#Enhanced Commonwealth

[iliterallydecepticanteven]

so guess who finally played blind betrayal

[charlotte-of-wales]

A speech by The Duchess of Edinburgh at the Community Sport and Recreation Awards, at Headingley Stadium, Leeds, ahead of The Duke of Edinburgh’s 60th birthday:

First may I say how wonderful it is to be here with so many people who are doing so much to change lives through grassroots sport. There have been some remarkable stories that have been honoured today and a particular congratulations to Fulham Reach Boat Club for being recognised as Community Club of the Year.

If I may, I beg your indulgence for a few minutes, as I wanted to also take this opportunity to recognise another great milestone and share a small tribute to my darling husband as he celebrates his 60th Birthday, this Sunday.

Now I know from the many years of marriage we have chalked up, 25 years in June to be precise, he will be horrified at seeing me up here speaking about him in public. Without looking at him, I am guessing he will now be sitting back with slightly narrowed eyes, possibly with his arms folded, or one arm stretched out across the table and to all intents and purposes looking identical to his father when I made speeches about him.

I twice spoke about The late Duke of Edinburgh in his presence, on both occasions feeling like I was about to launch myself out of an airplane without a parachute, but holding on to the vague hope of a soft landing. You have to appreciate that my father-in-law never liked anyone to pay him compliments, believing that it was the organisations he supported that were important, not him.

However, the fact that I wasn't in the doghouse after either of the speeches reassured me that I hadn't at least committed any major faux pas and I was therefore able to stand the getaway cars down.

So, like then and with my husband of the same opinion as my father-in-law, and with fresh fully fuelled cars at the ready here goes – as I give you more of an insight of the man to whom I am so proud to be married.

Edward is probably best known for his support of the youth organisation the DofE, founded by his father which takes much of his time as he chairs committees, writes strategies as he helps to guide and shape the current activities and future of the charity in the UK and across the world. He challenges those who lead it, encourages others who work within it or support it, and loves meeting and chatting with those who benefit from it. You can only guess the number of hours he devotes to this, the most inspiring of youth charities.

Beyond the DofE, he passionately supports an array of other charities and organisations, each of which he takes as seriously. Whether it be focussing on the sporting endeavours from athletes around the Commonwealth both able and disabled; encouraging organisations offering opportunities for people to gain access to sport and activities such as the fantastic work of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, which we are celebrating today; working throughout the arts with young talented musicians, or seasoned professionals who enrich our society, or visiting and encouraging the wonderful Central Caribbean Marine Institute which does so much to protect and enhance our unseen and vital underwater world. The list is long and a reflection of just some of his interests.

I encourage you to take a walk through his CV of affiliations and marvel at the breadth of them, each doing their part to make our world a better place and to understand that he is not just a name on a piece of paper, but that he commits of himself to them all and cares deeply for each of them.

He takes undoubted pride in his military affiliations too. Not only do I think that he wears a uniform extremely well, he takes an enormous interest in their vital work and loves nothing better than to go offline and spend happy hours talking one-to-one with those who do so much to serve our country.

He has been my guide and shown me the way over the years. He has given me much help and advice (not always taken I admit), and his knowledge and instincts that have been honed over decades of service are invaluable - so we share speech notes (not this one, sorry darling!), chat through issues our patronages may be tackling, and together I think we make quite a good team.

Like an iceberg, what is seen above the water or in public is only a small proportion of what goes on behind the scenes. What is never seen or can ever be quantified is the effort spent on ensuring good governance for his patronages, encouraging people to support worthwhile causes, chairing committees, meeting chief executives and think tanks, writing papers, speeches, forewords, introductions, the list goes on.

But whatever he is doing he gives 150% of himself, and if all else fails he gives any energy he has left out to our exhausted dogs or laying waste to the garden. Like my father-in-law, my husband never seeks compliments for himself. So when acknowledgment has come his way it has always been a total surprise to him, which is why I am grateful for this chance to, for once, be able to publicly celebrate and compliment him.

He was so happy and humbled when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth made him a Knight of The Garter in 2006 and was equally delighted and moved the day His Majesty The King – who we are both incredibly proud to support – made him Duke of Edinburgh. Both he deserves in equal measure and I am so proud of the man he is.

He is the best of fathers, the most loving of husbands and still is my best friend.

So here's to you my darling Edward and may I along with all your family and so many friends and many others wish you the Happiest of Birthdays!

[theoperativeif]

The Operative: Fires of Revolution [18+] (Updated 8/03/2024)

You are an Operative, one of hundreds of modified beings that saved the Empire of a United Earth in its war against the Commonwealth. The war you were created for is over, billions dead in a duel between raging Empires that ended in a stalemate on a barren planet that left both sides ravaged.

But now ghosts from your past threaten to plunge the galaxy into another war and threaten all you have fought for.

Battle against those you once called family, discover hidden truths behind the Operative Project and protect those you love as you are drawn back to an all too familiar barren planet...

