#Project 2.1

[asbestos-11]

when your bf has the world's softest chest.

ratio here is a pre op trans dude

[goyardgoyangi]

movie night with best friend! ino takuma

mdni (18+), read with discretion

You and best friend! ino takuma are sprawled on the couch, legs tangled beneath a shared blanket, bowls of popcorn and snacks scattered across the coffee table. The soft blue glow of the TV washes over you both as the credits for Fifty Shades of Grey roll, ending what was supposed to be an unserious pick for movie night.

It really did start as a joke— a dumb movie playing in the background while you talked shit and vented about your CS lab. Neither of you thought you’d actually watch it. But somehow, you did. And somehow, it was… weirdly entertaining?

Not because it was good. But because it was so bad.

“Can you believe some divorced middle-aged women are really into this shit?” Ino snorts, tossing popcorn into his mouth, nearly choking on a laugh. “Shit lighting and cold-ass metal handcuffs? That’s the fantasy?”

“You know,” you mutter, flicking a kernel of popcorn at him, “if divorced middle-aged women are really into this, they’re freakier than I thought.”

“Don’t forget the damn ice cube. Man acted like he invented temperature.”

You laugh, leaning your head back. “This whole movie is just two hours of annoyingly soft BDSM. Honestly, the pacing was worse than our lecture slides.”

That gets him going. “Oh my god, not the 48-slide presentation on recursion.”

You groan. “No, worse. That one time we spent four hours trying to debug a group project just for the TA to say ‘did you try running it in the terminal again?’ Like yeah, that would totally fix a segmentation fault.”

Ino barks a laugh, nudging your leg with his knee. “You’re still mad about that, huh?”

“Bro. He said we had a logic error, then gave us a 2.1 like it was a favor.”

You both dissolve into giggles. But then, somewhere between the laughter and the low hum of the TV, there’s a shift.

A glance. A silence.

“That ice cube scene had me questioning my entire existence,” you say, voice low, teasing. “You actually believe it’s that good?”

Ino tilts his head at you. “You tryna test it?”

You lift a shoulder, casual. “I mean… the takeout’s not coming for another 40 minutes. We could… experiment. In the name of science.”

He stares at you for a beat, a smirk playing on his lips. “What kind of science? ‘Cause our track record’s mostly just us suffering through broken code and pretending we don’t want to drop the class.”

You lean in slightly, your smile edged with something a little more daring now. “Exactly. We deserve to test a hypothesis that doesn’t end in existential dread.”

He lets out a low chuckle. “So you wanna see if an ice cube can actually make someone— what? Cum?”

You raise an eyebrow. “Just curious if divorced middle-aged women are full of shit or not.”

Ino pauses, his eyes flicking from your face to your mouth, then back. “Strictly for academic purposes?”

You nod solemnly. “Peer-reviewed results.”

He laughs under his breath, standing up and stretching. “Alright. One ice cube.”

You both agree, giggling like kids daring each other to jump off a high dive.

Ino grabs an ice cube from the freezer, holding it loosely between his fingers as water drips down his wrist. He raises an eyebrow at you, that familiar grin quirking at the corner of his mouth.

You lean back against the couch cushions, heart fluttering with a strange cocktail of nerves and excitement. “Okay,” you say, your voice a little breathy, “just… run it over my neck or something.”

He nods, stepping closer, kneeling on the couch beside you. The first touch is tentative— a glinting cube of ice brushing the curve of your collarbone. The cold shocks you, and you flinch, a laugh bubbling up from your chest.

“Oh my god,” you gasp, “that’s colder than I thought—”

But you don’t tell him to stop.

Ino’s touch is slow, deliberate. The ice trails over your skin in lazy lines, tracing along the dip of your neck, across the slope of your shoulder, and down toward your chest. The air shifts, charged with something unspoken.

“You’re shivering,” he murmurs, watching closely.

“I-It’s cold, idiot,” you stammer, laughing— though the sound catches in your throat when the ice drifts over the swell of your breast.

Your nipples stiffen under the chill, and you feel heat spark embarrassingly low in your belly. You’re not supposed to be reacting like this. This was a joke. A bit.

But Ino notices.

He doesn’t say anything right away— just watches you, his hand pausing for a moment as a single drop of melted ice rolls down your skin, disappearing beneath your top.

“Feels good?” he asks, voice quieter now, teasing— but not mocking.

You swallow. “It’s... weird.”

“Yeah?” he murmurs, lips twitching. “Weird like debugging for six hours and finding out it was a missing semicolon, or weird like ‘we probably shouldn’t be enjoying this’ kind of weird?”

You shoot him a look, but you can’t bring yourself to deny it. Your body is betraying you. The tension in your thighs. The goosebumps..

He presses the cube just beneath your breast, not quite touching, just letting the cold proximity taunt your skin. You jolt a little and let out an unintentional noise, somewhere between a gasp and a moan, and immediately slap your hand over your mouth, mortified.

“Sorry,” you blurt out, cheeks blazing. “It just— happened.”

A beat of stunned silence.

Then: “That’s... kinda hot.”

You want to sink into the couch. “Don’t say it like that!”

“What? I’m serious,” he laughs, voice a little rough around the edges now. “I didn’t think that was even real. I thought that kind of reaction was like, a porn-only thing.”

“Well, it’s not!” you say quickly, burying your face in your hands. “Oh my god, Ino.”

He’s quiet for a moment, like he’s thinking. You peek through your fingers and see the way he’s looking at you, not with judgment. With curiosity. Like he’s just discovered something entirely new.

You're so embarrassed you squeeze your eyes shut, as if that could dull the sensation— but it only heightens everything. Every glide, every flicker of cold across your heated skin feels sharper, more intimate in the dark behind your eyelids.

“Too cold?” Ino’s voice is low and smug, the sound brushing your ear.

“No,” you whisper, shaky. “Just... surprised.”

The ice moves again, circling lazily, spreading cold in soft arcs over your breast. Every motion makes your stomach clench, warmth pooling lower. You squirm under the touch, overwhelmed by how good it feels— how stupidly good.

“Your reactions are way too cute,” Ino murmurs, his grin is audible in the silence that follows.

You peek at him through half-lidded eyes, flushed and breathless.

He just laughs under his breath, fingers still steady, eyes focused entirely on you.

The ice has melted down to a smaller sliver now, slick between his fingers. He trails it over the curve of your breast through the thin fabric of your top, and you shiver again, a soft sound escaping your lips despite yourself.

Your thighs shift. You’re hyperaware of everything— his breathing, your heartbeat, the dampness between your legs that has nothing to do with the melting ice.

“I can grab another one,” he offers, voice husky but careful, waiting for your reaction.

You nod again, unable to find your voice. Your skin’s already tingling, every nerve buzzing like you’re standing too close to a speaker. You’ve never felt like this from something so… simple. So stupid. A cube of ice.

Ino returns with a fresh one, crouching between your legs now as he leans forward. “Just tell me if it gets weird, okay?”

You nod a third time, cheeks burning, your breath shaky. “Okay.”

This time, he drags it lower— down your sternum, over your stomach, circling your navel. His eyes flick up to yours, reading your face the whole time, and when you don’t stop him, he tugs the hem of your shirt up, exposing more skin.

“You’re really warm,” he mutters.

“Thanks?” you squeak, trying to joke, but it comes out too breathy to land right.

The ice cube slips lower, tracing the waistband of your shorts. He hesitates, eyes searching yours again. “Still good?”

Your voice is barely a whisper. “Yeah.”

His free hand steadies you, fingers splayed warm against your waist. The contrast is insane. Your body tenses, hips twitching the closer he gets to where you really want him.

