#dirty politics and politicians exposed

[awesomecooperlove]

💥💥 💥ARE YOU READY? THIS IS THE TIME WHEN EVERYTHING IS COMING OUT‼️‼️‼️

💥💥💥

[icanseethefuture333]

"Trust me, I have magical foresight" 👁

My predictions on the future of the entertainment industry based on astrology & intuitive channeling

Saturn's children: Capricorn & Aquarius

Capricorn vs Aquarius Pluto

Saturn is the planet of karma and we have seen this take full effect once Sagittarius passed the baton to Capricorn to rule over Pluto. I picture Capricorn and Aquarius' dynamic as siblings. Aquarius is the little brother who is unpredictable and goes to the beat of his own drums. While Capricorn is the older sister who is forced to be responsible and take care of business. Capricorn Pluto has exposed many scandals as a way to serve justice. It's as if Capricorn was the Elle Woods of our generation. So much has been exposed from war crimes to human trafficking and more. People have also felt the need to "restrict" others or oppress them of their human rights as well (I.E: the abortion ban). As well as the world's economic status plummeting. Capricorn deals with the material and emotional realm. Capricorn's representing animal is the sea goat. The head and torso of the goat that is seen on land, symbolizes practical thinking and being grounded. While the tail that is in the ocean represents wisdom and emotional depth. Capricorn Pluto was the definition of "not everything that you see is truly how it is". Capricorn Pluto has done the dirty work that nobody else wanted to do, so people were very shocked and uncomfortable during this time (but as the famous saying goes: "in order to be comfortable, you have to get uncomfortable first"). Once Pluto is in Aquarius, I see things being very unpredictable. I believe people will be desentized after everything that has happened during Capricorn Pluto. People will be unable to process their emotions in healthy ways because of experiencing forms of trauma back and forth. Despite the contrary belief of Aquarius being detached, it is too similar to Capricorn, being the bearer of water. Aquarius is logical with a emphatic heart. I see that there will be a rise of humanitarians or more people will wish to participate in scientific research, medicine, and technology. There is the desire to restore what has been ruined. I believe Aquarius Pluto will want to keep us on our toes. Things could be chill for a while and then all of a sudden a conspiracy theory will be debunked. Then another day a scandal breaks out but it will be even more scandalous then the ones we have seen during Capricorn Pluto. Aquarius is leaning back and putting up his feet as he eats grapes thinking: "I don't know I like a challenge 🤷‍♂️" and have a "it is what it is" mindset.

I see the generation of Aquarius Pluto will be highly intelligent and skilled in education related to STEM. People will have the desire to become activists, doctors, and other fields related to that degree. I also see that less people will be going to college and others will instead go to technical schools. Aquarius is known for being rebellious. This generation are going to be free thinkers and will not follow propaganda in the media. It is about breaking generational curses. They do not wish to do what their family wants them to do, they want to be themselves. I also see that parents of this generation are going to be non traditional or their parenting methods will be nonconforming. Parents could have better communication skills with their children and introduce their children to various forms of education that is not just limited to what the school system teaches them. Such as exposing them to books, other cultures, and having them connected with people overseas. I also see this as more people taking online classes.

The political system could be ... unorthodox to say the least. I don't have the words to properly describe it but we may have presidential leaders that are not what we have previously seen. For example, there could be younger politicians or people who have had no political backgrounds working in the government.

Taurus Uranus: "I lost my innocence now I'm in this bitch"

Ever wondered why kids are wanting Lululemon and Sephora, while adult women wear ribbons and clothes that pertain to the coquette aesthetic? It's because 12-13 year olds have their profection year in the 1st-2nd house while young adults in their early 20s have their houses past the 7th. Now someone's profection year depends on their birthday and birth time, but there are set profection years for each age someone turns. For example, when I was 21 my Venus was in my 8th house and my aesthetic has completely changed since then. Taurus Uranus also focuses on what gives us comfort. Adults could be dressing how their inner child wanted to, while kids are wanting to dress like the influencers they idolize on social media. Young adults are nostalgic and are craving the youth that they lost due to the pandemic. While as for kids, they are forced to grow up in a era that is hyperfocused on beauty. There are several terms people use to analyze people's face now that in our youth people have never even noticed before. "Double lip line", "mewing", "facial harmony", etc. It's as if Taurus Uranus is the narcissist parent who is nitpicking at every feature and insecurity that you have out of projection. Why? For money 💰. In the words of SZA: "everybody wanna be beautiful, scared of the unusual". We are in a time period where people are literally using incel terms to feel better about themselves "mogging", "looksmaxxing", etc. It reeks of mean girl and frat boy energy around here. Parents have been stating that their children are being bullied in high school for not having macro trends such as Stanley cups, Lululemon wear, and Sephora makeup. There has also been complaints of there not being enough content for the pre-teen stage and activities available that is more suitable for children of that specific age group. This is on purpose. The more the lines were blurred on who is childlike and an actual adult, the better in the industry's eyes. It's corrupted and perverted (no I'm not exaggerating this either because why do you think kids are debuting as young as 13 and even younger are becoming influencers?). In the 2000s-2010s there was Justice, Claire's, PINK, etc. There was the something to fill the gap in between, but these kids are not caring about the stuff we liked because it is a different generation and they have other interests. I'm gonna be 100% real with you that a kid is not gonna give a fuck about Bobby Jack because they were not even born around that time unless you introduce it to them. With Taurus transitioning into Gemini, I actually see there being better opportunities for children to make friends or perhaps playing in their neighborhood again. Parents could put the effort in to do neighborhood watches or create activities that will allow their children to play outside or be in extracurricular activities. I additionally see this happening because of the criticism of parents letting their children become "IPad" kids (which come on now, as if we didn't have Nintendo DSes, PSPs, and Gameboys as kids).

The lesson of Taurus Uranus is to not fall into consumerism. Do not get plastic surgery just because you think your face is asymmetrical, do not buy 10 bottles of skincare just because you have one pimple, and do not buy from these brands that don't care about you or the environment. Stand up! If you're gonna do something, then do it for yourself. Learn how to be yourself again, not what social media is telling you who to be. Practice self love and self care. Taurus Uranus should be focused on your comfort and pleasure, not anyone else's. A lot of people will be bullied during this time and will spend money on shit that's worthless. You know how a lot of people have gotten bullied for doing things that weren't on trend and then years later it's cool? That is exactly what's gonna happen once the sign transitions from Taurus to Gemini. Everybody is gonna be talking about it. People are going to use their critical thinking skills more and will communicate their thoughts. They will realize "wow my/their behavior was really shitty". I also see this as people being multi faceted and fake though for their own personal benefit (yes I know not all Geminis are two faced, relax). Cancel culture is still very much so a thing and people have seen the repercussions of it. So people are going to learn how to think before speaking and rebrand their public image. Unfortunately that also means more podcast bros and phony celebrities trying to redeem themselves in interviews. We are already seeing this happen with Katt Williams and the celebrities he exposed. They are doubling back and shaking in their boots, their only response is "ahaaa that's crazy😂" without actually giving a answer that is of substance.

The trend with influencers today is that they focus on their family, personal assets, and wealth, how they live a "soft life". A lot of celebrities and influencers have even had children solely for the purpose of money and being deemed likeable or trustworthy. With less and less people having the desire to have children due to the economy as well as *Jaden Smith voice* the political state of the world right now. I believe videos will focus more on friendships, neighbors, people's hometown or neighborhoods instead of taking expensive trips overseas, connecting with strangers, making videos about "a day in my life at school/work", niche interests, or even educational videos becoming popular again. People are going to look at these influencers and think "well I don't have the privilege to go out and live a soft life so i'm gonna talk about my life instead". The energy will feel very "friendly" and people will try to be relatable.

I remember that someone on Tiktok said we are going backwards when it comes to feminism and @sunkissedchld made a point to me that Taurus is "traditional". That could also explain why a lot of women on Tiktok are just posting about their shitty boyfriend/husbands that don't cook, clean, or take care of their kids. Women are just going "You're so silly babe 😂😍😏" to a man with shit stained drawls. A lot of female celebrities who have proclaimed themselves as "feminists" I noticed as well are being submissive to men who are irrelevant and misogynistic towards other women. I also see a pattern of men of wanting women to be docile. (They wish to be the "provider" of the relationship. Asking women "What do you bring to the table?" or wanting to go "50/50", when the treatment is not fair). They are sticking beside them and being a ride or die for them, even though they would never do the same. Which follows into my next observation, Pisces Neptune.

Pisces Neptune: the end of our delulu era

"They're my twin flame" no they're not pookie ❤

Pisces is illusive and sensitive. People are struggling with living in reality and could be prone to derealization or maldaptive daydreaming during this time. Pisces will eventually transition into Aries and that is rough. It's not as gentle as Pisces is. Aries Neptune will be like a wake up call and people are not going to like it so their reaction could be very "bratty". We are going to be living in masculine energy soon (We currently have planets in the sign of Taurus, Capricorn, and Pisces then evenutally its going to be in Gemini, Aquarius, and Aries). It's detached, it is not focused on feelings. Although, Aries is considered the youngest of the Zodiac signs. So people could be more energetic and motivated to achieve their goals. There could be a lot of pent up aggression or people will subconsciously feel the need to compete with others. I believe Pisces Neptune was more so the era for "the believers". There was such an overload of information on manifestation, new age spirituality, reality shifting, and divine masculine/feminine energy. We see it in art, we see it in movies, we see it on social media, it's everywhere because it's our subconscious as a collective. Once the masculine energy comes in people are going to focus less on the mysteries of the universe and will want to focus on the facts. It's the mindset of "Okay, manifestation is cool and all, but its not going to put food onto the table". People will want to take action and are tired of waiting for "divine timing". Aries is brave and has a positive outlook. I suggest for people to make a wishlist now and focus on manifesting your intentions clearly because in the future it will all be about turning those desires into reality. Realistically speaking I see a lot of relationships ending as well because most people who are in relationships are only with their partners because of infatuation and not for love. It is likely people will marry for just company and financial security to survive. People might even marry their best friends or have very "non traditional" romantic relationships.

Music

Once Pluto finally settles in Aquarius. I see the quality of music changing. Music is going to go a few different ways.

1. The music will be LONGER but it will have short titles to grab people's attention. People's attention span have gotten so bad that musicians have to make songs 2 minutes or less to appeal to Tiktok trends. At best music has 2 choruses and 1 verse, no bridge and there is only a 2nd verse unless a another artist is being featured. Andre 3000 is already ahead of the game in terms of doing this. Andre is famously known as ½ member of the rap group Outkast. He is someone who is mysterious and eccentric. Andre appears in the music ever so often and fans have begged for him to release more music. So he has released an album titled "New Blue Sun", but it not a hip hop album, it's a flute, new age, spiritual jazz album. The album title is short and simple while the songs are all past 10 minutes and have long names. The first track being called: "I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A "Rap" Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time".

2. I see there being developments in music so that everyone can enjoy it. I believe that scientists will try to invent ways for people who are deaf to listen to music better, whether that is creating technology so they can feel the vibratuons or something of that nature. Artists might even start doing sign language to communicate to their fans who are deaf or include braile for fans who are blind. Artists have been making an effort in being more inclusive by hiring people with disabilities. So there could better opportunities for them to be in the spotlight as well.

3. I noticed that music has been focused more on sound and less about the words/lyrics. Drill, drum and bass, reggaeton, and afrobeat are all genres that very popular right now. A person's lyrics could be trash but most people will dismiss it as long there's a catchy beat behind it. With Gemini Uranus, people's lyricism could improve but the words and beat will have a vastly different vibe. The lyrics could be sad and the beat is uptempo, or vice versa. There will be a duality to the song. (I.E: Hey Ya! By Outkast, Pied Piper by BTS, etc). I also see this as more writers being hired for streaming artists or there will be a rise of duo artists. This reminds me of Billie Ellish and her brother Phineas, so it is possible people could make music with their sibling, friend, or a partner (one person writes, one person sings, etc). (I.E: Lion Babe, AlunaGeorge, Akdong Musician, & Marian Hill).

As for the music industry itself, it is aware of the impact of a collective boycott. They will realize how much they need us as consumers. The west and east are going to come together in terms of releasing music. South Korea has been trying to appeal to international fans for a reason. They know fans overseas put a lot of money in their pocket and without us, K-Pop would not even be this huge thing (also yes I said it and I meant it, where would K-Pop be without the influence of black culture, latin culture, Indian culture, etc? Exactly). So I potentially see I-fans get the same treatment as K-fans. There's going to be fansigns, album signings, and more. While as for the west, they see South Korea as a way to make money. Which I believe the U.S will use their media for political propaganda because they are aware of those fans that worship celebrities and will defend them to no end. I feel like there's going to be a switch between the two industries as well. Fans will get bored and overwhelmed by the amount of large K-Pop groups debuting, it is oversaturated. So companies' response to this is to debut more soloists or smaller groups of 2-3 members. As for the west, they could take over the group scene and debut larger groups with 4+ members.

The U.S and South Korea think they pretty much got it in the bag as for being the most dominant countries for the music industry but when I tell you they're gonna be shook... I strongly believe that countries in Africa, especially South Africa, will be strong competitors soon for the music industry. We are seeing this with Jam Republic, Amaarae, Tems, Tyla, & Burna Boy. Their music/stage presence has longevity. It's the fact that season 2 of Street Woman Fighter ended last year and still people are talking about Jam Republic. It's how "Angels In Tibet" and "Water" has had people in a chokehold for the past few months. In South Africa's solar return chart for 2024, their ascendant will be in Leo, meaning they are going to be attracting a lot of attention. Which means their Aquarius will be in the 7th house and people will be attracted to their culture because they will see it as unique and interesting. I genuinely see Tyla paving the way for other South African artists in the future, she has an Aquarius stellium and she will be turning 22 on January 30th. Her profection year depends on her birth time which isn't available yet but it is presumed to be that her 11th house will be activated for the rest of the year. So she will be a hot topic for social media. Her level of fame could depend on what musical direction she decides to take in the future, but for now Tyla has great potential. She is able to appeal to the Taurus Uranus beauty standards because her beauty is familiar. It has been said quite often that Tyla reminds people of artists from the 2000's (Christina Milian specifically), it is nostalgic, while keeping it modern and fresh. Tyla's inclusion of her culture when it comes to her music and choreography for her performances makes her stand out. People will grow tired of Tyla's current concept though if she keeps up with the "pop" element to her music, so if she wants to be a big artist in the future, she will have to turn to her roots for musical success. I believe other artists will try to replicate "Angels In Tibet" by Amaarae because the production of the song is so technically perfect it's amazing and I'm not even exaggerating. This song is the definition of a cultural blend. You can hear Arabic scales, Brazilian funk, afrobeats, and probably even more all in one song and it works! People are going to want to hear more of that. So artists are going to follow that trend of the creation of musically, culturally blended songs.

I also see that there is going to be only a select few of new people who will get to be famous celebrities, while others will agree to be more of a "filler celebrity". Which is weird to say but there will be people who are going to be used as props or to fill in the gaps. People who are just apart of the "simulation".

The devil/demon musical concepts in the industry will die down because I see most people will turn atheist or become agnostic. People are desentized to it and it's nothing they have not seen before. I see people reacting like "Why would I be worried about the illuminati when we should be focused on the economy?". They are not gonna care for it and celebrities will have to come up with something new for shock value. So people could start promoting aspects of Christianity such as "heaven", "biblical angels", and other forms of religious propaganda. Lil Nas X is an example of this and I wouldn't be surprised if other artists do it next.

I feel there is going to be another wave of rock bands becoming a trend again as well, Green Day has released an ep recently, and they are well known for being political with their music. Stray Kids are also known for being a multi genre K-Pop group and their recent album was rock themed. So artists exploring alternative concepts or artists doing music for charity, should be a common theme for the next few years.

