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thatboomerkid · 4 years

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RIFT

RIFT is an obscure Discipline -- rare in the extreme, born of anguish & remorse, sharpened through tear-streaked centuries of nightly struggle against the most obscene appetites -- that allows practitioners of its weird, flagellant art-form to coalesce their Beast into a quasi-living, sentient Umbral Realm bound eternally to their shadow: a sprawling, labyrinthine nightmare-dimension.

Through this monstrous realm, the Damned may walk.

And in this place, other things -- ancient things, titanic, hungry and inhuman -- soar corpse-pale skies lit by rotting, pulsating black stars, and dive through creaking forests of twisted-iron atrocity rising from endless oceans of blood.

Rift is an updated Discipline designed for use with Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition, inspired by content from A World of Darkness (First Edition, 1992).

Brought to you absolutely free to enjoy, to test & to share – as always – by the fine folks of my Patreon.

If you enjoy this content and would like to see more dark, modern horror game-material by the author, the Bloodlines & Black Magic Kickstarter is going on right now.

Hugest of thanks to John Miętus for his invaluable editing-assistance and development during the creation of this fan-content.

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HISTORY

In the long black centuries between the rise of the Baali from their cursed organ-pit and the ascendance of House Tremere to majestic undeath, it is known that Saulot performed innumerable private pilgrimages to far-flung, moonlit realms in an eternal, fruitless search for the enlightened state whispered of as Golconda.

Some occult scholars claim that, in desperation, the Antediluvian sat silently for several decades at the feet of Shinbutsu-shūgō masters, wreathed in holy incense, the toll of tsurigane and a coil of unending thirst: contemplating the infinite sins of his undying lineage, reflecting upon his Heaven-ordained duty to his Progenitor and seeking to divest himself of all worldly attachment.

If so, it is possible that his incalculable and fathomless meditations produced the first echo of what would come to be known in later millennia as Rift.

Whether this is truth or mere fabrication, students of esoteric history trace the first known demonstrations of the Rift Discipline to a nomadic brood of Malkavians calling themselves ‘Gaki’ -- or ‘Hungry Ghosts’ -- who hunted the Silk Road during the 8th century. These wandering, blood-drenched emperors of jade & dust claim to have been taught the technique by a wandering Far-Eastern mystic who bore a shining third eye upon his brow & spoke in koan-like riddles about the Ten-Thousand Hells awaiting the Children of Caine.

The Gaki Bloodline

Rumors persist that a true bloodline of Malkavians -- or Malkavian Antitribu -- eventually emerged from among the far-wandering Gaki coteries, and that the eerie bloodline persists into the modern nights; a minority of Gehenna researchers claim that a cabal of such creatures were active in Tokyo as recently as the 1970s, drifting silently through the long, smog-shrouded neon shadows of that vast metropolis in search of fresh-spilt blood.

If there is any truth to these claims, those of the Gaki Bloodline suffer the full Derangement weakness of their parent clan; in addition, their perceptions are twisted by their hunger: when a Gaki is down to a number of Blood Points lower than her Humanity or Path rating, her world fades into a sinister & ghostly sea of potential victims, immediate physical threats, drifting fog and the whispers of the kumonosu. During this time, she is unable to focus on any other input -- such as traffic lights, the distant sound of gunfire or whether she’s standing in an apartment, on the street or in a fetish-club -- unless she expends a point of Willpower to shake off the unreal cloak of her hallucinations for the remainder of the scene.

The Gaki possess the Bloodline Disciplines of Auspex, Obfuscate and Rift.

Elder members of the Bloodline are known to have traded extensively in ancient nights with far-voyaging Gangrel of the Silk Road, and often possess some combination of Animalism (for use in controlling the Beast), Fortitude (for use in surviving botched Courage rolls when evoking Rift) and Protean (for general use in traveling the winding paths of the world in safety).

Since that time, the Discipline has vanished and resurfaced repeatedly, passed from master to apprentice; in these Final Nights, it is as likely to be practiced by a Nosferatu neonate dwelling in the gutters beneath a methadone clinic as it is to be wielded by a salon of elder Toreador Antitrubu who make an art of their own grandiose self-destruction.

The technique is very quietly forbidden within the Camarilla, as a pair of recurring themes amongst those who practice the art-form are a fondness for Diablerie and a penchant for experimentation in Dark Thaumaturgy ... although knowledge of the art is also -- somewhat surprisingly -- kept in secret among several coteries of particularly puritanical Josian devil-hunters.

REQUIREMENTS

Rift may only be taught by another, more-experienced master of the art-form. It cannot be learned from demons, spirits or other non-Kindred tutors. It cannot be gained at Character Creation nor selected as a Caitiff Discipline or Additional Discipline (pg. 494) unless explicitly approved by the Storyteller.

Once a Kindred has a greater number of dots in Rift than she possesses in any other Discipline, she may thereafter instruct herself in the Discipline through meditation; after this time, she no longer requires a tutor.

A Kindred may only possess a total score in Rift equal to one half the total number of points of Humanity she has lost since her Embrace.

Thus, a Kindred may not gain her first dot of Rift until she has lost at least 2 points of Humanity. If she wishes to gain a second dot in Rift, she must have lost at least 4 points in Humanity.

An elder who wishes to gain her sixth dot in Rift must, therefore, have lost at least 12 points in Humanity over her long, blood-splattered unlife.

In addition, upon gaining her first dot in Rift, the practitioner of this art gains the Nightmares Flaw (pg 485). She gains no bonus points of any kind for accepting this Flaw. If she already possesses Nightmares, the novice practitioner of Rift must instead select another Mental Flaw -- such as Deep Sleeper or Lunacy -- as deemed appropriate by the Storyteller, representative of her new reality: each time she slumbers, she is pulled deep into her own Rift to experience the most grotesque of tortures at the hands of her Beast ... and all its victims.

Note that proficiency in Rift is in no way dependent upon a vampire’s current Humanity total: a vampire with a Humanity of 10 could freely learn & utilize five full dots worth of Rift, so long as she had lost at least 10 points of Humanity at some point in her past.

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PHILOSOPHY

Rift is, fundamentally, about grief & regret.

It is about falling into the Abyss. It is about witnessing yourself lose the grand, shadow-draped chess-match against your own ravening Beast in a slow, ugly war of attrition. It is about shame, sorrow & self-reproach. It is about confronting your own subconscious desire to be punished for your sins, watering this garden with blood, and allowing the tangled forest of self-hatred to grow wild, dark & unchecked. It is about accepting one’s own damnation and the personal hell that comes with it, facing-down your worst fear wrought in a storm of ash & flame, and dying -- torn into a thousand screaming fragments -- over and over and over again.

It is about what awaits you in the dark, whether at the end of another blood-slick night of terror or at the final, jagged end of a squandered immortality.

On the surface, of course, Rift is about bridging the world of flesh to the nightmare realm, dancing along the weirding way between them with a twist of will & blood, flaunting the crude, limited physics of this concrete universe.

And, up to a point, it is that as well.

For these reasons, tutoring a potential student in Rift is prohibitively difficult.

For one, it is near-impossible for an instructor to gauge how much torment their would-be apprentice has already endured. Has this supplicant to the power you wield already begun to feel her soul & sanity crumble, crawling her way back up with broken fingers from the awful precipice of the gaping, blood-slick pit?

Or is she a mere pretender to such evil?

If she has not yet begun to grow her own Rift & populate the personal hell that she will soon steal-into like a thief, how do you tell an apprentice “go now, and commit atrocities, that you might regret them later?”

How do you remind her that the Beast is ever hungry, that it feasts with cold delight in the deep blackness upon those who would seek to dance around it?

Most Kindred simply do not possess the temperament to master Rift, and it is all but unknown among those who walk a Path of Enlightenment.

SYSTEM

Much like Obfuscate, Rift requires no expenditure of Vitae to activate its power. It requires concentration and cannot be used in Frenzy.

In addition, it is -- in theory -- quite a subtle power, with few obvious effects visible to the outside observer.

Any use of Rift automatically causes all mundane and electronic recording equipment within line of sight of the practitioner to glitch-out for a split-second; a video-camera cannot capture an image of hell by training on the Damned, instead recording only a few frames of static & distortion.

However, a practitioner of the Discipline must always first attempt a Courage roll whenever she channels the nightmare of her own private damnation; attempting this roll does not require an action, and the Difficulty of this roll is always equal to 4 + the level of the Discipline power to be activated.

DECLARING INTENT

Whenever a Damned chooses to activate any ability of the Rift discipline, she must specify exactly what level of the Discipline she intends to use. She cannot, for example, activate Step Upon the Nightmare Bridge and then -- once within her Rift -- decide to activate Dance of Unstable Nightmares unless she immediately attempts an additional Courage roll.

If this roll is unsuccessful, one of the following three things occurs:

the ability fails, as the Damned -- at the last moment -- draws back in terror from the eternity of suffering she has built for herself, brick by blazing & razor-wreathed brick.

the Damned may expend a point of Willpower, forcing open the gateway between worlds through sheer desperation.

the roll is a Botch, which has special rules noted below.

If the practitioner chooses to force the power of her Rift upon the unsuspecting world in this way, the effects of her Discipline are Obscene, as noted below.

A practitioner of Rift may always choose to voluntarily fail her Courage roll (no roll required), expend her Willpower and unleash her Rift in a wave of Obscenity, if she so desires.

If the Courage roll is Botched, the practitioner is consumed in a wave of horror & nightmare-flame emanating from the Rift bound to her. This deals a number of levels of Aggravated damage equal to the level of the Discipline power to be activated.

This damage may be soaked as normal (via Fortitude).

This damage is additionally reduced by one level for each religious item or icon the Damned carries; these items are destroyed utterly when the raw power of her unleashed Rift tears through her: silver crosses are deformed into unrecognizable twists of tarnish & rust, wooden prayer-beads blaze for a single moment with unholy fire before being reduced to greasy ash, and earrings emblazoned with the Sacred Heart shatter into splinters of smoking ruin with a bitter scream and a waft of brimstone.

The Damned may carry a total number of such items or icons equal to her Humanity score. These items must be worn or carried for at least 24 hours before they may be sacrificed in this way.

Note that religious items carried by the practitioner of Rift must match the faith (if any) of the Damned: atheist Kindred cannot benefit from them at all, and most creatures cannot gain the benefits of both a Star of David and a Holy Rosary at the same time.

Members of the Gaki Bloodline, famously, were the exception to that rule: true Universal Polytheists, they adorned themselves with sacred items from every culture they encountered, practicing as many good-luck & purification rituals as they could learn in an eternal mania to ward-off evil.

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LEVEL ONE:

Echo of Hells: Upon activating this technique, the practitioner of Rift chooses any one creature who likewise suffers the hunger of an undying Beast; she may communicate silently with that individual for the remainder of the scene.

This creature must be within line-of-sight to the Damned for contact to be established (but see below).

All attempts to communicate with this creature are automatically successful unless the other Damned chooses to block such contact; a Howl of the Devil-Tiger Kuei-jin who speaks only Early Middle Japanese may choose to ignore the alien whispers of a Western undead channeling the screams of her Rift, but their communication otherwise surpasses all language barriers.

If the Damned chooses to communicate with a fellow practitioner of the Rift Discipline who is known intimately to her, this communication may be performed over any distance; she must know the name, face, scent, touch and taste of her partner before communication may be joined in this way.

This technique, at the Storyteller’s discretion, may be used to communicate with creatures including ghouls, as they are subject to Frenzy, as well as Black Spiral Dancers, Nephandi, Formori and Risen but it cannot -- for the most part -- otherwise be used to communicate with mortals.

Obscene: If this technique is unleashed as Obscene, all creatures within ten feet of the chosen target hear a cacophony of discordant & hideous whispers emanating from the target for as long as your communication lasts.

Unlike more potent gifts of this Discipline, mere exposure to this technique is not enough to harm flesh.

LEVEL TWO:

Unveil Damnation: By use of this technique, the practitioner of Rift may draw another into her shadow-realm of eternal agony, if only for a moment, forcing her target to bear witness to the vampire’s private hell ... and to endure, for the space of a mortal heartbeat, its myriad torments.

This is a fully-immersive psychic onslaught: the victim cannot avoid this experience by averting her eyes, nor by covering her ears and screaming, although many creatures will instinctively attempt to do so.

ON THE TEN-THOUSAND HELLS

It is known that each Rift opens upon a different realm of perfect suffering, each uniquely tailored by the Beast of the Damned to accentuate the fear, shame, violence, frustration, guilt, trauma and horror they have endured ... and perpetuated, returned onto them a thousand-fold.

Before a player may gain any levels in the Rift Discipline, she must be able to describe to her Storyteller the basic nature of her particular damnation: one might be a breathtakingly beautiful rain-drenched forest, with a different victim of the Damned crucified upon each tree, through which she is chased in nightmare by the flaming corpses of all those she has Diablerized; another Rift might open into an endless, boiling desert of black sand, pillars of salt, coils of rusted razor-wire and pits of jagged glass shards, watched-over eternally by seven hateful, cataract bio-luminescent spheres roiling across the bruise-colored sky in a chorus of screams.

A Storyteller should work closely with her player to help detail this realm, drawing from the character’s misdeeds, phobias and failures.

This ability functions identically to the Level 2 Presence ability Dread Gaze (see page 194) with the following adjustments:

The Damned rolls Perception + Awareness to determine her success with this ability rather than Charisma + Intimidation.

This is not a Presence ability and is thus not subject to defenses such as Pavis of Foul Presence (pg. 236).

The victim of this technique may immediately attempt a Perception + Empathy roll (Difficulty equal to the practitioner’s current Willpower). If this roll is successful, she gains deep insight into the Nature, Demeanor, psychology and morality of the Rift-practitioner; at Storyteller discretion, this may give the victim an advantage against the Damned in later scenes or allow her to predict the Rift-practitioner’s next move.

Obscene: If this technique is unleashed as Obscene, all creatures within ten feet of the intended target bear witness to the same flash of utter horror ... and are thus subject to the effect of the ability (although the Difficulty to terrify these additional targets is doubled from its base; the Damned rolls Perception + Awareness separately for each target). Each target, as normal, may attempt a Perception + Empathy roll to analyze the tormented inner psyche of the Rift-practitioner.

