#zachary infante

[dc-polls]

"That Really Happened?!" DC Comics Tournament Entry #35

Zachary Zatara Has Dead Twins

[ID: Comic panel of Zachary Zatara holding a glowing disc. He has an anguished look on his face and says, "Goodbye, Kate" /END ID]

What Happened?

In the backissue series Coven of Three Zachary Zatara, among others, ends up in a dream reality of his ideal life. In it his girlfriend Kate is alive, as well as their twins, who apparently all died before the twins were able to be born. Also, his age in this is super vague so it's unclear if this was a teen pregnancy. None of this ever comes up again either.

--

Tournament polls will be posted after all entries are up. As always you can find all posts related to the tournament using #dc-polls-trh

[drunkonimagination]

my (renewed) obsession with crowley and aziraphale and the emotional mess i become every time ofmd is barely mentioned made me realize one thing. that i wouldn’t just be thrilled by a tsc series about the tlh cast’s children, but i’d instantly pass out at the mere mention of thomas and alastair in their 40s.

[ambivalenceconstruct]

"Under ideal circumstance, a mother should respond to the needs and dependency strivings of the infant and provide mirroring functions that help the child establish its own identity. In the case of schizoid children, however, the mother’s needs intrude upon the child, forming an identification so strong that the child’s deeper sense of self is not able to develop...

This dynamic also leads to other unintended consequences for the schizoid child. Often the child develops precocious intellectual abilities in place of emotional awareness, heightened responsiveness to the needs of others, an exaggerated or obsessive sense of self-awareness, a failure to integrate aggression, and an intensification of pseudo-maturational processes (i.e. adultification; Kahn, 1974). Because the child assumes a false maturity, his actual emotional maturity remains stunted and he is limited in his ability to form meaningful relationships later in life."

Zachary Wheeler- Treatment of schizoid personality: an analytic psychotherapy handbook

[news4dzhozhar]

The Real Origins of the Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine Began Long Before 1948

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said on Monday that Israel may have a “diplomatic window” of two to three weeks to continue its assault on Gaza. “From a diplomatic point of view, we recognize that pressure has begun to bear on Israel. The pressure is not very high [now], but it is increasing,” Cohen said.

When asked about the chances of a ceasefire at a November 9 press conference, US President Joe Biden said, “None. No possibility.”

Meanwhile, mass marches, shutdowns, and other disruptions have continued around the world, as Palestinian organizers, Jewish anti-Zionist protesters, and other allied groups demand an immediate ceasefire and an end to Israeli apartheid and the occupation of Palestinian lands.

An estimated 11,240 Palestinians have been killed during Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza. Of those killed, 4,630 have been children. More than 3,000 Palestinians are missing, most of whom are believed to be buried under the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli airstrikes. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has warned that its aid operations in Gaza will cease within the next 48 hours unless fuel is allowed into the besieged territory.

According to ActionAid International, an international aid organization, 22 of Gaza’s 35 hospitals are no longer operational due to damage caused by airstrikes or because the facilities have run out of fuel. Israeli tanks reached the gates of Shifa Hospital on Monday, where patients, including premature infants, have been dying due to a lack of electricity and medical supplies. An estimated 50,000 people have been sheltering on the hospital grounds amid ongoing attacks. Unable to bury the dead, due to the threat of airstrikes and sniper fire, Palestinians on the ground have reported seeing stray dogs eating dead bodies in the vicinity. Israel claims that there are tunnels used by Hamas under the hospital but has produced no evidence to support these claims. Israel defended its bombardment of a convoy of ambulances attempting to evacuate patients from Shifa Hospital last week, claiming that there were Hamas fighters in the vehicles.

Amid such horrors, protesters and others who are seeking to raise awareness and increase international pressure for a ceasefire have faced intense repression. But in spite of firings, arrests, and efforts to ban expressions of solidarity, supporters of Palestinian liberation are continuing to pressure world governments to demand a ceasefire. One stumbling block that organizers face, particularly in the US, is a general lack of awareness about the history of Israeli aggression against Palestinians. While raising awareness about the atrocities that are presently unfolding is crucial, educating the public about the history that has delivered us to this moment is also essential. In the following interview, I discuss some of that history, as well as the politics of the present moment, with historian Zachary Foster. Foster has a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Studies and is the creator of the newsletter Palestine Nexus.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Kelly Hayes: While the events we are presently witnessing are devastating in scale, the attacks Israel is waging are grounded in a long history of ethnic cleansing. Can you share some of that history with our readers?

Zachary Foster: I think the real origins of the ethnic cleansing of Palestine began long before 1948. I think every Zionist leader, and every Zionist thinker from the late 19th century to 1948 all struggled with the same question, which was, “How is it that you establish a Jewish state in a land that is majority non-Jewish, in a land that is majority Palestinian Arab?” Different Zionist leaders took different positions, but I think that the dominant position was that the Palestinian people are not willing to subject themselves to Jewish domination. They have strong roots in the country. They have a strong national identity.

The position for most Zionists was that, “We’re going to probably have to expel them.” That was the position of Theodor Herzl. That was the position of Yosef Weitz, Ze’ev Jabotinsky. Many, if not most of the Zionist leaders leading up to ’48 believed that. And then, in 1948, when the British decided to pack up and leave, to abandon this colonial enterprise, this British mandatory government, war broke out between the Palestinians and the Zionists. Over the course of the 1948 war, the Zionist forces expelled something like 750,000 Palestinians from their homes. Of course, some of those Palestinians left on their own, some were expelled by force. But the reason I would call it ethnic cleansing is because in the aftermath of the war. The Israeli military prevented Palestinians who were trying to return to their homes after the war. They prevented them from coming back, and they had a shoot to kill order.

In the year and a half after the war ended, from late 1948 to 1949 and 1950, the Israeli military shot and killed more than a 1000 unarmed, defenseless Palestinians. That’s why I think most historians, pretty much all historians, would acknowledge that this was a mass expulsion, and I would say the ethnic cleansing of half of the Palestinian population.

That was really the first and most traumatic case of the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. I would say the second major instance of ethnic cleansing took place in 1967, during the June 1967 war and in its aftermath, during which time the Israeli military expelled another 250,000 to 300,000 Palestinians from their homes in the occupied territories, when they conquered Gaza on the West Bank. 70,000 of those were expelled from Gaza, and then the remainder of that 250,000 to 300,000 were expelled from the West Bank.

Once Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza in 1967, roughly 2,000 more Palestinians were expelled from 1967 to 1987. It’s of course much harder to expel people during times of peace, or let’s say relative peace, than it is during times of war, and so obviously, the expulsion slowed during that 20 year period, but they continued even after 1987. I would say the character of those expulsions shifted. It became obvious during the First Intifada that Israel could not maintain permanent military control over millions of Palestinians forever. Instead, it engaged in this process that became known as the Oslo Peace Process, during which it signed a series of agreements with Yasser Arafat and the PLO, in which it began to gradually transfer over some amount of autonomy within small cantons of the West Bank, as well as Gaza.

I would say that Israel’s policies towards the Palestinians shifted. Instead of pushing the Palestinians out of the West Bank and Gaza, like it did from ’67 to ’87, from the 90s onwards, the policy became pushing Palestinians from primarily area C to areas A and B. Because in the course of these Oslo agreements, the West Bank was carved up into three areas, areas A, B, and C. The largest 60% of the West Bank, that was area C. That’s the area Israel wanted to maintain control over, because it was the area of the West Bank that was least densely populated. It was the most sparsely populated, and the majority of the non-urban areas of the West Bank, including the Jordan Valley and the border with Jordan, Israel wanted to maintain permanent control over that area. So for the past two to three decades, Israel has engaged in an ongoing process of pushing Palestinians out of those regions.