It’s not even supposed to be serious, this whole thing started as a joke, an experiment. But the way you’re breathing? The heat pooling between your thighs? There’s nothing funny about it anymore.

When he pushes your waistband down just enough to reach the crease of your inner thigh, you tense. It’s instinct, your body coiling with anticipation as cold hits heat again. The contrast makes your toes curl. You suck in a breath and arch just slightly, chasing sensation before you can stop yourself.

The cube dips lower, and your breath stutters.

“Ino,” you whine, voice embarrassingly thin.

The ice finally presses lower, catching against your inner thigh before sliding up to your center.

The second it grazes over your clit, your body jerks, thighs instinctively trying to snap shut— but Ino’s hand is there, steady and careful, holding you open.

You gasp, back arching. It’s too much. Too cold. Too perfect.

And then it happens.

It’s not something you meant to do. It builds too fast, hitting harder than you expect. A rush of warmth floods out of you in a sudden, helpless pulse— and your eyes fly open in shock.

You squirt.

Your body trembles, caught in the aftershocks of this new pleasure, and the world around you blurs as the sensation pulses deep within your core. Each wave reverberates through your fingertips, sending tiny sparks up your arms and into your chest.

The chill of the ice fades, giving way to a warmth that pulls your back into a natural arch— spine curving, chest rising. Your nipples, flushed and tender from the ice, ache with sensitivity, and every subtle motion sends dizzying jolts of pleasure through you.

Your head tips back without thought, throat bare, your whole body aching forward into Ino.

Another moan escapes, soft and trembling, a lot more whinier this time, laced with the neediness building inside you.

Your body shudders, overwhelmed by a rush of sensation pulsing through every nerve ending. Instinctively, your fingers clench tightly beneath you, knuckles whitening as you reach out for something, anything, to ground you.

Sensing your need, Ino’s hand moves without hesitation, slipping gently into yours. His fingers entwine with yours like a lifeline, grounding you, anchoring you back from the overwhelming sense of pleasure.

His eyes flick down, then widen, completely captivated by your body.

The softness of your skin, the heat radiating from your flushed breasts, it’s impossible for him not to get hard. He tries to commit the moment to memory.

You look so damn irresistible, he thinks, heart pounding.

Your breathing comes in shallow pulls, your chest rising and falling as you reel from the intensity. But the high is short-lived. Shame creeps in slow, then crashes over you all at once— your skin burning, your throat tight, your face impossibly hot.

You slap your hand over your face, mortified.

“Oh my God— Ino— I didn’t mean to—”

“No way—” he whispers, pausing. “you just…?”

“Shut up,” you groan, curling into yourself, face burning. “We are never speaking of this again.”

“No, wait, hold on—” He sounds breathless now, stunned. “You—actually—? That’s —holy shit.”

You groan again, rolling onto your side to hide your face in the pillow. “It was an accident! I swear!”

“I’m not— judging,” he rushes to say, placing a hand gently on your hip. “I just… didn’t know it could happen like that. That really fast.”

You nod, cheeks flaming as you laugh nervously, voice barely above a whisper. “Yeah, right. You’re just saying that to make me feel better. I— I basically just peed in front of you. I want to die.”

But instead of teasing you, Ino’s smile softens into something almost shy. “Honestly? I really didn’t think that could happen… but, uh, it’s kinda hot. Promise.”

You wring your hands, cheeks burning as your eyes dart away, wanting to hide but also craving to hear him say it’s okay, to reassure you.

Ino reaches out and gently brushes his fingers against yours. “Well,” he says, voice teasing but warm, “some guys are into that kind of thing. You’re definitely not weird. So stop looking so miserable.”

You swallow hard, cheeks still blazing, your heart fluttering wildly in your chest— part mortified, part something else you can’t quite name.

There’s a beat of silence. You peek up at him— he looks flustered, pink creeping up his cheeks, eyes glued to where your shorts are still bunched low on your hips.

Then, quietly:

“Can I try again?”

[magical-reid]

Through the Frost

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x GN!Reader (Implied Slytherin!Reader)

Warnings: None

Word Count: 2.1 K

Prompt #36: "Take my jacket, I don't want you catching a cold."

Summary: In the biting cold of the Scottish Highlands, you and Sebastian venture into the Forbidden Forest to collect Fanged Geraniums for a Herbology project, braving both the elements and an Acromantula encounter. Amid the adventure, Sebastian’s protective gestures and the warmth of his jacket lead to a tender moment between the two of you, culminating in a soft, unexpected kiss that changes everything.

The chill of the Scottish Highlands was biting, even in late autumn. You clutched your scarf tighter around your neck, your breath visible in the crisp air as you and Sebastian trudged through the Forbidden Forest. The trees around you creaked in the wind, their gnarled branches clawing at the sky like ancient hands.

“Remind me again why we’re out here when it’s practically freezing?” you asked, casting a wary glance at the darkening woods.

Sebastian shot you his signature grin, his amber eyes glinting with mischief. “Because you’re too stubborn to admit you’d need my help with your Herbology project. Or was it the lure of adventure you couldn’t resist?”

You rolled your eyes but didn’t respond. The truth was a mix of both—there was no denying Sebastian’s knack for getting himself into trouble, and you’d rather tag along than let him wander off into danger alone.

As you pressed on, the temperature dropped even further. The wind howled, and the light snowfall turned into a steady flurry. Your hands were practically numb despite the thick gloves, and you could feel the cold seeping into your bones.

Sebastian must have noticed, because he suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to you. Without a word, he shrugged off his dark, woolen jacket, the Slytherin-green lining standing out against the monochrome backdrop of snow.

“Take my jacket,” he said, holding it out to you. His tone was firm, but there was a softness in his gaze. “I don’t want you catching a cold.”

Your first instinct was to protest. “Sebastian, you’ll freeze—”

“Don’t argue with me,” he interrupted, stepping closer and draping the jacket over your shoulders before you could refuse. His hands lingered for a moment, adjusting it so it fit snugly. “You’re shivering. And don’t try to act like you’re not.”

The warmth of his jacket, faintly carrying the scent of pine and something unmistakably him, was a stark contrast to the icy wind whipping around you. You pulled it tighter, feeling an unexpected flush of heat creep into your cheeks.

“Thanks,” you mumbled, avoiding his eyes.

Sebastian gave a nonchalant shrug, though the faint smirk tugging at his lips suggested he’d noticed your reaction. “What kind of dueling partner would I be if I let you turn into an icicle? Besides, I’ll survive. I’m tougher than I look.”

“Sure you are,” you teased, the corners of your lips curving into a smile despite the cold.

The two of you continued walking, his jacket keeping you warm and his presence comforting in the eerie quiet of the forest. Somewhere in the distance, a branch snapped, and Sebastian instinctively stepped in front of you, his wand at the ready.

It was in these moments that you were reminded of the duality of Sebastian Sallow—the charming troublemaker who always had a clever retort, and the fiercely protective friend who would do anything to keep you safe.

“Next time, though,” he said after a beat, his voice lightening again, “maybe we should pick a less hazardous way to spend our evening. Like raiding the kitchens for pumpkin pasties.”

“Only if you don’t get us caught this time,” you replied with a laugh.

“Deal,” he said, his grin returning as he looked over his shoulder at you. “Now come on. Let’s find your stupid Fanged Geranium before we both freeze to death.”

And with that, the two of you pressed deeper into the forest, the snow falling gently around you. The jacket, and the boy who had offered it, warmed you more than you cared to admit.

The Forbidden Forest grew darker as the two of you ventured further in, the snow now a thick blanket underfoot. Each step crunched loudly, the sound eerily amplified in the silence of the forest. Though the jacket Sebastian had given you kept the chill at bay, you couldn’t shake the creeping unease of the woods.

