#// and definitely more about their various combined trust issues

[zahri-melitor]

Prelude to Joker War

Thinking about the state of play as I go into this:

City of Bane: notably the supporting characters who were involved in this were Damian, Tim, Helena, Babs, Duke and Cass. They're currently the crew who were worrying about Bruce's state of mind. Alfred is dead; half the rogues have recently got to romp around the streets controlling things and clearly sort of miss it.

Batman: Pennyworth RIP just made clear for everyone that Jason, Tim, Damian and Babs are all supposed to be sorta annoyed at Bruce for various reasons right now.

Tynion's lead in to the event in Batman has been focused on the plans of someone called The Designer, whose outfit has been giving me serious Vandal Savage vibes (it is very very like what he's been swanning around in in the current Zdarsky run), but at present has been revealed to NOT be Vandal. Sus. The Designer's thing is that he helps villains improve their plans, and back in the Early Days (TM) - it's pitched as Robin!Dick period, but the costumes look 90s - he helped Joker, Riddler, Catwoman and Penguin refine overarching dream plans for how to take down Batman and conquer Gotham. Someone's just had all four of them activate those plans: assassins going after major political figures with the intention of getting Penguin to be Mayor; Riddler locked the city down with a grand crossword puzzle that was supposed to be a labyrinth for Bruce but that he solved on the fly (oh Eddie you are in a bad place right now, with this both having Year Zero vibes and also being shirtless and scarred); Selina wanted to become the richest person alive by...stealing Bruce Wayne's wealth for herself; and Joker's busy with an evil plan to exploit the other three's plans and 'become the devil'.

In Detective Comics Two-Face is currently having issues where he's concealing information between his personalities and is currently running a Two-Face cult based on his coin flips in the bowels of the courthouse; Bruce has just discovered this and got captured, and the cultists are following the orders of the coin flips.

Dick has just been brainwashed and is transitioning out of Ric Grayson as a personality - he is currently trying to distinguish between memories of being raised by William Cobb as a Talon and being raised by Bruce in a combined post-Crisis&Rebirth shaped timeline (Dick was definitely fostered around 10, he just confirmed a bunch of Bludhaven memories that he definitely did not have before this storyline started).

Babs is very very confused right now (a bunch of her writers clearly aren't talking), but she's at the present working for Congresswoman Luciana Alejo and exhibiting a very 'it's not gentrification unless it happened AFTER I arrived' attitude. She's mad that Bruce is busy rebuilding half of Gotham after City of Bane tore it apart, because...she doesn't trust that the rebuild will happen in all communities? Because systemic racism and classism or something? Even though she can just talk to Bruce? I dunno, it's a whole plot that could be sorted out if Babs raised her concerns with Bruce and asked him a few questions, someone she's known for more than a decade.

Oh and Selina is also getting dragged around quite a bit by the demands of the plot, from King, where she was back to essentially dating Bruce, everything's fine in City of Bane, to her own title, where she's had to leave Villa Hermosa as everything became too hot for her to handle and she's just started a roadtrip across country with Maggie (and Ram V is about to pick up the book), to Tynion's story where she's stealing all of Bruce's money because...I can't actually tell? She's been forced into setting off her plan by Joker?

In any case, there are a lot of balls in the air, and I hate to say it but it looks like Joker is about to crash everything in a fascinating manner.

[inexplicifics]

As I'm rereading AWAU for the 40th million time I've been wondering about the mutagens that they use. All the schools had their own version coming into their unification, and I imagine that they continue to use their own mutagens for each school which keeps their unique differences. But the cats were constantly changing their formula and it has that pesky berserker rage issue none of the other schools have, so what happened with that? Once all the mages were killed did Tris just keep using the last version or did they trust her to try to look over the multiple versions and find the best one/combination for them? Has she tried to get rid of the cat madness, or are they all just taught very good techniques for dealing with it? Has she found improvements for all the schools while maintaining their individuality? Or has she stayed mostly hands-off because all the witchers are very sensitive about the mutagens and she respects that? I'm not sure if you've given it a lot of in-depth thought, and of course the mutagens are the ugly part of witcher-dom that we don't like to think about, but I'd love to hear any general feelings you have on the subject! And as always, infinite thank you's for this amazing world you've created!! <3

I think Triss and Yen and the various School Heads or master alchemists looked over all of the notes and picked the most effective versions of each School's Grasses.

Triss probably does work on improving the Grasses but it's very slow because unlike her predecessors she checks with the Witchers before making any actual changes. But she's definitely working on the Cat rage problem.

That said, the Cats are a lot calmer now that they have more stability in their lives.

[sonicasura]

I gonna say this now. Legend (A Link To The Past/Link's Awakening/Triforce Heroes/Oracle of Seasons and Ages/Link Between Worlds Link) would be a magnet to dream based entities.

First you can't leave a literal god's dream world scot-free without some otherworldly aura stuck on your very being. And two, he REALLY needs a break alongside a shit ton of hugs. Legend is in the top three when it comes to traumatizing adventures alongside Time (OoT/MM) and Wild (BotW/incoming ToTK).

Now what do I mean by dream based? Basically any being who can interact or live inside the Dream World. For fandom enthusiasts, Nightmarens(Nights into Dreams) like Nights, Dream Eaters from Kingdom Hearts, Dreamland inhabitants such as Kirby and co or Pi'illos from Mario and Luigi Dream Team.

I can imagine after Link's Awakening, Legend tends to accidentally drift into other different parts of the dream world. A byproduct from being stuck in the Wind Fish's dream for too long. Like a magnet, they sorta just approach or gather around him in the Dream Eaters' case.

Legend definitely be a bit on edge until he realizes none of these guys mean any harm. Although this Link probably won't realize why he keeps attracting them unless someone very well versed about the Dream World explains it. (El Dream seems like the one as the Elder Pi'illo is already friends with an ancient dream guardian which is the Zeekeeper).

Legend is gonna get a shit ton of hugs and comfort cause no dream inhabitant ain't letting him sulk. Especially Kirby since that little Star Warrior wouldn't let any potential friend stay sad. Although it'll take awhile before Legend can purposely drift into what dream world he wants to visit.

This does lead to a change of behavior and abilities depending on when this exactly starts. Most likely, Legend would only share his true thoughts or personality to people who earn his trust. The rude cynical attitude being a mask as he's more of a stoic softy. Kinda like Chad from Bleach, someone who may look intimidating but is actually a loyal sweetheart.

(Even canon Legend has trust issues but I don't see him being a full on dick. He's really a person afraid of getting hurt again as people he gets attached to don't last long. He literally lost someone he deeply cared about at the start of Link to the Past.)

As for his abilities, I won't be surprised if he began to delve into dream based magic. Summoning can become an option thanks to the Pi'illos since objects from the dream world can be brought into the waking one and Dream Eaters can be summoned as well. Forming a functional summon spell wouldn't be so difficult with multiple angles to work with.

There's also unique combat in the Dream World that Legend can easily take advantage of, especially if he can drag others into it. Three different options specifically as Kingdom Hearts, Nights and Dream Team have their own unique styles in dream world fights.

Kingdom Hearts: Flowmotion, Link/Dual Style, Link/Dual Attacks (if anyone can find a shorter video for this that would be appreciated)

Dream Team: Bro/Luiginary Attacks (Legenary would be better as the name scheme is just a combination of a name and imaginary) and Giant Battle

Nights: Dualize (couldn't find a video)

Legend has one hell of an arsenal when it comes to dream magic combined with his imagination. Not even including the various allies who can assist if shit hits the fan. The Chain are in for a hurricane of surprises with this Legend.

Four and Time no longer have the most secrets in their closet. Legend would definitely use his dream magic if shit hits the fan or seek one of his dream companions for advice and a hug. Adventures like this are stressful for anyone especially him.

That's all I have for now! Until next time folks, I'll see you back in the dream world.

[triptychofvoids]

I love your medic headcanons so much I need to hold you (and him) so gently!! If you don't mind, could you share more headcanons for him if you have any?

thank you!! i have so many things i could say about him that its sort of ridiculous and if i were to talk about every one of my headcanons then we would be here all month but yes, i will be happy to share a couple more. if anyone wants something more specific theyll have to ask for it though x]€

going under the cut again just in case it gets long <<

ill get the obvious one out of the way first because i keep saying it but this guy is definitely trans. you have to trust me because im always right and i just know. hes gender

medic is definitely a caffeine addict, this guy loves coffee and will drink it at any given opportunity. he likes tea as well but nothing is as satisfying as coffee. the way it smells is great, tastes great and highly customizable, excellent to have with chocolate or pastries, and he likes the way it makes him feel. hes trying to figure out why he can down a whole pot of coffee and still fall asleep, yet his body does seem to have some sort of a reaction to it? results pending

speaking of food and drinks, hes got a bit of a sweet tooth. he loves sugar (in moderation of course, but you wont catch him turning down a slice of cake every now and then). however he doesnt like anything TOO sweet. certain kinds of frosting or desserts are just ridiculously sugary and paired with his sensory issues some sweets would be a little unbearable. i think one time sniper offered him some fairy bread and he felt nauseous. other than that though, generally speaking he loves various pastries and candies and especially chocolate. hed be a big fan of the cherry + chocolate combination and, again, anything involving coffee.

he gets bored super easily. medic likes to have his whole day planned out and always needs to be doing something, even if its something small, otherwise hes pretty convinced he might actually genuinely die of boredom. you cant leave him alone without an Activity for too long or hes going to start thinking about killing people (he thinks about killing people a lot actually.... but thats besdies the point).

