#Payroll Structuring

[quaranmine]

at a rare point in firewatch au where i'm gonna have to admit i know nothing about how this thing in particular works and bs the whole thing

[ipasantosh]

Diploma in Taxation 

[governmentgrantsblog]

Unraveling the Tapestry: Navigating the Complexities of Accounting and Taxation

Welcome to our blog, where we embark on a journey to unravel the intricate tapestry of accounting and taxation. In this post, we'll explore the nuanced complexities of accounting and taxation  that individuals and businesses often encounter in the realm of finance, shedding light on key challenges and offering insights on how to navigate them successfully.

The Multifaceted World of Accounting

1. Balancing Act:

Accounting is more than just number-crunching. It involves a delicate balance between precision and interpretation. We'll delve into the challenges of maintaining accurate financial records while ensuring they align with the broader financial strategy of your business.

2. Financial Statements:

Financial statements are the language of business, but interpreting them requires a keen understanding. We'll discuss the complexities of dissecting balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements to gain meaningful insights into your financial health.

Taxation's Complex Dance

3. Ever-Evolving Tax Laws:

Tax regulations are in a constant state of flux. Keeping up with the latest changes can be a challenge for individuals and businesses alike. We'll explore the complexities of staying compliant with tax laws while optimizing your financial position.

4. Navigating Deductions and Credits:

The tax code is a labyrinth of deductions and credits. We'll guide you through the complexities of identifying opportunities to minimize your tax liability and maximize your financial benefits.

Real-world Challenges

5. Payroll Headaches:

Payroll management involves more than just issuing paychecks. From tax withholdings to compliance with labor laws, we'll address the intricacies of managing payroll efficiently while keeping your workforce satisfied.

6. Industry-Specific Nuances:

Different industries face unique financial challenges. We'll explore how specific sectors, such as healthcare, technology, or real estate, navigate industry-specific accounting and taxation complexities.

Overcoming Complexity with Technology

7. Embracing Technology:

Technology is revolutionizing the financial landscape. We'll discuss how integrating digital tools and accounting software can streamline processes, enhance accuracy, and alleviate some of the complexities associated with traditional financial management.

Seeking Professional Guidance

8. The Role of Experts:

In the face of these complexities, the value of professional advice cannot be overstated. Discover how working with seasoned professionals can provide clarity, mitigate risks, and ensure your financial strategies align with your goals.

Conclusion

As we untangle the complexities of accounting and taxation, our goal is to empower you with knowledge and insights that transform challenges into opportunities. Stay tuned for more in-depth explorations, and remember, we're here to guide you through the complexities of finance, making your journey to financial success more manageable.

Join us on this illuminating journey through the complexities of accounting and taxation, and let's navigate the financial landscape together!

[accountingandtaxation]

Beyond Numbers: Mastering the Art of Financial Success with Accounting & Taxation

Welcome to our blog, where we unravel the complexities of accounting and taxation to empower you with the knowledge needed to make informed financial decisions. In this post, we'll explore key concepts, provide valuable insights, and offer practical tips to help you navigate the intricate world of finance.

Understanding the Basics

The Foundation of Accounting:

Accounting is the backbone of sound financial management. Learn about the fundamentals, from bookkeeping and financial statements to budgeting and forecasting. A solid accounting foundation ensures that you have a clear picture of your financial health.

Decoding Taxation:

Taxes can be daunting, but understanding the basics is crucial. Explore the different types of taxes, income tax planning strategies, and compliance requirements. Being tax-savvy is not just about saving money but also about ensuring you meet your legal obligations.

Navigating Challenges

Managing Payroll:

Payroll processing can be a headache for businesses. Discover best practices for payroll management, ensuring your employees are compensated accurately and on time while staying compliant with tax regulations.

Overcoming Tax Challenges:

Tax laws are ever-changing. Stay ahead of the curve with insights into recent tax reforms, deductions, and credits. We'll guide you through common challenges and provide strategies to optimize your tax position.

Tailored Solutions

Virtual CFO Services:

Small and medium-sized businesses may not always need a full-time CFO. Explore the benefits of virtual CFO services, where our experts can provide strategic financial advice without the hefty price tag.

Industry-Specific Solutions:

Every industry has unique financial considerations. Discover how tailored accounting and taxation solutions can address the specific needs of sectors such as healthcare, real estate, technology, and more.

Expert Advice

The Importance of Professional Advice:

While DIY financial management is tempting, seeking professional advice can save you time, money, and potential headaches. Learn how partnering with experts can provide peace of mind and contribute to your financial success.

Success Stories

Client Spotlights:

Hear firsthand from our clients about their experiences. Real-life success stories demonstrate the tangible impact of effective accounting and taxation solutions.

Conclusion

Navigating the financial landscape requires knowledge, strategic planning, and a reliable partner. We are committed to empowering you with the tools and insights needed for financial success. Stay tuned for more informative posts, and don't hesitate to reach out for personalized assistance on your journey to financial well-being.

Join us as we demystify accounting and taxation, making finance accessible and empowering you to achieve your financial goals!

[anim-ttrpgs]

Thoughts on "Monster Hunters" in Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy

I’m planning to flesh out some of the info and themes in the Eureka rulebook about monster hunters, so I’m turning these thoughts into a proper post.

Where there’s monsters in modern fantasy, there’s monster hunters. It’s not actually quite that old of a trope, and often gets applied retroactively, (See: van Helsing just brings some guy who has read a lot about vampires in the original Dracula novel, but getting portrayed as a badass vampire hunting specialist in so many subsequent iterations) but whatever the case, the concept of a monster-hunting specialist will find its way into just about any setting with monsters.

These may many forms across different media.

Sometimes they’re for-hire almost like exterminators, sometimes they’re on the payroll of a secret government agency or a secret branch of The Church, sometimes they just do it because no one else will.

Sometimes they’re the good guys, vigilantes striking out against monsters that represent oppressive power structures, invading forces, dangerous problems that those in power turn a blind eye to, etc.

Sometimes they’re the bad guys, religious fanatics or government secret police who relentlessly pursue monsters representing some misunderstood, marginalized, and innocent group.

Sometimes they’re “one of the good ones,” hunting their own kind as a form of atonement.

Well, in Eureka, there is no global secret society run by monsters, nor a global secret society, government branch, or branch of the Church suppressing monsters.

Monsters are both a largely unknown - and legitimately dangerous - phenomenon to the general public, and yet still otherwise “normal” people with their own lives and problems. Read these posts for more on that subject.

If these are the monsters in Eureka, then who are the monster hunters? What kind of person becomes a self-described “monster hunter” in this context? Probably not a very good one. Now don’t get me wrong, monsters are very dangerous, but they also are so exceptionally rare that most monsters will have never met anyone else like them in their entire lives. Most people will never even unknowingly walk past one on the street.

So, first of all, to even believe that these monsters are out there and striking with such frequency that you could reasonably “hunt” them, you already have to be a little bit of a crackpot.

Now, there are dangerous people out there in Eureka and in real life. This is a work of art that strongly believes in the right to self-defense and ownership of the means of self-defense. What else are you going to do, rely on the police?

But for a self-described “monster hunter” in Eureka, this danger is not something they’re simply wary of and prepared for, it is something that, conscious or not, excites them. This isn’t “carries a gun just in case of the unlikely event of an attack” kind of “self-defense,” this is “drive three states over to a protest to make sure something happens” kind of “self-defense.” This is “hoping for any excuse and opportunity to rid society of undesirables from ‘the streets’ through violence” kind of “self-defense.”

And, in a world where monsters are so rare and also so hard to distinguish from normal people as in Eureka, what does “monster hunting” even look like? Well, it ain’t a good look. It means hypervigilantly scouring everyone you meet for any abnormality or sign of deviant or “dangerous” behavior. Then, when you’ve got what might be a hit, invade their privacy, stalk them, watch their every move for more evidence of the danger you know is there. Then, once they raise enough red flags, and you’ve got an opportunity, you attempt to destroy them.

