blueberryspyder · 11 months ago
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Because I love lore and worldbuilding and want to incorporate the environment and history into my writing, I’ve been doing a lot of research on Waterdeep for my fanfic including, you guessed it, Gale x my Tav.
And honestly? I’m having a lot of fun. I’m looking into the founding, the rulers/leaders, their holidays and how they celebrate them, which districts are fancier and where Gale would potentially reside (I remember seeing screenshots of his tower being located on the harbor, so he’s likely in the lower tail of the Castle Ward, since I doubt he’d be living in the Lowercity in the Dock Ward, but it’s still possible!), as well as just areas of his city. I just really like how the small details of the City of Splendors add to Gale as a character.
(Also I am having the BEST time taking the piss out of Waterdhavians—my Tav Hylas says:
I can tell based on your accent that you’re Waterdhavian—though your extensive vocabulary and verbosity made that clear long before I noticed it.
And I just freaking love Hylas so much they’re so fucking funny okay bye)
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catsafarithewriter · 1 year ago
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Day 5: Free Day
A/N: For today, I’ve dusted for an AU I had knocking around for some time, a Bedknobs and Broomsticks AU (one of my favourite childhood movies of all time) which I never got much further than this, writing-wise, but I still felt would be fun to share. Enjoy!
x
Despite what was said about Muta, he was not actually a scam artist.
For starters, his drawing skills started and ended with stick-figures, and for the scamming part... well. as far as he was concerned, anyone who bought something from a shady street trader who advertised himself as The Amazing Renaldo Moon either knew they were buying tat, or thoroughly deserved to get scammed. As a lesson.  
No, Muta was an entrepreneur. He would revive interest in the old and the tatty, the cheap and the trashy, with a bit of showmanship and flair. And if the two-penny whistle seemed to work for no one but him, or the trick match-box broke on the way home, well... that was hardly his fault, was it?
He was regarded by the locals, not with any malice, but in the same manner as the clock spire that was struck regularly by lightening, or as the stray tom cat that menaced the north-east alley. He was a part of the city’s ambiance, considered only a threat to tourists too easily parted with their coin.
Tourists, like the Asian woman lingering at the end of his act.
She approached and, taking note of her dress sense, Muta amended that to probably Japanese. She had a ginger cat at her heel. He tucked a brooch into his sleeve, if only for the dramatic flair of seemingly summoning it out of nowhere a second later. “A pretty brooch for a pretty lady?” he tempted. “Real mother-of-pearl there, gifted to me from the Jade Empress after aiding her an oni attack,” he continued, recalling what little he could from the cheap adventure novels he occasionally encountered.
The woman somehow managed to give the appearance of looking down at him, despite being - like most people - a good foot shorter. “You’re Renaldo Moon?” she asked incredulously.
“The Great Renaldo Moon to my fans, and Muta to my friends.” This would have been the opportune moment to sweep a hat dramatically from his head, but - alas - he had sold his previous one only the day before. He began to pack away his stand.  
The woman didn’t crack a smile. “Mr Moon, I am here about your  correspondence college for witchcraft.”
“Very good, we take cash or cheque–”
“I am one of your pupils.”
Muta attempted the smile that usually mollified these sorts - the morons who actually bought into the witchcraft nonsense and expected a correspondence course of all things to bestow sorcery upon them. He supposed that explained the cat. “My dear lady, if this is about the postage and packaging expense, the contract clearly states that any additional cost is the responsibility of the pupil to pay–”
“I am here about the last lesson,” the woman said.
Ah.
“Your course clearly advertised it as How to Become a Witch in Ten Easy Lessons, and yet you closed the college after the ninth one.”
Muta started packing faster. “No refunds.”
“But I must have the spell that comes with the last lesson,” the woman announced.
“Sorry, Chicky, but I’ve really gotta be somewhere else.” He folded his stand up and hefted it under his arm. “Wish you luck with your witching, but I really – hello.”
The woman had rounded on him and was now standing before him as if she was in any position to stop him. “Mr Moon, I’m warning you that I really must insist on the last lesson.”
He grinned. “You and whose army? The cat?” He elbowed past her. “Now, if yer don’t mind, I’ve got places to be...”
He heard the rustle of paper, as if the woman were hurriedly flicking through a small notebook, and then the muttering of words that sounded suspiciously familiar. The laugh that started out in his belly came out as a squeak, and suddenly he was looking up at the world from a grand height of two inches.
The ginger cat loomed over him.
A hand swept him up before the cat could get any funny ideas, and the woman grimaced down at him. “Now, Mr Moon,” she said, “are you listening?”
x  
The mouse spell didn’t last too long.
Just long enough for him to be sure that, yes, the spell he’d passed off as hocus pocus did actually work, and yes, he wasn’t hallucinating, and yes, he was still craving cheese ten minutes later.
He occupied a bench and tried to resist the urge to twitch non-existent whiskers.
“My spell?” he said, for the second time in as many minutes. “You’re sure that’s one of my spells? From my school?”
“Not one of your best spells, I have to say,” the woman said. “It has a tendency to wear off the moment a clock chimes, but yes.”
“My spell?”
“Yes. Now, are you going to go round in circles all day, or can we start talking about that final lesson?”
“But you don’t understand,” Muta said. “They were just nonsense words I got out of an old book! They weren’t meant to be real.” He faltered. “My god, think of what I could have charged for actual magic.”
“Mr Moon–”
“Muta.”
“Muta,” she amended curtly, “please stick to the point. You said you found the spells in a book?”
He nodded.
“Well then, I think I need to see this book, firsthand. Mr Moon - Muta - are you listening?”
“I... yes.” He’d had a book of actual spells, and he’d thought he’d been overcharging all this time! If he could convince people they were real, just think of the demand! “At my home.”
“Well then, I think that will be our next stop. Where is it?”
Muta rattled off an address without thinking. If he could get this woman to help advertise the spells - why, he’d be rich! And it wouldn’t even be a scam! Of course, he’d have to copyright them or something, to make sure they weren’t passed around without money going through his hands first, and...
“Oi, where do you think you’re going?” he called. “It’s that way!”
The woman looked up from the brick wall she was standing before. “Oh, I know. But I have a much quicker way.” Out of a pocket, she brought a doorknob and - somehow - slotted it into the wall. “Now, no dilly-dallying. I have no idea how long the doorway stays open, and I don’t want to lose anyone.”
“What doorway–” he began, but the woman was already repeating his address to the doorknob and tapping it. On the third tap, she turned it a quarter to the left and – as promised – a doorway appeared in the stonework. She pulled the handle, and it opened with the greatest of ease.
“Is that...”
“Your transportation spell?” she finished. “Yes. Now, let’s go. We have a book to find.”
It only occurred after Muta had already taken the fateful step through the veiled doorway, that he had only the   word of a mildly pissed customer and complete stranger that the shadowed portal  was entirely safe - and then he was standing on the overgrown lawn of  where he was currently calling home.
The house before him was mostly boarded up, with only the occasionally window left unadorned by barriers or unbroken, and what could be seen of the interior seemed to be composed mostly of cobwebs and dust sheets. A lone crow was perched on the garden gate behind them, and watched the proceedings with a curious air.    
The woman stepped out after him, with that ginger cat still at her heels, and – if possible – looked even less impressed than before. “This is where you live?” she asked.
“You got a problem with that, Chicky?”
“No more than the original occupants will.”
“Ah, relax.” He shoved open the large bay window leading into the lounge, and clambered through. “They ain’t coming back any time soon. They thought they’d pissed off some ghosts and skedaddled out of here.”
“And had they?” asked an unfamiliar voice.
Muta looked at the woman, just to confirm that the smooth baritone hadn’t somehow come from her, and then glanced down.
“I asked, had they?” said the cat. “Pissed off a ghost?”    
“Hey, Chicky–” Muta began slowly.
“Haru,” the woman amended. “It’s Haru Yoshioka.”
“Sure. Remind me, did I give a lesson on talking cats or...?”
“This isn’t your doing,” the cat deadpanned. “And I notice you still haven’t answered my previous question regarding the ghost situation. Is there indeed a haunting here, or was that merely another trick you had up your sleeve to secure this residence?”
“They were going to turn this place into a hotel,” said a new voice.
In the open window perched the same crow from before.
Haru looked to Muta. “Why did a talking cat shock you when a talking crow is apparently your housemate?”
“He ain’t a crow,” Muta said. “He’s a ghost.”
“A ghost crow.”
“A ghost who’s got a crow form,” Muta corrected.
The crow flapped his wings. “Always liked the idea of flying, and now I can. Anyway, the previous folk were going to tear this place down and build a modern hotel and I had other ideas. The name’s Toto, by the way.”
“Haru,” said Haru. She gestured to the cat. “And this is Baron.”
The cat - Baron - nodded in the approximation of a bow.
Toto passed a scrutinising look over the cat. “That’s one nasty curse you’ve got there, my friend.”
“That’s why we need the last lesson,” Haru said, and she turned to Muta. “The last lesson in the correspondence course was meant to be on breaking curses.”
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jimclassicstoycollection · 2 years ago
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Transformers Prime
Generation Selects
Voyager Class
War Breakdown (loose)
& Zamu
by Hasbro
Breakdown was given to me by a friend of mine in Virginia because he had a duplicate set. The reason: he wanted two jet Vehicons, and the second Breakdown was just extra plastic. So he was gifted to me. My gain.
My normal modus operandi is that I post in the order that I bought or received the toy. In Breakdown’s case, I’ve delayed this so many time it’s now irrelevant. It’s not import in the grand scheme of things, I just wanted to go on record about it.
Before I could post this (which I’ve delayed several times already) I needed to apply all of Breakdown’s stickers first, and this is the part I hate. There’s a reason I haven’t opened my ‘Titans Return’ Trypticon, or ‘Power of the Primes’ Predaking yet BECAUSE of the stickers, which I’m not ready to deal with...Well, that and I don’t have a lot of room at the moment to even display them. 
Anyway, let’s get back to Breakdown.
This Breakdown figure was part of the original Transformers Prime toyline, however this toy never made it to the States because of some kind of safety reason, or something? So TFP Breakdown stayed in Japan. Well something’s changed because he and the Vehicon jet soldier made it in a two pack ten years later. So this is my first (likely only) TFP Breakdown.
Going back to the stickers for a just a moment. This was a bit of a pain to apply all of them, but I managed to do it, and I think they do compliment the toy, for the most part.
Vehicle Mode:
Vehicle mode is, what I believe, is an armored truck. It’s cast in mostly in blue plastic, it’s chunky, and it rolls.
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The armored truck has got some nice, but simple detailing, and the stickers do help, I must begrudgingly admit.
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The right, rear side panel just won’t close up for some reason. That’s a little annoying.
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At the end of the day it rolls well, and aside from the disconnected panel the truck is ultimately a sold vehicle.
The vehicle has about 5 5mm ports for additional weapons and such.
Transformation:
Transformation really isn’t the difficult. My biggest issue is the right leg panel (which is the loose section in the vehicle mode) is just constantly popping off during transformation, and that’s a very annoying.
Robot Mode:
Breakdown just looks so cool! He’s broad-shouldered, gorilla-armed, tiny headed hellova bruiser-bot!
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This toy really captured the TFP aesthetic.
Breakdown’s got some serious attitude going on here.
He poses well, and you can get him into some decent action poses, however he’s a bit weak at the knees which is problem because of he’s a little top heavy. He stands just fine.
