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mariacallous · 17 days ago

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Elon Musk may have finally reached the end of his rope with President Donald Trump—and vice versa. While the world’s richest man wars with the US president on X, Republican strategists and insiders in Trumpworld tell WIRED that Musk’s broader future in Republican politics is on shaky ground.

Over the past few days on X, Musk has posted increasingly personal criticisms at Trump and the Republican budget reconciliation package known as the Big Beautiful Bill. This came to a head on Thursday, when Trump addressed the relationship during a press conference with German chancellor Friedrich Merz.

“Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” said Trump, who compared Musk to past aides who have, he said, developed “Trump derangement syndrome” after leaving his administration.

Trump and Musk have been in lockstep since Musk endorsed the president in July 2024. Musk poured hundreds of millions of dollars into Trump’s reelection bid, and their close relationship has been promoted by the pair countless times. Just last week, the two held a joint press conference as an apparent celebration of and conclusion to Musk’s time as a special government employee involved with his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Today’s remarks, though, reveal how fractured that relationship has become. “Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” Musk posted on X shortly after Trump’s comments. “Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate.”

Behind the scenes, Trumpworld Republicans tell WIRED, this tension is about more than just a bromance falling apart. If Musk continues to escalate, he may drag down legislation that Trump sees as a key part of his political legacy.

“If [Musk] actually successfully gets any votes switched to tank this bill and kills it,” a senior Trumpworld strategist tells WIRED, “then I think at that point he’s fucking dead to Donald Trump.”

This Republican—who, like the four WIRED spoke to for this story, requested anonymity to keep what’s left of their political futures alive after the current implosion of the Trump-Musk relationship—went on to say that Musk meddling in the Big Beautiful Bill came at the worst time and with the highest stakes for the Trump White House.

At best, they say, Trump has “18 months” to cement his legacy with his signature legislation. “Some of the priorities of President Trump are not possible outside of this bill.” After that, this same senior Republican said, the remainder of Trump’s term will likely be hamstrung by an expected Democratic victory in the House in the midterms that would prevent any major legislative wins.

“Whatever,” Musk tweeted minutes after Trump’s comment about their relationship and the president’s claims that Musk was only upset about the potential impact to his automotive business. “Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill. In the entire history of civilization, there has never been legislation that (sic) both big and beautiful. Everyone knows this! Either you get a big and ugly bill or a slim and beautiful bill. Slim and beautiful is the way.” Musk has continued posting, attacking, he says, what he believes is Trump’s about-face on raising the debt ceiling.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the package would increase the deficit by $2.4 trillion through 2034, mostly due to an anticipated $3.7 trillion decline in revenue due to the extension of tax cuts passed during Trump’s first term. The package would cut spending by about $1.3 trillion, with most of that coming from cuts to Medicaid and food assistance. Other spending would decline by about $64 billion on net, the CBO has written, with cuts offset by “increases in outlays for defense, immigration enforcement, and homeland security.” Because the package would increase the deficit, it would necessitate increasing the debt ceiling—something Trump has said he would like to do away with entirely.

“Elon was ‘wearing thin,’ I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!” Trump later wrote on Truth Social before threatening to cancel Musk’s government contracts.

Republicans familiar with the dynamic between Trump and Musk said several recent flash points have brought the two men closer to the brink. The most notable were Musk’s reported outrage at Trump’s announcement that he was withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman, a Musk ally, for Nasa administrator. The Big Beautiful Bill, if passed, would also cut the electric vehicle tax credit that benefits companies like Tesla.

“If this really is a divorce and they start butting heads,” a second senior Republican strategist plugged into Trumpworld tells WIRED, “it doesn’t take much for Trump to put out a Truth Social post that undermines what Elon’s trying to do.”Got a Tip?Do you know anything about Elon Musk's future in the government? We'd like to hear from you. Using a nonwork phone or computer, contact the reporter securely on Signal at Leak2Lahut.26.

Two of the Trumpworld Republican strategists WIRED spoke with who have clients on Capitol Hill—including senators facing reelection—said that even before Thursday’s outburst, Musk had become so toxic that even his seemingly endless funds couldn’t change their outlook.

“My advice to clients, many of which are in Congress in the Senate and seeking reelection, is to take the side of their voters and not the side of Elon Musk,” says the senior Republican strategist.

“If you vote to basically throw your district under the bus,” the second Republican adds, “that means you're going to lose in November anyways.”

Fearing a midterm wipeout and a lingering, toxic drag on the GOP brand from Musk, Republicans who had been cautious in their approach to the world’s richest man are feeling increasingly emboldened to encourage their clients to break free.

“You should not turn your back on promises made [to voters] just because Elon Musk is mad about it,” the first strategist says. “Unless Elon Musk spends a couple hundred million dollars going after people in these primaries, that is not going to have the impact that people think he does, because Donald Trump is still more popular than anybody else in the party. And if you're on the side of Donald Trump, then ultimately you're going to be OK.”

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yanderes-galore · 9 months ago

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I also have one more request in regards of Cult of the Lamb.

Do you think it's possible to do a (platonic/romantic) concept of naridener(toww)

Towards a cult leader lamb reader?

Ooo! This is another interesting dynamic I think will be fun to explore :)

Yandere! Narinder with Lamb! Darling

Pairing: Platonic/Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Religion, Cults, Manipulation, Possessive behavior, Worship, Ownership, Corruption, Indoctrination, Sacrifice, Violence, Dubious companionship/relationship.

Narinder is the being that gave you another chance.

You were brutally slaughtered by his siblings and the last of your kind.

He's the being who decided you deserved a second chance at life.

A useful pawn... forever in his debt.

A common start of yanderes is usually if the obsession sees them in a light no one else does.

Not in this case... well, not until much later I guess.

Narinder likes the control he has over you as TOWW.

You are his chosen vessel and he originally just sees you as such.

This is different from the typical format as, for most of the obsession, you're worshiping him.

You make a cult in his name because there's no other choice you have.

Narinder is a powerful force in your life, lending you his power to carry out his message.

Just where would you be if you didn't have him?

Narinder, as TOWW, primarily sees you as a pet or just a pawn.

Although... The Bishop does enjoy seeing you conduct sermons and pray in his name.

He praises you for your work and duties.

You grow your cult, sacrifice in his name, brainwash those stupid little followers to work tasks.

In a way... Narinder is proud.

He likes what you do in his name, you'd only do it in his name.

Narinder would feel you're already his, no matter what.

You're forever tied to him in your deal.

After all... You need him to use the Red Crown.

You'd be nothing but prey if he didn't step in.

Narinder feels prideful about this as he feels confident to be in control.

It's hard to pinpoint where the obsession starts.

I feel the moment he realizes you'll be the perfect vessel, he feels he claims you.

You can't do anything against him, can you?

He does everything for you.

Resurrection, upgrades, influence, power...

You need him and he enjoys that fact.

You're so small when you visit him in his realm.

He often summons you to praise you.

He may be in chains, but his grin says everything.

Narinder would have a field day with you.

Even more so when his obsession starts.

This isn't your traditional yandere, of course.

It's the equivalent of a God falling for a mortal.

He is a big presence in your existence.

He will not let any harm bring you down.

You are his strong disciple, loyal to him.

As he watches you take down his siblings, part of him is pained.

But for the most part... He is happy to have developed such a strong lamb.

He listens to your every prayer.

Every sermon meets his ears.

Every sacrifice he takes greedily.

You get power... and he gets you.

His cute little lamb.

This dynamic can work platonically or romantically.

This is primarily just Narinder enjoying your worship.

In a way, the deity is possessive of his lamb.

Part of him wants to thank his siblings for giving him such a... gift.

Them giving you to him was their own downfall.

All revenge for not only imprisoning him... but sacrificing you.

Doesn't it feel good?

You get to feel this good... this powerful... all due to him.

This would be the first half of the obsession, perhaps even most of the obsession.

You worship him and he enjoys every minute of it.

He loves knowing you're his.

Even when you show attention to your followers, he doesn't care.

They're fodder.

Your devotion truly belongs to him.

Your Bishop.

The roles would only reverse when he demands his crown back... when he can finally have his revival, you just need to give yourself to him.

Only for you to refuse.

The nature of his obsession changes once you beat him in combat.

He's made you too strong... he fully expects to die by your hands...

Then you spare him... and he wonders if your feelings are mutual.

Are you still his? Even now?

Narinder's obsession with his lamb changes when you make him a follower.

He's still upset you managed to beat him... but you're still his in his eyes.

After all, you have to like him somewhat if you spare him.

You could've slaughtered him, removed his oppressive presence from your life entirely.

But you didn't.

Now he's in your debt, just like you were with him.

Narinder hates to admit it, yet you mean a lot to him as his lamb.

Now he's forced to listen to your every whim as you're his new leader.

As TOWW, Narinder is sadistic along with being possessive of his lamb.

He has you tied to him due to your deal, you're his to control.

What he says goes.

Now, as your follower, Narinder becomes a possessive worship yandere.

He used to not mind your followers before.

Now he can't stand them around you.

In a way he's happy this new form allows him to interact with you in ways he couldn't before.

Yet he misses his power, that ability to make you listen to his every word....

Now, Narinder dedicates himself to you as much as he can.

He tries to outperform every follower, he sticks right by your side.

While he appears moody... Narinder doesn't want to be away from your side.