Just in the past month, since October 7, the Israeli military together with Israeli settlers have expelled 900 Palestinians from area C of the West Bank. Before that, in the year or two before that, so we’re talking 2021, ’22, something like another thousand Palestinians were expelled from area C of the West Bank. And there are many villages in the West Bank that face a threat of expulsion. Masafer Yatta is the biggest one. You’re talking about 1,800 Palestinians in Masafer Yatta, which is in the south Hebron Hills of the West Bank. Those Palestinians have been under threat of expulsion for more than a year now. In the Jordan Valley, in places like Hamsa, I bore witness myself, you have settlers setting up outposts around area C of the West Bank, and harassing the Palestinian shepherding communities in the Jordan Valley, as well in places like Khan al-Ahmar, and in Beita as well.

In various places of the West Bank, you have this ongoing effort to push Palestinians out of their villages. Again, pushing them into areas A of the West Bank, where you have the large Palestinian urban centers. I would say there’s another ongoing effort to push Palestinians out of Gaza, and this has been a trend that I think is relatively under-reported over the past few years. If you go to Gaza and ask people… And I was in Gaza about five weeks ago, just shortly before the outbreak in violence, and the attacks on October 7th, every single Palestinian in Gaza knows someone who has left. It’s the same thing that has been happening in North Africa over the course of the past decade and a half, Palestinians from Gaza are getting on boats and leaving, and braving the high seas, and hoping for a better life in Turkey or Greece, and beyond.

That is another worrying trend. Now, of course, in the past month or so, in Gaza, 1.5 million Palestinians have been pushed out, have been told to leave their homes. We saw, of course, the report that came out, an Israeli military report, that basically said the Israeli military intends to, or hopes to try to expel every single resident of the Gaza Strip, we’re talking 2.3 million people, and push them all towards Sinai, a complete ethnic cleansing of the Gaza Strip. That is now, I think, at least the goal of the Israeli military. It’s unclear that they’ll be able to achieve that goal, but make no mistake about it, that is the goal. That’s how I would characterize the past 75 years of ethnic cleansing efforts on the part of the state of Israel towards the Palestinian people.

KH: One common refrain we have heard during the last few weeks is, the Palestinians need a Gandhi. Such people have insisted that the Palestinian people simply haven’t mounted a sufficiently powerful nonviolent liberation movement. Such critiques overlook decades of Israeli oppression, including violent attacks on protestors, and targeted assassinations. Can you speak to some of this history?

ZF: There were many attempts at Palestinian nonviolent resistance, and in most of those attempts, the Israeli military resorted to lethal violence. The first real, I would say nonviolent attempt to resist military occupation was during the first uprising, known as the First Intifada, from 1987 to 1993, during which Palestinians spontaneously broke out into open protest, daily strikes, daily protests. In the first year of that revolt, the Israeli military slaughtered 142 Palestinians in Gaza, and in response, Gazans killed zero Israeli soldiers and zero Israeli civilians, because it was a nonviolent revolt. It was Palestinian kids throwing stones at Israeli tanks. I think Palestinians saw up close and personal what happens when they resort to nonviolent resistance. They get slaughtered. They learned that lesson in 1988.

I would say the same has been true in the Oslo process. You saw the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, sign these Oslo Accords with Israel, which is a peace process, and that’s a nonviolent process. In return, what did the Palestinians get? Over the course of the seven years during this Oslo process, from ’93 to 2000, Israel dramatically expanded its settlement enterprise, confiscating more Palestinian land, destroying more Palestinian property. Israel also imposed lockdowns and closures, devastating the Palestinian economy. During a period when Israel is supposed to be building trust with the Palestinians, it’s actually eroding that trust. During peak closures and peak lockdowns, in which the Israeli military prevents Palestinians in the occupied territories from leaving their towns and villages and cities, you had unemployment rates that reached 70% in places like Gaza, which led to total impoverishment. Entire communities lost their sources of livelihood, and this is what the Palestinians got for engaging in a peace process with Israel.

And then of course, in the 2000s, after Israel decided to build a wall, which the international criminal court declared illegal because it was primarily built on Palestinian land, in the occupied territories, you had many villages, Beit Sira, Bil’in, Nil’in, Nebi Saleh, throughout West Bank, villages whose lands were confiscated to construct this wall, to construct this security barrier, and they protested week after week, in some cases for years and years, and in almost every case, Israeli military killed innocent protestors. They killed protestors in Nabi Salih and Bil’in and Ni’lin, they killed protesters in places like Sheikh Jarrah which also saw many protests in places like Beita, which saw many protests. Again, nonviolent protests that the Israeli military responded to with lethal force.

And then you could also… I would say the other few examples I would bring up would be the BDS movement, which is of course, a nonviolent movement to boycott and sanction and divest from companies that profit from the Israeli occupation. And in response to that movement, which began, I believe in 2005 by Omar Barghouti, supporters of the movement were declared antisemitic. The leader was threatened with expulsion, and he was threatened with his residency status being revoked. And in general, Israel has engaged in a campaign to delegitimize precisely that non-violence that it claims that Palestinians should resort to.

And then the final example I’ll give is in Gaza in 2018, Palestinians and Gaza organized protests. They were called the March of Return protests during which many thousands of Palestinians protested peacefully against the siege on Gaza demanding the right of return, and they were slaughtered. 256 Palestinians were slaughtered over the course of that protest movement. And at the same time, the Israeli snipers that gunned down those hundreds of Palestinians, they experienced zero casualties. No Israeli experienced any major harm at all. And so if you look back to the history of the nonviolent movements in Palestine, they’re delegitimized, they’re dealt with extreme violence, and disproportionate force. And so I think the question is not so much, “Where’s the Palestinian Gandhi?” The question should be probably, “Where’s the Israeli Gandhi?”

KH: Raz Segal, an associate professor of Holocaust and genocide studies at Stockton University, has referred to Israel’s attacks on Gaza as a “textbook case of genocide unfolding in front of our eyes.” But there has been a lot of pushback in recent days against people using the word genocide to describe what’s happening in Gaza. Can you explain why you believe it is appropriate to use that word to describe Israel’s ongoing actions toward Palestinians?

ZF: So I think I would first of all defer to scholars of genocide who understand the legal implications and the legal understandings of that term better than me. So that’s the first point I would make. And it wasn’t just Raz Segal, you had a petition already in the first week of this war, waged on Gaza, in which 800 academic scholars, PhDs who study ethnic cleansing and study genocide, they came out and basically said, there is a risk of genocide. And we can debate whether or not we’ve crossed the threshold. We can debate whether or not genocide is the right word, or whether mass indiscriminate slaughter of innocent civilians is the right term. I think at the point where we’re debating whether or not genocide is appropriate or is not appropriate, I think we’ve already established now that what is happening is totally unacceptable and it’s unlawful and it’s a crime against humanity.

And so I wouldn’t get too bogged down on whether or not we choose to use this specific word or not. I think reasonable people can fall on both sides of that debate. But what I think is unequivocal is that the statements coming out of the Israeli political establishment, the most senior Israeli political and military officials in charge of this war have demonstrated in multiple, in dozens of statements, we’re not talking about one or two statements, we’re talking about dozens of statements that they make no distinction between the civilian population of Gaza and Hamas. Even just recently, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, in a speech to soldiers going into battle, quoted the Bible, Deuteronomy. He quoted the verses in which the nation, the Israelites in the Bible, are told to destroy the people of Amalek. And if you go into the Bible and read those passages, it says that you go in and you kill every man, woman, child, and cattle and goats, because they’re all your enemy – [so that means] every single last person in Gaza.

So when you add up these statements from Israeli leaders declaring that we are cutting off all food, all water, all electricity to all 2.3 million people, so there’s a full blockade, full siege, Israel has prevented something like three to four percent of the humanitarian aid that is needed is being allowed in. So, 96 percent of people are essentially without water and without food.

