#I HAVE KEPT HER AS MY SIGNATURE SUPPORT SINCE THE RELEASE OF THIS GAME

[memovia]

I got another copy of mom!

[feminaexlux]

Dragon, Viper, Tiger

Tossing my hat back in the ring for @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers AU sprint challenge!. I went with the Thief/Heist AU since I’d been kicking this idea around for a while.

I gave myself an arbitrary editing deadline of 6pm so I hope it both makes sense and reads alright, but shrugs

Hope you enjoy! Find on AO3 here :)

⁂

Viper was sometimes glad he had a longer running gait than the woman on his tail only a few meters behind. He put his long legs to use and leapt up onto a couple of filing cabinets, scrambled up to the bare industrial support beams of the so called modern office building he’d broken into, and jumped over the dividing wall via the exposed ceiling.

Post-Modern styled offices just lent themselves so well to the good old B&E.

The wiring crisscrossing through the exposed ceiling allowed him to occasionally cut the telecommunication lines in his hasty exit, which was great in trying to prevent any of the security cameras from tracking him. If he also took out the internet lines that was just an added bonus, since that’d probably slow down anyone trying to access the proprietary blueprint he pilfered. He just needed to buy some time.

He probably could have gotten out a few minutes ago since he already had the memcube in his pocket, but this was really the only opportunity he had to see Officer MDC in action. Oh, nice, there she was, waiting for him in her combat stance at his specified exit point. Even at 5 foot nothing she’d landed him on his ass waaaay too many times, but honestly he loved the challenge of facing her. She always had new tricks up her sleeve.

But so did he, with some of the info that Tiger kept leaving him. Like, for instance, even if MDC had gotten the EMP disruption lace installed in her gloves, it could easily be counteracted and redirected by the additional aluminum alloy mesh Dragon had added as the inner lining to his wetware, so the memcube wouldn’t be completely fried if MDC did manage to land a hit (and she usually did). The only problem was trying to find where to ground the pulse… But the priority order was, as ever, keeping his identity safe, then getting the payload, then trying to escape unscathed. Paris PD’s Special Circumstances wasn’t ever going to figure out his identity (unless he died), nor would they get to know that the same general producer for their own tech was his boss (unless he died).

Viper didn’t relish the idea of dying, so he’d been doing his best at avoiding that particular outcome. He’d done well so far, even if he did come out of MDC encounters with more bruises and scars than when he went in. He had landed in front of Marinette and smiled. She rolled her eyes at him. And before he knew it, she had launched herself at him with her classic opener: a roundhouse kick to his solar plexus.

⁂

Viper slid underneath the food truck and unlatched a hidden panel, hauling himself through the opening feet first as quietly as he could. He toed the hatch closed behind him but caught it with his fingers before it made impact. He couldn’t give up the game now by being loud, that’d be so, so lame. He heard the gravel get scraped below his temporary entombment and he knew it was Marinette. She felt at the truck’s undercarriage and probed for any particular weaknesses or different materials and he heard her muffled voice as she worked with her TIKKI AI to scan any infrared signals and find any potential structural modifications done to the vehicle.

Here’s to hoping that Markov did its job correctly, he thought. Otherwise they’d be out of a job… and a food truck.

A few minutes later he heard her curse and slam an open palm against the undercarriage in frustration. “I know you’re in here, Viper!” she yelled.

“Ma'am?” He heard another voice chime in. “Why are you under our truck?”

⁂

A very cramped 3 hours later after a thorough inspection and nearly complete teardown of the food truck, Viper finally popped the floor panel and took in some fresh air. Well, relatively fresh, it smelled like greasy food all around him. The truck was already on the highway, having been released from the PD’s temporary impounding for being present at the scene and potentially housing a wanted criminal. The scans came up with nothing, the truck’s workers came up clean through the ID system, the truck’s visit and movements were tracked and scheduled and above board.

The actual food truck owners were unaware of his presence, which was just the way he liked it. He stretched his legs out a bit after being folded up into such a tiny space for so long. It was the sole disadvantage of having long legs, but he was the best in class at his job for all the contortion required. Plus he wasn’t claustrophobic like Tiger was. Speaking of… he checked his watch.

ur late, asshole

cg again? u simp

special 4u 0xdeadbeef

Oooof course. He could always count on his sister for ribbing on his infatuation with Cafe Girl, their codename for Marinette. He took one last relatively fresh breath of air and went back into hiding, sealing the latch shut. He listened for the engine knock signature: 4, 5, 1, 4, 2, 5, 5, 6, opened the bottom panel, dropped onto the street with his camouflage on, and kicked the panel closed before the truck took off. A bus drove over him and he hitched a ride, holding on underneath for 4 blocks, then rolled into the gutter drain.

⁂

It was a pretty quiet evening at Cafe Orriko, a cozy little cafe that had some steadfast regulars. One of Luka’s favorite hangouts due to the owners letting him lounge around and play his acoustic without complaint. There’d been another reason Luka loved this particular cafe, though.

Nathaniel heard the door chime and looked up, smiling at the newcomer. “Hey welcome to–oh hey Mar–oh shit MARC WE HAVE A CODE PINK!” There was a hastily tossed pillow from Marc that Nathaniel covered with a tea towel and passed to Marinette. She pulled up the pillow to her face and screamed into it for a good 20 seconds. Nath grimaced. “Bad day?”

She lowered the pillow. “Stupid fucking Viper I swear I will rip him in half and tear him to fucking shreds once I finally get my hands on him!”

Luka chuckled, having stopped playing his guitar when he noticed that Marinette had come in. “Careful, sounds like he might like that,” he winked.

“Uuuuugh,” Marinette groaned. “Thank you, Nath. Just… just gimme my usual, please.” She looked pretty dejected this time, handing back the pillow and tea towel, walking to Luka’s couch, and plopping down next to him. “Please, Luka, could you play me something soothing?”

“Anything for you,” he said, starting up an easy tune. “I know you can’t talk a lot about your work, but… what went wrong today?”

“Nnng, just… just I knew where he was and we still didn’t get him. He’s like a fucking ghost, he just… disappears! Poof!” She usually discussed what was already covered on the nightly news broadcasts, just to be safe.

“Then he’s pretty good,” Luka said neutrally enough, but hid a smirk behind a cough when Marinette gave him the stink eye.

“He only needs to fail once,” Marinette huffed. “He can’t always have luck on his side.” Marc came by with her salted caramel hot chocolate. “Thanks, Marc,” she sighed, relaxing a little bit as she took a sip of the steaming hot drink.

Luka set a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “You’ll get him one day, I know it.”

“I’d still have my work cut out for me. I have to find the Dragon after him,” Marinette groaned again. “And Adrien’s still obsessed with that stupid Fencer lady so he’s no help.” Marinette shut her eyes tight and shook her head. “But enough about that. How are you, Luka? I’m glad I was able to run into you today.”

Luka wasn’t going to mention that she’d already run into him earlier as the one and only Viper. “It was going alright, but it’s better now that you’re here,” he smiled. Marinette blushed a little and smiled back, nudging his shoulder with hers. “Sorry about your rough day though,” he added quickly.

Marinette shrugged. “It’s work. It’s… it’s so weird what the Syndicate goes for, it’s not even like… anything really valuable? I swear they’re doing it just to mess with us and wreak havoc.”

“You haven’t figured out a pattern?” Luka asked. Marinette made a zipping motion across her mouth. “Oh, right. Sorry.”

She shrugged again. “No more talk about work, please. I’d just… like to hear you play, if that’s alright?”

“Yeah, no problem,” he chuckled.

She closed her eyes as he started playing the guitar again, something soft and pleasant that reminded him of her. She leaned her head against his shoulder while he played and he felt his heart beating faster.

One day, when the jig was up, he’d love to take her out for dinner. Assuming, of course, that he hadn’t been torn to pieces by her hands.

[the-space-lady]

I think it is time to say Goodbye.

Hello! Mod here, Tataia. I’ve come to make an announcement about the-space-lady and edgy-frenchman.

From this day on, I will not be updating these blogs anymore. I will be closing the inbox and delete all unanswered asks.

Don’t worry! They will still be up, you can come back to look through everything as many times as you’d like, but don’t expect any new posts in either blogs.

Now, we all know already that these blogs have been on an never ending hiatus, and it showed no signs of updating regularly like back in the day. So, let’s have a little (okay, kind of long) chat, about how this blog came to life, and how I am happy and thankful with everything that came from it.

Feel free to not read this at all, because it is kind of a long read.

If you have any questions, please send an ask to my main blog, @tataiafurquim​, and follow my twitter where I’m the most active, also going by the same username.

Three years ago, 2017, for the first time in the Brawlhalla history, there was a new legend leak! It was a picture taken with a phone of a monitor screen which showed the character selection screen in Brawlhalla, of the next legend in the default pose (the one that every legend has before getting their signature poses once they’re released); that was the first time everyone saw Artemis. BMG didn’t even announce her on dev streams by that point. The picture was shared in the r/Brawlhalla discord server, and, Calamari-Pop herself had tagged me to see it in one of the text channels, saying, ‘look! female Orion!’. Since I started playing the game, I’ve always been an Orion main, and once I saw Artemis for the first time, I felt like it was love at first sight.

I was instantly hyped for the character, while most people were complaining that ‘BMG had run out of ideas for new legends’, I couldn’t wait for her release, she was so beautiful, I never felt so hyped for something like I did for Artemis. I was probably the first person to make fanart for her and post it on r/Brawlhalla. People’s opinions on Artemis were very 50/50. People didn’t like her because ‘it’s just female Orion’, others genuinely liked her, and were excited to play with the next scythe legend.

I didn’t have many friends at the time who were into Brawlhalla, so for me the hype was kept mainly to myself, and of course, through my art. The picture we had of Artemis was very poor quality, so a lot of early art was missing a lot of details, but I didn’t care; I just kept drawing the only thing that was bringing me happiness.

I was a 14 year old when all of this happened, school was being very rough on me, back in the day I used to struggle so much to study, it was a pain to focus and learn, I’d always give up and go back to video games and art. My grades were horrible, I felt like my personal friendships were kind of faling apart, and so with my family. The only light at the end of the tunnel I had at the time, was the idea of making an ask blog for Artemis.

At first, I was skeptical. What if it flops? The Brawlhalla community wasn’t very active in other social medias, it was small, but everyone was close and if something big was announced, the word would spread fast. I mean, it was worth a short. Worse comes to worse, I delete the blog and move on. Ask blogs weren’t as popular as they were either.

I had claimed the URL even before Artemis was announced in a dev stream, so the blog was ready to go. I remember waiting a little more than a month when the patch of her release was finally online, and I did my move of announcing the blog in every social media I could, and so I waited for the community to show up.

And they didn’t stop coming! It was ask after ask, I was so happy, this little blog was my escape from the real world. Answering people as Artemis was honestly the most fun I was having during that year. And I could also draw her as much as I’d like! The blog was growing, and so was my audience of people who was genuinely following me for my regular art. Even when I was grounded because I did bad on a test, I still answered people with drawings made on paper.

Needless to say, this blog was definitely, a start for me in the Brawlhalla community. “Are you the person who draws a lot of Artemis?” “Yep! That’s me!” It was great, I felt like I was finally becoming someone somewhat important in a community like I always wished to, drawing what I loved, and people loved it. I even met my soon-to-be boyfriend through it!

But of course, that didn’t stop what was happening outside of the computer screen. Things were going even more downhill the more I focused on the internet and forgot about real life. It was helpless; there was no way I was passing that school year, I’d have to repeat it. My parents had decided that maybe one of the issues was that, my old school, was one of those schools that go really hard on the students, and that was not my place. So, the next year, 2018, I changed schools for the first time.

I’ve always had really bad anxiety. On the first day in the new school, you know what I did? I drew Artemis. What a surprise to nobody, but for me, this was my moment of realization, that this space lady from a fighting game, was my comfort character. This possibly canonically evil woman who wants to kill my main because of some fucked up shit he did in the past, was my comfort character. I was depressed? I drew Artemis. I was happy? I drew Artemis. I was extremely pissed off?? You guessed it! I drew Artemis! It is likely that a lot of pieces I made of her that I’ve posted online, were created from strong emotions I had while I drew it. There’s a lot that I didn’t even post either.

In 2018 I was still updating the blog, but I was also focusing a lot more on school. I was managing to get good grades, I made new friends, had new experiences, and my relationship with my family was getting better. Of course every year has its ups and downs, but overall, the important part, was finally being taken care of; I passed the school year, and then I passed again, and I passed again! I have just one more year to go, and hopefully, in 2021 I’ll be done.

Setting that aside, as the blog grew, my audience online did so too. My art improved, I’ve become, for the lack of a better word, an important member in the community. A lot of people have seen my art, and some of them probably don’t even follow me!

Today, I am a Brawlhalla Partner, I have a wonderful boyfriend, incredible friends, an amazing relationship with my family, and I am now hoping for a bright future of work ahead of me, and it was all thanks to this ask blog of a fictional character who I deeply loved. I would have never made it where I am today without Artemis, without Brawlhalla, without all of you. I could ever be thankful, and all I can give you all is more fanart of this amazing game that has completely changed my life, and with how Brawlhalla has been growing? Keep an eye on this one, it’s gonna get big.

Thank you so much everyone who has supported me over the years, and followed me more than just Artemis content. The updates on the blog have stopped because I’ve been focusing on other things. trying out new stuff and focusing on myself to become a better person and artist, creating my own stories with original characters, which I’m excited to share with all of you.

Anyway, take care, whoever read this far <3 Hopefully 2021 will be a better year for everyone.

[peachyunjinnie]

❝The New Toy❞ hhj ― m.

― summary:

y/n is frustrated because she lost her job, her best friend jeongin helps her and organizes a job interview with the ceo of the biggest marketing company. mr. hwang gets a lot of interest in you and ends up introducing you into the company and then later on introduce you into his playroom.

hyunjin/female reader | ceo!hyunjin | suggestive | 1.5k ↬ content warnings: bdsm, breath play, fingering

a/n: yes this was a request that I kinda expected and so this is the first part (introduction), and in some days there will be a second part with the smut stuff. I would love to make a series/au out of this

→ blogs masterlist

→ The New Toy Pt. II

“Come on, Y/N. You can give it a try. This job could make all of your financial problems go away. You need this, please at least go to the interview.” My best friend Jeongin said.

Homeless and jobless. The situation of my life at this point is completely fucked up. About 2 weeks ago my life was like every other: student, a part-time job at a café and with no worry at all. But since my father died, the income was 0. My school was not paid so I dropped out and the life I had was a 180. About 2 days I couldn’t afford the rent and here I am homeless and living with my best friend Innie.

“I can’t, this company is nothing for me. So why even try?” My voice shaking and close to tears.

“He really doesn’t have a good reputation, but I tried hard to talk to my brother and he is open to get you this job as his first secretary.

“I appreciate your support about this but Hwang Hyunjin the boss, CEO and biggest asshole of whole Busan. I can’t take this one job.”

“Why? It’s just a job, an answer and an opportunity for you. A big opportunity!” he whined.

With a deep sigh, I rethought everything and nodded slowly.

After a long day of getting myself ready and praying it wouldn’t be that bad. A black pencil skirt and a white blouse, my hair in a ponytail, and a little touch of makeup.

“Mr. Hwang is now ready to meet you, follow me.” A young and very beautiful woman, probably in her mid-20s. She was very serious and looked intimidating. If this is the kind of person they are looking for I couldn’t make it in this job.

I stumbled after the lady and made my way to the big office. Behind this door will be an opportunity, an answer may be the answer to all the problems. The young woman opened the door and there he was, the boss of the company, the CEO of the biggest marketing agency. Hwang Hyunjin. In his early 20s the heir of Sir. Hwang who died in a fatal and tragic heart attack, about 2 years ago. 

His aura gave sent shivers down my spine and made the hair of my body stand straight up. The secretary left me alone, helpless and scared of how intimidating a young male could be.

“Please come in, Miss Y/N” he said his voice soothingly deep. Raspy and soft at the same time.

I walked in and closed the door. While doing so I say a little prayer that this will be ending soon.

“Have a seat, Miss.” His hand gesturing at the seat in front of him and then I scanned the whole room, from the big windows that covered the wall which showed the skyline of Busan. To the big black office desk. The room is kept in black and white, very fancy and serious.

“ So my brother told me you wanted a job here, tell me a little about yourself. What qualifications do you have?” His gaze hypnotizing me into a trance. His big brown eyes digging into my eyes, looking straight in my soul. I couldn’t answer but after a little while, I stuttered.

“I am organized and can take responsibility. I can work a lot and more than other people and I can keep private life from business. I am honest and straightforward. I-I can work good with people and know how to calm angry/ rude customers.”

“Okay good and how about your private life?” He stood up from his black chair and walked forward to the edge of the desk in front of me. His crotch was dangerously close to my face. He took my breath away and I answered quickly.

“What do you want to know, Sir?” I asked quietly.

“Are you in a relationship?” His head tilting to the right exposing jawline, I didn’t dare to look at him. Kept my eyes on the ground. It can’t be possible to be that intimidated from someone; well you haven’t met Sir Hwang yet.

“N-No, Sir.”

“Good and how about your experience of working?”

“I only worked at a coffee shop as an employee. I am used to working for more than 8 hours a day.”

“Would the job of personal assistant be something for you?” His eyes scanning my whole body, from the hair to the stilettos I’m wearing. He clearly had a problem with my hair and leaned over.

His hands opening the clip and releasing my black hair. His face lighting up into a small but genuine smile.

“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help myself.” He purred out.

“N-no pro-probl-em, Sir. And yes, the position o-of pers-personal assistant would be go-good…”

“Great, Great. I will see you on Monday, Miss Y/N.”

“Y/N is okay, I mean just Y/N. No Miss, Sir.”

“Well, then Y/N l will see you on Monday. 9AM, don’t be late.” His voice sharp and direct, but smooth like honey.

My hands shaking, seeing his hand move a strain of hair that was in my face. Effortlessly giving my skin a slight burn, where he accidentally touched my cheeks.

“I-I won’t be late, I-I promise.” I stuttered again, helpless and intimidated by his closure of my face. Goosebumps and uneasy breathing are the results of his intense gaze.

He took my hand and helped me stand up on my feet, which was a bad idea. Not only was he mentally messing me up, but he also gave my knees the feeling of jelly. My knees gave up on me and I quickly fell to the ground.

He took no second thought and helped me up on my feet again. How humiliating this is, I am not even working here but I fell in front of my future boss. I hid my face and quickly said goodbye while running away from Mr. Hwang.

My hair completely messy, my skirt wrinkled, and stilettos making a sound with every step. His signature smile appeared and with a little headshake, he sat on his seat again. He thought to himself.

“What a sub...”

“Sir, please. m-more.” A moan escaped my slightly parted lips. My eyes blindfolded and my core throbbing for friction. He continued to whip my sore ass, his actions getting harder. He whispered in my ear, his voice so deep and so close to me.

“You want more, huh? Beg for it. My little slut.” My heartbeat doubled and my hips automatically went up for another hit. His big and veiny hands held me steady as he pressed me down. He started something in me, a side of me I never thought existed. A wild side, an erotic adventure.

“Good Morning, Sir.” I said while knocking and coming into his office. The scent of Vanilla and Rum filled the air, his cologne was absolutely messing me up.  My knees getting weak after seeing a little smile appear on his beautifully full lips. My imagination went through me and I didn’t realize him snapping his fingers in front of my eyes. His face way too near to mine.

“Vanilla…Rum…” I whispered.

“What?” He asked clearly amused with me being dumbfounded.

“Your cologne, I like it.” My voice breaking after that sentence, he played a game with me. And I was willing to play.

“So, you like it, Y/N?” He came even closer, inches away from my face, starring down on me like a prey ready to eat his dinner.

“Y-Yes, smells good. I like it. Me liking you.” Oh no… Here it was my Yoda state. For years this didn’t happen, ever since I had this crush in 7 grade. Oh lord Jesus christ make it go away. I prayed and prayed but he just continued to smirk at me, moisturizing his lips with his tongue. I could not look away, even if I tried my hardest...

“Tell me what is it about you? You completely fascinate me. The perfect sub, you always look down and never even dare to look into my eyes, you make yourself even smaller than you are when you’re around me. You can’t stop pressing your thighs together, signaling that you are needy. You didn’t even say one word when I opened your hair yesterday. So obedient, so willing... I don’t think I can control myself any longer.” he whispered so lightly and softly.

Caressing my cheek slowly while looking into my eyes deeply. His slender fingers softly caressing my cheek, looking into my eyes. Coming dangerously close to my face to the point where he closed his eyes. His face inches apart from mine, electric waves making their way all over my body. And what seemed like 5 seconds was in slow motion, after a whole eternity I felt his soft and plump lips on mine.

The kiss was hot and needy, it was very touchy. His hands roaming my body, his hands were everywhere on my chest, on my arms, on my neck, on my hips, everywhere. A hot feeling surrounding me with lust. I tugged at his hair and pulled him closer. He groaned loudly into my mouth, a low and raspy broken groan. He stopped the kiss and looked into my eyes.

“You will regret ever meeting the devil, angel.”

He smirked, taking my hand and getting me out of that office of his.

[black-streak]

Waiting for the Worms - Nobody Home

Part 7

Warnings less? In effect here? But still be aware of course. Condensing a lot for the sake of timelines matching up and consistency in pacing. (Okay, so maybe I have Mari's entire plotline figured out and am mostly playing Jason's by ear, call me out on it)

Closed list of nice people who I regularly hurt for amusement: @northernbluetongue @thethirdwheelfriend @shizukiryuu @theatreandcomicfreak @michellemagic @karategirl119 @moonlightstar64 @my-name-is-michell @mystery-5-5 @zalladane @queen-of-the-trash-planet-tm @miraculousdisapointment @dorkus-minimus @jardimazul @allthebooksandcrannies @g-arya @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @persephonescat @mycupisbroken @luciferge @18-fandoms-unite-08 @dawnwave16 @alwaysreblogneverpost @kris-pines04 @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @weird-pale-blonde-person @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @kokotaru @naclychilli @slytherinhquinn @clumsy-owl-4178 @ladybug-182 @darkthunder1589 @evil-elf16 @dast218 @lysslovsanime @emilytopaz @naoryllis @iloontjeboontje @thepeacetea @danielslilangel @finallyaniguana @i-like-fairytail-and-stuff @vixen-uchiha @yuulxd @bleeding-heart-romantic @magic-inthe-stars @st0rmy-w1th1n

~---~

Jason woke up screaming to the sight of bright glowing green, only to snap back into the bedroom as Sabine burst in through the trapdoor. The petite woman ran up the stairs and collapsed beside him, throwing warm arms around his shoulders, tugging him down into the crook of her neck.

