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treethymes · 7 months

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With the exceptions of North Korea and Cuba, the communist world has merged onto the capitalist highway in a couple different ways during the twenty-first century. As you’ve read, free-trade imperialism and its cheap agricultural imports pushed farmers into the cities and into factory work, lowering the global price of manufacturing labor and glutting the world market with stuff. Forward-thinking states such as China and Vietnam invested in high-value-added production capacity and managed labor organizing, luring links from the global electronics supply chain and jump-starting capital investment. Combined with capital’s hesitancy to invest in North Atlantic production facilities, as well as a disinclination toward state-led investment in the region, Asian top-down planning erased much of the West’s technological edge. If two workers can do a single job, and one worker costs less, both in wages and state support, why pick the expensive one? Foxconn’s 2017 plan to build a U.S. taxpayer–subsidized $10 billion flat-panel display factory in Wisconsin was trumpeted by the president, but it was a fiasco that produced zero screens. The future cost of labor looks to be capped somewhere below the wage levels many people have enjoyed, and not just in the West.

The left-wing economist Joan Robinson used to tell a joke about poverty and investment, something to the effect of: The only thing worse than being exploited by capitalists is not being exploited by capitalists. It’s a cruel truism about the unipolar world, but shouldn’t second place count for something? When the Soviet project came to an end, in the early 1990s, the country had completed world history’s biggest, fastest modernization project, and that didn’t just disappear. Recall that Cisco was hyped to announce its buyout of the Evil Empire’s supercomputer team. Why wasn’t capitalist Russia able to, well, capitalize? You’re already familiar with one of the reasons: The United States absorbed a lot of human capital originally financed by the Soviet people. American immigration policy was based on draining technical talent in particular from the Second World. Sergey Brin is the best-known person in the Moscow-to-Palo-Alto pipeline, but he’s not the only one.

Look at the economic composition of China and Russia in the wake of Soviet dissolution: Both were headed toward capitalist social relations, but they took two different routes. The Russian transition happened rapidly. The state sold off public assets right away, and the natural monopolies such as telecommunications and energy were divided among a small number of skilled and connected businessmen, a category of guys lacking in a country that frowned on such characters but that grew in Gorbachev’s liberalizing perestroika era. Within five years, the country sold off an incredible 35 percent of its national wealth. Russia’s richest ended the century with a full counterrevolutionary reversal of their fortunes, propelling their income share above what it was before the Bolsheviks took over. To accomplish this, the country’s new capitalists fleeced the most vulnerable half of their society. “Over the 1989–2016 period, the top 1 percent captured more than two-thirds of the total growth in Russia,” found an international group of scholars, “while the bottom 50 percent actually saw a decline in its income.” Increases in energy prices encouraged the growth of an extractionist petro-centered economy. Blood-covered, teary, and writhing, infant Russian capital crowded into the gas and oil sectors. The small circle of oligarchs privatized unemployed KGB-trained killers to run “security,” and gangsters dominated politics at the local and national levels. They installed a not particularly well-known functionary—a former head of the new intelligence service FSB who also worked on the privatization of government assets—as president in a surprise move on the first day of the year 2000. He became the gangster in chief.

Vladimir Putin’s first term coincided with the energy boom, and billionaires gobbled up a ludicrous share of growth. If any individual oligarch got too big for his britches, Putin was not beyond imposing serious consequences. He reinserted the state into the natural monopolies, this time in collaboration with loyal capitalists, and his stranglehold on power remains tight for now, despite the outstandingly uneven distribution of growth. Between 1980 and 2015, the Russian top 1 percent grew its income an impressive 6.2 percent per year, but the top .001 percent has maintained a growth rate of 17 percent over the same period. To invest these profits, the Russian billionaires parked their money in real estate, bidding up housing prices, and stashed a large amount of their wealth offshore. Reinvestment in Russian production was not a priority—why go through the hassle when there were easier ways to keep getting richer?

While Russia grew billionaires instead of output, China saw a path to have both. As in the case of Terry Gou, the Chinese Communist Party tempered its transition by incorporating steadily increasing amounts of foreign direct investment through Hong Kong and Taiwan, picking partners and expanding outward from the special economic zones. State support for education and infrastructure combined with low wages to make the mainland too attractive to resist. (Russia’s population is stagnant, while China’s has grown quickly.) China’s entry into the World Trade Organization, in 2001, gave investors more confidence. Meanwhile, strong capital controls kept the country out of the offshore trap, and state development priorities took precedence over extraction and get-rich-quick schemes. Chinese private wealth was rechanneled into domestic financial assets—equity and bonds or other loan instruments—at a much higher rate than it was in Russia. The result has been a sustained high level of annual output growth compared to the rest of the world, the type that involves putting up an iPhone City in a matter of months. As it has everywhere else, that growth has been skewed: only an average of 4.5 percent for the bottom half of earners in the 1978–2015 period compared to more than 10 percent for the top .001 percent. But this ratio of just over 2–1 is incomparable to Russia’s 17–.5 ration during the same period.

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, certain trends have been more or less unavoidable. The rich have gotten richer relative to the poor and working class—in Russia, in China, in the United States, and pretty much anywhere else you want to look. Capital has piled into property markets, driving up the cost of housing everywhere people want to live, especially in higher-wage cities and especially in the world’s financial centers. Capitalist and communist countries alike have disgorged public assets into private pockets. But by maintaining a level of control over the process and slowing its tendencies, the People’s Republic of China has built a massive and expanding postindustrial manufacturing base.

It’s important to understand both of these patterns as part of the same global system rather than as two opposed regimes. One might imagine, based on what I’ve written so far, that the Chinese model is useful, albeit perhaps threatening, in the long term for American tech companies while the Russian model is irrelevant. Some commentators have phrased this as the dilemma of middle-wage countries on the global market: Wages in China are going to be higher than wages in Russia because wages in Russia used to be higher than wages in China. But Russia’s counterrevolutionary hyper-bifurcation has been useful for Silicon Valley as well; they are two sides of the same coin. Think about it this way: If you’re a Russian billionaire in the first decades of the twenty-first century looking to invest a bunch of money you pulled out of the ground, where’s the best place you could put it? The answer is Palo Alto.

Malcolm Harris, Palo Alto

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blueiscoool · 4 months

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Australia’s Richest Woman Demands Removal of her Portrait From Exhibition

Art is subjective. And while many artists long to share their work with the world, there’s no guarantee that the audience will understand it, or even like it.

That certainly seems to be the case with a painting by indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira, which includes a portrait of Australia’s richest person, mining magnate Gina Rinehart.

