#Insightful take on parliament fight.

[insightfultake]

Chaos in the Halls of Democracy: A History of Physical Fights in Indian Parliament

Indian democracy, often celebrated as the largest in the world, is a testament to the diversity and vibrancy of its people. However, the country's legislative halls have not always been paragons of decorum. Over the decades, Indian Parliament has witnessed several instances of physical altercations, which reveal the high stakes and deep divisions in its political fabric. From verbal confrontations escalating into fistfights to furniture being overturned, these incidents have often dominated headlines, sparking debates about the health of India’s democracy. Here, we explore the history, causes, and implications of such clashes, spanning from the early years of independence to 2024....Expand to read more

[thereallifecath]

I doubt I can reason with you, but truly, we are voting for an administration we can protest. An administration we can criticize. One that may actually change if pressured enough. You said yourself you don’t know how the ballot works. Here’s how it works: there’s two candidates that could possibly win. That’s it. Harris, or Trump. Third party is statistically impossible. This isn’t how it should be, but it is. A lot of vulnerable people (see: those listed in your pinned post) would be devastated under a second Trump admin. With Harris, we have a fighting chance at maintaining or improving our rights, and can continue to fight for Palestine without unfathomable repercussions. This would be all but impossible under Trump. Please don’t weigh in on USAmerican elections online when you admittedly don’t understand them. Thank you for listening, and understand I mean no disrespect by any of this, just hope I can give some insight on the unfortunate reality of our choice. Not voting for Harris is a vote from Trump and essentially my own death warrant as a marginalized USAmerican.

Starting any response off with ‘I doubt I can reason with you’, is immediately disrespectful and a cop out. You don’t know me, we’ve, as far as I’m aware, never conversed before and so I am confused as to why you feel ready to make that assumption - that I’m an unreasonable person.

I am Australian, so I am aware of how frustrating it is to be constantly told to vote for the lesser of two evils because statistically the other parties won’t win… but I also understand that that statement is very much a ploy to keep us voting for the same two parties. Here in Aus, there is a ranking system on the ballot, so you can vote for your first choice, second, third, etc. So that is very different, to my understanding of how the US American’s ballot works. You claim that I admitted to not understanding how American elections work, when I didn’t - I stated that I don’t know how specifically the ballot works - as in what it looks like. I was having a hard time getting a straight answer on whether there is other parties on the ballot other than Republican and Democratic, and I understand now that there is but like here, it’s unlikely that anyone else will win. It is of course, easier for me to say that I would vote someone else, as again here it’s different but I also don’t know how real change is supposed to happen if we (globally) just shrug our shoulders and accept the system instead of fighting it or trying to change it. How is anyone other party ever going to have a chance if everyone collectively just agrees to that shitty vote for the lesser of two evils bullshit. I’m not telling you - and I didn’t once say that I hate Americans for voting for Kamala, I was mainly criticising celebrities and people in power for supporting this rhetoric instead of trying to invoke real change.

You say a lot of vulnerable people would be devastated under Trump rule as if no one is being devastated now. I am very much aware of the struggles the American people face, as the Australian government/parliament follows and kisses USA’s ass more often than not. What happens in America doesn’t just happen in America, it’s a ripple effect that affects life and laws here too. The police here take inspiration from the USA’s police, and Prime Ministers always buddy up to the Presidents. In saying that it’s not as overtly bad here as it is in America, but USA news is constantly broadcasted here. There is of course one candidate that is worse than the other, and in no way am I saying that you shouldn’t vote or that voting for Trump would end up better than Kamala, but talking about it like Kamala is going to be better than him, feels wrong. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party are basically the same at this point, they both want the same things, except one is just a lot more open and honest about it than the other. Kamala first and foremost will always be a cop, and she is not going to go easy on protesters and that’s evident in the last four years - hell - the last eleven months with Palestine Protests and police’s abhorrent behaviour towards students and other protestors. She may not have been President, but she was Vice, and I wonder how much in the past two years has been Biden, and how much has fallen to her because of his age and physical state at the time. By vulnerable people, I wonder if Muslim, Palestinian, and Middle Eastern citizens of the US as a whole, are considered under your definition, because if you ask them their lives don’t get better with either option. Same goes for the black community, it’s been horrible for decades, Kamala isn’t going to actively make it any better. And considering a high portion of violence against African Americans and people of colour is done by the police, why do you think Kamala is going to listen? I don’t want anyone to die or get hurt, and I understand that under Trump more people will be in danger, but Palestinians don’t have a threat of danger - they’re past that - the danger is a constant, almost a certainty that they will die sooner or later… if no one stops it now. I’m not telling you that whole stupid thing of ‘you can’t complain cause it’s worse in x’ I’m saying that I don’t see how just voting for the lesser of two evils is going to help anything, when you could band together and vote for a third party instead. Statistically it may be impossible but physically it’s not? You could invoke real change.