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The sticker on the rear bumper was the worst thing to apply.
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Zamu:
Zamu is...his Arms Minicon partner, I think. Since this toy was released in japan back in 2012 it’s the same set which was packaged for the set.
Zamu had to be assembled like a model kit; it wasn’t too difficult, and once again the sticker application was probably the hardest part. Haha!
Zamu is a robotic rhinoceros. who transforms into either a gun or a hammer for Breakdown to wield.
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Flip back the hand and you can place the hammer in the clear plastic piece (be mindful on the clear plastic)
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Final Thoughts:
War Breakdown is a fun, but flawed toy. The armored truck mode has a panel which doesn’t peg in properly, the knees are a little weak, but the toy poses well, he looks fantastic, and was definitely a missing piece to me TFP collection.
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jeannereames · 2 years ago
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Hello doctor,
I recently finished your Alexander novels and loved them. I was curious about the sequel, and upon searching I found you on tumblr. I spent hours reading all your asks and gathering all the tid bits about the sequel. It spiked my anticipation to another level. I was wandering whether there is a publication date planned…
First, thank you! I’m always thrilled when a reader loves the books enough to track down more information about them. If you found my Tumblr, I assume you also found my website? On it, I have some additional out-takes of scenes removed from the books, or written for the 10-month gap between Becoming and Rise. If not, it’s here: Alexander's Macedonia.
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As for more books, yes, I do plan to write more, but not only is there no publication date, there’s no publisher. Welcome to the niche nature of modern publishing.
Mainstream historicals have a different sales trajectory than most novels, being long-haulers rather than short-burst sellers. (See end for a longer explanation of this.) As a result, publishing houses risk them reluctantly unless they think they can ride a pop-culture trend, or it’s genre (historical romance, historical fantasy, historical mystery…). It all boils down to sales. Writing may be an art, but publishing is a business. In it to make money, they pursue a conservative purchasing model. They know what sold last year and want a repeat. Something too outside the proven model is, therefore, too much of a risk.
Dancing with the Lion is a coming-of-age historical that happens to have enough of a love story and LGBTQIA+ angle that a queer-press Romance publisher took a chance on it. That’s who Riptide is: queer Romance, and mostly queer contemporary Romance.
They bought it for the love story and wanted ONLY that. Future books full of war and politics and a more complicated love story…they aren’t interested. I was told as much when we began the editing process: “We’ll take these, but that’s it. Do you still want to proceed?”* Were the duology to become a hit and sell oodles, Riptide might change their minds, but they also might not. Like most small boutique presses, they have a highly specific publishing pool. That’s how boutique publishers survive. They can’t begin to compete with the Big Five publishing houses, so offer just one or two menu items, and try to do those well enough that buyers return for more.
For me to sell any more of the series, I need to find another publisher. I might be able to sell more on the strength of the first two, but if they have pretty decent ratings on Goodreads/Amazon, their sales figures are not high—in part because they’re ebook only, online distribution only (not found in bookstores), which severely limits sales. That I’m still pulling (small) royalty cheques each month is a testament to YOU ALL, my wonderful readers, and your word-of-mouth. Plus the unique nature of historials (again, see below). But the best way you can help me find a new publisher is to encourage your friends to buy the books and to leave a rating, or even a review, on Goodreads or Amazon. Those have severely dropped off in recent months.
Because mainstream historicals ARE so hard to sell, I’m disinclined to throw myself into years writing King and books that follow, only for it to take another 30 to sell them. I might be dead by then! (I’d be 88.)
Ergo, I’m working on something with a higher likelihood of selling: an epic fantasy series called Master of Battles with a lot of historical world-building elements. I’m about 2/3rds of the way through the 4th of 5 projected books. If I can get an agent and place those at a larger publishing house, THEN (perhaps) I can turn my attention to King, the third in the Alexander series. I do have most of the larger plot arc mulled over in my head, and I know where I plan to take various elements. But it’s not written yet because I need to spend time on what I’m more confident will actually sell.
Some readers ask, Why not try self-publishing? Three big reasons:
First, there is a LOT of effort sunk into a novel before it ever comes out, not just by the author, but with three levels of editing (structural, line-edits, copy-edits), plus the book cover and marketing. These are handled by people skilled at those things…which usually isn’t the author. Without a publisher, the author must then pay someone else to do it. It’s a lot more expensive than you might expect: $1000-3000 per book, depending on type of editing. Book covers cost, as well, although typically somewhat less. ALL of that means financial reserves the average author just doesn’t have, but publishing houses do.
Second, it requires time to market it, which most authors don’t have if they also (like me) have a day job. I already did/do a fair bit of marketing for Dancing, but nothing like you really need to get word of the novel out. In addition, most people don’t know WHERE to send books for professional reviews, or have any clout to get noticed if they do. Once more, publishing houses have these people on staff. If I’d self-published, I’d never have been reviewed by Publisher’s Weekly, nor likely have gotten on Bookbub (twice).
Last, name-recognition. I’m a little better positioned than before the duology was sold, but not by much.
Authors who are truly successful at self-publishing tend to 1) have a spousal-unit willing to support them, 2) don’t have a full-time job or are retired, 3) DO have spare cash, 4) are naturally skilled at marketing, *OR*/and 5) have prior name recognition from a career in trad-publishing. As someone without a spouse, with a full-time job, and lacking oodles of cash on hand to pay for what I can’t do myself…I’m not in a great position to self-publish.
And finally, that somewhat longer explanation of how historicals sell that makes publishers reluctant to invest in them:
The average book sells most of its total-ever sales in the first 6-8 months, and certainly within the first year, unless it happens to break into the rarified air of best-seller or award-winning status. Traditional publishers tend to rip books out of print around a year, at most two, if they don’t sell out their advance, as it’s assumed they never will and better to cut losses in paper/print costs. Multiply published authors might get books in print longer, but new authors typically do not. It can be harder to sell a third book than the first one, for that reason. Death in the Mid-list. Ebooks are different as they escape the heavy paper-cost overhead, but the assumption is still “You’re done,” at about a year.
Historicals don’t sell that way, in part because people read them for the *historical* aspect, and therefore, someone may come to love a topic (and read the book) five, ten, twenty years later—especially for an historical figure like Alexander the Great, who has enormous fan recognition. Occasionally other events (movies, documentaries, even museum shows) can ignite greater temporary interest, but historicals just have “slow burn” staying power other genres largely do not. Unfortunately, they also don’t tend to sell loads right out the door. Their sales trajectory, if they’re allowed to stay in print, can look the reverse of the average novel.
So that’s why publishers—who want a quick return—mostly don’t like them. If they do buy them, they edge to action books, not character-based novels (which naturally read slower).
* Dancing with the Lion was originally optioned for Riptide by Sarah Lyons back around 2014; she wanted (so she told me) to use it to expand the press into queer-friendly markets adjacent to Romance. But within months, she faced a breast cancer health crisis which seriously delayed even getting the contract finalized (2017). No sooner had we done that than she got herself embroiled in a terrible scandal at Riptide and resigned. As a result, my books became sorta orphans. To be sure, after that, I didn’t want to work with her anyway, but it also meant the original purchasing editor was no longer there. Riptide fulfilled the terms of the contract, my editor (May Peterson) was great, and Grace has been very kind at answering my publicity questions, but any prior plans to do anything more with them was tabled—assuming Lyons wasn’t lying about all that in the first place. She seems to have been a shady individual.
Why did I stay with Riptide after all that, especially being told, after Lyons left, they don’t want the rest? Well, after so many years trying to sell the novel, I wanted it published, even if these first two were all that would ever see print. A foot in the door is better than staring at the doorbell forever.
Also, I includes dates above as, ime, most folks who aren’t writers or part of the publishing industry tend not to realize how long it takes to get anything written, much less sold and into print. So it gives readers a sense of time frames.
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meandmybigmouth · 2 years ago
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AND THEN EXPECTED THE PEOPLE TO MAKE THOSE CRUMBS LAST FOR MONTHS?
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therandomavenger · 8 months ago
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The 5 Stages of an Author's Career
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The other day my writing group was discussing a post by Dean Wesley Smith, about five levels in a writer’s life. It was focused on their skill level, and while I found it valid, it also didn’t speak much to me. I started thinking about the various levels there are to a writer’s actual career (and I use the term loosely). There are five distinct stages to this, with a couple of bonus stages on either side.
Stage One – you’re still figuring out your process and not finishing things regularly. This is a very frustrating stage, because you know how these things should be turning out, but you don’t have the ability to bring them in for a landing. It’s usually because you haven’t figured out what works for you yet. Maybe you’re trying to pants but you’re actually a plotter. Maybe you’re trying to plot but you’re actually a pantser. You may need to go up several skill levels through formal classes or informal training. Or maybe you just need more practice. They say you must write one million words of crap before you’re producing anything worthwhile, and I’m not sure about that exact number, I do know it’s exceedingly rare that the first several things you write will be even adequate, let alone professional quality. This is frustrating, but it is a feature not a bug. This stage is over when you consistently finish things, and are, in general, happy with them. I was in this stage until I was 46 years old.
Stage Two – you’re putting finished pieces out there and getting feedback. This might be sending work out to actual editors at publishing houses and magazines, or you just send it to a critique group, or find another type of professional willing to look at your work. I feel like the feedback needs to be from professional or professional-adjacent people, not your best friend, spouse, or great aunt Mabel. People who, through training or experience, know how to get your work to the next level.
Stage Three – You’re at stage three when you’ve either sold something to an editor, or you self-publish something, and people who don’t even know you buy it. You’re getting some sort of renumeration, even if the work is a long way off from paying for itself. You are starting to build an audience. I feel like this is the stage at which it’s reasonable to start calling yourself a professional writer, but that’s just my opinion. This stage can last a long time, and some people never get past it, and depending on their goals, that can be okay. This is the stage at which I currently find myself.
Stage Four – The work is paying for itself. If you sold a book, you’ve earned back your advance and are starting to get royalties. Publishers are willing to publish more from you. If you’re self-publishing, your royalties are covering your expenses. Your business might not be making much of a profit, but you are solidly in the black. You may not be able to quit your day job, but at least this is not costing you money. A lot of even immensely popular writers end up here. There’s no shame in it. I mean, I would kill to be in this stage.
Stage Five – You’ve made it! Your work is paying you enough that you can quit your day job. It’s providing a comfortable, or at least adequate, living that supports you and maybe even some dependents. You may be rich, you may not be, but you’re definitely not starving. This is the promised land, and a very small percentage of writers ever make it here. But it is doable, if you level up your skill enough and make smart moves with your career.
In addition to these five stages, there are two bonus stages at either end.
Stage Zero – you talk a lot about your characters, worlds, and ideas for stories, but you never actually write anything. The biggest leap in all these levels is the leap between level zero and level one. Just getting words on the page regularly is half the battle. I think if you’re at this stage, you probably shouldn’t be calling yourself an actual writer, but that’s just me.
And then there’s Stage 5+ — you’re popular and successful enough that normies know your name, and your work regularly appears on bestseller list. You might even have been on Oprah or won some prestigious awards. There’s a wide range here, but this is the level of success above everyone else. Think Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Colleen Hoover, Sarah J. Maas, Toni Morrison, John Scalzi. Everyone wants to be here, and it’s possible to achieve this, but it’s kind of hard to make it happen on your own. It generally happens when you write the right book for the right audience at the right time. You can’t really plan for that, but you can be constantly levelling up your skills and growing your audience, so that you can take advantage of it when it does happen.