Rinehart has reportedly called for the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) to remove her portrait, one of 21 individual works that make up a single piece in Namatjira’s exhibition “Australia in Colour,” from display.

The exhibition has been running at the gallery in the Australian capital, Canberra, since March.

Other subjects in the piece include the late Queen Elizabeth II, American musician Jimi Hendrix, Australian Aboriginal rights activist Vincent Lingiari and the former Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison.

Australian media has reported that Rinehart approached the NGA’s director and chair to request the painting’s removal.

The NGA said in a statement Thursday that it “welcomes the public having a dialogue on our collection and displays.”

“Since 1973, when the National Gallery acquired Jackson Pollocks’ Blue Poles, there has been a dynamic discussion on the artistic merits of works in the national collection, and/or on display at the Gallery,” the NGA statement continued. “We present works of art to the Australian public to inspire people to explore, experience and learn about art.”

Namatjira said in a statement that he paints “people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant – people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad.”

“Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too,” Namatjira added.

Rinehart has an estimated net worth of $30.2 billion USD, according to Forbes. She “remained unshakable” at the top of Forbes’ Australia’s 50 Richest list for 2024, the outlet reported in February.

By Catherine Nicholls and Hilary Whiteman.

#Australia’s Richest Woman Demands Removal of her Portrait From Exhibition #Gina Rinehart #Vincent Namatjira #Canberra #painter #painting #art #artist #art work #art world #art news #Australia in Colour

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tryingtodotheright-thing · 8 months

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Hello Sunset - 3

AN: I actually managed to write this chapter quite quickly. It was originally longer but I've decided to break them into two chapters so it flowed better. The pacing of the story is still slow for now as we slowly get to know Y/N and the history of her relationship with S.Coups. There likely won't be an update this weekend and the next update won't be till the weekend after. As always, I would love to hear people's thoughts on the story. Anything you'd like to see?

PAIRING: Seungcheol x fem!reader GENRE: exes to lovers, idol verse, angst WORD COUNT: 2,918 WARNINGS: reader has anxiety and depression, swearing, mentions of alcohol

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After texting Rachel to not bother and that she’s going straight to bed, Y/N draped herself over the couch in her living room. She felt like she’d aged 10 years after this one day and couldn’t quite bring the energy to wash up and change into her pyjamas yet.

“Alexa, dim the lights.”

The brightness decreased and the dullness of the light eased the onset of a migraine Y/N had sensed since she’d left Sian’s office. The office was a scenic walk from her apartment in Central London and any other day, Y/N would have walked the 50 mins from Kensington Arcade but today, she couldn’t fathom an extra minute outside the safety of her flat. This was her safe place. She wasn’t so famous that the paps cared about her and she definitely wasn’t the richest or even the most famous person on her street. The place gave her a sense of calm she couldn’t quite get at home and it’s why she hadn’t made her way back to the house in Kingston, especially with her parents there. She couldn’t even imagine going back to the house and facing the questions from her parents. She didn’t have the fight left in her to hear their accusations and the emotionally charged words that pierced her confidence till it all seeped out.

She’d been planning to admire the sunset tonight, enjoying a drink on a rooftop bar whilst basking in the dying embers of the evening sun. Instead, she was drowning in her misfortune and wishing she could spin the clock backwards by two years to the summer of 2023. Maybe she was better off with music just as her hobby. Sure, she wouldn’t have experienced so much of the joy she’d come to know, the love of strangers bonded with her music, the luxuries she’d become accustomed to including the very flat she was currently and much more. But she also wouldn't have experienced the heartbreak she’d felt and was still left keeling over.

With strict parents who cared more about success and reputation more than their children living and learning from life, she’d never really encountered love or interacted with the opposite sex in a romantic manner till she’d escaped the clutches of her parents and landed in university. The men she met were at the beginning of their youth and weren’t looking for the commitment and the same things she’d wanted in a relationship. She’d cried tears in frustration then but now looks back and laughs at her younger self, so naive in thinking she had everything figured out. It wasn’t all bad. She’d experienced butterflies at first sight, library dates like the ones she’d admired in books, the passion of her youth with every emotion fully felt and overwhelming and so very wonderful. She’d learnt a lot about herself, learnt what she wanted out of a bad partner, which habits grated on her nerves, especially in a boyfriend, and she’d also unlearnt some of her own bad traits.

After the short courtships and immature versions of a relationship, Y/N had turned her focus to her career. Entering the working world was when she truly began to feel like an adult. At first, it didn’t seem so different from when she would pretend as a child that she was a grown up, wearing her mother’s heels that were too big for her child-sized feet and dragging her handbag, shouting I’m off to work like she’d seen on TV. She’d felt small in the workplace, a cog in the machine and until she’d started to witness the impact of her work, she’d felt unsure of her place. Just when she’d started to feel comfortable in her own shoes, the pandemic had happened. The first year was horrible; there was no other way to put it. Y/N was sure many had felt the same as her then. Being in lockdown with no social life and just her parents for company didn’t help. Her relationship with her parents got worse. Every little thing was exacerbated and she was ready to pull her hair out. The only thing that gave her peace was music. It was a way to relax at the beginning. She’d recorded songs for fun, just like she had when she was young, only this time they were songs of her own creation. She’d gathered a small following on YouTube by the end. She started by playing small gigs on the weekends and people would actually pay to see her. Her time had been limited and she had been too scared to take the leap until Sian reached out. Since then, her life has been a rollercoaster. Meeting Seungcheol in the midst of all of this wasn’t in Y/N’s plans. She hadn’t been looking for a relationship. She definitely hadn’t thought she would be someone he would be interested in. Everything had moved fast in a whirlwind. It fit the theme of her life for the past two years.

Y/N wasn’t new to the South Korean entertainment world. She’d been an avid k-pop fan when she was younger, having been introduced to the music by Rachel when they’d first met each other in secondary school at the age of 11. In fact, the interest spurred her on to study languages, particularly Chinese, Japanese and Korean as her chosen course for her university degree. She’d dipped in and out of the music genre, keeping tabs on the groups she’d liked and her music taste broadening as she grew older, preferring solo artists more. She hadn’t quite kept on top of the new generations of idols and only knew some of them by name. SEVENTEEN was one she was familiar with and funnily enough, she’d only gotten introduced to them earlier that year by her friend, Eun Ji. Choi Eun Ji, Rachel and Y/N had been the eccentric trio back in secondary school, at least until Eun Ji moved back half way through to complete her studies in Seoul. Eun Ji had shared a clip of an episode on Going Seventeen and Y/N was trapped. She’d worked her way through their discography and found herself shaking with giggles every time she watched an episode of them on a variety show. She’d never had a big group of friends to rely on, Rachel, Eun Ji and a couple more being the ones she would call her true friends. It was healing to watch the band together, their bond settled her soul and she truly believed that you could find love and peace from strangers. The beginning of 2023 had been so unsettling and Y/N didn’t handle changes well. Having an extra set of friends, as she called them, who would always readily cheer her up and take her mind off the doubts that plagued her at night, was something she treasured. So, imagine her surprise when she met one of the people she admired.