Then when you add that up, when you add up the indiscriminate bombings, dropping bombs on civilian areas and refugee camps, 10,000 plus people die. How many more innocent civilians need to die before we say it’s a genocide? Is it 20,000? Is it 50,000? Is it 500,000? And so we can debate the exact number of people that need to die before we call it a genocide. But I think at that point, you’ve already essentially acknowledged that what we are talking about is a grotesque crime against humanity, and it’s incumbent upon all of us to call for an immediate ceasefire and end to the hostilities, because otherwise we’re just headed down a path that is either already genocide or will be genocide very soon.

KH: You recently stated that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) can no longer be considered an organization that defends the Jewish people. Can you elaborate on this?

ZF: Historically, and to this day, the mission of the ADL is to prevent the defamation of the Jewish people. It’s to prevent discrimination against Jews. And yet it published a report just this past summer, basically outlining and documenting criticism of Israel, what it calls anti-Israel behaviors and statements and actions. Now, let me ask you this. Why is an organization that is focused on preventing discrimination against Jews publishing reports, talking about criticism of Israel? What does criticism of Israel have anything to do with discrimination against Jews? These are literally unrelated historical phenomenon. You have many raging antisemitic Zionists, and you have many Jews who are anti-Zionists.

So it is no longer an organization that I think can plausibly be said to be an organization that is dedicated to preventing discrimination against Jews. It’s completely politicized itself, and it’s not just that one report. Look at the tweets of, what is his name, Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of ADL. A huge percentage of what this guy is saying has nothing to do with discrimination against Jews. So I think it has really lost a lot of legitimacy in my eyes, and I imagine the eyes of many Jews who are critical of Israel.

KH: There has been a great deal of repression reminiscent of McCarthyism and the aftermath of 9/11 in which many people who have questioned the violence being perpetrated by Israel have faced professional consequences such as the cancellation of events or the termination of their employment. Can you speak to this repression and why you believe people should continue to speak out in spite of it?

ZF: First of all, let me just say that repression is most severe inside the borders of the state of Israel. You have, I think by now, over a hundred Palestinian citizens of Israel who have been fired from their jobs, from their places of work for coming out in solidarity with the people of Gaza. We’re not even talking about people writing in messages, talking about their support for Hamas or their support for attacks. We’re talking about messages in solidarity with the victims. Those people are being fired from their jobs in Israel. University students in Israel are being suspended. You have police in Israel walking into shops demanding that Palestinians open their phones to see what Facebook or Instagram posts they’ve liked, and if they like the wrong posts, they’re being arrested. You have dozens of cases of arrests. Again, all for just speaking out for condemning the violence being committed by the Israeli military. So I think it’s most severe right now in Israel, which is really becoming, I would say, a police state.

And then of course, it’s happening all around the world as well. We saw in Europe protestors being arrested for waving the Palestinian flag. It’s happening in the United States. You have people coming out, sharing their solidarity with Palestinians being fired, being forced to step down. Their invitations are being rescinded. It’s incredibly troubling and worrying, and I think it’s incumbent upon all of us to speak out against it and to continue to share our thoughts about what kind of country we want to live in.

If speaking out against a “textbook case of genocide” is now illegal or is now leading negative consequences, that’s a horrible society that I don’t think any of us want to live in. I think it’s absolutely horrifying to see these incidents, and I think it’s now more important than ever for those of us who care about human rights and who oppose genocide to speak out, because it’s our government that is implicated in this. We are not sitting on the sidelines here. We are an active participant in this conflict. So, it’s worrying and it’s distressing, and I think we all need to speak up on behalf of people who are facing pressure and losing their jobs because of this.

KH: What are your thoughts on news that Israel has agreed to a four-hour humanitarian pause each day in their bombardment of Gaza?

ZF: Either you believe that the people of Gaza should be able to live in peace and security, or you don’t. The blockade and the siege need to end. You need to allow more than a few dozen trucks to enter Gaza every day. Before the war, you had 500 trucks entering Gaza every day. Now, I believe in the past 24 hours, there were maybe a few dozen trucks allowed in, and in total, there have only been a few hundred trucks allowed to enter Gaza since October 7.

So you’re talking about a trickle, you’re talking about a trivial percentage of people’s needs being met. It’s insane. You’re letting people starve to death and dehydrate to death. So this concept of humanitarian pause, it makes no sense to me. Either you believe that the people of Gaza are innocent and deserve to have food and water and electricity and fuel, or you don’t. And if you believe that, then you need to support an immediate ceasefire and a cessation of hostilities and opening up the border completely, and allowing humanitarian organizations in the UN to deliver the necessary aid that the people need.

[fundielicious-simblr]

(Valentina's pov)

We've definitely been enjoying our summer here in Brindleton Bay! We try and spend most of our day outside, now that the girls are toddlers we have a lot more freedom as to what we can do. Aria and Ansel have been going with their dad to fish in a nearby lake almost every day since summer started, and whilst they don't come back with a fish everyday, they come back with stories about their fishing adventures that I'm sure they'll look back on with fondness. Whilst we aren't actively doing schoolwork in the summer, we're still learning when we're outside. The kids research the kinds of fish that are local to our area, so they know how to identify anything they might catch. Ever since we got our chickens, we've been learning all the things about them like the differences between the eggs that are laid for us to eat versus the fertilised eggs that hatch into chicks. We've also been learning about the fruits and vegetables that we've been growing, as well as the local plants and animals in the area. We've been debating whether to move to a property that has more land to have more animals, but that's a big undertaking so we're definitely praying on it.

These four are proving to be thick as thieves, there's a year between them and they're determined to put me through my paces. I don't mind it though, I'm taking my time and cherishing all these memories while they're still young. Before I know it they'll be in school, then maybe even college, then getting married and moving out. I'm so thankful for the Lord choosing me to be the mama of these rambunctious kids.

(AN: The kid should really be a toddler cause he's 2 weeks younger then valentina's youngest 2, but lets pretend these are old pictures. Also, I hate that the infant blanket has to appear when they're being posed)

My sister Sabrina and her husband Tucker live further out in the country from us, but we still see them at church and manage to plan to see each other when our schedules align. Though Tucker's family still does their touring music ministry for parts of the year, Tucker and Sabrina have chosen to focus on maintaining the farm and being at home. They've even bought their own home close to the farm, as they wanted their own place for their growing family. Sabrina announced that they're expecting another baby by early next year!

My little brother Zachary is courting! He met Kelsey Parnell (19) last year when he was in Brindleton Bay to visit us, Kelsey lives in a town an hour away from Brindleton Bay but has the same social circles as our aunt Danielle. I guess my aunt is determined to have her nieces and nephews have ties to Brindleton Bay so that there will always be a way to see her, because this is now the 3rd couple she's used her match making skills on (the first being Me and Eric, the second being Sabrina and Tucker). Kelsey spends her time helping her mother at home, or working with the same ministry my aunt sometimes works with. They first met at a christmas bake sale to support an pro-life ministry, and would see each other everytime Zach would visit Brindleton Bay either for work or to see us. My parents were able to meet her parents as well and our families got along great, they agreed that it was okay for the two to get to know each other better in order for a courtship to happen, and recently Zach got the greenlight to ask her to start a courtship. Kelsey is a great girl, we've known her and her family for a few years and I think they'll make a great couple.

Celeste is also courting! She's in a courtship with a delightful young man named Reid Robbins (25) from Northbury, a town a few hours outside Britechester. They met through mutual friends when she was at a young women's retreat that was a ministry run by his church. She met one of his sisters and they became fast friends, and she later introduced the girls to her family and the rest of the church congregation. These two met and there was a group chat formed where they all got to know each other and challenged each other daily to keep up in their walk with the Lord. Between a few visits to Newcrest, a few visits to Northbury, and some group trips added into the mix, Reid had started to pray to the Lord about Celeste (what he didn't know is that she'd also started praying about him!). After discussing the fact with his parents, they contacted our parents and after both sides approved, he made his way to my parents house in Newcrest and officially asked her! Though she was excited, Celeste was slightly apprehensive at the beginning because she is slightly older than him (her being 27 and him being 25), but my sisters and I reassured her that if she felt the Lord leading her in that direction - then to follow where she's being led. Now she's happier than ever before, she's already started dreaming about what their wedding will look like!