"Shh, shh honey, it's alright. It was just a dream, you're okay, I'm here."

He stiffened at first, only to melt into the embrace, meeting otherworldly blue eyes behind her. Tikki seemed to shake with concern, wanting to come to him, but unable to in the presence of his parental figure. 

Sabine pulled back a touch, stroking his head in gentle motions, meeting his eyes and guiding him through concentrated breaths until hia had evened out.

"Do you want to talk about it, sweetie?"

A wobbly smile broke on his lips at the sweet endearment as he shook his head and fell back into her embrace. He'd never adjust to being so thoroughly cared for and loved and supported, even if she didn't realize it was all directed at the wrong person. God, he hated lying to her. About where he was during akuma attacks. Why he stopped being friends with most of the class. Why in the year after her death, he had stepped down from most of Marinette's class responsibilities. About who he was and what he meant to her. He hated letting this wonderful, loyal, fierce woman think he was her daughter. 

Flashes of the toxic green flashed behind his closed eyes along with flowing red, reminding him why he woke in the first place.

Accepting the kiss on the cheek and reassuring Sabine that everything was okay, he waited until she disappeared down the steps and towards her own room, door firmly closed behind her before turning back towards Tikki.

"Are you okay, Jason?"

"Yeah… might be spending too much time with Plagg. Dreamt I was drowning in his eyes," he joked.

"That's awful, no wonder you were screaming," she tagged on, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Oh yeah, absolute nightmare."

"You're okay though."

"Yeah," he breathed out, turning over and feeling the kwami curl up on his hip and slowly fall back to sleep as he stared at the wall until morning.

…

Occasionally, someone worked up the nerve to ask him out. 

Whether because her physique appealed to them or his personality drew in a rather specific type. Usually, guys who thought they could tame him. Girls who wanted his aggression directed in passion. Saw her body and his anger and guilt displayed in a rather intimidating, distant contenance. Never one to start a fight, but quick to end one with a verbal lashing. Otherwise friendly when approached, but never the one approaching. Some thought him shy, others knew better and saw the fire within. All were turned away.

It made Jason sick to his stomach to think of dating these people with her body. To show affection and know he was using her body in that manner. And moreover, he couldn't stand the idea of ever being with someone who wasn't her. Sure, he knew many people dated around before meeting their soulmate or were only platonic with their other half and sought romance elsewhere, but none of them were in his position. None of them were living inside a dead other half's body, pretending to live their life. Surely if they were, they would feel the same. Not that he planned on sharing.

As it stood, he became a known heartbreaker at school.

…

He dreamt of flashing blades and splattered blood that night. He screamed himself awake once more. He wasn't sure why. It's not like he didn't risk his life everyday since he was ten. Something about the dreams got to him though.

…

Sometimes he forgot he wasn't her. This life he lived, this lie became his truth for just a moment.

Nothing epitomized this as much as the absolute defeat of Hawkmoth.

Jocular came up with the idea with the help of Fievel. The two came up with a strategy of using illusions and prodding mice to draw akumas further and further towards the outskirts of Paris, making stops along the way to toy with the angered victims until they did something reckless. Serval and Ladybug made sure to stay completely out of sight to ensure that Hawkmoth knew that his goal would not be reached with this line of action. Nimbus jumped in if the akuma came too close to any of the others to knock them off their feet and give the others a chance to create distance. If Hawkmoth's signature purple symbol glowed around their face, they knew they were still in range. Once the akuma seemed to go absolutely off the rails with no interference, they ended the battle quickly and marked the spot on a map of Paris. Once they made their first mark, they went slightly to the right of the previous fight, waiting to make the next mark and leading the following battle to the right of that until, like clockwork, they made a complete circle. 

With the circle complete, they took their map and drew a line from one point to the one directly across the map, until eventually they found the exact center.

The Agreste mansion. Oh, the irony.

The battle went surprisingly quick after that. They waited until they defeated an akuma close to the mansion, so that the Moth miraculous would need to recharge before it could activate again. Nathalie, who previously wielded the peacock, stayed out of the altercation, too sick to attempt anything. With Gabriel unable to transform yet and his assistant unable to fight back, they made quick work of apprehending the man, bringing the police into the atrium of butterflies and showing the underground garden that held his list wife. With a few threatened words whispered into his ear by Ladybug and Serval, Gabriel transformed in front of the police, allowing them to take pictures of everything as evidence of his actions. He also admitted his guilt into a tape recorder, to be used in court. Of course, they were all careful not to let any of the kwamis be seen by civilians throughout the arrest.

Finally, with the two adults arrested with their bodyguard and Adrien taken into custody for questioning, the heroes all disappeared into the dark night, the battle over and won.

They met back up in their headquarters, Fu's parlor. Luckily, throughout the years, the old master had never been found out, despite a handful of close calls. Mostly due to the group threatening the man back into hiding every time he considered getting involved. Still, the place became their haven. A place to relax and regroup without the fear of being overheard. That night, the group celebrated their victory, emotions haywire in a swirl of grief and anger and misery and elation and pure relief, letting everything flow out, the release long overdue.

Up until this point, the hunt of Hawkmoth over the last two months had kept Jason so busy that beyond the nightmares, he nearly forgot that they weren't celebrating with him, but with who they thought was Marinette. The constant use of false names and codes had helped further disillusion him. 

Now though, they hollered and sobbed and laughed together in their exuberance and they all congratulated him as their leader, as the one freed of the most responsibility, as the one who had battled from the beginning. He thanked them and rejoiced the end of an era. And then he went to her home.

He slipped in through the balcony and dropped into bed, the transformation sliding off as he went. That wasn't really his battle to win. His enemy to defeat. He knew that. She would've been happy to know that their team protected Paris. Broke it free from Gabriel's reign of terror. That they won. He wished she could've been there to see it. To take down her enemy herself. This was supposed to be her victory. He fell back into depression, knowing she'd never get to witness his defeat.

…

That night, he dreamt of shrouded figures. Of defending himself from multiple enemies. He dreamt of proud jade green eyes watching at a distance. 

…

It hurt so badly to let her dreams slip through his fingers. Muscle memory and basic knowledge from reading her old books on sewing led to an adequacy when mending old clothes, adding buttons, or customizing his own things to fit further to his style. This however, did not translate into her creativity and ability to take a concept and transform it into an original design.

At first, this raised suspicion and worry amongst their friends and family, but as time passed, they accepted that perhaps the inspiration had moved on. Jagged and Clara had shown their acceptance and support and told him if he ever got back into the game, to contact them first. Both protested and fought valiantly at first, but after a long conversation where he revealed that he simply couldn't bring himself to create the way he once had after losing his other half, the two had showered him in affection and backed off. The full truth was tragic, but the half truth was enough for them all.

The team had sensed the change since the beginning and upon finding his dwindling willingness to create, they thought perhaps moonlighting as ladybug drained it from him. Probably explained why he worked better with Plagg nowadays despite his attachment to Tikki. He allowed them to believe what they would as long as it meant not pushing him to design anymore.

He took to studying more, reading on any subjects that caught his attention at the moment, enjoying the freedom of no longer having a villain to fight. He kept up training with the team and her old martial arts classes. He also added in kickboxing for the hell of it. It became a wonderful outlet for his aggression without taking it out on his teammates.

Sometimes, on busy weekends or on breaks, he helped in the bakery. It was during one of these times that Tom brought him in to help develop a new flavor, that he found a love of creation again. Something about working side by side with Tom, discussing how different spices and fruits played off each other reminded him of early afternoons spent with Alfred. When tears sprung to his eyes at the thought of the older butler, Tom immediately drew him into a hug, asking what had made him cry. Jason gave a watery smile and simply said he had missed this.

After that, her parents started using him in the baking process more, allowing him to taste taste and make his own creations with their guidance. He was a decent baker, good enough to keep up with them and offer new takes on old classics, but they soon discovered that he truly came to life with cooking.

It was soon afterwards that he took over making dinner every night, releasing some of the pressure from Tom and Sabine to find time in the midst of shutting down the bakery. It also eased some of his guilt towards the two to have a way to pull his own weight within the family.

…

It had been about eight months since he first dreamt of toxic, luminescent green. It still visited him in his nightmares occasionally, engulfing him in horrific clarity. Sometimes he asked Plagg about it, only to be met with concerned, nervous eyes. Once he teased the little god about corrupting his soul, only to see a flash of fear quickly shroud itself in a huffy, put off demeanor. Plagg hissed at him and gave him the cold shoulder for three days after that. He never teased the kwami about the nightmares again.

Sometimes the dreams still held flashes of silver and red, dripping blood off steel, of shrouded aggressors. Of proud jade green, watching him at all times, assessing him, observing and glinting with a hidden glee.

It was a couple months after the two year anniversary of her death that something changed.

He dreamt of jade green eyes, staring up at him from a much lower height than the last set, coming closer, looking curious and guarded, yet hopeful.

[artisticestheticreads]

Off Script (3)

A/N: Haaaaiiii. Okay, sorry I have not been active on here.This chapter is really short but hopefully it would get better next chapter. So, this is the third chapter of the MBJ X OC series Off Script. I hope y’all enjoy it.

Warning: Super Short. Don’t judge me. I work management in retail and holiday season kicked my thick ass so yeah..

Disclaimer: I do not own rights to songs. Songs are from face claim’s own music.

Word Count: 2475

Today was the day that Candace was waiting for. The day everyone will know she was the new addition to Ryan Coogler’s new movie. She had to go to Comic Con to meet fans of Mortal Kombt with her old loved cast which made the whole thing less suspicious. She pulled out a sheer crop button down top with a pair of leather flare pants since she had to dress similar to her persona, Jade. She wore a long twenty four inch lace front with a part in the middle and tucked one side behind her ear. She showed of her right shoulder and stood in the mirror slipping into her heels. Her black bralette covered her chest nicely as always. She grabbed her backpack with water, a portable charger and her phone to make sure she was all covered. Geo walked up the steps in his usual get up and said “best friend, ready?”

“Yeah, my mom will be here taking care of the dogs since we gonna be all gone today.”

“That’s the plan. I’m real happy for you.”

“Thanks, G. Let’s get going. We needa beat traffic out there because muthafuckas don’t know how to drive.” They made their way down and Candace saw her parents on the couch. “Hey, y’all. I’m out. No parties while I’m gone, no boys, no drugs, alcoholic and no nonsense either.” Tanisha turned to her daughter and smiled. “Look at our baby, Tony. Just flourishing and what not.” Candace and Tanisha were like clones but just a huge age different. Tony turned to his women and laughed. Now, Tony could have past to be Terry Crews long lost brother due to his physique and bald head. She kissed her parents cheeks and said her goodbyes. They hopped into her cherry red 1949 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Coupe with the top down, on their way to Comic Con. Candace asked for Geo to film like she did ever year. “Ok, guys. So today is Comic Con and the cast and I will have a real special announcement plus one for myself but y’all gotta wait for that. But let’s just say that I will be helping making history. I hope to see y’all there.” Geo made the camera pane to the sky as he cut the camera off. “Okay, now the filming crew will be there with us the whole time so you just gonna be guarding and what not”, she said to Geo and her nodded fixing his tie.

When they pulled up to the celebrity parking, she gave her key to valet as they both got out. “Alright, Terry just text me and told me they here already with Oliva and nem. We can get on the next elevator ride and meet them. After, we gotta meet with Ryan and talk about my entrance.” As she said that, Geo ran to the elevator door and held it open with his foot and left hand. “G, you are always so extra. I meant the next ride down beside it might be crowded”, she said with a laugh. When she finally made it over, she saw the cast of Black Panther II. She saw Ryan wink at her from the back as she stepped in. Lupita hugged her first before they began talking and then she turned to see Chadwick, Leticia and Danai smiling and waving with Michael standing to his Ryan’s left. “Y’all smell that? That’s that black magic”, said Leticia grinning and elbowing her on screen brother. Chadwick seemed happier since his lady Simone was no where around. Candy smiled as she laughed and said “I smell Oscars and then some.” Danai pointed to her and gave her a homegirl high five. Candy looked around and curiously asked “is Winnie not in the new movie?”

“No, he is. He is downstairs waiting for us. How come you’re here? Thought you were on vacation”, Lupita asked and Candy simply told them “well, Mortal Kombat is releasing a new project for the public. Well, I guess I can tell y’all. It’s a new video game with our faces in it. We basically are doing all the moves, voices and all. It’s pretty realistic. With me being a video gamer and anime fan, it was perfect to get involved in.” Chadwick dug his hands in the pockets of his black trousers and said “well, that sounds fun. I may have to come by the booth and check it out.”

“Please do. I would love that. Y’all can all come actually. If y’all like. Show some support, y’know?”

“I’m down”, Leticia said and so did the other except for Michael who just watched and nodded. Geo held his ear piece closed and spoke into it then to Candy. “Alright, baby girl. We arrive in five...” As he continued to countdown, Candace took a deep breath and smiled towards the door with her right leg out and hands on her hips. When the doors open, her camera crew was ready and her fans cheered her name behind the rope. She winked at her future cast and was off, doing her Jade model walk. She made it to her booth and began signing autographs. Ryan said that he would be ready at around 2:45pm and to wait by stage until he did the introduction; it was 12:39 pm, Chadwick came by around 1 pm and saw Candy. “Hey, there. Do you mind if I get a few autographs for my nephews. They’re fans of yours”, he asked handing them to her. She smiled and said “sure but I need yours for my god sons. Little boys been bugging me all week about it.” He knelt down as she signed the pictures and whispered. “Y’know, when I heard you know who got the part, I was upset.”

 Candace looked up to him and finally got what he was talking about; she looked up letting him continue. “I don’t see her like that. She can sing and dance but acting is not her thing at all. I heard it was a girl way better. She even came with her hair dyed and everything. To be honest, you would have been perfect. I’ve seen you as Jade and your videos of your African impression were spot on. And you look good in cat suit. But I’m glad you are taking time from all this to be with your family. Enjoy it while it lasts, baby girl. You have many of years to work hard. You’re still young, explore the world.”

“Thanks, Chad. I’ll be over there in a minute, okay”, she kissed his cheek as he placed the pictures in his bag and made his way. Candy smiled and bit her lip as she thought that maybe it was worth not taking a vacation for. Geo came to her side and whispered “let’s make our way. We got 45 minutes to get over there in time.” They made their way over, she stood by the stage waiting to watch them when she felt two strong hands on shoulders. She turned to see a familiar face. “Winnie”, she jumped into his arms as he swung her around. He wore a yellow sweatshirt with camouflage bottoms and yellow sneakers. He placed her down gently and asked “came to see me?”

“Of course I did, Sir Winston C. Duke.” They laughed as Angela Basset came by. “Look at my Delta baby. How are you doing, Miss Candace?” Angela gave her a big church mother hug and Candace replied with “I’m blessed.” Angela agreed with a smile and told Winston, “I’m sorry to interrupt but Ryan needs us backstage. We are about to start.” Winston nodded his hand before giving Candy one more bear hug. “Good luck, guys”, Candace waved and waited. Geo stood beside her, leaning into her ear. “They finna get a surprise on their hands, huh?”

“Sure are. Y’know Chad back there told me something at my booth a few minutes ago.”

“What he say?”

“He said I would have been perfect. But also said I have plenty of time to work.” Geo stood closer to her and asked “do you regret taking the part, now?” She looked at him and said “nah, but I am def taking a damn break after this one. A good year or so. Probably go back to Africa or something.” Geo nodded as they watched Ryan Coogler take stage. He wore black sweatershirt, jean, sneaker combination. “Hey, hey. How y’all doing”; the crowd cheered. “I wanna thank all of you for coming out to the Comic Con 2020. I am blessed to be back to direct for this new installment. We have an amazing cast for y’all and hope to top the first. Y’all ready?” The crowd cheered once again as Candace playfully covered her ears watching. “First off, we have the man himself. Give it up for Chadwick Boseman a.k.a T’Challa. KING OF WAKANDA!” The crowd went crazy as Chadwick strolled on stage being as smooth as always. He gave Ryan brotherly love and stood beside him. “Next up, we have the smartest princess of Wakanda. Give it up for Princess Shuri, LETICIA WRIGHT.” Leticia walked on stage doing a little dance that her and Chadwick did to make one another laugh and stood beside him. One by one, he called the others and lastly was everyone’s favorite villain. “Give it up for the prince himself, MICHAEL B. JORDAN.” Everyone went crazy when he approached the stage. He walked with a confident stride bowing to the crowd and do his signature hand pose.

  A woman with red hair came to Candace side and led Geo and herself to the backstage as Ryan spoke more. “Aight, so y’all must have heard what has been going on with the new member of the cast. Media been going crazy for the actress everyone thought we hired but I’m here to tell y’all none of that was true. The real actress is already here to make this announcement for you. Please give it up for one of the hardest working young ladies. Star of her own YouTube channel for fifteen years, Oscar and Tony winner, Angela Basset’s sorority daughter and her first role that got her where she is now. Give it up for Madam Slay herself… CANDACE ‘BABY GIRL’ MONROOOOOOOOE.” The crowd went crazy as Candace took stage, waving and smiling. Lupita and Angela were the first to run to her and give her so much love. Candace giggled as Lupita kept holding on to her and Letitia made her way to the group smiling and gave her a hug as well as Chadwick made his way over. He gave Candace a dap and a hug as they all made their way back in line. Candace stood next to Michael who paid her no mind. “Aight, aight. See y’all at the panel.” The cast all waved to the crowd and Chadwick was the first to step down, helping all the ladies down.

 An interviewer sat them down at a table where the women sat and the men stood. “Thank you guys for joining me”, the male said and they all nodded. “This looks a very well planned cast. Congratulations to the amazing Candace Monroe. How do you feel?” Candace smiled as she answered.

“Blessed. Blessed to be with such an amazing cast and blessed to just be here.” The man smiled with a nod and asked Chadwick. “Chadwick, how do you feel that you have a woman who does most of her own stunts like Miss Monroe here?” He stood behind her with his hands behind his back and said “feels great to have her on the team. I’ve been watching her since MK and I know she will bring a lot to the table.” Candace looked back and to the camera with her charming smile. The interviewer looked to Ryan and asked “Ryan, how was her audition?”

“She did really, really well. Madam Slay is the perfect character for her but it will also will be a challenge that I know she can handle.”

“How does everyone else feel?” Danai looked over to Candace then to the man and said “I am very happy. She is a talented individual that will do great,” Danai finished with wink to her. Angela hugged Candace’s shoulder and said “I couldn’t have said it any better.” Everyone agreed but Michael only nodded. After the questions ended, the group made their way to the panel and sat waiting for the Q and A portion. A woman dressed in a Jade costume stood at the microphone and asked “this is for Candace.” The crowded cheered and Candace leaned into her mic with a smile and said “yes, my sweet baby?”

“How do you think you would do in Black Panther?” Candace folded her hands and said “well, to be honest. I am a tad anxious. I always am when I take on a new role in anything I do. I’m nervous that I won’t bring anything to the table and let down everyone that believes in me. But, all I can do is try my hardest and do my absolute best.” The crowd clapped as she smiled small and Winston kissed her head. A man dressed as Killmonger in the museum scene said “this is for Mike. Michael, how you feel that you got a beautiful woman like Candace as your lady in the movie?” The group turned to him slightly before looking ahead. “I’m thankful. We might be a good pair but only time will tell. She got talent and she works hard so I’m a happy man.” Candace smiled a little as she sipped her water.

 Finally, the panel came to an end and the group got to just enjoy the rest of their time. Geo came to Candace’s side and asked “where to first, boss?” She looked up at him and flicked his ears. “Bwoy, you forget we friends huh?” Leticia laughed at the pair and said “well, I’m finna get out of here. I got a photoshoot tomorrow so I gotta take care of some stuff.”

“Okay, T. But don’t forget we start reading tomorrow and all month with training starting in two weeks”, Ryan said before she said her goodbyes. Candace played with her lanyard as she watched all the people pass her. She really was terrified on being Madam Slay but all she had to so was just hope for the better. “Well, I don’t know about you guys but I will be living my Comic Con fantasy and buy all the stuffies my little hands touch. Oh and get some food or what not.” They laughed expect for Michael who looked around. Ryan told her “I will text you the details in a few. Enjoy ya night, Madam.”

*𝕋𝔸𝔾𝔾𝔼𝔻 𝕃𝕆𝕍𝔼𝕊*

@muse-of-mbaku @im5ftbutmythroat66 @chaneajoyyy @melanin-samii @theunsweetenedtruth @doux-ciel @unicornluvin8765@vikkidc @wakandantings @thadelightfulone @mzamethystp@simbiann @tropicalsun10 @babydoll756 @notoriouslynay@vminax @quinsly @pinkdemolition @quietstorm-73@chaoticcashfancroissant @bugngiz @chocolatedippedinhoney@yafavcocoa @lostgalaxies @mbakuwife@youreadthatright@babygotl01292003 @acceptyourselfloveyourself @madamslayyy@yoyolovesbucky @theogbadbitch @wakanda-inspired@bitchacho25 @toniilaney @wakandascrystal@girlsneedlovingfanfics @raysunshine78 @melodyofmbaku@hearteyes-for-killmonger @silenceisplatinum @thickemadame@shookmcgookqueen @heykillmongerluhme@fonville-designs @cutewylie @allhailqueennel @10bsatatime @nickidub718 @lildashofmelanin @allhailqueennel @amirra88 @hakunalive4eva@thickemadame @ghostfacekill-monger @cherrystainedlipsbaby

[ryollie]

"I'm going to go out all out in this match, Angel. It doesn't matter if you're my friend or not. I'm not going easy on you."

