#Lack of Transparency and Accountability

[llewelynpritch]

LET'S JUST STICK TO THE FACTS' JOHNSON'S COVER-UP EVIDENCE: Secretive Unreported Meetings with Alexander Lebedev ’ex-KGB-no-such-thing-agent’; Misleading Public Statements; Lack of Transparency and Accountability; Russian Interference in British Politics; Obstruction of Justice; Contempt of Parliament; General Erosion of Trust and Alignment with  Putin's interests. 

[fakeosirian]

ok. writing tonight. the document is open. i am completely reworking foyf ch11. send an ask if you want a sneak peek at the doc

[monriatitans]

Photo by fabio on Unsplash

The rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence—capable of producing text, images, and audio with minimal human input—has revolutionized the marketing world. While these technologies unlock innovative opportunities for efficiency and creativity, they also introduce critical challenges that demand immediate attention:

Risk of Misinformation: AI-generated content can be highly convincing, and without clear labeling, it risks deceiving consumers or spreading false information.

Lack of Oversight: There is little consistency in guidelines governing AI-generated material, leaving room for unethical practices such as spam, manipulated reviews, and deepfake endorsements.

Privacy Concerns: Many AI tools rely on extensive data collection, which, without proper safeguards, may lead to breaches of privacy laws or misuse of sensitive information.

Why Action Is Needed Now

Unprecedented Growth: AI-driven marketing tools are being adopted faster than regulators can act, creating a gap in oversight.

Threat to Consumer Trust: As AI-generated ads, social media posts, and emails flood digital spaces, it becomes harder for users to discern authentic content from automated material.

Potential for Harm: Left unchecked, AI tools could fuel disinformation campaigns, fraudulent activities, and unethical marketing practices on a scale never seen before.

A Call for Clear and Ethical Guidelines

We urge regulators, marketing organizations, and technology leaders to develop and enforce practical standards for AI use in marketing. These include:

Mandatory Transparency Require that all AI-generated marketing content is clearly labeled, helping consumers identify machine-generated material in product descriptions, blog posts, advertisements, and beyond.

Data Privacy Protections Strengthen safeguards to ensure AI platforms handle consumer data responsibly and with explicit consent.

Promoting Ethical Use Through Education Advocate for widespread industry training on ethical AI practices, focusing on reducing misinformation, bias, and unethical manipulation in marketing.

Accountability Measures Introduce penalties for those who exploit AI to create harmful or deceptive content, with oversight from regulatory bodies and industry stakeholders.

Why It Matters

Supporting this petition means backing a future where AI enhances, rather than undermines, the integrity of digital marketing. Transparent and responsible practices will protect consumer trust, encourage fair competition, and ensure that AI’s potential benefits are realized without compromising ethical standards.

By signing, you champion the ethical evolution of AI in marketing and take a stand for transparency and accountability.

Sign the petition here!

More info: How Invalley Handles AI Detection

[vague-humanoid]

Nearly all of the deaths in U.S. immigration detention facilities over a five-year period were preventable, but no officials have faced serious accountability, a new report found.

Of the 52 people who died in detention under the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from January 2017 to December 2021, 49 of the deaths, or 95%, were preventable or possibly preventable if appropriate medical care had been provided. The new report, “Deadly Failures: Preventable Deaths in U.S. Immigration Detention,” reviewed more than 14,500 pages of documents published by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Physicians for Human Rights, and American Oversight on June 25.

None of the private prison corporations—which currently hold more than 90% of the detainees under ICE custody—have faced meaningful consequences as million-dollar contracts have been doled out to the same facilities where preventable deaths have occurred, the report showed.

“It is a system that’s rotten to the core,” said Eunice Hyunhye Cho, senior attorney at ACLU’s National Prison Project and lead co-author of the report. “From bottom to top, you see some very minimal slaps on the wrists and blaming of the lowest level employees, but there’s really no true accountability regarding the disaster of the medical care system in ICE’s detention facilities,” she said.

After deaths in detention, ICE failed to conduct rigorous investigations—failing to interview key witnesses, omitting key inculpatory facts, and allowing evidence to be destroyed, the report stated. ICE also withheld information from the relatives of the deceased. To obtain the medical record of a loved one, a family has to take ICE to court and litigate for years to receive often incomplete files.

“It is a system of impunity and lack of transparency as ICE and private corporations are working hand in hand in perpetuating dangerous and deadly conditions,” Cho said.

Amid medical neglect, cruelty, and abuse, more than 38,000 immigrants are held each day in an ICE network of some 190 detention facilities across the country, as of June 16. That number will only increase as Congress approved a record annual budget for ICE to detain 41,500 people daily at a cost of $3.4 billion this year. Most of the detention budget will go to the private prison companies—The Geo Group and CoreCivic being the largest—where most preventable deaths occur.

“The answer that we see over and over again to the failures that produce deaths is to give the detention system more money,” said Andrew Free, an attorney involved in more than 30 cases of deaths in ICE custody and contributor to the report. “That’s been the response at all levels of the system. It’s not just one facility. It’s not just one contractor. It’s not just one fiscal year,” he said.

@dirhwangdaseul @startorrent02

[pinkgy]

URGENT

Please keep reading this, and if you can, please share this and anything related to this topic, we NEED visibility.

Nicolas Maduro fraudulently won yesterday’s presidential elections, I repeat, NICOLAS MADURO and his allies have committed fraud against VENEZUELA.

EDMUNDO GONZÁLEZ URRUTIA WON THE 2024 VENEZUELA PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS BY MORE THAT 70% OF THE VOTES, AND ALSO WON IN EVERY VOTING CENTER IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY. BUT THE DICTATORSHIP OF NICOLAS MADURO REFUSES TO BE TRANSPARENT AND STOLE THE ELECTIONS.

There’s just been a day since this was announced and there’s already tons of harmed and killed citizens, OUR PEOPLE IS GETTING KILLED FOR SPEAKING UP, AND THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THAT.

This is a dictatorship, one that has took the life’s of millions of Venezuelans in the past 25 years.

WE ARE SCARED, i am scared, I want to get out of my house and protest for a better future, for the freedom of my people and for peace to finally win in Venezuela, but I’m scared of getting killed for fighting for my rights. Venezuela right now is dangerous, even staying in your own house is dangerous.

I’m deeply proud of all of those who are on the streets right now, thank you so much for being so brave, and for fighting for this country.

We want to finally have a break, we’ve been suffering for way too long because of this government, this is nothing like what the foreigners think is going on, this is not about the the lack of food, this about that WAY more that half of the country can’t even afford to buy decent groceries with their monthly income (the minimum wage is 3.5$ PER MONTH, and whatever you hear out there where they say that is 800bs is a LIE)

This is not about the inflation, this is about that we have to use a foreign currency, because ours is WORTHLESS.

We are not the country with the biggest oil reserves on the world, the gas on the gas stations in Venezuela is from IRAN, our oil reserves are being STOLEN by the government.

Just by natural resources, we are supposed to be one the countries with the best economies in the world, but we have one of the WORST, because the government and those who are connected to them STEAL EVERYTHING.

We don’t wanna live this way anymore, I don’t wanna say goodbye to another family member, I don’t wanna say goodbye to another of my friends, I want them to stay, to come back, I want to celebrate Christmas with a table full of my loved ones, I want them to be part of my life, I want to be able to go out with my friends in car where there’s no empty spaces, I want to be free.

Please, to whoever is reading this, wherever your Venezuelan or not, please share this and everything related to what’s going on right now, we want this to have visibility, for the whole world to know what’s going on.

Here’s so important information that might help you to understand things a bit better.

And if you wanna know what’s going on the streets and the ATROCITIES this government is doing to Venezuelans, you can check this Twitter/X account. https://x.com/uhn_plus?s=21&t=811ZdyqLhYbY4z4zGa7Qlw

[windcarvedlyre]

While I'm at it, have a compilation of depictions of Barbatos. We know Mondstadt's are inaccurate:

but it really takes the piss.

For reference, here's his canon stripper archon outfit as seen in the webtoon and a TCG card:

I'll assume the missing ring things in the last image are an error. And that the TCG looks different for actual Teyvat residents; it would leak sensitive information about gods otherwise. The only difference I can see in the TCG depiction is the wings look more like... actual wings, but gold-rimmed fabric is still either fused with or draped over them.

With that in mind:

Statues of the Seven

Robes cover everything but his arms and face

No adornments on his wings or chest

No fusion of wings and fabric; instead they float a small distance from his back, attached to nothing

No cecilia

'Gateway to Celestia' statue

Outfit shows his figure more, especially his legs

Drapey sash thing over one arm and spiraling around him

Chest adornment but no wing adornments

Wings attached to back; unclear if they're meant to be attached to the fabric there or go through it

No cecilia

Wind, Courage and Wings depiction 1

(aka the fairytale Amber gives us in the prologue)

Outfit halfway between the above statue's and the stripper one

Chest adornment (simplified), no wing adornments

Gold-trimmed fabric over his shoulders extends into points instead of fusing into his wings

Simplified version of right leg sock thing

Left leg bare, no teal marking

May also have the booty shorts

Right arm bare, left maybe sleeved all the way to torso

Body wrapped in sash, maybe more loosely than the main statue

Lower part of sash maybe draped around both wrists

Something (maybe the sash) trails off, green/teal and semi-transparent

Wings have teal tint

Cecilia with green leaves

Wind, Courage and Wings depiction 2

You know. The same book.

