#Range and Sum Function

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - July 22-28

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1. Four new cheetah cubs born in Saudi Arabia after 40 years of extinction

“[T]he discovery of mummified cheetahs in caves […] which ranged in age from 4,000 to as recent as 120 years, proved that the animals […] once called [Saudi Arabia] home. The realisation kick-started the country’s Cheetah Conservation Program to bring back the cats to their historic Arabian range. […] Dr Mohammed Qurban, CEO of the NCW, said: […] “This motivates us to continue our efforts to restore and reintroduce cheetahs, guided by an integrated strategy designed in accordance with best international practices.””

2. In sub-Saharan Africa, ‘forgotten’ foods could boost climate resilience, nutrition

“[A study published in PNAS] examined “forgotten” crops that may help make sub-Saharan food systems more resilient, and more nutritious, as climate change makes it harder to grow [current staple crops.] [… The study identified 138 indigenous] food crops that were “relatively underresearched, underutilized, or underpromoted in an African context,” but which have the nutrient content and growing stability to support healthy diets and local economies in the region. […] In Eswatini, van Zonneveld and the World Vegetable Center are working with schools to introduce hardy, underutilized vegetables to their gardens, which have typically only grown beans and maize.”

3. Here's how $4 billion in government money is being spent to reduce climate pollution

“[New Orleans was awarded] nearly $50 million to help pay for installing solar on low to middle income homes [… and] plans to green up underserved areas with trees and build out its lackluster bike lane system to provide an alternative to cars. […] In Utah, $75 million will fund several measures from expanding electric vehicles to reducing methane emissions from oil and gas production. [… A] coalition of states led by North Carolina will look to store carbon in lands used for agriculture as well as natural places like wetlands, with more than $400 million. [… This funding is] “providing investments in communities, new jobs, cost savings for everyday Americans, improved air quality, … better health outcomes.””

4. From doom scrolling to hope scrolling: this week’s big Democratic vibe shift

“[Democrats] have been on an emotional rollercoaster for the past few weeks: from grim determination as Biden fought to hang on to his push for a second term, to outright exuberance after he stepped aside and Harris launched her campaign. […] In less than a week, the Harris campaign raised record-breaking sums and signed up more than 100,000 new volunteers[….] This honeymoon phase will end, said Democratic strategist Guy Cecil, warning the election will be a close race, despite this newfound exuberance in his party. [… But v]oters are saying they are excited to vote for Harris and not just against Trump. That’s new.”

5. Biodegradable luminescent polymers show promise for reducing electronic waste

“[A team of scientists discovered that a certain] chemical enables the recycling of [luminescent polymers] while maintaining high light-emitting functions. […] At the end of life, this new polymer can be degraded under either mild acidic conditions (near the pH of stomach acid) or relatively low heat treatment (> 410 F). The resulting materials can be isolated and remade into new materials for future applications. […] The researchers predict this new polymer can be applied to existing technologies, such as displays and medical imaging, and enable new applications […] such as cell phones and computer screens with continued testing.”

6. World’s Biggest Dam Removal Project to Open 420 Miles of Salmon Habitat this Fall

“Reconnecting the river will help salmon and steelhead populations survive a warming climate and [natural disasters….] In the long term, dam removal will significantly improve water quality in the Klamath. “Algae problems in the reservoirs behind the dams were so bad that the water was dangerous for contact […] and not drinkable,” says Fluvial Geomorphologist Brian Cluer. [… The project] will begin to reverse decades of habitat degradation, allow threatened salmon species to be resilient in the face of climate change, and restore tribal connections to their traditional food source.”

7. Biden-Harris Administration Awards $45.1 Million to Expand Mental Health and Substance Use Services Across the Lifespan

““Be it fostering wellness in young people, caring for the unhoused, facilitating treatment and more, this funding directly supports the needs of our neighbors,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. [The funding also supports] recovery and reentry services to adults in the criminal justice system who have a substance use disorder[… and clinics which] serve anyone who asks for help for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay.”

8. The World’s Rarest Crow Will Soon Fly Free on Maui

“[… In] the latest attempt to establish a wild crow population, biologists will investigate if this species can thrive on Maui, an island where it may have never lived before. Translocations outside of a species’ known historical range are rare in conservation work, but for a bird on the brink of extinction, it’s a necessary experiment: Scientists believe the crows will be safer from predators in a new locale—a main reason that past reintroduction attempts failed. […] As the release date approaches, the crows have already undergone extensive preparation for life in the wild. […] “We try to give them the respect that you would give if you were caring for someone’s elder.””

9. An optimist’s guide to the EV battery mining challenge

““Battery minerals have a tremendous benefit over oil, and that’s that you can reuse them.” [… T]he report’s authors found there’s evidence to suggest that [improvements in technology] and recycling have already helped limit demand for battery minerals in spite of this rapid growth — and that further improvements can reduce it even more. [… They] envision a scenario in which new mining for battery materials can basically stop by 2050, as battery recycling meets demand. In this fully realized circular battery economy, the world must extract a total of 125 million tons of battery minerals — a sum that, while hefty, is actually 17 times smaller than the oil currently harvested every year to fuel road transport.”

10. Peekaboo! A baby tree kangaroo debuts at the Bronx Zoo

“The tiny Matschie’s tree kangaroo […] was the third of its kind born at the Bronx Zoo since 2008. [… A] Bronx Zoo spokesperson said that the kangaroo's birth was significant for the network of zoos that aims to preserve genetic diversity among endangered animals. "It's a small population and because of that births are not very common," said Jessica Moody, curator of primates and small mammals at the Bronx Zoo[, …] adding that baby tree kangaroos are “possibly one of the cutest animals to have ever lived. They look like stuffed animals, it's amazing.””

July 15-21 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[kaiserouo]

New raid mechanic just dropped guardians go back to your math class

disgusting stuff below.

ykw if the warlock remembered just enough about the relation of fourier series with function inner product space he can indeed do that in his head.

we define our function inner product space C[0, 2π] with a set of functions continuous in range [0, 2π], and the inner product of two functions in this space f, g ∈ C[0, 2π] is defined as ∫f(x)g(x)dx (integrated in [0, 2π]). note that the functions in set S = {cos(nπ) | ∀ n∈ ℕ} ∪ {sin(nπ) | ∀ n∈ ℕ} are orthogonal to each other in this space, and all of them has squared norm π, so you can just match the terms with the same function and sum them up. in this case only 6cos3x on the left and 5cos3x on the right can match, along with the divide by π, the final answer is 6 × 5 = 30. another example is ∫ (3cos(x) + 4cos(2x) + 6cos(3x))(-cos(x) + 5cos(3x) + 18cos(5x)) dx (integrated in [0, 2π]) = (6 × 5 + 3 × (-1))π = 27π.

don't actually do that tho it's just a trivia.

[hellothisisangle]

This idea came from someone asking me about V’s internal organs and gastro/intestinal workings. I delved into a bit of bio/mechanical research that might make sense in the Cyberpunk world. Follow the jump below!

↓

SomaTek specializes in manufacturing synthetic organs designed to transcend our organic limitations.

