#Non-defining Clause

[sunum-teknikleri]

İleri Seviye Relative Clause ve Modifier Kullanımı: Kapsamlı Rehber

İngilizce'de cümleleri zenginleştiren ve daha akıcı hale getiren ileri seviye Relative Clause (Sıfat Cümleciği) ve Modifier (Niteleyici) yapılarını detaylıca öğrenin. Defining, non-defining, reduced relative clause'lar, participial phrase'ler ve appositive'ler hakkında kapsamlı bilgi ve örnekler. https://www.fullofenglish.com/ingilizce-dilbilgisi/ileri-seviye-relative-clause-ve-modifier-kullanimi-kapsamli-rehber/

[trolledu]

Relative Clauses (defining and non-defining)

Defining Clauses give additional information about something mentioned earlier. There are two kinds of relative clauses, 1. Defining and 2. Non-Defining:

1. Defining Relative Clauses (where the relative pronoun can be omitted)

Defining relative clauses provide essential information about the noun they modify. If you remove them, the sentence may lose its specific meaning.

Examples:

This is the book (that) I was telling you about. (“That” can be omitted)

The car (which) she drives is very fast. (“Which” can be omitted)

The person (who) you met yesterday is my cousin. (“Who” can be omitted)

2. Non-Defining Relative Clauses (where the relative pronoun cannot be omitted)

Non-defining relative clauses provide extra information that is not essential to identify the noun. If you remove them, the sentence will still make sense.

Examples:

My brother, who lives in New York, is coming to visit. (“Who” cannot be omitted)

The Eiffel Tower, which is in Paris, is a famous landmark. (“Which” cannot be omitted)

She gave me the keys, which I had lost earlier. (“Which” cannot be omitted)

[mindfulwrath]

the more i start trying to define 'vegetable' for myself, not botanically but culturally, culinarily, the more i realize that 'vegetable' has no meaning for me. like, most other categories of food i can simplify into a snappy phrase with one or two exception clauses. 'meat is flesh from an animal,' 'fish is any non-mammalian, non-amphibious animal that lives in the water', 'fruit is the fleshy seed-containing part of a plant.'

what the fuck is a vegetable. i can't say 'any edible part of a plant that's not fruit,' because then, what, are grains vegetables? No, wheat and rice and oats are certainly not vegetables. Beans are not vegetables. Nuts are not vegetables (and they are also not fruits).

and then you get things like corn, okay, corn is in this weird quantum state of simultaneously being A Vegetable and A Grain and Not A Vegetable. because cooked corn kernels, that's vegetable. you may not think it's a particularly good one but where i come from it is one. (some places, mostly barbecue joints, label anything not-meat as 'vegetable', which leads occasionally to mac&cheese being a vegetable, but that's a special case.) cornmeal? no way. grits are not vegetable. tortilla chips are not vegetable. But you don't even have to get that far removed, because popcorn, straight-up kernels just cooked slightly differently, is also not a vegetable.

don't even get me started on mushrooms, which may be vegetables, but crucially, are not even plants.

[isacksteban]

Silver Leash — Strollonso

When Fernando Alonso signed with Aston Martin for the 2023 season, he expected the usual contractual obligations — press commitments, sponsorship appearances, performance incentives. What he didn’t expect was the clause.

It wasn’t buried deep in legal jargon or hidden in fine print. It had never been something Aston had tried to hide in small print or burried in pages of filler. No, it was right there in bold, staring back at him:

"Under no circumstances shall Fernando Alonso publicly criticize, insult, or engage in any behavior that may be perceived as detrimental or disrespectful to his teammate, Lance Stroll, whether in the media, over team radio, or during on-track competition. Any concerns or critiques must be addressed directly to Lance Stroll in private or communicated discreetly to the team owner in a confidential setting. Failure to comply with this clause will result in not only a fine of up to 7 million Euro's (depending on time of offense in relation to the time remaining on Alonso's contract) but also the immediate termination of all contractual ties between Fernando Alonso Díaz and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team."

Fernando let out a short laugh when he first read it, glancing up at Mike Krack, who sat across from him. “You’re serious?”

Mike gave him a tight smile, eyes crinkling as he spoke. “Very.”

Fernando turned to his agent, eyebrow raised. “They’re making me promise to be nice to the boss’ son?”

His agent, who had already gone through enough contractual battles over Fernando’s career, sighed. “It’s non-negotiable.”

It wasn’t that Fernando had planned to be cruel to Lance, but the idea of being legally obligated to hold his tongue was almost amusing. He had built a career on speaking his mind, calling out teammates when necessary, and pushing team dynamics to his advantage. This? This was new.

“And what if I break it?” Fernando asked, still humored.

Mike cleared his throat. “You read it, did you not? Fines. Definite contract termination. And, well… I assure you Lawrence would not be nearly as happy with you as he was the last time we spoke.”

So Fernando signed, pen scratching against paper, agreeing to one of the strangest conditions of his career. He’d seen plenty of team politics in F1, but this? This was next-level.

Later, during the very first race of his career sporting Tiffany green, Fernando found himself in a familiar situation — side-by-side with his teammate, wheel-to-wheel, the kind of battle that had defined the legacy he was leaving behind once he decided he was done. Every instinct screamed at him to assert dominance, to remind the younger driver who the true leader of the team was. The champion.

Lance was leaving just enough of a gap, practically an invitation for Fernando to squeeze him onto the kerb, force a correction, take the place. Any other teammate, any other year, and he wouldn’t have thought twice. He had done it before, countless times. This was racing. His kind of racing.

But then — the clause.

The words flashed through his mind like a red warning light on his dash. Public criticism, harmful behavior, consequences. Lawrence would be watching. The entire Aston Martin garage would be watching.

He hesitated.

And in that fraction of a second, instead of shutting the door, he gave Lance space. Just enough to let him breathe, to keep the peace, to avoid anything that could be spun as "aggressive" or "damaging" in a post-race debrief. It was unnatural, like forcing himself to drive with one hand tied behind his back.

Lance held his line, unaware of the battle Fernando had just fought — not against the Canadian, but against himself.

For the first time in his career, Fernando Alonso wasn’t just playing the game.

He was legally required to.

Fernando had barely climbed out of his car at the end of the 57 laps when he spotted Lance approaching. The Canadian walked with the kind of reluctance that was impossible to miss, his usual nonchalance strained under the weight of obligation. Fernando knew the look well — this wasn’t Lance’s idea. Someone, the most obvious choice being his father, had sent him over.

Fernando wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel, still buzzing from the podium finish. Third place wasn’t a win, but it was a statement. A reminder that even at 41, he was still sharper than most of the grid. And most definitely still sharper than Lance.

The younger driver stopped in front of him, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Uh, congrats, man. P3. That was… good.”

Fernando forced a smile, all teeth. “Gracias, Lance.” He clapped a hand on Lance’s shoulder, squeezing just enough to make it feel patronizing. “P6 — not bad.”

Lance’s lips pressed together, his gaze flickering elsewhere, like he’d rather be anywhere but here. Fernando wondered if he even knew what had happened in the race — during his shitty pit stop — or if he’d spent the last 57 laps just existing in his own bubble.

“You looked strong out there,” Lance added, voice flat, rehearsed.

Fernando chuckled, more to himself than anything. Looked strong? He was strong. He had danced with the front runners, defended, attacked, outplayed the strategy. Meanwhile, Lance had spent the race being comfortably midfield at best, a solid sixth, the kind of result that didn’t earn you anything but a polite nod.

Still, Fernando played his role. He couldn’t afford to slip, not yet. “We both did well for the team,” he said smoothly, as if it were the truth. “Good points for Aston Martin.”

Lance nodded, as if he too was pretending they were on the same playing field.

Fernando resisted the urge to smirk. He already loathed the boy, but the clause — the fucking clause — meant he had to be careful. So he pulled his hand away, gave Lance a final, meaningless nod, and let the younger driver walk off, no doubt eager to report back that he’d done his duty.

As soon as Lance was out of earshot, Fernando exhaled sharply.

He wasn't sure how he was liking his new teammate.

Fernando didn’t bother changing out of his race suit before making his way to his driver’s room. The adrenaline of the podium — and the champagne lingering on his clothes — was still buzzing under his skin, but the moment he shut the door behind him, frustration took over. He barely had time to throw his gloves onto the couch before Lawrence Stroll walked in, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

“You needed something, Fernando?” Lawrence asked, tone as cool as ever. Yes, Fernando did need something.

Fernando didn’t waste time. “You really expect me to keep backing off for someone who isn’t even on my level?”