And the ‘you’ part isn’t even the main issue I had. I am more than allowed to criticise celebs for their engagement in an active genocide and how their behaviour and influence affects real issues. I have lost all hope in celebrities this past year and to see two celebs I loved, especially Misha Collins, endorse a woman who supports the genocide is disheartening for sure, and considering the fucking emotional wreck you naturally become when you see burnt body parts of kids on the fucking daily, yeah I’m gonna be angry, and yeah I’m gonna be angry at the people who are putting their hand in to help the wrong side. Both Trump and Kamala want Israel to succeed, and I don’t see how standing on the side of either can be seen as the right choice. I don’t want Trump to win, but shit has been fucked under the Biden/Harris administration and I of course get angry when I see people praising her. And really, a whole GEEKS FOR HARRIS/WALZ event when you have not done a single fundraiser for Palestine? Fuck that, that’s just openly being ignorant of the people suffering because of Israel yes, but also because of the USA’s involvement as well as Canada’s, Australia’s and Britain’s too. The western imperialist countries have done NOTHING to help Palestine, instead we have disgusting officials encouraging the killing of babies - celebrating it even, and we just have to sit back and stay partial to the bullshit. I’m tired of the system and you should be too, be radical, try to change the system because it’s not working for anyone and Kamala isn’t going to change that. The least we can do is demand that Kamala understand that the president should serve the people, and that to get the people’s vote she must divest from and sanction Israel.

And look I’m not going to fault you for voting for her, in complete honesty, I get it, it’s a fucking difficult situation. But I am going to fault everyone involved in creating this stupid event, because they could’ve put on a fundraiser or sanction Israel event sometime in the past eleven months, but they didn’t and they still could’ve put on an event to convince the people that they do have a choice and they can actually change things by voting third party. Yeah people aren’t going to vote third party if they are told they can’t or their vote doesn’t matter if they do. And I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings in any way, I genuinely am, but I am fucking tired of seeing people in so much pain and not being able to do much about it. The least these celebs can do is openly campaign against Israhell but they don’t, and I’m more than entitled to tell them to fuck off when instead they support Kamala Harris.

The protests for Palestine have been going on for 75 years, there is very little tiny chance that Kamala is going to somehow listen to protestors when she’s elected and change things. We have to change things, the people, and I get it, you can’t change things is you’ve got a dictator preventing you from doing so, but talking about Kamala like she is going to help… isn’t it.

[alphaman99]

Reposting this letter written by a Canadian Professor, Lena Bykhovsky who teaches biblical studies at Carleton University in Ottawa.

-----

“Dear Students,

I have spent the last 25 years showing you the beauty of all of the literary, cultural, philosophical, and artistic heights of the human spirit over the course of human history. Teaching you has been the most wonderful and satisfying of callings. I never wanted to do anything other than meet with you, discuss ideas with you, discover and rediscover human insights, truths, and wonders. I never regretted my career path, never hated my job, and never doubted my legacy. I felt privileged and honoured to show you how to analyse, to think critically, to weigh evidence, and to understand people and ideas, contexts and complexity, deeply and thoroughly. I thought my work was helping to make the world a better, more humane, more thoughtful place.

You have broken my heart. No: shattered it, irreparably. I don’t know how I will ever set foot in a classroom again. I don’t know how I will ever see you the same way. I know now that I was deluding myself that I ever had any impact, would ever leave any positive legacy, that my work ever made any difference.

I watch you all on social media, in the streets and the quads, marching in solidarity with a movement that seeks only to wipe me out. To exterminate me, my children, my parents, my entire family and community. I know, some of you think you’re trying to help the oppressed. You think that my kind is the white colonialist racist kind that you hate.

But I thought I taught you how to evaluate arguments. I thought I taught you the importance of understanding context, both historical and rhetorical. I thought that I taught you that the world did not operate according to dichotomies, like black and white, oppressor and oppressed, villain and victim. I thought I taught you about complexity, about judgment, and to examine your sources and not to take anyone’s statements at face value.

Zionism is the Jewish right to self-determination in our ancestral homeland. Israel is that ancestral homeland. Jews are the indigenous peoples of that land; not the only indigenous peoples of that land, to be sure. But Israel is the only land to which we are indigenous. After 2000 years of longing, the result of the Holocaust – a Nazi movement which sought to ethnically cleanse the world of Jews by systematically exterminating us – was that the international community granted us a sliver of that ancestral homeland.

It was to be shared, partitioned into a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Arabs rejected the partition and attacked the Jews when they declared the state of Israel in 1948. The Jews won. Arabs who remained in Israel became citizens with full rights and freedoms. 20% of Israel’s population today is Arab. They fight in the army, they are doctors, lawyers, members of Parliament and supreme court judges. There is no apartheid. Israel’s Jewish population consists of Jews from Arab lands, whose parents or grandparents were kicked out when the state of Israel was formed, and of descendants of refugees from Eastern Europe, Holocaust survivors who had no homes to return to. Some are more recent refugees from Europe, Russia, and the Americas who either returned to Israel for religious reasons or because the Jew-hatred in their communities grew too excessive and they decided to emigrate, to head for the one place in the world Jews can go if their neighbours or governments turn against them.

The West Bank and Gaza strip – along with refugee camps that still exist in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan -- were the places that the Arab nations who attacked Israel at its founding told the Arabs living in Palestine (later to be known as Palestinians) to flee. It was supposed to be temporary, because the plan was to “push the Jews into the sea.” When the plan didn’t work out, all of these states refused to absorb the Palestinians. They wanted to keep them in camps because they still planned to annihilate Israel and the Jews that lived there and then the Palestinians could return. The West Bank was in Jordan and Gaza was in Egypt until 1967, when the Arab states tried again to push the Jews into the sea. Their failure this time ended with Israel capturing these territories.