Sash gone

Almost his stripper outfit except:

Wings still teal and unadorned, now also transparent

Other inaccuracies from depiction 1 present (no gold trims or teal lights on most of the outfit, though the crop top thing has one now)

No 'tail'

Cecilia leaves still green

Dvalin's story

This is a visual accompanying an account from Venti himself; unsurprisingly it's much more accurate. Some of the discrepancies could be intentional simplifications for the cutscene, but maybe the fact the finer details still don't match has implications about the story's accuracy.

Still lacks many gold trims and teal lights

Teal markings not present

Wings look like inorganic extensions of his outfit's fabric again, albeit with a subtle teal gradient and strange zigzags

Wing adornments finally there but lack spikes for some reason

Bonus: 2021 birthday art

From the official twitter. Faithful to the webtoon design except:

Thin gold trims along borders that previously lacked them

Pattern inside hood

New notches in crop top thing

I'm unsure if this is an overly detailed version of him for fun or if we should consider this his true canon design. The TCG card doesn't really clarify except the neck might have a gold trim:

So maybe?

In conclusion, Mondstadt doesn't know what Barbatos looks like and we might not either. At best some sort of transition from dressing more like his previous form, which happens to have detached 'wings' like his Statues of the Seven:

to the way he dresses now could explain some but not all of the discrepancies. But it's very possible (and maybe aligns better with his character story) that he's been using his current outfit for god business the entire time and all of his depictions are wrong.

Maybe the real archon outfit was the friends we made along the way.

The one constant is they always look like Nameless Bard.

[ms-demeanor]

making my own post because nobody needs my bullshit on their post:

OP:

Reblog 1:

Reblog 2:

My response:

The IRA blogs were here and they were active and they were quite popular; their posting patterns did not match normal tumblr users (i was followed by lagonegirl and followed back only to be put off by the account reblogging the same five or ten posts every hour for a day before selecting another five or ten posts to reblog hourly the next day - it was clear engagement bait).

Tumblr has never been as transparent about these accounts as both Twitter and Facebook were, but several of the accounts had shared names across platforms and you can find a significant amount of data that was released by both facebook (ex: ads purchased by the IRA accounts) and twitter (over three million tweets from IRA accounts). Academic researchers have published papers on the data released from facebook and twitter. Several papers. So many papers. Soooooo many papers. We have a LOT of direct evidence that you can explore for yourself that there were hundreds (possibly thousands) of IRA accounts that were created on Facebook and Twitter. Of those accounts, some shared usernames across platforms, and of those accounts, a few had tumblr accounts that posted the same content on twitter and tumblr.

To quote a buzzfeed news article from the time:

The Russian-run Tumblr accounts used the same, or very similar, usernames as the account names contained on a list of confirmed IRA accounts Twitter submitted to congressional investigators. In some cases, the Tumblr and Twitter account has the same profile image or linked to each other in their bios. Some IRA Tumblrs and Twitter accounts also cross-promoted content between platforms, further linking them together.

Current tumblr user @ alwaysbewoke (who I don't want to tag because I'm sure he's got better things to do) is interviewed in that article and talks about following one of the blogs identified by tumblr as an IRA blog that had a matching account on twitter identified as an IRA account but unfollowing when the left-leaning blog supposedly run by a black creator started rooting for trump in the election.

Dr. Jonathan Albright is heavily quoted in the article; the data review he collaborated on is one of the only reviews of this subject that includes data from Tumblr and Reddit.

One of the claims that I've seen is that tumblr just deleted funny black people, but these were blogs with thousands of followers on tumblr who never recreated, never popped up on another social media site, never started a reddit account after getting banned; nobody ever showed up saying "hey this is 4mysquad, I got banned on tumblr and twitter, follow me to pillowfort". These very popular blogs got deleted and, as far as I know, nobody ever popped up claiming to be a person who was deleted - and it's not like tumblr users haven't figured out how to evade bans.

What you are doing when you make posts saying that the IRA accounts on tumblr never existed is *absolving tumblr of guilt for their utter lack of transparency.*

Tumblr is not the only tech company that has tried to fly under the radar as its larger counterparts face regular scrutiny in Congress and in the press. Earlier this month, Reddit revealed it too had deleted hundreds of accounts with ties to the Internet Research Agency. A WIRED investigation found more than a thousand links to Russian propaganda websites are still live on Reddit, and unearthed two suspicious accounts that Reddit immediately shut down.

So should you believe what Tumblr says? No, because Tumblr has been functionally fucking silent on this issue and the information about this subject aside from the list of blogs has come from the hard work of data scientists, journalists, and researchers.

(For the record; some of those bot accounts that were recorded by Dr. Albright also had Google+ accounts in 2017 - there is every possibility that they had myspace accounts).

Now, the reason that I'm popping onto this post as an annoyed anarchist is that I was tracking a similar group of blogs for a while and was discussing them and I stopped precisely because of the galaxy-brained liberals who are now trying to dunk on communists for criticizing electoralism. One of the people who was following my project was one of the ones who started calling out the "joe biden kills dogs" posts as disinfo and I realized they were using some of the guidelines I'd written up to "identify" misinformation and that is very a rock fucking stupid approach to what was clearly a leftist making jokes and was horrified and realized there was no way that I could continue documenting what I was documenting without someone attempting to call actual leftists russian bots.

I've seen the post that OP is referencing [it's one where someone makes a very obvious joke about the democrat presidential ticket and people jump on to call them a bot and then someone tries to do the "AI tell me a story" thing and OP is just like "I don't want to :(", proving that they are in fact a person and not an AI] and have deeply enjoyed the humor of watching liberals a) not understand a very, VERY obvious joke and b) become the unwitting butt of a joke they were trying to make, but also I am so exhausted by watching normie dems call leftists AI bots after years of watching normie dems call real live actual leftists who hold actual political views that real people actually have, like prison abolition, russian bots.

But I am also so fucking tired of left conspiracism and how stupid it sounds when leftists dismiss a preponderance of evidence that is easily accessible and publicly available for analysis as "lol so you just trust everything tumblr tells you?"

No, dipshit, learn to click a fucking link or twelve.

[kpoplustzone]

Fucking my BF'S BOSS - Seo Yea Ji Smut

OC X SEO YEA JI

Part two of this smut is only available in my KoFi account

https://ko-fi.com/epiclude

The doorbell chimed, a sophisticated melody that echoed through the modern apartment. Seo Ye-ji, still slightly flushed from her action-packed day on set, adjusted the thin t-shirt she was wearing. It was one of her boyfriend, Min-jun’s, softest cotton tees, and it clung to her every curve, the fabric almost sheer against the delicate lace of her black bra. The studio lights had been unforgiving, and under this softer lighting, the full shape of her breasts was undeniably visible, the dark cups of her bra a stark contrast to the lighter fabric.

Min-jun rushed to the door, a nervous excitement in his step. “That must be Mr. Park!” he called out to Ye-ji, who was just stepping out of the kitchen with a bowl of steamed edamame. She offered him a warm smile. She was genuinely happy to meet his boss, a respected figure in the finance world, and she hoped her presence would make a good impression, maybe even open up some opportunities for Min-jun.

The door opened to reveal a distinguished man in his late forties, impeccably dressed even for a casual dinner. Mr. Park’s eyes immediately landed on Ye-ji, and a flicker of surprise, quickly masked by a polite smile, crossed his face. He extended a hand to Ye-ji, his gaze lingering a moment too long on her chest, the visible outline of her nipples peeking through the thin cotton.

“Seo Ye-ji-ssi,” he said, his voice a low rumble, a hint of admiration in his tone. “It’s an absolute pleasure. Min-jun has told me so much about you, and I must say, you are even more radiant in person.” His eyes flicked down again, a subtle but unmistakable appraisal of her figure in the revealing t-shirt. He couldn’t help but notice the way the soft cotton molded to the prominent swell of her breasts, the shadow of her cleavage clearly defined, the dark lace of her bra a tantalizing frame. He found himself momentarily speechless, captivated by her effortless beauty and the unintentional yet potent sensuality of her casual attire.

Seo Ye-ji, accustomed to the intense gazes of fans and the scrutinizing lens of the camera, was no stranger to being looked at. But there was a raw, unadulterated hunger in Mr. Park’s eyes that was different. She could feel his gaze tracing the lines of her body beneath the clinging t-shirt, lingering on the prominent peaks of her breasts pushing against the soft cotton, the subtle sway of her hips as she had walked from the kitchen. A faint smile played on her lips. Usually, such blatant ogling would have elicited a sharp retort or a feeling of discomfort. Her body, honed from years of disciplined training for action roles, with its subtly defined muscles and the natural curve of her full breasts, was hers to command, not to be freely devoured by wandering eyes.

Yet, there was something undeniably arousing about the way Mr. Park, a man of considerable power and influence, couldn't seem to take his eyes off her. The sheer lack of pretense in his lust, the way his gaze lingered so openly on her exposed form, sent a strange heat pooling in her lower abdomen. She knew her t-shirt was revealing, the thin fabric practically transparent against her black lace bra, showcasing the rounded fullness of her breasts and the dark circles of her nipples straining against the delicate material. It was a casual look for a relaxed dinner, but under Mr. Park’s intense scrutiny, it felt charged with a different kind of energy. A small shiver traced its way down her spine. The knowledge that this powerful man, someone who could significantly impact her career, was so openly lusting after her body awakened a complicated mix of vulnerability and a secret, illicit thrill.

