#graffiti finds with Lexi

[gremlinofuncertainity]

Japan grunge

[apexart-journal]

Manmeet Sandhu in NYC, Day4

Took a subway no. 6 to Canal st. Still not confident enough... constantly looking at the map...thank fully did not get lost today for a change

@9 am -In God we trust 😁

Manhattan criminal court - was guided by the security personnel to the arraignment hearing courtroom to be in audience to the arraignments. To my surprise everybody/the security people seemed very supportive and understanding and did not ask many questions. Is this common here ...this is my first court hearing ever...

Waiting for almost an hour before the proceedings began for the first hearing of the day... and this actually looks like a real courtroom, I am surprised to see people are very smiley with each other. There were some 5-6 cases for the two hours I was at the courtroom. They were small cases of girlfriend slapping boyfriend, scuffle in the neighbourhood, a small theft and so on. The last case went silently and was wrapped up so fast that i couldn't even figure out what it was.

@12- Walk down the Highline is my favourite till now... a acurated abandoned rail tracks from queens to... with wild flowers, plants, graffiti and even wind sculptures by international artists goes through the some of the amazing and famous buildings of the NYC. The guided tour on the phone calendar pointed at the famous landmarks, somewhere easy to find like Dia, school of design but others were not... The highlight of the walk was free icecreams near Kate Spade's rose sculptures and good weather...

There was dinner at Apex @8... reached there at 7 ... loved the exhibition and the theme, it was exciting to see that a subject like yoga/meditation which is mostly seen in such a puritanistic way around the globe was viewed through a critical perspective.

The dinner was fun, had a little chat with Lexi who was the curator of the show, it was an easy and organic conversation. think I am learning a lot about conversation, people very genuinely introduce themselves that automatically draws a response (one doesn't overthinks in the head). The dessert was the best.

[niennandil-me-writes]

Fragments of a Cybernetic Mind: Chapter 9 - Daddy Issues

Summary Half a year has passed since the events of Christmas of 2064. The world is slowly adjusting to sentient ROMs. But Turing is distracted from their task as ROM-kind’s leader and ambassador by another obligation they carry. They want to deliver Leon Dekker’s last words to his daughter. But first, they’ll have to find her, which doesn’t prove easy. They ask their journalist friend for help, who seems less than thrilled.

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 10 (final) Epilogue

cn: family problems, bigotry

Turing spends the next weeks combing through the memory data, but without any success. Any leads they find just terminate in dead ends as the data becomes eaten up by glitches, corruptions or the memories just cut off at the wrong point. What they do find in new information - mostly more insight on Sarah - doesn’t lead anywhere substantive either, not even when they cross-reference the mesh.

I asked Lexi to keep her eyes and ears open, since she is meddling with extra-legal activity as part of her job. She finds some people claiming to have contact to military androids who are willing to do dirty deeds for the right pay, but it all seems very dubious. The same results from Crow’s side.

I continue searching the mesh for mentions of Dekker and other combat androids, reading my way through accounts of violent crimes attributed to them. For some reason, it doesn’t trigger my trauma as much as even the happiest of Dekker’s memories did. 

None of this gives us any information on Dekker’s family. It’s like his entire existence has been scrubbed of the mesh, and the world at large, which seems a particularly cruel fate for him. If it weren’t for my own pride, I would consider talking to Flores again.

At least my writing is going well. My editor has been sending me notes the last weeks, and together we give the text the last polish. I’m particularly proud of the chapter describing the events in Parallax’ server room, though I still have to think of a good pseudonym for Dekker. While most of what Flores said left me bitter, I do agree with her that his full name doesn’t need to be known, especially now that we might involve his daughter. So far all I got is his name with some letters shuffled around.

It's one of the last days of summer, though the heat is not any less intense for it, burning down on the market street and making the air flimmer. That’s Neo San Francisco for you. Turing, Lexi and I fled inside the Hassy bar, where we ordered some of Ramona’s newest creations: the Iced Hassy Hot Cup.

We are surprised to see Chad and Oli here as well, who are enjoying one of the last days of their summer break before it’s back to school. Oli is having a deep conversation with Ramona about a new VR drama, while Chad leans cooly against the counter and pretends he doesn’t care, though he keeps chiming in with opinions on one particular character he seems to identify with a lot.

“Hey, no loitering!” Lexi calls over to him as a joke.

“What?” Chad yells. “What are you, a cop?”

“Chad...” Oli puts a hand on his arm. “That’s the lady who arrested us for spraying graffiti in November.”

Chad flinches back.

“Relax, I haven’t worn the badge for months now,” Lexi says, leaning back against the cushioned seat with her Hassy.

“Oh, yeah,” Chad says. “So you can’t do nuthin’ to us. We could trash the whole place, and you couldn’t stop us!” He climbs on the nearest empty table, garnering looks.

“I could,” Ramona interjects. “And I will.”

“Chad, please don’t get us banned from this place,” Oli pleads. “I like it here. And I like Ramona.”

“Fine, I’ll not trash this place,” Chad gives in. “But not because I’m scared or anything. I just like hanging out here. You don’t piss where you drink.”

“Especially because after this performance, I’m not letting you use the restroom,” Ramona says.

“Come off that table, Starfucker, and sit with us,” I call up to the boy.

“Hey, you called me it.” Chad grins and jumps off the table that starts dangerously teetering. “Oli, you haven’t called me it in ages.”

“Do you sign like that on your college applications as well?” Oli asks as he walks over to our table, rolling his eyes.

“For the art schools, yes.”

“Wait, I thought your dad was against art school?” Oli says.

“Yeah, he wants me to go to law school, so I can do the HR’s work in court,” Chad explains. “Which sounds boring as fuck.”

“I’d love to see you face off against Jess,” I say. “That would end in a cat fight.”

“The only way you should ever be in court is as a defendant,” Lexi notes.

“I’m sending out applications to art schools anyway,” Chad says. “And even if Dad won’t support me, I know Mom’s got my back.”

“Wait, I thought you weren’t in contact anymore?” Oli asks. “After the whole, uh, gene splicing thing?”

Chad looks embarrassed. “She, erm, actually reached out to me last month. So we met up. Kept it secret from Dad, he wouldn’t understand.”

Oli’s face lights up with a wide smile. “Chad, that’s amazing!”

“No big deal. We just talked,” he scoffs. “Caught up a bit. I was never really into the HR stuff anyways.”

“That’s sweet,” Ramona says. “I can’t believe your father would separate a family over some bigoted ideas about purity. That’s straight up evil.”

“I am very happy for you, Starfucker,” Turing says.

“Yeah, yeah, we’re all happy for me.” Chad blushes, brushing his hand over his face in a way that makes it look like he’s trying to punch the tears out of his eyes. “Anyways, we talked a bit about my plans for the future. And Mom said she supports my decisions, and that she’d pay for art school. Said that’s what parents are for, after all.”

There’s a loud crashing sound as this time, a table does fall over, drinks flying through the air and to the floor. Oli has to dodge out of the way.

“Damn it, I just cleaned there!” Ramona cries out. “And it’s my shift as well! The ROM’s on break.”

“We are so sorry,” Turing says. “We will help you clean up.”

“Hey, is everything okay?” Lexi asks me.

I’m staring ahead, my mind racing. Then I turn to Lexi: “Can you get us access to Fairlight’s finance accounts?”

“What?” She looks at me in confusion. “Did your drink have too much caffeine?”

“Did you figure out a way to track Fairlight?” Turing wants to know, their face a question mark.

“But some of the brightest minds in the country already looked through everything he left behind,” Lexi explains. “And they didn’t find anything. TOMCAT included. Besides, the accounts are all frozen.”

“They weren’t looking for this,” I say. “And it’s not Fairlight I am trying to find. So can you give me access or do I have to ask TOMCAT?”

“I can try to call in a few favors,” Lexi says, still confused.

“What did you find out?” Turing asks.

“It’s what Chad said,” I explain. “A good parent secures their child’s future, even if they might not be able to be there for them.”

[doyelikehaggis]

WIP Folder Meme

Tagged by @a-lil-bi-furious thank you so much!! God, I do love these things!! (And now I have an actual reason to do this without just not bothering to actually commit once people ask for one!)

Rules: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Then people can send asks with the title that most intrigues/interests them and you’ll post a little snippet of it or tell them something about it! 

(Have we not learned that I have way too many for this? Okay, here we go!)

• "Prison World Trio"

• "Augustine Gang"

• "Find me in the forest, Frodo"

• "Hope living with Jeremy"

• "Soldier Buddies"

• "Alternate Prison World Duo"

• "Clash of the European Boyfriends"

• "Guardian Enzo"

• "Veil dropped, no Enzo"

• "Project Vampires"

• "The Odyssey"

• "Prayer for the stupid and already dead"

• "College Sweethearts"

• "Damon in Wonderland"

• "Valerine and Twins"

• "League of (Alien) Assassins"

• "Superflash meets Glease"

• "High School Musical: The Reunion: Glee Edition"

• "Grinch one and two, meet the living embodiment of Christmas Cheer!"

• "Sleigh Ride"

• "Pretend Date"

• "No Power Blizzard"

• "Snowball Fight"

• "Uncle Wolf and Aunt Witch"

• "Great Christmas Bake-Off"

• "Kizzie + Milkshake"

• "Kizzie + Graffiti"

• "We're going to Vegas!"

• "Kizzie + Greenhouse"

• "Enzo instead of Oscar"

• "Jack the Not Quite Ripper"

• "Stefanie Salvatore Origin"

• "Klayley Wedding"

• "Klaylope Letters"

• "Crush on You"

• "Humanity-less Heretics"

• "Sastiel Sad"

• "Sea Three Descendants"

• "Chanoey London"

• "Thieves in the Night"

• "High School Heartbreak"

• "Lucifer/Lexi"

• "Cabin Games (Saw Style)"

• "Opera Date"

• "Were in the Woods"

• "Ghost Riders want an Alpha"

• "Hale Twins"

• "Marauders Read Fanfiction"

• "Dance with Derek"

• "Turn Around Dance"

• "Shorpanga Wedding"

• "Trailer Park Thanksgiving"

Tagging @pad-foots @donnas-troia @aceemilythorne @trulyalpha @dance-is-life27 @crazychicke and anyone who wants to do it!! No pressure to anyone though!

[fruitbur]

(bursts into inbox) thAT ASK MEME WITH ALL THE OCS U TAGGED (or just pick and choose but i genuinely would love to know all of them if u want afhdsgjsdhdjd) - darkwarfy

i'm going to start with the easy ones and end with the ones i haven't even talked about to you.

Red-

Full Name: Aaron Cupid Williams

Gender and Sexauilty: Male (trans) and Demisexual

Pronouns: He/Him

Ethnicity/Species: Tribrid of Fae, WARLOCK, and Demon.

Birthplace and Birthdate: His birthplace is unknown to HIM so therefore it won't be stated. he was born on Halloween but the year is also unknown.

Guilty Pleasures: Dancing and Singing. his mother never allowed him to do anything fun when he lived with her (besides reading) so he hides that side of him.

Phobias: Spiders, water, and the dark.

What They Would Be Famous For: besides being the only one of his kind? his singing, there is just something about it.. i wonder what?

What They Would They Be Arrested For: destroying prisons and freeing wrongly captured supernaturals.

OC You Ship Them With: No one, Red is too young to date throughout most of the stories he is in.

OC Most Likely To Murder Them: Iris (his mom) or Icarus

Favorite Movie/Book Genre: Favorite movie would be Shark Boy and Lava Girl, he loves kids movies. Book genre is sci-fi or adventure stories.

Least Favorite Movie/Book Cliche: For movies it has to Coraline and book cliche is the hero or hero's lover/bestfriend dying for the greater good.

Talents and/or Powers: Talents would be as i said before his dancing and singing. his powers? jesus Red has a LOT. He can do basic magic, he can light himself on fire in a blue magic flame before it spreads around himself. telepathy, teleportation, and "invisibility" (that's more lore stuff) not really a power but he can control his appearance (his was born with baby blue skin and light purple hair but his mother taught him to hide that side to blend in with humans) he has a ribbon spell that he can call them to wrap his wrists and his controls them (i.e pulling and wrapping up his targets) he has another spell that does the same thing called flower power (this with rose vines) that he uses to hurt someone if need be. okay this is getting too long but he has more.

Why Someone Might Love Them: He is such a sweet kid and lights up the rooms he is in. you can't help but love him.

Why Someone Might Hate Them: Red can be a little troublemaker and cause chaos for fun. which gets annoying when shit goes down.

How They Change: Red always thought he was just a weapon, a tool for a war that was never coming. as he grows up and lives on his own with Angel, he changes to be someone full of love for not just others, but himself.

Why You Love Them: Red was my first ever OC. He has been through so much changes and growth and i think i finally love him as he is now.

