#(certainly legally but also logistically)

[depressedrevolutionariesinlove]

“I think, if I’m made to reflect his light, with him looking at me like this, we could burn the world to ashes.”

Lore

It’s certainly been a while, and I feel compelled to let you know some of the backstory/context behind why I’m here:

So, I was born in a country where being any form of gay is illegal; we’re talking indefinite imprisonment, torture, etc. This is is the main reason why I was drawn to historical Laurens and Hamilton—they could relate. (Add to that them having to think about the logistics of revolution and government, which I also did for separate reasons lol.) They were honestly good motivation and made me push myself more than I thought I could. My old education system was terrible and clearly meant to NOT make people equipped to live in a democratic or tolerant society. I looked beyond it, and a lot of what I learned was just to understand what the hell those gayasses were referencing, and hey, it worked.

Over the past year, I worked on getting out. Applying to schools, making a portfolio, and not working myself to death.

I’m now writing from my U.S. college campus. I’m officially out of there. I have a tiny pride flag on my desk that I can’t legally get killed for. Whenever the lack of family/connections gets to me, I look at it and remember that it was absolutely worth it. It’s great to be here. It’s being able to breathe.

Now that I’m settled, I’ll be making stuff for here as I have the time, most likely during breaks. I would literally not have human rights if it weren’t for this, so it’ll continue to be important to me.

So yeah! special thanks to tumblr users @john-laurens and @ciceroprofacto for really getting me into the interesting stuff (read SOA, linked above). Thanks to everyone reading this—I do read most asks even if I haven’t been great at responding so far. And lastly, thank you to James Flint from Black Sails (and the concept of gay rage.)

[rxvera]

There has been a lot of reports that suggest that there are Israeli/Jewish settlements in West Bank and most of West Bank area is controlled by Israeli Jews. Is it true or not?? And a last question like why unlike pushing settlements out of Gaza they didn’t do it in West Bank. Just a question.

Yeah, that's true. About 60% of the West Bank is under Israeli control. I'm not an expert nor a politician, so don't use me as your main source, but I can give you the broad strokes. There's a lot of historical context and reasoning behind why the occupation has happened the way it was, but most widely it was a result of the Six Day war and the ICOJ's confirmation.

Right now, besides the violation of international law, the most pressing problem with this is that these occupied regions are under primarily martial law. This leads to unfair legal treatment and militant violence (although a large part of the violence is civilian as well). This causes a lot of problems for Palestinian civilians.

There are several reasons that Israel has not pulled out of the West Bank. First is that it would be logistically challenging depending on what route they took. If they removed every Israeli citizen, that would be kicking 450,000 people from their homes (670,000 if you include East Jerusalem), many who have lived there for several generations. Second is basically terrorism. There is a lot of terrorist activity and islamic extremism in West Bank. It would be a security risk to pull all control. The third reason is symbolic/religious reasons. Although, I think it's more important to focus on the functional reality, history, and human lives, than waste time about who deserves what based on what an old book says.

The validity of these claims depends on who you believe. I think the risks and challenges are real, but I also don't think the settlements are right. It's complicated because I think everyone deserves to live safely and displacing people is wrong, but there's so much violence and finding a solution is difficult.

I definitely think point blank pulling all occupation and removing Israeli civilians would end very poorly for everyone. I want Israeli civilians to have security, I don't want to create more hate and violence, and I also don't want an Islamic extremist militant group to take over like they did in Gaza. My aunts are Palestinian-Israeli escapees of Hamas' regime and I do not want anyone else to be subjected to that. I also do not think it's okay what Israel has done to Palestinians in the West Bank.

Overall, anon, I would takeaway that it's a complicated situation with a lot of problems and there's no simple solution that would make everyone happy.

I would recommend trying to avoid sources that make accusations/input opinions when talking about this and try to focus on ones that are purely informational. Even Wikipedia is tricky because it's been updated with a lot of opinions due to informational warfare (but I could talk about the problems of Wiki all day lol). Don't demonize either ethnic group based on this one issue/conflict. No group is wholly responsible for the actions of a few, and that mentality is really what got us into this whole mess.

And to everyone reading, this is just my basic description of the situation as your average person. I'm not the government. I'm not the Knesset. I have no power over the situation. And there will certainly be little value at getting angry with me if you disagree with something I have said.

[shmowder]

Noticed recently that there’s a lack of poly content on this blog and low key I’m shocked but then again I don’t imagine that there’s alot of poly content demand in this fan base but whatever I think it’s time to suggest the idea of a reader with two hands and those hands are for Daniil and artemy why pick one hottie healer when you can have both? Especially when said healers already have homoerotic tension with eachother! This is either going to be the most unstable polycule ever or shockingly calm one there’s really no in between in my opinion

Reader puts Daniil and artemy in a get along shirt and makes them hold hands everytime they fight

Putting them in a get along shirt? These men are making out in the corner of the room as we are speaking rn anon.

I get that the fandom plays on their rivalry for funsies and all but they're actually friends in canon, aren't they? They hold a begrudging amount of respect to one another and would've gotten along wasn't it for the families in powers toying with them like puppets on a string.

I mean Daniil was looking forward to meeting Artemy in a way, Isidor wasn't just an acquaintance to him but a dear colleague. Daniil held admiration for him and described him as selfless and kind hearted, Dankovsky actually complimenting someone!?

Daniil's problem is with the town and not Artemy or Menkhu's ways, Artemy just adores this town above all and took it personally. Otherwise, both of them always acknowledged how skilled the other healer is.

Then the whole murder thing happened, and it gave Daniil a false bad impression, leaving a bad taste in his mouth since Isidor was his friend.

They wouldn't be at each other's throats in a love triangle is what I'm saying, absolutely the opposite in a poly relationship even.

You'd have a harder time tearing them off of one another without them persuading you into joining, Daniil's honeyed words coaxing you, Artemy's heavy gaze undressing you.

A poly with them wouldn't be unstable or always calm, it will certainly have a strong foundation and a lively atmosphere.

Daniil wants his time alone? Artemy will keep you company instead.

Artemy is too overbearing? Daniil will keep him occupied while you get your personal time.

It's hard to feel neglected with Artemy and even harder to feel suffocated with Daniil. They balance each other out, they agree to disagree on certain things while their interests overlap on another.

They're absolutely unstoppable together, good luck winning anymore arguments if the two of them decided to team up or put their mind into something.

But they also share drastically different tastes and prefer contrasting lifestyles. Daniil wants the fame and recognition, he wants to live at the heart of the capital and keep up with the cutting edge technology. The conferences and galas, the upper crust society he wishes to mingle with just for a chance to spread the word about Thanatica even more.

While Artemy doesn't try to impress or appease anyone, he doesn't have anything to prove and couldn't care less about the legality of him preforming medicine. He has all this skill and knowledge which he will gladly put to use on anyone who asks for his help, no payment required in return. He wants a domestic quaint life in his hometown while he walks the footsteps of his father.