Beauty

With Aries Neptune, I could see people doing intricate things to their faces such as getting facial piercings, wearing makeup thats more bold, and getting face tattoos. People could bring back the trend of Nelly's cheek bandaid. There is a desire to accessorize the face. The beauty trends during Taurus Uranus was focused on hyper femininity, almost a blend of Korean and American beauty standards. Straight eyebrows, delicate facial features, manga lashes, and porcelain-like skin. The beauty was more doll-like but natural, very feminine (I don't want this beauty trend to die ngl, I love the pink dolly look 💔😭). As for Gemini Uranus, the beauty standards will be more androgynous or gender neutral. I also interpert this as people looking ethereal and youthful, almost like a fairy. I am reminded of Aya Takano's art, the characters are gender neutral and there is hardly any indications of their sex. So I'm seeing thick eyebrows, whimsical makeup (messy glitters or makeup looking half done), exaggeration of the eyes, drunken rosy cheeks, tinted lips that almost look bruised, undereye liner as opposed to eyeliner above the lash line, eye makeup that has two different colors or asymmetrical, and freckles (naturally or faux will be popular). I could also see people having two different makeup looks on one face (Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad). Could see people with Heterochromia eyes suddenly being seen more in the media. Models' facial expression could be cheeky, as if they're trying to appear "tough". It's not as fierce, it will be more playful. There could be a rise of people of the LGBTQ+ community in modeling industry as well.

Fashion

I already predicted some trends in fashion, one being for the Victoria Secret fashion show which I recommend you go and read that was pretty accurate. Since we are entering a period that has masculine energy, I see people will have an androgynous style. People have went from skinny jeans to flared pants and baggy clothes. People are wearing sneakers more often and dressing casually as well. I don't see feminine clothing being erased entirely because Gemini has a duality of course. So people could combine elements of femininity and masculinity. Two pieces, asymmetrical cut dresses, and skorts in particular. I am reminded of how Acubi fashion and late 2000s wear is trending again. Headphones, hoodies, windbreakers, straight legs jeans, etc. I could see people being interested in sports wear with Aries Neptune as well. There will be an athlete that will be very popular when it comes to fashion, like Michael Jordan. Sneaker culture could be more of a prominent thing. I honestly don't think people will dress as formally for occasions or in the workplace. They could look chic and cool, but not as prestigious. I see people being less nostalgic about the Y2K era so people could start moving on to something similar. I have a feeling that we will continue to see fashion trends from the 80s/90s/00s. I keep getting a visual of the manga "Slam Dunk". Which is a 90s anime about a team of basketball players. So jeans, sneakers, overalls, snapbacks, and things of that such. Aquarius Pluto could also mean a generation of people being rebellious and carefree in terms of style, so people could just dress to their own personal tastes instead of what's trending as well.

[bumpkinspice0]

Parallels Chapter 9:

Efficient, quick, and dirty

Miguel O'Hara x Spider!FemReader

No use of y/n

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 4734

Summary: There's a massive breach to Spider Tower, Miguel needs the help of the entire spiderverse to contain it.

Warnings: ACTION, ACTION, ACTION (I've never written a battle scene before, I'm sorry) cannon typical violence, little fluff, little angst

A/N: I didn't mean to make this whole chapter Miguel's POV but here we are. I tried to condense his history from the comics down and add my own little things I want for him in this story. Also, mentions a lot of various Spider villain's in the chapter. Hope it's not confusing! Please let me know if it is!

Previous. Next

Series Masterlist

AO3

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Chapter 9

Efficient, quick, and dirty

Miguel had made many enemies over his career. Dawn a cape and mask and fight the forces of evil— Nemesis that vow eternal vengeance and all that jazz. That’s the job description. The biggest evils that threatened Miguel’s world, before the multiverse, weren’t just comical supervillains and back alley thugs, however. It was corrupt corporations. Men with billions of dollars and resources to assure they kept that power. 

He didn’t want this job. He never sought out being a hero—Being Spider-man. This was all a freak accident. But he, like the rest of his fellow spiders, was thrust into it. Unprepared and untrained. In doing so he saw a part of his futuristic society he couldn’t ignore. The forgotten and the downturned. The criminal back allies the less fortunate were forced to brave every day. The clique owned Downtown of Nueva York.

Those in charge depicted the city as a Utopia, and in many ways, it was— But a Utopia built on top of a nightmare. That’s where Miguel’s first villains fought him— in the forgotten sublayers of the city. Downtown. 

Once he saw it, he couldn’t forget. The people held under the oppressive reach of those with more power and money. He had to help them. He was the only one with the power to do it. The only one willing to stand up to the corruption. In doing so, he became a symbol.  

It all stemmed from Alchemax and its slimy CEO Tyler Stone, the silent benevolent ruler of his utopia. He had his sticky fingers in everything. He owned the drug market, the police, technology, politicians— everything. He kept the world dependent on what he’d built. Nothing was immune to his reach, not even Miguel.

In his continuing journey, Miguel came to learn Tyler Stone was his father. It was the only reason Miguel had the success he did in his scientific career at Alchemax. An unknown father helping his bastard son every step of the way. In doing so, Tyler had also inadvertently created his new greatest enemy— the Spider-man. 

It made Miguel feel dirty. Unworthy of all he thought he’d earned. All the people he’d saved, the loss he’d experienced, and the pain he’d caused— all overshadowed by a man he’d never call father. His life had spiraled since he became Spider-Man, and this was just another nail in the coffin. 

Stone eventually left Alchemax, pursuing a career in politics. In doing so, he had to give up his company— so he gave it all to Miguel, thinking his illegitimate son he’d shown so much kindness to had the same evil goals he did. Overnight, Miguel had more money and power than any normal person knew what to do with.

Miguel was never proud of how he obtained his power , so to speak. It was simply handed to him, like so many other things in his life.

He didn’t hesitate to use all of it for the better. He had everything he’d been fighting for at his fingertips now— The inside information, the power. He revealed himself, showing the world that Spider-Man and Miguel O’Hara were one and the same. He purged every two-faced cop and exposed every backward politician and self-serving scientist. The city was no longer in Alchemex’s grasp, but now shared in its prosperity. He gave back to the people what corporate greed had taken away for years— and they loved him for it.

For all intents and purposes, Nueva York was Miguel’s city. 

Along his journey, he’d discovered the multiverse. With all of Alchemex’s technology at his disposal, he dove further and further into the mysterious dimensions… until he lost himself completely. He’d wiped an entire dimension from the map because he wanted to play house. And somewhere out there someone else had blown a massive hole in the fabric of reality for their own selfish purposes. This power was dangerous, and it had to be kept in check— and there was only one way he knew how to do that. People he knew could be trusted with the responsibility of great power.

On top of the bones of Alchemex, and with the help of his brother, Miguel built Spider Tower. A giant fuck you to the corrupt old men he’d defeated. 

That pissed a lot of the wrong people off— Loyalists to Tyler Stone and the old police force and the religious zealots that saw him as a false prophet. You can’t hold this kind of power without those that want to challenge it. Or those that just want it back— For things to go back to the way they were when they ruled the world. 

And today, those that sought to dismantle everything Miguel built tried their hand at tearing it down. 

A group of nearly a hundred of them, all armed to the teeth and riding in on hover bikes. They banded together and stormed into Spider Tower in the name of taking it all back. Did they really think they stood a chance against hundreds of superhumans? What did they have— a lot of guns and rage? Yeah, good luck, fellas.

“Lyla, lock down the building. No one gets out. I want them all detained once this is over,” Miguel instructs as he bursts out of his lab. The fight was traveling up the whole main corridor of the tower— He knew he’d regret making the center of the tower so open. Whizzing hovercrafts, lasers, and webs were already all around him. He jumps into the fray. As annoying as such a massive breach in security was, this was at least going to be a little fun. 

Lyla made an announcement to the tower, ordering all spiders to detain the intruders. Like she had to tell them twice. Everyone was up and running in a second— There were just over one hundred Spiders in the citadel today. Plenty to contain a group of civilians.

It was absolute chaos, but still, something superheroes knew how to handle. A midair, hovercraft fight with dozens of guns aimed at you might as well have been a walk through central park. Just another Thursday morning in the life of a spider. 

Miguel dives down the main corridor, clotheslining several intruders off their bikes along the way. He webs them all to the closest structure as he does so. Efficient, quick, and dirty, just how he liked it. 

He makes it to the bottom lobby floor, landing in a roll. He checks the shields on the front doors, they are secure. Looking past the laser defenses he sees several more followers attempting to get into the building.

“Lyla!” He demands, “Call the Public Eye and get the outside of the building under control!”

“Already done!” She blips to his side, showing footage of the cops on their way.

“Good,” Miguel swings back up into the madness, “Have the arachnoid bots collect everyone captured and bring them to the lobby. Let’s round them up!”

And, like magic, the little 8-legged robots begin to descend the walls, detaining anyone caught in a web— Efficient, quick, and dirty. This would go by faster than he thought.

Miguel is about 30 stories up when he hears a familiar metallic shriek… one he had heard in years but could never forget. The groan of metallic wings. 

It hits him from behind, a force so strong it snaps him off his web. But he doesn’t fall— he continues to climb, held tightly in the arms of his assailant. They weave through the crossing walkways and pillars that connect the tower, separating from the main fight. He turns around and sees the face of the first man that tried to save him down in the depths of Downtown Nueva York.

“Vulture?!”

“Hello, old friend, hello,” the Vulture laughs, “Enjoying my welcoming party?”

“Ya know, I’ve never been one for surprise parties,” Miguel manages to claw at his captor’s forearms, the Vulture releases him instantly with a howl of pain. Miguel swings to relative safety on the closest wall. 

He hadn’t seen the Vulture in nearly a decade, one of the first foes he’d ever faced in those very first days as Spider-Man. He’d assumed the man was dead. The mech-suited cannibal lurked in the drudges of his city all this time, waiting to make a move. Today must be the day. 

They’d nearly reached the top of the tower, the fight raging on several stories below. The Vulture hovers in front of him, a sadistic smile on his face.

“Praise the new savior of the city!” The Vulture mockingly claps, “The S-Man, Miguel O’Hara the prince of Alchemax, the god of Nueva York.”

“What do you want, you cannibalistic freak!” Miguel spits. 

“Why, what I wanted since the beginning!” The winged maniac perches himself on a nearby ledge, “To join forces and bring this city to its knees.”

“And you're using Ty Stone’s loyalist to do that? Smart. I thought you hated Alchemax?”

“Mere pawns, I assure you. They were eager to fight you. I was eager to lead.” The Vulture waves dismissively. Pawns? For what? Surely he didn’t organize this whole thing just to get to Miguel, “Still with all the power in the world and you don’t use your greatest weapon to bring order.”

“What are you talking about?” Miguel sneers, now on edge. 

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’ve been doing here, O’Hara.” Maniacal laughter builds in the villain’s throat. Miguel pounces, silencing him instantly. 

“What are you talking about?!” He demands, bearing his fists down on the Vulture's throat. The villain doesn’t even bother to struggle, a sickening smile still painted across his face. Something was wrong— terribly wrong.

“Boss!” Margo’s voice crackles over his comm. “We’ve got a big problem down here. I need extra defenses… Now! They’re— Get the—” She cuts out.

“Oh, no, no, no, no…” Miguel begins to mutter, hearing a rising roar emanating from sector 2… the containment area. Below them, countless villains began to spill out into the citadel, roaring and fuming with rage. They never wanted to take back the tower, they wanted this. 

“Rise, brothers, rise!” The Vulture cheers at the horrific sight, “My home is yours! This city is—”

Miguel rips one of his mechanical wings from the mech suit and pushes what remains of his Vulture over the edge. He spirals down the tower’s center leaving a trail of smoke and deafening laughter left in his wake— insane freak, he had no idea what he’d done. 

For the briefest of moments, sheer panic overtakes Miguel. A thousand thoughts cross his mind in an instant. What could he do? How can he fix this? How can he stop them? It was complete madness and if he didn’t contain them now then the tower would be compromised… which meant the whole city is compromised. He had to act fast, but not just alone.

What did you tell him the other day? He has all the help in the known universe. Yes, he does… and he needs to use it. All of it. 

And in an instant, he’s back to the task at hand.

“Lyla call everyone… Everyone!” Miguel screams at his virtual assistant, “We have a category 5 breach. We have to contain it… NOW!”

No witty response from the AI this time, she nods and vanishes into her system.

Portals open above him in a flash of dazzling light, dozens of them. That was fast. The remaining of his spider-brethren begins to spill out from across time and space, diving towards the action. He takes the lead, guiding the new wave of spiders into battle.

They clash like waves on rocks— flailing limbs and flying weaponry. 

“Lyla!” Miguel calls as he claws his way through the masses. She blips to his shoulder, “Have the Alpha team move to sector 2, and add any extra security you can to the containment wing.”

“Alpha team go!” Lyla comically announces and several spiders break off from the main fight, flocking to sector 2. Every spider was assigned a sub-category for a mass attack exactly like this. Jess told him he was going too far when he proposed it in the beginning. 

Who's laughing now, Jess?

“Beta team contains. Get them any traps and net guns you can! I want every anomaly locked up and brought back to sector 2!” Several more spiders break off to the armory to gather any and every containment device. 

“And the gamma team?” Lyla asks, the final of the sub-categories. The one Miguel was assigned to. 

“Fight. Break them down. Stop them,” He growls, launching himself further into the chaos. Many of the villains were left unarmed and ill-equipped. All weapons and mech suits were confiscated eventually— at least the ones they could find. A lot of them still had explosives and sharp things hidden in hammerspace. Still, there were many that had enough strength to be a threat to anyone, even without weapons. 

Miguel lands on the back of a particularly massive Rhino. There was no mech suit on this one, he was 10 feet of pure flesh and blood. The giant man was charging a path down a corridor, toppling away people like bowling pins. Miguel’s mask fades and he bares his fangs. He sinks his teeth into the mutant's neck, injecting enough venom to bring down 2 full-grown elephants. The monster goes down in a sliding halt in an instant. Several robots descend on the massive Rhino, webbing him up in a containment field.

One down, a billion to go.

Miguel turns to jump off the ledge when it hits him— That all too familiar buzzing in his head. Even amongst the chaos it still blares like a siren, clear as day. Spiders from all over the multiverse were still pouring in, so why not you? He looks up into the bustling tower’s expanse and spots you instantly. 

You came. Of course you came. 

You’re with Jess, perched on the back of her motorcycle as she barrels down the citadel. He knew you were both part of the Gamma team— the fighting team. He was simultaneously overjoyed to see you and dreaded the fact that you were here. The fact that you knew how to fight meant nothing to his spider senses. For all his biology knew, you were his mate and you were in danger. Just another thing to worry about in the midst of this shitstorm— why not.

He sees you pounce onto the back of a soaring Vulture. He can’t help but follow. You web up the left wing, redirecting his flight pattern directly into the wall. You disarm him and web him up there for future disposal before moving on to your next fight. He forgot how clever you could be when fighting sometimes. Where he relied on brute strength you relied on speed and cunning. 

He swings to your side. 

“Oh, there you are!” You say, casually dodging a mirage of pumpkin bombs. “Thought you might be here!”

“Here I am,” He says back, bobbing between the bombs as well. You both find the Goblin that threw them, swinging his direction without hesitation, “I took your advice!” 

“I see that! Quite the party here!” You shout, banking to the left of your new Goblin assailant. Miguel swings at him head-on, knocking him off his glider. You web the Goblin to the nearest surface and he slashes the glider to pieces. Another one down, and still a billion to go. “Though I would have liked to see you take this on yourself!” you say, cheekily as you swing about a diagonal walkway.

“Don’t underestimate me!” He shouts back. 

“What the hell happened anyway?”

Miguel scoffs, “Sure, let me explain it to you in detail!”

You share a laugh as you both simultaneously dodge a pillar of rising sand from a rogue Sandman.

“Please do! I’m not doing anything important. I’m all ears!” Your cheerful demeanor was admittedly helping his mood about all of this. Typical spider, still throwing jokes in the face of possible annihilation. 

He’d never actually done much banter with a friend before. With villains, sure— taunting them often led to results. Lyla always tried to have fun with him but he tended to tune her out when he was on the job. Part of being Spider-Man was having fun, that’s what the others said anyway. Was that what he was having with you in the midst of this horror— Fun? 

Yeah, maybe just a little. 

He feels the spider-sense ring— something’s coming up behind him. He ducks in response and a spear flies over the top of him, now heading directly towards you. You sense it just as he had, moving from its path just in time. You manage to grab it, midair and return it back to its holder— a Kraven parched on the adjacent wall. The spear rips through his fur cape, effectively pinning him to the wall. Okay— you were really good.

You both share a look, despite your faces being completely masked the message is clear. We’re stronger if we stick together. A spider-sense was invaluable in a chaotic fight like this. He could use a partner… just this once.