When Israel tried to exchange land for peace and give Gaza back to Egypt, Egypt didn’t want it. And so the territories remained in Israel. In 2005 Israel pulled out of Gaza and left it to govern itself. Most of the West Bank is also self-governing, but not all because of the high number of suicide bombers and other threats to Israel’s existence fomenting there, so Israel hasn’t been able to fully remove itself. The current awful Israeli government has allowed religious fanatics, “settlers,” to build settlements there, which makes everything worse.

And you see what I did there? I criticized Israel’s government. I can do that, and still support the existence of a Jewish state in our ancestral homeland.

When you say “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” this is a call to ethnic cleansing of Jews from their homeland, from the only state in the entire Middle East that would look remotely familiar to you in terms of basic rights and freedoms and a democratic system if you were to visit the region. When Hamas supporters – like those who led you all in a rally on my home campus today – talk about Jews as “occupiers,” they don’t mean Gaza. They mean the whole state of Israel. They want Jews eradicated from the entire land. Hamas actually wants us gone from the whole world, as they have stated many times. Who are the Nazis now?

But here I am, teaching again. I can’t help myself. I wish that you cared what I had to say. I wish that some knowledge, some context, some understanding, could reach beyond the slogans and chants for my death that you are repeating mindlessly and endlessly as you march to the beat of hatred across the tattered remains of my broken soul.”

===

[head-post]

HP Insight

True colours of Amsterdam football violence

The mayhem on 7-8 November in Amsterdam caused global astonishment as the city was considered the most democratic and tolerant all over the world. However, a court was considering a ban on rallies and public actions in Amsterdam on Monday, with a heated debate taking place in the Dutch parliament this week.

The debate could affect the ruling coalition. The riots started after a football match between local AFC Ajax, hosting Israeli Maccabi Tel Aviv FC, in the Dutch capital. Victims of the violence were demanded to respond as to what nationality they belonged to, forcing them to shout “Free Palestine,” according to Dutch media.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu compared the violence to Kristallnacht, the mass riots on the night of 9-10 November 1938 in then Germany. Global media expressed concern about the ethnic confrontation between fans, but Dutch sources preferred to remain silent about the events in Amsterdam.

Europe has recently experienced an upsurge in anti-Semitism. While in some countries the perpetrators are brought to justice, things are somewhat different in the Netherlands. Media and politicians are divided in their opinions.

National-oriented publications and politicians, such as Party for Freedom (PVV) leader Geert Wilders demanded the immediate arrest of those who attacked the Maccabi fans, whereas liberal newspapers, which uphold democratic values, preferred to put the riots into the background.

Wilders has been fighting the influx of Muslims into the Netherlands for years, with the party even calling for a complete ban on the Islamic religion in the country. Marking the 20th anniversary of the murder of renowned film director Theo van Gogh on the streets of Amsterdam, the politician complained that he was forced to live under round-the-clock security.

Meanwhile, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema stated that many of the rioters were simply “unhappy with what is happening in Gaza.” Critics saw this as an excuse for blatant anti-Semites. MP Stephan van Baarle also accused Israeli fans of inciting hatred and provoking riots, presenting video evidence.

Amsterdam’s Muslim communities, however, were looking specifically for Jews, not just Maccabi fans or Israelis, to be targeted. Therefore, the attempt by some media to justify the pogroms or mitigate the guilt of the innocent raises questions. Political experts stress that today the radicals who organise mayhem are conventionally divided into two groups: “bad” and “good” ones. The former are the perpetrators of the riots who cause discontent, whereas the latter are those who are covered up by the concerned media and politicians, who use them for their own purposes.

Erik Kelly for Head-Post.com

Send your author content for publication in the INSIGHT section to headpost.social@gmail.com

[seoprivatetourguide]

india election results 

"India election results" describes the results of elections that were conducted in India. Elections for local, state, or federal offices could be held at different levels of government. This is a synopsis:

Comprehending the Indian Election Outcomes: A Summary

India, the largest democracy in the world, has periodical elections at different levels to choose representatives to run the government. The outcome of the elections has a significant impact on how politics are shaped and how government is run.

Important Points: Diverse Elections: There are several levels of elections held in India, including:

National Elections: The Lok Sabha, the lower chamber of the Indian Parliament that chooses the Prime Minister, is composed of the members chosen in these elections. State Elections: To select representatives for their separate legislative assemblies, all of India's states and union territories hold elections. Elections for Local entities: To choose local representatives, local entities including municipalities, panchayats, and municipal corporations also have elections. Election Procedure: In India, the election procedure involves voter registration, polling, candidate and political party campaigning, and vote counting. The Indian Election Commission supervises election administration and guarantees impartiality and openness.

Political Parties: A number of national and regional political parties are fighting for control in India's multiparty system. Among the major national parties are the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC). In some states, regional parties are very powerful.

Consequences of Results: The results of the Indian elections will have a significant impact on socioeconomic development, governance, and policymaking. It establishes the leadership at different governmental levels and represents the desire of the populace.

Impact on Governance: The majority-seat coalition or party in the legislature establishes and takes control of the government. Millions of residents' lives are impacted by the policies and choices made by the ruling party, which also shapes the direction of government.

