#Mobile-First Strategy Development

[squarerootsolutionsuk]

Struggling to keep your UK local business relevant online? Discover key web development strategies to enhance visibility, attract more customers, and stay competitive in the digital age.

Why strong web presence is vital for UK-based local businesses

Top web design and UX trends for 2025 and beyond

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How mobile-first design boosts engagement

Leveraging fast, secure, and scalable websites to grow

Case examples and expert insights

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Aslı Aydıntaşbaş for Politico Magazine:

American democracy is about to undergo a serious stress test. I know how it feels, in part because I lived through the slow and steady march of state capture as a journalist working in Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Turkey. Over a decade as a high-profile journalist, I covered Turkey’s descent into illiberalism, having to engage in the daily push and pull with the government. I know how self-censorship starts in small ways but then creeps into operations on a daily basis. I am familiar with the rhythms of the battle to reshape the media, state institutions and the judiciary. Having lived through it, and having gathered some lessons in hindsight, I believe that there are strategies that can help Democrats and Trump critics not only survive the coming four years, but come out stronger. Here are six of them.

1. Don’t Panic — Autocracy Takes Time

President-elect Donald Trump’s return to power is unnerving but, as I have argued previously, America will not turn into a dictatorship overnight — or in four years. Even the most determined strongmen face internal hurdles, from the bureaucracy to the media and the courts. It took Erdoğan well over a decade to fully consolidate his power. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Poland’s Law and Justice Party needed years to erode democratic norms and fortify their grip on state institutions.

I am not suggesting that the United States is immune to these patterns, but it’s important to remember that its decentralized system of governance — the network of state and local governments — offers enormous resilience. Federal judges serve lifetime appointments, states and governors have specific powers separate from those granted federally, there are local legislatures, and the media has the First Amendment as a shield, reinforced by over a century of legal precedents. Sure, there are dangers, including by a Supreme Court that might grant great deference to the president. But in the end, Donald Trump really only has two years to try to execute state capture. Legal battles, congressional pushback, market forces, midterm elections in 2026 and internal Republican dissent will slow him down and restrain him. The bottom line is that the U.S. is too decentralized in its governance system for a complete takeover. The Orbánization of America is not an imminent threat.

2. Don’t Disengage — Stay Connected

[...]

Nothing is more meaningful than being part of a struggle for democracy. That’s why millions of Turks turned out to the polls and gave the opposition a historic victory in local governments across Turkey earlier this year. That’s how the Poles organized a winning coalition to vote out the conservative Law and Justice Party last year. It can happen here, too. The answer to political defeat is not to disconnect, but to organize. You can take a couple of days or weeks off, commiserate with friends and mute Elon Musk on X — or erase the app altogether. But in the end, the best way to develop emotional resilience is greater engagement.

[...]

4. Charismatic Leadership Is a Non-Negotiable

One lesson from Turkey and Hungary is clear: You will lose if you don’t find a captivating leader, as was the case in 2023 general elections in Turkey and in 2022 in Hungary. Coalition-building or economic messaging is necessary and good. But it is not enough. You need charisma to mobilize social dissent. [...]

Last year’s elections in Poland and Turkey showcased how populist incumbents can be defeated (or not defeated, as in general elections in Turkey in 2023) depending on the opposition’s ability to unite around compelling candidates who resonate with voters. Voters seek authenticity and a connection — give it to them.

5. Skip the Protests and Identity Politics

Soon, Trump opponents will shake off the doldrums and start organizing an opposition campaign. But how they do it matters. For the longest time in Turkey, the opposition made the mistake of relying too much on holding street demonstrations and promoting secularism, Turkey’s version of identity politics, which speaks to the urban professional and middle class but not beyond. [...]

6. Have Hope

Nothing lasts forever and the U.S. is not the only part of the world that faces threats to democracy — and Americans are no different than the French, the Turks or Hungarians when it comes to the appeal of the far right. But in a country with a strong, decentralized system of government and with a long-standing tradition of free speech, the rule of law should be far more resilient than anywhere in the world. Trump’s return to power certainly poses challenges to U.S. democracy. But he will make mistakes and overplay his hand — at home and abroad. America will survive the next four years if Democrats pick themselves up and start learning from the successes of opponents of autocracy across the globe.

Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, who had first-hand experience with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s authoritarianism in her native Turkey as a journalist, wrote in Politico Magazine on how to effectively fight Donald Trump’s authoritarian impulses.

[reasonsforhope]

"Seven federal agencies are partnering to implement President Biden’s American Climate Corps, announcing this week they would work together to recruit 20,000 young Americans and fulfill the administration's vision for the new program. 

The goals spelled out in the memorandum of understanding include comprehensively tackling climate change, creating partnerships throughout various levels of government and the private sector, building a diverse corps and serving all American communities.

The agencies—which included the departments of Commerce, Interior, Agriculture, Labor and Energy, as well the Environmental Protection Agency and AmeriCorps—also vowed to ensure a “range of compensation and benefits” that open the positions up to a wider array of individuals and to create pathways to “high-quality employment.”  

Leaders from each of the seven agencies will form an executive committee for the Climate Corps, which Biden established in September, that will coordinate efforts with an accompanying working group. They will create the standards for ACC programs, set compensation guidelines and minimum terms of service, develop recruitment strategies, launch a centralized website and establish performance goals and objectives. The ACC groups will, beginning in January, hold listening sessions with potential applicants, labor unions, state and local governments, educational institutions and other stakeholders. 

The working group will also review all federal statutes and hiring authorities to remove any barriers to onboarding for the corps and standardize the practices across all participating agencies. Benefits for corps members will include housing, transportation, health care, child care, educational credit, scholarships and student loan forgiveness, stipends and non-financial services.

As part of the goal of the ACC, agencies will develop the corps so they can transition to “high-quality, family-sustaining careers with mobility potential” in the federal or other sectors. AmeriCorps CEO Michael Smith said the initiative would prepare young people for “good-paying union jobs.” 

Within three weeks of rolling out the ACC, EPA said more than 40,000 people—mostly in the 18-35 age range—expressed interest in joining the corps. The administration set an ambitious goal for getting the program underway, aiming to establish the corps’ first cohort in the summer of 2024. 

The corps members will work in roles related to ecosystem restoration and conservation, reforestation, waterway protection, recycling, energy conservation, clean energy deployment, disaster preparedness and recovery, fire resilience, resilient recreation infrastructure, research and outreach. The administration will look to ensure 40% of the climate-related investments flow to disadvantaged communities as part of its Justice40 initiative.  

EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the MOU would allow the ACC to “work across the federal family” to push public projects focused on environmental justice and clean energy. 

“The Climate Corps represents a significant step forward in engaging and nurturing young leaders who are passionate about climate action, furthering our journey towards a sustainable and equitable future,” Regan said. 

The ACC’s executive committee will hold its first meeting within the next 30 days. It will draw support from a new climate hub within AmeriCorps, as well as any staffing the agency heads designate."

-via Government Executive, December 20, 2023

-

This news comes with your regularly scheduled reminder that WE GOT THE AMERICAN CLIMATE CORPS ESTABLISHED LAST YEAR and basically no one know about/remembers it!!! Also if you want more info about the Climate Corps, inc. how to join, you can sign up to get updates here.

[storyofmychoices]

PB shared the announcement on their blog.

I googled "Series Entertainment" and found article about this news and the article starts with:

Series Entertainment – itself a game development company that "pioneer[s] the use of generative AI to transform imaginative ideas into unforgettable gaming experiences" – says the acquisition "signifies Series' strategy to build out its studio system to deliver a diverse catalog of different genres that leverage its world class development technology, the Rho Engine", the world’s first "AI-native, multimodal full-stack game creation platform". [X]

And here is another article

Series Entertainment, a fast-growing AI game development company, has acquired interactive fiction mobile game studio Pixelberry.

From the companies website...

So basically we told Choices we didn't want AI and they sold the company to an AI entertainment company 🤦‍♀️

[gremoria411]

*The following contains spoilers for Mobile Suit Gundam G-Quuuuuux episode 4*

Okay so I’m apparently just gonna be a week behind on G-Quuuuuux. Oh well.

Alright, Shiiko Sugai, aka. The Witch, an Earth Federation Ace (Unicum?) from the One Year War. First of all, love the character design, but I’m specifically interested here in what her presence and attitude says about the OYW in G-Quuuuuux.

It’s neat that she’s a Federation Ace, since she neatly contrasts with the numerous Zeon aces from UC proper, and it of course makes sense that the EFF would have a higher number of aces if they were in the losing side of the war. It’s interesting that there’s a specific term for an ace with over a hundred kills - a Unicum since it implies the existence of other aces in that bracket. Notably, there were only around 10 One Year War Aces in Universal Century with Kill Counts over a hundred, and only two of them on the federation’s side (Tenneth A. Jung and Amuro Ray, respectively).

I absolutely adore that Shiiko apparently made ace in a guncannon, because it highlights the changing fortunes of the Earth Federation in this new timeline. The Gundam was far-and-away the most successful of the three Operation V units, and so it makes sense that without the data from its learning computer the Earth Federation would utilise it as their primary mobile suit. This is also excellent because in The Origin Manga, the Earth Federation loses badly to a Zeon mobile suit team (consisting of Ramba Ral, Char and the Black Tri-Stars) precisely because the Guncannon early types they’re using aren’t a match for Zeon’s Zaku’s (and Bugu). So it essentially is that battle writ large across the entire war due to the federation losing the Gundam, and the secrets of mobile suit development with it.

Now I mentioned earlier that Shiiko contrasts with the typical Zeonic aces native to UC works. Thing is, when I first saw her, I thought she was a send-off of one of the characters from the Original Mobile Suit Gundam - Mirai Yashima, the White Base’s Helmsman (and eventually Mirai Noa, mother of everyone’s favourite domestic terrorist, Hathaway Noa)

A big part of Mirai’s character in the original show is family, and how she navigates the war with that. So it’s possible that Shiiko represents what Mirai might’ve become if she’d gone into mobile suit piloting - her entire attitude about her family seems to frame that she never got over the death of her Mav in the OYW, and is neglecting them in her pursuit of vengeance against the Gundam. Though it’s possible I’m reading too much into things considering Cameron Bloom also appears in the episode and no connection between the two is suggested.

As an aside, I find it interesting that Char Aznable and Challia Bull are the two behind the two-man team strategy that led to the use of Mav as a term, since by its nature it would lend itself well to a duo of Newtypes, further emphasising the weaponisation of human connection and emphasising just how Zeon saw newtypes on the practical level - yes, all very high-minded and that, but how can we exploit them for combat?

Lastly, I’d just like to personally note that we do know of one other Earth Federation Guncannon Ace - Lydo Wolf, the Dancing Black Death.

Who piloted a Guncannon Mass Production type. Humorously, Shiiko’s presumed 100+ kill tally blows his out of the water at a “mere” 68 MS and 4 Ship kills during the entire war.

[bogleech]

Why do the adult stages of insects have short lifespans?

Most animals can't reproduce, and most don't even develop the organ systems to do so, until almost the end of their development. Many mammals are actually rare freaks for their ability to start reproducing as little as a third into their lifespan, and keep reproducing over and over until they die; it's an extreme and radical survival strategy we evolved that comes with some pretty severe trade-offs, in that we have high energy demands and require so, so much food in proportion to most other organisms, not to mention all the ways those reproduction systems can take on illness, malfunction or hurt us. Other animals like birds and reptiles and various fish opted instead to reach adult size as fast as they can, build the reproductive system, and then just take it easy: they live a long time and can mate more than once, but they don't do so constantly and don't make that many young. The MOST common strategy in nature, basically the default norm is to devote most of your life just to eating, growing, and storing resources in your body, then "spend" all the resources you can on reproduction, giving so much of your energy to your babies that it actually kills you. The upside is that this is why most animals make hundreds or even thousands of young in one go, which better guarantees that at least one will survive. Salmon and octopuses are two of the most famous non-insects that do it that way, but so do thousands of other mollusks, fish, members of the various "worm" phyla and others. Many insect groups hyper-streamlined this, so they have a larval stage that's just an eating machine, like caterpillars and maggots, possessing only the bare minimum anatomy they need to keep on eating and growing and nothing else, usually incapable of even traveling from the same food source they were born on. They then use up all of this stored energy to create a body that is perfect for perpetuating their species, including more mobility (such as wings) to spread their population further. Insects exhibit almost every variation there is, but many insect groups hyper-streamlined the basic method so they have a larval stage devoted to non-stop eating, like a caterpillar or a maggot, devoid of any anatomy that does not help it collect all the energy it can as continuously as it can, then use up that energy to build an equally dedicated mating form, which may last only days or weeks because it even gave up the ability to eat as it devoted as much of its body as possible to making those babies in that one big go. There are still many exceptions including insects like cockroaches who mirror the mammal strategy of mating over and over for a relatively "long" adult life, or insects that still only mate the one time, but still at the end of a fairly long adult life that continues to eat and store energy. The most extreme exception to this might be aphids, which continuously develop clone offspring and give live birth to them for their entire life, by which I mean some aphids are born already pregnant with their first clone. These actually still go through a normal mating process too, though, when a winged male finds them near the end of the year, and then they die after laying proper eggs that can survive the winter. The non-stop clone babies are just so that one female has even higher odds of mating with at least one of those males, because now there's 10,000 of her for him to find. To understand basically everything in nature you just have to understand that: 1: life forms actually work like video game characters in that they constantly "farm experience" (nutrient energy) they have to spend on their unique spread of stats and abilities (every body part and system comprising them) 2: every life form evolves as if the only goal of that entire game is to generate offspring and increase the odds of their survival, literally no matter what must be sacrificed.