Obviously most of these “monsters” are false positives, there just aren’t that many actual monsters out there, and their “tells” can often be identical to the behaviors of people who just don’t fit in with normal society for whatever other reason, and might even be huge assholes, but are ultimately not capable of causing much harm, if any.

Most “monster hunters” will have never encountered a single real monster, and if they ever did, they would probably be out of their depth, but they pat themselves on the back for their hard work keeping the community safe all the same. After all, a normal mortal who already has a stake through their heart can’t explain that they always ask to be invited in because they have OCD or anxiety. (And why should they even have to? Because you imagined they might be a vampire? Seriously?)

I don’t think most of you reading this carry guns IRL so I’m going to bring it a bit closer to home. In more online spaces, these are the same kind of people who start compiling “evidence” for callout posts as soon as they get a “bad vibe” from someone, or somebody is rude to or disagrees with them. It’s the same MO. Scan everyone for the slightest evidence “problematic” behavior, start stalking them and invading their privacy once you’ve got a hit, then move in to destroy.

Who cares if you stretch the truth a little bit? You know in your mind they’re problematic, so it’s up to you to protect the community from them by any means necessary, even lying, otherwise people might not take it seriously enough!

This is called "relational aggression" or "relational violence," by the way.

“But what about the real monsters who really eat people? Doesn’t somebody need to do something about them?”

Well, yes and no. It’s complicated, just like in real life. The posts I linked above explain the comparison between Eureka monsters and disabled people, with the fact that monsters eat people representing how disabled people can often eat up time, energy, and resources of those around them whether they like it or not. Some of them would be less of an issue if societal structures changed, others would not, and even within different categories of monster it’s pretty case-by-case. As much as these man-eating monsters have a right to life, the people they eat have a right to defend themselves from monster attacks. I don’t pretend to have the perfect solution to disability or to Eureka monsters, exploring the nuance therein is one of the things the game is about, but I do know that “we need to weed out and exterminate all people with harmful or burdensome needs for the good of society”, well, that ain’t it chief.

Be safe, be wary, but don’t be a monster hunter. Don’t go picking fights, don’t assume it’s your duty to cyberstalk and ostracize people whose backgrounds or behaviors are “suspicious” or less than squeaky clean, and do be skeptical of callout posts and related tools of ostracization. For every one legitimately, maliciously harmful person out there, there are a hundred more who are on the receiving end of this kind of treatment because they were an asshole to the wrong person, or because they caused a scene on a train car.

A self-righteous monster hunter is every bit as dangerous as the monsters they claim to hunt.

[gallusrostromegalus]

I must ask how my Most Favorite Boys, Jushiro Ukitake and Shinji Hirako, are doing in AEIWAM?

When Shinji returns to his post as Captain of the 5th after his exile, he is DETERMINED to not repeat his past mistakes and actually get to know the shinigami serving under him. He needs... Some kind of event, something people will voluntarily attend, where they'll tell him about themselves, and with a bit of structure because he is an awkward sod, and social interactions need RULES, DAMMIT-

"Now hang on-" says Shinji after staring at the blank office wall in silence for the last thirty minutes. "-that's not a bad idea!"

"...Is he okay?" Lieutenant Momo asks quietly.

"Oh yeah, he's always a little freak. Talks to himself and gets a lot out of the conversation." Also Lieutenant Hiyori nods. "You don't need to worry until he breaks out the craft supplies."

"He just pulled out a bunch of markers and construction paper." Momo pointed to their captain as he scribbled furiously on the paperwork he was ignoring.

"Aw. Fuck." Groaned Hiyori. "Well this is gonna be cringe as hell."

***

A few nights later, most of the fifth division assembled in the auditorium, slightly confused, but they had been promised there would be no additional work from this meeting, and there was an open bar, so they were in figurative and literal high spirits.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Fifth Division, welcome to TONIGHT'S GAME!" A cheerful and showman-like voice called out over the speakers, and the stage curtain rose to reveal a brightly colored game show stage where there had not been one before.

"Tonight's lovely contestants are- all the way from payroll, it's Fifth Division Tenth Seat Tenya Danshin!" The voice called out as the familiar face of their payroll and scheduling manager trotted out onstage and took his place behind the first of three podiums. There was some scattered and genuine, if confused applause from the audience.

"He's Big, he's Bad, he's just a little Bizarre, he's Josuke Araki!" The voice continued as a notably tall and muscular member took his place behind the middle podium with a wave and broad grin. There was more clapping and a few cheers this time.

"Currently being dragged onstage by my lovely assistant, it's my second favorite Lieutenant, Hiyori Sarugaki!" The voice continued as Hiyori was wrestled onstage and behind the third podium by Momo. The audience whooped and snickered at the spectacle.

"FUCK YOU, YOU FREAK!" Hiyori roared, flipping off the audience and the figure behind the final podium on the other side of the stage.

"I'm your host, ME! I've been here the whole time!" Grinned Shinji, dressed in a rather snappy three piece suit and holding a microphone. "WELCOME, all my lovely division members and Hiyori, to Tonight's Game! Now, you all know how to play, right?"

"Um. No. Sorry sir." Muttered Tenya as Josuke shook his head.

"You didn't tell us shit!" Hiyori growled.

"That's RIGHT!" Shinji's Cheshire Cat smile shined under the spotlights.

"You see, I wanted to get to know everyone in the 5th a little better, and there is nothing quite like a game show to get people to reveal some truly startling sides of themselves, but playing the same game over and over would be boring! So, every night we play Tonight's Game, the game is a different game than last time, and the contestants will all start with blank slates!" He explained, entirely too pleased with himself. "So- the only way to win is by learning, the only way to learn is by playing, and the only way to begin is by beginning, so without further ado- Momo, will you please bring out THE LIE DETECTOR."

The small curtains at the back of the stage opened, and Momo rolled out a cart with a strange device covered in dials and switches with a long antenna and a large lightbulb on top.

"Thank you Momo! Now, the clever bastards in the 12th whipped this up for me so I have absolutely no idea how it actually works, but I am assured this is the latest cutting-edge in Veracity Technology. Let's turn it on and try it out! Tenya-!"

"Yes, sir!" Tenya snapped to attention. "No need to be formal, I'm only your host, not your captain right now." Shinji waved. "Tell me Tenya- Do you have any children?"

"I- Um, my wife and I have three children, two little boys and our infant daughter?" He stammered, confused.

DING! The Device charmed, light bulb lighting up bright green.

"That is CORRECT!" Shinji grinned. "You get a point!"

There was another chime as the screen on the front of Tenya's Podium lit up and displayed a "1".

"Oh, I see!" Laughed Tenya.

"Josuke!" called Shinji.

"Capt- Host?" Josuke stopped mid-salute.

"Very good! Tell me Josuke, do you live in the barracks?" Shinji asked with genuine interest.

"Uh, no. I live with my Mom." Josuke shook his head.

DING! Said the device.

"That is Correct!" Shinji nodded approvingly. "You get a point as well!"

"Oh, so, every time we tell the truth, we get a point?" Asked Josuke.

"Very quick on the uptake my friend!" Shinji winked. "Of course, as the game goes on, the questions are going to get much harder to answer Truthfully..."

Oooooooh! Gasped the audience, invested now.

"What happens if we lie?" Wondered Tenya.

"Even if we did- how would he fucking know?" Hiyori rolled her eyes.

"You can try it and find out!" Shinji grinned with more than a hint of Menace. "Hiyori! It's your turn!"

"Ugh. What?" She groaned.

"Tell me, When is my birthday?" Asked Shinji.

"I don't know and I don't care." She smirked, sticking her tongue out at him.