27 September 2023

Y/N felt self-conscious in front of the cameras. This wasn’t her first press event, especially after the past two weeks of radio shows, tv guest appearances and live performances. She’d already been invited to Paris Fashion Week to view Marni Women’s SS 2024 show before everything had blown up. Sian had said maybe they had moved her up front a few rows, but that’s all it was so she had nothing to fret over. Y/N disagreed. She was sure she’d pissed off whoever it was that had been bumped off their seat at the very least.

Y/N knew nothing about fashion. She wore what made her feel good and she tried her best to support the right brands. She also didn’t know anyone here so she felt like the sole prey in front of a room full of predators. Despite all of that, she tried to put on her best smile as she posed in her Marni yellow stretch-crepe midi dress. As the flashes began to dwindle, she took that as her sign to move off towards the building when she heard her name called by someone.

“Y/N! Y/N, hold up!”

Her black boots came to a stop and she twisted her face to look behind her. It was Issa Rae. Issa Rae knew her and was calling her name. The actress was also dressed in yellow and looked stunning. She waved Y/N over saying, “The girls in yellow need a picture together. Come on!”

Y/N walked back over, trying not to stumble and embarrass herself in front of everyone. It felt like everyone was watching her now. After posing together for a few pictures, she graciously thanked the actress and stepped away, trying her best not to run away and hide in a bathroom stall somewhere. As they took the pictures, Issa had shared how much she’d enjoyed listening to Y/N’s music and how she’d been familiar with her song as it had been recommended to her by a friend when she’d visited London for the UK promotions for Barbie. She wasn’t used to the attention, let alone praise from famous people she’d only seen on TV or the internet and her face felt as if it was on fire. Thankfully, the make up and her skin colour hid most of this reaction.

Emma Stanley, Sian’s assistant and the person to usually join her at these events, joined Y/N and directed her inside to her seat.

“That picture was a great shout. Have you met Issa Rae before?” Emma asked as she walked in step with Y/N and handed her a bottle of chilled water. Y/N shook her head in response as she took the bottle and took a sip. The coolness helped hush the tension in her gut and she tried her best to breathe normally, focusing on the inhales and exhales. When she found her seat, she took her place and Emma sat beside her. The seating was arranged in one row so Y/N was relieved to realise Sian had been joking.

Emma browsed through the Calendar on her phone as she reminded Y/N of their plans for the rest of the day and the next few days in Paris. She was due to also be at the Victoria Beckham show on Friday and perform at the after party. She’d then attend the Vivienne Westwood show the next day before taking the Eurostar back to London. In between, she had interviews with magazines and would be working in between. Y/N had been taking unpaid leave to meet the demands of her schedules after she suddenly rose in popularity. Her manager and company had accepted things with grace, especially when she’d topped the UK Charts, ranking number 1 on the Sunday that had just passed.

A few moments passed as Y/N continued to take small sips of her water and restore her composure. A buzz in the air began as she saw more celebrities walk inside and she could hear the garbled shouts of fans outside. Usher walked in and a throng of people followed behind him. He walked in her direction and she realised he was most likely seated in the centre of the long walkway, which was a few seats away. As he neared her seat, she hesitated on what to do. What did people normally do in these situations? Should she get up and greet him? Should she pretend to be busy with something? Before she could decide, Usher’s long strides got him to her and he came to a stop, saying, “Y/N right?”

She half jumped up from her seat at his acknowledgment.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m a huge fan of your music!” Usher reached out for a hug that was slightly restricted by his outfit. He said he’d been really enjoying her latest song. To her surprise, he mentioned that he had checked out a few of her YouTube videos from when she was younger but hadn’t known that Y/N had made a return. He said he would love to speak to her more about her upcoming album plans. Emma, who had been listening at a distance, quickly slipped her card to Y/N.

“That would be my honour! I’ve actually been working on an album since the summer. I would love to get your thoughts on it. I think you might know my agent, Sian Doyle. She’s been talking about getting someone to co-produce it as some of the songs were written a while ago and need tweaking in style.”

Usher’s grin grew wider at Sian’s name and chimed that he knew Sian very well and that he knew her parents even better. He’d taken Emma’s card and passed it to his assistant but then proceeded to grab his phone and asked for Y/N’s number. She tried to keep her voice steady as she gave the information. After final pleasantries, Y/N thought he would keep walking to his seat but he had asked if she’d met the person sat next to her.

As she turned to her right to the direction Usher was looking at, she realised someone had arrived to take the seat next to her and it was Joshua Hong of SEVENTEEN. Her lungs had run out of oxygen and her mind had gone blank. What were the chances?! Emma subtly elbowed Y/N as Usher waited for a response.

“No, we’ve not met but I do know of him.” Usher turned to Joshua and waited for Y/N to say something but when she didn’t, he introduced himself.

Joshua had gotten up from his seat, realising the conversation was coming his way. He enthusiastically returned Usher’s greeting and chatted about the show.

“And this is Y/N. She said she knows you.”

Y/N broke out of her daze at the sound of her name and quickly collected herself. She stuck her hand out for a handshake and said, “Hi, I’m Y/N. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I love SEVENTEEN’s music and really respect your work as an artist.”

Joshua smiled at this and thanked Y/N. The three of them continued speaking for a few minutes before they all received the signal to take their seats.

Y/N sat back down at her seat, playing nonplussed at being at close proximity to one of Kpop’s most handsome idols. She admired the colourful patterns of the show and made note of clothes she could see herself wearing, chatting to Emma about them. Joshua leaned over a couple of times to ask her thoughts. At the end of the show, they naturally gravitated towards each other as they moved towards the post show reception.

Feeling more relaxed now, Y/N loosened up and was chirpier.

“I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of Usher earlier, but I’m actually a CARAT, albeit a baby one, so I’m pretty proud of myself for keeping it together!”