SomaTek GastroPro™
In a world ravaged by toxic food chains, tainted water supplies, and unreliable agriculture, the GastroPro™ synthetic stomach- amply nicknamed “the iron gut”- is a feat of mechanical organ replacement. Capable of digesting virtually any hazardous or non-nutritive substance without harm, while mimicking and surpassing the core functions of a natural biological system.

The GastroPro™ environment utilizes a stabilized industrial-grade acidic solution (SomaTek’s trademarked confidential blend of fluorinated superacids exceeds the hydrochloric acid and pepsin present in an organic stomach) that is non-corrosive to internal components due to reactive smart hydrogel linings. This acid bath breaks down everything: from your home cooked dinner, to food past its expiration, to actual garbage- designed to adapt to a full range of ingested toxicity. After processing, the liquified matter proceeds to a secondary chamber which is programmed with enzymatic nano filters to separate and neutralize indigestible items versus actual processable materials. *Note that the GastroPro™ is incapable of operating in isolation. The following organic systems are required to be enhanced or replaced:

Esophagus (GastroLine™) is equipped with reinforced smart hydrogel lining to withstand both caustic substances and abrasive matter. Peristaltic actuators move matter regardless of shape or size, while micro-blade emulsifiers begin compacting particularly dense or fibrous materials. Anti-reflux valves prevent acid from backing up.

Liver, Pancreas, Gall Bladder (GastroTox™ Subsystem) further supports the GastroPro™ by processing even rarer or complex toxins, capable of converting them into an array of energy for the body dependent on specific inputs. For example: chemical, electrical, first and second generation biofuel, etc. (Optional but highly recommended)

Intestines & Appendix (GastroTract™) serves as the primary absorption and release unit. Lined with nutrient-binding nanites to extract usable calories, vitamins, minerals, or chemicals. Absorption channels direct these throughout the body via embedded villi structures to the bloodstream and lymphatic system. In users with further modifications, waste may be redirected to a bypass port location of their choosing. The most popular choice being via a urinary tract.

Oral Cavity (OraPro™ Subsystem) is a customizable sum of parts that further supports the GastroPro™ with an artificial tongue embedded with gustatory receptors, reinforced cheek/gum lining, and teeth strong as chrome. (Optional but highly recommended)

Brain Chemistry (CraveShard™) the neural implant designed to be installed into the cyberdeck to simulate, regulate, or even suppress cravings. (Optional but highly recommended) The user may override urges based on their schedule and preferences, as well as control serotonin and dopamine feedback. The implant works harmoniously with receptors built into the GastroPro™ to recognize the identity of consumed materials. It can even reproduce the effects caused by ingested alcohol, hallucinogenics, opioids, narcotics, etc.

Advantages over natural digestion include immunity to internal poisoning, pathogens, parasites, and contaminants. Zero indigestion, zero allergic reaction. Accelerated enzyme breakdown. And multi-source nutrition: users can derive sustenance from otherwise indigestible materials.

Please be aware the GastroPro™ is not without its complications. Over-reliance can result in malabsorption issues if the user abuses the capabilities of the GastroPro™. Care should be taken to continuously ingest products with beneficial properties. In the event of nutrient deficits, the user’s deck will receive periodic warnings regarding nutritional supplementation to prevent systemic decline. Psychosomatic disorders may also emerge as a result of losing sensory pleasure of consumption (“digestion dissonance'”- disconnect with satiety) if the recommended OraPro™ Subsystem and CraveShard™ are not installed.

Regular care encompasses monthly detox flushes, filter replacements, nanite reseeding, and pH rebalancing treatments. All of which can be accomplished via a doctor licensed to administer Somatek devices.

[undyslady]

Belmont's Newcomer

Alucard x Reader

☆

The small village was slowly turning into a fully functional one. Everyone's work was reflected in the small but comfortable houses around the large haunting castle. The castle did not seem so haunting now, actually.

Under Sypha's commands, everything fell into place and everyone had no one to thank but her because even in her pregnant state, she put together a prosperous community.

The village had attracted some newcomers here and there but not many had stayed long, except for her.

It was the calmness and seclusion of the village that had pulled her like a moth to the light. It was something she craved, quiet and tranquility.

It was one of those rare hot days, where the meals had to be prepared outside and everyone would hold a large picnic. Sypha separated portions to everyone, prioritising the children, while Trevor handed out water and fresh juices and that was only because Sypha spent 30 minutes bullying him into doing it.

To Alucard, this crowd helped ease his loneliness and kept his dearest companions near him, he felt the most content he had been in a while. The sun warmed his skin,  sighs left his lips as if his exhaustion evaporated into the heat of the day.

The small moment of stillness was interrupted by the sound of footsteps on grass, something so quiet yet nothing was ever quiet to Alucard. He opened his eyes, to be met with a face he was not too familiar with.

A face of pale complexion, large brown eyes staring down at him with something akin to curiousty, plump lips formed into an awkward smile and long brown wavy hair put into a side braid summed up the woman before him. She held up a plate of food and water hurriedly, as if she feared he'd ask why she was there.

"I do not know if you can eat this food but.." she knelt to place the food on the warm grass next to him and looked up at him "here it is."

"I am sure I can eat it" he said in his usual velvet and smooth voice. "Thank you". He gestured for her to set the playe beside him and expected her to leave, however he was proved wrong.

"Do you care for company ?" she asked, but she was already sat beside him before he could answer.

"Suppose I don't mind company" he replied, eyeing her in an analytical manner.

"AH, so easy to befriend.." she exclaimed, leaning to the side* "...all you care about is draining me of my blood isn't it ?"

What a strange woman..

"You caught me, all I care about is trapping you, and pouncing on you so I can feed" he said, chuckling slightly.

"Oh dearie me!! I am caught with no escape!" She exclaimed dramatically as she fanned herself, faux worry written on her face.

"Oh yes, completely at my mercy" he played along, an odd smile in his face.

She cleared her throat, looking up at him with the best puppy eyes she could give.

"Then...if you help me get water from the pond, I promise not to put up a fight" she batted her eyelashes at him. It was adorable to him, a small part of him melted to this display but it was clear she only meant it as a joke.

"AH, I am being used..." he said shaking his head, standing up slowly "tsk tsk, here I thought I found a true companion"

He extended his hand to her, who gladly took it and hoisted her up.

"Well perhaps you may guarantee a true companion if you entertain me while we walk to the pond" she said, giving him a sly smile as she began walking, Alucard beside her.

"I have many stories to tell" he trailed off, glancing at her.

"Oh oh oh! I have a question!" she practically jumped at the thought of being lend the knowledge of his year.

She inched closer to him, awaiting permission.

"Well, how could I refuse a companion like you.." he said, shrugging and taking slower steps so she would not fall too behind.

"Okay, okay.." she inhaled deeply, "do your fangs suck blood in or are they there only fore piercing the skin?" she asked, but  before he could answer her voice rang through the space again. "Can you eat our food because you are half human ? Do you ever get tempted to drink from a human ? Please don't let it be me, we are very secluded right now! Ohhh but I am so curious to how it would feel...can you make it less painf-" a loud sigh cut her off as he only shook his head, rubbing his temple.

"I should have never let the villagers open their gates to you"

A sarcastic remark that left her standing in one place, mouth agape as she whined.

"Heeeeyyyy!!!"

"Hurry, or I will leave you behind in the woods." He gained another companion.