BZZRK! The Device buzzed angrily, and the light flashed red. OHH! laughed the audience.

"What the FUCK?" Yelped Hiyori.

"Ooh!" Shinji winced, thoroughly enjoying himself. "I'm afraid that is INCORRECT! According to the screen back here, you spent the better part of THREE MONTHS tracking down a specific part to repair my sound system and traveled halfway across the planet to deliver it personally to me on my birthday. So not only do you know, you DO care, and for that I'm afraid I'm going to have to dock you two points."

Hiyori's screen lit up and displayed a "-2"

"WHAT THE HELL?" Hiyori wailed. "You didn't even see me when I gave you that Banana Plug or whatever-!"

"I did not!" Shinji grinned. "-but The Device knows, and is infallible!" "That's terrifying!" Tenya laughed nervously. "Alright contestants, the questions are going to get harder now, so consider your answers to them carefully." Shinji warned, a finger up to his lips. "Contestants- does any of your underwear have holes in it?"

"...Can we refuse to answer on the grounds it might get us in trouble?" asked Josuke.

"Yes! But you won't get any points for that round, and you may not win our Lovely Prize this week. Speaking of- Momo! Will you please show our contestants what they're playing for this week?"

Momo emerged from backstage with a large, blank sign, which she turned over and held over her head for all to see.

AN EXTRA WEEK OF PAID VACATION

OHHH! exclaimed the audience, with a few audible mutters of Damn, a whole week? and How do you get on this show?.

"ALL MY UNDERWEAR HAS GOT HOLES IN IT!" Shouted Josuke, now with heavily-motivated enthusiasm. Laughter exploded out of the audience, thoroughly entertained.

DING! chimed the device, and the score on Josuke's podium went up.

"Josuke taking an early and shameless lead!" Beamed Shinji, delighted that his plan was working. "Tenya?"

"I-ah, I don't think so?" Tenya blushed. "I bathe the kids and get them ready for bed while my wife does the laundry." He tried to explain.

BZZRK! The Device contested, red light flashing and the audience howled with laughter.

"Uh-oh, that's Not Correct!" Grinned Shinji. "According to the device, a significant amount of your clothes have holes in them, and you don't notice because you get dressed in the dark. You didn't outright lie though, so you will only not get a point instead of a deduction."

"WHAT?" Yelped Hiyori, outraged.

"Yeah, that's fair." Tenya winced. "Seriously though- where does this thing get it's information from?"

"...Hiyori?" Shinji leered playfully at his lieutenant.

"Yeah, it's all got holes. They come that way- Two for my legs and one for my torso." Hiyori snarled.

DING! agreed The Device.

"That is *technically* correct, which is the BEST kind of correct! You get a point!" Shinji cheered, and so did the audience.

"FINALLY!" She shouted, but her eyes narrowed with competitive enthusiasm.

---

The game continued for an hour, with a mix of group and solo questions, but equal chances to score points awarded to all contestants. Josuke was shameless but ill-informed, causing him to fail several rounds, Tenya was honest even as his face flushed red and he crumpled behind his Podium. Hiyori did her best to be only as honest as she had to be, and as the game continued, they came to a three-way tie.

"Before we begin the final round-" Shinji said, intoning a gentle sincerity. "Contestants, you've been so honest with me. Like. Alarmingly Honest with me. So I need to be honest with you- I do know how The Lie Detector works."

There was a scandalized gasp from all three contestants and the audience.

"Okay- I *sort of* know how The Device works." Shinji admitted. "I don't know what 'Wiffy' is-"

"YOU MEAN THE FUCKING WI-FI?" Howled Hiyori.

"Oh, like you know how it works!" Shinji glared.

"It's using a radio frequency to transmit Data instead of an electrical pulses like internet usually does." She scoffed. "-AND I KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE IT!"

Shinji glared. "...I should deduct a point from you for insubordination."

"You can't do that, you're the Host, not the Captain!" Said Josuke cheerfully.

"Yeah, unless Host is a Military rank, it's arguing, not insubordination."

DING! Agreed The Device.

"DON'T GANG UP ON ME!" Shinji wailed. "Fine, fine. Anyway, I might not know how Why-Figh works, but I *DO* know how the device knows if you're lying or not. Would my Lovely Assistants please come to the stage?"

Momo emerged from backstage, wearing a labcoat and holding another device with an antenna that matched the Lie Detector, followed by a middle aged woman holding a Baby, an older woman, and Mashiro Kuna.

"Akkiko?" Tenya yelped, and his wife laughed manically.

"MOM??" Wailed Josuke.

"MASHIRO??" Hiyori bellowed, jumping up onto her Podium. "YOU SOLD ME OUT?!"

"FOR A BAG OF CORN CHIPS!" Mashiro cackled.

"YOU DIDN'T EVEN PAY HER?!" Hiyori howled at Shinji.

"She was gonna do it for free! I talked her UP to a bag of corn chips!" Shinji protested. "But YES! You've all been deceived! Hoodwinked!Bamboozled, even! Which brings us to our Final Question!"

The crowd roared with excitement.

"I started this game because I wanted to get to know everyone better- but I have to ask, how well do YOU know each other, and so I must ask you all if you know these people as well as they know you?"

There was a loud OOOH! of intrigue from the audience.

"Just to make it extra-exciting, all of these questions will be worth up to three points!" Shinji grinned, then slowly turned to the first Podium. "Tenya."

"Oh god." Tenya laughed nervously.

"Your lovely wife. You've been married for ten year now, so you theoretically know what she looks like, right?" Shinji teased. "So, for a potential three points and week of paid vacation- Do you know what color Akkiko's eyes are?"

Akkiko giggled, turning around as Tenya leaned as far forward on his Podium and squinted at her. With a deep sigh, he slumped over the podium in defeat.

"...I do not." He groaned and Akkiko cackled.

"That is CORRECT!" Shinji cheered.

"I'm not good with colors." Tenya tried to explain. "-this morning I actually asked her what color MY eyes are."

"YES! That's what I was waiting to hear!" Shinji shouted, pumping his fist in the air. "All three points!"

The audience cheered loudly.

Shinji turned to the next contestant. "Josuke."

"Oh no." Josuke giggled.

"What is your mother's favorite food?" Shinji asked.

Josuke stared blankly.

"SURELY you are not living in your mother's house and NOT COOKING FOR HER, are you?" Shinji asked with no small amount of menace.

"You're never going to get married if you can't cook!" Tenya nodded in agreement.

"I COOK!" Josuke protested. "...sometimes." he added, cringing.

"-So. What do you make for your beloved mother, who works so hard taking care of her adult son?" Shinji teased.

"LOTSA STUFF THAT'S WHY I DON'T KNOW!" Josuke wailed. "I COOK KATSUDON, I COOK RAMEN, I COOK CURRY, I COOK OMURICE- I EVEN LEARNED HOW TO COOK WESTERN FOODS LIKE LASAGNA AND CHILLI CHEESE DOG-! DING! Went the device, Josuke's mother holding the radio.

"Was your favorite in there Mrs. Akari?"

"Yes! I like Chili Cheese Dog." She smiled. "I always eat seconds!"

"YOU ALWAYS EAT SECONDS OF EVERYTHING I COOK I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE YOU LIKE THE MOST!" Josuke wailed.

"That is also true! He is a very good cook! And single!" She nodded up at Shinji.

"-And he's single!" Shinji grinned at the audience, some of whom whistled back. "Three points, for your culinary skills! Which means we have a Tie!"

The audience tittered with speculation and excitement.

"...Hiyori." Shinji grinned.

"You're a dead man as soon as you sign off on my vacation time." She glared.

"I mean, I can end the game right now." Shinji wagged his finger at her. "-But I can't resist the opportunity to humliate you. Now, You and Mashiro have been living under the same roof for longer than Josuke and Tenya have been alive, so to be fair to them, I'll ask you about someone you've met more recently but should still know pretty well-"

Hiyori squinted at him.