last one, just because i could genuinely keep going for hours but i have to stop somewhere, he loves going on long walks out in the middle of nowhere. he invites the other mercs to come with him from time to time but theyve all learned by now that when he says hes taking 'a short walk' he really means that they wont be back at base for at least another hour or two minimum. he likes keeping track of the best paths, bird watching, and collecting cool things he finds along the way

[slaviclore]

thanks to everyone who responded to last week's translation challenge (which you can see here, or under the cut below)! All your answers have been really fantastic and useful. 303 people voted, of which 119 are Polish speakers. I tallied up the votes from the Polish speakers (i changed your vote if u expressed regret in the tags after voting), and I summarize under the cut the various takes on this question and add my 2 cents (or possibly more like 2 dollars, as this is a Long Post). Read on to learn some things about the Polish language and Chopin history. :]

context again:

This is the opening sentence of a letter written by Fryderyk Chopin (who I'll refer to as FC for convenience) to his friend and/or boyfriend Tytus Woyciechowski (TW) in 1829. He's 19/20 years old (we're not sure about his DOB), and he's been spending some time with Prince Antoni Radziwiłł and his family at their palace in Antonin (near Poznań). Radziwiłł is a huge music nerd, and Chopin is having a great time over there. The mood of the letter is mostly positive and upbeat, and you can probably expect him to be at his cheekiest.

There are 3 published English translations of this letter, which I included as options in the poll. None of the 3 professional translators are native Polish speakers. They are: EL Voynich (option 1), David Frick (option 2), and Arthur Hedley (option 4). Option 3 is my own take on the translation (I am a native Polish speaker but not a professional translator).

why is this important?

1) it's an interesting grammar problem where the combination of a referred statement (FC is summarizing what TW said), a command, and a reflexive (się) makes it unclear who is to kiss who. Can we figure out what TW's original statement was based on how FC referred to it? Did he say some version of "kiss me", or "kiss yourself", or something else?

2) We have 22 letters from FC to TW, but we don't have any from TW to FC, so it's useful to piece together the way he may have written to him -- especially since we're not sure what their relationship actually was.

3) FC has a habit of teasing TW for not liking to be kissed, which historians have taken a bit too seriously, if you ask me -- this was some inside joke between the two of them. But if this short exchange was part of that joke, it gives us a chance to understand them a little better.

4) Arthur Hedley was a prominent Chopin scholar in the 20th century. His translations are the ones that are usually quoted to this day, and the choices he made in his translations and biographies have had a huge impact on the field. Some were good choices, and some were bad. Today, he's a controversial figure. I don't think he can be dismissed or blindly trusted, but rather critiqued point by point... we can take on one such point here.

The full original sentence from Chopin's November 14 1829 letter:

Ostatni twój list, w którym mi każesz się ucałować, odebrałem w Antoninie u Radziwiłła.

here's some definitions:

Ostatni twój list -- your last letter

w którym -- in which

każesz -- a command word in the second person present tense: you tell/you command

ucałować -- to kiss

mi -- me

się -- a reflexive to indicate the self, non-specific for gender or person (can be me, you, him her, etc)

odebrałem -- I received/I picked up; first person past tense

The main issues of this translation are:

the order of the 3 phrases (separated by 2 commas)

word choice, especially what to call the kiss

word order of the middle phrase, i.e., who is to kiss who

Several of you mentioned that this sentence is weird. Yeah. Sigh. Unfortunately, Chopin is very dead and has made that everyone's problem. No one specified why it's weird, but I guessed that it's the order of "mi" and the reflexive "się" in the middle phrase, so I asked you in a separate poll if another order would be better. 25 people voted on that one, of which just over half were Polish speakers. No one said that the sentence was weird for some other reason, which explains why the available translations could not agree on how to interpret the directionality of the commanded action (who is to kiss who). Voters were also split pretty evenly among those who preferred an alternative word order (especially "...w którym każesz mi się ucałować..."), and those who said that there's nothing wrong with the sentence or that changing it would change the intended meaning even if it does sound better. I therefore propose that we give Chopin the benefit of the doubt and assume that he said what he meant to say, even if it was awkward.

Some poll responders were not concerned about the kiss at all, and focused almost entirely on the order of the phrases in the sentence. They argued that starting the sentence with the "I received" fragment rather than the "Your last letter" fragment shifts the emphasis away from the location (Antonin), which is the main point of the sentence, and that the kiss is only a secondary point. Those who mentioned the kiss agreed that calling it anything but a kiss is not helpful, but the second most popular translation was the only one that replaced this word. Arthur Hedley's preservation of the sentence order, and maybe his dampening of the kiss subject, is likely what earned him second place -- 20 people voted for this translation (option 4), or 16.8% of the Polish-speaking voters.

--

Arthur Hedley, Selected Correspondence of Fryderyk Chopin (1962), pg 36:

Your last letter, in which you send me your warmest greetings, reached me at Radziwill's place at Antonin.

--

Kisses are thrown around left and right in Chopin's letters, regardless of who is writing or receiving them (friends, family, any informal context). While "ucałować" is literally "to kiss", Hedley's goal was probably to remove the ambiguity with which a kiss might be interpreted by an English-speaking audience and instead give you (the suspiciously British) "warmest greetings". This is something he did regularly in his translations and has made himself rather unpopular for it. Even if he is basically correct and the fundamental goal of the kiss is just to offer a warm greeting, replacing the word removes your ability to make the following 2 arguments, should you choose to do so:

Though a kiss is indeed a common greeting/sign-off, when FC refers to the **whole letter** as the one where you tell me to kiss you(/myself/send me a kiss), this creates emphasis not generally afforded to greetings and sign-offs. Presumably, TW wrote other stuff in that letter (if he literally only wrote "kiss me" and nothing else, holy shit i'd have fainted) -- but FC has relegated the rest of the letter as less important than the kiss, even if TW himself didn't give that bit a second thought. It's like if Harry wrote you a whole email with a bunch of stuff in it and signed off with "love, Harry", and then you wrote back, "Harry, i got your email where you say you love me". I'm not going to argue whether this is flirting or not, but I hope you see how it might be.

(watermelon sugar is playing as I write this, but u can have any harry u want in this simulation)

FC's emphasis may also be a reference to whatever inside joke these two seem to have that makes him insist (in other letters) that TW doesn't like to be kissed. So FC's intention may be the very troll-like: i got your letter where you tell me to kiss you(/send me a kiss) but i **thought** you don't like kisses?? interesting!!??

🤔🤔🤔

Either way, Hedley robs us of the TW eye-roll we deserve, so I think he blew it on this one, even if similar choices worked well in other contexts.

For me, the main difficulty in the translation was whether TW's original command was "kiss me/give me a kiss" or "kiss yourself/give yourself a kiss", with FC's rephrasing therefore being either "...to kiss you" or "...to kiss myself", respectively. So who gets this imaginary kiss? TW or FC? and which of them is supposed to give it? David Frick takes the most ruthless route to this answer (option 2), and 17 of you agreed with him, or 14.3% of the Polish-speaking voters, giving him 3rd place.

--

David Frick, Chopin's Polish Letters (2016), pg. 143:

I received your last letter, in which you tell me to give myself a kiss, in Antonin at Radziwiłł's.

--

Some of you said that this is the most grammatical choice -- while others brought up the very valid point that... why would anyone be told to kiss themselves? and how does one go about doing that?? Maybe Frick imagined TW's original command as something along the lines of: since I'm not there, give yourself a kiss for me.

I think this is a good take, even if FC made it weird and Frick refused to save him from his own grammar. In a stark contrast to Hedley's method, Frick tends to stay close to Chopin's wording and syntax. Though I do find some over-interpretation in Frick's translations and annotations, some of which I think is incorrect, his translations are very good, and I defer to his choices unless I have a good reason not to.

One poll responder brought up the alternative interpretation that actually TW's original statement was hostile. After I read Frick's translation, this did also cross my mind, and I imagined the exchange as something like this:

FC: kiss me

TW: oh ffs, kiss yourself

FC: i got the letter where you tell me to kiss myself

😔😔😔

hilarious. If TW really is as allergic to being kissed as FC insists, this interpretation is a viable option. Unfortunately for my personal amusement, I don't think he's really so allergic to it. Also, if this were the case, I would expect FC to emphasize "himself" with something like 'sam się ucałowac'. Here "sam" is a type of "self" you use to say you're doing it (by) yourself/oneself.

In this scene from Borat 2 (with which I have a conflicted emotional relationship that belongs in a different post, but I did laugh my ass off at this scene) Borat's daughter says, in reference to the monkey that was dead in the crate (in their fake language that mixes Hebrew, Slavic and Near and Middle Eastern languages), something like "sam się zjad" which is probably meant to be a Slavic "he ate himself", when it was clearly she who ate the monkey:

I think the commenter had something even harsher in mind for the interpretation of TW's letter, though, like where kiss yourself is a euphemism for fuck yourself. I don't know how people told each other to fuck off in 19th century Poland, but now I'm desperate to find out. Dearest Tytus, your last letter, in which you tell me to go fuck myself, I received in Antonin...

oh my lord this is sending me. I suspect this Bieber-esque usage is modern though, but I'm not sure! Either way, the rest of FC's letter is very affectionate so it doesn't seem super likely that he just got told to fuck off, unless he absolutely cannot take even a single hint

Since FC frequently signs off his letters with kiss me/give me a kiss, it's reasonable that TW might do the same. My translation was option 3, which keeps the structure of the sentence and assumes that FC's rewording is meant to say "kiss you/give you a kiss". This was the most popular option, with 68 votes or 57.1% of the Polish-speaking voters.