Content Warnings

[This game contains, violence, depiction of war and innocent casualties, strong language, drug references, major/minor character death (including possible ro death), optional explicit sexual content(fade to black only atm), references to abuse and other mature themes. Please use discretion and this list will be updated as content is added.]

Features

Play as a man, woman, or non-binary.

Become a legendary super soldier, are you the ideal soldier? The perfect protector? An expert assassin? A walking war machine? Or maybe you are the monster that haunts your enemies nightmares.

Help shape the future of an Empire recovering from war, or just go where your superiors tell you.

Shape your character’s personality and have their choices influence the galaxy.

Fall in love with one of six romance options. Including an Imperial Marine, a fellow super soldier, an Imperial Agent and a mysterious chemical weapons expert.

Unearth the mystery of a failed revolt and a quarantined planet.

Will you build the Empire up? Or ensure it tears itself apart?

Notable Characters

Ari “The Old Flame” [M/F]

A loyal companion since you were both made Operatives, Ari is either your closest friend or your old flame of youth. They served in some of the darkest moments of the Empire, having thousands of kills under their belt. Recent events forced you both into conflict and then separation, now leaving memories and dreams as your only respite together. But something behind the scenes may force two people intertwined by destiny back together…

(Appearance)  6'8 A pale white complexion with wide diamond blue eyes and mid length snow white hair. Broad-shouldered with a toned musculature Ari's life as a soldier along with their enhancements make them an intimidating foe.

Liana Swarovski “The Soldier” [F]

One of two marines personally assigned to you by the Admiral. Despite spending the past several years in combat she forces herself to maintain as cheerful a disposition as possibly. Having been saved by an Operative in a past mission gone wrong she remains open and friendly to her newest assignment…

(Appearance)  5'7 with bright hazel eyes and a bright smile. Warm beige complexion and bright blonde hair done in a ponytail when on the job. Slightly stouter build then one would expect.

Jacob Miller "The Tactician” [M]

One of two marines personally assigned to you by the Admiral. Not much to note about the ordinary man, except that for someone with only two combat missions under their belt he spent the remainder of the war in service of Admirals and Generals. Recent events have reportedly chipped away at his once Casanova and pleasure loving disposition, but behind his kind eyes lies something much colder very few see…

(Appearance)  6'1 with soulful green eyes and a small smile, longer dark brown hair that he often slicks back. Average body build.

Designate Six “The Loyalist” [NB]

A deadly combatant even to Operatives, Designate Six commands the Chemical Core under your command, a group of specialist who utilize chemical and biological warfare tactics to render enemy forces inert. Hidden behind robes and masks Six is first and foremost an explorer of the deadly and arcane, but second a person of undying loyalty to their Operative…

(Appearance)  5'5 Two large expressive eyes resembling two pools of purple, tan skin intermixed with scars and patches of discoloration are hints of the price they have paid for their service to the empire.

Agent Roads “The Investigator” [M/F]

Agent Roads is an agent for the Imperial Heartbreaker Division, a branch of the Emperors secret police, specializing in tactics best left out of the spotlight. Their history with Operative 002 is an interesting one born of violence and strife, but now, all this time later perhaps its one of fascination. Especially when Road’s own dark past surfaces with one thing on their mind. Revenge. 

Their reputation is one rivaling the most bloodthirsty Operatives, but will someone looking closer find something worthwhile behind those cruel eyes?

(Appearance)  5'9 with predatory silver eyes and deep olive skin, bobbed thick raven black hair, thin build with a removed tattoo on their chest just below their collarbone.

Polina Cartigan “The Princess” [F]

Princess Polina is the second in line of the Emperors children, despite her calm and thoughtful demeanor do not be mistaken, beneath lies a powerful drive to improve the Empire. Seeking a peace with the ACC so as to rebuild shattered supply lines and defenses she is opposed by the majority of the UEG leadership. But a steadily rising wave of idealistic young military and political minds now stokes the flames as she prepares to take her first true steps onto the galactic stage.

(Appearance) 5′8 dark complexion with burning amber eyes and a thin graceful build.

Linky Links:

Demo Link

Discord Link

Spinoff Tumblr Post

[princessanneftw]

“Also playing a key role in the new reign, in her customary understated way, will be the Princess Royal. One look at the official Coronation photographs is proof of that. While the King has the Queen on his left, it is his sister who stands at his right-hand side. One of the three members of the family who regularly performs investitures, along with the King and the Prince of Wales, the Princess has also now been added to the roster of senior royal mourners. It means that she can attend important world funerals if the Prince of Wales is unable to attend (as happened after the death of ex-King Constantine of the Hellenes in January 2023).

Even more understated is her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. His distinguished Royal Navy career has been followed by multiple leadership roles in institutions ranging from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to private sector bodies like the Major Projects Association, often during periods of change. As the National Trust found itself caught up in the full force of the ‘culture wars’ through its handling of issues such as slavery and the sexuality of former stately homeowners, it’s main rival, English Heritage, did not. It, too, looks after hundreds of castles, monuments and swathes of countryside plus all the blue plaques on important buildings. In addition, it was also undergoing a fundamental transformation from government agency to national charity. As its two-term chairman, Laurence was at the helm throughout what could have been a turbulent - yet it proved not to be. While he has no official royal role, and has never sought one, he is widely respected across the Royal Household as a wise sounding board and the proverbial ‘safe pair of hands’. In September 2023, with a minimum of fanfare, he received his first patronage when he was appointed patron of the International Maritime Rescue Federation. With the Princess now enjoying an enhanced role, life is unlikely to slow down for this low-key, non-royal, royal consort.”