“Are you sure the Fanged Geraniums grow this deep?” you asked, glancing at the looming shadows cast by the skeletal trees.

Sebastian hesitated, his wand tip glowing faintly in the gloom. “Pretty sure.”

“Pretty sure,” you repeated flatly.

He shot you a sheepish smile. “Well, I heard Garlick mention it during class. Something about preferring the deeper, more secluded areas of the forest. Don’t worry. We’ll find it.”

You raised a skeptical eyebrow but kept walking. Sebastian’s confidence had a way of pulling you along, even when logic told you it might be a terrible idea.

A sudden rustle in the underbrush had both of you freezing in place. Your heart leapt into your throat as you instinctively gripped your wand, pointing it toward the noise.

“Did you hear that?” you whispered.

Sebastian moved closer, positioning himself slightly in front of you again. His shoulders were tense, and his eyes darted around the shadows. “Stay close,” he murmured.

The rustling grew louder, and a pair of glowing yellow eyes emerged from the darkness. Your breath hitched as a hulking Acromantula crawled into view, its mandibles clicking ominously.

Sebastian reacted immediately, raising his wand. “Confringo!”

The explosion of fire startled the spider, sending it skittering backward, but it wasn’t deterred for long. It lunged, and you barely had time to shout a spell of your own.

“Stupefy!”

The jet of red light struck its leg, slowing it but not stopping it. Sebastian grabbed your arm, pulling you behind a tree as the Acromantula recovered and began to advance again.

“Got any brilliant ideas, or should we start running?” you asked, your voice shaking slightly.

Sebastian’s smirk, even under the pressure, was maddeningly confident. “Running’s an option. But I’d hate to let it think it could beat us.”

“Of course you would,” you muttered.

He peeked out from behind the tree, his wand at the ready. “On my signal, aim for its eyes. Ready?”

You nodded, gripping your wand tightly. “Ready.”

“Now!”

The two of you burst out from cover, shouting spells in unison.

“Incendio!”

“Confringo!”

The combined spells hit their mark, engulfing the Acromantula in flames. It let out a high-pitched screech, retreating into the shadows as smoke curled around its massive frame.

Sebastian watched it disappear, his wand still raised. When the forest finally fell silent again, he exhaled and turned to you, his grin returning. “See? No problem.”

You glared at him, your heart still racing. “No problem? That thing could have eaten us!”

“But it didn’t,” he pointed out, his tone annoyingly casual. He reached out and gently tugged his jacket tighter around your shoulders. “Thanks to me, you’re still here to complain about it.”

You huffed, though the warmth of his touch and his playful smirk made it hard to stay annoyed. “You’re insufferable.”

“And yet you keep following me into danger.”

Before you could retort, a faint glow caught your eye. Just a few feet away, nestled among a patch of frost-covered ferns, was a cluster of Fanged Geraniums. Their serrated leaves snapped at the air, illuminated by the soft luminescence of their buds.

“There they are,” you said, pointing.

Sebastian followed your gaze and let out a triumphant laugh. “Told you we’d find them.”

He crouched beside the plants, careful to avoid their snapping leaves, and began to harvest a few blooms. You knelt beside him, your earlier frustration fading as the two of you worked together.

As you stood up, cradling the blooms in your gloved hands, Sebastian brushed the snow off his knees and turned to you with a smile. “See? Adventure, teamwork, and no serious injuries. I’d say tonight’s a success.”

“Speak for yourself,” you said, though you couldn’t help but smile back. “I’ll probably be having nightmares about Acromantulas for a week.”

Sebastian shrugged. “Then I’ll sit with you in the Common Room until you fall asleep. You know, for moral support.”

You rolled your eyes, but the warmth in your chest was impossible to ignore. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re welcome,” he said with a wink, falling into step beside you as the two of you made your way back toward Hogwarts.

By the time you and Sebastian emerged from the Forbidden Forest, the snow was falling thickly, transforming the grounds into a glistening winter wonderland. Hogwarts loomed in the distance, its windows glowing with warm light, promising refuge from the biting cold.

The trek back to the castle was quieter, your steps synchronized as you trudged up the hill. Sebastian’s jacket still hung around your shoulders, its warmth and his faint scent grounding you in the aftermath of your encounter with the Acromantula.

“Not bad for an evening’s work,” Sebastian said as you approached the castle doors, cradling the bundle of Fanged Geraniums you’d managed to collect. “And not a single detention. That’s got to be a record.”

“Yet,” you corrected, raising a brow. “We’re not in the clear until Professor Weasley sees us sneaking in.”

He chuckled, holding the heavy door open for you. The rush of warm air from the Entrance Hall was a welcome relief. You stepped inside, snowflakes melting instantly in the castle’s glow.

The walk back to the Slytherin Common Room was uneventful, the quiet halls amplifying the soft crackle of distant fireplaces and the murmur of students preparing for bed. When you finally reached the Common Room, the emerald flames in the hearth illuminated the green and silver decor, casting dancing shadows across the stone walls.

Sebastian flopped onto one of the plush armchairs, his usual swagger returning as he stretched out lazily. “If that’s not the most heroic flower-picking mission anyone’s ever attempted, I don’t know what is.”

“Heroic?” you echoed, placing the bundle of Geraniums on a nearby table. “You’re insufferable.”

“And yet, here we are,” he quipped, motioning to the jacket still draped around you. “Cozy in my jacket, enjoying my company.”

You gave him a pointed look, but the corners of your lips twitched into a smile. You slid the jacket off and held it out to him. “Thank you, by the way. For this. And for everything else tonight.”

Sebastian didn’t take the jacket right away. Instead, he stood and stepped closer, his usual smirk softening into something quieter, more sincere. “You don’t have to thank me,” he said, his voice low. “You know I’d do anything for you.”

Your breath caught, the playful banter fading into an unfamiliar tension. He was close now, his amber eyes locking onto yours, and for once, he didn’t seem to have another clever remark ready.

“You’ve got snow in your hair,” he murmured, reaching up to brush a stray flake from your temple. His fingers lingered a moment too long, warm against your skin.

You opened your mouth to respond, but the words never came. Instead, you felt yourself leaning in, drawn by the quiet intensity in his gaze.

Sebastian didn’t move away. If anything, he stepped closer, his hand falling to your shoulder as his other fingers lightly tilted your chin. The world seemed to shrink to just the two of you, the warmth of the Common Room forgotten in the heat of the moment.

“You’re staring,” you whispered, your voice barely audible.

He smiled softly, his usual confidence tempered by something gentler. “Can you blame me?”

Before you could respond, he closed the distance, his lips brushing against yours in a kiss that was both tentative and full of unspoken feelings. It was soft and slow, a moment stolen from the chaos of your usual adventures.

When he finally pulled back, his hand still resting lightly on your shoulder, his smirk returned—but it was softer now, almost shy.

“Well,” he said, his voice a touch unsteady, “that was… unexpected.”

“Was it?” you asked, your own smile breaking through.

Sebastian chuckled, running a hand through his tousled hair. “Maybe not entirely. I’ve been meaning to do that for a while now.”

You rolled your eyes, but the warmth in your chest betrayed how much the admission meant to you. “Took you long enough.”

“Patience is a virtue,” he teased, reaching out to take his jacket from your hands. But before you could let it go, he slipped it back around your shoulders.

“Keep it for the night,” he said, his grin returning. “I don’t want you catching a cold.”

Your cheeks flushed, but you didn’t argue. “Goodnight, Sebastian.”