Joshua laughed at this and returned the compliments saying he'd really liked Y/N’s song ‘Stripes’ but he was too shy to say anything. The two stayed close to each other in a room full of strangers but made the effort to network and speak to others before returning to each other and swapping notes. By the time they were ready to leave, the two felt like this was the beginning of a good friendship. The two swapped numbers and Joshua was pleasantly surprised that Y/N had the LINE app so they could easily stay in touch. Y/N explained that one of her best friends was based in Seoul. They promised to stay in touch as they parted ways.

Current

Y/N recalled how she had taken the words as a polite offering from Joshua and hadn’t banked on him reaching out after that day. How wrong she had been! Joshua had sent a picture of her on a billboard in Korea a few days later and she’d returned the text by sending him a screencap of the new album’s trailer, saying she couldn’t wait to hear it. The two continued exchanging messages every few days, their friendship growing closer every few days. Y/N found a kindred spirit in Joshua and saw him as the older brother she’d wished she had growing up. Y/N was one of the first to congratulate him upon the release of the new album and he was the same when her first full length album was released on the first day of November.

When Joshua had found out that she was visiting Seoul at the end of November, he’d extended an invitation for her to see one of the concerts and for them to at least meet for a meal. She’d readily agreed and had made plans to watch the show on 30 November in Nagoya. However, fate had made it that they’d actually meet the day before at the second and final night of the 2023 MAMA Awards. Fate had almost been a third person in her relationship with Choi Seungcheol.

Y/N sighed and picked herself off the couch, taking a break from the reminiscing to refresh herself for bed. She left her phone laying on the couch. As she walked away to the bath to have a soak with a glass of red, her phone began to blink as the contact name Joshie 🦌 continued to flash on her screen as she received a call.

#seventeen #seventeen x reader #seventeen fic #seventeen imagines #seventeen scenarios #seventeen x you #svt x reader #svt imagines #svt fanfic #svt fic #seventeen fanfic #svt #seungcheol #s.coups #s.coups x reader #s.coups imagines #s.coups scenarios #my writing #hello sunset

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anathemafiction · 2 years

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Inflation prices

Hosted Games is going to raise the price of all of their games on January 19th — it's been years, but it seems inflation has caught up with them. This won't affect newer releases much, like the Rose, but it may have a pretty substantial price increase in some of the older titles.

The Golden Rose will go up 15% percent — so if you want to buy it, now's the time to do it! Outside of Steam sales, it'll never be this low price again.

However, some old gems will have bigger price changes, and I wanted to take this opportunity to shine some light on a few of my old favorite HG games. If the summaries interest you, give the free demos a try!

(I'll be linking the COG page, where you can find the links to Steam, Google Play, the App Store, and Amazon at the bottom of the screen).

Tin Star (50% price increase) — Step into the shoes of a US marshal in the old, wild west. It's a very big game, full of hard decisions and a great cast of characters (Preston, you cocky bastard, I love you). You can be a terrible person, a saint, or anything in between.

Zombie Exodus (60% increase) — Try to survive a zombie apocalypse. There are dangerous missions to navigate, complicated power dynamics between survivors, and, of course, friends and lovers to remind you what it is you're fighting for. This is an old game, but it was one of the first IFs I read, and to this day the story and characters hold a special place in my heart.

Zombie Exodus: Safe Haven (40%) — This one isn't really an old game, but I want to include it since the price increase is still substantial and, if you enjoy the first ZE, you will LOVE this. The author took everything from the first game and made it better. You can see how much he has improved. From customization (it's mind-blowing), to relationships, to writing atmospheres - I was legitimately scared in some parts! Plus, the different prologues are so good and... just try it! I adore this game so much.

Way Walkers: University (40%) — Play as a student in a prestigious magic school. The magic system is super interesting, as is the world at large. But, by far, the best thing about this game and its sequel are the characters. It has one of my favorite ROs in any IF games, Semryu, and the way your friendship develops into a tentative romance is so well done. There's also mystery and tension, and I cannot wait for Book 3!

Double/Cross (60%) — Okay, I'll admit: I don't remember a lot about this game. It's been years since I read it, but I do remember, however, really liking it! You work as a bodyguard for the richest man in England, and not everything is as it seems. I like it because it subverts your expectations, and when I got my "happy ending" I... did not feel happy at all. It's really interesting and not very long, so I encourage everyone to give it a try!

So, You're Possessed! (50%) — Oh, how to explain this game? You start as a pizza delivery person, and then you meet a demon and your life is thrown upside down. It's been years since I've played it but it has always remained a special little gem. I don't want to spoil the story too much, so just give it a try!

Evertree Inn (40%) — Again, not exactly old, but I think the price increase warrants it on the list. I also think most of you are familiar with the game and its sequels, but I want to mention it anyway. Solve a mystery in a secluded tavern and watch out for the murderer! You can play as a number of fantasy races — dwarf, elf, etc— and interact with a cast of colorful characters. It's just such a fun game, and it leads to a great adventure in the sequel.

Fallen Hero: Rebirth (40%) — Okay, okay, I know. You all have the game already plus, it isn't technically "old". Well, may this serve as an announcement that Fallen Hero is about to get 40% more expensive, and if by some chance some of you haven't played it yet, you should absolutely do so now. The sequel is coming, and it's held as one of the best IFs ever published. A reputation that, in my opinion, is more than deserved.

Happy reading! I hope you find at least one game that'll bring you joy.♡

#recommendations #oof this took longer than I expected #I tried to pick games with significant price increases #there are more but they're newer #other people's games #hosted games

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caterjunes · 2 months

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I think I see what ur saying but 100k a year is in fact a lot of money and $50+/hr is a crazy luxury that most of us will never experience, like you don't have to be a one percenter to be rich. Its not private jet rich but that kind of money still affords opportunities that are simply not available to most of the population.

I promise I'm not trying to be a dick, but it is also very much a rich person thing to be talking down to working class people about money. Coming from someone whose family made 10k on a good year, I do see your basic point (like, rich people are not all on the same level and the richest rich people are the most to blame) but if you start talking like that around lifelong poor people we're all gonna be side-eyeing you I'm sorry

i absolutely understand and i appreciate you reaching out to me, i don't think you're being a dick at all. i guess i was trying to say that like. the world isn't divided into The Rich and The Poor, the middle class does still exist & it felt reductive of so many commenters on that poll to be like "oh yr highest earning parent makes at least 100k? you're Rich." rather than acknowledging the complexity & breadth of income/wealth inequality, or talking about like performative poverty on tumblr? which is ya know. something i've been guilty of when trying to ~make it on my own~ or whatever.

but i am talking from a very limited us-ian raised-upper-middle-class perspective, and i have safety nets (and yes, luxuries) that many or most people don't. which definitely affects how i look at & react to this sort of thing. so.