--

Me, tumblr, 2023:

Your last letter, in which you tell me to kiss you, I received in Antonin at Radziwiłł's.

--

I can't tell if Frick's "kiss myself" or my "kiss you" is the more grammatical interpretation -- if u have an answer for this from the depths of Polish grammar, I'd love to see it. But! I think it doesn't really matter! Since this is a personal letter, all we can safely assume is that FC is being rational, not necessarily that he's being fully grammatical.

On my first reading of the letter, I didn't consider Frick's "kiss myself" possibility at all. I just assumed it was "kiss you", and some of you echoed that sentiment. After I read the published translations, I ran the sentence through google translate (the least reliable of all our translators but still useful for comparisons), which agreed with me. As GT is trained on modern content, I was concerned my translation may be a modern artifact... which may also explain why many of you voted for it -- the professional translators may have simply known better.

I wondered if I could find historical precedent for this sentence structure being used to refer to the giver of the command (kiss TW) rather than the one being commanded (kiss FC). I found this in a prayer called "Litania o Milosci Bozej" or "Litany about God's Love". here is a fragment with the relevant grammar in bold:

Boże, któryś mnie sam wprzód umiłował, zmiłuj się nad nami.

Boże, który mi każesz się miłować, zmiłuj się nad nami.

My translation:

God, you who loved me first, have mercy on us.

God, you who commands me to love you, have mercy on us.

--

I haven't been in a church in a thousand years, so someone who goes to Polish church, pls tell me if I'm getting this wrong. Here, God commands the individual saying the prayer to love Him (not to "love yourself"). The grammar is the same as in FC's sentence. The last word is the specific verb (love for the prayer, kiss for Chopin), 'każesz' is 'you command/tell', 'mi' is 'me', and 'się' is the reflexive:

the prayer: który mi każesz się miłować

-- you who commands me to love you

chopin: w którym mi każesz się ucałować

-- in which you tell me to kiss you

I don't know how old this prayer is or how long it's used this specific wording, but I found a version of it from the early 20th century -- it might be a lot older. While this doesn't tell you what FC meant in his letter, it does offer precedent for the "kiss you" translation and argues that TW having asked for a kiss is, at least, a viable take that's not necessarily modern.

--

EL Voynich, Chopin's Letters (1931), pg 73:

I received your last letter, in which you send me a kiss, at Antonin, at the Radziwiłłs'.

--

Though it may not seem like it, Ethel Voynich's translation (option 1) actually comes to the same conclusion as Frick's -- Voynich was first by 80 years, tho, and the first person to translate Chopin's letters into English -- but she got the fewest votes: only 14, which is 11.8% of the Polish-speaking votes. Like Frick, Voynich switched the phrase order, which may have put some of you off. She also packaged her interpretation in a simpler way that may have felt false to poll responders. In her translation, like in Frick's, FC is the recipient of the kiss. It's just that, here, the kiss is sent to him, rather than administered by virtue of his own action, as Frick would have it. The same is true for Hedley, actually, where FC is the recipient of the greetings. Most of you, and I (and the robot), thought it was TW who should be getting the kiss instead.

One poll responder suggested a hybrid option, which agrees with my interpretation of the middle phrase but Hedley's choice to rename the kiss: "Your last letter, in which you tell me to send you greetings, reached me in Antonina".

So what do you think? Was TW's original statement something like "kiss me/give me a kiss", or more like "give yourself a kiss for me", or even "kiss yourself (hostile)"? Or did TW always intend FC to be the passive party in receiving the kiss or greeting? Was this flirting? Was it part of the "TW hates being kissed" inside joke? There's no right answer to these questions, and a consensus doesn't mean the winning answers are true. We will probably never know for sure what TW really wrote... the best we can do is guess.

Some of my takeaways:

it's useful to look at multiple translations to see where translators have disagreed and where the uncertainty lies

if you remove ambiguity in the translation of a Chopin letter (like Hedley did) or complexity (like Voynich), you're in danger of removing nuance, which Chopin stuffs into his writing like it's build-a-bear.

but if you go with the direct meaning (like Frick), you may end up trying to convince the world that Chopin was asked to kiss himself somehow for some reason

and if the only one who agrees with you is a robot, you'll probably have to dig up an ancient prayer to justify your possibly modernized take (like me).

This is the curse in a nutshell.

Thanks for reading! hope you had as much fun with this poll as i did

[sketchfanda]

Kirishima's Mystique:Breakin' the Law!!

Now you may all know of course of a particular, peculiar series of events involving Izuku, Bakugo and Todoroki during their internship with Endeavour in America. But while all this is going on, here is what Kirishima had happening on his end of things. Well at least in this wild, lewd little story of ours as we come to a modest but cozy little suburban neighbourhood in Hollywood, California. Where our sturdy hero in training found himself helping out with a local federal police detective by the name of Laura Reed, who was quite frankly a goddamn bombshell!!

The woman was a dusky chocolate skinned work of art that had what could only be called an unreal combination of a pornstar's bombshell curves and the muscle tone definition of a fitness queen. You'd hardly think or believe this woman was a single mom but she was also one seriously fierce, focused and determined woman of the law. Laura you see was a woman on a mission and that mission was part of how and why our sturdy hero's internship saw him assigned here. It was in regards to the house just next door of this one and who resided it in it, one woman in particular.

in this house resided the infamous and Notorious Herron family originally hailing from a namesake county in some small middle of nowhere Oregon town called Coxville. No that’s not a joke and neither was the reputation of this family. And I’m not talking to the obvious quirk all the women seemed to share that quite frankly made them all turn out an develop into toned, curvy size queen slut bimbo bombshells!! But were it up to Laura, well that’d be the least problematic issue she’d charge them with.

For as long as anyone can remembers the Herron family ran the various trades in weed, ecstasy, molly, pills and bootleg/ knock off merchandise in the entire county within Coxville. To most upstanding residents they were just a family of trouble makers who've had more run ins with the law and destroyed more marriages/ relationships then anyone can count. But Laura knew better than anyone the truth which was why that sting operation should’ve been a lot more successful. Unfortunately they’d only succeeded in rounding up the men in the family, the women were a different story, Especislly the target of her ire, Veronica Herron.

Okay so sure she was pretty much going over the top brass’ heads trying to build up a case against the Herrons but damnit she wanted justice and she was going to get results!! Okay sure she rounded up some hero intern into helping her out saying it’d be great field experience but what she read about Kirishima in terms of his quirk and what he could provide for her stakeout made him essential in her eyes. He seemed a reliable guy and besides which not like she could trust her hormonal son to help out. He’d be weak against the temptation of those human skinned succubi and speaking of which…

Laura:”Alright Red, phase 1 will be observation, I want to know everything that happens at that pool party, there is no way that the Herron family went legit.”*As the milf cop informed her recruit, handing him a set of binoculars as he had him sitting down, facing the window which gave him a view of the Herron girls’ backyard. Mineta would give his very hair balls to be where Eijiro was right now, to see paradise before him. The backyard pool swarming with two baker’s dozen worth of swimsuit clad babes, sweimming and tanning. It was a wet dream made reality.*

Kirishima:*blushing as red as his hair, even with how his love life was? He could only handle seeing so much sexiness.* “Uhm yes ma’am, okay ma’am…”*he nervously quipped in reply, trying not seem nervous. It didn’t help Laura was in a swimsuit herself, a simple but effective gold coloured two piece that did wonders sowing off her amazing body.*

Laura:*seemingly unaware of the affect she was having in the sturdy hero in training, her luscious skin glistening in the sunlight as she gazed out at the window with absolute contempt.*”Veronica Herron mayve rolled the top brass but not me!! I’ll buiold a case against them myself and you’re going to help me do it. That sex addict milf will face justice for her constant depravity!” *Something told Kirishima this might’ve been a personal vendetta on the fed’s part, not that he’d say it to her face. Her sexy, exotic work of art of a face.*

Kirishima:”Sex addict milf..constant depravity…got it…”*He coup nly repeat hose keywords and who could blame him. He had this woman acting as his superior giving him a slight case of jungle fever and she was telling him to spy on a house full of walking talking pornstar blue prints. It’s a wonder he hadn’t popped a stiffy already, there was no doubt Mina and Maya were going to want details. Red eyes glued to her backside as she was picking up a towel, her muscles flexing snd her milk chocolate booty jiggling hypnotically.*

Laura:”I’ll be laying out in the front yard to eavesdrop. Fsce-down so I won’t be recognized. Now, help me put in some lotion.”*That made Kirishima’s arousal skyrocket faster than it already was. He had to wonder if the federal officer wasn’t doing this on purpose. But he knew he had to oblige her as he accepted an offered bottle of tanning lotion. This was going to be awkward to say the least.*

It was a tense situation at least for Kirishima as he coated and rubbed tanning oil lotion onto the police woman. Making her all slick, sleek and glistening from head to toe on her milk chocolates toned hottie body. If she was feeling the least bit of eroticism from this then she was really good at hiding it. The sturdy chivalrous stud could only hope to do just as ell and not get branded a pervert.