[thelettergii]

Sugarplum Cafe FAQ

I held an AMA about my upcoming game Sugarplum Cafe on Instagram and figured these Q&A's would be helpful for you to know as well!

If you have questions of your own, my inbox here is open!

Q: What is Sugarplum Cafe? A: Sugarplum Cafe is a merge crafting game that I'm solo developing! In this game, you run a sweets cafe and make desserts for fashionable ladies inspired by sweets. I wanted to make a game with frilly pastel shoujo aesthetics, and yes, there will be tea parties!

Q: What platforms will Sugarplum Cafe be on? A: The goal is to publish on PC and mobile (Apple included), but PC will come first because it's easier to fix bugs on PC.

Q: When will this game be out? A: Not for a few years, it's still pretty early in development. But paid members on Patreon can play an early version of this game now with about three hours of content! Support starts at $2 USD/month.

Q: How good do I have to be at games to enjoy this game? A: Sugarplum Cafe is meant to be a super casual game, so you can be the worst gamer in the world and still play this haha. It's more about collecting pretty ladies than any sort of strategy or skill.

Q: How many characters will there be? A: At least 50 Ladies! I have ideas for about 70 Ladies, but whether I get to all of them depends on interest in the project. So 50 feels like a good benchmark.

Q: What are your inspirations for this game? A: For one, The Nutcracker Ballet of course! Aside from that... For the longest time I was obsessed with Cookie Run: Ovenbreak because they had so many clever character designs! I don't play as much anymore (the UI is too cluttered now and I don't love the new characters as much) but I want to recapture the spark I felt when I used to play. I also really love Sakizo's illustrations of Victorian/Rococo sweets-inspired ladies, and I wanted to capture her aesthetics while mixing in my own fashion sense so I'm not ripping her off entirely haha

Q: Will you still be drawing fashion? Are you moving to gamedev permanently? A: I don't know about a permanent pivot, but this game will be my main focus. TBH I wasn't very happy with just drawing stuff and I'm really excited to build my own world where my designs can live. I will still be designing fashion, but it will just be part of something bigger. My goal is to make the world of games a little more fashionable! I may still draw the occasional illustration though, so never say never!

Q: What game engine are you using? A: Sugarplum Cafe is made in Godot! It's a free open-source game engine and I highly recommend it for 2D games. I think the scripting would be easier to learn than something like Unity. There are a few quirks but the community is so active that it's easy to find answers to your questions. I am using Godot 3.5 - I believe the latest version is Godot 4, but I heard 3.5 was better for porting mobile games. Will let you know how true that is!

Q: Can I cosplay/draw fanart of characters from Sugarplum Cafe? A: YES PLEASE!! Please tag me if you share cosplay or fanart! And if you need to know details of certain characters' designs, please don't hesitate to ask.

[ryuu242]

SKHR — "SCHNEE EULE" —

Strategische Kampftaktiker Hilfe Replika

(Strategies Combat-Tactician Help Replika — "Snow Owl")

Type: Generation 5 Combat Tactician

Frame: Biomechanical Frame ,Polyethylene , Bullet-Resistant Armor Plating

They're the same as the common EULR unit but slightly heavier due to their equipment upgrade

Model Development:

SKHR (Strategische-Kampftaktiker Hilfe Replika), (Strategic Combat-Tactician Assistance Replika 'Snowy Owl') or Schnee-Eule, are Generation 5 specialized units developed by the Eusan Nation. These units were built based on the common Eule, enhancing their capabilities for battlefield deployment and combat support. SKHR being deployed at Rotfront specifically

The SKHR "Schneeeule" Replika was developed as a specialized response to the shortcomings of earlier EULR units in high-conflict zones. While EULRs excelled at domestic and logistical tasks, they were ill-suited for combat or tactical operations. To fill this gap, the SKHR model was created, combining the light, agile frame of an EULR with upgraded combat and tactical support capabilities.

Its neural pattern was derived from a Rotfront gestalt known for sharp analytical skills, leadership capabilities, and a deep sense of loyalty. However, its origins also carry emotional vulnerabilities, as the neural donor experienced trauma related to abandonment and survivor’s guilt, which heavily influences the unit’s Persona. The SKHR is equipped to function as both a frontline combat unit and a support specialist, assisting in battlefield triage, supply coordination, and tactical planning.

SKHR units tend to exhibit quiet, contemplative behavior when not engaged in tasks. They often exhibit subtle nesting tendencies, organizing their quarters in meticulous ways that reflect their desire for control and order in the middle of chaos.

Combat Attributes

SKHR units occupy a unique position in the command chain, bridging the gap between strategic planning and frontline combat. Deployed as field tacticians, they operate under the direct supervision of senior officers but are granted considerable autonomy during missions.

Battlefield coordinator, ensuring troop efficiency and survival. Support unit for wounded soldiers and logistical supply management.

Exceptional analytical skills for quick tactical decision-making. Adept at both mid-range combat and first aid procedures.

Although not as heavily armored as other common frontline combat models, making them vulnerable to sustained fire along with their emotional tendencies can sometimes impair their objectivity in high-stress situations. A common strategy is pairing them closely with a younger STAR or STCR unit

Equipment

Schnee-Eule units are optimized for the rigors of the battlefield, equipped with Biomechanical Frame ,Polyethylene Shell, Bullet-Resistant Armor Plating and Sophisticated-Sensor Arrays to navigate and engage in dynamic environments.

Beak Mask that is fixed to the frame, deploys automatically in combat mode to enhance targeting, filter toxins, and provide night vision.

Repair Spray, Autoinjector and multiple Repair Patch Stored in thigh pouches

Submachine Gun Lightweight weapon suited to the unit’s mobility and mid-range combat role.