[osakanone]

Are you a fan of hard science fiction?

tl;dr:

This is a very complicated question, and it depends on what the author considers technology, science or culture.

long version:

Super, super depends honestly and the deciding factor is usually the author's own self-awareness.

A lot of hard SF spends months perfecting its technical research and then for whatever reason has writing that has done zero research in humanities or social studies and is just someone repeating the bits of world history they like not realizing the irony.

I like hard SF when it uses the machine to tell a story, otherwise its not playing to its strengths. Clarke got this. Morgan less so.

This also depends on how you define it: Do you mean hard SF as in its all technically plausable or Hard SF, where how the technology matters to the story?

These mean very different things!

Likewise, there's also then the question of most hard SF not understanding science well enough to understand what post-science [...]

eg, the idea that science is more than just the sum of research, and that how we do peer-review analysis needs to be seriously changed because of the replication crisis, and how we store and educate science needs to change due to the knowledge and expertise collapse crisis, or the fundamental change of how knowledge and information and abstraction functions with respect to reality itself, etc, etc, none of which hard SF acknowledges at all whatsoever which is the least realistic thing about it

[...]

is or where engineering is going next so they're just repackaging speculative fiction's methodology from 40 years ago without actually doing the leg-work beyond "what the next doohicky is", instead of seriously asking how science itself is going to change.

Its tempting to think that technology is the active human interface with the material world, but I would argue for all intents and purposes there is no material world beyond what humans experience either directly or indirectly and the reason we would want to preserve that non-experience without exploiting it is because some day we'd like to experience it to gain revelations both scientific and cultural.

The idea that science is automatically synonymous with technology is a frankly rediculous one because it refuses to recognize that one does not automatically become the other just as tomes of knowledge do not become useful effectve contexturalized understandings within your mind the moment you exchange money for them.

At for example, is in a way a sort of technology but its a cultural technology yet I never hear of hard SF exploring this angle. Instead, its the fetishization of how you can use tungsten orbs and catching nets to devise the most efficient cooling system possible or how fast your imaginary drive can go because you studied pusher plates and nuclear propulsion on wikipedia once and felt a tingle in your hind brain about it. We're all fundamentally excited children when we see big numbers, but but numbers alone don't make a compelling story I think.

As an example, I genuinely don't think of The Expanse has hard SF and it has nothing to do with its warp drive but instead its total lack of understanding that the fundamental ways in which society functions would drastically change in such a time.

Humans who act like we do today even fifty years in the future are the "guys painted green with deelyboppers" of science fiction of today and nobody outside of study seems to notice this.

If an author can't imagine a fundamentally very different social system but an go on for hours about how optomagnetic holographic storage and nano-vacuum tubes with switching speeds in the terrahertz range are wonderful I think the author just wants to talk about cool things they like indulgantly and not really even do science fiction.

That's particularly difficult for me becuase I'm someone who often does exactly that! I am a VERY self-indulgant writer!

In conclusion I'd say its less I'm either a fan or not a fan of hard SF (I do love using technology to tell a story which is what hard SF does) but the fact "hard" SF is held in higher esteem than "soft" SF speaks to an emotional insecurity in the audience that they should want to forgo the humanities and uninform themselves of the human condition as if they are above it in some way which I frankly find rather ghastly.

I think science fiction's most important lesson is not to do the torture nexus again and I think without the humanities that becomes rather difficult.

Sorry if this is a bit of a funny answer.

I appreciate the question, and thank-you for your time.

[petermorwood]

More Sword Questions...

These are further questions prompted by a post already long enough that I’m not reblogging the whole thing.  It’s here.

@softness-and-shattering (who posted the original Ask) wrote:

Thank you so much! What Im getting is that there arent any exact rules, different people and places mixed and matched sword features as they liked. Is that more or less correct? The swords that are green, is that oxidization? Theyre very pretty. And if fullers are to reduce sword weight, what are ridges for? Thanks again :)

*****

(1) Yes, it's oxidation. The uncomplimentary word is "tarnish", the complimentary word is "patina". Bronze swords in museums can be various colours ranging from green (verdigris)...

...through golden...

...to shades of brown and almost black.

I don’t know why (archaeological metallurgy is a mystery to me) but at a guess it's related to the acidity of the ground in which they were found, the proportions of copper / tin / other metals in their bronze.

It may also be the point at which conservators decided they'd gone far enough with that particular artefact and further restoration / cleaning would cause damage.

*****

(2) Ridges on sword-blades add stiffness, is the remnant of the bar or rod of steel from which the sword was made, and are created as the blade's final form is hammered out on either side, leaving a sort of raised centre-parting.

(If this is over-simplified or just plain wrong and swordsmiths reading it are going "Nooo!", please correct me!) ;->

Here's one example with a very prominent ridge, from the Victoria & Albert Museum in London...

...and another with a more restrained centre-line from the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

*****

(3) Sword shapes and features changed depending on functional requirements. If a shape worked and its use didn’t change, it stayed the same. The Roman gladius and Japanese katana are two examples of not much change in shape over several centuries.

Demands of fashion also played a part in what kind of sword was worn when and with what.

While swords (not just Messers or falchions or other "fighting knives") do appear without armour in medieval art...

...swords only became a regular part of civilian dress in the mid-late 1400s.

In Germany this was called a Reitschwert - "riding sword" - for self-defence when out (riding) in ordinary clothes. In Italy it was a spada da lato - "side-sword" - for what's now called EDC (every-day-carry) not just in war. In Spain it was an espada ropera - "robe sword" - for wear with regular clothes rather than armour.

That last one, worn down, mispronounced or just plain pinched, became "rapier", and because it was worn every day, with stylish garments, it became yet another way in which to show off.

The most common Europe-wide rapier was a "swept hilt", comprising bars and loops, while Spain and Spanish-influenced places like Italy preferred the "cup-hilt", which had a different style of swordplay.

Cup-hilts are familiar from movies because it's easy to dress up a sport-fencing sword as something much older. Here's a stage-combat modern épée and two real rapiers.

Cup-hilts could be plain metal bowls like those, or beautiful examples of chiselled, pierced metalwork.

Swept-hilts could be equally impressive.

They were proof that their wearers were dedicated followers of fashion, men of wealth and taste - and, of course, always armed and just as always ready to use what they carried at the drop of whatever was just dropped.

Duelling became a craze, laws against it were ignored, any excuse would do, and Shakespeare summed it up nicely:

MERCUTIO:  Nay, and there were two such, we should have none shortly, for one would kill the other. Thou? why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more or a hair less in his beard than thou hast; thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes. What eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel? Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling. Thou hast quarrelled with a man for coughing in the street, because he hath wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun. Didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter? With another for tying his new shoes with old riband? And yet thou wilt tutor me from quarrelling?

(That one about the doublet had echoes in 1922, with The Straw Hat Riot in New York, involving assaults on men who hadn't stopped wearing straw hats by the fashion-approved date of mid-September. At least nobody got run through...)

Oddly enough, portraits which include rapiers usually show swept-hilts, even in Spanish portraits where cup-hilts might be expected (I've seen a couple, but not many). Perhaps the artist didn’t have one to hand, or thought the swept-hilt style was more visually interesting.

The smallsword (shorter, lighter, less cumbersome to wear) replaced the rapier, and it too featured a lot in portraits. It was a piece of masculine jewellery, with a stiff narrow blade on an elegant hilt which might be metal...

