his account with Alpha Dogs, the toughest mercenaries on the sea (no police, either). An armed society is a polite society, after all.

Beck has a job, naturally (there ain't no such thing as a free lunch). She's a finder: for all that the steaders worship commerce as a sacrament consecrated to the holy Invisible Hand, there's not a lot of retail at sea. California – the nearest onshore neighbor – has lots of pesky taxes, and besides, it's a long ways off. Besides, space is at a premium on the stead, so people don't have attics and basements to fill with excess consumer junk.

Instead, when a steader needs something – a shoelace, a fashion accessory, or any other creature comfort – they hire a finder like Beck to clamber around between the decks of the aircraft carriers, scows, yachts and other vessels comprising the stead. It's a good way for Beck to earn spending money, and she's a natural at it. After all, she's been a steader since she was four, when her mother died in a drunk driving accident and her father took her to sea.

The story opens with a finding job. Beck wants a pair of sparkly shoes for her client, and the woman who owns them is an indentured servant whose sister has gone missing. Find the sister, get the shoes.

Indentured servant? Yeah, of course. Freedom of contract is the one freedom from which all the others flow, so you can sell yourself into bond labor. Hell, maybe you can earn enough to buy a share in the stead and become a co-owner/citizen.

This is the setup for Beck's adventure, which sees her liberating bond slaves tricked into fatal work details, getting involved in reality TV production, meeting illegal IWW organizers, and becoming embroiled in a pandemic that threatens the lives of all the steaders. It's a coming of age novel, told with the same straightforward, spunky zeal of Heinlein's juvies, but from the perspective of the daughter, not the dad.

Kritzer makes it clear that growing up under the thumb of a TANSTAAFL-worshipping, self-regarding, wealthy autocrat who worships selfishness as the necessary precondition for market clearing would be a goddamned nightmare. She also thinks through some of the important implications of life in one of these offshore libertarian archipelagos, like the fact that the wealthy residents would be overwhelming drawn from the ranks of corporate criminals and tax-cheats, and the underclass would be bail-skipping proles ensnared in the War on Drugs.

But Liberty's Daughter isn't a hymn to big government. Most of the steaders are escaping the US government, a state whose authoritarian and cruel proclivities are well-documented. Kritzer uses the labor dispute at the core of the novel to reveal market authoritarianism – the coercive power that hunger and poverty transfers from the have-nots to the haves. Think of Anatole France's wry observation that "the law, in its majestic equality, equally forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

If you're familiar with Kritzer's work, you won't be surprised to learn that she tells a zippy, fast moving tale that smuggles in sharp observations about the cleavage lines between solidarity and selfishness. Her story "So Much Cooking" – published years before the pandemic – captured life under lockdown with eerie prescience:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/04/17/pack-of-knaves/#so-much-cooking

More recently, her "Better Living Through Algorithms" is a dazzling display of knifework that'll cut you a dozen times before you even notice that you're bleeding:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/02/wunderkammer/#jubillee

If you habitually read Kritzer's short fiction, Liberty's Daughter might be familiar to you, as it is adapted from a series of stories that originally ran in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Kritzer's YA debut, Catfishing on the CatNet, was also adapted from a short story, "Cat Pictures Please," which won the Hugo Award in 2016:

https://boingboing.net/2019/11/19/setec-astronomy-kitteh.html

"Libertarian exit" – buying a country, or an archipelago, or just a luxury bunker – has been in the air lately. It's a major element of my new novel, The Lost Cause, which came out this month – anarchocapitalist wreckers try to sabotage the Green New Deal from the seastead they've moored to the tallest point in the drowned Grand Caymans and declared to be a sovereign nation:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865939/the-lost-cause

Kritzer is great at catching that zeitgeist. Seasteading is part of a long, bitter dream of a certain kind of selfish person to escape society, a tale told in lurid and fascinating detail in Raymond Craib's 2022 history Adventure Capitalism:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/14/this-way-to-the-egress/#terra-nullius

There's a longstanding joke to the effect that you can shut down any discussion of the merits of a libertarian exit by asking three questions about the brave new world:

Whether you can sell your organs;

Whether you can sell yourself into slavery; and

Whether there is any age of consent.

Kritzer tackles the first two, but tacks around the third. Instead, by giving us a young adult protagonist who has been raised in a rusting libertopia, she finds a decidedly less incendiary way to think about the role of autonomy in adolescents, and thus generates far more light than heat.

The result is a cracking read with a sting in its tail.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/21/podkaynes-dad-was-a-dick/#age-of-consent

[purelyfiction]

the name of someone i no longer know

Jake Seresin x F!Reader

Word Count: 1,406 words

Summary: it's stick season what can i say? also maybe this is whump-tober coded who knows

Content Warning:  alcohol use/abuse, maybe alcoholism, dui mention, police interaction, drunk jake, a little aggression, heartbreak and all around sad

Author Note: what the summary said

Jake had loved California for the reasons that it never seemed to rain. It was flooded with lots of sunshine, beaches and bars. Good music, good friends, good girls and bad decisions to be made.

Until he was sent back to the thick of it - sent to Annapolis to be shipped off for some form of deployment, only to be delayed due to concerns for the ship. Instead of sending him back to California, they'd kept him in Maryland.

Maryland was his personal Hell on Earth.

Flooded with memories of the cooler months, pumpkin patches filled with your laugh, dive bars he'd lost himself in like corn mazes he'd held onto you in. This place haunted him. Especially when it rained and God, did it rain in this damned state.

Another Friday of work slips away from him, until he's at the old bar whose name had been a weapon in the fallout. Jake sits peeling labels of a local beer - they were out of Bud. The jukebox plays a song he doesn't recognize and a couple laughs in the corner of the bar top.

That corner had housed the two of you all those years ago. Conversations about drunken college nights, holidays spent with friends instead of family while deployed, promises made that he'd broken only months later.

His collection of beer bottle caps is turning into a small mountain in front of him. Until the bartender is tapping the wood in front of him. "Last one, pal."

Green eyes groggily flip up to meet his, brows furrowing. "Huh?"

"You've had enough for the night, man." The bartender slides his receipt toward him, the pen alongside it rolling off and onto the floor. The blonde sits up with annoyance.

"I'm fine, first off," Jake slides from the barstool to retrieve the pen off the floor - only to crack his head on the underside of the bar when he stands up, "fuck!"

The man from the corner comes to his side, "Are you alright? That looked like it hurt." When the stranger grabs his arm, Jake rights himself and shoves him back into a barstool.

"Don't touch me." He spits. The stranger holds up his hands to show he's backing off.

"You need a ride." The bartender is pulling his phone from his pocket, Jake shakes his head.

"No, no I'm-" a hiccup breaks his train of thought. The sum of the bill catches his eye and he groans, dropping his initials onto the paper.

"I'll just order you an Uber, where you going?"

"I said no, I can drive." The barkeep nearly gives Jake the stink eye now. As the blonde fumbles his way to the front door, he nearly eats it at the front stoop. He manages to find his way to his truck - a rental no less - he pauses at the sight of an old Jeep Liberty.

The last time he was in Annapolis, he'd bought a cheap one exactly like it off of Facebook Marketplace. He'd needed a way to get around, and considering how often he bounced around, there was no need to buy anything worthwhile.

That same Jeep that you'd refused to get into the passenger seat of one night. You were leaving a friend's Thanksgiving. He'd had too much to drink. You begged him to let you drive, seeing that you were sober - he wouldn't have any of it.

He'd left you in the driveway of your friend's place along the water, snow and all. Annapolis police had him in their custody not even twenty minutes later. Jake had friends in the navy ranks in Maryland, that had helped him avoid a dishonorable discharge at the time - he no longer had those friends.

He also no longer had you.

Jake makes sure his rental is locked before he starts down the road in the direction of the naval base.

His steps are uneasy, a bit sporadic as he walks aimlessly in one direction. A film reel serves as his entertainment for his walk back. Scenes from two years of love, a whole six months of downward spiral toward heartbreak. Total, gut-wrenching and life wrecking heartache. Self-inflicted he now realizes.

The breakup was sharp. His things were packed up. Put into the Liberty. You'd taken your key back, deleted your number from his phone and told him to forget you even lived on the same continent. He'd promised you'd never hear from him.

Jake looks up after a cold round drop plops onto his head. Followed by another. His feet stop walking as he stares up at the rain beginning to fall, the street lamps serving as a backdrop as the downpour begins. He stands there. Watching the rain. His head drops to meet the river running under him, the bridge he stands on giving a viewing point as the speed picks up.

A car slows to a stop just behind him. The headlights make him squint, slowly moving a hand up to block the LEDs that blind him.

"It's a bit wet out here, don't you think?" A voice calls from the side of the vehicle, the door shutting in tandem to another on the symmetrical side of the car.

"Rain'll do that." He snidely retorts, leaning into the jersey barrier along the bridge.

"You think you might wanna find a dry place to settle in? It's getting late, afterall." A second voice consoles him, and Jake realizes why the lights are so damn bright. He'd recognize the striping of the Anapolis police anywhere.

"Ah, I'm-" Another hiccup, "I'm trying to." An older male comes in the rain, graying facial hair, a well trimmed beard as he approaches.

"You look a little lost there, boy."

If only this damn officer knew the half of it.

Neither of them mention his slow reaction times. Or reveal that they'd received a tip from a rather concerned bartender. Instead, they carefully guide him to the backseat of the cruiser. No handcuffs are involved, no harsh words spoken, not a single arrest made.

That doesn't stop Jake from reciting your name, your address and phone number.

Anapolis' police station is dated. The linoleum is scuffed and worn - a creamier brown than he remembers.

"You.. wanna call somebody to come get you, son?"

"I've got- I'll just call her. She'll come." When he pulls his phone from his pocket it's either too cold, too wet, or too dead - or some combination of the three.

The officer with the mustache that matched that of an old friend's hands him two dollars in change, pointing him in the direction of the payphones.

Nine digits. He's got them memorized, though he swore he would forget them.

One ring. Two rings. Four.

Finally- "Hello?"

Your name leaves his lips like a prayer.

The end tone sounds like a gunshot.

Another pair of quarters.

Dial tone. Ring three. Ring four. Voicemail.

Two dollars gone.

"Alright, kid, lets get you sat down for a minute." Jake firms up like an oak tree when the officer grabs his shoulder.

"Hold on, just- I need a charger. Something- she'll call. You've got more change? Just a quarter-" He turns to a nearby woman, desperately leaning toward her, his balance wavering enough that the cop comes to his shoulder again to keep him upright.

"Have you had much to drink tonight, son?"

