#Obama is pretty cool

[fifi-mcvee]

i don't like that shitty house that houses sir fuck of the third and his wife

[weareuniqueandimportant]

OPTIMUS PRIME? MORE LIKE ALL COPS ARE BASTARD.

[nadja-antipaxos]

Patti Scialfa at dinner with Bruce Springsteen, Michelle and Barack Obama in Barcelona on April 27, 2023.

[scarfacemarston]

Could you maybe probably sort of kind of pretty please with a cherry on top write a Natasha x reader? Wlw preferred but nbreader is cool too. Maybe like a prank fic? I love pranks so much they bring so much serotonin into my veins 💋💋💋

Natasha x F! Reader prank people

Warnings: LOTS of cussing from Rumlow because that's just the type of guy he is. Takes place before the Hydra reveal. You loved a lot of things about Natasha. Who wouldn’t love the woman? You were the luckiest gal in the world to call her your partner. You loved how many layers she had to her and felt honored to see the softer, more playful side of her. Not many people knew that she had a penchant for pranks. It was quite simple for her to play pranks on people and let chaos reign because no one ever suspected it was the severe and stoic Black Widow.

Sometimes, she would prank people and give the most mischievous and playful smile -reserved only for you.

Well, there came a time when you wanted to join in. After all, it was a fun new way for you two to bond as a couple. Natasha quirked an eyebrow at your request but accepted it anyway.

Some of her favorite targets included Isaac Murphy, Brock Rumlow, and the IT guy from the 7th floor of the Shield Headquarters.

“You remember that I like to play the long game here, right? No salt in the sugar container or pie in the face antics. That’s child’s play. No, I want them to be either very confused, suffering or both. You can handle that, can’t you?” Natasha said with a quick of her lips. You scoffed.

“Of course I can! I have some ideas of my own, you know.” You defended yourself. Natasha crossed her arms. “Well this I have to hear.” “Well, I hate Brock Rumlow, too. I have a simple, but obnoxious prank on him, but he might tear up the room.” You warned.

“Hm, if it’s too awful, I’ll have to hear his loud mouth whining about it. Save your best idea for him to make it worth it.” Natasha thought aloud.

“Okay, will do. This Murphy guy, you have his email and number, right? Why not sign him up for the most famous mega church we can find? Joel Olsteen or Kenneth Copland, like that!.”

“He’s suspicious. I’m not sure what is off about him, but I will find out. But, not a bad idea, but I think we can do worse.”

“I’m getting there! What about various political campaigners? We could do Obama, Romney, Kennedy and even more local politicians. I receive those emails and texts daily despite donating to a Green Party campaign six years ago. That’s just one! Imagine how horrible three or more would be!” You enthused.

Natasha grinned. “Not bad, but I really want him to suffer.” “I was thinking we could give his name to various military recruiters? ” You suggested. “I’ll suggest his name to a multi-level marketing group so they can try to recruit him, too. Not bad for your first prank.” Nat said, hugging you from behind. “I think we can do even better.” Nat muttered in your ear.

“Okay, for Rumlow - I was thinking we trick him into thinking there’s somebody who takes his desk during the night shift. Uses his chair, desk, everything.” You said, a grin curling on your features. “Hm, sounds promising. Go on” She murmured. “Well, I was thinking we move his stuff around every day before he comes in. Maybe lay a crossword puzzle or newspapers scattered in the morning that look read? Move his pens, and everything else!” You laughed. Natasha nodded in approval. I think we should leave half-eaten bags of chips, half-drunk water bottles, and candy wrappers so he thinks someone has been eating there. That will get him. He’s quite possessive with his stuff.” Nat suggested. You gasped. “Oh, he’s going to hate that.” “Yep. And to end it up, we can have multiple files on his computer that look like they’re from Murphy, Jack Rollins and Sitwell. All of them sometimes work the night shifts.” Nat laughed as she turned to face you. ‘Imagine the fights!”

“I’ll be sure to tape them, don’t you worry, love,” Natasha said, tapping your nose.

It wasn’t long until Natasha invited you to have lunch with her at a SHIELD gathering. It was a relaxed affair where nothing intelligence-related was discussed. A few other SHIELD members invited their partners or children as well.

Natasha smirked as she took her seat next to you and placed a plate of sandwiches and milkshakes on the table for you to share.

“Might as well have something to eat while we enjoy the show. Murphy looks like he’s going to have a mental breakdown. His phone has been going off all day to the point that Rumlow threatened to break it, and Maria Hill threatened to take disciplinary action."

At that moment, you heard the buzz of a cellphone receiving a notification…and another…and another.

“They won’t leave me alone!” Murphy whined.

“Shut that damn phone up, or I’m smashing it. I don’t give a fuck about any “disciplinary action.”

“It’s the number, you idiot. Not the phone!” Murphy said, raising his voice.

“Then change the fucking number!” Rumlow raised his voice.

“I can’t! I have too many accounts associated with it! I’d have to start all over!” Murphy whined.

Rollins tromped over, glaring at Murphy. “

All of us are plotting your death, Murphy.” Rollins snapped as he pulled Rumlow by the shoulder away.

“Come on, let’s get you a beer.” Rollins muttered.

“I need more than a damn beer,” Rumlow muttered, stomping off. Soon, the noise was annoying, even the two of you.

Finally, Maria Hill herself made her way over, snatching the phone from Murphy’s hand. “You’re on thin ice, kid,” Hill said, pointing at his face.

Murphy sat, slumping into his chair. “It’s not my fault!” he whined.

You and Natasha exchanged looks as you slipped on your milkshake, stealing one of Natasha’s fries.

“I have to admit, I was close to breaking his phone myself.” Nat admitted.

“Yeah, this might have backfired on us.”

“But it is great to see them at each other’s throats. It distracts them from bothering Steve and I,” Natasha said, stopping your hand from stealing another fry.

“I could have bought you fries, you know.” Nat laughed.