Known Issues

「Replika Known Issues」

CLASSIFIED INFORMATION - Commander Eyes Only

Previous experience with these Replika models has given us insight into irregularities in their behavior that stem from the original neural patterns used for these units. Due to the sensitive nature of this information, this document should be destroyed after reading.

SKHR units may form strong attachments to specific personnel or units, which can lead to emotional instability if those individuals are lost in combat.

Their neural pattern predisposes them to survivor’s guilt, especially if they perceive themselves as failing to protect others.If left in prolonged isolation or repeatedly exposed to high-casualty scenarios, SKHR units may experience accelerated Persona degradation, resulting in erratic or self-sacrificing behavior.

[resurgentclass-stardestroyer]

Okay I'm going to show myself for the obsessive little freak that I am and just highlight the juicy Hux moments in Chapter 6 of the TLJ novelization, because there's so much good stuff

First sentence:

As the turbolift doors shut, General Hux tugged at the cuffs of his uniform, even though he knew they were perfect.

Off the bat — I just love his nervous, fidgeting little hands. He's constantly rubbing his hands together when he's agitated in the movies. It's his Thing. And nervously tugging on his cuffs in the elevator is a perfect image.

He tried not to think how long it had been since Supreme Leader Snoke had summoned him to his throne room aboard the enormous warship known as the Supremacy.

Snoke apparently hasn't summoned Hux for a personal audience in some time, and that makes Hux nervous. Why? I think it could be either that Snoke's presence and the throne room itself makes Hux nervous, or that maybe Hux is reflecting on the fact that he hasn't been in Snoke's favor lately, or both.

Its designers had anointed [Supremacy] the first of the galaxy's Mega-class Star Destroyers, but such a classification struck Hux as essentially meaningless. True, the Supremacy could deliver the destructive power of a full fleet. But that was a decidedly narrow perspective from which to assess its capabilities. Within the armored hull were production lines churning out everything from stormtrooper armor to Star Destroyers [...] The Supremacy's industrial capacity outstripped that of entire star systems [...]

Hux seems to care much less about the offensive capabilities of Supremacy than its immense industrial and technological capabilities. Which is quite interesting, for The General of an aggressively militaristic regime.

But until that promise was fulfilled, the First Order's capital would be mobile. It would be the Supremacy. It was a strategy that Hux had helped formulate. The Supremacy couldn't be cut off from its supply lines, as it carried them with it.

Hux helped to formulate the concept of a mobile starship headquarters for the FO — a little glimpse into how central Hux was to the development of the FO, despite how Snoke dismisses him. Again, Hux was mostly focused on the industrial advantages.

And the name of Armitage Hux would be remembered, too— of that he was certain. It would be exalted as the builder of the First Order's armies, architect of its technological revolution, and the executioner of the New Republic. And, very soon, the destroyer of the Resistance. For which he would earn another reward, Hux mused. Commander of the Supremacy would be an excellent title... surpassed only by that of Supreme Leader Hux.

Big surprise, Hux is a bit obsessed being remembered forever [which I always think carries some interesting undertones, considering he gets the name from his father]. He also wants to be the commander of Supremacy, if not the Supreme Leader. [I am once again feeling skeptical about the actual weight of destroying the Resistance. It still seems to me that wiping multiple planets and billions of people from the galaxy, the FO's powerful political rival, is a more impressive accomplishment than destroying a relatively small fringe military rival. but alas.] [I believe the whole 'Hux wants to be Grand Marshal' thing was introduced in TLJ, which is something I really like, but they don't mention it here...]

The door opened and Hux stepped into that domain, one of the few beings ever accorded the privilege of seeing Snoke in the flesh.

Hux is one of the very few people to ever see Snoke in person.

Hux knew the Force was real -- his body still ached from being slammed to the deck of the Finalizer. But such sorcery was a last dying echo of ancient history, unreliable and unpredictable where technological prowess delivered certainty [...] There was just Snoke, and his loathsome creature Kylo Ren.

I just love Hux referring to the Force as sorcery so much. He acknowledges its existence and its power, but he thinks it ridiculous and primitive; Hux values the certainty, stability, efficiency, and order technology delivers, over the capriciousness of sorcery.

And Skywalker, whom Snoke and Ren had hunted so avidly, at the expense of much else that needed doing.

!!! I'm reading the novels out of order, so maybe this was harped on in TFA too, but — clear confirmation that Hux was miffed with Snoke's hunt for Skywalker, thought it a waste of FO time and resources, which I think is so important. Hux may have taken Snoke's orders without question, and even defended them when Kylo wanted his own way, but he was still critical of them. It's likely that this has been a point of contention between them since at least the Order became aware of the map, if not longer.

Hux's shoulders tensed at the icy anger in [Snoke's] voice. He forced himself to remain impassive. If Snoke had wanted to kill him, he would have done it aboard the Finalizer, where Hux's demise would have served as an object lesson to others. He would't have wasted time by summoning him here to do away with him in secret. "You say you can track the Resistance fleet even after its escape to hyperspace -- something no military force in galactic history has been able to do," Snoke said, and Hux relaxed. Now the Supreme Leader was in Hux's arena.

Hux is a bit afraid of Snoke [and check that automatic fear response], well aware that Snoke could strike him down at any moment of Snoke's choosing. But he's very calculating about others' intentions and motivations. I love how he quickly puts together that Snoke won't kill him here, that Snoke would've killed him earlier as a demonstration if he wanted him dead.

Love how he relaxes and becomes confident when the topic turns over to Hux's interests. He's at least secure in the superiority of his expertise in the this area over Snoke.

"So your solution to this ancient problem is no conceptual breakthrough," Snoke said. "Your invention is a product not of genius, but brute force." "Brute force is underrated, Supreme Leader," Hux said with a smile.

"Brute force is underrated" is such an interesting but lovely sentiment coming from Hux, and, I think, accurate. He may not be physically brutal and he's much more intellectually focused, but his methods absolutely brutal. The militarism of the Order, and Starkiller, are pictures of 'brute force.' Though, it reminds me of a certain 'loathsome creature'...

Also, 'with a smile'........ cute

As Hux got to his feet, the turbolift opened behind him and Ren stepped into the throne room, face hidden behind his black-and-silver mask. Hux couldn't resist grinning at him. "Hux's new toy appears to be working," Snoke told Ren.

Sorry it's just so funny and kills me that Hux is being such a cunt to Ren when Ren's at his lowest. He can't resist taunting him. Bastard. I love them.