“Goodnight,” he replied, his voice softer now. As you turned to head to your dormitory, you felt his gaze lingering, and you couldn’t help but smile to yourself.

It had been a night full of danger, snow, and sharp-toothed flowers, but as you curled up under your blankets with his jacket still draped over you, all you could think about was the warmth of his touch and the way his kiss had chased away the cold.

[afloweroutofstone]

A major new project that's been in the works for a while (and which I played a small role in) has finally been released: the first ever database of think tank funders that produce conflicts-of-interest.

There's been lots of discussion over the last decade about how think tanks (political non-profits which research policy and advocate for reforms) can be used for corrupt purposes, especially when their funding comes from sources with vested interests: military contractors, foreign governments, and the US government itself. I've written before about this problem at two major DC think tanks: CNAS and the Atlantic Council.

However, research on this topic has been slowed by the fact that there's no database of think tank funding which can be analyzed; even the think tanks that do report their funding do so in non-standardized ways that make comparisons difficult.

Now, thanks to research from the Quincy Institute, we now have the most comprehensive dataset to date: all reported funding for the top 50 US think tanks which has come from contractors and governments since 2019. Although there are a lot of shortcomings to this data, its mere existence will make it substantially easier to analyze corruption in the think tank sector.

The foreign governments which spent the most on influencing US politics through think tanks from 2019-2023 are:

United Arab Emirates ($16.7 million)

United Kingdom ($15.5 million)

Qatar ($9.1 million)

The military contractors which spent the most influencing US politics through think tanks from 2019-2023 are:

Northrop Grumman ($5.6 million)

Lockheed Martin ($2.6 million)

Mitsubishi ($2.1 million)

[nostalgicamerica]

Here are a few of the assinine projects on which USAID spent US tax dollars:

— $7.9 million to teach Sri Lankan journalists how to avoid “binary-gendered language”

— $20 million for a new Sesame Street show in Iraq

— $4.5+ million to “combat disinformation” in Kazakhstan

— $1.5 million for “art for inclusion of people with disabilities”

— $2 million for sex changes and “LGBT activism” in Guatemala

— $6 million to “transform digital spaces to reflect feminist democratic principles”

— $2.1 million to help the BBC “value the diversity of Libyan society”

— $10 million worth of USAID-funded meals, which went to an al Qaeda-linked terrorist group

— $25 million for Deloitte to promote “green transportation” in the country of Georgia

— $6 million for tourism in Egypt

— $2.5 million to promote “inclusion” in Vietnam

— $16.8 million for a SEPARATE “inclusion” group in Vietnam

— ~$5 million to EcoHealth Alliance, one of the key NGOs funding bat virus research at the Wuhan lab

— $20 million for a group related to a key player in the Russiagate impeachment hoax

— $1.1 million to an Armenian “LGBT group”

— $1.2 million to help the African Methodist Episcopal Church Service and Development Agency in Washington, D.C., build “a state-of-the-art 440 seat auditorium”

— $1.3 million to Arab and Jewish photographers

— $1.5 million to promote “LGBT advocacy” in Jamaica

— $1.5 million to “rebuild” the Cuban media ecosystem

— $2 million to promote “LGBT equality through entrepreneurship” in Latin America

— $500K to solve sectarian violence in Israel (just ten days before the Hamas October 7 attack)

— $2.3 million for “artisanal and small scale gold mining” in the Amazon

— $3.9 million for “LGBT causes” in the western Balkans

— $5.5 million for LGBT activism in Uganda

— $6 million for advancing LGBT issues in “priority countries around the world”

— $6.3 million for men who have sex with men in South Africa

— $8.3 million for “USAID Education: Equity and Inclusion”

— USAID’s “climate strategy” outlined a $150 billion “whole-of-agency” approach to building an “equitable world with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.”

For decades, USAID bureaucrats believed they were accountable to no one — but that era is over.

————————

Sunlight is the best disinfectant.

[starcurtain]

Following Topaz's explanation that Cornerstones are made to fill the hole in the user's heart, what "hole" in Aven's heart do you think his drag queen powers are meant to fill? Especially since Topaz remarks he's the only one with such showy powers

Still trying to catch up with all the messages in the inbox; sorry to everyone for taking a million years to respond.

So cunty, and for what???

Anyway, first, when Jade talks about the Stonehearts' "voids," the alternate reading above that word is actually "ambition." And she mentions that the reason she risked reaching out to Firefly is that she views herself as similar to Firefly--Jade is someone with an unfulfilled wish.

I think there's enough here to suggest that the Stonehearts' voids are not quite what we would normally think of when hearing the word "void"--rather than being best understood as something removed or something lost, their voids seem to be "something desired." An unfulfilled goal. An unmet need. A burning ambition. A secret wish. They all have somewhere they want to get to, and they've signed on-board with Diamond's Preservation project because his power is the fastest way--maybe the only way--to get there.

The implication here, by the way, is that the Stonehearts are acting out the very act of Preservation itself with Diamond. The goal of Qlipoth is for the universe to be saved, an unshakeable resolution to stop Destruction's wanton obliteration. Thus, Preservation itself can be understood as "A desire that must be continuously protected and relentlessly pursued." To live. To endure.

In using the power of an emanator to protect and provide the Stonehearts with ways to pursue their own desires, we replicate in miniature the exact resolve and endless pursuit of perseverance that Qlipoth is acting out in the broader universe. The will of Preservation empowers the Stonehearts--and in turn, the Stonehearts swear an oath to aid in Preservation's mission. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement, and it also simultaneously imitates Jade's shop perfectly: I'll give you exactly what you want, if you give me what I need.

I should clarify that I don't actually think the cornerstones themselves fill the Stonehearts' voids. Rather, they seem to me to be a tangible symbol of the oath between Diamond and the Stonehearts--"I'll give you this power to fulfill your deepest wish, if you work for me." Jade suggests that the power of the cornerstones provides Stonehearts with the means to fill their voids (I.e., having superpowers makes it possible for you to pursue your wish), so I think their individual cornerstone abilities are best understood as "The exact power I need to achieve my particular goal."

So what does that say about Aventurine's "showy" transformation?

Pretty much all the rest of this is just going to be my personal speculation, but I'd say the most telling glimpse we get into why Aventurine's power is so "visual" comes from these lines with the future "Aventurine" in 2.1:

There's two completely contradictory desires being expressed here: Aventurine's life "is the chip he's most eager to lay down" and "always has been"--that is, he genuinely wants to die. He isn't just willing to gamble with his life, he's eager to. The future "Aventurine" also says real Aventurine wants to be "polished up" (to be controlled and molded by others) and "cuffed with red-hot chains" (to be made powerless and not responsible for making his own decisions, to be punished).

But conversely, the real Aventurine also wants to be perceived as "a smooth operator" and "the solid gold deal-maker who doesn't waste a drop of sweat." He wants to be in charge of his image. He wants to be the one who controls the narrative and defines how others think of him. He wants to be "spotlit center stage"--to command the eyes of the world. In short, we could say that Aventurine wants his death (and conversely, his life) to mean something.

From these conflicting desires, I think you can derive a few totally opposite but equally valid interpretations of why Aventurine's cornerstone power is so "visual":

A combat-oriented transformation is another means to seek death.

Jade's power is scary, but she isn't using it to literally launch herself into fights. Topaz's seems to be similar--something that might allow her to win over her opponents in some way (she was about to use it in Belobog to no-sell the Trailblazer), but she clarifies directly that it is not a "transformation." Aventurine just literally turns into a boss enemy and goes straight out on to the battlefield.