That's the one thing the two of them will always disagree about, and there are only so many weekly train rides between the two locations you can endure before it starts making you sick.

Artemy would want you closer in a way? He wants you involved in his life, in Sticky and Murky's life. His kids are part of him, it's a package deal.

While Daniil wouldn't only getting a fraction of your time, he is gentle with children but treats them as... children rather than humans or future adults. While nice, he won't form any deeper connections with them, more akin to an uncle than a parent.

The logistics of making it work will be very hard, not because of their personalities, they get along very well, but because of their contrasting lifestyles and differing ambitious.

The most tension between them there will ever be is when Artemy keeps making scrambled eggs while Daniil huffs and gets up to make his own sunny side eggs since that brute clearly can't follow instructions while Artemy rolls his eyes because once a Capital dandy will always be a Capital dandy huh Danya.

[siriannatan]

Empires Arknights AU - Scott fWhip

Is it an excuse to ramble about one of my favourite games? Maybeeeee… {: <3<3<3

Slightly lore-dumpy explanation of stuff (can probably be skipped):

Arknights - tower defence gatcha

Lungmen - mobile, modern Chinese/Japanesee style city

Liberi - bird people {reference}

Lung - asian style dragon {reference} people as oposed to draco {reference}

Ægir - fish people {reference}

Leithanien - Arknights Germany

Victoria - Arknights UK

Wei - leader of Lungmen

Lin's - old Lin, or Rat King is kinda the godfather of Lungmen underworld, his {granddaughter} is to take over after him

Penguin Logistics - a logistics company with an actual penguin for a boss

Siracusa - Arknights Italy, full of wolf-people, minus Vatican, that's Laterano, totally separate place with Sankta - angels with guns

L.G.D. - Lungmen Guard Departmen, kind of Lungmen police

Hoshiguma - member of the Special Service of Lungmen Guard Department {reference}

Ch'en - Special Inspection Unit Chief, L.G.D. {reference}

Scott was having a great day. Yes, he spent most of it in his high-rise office. Taking in appointments, and making phone calls. But at least today no one pulled out a gun on him. Just the thought of the few rude 'customers' was enough to have the Liberi's feathers ruffled. With a sigh, he calmed down and glanced at the clock. Nicely made, imported from Leithanien. He had some fond memories of a brief stay there in his youth. Not that it was that long ago.

He was starting to wonder how long he should stay, waiting for his last guest when his door swung open. An angry Lung, dressed in rather traditional Lungmen garb. Ginger hair tied in a long braid. Scott kind of hated it. Blue eyes narrowed in a glare that the Liberi met with a polite smile.

"Punctual as always, Mr fWhip," he greeted with his best 'Victorian', as fWhip called it, smile.

"Don't give me that, why did you send assassins after me this time?" he asked, taking most of the couch opposite of Scot's desk.

"I simply didn't want you to ignore my invitation, unlike the last time I sent one," Scott's smile faltered slightly. fWhip could be damn annoying. Unfortunately, he was Lungmen's best when it came to explosives and Scott's... business often needed them. "Would you like some tea? I recently received a shipment of Victoria's finest," he offered, the legal part of his business was all about trade. Less legal... also imports but of things Mr Wei would approve. Lin's certainly did like him.

"Sure, why not," the Lung huffed. He did keep his eye on Scott as he made the two cups. "You still insist on dressing like a Victorian," he huffed. For some reason, he was really against Scott's suits.

"Well, that's where I'm from after all," Scott shrugged. And Victorian clothes were comfier for him. He did not mention that.

"What did you get me to come here for? And be glad I didn't report you to Madam Ch'en. She's not let you go no matter how much Lin's like you," he huffed. Ever loyal to Wei. How boring.

"Right to the business," Scott shook his head. "Maybe I just wanted to share a cup of tea with a friend?"

fWhip laughed at that. "Yeah right. What do you want?"

Scott sighed. How Lung of fWhip. "I need help locating a certain box for an acquaintance. Miss Ling brought him here so it's kind of important. But relics are not quite my cup of tea, but then I remembered a friend who has a nice collection," he said, giving up on playing with fWhip.

"Acquaintance? Lin Yühsia? Now that's interesting," fWhip mused. 

"Mhm. I have no idea where she found an Ægir here," not that it was all that interesting to him.

"Why didn't she just go to Penguin Logistics? I'm sure they could find it easily."

"Maybe she needed some more... finesse?" Scott offered with a giggle. "They are certainly fun but I think the Ægir she dragged here would drop dead after just seeing them," he giggled setting a teacup in front of fWhip. Victorian make, of course, just to annoy him further.

"Maybe, but really... Did it have to be damn Siracusans you send? They're a pain to deal with," fWhip huffed, taking a sip. He said nothing so it had to be good.

"You're still here so not that bad," Scott did not regret sending assassins after fWhip. It always got him to his office. "So how about we leave the box for tomorrow, and spend the rest of today on..." he said as he settled next to fWhip, "...me apologising to you?" he finished, one hand resting on fWhip's thigh.

"Fine, but you have a lot to apologise for, I had to talk to L.G.D.'s  Madam Hoshiguma, I don't want to repeat that anytime soon..." fWhip sighed as he finished his tea. It was always fun to hear him indirectly complain about his height.

[kuriipi]

People who keep claiming that "Jin Guangyao didn't have to do what Jin Guangshan told him! He could leave/kill him/steal all their money/go to LXC/NMJ!"

Really seem to like to forget that:

a. Jin Guangyao new way too much for JGS to just let him go?? The man has killed people for less, and he certainly doesn't hold any love for his bastard children.

b. You do realize the only reason JGY goes in the vault is bcs he is the sect leader in mdzs. Like this is pretty elemental, but the vault is only accessed by the sect leader. If Jin sect could just be robbed they wouldn't be the richest sect...

c.Lan sect was burned to the ground at the time and the Jin were helping them rebuilt. Even if they chose to involve themselves and turn against JGS (LXC and LWJ support alone does not guarantee the Lan Sects support, a we've all seen and it also very much doesn't guarantee ones survival, rip wwx...that first time). What power exactly do you think they had against the pretty much Wen sect vol.2 ?? Like by constanntly calling JGS promiscuous (which he was ok) we keep ignoring the crazy amounts of power he held back then...

d. NMJ. Honestly I can't believe I have to keep saying this but if your friend/sworn brother tries to murder you without even giving you a moment to plead your case (you know as is the legal system, or whatever) you tend to not trust them very much after??? Besides NMJ seemed rather content at the time to ignore JGS entirely and just try to blame everything on JGY. You guys please tell me you at least understand that XY was the Jin sects, aka JGS', ward? protege? idk the word but he was under their protection. JGY had no power to do anything about him, even if he wanted to, if JGS didn't permit it. You'd think as a sect leader NMJ's "righteousness" would puss him to talk to his fellow equal, sect leader JGS instead of constantly trying to kill JGY, but oh well.

e. Do you guys think killing your own father is easy? Just emotionally, cause if you do irl seek help tbh that's not normal. Not considering the logistics of killing a sect leader when you're his direct successor (tbh I think that any other method than the one JGY choose wouldn't have held up but that's another story). Like even if people didn't like JGS they liked JGY as head of Jin sect even less.