So, that’s my take on the stages of a writer’s career. Maybe they resonated with you, maybe they didn’t, but it’s an interesting topic to think about.
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alyjojo · 10 months ago
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Past Life 🪡 Karmic Spread January 2024 - Leo
Character Card: The Witch (past), The Pathless (present)
Gender I’m Picking Up On (in the past life): Female - both
Who You Were: 5 Swords
What You Did: 2 Wands
How It Ended: The Fool
What Karma Was Brought With You: 6 Pentacles rev
Who You Brought With You: Queen of Pentacles
Additional energy: The World
Past Life Oracle: Mother & Biblical (past), Native American & Orphan (present)
Dreaming Way: Anchor (past), Sun (present)
Charm:
Moulin Rouge 💋 on The Fool
Balloons 🎈 on Native American
Fractal Moon rev 🌙 on The Magician rev & The Devil
T.W. rape, child harm
Yours is by far the oldest of the bunch, I can’t even guess a time period. With Biblical I’m getting Middle East…ish. A land of desert, but not sand, the ground is red, but it used to be green. When you were alive, it was all green. Something specific drying up, a river? Google says that’s possibly B.C. time periods, and what little research I did shows this as speculation. Your character card shows you as Witch, I’m getting more of an herbalist, at least your part in it, I keep seeing garlic 🧄 specifically, twisting garlic in long braids, but what you did with it I’m not sure. Sold it? Maybe garlic was just really important, this is a whole different world I’m seeing. It’s possible there’s “priestess” energy here, if so I’m getting it’s your mother - and you continuing this way of believing/practice. By force. Pressure. Not by belief. In the preshuffle, The Magician rev kept falling out over and over again, and I kept hearing “I didn’t know!” like you were upset, you’d been tricked. It came out like three times, and after laying everything out, it’s at the bottom of the deck again, with The Devil. Because it’s at the bottom, it’s something that’s carried over, so this is still affecting you now. You could be easily manipulated, or a sucker for a salesperson, a strong personality, a sleazy snake charmer that sounds confident enough. Fractal Moon shows many layers to these Devil experiences of trickery, manipulation, God knows what 🙏 It can’t be easy, still. In this life, it’s reversed, you’re going to see everything you didn’t see before, in the last life and this one up until these points of clarity.
Mother is combined with Biblical, clarified by 8 & 10 Swords. I keep hearing “rape”, I’ve heard “prostitution” and “sacrifice”, and it is intertwined with these beliefs of hers, whatever they were. Essentially, you were sacrificed. I don’t get that was the intent, maybe, but you were given to some male, like a toy to play with, and there was nothing you could do to stop it, because it was your mother that made the decision, it was her will. She was the boss. You were 5 Swords, you hated this, we’re very resentful, felt you could do it better than she could and not do these hurtful things, you didn’t believe what she did…and you may still have some deep seated traumas in relation to sex & intimacy, maybe it doesn’t make sense to you why it bothers you, or others, and now you know 💯 You were traumatized, more than once, many times. I’m also seeing you as a child, maybe not to others at the time of course, but by my and the law’s standards nowadays, you were a child. If you need a break here, take a break, you can’t see me but I have to leave my table for a few minutes, get a drink, breathe, and clear this part of the energy out of my head, it’s making me ill 😞 It’s everything one would fear it would be, it’s fkd up.
————-
Ok. I haven’t even gotten to the current life yet, but I see The Pathless here, and I’m just gonna say you’re probably being too hard on yourself by current societal standards, you’re literally here to heal a deep-seated trauma, not to give a fk about what anyone else has going on to compare yourself to. Or what they think. Ok? Be kind to you. Treat yourself now like you would this child. Nurture you, love you, speak life into you. With that being said, this isn’t your only life, you’ve probably had several, and probably have several different lessons going on simultaneously, but this is the main one showing up with karma to resolve, it’s the one you’ve either taken on or have been given to clear up (Moon rev). I can see why it took so long. You were ready now 💯
In the past, your personality was this Anchor, you were practical, logical, but raised in a cult basically, you didn’t believe any of this crap, and 5 Swords shows you with a mentality of “knowing better” in a condescending way. You hated everything about this lifestyle or what your mother did, or you were jealous of her position vs yours, understandably. She’s mentioned several times, she’s why your life ended. Your dream was stability, marrying a wealthy man, maybe even starting a business for yourself, you had dreams and ambitions that didn’t involve this life at all, but you were young, impressionable, female, and submissive by force. You didn’t have a choice, you just thought/hoped you did, you were right and you knew it. Your mother gave you to people, I’m getting several, they would come and go. One in particular took things too far, too rough, you were badly hurt and died from your injuries. It was brutal.
*breathe* Again… I love these readings until I get one that makes me ill in every sense. I’m sorry 😞 No one wants this life or story, this karma or trauma. This life has also been extremely difficult for you, that’s why it’s “The Pathless” which describes someone going in circles, having trusted shitty people to lead them, they now feel lost and directionless. Is that your purpose, no I don’t think that’s anyone’s purpose. It’s just where you are after the bs you’ve survived. But, you’ve survived 🩷 6 Pentacles rev is giving more than you ever receive, trickery, manipulation, deceit, cheating, it’s all at the bottom. You’re here, Queen of Wands, and the King is at the bottom as the one doing this to you, I’m guessing you’ve probably had a shitty partner. They don’t reciprocate the love or effort you give, they could be selfish, attention seeking, and a player. Or at least they have been before, because you do show up as a match, no one is reversed, this may be mentioning some history that’s been overcome - I’m not sure. It may not be romantic either, but someone you give and give and give to, endlessly, and you feel manipulated and trapped in chains to just continue giving for whatever reason. They were in this past life, but it’s not giving me a “who”, not the worst ones. If you were hoping for a specific person not just a dream person in the past, and this is romantic now, then it’s them. If it’s platonic, then it’s more of an acquaintance that wanted you in some way.
The other person you’ve brought is a Queen of Pentacles, could be an earth sign, there is a ton of that energy here, five cards just in this area. This person is your mother from the past, but not your mother now. Having the Orphan card, if you do have parents they’re distant, and in that case this may be one by blood, and you just have nothing to do with them. They show up with 7 Swords, Queen of Pentacles rev, Queen of Cups rev and 5 Wands, this person is trouble. Manipulative af, they’re a liar, a thief, a sneak, deceptive, controlling, and there’s some fkd up relationship with money being highlighted, they use people for money? Or they try to anyway, with sob stories and guilt trips, I’ll just stop. Fractal moon shows many layers to all of this, I couldn’t even cover it all I’m sure. You don’t deserve it, but you’re going to see it, and the point is to see it
The World is your purpose, seeing the truth about the snakes around you, maybe they’ve always been around you. You can only know what you know, until you know better, and then you can do better. That’s all you can do. You’re to put an end to painful situations and relationships that don’t reciprocate, don’t see your value, don’t honor your boundaries or show you respect. There is heartbreak to heal from, family related, love related, could be work related too with 10 Pentacles. It’s a feeling of lack, feeling unworthy, like you don’t deserve things you absolutely deserve, but Spirit needs you to see things clearly. You can build what you don’t have, once you know what’s not good for you and what you want, need, demand, expect, and deserve.
Native American with 3 Cups, clarified by 6 Swords. This may be a memory or something, somewhere you’ve traveled, obsess over, a deeper interest, it’s something that’s celebrated and feels personal to you. Or maybe was as a child. I don’t get that you’re actually Native American, could be, but I’m getting like a birthday party or some kind of event, it’s a confirmation message for whoever it is, and it’s positive from what I can see. The Sun ☀️ is your own energy, it radiates light, health, clarity, helps you see through this Moon bs for your highest good, it also promotes a long life ahead of you, and good health. Clarifying this Pathless, where are you supposed to be headed, because this ain’t it. 6 Pentacles upright, hallelujah, giving to those that give to you, period 💯 People, situations, jobs, setting the standard for yourself and only accepting that which gives you what you fkn deserve, I love this for you 🩷 Leos are meant to shine, this Pathless crap is not your destiny, it’s just your…very difficult challenge. Better things are meant for you when you decide you’re done with these kinds of people and this ick, you’re free to realize you’re a bad bitch and switch tracks whenever you feel like doing so.
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adviserbabycom · 1 year ago
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Thule Urban Glide 2 Jogging Stroller Review
Enter the Thule Urban Glide 2 Jogging Stroller - a high-performance stroller designed with the active parent in mind. But can it stand up to the varying demands of urban jogging while keeping your little one comfortable and secure? In this blog post, we are going to take an in-depth look at this running companion, delving into its functionality, comfort, safety features, and its adaptability across different terrains. Thule Urban Glide 2 Jogging Stroller Features Smooth and Versatile All-Terrain Performance The Thule Urban Glide 2 is designed to handle various terrains, and it has lived up to its promise. Whether I'm strolling through the neighborhood or going for a jog on uneven paths, this stroller provides a smooth and comfortable ride for my little ones. The large 16" rear wheels and built-in suspension system ensure that even bumpy surfaces don't disturb my children's comfort. Convenient Features for Active Parents One of the standout features of the Thule Urban Glide 2 is its one-handed, compact fold. As a busy parent, I appreciate how easy it is to fold and store the stroller, especially when I'm on the go. The adjustable handlebar with a twist hand brake is a great addition, allowing me to maintain control and adapt to my height preferences. The integrated hand brake provides speed control, particularly useful when navigating hilly terrain. Comfortable and Secure for Children The padded 5-point harness and adjustable reclining seats of the Thule Urban Glide 2 ensure that my children are both comfortable and safe during our outings. The seats have ventilation, which is a welcome feature during warmer weather. The ability to recline the seats with one hand has been convenient for on-the-go naps. I've also appreciated the magnetic peekaboo window that allows me to check on my children without disturbing them. Ample Storage and Customization Options The large cargo storage bin with a zip-top closure has been a game-changer for me. I can easily bring along everything I need for the day, including diaper bags, snacks, and extra clothing. The Thule Urban Glide 2 is also compatible with various accessories, such as a universal car seat adapter, snack tray, cup holder/bottle cage, footmuff, and rain cover. This versatility has allowed me to customize the stroller according to my family's specific needs. Durable and Well-Designed The Thule Urban Glide 2 is built with quality materials, particularly its aluminum frame, which contributes to its lightweight yet sturdy construction. I have found it to be durable, withstanding regular use and even rougher handling. The stroller's sleek design and color options, including black and other shades, make it visually appealing as well. In summary, the Thule Urban Glide 2 Jogging Stroller has been an excellent addition to our family. Its all-terrain performance, convenient features, comfort for children, ample storage, customization options, and overall durability make it a top choice for active parents. I highly recommend this stroller for anyone looking for a reliable and versatile option that meets the needs of both parents and children. Thule Urban Glide 2 Jogging Stroller FAQ The Thule Urban Glide 2 has a one-handed, compact fold that makes it easy to store and transport. The folded dimensions for the double version are approximately 34.3" x 30.1" x 16.2". Yes, with the use of car seat adapters (sold separately), the Thule Urban Glide 2 can be used as an infant stroller from birth. It can also transition into a toddler stroller as your child grows. The Thule Urban Glide 2 is compatible with a variety of Thule stroller accessories, allowing you to customize it to your family's needs. Some accessories include a universal car seat adapter, snack tray, organizer sport double, cup holder/bottle cage, footmuff sport, and rain cover. Stroller Selection Guidance at AdviserBaby Navigating through the multitude of strollers available can be daunting. Here at AdviserBaby, we want to help you find the best one for your family. Check out these pages for our curated recommendations: - Best Stroller for Newborn: Finding a stroller suited to your newborn's needs is of utmost importance. We have compiled a list of top strollers perfect for newborns. - Best Double Jogging Stroller 2023: If you have two little ones and love to stay active, consider our top picks for the best double-jogging strollers of 2023. - Top Graco Modes Travel System: Graco's Modes Travel System is a favorite amongst parents. See our top Graco modes travel systems to see why. - Top Jogging Strollers for Everyday Use: Not all jogging strollers are practical for everyday use. We've shortlisted top options that beautifully bridge the gap between fitness and utility. We hope these recommendations will guide you in making a choice that ensures your child's comfort and safety. Happy shopping! Read the full article
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wuyongying · 2 years ago
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Nancy Pelosi's husband just invested millions into NVIDIA and sold large amounts of Visa and Apple stocks and call options
Nancy Pelosi's husband just invested millions into NVIDIA and sold large amounts of Visa and Apple stocks and call options© Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images
Speaker Nancy Pelosi reported three new stock and stock option trades made by her husband, Paul Pelosi, in June 2022.