‘Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story’ by Robert Hardman (2024).

[world-of-wales]

Marking Black History Month and recognising the incredible contributions of the black community, not just this month but every day of the year!

This year’s theme of ‘Reclaiming Narratives’ encourages us to shine a spotlight on the untold stories, the unsung heroes, and the everyday individuals making a big difference.

To celebrate we asked a number of our patronages to highlight some brilliant people whose work is having a lasting impact 👇

Farah Saeed is the Lead Assessment and Resettlement Coordinator at @PassageCharity House. She helps recently homeless individuals transition off the streets into sustainable housing. Nearly 90% move into long-term accommodation with personalised care.

Dwayne Fields is an adventurer, TV presenter, and the UK’s Chief Scout. After seven years as a Scout Ambassador, he now encourages young people from all backgrounds to embrace the outdoors, helping them build self-belief and find role models. As a dedicated volunteer, he also inspires @scouts' 140,000 adult volunteers, motivating others to get involved.

Yasmin Liverpool is a former Great Britain 400m runner and previous beneficiary of @TeamSportsAid support. Since retiring, she has joined the charity’s National Awards Committee and also supports its work in creating more accessible and inclusive talent pathways.

Ama Agbeze MBE has been a trustee of @TeamSportsAid since 2020. The England netball legend, who captained her country to Commonwealth gold in 2018, mentors talented young athletes and supports the delivery of its mental health and wellbeing programme. She also helps guide SportsAid on enhancing its equity, diversity and inclusion work through her role on the Board.

Alero Omaghomi is a Sickle Cell Nurse who supports children with the disease through resources and equipment funded by @NHSCharities Together. She helps sick children stay engaged with their education when they have to spend long periods out of school.

Loveness Scott is the Positive Action Lead at North East Ambulance Service, engaging ethnic minorities to improve understanding of NHS services. She leads lifesaving workshops and supports the recruitment of community ambassadors. Her role is funded by @NHSCharities Together to address health inequalities and promote first aid.

Olivier Nsengimana is the Founder of the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association, which helps to protect the endangered Grey Crowned Crane in Rwanda. He trained as a vet and originally worked with gorillas, before founding the RWCA. Olivier was a @tusk_org Award for Conservation finalist in 2016.

Sandra Igwe is the founder and CEO of The Motherhood Group, a leading social enterprise focused on improving maternal health outcomes for Black women in the UK. Sandra also coordinates Black Maternal Mental Health Week UK and organises the annual Black Maternal Health Conference. @MMHAlliance

- The Prince and Princess of Wales

[catdotjpeg]

LOOK: Multisectoral groups marched along Commonwealth Avenue earlier today as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa to assail his failed promise of a Bagong Pilipinas [trans. New Philippines]. For the groups, Marcos’s Bagong Pilipinas is a grand sham. Amid promises of better living conditions, 46 percent of Filipinos rated their families as food poor—the highest since 2008—according to the latest survey of Social Weather Stations. “[H]inaharap [ng ating mga kababayan] ang realidad na mataas ang presyo ng mga bilihin, lalo na ng pagkain—lalo’t higit, ng bigas,” said Marcos in his speech earlier, affirming bleak realities on the ground. On top of a cost of living crisis are poverty wages that fail to meet the family living wage of P1,190, as estimated by economic think tank IBON Foundation, the P35 wage hike in the National Capital Region (NCR) enacted last week was dismissed as an “insult to minimum wage workers” by Leticia Castillo of human rights alliance Defend NCR. Such wage hike is far from the P150 raise being lobbied in Congress by labor groups under the National Wage Coalition. Castillo also decried the persistence of red-tagging and vilification of activists perpetrated by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. From July 2022 to June 2024, 3,419,044 cases of threat, harassment, and intimidation were recorded by human rights group Karapatan. The number of political prisoners also climbed to 755 as of last month. These human rights violations run contrary to Marcos’s establishment of a Special Committee on Human Rights, which was labeled “toothless” by Human Rights Watch. Marcos’s claim of a bloodless drug war is also inconsistent with the 359 drug-related killings—34.3 percent of which were committed by state agents—recorded during his second year in office by research project Dahas. Moreover, despite claims of an independent foreign policy, the Philippines under Marcos remains dependent on the US and its unequal treaties, said Liza Maza of MAKABAYAN. Last year, Marcos announced the creation of four new US military bases in the country under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the US. Such treaties with the US have been criticized for intensifying tensions with China and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Clarice Palce of Gabriela and Ronnel Arambulo of Pamalakaya raised their worries of the Philippines being dragged into a stand off between two global superpowers which will only worsen the poor living conditions of Filipinos. The program ended with a symbolic destruction of the effigies of Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte. The broken UniTeam will be challenged by the Makabayan Coalition which will field a complete senatorial slate including ACT Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro and Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Arlene Brosas in the 2025 midterm elections. Photos by AJ Dela Cruz, Marcus Azcarraga, Audrey Sanchez, and Sarah Gates

-- Philippine Collegian, 22 Jul 2024 9:45pm PHT

[anonymoushouseplantfan]

So I wouldn’t say the coronation itself boosted the brand. However, I would say that the coronation is the start of a process that will boost and enhance the brand. It’s a seed and we will watch it grow and bloom in the next 5-10 years.