“But I so enjoy stealing yours!” You smiled.

~~~~~ A week later, you received a text from Natasha. “Calling you in a second. Need you to hear this. Need to be silent, though.” “Ok” And with that, your phone began to ring. You picked up immediately only to hear shouting and cursing in the background…from a very familiar voice. It was most certainly Rumlow who had become fed up with the idea of someone “stealing his shit in his space.”

“If I find out which piece of shit is using my desk, I’m going to dismember them! Slowly!” Rumlow bellowed.

You heard a second voice. “No one sits there! Calm down there, alpha male. It’s your space.” Rollins snarked.

“Then where the fuck is this shit coming from? You work the night shift! Why are there files from you, Murphy and Sitwell? “ he shouted.

“Yeah, Over there. That’s how I know no one sits there. I don't know how they got that, Rumlow. I didn't do it." Rollins defended.

“Where did this come from? Or this?” - the sound of objects being thrown came through the phone.”

“Fine, ask Murphy!”

You hear another voice in the background.

“That asshole is on thin ice. If it’s him, good luck finding the body.” Rumlow growled.

“It wasn’t me! I quit working nights last month!” Murphy squeaked.

“That leaves Sitwell, then.” You heard Rollins speak up.

You heard Rumlow growl. “Damn it. That nerd is higher on the ladder than we are…but how about we pay the dweeb a visit anyway?” You heard Rumlow’s voice fade in the background.

You heard Natasha’s voice. “I hope you’re proud of yourself and the chaos you caused,” Nat said, snickering.

“Oh, so proud! I’m sorry you’re having to deal with this, though.” You apologized.

“Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. I can handle a few mens’ fragile egos and I can drown them out pretty well. I have to say, you impressed me with your pranks. I might need to watch out…but just know that any pranks you play on me, I’ll get you back with a vengence.” Nat warned.

“….. okay, then it will only be fun ones then! A surprise room of puppies, or baklava randomly appearing in places.” You appeased. Nat gave one of her rare laughs.

“I can live with that. Let’s give the boys a break for now, but we are definitely going to prank them again. Maybe we’ll go after new targets. I have to go. Dinner at Demo’s tonight, same time as usual?”

“Wouldn’t miss it. Love you, Tasha.”

“Love you, Y/N”.

[justsome-di]

Now a Pulitzer Prize winning book (don’t fact check this, just trust me) and featured on Obama’s 2023 Summer Reading List!

You should be reading Nobody Ends Up Dead in a Bathtub, Everyone Keeps Their Organs! Why? See above.

It’s a good story if I do say so myself. And if you read it, you’re a cool kid. Don’t you want to be a cool kid? This is something called peer pressure, and it usually works.

But for real, if you read Nobody Ends Up Dead then you’re going to go on a good adventure with good characters I guarantee you will love. Not to brag, but it is a pretty good story. There’s funny one-liners, a cute plot, and relatable characters that have been developed for years. Just heed warnings at the beginning of chapters. NEUD deals with some heavy topics such as eating disorders.

NEUD is officially all online for free. But you can still access bonus chapters and short stories on Patreon for only $4.

Links: 

AO3

Wattpad

Patreon (Patrons had early access to the whole novel and also get exclusive short stories with the characters and sneak peaks for new projects!)

Netflix Previews

Characters’ Playlists

You can also check out my carrd if there are any updates to how/where I post, it’ll probably be the most accurate place to find new or updated links.

Transcript under cut:

The Story is Dope

A New York office worker and a sex worker get set up on a date--one thinking it's a real blind date, the other under the impression it's an ordinary appointment. After realizing it was all a shitty prank, they set out for revenge. Their plan: show up to an upcoming Halloween office party as a genuine couple, convincing the pranksters they genuinely fell in love and refusing to let themselves become the butt of the joke.

Our main characters are Alex, an awkward admin assistant for a medical company who hasn't been on a date since he was a teenager, and Damián, a sex worker who seems way out of Alex's league but keeps insisting on spending time with him so they can perfect their revenge scheme.

The novel features a diverse cast and explores sex positivity. I also like to believe that it portrays sex work well. Damián is a hardworking man, doing what he loves, and meeting mostly great people along the way--but he also would benefit greatly if sex work was decriminalized and therefore had better resources at his disposal.

If you're looking for a story with LGBT characters that's mostly light-hearted but still packs a punch every few chapters, this is it! Overall, it's a happy story.

The Characters!

oh boy the characters!

we got Damián who's hardworking and doting on his lil bro but oh wow does he have some angst

we got Alex who is nothing more than a burning ball of anxiety trying his best--all too relatable

Leo, Damián's bro, is an ally, and he will make sure everyone knows. Also has angst.

Eve, Alex's lil sister, is an edgy teen who's failing calc and runs a queer book club

together, they're a weird lil dysfunctional family

I'll be honest. There's a lot of love in this story. From me and among the characters. The characters love each other, and I think the readers love them, too.

It touches on a lot of loneliness--inspired by how I've felt since Covid started--and a lot of the conflicting emotions that come with being gay. What happy endings do we deserve? What about happy middles?

It's a touching book about learning to be a better person and finding people who love you--platonically and romantically.

Here are some of my fave parts:

And then there was a streak of gray hair that shocked Alex. A streak of gray hair off to the side, nestled close to a salt and pepper beard. Textured hands held cocktails. Little, subtle lines creased when mouths laughed. Alex held his breath. On the packed floor, they were the only people Alex could see. They were laughing and holding each other and enjoying themselves, firmly in the place they knew they belonged. Flashes of teeth pressed against each other, disappearing for long seconds at a time.

--

“Sorry,” Alex said. “Your arm got heavy on top of me.” “You’re a little mouse of a man. I didn’t mean to crush you.” “I’m what?”

--

“A dog!” Damián cooed as he sat across from the lesbians. “His name is Yam,” Martin said.

“His name is Yam,” Damián cried. Kris and Clara released Yam and gently nudged him to Damián. Ecstatic, Damián picked him up and set him on his lap. “His name is Yam,” he repeated to Alex. “I heard.”

--

But he couldn’t deny that he was having a good time. It was like intense yoga with the perk of having a cock shoved up his ass. He was going to feel limber as fuck after.

--

“Can I do anything?” Alex asked. “To help cheer you up?”

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

“I’d like to. If you let me.”

--

“Wow this sounds great where can I read it?”

Tumblr @justsome-di

Watpadd @justsome-di

Patreon @just some di (link on Tumblr)

AO3 @justsome_di

Updates every friday!

[mayomaggot]

Every Single Class of 09’; Flipside Message

Feet Ending

Title: Greetings my queen

From: 703-425-2981

Message:

hewwo dere i saw your FM wisting and wanted to see if I could come to your house to be stepped on by your cute little piggies. My parents named me Frederick but you can call me Freddy Footins! I am 34 years young and have been with the FeetMeet community for about 5 years now. Someone on the forums snapped a pic of your feet without your permission and I pleasured myself to it roughly 9 times.\nWith that icebreaker out of the way, i have saved up about 300 dollars with my SSI checks and would like to hire your services. Unsure if you do any of the more erotic foot sessions but just in case let me list you some more of my fetishes: feet, choking, food play, facesitting, Mommy incest, sister incest, twincest, simulated kidnapping, women wearing the Taco Bell uniform, you pretending to be Mexican but then saying you are white after I point out how hot it is that you are Mexican, covering my rent this month, that last one wasnt a kink but would be pretty cool if you did that. Also I am not a rapist by definition (looked it up) so no need to google anything about me. P.S. havent seen your face yet but if you look roughly 12 i am SO going to try moving out of my parents house down the line one day maybe to date you!

OD Ending

Title: right number?

From: 703-960-1431

Message:

Hi I'm not sure if I have the right person but this is Jeffery's mother. Was just texting to thank you for finding his body and alerting the authorities when you did. Unfortunately they were too late but you can't blame yourself for that. A part of me is devastated but another part of me is relieved, which is horrible to say... Jeffery has never quite fit in with the other children, never had the best grades, and maybe this was the only avenue for him sadly enough. Every day I wondered in the back of my head if I had failed as a mother by raising someone so awkward. By middle school I eventually gave up on him to compartmentalize my insecurities as a parent, letting him play with toys and masturbate to what I assume is animated pornography that I found on his computer. I was worried he would be hopelessly going through adulthood so this might have been the best outcome for him. He would tell me he was going to work on video games for a job when he was an adult, then it was comic books, then it was making YouTube reviews of action figures. All these things he said he wanted to do and never pursued... my fear was he just wanted to be a child playing with toys forever. My son's suicide is bittersweet, on one hand he is gone but on the other he realized himself that life wouldn't work out and ended things before they got worse. I KNEW there was a smart boy somewhere inside of Jeffery. I also know we have never spoken before but I needed to tell someone who would not have any pre-conceived notions about my pain...and can understand my blunt honesty now.When Jeffery was alive I was insecure. Now that he's gone I can feel free.

Slave Ending

Title: right number?

From: 202-347-4800

Message:

Heyo this George W Bush from the America White House! Not sure if those lesser camel jockeys let you have a phone as a slave but I personally wanted to let you know that Obama has sent a presidential pardon message to the Taliban to let you out. The Taliban ignores most of my messages and will make a grainy VHS tape telling me MacDonalds is the anti-christ or buddha or whatever the hell brown people worship but you get the idea. American girls like you have a bright future and we need to perserve that in ensuring all men are created equal in this race for equal opportunity.

P.S. Kanye was right ;)

Car Crash Ending

Title: can you cover

From: 703-960-1431

Message:

This is Ron Stumpford of Dominos Fairfax texting about the tragic passing of Ari. Now that shes dead we dont really have anyone to do deliveries on NFL Thursdays anymore so can you cover for her? We dont care that you killed her drunk driving we just gotta move orders here. Between you and me I am glad you killed her cause I asked her out on a date and she made up some fake excuse that she was gay FUCK THAT BITCH! But please come down and cover for her because the selfish bitch was too inconsiderate to have someone cover for her in the event she died on the job. I told her parents that and they made it out like IM the bad guy. If you cant drive for us would you at least have any naked pictures of her or anything? Im trying not to leave this deal empty handed here. Not even her parents had naked pictures of her to send me like what a rip off!

Nicole's Suicide Ending

Title: why why why why...

From: nicole

Message:

why cant u help me

100% Completion Message

Title: Thanks for playing!

From: SBN3

Message:

Thank you for playing the Class of '09 visual novel series to completion!

This project set out to bring real, relatable experiences back into the current lexicon of entertainment through the medium of comedy. Originally it was thought a bunch of people in their early 30s would play these games for a laugh but it turned out people who were barely alive for 2009 gravitated towards it in larger numbers.

Many of the social issues featured in this game were not exclusive to the late 2000s and the teenage portion of our fans lead me to believe times haven't changed... I also learned that 2-line throwaway jokes qualify as lore for people who need employment.

Through these games, presenting the dynamic reality I had witnessed came second to only writing dialogue which would entertain a wide array of people.

From FPS streamer fratboy assholes who love Kylar to purple-haired gender neutral girls who love Ari... Class of '09 has succeeded in being a crossroads of internet culture (regardless of whether those two parties are even aware the other side plays the game). This was not by accident, this is just what happens when you aren't afraid to exit your comfort zone and explore other circles, other cultures, and most importantly other levels of hardship.

Represtation in media is important, however mainstream media cannot represent those they are disconnected from. If you're suicidal, homeless, bulimic, addicted, a sex worker, or in an abusive relationship, Class of '09 is not shock humor to you. It merely displays a reality the comfortable can't comprehend.

I cannot necessarily write how real which stories were or were not, but I can guarantee the answers will surprise you. Lives had been lost and many futures were squandered along the journey which influenced the stories in these games. Those who experienced some events of Class of '09 in their own lives would understand. Your funny stories and your sad stories are all you need to create media that resonates.

Now while the game contained a plethora of anti-pedophilia messagery you just can't avoid psychos who latch onto media just because it's popular. I would just like to warn our fans that child predators who infiltrated the Class of '09 fanbase have been using the following phrases to secretly identify each other:

"the writing in Class of '09 isnt very good"

"I hate SBN3"

"I hate Wrath Club"

"Class of '09 was good by mistake"

"I love Class of '09 but hate the creator"

"No! The game just made that up!"

Make sure to report anyone using this or similar secret pedo rhetoric to your local authorities. Thank you.

-SBN3 a.k.a. God.

this game was an actual dumpster fire, idk what I was expecting but it definitely wasn’t whatever we got

[zenaidamacrouras1]

If anyone needs a reason to vote for Joe Biden let me tell you why: He hires the best paper pushers and administrative staff to implement his programs. These people are god tier, and the president himself doesn't matter all that much to how the government runs.

Long version:

I work in policy, and part of my job is trying to make sure money for stopping climate change goes to union jobs, and that communities are included in decision-making and that low-income/marginalized communities get good investments as much as the rich communities, that there are strong worker and environmental justice protections. It's boring and often depressing and while my dad thinks I am ruining the world, I think I do good stuff, more or less.

And I am OLD and have worked in my field under Bush (cry), Obama, Tr*mp (cries harder) and Biden.

The Biden administration staff - from the lowest level intern people to the higher up political appointees - I have worked with have been the straight up best, most committed, most PASSIONATE about helping people of any administration listed. Also a lot of them are nice.

I think Obama's people were pretty solid, and they did care (memorable moment of having a protest with a bunch of people getting arrested outside the EPA and staff sneaking out and thanking them because they needed political cover to do their job) but maybe they never had the kind of ambitious programming to work with that Biden has.

Kind of what happened is that we passed two mega pieces of climate legislation (IRA and BIL if your nasty like that) and then a bunch of the people who worked on passing those bills got jobs in the Biden administration to help turn those fresh new baby laws into actual real policy and projects, which is really hard, guys, it's so hard. It's so many and so much and it never ends and we have this MOMENT.

So they are passionate. They have been dreaming for YEARS about what we could accomplish with some ambitious public money to fucking do stuff about climate change and workers rights. They are SO PRO BLUE COLLAR WORKERS. I love them. They get it. When they don't get it, they LISTEN.

I don't care if you vote for Biden, the man. Who even is he? I could care less. But vote for who ever is in charge of hiring for Biden. Vote for the staff at the Department of the Interior and the EPA and the Department of Energy and the people in charge of programming for flood preventing agricultural practices at the USDA and the people at the Department of Labor who want to bring people who've been caught up in the criminal justice system into special apprenticeship programs with wrap around care services so they can get a good job with dignity and wages to sustain a family.

They are fucking rock stars. And I am starting to really see some cool projects come out, for example, my region has seen a $30/hour an hour wage increase in environmental remediation jobs DIRECTLY DUE to Biden administration policies and the BIL. We have to be able to continue this work.

[themiiofalltime]

Mii Lore: I Want Die

As concerning as his name is, I Want Die is a pretty cool guy. He was created by Mr Rumble Tumble Raniel Taniel Daniel RT Game on the Wii on 21 October 2018 for Wii Sports Resort.

I Want Die was created to be a mii who looks like he wants to die and not play any kind of sports. Over the years, however, I Want Die has become much more than his severe depression, having starred as the protagonist of both of RT’s Miitopia playthroughs and being somewhat of a mascot for the Rumble Tumble channel.

