#like we have a household where we CAN make our exposure really low i don’t work outside the home & eva has her own office

[pussymasterdooku]

Thank you for still wearing a mask, and an N95 at that! Stay well 🩷

🫡

[drwcn]

concubine/sleeper agent!wwx and prince!lwj bullshit continues: 

[story board 1] -  The two empires and the Imperial Lan Family [story board 2] -  WWX, Qishan Wen’s sleeper agent   [story board 3] -  The inner court (harem) of Hanguang Manor, prior to WWX

→ [Story Board 4] - “A-Xian”, the attendant of Jiang Yanli 

Wei Wuxian lived with the Jiangs for 2 years. After he came to Gusu as a 16-yro, he charmed/scammed his way into the Jiang manor, won the favour of Jiang Fengmian, the affection of Jiang Yanli and Jiang Cheng, and waited.  For a long time, no further instructions were given to him from Wen Ruohan. Then, one day, he saw Zhao Zhuliu on the streets of the Capital. Zhao Zhuliu was the head of Wen Ruohan’s intelligence bureau and incidentally, was also Wei Wuxian and Xue Yang’s shifu.  

— “Shifu, does bixia finally have an assignment for me?”  — “He does. Jiang Yanli is set to marry Lan Wangji. You are to find a way to accompany her to Hanguang-fu and get close to him.”  — “Close to him as in...?”  — “Any means necessary. He has a harem already, so you will not be the only one vying for his attention. Do think you can handle it?”  — “Well I don’t know, shifu,” responded WWX coyly. “ Word on the street is that this Hanguang-wang prefers pretty men. His ce-wangfu Jin Ziyan is famous for his handsomeness, and that mianshou Mo Xuanyu he keeps around is a looker too. Do you think I’ve grown pretty enough?” — “You seem very aware of his household, I’m surprised.”  — “Bixia sent me here to observe and learn; I’ve not been idle.”  

Wei Wuxian knew Jiang Yanli was set to marry Lan Wangji before she even knew herself. This was not a coincidence. Originally, three years ago, when Lan Wangji was first choosing members of his harem, Jiang Yanli had been considered, but at the time Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan were already engaged to be wed. Jin Zixuan had promised Jiang Yanli that as soon as he passed the imperial scholarly exam and secured a position for himself in His Majesty’s court based on his own merit and not on the influence of his father Jin-guogong (Duke Jin), that he and Yanli would marry. It was a marriage that his late mother had arranged with her best friend Yu Ziyuan, and both Yanli and Zixuan were amenable to it. However, when Jin Zixuan finally passed the exam and ranked 6th in the national polling, he chose to take a position far away from the capital and left without a word of affirmation regarding the engagement. The position was an important one given to Jin Zixuan by Emperor Lan Xichen himself and so in some ways, it was understandable that he could not refused. After Jin Zixuan left the capital, Jin Guangshan went to his “old friend” Jiang Fengmian and “apologized” profusely on his son’s behalf, spewing all sorts of words about how a young man ought to make his way in this world and such. However, this left the Jiangs in an awkward position. Jiang Yanli was 21 yrs old, already older than any unwed noble lady should be. The Jiangs were angry with this outcome, but given the politics of it, they could not say much...and that was when Lianfang-jun Meng Yao revisited an idea that had been put aside three years ago. — “Hanguang-wang...desires to marry A-Li?” Jiang Fengmian was somewhat flabbergasted. “But...” — Meng Yao smiled, “Jiang-houye*, three years ago I came on behalf of er-di to broker a marriage between our two families, but you and Yu-furen both refused on account of her engagement with Jin-xiao-gongye. But I must say ling’ai* is a fine young woman, eloquent and mild-mannered and would make a fine wangfei* some day.” — “Wangfei? but -” — “Yes, Hanguang-wang did say he would choose his own princess or prince consort, but as you can see, even with Jin Ziyan as he ce-wangfu, Qin-fu’ren and Luo-fu’ren at his side, our prince has not shown any desire for any of them to be his legal spouse. He is still waiting, searching, and who’s to say Jiang-gu’niang is not equal if not better than the lot of them?” 

What the Jiangs didn’t know was that Jin Guangshan was a traitor and had already sold his loyalty to Wen Ruohan, who promised him to make him a fanwang* when Qishan eventually annexed Gusu. JGS was a mole inside Gusu’s government secretly helping to further Wen Ruohan’s agenda. Nevertheless, Wen Ruohan wanted Wei Wuxian to get close to Lan Wangji, because as helpful as Jin Guangshan was, he was never fully trusted by the royal family and did not know their inner workings. Breaking Jiang Yanli’s marriage with Jin Zixuan was just a matter of convenience. Jin Guangshan was not fussed regarding a simple marriage when the reward would be much greater. As per WRH’s instruction, he used his influences in court to maneuver Lan Xichen into giving Jin Zixuan a position far away from the capital, thus removing his son from the dangerous political atmosphere and freeing up Jiang Yanli as a potential concubine for Lan Wangji. Then, Jin Guangshan sat back and allowed Meng Yao to finish the game that he started. Meng Yao was not a willing participant. He loved Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue but Jin Guangshan held the secret to his past and thus a noose around his neck. Everyone in court knew that Lianfang-jun Meng Yao was once a lieutenant in Nie Mingjue’s army and later became his personal secretary. He was known for his wit and silver tongue and the charming dimples on his cheeks whenever he smiled. However, not many knew that Meng Yao was the bastard son of Jin Guangshan and a prostitute. Meng Shi’s hope was that one day her son would be legitimized by his father, but alas her hopes were in vain. A child born to a whore would be condemned to a live in the “jian” caste unless otherwise freed. It was Nie Mingjue who chose to raise Meng Yao above his station and respected him as a person for the first time in his life. When Nie Mingjue and his long-time sweetheart the crown prince Lan Xichen were set to marry, Meng Yao thought his days of freedom would be over. To his surprise, Nie Mingjue opted to bring him back with him from the borderlands where Nie Mingjue’s battalion was stationed and introduce him to court and to Lan Xichen. It seemed almost impossible that Lan Xichen would love him as unapologetically as Nie Mingjue, but somehow he did. Meng Yao became the only concubine person in Lan Xichen’s harem other than Fengjun Nie Mingjue. Life was perfect, so perfect in fact Meng Yao even entertained the idea of coaxing Lan Xichen to take on a lady or two to be his concubine so that the palace could be filled with little ones. Of course he’d be a little jealous...but they would have children...and Lan Xichen loved babies.  Then of course, Jin Guangshan found out who he was, and from that point on, Meng Yao was no longer a free man. Every single moment of his life, his father threatened him with exposure. If anyone were to find out just how unseemly his origin had been, how not only was his mother a prostitute, but he himself had been nearly no different (given to the Nies as a gift by a stupid pandering official), his life would be over. At the very least Lan Xichen would be forced to banish him, at the worst, he’d be dead. Oh there would be no public announcement of course, but it would be said that he had taken ill and succumbed to his frail health, and with his death the smear on the Lan imperial family would be cleansed.  Meng Yao didn’t want to die, so he did as Jin Guangshan asked, even when the ask became Nie Mingjue’s life. (But NMJ isn’t really dead...Meng Yao was nothing if not a fighter. He could not let the father who’d cursed him to a less than hellish existence take away from him the first man who’d ever shown him love and kindness.)   — “Jiang Yanli must marry Lan Wangji.” Jin Guangshan instructed. “And you must ensure that when she does, the boy goes with her.”   — “What boy?”  — “The ward of Jiang Fengmian: Wei Wuxian.” 

So when Meng Yao came to speak with Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan, naturally he brought up the subject of Lan Wangji’s “preference.”  “The Qin family did very well in this regard. They were quite clever in allowing Mo Xuanyu to serve Hanguang-wang; the boy is too low-born to be of any threat. Even if Hanguang-wang’s harem of today becomes the imperial harem of tomorrow, Mo Xuanyu would not be more than a mianshou. His success, on the other hand, would ensure that Hanguang-wang’s favour stay with the Qin family. As we can see, their effort was not in vain. Qin Su became with child rather swiftly. Little Kaisong was born more no later than three months after Jingyi.” Meng Yao explained the delicate nature of the situation to the Jiangs. “If Jiang-guniang is to marry Hanguang-wang, forgive me for my boldness, but she would be wise to bring a male attendant of her own. Wangji is kind and would honour her as his concubine, but the man cannot control his inclinations, as none of us could.”  Yu Ziyuan exchanged a look with Jiang Fengmian. Yanli was older now; waiting for Jin Zixuan to keep his promise had delayed her and possibly ruined her prospects. If this marriage to Lan Wangji were to succeed... he is an honourable man who treated all his concubines equally and with respect. If he grew to like Yanli enough to make her his legal spouse as Meng Yao seemed to think is possible...then one day she would be Empress.  — “Hanguang-wang’s preference is men. Would he not prefer to have a wangfu instead of a wangfei?” Jiang Fengmian was still hesitant.  — “Indeed I’m sure he would, but politics being what it is...” Meng Yao sighed. “I’m sure Wangji understands that having the mother of his heir be his wangfei and his future empress is the best course of action to ensure the stability of the nation. We certainly have no shortage of examples to learn from in history: a shuchu prince with competing shuchu brothers walks a perilous road.”  — “Lianfang-jun is wise.” Yu Ziyuan nudged her husband. “Which young man do you suggest we include in the bridal party?”  — “That I have not decided, which is why I’ve come to see you today. Jiang-fu is a large manor, surely there must be some servants worthy to catch the eye of our Hanguang-wang. Yu-fu’ren, why don’t you assemble them, and we can have a pick?”  — “Lianfang-jun, that is a delightful idea.” 

Wei Wuxian was not surprised at all when all the young men of Jiang-fu under 21 and above 16 were assembled in a courtyard. He scanned the crowd; there were about 20-ish of them. One by one, they were beckoned forward, and when it was his turn, he walked with his head bowed towards the man sitting under the eave on a luxurious wicker chair, holding a fan. The fan was very expensive, drawn by an artist in the previous dynasty. An antique. This must be Zewu-di’s* only concubine, Meng Yao.  — “Greetings to Lianfang-jun.”  — “Raise your head, boy, let me take a good look at you.”  — Wei Wuxian obeyed. Meng Yao looked him over once, appraising and evaluating, before making a pleased little noise. “Hm. Your name?” —  “Wei Wuxian.”  —  “Wei...Wuxian?” Meng Yao gave a pretty laugh. “A rather boastful name for so young a person. My, but you are a lovely thing. Tell me, what is your age?”  —  “Eighteen.”   —  “Eighteen, excellent. It’s unfortunate that your name isn’t something a little more humble. What does your family call you?” —  “My family calls me A-Xian, dianxia.” — “Well A-Xian, if I were to tell you that you’ve been chosen to accompany Jiang-gu’niang to serve Hanguang-wang, what say you?”  — WWX thought *I’d say Lan Wangji better sleep with one eye open*, but said with a gracious and deferring bow of his head, “That would be my honour.” 

[next]

Note: 

houye - marquess ling’ai - a formal way to address someone else’s daughter  wangfei - princess consort  fanwang - a type of high-ranking prince with their own region/land to govern and possibly even their own army to command under imperial rule.  Zewu-di - emperor zewu. 

[snarksandkisses]

What I think about COVID-19 this morning - Malia Jones, PhD, MPH

What I think about COVID-19 this morning

March 5, 2020

 Maybe I'm the closest thing you personally know to an infectious disease epidemiologist. Maybe not--I'm not an expert on this virus by any stretch, but I have general knowledge and training from studying epidemics that is applicable, so here are my thoughts. 

 First and foremost: we are going to see a tremendous increase in the number of US cases of COVID-19 in the next week. This is not because of some new pattern in the spread of the disease, but rather due to a major change in the requirements to be tested. Until yesterday, if you had flulike illness but had not recently traveled to China, Italy, South Korea, or Iran, you could not be tested. This is just the way healthcare works, you get tested if you meet the case definition and the case definition included travel.

 As of yesterday, you can be tested if you are sick and have a doctor's order to be tested. So expect things to feel a lot more panicky all of a sudden. We will see hundreds or thousands of new cases as a result of testing increases.

 Second: is that panic legitimate? Sort of. This is not the zombie apocalypse. The death rate of 30 deaths per 1000 cases is probably a wild overestimate. (The denominator is almost certainly wrong because it is confirmed cases--and we only confirm cases when we test for them). That said, even at 3 per 1000 cases, this would be a big deal. A very big deal. By way of comparison, the death rate for influenza is between 1 and 2 in 1000 cases. So, yeah. Roughly 0x to 30x worse than a huge global flu pandemic? That's a problem.

 Unlike flu, COVID-19 is not *particularly* dangerous for children, so that’s some happy news. It is dangerous for older adults and those with lung conditions, so we need to be extra careful to protect those populations from exposure. 

Also, for millions of Americans, getting any serious illness requiring a hospitalization is a major problem because they can't pay for it. And our health care system is probably going to struggle to keep up with it all. And with China basically closed, our global economy is going to take a huge hit and we'll feel the shockwaves for years. Those are real concerns.

 What can we do? Our focus should be on *slowing down the spread* of this disease so that we have time to get caught up. Here is my advice:

 1. Wash. Your. Hands. Wash them so much.

The current best guess is that coronavirus is transmitted via close contact and surface contamination. A very small study came out yesterday suggesting that the virus causing COVID-19 is *mostly* transmitted via contact with contaminated surfaces.

I have started washing my hands each time I enter a new building and after being in shared spaces (classrooms especially), in addition to the standard practice of washing after using the bathroom and before eating. Soap and water. Hand sanitizer also kills this virus, as does rubbing alcohol (the main ingredient in hand sanitizer).

 There is no need to be obsessive about this. Just wash your hands. A little bit more effort here goes a long way. 

 2. Don’t pick your nose. Or put your fingers in your mouth, on your lips, or in your eyes. Surface contact works like this: you touch something dirty. Maybe it's an elevator button. Virus sticks to your hands. Then you rub your eye. Then you touch your sandwich, and put the sandwich in your mouth. Now there is virus in your eyes and mouth. See?

 You may be thinking, but I don’t pick my nose because I am an adult! An observational study found that people sitting at a desk working touched their eyes, nose, or lips between 3 and 50 times per hour. Perfectly normal grown-ups, not lowlifes like my friends.

 2a. There was one note that came out suggesting that face masks actually promote surface contamination because you're always adjusting them--i.e., touching your face. I don’t know if that’s true. But face masks should not be worn by the public right now, unless you are the person who is sick and you're on your way to or actually at the doctor's office. The mask’s function is to prevent spit from flying out of your mouth and landing on things when you cough or sneeze. It flies out of your mouth and is caught in the mask instead. If you are the person who is sick and not on the way to the doctor, go home. Let the people who really need them have the masks. Like doctors.

 [ETA on 3/6/2020 honestly people I am getting so much push back on the mask recommendation!! The world is running low on masks. If everyone wants a mask so they can feel ok about keeping their Daytona Beach Spring Break plans and then hospitals in India can't buy them anymore, shame on us.]

 Coronavirus does not appear to be airborne in the sense that doesn't remain floating around freely in the air for a long time, like measles does. You are probably not going to breathe it in, unless someone is coughing in front of you. If someone is coughing in your face, feel free to tell them to get their ass home and move 6 feet away from them. (Yeah I know, if you have a toddler, you're screwed.)

 3. Sanitize the objects you and lots of other people touch, especially people outside your family--like door handles, shared keyboards at schools (brrr), salad bar tongs, etc. Best guesses are that the virus can live on surfaces for 2-48 hours, maybe even longer, depending on the surface, temperature, and humidity.

 Many common household cleaning products will kill this virus. However, white vinegar solution does not. You can make your own inexpensive antimicrobial spray by mixing 1 part household bleach to 99 parts cold tap water. Spray this on surfaces and leave for 10-30 minutes. Note: this is bleach. It will ruin your sofa.

 4. "Social distancing." You're going to get so sick of this phrase. This means keeping people apart from one another (preferably 6 feet apart, and sanitizing shared objects). This public health strategy is our next line of defense, and its implementation is what will lead to flights and events cancelled, borders closed, and schools closed.

 For now, you could limit face-to-face meetings, especially large ones. Zoom is an excellent videoconferencing option. If you spend time in shared spaces, see #1. Ask your child's school about their hygiene plan, if they haven't already told you what it is. If I were in charge of a school setting, I'd be hand sanitizing the s*** out of the kids' hands, including in and out of each space, and taking temperatures at the door. I am planning to email our school nurse right after this to ask if they need my volunteer help cleaning surfaces.

 If you can telecommute, do that a little more. If you are someone's boss and they could do their job remotely, encourage them to do that. 

 Avoid large gatherings of people if at all possible, especially if they are in an area with cases OR places that lots of people travel to. If you attend group events and start to feel even a little bit sick within 2 to 14 days, you need to self isolate immediately. Like for a tiny tickle in your throat.

 5. All your travel plans are about to get screwed up. If you are considering booking flights right now, get refundable tickets. ETA: most trip insurance will not cover cancellations due to a pandemic. Look for "cancel for any reason" trip insurance. 

 Considerations for risks related to that trip you’re planning: how bad would it be if you got stuck where you are going for 3 to 6 weeks? How bad would it be to be isolated at home for 2-3 weeks upon your return? Do you have direct contact with people who are over 70 and/or have lung conditions? If those seem really bad to you, rethink your trip, especially if it is to a location where there are confirmed cases. 

 6. If you are sick, stay home. Please! For the love of all that is holy. Stay at home. Your contributions to the world are really just not that important.

 7. There is a good chance some communities will see school cancelled and asked to limit non-essential movement. If someone in your family gets sick your family will almost certainly be isolated for 2-3 weeks (asked to stay at home). You could start stocking up with essentials for that scenario, but don't run out and buy a years' worth of toilet paper. Again, not the apocalypse. 2 weeks' worth of essential items. Refill any prescriptions, check your supply of coffee, kitty litter, and jigsaw puzzles.

 8. I do want to remind everyone that when public health works, the result is the least newsworthy thing ever: nothing happens. If this all fizzles out and you start feeling like ‘Wah, all that fuss for nothing??’ Then send a thank-you note to your local department of public health for a job well done. Fingers crossed for that outcome.

 9. Look, I think there are some positives here. All this handwashing could stop flu season in its tracks! We have an opportunity to reduce our global carbon footprint by telecommuting more, flying less, and understanding where our stuff comes from. We can use this to think about the problems with our healthcare system. We can use this to reflect on our positions of privilege and implicit biases. We can start greeting each other using jazz hands. I'm genuinely excited about those opportunities.

 There is a lot we don't yet know about this virus. It didn't even exist 90 days ago. So stay tuned, it is an evolving situation. The WHO website has a decent FAQ. Free to email or text with questions, and you can forward this to others if you think it's useful.

 May the force be with you. 

 Malia Jones, PhD, MPH

maliajones@gmail.com

 I’m an Assistant Scientist in Health Geography at the Applied Population Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I study social contact of humans, and spatial patterns of infectious disease, among other things. 

   P.S. The number one question I am getting is, did you really write this? Yes. I wrote this. 

 I didn't write it for professional purposes, so I didn't put my work email on it. It was really just meant to be an email to my friends and family in advance of what I expect to be an escalation in the panic level. But it was apparently welcome information and went viral on FB. I've decided not to edit out the swears, even though I wrote this with a much smaller audience in mind. 

