#Capitalism vs Christmas

[tmmyhug]

rant incoming abt something i’ve observed for a while

i (american) feel like we need better traditions. so many young and queer people in my experience are completely disillusioned with most of our (western) holidays either because they’re related to religion and that’s awkward for many people or because they’ve become Capitalism Lite or both. it’s hard to really enjoy a holiday when it’s overshadowed by the uncomfortable truths behind all of it.

like, christmas is nice because you get time off but it’s a constant reminder that we live in an extremely christian society that chafes at even the idea of other religions trying to exist (happy holidays vs merry christmas drama). non-christian religious holidays get like zero acknowledgement from wider society. no time off work or school, no decor in stores, etc. thanksgiving is nice bc you get to eat good food, but it’s based on colonial bs. valentine’s day is nice in theory but also an inescapable reminder that our society sees you as sad and lonely if you’re not in a relationship and if you’re not willing to spend lots of money on a partner. then theres smaller ones like labor day which is important but hard to enjoy when you’re reminded of how hard we have to fight for even an inch of appreciation or rest for workers in the us. most of the other minor holidays are subsumed by neverending consumerism and advertisement, such as mothers/father’s day.

and tell me if i’m just projecting here. but there are so few actual holidays that we can enjoy that i think it accelerates the homogenization of the seasons w global warming and the isolation and lack of community everyone is struggling with.

this is part of my theory as to why halloween is so incredibly popular with gen z - it’s doesn’t come with religious or historical baggage, doesn’t force people to spend time with families they don’t like or shame people for not fitting into nuclear family structures, isn’t based largely around buying gifts/spending money, and is an important marker in the season of fall. also this is part of why i think we latch on to stupid little anniversaries ie. neil banging out the tunes. it’s lighthearted and silly and is a grounding landmark for the passage of time and it brings us together to have fun.

all this to say we should really promote more holidays that are just. for fun. or for the passage of time. summer solstice. moon landing day. new years does fall into this category. pi day. star wars day. april fools. i really feel like we should be emphasizing and celebrating these unofficial holidays!! bringing people together and hanging out w friends or going out somewhere specific or making specific foods or something. just a regular tradition that we can rely on. yk? it’s so important

[nigrit]

'The War of the Districts, or the Flight of Marat…'

Part 1 (of 5)

Some years ago I photographed a fantastic, satirical poem from a compendium of French Revolutionary verse in the BnF (réserve). It’s been gathering virtual dust ever since. But no more! It’s a witty take on a key moment from early in the Revolution, when the Paris authorities pitted themselves against the radical Cordeliers district (under Danton’s leadership). With help from @anotherhumaninthisworld (merci encore!), we managed to produce a rough translation, which I revised, added some footnotes (to clarify the more obscure references) and added this brief intro to put it in context. While the translation is a literal one, I’ve tried to preserve some of the rhyming spirit of the original where possible. So boil the kettle, get a brew on and settle down to an epic account of Maranton vs Neckerette…

In the early hours of 22 January 1790, General Lafayette, commander of the National Guard, authorized a large military force to arrest the radical journalist Jean-Paul Marat, following a request from Sylvain Bailly, the Mayor of Paris, to provide the Chatelet with sufficient armed force [“main-forte’] to enable its bailiff to enforce the warrant.[1] Bailly’s request was in response to the outrage caused by the publication, four days earlier, of Marat’s 78-page Denunciation of the finance minister, Jacques Necker.[2] Marat had moved into the district the Cordeliers district in December to seek its declared protection against arbitrary prosecution.

His best-selling pamphlet denounced Necker – probably the most popular man in France after the King in July 1789 – of covertly supporting the Ancien Régime and working to undermine the Revolution. His accusations included plotting to dissolve the National Assembly and remove the royal family to Metz on 5 October, colluding in grain hoarding and speculation, and generally compromising the King’s honour. The charges were intended to reveal a cumulative (and damning) pattern of behaviour since Necker’s reappointment in July 1788, and again in July 1789. Bearing his Rousseau-derived epigraph, Vitam impendere vero (‘To devote one’s life to the truth’) – now used as a kind of personal branding, Marat adopted the role of “avocat” to ‘try’ Necker before the court of public opinion.[3] Its general tone came in the context of a wider distrust of international capitalism, with which Necker was closely associated, and which appearted to violate many traditional values.[4] For those interested in the nitty gritty, here’s a footnote explaining why Marat had completely lost faith in Necker.[5]

It caused such a sensation that the first print-run sold out in 24 hours. Most of the radical press hailed Marat’s audacity in challenging Necker’s ‘virtuous’ reputation, while providing invaluable publicity for his pamphlet. The legal pursuit of Marat was largely prompted by the rigid adherence of the Chatelet to Ancien Régime values against the offence of libel (attacking a person in print).[6] I suspect that Marat was hoping a high-profile campaign against Necker would help to establish his name in the public eye by provoking a strong response. However, this was one of the rare occasions when Necker delegated his defence to ‘hired’ pens, providing Marat with valuable extra publicity.

If libel was the main reason for going after Marat, the impetus for pursuit was further motivated by wider political concerns over the extreme volatility that had gripped Paris since mid-December. After pre-emptive popular action in July and October against perceived counter-revolutionary plotting, a new wave of similar rumours was seen by many as a signal that the thermometer was about to explode again. The arrest of the marquis de Favras on Christmas Eve, for allegedly conspiring to raise a force to whisk the King away to safety, assassinate revolutionary leaders, and put his master, Monsieur (the King’s middle brother) on the throne as regent, only served to intensify popular fears. This, combined with the continuing failure to prosecute any royal officers, including the baron de Besenval, commander of the King’s troops around Paris during 12-14 July – who would be acquitted on 29 January for ‘counter-revolutionary’ actions – led to large crowds milling daily outside the Palais de Justice, as the legal action against both men dragged on through January.[7] On the 7th January, a bread riot in Versailles led to the declaration of martial law; on the 10th, a large march on the Hotel de Ville had been stopped in its tracks by Lafayette; on the 11th, there was an unruly 10,000-strong demonstration, screaming death-threats against defendants and judges, in the worst disturbances to public order since the October Days march on Versailles (and the most severe for another year); and on the 13th, tensions were further exacerbated by a threatened mutiny amongst disgruntled National Guards, which was efficiently snuffed out by Lafayette.[8] As a result, Marat’s Denunciation, and earlier attacks on Boucher d’Argis, the trial’s presiding judge, were seen as encouraging a dangerous distrust towards the authorities. Hence the pressing need to set an example of him.