Snoke calling Hux's inventions his 'toys' is pretty dismissive of Hux, and I think revealing of their relationship. But it doesn't seem to bother Hux much, because again this is his 'arena' and he's very confident in his abilities. For apparently being dismissive about them, Snoke puts an awful lot of faith into Hux's 'toys.' It almost comes off as insecure.

Snoke had shepherded the First Order through its years in the galactic wilds, transforming a band of Imperial refugees into a weapon forged to reclaim the galaxy. As such, he would always be remembered. But Hux knew the future would need a different kind of leader--one able to direct the galaxies industries and nurture their innovations, while commanding its citizens' respect. Snoke wasn't that leader. And neither was Ren.

Gah. This is so important. Overwhelmingly important. And-? To me this is like, a glimpse of TFA Hux and Hux as he was meant to be. This is less hysterical hotheaded TLJ Hux. This part mostly speaks for itself and I think plenty has been said by others, I don't have anything unique to add — just that 'while commanding its citizens' respect' is so integral to his character, AND it sounds like it came right out of Sloane's mouth.

One thing about this novel, they really push 'Hux is more interested in industry and technology than military aspects', and honestly I love it. It shows Hux thinking far beyond the war they're engaged in, and shows his intentions — his point isn't galactic militaristic domination for galactic militaristic domination's sake, despite how it appears on the surface. He isn't focused on being a military commander forever. Hux is focused on his future as a leader of a galactic industrial and technological revolution.

I wish they went further in what Hux's plans were in regards to Snoke here. Hux clearly senses his future as the FO's Supreme Leader -- but there's no mention of any plan whatsoever on how he's going to take over. Maybe that's why he failed miserably when Ren declared himself SL :/

[forevergoldgame]

Episode 1 Progress Update

According to timestamps it's been approximately 3 months since our last update. Embarrassing! This is why I'd never survive as a career social media person. Thankfully, the lack of updates isn't due to a lack of progress - we've been working on the game the whole time. There's just a bit of a story to tell there... you may have heard the phrase, "progress isn't always a straight line." It is a phrase that haunts the mind of every creative, but our contempt for it does not make it any less true.

This post is all good news, though! Keep reading for more details.

So, what happened?

As we said last update, after the demo we more or less jumped right into producing Episode 1. We had a clear vision of the common "beginning of story" pitfalls we were going to avoid, and our strategy for avoiding those. There was just one problem:

We spent so much energy avoiding them in our first pass of Episode 1 that we accidentally ended up ignoring what the story needed and recreating the issues we aimed to avoid.

Luckily, we had only wasted maybe a month or so on this version of the story. We knew it would cause delays, but we didn't want to write an update about it until we had a draft of Episode 1 that we trusted. An update that only reads "um... yeah we don't like it, we're going to do something else but we dunno what yet" doesn't exactly inspire confidence in a project, you know?

It is safe to say we have that better draft now. There are still many scenes to finish and editing passes to be done and bugs to quash, but this improved version of Episode 1 has made it through the uncertainty of development and I can say with confidence it is the version of Episode 1 you will receive.

Compared to the draft we burned, this one is much better suited to the twine medium. While certainly longer than our freakishly truncated first draft, the pacing is far more organic, allowing players more opportunities to play and make decisions as they are brought up to speed on the status quo of the setting and Quincy's place in the world at the outset. Though there is a lot of ground to cover, my hope is that it will be interesting in and of itself and not reek of "unskippable videogame tutorial."

With that out of the way, I'd like to address a question a few of you are probably thinking:

"Will these sort of draft rewrite delays be a common issue?"

Nope! We meant it when we said that our aim for future releases is smaller, frequent updates. The problem with Episode 1 is that it is a unique challenge to build and by nature cannot be a "small update."

There is no other point in the story (aside from perhaps the beginning of Act 2) that is going to be as fiddly as this. Episode 1 bears a lot of responsibilities that other episodes just won't. It has to be a hook for the main plot. It has to give readers enough information about the setting and how it works to understand said plot. It has to introduce a number of core characters. Toughest of all, it has to do these things competently enough that people who read it want to come back for Episode 2!

So, we kind of have no choice but to put in the extra time here. Them's the breaks!

In other news...

The delays on the writing end gave me more time to sure up the UIX and fix/pretty up some stuff I was originally going to let be. I won't detail everything I've done, but mobile users will be pleased to know there will be an adjustment slider for swipe sensitivity and all users will be pleased to know that the layout just generally breaks less in the coming version of the game. I've continued to implement user feedback and make navigation more intuitive where I can.

I've also prettied up some layout elements even though no one asked me to...

...and redrawn other utility art for the game. Look at this map! You can kind of tell what Vestur's landscape is supposed to be like now! You can hardly detect how much I struggled when deciding where the major rivers were!

As we continue to lick Episode 1 into shape, we hope to share more specific tidbits with you all. If all goes well, the phase of development where we can show teaser screenshots is right around the corner.

Thank you for your patience!

-LS

[pillowfort-social]

Happy New Year! We’re kicking off 2024 with a Community Update after a very eventful end of 2023. We’ll give you a look at what Staff have been doing behind the scenes, an update from our Developer Team, and a preview of what’s in store for the platform. Community Stats: 

As of January 19, 2024 Pillowfort currently has over 170,467 registered users and over 9,928 Communities. The rest of this post is under the cut.

In 2023 we have…

Avoided shutdown thanks to your generous support.

Launched Pillowfort Premium

Tested and launched Drafts 

Added new premium frames. 

Updated our Terms of Service.

Updated our Business Plan.

Continued work on the PWA & Queue.

Blocked ChatGPT Bots our platform.

Announced our upcoming policy on Generative AI.

Increased weekly invitations keys to from 10 to 50. 

Continued patching bugs. 

Welcome New Users!

Welcome to Pillowfort. We are so glad you are part of our community. If you haven’t yet, check out the Pillowfort101 Getting Started Guide.

Thank you for keeping Pillowfort Alive! 

Your support during the End of Year Fundraiser helped us avoid ending contracts with our Staff and averted the end of our platform for another six months (July 2024). We can not express our gratitude enough to you. This has been an extremely challenging and stressful time for each member of the team. We are going to work hard to keep Pillowfort online. You have motivated us to continue the fight to be a viable platform. You may have noticed that our donation bar has reset to $5,000 at the beginning of January. This number is our monthly operating costs going forward.  Each month in 2024 that we meet our funding goal it will extend Pillowfort’s life past July 2024. 

Generative AI Ban Policy Update

We will be implementing our updated policy regarding Generative AI in the next site update. Prior to when the policy will be implemented we will share with the community what our definition of Generative AI is and our moderation process. 