"I- Didn't- she's gonna call." He mumbles as the officer slowly guides him to a seat. Green eyes look up at the older man and then to the tinted window at the end of the corridor.

"Hate to tell you this... but I don't think she will."

Jake shoots up again, almost falling on his ass.

"She will- I- let me call her again- just one more time-"

The officer resists Jake and his sluggish effort to move back to the phones, finally gripping onto the pilot.

"Sit. I'm gonna get you some water and we-"

"Fuck that. Sir. I just need to get her on the phone- she's not far she-" His words begin on a carousel. Coming back again and again, repeating in the same pattern.

The plastic cup of water in his hands grows warm as he sits in the station. Two officers talk among themselves as they keep an eye on him, mentioning your name. Your address.

The phone number you refuse to use if he is on the other end of the line.

And he waits.

[richarlotte]

How I got into University!

Demographics:

Gender: Female.

Race/Ethnicity: African-American

Residence: Michigan.

First Generation; Super Low Income.

Underrepresented Minority (and Woman).

Intended Major:

Psychology, Sociology, or Public Policy/Health.

Academics:

(UW/W) GPA: 4.0/4.75.

Large Public High School.

Ranking: 25/750 or similar.

0 AP classes, mostly honors.

I took 2 Gaps and applied at 20.

Standardized Testing.

I applied test optional to most but got a 33 on my ACT.

Extracurriculars.

1. President of Women in STEM Club.

2. I created my own zine promoting women’s health and wellness.

3. I interned and volunteered at a gynecology clinic for my last 3 years of high school.

4. I worked shifts in the labor and delivery unit at my local hospital.

5. I worked with at a low income women’s clinic for my two gap years.

6. I cheered and danced throughout all four years of high school.

7. I was a part of a few other groups in HS such as Science Olympiad and similar .

Recommendation Letters.

My School Counselor.

I read this letter and it was good! I ate lunch in her office a lot and felt that we had a connection and this letter showed that I wasn’t tripping lol. She celebrated my achievements, used quotes from my classmates and teachers to show who I am as a woman, and said I exceeded my own circumstances and was extremely capable. I’m happy that she wrote the letter and that she asked that I be given opportunities and given the chance to succeed in higher education.

My Boss.

This was a necessity. My boss went to Harvard Undergrad and Harvard Med and he has told me that I have potential since the day I started working for him. I wasn’t supposed to read the letter he wrote on my behalf but he was heartfelt, only spoke praises, and made it clear that he believed that my future will be bright. He wrote two long pages and described my emotional maturity, intellectual drive, and commented on my commitment and compassion towards people.

My Science Teacher.

He wrote the best letter of them all and made it clear that I’d worked my ass off to get where I am today and really pursued every path I’ve wanted to walk. He was kind, he wrote some of the nicest things I’ve ever read about myself, and he wrote about how I made Science Olympiad and STEM Club into a whole new world.

How I applied:

Major shoutout to the Coalition App.

Essay.

I wrote my personal essay on childhood illness and what it meant to me. I had a lot of experiences and I made a point of talking about how growing up poor and sick made me want to become a doctor and bring affordable healthcare to minority and low income women. It sounds convoluted but I promise it was a good essay and I was so proud of it. The only feedback I got was on my grammar and it took me two months to perfect each line.

Acceptances.

UMiami

Southern California

Columbia (+Barnard)

NYU

Brown

UChicago

Washington

UCLA

Princeton

Georgetown

Stanford

Dartmouth

(Foreign Schools)

Waitlists.

None!

Rejections.

Harvard (Elle Woods was wrong, it is hard lol)

It took me a year of really working hard to prepare myself to apply and then actually do it. I was terrified of rejection going in and really self conscious of myself when entering the process as I had minimal support as I was in foster care growing up and I’m happy to say that I will be attending college without having to worry about the price of where I’ll be going. I’m so excited to finally get to go somewhere fun and do something with my life; I feel like I’ve been waiting for this forever and I’m happy that move in day is so soon.

Richarlotte x

[galaxysharks]

Office Au.

Wildcat Youth Employment program. High school students intern as a collective at a local office to gain real world experience for credit.

Directors/Coaches

Miss Jenn - in charge of Sales and Marketing Teams

Mr. Mazzara - in charge of Tech and Building Events Teams

Dewey - Building Facilities Manager

Teams

Sales

EJ Caswell - being the CFOs son has it's perks, as evidenced by EJs immediate inclusion to the program. Make no mistake though, EJ has more than earned his keep, quickly proving to be the best young salesman in the programs history and leading the team to record breaking profits. EJ has since joined the company full time, following his graduation. When not in the field, EJ likes to hang out with his former unit, giving out tips and tricks of the trade.

Gina Porter - with the leave of EJ, Gina has finally claimed the top spot in Sales. Unfortunately now she has to acclimate the new blood while being short-staffed after Nini's transfer to the California office. And if that weren't hard enough, the student leader of Building Events is proving a persistent distraction.

Mack Alana - Mack has recently been offered a position in the program. His simulation numbers were fantastic, but he's a little out of touch with what really makes a salesman. He'll have to buckle down if he's to survive Gina's intense training, and his natural charm won't work on every sucker on the street.

Former

Nini Salazar Roberts - While not as competitive as Gina, Nini maintained a respectable lead in sales for several months. Nini has since transferred to a sister office in California, coinciding with her move to pursue music in her spare time.

Marketing

Valerie Donnelly - Like EJ, Val has moved up the ranks to the company proper. While not as involved as EJ, Val takes pride in her mentoring role and is always just a text away. Which might be necessary if Miss Jenn can't cut through the drama and whip these kids into shape.

Kourtney Greene - Having been in the program for a few years, Kourt is logically the next in line for Student Leader. Bold and Beautiful, Kourtney knows what works and how to make it work for you. There's just one problem, Kourtney is graduating in a few months and she's not sure if the company offer is where she's meant to go. This on top of wrangling the large personalities on her team have made this season more stressful than anticipated.

Carlos Rodriguez - Out and Proud, Carlos tends to fill every room he's in. High class, high maintenance, the office Instagram Page looks good and Carlos would kill before letting someone else touch his baby. Carlos operates as the Student officer of Diversity, and previously spent two seasons as Miss Jenn's shadow. In a loving relationship with Seb from Building Events.

Ashlyn Caswell - as the name implies, Ash is also a legacy member, but while her cousin shines flexing his skills and seeing the sights in the field, Ashlyn much prefers the view from her desk. Surrounded by her chosen family, Ashlyn is a stable and reliable member of the team, even if she did get a rough start with Val. Now if only she didn't get stuck with the computer most prone to breakdown.

Dani Cantrall - Like Mack, Dani is a new select from the class runner ups. She has good instincts, and brings a respectable following right out the gate. But it's her abrasive personality and short temper that's going to put her to the test.

Former

Lily Keegan - Lily was once a promising addition to the marketing team, but quickly proved a toxic influence. Miss Jenn asked her to leave after her snapshot 'Autism in the Workplace' nearly got the team, and the company itself, in hot water with the press.

Building Events

Ricky Bowen - How Richard Bowen qualified for the student outreach program is still a mystery. Constantly late, and shamelessly careless, many outside observers have wondered how he's maintained his offer, let alone achieved Student Leader. But his work speaks for itself, dozens and dozens of successful events on the books. Ricky has a unique ability to get the many divisions to work together in harmony. Now if only he could manage to organize his life enough to ask out the superstar Saleswoman Gina.

Sebastian Matthews Smith - Strong and reliable, Seb's slowlife mentality makes him an asset in the whirlwind of the office. While not always the most intuitive, Seb is highly skilled at the routines of event set up and breakdown. Seb spends most breaks in the Marketing office with his partner Carlos.

Jet Curda-Lyles - Jet is new to the Building Events team. Low energy and snarky, Jet doesn't speak often, but makes sure he's heard when he does. Hired on with his sister, he can sometimes feel like he's living in the shadow of her savant gifts with technology. Some unknown drama with the siblings can make meeting tense, but both are first to defend each other. Spends breaks dozing in the lounge or sitting with his sister's service dog, JJ.

Tech Support

Maddox Curda-Lyles - Maddox has a gift, and can make any technology sing. Now if only she was so talented at communicating with people. JJ is Maddie's constant companion, providing support and protection from the outside world. Maddox has quickly risen up ranks and become the Student Leader. Rumor has it, the company is looking to scout her early into their ranks. Not that Maddie's noticed, she's got her eye on a certain Marketing Student, with unfortunate luck with computers.

Big Red Redonovich - While Maddox has a natural agility with tech, Biggie earned his way over several seasons. Sweet and gentle, Big Red is everyone's friend, though he does clash with the foreign exchange employee Antoine. Big Red and Ricky were scouted together, with some saying that Ricky only made it in due to Red refusing to leave him behind.

[mused-amused]

Jeff Buckley: Knowing Not Knowing

From Inside the Music: Conversations with Contemporary Musicians about Spirituality, Creativity, and Consciousness

©️ 1997 Dmitri Ehrlich

Early in the spring of 1997, singer and songwriter Jeff Buckley headed down to Memphis to begin pre-production on what would have been his second full-length album. A few weeks after Buckley arrived, his bandmates flew in from New York to join him. He was in high spirits: the songwriting was going well, and he was reunited with his group. The same night his band arrived Buckley went out for a late-night stroll to a Memphis harbor and waded into the river. He had always admired Led Zeppelin, and was singing "Whole Lotta Love" when a boat passed in front of him. He lost his footing, perhaps dragged into the water by the boat's wake, and was never seen alive again.

He was thirty years old, two years older than his father, the folksinger Tim Buckley, had been when he died of a drug overdose.

I first met Jeff Buckley and saw him perform about two years before he passed away. It was near midnight and Buckley was sitting in the back office of a Tower Records store in lower Manhattan. Buckley had become a scion of the Lower East Side antifolk scene, and was preparing for an in-store performance in support of his album Grace.

But first he needed to do something: he insisted on listening to a crackly old recording of "The Man That Got Away" by Judy Garland, on the pretext that he wanted the store manager, who had given the CD to Buckley, to un derstand how magnificent a gift it was. Buckley needed to demonstrate the album's beauty. He had also picked up gratis CD reissues of vintage Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone records, and two albums by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who had a major influence on Buckley's singing. While Buckley could occasionally summon the same kind of ecstatic vocal power that was Khan's trademark, his singing had more in common with Garland's delicate, vulnerable warble.