"I do." Lawrence didn’t blink. “You agreed to the contract, Fernando.”

“That can't seriously be your answer.” Fernando ran a hand through his damp hair, exhaling sharply. “I could’ve overtaken him earlier, but I didn’t. You think that’s normal? That I should hold back in a race, in my own career, for—” He stopped himself, rolling his eyes. “For him?”

Lawrence’s gaze didn’t waver. “Yes.”

Fernando let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “Incredible.”

“Fernando,” Lawrence said, stepping further into the room, voice lowering just slightly, “you don’t have to like it, but you do have to respect it.”

“Respect what?” Fernando snapped. “That I have to treat him like a fragile little— little fucking princess? That I have to pretend he belongs here when we both know he doesn’t?”

"Alonso, I don't want to speak to you about this again." Lawrence’s expression darkened, his stance shifting just slightly as he towered over the Spaniard. “Watch yourself.”

Fernando huffed, turning away for a second before facing him again. “I have played a lot of political games in my career, Lawrence, but this?” He gestured vaguely, exasperated. “This is ridiculous. I had to give him space. I had to let him be comfortable on track when I should be racing. What do you want next? You want me to let him through?”

Lawrence narrowed his eyes. “If it benefits my team, yes.”

Fernando’s jaw tightened. He could push back more, keep arguing, but there was no point. Lawrence wasn’t a man who changed his mind. And Fernando, no matter how much he hated it, had already signed the deal.

So instead, he forced a breath through his nose, grabbed a water bottle off the table, and took a slow sip. “Fine,” he finally said, voice calmer but laced with disdain. “Just don’t expect me to be happy about it.”

Lawrence studied him for a long moment, then gave the smallest of nods. “I've never once expected you to be.”

And with that, he turned and walked out, closing the door behind him with a quiet finality.

Fernando exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. He was about to finally sit down when there was a knock at the door. His fingers curled around the water bottle a little tighter. He already knew who it was.

For a split second, he considered ignoring it. But the knock came again — lighter this time, obvioisly hesitant.

With a sigh, he set the bottle down and walked over, pulling the door open to reveal exactly who he'd expected.

Lance.

The younger driver looked anxiously at him, shifting on his feet, hands tucked behind his back like a schoolboy trying to be on his best behavior. Fernando didn’t say anything, just raised an eyebrow, waiting.

“Uh… hey,” Lance started, a little awkwardly. “I just, um… I wanted to say congrats.”

Fernando kept his expression neutral. “You already did, Lance.”

Lance gave a small, sheepish nod. “Yeah, I know. But I was kind of weird about it earlier, and I—” He hesitated, eyes flicking to the floor before meeting Fernando’s again. “I just wanted to say I’m really glad you’re here. And I hope, you know… we can get along.”

There was something so earnest about the way he said it, like he truly believed there was a chance for them to be friends. Like he thought Fernando’s patience wasn’t already running on fumes.

Fernando could’ve laughed.

Instead, he forced a small, polite smile. “Of course.”

Lance brightened just a little, nodding. “Cool. Um… okay, yeah. See you later.”

He turned and walked away, posture just a little lighter, as if he thought that had gone well.

Fernando watched him go, then slowly shut the door, rolling his eyes as he leaned against it.

It was going to be a very long season.

The Jeddah Corniche Circuit was a different beast. Fast, unforgiving, a street track disguised as a high-speed rollercoaster. It was the kind of place where instincts ruled, where hesitation was punished, and where Fernando Alonso, even at 41, still thrived.

He liked tracks like this. No margin for error, no time to second-guess. Just pure, relentless speed.

The problem, as always, was Lance Stroll.

After Bahrain, Fernando had done his best to play the game — smiling when required, saying the right things, keeping any biting comments locked behind clenched teeth. The clause had forced a leash onto him, but even a caged animal knew how to maneuver within its boundaries.

Now, under the glowing Saudi Arabian floodlights, Fernando sat in the team briefing, arms crossed, watching as Lance spoke with the engineers. The younger driver was nodding along, but Fernando wasn’t convinced he actually understood even half of what was being discussed.

Mike Krack finished outlining the race strategy — two-stop, tire management crucial, potential undercut scenarios. All fairly standard. But then came the part Fernando had been waiting for.

“Team orders,” Krack said, glancing between them. “If you two find yourselves fighting on track, we expect clean racing. No unnecessary risks.”

Fernando almost smirked. He knew exactly what that meant.

Lawrence was sitting at the back of the room, silent but ever-present. His mere existence was enough to remind Fernando that whatever was about to be said next was not up for debate.

“If Fernando is ahead,” Krack continued carefully, “we hold position unless strategy dictates otherwise.”

A brief pause. Then—

“If Lance is ahead, we expect Fernando to exercise caution.”

There it was.

Fernando’s jaw flexed. “Exercise caution,” he echoed, voice neutral.

Krack nodded. “We need both cars in the points.”

Fernando didn’t look at Lawrence. Didn’t need to. He knew exactly who had made sure those words were in the briefing.

Lance, oblivious as ever, just nodded along. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

Of course it did.

Fernando leaned back in his chair, drumming his fingers against the table. He had played enough political games in his career to recognize when he was being pushed into a supporting role. But he also knew something Lawrence would never admit: Formula 1 was not a charity. It was not a place where favoritism could create champions.

And no contract, no ridiculous clause, could change the fact that Fernando was the better driver.

Jeddah would prove it.

Fernando had survived a lot in his career — backstabbing teammates, disastrous team moves, engine failures at the worst possible moments — but this?

This might just be his greatest test yet.

“Alright, guys! Let’s get set up,” the cheerful media coordinator chirped, completely oblivious to the silent standoff happening in the corner of the Aston Martin garage.

Fernando crossed his arms, leaning back against the counter. “You’re joking.”

Lance, standing beside him, looked equally unenthused. He ran a hand through his hair, already looking like he wanted to bolt. “I thought we were done with this stuff after Bahrain.”

The media coordinator clapped her hands together. “Nope! We’ve got some fun content planned for you two today. A little ‘Get to Know Your Teammate’ challenge, some reaction videos, and a fun helmet swap segment!”

Fernando arched an eyebrow. “Helmet swap?”

“Yeah! But for this you’ll each put on the other’s helmet and try to impersonate each other.”

Lance let out an audible groan. “This is gonna suck.”

Fernando smirked. “At least you admit it.”

Lance shot him a look, but before he could respond, they were ushered into position in front of a bright green Aston Martin backdrop.

A producer handed them each a whiteboard and marker.

“Okay! First question,” the coordinator announced. “Fernando, what is Lance’s favorite pre-race meal?”

Fernando barely hesitated before writing down something boring.

Lance glanced at his board and rolled his eyes before flipping his answer around: Pasta or chicken.

“Not specific enough,” Lance muttered.

Fernando shrugged. “It was close enough.”

The media coordinator smiled, unfazed. “Alright, Lance! Your turn. What’s Fernando’s favorite post-race celebration?”

Lance didn’t even hesitate before writing: Complaining about strategy.

Fernando turned his board around at the same time: Telling the team they should’ve listened to me.

The crew burst into laughter.

“At least we agree on something,” Fernando said dryly.

Lance shook his head, but there was a hint of a smile at the corner of his lips.

Lance sighed as he pulled Fernando’s helmet over his head. “God, this thing smells like sweat and ego.”

Fernando, now wearing Lance’s helmet, grinned. “And this one smells like daddy’s money.”

The crew stifled their laughter. Lance was far less amused.

Lance shot him a look. “Alright, let’s hear it. Give me your best Lance impression.”

Fernando adjusted the helmet, squared his shoulders, and then, in the most monotone voice possible, said, "Uh, yeah, I think we had, like, decent pace today. The car felt okay. We’ll, uh, look at the data and see what we can do better next time.”

The room erupted in laughter.

Lance crossed his arms. “Wow. So original.”

Fernando smirked. “Your turn, champ.”

Lance took a deep breath, dramatically straightened his posture, then, in an over-the-top Spanish accent, declared, "I am Fernando Alonso. I am always right. The team should listen to me. I do not age. I am inevitable.”

Fernando stared at him for a long moment before finally cracking a grin. “Okay. Not bad.”

Lance tilted his head. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Fernando patted his shoulder. “You’re still an idiot, though.”

The cameras kept rolling as Lance huffed and shoved his helmet into Fernando’s chest.

Lap 17.

Fernando had been patient. Too patient. He had managed his tires, executed the strategy, stayed clean while the midfield chaos unfolded around him. But now, Lance was ahead, and patience was no longer an option.