In the fight, he doesn't even use shields. (Now whether that's something he never does because the cornerstone powers don't actually come with shields while in his monster form, if he couldn't use shields because his cornerstone was broken, or if he just chose not to use shields in this fight to give Trailblazer and Co. a fighting chance, only time will tell. However, it might be worth noting that his empowered Apocalyptic Shadow form doesn't come with shields either, despite having other new mechanics.)

The point is, this form, while looking cool and seeming strong, is actually a gamble in and of itself. To go out onto the battlefield, where you might not actually be the strongest combatant, is always a risk. And I think this is the kind of risk that Aventurine manifests continually in his life. He is constantly creating opportunities for his own luck to fail. His unfulfilled desire, the "ambition" he was desperate enough to join the Stonehearts to pursue--as his original goal to save his people is completely gone, his only current goal might actually just be a chance to die. His powers may manifest as a combat-oriented transformation because that is just one more way to throw himself into the crossfire.

In fact, this is exactly what Sugilite accuses him of in Jade's myriad celestia:

You didn't need to snatch his wig this hard, Sugilite. (Also I need you all to know I originally wrote "You didn't need to come for him this hard, Sugilite," but then I realized how unfortunate that wording was, so...)

You could even argue that the fact Aventurine's transformation comes with a mask that obscures his entire face is a sign that we're supposed to see this form as dehumanizing.

The facial features are completely obscured and asymmetrical, there's no mouth, his fingers have become claws--despite his body staying mostly human-shaped, it's obviously intended to hint at something monstrous, subsuming his original identity behind a violent facade.

Kakavasha disappears entirely behind "Aventurine" when he transforms, becoming a faceless enemy at the risk of (perhaps in hopes of) entirely losing himself. Maybe every transformation lets Aventurine throw himself closer and closer to the edge of death--and perhaps, before Penacony, only death could ever have filled the "void."

But, on the complete opposite hand (because Aventurine is always both sides of the coin), we could also argue the other end of the spectrum entirely:

A combat-oriented transformation is a show of force.

This screencap brought to you by Mr. Rubhen925 of Youtube.

Aventurine's entire life has been marred by disenfranchisement, by violations of his basic human rights, freedoms, and agency. At every turn, he has been victimized by others more powerful than himself: his childhood consisted of his clan being relentlessly hounded and hunted to extinction by the Katicans, having their food constantly stolen, their meager belongings burned to the ground, and each one of his family members systematically slaughtered, often in front of his eyes.

After his childhood, he was bought and sold as chattel for pennies, branded like an animal, and forced into a fight where to he had to beat other innocent people to death just to keep himself alive, all for the entertainment of the masses. Even Jade, who promised to help him achieve his goals, treats him like a business investment more than a friend.

In Penacony, we watch everyone he talks to degrade and ostracize him. Even though Aventurine led him into doing it, Sunday tortures and re-traumatizes him live for our entertainment.

Even more that, we see Aventurine constantly struggling with the question of whether his life is really his own or whether his blessing from Gaiathra means that his entire existence has been predetermined, his fate sealed in blood and sand from the very moment of his birth, utterly inescapable.

No matter how Aventurine tries to portray himself as the ultimate winner, he's only ever the "final" victor--being the only one left standing at the end is meaningless if on the road to getting there, you were treated like fate's favorite punching bag. Winning in the end is utterly pointless if on the road to winning, you still lost it all first, from the things you loved to your personal freedom.

What does a person who has been made powerless again and again truly desire? What void do you seek to fill if life has denied you your agency over and over?

Power. Dominance. The ability to literally strike back at those who've wronged you. The strength to intimidate and force people into a corner the way you've been intimidated and forced before.

If we say that Aventurine's "void" is not a literal desire for the release of death, then it might make sense for the "void" to instead to be a frantic desire to gain control over his circumstances. To be the one finally in charge of deciding his own fate.

Particularly in light of his character story which tells us that Kakavasha's original goal for joining the Stonehearts was to save his people, the desire to take on an impressive form that screams "I'm powerful" and has the ability to physically enact vengeance on others feels directly aligned. And it remains aligned even after the reveal that the Avgins are all gone--once more fate strips Kakavasha of his power to make a difference in the world, to achieve what he truly dreams of.

The Apocalyptic Shadow version of his boss fight is called "Desperate Diceroller."

How angry he must be, deep down. How hateful the world must seem. How sad it is to feel that way.

If destiny won't let you out of the cage, your only choice is to grow claws to tear it open.

Okay, but WHY so much swag though?

Are the peacock feathers and spandex really necessary?

Listen. Everyone talks about Ratio having "gifted kid" syndrome, but I'm here to tell you that Aventurine is actually a burnt out gifted kid extraordinaire.

He's literally, canonically, explicitly the chosen one of his people.

From the moment of his birth, his mother and sister--and presumably others in his clan even--were telling him that he was their clan's most precious treasure and that he would lead them to prosperity and safety.

He carried this weight even after fleeing from the massacre, all through his childhood and teenage years, through slavery and abuse, putting his very life on the line to join the IPC in hopes of finally fulfilling the destiny his mother and sister promised he could.

He was supposed to save them. That was his meaning. That was his purpose in life.

But he was too late.

The fate he was born for, raised believing, and risked everything to achieve... is still incomplete.

So, for all that talk about suicide and power-seeking, my real answer is this: Aventurine's "void" is his unfulfilled destiny.

His whole existence has been predetermined, his life's journey laid out in prophecy and blessings from the very beginning. Yet what he thought was his fate betrayed him, and where you head after becoming an unsuccessful chosen one is a question without answer.

His thoughts constantly circle around how he is a "failure" and a "loser."

When you have no sense of purpose, when your life has no meaning, when what you are still seeking is the role you were supposed to have from the moment of your birth: the glorious destiny of being a savior, being the "happiness" of your people, being the hero...

Of course you crave the spectacle. Of course you long for the spotlight--you long to be recognized. Because Kakavasha's the chosen one. "Spotlit center stage" is where he's supposed to be--in the leading role that was stolen from him.

I think that Aventurine's cornerstone transformation is so flashy because, at the core, it represents a longing to truly be the "precious wealth" of the Avgin that his sister promised him he would be. It represents his desire to transform from a useless, "discarded" person into a larger-than-life version of himself. (Hey, fun fact, out of every official depiction of Aventurine, his boss model wears the only outfit in which his slave brand is not naturally visible.) He literally transforms into a supernatural being, capable of seizing others' fates in his hands. It represents the power he needed to save his people and himself. Its extreme flashiness screams for attention, demands to be witnessed as something beyond a helpless human.

It's almost as if Aventurine is a child writing a wish-fulfillment story where he transforms into a hyper-glamorous, all-powerful masked superhero who is capable of saving the day and winning against his enemies every time.

Unlike Jade and Topaz, Aventurine can't hide his deepest desire. It was always going to be a "transformation," because Aventurine's unanswered wish is to be someone better than himself.

His "void," his deepest unachieved ambition--it's written right there, all over his body.

Aventurine's cornerstone power is a story he's telling himself about the person he was supposed to be.

But as Acheron claims, that's life itself.

Aventurine doesn't feel like he has any control over his journey's ultimate destination.

He doesn't know where's he's headed or what the purpose of it all is. But...

Jade explicitly describes the Ten Stonehearts and Diamond's endeavor as a "journey" as well:

Because Preservation represents the continuance of life itself, and the Stonehearts with their endless "voids"--Aventurine with his soul-deep longing to become someone better than himself--represent all of us very real human beings, trying our best to find our own "cornerstones," to gain the means to finally, finally achieve our own sweet dreams.