Media Coverage: News outlets provide live updates, analysis, and commentary on the electoral process, trends, and outcomes. The election results in India are widely covered by the media.

In conclusion, the outcomes of the Indian election demonstrate the democratic process in operation, highlighting the strength of participatory governance and the voice of the people. Millions of people's lives are impacted by the policies and decisions they influence, so determining the direction of politics and government in the nation.

For the most recent information and analysis on the outcomes of the Indian election as they develop and influence the country's future, keep an eye on reputable news sites.

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[olifiasarifah]

Article: Success from the point of view of Denny Ja: peeling a lucky story

In a world full of struggles and challenges, there are people who have achieved success through hard work, dedication, and a little touch of luck. One of the figures that has shown this is Denny JA, known as a leading academic, writer, and thinker in Indonesia. The story of Denny JA’s luck has inspired many people, and in this article we will further explore his life journey to success.    Denny JA was born on February 9, 1950 in Pati City, Central Java. Since childhood, he has shown deep interest in the world of knowledge and culture. He often reads various essay poems, magazines and newspapers, which help him broaden insight and knowledge about the world around him. Denny Ja also has a high curiosity, which encourages him to continue learning and find answers to questions that always arise in his mind.    After completing his secondary education, Denny Ja continued his studies at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta, where he majored in political science. During his college period, Denny Ja was active in various student organizations and often participated in discussions and seminars. This helps him to expand the network, deepen political understanding, and develop leadership skills that are important capital in his life journey.    After graduating from college, Denny Ja began his career as a lecturer at the University of Indonesia. There, he taught various courses related to politics and social. In addition, Denny Ja also actively wrote various articles and essay poetry that focused on political and government issues. His work gets high appreciation from academics and the general public, and makes it one of the figures who are respected in the Indonesian intellectual world.    However, Denny Ja’s luck does not only come from his success as academics and writers. He also managed to take advantage of opportunities that emerged in politics. In 1998, when Indonesia was experiencing a big political change, Denny Ja was involved in the reform movement that opposed the authoritarian regime who was in power at that time. His active role in advocating democracy and freedom of expression to bring him to become an important figure in Indonesian political change.    Denny Ja’s political career is growing when he was elected as a member of the House of Representatives (DPR) in 2004. As a member of the DPR, he continued to fight for the interests of the people and fight for political reform. In this position, Denny Ja succeeded in influencing public policy and votes for those who do not have representatives in parliament.    In addition to his political career, Denny Ja is also famous as a consultant. He has a consulting company that focuses on research and strategy development. Denny Ja often cooperates with companies and organizations in various research and research projects. His expertise in analyzing data and providing a strategic view has helped many people and organizations achieve their goals.    The story of Denny Ja’s luck not only includes his success in the academic world, politics, and consultation, but also in his personal life. He has a harmonious and supportive family, as well as many friends and colleagues who appreciate it.

Check more: Success from the point of view of Denny Ja: peeling a lucky story

[iincantatorum]

verse; forge of empires

aspects/events in the verse:

Banquets/Union: two distinct acts occur in this area. first off, a feast is held to celebrate the prosperity of the kingdom. the sultan is sometimes there, and sometimes not. either way, it is carefully orchestrated so that the prominent members of society are properly taken care of, and at times business matters are shared but it’s mostly to relax and socialize. the other aspect are gifts, shared by heads of unions that the sultan successfully protected from outside forces. these gifts are mainly luxurious items such as robes and jewelry, and other spoils of war. 

Frontier: the sultan’s righthand men, the Viziers as they are called, would come together and hunt wild game, which would turn into meats furs, and bone tools that are sold at the market. 

Divination: the sultan believes in the otherworldly spirits, and tends to visit a fortune teller to know what events will bring him luck. he holds the oracle in high esteem and keeps her in good conditions so that she can reassure him that no bad luck will follow.

Imperial Parliament: Here the sultan learns about how many men are enlisted in the armies, the amount of grains they were able to grow, and the amount of gold they were able to add to their imperial vault. It’s a balancing act for him, because the more men enlisted in the army meant less would be farming for grains, and both aspects have a hand in the total amount of wealth of the kingdom.

Arena: Prominent heroes of war would rise up and fight in the arena, where their patrons would give them payment and housing, as well as fame. At times, Viziers themselves would take part, showing their prowess that despite their high title, they are deserving frontrunners of military campaigns. 

Masquerade: The sultan would visit renowned painters, scientists, visit the marketplace, and various gardens. He would make friends and share insight with the kingdom, and his subject would give him honest reviews of how he is ruling- all because he is in disguise.

[swordoforion]

Orion Digest №45 - Alternate Models of ESF: What is Essential?

Eco-socialist federalism was founded on, and still relies upon, its central tenets. Regardless of the method by which it is implemented, it is important to understand that the nations of Earth must be united under one federation, that economy cannot serve the people adequately unless the means of production are available to public use, and until the system created is focused upon the preservation of Earth's ecosystem to allow humanity's continued survival. Everything else, much of what has been introduced in past issues, is merely models and suggestions on how this much could realistically be achieved.