 Thanks for checking your facts! Go science! 

[sundoodle]

It's Revue Starlight Monster AU Time 

it's gayer. it fluffier. it's very self indulgent only my ships for me hahahahaaha. All the monsters can transform into humans and back again, this post is gonna be a thread of the animal form ref sheets I made n some tiny details.

A....a LOT of Lore below.

LORE that me and @witchbogs have cowritten  

Human Knowledge of Monsters: 

 Most monster communities Are Isolated from humans, but myths and a vague knowledge that they're out there is the common perception. Rumors if they are dangerous or friendly depends on the region/community.  There are some areas where humans and monsters live alongside each other peacefully. However, noticing if someone is a monster or not depends upon a human's own ability to Perceive Magic 

Our humans are Mahiru, Tamao, Lalafin, Aruru, Akira, and Yachiyo

Lalafin and Aruru grew up around monsters  Akira and Yachiyo grew up within hunter families  Mahiru and Tamao had casual exposure to monsters 

Magical Perception Rank  High: Lalafin, Mahiru, Yachiyo  Mediuim: Aruru  Low: Akira and Tamao

Lalafin grew up in a household that helped protect monsters from hunters. Aruru just grew up chilling with Misora's fam. Tamao had contact with the Hanayagi's but her low perception didn't leave her with much of an impact. Mahiru had the occasional werewolf friend (coughsuzucough)

Akira was raised in one of two very prestigious hunter clans, but her magic perception is utter shit. Her test to become a full-fledged hunter failed because she ended up contracted to Michiru. Akira has no contact with her family and she doesn't really care .

Yachiyo was raised with the other clan and is a full-fledged hunter. Her first solo mission was SUPPOSED to be subduing Fumi, but Fumi transferred and Shiori is....well.  She reports back to her family on the dealings of the monsters in the school.  The accuracy of them shifts.

WEREWOLF TIME 

Our werewolves are Karen, Hikari, Rui, Fumi, Shiori, and Misora 

 werewolves aren't turned, it's a hereditary magic, and families are werewolf packs. however, the transformation only happens if you have a certain level of estrogen in your system.

Transformation can happen at will, however, everyone Will transform during a full moon. Partial transformations often happen when emotions run high and the wolf gets sloppy. Karen, Hikari, and Fumi are all pretty typical wolfies.

Rui is typical in all but size. she is. ENORMOUS. like size of a small car. While the others are generally a normal wolf size. Except also Shiori, who was sickly as a kid, so her werewolf form is rather small, and high levels of stress can keep her trapped in her puppy form for several days

Misora is a trans girl. She is recently started estrogen and reached the threshold for transformations to start shortly before leaving for frontier. most Beginning transformations happen when werewolves are babies, and their bones are still soft, so the transformation isn't hard.  so unfortunately Misora's first couple are painful and she struggles easing into casual ones without the moon. Her fur also starts out real patchy. But everyone at frontier helps her settle in and make sure she's comfortable as possible and are super happy for her when she starts fluffin out

NEKOMATA/bakeneko 

Tsukasa is basically a were-tiger, but with a split tail and some neat magical powers. she helps misora a lot with her transformations and is thrilled to be able to interact more casually with other magical creatures. her fam was real strict on secrecy ( fun side note, Frontier def has a whole lil page dedicated to their 'friendly tiger' who just wanders around and hangs out in the performance dorms so many rumors start flying when a red wolf starts showing up with her )

VAMPIRES 

Claudine, Nana, and Shizuha are all vamps 

full vampirism isn't a heritable trait, since it stops a human from aging. But, vampire clans often adopt orphaned children and turn them if they so choose. Half-vamps are also a thing. Loner vamps are the dangerous ones.

Claudine is a halfie and she chose to join her mother in staying a vampire. She also functions like a Twilight Vampire where she doesn't burn in the sun but sparkles. Everyone just thinks she uses a lot of body glitter. She was originally born in about 1920. Mostly eats meat rare for blood, but if someone offers she’ll take a sip

Shizuha is a pretty new vampire who was raised by a clan. They adopted her from an orphanage and she chose to turn just because she likes her family a lot. Her type of vampire burns in the sun but her health goo is a potion to keep it from killing her. Og born in 1970s. Shizuha’s goo is also her vampire food, but again, will drink from friends who offer (usually lalafin and aruru)

Nana is the oldest vampire. She was turned in a loner accident over 200 years ago. With no vampire support system, she went feral with bloodlust for the first couple decades until she met up with vampire hisame, who calmed her down before leaving her for more civilized vamps.  She then chose to stay in a series of tunnels under where Seisho was built, and stayed there eating rats until Karen dug a hole in the garden and dragged her into the common room to show all her new friends.  Nana works with Junna for her sun-protection and a way to turn mortal. Nana refuses to drink from humans in fear she’ll go feral again

WITCH 

 Junna's a witch. She insists she's simply a scientist with a high magic perception. She deals mostly in potion making rather than spells. She helps Nana create blood-replacements for vampires, vampire sunscreen, and is researching a way for Nana to be mortal again

KITSUNE 

 Maya and Kaoruko. Kaoruko's family is a high profile and important kitsune fam with lots of connections and fae-touched workers Kitsune can do minor wish/curse magic. they can appear as normal foxes as well. Maya's family is known for their talent in acting and slyness

FAE 

 Futaba, Ichie, Michiru are fae Fae are elfish beings with a ranging affinity for magic. Tend to work in contracts OR minor miracles.  Futaba is part of a family who became fae-touched as they worked for Kaoruko's. Her magical ability is low but she excels in noticing spells

Ichie is mostly just a trickster. She does pranks or enchants songs to make people feel happier. Usually they work out, sometimes she gets a mess, her magic can be a little wild.

 Michiru works with contracts and persuasion. She made a deal with Akira to form an acting troupe.  Michiru also feeds off of emotion, which is why she wants an acting troupe in the first place. Theatres and compelling plays provide a bountiful feast for her.  Andrew is Michiru's older brother who prefers the guise of a mole. He likes feeding off negative emotions. he sucks

DRAGON 

 Mei Fan is a dragon. she cool. she breathe fire. her scales can have some magical properties. she can fly. yeah. dragon. 

??? 

 Yuyuko: we just don't know. Except she sleepy and was active during the height of Rakugo/Noh/other traditional Japanese arts

and that is a VERY long thread for the basic information of the plot kjshfjkshf Seiran is technically also in this world. Suzu is a werewolf, Koharu a Kitsune, Hisame a vampire the giraffe and Elle are just the same as in starira. bc i mean they magic. thank you for reading!!!

[tackyink]

I’ve been thinking about languages and curses for a while, and since I have actually had a productive morning writing a Water 7 scene, I feel like I’ve earned the right to ramble a little.

My family was never conservative - my mother’s side more than my father’s, mostly old fashioned women with fairly innocuous views - but they avoided swearing around me so I didn’t pick up the habit, and I went to a semi-private Catholic school, which for the area I lived in (sketchy, but not the worst) meant that all the families who sent their kids there were upper low to low middle class. It also meant we were much more closely watched than the kids going to the public school across the street, though there wasn’t strict policing by any means. I never wore the ridiculous uniform because our class rebelled against it en masse when we were 7-8 and teachers gave up on us and only enforced it on the younger students, take that, Law, but even considering how unruly we were, we were sheltered enough that swearing was a rare occurrence while we were kids.

My mother’s family came from Andalusia, and though she was born Catalan, she never learned the language properly because it was forbidden at schools in her youth. She understands it perfectly and is always happy when someone talks to her in Catalan and she makes her best attempt to reply in it, but she’s lacking many words and grammar from a lack of exposure, since her whole environment growing up was Spanish speaking. My father’s family is Catalan and they were mostly Catalan speakers. My household was Spanish speaking as a result, and I spent a lot of time with my Andalusian grandmother, so her accent’s something I’ve never truly shed (not that I want to). I picked up Catalan at school, from books and from the TV, and as a result, my Catalan was fairly aseptic for most of my formative years.

There’s a key difference between Catalan and Spanish regarding swear words, particularly the more standardized Catalan central dialect: Catalan insults sound plain silly. They sound like jokes. No one’s going to take you seriously if you call someone a figaflor (fig flower) or a cap de suro (cork head). However, Spanish swears a hell of a fucking lot. It swears with pasion and intensity. There’s a swear word ready for every occasion. It’s not uncommon to greet a good friend with an hijo de puta (son of a whore) and in the same breath say about someone else me cago en su puta madre (I shit on his/her whore of a mother). There are lots of whores in Spanish. Our words for “whore” of both the male and female persuasion function as the English intensifier “fucking.” It is, incidentally, indicative of the general perception of sex workers.

In other words, you play Catalan like a fiddle but brandish peninsular Spanish like a spiked mace (and Andalusian like a tank with disco balls), so the moment I got older and I heard less and less Catalan at school, I started to swear way more liberally. I probably had my peak in my later teens, and then I entered university and most of my immediate environment became Catalan speaking again. I got involved in some of the university’s inner workings, too, so that meant I had to watch my language more, but it was easy to dial back because, again, swearing when you’re trying to speak proper Catalan is hard. There’s the occasional merda (shit) or coi (cunt) or collons (balls) for interjections, but insults don’t carry the same weight as in Spanish. 

I am only marginally proud to say that my bad habit rubbed off on one of my best friends, who was studying with me at the time and had actually been raised way more strictly and watched her words a lot more. As the years went by, I reverted to a more moderate point, but she. She swears like a sailor now, even for Spanish standards. I’d say I’m sorry, but she seems way happier than she was when she measured every word, so I’d be lying. Keep on trucking, friendo.

Enter English.

You... you guys have weird swear words. And this confuses us a lot.

Hell and damn are swears in English. Bastard is a grave insult depending on how you sling it. These are regular, innoffensive words in Spanish and Catalan. The word fuck warrants raising the ratings of a product while we repeat joder a hundred times a day, from the moment our clock alarm goes off, to forgetting our keys home, to chipping a nail. We exclaim estoy hasta el coño (I’m up to the cunt) proudly when we’re done with something, but soccer moms go cover their kids’ ears because someone mentioned a devilish part of the (sometimes) female anatomy. And we don’t get it. Which is how you get Spanish speakers swearing left and right in English, not really noticing how extremely agressive they sound. This is my friend now. I am a bit sorry for that, by the way.

I know for a fact that I tend to come across as fairly polite, short, and deliberate in my choice of words in my native tongues, but I always wonder how I sound when I sprinkle swear words in English when I write. I suppose I sound rude sometimes, but might as well, since the cutting edge is easily lost in the transition to text, and... it’s a big part of how I am. You’re getting a normal reply and when you thought you knew where I was going you suddenly get a blow to the head with a blunt object. Understandably, some people don’t take it well.

My parents also swear more now. I feel like a walking destruction vortex absorbing other people’s politeness and leaving them without. And I keep looking forward to the day I can call someone and aixafaguitarres (guitar crusher) and be taken mildly seriously.

[justonecynicsopinion-blog]

Let's Help Make 'Black Lives Matter' MATTER:  10 Things America Needs To Do

"Walking between the pools of light cast by the street lights I saw the group of them from a block away, joking and jostling each other.  In a dark patch I crossed the street.  One of them noticed and they all stopped and stared, their heads rising like wolves testing the breeze for the scent of potential prey.  The tallest one said something and two of them broke from the pack and meandered across to my side of the road, one putting a hand to the small of his back, the other digging one deep into a pocket."

Who is black in that anecdote?  Who is white, yellow, brown, gay or trans?  Does colour change anything in the story for the teller?  Is the narrator 'blue,' a cop?  Off duty?  On duty?  Does that change anything, substantially, in the story?  

Black Police Are the Original BLM Leaders

They Volunteered For The Job of Protecting Blacks From Violence

The cold reality in America today is that guns are as easy to get as smartphones. That cold reality is what the police face every moment of every day.

Another cold reality is that, from the moment that humans got smart enough to band together instead of erring on the side of caution and scattering in the face of a mortal threat, the most dangerous risk any human faced was a more numerous group of humans. What empowered our species to come to dominate the planet was 'tribalism' (otherwise known as 'racism' and the root of 'nationalism'). It is permanently and indelibly hardwired into each and every human brain.

Familiarization with those 'not of our tribe' reduces the power of our instinctive tribalism over our reactions, but it never goes away. And tribalism is not exclusive to whites -- it is true of every human tribe out there.

What's the Most Crucial First Step BLM Has to Make to Succeed?

Black lives automatically matter less if you don't first acknowledge that blue-black lives matter just a bit more than all lives matter.

I'm not being 'cute': if the black community does not first and foremost stand up for the safety of black cops ("blue-black lives”) who are the ‘front line workers’ in their communities -- the first on scene when there’s trouble -- the claim that black Americans are faced with racism that systematically disadvantages them (places their lives in disproportionate jeopardy to that of others) is at best counter-productive, at worst not in their own best interests. Communities are successful only when we police our own people where we live, protecting each other from injury, trespass and property theft. If black cops tell you that they are more nervous about concealed weapons being drawn on them in their own community than in many others, then we can all begin to understand the knee-jerk, 'self-defence through offence' reactions of any cop in a similar situation where they are scared that a suspect may be going into his vehicle or his pocket, against the cops' specific instructions, to get a firearm.

The police have an EXTREMELY dangerous job in a country with more freely available weapons than there are citizens, and they're on high alert any time there's a confrontation, whether that's entirely justified or not. Add to this the fact that 911 calls come in SEVEN TIMES MORE in predominantly black areas and you have seven times the likelihood of high risk altercations taking place, regardless of what colour the police are.

Perception is not always reality and we don't like it when our most emotionally charged perceptions are proven false. The reality is that statistics prove that black men are NOT shot at a higher rate by white police than white men are, despite the impression that we're left with from media exposure. Racism on the part of white cops towards black civilians, outside of some 'bad actors,' is not the principal cause for needles deaths of black Americans: poverty, public education funding through property taxes and 'The War on Drugs' are.

Living in poor neighbourhoods is the highest risk factor for getting into dangerous altercations for people of any colour. In depressed areas crime may seem to be a good way to solve one's poverty, especially when the quality of public education is low. Young residents have far fewer opportunities to lift themselves out of poverty, regardless of individual ability and their interest in doing so. Living conditions can be so miserable and funding for social services like mental health treatment is so inadequate that taking drugs becomes a viable 'medication' for mental health issues. If the system that sets up the causes for unequal outcomes is not addressed, then the poverty, and subsequent risk of death from criminals and police altercations, will never be reduced.

"Defund the Police!" Really Means "Increase Social Support"

The 'systemic racism' in America lies in the fact that black communities continue to face profound inequality, not in the fact that more crime takes place in their neighbourhoods, per se. To fix the inequality problem we don't need less police, we need more health care, better social welfare support (a universal basic income, NOT more welfare for single mothers) and a vastly improved public school system across all American communities.

Using the overly provocative phrase "DEFUND THE POLICE!" detracts from the real message: "INCREASE SOCIAL SUPPORT“. Decreasing the amount of blue-blacks (and blues in general) in their own communities will only lead to the kind of mayhem and instability that holds the citizens of these areas further back in the competition we call life.

If we begin to place the 'right to zero-harm' for every citizen (including the criminals that exist throughout humanity, whether they are white collar criminals, grey collar criminals, blue collar criminals, or criminals whose full-time job is criminality), above that of the blues (the police), then civilization erodes very quickly into pandemonium. Civilization can only exist based upon mutually agreed-to regulations and laws that are enforced by a publicly funded and trusted police force and a judicial system that is fair across the board.

It is this lack of overall fairness, the current inequality of treatment evidenced by the incarceration rate of poor and black people in the US (especially poor black males from fatherless homes), as well as the lack of gainful employment that drives poor people into miserable lives that lead to drug use and crime, that is currently under debate. However, it is the underlying system, NOT the enforcers of the system, that needs reform. People of every stripe who seek simple answers to complex issues look at the most obvious, superficial symptom and claim that THAT is what needs changing, without understanding where the issues that cause the overall problem really lie.

Black Lives Matter: What's the Real Goal of the Movement?

Momentous 'movements' only change history when their aim is clear and the goal is simple. Either that, or, if the goal is complex and the steps numerous, the movement needs a powerful, central voice to coordinate and direct the movement's direction, step by step to achieve its ultimate goal.

Black Lives Matter simply doesn't matter if it has no clear goal that 'the movement' is aiming to achieve, and actionable steps to get there.

"End systemic racism" SOUNDS like just what America needs to improve the lives of many of its underclass, but a problem cannot be addressed if the meaning of its goal is unclear, or is far too complex to ever be achieved by simply shouting the goal over and over again. In the same vein, demanding worthwhile, straightforward social changes that unfortunately fail to address the roots of the underlying problems are just 'half measures.’ A current example is the recent demand to shift funding away from policing toward more social support like addressing inadequate mental health programs. While this is a necessary and wholly appropriate demand, especially given the growing militarization of the police, the enforcers (police) are largely a symptom, it is the laws -- from 'The War on Drugs’ to financing public education through local property taxes -- that are the cause of the problem.

"Systemic racism" means various things to the many and diverse participants in this growing movement. Definitions range from 'fixing the clearly unjust justice system,' to 'giving the underclass a leg up through improved education,' to 'equal outcomes for all, regardless of effort, ability, experience, or merit'. Other notions include 'ending police use of lethal violence against people of colour,’ to 'hand out large sums of cash to the descendants of former slaves,’ and even 'erase racism (tribalism) from humankind's hardwiring' (which would involve re-writing our genetic code).

"Systemic Racism" is Not Racism, It’s Policies, Programs & Laws

Policies, programs and laws expressly designed to keep the wealth-hoarders in charge, making ever more money, while increasing the inequality that prevents the poor from escaping The Poverty Trap. That trap is equally tough to escape no matter what colour you are and it is gettingmore and more difficult to break free from.

“Systemic Racism,” More Accurately, is “Systemic Inequality”

Systemic Inequality can only be addressed by changing programs, policies and laws in a meaningful, effective manner.

What is the Practical, Core Goal of the BLM Movement?

Once slavery was abolished in America, but not until electricity was available in most homes (outside of those households wealthy enough to employ servants), women were the de facto 'household work force,' they were the largely invisible 'engine under the hood’ of the economy. The Suffragette Movement that brought about the right to vote for white women (voting rights for black citizens in America didn't come to pass until much later) could not have come about until women began to be freed from household chores by electrical appliances. The success of the effort to win voting rights for women only came about once the cause of the problem of women being stuck at home 24/7 (i.e. washing clothes in a tub, hauling water, churning butter, hand-sewing clothing, etc.), was addressed. This continues to be the single biggest barrier to female emancipation in developing world countries (if women are out of sight -- even more so if they are all encased in black bags -- they are out of mind).

To solve any problem we cannot focus on the symptoms. The causes of the problem must first be addressed.