Ollie and Angelo's first Quidditch match against each other.

I find their rivalry interesting and I wonder how they would react to their losses against each other. I wrote this on my phone so sorry if there's any mistakes, fic is under the cut!

Angelo belongs to @angellazull

"The long awaited Ravenclaw-Slytherin match we've been waiting all year for is finally here!" As usual, Murphy McNully knew how to hype up a crowd.

The crowd was now roaring with excitement as the anticipation for the Ravenclaw-Slytherin match grew. The Ravenclaws were in high spirits, having crushed Gryffindor in their previous match with a whopping score of 170-30. This was all thanks to their Ravenclaw seeker, Angelo Lancaster. He was one of the best seekers Ravenclaw had seen in decades – whoever said Ravenclaws were just all brains and no brawn?

However, things would not be as smooth sailing for Ravenclaw this time round – the Slytherin seeker, Ollie Potter, posed as a threat. It was no secret that his parents were amazing seekers during their time at Hogwarts – with his fathers' expertise in Quidditch and the latest broom model to boot, Ollie Potter posed as a formidable foe in the Quidditch pitch.

Meanwhile at the spectator stands, Catherine smirked as she watched Talbott struggle internally. Brows furrowed, he was torn between deciding whether to support Slytherin or Ravenclaw. Ideally, he should support Ravenclaw and his friend Angelo, but his boyfriend was the Slytherin seeker...

"Just come on to the Slytherin corner already, the game's about to start," Catherine rolled her eyes and gestured wildly to an empty spot next to her.

Talbott sighed. "Easy for you to say," he muttered under his breath. "You have it easy because your eye candy Erika is Slytherin's beater and Ollie's one of your best mates. You don't even need to choose."

"What did you say?" Catherine fluttered her lashes sweetly at Talbott, eyes glinting maliciously. Talbott shuddered – Merlin, does she even know how scary she is sometimes?

"Nothing," Talbott replied, a little too quickly. Before he could say anything else, Catherine had forcefully dragged him to sit next to her in the Slytherin stands.

**

Meanwhile, another dilemma was ongoing in the Quidditch changing rooms. Ollie had been excited to play a Quidditch again, but it somehow slipped his mind that Angel was the rival seeker. Pacing around the room anxiously, he waited for Angel to emerge from the Ravenclaw changing room so he could have a small talk with him before the game. Once he saw the familiar tuft of blue hair peek out from the curtains, Ollie jogged over hurriedly.

"Angel!"

The blue-hair boy blinked at Ollie, a little startled from being suddenly called. "Hello, Ollie. Good luck for the match," he said good-naturedly. He didn’t even seem bothered by the prospect of playing against Ollie; he kept his cool. Ollie gripped his Thunderbolt – the latest and adapted version of the Firebolt series, mind you, tightly as he took a deep breath in.

"I'm going to go out all out in this match, Angel. It doesn't matter if you're my friend or not. I'm not going easy on you."

Angelo was a little taken aback by Ollie’s announcement. He nodded slightly in acknowledgement, but before he had a chance to reply, Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the two teams set out to assemble at the pitch.

**

The crowd cheered loudly as the two teams emerged on the pitch. Catherine had herself painted in full green and silver paint in support for her house and somehow managed to convince Talbott into painting himself half green and half blue to show his support for both houses. His fellow Ravenclaws most certainly did not approve of his unlikely allegiance to the enemy, but they ultimately didn't make such a big deal out of it since they knew Talbott and the Slytherin seeker had been a thing for quite some time now.

Madam Hooch's shrill whistle pierced through the pitch; signalling the start of the match. Almost immediately, the Ravenclaw beaters set to work as they flung a giant bludger towards Ollie. Ollie had activated his full focus and managed to dodge the bludger with ease. However, the two beaters were relentless and batted the bludger back and forth, as though they were desperate to land a hit on him. Even though they seemed like they were trying to hit Ollie with the bludger, the beaters knew they were not able to achieve that, given with how quick Ollie's reflexes were. Instead, they were trying to buy time by distracting Ollie so their seeker Angelo could search for the snitch. Ollie could either dodge their angry bludger or look for the snitch – doing both would be impossible. They grinned at each other as Ollie seemed to be taking the bait – their distraction was a success!

Their short lived victory was cut short when Erika Rath suddenly appeared behind Ollie. She grasped her bat firmly and with one swift hit, plummeted the bludger onto one of them, causing them to get hit by it and falling off the broom. The other beater worriedly soared towards his fallen teammate, leaving Ollie free from the bludger. Erika shot Ollie a grin as she gave him their signature fist bump combo, before Ollie zoomed off in search for the snitch once more.

Angelo frowned and was panting a bit under the harsh sunlight. The snitch was nowhere in sight – despite his teammates best efforts to keep Ollie distracted, he still hasn't sighted the golden, buzzing ball of victory. His eyes darted around the pitch as he scanned his surroundings with great care. To his dismay, Ollie seemed to have broken free from the beaters' distraction and started flying rapidly towards him.

Is he going to crash into me? What is he doing? A thousand thoughts swirled in Angelo's mind as he watched Ollie with wary eyes. He was shocked when Ollie simply ignored and zoomed past him, that means he must've seen the snitch! Propelling his broom forward to face the direction Ollie was headed towards, he was mortified to find Ollie just a few inches away from the snitch. Angelo gripped his broom with firm resolve as he flew fast behind Ollie's back, hot on his heels.

Ollie was aware of Angel tailing him, but that wasn't a big deal. The snitch was just a hair's length away from him; he could easily reach out for it and finish the game right now. However, Ollie hesitated. He had never played against Angel before, and had no clue how he would respond to Ollie after suffering a loss. Although he knew Angel was kind-hearted and one of his best friends, he couldn't deny that Angel had a bit of a temper. Grimacing, he chose to take a leap of faith as his hands closed in and clasped the snitch gently.

The snitch fluttered its golden wings weakly in his palm, as Murphy's loud voice echoed through the Quidditch pitch: "POTTER HAS CAUGHT THE SNITCH! Slytherin wins with a soul crushing score of 190-40! There's only a 94.78% chance that the Ravenclaws would be utterly demoralised after that great defeat..." Murphy's voice zoned into the background, as Ollie released the snitch in his palm. He quickly turned around to look for Angel, but he was nowhere to be seen.

[the-nysh]

AHHHH! Just got back from finally seeing Heroes Rising! 8D Oh man, that was definitely a big-screened flashy action movie to experience, with great class cohesion and teamwork, and especially with Deku and Kacchan as the stars. Going in, I already knew what was going to happen (couldn’t resist spoiling myself silly), but it still had me chuckling along to all the fun nods/refs to things and grinning like a huge idiot by the end of it. :D More details and extended impressions as follows:

It really gets me that nowadays we can just…waltz into a theater and watch subbed anime movie screenings (which was the version I saw) alongside other current films. :O That’s just amazing to me. Cause gosh, back in the day, that was either completely unheard of, or you had to drive 100miles to a fancy arthouse theater just to see dubbed releases of -only- Miyazaki movies (with month-long reserved/ordered tickets). This is so much preferable now (it’s a very good thing!), and I certainly hope this trend for more accessible anime content continues!

Anyway, saw the movie with family: sister (only watches the anime) and mom (never seen any bnha, but wanted to be included anyway~) At first we had the entire theater to ourselves at a 9:45pm showing, until like 5 min before, then several other groups came in. (So hhhh ;o; had to refrain from making any loud reactions/commentary otherwise.)  

Some of the best comments from my mom were how she kept leaning over to me and asking where the ‘guy with the wings’ (Hawks) was. X’D This is great and hilarious to me. He only showed up a few times to investigate the villains, figure out what’s wrong, and fly over with pending professional help to the island. So to my mom, it was a matter of ‘when will he come to save the kids!?’ Aha nice. His Japanese voice was deeper than expected, but I could still hear the Mumen Rider (opm) inflections from his voice actor. :D Definitely excited to see more of him formally animated in the series. Later, my mom also commented how the villain (Nine) was good-looking, buaha! (I mean hey, Shiggy was there too! 8D) I’d given her a crash-course on bnha lore before the movie, so it’s amusing to me how these were some of her unique takeaways. She also felt how after Deku told the kids ‘you can be a hero,’ that they already were cause they demonstrated that same bravery. :’)

For my sister, by the end she was like, ‘they should have just done fusion!’ Noting how Deku and Kacchan already went with the dbz looks, so heh why not. :P She noted how odd it was that Kacchan could use OfA immediately (when it took Deku several hours to…digest the hair before it could set in), so I had to clarify it was transferred by blood this time. She also wondered how Deku could gain even greater power with OfA after transferring it, and welp it’s mostly movie magic so whatever, but I could not resist flat-out saying, ‘BECAUSE THEY SOUL-BONDED~’ (And that’s as far as I was openly willing to push it with the bkdk agenda, guahaha.) Lingering convos included stuff about OfA mechanics (more odd inconsistencies with the vestiges somehow willing it back) and me mentioning Hori’s original idea to end the series with, all that good stuff. But most of all, to even have the movie tie back into the main (manga) storyline cleanly somehow, these types of explanations/solutions to things had to be done anyway, so it’s honestly another whatever/no big; it works as a self-contained flashy movie. (And honestly not as bad as some impressions made it seem; instead, how certain things wrapped up here felt negligible to me.)

As for ME, woohoo oh I definitely liked it and had a fun time! :D I didn’t know if I’d get the chance to see it in theaters (schedule conflicts) but ayyy I felt it was worth it! Immediately from the intro car-chase with Endeavor (yooo), it was all high-budget, quality action movie stuff. The two kids were endearing with active roles which I appreciated. I was also greatly impressed by how cohesive and responsible all the classmates were. You could just tell how closely they knew each other (and their quirks) and could work efficiently as a well-oiled unit when disaster strikes. Evacuating and providing for the islanders and coming up with elaborate battle plans, and all without any adult heroes present. :O Each had their moment to shine, with some very cool class combo moves too. Favs were Uraraka and Sero’s boulder throwing spam, and Kiri bodily shielding Todo from a hugeass high-beam laser like in Evangelion (YOOOOO?!?! that was cool!) Dark Shadow with wolverine claws was pretty sweet too.  

Of course, personal favs were the Kacchan (+Deku) moments. Deku was a good babey throughout but…but KACCHAN. ;A; Featuring the shades of Kacchan I love to see. :’D (Also Denki said a line like, ‘Kacchan of the Bakugous’ buahaha wtf!) When he’s silently observant (listening to Deku talk to the kid about their hero dreams, to the point his popsicle melts off ;o;), intensely serious (making it very clear to the kids he’s for real about efficiently working as a hero after they mess around/cry wolf with him), gruffly supportive (encouraging Deku in his own way to ‘make it his own’ asap :’3) and…he’s still got his signature short fuse temper of course (that explodes in comical ways, heh even my mom laughed at him) plus the awesome moments when he frees himself from a villain then promptly beats his ass. 8D But…I personally loved the smaller, but very telling, protective moments. Like when the girl signaled Deku was in trouble, Kacchan was immediately RIGHT THERE to blast Nine in the face (omgg), how he caught/saved the girl when she went flying (while Deku was on the attack instead), AND my fav: how when they were both fighting Nine, Deku got distracted worrying about the other classmates fighting elsewhere, but Kacchan kicked him out of the way from getting hurt by lasers (so ahhh!! he’s actively looking out for Deku and staying on top of things so they both keep their heads in the game. :’D) Just MANY good Kacchan moments to appreciate. <3

AND then the big bkdk handhold, OfA transfer, epic + emotional team up. (Ever since the first previews/impressions, I’m still stunned they actually did all that on the big screen!) At this point I was internally squealing and had the dumbest grin on my face but didn’t even care. 8’D I WAS READY! Nakamura’s animation was like…byuuujjgghh *brain turns off* Honestly it was hard to even SEE what was happening on screen besides huge swathes of molten heat and green electricity flying everywhere, totally and awesomely over the top. Ahaha definitely worth seeing again just for that! I got feels for the ‘it’s fine if it’s you’ line :’))), and in the aftermath, loved it when Deku’s first thought upon regaining consciousness was to ask All Might if Kacchan’s ok. (omggg heh, Deku pls! :’D)

Overall, the movie had a simple, straightforward storyline to follow, fantastic action and teamwork to enjoy, and plenty of tidbits and character moments for current fans to heartily eat up. No question about the Kacchan and bkdk service as well. Left me feeling very giddy as a fan and glad I was able to catch it in theaters. Now I can’t wait to see when gifsets of all those fun moments get made!

[violethowler]

This Isn’t A Zero Sum Game: An Analysis of Lotor’s Interactions With The Paladins as a Whole Across Seasons 5 and 6

Every once in a while I’ll think about some “hot take” I saw in the VLD fandom more than a year ago and just think about how canon... just did not support those  conclusions... And since that’s how most of my meta get started, I churned out a new one: 

In the wake of Seasons 5 and 6 dropping I saw a lot of posts, particularly from Lotor stans, bashing the Paladins for the way they treated him in the first two episodes of Season 5, how cruel they were to just give him over to his father without a second thought. I even saw a few arguing over how humane his treatment was in S5E1. 

While I do believe that Lotor’s desire for peace was genuine (as we would have seen in Season 8 before the executive meddling cut the payoff), I think that it’s a little extreme to argue that the Paladins treatment of him in S5E1 The Prisoner was unethical, or that they were just throwing him to the wolves in S5E2.

To quote one of my favorite video game characters, “Let’s hit these plot points in order.”

What exactly were people expecting the Paladins to do after Lotor saved the day in “A New Defender”? Immediately welcome him into the fold with open arms and a fresh batch of cookies that Hunk made just for the occasion? They’re forgetting that just a few episodes ago, Lotor was still in charge of the Galra Empire. He wasn’t a fringe third party with a checkered past who showed up to help when the chips were down like Rolo and Nyma. For all of Season 3 and most of Season 4, he’s been an enemy combatant, and they treated him as such. While he may currently be at odds with his father after S4E3, the Paladins have no way to know whether he genuinely wants peace or is just telling them what they want to here so he can take advantage of them. Because he’s done it before.

In S3E2 Red Paladin, Lotor has Narti use her mind control powers to have the leader of Puig send a distress signal asking Voltron for help. When they arrive, he ambushes them and sends multiple waves of fighters to gauge their skill and whether they would be able to retrieve the trans reality comet. When he gets what he wants, he leaves.

Two episodes later, in S3E4 Hole in the Sky, Lotor attaches a distress beacon to the ship with the comet inside that mimics an Altean distress signal. When Voltron arrives, he waits for them to retrieve the comet, then attacks them, steals the comet for himself, and flies off.

That’s two times now that Lotor has faked a distress signal and then used Voltron’s desire to help to further his own agenda before flying off with the fruits of his labor. He may not have done anything to them since then, but they are understandably wary of being used like that a third time. You know how the old saying goes. “Fooled me once, shame on you. Fooled me twice, shame on me.”

So, when he slides up to the Coalition saying “hey, I know we’ve fought in the past but let’s see if we can come to an agreement”, he’s looked at with suspicion, and understandably so. The Paladins aren’t going to just give free reign of the Castle of Lions to someone they know very little about, who was an enemy combatant less than a month ago (by all indications S4E2-6 take place within a very short period of time), and who has a history of using their desire to help people to advance his own agenda. So, they put him in the cell as a probationary measure. If he proves trustworthy, they give him access to more of the castle. If it turns out that he’s using them for his own ends like they fear, well, they’ve already locked him up, and at least he wouldn’t have been able to access any sensitive information. We see that bear out in S5E3 Postmortem. The Paladins aren’t bothered that Lotor’s out of his cell. He’s proven his intentions by killing his father. Their main reaction is surprise that they’re giving him access to the bridge already.

[EDIT]: Some posts following the release of Season 5 pointed out that if the lights on Lotor’s prison deck were kept on 24/7, it would constitute a form of torture. While that is a valid point to make, I saw quite a few blogs that took that possibility and exaggerated it, not even considering the “if” part of the original discussion, declaring it as fact, and rushing to label the Paladins’ actions as war crimes because we never saw Lotor’s cell with the lights off. It should be noted that all of these scenes took place in the daytime, and while we never see that specific room at night, Season 2 already showed that the castle’s lights are turned off during the night cycle, and there’s nothing to suggest they didn’t do the same with Lotor’s cell. 

And there’s also another angle that isn’t really talked about – that not everyone we saw in the Coalition in previous seasons was willing to work alongside Galra like the Blade of Marmora. While the rebels we see in Begin the Blitz and A New Defender are just fine working with the Blades, it’s not out of the question that some Coalition members might resent the Coalition’s Galra allies. And if Lotor’s on the Castle of Lions, that would make him a target. The cell could also have been just as much to keep trigger happy Coalition members out as it was to keep him in.

Then I hear people arguing that they were just going to hand him over to Zarkon with no strings attached, that they were just going to give Lotor up and trust that Zarkon would stay true to his word. It sometimes sounded like some people want so badly for Lotor to be a bigger victim than he already is that they twisted canon to make the Paladins out to be thoughtless jerks. Because S5E2 Blood Duel shows us that everything that happened was all according to plan.

For those who are unfamiliar, the Unspoken Plan Guarantee trope refers to the pattern that the more the audience knows the details of the plan beforehand, the greater the chances the plan will fail, and the fewer details the audience knows in advance, the greater the chances the plan will succeed. Explaining the details of the plan after it’s been successfully carried out is optional.  

After Zarkon pulls the hologram trick, the phrase “Hold our position until the time is right.” Is repeated by both Shiro and Lance (albeit without the “until the time is right” part for Lance). And the show tells us that the moment when “the time is right” is when Lotor attacks Zarkon and leads him away from the shuttle.

When the Paladins are arguing with Shiro in S5E3 Postmortem, they don’t say anything to the effect of “why did you give Lotor a weapon?” They had no problem with him being armed. The issue they had was that Lotor was given the Black Bayard, his father’s signature weapon they had only just gotten back from Zarkon 14 episodes ago. One wrong move in Blood Duel, and that weapon would have been back in Zarkon’s hands. And for a moment in that episode, it was. Zarkon did get his hands on the Black Bayard and if Lotor had been a second too slow, Zarkon would have killed all five Paladins, plus Matt and Sam in a single strike.

I’ve mentioned before that VLD prefers to show things to the audience rather than explain them out loud. Sometimes it’s to the show’s detriment because the answer to viewers’ questions aren’t immediately obvious. But watching Blood Duel again, it’s clear that plan was always “make the hostage exchange. Wait for Zarkon to double cross us. Lotor attacks Zarkon and leads him on a chase across the desert. Shiro, Matt, and Pidge storm the shuttle to free Sam.” The Paladins were always going to ensure that Lotor was armed during the fight with his father. The only issue they had was Shiro’s choice of what weapon to give him.

So now that Lotor has proven they can trust him, they start to drop their guard and be more casual and friendly around him. And according to Matt during the flashbacks in S7E7 “The Last Stand: Part”, by the time Sam Holt has been on Earth for just over a year, Voltron had been missing for six months. That means that between S5E5 Bloodlines and S6E4 The Colony, Voltron and Lotor had been working together for just over six months. That’s six months of the Paladins slowly growing to trust and befriend the new Galra Emperor. But the little embers of doubt about his intentions were still there in the back of each of their minds.

That’s why it’s so easy for the Paladins to believe Keith and Romelle when they show up accusing him of murdering Alteans with no concrete evidence other than their own assumptions. Because given his behavior before Naxzela, an apparent reveal that he had been playing the long game manipulating them all along rekindled those embers of suspicion. It’s easy for them to conclude that Lotor was playing a long con since it would fit with his behavior towards them prior to Season 4. Because what non-nefarious reason could Lotor possibly have for not telling Allura and Coran that he had been sheltering the surviving Alteans after working together for six months?

We know why Lotor didn’t say anything. Because he refused to risk Haggar discovering the Colony’s existence and scouring the universe until she found it. But the Paladins have never experienced the level of privacy invasion and subsequently justified paranoia that Lotor has. So, they do not have the experience to understand that he refused to risk the security of the colony by revealing its existence where Haggar might have spies or listening devices or cloned sleeper agents to overhear.  

I agree with the theory that Lotor was telling the truth about the Altean Colony and that what was happening there was not what Keith and Romelle believed it was. I absolutely believe that the Paladins leaving Lotor in the rift was a mistake. But the attempts by certain Lotor stans to water this down to a black and white scenario of Paladins Evil, Lotor Good are not supported by canon. Canon shows us that the falling out between Lotor and the Paladins was a messy situation where everyone had understandable reasons for reacting to the reveal of the colony as they did. That doesn’t make any one person’s reactions right or justified, only that if you put the pieces together it’s understandable how they reached the conclusions they did.

TL;DR: There is no evidence in the show that suggests Lotor was treated inhumanely, the Paladins were never going to just hand him to Zarkon unarmed and hope for the best, and Lotor's paranoid refusal to tell them about the Colony gave Keith's accusations greater weight because it was in line with his behavior towards the Paladins in Season 3 enough for them to believe that he had been pulling a long con all along. 

[fortheheavenssake]

PG MM Anon Interpretation Collection- 9

59: Sept. 14

💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻PG INTERPRETATION OF MM ANON 🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜 sorry it’s so late l really am l just am struggling with a flu bug on top of everything else lots of 💜💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜t

💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻THANK YOU MM ANON 🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜

MM Anon

MM ANON … From rush- her with love … five ways from SUNday… Britain will Trump Canada … Es-Pee-anarge … under-COVER… 2 many Players… that’s a very deep rabid hole…Em eye six…… “ follow the money “ …… The Queens signature was unconstitutional …… The PM is f#@%d. …… any of them…… ⚖️🇬🇧🇨🇦♟😱😱😱……… game ,set and hatch.

From rush- her with love

From Russia With Love, old Bond film, l prefer the old ones. Remember Kazan anyone?? The lookalike of mm has her photo taken by a chap just out taking photos? He remarked she looked exactly like mm with the exception of a mole being on the opposite side of her face. TP1 mentioned Kazan. Was that our girl in there with a billionaire oligarch yachting? I have seen the photo, she does resemble mm greatly. Or just exactly who is mm? Does Russia possess secret knowledge/videos of our girl that they have been holding over her? Have they been releasing information into the media? Sure fact none of this has anything to do with love.

five ways from SUNday

She is “screwed” in very which way possible, literally and metaphorically. The capitalization of SUN leads one to believe The Sun newspaper has a big story going to break. I think many others are in the same boat in our Ortis, the Intelligence Head who arrested.