In addition, the initial target of this ability suffers one level of lethal damage from exposure to such horror; the Difficulty to soak this damage is equal to 2 + the level of the Discipline used (see below).

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LEVEL THREE:

Step Upon the Nightmare Bridge: By use of this technique, the Damned may depart the world and physically enter her own Rift, vanishing as she steps backwards into her own shadow.

The Damned is invisible & intangible while hidden within her Rift, but she may be observed as an eerie, discolored silhouette in empty space by any outside observer scanning the area with Auspex or a similar supernatural perception ability.

She may only carry clothing, keepsakes, one-handed weapons and other small personal items with her when she steps into her Rift in this way; she may not carry other creatures with her, nor anything that requires more than one hand to hold. Any object too large, heavy or bulky to be carried across (subject to Storyteller discretion) is simply dropped at her feet in the world of the living when the Damned steps into her own Rift in this way.

Experienced practitioners of Rift can often instinctively guess what objects are too large to be carried across in this way, and are rarely surprised at being stripped of their held possessions when evoking this technique.

The Damned may choose to leave items within the realm of her private hell and retrieve them later.

At the conclusion of each turn spent in her personal hell, the Damned must succeed at a Courage roll with a Difficulty equal to her Conscience. Upon failing this roll, she returns to the night-lit world of the living. She may always choose to return of her own volition before failing this roll. Returning from her private hell does not require an action.

The Damned is always aware of what occurs directly on the other side of the veil between worlds -- in the space she previously occupied -- and may gaze out of her personal hell to observe the world beyond without any roll.

The Damned always returns to the living world in the same spot from which she departed, stepping back into the space she previously occupied.

Obscene: If this technique is unleashed as Obscene, the depths of the practitioner’s personal hell are briefly visible for all to see as the Damned steps backwards; all creatures who witness the Damned vanish are subject to the Obscene version of the Level 2 Rift ability Unveil Damnation, as above. In addition, the Damned leaves residue from her private hell on all surfaces with which she was in-contact when this technique is activated, potentially marking the floor upon which she stood with foul rain-water, drifts of ashen rust or tiny shards of gore-caked bone, glass and ceramic tile.

The practitioner of Rift may choose a single target within her line of sight when she uses this Unveil Damnation ability to be the initial or “intended” target of the ability. She must stare directly at that single target when this technique is activated.

LEVEL FOUR:

Dance of Unstable Nightmares: When the Damned exits her Rift, she may choose to reappear in any place in the living world that she can see clearly.

Thus, she might return to the world standing atop a building visible from her previous location, but not on the other side of a locked door.

Obscene: As Step Upon the Nightmare Bridge, above, except that the Damned additionally brings residue from her private hell with her when she exits that hideous realm, marking her passage in two places.

LEVEL FIVE:

Call-Forth the Majestic Nightmare: When the Damned enters her Rift, an entity from deep within her Rift is pulled into the night-lit world of the living; this creature immediately occupies the space vacated by the Rift-practitioner.

This entity is the true Beast of the Damned made manifest in flesh. Its specific appearance is left to the player and her Storyteller to decide, although it is always visually identifiable as -- at least in some way -- similar to the Damned who summoned it up from her personal Wheel of Punishment. It also bears an uncanny resemblance to any creature diablerized by the Rift-practitioner.

The entity possesses statistics identical to the Damned, with the following differences:

The entity is always in Frenzy and has a Humanity of 0. If the entity ever leaves Frenzy, it immediately vanishes.

The entity gains all the benefits of Black Metamorphosis (pg 189), Horrid Form (pg. 242), The Form of the Cobra (pg. 210) or a similar physical enhancement effect (such as the Fractura ability of Striga), as chosen by the Storyteller.

The entity is not bound in any way to creatures who hold a Blood Bond over the Damned, nor is it subject to similar emotional restraint or control (as adjudicated by the Storyteller).

The entity will preferentially target anything it sees as a threat to the Damned that created it, and will always attempt to murder anything that attacks it.

Once its safety is secured, the entity turns its abhorrent attentions to the living world. The entity hates the practitioner of Rift who called it forth and seeks to cripple & disfigure all that the Damned holds dear, targeting allies & friends of the Damned if it is able (although it does not attempt to destroy them outright).

In any instance, the entity revels in utter destruction.

When the practitioner of Rift returns to the world, the entity vanishes.

Any blood consumed by the entity is wasted when it vanishes.

Obscene: As Step Upon the Nightmare Bridge, above, except that the nightmare entity constantly drips (or sheds) matter from the depths of the practitioner’s private hell, leaving a trail of horror as it rampages.

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Cross the Nightmare Bridge: When the Damned chooses to enter her own Rift, as per the Level 3 technique of this Discipline, she may remain within that nightmare realm for an indefinite period of time (no Courage roll required). She must slumber, as normal, when sunlight falls on the living world beyond, and her thirst grows nightly: there is no blood to drink within the confines of her hell.

If the Damned falls into torpor while beyond the borders of her Rift, she falls backwards out of her own shadow and returns physically to the living world.

She is otherwise free to explore the boundless realm of her eternal damnation as she pleases.

Obscene: As Step Upon the Nightmare Bridge, above.

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DEVELOPER’S NOTE:

Unlike the majority of Disciplines, Rift allows access to two distinct Level 5 powers. Access to these two different abilities is treated identically to Elder Disciplines such as Karmic Sight and Mirror Reflexes (pg. 140-141).

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LEVEL SIX:

Distend & Evacuate the Nightmare Hoard: By use of this technique, the Damned may deposit any inanimate object held in-hand into her Rift; the object seemingly vanishes, like a card disappearing in a display of slight-of-hand. Only an object that might be transported via Step Upon the Nightmare Bridge may be relocated into the depths of a private hell in this way.

The Damned may likewise draw-forth any object deposited into her private hell.

Obscene: If this technique is unleashed as Obscene, the item enters or exits the Rift in a wave of unhealthy matter from the depths of nightmare, dripping bits of a private hell into the waking world. An item drawn from the Rift in an Obscene way radiates palpable, toxic waves of this energy, and deals 1 level of Lethal damage to any creature (except the Damned) touching it within the next minute. The Difficulty to soak this damage is equal to 2 + the level of the Discipline used (see below).

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Sinister Winds of Unstable Nightmare: By use of this technique, the Damned may choose to deposit any waking-world object held within her private hell in a location she can see. Targeting a particularly specific location with the object -- such as ‘the small space between my opponent’s glasses and his eyes’ -- when the object emerges requires a Perception + Occult roll, Difficulty 7.

Obscene: As Distend & Evacuate the Nightmare Hoard, above.

LEVEL SEVEN:

Covetous Eyes of the Nightmare Thief: By use of this technique, the Damned may deposit any unattended inanimate object within her line of sight into her Rift. Only an object that might be transported via Step Upon the Nightmare Bridge may be relocated into the depths of a private hell in this way.

Obscene: As Distend & Evacuate the Nightmare Hoard, above.

Doorway Out of Hell: By use of this technique, the Damned may establish a permanent physical exit from her Rift into the living world, usable only by her. This portal requires only a moment to establish: the Damned must touch an open, bounded doorway or archway of any kind -- such as a torii gate or a closet door in the home of her ghoul -- and expend a permanent Willpower. The Damned may always choose to exit her Rift through this doorway, rather than returning to the world at the spot she entered her private hell, or at a point in space within line of sight (as per Dance of Unstable Nightmares).

This doorway may not be used to enter the Rift.

The Damned may posses a total number of doorways out of her Rift equal to her Humanity or Path rating. The Damned may dismiss any doorway she has created at any time, from any location, without effort.

Obscene: If this technique is enacted as Obscene, the enchanted doorway leaks hideous drifts of matter & energy from the depths of the practitioner’s personal hell; this miasma marks the area around the doorway, twisting the local environment into something eerie, nightmarish and haunted. Any living creature that dwells within the area surrounding the doorway must succeed at a Willpower roll (Difficulty 7) at the end of each 24 hour period or gain a temporary Derangement; these Derangements stack. All Derangements gained in this way fade when the mortal spends at least 24 hours outside of the environment surrounding the doorway. If this Willpower roll is botched, the Derangement is permanent.

LEVEL EIGHT:

Pull of Nightmare: By use of this technique, the Damned can forcibly draw an unwilling creature into her Rift as she enters; the Damned must first touch the target, requiring a Dexterity + Athletics or Brawl roll if this action is performed in combat. A creature touched by the practitioner when she steps into her own nightmare realm may oppose this pull with a Willpower roll (Difficulty 7); her successes are opposed by the practitioner’s Manipulation + Brawl roll (Difficulty equal to the target’s Humanity or Path rating + 2).

A creature pulled into the practitioner’s Rift in this way is immediately exposed to the effects of a targeted Unveil Damnation; she can attempt to push herself out of the Rift (Willpower roll, Difficulty 6) at the end of each round spent within the nightmare realm. The Difficulty of this Willpower roll decreases by one at the end of each round. If the victim botches a Willpower roll of this type, she gains a permanent Derangement.

The victim is otherwise trapped in a hostile alien environment, alone with the Rift-practitioner. The victim is not aware of what occurs on the other side of the veil between worlds and cannot gaze out of hell to observe the world beyond.

If the Damned chooses to exit her private hell, the victim is immediately shunted back the world of the living. The Damned may choose to deposit the victim in any legal location for her to exit the Rift: she might dump the victim through a Doorway Out of Hell or in any location visible from her current position.

The Damned may choose to exit the Rift in a different location, and she may choose to send her victim back early at any time as a free action.

Obscene: As Step Upon the Nightmare Bridge, above.

Fling Wide the Embrace of Hell: By use of this technique, the Damned may allow a willing entity access to her private hell. She must expend a point of Willpower while touching her ally; the two may then enter her Rift together. A creature pulled into the practitioner’s Rift in this way is immediately exposed to the effects of a targeted Unveil Damnation.

The Damned may choose, when she returns to the living world, to leave her ally behind -- within the Rift -- for any length of time, although the nightmare realm does not contain the necessary resources to sustain life: it lacks potable water and edible food, among other amenities.

A living creature held in the Rift must succeed at a Willpower roll (Difficulty 7) at the end of each 24 hour period or gain a temporary Derangement; these Derangements stack. All Derangements gained in this way fade when the mortal spends at least 24 hours outside of the Rift. If this Willpower roll is botched, the Derangement is instead permanent.

A creature brought into the Rift can only be subsequently removed from the Rift by the Damned who brought her in; the visitor must be touching the Damned when the Rift-practitioner exits back to the living world.

The Damned may have a total number of visitors dwelling within her Rift equal to her Humanity or Path rating.

Obscene: As Step Upon the Nightmare Bridge, above.

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LEVEL NINE:

Imprison Within Eternal Nightmare: Whenever the Damned successfully draws a target into her private hell via Pull of Nightmare, the effect is permanent: the victim does not automatically exit the nightmare-realm when the Damned returns to the world of the living, nor does she receive any additional Willpower rolls to push herself free.

The victim may only exit the Rift when the Damned chooses to release her.

Rumors persist, of course, of powerful rescue-parties successfully invading the Rift of a Methuselah, but these tales are likely just that: mere legend.

The Damned may have a total number of prisoners caught within her Rift equal to her Humanity or Path rating.

Obscene: As Step Upon the Nightmare Bridge, above.

Manifest the Atrocity-Leviathan: The Rift of a true ancient is vast, containing multitudinous continents of horrors, hung like pulsating iridescent tumors in an ever-shifting constellation of depravity, sadism and self-hatred, laced-through with vast coils of razor-wire & city-sized shards of ichor-drenched obsidian.

Things -- unholy and undying things, born under no sane stars, armored and adorned with horrid & fleshy scribbles of frothing-mad blasphemies -- begin to breed in the shadowed places beneath that kaleidoscope of rotting, rust-caked punishment-houses. By means of this technique, such a monstrosity may be briefly loosed upon the living world.

This ability functions identically to Call Forth the Majestic Nightmare except that the entity summoned-up, rather than possessing statistics identical to the Damned, is something more terrible still.

It is left to the Storyteller’s discretion as to what terror of flesh or spirit could possibly prove more dangerous than an insane 4th-Generation vampire backed into a corner, but the Storyteller is advised to use her most wicked imagination in crafting such a cataclysm ... and not to shy away from true cosmic horror.

Obscene: As Step Upon the Nightmare Bridge, above.

Rift is an updated Discipline designed for use with Vampire: the Masquerade 20th Anniversary Edition, inspired by content from A World of Darkness (First Edition, 1992).

Brought to you absolutely free to enjoy, to test & to share – as always – by the fine folks of my Patreon.

If you enjoy this content and would like to see more dark, modern horror game-material by the author, the Bloodlines & Black Magic Kickstarter is going on right now.

Hugest of thanks to John Miętus for his invaluable editing-assistance and development during the creation of this fan-content.

#vampire the masquerade #discipline #urban #modern #horror #bloodlines and black magic #old world of darkness #v20

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patriotsnet · 3 years

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Did Republicans Vote To Pay Federal Employees

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/did-republicans-vote-to-pay-federal-employees/

Did Republicans Vote To Pay Federal Employees

House Unanimously Approves Back Pay For 800000 Furloughed Federal Workers

Verify: Did Democrats vote against a plan to pay government workers during shutdown?

The House on Saturday unanimously approved legislation to provide retroactive pay for furloughed federal workers after the government shutdown ends. The vote was 407-0.

Approximately 800,000 government employees have been furloughed during the shutdown, although the Pentagon announced Saturday that it will call 300,000 of its furloughed civilian employees back to work.

Although the White House has said it “strongly supports” the legislation, it’s unclear how the Senate will proceed on the measure. The upper chamber was not expected to vote on it Saturday, and the Senate will not be in session Sunday.;

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said on the Senate floor that it is “cruel” to promise pay in the future but not allow federal workers to go back to work while the shutdown continues.;

“It’s really cruel to tell workers they’ll receive back pay once the government opens and then refuse to open the government,” he said. “Let’s open the government.”;

Reid said the message being sent to federal workers is: “Stay home. Watch TV. Play chess. Whatever you want to do, because we won’t let you work.”