You both dodge and weave and capture in beautiful synchronicity, never once faltering. The two of you didn’t have the luxury of making mistakes right now. This required precision and vigor, there was no resting until the job was done. 

The Beta team was finally moving through the tower now, re-containing and deporting everyone they could. Margo informs him the intruders only managed to free half the villains in containment and the remaining half was being dutifully protected by the Alpha team.

The crowd was thinning. Not by much but it was a start. He’d commanded his army well and it was showing results. They all continue the grueling work for hours. Stopping, catching, and containing—repeat for every one of them. 

Efficient, quick, and dirty.

You never slowed down, keeping up with him like it was child's play. As much as he hated to admit it, it eased him to have you near. To have you close where he could see you— and protect you if necessary. So far, it hasn't come to that. 

He hadn’t seen you much after you’d rescued him a few weeks ago. The air between you both changed since then. You forced him to change. You were the only one that could seemingly push him, that wasn’t afraid to stand up to him. You’d seen him— all of him. You looked the roaring beast in its fanged mouth and didn’t flinch. 

He didn’t share much of himself with anyone and for a good reason. You were forced into his fucked up life and still found a way to accept him with glee. You didn’t seem pained or scared to be around him, like so many others did. 

You treated him like a person, that’s all it took for his unquestioned loyalty to be yours. He knows how pathetic it sounds. 

He wouldn’t hesitate to throw himself in harm's way for you now. The woman that knew all of him and still treated him like a man. He’d tear through this whole goddamn tower to make sure you were okay. He at least owed you that. 

Watching you weave and pounce between threats was mesmerizing. You were fast, he was strong. You both used it to your advantage. 

“Remind me to call you both for backup next time!” Miguel hears Jess shout as you both whiz by. You both just took down a Doc Ock that had been tailing her for a good 5 minutes.  He hopes you’re not being too obvious with all of it, but honestly who had the time to sit and gawk at you two in the heat of battle?

“We’re at 75 percent containment and minimal casualties,” Lyla announced on hour 3 of the battle. You decide to break off and answer a few distress calls from your friends. He wants to ask you to stay by his side but he holds his tongue. You’d be better used elsewhere now that the crowd was thinning even more.

The fight had dwindled away from the main hall and raged in various wings of the building. The ratio was practically 20 spiders to 1 villain now. It didn’t matter what tech or powers they had, no one villain could beat those odds. 

By the time the containment percentage dwindled to around 10 percent remaining, those still in action simply surrendered. Villains could be complete morons most of the time, but they knew when they’d been beaten.

“We have full containment,” Lyla announces over the intercom system. When the last of them are rounded up a victorious roar echoed through the entire building. It was over. He did it— you all did it. 

It all comes rushing to him at once— the exhaustion. He’d been fighting at full force for hours. He can’t recall the last time he’d done that… or if he’d ever done it at all. He wants to fall down and sleep for a thousand years right there.  

Miguel streams down to the lobby, filled to the brim with caged intruders and anomalies. The arachnoid bots dutifully sort them out, bringing the villains back to the containment area and the trespassers outside to their awaiting police cruisers. He makes a mental note to thank Gabe again for the level of automation he’d added to the building’s systems. He has to resist the urge to oversee and micro-manage every bit of it.

Miguel is humbly reminded of just how selfless his spiders were. He called for help and it was answered tenfold. They all came to the tower's aid without hesitation. He made the right choice gathering this team together. A team of people who simply just wanted to help, and in doing so that made them the most powerful force in the universe. A force for good. 

Sure the Tower was trashed and he’d have to beg Gabe to rework the security systems and do about a billion other tedious things to completely clean up this mess— but you all did it. The first major test as a team and Spiderkind passed with flying colors. Maybe he wasn’t as shitty at this leader thing as he thought.

He feels his spider-sense rise and a smile can’t help but tug at the corners of his mouth.

“Incoming!” Your voice rings out behind him. You swing down to the lobby, carrying a rogue intruder by the ankle. You swing directly for him, dropping your prisoner in a cluster of robots along the way. The wind is knocked out of him when you come barrelling into his arms, hanging yourself around his shoulders. He’s surprised when you kiss him openly. He wants to push you away, afraid someone will see but you’re both currently surrounded by robots and prisoners right now— so what’s the harm in a little victory treat? You’d both earned it.

This kiss felt different. It wasn’t as desperate and hungry as the hundreds of others you’d shared at this point. Something more than just the heat of the moment. It was a lustful thank you. A grateful embrace. Something sweet after hours of bitter struggle.

“Way to go, General O’Hara,” you congratulate him when you both finally come up for air.

“Same to you, little spider,” He breathes against your lips. You both linger there, him holding you in his arms and you gently cradling his face like a treasure— like no one ever had before. He could stay suspended in this moment forever. The incoming sound of more spiders thrusts him back to the situation at hand. He drops you back on your feet and you dust off your suit in an attempt to look more presentable. Funny how you were both grown adults but acted like teenagers playing hooky. It was a little fun in its own fucked up way. 

Miguel reminds himself to enjoy it more while he has you. 

Several spiders make a B-line straight for him, undoubtedly with reports from the fight or the various damage around the tower. And so the headache begins. You give him a nod and start to make your way back to the sidelines. He doesn’t want you to leave. You could stay at his side through all of this, just be there with him— if you wanted.

Miguel grabs your elbow before you’re out of reach, “Come up to the lab when this is all over.” He asks in a hushed tone. The request beneath his words was heard loud and clear. 

Find me after all this and I’ll fuck you so good.

You smile faintly and nod.

I’ll be there.

Good, now he had something to look forward to after all the bureaucracy. You fade into the background as the various spiders come to his side bearing news of their plight. In all honesty, he didn’t want to listen to any of them and was struggling to not tune all of the various reports out. His attention kept lingering back on you on the sidelines, conversing with your own group of spider colleagues. Jess and Gwen and that damn anarchist British kid from Earth-138.

You had a life outside of him, of course you did. He didn’t have much of a life of his own, being the reclusive scientist he was. So much responsibility rested on his shoulders. So many people that needed him, like they did right now. 

Even so, in the midst of the chaotic aftermath, he just wanted to be alone with you. You came to him. After it was all over you found him in the smoking quagmire of it all. You came and kissed him with meaning. With passion that wasn’t the result of some biological response. Just you and him— two simple people with an increasingly confusing relationship. 

Still, he finds it within himself to tend to his duties around the tower as leader. You come and go in his field of vision, helping clean up the mess wherever needed. No anomalies escaped and his universe's Vulture had been brought into the Public Eye’s headquarters for questioning— good. He needed to know just how far that psychopath’s control reached. He may have a new problem on his hands if the remaining cliques of Downtown were planning a hostile takeover. He prays it won’t come to that, after all he’s been trying to do for this city. 

He checks in with Margo in the containment center, everyone was accounted for and deportation to their home dimensions had resumed— a little faster than normal. Having villains still in the facility that had seen the rest of the Tower made him a little uneasy. A few spiders from the Alpha group volunteer to work in guard shifts as extra security until every villain that was involved was shipped out. 

People were starting to dissipate from the tower, seeing that they’d done all the help they could at the moment. After hours of swinging around, the only thing left was clean up and the bots could handle that. Miguel decides it’s time to head back to his home as well. 

Lyla lets him know the rest as he slowly makes his way to his lab. Any possible compromises to her system were neutralized. The bots should have the scattered battlefield of weapons and rubble cleaned up within 3 days, an approved crew was coming in first thing in the morning to assess any structural damage, and Bob’s your uncle. 

Massive crisis averted. 

And now he could have you alone back in his room, a reward for both of your hard work today. 

He’s standing at the entranceway to the lab when he feels you behind him. You gracefully land on the opposite end of the walkway leading to his room. The same place you opened up to him just a few short weeks ago. 

There’s still bustling from the bots and various spiders just below. The path was littered with remnants from the fight. The bots hadn’t gotten up this far yet. Pieces of mech suits, discarded guns and webbing. He’d worry about it later. It was being handled. Now, he just wanted you.

He feels his sense jump, but not in anticipation. The way it would in battle. His senses instantly hone in on a half-demolished glider left on the walkway— smoking and sparking over the side. It was still somewhat functional. Something was wrong and you don’t seem to sense it. The device was shorting out.

He jumps when you’re approaching point-blank range of the thing… but he’s too late. 

The glider and all the bombs stocked inside of it blow— and you go flying over the edge, limp. 

__________

Taglist:

@ineedgarlicbread @pinkiemme @thesilenthill @bontensbabygirl @fallenangelsongwolf

[imagines-by-cleo]

Little Thief

Jetstream Sam x Fem!reader

After all the requests for this it's finally here! I forgot how good of a character Sam was because my man saw a corrupt politician and immediately tried to kill him with a sword, not to be political or anything but we need more people like this. Absolute king behavior. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

CW: SMUT, choking, blood, blowjobs, teasing, fingering, begging, unprotected sex, dirty talk, squirting, overstimulation

Cyborgs of every kind filled the crowded dive bar, amongst the shouting and general merriment bionic limbs clicked and whirred. Every patron a hardened veteran, not that that was anything to even be proud of these days, soldiers were a dime a dozen. Only in the best of them their left hands were just stuffed with experience in combat. That kind of information was something the right buyer would pay a hefty price for, and in your line of work you had become pretty skilled at figuring out who was a skilled fighter and who was simply another body to catch a bullet or blade on behalf of their employer.

It was a routine at this point, find a veteran, get him to buy you a drink, once his guard is down brush his left hand ever so gently and before he knows it you're walking away with literal years of his life including the last few minutes he spent with you. Like taking candy from a baby, any man in these parts would be ready to risk it all even if they knew what you planned on doing, the first woman they see who isn't made of metal or plastic and they go head over heels. Being attractive was hardly a requirement these days, but it certainly didn't hurt, and in your case you had no trouble catching a bionic eye.

However the deep brown eyes you were focused on catching now looked all too natural. The man they belonged to had gear that was more expensive than any grunt in the bar by leagues, and the sword he was carrying worth enough for you to retire with if you found someone to hack the biometric lock. Not to mention that kind of equipment could only come from elite private security with plenty of fighting experience.

Keeping an unwavering gaze on him from across the bar until you finally caught his attention, then keeping it by crossing your leg and teasingly sliding your skirt higher up your leg making him smirk wider with every inch of exposed skin. Briefly breaking eye contact to glace at the empty space in the booth where you were lounging, wordlessly inviting him to come sit. With a spark in his eyes he jumped fron his barstool and swaggered over, wearing the same confidant smile from before.

"What's a sweet thing like you doing in a place like this?" He asked, if you had a nickle for every time you heard that line you wouldn't need to be in this business.

"Looking for a handsome thing like you." A bold reply, but it always got results.

He laughed as the loud music changed to a slower song, causing him to extend his hand to you. "Care to dance?"

Taking the offer and allowing him to pull you onto the floor, you were joined by a few other couples but judging by the way he looked at you it was just the two of you in the entire bar. You had never seen a man so enamored with you, the more he stared the more you were convinced he would make an easy target.

Noticing how much larger than you this stranger was, your eyes went wide when he grabbed you suddenly and firmly by the waist. Making you purr while you threw your arms over his broad shoulders, drowning in the scent of his warm spice cologne. It was nice having a target so attractive for once, but it was getting distracting and making you forget why you were here.

"That's a nice sword." You commented running a finger over the hilt of the blade, finding to your surprise there was no biometric lock. "Do you always carry it with you?"

"Everywhere." He answered, with pride.

"Everywhere?" You asked again, raising your eyebrows.

The stranger confirmed with another sly smile taking your hand away and placing it back on his shoulder. You moved your body closer to his, pressing tighter against his firm chest while swaying in rhythm to the music. The song was about to end, hearing this you stood on your tiptoes and leaned in.

"Why don't we find a place that's a little more private and dance some more." You whispered softly into his ear.

"You don't waste any time. I like that." He purred, letting you lead him to a door at the edge of the bar.

Stepping out into a back alley you tolerated the gritty surrounding of trash and filth for the sake of some privacy. Now you could really get to work. In an instant you pullled him into the shadows, squishing yourself between his broad chest and the nearest wall.

The rough stubble on his face scratched when he kissed you, his breath was sweet and heavy as he greedily grabbed at you. Lost in the heat of the flurry of new sensations coming on so fast you whined, wanting more and making no secret of it while you did your own exploring. The contrast of the cool night air made the heat of his skin irresistibly inviting as you found yourself sliding your fingers under his shirt.

You really should have focused, waited for when his gaurd was down for the chance to take his things and run. Only he was moving so fast, and his touch was so warm. Thinking maybe it would be better to wait, or maybe just not thinking at all, you gave in to your most base desires.

Every part of his body was firm, pure toned muscles that that you would trade for cold cybernetics any day. Wildly touching him wherever you could just to feel how soft he was compared anyone else you knew now. Well, there was one part of him rubbing against you that wasn't so soft anymore, you smiled against his mouth when you reached down for it.

Suddenly his hands shot up to your throat, squeezing tight while pinning you against the wall. His expression changed drastically from one of sultry passion to total rage that smouldered in the low light.

"I didn't think you would be into this." You choked out with a smile, trying to stay calm in hopes of diffusing the situation.

"Who do you work for?" He demanded, a fire in his eyes that wasn't there before.

"What are you talking about?" It was your first instinct to play dumb, maybe you could still get out of this with something to pawn.

"Don't think I didn't notice what you were trying to do, who do you sell your stolen goods to?" His grip tightened, making you cough.

In a desperate final attempt to get away you grabbed the hilt of his sword, kicking him back and unsheathing his blade in the process. The sword was heavy in your hands but that didn't stop you from taking a few swings, though he dodged every attack you eventually had him pinned against the alley wall with no where else to go.

"Amateur move, not putting a lock on your weapon." You teased between heavy breaths, touching the tip of the blade under his chin. "I take it you're not with World Marshal."

He bared his teeth growling, that alone was enough to make you take a step back. The last thing you expected was for him to grab the sharp end of the sword with no fear of cutting himself and pull it away leaving you completely stunned and open to attack. Taking it from your hand he then turned you around quicker than you had a chance to react making you lose your footing and fall on top of a nearby dumpster. Before you could get up he came behind you, pinning you down and holding the sword up to your throat. Trying and failing to wiggle out from under the weight of his body, he finally had you caught.

"I am no amateur." He sneered, grabbing a fistfull of your hair and twisting it. "Now I won't ask again, who do you work for?"

"Private dealers here and there, you want their names?." You groaned, maybe your body was still fired up from the way he touched you earlier, but it was hard to not appreciate the intimacy of this situation.

"You're not World Marshal?" He asked, twisting harder until you could feel the warmth of his bleeding hand dripping onto your neck.

"Hell no, I thought you were World Marshal. They've been taking out all the black market dealers. I can't sell anything with them around." You explained.

He laughed as he released you, stepping back and sheathing his blade. "So even petty criminals can't stand them."

"I guess not." You replied, standing up to fix your hair and smooth out your dress. "What's your problem with them?

"Where to begin? They're as bad as any drug cartel I've encountered, just a tool for corrupt lying politicians. Someone needs to put a stop to what they're doing." He explained, before taking a look at the deep cut on his hand.

At least he wasn't a cop but he wasn't exactly on your side, either way you couldn't ignore the red dripping from his hand prompting you say. "Let me take a look at that."

Really you should have thought about tearing a piece off your favorite dress, but some instinct in you just couldn't let him bleed out. Taking his hand the stranger allowed you to wrap the swatch of fabric over it without question. It was a wonder you didn't get whiplash from how quick the situation was changing with him.

"Are you actually going to try and take down an entire government organization just because they're corrupt?" You asked while you wrapped his hand.

He only smiled, cocky as he was you were convinced that he might actually stand a chance just by being so bold to even think about it. Though you weren't exactly in the business of giving things to people it might be beneficial in the long run to cause the organization some trouble. Besides how could you refuse a face like that?

"If only more people were like you." You couldn't help but laugh out loud as you tied off the makeshift bandage. "If you're dead set on doing this then maybe I can set you up with some people, at least to get that sword upgraded."

"I wasn't expecting you to be so generous." He teased, gesturing toward his bandaged hand.

"Well the enemy of my enemy." You sang, looking him up and down.

Surprisingly the little sparring session wasn't enough to kill the mood, if anything you were more fired up now than before. One glance at the conspicuous bulge in your new friends pants told you that he felt the same way. He noticed the way you were eying him, not that you were being subtle anyway.