"-What is Momo's Favorite Animal?"

"What?" Hiyori laughed. "-Everyone knows it's Penguins!"

"Really?" asked Josuke. "I didn't know that."

"Yeah, I didn't know that either and I've served under her for decades now!" Said Tenya.

"What? How do you guys NOT know that?" Demanded Hiyori. "Her phone background is a Rockhopper Penguin, she's got a Fairy penguin squeeze toy in her desk for really long phone calls and she's always talking about wanting to go to the Tokyo aquarium in the living world to see them in person! She's even got a HUGE collection of penguin plushies in her r-" DINGDINGDINGDINGSING!! rang the Machine as Momo furiously pressed the button, face red as a beet.

"Wow!" Shinji smiled. "I'm surprised! You seem to know Miss Hinamori really well!"

"Uh, duh? We're colleagues." Hiyori rolled her eyes.

Momo sighed with relief.

"Interesting! Follow-up question- What's Mashiro's surname?" Shinji asked.

Hiyori blinked. "...uhhhhhhhh..."

"You heard Kensei yell it at least six times a day for the last century you jackass!" Laughed Mashiro.

"UHHHHH..." Hiyori paled, and the audience roared with laughter.

"Hmm... I seem to remember you pretending you didn't care about my birthday, and yet, you do- For you to remember her favorite animal and in such detail, Momo must be VERY IMPORTANT to you!"

The audience giggled Momo turned scarlet again and slowly crumpled into a ball. Mashiro vibrated with excitement beside her.

"Yeah?" Hiyori glared at Shinji. "She's the smartest person in the whole damn division and does half your job for you? If I win, I'm giving the week off to her just to watch you flail around without her! No wait- I'll set up the webcam and we can split the week off, go to the aquarium AND watch Shinji squirm like a worm an a-! Uh? Momo? You okay there?" She asked, finally noticing Momo laying on the floor, borderline catatonic with embarrassment.

"This is FASCINATNG!" Shinji grinned. "You are apparently so immune to embarrassment that you have somehow made it bounce off you and target Momo!"

"What's to be embarrassed about? I like her okay?" Hiyori blinked. "She's great! I wanna work with her forever!"

Shinji leaned forward on his elbows, chin in his hands and stared at Hiyori, positively vibrating with excitement.

"What?" She glared.

"You are. SO CLOSE. To comprehending something." He said, wide-eyed and delighted. "It's fascinating to see someone on the precipice like this."

Hiyori stared blankly at him. clueless.

"So you like Momo. We've established that." Shinji said, attempting to throw her a bone. "H- how do you think Momo feels about you?" Hiyori slowly lowered her gaze to Momo. The entire audience watched in hushed fascination as Hiyori frowned at the situation, thinking hard-

"...Momo?" Hiyori's voice was suddenly nervous. "Do you- have I just been annoying you? Becuase I can stop-"

Momo Hinamori was abruptly on her feet, crouched atop the Podium, fists balled in the front of Hiyori's shushako, pulling the blonde's face up so it was mere inches from hers. "HIYORI SARUGAKI YOU ARE THE MOST INFURIATING WOMAN IN THE UNIVERSE!"

"Fuck!" Hiyori yelped. "I'm really sorry, I'll- I'll leave you alo-"

"I'LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO, MISSY!" Momo continued, grabbing Hiyori's face. "YOU'RE WINNING THIS GAME, YOU'RE SPLITTING THE WEEK OFF WITH ME, YOU ARE GETTING A HOTEL IN THE LIVING WORLD AND THEN *I* AM GOING TO-'

In the videotape of the game that mysteriously appeared in the ninth division later that week, the next forty-seven seconds of sound had been obscured by a single, loud, continuous "BLEEEEEEEEEEEEP!" sound, but Mashiro was visibly looking up some of the terms being shouted on her phone, Josuke's mother sprinted up to cover her son's ears to no avail, Akkiko was pointing between herself and Tenya with excitement, and Shinji's jaw fell so far open it looked like it had become unhinged from his skull.

"-AND IF EITHER OF US CAN WALK IN THE MORNING, THEN WE'RE GONNA GO SEE SOME PENGUINS!" Momo finished, staring Hiyori down with a terrifying blend of romantic fury and bloodthirsty lust.

Hiyori stared up, wide-eyed and expressionless, face clearly offline as she underwent several psychological and spiritual awakenings before her she slowly broke into a slow, stupefied grin "Oh you like-like me!"

"...Yes." Momo sighed, deeply pained and affectionate at once as the audience howled. "You're okay with... all that?"

Hiyori saluted Momo with an enthusiastic "-Yes, SIR!"

"NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M FUCKING TALKIN' ABOUT!" Shinji whooped with joy, jumping up and down, the audience on their feet with applause. "POINTS AND VACATIONS ALL AROUND, AND FOR BEING THE *MOST* HONEST, THE WINNER OF TONIGHT'S GAME IS MOMO HINAMORI!"

The audience cheered wildly as Momo scooped Hiyori up like a princess and carried her backstage.

"THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT'S GAME!" called Shinji over the din. "GOODNIGHT EVERYONE, AND GOOD FUCKING LUCK!"

---

As for Jushiro Ukitake, he appears on a special guest episode of Tonight's Game with fellow Captains Soi Fon, Byakuya Kuchiki and Retsu Unohana to play "Never Have I Ever" and *that* episode is widely considered to be one of the most scandalous and unhinged of all the games on Tonight's Game.

[mariacallous]

With Republicans controlling the White House and both the House and the Senate, Democrats are feeling despondent about 2025. They understand that, since the 1970s, periods of united government have been extraordinarily important in moving public policy forward in new directions. Presidents who have a keen understanding of the dynamics of partisan power have deployed control of both branches of government to attempt big legislative agendas—which President Joe Biden succeeded in pushing in 2021 and 2022—before those windows of opportunity close.

But in these moments, the minority party is not powerless. Under effective leaders, the party that is out of power has found ways to block some of the most threatening initiatives and force presidents to retreat from signature legislation. Doing so has not been easy, requiring leadership that can prevent the minority from splintering as pressure intensifies to cut some sort of deal. Democrats’ own party history in the 21st century offers important models for the year ahead.

After President George W. Bush won reelection in 2004 against Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry—a dispiriting time for Democrats that left many in the party making jokes about moving to another country—he vowed to spend the “political capital” he had earned on reforming Social Security by privatizing it. With reports emerging about problems with Social Security’s long-term solvency, Bush was prepared to defy the conventional wisdom put forward 50 years earlier by fellow Republican President Dwight Eisenhower who said, “Should any political party attempt to abolish Social Security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history.” President Ronald Reagan had backed away from his effort to tamper with the so-called third rail of American politics in 1981 and 1982; Bush was the first Republican since then to seriously take on the program. Given that his own approval ratings were only at about 52 percent—despite his reelection—this was a high-risk maneuver.

The president’s privatization plans had deep roots in the idea that had been circulated by Republican think tanks such as Cato based on overseas experiments with social insurance (particularly in Chile under the military dictator Augusto Pinochet). “As we fix Social Security, we also have the responsibility to make the system a better deal for younger workers,” Bush said in his 2005 State of the Union address, “and the best way to reach that goal is through voluntary personal retirement accounts.” Although the details were fuzzy, the private accounts would allow individuals to divert a percentage of their payroll tax into a personal fund and to make their own decisions—while accepting the risk—about how to invest the funds. The plan would take money away from the collective pool of payroll funds used to pay for retirees and individualize the risk to retirees rather than guaranteeing standardized benefit levels. The president undertook a “60 stops in 60 days” to sell the plan.