I Want Die has made it so far, in fact, that he is featured in multiple pieces of merchandise. Not only was he a YouTooz, but he has also been a pin badge, on multiple posters, and is now even a marketable plushie. What a life.

I Want Die is a Former Father. we don’t know who his son is.

There’s an insane amount of I Want Die lore that I couldn’t possibly write out in the time frame i have until the end of the day, so instead this is a link to the RTGame wiki so you can learn all about him. Personally, I learned he was implied to be in a relationship with Gay Obama in Miitopia (3DS), which makes me feel a little mean for that being his Round 2 fight.

[azeutreciathewicked]

Tell your future self to vote

Hey you, American voter.

You're probably feeling pretty excited right now, huh? Things look cool and shiny and hopeful.

That's great - it's great to feel happy and excited and to ride the wave of crowd enthusiasm. It's infectious.

But it's not going to last forever. There are going to be down days, hard days, frustrating days. Maybe you struggle with mental illness like a lot of us, so some days will just be shit days because.

Do yourself a favor: write a letter to future you. Write the letter for the day you will vote. Maybe you get to do early voting, or mail-in voting. Or you'll go in person (you have a plan to get to the polls, right? And to bring some friends and family along to vote too? Good). In that letter, write down how great you feel now. How hopeful. How excited. How great it feels to see so many people across the country coming together. How it feels like we can and will win this, and win with a mandate. Maybe you're old enough to have been excited about Barack Obama -- remind your future self of that. Of the mandate that was delivered.

And then, when a down day comes, especially if it's closer to the election, to the day when you need to fill in that bubble (those bubbles - vote the whole ballot!), pull the lever, or do whatever it is to do your civic duty, read that letter. Remind yourself of how you felt when things were looking good.

Because feelings are contagious. And it's so very easy to get sucked into emotional spirals by others around you, by people on social media.

We have to safeguard against that. We have to make a plan to help us fight the next wave of despair - because it's coming. We can't stop the next wave of negative feelings, but we can take steps to protect ourselves against it.

We HAVE to keep doing the work, no matter how we feel. We can let ourselves get complacent in a sea of good feelings and forget about doing the work. And we can't succumb to despair and give up on doing the work. The work needs to get done regardless of how we feel or how happy the people around us are.

Please. I'm so happy for all the people around me who are happy, truly (as happy as Spock when Kirk and McCoy are happy). But I've also been watching a lot of friends spiral into extremely dangerous levels of despair over other difficult things lately. And the emotional contagion is so very very dangerous.

So use it while we have it - use that good energy to make a plan, to set up protections for the difficult days that are ahead. As of this writing, we have 87 days until the election. A lot can happen in that time. We have to stay the course to win.

Let's do this.

[deadpresidents]

i know obama used it to some extent, but do you know if trump or biden used ground force one at all during their presidencies?

For those who might not know what they are referring to, "Ground Force One" is the nickname for the badass armored bus that's been used for Presidential travel:

Off the top of my head, I can't recall President Trump or President Biden using the bus.

Really, the only time it makes sense for using it is for a very specific type of trip, like a campaign bus tour, or if there's some sort of weather-related reason that grounds the Marine One helicopters during a relatively short journey. Otherwise, I imagine it's pretty expensive to maintain the buses (and actually transport the buses themselves to various locations!) and I wouldn't think it's ideal for the Secret Service. Although the bus is armored and, like "The Beast", almost certainly has all sorts of crazy security features, it is still a big, slow target. I think the Presidential protective detail would much rather just use the faster, far more maneuverable limo than the bus.

It's pretty cool, though. It looks like it should be part of the Knight Rider crew:

[abundantchewtoys]

HS^2 reread till p407 - reaction post

So, in preparation of Homestuck 2 restarting, I’ve reread the whole first few pages.

First I reread the epilogues recap page, then the story proper up until page 407.

It was a good refreshener, because a lot of events were already gone from my memory or very vague.

Which, given the nature of Candy Earth C, is rather appropriate, heh.

Reactions under the cut!

That Dirk called his ship Theseus may say something on how he views his mission.

Then again, he declared himself the villain of the story.

page 4: he called authors alliterative, I wouldn't really call 'AH' that, nor his full name.

Rose really goes hard on the 'being a robot' thing. I guess between Aradiabot, Jadebot, and AR, it was time for someone to unequivocally enjoy the state.

p5 : Cool to see his 'omniscience' is only pseudo, like Doc Scratch' was. He didn't know about the missing landing gear.

Hah, and Rose still sees Dirk as heroic. Pretty blind for a Seer of Light.

p6 : OOh, I still had dark mode on, I realize. Let's change that 'n return to the old format, it influences the feel of the story, especially Dirk' bright text.

p9 : You know, it feels like a missed opportunity not to command him to shit his desk.

p12 : Okay, pretty sure I didn't spot Jade's mug on the well, flower mug on my initial read. I own that mug, actually.

And oh yeah, it was a three-year journey to the new planet, nice parallel to the travel time between Universe B1 and B2.

p13 : So, uh, Bro had a relationship with Barack Obama, I'm reading this right, right?

p15 : Dirk claims to have researched his trollsona extensively, yet doesn't display their blood colour on his shirt, smh.

p17: Riiiight, Terezi was aware of Dirk's narration, as a Mind player, right?  

And hah, as a troll, with Alternia's awkward synonyms, her roasting Dirk for his verbose prose? Gold.  

Pff, and I forgot Dirk was tired of Rose's psychoanalysis, too.  

p33: Right, both paths were distinguished by the arrows.  

p34: It's heartwarming to see Jake actually having mastered the supposedly basic (yet oft neglected) skill of housekeeping.

p38: We never really saw Jake have Skaian dreams, did we? His Prospit self never woke up on account of a peanut allergy.

I wonder if the dreams of a non-awoken dreamself could have ever been prophetic...

And anyway, he's his ascended self now.

Hmm, but right, his dreambubbleself did have a rather prescient twist to it, in the form of Brain Ghost Dirk...

p41: Speak of the devil, I forgot about this part here, heheh.

Soooo, wait, we're getting back in muddy waters.

Jake is from the post-retcon timeline, where Vriska was on the meteor.

But the ghosts in the Furthest Ring weren't duplicated by the retcon.

If we assume they only met the post-retcon kids chronologically (for them) afterwards, there were a bunch of conversations that happened twice.

And Aranea's ghost 'survived' the Game Over timeline aka got thrown back to the Furthest Ring.

Still, it's gold to have Brain Ghost Dirk be his own self, distinct from ascended Dirk.

p47: "DIRK: You’ve spent years feeling sorry for yourself, totally convinced you made the wrong choices and that it’s all over. And it’s easier that way, isn’t it? If you’re a lost cause you don’t have to try to be better."

That's the challenge for the Candy timeline people isn't it? Continuing to try even if it feels like nothing matters.

Brain Ghost Dirk stopped correcting Jake there that he didn't actually was Jane's running mate, since he wasn't that Dirk.

Well, 'I' and 'you' could be seen as located between air-quotes, of course...

P54: Jake being hopeful again probably triggered the return of Brain Ghost Dirk  

P59, 60: The new kids’ quirks are something to get used to again  

P64: Almost seems like a Hope glow, around the car  

P70 : By shedding his purple sweater, we now see Tavros is dressed in layers similarly to Calliope & Caliborn.  

P90 : Note how she doesn't even really counted Jake as part of her family, there.

P95 : Gotta love cross-culture influences on Earth C, like the carapace derp face.

P96 : Introducing the world's most pollutive missile.  

P97 : You'd think once it reached critical speed it wouldn't need the propulsion anymore. Maybe the sails actually serve as (stellar) wind breakers, hahah, and the giant pipe is a countermeasure.

p101 : Showing Karkat has started living at human hours since he's asleep at 5 AM, n'aww.

p105 : Meat timeline folks just keep on being couped up in small spaces for extended periods, don't they?

Meat timeline just really focuses on the cabin fever side of things.

p108 : I swear I forgot Dave pointing this out :p101

p109 : In the story people & the appearance of them in other's minds is important. It's the same for the old Homestuck kids.

Who they are and who they were to us are two separate things.