He misses when he didn't have competition.

Now he has to try and force it.

Imagine if Narinder had to frame other followers you had to get rid of them.

He does everything to be your favorite.

He needs you... just like you need him.

Narinder wants to be yours, in return, he expects you to be his lamb.

In terms of which version is my favorite, I'm biased towards TOWW.

There's just something more intimidating about a God of Death falling for a follower of his.

You couldn't get rid of him and he'd always be there to summon you back to him.

So, hopefully, during your final confrontation...

Maybe you'll just roll over and give yourself to him...

Then you'll be forever his, his little lamb.

#yandere cult of the lamb #yandere cotl #yandere narinder #yandere the one who waits #yandere toww

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mrcompass · 4 months ago

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Did Ryuga regress in Metal Fury?

Many fans have pointed out that Ryuga's quest to take the star fragments from the Legendary Bladers was akin to character assassination. His power-hungry side seemingly resurfaced, something that appeared to be toned down during Metal Masters. Here, I will analyze Ryuga's reasoning and try to understand why he took this path—and whether he truly reverted to his Fusion persona.

Why Did Ryuga Go His Own Way to Steal the Star Fragment?

Before the Star Fragment appeared, he was the only character able to evolve his Bey. Then, Kyoya claimed that Leone had evolved, making the "conditions equals" between them. Though Ryuga won and initially denied the power of the Star Fragment, he likely saw it as a potential threat to his dominance in Beyblade, as Kyoya's word resonated with that idea.

Gingka, whom Ryuga respected in Masters, showed up without fully mastering his Bey, giving Ryuga even fewer reasons to listen to him. He even said, "I'm disappointed in you, Gingka."

He defeated two of the strongest Bladers he knew, which definitely boosted his confidence.

He first believed he was the one who evolved L-Drago, but by the end of episode 107, he accepted the truth. However, for him, that meant other people in the world also had Star Fragments, making them potential threats.

Ryuga hated seeing others with left-spinning Beys, so why would he tolerate others possessing Star Fragments and evolving their Beys?

Other characters besides Ryuga became enchanted with this power—like Aguma and Chris, who used their Star Fragments for personal gain rather than stopping Nemesis. So it’s not really surprising that Ryuga, who also wanted to use his power for his own benefit, took a similar path.

Ryuga had no reason to join Gingka, as none of them knew the connection between Nemesis and Hades Inc.

Conclusion:

We can see that Ryuga went his own way because he had no reason to follow Gingka. His confidence had been boosted by his victories and the power he had received, and he also saw the Legendary Bladers as potential threats to his dominance.

Did Ryuga Change Compared to Masters?

Even in Masters, Ryuga valued strength and power over everything else. When he met Tsubasa, he remarked, "I have gotten my hands on a new power that makes the old dark force look like a toddler throwing a tantrum". So in a way he was satisfied the power he had.

In addition, there was no power for him to absorb in Masters, and he had already evolved his Bey.

At that time, he was the strongest in the world—or at least he thought he was—so he had no reason to pursue other Bladers to steal their power.

He allied with Gingka to defeat Ziggurat, whom he deeply hated and saw as the reason he was used by the Dark Nebula. He also had a debt to pay to Gingka and respected him.

Ryuga in Fusion was much more brutal and one-dimensional—all he seemed to care about was winning and giving more power to L-Drago to become stronger. This might have been due to the dark power's influence.

In Masters, these traits were toned down, and he developed a new philosophy of Beyblade: that one must give their all in battle. To Zeo, he said, "Bringing your own strength out to the fullest and completely defeating your opponent with the power of your very own Bey—that is a battle, that is a Bey battle."

In Fury, he also told Gingka, "If you call yourself a real Blader, then try and make me listen to you." This shows that Ryuga still believed in strength but also in the idea that Bladers "communicate" through battle, as Gingka often says.

His relationship with Kenta further proves that he didn’t fully regress. If Ryuga had completely gone back to his Fusion self, he would have gotten rid of Kenta. Instead, his philosophy remained intact, as seen when he told Kenta: "Then challenge me, kid. No matter what time it is or where we are, whether we're eating or sleeping—can you actually force me to take you seriously?"

Conclusion:

While Ryuga's pursuit of the Star Fragment made him appear more power-hungry, he didn’t regress to his Fusion persona. Instead, his actions were consistent with his philosophy. The situation between Masters and Fury also had drastically changed. His bond with Kenta show that, despite his arrogance, he still held onto his beliefs from Masters.

It’s understandable that seeing a character like Ryuga go from actively helping the protagonist to potentially becoming a threat feels like a major shift. However, considering the Dragon Emperor’s personality—his arrogance, the events that led to this change, and his philosophy—it’s not entirely surprising. The writers aimed to make Ryuga a more neutral character rather than simply adding him to Gingka’s team, and this choice aligns with his character. It would have been far too easy for him to simply accept Gingka’s demands without question.

Additionally, this shift is consistent with how other characters reacted to their newfound power, as many sought to use it for their own goals rather than for a common cause. In the end, Ryuga was unsuccessful in his quest, proving that he was on the wrong path and that the Legendary Bladers needed to be united to truly fulfill their purpose.

#metal fight beyblade #gingka hagane #metal fury #kyoya tategami #ryuga beyblade #kenta yumiya

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lunastrophe · 1 year ago

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If I missed this in your pinned post, I truly apologize. Are there marriages in drow culture? Or is that considered silly because of how men are viewed overall? Did Houses have other ways of securing alliances with each other?

Hello and no need to apologize, I have not touched this topic yet 🙂 In general, in Lolth-sworn drow culture marriages are practiced, but mainly in merchant clans and among commoners - usually to formally stregthen bonds between (or inside) clans or families.

🕷️ In Noble Families - noble females are free to choose and discard their mates, either by simply leaving them, or by killing them, without formalizing their relationship through marriage.

Even claiming a male as a consort or a patron is done without any particular ceremony or formalities, although traditionally, such male is given the female's family name and is considered a member of her house.

An unusual example of two noble Lolth-sworn drow formally entering a marriage were Tiago Baenre and Saribel Xorlarrin. Saribel, being only a minor priestess, was treating this marriage as an opportunity to elevate her station - she even took her husband's family name and was allowing him to hold the upper hand in their relationship, which was very much against drow custom.

🕷️ Marriages Among Merchants And Commoners - according to Drow of the Underdark (2e), drow marriages are generally "transient things" and they usually last for a year or for a decade, with a possibility of renewal.

In merchant clans, "security demands that mates be of the same clan, or that an outsider be taken into the clan, if a relationship develops."

In Drow of the Underdark (3.5e), it is mentioned that "in some cases, an appropriate marriage can bring two families together into one larger unit, but in most cases the male is simply subsumed into the female’s family line."

More information on drow marriages from DotU (3.5e): Marriage is primarily a political or financial arrangement. Drow marry to formalize alliances, to combine family resources, or - in some cases - to cement their dominance over a weaker ally or companion. No stigma is attached to children born out of wedlock, but a child born of a marriage has a stronger claim to her parents' wealth and power if something happens to the parents. Thus, some drow marry before procreating, to ensure that everything they have achieved remains in the family line.

Most drow marriages are monogamous, not due to moral or religious doctrine, but because few drow are willing to allow more than one other individual that close to them on a regular basis. A few drow marriages do involve multiple partners, however. These arrangements usually involve a single drow female taking numerous male partners, but other combinations are not unheard of.

🕷️ Ceremony - priestesses of Loth sometimes perform social ceremonies like marriages, but "this is usually done as a favor (eventually requiring repayment, of course) to another powerful drow." Among low-ranking drow, a priestess "might perform a marriage ceremony in exchange for several barrels of fine lichen wine and a potion of invisibility." (DotU, 3.5e)

Unfortunately, nothing more is known about the ceremony itself.

• It should be noted that in other drow cultures, marriage can be perceived differently and does not need to be purely transactional. Eilistraeans, for example, have specific marriage ceremony called the Love-Binding and in their culture, marriage bond is typically based on love.

🕷️ Securing Alliances - Lolth-sworn drow alliances are based mainly on mutual gain and generally, they last as long as they pay off. They can be strengthened by exchange of house members - by accepting a member of lesser house into a more powerful house, for example - or by various favours and debts connecting the families. In the end, though... well, according to drow saying, "all trust is foolish", so drow probably tend to see every alliance as more or less temporary.

#drow #dnd lore #drow lore #lolth sworn drow #drow culture #dark elves

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foundtherightwords · 8 months ago

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As the Sun Will Rise - Chapter 18

Pairing: Grunauer (Overlord) x OFC, Beauty & the Beast retelling

Summary: After losing most of his unit in a disastrous D-Day mission, Derwin Grunauer returns to his hometown near Miami, body riddled with scars and heart heavy with guilt, only to find his neighbors shunning him due to his German name. He retreats into his family mansion and remains there, unwilling to rejoin the living, until the day Alba Reyes turns up at his door with a basket full of warm bread. As the daughter of a Cuban immigrant, Alba knows something of being an outsider, and when she offers to work for Derwin as his housekeeper, it is not only to pay off her father's debt to the Grunauers, but also because she feels some connection to the reclusive young man. When that connection develops into something more, they must overcome both the town's prejudice and their own doubts to find happiness.