Republican Sen. Charles Grassley, chair of the Finance Committee, warned the administration that, in the Senate, “nothing gets done that’s not bipartisan.” In the House, the Republican majority was 232 to 201 (with one independent); in the Senate, 55 to 44 (with one independent).

Most Democrats perceived the proposal as a dangerous threat to one of the most consequential social safety net programs, from Franklin Roosevelt’s presidency. Since its establishment during the New Deal, Social Security provides retirement benefits to the elderly paid for by tax contributions from working Americans. The taxes and benefits were universal so that every citizen would become invested in the program in a similar manner. Privatization undermined this foundational structure.

After waiting for the president to put forward a legislative proposal that she knew would be unpopular with large portions of the public, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) made it clear that Democrats would not support this initiative. Pelosi understood that party unity would be essential to blocking the Republicans, who had narrow majorities. “House Democrats are focused and united on making sure people know the facts about the Republicans’ proposal and its impact on Americans,” said Pelosi spokeswoman Jennifer Crider. If Democrats stood firm, any breaks within the GOP would undermine the president. Pelosi leaned on any member who felt pressure to cut a deal with the Republicans for fear that Bush had a mandate after his reelection. In the Senate, Minority Leader Harry Reid did the same. Avoiding the perennial pressure in Washington to embrace bipartisanship, House and Senate Democrats remained true to their party. According to Congressional Quarterly Almanac, House Democrats were more united than at any other time in the previous half century; Senate Democrats had only been as much in unison in 1999 and 2001.

As Democrats continued to spread the message that Bush and the GOP were threatening a popular federal program that working Americans depended on, getting specific about benefits that would be lost, some Republicans started to see clearly that the electorate was not with their party. Moreover, the handful of moderate Democrats such as Max Baucus of Montana, who had toyed with the idea of a compromise, saw how deeply unpopular the proposal was among voters. According to an ABC News/Washington Post poll that May, 58% of Americans reported that the more they heard about the plan, the less they liked it. As was often the case, the public might have hated government, but it loved Social Security.

In the Senate, the filibuster required Republicans to come up with 60 rather than 50 votes. Social Security is not considered within the normal federal budget so using the reconciliation process—which prevents filibusters—was not feasible. As long as Democrats were all on the same page, Bush would not be able to pass the bill. While many Democrats did not like the filibuster and saw the process as a tool of obstruction, as long as it was on the books, they would lean on the rule as a wall against GOP success.

By the summer, Republicans were starting to splinter, and by season’s end, Bush was forced to admit that his program was dead on arrival.

Twelve years later, Democrats faced another moment of truth when President Donald Trump, along with the Republican Congress, wanted to repeal—and replace, though never defined with what—the Affordable Care Act. The ACA (aka Obamacare) had constituted a bold expansion of federal health care policy. The program had survived political and legal attacks, including in the Supreme Court, and had slowly become an entrenched component of health care in states red and blue. Trump sensed that going after Barack Obama’s signature legislation would constitute a huge legacy-making victory for his administration. “We have to get to business,” Trump told the New York Times. “Obamacare has been a catastrophic event.”

Though deflated and still stunned by Trump’s victory, congressional Democrats mobilized. Republican majorities were slim. In the House, Republicans enjoyed 240 seats to the Democrats’ 194; in the Senate, the breakdown was 52 to 46 (with two independents, both of whom caucused with the Democrats).

Like Bush and Social Security, they sensed that the new president was overplaying his hand by attempting to dismantle a program that had become increasingly popular since its passage in 2010. Once again, Democrats made the decision to stick together. Rather than succumb to the seduction of Washington bipartisanship, Pelosi and Reid kept their members on the same page, echoing a resounding no. After the House Republicans passed the package without Democratic support, Pelosi warned her GOP colleagues: “You have every provision of this bill tattooed on your forehead. You will glow in the dark on this one.”

Democrats continued to warn voters of the implications of Trump’s proposal by speaking of specific benefits that would be taken away should Trump succeed. Americans under 26 would no longer be covered by their parent’s health insurance. Companies would be able to discriminate, as they had done in the past, against persons with preexisting conditions. States that were enjoying increased Medicaid funding would see those dollars cut. Healthy people would no longer be required to purchase insurance, which would raise overall cots, and government subsidies for insurance would be gutted.

Since Democrats remained united, they forced a showdown in the Senate. Unlike in the case of Bush’s Social Security legislation, Senator Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was able to put the ACA repeal proposal into the reconciliation process. This meant that it was filibuster-proof, and lowered the votes that Republicans needed to 51 rather than 60—increasing the vulnerability of the ACA. Yet Democrats succeeded. Since no Democrats would vote for the legislation, the small breaks that emerged among Republicans who were looking at the poll numbers hurt Trump’s cause. The most famous moment was when the late Sen. John McCain walked up to the podium in July 2017 and gave the bill a dramatic thumbs down, giving Trump one of his most devastating defeats.

On July 18, a defeated Trump complained about his colleagues. “For seven years,” the president said, “I’ve been hearing ‘repeal and replace’ from Congress, and I’ve been hearing it loud and strong. And then when we finally get a chance to repeal and replace, they don’t take advantage of it. So that’s disappointing.”

In the coming year, Democrats will inevitably suffer some major defeats, since Republicans do have the votes to succeed.

But Democrats are not helpless. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer can create effective roadblocks for Trump in his second term, as long as they can keep their members in line and use the procedural and financial tools available to party leaders to prevent defections. In the case of both Social Security and the ACA, the party remained united, with leaders offering a clear and compelling message. The party also used the legitimate legislative process in responsible ways to prevent passage. Democrats can do so again with judicious decisions about timing and priorities.

The Republicans have power in the House and Senate, but barely. Their majorities are even narrower than those the GOP enjoyed in 2005 or 2017: In the Senate, Republicans have 52 seats Democrats have 45, and there are two independents. In the House, it’s even closer: The GOP has 219 seats and Democrats have 215. With numbers like these, any break within the Republican Party has the potential to quickly bring down a Trump proposal—as it did with the nomination of former Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Since the filibuster remains on the books, to the consternation of many Democrats who still see the rule as a big problem, Republicans will need 60 votes on any measure that remains outside the reconciliation process.

Democrats need to embrace the power of responsible partisanship rather than run away from it. Strong parties, operating within the boundaries of legitimate processes and political tactics, have been an enormously effective tool in blocking aggressive presidents making bold moves. Without engaging in the kind of destructive hyper-partisanship that has characterized Republican politics, leaders like Pelosi have demonstrated repeatedly how effective a team that remains united can be even in the most trying of times.

[madharemuses]

@alchemistdetective

Finale

A blue sky has started to shift into hues of orange and red, as the sunset approaches. Down below, the venue for the announcement has been set up outside the new banking structure. A stage set up, against the front doors, with a large red ribbon across it. In front of the stage, a crowd has formed. Investors and potential investors, as well as many public figures have been invited.

This, of course, includes representatives from the House of Light and the Holy Knights.

Those sent to represent the house of lights being, of course, 'Marianne' (Rirune) and Annie. The latter sent both to help Rirune's acting, ans also serve as Flandre's eyes in the field.

The crowd has been seeded with other members of the guard, and the other buildings nearby have guards as well, waiting for any sign of an attack. Veylan was thrilled at the idea of being provided extra security for free, but he insisted that men on his payroll be among them, as a precaution.

Things were going smoothly, too smoothly.

And that's when, near the end of the event, Veylan chose to make an announcement.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for attending this grand unveiling. I promised a little surprise for those in attendance today, and it's come time to make it known. As you all know, I am without an heir to call my own, and as such have decided to adopt a capable young soul to carry on my legacy!"

There's excited murmurs in the crowd, people in the back standing on their toes to see. At the same time, with everyone standing rapt with attention, none really notice that it's getting a little hard to move, as an invisible mist spreads from under the stage.

"I introduce to you, my adopted heir, Selene!"