At the same time, in story, who they are to each other is also very important. Brain Ghost Dirk's a culmination of that.

p114 : Dave really just drew the short stick there w/r his best friends' fates, didn't he.

And Bro still casts a long shadow.

At least it's good to see Dave is in a somewhat good place. Just a little sad he has to basically be a hermit apart from some close friends to achieve it.

p115 : So Karkat never really was close with Rose, interesting.

p130 : I wonder if Dirk started discarding things "pointlessly difficult and irritating" as a way to cope with his isolation growing up.

Roxy had the carapaces around, he only had seagulls...

And eesh, being your ascended self, as in, knowing full well what you'd do in any situation... Really kind of sucks, doesn't it? Not seeing room for growth for yourself.

p131 : So, recap: A2 was coded blue and had a purple game design. A1 probably had the reverse.

B1 was coded red and had a lime green game design, B2 was the reverse.

The C universe is coded white (see: the door they went through) and the game design will be cyan.

Meanwhile, Dirk and Rose's species might be associated with the color purple & orange.

Kind of makes you think of Prospit & Derse, doesn't it?

Makes you wonder if the trolls in A1 were also guided by their universe's gods, or not.

p133 : 10:25 hours ago

p135 : "ROSE: It's amazing what pieces of inconsequential information your mind can recall at a moment's notice, a whole decade after they were last relevant or interesting to anyone.

ROSE: ...

ROSE: I think I missed this."

Appropriate, given that it's been so long since Homestuck ended.

p141 : Basically, Dirk's DNA was used to animate the result of the alchemization. Not ecto-alchemologization, but more like... alchemogenesis?

p144 : Trial 'n error creation of species, with of course, Dirk focusing on the equine & Rose on the cephaloid. (Is that the right Latin word for tentacle-y?)

Right, Rosebot was only a projection of Rose's consciousness.

Weird to think stories about the Psionic survived two squashed rebellions. Then again, he was )(IC's Helmsman for the remainder of Alternian history.

"ROSE: Now [Earth] is protected, in the steady hands of a duly-elected ruler, sure to have a boring and uneventful perpetual term in office."

Ah, if only Rose could see into the bonus stories :P Guess they don't count as part of her domain. ;)

"ROSE: What value is a marriage, temporary domestic bliss, if all is lost?

ROSE: You understand this bargain.

ROSE: At least, you should. It's one that was made to leave you alone.

ROSE: Is your resentment towards my choice about Kanaya, or about V–"

Not sure I understand this fully. Does Rose feel like she had to leave Kanaya because Terezi didn't give up on Vriska?

p146: Calliope embraces irrelevance as Dirk embraces the opposite

P150: Forgot about this part. Good for Jade, not being kept down.

P160: Guess Caaliope has a preference for orsnge juice’s strings because it’s a bit like tendons from red meat? Maybe?

Trials and errors like Dirk’s with DNA, but for food. Wouldn’t Dave have still have codes from the meteor trip?

P171: Getting insight into how red & black romance works for Vrissy, might help us understand where it all went wrong for Vriska.

P172: Vriska trolling herself there

P194: Vrissy - Harry - Tavvy - Yiffy?

P215 : Oh right, Roxy lived in the Carapacian Kingdom? So then Harry just went to and from the human kingdom for school? And the human reporters have crossed the border to report?

P222: Derpy black-haired kid hiding a surprising amount of brawn. Truly, Tavros fits right in with Jake, Jade & John.

P223: Gotta love John was waiting on the "highest point of the building there", while they had to "ascend".

P232: "from somewhere out of a half-remembered dream, comes the sensation of falling. A burning golden city. A girl's screaming." Oooh, [S] Descend reference!

P234: Ohhhh, their naming their daughter like so wasn't 'really' serious, but a result of a a game between them taken too far, I really forgot that!

P240: Forgot that Jane really did <3< Gamzee.

P268: And that the trees walked

P286: Got to say, Aradia and Dave’s unruliness reaaly meshes well with the narrative device of Alt!Calliope’s speech+captions

P339: Maintainer of Peace and Plenty is sure one way to fill in the role of Maid of Life!

P401: Candy John crammed himself into a house-shaped box in a spiritual sense, Meat John got crammed in one literally.

Got to say, I wonder if the June Egbert crowd will get theirs in the end or not, with what John was not saying here. Mostly it might be the topic of masculinity and how to fill that in, I personally think.

P404 : Don’t tell me Dirk & Roxy have the Hiveswap portals under their respective curtains

P405: Didn’t we visit the meteor on Candy Earth before?

Or was that in the Epilogues/bonus stories?

P406: “the natUre of space and time is a little finicky in here” as in, time flows faster? Or geography & history are just weird and inconsistent?

See: Jake having gotten send divorce papers according to the epilogues, or The Felt, Ms Paint & Spades Slick ending up on Earth C according to the snapchat logs...

"CALLIOPE: [...] as far as i can see, there's simply no way for Us to commUnicate with the world oUtside the black hole.  

CALLIOPE: i woUld certainly be very sUrprised to find oUt that anyone had managed sUch a thing!

JOHN: ...right."

Terezi & John communicated just fine through John's Dad's PDA. Is there anything the device is not capable of?!

Ooh boy, and now I'm caught up again!

Seems like the "prelude" to Beyond Canon is done now!  

Wow, feels oddly comforting to be in the thick of it again.

I'm just going to buckle myself to this ride again.

The idea is to not go too deep into analysis this time around, but hahah yeah, that boat'll float till it sinks.

[theliterarywolf]

>"The men that are complaining about her face are by and large anime obsessed, porn addicted, hentai consuming freaks

>They've spent so much of their waking hours watching/consuming that shit to the point its effected how the view women and/or women drawn a bit more realistically

>They're pathetic in every sense of the word and their opinion should never be considered"

Y'know I don't care about Hades 2 because I haven't gotten around to playing Hades 1 yet (someday, I swear). I've heard the discourse but I don't even know what Aphrodite looks like in 2, and I can't be arsed to look.

I don't really have a horse in this race.

But considering the past decade has been a non-stop cavalcade of "If you dare to actually like pretty women you're an incel gooner misogynist and probably a pedophile" being pushed by insufferable, condescending cunts? And even just these past few weeks has been "Lmao @ All the manbabies crying over Stellar Blade censoring two inches of cleavage" when in reality it was far, far more than that for a game that straight up advertised itself as being uncensored? Fuck you just on principle, Anon! Go fuck yourself and take your stank-ass unwashed radfem coochie elsewhere and stay the fuck away from Lit! Don't infect her with your germs, you'll make her stupid! If I could I'd go Kendrick Lamar "Not Like Us" on your sorry ass because I just KNOW you got some fucking skeletons in YOUR closet! Everyone who vomits up this bullshit always does! I'm cool with you, Lit. Like I said I don't really care about Hades discourse and don't really have anything to add beyond "You'd think they'd argue that Hepheastus isn't ugly enough."

Whoa, hey, hey, hey! I'd like to think that people don't think of me as the type to be brainwashed by one or two anons, my God..!

Also, I didn't know that that was the reason that people had turned on Stellar Blade. Yeah, that's pretty fucking shitty. But, I have to ask... Did anyone who was looking forward to the game not think that that would happen? Sony has been on an anti-sex schtick for the past 8 years, of course they were going to censor Stellar Blade!

To give perspective on the issue, here are the two versions of Aphrodite from Hades.

Hades (I)

Hades II

If anything, the only difference between these two is that Aphrodite's first appearance is more of a 'naughty college girl just out of high school' and her second appearance is 'I've finally found the dick of my dreams, so I'm ready to settle down and be a MILF mommy~!'

Which makes sense if you go under the train of thought of her face makeup and spear in II being an homage to Ares...

But, yeah, there's nothing about either depiction of this character that screams 'man-face' like the piss-baby engagement-chasers on Twitter have been screeching about.

'Weh, high cheekbones, tho...' Bitch, so you're telling me every other Hollywood actress before 2020 has secretly been a man? Starting to sound like one of my coworkers back when I worked in the 'healthy-living industry' who swore up, down, and sideways that Michelle Obama was actually a man.

[krihmuh]

"Get Out: Unmasking the Deeper Horrors"

What's good, horror buffs! Let's talk about a film that not only shook the movie world but also had everyone buzzing about race, privilege, and society. Yup, you guessed it - Jordan Peele's incredible debut, "Get Out," which hit theaters in 2017. Now, stay woke because we're diving deep into this cinematic gem, unpacking its layers and uncovering the profound themes that make it so groundbreaking. 