Angel - (i'm gonna shorten the questions so this doesn't get too long)

Full Name: Nope- that's lore and i wanna tell you that Later.

Gender: Female (Trans), Lesbian.

Pronouns: she/her

Ethnicity/Species: loosely based on the mayans, a necromancer, and a clockwork angel necklace.

Birthplace: Her village in that universe's Tulum. Birthdate... she's existed for over 2000 years, who knows how old she is truly.

Guilty Pleasures: Gardening and painiting.

Phobias: the water. just- the water.

Famous For: bringing the dead back to life with ease.

Arrested For: Killing witches who mess with Red.

OC Shipped: I ship her with Niko, two crazy girls who just want bodies.

OC Murder: Iris again, or Lexi (not doing her, she isn't too important rn)

Favorite Movie/Book Genre: she doesn't watch movies that often because she is ya know.. trapped. but when Red can watch something other than kids movies, Angel finds herself loving romance movies, hasn't picked a favorite yet. Books though? cook books! she enjoys learning about food even though she can't eat.

Least Favorite: Horror, just like Red. or anything with water. nothing against mermaids or wildlife, but she's seen enough of the sea for 10 lifetimes at least. Cliche would be evil necromancers, screw that.

Talents: Her painting are to die for. powers??? now this is going to be fun. Angel can bring back the dead, use her magic to move things and grab people. over the course of her time trapped, she has learned how to possess whomever wears her, which leads to some fun beat downs with both Red and Angel working as a single unit. oh did i mention Angel really loves to mess around with blood magic? she was the only one who was able to master it before the witches attacked.

Love Them: Someone would love her becauss how passionate and nurturing she is. also because she enjoys cracking jokes in the safety of the clockwork during the WORST of times.

Hate Them: the witches hated her for her powers and that she was "sick" in the head for enjoying blood magic.

How They Change: Angel had to learn to live as a soul for so long, slowly forgetting what it means to be a living person, that has to be bad for her mental health.

Love Them 2: Angel has become one of my favorites because of how much i've put thought into who she is.

Niko -

Name: she still hasn't came up with a last name, might just take Angel's :)

Gender and Sexuality: Nonbinary and pansexul

Pronouns: she/her

Ethnicity/Species: Biracial, Japanse and Guyanese, a life sized Drawing Mannequin.

Birthplace: a black market factory that makes life sized objects to be used by witches. Birthdate, before 2016, at least.

Guilty Pleasures: ripping the skin off of witches for shit and giggles. oh and grooming dogs!

Phobias: none, nothing phases her.

Famous for: her spine chilling laugh.

Arrested for: all the murders she's done, that is, if she was ever caught.

OC Shipped: Angel of course.

OC Murder: any and all witches, Lexi, Syd.

Favorite Movie/Book: nope and nope! too busy living in the moment to sit down in one place, besides not have real hands. so the next question is useless.

Talents: is flawlessly ripping skin off of a living person a talent? Niko would say so. besides just living, Niko can change her shape into any type of doll/mannequin drawing or otherwise to hide in stores.

Love Them: she is a funny gal! creepy as shit but loyal once you've gained her trust.

Hate Them: "she. skins. people." -Syd at least 20 times.

How They Change: goes from a manic doll to a somewhat a stable person with the power of lOvE.

Love Them 2: She is perfect for Angel and that's enough for me.

Trinity -

Name: Trinity Wither Lakes

Gender: Female, Bisexual.

Pronouns: she/her.

Eithnicity/Species: Biracial, Polynesian, and African American. Werewolf and Siren.

Birthplace: Kaneohe, Hawaii. 3/17/1999.

Guilty Pleasures: Running in the woods in the middle of the night.

Phobias: being half wolf, she fears anything with silver, oh and blood.

Famous for: her speed.

Arrested for: graffiti and other forms of vandalism.

OC Shipped: Abigail. (not doing her either, sorry!)

OC Murder: Lexi, Raph, her grandparents.

Favorite Movie: Twilight and The Twilight Saga. she loves quoting the movies and books to piss everyone off, making it her favorites. Cliche would enimes to lovers.

Least Favorite: The Princess Bride, she just doesn't Get It. Cliche would be anything with angry werewolves or evil sirens. "we aren't your tropes, humans" -Trinity everytime she reads or watches something with a sexy but evil siren.

Talents: all the perks of being wolf and siren, nothing to add really.

Love Them: she is headstrong and makes for a good leader for a rebellion.

Hate Them: too loud, doesn't back down from a fight. will not shut up if someone is wronging her in public.

Change: she goes from the sheltered girl from her family's home in California to the loud rebel in Texas.

Love Them 2: Trin is like me, i don't know when to quit. if someone wrongs me i will scream it from the roof tops before i let them get away with it.

Syd -

Name: Syd Brimstone Lockwood

Gender: Female, Bisexual.

Pronouns: she/her

Ethnicity/Species: Caucasian, human.

Birthplace: Boston, Massachuestts. 4/20/1999

Guilty Pleasures: shitty reality tv, she lives for the drama. also magic, she has always been skeptical of the existence of magic so she spends much of her time researching and tracking down sightings of magic usage.

Phobias: None that i can think of.

Famous for: her deadpan delivery and humor/her resting bitch face.

Arrested for: stalking "known" supernaturals.

OC Shipped: Ainsel.

OC Murder: anyone who she follows would kill her, mainly Lexi or Raph though.

Favorite Movie: IT (2017) or a Purge movie. favorite cliche would be any boring, human trope. so like a coffee shop au.

Least Favorite: Harry Potter (okay she really enjoys the third one but she'd never admit it), cliche, would be magic. (she doesn't hate it, just that she doesn't believe.)

Talents: breaking and entering. "that's a fucking talent and you know it, Ains! i've never been caught in my life." -Syd. she is human so no powers.

Love Them: over protective of the ones she loves. would fight anyone to save Ainsel and she'd win.

Hate Them: her skepticism makes it hard for her to make friends and tears groups apart.

Change: after she meets a certain someone, she finally lets go of her overbearing skepticism and borderline hatred.

Love Them 2: i just love her character.

Ainsel -

Name: Ainsel Raven James

Gender: Female (Trans), Asexaul.

Pronouns: she/her.

Ethnicity/Species: African American (she has albinism), human.

Birthplace: Middletown, New York. 5/18/2002.

Guilty Pleasures: painting on herself, walking in the rain with no umbrella.

Phobias: fire. "You can't control it Sy-Sy!!! what if you drop that match huh?! we could go up in flames! i don't want to burn away!"

Famous For: her looks, or her happy go lucky nature.

Arrested For: Jay walking to get away from a monster or someone chasing her and Syd.

OC Shipped: Syd.

OC Murder: Lexi or Raph.

Favorite Movie: Tangled. Cliche, a happy ending.

Least Favorite: Monty Python and The Holy Grail. Cliche, a dog dying.

Talents: Her impeccable timing, always seeming to get Syd out of trouble before she is caught. "Nuh uh! none of that miss "breaking and entering!"" -Ainsel. Again a human so no powers.

Love Them: her optimism and acceptance of magic and the supernatural. how she loves everyone so fiercely and stands for what is right.

Hate Them: how happy and full of light she seems to be.

Change: She starts to stick up for herself more and learns how to fight back.

Love Them 2: i love how happy she is, i want to be that comfortable in my own skin like her.

Sebastain -

Name: Sebastain A. Montague

Gender: Male, Aromantic, Asexaul.

Pronouns: he/him.

Ethnicity/Species: Caucasian, Vampire and Sorcerer.

Birthplace: Venice, Italy. 7/25/1462

Guilty Pleasures: Ballroom Dancing. Drinking straight from the pulse.

Phobias: the sun, even if he can walk in the daylight.

Famous For: his charm and "naturally" good looks.

Arrested For: a string of murders in the east coast of the US.

OC shipped: no one, the only thing close to a relationship he has is his friendship with Red long into the future.

OC Murder: Syd tries, but she finds it's hard to kill something already dead.

Favorite Movie: he has lived for so long, he finds his memories are better than what you'll find in those picture shows. he does enjoy reading poems by Edgar Allan Poe or any of Dickinson's works. (skipping the next question)

Talents: Dancing and cooking. Powers, compulsion (vampire mind control), and the basic skillsets a sorcerer has.

Love Them: his charm, though their love is misplaced, is appreciated.

Hate Them: he is a world class bastard who knows how to use his charms to get what he wants, you.

Change: He learns to be nicer to people and not view them as just a food source.

Love Them 2: he is one cocky bastard but i wouldn't trade him for any other bitch out there.

Irri -

Name: Iradeseca the Faithful

Gender: Genderfluid, pansexual. (in a poly relationship).

Pronouns: any, but mainly goes by she/her.

Ethnicity/Species: she's.. she's an alien boss. (oqjsgsyisha) anyways she is from a race called The Marked Ones. i'll tell you all about them soon. Irri is of the Shifter classification, and is the last pure blood shifter left.

Birthplace: their (the girlfriends/partners) home planet, in the palace of the shifters. (no date because lore reasons, this will be the same for her girlfriends.)

Guilty Pleasures: her partners 😏

Phobias (more like fears): explosions, drowning, losing her girlfriends.

Famous For: her shifting ability.

Arrested For: well... L O R E

OC Shipped: Betrix, Calenni, and Desa.

OC Murder: lore

They are aliens, so i'm skipping these questions.

Talents: her speed. she is a shifter, so she can shape shift into her true form (a ice fox) and into her more humanesque form. (having two arms and two legs)

Love Them: her mysterious but gentle presence

Hate Them: her special skill and the fact she is dating Calenni and Desa in particular.

Change: Irri changes from being controlled by an oppressive regime.

Love Them 2: She is my second oldest oc, she will always have a special place in my heart.

Betrix -

Name: The Stoic Betrix

Gender: Genderfluid, pansexaul. (in a poly relationship)

Pronouns: she/her or he/him.

Ethnicity/Species: The Marked Ones, Bender classification.

Birthplace: on their home planet, in a abandoned temple of the benders.

Guilty Pleasures: smiling and being happy.

Phobias: being alone and losing his girlfriends.

Famous For: her calm, unphased demeanor.

Arrested For: same reason as Irri and Desa.

OC Shipped: Irri, Calenni, and Desa.

OC Murder: WOAH WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT, LORE!!!

Talents: being able to take everything thrown at him without saying a word (punches, kicks, fire, etc etc). bending people in half without moving a muscle. being a bender means she can bend spaces and minds with no difficulty, leading him to control the person's mind.

Love Them: No matter what happens to her, Betrix always gets back up with twice the amount of power and the same amount of complaints, zero. a man of little words unless he is with his partners.

Hate Them: WHY WON'T SHE STAY DOWN? STOP FIGHTING ALREADY!!! dating Calenni and Desa

Change: Betrix learns how to open up more and use her words because she is allowed to speak.

Love Them 2: She is a badass. who needs to speak when you can just knock the asshole over with one push.

Calenni -

Name: Calenni the Creative

Gender: Genderfluid and pansexual. (in a poly relationship)

Pronouns: she/her and sometimes called they/them by Betrix.

Ethnicity/Species: The Marked Ones, Creator classification.

Birthplace: On their home planet, on her family's estate.

Guilty Pleasures: being taken care of, not always the one leading things.

Phobias: bugs, filith, losing her partners.

Famous For: looking like a flower or a tiny pixie creature.

Arrested for: nothing because of lore reeasons

OC Shipped: Irri, Betrix, and Desa.

OC Murder: lore.

Talents: everything she creates is one of a kind and priceless. She is a creator so she is able to make whatever comes to mind with just a tap of her fingers. and is always changing how she appearance due to creating new shapes and forms.

Love Them: she speaks out against what was happening with the creators and risked her lives for her partners, nearly dying for them.

Hate Them: didn't sit back and be the little princess she was supposed to.

Change: learned how to be independent while being able to depend on her loves.

Love Them 2: Calenni said eat the rich even if that means eat me too.

Desa -

Name: Desa the Kind

Gender: Genderfluid and pansexual (in a poly relationship)

Pronouns: any but mainly she/her.

Ethnicity/Species: The Marked Ones, Destroyer classification.

Birthplace: on their home planet, in the woods far away from civilization.

Guilty Pleasures: creating stuff!!! being able to just live and feel love and acceptance.

Phobias: destroying the ones she loves. being alone, losing her partners.

Famous For: being understanding and not judgmental.

Arrested for: lore- but also just for being caught with Calenni.

OC Shipped: Irri, Betrix, Calenni.

OC Murder: lore, but anyone but her partners.

Talents: Her forgiveness. Being able to destroy whole planets by just being on them. Detroyers can eliminate anything in their paths with little to no struggle.

Love Them: ??? what is not to love??? she is such a friggin sweetheart who wants to spend all eternity with her sweethearts.

Hate Them: being born.