[edwinspaynes]

I an EXTREMELY exhausted and am sure this post will come out ridiculous but

I love Zachary because he's Zachary and I think we as a fandom should collectively rename him because

The vibe of the name "Zachary" doesn't match the old, proud, regal English vibes of "Alastair" or "Cordelia"

Jem hasn't done jack shit for that family in his entire life and there's 0 reason for Sona to name her baby after him, especially when she has so many Persian relatives Elias Carstairs ostracized her from,

It's lowkey kinda gaudy. Like what're we supposed to call him? Zach? No offense if your name is Zach, you're probably really cool, but this infant doesn't belong in a boy band

His middle name 'Arash' is pretty but doesn't match his sibling's middle names from the Shahnameh. They get to be from the same legend and he is totally unrelated? Wtf

WHY IS HE A CARSTAIRS? HE SHOULD BE A JAHANSHAH, AS HIS WONDERFUL REGAL MOTHER IS. It's a prettier name. Also Elias is dead (praise be.) The only good thing about the name Carstairs is that Alastair has it, but for the record I think he should start calling himself Alastair Esfandiyār Jahanshah, too.

[bpod-bpod]

Frozen Out

Developed just over a hundred years ago, the BCG vaccine is the only vaccine widely-used against tuberculosis, or TB, a disease caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb, pictured). While highly effective in protecting infants from the most serious forms of disease, BCG is less successful in preventing transmission and lung disease in adults. TB remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide, with most cases in South-East Asia and Africa. New vaccines are being tested, including promising solutions combining antigens, molecules provoking an immune response specifically against Mtb, with adjuvants, that further stimulate the immune system. In recent phase I clinical trials, a freeze-dried vaccine, that would not need to be kept refrigerated, was found to be safe, causing no serious side-effects, and to trigger antibody production. While still in early stages of testing, a more robust vaccine would be hugely beneficial to vaccination campaigns in remote areas.

Written by Emmanuelle Briolat

Image from the NIH, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Bethesda MD, USA

Research from Zachary K. Sagawa et al, Access to Advanced Health Institute (formerly Infectious Disease Research Institute), Seattle, WA, USA

Image in the Public Domain

Research published in Nature Communications, March 2023

You can also follow BPoD on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook

[allisonreader]

A Different Kind of Cinderella

A story I wrote in my childhood

All of the sudden, in the middle of his supper the pain in his heart began.

“Douglas, are you alright?”  His concerned wife asked.  The pain stopped.

“Yes, I am fine. How is little Mathew eating? He replied.

The one and a half year old gargled “good, good” as he banged his spoon on the table. Then there was a loud knock on the door.  

“Samantha, dearest, can you get that for me please? I have got a most splitting headache” Douglas asked his wife.

“Yes dear, I will” answered Samantha. “Hello” she said as she opened the front door.

“Good Evening, Lady Samantha, is Lord Douglas in?” asked the young man.

“Yes he is in. May I ask why?” she replied.

“I need him to come with me immediately; the king would like to speak with him about his will” answered the tall, dark haired man replied.

“Why? What is wrong with it?” she asked.

“My Lady, I do not know I am just the King’s Paige” answered the young man.  

“I will go get him, your name please so I may tell him who is calling” she said.

“Zachary.”  

Then there was a big crash. Both Samantha and Zachary raced to the dining hall, where they came upon the scene of Mathew in a crying fit and Douglas sprawled on the floor unconscious. The first thing Samantha did was go and pick up her baby and try to calm him down. At the same time Zachary checked on how Lord Douglas was, to make sure he was alive.

“My lady, I can go get help, the lord Douglas is still alive but not doing well” Zachary informed the Lady.

“Yes, yes, go fast please” she said nearly in tears while cradling her now half sleeping child.

“Hang on my love, hang on, hang on my love please” she murmured to her husband while sitting beside him, stroking his dark blond greying hair.  

Once Zachary got help, he made sure the lord was going to live, then Zachary told the events that happened to the king.

“Douglas must not travel until he regains strength. I will go to him to talk about his will” said King Roy. A couple of days later King Roy arrived at the house and home of Lady Samantha.

Samantha made the king and feel welcome. “So, good king is there anything I can do for you?” asked Lady Samantha.

“Yes I would like to speak to Lord Douglas” answered the king.

“Why of course your majesty” she replied.

King Roy was led up to Douglas’s room by a young maid. Once there, the king sat in a large red velvet chair. “Douglas, you want an infant to inherit your title as soon as you pass on?” asked the king.

“Yes” Lord Douglas said with as much energy he could muster. “Please… send… in… my… wife?” asked Douglas.

Samantha rushed to her up to her husband’s room. With the last of his strength he held her hand and gave it one last squeeze, and with the simple whispered phrase “I love you”, then he was gone. Samantha then started to cry. King Roy then got up and quietly slipped out of the room.

“Zachary, in about a year, marry the girl” the king told the young man.  

⏳⏳⏳

A few years later…

“Mathew, come here please” asked his very sickly mother in a quiet voice.

“Yes, Mother?” her son replied.

“I love… you… so much.… Keep the… house… in… good… repair…. I… love… you” Samantha said to her son with her last breath.  After a couple moments alone in the room with his mother, Mathew emerged.

“Zachary, my- my m-m-mother has- has pa-passed a-away” the little boy told his step-father.  

A few months later

“Mathew go clean out the stable. Do not forget to do the dishes, then you can wash the floors and learn to sew” ordered his step-father.

“Of course Zach” answered Mathew.  “I am now a slave with a tittle. I am eight and must do chores for my step-father and his twins; Oscar and Prunella.” Mathew thought to himself.  

Now as Mathew worked as a servant, the only freedom was going to town. He was allowed to wear his best outfit, for in town he was the young Lord Mathew, whom everyone loved.

One day when Mathew went to town he me a girl his age (15).

“Fruits, fresh fruits” called the young girl.

Mathew stopped and looked at her various fruit. “I will buy a bunch of strawberries and an apple” Mathew told the girl.

“Of course sir, let me gather your fruit” she replied kindly.

“Would you mind if I asked why you have your hair over half your face?” asked Mathew curiously.

“I will show you, but I warn you, ‘tis not pretty” she said as she pulled back her hair to show him a big, ugly, long, red, fresh looking scar.

“How did that happen, may I ask?” He phrased politely.

“A store with a glass window was on fire and for some reason the glass broke and sent glass flying into the street. I and a few other unfortunate people were hit with the flying glass. Some of the people who were close were so injured that they died, but I had one piece of glass cut my face so deep that I am most likely to always have a scar” answered the girl honestly.

“I fear I have asked some harsh questions. I should have at least asked you for your name.” He told the girl as she fixed her hair.

“My name! No one ever asks my name!” She exclaimed.

“Is that a no to telling me your name then?” asked a disappointed Mathew.

“No, of course not, I am just not used to being asked my name. ‘Tis Anna.” She replied.

“I am sorry, but I do not know… I do not know who you are” she said embarrassedly as she blushed.

“Do not worry about it; I tend to keep to myself. I am Mathew” he answered.

“Thank-you Mathew for buying my fruit” said Anna.

“What are you doing Anna! You cannot talk to him like that! Do you not know who that is!” said a boy about the same age as them.

“What Neil? He’s a customer. I am being polite” answered Anna.  

“Anna that is the young Lord Mathew” Neil whispered near her ear.  

“I am so sorry sir, please forgive my younger sister” Neil apologized.

“I am only ten minutes younger Neil!” Anna yelled.

“I better be going… so you can finish your… uhmmm… conversation” said Mathew.

“Look what you have done now. You have frightened him away! You are always doing that! You scare away other boys. You are my brother Neil… NOT our father.  If you keep doing that how am I ever going to get married” she told her brother.

“I am just trying to protect you” he told her.

The next day when Mathew went back to town, he stopped by the fruit stand.