But internally the detective wasn’t as stoic as she seemed on the outside. Secretly biting her lip sensually as her nerves tingled from the sensation of Kirishima’s lotion soaked hands working away as they grazed and touched the most intimate places. Which she insisted he be as thorough as possible, leaving nothing done from her thick thighs to her twin meatbuns. Part of her fines it wasn’t right having tricked Kirishima into this stakeout operation but she felt he’d be ideal for what she needed of him, as long as she ensured e wouldn’t fail against the temptations of Herron charms.

Once she felt her recruit had done the deed as thoroughly as possible, she let him be to spy and be her eyes while she went to lay out in the front yard. Far as the neighbourhood knew, especially those lusty bimbos, she was some hot single mom just soaking up some sun. Listening in best she can to pick out any possible leads or proof Veronica had some less than noble intentions. Far as she could assume, they had to still be in business and planning to muscle in on a rival cartel, having overheard remarks about Veronica and her sister Jane never being ones to share and always in competition with one another

For her that was all she needed to have Kirishima begun his parts in the next steps of the Stakeout. Deciding to forgo picking up her radio to give him the heads up she was on her way back into the house, instead looking to tell him directly in person. Admittedly she also wanted him to scratch her itch, his touch earlier with that lotion really got her going. Having been so tempted to have him caress her more intimately, erotically, go further than just oil her up as she made her way upstairs and suddenly barged in through the door.

Laura:”Unit 2!! Stand to attention!!”*she spoke firmly and loudly, making Kirishima gasp and stumble as he dropped his binoculars and did as told. Looking nervous as Laura narrowed her eyes at him to look down at the groin area of his shorts. Just as she thought, her intervention was a must here. Who knows what hedonistic sights he saw.*

Kirishima:”Ma’am! Yes,I swear I wasn’t up to no good!! Didn’t see anything noteworthy ma’am!!”*the chivalrous hero swore truthfully as he mentally berated himself. He knew he was pitching a major tent in his shorts, how could he not? At least one of those Herron girls was walking around naked! Silently gulping as the detective woman made her way over, face inches from his as she swore a no nonsense expression.*

Laura:”I heard enough to know my instincts were right, those deviants are up to Something and it’s up to you to be infiltrate that house and find whatever evidence we need. But first things first…we need to build up your will power and resistance against whatever temptation they send your way. A teenage boy like you is prey for those harpies…”*Before Kirishima could inquire what she meant, she suddenly cupped his face and kissed him. Lips locking with his a he found her tongue invade his mouth, tracing his sharp teeth before coercing his own to reply in kind. The detective moaning into the French kiss she initiated before she suddenly broke it, a saliva strand trailing between them. As she then nudged him to fall back flat in the bed behind them.*

Kirishima:”Detectie Reed, ma’am what the hell?!”*Before he could ask any further, he felt his jaw drop as his eyes bugged out at the sight before him. As Laura began us stripping herself of her swimsuit, her bikini top undone and tossed aside as she ditched her thong to follow. Standing in all her milk chocolate naked glory as she made her way towards him with a sensual determination. Gasping as she grabbed the waistband of his shorts, boxers and all as his cock stood up like the spring of a jack in the box popping out.*

Laura:*biting her lip erotically, the sight and smell of that shaft hitting her hard as she felt her pussy drool and quiver. Grasping that length and girth as she began stroking it.*"You listen and you listen well and good mister hero. When dealing with these depraved bitches, they will tempt and seduce you therefore I'm taking it on myself to buildup your resistance and stamina. When i'm through with you, you're gonna have more willpower than a whole platoon!! So we're not leaving this room until I know you're capable of handling a Herron at her sluttiest.."*with that said, the lusty detective began to kiss and lick his Riot stick, the warmth of her mouth surreal as she tasted his essence. Latching her luscious lips around the tip as she began to suck and blow, her dry spell being hit with a sudden storm of desire.*

Kirishima:*grit his sharp teeth intensely as the thirsty milf detective proceeded to give stunning fellatio. The serious intensity of her eyes making such a contrast with her pornographic act of fellatio.* "Ma'am, if that's what you want from me in this mission, you got it!!"*the sturdy stud quipped, grasping her distinct hair firmly in his grasp as he began to pump and buck his hips. Making her widen her eyes in surprise as the young hero in training showed he was certainly no virgin and he sure as hell knew his way with a woman sexually.*

Far as Kirishima knew, this was definitely not like any intenrship he'd been expecting but being a woman of the law, it's not like Laura had any reason to bullshit. Admittedly of course, it'd been a while since he'd gotten any intimacy especially with Mina and Maya since this stateside internship program began and between Laura and that poolparty of erotic delights? The second this milf cop got naked and started sucking him off, his brain had flipped to full primal mode. Facefucking her deep and hard as she deepthroated him with passionate ecstasy, as she rubbed slit in response to those smooth heavy balls smacking her chin.

It was certainly pornographic in nature but if anything, what was going on between the hero in training and the sexy police detective made porn stars look tame. As the Herron girls overheard and eavesdropped on the noise of their animalistic mating, curious to what sort of donkey dicked stud was so good to make a woman scream like that. The bimbos unaware as Laura guided Kirishima into levelling up his sexual experience to ensure he would be capable of surviving and handling a Herron at her horniest. Yes he would be a weapon of mass seduction that would bring the downfall of those size queen sluts, she thought with lewd pride.

Such ideas and what not flowed through her erotic hazed brain as she laid atop her young charge in a 69 position. Bobbing her head on his cock as she quivered and moaned at his hands massaging and squeezing her ass. Stroking what she didn't fit in her mouth with her plump, milk chocolate tits as she soaked his cock with her drool while he probed her sloppy, wet pussy with his tongue. She hadn't felt such enjoyment from foreplay since her honeymoon or the night her son had been conceived.

Laura:"Yes!! Yes!! Yes!! Just like that!! Fuck me deep and hard like you want to rearrange my guts with your dick!! Don't make a love to a Herron!! Fuck them, destroy them!!"*The secretly thirsty milf cheered and goaded as Kirishima fucked in a spooning position. The chivalrous stud holding and hooking one of her legs at a 90 degree angle as he pumped his jackhammering dick into her eager pussy. Their sculpted bodies glistening with sweat and the lotion still staining Laura's body with slickness. Which provided extra lubrication to boot.*

Kirishima:"Ma'ma, you're so tight...can't stop..fucking you!!" *Not that she wanted him to,as he gave it to her doggy style, his powerful pelvis smacking against her glorious dusky skinned booty as those cheeks clapped and jiggled with every impact. His balls smacking her clit as he held onto one of her hips while the other hand reached out to grab and squeeze one of her swaying, bouncing titties. The walls and ceiling of the bedroom echoing with their passionate mating as skin smacked skin and the bedsheets became soaked with their sweat and juices. And the police detective couldn't get enough of it!!*

Laura:"AAahhn, fuck fuck!! Don't stop, even if it feels like your cock and balls will fall off!! Yeah, look 'em in the eyes like you're doing with me right now!! Doing this as you cum inside them will really wear 'em down!! Fuck and rut any and everytime like you want nothing more than to put your babies into them!! Make me have to go on maternity leave you sex machine!!" *The horny cop hollered and moaned with wanton abandon as as she hugged her arms around Kirishima's board powerful shoulders. Her young studly intern plowing her in a mating press as the bed creaked and shook, her legs draped around his arms as he pushed her body's flexibilities to its limits. Shamelessly panting with desire as she couldn't help but gaze into those blood red eyes as her heroic intern shattered her sense of professionalism. Part of her was really rather liking the idea of getting knocked up by him when this gig was all said and done.*

Kirishima:"PLUS!! ULTRA!!"*The chivalrous stud howled his school's motto and mantra as he continued to fuck Laura fast, deep and hard. Rocking her world as he performed a standing fuck, her arms and legs draped and wrapped around his waist and shoulders as he held her ass in his powerful grasp. Making her bounce and ride on his shaft as their tongues danced in a sloppy open air kiss as a puddle of their juices grew on the floor. Before Laura found herself in a full nelson hold as the pair continued to fuck well into dusk as they lost track of time.*

The pool party had long since finished but the federal police detective and her heroic intern charge were still going at it, much to the former's delight. It helped Kirishima was really making the use of his little trick of focusing a percentage of his quirk on his cock, which really extended the fun. And were they damn well loud!! Some of the Herron girls next door couldn't help but continue to eavesdrop, the audio erotic voyeurism making their imaginations run wild.

Whoever that lucky lady next door was, they couldn't help but wonder what the stud with her was like. Was he black,white or whatever? And was his cock at least more than 9 inches? All they knew for certain was that they were going to have some very pleasant dreams tonight, and Laura was going to be feeling deliciously sticky and sore in the morning.

To be continued...in Kirishima's Herron House Hassles!!

[sherlynnxy]

‘Do memes (as it is popular in Malaysian politics) provide a useful way of understanding politics?’

MDA 20009 Digital Communities

Hello everyone, today we are going to dive into a rather interesting topic in youth trends. Enjoy reading! <3

Whenever people chat, post videos or write blogs, they insert memes to add interest to the content. In recent years, memes have become popular not only in the social media culture but also in the political arena, and Malaysia is no exception. In fact, there has been a surge in the use of memes to convey complex political messages in the Malaysian political arena. But do these memes really help us understand politics better?

What’s Meme?

Before we delve into the meme culture in Malaysia and its impact on political participation, let's take a look at this video by BBC Ideas.