We're aware that there are concerns about how moderation systems surrounding generative AI have been abused and used for harassment on other sites: we have consulted with experts on how to avoid those issues, and the suite of moderation methods from international universities also assist with identifying harassment. Abuse of reporting systems will be taken seriously by Staff.

End of Year Fundraiser Limited Edition Badge Gift Form

The form for gifting the Limited Edition Badge to other users who couldn’t donate is now live! Click Here to Fill Out the Form. (Note: We’ll be also making a separate Staff Alert with the link as well.)

Updated Business Plan

The Pillowfort Premium subscription model remains our primary answer to generate the necessary funds needed to cover the costs of running our platform. We will continue to offer optional premium features which can be purchased by users a la carte. However, we will be working on completing the following major projects / updates as an expansion of our revenue strategy in the first half of 2024:

Release of the Progressive Web App w/ Push Notifications - The data is very clear that the lack of a mobile app is hindering our overall growth. A PWA will allow our mobile users to experience all the functionality of a native mobile app and will be much easier for our Developer Team to build & maintain than a native app. We also won't have to worry about App Store content restrictions.

Post Promotions & User-Submitted Advertisement Opt-Ins - Users will be able to promote their posts (as advertisements) by paying a fee. No subscription is required to promote a post. By default, this promoted content will only be displayed on a page specifically for viewing promoted content. While this will mean potentially less revenue, it is important to our philosophy to respect our user’s experience and not force advertising on everyone. However, users can opt into viewing promoted content in their home feed, and will receive a discount on premium features for doing so.

Subscription Gifting - Users will be able to purchase subscriptions that can be gifted to other users. Subscriptions can be gifted to a specific other user, or can be added to a communal pool for any unsubscribed users to take from. We will provide special badges for users who gift subscriptions.

Pillowfort Premium Price Increase - We will be adjusting prices to help us fund our overall operating costs. We will notify the community before any price increase is final.

Mobile Pillowfort Premium Frames - Add an option for mobile users to view Pillowfort Premium Avatar Frames in their feeds.

Other Goals for Completion in 2024 (Goals are subject to change)

Release Queue & Scheduling

Rebuild the post image uploader widget.

Rebuild the way notifications are logged & retrieved in the back-end to be more efficient & reduce errors.

Release an Onboarding Guide for new users.

Release Multi-account management/linking.

Add 2-Factor Authentication.

Enable Community Membership Applications.

Release Community Topics/Organization Options.

Help Us Keep the Lights On!

At Pillowfort we do not receive any funding from venture capital or other outside investors because we are committed to keeping our user experience a priority, and not being beholden to outside interests. While this approach allows us to stay true to our ideals and content guidelines, it also presents many challenges to our team in the form of limited resources, personnel, etc.

Our continued survival depends on the generosity of our community. If you are able to, please consider supporting us with a one-time or recurring monthly donation to help keep Pillowfort online. Any money donated to us now will be applied as a credit to your account when we release paid features & benefits in the future.

Bug Bounty Reminder

We are still offering a Bug Bounty. If you find a bug on the site, particularly one that could pose a threat to the security or functionality of the site, contact Staff through our Contact form or directly at info@pillowfort.social. If you are unsure if we received your report, you can send us a DM to the Staff account here, or DM one of our social media channels to check on the status. 

We sometimes do not receive all notifications from users on other social media. DMing the Staff account on Pillowfort to check on the status is the preferred method. 

The first individual to notify us of a certain issue will be eligible for monetary compensation, depending on the severity of the issue found and the information provided.

Abandoned / Modless Communities Transfer 

We are taking Ownership Transfer requests for Abandoned and/or Modless Communities. The form is available here. 

Pillowfort Dev Blog

Follow our very own Developer Blog for the latest updates from Lead Architect & Founder Julia Baritz.

Follow Us on Social Media

Interact with Pillowfort Staff, ask questions, plus learn about upcoming features and more on social media. 

Pillowfort: Staff Pillowfort Dev: PF_dev_blog Bluesky: pillowfortsoc.bsky.social Tiktok: pillowfort.social Instagram: pillowfort.social Facebook: Pillowfortsocial X/Twitter: @pillowfort_soc Tumblr: pillowfort-social Reddit: pillowfort_social Threads: @pillowfort.social

Best,

Pillowfort Staff

[usonofallama]

Townie Index: San Myshuno

Last Edited: 05/22/25

An archive of official EA households reinterpreted, revised, and rethreaded to fit the narrative structure of my save.

Major households are directly connected to my OCs through history, conflict, legacy, or ideology. Minor households are still in development.

This is a long post, and I’m not sure it’s the ideal format, especially for mobile navigation. Suggestions are welcome. I’ll continue refining structure and layout, and portraits will be added over time. Edits ongoing. Lore subject to change.

Feng

Lily Feng: Chrono | Recent | Lookbook

Xiayou Jing 'Xia' Feng: Chrono | Recent | Lookbook

Victor Feng 👻 Original by @pixelblooming

Salim Benali 👻 The Feng penthouse was once a campaign machine: Victor at the podium, Lily behind the curtain, and Salim Benali somewhere in between, writing the myth they sold to the city. Salim died first: pufferfish, an unfortunate dinner. Victor followed not long after; same fish, different kitchen. Now the lights stay low, the mirrors covered, and the air heavy with things left unsaid. Lily no longer makes appearances or grants interviews, she doesn’t need to. Nancy Landgraab calls her an ally. Angela Pleasant calls her a mentor. But Lily answers to no one. And then there’s Xiayou Jing Feng: eight years old, unacknowledged, unmistakable. She has Salim’s hands, Victor’s stare, and Lily’s stillness. Some say she’s adopted. Others say she’s insurance. She doesn’t cry. Doesn’t run. Speaks three languages, none of them often. Reads like she’s preparing for something. There are no photos. No interviews. Just a child born in the quiet between deaths, already watching the room the way power does. And though Lily claims to dislike children, she never turns the lights off when Xiayou’s still awake.

Jang

🚧

Pizzazz

Penelope 'Penny' Pizzazz: Chrono | Recent | Profile | Lookbook Original by @pixelblooming Penny is the city’s most quotable export: a columnist, trend oracle, and chronic romantic who knows better but doesn’t always act like it. Between rooftop reports and ribbon-cutting exposés, she still falls for the wrong people and Carrie Bradshaws her way out of it, eventually. Worldly, perceptive, ambitious, and high maintenance, she writes with conviction, lives with contradictions, and edits both in post.