[gascon-en-exil]

As I mentioned yesterday, Octopath Traveler II put me in the mood to write fanfic - which is unusual as I never write fanfic and in fact have no creative writing ability whatsoever. In spite of that however, I've decided to share my notes on the concept that I'd thought of for a Partitio/Osvald story; possibly someone may enjoy them.

Spoilers for the ends of their stories, and for OT2 in general, under the cut.

It occurred to me that Partitio and Osvald have something rather unusual in common: both have lived in situations where, historically speaking, sexual contact between men would be considered permissible in the near or total absence of women. For Partitio, this was his youth in a frontier mining town; for Osvald, his time in prison, and a freezing-cold prison at that, so you could add the "shacking up for warmth" trope into it as well. Given the number of party and tavern banters that involve the travelers getting drunk and silly, it's entirely plausible that the two of them may have wound up in bed together in this way - and yet have come away from the encounter with so much left unsaid.

In this story Partitio would be gay, but without the experience or the vocabulary to express that as - probably? - befits the setting. Instead he would have fooled around with his posse of friends in his youth, becoming confused and a little sad as each of them in turn found a sweetheart (as in fact happens with one of them in a sidequest) as Oresrush expanded while he remained seemingly uninterested. He'd also have hanging over his head the unmentionable something that had been and - after his story - is again between his father and Roque. Partitio's story suggests that for a portion of his childhood he essentially had two fathers, and it concludes with Papp and Roque getting back together, in some sense. If there was ever anything between the two of them it wouldn't be anything Papp would ever speak of, and certainly not to his son. That would be perhaps why Papp thinks nothing of Partitio bringing home a hulking bear of a man when he's finally decided to take a break from his travels.

That arrangement came from the thought that Osvald is still technically a wanted man at the end of his story. He's presumed dead and the prison on Frigit has been shut down, but if he were to reveal himself there'd be no one alive who could or would be willing to prove his innocence except Elena - and she ends the story in a state of mental recovery that would be unsuited for any legal proceedings. Hence Partitio's friendly offer for his partner to come stay with him and his Pops while Partitio & Roque hammers out the logistics of the western continent's growing railway network. Osvald, knowing that he has to keep a low profile but wanting to keep busy, offers to teach the children of Oresrush whenever the town finds itself lacking a schoolmaster. Every few months he journeys to Conning Creek to check in on Elena from afar, and whenever he goes Partitio remains up the whole night awaiting his return, fearing that he'll instead be greeted in the morning with a letter from Lady Clarissa explaining that Osvald had been identified and apprehended by the authorities. More than once Papp catches Partitio at the proverbial window, and while they still do not speak of anything that may or may not be going on in that house behind closed doors, Papp reassures his son that Osvald will always find his way back. Behind the aforementioned closed doors Partitio grows adventurous in more ways than one; on the first evening that they try anal sex, he ventures to ask if Osvald learned his technique from his time on Frigit Isle. Osvald only stares at him blankly before replying that that had never occurred to him, not with the fire for revenge in his breast sustaining him. Instead, he'd encountered the subject before in books - a response so matter-of-fact that Partitio boggles not only over the fact that people actually wrote books about these things but that it did not even occur to Osvald to find this unusual.

Later they relocate to the eastern continent, renting a modest townhouse in New Delsta with only a handful of servants as Partitio expands his company's world-changing products to new shores and sets to work devising even more innovative uses for steam. This shocks the society papers of New Delsta, who cannot help but regard Partitio - this country-bred nouveau riche bachelor without even the forethought to display his newfound wealth as men of his type would be expected to do - with astonishment and a fair amount of derision. They have little to remark on his quiet, seemingly nameless companion (what else can they call him?), and the two rarely make appearances in public except at the theatre, where burgeoning superstar Agnea has secured a private box for the use of all of her friends and from which Partitio and Osvald take in many of her performances. Osvald submits papers on the nature of the One True Magic anonymously to the library in Montwise; Partitio and Agnea go on several dates (the papers have a field day with this), but the spark isn't there; Temenos arranges a visit and at one point all three men stumble into bed together. Partitio balks at the idea of Temenos having such a casual fling after he'd already lost one (or was it two?) intimate friends, but Temenos laughs this off and with his usual snark prods at Partitio's insecurities. It's a good thing Osvald doesn't think as Partitio does, isn't it? Partitio wants, momentarily, to punch him - but he restrains himself.

Some years pass and Partitio nears thirty. Lady Clarissa writes to Osvald to suggest that time and regular visits have done their work, and that the now-teenaged Elena would like to live with her father again. Partitio's heart breaks when he hears the news, seeing in this the inevitable end of their unnamable whatever-it-was, but he puts on his most cheerful face and treats Osvald out to one last big night on the town. This being Osvald, that mostly means sitting in the secluded corner of their favorite tavern and dining on mediocre pub fare accompanied by an abundant supply of coffee before at last Osvald agrees to have a few drinks, but Partitio can't bring himself to care. As the two of them stroll back to their townhouse well after midnight, one of Partitio's arms slung around Osvald's shoulders, he shares the evening's biggest surprise: he offers to buy Osvald and Elena a house wherever they might want to live, and provide them with an income so the two of them might live however they please and never have to worry about money again.

Osvald peers down at Partitio over his spectacles, and corrects him: surely he must have meant the three of them. Partitio, caught off guard, mumbles that that isn't necessary, that they don't have to keep doing this and that Osvald deserves a happy, normal life with his daughter. There, under the dim lamplight of a dingy New Delsta side street, the two of them are finally forced to confront years of unspoken desire for something genuine and lasting - something which Osvald, unromantic though he might be, had been under the impression that he'd been conveying in a hundred little companionably domestic ways all this time - but he'd failed to account for just how very green his lover really was, even when it came to his greatest desire. When Osvald leans down and kisses a still-spluttering Partitio, it's the first time they've ever done so in public.