But haven't they been doing this? There was a subtle shift in their branding, towards a "Britannia"-esque branding that began in the lead-up to William and Kate's wedding and has persisted (in some shape or form) since. Hindsight being 20/20, it's almost as if someone saw the turbulence coming of the Scottish independence referendum, Brexit, the Commonwealth shifting to republics, the Australia issue, etc. and knew they had to build back the royal brand after the turmoil of the '90s and early '00s.

The coronation felt like the continuation of that Britannia branding, like a new phase in a multi-phased Way Ahead* strategy (Phase 5, if my theory is right), rather than a relaunch or a rebrand where they start a whole new campaign centered around service.

*I know the Way Ahead group disbanded in the late '00s or early '10s but I think we can see their fingerprints over a lot of things that have happened since then -- including the coronation.

True, but that was very much centered around the figure of QEII, which is partly why everyone was so nervous about what would happen once she was gone. How do you project Britannia after Britannia is gone?

I feel this new version is more primal, almost Arthurian in a way. The Orders are, after all, inspired by the Round Table and we kind of a had a Lady of the Lake holding a sword.

[impossiblesuitcase]

I wish someone would rewrite the lunar chronicles but better (no offence to Marissa Meyer) and make it cooler with minor alterations. Such as the cresswell age gap, the lack of futuristic or dystopian description besides the author’s own developed ideas like lunars and portscreens, more cyborgs mentioned so it doesn’t seem like Cinder is the only one really, and just overall slightly better writing minus the attributes that make it very clear this was made in the awkward 2010s. This series has so much potential, the whole idea is fantastic really, but the executions haven’t exactly shown that potential. It’s subjective and I’m not saying it’s a horrible trilogy, because it definitely is not, however, the initial interpretation or impression of the “futuristic cyborg cinderella/fairytales” is such an interesting and eye-catching topic on its own that it becomes a let down in certain ways. It could tell the story of all those Pinterest cyberpunk year 3000 cities. Additionally, various writers and authors have their own unique style of writing and it’d be quite compelling to read this series in a different style, preferably a dystopian author like the ready player one type

I agree to an extent. I too would want to alter some elements such as the wolfen soldiers and the alpha mate aspect. It would be cool to further enhance some of the futuristic elements of the setting. However what we have to consider is this--is there time for that? I personally don't see how more worldbuilding beyond the already extensive groundwork laid could work without slowing the story and pacing. Winter is 800 pages already--imagine if you added to it with further exposition! I feel it would suffer, not shine.

This is not a story about what a technologically-advanced society could look like, it's a story about a lost princess who reclaims her throne and overthrows a broken political system--set in a futuristic society. Marissa is foremost interested in characters and plot, still, when you sit back and analyse the worldbuilding, you can clearly see that she put a lot of thought into it. Cyborgs, escort droids, language evolution, robotic animals, political conflicts, space cruise ships; there's a lot of cool stuff in there! I think of all the things to improve about tlc, this would be low priority.

Moreover, this isn't intended to be a dystopian series, it's a sci-fi fantasy series. No, it doesn't have the social commentary like The Hunger Games, but it isn't trying to. The books in The Lunar Chronicles are based on fairytales, and are therefore meant to reflect the romantic, sometimes improbably fantastical elements of such. And yet still, this series explores themes of racism, ableism, sexual assault, suicide, domestic abuse and classism. These are not the main focus of the story, but they certainly aren't ignored. If the series was any darker, its core values of love, adventure and friendship could fall to the wayside.

You mentioned that the series is a trilogy so perhaps you haven't read all the books (the main series is actually a tetralogy, but the whole series is 7 books in total). If you are looking for a darker, more dystopian feel, try Fairest. For more cyborgs, try The Little Android in Stars Above.

So overall, would I enjoy reading tlc by a different author? Sure. I would love to see how an Asian author would depict New Beijing and the Eastern Commonwealth. However would I enjoy any other version more than the original? I don't think so. It would lose the humour, friendships and character developments that are uniquely Marissa. If The Lunar Chronicles isn't written by Marissa Meyer, then it just simply is not The Lunar Chronicles.

That's just my thoughts and I can understand your opinion.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Ha. HAHAHHAHAHA. (Screams. Smites brow. Throws heavy object at 2001, when Putin had already taken power, 9/11 happened, the Bush Administration--after Bush took power in a corrupted election-- started trampling on civil liberties and reinstituting torture as "enhanced interrogation," and so forth.... I mean, this was written a little before for an Orwell anthology that came out in 2001, but the complacency kills me.