#matty cares about your concerns #Anonymous #idk i don't have like. A Conclusion or An Apology or what have you. but i am glad you reached out.#my commentary #money cw

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sisaloofafump · 10 months

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*Not in the current lost-his-main-fortune status. Numbers represent Net Worth and you can use this link to compare it to actually people

Different eras, different writers, and different media all portray it differently. What do you personally consider baseline canon?

Special bonus points if you can think of an equivalent public figure or how he stacks up to other comic book characters (more or less rich than Lex Luthor or Tony Stark) etc.

[Poll about: Bruce's fame || Bruce's wealth || WE size || WE work || WE charity || Batman's fame || Dick's fame]

#batman #my polls #bruce wayne #dc comics

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etirabys · 2 years

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argentina

Here is my story of Argentina. My credentials are that I have I spent the first three hours of my flight to Argentina reading its Wikipedia page plus followup google search results.

Argentina was rich. Then it became poor for no clear reason. It could become very rich again.

Let’s start with the last one.

Argentina is a major agricultural exporter that’s not even tapping its full biocapacity. Without making any prescriptive statements about whether they should, it’s descriptively true that they could be leaning on their natural resources much harder than they currently are.

The wind potential of the Patagonia region (southern third of Argentina) could in theory provide enough electricity to sustain a country five times more populous. But the infrastructure isn’t there to pipe it where it needs to go. Argentina is very urbanized, with 92% of its population in cities. (This is actually weird – if you look at countries ordered by urbanization, you get a bunch of tiny or fake countries like Bermuda or Macau, and then central category member countries like Uruguay, Israel, Argentina, and Japan.)

Argentina had a pretty good nuclear program. Decent record as a locus of scientific progress despite all the political problems and crumbling infrastructure. It’s got a high literacy rate.

It kind of reminds me of... (person who's only been to 7 cities voice) Berkeley?

Okay. Now let’s skip back to 1861. Argentina has won independence from the Spanish Empire. It’s about to get very Italian in here.

At time of independence, Argentina had the familiar-looking South American mix of white+native+black. But soon after independence the state started (0) genociding/expanding into the south (1) enacting liberal economic policies, and (2) encouraging European immigration. Italians liked this idea for some reason, so today, 60% of Argentinians are full or part Italian.

This wave of immigration changed Argentinian society enormously. In this period, Argentina became very wealthy and productive. In 1910 it was the seventh richest country in the world.

Twenty years later, dissatisfaction over the Great Depression fueled a coup and kicked off 50-70 years of political instability.

I like this graph. Look at the Y axis values – this is a log graph.

I have no clean explanation for what happened, but I can at least describe what happened after 1930.

In between coups, Argentina stays neutral in both world wars up until the US pressured it into declaring war on the Axis Powers in 1945. But then the Europe part of WWII ended a month later, so they probably didn't have to do too much. In 1946, Peron takes power.

(Sidenote: why did so many Nazis famously flee to Argentina? Argentina had lots of German immigrants & close ties to Germany. Peron, who'd found Hitler's ideology appealing since he was a military attaché in Italy during WWII, straight out ordered diplomats and intelligence officers to establish escape routes for Nazis, especially those with military/technical expertise.)

I still don’t know much about Peron. There's the socialist stuff: nationalized a lot of industries and improved working conditions. There's the dictator stuff: beating up and firing people to bring them into line, including university teachers (of course) and union leaders that Peron didn't like. He was really liked for a while, and then very disliked, and got exiled to Spain after a decade of rule.

Then there's a phase where no one manages to rule successfully, in part because getting approved by both Peronists and anti-Peronists is hard. This 1955-2003 phase reminds me a lot of Korean history around the same time – lots of military coups and assassinations and journalists getting tortured. Whenever I hit this phase in a country's Wikipedia page it just reads like TV static, interchangeable variable names swinging in and out of scope... even though there's got to be more than that.

When I first started reading about US Republicans and Democrats I got really confused because either they had 0 major differences or 70. Now that I've been in the States for a decade I have a sense for what major visions and underlying values differences they have, but it'd be hard to explain succinctly or in a way that other people will agree with. So something like that has to have been going on with various flavors of anti, sub, and classic Peronism that’s inscrutable to an outsider who’s spending 3 hours on learning about this.

At some point, comically, Peron comes back, wins an election with his wife as vie president, and dies of a heart attack. His wife takes power and does things like empowering the secret police to destroy her enemies, but girlbosses too close to the sun and is ousted after a year.

All this turmoil flattens out somewhat in 2003. I have no idea what went right. They tried Peronism! They tried anti-Peronism! They tried leftist terrorism and rightist terrorism! They tried OG Peron again! They tried Peron's third wife! They tried nationalization and privatization! They tried protectionism and not-protectionism!

Nestor Kirchner, whose rule coincided with the improvement, had "neo-Keynesian" policies, but who knows if that was it. He didn't run for reelection but said "try my wife, she'll do fine", and so she won the next cycle. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner did well enough that she was reelected. People didn’t like her successor and brought her back as a vice president, but there were what sound like normal-for-South-America levels of corruption scandals during much of her time in office, and last month she was sentenced to six years in prison and a lifetime ban from holding public office.

I have a number of hypotheses as to why Argentina crashed so hard when it had and has so many prerequisites for success, and they all sound stupid when I write them out, so I won’t. But I will gesture at my confusion and amazement.

#rambl #argentina #2023antarcticatrip

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ad-hawkeye · 1 year

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You can tag this under 50 Shades, but after I read this post from Hoyolab, hoyolab (.) com/#/article/19978642/, if this is true, I am very disappointed about this direction, though it is one I've seen coming. That being said, you've given your thoughts on the writing. In your ideal world, where would the cards post 2nd anniversary have gone, if you had to keep the general situation/environment, but could change up everything else about it?

holy fuck, the way i actually agree with everything in this post. here is the link for those curious, it's a fantastic read tbh.

a few of us in our tot discord have discussed this as well. here are a few brief snippets below.

sorry for the incoherent mess of thoughts below, words are Not coming easy HAHA.

but yeah... like the post said, barbie is a very good way of putting it.

i used to have the same issue with luke. i'm not a huge fan of characters being good at Too Many Things, especially when there's no flaws to balance it out. it really pulls me out of the story. so like. the more you try to impress me with a character, the less impressed i'll be. which. is why i haaaate artem's newer cards.

