slmch

[slmch]

I love how Discworld introduces Granny Weatherwax.

She is introduced as a witch, but it's not actually clear if she can do any magic for quite some time. At first all she does is herbal medicine and Headology, aka make-believe, mind tricks, placebos and basically tricking people.

Even when it becomes clear that she flies around on a broomstick and can project her mind into other living things, it's still not obvious if she can do any magic beyond that.

And then she and her buddies magically move an entire country 15 years into the future, and it becomes very clear that she's not only very much capable of doing magic, but she's one of the strongest, if not the strongest magic user in the entire world who can do stuff like summon death himself with nothing but a candle, and I am not even sure she really needs the candle.

Compare that to the wizards. The first impression you get of them is that they're powerful magic users, I mean they are wizards in a fantasy world, people fear them for their magic, and they got a whole magic college, so they must be powerful, right? They even look down on witches because they "don't use real magic"... and because they're usually women.

Granted, the very first (and best) wizzard we're introduced to can't even do any magic, but he seems like an outlier. Then you hear more and more about the magic college and other wizards, and it becomes clear that most wizards are arrogant and lazy fucks who can't do much magic beyond basic fireballs, turning people into frogs and maybe teleportation. Even the head-wizard of the college was completely helpless after running out of juice from a single teleportation spell.

Even when all the wizards become incredibly powerful, thanks to circumstances beyond their control, all they use their magic for is building really tall wizard towers and raging wars against each other. Wars which are ripping holes into reality, which threaten to release unspeakable horrors from the unspeakable horrors dimension.

Like... the books used most reader's assumptions and expectations, aka 'Headology', to make them underestimate Granny Weatherwax while overestimating the Wizards.

Just *chef's kiss* world building.

[slmch]

Oh, by the way, there are already 10 covers!

Witches are next

[slmch]

What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.

--Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

[slmch]

It's been years since I've read a Discworld novel and I don't remember what the actual plot of The Shepherd's Crown was.

What I do remember is fucking sobbing in my bathtub because of how obvious Pratchett made it that he was aware his time was coming and he wanted to face his own mortality, and did so by taking Granny Weatherwax with him.

For those who don't know Pratchett was diagnosed with Alzheimer's eight years before he died, and advocated for the legalization of medically assisted suicide. He was open about how he struggled with Alzheimer's, and how he wanted to die while he was still himself.

I don't remember the plot of the book, but I do remember Granny Weatherwax cleaning her home, taking a bath and dressing in her finest clothes, then altering her "I ATE'NT DEAD" sign to say "I IS PROBLY DEAD" before laying down to pass away.

I remember Death greeting her with a kind judgement when he came to reap her soul.

FOR I CAN SEE THE BALANCE AND YOU HAVE LEFT THE WORLD MUCH BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT, AND IF YOU ASK ME, said Death, NOBODY COULD DO ANY BETTER THAN THAT.

Like, it's so glaringly obvious that Pratchett was expressing that control he craved over his own end. Dying with dignity and leaving a positive impact on the world. Granny Weatherwax knew it was her time and took every detailed preparation she could. I think Pratchett did the same with the Shepherd's Crown.

[slmch]

[slmch]

Universities in Lebanon are now posting memorials of their students who have been killed by the US-backed terrorist state of Israel.

(source)

[slmch]

[slmch]

Is the Hasbara department running out of shekels?

[slmch]

WEST BANK (PrR)(Quds) — Occupation forces arrested the freed prisoner and paramedic Ayed Dudin from the center of Dura city, south of Hebron, this morning

[slmch]

Israel is conducting massacres and mass arrests as it decimates northern Gaza. With journalists and social media activists increasingly targeted and detained, less and less footage is getting out of Israel’s ethnic cleansing campaign. ⁣

⁣

Israel has killed at least 175 journalists since the start of its genocide. Now, it has labeled six Al Jazeera journalists as “terrorists,” which the network denied, calling Israel’s claims “fabricated accusations as a blatant attempt to silence the few remaining journalists in the region.” ⁣

⁣

The Committee to Protect Journalists said on X, “Israel has repeatedly made similar unproven claims without producing credible evidence.” ⁣

⁣

As it silences journalists, Israel has leveled over 10 residential buildings in Jabalia and stormed the north’s only remaining hospital, threatening the lives of about 200 patients trapped inside and conducting mass arrests. ⁣

⁣

One of the journalists targeted by Israel, Anas al-Sharif, wrote, “North Gaza is being wiped out.” ⁣

⁣

Journalist Bisan Owda reacted to the attacks in Jabalia, saying: “No civil defense to grab the people from under the rubble. Nothing. Even journalists. No one to cover this massacre ... the world is complicit in this, is silent on this.” ⁣

⁣

⁣

#Gaza #Jabalia #BeitLahia #Palestine #Palestinian #JournalismIsNotACrime #Journalist #Israel #Hospital

[slmch]

No aid has entered the North for a month where hundreds of thousands still live. Donate to help save livez

[slmch]

Guadalajara, Mexico @antifastreet

[slmch]

Please have heart and do not skip!

Donations urgently needed.

Nader and his family are nearly reaching half of their goal, and we need as much help as possible!

This fundraiser is vetted by @gazavetters, number four on the spreadsheet here

They're not asking for much, just €10 should suffice!

By donating, you are not only helping Nader, but you are saving him and his family.

We have managed to raise €12000 since the beginning of our campaign, and as with any other Palestinian who are fighting for their lives against the oppressors, I do not wish for Nader and his family to succumb to the murderous regime. Please, together we can raise enough so that they can afford for basic necessities as well as for them to be able to escape through the border crossing, once it opens.

We have already dealt with Zionists who attempted to compromise the campaign due to their own vendetta against the Ghazzans, and thanks to you all, we've successfully fough back and won, proving the veracity of this campaign. Please, do not back down. We need everything we can muster to help Nader and his family.

It's only gonna get harder now that UNRWA has been banned in the Settler state. Let's fight this battle together!

Tag list:

@90-ghost @heritageposts @gazavetters @neechees @butchniqabi @fluoresensitive @khanger @autisticmudkip @beserkerjewel @furiousfinnstan @xinakwans @batekush @appsa @nerdyqueerr @butchsunsetshimmer @biconicfinn @stopmotionguy @willgrahamscock @strangeauthor @bryoria @shesnake @legallybrunettedotcom @lautakwah @sovietunion @evillesbianvillain @antibioware @akajustmerry @dizzymoods @ree-duh @neptunerings @explosionshark @dlxxv-vetted-donations @vague-humanoid @buttercuparry @sayruq @malcriada @sar-soor @northgazaupdates2 @feluka @dirhwangdaseul @jdon @ibtisams @sawasawako @memingursa @schoolhater @toesuckingoctober @waskuyecaozu @lapithae @ryo-yamada @opencommunion @el-shab-hussein @feluka @paper-mario-wiki

[slmch]

[slmch]

♬⋆.˚ Well it's a little bit dangerous, my friend˚.⋆♬

[slmch]

Now if only the UN would revoke the recognition of Israel and the 1947 partition plan.

(source)

[slmch]