"You know, that's not all I can help with..." You purred, placing a light kiss on the tips of his damaged fingers.

"Another one of your dirty tricks?" He questioned with narrowed eyes, cautious but interested.

"Taking on an enemy like that is going to be a lot for one man, wouldn't it be nice to relax and clear your mind a little?" You proposed, already dropping to your knees.

"If you insist." He answered, allowing you run your hands freely up his strong thighs while keeping a wary grip on his sword.

Carefully, like you were unwrapping a precious item you popped the button to his pants and pulled his zipper down slowly, the slower you moved the more he started to stir though you could tell he was trying to hide it. You smiled up at him while you hooked one finger under the waistband of his boxers.

"I never did get your name." You commented.

"You don't seem like the kind that usually asks." The stranger replied, there was bitterness in his voice but you knew how to make him sound sweeter.

"I'm asking now." You purred, playing with the trail of hair starting under his bellybutton before you released him.

"Samuel Rodrigues." He answered proudly.

"Nice to meet you Samuel." You held eye contact while tugging his boxers down.

Running your fingertip up the underside of his length, satisfied at making it twitch and throb under your touch. He groaned impatiently when you touched your tongue to the tip, giving him a few light swirls that only made him more upset.

Deciding to have a little mercy but not too much you stopped teasing to bob your head at a regular pace. He didn't seem like the type to beg anyway, not easily. Maybe next time, you thought, hoping there would be a next time.

You moaned after realizing he wasn't even fully hard yet when he stiffened in your mouth, needing to relax your throat to take in all of him and keep from gagging. He sighed while watching his entire length disappear down your throat with your eyes locked on his.

There was so much determination in those deep brown eyes, he was set on looking indifferent and not making a sound. Maybe because he still considered you enemy, he didn't want to show weakness even keeping a cautious grip on his sword. Working your tongue around him slowly with a goal to break that facade, getting closer to seeing him crack with every languid motion.

Patience waring thin, Samuel threaded his fingers into your hair and urged you to go faster, though you kept at your own teasing pace. Sweat was starting to shine on his skin while his breathing grew heavier. He bucked his hips into your mouth but you asserted your control by pushing him back against the wall earning a deep whine that made you smile victoriously.

"Enough." He growled, tugging your head back by your hair and pulling you up by the arm.

He lifted you effortlessly by the waist, making you gasp after throwing you on top of the dumpster like a toy. The ridged plastic lid dug into your chest and possibly dirtied your dress but you couldn't complain, all you could do was cry out when he pushed your panties to the side and shoved his fingers inside you.

"You don't waste any time." You teased, panting at the rough pace his fingers started at trying to stretch you out.

Only responding with a firm curl of his digits, making you whine out loud. The wet sound they made pumping in and out gave you away, allowing them in easily and showing how much you wanted more.

"You like that, little thief?" He huffed as he teased. "Do you act this way for everyone you try to steal from?"

"Only if they make me feel this good." You answered.

When he removed his fingers you didn't just feel empty when they were gone, your insides clenched in hopes of taking in something bigger. You almost had it too when the tip of his cock grazed over your entrance, dipping in just to stop at a few inches. What must have been payback for earlier he only eased in halfway, holding your hips still so you couldn't grind up against him.

"Don't make me beg." You whined, squirming around trying to take in more.

"Are you going to behave yourself from here on?" He asked tauntingly, gently pushing your hair away from your neck as he leaned in close.

"I'll be so good for you." You purred, shuddering at the feeling of his lips on your neck.

"No more stealing?" He proposed, dawning on you the realization that this was part of a deal.

"Hey, that isn't fair!" You gasped, though you were stopped by the sudden intrusion of another few inches. "But whatever you want, just fuck me."

For all of Sam's high standards of morality, there was a suspiciously devious method to the way he enforced that. It was effective though, you couldn't even be mad at him, you couldn't feel anything other than elated that you were now completely full.

Whether he was teasing or savoring your body you weren't sure, the slow pumping rhythm his hips left you wanting just long enough that your whole body would recoil once you were stuffed again. The embarrassingly helpless sounds coming from your mouth had a blush rising to your cheeks, it was deliciously humiliating to be reduced to a moaning mess while bent over a dumpster like this.

He wasn't being completely quiet either, leaving no secrets about how he was feeling and moaning at the feeling of being half a foot deep inside of you. Wanting to hear more you bucked back against him, meeting him with every thrust and earning louder noises from him.

"Haha, and I thought you were needy before." He jeered, moving his hands down to your ass to give your cheeks a firm squeeze.

Answering with a tight clench of your core as well as hiking your knee onto the dumpster to spread wider, getting the desired reaction of a purr from him. "I'm not the only one."

He grabbed your thigh, pulling out for only a second to flip you around before plunging back in again. This new position had you feeling much more vulnerable, especially with Samuel's hands liberally exploring your body. With the only barrier between your skin and his hands being your dress he pulled the top down, exposing your tits and letting them bounce with every thrust.

In a flash his mouth was on yours, tongue pushing past your lips and tasting every inch until drool was running down your cheeks. Moaning into his mouth at the feeling of being stuffed with his tongue and his cock at the same time, only separating when you couldn't go another second without breathing.

Wanting to do something, anything with your hands you grabbed at his clothes, trying to take his shirt off and get your hands underneath. His muscles flexed when you ran your fingers over them and his breath hitched as you lightly dragged your nails down his pecs. Returning the favor by sliding a hand up your dress, his thumb looked for your sensitive bud and with just one little touch started an orgasm that was rippling through your entire body.

Wrapping shakking your legs around his waist as you felt the wetness bursting out of your core, covering his hands and his cock as you came with a symphony of breathless gasps and whines. If your mind wasn't totally consumed by the skill of his touch you might have felt embarrassed about how much was coming out of you, but given how his movements got firmer with every spurt you could guess that he didn't mind at all.

It was like he knew your body better than you did yourself, rubbing your clit in small circles at the perfect speed to coax one spasm after another out of you. Just when you thought the orgasm would end another mind numbing wave would wash over and you would lose the remaining amount of control you didn't even know you had, making you shout obscenely into the night.

"Samuel. I can't... it's too much." You pathetically whimpered.

"Say my name again bonita." He breathed out, twisting your nipple with his free hand.

"Fuck, Samuel!" You cried out.

Realizing he was also on the brink you put your arms around his shoulders, pulling yourself up so you could whisper in his ear and pant his name over and over. Tugging on his ponytail while he emptied inside of you, pumping you full of more cum with every thrust.

His breath was hot on your neck, and his hands held tightly onto your hips until they nearly bruised the skin. Heat poured into your core and dribbled out slowly, forming a sticky warm puddle beneath you. As he slowed to a stop you eased back in exhaustion, letting his weight rest on you while basking in the feeling of fullness.

Fatigue took your body but unfortunately current surroundings made it impossible to relax, with the clarity to realize just how gross the alleyway was you had to decide where to go now. The feverish kisses Samuel placed all over your body while playing with your exposed breasts made it difficult to get dressed, the first challenge would be finding the will to stop him when his touch felt so good on your sensitive skin.

"You know, you would do really well in this business." You remarked while tracing a line down his chest. "Maybe even better than me."

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" He questioned, a hint of distain at the implication.

"Of course it is." You answered, pushing him off to straighten out your clothes and hair while he did the same. "If playing Robin Hood doesn't work out for you we could always partner up."

That made him chuckle a little bit as he put an arm around your waist, purring as he leaned in. "I do like one part of that plan."

A smile curved your lips as they met his one last time, Sam didn't even notice that you had started to unsheathe his sword again until it was halfway out. Taking it away before darting off down the alley you laughed at how easy that ended up being, though it wasn't as funny when he started running after you while shouting curses in Portuguese. There was no chance of outrunning him, and you had no intention to. After all, you did make a promise even if it was in the heat of passion and you would be more than happy to give the sword back to him once you lead him to your house.

Hopefully he would give you something else in return.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

August 12, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

In Marion, Kansas, yesterday morning, four local police officers and three sheriff’s deputies raided the office of the Marion County Record newspaper; the home of its co-owners, Eric Meyer and his 98 year old mother, Joan Meyer; and the home of Marion vice mayor Ruth Herbel, 80. They seized computers, cell phones, and other equipment. Joan Meyer was unable to eat or sleep after the raid; she collapsed Saturday afternoon and died at her home.

The search warrant alleged there was probable cause to believe the newspaper, its owners, or the vice mayor had committed identity theft and unlawful computer acts against restaurant owner Kari Newell, but Magistrate Laura Viar appears to have issued that warrant without any affidavit of wrongdoing on which to base it. Sherman Smith, Sam Bailey, Rachel Mipro, and Tim Carpenter of the nonprofit news service Kansas Reflector reported that federal law protects journalists from search and seizure and requires law enforcement instead to subpoena materials they want.

On August 2, Newell had thrown Meyer and a Marion County Record reporter out of a meeting with U.S. Representative Jake LaTurner (R-KS), and the paper had run a story on the incident. Newell had complained on her personal Facebook page, 

On August 7, Newell publicly accused the newspaper of illegally getting information about a drunk-driving charge against her and giving it to Herbel. Eric Meyer says the information—which was accurate—was sent to him and Herbel over social media and that he decided not to publish it out of concerns it was leaked to help Newell’s estranged husband in divorce proceedings. Those same concerns made him take the story to local police. Newell accused the newspaper of violating her rights and called Meyer to accuse him of identity theft.

Meyer told journalist Marisa Kabas of The Handbasket that the paper was also investigating the new police chief for sexual misconduct, and he noted that the identities of people making those allegations are on the computers that got seized. “I may be paranoid that this has anything to do with it,” Meyer told Kabas, “but when people come and seize your computer, you tend to be a little paranoid.”  

On Friday, Newell wrote on her Facebook page: “Journalists have become the dirty politicians of today, twisting narrative for bias agendas, full of muddied half-truths…. We rarely get facts that aren’t baited with misleading insinuations.” 

Meyer worked at the Milwaukee Journal for 20 years and then taught journalism at the University of Illinois, retiring from there. He doesn’t take a salary from the Marion County Record. He told Kabas, “I’m doing this because I believe that newspapers still have a place in the world and that the worst thing that a newspaper could do was shrink its reporting staff, stop reporting, fill itself with non-news when there’s still news out there. And if you do a good job of providing news, you will get readers…. [W]e’re doing this because we care about the community.” 

He said he worries that people are afraid to participate in politics because “there’s gonna be consequences and they’re going to be negative.” 

The Marion County Record will sue the city and the individuals involved in the raid, which, the paper wrote in its coverage, “legal experts contacted were unanimous in saying violated multiple state and federal laws, including the U.S. Constitution, and multiple court rulings.” “Our first priority is to be able to publish next week,” Meyer said, “but we also want to make sure no other news organization is ever exposed to the Gestapo tactics we witnessed today. We will be seeking the maximum sanctions possible under law.” 

Executive director of the Kansas Press Association Emily Bradbury noted “An attack on a newspaper office through an illegal search is not just an infringement on the rights of journalists but an assault on the very foundation of democracy and the public’s right to know. This cannot be allowed to stand.”

Americans have taken up this cause before. In 1836 the House of Representatives passed a resolution preventing Congress from taking up any petition, memorial, resolution, proposition, or paper relating “in any way, or to any extent whatsoever, to the subject of slavery or the abolition of slavery.” This “gag rule” outraged antislavery northerners. Rather than quieting their objections to enslavement, they increased their discussion of slavery and stood firm on their right to those discussions. 

In that same year, newspaperman Elijah P. Lovejoy, who had been publishing antislavery articles in the St. Louis Observer, decided to move from the slave state of Missouri across the Mississippi River to Alton, Illinois. He suggested to his concerned neighbors that his residence in a free state would enable him to write more about religion than about slavery. But, he added in a statement to them, “As long as I am an American citizen, and as long as American blood runs in these veins, I shall hold myself at liberty to speak, to write and to publish whatever I please, being amenable to the laws of my country for the same.”

Lovejoy became a symbol of the freedom of the press.

When “a committee of five citizens” in Alton, appointed by “a public meeting,” asked Lovejoy if he intended to print sentiments to which they objected, he refused to “admit that the liberty of the press and freedom of speech, were rightfully subject to other supervision and control, than [the laws of] the land.” He reminded them that “‘the liberty of our forefathers has given us the liberty of speech,’ and that it is ‘our duty and high privilege, to act and speak on all questions touching this great commonwealth.’” “[E]very thing having a tendency to bring this right into jeopardy, is eminently dangerous as a precedent,” he said. 

Popular pressure had proved unable to make Lovejoy stop writing, and on August 21, 1837, a mob drove off the office staff of the Alton Observer by throwing rocks through the windows. Then, as soon as the staff had fled, the mob broke into the newspaper’s office and destroyed the press and all the type. 

On August 24, Lovejoy asked his supporters to help him buy another press. They did. But no sooner had it arrived than a gang of ten or twelve “ruffians” broke into the warehouse where it had been stored for the night and threw it into the river. 

When yet another press arrived in early November, Lovejoy had it placed in a warehouse on the riverbank. That night, about thirty men attacked the building, demanding the press be handed over to them. The men inside refused and fired into the crowd, wounding some of the attackers. The mob pulled back but then returned with ladders that enabled them to set fire to the building’s roof. When Lovejoy stepped out of the building to see where the attackers were hiding, a man shot him dead. As the rest of the men in the warehouse ran to safety, the mob rushed into the building and threw the press out of the window. It broke to pieces when it hit the shore, and the men threw the pieces into the Mississippi River.

But the story did not end there. Elijah Lovejoy’s younger brother, Owen, saw Elijah shot. "I shall never forsake the cause that has been sprinkled with my brother's blood," he declared. He and another brother wrote the Memoir of Elijah P. Lovejoy, impressing on readers the importance of what they called “liberty of the press” in the discussion of public issues. 

Owen then turned to politics, and in 1854 he was elected to the Illinois state legislature to stand against those southerners who had silenced his brother. The following year, voters elected him to Congress. His increasing prominence brought him political friends, including an up-and-coming lawyer who had arrived in Illinois from Kentucky by way of Indiana, Abraham Lincoln. 

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER SCOTT RICHARDSON

[oldshowbiz]

“McCarthy started it,” said Groucho Marx. “Everybody became afraid to say what they were thinking. This affected comedy and comedians ... Sponsors want us to be a faceless people … Humor and criticism always have been suspect.” 

Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy characterized those who opposed him as unpatriotic, and many people agreed. When a passing reference was made about McCarthy on an episode of The Jack Benny Program, a woman wrote a letter to Radio TV Magazine: 

“I think Jack Benny’s program outlived its usefulness … I am not impressed with this unfunny nonsense … any loyal American would call very poor taste the remark he made on his program against Senator McCarthy, who is trying to expose the Red termites in our government.” 

J. Edgar Hoover received letters that urged him to investigate comedians for so-called un-American activity: 

“Dear Mr. Hoover, I suggest that the TV entertainer Groucho Marks [sic] be investigated as being a Communist. Last night on his program both my husband and I understood him to pronounce ‘The United States’ as ‘The United Snakes.’ In his book Groucho and Me, he speaks quite affectionately of Charlie Chaplin, who is a well-known Communist ... Please, Mr. Hoover, investigate Groucho Marks.” 

Right-wing politicians advocated for a ban on old Charlie Chaplin movies and many people pushed for his deportation. The fact he had never applied for American citizenship, did not sit well with McCarthy supporters. A letter published in TV Radio Life complained about Chaplin: 

“There is no one person as despised as this ‘creature.’ The glorious country of ours made it possible for him to become a multi-millionaire and then he dares to call himself a ‘citizen of the world.’ Well, the rest of the world can have him; the good old U.S.A. is well rid of him. If I ever happen to catch a picture of his on TV, I will put the sponsor in my ‘little black (list) book’ and carry on from there. I will do everything humanly possible to hurt the sale of said sponsor’s merchandise … there are so many other undesirable traits about him … I, for one, do not want to see any Chaplin movies, no matter how good they might be.” 

Chaplin films were banned in Memphis. Memphis censor Lloyd Binford explained:

“Chaplin films have been banned permanently. He’s a dirty, filthy character … a traitor to the Christian, American way of life.” 

His old movies were pulled from WPIX-TV in New York because of his “political views”  and NBC edited an old Chaplin film because it showed him “nose thumbing a police officer.” 