Throughout the federal government, workers deemed essential and who are currently on the job will be paid for their work during the shutdown, although their paychecks could be delayed. But furloughed employees need congressional approval to receive back pay.

United States Federal Government Shutdown

This article is part of a series on the

From October 1 to October 17, 2013, the United States federal government entered a shutdown and curtailed most routine operations because neither legislation appropriating funds for fiscal year 2014 nor a continuing resolution for the interim authorization of appropriations for fiscal year 2014 was enacted in time. Regular government operations resumed October 17 after an interim appropriations bill was signed into law.

During the shutdown, approximately 800,000 federal employees were indefinitely furloughed, and another 1.3 million were required to report to work without known payment dates. Only those government services deemed “excepted” under the Antideficiency Act were continued; and only those employees deemed “excepted” were permitted to report to work. The previous U.S. federal government shutdown was in 199596. The 16-day-long shutdown of October 2013 was the third-longest government shutdown in U.S. history, after the 35-day 20182019 shutdown and the 21-day 199596 shutdown.

According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted several months following the shutdown, 81% of Americans disapproved of the shutdown, 86% felt it had damaged the United States’ image in the world, and 53% held Republicans in Congress accountable for the shutdown.

Another Extension For Federal Contractors

The COVID-19 relief package also provides yet another extension of a provision known as Section 3610, which allows agencies to continue paying federal contractors if they cant work for any reason due to the pandemic.

The provision was originally part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, which Congress passed nearly a year ago.

Members have since extended protections for federal contractors several times. The provision was due to expire at the end of this month, but the new COVID-19 relief package extends those protections through Sept. 30.

Sens. Mark Warner and Marco Rubio pushed for this latest extension through an amendment, which cleared the chamber over the weekend.

Were really delighted that Congress, the Senate actually voted, had 94 votes in favor of the amendment on the floor on Saturday to extend section 3610 through Sept. 30, David Berteau, president of the Professional Services Council, said earlier this week in an interview on the Federal Drivewith Tom Temin.

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House Legislative Rule For The Appropriations Continuing Resolution

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A new rule for the consideration of the Senate’s amended version of the continuing resolution was approved by the House October 1, 2013, at 1:10 AM . The rule, House Resolution 368, was reported to the House floor for a vote by the Chairman of the House Rules Committee, Rep. Pete Sessions , and the vote had 228 voting for the resolution and 199 against adoption of the rule.

H.Res. 368 changed the Standing Rule for the procedure for consideration of the Continuing Resolution . It states that “any motion pursuant to clause 4 of rule XXII relating to House Joint Resolution 59 may be offered only by the Majority Leader or his designee,” which at the time was Eric Cantor or his designee, H.J. Res. 59 being the bill returned from the Senate to end the shutdown with continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2014.

Only Federal Postal Employees

The House also passed H.R. 828, the Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act, sponsored by Rep. Jason Chaffetz , which could get federal and postal workers fired if they fall behind on their federal taxes. The bill, approved on July 31 by a vote of 263 to 114, would only affect federal and postal employees; it would not apply to federal contracting jobs or other private-sector work that is paid for with federal funds.

Perhaps acknowledging that almost all federal employees pay their taxes, Rep. Darrell Issa , a supporter of the measure, conceded that the bill is almost pure symbolism. The bill is pending before the Senate.

This is the most hostile Congress has ever been to federal employees, Rep. Gerry Connolly told Politico in March. The other side has decided theyre an easy punching bag, and it is outrageous on many, many scores. Connollys northern Virginia district houses the third largest concentration of federal workers nationwide.

Postal workers should set their sights on November, President Guffey said.

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Senate Republicans Propose Stripped

Republicans in Congress have taken a lot of heat over the past few years for repeatedly blocking Democrats‘ equal pay legislation, so this year GOP women senators are proposing a bill of their own to combat the gender wage gap. But the GOP’s stripped-down version of the Paycheck Fairness Act has so far garnered nothing but eye rolls from across the aisle.

Sen. Deb Fischer , joined by GOP Sens. Kelly Ayotte , Susan Collins and Shelley Moore Capito , introduced the Workplace Advancement Act last week, which would make it illegal for employers to retaliate against employees for talking to each other about their salaries. The retaliation provision is one of many in the Democrats’ Paycheck Fairness Act, which would also require employers to report wage data broken down by gender to the federal government, set up negotiation skills training programs for women and girls, and help women sue for back pay once they realize they’ve been earning less than their male colleagues for the same work.

Republicans have blocked the Democrats’ bill three times in the Senate, claiming that it would cause job losses. Now that the GOP controls the Senate, Fischer is challenging Democrats to support her bill, since it’s the only one with a chance of getting a vote.

This post has been updated with a statement from Fischer’s office about support for the senator’s equal pay amendment.

Both Chambers Have Separate Plans To Fund Agencies These Plans Are Not Likely To Become Law But Could Jumpstart Negotiations

Senate Republicans this week will for the first time hold a vote to reopen all of government after a month of a partial shutdown, though House Democrats are pushing their own plan and neither one is likely to make it to President Trumps desk.

The Senate released a plan to fund federal agencies through fiscal 2019, including Trumps requested spending for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and significant changes to immigration policy. Democrats have objected to the latter provisions, which correspond to an offer Trump made over the weekend to reopen government, and are not likely to provide the support necessary for the measure to surpass the 60-vote threshold.

The bill includes a three-year extension of legal status for non-citizens in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival and Temporary Protected Status programs, as well as restrictions on asylum applications. It also includes a 1.9 percent pay raise for federal employees. House Democrats have also included that across-the-board salary increase in their proposals to reopen government, making it more likely that any eventual deal to end the shutdown will include the raise. The federal workforce is operating under a pay freeze due to an executive order Trump signed in December .

Both bills largely mirror compromise legislation the Senate agreed to on a bipartisan basis last year, but they still contain some differences on spending levels.

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Federal Employees’ Thrift Savings Plan

The Thrift Savings Plan is a retirement plan for federal government employees and members of the military.

Get help with life events that affect your TSP account;- What to do if you have personal or career changes or changes to your active duty status.

If you have questions about the TSP or your TSP account, call the participant service line at or TTY at .

Note: There are a number of third-party mobile applications that refer to the Thrift Savings Plan and may ask you for your TSP login information. Providing your information could result in a security risk to your account. If you want to access your TSP account, log in directly at;TSP.gov.

What Did Democrats Vote To Repeal

Rep. Crenshaw: House GOP Voted to Pay Federal Employees; Dems Opposition Says They Dont Care

Hyde Amendment:;

The most prominent policy that was repealed by Democrats appropriations bills last week was the Hyde Amendment, which was introduced by Rep. Henry Hyde in 1976, three years after the Supreme Courts landmark decisions on abortion rights in Roe v. Wade and in Doe v. Bolton.;

The Hyde Amendment prohibits the use of federal Medicaid funding to provide abortions except in cases when the abortion is sought to protect the life of the mother. It was first adopted in 1976 as part of the annual Dept. of Health and Human Services funding package and restricted federal Medicaid funding.;

The provision has been reenacted annually since then, but the language has evolved over the years. As it applies currently, the Hyde Amendment includes exceptions for abortions in cases where the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest in addition to those intended to protect the mothers long-term health.

Democrats voted to repeal the Hyde Amendment through the HHS appropriations portion of a seven-bill minibus spending package for FY2022 along party-lines.

Helms Amendment:;

First enacted in 1973 as part of a foreign aid package and named for Sen. Jesse Helms , the Helms Amendment prohibits the use of foreign aid funds to motivate or coerce individuals to practice abortions.

House Democrats left the Helms Amendment out of the FY2022 state and foreign operations appropriations bill they passed along party-lines.

Kemp-Kasten Amendment:;

Mexico City Policy:

Smith Amendment:;

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Pa Republicans Vote To Pay Federal Employees

WASHINGTON;;Today, every member of the Pennsylvania Republican Congressional Delegation supported an amendment to pay Department of Homeland Security employees for their work to date. This includes Transportation Safety Administration employees and members of the U.S. Coast Guard, essential employees working without pay during the partial government shutdown.Pennsylvania Republicans voted on three separate occasions over the past week to pay federal employees the paychecks they are owed, but the measures were blocked by Democrats.

Pennsylvania is home to nearly 60,000 federal civilian workers, many of whom have gone without pay since the shutdown began last month.

It was disappointing that Speaker Pelosi directed a majority of her members to vote against this commonsense measure and therefore ignore the hardworking men and women who are doing their jobs but not getting paid, said U.S. Rep. Glenn GT Thompson, Dean of the Republican Delegation.Rather than playing politics and rejecting offers by the President before theyre even delivered, or canceling the State of the Union, Nancy Pelosi should come to the table and negotiate for the good of this country and the men and women who keep us safe in Pennsylvania every day, Rep. Thompson continued. I am pleased to see that House Democrats continue to join Republicans on these commonsense votes. This represents a path forward with or without the support of Mrs. Pelosi.

VOTES TO PAY FEDERAL WORKERS

Isan Fight Brews As Forecaster Warns Us Could Hit Debt Limit By Fall

WASHINGTON, July 21 – The U.S. Treasury Department is projected to exhaust its borrowing authority in October or November, the Congressional Budget Office said on Wednesday, as a partisan fight over raising the nation’s debt ceiling erupted in Congress.

“If that occurred, the government would be unable to pay its obligations fully, and it would delay making payments for its activities, default on its debt obligations, or both,” the non-partisan CBO said in a statement.

A failure to work out differences over whether government spending cuts should accompany an increase in the statutory debt limit, currently set at $28.5 trillion, could lead to a federal government shutdown – as has happened three times in the past decade – or even a debt default.

The White House urged Congress to resolve partisan differences, even as Republicans seized upon the debt limit issue to attack Democrats for pushing legislation that they say has led to inflation and escalating public debt.

“We expect Congress to act in a timely manner to raise or suspend the debt ceiling as they did three times on a broad bipartisan basis during the last administration,” White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters.

President Joe Biden’s fellow Democrats narrowly control both the Senate and House of Representatives. No senior Republicans have threatened a shutdown in recent public statements. Democrats are insisting on a “clean” debt limit increase unfettered by a fight over spending reductions.

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Paid Family Leave Gains Momentum In States As Bipartisan Support Grows

While she said she sees the measure for federal workers as a first step, a national program involving the private sector is a bigger lift. The concept of parental leave polls well, but proposals from Democrats and Republicans about how to do it are vastly different. Democrats also want paid family medical leave for helping older parents or dealing with a sick child.

Most Americans support the idea that employers should cover the costs for parental leave. But there are divisions over whether the government should require employers to offer the benefit.

NPR congressional reporter Claudia Grisales contributed to this story.

At Last More Funding For Technology Modernization

The final COVID-19 relief package also includes $1 billion for the technology modernization fund , in addition to $650 million for cybersecurity and another $350 million for other related IT modernization efforts.

Though the funding is far below the presidents original request of $9 billion for the TMF, its the biggest boost the fund has ever received.

The TMF has never received more than $100 million at a time, and Congress injected just $25 million into the fund in fiscal 2020.

Rep. Gerry Connolly , chairman of the Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations, said the additional TMF funding will help agencies better respond to the ongoing pandemic.

Throughout this global health crisis, millions of Americans facing illness, unemployment, food insecurity and an inability to pay their mortgages or rent have looked to the federal government for help, he said. Yet despite urgent congressional action to provide unprecedented levels of economic assistance, those in need have had their misery exacerbated by a broken IT infrastructure that has prevented them from receiving timely support.

Beyond the TMF, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will receive $650 million, the U.S. Digital Service will receive $200 million and the Federal Citizen Services Fund will get $150 million through the COVID-19 relief package.

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Verify: Did House Democrats Vote Down Federal Employee Pay During Shutdown

Did most House Democrats really vote down a deal to pay federal employees while the shutdown goes on?;

Its a question several viewers have emailed to KHOU Verify.

Sharon writes, Last week House GOP voted on a measure that would pay federal employees their paycheck despite shutdown. Only 6 Dems voted yes. Is this true?

On Jan. 17, there was a vote where six Democrats voted yes on whats called a motion to recommit. Basically, its one last chance for members to debate and change a bill before a final vote.

In this case, Rep. Kay Granger wanted to change the bills date from Feb. 28 to Jan. 15.

My resolution will allow employees to get the paychecks they recently missed, said Rep. Granger during a hearing on the measure. It provides relief for some employees while we wait for Democrats to come to the negotiating table. We need to start working on legislation that can be enacted into law.

Immediately afterwards, Rep. Nita M. Lowey spoke out against the amendment because it wouldnt end the shutdown, arguing for H.R. 28 to stay as-is.

This would pay employees, Rep. Lowey testified. The order of business is very simple: reopen the government, pay federal employees, and then negotiate on border security and immigration policy.

Rep. Grangers amendment failed, and on Jan. 23, the House passed H.R. 28 with Feb. 28 as the date.

Any House bill also needs to clear the Senate before heading to President Trumps desk.

Va Irs Get A Big Funding Boost

The Department of Veterans Affairs will also receive an additional $17 billion through the American Rescue Plan.

The bulk of the funding will go to VA health care. The department has said veterans have routinely delayed routine appointments and major procedures during the pandemic, and VA anticipates demand for its services will surge as COVID-19 subsides.

Since the on-start of the pandemic, 19 million appointments have been changed, canceled or deferred as a result of the pandemic, VA Secretary Denis McDonough said last week during a press briefing at the White House. Obviously weve been able to compensate for that through telehealth programs, but not for all of them. As a result of deferred care, which were actually seeing across the health care system and not just in VA, were going to see increased costs.

Other provisions would provide VA with an additional $272 million to help the department address its disability claims backlog, which grew during the pandemic. Another provision sets aside $100 million for VA supply chain modernization efforts.

The IRS will also receive an additional $1.8 billion to pay for a variety of IT upgrades needed to help the agency process a third round of stimulus checks, as well as a new tax credit to families with children.