Walking up the stairs was a figure that Annie seemed to recognize, her face going pale as she clung to the disguised fox's sleeve.

"N-no, that can't be... what is she doing?!"

Selene twirls, and steps up to the magic stone Veylan had been using to address the crowd. She sees 'Marianne' in the crowd, and gives her a wink.

"Greetings! Hello! Thank you all for attending! I'm glad to be here!"

No part of the plan could have accounted for this...

[nowforthefunpart]

15 Days of Retirement

So my last day on the payroll at my old job was March 31. Two days later, Trump announced "Liberation Day" and in the ensuing days I could actually hear my retirement investments shrinking. Fortunately, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent assured me and everyone else that current retirees are not checking the stock market or their "savings" every day during this time. Whew! Silly me! I must have been imagining things. What clowns.

Still it's been nice to start this long awaited part of my life. The first two weeks have felt like vacation with that delicious realization that vacations give you of no commitments, and the expanse of unscheduled time unfolding in front of you. It's been wonderful - paragraph one aside!

This week has felt a little less like vacation and maybe a bit more of what retirement will really feel like. I've found I've wanted to incorporate a little structure into my day - things like planning specific workouts and workout targets; meeting people for coffee or lunch; starting some projects around the house, etc. Today I had the tree care company prune our 100 year old silver maple.

I also filed our taxes. We're getting a decent amount of money back so I probably should have filed earlier. But lately I haven't been keen to tackle them. I dunno. I guess I thought there was an implied understanding: we pay our taxes and those running the government don't try to dismantle it, destroy the economy on a whim, or turn us into a kleptocracy on the way to dictatorship. I'm so old fashioned.

[fallinel]

Hey! Sorry for the random ask. But wasn't aware that Liam and Taliesin voiced characters in Suikedo. They have a lot of voice credits. Basically, what's the game about, and who are their characters?

Hey don't be sorry at all, I'm genuinely thrilled that you asked!

Basically, Suikoden is a JRPG series that first released in 1995. It's (very very loosely) adapted from the Chinese classical novel, The Water Margin. Each game has basically the same structure: you play as a protagonist who, through one circumstance or another, finds themselves as the leader of a fledgling army battling for their homeland against external invaders or internal oppression. Key elements of the games are recruiting a core 108 characters for your army, and also harnessing magic from sources called runes, which you can attach to your characters so they can cast spells, etc. (The protagonist of each game typically gets a super rare one that's plot-relevant and can't be removed, though.)

The series is notable because all games take place in a single universe and timeline, so there's a lot of lore linking the stories together, and a lot of recurring characters. The plots are a really interesting mix of low-fantasy politicking and depiction of war, and war crimes, and morally grey strategy even on the heroes' side. But then they toss a magic nuke in there and now THAT'S a whole thing. The series is not grimdark at all or anything, it's got that classic T-rated adventure game whimsy, but the complexity of the characters and story really make it stand out.

There are 5 games in the main series, but Suikoden 1 and 2 are the most popular and well-known. Those two games have been remastered together, and the remaster is dropping on Thursday this week (!!!!) but before now, the whole series was kind of languishing in obscurity for many years.

So, the Critical Role link! Matt Mercer has mentioned being a fan a couple times over the years (and I can TELL, like the Suikoden influence on critrole is real once you know what you're looking for), but Liam O'Brien and Taliesin Jaffe both have voice acting credits in Suikoden 4 and 5 (which are the only two main-series games to feature voice acting).

Suikoden 4 is my personal favorite, but it was rather rushed through development, and as a result is kind of a black sheep compared to the other more well-regarded games. Liam voices one of the more prominent supporting characters, Keneth, a recent graduate of a knight academy who you can take along with you when you get accused of murder and kicked out :')

I really do like Keneth though, he's a real one. A very "power of friendship" kind of guy. Liam also voices Keneth in Suikoden Tactics, which is a side-sequel to Suikoden 4 with a lot of characters reappearances.

Taliesin, meanwhile, voices. Um. Well, uh, he voices. Cat man.

This is Nalkul and he commits CRIMES. Like robbery, and identity theft. You discover this and immediately ask him to join your army, lmao.

I THINK that's the only two roles for them in Suikoden 4, but Taliesin comes back with a much more prominent role in Suikoden 5, as Zweig, a standoffish archeologist who joins your army because the only other alternative was to do archeology on the fascists' payroll and fuck that.

That's it! These acting credits for the two of them are so obscure that they aren't even listed on Wikipedia, but I Know Them. Their roles aren't super prominent in each game, admittedly, but the voice acting in Suikoden 4-5-Tactics is generally really well done! It's just Suikoden 1 and 2 getting re-released this week (for now 👀) but the whole series is really unique and worth a play if you ever get a chance!

[satancopilotsmytardis]

Something like Dabi being the boss of some kind of hidden criminal group that's extremely violent but goes on a spree only against who disrespect them and against Enji sustainers or manifestations (Enji being like a politician of some sort who wanted Touya to follow his steps. Touya obviously didn't want to)

And like, Tomura is a mercenary booked by Dabi for a job, then Dabi wants to keep him, Tomura doesn't, David kidnaps him with the intent of breaking him and Tomura ends up being the one who does the breaking

Quirkless au or not is up to you, hope it's clear enough to understand what I'm trying to say!

Dabi has been running his empire for a few years, getting in and out of trouble with the eventual goal of killing his father on a public stage and being so powerful that everyone will know he did it, but he'll still get away with it.

He hires Tomura for a different mercenary job and ends up liking his technique so much he wants to have him on the payroll so he can learn from him. When Duster declines, he arranges to have him kidnapped.

Shig kills his attempted kidnappers and uno reverse cards on Dabi, stealing him away and locking him up, letting Dabi see how quickly everything he built falls apart because he didn't actually build a good structure and he didn't become a charismatic or respected leader either.

Shig keeps Dabi as a pet, which his people are weirdly cool with, in fact Shigaraki can't seem to do any wrong by their standards no matter what he asks of them which is the kind of power Dabi has always wanted

Shig says he'll give that to Dabi if he submits to him, and he gets his pet to bow his head for him properly 💕

[governmentgrantsblog]

Unlocking the Door to Opportunity - A Guide to Government Grants

Welcome to our latest blog post at Government Grants, where we delve into the intricacies of government grants, unveiling the secrets to successfully navigating this rewarding landscape. Whether you're a first-time applicant or a seasoned grant seeker, this guide aims to equip you with insights, tips, and inspiration to enhance your grant-seeking journey.

1. Decoding the Grant Landscape:

Understanding the different types of government grants is crucial to finding the right fit for your needs. In this post, we break down the categories of grants available, from business startup funds to educational scholarships, shedding light on the diverse opportunities waiting to be explored.

2. Top Tips for a Standout Application:

Crafting a compelling grant proposal requires finesse. Learn from our experts as they share their top tips for creating applications that captivate grantors. From showcasing your impact to aligning with the grantor's mission, discover the key elements that can set your proposal apart from the rest.

3. Success Stories:

Be inspired by real-life success stories of individuals and organizations that have transformed their dreams into reality through government grants. These stories illustrate the transformative power of grants, providing motivation and insights into the strategies that led to their success.

4. Navigating Common Challenges:

The road to securing a government grant is not without its challenges. Explore common hurdles faced by applicants and gain practical advice on overcoming them. From addressing eligibility concerns to refining your proposal, we provide solutions to help you navigate potential roadblocks with confidence.

5. Upcoming Grant Opportunities:

Stay ahead of the curve with a sneak peek into upcoming grant opportunities. Our blog post includes a curated list of grants with approaching deadlines, ensuring you never miss a chance to apply for funding that aligns with your goals.

6. Interactive Q&A Session:

Engage with our community through an interactive Q&A session embedded in the blog post. Pose your burning questions about government grants, share your experiences, and benefit from the collective wisdom of a community passionate about making a positive impact.