Imagine this: you're watching the movie, and you start to realize that it's not just about the fear of the unknown lurking in the dark. No, it's about racial objectification, cultural appropriation, and the subtle nuances of privilege that often go unnoticed. "Get Out" brilliantly portrays the struggles faced by black people like me in a society where we’re often treated as commodities, our culture exploited and our voices silenced. But hey, we're not just here to scratch the surface, we're delving deep into the heart of the matter, dissecting some significant themes that Peele skillfully wove into this film. This isn't just a horror movie; it's a thought-provoking, eye-opening masterpiece that challenges our perspectives and sparks essential conversations. So, grab your popcorn, get comfy, and join me as we unravel the layers of "Get Out," because trust me, there's so much more to this movie than meets the eye. 

So, this movie definitely requires (and deserves) several rewatches to really understand the pretty heavy topics embedded within it, like you know, the whole “appropriating/coveting of black bodies” thing? The Armitage family's creepy plan? Swapping the minds of older white folks into young, healthy black bodies. It's not just a horror plot twist; it's a powerful yet subtle message. Peele uses the body snatching and kidnapping ring as an element of fantasy in the horror genre. That is to say that since we know that white people aren't actually going around and mind swapping into black bodies, it feels less in your face. However, the concept is still horrific especially when commenting on the black experience because it speaks on something much deeper. We can still relate with the idea from afar due to generations of appropriation and fetishization experienced from non people of color to us. Peele crafted a chilling metaphor for how black lives have been dehumanized and turned into commodities. Essentially, it's like saying, "Hey, look at how society has treated us black individuals as vessels for someone else's existence."

Now onto that cringe-worthy party scene in "Get Out." You know, the one where Chris is stuck in a whirlwind of microaggressions and well-meaning but totally clueless comments. It's not just a random moment; it's a peek into the sneaky world of cultural appropriation. "Get Out" dives headfirst into this tricky topic, showing how black culture often gets picked apart and repackaged for mainstream consumption. And that party? Oh man, this is a perfect example. Chris finds himself bombarded with remarks that might seem innocent but are actually pretty darn insensitive. It's like his identity is being erased, and his cultural heritage is reduced to nothing more than a passing trend. Jordan Peele brilliantly uses this scene to shed light on how casually people can appropriate black culture, treating it like a cool “I would vote for Obama for a third term” type of accessory without understanding its significance. Though this was an obvious commentary that I observed during the first watch, the implications of these scenes hit deeper and deeper with subsequent screenings.

We also can't forget about the eerie yet incredibly powerful "sunken place" in the film. It is imagined as this nightmarish void where people are trapped and silenced, unable to escape. Now, why is it so significant? It's not just a frightening scene to watch, especially when Chris sinks into the chair; it's a brilliant metaphor for the way black voices are marginalized in our society. This horrifying concept is Peele's way of shedding light on the systemic suppression of black stories and experiences. It's like saying, “Hey, look at how society pushes black narratives to the sidelines, keeping them quiet and invisible." And the way he visualizes it – this nightmarish void – makes you confront the harsh reality of social silencing. So, when you're watching those scenes in the "sunken place," it's not just a cinematic choice; it's a call to recognize the voices that have been muted for far too long.

Now to a pretty bold move by "Get Out" – it takes on something called white liberal racism. Now, you might think that progressive folks are immune to racist attitudes, right? Well, not at all. The movie shows us that even seemingly well-meaning, progressive families like the Armitages can have some serious issues beneath the surface.

So, here’s the four-one-one: the Armitage family appears all open-minded and accepting, but they're actually a prime example of what we call performative allyship. You know, where people act like they're supportive but their actions tell a different story. Jordan Peele brilliantly peels back the layers, revealing the subtle, underlying racism that can exist within these circles.

In the film, the Armitages showcase how racism isn't just about blatant hatred. Nope, it can sneak in through small, seemingly harmless comments – those sneaky and derogatory little things we call microaggressions – and even through cultural appropriation. Peele's characters serve as a sharp reminder that racism can hide behind a facade of progressivism, catching us off guard when we least expect it.

Jordan Peele’s “Get Out”, definitely grabs you by the shoulders and violently shakes those who have been kind of living under a rock when it comes to what the film is trying to portray. Think of it as a wake-up call wrapped in a suspenseful story. Yes, it terrifies us, but it does something even more profound – it makes us question our beliefs and biases. It challenges our perspectives and makes us reevaluate societal norms that we might have taken for granted.

This film, to me, is a catalyst for change. It sparks conversations we desperately need to have. When we dissect and analyze the layers of meaning in "Get Out," we're not just watching a movie; we're taking a journey toward understanding and empathy. It compels us to confront our own prejudices, biases, and blind spots. And that’s where the real power of "Get Out" lies – in its ability to inspire change, one uncomfortable conversation at a time. So, the next time you watch it, sit in the discomfort each scene makes you feel. Because it’s in that discomfort that real change starts to happen.

[pitbullwithaship]

DOCTOR WHO LIVEBLOG 2009 SPECIAL THE END OF TIME (PART 1)

Okay, I think I might be emotionally prepared for both of the parts of this. Time to watch, wish me mental stability!

Planet Earth Intro

Oh there's a documentary narrator lol

Hello christmas

WILF HELLO

Pretty singing, gorgeous singing

Those kids are good

Tardis cameo?

THE SAINTED PHYSICIAN LOL

Spooky woman?

Evil laughter?

Hi Doctor (he's mentally ill)

Hi Ood (he is aware of the Doctor's mental illness)

Snowy day

Ooh pretty city

Ood prophet cool

More evil laughter?? Hello?

Which man is dead

The Master? Maybe tis his wife at least (poor her)

WHATY WHAT TIS WEIRD GALLIFREYAN THINGY

HES ALIVE THEN WHAT

It's not nice when time starts bleeding

Poor Lucy

Weird woman on the TV?

Okay resurrection generally isn't the greatest choice

This is culty

Til death do them part she's awesome

Person running? Master running?

I love Wilf he's so silly

Lol sending out the troops to find the Doctor

Okay so the Master is even more insane than before

Yay Obama

Creepy as hell my dude

That's horrifying

That's ultra horrifying jeez

Hello Doctor

Epic chase through a garbage dump

"Let me help" oh come on you've tried that before

Old people gang up to take a photo with him lol

Gets groped

Don't be sulky Doctor

HE WILL KNOCK FOUR TIMES OH MY GOSH

Dude course you'll die that's just what happens

Not changed no

Aww hello Shaun Temple

They're cute, and he's glad she's happy, he's the ultimate depressed bestie

Merry Fucking Christmas

Awww he misses her so much!! This is so sad!!!

Doctor where are you going now!?

Idiots and fools

Dramatic western faceoff

WALKS FROM AN EXPLOSION HELLO

I've said before, he's quite good at getting electrocuted

He's also vaguely suicidal but at the same time desperate to stay alive

Oh I know, he has the fear of death that only one who'd like to die can have

We can hear it

HE HEARD IT

You are mad my dude

Flying light thing? Hello

Oh it's the government then I assume

Poor Doctor

Oh generic rich powerful dude has a book

HELLO DONNA?

Oh generic rich powerful dude has the Master

Okay generic rich powerful people are evil generic rich powerful people

The war was won and passed you by

Aww he never killed that wonderful I live Wilf

Usually if people say "whatever you do don't tell so-and-so" you should probably tell so-and-so

Pistol

He loves her so much

Fair enough lol

Sylvia gurl

I thought it'd be cleaner I love Wilf

Wilf and Doctor friendship is the most pure flawless amazing one ever

Scientists rebelling maybe?

Nope those are aliens

PEOPLE NEED TO STOP TRYING FOR IMMORTALITY ITS BAD

If the censoring thing on the tardis got broken the Doctor would be scandalized by the amount of swearing his companions all do but especially wilf and donna

Shimmer shimmer

I love aka hate how he's wearing a dog collar