So much for the background. Do we know anything about the poem’s authorship? it appeared around the same time (July/August) as Louis de Champcenetz & Antoine Rivarol’s sarcastic Petit dictionnaire des grands hommes de la Révolution, par un citoyen actif, ci-devant Rien(July/Aug 1790), which featured a brief entry on how Marat had eluded the attention of 5000 National Guardsmen and hid in southern France, disguised as a deserter. These figures would become the subject of wildly varying estimates, depending on who was reporting the ‘Affair’ – all, technically, primary sources! The higher the number of soldiers, the greater the degree of ridicule.[9] Contemporary accounts ranged from 400 to 12,000, although the latter exaggerated figure, included the extensive reserves positioned outside the district.[10] Since the poem also suggests around 5000 men, this similarity of numbers, alongside other literary and satirical clues, such as both men’s involvement in the Actes des apôtres, and the Petit dictionnaire’s targeting of Mme de Stael, suggest a possible common authorship.[11] While the poem took delight in mocking the ineptitude of the Paris Commune, the lattertook aim at the pretensions of the new class of revolutionary. While it is impossible to estimate the public reception of this poem, its cheap cover price of 15 sols suggests it was aimed at a wide audience. It was also republished under at least two different titles, sometimes alongside other counter-revolutionary pamphlets.[12]

Both act as important markers of Marat’s growing celebrity, just six months after the storming of the Bastille. A celebrity that reached far beyond the confines of his district (now section) and readership (which peaked at around 3000).[13] Marat was no longer being spoken of as just a malignant slanderer [“calomniateur”] but as the embodiment of a certain revolutionary stereotype. While he lacked the dedicated ‘fan base’ of a true celebrity, such as a Rousseau, a Voltaire or (even) a Necker, he did not lack for public curiosity, which was satisfied in his absence by a mediatized presence in pamphlets, poems, and the new lexicology.[14] For example, Marat would earn nine, separate entries in Pierre-Nicolas Chantreau’s Dictionnaire national et anecdotique (Aug 1790), the first in a series of dictionaries to capitalize on the Revolution’s fluid redefinition of language.

There seems little doubt that Marat’s Denunciation was intended to provoke the authorities into a strong reaction, and create “quelque sensation”, of which this mock-heroic poem forms one small part.[15] It would prove a pivotal moment in his revolutionary career, transforming him from the failed savant of 1789 to a vigorous symbol of press freedom and independence in 1790. Who knows what might have happened, if, as one royalist later remarked, the authorities had simply ignored this scribbling “dwarf”, whose only weapon was his pen.[16]

I'll post the 3 parts of the poem under #la fuite de Marat. enjoy!

[1] The Chatelet represented legal authority within Paris.

[2] Dénonciation faite au tribunal public par M. Marat, l’Ami du Peuple, contre M. Necker, premier ministre des finances (18 Jan 1790).

[3] The slogan was borrowed from Rousseau’s Lettre à d’Alembert, itself a misquote from Juvenal’s Satires (Vitam inpendere vero = ‘To sacrifice one’s life for the truth’).

[4] See Steven Kaplan’s excellent analysis of the mechanisms of famine plots and popular beliefs in the collusion between state and grain merchants. In part, this reflected a lack of transparency and poor PR in the state’s dealings with the public. During 1789-1790, when anxieties over grain supply were the main cause of rumours and popular tension, Necker made little effort to explain government policies. The Famine Plot Persuasion in Eighteenth-Century France (1982).

[5] As a rule, the King, and his ministers, did not consider the workings of government to be anyone’s business, and was not accountable to the public. However, in 1781, Necker undermined this precedent by publishing his Compte-rendu – a transparent snapshot of the royal finances – yet on his return in 1788, he failed to promote equivalent transparency over grain provision. In consequence, local administrators suffered from a lack of reliable information. Given the underlying food insecurity that followed the poor harvest of 1788, any rumours only unsettled the public. The most dramatic example of this came in the summer of 1789, when rumours of large-scale movements of brigands & beggars created the violent, rural panic known as ‘The Great Fear’. It was Necker’s continuing silence on these matters that lost Marat’s trust.

[6] Necker had a history of published interventions defending himself before the tribunal of public opinion, confessing that a thirst for gloire (renown) had motivated his continual courting of PO, then dismissing it as a fickle creature after it turned against him in 1790. eg Sur l’Administration de M. Necker (1791). For the best demonstration of continuity with Ancien Régime values after 1789, see Charles Walton, Policing Public Opinion in the French Revolution (2009).

[7] The erosion of Necker’s popularity began on 30 July after he asked the Commune to grant amnesty to all political prisoners, including Besenval.

[8] While the evidence was slight, Favras’ sentence to be hanged on 18 February made him a convenient scapegoat, allowing Besenval and Monsieur to escape further action. See Barry M. Shapiro, Revolutionary Justice in Paris, 1789-1790 (1993).

[9] The most likely figure appears 300-500. See Eugène Babut, ‘Une journée au district des Cordeliers etc’, in Revue historique (1903), p.287 (fn); Olivier Coquard, Marat (1996), pp.251-55; and Jacques de Cock & Charlotte Goetz, eds., Oeuvres Politiques de Marat (1995), i:130*-197*.

[10] For example, figures cited, included 400 in the Révolutions de Paris (16-23 Jan); 600 (with canon) in Mercure de France (30 Jan), repeated in a letter by Thomas Lindet (22 Jan); 2000 in a fake Ami du peuple (28 March); 3000 in Grande motion etc. (March); 4000 in Révolutions de France; 6000 (with canon) in Montjoie’s Histoire de la conjuration etc. (1796), pp.157-58; 10,000 in Parisian clair-voyant; 12,000 in Marat’s Appel à la Nation (Feb), repeated in AdP (23 July), reduced to 4000 in AdP (9 Feb 1791), but restored to 12,000 inPubliciste de la République française (24 April 1793).

[11] “Five to six large battalions/Followed by two squadrons” = approximately 5000 men (4800 + 300). A royalist journal edited and published by Jean-Gabriel Peltier, who also appears the most likely publisher of this poem.

[12] For example, Crimes envers le Roi, et envers la nation. Ou Confession patriotique (n.d., n.p,) & Le Triumvirat, ou messieurs Necker, Bailly et Lafayette, poème comique en trois chants (n.d., n.p.). Note the unusual use of ‘triumvirate’ at a time when this generally applied to the trio of Antoine Barnave, Alexandre Lameth and Adrien Duport.

[13] By the time the poem appeared, the Cordeliers district had been renamed section Théåtre-français, following the administrative redivision of Paris from 60 districts to 48 sections on 21 May 1790.

[14] For the growth of mediatized celebrity, see Antoine Lilti, Figures publiques (2014).