7. The Grant Application Timeline:

Navigating the grant application timeline is crucial for success. In this section, we outline a comprehensive guide to help you plan your grant-seeking journey. From researching opportunities to submitting your application and beyond, understanding the timeline can significantly enhance your chances of securing funding.

8. Budgeting for Success:

Effectively managing grant funds is key to the success of your project. Our blog post provides practical insights into budgeting strategies, financial planning, and reporting requirements. Learn how to create a budget that not only meets the grantor's expectations but also sets the stage for the long-term sustainability of your initiative.

9. Demystifying Grant Jargon:

Government grants come with their own set of terminology that can be confusing for newcomers. Decode the language of grants with our glossary, simplifying terms and concepts to empower you with a better understanding of the grant landscape.

10. Building a Compelling Narrative:

Your grant proposal is not just a document; it's a narrative that tells your story. Explore the art of storytelling in grant applications—how to articulate your mission, showcase your impact, and create a narrative that resonates with grantors and reviewers.

11. Diversity and Inclusion in Grant Funding:

The importance of diversity and inclusion in grant funding is gaining recognition. Discover how embracing diversity in your application can not only align with the values of many grantors but also contribute to the overall success and impact of your project.

12. Staying Resilient in the Face of Rejection:

Rejection is a part of the grant-seeking process, but it doesn't have to be the end of your journey. Learn how to bounce back from rejection, analyze feedback constructively, and use setbacks as stepping stones toward future success.

13. Legal and Compliance Considerations:

Government grants often come with legal and compliance requirements. Gain insights into the legal aspects of managing grant funds, ensuring that your project remains in good standing with regulatory standards.

14. Environmental and Social Impact Grants:

Explore the growing trend of grants focused on environmental sustainability and social impact. Learn how aligning your project with these themes can not only attract funding but also contribute to positive change on a broader scale.

15. User Spotlight: A Deep Dive into a Successful Application:

Take a closer look at a successful grant application. We break down the components, strategies, and unique approaches that led to its approval. This in-depth analysis provides a practical guide for those looking to enhance their own applications.

Conclusions:

At Government Grants, our blog is more than just a collection of articles—it's a dynamic hub of information, inspiration, and community engagement. Dive into our latest post and embark on a journey of discovery as you unlock the door to a world of government grant opportunities. Read, learn, and let the journey begin!

Our commitment at Government Grants goes beyond providing information; we aim to create a comprehensive and dynamic platform that empowers you at every stage of your government grant journey. Explore these additional resources, and let us be your go-to partner as you unlock the full potential of government grants.

[shadowfromthestarlight]

>randomly submit resume to position that sounds vaguely interesting >promptly forget about it >get an email from the job poster asking to have a phone call >look up email address, verify it's really coming from that person, agree to call at 9PM on a thursday night >turns out he wanted to call because i live in the same geographic area as the office he really needs to put more people in >end up having hour-long conversation about the firm and learn that the work is actually very interesting >learn that they offer unlimited PTO and unlimited flexible hours >learn that the career opportunities they offer are beyond anything i've imagined for myself >partner (job poster) says he'll refer me to HR to set up an interview >HR person talks to me next week >don't hear back about an interview >in the meantime stay open to new opportunities, but keep this in the back of my mind >follow up a couple weeks later to see if we can set up an interview >HR person says he'll follow up with the partners and asks me for available times >respond with available times, don't hear back >follow up with person i initially spoke to just to see if the position is still available >have another call with him >hear back from HR, actually get an interview scheduled >prepare for interview, decide to give it my best shot because i'm unlikely to find a better opportunity >actually have awesome interview with three partners on friday >they actually tell me during the interview that they think we'll be able to work something out >get call from HR person that same afternoon saying he'll get back to me on monday >monday morning, get text from HR at 9:30ish asking for availability, set up a call for 10:00 >get offer at 10:00 >salary is within expectations, bonus structure is generous, good 401K plan, good health insurance, the unlimited PTO thing is real >they're letting me wait until january to start so i can wrap things up at my current position >they care about their people so much that they told me they'll put me on payroll on time to not lose insurance coverage and that they've put people on payroll early if their boss is a jerk and tells them to get out on the spot >already got an invitation to their holiday party

tldr i got the dream job that i didn't even know existed.

[olomaya]

Honestly, I'm relieved. This game was still looking so rough and I'd feel much more comfortable with a June release than this coming out in 6 weeks.

I was watching a video from SatchoSims* and he talked about how LBY is more just a compilation of gameplay features without any gameplay and he definitely pinpointed my main issue with the game despite my excitement for it. I just don't know what I'm going to DO or what I will want to do because they haven't really done a good job of explaining the rules and structures and goals of the game (aka what the game is about).

I'm still excited for it and will definitely play it in June and am eager to check out the modding tools but yeah, what are we doing?

The Sims was a time management game. You had to figure your shit out and meet your basic needs all while juggling other mini challenges and responsibilities and TRY to become successful which would then unlock cool shit to buy or do that you would have the time to do because the money and rewards and perks you grinded for allowed you to do it.

And then TS2 improved on that by focusing on interpersonal relationships and making that more complex so that Sims felt more unique but also had to focus more on mental health and well-being and the drama that comes with interacting with other people.

Then TS3 took that even farther by basically unleashing chaos all around you with an open world so you have less control over what is going on so while you are grinding away to create a dream house for the Sim you want to marry and grow old with, you head over to the park and see your future spouse making out with some asshole in zebra print pants! And then on top of that, they deepened skills and hobbies so Sims have soooo much to do so that life goals are so much more diverse (though I will admit this came at the expense of interpersonal relationships). People often say that they wish TS3 had TS2's hobby system but in my opinion, it not only does but it's infinitely much better than TS2's. I would argue that TS3 at its core is a game about hobbies and interests.

I love that LBY seems to be wanting to improve on TS3 (because TS4 definitely didn't) and give us a true life simulator but I still don't understand what the game is about. They show off how many traits they have and how we can mod in our own traits but what do the traits means? If a character has a Difficult Childhood trait, how is that going to affect their ability to form relationships, fall in love, be a good parent? They said we could have truly homeless characters to play Rags to Riches challenges. That's awesome! Can we see that? How does the economic system work? Could it be integrated, for example, where household taxes and bills actually go towards community development? Like THIS is gameplay. I don't want to see another treasure trove video or someone doing work tasks. Those are features, not core gameplay and if it is then I'm afraid Rod Humble is making TS4 competitor, not TS3 which would be a shame.

*I don't know if I like him or not, but he has good viewpoints compared to the other high-profile Sims 4 YouTubers who at this point are practically on the Maxis payroll desperately trying to pretend that game is interesting because it literally pays their bills 😭😭

[claudia1829things]

"ANDOR" Season One (2022) Commentary

"ANDOR" SEASON ONE (2022) COMMENTARY

Ever since Season One of the Lucasfilm series, "ANDOR" was released on the DisneyPlus streaming channel, it has received a great deal of accolades and high praise. In fact, the series is now regarded as one of the best productions from the STAR WARS franchise, if not the best.

I find this high regard ironic, considering how many STAR WARS fans had reacted to Disney Studios' announcement about a series focused around the character of Cassian Andor, from the 2016 hit film, "ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY". Many were not happy. I, on the other hand, had looked forward to the series. Not only had I been a major fan of "ROGUE ONE", I had regarded both the Cassian Andor and Jyn Erso characters as one of the film's highlights. So, when I finally sat in front of my television series and watched an episode of "ANDOR" unfold each week during the fall of 2022, my reaction resulted in . . . hmmm, mixed feelings?