Chapter warnings: non-explicit smut

Chapter word count: 3.5k

Chapter 1 - Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 - Chapter 4 - Chapter 5 - Chapter 6 - Chapter 7 - Chapter 8 - Chapter 9 - Chapter 10 - Chapter 11 - Chapter 12 - Chapter 13 - Chapter 14 - Chapter 15 - Chapter 16 - Chapter 17

Chapter 18

The next day, Alba begged off going to church with Papi and Beatriz, claiming she had a headache. Beatriz gave her a knowing look but said nothing, just as she'd said nothing when Alba crept into bed at two in the morning with her dress all wrinkled and her hair disheveled. Truth be told, Alba did have a headache, perhaps from staying up too late, but mostly she was afraid that after the night she and Derwin had just shared, and with the thoughts and memories currently swirling in her head, a bolt of lightning would smite her down the moment she set foot into church.

The night with Derwin had ignited a new passion in her, and now she longed for him again, not just to see him, but to feel him in her arms and to feel his hands, his mouth, his body on hers again. But with Christmas just days away, Derwin had insisted that she took some time off, so they weren't going to see each other again until he joined her family for Mass on Christmas Eve, and then for Christmas dinner the next day, and there would be no time alone with him then.

Alone in the apartment, she opened the closet and ran her fingers over the yellow dress, breathing in the faint trace of his aftershave still lingering on the fabric. The frangipani flower she'd worn in her hair was on the dressing table, sadly browned now, but its fragrance remained. Alba got a box out of her drawer. She and Beatriz jokingly called it her "hope chest", but it was nothing more than a wooden cigar box containing some odds and ends, things that no one treasured but Alba—a few stones and seashells from Rancho Luna Beach in Cienfuegos, a pink flamingo feather, the last postcard Raf had sent from the Pacific, their mother's rosary. After cashing the first-ever paycheck Derwin had given her, she'd kept the voided check and put it in the box as well. Now she added the frangipani flower to it.

As she stood in the cramped little bedroom she shared with Beatriz, taking in the sweet scent of the flower, Alba came to a decision. She wanted to be with Derwin, and she was not going to tiptoe around it anymore. The previous night had been amazing, but it had taken them so long to get there, and Derwin had been so worried about getting her into "trouble", as he put it, that she wasn't sure if he would want her again. But she did. She wanted him. And if he wasn't going to do anything about it, then she would.

Jumping into the bakery's truck— Papi and Beatriz had walked to church, as it was close by—Alba drove to the east side, knowing the pharmacies there would still be open on Sunday to cater to the crowd of beach-going tourists. Besides, it was far enough from Cypress Grove that she didn't have to worry about running into an acquaintance.

For all her confidence, Alba couldn't help the flush of embarrassment from creeping over her face as she walked up to the counter and asked for what she wanted. The clerk, a middle-aged woman with her hair pulled back so tight that her eyebrows were perpetually raised in a combination of surprise and disapproval, leaned across the counter and boomed, "What?"

"Prophylactics, please," mumbled Alba. She had been careful to pick a pharmacy with a female clerk, but she hadn't prepared for such an intimidating one. She could feel the other woman's disapproving eyes roam over her ring-less finger and see those thin lips curl. Probably no decent woman ever came in here asking for contraceptives, and Alba had a pretty good idea what kind of girl the clerk thought she was. For a second, she was afraid the clerk was going to refuse her. But she thought of Derwin's timid touches, and raised her chin and looked the clerk straight in the eye. "I'd like some prophylactics, please," she repeated, clearly.

The clerk froze for a moment, then she moved to a small cabinet behind her, its doors modestly closed to shield innocent eyes from their scandalous products. "How many?" she barked. "They come in singles or tins of three."

Alba hazarded an answer, "Five?" A tin would be more difficult to hide, and she didn't want Beatriz, or, horror of horrors, Papi, to stumble upon it.

The clerk grabbed some small packets from the cabinet, dumped them in a paper bag, and pushed the bag across the counter toward Alba as if it was some diseased thing, instead of intended to prevent diseases. And pregnancy.

Tucking the bag into the pocket of her skirt, Alba left the pharmacy with a sigh of relief. The easy part was over. Now for the hard part.

***

Otto's excited bark brought Derwin to the back door, but he already knew who it was before he heard the bark, even before he heard the familiar rattling of her bike, knew it intuitively. He was now almost as attuned as Otto to her presence, perhaps even more so, because Otto only knew her with his nose and his ears, whereas Derwin knew her with his heart.

Alba dropped her bike unceremoniously on the lawn. She ran to Derwin, wrapped her arms around his neck, and gave him a thorough kiss. It had only been a little more than a day since they last saw each other, but it felt much longer than that.

"I thought you were on Christmas break," he said, when she finally disentangled herself from him. They went into the house, his arm around her waist.

"I am. I'm not here to work. I just want to see you." Her voice was a little breathless, like she'd raced here in a hurry, and she smiled shyly, slyly, as if she was holding some kind of secret. "And to give you these." They were in the study now, and she gave him the paper bag she was holding, her hand trembling slightly.

"An early Christmas present?"

She laughed, her face crimson. "I guess you can say that."

His curiosity piqued, Derwin peered into the bag. Then he looked up at Alba, stunned.

"Fuck me," he said, without thinking.

"Well, I wouldn't put it quite like that," Alba said. Her face was still beet-red, though her eyes were twinkling. "But that's the idea." She looked at him, suddenly worried. "You do know how to use them, right?"

"Um, yes." The army had drummed into their heads the importance of practicing safe sex, though practicing was the keyword here—he'd never gotten around to it.

"Good," Alba said. "Because I figured, if we're going to be living in sin, then we might as well be safe about it."

He gazed at her, at her sparkling eyes, at her sweet, sweet mouth smiling at him, teasing and shy at the same time, and wondered, again, how the hell he got so lucky.

"Please say something," she said, when he continued to stare at her.

"Sorry, I don't—I don't know what to say," he stammered. Then he gathered his thoughts, and quipped, "It's not every day that a girl gives you condoms for Christmas."

Alba snatched her hands up to cover her face. "Stop it, Derwin!" she said through her fingers. "You have no idea what I went through to buy these—I had to go all the way to South Beach yesterday, and then I had to bring them home because it was too late to come here, and then—"

"No, no, Herzchen, I'm sorry." He gently pulled her hands down. "I didn't mean to embarrass you." He remembered her as she had been after the dance, sitting in his lap with her dress bunched up around her waist, her face aglow and her eyes radiant under the dim streetlights. He remembered how she'd once come to him in his dream. She had appeared in his dreams many, many times since, but none of those could have been more seductive than she was now, with her flushed face and wild hair and embarrassed laugh. He reached out and brushed one of her curls behind her ear, a gesture that had become almost instinctive to him.

"I love you," he said.

Her smile came back, brighter than ever, and her eyes shone over the top of her fingers. "I think you can say it better than that," she whispered, drawing him close.

So he said it again, only without words this time. He said it in soft kisses on her brow and her eyes and her lips, kisses that trailed from her cheek to her jaw and down her neck. He said it in caressing touches while he slowly, almost reverently, undressed her, reading the topography of her body with his fingertips, taking in all the details he hadn't been able to notice in the murky, cramped interior of the car—a sprinkling of moles like a splatter of ink across her belly, the scar from smallpox inoculation on her arm, the tan lines from working in the sun around the collar of her blouse. All were fascinating to him. His clothes came off as well. Then she obligingly turned around so he could unhook her bra without having to wrestle with it as he had, and he sighed into the curls at the back of her neck.

"I wish I could carry you upstairs," he said, breathing in her scent of vanilla and frangipani. "I've always wanted to do that."

She twisted around and gave him that teasing smile that never failed to send his blood pounding. "Perhaps we don't have to go so far," she said, motioning to the couch next to them. She wrapped a leg around him, pressing herself close. If he was in need of some strengthening, then that was more than enough. He hooked both of her legs around his waist and scooped her into his arms, remembering to reach for one of her presents in the paper bag. Just one step, and they collapsed on the couch, giggling.

"See, I know you can do it," Alba said, giving his nose a peck, which made him laugh even more.

Still laughing, he bent down and picked up where they left off, kissing his way down her neck and lower and lower, making her helpless with laughter as he trailed his mouth along her ribs, stopping to peel off her stockings, dropping kisses on the exposed skin, inch by inch. Now he no longer had to ask her a million questions; now he could tell what she liked and how she wanted him just by the way her breath hitched and quickened, the way her fingertips dug into his back, the way she shuddered and writhed underneath him, each movement, each little sound she made sending confidence through him, heady, intoxicating. The only question he asked her, as he settled himself between her legs and unwrapped the little package, was a whispered, "Now?"

She'd stopped laughing and was waiting for him, breathless. "Now," she nodded and drew him to her.

And then his world contracted to a single point—nothing else existed for him except for her, her body and her eyes and the feel of her around him, heaving and pulsing and gripping him tight, and at the same time everything expanded and kept expanding, becoming a surging wave that swept over him, swallowed him up, washing away all his fears and his doubts, and he let go and gave himself up to its overflowing ecstasy.

***

They remained on the couch for a long time afterward, her head on his shoulder, his arms around her, while he listened to her soft breaths and her heartbeats, feeling warm and happily tired, and thinking the world could never give him anything more precious than this.