Buckley was an unglamorous star. That night he was wearing a wretched pair of weathered combat boots-the sort you occasionally see homeless men selling-a frumpy gray cardigan sweater, and jeans that hadn't been washed in a long time. Ditto his hair. In an oddly white-trash bit of accessorizing, Buckley's wallet was attached to his belt by a chain, in the style favored by motorcyde gangs. Three days of beard growth rounded out his anti-coif, but his sex appeal remained intact: a nervous girl approached to ask if, as she suspected, he was a Scorpio. Another pressed a poem she had written for him into his hand. He folded it carefully and put it in his pocket, as though he would cherish it forever. Maybe he did.

Buckley was at an odd moment in his career when he died. Having moved to New York several years before from California, where he was raised by his mother, he crawled his way up through the ranks of the insular lower Manhattan music scene. He had become a mini-star in that highly circumscribed microcosm, perched on the cusp of national and international success. That night at Tower Records the line between Lower East Side local hero and international stardom seemed pretty thin. On one hand, his debut album sold several hundred thousand copies (al-though more in Europe than in America), and there was & throng of photographers and autograph-seekers pressing around him. On the other hand, he wasn't above hauling his own gear onstage, more or less indistinguishable from the half dozen stringy-haired sound men and roadies who were putting the sound system in place.

Buckley had no video in heavy rotation on MTV, largely because he insisted that people judge the music on the way it sounded before supplying them with an accompanying image. For the same reason, he refused to even suggest a single to radio deejays. "What I'd love," Buckley said, "is if a deejay had a lineup of songs, and he'd just use one of my songs as part of a really nice evening. But that's the way I would deejay, not the way they do it. They usually have playlists."

For a guy with folksinging in his blood, Buckley had assembled an arsenal of prog-rock guitar effects you'd expect at an Emerson, Lake, and Palmer show and had set his amp at cat-spaying volume. (In fact, he had been raised on Led Zeppelin and Kiss.) Several dozen more stringy-haired people with assorted rings in their lips and noses (his fans) materialized. As he stepped onto the makeshift stage, a grumpy security guard began clearing some fans from a stairway, but Buckley interjected: "Wait! Those are my friends! Can they stay there? I give them special permission." What started as dispensation for four friends ended up being extended to anybody who wanted to stay.

The set began with a ghostly wail from Buckley, and a mildly Middle Eastern guitar line. He sang with a vibrato that quivered like the tongue of a snake. It was so atmospheric that you hardly realized his bandmates were rocking their tits off. That was the tension: Buckley ululating in sensual falsetto, the band churning out mid-seventies Led Zep knockoffs. He seemed a strangely ethereal cherub in the midst of all that visceral thrash.

After the show, Buckley signed autographs, taking several minutes with the thirty or so fans who lined up for an audience with the tousle-haired singer. Rather than just scribbling an autograph, he wrote a personal note to each person. Everything he did seemed to place poetry before commerce, but I couldn't help wondering if it was all an elaborate ruse, a crafty stance aimed at those disenchanted wich the slickness of pop posturing. Didn't Buckley, after all, want to make a lot of money and sell records?

"If it happens it'd be great," he said later that night, over omelettes and wine at an all-night eatery, "but we just play to express. I want to live my life playing music, so that we can be immersed in it. In order to learn how deep it goes, you have to be in it."

As to why he took so much time with each of the fans who asked for an autograph, Buckley articulated his basic anti-rock-star stance: "The way I experience a performance is that there's an exchange going on. It's not just my ego being fed. It's thoughts and feelings. Raw expression has its own knowledge and wisdom." He trailed off, as though humbled by the mere thought of his audience wanting to hear him play, or asking him for an autograph.

"I’ve been in their position before and all I wanted was to show my appreciation to the performer. So I feel like it's kind of generous of them to even be asking me for an auto-graph.

"It's true that there's also the people who want a piece of you," he conceded. "But it's pretty hard to keep feeling protective all the time, because there's really nothing to protect yourself against. Sometimes people shout at me on the street, and they feel they know me through my music. But that doesn't substitute for a real personal rela-tionship. I don't feel like people know me, I just think we share a love for music in common, and for some reason they key into the way I play. I feel appreciative when people come up to me, and I feel good when we connect. Usually, it serves as a nice comedown after a performance. Any other conduct would bust the groove, because I'm buzzing when I get offstage, and I'm consciously protecting that connection because that's what got me through the performance in the first place. It's an invocation and worship of this certain feeling, this direct line to your heart, and somehow music does that more powerfully than anything else. It's like a total, immediate elixir."

By all appearances Buckley conformed to the stereotype of the poetic artist: largely lacking the practical, thick-skinned psychic barrier that separates most of us from the harsh realities of life. With a rabbit-like nervous disposition and a hypersensitive vulnerability that bordered on tragicomic, he looked like he was about to burst into tears at any moment. His face was contorted and slightly tortured-looking during most of the interview, though I got the impression that it wasn't so much the experience of being interviewed that was torturing him but the pain of grappling with his own thoughts and the world around him.

Relationships were at the heart of Buckley's world.

Although he was marketed as a solo artist, the attitude he had toward his listeners mirrored the relationship he formed with his three-piece backing band. "Playing with a band is all about accepting a bond, accepting everything the way it is. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of taking chances with each other. It takes seeing each other in weak and strong lights, and accepting both, and utilizing the high and low points of your relationship."

It wasn't only interpersonal relationships that Buck-Ley held sacred - he was aware of making his music in relation to all the sounds around him. The environment was Buckley's co-composer: to his ears, no melody or rhythm was separate from the sounds going on in the background.

“It’s not like music begins or ends. All kinds of sounds are working into each other. Sometimes I'll just stop on the street because there's a sequence of sirens going on; it's like a melody I'll never hear again. In performance, things can be meaningful or frivolous, but either way the musical experience is totally spontaneous, and new life comes out of it, meaning if you're open to hearing the way music interacts with ambient sound, performance never feels like a rote experience. It's pretty special sometimes, the way a song affects a room, the way you're in complete rhythm with the song. When you're emotionally overcome, and there's no filter between what you say and what you mean, your language becomes guttural, simple, emotional, and full of pictures and clarity. Were you to transcribe it, it might not make sense, but music is a totally different language."

"People talk all day in a practical way, but real language that penetrates and affects people and carries wisdom is something different. Maybe it's the middle of the afternoon and you see a child's moon up in the sky, and you feel like it's such a simple, pure, wonderful thing to look at. It just hits you in a certain way, and you point it out to a stranger, and he looks at you like you're weird and walks away. To speak that way, to point out a child's moon to a stranger, is original language, it's the way you originate yourself. And the cool thing is, if you catch people in the right moment, it's totally clear. Without knowing why, it's simply clear. That sort of connection is very empirical.

It comes from the part of you that just understands imme-diately. All these types of things are gold, and yet they are dishonored or not paid attention to because that kind of tender communication is so alien in our culture, except in performance. There's a wall up between people all day long, but performance transcends that convention. If pop music were really seen as a fine art or if fine art were popu-lar, I don't know what the hell would happen this wouldn't be the same country, because if the masses of people began to respect and really open to fine art, it would bring about a huge shift in consciousness.

"Music is so many things. It's not just the perfor-mer. It's the audience and the architecture of the song, and each builds off the other. Music is a setting for poi-gnancy, anger, destruction, total disaster, total wrongness, and then—like a little speck of gold in the middle of it-excitement, but excitement in a way that matters. Excitement that is not just aesthetically pleasing but shoots some sort of understanding into you."

Buckley's songs were composed with made-up chords, bright harmonic clusters that seem too obvious not to have been written before, yet they rarely feel formulaic. There's a lot of open strumming, suggesting that the songs were written largely for the sheer physical pleasure of playing them. He and his band modified the arrangements during each performance, playing with an elasticity and openness typical of Buckley's personality. "Hearing a song is like meeting somebody. A song is something that took time to grow and once it's there, it's on its own. Every time you perform it, it's different. It has its own structure, and you have to flow through it, and it has to come through you."

Buckley's entire career reflected his outsider's approach to the music business. When he arrived in New York, rather than recording a demo or finding an agent, he simply began to perform for free. He played at a small café on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, and before long, crowds were lined up out the door. As a result, representatives of record companies sought out Buckley, rather than the other way around. "There is a distinct separation of sensibility between art as commerce and art as a way of life. If you buy into one too heavily it eats up the other. If instead of having songs happen as your life happens, you're getting a song together because you need a certain number of songs on a release to be sold, the juice is sucked out immediately. That approach kills it."

Still, it took a strong belief in one's art to sit in a small café and trust that the world's record companies would come calling. Buckley played down his seemingly effortless approach to career as though it were common-sense. "I just wanted to learn certain things. I wanted to just explore, like a kid with crayons. It took a while for me to get a record contract, but it also took a tremendous amount of time for me to feel comfortable playing, and that's all I was concerned with. And I'm still concerned with that, mainly.”

"I don't think about my responsibility as a musician in terms of any kind of religious significance. I don't have any allegiance to organized religion; I have an allegiance to the gifts that I find for myself in those religions.

They seem to be saying the same thing, they just have different mythologies and expressions, but the dogma of religions and the way they're misused is all too much of a trap. I'd rather be nondenominational, except for music. I prefer to learn everything through music. If you want divinity, the music in every human being and their love for music is pretty much it. It's the big indication of their spirituality and their ability to love and make love, or feel pain or joy, and really manifest it, really be real. But I don't believe in a big guy with a beard on a throne, telling us that we're bad; I certainly don't believe in original sin. I believe in the opposite of that: you have an Eden immediately from the time you are born, but as you are conditioned by your caretakers and your surroundings, you may lose that origi nal thing. Your task is to get back to it, so you can dam responsibility for your own perfection."

Buckley considered the development of awareness to be the main goal of his life. "I think of it as trying to get more aligned with the feeling of purity in music, however it sounds. I think music is prayer. Sometimes people make up prayers and they don't even know it. They just make up a song that has rhyme and meter, and once it's made, it can carry on a life of its own. It can have a lot of juice to it and a lot of meaning: there's no end to the different individual flavors that people can bring to the musical form.

"In order to make the music actual, you have to enable it to be. And that takes facing some things inside you that constrict you, your own impurity and mistakes and blockages. As you open up yourself, the music opens up in different directions that lead you in yet other directions." Asking most pop musicians if they're satisfied with record sales is like asking models about the aging process: they say they don't care, but it's hard to believe. For commercial recording artists, sales are the only objective indicator of whether they're doing things right—that fans are sincerely motivated to walk into record stores by the tens or by the millions, pull out their wallets, and pay for the music. But with his quiet, unaffected voice nearly a whis-per, Buckley steadfastly maintained that he really didn't want to sell a million records and it was strangely believ-able. When he talked about multiplatinum-selling bands who felt "disappointed" by a mere five million copies sold, the disgust he felt for commercialism was palpable. "The only valuable thing about selling records, the only thing that matters, is that people connect and that you keep on growing. You do make choices based on how many people you reach, meaning, now that I have a relationship with stangers worldwide, I have to try not to let it become too much of a factor and just accept it. The limited success we've had in the past is definitely a factor, it's just there. It justis. The whole thing is such a crapshoot, you can't really control what your appeal is gonna be. My music ain't gonna make it into the malls, but it doesn't matter. I don't really care to make it into the malls.