Paul Pelosi's trades involve Apple, Visa, and NVIDIA.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, exercised millions of dollars in NVIDIA call options and sold large quantities of Apple and Visa options and shares in late June, according to a new congressional financial disclosure.
Paul Pelosi exercised 200 call options, or 20,000 shares, of NVIDIA worth between $1 million and $5 million, according to the disclosure, which Nancy Pelosi filed Thursday with the House of Representatives.
Paul Pelosi also sold 10,000 shares of Visa worth between $1 million and $5 million and sold 50 call options in Apple valued between $100,000 and $250,000.
The speaker's husband's trades come at a time when Congress is debating whether its members and their spouses should even be allowed to buy, sell, and hold individual stocks at all.
Pelosi herself initially pushed back against the idea.
"We are a free-market economy," Speaker Pelosi said. "They should be able to participate in that."
Pelosi ultimately acquiesced after strong criticism from members of Congress and the general public. She allowed bipartisan groups of lawmakers to draft bills and hold a public hearing.
"I've said to the House Administration Committee, review all the bills that are coming in and see which ones — where the support is in our caucus," Pelosi said. "If members want to do that, I'm okay with that."
Lawmakers are currently deliberating on several congressional stock-trade bills. No vote on any of the bills has yet been scheduled.
Insider's "Conflicted Congress" project, in addition to work from other outlets, identified 65 members of Congress — both Democrats and Republicans — who violated an insider trading and conflicts-of-interest law, the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012, also known as the STOCK Act.
While Pelosi herself does not trade stocks, her husband Paul Pelosi is a frequent investor. Insider collected each of Paul Pelosi's trades that the speaker reported in 2021 and 2022. Many of his trades appear to be worth millions — an Insider analysis from 2021 found that the speaker is ranked as the 14th wealthiest member of Congress with an estimated net worth of at least $46,123,051.
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briefkidgarden · 2 years ago
Text
Nancy Pelosi's husband just invested millions into NVIDIA and sold large amounts of Visa and Apple stocks and call options
Nancy Pelosi's husband just invested millions into NVIDIA and sold large amounts of Visa and Apple stocks and call options© Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images
Speaker Nancy Pelosi reported three new stock and stock option trades made by her husband, Paul Pelosi, in June 2022.
Paul Pelosi's trades involve Apple, Visa, and NVIDIA.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, exercised millions of dollars in NVIDIA call options and sold large quantities of Apple and Visa options and shares in late June, according to a new congressional financial disclosure.
Paul Pelosi exercised 200 call options, or 20,000 shares, of NVIDIA worth between $1 million and $5 million, according to the disclosure, which Nancy Pelosi filed Thursday with the House of Representatives.
Paul Pelosi also sold 10,000 shares of Visa worth between $1 million and $5 million and sold 50 call options in Apple valued between $100,000 and $250,000.
The speaker's husband's trades come at a time when Congress is debating whether its members and their spouses should even be allowed to buy, sell, and hold individual stocks at all.
Pelosi herself initially pushed back against the idea.
"We are a free-market economy," Speaker Pelosi said. "They should be able to participate in that."
Pelosi ultimately acquiesced after strong criticism from members of Congress and the general public. She allowed bipartisan groups of lawmakers to draft bills and hold a public hearing.
"I've said to the House Administration Committee, review all the bills that are coming in and see which ones — where the support is in our caucus," Pelosi said. "If members want to do that, I'm okay with that."
Lawmakers are currently deliberating on several congressional stock-trade bills. No vote on any of the bills has yet been scheduled.
Insider's "Conflicted Congress" project, in addition to work from other outlets, identified 65 members of Congress — both Democrats and Republicans — who violated an insider trading and conflicts-of-interest law, the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012, also known as the STOCK Act.
While Pelosi herself does not trade stocks, her husband Paul Pelosi is a frequent investor. Insider collected each of Paul Pelosi's trades that the speaker reported in 2021 and 2022. Many of his trades appear to be worth millions — an Insider analysis from 2021 found that the speaker is ranked as the 14th wealthiest member of Congress with an estimated net worth of at least $46,123,051.
商业内幕网报道《Nancy Pelosi's husband just invested millions into NVIDIA and sold large amounts of Visa and Apple stocks and call options》
链接:
https://www.businessinsider.com/nancy-pelosi-stock-trades-paul-pelosi-nvidia-visa-apple-2022-7
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rainydawgradioblog · 2 years ago
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Alegría @ Allegro
Dawg with a Blawg: Ed. 3
Any dawg's dream: listening to local artists in a cozy venue near campus, without paying a cover. OK– maybe it’s just my ideal way to spend an Autumn evening in the U District, but I definitely wasn’t the only fan in attendance last Sunday at Café Allegro…
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Allegro’s reintroduction as a live venue for acoustic performances was brought on by the efforts of Bay Area artist Holland, a barista at the café. (Last month’s event included artists Liv Victorino of Ponzi and Julian Pearlman of Balcony Bridge.) This month, Holland (they/them) stepped into the headliner position, following the opener Maria Hoffman (she/they) from Puget Sound. “Obsessed” with intimacy, Holland explained their choice of PJ ensembles as a way to connect, reflected in the bedroom-like setup where soft string lights and a starry, ocean-blue light projector marked off the stage area. Some quick warmups facilitated by Holland and Pearlman made me eager for the show. Maria and Holland absolutely had voices intriguing enough to be accompanied by a single instrument at a time.
Each artist did their own MCing, writing, and instrumentals on keys/guitar. True to bedroom-rumination indie, they both displayed confessional songwriting styles in addition to their booming vocal deliveries. Despite the severe heartache expressed, they were charming in their transitions and hosted without taking their performances too seriously. A real friend to the scene, Holland made Jasmine tea for Maria and offered me a chair for notetaking since I sported a pleather skirt. :’)
Maria, who had a wishbone tattoo on display, told the audience about her affinity for lucky imagery when introducing her first song “Lucky Star”. Their poetic and relatable storytelling resonated with the mostly femme attendees. Her songs recounted relatable topics of mistakes made when you’re inebriated and high on emotions, being subjected to casual misogyny, and romanticizing public transit. Maria begins her song “Greyhound” with the lyric “Tyler’s a monster”, the best opening I’ve heard in recent memory. Bursting with personality, they admitted the song was really about taking the Cantrail from Vancouver to Washington, but that its name isn’t as sexy, making the audience laugh in agreement. They later picked up the strumming pattern only to hit us harder with the line “us girls have to stick together, they’re charlatans and we’re soldiers”. When asked, she said they wanted to leave others with the phrase “people can do hard things”.
Holland debuted a handful of tapes of their demo “A Leg That Can’t Stand” generously sold with sliding scale pricing (they even signed mine!). This project started as a collection of “voice memo demos” that escalated to a sleepless week spent bouncing ideas off friends with polished mic vocal cuts. A fan of live music, Holland likes it loud and isn’t afraid to belt in the coffee shop they work at during regular business hours. One of my favorites performed was the song “Haunting Me” (featured on the demo) because of the line “Love ain’t your mission– then why do you keep showing up: apparition”. They told us it’s about people that reenter your life and keep showing you that they don’t have your best interests in mind: “I played the fool enough times to know that I’m mad, believing you’re my savior.” “At War with Peace” was written using a chord taught by Pearlman during the demo’s production and made me want to hear them perform with supporting vocals and a band. Then in “Doves//Starved”, Holland showcased adept piano playing on an extended cut, self-proclaimed as the demo’s “Track 5” (as Swifties know them as). A standout line on Evergreen, though not yet recorded was the personification “Winter ain’t got much to say, ‘cause she don’t do pain.” Damn. Holland seems to be keen on others’ perceptions of their songs, which is less characteristic of being impressionable and more indicative of intense self-reflection. In general, I find our generation’s inclination towards self-awareness and development to be something we’re not credited for. 
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Holland can breathe out fast-paced lyrics in a way that is so vocally controlled, you easily adjust to their continuous flow of ideas. And it wasn’t until the end of her set that Maria revealed it was her first full performance! For updates on demo acquisition and future Bandcamp announcements, find Holland on Instagram @HollztheBallz. You can find Maria Hoffman on Spotify under the former stage name Alaska Monroe and on Instagram @styrofoame7.
Xoxo, Millie
Musical notes from a budding musician
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Reddit bankrupts at least one hedgefund: An explanation by AoShin
Alright kids, sit down while I tell you what on earth is happening. It's a once in a lifetime historical event. It's insane. At least 1 hedgefund has gone bankrupt, thanks to a group of average joes on Reddit.  By the end of the week, there will be a line of bankruptcies. 
So let's start at the beginning:
First of all, stocks are pretty simple, when they go up in value, you make money, because it's worth more than you bought it for. Stock goes up- you make money. Stock goes down- you lose money. 
Short selling is the opposite. Short selling makes money when the stock goes down in value. Short sellers borrow someone else's shares, and sell them, with the goal of buying them back later, and pocketing the difference as profit. So, Tim borrows Bob's shares in GME, and sell them for $10, he pays Bob $1 to do this, and promises to give all of Bob's shares back. Then, if the stock goes down to $5, Tim buys the shares back at a cheaper price. So Tim's profit is $10-$5-$1 = $4 profit. 
So that's where we start. A hedge fund tried to force down the price of Gamestop, and short the stock. It usually works fine. It's been done thousands of times, with no problems. So they shorted Gamestop (GME) from $20, to $10, to $4. Their greed kept compounding. They kept doing it again, and again, for months. Making billions of dollars, and almost bankrupting this company. 
Enter Wallstreetbets. A trading/investing subreddit. 
Someone noted that these hedgefunds shorted 140% of all shares available. These hedgefunds were so damn greedy, they borrowed more shares than actually existed. That's how arrogant and dumb they were. They borrowed 140% of all the available shares. It was literally impossible for them to buy them all back. So someone on Wallstreetbets realized this, and told everyone. Now, the rule with short selling is that ALL those shares that they borrow, MUST be paid back. And so we reach our main story of how the hedgefund's greed ruined them.