...or some more exotic material like mother-of-pearl or porcelain.

Then fashion changed again, smallswords also went away, and once again the only people wearing swords on a regular basis were uniformed military types, whose swords could be all sorts of shapes and sizes depending on branch of service and function.

Even when that function is just to be part of regalia, and look good on parade.

[sonyaheaneyauthor]

Trump’s team are behaving like reckless rednecks

Past Republican presidents understood America’s true interests. The incumbent woefully fails to grasp them

This week’s revelation in The Atlantic magazine that President Trump’s National Security team shared and discussed secrets about Yemen air strikes over the Signal messaging app reveals that the United States yet again fails to grasp that one of the first rules of intelligence is “need to know”. It also demonstrates an attitude befitting a bunch of rednecks swapping stories around a bar.

Supposedly these “guys” think military operations are trivial enough to put at risk in the cause of gossip and bravado. Never forget that the real casualties of vice-president JD Vance and defence secretary Pete Hegseth’s banter are brave men and women of the US armed forces who risk their actual lives to protect US interests. It demonstrates quite how ignorant the National Security team are of such operations. Firstly it is highly probable that the strikes were a team effort.

Intelligence from Gulf partners is likely to have been used. Such strikes involve a range of nations, not just the United States.

And secondly, what Team Trump clearly doesn’t understand is that upholding the freedom of navigation principle matters. If the West doesn’t, then China will assert itself completely in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait; Russia will seek full control over the Northwest Passage.

In that scenario the US economy really will suffer. The isolationist Maga crowd just seem unable to comprehend that in today’s world everything is connected. Every shift by the White House creates a ripple felt across the farthest oceans. Every weakening of resolve encourages every adversary.

Having observed Trump 2.0 these last 50 days, it is becoming abundantly clear that those in leadership roles really have not travelled very much. I would be surprised if many of them have a passport. They seem blindly ignorant that we live in an era of a globalised world. It is a world governed by the very rules the US and the West crafted after the Second World War; a world that embraced free trade. Those rules weren’t just about trade but about morality and democracy. The United States embraced its leadership role and prospered from it. But Trump 2.0 seems to want to reject all that and feed the electorate’s grievances.

“A patriot loves his country. A nationalist hates his neighbours.” That best sums up the Trump Administration. But that great Republican president Ronald Reagan called it right: “We should beware of the demagogues who are ready to declare a trade war against our friends – weakening our economy, our national security, and the entire free world – all while cynically waving the American flag”.

The 1991 book Trumped! by John O’Donnell, one of Trump’s Atlantic City Casino bosses, tells us a lot about the President and his early days in business. His obsession with wearing suits, his conviction that the world was “ripping off” the US. A business agenda driven by personality politics, not commercial sense, goes back decades.

Every foreign diplomat should read it. The author’s experience is a good guide to who is now leading the free world – or not as it turns out. Donald Trump’s Atlantic City casino ventures eventually ended as rubble. This might explain why the Israelis are sceptical about his plans for another seaside resort. When assessing the current US administration, we should not let ourselves be distracted by our sympathies for the war on woke. Those policies might be good red meat to many of us but they are not the core functions of any government.

The war on woke is the easy bit. Building an economy, future proofing social policy and securing a nation’s defences are the hard yards. Anyone can demolish a building but few can build one.

When I heard Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy on Ukraine and the Middle East, speak earlier in the week about Putin, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It was yet another step away from the US’s moral leadership.

Standing at Pointe du Hoc 40 years after D-Day President Reagan stated “There is a profound moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest.”

The ex-real estate chum of Trump said Putin was not a “bad guy ”, who “could be taken at his word”. He then went on to parrot Kremlin lines on Russia’s legitimate claim to parts of Ukraine. The leaked texts of Trump’s security team reveal who they really are. They think bullying is leadership, allies are customers and trade is warfare.

That may play well in roadhouses of the Midwest but in the minds of our enemies it is an opportunity.

Rt Hon Sir Ben Wallace served as Secretary of State for Defence

[mclalan]

A small estate map of Northeast Wolderness, a wapentake within the County of Humbershire.

Pentascarth Peaks

River Wyn

Bridburn Orchard

Bridburn Abbey

Firley Village

Grinholm Mill

Skunlington Town

Skunlington Castle

Pentascarth Peaks

Pentascarth Peaks is an ancient evergreen woodland that once dominated Wolderness, but centuries of agricultural expansion have driven it back to the five hilltop peaks. Some say that Wyrms slumber within each of the five peaks, while others more accurately claim that the peaks mark the boundary of the Wolderness wapentake.

Both Bridburn Abbey and Skunlington Minster claim rights to the forest, leading to obvious land disputes. But while mortals argue over who owns what, the woods remain home to forgotten, ancient goddesses— though the monastics seem to agree on this being just superstition.

River Wyn

Leading down from Pentascarth Peaks is the River Wyn, cutting through Humbershire on its journey east to the Lyre Estuary. The Wyn boasts giant crabs with some allegedly growing to a formidable fifteen feet. But if you're tempted to go crabbing, beware of the water spirit Catharine Wart, who drags unsuspecting victims beneath the Wyn's currents.

Bidburn Orchard

Nestled within an oxbow is Bridburn Abbey's apple orchard. The monks began with the principle of ora et labora, or 'pray and labour,' but if it also produces apples so delicious and plentiful that kings from across the seas are willing to pay a pretty sum for them, then who are the Valynites to say no? Whether it's Wyn's blessed waters or the lay brothers' tireless work, the orchard certainly hasn't hindered the abbey's rise to fame and fortune. Just don’t get caught scrumping from it, or the monks will have your hand off.

Bridburn Abbey

Bridburn Abbey houses the Valynite Order, which seems more preoccupied with power and business than strictly worship. With extensive landholdings and significant influence in the region, the abbey functions as the principal rural manor of Wolderness. As a result, it has become the largest and wealthiest abbey in all of Humbershire. But beyond just collecting tithes from the surrounding peasants, the monks are skilled in land management, particularly in assarting the land of trees and marshes.

Firley Village

Firley Village, named after the fir trees that once grew in the area, is an agricultural settlement situated on the glebe of Bridburn Abbey.

A large plot of common land lies to the west of the village, while smaller plots are located south on the opposite bank of the River Wyn. While the villagers grow a rotation of barley and vegetables, they're best known for they're prized oxblood-coloured sheep, whose wool appears black but shines red when catching the light. You'd think the village would grow fat from the wealth of this highly sought-after wool, but as the village falls under the manorial holding of the abbey, it is the abbey that reaps the wealth.

Grinholm Mill

Grinholm Mill, a growing hamlet owned by the Rolleston family, offers a much more reasonable miller's toll compared to the one up by Bridburn Abbey. They've become quite popular amongst the peasants of Wolderness, (well at least by miller standards), as well as wealthy. Although they pay their tithe to the abbey like everyone else on this side of the river, they are perceived to have undermined the abbey’s milling soke monopoly—much to the abbey displeasure.

Skunlington Town

Skunlington is a prominent market town, both wealthy and influential, with a history that stretches back to the First Age. It's located behind a small range of hills that shield it from harsh weather and provides a natural defence, with an added Royal Castle on the highest peak for good measure.