“Oh! Sir, you are here again. I thought you would not come back Lord Mathew” exclaimed Anna.

“Please call me Mathew. Honestly I am no different than you or your brother Anna” he told her.

“I do not believe that. You probably have servants to do everything for you” she replied.

“No, I do not.”

“I do not believe you.”

“Listen, my mother died the day before I was eight; within five months my step-father got rid of all the servants and made me do all of the work. I have to make every meal and clean the stables, kennels, kitchen, halls, bedrooms, dining hall, great hall, ballroom, staircases, clothes, dishes drapes, carriages, horses, dogs, chicken coop, and the library, parlor, drawing room. I also have to feed all the animals, and all the sewing, sewing!” he exclaimed quietly. “You cannot say I am different” Mathew stated.

“But you are a lord” was all Anna could say.

“Yes but he is older than me and I must wait ‘til I am older before I can free myself from him” answered Mathew.

“Oh” she said. From that day on they were friends.

In the castle there was a heated argument between the king and queen.

“Our daughter is the eldest, she should be queen” said Queen Rose.

“They are twins it does not matter. We can say Philip was born first, no one will be wiser” said the king.

“I will know and so would Philip and Marie” said the queen.

“It is always the eldest son who gets the throne first, it is tradition” countered King Roy.

“We do not have to follow tradition. May I question why we must do this now, could it not wait a few more years?” asked Queen Rose.

“Yes we must. I do not want to fight about it on some ones wedding day. Speaking of weddings, we must start looking for a husband for Marie and a wife for Philip” King Roy responded.

“They are only 15 it can be held off for a year or two. You want to jump into things much too quick” Queen Rose replied.

“Mother what are you and father talking about?” asked Marie.

“Darling we are just talking about the future. Please go back to your studies.” Rose answered.

“Yes Mother if you insist” the princess said. After the princess was gone the queen said in a soft quiet voice “We are done our talk.” Then she left.

After the queen left the king howled in rage, “Rose you will regret this!” Then under his breath he said, “No she will not but I will look for their wife and husband.  My wife cannot stop me.”

“Philip I overheard mother and father arguing over us. `Sons have always been eldest he should be first in line. ` Then Mama said something like `Marie is the eldest she should have a chance. We do not have to follow tradition. ` After that father said that we should have to start looking for a husband and wife! To annoy them I came in and asked them what they were talking about.” Marie told her brother in delight.

“You talk too much Marie. At the moment I do not want to or care about being king.” Philip responded.

“Fine, it is almost dinner time! We will be late if we do not go now! Come on Philip!” Marie said in a panic.

“Hurray; dinner. Let them be mad if we (or at least me) are late.” Philip said.

“See you at dinner then, bye!” Marie said in a rush.

“Ahhhh, alone at last!” Philip said to himself.

Marie rushed to the dining room and arrived on time.

“Marie, darling thank-you for being so punctual. Now where is your brother?” King Roy asked.

“Father, he has decided to be late. He should be here soon though” answered Marie.

“Well, I guess late is better than not here at all? Am I right?” asked Queen Rose.

“That boy is going to go hungry if he is not here before the first course is over” stated the king. With that, as if the prince were on cue, he entered.

“There I am here” announced Prince Philip.

“It is good that you have decided to join us Philip. You should learn to be on time. It is rude to show up late. If this were a ball it would reflect badly upon us” Queen Rose told her son.

“Son you may have to rule this kingdom one day. To do that you must be on time” lectured Roy.

“Yes father” answered Philip crankily. Then they ate the rest of their meal in an awkward silence.    

Next bit here

[pinespittinink]

📝 find the word tag 📝

i was tagged awhile ago by @thewriteflame, thank you!! my words were hasty, grew, catch, persuade, and moon. These are all excerpts from The Great Glavenisean Theater. 

🔍 HASTY 🔍

It’s half past six by the time a girl with reddish-blonde hair has hurried into the costume den, a hasty apology on her lips for Cora. Noortje cannot be much older than her teens, if even, and Clementine and Cashmere perk their heads up and greet her with delight. She barely gives me much of a passing glance before gathering a bundle of ribbons in her arms and dashing off to help the chorus girls into their costumes.

🔍 GREW 🔍

The incriminating cordial spill ruining the fabric reminds me of the port-wine stain splashed across Marian’s face. When we were infants, it was the only thing strangers relied upon to tell us apart, spreading conspicuously from under her hairline at her left temple and down across the bridge of her nose and cheek like a bruise that would never heal. Though of course, as we grew, our identities became apparent at a glance even without the dividing birthmark. Marian walked and crawled faster than me. I learned late, and did not wander far once I did.

🔍 CATCH 🔍

The back halls of the theater are small spaces, the walls exposed woodwork framing pink paper, lit by bare-boned electricals following above us like veins in a circulatory system. Percival fills each turn, and I catch sight of other men and a few women as he leads me further in. We pass an open room at one point, occupied by a cluster of young chorus girls stretching out of costume before a large, mirrored wall, the glass spotty. 

🔍 PERSUADE CONVINCE 🔍

“The artist’s alley?” Seonghwa muses. The three of us jostle together as someone shoves past behind Seonghwa to the doors, laughing amid a bubbling group. “Most of us live there, those that bother to leave the theater for a proper bed at least.”

“The invitation still stands,” Travis says to him, squeezing Seonghwa’s waist. “You know my apartment is a better place than that hole you shack up in.”

“That hole is my home,” Seonghwa replies, unbothered, “but keep at it. Perhaps you’ll convince me eventually.”

🔍 MOON 🔍

We pause at every person we come across for Zachary to chitchat and introduce me, and each one greets him with a relaxed manner or girlish excitement, as though he is a butterfly passing through the midst of a garden. Their names subsequently fly over my head, rolling off the bone of my skull like billiard balls and missed stitches that will have to be pulled out and readdressed, but there will be time for that later. I’m preoccupied enough with Zachary’s company, my own excitement such an unusual thing that I cannot help but be carried along by it, like a moon towed along in close orbit.

I’m tagging: @bloodlessheirbyjacques, @sentfromwolves, @kjscottwrites, @flowerprose, @awritingcaitlin , @baroquesse and @kashacreates

your words are: above, bloom, crystal, sun, and wrist. 

[sanctamater]

THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A FAIR GAME. ONLY WINNERS AND LOSERS. a cyber.punk au.

in which our lady can never really wash away the blood she's stained her hands with, even fifty years later.

this is also going to be a long one. i will try and divide it up as best i can, but regardless, it will be long.

THE BASICS. NAME: Amelia Comstock; formerly Van Nostrand TITLES AND STYLES: Mrs. [A.] Comstock, Militech's Heart, Militech's Voice of Reason, The Good Lady, Our Lady, Gilded Lady, COO, Boss. OCCUPATION: Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Militech, philanthropist. CLASS: Corpo exec; full Corpo Immunity. Combat Medic. NC ID #: 67-0431-1997 AGE: 80 as of 2077; looks to be in her late 30s thanks to Nanobots and what Amelia will call an excellent night cream. DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: April 31st, 1997, New York City, New York; NUSA (formerly known as the United States of America) MARITAL STATUS: Married to Senator Zachary Hale Comstock; Senator of New York State and leader of the Founder Religion (read: cult) CHILDREN: Elizabeth Comstock (born 2016); whereabouts currently unknown to general public. Her disappearance in 2023 has been the subject of much speculation.