The younger driver had been struggling with tire wear for the past few laps, his pace fading just enough for Fernando to reel him in. The gap was within DRS range now, and with the long straights of Jeddah, it was only a matter of time.

The team radio crackled to life.

“Fernando, Fernando we need you to hold position. Lance is managing his tyres and we can't afford risking either car.”

Fernando didn’t respond. He simply kept driving.

Turn 27 approached — the final corner, the perfect slingshot onto the main straight. Lance braked slightly earlier than expected, tentative on entry. Fernando, a two-time world champion, did not hesitate.

He took the corner with precision, carrying more speed onto the straight. DRS activated.

He was alongside.

“Fernando, hold position.”

The words meant nothing.

By the time they reached Turn 1, Fernando was ahead.

It was a clean overtake. No contact, no aggressive chop, nothing that could be deemed “detrimental” in a court of law. Just pure, calculated racing.

And yet, he could already imagine the reaction in the garage.

Sure enough, a few corners later—

“Fernando, that was not what we discussed.”

He allowed himself the smallest of smirks.

“I was faster,” he replied simply.

There was a long pause.

Then, begrudgingly—

“Understood. Carry on.”

Fernando finished P4. Just outside the podium, but another strong result. Lance? P7. Respectable, but nothing remarkable.

The Canadian hadn't been anything close to remarkable in years.

He barely had time to remove his helmet before Lawrence Stroll appeared in the motorhome, expression unreadable.

Fernando knew what was coming.

“You ignored team orders,” Lawrence said, voice cool.

Fernando took a slow sip of his water, unbothered. “I passed him cleanly.”

Lawrence stepped closer. “That’s not the point.”

Fernando tilted his head. “No? Then what is?”

Lawrence exhaled sharply, jaw tight. He didn’t like being questioned. “I told you to respect the agreement.”

“I did,” Fernando said evenly. “I did not insult him. I did not endanger him. I did not harm the team. I simply raced.”

A tense silence stretched between them.

Then, finally, Lawrence spoke.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, Fernando Alonso.”

Fernando met his gaze, unflinching.

“I always do.”

And with that, he turned and walked away, already thinking about the next race.

This season was already feeling long. But one thing was certain—

He wasn’t going to just roll over and let Lance win.

Fernando barely had time to settle into his chair before Lance strolled into the drivers’ room, still in his race suit, looking far more relaxed than he should have.

“Hey,” Lance said, pulling off his balaclava and shaking out his damp hair — he didn't look half bad like this. “That was a nice move back there.”

Fernando glanced up, mildly surprised. “You think so?”

Lance nodded, grabbing a bottle of Fernando's water and plopping down across from him, raising it as if requesting permission. Fernando nodded. “Yeah. I mean, I was sliding around like crazy, so I figured you’d get past eventually. You did good.”

Fernando studied him for a moment, waiting for some hint of frustration, some bite in his tone — but there was none. He was being genuine.

“You’re not upset?” Fernando asked carefully.

Lance shrugged. “Why would I be? You were faster. I get it.” He took a sip of water. “I mean, yeah, it sucks to lose a position, but it’s not like you shoved me off the track or anything.”

Fernando almost laughed. It was almost admirable — Lance’s ability to take things in stride, to assume that everything was just clean, fair racing and nothing more.

He had no idea how much trouble Fernando had just caused behind the scenes.

“You’re handling this better than your father,” Fernando said, just to see how Lance would react.

Lance snorted. “Yeah, well, he’s always like that.” He leaned back in the chair, stretching his arms over his head. “I don’t really care about the whole ‘team orders’ thing as long as we both finish strong. You deserved that position today.”

Fernando hummed, letting the words sink in. It was so simple for Lance — too simple. But that was the difference between them. Fernando had spent decades in this sport, playing politics, navigating power struggles. Lance, for all his experience, still existed in a bubble, shielded by his father’s influence.

Maybe that was why he could afford to be so relaxed.

Maybe that was why Fernando could never take him seriously.

Still, he offered a small nod. “Good. I’d hate for you to lose sleep over it.”

Lance grinned as he stood, completely unaware of the storm brewing outside that room. “Nah. I sleep just fine.”

Fernando smirked. “Enjoy it while it lasts.”

Lance laughed, shaking off Fernando's words with a smile as he left for his room.

The paddock at Albert Park buzzed with energy. The sun glared down, reflecting off the sea of green Aston Martin branding as Fernando strode through the garage, helmet in hand. He had barely settled into his routine before he was pulled aside — media obligations, team briefings, the usual nonsense.

Lance, on the other hand, looked completely at ease, leaning against a stack of Pirelli tires, chatting with his engineers like they were discussing weekend plans rather than race strategy.

Fernando envied that kind of naivety.

He didn't have time for distractions. Not here, not now.

Australia had always been a wildcard. Street circuits were unforgiving, and chaos was a guarantee. The kind of race where experience won out over raw pace.

And Fernando Alonso had experience in abundance.

Fernando had been expecting something.

After Jeddah, after ignoring team orders — after proving, once again, that he had no interest in playing second to Lance — he knew Lawrence wouldn’t stay quiet. But even so, when the team owner pulled him aside in the motorhome before the Australian Grand Prix, Fernando barely spared him a glance.

“Fernando.” Lawrence’s voice was steady, calm, but there was an edge beneath it. “We need to talk.”

Fernando took a slow sip of water, feigning disinterest. “About?”

Lawrence stepped closer, lowering his voice. “About your place on this team.”

That was enough to make Fernando finally meet his gaze. “My place?” He smirked. “I thought it was simple. I drive, I deliver results.”

“You’re too smart to pretend that’s the full picture.” Lawrence’s expression remained unreadable. “You think I don’t see what you’re doing? You think I don’t know exactly how this plays out if I let you keep doing whatever you want?”

Fernando leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms. “Enlighten me.”

Lawrence’s eyes narrowed. “If Lance finishes below you today, I will make sure you never race in another sport again, let alone Formula One.”

For the first time, Fernando’s smirk faltered — just slightly.

Lawrence continued, voice calm, deliberate. “I’ll start limiting your practice time. I’ll restrict your access to team data. I’ll make sure every resource this team has is directed toward Lance. And when the season ends? You won’t find another seat. Not here, not anywhere.”

A long silence stretched between them.

Then, Fernando let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. “You must really be afraid.”

Lawrence didn’t blink. “No. I just know no one on the grid has the funds to buy what's mine.”

Fernando held his gaze. He had spent years playing this game, maneuvering through politics, outlasting enemies. But this — this was something else.

This wasn’t just about racing.

This was about control.

Ownership.

And for the first time in a long time, Fernando wondered if he had finally met someone willing to go further than even he was.

Lawrence didn’t say anything else. He didn’t need to. The weight of his words settled between them like a noose tightening around Fernando’s neck.

Then, with a final, knowing look, Lawrence turned on his heel and left.

Fernando exhaled slowly, flexing his fingers. He had fought his way through every level of this sport, survived cutthroat politics, backroom deals, and teams that had tried to break him. But Lawrence — Lawrence had just made it clear that this wasn’t a game of survival.

This was war.

And Fernando? Fernando was trapped in enemy territory.

Fernando learned about the so-called “bonding” exercise two hours later, delivered in the same smug, calculated way Lawrence always operated.

“We’re making some changes to your schedule,” Lawrence informed him, standing in his office with his arms crossed. “You’ll be spending more time with Lance outside of race weekends. I want you to mentor him — help him develop as a driver, as a leader.”

Fernando didn’t even try to hide his disdain. “You mean babysit.”

Lawrence’s expression didn’t change. “You’ll spend time with him. Get to know him properly. Do whatever it takes to make this partnership work.”

It wasn’t a suggestion.

And so, against every instinct, Fernando played along.

The first bonding session was simple: dinner at a private, high-end restaurant on Thursday — just the two of them, no media, no team personnel. A forced interaction under the guise of “strengthening their relationship,” when in reality, it was just another way for Lawrence to control the narrative.

Lance, of course, was oblivious.

“This is nice,” he said, swirling his drink — some ancient red wine — as he leaned back in his chair. “We never really do stuff like this, huh?”

Fernando smiled — practiced, effortless. “No, we don’t.”

Lance took it as genuine. “I get why people think we don’t get along, but I think we work well together. You push me, you know?”

Fernando tilted his head. “Is that so?”

Lance nodded earnestly. “Yeah. I know I have a lot to prove, but you treating me like competition — it helps. Makes me better.”

God, he’s naïve.

Fernando nodded, swirling his own drink lazily. “Good. That’s what teammates do.”