The castle is about the only Royal influence in the town however, as Skunlington holds charters that grant it a degree of autonomy from the Crown. The town is governed by a council of Merchant Guild Aldermen in coalition with the Provost of Skunlington Minster. But despite this apparent independence, the town is practically in the pocket of the Archbishop of Humberthorpe, the capital city of Humbershire.

South of Bridburn Abbey, across the River Wyn, lies the land controlled by Skunlington Minster’s estate (marked in purple on the map). The large tract of empty land between Skunlington and Bridburn Abbey is an ongoing contention, as both estates claim it for their own. The bickering has gone on so long that the land has turned fallow. But the biggest source of contention is how Skunlington controls the river toll for use of its docks, with particularly extortionate prices for Bridburn Abbey. Rumour has it that Bridburn Abbey might just build a whole new town of its own, south of Skunlington, just to avoid paying this toll!

Skunlington Castle was strategically built in the First Age atop the highest hill on Pen-y-Skun for its vantage point overlooking the whole of North Wolderness Dale—crucial in the Woodsy War against the pagans. However, these days it’s the Crown's administrative center for Wolderness, run by the Under-Sheriff. Here, secular law is enforced, tasks such as collecting taxes for the Crown, raising levies, chopping off heads, that sort of thing. There’s a lot of overlap with the ecclesiastical courts however, sometimes resulting in collaboration and other times in clashes.

Skunlington Castle

But it’s not all work. The castle also serves as the hub for the gentry afterall, and they're not exactly know for their hard work. So the castle hosts games, jousts, fairs, that sort of thing, and a bed for when the King comes to visit.

[palladiangossip]

haggis  befstock,  dorm  supervisor  and  certified  body  rocker 28th  april,  2025. title:  lol  check  this  out

kittens  &  lambchops,

thanks  a  lot  for  checking  in  when  i  was  in  the  infirmary  with  MONO  you  SICK  FUCKS!!!  i  let  you  keep  your  weird,  non  -  service  pets  (  looking  at  the  teacup  pig  being  hosted  in  the  lavender  suites  -  you  know  who  you  are  ),  let  the  janitor  know  when  you've  clogged  the  pipes  with  your  non  -  biodegradable  toiletries  ...  i  only  snag  one  joint  per  room  check  as  my  lordly  tax,  and  you  can't  even  send  a  little  get  well  soon  message?  balloons?  what's  a  guy  gotta  do  to  get  some  fucking  FLOWERS  OVER  HERE!

anyways.  anyways.  i'm  not  mad.  i'm  not  bitter.  my  therapist  and  i  already  worked  through  this.  i'm  beautiful,  i'm  hung,  i'm  going  to  pass  my  midterms,  the  sexy  medieval  linocut  theory  TA  is  going  to  text  me  back.  affirmations  are  important.  make  sure  you're  doing  yours!  some  of  you  need  them.  bad.

anyways,  again,  because  i'm  not  mad,  and  i'm  not  bitter,  and  i  know  none  of  you  look  at  the  campus  fliers  unless  they  feature  pawprints  and  a  sad,  flared  -  nostriled  baby  -  man  (  did  they  ever  find  him  btw?  anyone  have  his  number  lmao?  )  -  i've  taken  the  GREAT  LIBERTY,  the  KINDNESS,  etc.  etc.  to  forward  the  local  activities  &  events  happening  this  week  and  going  into  may.  they're  all  in  bath  &  the  cotswold,  and  some  are  even  ON  CAMPUS!  wow!  yippee!  i've  also  looked  deep  into  the  depths  of  my  slow  -  thawing  heart  and  decided  to  let  you  guys  in  onto  some  of  our,  like  ...  less  recognized  events.  functions,  if  you  will.  wink  wink,  nudge  nudge.  don't  be  fucking  loud  about  it!

for  our  lea  micheles,  i've  attached  an  additional,  audio  -  only  operatic  rendition  of  the  events  already  attached  below.  they  don't  call  me  the  next  lin  manuel  miranda  for  nothing.

hugs  and  kisses  xx

hi  lovebugs  !  with  the  current  &  upcoming  busyness  of  both  our  admins  &  members,  i  thought  it'd  be  a  good  idea  to  host  a  few  mini  events  while  we  wait  for  our  beloveds'  returns.  these  have  no  time  frame,  no  start  or  end  date  (  yet  ),  and  are  fully  optional  !  these  are  just  meant  to  serve  as  settings  &  potential  plot  points,  fun  activities  to  switch  things  up  for  your  muses,  etc.  below  the  read  -  more  will  be  everything  featured  this  "month".  enjoy  and  have  fun  !

BATH & PALLADIAN.

RABBITHOLE — battle of the bands. may 30th & 31st.

at  the  end  of  the  month  is  rabbithole's  annual,  local,  and  highly  anticipated  battle  of  the  bands,  where  musicians  from  all  genres  step  forward  to  show  off  their  very  best.  it  isn't  a  career  -  changer  by  any  means,  but  the  prizes  range  from  a  hefty  sum  of  cash,  a  night  of  free  drinks,  and  -  this  is  just  a  rumor  -  a  bottle  of  real,  genuine,  authentic  absinthe  from  rabbithole's  secret  cellar.  the  first  band  bracket  will  perform  friday  evening,  and  those  who  make  it  through  will  battle  in  the  final  saturday  night.

CAFE MARTA — how to sour your dough. april 30th.

this  upcoming  wednesday  is  cafe  marta's  very  first  sourdough  baking  class!  intended  for  beginners  but  bound  to  be  overtaken  by  so  -  called  experts  wishing  to  peacock  their  talents,  this  is  a  simple  class  that'll  start  by  teaching  you  how  to  feed  your  own  sourdough  starter,  and  end  with  you  baking  your  very  first  bread!  all  doughs,  ingredient  additions,  and  baking  tools  will  be  provided  by  cafe  marta.

BOOK STEW — comedy & tragedy night. may 16th.

in  a  sick  attempt  to  overtake  rabbithole's  poetry  night,  book  stew  is  featuring  their  own  night  of  laughter  and  misery,  of  heartache  and  ear  ...  ache.  fully  intended  to  be  a  night  of  poetry,  of  dramatics,  of  earnest,  heart  -  wrenching  confessions  of  love  ...  naturally,  amateur  comics  were  bound  to  step  forth  and  use  the  present  crowd  as  their  own  test  subjects.  this  is  the  happy  medium  -  you  will  laugh,  you  will  cry,  sometimes  you  will  do  both  -  and  you'll  wish  you  took  that  other  half  of  the  edible.

THE AMPHITHEATRE — drunk ( musical ) theater. may 10th.

hark!  the  musical  theater  majors  have  taken  over  the  amphitheatre!  starting  at  a  strong  5pm  and  lasting  well  into  the  night,  is  one  -  step  above  karaoke.  students  are  welcomed  down  to  the  amphitheatre  to  demonstrate  their  musical  prowess  as  the  theater  department  leads  several  musicals  (  and  even  a  play  or  two!  )  into  absolute  madness.  buckets  are  supplied,  liquid  iv  is  passed  around  -  and  designated  drivers  are  on  -  call.