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fatheroffive · 7 years

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Hello, Mr. Uno

1. I love your name. It reminds me of another mistreated man, Benedict Arnold.

2. Can I give you a hug?! I saw your father, whom from now on I will refer to as Sperm donor, for that’s all he really is. I felt so sad.

3. Your children are just delightful, by they’re also workaholic perfectionists. They’re pen pals with Lance Gobbo, who is the same. I see you, you love them so much!

4. Again, about your sperm donor, you gave him life again, and he abuses you again. THAT’S the thanks you get?!

5. You’re so handsome in your Benedict form. Those glasses, the clothes you wear, and your hair. It makes you look so handsome.

6. I see you always trying to be fair and equal. I remember you giving Constance something really expensive she wanted and so the rest of them got more stuff that they wanted to match it, since what THEY wanted was all cheaper. Meanwhile, your sperm donor got you garbage, LITERAL GARBAGE when you were a kid.

7. Also, what else happened to you during your childhood?!

8. How do you plan to parent differently?!

9. How do you feel about brats who cry that their parents are abusive when they’re not. I know a child who does this. Her name is Sabrina. Her parents spoil both her and her sister Lottie, but when she’s punished for doing something wrong, she deems them to be abusive. How do you feel about this?!

10. Who’s your favorite child?! I know you don’t show it to them.

11. Lance reminds me of your children.

12. Your children go to the same school as the Decendants of the U.S.A. I remember when Constance told Antonio politely to “Leave that man (Shylock) alone”, and Sarah, Shylock’s descendant slapped him and hurt her hand because she slapped the mirror.

13. Your children are super smart. I heard that they’re even on the same league of intelligence as Giovanna, descendant of the idiotic Gratiano. Bruce is the smartest of them all. He’s in Mensa, right?! He is even better at chess than Giovanna is.

14. Lenny will make for a great future lawyer. Already he is beating Portia Jr. in half of the debates he has with her on the debate team. He also beat Daniel in being a good lawyer in Mock Trial club.

15. Isabelle is an excellent public speaker and has a high vocab. She is also the best in spelling .She even beat Giovanna and Lance. Poor Lance, although he beat her in the math challenge.

16. David is a human calculator. He is amazing at math.

17. You encourage their talents. What happened when you showed your sperm donor a talent?!

18. What was your mother like?!

Bye, I hope you answer.

Sincerely, one of your biggest fans.

I would appreciate it if you didn’t compare me to other people with my name.

No you cannot hug me, do not call Pappy a “sperm donor”, and I do not want your sympathy.

I don’t know who Lance Gobbo is.

I would prefer to not talk about that.

You mean outside the silhouette? They are not “forms”. My silhouette is a covering over my body that gives me powers and keeps me safe.

I’m fair and equal? I’m never either of those things and I’ve never gone out of my way for anyone. The Delightfuls just get what they want because I don’t have the time nor the patience to argue with them otherwise. 6.2. Pappy didn’t give me literal garbage. I got hand-me-downs from Monty. Different thing entirely.

Nothing I want to tell you.

Differently from what? Now? Pappy? Other people? In any case I don’t care. I parent the way I parent and that’s that.

I think they need a few moments in my Delightfulization chamber.

I don’t have a favorite. They’re all equally annoying.

Again. I don’t know who Lance is, nor do I care.

These “Descendants” kids go to Gallaghar Elementary? News to me. 12.2. No. I don’t know any of these people you’re talking about.

I know my children are smart. I made them that way. 13.2. No. Bruce is not in Mensa. My children do not have time for any extracurricular activities. They come home, do their homework, chores and help me plot to take down the KND. Any extra time they have, I garuantee you isn’t taken up with extra school activities. 13.3. They’re all equally good at chess.

Lenny isn’t in any Lawyer clubs. I would be proud of him if he became one, but as I said he doesn’t have time for clubs.

Who is Isabelle and why are you telling me about her?

They’re all great at Math. I programmed them to all be excellent at school for a REASON.

I really hate that you make so many assumptions about my relationship with my children. I tell them what to do and they do it. If I told them to go jump off a bridge they’re programmed to do so. I don’t have to encourage anything.17.2. That’s none of your damned business, you brat!

Neither is that!

((I appreciate getting things in my inbox but please discuss crossover headcanons with me prior to asking Ben about specific events within them. Also please ask about events from his childhood/with Pappy before stating them like they’re fact. These things make me feel like you’re trying to force your headcanons on me.

((My Father’s Delightful Children are ran by myself and @asklenard-knd and all headcanons are between us. I’ve never heard of this Descendants of the USA thing you’re talking about. I will not add them into my headcanons unless it’s RPed out by myself or Olive to place any of this into his universe.

((I also find the term “Sperm Donor”, as used here, very offensive. Pappy was abusive, yes, but in Ben’s eyes he is still his dad. I come from an abusive home where I didn’t have my mother for most of my life as well and just as Canon Ben I can’t see my dad as anything less than my dad. “Sperm Donor” is a term properly used in reference to a male that leaves before a child is born and never has any contact with the child afterwards.

((The blond girl of the Delightfuls is canonically named Ashley and that is the name Ben and myself use when referring to her.

((Father is only mildly less abusive than Pappy was to him.There are many many signs in the show that say he physically abuses the Delightfuls on a regular basis. It’s shown that he always puts them down and talks bad about them and doesn’t care if they hear it. It’s also shown that he had a standard of them that’s higher than what’s logical or appropriate. He punishes them for things that aren’t their fault. He has an explosive temper and they are SCARED of him. He buys them things and does special stuff for them, not for them or to make them feel special, but to keep his conscious from affecting him. He doesn’t really care about them the way he should through the whole series. He’s a bad person. Don’t make him look like a good one. He’s going through a redemption arch here on my blog but he’s never going to be fully good. He’s always going to struggle with the idea that he’s ever been wrong. He’s going to always have a sever temper. I will never label him as good. Never.

#headcanons #This whole thing made me very uncomfortable.#submission

4 notes · View notes

demytasse · 7 years

Text

[FanFic: Shizaya] Avoidance of Consequence

Summary: When everything remains the same, what is there to gain? If everything changes, what will I feel? If we part ways, will I miss you...will I miss us? A.k.a. You can't make me your god, Shizu-chan, and expect me not to teach you a lesson! Pairing: Shizaya Word Count: 3,703 AO3 Link: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11606613 A/N: Sllllliiiight divergence from canon: as if their final brawl didn't happen. Set ten-ish years after their first meeting. The idea came to me when I started monologuing in my head, as I do, and it slowly developed into Izaya speaking to Shizuo, so I went with it.

The late afternoon sun had drawn into a setting that matched the neon lights and LED screens that made up the streets of the city. Izaya had perched himself atop a building ledge on the outskirts of town, admiring a particularly picturesque view after finishing up his business. His chin rested on his arm which lay across a propped leg while the other dangled below him. As he gazed upon the bustle of people below, he was reminded of how much Ikebukuro had become a hollowed out shell of what it used to be for him. The people no longer sparkled with wonder, the colour gangs no longer held his interest: it all had remained the same, but it now was viewed through a melancholic lens. His thoughts were diverted when his attention was drawn away by blond hair that stood out in contrast to purples and reds. But of course, yet another thing he was conflicted with: the Fortissimo himself.

He let out a sigh waiting for the inevitable howl of his name into the twilit cityscape summoning him to do battle yet again. Why did he continue to bother lingering in this particular prefect longer than his business called for; was he really just a sucker for engaging in acts that would make a masochist beg for mercy? Maybe he would eventually bore of this repetitive game, or perhaps he would find himself forced to quit by beastly hands wringing him free of life. He laughed darkly to himself as blue shaded eyes snapped up onto his skulking frame; a clenching fist ruining the end of an unsuspecting beverage. Well, it’s not as though he didn’t predict this.

A guttural voice bellowed from down below. “Izaya…” it warned, unusually lacking in drawn out syllables.

The aforementioned stretched before he rose from his seated position. He took a moment to obviously dust himself off as he was not really rushed to meet with his rival. It was an exhausted ritual that had become more of a chore to act out over time as the novelty had worn off, but here they were, stumbling through it like tired actors upon a stage. He forced an appropriate smirk on his lips before reciting a line from his practiced script.

“Thank you for sniffing me out on this perfectly pleasant night, Shizu-chan. I was really hoping my evening would be spoiled by the likes of you.”

Shizuo clicked his teeth in passive aggression, eyes attached to Izaya as he made his way down the side of the three storied building by hopping between levels of the fire escape. They now met on level ground, tens of feet between them while the inky black of night bled into what was left of the sunset which coloured their surroundings. The setting was painted with serene mysticism, rife with underlying tones of muted passion. The hues splashed across their faces and were absorbed by their shadow dominated wardrobes. Light reflected off sharp teeth and sleek glasses.

“Your night wouldn’t have to be ruined if you just stayed the hell out of ‘Bukuro like I have countlessly asked—” “Demanded,” Izaya interrupted; “‘Asked’ would suggest I had a choice, but you demand as if it’s an absolute.” his normal coy expression was strained.

“If I’m demanding, Izaayyaaa, then why do you keep coming back?” he said through ground teeth.

“Sigh~, because how could I stay away from such a charming face as yours~? I’m drawn to it like a flea to a dog,” he chuckled at his own clever idiom involving the other’s demeaning nickname for him.

Shizuo was obviously being overtaken by emotion, but was doing his best to keep it under control. That seemed to happen more often as of late. His hands would flex in and out of fists at his sides as a way of distracting him from his rage. Izaya wasn’t sure if he could describe the difference between Shizuo’s new form of placating himself as opposed to the past. If he had to describe it, he would say it was something akin to learning to keep it together for a prospective love interest which was amusing in and of itself.

He tipped his head forward to peer over his silver frames as the brunette shifted his weight idly. “Have you ever thought passed your own ego to realize that you constantly ruin my nights, f—flea!”

It was curious the way that Shizuo stumbled upon his nickname. It was as though he had caught himself calling Izaya by the thing he just made a joke about and perhaps a connection had sparked in his miniscule brain. It’d be humorous to find out that he believed Izaya’s reasons for sticking around Ikebukuro were because he desired to see him.

“Are you suggesting that I’m the decider of whether or not you have a good night? Because the way you seek me out instead of leaving me to my own devices proves the contrary,” Izaya raised an accusatory brow.

“Yes, Izaya, that’s exactly what I’m saying. You constantly ruin any chance of me being able to control my violence! You are actively keeping me from my chance to live a life free of all…this,” he motioned between the two of them with a heavy and accentuated gesture.

Despite the volume his voice suggested was his temperament, his expression seemed to tell a story of him fighting an internal battle completely separate of what was going on. His eyes were harsh and unblinking while his eyebrows were quirked with confusion; his stance read like he was ready to react to swift attacks, but he himself seemed less willing to do so than in times prior, as if weary from too many repetitions of their pre-determined chess match.

The two seemed wordlessly in sync with one another as Izaya had been previously introspective similar to Shizuo. Being rudely drawn away from his meditative state had soured his mood and it especially made him ornery over a potential physical squabble. Tonight seemed more appropriate to enlighten the bartender with a lesson he deemed necessary in the moment. Frankly, he was tired of the same infuriating accusation from the other and it had him question his relation to the blond and what he had to offer in his life: was it actually a beneficial addition, or was he simply just something the brute can force his blame onto?

“Free?” he blurted, “You want to talk about freedom, Shizu-chan, because I can inform you of the intricacies of the human concept for you,” he sounded mildly hysterical.

Crimson tones had dominated over fuchsia in the sky and brought out the manic expression of the brunette as his eyes glowed. Directly opposite him the blond let out an agitated huff as he tried to yet again bring himself down from diving into his aggression.

“This ideal you speak of: freedom. It’s really funny that you would call it out. The idea that one can live their life without any restrictions is a plague to mankind's mental fortitude. To believe that they can be entirely free is ignorant and will lead to a life unfulfilled and stricken with unhappiness as they'll spend their entire lifetime seeking a state of being that never existed to begin with. And yet, the world is populated with so many individuals who are enamored by the idea that they aren’t free while longing to be,” he paused to shoot a glance at Shizuo to make sure he was listening, finding the blond staring back at him shaking his head with his teeth barred in response to his insufferable tendencies.

“Let's say that they were able to obtain what is perceived as ultimate freedom: riches that allow one to buy and do whatever they want with limitless possibilities. But it’s only seemingly limitless. Society will still have control of how they act, the government will still keep them paying into it, and the law will prevent them from committing certain acts lest they be imprisoned. As you can see, freedom isn’t without its own chains, not to mention the strain of making true connections with others that aren’t forced or conditioned. Not as if that’s feasible for you, short of your brother taking pity and throwing you half his wealth. Haha.”

Shizuo’s frown deepened. The mention of Kasuka had struck a chord in him. His brother had done nothing but help him throughout his adult life, not excluding acting as a personal coach for managing his anger, but more specifically controlling anger related to the broker in front of him. He had explained the exhaustion their fights brought, but when asked of why he sought the other out continuously he was met with no answer. He decided to rely on his junior yet again by channeling him now as he struggled to control his mostly even temper.

He sent a warning to the other, “Izaya, I’m not up for this right now…”

Izaya tilted his head back and threw Shizuo a smirk in response before continuing onward, loosening up his speech after the other’s plea fueled him further. Tufts of fur on his coat started ruffling as he picked up a casual pace back and forth, using his hands to gesticulate points.

“I know what you’re thinking now. How is freedom actually obtainable? It’s intrinsically connected to one’s fate and their ability to control it. But that would require somehow controlling a supernatural force that determines their entire life. It just doesn’t seem possible, so instead people bend to its will,” he shook his head in dismay.

Shizuo sighed. His waning patience called upon the help of his addiction. Without having to look, he reached into his vest pocket to snag a solo cigarette; he lit the end before taking a drawn out drag that seemed to equal the length of the flea’s monologue. “You know if you get to your point quicker, maybe I’ll actually let you finish.”

“Oh? I’m touched that you’re actually willing to listen to the sweet dulcet tones of my voice for once.” He used a mocking tone, but it was still laced with annoyance as he kept getting derailed.