They purchase a house in Canalbrine, near enough to the sea to feel familiar to Osvald and Elena, but without the painful memories of Conning Creek. Father and daughter become properly reacquainted and settle into their new residence, and they buy a plot in the local cemetery with a new grave for Rita. Partitio dives into business at the port, unveiling his and Roque's bold plans for steam-powered ships that will halve the time needed to make the crossing and revolutionize intercontinental trade. He always makes time though for the two people he now considers to be his family, ensuring they take breaks from their research to eat and take walks, and taking Elena with him on some of his trips around the western continent - including to Wellgrove's famous department store where he teaches her how to haggle. Osvald chides him for trying to turn Elena into a merchant, but it's all in jest; both of them know the girl fully intends to attend the university in Montwise as soon as she's old enough, building on Osvald's impressive body of work surrounding the Seventh Source. Elena meanwhile never questions why her father and his friend (who calls her "chickadee" sometimes - she rolls her eyes when he does, but smiles to herself all the same) share a room with a single bed; Lady Clarissa had instructed her well in the ways of the world, and she is at ease knowing that her father has found happiness again.

When the day comes for Elena to journey to Montwise, Partitio insists on the three of them traveling to the eastern continent on the Grand Terry. He and Osvald wave Elena off at the train that will take her from the harbor into the Crestlands, both of them crying and not even bothering to hide it although it embarrasses her. They console themselves on the trip back like they've always done in the years since their first wild hookup, and so turn on toward home.

[enigmaticxbee]

X-Files Armed and Dangerous

A classic image - Mulder and Scully enter a dark room, guns drawn.

I’m not immune to this image. But in real life I’m definitely anti-gun and like many people in the last few years rethinking how the pop culture we watch valorizes law enforcement. The X-Files is interesting because Mulder and Scully are set up as outsiders at the FBI, working to find the Truth and expose conspiracies within the government. But they also work within that system, they go on raids in swat gear, sometimes they shoot first and ask questions later, and often the only ones they save are themselves. They kill a lot of people over the course of the series. Sometimes it’s very clearly self defense and other times it’s… questionable. Often episodes ended with the MOTW dying or disappearing, probably because it was easier than dealing with the logistical and legal ramifications of having to try a liver-eating mutant for his crimes (as we saw in Tooms).

We very rarely saw Mulder and Scully dealing with the emotional consequences of taking a life, or considering their motivations for having done so, although we get glimpses in episodes like Orison. I think part of my discomfort with this rewatching the series now comes from the revival ending with Mulder shooting and killing a bunch of people and calling it payback. That doesn’t align with what I know of the character and his motivations from the original series, and it’s certainly a drastic escalation from anything we’ve seen him do before. But original series Mulder and Scully both embrace parts of law enforcement that make me uncomfortable coming from my favorite characters.

Also, Scully shooting Mulder to save him in Anasazi is one of my favorite things in the series, so contradictions!

Disclaimer: these stats are just based on my observations, sometimes it was unclear whether someone they shot died so I went based on what I saw onscreen. I also included non-shooting deaths like Tooms via escalator. Let me know if there are any I missed!

[kroashent]

Val-Cula Daily - May 7

Val's random thoughts as she revisits Dracula Daily (An excellent choice if you missed it the first time around). Today, our friend Jonathan wanders around the castle and actually does his job.

--------

There is a certain idea that vampires are these out-of-touch weirdos, left over from a different time period, and, while Dracula certainly has these traits, he is also presented as being very well read and informed about the world around him, not an isolated monster in a tower, but a well-connected shadow player. This is another chapter that really highlights this understated part of the character.

Jonathan finds his host has "gone out" in the morning, leaving him to explore the castle, remarking both on the vast wealth of the Count, but also his well-stocked and up to date library, including a large collection of English language periodicals and to Jonathan's nerd-lawyer delight, the law list. Having read through the book, Stoker's own legal education, despite never practicing law, is very much in the forefront of the story, to an honestly shocking degree.

Dracula makes his appearance and the two hold a very normal conversation on the Count's desire to visit London, and a mutual acquaintance before turning to the blue flames of a few days ago.

It turns out, these are markers for ancient treasures, visible only on certain nights and are implied to be a major source of Dracula's wealth. I've discussed my thoughts on the blue flames in detail earlier, and its neat that they continue to be a subject of background conversation to the characters.

They turn to legal matters, delving into the real estate dealings and legal details of the property Dracula wishes to purchase. Its usually common in Gothic literature that the protagonist is visiting a haunted locale for legal matters, but the fact that the novel actually goes into the details of these real estate contracts, showing actual work on them rather than forgetting about their role in the plot AND that they remain important throughout the story is interesting to me. It really shows that Stoker's vampire is not purely a monster of another age, but an more insidious threat, existing well within the social and logistical world of Stoker's "modern" world. This mix of ancient and modern is a core theme we will see time and time again, for heroes and villains alike.

[d2kvirus]

26/1/24 Fact or Fiction

Statement #1: Bayley will win the 2024 women’s Royal Rumble. FACT - It makes perfect sense from a storyline standpoint to have Bayley vs Iyo at WM, and given the Rumble and MITB are effectively treated as ersatz titles these days it also fits to have Bayley get a clean sweep of all women's titles, Rumble and MITB

Statement #2: You spell battle royale with an “e”. FICTION - Only when talking about that Japanese film given that's, you know, the title and everything

Statement #3: There should be a Tag Team Royal Rumble match. FICTION - Mainly as it will be a logistical nightmare to a match where the only finish would be one babyface Ricky Mortoning their way through one or two heel tag teams in the final four

Statement #4: For Cody Rhodes to “finish the story” he must defeat Roman Reigns for the WWE Title in a WrestleMania main event. FACT - If he wins the title from Not Reigns that would be a consolation prize at best, and if he's not even in a title match at WM then he's a punchline for the remainder of his time there

Statement #5: You will consume alcohol while watching this year’s Royal Rumble match. FICTION - One time a few years back my local pub showed the Rumble live. Give the show started at 1am, and that was the 2013 Rumble where the booking went into full "Sod you, you're getting Rock vs Cena II" mode, it was not fun walking home at 4am with a few beers in me while being PO'd that the last two matches of the show were effectively Vince sticking his middle finger up at his audience. But he's stuck worse things in worse places, from what I hear...

Statement #6: Draymond Green has a WWE career waiting for him after he retires from the NBA. FICTION - Given he's a dead ringer for Ledley King, Tottenham will surely ask him if he can play centre back as that couldn't be worse than Eric Dier

Statement #7: You recognize The Big Show as the real winner of the 2000 Royal Rumble match. FACT - Because he did. At least Cena & Batista's botch managed to work out in such a way it was obvious the booking was telling the fans to ignore the evidence of their eyes and their ears

Statement #8: An “Even Greater” Royal Rumble with 60 entrants would be fun. FICTION - The 40-man Rumble was pretty bad, so adding 50% more entrants to that would be as terrible as me beginning this response and forgetting that one time they did a 50-man Rumble...