Pleasant-Landgraab

Angela Pleasant: Chrono | Recent | Lookbook

Mimi Landgraab-Pleasant: Chrono | Recent | Lookbook Angela Pleasant rebuilt her life from silence and strategy. Once a grieving teen, now a rising political force, she left her marriage to Malcolm Landgraab with her daughter and her future intact. A queer community organizer mentored by Lily Feng, Angela wears her mother's pearl as a quiet rebellion against broken systems. Mimi, still a toddler, lives at the eye of the storm: too young to know the dynasty she was born into, but destined to decide what it becomes.

Pleasant

Lilith Pleasant: Chrono | Recent | Lookbook Lilith Pleasant has always survived by her own rules. A hacker, oracle, and quiet legend of San Myshuno, she trades secrets like currency and reads tarot under flickering signs. She freed her parents’ ghosts not to forgive, but to be free. While Angela drafts policy, Lilith rewrites fate. Together, they are twin mirrors turned at angles, reflecting the city from opposite ends of its pulse.

The Spice Commune

🚧

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Speaking of twst events, what are your Top 3 Favourite game events so far? I'm genuinely curious. :'DD

Are there any events you didn't like?

[Referencing this post!]

Mmmm… I think most events are at least okayish? In general, I tend to prefer stories with high stakes or the ones that have some meaningful impact on character development, which are few and far between when it comes to TWST 😅 so their events aren’t typically my thing! You’ll notice that my favorite events in TWST actually do have story and/or character relevance.

That being said!! My favorite events would have to be:

Glorious Masquerade — This is, in my opinion, TWST’s strongest story and best overall event. It stands out against the others by having actual stakes and fully committing to it, as well as does wonders for the SSR trio’s involvement and interests in taking down the Big Bad. This is particularly true of Idia and Malleus. Said Big Bad, Rollo, is also very compelling in his own right.

Wish Upon a Star — Historically, this was the first time we saw the student’s rooms! The story itself introduced us to Star Rogue, which was pivotal to the Shrouds’ childhood (and later becomes relevant again in book 6). It was sweet to see Deuce try so hard to get Idia to come out of his shell, and even sweeter to see how far Idia is willing to push himself for his brother.

Fairy Gala: If (NOT the first Fairy Gala; this is an important distinction!) — The edge this has over the original is that it is connected to Ortho’s growth as an individual post-book 6. He is able to discover his own take on what “evolution” is. Silver also gets a cool spotlight which demonstrates the pacifist teachings he was imparted with, serving as the bridge between fae and humans. Very pretty clothes and makeup too!!

I also liked:

Happy Beans Day I and II — This was a nice event that gave the whole cast their time to shine without feeling too bloated. It was also fun to see the different strategies and tactics each student employed; it helps show off their characters and problem solving abilities!

Ghost Marriage — I really liked that TWST parodied the fairy tale love stories and romantic events (that Disney and even mobile games in general are typically associated with). Hilarious how each of the guys tried and failed because they’re just silly high school students with no idea how to actually get a date 😂 I’m also biased for any outfit that involves formal wear.

White Rabbit Festival (Queendom of Roses hometown event) — The Alice in Wonderland aesthetic of Clock Town captured my heart 😌 It was also nice to see Deuce prove that he has turned over a new leaf to the townspeople.

The events I didn’t care for are:

Endless Halloween Night — I have very strong beef with the ending and the reasoning given for it 💀 It feels like everyone got gaslit into forgiveness… I also hated how no one held Malleus fully accountable after all the stress they were put through. Easily my most disliked event.

Tamashina Mina (Sunset Savanna hometown event) — Underwhelming ending in spite of the hype building for it. No meaningful payoff for the foreshadowing of Cheka’s guards.

Tsumsted Wonderland I and II — Nothing really happens (other than I guess the Tsums being cute)?? And it doesn’t really make an impact on anything.

Lost in the Book with Stitch — Same issue(s) as the Tsumsted events, except somehow even worse because everyone magically forgets everything they did with Stitch :/ so the experience means nothing in the long term…

Honorable mentions for my dislikes:

All Master Chef/Culinary Crucibles — I hate having to sit around and wait for ingredients and the fact that you can’t cook multiple dishes in one go. The lack of story also makes these events just not worth it for me.

Sam’s New Year Sale(s) and TWST Anniversary — Do these event count as a story event???? They’re just kinda celebratory short interactions, if anything.

[posttexasstressdisorder]

If you want to see what the GOP has in store for the rest of America, visit the Old South

Thom Hartmann

June 27, 2024 5:42AM ET

Photo by Miltiadis Fragkidis on Unsplash

Today is the first Biden-Trump debate and many Americans are wondering how each will articulate their ideas for the future of America.

Republicans have a very specific economic vision for the future of our country, although they rarely talk about it in plain language: they want to make the rest of America look and function just like Mississippi. Including the racism: that’s a feature, not a bug.

It’s called the “Southern Economic Development Model” (SEDM) and has been at the core of GOP economic strategy ever since the days of Ronald Reagan. While they don’t use those words to describe their plan, and neither did the authors of Project 2025, this model is foundational to conservative economic theory and has been since the days of slavery.

The SEDM explicitly works to:

— Maintain a permanent economic underclass of people living on the edge of poverty, — Rigidify racial and gender barriers to class mobility to lock in women and people of color, — Provide a low-cost labor force to employers,

— Prevent unions or any other advocates for workers’ rights to function, — Shift the tax burden to the working poor and what’s left of the middle class while keeping taxes on the morbidly rich extremely low, — Protect the privileges, power, and wealth of the (mostly white and male) economic overclass, — Ghettoize public education and raise the cost of college to make social and economic mobility difficult, — Empower and subsidize churches to take over public welfare functions like food, housing, and care for indigent people, — Allow corporations to increase profits by dumping their waste products into the air and water, — Subsidize those industries that financially support the political power structure, and, — Heavily use actual slave labor.

For hardcore policy wonks, the Economic Policy Institute(EPI) did a deep dive into the SEDM last month: here’s how it works in summary.

Republicans claim that by offering low-cost non-union labor and little to no regulatory oversight to massive corporations, they’re able to “attract business to the region.” This, they promise, will cause (paraphrasing President Kennedy out of context) “a rising tide that lifts all boats.”

Somehow, though, the only people who own boats that rise are those of the business owners and senior executives. The permanent economic underclass is key to maintaining this system with its roots in the old plantation system; that’s why Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina have no minimum wage, Georgia’s is $5.15/hour, and most other GOP states use the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour and $2.13/hour for tipped workers.