Change: girl has it ROUGH let me tell you. but in the end it'll all work out and a much happier, healthier Desa will make it out on the other side.

Love Them 2: "all i want is to love what i can not destroy with a single touch, then and only then, i'll be at peace" -Desa.

BONUS!!!! BONUS ROUND!!!!

Iris -

Name: Iris the Lurer

Gender: Female and Straight (😔)

Pronouns: she/her

Ethnicity/Species: Greater Demon (dark gray/light purple complexion)

Birthplace: in the demon realm, before mankind was created.

Guilty Pleasures: using her kids as weapons to orchestrate a war. oh and 90 Day Fiance on TLC.

Phobias: love and weakness from her children.

Famous For: her natural rainbow hair.

Arrested For: mass genocide.

OC Shipped: Icarus (two slimey bastards)

OC Murder: ANGEL AND RED LIKE THE BAD BITCHES THEY ARE 😤💯

Favorite Movie: The Birdcage. Cliche would be main villainess destroying the land.

Least Favorite: The Hunger Games. "so over rated and boring CGI, why do humans enjoy this?" -Iris

Talents: being the worst mother alive, making your child into a monstrosity to benefit your delusions. her powers are mostly mental manipulation and normal demon theatrics.

Love Them: being confident, commanding, and full of herself.

Hate Them: everything she has ever done after breaking free from the demon realm with Icarus.

Change: maybe if she gets murdered she'll finally change.

Love Them 2: i like working with a villain, morally gray character like her.

THIS TOOK ALL DAY WOANSGEUOWMSB I HAVEN'T LEFT THIS TAB ALL DAY.

[doof-doofblog]

"Liars Have To Pay!"

Good Evening folks! How have you all been during the past week? I know it's been hard having to stay indoors and try and keep yourself occupied. I've been finding it hard since my workplace closed, and with EastEnders only being on twice a week, it's hard to find things to watch in the evenings. I know how you're all feeling, let's hope that all this that's going on in the world can be slowed down and in time they'll be able to gain control of this awful virus.

Firstly, before we get into tonight's episode, let's talk about the trailer that was dropped on Friday evening. Give us a lot to look forward to during these next few episodes i'm sure! Dotty is still blackmailing Ian after she found out about him trapping Dennis in the boat crash. We know there's going to be some kind of love triangle between her and the two Beale brothers, but will she get what she's really after? The Arches? Will she persuade Ian to get Ben to sign them over to her? Or will she play both Peter and Bobby to get to Ian? I can it being an interesting story-line. 

We also see Linda reaching for the bottle again, but it doesn't necessarily show us her drinking, only sniffing the bottle. Is she about to have a setback?? What i'm interested in is, what actually happens for her to reach and sniff the bottle anyway? Does something happen or is it just left there on a table and she's trying to beat the temptation?! Mick is selling The Vic, could this be what actually makes it the final straw for Linda and will he act fast into selling the pub?! It also appears to be the funeral of Dennis's funeral tonight ... how is Sharon going to cope?! Phil is back and is desperate to speak to Sharon, what could it be about?! I have a feeling it's going to kick off at Dennis's funeral tonight, either Sharon will find out how Dennis died and Ian's involvement, or she'll blame Phil and attack him in some way (Physically or Verbally) ... there is always some sort of reveal or confrontation at an EastEnders funeral, right?!

Ooooooohhhhhh Ben finally says those three words all Ballum fans have been longing to hear!! What makes him finally say these words to Callum? Whatever it may be, i'm looking forward to seeing that episode!! I believe there's been some news, although it could just be a rumour going round, of Grey and Whitney having an affair?! Has this story been confirmed? Is it word of mouth?! Although in the last episode, we did see Whitney give Grey a hug, maybe looking to be comforted as she realises she still feels unsafe in her own home after being released from prison. It's true it did look a bit to cosy, but who knows? It's an interesting rumour and I'm not sure how i'm going to feel if it turns out to be true. For one, Whitney is Chantelle's good friend, why would she do that to her?! Grey, even though he treats his wife appallingly, every time he goes to apologise, he always tells her he loves her. So, who knows what could happen between Whitney and Grey? What do you guys think of this rumour?

Anyway, lets get right stuck into tonight's episode ... Looks like a lot happened tonight, obviously the main focus being young Dennis's funeral. Again, I need to applaud the performance of Letitia Dean, she's been absolutely fantastic acting as the grieving mother over the past few episodes. It was a good one tonight, I was going to say emotional, but there was also a bit of drama there also. 

Dotty is still buzzing around Ian like a queen bee, trying to make sure he's doing what she told him to do. Will she end up having The Arches? Will Ian somehow trick Ben into signing them over to her?! Even when Ian was doing that speech on behalf of Sharon, it was obvious how uncomfortable Ian looked, while Dotty was watching him from across the Square. It looked like she was struggling to get through the day also, when she saw Dennis's coffin and then to see Sharon and the state she was in, she can't be telling Sharon the truth as it will destroy the poor woman even more. However, that does not mean that she wont tell someone else or maybe worse, go to the press about it. The conversation she had with Vinny about liars should pay, she has definitely got a plan up her sleeve. I liked the little friendship going on between Dotty and Vinny, it seemed liked both characters clicked. 

The Panesar boys are still coming to terms with their mother's lies, I think hense why Vinny listened to Dotty and kinda understood what she was saying in some way. Vinny is taking to graffiti and possibly befriending Dotty to cope with Suki lying about cancer. Whereas Jags is cosy-ing up to Habiba. Suki still doesn't care about that impact her actions have taken on her boys, she doesn't care she lied about having cancer, I'm still baffled as to how someone can even do that, it is the lowest of the low! A part of me felt a bit angry that she was even talking about Ben about the loss of Dennis. How dare she give him her condolences.   Really felt for Ben in tonight's episode, firstly being banned from the funeral of a young lad he once saw as his younger brother, that moment when Ben and Callum and sat on the bench watching the hearse leave, it was pretty sad for Ben in that moment, did anyone else notice Callum slightly brush the side of Ben's leg?! Really touching I felt, Callum still trying to be there for his boyfriend, even fixing his tie for him at the beginning of the episode. I'm glad Ben still decided to go the pub to remember Dennis, he was right, Sharon couldn't stop him going to a pub! Ben is coping with a lot at the moment, losing his hearing and also grieving for Dennis. I can understand Jack's concern for Callum, but Callum can make up his own mind about who he sees and who he falls in love, I don't really think it's anyone's business who Callum dates. He can still be in a relationship with Ben (regardless of his history) and still be part of the police force, I mean, why not?! 

I really felt for Linda when Sharon was shouting at her over the pizza, it's clear Sharon wanted everything perfect for her son's last day, it's a shame Linda had to be on the end of her outburst. I think it was the last thing the pair of them needed, Sharon desperate for her son's funeral to go perfectly without a hitch, and Linda to be yelled at and insulted by her best friend after everything she's been through trying to get her life back on track. It's so sweet that Mick is standing by his wife, complementing her and telling her how proud he is of her, it's the Mick and Linda everyone enjoys seeing. Although, when Linda did say she could be one of those people who just has the one drink, my mind did think "Uh-Oh!" ... and when that moment came when she was in the kitchen, oh my mind was racing .... first she walks into the room and sees the vodka bottle ... "Come on, you can do it!" ... she ignores it and heads right for the tea and flings a teabag in the cup ... "Yes, Linda! Good girl!" ... to then her grabbing the bottle and sniffing it ... "Don't do it!" ... Putting the teabag away and pouring the vodka ... "Noooo!!!! Don't do it!" .... Lifting the cup to her lips and drinking it in one gulp ... "Noooooooooo!!! She'll be pouring herself another cup now!" .... then she surprisingly put the lid back on and put the bottle in the cupboard, "Ahhh, is she trying to prove she can just take the one drink and be okay?" ... to then noticing a pen mark on the bottle marking the amount of alcohol inside ... "Oh no! What she going to do now?" .... Then again, she could just throw the bottle down the sick and tell Mick she didn't have any and it was to save her the temptation? Or would that just be a little too easy? It'll be interesting to see what happens next, will she come clean and tell Mick she just had the one, or will he find the bottle before she gets a chance to explain herself? 

Poor poor Sharon, no one should ever have to face burying their child. Letitia Dean has been fantastic the past few episodes. She really despises the Mitchell's at the minute doesn't she? Not even accepting a wreath off Ben, Lola and Lexi ... she didn't even want any of the Mitchell's at the funeral, she's even going by her maiden name now, "Sharon Watts" and even though Phil adopted Dennis, she's now given him his old name "Dennis Rickman Jr". It's as if she's wiped the Mitchell name from her life for good, mainly because she blames Phil for Dennis's death. I found the moment when everyone went the the cars a bit emotional, with the music playing. It seems really touching as a send off for a young character, everyone getting in their cars and then people on the Square watching them drive away, I just found it very touching. Since Ian gave Karen that warning about leaving Walford with Kayden, I've said I wonder how Sharon will react, I'm a bit surprised she seemed okay with it, probably because she's seen it as him doing her a favour, but surely there must be something else? I do think somehow, someway, Sharon will find out what Ian did ... whether it's from Dotty or someone else or another twist of fate. Ooooohh Phil is back, where has he been and what has he got to say to Sharon? She didn't look best pleased to see him when he walked into the Vic! It's all about to kick off tomorrow, I don't know about you guys but i'm really looking forward to seeing how the episode will unfold tomorrow! 

What did you guys think of tonight's episode? Are you glad to see Phil back? What do you think is going to happen next for Linda, will Mick find out?! I'll back again tomorrow another blog! I hope you'll all enjoy your Tuesday! Look after yourself and keep safe! Goodnight everyone! xXx

[brooklynislandgirl]

[cop] mandarin

Autumn Bleeds || -

The weather is a nasty bit of business. It was a nasty bit of trouble when a hurricane made it up towards Maryland before being down graded to a tropical storm, and by the time it made landfall in New York, it was all hands on deck. Harbour patrol was working with the coast guard to keep everyone off the bays, fire and rescue were on standby, both the buses and the ladder companies, and even detectives were being pulled onto the streets in uniform because it’s bad.And the only thing keeping Luka inside of his own skin is that Maria is safe, staying with Lexi and the kids, safe as only the chief of his precinct can make his own family. Not that Beth knows any of this.

Not when she’s huddling under an even in thigh high boots, a skirt only a whisper longer than a belt, and the trashiest faux fur coat she could get her hands on. Thick eye-make up almost obscuring her green gaze though it’s snapping hellfire up at him. Lipstick so dark it rivals dried blood for colour and texture. She’s impossibly thinner than normal, shivering from the ferocious wind and lashing rain and...

“What da hell, Luka?”Four words, drawn into a tight hiss as she settles back on her feet from being caught around the waist by one thick arm, out of the rain and into a covered alley. She can’t process her gladness to be out of the storm but there’s a heart-pounding fear coursing through her.She wants to ask about Maria. Wants to know where she is, why Luka’s here, and in uniform when he should be at home. She wants to ask about House and the Twins and Luc. Wants to ask about the life she has to never think about while she’s out here.But none of those questions come, can pierce the haze that wraps her mind in fog. She clutches at instinctive straws and leans into the brick at her back, one leg bent, sole flat against graffiti stained masonry. Shoulders square and her coat front parts to flash him dangerously exposed bits of her flesh above the leopard print corset she’s wearing.“Or did ya come find me cause you were lonely?” She drags her gaze down him from face to just below his belt before flickering back up. She catches her lip between her teeth and tilts her head. “Nevah could resist a man in uniform.”

[ariverssong]

( shaileen woodley, 30,female, she/her ) Did anyone else just see RIVER VASILE ? I hear for the VASILE family they can be a bit IMPULSIVE & DISHONEST. But I also heard they can be CREATIVE & WITTY. If you dare I hear they frequent VASILE MEDIA in their spare time when they aren’t being an OWNER OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO. Tread carefully or else you might be next on their list ! (lexi, she/her, 29, est, n/a )

-River is the rebellious type. She likes to encroach into territories she shouldn’t and report things no one will touch. She’d rather stir the pot than being on the side line. -More of a believer in a good night instead of relationships she is fine with the way her life is. She has money and a job she loves. Owning the art institute is a big accomplishment she is proud of. She takes pride in the art. -A day off relaxing is a good day to spend on her couch in pjs with hair unkempt watching movies or shows she is behind on. That or she likes to shop for art pieces for her place. -Firm believer in her family you can find her checking in with them a good amount. She loves them all for their differences, but understands families have their drama. -River generally walks everywhere unless it’s insisted she is given a driver. She’d rather do things on her own though. She’s independent in that regard. She cooks and cleans for herself and is rather OCD  about her things are. -As a child she was that kid. The one climbing trees, jumping fences, and being as unladylike like as her mother detested. She knows when to behave these days though. -Find some graffiti in a alley with an oddly feminine cursive signature? River. She likes to do unorthodox art in the late hours. There’s something about the anonymous nature of being only her and not a Vasile that has  her heart.  -She has a big heart but an equally big mouth that gets her in trouble. She’s loyal to a fault with friends and family but cross her and you have to work to earn it back. She knows a few fighting styles from her teenage days in karate classes and kickboxing. She hasn’t used it religiously, but she likes to know how to defend herself with her hands. Knives are also a good know how in her book of knowledge. Can not dos? Doesn’t know how to drive and nor does she know how  to sew. She’s a poor player at video games and she doesn’t know how to bake too great either. She’s got a knack for doing for herself too and doesn’t really grasp the concept of remorse. She’d like to say she does. -Arrest record for her wrong doings? Maybe one or two under the radar under a alias, but she often pays off an officer or by other acts.