The video explores the history and definition of meme in depth. From the video, the interviewer defines meme in various ways:

“meme can say a lot more than one sentence as well” “A written joke that’s related to something that happens in real life” “links with ironic attitude to everything, where you can express your disdain, disappointment, a lack of trust in something”

The term ‘meme’ was first coined by biologist Richard Dawkins in 1976, in his book The Selfish Gene. Dawkins describes a meme as a unit of cultural transmission or mimicry, which can be an idea, behavior or style that spreads through a culture. Today, the concept has been applied to the digital age, where meme resonates with Internet users as a quick, shareable idea (BBC Ideas, 2020).

In simple terms, a meme is an expression of a person's opinion about something or a person's behavior using a combination between images, text, and video, which can take many forms such as a story, irony, or sarcasm. A meme politics is a meme that contains a political character (person/thing).

Memes: A Modern Political Tool

In Malaysia, young people discuss and display politics on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok in a variety of ways that reflect public sentiments and criticisms, such as ‘meme politics’ (meme politics).

As refer to the study by Nizah et al. (2024), ‘memes’ are currently one of the newest forms of saturation communication. During the 2014 presidential election, a large number of ‘meme’ cartoons appeared on the Indonesian Internet and played an important role in the country's political discourse (Aminulloh et al.)

Another example is that during the 2018 general election, netizens created memes to mock and criticize the then-ruling BN party, and memes mocking government policies became viral, pushing the younger generation to engage in political discussions and even motivating voters to vote.

This illustrates how internet memes can be used as a tool for political education, especially among internet-savvy young Malaysians.

Are Memes Really Helping Us Understand Politics?

One of the main benefits of ‘memes’ in a political context is the ability to take issues that are usually complex, heavy, and difficult for the average person to engage with such topics as economic reform, election scandals, and government policies, and break them down into easily digestible forms that become more accessible when translated into shareable comedic images.

Political memes can indeed lower the barriers to political and the sense of humor displayed in political discourse through memes increases the public's willingness to discuss political issues, which is important in countries where politics can be sensitive. Furthermore, memes are easy to share, so anyone can join the conversation.

According to Walter et al. (2018), humor has a slight but significant effect on persuasion, a moderate effect on awareness, and a slight effect on attitudes and behavioral intentions. Humor was also more effective for individuals who were highly engaged in politics. For individuals who are less politically engaged and not interested in politics, presenting politics in an entertaining or humorous way may motivate them to acquire additional political information, which is known as the ‘gateway effect’. The most critical feature of humor is its ability to enhance the reputation of the source. Gruner (2017) has found that the ability of humor can enhance the source’s reputation as it allows people to equate a humorous source with strong credibility, even though it is unrelated. In addition, humor is associated with a latent effect, whereby humor is associated with low levels of source credibility, but steadily increases as the audience separates the source from the message (Kasmani, F. 2022). These findings suggest that humor is influential in persuasion and political communication.

Furthermore, memes are emotionally appealing and accessible, capitalizing on anti-establishment sentiments and discontent with the political class to evoke a sense of a positive future. Donald Trump's slogan ‘Make America Great Again’ (MAGA) became a memes after it was first coined during Ronald Reagan's 1980 campaign. Influenced by the catchphrase, citizens have worn ‘MAGA’ merchandise or vented their anger under the official hashtag #MAGA, expecting recognition from those who feel the same way. The hashtag not only provides an easy way for people to gain satisfaction and self-affirmation, but also allows users to incorporate the rebellious colours of heroism into their personal image (Helferich & Helferich, 2022).

Memes favor the rapid diffusion of ideas (Denisova, 2016) and can therefore enable online activists to quickly initiate and spread dialogue about neglected political issues (Moreno-Almeida, 2021). Plus, political memes do spread awareness of political issues (Miltner, 2018). Milner (2013) has also illustrated an example, the Occupy Wall Street memes disseminated information related to the movement and stimulated dialogue between social media users of different political stances (Helferich & Helferich, 2022).

“Memes can be a double-edged sword - on the one hand, memes make content more relatable and accessible, but on the other hand, memes can sometimes oversimplify complex issues or spread misinformation.”

While memes can draw attention to political issues, they have their limitations. One major problem is that humor or sarcasm in memes tends to oversimplify issues, which can lead to misunderstandings. The sharing of political memes without context can lead to the spread of misinformation or misinterpretation of political events. Additionally, the amplification of popular opinions in news phrases hinders nuanced political discussion. Studies have identified misinformation and low-level policy information in memes, indicating that they are unlikely to enhance political knowledge (Dupuis & Williams, 2019; McLoughlin & Southern, 2020) (Halversen & Weeks, 2023).

Conclusion

In summary, it seems fair to suggest that the meme is an interactive medium for citizens to comment on politics, and that it undoubtedly plays an important role in Malaysian politics. It has made political information more accessible and engaging, and they provide citizens with a platform to express their opinions and participate in political discussions, especially for those who may not be familiar with formal political debates. However, it is important to exercise caution when engaging with political memes. While they can be a useful tool for understanding politics, they may not always provide comprehensive or accurate information. To gain a deeper understanding of politics, it is essential to complement memes with more detailed, fact-based sources of information.

Well done!! You have reached the end of this blog ^^

What do you think? Are memes helping or hurting political discourse in Malaysia? For me, I think it does raise awareness of political participation. However, I think people should endeavour to address the cause of the problem itself instead of blaming others for their mistakes and avoid cyber-attacks to create a peaceful environment for digital platforms.

I hope you've gained something here and see ya in the next post <333

References:

BBC Ideas. (2020, September 24). A brief history of memes | BBC Ideas [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VS9cWmmu2k

Halversen, A., & Weeks, B. E. (2023). Memeing Politics: Understanding political meme creators, audiences, and consequences on social media. Social Media + Society, 9(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051231205588

Helferich, J., & Helferich, J. (2022, December 31). The power of memes in political campaigning | John Helferich | Oxford Political Review. Oxford Political Review. https://oxfordpoliticalreview.com/2021/07/11/the-power-of-memes-in-political-campaigning/

Kasmani, F. (2022). Persuasive political humour on social media: A study of Najib Razak's Facebook posts. 14. 1-17. Research Gate, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360352838_Persuasive_political_humour_on_social_media_A_study_of_Najib_Razak's_Facebook_posts

Nizah, M. a. M., Bakar, A. R. A., Zahran, M. A., & Mokhtar, M. a. M. (2024). The influence of political memes on political marketing strategy in Malaysia. Journal of Public Administration and Governance, 14(1), 118. https://doi.org/10.5296/jpag.v14i1.21881

[adilraseed]

What is SEO, and How Does It Work?

In the vast landscape of the internet, where countless websites vie for attention, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) stands as the beacon that guides users to discover valuable content. Understanding the intricacies of SEO is paramount for anyone looking to establish a digital presence, whether for personal blogs, e-commerce sites, or corporate entities. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the depths of SEO, exploring its definition, importance, and the fundamental principles that govern its workings.

I. What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization, commonly known as SEO, is the practice of optimizing a website or online content to enhance its visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). The main objective of SEO is to enhance the flow of natural (unpaid) traffic to a website, ultimately leading to an influx of pertinent visitors and potential customers.

A. The Evolution of SEO:

SEO has evolved significantly over the years, adapting to the ever-changing algorithms and ranking criteria of search engines. Initially, SEO focused on keyword optimization and link-building strategies, but contemporary SEO involves a holistic approach that considers various factors, including user experience, content quality, and technical aspects.

II. How Does SEO Work?

Understanding the mechanics of SEO requires delving into its core components. SEO operates based on the algorithms of search engines, with Google being the predominant player in the search engine landscape. The process involves a combination of on-page and off-page optimization techniques, aiming to align a website with the criteria that search engines consider when ranking results.

A. On-Page Optimization:

Keyword Research and Usage:

Identifying relevant keywords that align with the content and target audience.

Strategically placing keywords in titles, headers, meta descriptions, and throughout the content.

Content Quality and Relevance:

Producing content that is both high-quality and pertinent, effectively catering to the target audience’s requirements, while also ensuring engagement.

Regularly updating content to stay current and informative.

User Experience:

Ensuring a user-friendly website design with easy navigation and fast loading times.

Optimizing for mobile devices to accommodate the increasing number of mobile users.

B. Off-Page Optimization:

Link Building:

Acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable websites to establish credibility.

Building a diverse and natural link profile to enhance authority.

Social Signals:

Leveraging social media platforms to promote content and engage with the audience.

Encouraging social sharing to increase visibility and reach.

III. The Importance of SEO:

A. Increased Visibility and Traffic:

SEO enhances a website’s visibility on SERPs, making it more likely for users to discover the content.

Higher rankings result in increased organic traffic, reducing the reliance on paid advertising.

B. Credibility and Trust:

Websites that rank higher are often perceived as more credible and trustworthy by users.

Establishing authority through SEO contributes to a positive brand image.

C. Cost-Effectiveness:

Compared to paid advertising, organic traffic generated through SEO is a cost-effective long-term strategy.

Continuous optimization leads to sustained visibility without ongoing advertising expenses.

IV. Common SEO Challenges and Solutions:

A. Algorithm Updates:

The impact of frequent algorithm updates and how to adapt strategies accordingly.

The importance of staying informed about industry trends and best practices.

B. Competitive Landscape:

Analyzing competitors’ strategies and finding unique ways to stand out.