"Whether I sell a lot of records or not isn't up to me. You can sell a lot of records, but that's just a number sold-that's not understood, or loved, or cherished.”

"Take someone like Michael Jackson. Early on he sacrificed himself to his need to be loved by all. His talent and his power were so great that he got what he wanted but he also got a direct, negative result, which is that he's not able to grow into an adult human being. And that's why his music sounds sort of empty and weird.”

"Being the kind of person I am, fame is really over-whelming. First of all, just being faced with the questions that everybody faces: Do I matter? Should I go on? Why am I here? Is this really that important? All that low self-esteem shit. You're constantly trying to make sure that your sense of self-worth doesn't depend on the writings or opinions of other people. You have to wean yourself off acclaim as the object of your work, by learning to depend on your own judgment and knowing what it is that you enjoy. You have to realize what the difference is between being adored and being loved and understood. Big difference.”

“I don’t really have super pointed answers to the big questions. I’m in the middle of a mystery myself. I’m not even that developed at having a real psycho-religious epistemology about what I feel. All I can tell you is that I feel. It's just the same old fight to constantly be aware. It's an ongoing thing. It'll never be a static perfect thing or a static mediocre thing, it just has its rise and fall."

Pics from the book. Amazing that Jeff is in the same section as Allen Ginsberg and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He would have been so honored.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from the LA Times:

As visitors to a bustling park in northeast Los Angeles shot hoops, scrambled up play equipment and lounged in manicured grass, an endangered songbird covertly — but not quietly — did his part to stave off extinction.

The least Bell’s vireo, a small, mostly gray songbird, was on the verge of nesting in Rio de Los Angeles State Park, a green respite that supplanted an abandoned railyard along the L.A. River. The bird with a wingspan of just seven inches was singing passionately, an act that marked its territory as breeding season picked up in mid-March. Its song rings out like a clinking question-and-answer: “Cheedle-cheedle-chee? Cheedle-cheedle-chew!”

“It’s persistent. It’s a survivor,” said Nicolas Gonzalez, senior communications manager for migration science at the National Audubon Society, an avian conservation nonprofit, who helped identify the bird as it flitted between trees, blending into the muted spring sky.

Bird boosters, meanwhile, were hustling to get the grounds in order.

Evelyn “Evy” Serrano enthusiastically instructed two volunteers at Rio de Los Angeles, which is in the Glassell Park neighborhood, on how to create what looked like moats of soil around fledgling native plants. Serrano, director of the Audubon Center at Debs Park, another urban oasis, explained that the berms would funnel water to the mule fat, black sage, golden currant, sycamore trees and other native foliage the least Bell’s vireo needs to thrive. Certain plants provide cover and nest materials, while others attract yummy insects.

So far, the literal dirty work seems to be paying off. A lone least Bell’s vireo was documented at the park when the habitat restoration effort targeting the species began about two years ago, Serrano said. Within a year, there were four — two nesting pairs. Last year, they counted three fledglings.

“Sometimes it takes a really long time to see the change,” Serrano said. “It was really nice to see it happen so quickly.”

Stakeholders see the migratory birds’ rebound in the park and surrounding areas as a testament to what can happen when people come together to make positive change and natural environments are supported. It also suggests that people can live in harmony with nature — even in highly urbanized areas.

But significant legwork preceded the recent local triumph, and what can be seen as historic missteps were walked back. Meanwhile, there are new and old threats.

Once abundant in California’s riverside woodlands, the silver-tongued, whitish-bellied least Bell’s vireo vanished from most of its range by the 1980s, remaining only in Southern California and northern Baja California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. (The birds are the smallest of four subspecies of Bell’s vireo.)

The ranks plummeted amid the extensive loss of their preferred riparian habitat. Dams went up and wetlands were drained, people encroached on wildlands, and agriculture expanded. In 1999, The Times reported that California had lost 97% of its riparian woodlands, more than any other state. Parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds, which lay eggs in vireo nests, contributed to the decline.California listed the bird as endangered in 1980, and federal officials followed suit in 1986.

[puella-peanut]

Teenage tramp Daniel has the hots for handyman Kreese lmao. Thots?

Gorgeous, seventeen year old neighborhood tramp Daniel LaRusso is…mad. Big Mad to be exact. 

It’s all because his attempts at seducing the local, rugged, handsome neighborhood handyman have…fallen flat. Failed to lift off. Closed on opening night. Houston, we have a problem, and his name is John Kreese. 

Thing is, Daniel’s gone all out. Taken out all the big guns. Brought out the big, flashy, show-stopping numbers. He’s been coy, coquettish. An innocent and not-so-innocent tease. Sweet and shy. Sassy and spunky. A bonafide ingenue to the Lolita of the Valley, and all around the block and back again! 

Jeeze, he’s never worked this hard for a lay in his life!

See now—he’s worn his tiny band crop tops. His tiny tank-tops cut to show plump, caramel nipples. His even tinier, cut off jean-shorts that hardly leave anything to the imagination. 

He’s boosted himself up on the front of John’s battered Ford pickup, just to criss-cross those long, bare, coltish legs of his. Straddled (and stolen) ladders John’s been using while he works, to display parted, slender thighs. (And show off how limber he is. How…flexible.) Reached up to grab at nothing on his toes to show off a waist so small and trim that a pair of (large, callused, rough) masculine hands could span oh-so-easily. He’s bent himself over convenient surfaces—countertops, couches, tables, wobbly banisters and kiddie coloring tables for crying out loud!—to show off his sweet, juicy ass. The lush cheeks that spill out. The roundness of it all. 

He’s brushed up against John, sat touching him knee-to-knee, fallen across him “accidentally”, faked a sprained ankle in the hopes of a bridal-carry, and still—still goddammit!!—John hasn’t paid him any attention!! Not the slightest bit. 

All Daniel has gotten in return is: ‘Hey, you’re in my way.’ To, ‘Put some clothes on, Prima Donna, it’s January, and your sneezing is unhygienic.’ And even a, ‘Join the Service, kid. That’ll whip some sense into you.’

Ugh. 

Ugh. Ugh. Ughhhh. 

…Why, by this time with his other conquests, he’d gotten railed twice over! All stupid, annoying, teenage boys; simple schoolboy, after-school flings to pass the time. Like that total brain-dead bimbo Johnny, or violent karate bad-boy Mike. To foreign exchange student Chozen, followed by future sociopath Dutch. A real slick wannabe named Ponytail got him next, then sweet preacher’s boy Bobby. Jimmy and Tommy had tag teamed him after, and then finally that dorky piano nerd, rich-boy Twig (he’d gotten real maid service, a night in a mansion, and breakfast in bed for that one!). Between all of them, Daniel had gotten laid in six months more than some people did in an entire year! Lifetime even! Yeah, yeah, the lays themselves didn’t rank too high on the scale of one to ten (some far lower than others!)—but a fucking was a fucking, and he had been sixteen and desperately horny. Besides it had been summer, and California had made it too hot to be too fussy. 

…Except that now he is, because there is something about this Kreese that gets him all hot and bothered. Something about those sinewy, hairy, muscular arms. That solid, sturdy body. The heavy booted footsteps. The worn jeans and faded flannel. The fluffy, sandy hair (and matching, coarse stubble). The hairy, broad, hard chest. The squareness of his jaw, the strapping height. The surprising brightness of his blue eyes. The sudden, rare smiles. The fact that he is older, is an adult. A full grown man. That he can do anything to Daniel, and, smitten boy that he is, he’d let him. 

Yeah, Daniel wants him like one would want a cool drink on a hot day. He has it bad. But things have to get worse before they get better, right? And all fevers must run their course. 

And boy, what a fever this is!

(And may he never recover!)

…

Meanwhile, our John has indeed been stoic in the little tease’s presence—but, thing is, the moment he’s alone, tucked away safe in his bed or in the shower or even that one time in his kitchen for fuck’s sake—John has spent nearly every spare minute in his day jacking off furiously. Getting his sheets, tiles—even kitchen countertop—all sticky with jizz like he was fifteen again, and had seen a pair of breasts for the first time in a dirty magazine. (But those thoughts of his former teenage fantasies have nothing on the centerfold that is LaRusso.)

And, damn it, he spends far too much of his day dreaming about that full, red mouth. The glossy, floppy hair. Those long-lashed big brown eyes. The perky brown nipples, the slightest swell of the soft chest on that tiny, fragile body. The endless, shapely legs. The endless, tan skin. The endless smoothness of it. The curve of that plump ass. The bounce it had, the little tormenting jiggle when the boy walked with a spring in his step. The sweet little puckered cunt hidden between those slim thighs. How it would drip and spill and gush out all that John has to give the little shit. Is dying to. 

Oh, John’s got a calendar counting down the days until the boy is legal, until he’s all of eighteen and the law can’t save him—and then John’s gonna fuck him into submission, rail him into obedience. Pound that tight, juicy, boypussy raw until LaRusso can’t think for how good John’s giving it to him. 

And then he’s gonna make the little shit his, because fuck it all—the little Italian brat has made him fall for his charms big time.

Only a matter of time kid, John thinks later, watching the boy work his bag of tricks with a stoic, calm expression. Though he all but grins (inwardly) when the boy fumes in frustration at his non-reaction.

Just you wait, Prima Donna, John promises.

You’re mine. 

[delafiseaseses]

We set up here with our sights set on annexing New Vegas. That's a lot of resources that could do a lot of good for us. But that hasn't happened. If anything, they annexed us. They rake in the profits from our soldiers and we're stuck protecting them from the Legion. Not exactly the plan.

-Colonel James Hsu

Y'know, of the top brass of the NCR Military we meet, Hsu is the least objectionable. He's the nicest and most competent of them.

That doesn't mean he's not, as this quote clearly shows, an imperialist bastard.

One of the main good things about the NCR's occupation of the Mojave is that they defend it from the Legion (there's other good things, but this one is the easiest to point to). However, as Hsu says, that wasn't the plan or their motive. The plan was to come in and take over and the motive was to extract resources from the Mojave for New California. Hsu describes Vegas 'annexing the NCR' as a bad thing. He knows getting annexed is bad, but he also freely admits he and the NCR wanted to do it.