As Min-jun turned towards the kitchen, busying himself with pouring drinks, Mr. Park leaned slightly closer to Ye-ji. His eyes dropped again to her chest, and this time, a knowing smirk played on his lips. He leaned in, his voice dropping to a low, suggestive whisper that only she could hear amidst the clinking of glasses. “That t-shirt… it’s certainly a very… generous offering, Ye-ji-ssi. Are you trying to distract your boyfriend’s boss?”

Ye-ji felt a jolt of shock, her eyes widening almost imperceptibly. The directness of his comment, the blatant acknowledgment of her revealing attire, took her by surprise. Her heart skipped a beat. She glanced quickly towards the kitchen, making sure Min-jun’s back was still turned. A nervous laugh bubbled up in her throat, a mixture of embarrassment and a strange sense of being caught.

“Oh, no, Mr. Park,” she replied, her voice a little breathier than usual, trying to keep it light and casual. “It’s just… comfortable. I came straight from a shoot.” She subtly adjusted the neckline of the t-shirt, a reflexive gesture, though she knew it was futile in concealing the obvious.

Mr. Park’s eyes followed her movement, a predatory gleam in them. “Comfortable for you, perhaps. But for a man with eyes… it’s quite… stimulating.” He reached out a hand, and this time, his fingers brushed against her arm again, but lingered a fraction longer, his thumb lightly stroking her bare skin. Ye-ji’s breath caught in her throat. She looked around quickly, ensuring Min-jun was still occupied in the kitchen, completely oblivious to the charged interaction happening just a few feet away. A strange thrill, mixed with a growing sense of unease, coursed through her. This dinner was taking a turn she hadn’t anticipated.

As they settled around the polished wooden dining table – Ye-ji and Min-jun on one side, and Mr. Park facing them – the initial conversation was polite and focused on pleasantries. They discussed Ye-ji’s recent shooting schedule, Mr. Park’s work in finance, and Min-jun’s aspirations within his company. Ye-ji found herself subtly observing Mr. Park, noticing the way his eyes would occasionally flick downwards, lingering on her chest even through the slightly less revealing angle from across the table.

As the conversation flowed, punctuated by Min-jun’s eager contributions, Mr. Park’s boldness began to subtly escalate. He leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on Ye-ji’s face as she spoke, but there was an intensity in his stare that made her skin prickle. Then, under the cover of the tablecloth, it happened. Ye-ji suddenly felt a soft pressure against her bare calf. Her eyes flicked down instinctively, but she couldn't see anything. A moment later, the pressure returned, a slow, deliberate stroke moving upwards along her bare leg. Her breath caught in her throat. Mr. Park’s leg.

His touch continued its insidious journey, sliding past her knee and onto her inner thigh beneath the hem of her short skirt. Ye-ji’s heart hammered against her ribs. She glanced up at Mr. Park, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and a burgeoning panic. He maintained eye contact with her, a knowing, predatory smirk playing on his lips, completely unconcerned that Min-jun was mid-sentence, enthusiastically describing his latest project.

Mr. Park’s leg pressed more firmly against her inner thigh, his toes now subtly teasing the delicate skin higher and higher. Ye-ji instinctively squeezed her legs together, a reflexive attempt to block his unwelcome advance. The pressure only intensified, his toes now dangerously close to the hem of her panties. She subtly shifted in her seat, trying to create some distance, but Mr. Park’s leg moved with her, an insistent, possessive probe. A wave of heat washed over Ye-ji, a potent blend of fear and a strange, unwanted flicker of arousal at the audacity of his move. She had to do something, but Min-jun was right there, completely oblivious to the blatant sexual harassment happening beneath the table. The casual dinner had become a terrifying and thrilling game of cat and mouse, played out under the guise of polite conversation.

Despite her initial shock and the instinctive urge to pull away, a strange shift began to occur within Ye-ji. Mr. Park’s touch, while initially unwanted, carried a certain confidence, a sense of power that was hard to ignore. The illicit nature of the act, the risk of being discovered by Min-jun who was still enthusiastically talking about work, sent a nervous flutter through her that was increasingly tinged with excitement.

As Mr. Park’s toes continued their teasing journey higher up her thigh, getting dangerously close to the edge of her underwear, Ye-ji found her own legs relaxing slightly, the initial tension easing. She subtly angled her knee outwards, offering him more access, a silent, almost unconscious invitation to continue. The heat between her legs intensified, a familiar ache of arousal beginning to bloom.

Mr. Park’s smirk widened almost imperceptibly, a silent acknowledgment of her change in posture. His toes now gently brushed against the lace of her panties, a deliberate, tantalizing tease. Ye-ji’s breath grew shallower, and she could feel her nipples hardening beneath her top. The forbidden thrill of the situation, the powerful boss secretly pleasuring her under the table while her oblivious boyfriend chatted away, was becoming overwhelmingly arousing. She clenched her jaw slightly, a small, almost imperceptible tremor running through her body, a clear sign of her surrender to the illicit excitement of the moment.

"Min-jun was just telling me about your upcoming role in that new action film, Ye-ji-ssi," Mr. Park said, a sly glint in his eyes as his foot continued its subtle exploration between her thighs. "It sounds like it will require a lot of… stamina. Are you preparing yourself adequately for the physical demands?" His toes brushed against the lace of her panties, a deliberate provocation.

Ye-ji's breath hitched. She met Mr. Park's gaze, a playful smirk forming on her lips. "Oh, yes, Mr. Park," she replied, her voice a little breathier than usual. "I've been doing a lot of… conditioning. Making sure I'm limber and ready for any… intense scenes." She subtly shifted her legs, offering him a little more access. "It's all about finding the right rhythm and knowing how to… handle the pressure."

Min-jun beamed, completely missing the underlying current. "She's incredibly dedicated, Mr. Park! She trains for hours. Really pushes herself to the limit to be in peak… performance."

Mr. Park chuckled, his gaze never leaving Ye-ji's. "I'm sure she does, Min-jun. It takes a special kind of talent to maintain such… exquisite form. And I imagine, Ye-ji-ssi, you have to be very careful about who you allow to… assist you with your warm-ups." His toes gently teased the sensitive skin of her inner thigh.

Ye-ji’s pulse quickened. "Indeed, Mr. Park," she purred, her eyes locking with his. "It's crucial to have someone who understands the… intricacies of the process. Someone who knows exactly where to apply the… right amount of force to achieve the best results." She subtly pressed her legs together, trapping his foot between them, savoring the feel of his toes against her moistening core.

Min-jun nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! She even has a special stretching routine. Says it's the key to her… flexibility and endurance."

Mr. Park’s foot pressed a little harder, his toes now gently massaging her through the thin fabric of her panties. "I'm sure it is, Min-jun. Some exercises require a more… intimate approach, wouldn't you agree, Ye-ji-ssi? A closer connection, perhaps, to truly feel the… benefits."

Ye-ji could barely contain a shiver, the sensations between her legs becoming increasingly intense. "Absolutely, Mr. Park," she replied, her voice a husky whisper. "Sometimes, the best way to achieve… peak performance is through a very… hands-on approach."

You know, Mr. Park," Ye-ji said, tilting her head with a seemingly innocent expression, "Min-jun here is such a hard worker. He puts in so much effort, but sometimes… he just doesn't quite have the… reach needed to truly excel in his field." Her eyes flickered to Mr. Park, the double entendre unmistakable. Under the table, Mr. Park’s toes had slipped further, now nestled directly against her dampening core.

Mr. Park chuckled knowingly. "Ah, yes," he replied, his gaze fixed on Ye-ji with undisguised admiration. "Effort is commendable, but sometimes you need a more… experienced hand to guide you. Someone with the right… tool for the job to truly penetrate the market, wouldn't you agree?" His foot pressed gently against her.

Min-jun laughed good-naturedly, completely oblivious. "Hey! What's that supposed to mean? Are you guys saying I'm not good at my job?"

Ye-ji offered Min-jun a sweet, placating smile. "Oh, honey, no! We're just saying that sometimes, a little extra… support from the top can make all the difference in achieving your goals." Under the table, her fingers discreetly reached down under her skirt. With a slow, deliberate movement, she nudged the elastic band of her panties aside, creating a slightly wider opening, a direct invitation for Mr. Park's exploring toes.

Mr. Park's eyes darkened with lust as he subtly adjusted his leg, his toes now making direct contact with her bare, moist flesh. A thrill shot through Ye-ji, a potent combination of the forbidden and the intensely arousing. She met Mr. Park's gaze, a silent understanding passing between them.

"Exactly, Min-jun," Mr. Park continued smoothly, his foot now gently stroking her exposed vulva. "It's about having the right connections and knowing how to… handle certain situations with… finesse. Sometimes, you need to be willing to go the extra mile, to offer a little… something extra to truly impress the right people." His toes brushed against her clit, sending a jolt of pleasure through Ye-ji.

Ye-ji leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the table, her gaze fixed on Mr. Park, a sensual smile playing on her lips. "Oh, I completely agree, Mr. Park," she purred, her voice a little husky. "Sometimes, a little… exposure in the right circumstances can lead to very… rewarding outcomes." Under the table, she subtly spread her legs a fraction more, giving Mr. Park even greater access, reveling in the feel of his insistent touch against her increasingly wet pussy. Min-jun just chuckled, shaking his head. "You guys are incorrigible!"

“Let me go start on dinner,” Ye-ji announced, pushing back her chair with a graceful movement. Mr. Park’s leg, which had been delightfully tormenting her under the table, reluctantly retreated. She stood, the short hem of her skirt swirling around her thighs.