Lance smiled, genuinely pleased. “Yeah, exactly.”

Later that night, after the shit show of a dinner that Lance seemed to enjoy much more than Fernando ever could, he found Chris Cronin in the garage, away from prying eyes.

Fernando sighed, rubbing his temple. “I swear to god, if I have to keep entertaining these ridiculous ‘bonding’ exercises, I’m going to lose my mind.”

Chris smirked. “I take it dinner was fun?”

Fernando scoffed. “He’s unbearable. He sits there, smiling, talking about how much he’s learning — he has no idea what’s actually happening. No idea what his father is doing, what kind of game is being played.”

Chris leaned against the workbench. “And you’re playing along.”

Fernando exhaled sharply. “Of course, I am. I have no choice.” His fingers tapped against his crossed arms. “He thinks we’re friends.”

Chris raised a brow. “And?”

Fernando shrugged. “Let him.”

[nesahsjewishdump]

Jewish Magic?

*disclaimer: this is an old post of mine from another platform that I have revised. I hope all of the resource links still work.

Magic is traditionally defined as the art or practice of affecting change or predicting events using hidden natural and/or supernatural forces.

for all intents and purposes, jewish magic isn’t inherently different by definition from other forms of magic by definition; you can see the similarities here, where yuval harari describes jewish magic as “based on a belief in human power to affect reality and change it by means of words and rites”. in reality, jewish magic is simply magic, but is differentiated by employing vast array of world views, beliefs, and traditions of the jewish people.

jewish magic traditionally tends to place an emphasis on the jewish view of use and manipulation of words and their creative ability; for example, from the very beginning of Bereshit in the Torah we can see words being used to speak the world into existence by G-d.

historically, jewish magic has placed a high reliance on non-human entities, including the archangels, other heavenly hosts, and even the constellations, the planets, and other celestial objects which at one point were all considered living entities, though this may now be interpreted as astrology. more “earthly” entities, too, were relied upon for magic, including shedim. these latter entities were primarily used in adjurations (petitions) against other people or in attempt to remove or trap the entity in question, or otherwise hinder their power.

notably, G-d Themselves was generally excluded from being involved in human magic directly out of respect, as one wouldn’t want to command something of G-d. Rather, G-d was indirectly involved in magic as the Source of magical knowledge, and as an addressee and/or a source of higher power over a lower being in an adjuration (eg. used in the clause “I adjure you, [entity being adjured], in the name of G-d [or another “higher” being than the entity being adjured]”)

archaeological evidence points to rituals having been performed to both help and harm others for various reasons, including for healing (including rituals for aborting a dead fetus, recipe of which is pictured above), protection (from demons and rival nations), curses, attracting G-d‘s favour, success in financial and military matters, improving one’s memory for study, and petitions to receive divine messages by means of dreams (dream interpretation is among the most popular and most well accounted for means of divination amongst the Jewish people since the beginning).

the archaeological evidence of magic rituals performed in ancient judea consists of both incantation bowls (pictured below), and metal or clay tablets. Upon these objets one can identify recipes passages from the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) and Talmud, and adjurations of various entities. In particular, these tablets and incantations bowls found were primarily used to protect against demons and to heal somebody after experiencing demonic interference.

aside from incantation bowls and tablets, entire recipes for Jewish magic rituals were found written on parchment in a genizah in Cairo. These recipes indicate that performing a ritual was no laughing matter to ancient judeans, as per yuval harari:

”the instructions touch upon preliminary ritual preparations (such as purification, abstention from women, meat and hot food, and wearing clean white cloths), the time and place of the rite, the materials and objects to be used throughout out the ceremony and the way to utilize them, the gestures required on part of the practitioner and the way to leave the magical space and to return to normal life”

Jewish magic has historically used the concept of words, letters, and numbers as means of creation. its believed that speaking a word or phrase out loud, or even writing it down can not only manifest it, but also have other powers over the word/phrase. the same can apply to using [the names of people or entities|http://aminoapps.com/p/1zutjo] to call on their power (through meaning of their name(s), too, especially in the case of G-d and other people), or exert power over them. even the work of certain demons can be nullified or reversed by speaking their name multiple times, each time removing one letter from their name to gradually reduce its power.

upon the destruction of the second temple by rome and the creation of the second major and ongoing jewish diaspora in 70 CE, jewish magic and ritual were transported into surrounding regions, and, from there, following a series of expulsions and perfections, into the diasporic regions of the jews and was in turn influenced in part by the cultures that surrounded us, developing folk magics and practices unique to each diasporic region/sub-culture which are so rich in and of themselves i do not have the rational space to include them here.

most notably for the ritualistic magic of ancient judea, however, was the resurgence of jewish magic and mysticism by means of the emergence of kabbalah in 12th/13th century iberia (what is now spain and southern france). it is in part due to the emergence of kabbalah that the jewish people have maintained jewish magical practices through till today and that they weren’t completely lost to time in the diaspora.

Jewish magic has a very long and complicated history, particularly in the hands of goyim. this is especially true particularly when looking at jewish magic post-diaspora. at various periods of time, the standard religious and cultural practices of jews were perceived as malevolent acts of sorcery that were intended to curse and/or cause harm to non-jews. from accusations of blood libel, to being poisoners, to the witch crazes of europe, and being identified as literal devils ourselves, jews were banished, mistreated, and slaughtered because of the ignorant and harmful perceptions of non-jews, particularly christian europeans.

Yet, despite the shaming, attacking, and murdering of jews because of our practices, many of these very same people committing such heinous acts simultaneously sought jews out for the other-worldly power and knowledge they believed we had and that they so desperately wanted. this strange obsession and fetishization with our “exotic” magical works and mystical beliefs in combination with dwindling populations of jewish communities as the result of massacres and expulsions created an issue: the non-Jews of christian europe wanted Jewish magic, but didn’t have nor want the jews near by to ask to do it for them. so, their solution was to take what little, watered-down and out-of-context knowledge and practices they could from jews and publish them in grimoires attributed to jewish figures, most notably Moses and Solomon (yes, this is where we get solomonic magic. It is not jewish magic, it is “jewish” magic). According to Ezra Rose, “their attribution to Solomon and the style (if not the substance) of their contents were part of the medieval and renaissance image of Jews as master sorcerers”, but are not at all jewish, rather using the “exotic” and extremely fetishized image of jews and jewish magic to present specifically christian perspectives and thoughts on both king solomon and demons.

Eventually, when the Christian clergy learned about the kabbalah, they co-opted that too and christianized it into “christian cabala”, in both an attempt to convert jews to christianity , and to continue to “take what they wanted from jews and then turn around and use them [jews] as scapegoats”. both christian cabala and the “jewish” grimoires attributed to solomon would go onto inform hermetic qabala (and hermeticism and thelema and other occult religions including eventually wicca) and with it a lot of aspects found within occultism and the new age movement, many of which can still be observed today in neo-pagan and modern occult practices.

Jewish Mysticism and Magic?

mysticism is described by religious studies professor arthur versluis as “a spiritual discipline aimed at the union with the divine” and/or “any belief in the existence of realities beyond perceptual or intellectual apprehension but [that is] central to being and directly accessible by intuition”.

unlike jewish mysticism, jewish magic need not include or involve concepts of the divine or incomprehensible realms, though the concepts may overlap for some. kabbalah does often involve rituals and practices that can be considered jewish magic, however, as we will see below.

kabbalah can be divided into three “forms” of practice:

1. Theoretical/Speculative Kabbalah

the form of kabbalah that is concerned with divine order and the structure of the universe

2. Ecstatic/Prophetic/Meditative Kabbalah

the usage of various techniques to be able to “transcend the physical world, experience the divine and receive prophetic messages” to understand the universe. this kind of Kabbalah is most often noted to be present in the books of the prophets.

3. Practical Kabbalah

seeking to influence the universe using a variety of practices using jewish magic.

so in general, it is safe to say that jewish mysticism is not the same as magic, but may include magic (particularly in the context of practical kabbalah), and that a jewish individual may involve jewish mysticism in their magical practice.