Realizing that these hedgefunds shorted GME by a ridiculous amount, these Redditors (a bunch of regular Joes like you and me), bought every share they could get their hands on. Driving the price up as much as possible. Why? Because these hedgefunds eventually (within a few months) HAD to buy all those shares back, at whatever price they could get them. They didnt have a choice. 
 So if they borrow a million shares, and sold them for $10. They made $10 million in immediate profit. But eventually, they HAD TO buy those million shares back. They didn't have a choice. That was the deal they made when they borrowed the shares. 
So these Redditors bought the shares, driving the price up, forcing these hedgefunds to buy back at crazy prices. Yeah, the hedgefund sold and made $10 million, but now they had to spend $147.98 million getting those same shares back. A HUGE FUCKING LOSS of $137.98 million.
So eventually, the due date for when these hedgefunds need to return the borrowed shares comes closer. 
And what do they do? They double down. They short MORE. Because they're sure that they can manipulate the stock enough to get it to crash, thereby saving themselves. 
 Fastforward a few days, every attempt to crash the stock fails. Oh it works temporarily, but not enough for them to save themselves. Everyone knows what theyre trying to do, so people keep buying the stock. And with every additional bit of media attention, more and more people are buying the stock, destroying the greedy hedgefund in the process. Eventually Melvin Capital- a multi billion dollar hedge fund, needs a bailout, because it has lost so much money shorting GME. They borrowed billions off another hedgefund. That was yesterday. The stock price was $76.
Today, the stock ended up at $147.98 for every share. Up from $4. These hedgefunds are STILL shorting the stock, at 130% of available shares. That's how fucking greedy these guys are. All those millions of shares STILL have to be paid back. 
 And that's where our story picks up. Hedgefunds are crying on CNBC. on CNN. on FoxNews. On literally every every platform they can get their hands on. They want the government to stop trading. They want this reddit forum investigated and banned. They're screaming ''market manipulation'', when in reality these hedgefunds were the ones manipulating the stock, but they got caught, and are now trying to take their ball and go home.
Now, if you haven't realized it yet:
With a normal investment, when buying stocks normally, the maximum you can lose is your original investment. When short selling, your losses are theoretically infinite. Because you HAVE to buy back at whatever price is available. So while these hedgefunds are on every news channel, every investing segment screaming about Reddit and Wallstreetbets, they inevitably draw attention to themselves, and what's going on.
Enter the ''whales''- individual investors who can make a splash and impact the stock. Millionaires and billionaires that have a bone to pick with hedgefunds and short sellers. Elon Musk famously despises short sellers, because they tried to cripple Tesla so often. With a single tweet, Elon sent the share price skyrocketing from $147.98 to $230. And along with Elon Musk, a huge number of wealthy ''whales'' have started to jump in. Buying up HUGE amounts of stock, at crazy prices.
But these investors don't care. They don't care how expensive they buy the stock for. Because they KNOW these hedgefunds MUST buy the shares back. For many of them, they don't actually care if they lose money. They just want to watch these hedgefunds burn.
Does this mean you should buy GME? I'm not gonna answer this question, because you obviously shouldn't be listening to strangers on the internet when it comes to your money. There's a lot of upside to buying GME, but there's also a crazy amount of downside. Tomorrow the share could go back to $4 and you could lose everything. These shares are obscenely overvalued, and the only reason they keep going up is that people are gambling that the hedgefunds will buy them for a higher price (they likely will, but up until what point?). It's a game of chicken. When the game ends, the house of cards will crumble, and people will lose millions. 
The only thing I can recommend is that you grab a beer, and keep an eye on GME and enjoy the fireworks.
- AoShin, here 
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testudoaubrei-blog · 3 years ago
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Well, it’s not quite a master’s thesis, but this is (the first of) a series of posts on why Catra and Adora are the best love story in the history of kids TV animation and maybe the greatest love story in the history of TV. This may in some ways be faint praise - romance on TV is generally not very good compared with books or movies. Often it’s just some will they/won’t they sexual tension that is defused by getting characters together and re-heightened by breaking them up. TV is full of nearly shark jumping pointless dramas like Sam and Diane (Cheers, holy fuck am I dating myself, though that was technically before my time), Ross and Rachel (Friends, which was no Cheers) etc, but also some less annoying couples like Ben and Leslie (Parks and Rec) or Amy and Jake (Bk99) who are mostly just kind of cute and fun. Other shows, like the X-Files, teased viewers for years with unresolved sexual tension. In kids shows most romances are, appropriate for their target viewers, mild, sweet relationships based more on self-conscious flirting and blushing than on complex and conflicted feelings or deep passions - which is pretty realistic when the characters are young teens or even mid-teens. Some of these relationships are really well done - Finn and Flame Princess, Dipper and Pacifica (yeah I ship them), the early stages of Katara and Aang (before the showrunners imbued this childhood crush with cosmic significance), Steven and Connie, etc. Catra and Adora, though, are different. Their love story is not a side plot or a sub plot, it’s the heart of the show. It isn’t a childhood crush, it’s a very messy and passionate relationship between two young adults. She-Ra is an emotionally complex lesbian romance just as much as it is a thrilling action/adventure show. Everything about their relationship is baked into the show’s plot, its themes, hell even its musical score. The dramatic tension between Catra and Adora is not the result of stretching out a flirtation for ratings, but a coherent dramatic arc that runs through the entire show. As Noelle said, he made Catradora so central that execs couldn’t take it out without ruining the show. And the show is better for it. In this series of posts I’m going to try to show why, as well as showing why She-Ra is such a fantastic love story.
First off, let’s talk about how Catra and Adora’s character arcs are foils for each other, and how they come together and apart through the series. This is actually a post that I’ve been working on for a while but I keep summarizing the show rather than cutting to the chase, so I’m not going to recite many plot points so much as sketch out what’s going on with the dramatic structure at the time. But also, let’s talk about what each character’s arc is saying, and how they are commenting on each other. Spoiler alert: Catra’s arc is a subversion and critique of stories of empowerment through ruthless self-assertion and revenge, while Adora’s arc is a subversion and critique of chosen one narratives and stories of self-denial and self-transcendence.
When the show starts, Adora and Catra are shown as rivals and friends - their first scene starts the recurring motif of them reaching out for each other as one of them dangles above an abyss, as well as establishing their flirtatious banter and easy camaraderie. We quickly learn that these two young women plan to conquer the world together. These scenes and later flashbacks show Catra and Adora as deeply enmeshed in each others lives, to the point where neither of them (but especially Catra) have clear identities outside of one another. There is so much genuine love on both sides before Adora leaves, but also resentment, envy and fear, especially on Catra’s side, as well as a protectiveness on Adora’s side that deprives Catra of her autonomy. They are both being abused by Shadow Weaver - Catra physically  and emotionally, Adora emotionally. It wouldn’t be too much to say that Shadow Weaver holds Catra hostage to control Adora (this is why critiques that Adora abandoned Catra to be abused are actually kind of messed up, since they accept Shadow Weaver’s premise that Adora is responsible for what Shadow Weaver does to Catra). In addition, Catra and Adora actually see the world incredibly differently. Adora already sees the world in terms of right, wrong and her destiny to right wrongs - this is why it’s important for her  to accept the Horde’s obvious lies - she couldn’t keep living if she didn’t. Catra, on the other hand, sees the world solely in terms of survival and personal loyalty - everything for her is about preserving herself and the person she cares about - Adora.
Then, when Adora finds the sword, she leaves because it’s the right thing to do. Catra doesn’t even have a concept of ‘the right thing to do’ being something she should care about, or perhaps, something she can care about as an irredeemably evil, awful fuck-up. So at Thaymor neither one understands where the other is coming from, and Catra and Adora begin to part. This is the first turning point in their relationship. Adora chooses duty over what she desires, Catra chooses to protect herself (such as she sees it) and nurse her sense of betrayal and abandonment.
Their relationship until Promise is a kind of weird Frenemy thing that is fascinating to watch and sold me on the show. Neither one wants to fully admit to themselves that the other is now their enemy, neither one has given up on changing the other’s mind. Each is furious at the other, and desperate to see her again at the same time. There’s a lot of heartache and just as much sexual tension, especially at Princess Prom. Both of them come alive when they fight each other (more about that in a later post). But they’re already growing apart - Adora embracing her destiny as She-Ra, Catra rising in the ranks for the Horde. Adora now has the purpose she always wanted, plus other friends and a sense of being chosen to do something great, while Catra now has power - the means to protect herself from people like Shadow Weaver as well as the vindication she had always been denied, and even the opportunity to beat Shadow Weaver at her own game.
The next turning point is Promise. Holy fuck, this episode. It’s an episode that is even more heartbreaking after you’ve watched the show because you know just how much worse things are going to get, and yet, it’s a necessary part of both of their character arcs. Even through season 1 Catra and Adora had remained very much enmeshed in each others lives in an increasingly fucked up way as they grew apart but refused to turn away from each other. Even though they aren’t -exactly- a romantic couple (Adora doesn’t recognize and acknowledge her feelings until the last episode of Season 5), Season 1 of She-Ra is one of the worst breakups I have seen on TV. As I said in a couple of previous posts, this is the kind of shit that the Mountain Goats write songs about. Everything that was poisoning their love for each other even before episode 1 bubbles to the surface and combines with them fighting on opposite sides of the war to make a truly fucked up situation. In the end, it’s Catra that makes the choice to turn away from Adora. This isn’t a -good- decision. It’s spiteful, and destructive, and based on an outright deluded understanding of their relationship (inspired by Light Hope’s manipulations and her own issues), but it’s in some ways a necessary decision. Catra has been so wrapped up in Adora for so long that she isn’t going to be able to figure out who -she- is without cutting Adora out of her life. And the same is true of Adora.
But each of them do this in about the worst way possible. Catra embraces destruction, ambition, manipulation and outright cruelty, turning the tactics of her abusers against them and against everyone around her. She first triumphs over Shadow Weaver and manipulates Entrapta into trying to corrupt Etheria itself. Meanwhile Adora ‘lets go’ and commits herself to the self-denying mantle of She-Ra. Over the next several seasons, their respective paths will nearly lead both Catra and Adora to their deaths (in the Season 4 finale).
For the next season (counting season 2 and 3 as one) Catra and Adora are still closely linked, but as enemies. Still, there’s more than enough flirtation between them (that ‘Hey Catra’ in the first episode of Season 2 is something else), and especially on Adora’s side we see her hold back with Catra, and often take responsibility for the harm Catra inflicts, just like she had when they were kids. Yet they still drift apart - after facing off every other episode in Season 1, they spend less and less time on screen together through season 2 and 3. Catra continues her ascent to power and descent into villainy while Adora becomes more of a stressed out mess as she takes the fate of the world and the wellbeing of everyone she cares about on her admittedly broad shoulders. Catra’s one moment of vulnerability is rewarded by Shadow Weaver’s betrayal and her exile, then Catra triumphs in ruthless badass fashion through sheer desperation and aggression. In the Crimson Wastes, we see Catra at her most independent, and she almost seems happy. But once Adora shows up and Catra hears about Shadow Weaver, she’s sucked back into the worst of her resentments, and she makes very clear that being happy is less important to her than making sure Adora is miserable.