I don't actually think he understands how he sounds when he says stuff like that. The NCR playact America, as the Legion playact the Roman Empire, that includes the Exceptionalism. Of course the NCR deserves those resources (rather than the locals). Of course that would be good because it'd help us.

As I said, James Hsu is the nicest of the NCR's top brass, my favourite of the high-ranking NCR military, and that's a condemnation of the NCR as much as a compliment to Hsu.

[crevanille]

Just Some Random Thoughts....

You ever have those days where seeing/hearing/reading one thing leads you down the rabbit hole of a million and one other thoughts that, no matter what you do, won't leave?

Yeah, that was me these last couple of days.

I won't go into too much detail seeing as I'm both not sure how interesting philosophy is to other people and all this is more off the cuff than any structured discourse on my part.

But, basically, the gist of it comes down to things like....

'If we haven't succeeded in fully normalizing things like gender and race equality yet, then I'm not at all surprised we haven't that we are getting push back on things like LGBTQ+ or trans right'.... to say nothing of consang relationships between consenting adults or anyone further afield of that.

I mean, it's easy to talk about 'freedom and equality for all', 'universal human rights' or 'free speech', but...

I honestly don't think we value those things as a species nearly as highly as we claim to.

For example, in the UK, even though there's no general 'right to free speech' in British law, the right to 'freely express yourself' is protected, at least since 1998. Kinda crazy to me growing up here in the US, but then... looking into a little more, a lot of the censorship can and will be deployed in the name of the 'public good'. You can imagine the number of loophole abuse scenarios that can come up with vague logic like 'corrupting public morals/peace' and all that but there you go. Of course, you also have cases like the race related stuff going on with the anti-immigration riots rocking the country since earlier this month and the disinformation about the suspect who committed the attack that sparked them, which itself was more of a symptom of some way bigger underlying issues... but my point is, you do have instances where censorship tactics have sound reasoning, at least on the surface and in specific cases...

The major questions then, I think, would be, 'In what circumstances, specifically, and in what way?'

Again, loophole abuse abounds, like the UK police cracking down on more than they should as far as what I would consider 'free speech' as an American. But again, the UK doesn't actually have free speech rights.

All that being said, and even though there are cases where censorship is deployed, it ranks 23 out of 180 countries according data collected by 'Reporters Without Borders'.

Contrast that with here in the US where the freedom of speech is legally protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution and even ranking in the top 10 for countries whose citizens value free speech (at around 78 according to the the free speech index, iirc).

However, free speech here in the US has always been a slippery slope.

For one, you have the fact that, up until just after and even to this day to some degree, the concept of 'protected free speech' only really applied to anything passed by federal/national law, which meant that local and state laws were free to censor the crap out of you if they so wished. Of course, these attitudes changed after the Civil War where any form of governmental censorship was looked at with more scrutiny. Of course, I'd argue that Americans more generally don't really trust the government to begin with and never really have.

But I digress.

So, more recent cases of heavy censorship include the so called 'Red Scare' of the 1950's to pretty much any moral panic movement in the history of ever where slogans like 'think of the kids' comes to mind.

This is best exemplified in the 1973 Supreme Court case of 'Miller v. California' which ruled the First Amendment does 'not' protect speech/expressions that could be considered 'obscene'.

Not only that, but free speech protections do not extend to corporations, just those under the law. So yeah, say you have a view that supports Palestine(NOT Hamas. I really hate that people conflate the two) or expresses views that criticize the Israeli government and those views gets known... Censorship out the ass and you could very well lose your job.

So, even though we in the US rank high on lists that value free speech and have said rights protected under the law... in practice, we do a crappier job about upholding those values than a country that has no such rights in their law code.... ranking at 55 out of 180 countries in the same 2024 'Reporters Without Borders' index.

More recent examples include the Pro-Palestine protests at the DNC and the recent rejection to even allow a Palestinian-American to speak at the DNC even though they let the family member of one of the hostages Hamas too... giving only hte Israeli perspective on the issue.

My points here, are just like in the case of the 'Red Scare' of the 50's and the obvious loophole abuse of precedents like 'Miller v. California' where you can just call something obscene and therefore censor it with some nice sounding but logically fragile reasoning, then it's no wonder we haven't moved very far on the path to normalizing things that really should have been non-issues literally hundreds of years ago seeing as gay, trans, and consang relationships have been around for as long as human civilization has.

Even worse is the tendency to pendulum on some of these issues... Periods of time where such behavior was seen as unequivocally 'normal'.

If anything, we've swung too far in the other direction where the only real and 'acceptable' response is to react negatively.... which is not helped by our collective tendency to be reactive rather than proactive.

... And that's not even getting into stuff like 'human rights'.

Anyway, sorry. I just... had some thoughts and this is where they took me and I didn't want them stuck in my head....

[thbishop]

( robert pattinson, cismale, he/him ) THEODORE BISHOP the THIRTY-SEVEN year old is said to remind people of THE SMOOTH CARESS OF EXPENSIVE LEATHER AND THE UNSETTLING FEELING OF BEING KNOWN. they are known to be CHARMING and METICULOUS which makes sense when you think about how they are HEAD OF HEIST OPS in THE SYNDICATE. written by taylor.

[ thefallhq ] ☓ [ pinterest ] ☓ [ interactions ] 

&. BASICS

full name: theodore henry bishop

nicknames: bishop, theo 

age / D.O.B.: 37 / 18.05.1987

sexuality: heterosexual

place of birth: barnes, london, uk

gender: cismale

current location: brooklyn, nyc

&. MORE BASIC INFO

accent: british, specifically central london though it has dulled slightly over the years

languages: english, french, some italian

education: ba in psychology, philosophy and linguistics from oxford university

occupation: head of heist ops for the syndicate

transportation: a forest green 1976 porsche 911 (930)

tattoos: his mother’s initials on his left wrist 

drinks, smokes, & drugs: yes, yes, no

&. PERSONALITY

zodiac sign: taurus

mbti: intp 

likes: literature, classic rock

dislikes: loud chewing, invasive questions

bad habits: tearing labels off bottles, swearing

secret talent: playing the piano

hobbies: cooking, going for late night runs, collecting old vinyls

fears: monotony, true indifference 

five positive traits: charming, protective, adaptable, determined, introspective 

five negative traits: meticulous (bordering on perfectionistic), escapist, guarded, conflicted, competitive

&. BACKGROUND

tw: familial death

Theodore Bishop has always been lost. A  wanderer, it was his restless feet that carried him to a lakefront in the summer of ‘94. It was a sweltering day, the bank was crowded, yet when no one cared to spare the gasping pleas of a boy caught in the swell, Theo was there. His first and last act of heroism, as he now sardonically recalls it.

Celeste Bishop, a single mother who worked as a waitress at the local pub, raised him in a tiny cottage on the Thames. She coddled him and in turn fostered a soft, gentle spirit that he carried with him after her death when he was ten. His memories of her and their humble dwellings comforted him through the ensuing years of instability, as he was tossed between aunts and uncles who never wanted him. A lanky boy with a crooked smile and quiet demeanor, there was never one defining moment that set the pace for his life. However, perhaps being expelled from elementary school for shoplifting adult magazines was a sign.

Unlike his more outspoken cousins, he found himself in books and football, his agility earning him a striking position on his secondary school’s squad. Still, he never quite connected with the other boys, impossibly pragmatic on the pitch and disinterested in socializing afterward. Theo was an observer and an impossibly sensitive one at that.

But his mother was dead and the world was unkind, a truth he learned in the form of an ACL tear which put an end to hopes of a university playing career. Instead, he pursued linguistics, psychology, and philosophy.

Upon graduation, he moved to California to live with his cousin. The other man was one of the few members of their family who understood him, who was raised far from the dreary English shores and didn’t tease him for his introspective nature.

Anthony introduced Theo to a faster-paced lifestyle, one that would put his skills to good use. He started small at first, assisting with heists and observing the movements of local luxury store owners. His eye for detail endeared him to The Syndicate, and he moved up their ranks swiftly, finally able to abandon the anxious, adrift boy he had once been. It was a lucrative career and he drank it in for all it was worth. When they announced the move to New York, he was the first on the plane.

Theodore, or Bishop as he came to be known amongst the gang, made it his business to learn Brooklyn as well as the back of his hand, liaising with the other gangs when his boss asked it of him. His clinical precision and disarming demeanor made him an asset, as he was able to charm his way into the best jewelry shops in the city without anyone batting an eye. After all, who would suspect a well-dressed, high-paying client to be the one casing the joint? The trick was in the timing — a visit a few weeks in advance, planting bugs in all the blind spots to allow for distant observation, and the perfect heist was born. 

Theodore grew jaded in the same way he resurfaced with the drowning boy all those years ago. Slowly drawing towards the surface and then breaching, disturbing the stillness of the surface in far-reaching ripples. The weight of being a pragmatic taskmaster wore on him, and the loneliness he shrugged away began to catch up. He could see the ripples of their actions, the disasters the Syndicate didn’t see fit to tamper with; the works of their ‘allies’, the lives they didn’t see worthy of saving. Murder was an entirely different blood sport than stealing already-pilfered diamonds, and it left a sour taste in his mouth.