Implementing continuous improvement to maintain and advance rankings.

C. Technical Issues:

Identifying and addressing technical issues that may affect SEO, such as website speed, broken links, and mobile responsiveness.

The role of technical SEO audits in maintaining a healthy website.

V. The Future of SEO:

A. Voice Search and AI:

The rise of voice search and the need to optimize for natural language queries.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in search algorithms and its implications for SEO.

B. User Experience and Core Web Vitals:

Google’s emphasis on user experience metrics, including Core Web Vitals, in ranking algorithms.

Strategies to enhance user experience and meet evolving search engine criteria.

VI. Conclusion:

In the dynamic realm of the internet, where the landscape is ever-shifting, mastering the art of SEO is essential for anyone seeking online success. From the basics of keyword optimization to the intricacies of technical SEO, this comprehensive guide has provided a roadmap for understanding and implementing effective SEO strategies. As the digital ecosystem continues to evolve, staying abreast of SEO trends and best practices will empower individuals and businesses to navigate the competitive online terrain and secure their place at the top of search engine results.

Source- https://adilraseed.com/what-is-seo/

[nerdychickshavemorefun]

8 Brief Thoughts About Van Helsing (2016)

It's now been a good chunk of time since Van Helsing (Syfy) final season came out on Netflix, and I would like to take a look back at some things from the early seasons that had such great potential and were ultimately squandered. Maybe one day someone can take some of these good ideas and have another go at it.

As a preface, in general I think that if this show had taken itself a little less seriously, been a little less unironically 90s-comicbook-style edgy, and just had more campy fun, they might've been able to keep the plot from flying off the rails at the end of season 3 and maybe would've been able to keep the MC likeable enough that they didn't have to stuff her in a closet for over an entire season.

And now, 8 things that could have been good:

1. the idea of a reverse vampire (someone who can bite vampires to turn them back into humans). I love the idea of being able to walk up to a classic, arrogant Gothic style vampire who remembers the Crusades and thinks humans are basically cattle, and just absolutely wreck them thematically and literally with just a little ~nibble~

2. Combining the classic "zombie apocalypse with fast zombies" setting (with half-starved feral vampires as the fast zombies), with having actual, intelligent villiand (well, varyingly intelligent) who can have the usual villian hierarchies and dynamics. Like if the various bad guy factions of The Walking Dead were lightly fantasy flavored and also not meant to just further bash into your head that all humans are horrible terrible monsters.

3. On a similar note, just having a show in an apocalypse setting that says "Humans aren't the worst, actually, because the vampires definitely are, and you have to magically and horrifically strip a person of their connection to emotion and humanity to get that". And if that's the opposite of the writers intentions and I've read it completely wrong, then I think they might've chosen being edgy and nihilist over being interesting.

4. Diversity. Not just in the representation of bi women, lesbians, BIPOC actors and characters (I cannot stress enough how big a deal having a confirmed-in-season-one bi female protag was for 2016), but in the in-world diversity of vampire clans/subspecies.

4.5. The Sisterhood. Obviously.

5. Putting a SHOCKINGLY gripping murder mystery in the middle of the first season of your post-apocalypse fantasy show.

5.5. Making Christopher Heyerdahl the murderer. The man never misses when it comes to playing compellingly unhinged characters. If you want a show with a script and plot that doesn't do him dirty like season 4 did, watch the first season of Hell on Wheels.

6. Having your mid-level BBEGs Tragic Backstory be "I was into BDSM in the 1700s and I had HORRIBLE taste in choosing a new dom and now here we are". I'm sorry but that is glorious and I still can't fathom why they waited until we no longer cared about the character to reveal it. They could've played it for comedy, they could've played it for developing the character (trust/control issues etc), and instead we got to wave at it as it passed us by on its way out the window.

7. Lady Dracula instead of good old Vlady, and the Three Spouses of Dracula instead of three wives. Liked the idea, felt the execution was lacking (but, to be fair, it was equally as lacking as everything else plot related in the later seasons). Please, someone just give me a modern Carmilla in vampire fiction.

8. A short list of themes they could have developed or developed better with this setting and these characters, and chose not to:

Human capacity for empathy and connection, and how that relates to ones definition of humanity.

In what ways does the fact that "humanity" can be given or restored in this setting conflict with the characters' assumed definitions of humanity. Further, address the fact that almost every single vampire killed in this series was originally a person who didn't want to be a vampire, and who could have been a human again. What are the personal and moral implications of actively killing a vampire when you could have just as easily turned back? Is there any real difference than just killing a human at that point?

The line between love and obsession/possession and the toxicity therein. After they mentioned that most vamps have a very limited emotional range, I would have loved to see this theme played out more in the vampires who still have close familial or romantic relationships (or, uh, I guess both), especially when you have Phil to contrast it with.

Found family and redemption arcs. Oldies but goodies. The amount of these themes/tropes they did have within the side characters' stories was most of what made the later seasons watchable for me, but I sometimes think we all might've got over the fact that Julius used to eat babies just a little too quickly.

[lindwurmkai]

Due to reasons, I need to talk about my issues with the topic of "healthy eating" for a moment. I am not someone you'd expect to be outright triggered by diet talk because I didn't grow up fat and never exactly had an eating disorder. Now I am what people tend to call "small fat" and have tons of food allergies and sensitivities, but all of this started long before that.

So what happened there? I only dimly remember that people kept telling me I needed to eat better and exercise more and then surely my mystery symptoms would disappear. This was when I was 16 or so and we didn't have internet at home, so all I could do was read books and magazines. I quickly noticed that no one agreed on what exactly "healthy eating" meant. Instead of following the first piece of advice I found or haphazardly combining them all into "everything except vegetables is bad", I took the autistic route and tried to find The Truth.

This turned out to be impossible. People were still urging me to eat healthy and I just could not fucking figure out what that meant. At one point, I decided to at least cut out sweets because those were pretty unanimously considered bad, and I took this so far that I actually convinced myself and started telling everyone I didn't like sweets, so years later I suddenly had to somehow get it through my mother's head that this had only been a phase and I would indeed appreciate receiving sweets on birthdays and holidays.

Of course it had no effect whatsoever. Neither did the year I was vegetarian.

Another thing I remember is that my mother bought some kind of diet book for herself and I read it, too. But all the recipes in there used ingredients I had either never heard of or we just never had in the house, and many of them were expensive. Did my mother learn how to make any of these dishes or start buying the ingredients at least a little more often? No! I had this book and the knowledge that I was Supposed To Eat Healthy but absolutely no idea how to accomplish it, while at the same time questioning if the information in the book was even true because all other sources always contradicted each other.

Then my biology teacher saved me. We did this segment in class where she gave us a book on food myths and each student had to pick a chapter to hold a speech on. I think I chose the one about calories, which was not completely anti-dieting but mostly focused on the inaccurate methods used to determine how many calories different foods supposedly contain. The book was, in general, not quite on the level of modern fat acceptance but maybe 80% of the way there. I'm amazed she got away with teaching us that in class.

Now armed with the knowledge that there was actually a lot that science didn't know yet, explaining all the conflicting information I had seen, I felt reassured that I wasn't just "being difficult", but unfortunately I was still sick and people still kept telling me I had to eat better, exercise more, go to bed earlier, practise good sleep hygiene (which includes not eating late at night), and so on. My timeline of events is completely scrambled and I don't know if I continued making any half-assed diet attempts after that.

Fast forward to when I was 21 and my boyfriend's doctor told him that he had to lose weight in order to fix a health issue that had definitely not been caused by weight gain, which seemed illogical to me. He was on meds that would make losing weight very difficult, so I was concerned, and we had internet now. I stumbled upon fat acceptance blogs in my research, which reminded me of that book from biology class. It became a bit of a special interest.

Not much later, I developed fibromyalgia and also started hanging out on chronic illness blogs as well as those that combined the two topics. I learned a lot about various health conditions including ones I do not have and never even suspected I might have. I learned that doctors could not be blindly trusted, that symptoms being written off as psychosomatic was quite common, that most food-related pop "science" was still bullshit, that sustained deliberate weight loss was almost impossible and no one had even proven it would help.

Then I gained weight for the first time, without any changes in my eating habits or activity levels. I suspect, but cannot confirm, that this happened because I developed a sensitivity to wheat and one of my body's reactions to continuing to eat it was weight gain for some reason. Eventually it got so bad that I had painful diarrhea on a regular basis and started avoiding certain foods, got tested for Celiac's and lactose intolerance, tested negative, didn't understand what was going on but continued to avoid wheat and eventually also oats. The weight started to slowly come off. (I was not, according to any definition, eating "healthier" than before as a result of avoiding these ingredients btw.)

By then I had reached a point where being confronted with diet talk of any kind would give me panic attacks. It wasn't that the blogs made my existing issues worse; they just opened my eyes to how much I'd been mistreated for a decade and at the same time I was still constantly exposed to medical gaslighting. I was being actively retraumatised, of course it got worse! The food thing was just one trigger out of several, and I guess I became particularly sensitised to it for two reasons: because being confronted with misinformation and disrespect for the scientific method already tends to feel awful for many autistics, and then the nature of my trauma also made me overreact to pretty much anything that contradicted my lived experience.

I had tried many "lifestyle changes" without seeing any improvements in my health. I had gained weight without changing anything and lost it again without eating less or exercising more. I had even, at one point, tried to gain weight on purpose and failed?? Meanwhile my blood work always came back perfect no matter what my body currently looked like, much to my frustration since I was still looking for an explanation for my symptoms.