[15] As Marat explained in a footnote (‘Profession de foi’) at the end of his Denunciation, “Comme ma plume a fait quelque sensation, les ennemis publics qui sont les miens ont répandu dans le monde qu’elle était vendue…”

[16] Felix Galart de Montjoie, Histoire de la conjuration de Louis-Philippe-Joseph d’Orléans (1796), pp.157-58.

[capricorn-0mnikorn]

"A Christmas Carol" is a Pro-capitalist narrative. It is Also Very Progressive.

Because The point of Progressive politics is to always keep moving forward.

And the political philosophy of A Christmas Carol was several strides ahead of the society that spawned it: "The People who make money through capitalism have a responsibility to spread it around." Vs. "Being poor is proof that you are morally degenerate, and you deserve to suffer and die."

But that's also why we damned SJWs are never satisfied. Because with each stride forward, we can see more clearly just how far it's possible to go.

And so may it always be.

[aftonfamilyvalues]

I have a sort of conspiracy theory about liberal feminism that I need to get off my chest. The whole "pick me vs girls girl" culture is actively creating TiFs.

Women who don't fit into certain standards society holds have been shamed for it since the beginning of time, but now rejecting femininity is being seen as anti feminist. Girls who aren't even putting down other women are called nlogs and pick me's just because they're awkward and kind of tomboyish.

Look at Jlaw. She was shamed out of the public eye for acting like an actual human and not a walking caricature of womanhood (eating pizza and falling down on the red carpet). There's an audio going around being mocked on tiktok where a woman rightfully says "I don't like makeup. I think it's bad for women". I've seen nasty comments under Korean feminist insta posts where the women in question are smashing their makeup or wearing comfortable clothing and talking openly about it.

I genuinely think this is the reason why a lot of girls believe themselves not to be female. Since it's shameful and cringy to not be feminine as a woman in the year of our Lord 2024, it would logically be better to think of yourself as a man or some in between thing. Tomboys are basically an endangered species at this point and it's really really sad. Little girls aren't climbing trees or playing in the mud. They're playing with skincare and makeup. I truly feel like I'm living in a black mirror episode and it's scary.

Sorry for the long winded rant. I'm semi crypto on main and wanted to put this out there. I dunno why I sent this to the "I want to make a milkshake out of copia's cum" account but I don't really know anyone else who gets insane anons like you do. x

i think youre right though, there is definitely a backlash against feminism right now that comes in the form of hyper femininity and capitalism.

if you dont wear makeup, youre a childish loser who needs to learn how to put on eyeliner. if you dont shave, encourage other women to not shave, youre bombarded with women with "sensory issuee" and are just as bad as a patriarchal man. if you dont like pink, you have internalized misogyny. if you say anything about how high heels damage your feet, youre shaming women. if you talk about how womens clothes are made worse than mens, just go shop in the mens section! stop doing anything, stop going against the quo, let women do what they want! dont question anything!

and in more recent years, ive been seeing the evidence of this seeping into girls younger and younger. we now have little girls begging for drunk elephant and sephora items, to shop where the adult women shop. honestly i didnt even know what drunk elephant was until i saw a girls christmas list on here. theyre spending adult with a job money on products, whether it be from saved allowances and or from their parents. i just saw a video about a 9 year old girl getting bullied for having a tumbler from walmart and not one of the expensive trendy stanley cups. there was always an issue with bullying over not having name brand but i feel like its gotten so much worse. and thats not even talking about the "skincare" aspect of it.

theres so much to say about this but they really did rebrand capitalism as being woman positive though.

[gojifan97]

writing patterns tag game

Rules: list the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

This looks fun. Thanks @aimportantdragoncollector!

It’s a Wonderful Life (Without You!): (Technically a collab but I believe I wrote this line.) "Am I really doing enough?"

2. Home (Almost) Alone: (Also a collab but I don't know which of us wrote this line (plus I haven't been posting much so I need what I can get!)) "It was a week before Christmas."

3. Into the Gentryverse: Meet your creator: "Silence."

4. Old Memories (from the Haunting of the Midoriyas series): "Izuku ran toward his house, with Erma following in the air."

5. Finding Your Soul: (From the Woman with No Soul series) "Sapphire wandered the slums of Otheon’s capital."

6. Christmas Special: (Also Haunting of the Midoriyas.) "It was almost Christmas!"

7. Nana vs All for One: The Proxy War: "Two weeks before Christmas"

8. What is Wrong with You?!–An All for One Christmas Carol: Also a collab, but I don't remember which of us wrote this line. "Yoichi was dead, to begin with."

9. Vampire Hunting: (Also Haunting of the Midoriyas): "“Are you sure?”

10. In the Vault: "Yoichi had been locked in the vault for so long."

I've learned that I like to either start in the middle of things, or I like to have a very short (one word) description of the situation.

Tagging @pocketramblr, @barid-bel-medar, or anyone else who wants to join.

[barbiebattle]

[tma-entity-song-poll]

Battle of the Fear Bands!

B4R2: The Extinction

Made in America:

“Quite literally about how consumerism & capitalism has paved the way for a eldritch god to enter their world”

Sole Survivor:

Lyrics below the line!

Made in America:

You thought that you could outsmart The very thing that runs the blood of your kind? You're sick with greed and a lust For that, you will give up your will and your pride

You're hoping you will be saved No matter what you have raised Behold the depths of depravity and decay It's happened on your watch Your time is running out before worlds collide

You went and opened the box And then it came in a slick little package That drove you insane 'Cause your thirst for stuff Is never slaked

And now the end is nigh, the apocalypse here In a package that's not what it appears

You may ask why the doll, well that's all it takes

When you're made in America In a valley of silicon Welcome to Wiggly's shop Your America assembly line We've got toys and trucks and big fat butts That'll help you pass the time

Hey kids, you know that you grow up With all the crap you want Just sprinkle it with dust And a gob of fuckin' lust And you wave your world goodbye

Wiggly, wiggly Wiggle, wiggly Wiggly, wig-

Wa-wiggle, wiggle Wiggly, wiggly (wiggle wiggle, wiggle wiggle, wiggle wiggle) Wiggle, wiggly (wiggle wiggle, wiggle wiggle, wiggle wiggle) Wiggly, wiggly, wig-

Hello, Mr. Presy-wes. Welcome to Drowsy-Town

It's you!

Don't be frightened, you're my bestest buddy-wud

No! I've come to tell you to leave us alone!

Leave? Just before Christmas? It's going to be my birthday, you know? I wouldn't want to miss out on opening all my presents I think I'll start with you. I'm going to cut open your belly-well and deck the halls with your gutsy-wutsies!

Enough!

John!

You!