References

https://w3g3a5v6.ssl.hwcdn.net/upload2/game/1648192/6280601?GoogleAccessId=uploader@moonscript2.iam.gserviceaccount.com&Expires=1660167723&Signature=cQmAzHpjWynGV85QVX96WJWkyS3klOUkoMfnSGT67pE%2FMO%2FGf0vLJkpf2GGpqZeVElMRzn2%2BL5n2WqWKxa39foO8q42Uqr%2BCHEUikOuj1L6t77zwUDeAMVDY%2F6p3Cga%2FcgmB9YlOGzYNkgu7uVtB8G%2FJyMSNnBcpDpZa7jKaz5P0iS4c19xbTON1HrPKIjKcXosURh%2B3hPnE7Pk5Jn13AHO55WLv46YV%2FwhB5Y2tfVRqsPJOpRL%2FOHrrW5DJoGRUewojhEzyrzuhAy7ahi8odV3oI1ABrhw4lBPYvLKcDMecv4RJNz1i2MJYC2YzZy98jK5NDCnK09UcxCJmgkQDRg==&hwexp=1660167983&hwsig=9edf6fe995926d461fa9d2ea92aef1e9

https://www.etymonline.com/word/magic

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/magic

https://www.asor.org/anetoday/2018/01/early-jewish-magic/

http://esoteric.msu.edu/REL275/REL275Definitions.html

https://www.jewfaq.org/kabbalah.htm

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/from-jewish-mysticism-to-magic/amp/

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-cairo-genizah%5D

https://www.jewitches.com/post/kabbalah-vs-cabala-vs-qabala%5D

https://www.jewitches.com/post/is-tarot-jewish%5D

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMNpuSUPs/?k=1

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMNpuxcVk/?k=1

https://www.jewitches.com/post/witch-history-jews-and-the-witchcraze

[transformationsproject]

Today’s Legislative Updates April 29, 2025

Trans rights are still under attack in the United States. Please visit our website linked below to learn about your state and contact your reps. Here's a thread of today's updates:

Bathroom bills deny access to public restrooms by gender or trans identity. 

They increase danger without making anyone any safer and have even prompted attacks on cis and trans people alike. Many national health and anti-sexual assault organizations oppose these bills.

Old Bills:

Texas sent bill SB240 to the House State Affairs Committee yesterday.

North Dakota returned bill HB1144 from its conference committee with an additional emergency clause yesterday. The bill passed the first of two votes in both chambers and will go to the governor if it passes its final votes.

Healthcare bills go against professional and scientific consensus that gender-affirming care saves lives. Denying access will cause harm.

Providers are faced with criminal charges, parents are threatened with child abuse charges, and intersex children are typically exempted.

Old Bills:

Texas sent bill SB1257 to the House Insurance Committee yesterday.

Montana passed bill SB218 through its first House vote today after the governor's changes and is awaiting a final Senate vote.

Missouri bill HJR73 has a hearing tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. Central Time in SCR 1 - 1st Floor in the Senate Families, Seniors and Health Committee. 

Drag Bans restrict access for folks who are gender non-conforming in any way. 

They loosely define "drag" as any public performance with an “opposite gender expression,” as sexual in nature, and inappropriate for children. 

This also pushes trans individuals out of public spaces.

Old Bill:

Montana passed bill HB446 through its first Senate vote today after the governor's changes and is awaiting a final House vote.

Educational Censorship and Student Suppression bills force schools to misgender or deadname students, ban instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, and make schools alert parents if they suspect a child is trans.

They remove life-saving affirmation and support for trans youth. 

Old Bill:

Arizona passed bill SB1694 yesterday and sent it to the governor.

Trans Erasure bills create legal definitions of terms like “sex” designed to exclude or erase trans identity and insert them into various laws. This can have many different effects, depending on what laws are affected.

They can force a male or female designation based on sex assigned at birth.

Some target anti-discrimination statutes, legally empowering trans discrimination. 

Old Bill:

Arizona passed bill HB2438 yesterday and sent it to the governor.

Most sports bills force schools to designate teams by sex assigned at birth. 

They are often one-sided and ban trans girls from playing on teams consistent with their gender identity.

Some egregious bills even force invasive genital examinations on student athletes.

Old Bill:

Georgia’s governor signed bill SB1 into law yesterday.

These are other anti-trans bills that either fit multiple categories or stand on their own.

Old Bills:

Texas held a hearing for bill HB4552 yesterday and left it in its House committee for the moment.

North Carolina placed bill H171 on the House floor calendar for tomorrow.

It's not too late to stop these and other hateful anti-trans bills from passing into law. YOU can go to http://transformationsproject.org/ to learn more and contact your representatives!

[darkmaga-returns]

Under the 14th Amendment: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” This clause from 1868 has far surpassed its original intent. It has been abused as a method for citizenship by illegal migrants who often intentionally travel to the US to give birth, but not in the way the media portrays it. Recent data suggests at least 400,000 “anchor babies,” as they are called, were born in the US in 2024 alone.

The Common Law Doctrine of Jus Soli under English common law protected “right of the soil,” which deemed anyone born on a country’s soil to be a citizen. The US Constitution never clearly defined citizenship until the Naturalization Act of 1790, which granted citizenship to “free white persons” born on US soil. The advent of the Civil War left dire uncertainty for slaves who had no homeland to return to after the war came to an end and slavery was abolished. The 1844 case Lynch v Clarke in New York reaffirmed that anyone born to non-citizen parents would be considered an American. The Reconstruction Amendments remained vague, and Dred Scott was expanded in 1868 to include:

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”

The law remained open to interpretation. Native Americans, for example, were not seen as Americans since they did not pledge their allegiance to the federal government. It was not until the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 that Native Americans were considered full citizens.

America’s complicated past with citizenship has led to today’s debacle. Nowhere along the way did the Supreme Court or any other entity grant citizenship to parents of children born in the US. However, the system often looks the other way to prevent separating families. American-born children may sponsor their parents for a green card when they turn 21. Then, the parents must wait five years before applying for naturalization. Parents often must leave the US for a decade before applying for citizenship. Yet, in recent years, we have seen people completely bypass the system by claiming asylum. Under Biden-Harris, the borders were simply wide open.

Hence why, the media is attacking incoming border tzar Tom Homan for insisting that families can leave the US together if they want to prevent separation. The parents are here illegally — plain and simple.

[starlightsinger32]

The Varmitech Clause

I refuse to abandon 'Caged', so I am going to dump this Chrizach fic idea here so it doesn't bore a hole in my brain:

TLDR: Zach is an alpha who needs an omega. Chris is an omega. The Wild Kratts have lost their funding and will have to disband if they can't find a source of money. Zach has A LOT of money. I'm sure you can see where this is going...

I know Omegaverse isn't for everyone, but come on, this is literally a show about animals and their instincts and behaviours, so I think somebody should take a stab at it in this fandom!

The World Building: Alphas, Betas, and Omegas are secondary genders to males, females, and non-binary or other genders. Your secondary gender does not define your personality, strength level, or attractiveness, but there is definitely discrimination between secondary genders, just like in the real world :) *screams into a pillow*

Alphas:

Cannot physically carry children regardless of if they are male or female or other

All alphas can impregnate female presenting betas and omegas

A higher percentage of alphas are male than other genders

Can emit a deep growling sound when angered: to do so at another alpha is considered a threat, to do it at a beta or omega is socially shunned and can be considered abusive

Typically mate with omegas, but many also mate with betas. Alphaxalpha relationships are not common but do exist

There is a toxic community of alphas online that view betas as irrelevant and omegas as sex objects (sound familiar?)

It is socially unacceptable and considered dangerous for alphas not to suppress their ruts unless they are actively trying to conceive with a consenting mate in a secure location. Alphas on their ruts are aggressive, horny, and extremely territorial when unmedicated and unmated

Betas:

Biologically female betas can carry children, biological male betas cannot

Betas heats are not as overwhelming as omegas, but are still difficult for 1-2 days

Betas do not have a scent, but are also not cowed or affected in any way by alpha growls

Betas are the most common secondary gender in society, and will mate with anyone, though most mated pairs are two betas simply due to their high population

Omegas:

All omegas can carry children, regardless of gender

A higher percentage of omegas are female than male or other genders

Omega heats typically last 5 days, and can be difficult and painful without suppressants. An unmated omega in heat is usually horny, lacks critical thinking or decision making capacity, and is vulnerable to the advances of others.

All omegas have government mandated days off during their heats, which fuels omega discrimination as they are viewed as weak for needing a week off every month

Omegas smell pleasant to all others until they are mated, then their scent fades and is detectable only to their mate. Every omega has a different scent that makes them unique, similar to a fingerprint. Omegas cannot remove their scent without suppressants, but can increase their scent to attract a mate or to calm someone else down, usually another omega or a child

Omegas usually mate with alphas, but can also mate with betas. Omegaxomega mated pairs are VERY rare

General Information:

Mating is similar to getting married, but it is NOT equivalent. Some mated pairs do get married, some have children without getting married, and some only mate, similar to long term adult partners

Mating is signified through each mate biting the other's neck on the mating gland. If one of the mated pair dies, the mate mark does fade, otherwise, it does not

Some mated pairs do separate and find love with someone else, but it isn't common

Children can be conceived without being mated, but it is not fully socially acceptable, and is considered a disadvantage for omegas, as not being mated makes it harder for the alpha or beta who impregnated them to be made to pay child support

People can have relationships or sex without/before mating. Omegas and female betas are sometimes shamed for doing so, however (wow, another real world parallel)

Secondary genders do not appear until people are 18, so children are unaffected and do not experience ruts or heats

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The actual story:

The Varmitech family is considered a 'family business', in that it has been handed down from father to son for five generations, as the first child has always been a male alpha.