Britain will Trump Canada

All the spies who loved me.“ Britain with Russian murdering people on their soil and attempting to, the who Trump issue that’s been going on for years, just who was spying on whom? Now Canada has this tremendous international five eyes security nightmare , where the Head of the Intelligence unit at the RCMP office in Ottawa charged by his own force with violating national security by allegedly leaking government secrets. What was a citizen, non-military of law enforcement doing in that position? What has he all stolen and given to heaven knows who. It was a tip from Trump’s government to Canada that led to this arrest. Thank you Mr. Trump!

So if l read this clue correctly, the word trump means to one up, so it is sounding like Britain is having its own internal governmental issues that will surpass what is happening in our country, Canada.🇨🇦

Es-Pee-anarge

Espionage, it’s suddenly here, there and everywhere. If you recall several years ago, there was a request made, of a former agent who now works privately, to do a dossier on Mr.Trump. This has since infamously been called the Steele Dossier, the gentleman’s name is Christopher Steele. Amongst a myriad of information in that file, you can read it online, l,believe it’s still publicly available, just google it. In part of that dossier it alleges that when Mr. Trump was in Moscow for the beauty contest he owned, Putin offered him the best prostitutes in the world, he, confirmed by his own prime security man whose name escapes me just now, both denied he used any such services. However in the dossier, there are references, especially seedy one to the U.S. public was the fact he enjoyed prostitutes, sorry for this, it them peeing on each other etc etc. So that is part of the clue, l felt the need to share that. I truly apologize if anyone was offended.

under-COVER

Undercover means subterfuge, pretending to be part of something to gather information or evidence. This is most used with police or investigation contexts although since we are talking spied, that as well

Here we have under -COVER. Cover all caps, what’s the meaning? Cover of the newspaper or magazine, a cover story? All are possibles.

2 many Players

2, does that mean only two players are most important? Or does this simply mean too many are involved . I highly doubt with MM ANON that the use of 2 doesn’t have a deeper meaning and that Players is capitalized. Players is a cigarette in Canada. This is definitely such a complex international web l cannot keep my head straight, kudos to those doing the leg work and the mental work to put this all together and bring those to justice who need being arrested.

… that’s a very deep rabid hole

This hole keeps getting mentioned, now it’s not rabbit but rabid, can be the obvious an animal or person for that matter, afflicted with hydrophobia in humans or rabies as it’s more commonly known in animals. It can also mean having or proceeding from an extreme or fanatical thoughts, supports, belief in something. Sugars anyone?? The level on international investigations seem to coincide with madam, but l have a strong hunch things were ongoing prior but she brought with her a lot of similar circles that she yachted in. The hole is indeed deep, one wonders how on earth this all will end.

Em eye six

MI6. Hello chums! The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as MI6, is the foreign intelligence service of the government of the United Kingdom, tasked mainly with the covert overseas collection and analysis of human intelligence (HUMINT) in support of the UK’s national security. SIS is a member of the country’s intelligence community and its Chief is accountable to the country’s Foreign Secretary. The mere mention of this, is overtly telling us that MI6 is and has been involved and we should rest assured that they are doing the hard, dangerous work needing doing. Thank you for all the work that you do to keep the rest of us safe!

“ follow the money “

As l, and many many others have said, and indeed the mantra of law enforcement, money laundering etc etc follow the money trail. There is always a record kept and, in the U.S. for example if you withdraw or move around over a certain amount without proper explanation, the financial institution fills out a form, l just can’t recall the name, l am sorry, but it triggers a reaction in the system to check into it. In our case, follow the money, who are the backers, where did her money come from. I am quite certain they have that well in hand.

The Queens signature was unconstitutional

As a law-abiding citizen Boris Johnson must sign and send the letter requesting a further extension to the Brexit deadline. However, he is perfectly entitled to send a covering letter that makes it clear that it was written, not by him, but by a member or members of the opposition parties in the House of Commons; that he signed it under duress; that it represents neither his views nor those of the Cabinet; and that the next Conservative government would be committed to leaving the European Union.The Queen’s signature on the signing of the Royal assent on the Benn Act was about making ‘no deal’ not a possibility, pushed through in haste before Parliament was prorogued, later that very evening. When Article 50 was invoked, ‘no deal’ was part of that invocation and passed as law.

On 29 March 2017, the UK invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). On March 16,2017 HMTQ signed Article 50 into law which cleared the way that formally started talks to leave the EU.which began the withdrawal, commonly known as BREXIT, by the way see the film Brexit with Benedict Cumberbatch, it’s great, l believe l have recommended that before! In compliance with the TEU, the UK gave formal notice to the European Council of its intention to withdraw, from the EU to allow withdrawal negotiations to begin.

The PM is f#@%d.

Refer the above, by proroguing parliament, No deal was signed into law. UNCONSTITUTIONAL per the BREXIT REFERENDUM!

any of them

Any or all of them. Who are all suspect, who will be the next. Any of the ‘five eyes’ countries may have arrests to be made.

⚖️🇬🇧🇨🇦♟😱😱😱

The justice systems of the U.K. and Canada are each dealing with security/national/international issues. Why the chess piece? It’s a game of cat and mouse literally. And once the legal dust settle people will be both shock and horrified by what is made public. The information sealed would be too much for people to handle l believe. I would not want to be making those decisions. Security services of the U.K,, Canada, U.S., Australia and New Zealand are collectively known as ‘the five eyes’. They are all interactive, information sharing to keep us all safe as possible on an international level. You must read about these things and educate yourself.

game ,set and hatch.

Game, set, match is the usual phrase. The spy game, trap is set and 🐣 hatch, something is born of the trap. Now we’re not talking babies here, although there was a fascinating case in the U.S. back 20 years a pair of Russian agents lived covertly as a married couple in America. They even went so far as having two children. When they were finally arrested the children were traumatized they had no idea. They tried to seek refuge in Canada, the children, but if my memory serves, they were extradited to Russia. THATS how far these things go folks, please be aware of what’s happening in our world, l beg you.!

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦

So sorry you are feeling poorly once again! We so appreciate you doing the riddle, as we know you struggle! Prayers for you dear PG! Wow! This is fascinating stuff….we are learning so much! Thank you🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜🙏🏻💜

Ask Skippy submission

53 notes

Sep 14th, 2019

———————

60: Sept. 16

💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻PG INTERPRETATION OF MM ANON🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜

I am sorry it’s sooooo late, l had checked earlier and there was no riddle. PLEASE this is far from my best work, l apologize in advance

💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻THANK YOU MM ANON🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜 I had checked with Skippy late afternoon and there was no riddle, now, so late l came on and saw the riddle. Folks, l am tired and this will be far from my best work, l apologize.

MM Anon

MM ANON, ………”fi fi faux fum”…… happy birthday …… 🎼 “The baby ‘as gouuun daun the plugole ‘again “🎼 …… sticks and stones …… “ honestly Mater it had nothing to do with me”…… amazingly illiterate …… Ahhhh !!!!! , no longer hidden…… 🎼 the wonderful wizard of Oz 🎼…… leave this one to William …… “ that sir is your prerogative “

”fi fi faux fum”

Fe fi faux gum, l smell the blood of an Englishman. Might this be BOJO. Running from country to country seeking help to cover up his blunder at misleading HMTQ? Court rules Tuesday, but it may be a political decision not a legal one, what a quandary. His blood pressure must be sky high. HMTQ, this is the very last thing she needs now!!

happy birthday

HAPPY 35TH BIRTHDAY HARRY! I remember clearly waiting for your arrival. How beautiful your mum looked leaving the Linda Wing in red and white, precious memories. I hope you had a blessed wonderful day!

🎼 “The baby ‘as gouuun daun the plugole ‘again “🎼

The song is a traditional Mother’s Lament. Having too many children, they’re all skeletal thin. She was bathing one and turned round for the soap and the babe slipped away down the drain, gone forever but not lost. Who’s is the mother who has too many and loses one? I wonder if this is a lament for Prince Harry not having his mother here for his birthday. I wonder also if this is meaning something quite literal, l , no offence to anyone, wonder if this is referencing voluntary termination of a pregnancy by madam. Just pure speculation on my part.

Sticks and stones.

Sticks and stones, may break my bones, but names will never hurt me. So deflect away, all the negative press doesn’t matter.

Madam just carries on with everything, water off a ducks back$$$££££€€ keeps rolling in.

“ honestly Mater it had nothing to do with me”

Mater is old English for mother but l am positive l have seen or heard that term used elsewhere, l just am drawing a blank. Who is the Mater of England and the U.K., and Commonwealth? HMTQ. Who is telling her he didn’t do it? Is this referencing BOJO again L trying to earnestly say he didn’t intentionally mislead her??

amazingly illiterate

Word salad again by madam on the birthday Instagram for HRH Prince Harry. Nothing eve changes or improves. Read one of her twitter feeds, yikes , now those are a lesson in not how to use the English language!

Ahhhh !!!!! , no longer hidden

What’s no longer hidden?? Clear face of baby Archie in newly released photo today on the Sussex Instagram, with a collage of photos of Prince Harry. There do appear to be some ‘oddities’ in this yet again black and white photo.

🎼 the wonderful wizard of Oz 🎼

Prince Edward has completed his tour of Malaysia and is headed to Australia. The song is from the film with Judy Garland, one of my faves, about a young girl and friends she meets along the way to see the great and powerful wizard in the land of Oz.Oz is a nickname for Australia.

leave this one to William

William is sound, and l have a very strong hunch working very closely with LG. William is the one who will be King.

“ that sir is your prerogative “

Prerogative means a right or privilege exclusive to a particular individual or class, or in British Law, arising from the prerogative of the Crown (usually delegated to the government or the judiciary) and based in common law rather than statutory law. So if this referencing the prorogued parliament and the PM’s choices?

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦

Thank you dear PG….it looks wonderful! Amazing once again. We so appreciate you doing this for us. Prayers and hugs to you!😊💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

Ask Skippy submission

31 notes

Sep 16th, 2019

———————

61: Sept. 16

💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻PG INTERPRETATION OF MM ANON🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜

💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻THANK YOU MM ANON🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜

MM Anon

MM ANON …… “What!!! , cook him bloody breakfast “… Another Firm message …… the African question … … “ he’s hiding behind your skirts “ …… an oz apology … a noticeable habit …… “ They have all gone quiet”…… VB’” “piss off David, she’s the kiss of death” …… “Do it on the QT”. …… it’s a palace directive …… “ Have you read the comments on SM” …… he’s putting on a brave face.

“What!!! , cook him bloody breakfast “

This morning, on her twitter , one of a few, she posted the bespoke breakfast she cooked for her husband including blood sausage and she said she had a bowl of fruit😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. I won’t give the two accounts l know of , because l don’t want trouble.

Another Firm message

The palace is know as the Firm, those who run the show, poor choice of word l know, but it’s the truth. The disaster that is BOJO running now to various EU countries to get them to vote no, so he doesn’t have to make a request of them for a Brexit extension. The Queen is Firm, the will of the people should be heeded. The issue will be brought to court today, but in the end it may not be a legal issue that they can deal with, it may come down to a political one. Then, this constitutional crisis becomes a disaster. With all HMTQ is dealing, for him to put her in this position at this point in Her reign is unconscionable!!!

the African question

The trip to Africa will she go?? Thus far the itinerary l have read refers specifically to PH. The bigger and more important relationship building question is will Angola join the Commonwealth. They made verbal comments last year that they wanted to. Whilst there PH will have private meetings with various leaders and work towards that goal. It would be a great thing for him to achieve as diplomatic duty has not really been in his wheelhouse. He has been great at relating to people and developing charities such as the Invictus Games, and Sentebale in Botswana with Prince Seeiso which was founded in 2006.

“ he’s hiding behind your skirts “

Is this reference to PA, spending time at Balmoral and was seen Sunday going to Craithie Kirk with HMTQ? Hiding from questions, demands, and interviews from law enforcement all potentially waiting in the wings.

an oz apology

Strong rumours whilst PH and mm were on their tour she was VERY rude to staff and , l believe the High Commissioners wife was told to f*** off. PA, since then made a pit stop there for apologies. I do believe on PE current visit further apologies perhaps even written one from HMTQ were extended to ensure relationships stay strong. Just imagine spewing foul language could potentially destroy years of harmony.

a noticeable habit

We have, most of us here, notice when PH is with her or on her outings he wears grey suit, old shoes. When he has been on his own representing HMTQ he is so well dressed and appears so much more contented.

“ They have all gone quiet”

The Markle’s have all gone quiet again. Papa popped up as a distract awhile ago. But since then, crickets 🦗, nothing, except her nephew becoming a millionaire selling pot he gave his family name to.

VB’” “piss off David, she’s the kiss of death”

VB, has now started a cosmetics line. As a professional collector of high end cosmetics, l can say my reaction and online is very lack lustre. David has had to spend millions and what l have read tens of millions bailing out her fashion line. Let me step back, sorry, VB Victoria Beckham, former Spice Girl posh, is married to footballer David Beckham. I am wondering if he suggested having madam model clothes and cosmetics, as you can see she didn’t like the idea.🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂

“Do it on the QT”.

QT means quiet, unobtrusively, so something is to be done in that manner. It is surveillance of madam? Since returning from ‘fauxmegnancy’ leave she has been out and about more, and we love it! The more pressing issue which l am not certain is the security threat assessment in Afghanistan which is ongoing ahead of their tentative tour there. This is a non Commonwealth country but relationship building is important but security and safety must be paramount. Those are my two thoughts possible.

it’s a palace directive

Buckingham Palace staff have been instructed to alert guests who have audiences with HMTQ NOT to bring up PH or mm. Very firm directive to ‘Talk about anything except one subject.’ Brexit? ‘No. The Sussexes.“ Rumours are Queen is growing tired of Meghan’s snubbing of Royal Family occasions.

The Mail on Sunday understands the Queen was 'hurt and disappointed’ when Meghan made a last-minute dash to New York to watch Serena Williams in the tennis instead of joining the Royals in Balmoral as planned. The annual Highland holiday is the Queen’s favourite time of the year and she was, according to a source, looking forward to 'a few days of merry chaos’ with the great-grandchildren, including Archie.

Have you read the comments on SM”

The vast , Major, huge, majority on social media worldwide are just loathing, mistrust, disbelief, disgust, and on and on about madam, the way she conducts herself. Now this Smart Set, using the name of a Canadian company, Reitmans, she worked with in Toronto. This capsule collection, contains limited sizes, dresses were old stock from 2018 that never sold, the white blouse l believe from a 2015 collection that didn’t sell. The bag ridiculously expensive with a backstory that can be found online, l won’t put it here, but pure vindictiveness.

he’s putting on a brave face.

This is PH. He is doing his duty, and doing it well. He has been at it for quite some time. I have no doubt he has very healthy distractions, supportive loving family and lots of us here supporting him and believing in him!

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦

Thank you so much PG! This is sounding great…always the best from you we get my dear PG! God Bless you!🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

Ask Skippy submission

27 notes

Sep 16th, 2019

—————————

62. Sept. 18

💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻PG INTERPRETATION OF MM ANON AND PRAYER REQUEST 🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻As l was working on this, l got a call regarding a friends mother, l am desperately asking for prayers. She is 55, teacher planning to retire at Christmas l she had the flu, went tomER last night, the queue was hours so they went home. Today she had a massive heart attack, air ambulance flew out, she was too unstable for a flight journey but was driven to a bigger hospital. She is in I.C.U. Likely brain damage. Please pray for her adult children madly trying to fly in from across North America. She has two step children here. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻THANK YOU MM ANON🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜

MM Anon

skippyv20

MM ANON …”I have a nose for these problems … M Andealerson… seek Professional assistance …… Anonymously helped … EXAMINE THE WEDDING GUESTS!!!……… One family member of dubious provenance …… A disgusted dignity … “Look closer old thing”…Harried into it… “ both well hidden”. … A homing instinct

”I have a nose for these problems

Interesting, the usage of the word has the obvious meaning of the part of the face but it can also mean someone can use their instinct or ‘spidery sense’ to detect something. In this clue, MM ANON 💜💜💜💜💜💜YOU, This is so cleverly telling us what we have been speculating and down right knowing, given her behaviour, her nose appearance etc that substance , sniff sniff, is a massive problem. Probably has been for years we are just getting official confirmation now that this is correct. Thank you for that MM ANON, because we no longer have to assume, we now know it to be fact!

M Andealerson

Well,well, well, looks whose name, sort of, has popped up after being MIN for months now. So the insertion of the letters eal in his name combined with the letter d in his name spells deal which has long been my, and many others, suspicion that this vile disgusting man has flipped and made a deal. Just imagine this stuff he has on his ‘guests’, the wealthy, the Hollywood elite, who was his backer? My heavens , l feel confident now this is why he has been off the radar. He is in custody, protective or otherwise.

The other thing that jumps out is dealer, likely not dealing cards at a casino🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. He very likely has supplied madam and a whole slew of other a variety of candy.

seek Professional assistance

Obviously there has been some detox or intervention in the past year, because she has been out of the public and the clues we have been given here told us where she was receiving medical treatment likely for substances. She needs a team, medical, psychiatrist, legal, etc etc etc.

Anonymously helped

Again, anonymous is mentioned, this was mention a few days ago ? Days or week, l have lost track of time with the flu bug and resulting exhaustion l anyhow, this again l believe refers to our beloved 🐼 her blog, and her almost three year fight to be a truth seeker in this unholy alliance. Folks, just so you know, l NEVER EVER use the word Holy, lightly! Lots of information here has shown up in the papers so interesting. Just imagine who must read here!

Or is someone anonymously filling her bank account to keep her afloat? We know out popped HRC in an instagram, why? Why? Why is she wading into these deep dark waters??????

EXAMINE THE WEDDING GUESTS!!!

Well, we have, everyone, spoke how odd it was that she had no long term friends at her wedding and no family except DR. Where is DR? We are still trying to figure out who she really is, that fake photo of her supposedly holding baby madam , her head is photoshopped on there so crookedly it looks so bizarre. But l digress again. Those at the wedding made no sense she, like, OW , GC AC, et al. A line up of backers right across from the Queen smugly gloating over their victory in HMTQ church. Disgusting l GC has had his own problems for years now, why do you think he lives in Italy and a beard marriage. Look up that term, educate yourself please on what is really going on! The rumour are swirling and becoming more widely known! Imagine the unmitigated gall! The entire guest list on her side is suspect, we have LR , and the other lady whose name l forget sorry easily googleable for you. They were with her at Wimbledon when she was so ‘stoned/high/ill’ l think she’s got some serious issues! They had to be on either side propping her up, telling her to put her hat on and smile. Anyhow, for me, the uppercase use in this clue affirms for us that we have been and are on the right track in our discussions about what is really going on.

One family member of dubious provenance

Well well again, we have all discussed this a million ways. Who is mm? Who is DR? Are they real who they say they are? Why TM hiding oops living in Mexico? Where is DR? As l mentioned above the baby photo is so suspect. As with baby amw, her past ‘family’ photos are fuzzy, bizarre. Who is she really? She was raised by TM after a certain age, l can’t recall. Where was DR? We have no confirmed information on that. Is she really her mother? Are any of these people really in the role they say they are?sister or mother, mother or grandmother, or not related at all. With the exception, especially at TTC madam resembled DR tremendously, so there is definitely some DNA shared. It’s all such a sham of grifters and liars. The only way you know they’re lying is when they talk or write. At this point, actually a long time ago, we all have expressed our doubts.Thank you MM ANON for again confirming our ideas and thoughts about her provenance are correct and we shall continue our digging into the past.

A disgusted dignity

HMTQ, greatest respect and honour , as She does, has quietly gone about doing her duty, getting up every day, carrying on. This Brexit stress on top on madam, l pray for HMTQ. Dignity is the perfect word to describe HMTQ. But bear in mind, we were told in the media and many posting here, HMTQ suffers no fools lightly, and Her royal command is NO MENTION OF THOSE TWO when you speak with her, should you be so fortunate.

.“Look closer old thing”

This confuses me, l cannot imagine even PP calling HMTQ ‘old thing’. Does this mean look closer at something old. Look closer at photos? Seeing the photoshop? Look closer at facts? Putting information together, seeing things in a different light??

Harried into it… “

Let’s review the definition of harried. Harried means feeling strained as a result of having demands persistently made on one or harassed. It does not take much imagination to think of the level of harassment PH has suffered from she who shall not be named and the media. Is this the wedding or having to continue this charade?

“ both well hidden”.

I am hesitant to give words to this out of respect to a certain prince we know and love.

A homing instinct.

A homing instinct is an instinct that enables an animal to return home after travelling great distances. Like our great Canadian geese migrating, man that is something to see, flock after flock, millions of them filling the sky, you can hear them too, it’s one of God’s miracles. People have a homing instinct as well, nesting is common for women who are pregnant and nearing delivery. There is also something called a homing device which is a mechanism incorporated into a guided missile, airplane, etc., that aims it toward its objective.

So this clue, who has the homing instinct, is it PH who is giving all for HMTQ?

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦

First….Prayers indeed for your friend’s mother. How very sad!

Great job once again PG! Love what you do….learn so much from you, you are loved and appreciated!😊💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

Ask Skippy submission

41 notes

Sep 18th, 2019

————————

63: Sept. 18

💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻PG INTERPRETATION OF MM ANON 🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜

💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻PG thanking you for all your prayers and sympathy for the family. It’s greatly appreciated 🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜

💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻PG INTERPRETATION OF MM ANON🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜

Thank you MM ANON💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜

MM Anon

MM ANON … Pakistan ‘ Mmmm!!………🎼”coca cola , ginger beer and Canada Dry”🎼…… “put on the hat ‘ hug the orphan and SMILE!!”…… “try not to swear at the Diplomats wives”…… “if you wear those to the reception ………O’f*** “……… diamond deal…… “It started at SH. it’ll end in Malibu “… “ She’s going to what?, a f#@ing politician”…… number 4 Kate??( another little girl). 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Pakistan ‘ Mmmm!!