It’s thus no coincidence that ten out of the 20 Republican-run states that only use the federal minimum wage are in the Old South.

Anti-union or “right to work for less” efforts and laws are another key to the SEDM; the failed unionization effort last month at the Alabama Mercedes factory was a key victory for the GOP. Unions, after all, balance the power relationship between management and workers; promote higher wages and benefits; support workplace and product safety regulations; advance racial and gender equality; boost social mobility; and have historically been the most effective force for creating a healthy middle class.

Unionization, however, is antithetical to creating and maintaining a permanent economic underclass, which is why, as EPI notes, “while union coverage rates stand at 11.2% nationally, rates in 2023 were as low as 3.0% in South Carolina, 3.3% in North Carolina, 5.2% in Louisiana, and 5.4% in Texas and Georgia.”

Unions also make wage theft more difficult, essentially forcing government to defend workers who’ve been ripped off by their employers. That’s why Florida doesn’t even have a Department of Labor (it was dismantled by Republican Governor Jeb Bush in 2002), and the DOLs in Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina no longer bother to enforce wage theft laws or recover stolen money for workers.

Another key to the SEDM is to end regulation of corporate “externalities,” a fancy word for the pollution that most governments in the developed world require corporations to pay to prevent or clean up. “Cancer Alley” is probably the most famous example of this at work: that stretch from west Texas to New Orleans has more than 200 refineries and chemical plants pouring poison into the air resulting in downwind communities having a 7 to 21 times greater exposure to these substances. And high rates of cancer: Southern corporate profits are boosted by sick people.

Between 2008 and 2018, EPI documents, funding for state environmental agencies was “cut [in Texas and Louisiana] by 35.2% and 34.8% respectively.… Funding was down by 33.7% in North Carolina, 32.8% in Delaware, 20.8% in Georgia, 20.3% in Tennessee, and 10% in Alabama.”

To keep income taxes low on the very wealthy, the SEDM calls for shifting as much of the taxpaying responsibility away from high-income individuals and dumping it instead on the working poor and middle class. This is done by either ending or gutting the income tax (Texas, Florida, and Tennessee have no income tax) and shifting to sales tax, property taxes, fees, and fines.

Nationally, for example, sales taxes provide 34.4% of state and local revenue, but in the SEDM states that burden is radically shifted to consumers: Tennessee, for example, gets 56.6% of their revenue from sales tax, Louisiana 53.3%, Florida 50.9%, Arkansas 49.6%, Alabama 48%, and Mississippi 45.5%. Fees for registering cars, obtaining drivers’ and professional licenses, tolls, traffic and other fines, and permits for home improvements all add to the load carried by average working people.

Republicans argue that keeping taxes low on “job creators” encourages them to “create more jobs,” but that old canard hasn’t really been taken seriously by anybody since Reagan first rolled it out in 1981. It does work to fill their money bins, though, and helps cover the cost of their (tax deductible) private jets, clubs, and yachts.

Another way the SEDM maintains a low-wage workforce is by preventing young people from getting the kind of good education that would enable them to move up and out of their economic and social class. Voucher systems to gut public education, villainization of unionized teachers and librarians, and increasing college tuition all work together to maintain high levels of functional illiteracy. Fifty-four percent of Americans have a literacy rate that doesn’t exceed sixth grade, with the nation’s worst illiteracy mostly in the Old South.

Imposing this limitation against economic mobility on women is also vital to the SEDM. Southern states are famous for their lack of female representation in state legislatures (West Virginia 13%, Tennessee 14%, Mississippi and South Carolina 15%, Alabama and Louisiana 18%), and the states that have most aggressively limited access to abortion and reproductive healthcare (designed to keep women out of the workplace and dependent on men) are entirely Republican-controlled.

Perhaps the most important part of the SEDM pushed by Republicans and Project 2025 is gutting the social safety net. Wealthy rightwingers have complained since FDR’s New Deal of the 1930s that transferring wealth from them to poor and middle-class people is socialism, the first step toward a complete communist tyranny in the United States. It’s an article of faith for today’s GOP.

Weekly unemployment benefits, for example, are lowest in “Mississippi ($235), Alabama ($275), Florida ($275), Louisiana ($275), Tennessee ($275), South Carolina ($326), and North Carolina ($350)” with Southern states setting the maximum number of weeks you can draw benefits at 12 in Florida, North Carolina, and Kentucky, 14 in Alabama and Georgia, and a mere 16 weeks in Oklahoma and Arkansas.

While only 3.3% of children in the Northeast lack health insurance, for the Southern states that number more than doubles to 7.7%. Ten states using the SEDM still refuse to expand Medicaid to cover all state residents living and working in poverty, including Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and Texas.

The main benefit to employers of this weak social safety net is that workers are increasingly desperate for wages — any sort of wages — and even the paltriest of benefits to keep their heads above water economically. As a result, they’re far more likely to tolerate exploitative workplace conditions, underpaid work, and wage theft.

Finally, the SEDM makes aggressive use of the 13th Amendment’s legalization of slavery. That’s not a metaphor: the Amendment says, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” [emphasis added]

That “except as punishment for crime” is the key. While Iceland’s and Japan’s incarceration rates are 36 for every 100,000 people, Finland and Norway come in at 51, Ireland and Canada at 88, there are 664 people in prison in America for every 100,000 people. No other developed country even comes close, because no other developed country also allows legalized slavery under color of law.

Fully 800,000 (out of a total 1.2 million prisoners) Americans are currently held in conditions of slave labor in American jails and prisons, most working for private prison corporations that profitably insource work and unfairly compete against normal American companies. Particularly in the South, this workforce is largely Black and Hispanic.

As the ACLU documented for the EPI, “The vast majority of work done by prisoners in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas is unpaid.” Literal slave labor, in other words. It’s a international scandal, but it’s also an important part of this development model that was, after all, first grounded in chattel slavery.

The Christian white supremacist roots of the SEDM worldview are best summed up by the lobbyist and head of the Southern Committee to Uphold the Constitution, Vance Muse — the inventor of the modern “right to work for less” model and advocate for the Southern Economic Development Model — who famously proclaimed in 1944, just days after Arkansas and Florida became the first states to adopt his anti-union legislation, that it was all about keeping Blacks and Jews in their places to protect the power and privileges of wealthy white people.

So, if you want to see what Republicans have in mind for the rest of America if Trump or another Republican becomes president and they can hold onto Congress, just visit the Old South. Or, as today’s MAGA GOP would call it, “the New Model.”