“Oh, let me help you,” Mr. Park offered quickly, turning to Min-jun with a disarming smile. “I’m quite the accomplished cook myself, Min-jun. I wouldn’t want your beautiful girlfriend slaving away in the kitchen.” He stood up smoothly, his eyes never leaving Ye-ji as he gestured towards the doorway to the kitchen.

Ye-ji hesitated for a split second, a flicker of apprehension mixed with the lingering thrill of their under-the-table encounter. But she offered a polite smile. “That would be lovely, Mr. Park. Thank you.”

She led the way into the brightly lit kitchen. As she turned to face the counter, gathering ingredients, she felt Mr. Park step in close behind her, the heat of his body radiating against her back. Before she could even register his intention, his hands shot out, firmly grabbing both cheeks of her ass under her short skirt.

Ye-ji gasped, a sharp intake of breath escaping her lips. Her body went rigid with shock. “Mr. Park!” she exclaimed, her voice a hushed but firm chide. She tried to pull away, her hands instinctively reaching back to try and dislodge his grip. “Min-jun is right there, watching TV! What do you think you’re doing?” Her heart hammered against her ribs, a potent mix of fear and a renewed surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins. The audacity of his move, so sudden and blatant, left her momentarily stunned.

Mr. Park chuckled softly, his grip firm and possessive on her rounded flesh. He squeezed gently, his thumbs rubbing against the curve where her thigh met her buttock. “Resisting already, Ye-ji-ssi?” he murmured, his breath warm against her ear. “But I have a feeling you’re enjoying this more than you let on.” His fingers subtly dug into her cheeks, enjoying the feel of her soft skin under his touch.

Ye-ji’s initial shock was quickly being replaced by a confusing wave of heat. Despite the audacity of his actions and the risk of Min-jun walking in at any moment, her body was starting to respond. A familiar warmth was pooling low in her abdomen, and her nipples were tingling beneath her t-shirt. She still knew she should protest, should push him away, but the thrill of the forbidden and the undeniable power dynamic at play had begun to erode her resistance.

“Mr. Park, please,” she whispered, her voice losing some of its initial firmness, now laced with a hint of breathlessness. “Min-jun could come in…”

“Let him,” Mr. Park said, his grip tightening momentarily. “Or perhaps… let’s keep it our little secret.�� He shifted his hands, one still firmly planted on her ass cheek while the other slid slightly higher, his fingers now tracing the line where her skirt met the top of her thigh, dangerously close to her underwear.

Ye-ji bit her lip, her internal struggle evident on her face. She knew this was wrong, a clear violation of boundaries. Yet, the sensation of his hands on her body, the boldness of his touch, was igniting a fire within her. She tried to focus on the task at hand, reaching for the gochujang paste in the cupboard, her movements jerky and uncoordinated. Her mind was racing, a chaotic mix of fear, excitement, and a growing sense of surrender.

As she reached for a knife to chop vegetables, Mr. Park’s hand on her ass cheek gave another firm squeeze, his fingers subtly digging into her flesh. A soft moan escaped her lips before she could stop it. She quickly cleared her throat, hoping Min-jun hadn’t heard from the living room. “I… I need to focus on the food,” she stammered, her voice trembling slightly.

Mr. Park’s chuckle was low and knowing. “Go ahead, Ye-ji-ssi. Cook for us. I’ll just… admire the view.” His fingers then slipped further down her thigh, the tips now brushing against the lace of her panties, sending a jolt of pure sensation through her. Ye-ji’s body reacted instantly, a sudden surge of wetness between her legs. She pressed her thighs together slightly, trying to contain the growing arousal, but the feeling of his hand against her ass, so intimately close to her core, was making it increasingly difficult to maintain any pretense of resistance.

Mr. Park’s fingers on her thigh edged higher, the lace of her panties a mere barrier now. The cool air of the kitchen brushed against the exposed skin where the fabric had shifted. Ye-ji could feel the heat radiating from his hand on her ass, the possessive pressure sending shivers of a conflicting mix of fear and desire through her. The scent of the gochujang, sharp and spicy, filled the air, mingling with the subtle, almost metallic tang of her own arousal.

“You’re flustered, Ye-ji-ssi,” Mr. Park murmured, his voice a low rumble right against her ear, his lips so close she could feel the warmth of his breath. “Does the thought of me… enjoying your assets while you prepare dinner for your boyfriend… excite you?” His thumb, with deliberate slowness, traced the outline of her ass cheek.

Ye-ji’s hands trembled slightly as she tried to slice a scallion. The sharp edge of the knife felt suddenly precarious. “Mr. Park, please… we shouldn’t…” But the protest lacked conviction, her body already betraying her words. Her nipples were now hard points pressing against the thin cotton of Min-jun’s t-shirt, and a wet warmth pulsed between her thighs.

Mr. Park’s other hand left her thigh and moved to her side, his fingers lightly tracing the curve of her waist, then slowly sliding upwards, his knuckles grazing the underside of her breast. Ye-ji’s breath hitched. She could feel the heat of his touch through the fabric, imagining the sensation of his bare skin against hers. The sizzling of oil in a nearby pan seemed to amplify the tension in the small kitchen.

“Don’t worry, Ye-ji-ssi,” he whispered, his fingers now gently cupping the side of her breast, his thumb brushing against her hardened nipple through the t-shirt. “Our little secret. Think of it as… adding a little spice to the evening.” His thumb started to rub lightly, and a soft moan escaped Ye-ji’s lips before she could suppress it. She quickly coughed, hoping the sound would be masked by the whir of the range hood fan. The vibrant red of the gochujang in the bowl suddenly seemed to mirror the flush creeping up her neck.

As Min-jun’s footsteps approached the kitchen entrance, Mr. Park instantly shifted his posture, stepping closer to the counter as if intently observing the ingredients Ye-ji was preparing. He reached out a hand, his fingers hovering near the bowl of gochujang. “Perhaps a little more of this, Ye-ji-ssi?” he said, his voice now loud and jovial, directed towards Min-jun as he entered the kitchen.

Min-jun leaned against the doorway, a smile on his face. “Smells delicious! You two are quite the team in the kitchen.” He seemed completely unsuspecting, his attention focused on the food.

Under the guise of pointing at a specific ingredient, Mr. Park’s hand brushed against Ye-ji’s, his fingers briefly squeezing hers before moving towards the bowl. But as his other hand rested on the counter near her, his thumb subtly traced the curve of her hip, just beneath the hem of her t-shirt, a silent continuation of their illicit game. Ye-ji’s breath caught in her throat. She forced a smile for Min-jun, trying to appear normal, while the sensation of Mr. Park’s thumb grazing her skin sent a shiver down her spine.

“Mr. Park was just giving me some tips,” Ye-ji said, her voice a little higher than usual. She reached for a knife, her hand slightly trembling.

Mr. Park chuckled, his eyes meeting Ye-ji’s for a fleeting moment, a predatory gleam in their depths. “Indeed. Making sure Ye-ji-ssi’s technique is… up to par.” He then moved slightly, positioning himself to her side, ostensibly to look at the vegetables she was chopping. As he did so, his arm brushed against her breast, a lingering contact that made her nipples harden even further.

“You seem to be handling that knife very skillfully, Ye-ji-ssi,” he murmured, his breath warm against her ear again, his voice just a whisper. “Are you always so… precise with your movements?” His hand then subtly moved down her back, his fingers trailing along her spine, a path that led directly to the waistband of her skirt.

Ye-ji’s heart pounded against her ribs. She swallowed hard, trying to maintain eye contact with Min-jun, who was now reaching into the refrigerator for a beer. “Years of practice,” she managed to reply, her voice a little shaky. Under her skirt, she could feel Mr. Park’s fingers dipping just beneath the elastic, the tips lightly brushing against the top of her bare ass. The risk of Min-jun turning around and seeing them was almost unbearable, yet the thrill was undeniable.

“Well, I must say,” Min-jun said, popping open his beer, “this is quite the treat. My two favorite people cooking together.” He took a swig, completely oblivious to the electric tension simmering just a few feet away.

Mr. Park chuckled again, his fingers now gently kneading Ye-ji’s buttock beneath her skirt. “The pleasure is all mine, Min-jun. Especially when the view is this… inspiring.” His gaze lingered on Ye-ji’s face, a silent promise of more to come in his eyes.

Mr. Park’s fingers, now fully beneath the hem of Ye-ji’s skirt, slid lower, his middle finger dipping into the soft crease between her buttocks. A gasp caught in Ye-ji’s throat, and she gripped the countertop tighter, her knuckles white. The sizzling of the kimchi jjigae on the stove suddenly sounded deafening in the small kitchen.

“That’s a very nice… curve you have there, Ye-ji-ssi,” Mr. Park murmured, his voice low and husky, his thumb now gently pressing against the thin fabric of her panties, right over her dampening core. “Very… touchable.”

Ye-ji forced a smile for Min-jun, who was now watching her intently. “Just making sure I don’t burn anything,” she said, her voice a little shaky. She reached for a spoon, her hand brushing against Mr. Park’s arm. She subtly pressed her fingers against his bicep for a fleeting moment, a silent acknowledgment of his boldness.

Mr. Park’s foot under the table then nudged her inner thigh again, this time with a more insistent pressure, his toes gently separating her slightly parted legs. He leaned in closer to Ye-ji, pretending to examine the vegetables she was chopping. “Are you enjoying your time… on set, Ye-ji-ssi?” he whispered, his breath warm against her ear. “Is there a lot of… action?” His fingers on her buttock gave a slow, deliberate squeeze.

Ye-ji’s pulse pounded in her ears. “Yes, Mr. Park,” she managed to reply, her voice barely above a whisper. “Quite a bit. It can get… very physical.” Under the table, she subtly shifted her weight, pressing her wetness against his exploring toes.