[kirashion]

"Welcome back" 💛 (Aventio)

After HSR 2.1 Penacony quest! I adored the tension between them during the quest, and I wanted to project in on their personal relationship, which they've been building cautiously, taking little steps towards one another, working on a fragile balance between business and intimacy... until something SO BIG happened that it broke that balance and could've set them apart, but instead brought them even closer AAAAAH I LOVEEE ITT!!

⇒ CONTINUATION UP ON PATREON!! 👀🔞💦

More art on Patreon ♡ { All my links }

[neil-gaiman]

Hi Neil - I saw your response about how you believe that the writers' strike will impact negatively on the Good Omens S2 release. Which is totally understandable. First - I'd like to say that we really feel for you. To have 3 of your passion projects (GO, Anansi Boys and Sandman S2) impacted adversely must be really horrendous for you. Personally, I truly admire your integrity in holding the line. I'd also like to say that, while I can't speak for the entire GO fandom, certainly all the people I interact with are supportive of the strike, and of your personal stance. However, it would be logical to say that a drop in figures/ engagement for GO S2 could make it harder to get confirmation for GO S3. So ..we know that once the series is released the best thing we can do is watch 2.1 right through to 2.6 and then start all over again and encourage everyone we know to do the same.

But I was wondering ... is there anything else we can do? Specifically, will engaging with Prime SM posts about GO S2 - bumping up the figures on likes, comments, shares/ retweets/ reblogs - help? There are an awful lot of us out here. If swamping Prime posts with our love for the show will help, I'm sure many of us would be more than happy to find the time to do that. Of if you have any other thoughts, ideas, that you feel comfortable sharing (given the delicate situation with the strike), I for one would be happy to hear them Thanks for your time, Wendy

I guess the other thing you can all do is...

Spread the word.

Tell your friends to watch Good Omens, tell your enemies to watch Good Omens, tell those who passionately crave your company that your favours are entirely dependent on whether or not the lovelorn watch Good Omens, and if you happen to find yourself sole monarch of a small kingdom where they have television pass a law to make it compulsory to watch Good Omens.

Do it online, but do it in real life as well.

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 197 (Furever Friends)

Heather finally finished her video game in the early days of summer. Furever Friends: Stray Valley was an instant hit, giving her notability as a newcomer to the gaming development scene.

She remodeled the roof with the game's windfall, but techie Heather wasn't really interested in the perks of fame. She wasn't even that interested in meeting calls from fans for an immediate sequel - designing the first had taken years, and she felt more fulfilled building on the success of Buttercup Pet Clinic.

But Heather was still a geek at heart - designing video games may not have been her calling, but she couldn't resist writing a companion essay to release alongside the video game, about each of the stray pet characters who travelled the earth in search of 'furever friends.'

It was a niche project for only the game's most hardcore fans, but the work made her excited after long hours writing mind-numbing code for the game itself.

(Heather randomly rolled 'write an essay on niche fandom' for a bucket list want because of her geek trait, and I thought diving into the lore of her own video game was suitably niche!)

She was also thrilled to be able to sit down and play the game with her family. Roan was still too young, but she spent hours challenging Conrad, Ash, and Lavender.

Because she knew the code by heart, she usually let them win, taking more joy in watching them explore the game world - conceptualized by @igglemouse's talented artist Marisol Quesada, and mentored in execution with the help of @oimygiblets' overachieving genius (Cali Skye's younger brother!), Calvin Anthony Jr.

The family spent plenty of time with their own 'furever friends,' too. Both dogs, Gord and Captain Whitaker, were loving and friendly pets, following their humans everywhere they went.

It took Heather a long time to teach their resurrected retriever to leave the chickens and the coop alone! Lavender and Gord were particularly close, and she often tried to convince him to help train out Captain Whitaker's bad habits.

A heat wave hit the Bay leading up to Ash's birthday. In the summer sunshine, Conrad helped his stepson try to master his bike. Ash could ride pretty well, but he wanted to be even better. (Spoiler: He didn't get the milestone, but I tried! His childhood was affected by forever winter, a kidnapping, discovering time travel...It was a lot!)

Artistic Lavender was often found doing arts and crafts when not practicing her violin. She'd even begun working on an extra credit castle diorama project like her older brother had done when he was younger. This excited her parents, because it gave the perfectionist something to focus on besides her missing idol, Layne Coffin.

Ash and Heather joined her outside with plates of food while she worked. Ash gave her tips to complete it when she asked, but mostly discussed plans for his upcoming birthday with their mother.

He intended to invite family to spend a day on Deadgrass Isle, but he also planned to invite his three closest friends - Arun Kalani, Scotti Holiday, and Pearl Richards was even planning to visit all the way from San Myshuno.

"San My Ballet Company is doing a performance of The Beauty and the Beast and she's the youngest professional in the whole show," he said proudly. "But she said they're not rehearsing on the day of my birthday because it's a holiday."

Heather smiled. "It's always great to see Pearl!"

"Do you think she's coming all the way out here for your birthday because she likes you? Like the girls who went all the way to Tartosa to date Deanna York!"

"We're friends, Lavender," he said quickly, shoveling another bite of food into his mouth. "She's too old for me; don't be weird!"

Without another word after a stern eye from her mother, Lavender returned to moulding precisely with her clay as the whirr of crickets filled the peaceful evening. ->

<- Previous Chapter | Gen 2 Start | Gen 2.1 Summary

Gen 1 Start | Gen 1 Summary

Once again, crediting @matchalovertrait and @opalsimmer for naming Heather's video game! It's iconic and I love it, thank you both so much! On a good day, she'll collect over 200 simoleons in royalties from this thing, too. If she actually liked programming, I'd consider that sequel!

[mathmodder]

Get Wild & Ocean Life MOD Version 2.1 Trial

Hello nature lovers and marine life enthusiasts!

I am thrilled to share the LATEST TRIAL VERSION of GetWildMOD and OceanLifeMOD 2.1. This is the final trial version before the official release, so don't miss out!

What is this mod?

This mod combines two exciting projects into one, offering enhanced sound and visual effects. Now, beetle spawners in your game also spawn birds, mammals, amphibians, new insects, and much more! Additionally, sailboat effects in your world will now spawn whales, dolphins, seals, sea turtles, saltwater crocodiles, and other sea creatures. With over 300 different types of animals, this mod will bring vibrant life to your game! Get Wild and Ocean Life Trailer - The Sims 3 Mods (youtube.com)

What's new in this update:

- *Accelerated spawn rates:* Animals now appear more frequently in your game.

- *Increased sea animal spawns:* Sailboats in your world will now attract more sea animals, creating a richer, more dynamic environment.

How to test:

1. *Remove previous versions:* Delete all files from earlier test versions to ensure the new update functions smoothly.

2. *New OPTIONAL Addons:* Update of my old mod versions allow insects to fly more freely, and ALSO serving as spawners for both ground and flying animals, thus populating your map with more wildlife.

*ATTENTION:* These addons increase the number of animal spawns, requiring a PC with good processing power. If you have an older PC, use only one addon. If your PC is powerful, feel free to use all addons without worry!

GetWildMod Addons:

- *Addon 1:* Enhanced Butterflies - spawns additional wildlife!

- *Addon 2:* Enhanced Will-o'-the-wisp Butterflies - spawns additional wildlife!

- *Addon 3:* Enhanced Fireflies - spawns additional wildlife!

Important note:

This is a trial version. If you encounter any issues or have feedback, please share your thoughts to help improve this experience for everyone. Connect with me on Tumblr or Patreon!

Join us on this exciting journey to bring our virtual worlds to life. I look forward to hearing about your experiences and seeing how this addition transforms your adventures!

Download the new trial version of GetWildMOD and OceanLifeMOD on [Patreon].