Your minions may do me no harm, Wiggly, for I cut through them with a blade of truth. Begone!

I'm sorry, John, I fucked it up!

Don't worry Mr. President, we'll get you out of here

It's too late, John! Wiggly's prophet has been chosen, and as soon as she has a doll, she will bring about his birth

You opened the box A doll came out And he'll touch down soon To erase any doubt That is all you need To fill your heart

Now the end is nigh, the apocalypse here

In a package that preys on the worst of your fears The gambit is done A work of art

That was made in America In a valley of silicon

We're all made in America In a valley of silicon

Sole Survivor:

There walked a lonely man, silent, mute, the only man Not knowing how, not knowing why was he the sole survivor Why should he be alive, breathing still while others died? And the only question, why was he the sole survivor?

Sole survivor, cursed with second sight Haunted savior, cried into the night Sole survivor, cursed with second sight Haunted savior, cried into the night

Wind blew across the sand, he stood alone and he had no plan And with the last rays of the sun, he screamed aloud began to run In his tears he sees his face, "I am the end of the human race When I'm gone there'll be no trace, for I'm the sole survivor!"

Sole survivor, cursed with second sight Haunted savior, cried into the night Sole survivor, cursed with second sight Haunted savior, cried into the night

One night when years had passed, the sky shook from a fiery blast And there a starship, saved at last to come rescue this survivor They beckoned him inside, but only man, he would not ride Instead he found a place to hide for he's the sole survivor

Sole survivor, cursed with second sight Haunted savior, cried into the night Sole survivor, cursed with second sight Haunted savior, cried into the night Sole survivor, cursed with second sight Haunted savior, cried into the night Sole survivor, cursed with second sight Haunted savior, cried into the night Sole survivor, cursed with second sight Haunted savior, cried into the night Sole survivor, cursed with second sight Haunted savior, cried into the night Sole survivor, cursed with second sight Haunted savior, cried into the night Sole survivor, cursed with second sight Haunted savior, cried into the night

[hinacu-arts]

Tags That Made Me Smile 2023 — Part 1 (Jan-June)

Ive collected so many of my "Tags That Made Me Smile List" that i wont be posting it annually this year, its going to be at least biannually (although a good portion of this list is actually random comments in the author notes/lines and not tags 🤣)

[2022's List] [2021's List]

.

Not Fandom Specific

if they seem ooc at times (to YOU) just ignore it... i know Them

“It’s impossible to figure out comic book timelines” - people who are not me and who I cannot relate to

im ace but i tried my damnest to emulate allo behaviour

canon is nothing more than the sandbox in which I choose to build my castle

Not canon, not fanon, but some other third thing (my love for extravagant world building)

fan fiction vs foe fiction

bro we are teens its ok to be vunerable in front of me #now we are kissing bro dont stop

They have my mind on fucking speed dial i stg

intentional miscommunication in the name of fuckery

Cheesy romance taken seriously

The universe frantically consults the rule book while fate runs off with their action figures

getting a toddler dumped on you by your ex’s ex

“I’m not dying without kissing you” #And then they don’t die #And It’s all quite awkward

"Now if you'll excuse me… Tonight's bad decision isn't going to make itself."

“What’s a ‘boyfriend’? And why am I yours?”

“It has come to my attention that you are, unfortunately, my favorite person on this planet.”

i’m staring at the ceiling fighting the urge to kick you -a love story

Accidental Soul-Bonding oops

Enemy to Caretaker

Wooing via Prank War

Allegedly Platonic Kissing

Fandom Specific

These are ordered by the chronological order of which fandom i was reading at the time

Wednesday

werewolves mate for life

The Gomezification of Wednesday Addams

Legend of Zelda

Hi my name is Link and Welcome to Jackass

Link and Sidon both get a little bit gay: The Chapter

Gerudo Vai Outfit shenanigans

DC x Danny Phantom

Danny is the Tom Bombadil of Superheroes

Jack Fenton’s ability to casually Cool-Aid-Man his way through walls is a symptom of ectoplasm exposure

Skulker, No Skulking!

Danger Twink!Danny Fenton

Red Hood: Civilian Edition

inception—magic school bus version

a guy on staff so adorable it triggers Jason’s fight or flight response

Jason gets diagnosed with "bro your ectoplasm is fucked up" disease

Inspired by Hallmark Christmas Movies #But make it Halloween #where Tim Drake finds out the true meaning of love and Halloween #a true Rom-Com that's just a lil spooky

keeps the Hallmark themes of anti-capitalism #Vlad is the capitalism

pit is gone #raging anger has been replaced with raging hormones

All the (pit) rage he felt at the Joker for killing him is now being redirected and funneled into admiration/gratitude for the guy who did kill Joker

What is a murderer, a maker of ghosts, to the king of ghosts, but a faithful servant?

“Hood, your boyfriend's haunted!”

batman looked at gotham and said "i can fix her" #gotham looked at batman and said "i can make him worse"

Various DC Media

DC stands for Disregard Canon

Pining batman? more like Down Badman

Fortress of Sulkitude

Hurricane Dick and smaller Tropical Storm Damian

Tim finds his missing spleen #:)

just two dudes chillin' in a sleeping bag zero feet apart because Bart stole the other one

Kon's jacket #(it's made from boyfriend material)

Batfam? Bat colony? #how exactly do you to refer to the fascinating taxon that is Tim's family

Breaking the laws of Nature with sheer fucking will and bullshit circumstance (Time and Dimension Travel)

"Ha! Ive been sleeping in his bed for years, i no longer register as a threat"

Let it not be said that Bruce Wayne is a coward. A fool, perhaps, but never a coward.

"This is not very slay of you Tim" Bruce said

[inconspicious-random-thoughts]

We've gotten a few hints that Heaven has its own currency just like Hell (mainly some comments from Adam apparently paying for dinner at a restaurant for one of his would-be lovers or promising to reward a million heaven bucks to the Exorcist that killed Vaggie with no questions asked). Assuming there's some truth to this, it would be hilarious and sad that even a paradise like Heaven can fall victim to the claws of capitalism and greed.

Hello pal.

I never really thought about Heaven Currency. I just sort of assume everything was free. Because, to me, Heaven wouldn't be much reward afterlife if I still have to work to earn money to pay for stuff? I just assume if anyone was 'working' it was the soul doing what they love and passionate about and the rest of Heaven can benefit it? Like someone who passion about making cakes and cookies. So they have a bakery they 'work' at but Heaven being Heaven, its free for all?

I also assumed when Adam gave a reward before the battle, I got the impression that he just pulled it out of is arse and on a whim. Similar to a parent trying to figure out a reward when asked by a child after the parent try to give them a task to run off somewhere so the parent can have 5 minutes to themself.