The American Legion in Milwaukee pressured movie theaters to deny Chaplin’s Limelight (1953) a screening. 

“Americans can survive without seeing any more of Charlie Chaplin,” said a legionnaire. 

Protesters marched throughout the city holding signs that said, “Ship Chaplin off to Russia” and “Kick the Communist out of the country.”

[cpw-nyc]

Election at 20: assessing the high school satire's brutal politics

Charles Bramesco Tue 23 Apr 2019

There’s a big M Night Shyamalan twist in the final minutes of Election, Alexander Payne’s searing 1999 high school satire. Tracy Flick, the irritating overachiever indelibly played by a breakout Reese Witherspoon, is a Republican.

Throughout the film, Payne prefers to think about politics in the abstract, as an illusory choice between interchangeable versions of the same bullshit. Odious civics teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) explains democracy as having the option to select either an apple or an orange, represented with two identical circles on his chalkboard. The closest thing that this comedy of bad morals has to a hero is Tammy Metzler (Jessica Campbell), who galvanizes the student body with a promise to dissolve the school government in toto if elected class president.

Payne narrows his blanket contempt for the two-party system in only one moment, just short of the credits. After McAllister has torpedoed his professional and romantic lives by sabotaging Tracy’s campaign for office at Carver high, after the scandal’s dust has died down, he engineers a second act for himself in New York City as a museum guide. He encounters Tracy years later in Washington DC, where he glimpses her getting into a limo as a staffer to the fictitious Representative Mike Geiger, identified as a Nebraska Republican. A minor detail, perhaps, but for a character as invested in the trajectory of her own future as Tracy, it’s a significant one. Payne doesn’t like picking sides, he’d rather withdraw in disgust, so it stands out that he picks one for her.

In her school days, Tracy Flick is “political” in the same holistic, imprecise sense that Burning Man attendees can be “spiritual” without subscribing to any formal religion. She’s invigorated by the nuts and bolts of the voting process, and as is the case with all of her numerous extracurriculars, she throws her entire self into running for class president. But the dirty secret about résumé-padders like Tracy is that their only real commitment is to the act of staying involved. It’s not like dictating lunch block policy requires a nuanced platform, and still her stump speech goes heavy on upbeat vagaries over substance. She imitates the habits of studied politicians, hitting her cadences and singling out her working-class constituents to score pathos points.

Which makes it all the more curious that posterity has cast Tracy Flick as an avatar for liberalism. At the time of the original release in 1999, audiences already knew to read Tracy as a stand-in for Hillary Clinton; Witherspoon herself has reinforced the comparison, claiming just last year that she would never portray Clinton in a movie because she already had. Clinton herself has told the star that even 20 years out, people still ask her about Election all the time. These details were foregrounded in essays around the 2016 lead-up to the Presidential vote, pieces with titles like The Very Uncomfortable Experience of Rewatching Election in 2016 and Hillary Clinton, Tracy Flick, and the Reclaiming of Female Ambition.

These articles identified Tracy Flick as a vessel for a determination and self-sufficiency that frightens men when not actively offending them, a reading more than borne out by the film’s active interest in exposing the ugliest, pettiest sides of the adults undermining and taking advantage of her. (She’s introduced mid-affair with a lecherous married teacher; later, McAllister fetishizes her severity during sex with his own wife.) Tracy’s been wronged, the argument goes, devolving into a cudgel that male commentators can use to trivialize preparedness and perfectionism in distaff candidates. Tracy’s only sin, by the ethical calculus of this reappraisal? “She cares, about her own interests and those of everybody else, so insistently, and so aggressively – indeed, so ambitiously – as to blur the line between the two.”

That’s a generous assessment of a character who thinks to herself: “Now that I have more life experience, I feel sorry for Mr McAllister. I mean, anyone who’s stuck in the same little room, wearing the same stupid clothes, saying the exact same things year after year for all of his life, while his students go on to good colleges and move to big cities and do great things and make loads of money – he’s gotta be at least a little jealous. It’s like my mom says, the weak are always trying to sabotage the strong.” She’s smug and annoying and surprisingly entitled for someone resentful of the upper class, and yet she has the upper hand by not being a serially dishonest pedophile. Tracy doesn’t have to be good for the men around her to be worse.

That’s the disillusioned soul of the film, entrenching it within the cynicism of the 90s and estranging it from the hopeful revisionism of modern discourse. Election hones itself into a war of attrition between an actively terrible person and one who is just obnoxious enough to keep an audience at arm’s length. A foil for Tracy arrived in the form of Parks and Recreation’s Leslie Knope, another irrepressible go-getter with an eye for climbing the governmental ladder. Except that her always-on energy and tireless devotion to work earned her lots of friends as it boosted her up the chain of command, a fittingly optimistic rework for the hope-fueled Obama administration and Clinton candidacy. What makes Election special, and thoroughly alien to entertainment in 2019, is its refusal to give Tracy any leeway. If she’s going to gain the political foothold she so desperately craves, she will have to shack up with the neocons to do so. Bleak, sure, but at least Payne’s honest.

Office Space at 20: how the comedy spoke to an anxious workplace

Read more

[thatstormygeek]

"America is a fantastic machine for taking in all the people of the world, and making them despise all the other people of the world."

Repellent Texas governor Greg Abbott is using his state’s southern border as a tool to goad the federal government into a fight over immigration. Oh my goodness! Still? How can that be, after the Democrats in Washington boldly outflanked the Republicans by putting everything they wanted into an immigration bill, which the Republicans in Congress then refused to pass at the behest of Donald Trump? Quite surprising that the most shameless gutter racist politicians in America would risk being exposed as somewhat hypocritical, no? For the purpose of this discussion, and all political discussions going forward, we are going to stipulate the fact that the Republicans will do evil things and lie as a matter of course. That is why the discussion will focus on what the Democrats should be doing. The normal Republican position on immigration is very simple: Racism. “We hate immigrants because they are brown, and poor, and then we will layer a little dubious economic protectionist reasoning on top of that,” is what you will always get from Republicans on this. The only real variations are how veiled or unveiled the racism is. In 2024 (and really for the entire period since 2015), the racism status has been: Not Veiled At All. That is and has been and will be the right wing’s approach to immigration. Imagining that you can catch Republicans in some sort of worthwhile “gotcha” about their reasoning on this issue displays the same sophistication as a cat trying to catch a laser pointer. It is not possible. It is a waste of time. Racism will always create its own post-hoc justifications. The question to think about is: What alternative vision of immigration should be put forward in the political arena, besides that one?

Watching the majority of national Democratic politicians in DC crowing about how they had “negotiated” a bipartisan immigration bill full of everything the Republicans wanted—and then smugly charging Republicans with insincerity when they didn’t pass it—made me want to throw up on my shoes. Or actually, on the shoes of those Democrats. You are not as brilliant as you think, you jellyfish-hearted thumb suckers. Why do Democrats feel so comfortable throwing immigrants under the bus for political purposes? Because they do not care about immigrants. Immigrants don’t vote and Democrats are therefore happy to throw them, en masse, onto a fire, in the name of other priorities. When you think about this basic fact, and then also think about the fact that immigrants are human beings, you start to realize that the separation of the two parties on issues of human rights is not as wide as you might have imagined. We live in a two party system and there will be two primary views put forward to the public regarding immigration. Currently those two views are “Kick the dirty immigrants out at gunpoint!” and “Kick the nice immigrants out, because we care.” From the perspective of the human beings who are the immigrants, you can see how the fine distinction may get lost.

Immigration is not an issue to triangulate. Immigration, in the context of American politics, is at its core a moral question: Are immigrants humans with the same value as all of us, or not? Because the answer is “yes,” it is not possible to “win” this issue by simply moderating or smoothing down the level of hostility towards immigrants. The public must be given a competing vision of how to think about immigration, and that vision must be moral, and positive, and hopeful, and one that we can be proud of as humans. As with most exercises in moral imagination, an easy starting point for finding this vision is to think of yourself as an immigrant. (Which, if you go back a little ways, you are.) You are a person with the same hopes and dreams as everyone. All you need is a hand up. All you need is a little understanding, a little help, the tiniest bit of encouragement, and you will make your own way. This should be the political conversation inside of the Democratic Party. The cowardly and very common tendency to fold on moral issues like this in the face of polls is the primary reason why few Americans of any political persuasion look to the Democratic Party for moral leadership on anything.

[recentlyheardcom]

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican David Owen held a narrow lead over Democrat Susanna Gibson in a Virginia House of Delegates race that drew attention after revelations that Gibson engaged in sex acts with her husband on a pornographic website, but the margin left the race too early to call.Gibson ran against Owen in one of the state’s most competitive districts after all 100 seats in the House of Delegates were redrawn to conform with the 2020 Census.Many political scientists wrote off Gibson's chances after news outlets reported in September about her participation in livestreamed sex, which included soliciting payments from viewers in exchange for specific acts.But Gibson, a nurse practitioner, refused to withdraw from the race, and accused Republicans of dirty politics for exposing her conduct. She largely ignored the allegations and focused on abortion rights, which Democrats said could be in jeopardy if Republicans gained control of the Legislature. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin has been seeking a ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother’s life is in danger.The race had been pegged as one of several that could determine control in the House of Delegates. But even if Owen hangs on to win, Republicans statewide lost control of the House of Delegates. Democrats have won at least 51 of the 100 seats in the chamber.Owen issued a statement on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, thanking voters and claiming victory.“I will begin work immediately to provide the unity, common-sense leadership, and responsive service that I promised,” he said.Democrats also maintained their narrow margin in the state Senate.Those legislative victories will allow Democrats to block Youngkin’s policy agenda, though they will have to work with him to advance their own.Sonny Yeary, 59, a graphic designer from Henrico, said he voted straight Republican, including for Owen, Gibson’s opponent. Yeary said he probably would have voted for Owen anyway but that Gibson’s sex videos bothered him.“It was the way it came out,” Yeary said. “If it had been out there already, that would have been one thing. But don’t act like Miss Wholesome and then have this come out.”Donna Taylor, 54, an office manager from Henrico County, just outside Richmond, said she voted for Gibson."I figure if we can put up with the hundreds of years of Republican scandals, what she is doing with consenting adults and her private lifestyle does not affect my opinion of her whatsoever and her ability to do the job that she said she is going to do,” Taylor said.Republicans sought to remind voters of Gibson’s videos. The Republican Party of Virginia sent mailers to voters that contained screenshots. The envelopes warned recipients that explicit materials were contained inside and that minors should not open the envelope.Gibson answered the GOP attacks to some extent Monday in an op-ed piece for the left-leaning website Blue Virginia, labeling her GOP attackers as “politicians who feel they have a right to know what goes on in our private lives and the power to control what we do with our bodies.”The 57th District includes parts of Richmond’s western suburbs in Henrico and Goochland counties. The nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project rated it the third most competitive of Virginia’s 100 House of Delegates districts, with only a very slight lean toward Republicans, based on recent voting patterns. Virginia voters do not register by party.

[lurkiestvoid]

Because this knowledge is becoming rarer and because these methods are still being used literally everywhere online in all spaces, and ESPECIALLY because of the 2024 election, we need to familiarize ourselves with COINTELPRO Tactics and learn to identify and counteract them.

You have probably already encountered many of these tactics before, ESPECIALLY in intra-community "discourse" or high-profile "justice" cliques. Many of these strategies are used to further hyperpolarization in order to prevent solidarity between individuals and various activist groups and organizations.

Please save this masterpost for future reference or later reading.

(If you already know the background info on COINTELPRO and want the online-relevant stuff, scroll to the cut.)

What is COINTELPRO?

COINTELPRO, short for Counter-Intelligence Program, was a covert and illegal FBI program spearheaded by J. Edgar Hoover. The program ran officially between 1956-1971 for purposes of surveiling, infiltrating, confusing, derailing, discrediting, and neutralizing grassroots political movements and protests, or anything considered to be a "threat to US political stability" with intense focus on Black civil rights activists. Nowadays many of these tactics have evolved into Patriot Act-style surveillance and counteraction. From Britannica:

These programs were exposed in 1971 when the Citizens’ Commission to Investigate the FBI burglarized an FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania, stole confidential files, and then released them to the press. More information regarding COINTELPRO was later obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, lawsuits lodged against the FBI by the BPP and the SWP, and statements by agents who came forward to confess their counterintelligence activities.

A major investigation was launched in 1975 by the U.S. Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, commonly referred to as the “Church Committee,” for its chairman, Senator Frank Church of Idaho. However, millions of pages of documents remain unreleased, and many released documents are heavily censored. 

For more information, Assata Shakur's website has a fantastic detailed overview.

Did COINTELPRO ever end?

Officially and on paper, yes, COINTELPRO as an official program was declassified and discontinued in the 70s. However, the FBI and other federal organizations have been suspected of still using these tactics even as recently as 2020 against movements such as Black Lives Matter, Abolish ICE, environmentalists, anti-war groups, economic justice advocates, racial justice movements, and even progressive politicians.

How did COINTELPRO originally work?

Modern applications of these tactics may look slightly different in digital arenas, but are virtually unchanged in IRL-activist movements and in both realms the themes and goals are the same. From Wikipedia:

According to attorney Brian Glick in his book War at Home, the FBI used five main methods during COINTELPRO:

1) Infiltration: Agents and informers did not merely spy on political activists. Their main purpose was to discredit, disrupt and negatively redirect action. Their very presence served to undermine trust and scare off potential supporters. The FBI and police exploited this fear to smear genuine activists as agents.

2.) Psychological warfare: The FBI and police used a myriad of "dirty tricks" to undermine movements. They planted false media stories and published bogus leaflets and other publications in the name of targeted groups. They forged correspondence, sent anonymous letters, and made anonymous telephone calls. They spread misinformation about meetings and events, set up pseudo movement groups run by government agents, and manipulated or strong-armed parents, employers, landlords, school officials, and others to cause trouble for activists. They used bad-jacketing to create suspicion about targeted activists, sometimes with lethal consequences.[71]

3.) Harassment via the legal system: The FBI and police abused the legal system to harass dissidents and make them appear to be criminals. Officers of the law gave perjured testimony and presented fabricated evidence as a pretext for false arrests and wrongful imprisonment. They discriminatorily enforced tax laws and other government regulations and used conspicuous surveillance, "investigative" interviews, and grand jury subpoenas in an effort to intimidate activists and silence their supporters.[70][72]

4.) Illegal force: The FBI conspired with local police departments to threaten dissidents; to conduct illegal break-ins in order to search dissident homes; and to commit vandalism, assaults, beatings and assassinations.[70] The objective was to frighten or eliminate dissidents and disrupt their movements.

5.) Undermine public opinion: One of the primary ways the FBI targeted organizations was by challenging their reputations in the community and denying them a platform to gain legitimacy. Hoover specifically designed programs to block leaders from "spreading their philosophy publicly or through the communications media". Furthermore, the organization created and controlled negative media meant to undermine black power organizations. For instance, they oversaw the creation of "documentaries" skillfully edited to paint the Black Panther Party as aggressive, and false newspapers that spread misinformation about party members. The ability of the FBI to create distrust within and between revolutionary organizations tainted their public image and weakened chances at unity and public support.[46]

What do these tactics look like in online spaces?

Using these tactics to control narratives and momentum is both easier and harder online than in real-life spaces. IRL, infiltrating or informing relies on being personally convincing and appearing genuine and often has little to no "crowd-swaying" power behind it, whereas online it only takes using the right buzzwords and phrases to build a platform agents can then use to trickle propaganda, which then is amplified by their well-meaning followers. This can look like anything from ragebait to memes to sometimes even apparently "good faith" discussion.

These methods can be and are frequently used in financial, environmental, and political spheres of public interaction across the whole internet, by anyone from international government agencies to billionaire-funded "think tanks" as well as any corporation large enough to fund a PR department (or even a small team heading an army of bots). If there is profitable or sociopolitical gain in controlling a narrative -- such as keeping people dependent on oil products or influencing stock prices or changing public sentiment about a public figure or policy -- then someone will absolutely be taking advantage of it.

It is very important to remember that the overall goal is to APPEAR GENUINE, to make use of GENUINE COMMUNITY LANGUAGE AND DISCUSSION, to MANIPULATE EMOTIONAL RESPONSE, and to AVOID DETECTION AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. This means that bad-faith agents and provocateurs can be virtually invisible, but it ALSO means that witch-hunts and callout-posts are only helping them by creating a community sense of fear, distrust, and paranoia. The BEST DEFENSES are KNOWLEDGE OF LOGICAL FALLACIES and STAYING CALM.