Min-jun, ever the innocent bystander, chuckled. “She comes home exhausted sometimes! Says it’s more tiring than any workout.”

“Ah, but a good kind of tired, I’m sure,” Mr. Park said, his gaze fixed on Ye-ji’s flushed face. His hand on her back then slid lower again, his fingers now dipping inside the waistband of her skirt, his thumb finding the top of her panties and gently tugging them down a fraction. Ye-ji gasped softly, her eyes widening with a mixture of shock and intense arousal. She quickly turned towards the stove, pretending to stir the pot, her back now pressed against Mr. Park’s hand, savoring the feeling of his fingers so intimately close to her core. The savory aroma of the Korean stew filled the air, a stark contrast to the raw, animalistic tension simmering between Ye-ji and her boyfriend’s boss.

Mr. Park’s fingers, already nestled beneath the waistband of Ye-ji’s skirt, subtly shifted their target. While Min-jun turned to rummage through the refrigerator, his back completely to them, Mr. Park’s thumb slid downwards, encountering the soft, moist fabric of her panties. With a deliberate slowness that amplified the anticipation, he gently pushed the fabric aside, his fingertip making direct contact with Ye-ji’s swollen, wet flesh.

A sharp intake of breath escaped Ye-ji’s lips, and she gripped the edge of the counter so tightly her knuckles turned white. The sudden directness of his touch, the sheer audacity of it with Min-jun just a few feet away, sent a jolt of pure electricity through her body. The aroma of sizzling garlic in the pan suddenly seemed overpowering, and the vibrant colours of the vegetables on the cutting board blurred in her vision.

“You’re a little… damp, Ye-ji-ssi,” Mr. Park murmured, his voice a low, suggestive purr that barely carried above the quiet hum of the refrigerator. His fingertip began to gently trace the sensitive folds of her vulva, a slow, tantalizing caress.

Ye-ji squeezed her eyes shut for a fleeting moment, trying to regain her composure. “Mr. Park… please… he could turn around…” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Mr. Park’s thumb then pressed lightly against her clit, sending a wave of intense pleasure radiating through her. “But he hasn’t, has he?” he replied, his tone laced with a confident possessiveness. “And you know you want me to, don’t you?” His fingertip began to rub gently, a small, insistent circle that made her legs feel weak and watery.

Mr. Park’s fingertip delved deeper, finding the slick entrance to her core. He explored gently at first, tracing the delicate inner lips, feeling the swollen, throbbing flesh beneath his touch. Ye-ji’s breath hitched again, and a soft whimper escaped her, a sound she quickly tried to cover with a forced cough. The stainless-steel countertop felt cold against her clenched hands, a stark contrast to the burning heat Mr. Park was igniting within her.

His pace quickened slightly, his finger now stroking in and out with a slow, deliberate rhythm. Each movement sent shivers of pleasure cascading through her body, making her legs feel increasingly unstable. She leaned more heavily against Mr. Park’s arm, the solid feel of his muscles a necessary anchor in the storm of sensations he was creating. The scent of sesame oil and soy sauce filled the air, mingling with the musky, almost primal aroma of her own arousal.

Mr. Park’s thumb continued its teasing dance against her clitoris, the small, sensitive nub now throbbing insistently. Ye-ji’s head fell back slightly, her eyes fluttering shut as she focused entirely on the exquisite torture he was inflicting. She imagined Min-jun just a few feet away, completely oblivious to the intense intimacy she was sharing with his boss. The risk of discovery only amplified the thrill, adding a layer of forbidden excitement to the encounter. Her body was singing, every nerve ending on high alert, completely consumed by the masterful touch of Mr. Park’s single finger. She was trembling from head to toe, a delicate vibration that ran through her entire frame, a clear testament to the potent pleasure he was so expertly delivering

“Feeling that nice and wet for me, Ye-ji-ssi?” Mr. Park murmured, his voice a low, gravelly whisper against her ear. His fingertip continued its teasing dance, now pressing a little harder against her swollen flesh. “You know you want me to slide another finger in there, don’t you? Really stretch you out for me.”

Ye-ji’s breath hitched, a shudder rippling through her body. “Oh, God, Mr. Park…” she whispered back, her voice thick with arousal. She tilted her head back, her eyes half-closed, a flush creeping up her neck. “You have no idea how much… Don’t stop. Please don’t stop.” The need for more was a desperate, clawing sensation in her core.

Ye-ji’s trembling intensified, her moans becoming more frequent and less controlled. Her hips began to subtly rock against Mr. Park’s hand, seeking a deeper, more insistent pressure. She was so close, the pulsating waves of her impending climax washing over her in delicious, dizzying surges. Just a few more strokes, she thought, just a little more…

“Hey! You two in there?” Min-jun’s voice called from the living room, startling Ye-ji so violently that her body tensed. “Dinner’s almost ready! We should eat before it gets too late.”

A wave of pure, unadulterated fury washed over Ye-ji, so intense it almost felt physical. Her eyes snapped open, a flash of raw anger replacing the lustful haze. He has got to be kidding me! The blissful sensations that had been building to a fever pitch were abruptly cut off, leaving her frustrated and aching with unfulfilled desire

Ye-ji’s breath hitched, a frustrated sigh escaping her lips. She loved Min-jun, she truly did. He was kind, supportive, and their relationship was comfortable and easy. But in that moment, with Mr. Park’s skilled finger still teasing her so intimately, she couldn’t deny the raw, visceral pull of desire. Min-jun was sweet, but he wasn’t… like this. Just the way Mr. Park had touched her, with such confident expertise, had brought her closer to the edge than Min-jun ever had with just his fingers. The interruption was a wave of cold water over a burning fire, not because she resented Min-jun as a person, but because her body had been so tantalizingly close to release, a release that this powerful, unexpected encounter was promising. She glanced at Mr. Park, a complicated mix of embarrassment and lingering desire swirling within her. He had awakened something primal in her, a craving that her steady, loving boyfriend simply didn't satisfy in the same intense way.

Mr. Park slowly withdrew his fingers from beneath Ye-ji’s skirt, his gaze never leaving hers. He brought his hand up, displaying his fingertips, which were glistening with her own slick secretions. A thick, viscous trail clung to his skin, catching the light. Ye-ji’s eyes were glued to his hand, a mixture of shock, embarrassment, and a potent wave of arousal washing over her. It was a blatant display of their secret intimacy, laid bare in her boyfriend’s kitchen.

For a long moment, she could only stare, her breath caught in her throat. The reality of what had just transpired, the sheer brazenness of it, hung heavy in the air. Then, with a deliberate slowness, Mr. Park reached out his hand again. This time, instead of going under her skirt, his fingertips gently brushed against her lips.

Ye-ji’s body instantly responded, a tremor of pleasure running through her once more. Her eyelids fluttered, and a soft moan escaped her throat. The sensation of his finger, slick with her own essence, against her mouth was intensely arousing. Almost instinctively, she parted her lips slightly.

Mr. Park didn’t hesitate. He slid his finger into her mouth, the taste of her own juices surprisingly potent on her tongue. Her eyes locked with his as she gently sucked on his finger, cleaning away every last drop. The act felt both intimate and incredibly debasing, a silent acknowledgment of the power he held over her in that moment. The metallic tang of her arousal filled her mouth, a raw reminder of the forbidden pleasure they had just shared.

[ahmedmistrettaalyvezw]

Elon Musk Is about to Investigate Fort Knox: The Mysterious Veil of the US Gold Reserves May Be Lifted

On the intertwined stage of finance and technology, Elon Musk always breaks into the public eye in a vanguard manner. Recently, a startling piece of news has spread rapidly around the world: Musk has declared that he will investigate Fort Knox, the largest gold reserve storage site in the United States. This decision has instantly ignited public opinion and triggered endless speculation about the current state of the US gold reserves.

Fort Knox, this mysterious military base located in Kentucky, USA, covers a vast area. It is an important stronghold of the US Army and, more importantly, the core storage site for the US Treasury's gold. According to data from the US Department of the Treasury, Fort Knox stores over 147 million troy ounces of gold, approximately 4,581 tons, accounting for the majority of the US federal government's gold reserves. With a value of hundreds of billions of dollars, it occupies a crucial position in the global financial system.

However, over the years, the situation of the gold reserves in Fort Knox has been full of doubts. Since the 1950s, it has not undergone a comprehensive review. In 1974, there was a public inspection, but only some of the vaults were opened, and the proportion of the displayed gold was extremely small. Since then, apart from the simple "vault seal inspection" every year, there has been no substantial independent audit. This long - term lack of transparency has led the outside world to have many doubts about the authenticity and integrity of its gold reserves, and conspiracy theories have also become rife.

There are complex reasons behind Musk's intervention in this investigation. The well - known financial blog Zerohedge proposed to Musk on social media to confirm whether the gold in Fort Knox actually exists, which may have aroused Musk's curiosity. Republican Senator Mike Lee said that his request to enter the Fort Knox base was rejected. Musk reposted the relevant post and questioned whether the gold had been stolen. Subsequently, he clearly stated that he would "look for gold in Fort Knox", and his intention to investigate became increasingly strong.

Musk and his led "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE) may adopt a series of innovative methods in the investigation. With Musk's deep accumulation in the technology field, he is highly likely to use blockchain technology to track the origin and flow of gold. The decentralized and tamper - proof characteristics of blockchain can provide a more transparent and secure solution for verification, ensuring that the results are true and reliable. Musk may also leverage his powerful social media influence to mobilize public supervision, creating strong public opinion pressure to promote the investigation process.