[moonstruckdraws]

Aphrodite & Antheia

Your little high and mightyyy~

yep, going down this rabbit whole on my blog (updated)

Version 3 (ack-)

Ver. 1 & 2 (2.1)

Aphrodite is, I would say, the goddess I know the most about (even though I'm still learning new things). I literally did all my mythology projects on her when younger lmao

Stars it's been so long since I've drawn people-

Anyway time to yap

The way I first learned (and preferred) of Aphrodite's birth was emerging from seafoam. I thought it was the coolest thing ever, and was so so SO happy to see people incorporate the ocean in their designs of her. I felt it only appropriate to do the same (I am worried I made her too ocean based- so it's the reason she's got those wings lol)

however, sticking with her origins, I gave her stretchmarks (that I'll likely edit later to detail better) that look loosely like waves. I thought they were cute. Her hair is based on jellyfish frills, and made the underside yellow to be kinda-not-really like scallop shells. The ends of her lashes have little pearls because they are also a symbol of hers

Her animal is the dove, sometimes swan though I see that more with Eros, so I put these utterly useless wings in the back of her head like a hair ornament. They are folded to be in the shape of a heart.

The other lady is Antheia, one of the Graces or Charites, Aphrodite's attendant and the Goddess of flowers (& gardens & other stuff). Her and Aphrodite have a close relationship, and as a kid when first learning about her I thought she was another lover of Aphrodite. She's not, but I consider her Aphrodite's best friend. Her only symbols are flowers, usually roses & blossoms. And for fun, I have her hair loop back into the snake on her head. She's not associated with snakes, but I thought it'd be fun to give her a Garden Snake (though again I'll have to edit that for its patterns).

[izooks]

By the time they expire next year, Trump’s tax cuts are projected to have boosted after-tax incomes of the top 1 percent of earners by 3 percent, to an average of $2.1 million. But they barely affect the bottom 60 percent of earners, increasing their 2025 incomes just 1 percent, to $41,800.

[girlactionfigure]

Good News From Israel

In the 5th Jan 25 edition of Israel’s good news, the highlights include:

Numerous technical advances in Israeli rehabilitation therapy during the war.

Two major Israeli breakthroughs in cancer treatment.

Israel spends millions on technical and Hebrew skills for its Arab citizens.

Israeli eye doctors restored the sight of hundreds of Ethiopians.

Israel and the US team-up on cyber training and cleantech projects.

Low cost airline Wizz Air, and 5 others, resume services to Israel.

Israeli actress Gal Gadot had brain surgery when 8 months’ pregnant.

Israeli archaeologists unearthed ancient artifacts linked to Chanukah.

Read More: Good News From Israel

As we begin 2025, Israelis continue onwards with life-saving and life-changing innovations and activities to benefit its citizens and all of humanity.

Because of the war, huge advances have been made in Israeli technology to rehabilitate the wounded. Recent medical breakthroughs and research, as seen in this newsletter, will benefit cancer sufferers, diabetics, trauma patients and many more globally. Scientific successes have surged ahead in the areas of agriculture technology, cleantech, cybersecurity, renewable energy, water technology, vegan foods, and of course defense. 

Israel's population grew past the magic 10 million mark and its 2.1 million Arabs are to receive extensive government financial help to establish tech startups and develop Hebrew language skills.  Meanwhile. there has been a big rush to enlist in the IDF from women, middle-age men and religious Jews.  

Finally, archaeologists constantly reveal more and more historic Jewish links to the Modern State.

The photo has very little to do with the theme "onwards", except that every year Israeli Chanukah donuts seem to get even more colorful and delicious!

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from EcoWatch:

Fulfilling current land restoration pledges in 115 countries would require only a small amount of the global annual GDP, a recent analysis has found. Successful implementation would require about 0.04% to 0.27% of global annual GDP, totaling about $311 billion to $2.1 trillion.

The researchers analyzed costs of 243 land restoration projects happening globally and found that the median cost ranged from $185 per hectare to $3,012 per hectare, with an overall median cost of $1,691 per hectare. Lower-cost opportunities include forest management for $185 per hectare, passive regeneration ($513 per hectare), grazing management ($631 per hectare) and assisted natural regeneration ($804 per hectare).

“Passive regeneration is basically just fencing off an area and leaving it alone,” Dewy Verhoeven, lead author of the study and Ph.D. candidate at Wageningen University & Research, told Mongabay News. “Those costs are very low, maybe you have to install a fence and that’s it. But the opportunity costs are very large because you cannot use the land anymore.”

Projects with the highest median costs include agroforestry ($2,390 per hectare), cross-slope barriers ($2,562 per hectare), irrigation ($2,886 per hectare) and silvopasture ($3,012 per hectare), which integrates trees and pasture for grazing livestock on the same land.

In total, land degradation projects would add up to about 0.38% to 2.65% of global GDP for one year; however, the authors noted that spreading the cost out over a decade would lower the annual cost to just 0.04% to 0.27% of global GDP. The authors published these findings in the journal Land Degradation & Development.

While the total percentage is small, an even distribution of costs or distributing costs by project location would place a higher burden on lower income countries. The report authors found that most projects are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa as well as South and Southeast Asia, with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for almost half of all global land restoration pledges.

[moonlightequin1]

✨ TWISTED WONDERLAND YUME/OC/SELF-SHIP FAN SURVEY 2024 RESULTS ✨

HAPPY 4TH ANNIVERSARY, TWST JP! 🎉

In January, I made a survey to find out who is the most popular character to yume/oc/self-ship with! And there was 1,244 responses!

So I will share the results as promised! Who are the most popular characters to yume with?! Let's find out!

⚠️ THIS POLL CONTAINS CHARACTERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY LIMITED TO TWST JP!!! If you are a TWST EN player, be aware of spoilers ⚠️

RANKING:

🥇 Malleus Draconia 🐉

Malleus won 1st place with 50.6% of votes!

🥈 Idia Shroud 💀

Idia won 2nd place with 32.5% of votes!

🥉 Azul Ashengrotto 🐙

Azul won 3rd place with 32.3% of votes!

4. Leona Kingscholar 🦁

Leona got 4th place with 30.5% of votes!

5. Ace Trappola ♥️

Ace got 5th place with 27.9% of votes!

6. Vil Schoenheit 👑

Vil won 6th place with 24.8% of votes!

7. Floyd Leech 🦈

Floyd got 7th place with 24.7% of votes!

8. Jade Leech 🐬

Jade got 8th place with 24.6% of votes!

9. Deuce Spade ♠️

Deuce got 9th place with 24.1% of votes!

10. Lilia Vanrouge 🦇

Lilia got 10th place with 23.7% of votes!

11. Silver ⚔️

Silver got 11th place with 23.4% of votes!

12. Rook Hunt 🏹

Rook got 12th place with 22.3% of votes!

13. Riddle Rosehearts 🌹

Riddle got 13th place with 22.2% of votes!

14. Jamil Viper 🐍

Jamil got 14th place with 19.9% of votes!

15. Rollo Flamme 🔔

Rollo got 15th place with 19.5% of votes!

16. Sebek Zigvolt ⚡

Sebek got 16th place with 18.6% of votes!

17. Ruggie Bucchi 🍩

Ruggie got 17th place with 14.4% of votes!

18. Jack Howl 🐺

Jack got 18th place with 14.3% of votes!

19. Cater Diamond & Fellow Honest ♦️&🦊

Cater and Fellow are TIED for 19th place w/13.7% of votes!

20. Kalim Al-Asim ☀️

Kalim got 20th place w/13.6% of votes!

21. Divus Crewel ⚗️

Crewel got 21th place w/13.3% of votes!

22. Trey Clover ♣️

Trey got 22nd place w/12.8% of votes!