But you have a good point about Adam talking about splitting the bill. I don't think he allow to visit the living world, much less to try to hook up and I assume talking about being the first man would be a huge no-no. So, maybe there is some there there.

Is it even possible for capitalism not to be corrupt?

It easy to understand why Hell has currency. Money is the root to evil and all., it breeds greed and envy, and I suppose pride as well if your are on the fortunate end. I suppose sloth? Because I know im guilty of putting things off in favor to just lay down and do nothing because its been a long week. Imagine an afterlife and you still have to go to work on top of the torture? UGH! I'm already burnt out of in the living word. How bleak to do it all eternity in the afterlife.

it would be hilarious and sad that even a paradise like Heaven can fall victim to the claws of capitalism and greed.

I can't even imagine it. Like, maybe its almost like that scene in Klaus. Surprisingly good movie. I wasn't expecting much from it thinking it was just a christmas movie that netflix spat out for the sake to profit off a christmas movie. But it was a really nice tale.

For context, the town it took place is in a freud. It's one family vs another and the fued goes back generations. But at one point, the children were trying to do go deeds so they won't be on the naughty list. So their good deeds extended to the neighbors who their parents are feuding with. Not to be indebted to that children family for their kind act, they took that act and used it to do a kind act back. Like the children picked berries and gave them to neighbor. The neighbor then took them to make a pie and gave it to the children family.

I guess Heaven currently be something like that. Just a constant string of doing good deeds to outdo each other and avoid being indebted. I think it make it more entertaining and fitting for the show. Heaven not what it seems. So I think it be interesting if "good deeds/karma' is the currency. So you have people continually working themselves to the bone to earn enough brownie points for something extravagant. It also can be twisted as a weird humblebrag flex. Like some gaudy, tacky rewards that's worth a million heaven bucks, so having one is just a showy brag of how great of a kind person you are...even tho its sort of tainted now because the good deeds was done with a purpose not the goodness of a pure heart.

I'm not even sure I am making sense or its coming out coherent enough for anyone to understand. Either way, I don;t think Viv would go this route. Only because, I think Heaven itself is indeed a paradise and eternal reward. It's the system or the inner 'government' that's sketchy and corrupt. The Angels in charge like Sera. Even if they are not corrupt and evil, their still questionable choices.

If the really are making Heaven not a paradise I think it be more of the souls not seeing all of their love ones because they are in Hell. Molly misses her brother. So is she really happy in paradise when she has sad and nostalgic thoughts of her brother at times?

Anyhow, its an interesting concept its another flaw of Heaven that otherwise seem picturesque.

[solaris-girl]

100-ish classics and must-reads

solaris girl's list of 100 must-reads :-)

( bold = read. constantly updating!)

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee 

1984 - George Orwell 

Animal Farm - George Orwell

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

The Hobbit - J.R.R Tolkien

Lord of the Flies - William Golding

The Giver - Lois Lowrey

The Book Thief - Markus Zusack

The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain

Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain

The Stranger - Albert Camus

Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoevsky

Les Miserables -Victor Hugo

The Importance of Being Earnest - Oscar Wilde

The Call of the Wild - Jack London

Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

The Old Man and the Sea - Earnest Hemingway

The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

Life of Pi - Yann Martel

Catch - 22 - Joseph Heller

The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe - C.S. Lewis

Our Town - Thornton Wilder

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest - Ken Kesey

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone - J.K. Rowling

The Color Purple - Alice Walker

Candide - Voltaire

All Quiet on the Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate - Naomi Klein

The Raven - Edgar Allen Poe

Emma - Jane Austen

The Republic - Plato

A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini

The Prince - Niccolo Machiavelli 

Beloved - Toni Morrison

Frankenstein - Mary Shelley

The Tell Tale Heart and Other Readings - Edgar Allan Poe

Atonement - Ian McEwan

Sidhartha - Hermann Hesse

The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco

Their Eyes were Watching God - Zora Neal Hurston

Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

A Raisin in the Sun - Lorraine Hansberry

The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R Tolkien

Much Ado About Nothing - William Shakespear

The Hiding Place - Corrie Ten Boom

Moby-Dick - Herman Melville

The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch

The Sun Also Rises - Ernest Hemingway

The Road - Cormac McCarthy

I, Claudius - Robert Graves

The Pearl - John Steinbeck

The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick

The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

Middlemarch - George Eliot

The Joy Luck Club - Amy Tan

The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

Angels and Demons - Dan Brown

The Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman

The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas

White Fang - Jack London

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle

The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein

The Godfather - Mario Puzo

The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall - Anne Bronte

A Moveable Feast - Ernest Hemingway

[laresearchette]

Wednesday, November 29, 2023 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: SLOW HORSES (Apple TV+) SHETLAND (BritBox) THE ARTFUL DODGER (Disney + Star) CHRISTMAS AT GRACELAND (Global) 10:00pm KING CHARLES (CNN) 10:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT?: CHRISTMAS IN ROCKEFELLER CENTER (NBC Feed)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

CBC GEM ETERNAL SPRING

DISNEY + STAR FX’S AMERICAN HORROR STORIES (Season 3, four-episode premiere) THE ARTFUL DODGER (Season 1)

NETFLIX CANADA AMERICAN SYMPHONY BAD SURGEON: LOVE UNDER THE KNIFE (UK) THE SILENCING

NHL HOCKEY (SN) 7:00pm: Habs vs. Blue Jackets (SN) 10:30pm: Capitals vs. Kings

NBA BASKETBALL (SN1) 7:00pm: Lakers vs. Red Wings (TSN/TSN3/TSN4/TSN5) 7:30pm: Suns vs. Raptors (SN Now) 8:00pm: 76ers vs. Pelicans (SN1) 10:00pm: Clippers vs. Kings

THE OTHER SIDE (APTN) 7:30pm: Every time the team investigates a new space, they smudge and enter with respect for the histories and potential spirits locked inside. But the Port Moody Station Museum is a place with a deadly past, where they learn that a smudge can't always keep.

SWAN SONG (CBC) 8:00pm: Karen's progressive ideas create unanticipated ripples through the company as the first run-through approaches, while the arrival of a celebrity ballerina throws Siphe off balance.

SPIRIT TALKER (APTN) 8:00pm: Tsuut'ina Nation, a strong Dene-speaking community near Calgary, continues to foster its tie to the past through the buffalo. Amidst Shawn's readings, a touching emotional reunion unfolds as a woman reconnects with her long-lost sister.

LAUGHING ALL THE WAY (W Network) 8:00pm: Put in charge of a holiday variety show, an aspiring comedian worries she may not have what it takes, until a famous comedian makes her see how talented she truly is.