Statement #9: Jinder Mahal’s WWE championship run was underrated. FICTION - It wasn't even rated due to it being the booking equivalent of The Great Molasses Flood of 1919: slow, painful, and horrible to witness

Statement #10: Tony Khan’s tweets are fun. FICTION - While the whole "I can't support AEW as the owner is a bit cringe on Twitter" discourse is almost entirely performative garbage from garbage performers on forums and social media alike, Tony really needs somebody hovering over him to keep him from making the story about him instead of AEW

Statement #11: Santino Marella’s “I wasn’t ready!” elimination from 2009 Rumble match is the funniest moment in Royal Rumble history. FICTION - The ending of the 2005 Rumble is best for its unintended hilarity, not least due to Vince's comedic tumble as he realises he blew out both quads and having to sit there like a toddler giving instructions

Statement #12: You are more interested in what Nic Nemeth does post-WWE than Matt Riddle.  FICTION - If Nemeth bet on himself when his contract was up in the mid-2010s I certainly would have been interested in what he had to offer, but after a decade of forgetting he was still employed at various points I'm far less interested, so Riddle wins by default

Statement #13: Here’s a good idea, a TLC Royal Rumble: entrants can be eliminated by going over the top OR by being put through a table, chairs are ladders are legal, and after all 30 entrants have entered then the remaining wrestlers are able to go after a WrestleMania main event contract hanging above the ring. FICTION - I'm sure that a table battle royal exists somewhere, but there's two obvious problems with using tables for eliminations: the table not breaking, or the table breaking when it's not supposed to. Either way, any stip involving something which can't follow booking instructions like tables, glass or Koji Kitao is destined to have a botched finish sooner or later

Statement #14: In pro-wrestling, a good punch is better than a good chop.  FICTION - Not that I'm against a good worked punch, but what puts a chop over the top for me is the sound when somebody who can really lay them in, be it Gunther or Go Shiozaki or Pentagon Jr

Statement #15: In the next 20 years, someone will break Stone Cold Steve Austin’s record of 3 Royal Rumble match wins. FICTION - Most of the men on two wins have already retired so if they have (for the sake of argument) Cody winning four in a row it will be forced as hell just to create a record for the sake of creating a record - which is why I can't see them trying that with the women's Rumble, given that match is so young that it would look especially obvious if they have Bianca Belair or Rhea Ripley win it every other year to get her numbers up

Statement #16: Kazuchika Okada should go to the WWE. FICTION - Okada should go wherever he feels would be the best place for his career. That might be WWE, that might be AEW, that might be a company which isn't even in the conversation at the moment, but saying he "should" join one company or another is just like the worst part of football discourse for decades before social media became a thing and made it even more irritating

Statement #17: WCW’s three-ring World War 3 battle royale concept should be brought back. FICTION - The main issue with both WarGames and Blood & Guts is there's always the chance the camera misses something in the second ring as it's focusing on something in the first ring (or, in B&G's case, outside the ring or on top of the cage) so a third ring increases the chances of the production truck missing something

Statement #18: If The Rock wrestles at WrestleMania 40 it will NOT be his last match. FACT - Mainly because of the genuine concern that, if he does win at WM, it will be the second time in recent(ish) memory he's come back to end a lengthy title reign, meaning he has to stick around to drop the belt...right?

Statement #19: You prefer to watch actual wrestling over movies about wrestling, like The Iron Claw. FICTION - At no point when watching The Wrestler did the film cut to commercial mid-match, nor did I question Darren Aronofsky's booking decisions...until Noah, anyway, but the point I'm making...

Statement #20: Playing the Royal Rumble mode on the early ’90s WWF WrestleFest arcade game is history’s greatest wrestling video game experience. FICTION - As fun as the Wrestlefest Rumble was, the greatest wrestling game experience for me was borrowing someone's GameShark so I could actually use Jake Roberts in SDvsR 2006, as that was locked behind needing PS2 & PSP crossplay otherwise and I didn't know a single person with a PSP

Statement #21: If the top rope breaks during a battle royale, wrestlers should still be legally eliminated by being throw over the 2nd rope. FACT - Makes sense, as if the top rope breaks the middle rope becomes the top rope. Just don't ask if the top rope breaks on one side but not the other three, that's a headache waiting to happen

Statement #22: 2x Royal Rumble winner John Cena is the greatest wrestler of all time. FICTION - Mitsuharu Misawa is spinning in his urn

Statement #23: Here’s another good idea – a Reverse Royal Rumble: the match starts with all 30 entrants in the ring and every 2 minutes someone is randomly eliminated, but you can can be safe from the random countdown eliminations if you eliminate someone else first. FICTION - New rule for 411mania: anybody suggesting reverse battle royals must post photo ID to prove they aren't Vince Russo - and if they aren't, that makes it even worse

Statement #24: No one ever retires – the Undertaker will wrestle again. FICTION - Plenty of wrestlers retire for real, be it due to injuries which can't be rehabbed or because nobody noticed that they retired. More than anything else, though, since retiring Undertaker has removed the mystique he had for decades with his podcast appearances and so forth, and that genie isn't getting put back in the bottle

Statement #25: IMPACT Wrestling changing their name back to TNA will make you watch again. FICTION - It's not airing in the depths of Freeview in the UK anymore, which is why TNA had a surprisingly large following in the UK 15+ years ago, so unless there's some really good word of mouth that will send me to WatchWrestling I will likely not be actively looking to watch it

Statement #26: WWE should bring back the ECW brand again. FICTION - If there's any brand which WWE bought and then euthanised they should consider bringing back it's Evolve. No, wait, hear me out: the thing with Evolve is there's little to no emotional attachment or cultural cache attached to the brand as there is with ECW or ROH, so if they rebranded NXT LVL UP to Evolve it wouldn't hamstring the show before a second had aired, given the name is mainly associated with Gabe Sapolsky booking shows for DGUSA talent when the Dragon Gate wrestlers weren't available

Statement #27: You would be excited to see Shane McMahon as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble match this year. FICTION - I'd rather he was a surprise entrant in MITB or the Elimination Chamber, as that means we'd guarantee somebody taking an utterly ludicrous bump in matches which sort of require it

Statement #28: WWE already has too many international PLEs scheduled for this year. FICTION - Actually having PPVs for overseas crowds, and not the UK-only PPVs that WWE used to fob off their UK audience with which HHH always seemed to be "injured" for yet healthy to appear on Raw a couple of nights later, is something WWE needed to consider for the longest time. Remember, that's actual crowds, not Bonesaw McGraw's mates...