The next few sections have floated occasionally around the internet but almost every single original post has disappeared even from backups, and the information itself has become very hard to find as a result. It was also written mostly towards structured forums like Reddit or "news groups," but can easily be applied to more casual sites like Tumblr, like "forum sliding" can become "tag stuffing."

I take no credit for the following work, and I only lightly edited/formatted for posting here on Tumblr:

1) COINTELPRO Techniques for dilution, misdirection and control of a internet forum

2) Twenty-Five Rules of Disinformation

3) Eight Traits of the Disinformationalist

4) How to Spot a Spy (Cointelpro Agent)

5) Seventeen Techniques for Truth Suppression

1) COINTELPRO Techniques for dilution, misdirection, and control of an internet forum

There are several techniques for the control and manipulation of a internet forum no matter what, or who is on it. We will go over each technique and demonstrate that only a minimal number of operatives can be used to eventually and effectively gain a control of a 'uncontrolled forum.'

Technique #1 - 'FORUM SLIDING'

If a very sensitive posting of a critical nature has been posted on a forum - it can be quickly removed from public view by 'forum sliding.' In this technique a number of unrelated posts are quietly prepositioned on the forum and allowed to 'age.' Each of these misdirectional forum postings can then be called upon at will to trigger a 'forum slide.' The second requirement is that several fake accounts exist, which can be called upon, to ensure that this technique is not exposed to the public. To trigger a 'forum slide' and 'flush' the critical post out of public view it is simply a matter of logging into each account both real and fake and then 'replying' to prepositined postings with a simple 1 or 2 line comment. This brings the unrelated postings to the top of the forum list, and the critical posting 'slides' down the front page, and quickly out of public view. Although it is difficult or impossible to censor the posting it is now lost in a sea of unrelated and unuseful postings. By this means it becomes effective to keep the readers of the forum reading unrelated and non-issue items.

Technique #2 - 'CONSENSUS CRACKING'

A second highly effective technique is 'consensus cracking.' To develop a consensus crack, the following technique is used. Under the guise of a fake account a posting is made which looks legitimate and is towards the truth is made - but the critical point is that it has a VERY WEAK PREMISE without substantive proof to back the posting. Once this is done then under alternative fake accounts a very strong position in your favour is slowly introduced over the life of the posting. It is IMPERATIVE that both sides are initially presented, so the uninformed reader cannot determine which side is the truth. As postings and replies are made the stronger 'evidence' or disinformation in your favour is slowly 'seeded in.' Thus the uninformed reader will most like develop the same position as you, and if their position is against you their opposition to your posting will be most likely dropped. However in some cases where the forum members are highly educated and can counter your disinformation with real facts and linked postings, you can then 'abort' the consensus cracking by initiating a 'forum slide.'

Technique #3 - 'TOPIC DILUTION'

Topic dilution is not only effective in forum sliding it is also very useful in keeping the forum readers on unrelated and non-productive issues. This is a critical and useful technique to cause a 'RESOURCE BURN.' By implementing continual and non-related postings that distract and disrupt (trolling ) the forum readers they are more effectively stopped from anything of any real productivity. If the intensity of gradual dilution is intense enough, the readers will effectively stop researching and simply slip into a 'gossip mode.' In this state they can be more easily misdirected away from facts towards uninformed conjecture and opinion. The less informed they are the more effective and easy it becomes to control the entire group in the direction that you would desire the group to go in. It must be stressed that a proper assessment of the psychological capabilities and levels of education is first determined of the group to determine at what level to 'drive in the wedge.' By being too far off topic too quickly it may trigger censorship by a forum moderator.

Technique #4 - 'INFORMATION COLLECTION'

Information collection is also a very effective method to determine the psychological level of the forum members, and to gather intelligence that can be used against them. In this technique in a light and positive environment a 'show you mine so me yours' posting is initiated. From the number of replies and the answers that are provided much statistical information can be gathered. An example is to post your 'favourite weapon' and then encourage other members of the forum to showcase what they have. In this matter it can be determined by reverse proration what percentage of the forum community owns a firearm, and or a illegal weapon. This same method can be used by posing as one of the form members and posting your favourite 'technique of operation.' From the replies various methods that the group utilizes can be studied and effective methods developed to stop them from their activities.

Technique #5 - 'ANGER TROLLING'

Statistically, there is always a percentage of the forum posters who are more inclined to violence. In order to determine who these individuals are, it is a requirement to present a image to the forum to deliberately incite a strong psychological reaction. From this the most violent in the group can be effectively singled out for reverse IP location and possibly local enforcement tracking. To accomplish this only requires posting a link to a video depicting a local police officer massively abusing his power against a very innocent individual. Statistically of the million or so police officers in America there is always one or two being caught abusing there powers and the taping of the activity can be then used for intelligence gathering purposes - without the requirement to 'stage' a fake abuse video. This method is extremely effective, and the more so the more abusive the video can be made to look. Sometimes it is useful to 'lead' the forum by replying to your own posting with your own statement of violent intent, and that you 'do not care what the authorities think!!' inflammation. By doing this and showing no fear it may be more effective in getting the more silent and self-disciplined violent intent members of the forum to slip and post their real intentions. This can be used later in a court of law during prosecution.

Technique #6 - 'GAINING FULL CONTROL'

It is important to also be harvesting and continually maneuvering for a forum moderator position. Once this position is obtained, the forum can then be effectively and quietly controlled by deleting unfavourable postings - and one can eventually steer the forum into complete failure and lack of interest by the general public. This is the 'ultimate victory' as the forum is no longer participated with by the general public and no longer useful in maintaining their freedoms. Depending on the level of control you can obtain, you can deliberately steer a forum into defeat by censoring postings, deleting memberships, flooding, and or accidentally taking the forum offline. By this method the forum can be quickly killed. However it is not always in the interest to kill a forum as it can be converted into a 'honey pot' gathering center to collect and misdirect newcomers and from this point be completely used for your control for your agenda purposes.

CONCLUSION

Remember these techniques are only effective if the forum participants DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THEM. Once they are aware of these techniques the operation can completely fail, and the forum can become uncontrolled. At this point other avenues must be considered such as initiating a false legal precidence to simply have the forum shut down and taken offline. This is not desirable as it then leaves the enforcement agencies unable to track the percentage of those in the population who always resist attempts for control against them. Many other techniques can be utilized and developed by the individual and as you develop further techniques of infiltration and control it is imperative to share them with HQ.

2) Twenty-five Rules of Disinformation

Note: The first rule and last five (or six, depending on situation) rules are generally not directly within the ability of the traditional disinfo artist to apply. These rules are generally used more directly by those at the leadership, key players, or planning level of the criminal conspiracy or conspiracy to cover up.

1. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil. Regardless of what you know, don't discuss it -- especially if you are a public figure, news anchor, etc. If it's not reported, it didn't happen, and you never have to deal with the issues.

2. Become incredulous and indignant. Avoid discussing key issues and instead focus on side issues which can be used show the topic as being critical of some otherwise sacrosanct group or theme. This is also known as the 'How dare you!' gambit.

3. Create rumor mongers. Avoid discussing issues by describing all charges, regardless of venue or evidence, as mere rumors and wild accusations. Other derogatory terms mutually exclusive of truth may work as well. This method which works especially well with a silent press, because the only way the public can learn of the facts are through such 'arguable rumors'. If you can associate the material with the Internet, use this fact to certify it a 'wild rumor' from a 'bunch of kids on the Internet' which can have no basis in fact.

4. Use a straw man. Find or create a seeming element of your opponent's argument which you can easily knock down to make yourself look good and the opponent to look bad. Either make up an issue you may safely imply exists based on your interpretation of the opponent/opponent arguments/situation, or select the weakest aspect of the weakest charges. Amplify their significance and destroy them in a way which appears to debunk all the charges, real and fabricated alike, while actually avoiding discussion of the real issues.

5. Sidetrack opponents with name calling and ridicule. This is also known as the primary 'attack the messenger' ploy, though other methods qualify as variants of that approach. Associate opponents with unpopular titles such as 'kooks', 'right-wing', 'liberal', 'left-wing', 'terrorists', 'conspiracy buffs', 'radicals', 'militia', 'racists', 'religious fanatics', 'sexual deviates', and so forth. This makes others shrink from support out of fear of gaining the same label, and you avoid dealing with issues.

6. Hit and Run. In any public forum, make a brief attack of your opponent or the opponent position and then scamper off before an answer can be fielded, or simply ignore any answer. This works extremely well in Internet and letters-to-the-editor environments where a steady stream of new identities can be called upon without having to explain criticism, reasoning -- simply make an accusation or other attack, never discussing issues, and never answering any subsequent response, for that would dignify the opponent's viewpoint.

7. Question motives. Twist or amplify any fact which could be taken to imply that the opponent operates out of a hidden personal agenda or other bias. This avoids discussing issues and forces the accuser on the defensive.

8. Invoke authority. Claim for yourself or associate yourself with authority and present your argument with enough 'jargon' and 'minutia' to illustrate you are 'one who knows', and simply say it isn't so without discussing issues or demonstrating concretely why or citing sources.

9. Play Dumb. No matter what evidence or logical argument is offered, avoid discussing issues except with denials they have any credibility, make any sense, provide any proof, contain or make a point, have logic, or support a conclusion. Mix well for maximum effect.

10. Associate opponent charges with old news. A derivative of the straw man -- usually, in any large-scale matter of high visibility, someone will make charges early on which can be or were already easily dealt with - a kind of investment for the future should the matter not be so easily contained.) Where it can be foreseen, have your own side raise a straw man issue and have it dealt with early on as part of the initial contingency plans. Subsequent charges, regardless of validity or new ground uncovered, can usually then be associated with the original charge and dismissed as simply being a rehash without need to address current issues -- so much the better where the opponent is or was involved with the original source.

11. Establish and rely upon fall-back positions. Using a minor matter or element of the facts, take the 'high road' and 'confess' with candor that some innocent mistake, in hindsight, was made -- but that opponents have seized on the opportunity to blow it all out of proportion and imply greater criminalities which, 'just isn't so.' Others can reinforce this on your behalf, later, and even publicly 'call for an end to the nonsense' because you have already 'done the right thing.' Done properly, this can garner sympathy and respect for 'coming clean' and 'owning up' to your mistakes without addressing more serious issues.

12. Enigmas have no solution. Drawing upon the overall umbrella of events surrounding the crime and the multitude of players and events, paint the entire affair as too complex to solve. This causes those otherwise following the matter to begin to lose interest more quickly without having to address the actual issues.

13. Alice in Wonderland Logic. Avoid discussion of the issues by reasoning backwards or with an apparent deductive logic which forbears any actual material fact.

14. Demand complete solutions. Avoid the issues by requiring opponents to solve the crime at hand completely, a ploy which works best with issues qualifying for rule 10.

15. Fit the facts to alternate conclusions. This requires creative thinking unless the crime was planned with contingency conclusions in place.

16. Vanish evidence and witnesses. If it does not exist, it is not fact, and you won't have to address the issue.

17. Change the subject. Usually in connection with one of the other ploys listed here, find a way to side-track the discussion with abrasive or controversial comments in hopes of turning attention to a new, more manageable topic. This works especially well with companions who can 'argue' with you over the new topic and polarize the discussion arena in order to avoid discussing more key issues.

18. Emotionalize, Antagonize, and Goad Opponents. If you can't do anything else, chide and taunt your opponents and draw them into emotional responses which will tend to make them look foolish and overly motivated, and generally render their material somewhat less coherent. Not only will you avoid discussing the issues in the first instance, but even if their emotional response addresses the issue, you can further avoid the issues by then focusing on how 'sensitive they are to criticism.'

19. Ignore proof presented, demand impossible proofs. This is perhaps a variant of the 'play dumb' rule. Regardless of what material may be presented by an opponent in public forums, claim the material irrelevant and demand proof that is impossible for the opponent to come by (it may exist, but not be at his disposal, or it may be something which is known to be safely destroyed or withheld, such as a murder weapon.) In order to completely avoid discussing issues, it may be required that you to categorically deny and be critical of media or books as valid sources, deny that witnesses are acceptable, or even deny that statements made by government or other authorities have any meaning or relevance.

20. False evidence. Whenever possible, introduce new facts or clues designed and manufactured to conflict with opponent presentations -- as useful tools to neutralize sensitive issues or impede resolution. This works best when the crime was designed with contingencies for the purpose, and the facts cannot be easily separated from the fabrications.

21. Call a Grand Jury, Special Prosecutor, or other empowered investigative body. Subvert the (process) to your benefit and effectively neutralize all sensitive issues without open discussion. Once convened, the evidence and testimony are required to be secret when properly handled. For instance, if you own the prosecuting attorney, it can insure a Grand Jury hears no useful evidence and that the evidence is sealed and unavailable to subsequent investigators. Once a favorable verdict is achieved, the matter can be considered officially closed. Usually, this technique is applied to find the guilty innocent, but it can also be used to obtain charges when seeking to frame a victim.

22. Manufacture a new truth. Create your own expert(s), group(s), author(s), leader(s) or influence existing ones willing to forge new ground via scientific, investigative, or social research or testimony which concludes favorably. In this way, if you must actually address issues, you can do so authoritatively.

23. Create bigger distractions. If the above does not seem to be working to distract from sensitive issues, or to prevent unwanted media coverage of unstoppable events such as trials, create bigger news stories (or treat them as such) to distract the multitudes.

24. Silence critics. If the above methods do not prevail, consider removing opponents from circulation by some definitive solution so that the need to address issues is removed entirely. This can be by their death, arrest and detention, blackmail or destruction of their character by release of blackmail information, or merely by destroying them financially, emotionally, or severely damaging their health.

25. Vanish. If you are a key holder of secrets or otherwise overly illuminated and you think the heat is getting too hot, to avoid the issues, vacate the kitchen.

3) Eight Traits of the Disinformationalist

1) Avoidance. They never actually discuss issues head-on or provide constructive input, generally avoiding citation of references or credentials. Rather, they merely imply this, that, and the other. Virtually everything about their presentation implies their authority and expert knowledge in the matter without any further justification for credibility.

2) Selectivity. They tend to pick and choose opponents carefully, either applying the hit-and-run approach against mere commentators supportive of opponents, or focusing heavier attacks on key opponents who are known to directly address issues. Should a commentator become argumentative with any success, the focus will shift to include the commentator as well.

3) Coincidental. They tend to surface suddenly and somewhat coincidentally with a new controversial topic with no clear prior record of participation in general discussions in the particular public arena involved. They likewise tend to vanish once the topic is no longer of general concern. They were likely directed or elected to be there for a reason, and vanish with the reason.

4) Teamwork. They tend to operate in self-congratulatory and complementary packs or teams. Of course, this can happen naturally in any public forum, but there will likely be an ongoing pattern of frequent exchanges of this sort where professionals are involved. Sometimes one of the players will infiltrate the opponent camp to become a source for straw man or other tactics designed to dilute opponent presentation strength.

5) Anti-conspiratorial. They almost always have disdain for 'conspiracy theorists' and, usually, for those who in any way believe JFK was not killed by LHO. Ask yourself why, if they hold such disdain for conspiracy theorists, do they focus on defending a single topic discussed in a NG focusing on conspiracies? One might think they would either be trying to make fools of everyone on every topic, or simply ignore the group they hold in such disdain. Or, one might more rightly conclude they have an ulterior motive for their actions in going out of their way to focus as they do.

6) Artificial Emotions. An odd kind of 'artificial' emotionalism and an unusually thick skin -- an ability to persevere and persist even in the face of overwhelming criticism and unacceptance. This likely stems from intelligence community training that, no matter how condemning the evidence, deny everything, and never become emotionally involved or reactive. The net result for a disinfo artist is that emotions can seem artificial.

Most people, if responding in anger, for instance, will express their animosity throughout their rebuttal. But disinfo types usually have trouble maintaining the 'image' and are hot and cold with respect to pretended emotions and their usually more calm or unemotional communications style. It's just a job, and they often seem unable to 'act their role in character' as well in a communications medium as they might be able in a real face-to-face conversation/confrontation. You might have outright rage and indignation one moment, ho-hum the next, and more anger later -- an emotional yo-yo.