“Now where was I again? ...Fate takes form in the actions of others and people are quick to blame that for their shortcomings. Some person has wronged them thus forth made it impossible to move forward. Another is always more talented or skilled than them so they'll never be good enough. A bully is cutting them down and is actively keeping them from their ability to excel past it. Basically it boils down to their past experiences haunting them and ruining their chance to move onward; they have allowed their fate to be set with that perspective. They romanticize the idea of being locked away from their potential and disregard trying to gain control over it. But therein lies the problem,” he extended his index finger as a precursor to his proceeding point. His dark brows jolted up and his smirk turned to a brief mirror of an amused youth, proud of his intelligence.

“No one locked them in a prison cell of predetermined fate, and certainly no one kept the key from them. It was indeed them in control the whole time with the mere illusion that they were a prisoner of someone else. It wasn’t a rival or bully that locked them away; they just didn’t want the responsibility of their own demise and unhappiness so they thrust the key to their freedom upon another unbeknownst to them, in an act of freeing themselves of the mental burden of living with their own circumstances.” He sauntered closer to Shizuo and started to direct his speech more towards him.

“And people will continue to be under that impression until they come to realize that in their life they are completely responsible for everything that happens. The only way that others have control over them specifically is through sway over how they want them to perceive things or ways they wish for them react.”

With a fluid motion he reached over and plucked the cigarette that hung loosely in the bartender’s mouth. Izaya delicately placed it between his lips and took a deep inhale of smoke into his mouth. He held an extended breath before he slowly exhaled a cloud to engulf Shizuo. Slender fingers wrapped around a silken lapel in order to pull him downward to speak directly in his ear in a hushed tone, “I digress; this is about you in fact.”

A shudder coursed up his spine in reaction to the tickled breath that sent a conflicting signal of pleasure while his annoyance was still on high. In a second the moment was over as Izaya pulled back extending his hand to offer the stick back.

Shizuo reluctantly grabbed it back snapping himself out of the mood with another drag, “Oh? It’s about me. I couldn’t make the connection.” The blond snorted and smoke puffed out of his nostrils like a humoured dragon.

“Hmm, but of course it is, Shizu-chan,” his voice took on a darker tone as he continued. “You have formed this preposterous reality for yourself, a ridiculous creed that violence controls you and it’s the sole reason that you cannot live free and peacefully. Violence is just a made up concept that was created by humans to define a particular action. Another way for us to pit us against one another: what's an acceptable amount, what is unlawful, what is unjust?"

Izaya picked up pace around Shizuo like a lion on the prowl while the prey in question locked his gaze on him only turning his head when necessary.

“If it's a human concept that you are forcing the blame onto then you are claiming that all of human kind is at fault for your life not being how you desire. You truly believe your desired peaceful life is unobtainable, because humans have imprisoned you for your own lack of control over your monstrous strength. That is laughable; not only is that selfish, but it’s also cowardly!

“You can't accept the truth that you are the only one to blame so you give the control away readily. Every day you run amok through this city displaying your lack of control, and others harness you and your negligence in order to benefit from it, but rename it as employment to make you feel better.” Anger started to peel away into partial desperation when he spoke, “Any time I step within a foot of that insane radius that is your radar, excuses are made in order for you to show off your abandon of normal restriction of everyday human strength. And then you proceed to rant on and on and on about how I’m to blame for feeding into your violence’s control of you. Does that make me your god since I’m in control of the thing that rules you!?"

Izaya took a moment to laugh and it spilled into his speech. “You know it’s the fact that you play by human rules like selfishness that blinds your perspective that even remotely connects you to being human."

The clicking of his heeled boots stalled when Izaya came to face Shizuo straight on with a slight lean forward and hands shoved in his coat pockets. Shizuo stood with his back straightened accentuating their difference in height. The shortened stub of a cigarette rested between his fingers. His arms crossed over one another and pressed firmly against his chest. The standoff between them seemed in mock of countless times before as they examined one another for the obvious weakness.

“So let us make a temporary truce: I’ll let you live with the falsehood that you are human, and you humour me with an answer to my query. Knowing what I have kindly described free of charge to you: who is it that really holds the key to your freedom, Shizu-chan?"

An unspoken ‘check mate’ was communicated in Izaya’s posture and wide grin. His rant was long winded and perhaps the message would go over his decade-long sparring partner’s head with the subtleties, but he felt the need to really drive the point home that Shizuo was at fault for everything wrong in his life. Call him petty, but he could really use a cheap victory over his rival for once. It was necessary for him to end this sick relationship between them and move onto...?

The end of his cigarette was snubbed out while Shizuo reflected on the message that was unleashed at him like he was an uneducated grade schooler. Izaya’s exaggerated presentation would have driven an older self to the brink of rage and sent him after the scumbag. But being able to listen to the brunette’s message with patience made the fog start to dissipate into a clearer understanding. Standing so close to him didn’t have him keyed up and it was difficult to grasp why it was that he found no reason to be, especially after having his enemy throw a back-handed insult at him. Maybe he appreciated someone who was truthful with him.

“My life would definitely be more peaceful without you opening your goddamn mouth. It would be more peaceful if I didn't have you riling me up constantly…” Shizuo’s words were devoid of malice as it was more an externalized thought than an accusation.

Contrary, Izaya was hit with annoyance that his speech didn’t seem to dig into the other as he pouted in a brattish way, "Were you not listening to a single word I said? The whole point was to prove that I’m not what rules your fate you dim-witted protozoan! Or do you actually see me as your god?" he spat back.

He rolled his eyes. There goes his patience, "Fuck, Izaya, were you not listening? Maybe subtlety is something you can only spew at others, but aren’t able to pick up on yourself,” his tone had heightened to be a bit more aggressive. “And of course you would draw a conclusion back to you being a god.”

“Oh that’s fresh. Am I going to get a lesson from the neanderthal now? Oh Shizuo-senpai, please enlighten me of how to be subtle, I know nothing of this concept and need to be shown.” Izaya mocked in a sing-songy tone fading back to agitation. “Perhaps try your normally effective method of being unbelievably blunt! That always worked for you.” Shizuo threw his head back. “HA! You want me to be blunt, do you? As always, let me play into your strategically planned hand of your ridiculous game. How are you still expecting the same of me a decade later? Aren’t you tired of this, Izaya?”

The two foes had been inching closer to each other as they built their conversation into a heated argument. Shizuo may have pulled the reigns on his animalistic rage, but it didn’t keep a snarl off his face. Izaya, feeling the rise in tension, instinctually flicked his blade out from his pocket and let it hang at his side. He was unsure of why he did this: it could have been second nature from repeat brawls or he was actually afraid of where their conversation was taking them.

“What I am tired of, brute, is you not answering my simple question!”

“Fine! You want me to be blunt then?”

“I thought I made that clear earlier, you dim-wit!”

Shizuo jabbed his thumb at his chest exaggeratedly as he took a breath in preparation, “I'm saying that I am in control, you self-important flea! You create hell and chaos for me. You’re a fuckin’ walking catalyst. But in the end I found I don't want my life to be peaceful anymore. Not if it means you not being in it,” he drew within inches of the other. Izaya’s face fell neutral, but he was lacking the ability to comprehend the message fully. Shizuo lowered into a deeper register, “I hold the key and I'm taking control of what I want."

He took advantage of their convenient shallow distance and pulled the other up by hooking fingers full of black material into fists. Shizuo removed any chance of Izaya being able to make a snarky rebuttal by sealing his lips with his own. Izaya let out a shocked breath of air while his knife fell from his grip with a ceremonious clatter. He quickly tried to process what had happened and how to respond, but he found the surprise swiftly left him in abandon for raw emotion that was shared between the two. His fingers snaked their way up Shizuo’s chest, tracing the outlines of his form-fitted vest in order to wrap his arms across muscled shoulders in order to support himself, freeing up the other’s hands to tangle in his hair.

It wasn’t well synchronized, but the two were used to things being messy and chaotic between them. Their lips were slick from fervent kisses, but it was lost as to from what while both were battling between thirst-driven sucks and hungry bites. Their bodies being pressed up against each other felt more natural than previous violence inspired connections. Eager hands examined the details of one another in intimate fashion; an action that begged to override old readings of who they were in each other’s eyes. A trace against a crooked bowtie and a tickle of tousled fur brought awareness of whose company they were sharing; they parted their lips while sharing hitched breath. With their foreheads connected they gazed at one another in a foreign way, as the moonlight rested on their shoulders illuminating their figures and drowning everything else in darkness.

A single ‘oh’ was emitted from Izaya in a whispered response to what had initiated their kiss, but it also seemed in response to the unspoken quandary of why their incessant squabbles had become less exciting and more taxing. The reason the two sought one another out was in order to stay in each other’s lives, both begging the other to not forget them. That maybe sometimes the most complicated of questions, like the multi-faceted relationship between the two rivals, had the most succinct answers.

#shizaya #shizaya fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction #ao3 #ao3 fanfic #Izaya Orihara #Shizuo Heiwajima #shizuo x izaya #oneshot fanfic #durarara #Durarara!!#Drrr #durarara fanfiction #demytasse fanfics

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inkyfingerstoo · 7 years

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I’m really struggling with how fundamentally different they made Fitz in the Framework and how the creators (and characters in the show) continue to argue/insist that it was still Fitz, just with one regret "fixed.” The plot isn’t nearly as fleshed out as it should be and it all rings false.

They gave him an overbearing, emotion killing, brutal father- *sidebar: there’s a huge contradictory element to Alistair Fitz that makes no sense - why would a man who clearly shuns sentiment, “womanly” emotions of compassion, kindness, forgiveness, love, doesn’t believe in trust, is always on the lookout for betrayal - why would a man like that be so supportive of his son’s relationship with a woman? In fact actively encourage/mention said relationship a weird amount, steering all topics back to her (“And the only other person who understands that burden is Ophelia, and you love her, don’t you?”) But just prior to that he said with such derision “Let me guess, a woman?” Seeming to conclude only a woman would cause such distraction from more important things. And then strangest of all, when AIDA was injured and in bed with Fitz and Alistair standing over her and he’s all, “son, you’ve got work to do,” Fitz leans down and kisses her (blegh) on the forehead all emotionally, you see Alistair look away and shift uncomfortably, almost as if he disapproved of the display, but then his words belie his discomfort - “Focus on what she needs, son” aka go finish the machine Fitz - why would he have done that? To me it seems like his coding was at war. The one side that is Alistair Fitz (the brute - undoubtedly written by the darkhold) versus the side that’s been coded by AIDA to constantly motivate Fitz to keep his attention and affection focused on AIDA alone.

That makes sense (to me at least). So it’s not just one regret fixed. It’s one regret warped to fit AIDA’s narrative. Add his father, but a father coded in a specific way, remove his mother (at what age did this happen in the Framework, I wonder), remove Jemma, add AIDA and then from there move him into a specific direction in order to get him to create the body builder machine. None of that says free will. “All your choices were your own.” BS.

Also where did Fitz’s extreme disgust of inhumans come from? Nothing in his framework life motivates it? He doesn’t consider them human and yet he’s there lethally collecting inhuman DNA to be used for AIDA in project looking glass? So he wants to turn his fakesupposed ‘love’ into an inhuman? He’s okay with that?

I’m also questioning the "realness" of the Framework. I’m with Yo-Yo, "It's a video game,” an unreality; and ultimately I don’t think Fitz should feel guilty about Agnes. Agnes died. Her body on earth ceased, the tumor ran its course and she died. What Fitz “killed” was a bunch of zeros and ones. (Mace on the other hand...I blame AIDA for that more than Fitz (“Isn’t there a quinjet on site?” Does it matter (re.who’s in the building they want to blast)?”). She was there every step of the way moving him like a chess piece.

Don’t tell me that’s not absolute manipulation.

Her parameters via Radcliffe were 3-fold: 1. No killing 2. Protect the Framework (which allowed her to kill - Nathanson, Jemma, Daisy) 3. Make everyone happy in the Framework.

Now let’s focus on number 3 because it seems Radcliffe allowed her to accomplish number 3 in whatever way she deemed appropriate. She explains how she seemingly accomplished it by declaring her observation of the human race had shown her that a defining trait of the human experience seemed to be regret. So she determined that happiness (however brief) could be achieved by removing one regret, but most important AIDA got to pick and choose which regret to fix in order to one: fit her narrative and accomplish her own goal of building the machine/becoming human, and two: keep the SHIELD agents compliant.

AKA Manipulation

I also like how AIDA found loophole after loophole to her parameters. Especially the “make everyone happy in the Framework,” one. Radcliffe never programmed how long said happiness were to last. To AIDA that didn’t matter, as long as they didn’t question the narrative. Could you honestly say Fitz was “happy?” May was happy? Couslon was happy? Seems AIDA’s defintion of what happiness is and however it’s achieved is flawed (naturally because she’s a robot and doesn’t understand the human condition). Happy to Fitz, for example would be Jemma, safe and sound, while happy to the Russian would be Coulson dead and buried....see the distinction?

In conclusion: AIDA is a master manipulator and don’t let anyone tell it different.

*sidebar re. AIDA and her motivation separate from her parameters. Where did her ultimate goal to become human originate from? Was she in fact corrupted by the Darkhold? I had originally thought that it was only Radcliffe who had been corrupted but it seems that AIDA was corrupted through him. The Darkhold allowing him to code/create in a way not of this earth, so her new coding had Darkhold pieces to it thus inspiring the motivation/desire to become human.....does that work? I had been having discussions with people about this because I was struggling to wrap my head around it. Does/Can an android have wants? It’s been programmed to protect you, so is that the same as saying it wants to protect you or is it more accurate to say an android doesn’t want anything. It’s simply following its programming protocols. So where did AIDA’s want come from?

Guess it’s the easy button aka the Darkhold that did it.