However, Musk's investigation path is full of thorns. As a highly fortified military base, Fort Knox has strict security measures and complex approval processes. For Musk's team to conduct a comprehensive review inside, they must obtain permission from relevant departments, which is a difficult threshold to cross. There are differences in the US government's internal attitude towards gold reserves. Some forces may not want the secrets of Fort Knox to be easily exposed, which may lead to obstacles at the political level. Technical difficulties will also be faced during the investigation, such as how to achieve a comprehensive verification without damaging the gold storage environment and security system.

Once the investigation is successfully carried out and substantial results are achieved, the impacts will be multi - faceted. In the financial market, if there are differences, even slight ones, between the actual gold reserves in Fort Knox and the reported figures, it may trigger violent fluctuations in the global gold market, affect investors' confidence, lead to large - scale capital flows, and impact the stability of the financial market. From a political perspective, if the problems with the gold reserves are confirmed, it will trigger a trust crisis among the public towards the government, affect the implementation of government policies, and become a new focus of domestic political struggles. In the global financial system, the verification results of the gold reserves in Fort Knox may also reshape the international monetary pattern, affect the international status of the US dollar, and promote the development of the global monetary system towards diversification.

The investigation that Musk is about to launch on Fort Knox has attracted much attention. This not only concerns the truth of the US gold reserves but also may profoundly affect the global financial market, political pattern, and monetary system. We look forward to Musk using his wisdom and courage to lift the mysterious veil of the gold reserves in Fort Knox and bring clear and true answers to the world.

[zvezdacito]

Where Malleus' Character may be headed in Book 8: His place among the housewardens and road to true leadership?

Disclaimer(?): Not the most well-structured text since this was mostly written when I was half-asleep + it's kind of hard to tell what plot Book 8 will have from where Book 7 left off. But I think this was still worth putting out here because I would like to see this idea/something like it happening. ⚠️‼️Also this will obviously contain Book 7 finale spoilers

Since great power and adjacent attributes defined Malleus for so long, even if he's happy it won't stop him from being able to outwardly express emotion anymore, his Book 8 arc will likely be adjusting (he's already somewhat started here by asking assistance to cast spells now) and figuring out who he is as a person. Specifically, Malleus will figure out how to be a leader in ways not relying on these previous advantages (faulty ruling since it just him taking control for everyone)

Malleus has so far been outcasted from the other housewardens + we haven't seen much of him doing housewarden duties in the overall game yet so good time to show it now. So I feel like Book 8 will see his dynamic in the group somehow going from clueless nuisance to the leader of the seven, in time for the Book 7 battle.

Basically a callback to the impression that the twst website art gives off (shown above). Perhaps his center positioning has a deeper meaning than just being the poster boy/final overblotter (excluding what is likely overblot Grim)

Malleus's Dorm Uniform vignette built-up to Book 7 (the social exclusion, uncontrollable strength and magic, Lilia being the only one giving him chances, the 1000-year-understanding thing) and the other housewardens perceiving him as the worst at that responsibility/not like them is the only one not yet explored and "resolved" by the finale. Book 7 ended with most of them still having their doubts about letting Malleus back in, so I think that's perfect set-up for Malleus to be included in them as specifically a leader figure in Book 8. Leona makes a point about how Malleus needs to take initiative in housewarden meetings this time, so what better way than for earning his place as a leader in the group (and not just one who imposes his will on others, but listens and learns)

I think it would be a really compelling character development since it's a great leap from where he's currently at. Maybe he'll go about it by becoming the most transparent one in communication/not being afraid to show the many ways he does lack (since the others usually want to prove their strength instead) and how needs their help supplementing those weaknesses, and encouraging them to criticize him as much as necessary. It would be kinda funny to see them take advantage of his willingness to redeem himself at any cost by being overly nitpicky as like a power trip, but over time I think this would also help them understand where he is coming from too and being more genuinely kind (in the NRC way). Basically him taking the initiative to be open would form a trust that's good for team cohesion, building off what Vil and Idia already started in Book 6 and 7.

Vil became like the leader of the group while they battled at S.T.Y.X, while Idia became like the leader of the NRC dream-hopping group against OB!Malleus. So continuing this pattern, Malleus will gradually earn his fellow housewardens' respect and become their leader against like OB!Grim or whoever. Maybe he'll even rally the public at one point (idk what for since we have no clue what Book 8 lore is yet) and this will connect not only to his own growth but Book 7's ideals of making faefolk and mankind more connected

(Fan translation by Valkyrii on youtube)

Leadership traits I think Malleus has so far:

Takes accountability when he realizes his mistake, is impartial when dealing with disputes

Can be pretty forgiving (like with Rollo)

Gives his greatest effort as the host, as seen with Spectral Soiree and this final ball

Going back to how Book 7 ended, we see him regard all different sorts of people invited to Silver's debutante ball individually but equally. This closes Book 7's theme about different people being able to coexist and truly love each other, but he delivered the greeting as if they were all his people in a way. I think this may be setting up to true leader/king related character development in Book 8, honing these qualities further now that he can't default to power without thinking.

Earning the respect to become such a king instead of it simply being "blessed" to him without guidance or help already comes with him learning to process his feelings rather than just avoiding them and gives him opportunities to actually socialize so he gets better at considering the circumstances of others before he takes action. So when/if something will likely happen to give his magic back to him earlier than 200 years, that's already resolved the problems of him not being able to control his magic power when emotional + he's become the type of person/king who doesn't rely on it or is defined by it at the expense of his personhood anymore.

^ I don't think they will remove his powers for the rest of his main story time because they're still a part of him, since for a story about how differences can't stop you from belonging, it feels kinda wrong that his story will actually conclude with making him even physically more similar to the rest to get along. If you think about it, it's not really the powers themselves that were inherently isolating him, but rather that adults only saw him for authority rather than as a child, so never expected that he needed extra help mastering them first.

His horn breaking is basically just the starting point for him to learn this, a chance to pause he never got before. But I think it will be kinda dumb to nerf him for the rest of his screentime without letting his growth explore this through some inner-child healing first.

That's all... I'm not sure how much of the school year is left for all this since the third years were already talking about their internships. But since Crowley says Lilia and Malleus will be returning to the school the vibe would kinda feel redundant if they came back just to leave for internships again. And I just really think there's lots of potential on exploring that one last part of his dorm vignette + one of the earliest TWST arts actually foreshadowing their final dynamic as a group after all the character development. Kinda funny since Malleus still has both horns there, but I did mention I think something will accelerate its regrowth near the climax of Book 8, so yeah🔥

Also if I had to guess what OB!Grim's (and maybe Yuu too) dilemma is, maybe it's purpose? Like he wants to become all-powerful not genuinely but because he thinks it will make him have a reason to be alive and have people stick by him under the pretense of being like his minions. And Yuu has growing dialogue options (among the few they're allowed to have💀) about feeling useless. So I think Malleus slots in nicely there as someone with his own relationship to utility faced with newfound powerlessness (and him showing Grim there is more to being a truly great mage than the power maybe, and come to terms with what he's really afraid of)

[yesimwriting]

Armand is always on his ipad because hes stalking bestie reader guys 🙄 (she posts stories at partys with louis where shes dancing all cute)

Louis: armand stop trying to get in our friendship... I love you, you dont need to worry

Armand: ...yes... Thats why i was watching her Instagram page.... No other reason... 🧍🏿

a/n this is no joke the first notification i saw on my phone after putting down my ipad 😦 😭 spiritually armand and i are connected through ipad i feel it <33

i love this concept so much, the thought of armand being an ipad social media stalker is so perfect but also the mental image of louis casually looking over at armand and seeing bestie reader's stories on the ipad screen 😭

also do we think bestie reader would have armand added to her close friends/private story or do we think he's on social media in secret and she has no idea he can see her posts at all lmao

----

Your hair is down, the glittery tinsel weaved throughout the stands catching the limited lighting with your every movement. You're wearing more makeup than usual, sparkly product brushed against your cheeks and tiny gem stones glued around your eyelids.

The camera shakes slightly as you move to set down your cell phone, allowing a complete view of what you're wearing. Armand recognizes the silver sequined slip immediately. He had been there when you bought it.

After that clip comes to an end, a second one immediately takes its place. You're beaming, projecting a warmth that you've never directed at him as you turn your camera towards the source of your admiration. Louis, of course it's your beloved Louis.

The third and final video available on your story is of you and Louis again, this time Louis and you are dancing in a way that doesn't suit the environment. It's more of a caricature of a formal dance than a genuine attempt at one, but the two of you are so visibly content it doesn't seem to matter. Louis extends an arm, guiding you through a spin. The video ends with your gentle laugh.

Armand clicks out of your story, allowing his tablet's screen to return to just the general overview of your account. He should leave your profile, should leave this app all together and focus on anything else.

He taps your profile picture again.

Armand doesn't think about your features or his opinions on them very often. It's simpler that way, easier to make sure that he primarily associates you with Louis and all of the inconveniences your constant presence in their lives has brought him. But in the first video, with the camera so focused on you...it's difficult to dismiss your appearance.

The second video replaces the first, and he's once again overwhelmed by how transparent your love for Louis is. It's an affection so genuine and certain Armand's not sure if he's ever experienced anything quite like it.

"Stalker." The word is whispered much too gently to hold any weight. Armand turns his head. Louis is already looking at him, an easy smile playing at his lips. Louis always returns to him in a better mood after spending time with you. Maybe your goodness is so absolute that it's contagious.