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This changes everything. Catra completely breaks with reality and tries to kill Adora, herself and the world rather than lose to Adora and Shadow Weaver (I do think it’s important to remember that she does that after Shadow Weaver nearly kills her). Catra betrays everyone around her when she exiles Entrapta, threatens Scopria and lies to Hordak. Then she flips the switch. When Adora tries to fix things, Catra fights to her own death to make sure that the world disintegrates with her. For her part, Adora fights first to understand what is wrong with the world and then to fix it. Finally she tells Catra that destroying the world is her choice and she has to live with it, decks her, and then sees her off with a death glare once the portal is closed. With this, Adora writes Catra off even if, as she says later, she never never hated her. By doing that, Adora casts off the guilt that had dogged her and takes responsibility for her own life rather than someone else’s - this is actually a huge step for her, and one that will become more important in Season 4.
Season 4 is in many ways the nadir of their relationship. They only see each other once during the entire season, in Fluterrina, when Adora tries to blast Catra, much to the latter’s shock. There’s a sense in that scene that Catra is trying to have the same flirtatious enmity she used to have with Adora, and Adora is having none of it. Catra almost seems hurt by this, which is an early hint at how isolated Catra is beginning to feel. Catra spends the rest of the season at her highest and lowest. On the one hand she spends most of 12 episodes winning by every standard she has ever claimed to care about, besting Hordak himself in single combat and making herself co-ruler of the Horde and coming within a day’s march of ending the Rebellion. In many ways it is the ultimate empowerment fantasy - the abused young woman has defeated her abusers, showed up everyone who doubted her and forced everyone to respect her. But I think it’s striking that the show starts with her and Adora dreaming of conquering the world together and in Season 4 Catra nearly succeeds in conquering it alone, almost like she was trying to live out her old shared fantasy while proving she didn’t need her former best friend. 
At the same time, Catra is clearly miserable. She’s always been unhappy, but in Season 4 we see her completely isolated and lying to herself and everyone who will listen in a desperate attempt to justify her actions. Turning the tactics of Hordak and Shadow Weaver against them to gain power and then against Scorpia and Entrapta to maintain it haven’t vindicated Catra, they’ve made her more and more alone as Entrapta is exiled and Scorpia drifts away. Meanwhile Catra reaches out to Double Trouble, and her interactions with them reek of a kind of desperate desire to have someone in her life (the feeling of their interaction is of an unhealthy casual relationship where one partner becomes emotionally invested and the other takes advantage of that while denying the other the closeness they desire). As people leave her, one after the other, it becomes clearer and clearer that Catra doesn’t want power at all - she wants connection, friendship, love, and power is a very poor replacement. As I said in my long Catra rant, Season 4 is both her ‘Walter White as a Catgirl’ season and the beginning of her redemption. Everything comes to head when Sparkles destroys everything Catra has tried to achieve, Double Trouble delivers those harsh truths and Horde Prime shows up and makes it all irrelevant, just highlighting how futile all her struggles and sacrifices and crimes have been.
Meanwhile Adora spends Season 4 becoming her own her and her own woman. After telling off Catra, she grows more and more disillusioned with Light Hope and critical of Glimmer (though the latter has more than a shade of her old habit of taking responsibility for others - Adora’s development is not linear). She’s gained the courage and confidence to strike out her own path, not just follow a destiny. At the season’s end she once again breaks with her best friend to do what is right, and discards the destiny that she was being prepared for. But in this case she isn’t chasing one packaged destiny for another, instead she’s making her own choice and literally shattering the thing that she thought gave her life purpose. It’s badass, and heartbreaking, and along with decking Catra and jumping after Catra into the abyss (see below) it’s the perfect Adora moment.
In many ways Season 5 starts with Catra and Adora farther apart than they have ever been. They aren’t even enemies anymore, they’re completely out of each other’s lives. And both Catra and Adora are lost at the beginning of Season 5 - Catra is useless and alone on Prime’s ship, completely defeated despite ostensibly being on the winning side, and she goes through the motions of her normal plotting without any particular conviction and none of her normal flair. Meanwhile Adora is even more miserable and self-destructive than usual, throwing herself at Horde Bots and working herself until she drops of exhaustion. In a very real way they both stay lost until they have a chance to help the other. Catra takes responsibility for what she’s done and what she can do, saves Glimmer (at least partly for Adora’s sake), apologizes to Adora, and sacrifices herself. Adora only seems to come alive when she decides to turn around, face Prime, and save the cat. And when she does, Catra and Adora’s arcs, which had separated so completely in season 4, come crashing back together to end the series.
Adora during Save the Cat is such a contrast with the uncertain, hesitant and self-destructive wreck we’ve seen so far in Season 5. This is possibly her craziest plan in 3 years of mostly cazy plans, but she never wavers or questions herself. Even when Chipped Catra appears and we see Adora’s heart break while we watch, Adora doesn’t back down or relent. She keeps at it even as the tears stream down her face. She fights better trying to save Catra without She-Ra’s powers than she fought at the Battle of Bright Moon with them. Catra’s just about as desperate - we see her cry and plead, and now is probably as good a time to any to point out how amazing a job both VAs did throughout the show, but especially in this episode, and how good a job the board artists did. 
Seeing each other for the first time in a year, and only the second time since Catra blew everything up, Catra and Adora are probably the rawest and least restrained we’ve ever seen them. There’s barely any banter, no bravado, and no pretense that they are anything other than two women who desperately need each other (Prime doesn’t help with ‘You broke my heart’.) Then Catra is flung to her death, Adora jumps after her, breaks both her legs in the fall (we see her crawl to Catra, as though she couldn’t walk) and becomes the real She-Ra. It’s such a triumphant and deeply queer moment seeing a woman transformed into a warrior goddess to protect the woman she loves, and it’s the reason that, as dark as it is, Save the Cat is my Comfort Food episode.
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Let’s not sleep on Taking Control, though. This episode is like a microcosm of what this show does best, especially the A plot with Catra and Adora. Catra’s reversion to lashing out at everyone and her refusal to be open to Adora shows just how much of a struggle this whole ‘being good and trying to connect to people’ thing is. Catra’s outburst gives Adora a chance to stand up for herself and refuse to be Catra’s punching bag, while also not trying to control her. Adora’s ultimatum gives Catra a chance to reach out to Adora (quite literally), and allow herself to be vulnerable. In this episode, we see just how far Catra and Adora have come since the messed up stew of their relationship in Season 1. Adora lets Catra be responsible for her own actions; Catra lets herself be vulnerable to Adora and takes responsibility for her actions. They’re both better people and better friends and better partners than they were, and the show has shown this in a strikingly nuanced and realistic way. 
The important thing to note in the next few episodes of Season 5 isn’t just how much closer Catra and Adora get to each other and how much they flirt (So much. So much, y’all) but just how -happy- they are. We see both of them transformed in the other’s presence. Basically, since they’ve parted, both Catra and Adora have been defined in no small part by how miserable they often are. They have both had their triumphs and their lighter moments, but there’s been a sense of melancholy dogging both Catra and Adora since episode 1. And now that they’re together again, that lifts, somewhat. Catra’s verbal barbs have lost their venom, and she can openly show how much she cares for Adora and even Bow and Glimmer. She’s still herself - snarky, cynical, somewhat devious - but she’s not engaged in a self-destructive zero-sum struggle with everyone around her. Meanwhile Adora has spent 4 seasons being a neurotic and sometimes nearly joyless mess who takes responsibility for everything and often doesn’t let herself enjoy anything other than the odd BFS group hug (exceptions include trying to uh...impress Huntara and reveling with the butterfly ladies of Elberron in Flutterina).  Around Catra, though, she’s a cocky, swaggering jock who gives as good as she gets. It’s a side of Adora we’ve only seen hints of before, and one that’s so much more confident and joyful even as the world is ending around her. Apart, Catra had tried to protect and vindicate herself with power and conquest, while Adora had tried to forget herself in duty and sacrifice. Together, they can be themselves again. This dynamic is crucial to the show’s portrayal of Catra and Adora’s romance because it doesn’t just show how much they love each other, but how they’re -good- for each other now that they’ve grown as people, and that they are so much better than they were when they were apart.
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Until Shadow Weaver shows up. Their old abuser reintroduces tensions but even then things are different than they were. Now Catra isn’t just resentful of how Shadow Weaver prefers Adora - she’s  protective of Adora, which is clearest in Failsafe when she calls Shadow Weaver out for being willing to sacrifice Adora. And while Adora takes the Failsafe, it isn’t to follow her destiny or because she has a death wish - it’s because she loves her friends, and she is the only one who has any hope of doing this and living (though Catra’s suggestion that Shadow Weaver take it is a good one). And finally, when Catra leaves Adora, it isn’t because she hates Adora, nor, despite what she says, is it because she really thinks that Adora chose Shadow Weaver. At least, not exactly. It’s because Catra loves Adora, and can admit that to herself, and can’t stay around and watch the woman she loves sacrifice herself rather than choosing Catra. Before Catra leaves, she asks Adora ‘What do you want?” It’s a question that echoes Shadow Weaver’s speech in Episode 1: ‘isn’t this what you always wanted since you could want anything?’ As much as Adora has grown as a person, and defined herself and stood up for what she thinks is right, she still has never answered that question - it’s never been ‘what do I want’ but ‘what do I have to do?’ and that’s how Adora answers Catra’s question. This is Adora’s last gasp as a self-transcending hero, letting go of what she wants (not that she ever dared articulate what that was) in order to do what must be done. And it nearly kills her and dooms the universe, because Adora can’t be the hero that she needs to be by being anyone less than herself.
But it’s losing Catra that inspires Adora to tell off Shadow Weaver for good (not that she’d ever really warmed to her after season 1). And it’s love for Adora that inspires Catra to stand up to Shadow Weaver and demand that she do the right thing. In both cases, Catra and Adora aren’t just standing up to their abuser, but holding her to account for the harm she’s caused, and it’s the love that they have for each other that inspires them to do this. In Catra’s case in particular her refusal to let Shadow Weaver weasel out of finding Adora is a much greater triumph over Shadow Weaver than beating her up and breaking her mask in Season 1 - it’s proof not so much to Shadow Weaver but to Catra herself that Catra really is better than this and that she deserves better than this. It’s not turning her abuser’s tactics against her, but truly holding her to a moral standard and demanding that she do the right thing.
And then there’s Catra and Adora together at the heart. Catra has already come back for Adora and stayed to the end, choosing to die with her even if she can’t share a life together (not out of some death wish, but because Adora needs her). And Adora, who’s been avoiding answering the question for three fucking years, finally let’s herself want Catra when Catra finally confesses her love (breaking the last of her self-protective shields) and asks Adora to stay -for her-. And by admitting what she wants, Adora can truly be at peace with herself and be the hero she needs to be, lesbianism saves the universe, The End.
So anyway, that’s how Catra and Adora’s stories are woven together and how they compliment and comment on each other. Narrativiely, Adora and Catra start together, come apart, find something of themselves, and truly find themselves and each other when they are reunited. Thematically, they are critiquing seemingly opposing narrative tropes - empowerment narratives and narratives of self sacrifice. But by showing the flaws in both types of story and showing how neither self-seeking empowerment nor self-negating self sacrifice can actually make us happy, She-Ra asks and answers more profound questions than most prestige dramas for adults do. I’ll get into how the show sells the idea that the power of love can bring us happiness (and save the world) in a future post. But next up, I’m going to celebrate just how much Catra and Adora’s relationship revels in ambiguity, complexity and contradiction and so tells a grown up love story in a kid’s show.