I stand firm on the idea that the basic description listed above is true and necessary, but I also understand that the methods previously disclosed could be susceptible to my personal biases or lapses in my knowledge. Many have tried to implement the above concepts and met with some degree of failure, though the ideals are not to blame; simply the way they were handled. Similarly, I intend to keep writing and proposing more details on eco-socialist federalism as I envision it, but at the same time I am entirely welcome to alternate interpretations and approaches to the application of ESF to the world's political systems, as well as suggestions for improvement upon my own models.

It is not that I consider what I have written incorrect, but one person's perspective on such an issue might not compare to the perspectives of many. The two may align, but I find that the insights and experiences of others can make a collaborative piece of theory or art all the greater, and the juxtaposition of two differing perspective on an issue can prove a great testing ground for the merits of an individual theory. I believe that there are multiple ways that eco-socialist federalism can be achieved, and that different models can be more effective at accomplishing the goals of Orion.

While our membership leaves us currently unable for such a democratic assembly, the aim is to spread across the world and accumulate members that can reach a consensus on a strategy forward, and when the time comes, I am prepared to make my case not just through essays, but to members of Orion from every region, in hopes that I will find a majority that is in agreement with my plan. At the same time, to not leave my strategy up to democratic review would be a disservice to the spirit of the mission - we aim to build a world that serves the people, and if it is found that my judgement is lacking, and that current ESF models are inefficient in putting people and progress first, I am welcome to new and fresh ideas.

Similarly, when the time comes where Orion's structure has been filled out and established, I intend not to continue to serve as Instruist (as derived from the Esperanto word 'instruisto', the elected chair of Sword COMMAND, the executive house of Orion's command structure - represented by the office's seal, DKTC) until properly and democratically re-elected by such an assembly. My intent is to lay down the foundations of Orionist theory, philosophy and structure, as well as to propose my own approach to them, and leave it up to future members of this organization as to what path they shall choose to take.

So then, how might other models differ? While a federation must remain democratic, the structure of Parliament, the Judiciary, and the Executive Bureaucracy are not set in stone, let alone are the presence of such houses assured. Models that still allow for citizens to have a say in every level of government still accomplish the basic purpose. An economy can still be socialist while ridding itself of the market, so long as every citizen that falls beneath the livable threshold is provided for, and that the means of production are accountable and available to the public, rather than to private ownership. Finally, while de-escalation is one proposed strategy for environmental revitalization, there could exist both more and less extreme alternatives to save the ecosystem, especially as more and more advanced technology is developed.

It is important to understand that these models may need to change with the passage of time due to the unpredictability of the future. Certain circumstances may arise that require Orion to adapt and change, whether political, social, or environmental. For example, should the federation established one day be distorted into the antithesis of its ideals, it would be foolhardy to simply try once more with the same exact strategy; it is of vital importance that Orion can learn and grow with time. Just as a federation may be fallible, it is important for each member to understand that so too could the organization become doggedly stuck on an incorrect path, and as a member, it is important to stand up and fight even their fellow members on issues of importance to the organization and the world.

Outside of eco-socialist federalism, the other two primary components essential to Orionist thought are those of philosophy and structure, both of which have been laid out. Digest No. 41 detailed the basics of Orionist philosophy - the five levels (beauty, empathy, responsibility, discipline, and sacrifice) that detail the duty to fight so that the people of the world can truly appreciate the world around them and find greater meaning in their lives. Structure is listed already in several places - the two house command structure of Orion (Sword COMMAND, of which the Instruist is elected and the other positions are appointed; and the Council of Flagbearers, of which regions elect their own representatives), as well as the three branches (Sword of Orion, Liberius, Museion Institute) and their respective chapters.

Beyond this, I anticipate that over the course of Orion's existence, the words and theories written down in the Digest may be subject to change and evolution, and while I may find myself in disagreement, I am open to the idea of being proved wrong. However, it is vital that the theory, philosophy, and structure remain essential. We cannot forget that people deserve to enjoy the world, and that we owe it to each other to be kind and work together. We cannot neglect the precious balance between us and our natural habitat. We must make sure that our society is one that is united and puts accountability in the hands of both the individual and the community. Finally, as long as there are those who are willing to strive for these ideals, Orion must fight for the survival and prosperity of humanity, and for that unending pursuit of beauty and knowledge.

- DKTC FL

[mrkanman]

ok but you know what for a main character and audience pov (literally) fern awful hospital has been such a well developed character and person as well as protagonist.

fern's goal is simple. find her son and bring him home. but the way that these goals become further recontextualized and given greater consequences than beyond just her, her son, and whoever took her son as the story progresses is just. really well executed.

and another thing is that like. fern is NEVER blamed for the loss of her son or when she couldn't fix what was making him so sick. not by any character or by the narrative and idk it feels. good! it feels good for a story to not be cruel to her for it when it would be low hanging fruit for drama for someone less mindful.

moreover, fern is genuinely like. a good person. she's a good person who in the wake of meeting frankly horrific monstrosities forces herself to stop, evaluate, and try to see it through the other's perspective. which is. basically a huge part of awful hospital's themes: the examination of perspective. amd i think that's really interesting for her! how she would still see a writhing mass of arteries as a child who she can grow fond of, how she can feel sympathy for the most textbook evil AI trope because she knows he's just a scared and angry manchild and it's just.

fern thinks a lot. and not just in like. we the audience literally see and somewhat control her thinking. but i mean like. she thinks about people. she thinks abt why they might be doing what they're doing. and that takes a lot of personal insight and wisdom, and why the fact that she and the kidney stone blade have become such a good match. like story-wise establishing that fight as something that cemented fern's growing acceptance of these beings that see the world so differently than her has allowed her to understand FAR MORE about what the Parliament had been doing more than most characters. and like....god...me love green lady.