This is the planned trip for William and Catherine to visit Pakistan.Very few details have been released, the security issue is massive. The British foreign office is still recommending that its citizens avoid travel to that part of the world. I know relationship building is important, but the security risks makes me pray they reconsider this.

🎼”coca cola , ginger beer and Canada Dry”🎼

MM ANON what you do to me! I find nowhere these song lyrics, you have them in quotation marks so they must stay together. For lack of that, l will say this, coca-cola is the all American soda, ginger beer is classic in Jamaica, where TI wedding was, that she crashed and Canada Dry is our national drink other than beer😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. Each beverage is reflective of a portion of her life, America, Toronto, and Jamaica. Please tell me what song this is!!! Driving me batty(or battier, at this point🤣🤣🤣).

“put on the hat ‘ hug the orphan and SMILE!!”

This is a similar incident at Wimbledon, surrounded by two ‘friends’ who had to tell her to put on her hat and to smile. How will she manage her hobbies in Africa? How will she manage anything official? Will she have friends accompanying her?? Interesting times. We love seeing her because we get more information, SpongeMeg gets more material 🤣🤣🤣😂😂 and we further our work here of truth-seeking and telling.

“try not to swear at the Diplomats wives”

During their first tour in Australia and that part of the world, there were multitude of reports of her foul language and disrespect of staff. I mentioned the other day she told the High Commissioner’s, l believe it was her, told her to f*** off. Both PA and now PE on his tour now have being making amends for her abhorrent behaviour. So hopefully she will take this piece of advice and apply it on the Africa tour.

“if you wear those to the reception

Usually she looks horrendous, no matter the designer or cost of the clothes. They are likely working on her wardrobe for the tour. This is shock at what she wants to wear. Again this is an exact repeat of the Australian tour, then she wanted to wear a tuxedo, pants to an official reception dinner. That time PH said absolutely not, no way, she did not wear a tuxedo. Goodness only knows what she is conjuring up for this tour!

O’f*** “

There is an apostrophe, so O’hara for example, but this is an apostrophed vulgar word, never ever used in civil conversation, ever! So is this an expletive or something with an apostrophe?

diamond deal

This girl has so many different engagement rings and wedding rings it’s hilarious, all fakes, butterfly earrings fake, bangle bracelet fake. She is marching these things we know she would merch her exhaling if she could. So she has likely made yet another merching deal. Africa is known for many precious gems especially diamonds and the worst are blood diamonds. Oh goodness, if she is involved with those, l can honestly say l would not be surprised but ever so disgusted. Wonder if she’s dealing down there and somehow gets in trouble with the law, might this FINALLY BRING her under legal control. Since it’s Africa, she could never scream the race card!

“It started at SH. it’ll end in Malibu “

Soho is where mm began her journey that has led her to where she is now, along with the connections she made there. Rumours are rampant that they are looking for a mansion in Malibu versus another location for its privacy and younger set that lives there. Does ANYBODY believe this PR? I am waiting……crickets 🦗, yep just as l thought, NOBODY believes this.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂

“ She’s going to what?, a f#@ing politician”

Rumours have been around awhile now oh her going into politics and l have even read, 🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣 hold on, l can’t say it without side splitting laughter…..rumours of her running for president. Bloody delusional eh? HRH PP. This is hilarious to me!

number 4 Kate??( another little girl). 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Speculation has been rampant that Catherine is expecting based on her hairstyle change, gossip supposedly from little Lottie. I hope she is and let’s pray with all we have that it’s a girl.🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 l am taking this to mean she is indeed expecting!🥳🥳🥳🥳🥰🥰🥰🥰

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦

Fantastic PG…..looks like interesting times ahead! Great job. Thank you dear PG😄💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

Ask Skippy submission

22 notes

Sep 18th, 2019

———————-/

64: Sept. 19

💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻PG INTERPRETATION OF MM ANON🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜

💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻THANK YOU MM ANON🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜

MM Anon

MM ANON … a no no in the via xx settembre … silent flight …… “Harry’s gone rogue”? …… a lying express-ion… disaster aPRon disaster …… “we’re gonna need a smaller pub” …… W&K, higher and higher …… 🎼” ba ba Iran”🎼……” ones sick and tired of being sick and tired “…… “ Tower Bridge is in negotiations” …… the long con…… Plod-ing along …… tying up loose ends.

a no no in the via xx settembre

Settembre is September in Italian. A bestie Misha NoNoo, is getting married in Italy this weekend. EA printed that the Sussexes had reportedly arrived there. This is telling me that they are NOT attending, because the play on words of Misha’s last name two no’s via XX, l am taking this to mean two people.

silent flight

Flight to Africa will be absolutely silent, l have no doubt there will be absolutely not a civil word spoken!

“Harry’s gone rogue”?

The media has gone rogue more like. They are printing such awful things, his mental health Apple TV focus with the big O. The media and lots of the public are voicing their disgust at their perception of PH giving in to everything she wants. He is at the receiving end of unprecedented bad press.

a lying express-ion

The Express has doubled Dow, tripled down or more on their foul media regarding the Cambridge’s. The article about Catherine spending an unbelievable amount of money on clothes more than madam, which is documented to be untrue. SS 🐍 lying, vile, vipers. It’s going to get worse NOT better. Please let’s remember to pray for them. The business paper is increasing their criticism too, paper/media once thought respectable, money buys anything l guess!

disaster aPRon disaster

A PRathon is right MM ANON! Item after item, but by bit, the public is slowly getting information about what’s really going on, and what has been going on, what led to this charade and sham. Her twitters are BEYOND PATGETIC🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣. Bit by bit, madam, drip, drip, tick tick, time is getting closer. You should read The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe!

“we’re gonna need a smaller pub”

Fake fake fakity fake empty pub photos, no baby cot, but the “sussexes’ and amw went to their local. Now this was ‘reported’ over a week ago if not longer. The owners of the pub deny this. TMZ has fuzzy photos look like taken from my Kodak instamatics with the row of flashbulbs🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂. Remember those anybody? The meta data, again showed lies, dates September 17,2019. Yes madam you’re really getting your moneys worth with SS.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂😂

W&K, higher and higher

The Cambridges💜💜💜💜💜! Their Instagram passed 10,000,000! This week! TEN MILLION PEOPLE,🥰🥰🥰🥰🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳💜💜💜💜💜AWESOME,,

🎼” ba ba Iran”🎼…

Barbra Ann , Beach Boys! Oh MM ANON you’re so clever, THIS SONG l knew right away😁😁😁😁💜💜💜😁😁😁. So Iran, given what’s been happening, l will not type it all, if you so choose, educate yourself please oh what is happening in that part of the world. Is this going to affect the trip to Pakistan???

” ones sick and tired of being sick and tired “

Indeed, speaking in first person format is always, only the Crown. HMTQ is feeling as described above. Please, let us pray for her, strength, health, discernment. Thank God LG is with her. GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦.

“ Tower Bridge is in negotiations”

BRF have code names, l believe PP is Tower Bridge, so this is telling us that he is involved, he is smart as a whip, has a lifetime of experience dealing with very sort of problem, he has certainly been ever present here in riddle clues. I imagine his wisdom has been indispensable!

the long con

This has been and remains a long term game. The planning of this con started years ago. The backers got together and came up with this plane. Our madam went rogue and changed the plot. Continues to con, grift her way through Europe and Africa. The more she does, the more we see her, more evidence. These types of international investigations take a very very long time and we want it done 100% right , so justice will be served!

Plod-ing along

Plod, horses plod in their gait, both HMTQ and PP love to ride, he loves his buggy, pardon if that’s not the right word! To see them on those massive horses is tremendous, there is a real love of animals and the outdoors and must be especially therapeutic in these times.

tying up loose ends.

Details, always details, is the inferring the end is near?? On the humourous side, will there finally be a hairstylist on the African tour that can tie up those horrible extensions and make madams hair at least presentable.😂😂😂😂😂

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦

Thank you so much PG….looks amazing! You are the best!😊💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

[ergomaria]

Miles to Go Before I Sleep - Ch. 06

It didn't take long for one of Nyriss's servants to come sniffing around, a sniveling creature who seemed so beaten down by his master that his shoulders were permanently bent in a submissive hunch. While he had the red skin and odd cheek tendrils of the other Sith, his was shorter and slimmer than most of his kind.

"Are you the Human they call Vann Chis?"

"Maybe." Vann was holed-up in a cantina, waiting for this exact moment. While he had a drink in hand, he'd purposely been nursing its contents. "Who's asking?"

"My name is Sechel, and I am a servant of my master Darth Nyriss."

"Huh. What do you want?" It was a risk for Vann to act this brazen to one of the purebloods, as even the lowliest of them technically outranked all of the Humans on this planet. Still, it was a calculated power play.

Luckily, Sechel seemed appropriately cowed by the Human's apparent lack of fear. "My master wishes to meet with you. She may be interested in acquiring your services."

"Alright, you have my attention. I've heard your master is a powerful leader around here. So, I assume the pay is good."

Chuckling dryly, Sechel nodded. "Oh, you will be adequately compensated for your time. But the true reward of this job is the prestige. If you please my master, many more opportunities on this planet will be open to you."

Vann honestly doubted the claim since the Sith largely viewed Humans as beneath them, only useful for tasks that were too odious for purebloods to touch. Still, he hoped that he only needed this one job to accomplish his goal.

"You Sith are too concerned about prestige and standing. But so long as you're paying good credits, I'm willing to hear your master out."

"You'd be wise to adopt some humility, Human. My master has been a member of the Dark Council for over twenty years, a feat that should not be taken lightly."

"I'll be humble once we're actually in the presence of your master." Sliding out of the booth, Vann purposely shoved the Sith aside with a jab of his shoulder. "You, I'm not too worried about. I know how this planet works. Your master and the other rulers view my kind as slightly below kath hounds, so she probably sent her lowliest servant to come and fetch me."

Sechel was silent at this assessment but for a moment something glittered in his eyes, a shrewdness that implied his submissive nature was merely a facade. It vanished in an instant.

So, maybe Nyriss had actually sent someone genuinely capable. "Go on, lead the way."

The walk through Kaas City was a strange though uneventful one, only notable for the handful of bystanders who paused to stare openly at the duo. It was undoubtedly unusual to see a pureblood shuffling silently along while a Human trailed confidently in his wake, but Vann wasn't afraid to attract a little attention; in fact, he was depending on it. Remaining alert to his surroundings, he noticed that a few of the other purebloods paused specifically to peer at Sechel, fear flitting across their faces. That confirmed the theory that this Sith was definitely more than he seemed.

It turned out that Nyriss's citadel was located at the western edge of the city. Everything about the location and the building's arrangement smacked of paranoia, which could be a good or a bad sign. Either way, Vann was here and turning back wasn't an option. The journey ended in a large courtyard that was bordered to the north and south by high stone walls and to the west by the citadel itself, which looked more like a military fortress than any typical estate of the rich and murderous. While the east side was open to the street, even that was blocked by a gated fence that only opened with Sechel's fingerprints.

"Wait here," the Sith ordered in a tone that sounded more like begging. "My master will be with you shortly."

Vann knew this game and he settled himself on a hard bench to await Nyriss's arrival. Time passed and he continued to wait, slipping into light meditation to prevent himself from growing bored. If he'd been on the Hawk or Rakata he'd probably have taken his lightsabers out to tinker with them, but right now it was more important to uphold the facade of a normal Human mercenary for at least a little while longer. Eventually, footsteps sounded along the pathway leading to the citadel, one set hurried and uneven while the other sounded smoother and surer. Vann looked up just in time to spot Sechel, who was scurrying in front of a taller figure who moved with natural poise and grace.

Ah, so this was Nyriss.

Unsurprisingly, she had the typical features of a pure-blooded Sith, though hers were less refined than others Vann had encountered. The power of the dark side had obviously taken its toll, and she looked aged and rotted with dark black veins marring the pale red hue of her skin. Her body was also withered, though there was still obvious strength to her limbs. She was dressed in the black hooded robes that her species seemed to favor, though hers were more ornate and featured delicate silver embroidery along the hems.

Sechel bowed low as he announced, "My master, Darth Nyriss. Lord of the Sith, conqueror of Drezzi, the destroyer of Melldia, and a member of the Dark Council."

Without prompting, Vann stood from his seat before dropping to one knee, bowing his head and silently thanking his past self for leaving a set of notes on proper Sith etiquette. "My lady."

There was a pause before a strong voice chuckled in amusement. "Finally, a Human who knows how to show proper respect. Tell me, little mercenary, who taught you manners?"

"One does not come to a strange world without knowing their proper place."

"And what makes you believe that you're even worthy of serving me?"

"I'm better than the rest of the scum lurking around, hoping for scraps of favor from a Dark Lord without any real skills to back them up."

"Hmm. You're a confident one. Or at least you hide your fears well." Stepping closer, Nyriss used her remarkable command of the Force to jerk Vann's head up so that their eyes met. Her irises were bright yellow lined with red, the fierce gaze of someone who had given herself completely to the dark side. For a moment, something akin to recognition flickered across her countenance.

Appearing bare-faced on Dromund Kaas had been a calculated risk on Vann's part. He knew that he'd left his signature mask behind when he came here as Revan, but he was also aware that he still had the almost innocent appearance of a fresh-faced Jedi. He'd been mostly clean-shaven at the time, his hair just past his shoulders and held neatly back in the type of low ponytail that he still favored. While he was brash, he wasn't completely foolish and had taken some steps to alter his appearance. Over his weeks of planning, he'd grown out his beard and kept it just long enough to disguise his more distinguishing features. He'd also cut his hair, shaving down the back and sides while keeping the top long enough to tie up in a top knot that hopefully changed the balance of his face.

Whatever emotion Nyriss was experiencing, it quickly faded as she peered closer. "No, I don't sense fear in you. Arrogance perhaps, but not fear. Tell me, what lies deeper in that simple Human mind of yours?"

Now came the dangerous part. Since arriving on Dromund Kaas, Vann had been keeping his Force presence tightly concealed, not daring to allow his awareness to seep out for even an instant except when he slept locked safely on the Hawk. Surrounded by other Force users, his camouflaged signature was easily overlooked as nothing more than stray tendrils of power coming from someone else. But this technique wouldn't withstand Nyriss peering directly into his mind. The trick would be to give her just enough of a glimpse for her to realize that he was different, all without revealing just how special he truly was.

An icy stream of dark energy sunk into Vann's skull and he bit back a hiss of discomfort as Nyriss began to claw her way through his mind without a shred of finesse. Though he kept most of his mental walls in place, the former mercenary purposely let certain things slip out so that it seemed like errant thoughts were accidentally coming loose. It was fortunate that most of his memories were of mercenary work along the Outer Rim, as that made it easy to display job after job to support his supposed identity. But he also allowed a few more personal moments to slip free, like sitting around the fire with the Mandalorians and even the disastrous kiss he'd shared with Tagren. Finally, at the very end, he released just a fraction of the durasteel grip he had on his Force presence, allowing some of his awareness to seep into the Sith's mind.

Nyriss immediately recoiled, throwing the Human across her courtyard with a wave of her hand. It took most of Vann's effort not to use the Force to cushion his landing and he struck the flagstone hard enough to bruise his hip and shoulder. Shouting in pain he rolled to his knees, keeping his head down in supplication.

The crackle of a red lightsaber filled the air as Nyriss ignited her weapon. "Who sent you?" she demanded, purple electricity gathering in her other hand.

"Nobody," Vann coughed, which was technically the truth. "I'm just a mercenary looking for work. Ask your servant if you don't believe me."

Completely unbothered by his master's show of power, Sechel merely arched a brow as his sniveling demeanor instantly vanished. "It's true, my lady. The other mercenaries only know him as one of their own. None of them breathed so much as a whisper about him being particularly special, aside from some notable combat skills."

"Because he wields the Force!" Sending out a strong bolt of lightning, Nyriss watched impassively as Vann screamed in agony, his limbs shaking uncontrollably and his teeth clenching almost hard enough to crack.

The pain didn't subside even when the surge of electricity stopped, leaving the former mercenary prone across the ground. He wheezed. "I do. I'm Force-sensitive, but it's nothing compared to what you're capable of. It makes me stronger, faster, even tougher, but I'm still no match for a Sith pureblood."

For a brief time, Vann had considered completely denying any knowledge of his powers and providing the Sith the pleasure of 'discovering' them for herself. But that seemed too farfetched. Instead, he was hoping to use his talent for manipulation and flattery to his advantage.

Nyriss scowled, pressing her lightsaber less than a centimeter from the side of the Human's head. "Who sent you?!"

"Nobody! I'm just mercenary scum from the Outer Rim!"

There was a long, tense pause as Nyriss considered this information, the heat of her weapon burning the skin of Vann's cheek. Her awareness reached out again, probing for signs of a lie. The irony was that there weren't any to find because, in the Human's mind, everything he said was true. Revan was long gone, a larger-than-life hero who fell in battle, while Vann Chis was nothing more than a violent and volatile mercenary. A nobody. Scum.

Suddenly, Nyriss laughed. "And nobody else sensed you. They don't know what you are or what you can do." Extinguishing her lightsaber, she returned it to her hip. "Thus, you'll be a surprise to them when they attack."

Sighing in relief, mostly because he didn't have to blow his cover, Vann dragged himself into a kneeling position. "Thank you, my lady. Thank you for sparing me."

"Yes, you'll do little mercenary. I think you'll do quite well."

Read the whole chapter on FanFIction or AO3!

[shadowqueenrules-blog]

Love, Keith

Me: Hello everyone in Tumblr! So a little while ago I wrote that I was thinking about writing a Klance ‘Love Simon’ parody. Well, for those who thought I wasn’t going to do it, you were wrong. I’ve written a little bit of it (I still have a long way to go if I’m being completely honest with you) but I was thinking that it might be good for me to give you guys a preview and see how you react to it. Give me some notes and all that jazz. Now here is some VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION regarding this story.

This is a Klance fic

Shiro is 18 and lives with Keith (they are brothers in this story, I don’t know what I’m going to do with the parent situation quite yet)

Red is Keith’s cat

Pidge is still 14 but because she’s so smart she is graduating with Keith

Matt is in this story at the age of 18 and in the same college as Shiro

Coran is the homeroom/science teacher

Lance, Hunk, Keith, and Allura are all are or going to become 18 throughout this story

THIS STORY ISN’T GOING TO BE QUOTE BY QUOTE FROM THE MOVIE! As much as I love the movie I am only basing my story off of it. There are going to be things that are very similar but that’s as far as I want to go with it

The scene you are about to read is when ‘Blue’ first appears. This is going to be VERY similar to the movie because I couldn’t think of anything else. But the dialogue is all mine. If you have a problem with that then you can just leave. Other than that please enjoy the sneak preview of ‘Love, Keith’!!!

Ring! Ring!

Ring! Ring!

Ring-

“Allura?” I asked picking up my phone looking at the time. 9:23pm. “If this about doing another late night Taco Bell run, you can count me out. I still haven’t recovered from last month-”

“No!” She interrupted-loudly I might add. “Though I am craving one of their taco bowls right now-anyway! I was calling to see if you heard about the new post yet?” I rolled my eyes going back to figuring out my english homework. I honestly should’ve known she was calling me because of some post. I thought back to this morning when she told us the real reason three of the science classrooms were closed down this week.

“I swear, Zethrid needs to work on her anger issues. I don’t care if Coran gave her a C-, it doesn’t give her the right to blow up the science department.”

“Not that post!” She screamed louder.

“Allura!” Another voice called out from the line.

“Sorry Father!” I chuckled under my breath deciding to push my english homework aside and open up my laptop.

“Then what post are you talking about?” I slowly type up the website waiting for my slow-ass internet to open it up.

“I’m talking about the closeted bi-guy at school.” My eyebrows shot up right as the website finally loaded. My breath got caught in my throat as I saw the post she was talking about. It was at the very top of the page with a picture of what seems to be looking up towards the sky from deep within the ocean. The closeted bi-guy at school. The closeted bi-guy at school. The closeted bi-guy at school. The words spoken only moments ago repeated in my head on a constant loop blocking out almost everything around me. “Who do you think it is? I think it may be Rax, I get a weird vibe off of that guy. I mean, he can’t seriously be that mad over Hunk having a crush on his sister.” Almost. I knew I had to hang up on her. Even though we haven’t known each other long, she usually can read me like a freaking book. I took a look around my room trying to find anything I could use as an excuse. My head swerved towards my door just in time to see a orangish-red furball walk in and her golden eyes connected with mine.

“Can I call you back? Red just threw up on the carpet big time.” I lied hoping she would buy it. Hearing this, Red narrowed her eyes and meowed at me.

“Oh no! Actually I have to head off to bed soon. We can talk more about this tomorrow, okay?” I silently sighed in relief grabbing the small bag of treats I had stuffed in my desk drawer and tossed one over to Red. She glared at it before hesitantly taking the peace offering.

“Yeah, talk tomorrow.” I hung up on her without another word and looked back to the screen. I knew she would has questions tomorrow about it but at that point I couldn’t care less.

The-Blue-Prince

Drowning in the Sea of my Emotions

There are days where I know exactly what I want to say and would scream them to the world. And there are days, like today, where I feel like the whole world is crashing down upon me and I feel like I’m drowning in all of my emotions. I can see the sun glistening off of the water as I fall in deeper and I hold my breath, hoping someone jumps in to come save me. I had a realization….or an acceptance with something about a year ago. I mean it’s not like I haven’t thought that I was bisexual before but I always denied it till now and I don’t know how to deal with it. No one in my life knows and I don’t want to tell them yet. How can I? When I finally accepted it I was curled up in my bed crying my eyes out, not because I am ashamed with it but because I was so sure that I knew myself, that I have worked on myself so much that I knew exactly who I was. And I was wrong. I don’t know how my family will react to the news whenever I have a chance to tell them, no matter how supportive they are I know that there’s a fine line with what they will and will not go with. And even if they say they support me being bisexual I know that someone will still be weird about it. How do I even tell them? It’s not like its easy to put into conversation. Like, “hey Mom, remember how I kept saying I was straight? Nope! I like both guys and girls”? I know my friends will support me no matter what, just like I support them, right now I just wish that they were with me. I wish that they would hug me and let me release all the emotion within myself. All of the doubt and denial I have been having, all my fears of my family’s reaction, I want to let it all out. But I’m too much of a coward to tell them. So, here I am, instead of getting ready to run some errands I’m writing this on Voltron for my classmates and random strangers alike to see and am very close to crying once again. Like I said I’m not ashamed, in fact I love that I finally admitted this to myself. It marks another point in my path to self discovery. I just wish I had found out sooner. Maybe then I wouldn’t be drowning. Maybe I can finally break the surface of the sea of my emotions and swim back to shore… And maybe on that sandy shore there is somebody extraordinary just waiting for me to show up.