Statement #29: It’s sad that one year ago Sami Zayn was the hottest wrestler in the world, but now no one talks about him, he has no chance of winning the Royal Rumble or ever main event-ing a WrestleMania again. FACT - Especially considering that Sami did the impossible and made the Bloodline actually interesting and not JBL's Cabinet with Polynesian tattoos, and he deserved to be rewarded for that with the booking Jey Uso is currently getting

Statement #30: CM Punk will win the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble. FACT - Seems like the wisest call to make: if Rollins is healthy come WM, Punk vs Rollins will go ahead while Cody/Reigns is for all the marbles, but if Rollins isn't healthy there's a story for Punk/Reigns or potential for a Punk/Cody/Reigns three-way - so all Punk has to do is not break his foot doing a spot that makes no sense to wreck those booking plans, or lose his rag on a habitual basis to wreck literally everything around him

[dogsliampaynedoesntinstagram]

Do you think that if Harry and Louis decide they want to get married and have kids, whether it's together or with others (I'm talking specifically about if it's with men) that it'll have a bearing on their decision to CO or it will make no difference? I don't really know how it works. Can people legally get married without it ever being public knowledge? I imagine there are celebrities who have secret families. It just seems a lot more complicated than hiding your sexuality. The kids will grow up at some point. Won't they have to live in isolation from others because they might accidentally reveal something? I was just wondering because they've both said several times that they want kids. Last year in the BHG? interview Harry mentioned something about his legacy going to his kids, and in a RS he said "If I have kids at some point, I will encourage them to be themselves and be vulnerable and share". He talked in a Howard Stern interview too about encouraging his kids to be themselves. It seems important to him. Won't it be hypocritical if he's in the closet and with beards. He'd be doing the opposite. Are secret families easy to hide and keep under control?

I think at this point I need to say that I'm sick and also injured and I've been cooped up in my flat for way longer than is ideal. Because I'm reading anons and am like 'I don't think the assumptions in here make any sense, but it could be my head full of cold'. So if I'm crankier or make more assumptions than usual blame the snot that is crowding out my brain.

But I do find the approach of this ask - which is make huge assumptions about what's going to happen and then seek judgement based on those assumptions - really tedious and hard to respond to.

I don't think Harry and Louis could have children together without coming out. It's probably theoretically possible for them to get married and it remain a secret, but it'd be logistically difficult and high risk.

It is possible for closeted people in the entertainment industry who don't have a super active fan base to get married and have kids (Matt Bomer for example). It's also possible for super famous closeted people to have kids in weird ways that suggest closeting was part of what's going on (I'm thinking of Cristiano Ronaldo). Certainly there are lots of ways that closeted people who have had kids do it without requiring their kids to live in isolation.

I find your judgement of closeted people quite gross - but I also think it's not worth discussing the implications of having children while closeted unless there's any sign that that might happen.

My position on all this is if Louis and Harry are together and they want to get married or have children, then that would be a driver in terms of coming out eventually. But there's no reason to think it's urgent now - they can have children decades from now if they want to.

[lesbiankoby]

Personally, I think Sasuke and Sakura are married but they're both some flavor of poly and Sakura's fucking Ino and Sai, and Sasuke's has something going on with Naruto

shdjdjdjdb see if i was gonna posit any kind of poly relationship with team seven i would actually have it as sakura <=> naruto <=> sasuke, while sakura is certainly attracted to sasuke (obviously) i don’t really think sasuke goes for woman. lol. any theoretical marriage between them is for legal conveniences and logistics re: managing the uchiha clan (such as it is) and also sarada in general.

[mister13eyond]

10, 5 and 8 for Vin!

10.) What objects do they always carry around with them? (What do they need for their normal, day-to-day routine? What does ‘normal’ even look like for them.)

Vin's the kind of person that usually carries a small backpack or bag, because he always has to haul multiple things with him just on the OFF chance he needs them. He's usually got his nintendo Switch, wallet (somehow, he has a legal ID and a bank account- those were definitely favors called in from Hell), phone (android, several years old but still functional; cracked screen protector), beanie or hat (gotta hide the horns!), small crystal vial (mana reserve, in case something goes wrong), sketchbook, pencil case (a couple pencils, one fine liner, one brush pen), a few random loose sticky notes with sigils/wards scribbled on them Just In Case, and a talisman given to him by Asphodel that he can't touch with his bare hands or it gives him blisters (the thought counted)

5.) What was the last time they cried, and under what circumstances? (Good way to get some *emotional* backstory in.) 

Vin actually has a really difficult time crying, even when he feels like he'd feel better if he just could. He has a hard time letting himself sit around and feel anything negative- he's the kind of demon to try and keep himself constantly distracted or busy so that he doesn't have time to think of anything bothering him.

Because of that, he's probably due for a good one any day now. The last one was not long after he got stuck in the human world, and it was one of those that was a 'straw that broke the camel's back' situation. He'd been arguing with the summoning and displacement division of his company, who insisted they couldn't bring him back per the terms of his contract, even if the contract was made in error, and no that wasn't grounds for dismissal or unpaid time off work- he could still do his job from the human world, it was all largely tech work anyhow- and so he'd had to start making phone calls and trying to arrange some sort of logistical setup in the human world (where was he going to live? how was he going to avoid detection? how was he going to work?) and he dropped and broke the mug he was drinking out of. That did him in, out of everything, and he had to quickly end the call before the poor devil on the other end had to hear the waterworks. (Everyone knows demons aren't supposed to cry, so you certainly don't cry in front of another of the damned.)

Things have gotten better since then, at least!

8.) Describe the place where they sleep. (ie what does their safe space look like. How much (or how little) care / decoration / personal touch goes into it.)

When Vin first put out a roommate ad on UnHoly Craigslist, he didn't have much in his apartment at all. A bedframe, a dresser, a few plastic storage totes, some folding card tables and his laptop.

Now, though, he's wound up collecting a lot of ephemera; some good, some bad. He's added a lot of both thrifted and Ikea furniture; a better bedframe, some shelves, some side tables and lamps. A lot of what he's collected is stuff- Vin loves plushes and figures and memorabilia and merchandise. He spends way too much money on games and anime figures and cute headphones and cute plant pots for succulents and decorations-

He has also accumulated a lot. A lot. Of clothes. They wound up being one of his worst human vices; he loves to dress up and he loves to buy random thotty outfits online- so the other thing you'll find all over his room is laundry. He's somehow always behind on it; he's always getting overwhelmed by how many clothes he has to wash. And yet, there he goes, putting on another crop top and pair of leggings. RIP.

[vamptastic]

i know logically that my endocrine issues would make a pregnancy very bad for me physically and emotionally but i do feel pretty hopeless at the idea of having a child through other means. if i end up with someone willing to carry a pregnancy, i don't care about using a sperm donor, and i suppose i could theoretically find someone willing to volunteer as a surrogate if not, but those possibilities are both well, possibilities. realistically if i want children i will need to adopt and i am very, very disillusioned with the state of adoption in the US. hell, i don't even know how likely getting approved even is for a transgender jewish person, even if i didn't have an ethical issue with the concept.

foster care is probably what i'll end up doing-i mean, not that foster care is great, but BEING a foster parent is generally morally good-but it does bug me a bit to never be able to raise a jewish child. i wouldn't want to impose my religion on a kid with their own background and beliefs but it's important to me and if i raised an infant they'd certainly be raised jewish, though of course it's ultimately up to them what they believe and do.

just. in this country and society the only way to guarantee you can raise a child in the legal sense is to birth one yourself. and i physically cannot do that nor do i particularly want to. but i do love kids and i would like to have a kid. kids are cool they're like, little guys. they're fun. and also raising children (well) is generally like, a morally good or at least not bad thing to do imo. and also, wtf else am i gonna do with my life, that would genuinely be important and matter to me more than say, a successful career or the opportunity to travel. but every time i think about it it seems logistically impossible and with a lot of people even mentioning that i want kids someday makes them immediately think of me as either a mother or a predator. shrimply tiring.