When news of the Blackwell girl’s death reached the media, Theodore kept his opinions to himself. A well-connected family had lost a daughter, and he’d long since grown indifferent to the moves of the wealthy. After all, his own wealth came from exploiting the system that kept them rich — corruption. Regardless, his mother’s memory tugs at the corners of his mind, reminding him of the gentle boy he once was. And who is he to decide which parts of himself should die, permanently erased from the annals of his memory?

bold which habits your muse has

nail biting | throat clearing | lying | interrupting | chewing the ends of pens | smoking | swearing | knuckle cracking | thumb sucking | muttering under their breath | talking to themselves | nose picking | binge drinking | oversleeping | snacking between meals | skipping meals | picking at skin | impulse buying | talking with their mouth full | humming/singing to themselves | chewing gum | leg jiggling | foot tapping | hair twirling | whistling | eye rolling | licking lips | sniffing | squinting | rubbing hands together | jaw clenching | gesturing while talking | putting feet up on tables | tucking hair behind ears | chewing lips | crossing arms over chest | putting hands on hips | rubbing the back of their neck | being late | procrastinating | doodling | shredding paper | peeling off bottle labels | forgetfulness | running hands through hair | overreacting | teeth grinding | nostril flaring | slouching | pacing | drumming fingers | fist clenching | pinching bridge of nose | rubbing temples | rolling shoulders

&. HEADCANNONS

he prefers to go by theo, but in gang matters is officially introduced as theodore. it's somewhat of a defensive technique, and he tends to wait until he’s gotten to know someone before correcting them. one more way to keep his new life from interacting with the old

theo has a burn scar on his left forearm from his most recent operation. it’s the first time a sizable vestige of an operation has marred his skin, and he doesn’t quite know what to make of it. he’s grown accustomed to doing the job that’s asked of him without question and putting it out of his mind shortly thereafter; this time… the memory lingers and he can’t help but wonder what he was doing there in the first place

it’s tortured nights in luxurious hotel rooms, desperate for home but knowing there’s none to return to. it’s a breathy laugh that doesn’t quite reach steely blue eyes, a sarcastic quip to deflect, deflect, deflect. it’s waking too early to watch fuscia rays inject an inky black sky, shirt clinging too tightly to a sweat-slicked back. it’s trading glances across a crowded room, feet rooted firmly in place because duty depends on it. it’s the dull ache of a possibility unrealized, the tick of a watch sweeping across a million-dollar face, jewels ripe for the taking. it’s realizing that you’re on a chess board… and deciding to be the bishop

[whatisonthemoon]

Ten Years After Jonestown, the Battle Intensifies Over the Influence of ‘Alternative’ Religions (1988)

by Bob Sipchen - November 17, 1988 - Los Angeles Times

Eldridge Broussard Jr.’s face screwed into a grimace of such anger and pain that the unflappable Oprah Winfrey seemed unnerved. It hurts to be branded “the new Jimmy Jones” by a society eager to condemn what it doesn’t understand, the founder of the Ecclesia Athletic Assn. lamented on TV just a few days after his 8-year-old daughter had been beaten to death, apparently by Ecclesia members.

At issue were complex questions of whether the group he had formed to instill discipline in ghetto youth, and led from Watts to Oregon, had evolved into a dangerous cult. But Broussard couldn’t have found a less sympathetic audience than the group gathered around the TV in the bar of the Portland Holiday Inn.

There last month for the annual conference of the Chicago-based Cult Awareness Network were people whose kin had crumpled onto the body heaps at Jonestown, Guyana, 10 years ago, and people who believed they or family members had lost not their lives, but good chunks of them, to gurus and avatars less infamous but no less evil than Jim Jones.

One group’s cult is another’s “new religious movement,” though, and in the 10 years since Jonestown, a heated holy war of sorts has been mounting over the issues of how to define and contend with so-called cults.

The battle lines aren’t always well defined. Ongoing guerrilla actions between those who see themselves as crusaders against potential Jonestowns and those who see themselves as the persecuted members of outcast religious groups comprise the shifting legal and political fronts. On the outskirts of the ideological battleground is another loosely knit force that sees itself as the defender of a First Amendment besieged by vigilantes all too eager to kiss off the Constitution as they quash beliefs that don’t fit their narrow-minded criteria of what’s good and real. As one often-quoted definition has it: “A cult is a religion someone I don’t like belongs to.”

“It’s spiritual McCarthyism,” Lowell D. Streiker, a Northern California counselor, said of the cult awareness cause. To him, “the anti-cult network” is itself as a “cult of persecution,” cut from the same cloth as Colonial witch hunters and the Ku Klux Klan.

The key anti-cult groups, by most accounts, are CAN, a secular nondenominational group of 30 local affiliates; the Massachusetts-based American Family Foundation; the Interfaith Coalition of Concern About Cults and the Jewish Federation Council’s Commission on Cults and Missionaries.

Although they contend that their ranks continue to fill with the victims of cults or angry family members, they concede that the most significant rallying point came in the fall of 1978 when the leader of one alleged cult put a rattlesnake in an enemy’s mailbox and another led 912 people to their deaths.

Even though nothing so dramatic has happened since, cults have quietly been making inroads into the fabric of mainstream American life, and the effects are potentially as serious as the deaths at Jonestown, cult critics say.

With increased wealth and public relations acumen--with members clothed by Brooks Brothers rather than in saffron sheets--the 1,000 or more new cults that some estimate have sprung up in America since the ‘60s have become “a growth industry which is diversifying,” said Dr. Louis Jolyon West, director of UCLA’s Neuropsychiatric Institute. “They have made steady progress on all fronts.”

Uglier Connotations

In the broadest sense, Webster defines a cult as simply “a system of religious worship or ritual.” Even before Jonestown, though, the word had taken on broader and uglier connotations.

To make a distinction, critics use the term destructive cult, or totalist cult. The issue, they say, pivots on the methods groups use to recruit and hold together followers.

CAN describes a destructive cult as one that “uses systematic, manipulative techniques of thought reform or mind control to obtain followers and constrict their thoughts and actions. These techniques are imposed without the person’s knowledge and produce observable changes in the individual’s autonomy, thoughts and actions. . . .”

A 1985 conference on cults co-sponsored by the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute and the American Family Federation came up with this definition:

“A group or movement exhibiting a great or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea, or thing and employing unethically manipulative techniques of persuasion and control . . . designed to advance the goals of the group’s leaders, to the actual or possible detriment of members, their families, or the community.”

The “manipulative techniques” in question are what cult critics call mind control or brainwashing.

To critics of the critics, on the other hand, brainwashing amounts to hooey.

And both sides say the weight of evidence is on their side.

New Beliefs, Personalities

Cult critics often point to classic surveys on brainwashing, which catalogue methods which they say are routinely used by cults of every color, religious and secular, to manipulate unsuspecting people into adopting new beliefs, and often, in effect, new personalities.

Among the techniques are constant repetition of doctrine; application of intense peer pressure; manipulation of diet so that critical faculties are adversely affected; deprivation of sleep; lack of privacy and time for reflection; cutting ties with the recruits’ past life; reduction of outside stimulation and influences; skillful use of ritual to heighten mystical experience; and invention of a new vocabulary which narrows the range of experience and constructs a new reality for cult members.

Margaret Singer, a former professor of psychology at UC Berkeley, describes psychological problems that have been attributed to cultic experiences, ranging from the despair that comes from having suddenly abandoned ones previous values, norms and ideals to types of “induced psychopathy.” Other psychologists and lay observers list similar mental and emotional problems linked to the indoctrination and rituals of cults.

Sociologist Dick Anthony, author of the book “Spiritual Choices,” and former director of the UC Berkeley-affiliated Center for the Study of New Religions, argues the exact opposite position.

“There’s a large research literature published in mainstream journals on the mental health effects of new religions,” he said. “For the most part the effects seem to be positive in any way that’s measurable.”

He and other defenders of new religions discount so-called mind control techniques, or believe the term has been misappropriated by anti-cult activists.

“Coercive Persuasion is a bombastic redescription of familiar forms of influence which occur everyday and everywhere,” said Streiker. “Someone being converted to a demanding religious movement is no more or less brainwashed than children being exposed to commercials during kiddy programs which encourage them to eat empty calories or buy expensive toys.”

“An attempt to persuade someone of something is a process protected by our country’s First Amendment right of free speech and communication,” said attorney Jeremiah Gutman head of the New York City branch of the American Civil Liberties Union and an outspoken critic of the anti-cult groups. “What one person believes to be an irrefutable and obvious truth is someone else’s errant nonsense.”

‘Fraud and Manipulation’

But anti-cult spokespeople say they have no interest in a group’s beliefs. Their concern is when destructive cults use “fraud and manipulation,” to get people to arrive at those beliefs, whatever they may be. Because people are unaware of the issues, though, cults have insinuated themselves into areas of American life where they are influencing people who may not even know where the influence is coming from, they contend.

The political arena is the obvious example, anti-cult activists say.

Followers of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh had a major impact on the small town government of Antelope, Ore., and Jim Jones had managed to thrust himself and his church into the most respectable Democratic party circles in San Francisco before the exodus to Guyana, for instance.

But recently the process has expanded, with the Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s Unification Church the leading example of a cult that is quietly gaining political clout, they say.

“What Jim Jones did to Democrats in San Francisco, Sun Myung Moon is doing to Republicans all across country now,” Kisser said.

Moon’s most obvious stab at mainstream legitimacy, critics say, was his purchase in 1982 of the Washington Times, a D.C. daily newspaper, and his financial nurturing of the paper’s magazine Insight--both of which have an official policy of complete editorial independence from the church.

In September, 1987, the conservative American Spectator magazine published an article titled “Can Buy Me Love: The Mooning of Conservative America,” in which managing editor Andrew Ferguson questioned the way the political right is lapping up Moon money, citing, among many examples, the $500,000 or more the late Terry Dolan’s National Conservative Alliance accepted in 1984. When the church got wind of the article, the Spectator received a call from the executive director of the Unification Church’s World Media Assn. warning that if it ran, the Times “would strike back and strike back severely,” Ferguson wrote in an addendum to the piece.

‘Everyone Speaks Korean’

Therapist Steven Hassan, a former “Moonie” and the author of the just-released book “Combatting Cult Mind Control,” estimates that the church now sponsors 200 businesses and “front organizations.”

Moon “has said he wants an automatic theocracy to rule the world,” explained Hassan, who, on Moon’s orders, engaged in a public fast for Nixon during Watergate and another fast at the U.N. to protest the withdrawal of troops from Korea. “He visualizes a world where everyone speaks Korean only, where all religion but his is abolished, where his organization chooses who will mate, and he and family and descendants rule in a heroic monarchy.”

Moon “is very much in support of the democratic system,” counters John Biermans , director of public affairs for the church. “His desire is for people to become God-centered people. Then democracy can fulfill its potential”

Besides, he said, “this is a pluralistic society, people of all faiths inject their beliefs into the system on every level . . . Using terms like ‘front groups’ and ‘insinuating,’ is just a way to attack something. It’s not even honest.”

Some observers dismiss concern about alleged Unificationist infiltration as self-serving hysteria whipped up by the anti-cultists.

“How much actual influence (the Unification Church) has seems questionable,” said David Bromley, a professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, and the author of the 1981 book “Strange Gods, the Great American Cult Scare.”

Bromley estimates, for instance, that the church brings $200 million a year into the U.S. from abroad. But he sees no evidence that the money, much of it spent on all-expense-paid fact-finding tours and conferences for journalists, politicians and clergypeople, is money well-invested as far as political impact goes.

The church, he estimates, is losing about $50 million a year on its Washington Times newspaper and the ranks of Unificationists, and most other new religions, in America are thinning as well.

Veterans of the anti-cult front, however, say that the appearance that cults are fading is an illusion. “Like viruses, many of them mutate into new forms,” when under attack, West of UCLA said. And new types of cults are arising to fill the void, they say.

Cult critics point, for instance, to the rise of such groups as the est offshoot called Forum, and to Lifespring and Insight--all of which CAN characterizes as “human potential cults” and all of which are utilized in mainstream American business to promote productivity and motivation.