The underlying root cause for women not having the right to vote was not simply brutish male egos, it was a fundamental lack of power. Without the freedom to interact in the wider world outside of the home in sufficient numbers to be seen as a force to be reckoned with, without earning salaries to contribute to the household income, without sufficient education to qualify them to rise up into positions of power, women were powerless and could be ignored. Black and brown voices today face a similar challenge. Until the system that underlies their lack of power is changed and they are empowered to ENTER the world outside of their neighbourhoods by being released from ‘The Poverty Trap,’ until they can be given a leg-up to get the education required to fill white collar positions, they will be ignored by the same lawmakers that ignore the poor white voices demanding, for example, universal healthcare.

The ultimate goal of the BLM Movement MUST be to change the policies, programs and laws that undergird the system at its roots, NOT focussing on eliminating racism, whether in law enforcement or in the larger world. Black and brown lives only begin to matter to the wealth- hoarders at the top when their power is threatened, as happened with the Suffragette Movement. Those women were not demanding equal outcomes, they were demanding equal opportunity. That's a key benchmark for BLM to keep in mind if the movement is going to have any real long-term impact:

The fight is only winnable if it is for equal opportunity, NOT equal outcome.

What Goals Proved Achievable for Past Movements?

The Women's Suffrage Movement had a single goal: allow women to vote. Achieving that simple first goal opened up the Women's Rights Movement that followed, much to the betterment of the lives of 51% of the human population in developed countries over the ensuing decades.

The Abolitionist Anti-Slavery Movement had a clear and actionable simple goal: free the slaves.

A civil war had to be fought over it, but America, ‘land of the free,’ became better for achieving that simple goal.

The Black Lives Matter Movement’s single goal should be: end systemic inequality. Yes, the steps to get there are complex and numerous, but with a shared vision, it can be done.

Ending Systemic Inequality Requires a Fire, Not Just A Spark

Keeping a fire going requires the continual addition of fuel. The BLM protests that were sparked by the murder of George Floyd and many others have ignited a much needed conflagration, but like the Occupy Movement and Tea Party Movement that proceeded it, that fire is likely to die out without a unified, clear goal and shared understanding of all the policies, programs and laws that will need changing to result in the goal of ending Systemic Inequality. The fuel that will keep the fire burning will NOT be protests, it will be VOTING and ongoing organization and activism to demand changes to specific policies, programs and laws.

Why is the BLM ‘Fire’ Likely to Die Out?

A Lack of Consensus

The Occupy Movement was able to be crushed by the government for one reason: the occupiers lacked any clearly stated goal. Yes, they all wanted the corporations and the Wall Street gamblers who’d created the 2008 crisis to be held accountable, but they had no single voice to communicate that goal, no coherent steps they wanted to see followed, and no political (voting) power to push their progressive agenda forward.

The Tea Party lacked a clear, singular goal (the usual Conservative laundry list: less taxes, smaller government, immigration control, no black President, etc.), but had major political sway in red states. Yet, despite early success in garnering attention from Republican politicians, by 2016 Politico had declared the movement dead (and indeed the demographic who had initiated it, partly in response to being incensed by the young, diverse, urban, Progressive Occupiers, were older, white, rural and Conservative and have been literally dying off — Trump is their ‘last hurrah’).

To Succeed, Any Progressive Movement Needs:

1. Consensus on a simple, singular goal (a voice),

2. Clear steps to achieve that goal (a strategic plan),

3. The political power to make the steps happen (voter influence).

Without a clear understanding, among the majority, of exactly what the issues are that are causing inequality in American and around the world, we cannot solve complex problems like systemic inequality. A HUGE barrier to doing so is that the vast majority of our human population are not endowed with the ability to assimilate all of the information necessary to address the challenges, much less the ability to understand the roots and inter-connectivity of complex issues and then generate creative, effective solutions.

The majority can raise their voices in protest, but cannot offer up meaningful and effective solutions to the underlying causes of inequality without the leadership of some much more clever-than-average leaders. The solution the mass of protestors are currently offering up, as best I can parse it, is "White people are racist! They have more money than blacks and browns do and they should give a bunch of it to us!" Certainly the rich are currently enjoying ever-less taxation and staggering wealth-hoarding, and that hoarded cash will eventually go a long way to funding the steps necessary to fix the underlying problems (simply starting with making all public schools across America of equally high quality), but cash hand outs that get frittered away will not solve anything long-term. The only way to redistribute wealth that has ever proven effective is the system that the Nordic countries have had in place for many decades: Democratic Social Capitalism.

Taking action against injustice, against the unfairness of inequality, is not only essential to improving the human condition, it is the 'right thing' to do for the majority of us who feel morality in a tangible way, who 'sense' the weight of it in our lives. I was reminded of this in re-listening to Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins discussing the scientific basis of human morality on YouTube. Morality is not simply a concept to be embraced or debated, it is a product of our unique human consciousness and a foundational building block for human civilization. Without our hardwired morality (religion is a just a software manipulation of that hardwiring) there would be no cooperation, no civility, no society for us to live productively and peacefully within.

Of Course Conservatives Resist Change, But Progressives Are Our Future

We hate change, especially in the short-term. Some of us much more than others (they’re called Conservatives). Like our innate tribalism, Conservatism is is an integral part of the human condition. It cautions us to NOT 'fix what isn't broken' and thus helps us to survive to live another day. (I'm always speaking from the point of view of most of our species' existence: the 7,000,000 years we survived since our split from our common ancestor with the chimps, not the 0.1% that we have lived in cities -- what I call our 7,000 year-old 'New Normal.' The circumstances we live in today are most certainly NOT what our species evolved to thrive in most naturally.)

An illustration of the early roots of human Conservatism: if it had always proven wise to have one tribe member stay up all night to maintain a fire burning at the cave entrance to dissuade sabre-toothed tigers and cave bears from coming in to snack on us, experimenting instead with hanging a bunch of dry sticks on a length of cat gut to rattle together to wake us up if an intruder entered the cave probably wasn't a wise innovation. Those individuals who were 'hardwired for Conservatism' back in the day either won out and the fire-tending tradition was maintained instead of the 'trip-wire' innovation, or there were no survivors of that tribe.

In the LONG-TERM, the Progressive innovation of the 'trip wire' helped ensure the survival of the tribe willing to allow the inventor to install it at the back of the cave, where a larger group from a competing tribe could sneak in through the cave system and kill the males and make off with the women and children. While Conservatives fight change (and dream of a return to the bygone fantasy of a better life in the past) in the short-term, they benefit in the long-term from progress. Grandma did NOT want to use her new iPad, at least not until she realized she could watch her grand-kids growing up from afar.

One thing is true of our 'New Normal' and that is that civilization has only flourished over time due to progress. Time and again civilizations of humankind grew and prospered only on the back of Progressivism: innovation that improved the lot of the majority through mutual cooperation. It is only through Progressivism that our cities can grow ever larger, that our ability to feed a human population that is on course to destroy the planet by its ever-increasing volume, is possible. Only by making constant progress can we figure out how to live in peace, rather than tearing each others' throats out due to our hardwiring for irrational tribalism.

In other words, it is only through Progressivism, NOT Conservatism, that humanity can survive in our 'New Normal.'

Let’s Help Make Black Lives Matter MATTER!

10 Things America Needs to Do

We all, deep down, know what the situation is. Despite the abolition of slavery, the door was left open for those who opposed the movement to come up with innumerable subtle and manipulative ways to continue to benefit from the nearly free labour of black Americans, especially the men, by incarcerating them for a myriad of trivial, double-standard reasons and making the length of those imprisonments arbitrarily long. This was taken up another notch by making the prison system for-profit, incentivizing those at the top to increase the volume of imprisonment by increasing the number of crimes related to being poor in the first place (the War on Drugs').

Another intangible barrier to upward mobility was cemented into place by funding public schools from property taxes, thus ensuring that anyone living in poor areas would grow up within a very effective 'Poverty Trap' that would keep poor kids from getting a sufficiently high quality of education that they would graduate 'at parity' with kids from wealthier areas. The ceiling to attaining wealth was raised further by well-meaning, but disastrous 'social welfare for single mothers' programs which have seen young black males who don't have fathers at home being manipulated by criminals in their neighbourhoods to join in and ultimately become incarcerated in their tens of thousands across America. Felony conviction laws then make it nearly impossible for those who emerge from prison to land meaningful work, pushing them back into crime and prison (and working inside, essentially, as slaves for profit-making corporations owned by the rich).

So are there multi-layered issues for us to work through to solve the problem of inequality in America and around the world? Certainly, but it is time to stop blaming 'those not of our tribe' for our tribes' problems (whether your tribe is political, cultural, or colour-based) and get busy doing the effective things that will lead to real change:

1. Stop protesting in the streets! (It really doesn't make much PRACTICAL change happen other than satisfying our inherent love of chanting and marching together in large crowd while patting ourselves on the back and reveling in self-righteous moral outrage.) Put that same energy and investment of time into non-stop emailing, phoning and letter- writing to your Congressional and Senate representatives. They fear losing their seats and they'll listen to well-reasoned arguments and straightforward solutions that will have real impact if the messages come in large quantities.

2. Organize well-reasoned, fact-based (leave the tribal emotions outside) meetings in your living rooms and town halls to come up with REAL, actionable, effective solutions to chip away at the underlying causes, like providing financial incentives like a Universal Basic Income (UBI) to fathers/stepfathers who stick around to parent kids in poor neighbourhoods.

3. DO YOUR HOMEWORK! Educate yourself about the real causes of Systemic Racism and what can be done to change things, or at least allow those leaders among you who can explain the REAL causes (not simply manipulate your emotions to gain power for themselves) to lead (think: The Squad, Tulsi Gabbard and Bernie).

4. Get back to acknowledging and respecting high 'Fluid IQ,' merit-based advancement (equal opportunity, NOT equal outcome), higher education and respect for science and data, as demonstrated by John McCain, deGrasse Tyson, Sowell, AOC, the Obamas, Pelosi and many more on both sides of the debate, but don't accept any 'notions' or 'opinions' about policies that have no historical proof of having worked effectively (Democratic Social Capitalism has been WINNING in the Nordic countries for decades).

5. Fund the Police! Ensure that more funding is going to individual police salaries, rather than hiring more police officers so that really smart people begin taking on the jobs, rather than the 'bad apples' who can't find higher paying jobs and end up hired by desperate municipalities.

6. Increase social support! If there's funding to be found by cutting money ear-marked for the police to buy more military equipment, great, but America has a bottomless pit of funding for anything its citizens really need, its called The Federal Reserve. They just push buttons to create zero interest money to bail out billionaires, corporations and the profit-making of the Military-Industrial Complex. They can do the same for infrastructure and out-of-work Americans if the Houses approve it. Just say no to "PAYGO" — after all, it never applies to bail-outs!

7. Push for an end to property tax funding of public education. All schooling in America needs to be federally funded at the same level everywhere and all teachers need to get paid the same, substantial wage to encourage the really smart people to take on the jobs. In areas where it's clear that kids are chronically under-performing, change the system: bring in tutorial programs that target the most challenged kids, do more field trips and outdoor teaching the way they do in Finland, end the ancient standardized testing and customize programs for each type of kid.

8. End "The War on Drugs"! Addiction is a deep and insidious problem for human brains. It is a disease, not a 'lifestyle choice,' whether the addiction is to food, gambling, sun-tanning, or drugs. Marijuana is legal in Europe and Canada because it is just like alcohol -- a tax-collecting BONANZA! (And then pardon every single criminal conviction based upon the old laws.)

9. Get out and vote! and work tirelessly to convince your family, friends, neighbours and every young person you come into contact with to vote too! Trump won simply because less people voted, and suppressing the vote is the GOP's go-to strategy moving forward.

10. Lastly, end "Citizens United." That single corruption by the Supreme Court effectively ended the "American Democratic Experiment" by using common human greed to corrupt every single politician on both sides of America's single-party/two-colours, Neo-liberal system. No founder of America ever would have bastardized the Constitution by claiming that a profit-making corporation should be treated as a human citizen of the United States of America. Most politicians are now trapped by their common greed within the corporate lobbying cash hand-out system to both fund their campaigns and line their pockets.

***

I have been blogging and vlogging about insights into why we humans do the so-often counter- productive things we do, and how we can turn things around to live our lives to the fullest (the real meaning of life!) for over a decade. Check out more thoughts and insights at:

• JustOneCynicsOpinion.Blogspot.com

• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfi00q5yaQ0nK8wXkEbvk3Q/

• Support my efforts: https://www.patreon.com/JustOneCynicsOpinion?fan_landing=true

[rotationalsymmetry]

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if someone is pressuring you to accept more relaxed Covid-19 safety precautions than you’re comfortable with, stand your ground.

We’re not good at this stuff. We like enemies we can see and, preferably, punch. Can’t do that to a virus. We’re so bad at this. (And the thing where there’s a two week delay between cause and effect doesn’t help either.) It’s normal to underestimate the danger, to write it off. Everybody is doing this. Probably you, the cautious one, are also doing this. One time when I was a kid, my class (or maybe summer camp group?) went to a natural history museum and we did a sort of experiment/demonstration/thing. Two adults stood maybe 10 feet apart, one representing when the Earth was formed, and one representing the present day. Kids were called up to stand where we thought on the timeline various things happened. I got dinosaurs. I stood in the middle. The other kids were calling out that the dinosaurs were really old and must be further back in time. I stood in place. Turned out I was wrong: the kids standing in for human time events were told to stand on each other’s toes right on top of the “present day” adult, and I stood just barely in front of the earliest one. Dinosaurs weren’t older than I thought, they were much, much younger. It’s normal to assume that if what you think is right is different from what everyone else thinks is right, the truth is somewhere in the middle. But often it’s not. Notes and caveats: *Do reality checks: washing food with soap can make you sick, the virus shouldn’t be active on mail for more than a couple days, viral load matters so being passed by a jogger who isn’t wearing a danged mask is still fairly low risk compared to being around someone for an extended period of time, etc. “You’re being excessive” = stand your ground, you’re not. “That won’t actually make you safer or could make you sick in a different way” = time to fact check. *Generally the most effective things are doing the basics more thoroughly, not doing weird extra stuff. Washing your hands often. Avoiding unnecessary outings. Avoiding touching your face, especially when not at home. Wearing a mask. Disinfecting surfaces regularly. *It seems like these conflicts mostly come up around unnecessary outings: whether to have them at all, whether to wear masks and maintain 6 feet distance, etc. If someone you want to meet up with isn’t willing to follow your safety standards, maybe not meeting up is the next best thing. *Bubbles: anyone that you’re not practicing social distancing with, in your household or otherwise, their risk is your risk. You can’t control other people’s behaviors (especially when someone’s job involves a lot of risk of exposure) but you can control yours, and sometimes that means “I’m going to go stay with (friend who works from home) for now” or “I’m sleeping in the spare bedroom.” Getting your partner/roommates/metamour/parents/etc to be on the same page with you is the ideal situation, but if you can’t you still have options. *I live in a one-bedroom apartment with my partner; we still have our “what if one of us might be infected” procedure worked out. Spare bedrooms are nice, but living room couches are functional too; the CDC has more advice on distancing in really cramped spaces, such as sleeping feet to head. *Sometimes there’s “but I could end up homeless/without health insurance/etc” issues. If the risks of standing your ground are worse than the risks of getting infected, just make the best call you can (and I’m really sorry you’re in that situation.)

[cherdocx]

The Potential Of Conversational Commerce | Emily Weiss with Alexandra Shulman | #BoFVOICES 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njfpm6_5fXQ&list=WL&index=3

Emily Weiss:

My background is in fashion, an early 20s measly fashion assistant at some of the best media companies in the world.

I had this incredible exposure to Karlie Kloss when she was 15 and I was tying her shoes, etc - surrounded by incredible women and the thing I always wanted to ask them was, “Who does your hair? What's that lipstick?” - what I didn’t realize is that even though those circumstances were incredibly unusual and unique, that sharing mentality is the most popular way to discover a new beauty product - so today 60% of women in the US say that the number 1 reason they’re convinced to buy a new beauty product that they haven’t tried before is through peer to peer recommendation (which is likely a social media person they’ve never met before but is someone they follow on Instagram or someone they read about on Into The Gloss).

While Into The Gloss pioneered the shift in beauty content from being brand/editor straight to consumer, it put a person in the middle (sharing their routine), which was incredibly unique for media at the time. Certainly YouTube did it first, and beauty is the second most popular category on YouTube right now. I still think what Into The Gloss did still resonates true to our company 7 years later, which is people - people are the unlock to shopping today, regardless of whatever you are considering to buy, you’ve probably read a review about it.

That shift in democracy and giving women voices to be their own expert, and share wherever they are on their beauty journey - is incredibly important to me.

I think in many ways, beauty once had a real stigma around it. Even today, there’s a sentiment often expressed that’s around beauty shaming. When asked about one’s beauty routine, one would say he/she is really low maintenance, when in fact they have an extensive routine/own many products. I think this stigma comes from perfectionism, completeness, and authoritarianism that used to drive beauty purchasing decisions through brands or editors pre-social media and pre-technology.

In this age of sharing, it has really destigmatized beauty, into something where women/men just want to help each other out, as well as saying, I’m proud of where I’m at, to be on a journey, where I have not reached a final destination - in fact, there is no final destination (airbrushed pictures put into media outlets by brands are not resonating, while a User Generated Content picture is resonating).

Even for fashion, we are in an era where information is prevalent, inspiration and fulfillment are all out there/online.

Into The Gloss audience’s household income is a little higher than the Glossier customer’s (because the profiles are of women who spend a lot on beauty). They all share a psychographic more than a demographic, i.e. that desire to share because its helping to share their better decisions.

Instagram followers - we call them customers who haven’t bought yet.

The beauty of today, whether wrt purchases/dating/news, you get to choose now, there’s this power of choice because of social media and technology. Whose story are you going to listen to? Which narrative do you want to believe? You probably aren’t going to listen to the first source of information you access (e.g. the salesperson at Sephora, you probably will look through the internet and find the information yourself instead). 

One of the key learnings from doing hundreds of interviews on Into The Gloss between 2010 and 2013 when we started to build Glossier: there was this incredible breadth of product, i.e. there’s no shortage of stuff but there’s a shortage of context and of integrity (in terms of product and quality, as well as the values that your company/brand stands for). While luxury is a loaded word today, one of the core tenets of luxury is quality (regardless of whether it is a luxury experience or a luxury product).

Original idea of Glossier: let’s create a beauty company whose sweatshirt you want to wear, in terms of the consumer being so aligned with the company/ company is relevant to consumer - so much more than just a product/stuff.

How do you build a beauty company of the future, one that evolves with their customer where the customer is a part of the company/everything you put out, because there has never been a time more than now where the customer is always right.

So the first 4 products for Glossier - the idea is to start with skincare, and then evolve/launching something new every 6-8 weeks, much like a magazine/content (Glossier is actually based on the word ‘dossier’) and to do that in conjunction with our community/build the first beauty lifestyle brand wherein you can be category-agnostic/only hero products/launch very few items (very counterintuitive to a lot of the beauty companies who launch 150 SKUs, make everything with one vendor, have things that are great and others that are not so great) - we wanted to offer this incredible new luxury experience and we were able to do that by going direct to consumer, and not be beholden to retail partners/wholesalers who are going to make your brand become something so that it fits on a certain gondola/aisle of a store. So everything that we’ve chosen to do has been because it’s better for her, and she said she wants incredibly high quality beauty products/ wants to combine 3 aspects to create the ultimate beauty product and those are sentiments that we listened to over years of building Into The Gloss.