"I was just curious about what you spent the better part of your evening doing." The response is honest enough for Louis to take it at face value. Armand had originally looked at your account out of curiosity.

Louis shifts further onto his side, his arm reaching for Armand. There's something comforting about the way that Louis's fingers bend around his wrist. "You could have asked."

He's not wrong. Louis never lies about you. Armand's sure that most of Louis's transparency comes from a lack of need for dishonesty in anything that involves you, but Armand wouldn't be surprised if Louis's candor was another way of keeping you safe. After all, how could Armand fault you for anything if Louis gives you no reason to shed your innocence?

However, Louis would never admit to this second reason if asked. Even now, with you more familiar to both of them than ever, Louis still does what he can to keep a certain distance between you and Armand. Louis may love Armand, but he doesn't trust him to never turn you into a casualty of an argument as he pretends to.

"You seemed a lot more tired a moment ago." Another true-enough statement. Louis had seemed almost asleep until now.

Louis lifts his head a little more, his free arm moving to hold up his head. "I'm getting a second wind."

Hm. Louis said that you had been one to call it a night. Maybe you're feeling a little less tired as well...would you bide your time alone by doing something like reading or watching one of those shows you love or would you go out again? Would you want to stay alone or would you seek out company?

Armand's quick to dismiss the thought. You wouldn't go out again...Louis is too careful with you when you're drunk to leave you without making sure that you're going to bed.

"You don't have to worry about her." The words are almost too relevant. Louis drags his thumb against the inside of Armand's wrist, the gesture almost too placating. "I love you."

Armand allows his eyes to fall shut. Louis's affections do mean something to him...it's just difficult to not wonder if things would feel more fulfilling if he had your devotion as well.

There has to be something that intrinsic quality that allows you to hold so much of Louis's attention. If you'd just look at him in the same way, maybe he'd finally understand it. Perhaps, if you offered him a fraction of what you give to Louis so openly, he'd no longer have to think of you so often.

"I know." Armand turns off his tablet's screen, his other hand moving to take Louis's. "And I'm not worried..." He really isn't. Armand has seen into your thoughts and he has witnessed the way you and Louis interact with each other. The love that's there is objectively platonic, and even if it wasn't so evident, Louis is too careful with you to have introduced you to Armand if he had any intentions of betraying him with you. "I know how you two are. I was just curious."

Louis drags his thumb against Armand's knuckles before laying down fully. His burst of energy seems to have been short lived. "If you're so curious, you could come out with us tomorrow. We're going to the movies and then to a club opening some promoter invited her to."

What. Armand's hold on his tablet tightens. "Some promoter?"

"A guy she met in line at the bar," Louis explains, "He was trying to make himself seem more important, you know how that is."

Yes, Armand knows exactly that is. Too many people are much too comfortable thinking about you in certain ways and attempting to turn those thoughts into reality. "I can imagine."

He's witnessed the way people treat you often enough for him to piece together what it had been like. You're usually much more perceptive than anyone gives you credit for, and yet something about that type of attention seems to taint your ability to think clearly.

"She's not unintelligent, and yet she always seems to behave like she is when she's put in those situations." Armand delivers the words carefully, keeping his tone even as a way of masking the extent of his annoyance.

Louis angles his head towards Armand, smiling in a way that feels a little too knowing. "You're worried about her."

"No." Armand forces an appropriate level of repulsion into his immediate reaction.

"Yes," Louis counters, "You like her more than--"

"I do not." Louis raises his eyebrows at the interruption. "She is a--nuisance that I tolerate out of love for you."

Louis studies his companion for another moment before giving in with an unconvinced, "Okay." Armand can feel Louis's smug disbelief, however, attempting to push the issue further right now would only make Armand seem like he cares a lot more than he does. "Are you going out with us tomorrow?"

It's the most apparent trap that Louis has ever laid for him. Still, Armand can't help a begrudging, "It seems more entertaining than staying here."

"Okay, good." Louis is quiet for such a long moment Armand almost convinces himself that his companion has fallen asleep. "She asked about you."

An uneasy warmth Armand's not meant to be capable of feeling briefly digs at him. He presses his lips together before responding, "Did she?"

"Mhm," Louis mumbles, "She said she actually missed you, because she's capable of admitting that despite your bickering, you're friends."

Armand disagrees. You've never given any indication of caring about him beyond an obligation to Louis. "Please, she could befriend inanimate objects if she wanted to."

"Then she shouldn't have to work so hard to try to befriend you."

Another point Armand can't agree with. "She's trying?"

"Yes," the response is exactly what Armand was expecting. Louis could never find a reason to blame you for anything. "And it wouldn't hurt if you tried to do a little more than tolerate her."

Louis might believe he wants more proximity between the two of you, but in reality, he views you as the one, damageable thing in his life. Too valuable and too fragile for him to be trusted with.

"You enjoy our lack of proximity." His genuineness surprises him more than it should. Louis's worry over you has yet to become a point of contention, but that's likely because it often remains unspoken.

"What? Louis stills, his eyebrows drawing together in a surprised disbelief. "Why would I--"

"She is the only thing that can be taken from you." Armand stares at the dark screen in front of him instead of permitting himself to look at Louis. They both know what he's saying is true. "She is your vulnerability, and you don't trust me with her."

Louis's lips part in instinctual protest, but the truth there seems to reach him before he can think to speak. How often has Louis warned him? Threatened him? If you do anything, if you hurt her at all, you won't mean anything to me. How often has Louis studied his interactions with you, always reminding him of how unforgivable it would be to do or say anything that would push you away?

"I am...protective of her," the admission leaves Louis slowly. Armand's more surprised by this than he should be. The only thing that's ever come close to being an actual issue in your friendship is Louis's occasionally overwhelming desire to make sure that you're never hurt. "Because of her humanity, and because of what losing her would do to me."

Louis squeezes his hand once. "And I know it can be a lot...even to her." An understatement. Louis turns Armand's hand over before kissing his knuckles. When Louis pulls away, Armand can see the determination behind his gaze. "But I love you, so I trust you." This is a more interesting development than anything Armand thought would happen tonight. "So I promise to ease off a little, if you promise to try to get along with her."

Armand's nearly thrown by the opening. He squeezes Louis's hand. "I can try." He leans away from Louis and towards his nightstand. He sets down his Ipad before relaxing back into place. "And I promise to be as careful as possible with your beloved fawn."

Louis scoffs, but the sound lacks any real malice. "If you call her that, I'm going to have to be the one to tell her to be careful with you."

Considering the amount of times you've threatened him over less, Armand doesn't doubt it. "As long as you're willing to defend me."

----

this was supposed to be shorter and i was supposed to do homework tonight 😦

[enarei]

i was banned late in 2022 for what the moderators told me was "hate speech". in my last post before the ban took place i'd called myself a tranny (i had been doing for months admittedly). i guess self-referential use of a slur could be framed as "hate speech" if you really wanted to police a group's speech. besides that i'd very recently expressed my dislike of all the associations centered around venerating american veterans and the conspirational origins of the "MIA" flag. "veteran status" is a protected identity under tumblr's community guidelines, which i think is as patently ridiculous as it sounds to anyone who is not from the US.

but those are just guesses. for all i know it could've been something else. i can't know for certain because i didn't receive any warnings or strikes prior to the ban. they refused to cite the offending post when i pressed them on it, and they didn't follow-up on my emails when i asked them again. they just said my whole blog violated the community guidelines. how? that's the kinda absurd part about using this website for an extended period of time (i had had that account for almost 5 years). any trans woman who is mildly public or vocal about their opinions when those opinions relate to her personhood is subjected to a torrent of hate speech. radfems were much more prominent back then, which gave the impression that this site's moderation was very lax. but when i was banned my account was deleted in one swift stroke, with no reference to what the offending content was, no previous warnings, and thus no means to reasonably try to contest it. i still don't know if I actually violated the community guidelines or not. no other social media does this. and one can argue tumblr is *relatively* more stringent about hate speech which impacts trans people than it was in 2022, but it's still a terrible practice. because people who might've been falsely banned due to an antagonistic moderator targeting a popular blog for personal reasons, something we know to have occurred with transmisoginistic actors in the past, that staff themselves have admitted happened, however briefly, have no means to prove it happened to them and end up just sounding like conspiracy theorists.

even if they claim they've rooted out the problem and their moderation team is "better" the complete lack of transparency makes it impossible to prove trans women aren't being targeted

[cheralith]

cw: fem!reader, she/her pronouns from this

sae's stare is glassy as it pierces through the transparent border, where he sits alone in a darkened, dusty room on one side. the other encapturing a brightly-lit kitchen, where two individuals stand.

he watches with heavy eyes as you spoonfeed a dollop of your signature buttercream frosting into... "sae"'s mouth from the mixing bowl, blinking slowly when "sae" then cheekily takes a dip of it on his finger and dots it on your nose.

your laugh is muffled through the glass screen he watches behind, the melody of it not syncing with the movements of your lips and heave of your chest. time is slower where he is, to let him properly linger in his retribution.

sae breathes out slow when the "sae" on the other side of the glass licks at the bit of icing "he" placed. it feels odd watching himself do that, considering he'd never be so bold.

then again though, that's not exactly "him" in the first place, so he supposes that he doesn't really have the right to judge what is characteristic of him considering "sae" isn't... himself.

the room suddenly gets colder. sae's skin prickles with goosebumps, feeling a draft waft behind him, but he doesn't move from his rickety stool.