GOOD WITH WOOD (Makeful) 8:00pm: Eye-catching coffee tables built by the eight woodworkers, who sweat the details as they create unique, stable legs for their designs.

GHOST HUNTERS OF THE GRAND RIVER (APTN) 8:30pm: The ghost hunters delve into the history of paranormal activity that surrounds the Mohawk Community Centre on their sister reserve of Tyendinaga, including the stories of a witch trial that took place in the 1800s.

BLACK LIFE: UNTOLD STORIES (CBC) 9:00pm: A chronicle of the lives of Black Canadian athletes that delves into their rise and the challenges they faced.

CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING (CTV) 9:00pm (SEASON FINALE): After an unexpected change at Gero's, James tries to busy himself with fixing a broken toilet; Astrid thinks she's due for a raise.

[callsignspark]

What are my babes Mary and Bradley up to today? They’ve been on my mind! 🧡🥧

alexa! I’m so glad you asked because it gave me a chance to think about the Bradshaws and holidays! I hope you have a wonderful day!! below the cut because we know I can’t be brief lol

first of all, Mary and Bradley are big holiday people. Mary comes from a huge family that always went all out on holidays, especially when it came to food. Bradley’s holidays were smaller but no less festive, Carole and the ‘86 Daggers were amazing about making the day special for Bradley. so as adults (and especially when they have kids) they make the days special! their focus is always about having fun, making memories vs. making everything perfect. their decor for thanksgiving and christmas is very traditional/90’s, there’s no neutral tone buttplug trees in 5 miles of a Bradshaw. it’s all twinkling lights and bright colors. did I mention that Bradley would decorate on November 1st if given the choice and Mary is fighting for her sanity to make him wait until the evening of thanksgiving?

every year since the Dagger Squad was formed, Penny and Mav have hosted Daggergiving since the squad was always on call during the holidays. it’s a much more relaxed thanksgiving dinner, where everyone brings a dish and they spend the day in the backyard, lounging around the pool. they still have all the traditional food but in their bathing suits. Mary has been co-host with Penny since her and Bradley started dating (2021) because Mav, bless his heart, is a terrible sous chef.

however, in the timeline (aka 2023) Mary is super pregnant, with a capital P, because her due date is January. so this year she’s been relegated to a spectator (something she didn’t fight too hard, everything is difficult when you’re in month 7 of carrying twins) while Bradley tries to do his best to follow directions. he’s once again in shock and awe at how amazing his beautiful, wonderful, lovely wife is in the kitchen. the last few years he’s seen as the two of them fly around the kitchen, getting everything ready and making sure all the food being brought has a place, but he didn’t realize how much work and coordination really goes into it until he was thrown in the middle.

Daggergiving 2023 goes off without hitch, only 30 minutes later than usual due to a small oven issue (not Bradley’s fault, he stresses that point. not. his. fault.) Mary is graciously allowed to go first, Bradley filling her plate with the requested food as she slowly waddles walks in front. everyone spends the afternoon eating and relaxing in the warm late November sun, Mary falls asleep on a lounger, Annie snuggled into her side; the two of them only waking up for some pie (apple) before snoozing again. the annual Hangman v. Halo Uno fight happens, both of their partners peeling them apart before they actually fight. (Halo is leading this battle, winning four years in a row, Jake might blow a gasket if he loses in 2024.)

after the 4PM football game ends (Dallas winning over Washington, everyone groans as Jake gloats about his precious Cowboys. everyone then laughing when Flora gives him a victory kiss as a distraction before shoving him in the pool.) Bradley and Mary head home, showering the smell of rosemary and cinnamon off them before climbing into bed. Bradley keeps watching football while Mary snoozes, growing babies is hard work but he also knows that the last three years they’ve done the same thing she’s woken up during halftime of the 8PM game and well… let’s just say Bradley had to check the final score the next day. (it happens again this year. sleepy hormones and horny hormones are in equal measure for Miss Mary. Bradley losses his mf mind watching his pregnant, goddess of a wife ride him in the soft light of the christmas lights he strung up around their windows.) the night ends with them cleaning up and sharing a small slice of pumpkin pie they brought home in their doggy bags. snuggled in bed, Bradley whispers to Mary about the decorations he’s going to put up tomorrow, how it’s wild that this is the last Christmas tree they’re going to put up, just the two of them. it’s an extremely soft and sweet moment. all in all, they have a lovely day and it’s remembered as one of their favorite thanksgivings of all time.

[incorrectpnatquotes]

Cody! :) (for the hc thing)

Since Christmas is pretty ubiquitous in the US, I figure Cody went to his dad when he was young and asked what Christmas was, and Davy explained the Christian origins to him, and then was like, "But the REAL reason for Christmas is: capitalism!" and proceeded to explain secular Christmas traditions, the story of Santa Claus, etc.

So because Cody grew up celebrating Christmas in a secular manner instead of a religious manner, he got really into all those Christmas specials and movies. One day, he watches Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, and just... assumed it was a Christmas movie that everyone had seen? Like, he really didn't have a reference for what was considered "traditional" Christmas media vs. more modern, less popularized Christmas media.

Anyway, Cody goes to school, and he and his friends are talking about their favorite Christmas songs, among other things, and he's like "Oh, I love 'Grandma's Gonna Sue the Pants off of Santa'!" and everyone is like ??????? and he's like you know, the song from that movie "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer", and they're like you mean the SONG "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"?? And he's like no, the movie with the song!!

Anyway, it sparks this whole thing where Cody is insisting this is a real movie, and finally he shows it to his friends and they're just so flabbergasted by this movie. And Cody is like "This isn't a traditional Christmas movie???" and they're like "NO WE'VE NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE TODAY"

"Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" is now a cult classic for the Mayview public school kids because Cody successfully/accidentally made it a thing.