Bondage

Oh shit

Oh dear

I guess they hide the presidents face cuz they couldn't get a real Barack Obama cameo which sucks

No he's not gonna love this

Oh dear a planet of Masters

Oh dearie me

That's disturbing

That's incredibly disturbing holy cows

THE TIME LORDS RETURNED IM SORRY WHAT HELLO THE NARRATOR IS A TIME LORD TOO WHY DO THEY WANT TO END TIME I THOUGHT THEY WERE STUFFY AND LAW ABIDING

[bidean-byedean]

fanfic friday; sad baby buck. 2.1k.

Listened to Aisle 6 by Sadie Jean and got feels about Buck being alone for the first time

When I was six, I dreamed of this In a rosier light, now it's fluorescent white Stuck in between myself and me What I'm feeling right now, I think it's lettin' her down Won't somebody tell me it's time to come back home 'Cause it's too late at night to be alone? Oh Why is nobody angry or asking, "Where'd she go?" No one's waiting for me by the phone Won't somebody tell me to come home?

Teen. pre-canon ramblings.

Five weeks. That's how long it takes for Evan to stumble, not counting that first night.

Once he'd stopped driving for long enough to actually take a breath, he panicked. Hungry. Tired. Scared. He had never really imagined doing this without someone by his side. In his head, the open road was filled with laughter, fighting over the radio, and the silence of someone sleeping beside you.

In the short time that Maddie's yes meant something, he'd already planned it out, so close he could taste it.

But Maddie wasn't there. She wouldn't even see him. What kind of goodbye was that? What kind of sister did that? The anger fuelled the first miles, racing down highways, unsteady behind the wheel of the Jeep that he'd never been allowed to drive. Now it was all he had.

That and a duffle bag that looked over-stuffed when he left but now he can't think of a single useful thing in it. After a full cycle of his clothes, Evan missed a hundred things he'd been forced to leave behind. And he still doesn't understand how to not run out of underwear alarmingly fast. And yes, he's considered giving it up entirely.

"Man, I'm telling you! Underwear is part of governmental overreach."

"I don't think Obama gives a shit if you wear briefs," Evan laughs, but Bryan looks livid.

"Of course, you don't get it, rich kid from the white suburbs. Mommy probably bought all your undies."

Evan wants to argue but he doesn't know how without stepping in some weird trap. So he bites his tongue and goes back to scrolling on his phone. Without Bryan's ranting, the TV comes into focus. Some gameshow is on, the one his parents always watch.

If he folds in on himself, Evan can almost imagine he's back home. The soft sounds of canned laughter and cha-ching! when someone wins float by as if coming from downstairs, his parents contentedly not paying attention to him. The blessing and curse that plagued his existence in that house.

"I know a guy who got the clap from not wearing underwear to the gym."

Both of their heads snap toward the new voice. It belongs to a girl Evan's noticed around; she has big sun-kissed curls and her face is covered in freckles. Other than the fact she's hot, Evan wonders what an Australian could possibly find interesting about North Carolina. Coming from a landlocked state, Evan thinks the concept of a coastline is pretty cool, but he imagines that the muddy, estuary-riddled beaches here don't live up to her home.

"That's disgusting," Bryan says as if this whole conversation isn't gross. "Commercial gyms are exploitative anyway."

She shrugs. "You know what they say, if you're gonna get fucked, wear protection. Same thing here."

Evan snorts and she winks at him, which Bryan really doesn't like. Something about alpha males and privileged fuckboys, and who cares because she's got a smile that makes him forget about the hollow feeling in his chest.

About four pints, half a hip flask, three sticky cocktails, and an indeterminate number of shots later, Evan finds himself stuffed into her bunk bed. Thankfully, it's the bottom, so he doesn't have to risk smashing his head open for a lay. She's under him making tiny noises like a kitten mewling, which is more distracting than he anticipated.

He has no idea if there is someone above them but he does his best not to rock the bed too much, fucking into her tightly, her arms around his shoulders. Every time he closes his eyes the world spins and his stomach churns, so he stares at the light on someone's charger, the little green light his anchor as he tries to finish. But every time he thinks he's getting there, his attention slips and he has to start again.

"Hey, can we just sleep?" She asks with a hand on his sweaty chest.

"Oh, yeah, sure."

Surprisingly, she pulls him into her back, his arm draped over her waist. It's nice. He listens to the snoring, the tapping of fingers on phones, the laughter coming up from the street, and holds onto her tighter. Against her warm body, he falls asleep faster than he has in weeks.

The next night, he picks up a bar shift, desperate for cash to put more distance between him and Pennsylvania. In five weeks, he hasn't got nearly as far as he wants.

His venture up into Maine ate up a lot of his momentum before he realised he was just backing himself into a corner, literally, and then he came back down the coast. Enjoying the scenic drive but not stopping for much, even New York. Margaret and Phillip Buckley enjoyed the city, they took Maddie all the time when she was still at home, but Evan only got a few trips before they decided he wasn't worth the effort. So when the sign for NYC comes up, he speeds past it with his jaw tight.

Leaning across his bar is a familiar head of curls and he grins up at her.

"What brings a nice girl like you to a place like this?"

She scrunches her nose and laughs at him. "Cheese on cheese, mate. Vodka soda, please."

Maybe he gives her a few drinks on the house, each with a wink and his best pretty-boy smile, which is fun as long as his manager doesn't clock on. But as the night wears on, the gaps between her drinks become longer and longer, until it's been hours since he caught sight of her. The disappointment is weird. They're strangers, just a drunken fumble between them, but he likes her freckles and her big vowels and the fact she's seen so much of the world he hasn't.

When he clocks out, the manager shoves an envelope of cash in his hand, he goes to the hostel, packs up his shit, and drives south until he stops crying.

Somewhere around sunrise, he pulls into a gas station. He eats an energy bar he can't taste and uses a bathroom that will haunt his nightmares. And calls Maddie. It's not the first or fiftieth time, he's stopped counting. But he keeps calling. It used to ring out.

"The number you have dialled is no longer in service. Please try another."

There is no other number. This is the one in his phone under Mads. It even has a picture of her, an unflattering picture that he screenshotted from the background of some other shot, but it's still her. He's got the scar on his forearm from where she tried to grab his phone from him, screaming at him to delete it.

Okay, they fought a lot. He annoyed her, mostly on purpose and sometimes just by virtue of being her little brother, but they loved each other. There's a reason he begged her to come with him. If she turned up today, he'd forgive her in a second, ready for the real adventure to begin. But all he gets is automated messages and silence.

There's a lot of silence in Evan's life now. Not real silence, of course, he sleeps in dorms that resemble barracks and works in bars and clubs loud enough to leave his head ringing and the Jeep is loud, especially on the wide, endless freeways. But sometimes he finds himself going days without talking to anyone apart from niceties and it leaves him feeling something sickly.

A few of his friends followed up on him when he left, seeming genuinely interested in his great escape. But they have lives, college and actual jobs that take up their time, so the conversations become more and more sporadic.

Honestly, he can't remember the last time someone asked him how he was or where he was.

Did anyone know? Did anyone give a shit?

For a while, he posted on Instagram pretty regularly, updating everyone on his life. But then his aunt commented on something and he got spooked - it wasn't really running away if your parents could spy on your every move - so he stopped. That made things lonelier. He scrolls through everyone else's lives and feels sick when he sees everyone living. His friends grab drinks together at a bar he doesn't know, the girl he liked from his humanities class has a new boyfriend, someone from his high school is in Italy…

He should be in Italy, but he's not. He's in the middle of nowhere on the border of Georgia and Florida, nothing but pine trees and potholes. And no one fucking cares.

No one cares when he has beer for dinner. No one cares when he doesn't come home until the morning. No one cares when he doesn't show up to a shift or skips out on the rest of his dorm booking. No one cares when he keeps driving deep into the night. No one cares what he does or where he is or anything.

And this is how Evan Buckley ends up having a panic attack sitting on the ground at 6:23am.