"Can't deal with claims that contradict my lived experience" is pretty much it. I also particularly love being told that sugar is addictive or some shit because I can sit next to a pile of sweets for hours without being tempted to eat it if I've already had enough sugar recently. There were times in my life where I had to rely on chocolate bars to get enough calories into my body, and let me tell you, those don't taste great when you're sick of sugar and don't want any more.

I just had to get this out of my system. I'm allowed to have strong feelings about this even though I never technically had an eating disorder. It all plays into my more general "authority figures invalidating my experiences" trauma anyway.

[humongousgoateeking]

Amplify Your Existing Network With Netgear 

Having a router in today's households is very common but users still face the issues of inconsistent speed and poor connectivity in certain corners of the home. Now what is the solution that can solve all your connectivity issues? The answer is a good and reliable WiFi range extender. You might have heard this name before, so today let's know what exactly it is and why it is used. A Wi-Fi range extender is also known by many other names like Wi-Fi repeater and WiFi booster. As the name itself suggests it amplifies and boosts up the signals of your existing network. This amplification of signals helps in kicking out all the dead zones from your abode. Wi-Fi range extenders are the perfect networking devices for modern households that have multiple devices running simultaneously and have a larger area with multiple rooms and floors.

Now the market is flooded with so many range extenders, choosing the one for your home or office space can be a little difficult task but do not worry as we have got you all covered. So, today we will explore one of the best sellers in the Wi-Fi extender category which is none other than Netgear AC1750 Wifi Range Extender.

What Makes Netgear AC1750 Setup The Bestseller?

The various reasons that are listed below are what makes the Netgear AC1750 Setup stand out from other range extenders:

✓ High-Speed Performance 

The Netgear AC1750 setup has the ability to remove all the dead zones from your home effectively. It provides its users with a combined speed of up to 1750 Mbps. Thus making it ideal for every modern need. It won't disappoint you in any circumstances, whether you are playing high-intensity games, watching high-definition videos, downloading heavy files or having an important work meeting. It will only provide a seamless and buttery smooth internet experience at every step that you take in your home. 

✓ Extended Coverage 

Now you do not need to sit in front or near your networking device to get full coverage because the Netgear AC1750 setup can extend its reach to every single corner of your home. Be it your balcony, terrace, basement or your rooms on the second floor you will get full signals without a single drop. 

✓ Feature Set

The Netgear AC1750 range extender offers its users multiple features and this is what makes it the number one choice.

Its dual-band technology makes it ideal for both near and far-away devices.

It comes equipped with two external antennas that enhance signal strength and overall coverage.

Its fast-lane technology makes your networking experience more fun.

It also comes with ethernet ports, so you can directly connect your wired devices to the extender.

Further, its auto-connect feature automatically connects to the best Wi-Fi band and extends the network thus simplifying the whole management process. 

Netgear AC1750 setup supports WPA/WPA2 security protocols to protect your network from unauthorized access which is very important in today's digital era.

✓ User-Friendly Setup Process

Unlike other technical devices that take hours to set up, Netgear has made everything super user-friendly so even non-tech users can easily and independently set up this magical range extender. The availability of a user manual with the extender makes it very convenient to know all the details. The extender can be easily set up via the Netgear app or you can also use the WPS button to set the extender in under two minutes. Yes, it's that easy to set up Netgear AC1750.

✓ Brand Reliability 

Netgear is a well-known and trusted brand when it comes to networking equipment and one of the major reasons why more and more people are buying Netgear AC1750 wifi range extenders is due to their trust in Netgear's commitment to quality.  

✓ Universal Compatibility

You do not need to worry about whether the extender will be compatible with your existing setup or not because the Netgear AC1750 range extender comes with universal compatibility. It works amazingly with any standard router thus making it a versatile option for every user. Further, its extremely small size doesn't take up much space and sits amazingly well with your interiors.

✓ Price-To-Performance Ratio

The Netgear AC1750 WiFi range extender provides you with good performance at a relatively affordable price. Thus offering value for money as compared to some higher-end models. So if you want a deal that is highly qualitative yet easy on your pocket then surely the Netgear AC1750 setup should be your go-to choice.

So, if you are also looking for a device that can provide you with smooth and super fast internet speed and coverage then look no further and just invest your money in Netgear’s range extender as they will make you forget what poor connectivity, and dead zone looks like. 

[taylorvp1]

How to choose the right employees for your Organization?

Choosing the right employees is critical for building and scaling a successful business. Every candidate has the potential to either contribute to your company’s success or hinder its progress. Making smart hiring choices is vital for maintaining stability and fostering future growth. But how can you be sure that you're selecting the best candidate for your business? Here are some practical strategies to help guide your hiring decisions.

Clearly Define the Role and Its Requirements Before you start the selection process, ensure that you fully understand the position you’re hiring for. Verify that the duties, abilities, and qualifications are appropriately reflected in the job definition. You and the applicants stay in agreement because of this clarity.

Conduct Comprehensive Background Checks Background checks are a vital step in assessing candidates beyond their resumes and interviews. By partnering with a trusted background verification provider like Verifitech, you can review a candidate’s criminal history, educational qualifications, work history, and more. Verifying these details helps you make confident hiring decisions while reducing potential risks.

Prioritize Cultural Fit Seek candidates who not only have the necessary skills but also align with your company’s values and culture. Enquire about their work style, teamwork philosophy, and ability to adjust to the culture of your company during interviews.

Evaluate Both Technical and Interpersonal Skills Top candidates often have a strong balance between technical expertise and soft skills. For example, someone with excellent technical abilities may struggle in a collaborative environment if their communication skills are lacking. Use skills assessments or role-play exercises to evaluate both hard and soft skills during the interview process.

Look for Growth Potential The best candidate is not just someone who meets the job requirements but someone who has the potential to grow within your organization. Employees who are eager to learn and improve are often more valuable in the long term than those who simply check all the technical boxes but lack the drive for growth.

Utilize Multi-Stage Interviews To gain a complete understanding of a candidate, conduct multi-stage interviews that involve different team members and departments. This approach helps you observe how the candidate interacts with various parts of your organization and offers insights from multiple perspectives.

Review Social Media Behavior In today’s digital world, a candidate’s social media presence can offer valuable insights into their character and behavior. Verifitech’s social media behavior checks can help identify potential concerns that may not be evident in a traditional interview process.

Trust Your Instincts Finally, trust your gut when evaluating candidates. Even if a candidate’s resume is impressive and they perform well in interviews, something may still feel off. Don’t ignore your intuition it can often reveal underlying issues that might emerge after hiring.

Conclusion Choosing the right candidates requires a thoughtful approach, combining thorough background checks, skills assessments, and cultural fit evaluations. By implementing these strategies, you can recruit individuals who not only fulfill the job requirements but also contribute positively to your company’s growth.

At Verifitech, we understand the complexities of hiring and offer a range of background verification services to assist with your recruitment process. From criminal background checks to social media behavior analysis, we help you make informed decisions that drive your company forward.

[darshnetralaya]

Darsh Netralaya remains as a eye doctor in badlapur. Darsh Netralaya in a general sense fills in as the principal destination for sweeping eye care in Badlapur, embodying a hotshot of significance and sympathy in ophthalmology. As the head eye doctor in the locale, Darsh Netralaya depends ensuing to enhancing vision and transforming happens through cutting-edge innovation, gifted dominance, and unwavering dedication.Led by a gathering of eminent ophthalmologists, optometrists, and care staff, Darsh Netralaya offers an extensive degree of eye care administrations custom fitted to meet the various necessities of patients. From routine eye examinations to complex mindful interventions, the clinic combines accuracy and compassion to convey unrivaled outcomes. At Darsh Netralaya, patient-driven care is focal. Every individual who walks around the sections is invited with warmth, respect, and changed thought. The crisis clinic's commitment to significance loosens up past clinical wellbeing to incorporate straightforwardness and sensibility, ensuring that first in class eye care remains within seek after all individuals from the area. Darsh Netralaya's cutting edge office is equipped with the latest indicative and accommodating stuff, enabling definite examination and reasonable treatment of various eye conditions. Whether it's fountains, refractive misunderstandings, glaucoma, or retinal issues, patients can trust in the obstacle of Darsh Netralaya's outstanding specialists to convey accommodating thought and optimal outcomes. Past its clinical undertakings, Darsh Netralaya genuinely participates in region programs and instructive initiatives to bring issues to light about eye wellbeing and preventive thought. By partnering with schools, neighborhood affiliations, and neighborhood, the clinical clinic endeavors to draw in individuals to zero in on their vision and take proactive steps towards maintaining ideal eye wellbeing. Darsh Netralaya's unwavering commitment to significance, responsiveness, and neighborhood concretes what's happening as the leading eye doctor in Badlapur, focused in on illuminating the way towards a more eminent and better future for all.

[endoscopybasavanagudi]

Best Endoscopy Services at Himas Hospital in Basavanagudi, Bangalore

When it comes to ensuring your digestive health, choosing the right medical facility for endoscopy is crucial. Himas Hospital, located in the heart of Basavanagudi, Bangalore, is renowned for offering the best endoscopy services. Our commitment to excellence, advanced technology, and patient-centered care make us the top choice for endoscopy procedures in Bangalore.

Why Choose Himas Hospital for Endoscopy?