How do you make your customer feel involved - simple, just involve him/her. You’ll find ways to actually ask for questions and then build that in to what you do.

Since the beginning, the mandate for Into The Gloss has always been to be inspired, period. Into The Gloss is a platform for talking about the best in beauty and for discovery, as well as to give us feedback, it’s our number one microphone if we want to tell customers/readers when and why we’re going international/why we’ve sold out of everything/ask them what they want in a candle scent - we can gather all that information and share all those stories on Into The Gloss; we actually stopped being a media business when we launched Glossier so we can focus on premium content, on telling women the best about beauty across the world/internet. We’re just going to keep being inspired and talking about things we like - we’re very proud of the products we make, we spend a lot of time working on them.

I believe my job is to be a conduit, my job has always been to listen and make people happy. I love women, people, and the power that people have already. I don’t like the word ‘empowered’ - people are just powerful, period. And we want to help them unlock/realize that power. So my voice is on an individual level, not nearly as important as that of our customers/readers, and that’s the biggest difference between these titans of the industry/pioneering women like Estee Lauder - there was no YouTube/social media then, so their customers had no platform, it was just them and they had an incredible amount of riding on what was their message of what these products would unlock for their followers. The stories and narratives that these women needed to craft and embody were ones that, at the moment worked really well (values/image/social status/aspiration of the time) but today, those values have changed, and our core value at Glossier is inclusivity. My voice is one of many, and even Glossier the company, our voice is one of many - we are not the rule makers, we are just providing product, platform and content so that it become tools for other women to write their stories.

[emospritelet]

HC Prompt: "I suppose it's just me and you then."

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4] [Part 5] [Part 6] [Part 7] [Part 8]

AO3 link

Supper was a pleasant, jovial affair, with everyone helping themselves to the food, and the conversation turning to festive games and the plans for a walk before dinner the next day.

“Will you come to church in the morning, Miss Marchland?” asked Alice.  “The servants are all going, and I’ll take the children, too.”

“Thank you, I’d be delighted,” said Belle, and glanced at Ogilvy and the Professor.

“Oh, they never go,” said Alice, waving a hand.  “Couple of heathens, the pair of them.  It’s up to you and I to provide some moral guidance in this household.”

“If I need moral guidance I hardly think I need look to the church,” remarked Ogilvy.  “Nor to you, I might add.  It’s not so long since you were caught slipping a frog into Mrs Potts’ bed, as I recall.”

“I didn’t do that!” said Alice indignantly.  “It was a toad!”

“Ah, well, that makes all the difference, clearly.”

“And I was nine!”

“Which, if I remember rightly, was no comfort to poor Mrs Potts and her warty new bed-partner.”

Alice giggled, and set down her glass of wine.

“How you didn’t throw me out of the house I shall never know.”

“Endless patience and a large supply of whisky,” he remarked, and she shot him a fond look.

“Why don’t we have some music?” she suggested.  “Two new pieces came this week, and I haven’t heard them yet.”

“To the library, then,” said the Professor, closing his book around one finger to keep his place.  “Miss Marchland, you expressed an interest in seeing a little more of the world.  I’d be delighted to show you the relics of some of our travels.”

Ogilvy gave him a hand to help him out of the chair, and they wandered out, deep in conversation about something.  Belle heard a vague reference to Lady Ella, and frowned curiously, her ears pricking up.  They were talking in too low a tone for her to catch the conversation, and she gave up, not wanting to pry.  Alice trotted over to her, taking her arm as they made their way to the library.

“I thought the gramophone was magic when it first arrived,” she confessed.  “Papa used to sit me in front of it and play music over and over each evening.  I think it’s wonderful.”

“As do I,” said Belle.  “I remember thinking the same, when I first saw one.  Not to mention the cinematograph.  I found myself wanting to understand all the wonderful science behind it.  Human inventiveness never ceases to amaze me.”

“Yes,” sighed Alice.  “I wish it were always used to produce things of beauty, things that bring happiness.  Too many people are greedy and cruel.  There should be more beauty in this world.”

“Well,” said Belle, patting her hand as they entered the library.  “You must try to add to that beauty where you can.”

“Well, I - I do like to draw,” admitted Alice, curling her lip a little and looking uncertain.  “I’m not sure I’m any good - Papa says so, but he thinks everything I do is good - but I do enjoy it.  Perhaps it’s silly.”

“Of course it isn’t silly,” said Belle warmly.  “You must do it as long as it brings you pleasure.  I’d like to see some of your drawings, if you want to show me.”

Alice beamed, eyes sparkling, and she squeezed Belle’s arm.

“Would you - would you mind very much if I called you Belle?” she asked, a little awkwardly.  “Miss Marchland seems so - so formal.  Papa said I should ask.”

Belle smiled.

“Of course you may,” she said.  “If I may call you Alice.”

“Oh, please do!”  

Alice’s grin widened, and she released Belle’s arm as they entered the library.  A fire was burning merrily in the hearth, the room pleasantly warm, and the Professor had wandered over to one of the bookcases and was tugging at a carved wooden box on the bottom shelf.  Fresh greenery had been strewn across the mantelpiece, and Belle lifted her nose to sniff the air, boughs of pine and sprigs of rosemary sending up a clean scent.  Ogilvy was setting up the gramophone, a leather-bound box of heavy disc records already open beneath the little table it sat on, and Alice hurried across to squat down beside him.

“Something cheerful, I think,” she said.  “You can listen to the slow ones when I’ve gone to bed.”

He shot her an amused look.

“Why don’t you choose, then?” he suggested.  “I think I’ll have a drink.”

Alice immediately started looking through the records, and Belle approached the Professor, who had lifted the wooden box onto the nearby desk and was pawing through the contents.  She peered in curiously, seeing gleaming crystals in a myriad of colours, strange carvings in pale wood and soft stone, implements in worked silver and wrought iron.

“So many things,” she said, fascinated.  “Where do they come from?”

“Oh, all over the place, really,” he said vaguely, pushing his glasses up his nose.  “Sometimes I like to get something local to whatever area we’re in.  They have a special sort of energy about them, you know.”

He selected a small figurine, carved from a few lines in greenish stone.  It was in the shape of a thin, bald man with his arms flat to his sides and a grotesque expression on his face.  

“This was given to us in Scotland.  A house in Roslin.  Rumoured to chase away evil spirits.  I’m not sure how much use it is, but every little helps, I always think.”

Belle took it from him, the stone smooth and cool in her hands.  The carved figure seemed to stare at her with deep-cut eyes, its mouth a grim slash, and she placed it back in the box with a slight shudder.  He held out something else, a shining black crystal about the length of her index finger.

“Obsidian,” he announced.  “Good for protection.  You should take it, I have others.”

“Oh, I couldn’t,” she said hastily, and he gave her a look over the top of his glasses.

“It would give me a little peace of mind, if not you,” he said.  “Please.  Take it.”

She opened and closed her mouth, but took the crystal from him.  It was cool and smooth in her palm, and she shivered a little as she looked it over.

“Alice said that you investigate strange occurrences,” she said, trying to keep the scepticism from her voice.  “What sort of things, if I may ask?”

“Ah!”  He held up a circular piece of what looked like tarnished silver.  “I was looking for that!  Never know when you might need a little extra help in shielding.”

He turned the piece of silver over and over in his hands, thumbs rubbing at the surface, which appeared to have been intricately worked with a Celtic knot design.

“Professor?” prompted Belle, and he started and looked up.

“What?  Oh - all sorts of things,” he said vaguely.  “Hauntings, possessions, people disappearing…”

“But - but it’s not really hauntings, is it?” she persisted.  “Aren’t these things just parlour tricks?”

“Well, on occasion,” he agreed.  “But then you can’t always tell that from a letter, so they have to be looked into.  Sometimes it’s jokers playing pranks, of course, or children scaring themselves.  One time we uncovered a quite elaborate plot to get the true beneficiary of a will to transfer the family home to another relative by terrifying the beneficiary out of his wits.”

Belle nodded, satisfied, but he eyed her, turning the silver circle between his fingers.

“Sometimes it is pure human greed and mischief,” he said gravely.  “But sometimes it isn’t.  Sometimes it’s far worse.  There are many strange things in this world, Miss Marchland.  As you’ll no doubt discover.”

“Me?” she said, puzzled.  “I shouldn’t think that I’ll be travelling with you on your adventures.”

“Really?” he said, his eyes crinkling as he smiled.  “I thought you might enjoy the change of scene.”

Music started up from behind them, a cheerful, upbeat tune, and Belle turned to watch Alice dance her way over to the chairs by the fireplace and flop into one of them, singing along to the song.  Ogilvy had returned, carrying two glasses of the honey-gold mead, and she reached out out to take the glass from him with a smile.  The Professor waved away the other.

“No no, I think I’ll have a whisky,” he said.  “I was just telling Miss Marchland about some of our travels.”

“Oh yes?”  Ogilvy turned his attention back to her, eyebrows raising.  “Well, it seems we may have to go away again very soon.  Perhaps you might like to accompany us, Miss Marchland.”

“I—”  She opened and closed her mouth.  “But - the children’s education…”

The Professor smiled, and bustled off get himself a whisky.  Ogilvy’s eyes gleamed.

“Oh, we can work something out, I’m sure,” he said.  “What’s that you have?”

He gestured to her curled fist, and Belle held up the finger of obsidian.  She refused to call it a wand, even though her mind was whispering the word to her.

“Oh, the Professor gave it to me,” she said.  “He says it’s for protection.”

“And so it is.”  He held out his hand.  “Would you like me to carry it for you? You seem to be suffering from a distinct lack of pockets in that dress.”

She smiled, holding it out to him, and Ogilvy took it, tucking it into the pocket of his waistcoat.  He turned to the box of trinkets, taking a sip of his mead and setting down his glass.  Belle watched as his hands gently ran over them, long fingers stroking over polished crystals and smooth stone and tracing the lines of worked silver.

“So many memories in here,” he mused.  “I swear Doc likes to collect something from every town we visit.”

“He said something about energies,” said Belle.  “I have to confess I didn’t really understand what he meant.”

Ogilvy straightened up, glancing across at her.  Her mouth was twisted a little in its smile, the light of scepticism in her eyes.  He couldn’t blame her; she would have had no exposure to the darker things in life, and he was grateful for it.  It almost seemed a shame to change that fact.  A necessary evil, but he still felt a twinge of regret for what she would lose by it.

“Well, there are different energies in different places,” he said gently.  “And sometimes, things from that place can retain a little of that energy.  These crystals have different uses, too.  The obsidian, for example, is excellent for repelling more malign entities, but pieces such as this rose quartz are used in healing.”

He held up a pale pink stone the size of a hen’s egg, and Belle reached out to take it from him, turning it between her fingers, her brow crinkled in confusion.

“But - but they’re just rocks.”

“Rocks with a certain power,” he said.  “As with all things on this earth.  You just need to know how to recognise and harness it, that’s all.”

Belle glanced up, raising a brow as she placed the crystal back in his palm.

“Like - like some sort of natural magic?” she asked, her voice heavy with disbelief.  “You don’t mean that, surely?”

“Is it so surprising to you?”

“Well, a little,” she admitted.  “I thought you were a man of science.”

“And so I am.”

“Well, how can you believe in something that you can’t observe?”

His smile widened.

“You’re the one going to church tomorrow.”

Belle shot him a flat look.

“That’s entirely different.”

“Is it?”

She was silent for a moment, and he could see her thinking.

“Most children in this country are raised from birth to believe in an omnipresent God,” he added.  “But humanity has been around far longer than the Christian church.  What do you suppose our distant ancestors believed?”

Her eyes narrowed a little, and he could feel the curiosity rising up in her as she took a step closer.

“I don’t know,” she said thoughtfully.  “I suppose they viewed things differently, didn’t they?  Ancient gods and goddesses, the power of nature, perhaps. Offerings to Mother Earth for a good summer and a bountiful harvest.”

“Much as churches up and down the land give thanks at Harvest Festival today,” he observed.  “Perhaps things aren’t so different now, Miss Marchland. Perhaps there is value in the old ways, too, and the power some attribute to one God comes from many sources.”

Her mouth curved in a tiny smile, her eyes gleaming, and he felt love for her surge within his chest, pushing up into his throat in a warm bubble.

“Perhaps you’re right,” she said.  “Perhaps I ought to open my mind a little.”

“I think we would all benefit from that philosophy,” he said.

He closed up the box, fingers sliding over the carved wooden lid, his heavy gold ring gleaming in the lamplight.  Belle reached out, letting one fingertip rub over the polished surface of the blue-grey moonstone, and he watched her flinch, her eyes widen.

“I - I’m so sorry,” she whispered, drawing back and looking mortified.  “I’m sorry.  Forgive me, I - I don’t know why I did that.”

“It’s quite alright,” he assured her, his voice gentle.  “Would you like to see it?  Here.”

He slipped the ring from his finger, holding it out to her, and after a moment Belle reached out to take it.  She bent her head a little, turning it between fingers and thumbs, and he watched the light shine on her hair, strands of bronze and copper.

“It looks very old,” she observed.

“It is,” he said.  “The stone is far older than the ring itself.  I believe that one was reworked in the latter part of the seventeenth century.”

She looked up, eyes wide.

“That is old,” she said.  “How did you come by it, if it’s not an impertinent question?”

“It was handed down,” he said.  “I’m only the latest in a long line of bearers.”

“Oh.”  She held up the ring, turning it this way and that.  “Will you pass it on to Nicholas?”

Ogilvy smiled.

“Who can say where it will end up?”

“Papa, will you dance with me?”

Alice’s voice made them look around, and Ogilvy took a sip of his mead, setting the glass down on the desk.

“If you put on something a little less exuberant, certainly.”

She led him away, and Belle looked down at the ring in her hands, frowning a little as she looked it over.  There was a strange feeling, a creeping sensation on the nape of her neck, almost as though she was being watched.  She watched the light gleam on the polished moonstone, a sense of familiarity stealing over her, although she was certain that she had never seen the ring before.  An image came to her, unbidden, and disappeared almost before it took form in her mind.  She chewed her lip, frowning, and filed the thought away to puzzle over later.  Taking up her glass, she had a sip of the mead, letting the sweet taste spread over her tongue, and smiled as she watched Ogilvy turn Alice around to the joyful tune from the gramophone.

x

It was nearing eleven when the music selected became slower, the jaunty sounds of cheerful voices and brass instruments exchanged for more placid orchestral arrangements. From her chair by the fire, Alice yawned widely, hiding it behind the back of her hand.

“Well, I think I’ll go to bed,” she said, getting to her feet.  “Goodnight.”

She smiled at Belle, and bent to kiss the Professor’s cheek.  He returned the gesture, patting her hand affectionately.

“Goodnight, dear.  I’m going up myself in a moment, I just need to fill the children’s stockings.”

“We put the mince pies next to the chimney breast if you need to fortify yourself for the task,” she said.  “With the large brandy you asked for.”

“I may take that to bed with me, then,” he said appreciatively.  “Goodnight all.”

He set aside his book and pushed to his feet, heading off to the living room.  Alice trotted over to where Ogilvy was looking through the gramophone records, and he straightened up with a disc in his hands.  Belle had returned his moonstone ring to him earlier in the evening, and it caught the light as he carefully removed the record from its sleeve.

“Goodnight, Papa,” said Alice, kissing his cheek.  “Sweet dreams, and don’t stay up all night.”

“Goodnight, darling.”

Ogilvy kissed her back, and she beamed at him before sauntering out.  Belle folded her hands in her lap, watching as he placed the disc on the gramophone and lifted the needle onto it.  A slow piece began to play: an opera aria that she vaguely recognised, and Ogilvy glanced across at her, golden light from the lamps catching his glasses and picking out the silver at his temples.  He licked his lips almost nervously, a brief pass of the tip of his tongue.

“Well,” he said.  “I suppose it’s just you and me, then.”

“So it would seem,” she said.

He nodded, and she noticed that he was turning the ring on his finger again.  It seemed a nervous trait with him, an unconscious habit.

“Would you - ah - care to dance?” he asked hesitantly.

It wasn’t proper, by any means, not when they were alone, but after the first few inner admonitions, which spoke with the voice of her former governess, Belle smiled.  The mead had made her bold, and she decided that she very much wanted to dance with him.  Who would ever know, after all?

“I should love to.”

His smile widened, and he strode over and held out his hand, helping her up from the chair and stepping backwards on the polished wooden floor.  Belle moved closer, his other hand sliding around her waist, and she rested her own on his upper arm.  Standing this close to him was a little overwhelming, and she caught her lip between her teeth as she looked up.  He was watching her calmly, his lips slightly parted, as though his own breath was a little heavier, and she swallowed hard as they stepped into a slow waltz.  His hand was very warm around hers, and she could feel the heat of his body through his jacket. She felt a little light-headed, and she wondered how strong the mead was.

She had always been a good dancer, but she was surprised by how good he was, light on his feet, leading her perfectly.  She was also surprised by how naturally the dance seemed to flow, as though they had been practising, as though they had been partnered for years.  He was smiling at her, his eyes bright with emotions she couldn’t interpret, and she let herself melt into the dance, losing herself in movement and music and the scents of pine and rosemary.

The tune ended, the gramophone sending out a tiny, rhythmic scratching noise as the needle circled the centre of the disc over and over, and Belle sighed regretfully.  She expected the dance to stop, but Ogilvy kept up the slow turning steps, continuing to move them in a gentle circle.  He began to sing something in a language she didn’t recognise, low and lilting, the words soft and flowing from his mouth with rounded consonants and a rolling of r’s. She recognised none of them, but something about the song was familiar, as though part of a dream she couldn’t quite forget.

The song finished, but he kept up the waltz, humming the tune as they danced, and Belle tilted her head to catch his eye.

“What was that?” she whispered.  “Is it - Gaelic?”

His hand tightened on hers a little, and his smile was brief, and somewhat sad.

“A dead language,” he said.  “A ghost of a memory, nothing more.”

“People do still speak it, you know,” she said.

“No no, I didn’t mean—”  He shook his head.  “No matter.”

Belle caught her lip between her teeth as they turned, eyeing him curiously.

“Will you sing it again?”

He smiled a little, and began to sing in that low, lilting voice, mouth pursing as it formed the words, breath whispering over his lips with soft sibilants.  She could see the way his tongue flicked the roof of his mouth, wrapping around each syllable, and she closed her eyes as the sound of his voice poured over her.  The tune was mournful, haunting, and it tickled at the back of her mind, as though she ought to remember it.  Her eyes flicked open, fixing on his as the song ended, and they drew to a stop.  His hand was warm on her waist, his eyes dark and deep, and Belle let out a contented sigh.

“That was lovely,” she said, and he smiled.

“It’s been years since I sang that one,” he said quietly.  “Lifetimes.”

“It sounds so sad,” she said.

“A lament,” he explained.  “A man mourning his lost love, asking the gods to reunite them, in this life or the next.”

“Very sad, then,” she said, and felt something pull at her, deep in her chest.  A forgotten longing.  “I hope he found her.”

“Yes.”

His voice was barely more than a whisper, and she wondered who he had lost in life, her heart aching a little for his pain.  He released her hand, his other leaving her waist, and she took a step back, the cool of the room seeming to steal over her skin, making her shiver.