[studiopeachz]

Women Empowerment Research

What is women empowerment?

“Women's empowerment is the process of empowering women. It may be defined in several ways, including accepting women's viewpoints or making an effort to seek them, raising the status of women through education, awareness, literacy, and training” Empowering women is a part of a person’s well being to enable them to feel ‘powerful’ in their own way. Being powerful can mean a lot of things and can come from philosophy, wisdom, talents, work ethic, and so much more that helps build a person’s character.  

What is the history of Feminism and Women Empowerment in New Zealand?

https://theconversation.com/why-new-zealand-was-the-first-country-where-women-won-the-right-to-vote-103219 

125 years ago today Aotearoa New Zealand became the first country in the world to grant all women the right to vote. The event was part of an ongoing international movement for women to exit from an inferior position in society and to enjoy equal rights with men. Many supported universal male suffrage and a less rigid class structure, enlightened race relations and humanitarianism that also extended to improving women’s lives. These liberal aspirations towards societal equality contributed to the 1893 women’s suffrage victory.

At the end of the 19th century, feminists in New Zealand had a long list of demands. It included equal pay, prevention of violence against women, economic independence for women, old age pensions and reform of marriage, divorce, health and education – and peace and justice for all.

During the 1880s, depression and its accompanying poverty, sexual licence and drunken disorder further enhanced women’s value as settling maternal figures.

New Zealand gained much strength from an international feminist movement. Women were riding a first feminist wave that, most often grounded in their biological difference as life givers and carers, cast them as moral citizens. With hindsight, the feminist movement can be implicated as an agent of colonisation, but it did support votes for Māori women. Meri Te Tai Mangakāhia presented a motion to the newly formed Māori parliament to allow women to vote and sit in it.

What does women empowerment mean to Gen Z?

https://www.thinkhousehq.com/insights/bodies-blood-brilliance-gen-z-feminism 

“Everyone should be feminist, because it’s about equality. It’s not about telling women what they should or shouldn’t do, if someone wants to wear make up then they can, and if they don’t want to wear make up then they don’t have to. But there is an issue with many self-proclaimed feminist being gatekeepers. My friends and I think that TERFs, particularly, are a major issue. Feminism is also about helping men, helping them express their emotions and not have to be the breadwinners of a family and destroying toxic masculinity.” - Grace, 18

From actresses to survivors, artists to poets, and models to musicians, what Gen Z feminist icons all have in common is that they channel their creativity expertly to tell their stories, while adopting an unapologetic activist approach to opening conversation and fighting for justice, change and equality.

Representation in popular feminism today takes many forms. It’s about equal representation in society, with regard to industry, politics and policy making and equal representation in culture. Initiatives like Her Story aim to raise the profile of women’s stories, as a way to combat the global phenomenon of amnesia of women’s stories in history and more contemporary times.

Gen Z are talking more openly about vaginas, periods, miscarriages, body hair, the lot. This celebration is not only about the differences between women’s personal experiences, but also of the distinctive traits all women hold. The representation particular feminine traits and the unique brilliance of women comes to the fore in conversation here: 

“While equality is important, to me it’s more about valuing the traits that a woman has. Creating more feminine, comfortable environments could bring about a positive change in different ways.”- Alwyn, 25.

Ultimately, what these trends tell us about feminism today, is that young women today are radical about owning who they are and being recognized accurately by wider society. They are unashamedly channeling their intelligence, digital currency, agency and creative skill, with purpose, to shout louder and more powerfully as a group than ever before.

https://musebycl.io/7-ways-empowering-gen-z-girls-change-world 

These girls—especially those born from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s—have the ambition, confidence and desire to make a difference in the world. So much so that they've inspired me to take the leap from communicating to women to making a real cultural change.

Having other strong, supportive women to look up to will be a motivator to these girls when they enter the workforce. With initiatives like the #SeeHer movement, the advertising industry is already making an effort to accurately portray women in media, and hopefully strong women will continue to take the spotlight.

Individuality is important to Gen Z, so encouraging them to pursue their passions is vital. Recognizing that their lives are multifaceted and giving them the tools to explore and grow will help inspire them both at work and beyond.

https://psmag.com/ideas/why-generation-z-is-embracing-feminism 

In many cultural contexts, Generation Z appears to be embracing feminism as a positive thing, demonstrating confidence in the power of activism, particularly via social media.

Malala Yousafzai, or 18-year-old Emma González, who's at the heart of the #NeverAgain movement protesting gun violence in the U.S.,

Online feminist campaigns such as #everydaysexism, #MeToo, and #TimesUp all draw energy from the new consciousness among this generation.

How is women empowerment done/displayed in a Gen Z way? - consider what inspired you to do a women empowerment campaign.

“HOT GIRL SUMMER”

https://time.com/5632924/hot-girl-summer-meme-explained/ 

If you’ve logged onto Twitter or swiped through your Instagram at any point this summer, you’ve definitely seen a post declaring it’s a hot girl summer. The now-ubiquitous phrase, a call to live your most confident and unapologetic life, was coined in the early months of the season by Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion, whose colorful monikers for herself also include “the H-Town Hottie” and “Hot Girl Meg.”