[johnny-and-dora]

🚨OBLIGATORY MYTHIC QUEST SEASON 3 POST🚨

i’ve had some time to think about it and i enjoyed s3 overall - there was some really funny stuff, great performances (especially from charlotte and rob) and some really great episodes. it’s nothing that people haven’t said before (and probably a lot better), but if there’s one criticism i have, it’s the lack of character development/arcs for anyone other than poppy & ian. i love their dyanmic and it’s always been the central dyanmic of the show, but mq has such a great talented ensemble cast with such varied rich characters and most of them were criminally underused this season, ESPECIALLY brad in my extremely biased yet valid opinion. (more under the cut)

it’s just frustrating bc the s2 finale set up so many interesting things that didn’t really matter in the end. how did brad going to prison for jo not matter? why did rachel give up on writing so easily, espeically after cw died? why is dana suddenly just another version of ian now who somehow has the power and resources to start her own studio? tbh i’m mainly mad that they called an episode “to catch a mouse” AND had a brad/jo subplot and didn’t explore their wonderful unhinged mouse/shark dyanmic. it was right there!!! and why completely scrap the movie subplot in the last episode, becuase that just made it feel like a big waste of time. i think mythic quest: playpen is a great way of compromising and a great way to get ian and poppy to rejoin mq, i’m much more into the plot of mq vs another rival studio (i’m assuming we might see that with studio dana in s4) as i thought mq vs grimpop was going to be a thing this season that we...didn’t see at all

i really liked the christmas episode (reminded me of everlight, my favourite ep) and sarian (holy shit that was some insanely perfect casting for young poppy). charlotte was fantastic as poppy the whole season, she had some of the funniest stuff and she nailed the sadder scenes too. i just thought s2 built on s1 so perfectly by playing with new dyanmics and showing whole new sides to characters (specifically brad and cw) so it’s frustrating to watch what felt like a backwards step in that sense, especially when it comes to brad, who felt like he was just...there. the “oh i’m just the janitor definitely not up to something nefarious” and david being so paranoid thing at the start of the season was so funny, so why did that go nowhere? brad and rachel is a really funny dyanmic, but brad saying he manipulated rachel into abandoning her ethics for the rewards of capitalism felt so much like tell, don’t show. like where is the evidence for that? also fuck nfts lol but this post is already far too long

i really like this show, that’s still true after this season. i think the two season renewal was probably a blessing and a curse and season 3 will end up being a transitionary season, maybe it was a little directionless because they knew they had another one guaranteed, i don’t know. the s3 finale did set up a lot of cool potential arcs for s4, i’m paticularly intersted in how that brad/dana/jo dyanmic will play out and i also love poppy/ian/david as a trio so that could be really fun. i just wanna see more from the whole cast, there’s so much potential for comedy and drama too with all of these characters! 

[synthapostate]

WIP List

For my own reference, but if anyone's interested in what I'm working on, here it is. The list just keeps growing.

Resist Psychic Death - Possessed Newt. (The thing I'll only look at when I'm already feeling miserable.)

Equal Temperament - A deep dive into my music theory special interest, technically includes sex on a piano. (Scrapped.)

Sweater Curse - A Secular Christmas story (sort of). (Final chapter almost complete.)

Add It Up - Hermann doesn't like parties, Newt says he's too boring to go to one anyway, a bet ensues. (Complete.)

Accidental (needs a real title) - Newt makes a terrible mistake. (A comedy.) (Halfway complete.)

For Alien Syne - Five times Hermann Gottlieb got drunk and needed to hug the stuffing out of that infuriating little man. (Complete but not ready to post.) (I can't count. 5/6 complete.)

Smut (it's not smut) - The morning after their first time. (Partially complete but maybe scrapped? Best concepts used elsewhere.) Turns out it's smut. (Partially complete.)

Like Cats and Dogs - Domesticity and possible pet adoption. Angst. Turns out it's smut.

The Tropes Nobody Asked For - A bodyswap AU. Comedy. Hurt/comfort?

I could be writing sweaty nerd sex like a normal person but no - Mostly a story about self-image. Angst. Fluff.

More tropes nobody asked for - A time travel AU. Drama. Comedy.

Decontamination Shower - A lab accident makes things weird. (One paragraph written but I'm not sure where I was going with this.)

Fear of Flying - A deep dive into my aerospace engineering special interest, technically includes a lot of hand-holding. (This one's really taking off.)

Heating Pad - A cat adopts Hermann. (Concept stage.)

Expectation vs. Reality - My take on their first meeting. (Complete but needs another pass to make Hermann more of a dick.)

Hermann's Ex - Newt meets Hermann's siblings and Learns Things he never knew before. (Complete but the last chapter really went off the rails.)

Thriller - The Shatterdome is kind of spooky at night. (Concept stage.)

There Was Only One Bed - We like tropes here. (This was supposed to be a trope subversion but I forgot where it was going, so I guess it's just the trope now.)

Miserable, Lonely and Depressed (Pathetic) - The return of Cool Uncle Newt. (He's not cool, he's possessed.)

Vampire AU - I mean obviously I had to write a vampire AU at some point. (Comedy.)

Whump - Was supposed to be about a car accident, but it turned into emotional hurt/comfort.

Some Days You Just Can't Get Rid of a Bomb - Newt tries to solve capitalism.

Retail Horror Stories - Newt and Hermann commiserate over the shitty jobs they worked when they were younger.

Ghost Story - Comedy, it was SUPPOSED TO BE A COMEDY Death of a major character.

Nightmares - Ghost drift bleeds into their dreams.

Cold as Ice - Hurt/Comfort?

Newt's Passion - A sex pollen fic. (No, it isn't.)

Other, Funnier Ghost Story - Will it be a comedy this time? Let's find out.

Fever All Through the Night - Sick fic. All comfort.

Consent is Sexy - No additional text. WHAT WAS THIS?

Always On My Mind - Hermann overthinks everything. A story of missed connections.

High School Reunion - Newt is desperate to impress his old classmates. Good thing he has this amazing new husband to show off. (A comedy.)

Dinner With a Friend - Oh NO I DON'T WANT THIS. (Hermann accepts Newt's offer to meet Alice, and I lie awake at night trying to think of a way to get him out of it.)

Alternate PR2 - The biggest shitpost I've ever made. IT'S SO ANGSTY WHAT HAVE I DONE.

[starseedfxofficial]