“I - I suppose I should go to bed,” she said.  “No doubt tomorrow will be a busy day.”

“Yes,” he said quietly.  “No doubt.”

He reached into the pocket of his waistcoat, drawing out the length of obsidian, and held it out to her, pressing it into her palm and folding her fingers around it with his own as his eyes caught and held hers.  She felt her breath hitch in her chest, her heart thumping hard, and he smiled, a brief twitch of his lips.

“Goodnight, Miss Marchland,” he said.  “I wish you pleasant dreams.”

He gave her a tiny bow of his head, releasing her hands and stepping back from her before heading for the doors.  Belle watched him go, her heart still thumping, skin tingling from his touch.

[marginallygreen]

Dry shampoo — hot damn

All the questions you didn’t know to ask about this new hair product deal.

We wanted to write an article about a couple of hair products — but then we started doing some research on dry shampoo and shit got real fast.

To people with all different hair types: we see you and we love you because their are lots of different kinds of dry shampoo from stuff for naturally dry hair to the real greasy shit — you just gotta find the right kind for you. Love for all.

If you don’t use dry shampoo this article still has info about other things that are good to know. Obvi we would think that cause we wrote this shit but it’d be cool if you listened to us anyway.

When did dry shampoo become a thing?

We are obvi people who ask too many questions for lyfe to answer. But once we started researching dry shampoo, one of the first questions that came to mind was: what is the history? How long has this been a thing for humans?

I always thought of it as something for skinny blondes with beach waves using it, but that’s probs just cause ads + skinny blondes are seen as the shit in a lot of Western societies. Sadness all around (no offence blondies, but everyone is beautiful).

As usual, we are mooching off of other people’s info and making sure their sources seem legit. There’s this sweet blog we discovered that had a lot of info on dry shampoo, so here are a few highlights — but if you want to know more you should go check it out (it’s worth your time).

1401–1500 - People in Asia knew what was up. They used clay as a form of dry shampoo in the 15th century. Idk why but the century thing has always confused me… just one of those things (truth).

1701–1800 - It was used for wigs in the US. My guess is because those things created some sweaty ass heads. But I may be projecting my sweaty ass head probs onto others. Lyfe.

1940s - This is when the commercial shit became a thing.

1940–1970 - Homemakers wanted a quick fix to deal with their hair, cause that life is no joke.

1960s - As usual, a celeb made it more popular. This time it was Lesley “Twiggy” Larson. But I’m usually not very interested in celebs so let’s move on.

Ok so dry shampoo: WTF?

I remember looking at a dry shampoo bottle and thought: what the fuck are humans doing to their hair? I mean for real.

I didn’t know what was in that shit so I decided to make my own, but was supes lazy and didn’t take the time to look up some of the chemicals in dry shampoo and why they might be bad for you. But here are some chemicals to look out for if you use it:

Talc

In doing a little research, we found out one of the main culprits: talc. This stuff is def one to look out for, cause it’s bad.

Talc is a material made from magnesium, silicon, oxygen, and asbestos fibres. And inhaling asbestos fibres can be a real bitch.

The American Cancer Society has listed talc as an ingredient to avoid because asbestos is “known to cause cancers in and around the lungs when inhaled.” So best avoid that mofo cause cancer is not something to fuck with.

Propane

Dry shampoo in aerosol cans (which we’ll get to more of that later) also use some form of propane or butane to achieve that misty glory.

Low amounts of propane/butane are usually chill, but that doesn’t mean you should be spraying it all over your greasy head every damn day. Studies cited by the National Institute of Health have linked overexposure to propane to respiratory problems and headaches.

As with most things, the bad side effects come from LOTS of consistent exposure to this stuff. But it’s worth knowing about chemicals that can cause problems.

And if there’s a natural alternative to achieve the same result (spoiler: there totes is), then why not check that out?

Triclosan

Exposure to triclosan has been linked to a higher likelihood of colon cancer. This chemical is also bad news for the environment: in the US, it’s listed as one of the top 10 pollutants found in rivers.

And once this gets in a river, it turns into a toxin that can kill algae and other plant life. Aside from dry shampoo, this stuff is also real common in household soaps and toothpaste.

Other things to watch for

With commercial dry shampoo, there’s usually lots of chemicals at work. There’s a website called The Good Guide that provides loads of information about beauty products. It also lists what chemicals are in each, and if they are banned in any countries.

Naturally, we were curious about some of the best sellers so we looked it up. You can see how they perform in this nifty chart below.

Here’s how to read it: the higher up towards the top a bubble is, the more “use restrictions” the product has. A use restriction just means that in at least one country, regulatory bodies have made some laws against using too much of a chemical in consumer products.

The further to the right a bubble is, the higher the hazard score. This is a score created by the Good Guide website summarising the potential downfalls of stuff, both environmentally and for personal health.

Do people even use dry shampoo?

This shit sells. Who would have guessed that dry shampoo was a hot industry? But apparently it is. One of the top dry shampoo sellers is a company called Batiste. They sell 2.2 cans every second. That’s a lot of fucking cans.

The dry shampoo industry was worth 3 billion dollars (2.3 in pounds) in 2017. Idk about you but I did not see that number coming. And the industry is expected to grow even more in the next several years. This stuff is making it pour dolla dolla bills.

Out of curiosity we thought it would be fun to see how often people Google dry shampoo. I know you’re totes jelly of our fun filled lives.

In the past five years, search interest for “dry shampoo” has doubled according to Google search trends. Google assigns a search index score to everything that people search for with a number from 0–100, but they don’t tell you the raw search volume cause they’re stingy like that.

Basically, 0 = no one really cares, and 100 = peak dry shampoo searching. And at the start of 2018, Google reached peak dry shampoo fo sho.

We should all probs chill with the spray cans.

Another thing worth mentioning: aerosols. You might use them on the regs. Not saying that as a judgment thing — we sometimes use them too, but are trying not to (hence this blog).

Examples of this aerosol shit? That airy, SPF 50 sunscreen with the spray top. Your fave perfume that makes you smell like good things. Also, most dry shampoo. That kinda stuff.

Most things that take a liquid and spray it out into some vapor-like shit is an aerosol, and those can be bad fucking news for the environment. They contribute to global warming and deplete the ozone layer. But to be fair, we’ve gotten a bit better.

Here’s the deal: before the 1970s, aerosol cans used this ozone-depleting chemical called chlorofluorocarbons (try saying that while drunk…most people just call them CFCs to keep it simple).

By the 1980s, most companies had taken this shit out of their products and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formally banned it from future products. So like, halfsie thumbs up.

Basically, this means that aerosols are still allowed as long as they don’t have CFC. But they still emit hydrocarbons which also contribute to global warming.

Hydrocarbons are better than CFCs but still not good. Kinda like eating cheap Italian food. Still tastes nice but we want fancy ass carbs in our lives — aka we should be aiming for no aerosols.

Maybe more importantly, aerosols emit this shit called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which have been shown to add to ground-level ozone levels. More ground-level ozone = more asthma-inducing smog.

This has gotten bad enough that the state of California has started regulatingany products known to have VOCs. Cue Where Is the Love by Black Eyed Peas am I right?

Algae luv

Wow we’re in p deep to this hair stuff; but I guess there is no turning back at this point. So here is some other semi-related stuff we found while deep in the hair product archives of my soul.

This next bit is about anti-dandruff shampoo, so not the same, but kinda like a second cousin. I came across some info that suggested anti-dandruff shampoos often contain something called climbazole. Yeah, I didn’t know what the fuck that was.

Apparently, climbazole is a fungicide that has been linked to increasing phototoxicity in algae and other water-dwelling plants. Phototoxicity just means plant injury — I obvi had to look that up too. Also “has been linked” means that smart people are doing research to find out more, but it’s still worth paying attention to.

Also why is algae that important? You may remember from science class (which full disclaimer I did not), or maybe you had to look it up. A person’s brain can only remember so much. I mean, I knew vaguely that I should think algae was important. I knew it mattered in my heart of hearts but couldn’t remember why.

Basically bb creatures eat algae. They rely on that shit. And then bigger creatures eat the little ones because lyfe is brutal.

But then the chain just continues so less algae = less bb fish, etc. Obvi too much of a good thing can be bad too so we need there to be a balance and chemicals can get in the way of that.

The dry shampoo in my lyfe.

Just a quick heads, I personally have an interesting hair texture. I usually wash mine once a week, maybs twice if I’m super sweaty and it smells like ass — but I like to take on the grime.

I also have dry but greasy hair and no one ever taught me how to take care of it, so I use a mixture of things for all different hair types. But ya gotta know your body — the dry shampoo that works for me won’t work for all hair types.

I make my own dry shampoo so I don’t have to worry about the chemicals and I can’t love this shit enough. For real though. I can’t be washing my hair every day but I have major grease issues.

Here’s my regimen: I pretty much shower and then start using the dry shampoo once the grease really starts to show. I have some thick ass hair so I have to apply it in layers by the roots.

Since I have darker hair I use cocoa powder. It does smell, but I found the only issue is that I want to eat chocolate more — kinda like being in a bakery without being able to eat the sweets. But I’m getting p good at channelling my midwestern religious upbringing to practice self-discipline.

I usually apply it with my fingers. Some people use old makeup brushes but I didn’t have one of those since I don’t wear makeup on the regs, and just got makeup brushes last year. I was totes stuck in the 90’s just applying stuff with fingers, but my younger siblings were appalled so they gave me makeup lessons. What is lyfe?

Once I make the dry shampoo I usually keep it in one of those bb jam jars or a spice container. You know — reuse shit.

The recipe I use is easy and I found it on another blog — I obvi wasn’t the one to come up with the recipe. I realise this recipe won’t work for all hair types, but give it a go. The ingredients are supes cheap and it’s easy to whip up.

If you feel like this recipe doesn’t work for your hair texture, but are real into finding something without chemicals, please message us. We can go on this journey together.

Marginally Chill. Good vibes to all.

This post was originally published on marginallygreen.com. Come say hi.

[multipleservicelisting]

Just When Restaurants Thought 2020 Couldn’t Get Any Worse …

Most New York City restaurants, if they followed the rules and adapted to the pandemic, have been able to serve seated customers for a total of about nine months this year.

Francie got seven days.

A polished brasserie near the Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge hoping to make a name for itself with a crown roast of duck, Francie had originally scheduled its opening for June. That was before the world changed, though. Construction in the city was halted. When it resumed, permits took longer than ever. Narrow sidewalks outside Francie’s limestone building, combined with some inconveniently placed hydrants, made outdoor dining impossible.

The owners, John Winterman and Christopher Cipollone, kept making adjustments, spending $3,000 on filters and ultraviolet lights to sanitize the air in their dining room. Francie finally opened on Dec. 4, using no more than 30 of its 122 seats, as mandated. A week later, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced that starting Monday, he would pause indoor dining in the city until a spike in Covid-19 cases subsides.

“We have to make heartbreaking phone calls to 16 employees, and they’re going to be in limbo,” Mr. Winterman said. “Which, in professional terms, sucks.”

That feeling is shared by people at places that had a longer run than Francie. Having to shut dining rooms that were reopened only in late September gives restaurants one more kick at the tail end of a year when everyone and everything seemed to conspire against them.

We can start with the coronavirus itself, which might have been custom-engineered to inflict maximum damage in rooms where strangers talk animatedly in close proximity. (Note to the build-your-own-reality cult: That’s a figure of speech. It wasn’t engineered at all.) But the more we learn about it — including the results of a South Korean study showing that an infected person had passed the virus to somebody sitting more than six feet away after just 10 minutes of exposure — the more we understand that people are unusually vulnerable to infection when they are inside restaurants.

We could move on to public-health authorities and politicians at all levels, from local to global, and what a poor job they have generally done at helping people understand the importance of minimizing our risks. Had we continued to listen to what the experts knew, at least by early summer, about how to avoid spreading the disease, we might have brought it under control so that indoor dining would not be as risky now. But we blew it, and Covid has lunged back out of the shadows like a monster in a horror movie.

We should stop to admire the unfunny comedy act of Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Cuomo, who are so busy bickering and contradicting each other that they can’t deliver a unified message. Not that these guys need any help being contradictory; each contradicts himself, changes his mind, signals one thing and then does another.

“The blanket shutdown is a little bit of a betrayal,” said Mr. Winterman, who had supported Mr. Cuomo’s strategy of targeting small geographic areas based on their case rates and hospitalization numbers. Mr. Cuomo undermined his case for a citywide shutdown when he acknowledged that restaurants and bars accounted for less than 2 percent of new Covid cases, while saying that “74 percent of new cases are coming from household gatherings and living room spread.”

Outdoor dining, which is allowed to continue for now, would be safer in theory if all restaurants were following regulations that call for at least half the wall areas to be left open. But many aren’t, and enforcement has been scarce. The colder it gets, the more the streets and sidewalks are covered by dining areas so fully walled in by plywood and plexiglass that anyone who sits in them is, as far as the virus is concerned, eating inside a restaurant.

Mr. Cuomo did promise to extend the moratorium on commercial evictions, which would have expired on Jan. 1. Congress did pass the CARES Act, which wasn’t perfect but kept many unemployed restaurant workers afloat, as long as they weren’t undocumented. But the Paycheck Protection Program was a disaster for many restaurants, as industry groups pointed out, repeatedly, each time Congress had a chance to fix it, and declined. Another bill that would budget up to $120 billion to bail out independent restaurants and bars is slowly gathering cobwebs in Washington. Congress hasn’t explicitly told restaurants to drop dead yet, but then the year is not quite over.

Hellish though this is for restaurateurs, it’s no better for their employees, whether current or former. Those who were not hired back when dining rooms were allowed to run at 25 percent of capacity but were hoping to return when the limit was raised to 50 percent or higher must now be worried that they won’t have jobs before spring. Many of those who were waiting tables indoors were facing stressful conditions and an elevated risk because they had to spend their whole shifts breathing the same air as customers who took their masks off the minute they sat down.

Some of those servers may be able to get work outdoors. Will their tips cover the cost of the cold-weather gear they’re going to need when winter really digs in? Already in the past two weeks, with early-evening temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s, the crowds have been thin. Most outdoor tables are empty long before the 10 p.m. curfew, although some owners are asking to stay open later to make up for the lost indoor revenue.

The only silver lining I can imagine is that those jerks who won’t put their masks on when they’re placing an order may decide to cover their faces with scarves when it gets cold.

For diners, those of us who don’t work in restaurants but merely appreciate them and, as money permits, try to keep them in business, all this means that winter may be even more grim than the lockdown this spring. We were younger then. We still remembered what it was like to eat a spring roll that was hot from the fryer, to stand too close to a stranger at the bar, to walk up to a host without a reservation on a Friday night and get a smile that redeemed the whole week.

  Multiple Service Listing for Business Owners | Tools to Grow Your Local Business

www.MultipleServiceListing.com 

from Multiple Service Listing https://ift.tt/39GhVWy

[wineanddinosaur]

Chris Christensen of Bodkin Wines Is Inventing New Wines and Promoting Inclusion

When Chris Christensen graduated from Stanford in 2003, he found himself searching for the same thing many recent grads do: a career that wouldn’t box him into the monotony of a 9-to-5 workplace. In 2003, he found a solution by working as a lab intern at Gallo of Sonoma. Though he didn’t know it at the time, his decision to avoid a confining job by working at a winery would lead him to one of his life’s greatest passions.

After Gallo, Christensen worked around Dry Creek Valley at smaller wineries before settling at Medlock Ames, where his love affair for Sauvignon Blanc and inspiration to start his own brand began. Seventeen years later, Christensen’s journey in the wine industry has led him to start Bodkin, proving that you don’t have to have it all figured out right away.

Bodkin Wines launched in 2011, and the following year, Christensen made America’s first sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, which became the flagship wine for the brand. As an ode to Christensen’s love for medieval history, Bodkin is named after a battle in the Hundred Years’ War. Of the 15 wines he’s made, 11 have scored 90 or higher on Wine Enthusiast.

With a love for both wine science and craftsmanship, Christensen’s minimalist philosophy of “Let the chemistry do the heavy lifting” guides his signature style of high-acid, low-alcohol wines. In addition to his Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, Bodkin also offers a number of aromatic white wines, Zinfandel-based co-ferments, and quaffable rosés.

As a Black winemaker, Christensen wants Bodkin to be a vehicle for promoting inclusivity in the wine industry, as well as imparting his knowledge to aspiring winemakers of color. He works to promote diversity through speaking engagements, podcasts, and mentorship opportunities for aspiring vintners and winery owners, and aims to continue these channels for opportunity in any way that he can.

What has made Bodkin wine so appealing to consumers, beyond its taste, is Christensen himself. A breath of fresh air in an industry whose representatives can sometimes appear too buttoned up, Christensen is a self-taught vintner who drinks Coors Lite but can tell you about the fermentation process with ease.

VinePair chatted with Christensen about what’s next on his journey.

1. When did you first realize you loved wine?

Growing up in a non-drinking household in Iowa, I didn’t really have any exposure to wine or wine culture until I came to California to go to college. I cannot say there was an exact moment or definitive experience where I knew I loved wine. I definitely had an interest in wine when I decided that working at a winery would be a good way to spend a couple years after graduation until I would go out and get a “real” job. I guess since I’ve chosen to stay in the wine business, it has been a more slow and gradual kind of love that has been growing inside me over the past 17 years.

2. What inspired you to start Bodkin Wines?

Oddly enough, winemaking is one of the few career paths you can take on where a B.A. from Stanford does you no favors. After working eight years in wine production, my career had hit a plateau of sorts where my lack of formal education had limited my career growth. Although I had been reading academic texts on winemaking and had immersed myself in learning the hows and whys of the thought process behind making wine, there wasn’t anything on my resume that showed my true abilities. I realized that starting my own brand was really the only space where I could showcase my skills and vision in winemaking.

3. What’s the coolest thing you’ve done in your role at Bodkin Wines?

Making America’s first sparkling Sauvignon Blanc in 2012 is both the coolest thing and the stupidest thing I’ve done as a winemaker. It’s pretty cool to be able to say you’re the first person to do something, particularly in a field that has the history and gravitas as enology does in America. However, looking back at it now, I shake my head and say what was I thinking? A 31-year-old in my second vintage of winemaking for the brand who had never made sparkling wine before. Why would I try to make a wine that hadn’t been made before, and pay for it by borrowing money against two credit cards and rolling those balances over to a third card that was offering zero percent APR on balance transfers? Having to recount this story here it reminds me that there’s a thin line between a leap of faith and jumping to your own doom.

4. The pandemic has caused a lot of brands to adjust and pivot. What significant shift has your business faced this year that you had never considered before?

From the start, I built Bodkin Wines to be a brand where we sell 50 to 60 percent of our wines to out-of-state distributors and 35 to 45 percent to retailers and restaurants in California. With the pandemic, there was a three-month period this year where we sold all of 20 cases of wine through those aforementioned channels. The saving grace for the business was our direct-to-consumer sales through the website. With more people drinking at home these days, we’ve seen an increase in online orders. What before had only been 5 percent of our total sales has become closer to 30 percent of the bottled wine that is sold.

5. In your opinion, what is the best and worst thing that has come out of the pandemic, for your business and for the industry as a whole?