Zach, the current CEO of Varmitech Industries since his father's death is an alpha, but has no mate and no alpha child to inherit the company. And this becomes a problem.

To ensure the business stays in the family and is run by an alpha, the contract each CEO signs contains a clause that if they are not mated to an omega by their 30th birthday and the omega has not either had an heir or is pregnant with one, the company passes to the next Varmitech alpha in line who does have a legitimate heir. It is extremely old fashioned, and Zach thinks he can get out of it.

He can't.

His board of directors is also extremely old fashioned, and many of them do not like him, so if he violates this clause, they will have a way to oust him. Zach does not want to bother going on dates, and basically starts sulking, so his assistant/exhausted grandfather figure/Alfred from Batman lets it be known that the CEO of Varmitech Industries is looking for a mate, and lets omegas submit themselves for consideration.

Enter Linda Kratt. She sees this public announcement, and remembers the sad, unhealthy child at her son's school whose mother left when he was very young. She's always wondered what happened to him, and wished she could help in some way. So without really thinking it through, she decides that maybe her sweet youngest son, who is an omega with a lot of love to give, could make Zach happy. And she submits Chris.

But here's the thing: Zach has no idea Chris is an omega. Since facing discrimination in university, to the point he had to switch schools, Chris has been using suppressants to pretend to be a beta. All of the Wild Kratts know he is an omega, but none of the villains have any clue.

Zach does not believe that Chris is actually an omega when he lays eyes on his application, but once he sees his medical documents he becomes much more interested. He is very much like Anthony Bridgerton in that he wants exceptional children, so he thinks that the omega who has them needs to be quality alongside with his perfect self, lol. The more he thinks about it, the more he realizes Chris is a perfect choice: in addition to being beautiful, he is clever, brave, caring, talented, well respected, and good with kids. So he decides he wants to have Chris as his mate, and will not hear of anyone else, no matter how much his assistant tries to convince him to be open minded.

Naturally, when Chris receives a message, email, letter, etc that Zach wants to meet him for dinner to discuss Chris being his mate, the zoologist is extremely confused because 1.Why is Zach suddenly interested in Chris and 2.How did he find out Chris is an omega?

Zach, of course, assumes that Chris submitted himself and that Chris wants him, so he is very dissapointed and upset when Chris politely but firmly refuses to sign the contract to be his omega and have his children. He lets Chris go, but cannot accept anyone else to carry his children when he only wants Chris, so Zach basically continues to observe (stalk) Chris and only wants him more the more he watches.

He sees Chris fix some sort of technology or get excited about building something and is just like: Yes. I must have him.

And then the Wild Kratt's teams funding gets cut. Zach had nothing to do with it, or maybe he did, but let's face it, universities are businesses that like to make money, and the Wild Kratts don't turn any sort of profit. So suddenly, there is no way to fund the maintenance and use of the Tortuga, or Aviva's inventions. The team can all get other jobs, of course, but this would severely limit their ability to creature adventure as a group or to do it often.

So Chris makes a choice.

Cue lots of contract negotiations (50 shades of grey style but without the kinks), Zach being extremely protective of pregnant Chris, and these two idiots working out to be mates when one of them is in love and the other is hesitant, but has hopes for love.

This might be complete trash that never gets written in full, but it was fun to get out of my head! I hope at least one person read until the end of this <3

[tmblrcensors]

FACT #1: "The Supreme Law of the Land”

All states joined the Union based on the Constitution being recognized as "the supreme law of the land." This is, therefore, the basis by which the states and the people of the United States are united as a nation. Without this, our federal government has no authority over the states and the people.

Constitutional Citation: Article VI, Clause 2 – The Supremacy Clause.

FACT #2: Defending the Integrity of the Vote

Protecting the integrity of the voting process as the primary means by which the people exercise their authority is fundamental to defending the Constitutional rights of citizens. It is, therefore, the Constitutional right of the citizens of the United States to have uniform, free, fair, efficient, and accurate elections, with procedures that are transparent, result in accurate vote counting, and protect the rights of citizens by requiring government-recognized identification to verify only citizens’ votes are counted.

Any action that would dilute the authority of the vote by any means is voter fraud. This includes hindering citizens from voting, allowing non-citizens to vote, or not accurately counting votes cast. Voter fraud should be considered a felony, a treasonous act against the Republic, and must be prosecuted with all diligence as a basic duty of the Attorney General of the United States, as well as the Attorneys General of all the states. Those found guilty should lose their citizenship and be incarcerated for not less than ten years.

Constitutional Citation: Article I, Section 4 and the 15th Amendment.

FACT #3: Defense is the Highest Priority of the Federal Government

It is the Constitutional right of the citizens of the United States to require the federal government to keep as its highest priority the defense and protection of its citizens at home and abroad, the homeland and all territorial possessions, and electronic domains and networks; and to secure its borders so as to repel any who would seek to enter the United States or its territories by means other than the lawful immigration procedures and laws of the United States.

Constitutional Citation: Article I, II & III – Separation of Powers and authority of the three branches of government.

FACT #4: Competence of All Who Serve in Government

It is the Constitutional right of the citizens of the United States to ensure that every office holder, elected or appointed, and every government official possess the knowledge required to comply with the Constitution of the United States and the laws and duties related to the position they hold, as well as to competently manage the duties and responsibilities of the office or position they hold.

Constitutional Citation: Article II, Section 1 – The Oath.

FACT #5: A Fair and Impartial Justice System

The justices, judges, and all other legal workers in the Judicial system must swear to comply with the Constitution as “the supreme law of the land,” and equally and impartially enforce compliance with the Constitution and the laws of the land.

Any violation of the uniform application of the Constitution and laws of the land is to be considered a felony, prosecuted as a civil rights violation of those harmed. Any violation that shows favoritism to some or prejudice toward any person or group based on race, religion, or politics is to be prosecuted as an assault on the Constitution and considered a civil rights violation of the people.

Constitutional Citation: Article III and the 14th Amendment – Equal Protection.

FACT #6: The Federal Government Staying Within Its Constitutional Boundaries

The Constitution places boundaries on federal government, as defined by the Tenth Amendment: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”

The federal government has drifted far from its Constitutional moorings and usurped the Constitutional authority of states and the people. This must be reversed with due haste, as each transgression has been costly, causing increasingly severe crises for the United States.

It is, therefore, the right of the states and people to demand representatives, officers, or officials in any branch of the federal government reverse all encroachments by the federal government on the powers of the states and the people, and return the federal government back within boundaries set by the Constitution.

Constitutional Citation: 10th Amendment.

FACT #7: Government Operating Within Its Financial Means

It is the Constitutional right of the citizens of the United States to require leadership to operate within its financial means, except when necessary in a declared national emergency.

Government representatives, officers, and officials who are responsible for the government’s budget and economic leadership must be competent to understand and abide by sound economic management principles, direct national affairs with wisdom and efficiency, and must expediently pay off any debt incurred.

Constitutional Citation: Article I, Section 8 – Fiscal powers granted to Congress.

FACT #8: Truthfulness in Government

Because it is against the law for a citizen of the United States to lie to Congress, it must be against the law for any member of Congress, officer, or government official to lie to citizens of the United States. Everyone representing the people of the United States in any government capacity must be above reproach, and devoted to truth and transparency, with the highest standards of integrity.

Intentional lying must be prosecuted as the serious fraud that it is, with prison time mandatory for not less than one year, and for up to life in prison without parole for serious and damaging lies told to the government, or for any government official or representative lying to the public.

Constitutional Citation: Preamble’s aim to "establish Justice" and "insure domestic Tranquility."

FACT #9: Clarity and Simplicity in Legal Language

Founder Alexander Hamilton wrote, “It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man, who knows what the law is today, can guess what it will be tomorrow.”

Founder Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Laws are made for men of ordinary understanding, and should therefore be construed by the ordinary rules of common sense.”

Legalese is code developed by lawyers so that it can only be understood by other lawyers, thereby magnifying their control over the business of government and the people.