Alba, however, had other things on her mind. "Why have you been sleeping on the floor?" she asked, apropos of nothing.

"What?"

"The second time I came here, I saw you on the floor, just there," she explained, pointing to a spot by the desk. "And when I slept in your room the night of the storm, I saw your sheets and pillow on the floor."

"Oh." He hadn't thought about it before. It had become a habit, and he was still sleeping on the floor now, even though he no longer dreamed of Normandy these days—he had dreams about Alba to sweeten his nights instead. But he answered her anyway. "Sometimes the bed is too soft."

She propped herself up to look at him. "What do you mean?"

"You don't get soft beds like that in the Army," he said and left it at that. But she understood.

"Oh, cariño," she said helplessly, dropping a soft kiss on his shoulder.

"It's OK." He smiled to reassure her. "Maybe if you stay with me, I can learn to sleep in a bed again."

She caressed his chest. "I can't," she said regretfully. "I've already stayed too long as it is. I told my father I was only bringing you some bread."

The thought of Mr. Reyes reminded Derwin of practical matters. "He's OK with me coming over for Christmas?" he asked.

"Oh, yes. He was a bit wary at first, but once I appealed to his hospitality, he couldn't refuse."

"And have you mentioned anything—anything about us? To prepare him?"

A dark look briefly crossed Alba's face. "It'll be fine, I'm sure of it," she said. Her tone didn't inspire much confidence, but Derwin reminded himself that Mr. Reyes had been quite friendly to him the last time he went to the bakery. Perhaps it would be fine.

Alba got up and put her clothes back on. Derwin got dressed himself and helped her. Even a simple act such as buttoning up the skirt for her thrilled him, and he thought he'd never get tired of it, no matter how intimate they became.

"Wait," he said, his hands lingering on her shoulders. "I have something to ask you."

She twisted her head around. "If you're going to ask me to marry you again, the answer's still no," she said, smiling and giving him a quick kiss to soften the blow.

"No, it's not that." Derwin wouldn't pretend that her rejection didn't sting, but he understood her reason for it and was willing to wait for as long as she needed. "It's something I plan to talk to your dad about."

He opened a drawer and dug around for the promissory note. While he looked, Alba wandered to the desk. "Did you just finish this?" she asked, pointing to the Robert Frost translation, all neatly typed up and bound.

"Yeah. Actually, could you do me a favor and drop it off at the post office on your way back? I want Professor Bauer to read it over the break." He stood up and handed her the note. "Here. What do you think?" He'd been sitting on this for a month now and was slightly nervous to be showing it to her. Alba always looked stressed whenever he mentioned the debt, and he hoped this would erase her worry at last.

"Why are you showing me the promissory note?" she asked, frowning at the paper. "And why does it say 'void' on it?"

"I've canceled the debt," he replied. "That's what I want to tell you. And your dad. Not at Christmas," he quickly added. It would be tactless to bring it up the first time they officially met. "After the New Year, maybe. But I want to show you first. Do you think he'll be OK with it?"

A rather odd change came over Alba. A moment ago she was beaming, almost glowing with happiness; now that glow winked out like the sun disappearing behind a storm cloud, and her face took on a harsh, stony look, starting from the set of her chin.

"I don't know if he'll be OK with it," she said slowly, and her voice sounded harsh and stony as well. "But I know that I'm not OK with it."

"Why not?" Derwin asked, confused.

"I told you, my family does not want charity."

He knew she'd say something like this. "But this isn't charity!" he protested.

"What is it then?"

"I just don't want you to have to worry about it anymore."

"I'm not worried. I'm taking care of it. I'm working for you to pay it off, aren't I?" She peered at the "void" stamp on the promissory note. "This was voided almost a month ago," she said.

"Yes. I did it after Thanksgiving." Perhaps he could still salvage this, if he explained why he'd done it. "Actually, I'd decided on it the day before Thanksgiving, when that man Wilson came here, remember?"

"The day we first kissed," she said flatly. The memory didn't soften her as he'd expected. Now even her mouth looked harsh.

"Yes."

"And what have you done with my wages since then?" She sounded almost accusatory.

"I've been putting it aside for your college fund."

"What if I don't want to go to college anymore?"

It was as if she was being contrary on purpose, to pick a fight with him. Derwin tried not to rise to the bait. "It's still there for you to do whatever you want with it," he said, reaching for her hand. She let him, which he took as a good sign, though her wrist hung limp in his palm. "I just thought—now that we're together, I thought you'd let me take care of you."

"I don't need taking care of," she said. The stony expression had reached her eyes now. "I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, but I want to!" he said. "Why don't you ever let me do something nice for you?"

"Something nice?" Her eyes flashed, and she pulled her hand away. "Taking me to the movies, taking me to lunch, even buying me those dancing shoes—that's doing something nice for me. This—this—is not it. I won't be indebted to anyone, not even you!"

This was going all wrong. This wasn't the reaction he'd hoped for. He knew Alba would take some convincing, but he hadn't expected anger from her.

"Why do you make things so difficult for yourself?" he asked, frustrated. "I'm doing this because I love you. I don't want anything in return. You're not indebted to me in any way!"

She looked at him for a long time, apparently trying to calm herself down.

"Have you ever been poor?" finally she asked. Derwin looked at her blankly, not understanding. "No, I guess not." She looked around the study. "Your parents may have been immigrants, but they were able to buy all this land and make a comfortable living from it. You've never had to live in a rat-infested warehouse while your parents begged and borrowed and scraped together some money for a one-room apartment, you've never had to fall asleep next to a hot oven because there was no room to put the bed, you've never had to wear hand-me-downs from your brother and learn to be happy when you got a pair of socks for Christmas because that was all your parents could afford. If you had, then you wouldn't have taken this debt so lightly."

Derwin stared at her in remorse, not knowing what to say. She had never told him such things.

Alba sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Look, Derwin, I know you meant well. But please understand that I cannot accept this." She put the promissory note on the desk and turned away. At the door, she turned back. Derwin's heart leaped, thinking she'd changed her mind, but she only grabbed the manuscript from the desk, stuffed it into her bag, and walked out again.

"Will I see you on Christmas Eve then?" he asked, as a last-ditch effort to bring her back.

She hesitated. "... I don't know," she said, and his heart cracked at the cold note in her voice. "I think I need some time."

Derwin sat down at the desk and put his head in his hands. Stupid, stupid, stupid! He should've known that Alba's pride would be hurt by this gesture, how it would only exacerbate her insecurities about her family's financial state, not help it. She had always been so independent, always insisting on doing things herself. That was what he loved about her. He had been so focused on being her knight in shining armor that he hadn't realized she didn't need rescuing at all.

As he glanced around the room in despondence, Derwin realized that the Christmas present he'd been secretly working on for Alba, which he had hidden under the Robert Frost translation, was missing. In her hurry, she must have taken both manuscripts. Well, at least this way she would have his present. After what had just happened, he wasn't sure if she would accept anything from him anymore. He wasn't even sure if he would ever see her again.

Chapter 19

Taglist: @kitkat80, @hahahafucku

#joseph quinn #joseph quinn fic #grunauer #grunauer overlord #overlord 2018 #grunauer x ofc #grunauer smut #joseph quinn smut

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failbettergames · 2 years ago

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The Great Hellbound Railway

The Great Hellbound Railway is an expansive storyline that unlocks after your Persuasive reaches 175, and once you are a person of sufficient importance within London. These new additions expand upon activities and round out stations throughout the journey.

New Research Projects in the Jericho Library

"There are few pleasures greater than being in a library of one's own."

There are two new research projects available to everyone with a Library in Jericho! Return to the Oddlion Septagonal Reading Room to hit the stacks in pursuit of obscure knowledge and errant citations. Pursue forbidden histories of mutability and countervailing mysteries of the Elder Continent in the supreme comfort of your own library, and overturn popular scholarship in style.

These new projects are a permanent addition to the Library, and join the Hinterlands research project as always-available avenues of research.

Practising Law in the Courts of the Evenlode

"The traditions of the Evenlode are older than the courts in London, and the appointment of unconventional counsel is an expected part of proceedings. In fact, many here would be doomed to represent themselves unless you deign to offer your services."

You can now intervene in trials at the Courts of the Evenlode! You've been a spectator for long enough; it's time to wade into the fray and put your legal nous to good use. Defend rattus faber from the sticky fingers of local urchins. Prosecute the case of the Guild of Gondoliers against the Society Matron. Work out exactly what this Rubbery Man is being charged for, and how exactly he feels about it.

Pursuing justice in the Courts of the Evenlode is a permanent new activity, available to all players who have spent enough time in the Magistracy.

Story Additions to Burrow-Infra-Mump

"It is as though it grew in some other place where the colours are brighter and more vivid than our world can support. It is, unquestionably, a rose."

We've released a short new story in Burrow-Infra-Mump! London's ill-fated war against Hell casts a long shadow. Debts remain unpaid, relationships strain, and old obligations come due. A rose has appeared in Burrow-Infra-Mump; a curious plant of petal and bone that neither London nor Hell seems enthusiastic to claim. Cultivate it, or burn it to the ground, and learn of its relevance to the conflict of '68.

This short story is available to anybody who has completed the development of the church at Burrow, and starts via an Opportunity Card in Burrow-Infra-Mump.

It is also now possible to develop the old ruins at Burrow into a secular freehold. This is an alternate means of completing the station, and does not commit it to any faith or denomination.