With the increase in web sales, there were some growing pains for sure. I’ll be the first to admit I was caught flat-footed by the amount of time and effort needed for customer service and was slow to get systems in place to manage such a sharp increase in business from out of nowhere. I’m thankful to have these problems, though, as I feel both blessed and energized by all this newfound interest in my wines, and this has really forced us to level-up as a business. Shout-out to Marissa Machado, my e-commerce, website, and wine club maven, who has been a total rock star in helping guide the business through this growth phase.

It’s easy to say that the increase in wine sales during the pandemic is good for the wine industry. However, it’s also a case of the rich getting richer with seven of the largest wine conglomerates seeing the vast majority of the 27 to 30 percent growth in wine sales. I will say that whatever gets people drinking more wine will raise the tide and help lift up all wineries, which I feel like I’m seeing. However, the thing that has me most excited for post-pandemic life is seeing changes to state liquor laws in many states. With the increase in to-go dining from restaurants, many states have softened up their laws on to-go sales of alcohol. I hope this is a small first step in a broader movement for states to revisit their alcoholic beverage laws and start to make more changes that better reflect the desires of the people in our modern era.

6. Are there any new initiatives you are working on with Bodkin Wines or in the wine industry in general?

In light of all the challenges of harvest 2020, I’ve been excited to embrace a more “natural” approach to winemaking this year. Personally, I’ve become more “woke” to the sourcing of the foods I eat and things I put in my own body, so for this harvest, I really tried to limit the additions I made to my wines. Although I wasn’t able to do the vintage additive-free, when I did need to make one, I used all organic-certified and vegan winemaking products. Additionally, this was the first vintage where I made no yeast additions. All of my lots this year spontaneously fermented, the more technically precise term for “native yeast” fermentations, which was a fun experiment to try. I’m saying it was “fun” because I’m pretty happy with the way the wines worked out, though there definitely were some moments of tension while I was waiting for the ferments to kick off, for sure.

7. What’s the most fun part of winemaking to you?

I really enjoy the chase of perfection. It’s the pursuit of making a wine so perfect that I cannot find any fault in it when judged against the impossibly high standard of the idealized wine I set out to make. That’s what keeps me coming back vintage after vintage. I will say that while I’ve taken pride in every wine I’ve bottled and thought a handful of wines were close to reaching the goals I set for them, there’s only one wine I’ve made that’s exceeded my unfairly high expectations, and that was the 2013 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc from Rogers Family Vineyards in Dry Creek. That wine just hits different, though.

8. As a Black-owned wine company, how do you hope that the industry will change marketing narratives and amplify more diversity?

I feel like we are making a positive (yet long overdue) step in the right direction as an industry. Every time someone showcases the story of or features products from a maker from a community of color, it not only helps that producer keep producing in a business sense, but it also lights up a beacon of awareness for others in the community to see. Keeping up the momentum of the movement and continuing to advance the dialogue of diversity over the next several years is the first step to affecting meaningful change in the industry.

9. What advice do you have for up-and-coming winemakers in the industry?

Work hard, taste a lot of wine, don’t be afraid to ask questions, work for a variety of winemakers who specialize in different varieties of wine, and learn the science behind winemaking. While these standard tidbits of advice are helpful in getting aspiring winemakers pointed in the right direction, developing a strong sense of objectivity when it comes to your own wines is what will keep you on the right track. Being able to look at your own wines as they are, without ego or bias, is essential. Being able to judge your own work by its merits and detractions is what will allow you to learn and grow in your craft. If you think every wine you make is great, you’ll never open yourself up to the idea that there are areas where you can improve, while conversely, if you only look at the faults in your own wines it makes it hard to take the risks you need to make really progressive and interesting wines. All in all, customers, somms, distributors, and critics are all going to have opinions about your wines, and you need to have a strong internal compass to keep the praise from going to your head and the critiques from going to your heart.

10. What’s your long-term vision for Bodkin?

Over the past nine years, I’ve accomplished the majority of the goals I had when I started out back in 2011. From making America’s first sparkling Sauvignon Blanc in 2012, to having 90-plus point scores stacked up like cordwood, being a winemaker for “The Bachelor” star Colton Underwood, to being named to the Wine Enthusiast’s 40 under 40 list this year … I’ve checked a lot of my boxes, professionally. I’ve been appreciative of what I’ve accomplished but I wasn’t replacing my goals with new ones as fast as I’ve been checking them off and was really feeling lost in a way.

It wasn’t until the BLM movement and renewed national attention on racial inequality when I started to feel that Bodkin Wines could be a vehicle that could help affect change. I now see the brand as a platform to showcase diversity and promote inclusion in the wine industry. Additionally, I feel strongly that the work I’ve done and the knowledge I’ve gained over the years is wasted if I’m not able to pass it on to others. While making wine and selling wine are still paramount, moving forward into the next 10 years of Bodkin Wines, I’m really excited to focus on helping other winemakers and wine professionals — particularly those of color — through internship placement and mentorship opportunities.

The article Chris Christensen of Bodkin Wines Is Inventing New Wines and Promoting Inclusion appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/chris-christensen-bodkin-wines/

[johnboothus]

Chris Christensen of Bodkin Wines Is Inventing New Wines and Promoting Inclusion

When Chris Christensen graduated from Stanford in 2003, he found himself searching for the same thing many recent grads do: a career that wouldn’t box him into the monotony of a 9-to-5 workplace. In 2003, he found a solution by working as a lab intern at Gallo of Sonoma. Though he didn’t know it at the time, his decision to avoid a confining job by working at a winery would lead him to one of his life’s greatest passions.

After Gallo, Christensen worked around Dry Creek Valley at smaller wineries before settling at Medlock Ames, where his love affair for Sauvignon Blanc and inspiration to start his own brand began. Seventeen years later, Christensen’s journey in the wine industry has led him to start Bodkin, proving that you don’t have to have it all figured out right away.

Bodkin Wines launched in 2011, and the following year, Christensen made America’s first sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, which became the flagship wine for the brand. As an ode to Christensen’s love for medieval history, Bodkin is named after a battle in the Hundred Years’ War. Of the 15 wines he’s made, 11 have scored 90 or higher on Wine Enthusiast.

With a love for both wine science and craftsmanship, Christensen’s minimalist philosophy of “Let the chemistry do the heavy lifting” guides his signature style of high-acid, low-alcohol wines. In addition to his Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, Bodkin also offers a number of aromatic white wines, Zinfandel-based co-ferments, and quaffable rosés.

As a Black winemaker, Christensen wants Bodkin to be a vehicle for promoting inclusivity in the wine industry, as well as imparting his knowledge to aspiring winemakers of color. He works to promote diversity through speaking engagements, podcasts, and mentorship opportunities for aspiring vintners and winery owners, and aims to continue these channels for opportunity in any way that he can.

What has made Bodkin wine so appealing to consumers, beyond its taste, is Christensen himself. A breath of fresh air in an industry whose representatives can sometimes appear too buttoned up, Christensen is a self-taught vintner who drinks Coors Lite but can tell you about the fermentation process with ease.

VinePair chatted with Christensen about what’s next on his journey.

1. When did you first realize you loved wine?

Growing up in a non-drinking household in Iowa, I didn’t really have any exposure to wine or wine culture until I came to California to go to college. I cannot say there was an exact moment or definitive experience where I knew I loved wine. I definitely had an interest in wine when I decided that working at a winery would be a good way to spend a couple years after graduation until I would go out and get a “real” job. I guess since I’ve chosen to stay in the wine business, it has been a more slow and gradual kind of love that has been growing inside me over the past 17 years.

2. What inspired you to start Bodkin Wines?

Oddly enough, winemaking is one of the few career paths you can take on where a B.A. from Stanford does you no favors. After working eight years in wine production, my career had hit a plateau of sorts where my lack of formal education had limited my career growth. Although I had been reading academic texts on winemaking and had immersed myself in learning the hows and whys of the thought process behind making wine, there wasn’t anything on my resume that showed my true abilities. I realized that starting my own brand was really the only space where I could showcase my skills and vision in winemaking.

3. What’s the coolest thing you’ve done in your role at Bodkin Wines?

Making America’s first sparkling Sauvignon Blanc in 2012 is both the coolest thing and the stupidest thing I’ve done as a winemaker. It’s pretty cool to be able to say you’re the first person to do something, particularly in a field that has the history and gravitas as enology does in America. However, looking back at it now, I shake my head and say what was I thinking? A 31-year-old in my second vintage of winemaking for the brand who had never made sparkling wine before. Why would I try to make a wine that hadn’t been made before, and pay for it by borrowing money against two credit cards and rolling those balances over to a third card that was offering zero percent APR on balance transfers? Having to recount this story here it reminds me that there’s a thin line between a leap of faith and jumping to your own doom.

4. The pandemic has caused a lot of brands to adjust and pivot. What significant shift has your business faced this year that you had never considered before?

From the start, I built Bodkin Wines to be a brand where we sell 50 to 60 percent of our wines to out-of-state distributors and 35 to 45 percent to retailers and restaurants in California. With the pandemic, there was a three-month period this year where we sold all of 20 cases of wine through those aforementioned channels. The saving grace for the business was our direct-to-consumer sales through the website. With more people drinking at home these days, we’ve seen an increase in online orders. What before had only been 5 percent of our total sales has become closer to 30 percent of the bottled wine that is sold.

5. In your opinion, what is the best and worst thing that has come out of the pandemic, for your business and for the industry as a whole?

With the increase in web sales, there were some growing pains for sure. I’ll be the first to admit I was caught flat-footed by the amount of time and effort needed for customer service and was slow to get systems in place to manage such a sharp increase in business from out of nowhere. I’m thankful to have these problems, though, as I feel both blessed and energized by all this newfound interest in my wines, and this has really forced us to level-up as a business. Shout-out to Marissa Machado, my e-commerce, website, and wine club maven, who has been a total rock star in helping guide the business through this growth phase.

It’s easy to say that the increase in wine sales during the pandemic is good for the wine industry. However, it’s also a case of the rich getting richer with seven of the largest wine conglomerates seeing the vast majority of the 27 to 30 percent growth in wine sales. I will say that whatever gets people drinking more wine will raise the tide and help lift up all wineries, which I feel like I’m seeing. However, the thing that has me most excited for post-pandemic life is seeing changes to state liquor laws in many states. With the increase in to-go dining from restaurants, many states have softened up their laws on to-go sales of alcohol. I hope this is a small first step in a broader movement for states to revisit their alcoholic beverage laws and start to make more changes that better reflect the desires of the people in our modern era.

6. Are there any new initiatives you are working on with Bodkin Wines or in the wine industry in general?

In light of all the challenges of harvest 2020, I’ve been excited to embrace a more “natural” approach to winemaking this year. Personally, I’ve become more “woke” to the sourcing of the foods I eat and things I put in my own body, so for this harvest, I really tried to limit the additions I made to my wines. Although I wasn’t able to do the vintage additive-free, when I did need to make one, I used all organic-certified and vegan winemaking products. Additionally, this was the first vintage where I made no yeast additions. All of my lots this year spontaneously fermented, the more technically precise term for “native yeast” fermentations, which was a fun experiment to try. I’m saying it was “fun” because I’m pretty happy with the way the wines worked out, though there definitely were some moments of tension while I was waiting for the ferments to kick off, for sure.

7. What’s the most fun part of winemaking to you?

I really enjoy the chase of perfection. It’s the pursuit of making a wine so perfect that I cannot find any fault in it when judged against the impossibly high standard of the idealized wine I set out to make. That’s what keeps me coming back vintage after vintage. I will say that while I’ve taken pride in every wine I’ve bottled and thought a handful of wines were close to reaching the goals I set for them, there’s only one wine I’ve made that’s exceeded my unfairly high expectations, and that was the 2013 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc from Rogers Family Vineyards in Dry Creek. That wine just hits different, though.

8. As a Black-owned wine company, how do you hope that the industry will change marketing narratives and amplify more diversity?

I feel like we are making a positive (yet long overdue) step in the right direction as an industry. Every time someone showcases the story of or features products from a maker from a community of color, it not only helps that producer keep producing in a business sense, but it also lights up a beacon of awareness for others in the community to see. Keeping up the momentum of the movement and continuing to advance the dialogue of diversity over the next several years is the first step to affecting meaningful change in the industry.

9. What advice do you have for up-and-coming winemakers in the industry?

Work hard, taste a lot of wine, don’t be afraid to ask questions, work for a variety of winemakers who specialize in different varieties of wine, and learn the science behind winemaking. While these standard tidbits of advice are helpful in getting aspiring winemakers pointed in the right direction, developing a strong sense of objectivity when it comes to your own wines is what will keep you on the right track. Being able to look at your own wines as they are, without ego or bias, is essential. Being able to judge your own work by its merits and detractions is what will allow you to learn and grow in your craft. If you think every wine you make is great, you’ll never open yourself up to the idea that there are areas where you can improve, while conversely, if you only look at the faults in your own wines it makes it hard to take the risks you need to make really progressive and interesting wines. All in all, customers, somms, distributors, and critics are all going to have opinions about your wines, and you need to have a strong internal compass to keep the praise from going to your head and the critiques from going to your heart.

10. What’s your long-term vision for Bodkin?

Over the past nine years, I’ve accomplished the majority of the goals I had when I started out back in 2011. From making America’s first sparkling Sauvignon Blanc in 2012, to having 90-plus point scores stacked up like cordwood, being a winemaker for “The Bachelor” star Colton Underwood, to being named to the Wine Enthusiast’s 40 under 40 list this year … I’ve checked a lot of my boxes, professionally. I’ve been appreciative of what I’ve accomplished but I wasn’t replacing my goals with new ones as fast as I’ve been checking them off and was really feeling lost in a way.

It wasn’t until the BLM movement and renewed national attention on racial inequality when I started to feel that Bodkin Wines could be a vehicle that could help affect change. I now see the brand as a platform to showcase diversity and promote inclusion in the wine industry. Additionally, I feel strongly that the work I’ve done and the knowledge I’ve gained over the years is wasted if I’m not able to pass it on to others. While making wine and selling wine are still paramount, moving forward into the next 10 years of Bodkin Wines, I’m really excited to focus on helping other winemakers and wine professionals — particularly those of color — through internship placement and mentorship opportunities.

The article Chris Christensen of Bodkin Wines Is Inventing New Wines and Promoting Inclusion appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/chris-christensen-bodkin-wines/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/chris-christensen-of-bodkin-wines-is-inventing-new-wines-and-promoting-inclusion

[solarpricingxbvy328]

Homeowner’s Guide To Going Solar - Department Of Energy

Solar Panel For Home Price

Table of ContentsSolar PriceInstallation Cost Of Solar Panels 2021How Much Does Solar Panel Installation Cost?How Much Do Solar Panels & Installation Cost?Solar Panel System CostHow Much Does Solar Panel Installation Cost?Are Solar Panels Actually Worth It? A Cost AnalysisHow Many Solar Panels Does It Take To Power A HouseSolar Panels PricesSolar Panels PricingSolar CostSolar Panels For Home PriceSolar Panels: Are They Worth It?Solar Calculator: How Much Do Solar Panels Cost?Cost Of Solar Panel InstallationCost Of SolarAre Solar Panels Worth It? - Home Improvement

When you get a cost price quote from a solar business, you'll have a much better understanding of how going solar will impact your financial resources.

One of the most typical questions individuals ask when they are considering setting up photovoltaic panels on their house is "How much do solar panels cost?". To respond to that question, let's take a look at the average solar panel installation expense and what affects that cost. We'll likewise take a look at a couple of simple methods to decrease those costs and the finest way to get a really accurate estimate of solar panel cost for your house.

How Expensive Is Solar Energy

How Much Does It Cost To Install Solar Panels?

Think utilizing the US typical photovoltaic panel costs. (the current average is around $18,600 but it can differ significantly by your house and area) Get a much better price quote for your specific home with our totally free solar panel cost calculator listed below. Get a true quote with complimentary quotes from expert solar installers As I discussed above, typically house owners typically spend around $3 per watt for a complete photovoltaic panel system with setup.

This is just the national average though and so your real costs may be a lot more or much less depending upon many elements such as location and your particular house. A better way to get a quote of just how much solar panels may cost you to install on your house is with our free online photovoltaic panel cost calculator listed below.

Solar Panels Cost Guide - Prices & Calculations

For the most accurate solar panel expense and savings examination just go to UnderstandSolarPower. com and finish a fast questionnaire to get more info about particular solar panel expenses and cost savings for your real house (home solar cost). By utilizing this approach, specialists can take into account your specific roof size, age and other information, which will truly assist you make the most informed choice possible.

Odds are that your actual set up will cost more (or less) than that $18,600, as you most likely don't require that specific 6. 2 kW installation. A larger house or a larger household typically suggests a bigger solar installation, and that indicates a bigger expense. Have a look at the graph listed below, where we lay out approximated solar costs by setup size, to see what we indicate.

Solar Panel Cost For Home

We pointed out that the average cost has to do with $3 per watt, however in reality prices range from a low of $2. 70 in some states to $3. 70 or more in others. We formerly checked out typical $/ watt installation costs one state to another, and here are a couple of highlights from across the nation: You can see that, simply in this small sample, costs differ by as much as $0.

And bear in mind that's a $0. 71 distinction per watt. For a 6,200 watt setup, that's a total cost distinction of $4,400. While California and Arizona are in the middle, those states are usually great value due to the fact that they have actually greater production provided the quantity of sunlight exposure. The good news is that, no matter where you live, there are tax credits and financial incentives for solar homeowners. rooftop solar cost.

Solar Systems Pricing

The federal Financial investment Tax Credit (likewise referred to as the ITC or federal solar tax credit) is the single most significant financial incentive for solar house owners, and all house owners are eligible for this remarkable credit! It enables you to declare a federal income tax credit equal to 30% of your solar panel setup costs.

Needless to say, that's big cost savings! There are a couple crucial points to learn about the federal ITC:, so if you're thinking about going solar, do it this year. When the new years begins, your investment expense will go up! In 2021, that credit will drop to 22%, prior to finishing passing away off at the end of 2021.

Solar Panels: Are They Worth It?

The IRS will not write you a check for that $1,000 difference, as the ITC is non-refundable. It will just drop your owed taxes to $0 - prices on solar panels. If you're on a set earnings or retired, talk to your tax preparer to see if you can completely benefit from the credit. It's not all problem though.

If you purchase your own solar setup by means of cash or a loan, you are eligible for the tax credit. If you finance by means of a lease (like is typical at Sunrun and SolarCity/Tesla), the business not you owns the installation and the tax credit. An excellent solar installer can assist you out with these incentives and rebates and supply you with details about the programs that you may get approved for.

Cost Of Solar Energy

Other incentives, like utility rebates, your installer will likely assist you out with or even get in your place. They must know precisely how to optimize your rewards to the fullest capacity by utilizing any local and federal programs offered - solar energy panel cost. Remember that since not every home will have the exact same energy usage rates, even if they are the very same size, it is advised to make use of an expert solar installer in order to get a precise estimate for your house and household requirements.

You're also spending for the other equipment like the inverter, wiring, and mounting hardware as well as the set up labor, style, permitting charges, sales tax, marketing, and sales procedure. Fun fact: the solar panels only account for about 15% of your total setup expense! On top of that, you may likewise need shingle repair work, roof upgrades, or tree trimming or elimination if your roof gets excessive shade - price to install solar panels.