It was kind of a lull in atrocity in some places, but there was plenty of lies, propaganda, corruption, destruction, and abuse, by authoritarian regimes, the fossil fuel industry, global capitalism--we'd had the revolt against the World Trade Organization and its sinister world-domination agenda in 1999. And in 2001, British imperialism was not over--Barbados left the Commonwealth in 2021. Saudi Arabia was Saudi Arabia. China was China. Silicon Valley was gearing up for real harm including a lot of the Big Brother sort. Evil doesn't always look exactly like it does in Nineteen Eighty-Four, but that doesn't mean it laid down and died. Sheesh.)

(Rebecca Solnit)

[butchhamlet]

I've been enjoying your Macbeth posting recently, so I thought id tell you about the truly horrifying adaptation of Macbeth my theatre class in college created. We had to base it on something that happened that year, so we chose the commonwealth games. Instead of killing people, Macbeth convinced his fellow athletes to take performance enhancing drugs, to get them kicked out of the competition. Lady Macbeth was his coach, and the 3 witches were sports commentators. Peace and love.

obsessed with the witches as sports commentators that's so fucking funny

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from The Revelator:

How do you get people to care about something they can’t see?

That has always presented a challenge in environmental conservation messaging, where a consumer’s decisions can affect people or species on the other side of the planet. It can be hard to connect the dots between a candy bar containing palm oil sold in Indiana to the destruction of an orangutan’s habitat in Indonesia, or how purchasing a cheeseburger in Nebraska contributes to deforestation of the Amazon.

While advocates have had some notable successes communicating these threats, promoting similar efforts to protect ocean life has proven even harder — even for communities that live right next to those waters.

Two of the biggest threats to marine biodiversity come from unsustainable overfishing and habitat loss — both of which also threaten the food security and livelihoods of coastal communities.

To fight these threats, governments have increasingly turned to creating marine protected areas (MPAs), essentially underwater national parks that protect habitats and organisms that live within them.

What can we do to build local support for MPAs and enhance their success? Wootton and her colleagues tried using an innovative collection of virtual and visual tools to persuade people of the benefits of an MPA. It focused on beloved marine species that would be protected by an MPA network, which the researchers called the “Fab Five.”

Wootton and a team of marine scientists, in partnership with First Nations Sea Country peoples, wanted to assess what gets community members to care about the ocean and support an MPA. Working in South Australia, which has 26 commonwealth or state marine parks, they picked five iconic local species who benefit from the MPA, including the Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea), giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama), white-bellied sea eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), and southern right whale (Eubalaena australis).

[zombiecakes]

Ssssecond round!

2, 3, 6, 10, 16, 18, 30, 47, 54!!!!!!

for Zirky <3

Round 2, fight!!

❤️❤️❤️❤️😘

2. Are they a canon main character? (Lone Wander, Courier Six, etc.)

I call him “sole survivor” in tags, but no. He grew up in the Commonwealth streets scrounging for food (and eventually chems as he got older) and bouncing from shitty group to shitty group.

3. What is their SPECIAL?

Strength - 1

Perception - 10 (after finding his glasses)

Endurance - 1

Charisma - 1

Intelligence- 2

Agility - 8

Luck - 8

Strengths: sneaky, can hit fukkers thru walls, and the people who manage to get a shot off in his direction usually end up killing themselves (ricochet). Lady luck adores him 😘

Weaknesses: Dumb, ugly, and can't carry shit (like he just finished putting lead lining on his armor and he has to carry a backpack or he's already encumbered before even picking anything up 😭)

Note from me: I play FO4 in a moving vehicle, so VATS is kinda my only option. It's been really interesting making an oc who just kinda sucks at everything and relies so heavily on technology LOL

6. Were they born pre-war or post-war?

Post-war

10. What language(s) do they speak?

He only knows two languages: English and Bad English

16. What is their biggest regret

He carries a lot of anger, but not a lot of regret. Regret requires that you take responsibility for the world around you, and he doesn't do that. In his opinion, he's always reacting, never in control. He has things he wishes he had the power to change, but no regrets. Well, maybe that's a regret? Not having more power? Fixing that is certainly his life's goal.

18. Do they have any disabilities, mutations, or implants / enhancements? Do they have any chronic illnesses?

Just him glasses and its VATS connection that he continues to seek upgrades for. Zirk isn't actually very good at anything on his own, so he's always looking for outside improvements, like VATS holotapes, to gain an edge.

30. What decisions have they made or actions have they done that affect their canon wasteland? (Did they blow up Megaton, have they killed/spared any major characters, etc.)

Besides being Raider boss? Let's seee….

Encouraged Covenant to keep doing its thing (he's VERY paranoid about synths and totally drank the lemonaid)

Parties with Mama Murphy

Realized he was losing raider loyalty to hunger and joined forces with Jake (sim settlements… Poor jake tho guys… 😔 Zirk is so mean to him…)

Gunner war (also sim settlements)!! 😤

I can't think of anything else rn LOL. I wish there were more ways to pursue the main plotline with just raiders but whatevs

47. Do they enjoy reading?

Not really. It's something he had to learn after he found the Pip Boy a few years ago, and it's still really difficult for him.