see, the thing is, the whole reason why i liked artem in the first place is because of how he felt like the down to earth option. he wasn't the childhood friend/undercover agent/detective/stem genius, he wasn't a ceo and son of the richest family in stellis, and he wasn't literal royalty. he was just a lawyer who worked with rosa. he was bad at talking to people. he was a bit of a homebody. he was LAME. completely inexperienced in romance. he was good at his job, but it was obvious he put all of his skill points into being a lawyer and no where else. his abilities with shooting and cooking were both important aspects to his character, but the skills hoyoverse added beyond that just baffle me.

he wasn't cool, but he was kind and genuine.

ever since second anniversary, there has been absolutely no consistency to artem's character whatsoever.

neil gets mentioned less and less even though he was a major part of artem's life AND character. neil was his father figure, since his parents were rarely, if ever, around. and yet, in recent cards, tot constantly goes out of its way to try and convince us artem's parents did nothing wrong. to add to that, we're lucky if neil is even mentioned.

in earlier cards, it was very clear artem was grieving neil's disappearance (see: entwined fate). it was also clear artem's childhood circumstances were extremely lonely and caused him to try and brush off the neglect because he didn't want to stress out his already busy parents (see: loving memories and his dreams of childhood sr)! earlier cards also hinted at traumatic events and a fear of firearms due to how dangerous neil's job as a lawyer was (see: focus fire).

but for god knows what reason, newer cards said well! fuck all of this! artem no longer gives one single shit about neil! also? honestly? the writers seem confused and disoriented by artem downplaying his childhood issues and just made it so he truly Had no issues with his childhood. which. ok. i guess.

in recent months, we have not had one single card where rosa and artem sit down to talk about how artem feels about neil's disappearance. one single card where artem even openly addresses any traumatic experiences. or emotional neglect in childhood.

remember when focus fire mentioned that a disgruntled mafia member held him and neil at gunpoint because he was pissed neil put everyone else in the gang behind bars?? no?? yeah, me neither! because it's never mentioned again! old tot content implies it was incidents like these, the general emotional neglect from his parents, and neil's disappearance that contributed to artem's closed off personality. but man, fuck that! for some reason!

this doesn't even touch upon artem's romantic and sexual inexperience, which has also been entirely undone. he's a sex god now, i guess.

and let us not forget how artem has learned and forgot the same lessons like, several times. artem did we not learn why jealousy and possessiveness are bullshit in atmospherics, por una cabeza, etc...??? are we really back at this again? and it's not even being addressed as a character flaw anymore? okay! okay. fine! whatever.

but okay. i'm getting off track. you asked me an entirely different question! where would i have liked to have seen the cards go? i think the cards following second anniversary are so... well, nothing that you could probably swap out the plots and avoid losing anything of importance.

honestly, i think artem's cards would have shined the best if they stuck to his original character. so when considering the confines we have now:

artem is extremely emotionally repressed. it'd take time for him to come out of his shell. and his early dating cards do begin like this! it's very endearing! several cards could focus on this progression as he becomes more comfortable and relaxed with rosa. progression into being engaged. living with someone for the first time. please.

rosa and artem's dynamic has like, vanished in recent cards. which is a goddamn shame, because their more comfortable dynamics in his railroad, revisiting youth, and snowfallen secrets cards are so charming! they joke around! artem's sense of humor pokes out! they act like real PEOPLE! they're silly! they're nerds! they're equals! i'd keep this dynamic instead of it just being artem flipping back and forth between sex god and "yes i will do whatever you want [insert player name here]"

neil. please, can we focus on neil. what being a lawyer means to artem. how neil influenced that. how artem feels about neil being gone, how artem feels about neil's possible betrayal of the nxx?? he could always have an arc of going through the stages of grief, or learning to look at things through a new lens. being sad neil won't be around for milestones. etc.

the incidents implied in focus fire. okay, being held at gunpoint is pretty uhhh fucking traumatic. did any other events happen bc of neil's status? his parents' statuses? is this why he is so emotionally repressed? is this why he takes the law so seriously?

his parents. can we stop acting like his parents did nothing wrong. please. his parents used to be portrayed under the "well meaning but ultimately very flawed" light, which i adored. it was grey. it was human. maybe artem could learn that it wasnt right of his parents to be so nonexistent in his life. his parents can still love him and make mistakes. maybe he could rebuild his relationship w his parents? maybe once he realizes what he went through wasn't normal, he can be angry, and work through it. idk! anything! please!

more focus on rosa. her studies. her exams. anything. her family. her past. her hobbies. her teaching artem something. rosa talking about her issues. pelase. Please.

it truly feels like his original writers got swapped out, and the new ones have no idea what artem's charm was in the first place. they have no idea how his character even works, so they're just desperately trying to attach Cool Hobbies to him bc they think he's more boring than the other boys when like. that's the fucking point, that IS his charm.

gosh this was so long and i'm sorry if it's like. UNREADABLE or if i totally missed the point but this was like. Freeing to type out. thank you for reaching out anon, it turns out i had more thoughts than i expected!! hope you're having a lovely day! : )

#tears of themis #artem wing #tot critical #fifty shades of artem #a lot of these started as nitpicks but w the newer cards it just keeps piling up and getting worse!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAA #feel like SHIT want entwined fate and focus fire back!!!!!!!!

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rjzimmerman · 26 days

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Excerpt from this story from Truthout:

he top 10 asset management firms now control $50 trillion of global wealth. They answer to no one but the ultrarich — the 0.05 percent — whose fortunes they continue to expand. The rest of us pay the price. Investing in everything from fossil fuel companies to private prisons to weapons manufacturers, they provide the economic lifeblood for some of the most destructive forces in the world. This not only undermines democracy, but imperils our very survival.

In his new book out this September, Titans of Capital: How Concentrated Wealth Threatens Humanity (The Censored Press & Seven Stories Press), Peter Phillips takes us deep into the world of these transnational asset management firms and the people who run them: the “Titans.” He shows how they constitute a new global elite who wield nearly unchecked power.

Peter Handel: Your new book, Titans of Capital, is a follow-up to your book, Giants: The Global Elite, which was published in 2018. Why did you feel the need to build on this earlier work?

Peter Phillips: Titans of Capital updates and expands Giants. Giants identified the 199 directors of the world’s 17 top asset-management companies, which between them managed more than $41.1 trillion in wealth. Now, five years later, in Titans of Capital, I examine the ongoing rapid concentration of global capital and how fewer and larger companies now manage the excess financial wealth for the 0.05 percent, the richest people in the world.

The number of trillion and multitrillion-dollar capital investment management companies has nearly doubled from 17 in 2017 to 31 in 2022, now collectively managing over $83 trillion. These firms hold the core of global capital wealth, with the top 10 managing $50 trillion in combined assets.