Feel like all this trouble started when Radcliffe taught (or coded?) AIDA the ability to lie. All of this could have been prevented had she been programmed without the capability to ever tell a lie. (Think about how much all of the other LMDs lied in order to accomplish their directives. LMD!Coulson to May, “In the Framework, we already are (together).” LMD!Fitz and his entire emotional ruse about not being an LMD., etc. etc.) Although, I supposed you could argue that her entire existence is essentially to be a lie; to trick people into believing she’s human so she can protect the members of SHIELD. She was built to lie. Interesting.....blew my own mind there.

#aos #Agents of SHIELD #AIDA #darkhold #meta #aos spoilers #radcliffe #lots of thoughts here #I guess i feel that all the pain fitz is about to go through mentally and emotionally is unfairly earned #the story wasn't well written enough to earn it #i mean im still entertained #me thinking this deeply on it means i like it enough to give it all this time energy and effort #your thoughts?

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mrlylerouse · 7 years

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Community Bulletin January 11

School News

» Save The Date for the 15th Annual Gala & Auction on March 17.

Tickets on sale January 30 - February 28. Tickets cost 900 RMB each.

» Phoenix Shop

The Phoenix Shop is open Monday through Friday at the lunch hour, 11:30 AM-1 PM. Mondays and Wednesdays from 3-4 PM.

» Concordia Presents: In Conversation with Ishmael Beah

Join author and activist Ishmael Beah, New York Times best-selling author, as he reads from his memoir A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier and shares his experiences as a child soldier in Sierra Leone. Ishmael has dedicated his life to speaking and advocating on behalf of those affected by war and violence. He serves on the Human Rights Watch Children's Advisory Committee and is UNICEF's first Advocate for Children Affected By War. His memoir, published in over 40 languages, was named one of the top 10 non-fiction books of 2007 by Time Magazine.

Event Details: Monday, January 22, 2018, 7:00 p.m. at Concordia's Phoenix Center Commons. Admission is free and open to the public.

» School Uniforms

The Uniform shop is located in the High School basement off of the PE Commons and is opens from noon to 4 PM, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday For your reference, the uniform policy appears on the Uniforms website. Questions regarding uniforms should be directed to: [email protected].

Our Community

» Towel & Blanket Drive

Do you love animals? Want to help bring comfort and warmth to rescue animals during this cold winter? The HS Environmental Committee is holding a Blanket & Towel Drive. Drop off your unwanted blankets and towels in the box by the HS office. On Saturday, Jan. 14th, there will be a day trip to the Best Friends Animal Shelter in Songjiang to bring these towels and blankets to the rescue animals there to help keep them warm and cozy. For more information about the Best Friends China animal charity, visit http://ift.tt/1J6tjGK.

Athletics & Arts

Look for SISAC Basketball and a Nanjing Swim Meet on January 20. Go Phoenix!!

PSO

» PSO Used Uniform Sales

Gently used Concordia uniform pieces are also for sale at all monthly PSO meetings. The uniform pieces cost 20 RMB each. If you have gently used uniforms you no longer need, please consider donating them to the PSO. Visit PSO website for more information on our upcoming events, and learn how you can get involved.

Job Openings

» Open positions for the 2017-18 School Year

We are currently in the midst of hiring for next year. We have already talked with some outstanding educators. If you know of any exceptional candidates who are both outstanding teachers and models of Christian faith, please either encourage them to go to our website to learn more http://ift.tt/2h5eAnw or contact Steven Nurre at [email protected]

Admin

Director of Athletics

Director of Development

Faculty

ES Classroom Teacher-Grade One

ES-Instructional Coach-S.T.E.M.

HS Math/Computer Science Teacher

HS Physical Education Teacher

HS Physics/Math Teacher

Opportunities

» Parents- Get your New Year Resolutions Started!

Concordia offers morning fitness classes for our parents. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 5:25 a.m. is spinning and Tuesday at 5:25 a.m. Is Extreme Workout (please email [email protected] if you are interested in any of these classes). Thursday at 6:00 a.m. Is yoga (please email [email protected] if you are invested in yoga).

» Service Opportunity Hosting families "Service Through Friendship"

This program offers the opportunity to be a "Big Brother" to two of WILL Foundation boys for one or two nights. The boys will be paired. They're between the ages five and twelve. They could share a bed or enjoy camping-out on a rug. (Sleeping bags available.) But, be warned, they eat like bears Contact [email protected] Thank you. Looking for host families for the following dates:

Saturday January 14, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Thursday January 19th 3:20 (Friday NO SCHOOL) until Saturday morning 10 AM 2 nights

Chinese New Year – January 27 – February 4. You pick your dates and boys. Very flexible.

Saturday February 17, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Friday February 24, 2017 3:20 pm until Sunday 10 AM 2 nights

Friday March 10, 3:20 PM until Sunday 10 AM 2 nights

Saturday March 18, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10AM 1 night

Friday April 28, 2017 3:20 PM until Sunday 10 AM 2 nights

Saturday May 6, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Saturday May 20, 2017 2 PM until Sunday 10 AM 1 night

Club Sports and Community Sports Organizations

Below you'll find a list of clubs and organizations that offer a variety of sports activities to the community. If you would like for Concordia to consider adding a listing, please email the Marketing Department.

» Shanghai American Football League » Shanghai Sluggers Youth Baseball » Shanghai Thunderbirds Ice Hockey » Sport For Life » Active Kidz Shanghai » Shanghai Griffins Basketball » Century Park Football Club - Soccer Training » Tuesday Night Co-ed Volleyball (starts after Chinese New Year) » Shanghai Gymnastics » Shanghai Chess Club Offers Classes at CCS » Multisport » Dulwich Earthquakes (Excellent Soccer Source)

Worship

» Please click here for information about Worship Services in Shanghai.

» Moms In Prayer International

Experience the joy of replacing anxiety with peace and hope by lifting up our children, teachers, staff and community with thanksgiving. Join other moms who meet twice a month on campus to seek guidance and wisdom for our children, our school and the Concordia community. Friendly to women of all languages. Please contact Michelle Wu if you have any question.

Classifieds

Please check next week!

Drivers & Ayis

When hiring ayis or drivers, please remember to check references and ask around the community for first-hand recommendations. Even in situations where ads are posted by Concordia families, please recognize that these ads are not vetted in any way by the school before posting. Although names and contact information of ayis and drivers are posted in the Community Bulletin, we do not affirm and/or affiliate ourselves with them.

Please check next week!

Reminders

» Carrying Copies of Passport and Visa

We have been informed by Public Security Bureau that policemen are being sent to different locations like supermarkets or streets to check people's passport and visa. We would like to remind our community that carrying a copy of your passport and visa in your wallet is recommended so you are fine if you are checked. Please note that the policemen will show you their working ID when they stop you. If they don't, please ask. If you forget to carry the two copies, they could take you back to their office. In this case, we suggest you contact your employer who can confirm your passport and visa information. They may also stop unaccompanied students so I would recommend that you review this procedure with them as well.

» New Residence Permits, Work Permits or Passports?

Whenever you or your family members receive new residence permits, work permits and/or passports, please be sure to send copies of your new documents to the Admissions office, in the Welcome Center (1st floor High School). Or, email soft copies to Admissions. Keeping your children's files up to date helps us keep in compliance with Chinese governmental regulations.

» Health Office Information

Concordia's Health Office has put together this useful list of emergency telephone numbers and addresses in both Chinese and English. Click here for the list or contact the Health Office for more information. Flu Shots For information on Flu shots, contact the Health Office. Contact Jenny or Yukki directly.

» No Bicycles for Children Under Age 12 on Public Streets - Shanghai International Schools Association (SISA)

The following information regarding bicycle riding in Shanghai is shared in an attempt to be helpful to all its member schools. For safety purposes, the regulations in Shanghai allow for bicycles to be ridden on public streets only by children age 12 and above. This regulation is strictly enforced in Puxi, but is unevenly applied in Pudong. The immediate danger is that families may assume that local protections for bicycle riders may be the same as in their own country, but they are not. It is important to be aware that if a child under 12 is involved in any kind of accident on a public street or crossing, the parent may be held responsible. Sidewalks and bicycle paths along public roads are considered part of the public roads. In addition, as accident insurance is relatively new to China and there are not many precedents with these situations, your own accident or medical insurance company has the right to refuse cover in the event of violation of the local law. We hope that better understanding will result in better safety for younger children.

» Community Bulletin Objectives

The Community Bulletin conveys school and student-related information and supports community, volunteer and charitable organizations. The classified section and driver/ayi notices, are meant as a service to parents. With the exception of sharing information and offers from Concordia's official corporate partners, we do not support commercial ventures or for-profit organizations. The Community Bulletin editors reserve the right to omit submitted content deemed to fall outside the scope of the Community Bulletin.

» Parent Directory Privacy Policy

At Concordia, we are very protective of family information and data. The school emails only information that is important and directly related to the school and student issues. Internally, we carefully monitor what is emailed to parents and ensure it is appropriate. The use of email addresses from the parent directory for non-school related or commercial reasons is a severe misuse of the directory.

» Submitting Community Bulletin Items

The Community Bulletin is a bi-weekly newsletter. Please submit text in final format by Wednesday at noon in Arial font (maximum 100 words or 5 sentences in paragraph form with a headline) to [email protected]. Based on the schedule of the next bulletin, submissions may be included the week they are received or the following week. Any submission received after this time on the week scheduled for publication will be included in the next bulletin in two weeks. Submitted items may run for a maximum of two consecutive publications.

from Concordia International School News http://ift.tt/2mnthXs

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pricelessmomentblog · 7 years

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Discovering the Meta

One of my favorite early lessons in entrepreneurship was the idea of working “on” your business instead of merely working “in” your business.

To see the distinction, imagine running a restaurant. Here, working “in” the business is clear. Make delicious food. Offer great service to your customers. Keep the place clean and inviting. Being able to cook and host is often a motivation for many to start a restaurant.

Running a restaurant is a lot more than cooking and waiting tables. It’s business strategy, marketing, cost accounting and pricing. Working “on” the restaurant means thinking one layer above to examine what processes the business itself consists of and how you can improve them.

Many restaurateurs fail because they can’t think at that higher abstract level. They intimately understand the food and service dimensions. But they struggle because they can’t see the processes and systems that result in high-quality food, new customers and steady profits.

There is a pattern of thinking here, though, that’s a lot more general than just about business success. This is the idea of a basic level of understanding and a “meta” level, which takes as its objects the very elements of thinking in the basic level itself. I believe there’s reason to believe that much of what we deem “intelligence”, as opposed to mere calculation, involves this kind of “meta” leap in conceptual understanding.

“Aha!” Moments When Discovering the Meta

I can attribute one of the biggest changes in my own life to one of these moments of discovering a hidden meta layer. In this case, it was thinking about habits, goals and productivity systems instead of just the objects of those pursuits.

The “Aha!” moment for me was discovering that, instead of just trying to work on some project to achieve a particular goal, I could work on my habits directly to achieve that goal. Instead of blaming a failure on willpower or discipline, I could look at the habits that failed me and see how one could be redesigned in the future to avoid those problems.

After discovering this meta layer for myself, I became a little obsessed with it. I’m not alone. Many people I know who started blogs on personal development often do so with habits, goal setting or productivity systems as a first topic. The discovery of this “meta” layer to life can feel so profound that it’s hard to believe you didn’t see it sooner.

Meta-Metas or Turtles All the Way Up

There’s an old joke about an shaman and a scientist. The scientist asked the shaman what the origin of the world was and the shaman said that the world was resting on the back of a gigantic tortoise. The scientist responds smugly, “but what does the tortoise stand on?” The shaman responded casually, “Another tortoise.” “But what does that tortoise stand on?” the scientist asked again. The shaman replied, “It’s tortoises all the way down.”

Metas are a bit like tortoises, except in this analogy they stack up rather than stack downwards. Once you have a certain level of understanding of one layer, it’s always possible to reach out to a new higher layer and start seeing the “meta” of the layer you had previously discovered.

Consider our restaurant. The amateur restaurateur sees the business in terms of food and service. The smarter restaurateur sees it in terms of business processes that create the food and service. The smartest restaurateur, sees those business processes in terms of strategies that compel them. Metas on top of metas.

Or consider habits. The initial layer is to strive after things, and blame amorphous properties like willpower or motivation when you can’t reach them. The meta layer is to investigate the processes that guide willpower and motivation—habits, goals and systems. The meta-meta layer is to think about the ideas and philosophies that guide those meta-level objects. What kinds of goals should I have? What habits are meta-stable? Should a system be thorough or sparse?

You Can’t Force the Meta

Clearly meta-understandings are incredibly valuable. Since a meta layer encapsulates the layers below it, you can always reason downwards, if that is more appropriate. The restaurateur who has reached the level of seeing business processes, for instance, doesn’t automatically forget about the food.

Given this idea, it might seem reasonable to ask whether we can generate these meta-level insights directly. The pattern is relatively clear—instead of reasoning about the objects directly, you reason about the higher abstractions that themselves reason about the objects. This might seem to form a “pump” so to speak, that would allow you to generate meta layers automatically, simply by thinking hard enough.

Unfortunately, however, I don’t think you can force it. I believe that this is because the meta comes from having detailed understanding of the layer below. If you don’t have that, the “meta” layer you generate has no power. You might be able to understand that it exists, but you can’t actually elevate your thinking towards it.

To give an example of this, about a year or so ago, I started learning to play chess. I had learned the rules of the game as a child, but I never had any skilled opponents and didn’t practice. Then, recently, I started playing again with a good friend who was quite skilled at the game.

Chess knowledge is easy to think in terms of layers. The most basic understanding of chess are the rules themselves. Bishops move diagonally. Rooks move horizontally and vertically. Pawns move only forward, except to capture, which has to be on a diagonal.

The first “higher” layer of chess is encapsulated in the patterns that are not part of the basic rules, but are inevitable consequences of them. One such pattern is a “fork” where your piece simultaneously attacks two of your opponents pieces, and can sometimes force them to sacrifice one if they aren’t properly protected. There is no rule for fork in chess. It’s a higher-layer that comes from understanding the basic rules well enough to see that this pattern exists above them.

But there’s more than just forks. Further layers of chess become increasingly abstract. Great players can often lose on lower-level principles of chess, such as material, sacrificing a pawn or piece, but gain on meta principles like activity or positional dominance.