54. Do they prefer showers or baths?

Neither. Not unless they involve a vault-heated shower head and the company of a certain scrumptious mohawked raider 😊

[mahinee]

Nurturing the Heart: Understanding the Social and Emotional Well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities

Welcome to my Blog series on PSYCHOLOGY, WELL-BEING, AND RESILIENCE Where I will highlight 5 interesting topics. Read to explore!

In the rich tapestry of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, the essence of well-being lies in the social and emotional interconnectedness. As highlighted by the Commonwealth of Australia in 2017, this delicate balance serves as the cornerstone upon which both physical and mental health are built.

It's important to recognize that the concept of social and emotional well-being transcends individual experiences, encompassing a web of relationships that extend from the individual to the family and community. As noted by Brown et al. (2023), the nuances of well-being vary across Indigenous communities, shaped by diverse cultural perspectives and historical contexts. The notion of social and emotional well-being acknowledges that a person's well-being is also impacted by the social determinants of health. Indigenous Australians define health as the "social, emotional, and cultural well-being of the whole community" in addition to an individual's physical well-being (Fatima et al., 2023, p.31). This definition is based on a person's relationships to their country, culture, family, spirit, and physical and mental health.

Additionally, the National Agreement acknowledges that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are essential to better life outcomes for Indigenous Australians. All initiatives carried out by the Agreement must uphold, protect, and enhance these cultures. The following goals have been specifically set by the agreement to promote the cultural wellness of Indigenous Australians as shown in Figure 1 below (indigenoushpf.gov.au, 2024).

Figure 1: Targets to support cultural well-being

(Source: indigenoushpf.gov.au, 2024)

This particular group is marked with suicides and attempts to death based on different stress in life and stress factors. In the words of Smallwood et al., (2023, p.2088), the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders had been facing severe issues over time in search of good living and livelihood. Owing to this there had been intervention which was developed for the betterment of indigenous people living in Australia. Figure 2 below shows the rate of suicide attempts which had been caused by the people of this indigenous group (indigenoushpf.gov.au, 2024). Thus, the intervention of the Mental Health Agreement was formulated to secure sustainability and improve the services provided by the Australian mental health and suicide prevention system. It also aimed to improve the mental health of all Australians and governments have come together to establish the Mental Health Agreement (Masotti et al., 2023, p.741).

Figure 2: Suicide attempts by Aboriginals

(Source: indigenoushpf.gov.au, 2024)

In addition to responding to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health, the National Suicide Prevention Adviser's Final Advice, the Mental Health Agreement pledges to carry out work under the Fifth Plan going forward (indigenoushpf.gov.au, 2024). Regional planning and commissioning, priority populations, stigma reduction, safety and quality, gaps in the system of care and suicide prevention are the main areas of attention. On the other hand, psycho-social supports outside the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), workforce, and national consistency for initial assessment and referral are among the priority areas covered by the Mental Health Agreement.

References

Brown, A., Haregu, T., Gee, G., Mensah, F., Waters, L., Brown, S. J., ... & Armstrong, G. (2023). Social and emotional well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Aboriginal-controlled social housing. BMC public health, 23(1), 1935. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12889-023-16817-y

Fatima, Y., Liu, Y., Cleary, A., Dean, J., Smith, V., King, S., & Solomon, S. (2023). Connecting the health of country with the health of people: application of" caring for country" in improving the social and emotional well-being of Indigenous people in Australia and New Zealand. The Lancet Regional Health–Western Pacific, 31. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanwpc/article/PIIS2666-6065(22)00263-2/fulltext

indigenoushpf.gov.au (2024) Social and emotional wellbeing Retrived on 9 May 2024 from: https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/measures/1-18-social-emotional-wellbeing

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Smallwood, R., Usher, K., Woods, C., Sampson, N., & Jackson, D. (2023). De‐problematising Aboriginal young peoples’ health and well‐being through their voice: An Indigenous scoping review. Journal of clinical nursing, 32(9-10), 2086-2101. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/jocn.16308

[beardedmrbean]

Kentucky’s public colleges and universities would have to defund all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion offices and trainings, eliminate race-based scholarships and end administrative promotion or justification of so-called “discriminatory concepts” like white privilege under a Republican-backed bill filed Friday.

House Bill 9, introduced by Rep. Jennifer Decker, R-Waddy, would bar public post-secondary institutions from providing any “differential” or “preferential” treatment to a student or employee based on race, religion, sex, color or national origin.

That includes through any office, programming or training on diversity, equity and inclusion — also known as DEI — which has become a frequent target of conservatives nationwide.

In a news release accompanying the bill, Decker called DEI initiatives “misguided” and said they “made college more divided, more expensive and less tolerant.”

Diversity, equity and inclusion offices on campuses are designed to support marginalized or underrepresented student populations by fostering a more inclusive college experience, college administrators and experts say.