[rycbar-horcrux]

I'm still gonna compliment you, sorry not sorry. It's beyond my power now. Also in the subject of flower language: Becky taught Alexa about it but Lexi also developed her OWN personal language (bc that's a total Harley Quinn thing to do) and is super complex and specific(like: this flower reminds her of her favorite cereal that Bex always get for her, for some reason) and she uses it making bouquets and flower crowns for Bex, and then she watches as Becky tries really hard to decipher them.

Okay, so I might have went on about this idea a little bit, so I’ve just hid it under here so it doesn’t take up too much space. 

Sure. I mean really, Lexi’s language makes much more sense because ‘come on Bex, how can that plant mean both pain and also healing and overcoming grief?’ and ‘what d’you mean that beautiful flower represents disappointment? That makes no sense.’ At least her language does them all justice.

Plus she knows how much she appreciates Bex’s flower crowns so she can’t resist the idea of making Bex feel the same. I feel like it would be something that she doesn’t do that often, but that makes it all the more special. It’s not quite like the little plants that she’ll bring home for Bex after a day of fun trouble making, cause that is always on a whim; whilst she always brings something back, she doesn’t go hunting for them, she always stumbles across the perfect plant that she just has to bring back. No, she always puts a chunk of time into making the flower crowns. It’s the kind of thing she can only carry out on a quiet day for a couple of reasons. Plus, unlike with Bex, there’s never any real reason behind her making them. It might be because she was bored and looking for something to pass the time, or maybe because she really had the urge to do something really nice for Bex.

Anyway, to start with she’s got to decide what flowers she’d like to use for it. Then kind of figure out how she’d like it to look, layout wise. Before finally she can start to make it. Now that always takes her time because she’s not quite got the way with plants that Bex has. So she’ll go relatively slowly with as much care as she can manage to try and make the crown look as perfect as she can because Bex deserves no less. All in all, whilst Bex can knock out a stunning and intricately woven crown in an impressive amount of time, the whole endeavour tends to take at least a couple of hours for Lexi even for a simpler crown.

But the crown never fails to make Bex’s insides melt. Cause for one she can always tell just how much work has went into making it. Plus this crown is not only a symbol of Lexi’s love, but is Lexi’s attempt to convey that incorporating this thing that she knows is so important to Bex. No matter how off the wall and frustrating she finds harley quinn Lexi’s own flower language, it’s her connecting with this thing of Bex’s and not only accepting her love of plants, but trying to join in with it. And that means the absolute world to Bex regardless of how ridiculous the whole thing can be.

Lexi watches as Bex gently turns the crown in her hands, fingers carefully running over petals, occasionally straightening a ruffled one. There was also a glint in her eye, which combined with her touch were perhaps more at home with a paleontologist examining the first dinosaur bone found at a dig or an avid reader handling an inscribed first edition of their favourite novel rather than someone taking in a slightly lopsided flower crown. The less than perfect state of the crown doesn’t faze Bex at all, the delight staying on her face as she looks back up. “It’s absolutely grand Lexi, I love it.” At this point Bex always caught the eager look on Lexi’s face as well as the hint of challenge in her eyes, and Bex is never one to back down from a challenge. Her eyes narrow in thought, crinkle forming on her brow as she turns her attention back to the crown. Occasionally her lips’ll move wordlessly as she thinks, other times her whole body perking up before looking at Lexi and dismissing whatever she had been considering. Sometimes she’ll suggest an idea, but it rarely turns out to be even close to Lexi’s meaning. So eventually she ends up slumping slightly as she gives up, turning her attention back to Lexi and asking her to explain it. Lexi’s grin always widens as she scoots closer to explain things.

It amuses Lexi how Bex always tries to work out the meaning, cause the pair of them know it’s really not going to happen. But Bex is just a lil bit stubborn, so she always has to try. The way Bex sees things, the crown is both Lexi and flowers; two things that she knows best in the world. Logically, she should be able to work it out, cause really, how hard could it be? Pretty blooming hard is the answer.

The problem is that the roots of the meanings in Lexi’s flower language tend to vary wildly.

Sometimes it’s something simple, like the colour. For instance the blue of a flower reminding her of the sky on a beautifully clear day, or the wide expanse of the sea. That flower she associates with peace, maybe a touch of tranquility. More often however she links a certain flower with an event, or maybe more the emotion tied to an event. And those get much more complex, both in regards to how they are connected and also with the fact that they tend to have deeper meaning.

Like the time that she got Bex to help her mess with Charlotte and Nattie. Even catwoman had to appreciate a giant moss graffiti dog on the side of her hideout surely? I mean really Lexi just thought it would help her out, after all, who’d expect to find catwoman in a building with a dog on it? No, she definitely wasn’t trying to wind Charlotte and Nattie up at all. But anyways, she remembers the small flowers growing at the foot of the wall, the way they blew in the breeze, almost as if they they were laughing conspiratorially with her as her and Bex worked. That same motion had continued later as she watched the pair discover her work. So that’s what that flower is, a mixture of trickery and secrecy, maybe a dash of partnership in the mix too.

Or the time that she’d told Bex a cheesy plant related joke and Bex’s reaction to it. The uninhibited laughter and the wide, silly grin that had taken over her face, practically brightened up the whole room much more than the sun could ever hope to achieve. In fact Lexi could almost swear that some of the nearby flowers had perked up in response, turning towards Bex as they did. So maybe that’s what a sunflower is, jokes and humor but deeper than that, the smile and laugh that just seemed to brighten everything up.  

Or her favourite cereal.

So, Lexi has her favourite type of cereal. But she absolutely never remembers to pick up more of it. She always keeps so busy, be it hanging out with Bex, planning a heist, going out to carry some sort of trouble out or whatever. That means she always gets caught out when it runs low/or out. And it might be something small, but that is the kind of thing that can knock your whole day slightly off-kilter. That feeling when you are really looking forward to something only to be let down at the absolute last minute. Especially first thing in the morning when you are still trying to wake up and gear up for the day. 

Now truth be told it takes Bex a little bit of time before she catches on. In fact, it’s not until the first time she actually sees it happen that she realises. She watches Lexi’s shoulders slump as she stares glumly down at the pitiful pile of cereal that just trickled out of the box. Watches as Lexi gives the box a hopeful shake only for nothing more to come out, a small sigh escaping her. That’s when she puts things together, connecting the times when Lexi’s mood had been off regardless of how happy she had been first thing. Putting things together more to remember that the way that Lexi had disappeared those days only to shuffle back in with shopping bags. Realising that running out of cereal was the cause. So Bex makes a mental note to make sure it doesn’t happen again. There’s no need for Lexi to be unhappy when she can take small steps to help. So she keeps an eye on the cereal level, quietly buying a box when it starts to run low and replacing it when needed.

Lexi doesn’t realise for quite a while to be honest, never putting any thought into the fact that her cereal supplies were now seemingly self replenishing. But, she does eventually. It had been a long day previous, so although Bex already had the next box at the ready she hadn’t actually carried out the switch yet. The pair go about their morning as usual. Whilst Bex is moving around and watering her plants, Lexi sits down to have her cereal. The gentle patter as opposed to the avalanche she usually hears cascading into the bowl instantly reminding Bex of her task. Lexi barely has time to sleepily pout before her attention is pulled from her bowl towards Bex. She watches with a small confused frown as Bex stops mid watering, moving over to a cupboard and stretching up to the back of the top shelf. Bex just pulls down a box of her cereal, placing it down in front of Lexi and dropping a small kiss to the side of her head before moving away, nary a word said. That’s when everything clicks for Lexi, suddenly realising that it has been months since she last ran out and that Bex must have been quietly doing this for so long now. As she stares at Bex’s retreating back a wave of love and gratitude wells up inside her and she is only able to watch as Bex picks the watering can back up, carefully rotating the pot slightly so that the flowers are better positioned to the sun. 

Lexi would swear that the cereal tasted all the sweeter from that morning on.

So fundamentally, that is what that flower is to Lexi; her cereal. But it’s also so much more than that. It’s that Bex always gets her her cereal. It’s all of that emotion that had filled her as she stared at Bex’s back. It’s the knowledge that Bex had noticed this small thing and taken steps for Lexi’s sake, never looking for any form of thanks.

And that is what always throws Bex, cause Lexi never goes into the hidden detail. She just never sees the need to. But Bex can never see those links in her head. She’s always like ‘sure, a flower for your cereal makes sense, but why not this one? It ties in with the cereal theme? Or this one that has the same kinds of colours?’ Lexi however is never swayed, and as confusing as the whole language is, Bex would never want it, or more importantly, Lexi to change.

[blookmallow]

hi ive had robots game screenshots piling up for ages 

i annoyed the neighbors so much i got thrown out/game overed n then tried to bug them Again and the game’s just like. why 

whAT IS THAT!!!!!

ITS A LIL WATER ROBOT......I LOVE IT WHAT THE FUCK......A BABEY

turing watches bob ross religiously and was inspired to paint bc of him and im crying 

“ur cute” “well, obviously” 

u would look fantastic in that hat turing 

i had to create a distraction and the only thing i could find to do was to disrupt the water flow IM SO SORRY :’ ) im a bad person,

might have been worth it for this frame though 

oh what the fuck,

i got ambushed and woke up in the hospital and turing was looking after my stuff for me 

they......they saved the milk for me im crying. im just gonna have this milk until the end of the game arent i 

and i bet ill Never find a use for it 

turing’s got hassy propaganda embedded in their subconscious im so sorry :’) 

i feel bad for laughing but the way their tone just goes flat every time they say it just “oh would you like some HASSY. i cannot drink HASSY. myself but ive heard that HASSY. is quite delightful! please help me” 

also i bought like 20 sodas from that machine and the game never like. stopped me from doing it 

theres no actual money system or anything but it appears you can just. keep buying soda forever 

HOLY shit. holy shit 

game of the year 

oh my GOD what happened to you

apparently its just graffiti from some kids messing with the police rom but it REALLY looked like blood lmao

also the....fact that. regular teens with spray paint are able to completely incapacitate this thing just by painting over its eye is. i mean, very sad, but :’) makes me question the effectiveness of the police force here 

im sO SORRY :’ ( 

i can turn the water back on but it doesnt. help bc he broke it,,

why hasnt anyone come to help fix him wheres the maintenance staff in this place 

MAJID HAS A BOYFRIEND!!!!!!!!! IM SO GLAD 

so far we’ve had. pronoun options for the player character, im pretty sure turing’s been referred to as they/them, tomcat is nonbinary, lexi’s gay, majid’s gay, A+ i trust this game 

[gremlinofuncertainity]

[vannidajoaneblog]

Melbourne 2019

I’ve been to Sydney, Brisbane and now off to another popular place down under. Yes, I’ve been to Australia a lot! My latest trip was in Melbourne this time. 

Sorry for the very late blog post. Fourteen days plus two more for a cancelled flight back home is not an easy trip to microblog. The best thing I can do is provide the most concise paragraph and just mesmerize you with the photos. 

Anyways, here we go!  

Tullamarine

Direct flight from Manila to Melbourne via Cebu Pacific (not highly recommended). I arrived in Tullamarine - aka Melbourne Airport (MEL). From there, I met my high school bestfriend Cindy is responsible for my trip. 

Skybus

Off to the City Centre. The most convenient way to travel between the airport is by taking the SkyBus Express Airport Transfers. It is a double-decker bus that runs for 24 hours (varying frequencies throughout the day). The journey lasts 30-45 minutes. Riding this will give you a great view of Melbourne. 

Travel Essentials

First thing’s first - get your transportation card. If Sydney has the Opal Card and Brisbane has Translink Go Card, Melbourne has Myki. It is your ticket to travel on trains, trams and buses in the City and many parts of regional Victoria. You can easily buy it at a station and top up at a huge range of shops (including all 7-Eleven stores), Myki machines and station ticket offices.

Southern Cross Station 

From the airport via Skybus, we arrived at the Southern Cross Station. This is one of Australia’s most popular destinations - all sorts of enticing things you will see - cafes, restaurants, etc. I think it is a melting pot of people coming from every nation, speaking different languages. 