EXTRAS. NOTABLE FEATURES: Notably, a gilded cybernetic neck that has been engraved with art deco lines. It is her largest piece of cyberware that she has installed - having done so after surviving the attempt on her life in 2018, rendering her neck invulnerable to organic damage. It contains an AI replica of her voice; and occasionally will glitch and warp into a robotic voice - think Siri or Alexa. In addition, she has 5 gold tears implanted under her eyes; 2 on her left cheekbone, and 3 on her right. These serve no purpose other than aesthetics; but reference the sorrows of Mary and hold personal meeting as Amelia counts her own sorrows. She has yet to reach 7. Gold cybernetics run up her legs as well - and her left ring finger has been replaced with a golden cybernetic one in place of a wedding band; a 'request' from Zachary. Amelia dresses in severe, black Militech garb - a knee length, long sleeved, high collared black dress that displays a clerical collar. Her uniform usually has gold edging and she wears a ballistic vest outfitted with a glowing, red Militech insignia that doubles as a tracking device, and another insignia next to it of a white cross on a red background, signalling her status as medical personnel.

ON THE CULT. Senator Zachary Hale Comstock (representative of New York state) is the head of an ever growing cult known as ‘The Founder’s Faith’; focusing on colonial America and an attempt to return to ‘true democracy’ and a ‘true America’. The cult decries all forms of cyberware and Media infiltration, and despite the Senator’s ties to Militech that enabled him to become a Senator, the cult is against Militech run government and corp meddling in general. It values a ‘traditional’ lifestyle, and Senator Comstock preaches a return to those values; and promises that should he ever be placed in charge by the grace of God, he will return the NUSA to its glory days no matter the cost. In reality, the cult is a death cult that seeks to destroy the NUSA in its entirety and rebuild anew, with Zachary climbing the ladder higher in a bid to eventually become President - with their daughter Elizabeth following in his footsteps. Zachary embezzles funds and tech from Militech to further this outcome through his wife; and when Amelia realised what she had given entry to after marrying him, she attempted to whistleblow and expose him in front of the board. The Senator attempted to strangle his wife to death, and failed. Now, she lives quietly - and bides her time. 

ON ELIZABETH. Elizabeth would have been, for all intents and purposes, a normal girl had she not been subjected to the experiments of Rosalind and Zachary. As an infant, they attempted to do the impossible: bridge Elizabeth's mind between the here and The Net. Given her age and how malleable she was, the splitting was a success - a first time achievement in history - allowing Elizabeth to exist across two planes at once. Elizabeth can enter the Net without any assistance; ICE poses no issue to her - she can walk through firewalls with ease and encounter rogue AI and daemons without problems; even building and accessing formerly dark and abandoned areas in the Net. This is something that is kept secret - every corpo, gov and gang would attempt to get their hands on on Elizabeth if this were common knowledge - even Amelia does not know; and Elizabeth is guarded by Sentient AI called 'SONGBIRD' from her 'TOWER'; where she has been learning for 50 years, isolated from the world.

ON ROSALIND AND ROBERT. Rosalind Lutece was a premiere scientist and Netrunner in the USA; known for creating excellent AI and advancements in Net infrastructure. She was contracted by Zachary to look in to using and harnessing the Net as a weapon; and what would happen if the Net fell. Assisting her in this was the AI 'ROBERT'; an AI she created based on herself - a brother of sorts. Robert assisted with the experiment upon Elizabeth; but later became sentient, and regretted his involvement. Robert successfully convinced Rosalind to attempt to free Elizabeth in 2035; only to have Rosalind killed by Zachary. Distraught, Robert created a copy of Rosalind as AI - the two are now rogue beings in the net.

TIMELINE: 2013 - 2023

2013

Amelia's father, one of the original board members of Militech, passes suddenly; leaving Amelia both his seat in the board of directors and the family weapons and munitions factory.

Amelia takes to the position with zeal despite her youth; having grown up with Militech executives and been involved in its business since birth - though young, she is well liked and easy to get along with, and quickly becomes a voice of reason. To placate Lundee, who Amelia quickly finds herself in opposition with, she enters Yale early, enrolling into a BA for Political Science, which she aims to complete in 2 years at the age of 18.

2015

Amelia completes her BA. An internal coup is staged and Amelia is taken out of her place in the board by supporters and placed as the COO of Militech; with many hoping to use her as a buffer to Lundee. That's the official memo - but most of the faction know she is young and impressionable, and wish to use Amelia as a puppet COO to advance their own agenda.

Amelia decides to get an MA in Business Studies to complete her education at Yale. She meets Zachary Hale Comstock there; who is preaching his doctrine and dogma around the USA. There, he preached against corpowars and the power of technology; claiming it was a corrupting force, and warned of more and more corpowars in the future. Amelia, wishing for Militech to become more than just a weapons and arms dealer, envisioning them as peacekeeping, non-partisan corporation is enthralled by this, and continues to attend his sermons.

Amelia and Zachary are married in May of 2015; he uses Amelia's influence to jumpstart his political career and increase the range of the cult.

Militech assigns ex-soldier turned bodyguard, Booker DeWitt, to Amelia in the face of unrest. Amelia quickly finds that married life is not what she expected; Zachary is prone to bouts of explosive anger, belittles her, and demands a child from her - claiming that his prophecy to save America involves a child being born of their union. Amelia is under intense pressure to conceive, and confides often in Booker. The two begin an affair.

2016

Elizabeth Comstock is born in early winter, 2016. The labour is a traumatic one for Amelia, who is only 19. There are rumours that Zachary Hale Comstock is not the father; and that Booker DeWitt is.

Zachary Hale Comstock begins to embezzle funds from Militech using Amelia's clearances to fund research with Rosalind Lutece.

The Third Corpo War begins and ends; proving Earth-shattering. Zachary uses this as an opportunity to claim he had prophesied this. The cult continues to grow.

2017

Amelia is moved from New York City to Night City. She takes Elizabeth with her as Zachary has no interest in child-rearing, believing it to be Amelia's sole duty and purpose.

Amelia begins to notice someone is using her credentials and clearance and that her spending accounts do not match up with her own personal records.

2018

Amelia confronts Zachary about his embezzlement after rooting through his office desk on a return trip to New York City. The argument escalates and becomes physical. Zachary attempts to strangle Amelia to death when she threatens to reveal his research to Militech and his embezzlement of their funds. Amelia escapes by gouging out his organic eyes with her nails, and promises to stay quiet. Zachary ensures this by threatening her with Elizabeth being taken from her.

The attack is passed off as an assassination attempt, blaming Lazarus for the hit. Lazarus denies these claims.

Militech releases Booker DeWitt from service after failing to protect Amelia. He becomes a solo in Night City.

2019

Amelia replaces her neck with her now iconic gilded one; and implants two tears on her cheek. One for her attempted murder, and one for her silence.

2020

Elizabeth begins to manifest strange abilities connected to the Net. Rosalind Lutece implies Elizabeth would be an excellent Netrunner should she be allowed to train her. Amelia rebukes this.

2021

Booker and Amelia get back together.

The Fourth Corpo war begins.

2022

Militech and Arasaka become involved in the corpo war after OTEK and CINO come to a standstill; Donald Lundee pushes for more and more covert tactics and strikes against Arasaka in an attempt to push them out from the USA. Amelia and her faction disagree; and the two begin to clash.

Arasaka strikes at Militech's Night City HQ; killing dozens - Amelia escapes, and is later seen providing medical attention to both Militech and Arasaka forces with a dedicated medical team. The image of her doing so endears her to the public.

Zachary Hale Comstock is elected Senator of New York City; there are rumours that Militech interfered with the election to ensure the husband of their COO gained office.

The war continues with cities and countries being reduced to ash. Lundee continues to order strike upon strike; tensions begin to mount as Lundee and Amelia's factions gather strength - only to have both corps nationalised, effectively ending the war.

President Elizabeth Kress reactivates Militech with the goal of ridding Arasaka from the USA's borders. Lundee and Amelia are brought back on board and the war resumes.

Booker and Amelia make plans to leave Night City and flee to a different state, taking Elizabeth with them and starting life anew.

2023

A scream sheet reveals that Booker and Amelia have been having an affair. The fallout is astronomical.

Citing moral failure on Amelia's part, Zachary seizes Elizabeth from Amelia's custody, and places her in 'The Tower' within Night City to be observed by Rosalind Lutece.