Therefore, it should be mandated by law that all business in the Republic, and the future work of those who have so fraudulently abused their place of unelected influence and control over virtually every aspect of our lives, must henceforth be written concisely and with plain simplicity in the language of the people of the United States: English. Translations into other languages would communicate with the same simplicity and conciseness.

Constitutional Citation: Principle of clear communication inferred from the Preamble.

FACT #10: Accountability in Lawmaking

President Ronald Reagan said he would not pass any law that he could not read and understand. This should be the standard of all whom the people elect to represent their interests. Any resistance to clarity and simplicity of communication in all public business must be rejected vehemently as an inroad for confusion and evil intent.

Constitutional Citation: Article I, Section 1 – Legislative powers of Congress.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Temporal Framework: Defence points out impacts of Brazil's Supreme Court's draft bill on sovereignty and security

The Ministry of Defence points out that several provisions of the draft Complementary Law, drawn up by the office of Supreme Federal Court (STF) Minister Gilmar Mendes, regarding the “Temporal Framework Law”, “directly impact the actions and employment of the Armed Forces, potentially having direct repercussions on national defence, security, and sovereignty.”

This conclusion is part of an analysis conducted by the Ministry regarding Declaratory Action of Constitutionality 87 (ADC 87) “and possible implications for the Armed Forces of the draft Complementary Law bill, which regulates Article 231 of the Federal Constitution, as well as Article 49, Clause XVI, Article 109, Clause XI, and Article 176, §1, of the Federal Constitution.”

The draft bill was presented by Minister Gilmar Mendes’ office as an alternative to Law 14.701/2023, the Temporal Framework Law, within the scope of the proceedings that analyse its constitutionality (ADO 87), unconstitutionality (ADI 7582, 7583, and 7586), and unconstitutionality due to omission (ADO 86). This law defines the promulgation date of the Federal Constitution, in October 1988, as the deadline for requesting the demarcation of indigenous lands. Mendes has already stated that the objective is to replace the current legislation with another that represents a consensus between indigenous and non-indigenous interests.

In the document signed by the Chief of Staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, Admiral André Luiz de Andrade Felix, on 27 March, the Ministry of Defence addresses four themes that, according to the analysis of its legal team, impact the actions of the Armed Forces.

Continue reading.

[rexxdjarin]

Sending comforting Boba thoughts ❤️

You find him in the sitting room in his chambers. Boba’s gaze is focused on the data pad held in his hands, a few others stacked on the side table having already been reviewed and annotated. You grab a blanket before curling up beside him.

“You’re home early,” Boba comments, giving you a kiss on the cheek before turning back to his work.

You shrug your shoulders, humming a non-response and laying your head against his arm. It had been a trying day, and you weren’t up for rehashing it all just yet.

Your eyes track along the document as he reads; it’s draft of some shipping contract. He scrolls past defined terms and organized clauses, adding annotations. Wanting to calm the tension you still feel in your body, you start to take slow, deep breaths. Tapping the fingers of your right hand against your thumb to keep count as you breathe in, hold, and then breathe out. Boba’s eyes drift over, catching the little movements in his peripheral vision.

After a few minutes, Boba gently nudges you to the side. You sit up, frowning as having to move from a comfortable position. Boba then lifts his arm around you to pull you back closer. You adjust the blanket around your legs and you lean your face against him, inhaling his comforting smell. The two of you stay like that a while, long enough for him to finish reviewing the remainder of things needing the daimyo’s response or approval that day.

“Dinner?” Boba asks, placing the data pad to the top of the pile with the rest. When you don’t reply right away, he gives a kiss to the top of your head. Your arm weaves across his belly and secures itself around him. You say nothing. “We can’t stay here all night, princess.”

“We could actually,” you mumble and turn your face further into his chest. Though you can’t see the smirk on his face, you feel the little chuckle he gives you.

“If you insist,” Boba replies. His arms come down around you, and you give a little sigh and start to relax into his hold. That is until his hand grabs the outside of your thigh and rather quickly pulls you up to a seated position on his lap.

You give a little huff at being maneuvered so — manhandled being the term that comes to mind.

“If you’re keeping me here all night,” Boba grips onto your hips and pulls you tight so your chest is pressed to his. “Then I want you right here, ner kar’ta.” A flush of heat runs through your body at his words, the feel of him solid and strong beneath you. The trials of your day are quickly forgotten as Boba puts his mouth to yours.

This but also with hearts all over the place😭🥺💙

I love daimyo boba so fucking much. Comforting protective Tem all warm and cozy and enveloping you with his big daddy energy I love him. Me being his bratty princess is literally my dream.

[sunum-teknikleri]

İngilizce Advanced Relative Clauses: Whose, Where, Whom ve Non-Defining Kullanımı

İngilizce'de cümleleri daha akıcı ve detaylı hale getiren Advanced Relative Clauses konusunu keşfedin. Non-defining yan cümleler ve 'whose', 'where', 'whom' gibi ilgi zamirlerinin ileri düzey kullanımlarını örneklerle öğrenin. https://www.fullofenglish.com/ingilizce-dilbilgisi/ingilizce-advanced-relative-clauses-whose-where-whom-ve-non-defining-kullanimi/

[trolledu]

[jayblanc]

Glasgow 2024 Worldcon to sit on their hands and wait this out.

Sad to report that the chair of Glasgow 2024 has refused to enact the incapacity clause against Chengdu 2023. The defence is that the clause uses the word "current Worldcon", and since the Hugo Administration hid what they had done till now they have run out the clock and evaded action. They decline to state if they think Chengdu 2023 satisfied it's obligations to the WSFS. They instead suggest the issue should be brought up at the next Business Meeting. (Reminder, WSFS Business meetings only occur at Worldcons, require physical presence at the meeting, prior written notification of business to be conducted with a second signing the motion, and the Meetings are strictly conducted under Robert's Rule of Order with the WSFS Presiding Officer having complete control of the floor, and anything that is more substantive than a non-binding resolution means doing it all over again in a year's time to get it ratified.)

I have asked the chair of Glasgow 2024 and the WSFS Presiding officer of 2024 to clarify on what date Chengdu 2023 stopped being the Current Worldcon, and where this is defined in the WSFS. However, the last reply from the chair included the phrase "This correspondence is therefore closed." and that does not indicate I will receive a reply.

My reading of this is that it doesn't. And we are currently in a hazy hinterland where the WSFS constitution has not clearly defined what "the current Worldcon" means. So if they chose, they could enact the Incapacity Clause.

I think the "Current Worldcon" reading used to prevent enacting of the incapacity clause is a terrible precedent. It basically says "Just hide your failures, run out the clock, then nothing can be done and your decisions will stand." And it renders the Incapacity Clause a dead letter, if the Current Worldcon insists it will be able to perform it's duties, but then does not do so.

There seems to just be a sense of dead hands on the controls.

[divaysh-gupta]

Crafting Effective Influencer Collaborations: A Comprehensive Checklist for Your Influencer Contract

In the dynamic world of marketing, leveraging influencer partnerships has proven to be a strategic imperative for business growth. The success of such collaborations hinges on meticulous planning and transparent communication. Enter the influencer contract – an essential tool for navigating professional connections, be it a one-time venture or a lasting partnership.

As the global influencer marketplace continues to evolve, these agreements have become indispensable, providing a legal framework and fostering confidence for a harmonious and fruitful collaboration. Below is a thorough checklist outlining key components to integrate into your influencer contract:

Defining the Scope of Work:

Specify the nature, structure, and quantity of content the influencer will generate.

Outline the platforms, channels, and accounts designated for content distribution.

Detail schedules, deadlines, and the frequency of content creation and distribution.

Content Specifications:

Specify the volume of content types, including photo posts, videos, Instagram Stories, or IGTV appearances.

Align the content format with the influencer's image and the campaign's objectives.

Define optimal timing for brand promotion posts, considering the peak engagement times of the target audience.

Legal Compliance Integration:

Integrate an Intellectual Property strategy addressing content ownership and usage rights.

Ensure compliance with advertising regulations, incorporating a termination clause for non-compliance.

Clearly delineate ownership and copyright status of the content, detailing terms for usage, reuse, and attribution.

Payment Framework:

Clearly articulate the payment amount and methods to preempt potential discrepancies.

Specify the categorization of product samples – as gifts or subject to return upon content creation.

Provide detailed instructions on submitting receipts for reimbursement, especially if influencers are responsible for product purchases.

Safeguarding Confidential Information:

Include provisions prohibiting the influencer from divulging confidential information without explicit consent.