It is actually the most preferred station for various distances and directions from the centre of Melbourne is just a straight-forward train ride away from here, providing perfect day trips for the savvy traveller. 

MELBOURNE’S COUNTRYSIDE

Bird Feeding - Dandenong Ranges

From the City, down to the countryside - just like any other places in Australia, I started my trip by feeding them birdies. Melbourne also offers a variety of birdwatching niches to explore. 

#BirdBite

Tesselaar Tulip Festival

Then off to somewhere I’ve never been before - Tesselaar Tulip Festival. This festival began in 1954. Held over four weeks. It offers various themed days and weekends including Turkish, Dutch, Food, Wine & Jazz and Irish along with eight days packed with school holiday fun. 

When all the tulips are in bloom, there are nearly one million tulips on display. There are 130 varieties of tulips at the farm, so you could literally spend hours ogling and taking photos of them and their kaleidoscope of colours.

Orlinda Heritage Walk

Then we passed by the charming village of Olinda found at the highest part in the Dandenong Ranges. It has craft shops, antique stores, boutiques and cafés. It is renowned for its European influence and features a selection of German- and French-style restaurants and enjoy some of the region’s local produce. 

St Paul’s Cathedral

Now off to the City the next day. First off is the St. Paul’s Cathedral. It is located at the opposite of the Federation Square, on Melbourne's busiest intersection. 

This neo-Gothic St. Paul’s Cathedral is a Melbourne landmark, built between 1880 and 1931. Designed by William Butterfield, the cathedral’s architecture is described as Gothic transitional, combining Early English and Decorative Gothic styles. Highlights include the fine polychromatic brickwork, beautifully patterned floor tiles and mosaics, banded stonework, fine timbered roof and tiled dado walls.

Graffitti

Your city trip will not be complete without going through these  alleyways where you will find awesome graffiti. Artists change it every now and then. 

In these alleyways, just say “pssssst!” and they will turn around and look at your camera.. lol!

Footy Weekend

It doesn’t take long to see how much the locals love sport in Australia, especially in Melbourne. They would even consider it as a holiday. 

Australians love a huge number of different sports, including cricket, soccer, rugby union, rugby league and basketball, but nothing quite matches their passion for Australian Rules Football. Originating in where else - Melbourne Victoria, it has spread around the country.

PINOY COMMUNITY

Sunday Church & Community Services

It was nice to be adopted by a Pinoy group for two weeks. They still carries Filipino culture and tradition even if they are in a foreign country. 

Fratelli

But then we ate at an Italian restaurant :) Your trip will never be complete without a trip to an Italian restaurant here. Melbourne has a big Italian influence. 

Frankston Pier

Frankston Pier has always been a popular fishing destination along Port Phillip Bay. The pier offers a good range of fishing species for anglers all year round. You just have to deal with the birds and the crows. 

Lexie

Coming from Dubai is another best friend. This trip is sort of a reunion after the last one we had in Dubai. We just like meeting up in different parts of the world. Sleep over in her place is the first agenda :)

Grilld

Back to the city. Just along the Southern Cross station, you will find Grilld. It is a self-proclaimed 'gourmet burger' franchise Grill'd rolled into hipster laneways and streets across the country. If you want a change from the usual KFC, Hungry Jacks or Maccas, Grilld offers hand-crafted burgers made with high quality ingredients and interesting flavour combinations.

Grocery

Before sleeping over at Lexie’s, we did some grocers. Of course my fave Honey Soy Chicken Chips. 

Just Chill Indoors

Taking a break from all the traveling and sightseeing.  It is so nice to just have a chill day and have a movie marathon and do some laundry. 

Deakin University

The main reason why we came to Melbourne - to witness my HS bestfriend walk on stage and graduate at Deakin University. Stage bestfriends. It was an experience witnessing a graduation in a foreign country. Best part is the post-ceremony function :)

Great Ocean Road Arch

Off to the Twelve Apostles. Our first stop was the Memorial Arch, which is located just past the city of Torquay. The arch is a symbolic monument as it represents the gateway to the Great Ocean Road. Not only that, but the Memorial Arch also represents a piece of history. It pays homage to the soldiers who survived World War I and built the Great Ocean Road. If you’re an avid history geek, there are actually a handful of plaques on-site which you can read up on. 

Oorla Lodge Forrest

Because we arrived almost night time, we had to stop over at the Oorla-Lodge Forrest. It is situated at quiet residential street. Surrounding the area are cool waterfalls, lakes, dams and rivers. We just spent the night chilling at the lounge room over a wood fire and did movie marathon.

Platypi Chocolate Factory

The next day, in Victoria's Otway region,  we visited was the Platypi Chocolate in Forrest. It is located on the township mountain bike and walking trailhead, Platypi Chocolate is a great place to break a trip, finish a walk or ride or start a leisurely day. You can sit amongst the trees and enjoy a hot chocolate that comes with a little theatre; sip a wine or an iced chocolate while listening to the birds sing; look for a real life echidna from the balcony while munching a honeycomb-filled chocolate variety.

Stevensons Falls Walk

There is a lot of bushwalking you can do in AU and one of them is walking towards Stevenson’s Falls. These falls are located at the end of a gravel road approx 6 kms from Barramunga. The valley has a campground available from the day picnic area. You can have the 500metre walk on a graded trail.

Port Campbell National Park

The Port Campbell National Park is a national park in the south-western district of Victoria, Australia. It features an array of sheer cliffs overlooking offshore islets, rock stacks, gorges, arches, and blow-holes. As part of the Shipwreck Coast, it hosts several tourist attractions; including The Twelve Apostles, the London Arch (formerly London Bridge), Loch Ard Gorge, the Gibson Steps, and The Grotto.

Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles were formed by erosion. Their proximity to one another has made the site a popular tourist attraction. The harsh and extreme weather conditions from the Southern Ocean gradually eroded the soft limestone to form caves in the cliffs, which then become arches that eventually collapse, leaving rock stacks. These massive limestone structures tower 45 metres above the ocean and were formed some 20 million years ago as the sea gradually eroded the soft craggy limestone cliffs.

Though the view from the promontory by the Twelve Apostles never included twelve stacks. Seven of the original eight stacks remain standing at the Twelve Apostles viewpoint, after one collapsed in July 2005.

Loch Ard Gorge

Loch Ard Gorge is amazing and only a few minutes drive west of The Twelve Apostles. It was one of the most stunning beaches on the Great Ocean Road

Loch Ard Gorge is named after the ship Loch Ard, which ran aground on nearby Muttonbird Island at the end of a three-month journey from England to Melbourne.

Take the stairs down to the beach and sit in wonder. And there are three easy walks you can take to discover the area and getting viewpoints.

The London Arch (Bridge)

London Arch was formed by a gradual process of erosion, and originally was a complete double-span and was attached to the mainland.

The arch closer to the shoreline collapsed unexpectedly in 1990 leaving two tourists stranded on the outer part until they were rescued by a helicopter. Prior to the collapse, the arch was known as London Bridge because of its similarity to its namesake.

The Grotto

The Grotto is perhaps the most enchanting of all the rock formations in this part of Australia. Part-blowhole, part-archway, part-cave, it offers a peaceful place to enjoy the sea views and soak in the wonderful things nature is capable of.

Standing about halfway up the cliff from the sea level, the geological formation is reachable via a decked staircase that leads down from the viewing platform at the top. You can either view the wonder from above, or head down and explore it at eye-level.

Inside, the Grotto is filled with smooth boulders and serene rock pools that have been carved out of the limestone. For the best view, look into the Grotto from the lower viewing platform, where you can see the horizon, the pools, and the jutting rock formations in one go.

San Remo Coastal Circuit

San Remo is the gateway to Phillip Island, a lively seaside town where fishing and dining options abound and pelicans keep watch along the foreshore. Yes, it was my first time to see some Pelicans. The town of San Remo sits at the end of the bridge connecting Phillip Island to the mainland. 

If you love yourself some good ol’ fish and chips, San Remo Fisherman’s Co-op serves up some of the best fish and chips in the area. We bought some before heading over to Phillip Island. 

Phillip Island

Located a few hours from the city, Phillip Island is a weekend hot spot for locals looking to enjoy some beach time. The island is renowned for the nightly penguin parade (when thousands of penguins return from the sea to nest), its koala sanctuary, and the huge seal colony that lives offshore. The island can be visited as a day trip, but due to infrequent buses, I would recommend spending at least a night here!

Panny’s Chocolate Factory

Panny’s Amazing World of Chocolate is a series of experiences, each dedicated to another facet of the story of chocolate. Visitors embark on a self guided exploration of the wonders that come from the humble cocoa bean.

There are machines with buttons to push and levers to pull, games of skill, lots of chocolate exhibitions and attractions and a unique hands-on chocolate making device where you create your own chocolate masterpiece that travels along a conveyor belt and is delivered to you, ready to eat. You can learn everything about chocolate making from the bean to the bar and watch Panny’s creations being made by our chocolatiers. 

On top of all this, you can produce your very own extraordinary chocolate bar with Panny’s Amazing Chocolate Machine and fill it with the weirdest and wackiest tastes you’re ever likely to find.

Philip Island Koala Conservation Sanctuary

A trip to the land down under can’t possibly be complete without seeing some koalas. Just a 15-minute drive away from Churchill Island is Phillip Island’s very own Koala Reserve. Here, you can get up close to and observe the koalas in their natural habitat, the Australian bushland. Along these boardwalks, you will have exceptional views and exclusive photo opportunities with the koalas. Not only that, but if you’re lucky, you might even get to spot some adorable wallabies and native birds!

 The Noobies :)

The Nobbies is a must visit. Next to the Nobbies centre is a boardwalk. It is a short and easy walk with only a few steps and you are welcomed with some amazing views of Point Grant, Seal Rocks and Bass Straight… From the spectacular view of the boardwalk, you will see nesting penguins in the natural sea bird gardens. 

Offshore from The Nobbies are Seal Rocks, home to Australia’s largest Australian Fur Seal colony, so drop a coin into the viewing binoculars and see how many you can spot.

Watching the waves pound against the 50 million year old dark basalt rocks is simply mesmerising and a bold reminder of how formidable Mother Nature really is spectacular!

Melbourne CBD 

Back to the City to see more of Melbourne’s Sights and Sounds. First, a drop by to the Post Office to deliver something and the rest.. Just walking around. Here’s more: 

The City Circle Tram

More than just a means of free transportation, the City Circle Tram provides “hop-on, hop-off” service between Melbourne’s sightseeing attractions, including Federation Square, the Old Treasury Building, Parliament House, and the Princess Theater. There’s a running recorded commentary as you pass or stop at a place of historical, cultural, or architectural significance.

Flinders Street 

Right along the route of the free City Circle train and across the street from Flinders Street Station lies Federation Square. This open square also serves up stellar people-watching. I like to take lunch here and just watch the city go by. Below the square on the river are also a number of restaurants and outdoor bars.

Brunetti

State Library of Victoria

Originally built in 1856, the State Library of Victoria is a historic institution that sees 8 million visitors a year. The library has grown into an event space that’s a source of pride for city residents. There is always a queue of people ready to pounce on the open desks. The famous central rotunda with its octagonal shape, original dark wood furniture, and book-lined walls is definitely something not to miss.

Just fixing my baggage

The highlight of my trip was when my flight was canceled. I had to stay in Melbourne for a couple of days more. It was stressful but I just tried to enjoy the free accommodation and food. Anyways, cant really rely on Cebu Pac when it comes to long haul flights, I decided to book Qantas Air on my way back to Manila. 

Between all the various day trips and the plethora of activities in the city, you won’t find yourself short on things to do while you’re visiting Melbourne. 

[spacemotorcycle]

Last night I couldn’t sleep so I drew a couple of @instishoot ‘s fallout OC’s Lexi and Sofie mostly, but there is a small Logan, lol. The second two correspond with each other and it’s based off a post she made that I happen to be unable to find so I can’t link to it. Also, please appreciate the graffiti I put on the wall, I was so tired, but it’s so…. New Vegas.

[6four1-blog]

June 20th, 2017 (Kavousi, Crete, Greece)

This week’s hours have been arduously long and I’ve been desperately trying to get more sleep without missing out on too much. The culture shock has been a bit overwhelming and the surplus of experiences is inundating my mental dam and overtaking my writing speed’s capacity. We had to work six days last week, which comprised of nine hours of physical labor everyday, seven hours on site and two hours in the gym. This crazy schedule is pushing my body to its limits but I am slowly growing accustomed to it. My mornings have become as rigid as a science experiment protocol. I unconsciously begin to take out $5.20 every morning at the bakery for my pastries. For these past six days, only three out of five trench members were on site, and the low numbers have blessed me with some extra digging practice and has allowed me to bond with a fewer number of people on a deeper level. There were rumors about negative drama pervading some trenches, and I really didn’t want my trench to develop that kind of culture. Thus, I attempted to make jokes in the morning as an effort to wake others up and lift the mood, even though I was dead exhausted inside. Alex and I have begun giving each other gifts every once in a while. Since Azoria is located in the mountains, any sea stone found on site must have climb there with some form of ancient human assistance. Because there’s no useful analytical data that could be obtained from these sea stones, they are the perfect, and only, ancient objects that we are allowed to keep. I would find a few round pebbles in the sieve every day and I would give them to Alex as presents. He keeps them all in the side pocket of cargo pants, which I find very cute. As the excavation progresses, I intend to build him a large collection; by the end of the trip, I hope he can look back on them as a metaphor for a wonderful third year at Azoria.