-Blue

I sucked in a breath rereading the post over and over again. There’s someone else! What should I do? Just leave it or… I looked at the signature again seeing an email address I’m sure “Blue” hadn’t meant to post. I opened up another tab and quickly made a gmail account.

To: blueprince96@gmail.com

From: redpaladin@gmail.com

Subject: Hello

Hello Blue,

I am just like you. I have an older brother in college who is both popular and the nicest guy you’ll ever meet, though he gets super awkward around this girl who he has had a crush on for as long as I can remember. Everyone admires him, and frankly I can’t blame them since I admire him more than anything. He teases and embarrasses me endless but I love him to death. Plus I have a secret blackmail stash of him lip syncing to ‘Risky Business’ when he forgot that I had gotten sick and couldn’t go to the zoo with my class that I’m saving for when the moment arises. One thing most people don’t know about him is that he can’t sing for his life. It’s so bad that I bought noise cancelling headphones for whenever he decides he’s in a good enough mood to sing in the shower.

I have friends that I cherish. Two of them I’ve known since first grade which practically makes them my siblings and one that I’ve met a few years ago when my brother was in high school and challenged her to a weight lifting contest. I swear he was about ready to ask her to marry him after she kicked his ass. We do what every group of kids do: play video games all night long, drink way too much coffee from Starbucks, pass inappropriate notes during class to see who would be the person to get caught first, and pretend that we are extroverts when we are actually watching some weird ass anime about a bunch of alien robotic cats on Netflix on most weekends.

Whenever I don’t have my friends in my class or it’s too risky to play our game (it’s becoming harder now as I suspect that our teachers are figuring us out), I usually like to doodle and write. Overall I am a decent student who is only getting by because of my genius friends helping me out.

Like I said, I’m just like you.

And I have one huge ass secret that nobody, not even my brother knows.

I’m gay.

-Red

P.S: You might want to take your email off your post if you don’t want jackasses hate spamming you.

I took a deep breath and hit send before my confidence left. It took a little more than a second for me to realize what I just did and another second to start freaking out. What the hell did I just do?

...........................

22 hours. 22 hours of Shiro asking me if I was okay, my friends thinking I was in one of my ‘moods’, and my inner panic monitor overflowing before I hear my laptop’s notification sound over me taking out all my feelings on my punching bag. I would say that I did not completely wipe out after tripping over my clothes as I rushed over to get to it.

“You okay there Keith?” I heard Shiro call from downstairs as I pulled myself up on my desk chair.

Unfortunately if I said that I would be completely lying.

“Yeah!” I called back trying to calm down the burn in my cheeks. I clicked open my email trying my best not to get my hopes up. 22 hours and 37 minutes after I sent the email a true smile appeared on my face.

From: blueprince96@gmail.com

To: redpaladin@gmail.com

Subject: re:Hello

Hello Red,

You don’t realize how honored I feel to hear that you chose me to come out to first. Though I totally get why you did. Sometimes It’s easier to come out to a complete stranger than your friends, no matter how close they are. When did you first realize?

It sounds like you love your brother a lot. BTW, how dare you have that beautiful creation as blackmail! You cannot tell me you’ve never done that dance before. For one, I wouldn’t believe you. And two, if you really haven’t then you are not human. I have a ton of siblings but I’m closest to my older sister. She wants to be a fashion designer and makes me model for her sometimes. I don’t mind though. I keep telling her that her stuff is ready to be out in the world, because they are amazing, but she’s not confident enough yet.

What kind of stuff do you write and draw?

-Blue

P.S: Thanks for the heads up on my email. I took that part down

Back then, as I typed my reply, nothing in the world would have prepared me for what would happen.

.........................

There it is folks! I’m debating about writing Keith’s response to Blue’s last email but let me know what you guys think! And if you guys followed me early last month you may recognize Blue’s post, it’s because it’s mine (with some minor changes) that I posted when I accepted my sexuality.

[twimclabel]

EVERYONE AFRAID TO BE FORGOTTEN

Swedish singer, songwriter, producer and filmmaker, Jonna Lee, brings the evolution of her ten-year creative career to a new peak with the release of her maiden ionnalee offering, EVERYONE AFRAID TO BE FORGOTTEN on 16 February 2018 on To whom it may concern. and Kobalt Music.

A studio album and, in due order, a stand-alone filmic counterpart (co-created with cinematographer, John Strandh, in alliance with fashion and art trail-blazers, COMME des GARÇONS), this is the most ambitious project which the Stockholm-based master of audiovisual artistry has embarked on.

Two years and two albums into a solo endeavour as a guitar- wielding folk’n’roller, 2009 saw Jonna Lee beginning a seminal metamorphosis which would lead her to join forces with best friend and long-term producer, Barbelle a.k.a Claes Bjorklund, in creating the organically viral, electronic pop phenomenon that is iamamiwhoami.

A mystery and a riddle, iamamiwhoami’s visuals-backed clue trail of short, sharp, gratifying musical shockwaves stumped fans and the media alike. It formed a gripping guessing game, which enticed audiences to explore its dark, elusory storyline. Moreover, as an entity still in its nappy days, iamamiwhoami’s real-time work process also meant that its cast of creatives’ initial decision to remain anonymous unintentionally caused a frenzy around the question of who was behind the surprise releases (Christina Aguilera and Karin Dreijer were but two of many suspects).

The group’s three ground-breaking audiovisual works [bounty (2010, digital); kin (2012); and BLUE (2014)] served as Jonna Lee’s vehicle for change, through which she has kept challenging limitations and untethering inhibitions in favour of development and innovation. The iamamiwhoami Youtube channel has, since its inception, garnered over 42,300,000 views and in 2011 - even before its first physical release - the group was awarded Innovator Of the Year Award at the prestigious Swedish Grammis.

In the three-act play of Jonna Lee’s creative voyage to date, whereby her late-noughties solo albums planted the inciting incident and iamamiwhoami provided a riveting plot twist, the artist’s debut as ionnalee ushers in the exhilarating climax, letting all that’s gone before culminate in an opus that honours the past, whilst simultaneously devising a recalibrated, fresh future.

EVERYONE AFRAID TO BE FORGOTTEN evokes thoughts about what drives an artist to create in a milieu brimful with people fighting to be seen and heard and to express themselves in ways that would single them out from others. With its eyes fixed firmly on the state of the world right now, this is a collection that concerns itself with what is the artist’s residual footprint, paralleled with people’s fear of oblivion.

As our generation pores over and pours into social media with a desire to leave as much of ourselves and our legacy out in the world – like a self-edited epitaph, to ensure that we are remembered and control how such remembrance is preserved - EVERYONE AFRAID TO BE FORGOTTEN explores the different fears and struggles we, as human beings, contend with. ionnalee has hers but, importantly, the songs are intelligently crafted so as to allow for the listener’s personal meaning to coexist.

Reflecting on her own perspective, ionnalee says: “I’ve been evaluating the role that’s cut out for me by society in general and the music business in particular, as to how I should look and behave, both as a woman and as an artist.” In shaping the record, ionnalee has been preoccupied with the experience of societal pressures on women, such as the inescapable normative push to become a mother, pitted against the professional pull of meeting the audience’s expectations of her as an artist.

A further premise underlining EVERYONE AFRAID TO BE FORGOTTEN is the theme of perception vs misconception when it comes to an artist’s work. “We live in a time where anyone can do anything”, ionnalee says, reflecting on the ever-growing prevalence of the audiovisual format. “It can be beautiful, when it’s done purely in pursuit of creative motifs, but in many situations it is only really done because of the current perception that just being a musician is no longer enough and the music has to be dressed to the nines in order to be heard. My visuals have always been part of my creation and, yet - frustratingly - they are still often being perceived strictly as a promotional tool.”

Fulfilling and transformative as it was, the hectic and exhausting, non-stop cycle of work since the inception of iamamiwhoami has, cumulatively, taken its toll on the musician, resulting in significant stress and periods of depression. “I’ve been burnt out”, she admits, ruminating on an invariably stringent schedule, exacerbated by the pressures of running her own independent record label. “The independence I have has enabled me to be bold and innovative as an artist but, by default, it also often makes the workload overwhelming.”

Never one to go for the easy option, however, ionnalee made a defiant choice: “I wanted to bring out my insecurities instead of my strengths.”

The most significant source of insecurity and fear has, ultimately, proved to hinge on ionnalee’s health, as a cancer scare, numerous medical screenings and a subsequent diagnosis of a thyroid disorder exposed a serious possibility of permanent damage to the singer’s vocal chords.

Facing that real risk of not being able to sing in the future and the fear of losing her most important way of self-expression, there arose in ionnalee an even greater drive to produce something special and perdurable with EVERYONE AFRAID TO BE FORGOTTEN. “The thought of not being able to sing had never occurred to me. That would be like losing my gut”, she says.

For ionnalee this record not only had to be made, but it had to be made now and it had to bring in elements of her history in order to open a door to a hopeful thereafter. “I wanted to see who am I in the present, as a solo artist. I want a lifespan career and, for that, I need to make sure I’m clear about who I am as an artist now.”

To do this, she decided that, along with the album’s brand new compositions, she would hark back to older sounds and song elements that, despite never previously being released, stand as pivotal stepping stones in her career. “I wanted to connect with the beginning of iamamiwhoami and the evolution I’ve gone through since”, she says.

An instance in point is brand new single, ‘GONE’, which keen-eared followers will recognise as a reconfiguration of the fourth, so-called (by fans) ‘PAPACHOO’, prelude, put out by iamamiwhoami in February 2010, as a minute-long taster for what eventually became their audiovisual album, bounty.

Epitomising the evolutionary process of ionnalee, ‘GONE’ adopts one of the foundation stones of her previous incarnation and transforms it into a bustling and infectious full song, whose lyrics tap directly into the core of EVERYONE AFRAID TO BE FORGOTTEN and its resounding themes: “the songs that you sung / and the words that you meant / will be here when you are gone”, she prophesies on the chorus, as the verses gesture at the initial media circus concerning her identity (“the wonder who I am”) and the turmoil surrounding her health (“this mouth on me /and this voice against time”; “this weakening noise /will fade softly to silence”).

The track begins by establishing the prelude’s signature bottle percussion as an underlying rhythmic device and the synth-led, dramatic Baroque nuance beautifully complements ionnalee’s vulnerable voice in creating dark Renaissance electronica. The majestic, sweeping chorus quickly lodges itself in the mind’s ear with an instant grab, whilst the middle 8 showcases a soaring vocal performance.

The video for ‘GONE’ was directed by ionnalee together with John Strandh and is a key chapter in the longer visual narrative arc supporting EVERYONE AFRAID TO BE FORGOTTEN.

The album’s first taster came in February 2017 with ‘SAMARITAN’, a blunt eschewing of other people’s demands and presumptions, over which the artist has no control. Boasting a big and immediate pop chorus, ’SAMARITAN’ feels tailor-made for a record that is often conscious of and rebels against what is expected.

“I don’t think people should feel secure in their expectations of me”, ionnalee says. This is, for example, why effervescent sophistidisco, ‘NOT HUMAN’ (which was co-written with Com Truise), comes to an abrupt, surprising end as though inadvertently paused and also why recent, contemplative single, ‘SIMMER DOWN’, doesn’t have a video (previously, every iamamiwhoami track had its own visual counterpart, collectively amounting to an all-encompassing series dating back to 2009, which follows one evolving storyline from beginning to end).

As a lover of beats, bass and drums, ionnalee’s favourite part of producing her own material has been making up the rhythm sections, thinking outside of her own comfort zone. “I’ve had to push myself to learn how to not only be a good creative mind, but also a good technical producer, to be able to make things sound like they sounded in my head”, she says.

In terms of the arrangements and the record’s sonic direction, ionnalee was fascinated and influenced by baroque composition, which fits in with the sense of it being something of a requiem: “I drew from my background in sacral choir singing and merged it with my other great loves, industrial and spectral synths and old school hip hop beats”, she says. “I wanted it to be an album to grieve to but there is a fairness and innocence to the sound, which makes it hopeful in midst of the darkness. Producing this work is a proud moment for me as a musician.”

Offering solace in grief, EVERYONE AFRAID TO BE FORGOTTEN is a labour of love emanating from introspection as well as self- awareness. As with every one of her endeavours, ionnalee again seeks to find and make something that is different. “The album format is regarded by many as a thing of the past”, she says, “with tracks being the primary way of consuming music.” Her vision, instead, is to make a sustainable and epic album that will endure, rather than something that is easily digested and spat out shortly afterwards. “An imprint that will stand with time”, as she describes it.

“I would like to view this as the beginning of the rest of my career. I want to grow my audience in my way, without compromising and without having to turn myself inside out. There’s a bigger, more personal weight for me with this record and much, much more at stake.”

words by Doron Davidson-Vidavski October 2017

PREORDER ALBUM

[etymologv]

dear mother of penguins

genre: oneshot, almost drabble-like, fluff, slight angst (but really, mostly some schoolgirl fluff lol). Hamilton references.

pairing: highschool!kim taehyung x reader

word count: 2.3k+

summary: A series of interactions with Kim Taehyung, someone you never understood enough, and possibly never will.

(a/n): this was my first ever fic and short story that's not for a school requirement and I just really felt like writing this, edited a bit from the original version from my main blog. enjoy! :)

Taehyung. He has always intimidated you without even trying to. He was tall, or at least much taller than you were. He was popular for being and having basically everything everyone else seemed to look at—good looks, an angelic voice, brains, and good humor. Maybe a little too much humor though. But deep inside, you knew you loved it.

Decent. That was how you described, maybe rated him in eighth grade when your best friend of two years Irene asked you what you think about him, because everyone just liked him. You found that part odd though, because you’ve known him for two years and you have always thought that he was decent at best.

Math. It was a math project in the first semester of tenth grade that made you talk for the first time. You’ve had interactions before, but those interactions didn’t even reach the point of interacting enough for them to count as actual conversations. And for the first time, you thought, maybe he isn’t as intimidating as you had always viewed him.

“Ah, I’m lucky,” you hear him whisper as Mr. Jung announced the pairings for the project. He was even smiling. You almost blush.

At around nine in the evening, he contacts you in the form of a Facebook message, the first of your Messenger conversation.

Taehyung: Helloooo im starting w page 5 and working my way up, can u start w page 1??haha

And so you did. After finishing two pages, you read his messages on his progress and oh my goodness he has finished three pages and apologizing for doing almost nothing?! Though you didn’t mind. You were even amused.

Fresh linen. You noticed that that was how he smelled while you were checking each other’s work. Attractive, you thought to yourself.

Glances. You found yourself stealing glances only to see him already looking at you.

Fast forward, your English teacher announces that your project for the year is a stage play. And of course, everyone wanted Taehyung to be the male lead character.

He deserved it though, he had this soothing voice that could have this aggressively ambitious vibe to it if he wanted to. Perfect for Alexander Hamilton. You even thought he sounded a bit like Lin Manuel-Miranda.

You ended up having the role of his mistress. Who would sit on his lap grabbing his hair, his face buried to your shoulder. Now, let us tone that down before you experience problems in breathing and just talk about the part where you would cup each other’s left cheek. Your innocent high school heart gets on the verge of exploding just with the thought of your scenes.

After your first weekend practice for the stage play, you had snacks. And a whole pack of ice cubes for some reason.

After the war, I went back to New York, a-after the war I went back to New York-

Non-stop. That was the song that was playing when he ended up in front of you, cupping both cheeks instead of one. Neither of you said anything. Staring. There was just staring.

This is the first murder trial of our brand-new nation-

Your heart was thumping violently, pace increasing each discernable unit of time. You were scared, scared of how you looked, if you blushed. You were scared that however you reacted would give you away. You looked down and tried to play off the looking-down as something cute by swaying your head with his hands still on it. Left, right, left. He removed his hands. Neither of you said anything, and both of you just joined your classmates in the game they were playing using the ice cubes.

You felt something. You felt it. No matter how many times you tried to reason out what happened with it simply being part of practicing. Hell, the song where you were supposed to do that wasn’t even playing.

After some minutes, you ran to Jimin to give him a detailed report on the interaction. Sometimes you regret telling one of his closest friends about how you like Taehyung a lot, but Jimin was that kind of person who would smile at you and support you on your almost-nonexistent moves, as he puts it.

The next week, he laughed maybe a little too loudly at a joke you said.

I hid the letter and I raced to her place-

You ran to each other, his arms grabbing yours. You insist that you had nothing to do with your husband James Reynolds knowing about your affair. And then you whispered, “You know, this does look very similar to In Time. I’m basically draining the time you have left right now.” He let go of your arms and started laughing. Really loudly. While walking around and eventually banging his right fist against the wall for more laughing support. It was very Kim Taehyung to laugh at whatever whenever, but you couldn’t help but think this was maybe a little too much. Still, you liked it. A smile forms on your lips. His boxy smile, that signature Kim Taehyung smile, that was going to be the death of you.

Later that day, Jimin and Taehyung started paper mache-ing their way to making guns for props.

“Can you help Taehyung with the gun he’s working on? You can tear the newspapers for him. If you want.”

Ah, Jimin. If you looked closely, you would have seen how his eyebrows bounced up and down slightly. Breathe in, breathe out. With a careful small quick smile, you nodded.

You grabbed the lifestyle section and sat on President Washington’s chair. Or Alexander Hamilton’s. Depends on which song you look at. Can you even look at songs? What are you even saying? Breathe in, breathe out. He chose one of the chairs for Non-stop, which was very much beside yours.

And you were talking. After 15 minutes, you still were. At first, it was just about music taste and all that jazz (and sometimes you hate your humor for having puns even in your narrations), but the topics somehow got deeper. It felt amazing. He intrigued you, he seemed like someone that’s unreachable, in the sense that he wasn’t the type to go below the surface.

“Is Supreme close?” You were curious. He was part of Supreme, the dominating social group of the school, but part of you didn’t feel like the group was healthy for each other. Damn, a lot of people even thought their name itself wasn’t good for them. A couple, both sides members of Supreme too, suddenly went awkward because Supreme kept pushing them together. Jongdae, also a member, posted an unfunny meme of Taehyung’s picture even though Taehyung wasn’t laughing anymore. Maybe they just didn’t have the word limits in their vocabularies.

After some seconds, he replied, “I guess so, yeah, I mean we do hang out sometimes, eat lunch as a group, watch movies and shit like that.”

“I mean, close, like open to each other, like you’d share what you’re feeling, joke around but know each others’ limits, and ‘shit like that’?”

Taehyung looks up. “I guess I can’t say everyone’s comfortable with everyone. You see, we’re like a network of units of close friends. The girls have their own thing most of the time too.”

You’re reminded of how many times the thought that he keeps everything to himself without any form of release has crossed your mind. You just feel it when someone’s down. And whenever you feel that he is, nobody asks him if everything’s okay.

You find yourself wanting to be the one he opens up to.

You stand up and make your way to Jimin to refill your cup of glue solution. When you come back, Taehyung is sitting your chair, chuckling, “Thank you for the chair. You can go sit on my hand-me-down-much-less-comfortable one.”

And suddenly you were both laughing full on, both wondering why, but still laughing.

“Oh, and hey, let’s exchange numbers? For stage play matters?” He looks like he’s trying to hold back laughter, but you take his phone and enter your number anyway. He adds a contact to your phone as well.

The next weekend, he was late to the practice, but maybe it’s you who came early since aside from you, there were only five people.

To Taehyung

Heyheyhey where are you?

You text him. There was no reply.

“Have you realized anything yet?” was the first thing he said when he arrived.

“What is there to realize?”

“Well. Maybe I entered one less digit than I was supposed to in your contacts.”

Taehyung that little…  “Yah!” So that was why.

Taehyung with his hair down, parted in the middle. That would make you melt faster than the sun can.

The day before the stage play, he had his hair down, parted in the middle. And dear mother of penguins he looked amazing. Breathe in, breathe out. Do not fangirl in front of him. “You look nice with your hair down,” you manage to tell him without melting because you would like to reiterate—dear mother of penguins he looked amazing.

But dear grandmother of penguins, he styled his hair like that for the whole week.

Summer. It was one summer three am when he messaged you with only your name in it. You replied as soon as you woke up, which was eight hours later.

You: Hi, sorry for replying late, what’s up?

Taehyung: Ah, nothing, I’m sorry

Taehyung: Again im sorry

You: What for? everything ok??

Taehyung: Nothing, sorry again

The next day, you message him.

You: Henlo

Taehyung: I heard that greeting was for stinky people?? Stop greeting yourself HAHAHA

You: YAH!!!

You: >:<<<<<

Taehyung: Anyways

Taehyung: Yesterday when I chatted you

Taehyung: I said it was nothing because I was drinking with Yoongi at that time haha

A beat. Your heart just skipped a beat.

Nana. In the middle of the first semester of twelfth grade, you noticed that he’s been with Nana a lot recently. Nana getting into his car with him. Nana spending lunch with him. You’d try to avoid selfish thoughts, but you can’t help but notice how you’ve been talking much less. And not so long after it was confirmed. You were beginning to sound like a thirteen year old whose crush won’t like her back at this point, But she was everything you weren’t. Fair skin, bright eyes, long legs. She screamed the societal standards of beautiful.

But you can’t forget how she broke Jimin’s heart, and how Taehyung’s could be broken too.