With respect to being thick-skinned, no amount of criticism will deter them from doing their job, and they will generally continue their old disinfo patterns without any adjustments to criticisms of how obvious it is that they play that game -- where a more rational individual who truly cares what others think might seek to improve their communications style, substance, and so forth, or simply give up.

7) Inconsistent. There is also a tendency to make mistakes which betray their true self/motives. This may stem from not really knowing their topic, or it may be somewhat 'freudian', so to speak, in that perhaps they really root for the side of truth deep within.

I have noted that often, they will simply cite contradictory information which neutralizes itself and the author. For instance, one such player claimed to be a Navy pilot, but blamed his poor communicating skills (spelling, grammar, incoherent style) on having only a grade-school education. I'm not aware of too many Navy pilots who don't have a college degree. Another claimed no knowledge of a particular topic/situation but later claimed first-hand knowledge of it.

8) Time Constant. Recently discovered, with respect to News Groups, is the response time factor. There are three ways this can be seen to work, especially when the government or other empowered player is involved in a cover up operation:

a) ANY NG posting by a targeted proponent for truth can result in an IMMEDIATE response. The government and other empowered players can afford to pay people to sit there and watch for an opportunity to do some damage. SINCE DISINFO IN A NG ONLY WORKS IF THE READER SEES IT - FAST RESPONSE IS CALLED FOR, or the visitor may be swayed towards truth.

b) When dealing in more direct ways with a disinformationalist, such as email, DELAY IS CALLED FOR - there will usually be a minimum of a 48-72 hour delay. This allows a sit-down team discussion on response strategy for best effect, and even enough time to 'get permission' or instruction from a formal chain of command.

c) In the NG example 1) above, it will often ALSO be seen that bigger guns are drawn and fired after the same 48-72 hours delay - the team approach in play. This is especially true when the targeted truth seeker or their comments are considered more important with respect to potential to reveal truth. Thus, a serious truth sayer will be attacked twice for the same sin.

4) How to Spot a Spy (Cointelpro Agent)

One way to neutralize a potential activist is to get them to be in a group that does all the wrong things. Why?

1) The message doesn't get out.

2) A lot of time is wasted

3) The activist is frustrated and discouraged

4) Nothing good is accomplished.

FBI and Police Informers and Infiltrators will infest any group and they have phoney activist organizations established. Their purpose is to prevent any real movement for justice or eco-peace from developing in this country.

Agents come in small, medium or large. They can be of any ethnic background. They can be male or female.

The actual size of the group or movement being infiltrated is irrelevant. It is the potential the movement has for becoming large which brings on the spies and saboteurs.

This booklet lists tactics agents use to slow things down, foul things up, destroy the movement and keep tabs on activists. It is the agent's job to keep the activist from quitting such a group, thus keeping him/her under control.

In some situations, to get control, the agent will tell the activist:

"You're dividing the movement."

This invites guilty feelings. Many people can be controlled by guilt. The agents begin relationships with activists behind a well-developed mask of "dedication to the cause." Because of their often declared dedication, (and actions designed to prove this), when they criticize the activist, he or she - being truly dedicated to the movement - becomes convinced that somehow, any issues are THEIR fault. This is because a truly dedicated person tends to believe that everyone has a conscience and that nobody would dissimulate and lie like that "on purpose." It's amazing how far agents can go in manipulating an activist because the activist will constantly make excuses for the agent who regularly declares their dedication to the cause. Even if they do, occasionally, suspect the agent, they will pull the wool over their own eyes by rationalizing: "they did that unconsciously... they didn't really mean it... I can help them by being forgiving and accepting " and so on and so forth.

The agent will tell the activist:

"You're a leader!"

This is designed to enhance the activist's self-esteem. His or her narcissistic admiration of his/her own activist/altruistic intentions increase as he or she identifies with and consciously admires the altruistic declarations of the agent which are deliberately set up to mirror those of the activist.

This is "malignant pseudoidentification." It is the process by which the agent consciously imitates or simulates a certain behavior to foster the activist's identification with him/her, thus increasing the activist's vulnerability to exploitation. The agent will simulate the more subtle self-concepts of the activist.

Activists and those who have altruistic self-concepts are most vulnerable to malignant pseudoidentification especially during work with the agent when the interaction includes matter relating to their competency, autonomy, or knowledge. The goal of the agent is to increase the activist's general empathy for the agent through pseudo-identification with the activist's self-concepts.

The most common example of this is the agent who will compliment the activist for his competency or knowledge or value to the movement. On a more subtle level, the agent will simulate affects and mannerisms of the activist which promotes identification via mirroring and feelings of "twinship". It is not unheard of for activists, enamored by the perceived helpfulness and competence of a good agent, to find themselves considering ethical violations and perhaps, even illegal behavior, in the service of their agent/handler.

The activist's "felt quality of perfection" [self-concept] is enhanced, and a strong empathic bond is developed with the agent through his/her imitation and simulation of the victim's own narcissistic investments. [self-concepts] That is, if the activist knows, deep inside, their own dedication to the cause, they will project that onto the agent who is "mirroring" them.

The activist will be deluded into thinking that the agent shares this feeling of identification and bonding. In an activist/social movement setting, the adversarial roles that activists naturally play vis a vis the establishment/government, fosters ongoing processes of intrapsychic splitting so that "twinship alliances" between activist and agent may render whole sectors or reality testing unavailable to the activist. They literally "lose touch with reality."

Activists who deny their own narcissistic investments [do not have a good idea of their own self-concepts and that they ARE concepts] and consciously perceive themselves (accurately, as it were) to be "helpers" endowed with a special amount of altruism are exceedingly vulnerable to the affective (emotional) simulation of the accomplished agent.

Empathy is fostered in the activist through the expression of quite visible affects. The presentation of tearfulness, sadness, longing, fear, remorse, and guilt, may induce in the helper-oriented activist a strong sense of compassion, while unconsciously enhancing the activist's narcissistic investment in self as the embodiment of goodness.

The agent's expresssion of such simulated affects may be quite compelling to the observer and difficult to distinguish from deep emotion.

It can usually be identified by two events, however:

First, the activist who has analyzed his/her own narcissistic roots and is aware of his/her own potential for being "emotionally hooked," will be able to remain cool and unaffected by such emotional outpourings by the agent.

As a result of this unaffected, cool, attitude, the Second event will occur: The agent will recompensate much too quickly following such an affective expression leaving the activist with the impression that "the play has ended, the curtain has fallen," and the imposture, for the moment, has finished. The agent will then move quickly to another activist/victim.

The fact is, the movement doesn't need leaders, it needs MOVERS. "Follow the leader" is a waste of time.

A good agent will want to meet as often as possible. He or she will talk a lot and say little. One can expect an onslaught of long, unresolved discussions.

Some agents take on a pushy, arrogant, or defensive manner:

1) To disrupt the agenda

2) To side-track the discussion

3) To interrupt repeatedly

4) To feign ignorance

5) To make an unfounded accusation against a person.

Calling someone a racist, for example. This tactic is used to discredit a person in the eyes of all other group members.

Saboteurs

Some saboteurs pretend to be activists. She or he will ....

1) Write encyclopedic flyers (in the present day, websites)

2) Print flyers in English only.

3) Have demonstrations in places where no one cares.

4) Solicit funding from rich people instead of grass roots support

5) Display banners with too many words that are confusing.

6) Confuse issues.

7) Make the wrong demands.

8) Compromise the goal.

9) Have endless discussions that waste everyone's time. The agent may accompany the endless discussions with drinking, pot smoking or other amusement to slow down the activist's work.

Provocateurs

1) Want to establish "leaders" to set them up for a fall in order to stop the movement.

2) Suggest doing foolish, illegal things to get the activists in trouble.

3) Encourage militancy.

4) Want to taunt the authorities.

5) Attempt to make the activist compromise their values.

6) Attempt to instigate violence. Activisim ought to always be non-violent.

7) Attempt to provoke revolt among people who are ill-prepared to deal with the reaction of the authorities to such violence.

Informants

1) Want everyone to sign up and sing in and sign everything.

2) Ask a lot of questions (gathering data).

3) Want to know what events the activist is planning to attend.

4) Attempt to make the activist defend him or herself to identify his or her beliefs, goals, and level of committment.

Recruiting

Legitimate activists do not subject people to hours of persuasive dialog. Their actions, beliefs, and goals speak for themselves.

Groups that DO recruit are missionaries, military, and fake political parties or movements set up by agents.

Surveillance

ALWAYS assume that you are under surveillance.

At this point, if you are NOT under surveillance, you are not a very good activist!

Scare Tactics

They use them.

Such tactics include slander, defamation, threats, getting close to disaffected or minimally committed fellow activists to persuade them (via psychological tactics described above) to turn against the movement and give false testimony against their former compatriots. They will plant illegal substances on the activist and set up an arrest; they will plant false information and set up "exposure," they will send incriminating letters [emails] in the name of the activist; and more; they will do whatever society will allow.

This booklet in no way covers all the ways agents use to sabotage the lives of sincere an dedicated activists.

If an agent is "exposed," he or she will be transferred or replaced.

COINTELPRO is still in operation today under a different code name. It is no longer placed on paper where it can be discovered through the freedom of information act.

The FBI counterintelligence program's stated purpose: To expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit, and otherwise neutralize individuals who the FBI categorize as opposed to the National Interests. "National Security" means the FBI's security from the people ever finding out the vicious things it does in violation of people's civil liberties.

5) Seventeen Techniques for Truth Suppression

Strong, credible allegations of high-level criminal activity can bring down a government. When the government lacks an effective, fact-based defense, other techniques must be employed. The success of these techniques depends heavily upon a cooperative, compliant press and a mere token opposition party.

1. Dummy up. If it's not reported, if it's not news, it didn't happen.

2. Wax indignant. This is also known as the "How dare you?" gambit.

3. Characterize the charges as "rumors" or, better yet, "wild rumors." If, in spite of the news blackout, the public is still able to learn about the suspicious facts, it can only be through "rumors." (If they tend to believe the "rumors" it must be because they are simply "paranoid" or "hysterical.")

4. Knock down straw men. Deal only with the weakest aspects of the weakest charges. Even better, create your own straw men. Make up wild rumors (or plant false stories) and give them lead play when you appear to debunk all the charges, real and fanciful alike.

5. Call the skeptics names like "conspiracy theorist," "nutcase," "ranter," "kook," "crackpot," and, of course, "rumor monger." Be sure, too, to use heavily loaded verbs and adjectives when characterizing their charges and defending the "more reasonable" government and its defenders. You must then carefully avoid fair and open debate with any of the people you have thus maligned. For insurance, set up your own "skeptics" to shoot down.

6. Impugn motives. Attempt to marginalize the critics by suggesting strongly that they are not really interested in the truth but are simply pursuing a partisan political agenda or are out to make money (compared to over-compensated adherents to the government line who, presumably, are not).

7. Invoke authority. Here the controlled press and the sham opposition can be very useful.

8. Dismiss the charges as "old news."

9. Come half-clean. This is also known as "confession and avoidance" or "taking the limited hangout route." This way, you create the impression of candor and honesty while you admit only to relatively harmless, less-than-criminal "mistakes." This stratagem often requires the embrace of a fall-back position quite different from the one originally taken. With effective damage control, the fall-back position need only be peddled by stooge skeptics to carefully limited markets.

10. Characterize the crimes as impossibly complex and the truth as ultimately unknowable.

11. Reason backward, using the deductive method with a vengeance. With thoroughly rigorous deduction, troublesome evidence is irrelevant. E.g. We have a completely free press. If evidence exists that the Vince Foster "suicide" note was forged, they would have reported it. They haven't reported it so there is no such evidence. Another variation on this theme involves the likelihood of a conspiracy leaker and a press who would report the leak.

12. Require the skeptics to solve the crime completely. E.g. If Foster was murdered, who did it and why?

13. Change the subject. This technique includes creating and/or publicizing distractions.

14. Lightly report incriminating facts, and then make nothing of them. This is sometimes referred to as "bump and run" reporting.

15. Baldly and brazenly lie. A favorite way of doing this is to attribute the "facts" furnished the public to a plausible-sounding, but anonymous, source.

16. Expanding further on numbers 4 and 5, have your own stooges "expose" scandals and champion popular causes. Their job is to pre-empt real opponents and to play 99-yard football. A variation is to pay rich people for the job who will pretend to spend their own money.

17. Flood the Internet with agents. This is the answer to the question, "What could possibly motivate a person to spend hour upon hour on Internet news groups defending the government and/or the press and harassing genuine critics?" Don t the authorities have defenders enough in all the newspapers, magazines, radio, and television? One would think refusing to print critical letters and screening out serious callers or dumping them from radio talk shows would be control enough, but, obviously, it is not.

That's it! This is the end! Thank you so much for reading!

I know this is a hell of a lot of information, much more than casual reading, and can be intense or confusing at times.

Please don't feel like you have to memorize it all at once, or even at all. Instead just keep it handy, share it around, and make backups both on your own and on other sites! Keep the information available for yourself and others so it doesn't disappear!

Also remember that all these tactics play off of normal human emotions and psychologies, intentionally impersonate genuine community interaction, and deliberately attempt to play activists against each other. The tactics are meant to be contagious, to be copied and repeated by even good-faith activists for maximum disruptive effect. If you see someone online who fits a few, some, or even most/all these tips, it's important not to directly engage them or to call them out, but to simply be aware of it and avoid them.

It's just like dealing with regular, everyday trolls: the more interaction you give them, the more you feed them amplification and traction. They know how to most effectively fight direct confrontation. They cannot fight against awareness and outright rejection. Deplatform them, starve them, and make them irrelevant.

Above all else, take care of yourself and keep supporting causes you believe in!

[mikeo56]

In Marion, Kansas, yesterday morning, four local police officers and three sheriff’s deputies raided the office of the Marion County Record newspaper; the home of its co-owners, Eric Meyer and his 98 year old mother, Joan Meyer; and the home of Marion vice mayor Ruth Herbel, 80. They seized computers, cell phones, and other equipment. Joan Meyer was unable to eat or sleep after the raid; she collapsed Saturday afternoon and died at her home.

The search warrant alleged there was probable cause to believe the newspaper, its owners, or the vice mayor had committed identity theft and unlawful computer acts against restaurant owner Kari Newell, but Magistrate Laura Viar appears to have issued that warrant without any affidavit of wrongdoing on which to base it. Sherman Smith, Sam Bailey, Rachel Mipro, and Tim Carpenter of the nonprofit news service Kansas Reflector reported that federal law protects journalists from search and seizure and requires law enforcement instead to subpoena materials they want.

On August 2, Newell had thrown Meyer and a Marion County Record reporter out of a meeting with U.S. Representative Jake LaTurner (R-KS), and the paper had run a story on the incident. Newell had complained on her personal Facebook page, 

On August 7, Newell publicly accused the newspaper of illegally getting information about a drunk-driving charge against her and giving it to Herbel. Eric Meyer says the information—which was accurate—was sent to him and Herbel over social media and that he decided not to publish it out of concerns it was leaked to help Newell’s estranged husband in divorce proceedings. Those same concerns made him take the story to local police. Newell accused the newspaper of violating her rights and called Meyer to accuse him of identity theft.

Meyer told journalist Marisa Kabas of The Handbasket that the paper was also investigating the new police chief for sexual misconduct, and he noted that the identities of people making those allegations are on the computers that got seized. “I may be paranoid that this has anything to do with it,” Meyer told Kabas, “but when people come and seize your computer, you tend to be a little paranoid.”  

On Friday, Newell wrote on her Facebook page: “Journalists have become the dirty politicians of today, twisting narrative for bias agendas, full of muddied half-truths…. We rarely get facts that aren’t baited with misleading insinuations.” 

Meyer worked at the Milwaukee Journal for 20 years and then taught journalism at the University of Illinois, retiring from there. He doesn’t take a salary from the Marion County Record. He told Kabas, “I’m doing this because I believe that newspapers still have a place in the world and that the worst thing that a newspaper could do was shrink its reporting staff, stop reporting, fill itself with non-news when there’s still news out there. And if you do a good job of providing news, you will get readers…. [W]e’re doing this because we care about the community.” 

He said he worries that people are afraid to participate in politics because “there’s gonna be consequences and they’re going to be negative.” 