Amelia is brought before the Militech board and put on trial for her ties to an anarchist; only saved by her own powerful faction. Lundee gives her one last chance.

Eager to make good on his commission, Lundee devises a plan to end the war once and for all: a bomb to the heart of Arasaka, forever crippling its roots in the USA.

Amelia, eager to regain status in Militech, signs off on the strike against Arasaka with Lundee's blessing. The funds are given to Johnny Silverhand.

On August 23rd, 2023, Johnny Silverhand and Morgan Blackhand lead a strike team into Arasaka tower. The nuclear blast kills 12,000 and killed over 750,000 more. Johnny Silverhand dies in combat.

Amelia, in the aftermath, leads another medical team to provide aid to injured citizens and take the spotlight off of militch.

Amelia gets three tears implanted upon her cheek: one for Elizabeth, one for Night City, and one for Booker. The guilt eats at her - but the corpo war has ended, and Militech and the USA are now one in the same.

2077 INVOLVEMENT

THE JIST: Amelia has been working from Washington, DC since 2023. For the past 50 years, she has stood as a voice of reason within Militech, and has a devoted faction within the corp in addition to the cult. With tensions mounting between Arasaka and Militech again, she has been sent back to Night City to facilitate peace talks.

MISSIONS: In the main narrative of CP77, Amelia is only hinted at returning to the city at first, and does not appear in the narrative until after Alt is contacted in Pacifica.

MY WRATH MAY NOT GO FORTH LIKE FIRE! On a routine cyberpyscho job from Regina, V will have the choice to kill or spare a solo (Booker DeWitt) that has gone off the deep end. Upon sparing him, V will exit to see Militech vans coming to collect the solo from the scene. No agents will answer any questions; but if the player looks, they will see the gleam of a gilded neck from behind one of the tinted windows. 

REPAY NO ONE EVIL FOR EVIL: Amelia will contact V through a Militech fixer offering a small job - stealing back Militech information from an Arasaka counter intel agent. She will pay a bonus for stealth, and deduct pay if caught or if V zeroes any agents, regardless of them being Arasaka or not.

YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS: Amelia's fixer will contact V again, offering them another job rescuing a Militech officer from Arasaka interrogation. She will reward stealth, and will deduct again if the officer or any Arasaka personnel are killed.

BRING ME THE HEAD OF HOLOFERNES! Amelia will then contact V anonymously about 7 in game days after this third mission has passed, offhandedly saying that she has heard of V’s name in Night City and their reputation precedes them; that she has a job for them that pays well, if they’d like to hear it. Amelia will then invite V to her apartment, and introduce herself fully there - away from prying eyes. It is there that Amelia requests a hit on her husband - and NUSA Presidential Candidate; who is in Night City for a debate - Senator Zachary Hale Comstock; saying that this is a job that needs V’s strength, cunning - and, most importantly, V’s kindness.  Note: If V chooses to kill the solo, Amelia will still offer this mission; but she’ll be noticeably distant and instead mention that this hit requires someone who’s a cold blooded killer who doesn’t think, just acts.

There are some catches to this job, however. Security is tight, and stealth is a must: detection would risk the cult martyring Zachary, and it cannot seem anything other than an accident or a suicide - something V will have to choose what to do. On completing this mission successfully, V will be wired 55,000 eddies. Failure to stealth nullifies the job entirely.

HER CHILDREN ARRIVE AND CALL HER BLESSED: Amelia will then contact V and request for V to release Elizabeth to her before Zachary's inner circle gets their hands on Elizabeth; V will have to stealth going through 3 floors of a penthouse in a mega tower in order to get to Elizabeth, and disable the AI Songbird in order to retrieve her and bring her to Amelia. Once Songbird is disabled, Elizabeth will assist V with enemy takedown and quick hacking. Stealth is mandatory - failure to stealth will result in mission failure. Upon driving Elizabeth to Amelia, V is wired 90,000 eddies and is profusely thanked by Amelia.

THE END: At the end of the game, a successful mission will show the cult dissolving without a head; a failure will show the cult instead securing Elizabeth and using them to forge their path. Turning down the mission will show that President Myers has been assassinated, and Zachary Hale Comstock has won the ‘election’. 

If V took Hanako’s deal: Tensions between Arasaka and Militech will continue to rise now that Saburo is effectively immortal.  If V put carried out a strike on Arasaka with Rogue: With Arasaka in tatters, Amelia is able to discuss terms with the rival corp and alleviate the tension somewhat - for now. She becomes the next CEO of Militech and announces a new, brighter future ahead. If V solo'd with Johnny or put a strike with the Aldecaldos: Amelia, Booker, and Elizabeth leave Night City to continue Booker's therapy.

[themomsandthecity]

Phoenix, Oscar, Leo, Arlo, and 170 More of the Cutest Names For Baby Boys

Brainstorming baby names can be one of the most fun (and important) aspects of planning for the arrival of your little one, but it can also feel really overwhelming. If you don't have certain requirements, like wanting a name that runs in the family, the possibilities can seem endless. Our names are the first thing tied to our identities, and we know how daunting that sounds - so we're here to ease you of any stress you have on your hunt for cute baby boy names. Choosing a cute boy name that will be equally fitting for an adorable infant and the adult he grows into can be a challenge, which is why we compiled this list of cute, unique boy names. You're sure to find an option that flow well with your last name or other kids' names among the cute names for boys we rounded up here. You might even find two that you like to help you out with a middle name option. (Oh, and if you want options for cute girls' names, we have you covered for that too, with our list of cute girl names.) Cute Names For Boys A Abe, Addison, Aiden, Amir, Amos, Ansel, Archie, Ari, Arlo, Asher, Atticus, August, Austin, Avery, Axel B Beau, Beckett, Bentley, Benicio, Benito, Benjamin, Billy, Bishop, Blake, Bodhi, Briggs, Brody, Brooks C Caleb, Campbell, Carter, Caspian, Charlie, Cody, Colby, Cole, Colton, Cooper, Crew, Crosby, Cruz D Dallas, Dash, Dawson, Dax, Deacon, Diego, Dillan, Donovan, Dorian, Duke, Dustin, Dylan E Easton, Eden, Eli, Elias, Elliott, Emerson, Emmett, Ender, Enrique, Enzo, Everest, Ewan, Ezra F Felipe, Finley, Finn, Fletcher, Ford, Frankie, G Gabriel, Gage, Gavin, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greyson, Griffin, Gus Related: Waverly, Merritt, and 103 Other Unique and Beautiful Girls' Names H Harley, Henry, Hudson, Hugh, Hurley I Ian, Ira, Isaac, Isaiah J Jacob, Jack, Jaime, Jasper, Jaxon, Jayden, Jett, Jude, Julian K Kai, Khalil, Kingsley, Knox L Larkin, Leo, Liam, Logan, Luke M Mason, Maverick, Max, Memphis, Miles, Milo, Morris N Nate, Neo, Nico, Noah, Noe, Nolan O Oden, Oliver, Omari, Oscar, Otis, Owen P Peyton, Phoenix, Pierce Q Quentin, Quinn Related: 50 Adorable and Meaningful Names For Baby Boys in 2022 R Remy, Rhett, Rhys, Roman, Ronin, Rowan, Ryan, Ryder S Samuel, Sawyer, Santiago, Sebastian, Shane, Silas T Tate, Theodore, Titan, Tobias, Toby, Trenton U Uri V Valentino, Van, Virgil W Walker, Wesley, Wren, Wrenynn, Wyatt X Xander, Xavi, Xavier Y Yasir, Yates, Yonah, York, Yunis, Yuri Z Zachary, Zaiden, Zander, Zane https://www.popsugar.com/family/Cute-Boy-Names-43713664?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[mlek13]

Fall, Year 8: Gentry, pt. 1

I think this lot is my current favorite.  It turned out looking very pretty and serene and the young families that live here are very cute hanging out in the commons together.  I already posted about Lorraine and Nova who live here because they had a lot happening.  This post is for the other two households, Laurence and Amira, and Zelda and Virgil.