Watch. That was all you could do. Watch and see what happens. You’d accept it if they’re happy. Though that would hurt you, you would somehow accept it and learn to be happy for them as well. If he gets hurt, then you’d be there, and when he heals, you’d still be there. You would cry with him and recommend both sad and uplifting songs and crack the corniest of the jokes with him. You were still young, and it wasn’t sure if your feelings for Taehyung would fade or not. But you would watch. You would be open to other possibilities, because whatever happens, happens.

Twelve years after. It was twelve years after you graduated from high school that you first saw him in person again. You entered different universities, and just… lost touch. The last time you heard from him was when he messaged you saying that he was going to delete his Facebook account because his parents told him to, but he didn’t mention his new number.

You were absent-mindedly munching down popcorn when Jimin called your name. He was at the food counter, arguing with the staff because he was pissed that they were out of cheese powder, and put barbecue flavor powder instead on your shared extra-large bucket, without telling either of you about it. He was extra mad, because he planned everything for the string of activities for your honeymoon. You both wanted cheese, you both loved cheese and knew it, but you didn’t mind barbecue. Except he did, because it was an extra-large bucket that is not cheese. He was so mad to the point that he wanted to talk to the manager, but the manager was on leave, and the owner of the movie house was there instead.

You stood up, walked to the counter, and instantly froze when you saw the reason Jimin called you. There he was, Kim Taehyung, hugging Park Jimin. He was the owner, and you have no idea why you haven’t seen each other when this movie house was where half your dates with Jimin took place. Seven years of frequenting the place and not noticing at all? Was this the first leave of the manager in seven years? Didn’t other customers with worse tempers have complaints?

“Hi,” was all you could say.

“Hi, it’s been so long. How are you?”

You run to them and join the hug, and after pulling away, you say, “As much as I would like to talk to you right now and catch up, the movie we’ve been planning on watching since the trailer came out is starting in fifteen minutes and I’m sorry.”

“Coffee? The three of us? After the movie?” He offers.

After the movie, you catch up. He tells you that his parents gave him this movie house as a gift when he finished college. And that he took a business management course. And that he and Nana broke up after five years of going on and off. You tell him that after seven years of being with Jimin, you got married about a month ago. Your husband adds that this movie date was part of your honeymoon which you’re not supposed to know how long it’s going to be because he’s got it all planned as a surprise, and that he’s still upset about the popcorn flavor, but of course he’s joking and Taehyung knows that. What he didn’t tell you was that he has seen you and Jimin several times, but he didn’t want to show himself. Watch. That was all he could do. He knew that he was special to you, but he also knew that Jimin was much more than that. You looked much happier, you were much happier. He figured that showing himself might confuse you, and he didn’t want to risk that. He believed that you and Jimin were strong, but he still wanted to wait for the right time. Though the right time never seemed to come.

And there he was, watching you two leave the café, smiling at how being in a fight with the cheese powder supplier gave him peace.

[woundvest7-blog]

2:00PM Water Cooler 7/25/2019

By Lambert Strether of Corrente

Politics

“But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?” –James Madison, Federalist 51

“They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery.” –Frank Herbert, Dune

“2020 Democratic Presidential Nomination” [RealClearPolitics] (average of five polls). As of July 24: Biden flat at 28.6% (28.6), Sanders up at 15.0% (14.8%), Warren up at 15.0% (14.6%), Buttigieg up at 4.8% (5.0%), Harris down 12.2% (12.6%), others Brownian motion.

* * *

2020

Sanders (D)(1): “Tensions Between Bernie Sanders and MSNBC Boil Over” [Daily Beast]. “The backlash from Sanders-world reached a new high on Sunday, when MSNBC analyst Mimi Rocah, a former assistant U.S attorney for the Southern District of New York and occasional contributor to The Daily Beast, launched a personal critique of Sanders during a segment with host David Gura, saying that he makes her “skin crawl” and that he’s not a ‘pro-woman candidate.’… A senior campaign aide said the campaign believes there are possible biases in the network, but instead of shunning MSNBC they’ve been aggressive in getting their people booked. Sanders has been on the network at least nine times this cycle.”

Warren (D)(1): “Elizabeth Warren Wants to Stop Banks From Dominating Trillions in Payments” [Bloomberg]. “At issue is the development of real-time payment systems that would allow consumers and businesses to instantly access money that’s sent to their bank accounts. Everyone agrees that creating such networks is necessary. But they’re at odds over whether it’s a good idea to let big banks, which already have one up and running, reign supreme….. [Warren] wants the Federal Reserve to join the fray. The Massachusetts lawmaker, along with Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and two House Democrats, plans to introduce a bill Wednesday that would require the Fed to build a competing system. They say they want to make the U.S. payments infrastructure a public utility and prevent big banks from gaining a monopoly.” • Good!

Warren (D)(2): “Warren Is No Hillary. She’s Also No Bernie” [Jacobin]. “Characterizing Warren as a ‘neoliberal‘ or, even more stupidly, a ‘Clintonite,’ some misguided online Bernie Sanders supporters seem to be trying to cast her as the archvillain in the sequel to 2016’s horror flop, Hillary. With Warren’s advocacy for aggressive government regulation, her support for redistributive programs, her sharp critique of antisocial corporate behavior, and her rejection of individualistic folklore (remember ‘You didn’t build that‘?), she’s emerged as a relatively mild but nevertheless quite serious opponent of neoliberal ideology…. However, while Warren isn’t a neoliberal, Sanders supporters aren’t the only ones making shit up. Her own supporters have been spinning a series of fictitious narratives rooted in classic neoliberal identity politics, using feminism and anti-racism to discredit Sanders’s socialist agenda… One of these curious neoliberal narratives is that only sexism could explain why people support Sanders over Warren, since the candidates are exactly the same politically. Earlier this year, Moira Donegan, writing in the Guardian, asked, ‘Why vote for Sanders when you can have Elizabeth Warren instead?’ While Warren calls herself a “capitalist to my bones,” Sanders is a lifelong socialist.”

* * *

“Biden tries to set the stage in Detroit” [Politico]. “CNN’s broadcast, which begins at 8 p.m., will also feature an introduction of the candidates and playing of the national anthem.” • The debates are already enough like a sporting event, so what next? A military flyover?

“Can’t Buy Mohammed bin Salman Love” [Foreign Policy]. Last month, credible reports emerged that the U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg was courting campaign investors linked to Saudi Arabia. In June, Buttigieg held a fundraiser in the home of Hamilton James, a major Democratic donor and the mastermind behind a $20 billion deal to generate Saudi investment in U.S. infrastructure. Buttigieg is not alone. The Intercept revealed that former Vice President Joe Biden’s American Possibilities PAC includes investment from former Democratic Sen. John Breaux, a lobbyist for the firm Squire Patton Boggs, which is registered as a representative for Saudi Arabia.” • Classy!

Impeachment

“Mueller testimony fails to move needle on impeachment” [The Hill]. “[S]ome of the most vocal impeachment proponents said they don’t expect Mueller’s halting testimony — in which he asked legislators to repeat their questions on multiple occasions and often declined to answer questions at all — to lend any significant new power to the effort… More than 90 House Democrats have come out in favor of an impeachment inquiry, according to a tally kept by The Hill. But impeachment backers are still mostly progressives and amount to less than half of the 235-member caucus. Only a half-dozen Democrats representing swing districts have joined the push — and even they all hail from districts carried by Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.”

Ouch:

Watching the dry prose of the Mueller report leap to life in the form of hours of committee hearings reminds me of when I was a fundamentalist kid and they tried to make the Bible fun using claymation. Now kids could SEE that Amminadab was the father of Nahshom, who begat Uzziah

— Pinboard (@Pinboard) July 24, 2019

“You Can’t Beat Trump without Throwing a Punch” [National Review]. “[Democrats’] desire is that the president should be removed from office, perhaps that the result of the 2016 election itself could be abrogated. And that all this could all be effected while they remain passive observers and commentators. Perhaps they would only be the formal executors of a judgment made elsewhere…. In other words, pro-impeachment Democrats wanted Mueller to make the decision for them, to take responsibility for moving public opinion in their favored direction. This is not how impeachment works under the Constitution, and it is not how political conflict works anyway. Just as spectators of the political game, it should be obvious by now that this is the signature mistake that all of Trump’s opponents have made. A fear of direct confrontation with Trump and his base leads his opponents to hope that Trump can be defeated without hard fighting….This is a vain hope. Like Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Hillary Clinton before them, House Democrats will lose any contest with Trump so long as they are unwilling to sustain political damage in the act of inflicting more damage to him.” • Hard to argue with any of this.

RussiaGate

“These Questions for Mueller Show Why Russiagate Was Never the Answer” [The Nation]. The best question: “3. Why didn’t you interview Julian Assange? “The uncertainty in Mueller’s account of how WikiLeaks received the stolen e-mails could possibly have been cleared up had Mueller attempted to interview Julian Assange. The WikiLeaks founder insists that the Russian government was not his source, and has repeatedly offered to speak to US investigators. Given that Assange received and published the stolen emails at the heart of Mueller’s investigation, his absence from Mueller’s voluminous witness sheet is a glaring omission.” • Lawyers believe that you should never ask a question if you don’t already know the answer. So what does Mueller’s refusal to interview Assange say about his trust in the DNC?

Realignment and Legitimacy

“There Are Reasons for Optimism” [Noam Chomsky, Catalyst]. A long, long interview, well worth a read. Chomsky concludes: “A lot of things have improved and they’ve improved by active, organized, committed people who went to work on it and changed the world. That’s a reason to be optimistic.”

Stats Watch

Jobless Claims, week of July 20, 2019: “One of the Federal Reserve’s two central pillars policy — employment — is showing increasing and unusual strength” [Econoday]. “Labor conditions in July [may] have been at least if not more favorable than conditions in June.”

Durable Goods Orders, June 2019: “If manufacturing is the Federal Reserve’s central focus, they have less to be worried about. [Econoday]. “It’s a rare 1.9 percent jump in core capital goods orders that points to new confidence in the business outlook and the release of prior pent-up demand for new production equipment.” • What you want to see in a capitalist economy, even if most of turns out to be going to robots. More: “Revisions and the Boeing 737 aside, this report is an echo of the strength of last week’s industrial production report where manufacturing posted its strongest performance of the year, and it diminishes the need for Fed rate cuts and will have to be put into broad context or explained away by Jerome Powell at his press conference next week should the Fed indeed lower rates.”

Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Index, July 2019: “Weighed down by increased uncertainty due to trade concerns and weaker domestic demand, Tenth District manufacturing activity unexpectedly slid into mild contraction” [Econoday]. “Today’s survey from Kansas joins yesterday’s Richmond Fed survey in showing manufacturing in contraction in their respective region, scaling back expectations of a general rebound in the nation’s flagging manufacturing sector that were aroused by last week’s positive Philly Fed and Empire State surveys,”

International Trade in Goods, June 2019: Exports fell very sharp[ly] with imports down. These are among the weakest results in 2-1/2 years and outside of isolated gains in May” [Econoday]. “Capital goods are the US’s strongest exports and these fell… Import contraction was deepest in industrial supplies…. Facing a sudden rush of improving economic data — whether employment or retail sales or core capital goods — the Federal Reserve will be able to point to declines in global trade as a justification for what appears to be an approaching rate cut at next week’s meeting.”

Retail Inventories [Advance], June 2019: Retail inventories contracted unexpectedly [Econoday]. “However unfavorable for the GDP calculation, low inventories at a time of strong consumer demand and what may be, based on this morning’s durable goods report, improving business demand point to the need for inventory building which would be a plus for third quarter employment and production.”

Wholesale Inventories [Advance], June 2019: Wholesale inventories rose lower-than-expected [Econoday]. As above on inventory building.

Retail: “Amazon Has ‘Destroyed’ U.S. Retail Industry, Mnuchin Says” [Bloomberg]. “U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin alleged that Amazon.com Inc. has “limited competition” and harmed the retail industry as the Trump administration announced a broad antitrust review into whether technology companies are using their power to thwart rivals. ‘If you look at Amazon, although there are certain benefits to it, it destroyed the retail industry across the United States, so there’s no question they’ve limited competition,” Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC Wednesday.'” • And just think! If Kamala Harris had prosecuted Mnuchin, he wouldn’t be saying this today!

Housing: “Nearly 250,000 NYC rental apartments sit vacant” [6sqft]. Early numbers from the Census Bureau’s Housing and Vacancy Survey show that the number of unoccupied apartments throughout New York City has grown significantly over the past three years–a whopping 35 percent to 65,406 apartments since 2014, when the last survey was taken. As the Daily News puts it, “Today, 247,977 units — more than 11% of all rental apartments in New York City — sit either empty or scarcely occupied, even as many New Yorkers struggle to find an apartment they can afford.” One reason for the growing vacancy rates, as the article states, is the city’s high rent, which has risen twice as fast as inflation….. Many of the 75,000 temporary apartments are pied-à-terres–think weekend or vacation homes for the rich–a number that’s expanded from 9,282 in 1987.”

Tech: “Twitter, Unable to Control Its Worst Elements, Rolls out a Site Redesign” [Fortune]. “The social media site began testing the new version of its site back in September 2018. The new look better resembles the site’s experience on modern smartphones. At the start, the new look was optional, and only available to some. Now, the redesign will be mandatory for Twitter users, disabling their ability to switch to the social network’s legacy layout.” • Amazingly, press coverage of this debacle has been universally positive; neither the designers nor the press seem to understand that phones (tiny screens, touch) and laptops (bigger screens or even monitors, mouse/keyboard) are different media. Hence the grotesquely oversized menu, the big type, the wasted screen real estate, the extra steps, and so on. The good news is that there are workarounds to the so-called “mandatory” redesign, if design is the word I want.

Tech: “How to switch back to the old Twitter layout” [ShackNews]. • The new Twitter laptop redesign really is ghastly. This technique works, though it’s not clear for how long.

Manufacturing: “Boeing says 737 MAX crisis could temporarily shut down Renton production” [Seattle Times]. “Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said Wednesday that though the company’s “best estimate” is that the 737 MAX will return to service in October, a slip in that optimistic timeline could mean the Renton 737 production line would be temporarily shut down. ‘That’s not something we want to do, but something we have to prepare for,’ he said on Boeing’s second-quarter earnings call with analysts and the press. Such a drastic step would mean temporary layoffs at the plant, which employs more than 10,000 people. ‘A temporary shutdown could be more efficient than a sustained lower production rate,’ Muilenburg said. ‘That’s what we are thinking our way through.’ Wednesday’s call also included worrying news for Boeing’s Everett factory: The new 777X that rolled out of the factory in March will not fly until next year because of delays in fixing a problem with the plane’s GE-9X engine.”• A firm with enormous quality assurance problems considers screwing over its workers…

Manufacturing: “Southwest ceasing operations at Newark airport because of 737 Max delays” [CNN]. “Southwest Airlines is ceasing operations at Newark Liberty International Airport because of the continued grounding of the Boeing 737 Max. The airline announced Thursday that Boeing’s (BA) “extensive delays” in getting its 737 Max plane back in service, Southwest has to stop flying in and out of the New Jersey airport starting November 3. Southwest called it a financial decision, saying its financial results at the airport have fallen below expectations, and it had to “mitigate damages and optimize our aircraft…. The airline operates 20 flights per day from Newark to 10 cities, including Phoenix, Austin and Chicago. Southwest (LUV) will still continue to fly from two New York area airports including LaGuardia and Islip on Long Island.” • Newark or LaGuardia…. I’d have to give it some thought.

Manufacturing: “Airbus A350 software bug forces airlines to turn planes off and on every 149 hours” [The Register]. “Some models of Airbus A350 airliners still need to be hard rebooted after exactly 149 hours, despite warnings from the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) first issued two years ago.” • Funny to have the famous Help Desk reponse — “Please reboot your machine and try again” — appear at such a high level. To be fair to Airbus, the problem was fixable. The article has interesting information on how Airbus aircraft are wired up.

The Biosphere

“Moody’s Buys Climate Data Firm, Signaling New Scrutiny of Climate Risks” [New York Times]. “The rating agency bought a majority share in Four Twenty Seven, a California-based company that measures a range of hazards, including extreme rainfall, hurricanes, heat stress and sea level rise, and tracks their impact on 2,000 companies and 196 countries. In the United States, the data covers 761 cities and more than 3,000 counties.” • I’m reminded of the scene from The Big Short where Mark Baum visits Standard & Poors:

“I work in the environmental movement. I don’t care if you recycle.” [Vox]. “All too often, our culture broadly equates “environmentalism” with personal consumerism. To be “good,” we must convert to 100 percent solar energy, ride an upcycled bike everywhere, stop flying, eat vegan. We have to live a zero-waste lifestyle, never use Amazon Prime, etc., etc. I hear this message everywhere…. While we’re busy testing each other’s purity, we let the government and industries — the authors of said devastation — off the hook completely. This overemphasis on individual action shames people for their everyday activities, things they can barely avoid doing because of the fossil fuel-dependent system they were born into…. If we want to function in society, we have no choice but to participate in that system. To blame us for that is to shame us for our very existence.” • Amen.

“Special Report: A Cloudspotter’s Guide to Climate Change” [Reuters]. “When Gavin Pretor-Pinney decided on a whim to inaugurate the Cloud Appreciation Society at a literary festival, he never expected it to draw much attention. Fifteen years later, more than 47,000 members have signed up for a group that could have been dismissed as another example of quintessentially British eccentricity…. Global climate models are a computational mesh that use grids of the Earth that are tens to hundreds of kilometers wide. Clouds and the complicated processes they are made under are smaller in size and present a ‘blind spot’ in climate modeling, says [Tapo] Schneider, the Caltech climate scientist…. [T]he Cloud Appreciation Society decided not to get involved in the climate change debate. Asked what he made of his fellow members’ reluctance to include climate advocacy in the Cloud Appreciation Society’s work, [Walt Lyons, an atmospheric scientist and former broadcast meteorologist who belongs to the society] pauses for a moment. ‘Just appreciating clouds is a big job, because people are reconnecting with nature,’ he says finally. ‘If more people could begin to understand what they’re about to lose…’ He walks away and settles his bill with the cashier.” • Great metaphor, there. A sad ending! A very good article on clouds; the Cloud Appreciation Society is the story hook (or, I suppose, barb). Well worth a read.

“Sacramento UC Master Gardeners to host annual Harvest Day gardening event in Fair Oaks” [Sacramento Bee]. “Gardening is incredibly rewarding, but it can also frustrate, especially when a plant is struggling or bugs are plaguing your garden. But there’s help available: The Sacramento UC Master Gardeners are here to help and give advice at their annual Harvest Day event.” • Master Gardeners are a great resource.

For rail fans, a thread:

Trains are running at reduced speeds tomorrow, because of all this heat causing the rails to buckle.

Inevitably this brings out people asking “why doesn’t this happen in Spain/Mexico/other hot countries”, so it’s time for a thread about railway track. https://t.co/YlwCUiaVAl

— Alex Chan (@alexwlchan) July 24, 2019

“Real Estate Agents Trying To Gentrify Run-Down Earth By Renaming It West Saturn” [The Onion (RH)]. “With Mars almost sold through, demand for the good spots on Earth is only going to heat up, much like Earth itself.”

Guillotine Watch

Get used to it:

Tonight I tweeted a pic of a Georgetown party hosted by @maureendowd, attended by @SpeakerPelosi, @SenSchumer and DC journos. In the old days it would’ve been a benign big-shot brag. No more. It was viciously ratio’d by left and right. I deleted it. All establishments are hated.

— Howard Fineman (@howardfineman) July 25, 2019

Here’s Fineman’s deleted tweet:

pic.twitter.com/0I7M89N5Th

— Walter (@Waltersghost1) July 25, 2019

Class Warfare

“If You Hate Capitalism You Will Love This Map” [Vice]. “The Black Socialists of America (BSA), a coalition of ‘anticapitalist, internationalist Black Americans,’ just launched its Dual Power Map. The map promises to plot every single worker cooperative, small business development center, community land trust, and dual power project in America so ‘you can support them right now.’ But what are any of these things? What is dual power? Why should you care? At its heart, dual power is a socialist strategy concerned with helping people who are unable to have their needs met by capitalism. The strategy calls for ‘counter-institutions’ that not only meet the needs of those left behind but are run by those very people. It also calls for people to protect and develop these institutions into forms of social, economic, and political ‘counter-power’ through social movements or organizing efforts.” • Good press for BSA. I��ve been following BSA for awhile and they seem quite disciplined.

From an actual organizer on the shop floor, a thread:

I want to share some thoughts on rank and file work. I am going to avoid the touchy debates and focus on the experience of embedding yourself in a workplace to carry out work.

— Comrade Scalawag ✊🌹 (@ComradeScalawag) July 21, 2019

The labor aspect of the Gulf tanker seizures:

The tanker's owners are registered in Britain in order to be defended by her military and diplomatic power but the vessel is 'flagged' to Liberia in order to avoid British employment and health and safety legislation. And of course to avoid having RMT organised ratings on board. https://t.co/05cvtrfy3c

— Eddie Dempsey (@EddieDempsey) July 22, 2019

“Baby Boomers are staying in the labor force at rates not seen in generations for people their age” [Pew Research Center]. “The relatively high labor force participation of Boomers may be beneficial both to them and the wider economy. Some retirement experts emphasize working longer as the key to a secure retirement, in part because the generosity of monthly Social Security benefits increases with each year claiming is postponed. For the economy as a whole, economic growth in part depends on labor force growth, and the Boomers staying in the work force bolsters the latter.”

News of the Wired

The stuff of nightmares:

Two franchises can play at that… pic.twitter.com/WCuJyycxRi

— ρhαετhøṉ (@PhaethonTweets) July 24, 2019

(You may have to click “View” to see the “sensitive content,” for some nutty reason.

I like these stories:

Do good recklessly is my new motto https://t.co/u6sXHC0jlN

— dr. phoenix calida is bearly black (@uppittynegress) July 25, 2019

At the university cafeteria, the person behind me in line paid for my food — just randomly! So I have done the same for others. Not every day, but often enough. Its a small tradition and maybe not reckless, but I like it.

* * *

Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Today’s plant (JN):

What a pleasing prospect!

* * *

Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So do feel free to make a contribution today or any day. Here is why: Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know I’m on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of small donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals. So if you see something you especially appreciate, do feel free to click this donate button:

Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated.