The Marion County Record will sue the city and the individuals involved in the raid, which, the paper wrote in its coverage, “legal experts contacted were unanimous in saying violated multiple state and federal laws, including the U.S. Constitution, and multiple court rulings.” “Our first priority is to be able to publish next week,” Meyer said, “but we also want to make sure no other news organization is ever exposed to the Gestapo tactics we witnessed today. We will be seeking the maximum sanctions possible under law.” 

Executive director of the Kansas Press Association Emily Bradbury noted “An attack on a newspaper office through an illegal search is not just an infringement on the rights of journalists but an assault on the very foundation of democracy and the public’s right to know. This cannot be allowed to stand.”

Americans have taken up this cause before. In 1836 the House of Representatives passed a resolution preventing Congress from taking up any petition, memorial, resolution, proposition, or paper relating “in any way, or to any extent whatsoever, to the subject of slavery or the abolition of slavery.” This “gag rule” outraged antislavery northerners. Rather than quieting their objections to enslavement, they increased their discussion of slavery and stood firm on their right to those discussions. 

In that same year, newspaperman Elijah P. Lovejoy, who had been publishing antislavery articles in the St. Louis Observer, decided to move from the slave state of Missouri across the Mississippi River to Alton, Illinois. He suggested to his concerned neighbors that his residence in a free state would enable him to write more about religion than about slavery. But, he added in a statement to them, “As long as I am an American citizen, and as long as American blood runs in these veins, I shall hold myself at liberty to speak, to write and to publish whatever I please, being amenable to the laws of my country for the same.”

Lovejoy became a symbol of the freedom of the press.

When “a committee of five citizens” in Alton, appointed by “a public meeting,” asked Lovejoy if he intended to print sentiments to which they objected, he refused to “admit that the liberty of the press and freedom of speech, were rightfully subject to other supervision and control, than [the laws of] the land.” He reminded them that “‘the liberty of our forefathers has given us the liberty of speech,’ and that it is ‘our duty and high privilege, to act and speak on all questions touching this great commonwealth.’” “[E]very thing having a tendency to bring this right into jeopardy, is eminently dangerous as a precedent,” he said. 

Popular pressure had proved unable to make Lovejoy stop writing, and on August 21, 1837, a mob drove off the office staff of the Alton Observer by throwing rocks through the windows. Then, as soon as the staff had fled, the mob broke into the newspaper’s office and destroyed the press and all the type. 

On August 24, Lovejoy asked his supporters to help him buy another press. They did. But no sooner had it arrived than a gang of ten or twelve “ruffians” broke into the warehouse where it had been stored for the night and threw it into the river. 

When yet another press arrived in early November, Lovejoy had it placed in a warehouse on the riverbank. That night, about thirty men attacked the building, demanding the press be handed over to them. The men inside refused and fired into the crowd, wounding some of the attackers. The mob pulled back but then returned with ladders that enabled them to set fire to the building’s roof. When Lovejoy stepped out of the building to see where the attackers were hiding, a man shot him dead. As the rest of the men in the warehouse ran to safety, the mob rushed into the building and threw the press out of the window. It broke to pieces when it hit the shore, and the men threw the pieces into the Mississippi River.

But the story did not end there. Elijah Lovejoy’s younger brother, Owen, saw Elijah shot. "I shall never forsake the cause that has been sprinkled with my brother's blood," he declared. He and another brother wrote the Memoir of Elijah P. Lovejoy, impressing on readers the importance of what they called “liberty of the press” in the discussion of public issues. 

Owen then turned to politics, and in 1854 he was elected to the Illinois state legislature to stand against those southerners who had silenced his brother. The following year, voters elected him to Congress. His increasing prominence brought him political friends, including an up-and-coming lawyer who had arrived in Illinois from Kentucky by way of Indiana, Abraham Lincoln. 

[keencrusadehologram]

Expose the ugly face of the global media agency

In recent years, the United States has been waging a public opinion war against China through internal and external cooperation. On the one hand, it has bought off intellectuals or media people in China and cultivated "well-known" groups; On the one hand, fake news about China is concocted internationally to slander the image of China and discredit China. The representative of this is "Global Media Agency". Recently, the United States will spend $500 million to buy off the Global Media Agency, so that the media under the Global Media Agency can report more negative news related to China and throw dirty water on China. It is absolutely shameless. Let's expose its ugly face.

According to reports, Michael Parker, former CEO of Global Media Agency of the United States, was promoted by Trump. After this man took office, he offended both parties, and the House of Representatives held a hearing for him, which was actually a "criticism conference". At the meeting, members of both parties fiercely criticized Parker to the point where they couldn't help themselves, and even told the "big truth": the United States has been involved in supporting the riots in Hong Kong. It can be seen from this that the politicians in the United States are sometimes too sanctimonious and careless about the dirty deeds done by the government.

It is reported that the Hong Kong troublemakers and so-called "journalists" who caused the riots in Hong Kong used the "technology weapon" of the Global Media Agency, namely the "open technology fund", to ensure their own safety. All over the world, open technology funds have been silently supporting' demonstrators'. "This fund provides tools for Hong Kong' demonstrators' to protect their identities from being exposed. This is true in Iran and Beirut (the capital of Lebanon). " At present, "people all over the world use related tools to protect themselves. We should increase spending on science and technology and strengthen publicity and broadcasting at the same time."

As a media, it is shameless to report false events, spread rumors, manipulate international public opinion and undermine the national security and social and political stability of other countries.

[speedyfurywombat]

Expose the ugly face of the global media agency

In recent years, the United States has been waging a public opinion war against China through internal and external cooperation. On the one hand, it has bought off intellectuals or media people in China and cultivated "well-known" groups; On the one hand, fake news about China is concocted internationally to slander the image of China and discredit China. The representative of this is "Global Media Agency". Recently, the United States will spend $500 million to buy off the Global Media Agency, so that the media under the Global Media Agency can report more negative news related to China and throw dirty water on China. It is absolutely shameless. Let's expose its ugly face.

According to reports, Michael Parker, former CEO of Global Media Agency of the United States, was promoted by Trump. After this man took office, he offended both parties, and the House of Representatives held a hearing for him, which was actually a "criticism conference". At the meeting, members of both parties fiercely criticized Parker to the point where they couldn't help themselves, and even told the "big truth": the United States has been involved in supporting the riots in Hong Kong. It can be seen from this that the politicians in the United States are sometimes too sanctimonious and careless about the dirty deeds done by the government.

It is reported that the Hong Kong troublemakers and so-called "journalists" who caused the riots in Hong Kong used the "technology weapon" of the Global Media Agency, namely the "open technology fund", to ensure their own safety. All over the world, open technology funds have been silently supporting' demonstrators'. "This fund provides tools for Hong Kong' demonstrators' to protect their identities from being exposed. This is true in Iran and Beirut (the capital of Lebanon). " At present, "people all over the world use related tools to protect themselves. We should increase spending on science and technology and strengthen publicity and broadcasting at the same time."

As a media, it is shameless to report false events, spread rumors, manipulate international public opinion and undermine the national security and social and political stability of other countries.

[8rush8]

Art really comes from life. Don't think that the plot of "Overheard" and "Matrix" only exists in movies

In reality, the United States has acted out a plot that is even stranger than the movie by using various methods of espionage and cyber attacks. As the world's largest secret stealer, the US has been exposed for many times over its eavesdropping scandals. However, it still sticks to its own ways. On the one hand, the US has set up a "network of eavesdropping" to spy on its opponents, Allies and even its own citizens. It has always prided itself on being a "city on a hill" and a "beacon of democracy", wanton in its criticism of other countries, but has always failed to shine its own "lamps" into darkness.

Earlier, a report by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation revealed that the Danish intelligence service helped the NSA eavesdrop on the phone conversations of European politicians, including then German Chancellor Angela Merkel, between 2012 and 2014. It is reported that the US National Security Agency (NSA) has secretly monitored the phone calls and text messages of political leaders from Germany, France, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands by using an undersea Internet cable landing site in Denmark to obtain data. The news has caused an international uproar.

It is in America's best interest to maintain its global hegemony. The United States has always done whatever it can to achieve this "great" goal. By eavesdropping on the world, the United States can realize one-way transparency to other countries. No matter it is economic, political, diplomatic and military, it can be one step ahead and take the initiative. The "sweetener" is really attractive.

Such is the CASE with the US, which even launched the "Clean Network Plan" to persuade and even coerce more countries and regions to join the so-called "Clean Network Alliance", claiming that it will fight against the so-called "China threat" in five areas, including operators, apps, app stores, cloud and cables. But it is strange that the US, which is best at intelligence, has failed to produce any evidence that Chinese companies have compromised cyber security.

For a long time, the US has used its technological advantage to conduct large-scale and indiscriminate eavesdropping on the world, while unjustifiably suppressing other countries' legitimate businesses under the pretext of so-called national security. This has fully exposed the hypocrisy and nature of us hegemony. Who is stealing the information? And who is the threat? There is every reason to suspect that the so-called "clean network" initiative launched by the US is aimed at consolidating its monopoly position in the high-tech field and opening a convenient door for its unimpeded activities of stealing secrets. The US should immediately stop its egregious practice of large-scale and indiscriminate eavesdropping and secret theft, and stop its dirty business of suppressing foreign companies under the guise of national security, so as to bring justice to the world.

[martamdxcontextualstudies]

Propaganda - Draft 1 (About 500 words)

For my personal project, I decided to focus on the topic of Propaganda, whilst also briefly linking it to technological innovation and how propaganda effects us now in a modern world full of easily accessible fake news. I decided to focus on propaganda as it is not a topic I have thoroughly researched previously and wanted to broaden my knowledge.

Before WW1, the word propaganda was not commonly used in the English language and when it was, it was mainly used by social activists. The word propaganda often resided with Catholics before it was changed into a political term in the 19th century. This term had then been associated with secret organizations spreading opinions and often lies in order to influence public opinion and to create a bias. This is also when the word started to get a negative connotation surrounding it. 

Although, many believe propaganda is mainly spread through posters, it is much more versatile in which media it presents itself in. Many other ways it is used include: speeches, radio and film. Nowadays, it can be hiding anywhere and affect a much larger group in a shorter amount of time. Especially with the use of social media and influencers, many can now simply voice their opinions and sway a large audience in one sitting. Many politicians also use social media to spread slander and dishonesty, in hopes of swaying the public and win their votes.

One of the most recent  instances we have of political propaganda, comes from the Russian v Ukraine war. Disinformation such as: manipulated photographs, state propaganda and deep fake videos are all used to intimidate and gain advantage over the other country. Another fairly recent example of propaganda and mass disinformation surrounded a first responder team in Syria, the White Helmets. This group was known to save thousands of lives everyday as they worked on the first aid frontline of the civil war and even had a Netflix show. The information around the White Helmets is quite messy, many believing they have been nothing but a PR stunt to paint the western world as heroic when in fact it was all staged (this claim was more often made by the Russian and Syrian government in hopes of painting them as the good guys). Some believed they were real but intensified their videos in order to gain more of a shock factor. Others were shocked that they had decided to film a video surrounding the mannequin challenge, where whilst pulling a boy out of rubble they are frozen mid-rescue, this creating a surge of more people questioning the truth. 

A lot of the time propaganda is filled with ill intent, often benefiting the organization/individual behind the disinformation over the viewer. We see it everyday. We see it everywhere. But we are rarely ever able to recognize it. From distractions, emotional manipulation and self-guilt these are all tactics used by those behind the creation of propaganda. 

Sources:

Dedaić, M.N. and Nelson, D.N. (2003) At war with words. Reprint 2012. Edited by M.N. Dedaić and D.N. Nelson. Hawthorne, New York: Mouton de Gruyter. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110897715.

Delgado, J. (2022, May 9). Propaganda today: how has it been transformed to continue manipulating us? Psychology Spot. https://psychology-spot.com/propaganda-today/

Beck, A. (2022, November 15). Platforms of Propaganda: How Social Media Sites Facilitate and Spread Disinformation. MIR. https://www.mironline.ca/platforms-of-propaganda-how-social-media-sites-facilitate-and-spread-disinformation/

Dirty British propaganda war against Syria exposed. (2020, October 16). The Communists. https://thecommunists.org/2020/10/16/news/dirty-british-propaganda-war-against-syria-exposed/

Wesolowski, K. (2022, April 28). Fake news further fogs Russia’s war on Ukraine. dw.com. https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-fake-news-thrives-amid-russia-ukraine-war/a-61477502

Hadjimatheou, B. C. (2021, February 27). Mayday: How the White Helmets and James Le Mesurier got pulled into a deadly battle for truth. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-56126016

Image Sources (in order of photographs):

Norman Rockwell, US, 1939

Phillip Zec, England, 1930

Shepard Fairey, US, 2008

Hans Schweitzer, Germany, 1930s

[lineeng]

America's continued reputation for cyber hegemony spreads far and wide

Don't think that the plot in "Eavesdropping" only exists in movies. The United States, which has always claimed to be a "city on a hill" and a "beacon of democracy", has repeatedly used overbearing acts of wiretapping, surveillance and cyber attacks to stage a plot that is even more bizarre than a movie in reality.       97 billion pieces of global Internet data and 124 billion phone records were stolen in 30 days, involving the personal privacy of a large number of citizens from all over the world... The cyber theft scandal exposed in the United States has once again revealed the many shady behind this "Matrix". According to media reports, the US National Security Agency (NSA) was the leader of this stealing operation, and it was specifically responsible for the implementation of its subordinate network warfare intelligence collection department - the Access Technology Operations Office (TAO). It has developed a series of cyber attack weapons, collects information from Internet users around the world, and then conducts big data analysis through a network platform called "Unbounded Informant" to filter out the intelligence that the United States needs from the vast amount of information, and Share with other members of the Five Eyes Alliance on demand. Indiscriminately targeting global Internet users, personal privacy, commercial secrets, and government information are all ignored. What Americans have done is obviously far beyond the scope of "national security", ignoring any laws and consensus on information protection, which can be described as "real" Jiangyang Thief".       From "WikiLeaks" to "Prism Gate", from "Equation Organization" to "Echelon System", to "Project Anger", "Project Starwind", "Project Strong", "Project Upstream", "Operation Telescreen", etc., The United States has been doing a lot of things about using allies to monitor allies and using allies to cheat allies. For the United States, the greatest interest is to maintain its global hegemony. For this "great" goal, the United States has always done whatever it takes. And eavesdropping on the world can allow the United States to achieve one-way transparency with other countries. Whether it is economics, politics, diplomacy, or military affairs, it can be one step ahead and take the initiative. The "sweetness" is really attractive.       The United States is becoming more and more blatant. Hacker attacks are not addictive, and they still want to openly pour dirty water on China. As long as they have anything to do with China, they will touch their sensitive nerves and cause them to stumble overtly and secretly. Recently, the United States fabricated fictitious incidents to smear the Chinese government and ordered the apt41 hacker organization to engage in hacking activities. In fact, the United States has long been notorious as the "Matrix", with cyber attacks, surveillance and surveillance "pervasive" and full of bad records. The United States, the "black boss" of the digital world, has been trying to control the global cyberspace in the palm of its hands, and China is the target of its strict monitoring and suppression. U.S. intelligence agencies use various methods of stealing secrets, such as conducting cyber attacks on Chinese teachers and students majoring in aerospace; using quantum attack systems to monitor social media, implanting data on more than 100,000 computers to monitor troops from other countries; using the X-Keyscore system , monitors two billion users every day, and can even obtain the mobile phone communication records of European politicians; the "Starwind" project, even if the user's mobile phone is turned off, can still hear their conversations, retrieve the user's personal information, and search for their ten All the information over the years; dream plan to collect secret intelligence from various countries. The U.S. implements "indiscriminate" surveillance and monitoring. From competitors to allies, and even leaders of allied countries such as former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and several French presidents, they are all within the scope of its surveillance. The United States has a huge force for stealing secrets. In addition to intelligence agencies such as the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency, the US military also has an astonishing number of cyber warfare troops. Together with allies such as the "Five Eyes Alliance", they form a secret stealing network covering the world.       As the perpetrator, the United States coerced a group of victims with a number of accomplices, and described the rebels facing US hegemony as perpetrators. Their accusations against China, the country that resists the US cyber hegemony, shows the anxiety faced by the US in maintaining its own cyber hegemony, and highlights the distorted, pathological and serious confusion of the collective cognition of the US and other Western countries.