Before this week and due to the rain days, our longest streak of site work was three days. This week jumped to a dramatic six days of full-fledged plowing in 27 degrees Celsius weather. It was the physical equivalent of transitioning from Compsci 101 to Compsci 201. The sun literally cooks us like human-sized pieces of Kobe steak and our metal skaliskiris became so hot that our callouses were no less tender than sunny-side up eggs on a frying pan. Today, I woke up unable to completely close my hands, and it’s a miracle that I am still typing right now. I have probably consumed more than two grams of ibuprofen this week alone, a portion that would have probably lasted me a whole month of Ultimate Frisbee at Duke. But at some point in the middle of this week, a mental shell cracked and I entered a new state of mind about excavating, finding myself no longer afraid of the heat, the blisters, and the dirt. I was wearing work gloves for the previous two weeks but I have almost completely given up on them at this point. The clay surfaces and cobble packing require a lot of feeling and touch with certain tools, and while being able to discern certain layers of earth from others sounds like a fictitious ability, understand where clay floors exist is indeed an acquired skill and grasping it has been oddly gratifying. Since it was just Lexi, Kate, and I digging for a while, we have also begun to develop an affinity for certain skaliskiris. Tucker had marked his with the blue twist tie, I had marked mine with a black one, and I helped Lexi mark hers with a green-yellow one. In the end, interestingly, not only have I become attached to my team and the B-trenches, but I have also become clingy to the tools I work with.

On that note, I would like to emphasize I love working with the people in my trench. I love the atmosphere that we’re building, one filled with support, compliments, and, most importantly, sarcastic jokes. Even though Lexi sat behind me on the plane ride from Athens to Heraklion, I, until this week, never really had a full on conversation and quality time with her. She turned out to be a religiously committed volleyball player, practicing almost every day back at Trent University. That was something I could relate to very sincerely because I have lived, and I still continue to live, that lifestyle at Duke. Part of my conscience picked up on that aspect of her character from prior short interactions. There was a determination, sense of self, and mental toughness that is forged almost exclusively through intense participation in and commitment to a physical activity. I am just beginning to know Kate and talk to her more. She seems wholly wonderful like a book just waiting to be read. Later on in the week, she was really sick for a few days, and it was unfortunate that she couldn’t join me and Lexi on site. One of her fellow Iowa State friends’ grandmother passed away, and, even when she was getting sick, Kate sacrificed her entire night’s time and sleep to make sure that Jasmine booked the right flights and would have a safe and worry-free trip home. Her effort impressed me and after witnessing her concern and care, I will definitely make a conscious effort to talk to her more and get to know her better. Overall, in conclusion, working in Alex’s trench is truly a pleasure and I hope we continue to grow and maintain a positive culture for the remaining four weeks.

In addition to bonding with the people in my trench, I am slowly getting to know Alex a lot better as well. After long days on site, we have begun working out in this small makeshift garage gym owned by a local Greek man named Tosos. One can easily tell that Alex is a studious and incredibly kind man just by his demeanor, which radiated from the very timbre of his voice and the form in which he carries himself. However, there is an implacable beast in the man that awakens when the weights start clanking and the music starts beating. His rest intervals are short and he loves to pack his exercises into supersets, which, painfully, tore through all the ATP reserves I had in less than half an hour. His choices of lifts are forcefully dynamic and the pace is unforgivingly quick. The Cretan sun cooks the building we workout in, making it a furnace by the time we arrived at around 5:30 p.m. The oven pushes your exhaustion and blood flow to its absolute limit and every rep gave a pump I that was as novel to me as this island was itself. For the rest of the summer, I am going to put my trust in Alex and I will strive to continue following his workout regime. Having been an athlete all my life, I believe one’s attitude in athletics often translates to his or her work habits in other aspects of life. Now I have no doubt how hard he works at UNC, and I am super glad to have met a principled and persevering man like him.

If you didn’t know before, the two things in the world that I am the most afraid of and the worst at are dancing and singing. If I had to dance and sing in front of a large crowd alone on stage to save my life, I think I would prefer death. This past Tuesday was one of those days when I felt adventurous and bold. So, when David came downstairs and asked me to attend a traditional Cretan dance lesson with him, I said yes and walked out the door with slight hesitation.

The classroom was this mistakenly abandoned building that we’d walk by every day after excavating. The space was overwhelmingly green, and, in a mercurial flashback, I knew that my brother, whose favorite color is green, would have loved it here. The building was a large space converted into a classroom around fifteen or twenty years ago. Two bookshelves and blackboards were haphazardly placed on either sides of the room and both lengths had windows like that of a Gothic church. The blackboards seemed long out of use and parts of the chalk have been stuck on the board for so long that it could have easily juxtaposed some graffiti on a tunnel wall in Durham, North Carolina. One of the bookcases contained beautiful ancient tomes that consisted of, if I recall correctly, almost 20 volumes. The books seemed to be much older than the classroom, as if they were heirlooms of an old family of Kavousi that contained all of this villages’ ancient histories and bloodlines. The other bookshelf was a dramatic contrast, filled top to bottom with children’s books. David and I could not read the Greek, but the images were hilariously entertaining, depicting people of different cultures from around the world. Its depiction of Chinese people was this old, wise, Confucius doppelgänger, which is not a bad image of my people at all. We were halfway through exploring that bookshelf when the dance lesson started. The mid-age man taught us a six step dance that rotated in a circle. I was so nervous trying to learn and coordinate the steps that I grappled the shoulder of the people next to me as if I was hanging on for dear life. Afterwards, the Greek workman beside me, Stellos, introduced himself and apparently remarked to his friend that I was gripping his shoulder really tightly. The trench master Irini, who was on my other side, politely asked me to hold her hand with less anxiety and force.

Eventually, I did loosen up and really began to enjoy myself. Until then, the two indirect non-vocal ways I felt connected to someone was reading their writing and listening to their music. For me, reading another’s writing was both seeing the world from their point of view, as well as seeing into their soul with my own eyes; I get an opportunity to understand how their minds function and exploit a lucky occasion to imagine their perception of the world. Listening to their music connects me with their emotions, and I think one would be surprised by how much we can learn about each other from sharing playlists and songs. In my first revolutionary dance lesson, I discovered another way through which we feel connected to our peers. The beat of the song drowned out all of our howling cultural, academic, physical, and personality differences and served as an united pounding heart for everyone in the circle. Each of our feet were individual muscle fibers of this powerful beating organ, working together in unison with the rhythm and moving in absolute homogeneity and flowing grace. No one was the hero of the stage, and that was what I loved about this traditional Cretan dance. It was done as a group and was meant to connect you with others, rather than for you to show off and isolate yourself. Afterwards, as we walked back to Tholos, I thanked David for inviting me to dance. It was a barrier that I desperately needed to break, and I finally did it here on Crete.

Being confined in a small village allowed me, David, and Weston to grow very close in a short period of time. On a Thursday after working in sizzling conditions that put the Tuscan sun to shame, David, Weston, a bunch of the girls, and I trekked down to the Tholos beach villas. We attempted to check out an herb farm that, very unfortunately, was closed. David and I had worked on site that day and had grabbed a few beers before heading to the beach. After eating almost nothing up at Azoria, the alcohol flowed straight into our systems and had us tipsy in less than ten minutes. We proceeded to drink more beer as we walked and, by the time we found a table down at the beach café, the conversation was flowing like the Yangtze and words were just spilling out of our mouths. I always seem to express myself quite emotionally and very thoroughly every time I am tipsy. Being the only noticeable Asian person in this area, it was a time for me to reflect on what it meant to be a minority in the society that I live in. In the United States and Canada, I have always managed to find myself a bubble of friends who are also Asian and have the same values and life outlooks as I do. Being stuck in these bubbles curtains the fact that I am part of a minority and that, outside of these wealthy and educated spheres, being a minority plays a huge role in one’s identity. Among the local Greeks, I had to disprove the stereotype that all Asian people practice Kung Fu, since the main exposure that these Europeans have had to Asian culture is its popular Kung Fu movies. My physique didn’t really help prove my point; apparently, before they got to know me, they were referencing me as the “Karate Kid” in Greek.

As for my fellow Americans, I tried my best to explain the Asian-American experience. It was difficult because, previously, I never had to pry my mind and think so deeply about my Asian identity in America. I found my inspiration and preferred choice of diction in a Humans of New York post about a young African-American man and his experiences growing up in the suburbs of Miami. For Asian-Americans, oppression and inequality are not necessarily our biggest problems, and neither is socioeconomic status. Personally, I think the most pressing matter is a lack of recognition entrenchment in the collective American identity. For Asian-Americans, there is a barrier that makes it difficult for us to become the leaders and politicians of important institutions and almost anything to do with the general public. As a result, we resort to pursuing careers that either earn us the most money or the most respect. Our immigrant identity is still so young and fragile that we attempt to compensate by obtaining immense amounts of wealth and chasing after the most prestigious occupations, as if we are almost trying to bribe and prove our way into the collective melting pot. Being here in Greece lifted those weighty, ominous clouds off my back. It was as if Atlas had been finally freed from his eternal damnation, finally able to unwind and look upon this world with awe and appreciation for its beauty once again.

In my three short weeks here on Crete, I realized that the locals were always absolutely delighted to learn about my Asian background. They seemed to have had their fair share of American tourists and finally got the chance to spend time with someone who looks completely different. Instead of telling the Asian-American narrative that I have been building for the past twelve years, the anecdotes I shared and the mannerisms I described were as uniquely Chinese as possible, filled with experiences and memories that I pushed away and suppressed so that I could assimilate into Vancouver and fit in at Duke. Maria and I talked for two hours one night, and she told me to never forget where I came from. That “Chinese people, like Greeks, have a long history and a strong sense of ταυτότητα (taftótita; a rough Greek translation for ‘identity’).” As I rode back to the Tholos hotel in Katis’ car that night, I realized I had found myself in a community with an unapologetic and unconditional appreciation for my visible cultural diversity. I couldn’t help but beam as we sped down the road in the clear night. I looked out of the window at the faint outline of the Cretan mountains and at the constellations in the distant universe, finding the Big Dipper and the North Star. These constellations have guided ancient and modern sailors, both Greek and Chinese, away from and back to their homes for thousands of years. Staring at the North Star that night in the car, I decided that, after Crete and Austria, it was time to pay China a visit.

[lexiseigneur]

Chapter twenty-seven: The Manhattan Trials

It had been three months since Quinlan and Lexi had shared their knowledge with the prosecution. Not a single day had passed without David Alvi mulling over every word spoken by the two creatures. The best way to win a case was to be better informed than the other side. Alvi had no doubt that they were better informed than the defense or anyone else really. There were some things he wished he had never known.

He lit a cigarette, all attempt at pacing himself forgotten even though every single death stick cost a small fortune. Up to a gram of silver. In their new office the prosecutors finished gathering all the pieces of evidence to be presented to the court on that day. The list of everything they had filed filled a small book and now, they were reaching the last few pages. Those pages catalogued countless videos of camps, of medical centers, of bleeding lines and the dirty cages which had contained the humans meant for slaughter. Every time another hearing had taken place, every two weeks or so, the prosecution entered the court room with trolleys full of documents that they presented in excruciating detail. They described horrors so vile that it was not uncommon for people to burst out crying or storm out to vomit.

Alvi’s suit hung off his frame, though at the beginning of the proceedings it had been a perfect fit. He had thought his time during the Partnership era difficult. Hiding away with fake ID, pretending he had been a cab driver all his life, then giving away so much blood, he would pass out from standing up at least once a day. It dawned on him that he had had it easy. He had avoided the camps, the Librarian had found him before he could disappear like the others, and he had not been a woman with a desirable blood type.

Then, after the Master’s death, he had been in New York, which had quickly turned from the pit of Hell to the safest city in the world. It was still free of Strigoi, but for Alvi and the other four prosecutors, that didn’t mean it was safe. Though, it was probably more dangerous for the defense lawyers and the accused. But not by much.  Many in the city wished to hurt them. When Quinlan and Lexi had left them to deal with the trove of information they had bestowed upon them, the five prosecutors had come up with a strategy they knew would be successful but risky.