If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!

This entry was posted in Guest Post, Water Cooler on July 25, 2019 by Lambert Strether.

About Lambert Strether

Readers, I have had a correspondent characterize my views as realistic cynical. Let me briefly explain them. I believe in universal programs that provide concrete material benefits, especially to the working class. Medicare for All is the prime example, but tuition-free college and a Post Office Bank also fall under this heading. So do a Jobs Guarantee and a Debt Jubilee. Clearly, neither liberal Democrats nor conservative Republicans can deliver on such programs, because the two are different flavors of neoliberalism (“Because markets”). I don’t much care about the “ism” that delivers the benefits, although whichever one does have to put common humanity first, as opposed to markets. Could be a second FDR saving capitalism, democratic socialism leashing and collaring it, or communism razing it. I don’t much care, as long as the benefits are delivered. To me, the key issue — and this is why Medicare for All is always first with me — is the tens of thousands of excess “deaths from despair,” as described by the Case-Deaton study, and other recent studies. That enormous body count makes Medicare for All, at the very least, a moral and strategic imperative. And that level of suffering and organic damage makes the concerns of identity politics — even the worthy fight to help the refugees Bush, Obama, and Clinton’s wars created — bright shiny objects by comparison. Hence my frustration with the news flow — currently in my view the swirling intersection of two, separate Shock Doctrine campaigns, one by the Administration, and the other by out-of-power liberals and their allies in the State and in the press — a news flow that constantly forces me to focus on matters that I regard as of secondary importance to the excess deaths. What kind of political economy is it that halts or even reverses the increases in life expectancy that civilized societies have achieved? I am also very hopeful that the continuing destruction of both party establishments will open the space for voices supporting programs similar to those I have listed; let’s call such voices “the left.” Volatility creates opportunity, especially if the Democrat establishment, which puts markets first and opposes all such programs, isn’t allowed to get back into the saddle. Eyes on the prize! I love the tactical level, and secretly love even the horse race, since I’ve been blogging about it daily for fourteen years, but everything I write has this perspective at the back of it.

Post navigation

← Links 7/25/19 The World’s Biggest Lawsuit: Juliana v. United States →

Source: https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2019/07/200pm-water-cooler-7-25-2019.html

[nigeiadigitalmarketingcompany]

2:00PM Water Cooler 7/25/2019

Digital Elixir 2:00PM Water Cooler 7/25/2019

By Lambert Strether of Corrente

Politics

“But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature?” –James Madison, Federalist 51

“They had one weapon left and both knew it: treachery.” –Frank Herbert, Dune

“2020 Democratic Presidential Nomination” [RealClearPolitics] (average of five polls). As of July 24: Biden flat at 28.6% (28.6), Sanders up at 15.0% (14.8%), Warren up at 15.0% (14.6%), Buttigieg up at 4.8% (5.0%), Harris down 12.2% (12.6%), others Brownian motion.

* * *

2020

Sanders (D)(1): “Tensions Between Bernie Sanders and MSNBC Boil Over” [Daily Beast]. “The backlash from Sanders-world reached a new high on Sunday, when MSNBC analyst Mimi Rocah, a former assistant U.S attorney for the Southern District of New York and occasional contributor to The Daily Beast, launched a personal critique of Sanders during a segment with host David Gura, saying that he makes her “skin crawl” and that he’s not a ‘pro-woman candidate.’… A senior campaign aide said the campaign believes there are possible biases in the network, but instead of shunning MSNBC they’ve been aggressive in getting their people booked. Sanders has been on the network at least nine times this cycle.”

Warren (D)(1): “Elizabeth Warren Wants to Stop Banks From Dominating Trillions in Payments” [Bloomberg]. “At issue is the development of real-time payment systems that would allow consumers and businesses to instantly access money that’s sent to their bank accounts. Everyone agrees that creating such networks is necessary. But they’re at odds over whether it’s a good idea to let big banks, which already have one up and running, reign supreme….. [Warren] wants the Federal Reserve to join the fray. The Massachusetts lawmaker, along with Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and two House Democrats, plans to introduce a bill Wednesday that would require the Fed to build a competing system. They say they want to make the U.S. payments infrastructure a public utility and prevent big banks from gaining a monopoly.” • Good!

Warren (D)(2): “Warren Is No Hillary. She’s Also No Bernie” [Jacobin]. “Characterizing Warren as a ‘neoliberal‘ or, even more stupidly, a ‘Clintonite,’ some misguided online Bernie Sanders supporters seem to be trying to cast her as the archvillain in the sequel to 2016’s horror flop, Hillary. With Warren’s advocacy for aggressive government regulation, her support for redistributive programs, her sharp critique of antisocial corporate behavior, and her rejection of individualistic folklore (remember ‘You didn’t build that‘?), she’s emerged as a relatively mild but nevertheless quite serious opponent of neoliberal ideology…. However, while Warren isn’t a neoliberal, Sanders supporters aren’t the only ones making shit up. Her own supporters have been spinning a series of fictitious narratives rooted in classic neoliberal identity politics, using feminism and anti-racism to discredit Sanders’s socialist agenda… One of these curious neoliberal narratives is that only sexism could explain why people support Sanders over Warren, since the candidates are exactly the same politically. Earlier this year, Moira Donegan, writing in the Guardian, asked, ‘Why vote for Sanders when you can have Elizabeth Warren instead?’ While Warren calls herself a “capitalist to my bones,” Sanders is a lifelong socialist.”

* * *

“Biden tries to set the stage in Detroit” [Politico]. “CNN’s broadcast, which begins at 8 p.m., will also feature an introduction of the candidates and playing of the national anthem.” • The debates are already enough like a sporting event, so what next? A military flyover?

“Can’t Buy Mohammed bin Salman Love” [Foreign Policy]. Last month, credible reports emerged that the U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg was courting campaign investors linked to Saudi Arabia. In June, Buttigieg held a fundraiser in the home of Hamilton James, a major Democratic donor and the mastermind behind a $20 billion deal to generate Saudi investment in U.S. infrastructure. Buttigieg is not alone. The Intercept revealed that former Vice President Joe Biden’s American Possibilities PAC includes investment from former Democratic Sen. John Breaux, a lobbyist for the firm Squire Patton Boggs, which is registered as a representative for Saudi Arabia.” • Classy!

Impeachment

“Mueller testimony fails to move needle on impeachment” [The Hill]. “[S]ome of the most vocal impeachment proponents said they don’t expect Mueller’s halting testimony — in which he asked legislators to repeat their questions on multiple occasions and often declined to answer questions at all — to lend any significant new power to the effort… More than 90 House Democrats have come out in favor of an impeachment inquiry, according to a tally kept by The Hill. But impeachment backers are still mostly progressives and amount to less than half of the 235-member caucus. Only a half-dozen Democrats representing swing districts have joined the push — and even they all hail from districts carried by Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.”

Ouch:

Watching the dry prose of the Mueller report leap to life in the form of hours of committee hearings reminds me of when I was a fundamentalist kid and they tried to make the Bible fun using claymation. Now kids could SEE that Amminadab was the father of Nahshom, who begat Uzziah

— Pinboard (@Pinboard) July 24, 2019

“You Can’t Beat Trump without Throwing a Punch” [National Review]. “[Democrats’] desire is that the president should be removed from office, perhaps that the result of the 2016 election itself could be abrogated. And that all this could all be effected while they remain passive observers and commentators. Perhaps they would only be the formal executors of a judgment made elsewhere…. In other words, pro-impeachment Democrats wanted Mueller to make the decision for them, to take responsibility for moving public opinion in their favored direction. This is not how impeachment works under the Constitution, and it is not how political conflict works anyway. Just as spectators of the political game, it should be obvious by now that this is the signature mistake that all of Trump’s opponents have made. A fear of direct confrontation with Trump and his base leads his opponents to hope that Trump can be defeated without hard fighting….This is a vain hope. Like Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Hillary Clinton before them, House Democrats will lose any contest with Trump so long as they are unwilling to sustain political damage in the act of inflicting more damage to him.” • Hard to argue with any of this.

RussiaGate

“These Questions for Mueller Show Why Russiagate Was Never the Answer” [The Nation]. The best question: “3. Why didn’t you interview Julian Assange? “The uncertainty in Mueller’s account of how WikiLeaks received the stolen e-mails could possibly have been cleared up had Mueller attempted to interview Julian Assange. The WikiLeaks founder insists that the Russian government was not his source, and has repeatedly offered to speak to US investigators. Given that Assange received and published the stolen emails at the heart of Mueller’s investigation, his absence from Mueller’s voluminous witness sheet is a glaring omission.” • Lawyers believe that you should never ask a question if you don’t already know the answer. So what does Mueller’s refusal to interview Assange say about his trust in the DNC?

Realignment and Legitimacy

“There Are Reasons for Optimism” [Noam Chomsky, Catalyst]. A long, long interview, well worth a read. Chomsky concludes: “A lot of things have improved and they’ve improved by active, organized, committed people who went to work on it and changed the world. That’s a reason to be optimistic.”

Stats Watch

Jobless Claims, week of July 20, 2019: “One of the Federal Reserve’s two central pillars policy — employment — is showing increasing and unusual strength” [Econoday]. “Labor conditions in July [may] have been at least if not more favorable than conditions in June.”

Durable Goods Orders, June 2019: “If manufacturing is the Federal Reserve’s central focus, they have less to be worried about. [Econoday]. “It’s a rare 1.9 percent jump in core capital goods orders that points to new confidence in the business outlook and the release of prior pent-up demand for new production equipment.” • What you want to see in a capitalist economy, even if most of turns out to be going to robots. More: “Revisions and the Boeing 737 aside, this report is an echo of the strength of last week’s industrial production report where manufacturing posted its strongest performance of the year, and it diminishes the need for Fed rate cuts and will have to be put into broad context or explained away by Jerome Powell at his press conference next week should the Fed indeed lower rates.”

Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Index, July 2019: “Weighed down by increased uncertainty due to trade concerns and weaker domestic demand, Tenth District manufacturing activity unexpectedly slid into mild contraction” [Econoday]. “Today’s survey from Kansas joins yesterday’s Richmond Fed survey in showing manufacturing in contraction in their respective region, scaling back expectations of a general rebound in the nation’s flagging manufacturing sector that were aroused by last week’s positive Philly Fed and Empire State surveys,”

International Trade in Goods, June 2019: Exports fell very sharp[ly] with imports down. These are among the weakest results in 2-1/2 years and outside of isolated gains in May” [Econoday]. “Capital goods are the US’s strongest exports and these fell… Import contraction was deepest in industrial supplies…. Facing a sudden rush of improving economic data — whether employment or retail sales or core capital goods — the Federal Reserve will be able to point to declines in global trade as a justification for what appears to be an approaching rate cut at next week’s meeting.”

Retail Inventories [Advance], June 2019: Retail inventories contracted unexpectedly [Econoday]. “However unfavorable for the GDP calculation, low inventories at a time of strong consumer demand and what may be, based on this morning’s durable goods report, improving business demand point to the need for inventory building which would be a plus for third quarter employment and production.”

Wholesale Inventories [Advance], June 2019: Wholesale inventories rose lower-than-expected [Econoday]. As above on inventory building.

Retail: “Amazon Has ‘Destroyed’ U.S. Retail Industry, Mnuchin Says” [Bloomberg]. “U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin alleged that Amazon.com Inc. has “limited competition” and harmed the retail industry as the Trump administration announced a broad antitrust review into whether technology companies are using their power to thwart rivals. ‘If you look at Amazon, although there are certain benefits to it, it destroyed the retail industry across the United States, so there’s no question they’ve limited competition,” Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC Wednesday.’” • And just think! If Kamala Harris had prosecuted Mnuchin, he wouldn’t be saying this today!

Housing: “Nearly 250,000 NYC rental apartments sit vacant” [6sqft]. Early numbers from the Census Bureau’s Housing and Vacancy Survey show that the number of unoccupied apartments throughout New York City has grown significantly over the past three years–a whopping 35 percent to 65,406 apartments since 2014, when the last survey was taken. As the Daily News puts it, “Today, 247,977 units — more than 11% of all rental apartments in New York City — sit either empty or scarcely occupied, even as many New Yorkers struggle to find an apartment they can afford.” One reason for the growing vacancy rates, as the article states, is the city’s high rent, which has risen twice as fast as inflation….. Many of the 75,000 temporary apartments are pied-à-terres–think weekend or vacation homes for the rich–a number that’s expanded from 9,282 in 1987.”

Tech: “Twitter, Unable to Control Its Worst Elements, Rolls out a Site Redesign” [Fortune]. “The social media site began testing the new version of its site back in September 2018. The new look better resembles the site’s experience on modern smartphones. At the start, the new look was optional, and only available to some. Now, the redesign will be mandatory for Twitter users, disabling their ability to switch to the social network’s legacy layout.” • Amazingly, press coverage of this debacle has been universally positive; neither the designers nor the press seem to understand that phones (tiny screens, touch) and laptops (bigger screens or even monitors, mouse/keyboard) are different media. Hence the grotesquely oversized menu, the big type, the wasted screen real estate, the extra steps, and so on. The good news is that there are workarounds to the so-called “mandatory” redesign, if design is the word I want.

Tech: “How to switch back to the old Twitter layout” [ShackNews]. • The new Twitter laptop redesign really is ghastly. This technique works, though it’s not clear for how long.

Manufacturing: “Boeing says 737 MAX crisis could temporarily shut down Renton production” [Seattle Times]. “Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said Wednesday that though the company’s “best estimate” is that the 737 MAX will return to service in October, a slip in that optimistic timeline could mean the Renton 737 production line would be temporarily shut down. ‘That’s not something we want to do, but something we have to prepare for,’ he said on Boeing’s second-quarter earnings call with analysts and the press. Such a drastic step would mean temporary layoffs at the plant, which employs more than 10,000 people. ‘A temporary shutdown could be more efficient than a sustained lower production rate,’ Muilenburg said. ‘That’s what we are thinking our way through.’ Wednesday’s call also included worrying news for Boeing’s Everett factory: The new 777X that rolled out of the factory in March will not fly until next year because of delays in fixing a problem with the plane’s GE-9X engine.”• A firm with enormous quality assurance problems considers screwing over its workers…

Manufacturing: “Southwest ceasing operations at Newark airport because of 737 Max delays” [CNN]. “Southwest Airlines is ceasing operations at Newark Liberty International Airport because of the continued grounding of the Boeing 737 Max. The airline announced Thursday that Boeing’s (BA) “extensive delays” in getting its 737 Max plane back in service, Southwest has to stop flying in and out of the New Jersey airport starting November 3. Southwest called it a financial decision, saying its financial results at the airport have fallen below expectations, and it had to “mitigate damages and optimize our aircraft…. The airline operates 20 flights per day from Newark to 10 cities, including Phoenix, Austin and Chicago. Southwest (LUV) will still continue to fly from two New York area airports including LaGuardia and Islip on Long Island.” • Newark or LaGuardia…. I’d have to give it some thought.

Manufacturing: “Airbus A350 software bug forces airlines to turn planes off and on every 149 hours” [The Register]. “Some models of Airbus A350 airliners still need to be hard rebooted after exactly 149 hours, despite warnings from the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) first issued two years ago.” • Funny to have the famous Help Desk reponse — “Please reboot your machine and try again” — appear at such a high level. To be fair to Airbus, the problem was fixable. The article has interesting information on how Airbus aircraft are wired up.

The Biosphere

“Moody’s Buys Climate Data Firm, Signaling New Scrutiny of Climate Risks” [New York Times]. “The rating agency bought a majority share in Four Twenty Seven, a California-based company that measures a range of hazards, including extreme rainfall, hurricanes, heat stress and sea level rise, and tracks their impact on 2,000 companies and 196 countries. In the United States, the data covers 761 cities and more than 3,000 counties.” • I’m reminded of the scene from The Big Short where Mark Baum visits Standard & Poors:

“I work in the environmental movement. I don’t care if you recycle.” [Vox]. “All too often, our culture broadly equates “environmentalism” with personal consumerism. To be “good,” we must convert to 100 percent solar energy, ride an upcycled bike everywhere, stop flying, eat vegan. We have to live a zero-waste lifestyle, never use Amazon Prime, etc., etc. I hear this message everywhere…. While we’re busy testing each other’s purity, we let the government and industries — the authors of said devastation — off the hook completely. This overemphasis on individual action shames people for their everyday activities, things they can barely avoid doing because of the fossil fuel-dependent system they were born into…. If we want to function in society, we have no choice but to participate in that system. To blame us for that is to shame us for our very existence.” • Amen.

“Special Report: A Cloudspotter’s Guide to Climate Change” [Reuters]. “When Gavin Pretor-Pinney decided on a whim to inaugurate the Cloud Appreciation Society at a literary festival, he never expected it to draw much attention. Fifteen years later, more than 47,000 members have signed up for a group that could have been dismissed as another example of quintessentially British eccentricity…. Global climate models are a computational mesh that use grids of the Earth that are tens to hundreds of kilometers wide. Clouds and the complicated processes they are made under are smaller in size and present a ‘blind spot’ in climate modeling, says [Tapo] Schneider, the Caltech climate scientist…. [T]he Cloud Appreciation Society decided not to get involved in the climate change debate. Asked what he made of his fellow members’ reluctance to include climate advocacy in the Cloud Appreciation Society’s work, [Walt Lyons, an atmospheric scientist and former broadcast meteorologist who belongs to the society] pauses for a moment. ‘Just appreciating clouds is a big job, because people are reconnecting with nature,’ he says finally. ‘If more people could begin to understand what they’re about to lose…’ He walks away and settles his bill with the cashier.” • Great metaphor, there. A sad ending! A very good article on clouds; the Cloud Appreciation Society is the story hook (or, I suppose, barb). Well worth a read.

“Sacramento UC Master Gardeners to host annual Harvest Day gardening event in Fair Oaks” [Sacramento Bee]. “Gardening is incredibly rewarding, but it can also frustrate, especially when a plant is struggling or bugs are plaguing your garden. But there’s help available: The Sacramento UC Master Gardeners are here to help and give advice at their annual Harvest Day event.” • Master Gardeners are a great resource.

For rail fans, a thread:

Trains are running at reduced speeds tomorrow, because of all this heat causing the rails to buckle.

Inevitably this brings out people asking “why doesn’t this happen in Spain/Mexico/other hot countries”, so it’s time for a thread about railway track. https://t.co/YlwCUiaVAl

— Alex Chan (@alexwlchan) July 24, 2019

“Real Estate Agents Trying To Gentrify Run-Down Earth By Renaming It West Saturn” [The Onion (RH)]. “With Mars almost sold through, demand for the good spots on Earth is only going to heat up, much like Earth itself.”

Guillotine Watch

Get used to it:

Tonight I tweeted a pic of a Georgetown party hosted by @maureendowd, attended by @SpeakerPelosi, @SenSchumer and DC journos. In the old days it would’ve been a benign big-shot brag. No more. It was viciously ratio’d by left and right. I deleted it. All establishments are hated.

— Howard Fineman (@howardfineman) July 25, 2019

Here’s Fineman’s deleted tweet:

pic.twitter.com/0I7M89N5Th

— Walter (@Waltersghost1) July 25, 2019

Class Warfare

“If You Hate Capitalism You Will Love This Map” [Vice]. “The Black Socialists of America (BSA), a coalition of ‘anticapitalist, internationalist Black Americans,’ just launched its Dual Power Map. The map promises to plot every single worker cooperative, small business development center, community land trust, and dual power project in America so ‘you can support them right now.’ But what are any of these things? What is dual power? Why should you care? At its heart, dual power is a socialist strategy concerned with helping people who are unable to have their needs met by capitalism. The strategy calls for ‘counter-institutions’ that not only meet the needs of those left behind but are run by those very people. It also calls for people to protect and develop these institutions into forms of social, economic, and political ‘counter-power’ through social movements or organizing efforts.” • Good press for BSA. I’ve been following BSA for awhile and they seem quite disciplined.

From an actual organizer on the shop floor, a thread:

I want to share some thoughts on rank and file work. I am going to avoid the touchy debates and focus on the experience of embedding yourself in a workplace to carry out work.

— Comrade Scalawag

(@ComradeScalawag) July 21, 2019

The labor aspect of the Gulf tanker seizures:

The tanker’s owners are registered in Britain in order to be defended by her military and diplomatic power but the vessel is ‘flagged’ to Liberia in order to avoid British employment and health and safety legislation. And of course to avoid having RMT organised ratings on board. https://t.co/05cvtrfy3c

— Eddie Dempsey (@EddieDempsey) July 22, 2019

“Baby Boomers are staying in the labor force at rates not seen in generations for people their age” [Pew Research Center]. “The relatively high labor force participation of Boomers may be beneficial both to them and the wider economy. Some retirement experts emphasize working longer as the key to a secure retirement, in part because the generosity of monthly Social Security benefits increases with each year claiming is postponed. For the economy as a whole, economic growth in part depends on labor force growth, and the Boomers staying in the work force bolsters the latter.”

News of the Wired

The stuff of nightmares:

Two franchises can play at that… pic.twitter.com/WCuJyycxRi

— ρhαετhøṉ (@PhaethonTweets) July 24, 2019

(You may have to click “View” to see the “sensitive content,” for some nutty reason.

I like these stories:

Do good recklessly is my new motto https://t.co/u6sXHC0jlN

— dr. phoenix calida is bearly black (@uppittynegress) July 25, 2019

At the university cafeteria, the person behind me in line paid for my food — just randomly! So I have done the same for others. Not every day, but often enough. Its a small tradition and maybe not reckless, but I like it.

* * *

Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Today’s plant (JN):

What a pleasing prospect!

* * *

Readers: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser. So do feel free to make a contribution today or any day. Here is why: Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know I’m on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of small donations helps me with expenses, and I factor in that trickle when setting fundraising goals. So if you see something you especially appreciate, do feel free to click this donate button:

Here is the screen that will appear, which I have helpfully annotated.

If you hate PayPal, you can email me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, and I will give you directions on how to send a check. Thank you!

2:00PM Water Cooler 7/25/2019

from WordPress https://ift.tt/2JQkUjl via IFTTT