ST. CUTHBERT AUDITORIUM — school - wide safe sex assembly. may 5th.

you  naughty  naughty  lambs.  open  to  all  students,  not  just  langston  and  not  just  palladian  -  but  every  student  studying  beneath  st.  cuthbert's  roof  are  required  to  attend  this  school  -  wide  assembly  on  safe  sex  and  sti  prevention.  free  (  as  always!  )  testing  will  be  provided  immediately  after,  and  each  student  will  receive  a  goodie  bag  featuring  condoms,  dental  dams,  and  informational  pamphlets.

THE COURTYARD — meteor shower viewing & party. may 20th.

every  student  is  invited  tuesday  night  to  view  a  once  -  in  -  a  -  decade  meteor  shower  in  palladian's  courtyard.  every  light  on  campus  will  be  turned  off  for  full  visibility  of  the  stars,  and  it's  highly  encouraged  that  students  bring  their  own  blankets,  chairs,  drinks,  and  snacks.  please  keep  in  mind  it  is  a  school  night,  and  that  professors,  TAs,  etc.  will  be  invited  alongside  students  as  this  is  a  highly  anticipated  event  for  our  astronomy  lovers.

PALLADIO & HOLLAND HALL — dormitory party & following consequences. may 3rd.

the  prophecy  is  as  follows:  on  friday  night,  four  dorm  parties  spread  between  palladio  and  holland  will  turn  floor,  no,  building  -  wide.  the  walls  will  shake  with  the  vibrations  of  bass,  the  stench  of  liquor  will  drift  beneath  every  door,  an  emergency  meeting  between  professors  will  occur  the  following  monday  to  discuss  the  party  -  culture  that's  overtaken  campus  -  and  the  dormitories  will  flood.  a  great,  trembling  wave  will  burst  from  the  pipes,  old  and  outdated,  and  course  down  the  corridors.  for  the  next  week,  students  will  be  camping  out  in  the  courtyards,  solarium,  the  forum  -  castle  fell  itself.

THE COTSWOLDS & CASTLE FELL.

FRIDAY PRODUCE MARKETS & DAIRY SHOP — cow - takeover & impromptu petting zoo. may 23rd.

today,  nature  fights  back.  what  starts  out  as  a  regular  morning  at  the  market  becomes  a  cow  -  stampede  as  old  man  cabbersley's  fence  breaks  down  in  the  middle  of  night  and  wickham-on-heath  is  overtaken  by  livestock.  mostly  cows,  and  then  sheep  -  and  then  goats,  oh  god,  the  goats  ...  of  course,  the  townsfolk  will  call  it  a  happy  accident  and  sell  their  produce  to  passing  students  to  feed  to  the  animals.

THE LAMB AND THE FLAG — traffic - light party & speed dating. may 11th.

sunday  evening,  students  are  welcomed  to  the  lamb  and  the  flag  to  partake  in  a  single's  mingle  night,  split  into  two  segments.  one  half  of  the  pub  will  be  dedicated  to  speed  dating,  a  quick  two  -  minute  rotation  of  singles  (  or  perceived  single  )  as  matchmaking  cards  are  filled  out.  the  other  half  will  be  dedicated  to  a  less  -  intense  stoplight  party  where  bracelets  will  be  passed  around  to  indicate  relationship  status.  green  for  single  &  looking,  yellow  for  it's  complicated  or  they're  not  quite  opposed,  and  red  for  taken  &  disinterested.

DOGWOOD BLOSSOMS — stolen flower cart quest. april 30th.

it  is  a  misty  morning  as  you  approach  dogwood  blossoms;  the  light  is  still  on,  a  blurred  thing  in  the  fog.  it  is  warm;  and  the  scent  of  gardenias  is  near  -  overwhelming.  there;  the  door  opens  -  and  out  hobbles  lillian  hayes,  a  crunch  of  leaves  beneath  her  cane  and  a  fire  in  her  eyes.  those  goddamn  hooligans.  those  no  -  good  kids.  those  damned  students.  someone  has  stolen  lillian  hayes'  flower  cart  -  and  it's  up  to  YOU  to  find  it.  students  may  assemble  small  teams  to  look  high  and  low  for  the  cart.  the  reward  is  a  secret,  not  -  to  -  be  sold  item  from  her  shop.

FRANKLIN & BROWN ANTIQUES — weekend oddities pop - up. may 13th.

thanks  to  the  oddities  &  curiosities  expo  happening  in  bristol,  franklin  &  brown  is  happy  to  announce  their  very  own  pop  -  up  for  locals  &  students  who  are  interested  in  the  morbid  and  macabre.  featuring  wet  specimen,  taxidermy,  and  haunted  items  -  especially  dolls!  -  there  is  something  for  everyone,  if  everyone's  a  little  bit  ...  weird.

WICKHAM-ON-HEATH PARK & BEACH — local regatta. may 25th.

featuring  historically  -  accurate  boats  from  the  regency  era  comes  wickham-on-heath's  annual  regatta.  everyone  is  invited  to  partake  in  the  event;  a  competitive  rowing  competition  that  will  span  the  length  of  local  lake.  there  will  be  finger  foods  and  tea  provided,  as  well  as  encouragement  to  bring  your  best  picnic  blankets  &  baskets.  after  the  competition,  swan  boat  rides  will  be  provided  as  the  sun  sets.

THE RUINS — secret "beltane" celebration & bonfire. may 1st.

you  receive  the  invite  beneath  your  door  in  the  middle  of  the  night;  a  coffee  -  stained  parchment  meant  to  resemble  something  old  and  ancient.  it  smells  of  dirt  and  fire;  it  promises  music  and  dance,  drinks  and  merriment.  when  you  arrive  -  it's  just  that.  an  imitation  of  beltane,  on  a  much  smaller  scale;  a  great  bonfire  roars  in  the  middle  of  the  ruins,  with  tinier  fires  on  the  outskirts.  shrooms  are  encased  in  palm  at  entrance.  the  students  are  barely  clothed,  stripped  down  to  their  underwear  as  they  run  and  dance  and  drink  and  laugh.

CASTLE FELL — castle takeover. may 26th.

how  dare  langston  students  encroach  on  their  territory?  on  their  college  -  on  their  classes,  their  common  rooms?  enough  is  enough.  today,  palladians  storm  castle  fell.  today  -  castle  fell  ...  will  fall.  students  from  the  arts  college  come  in  waves  towards  the  langston  dormitories,  with  balloons  of  water  and  paint,  with  honey  and  feather,  with  eggs  and  ladybugs  by  the  thousands.  may  26th  parks  the  beginning  of  the  prank  war  between  langston  &  palladian.

[germanpostwarmodern]

The 20th century in Italy has produced some remarkable architects whose highly individual, experimental work crossed stylistic borders with great ease. One of them was Robaldo Morozzo della Rocca (1904-93), born in Turin but primarily active and influential in Genoa. Born into an aristocratic family Morozzo della Rocca from an early age on showed a particular artistic talent and later studied at the Ligurian Academy of Fine Arts as well as architecture at the Regia Scuola di Architettura in Rome from which he graduated in 1929.

His graduation fell in a period of great change in Italian architectural culture: in the 1930s a general liberation from beaux-arts constraints coincided with an avant-garde searching for a relationship between form and content.