The University of Kentucky’s Office of Institutional Diversity, for example, says on its website it serves to “enhance the diversity and inclusivity of our university community through the recruitment and retention of an increasingly diverse population of faculty, administrators, staff and students.”

And UK does this, the office says, “by implementing initiatives that provide rich diversity-related experiences for all to help ensure their success in an interconnected world.”

“If education is to be the great equalizer in the commonwealth, the opportunity to obtain a college degree in our state must be equally available and affordable to all,” Decker said in a news release.

“HB 9 would allow our universities and colleges to return their focus to providing Kentucky students with excellent academic instruction in an environment that fosters critical thinking through constructive dialogue.”

A handful of states with Republican majorities have passed anti-DEI bills in recent years, perhaps most notably in Florida.

[greatwargospel]

My thoughts on the commonwealth BOS

I think the brotherhood of steel is really interesting and is kind of ignored in a lot of ways past the gung-ho militancy, so im posting abou it :). inspired by recently doing blind betrayal and my sister having an oc of a brotherhood member who gets maxson court martialed by the other elders. A lot of this is my interpretation and what ive read on the wiki. Essentially, the brotherhood as it stands in the commonwealth is bad, not only by normal means but by brotherhood means in some regards.

Outsider Recruits & The Codex

The codex, much to my disappointment, is not completely written out rulebook for the player to read in any of the fallout games, so we must take what is given to us. There are two or so different instances where the codex is quoted to reaffirm the isolationist polices of the brotherhood, in both FNV and FO3.

"We do not help them, or let them in. We keep knowledge they must never have" - Elder McNamara (FNV)

Despite it being ruled that outsiders are only allowed to join under very specfic circumstances, the Maxson allows for multiple unimpressive wastelanders to join the faction, following the precedent set forth by Elder Lyons in DC (Despite their iteration looking down on Lyons' leadership as a whole). The reason Lyons had to recruit wastelanders was due to Lyons not recieving as much support from Lost Hills council and other western chapters.

The Chain That Binds

I am really surprised that no one brings up the chain that binds in discussion about the commonwealth brotherhood, especially in reference to blind betrayal.

"Orders are to observe the flow and not skip ranks. A superior may only give orders to his direct subordinates, and not to those beneath them..." - Hidden Valley Terminal Entries (FNV)

As a knight, you are sent to answer to Maxson about Paladin Danse's synthhood, after convincing him you were none the wiser, Maxson gives you a direct order as elder to execute danse. This order skips roughly 12 different ranks that couldve given the order. The issue is that danse is your sponsor and direct commanding officer. The immediate and emergency gap in chain of command causes an issue but i do feel like there were either senior/head knights or paladins that you could be placed in their charge to give you the execution order.

[EDIT: Danse only gives you one mission during the entire BOS questline. Maxson mightve broken the chain the moment he asks you to Fort Strong. The other quests given by the Proctors and Lancer-Captain Kells are more iffy due to them not being your commanding officer but being roughly above rank but in different fields]

Requisitions

Upon meeting Proctor Teagan for the first time in the Prydwen he informs you that you will have to purchase your own...everything from him, rather than it being assigned to you like a regular military. This in itself is not a big issue like breaking a codex rule but more on the difference the commonwealth order between western branches as members traditionally do not have to pay for the services within the brotherhood unless you are an outsider recruit.

"I'm sorry, but you are an outsider. After you're in the Brotherhood for ten years or so I'll be able to do the operation for free." - Dr. Lorri (Fallout)

This can be bypassed once again by extenuating circumstances and the outsider member being a higher ranking member, but due to the BOS allowing more outsiders to join up.

So What?

I am a fan of fallout and the writing and worldbuilding of the brotherhood, so i want to take ceratain aspects and not change them but enhance them, allow maxsons chapter to be fucked. There are certain things that the BOS participates in like harrasing/threatening settlements into giving over crops and looking down upon Lyons attempts at altruism that could be really interestingly handeled, thats just kind swept under the rug. This is just a list of like codex and brotherhood rules that the commonwealth chapter doesnt really abideby though.

[weniswastelandwenis]

Companions React to Sole Hosting the Annual Commonwealth Fart-Off

Cait:

Becomes very aggressive and competitive when she enters the fart off. During the contest she begins to shove and punch other fartees while they’re trying to perform for the judges, and finally when it’s her turn to fart her hardest and loudest she scores very average and mediocre. (5/10)

Codsworth: 

Unfortunately cannot participate in the fart contest himself, as others argued he had the advantage of running on 100% pure gasoline. He quickly gets over this, and instead helps the contenders supply up on fuel for the contest by baking nutritious bean casserole, legume salads, and many other dairy-filled dishes. (0/10)

Curie: 

Does not understand the strange human custom of a fart-off. Thankfully to her new human body, she is allowed to participate, but she never once in her human life experienced the act of farting per-say. She spent a lot of late nights studying the act of farting, the scientific processes that occur, and how one may achieve the maximum blasting capacity the butt is capable of. Once on stage, she produces three quaint, tiny, chaste toots that don’t dazzle the judges, but do keep them entertained for a short while. (4/10)