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philipkindreddickhead · 4 years ago
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I often seen critiques of make up from an existential/philosophical perspective, but I rarely see criticism of cosmetics from a stand point of the very physical bodily harm it does. I think this is because the number of dangerous ingredients is so massive, and overlapping its an absolutely daunting task. So I've compiled the information I've found and bear with me its a lot. (This is from an American perspective. Sorry, thats what I know. However I would love it if people from other countries had things to add.)
First I want to get the "simple" stuff out of the way. I think almost everyone has heard about bacteria and fungi in makeup and that makeup causes acne from clogging pores. Makeup has a pretty strict shelf life, yet consumers are entirely supposed to self-police as Ive never seen a single expiration date on any cosmetic packaging. (I guess consumers are meant to pull this knowledge out of the ether or something. I only found out about it in a tumblr PSA. I did read that expirys are on products in Europe.) Beauty blenders are the worst offender because theyre almost always moist. When I was taught makeup I was told to wet my sponge so it would soak up less product. If you apply makeup daily your sponge is likely constantly damp. USA Today had an article which said that 96% of sponges had fungi and over 60% had E. Coli in them. But I think what people talk about less is the complication of problems from using other products in conjunction with dirty beauty blenders. USA Today warns its especially dangerous to use beauty blenders if you have damage to your skin like acne, cuts, or dry skin. However the most popular beauty products for washing your face contain walnut pieces for literally scrubbing your skin and creating microabrasions. If youre a frequent makeup user you probably know about the cyclical nature of applying foundation, breaking out, and then applying more foundation to cover the breakout. You may even be using scrubbing cleansers more frequently to combat the acne creating more tears. This can lead to "blood poisoning" and, though neither USA today or Forbes mentions this, blood poisoning (not a medical term btw. Its sepsis.) according to numerous medical sites has the potential to be extremely lethal. The symptoms are so similar to a regular flu its nearly impossible to self-diagnose.
The very first thing I was told when a friend handed me a jar of finishing powder- popular with many beauty gurus for the "baking" technique and considered a must have- was a joke about "clown lung." This was a reference to the main ingredient talc. Talc causes lung problems including cancer and respiratory illness. If anyone remembers the large Johnson and Johnson lawsuit from 2019 it was because theyd been putting talc into baby powder. Talc is dangerous because it's impossible to mine and seperate from ASBESTOS. Some high-end finishing powders will try to sell you on safe talc-free formulas but all the products I looked into contained mica instead which causes pneumoconiosis, colloquially known as "black lung disease." Like fucking coal miners get. Its not just present in finishing powder either. In my research it turned out that talc/asbestos are also present in many eyeshadows and other powder products. [Googleable, evidenced in J&J lawsuit]
Another industry to examine is nail salons. Toluene, Formaldehyde, Dibutyl Phthalate, and Methacrylate compounds are all dangerous ingredients and present in various salon products. These ingredients cause a range of problems from dizziness, drowsiness, birth defects, slow fetal growth, future intellectual disabilities in the fetus, eye skin and throat irritation, coughing, allergic reactions, asthma-like attacks, short-term memory loss, nausea, dermatitis, cancer, and misscarriage. Some nail products advertise that they are 3-free meaning that toluene, formaldehyde, and DP should be absent but often the labels are found to be completely inaccurate. It should be noted that the risk is mainly to salon workers and not patrons but ask yourself if it is right to place other people at serious risk for your aesthetic. OSHA does make an attempt to mitigate these risks however not once in my years of makeup queen did I see a salon following these directives which include constant air monitoring, half mask respirators with chemical cartridges, gloves, long sleeves, and safety glasses. (And Im not even going to touch issues of human trafficking/slave labour out of nail salons one case of which occured 5 days ago two hours away from me) It should also be noted that formaldehyde can also be found in hair relaxers and hair dyes. [Found articles in Scientific American and NYT]
I also found on the FDAs website that many cosmetics include heavy metals like arsenic, mercury, and lead. (Usually accompainied by a picture of lipstick so I assume that is the product most likely to contain it, however campaign for safe cosmetics lists foundation as containing heavy metals, and The Guardian has an article about skin lighteners from Asia and Africa containing mercury.) The website stated that the amount of these heavy metals in cosmetics is "safe" if used as intended. (and I'm going to come back to the concept of "intended use" later because thats a can of worms too) However, when searching for info on heavy metal safety I found this quote in regards to metals in food:
"Certain metals, such as arsenic, lead and mercury, have no established health benefit, and have been shown to lead to illness, impairment, and in high doses, death. Understanding the risk that harmful metals pose in our food supply is complicated by the fact that no single food source accounts for most people’s exposure to metals in foods. People’s exposure comes from many different foods containing these metals. Combining all of the foods we eat, even low levels of harmful metals from individual food sources, can sometimes add up to a level of concern"
So like, which is it? Is it a "safe amount" or is no amount of metal safe? I understand that in the case of certain foods like fish some amount of mercury poisoning is always expected but fish is also something you feed yourself and nourish your body with while cosmetics are completely unecessary to your survival. The mercury problem in fish is also mitigated by health warnings when mercury levels are particularly high but cosmetics have no such warning. Another warning on the site indicated that children should ingest NO amount of lead AT ALL because it is particularly harmful for kids yet theres no effort to stop children from using lead-containing cosmetics. I worked next to a Five Below where I was shocked to find they sold Jeffree Star and Anastasia eyeshadow dupes for five dollars which amounts to fucking pocket change for a lot of kids and kids do buy that stuff. I also think its ironic the FDA would have anything to say regarding cosmetics because in the very same article about heavy metals in cosmetics the FDA says that they DO NOT REGULATE cosmetics beyond the color additives.
Mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, and brow tint often contain carbon black. This is a color additive that is an incomplete combustion of carbon-based products. It can cause lung disease, cancer, and organ system toxicity, and eye, nose, throat irritation. The effects are mainly studied in rats and those at biggest risk are industrial workers but why do other workers have to endure lung problems for something so unecessary? [Easily googleable, NIH, CDC, WHO Europe]
This next bit I only want to mention briefly because I didnt find any particularly reputable sources about it, but its a claim that cropped up repeatedly and I think its an interesting one. Parabens, estrogen, phthalates (again), and pesticides in cosmetics are apparently linked to endocrine disorders and hormone dysregulation. Im not entirely sure what is meant by this accusation. Endocrine disorders include female diseases like PCOS and possibly endometriosis. None of these diseases is very well studied and the female endocrine system itself is not well studied either. Im not saying "cosmetics cause PCOS" because we dont know if PCOS or these other endocrine/hormonal disorders are genetic or environmental or both (it appears that PCOS is largely genetic and Endometriosis is likely autoimmune related) AND we dont appear to know for sure that cosmetic ingredients cause endocrine disorder. But I include anyway for a number of reasons:
If you happen to struggle with hormonal problems you may want to know cosmetics is a potential environment factor.
These conditions are incredibly painful. It will be a battle getting your doctor to even acknowledge that pain for diagnosis. PCOS is linked to diabetes, and heart disease. [Thanks @mother-of-pearl ] There is no cure and the treatments are often throwing hormonal birth control at it and hoping for the best.
I dont anticipate the link between cosmetics and endocrine disorders being studied any time soon or any endocrine disorders studied at all because the medical/scientific field is sexist. I dont want women to suffer in the mean time.
Now again, take this with a grain of salt because I couldnt find scientific or news sources for it. Dont fucking come for me. Im not gonna respond to you. [Most reputable source was a paper from the library of medicine at the national institutes of health but it was behind a paywall and I dont have 39 dollars to be right on tumblrdotcom]
Avoiding these ingredients is not as simple as scanning the label for them. As many beautubers and the community are no doubt aware considering multiple scandals over veganism. Products advertised as vegan or cruelty free but contain non-vegan carmine or are sold in China which legally requires the products to be animal tested. Cosmetic companies will hide ingredients claiming they are "trade secrets" or they will be placed under "fragrance." Many ingredients will be known by six or seven different names and asking consumers to be aware of seven different names for multiple ingredients requires consumers to be aware of innumerable different, often complicated ingredient names. I shouldnt have to point out that's a ridiculous burden to place on women. The EU banned 1,300 hazardous ingredients that the US did not. Cosmetic companies rely on women being unwilling/unable to bring in a list of 1,300 ingredients- with multiple names- every time they pop in to the drug store, sephora, or wherever. Buying "natural" products will not help you either. Theres no established criteria for natural/organic in costmetics, the FDA doesnt test these products, and "natural"=/= safe anyway. Plenty of plants and minerals are poisonous. One good example is traditional kohl products which advertise their natural status but also naturally contain lead and reiterating that natural powders contain mica. US courts are rarely on the side of consumers either. I found an interesting lawsuit against St. Ives for their apricot scrub taken to court for their "dermatologist tested" label despite it causing breakouts and cuts to the skin. The courts ruled that this label was fine because it only indicated that the product was TESTED not APPROVED by dermatologists. However I think any rational consumer would look at this label and assume the tests concluded it was safe for use or else why put the label on there?
[Googlable XMONDO drama, googlable laws wrt china and eu, already stated about FDA, FDA website about Kohl. Googled St. Ives lawsuit.]
I want to return to the idea of "intended use." This is sort of a fucky concept a lot of companies have ways of getting around. My "last straw" with makeup had to do with a run-in I had with Anastasia over their "Riviera" eyeshadow palette. In this pallette they had two colors that were the real feature of the palette, an electric neon purple and a radioactive pink I mean every photo, every promotion has these two colors swirled together around the eye. Because again, its an eyeshadow palette. When I buy the eyeshadow palette of course there's a little insert warning in the package that says these two shades are not intended on the eye area. In an eyeshadow palette. Contacting their customer service they told me that these two shades were meant to be used as a blush. neon purple blush. Not only that, but their website and instagram featured NO models wearing the shades as blush while EVERY model one or more of the shades as eyeshadow. When asked about this discrepancy ABH stopped responding. What I find egregious about this is the amount of people who dont know, and then more staggeringly; dont care. The sephora clerks didnt know, the in store abh representative didnt know, their customers didnt know, and when I told them they would respond with "oh, [brand] did the same thing with their [shade]." Sure enough, when I demanded that store clerks open the packaging to look for warnings nearly every product had an "eyeshadow" that was not intended for use on the eyes. Relegating dark, red-toned teal to "contour" and neon grean to "highlighter" US-based cosmetic junkies will say that these pigments have been approved for use by the EU however I found absolutely NO evidence of that. I googled it a thousand ways but all I ever found were blog posts, reddit comments, and one quote from an apparently nonEuropean layman in an Insider article. I even changed my location to France on ABH's website and the Norvina palette still contains the same warnings (not to harp on ABH in particular. I just know which shades in particular are the problem there). The Insider article noted that brands who were selling pressed pigments declined to comment. If the pressed pigments were EU friendly, I would think companies would be clamouring to say so. It also still makes their market as eyeshadow colors illegal in the US. (If any Europeans would like to chime in I'd love that.) Another problem I find with cosmetics companies and their reps is the claim that the worst thing that could happen is eye irritation for those with sensitive eyes and staining. How could they possibly know? The FDA doesnt test, or approve these cosmetics in the eye area, so ostensibly no one should be using it that way.