In his oeuvre Morozzo della Rocca seems to have bridged these poles of Italian architectural culture with a keen sense for experimentation and little concerns about dogmatism. Instead, he brought into action his wide-ranging knowledge of architectural and art history and paired it with Italian rationalism. Consequently, his architecture amalgamates reinterpreted classical motifs and modernist rigor, a hard to categorize melange that he nevertheless perfectly integrated in its surroundings. In addition, the plasticity and depth of his buildings envelopes clearly separate his buildings from those of the thoroughbred rationalists.

Morozzo della Rocca’s undoubtedly multifaceted work also is the topic of Stefano Passamonti’s PhD thesis, recently published by Quart Verlag under the title „Robaldo Morozzo della Rocca 1904-1993. Experimental Attitude“. The book brings together Passamonti’s in-depth analysis of the architect’s work over some six decades, a portrait of the architectural culture surrounding Morozzo della Rocca as well as brilliant photographs by Francesca Iovene and comprehensive plan/map material. Thereby even for someone, like the writer of these lines, not intimately familiar with all ramifications of Italian 20th century architecture, the different currents in Italian modernism become clear just as well as Morozzo della Rocca’s ingenious individuality. Passamonti characterizes the latter aptly as the prevalence of imperfection, rational expressionism and material abstraction over the pure problem of function and thus sums up why the architect’s oeuvre continues to emanate fascination. Consequently, the book is a complex yet warmly recommended read!

[evenmorefatallyobsessed]

Okay so here's my idea for the Sabers in this world

Avalon

A semblance named after the king of a forgotten kingdom that predated the land now know as Vale.

The semblance is not in fact hereditary like the Schnee's. But there is a reason such a rumor was allowed to propagate. Avalon can be gifted unto another who is of the same blood.

Upon being gifted it erases the individual's semblance. The user's auric reserves grows proportional to the previous users aura pools added to the new ones.

The King of Vale used Avalon to end the Great War. Avalon has several simple but devastating functions.

Ruler, seems to assimilate some level of natural skill and reflex into the user as well as a vague awareness and intuition.

This ranges from simple dejavu to dreams that reflect times of the previous user life.

Master, named for the ability to master one's body to a concerning degree. One seeming to have a longer lifespan, regenerative, defensive and physical capabilities proportional to their immense aura pool that is several to a dozen times longer then the average aura user.

And finally Saber, a simple technique but utterly devastating one. Allowing the user to draw forth a staggeringly deadly blade overwhelming aura.

Saber is not easily blocked nor countered seeming to ignore other semblances effects on it and proves rather strong against other auras.

over the generations the semblance grew to were the King of Vale was said to wipe out a army with but a few slashes.

Naturally the desire for this power drove many to pursue it.

Agrippina proved to be the closest to such a goal. While pregnant she convinced he husband to gift Avalon to her assuming it would instead be her's it was then the condition of sharing blood became apparent. As it did not become her semblance but instead was split between the the lives inside her.

(Nero, Saber & Saber Alter) However instead of growing more powerful the sum of the strength was divided between the three.

Nero would later gift Acalon to her little sister Lily (Saber Lily)

Haven't thought how Mordred adds I yet

[aliensandanxiety]

Coloured art of my Jojo OC Florian and his stand Savage Garden.

Full character bio under the cut cause I just love him and want the world to appreciate him. I know I did a brief one before but I've finalised him 😅

Full name: Florian De Locke

Nickname: Flori

Pronouns: He/him

Sexuality: Gay

Birthday: April 4th 1999 (age 25)

Born: Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Height: 178cm

Weight: 75kg

Occupation: Florist

Hobbies: Raising carnivorous plants, painting, baking.

Favourite Colour: Yellow

Favourite Flower: Tulips

Distinguishing Accessories: Plasters on fingers and face due to being clumsy handling thorned plants, Jacob's Ladder earrings, daisy brooch, embroidered sunflowers on dungaree legs, arm warmers.

Namesake: Smashing Pumpkins song 'Cupid de Locke'

🌷🌷🌷

Florian is a florist who has had a stand as long as he can remember, he has always been interested in botany since a young age and started working initally as a flower delivery boy in Amsterdam when he was growing up in the Netherlands. He now has his own flower shop and lives in a small apartment above it with his roommate Matteo who owns the record shop next door to his florist (I'll get to him eventually).

Florian is quite timid by personality and does not like confrontation. He has a tendency to undersell his products at times as he does not wish to argue with customers. He is also very kind hearted and has a bad habit of doing things such a funeral flowers for free.

He can be a pessimist at times and tends to overanalyse situations. However, he has a strong sense of morality and always acts to help someone weaker than him or those he loves without his usual hesitancy.

🌻🌻🌻

Florian's Stand- Savage Garden

Savage Garden is a humanoid, long ranged Stand. It's primary method of attack is using branches and vines to grip foes, similarly to Hermit Purple or Hierophant Green. It can also use its hands to emit a sweet scent similar to a pitcher plant which makes people feel safe and at ease. Florian prefers to use this when his friends are hurt or scared as opposed to offensively.

It's main ability is that it can touch plants and take on qualities of the plants it touches. Examples are:

Sunflowers - It will move quickly toward sources of light at speeds surpassing it's usual.

Roses - Gains thorned vines which can be used to inflict damage.

Horse Chesnut Tree - Gains spiked armour

Dandelion - Becomes light and able to float on air currents.

Stinging Nettle - Emits a poison that causes rashes and itching on contact.

It's limitation lies in the fact there must be a plant nearby for it to gain its qualities. It can be used for healing depending what plants it touches. It also functions poorly in bad weather and at night as plants need the sun.

🪻🪻🪻

Hope that sums him up ☺️ I've had a blast creating him. His inspiration all comes from the fact I love gardening, have silly amounts of houseplants and raise my own carnivorous plants 😂

[mesetacadre]

what types of benefits does legal struggle (as opposed to illegal struggle) have for the Party?

The first type of benefits, and the most obvious ones, are the ones related to the bureaucratic and most purely administrative elements of its activity. Since the Party can exist as a legally registered entity within bourgeois law, it is, theoretically and often practically, recipient of the same benefits afforded to bourgeois parties. The extent of this is obviously never the same, since the Party is missing the financial support structures which are behind basically every other party, but the ability to contest in elections just like any other party, for example, both acts as a very natural megaphone for its program and, in the case of a smaller Party, it can serve as the first step to achieving legitimacy in the eyes of the broader working class. Another, more mundane example is the ability to, as a legalized and legitimate organization to the eyes of the state's bureaucracy, make use of the common spaces often put at disposal by local authorities, participate in local festivals or events, dealing with publishers/printing houses, that sort of thing.