Contrary to what one might assume when hearing “hot girl,” the lifestyle is not focused on aspiring towards conventional beauty or influencer clout. Instead, it’s an embrace of confidence at its most essential: loving who you are and doing what you want, without caring what others think.

hot girl summer is for “women — and men — having a good-a– time, hyping up your friends, doing you and not giving a damn what anybody has to say about it.”

(the hashtag #hotgirlsummer has been used over 170k times on Instagram, while the hot girl summer has been used on Twitter a whopping 2 million times over the past month) distills an affinity, exhibited by many women in 2019, towards body positivity and self-affirmation. Hot girl summer, a hip-hop feminist manifesto, taps into these movements from many angles, championing confidence, sensuality and fun.

Tacho explained why she embraced hot girl summer to TIME thusly: “It’s a positive movement! Having a Hot Girl Summer is all about being the best version of yourself and doing what you want to do. It’s all about having fun.”

And as with most things on the Internet, it’s attracted its fair share of controversy. Although Megan clearly stated that hot girl summer is gender neutral, some trolls on the Internet were determined to make hot girl summer a battle of the sexes, pitting it against a “hot boy summer” or a “city boy summer,” the latter being a play on the rap group the City Girls (the duo is known for their fierce, take-no-prisoners approach to love and sex in their music).

“I CAN’T TALK RIGHT NOW, I’M DOING HOT GIRL SH*T”

https://www.buzzfeed.com/andriamoore/doing-hot-girl-sht-tiktok-trend 

Megan Thee Stallion gifted us the slogan of a lifetime when she broke onto the music scene and coined the phrase, "real hot girl sh*t."

If you don't know, the phrase has basically become a battle cry for female empowerment.

But the latest TikTok trend is putting a hilarious twist on that sense of empowerment. People are uploading videos of themselves doing... well, things that aren't typically in the realm of "hot girl sh*t"— like shaving your stomach.

If anything, this trend has only further increased the purpose of the hot girl anthem: feeling proud and confident with who you are already.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/z3v873/hot-girl-shit-meme-megan-thee-stallion-tiktok 

Over the past couple of months, “hot girl shit” has swept through social media like a heat wave. These videos feature people, mostly those who identify as women, embracing their most everyday, banal moments—shaving their upper lips, putting on face packs, savouring the last few puffs of a joint, involved in an intense gaming sesh or simply taking their 23rd nap in the day—under the guise of doing something that could be considered hot, a term that generally refers to the sexual attractiveness of a person.

But what they may lack in logical reasoning, they make up for in deeper meaning: letting the world know that being “hot” isn’t just equated to someone’s physical appearance anymore. That being hot is a mentality, a mindset that involves extra dollops of extreme self-confidence, and something to be found inherently within us rather than something you’re blessed at birth with or what your cosmetic surgeon helped you achieve.

TikToking and Reels-ing our way to chipping away centuries of female objectification and sexism, prompted by the male-dominated industry ideal of how women should look and behave to “qualify” as hot.

“This trend proves that ‘hot girl shit’ lies on a spectrum, and is ultimately just about feeling confident,” Uchenna, the first known creator of this meme format, who goes by her screen moniker @makeupbychelseax, told VICE. The young creator sees the trend as a way to reclaim the identity of what a “hot” girl should be, after centuries of the concept hanging on the hinges of the male gaze.

Mulvey theorises that essentially the male gaze hypersexualises women, reducing them to objects of attraction for the male lead. The male gaze, which has been dominant throughout the history of pop culture, ultimately drives the perception of what the ideal woman should look like.

Over decades of women being seen through a stereotypical lens in pop culture and art, mostly crafted by heterosexual men, the male gaze has also conditioned many young women who consume this content to strive to achieve the same standards of the perfect on-screen female lead.

“The stereotypical idea of the ‘hot girl’ would be a tall, skinny, fair girl with big boobs,” Shreemi Verma, a film critic and marketing professional told VICE.

“hot” girl is a socially conditioned prototype, a fantasy fuelled by the lack of female filmmakers and critics in the mainstream industry. so many of us connected with this meme trend is because of how real it was.

Verma stressed that by showing the raw reality behind what can be considered hot, this trend became a relatable way for women to challenge the on-screen stereotype. the idea of “hot” continues to evolve into a more empathetic, all-encompassing ideal. Supriya Banerjee, a 24-year-old social researcher based in the Netherlands, told VICE. It normalizes simple things like art, dance or cooking meals for children as things a hot girl does.” For Banerjee, the trend has a simple underlying message: that everything women do can be considered hot girl shit.

What does Gen Z women empowerment suggest?