Average Cost For Solar Panels

Obviously, installers aren't just trying to be annoying or up-sell with these repair work. Experts approximate that solar setups should last 25 years or more rather a long time - installing solar panels cost. The finest solar installers will mention whether your shingles must be replaced ahead of time, as eliminating solar setups to change a roof generally costs $2,000 or more.

If there's just localized damage where you wish to set up solar possibly water or hail damage for instance you can usually just replace the shingles that will be covered by the solar panels. It can be exceptionally aggravating if your installer advises brand-new shingles prior to you install your photovoltaic panels.

Cost Of Solar - Solar Power Now

It's much better to understand all of this now prior to you have a solar setup on your roofing, then to find out in 10 years! Nearly all solar installers either carry out roof repair themselves or have a company they work with that'll cut a discount to do both together, however we encourage you to bid out the procedure prior to making any decisions.

With all these expenditures, you're probably questioning whether installing solar is even still an excellent investment. That's a great concern! In a word, absolutely. In fact, with setup expenses dropping over 60% since 2010, solar is a better financial investment than ever prior to! And while the cost of solar innovation continues https://en.search.wordpress.com/?src=organic&q=solar power to drop, the cost of utility electrical power continues to go up. cost of residential solar panels.

Do Solar Panels Save Money?

9% each year. That's really the main core of solar cost savings. You pay a one-time charge (ie your setup cost) in 2019 to set up solar and you're then able to prevent those energy cost walkings as well as the current high energy costs for the next 25 years. Obviously, some states like California, New york city, and Hawaii have much higher energy rates than in other states, so solar savings will be biggest in those states, however that doesn't suggest it's a bad decision in other areas.

You can likewise see that property owners in certain states like Utah, Oregon, and Colorado, see greater savings thanks to incentives or more powerful sunshine than states like Florida and Texas which delight in comparable utility rates but offer absolutely no or couple of solar rewards. But even in those states, setting up solar on your roofing is still a rewarding financial investment! Here are some methods that you can save on your solar panel costs and find the finest offers, while still making sure that you get a top quality planetary system and setup.

5 Things You Need To Know Before Installing Solar Panels

In reality, a 2017 research study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory concluded that smaller local solar panel installers often charge about 10% less than big national solar panel installers such as SolarCity and Sunrun, likely thanks to lower marketing and customer acquisition expenses, so make sure to check out local options (home solar cost).

If you can pay for to pay upfront in cash then you most likely should - photovoltaic system cost. It is the easiest method to save thousands of dollars on interest, leasing fees, and all the other costs that funding will require. Simply to show you just how much you can save by paying in money, let's envision you got a 5% interest, 12-year loan to pay for your $18,600 solar setup.

Solar Panel Systems 101: Specs, Costs, And Benefits

How Much Does It Cost To Install Solar On An Average House

As pointed out above, solar tax credits and refunds are definitely among the absolute best ways to save cash on solar costs. Talk with an expert installer and find out what local and federal programs are offered for your home. Benefiting from all of the available rewards can equate to tremendous cost savings in a lot of cases.

As of 2019, there are still some excellent rewards around! South Carolina, for example, offers a 25% state tax credit for solar setups. Together with the comparable federal tax credit, this adds up to a 55% discount on the whole expense of your solar setup! The state of Utah provides a similar tax credit worth 25% of the installation cost, or $2,000, whichever is less.

Solar Panels For House Cost

We highly suggest this technique as it will conserve you time and give you the most accurate price quote available for your anticipated photovoltaic panel costs.

The very first and most obvious question we receive from people thinking about solar energy is: In this short article, we attempt to respond to that concern to the finest of our capability, however it is necessary to keep in mind that each solar system is a custom-made solution. It's likewise essential to comprehend what goes into determining the cost of a planetary system - solar system installation costs.

Solar Costs Per Watt

Solar Panel Installation Cost

There are 2 primary setup methods for solar: roof mounts and ground installs. Roof mounts are connected to existing structures. Ground installs and carports need additional posts that should be anchored into the ground. This typically results in greater labor and element expenses. There are 2 standard variables with photovoltaic panels: power density and color.

For example, a photovoltaic panel that is the same size may produce in between 300-400 watts, depending upon the power density. Typically speaking, the more power dense the panel, the higher cost per watt. Color is the other variable with solar panels - roof solar panel cost. The basic panel has a blue cell, white backsheet, and silver frame.

Solar Panel Cost: Estimate Solar Cost For Your Home Online

There are 3 types of solar inverters: String, Micro, and Power Optimizers. String Inverters link panels together in several groups. Each group feeds into one string inverter, feeding several panels into one inverter. String inverters tend to be more cost-efficient than other kinds of inverters. Micro inverters are set up on each private panel.

Power optimizers have a lot of the benefits of micro-inverters. price of solar. They are generally more pricey than string inverters, but less costly than micro-inverters. Solar can be installed on metal, shingle, and flat roofings. Every one requires different components and differing levels of labor. Shingle roofs https://green-energy-systems.arkmason.com need a particular flashing piece to connect the panel racking to the roof.

Solar Panel System Cost

Panels are set up on a flat roofing system using a ballast install - a tray held in location by a cinder block. A lot of solar systems are designed to offset as much energy intake that makes sense economically. The more energy production needed, the more panels and equipment the system will need.

If a system is set up in a location with shading, it may require extra panels to fulfill the customer's

[hakelelius91]

pit bull home insurance

BEST ANSWER: Try this site where you can compare quotes from different companies :tipsinsurance.xyz

pit bull home insurance

pit bull home insurance. If you’re looking for a cheap or low-priced homeowner’s insurance, you’re in the right place. Our free online tool at The Zebra and The Zebra can provide you with a list of insurers in your state so you can compare rates in a matter of minutes. A standard homeowner’s policy has a section of coverage called the . This provides coverage for liability to any equipment or individuals, as well as your own medical expense. If you own a motor driven or a boat in the UK, or have any assets that you may need, this coverage is likely to make for an affordable option. If you have comprehensive coverage, you can expect to pay a lot more, but if you opt for basic coverage in the West, it’ll provide you with the peace of mind that your home is protected. However, if you are building a home in a coastal location, this may make the purchase less costly. This is especially wise if you. pit bull home insurance. When a pit bull dog is involved in an accident, this individual will often be in for a rough time as the dog’s health is a concern. The result of pit bull exposure is a higher chance of future physical injuries incurred by the dog. Pit bull insurance can also help insure a company’s ability to properly compensate owners for property damage done to the dog’s pit bull. Pit bull owners are often unaware of their responsibility as pit bull owners. Pit bull insurance provides pit bull owners with a special insurance plan which allows the owner to cover all costs in the event of a death for the dog. Pit bull insurance can help protect owners from those who attempt to take advantage of owners’ pit bull attacks. At Rutter and Whitefield Insurance, we are proud to offer Pit bull insurance to our pit bull owners if they haven’t been subjected to an accident. With Pit Bull Insurance, owners can rest assured knowing that they are covered in the event of an. pit bull home insurance quotes. I would use any good seller quotes for my coverage and would use . Your credit rating is only one variable, but that may well turn out to be the correct answer to your question. It s tough to come out with the same insurance quotes and companies when comparing insurance products. We ll let you know. The biggest question I have in the past is - How is coverage in the event of accidental death and dismemberment for my wife? The bottom line: The answer is - You must insure your household car against damage, injury, theft, and damage. If you have car insurance as part of your homeowners policy, you also have coverage for your personal vehicles, or the policy will protect your personal property. When considering home insurance, it s important to get a customized quote tailored to your coverage needs in order to get the best rate. We ve found that a home insurance quote from Progressive for a 1-year policy will be lower than a similar coverage quote from a competitor..

Other Insurance

Other Insurance Coverage The state requires motor vehicle companies to carry  car insurance, the same as if an insurance policy was installed and had protection against weather damage. The state also requires insurance companies to provide the same liability coverage for other types of property damage to vehicles. It should be a standard part of any motor vehicle policy to offer you liability insurance in a state. If you are planning on borrowing an older car from someone or someone else, consider purchasing , as it will not expire as long as the car is still registered but not used. You can purchase it directly from an insurance company, rather than being purchased separately. The online insurance providers are better. The is a simple driver/owner car insurance policy, a policy that covers the car, any driver, and someone who owns /has car insurance. As long as you don’t leave the vehicle at the time of the accident, drivers can claim a claim against the policy and get a claim made against.

Health Insurance

Health Insurance Act (2006) means that all drivers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, ATV’s and pedestrians are required to have basic liability insurance. It is important to understand that liability insurance is a basic coverage. It covers your vehicle in case you cause an accident. As a result of the collision with another person, their insurance would cover their expenses if you are discovered to be at fault for the accident. Liability insurance is designed to cover you in the event that you are at fault in the accident and you do not have a car. It also covers you if you are involved in an accident with another person who doesn’t have basic liability insurance. If you do have auto liability insurance, you’ll have to pay for your own costs in case of injuries or the damages they cause. The type and amount of insurance you must have varies, but you’ll most likely have coverage for your vehicles and their expenses in the event of an accident. That’s.

About Insurance.com

About Insurance.com.  Not affiliated with any insurance companies and does not represent or endorse any insurance products. We are an Independent Insurance Agency, specializing in helping the local community, individuals, and businesses with insurance, financial services and other financial products. Insurance Services Division Towering City, IA Towering City, IA/Towering County West Meridian MN North Meridian MN Springfield MN West Meridian MN North Meridian MN North Meridian MN Cadillac MN North Meridian MN Karrick MN Karrick MN Saratus MN Eutawaga MN Pikesville MN Champagne MN Nassau MN Moorin MN Eutawaga MN Tuckahoe MN Eutawaga MN Santoul MN Odawa MN Lavendale MN Pimpehalucas MN Odawa MN Siskatoon MN Nassau MN .

I Can Just Tell My Insurance Agent I Don’t Have A Pitt Bull!

I Can Just Tell My Insurance Agent I Don’t Have A Pitt Bull! I was reading the article about how my car is insured that way which is why the rates are really pricey. I was wondering how a $800+ car will be covered if the vehicle is stolen, then the car is recovered? What does this mean for the $600 per month insurance? Thank you Thank you for the article. When was the good ol black person responsible for getting a stolen car in my country? Is that what it’s been looked for for over a year without someone doing anything? If you have a car, then they do not need insurance when they are going to get it. Please consider You can get comprehensive, collision, renters, boat, rental in Alaska (you can also add on all the auto insurance quotes at a reduced rate, there are an average of 2.

Why and how companies restrict Pitbull insurance

Why and how companies restrict Pitbull insurance? There is no simple solution to the pit Bull problem. The same Pitbull insurance company has to cover the full amount of protection. In the worst instance, there may be other insurance companies that can offer you cheaper Pit Bull car insurance. Here are 3 pit bulls insurance providers: I am a pitbull, but I need insurance for my Pit Bull car. Do you know which pit bulls do pit bull insurance? Pit Bull insurance is a term used to describe a pitbull’s pit-bull, because it is a non-aggressive breed of pit bull. Pit bull insurance has an insurance program for the most part. Pit bull insurance quotes from a pit bull are generally very good, but pit bull drivers aren’t the fastest, most efficient drivers and pit bull drivers are not more cautious. Pit Bull insurance is highly recommended for pit bulls and their pit bulls, but that may be why other pit bull insurance providers are offering Pit Bull insurance. If you are a pit bull and need.

Auto Insurance

Auto Insurance quotes. We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and we have a directory of articles and guides to help you get started finding the cheapest auto insurance rates. To find the cheapest auto insurance rates for you, use this tool: If you’re searching for the most basic coverage in Pennsylvania, you’re in the right place. Unless you have a very bad driving record, the state’s average auto insurance price is right around $145 per month. However, remember that rates may be affected by your location and the cost of repairs to your car after an accident. When you’re shopping for your auto insurance policy, remember that your quote represents only a fraction of the cost of your policies. For more information, see our . If you’re facing a low rate for your auto insurance quotes, consider.

How to improve your chance of getting home insurance coverage with a pit bull

How to improve your chance of getting home insurance coverage with a pit bull? It’s important to shop around. Here are the factors that can help you find the best rate: You may be able to get lower rates if you are just slightly older or have not suffered from any type of health deterioration after moving away from home. However, having health problems can also create a negative reputation as a pit bull could put you above the safety ratings of a pit bull. Pit bulls can be attractive to thieves and motor-drivers, but pit bulls are serious businesses, and they bite. In fact, they’re even more attractive when you consider that pit bulls have no place in your home to house relations; therefore, you have to purchase a liability insurance policy to protect your business interests. Pit-bait tricks aren’t only illegal in Utah, but they’re also illegal to purchase. Pit-bait tricks can be illegal for a couple of reasons. Your dog could start an insurance fraud case against you. Or, if your insurance.

What Are My Home Insurance Options?

What Are My Home Insurance Options? Home insurance may seem like a small, niche item. However, it will help protect your investment when disaster strikes. As an added bonus, it will help you pay for other property damage as well. To protect yourself against disaster, the best home insurance providers are state-licensed insurance companies. These agencies are in many cases more willing to contribute money to your claim. While home insurance costs will vary from company to company, the average policy price is not necessarily a higher price than what they were pricing for their same-day policy. Insurance companies may look back 15 years and predict the future cost of your homeowner s home. The worst home insurance companies are those that simply haven t met their customer-base’s expectations. They are unwilling to honor their contract. They are quick to make their referrals and do not have a customer base to thank for their generous offer. Homeowners Insurance Rates by Company The price of homeowners insurance in Texas typically goes up over time as the amount of.

Home & Renters Insurance

Home & Renters Insurance) by comparing policy rates from 36 different providers. Each insurer includes all the necessary coverages for your car. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a pricey state like New Hampshire or New Jersey and you’ve always been a safe driver. For you, cheap car insurance is the surest way to find cheap car insurance. The key to the lowest cost of buying the right car insurance policies is saving money for it. Finding cheap auto insurance is almost as difficult as getting cheap car insurance. But there is one state in which it may finally be easier to get your insurance and it’s where car theft is relatively rare. You can get quick car insurance quotes in Michigan below: Find cheap auto insurance quotes and compare the coverage you need to be covered. You’ll often come up with quotes over 25 percent lower than the national average cost. That’s a huge savings! To start saving money and getting the lowest insurance rates and discounts available.

Can I Get Home Insurance If I Have A Pitt Bull?

Can I Get Home Insurance If I Have A Pitt Bull? If you’ve never had a history of problems with Pitts Bull insurance, then you may be able to find insurance through the Pitts Bull National Insurance Agency. Pitts Bull is no different from the average insurance providers in North America.  They are a family owned agency providing quality insurance policies to Pitts Bull members.  It is great that Pitts Bull insurance works just like any other companies in North America. For instance, they offer a number of policies that come with discounts for homeowners and homeowners.  Pitts Bull offers many different plans with lots of perks and great discounts on homeowners insurance.  You can get a quick video of some Pitts Bull home insurance online using the video below:  If they just take a few details or offer a discount for having insurance policies with Pitts Bull, you can also get a discount for having all of your insurance policies with that agency. This may be a good or bad thing for you. If you are looking for an insurance company.

[caroltheman]

Read at your own risk. These are MY thoughts and MY feelings and they do not cater to the leftist idealism, so if you are afraid of getting your feelings hurt, STOP HERE.

--------

Today is a big day. I’ve never been so involved with politics EVER in my life than this year. In 2016, I was with the Democrats, the left, and whatever ideas were pushed towards me to stop Donald Trump from winning. I hated him. I hated the way he spoke. I was against my husband’s political stance (yes, the hubby and I can have different opinions and get along PERFECTLY). I thought he was a terrible example of what our nations leader should resemble. I was ANTI-Trump. 

When he won, I didn’t care too much. I got over it. But... I kept an eye out on events after his election. I never really understood what was happening but I did hear whispers of what was going on in the white house every so often. As issues kept coming up... Build the Wall, ending of DACA, Large amounts of people running from other countries (mainly Latin American countries) trying to get into our southern border, Individuals from the cabinet slowly being replaced or resigning, impeachment, school shootings, banning of firearms, court cases (don’t really know much of that, but now I know its about individuals getting seats on the Supreme Court), etc. etc. etc. BLM, Antifa, more civil unrest, shooting of cops, burning of poor democratic cities, etc etc etc.. I started to wonder.... WTF is going on?? And demos still crying about the same shit...

I started to do research. I don’t really care to listen to local news and big news stations like Fox or CNN or whatever. Yes, sometimes I tune in to both sides, but seriously, I was sick of watching things set on fire. American flags burning. Looting. Violence. I was searching for perspectives outside of my overly democratic run social media feed. I’ve watched probably hundreds of videos of different people of all different walks of life. I started discourse with more right-winged individuals. I started to become more open minded about things on the right. And when I think about my only personal values, I kept finding myself more and more on the right side of things. 

Today, this is where I stand:

1. I stand for strong border protection. I do not support shouting “Build the Wall” out loud, but I do support what that message means. To me, the wall is analogous to our house door. For all the people against strong borders, I challenge you to keep your door unlocked at night. Would you feel safe knowing that anyone can come in at any time? Anyone, as in people we don’t know. Any sane person with rationale would say NO. We must lock our doors at night. We must secure our house (just think of all the tech we buy to keep out houses secure) to keep people outside and keep our families safe. An open border sounds like chaos and the most unsafe place to stay. People are confused that building a wall means no immigration. That’s not what that means. It means that we are against ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. I am an immigrant for heavens sake. I naturalized. I was not born an American Citizen and in order for me to receive benefits of an American Citizen, first, my dad served 12 years of his life in the United States Navy. He brought over my mom, my kuya, and myself to start a new life in a country with opportunity. I am thankful for his service and my moms sacrifice and bravery for leaving everything she knows and loves behind in order for my siblings and I have to an opportunity to be successful. People don’t understand that you cannot have a country as successful as the U.S. without protecting our land from outside forces. I do believe that we desperately need immigration reform. I would like all people of all different backgrounds and economic status to have a chance at being able to immigrate to our land, but I believe there is a right way to do it... and it definitely isn’t let everyone in anytime they want. I have kept my mouth shut about my stance on border protection because I am aware of my audience. I know that I have hundreds of students watching me. I know that a lot of them are low income. I know some of them are illegal. But as a teacher, it was never my mission to out undocumented students or families. I sympathize with my students who’s families face deportation, but I stand my ground that illegally penetrating our borders is not the way to do things. I don’t have a full on answer on how the country should handle it (obviously, I have my own life and I am not a politician - although I do have some ideas) but I know the difference between wrong and right. Entering this country illegally, to me, is not the right way... AND ESPECIALLY with the thought of my own family in the Philippines who also face the same struggles that others who flee their country face. It is unfair that due to physical proximity, some can just come through while others from PI and countries from all over the world are waiting for their turn. To me, that is unfair. Moving to Hawaii and having spoke to Aunties who have immigrated from PI has added even more support to my stance. I spoke to an Auntie that said she waiting 21 years to get her Visa. She is petitioning over her son who may wait about a decade before being looked at. I stand my ground on illegal immigration for people who are in line waiting patiently, yet desperately, to come here for their opportunity. I stand my ground for all the other people in the world who are also waiting for a way in to this country the legal way.