The thing is, when I started learning about chess as an adult, I knew about these things. I heard about concepts like pawn structure, aggressiveness, sharpness in tactics, etc.. but I couldn’t *see* them. I knew those layers existed, but when a chess master pointed out that a certain setup was favorable to white because of one of these higher-level concepts, I was blind to it. They literally saw the chess board differently than I did because their mastery of the lower levels allowed a facility of “meta” understanding.

Side note: Sticklers may be rustled at my overly loose usage of “meta” here. “Meta” interpreted strictly means something is “about” itself. So meta-chess would be… chess about chess? Maybe that’s meaningless. Incidentally, this is a problem with “meta” not being a concept in and of itself, but a prefix which depends on which word is used as the base. Therefore, there are many things which exhibit “layer-hopping” in the same way as strictly “meta” ideas, but may not officially qualify because the correct noun is lacking to truly make it reflexive. This is a little bit of an unconventional extension of the idea of “meta”, so for those who want to limit it strictly, feel free to substitute my overuse of the word “meta” with the somewhat more general (and in my opinion less illustrative) idea of “abstraction.”

Meta and Chunks

These days, the popular account of such understanding is that of “chunks”. Human working memory is famously limited to just a few objects. Our mental powers comes from being able, through exposure, practice and insight, to bind atoms of understanding together into larger and larger chunks.

Experts have expertise because their repertoire of lower-level chunks allows for increasingly abstract patterns to be deftly employed when they’re needed. Physics experts see physics problems differently than novices. They see them in terms of deep principles rather than surface features of a problem. An expert might look at a problem and say, “oh this is a conservation of energy issue,” whereas a novice might say, “hmmm this is one of the ones that has a string and a pulley… which formula do you use for those again?”

This view of chunks also implies that meta-layers, although I’ve conceptualized them as existing discretely on top of earlier understandings, aren’t really discrete. While the idea of working “on” one’s business as opposed to “in” it seems fairly clear, there’s still a lot of crossover. Does opting for smaller portion sizes represent a basic-level strategy of presenting fancy-seeming dishes? Or is it a higher level strategy of market positioning? It’s often not clearly separate, and the reasoning compelling such choices can blur boundaries.

What I think is useful to the meta understanding, rather than thinking about chunks alone, is that the meta understanding implies that often what you’re doing when building expertise is making understandings that directly manipulate the upstream causes of your previous reasoning.

Meta is Math

There’s a powerful analogy here between the meta-climbing of increasingly abstract conceptual understanding and learning mathematics. In a way, mathematics is a kind of rarefied meta-level thinking.

The hallmark of math is this kind of conceptual climb. You start by counting on your fingers. That generalizes to numbers that go past ten. Then you get arithmetic—plus and minus, multiply and division. What if you multiplied the multiplier? That gets you to exponents and logarithms. What if you took partial numbers, extended the number line backwards or allowed it to rotate? That gives you the continuum, negative numbers and complex numbers, respectively.

The hallmark of mathematics is to take one level and generalize it or extend it in some way. This goes on and on and on until eventually you have things like commutative rings in abstract algebra, which are completely opaque to anyone without advanced mathematics degrees.

Meta-levels have a similar flavor. There’s the layer you understand. There’s the layer above that you can see exists, but can’t really work with. Then there’s the layers above that which you don’t understand at all.

Depending on your feelings towards the topic, you may feel those meta layers are genuine, and represent a deficit in your understanding, or you may feel they represent and increasingly elaborate form of intellectual masturbation, with people coming up with increasingly esoteric descriptions of a fundamental lie.

The existence of a meta-generating process doesn’t say anything about its veracity, unfortunately. A genuinely useful process may get derailed if it introduces a falsehood at a lower layer. Then, you might get increasingly sophisticated elaborations of that falsehood. Alchemy and astrology had tons of smart people as adherents, but the sophisticated abstract understandings collapse since that’s not how stars or substances actually work.

Pathways to Finding the Meta

While I don’t think you can “force” a meta-level understanding where the object level is insufficient to support it, I do think the opposite is possible. That is, I think it’s possible to have a rich object-level and simply not notice the meta level sitting above it.

This explains why discovering the meta, for many, is an “Aha!” moment of insight. Discovering habits is such a personal development leap for many because they’ve trained themselves to take action to reach goals, but it didn’t occur to them to think about the processes that generate the behavior itself. If you’re ready, that insight can be digested relatively rapidly.

This suggests a path for finding the meta in many areas of life, whether it be self-development, chess, physics or art:

1. Acknowledge that there are levels beyond what you can currently perceive.

This is especially important if you have a tendency to dismiss them. “History is just one thing after another,” or, “All modern art is bullshit,” are meta-dismissing comments. Now it’s certainly possible that established views are wrong. It may be the case that historians are overconfident in their conceptual understanding of how events unfold, or that modern art’s philosophy is suspect.

However, if we accept that virtually everything has meta layers and meta-meta layers, turtling all the way up, then one needs to be careful dismissing the layers one can’t currently see as not actually existing. As I explained earlier, I simply couldn’t see the chess concepts the grandmasters were talking about. If chess had been a more subjective domain, I might have wanted to dismiss their concepts entirely simply because I lacked the ability to see them.

2. Probe your own meta-levels. You may be ripe for an “Aha!” moment in one of them.

Ask yourself what would be the meta level of the problem domain you’re trying to work in. What would it mean to “go up one level” in your business, career or philosophy? The answer may give you clues as to how to climb up there, if you’re ready.

3. Develop richer understandings one level below.

If you’re not ready, the answer will probably be vague or unintelligible, just as the advanced chess concepts were to me. The solution here isn’t to dismiss the meta or ignore it, but to work on enriching your understanding of the layer below. As that foundation ripens, it will be easier and easier to think of it abstractly until you’re ready to move up to the layer above.

Climbing Meta-Ladders

This idea, that meta-layers can only be reached with sufficient understanding of the layer below, I think prevents the biggest worry of this chain of reasoning, namely that if you obsess over the meta layer, where does it stop? Don’t you just go off into an increasingly heady realm, detached from the object-level concerns until you start asking those bizarre philosophical questions like what the meaning of the word “is” is?

This worry, of course, is perhaps a symptom of runaway abstracting without first trying to get a grip on the layer below. Properly construed, a higher meta layer should have even greater familiarity with the objects below it, so that they are enriched by that understanding, rather than forgotten.

That being said, perhaps there is a “meta” to this entire chain of meta-reasoning I’m presenting right now. Namely, when to think about the meta layer and when to focus on the ground-layer itself. If that’s the case, then perhaps I haven’t developed a sophisticated enough understanding to access that rung in that meta-meta. However, I’ll keep thinking about it, and perhaps I’ll discover something once I do.

Discovering the Meta syndicated from http://ift.tt/2kl7pJj

0 notes

mrrolandtfranco · 7 years

Text

November 23, 2017

Community Bulletin

School News

» Change of Bank Account Name

Per government request, the school has changed its Chinese name. Hence, please kindly note that Chinese bank information is updated as below:

Account Name(户名): 上海协和国际外籍人员子女学校

Account No. (帐号):310066111018170251820

Bank (银行): 交通银行上海新区支行

» School Uniforms

The Uniform shop is located in the High School basement off of the PE Commons and is opens from noon to 4:00 PM, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For your reference, the uniform policy appears on the Uniforms website. Questions regarding uniforms should be directed to: [email protected].

Our Community

» Lunch Menu Access

Did you know that you can access our school lunch menus on our website? Click here to visit our School Services page and view the ES and MS/HS (PC Lunch Menu) lunch menus this week.

http://ift.tt/2y0bnNX

Athletics & Arts

This past weekend our APAC Choir, APAC Orchestra and APAC Dance groups all traveled to their respective APAC events. The performances were well received and each group reported they had a great time.

The MS soccer seasons finished up last weekend at the Cross River Event. Great season to all players and coaches. Thank you to the parents who helped coach this season and specifically on Saturday.

The swim group traveled to Bangkok to compete in the APAC vs. ISAS Swim meet. We had a number of kids swim personal best times. ISAS ended up winning the meet.

This weekend our Varsity Basketball teams are in Beijing at the Great Wall Basketball Tournament. Follow the action at http://ift.tt/2jg0cL7

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving.

PSO

» Please join us at the PSO Holiday Party were we will "Eat, Drink and Be Merry"!

The party will be held on Monday, December 4 from 7 - 9 PM at the Marriott, Pudong.

Your ticket gets you a Cocktail Buffet and a Drink. There will be Raffle Prizes and plenty of Holiday Cheer.

To RSVP, please put 200 RMB/person in an envelope marked with the names of the people attending and drop it off in one of the collection boxes location in the ES, MS, or HS offices by November 30. We are looking forward to celebrating the season with all of you! Please see the party invitation here.

» PSO Used Uniform Sales

Job Openings

Each fall we begin to identify positions likely to be open the following year and generally complete recruiting by late January. However, we accept applications at any time and will keep them on file for future vacancies. Due to age restrictions in China, we are not able to consider applicants who will be older than 57 on August 1 of the year of their initial contract.

Faculty

Early Childhood (EC)- PS 3 Classroom

EC-Assistant Principal/Counselor-offer pending

ES Grade One Classroom

ES Grade Two Classroom

Potential-ES Classroom (grade level unspecified)

ES PE

ES ELL Coach

Potential-ES Counselor

MS Math/Science

MS Humanities

HS PE-offer pending

HS Humanities/History

Support

Athletic/PE Assistant

Athletic/PE Secretary

ES Teaching Assistant

To learn more go to: http://ift.tt/2h5eAnw

or Directly to Job Postings

Opportunities

» Give the Gift of Education this Christmas!

For more than 10 years Concordia Shanghai has partnered with Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation

(CWEF) to provide YEP Scholarships for students in rural China. CWEF works with the high schools and education officials to provide high school scholarships to vulnerable (poor, female, handicapped, minority, etc.) and well-qualified students (good character and grades). The Chinese government provides free public education through grade 9, but tuition must be paid for high school. Many rural families have little access to affordable student loans or financing, consequently many high-achieving female students cannot pursue a high school education.

Your gift of 3500 RMB (US$520) provides a student with school tuition and fees, annual career workshops, and support for REACH student-development program for the current school year. Click here for more information and to make a direct online donation. http://ift.tt/2zszSr0

» Morning Fitness Classes are Open to Parents of Concordia!

Are you interested in spinning, boot camp, or yoga in the mornings? Certified staff are conducting classes every morning of the week. For a detailed schedule and pricing information, contact Tina Harbold. Classes have begun so don't wait... sign up now! If you are interested or have questions, please email Tina at [email protected].

Club Sports and Community Sports Organizations

» Phoenix Swim Club » Shanghai American Football League » Shanghai Sluggers Youth Baseball-registration has started! » Shanghai Thunderbirds Ice Hockey » Sport For Life » Active Kidz Shanghai » Century Park Football Club - Soccer Training » Tuesday Night Co-ed Volleyball (starts after Chinese New Year) » Shanghai Gymnastics » Shanghai Chess Club Offers Classes at CCS » Multisport » Dulwich Earthquakes (Excellent Soccer Source) » Danceworks Shanghai

Worship

» Please click here for information about Worship Services in Shanghai.

Classifieds

» Check back next time!

Drivers & Ayis

» Check back next time!

Reminders

» Carrying Copies of Passport and Visa

» New Residence Permits, Work Permits or Passports?

» No Bicycles for Children Under Age 12 on Public Streets - Shanghai International Schools Association (SISA)

» Community Bulletin Objectives

The Community Bulletin conveys school and student-related information and supports community, volunteer and charitable organizations. The classified section and driver/ayi notices are meant as a service to parents. With the exception of sharing information and offers from Concordia's official corporate partners, we do not support commercial ventures or for-profit organizations. The Community Bulletin editors reserve the right to omit submitted content deemed to fall outside the scope of the Community Bulletin.

» Parent Directory Privacy Policy

» Submitting Community Bulletin Items

from Concordia International School News http://ift.tt/2zu6mm2

0 notes

mrandyzavala · 7 years

Text

November 23, 2017

Community Bulletin

School News

» Change of Bank Account Name

Per government request, the school has changed its Chinese name. Hence, please kindly note that Chinese bank information is updated as below:

Account Name(户名): 上海协和国际外籍人员子女学校

Account No. (帐号):310066111018170251820

Bank (银行): 交通银行上海新区支行

» School Uniforms

Our Community

» Lunch Menu Access

Did you know that you can access our school lunch menus on our website? Click here to visit our School Services page and view the ES and MS/HS (PC Lunch Menu) lunch menus this week.

http://ift.tt/2y0bnNX

Athletics & Arts

This past weekend our APAC Choir, APAC Orchestra and APAC Dance groups all traveled to their respective APAC events. The performances were well received and each group reported they had a great time.

The MS soccer seasons finished up last weekend at the Cross River Event. Great season to all players and coaches. Thank you to the parents who helped coach this season and specifically on Saturday.

The swim group traveled to Bangkok to compete in the APAC vs. ISAS Swim meet. We had a number of kids swim personal best times. ISAS ended up winning the meet.

This weekend our Varsity Basketball teams are in Beijing at the Great Wall Basketball Tournament. Follow the action at http://ift.tt/2jg0cL7

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving.

PSO

» Please join us at the PSO Holiday Party were we will "Eat, Drink and Be Merry"!

The party will be held on Monday, December 4 from 7 - 9 PM at the Marriott, Pudong.

Your ticket gets you a Cocktail Buffet and a Drink. There will be Raffle Prizes and plenty of Holiday Cheer.

» PSO Used Uniform Sales

Job Openings

Faculty

Early Childhood (EC)- PS 3 Classroom

EC-Assistant Principal/Counselor-offer pending

ES Grade One Classroom

ES Grade Two Classroom

Potential-ES Classroom (grade level unspecified)

ES PE

ES ELL Coach

Potential-ES Counselor

MS Math/Science

MS Humanities

HS PE-offer pending

HS Humanities/History

Support

Athletic/PE Assistant

Athletic/PE Secretary

ES Teaching Assistant

To learn more go to: http://ift.tt/2h5eAnw

or Directly to Job Postings

Opportunities

» Give the Gift of Education this Christmas!