The next one is a bit of a "duh" but I'm going to talk about it anyway. Counterfeit cosmetics are a booming market full of untold dangers. Untold primarily because these products could contain literally anything. Ive read about glue, arsenic, lead, feces, staph, and horse urine to name a few. The labels and ingredient list on these products are fake. Legitimate brands often unintentionally play into the counterfeit market. They create artificial scarcity by making less of the product than is actually needed for consumer demand to create an even higher demand. If consumers miss out often their only chance at getting the product is to turn to counterfeits. I found examples of women who had their lips superglued, lips "turned to goo" and burned to blistering, throat closures, women with stys, contact dermatitis, eye infections. I think we as a society turn a blind eye to this problem because we think "hey, if youre buying counterfeits for a discount and you get hurt you deserve it." We imagine idiots buying products for 4 dollars from ebay or perusing Canal street for FEИTY beauty. But these counterfeits can be really convincing. I myself received a gift of a huda palette that I only recognized something was weird about it because I'd swatched it at sephora about five times earlier that month. The person who bought it for me actually paid MORE than the usual cost for the palette because it was advertised as a newer, better edition. The websites can be disturbingly similar. For instance Kylie Jenner's legitimate website is KylieCosmetics.com but you can find fakes at kyliecosmeticsshop.co.uk. These fakes can buy ad space and be one of the first sites that populate when you google the products instead of typing the legitimate site into the address bar. Counterfeits can also be bought and sold through third parties on websites like ebay, wish, and amazon. (My gift actually came from Amazon.)
[Netflix doc "Broken" ep "Makeup Mayhem" Corroborated by personal experience and google]
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correctdangerousfellows · 3 years ago
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Hiii! Thank you for keeping this fandom alive! I hope you're feeling better now, get well soon!
I wanted to request hcs about watching horror movie with the boys but the reader is not scared at all, they're just vibing
You don't have to write it if you don't like the request or if you don't feel good enough 💞💞💞
a/n: hi!! you’re so sweet, thank you! i’m sorry for putting off this request for so long, i wanted to recover first, so if you’re still following my blog here it is! thank you so much for your kind words and i hope you enjoy!
ethan
- it wasn’t actually planned to watch a horror movie at first, but when you and ethan got to the theatres you realized that the movie that u guys planned to watch had actually just sold out of seats
- and ethan was kind of bummed over it bc he was looking forward to a movie date with u but he got over it quickly, and offered u to choose one instead
- u took a peak at the movie posters nearby and saw one that caught ur eye and you were like. that one.
- he doesn’t really think much of it honestly he’s like “okay! whatever u say” cos let’s be honest he just wants to spend time w u he didn’t come for the movie he don’t care
- so when you guys finally took ur seats and started watching, ethan didn’t know what to expect at all so when the jumpscare came he jolted in his seat and was like WHAT THE FUCK
- he turns to u, expecting u to have the same reaction, but u just kept watching??? not even bothering to look his way LMAOOO
- so ethan’s kind of surprised but he’s proud!! he has a s/o that doesn’t get scared easily what a badass
- after that first jumpscare he relaxes back into his chair and all the scary scenes that happened afterwards he glances at you (and u still had no reaction) n he can’t help but feel at awe at how both invested and nonchalant u were at the movie bc it had ethan lowkey shaking in his seat LOL
- when the movie finished u were talking about just how good the movie was while u guys walked home, and ethan was like ,,,hey that didn’t scare you at all? and you replied “ofc not, i don’t get scared by horror movies!” while beaming at him
- and u look good as fuck smiling so ethan feels his face grow warm n ykw he’s happy he learned something new about u
- also he’s lowkey impressed so W. he now has an additional excuse to bring u on more dates
harry
- horror movies don’t scare this boy but he isn’t the biggest fan of them either
- so when you guys were crashing at harry’s house, u decided to watch a movie and harry’s fine with it bc he’s with u :D
- and there was a new movie trending in the program he uses to watch movies n it interested u so u asked if he could watch it with u
- harry’s whipped so obviously he says to go ahead
- like ethan, he doesn’t know what to expect at first but harry quickly realized it was a horror movie about 1/3 into the story
- he nudges u and tells u that it was going to be a horror movie (he wasn’t sure if u were into that sort of stuff) he’s surprised when u reassure him that it’s fine
- like said before he’s not a huge fan of horror movies even tho he could handle them as well u can, so he huddles next to u and wraps a large blanket around the two of u with a bowl of snacks
- u guys just relax the entire time bc no matter how terrifying the movie got harry’s warmth was such an overwhelming, comfortable presence so it didn’t matter at all
- after the movie ended, u guys got way too comfortable and u both really didn’t want to move, so it ended up as a horror movie binge night with you sitting on his lap, arms wrapped around ur waist with the blanket wrapped around harry’s head as u two continued to invest urselves in the movie
- drifted off to sleep at around 5 am fucked up sleep schedule gang wya
- horror movies would usually induce nightmares or sleepless nights, but u guys slept peacefully with a good dream that night (or morning, since the sun was basically rising by the times u guys slept lol)
zion
- sneaky lil shit
- zion thinks he’s slick because u know the basic “watch a horror movie with ur s/o, it’s so cute when they burrow into your arms so they feel like they’re protected!!!”
- and he thinks he’s a genius so he invites u over to his place to watch one of the more scarier movies
- he’s a “gentleman” somewhat so he chooses a more tame movie, like one with just one or two jumpscares
- you both were huddled in front of the television screen and zion kept touching shoulders with u and making snarky remarks like “huh y/n u scared yet? i bet ur scared >:)”
- however, he underestimated the horror movie’s scary level so when the first jumpscare came around he’s caught off guard
- expected u to hug his waist or something in reaction but he’s genuinely surprised when u just kept watching on like it was nothing
- after the movie ends, you said “damn that was it?? zion i expected more i thought u were going to show me a scary movie!!”
- tbh all zion hears is more time with u so he’s like BET and chooses the next few horror movies that were on and doesn’t even bother to watch them, he’s just staring at u intensely to see if u have any reaction
- there wasn’t
- he was pretty sad that his plan to get u into his arms failed but he takes pride in having a s/o that can watch scary stuff with ease
- also he’s a huge fan of horror themes so now there is a golden opportunity to now have u play scary games with him if ur interested of course
- secretly praising himself for inviting u to watch horror movies bc now he gets to share his hobbies with u!!!
- but zion is extremely easy to read so u already figured out his secret plan all along
- “just ask me to cUDDLE WITH U LIKE A NORMAL PERSON U IDIOT”
- “YOU FIGURED IT OUT???”
eugene
- you were actually the one who suggested watching a horror movie with him
- you guys took a trip to the theatres but none of u guys had anything particular in mind which was like mind boggling to eugene cos he was like WAIT,,, I THOUGHT WE CAME HERE BC U KNEW WHAT TO WATCH and u were like NO WAY ME TOO ???
- so obviously there was some improvisation and u did the suggestion
- and eugene’s like “pfffft u think u can handle a scary movie??”
- he’s not easily scared tho, he has the “well it’s just a movie, it can’t hurt me” mindset so he doesn’t mind watching a horror movie at all
- he’s more concerned about you honestly, but yk him he’s not gonna say it out loud >:( tsundere looking ass
- and obv since none of u guys minded u went ahead and seated ourselves in the movies
- eugene’s relaxed and all,,, but he does get quite jumpy whenever an unexpected scene happens
- so when they rolled around he made an audible gasp and glanced at u immediately
- u were already looking at him with an amused face bc ur normally tsundere bf just got jumpscared LOOOL
- eugene doesn’t really care if u were or weren’t scared by the movies
- but eugene was like WOWWWWWW Y/N I SEE HOW IT IS when he saw u laughing at him
- watched the rest of the movie with him sulking but u did hold his hand after tho (begrudgingly LOL)
- was jokingly mad at you but after the movie ends, he presses a kiss to your cheek and asked if u wanted to watch another in the theatres after u guys refilled ur snacks
lawrence
- honestly, his thought process was the exact same as zion’s
- lawrence enjoys having u in his arms while ur vulnerable bc he likes the idea of being ur protector
- he’s far far more discreet about it and purposefully leads u to watch a movie with him, and chooses a movie with an innocent looking poster so u wouldn’t see what was coming >:D
- he thinks your innocence is adorable so he’s super eager to show u a scary movie
- lawrence already knows what’s going to happen in the movie so he’s super prepared and he’s honestly only staring at you
- but when u were just there relaxing and calmly watching the movie with some people getting bludgeoned or something lawrence was like,, “this isn’t part of the plan HOLD UP”
- kind of disappointed that there wasn’t any reaction but you guys made it up afterwards because when u exited the movie theater with your arm around his, you were excitedly talking about the entire thing and you said something like “lawrence!!! i didn’t know you were into horror movies, you picked such a good one!”
- his disappointment washes off immediately because seeing your face light up was so cute and it was 100% more worth it than some cheap tactic ironic lawrence
- he nuzzles your hair and replies that he’d knew that u’d like it (he did not)
- lawrence comes up with like,,, 294713 more plans to get cuddles from u after
- but you see through it bc he’s cute when he’s needy so let it slide plsplspls and give my favorite psycho some love <3
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wuyongying · 2 years ago
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Nancy Pelosi's husband just invested millions into NVIDIA and sold large amounts of Visa and Apple stocks and call options
Nancy Pelosi's husband just invested millions into NVIDIA and sold large amounts of Visa and Apple stocks and call options© Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images
Speaker Nancy Pelosi reported three new stock and stock option trades made by her husband, Paul Pelosi, in June 2022.
Paul Pelosi's trades involve Apple, Visa, and NVIDIA.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, exercised millions of dollars in NVIDIA call options and sold large quantities of Apple and Visa options and shares in late June, according to a new congressional financial disclosure.
Paul Pelosi exercised 200 call options, or 20,000 shares, of NVIDIA worth between $1 million and $5 million, according to the disclosure, which Nancy Pelosi filed Thursday with the House of Representatives.
Paul Pelosi also sold 10,000 shares of Visa worth between $1 million and $5 million and sold 50 call options in Apple valued between $100,000 and $250,000.
The speaker's husband's trades come at a time when Congress is debating whether its members and their spouses should even be allowed to buy, sell, and hold individual stocks at all.
Pelosi herself initially pushed back against the idea.
"We are a free-market economy," Speaker Pelosi said. "They should be able to participate in that."
Pelosi ultimately acquiesced after strong criticism from members of Congress and the general public. She allowed bipartisan groups of lawmakers to draft bills and hold a public hearing.
"I've said to the House Administration Committee, review all the bills that are coming in and see which ones — where the support is in our caucus," Pelosi said. "If members want to do that, I'm okay with that."
Lawmakers are currently deliberating on several congressional stock-trade bills. No vote on any of the bills has yet been scheduled.
Insider's "Conflicted Congress" project, in addition to work from other outlets, identified 65 members of Congress — both Democrats and Republicans — who violated an insider trading and conflicts-of-interest law, the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012, also known as the STOCK Act.
While Pelosi herself does not trade stocks, her husband Paul Pelosi is a frequent investor. Insider collected each of Paul Pelosi's trades that the speaker reported in 2021 and 2022. Many of his trades appear to be worth millions — an Insider analysis from 2021 found that the speaker is ranked as the 14th wealthiest member of Congress with an estimated net worth of at least $46,123,051.
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