2. Law and Order. I mean, how is this even a topic of confusion? like WTF? This is one of the reasons that literally pushed me away from the left. You’ve got Antifa and BLM rioters burning cities and businesses down. (and yes, I know, I know.. the response is, “but that’s not ALL of BLM” or “those people are not even BLM”, or blah blah blah. BULLfuckingSHIT. They are all ANTI-trump and some of them (actually most that I’ve seen) do wear BLM shit. They tag BLM shit everywhere and they don’t care about who they hurt or what they bring down with their anger.) I’ve seen videos of these groups harassing people who are minding their own business and eating lunch as protestors are yelling in their faces and forcing them to leave. They surround elderly who are merely walking down the street by blocking their way and yelling at their faces. I’ve watched countless videos of small business owners trying to protect their property and life’s work by getting jumped or die trying to protect their store fronts. And you know what gets me ever more riled up, SOME (if not most) OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE BLACK!!!!!!! Black owned business burned down. Black business owners crying about their life’s work totally gone at the expense of the anger of the wrongful death of another black person (who happens to be criminal). I empathize with the anger and sadness of the wrongful death of George Floyd. I agree that justice for his life should be served. I agree that Police Brutality needs to be addressed and police accountability and training needs reform... but how the left handles their emotions of anger is un-excusable. I’ve seen posts from my liberal friends, “Let them show their anger the way they want.” WTF? Seriously? So, if I’m mad, I can just go burn shit down? go beat somebody up? Go shoot cops? Like every field, I believe there are bad apples. Any one who denies that, I’d be very cautious to believe, but I have faith that the majority of our police officers are not racist. I believe that the majority of them are trying to do the right thing. I hate to admit that police presence is probably more prevalent in communities with higher numbers of people of color, but I’m curious to know WHY are communities with high numbers of POC are more prone to gangs, violence, drugs, and inevitably higher presence of law enforcement. I wonder why? ...and that leads me to the next reason:

3. Accountability. Leaders like Candice Owens, the Real MAGA Hulk, Kingface, and many many many many many many more Black Americans talk about it all the time. They talk about why nothing has changed in our Black American Communities. They have been voting Democrat for YEARS... and its still the same! Biden and Kamala Harris have been in politics for soooo long, but whats going on in these democratic cities? More tents of homelessness. More criminal activity. More drugs. More human trafficking. But instead of acknowledging the issues that minorities face and holding ourselves accountable for the changes we want to see, what do we do? BLAME TRUMP. The guy has been in office for less than 4 years and everything is his fault. Trump this, Trump that. Trump is the reason everything is going wrong. Trump divides us. Trump makes me mad. Trump, Trump, Trump. Jesus Fuck. Sooo OVER IT. People want to blame him for their shortcomings, for the racial tension, for every single challenge we face as a nation. As an individual I hold myself accountable for where I am today. Every accomplishment I’ve successfully completed has all been to holding myself accountable for making goals, whether for my career or for romantic relationships, and making sure I make no excuse to meet these goals. Yes, I grew up disadvantaged! I’m a victim of living in low-income housing and a victim of an unstable household to include divorce, domestic violence, and exposure to gang life. Yes, we had Section 8. Yes, my mom used food stamps when we were young. Yes, my dad was not around due to the military and my mom practically having to hold shit down with three children in a country she knows nothing about with a language she barely knew with NO HELP as all her family is in the PI and my paternal side being pretty much evil and hated her. Yes, we moved a million times as a child -  from an apartment near Kimball Park... to Meadow Brook Apartments... to my uncle’s house... to my other uncle’s garage...to the same uncles house... to a rent a room near where Joann/Erika used to live... to a house on M street... to the apartment on 2nd street (in the front)... to the same apartment complex but another apartment in the back... to an apartment behind Suhi... to an apartment on Highland Ave bordering Chula Vista... to the apartment on 1st Street... with pockets of staying in Welfare housing to staying at Rvy’s house to staying at Apryl’s house to staying at Josie’s house. Schools: from Kimball to John Otis to Daniel Boone to Las Palmas to El Toyon and finally, Granger Jr. High and Sweetwater. I remember having to use candles because we had no electricity. I remember no christmas tree during the holidays and instead using a sorry ass fake plant to replace it. I remember going on our show choir weekend trip to SF where my kuya and I literally exchanged looks as we decided which meal at McDonald’s we should share keeping in mind we have to budget for the rest of the meals we have to pay because thats all the money my mom gave us - while everyone around us could order much more than what we had. I remember hanging out with gang affiliated individuals and realizing how lucky I am to have separated from that lifestyle. Recently, I’ve been challenged to remember my upbringing, yes, my dear friend, I remember. I remember sitting outside your front door, peeking into the black metal screen door as my siblings and I watched you play the coolest and latest console gaming. I remember you hanging out after school at the Boys and Girls club while I hung out with the Mexicans and Samoans and the other crips whom were my neighbors. We can sit here and compare our sad stories and struggles but for people to ask me to reflect on the shit I’ve been through, brother you have no fucking clue. Have you watched your mom beat to colors black and blue? And I whole-heartedly am not trying to discount the struggles you’ve faced, but please don’t lecture me on why I should be angry or sad about my upbringing, because you have no clue what I’ve had to endure. My story is sad. If I had let that this shit bring me down and cry “Woe is me,” I have no doubt I wouldn’t be where I am today. Ever since I can remember, I’ve volunteered to be part of the change. Any positive change. I’ve dedicated my high school career trying to make school life as enjoyable as possible - but what happens? - the majority is still upset and hated the ASB (People have NO idea how many hours I’ve spent on the Suhi campus as a student trying to make things better). I’ve dedicated my post secondary life to become a teacher in the community I grew up in to affect change for the future generations. I stand as living proof that despite all the shit we all go through in life, we can be successful. WHY? Because we live in the land of opportunity. America is probably one of the only places (I can’t think of no other, but sure, lets pretend there are other countries like ours), where you can be poor and go through tons of shit and despite all of it, can still come out and be successful. But blaming others and being upset is not the key. It’s about HARD WORK and PERSEVERANCE, not blame or bull shit. This is the same kind of accountability that haunts communities with majority POC and I will not support the “Woe is me” or the “Endless Circles of Victimhood” mindset. I want out of that shit and into something better. 

4. National Security and all its benefits. This is the only country that I’ve seen where there are people who hate it and refuse to leave. Like damn, you hate our country so much, you want to burn it down, and you REFUSE to get the fuck out. Must not be that bad? Our borders are closed for random people to be able to come in without a Visa or Citizenship, yet we do not stop people from leaving this country if they really wanted to. The fact that everyone is trying to come in proves that people would die to be here. The scariest part of this election (to me) is losing our freedoms. I’ve watched a video of a testimony from a Cuban guy who risked his life to wind surf from Cuba to land on the Keys of Miami to seek asylum. Thats how great Socialism is. He says, socialism sounds great in text book. It may even feel great the first few years, but after a while, it starts to suck when you realize the government controls what you eat, when you eat, when to shop, where to shop, where to go for medical, etc. etc. He says, he wakes up very early in the morning to line up for food for his family to receive some mediocre bread, rice, and beans or whatever he said was the glamorous meal of the day. He says, when he finally got to America, he cried at the sight of being able to eat steak because he never had an opportunity to do so in his home country. He says medical attention sucks because since everyone gets treated the same, everyone must wait in line. Anyway, if socialism was so great, why’d he risk his life to leave it? They say Socialism is the step before Communism (places like China). You’ll never find anyone in China burning Chinese flags because if you do, you’re dead. I think at this point in the election, everyone has already chosen their sides. You’re either left or right. I don’t care to change Leftist perspectives but this is the side I chose for myself. Trump didn’t need to become president. Why the fuck would he want to do that? He had it all. He doesn’t even take a salary. He’s been attacked for the last 3-4 years, event after event. He’s attacked for being a racist, yet Dems support Joe Biden who LITERALLY said, “If you don’t know who you are voting for, me or Trump, then you ain’t Black.” That is literally the most racist shit I’ve ever heard and if we flip the script and Trump was the one who said that exact same line, the media will be having a field day!!!! But it was Biden who said it, so let’s forgive him, blame trump, and sweep it under the rug. Trump is not the best speaker, I’ll give you that. I can barely stand his voice sometimes. I too, need to take a break from his rallies of screaming and shit lol, but I admire that the guy is NOT a politician. He doesn’t need to listen to lobbyists who want him to do things because he doesn’t need money. He cannot be bought. On the other hand you have long time politicians like Biden and his family who have made money through and through by running for political spots promising things he’s never delivered. Black people look to him for some deranged idea of “hope” like he’s going to affect change when he himself wrote the 1994 Crime Bill which incriminated many people for petty crimes, primarily POC. Kamala Harris did the same thing according to many black testimonies I’ve seen - they are LITERALLY running away from her. Trump stands for America and its values. As a so-called racist, he signed a bill giving Historic Black Universities funding for not one year, but many years! I think 10, is it? (i’ll leave the dems to fact check it). He has created opportunity zones in democratically ran cities. He has pardoned POC to finally escape from prison for non-violent crimes. I mean, you have to wonder.. yes there are black people that hate him in the spark of BLM when they come out, but there are a lot of black people who love him too. Trump stands up to other nations and his “bad-ass” attitude may not be attractive to our soft demo’s who prefer to vote personality over policy, but it’s the same attitude that demands more from other countries in terms of financials and their fair share in world-wide peace. Trump is not a political puppet that can be swayed and pressured into selling out our country’s soul at the hands of other countries who are so called out performing us in every possible way - military strength, education, and financials. No one wants to talk about Biden’s ties with China but that shit is literally scary. It’s not that “impossible” to believe that we could be attacked at anytime (Hawaii and SD would be huge targets). Trump expects more from other countries and only makes deals that will benefit our country, not theirs. As the demos look up to Biden/Harris for whatever they are crying about, others are looking to Trump/Pence to literally MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. I have never been so proud and patriotic as a proud Republican Female Immigrant voting for Donald Trump. A long time ago, I let my teacher know (Mrs. Hall or Mrs. Rose) know that I was agnostic and asked, "Will I ever find my reasoning to believe?”. She said, “One day, you will find one. Some day. Just Wait.” I think it’s today, lol. If Biden wins, I’ll start praying our nation doesn’t get sold along with it. I thank my husband and Josie for helping me keep it together through this ever emotional year of 2020. I pray that all this is in my head. I look to House of Cards for a reminder that maybe... all this political shit is exactly that - just politics. I pray there is nothing to fear and that our national security is at no risk if Biden wins. I pray that if Biden wins, my  demo friends or ex-friends are right - that he’s gonna do the right thing for the our nation and it’s citizens. 

5. Hatred FROM the left. Honestly, I started to secretly doubt the left, but kept my mouth shut about it especially on social media - knowing that more than 90% of my feed were leftists. I only spoke to people I trusted who would help me create logical thought processes on how to absorb the things I was seeing realtime. Little did I know that my social media silence bothered a black person and he called me out for not saying anything. So I pursued research. I watched videos of the cries of BLM and found that besides George Floyd’s death (and a few others), I don’t see the same things other Demos see in these cases. Breonna Taylor died in the hallway of her own home, not in her bed when she was sleeping, unless she sleeps in the hallway, but idk her so who really knows? Coming to find that her bf is the one that shot at the cops first and shot a cop in the leg to be answered my gun shots leading to Breonna Taylors death but not the BF who hid behind her. Ya’ll want to protest that?? What about the cops that are trying to do their jobs? They were there due to continuous investigations of drugs that BT’s bf was involved in. What about the families of the cops? Are they expected to just come home dead? I would NEVER allow my husband to be a police officer. It is a bad time to be one. They risk their lives everyday to do what’s right and yet they get shit thrown at them, deal with rioters that hate them, etc etc. If my husband had to chokehold someone (IDGAF if he or she was white, black, asian, mexican, WHATEVER race bait you want to bring up), I authorize my husband to throw it down however the fuck he felt necessary to come back home to me and my future family. I stand with the spouses and families of all service members that sacrifice everything for the common good and safety for the people and their communities. AND I KNOW, that there are BAD COPS out there. I agree with you that they should be addressed and be pushed to resign, but I believe that the majority of our service men and women are here to do the job the right way. I back the blue 100%. If you don’t, I better not hear or see of any demos calling cops when you need help. I hope you win your battles with your pitchforks cause ya’ll won’t even have weapons to defend yourself if ever you had to because Demos are trying to take your guns away. lol Yea yea, pretty dramatic, but not “impossible” in my eyes. *DEEP BREATH* After sporadic days of emotional wreck, I made a decision on where I stand, I posted, “TRUMP 2020″ and here they come!!!! “If you vote for Trump, you are a racist” Really bro? All of a sudden, I’m a racist? “How can you vote for him? You are a female, asian immigrant!” What does that even mean???? Because I am a female, or because I am Asian, or because I am an immigrant, are you telling me that I only have ONE WAY TO VOTE?! That is the most UN-FREE-ING thing anyone has every told me. There’s only one way. Sounds like a fucking trap. The left made it clear to me - that is not the side I want to be on. Easy choice. AND EVEN THEN... My black ex-friend, says... “Ohhhh, your husband is white and in the miltary. Makes sense.” MOTTTHEEERRRRFUCCCKKKERRR. Did you just discredit my position because my husband is a white man in the Navy? Pffft. I’ve walked away from the left with no intent to return. I’ve learned that I need to have thicker skin when it comes to losing friends because we can’t see eye to eye with politics. I won’t initiate separation but I’ve spent plenty of time thinking about the kinds of people and ideology I’m leaving behind in 2020 and looking forward to cultivating relationships with those who still accept me despite our differences and especially those who share the same ideology. 

6. Hate for America and Disrespect for our Armed Forces. I don’t know about the rest of you, but when I see American flags burning or football/basketball players kneeling during our National Anthem, it doesn’t make me want to join you. I asked my husband, “How do you feel when people kneel during the National Anthem?” He said, “I joined the military so they have the freedom to do what they want.” WTF?! My dearest hubby, I love you for your humble stance because you are right.. Americans are free to do what they want... and this freedom is protected by the men and women who sacrifice their lives to defend this country from outside forces! Don’t you guys fucking remember World War II??? We barely won this war. Some say by luck of the creation of the atomic bomb from someone from our side. If we had lost that war, we would probably be owned by Japan? maybe Germany? (Seriously, I wished I paid more attention when I was enrolled in history classes. lol) In my eyes, we wouldn’t have our current freedoms or our current lives if the brave men and women of our armed forces didn’t sacrifice their lives to preserve it... and ya’ll have the balls to kneel for what???? racial injustice for criminals?? GET. THE. FUCK. OUT. OF. HERE. There are plenty of mothers who give birth to babies who’s dads can’t be there because they are overseas. We’ve got people crying about COVID? << (don’t even get me started on that shit) Countless fathers miss their babies births, birthdays, graduations, weddings, etc. etc. to protect our great nation so that you can, in turn, burn the flag and disrespect what it stands for. People can’t be with their friends and families during COVID?? I sympathize with you but now you’ve had a small  taste of what military families go through. Then you got people who respond with, “But that’s your choice. Your choice to join the military. Your choice to marry someone in the military.” FUCK YOU. Are you telling me that people like my husband don’t deserve to be loved and supported in fear that we will be separated for months at a time while he is over seas?? Fuck you. I’m actually VERY LUCKY that I met a man that has worked his way up that I didn’t have to feel ALL the sacrifices that other families have made. Do you know what military families have to go through to keep their families together?? There are plenty of families broken because spouses are not together, and to say - “oh that’s their choice” is the most selfish thing EVER... and I don’t (completely) blame the family members that are left behind when they can’t hack it, because seriously, it’s hard. Countless nights alone and separated from loved ones. Trying to do a two person job alone ALL THE TIME, not just a couple days, but MONTHS. Sometimes YEARS altogether. My husband may not care about the donk donks that disrespect our military and everything they’ve done and to all the lives sacrificed, and to all the service members who come back with no families, no love, and no one to support them, I STAND WITH YOU. Oh! Oh! Don’t even get me started with the VA and the medical that is provided to our service members. People want Free Healthcare?! Veterans have Free HealthCare and its one of the worst! We provide our service members with maybe “par” sometimes SUBPAR healthcare. I technically have free healthcare, but in fear that I won’t be seen on time or seen with proper care when I get pregnant, we have opted to pay the extra fees for better care.

7. Personal Health and Sanity. To discuss all the controversial things that the right vs left argue about sounds mundane and tiresome. It really is. I’ve invested so much time and emotions deciphering where I stand to include conversations with handfuls of people who say, “I respect your opinion and I’ve always respected you as a person and am curious to know why you’re voting for Trump.” I’ve questioned my position many times. I’ve watched and read (although, I’ll admit, I hate reading and it was never something I was strong in. I am a visual person and I prefer to hear and watch videos of other’s personal thoughts and experiences.”  I appreciate my friend, Cassie, who reminded me, it doesn’t always have to be about policies. It is okay to vote for Trump based on my own experiences - just like how she see’s things. She a Mexican trump supporter who legally immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico and attended SYH. She watched her school cater to undocumented students putting their needs before hers when she is an Mexican-American who’s single mom pays taxes and wanted to learn curriculum in English, not Spanish, but was taught in Spanish because the other kids didn’t know English. Cassie, you literally lifted tons of weight off my shoulders. Thank you! I thank my long time friend Paulos, who responded to my recent post of me wearing a Trump hat with, “You’re about to piss off ALL your friends. Good job though. Fuck em lol” I responded with, “I fucking love you!!” Always have and always will. I’ve never in my life felt like I couldn’t be myself out loud until 2020, a time where leftists shame you for having a different opinion and basically delete you if you support Trump. But I thought to myself, this is the WORST TIME to stay quiet. I am worried that our youngsters who live in democratic cities like National City are only exposed to what the left exposes them to, triggering hate and fear that may or may not be real, and despite my very democratic social media feed, I figured, I’ll be the first to stand for what I believe in with pride and without shame. I have always done what I believe is right, even if its not the most popular opinion, and even if that meant standing my ground against people I thought loved me - especially coming from California, and especially coming from National City. I have ALWAYS told the hubby that after he retires from the Navy, I only see us living in SD. This is the first time in my life where I did not want to come back to CA. In fact, CA was third on my list after Texas and Tennessee. I want to thank my bf Jo, for reminding me of why I should reconsider and remember where my roots are. To remember our upbringing and remember that the people we are most close with today are those in proximity to us. Thank you for taking me out of my very emotional mental state and bringing me back to rationale about why it is important to me to live near my closest friends and family and I truly thank you for investing time to make sure I am always considering all my options rationally and not emotionally. I thank my family, although we are 3vs2 lol we still love each other despite what we value politically. I thank my husband who protects me, my thoughts, and my values. I thank you for being patient with ALL my emotions throughout this year. You have NEVER EVER EVER pushed me to be one way or another. You have ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS let me decide things on my own and in my own time, including the move to Hawaii and my recent change in political views. You truly are the BEST person I know and I will love you FOREVER!!!!! Lastly, Thank You Donald J. Trump for ruffling feathers everywhere and shedding light on the bull shit going on with politicians. Thank you for sacrificing your life as well as your families’ lives and businesses for the sake of preserving American values and American Life. GOD BLESS AMERICA.