In tracing the path from Giants to Titans, I show how wealth inequality and power imbalances continue to grow and threaten everything from democracy to the environment to our personal health.

In Titans you don’t talk about the financial elite as an abstract entity. You give us specifics about who they are, what they do and how they operate politically. Who are the Titans and what should we understand about their impact on the world?

The Titans are the individuals who serve on the boards of directors of the 10 largest capital management companies in the world as of 2022: BlackRock, Vanguard Group, UBS Group, Fidelity Investments, State Street, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase, Amundi, Allianz/PIMCO and Capital Group.

The Titans hold the center of global capital in their hands. Governments, military, intelligence agencies, policy groups, corporate media, and other capitalists consider the Titans’ concentrated wealth to be a special interest that requires constant sociopolitical protection and support.

#global wealth #economic inequality #billionaires #asset management firms #Titans of Industry #Peter Phillips

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the9jafresh · 2 years

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Top 10 Richest Musician In The World and Their Net Worth (2022)

Top 10 Richest Musician In The World and Their Net Worth (2022) Who are the world’s top ten musicians? The world is blessed with a plethora of musicians who specialize in various genres of music. These musicians make money by selling records, getting endorsements, selling show tickets, going on tours, and so on. If you want to be one of the top wealthiest singers, you must work harder, overcome…

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#Featured #forbes richest musician in the world #Just In #Picks #richest male musician in the world #richest musician in the world 2021 #top 10 richest musician in africa 2022 #top 10 richest musician in nigeria 2022 #top 100 richest musician in the world 2022 #top 20 richest musician in the world 2022 #top 50 richest musician in the world 2022 #top 50 richest musicians in the world #Who is the biggest artist in the world 2022?#Who is the richest musician 2022 in the world?#Who is the richest singer alive today?#Who is the top 10 richest person in the world 2022?

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dailytomlinson · 2 years

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Looking out on the stairs of a building in Corso Matteotti in Milan, two steps are enough to realize that a confused and amused echo of fresh voices is thundering in my direction. It approaches like a round buzz that follows the structure of the stairs. He presses regardless of my presence, rushes past me quickly while I remain motionless on a dock. I realize, only later, that they are Tomlinson fans holding the autograph of their favorite singer, obtained who knows after how many dreams and waits. Elastic times that expand until 2010, the year in which the footballing promise of Doncaster showed up at X-Factor UK, did not pass the auditions but rather than be accompanied to the door, he was invited by Nicole Scherzinger, guest judge of that edition, to take part in a group in the company of other guys from different corners of the UK whose names are destined to resonate in the pop world of the 2000s: Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Harry Styles. As a strange media tradition wants, One Direction did not win the reality show but will confirm by far the star product of the talent show, as were the Måneskin, great seconds at the eleventh edition of XF Italia and now on the podium of the world. Around the corner: 50 million albums sold, titles such as Top New Artist according to Billboard, four BAFTAs, and in 2014, according to a list drawn up by The Sunday Times, OneD would have been the richest boy band in the history of British music, with assets of around 14 million pounds each, proceeds from both music and the sale of highly sought-after merch, world tours sold out in a few minutes, and a film, This is Us, by the documentarian Morgan Spurlock.

Faith in the Future. An eloquent name. Where did it come from?

“I already had the title of the album in mind before anything else. So that was what dictated the mood to what I wanted to say, to create. Usually you write a few songs before you think about the title of the album, but it was a nice way to do it, different, compelling. It gave me a very clear path of what I meant, in terms of the album's intentions. Then I was trying to create something that was nice to hear live as the past shows have been incredible, they have had an amazing reception. Now I would like to equal these sensations, this enthusiasm, I would like to double that extraordinary sensation ».

Bigger than me. What's bigger than you at the moment that you want to overcome?

“During the lockdown I stopped to think and reflected on my career as a whole, thinking about the shows, the songs and the meaning they can have for other people. And for a long time it hasn't been easy to realize the impact this has on people's lives. There were moments when I was on stage and everything seemed bigger than me. In those moments a lot of things go through my head, I think about trying to do everything right and to be

What would you recommend to a person who, like you, stops thinking too much? Where and how can this virtuous circle be interrupted?

“I would say try to take each day as it comes, trying to live in the moment for a while. Because it is very easy to get caught up in the anxiety of the unknown. But if you have even a shred of faith in that future, everything will be fine. "

Chicago. What are the cities that make you feel at home?

“There's no place like Doncaster, where I grew up. I spend a lot of time in Los Angeles, [stunt mention] so obviously there is that feeling of home due to having an important person in a specific place. One place I always come back to, then, for whatever reason, is Barcelona. I had good experiences there, good times. I think it's a great city. I've never lived there, but I go there often and will continue to do so.

The greatest. What's the song of your life, the one you always come back to?

I would instinctively say Super Sonic by Oasis.

And your biggest fear?

Some time ago I would have told you the fear of getting old. Now that I am more mature I would say that it is that of not being able to make more music. It's all I have, all I know how to do

And the greatest hope for the future?

To continue doing live music shows, meeting my fans, touring around the world.

The biggest advice you can give to anyone who would like to become an artist, tomorrow.

I think when you start working as an artist it can be difficult to understand who you are specifically. This is a process, but it is much easier to work backwards from who you are not. And it's something I've always found very strong: working backwards like this. It gives you a clearer picture of who you are as an individual and as an artist.

And you, what are you not?

An asshole. I think. I hope.

#stunt mention #MID GAME IS THIS FOR REAL #281122 #louis tomlinson #glamouritalia

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animentality · 2 years

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Another Pedro Pascal x Nicolas Cage edit on my TikTok for my newest urban fantasy novel, 7 Deadly Habits of the Modern Demon Summoner, available here.

Back to memes about what a hoe my pansexual assassin MC is, but honestly, I love him for it.

It would solve 90% of his problems if he'd be like, 50% less of a hoe, but, like whatever. Tragic flaw or whatever. He who hoes the most, grows the most.

Anyway.

Full description below.

Transcribed:

Twenty-three-year-old CEO Don Francisco wants one of the richest women in the world dead. Which one? Daphne Oakland: actress, model, heir to the Oakland financial empire, and unbeknownst to the general public, talented demon summoner. But since Francisco isn’t nearly as rich as the established Oakland family, he hires the only assassin he can afford: Sebastián Monterey, a down-on-his-luck, struggling demon summoner, the cheapest and lowest ranking one there is.