British Pound vs. US Dollar: Gain an Edge with Adaptive Algorithms The British Pound and US Dollar: Using Adaptive Algorithms to Gain a Ninja Edge in the Forex Market When it comes to the British Pound versus the US Dollar, you might picture an old-school pub brawl between two heavyweights—the kind of fight that ends with both participants tired, bruised, and with one insisting he's "just fine." In the Forex world, these two iconic currencies lock horns every day, creating endless opportunities for those who know how to capitalize on their movements. But here's the kicker: it's not about brute strength or quick reflexes—it's about precision and adaptability. Enter adaptive algorithms, the savvy tools that can give you the edge over other traders who are, frankly, still using techniques about as modern as a VHS player. The GBP/USD is known for its volatility, giving traders the same exhilarating experience you'd get from a roller coaster—some people are screaming in excitement, others in absolute terror. Today, we'll explore how adaptive algorithms can be your personal seatbelt and helmet, helping you sidestep the common pitfalls while taking full advantage of the opportunities that emerge in this dynamic currency pair. The Hidden Formula Only Experts Use You see, trading the British Pound against the US Dollar isn't just about understanding basic chart patterns—it's about recognizing deeper, adaptive market behaviors. Most traders will look at their usual arsenal: trend lines, moving averages, and support and resistance levels. These tools work, but it's a bit like relying on a compass when everyone else has Google Maps. Adaptive algorithms are like Google Maps on steroids—they not only map where you are but also predict traffic, warn of speed traps, and even suggest shortcuts you never knew existed. So, how exactly do adaptive algorithms do this magic? They take into account more than just price data—they track news sentiment, volatility shifts, and even order flow dynamics. Imagine being able to predict when the British Pound is likely to skyrocket due to a surprise Bank of England announcement, or when the US Dollar might face a sudden dip because of unexpected unemployment figures—adaptive algorithms digest this info faster than your buddy who speed-reads tabloids in a grocery store line. The Forgotten Strategy That Outsmarted the Pros You may have heard of "mean reversion" as a trading strategy. If you haven’t, well, think of it as buying when everyone's selling because you know they'll regret it soon—a bit like buying Christmas decorations on clearance in January. With adaptive algorithms, however, mean reversion isn’t just a reactionary approach. These algorithms recognize micro-trends that indicate how long the "clearance sale" might last, and they do it more accurately than just about any manual analysis. Take a recent case study from a savvy trader we’ll call "Ninja FX." She uses adaptive algorithms not only to identify the optimal points where price might revert but also to adjust the positioning dynamically. Instead of setting fixed stop losses or take profits, Ninja FX’s strategy involves adjusting these levels based on emerging news and shifting volatility in the market. As a result, she outperformed her competition by not being glued to one static point—after all, nobody wins a game of hide and seek by staying in one place forever. Why Most Traders Get It Wrong (And How You Can Avoid It) A common misconception about adaptive algorithms is that they're complicated and only for people with a Ph.D. in math. Wrong. Imagine adaptive algorithms as those high-tech coffee machines—you know, the ones that can make your favorite cappuccino in two button presses without requiring you to understand how the machine actually works. Yes, the tech is sophisticated, but the usability is beginner-friendly. Plus, the benefits far outweigh the learning curve. Most traders get it wrong by fearing what they don’t understand, but here’s a comforting thought—you don't have to understand every line of code to benefit from it. Where traders also tend to fall short is in trusting the wrong "gut instincts" instead of relying on data. Sure, having a hunch might work for buying a pair of shoes you'll probably never wear, but in Forex, hunches without data backing them up can be like betting your rent money on a coin flip—exciting but ultimately ill-advised. Adaptive algorithms process thousands of data points in milliseconds, which means that the "gut instinct" here is not yours—it's data-driven, derived from numerous sources, making it far more reliable. The Hidden Patterns That Drive the Market Let's talk about hidden patterns—those sneaky behaviors in the GBP/USD pair that most traders don't see until it's too late. Take the "fakeout breakout," a classic move where the market seems to burst past a resistance level, only to reverse and leave everyone who chased the breakout in the dust. Adaptive algorithms can spot these traps better than a hawk eyeing its prey. They evaluate not just the price movement, but also other factors like volume anomalies or spikes in retail trader activity. For instance, during a recent Bank of England announcement, many traders got caught in a massive "fakeout" when GBP/USD seemingly broke out of a key resistance level. But an adaptive algorithm caught the rising retail trader activity—and, knowing the classic market sentiment indicators, it predicted that the move was a trap. Traders who followed the algorithm held their ground or went short instead, avoiding the losses and riding the correction in the opposite direction. How to Predict Market Moves with Precision Here's where the fun—and precision—comes in. Adaptive algorithms use machine learning to make sense of both historical data and live market dynamics. Think of it as an old-school weatherman—if that weatherman had access to satellite imagery, the historical patterns of every hurricane ever recorded, and could also listen to the ocean. In other words, it's not guesswork; it’s about analyzing conditions that have historically led to certain outcomes. Consider the use of adaptive RSI (Relative Strength Index). Most traders use the traditional RSI to gauge whether a currency is overbought or oversold. Adaptive RSI goes a step further by adjusting its sensitivity based on volatility and market noise. For example, when GBP/USD is highly volatile, the algorithm might give more weight to recent price movements, allowing it to generate signals that are timely rather than lagging. It’s like taking a sports car through tight corners—the usual RSI would skid and overreact, while adaptive RSI handles it with finesse. The One Simple Trick That Can Change Your Trading Mindset Trading can feel like a lonely journey, and it often comes with its fair share of psychological pitfalls. Adaptive algorithms can also assist in removing emotional biases from your trading decisions—which is arguably the biggest hurdle in Forex. Let’s face it, nobody likes closing a losing trade—it's akin to admitting that you just spent $50 on an awful movie ticket. But adaptive algorithms aren’t swayed by emotion. They don’t care whether you're "in the red" or if you’re "feeling lucky." They look at the numbers, run a few thousand calculations, and then tell you exactly what’s in your best interest. Think of them as your brutally honest best friend—the one who tells you, "You really shouldn't be buying those shoes because you’ll regret it later," but applied to trading decisions. Why Adaptive Algorithms Are the Future of Forex It's clear that the days of relying solely on trend lines and moving averages are numbered. With major market events happening in real-time, only traders using adaptive technologies can keep up. Algorithms do more than provide signals—they adapt to the context of the market, whether it's a sudden spike in USD due to Federal Reserve commentary or a surprise political move impacting the British Pound. Take the US Dollar's reaction to a recent nonfarm payroll (NFP) report. Many traders anticipated a rise based solely on past data. However, adaptive algorithms, analyzing sentiment indicators, realized that expectations had already been priced in, and the move was more muted than anticipated. Result? They shorted USD at the perfect time, generating solid profits for those who trusted the data. The only constant in Forex is change—and if you’re not adapting, you’re falling behind. Adaptive algorithms represent not just a tool, but an evolution of how we approach trading itself. They don't just follow the market; they learn from it, ensuring that traders stay ahead of the game. From Insights to Action So, if you've ever felt like you're trading blind—hoping that your gut instinct might pay off—it might be time to embrace adaptive algorithms. They bring precision, adaptability, and reliability to a market that otherwise feels unpredictable. They allow you to navigate the GBP/USD pair with a level of finesse that only comes from truly understanding the hidden forces at play. Think of them as your "forex sensei"—providing calm, collected insights while everyone else runs around like it's the last Black Friday on Earth. Curious about taking your strategies to the next level? Learn more about the StarseedFX tools and community to get exclusive insights and adaptive algorithm access. Happy trading, and may the pips be ever in your favor. —————– Image Credits: Cover image at the top is AI-generated Read the full article