For more than 10 years Concordia Shanghai has partnered with Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation

» Morning Fitness Classes are Open to Parents of Concordia!

Club Sports and Community Sports Organizations

Worship

» Please click here for information about Worship Services in Shanghai.

Classifieds

» Check back next time!

Drivers & Ayis

» Check back next time!

Reminders

» Carrying Copies of Passport and Visa

» New Residence Permits, Work Permits or Passports?

» No Bicycles for Children Under Age 12 on Public Streets - Shanghai International Schools Association (SISA)

» Community Bulletin Objectives

The Community Bulletin conveys school and student-related information and supports community, volunteer and charitable organizations. The classified section and driver/ayi notices are meant as a service to parents. With the exception of sharing information and offers from Concordia's official corporate partners, we do not support commercial ventures or for-profit organizations. The Community Bulletin editors reserve the right to omit submitted content deemed to fall outside the scope of the Community Bulletin.

» Parent Directory Privacy Policy

» Submitting Community Bulletin Items

from Concordia International School News http://ift.tt/2zu6mm2

0 notes

mrmarknewman · 7 years

Text

November 23, 2017

Community Bulletin

School News

» Change of Bank Account Name

Per government request, the school has changed its Chinese name. Hence, please kindly note that Chinese bank information is updated as below:

Account Name(户名): 上海协和国际外籍人员子女学校

Account No. (帐号):310066111018170251820

Bank (银行): 交通银行上海新区支行

» School Uniforms

Our Community

» Lunch Menu Access

Did you know that you can access our school lunch menus on our website? Click here to visit our School Services page and view the ES and MS/HS (PC Lunch Menu) lunch menus this week.

http://ift.tt/2y0bnNX

Athletics & Arts

This past weekend our APAC Choir, APAC Orchestra and APAC Dance groups all traveled to their respective APAC events. The performances were well received and each group reported they had a great time.

The MS soccer seasons finished up last weekend at the Cross River Event. Great season to all players and coaches. Thank you to the parents who helped coach this season and specifically on Saturday.

The swim group traveled to Bangkok to compete in the APAC vs. ISAS Swim meet. We had a number of kids swim personal best times. ISAS ended up winning the meet.

This weekend our Varsity Basketball teams are in Beijing at the Great Wall Basketball Tournament. Follow the action at http://ift.tt/2jg0cL7

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving.

PSO

» Please join us at the PSO Holiday Party were we will "Eat, Drink and Be Merry"!

The party will be held on Monday, December 4 from 7 - 9 PM at the Marriott, Pudong.

Your ticket gets you a Cocktail Buffet and a Drink. There will be Raffle Prizes and plenty of Holiday Cheer.

» PSO Used Uniform Sales

Job Openings

Faculty

Early Childhood (EC)- PS 3 Classroom

EC-Assistant Principal/Counselor-offer pending

ES Grade One Classroom

ES Grade Two Classroom

Potential-ES Classroom (grade level unspecified)

ES PE

ES ELL Coach

Potential-ES Counselor

MS Math/Science

MS Humanities

HS PE-offer pending

HS Humanities/History

Support

Athletic/PE Assistant

Athletic/PE Secretary

ES Teaching Assistant

To learn more go to: http://ift.tt/2h5eAnw

or Directly to Job Postings

Opportunities

» Give the Gift of Education this Christmas!

For more than 10 years Concordia Shanghai has partnered with Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation

» Morning Fitness Classes are Open to Parents of Concordia!

Club Sports and Community Sports Organizations

Worship

» Please click here for information about Worship Services in Shanghai.

Classifieds

» Check back next time!

Drivers & Ayis

» Check back next time!

Reminders

» Carrying Copies of Passport and Visa

» New Residence Permits, Work Permits or Passports?

» No Bicycles for Children Under Age 12 on Public Streets - Shanghai International Schools Association (SISA)

» Community Bulletin Objectives

The Community Bulletin conveys school and student-related information and supports community, volunteer and charitable organizations. The classified section and driver/ayi notices are meant as a service to parents. With the exception of sharing information and offers from Concordia's official corporate partners, we do not support commercial ventures or for-profit organizations. The Community Bulletin editors reserve the right to omit submitted content deemed to fall outside the scope of the Community Bulletin.

» Parent Directory Privacy Policy

» Submitting Community Bulletin Items

from Concordia International School News http://ift.tt/2zu6mm2

0 notes

mrlawrenceamick · 7 years

Text

November 23, 2017

Community Bulletin

School News

» Change of Bank Account Name

Per government request, the school has changed its Chinese name. Hence, please kindly note that Chinese bank information is updated as below:

Account Name(户名): 上海协和国际外籍人员子女学校

Account No. (帐号):310066111018170251820

Bank (银行): 交通银行上海新区支行

» School Uniforms

Our Community

» Lunch Menu Access

Did you know that you can access our school lunch menus on our website? Click here to visit our School Services page and view the ES and MS/HS (PC Lunch Menu) lunch menus this week.

http://ift.tt/2y0bnNX

Athletics & Arts

This past weekend our APAC Choir, APAC Orchestra and APAC Dance groups all traveled to their respective APAC events. The performances were well received and each group reported they had a great time.

The MS soccer seasons finished up last weekend at the Cross River Event. Great season to all players and coaches. Thank you to the parents who helped coach this season and specifically on Saturday.

The swim group traveled to Bangkok to compete in the APAC vs. ISAS Swim meet. We had a number of kids swim personal best times. ISAS ended up winning the meet.

This weekend our Varsity Basketball teams are in Beijing at the Great Wall Basketball Tournament. Follow the action at http://ift.tt/2jg0cL7

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving.

PSO

» Please join us at the PSO Holiday Party were we will "Eat, Drink and Be Merry"!

The party will be held on Monday, December 4 from 7 - 9 PM at the Marriott, Pudong.

Your ticket gets you a Cocktail Buffet and a Drink. There will be Raffle Prizes and plenty of Holiday Cheer.

» PSO Used Uniform Sales

Job Openings

Faculty

Early Childhood (EC)- PS 3 Classroom

EC-Assistant Principal/Counselor-offer pending

ES Grade One Classroom

ES Grade Two Classroom

Potential-ES Classroom (grade level unspecified)

ES PE

ES ELL Coach

Potential-ES Counselor

MS Math/Science

MS Humanities

HS PE-offer pending

HS Humanities/History

Support

Athletic/PE Assistant

Athletic/PE Secretary

ES Teaching Assistant

To learn more go to: http://ift.tt/2h5eAnw

or Directly to Job Postings

Opportunities

» Give the Gift of Education this Christmas!

For more than 10 years Concordia Shanghai has partnered with Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation

» Morning Fitness Classes are Open to Parents of Concordia!

Club Sports and Community Sports Organizations

Worship

» Please click here for information about Worship Services in Shanghai.

Classifieds

» Check back next time!

Drivers & Ayis

» Check back next time!

Reminders

» Carrying Copies of Passport and Visa

» New Residence Permits, Work Permits or Passports?

» No Bicycles for Children Under Age 12 on Public Streets - Shanghai International Schools Association (SISA)

» Community Bulletin Objectives

The Community Bulletin conveys school and student-related information and supports community, volunteer and charitable organizations. The classified section and driver/ayi notices are meant as a service to parents. With the exception of sharing information and offers from Concordia's official corporate partners, we do not support commercial ventures or for-profit organizations. The Community Bulletin editors reserve the right to omit submitted content deemed to fall outside the scope of the Community Bulletin.

» Parent Directory Privacy Policy

» Submitting Community Bulletin Items

from Concordia International School News http://ift.tt/2zu6mm2

0 notes

mrjoshuatom · 7 years

Text

November 23, 2017

Community Bulletin

School News

» Change of Bank Account Name

Per government request, the school has changed its Chinese name. Hence, please kindly note that Chinese bank information is updated as below:

Account Name(户名): 上海协和国际外籍人员子女学校

Account No. (帐号):310066111018170251820

Bank (银行): 交通银行上海新区支行

» School Uniforms

Our Community

» Lunch Menu Access

Did you know that you can access our school lunch menus on our website? Click here to visit our School Services page and view the ES and MS/HS (PC Lunch Menu) lunch menus this week.

http://ift.tt/2y0bnNX

Athletics & Arts

This past weekend our APAC Choir, APAC Orchestra and APAC Dance groups all traveled to their respective APAC events. The performances were well received and each group reported they had a great time.

The MS soccer seasons finished up last weekend at the Cross River Event. Great season to all players and coaches. Thank you to the parents who helped coach this season and specifically on Saturday.

The swim group traveled to Bangkok to compete in the APAC vs. ISAS Swim meet. We had a number of kids swim personal best times. ISAS ended up winning the meet.

This weekend our Varsity Basketball teams are in Beijing at the Great Wall Basketball Tournament. Follow the action at http://ift.tt/2jg0cL7

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving.

PSO

» Please join us at the PSO Holiday Party were we will "Eat, Drink and Be Merry"!

The party will be held on Monday, December 4 from 7 - 9 PM at the Marriott, Pudong.

Your ticket gets you a Cocktail Buffet and a Drink. There will be Raffle Prizes and plenty of Holiday Cheer.

» PSO Used Uniform Sales

Job Openings

Faculty

Early Childhood (EC)- PS 3 Classroom

EC-Assistant Principal/Counselor-offer pending

ES Grade One Classroom

ES Grade Two Classroom

Potential-ES Classroom (grade level unspecified)

ES PE

ES ELL Coach

Potential-ES Counselor

MS Math/Science

MS Humanities

HS PE-offer pending

HS Humanities/History

Support

Athletic/PE Assistant

Athletic/PE Secretary

ES Teaching Assistant

To learn more go to: http://ift.tt/2h5eAnw

or Directly to Job Postings

Opportunities

» Give the Gift of Education this Christmas!

For more than 10 years Concordia Shanghai has partnered with Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation

» Morning Fitness Classes are Open to Parents of Concordia!

Club Sports and Community Sports Organizations

Worship

» Please click here for information about Worship Services in Shanghai.

Classifieds

» Check back next time!

Drivers & Ayis

» Check back next time!

Reminders

» Carrying Copies of Passport and Visa

» New Residence Permits, Work Permits or Passports?

» No Bicycles for Children Under Age 12 on Public Streets - Shanghai International Schools Association (SISA)

» Community Bulletin Objectives

The Community Bulletin conveys school and student-related information and supports community, volunteer and charitable organizations. The classified section and driver/ayi notices are meant as a service to parents. With the exception of sharing information and offers from Concordia's official corporate partners, we do not support commercial ventures or for-profit organizations. The Community Bulletin editors reserve the right to omit submitted content deemed to fall outside the scope of the Community Bulletin.

» Parent Directory Privacy Policy

» Submitting Community Bulletin Items

from Concordia International School News http://ift.tt/2zu6mm2

0 notes

mrlylerouse · 7 years

Text

November 23, 2017

Community Bulletin

School News

» Change of Bank Account Name

Per government request, the school has changed its Chinese name. Hence, please kindly note that Chinese bank information is updated as below:

Account Name(户名): 上海协和国际外籍人员子女学校

Account No. (帐号):310066111018170251820

Bank (银行): 交通银行上海新区支行

» School Uniforms

Our Community

» Lunch Menu Access

Did you know that you can access our school lunch menus on our website? Click here to visit our School Services page and view the ES and MS/HS (PC Lunch Menu) lunch menus this week.

http://ift.tt/2y0bnNX

Athletics & Arts

This past weekend our APAC Choir, APAC Orchestra and APAC Dance groups all traveled to their respective APAC events. The performances were well received and each group reported they had a great time.

The MS soccer seasons finished up last weekend at the Cross River Event. Great season to all players and coaches. Thank you to the parents who helped coach this season and specifically on Saturday.

The swim group traveled to Bangkok to compete in the APAC vs. ISAS Swim meet. We had a number of kids swim personal best times. ISAS ended up winning the meet.

This weekend our Varsity Basketball teams are in Beijing at the Great Wall Basketball Tournament. Follow the action at http://ift.tt/2jg0cL7

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving.

PSO

» Please join us at the PSO Holiday Party were we will "Eat, Drink and Be Merry"!

The party will be held on Monday, December 4 from 7 - 9 PM at the Marriott, Pudong.

Your ticket gets you a Cocktail Buffet and a Drink. There will be Raffle Prizes and plenty of Holiday Cheer.

» PSO Used Uniform Sales

Job Openings

Faculty

Early Childhood (EC)- PS 3 Classroom

EC-Assistant Principal/Counselor-offer pending

ES Grade One Classroom

ES Grade Two Classroom

Potential-ES Classroom (grade level unspecified)

ES PE

ES ELL Coach

Potential-ES Counselor

MS Math/Science

MS Humanities

HS PE-offer pending

HS Humanities/History

Support

Athletic/PE Assistant

Athletic/PE Secretary

ES Teaching Assistant

To learn more go to: http://ift.tt/2h5eAnw

or Directly to Job Postings

Opportunities

» Give the Gift of Education this Christmas!

For more than 10 years Concordia Shanghai has partnered with Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation

» Morning Fitness Classes are Open to Parents of Concordia!

Club Sports and Community Sports Organizations

Worship

» Please click here for information about Worship Services in Shanghai.

Classifieds

» Check back next time!

Drivers & Ayis

» Check back next time!

Reminders

» Carrying Copies of Passport and Visa

» New Residence Permits, Work Permits or Passports?

» No Bicycles for Children Under Age 12 on Public Streets - Shanghai International Schools Association (SISA)

» Community Bulletin Objectives

The Community Bulletin conveys school and student-related information and supports community, volunteer and charitable organizations. The classified section and driver/ayi notices are meant as a service to parents. With the exception of sharing information and offers from Concordia's official corporate partners, we do not support commercial ventures or for-profit organizations. The Community Bulletin editors reserve the right to omit submitted content deemed to fall outside the scope of the Community Bulletin.

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from Concordia International School News http://ift.tt/2zu6mm2

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