New Artwork

Finally, something that you might just have gathered from this blog post already. Each station along the Great Hellbound Railway now has its own unique header art! New artwork joins the existing headers for Ealing and Station VIII, so keep an eye out for these new delights all up and down the journey to Hell.

#fallen london #new stuff

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scotianostra · 4 months ago

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On March 4th 1756, the artist Sir Henry Raeburn was born in Edinburgh.

Henry Raeburn was born in Edinburgh, the son of a successful businessman who prepared yarn for the wool trade. However, both of Raeburn’s parents died in the early 1760s, leaving the young Raeburn in the care of his brother William, 12 years his senior. William took over the family yarn business and his younger brother was enrolled at George Heriot’s Hospital in 1765, then a school for the education of orphaned children of tradesmen.

During his schooling, Raeburn demonstrated particular aptitude for manual craftsmanship and he became apprenticed to a goldsmith, James Gilliland in 1772. At some point in his time in Gilliland’s jeweller’s workshop, Raeburn started painting portrait miniatures. Following his apprenticeship, Raeburn embarked upon a career as a portraitist while also attending drawing classes involving drawing from the Antique and from a draped model.

In the late 1770s, Raeburn married Ann Leslie (née Edgar), a wealthy widow who brought property and two daughters to the marriage. After the birth of two sons in 1781 and 1783 respectively, Raeburn began to plan for an extended stay in Rome, which he believed would provide artistic development and commercial success.

Arriving in Rome in late 1784, Raeburn made contact with fellow Scot James Byres, who provided guidance for Britons travelling on the Grand Tour. Byres also provided Raeburn with patrons and the chance to meet notable artists, such as Pompeo Batoni (1708-1787).

On his return to Scotland in 1786, Raeburn began producing impressive portraits for members of the Edinburgh elite, quickly establishing his reputation as the pre-eminent Scottish portraitist. During the 1790s, Raeburn developed his own unique style characterised by strong lighting from behind the sitter and dispersing across the canvas. He was in such high demand as a portraitist that he outgrew his studio in George Street, the fashionable and burgeoning central thoroughfare of Edinburgh’s New Town and, around 1800, moved around to a grand house nearby with reception areas, a framer’s workshop and a studio that took up the entire first floor. In these new premises Raeburn produced a series of full-length portraits of Highland chiefs and lairds in Scottish military dress which drew particular attention when exhibited in London.

From 1805, Raeburn was involved in a trading company called Henry Raeburn & Co., that operated from the port of Leith, trading mainly with London. He also became a director of the Caledonian Insurance Company in 1806, but his finances were far from secure. At the start of 1808, Raeburn was declared bankrupt. The cause of his financial ruin is not entirely known but by mid-1808 he had £36,000 in claims against him. Raeburn vowed to spend the rest of his life repaying these debts and untangling his financial difficulties, which were intertwined with family, as his son and step-son-in-law were partners in his trading firm.

In 1810, Raeburn sought to resolve his financial difficulties by moving to London. His fellow painter and countryman David Wilkie had relocated to the capital five years earlier and provided an introduction to artists such as Benjamin West, Thomas Stothard and John Flaxman. Unfortunately, Raeburn’s attempt to find riches in the London art scene did not work and he returned to Edinburgh later the same year.

Despite his lack of success in London, Raeburn was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1812 and became a full Member in 1815. An embarrassing miscommunication meant that the self-portrait Raeburn had gone to great lengths to prepare as his Diploma work, was refused by the Royal Academy due to their embargo on accepting self-portraits as Diploma works. Raeburn was sorely disappointed, and instead submitted a portrait of his grandson Henry Raeburn Inglis, Boy with a Rabbit. There is evidence in his correspondence that Raeburn felt frustrated at his isolation from the London art establishment, that he could not find success there as he did in his native Edinburgh.

After 1808, Raeburn’s paintings suffered from his prolific output and urgency to produce work to repay his creditors. Many portraits from this time appear hastily finished or lack depth. However, he also managed to produce some of his most sensitive and affecting paintings, and he was particularly adept at painting children.

In the final years of his life, Raeburn was lauded with honours and accolades, becoming a member of the American Academy of Fine Arts in 1819, a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1820, being knighted in 1822 and appointed as Painter and Limner to King George IV in 1823.

Raeburn died unexpectedly in July 1823, following an excursion to Fife where he probably contracted a fever. His posthumous reputation grew with a number of exhibitions in the 19th century, and his paintings were highly sought-after as part of the early 20th-century American craze for British art; Raeburn’s works feature in several public museums and private collectors in the US today.

#scotland #scottish #history #edinburgh #painter #artist

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saevus-brutalis · 2 years ago

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𝕯𝖞𝖔𝖓𝖞𝖘𝖊𝖚𝖘 ‘𝔇𝔦𝔬𝔫’ 𝕰𝖒𝖞𝖗 𝕯𝖎𝖆𝖌𝖔𝖓 | 𝔱𝔦𝔢𝔣𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔩𝔬𝔠𝔨-𝔟𝔞𝔯𝔡

me? posting art again? impossible

do not repost on other sites, pin, use or claim as your own. thanks [uncensored on X, eventually]

𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐦𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 (𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔 𝚒𝚗 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜):

༒︎ son to archdevil Bael and human mother Teheresse ༒︎ born in a huge litter, adopted and raised by an elven couple. was sadly treated more like a glorified pet than an equal; due to this Dion has an understandable dislike of elves. ༒︎ quite tall (208cm) and well-built for tiefling standards, with an unusually long tail ༒︎ bard, poet and artistic virtuoso turned runaway warlock after being framed for theft of a powerful artifact ༒︎ most of his life was spent in a brothel, where he was marketed as a highly exclusive male courtesan. sessions with him had to be booked sometimes months in advance. ༒︎ from a very early age Dion was highly sensitive to magic, has an ability to sense all things magical, can tell if someone was using a spell on something, someone or themselves. ༒︎ Dion – despite being a warlock later in life – is allergic to magic and magical potions. even with his Patron’s protection he has limited abilities and can only use magic for so long before developing symptoms. ༒︎ bottoms of his feet and hands are similar to cat’s paw pads. to soften slightly thicker and rougher skin Dion religiously moisturizes them. his skin is more leather-like and thicker than human’s ༒︎ after years of being forced to do sex work in a brothel to buy himself out of his debt, Dion developed a heavy dislike for beds and fancy house decor. too much luxury and splendor reminds him of his old room. instead Dion sleeps in massive nests on the floor made out of layers of sheets and blankets. ༒︎ he sleeps in an embryo position as he feels the safest in it, because it’s how he used to sleep with all of his siblings in one bed before being taken away. ༒︎ highly functioning alcoholic and a regular hashish user. he got into a bad habit of smoking at the age of 14 when he was first introduced to a hookah. he often drinks himself to sleep. prefers red wine. ༒︎ high charisma, there is rarely a situation he can’t talk himself out of

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haydenigmatic · 1 year ago

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Lady Odette Lavone (La-vohn)

Introducing Lady Odette, the ethereal presence gracing the court of the eight kingdoms. Daughter of the king's chancellor and renowned as the epitome of courtly elegance, Odette captivates all who encounter her, she stands as the beacon of beauty and grace.

Her face claim well Margot Robbie or Samara Weaving, one of the inspirations for creating her was Odette of the Swan Lake ballet and I'll say nothing more.

For her voice I think it would be the same as above or as her singing voice that's Christy Altomare (Anastasia's musical loveddd it).

Main Family Dynamics:

Duke Leander - The Powerful Patriarch:

As both Duke and Chancellor, Leander wields immense political influence, making him one of the realm's most powerful figures. Odette is not shielded from the complexities of court politics; rather, she learns to navigate them through the guidance of her father. His expectations for Odette reflect the intricacies of maintaining the family's standing in the court.

Duchess Annelise - The Maternal Guidance:

She takes a keen interest in Odette's development into the ideal court lady. She imparts wisdom on etiquette, courtly manners, and the delicate intricacies of navigating the nobility, aiming to mould Odette into a paragon of grace and virtue.

Damon - The Guardian:

Her older brother, Damon, serves as her confidant and protector. As the heir to their father's title, he is not only devoted to his responsibilities but fiercely dedicated to ensuring Odette's well-being. He would go to great lengths to shield her from any harm.

Some details about her:

Memorable Quote: “Can one truly be free if tethered to the whims of tradition, or is the truest essence found in the heartbeat of authenticity?”

Has a penchant for watching the sunset from a particular balcony. Bathed in the warm hues of the golden hour, she contemplates the day's events and dreams of a brighter tomorrow.

Fluent in several languages, Odette communicates effortlessly with foreign dignitaries.

Has a majestic snow-white tiger companion named Zephyra, a gift she received when it was just a cub. Initially mistaken for an ordinary cat due to its small size, the tiger has grown into a magnificent and rare creature.

Known for her generosity, she channels her compassion into regular alms-giving. Whether it's to support local charities or aid those in need, she actively contributes to the welfare of her realm. Her charitable acts extend beyond obligation.

Her voice, reminiscent of a nightingale's melody, is a rare and enchanting gift. When she sings, her ethereal tones fill the air, captivating listeners and leaving an indelible impression.