Because truthfully, he knows that it’s not that no one cares, it's that certain people don't. It's that deep down, he knows the reason Maddie isn't picking up his calls is the same she never let him visit her in Boston and why she gave him the Jeep but couldn't give him her. The guilt is almost too much so it’s easier to be angry at her. It's that the only people who should be blowing up his phone aren't.

Growing up, Evan had limits. Sometimes it felt like he was livestock, surrounded by an electric fence but not quite understanding where the lines were or what the punishment would be. His parents were distant until they weren't. They didn't want him around but he still had a curfew, still couldn't just disappear with his friends for hours on end, eventually the Buckleys would recall him like a farm dog to be locked up for the night.

He gnawed at the bars for years until he figured out the lock. A grazed knee. A chipped tooth. A broken arm. A broken leg. A broken arm and leg. Concussion. Letting the backdoor slam when he snuck in at 2am. Joining the football team; bruised ribs, black eyes, torn ligaments. If he slammed his head against the bars hard enough, someone would let him lie on their lap until he stopped bleeding.

There was no softness for his pain now.

All the bars he should never have been in, too late, too sketchy even for locals, all the alleys he took as shortcuts, all the sofas he crashed on too drunk to keep his eyes open. There were so many pretty words and ready mouths and greedy hands, and Evan fell into all of them. Disregarding the fact that any hurts he collected now were not going to be met with a loving hand, there was no one waiting to pick him up again.

He heaves for breath against the hot metal of the Jeep, his heart too big for his chest or his throat too small for air, or something. Evan has had a panic attack before, many. The world falling away from under his feet, everything too close and too far away, his spiralling thoughts pulling him under like a rip tide. Every wave breaks over his head before he can take a breath, his mouth full of water and salt and regret.

Would his parents ever call?

Would they ever care?

Did he make a mistake?

Is he the mistake?

Can he ever make up for being him?

How far does he need to go before he feels something new?

Is it all a delusion?

Should he turn back?

Would he be allowed?

It's so fucking stupid. All he's ever wanted is to be free, to put as much distance between him and that house, and now he's here, he hates it.

There he said it.

He hates the wandering. The aimlessness. The constantly being new and on the back foot. Evan likes people, he's good with people but for the past few weeks, it feels like everyone is in on a joke that he just doesn't get. Maybe it's him. Maybe everyone knows that deep down he wants his mom to call and ask him if he's coming home.

Suddenly, he thinks of Maddie. The Maddie who always told him there was a world out there waiting for him. The Maddie who said yes to this trip The Maddie who no longer has a way to leave, even if she wanted to. The Maddie his parents didn’t show up for. The Maddie they let drift away from them until she was lost in the fog of Doug. The Maddie who still did her best to show up for him.

Maybe she can't be here, maybe she can't tell him she's worried, but maybe she's still waiting for him to tell her he's okay somehow. He made it out. For the both of them.

Eventually, he can breathe again.

Eventually, he can drive again.

"Welcome to Jacksonville! Where are you joining us from?"

"Hershey."

"Like the chocolate?"

Evan looks at the desk guy blankly and then back at the stack of postcards on the rack. They're kinda silly, very kitschy; beaches, high rises, oranges, all the stereotypes. Maddie would love them.

"Dime a card. We're trying to get rid of them."

"Can I borrow a pen?"

[mightyflamethrower]

By Lloyd Billingsley, Power Line

On August 2, 2023, Tablet editor David Samuels interviewed David Garrow, author of Rising Star: The Making of Barack Obama. On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a massive attack on Israel and committed the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. In light of those events, and the recent attack on Israel directly from Iran, consider some of Samuels’ own statements during “The Obama Factor” interview:

The sheer amount of political capital and focus Obama put into achieving the JCPOA during his second term, to the near-exclusion of other goals, suggests that the deal was central to his politics. It also carries more than a whiff of the kind of politics in which the American Empire is seen not just as unexceptional, but also, in some ways, as actively evil. It was a politics born out of the confluence of the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement, which saw a racist war abroad being used to protect a racist power structure at home. That old alliance of civil rights, anti-imperialism, and identity politics made the Democratic Party that Obama positioned himself to lead—college-educated, corporate-controlled—seem cool, allowing it to use post-1960s radical ideology as a language to sell stuff.

In the absence of what was once American journalism, it is hard to know which portrait of Obama’s post-presidency is truer to life: Obama as a celebrity-obsessed would-be billionaire, or as a would-be American Castro, reshaping American society from his basement, in his sweats.

"Touchdown!" 

The election of Joe Biden in 2020 gave the Obamas even more reasons to stay in town. The whispers about Biden’s cognitive decline, which began during his bizarre COVID-sheltered basement campaign, were mostly dismissed as partisan attacks on a politician who had always been gaffe-ridden. Yet as President Biden continued to fall off bicycles, misremember basic names and facts, and mix long and increasingly weird passages of Dada-edque nonsense with autobiographical whoppers during his public appearances, it became hard not to wonder how poor the president’s capacities really were and who was actually making decisions in a White House staffed top to bottom with core Obama loyalists. When Obama turned up at the White House, staffers and the press crowded around him, leaving President Biden talking to the drapes—which is not a metaphor but a real thing that happened. (Samuels’ link)

I have heard from more than one source that there are regular meetings at Obama’s house in Kalorama involving top figures in the current White House, with Secret Service and cars outside. I don’t write about it because it’s not my lane. There are over a thousand reporters in Washington, and yet there are zero stakeouts of Obama’s mansion, if only to tell us who is coming and going. But he clearly has his oar in.  The easy explanation, of course, is that Joe Biden is not running that part of his administration. Obama is. He doesn’t even have to pick up the phone because all of his people are already inside the White House. They hold the Iran file. Tony Blinken doesn’t.

Rob Malley is just one person. Brett McGurk. Dan Shapiro in Israel. Lisa Monaco in Justice. Susan Rice running domestic policy. It’s turtles all the way down. There are obviously large parts of White House policymaking that belong to Barack Obama because they’re staffed by his people, who worked for him and no doubt report back to him. Personnel is policy, as they say in Washington.

Which to me is a very odd and kind of spooky arrangement. Spooky, because it is happening outside the constitutional framework of the U.S. government, and yet somehow it’s been placed off the list of permitted subjects to report on. Which is a pretty good indicator of the extent to which the information we get, and public reactions to that information, is being successfully controlled. How and by whom remain open questions, the quick answer to which is that the American press has become a subset of partisan comms.  What scared me back then was coming to understand that a new milieu had been created consisting of party operatives, the people in the FBI and the CIA who are carrying out White House policy, and the press. It is all one world now. And that’s something people still seem loathe to admit, even to themselves, in part because it puts them in a state of dissonance with this new kind of controlled consensus that the press maintains, which is obviously garbage. But if you question it, you’re some kind of nut.

But historically speaking, Jews are not, or were not, a particularly American obsession, except among some morons and leather fetishists on the right. But they are a major obsession on the periphery of the American empire, where envy and fear of the mythic role that Jews supposedly play in Washington, because of Israel, are defining emotions, regardless of the facts. So how do you talk all this foundation-land, community-organizer shit and then preside over the transformation of the country into a Gilded Age oligarchy? Maybe I just answered my own question: Obama is the Magic Negro of the billionaire industrial complex. And targeting Jews as outsiders and pushing them outside the circle was the way that the Gilded Age oligarchy consolidated itself in America, back then and also now.