Define specific dates for maintaining confidentiality, particularly pertinent to product launches.

Ownership and Usage Rights Clarification:

Establish the ownership and copyright status of the content, elucidating allowances for modifications.

Define the terms of the license and authorization, including considerations for content reuse, reselling, and attribution.

Address temporal and exclusivity aspects, specifying the potential for content use over time and interactions with other companies or competitors.

Termination and Renewal Clauses:

Outline the grounds, notice periods, and consequences associated with contract termination.

Clearly define the criteria, procedures, and terms governing contract renewal and extension.

[aboutanancientenquiry]

The use of the poetic priamel by Herodotus in the Prologue of Histories and the foundation by him of history as distinct genre

"But it is not merely the mythological content of the prologue that will have evoked the poetic tradition for Herodotus’ audience; so too the distinctive argumentative structure used by Herodotus to articulate both the (allegedly) non-Greek traditions and his own response to them. That distinctive argumentative structure, with deep roots in the Greek poetic tradition, is the priamel, as William Race first recognised.62 As defined by Race, the priamel is a two-part structure that leads from an introductory ‘foil’ (comprising two or more subjects or perspectives) by means of contrast and analogy to the ‘climax’, a particular point of interest or importance. Surveying the use of the priamel from Homeric epic through Hellenistic poetry, Race identifies five essential features of the form: 1) a general context or category; 2) an indication of quantity or diversity in the foil; 3) a ‘capping’ particle that marks the arrival of the climax; 4) an indication of relative (typically superlative) merit to give the climactic term special prominence; and 5) finally, the subject of ultimate interest.63

All five of these features are found in 1.1-5, although not all at once, since Herodotus’ opening is an ingenious variation on the form of the priamel, and only gradually revealed as such. Race acknowledges in passing that Herodotus’ priamel is ‘more diffuse than its poetic prototypes’, while Hayden Pelliccia, noting that priamels tend to be immediately recognisable as such, proposes the alternative label ‘false-start recusatio’.64 This term rightly underscores the misdirection that characterises the first four chapters, whereby Herodotus himself seems to endorse the foreigners’ belief in the primeval origins of the Greco-Persian wars.65 It is also true, however, that the common features shared by Herodotus’ introduction and the priamel are brought into sharp focus in chapter 5, which demonstrates decisively how Herodotean historiê diverges from the stories of old cited by Persian and Phoenician authorities. By this point the general context or category (1) of the discussion is well established: namely, Herodotus’ search for the αἰτίη of the Greco-Persian conflict, the person(s) responsible for beginning the hostilities between East and West. At the beginning of chapter 5, the Persian account of that origin, detailed in chapters 1 through 4, is summarised in a µέν-clause (5.1); then the diversity of the foil (2) is developed, as the Phoenician counter-claim concerning the circumstances of Io’s departure from Argos follows in a δέ-clause (5.2). These two foreign perspectives are then summarised immediately before the climax (5.3):

ταῦτα µέν νυν Πέρ��αι τε καὶ Φοίνικες λέγουσι. ἐγὼ δὲ περὶ µὲν τούτων οὐκ ἔρχοµαι ἐρέων ὡς οὕτως ἢ ἄλλως κως ταῦτα ἐγένετο, τὸν δὲ οἶδα αὐτὸς πρῶτον ὑπάρξαντα ἀδίκων ἔργων ἐς τοὺς Ἕλληνας, τοῦτον σηµήνας προβήσοµαι ἐς τὸ πρόσω τοῦ λόγου …

Now this is what the Persians and Phoenicians say, but I for my part am not going to say concerning these incidents that they happened in this way or some other. Instead, I will indicate the man whom I myself know first initiated unjust acts against the Greeks, and proceed onwards with my account …

As the first words of the second quoted sentence (ἐγὼ δέ) demonstrate, the climax is indicated not only by a ‘capping’ particle (3), but also by a prominently placed pronoun, effecting a shift of person—a ‘pronominal cap’, in the terminology of Elroy Bundy.66 The extraordinary merit (4) of Herodotus’ chosen topic is marked by the superlative πρῶτον, and the relative clause within which it falls (τὸν δὲ οἶδα αὐτὸς … τοὺς Ἕλληνας) identifies the subject of the author’s interest (5)—but only to a degree, specifying his activity but not yet supplying his name. An additional common feature of poetic priamels is the deferral of crucial information until the very end, a method of achieving closure after arousing audience expectation.67 Herodotus makes use of this technique as well, withholding Croesus’ name until the beginning of the narrative proper in chapter 6, where it makes a notably dramatic entrance in asyndeton (6.1): Κροῖσος ἦν Λυδὸς µὲν γένος, παῖς δὲ Ἀλυάττεω, τύραννος δὲ ἐθνέων τῶν ἐντὸς Ἅλυος ποταµοῦ … (Croesus was Lydian by birth, a son of Alyattes, and tyrant of the tribes west of the river Halys …).

The rhetorical elaboration of Herodotus’ introduction is especially evident when compared to the opening sentence of Hecataeus’ Genealogies (FGrHist 1 F 1a = F 1 Fowler, EGM)

Ἑκαταῖος Μιλήσιος ὧδε µυθεῖται· τάδε γράφω, ὥς µοι δοκεῖ ἀληθέα εἶναι· οἱ γὰρ Ἑλλήνων λόγοι πολλοί τε καὶ γελοῖοι, ὡς ἐµοὶ φαίνονται, εἰσίν.

Hecataeus of Miletus speaks as follows: I write the following accounts as they seem to me to be true, since the stories of the Greeks are both many and laughable, as they appear to me.

Herodotus adopts many of these features in his prologue: the prominent positioning of the author’s name and place of origin, the brief opening clause with a deictic form (ὧδε), the switch from third-person self-reference to first person self-reference, and the forceful contrast between the logoi of others and the author’s own revisionist view. It is in the framing of this last feature that Herodotus parts company with Hecataeus most decisively, and the question remains why Herodotus chose to construct his prologue on the model of the poetic priamel. We can begin to answer this question by noting the special emphasis this construction places upon three important features that distinguish his historiê from epic poetry, the tradition most strongly evoked by the stories of abduction and counter-abduction recounted in 1.1-5.

The first of these features is the first-person authorial voice, which proves to be a constant presence throughout the Histories, and as such a striking departure from Homeric narrative technique.68 Here the priamel construction enables the Herodotean ἐγώ to make its first appearance in duly emphatic fashion, as the convention of the pronominal cap heralds the importance of the authorial ‘I’ in the Histories. Moreover, Herodotus pointedly modifies a second feature of the priamel in characterising his subject matter, since the climactic superlative adjective πρῶτον does not stand by itself, but undergoes crucial qualification. For Herodotus’ claim is (obviously) not that Croesus’ unjust acts against the Greeks within living memory predate the primeval abductions just recounted as foil, but rather that Croesus is the first aggressor of whom he has personal knowledge, τὸν δ’ οἶδα αὐτὸς πρῶτον ὑπάρξαντα ἀδίκων ἔργων ἐς τοὺς Ἕλληνας: ‘the one whom I myself know first initiated unjust acts against the Greeks’.69 (I note here parenthetically that, in addition to its specialised function in this context as a superlative marking the climax of a priamel, πρῶτος also serves from the beginning of the Greek poetic tradition to mark events of primary importance for narration, even when they lack absolute temporal priority.70) Herodotus thus delimits his account of the war’s origins, at least, by contrast with events of the ‘deep past’ recounted in Homeric epic and other genres of ‘high’ poetry—events so distant in time that not even conscientious historiê can determine their causal connection to recent Greco-Persian hostilities.71 Third and finally, by explicitly opposing his own view about the origins of the Greco-Persian wars to those of the Persians and Phoenicians before him, Herodotus acknowledges that his account of the conflict is part of an ongoing conversation or dispute, a virtual tradition of international debate in which he responds to and departs from previous explanations. This explicit acknowledgement of predecessors again marks a significant deviation from storytelling convention in Homeric epic, which, although the product of long-standing oral tradition, never mentions any of the earlier alternative versions that comprise that tradition: the Homeric bard is imagined as either taught by the gods (the Muse or Apollo), or self-taught, or both.72 Thus Herodotus’ use of the poetic priamel form also serves to highlight his role as adjudicator of the various traditions that he has gathered, as well as his discovering ‘the problem of sources’, which Fowler considers ‘the unique element in his voiceprint’ and ‘an integral part of his self-perception as an historian’.73"

From the article of Charles C. Chiasson "Herodotus' Prologue and the Greek Poetic Tradition", Histos 6 (2012), 114-143