Another type relates to the limits imposed on the activity of the Party and its general development. A situation of legality means that, save for the occasional attempt at non-aggressive infiltration (that is, with the purpose of collecting information rather than destroying it) which are easily avoided with a decent dem-cent structure, the Party is spared the state's explicit repressive bodies and functions until, of course, it violates the bounds of legality to such a degree that it can't go undetected and ignored. So generally speaking, the Party's activity is, in the context of legality, more constrained by its own resources than by any oppressive mechanism, and can therefore grow without constraint. And, apart from the full range of activity observed within legality, it is not only possible but necessary to overstep those boundaries:

Any Communist Party that claims or aims to be a revolutionary vanguard should be comfortable with, at all times that is necessary, going beyond what the law allows to maximize the political efficacy of certain campaigns. Being able to navigate legal voids and dangerous situations deftly, with set security protocols and countermeasures, also acts as a "hardening" experience for the individual militants. If we take illegality/persecution to be the adulthood of the Party, then these kinds of actions where the law is broken consciously and with purpose can be understood within the life cycle of a party to be akin to the animals that practice hunting/surviving via play, in mostly controlled situations. "Practicing" illegality when your activity is not generally defined by illegality both keeps the Party from straying into reformism or legallism, and it prepares the individual militants and the Party structures for the situation of illegality that, sooner or later, will come.

And the context of legality also makes the purposeful overstepping of its own boundaries easier, since the Party is not under heavy oversight or already repressed, these actions, when performed rationally and carefully, can very easily slip by undetected or not suppose enough of a problem that the cost-benefit ratio of cracking down on this activity is not worth it for the state. No half-competent bureaucrat of a regional police department is going to create a taskforce to go after the commies putting banners where they shouldn't, you know? Legality also has its drawbacks of course, but that's another subject :+)

Summed up: In a context of legality, it is easier to do basically anything, including breaking the law, and including the preparation for when the context of legality inevitably ends.

[vague-humanoid]

President Biden's campaign staff, battling low morale and disillusionment, held its second all-hands conference call in less than a week Monday with Democratic National Committee staffers.

Why it matters: Biden's team leaders are scrambling to keep their staffs motivated while trying to avoid more defections from donors and Democratic lawmakers.

"I plead with you: Worry less, do the work," California Gov. Gavin Newsom — brought on to give a pep talk — told the staffers, according to a video of his remarks obtained by Axios.

"I think there is an old African proverb that says, 'You wanna go fast, go alone. You wanna go far, go together.' And that's what this is all about."

He added: "There's never been a president in our lifetimes — I don't know if there ever will be again — that's delivered more than President Biden. It's just a fact."

Campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon has been internally stoic about the fallout from Biden's disastrous debate on June 27, aides said.

As part of her own motivational speech, she told staffers that the 81-year-old president had been personally looking over the stats of what campaign workers are doing in key states and urged them to keep at it.

"We have to bypass the narrative out there," she said on the call.

Principal deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks acknowledged to the staffers that it had been a tough week and urged them to rally.

Aides noted that the chat function was turned off for the call so they could not respond in real time with concerns.

A Biden campaign official told Axios that chat functions are "never" enabled on staff calls.

Between the lines: The internal fallout from the debate was made worse by the White House's senior leadership appearing not to realize how deeply their own aides were impacted by watching Biden's meandering performance in Atlanta.

At the Biden campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Del., about two dozen Biden staffers and pro-Biden influencers gathered for a watch party the night of the debate.

As the president fumbled several answers, one person stood up and then laid down on the floor, despondent, according to a person in the room.

When the debate's video feed was temporarily interrupted, one campaign staffer blurted out, "Oh, thank god."

Biden campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz told Axios that "here in HQ, we're working really hard because on winning campaigns, you work really hard. There's an immense sense of pride across our office, because we know how important and critical that work we are doing here is for the fate of our democracy."

Other Biden staffers watching the debate recounted feelings ranging from shock to anger to sincere concern about the president's health.

"Is he okay?" a Biden aide texted another during the debate.

Another Biden staffer recalled that given the president's energetic State of the Union address in March, "I was convinced before the debate that Biden would clean the floor with Trump."

That staffer added that some members of their family "are panicky Democrats who have been convinced for a while that Biden was too old to run, and I'd been the one defending him. I had to reckon in real time with them that I thought they were right."

Another Biden aide said they felt "numb."

And a final Biden aide summed it up this way: "It was, in effect, the realization of every worst-case scenario."

[lordcrumps]

Can I ask something that ive been thinking about for a few hours now, that i do not want it to come across as being rude, but WHY does LordCrumps and clique convert stuff that is already done? Because then we the downloader end up with duplicates and it can get confusing to find duplicates and not to mention that other creators might feel bad that their stuff will not be picked and used because they are choosing your stuff instead, which is not how the Sims 2 community works, we share and work together. Its just my opinion and I do not want you to be offended, i am just curious.

Hey Anon, Okay, this is quite a message to break down. First of, I assume that the "clique" you mention is myself, @tvickiesims and @platinumaspiration, @episims? (there are tons more people that I collab with personally, but these are the ones I mostly work with) If this is the case, then as friends we like working and collaborating together, many hands make light work in that sense! Like you mentioned, this community it built up on team work and collaborations, I personally love working with friends, and involving as many people as I can utilising their 'specialities' and knowledge to create awesome conversions.

So now onto the "duplicate" portion of that message, yeah fundamentally there will be dupes of stuff out there, each creator will do things differently, ranging from making stuff deco or functional, categorise them differently, edit the mesh differently, have shadows or not, reduce texture sizes / keep texture sizes etc, the list is endless. I convert stuff how I want them, how I want the object to be made. So to not "tell" people how to convert stuff to my specifications, I just do it myself.

I also like doing sets of stuff, so its a one hit download for all the items. I always hated it when there would be sets uploaded and the sofas would be on link 1, the chairs on link 2, the tables are on link 3 etc. I get overwhelmed so out of preference I just like a one link fits all.

Not to mention it's about consistency; like I said earlier I create stuff how I like it, if I include others stuff / or links to others, then they might not match, ie; missing shadows and what not. So this way, I know that all items in a set are going to be of the same quality.

Following on from that point, if I did link to others or include their stuff in the sets, it might go against the TOU of that creator - not that any one person owns the rights to TS4 conversions, but that's a different debate for another time...-

It is also easier for my brain to just load up Sims 4 Studio, see everything that belongs in that pack, and then just convert it in its entirety. I get overwhelmed when in a creative flow stopping to look around seeing if its already been done. At the end of the day, its not a competition or a contest, it does not matter if there is the same stuff out there, just means there is more choice.

Sorry for a long response, but I couldn't sum it up and shorter? But I hope it answers your questions!

Dag Dag! - I am going to crawl back into my cave now!

[tofangirlonly]

been meaning to ask, how was gatsby? 🤨

(just...you know...from a completely unbiased source)

Wellll. I physically vibrated for a few hours both before and after and forgot to breathe through most of it. I kinda forgot how to function as a human after.

This inability to type coherently sums it up oddly well:

Also me through the whole show:

Being in the same room as Jeremy singing is truly breathtaking and magical.

Just sitting there tingling in my body and soul. (Could be from the lack of oxygen from the forgetting to breathe part but still.)

Jeremy and Eva together is stunning.

I got to see a full emotional range in Jeremy's acting from comedic to raw emotion which of course was amazing.

The boy DANCED.

I'm very proud. He was doing great and then he stepped back after and almost tripped on the stairs and Nick (Dan Rosales at that show) caught him by the arm to catch him a little bit. Which was honestly equally as wonderful and endearing to witness. 😆

I genuinely enjoyed the show overall. It was beautiful and the entire cast did an amazing job and everyone who came out at the stage door was so sweet.

I wish I had more coherent thoughts to offer but at this point I'm afraid my brain might never catch up to the experience.