Observers such as Gordon Melton of the Institute for the Study of Religious Institutions in Santa Barbara explain that many of these New Age-type trainings have their roots in the old fashioned motivational pep talks and sales technique seminars that have been the staples of American business for decades.

But critics see the so-called “psychotechnologies” utilized by some of these groups as insidious. For one thing, they say, the meditation, confessional sharing, and guided imagery methods some of them use are more likely to make employees muzzy-headed than competitive.

Other critics say the trainings violate employee’s rights. Richard Watring, a personnel director for Budget Rent-a-Car, who has been charting the incorporation of “New Age” philosophies into business trainings, is concerned that employees are often compelled to take the courses and then required to adapt a new belief system which may be incompatible with their own religious convictions. As a Christian he finds such mental meddling inappropriate for corporations.

He and other cult critics are heartened by recent cases, still pending, in which employees, or former employees, have sued their employer for compelling them to take trainings they felt conflicted with their own religious beliefs.

Most observers scoring the action on the broader legal battlefield, however, call it a toss-up, and perceived victories for either side have often proved Pyrrhic.

Threats of Litigation

Richard Ofshe, a sociologist at UC Berkeley, fought three separate legal battles with the drug and alcohol rehabilitation organization Synanon over research he published on the group. Although he ultimately won the suits, he said the battle wound up costing the university $600,000. And evidence obtained in other lawsuits showed that Synanon had skillfully wielded threats of litigation to keep several other critical stories from being published or broadcast, he said.

Similarly, a recently released book “Cults and Consequences,” went unpublished for several years because insurers were wary of the litigious nature of some of the groups mentioned, said Rachel Andres, director of the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles’ Commission on Cults and Missionaries and the book’s co-editor.

But the most interesting litigation of late involves either a former member who is suing the organization to which he or she belonged, or a current member of a new religious group who is suing a deprogrammer who attempted unsuccessfully to persuade the person to leave the group.

The most significant case, everyone agrees, is last month’s Molko decision by the California Supreme Court, which anti-cult groups have cheered as a major victory.

In that reversal of lower court decisions, the justices agreed that David Molko and another former member of the Unification Church could bring before a jury the claim that they were defrauded by recruiters who denied they had a church affiliation and then subjected the two to church mind control techniques, eventually converting them.

Mainstream religious organizations including the National Council on Churches, the American Baptist Churches in the USA and the California Ecumenical Council had filed briefs in support of the Unification Church, claiming that allowing lawsuits over proselytizing techniques could paralyze all religions.

“What they’re attacking is prayer, fasting and lectures,” said Biermans of the Unification Church. “The whole idea of brainwashing is unbelievably absurd. . . . If someone had really figured out a method of brainwashing, they could control the world.” The church plans to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary. Paul Morantz, the attorney who was struck by the rattlesnake placed in his mailbox by the “Imperial Marines” of Synanon, gave pro-bono assistance to the plaintiffs in the Molko case.

“For me, it was a great decision for freedom of religion and to protect against the . . . use of coercive persuasion,” he said.

Morantz currently is defending Bent Corydon, author of the book “L. Ron Hubbard, Madman or Messiah” against a lawsuit by the Church of Scientology. He said he’s confident of how that case will turn out.

But he shares the belief of others on several sides of the multifaceted cult battle, in concluding that education rather than litigation should be the first defense of religious and intellectual liberty.

He’s not, however, optimistic.

“If anyone thinks they’re ever going to win this war, they’re wrong,” he said. “As long as we have human behavior, there will be sociopaths who will stand up and say ‘follow me.’ And there will always be searchers who will follow.”

Source: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-11-17-vw-257-story.html

[shefamarketing]

SEO Companies Are Coming With the Right Results

It might be crucial to your company's success to work with the most outstanding SEO services provider possible. With the increasing number of SEO companies and the time commitment involved in running your own business, it might be challenging to choose the ideal one. This makes it tough to find a partner who is a good fit in every way, not just on paper but in practice.

The process of picking the best SEO business for your company will be outlined, as will the kind of services you can expect to get from the best California SEO Companies. This article will help you in your quest to learn more about the topic at hand and be ready for it accordingly.

What, exactly, is it that an SEO company performs for its clients?

A company specializing in search engine optimization (SEO) would employ well-versed people in all facets of SEO. With their aid, you should get the best possible blend of strategy and implementation, boosting your company's search engine rankings, lead generation, and bottom line. One of the numerous services provided is creating a content strategy for your blog. You can expect the right results from Local SEO Services For Small Businesses.

To choose the most effective SEO firm, it is essential to know how these companies compare.

It may be time-consuming and challenging for company owners and entrepreneurs to choose the proper search engine optimization (SEO) service to partner with. The recent increase in search engine optimization (SEO) companies have made it more challenging to research and make informed decisions. To succeed, you need to know how to spot companies with a lot of experience and weed out rivals that either doesn't have much experience or are just making it up as they go along.

[cleanearthfunfacts]

🌍🌱 Conservation Success Stories 🌱🌍 Entertaining Post on Conservation Education, and Eco-Friendly Facts ♻️🌍🌱 | Clean Earth Fun Facts

Celebrate the achievements of real conservation efforts worldwide. Learn about inspiring initiatives and the positive outcomes they've had on endangered species, ecosystems, and the planet as a whole. 🦏🌳 #ConservationEducation

Let's celebrate the incredible achievements of real conservation efforts worldwide and shine a spotlight on the positive outcomes they've had on endangered species, ecosystems, and our planet as a whole. 🦏🌳 Join us as we delve into true, inspiring initiatives that are making a real difference and learn how we can contribute to their success. Together, we can create a brighter future for all!

Follow us to:

✨ Explore the heartwarming rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned elephants in Africa, helping them thrive in their natural habitats once again.

✨ Discover the successful reintroduction of the California condor, a critically endangered species, into the wild, ensuring its survival for future generations.

✨ Learn about the restoration of coral reefs through innovative techniques, rejuvenating marine ecosystems and protecting countless marine species.

✨ Celebrate the conservation efforts of local communities in Costa Rica, preserving the nesting grounds of endangered sea turtles and ensuring their survival.

Join us in raising awareness and promoting #ConservationEducation. Together, we can amplify the positive impact of these true success stories and inspire others to take action.

Don't forget to use our hashtags to help us rank number one on search engines and spread the word:

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Stay tuned for our upcoming posts as we dive into the world of real conservation success stories. Let's celebrate these achievements together and be inspired to make a positive impact on our planet!

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Welcome to Clean Earth Fun Facts, your ultimate source for entertaining and educational content about the environment, sustainable living, and renewable energy solutions. Join us as we explore fascinating facts, tips, and celebrations related to a clean and green planet.

🌍 Environmental Awareness Videos: Dive into our collection of thought-provoking videos that raise awareness about the importance of preserving our planet and inspire positive change.

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💚 Eco-Friendly Facts: Uncover interesting and surprising facts about the environment, from unique ecosystems and endangered species to innovative eco-friendly technologies and initiatives.

🌿 Conservation Education: Gain a deeper understanding of conservation efforts worldwide. Explore the challenges faced by different ecosystems and learn about the initiatives and projects aimed at protecting our planet's biodiversity.

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🎉 Earth Day Celebrations: Join us in celebrating Earth Day and learn about the history, significance, and various events held around the world. Get inspired to take part in activities that promote environmental consciousness.

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Sit back, relax, and let us entertain and educate you with fascinating facts and inspiring stories about our incredible planet. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell to stay updated on our latest videos. Together, let's make a difference and create a cleaner, greener world!

🌍 Welcome to Clean Earth Fun Facts, where we bring you the most fun and entertaining facts about our planet and how to keep it clean and green! 🌱 Our goal is to spread awareness about environmental issues and inspire people to take action towards a sustainable future. 🌍 Join us on this journey to learn, laugh and make a difference! 🌍

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With your support, we can make a positive impact on the environment and reduce our carbon footprint. Our goal is to make our community a model of sustainability for others to follow.

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Welcome to Clean Earth Fun Facts, your ultimate destination for all things green, sustainable, and eco-friendly! Join us as we explore environmental awareness, conservation, renewable energy, and more. Our channel promotes green living, sustainable practices, and the importance of biodiversity. Dive into a world of eco-consciousness and discover green initiatives, reduce your carbon footprint, and become an eco-warrior. Learn about sustainable fashion, wildlife conservation, and the latest green technologies. Let's make a positive environmental impact through education and advocacy. Together, we can create a cleaner, greener future for our planet. Subscribe now and join the Clean Earth Fun Facts community!

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Join the Clean Earth Fun Facts movement and be part of the solution for a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable planet! Our website is a hub of valuable information and resources dedicated to spreading awareness about environmental issues and promoting sustainable living practices. We provide engaging content, including informative articles, entertaining videos, and interactive quizzes, all aimed at educating and inspiring individuals to make a positive impact on our planet. If you are an advertiser who shares our vision for a better world, we invite you to partner with us. By placing your brand on our platform, you can reach a passionate and environmentally-conscious audience eager to support businesses that align with their values. Leave your information below, and our team will get in touch with you to discuss exciting advertising opportunities. Together, let's create a sustainable future and make a real difference for generations to come.

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[accountsend]

How to Measure the Success of Your B2B Contact Database

As a savvy business professional, you understand the importance of an accurate and up-to-date B2B contact database in boosting your sales outreach and lead generation initiatives. The question is, how do you measure the success of your database?

DOWNLOAD THE SUCCESS MEASURE INFOGRAPHIC HERE

Understanding the Role of B2B Contact Data

Your B2B contact data serves as the backbone of your sales and marketing strategy. It connects you with decision makers across various industries and markets. From small business owners in niche sectors to C-suite executives in global enterprises, your database provides a direct line of communication.

An effective B2B contact database is not just a collection of names, emails, and phone numbers. It's a dynamic, evolving tool that reflects changing industry trends, emerging markets, and new sales opportunities.

The Essence of Data Accuracy and CRM Integration

The first step in gauging the success of your database is to examine the contact data accuracy. This includes verifying email addresses, phone numbers, and other essential contact details. Reputable B2B data providers can help maintain your database with registered emails and verified leads.

Couple this with a CRM integration, and you've got a powerhouse of data analysis at your fingertips. This combination allows for seamless tracking and updates of your sales pipeline, ensuring you never miss a chance to engage potential leads.

Harnessing Account-Based Marketing and Market Segmentation

Account-based marketing (ABM) is a highly targeted approach to B2B marketing. To measure the success of your database in this aspect, evaluate how effectively you're identifying and reaching key stakeholders in your target accounts.