23. Epel Felmier 🍎

Epel got 23rd place w/12.5% of votes!

24. Chen'ya 🐈

Chen'ya got 24th place w/11% of votes!

25. Dire Crowley 🐦‍⬛🎭

Crowley got 25th place w/10.6% of votes!

26. Meleanor Draconia 🖤🐉👑

Meleanor got 26th place w/8.8% of votes!

27. Grim 🐱

Grim got 27th place w/7.7% of votes!

28. Ortho Shroud & Hirasaka Yuuka 🤖&🦐

Ortho and Yuuka are TIED w/7.2% of votes!

29. Neige LeBlanche ❄️

Neige got 29th place w/7.1% of votes!

30. Sam ☠️

Sam got 30th place w/6.4% of votes!

31. Baul Zigvolt 🐊

Baul got 31st place w/5.4% of votes!

32. Dilah Spade 💙

Dilah got 32nd place w/5.1% of votes!

33. Enma Yuuken 🦞

Yuuken got 33rd place w/4.8% of votes!

34. Mozus Trein & Najma Viper 📚&🐍

Trein and Najma TIED for this spot w/4% of votes!

35. Mito Yuuta 🦐

Yuuta got 35th place w/3.4% of votes!

36. Kuroki Yuuya 🦐

Yuuya got 36th place w/3.2% of votes!

37. Knight of Dawn 🌄🗡️

Knight of Dawn got 37th place w/2.5% of votes!

38. Gidel 🐱🔨

Gidel got 38th place w/2.1% of votes!

39. Mrs. Shroud 🩷

Mama Shroud got 39th place w/1.8% of votes!

40. Ashton Vargas & Cheka 💪🫎&🧶

Vargas and Cheka tied w/1.6% of votes!

41. Mr. Shroud 💙

Papa Shroud got 41st place w/1% of votes!

42. Marja Felmier 🍏

Meemaw got 42nd place w/0.9% of votes!

43. Ambrose the 63rd 🧙‍♂️

Ambrose got 43rd place w/0.6% of votes!

44. Kifaji 🪶

Kifaji got 44th place w/0.5% of votes!

45. The Seven Dwarfs 🪄

Dominic and Gran had 3 votes, but statistics state that they got 0.2% of votes along w/Hop, Shelpy, Toby, Timmy, and Snick!

And lastly...

46. King Henric/Henry 👑

Henric got last place w/0.1% of vote(s)

*he only got one vote but I wonder who the voter was...? 👀✨*

I was planning to share all the responses to the last question but....I got over 1,244 responses! I read many of your wonderful responses about your OC/Yume/Self-ships and how you ended up doing it for your OSHIS!

This was a fun project! Thank you all so much for joining this survey!

In less than THREE months, this got over 1,244 responses and it was great! I can see that TWST EN's fanbase is HUGE on Malleus and I'm honestly amazed by how different it is to the JP side!

I'll say this once again: Happy Anniversary everyone!! And I hope you all have a fantastic day/afternoon/evening/night!! 🎉🎊

I hope we all continue twisting and having great experiences with Twisted Wonderland! If you want to see the rest of the statistics, you can see it on my Twitter!

https://twitter.com/MoonlightEquin1/status/1769566912680431788?t=Q3BvhDRYLkR3kcL8yeShug&s=19

[peptorising]

Not your normal update: Local Numbers enthusiast brings you some statistics about dragon breed population numbers. Because i felt like it and it was fun.

*These numbers are not 100% accurate as the numbers update consistently as I am collecting the data.

My prediction going into this was that, for the most part, older and more common breeds would have higher populations. "Older" ended up being fairly accurate; rarity did not seem to have much of an effect.

Highest Modern Breed Pop. All: 1 - Guardian (11.7% of the entire site's dragons - way more than I would've expected!) 2 - Skydancer (9.7% of total) 3 - Imperial (9.6% of total) NE (Non-exalted): 1 - Imperial (11% of all non-exalted dragons) 2 - Guardian, Skydancer (9.4% of NE; I don't feel like checking which is marginally higher, so they both get to go here) 3 - Fae (7.8% of NE)

Lowest Modern Breed Pop. All: 1 - Fathom (0.3% of total) 2 - Obelisk (1.6% of total) 3 - Bogsneak (2.1% of total) NE: 1 - Fathom (0.9% of NE) 2 - Snapper (1.8% of NE) 3 - Obelisk (2.4% of NE)

I really wasn't expecting Imperials to make top 3. Or Skydancers, for that matter. But the lowest population sizes make sense - for the All category, those are the three most recently added Modern breeds. Clearly, Skydancers were added close enough to launch that it didn't seem to affect their numbers at all. And oh, Snappers... you poor things.

Ancient breeds have much smaller proportions for the same reason as above: they're all "new" (relative to launch breeds).

Highest Ancient Breed Pop. All: 1 - Gaoler (2.2% of total) 2 - Veilspun (1.7% of total) 3 - Banescale (1.5% of total) NE: The order is the same; percentages of non-exalted dragons are 2.7%, 2.4%, and 2% respectively. Aberrations are tied with Banescales.

I didn't bother to do a "lowest population" list for Ancients. If I ordered them from greatest to least, it would be almost identical to the release order; Banescale and Aberration are swapped, as well as Aether and Undertide. Sandsurge & Veilspun breed changes costing gems does not seem to have affected population like I thought it would, although Sandsurge and Auraboa are very close.

Aside from population numbers, I also looked at exalt rate. Originally I was curious if a breed getting exalted more meant people liked them less and therefore didn't want to keep them around as often. Here's how that went.

Highest Modern Breed Exalt% 1 - Ridgeback (84.8% of all Ridgebacks on site are exalted) 2 - Snapper (84.62%) 3 - Tundra (84.06%)

Lowest Modern Breed Exalt% 1 - Fathom (44.29%) 2 - Obelisk (70.44%) 3 - Wildclaw (72.24%)

Sitewide Exalt%, for comparison Modern: 80.86% Ancient: 68.82% All: 79.72%

Once again, the newest breeds have the lowest percentage exalted, followed by both Rare breeds (Coatl is #4). Unlike their total population, Bogsneaks' exalt rate seems to have stabilized completely. The highest ones… well, I see people call all of those ones ugly a lot, so I guess high exalt rate is a decent metric of "who does no one like."

Ancient breed exalt rates are what you'd expect - they follow the release date thing pretty well. I won't post the rankings, but I will note that the Everlux exalt rate is only around 21%. As it turns out, recency also causes exalt rate to be significantly lower.

There is one more metric I was curious about. Given that...

population & exalt rate increase at currently unknown rates over time

ancient breeds' values for these are all significantly lower than most modern breeds

...I was wondering...

what are the (approximate) rates of population and exalt rate growth

how long would it take for an ancient breed to reach the same level as the moderns?

I can't apply these projections to Modern breeds, since their growth rates are probably different, but I wish I could. I would love to know, theoretically, when I could expect Fathoms to reach 2 million+ total population.

Anyway, all I did was compare the population (ALL only) to "days since release" for all Ancient breeds and then made a couple graphs.

The population growth is approximately linear with a growth rate of about 1020 dragons per day. To reach the average population of a current Modern breed (5 million+), it would take… 15.45 years (5,638 days). But modern breeds have such a large range of population sizes, I don't really feel like an average is great to compare to.

Exalt rate growth rate is more logarithmic. I can't get as accurate of a reading on this one, but it looks like it would take around 6.44 years (2,350 days) for an Ancient breed's exalt rate to reach the Modern average. Gaolers, you're almost there!

Anyway, wow, I did this for three hours. I love numbers. And dragons.