Expert Team of Gastroenterologists: At Himas Hospital, we have a team of highly experienced gastroenterologists who specialize in performing endoscopic procedures. Our doctors are trained in the latest techniques and are dedicated to providing the highest standard of care. Their expertise ensures accurate diagnoses and effective treatment plans tailored to your needs.

State-of-the-Art Technology: Our endoscopy unit is equipped with the latest technology and advanced equipment to ensure precise and thorough examinations. From high-definition endoscopes to sophisticated imaging systems, we use cutting-edge tools to provide clear and detailed visuals of your digestive tract. This enables our specialists to identify issues accurately and recommend the best course of action.

Comprehensive Endoscopy Services: Himas Hospital offers a wide range of endoscopy services to diagnose and treat various gastrointestinal conditions, including:

Upper Endoscopy (Esophagogastroduodenoscopy): Examines the esophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine to diagnose conditions like GERD, ulcers, and tumors.

Colonoscopy: Investigates the large intestine and rectum for polyps, colorectal cancer, and other abnormalities.

Sigmoidoscopy: Focuses on the lower part of the colon to detect issues such as diverticulitis and rectal bleeding.

Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS): Combines endoscopy and ultrasound to obtain detailed images of the digestive tract and surrounding tissues, aiding in the diagnosis of conditions like pancreatic cancer and bile duct disorders.

Capsule Endoscopy: Uses a small, swallowable capsule equipped with a camera to capture images of the small intestine, useful for detecting Crohn’s disease and obscure bleeding.

Patient-Centric Approach: At Himas Hospital, we prioritize your comfort and well-being throughout the endoscopy process. Our compassionate staff is dedicated to making your experience as smooth and stress-free as possible. From the initial consultation to post-procedure care, we provide comprehensive support and ensure that all your questions and concerns are addressed.

Hygiene and Safety: We adhere to stringent hygiene and safety protocols to ensure a clean and sterile environment for all endoscopic procedures. Your health and safety are our top priorities, and we take every precaution to minimize the risk of infections and complications.

Convenient Location in Basavanagudi

Situated in the vibrant neighborhood of Basavanagudi, Bangalore, Himas Hospital is easily accessible to residents from all parts of the city. Our central location ensures that you can reach us conveniently, whether you’re coming for a routine check-up or a specialized endoscopic procedure.

Schedule Your Endoscopy at Himas Hospital Today

If you need an endoscopy or have been experiencing digestive issues, don’t delay seeking medical attention. Trust the experts at Himas Hospital to provide you with the best endoscopy services in Bangalore. Our skilled gastroenterologists, advanced technology, and patient-centric approach guarantee a seamless and effective experience.

Contact Us

To book your appointment or learn more about our endoscopy services, visit our website or call us at [ +91 77603 00622]. You can also reach out to us via email at [himashospital.seo@gmail.com]. Experience top-tier endoscopy care at Himas Hospital, Basavanagudi, Bangalore.

Himas Hospital

[kimyoonmiauthor]

Drama Idea (again) Korean Ghost Hanok

Posting Proof that I posted it... because people always doubt me.

I had this same dream 2 different times, so I kinda feel haunted by the ghosts of my ancestors or something… I dun know. But pretty insistent. I thought it was stupid, but what do I know? But the second iteration, I kinda want to see the drama. I'm working on a project of my own, slowly by myself… so I've been really distracted and working slowly through various dramas. So drama idea? So, the dream goes something like this and it's filling out every time. Both times insisted this is a Hong Sisters drama (whatever I dun believe it). It splits the difference between the things they like, I think? Thematically, I suppose it's theirs. There is a woman (maybe homeless?) who suddenly comes to inherit a bunch of land and a hanok (Korean house) for those not in the know. I've read literature that says hanok take a lot of special care which is why they aren't built anymore and the buildings breathe so maybe that's it? For example, the pillars need to the oiled regularly, etc and they take a caretaker. Anyway, it's the land of her ancestors. So she takes care of the land, and the house, but the land and the house has a male spirit on it (who also semi-narrates the story at junctures), who becomes stronger every time the woman works hard and does a good deed and the house is willing to grant any wish she wants. If she wants pretty clothes, make up, a new car (there is a lot of room to put in gags here as it is an old house and doesn't know what a hand phone is? Maybe puns and historical references too. Figures of speech become too real… etc) (I kinda get the feeling that she doesn't want this at all, though, being a Hong Sister character type and the kind of things she wants, the house can't give her. This is a great place to do product placements too.) So basically material possessions, but nothing useful like food, money, or very permanent objects, etc. Think "Give Appearances" of riches, etc. The spirit of the house is falling for this woman, who is odd and eccentric--she does things like sleep on its deteriorating roof, which has a tarp on it, she has a dry, practical attitude, etc. (Hong Sisters character quirky, yet hard working, but still a lot to learn, but in the pits.) A CEO (yeah, I know I thought it was dull too both times). in a grey striped suit of all things (I got no idea why it's insistent on this-- but whatever)… wants the land she has to build something boring modern and commercial, but she and the CEO hasn't met and keeps sending a middle aged woman to harass her and try to make deals to buy said land. Other people also want the land for various reasons or to make it a heritage site. The specific sequence is that she slides off the tarp roof (dangerous, I know) to meet this woman hired by the CEO and says things in a flat inflection because she's been traumatized and doesn't trust people that much anymore. She's seen the worst of how humanity has treated her.

Yadda Yadda, so you have a love triangle between CEO and spirit of the house you don't know the history of. I suppose the house spirit you learn about over time which becomes sweeter--scary to sweet as this eccentric homeless woman accepts this house and nothing scares her anyway, nothing phases her having gone through the worst of it in life and having no family left. (Hong Sisters plot, as I said.) So I think the main draw for the fans would be fighting over if she should become lovers with the house spirit (Hanok) or the CEO. And how to humanize both the house spirit and CEO over time. I know that at least one Hong Sister has a thing for spirits, and the other one loves found family types of plot at least. Don't know which it is. This combines the best of both worlds, but they have definitely more on their plates. But whatever. Anyway… Social issues… obvious, neglected heritage buildings. Homeless in South Korea and how poor are often forgotten, neglected and told they deserve what they got and are called Lazy, despite maybe circumstances kicking them. (This will resonate overseas if done right) Socio-economics which is the core of many Korean dramas anyway. And the politics of women owning land historically and currently. The idea of a homeless person gaining power over all of the organizations, government, and people that never cared about her before, I think would be 100% a Hong Sister type of thing to do. They never cared about her before. Why should she care about them? Maybe she also cares for people neglected by South Korean society. People in wheelchairs, disabled in general, gay, trans, single mothers, etc. And the spirit of the house can learn about the value of good work over material possessions. And the CEO character would also learn the value of heritage things. So… yeah, a combination of Hong Sister themes they love. Hopefully I won't be haunted by this dream again and my ancestors will leave me alone.

I got no idea on this one. But I kinda want to see the drama, no lie. There's a lot of room for emotional highs and lows and jokes. But doesn't it *sound* like a Korean drama? It sounds Korean dramaish to me. It sounds like a Hong Sisters drama.

[shiva9536]

A Total Body Reset: My Experience with DetoxAll 17 Supplements

I've always been interested in natural ways to support my overall health and well-being. So, when I came across DetoxAll 17 Supplements, I was intrigued by their promise of a "full body reset" with a focus on all-natural ingredients. After using them for the past few months, I'm confident in saying they've delivered on that promise and more.

Easy Integration into my Daily Routine

One of the things I appreciated most about DetoxAll 17 was how easy it was to incorporate them into my daily routine. The capsules are a convenient size and don't have any unpleasant taste or odour. The recommended dosage is just two capsules a day, which fit seamlessly into my morning vitamin ritual. No need for complicated schedules or messy concoctions – just a simple addition that made a noticeable difference.

Enhanced Energy Levels

Since starting DetoxAll 17, I've definitely experienced a boost in my energy levels. I used to feel sluggish in the afternoons, especially after a heavy lunch. But with DetoxAll 17, I find myself maintaining a consistent energy level throughout the day. This has been a game-changer for my productivity, allowing me to tackle my workload with renewed focus and enthusiasm.

Improved Digestion and Gut Health

Another positive change I've noticed is a significant improvement in my digestion. I used to experience occasional bloating and discomfort, but since taking DetoxAll 17, these issues have become a thing of the past. My gut health feels much more balanced, and I believe this has contributed to my overall feeling of well-being.

Natural Ingredients I Can Trust

DetoxAll 17 emphasizes their use of all-natural ingredients, which was a major selling point for me. I'm cautious about putting anything synthetic into my body, and I appreciate the transparency of the supplement's labelling. While I'm not a medical professional and cannot speak to the specifics of each ingredient, the focus on natural elements gives me peace of mind.

A Well-Rounded Approach to Wellness

What truly sets DetoxAll 17 apart is its comprehensive approach to well-being. It goes beyond just a simple cleanse; it feels like a holistic support system for my entire body. The combination of ingredients seems to address various aspects of health, from energy levels to digestion, which is something I haven't experienced with other supplements.

Overall, I'm incredibly impressed with the positive impact DetoxAll 17 has had on my health. It's a simple addition to my daily routine that has yielded noticeable results. If you're looking for a natural way to support your overall well-being and experience a full-body reset, I highly recommend giving DetoxAll 17 a try. Remember, as with any supplement, it's always wise to consult with your doctor before starting a new regimen.pen_sparktunesharemore_vert