But Monterey is nothing like Cisco expected. He’s high-spirited, reckless, relentlessly cheerful …and worse, he’s a bit of a slut. The CEO is horrified to find out that Monterey has not just one, but seven angry exes in the killing business, who will stop at nothing to get in the way of an already impossible hit. Not only do they have personal reasons for wanting to see their former lover dead, they also have professional reasons: they are all currently employed by the Oakland family members!

To make matters worse, Monterey finds out the Oaklands are each protecting a demon ritual artifact for Daphne. When brought together, all 7 can be used to summon a demon more powerful than any currently contracted on earth. If he is to carry out this hit at all, he’ll have to interfere with the summon by stealing every artifact, and maybe even summon the demon before Daphne can.

But that's only if none of his exes kill him first!

#writing #writers on tumblr #spilled ink #fantasy romance #ao3 #enemies to lovers

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shadeesims · 4 months

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Sneak Peek at The Boujee Mod part 2

Introducing Boujee Life Mod part two. This mod includes 6 traits and 50+ new buffs and interactions.

Socialite: Teen-Young Adult

Coming from money put you in position, but being the charming and outgoing person that you are keeps you in position. You're the life of every party, and everybody knows it's not a real social event if you're not there.

Fashionista: Teen-Adult

You have all the latest fashions. You know the real from the knockoff. You would never be caught dead in last season's fashions. You are FASHION.

Fashionister: Teen-Adult

You stay in the latest drip. You only wear designer. You know what's in and what's out cause you set the trends. All these M'Fers want to dress like you.

Mogul: Young Adult-Elder

Who in the game got more power than you?... Nobody. You're the richest, most influential, and quite frankly the most charming. You earned your spot and you will always be at the top.

Baroness: Elder

You retired at the top of the Business world and earned your respect, but more than that, you've earned a lot of money. Now, you can spend your retirement enjoying your power and riches.

Baron: Elder

You retired at the top of the Business world, and you have earned your respect, but more than that, you've earned a lot of money. Now, you can spend your retirement enjoying your power and riches.

Coming soon for Patreon members. Will be public Aug 1st or at 500 Patreon Followers (Does not have to be paid members).

#sims 4 #sims 4 cc #sims 4 gameplay #sims 4 mods #sims 4 screenshots #the sims community #sims4 #the sims 4 #simblr #black simmer #black simblr

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harmonyckrs · 6 months

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DAY 5 in Twisted Strangetown: The One in Control

THE PREVIOUS DAY

Today marks the second day of staying with the Curious brothers in order to ease Pascal's worries. Due to this, we've had limited contact with the General, but I will assume that Boss has been able to resume communication with him.

My observations of the Smiths is that they are just normal (bruh). Further observation is needed. There's nothing particularly off putting about them that isn't any more off-putting about everyone else (you spent a whole day observing them with and your conclusion was this? This is why Ajay likes me more LOL). I admit it was nice to see other people with alien descent, though I wasn't a huge fan of the General talking about how all aliens were evil before proceeding to call Chloe and I "the exception." He was quite apologetic when he realized it offended me, however. I suppose he still has a lot to unlearn in regards to his alien biases.

I also overheard Pascal and Lazlo discussing a conversation they over heard Chloe having with Vidcund's kidnapper and her fuming over the riddle that he gave her in order to meet up with him in person. We've come to the conclusion that it might be an art museum, but it'll take some time to figure out which one. Either way, Chloe's recklessness may cause some hardships later (seriously? It ain't that big of a deal). We'll have to claim that the kidnapper was simply just trying to reach out to whichever family member will listen. Hopefully they will buy it.

C: So how's the subject doing, Aktu?

A: His name is Vidcund, and he's doing fine. I explained everything to him, and I think he's starting to cooperate. How are you feeling?

C: Really tired. And my head still hurts, but I'm sure it'll be gone in some time. What happened to the hat you always wore with that suit?

A: Dropped it by accident.

C: You realize that they could track you with that, right?

A: They couldn't even figure out my riddle! I don't think they're smart enough to use my hat to trace me here.

C: Figuring out who a hat belongs to through collecting DNA from it and solving a riddle require two different skills. They probably have your name already.

A: Well, I...fuck.

C: Just lay low for a while, and don't do anything stupid. If he's calm enough, you can probably just let him go and give him one of the rings we have that'll keep him immune to mind control.

A: Are you sure? We only have so many of those.

C: Yeah. I'm sure he cares about his family, right? We can use him as our mole with the promise of helping the rest of his family.

A: Good point! I'll give that to him as soon as I can.

C: Good. I don't want to use up too much battery on this hologram machine, so I'm going to end our call here. Just remember what I said...

THE NEXT DAY

---

BONUS:

ENERGY: 25%

I don't remember feeling this awful since having to leave Strangetown 20 years ago.

I was just a teenager! What was I thinking, going up against one of the most powerful people in all of Strangetown? And what was [REDACTED] thinking, fighting a fourteen year old for power? For the sake of the Watcher, I'm just a colony drone! I'm not powerful like the Birth Queens or Pollination Technicians!

And that's why I need to keep training. If I won that fight, then everyone would've been safe from [REDACTED]. And maybe I wouldn't feel as though they're always watching, even when we're miles away.

ENERGY: 50%

A: The weather is pretty nice today. Do you want to go outside?

V: Aren't I a hostage?

A: You're a test subject, not a hostage. Plus, you're really far from Strangetown, and Cyd and I have connections in all of Bluewater village from getting rid of the other guy who used to live here.

V: Makes sense. Who was the other guy?

A: Oh, nobody important. Think his name was, like, Malcolm Lemongrab or something. I forgot.

V: Malcolm LANDGRAAB? The heir to the richest family in the world?

A: Oh, shoot! You know him? That explains why the police came by with all those annoying questions. Cyd had to pretend to be Malcolm over the phone and act like he got abducted by aliens in order to get them to go away!

V: ...You're the worst criminal ever.

A: Well, it's my first time. So is that a yes or a no on the outing?

V: Eh, sure. Why not?

ENERGY: 75%

As I'm forced to remain in bed to recharge, I think about [REDACTED] and what they did. A part of me wonders what they have to gain from altering everyone's personalities. Power? Some sense of superiority that they have the ability to control everyone there? Fear of being discriminated against?

No matter. Once Aktu and I are done with this experiment, we'll be able to find a way to release Strangetown from the control of [REDACTED]. Peace will be restored, and Porthos and I can finally rest knowing that we've completed our mission.

ENERGY CHARGED: 100%

I think I'm ready to meet that subject now! What was his name again...Vincent or something? Ah, I'll figure it out.

Either way, it's a step closer to freeing Strangetown from [REDACTED]'s control.

#ts2 #strangetown with a twist #lola curious #cyd roseland

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