Similarly, market segmentation, the process of dividing your target market into distinct categories, allows for personalized email marketing. Monitor the response and conversion rates from these targeted campaigns to gauge your database's efficacy.

Leveraging Lead Scoring for B2B Lead Generation

Lead scoring is a critical aspect of B2B lead generation. It allows you to rank potential leads based on their propensity to become customers. The higher the quality of leads your database produces, the more successful it is.

Keep an eye on the transition of your leads from the top of your sales funnel to becoming actual customers. If the leads from your B2B lead generation database frequently convert, it's a clear indicator of a successful database.

Niche Industries, Global Business Expansion, and Emerging Markets

Is your B2B contact database versatile enough to cover niche industries? Does it facilitate global business expansion? To evaluate, consider how effectively your database allows you to reach unique markets like restaurant owners, salon owners, or even potential donors for a nonprofit.

The best B2B sales leads come from an expansive, global database that caters to all industries and markets. By checking how frequently your database taps into emerging markets and supports your expansion, you get a fair idea of its success.

Customizing Contact Lists for Specialized Outreach

The success of your database is also measured by how effectively it supports your specialized outreach. For instance, a well-curated email list of small business owners or a California phone numbers list could be instrumental in conducting localized marketing campaigns.

If your database supports the creation of such customized lists (like lead lists or a B2B prospect list), it's an indication of its efficiency and flexibility, enhancing your marketing strategy.

Ensuring a Stream of Fresh, Valid Contacts

Lastly, a successful B2B contact database continuously grows and refreshes itself with new emails, valid contacts, and updated information. It doesn't just give you access to the best B2B leads, it keeps them coming consistently.

Remember, the best sales leads lists are dynamic, adapting to changes in industry trends and market shifts.

Your B2B contact database is more than just a list of names and numbers. It's a strategic tool that, when used effectively, can dramatically elevate your lead generation and sales outreach. So, keep these measures in mind, assess your database regularly, and ensure it remains a driving force in your business growth.

[madqueenalanna]

2, 4, 15, 25

2. thoughts on veganism?

maybe controversial but i guess i don't "get" it. i'm against the exploitation of factory farms, but i don't think eggs or milk collection are inherently exploitative of animal autonomy. nor do i place the anomalous "autonomy" of an animal that has no concept of such a thing above the nutritional interests of people. i think eschewing eggs from your local farmer's market but eating quinoa imported from south america is much worse from an environmental perspective, and your average beef steer often lives a much better life than an undocumented person picking avocados in california. BUT it's a complicated issue that often falls into a "good place" style reckoning of how you weight different sins bc there is no ethical consumption under capitalism, and i do support the general proposals of environmental sustainability, ending horrific conditions in factory farms (esp for chickens), and making whatever small changes you can to contribute to the greater good (i just disagree on the usefulness of some changes). HOWEVER if you think it's unethical to eat honey bc you're "stealing it from the bees" you're an idiot

4. mythical creature you think/believe is real?

[real answer] i think it's extremely possible for sightings of weird fish/whales to be real, like coelocanth turned out to be. there's a lotta shit in the ocean/deep forest we haven't found yet [fake answer] i choose to believe ningen exists bc well just fucking look at him. [realest answer] skunk ape 100%

15. rank the methods of death: freezing, burning, drowning

freezing > burning > drowning. freezing feels like falling asleep, i'm told. burning is agony but i can't imagine it takes that long. drowning is absolutely terrifying to me esp bc i'm scared of the deep ocean as it is

25. would you say you have good taste in music?

now you know well and good that i do not.

[mariacallous]

Reports about the crisis facing public school teachers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic are widespread, though a parallel crisis among the ranks of school leadership has also been quietly unfolding. While staffing has always been an uphill battle in high-need settings, challenges have been exacerbated in recent years. According to a report from the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the principal workforce is potentially facing a retention crisis, with large spikes in reported extra work and intentions to leave the workforce raising red flags about the sustainability of the status quo. And with the teacher labor market simultaneously under historic stress, unstable leadership could compound the problem by making retention worse.

Beyond turnover, the principal workforce’s lack of racial diversity has become a prominent issue. Similar to patterns among teachers, diversity gaps between students and principals have been growing. In 2000, 39% of students identified as non-white while 18% of principals identified as non-white; by 2017, these numbers among students surged to 52%, but only grew to 22% among principals, widening the gap by nine percentage points. Though current circumstances are challenging, a period of high turnover among school leaders also presents a unique window of opportunity to move the needle on principal diversity.

In recent years, “Grow Your Own” (GYO) teacher programs have become a popular option for improving retention and diversity in the teacher workforce, with a growing body of research and policies encouraging the adoption of these programs by districts. Yet, this type of preparation pipeline as a means of bolstering school administrator ranks remains underexplored and underutilized. In this post, we look at principal diversity gaps on a geographic level, consider GYO pipeline programs, and speculate about how GYO programs and policies could support the development of a more stable, diverse principal workforce.

The geography of principal diversity

Developing principal pipelines that create a systemic pathway for more diverse leadership could benefit schools and districts. For students of color, research suggests having a same-race administrator results in higher test scores, improved attendance, and a higher likelihood of gifted program placement. Principals of color also contribute to a more diverse teacher workforce via more inclusive teacher hiring practices, lower teacher turnover for same-race teachers, and higher job satisfaction for teachers with a same-race principal. Plus, teachers of color are more likely to be encouraged into administrative positions with a same-race supervisor, creating a virtuous loop. This suggests that principal pipelines that prioritize principal diversity could simultaneously address teacher diversity and help narrow various race-based achievement gaps for students.

Recognizing the localized nature of educator diversity, we explored how principal and student representation differs by state using data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Figure 1 illustrates estimates of state-level principal-to-student diversity gaps as measured by the percentage point difference between non-white student representation and non-white principal representation (larger values represent greater differences in disparity).

Most states have large gaps, hovering within the 20-30 percentage-point range. A few states’ gaps are exceptionally large, including Nevada at 48 percentage points (68% nonwhite students – 20% nonwhite principals), California at 43 percentage points (77% – 34%), and Washington at 40 percentage points (46% – 6%). These gaps roughly mirror prior Brookings research examining teacher-student diversity gaps, and confirms a clear representation issue within the principal workforce in nearly all states.

Since the principal pipeline relies heavily on the teacher workforce, it’s also useful to compare racial representation between principals and teachers. Figure 2 illustrates principal-to-teacher diversity gaps in the U.S. by state as measured by the percentage-point difference between the share of non-white teachers and non-white principals. A positive (negative) diversity gap, represented in shades of orange (blue), means that principals are less (more) racially representative than teachers.

Overall, the teacher and principal workforces of each state are relatively similar in racial composition, with 34 states falling within just five percentage points of parity between teachers and principals. But the real insight here is that 14 states have a substantially more diverse principal workforce than teacher workforce, where principals are five or more percentage points more racially diverse than teachers. Though this analysis cannot identify what these states might be doing differently to create this result, it shows more representative school leadership ranks are possible and points to places we can start looking for ideas.

Grow Your Own Principal Pipeline Programs

GYO programs are increasingly popular strategies to build out more diverse teacher pipelines. However, GYOs focused on developing school leadership are less common. Outlining teacher GYO programs can provide helpful context for understanding principal GYO programs.

Teacher GYO programs are partnerships between a school system (often districts) and teacher preparation programs (typically colleges or universities) that create a coordinated pathway to recruit, prepare, and then place teachers in schools within their communities. Some programs have specific preparation targets, such as special education teacher capacity for rural schools and indigenous language preservation. As of 2020, 47 states had some type of teacher GYO program and over half of states had a statewide policy to enable GYO pathways. The empirical literature evaluating these programs is quite slim, though the studies that do exist indicate positive outcomes, from high teacher retention rates for GYO teacher graduates to increasing the supply of teachers of color.

Principal GYO programs are similar in structure to teacher GYO programs. Principal GYO programs are partnerships between school systems and universities that create a pathway for individuals to enter school leadership. The motivation behind principal GYO programs is that, like teacher GYO programs, these pipelines will result in a supply of homegrown school leaders with increased diversity and targeted preparation.

GYO principal programs, however, are far less prevalent than their teacher-focused counterparts. Multiple localities, including Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Kansas City, Missouri, partnered with TNTP (formerly The New Teacher Project) as a part of their Pathway to Leadership in Urban Schools (PLUS) program. The findings of an evaluation of one district that implemented this PLUS program suggested that leaders who participated in the program may have contributed to improvements in student learning and to more selective teacher retention, with lower retention among lower-performing teachers.

Another principal pipeline approach by Dallas Independent School District (ISD) explicitly prioritizes diversity. Dallas ISD launched its Leader Excellence, Advancement and Development (LEAD) Department which has since created multiple programs as a part of its focus to attract diverse, high-quality principal candidates. While the Dallas ISD programs haven’t been evaluated directly, they align with what research suggests an effective principal preparation pipeline program would entail, including mentoring and working with external university programs to strengthen preparation in a way that meets the unique needs of their districts. Additionally, there are many other districts that have made it a goal to increase the proportion of administrators of color, even if they don’t yet have a formalized GYO program.

Developing GYO principal pipelines should help promote improved stability among principals. Prior research points to a link between principal effectiveness and lower principal turnover. Evidence suggests that school leaders who partake in the mentoring and coaching with current principals that GYO leader pipelines often provide report feeling more prepared for the responsibilities of school leadership. Further, recognizing the potential impact school leaders can have on outcomes from student attendance to teacher retention, efforts to develop these pipelines could have a multiplying effect on many important outcomes.

Conclusion

Though the current moment requires quick action to bolster school leadership ranks, we cannot overlook long-term strategies. Building out principal pipelines with an eye toward principal diversity in districts around the nation will be a key strategy in creating a sustainable pool of school leaders and strengthening school leadership.

Implementation of GYO principal pipeline programs could be pursued by local, state, and federal policymakers. Locally, school districts and superintendents could deepen partnerships with universities and organizations to develop GYO principal pipeline programs within their respective school districts, which could range in design to meet district-specific needs. At the state level, policymakers could support statewide GYO principal policies and funding programs, as they have done for teacher GYO programs and diversity efforts. At the federal level, policymakers could draft legislation for GYO principal pipeline competitive grant funding to support districts in their efforts to build partnerships and pipelines. Similar federal legislation addressing teachers includes House Bill 5839, Senate Bill 2367, and Senate Bill 2887. This type of federal funding could support evaluation so that the body of research and evidence regarding principal GYO programs and their impact on principal effectiveness and diversity can grow.