[dankusner]

East Texas church pays legal bills for anti-abortion lawyer

A small church in East Texas with little online presence and no publicly advertised worship schedule has been covering legal defense fees for prominent anti-abortion lawyer Jonathan Mitchell in multiple recent cases.

According to new court testimony from Mitchell and the church’s pastor, Mark Lee Dickson, the Longview-based Sovereign Love Church has repeatedly paid Mitchell, who famously authored the state’s sixweek abortion ban, known as Senate Bill 8.

That includes payment for his work defending Dickson in a defamation case, and for his legal advice in crafting local abortion travel ban ordinances and in defending SB 8.

Dickson is a wellknown anti-abortion activist who has led the effort to pass local bans on travel for the purpose of helping someone obtain an abortion.

Mitchell is the former Texas solicitor general who has defended former President Donald Trump in court and is a leading national figure in the anti-abortion movement.

Their testimony came during a hearing last month about a legal fee dispute at the end of a defamation case against Dickson filed by the Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity, which provides financial and logistical support for pregnant Texans to access abortion where it’s still legal.

Neither Dickson nor Mitchell could say on the stand who was behind the donations that the church used to fund the legal work.

The statements shed light on how several of the myriad abortion-related lawsuits that have cropped up since the fall of Roe v. Wade are being covered financially.

Sovereign Love Church, sometimes written as SovereignLOVE, was incorporated in 2001, according to a ProPublica database of nonprofit records.

It is listed in the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention’s online directory.

The church appears to have formerly had an office in northwest Longview, about two hours east of Dallas.

But it has since closed, according to Google Maps, and the church does not have a website or social media profile.

It has received funding from various Christian groups over the years, including $25,000 in 2022 from the National Christian Charitable Foundation Inc., one of the largest nonprofits and Christian grantmakers in the U.S., according to public nonprofit disclosure forms.

It also took in about $100,000 between 2020 and 2022 from another Christian grantmaking group, a Lubbock- based foundation called WTAB.

While it’s not unusual or illegal for a third party to pay for someone else’s legal fees, the revelation brings some transparency to an area of politics that is typically dark to the public, said Mary Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law who studies the abortion debate.

“It gives you a different sense of who’s a power player in the anti-abortion movement, not just in Texas but in general,” Ziegler said of the testimony in Dickson’s case.

“It opens up the possibility certainly that his church is a more significant player in Texas and outside of Texas than we thought,” she added, “and there may be — although it’s hard to say without more evidence — other churches that satisfy that criteria.”

Ziegler said the role of churches in political advocacy has been a source of controversy, as many carry out activities similar to lobbyists but are not subject to the same disclosure rules.

They’re also exempt from the disclosure requirements that nonprofits with designations allowing for partisan or nonpartisan advocacy must follow, she said.

During the hearing, Dickson testified that he is the pastor of the church but does not collect a regular salary and was not compensated by the church for his employment.

He said he held various jobs, including security officer roles, to make money.

In an interview earlier this year, Dickson told Texas Monthly that the church has a “rotation” of leaders.

The 39-yearold activist frequently travels around the country to advocate for his “sanctuary cities for the unborn” effort, “so is currently unable to lead Bible studies or services that meet at different locations.”

Dickson testified last month that he had been raising money for the church since at least June 2020 for Mitchell’s legal defense in abortion-related cases.

He said he solicited donations from people both inside and outside the church for the bulk of his legal defense in the defamation case, which added up to about $200,000.

But he said he could not recall the names of any of them except for his late grandmother, who was not a member.

It included “different people that I’ve known over the years who were supportive of the work that I’ve done,” he said. “Too many to name, a multitude of different people.”

Pressed on how many, Dickson said it was more than 100 people.

He said he could not recall the amount of the largest donation.

The Lilith Fund’s lawyer, Elizabeth Myers, seemed incredulous.

“Can you remember a single person as you sit here today under oath?” Myers asked.

Lawyers for the Lilith Fund were able to obtain documents and information about the church’s role in the litigation because of a quirk in the state law that only allows a person who “incurred” the cost of legal defense to collect attorney’s fees.

The Lilith Fund had accused Dickson in its suit of defaming the organization years ago when he referred to it on social media as a “criminal organization.”

In early 2023, the Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of Dickson — who was represented by Mitchell — finding that his statements were opinions protected by free speech.

The high court remanded the case to the lower court to settle up fees, normally a routine affair that can sometimes be settled with a simple email exchange.

But in this case, it set off a second-round legal battle when the Lilith Fund’s lawyers initially struggled to get information from Mitchell on his contract and fee arrangement.

A Travis County judge ruled from the bench last month that the Lilith Fund would not have to pay most of Mitchell’s fees.

Mitchell and Dickson did not respond to a request for comment, including whether they would appeal.

Myers declined to comment until the judge’s written opinion is released.

After multiple informal requests for information that Mitchell did not fully answer, the Lilith Fund’s attorneys made formal requests through the court to obtain documents that would prove whether Dickson or some other entity was liable for the attorney’s fees.

The whole process took about a year and a half.

Mitchell testified that Dickson had originally wished to keep the name of the church out of the public record because he has felt attacked by Myers and abortion rights advocates.

(Dickson had requested the judge sanction Myers and her co-counsel for half a million dollars, arguing that their pursuit of information about the church was harassment; the judge denied that motion.)

“It was not easy to persuade him” to divulge the name of the church, Mitchell said.

“Mr. Dickson didn’t trust you. He did not want you to have information about his church. He thought you were going to use it for malicious purposes.”

Dickson testified that Mitchell had told all 69 cities across the U.S. that have passed travel ban ordinances that he would defend them in court at no cost to them.

Dickson said he had conveyed that offer more than once to city officials. Asked whether the plan was for Sovereign Love to cover those costs, Dickson said there was no agreement on that. Myers asked who was going to pay, and Dickson said he did not know.

The Lilith Fund had accused Dickson in its suit of defaming the organization years ago when he referred to it on social media as a “criminal organization.”

In early 2023, the Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of Dickson.

[metroredx]

Exploring Export Opportunities: Battery Industry in Nigeria

The Federal Republic of Nigeria- a country located in the heart of Africa-is rich in economic potential and industrial growth. One of the promising frontiers that is now opening for exploration and investment is the battery industry. With the demand for energy storage surging globally, the strategic positioning and available resources make Nigeria an attractive case for investors who want to exploit export opportunities.