Has a treasure box, a delicately crafted container adorned with intricate patterns, is tucked away in her private chambers. It holds a collection of cherished items, from sentimental gifts to intricately designed jewellery, each carrying a story and a memory.

Bath time is a cherished ritual for her. Her love for the calming embrace of warm water is evident in the opulent baths she indulges in regularly. Her maids, attuned to her preferences, ensure each bath is an experience, with fragrant oils, delicate petals, and soothing melodies.

Odette's reputation as one of the most well-read individuals of her generation is not without merit. Her library, adorned with rich tapestries and plush cushions, is a haven for her intellectual pursuits.

Always carrying a leather-bound journal, she regularly writes sonnets, poetry, and reflections about her life. The pages hold a chronicle of her innermost thoughts and the poetic expressions of her heart.

As Damon's trusted confidante and sister, Odette shares a special bond with him. Providing counsel and support.

Her childhood was marked by witnessing the harsh consequences of her family's wealth, particularly her father's strict financial policies. The stark contrast between opulence and the suffering of those unable to meet debts left a profound impact. Instead of turning away, this dark experience fuelled her empathy. As she matured, she dedicated herself to lending a hand to the less fortunate.

#if game #if wip #interactive fiction #ro's #oc intro #tbotd #the blood of the dragon #odette

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1moreff-creator · 1 year ago

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Happy Birthday Teruko Tawaki!

It's the protag's turn for a birthday post! You know what that means! Small character analysis, fun facts and songs that remind me of her! Let's celebrate! Just make sure to bring out the fire extinguisher before lighting any candles... actually just keep the extinguisher handy in general :v

-Being the protagonist of the series, we actually know quite a lot about her backstory. Enough to know it's quite sad in general terms. This is because she appears to have supernaturally horrendous luck, which she claims affects her and those around her. She's mentioned several instances of highly unlikely, unlucky situations she gets into constantly. From washing machine explosions, vehicles crashing, theaters being "too flammable" for her, all the way to being stuck in a killing game where she gets betrayed, stabbed, her friends die, etc.

-She's an orphan who's never known her parents. She had a brother who was compassionate, but constantly hurt by her misfortune. That brother got adopted when Teruko was around five, and she's never seen him since.

-She doesn't have an ID, which meant she had to attend schools by stealing uniforms and infiltrating them. She then usually gets caught and repeats the process several times a year. She is also in a lot of medical debt as a result of her constant injuries. Given all of this, she actually prefers living trapped in the killing game, though obviously she'd rather not have people killing each other around her.

CW Suicide

-That said, it seems her luck prevents her from dying. She told Xander that she wouldn't die because she was the Ultimate Lucky Student, and it was implied she's unsuccessfully attempted suicide by hanging.

CW over

-This misfortune has led her to develop a tremendously pessimistic view of the world and her life, believing her fate can't be changed and resigning herself to her bad luck.

-This also extends to her relationships. She tried to be amicable at the beginning of the killing game, but after Xander stabbed her, she decided to stop trusting everyone else. She now carries around her unique weapon, a hunting knife, for self-defense. This is a pretty understandable reaction given everything she's gone through, but it will inevitably go wrong (prediction).

-Her numeral in the David MV is unlucky number 13 (XIII). Go to 1:22:20 on this video for an explanation!

-The secret quote on her page's source code is "It is an equal failing to trust everybody, and to trust no one at all." Probably something she'll say in the final trial, given that this is one of the main messages the series seems to be aiming for.

-The quote on Mai's page attached to Teruko is "Some years ago, she was searching for someone named ‘Teruko Tawaki.’"

...

-Yeah, Teruko's relationship with Mai is one of the most mysterious parts of this series. Given that quote, it's very possible they knew each other several years before the killing game, got separated, and reunited some time before the killing game. After all, Teruko does remember meeting with Mai in the CH 1 Ep 6 dream sequence. If you want to read some of my other opinions on Teruko and Mai, I'll recommend reading the related portion of this post.

-Though adding to that, Teruko and Mai seem to have matching phone charms :D

-There is a lot more to talk about with Teruko, but I'm done for the day :v

Fun facts!

-Her nationality is "legally in question", whatever that means.

-She's left-handed, the only lefty in the cast!

-In kanji, her name is spelt 田脇【た・わき】暁子【てる・こ】

-She has prosopagnosia, aka face blindness. And fun fact about me, I actually have this too! I may have learnt about it when Teruko was a bit too relatable in that one conversation-

-Her favorite color is red due to "association." Possibly because it's Mai's hair color. Her least favorite color is pitch black because it's unsettling.

-Her hair recently started turning grey, probably from stress. Wild.

-Her favorite ice cream flavor is red bean.

-Her sexuality is unlabeled.

-She smells of dirt, sawdust, and burnt smell.

-Straight from a Q&A, "Her fashion sense diverges from what she’d actually wear. Secretly she wants to wear girly, cute things, but is unable to afford that kind of thing. She likes skirts."

-She likes fresh food, food which can be prepared without endangering herself with knives and stoves.

-Her birthday, January 7th, lands on "distaff day", "I am a mentor day", "old rock day", "bobblehead day"... still don't know how these come about. I think my favorite for this day is "I'm not going to take it anymore day." That's hilariously in character for Teruko xD

Songs!

-Again by Crusher-P

-The Things I Deserve by Ghost & Pals

-God-ish by Pinocchio P

-The Medical Anomaly by RIProducer

-End-World Normopathy by Ghost & Pals

-Scapeg∞at by Ghost & Pals

-Chronic Wasting Disease by RIProducer

-Those Who Carried On by Ghost & Pals

And Happy Birthday! Well, that was fun. Now I have to deal with the meteorite which struck me midway through writing this post! Take care!

(to be clear the meteorite thing is a joke)

#drdt #danganronpa despair time #teruko tawaki #character birthday

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gsirvitor · 4 months ago

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Maybe you can help me understand something. You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I saw some of your posts on Haiti. I've seen people which some have blocked you over it. People are making excuses for Haiti. The stuff you've covered. From what happened long ago from slavery, the debt to France and the US, the Us invasion 1915-39 changing their constitution. Or the lack of development support, which is why the chopped trees down for charcoal, the climate. Etc. Which you and I know is nonsense. But what I wish to understand is why people tend to bend over backward to make excuses for Haiti? They they have to blame everything and everyone but the Haitians themselves?

It depends, for different groups there are different reasons.

Leftists have a few reasons, they view Haiti in a positive light, and defend it, one reason is because Haiti had performed a race based revolution.

They had killed their French rulers, and then ethnically cleansed those they deemed too tainted from mixing with the French.

They also view the ills of Haiti, not as being the fault of Haitians, but imperialism and capitalism, despite Haiti being far better off prior to the revolt.

With the other half of Hispaniola, the Dominican Republic, which had remained under Spanish rule, prospering, proving "imperialism" isn't the issue.

They blame capitalism due to the fact leftists are socialists, and can't separate history from their modern views, aside from that, they think France forcing the post revolutiona government to pay reparations for slaughtering their citizens is capitalism.

As such, they must support the alleged victims of France, and the supposed victims of the US, as you remember from my posts, the US occupied Haiti in the early 20th century, during which those who defend Haiti claim the US stole Haiti's wealth.

While true, 8 Marines stole $500k of gold, that isn't the entirety of Haiti's wealth, nor a form of capitalism, it was an unfortunate side effect of instability and the assassination of the Haitian President Jean Vilbrun Guillaume Sam.

The US remained in Haiti until 1934, to restore order, protect US assets, and prevent a possible German invasion.

Now, as you know, leftists loathe the US, so the US using its power to stabilize Haiti is an egregious act of imperialism to them.

Fun to note, the assassinated president was himself a revolutionary, he was used to kill one Haitian leader to then put in power another, he later killed the next Haitian leader, and replaced him himself.

Why is this relevant? Because Haiti has always had issues with leadership, many being killed and then replaced by their killers.

The US responded as the instability caused in recent years, around the time of the first world war, had threatened to allow Germans a foothold next to the US, as Haiti had many German investors, and it had threatened US investments into the island nation.

Now, you may ask why were there so many killings of Haitian leaders, the answer varies, some were killed by their militia men for not paying them, some for being too greedy and stealing too much, some for their race based laws, in which mulattoes were made chattel to pure Haitians, and forced to work their plantations, etc etc.

I'm rambling.

Anyway, they support Haiti because they view their revolts as being Anti Racist, Anti Imperialist, and Anti Capitalist, when in fact, they were done not to tear down the previous power structures, but to control the previous structures for their own gain.

As Haitians never abolished the practices the French placed on them, they simply took the reigns.

Now, other than leftists, there are those like the one you mentioned blocked me, they turn a blind eye to the issues of Haiti because of personal investment.

Regardless of who you are, you as an individual will feel pride for some aspect of your heritage, and will come to the defense of said heritage, regardless of the issues of said heritage.

It's an emotional response, as an attack on what you perceive as your heritage feels like an attack on you, or your family, or honor.

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allthebrazilianpolitics · 1 month ago

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Brazil's federal court-ordered debts reach R$79bn for 2026

The full impact on the budget is expected to reach R$116 billion; for 2025, the total to be paid is around R$102.7 billion

According to data released Wednesday (14) by the Ministry of Planning and Budget, the federal government will have to disburse around R$79.3 billion in court-ordered debts in 2026. The figure refers to court orders issued against the federal government up to early April this year and does not yet include small-value claims (RPVs) or other judicial debts that will be added later. In addition to the R$69.6 billion in court-ordered payments issued by Brazilian courts against the federal government, the total also includes debts related to installment payments from the Fund for the Maintenance and Development of Primary Education and the Enhancement of Teaching (FUNDEF), which were already scheduled for payment next year.