Laurence and Amira’s twins are growing up.  Ansel

and Laura are into the toddler stage.

They sit patiently at the foot of their parents’ bed until they wake up.

When they get bored, they pause to hug each other.

I keep forgetting that Virgil is part of Dahlia’s family, so I have him invite his mother’s household for a visit.  Eli and Delilah don’t come (since they don’t know him well), but his sisters Cecily and Lynette are glad to see their big brother in his new home.

While helping Zachary with his homework, Zelda starts having contractions.

It’s a third baby boy for the couple.  His name is Wendell.

Zelda is a devoted mother.  She’s always rolling wants to interact with her toddler and infant sons.

Meanwhile, Virgil is making his way up the medical career.  He comes home with promotions and then studies cleaning and mechanics to win the next promotion.

Victor sometimes feels like the forgotten middle child, between his parents helping his older brother with his schoolwork and the new baby requiring a lot of attention.  I bought him a logic toy so he could get his aspiration up at the last second to grow up well.

Seriously?  You can’t step over or around that pizza box?  *sigh*

[anastpaul]

One Minute Reflection – 18 December – 'What way are we to prepare for the Lord?'

One Minute Reflection – 18 December – ‘What way are we to prepare for the Lord?’

One Minute Reflection – 18 December – “The Month of the Divine Infant and the Immaculate Conception” – The Fourth Sunday of Advent and the Feast of Our Lady of Expectation – 1 Corinthians 4:1-5, Luke 3:1-6 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/ “… The word of God came to John the son of Zachary in the desert. And he came into all the country about the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of…

[sweet-vanilla-sims]

As the toddlers went to bed for the night Zachary pulled out his loose tooth. He's doing well with the skill portion of his aspiration but there's not many children in town plenty of teens, plenty of infants and toddlers but children not so much, so it's hard to reach his sleepover goals.

[dstrachan]

'VIEWS FROM THE EDGE' - w/c 12th August 2024

Alison Moorer ‘The Rock And The Hill’

Alison Moorer ‘Blood’

Tyrannosaurus Rex ‘One Inch Rock (Demo / Work in Progress)’

The Band Of The Coldstream Guards ‘Here’s To The Heroes’

Mylie Grace ‘4th’

Creedence Clearwater Revival ‘I Put A Spell On You (Live At The Woodstock Music & Art Fair / 1969)’

Macasero ‘Waiting For The Bus In A Solar Storm’

Rational Youth ‘Dancing On The Berlin Wall’

Alizée ‘Moi - Lolita’

Buddy Houghtaling ‘Zachary’s Song’

Alison Moorer ‘Set My Soul Free’

Alison Moorer ‘The Ties That Bind’

Angelica Infante ‘Caminos Del Mal’

Barrio Calavera ‘Yo Bailo en la Calle’

David Bowie / Mick Jagger ‘Dancing In The Street’

Darude ‘Sandstorm’

Gaptooth ‘They Cut We Bleed (feat. Sisters Uncut)’

Healthy Junkies ‘Great Big Gig In The Sky’

Alison Moorer ‘All I Wanted (Thanks Anyway)’

Joanne Shaw Taylor ‘The Leaving Kind’

Basson Lass ‘Worth Loving’

5AM Boss ‘Loving City’

Stevie Wonder ‘Living For The City’

Steve Gibbons Band ‘No Spitting On The Bus’

Ducks Deluxe ‘Willie & the Hand Jive’

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band ‘Low Yo Yo Stuff’

[bones-and-whatnot]

Horse Time

A Scholarly Essay on the Vast History of the Horse

Hello, and welcome to Horse Time.

I’m Ector Fetlock, and today, I will be guiding you through the wonderful world of the horse.

Of course, we’re all familiar with the basic horse model, A.K.A. Horse Classic, A.K.A. Horse Prime, invented in 1923 by Zachary Horse.

But did you know that the world actually contains over 4 varietals of horse? Let’s take a look.

Here, we have the Stripeyhorse (also called the Tiger or Birch Horse). These horses are created through gradual paint application over the 15-year construction process, as can be seen below.

Tragically, the Stripeyhorse population is rapidly dwindling due to an increase in demand for city crosswalks.

Wrong Horse: Also called the Rabbithorse, this hearty horse is store-brand, and widely acclaimed to be “just as good” as Horse Classic by parents everywhere. It can also see ghosts and angels. (Essay continues below.)

The beautiful Tree Horse roams the woods looking majestic during the day before camouflaging itself in the trees in your backyard to watch you sleep. Do not attempt to prevent the Tree Horse from doing this, or it will call its large, ugly older brother (pictured below) to beat you up with his head-hands.

The Tree Horse is famous for turning into a skeleton during the winter.

The Demon Horse was placed upon this earth by the Adversary, as can be gleaned by their horns, jaunty beards, weird eyes and ability to possess the physical forms of sinners. They all suffer from pica.

Once every long rest, the cowardly Demon Horse can summon its legion of more powerful and interesting servants to assist it, including Big Boy,

The King of the Gods,

Beardy,

the North Wind,

the Judge,

Oscar Wilde,

Llewelyn,

Vlad the Impaler,

Curly,

Mr. Lobster,

and Alf.

Cloud Horses fall from the sky whenever a child wishes on a star. They reproduce through mitosis every 24 hours and live in a hive mind state with every other Cloud Horse in a 15-mile radius. If you touch a Cloud Horse with your bare skin, it will immediately pop apart in a burst of water, and its nonexistent blood will be on your hands.

Long Horses are masters of espionage and possess the power of invisibility. The breed gained its trademark length from being discovered while undercover in a royal court and sentenced to the rack. The Long Horse is diametrically opposed to the Cloud Horse on the Elemental Wheel, being made of white-hot magma.

Sweater Horse: Despite its soft, cozy outfit, the Sweater Horse is an uncouth ruffian. After luring unsuspecting victims in with hot cocoa and other home comforts, it beats them up and steals their money before pulling its sweater up around its head for protection and running away. (See below.)

All Sweater Horses are addicted to chewing tobacco.

Mountainous Horses are the namesakes of mountains and hills, which were inspired by their habit of burying themselves underground to sleep with only their enormous warts above ground to sense approaching threats. Underneath every mountain or hill is a giant wooden facsimile of a Mountainous Horse that was built by a renaissance artist. Some Mountainous Horses grow valleys after 100 years. (See below.)

Infant Mountainous Horses hatch from their parent’s backs.

Squat Horses: Squat Horses are made of reanimated human flesh bound in leather.

Eldritch Horse: This barely-fathomable horse is famous for being the size of your mother, having a horrible fish face and birthing the first Cyclopes from its facial tentacles. It should not be here.

Every millennium, it drops dead and its infant form claws its way from the enormous carcass to mature once more in a never-ending cycle.

Do not look it in the eyes.

The Semi-Aquatic Sumo Horse can run at 30 miles per hour and crush a human head in its jaws. This was the first horse to be witnessed emerging from the legendary Horse Hole. (Expeditions into the Horse Hole resulted in the faint sound of cheering and the investigative parties never being seen again. Results inconclusive.)

Jock Horse: The Jock Horse is a class-9 combat-grade horse made of titanium and powered by diesel. In case of emergency, its horn can be used to mold prosthetic limbs. The Jock Horse can control birds with its mind.

And, finally, we come to the majestic Fish Horse. While one of the most often forgotten when discussion of horses arises, it is perhaps the most beautiful of them all. With its operatic tones, cranial cannon and sharp fashion sense, the Fish Horse is truly one of our planet’s most glorious creatures. It lives leagues below the surface of the sea and feeds on old puppets.

And that’s the basic rundown on the currently acknowledged horses. While each variant has its own assortment of possible colors and shapes and Horse Theorization is constantly underway, this should serve as an adequate entry point into the Horse Community.

Thank you for joining me on Horse Time. Until next time, I’m Ector Fetlock, and may the horse be with you.