The Future of Battery Technology Development in Nigeria

The Nigerian battery market has matured unto itself and its transformation viz-a-viz the current technological advancement and increase in energy demand. From the integration of renewable energy to electric mobility, batteries become one of the premier elements of sustainable development in Nigeria. Therefore, demand for batteries ranges from small-scale solar applications up to large-scale grid storage solutions, thus creating a broad and growing spectrum of demand for batteries.

Core Strategic Benefits of Nigeria

It has some significant advantages which make it well-placed in this particular aspect of international trade. First, its geopolitical location assures ease and efficiency in logistics for the regional and global markets. Most significant is the abundance of major minerals used in the production of batteries, including lithium and cobalt, thereby having the potential to make Nigeria a regional hub concerning manufacturing and exports.

Economic Consequences and Opportunities

The investment in the battery industry shows great promise for the economic future of Nigeria. Besides meeting local energy demands, export opportunities are also available. From the preceding, Nigeria can take advantage of its abundant resources and create a good business environment to benefit from the world's demand for batteries used in everything from automotive and renewable energy storage to increase Gross domestic product and opportunities for employment.

Challenges and Mitigation Strategies

Of course, it will not be smooth sailing to become a significant player in the world's battery market. Infrastructural bottlenecks, legal and policy frameworks, and technological capacity gaps will pose many challenges. All these can, yet again, be de-escalated proactively through measures represented by infrastructural development, policy reforms to encourage foreign investment, and partnerships to achieve technology transfer that will be instrumental in ensuring Nigeria becomes a regional leader in battery production and export.

Government Initiatives and Support 

The Nigerian government is quite aware of the strategic function of the battery industry, and hence, several policies have been put in place to accelerate its development. The package for incentives covers local production that develops infrastructures as well as research and development. Meanwhile, in cooperation with international partners, there is a tremendous scope for knowledge and capacity acquisition.

In conclusion, the battery industry in Nigeria has already reached a crossroads wherein it is set to rise like an exponential curve towards eminence on the global scene. With resources, strategic advantages, and bound-to-be government support, it does possess potential. With full-core potential at its beck and call, Nigeria is at the verge of making sizable contributions to the world's energy storage. Nigeria as a critical player in the battery industry certainly reflects how committed the nation is to economic diversification, innovation, and sustainable development on the world stage.

Discover the gateway to Nigeria's battery market with Metro RedX! Expand your export horizons and capitalize on Nigeria's burgeoning demand for batteries. Partner with us to navigate the opportunities and grow your business in Africa's largest economy.

[randomrags]

Trump Hush Money Trial - A Timeline

May 29th 2024

- 1st day of deliberation ends

- Jury requests for 4 items during deliberation:

1) transcript of ex-National Enquirer publisher Pecker’s testimony regarding a phone conversation he had with Trump while in a meeting with investors in New Jersey

2) Testimony relating to the rights to Karen McDougal’s story.

3) relate to a key August 2015 Trump Tower meeting that prosecutors say kickstarted the so alled " catch and kill" arrangements.

MAY 28TH 2024

Trump jury begins deliberations

After more than five weeks, countless hours of testimony and a mountain of documents, a New York judge instructed a jury to make a historic decision: whether Donald Trump is guilty or not guilty of a crime.

On Wednesday, a day after both sides made their final pitches to jurors, Justice Juan Merchan delivered over an hour of deliberation instructions, going over each of the charges and detailing the elements of the alleged crime.

He explained to the 12-person jury the bar that prosecutors have to meet to convict the former president: guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

“It is not sufficient to prove that the defendant is probably guilty,” Justice Merchan told the court. “In a criminal case, the proof of guilt must be stronger than that.”

The former president has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to a hush-money payment made to adult-film star Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had sex with Mr Trump.

- Trump denies the encounter.

Morning court session - Justice Merchan delivered a variety of guidelines, advising jurors

- not to base their decisions on biases or the criminal convictions of other witnesses in the case.

Most crucially, he spelled out in detail prosecutors’ complicated felony case against Mr Trump. They claim he falsified a reimbursement to his fixer for the hush-money payment with the intent to conceal other crimes: violations of state and federal election laws and tax laws.

He told the jury that prosecutors do not need to prove these secondary crimes, nor do jurors need to be in agreement on which specific one Mr Trump committed.

- They must reach a unanimous verdict on each of the 34 counts, however.

From the start, the defence has denied any wrongdoing and sought to cast doubt on testimony from the prosecution's key witness

- former fixer and convicted felon Michael Cohen - in an attempt to disprove the larger case.

Here is what jurors could decide:

1) If Trump is found guilty

All 12 members of the jury must agree Mr Trump is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for prosecutors to secure a conviction.

This is the worst-case scenario for Trump, who would become the first major party candidate running for US president as a felon.

He would almost certainly appeal this verdict. His lawyers already have argued for a mistrial on multiple occasions, each time unsuccessfully.

If found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of four years behind bars per count, or a smaller punishment of probation and a fine.

- Most experts say the 77-year-old is unlikely to face any time in prison.

"It is a non-violent offence. It's the lowest of the [felony] offences," said former Brooklyn prosecutor Julie Rendelman. "With no record, his age, you name it, it would be highly unlikely."

If Mr Trump was sentenced to time in prison, it would pose a logistical challenge for court officers and Secret Service staff who would be required to protect him in prison.

2) If Trump is acquitted

If all 12 members of the jury find prosecutors have not proven Mr Trump's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, he would be acquitted of the felony charges, which would be a major blow to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office that brought the case.

It also would be a huge victory for the former president as he bids to return to the White House. While it is still legal for a convicted felon to run for US president, a guilty verdict could hurt his chances with voters.

An acquittal would mean that the prosecution, despite weeks of testimony and hours of questioning high-profile witnesses, including Ms Daniels, Cohen and a former senior Trump aide, failed to convince the Manhattan jury.

Mr Trump has complained daily in the courthouse about the trial, claiming that Judge Merchan and the case against him are unfair, and that he has committed no crime.

Trump faces three other criminal cases,

- election interference and the January 6th Capitol riot that followed his 2020 election loss.

-- This case was widely thought to be the only one likely to go to trial before Americans go to the polls on November 5th.

3) If it's a hung jury

It only takes one of the 12 jurors to unravel the prosecutors' case.

If the jurors cannot all agree unanimously on a verdict - guilty or not guilty - this will result in a hung jury.

If they report to the judge that they cannot reach a decision, Justice Merchan may instruct them once or twice more to try again to reach a verdict.

But if they still cannot, he would declare a mistrial. Prosecutors would then have to decide on the spot whether they want to retry the case

SOURCES

- Yahoo - Courtroom Sketches