They had paid the cost for that strategy and were still paying it. In a few hours, they would know whether it had been worth it. What would unfold during today’s hearing would reveal it. The entire world held its breath. But not Alvi who sucked greedily on a cigarette.

“They are here, it’s time to go,” said Durand.

She adjusted her jacket to hide the bandages on her arm. A brick had left a nasty gash and a wide bruise just two weeks ago. The prosecutors left the windowless room, which served as their new office, then joined the several dozen men and women in the lobby. Some were police but most were Sun Hunters.

The orange light was not yet on the city, but it was prudent for them to arrive at the courthouse before dawn.

“Are they already there, Raul?” asked Alvi.

“Yup, they got there during the night.”

“Are they…ready?”

Raul glanced at his hunters who surrounded the prosecutors. Five hunters took their trolleys and they exchanged greetings and words of encouragement.

“They’re fine. You?”

“We miss having windows.”

Raul squeezed Alvi’s shoulder and his expression was obviously meant to be encouraging. They got into the black SUVs whose doors sported the Sun Hunter’s sigil and drove to the courthouse. The majestic building was defaced by graffiti and the impacts of various projectiles. Protesters had not yet arrived because few still dared brave the cover of night.

****

The prosecution described how the breeding centers functioned at their peak efficiency. Sanjay Desai had admitted to everything including the last heinous act which had sprung whispers of disgust in the room. Then Desai’s counsel had taken over and repeated the same line of questioning as they had before. The same argument, over and over again.

“Mister Desai, who gave you the order to schedule the delivery of these babies two months before their due dates?” asked Desai’s lawyer.

“Thomas Eichhorst told me to do it,” said Desai.

He was not as well-groomed as he had been in the pictures and videos presented. His suit was not bespoke and the fabric looked cheap.

“Why did you do it?”

“Because the Master was in the back of my head, taking over when I hesitated or when I thought to myself that I would not do it anymore.”

“How did it feel?”

“It was a nightmare. I did not want to hurt anyone. At the end I wanted to die for it to stop.”

Then for good measure, he broke into messy tears. His lawyer gave him time to recover then told the judge that he did not need to ask him anything else.

“Would the prosecution like to continue?” asked one of the judges.

The five remained seated, looked at each other, then Takaha stood and said,

“Mr. Desai, why is it that only a handful of humans could be controlled by the Master and not say...all of us?”

“It took too much mental effort. Strigoi were like an extension of him but we were separate. With our own minds.”

“That seems like a sensible explanation,” said Takaha.

“Well…huh? Alright,” said Desai, utterly confused.

The defense lawyers gawked at the prosecutor and even the judges could not hide their astonishment.

“We do not have more questions, thank you,” said Takaha.

The judges looked at one another, whispered then one stood and declared loudly.

“Thirty minute recess. Prosecutors, counsels, in my office.”

He stormed through a door in the back and the other judges followed with more composure. David craved another cigarette. He always did during those hearings and right now in particular. They followed the judges and as soon as the door closed behind them, the American judge, Reginald Smith, began speaking in his loud and intimidating voice,

“Why are you five not doing your jobs?”

The prosecutors exchanged looks. Judge Smith had put into simple words what the entire world thought about them. The defense lawyers stood apart from them with deadpan expressions.

“Are you blithe or just incompetent? If you think that you can just phone this in and we will still find them guilty, you are wrong!”

“I assure you, we have a plan,” said Takaha.

“You plan on making us look like fools? We don’t want to go down in history as the judges who presided over a masquerade of a trial. If you do not pull yourself up and actually prosecute we will acquit them. We won’t send people who were robbed of their agency to their deaths and so far they all agree this is what happened. Your own witnesses corroborate that the Master could control Strigoi and that he used some ability to freeze all the people in the plane. The defense has enough for reasonable doubt.”

Alvi had expected something of the sort to happen. In their respective countries, citizens petitioned to have them replaced and theories of possible corruption were constantly discussed on television. Some were certain that it showed how little the trial actually mattered and that in the end, the accused would be found guilty and executed. If no new piece of evidence came uncovered, the proceedings would soon end and the judges would give their verdicts and humankind would take a collective breath to either scream in outrage or sigh in relief.

“When we’re done today, they won’t,” said Alvi.

The defense lawyers squinted at them with suspicion. The judges appeared intrigued but still indignant. Both teams were dismissed curtly and the recess ended. Alvi took a deep breath because it was time for the moment of truth. Quite literally. He called on Zach Goodweather to speak.

“In your knowledge, after the plane arrived in New York, how many times did the Master change bodies?” asked Alvi.

“Twice…no…three times.”

Zach gave an apologetic smile to excuse his hesitancy. Alvi could not help but think it was an act to make himself appear stupider and younger.

“Is it true he inhabited the singer known as Bolivar?”

“Yeah.”

“When did he leave that body?”

“I don’t remember exactly.”

There again, the vacuous grin.

“Can you give an approximation?” asked Alvi.

“Maybe a month after the plane?”

“I’d like to submit another piece of evidence. A note from Councilwoman Ferraro describing the event of the 12th of March 2014.”

Alvi read the note on which Ferraro explained how for about a day, the Strigoi had turned stupid and easier to kill.

“Were the events described and the change of body connected?”

“When he was naked, just the worm, he could not control the Strigoi anymore.”

“Did that apply to all Strigoi?”

“I think so.”

“Even Thomas Eichhorst?”

“It was not the same. He still had a brain and could think alone but in the end he was always loyal even if he could not hear the Master.”

Alvi did not like that choice of word. Loyal. From what he had learned, the infected humans had had little choice in their worship of the Master.

“Was your mother the same?”

Zach shifted uncomfortably in his seat and after looking at his lawyers said,

“Yes.”

“During that time, his ability to control others was completely gone, was it?”

Zach’s eyes appeared panicked and he stared once more at his counsel.

“You will answer the question, young man,” said Judge Smith.

“I think so, I’m not sure.”

“We will submit now another recording dated on the 21th of March, the day of the Fall.”

On the first frame there was a high view of a luxurious office with a desk in a corner and at one end, the double doors of an elevator. A stone mural covered the wall facing the desk. A man sat there, alone in the middle of a mess, as if the space had been the scene of a war battle.

“Where is this?” asked Alvi.

“It’s Palmer’s office. In the penthouse,” said Zach between clenched teeth.

The video continued with the elevator opening, two people entering and a fight breaking out. Soon, Ephraim Goodweather stood by the corpse of a Strigoi then ran at Zach who held a small object in his hand. Alvi paused the video once more.

“Who is on the floor?” he asked.

“My mother.”

“And the other person?”

“My father.”

“And it is you in that footage?”

“Yes.”

“What are you holding?”

“The detonator, for the bomb.”

“Did you press it?”

Zach appeared angry now. And Alvi was certain he had been hiding this rage throughout the entirety of the trial.

“Yes,” said Zach.

“Thank you. I have no additional questions.”

Alvi sat down. A defense lawyer instantly stood and asked the same thing again.

“Why did you press it?”

“The Master made me do it,” said Zach almost automatically.

“Very well. I also do not have additional questions for Mister Goodweather.”

“We would like to call Augustin Elizalde as an expert witness,” said David once Zach rejoined the accused.

Alvi’s heart was bouncing on his plexus. It was time. Gus wore a simple black suit and his hair was elegantly combed to one side. On his lapel, a small silver pin shaped like a sun mirrored the tattoo on his neck.

“Mister Elizalde, how long have you been engaged in the conflict against the Strigoi?”

“Since before the Fall.”

“You led the assault which resulted in the Master’s death.”

“I was not alone, but yeah I guess.”

“Since then you became the head of the Sun Hunters with your cousin, Raul Elizalde.”

“Yeah.”

“I believe we all know and trust Mister Elizalde’s expertise,” said Judge Smith, “Get to the point.”

“We would like to show the recruitment video which ran for a time in the local television. Trust me your Honor, it is important that we do.”

“Very well. Proceed.”

The video started and when the three hunters finished killing every single Strigoi, David paused the video.

“Who is the man holding the rifle?”

“The handsome one? That’s me.”

There were a few laughs in the room and Gus winked at the nearest camera. Alvi looked to his right, then his left. Durand bit on a pencil as if smoking a cigarette and Issa plotted a handkerchief to his brow covered with sweat.

“Who are the other two people on that footage?”

“The big one is Quinlan and the tiny one is Lexi.”

As though reading his thoughts and finally understanding what he was about to ask, the room came alive with whispers.

“Silence!” ordered Smith.

He was irritated by the lack of discipline in the courtroom but at least he had stopped glaring at the prosecutors.

“What role did they play in the Sun Hunter organization?”

“You said earlier that I was at the head of the Sun Hunters with my couz. It’s true but so are those two, that’s why we worked with four teams,” said Gus.

“We would like to introduce another piece of evidence. The video in question was discovered by the authorities shortly after the Master’s death. It was in the memory of a cell phone abandoned in the bedroom of Zach Goodweather in the Belvedere Castle.”

Zach froze and turned pale. The footage started with Zach filming himself saying,

“The Born just arrived. What a moron.”

Then he flipped the camera toward a window and peered down. On the stone terrace, Quinlan kneeled at the feet of the Master. Seconds later Lexi arrived and Zach commented that she would soon become dinner. In the courtroom, Zach reddened and was increasingly agitated.

Fighting started and soon both warriors were visible and facing the Master. There were gasps and more whispering in the room. Some had taken notice that the weapons they held were very familiar. The defense lawyers’ expression were controlled but strained.

“Who are the two people armed with swords,” asked Alvi.

“Same as before, Quinlan and Lexi,” said Gus.

“Can you explain their appearance?”

“They ain’t human.”

David expected more whispers and perhaps even some shouting. There was just expectant silence.

“What are they?”

“Dhampir. They really don’t like it when people call them Strigoi.”

“What are Dhampir?”

“Something between a Strig and a human. Another species but almost extinct.”

“In your expert opinion, would you have defeated the Master without them?”

Gus leaned forward and with a serious expression said,

“I would have gotten my head yanked off.”

“And in your expert opinion, what would be the state of New York without their assistance?”

“It would be Strigoi central and I’d be long dead.”

“Do you trust them to give a thorough and truthful testimony here?”

“I do.”

The defense lawyers scrambled to sift through documentation.

“If your Honor will allow it, we would like to call the Sun Hunters, Quinlan and Lexi as witnesses,” said Alvi

“Your Honor! We received no notice concerning those witnesses and are not prepared,” said a defense lawyer after jumping to his feet.

“Please sit down. You will have all the time you need to prepare before the next hearing,” said Smith. He looked at Zach who was sweating and shaking in his seat. The other accused were barely masking their own anxieties.

“It looks like you’re going to need it,” added the judge.

 Outside the courtroom, in an isolated corner, Lexi and Quinlan waited for Alvi to call on them. She wore a dark blouse and dress pants and he a three piece suit whose jacket and tie he had refused to put on. To the prosecutors’ dismay since they had selected what clothing they would be wearing during the hearing. His reasoning had been simple.

“I will not dress like the German lapdog.”

The lawyers had not insisted further. The voices were loud enough for the Dhampir to follow what was being said in the courtroom.

“The die is cast,” Quinlan said when Gus revealed their identities.

It was done. People all around the world were aware of their existence. There was no point regretting it now, it was too late. All they could do was finishing what they had started. But she could not repress her guilt. She had insisted on stepping into the spotlight and Quinlan had reluctantly agreed. She tried to imagine the ramifications of the day’s events and when she did, her stomach twisted.

Minutes later, Raul came to find them. The crowd inside the courtroom had just seen their faces but they still goggled at them. Those sitting closest to the center alley shuffled away from the approaching Dhampir. A young woman almost climbed on the lap of her neighbor in her haste to put more distance between her and Quinlan. Their heartbeats were a chorus of rapid thuds and she had to make her breaths shallower so that the stink of adrenaline would not fill her nostrils. She wanted to scream. She wanted to yell at all of them and at the rest of the world she knew was watching.

Please…please, don’t fear us.

A man stared at Quinlan’s red throat and his mouth contorted in horror.

Please, don’t hate us.

Quinlan ignored them supremely but her eyes were burning. Gus had left the stand and walked straight to the cameraman who had lost his focus and whose camera was pointing at a wall.

“Brah, snap out of it,” said Gus and he clapped his hands next to the man’s face.

He startled, took hold of his camera and pointed it at the Dhampir. Lexi walked straight to the stand while Quinlan sat next to Aanya and Laura and where Raul and Gus joined him. The judge presiding asked Lexi to make an affirmation. That was easy.

“I solemnly and sincerely declare and affirm that the evidence I shall give will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

As clear as if they spoke directly in her ear, Lexi heard quiet comments regarding her appearance and voice. Could she blame them? She thought back to her first encounter with Quinlan to reassure herself. Her first reaction had been to point a gun at his strange face and in comparison a few murmurs were tame.