The R$79.3 billion, however, is a partial figure. The full expected impact on the budget reaches R$116 billion. Deputy Planning Minister Gustavo Guimarães said the total amount of court-ordered payments in 2026—including RPVs and rulings against dependent state-owned companies—will likely approach the R$116 billion projected in the draft Budget Guidelines Bill (PLDO) submitted to Congress a month ago. For 2025, the total to be paid is around R$102.7 billion. The total amount due a year ago, including newly issued precatórios and the FUNDEF installments, was R$67.5 billion (not adjusted for inflation).

The amount of court-ordered debts already issued for 2026 is slightly lower than the R$74.9 billion issued in 2024 for payment this year (adjusted by the benchmark inflation index). However, the number of cases is rising, with 164,000 court orders issued for next year compared to 155,600 issued last year for 2025.

Court-ordered debts are the greatest fiscal concern for the Lula administration, as these mandatory expenses have steadily increased in recent years and squeeze discretionary spending such as investments and operating costs. Furthermore, 2026 will be the last year the executive branch can rely on the waiver granted by the Supreme Federal Court in 2023, which allowed the exclusion of more than half of these debts from spending caps and primary balance targets.

#brazil #politics #brazilian politics #economy #image description in alt #mod nise da silveira

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davekat-sucks · 21 hours ago

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I started Homestuck a few months ago, yes i began reading it for the first time in the year of our lord 2025.. And i've been scrolling thru a lot of HS posts lately, so of course i ended up discovering that John Egbert is apparently a trans woman ? I tried to do my own research but i literally don't understand, someone asked for this because of a tablerone? (for some reason), but what was the reason for that person asking? Did they just want a trans character for no reason? Doesn't that diminishes the point of representation if there's no real motive and sentiment behind it? I'm in act 5, and atleast where i am now, i've never read John that way, i swear i'm not trying to be transphobic, i really don't understand, i just hope that doesn't ruin his character, John is by far my favorite and i relate to him so much, i hope they can give a good reason a good development to that.

Im sorry for sending an ask about this topic, im sure you're tired of it already, i just feel kind of alone in a pit fire lol, i started this year so it just feels like im alone in a city everyone moved out of.. And i feel confused about so much stuff

It's fine. Parts of Homestuck's controversies or events that happened within the fandom aren't documented or recorded compared to other fandoms. Most of it has been lost to time or purged with only archived links and screenshots surviving. Some had think John is trans because of one glitch that happens in a flash called Alterniabound where we can see John looking like Vriska. Note however, it's part of a glitch that is called TRICKSTER MODE only in Karkat's section.

Despite being just a resprite or joke of John looking like Vriska, people took it a bit seriously and want John to be a girl. But genderbend in an alternate universe and timeline is out of the question. They want the base webcomic John character they have seen in Act 1 to fully change himself. Some also interpret Dad forcing in toxic masculinity onto his child is the reason why John couldn't connect with Dad Egbert, forgetting that most of John's life, he was mostly BRAINWASHED by Gamzee's chuckle voodoo to like clowns. As well as fans portraying Dad, one of the good guardians left, as an evil person since all the other parents like Bro, Mom, and Grandpa, were all portrayed in some negative light. Bro being an abuser, Mom being alcoholic, and Grandpa having flings with other women prior in his life (with Hiveswap implying he had left his other kids behind) before settling down with just Jade. The person who had wished for it only wants that trans representation, just like others have before her. They don't really care about John as his own being from his arc and personality. They just want a label to feel good about themselves. Despite the wish having been made in 2019, it has yet to become real compared to other wishes like Vriska being trans happening in Pesterquest within the same year (Vol 6 Pesterquest feat. Vriska was released on October 30 2019). James Roach claims that John becoming trans has been planned all along prior to the wish on a Reddit AMA years later on December 2023 after James Roach and his team took over HS2, renaming it Homestuck Beyond Canon. Aysha, another member of WhatPumpkin under Andrew Hussie's team, claim June was also planned all along in a tweet years before Beyond Canon was a thing.

The latest and closest we get to see hint of June Egbert in recent times is only in a glimpses of flashing images after Vriska Serket became Helltier in Homestuck Beyond Canon, where John sees a flash image of himself as a woman aka June Egbert.

However, HS2 would then be revealed to be part of a money laundering scheme. Andrew Hussie fell into debt with Viz Media due to underperforming sales in Homestuck Epilogues. He basically lied to freelance writers and artists that he would make a new Homestuck project. And when that failed too, he gives it all to James Roach and resigns himself from any Homestuck related projects, including HIveswap, which was a Kickstarter game he had made years back that made 2 million dollars. You can see its history here on Gio's blog.

#homestuck #homestuck fandom #John Egbert #June Egbert #Dad Egbert #Vriska Serket #Toblerone #Toblerone Wish #homestuck 2 #hs2 #homestuck^2 #hs^2 #homestuck beyond canon #homestuck2 #hsbc

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eaglesnick · 2 months ago

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"Nobody enjoys paying taxes, but in a democracy, we have to come together to support the common good." – Elizabeth Warren

Given the resounding success of Reform UK in the local elections last week there is a good chance that Nigel Farage will be our next Prime Minister. It is therefore timely to look at what Reform UK really stands for, and what policies they propose to introduce. I therefore intend to work my way through their manifesto, or as they call it "Our Contract with You".

The Reform UK "Contract" starts off with a general introduction telling us what is wrong with Britain at the moment. The first swipe is at both Tory and Labour governments who are accused of having "broken promise after promise", betraying the British people and destroying trust in our democracy. Hard to disagree.

They then state, "Our country is worse of both financially and culturally.”

Worse off in what way? How long have we been “worse off”? There is no benchmark mentioned other than a vague reference to the country being "wrecked" by "record high taxes", a too "high national debt", "wasteful government spending" and "nanny state regulation".

Let us look at the first of these claims. Is Britain subject to “record high taxes”? If we look at income tax rates since the end of the Second World War then the answer has to be a resounding NO.

During the period between 1945 and 1965, the UK maintained high tax rates, largely due to the financial demands of post-war reconstruction and the development of the welfare state. Much of the country had to literally be rebuilt from the ground up and this required massive government spending, which in turn necessitated high tax rates, especially for the most wealthy within our society.

The standard rate of income tax was progressive, meaning it increased with income. In the 1950s, the top marginal rate was around 90%, and even in the 1960s, it remained above 80% The highest earners paid an additional Surtax on top, some individuals paying a staggering 95% of their income in tax.

The 1970's saw the top tax rates still above 80% and it wasn’t until Thatcher came to power in the 1980's that the top rate of tax was cut significantly from 83% to 60% in 1979 and then down to 40% in 1988. Conservative Chancellor George Osborne raised it to 45% in 2013, and it has remained unchanged since then.

It wasn’t only the rich and wealthy who saw their income tax burden reduced, The rate of income tax for the lowest paid workers was 50% in 1945, being reduced to 30% by 1965. Today it is 20%.

For Reform UK to claim Britain is being wrecked by “record high taxes” simply isn’t true. In fact the reverse could be argued. Britain is being wrecked because taxes are not high enough to provide the government with the income it needs to maintain decent public services.

Low and higher earners alike have seen a massive DROP in income tax payments, both having witnessed a 50% reduction in income tax rates since 1945. This drop, although fairly equal in percentage terms for both high and low earners has disproportionately benefited the rich, simply because they earn so much more. Put crudely, being able to keep 80% of a low wage, lets say £25,000, gives you £20,000. Being able to keep 55% of a high wage, lets say £150,000, lets you keep £82,000.

High and low earners alike are actually enjoying historically LOW rates of income tax. What is more, those receiving dividends from share ownership pay LOWER rates of tax on their unearned income than that paid by working people. If we want to see an improvement in public services, if we want to raise the standard of living for ALL, then the rich have to pay MORE tax, not less.

It is no surprise that Reform UK should propagate the lie that we are all paying “record high taxes” when so many of Reform's founders are among the very rich. . Farage, Yusuf, Tice, Black, Habib, are all multi-millionaires. It is interesting that these rich individuals, while often emphasizing the need for Britain to “return to traditional values” don’t include the British value of fair play and supporting the common good, when it comes to paying taxes

#uk politics #lies #nigel farage #taxes #reform uk #wealthy

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dailyanarchistposts · 1 year ago

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J.4.5 Why is this “economic structural crisis” important to social struggle?