"she does look happier, doesn't she?" it silkily whispers with a mock pity, something that sounds like it was blocking a giggle.

sae doesn't say anything, continuing to watch the domestic scene before him through the glass. he feels his lips twitch when "sae" presses a kiss to your cheek, burrowing his face into the divot between your shoulder and neck as you pipe the cupcakes.

cupcakes that were meant for him.

he breaks his gaze from you and "sae" for a moment, eyes swatching to the calendar thumbtacked to the kitchen wall, where a large red circle around october 10th is gleaming brightly. he shifts in his chair.

it circles around sae, the ghostly coldness now spiraling around him. "she's beautiful when she's like that, right? smiles and all," it murmurs. "especially for a moment like today."

sae knows it's right at his side, this dark blurry mass that's waiting to be recognized. even so, he merely just keeps staring at the one-way glass, where you still haven't taken account the second pair of eyes that watch you, ones that mimic the "ones" you've been fondly staring into for the past couple of weeks.

"i have a gift for you, too," it says happily.

sae feels another presence walk into the draughty closet-like space, a brighter one this time. the clicking of shoes grow louder from behind him and a familiar perfume graces the air.

sae doesn't react when you suddenly appear before him, smiling gently as you usually do. or... something that looks like you.

the smile looks lipsided, as though stitched on. the hair looks too perfect, no stray hairs in sight. but perhaps what's most significant about the mimic is its eyes and the new, button-shaped pupils embedded into them. empty things—hollowed out and voided.

"she's just like the real thing, only better!" it chimes. "your own personal plaything accustomed to you and you only."

"you" greet him with the sound of his name. he'll be damned, it sounds like you too—with just an extra lilt of faux peppiness. but sae says nothing back, going to return his gaze to the looking glass.

"you" frown at his lack of attention.

"do you not like her?" it questions, the airy voice sounding disappointed. "sure, there's some rough edges here and there, but i did try—"

"no," sae lowly mutters. he stands up, the creak of the aged floorboards groaning from his weight. he gives you one last sorrowful glance from behind the glass, admiring the way your eyes glow brightly and alive as "sae" shows off one of his awkwardly-piped cupcakes.

he gives the mercy of giving "you", the one shuffling in the shy corner of the room, a spare glance, though he feels nothing but disgust when he attempts to take "you" in. something anchors achingly in his stomach—it feels wrong just by looking.

"i don't want it," he says bitterly, turning around to leave the room. "i just... want the real thing back."

sae grasps the loose doorknob, gripping it with whitened knuckles.

"i just want her," he hisses.

he opens the door widely, then slams it shut, trying to block out the sound of your voice coming through the looking glass.

[theweeklydiscourse]

Among the well of red flags in the intervention it seems obvious that Feyre is taking up the mantle of the family member that out of love became the enabler coming to terms with having to cut off their ‘addicted’ family member which the topic alone is very meaningful and deep but the problem is it’s insane to me how it can’t be more transparent that it doesn’t hold any weight because Nesta’s story was not given that same weight and respect that an addicted persons story would entail. Nesta being an actual alcoholic wasn’t a part of the story so why should I offer Feyre’s character what it is to have an actual addict family member??? I notice most counter argument fall along the lines of saying that that’s not how the story was written so why can’t I just see it for what it presents and shut up. A step above that is that some people do conviniently question the narrative only when it serves the purpose to reaffirm their already biased opinions against Nesta usually elevating an ic member in the same breath. Do you see it or is it just me 😩

Ps I’d post from my acotar sideblog, wolfnesta, but I can’t /: tis I though!

One of my pet peeves is when readers try to headcanon the hell out of the narrative and then argue with you about why you must accept their version of the story. Many such cases with ACOTAR, as I expressed in another post.

You’re completely right, Nesta’s addiction really isn’t part of the story. Maas uses Nesta’s alcoholism and hypersexuality as a means of justifying the inciting incident of her so-called “healing arc” but doesn’t actually care about exploring it any further. We hardly see Nesta truly craving the things that numb her pain, or tangible negative consequences that aren’t a minuscule dent in Feysand’s joint account. She experiences next to no symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, and her having sex with Cassian while confined in the HOW is never regarded as a coping mechanism. This is why I roll my eye whenever people try to act like Nesta was a genuine depiction of an addict.

The people who portray Feyre’s struggle as one of a family member’s to an addict are not serious people. I’m partially joking about that remark (but I’m also partially not). Feyre’s real struggle is that Nesta is embarrassing her in front of her tenuous new friend group who she doesn’t yet feel secure enough with to stand up to. Hence why Nesta’s “recovery” is centred around the comfort and sensibilities of those with the power to control her. This is evident from the fact that Nesta’s forced confinement was justified by…*checks notes* heavy spending, promiscuity and drinking. It was an extreme measure in a situation that was not severe enough to justify it. The only way I could even potentially justify this kind of approach would be if Nesta was an active (and imminent) danger to herself and others. This is another example of SJM’s laziness and lack of imagination. Nesta’s new and unpredictable abilities coupled with PTSD, frequent inebriation and emotional distress could genuinely pose a serious threat to the public. We know that one’s emotional state can impact their powers, and I could easily see Nesta’s powers flaring up because of that. However, no such thing ever happens and her threat level to the public is mild at best. Making the drastic measures taken by the Inner Circle completely unwarranted.

But back to the main point…you’re completely right about the selective interrogation of the narrative and its logic. Trying to paint Feyre’s actions as an acceptable way to respond to a struggling individual is just another way to absolve her. It elevates Feyre in a way that is very generous and helps these fans reaffirm their ideas about Nesta’s treatment. It’s a counter argument that conveniently ignores the lack of weight Nesta’s addiction had in the story and fills in the gaping holes that Maas didn’t bother to fill in. All this to say…I completely see it.

Sidenote: I really liked this ask! This was a bit of a crossover since I follow you on my other side blog. Love your posts and analysis!

[voxina]

Stop believing fandom trolls and giving them attention

The severe lack of critical thinking skills some people have in this fandom astounds me. Seriously, why do they even pay attention to this bunch of bored narcissists playing the victim card with a clear superiority complex? And if you try to point it out to them, we are the bitter arses ruining the fun for everyone. The audacity of this group who insists to insinuate that they are somehow connected to Louis' entourage is so annoying, frustrating and tiring.  

But the thing that irritates me the most, besides the fact that they are larries (as if people didn't hate us enough already and call us with all the derogatory terms that infer some level of mental illness) is the amount of fans - even quite adults - who will believe (or pretend to believe) anything regardless of how unreliable and obviously false it is, as long as it fits their narrative and fantasies. And I’m genuinely concerned to see how many people are ok with this behaviour. It’s insane to me.  

I will never tire of repeating that, as much as they try to say that their intentions were innocent, the fact that they never explicitly stated it but only said it once they were exposed, is a clear sign that their intentions were malicious. They intentionally deceived people. Their entertainment comes from making fun of other fans and misleading them. You can still make a fun and nice distraction without fooling people and engage with them with full transparency. But they are so intoxicated by their arrogance, that they fail to see how they have contributed to making this fandom a less safe space for everyone.  It brings nothing but stress and anxiety at the very last, and people certainly will think more than twice before approaching and interacting. This is the kind of shit that kills a fandom.  

Behind these trolls accounts, even when they say “but it’s just for fun, it’s not that deep”, the damage is done the minute they create them and don’t make it clear what’s what. Because when you see more and more fans genuinely believing and interacting hoping that Louis is behind it, or that is someone with “insider info”, or even just someone from his team to do promo and marketing, they have made a conscious choice to continue undaunted to keep quiet and prolong this charade. The fun they talk about is one-sided, the purpose is for their own amusement, only to entertain themselves, and sadly it’s done on the backs of others by taking advantage of their emotions. The damage they’ve done is no less dangerous than physical damage. And I am sorry if I appear intransigent, but some things are not to be trifled with.   

We have seen it all in this fandom, and there also have been really dangerous accounts in the past. The fandom is mostly made up of women, many are very young, teens or even underage who are easily persuaded by emotion without reasonable evidence. To always pass these behaviours off as goliardia remains morally unacceptable to me. It's not ok at all. These people wanted to do harm and even after they've been exposed and their evidences debunked (not doxxed as they falsely claim, literally no one from that account has been doxxed and that's another attempt of them playing the victim card and pushing their agenda), are back at it with their intentional deception. They're still misleading fans, and it’s so scary how easily people believe random accounts. They are not the first and most likely will not be the last either, but what is even sadder is that not only they hurt us fans, but also hurt Louis, and Harry. They see them only as fictional characters to be used for their own amusement, rather than as human beings like us. It’s unacceptable and there is no justification, and I’m sorry but if someone tries to say that all of this is normal or don’t see how much problematic is, then they too are part of the problem. 

[ngdrb]

“Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” — Dylan Thomas

Project 2025 is advancing at a steady pace. However, both major political parties, the Democrats and Republicans, seem reluctant to take a strong stance against the Orange Sphincter and his pet mole rat, Elon Musk. This reluctance reflects a broader trend of hesitation in confronting figures with significant political and economic power.

It is concerning to observe this dynamic, as it suggests a weakening of the core democratic values that have long been central to the functioning of the U.S. political system. The lack of decisive action in addressing such influential figures could undermine the integrity of the political process and raise questions about the future of democratic governance.

This situation calls for a renewed commitment to upholding democratic principles and ensuring that all political actors, regardless of their power or influence, are held accountable in the interest of a fair and transparent political system.

"Trump and Musk are challenging judicial rulings, court decisions, and constitutional principles."