Alvi began by asking her personal questions such as more particulars about her species. She repeated the lies she had told others until now. Quinlan and Lexi were a cousin species of the Strigoi and the Master had committed genocide against them. She had been born centuries ago and her Dhampir parents had died when she was young. Then she had had human loved ones and eventually, had met Quinlan. She was not proud of those lies. But she also had no wish to give ideas of eternal life to the wrong people. Wasn’t that how all of this had started? Alvi paused briefly and by the way his finger twisted, as if aching to hold a cigarette, she knew the more serious questions would come.

“Do you have worms like the Strigoi?”

“No, we are not parasites. You could swallow a glass full of my blood and nothing would come of it.”

“But you have a stinger and you drink human blood?”

“I do but I also enjoy biscuits and tea.”

There were more whispers, but this time, more curious than afraid. Alvi pointed at the screen still showing the two Dhampir facing the Master.

“What is taking place in that video?” he asked.

“The final battle. Our human associates, including Augustin and Raul are surrounding Central Park to defend devices which disrupted the link between the Master and the Strigoi.”

“Could he control the Strigoi at that very moment?”

“No, he could not and he was also in a weakened state. You can see several Strigoi unable to move while we fight.”

Alvi pressed play and slowed the video down so that their human eyes could see what was happening. A few Strigoi stood like statues on the periphery of the terrace. When Lexi was stabbed, Aanya startled and Laura slapped a hand over her mouth. Their horror intensified when the Master slashed as Quinlan’s face who retreated and stood between him and Lexi. On the footage, the Dhampir’s eyes glowed and within instants, they had the Master on his knees and their stingers pulled on his head which flew and landed on the ground. In the video, Zach who had attempted to follow the fight as best as he could, dropped the phone. The screen was dark but it still recorded sound. Seconds later, there was a gunshot and Alvi paused the video.

“What happened after you decapitated the Master?”

“Zach Goodweather shot Quinlan which is what we heard at the end of the video.”

“And the Master was headless when it happened?”

“He was.”

“Could Zach have acted under the Master’s control?”

“No.”

Judge Smith leaned forward with a grave face and the defense lawyers exchanged notes that they wrote very quickly. Lexi’s gaze fell on the only teenager sitting among the accused. She could see in his eyes the desire to hurt her. More than that, the desire to kill her.

She smiled at him. A deeply sorrowful smile, because although he did not deserve to be acquitted, she did not wish for his execution. Lexi wanted justice. The peace which would only arise from the people responsible to be held accountable for the atrocities they had committed. Lexi wished this justice could be dispensed without more death. Because of his youth and because he would never have a chance to redeem himself, she pitied him.

Unprepared for this revelation, the defense chose to forego questioning until the next hearing. She took a seat between Aanya and Laura, and the two women scooted closer to her. Laura slid her arm around Lexi’s elbow and Aanya took her hand. Her sorrow abated a little.

Quinlan now sat at the stand and the comments about him were slightly louder than mere whispers. The judge had to reclaim silence once more. Just like Lexi, he affirmed his devotion to telling only the truth. His clear eyes scanned the room then stayed on Alvi when he spoke again.

“Mister Quinlan, when were you born?”

“About two thousand years ago.”

“When did you start chasing the Master?”

“About two thousand years ago.”

The Sun Hunters chuckled but quickly stopped when Judge Smith glared at them.

“Why did you want to kill him?”

“Much the same reasons described by Lexi. I lost my mother, my wives and my children to the Master.”

“Were your wives human?”

“Yes. As were my adopted daughters.”

“You raised human children?”

“I did, during two separate eras of my life. Both times I came home and the Master had turned them so I had to give them mercy.”

Most of the Sun Hunters had not known this. Their lingering smiles disappeared.

“Twice? Why is that?”

“The Master knew of my existence and enjoyed inflicting suffering upon me. It was some sort of game for him.”

Laura stared away with a trembling chin and Lexi squeezed her hand gently. The woman always got flustered when hearing about children dying. Lexi was not a mother but she understood.

“I’m sorry to hear that. If you don’t mind we will now review another footage. The first half of a piece of evidence already introduced earlier.”

Alvi switched to the surveillance footage in the Stoneheart tower. Minutes before Dr. Goodweather killed his Strigoi of an ex-wife. Abraham Setrakian and Dr. Goodweather fought Eldritch Palmer who was not human anymore. Alvi commented that at this moment the Master already occupied the old man. Both Vasily Fet and Quinlan arrived and in seconds, the Master was locked in a metal coffin. Alvi asked Quinlan to explain the images. As he did, Lexi was distracted by the increasing loudness of the defense lawyers’ heartbeats. When she smelled the air in their direction it was slightly brackish from their sweat. But their expressions remained controlled.

“Was the Master still in the coffin when Zach Goodweather activated the atomic bomb just minutes later?”

“He was. In fact, the explosion blew open the coffin. By pressing that button, Zach effectively freed the Master.”

His face was cold when he added,

“The explosion killed the people who worked relentlessly to imprison the Master. Even Dr Goodweather who searched for his son in the fallout.” – he turned to Zach - “You are responsible for this death.”

Zach stood and screamed,

“You are lying! Liar! LIAR!”

Before he could take another breath, the bailiff dragged him out of the room. Even when the door closed they could hear his screams punctuated by loud sobs.

“That really hurt him,” said Lexi.

“He deserves to face the consequences of his wickedness.”

The judges put an end to the session and the Dhampir were ushered out of New York, lest they stay and face the consequences of their integrity.

[makingscipub]

Framing cloning: Dolly and the monkeys

In 1999, three years after Dolly the sheep was born, we published an article on the way that cloning was then framed in the public sphere. The cloning of two macaque monkeys by Chinese researchers (Cell, 2018), more than two decades after the cloning of Dolly might be a good opportunity to look again at how cloning is being framed in the public sphere today and to see whether anything has changed or not.

That would however involve a lot of work, work that goes well beyond a single blog post. In this post I will only highlight some initial thoughts that struck me when looking at the old article and at some of the news that’s been generated by Hua Hua and Zhong Zhong, the cloned monkeys. I shall not go into the science and ethics of this achievement, as others have done this much better than I ever can.

Reading through the old article again, several things struck me.

Familiarising through fiction and fact

When framing the cloning of Dolly the sheep, scientists and journalists had to contextualise this event somehow; they had to use something familiar to talk about something unfamiliar. To do this, they anchored the cloning of Dolly to ‘common knowledge’ about cloning. This itself was, at the time, rooted in some early cloning science, some early ethical reflections, but mainly in science fiction.

As David Rorvik wrote in his controversial book In his Image: The Cloning of Man (1978): “Like a red flag, cloning would alert” (and in fact it did and still does) “the world to the awesome possibilities that loomed ahead and thus serve as a catalyst for public participation in life and death decisions that might otherwise be left by default to the scientists.” A nice description of ‘Responsible Research and Innovation avant la lettre (although the book itself wasn’t!).

Today’s journalists, science writers and bloggers, writing about the cloned monkeys, can make this now not so unfamiliar event more familiar by not only referring to little known science and ethics as well as well-known fiction, but also by framing it with reference to Dolly the sheep. This cloned sheep has become a familiar icon of cloning, carrying a lot of conceptual baggage in terms of science and ethics, fears and fantasies. It would be fascinating to see how Dolly is used rather than (or in conjunction with) science fiction to engage with people anew with cloning.

Framing animal and human cloning

In one of the first paragraphs of the old article, we refer to a then hot-off-the-press MA thesis by Alan Hodgson entitled “Undressing Dolly: A clone’s 12 months gestation period in the UK press” (1998) (but we don’t go on to quote from this thesis, as I’ll do now). In his synopsis, Hodgson writes: “The most striking facet of the UK press ‘agenda-framing’ in light of sheep Dolly is that immediately the press extrapolated the result of ‘cloning’ one sheep to the potential applicability of the technology to humans.” (p. 5)

This is exactly what’s happening again now, but more forcefully, as we are dealing with the cloning of primates. However, since Dolly, lots of rules and regulations have been established that prohibit human cloning. It would be interesting to see how these are referenced in the news articles.

Hodgson goes on to point out: “The framing therefore quickly centred on four initial questions, ‘Can the technology be used on humans?’, ‘Will it happen?’, ‘In what circumstances?’ and concomitantly ‘Should it happen?” (p. 5). Again, that’s what’s happening now, it seems. A more thorough analysis of the news could try to ascertain whether these questions are still being asked, or whether other questions have emerged.

Hype and collusion

Then Hodgson makes a rather astute observation: “… commentators became imbricated not only in the process of actually weighing the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of human cloning but also in constructing a social need for it.” (p. 5) At this point I should really stop writing this blog post! But, of course, I won’t.

The issue of colluding in hype is however something that we commentators, including social scientists, should really think about. Instead of constructing a social need for looking at the threats of human cloning, commentators should perhaps distance themselves from such constructions, as some are already doing.

When looking at our old article, I found an interesting paragraph: “If policy makers had appreciated just how much a long-standing tradition of fiction relating to cloning and genetic engineering had prepared the ground for the discussion of the facts of the genetic revolution, a more self-conscious rhetorical distancing of genetic science from genetic fiction might have made possible a more open public debate.” This is something that people writing about the cloned monkeys might also want to think about with relation to what some call ‘ethics hype’.

Questioning assumptions

Two decades after Dolly knowledge and understanding of cloning is still sparse and probably still largely dependent on fiction, conventional metaphors and unquestioned assumptions.  Just take a look at this expression of caution: “But even if it were safe, many researchers say there are many other reasons to never try. ‘Cloning one individual in the image of another really sort of demeans the significance of us as individuals,’ says Dr. George Daley, dean of the Harvard Medical School. ‘There’s a certain sort of gut sense that it violates sort of natural norms.’”

This gut sense seems to overlook that there are millions of clones, namely identical twins or even triplets etc., that already roam this planet. I am one of them and I have never felt that my dignity was threatened by my clone! (I should point out that clones which result from egg-splitting are not technically the same as clones that result from somatic cell nuclear transfer, but that does not distract from the point I want to make about dignity)

And, of course, as people said over and over after Dolly was born: the technical and physiological hurdles are still too great to successfully clone humans; there is no real need given the availability of other reproductive technologies, etc. As some have stressed, we are really not dealing with a “Never Let Me Go scenario – the science fiction novel in which human clones are created for spare organs”, a scenario so widely discussed 20 years ago. As a New Scientist ‘Leader’ says: “The ethical debate is very much alive, but clones are not where the action is – at least for now.” I’ll check back in another 20 years….

Some initial impressions of news coverage

To get a rough, very rough, impression of the media coverage of this new cloning event I went to the data base Lexis Nexis. I searched for ‘clone’ Or ‘cloning’ and checked out All English Language News (between 24 and 26 January). I got 738 hits (on a high similarity setting). I then searched within these results for ‘human’ and got 440 hits. I did the same for ‘Dolly’ and got 393 hits. So quite a substantial number of articles discussed the very distant possibility of human cloning and quite a chunk of articles used Dolly as a reference point. With respect to the former the articles are not much different to articles written when Dolly was cloned; with relation the latter they are, of course, quite different.

There were quite a few headlines playing with words and connotations relating to monkeys, such as this Sun headline for example:

What about science fiction? Searching for ‘science fiction’ gave me 25 hits. Not a lot! And no results for ‘scifi’. ‘Gattaca’ was, surprisingly, not used as a reference point and ‘Brave New World’ only twice, same as ‘Frankenstein’ (however, ‘Frankenscience’ makes its appearance six times, based on a quote from PETA). The 1978 cloning film ‘Boys from Brazil’, which made quite an impression on people discussing Dolly at the time, was mentioned twice. There is one reference to ‘opening Pandora’s box’, but ‘slippery slope’ is used 39 times.

What about novels written after Dolly, such as Never Let Me Go, mentioned above, a  2005 dystopian science fiction novel by Nobel Prize-winning British author Kazuo Ishiguro? This is referenced 15 times. Still not an awful lot.

Skimming the headlines, it seems that most news items report the cloning as a scientific fact. Quite a few voice ethical concerns and fears about human cloning. But there are also some that sound more positive and focus on this advance opening up new avenues for research or offering hope in finding treatments for degenerative diseases.

Overall then, science fiction seems to be backgrounded 20 years after Dolly while science seems to be foregrounded. However, the questions asked still seem to be very much the same as two decades ago. More research needed! Anybody up for it?

Images: All images of the monkeys were copyright protected. So I couldn’t include any. Dolly: Wikimedia Commons: Image: Wikimedia Commons: Pvasiliadis, ‘Everybody is Dolly’ graffiti at Thessaloniki, Ermou Str., 19 January, 2010. Sun Headline: photo, 26 January, 2018.

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