The “economic structural crisis” we out-lined in the last section has certain implications for anarchists and social struggle. Essentially, as C. George Benello argued, ”[i]f economic conditions worsen … then we are likely to find an openness to alternatives which have not been thought of since the depression of the 1930s … It is important to plan for a possible economic crisis, since it is not only practical, but also can serve as a method of mobilising a community in creative ways.” [From the Ground Up, p. 149]

In the face of economic stagnation and depression, attempts to generate more profits (i.e., increase exploitation) by increasing the authority of the boss grow. In addition, more people find it harder to make ends meet, running up debts to survive, face homelessness if they are made unemployed, and so on. This makes exploitation ever more visible and tend to push oppressed strata together in movements that seek to mitigate, and even remove, their oppression. As the capitalist era has worn on, these strata have become increasingly able to rebel and gain substantial political and economic improvements, which have, in addition, lead to an increasing willingness to do so because of rising expectations (about what is possible) and frustration (about what actually is). It is true that libertarians, the left and labour have suffered setbacks since the 1970s, but with increasing misery of the working class due to neo-liberal policies (and the “economic structural crisis” they create), it is only a matter of time before there is a resurgence of radicalism.

Anarchists will be in the forefront of this resurgence. For, with the discrediting and eventual fall of authoritarian state capitalism (“Communism”) in Eastern Europe, the anti-authoritarian faction of the left will increasingly be seen as its only credible one. Thus the ongoing structural crisis of the global capitalist economy, combined with the other developments springing from what Takis Fotopoulos calls (in his book Towards an Inclusive Democracy) a “multidimensional crisis” (which includes economic, political, social, ecological and ideological aspects), could (potentially) lead to a new international anti-authoritarian alliance linking together the new (and not so new) social movements in the West (feminism, the Green movement, rank-and-file labour militancy, etc.) with non-authoritarian liberation movements in the Third World and new movements in formerly Stalinist countries. However, this is only likely to happen if anarchists take the lead in promoting alternatives and working with the mass of the population. Ways in which anarchist can do this are discussed in some detail in section J.5.

Thus the “economic structural crisis” can aid social struggle by placing the contrast of “what is” with what “could be” in a clear light. Any crisis brings forth the contradictions in capitalism, between the production of use values (things people need) and of exchange value (capitalist profits), between capitalism’s claims of being based on liberty and the authoritarianism associated with wage labour (“The general evidence of repression poses an ancient contradiction for capitalism: while it claims to promote human freedom, it profits concretely from the denial of freedom, most especially freedom for the workers employed by capitalist enterprise.” [William Greider, One World, Ready or Not, p. 388]) and so on. It shakes to the bone popular faith in capitalism’s ability to “deliver the goods” and gets more and more people thinking about alternatives to a system that places profit above and before people and planet. The crisis also, by its very nature, encourages workers and other oppressed sections of the population to resist and fight back, which in turn generates collective organisation (such as unions or workplace-based assemblies and councils), solidarity and direct action — in other words, collective self-help and the awareness that the problems of working class people can only be solved by ourselves, by our own actions and organisations. The 1930s in the USA is a classic example of this process, with very militant struggles taking place in very difficult situations (see Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States or Jeremy Brecher’s Strike! for details).

In other words, the “economic structural crisis” gives radicals a lot potential to get their message across, even if the overall environment may make success seem difficult at times!

As well as encouraging workplace organisation due to the intensification of exploitation and authority provoked by the economic stagnant/depression, the “economic structural crisis” can encourage other forms of libertarian alternatives. For example, the “economic structural crisis” has resulted in the erosion of the welfare state (at least for the working class, for the elite state aid is never far away). This development has potential libertarian possibilities. “The decline of the state,” argues L. Gambone, “makes necessary a revitalisation of the notions of direct action and mutual aid. Without Mama State to do it for us, we must create our own social services through mutual aid societies.” [Syndicalism in Myth and Reality, p. 12] As we argue in more depth in section J.5.16, such a movement of mutual aid has a long history in the working class and, as it is under our control, it cannot be withdrawn from us to enrich and empower the ruling class as state run systems have been. Thus the decline of state run social services could, potentially, see the rise of a network of self-managed, working class alternatives (equally, of course, it could see the end of all services to the weakest sections of our society — which possibility comes about depends on what we do in the here and now. See section J.5.15 for an anarchist analysis of the welfare state).

Food Not Bombs! (FNB) is an excellent example of practical libertarian alternatives being generated by the economic crisis we are facing. FNB is a community-based group which helps the homeless through the direct action of its members. It also involves the homeless in helping themselves. It serves free food in public places to expose the plight of the homeless, the callousness of the system and our capacity to solve social problems through our own actions without government or capitalism. The constant harassment of FNB by the police, middle classes and the government illustrates their callousness to the plight of the poor and the failure of their institutions to build a society which cares for people more than money and property (and the police and prisons to protect them). The fact is that in the US many working and unemployed people have no feeling that they are entitled to basic human needs such as medicine, clothes, shelter, and food. FNB encourages poor people to make these demands, provides a space in which these demands can be voiced, and helps to breakdown the wall between hungry and not-hungry. The repression directed towards FNB by local police forces and governments also demonstrates the effectiveness of their activity and the possibility that it may radicalise those who get involved with the organisation. Charity is obviously one thing, mutual aid is something else. FNB is a politicised movement from below, based on solidarity, not charity as, in Kropotkin’s words, charity “bears a character of inspiration from above, and, accordingly, implies a certain superiority of the giver upon the receiver.” [Mutual Aid, p. 222]

The last example of how economic stagnation can generate libertarian tendencies can be seen from the fact that, ”[h]istorically, at times of severe inflation or capital shortages, communities have been forced to rely on their own resources. During the Great Depression, many cities printed their own currency; this works to the extent that a community is able to maintain a viable internal economy which provides the necessities of life, independent of transactions with the outside.” [Benello, Op. Cit., p. 150]

These local currencies could be the basis of a mutual bank (see section J.5.5), providing interest-free loans to workers to form co-operatives and so build libertarian alternatives to capitalist firms, so eliminating the profits of capitalists by allowing workers to exchange the product of their labour with other workers. Moreover, “local exchange systems strength local communities by increasing their self-reliance, empowering community members, and helping to protect them from the excesses of the global market.” [Frank Lindenfield, “Economics for Anarchists,” Social Anarchism, no. 23, p. 24] In this way self-managing communes could be created, communes that replace hierarchical, top-down, government with collective decision making of community affairs based on directly democratic community assemblies. These self-governing communities and economies could federate together to co-operate on a wider scale and so create a counter-power to that of state and capitalism.

This confederal system of self-managing communities could also protect jobs as the “globalisation of capital threatens local industries. A way has to be found to keep capital at home and so preserve the jobs and the communities that depend upon them. Protectionism is both undesirable and unworkable. But worker-ownership or workers’ co-operatives are alternatives.” [Gambone, Op. Cit., pp. 12–13] Local communities could provide the necessary support structures which could protect co-operatives from the corrupting effects of working in the capitalist market (see section J.5.11). They could also demand that rather than nationalise or bailout failing companies (or, for that matter, privatise state services or public works), they should be turned over (as Proudhon constantly argued) to workers co-operatives by aiding “the Labour Unions to enter into a temporary possession of the industrial concerns”, anarchists would provide “an effective means to check the State Nationalisation” in the period before a social revolution when “State phases which we are traversing now seems to be unavoidable.” [quoted by Ruth Kinna, “Fields of Vision: Kropotkin and Revolutionary Change”, pp. 67–86, SubStance, Vol. 36, No. 2, p. 77] In this way, economic liberty (self-management) could replace capitalism (wage slavery) and show that anarchism is a practical alternative to the chaos and authoritarianism of capitalism, even if these examples are initially fragmentally and limited in nature.

However, these developments should not be taken in isolation of collective struggle in the workplace or community. It is in the class struggle that the real potential for anarchy is created. The work of such organisations as Food Not Bombs! and the creation of local currencies and co-operatives are supplementary to the important task of creating workplace and community organisations that can create effective resistance to both state and capitalists, resistance that can overthrow both (see sections J.5.2 and J.5.1 respectively). “Volunteer and service credit systems and alternative currencies by themselves may not be enough to replace the corporate capitalist system. Nevertheless, they can help build the economic strength of local currencies, empower local residents, and mitigate some of the consequences of poverty and unemployment … By the time a majority [of a community are involved it] will be well on its way to becoming a living embodiment of many anarchist ideals.” [Lindenfield, Op. Cit., p. 28] And such a community would be a great aid in any strike or other social struggle which is going on!

The general economic crisis which we are facing has implications for social struggle and anarchist activism. It could be the basic of libertarian alternatives in our workplaces and communities, alternatives based on direct action, solidarity and self-management. These alternatives could include workplace and community unionism, co-operatives, mutual banks and other forms of anarchistic resistance to capitalism and the state.

Finally, we must stress that we are not arguing that working class people need an economic crisis to force them into struggle. Such “objectivism” (i.e. the placing of tendencies towards socialism in the development of capitalism, of objective factors, rather than in the class struggle, i.e. subjective factors) is best left to orthodox Marxists and Leninists as it has authoritarian implications. Rather we are aware that the class struggle, the subjective pressure on capitalism, is not independent of the conditions within which it takes place (and helps to create, we must add). Subjective revolt is always present under capitalism and, in the case of the 1970s, played a role in creating crisis. Faced with an economic crisis we are indicating what we can do in response to it and how it could, potentially, generate libertarian tendencies within society. Economic crisis could, in other words, provoke social struggle, collective action and generate anarchic tendencies in society. Equally, it could cause apathy, rejection of collective struggle and, perhaps, the embracing of false “solutions” such as right-wing populism, Leninism, or Fascism. We cannot predict how the future will develop, but it is true that if we do nothing then, obviously, libertarian tendencies will not grow and develop.

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