Season One of "ANDOR" certainly had its highlights. I admired the excellent performances from a cast led by the very talented Diego Luna. I thought showrunner Tony Gilroy's portrayal of a corrupt and violent Galactic Empire seemed pretty spot on. In fact, Gilroy's portrayal of the galaxy at this point in the timeline pretty much matched his, Chris Weitz and director Gareth Edwards' portrayal of the galaxy in "ROGUE ONE". Although the 1980 movie, "STAR WARS: EPISODE FIVE - THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK" was the first STAR WARS film to portray its protagonists ambiguously, the ambiguous portrayal of the Rebel Alliance first appeared in "ROGUE ONE". Gilroy continued this ambiguity of the Rebel Alliance in the "ANDOR" series. Season One featured scenes that impressed me very much. They included Cassian Andor’s escape from Ferrix in the third episode, (1.03) "Reckoning"; the Rebels Alliance of heist of the payroll of the Imperial garrison on Aldhani in (1.06) "The Eye"; and Cassian’s rescue of Bix and the anti-Imperial riot on Ferrix. Featured in (1.12) "Rix Road", the season finale. But the sequence featuring his stint at the Narkina 5 prison and especially his escape in (1.10) "One Way Out" nearly struck me as brilliant.

Despite these virtues, Season One of "ANDOR" also featured issues that I either found questionable or simply did not work for me. The season's narrative structure of a group of three (or four) episodes per arc barely worked for me. I say barely, because the arcs still managed to form one season-long arc. But it did so in a way that some of the episodes felt like mere padding. And this proved to be one of my main problems with "ANDOR". As I have stated before, the first two episodes could have merged into one. And the fourth and fifth episodes could have merged into one. I also believe that the seventh episode could have merged into the eighth one. For me, twelve episodes seemed like too much for the narrative featured in the series. And I found some of the episodes' endings rather abrupt and problematic. This especially seemed to be the case with the earlier episodes.

I still find myself wondering about the purpose behind those flashbacks featuring Cassian Andor’s childhood in the first two episodes were about, other than revealing his origins. But why feature flashbacks of his past, when they had no real impact on the season’s main narrative? Also, the last two episodes seemed anti-climactic to me. This especially seemed to be the case for "Rix Road", the season's finale. One might questioned this opinion, considering "Rix Road" featured the funeral of Maarva Andor, the protagonist's adoptive mother, her pre-recorded speech bashing the Galactic Empire, the riot that followed and the Rebel Alliance's attempt to kill Cassian before the Empire could capture him. The reason I found all of this anti-climatic is that the series' protagonist had played little or no role in these incidents. During all of these events, Cassian was busy trying to rescue his captured close friend, Bix Caleen, from the Empire's Imperial Security Bureau (ISB). Cassian's rescue of his friend proved to be a lot less difficult than I had assumed it would be. And the Rebel Alliance had decided not to kill him at the last moment.

Speaking of "Rix Road", it had provided one aspect of "ANDOR" that really annoyed me. The episode had paused its narrative to convey Maarva Andor's pre-recorded speech against the Empire. But this was not the first time something like this happened. Two or three times, the series paused the story in order for a character to give this great speech or monologue on the evils of fascism and tyranny. It almost felt as if Tony Gilroy was trying to shove politics down our throats. I am not one of those yahoos who constantly complain about "woke" politics in pop culture movies and TV. But the numerous pauses that resulted in a monologue or speech really got on my nerves. George Lucas managed to do the same with two lines in two separate movies. One line came from the mouth of Princess Leia Organa in "STAR WARS: EPISODE FOUR - A NEW HOPE". Her mother, Senator Padmé Amidala, had uttered an even more famous line in "STAR WARS: EPISODE THREE - REVENGE OF THE SITH". Two separate lines. It seemed a pity that Gilroy was unable to do the same.

My last major issues regarding "ANDOR" revolved around the characters of Syril Karn, a security inspector for a corporate conglomerate and Senator Mon Mothma of the Imperial Senate. Karn spent the first two episodes investigating the deaths of two fellow security officers killed by Cassian on Morlana One. The security officer's investigation led to his violent encounter with Cassian on Ferrix during the third episode, (1.03) "Reckoning". Following Cassian's escape, Karn spent the next nine episodes developing two obsessions - finding and capturing Cassian and developing a romantic (if you want to call it that) fixation for ISB Agent Dedra Meero, while he continuously engaged in verbal combat with his domineering mother. After wasting away for eight episode, Karn learned about Maarva Andor's death and decided to travel to Ferrix to snatch Cassian. Only . . . he never encountered his prey. Not once. Karn only ended up saving Agent Meero from angry rioters. One could say this was a lead up to Karn joining the ISB. But this all felt like such a waste. Perhaps Gilroy could have allowed Karn to be an ISB agent from the beginning. This could have allowed him to take a more active role in the season's narrative.

Finally we come to Senator Mon Mothma of Chandrila. I had assumed her presence in the series would be a repeat of her presence in "ROGUE ONE" - simply there to fill in the role as one of the Rebel Alliance's leaders. Instead, Gilroy provided an in-depth look into her private life and her efforts to keep her role as one of the Rebels' leaders a secret. To my surprise, Senator Mothma's arc came dangerously close to dominating this series . . . in which Cassian served as the main protagonist. The worst part - at least for me - is that her arc had no real impact on Cassian’s arc. Or served as any kind of catalyst to Cassian’s arc during this first season.

I find this ironic, considering the numerous complaints lobbied at 2022's "OBI-WAN KENOBI" limited series over the strong presence of the Reva Sevander character. What many have forgotten was that Reva's experiences during the Order 66 purge had led her to seek revenge against former Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader. Reva's quest for revenge led her to use both the 10 year-old Princess Leia and former Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi to achieve it. Her actions ended up serving as a catalyst for Obi-Wan's character arc in the series. Senator Mothma had no such impact on Cassian Andor's arc. Hell, she never met him in person in any of the season's twelve episodes. The only connection they had was Mothma's cousin Vel Sartha, who had led Cassian and others in the Aldhani heist. If Tony Gilroy and Lucasfilm had wanted a heavy emphasis on Senator Mothma that badly, they could have made her serve as the catalyst for Cassian's recruitment into the Rebel Alliance, not Luthen Rael. Or they could have created a separate limited series for her. Tony Gilroy, Lucasfilm and many critics and fans had forgotten the name of this series, which is "ANDOR"; not "THE REBEL ALLIANCE", "REBELS II" or "MOTHMA".

Ever since I had expressed my complaints about Season One of "ANDOR", many have accused me of not liking the series. As if my opinions of it was a damn crime or something. One, I am entitled to my opinion of any movie, television series or any other form of entertainment. Due to my positive opinion of the Cassian Andor character, I had hoped to really enjoy "ANDOR". Unfortunately, that never happened. The first season possessed enough virtues for me to like it. But I believe it also possessed enough flaws for me not to regard it as highly as many others have. Frankly, I believe Season One of "ANDOR" proved to be one of the most overrated productions created by Lucasfilm.

[forestgreenlesbian]

saw barbie hmmm idk i don't know i think it was fun it won me over in the second half but also everything felt a little flat but then also like. what can you actually say with a barbie movie i think you're kind of restricted by the material right and also you can't escape the mattell marketing angle. felt similar to the last season of black mirror when they were making fun of netflix whilst being payrolled by netflix lol like haha look how self aware we are what a great friendly company! we can take a joke about our corporate structure because it will only make us more money! idk. i feel cynical and weird for not loving it. which is stupid but also do you ever just feel as a lesbian completely disconnected from traditional womanhood and femininity lmao. like i literally find so much joy in lesbian masculinity it makes so much sense to me and is so freeing so to see something purportedly celebrating womanhood and for there to be zero masculine women was just kinda sad for me. not that i'm looking for nuance or butch representation in a barbie movie of all thigns but you know what i mean. every day i feel less attached to this weird gender binary we've invented..feels like there’s no room for gay people in it :/ i know that’s like the most basic take but.