Danse: 

Walks onto the stage quietly and self consciously. He clears his throat as he prepares to fart, but he is clearly nervous. Once he releases, the fart echos inside his power armor and sounds ten times as loud. The crowd is surprised and impressed. (8/10)

Deacon:

Deacon wishes the fart-off was his idea and spends many days preparing. He eats every can of beans in Sanctuary Hills. Deacon then spends each night leading up to the contest practicing, and the walls of his house shake as all the dirt-caked settlers hear him practicing. He spends the nights awake, staring at a crystal ball and contemplating the fart. When the day finally comes he is full of bravado and confidence and boasts to everyone around him about how he will have the strongest ass rip. He saunters on stage and points finger guns and the crowd. “Prepare to be blasted!” He says confidently. When he strikes a pose and farts, it is the most quiet and pathetic fart of them all. (0/10)

Hancock: 

Hancock is the most enthusiastic about the fart off. He takes a copious amount of drugs to prepare, but goes after Danse and he is worried he won’t measure up. Hancock stands on a stool to emphasize his power and tips his tricorn hat. However, from a night and day filled with hard drugs and cram he pushes too hard, and shits himself unceremoniously. The judges let out an audible disappointed sigh.They did give him an extra point for the flourish on dismount. (3/10)

MacCready: 

MacCready will do anything for caps, and he is promised a reward (without knowing about the fund to get Hancock a new pair of pants.) He used to have fart-offs in little lamplight all the time but he had never won before, and this was a deep traumatic wound of his. If he did not win, he was nothing and would remain nothing. He walks on stage and raises his arms and produces the most impressive fart anyone in the commonwealth has ever heard. It blows everyone’s hair back and the audience gasps. However, no one had expected foul play. As he was leaving the stage, a strange THUNK! noise sounded out, and something fell from his pants pocket. MacCready snuck in a megaphone in his pants, which magnified his farts like speakers. Performance enhancers is an automatic disqualification. (0/10)

Valentine:

Was in the middle of solving a cold case when Sole prospected the idea of him participating in the fart-off. He peered over his papers and locked eyes with Sole. “That sounds fun and all, but I’m this close to solving this case. Besides, I don’t think I have the, uhh… Proper machinery for that sort of thing.” Sole lunged over his desk and tore the papers from his hands, throwing vitally important papers and files into the fireplace. “Now you have to go. Come on, Nick!” He begrudgingly went to the fart-off, a pout on his face the whole way there. When it was his turn, he let out a single digital-sounding toot, to which Sole’s smile fell to a frown. She took off her “Nick is #1” foam finger and silently hid it under the desk. (1/10)

Piper:

She is excited about the fart-off and she wants to write an article about it for Publick Occurrences, but when she shows up excitedly to the match she’s kept at the gate by security. “No reporters unless you’re participating.” Piper seethes at being kept out and grabs every box of Salisbury Steak she can find. Piper downs the fuel and charges on stage. “This is for the Commonwealth!” She yells, and promptly vomits on stage. While impressive, it was also not the point of the competition. (6/10)

Preston:

Doesn’t love the idea, but he will do anything to help the settlers and Sole lies to him and says all the proceeds will go towards building new settlements, (when the caps are really going towards buying hancock a new pair of pants.) He goes up on stage with the support of the minutemen, but doesn't put any time into preparing at all. His fart was subpar at best and that was being nice. (2/10) 

Strong: 

Dozens of settlers bet hundreds of caps on him to be the back-to-back crown champion of the fart off. He had won last year’s competition, and the one before as well. The crowd all watched with bated breath as the Super Mutant lumbered onto stage, unaware of how much money was riding on his fart quality and success. He stood before the judges and started to squat, as was per his stratagem. He strained and screamed, all muscles tensing in unison, but the unexpected happened. A loud BURP! resounded throughout the auditorium, and the crowd started throwing tickets on the ground and screamed and hollered. “That’s my whole month’s pay down the drain!” Maccready cried. (0/10)

X6: 

Everyone knew X6-88 was a force to be reckoned with. In Sanctuary, the settlers would part for him to pass, like a sea. It was the end of the day and everyone was wrapping up for the night. He was the last contestant, and the settlers started dissipating from the bleachers. As he stepped up on stage, they stopped at the exit just to catch of a glimpse of this Courser possibly floundering. Possibly showing that he is weaker than humans in one single way. As he stood on stage, hands behind his back, It started with low vibrations. The water in Sole’s cup started shaking, threatening to spill. The judges had to brace themselves to not get blown away. Then came the sound. The loudest, most ear-shattering fart sounded out from the Courser’s britches. His duster flew back patriotically like the American flag flying in the wind. Sole started crying and put one hand over her heart and started to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Only after 30 seconds did the fart quiet. The judges all stood up and clapped, tears streaming down their eyes. They attempted to compliment him, but they had all gone deaf. X6-88 adjusted his sunglasses and stood proudly, satisfied that he had asserted his dominance over mankind. (10/10)