Feminism and female empowerment within Generation Z shares the idea of positive cultural change in female stereotypes through technology and social media which can be easily flowed into the mainstream of society and news. Gen Z is all about individuality, authenticity, and diversity and is always up to challenge  stereotypes and break the norms unapologetically in order to be truly happy because Gen Z is passionate about wellbeing and mental health. Gen Z sets out trends on social media to spread messages and ideas that influence other social media users. Overall, Gen Z’s way of breaking female stereotypes is through trends, social media, music, and many more types of media just to get the word out.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 11.26

783 – The Asturian queen Adosinda is held at a monastery to prevent her kin from retaking the throne from Mauregatus. 1161 – Battle of Caishi: A Song dynasty fleet fights a naval engagement with Jin dynasty ships on the Yangtze river during the Jin–Song Wars. 1476 – Vlad the Impaler defeats Basarab Laiota with the help of Stephen the Great and Stephen V Báthory and becomes the ruler of Wallachia for the third time. 1778 – In the Hawaiian Islands, Captain James Cook becomes the first European to visit Maui. 1789 – A national Thanksgiving Day is observed in the United States as proclaimed by President George Washington at the request of Congress. 1805 – Official opening of Thomas Telford's Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. 1812 – The Battle of Berezina begins during Napoleon's retreat from Russia. 1863 – United States President Abraham Lincoln proclaims November 26 as a national Thanksgiving Day, to be celebrated annually on the final Thursday of November. Following the Franksgiving controversy from 1939 to 1941, it has been observed on the fourth Thursday in 1942 and subsequent years. 1865 – Battle of Papudo: A Spanish navy schooner is defeated by a Chilean corvette north of Valparaíso, Chile. 1914 – HMS Bulwark is destroyed by a large internal explosion with the loss of 741 men near Sheerness. 1917 – The Manchester Guardian publishes the 1916 secret Sykes-Picot Agreement between the United Kingdom and France. 1917 – The National Hockey League is formed, with the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs, and Toronto Arenas as its first teams. 1918 – The Montenegran Podgorica Assembly votes for a "union of the people", declaring assimilation into the Kingdom of Serbia. 1922 – Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon become the first people to enter the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in over 3000 years. 1922 – The Toll of the Sea debuts as the first general release film to use two-tone Technicolor. (The Gulf Between was the first film to do so, but it was not widely distributed.) 1939 – Shelling of Mainila: The Soviet Army orchestrates an incident which is used to justify the start of the Winter War with Finland four days later. 1941 – World War II: Japan's 1st Air Fleet departs the Kuril Islands to strike Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. 1942 – World War II: Yugoslav Partisans convene the first meeting of the Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia at Bihać in northwestern Bosnia. 1942 – Casablanca, the movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, premieres in New York City. 1943 – World War II: HMT Rohna is sunk by the Luftwaffe in an air attack in the Mediterranean north of Béjaïa, Algeria. 1944 – World War II: A German V-2 rocket hits a Woolworth's shop in London, United Kingdom, killing 168 people. 1944 – World War II: Germany begins V-1 and V-2 attacks on Antwerp, Belgium. 1949 – The Constituent Assembly of India adopts the constitution presented by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. 1950 – Korean War: Troops from the People's Republic of China launch a massive counterattack in North Korea against South Korean and United Nations forces (Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River and Battle of Chosin Reservoir), ending any hopes of a quick end to the conflict. 1965 – France launches Astérix, becoming the third nation to put an object in orbit using its own booster. 1968 – Vietnam War: United States Air Force helicopter pilot James P. Fleming rescues an Army Special Forces unit pinned down by Viet Cong fire. He is later awarded the Medal of Honor. 1970 – In Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe, 1.5 inches (38.1 mm) of rain fall in a minute, the heaviest rainfall ever recorded. 1977 – An unidentified hijacker named Vrillon, claiming to be the representative of the "Ashtar Galactic Command", takes over Britain's Southern Television for six minutes, starting at 5:12 pm. 1983 – Brink's-Mat robbery: In London, 6,800 gold bars worth nearly £26 million are stolen from the Brink's-Mat vault at Heathrow Airport. 1986 – Iran–Contra affair: U.S. President Ronald Reagan announces the members of what will become known as the Tower Commission. 1986 – The trial of John Demjanjuk, accused of committing war crimes as a guard at the Nazi Treblinka extermination camp, starts in Jerusalem. 1991 – National Assembly of Azerbaijan abolishes the autonomous status of Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast of Azerbaijan and renames several cities back to their original names. 1998 – Tony Blair becomes the first Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to address the Oireachtas, the parliament of the Republic of Ireland. 1998 – The Khanna rail disaster takes 212 lives in Khanna, Ludhiana, India. 1999 – The 7.5 Mw  Ambrym earthquake shakes Vanuatu and a destructive tsunami follows. Ten people were killed and forty were injured. 2000 – George W. Bush is certified the winner of Florida's electoral votes by Katherine Harris, going on to win the United States presidential election, despite losing in the national popular vote. 2003 – The Concorde makes its final flight, over Bristol, England. 2004 – Ruzhou School massacre: A man stabs and kills eight people and seriously wounds another four in a school dormitory in Ruzhou, China. 2004 – The last Poʻouli (Black-faced honeycreeper) dies of avian malaria in the Maui Bird Conservation Center in Olinda, Hawaii, before it could breed, making the species in all probability extinct. 2008 – Mumbai attacks, a series of terrorist attacks killing approximately 166 citizens by 10 members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan based extremist Islamist terrorist organisation. 2008 – The ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2, now out of service, docks in Dubai. 2011 – NATO attack in Pakistan: NATO forces in Afghanistan attack a Pakistani check post in a friendly fire incident, killing 24 soldiers and wounding 13 others. 2011 – The Mars Science Laboratory launches to Mars with the Curiosity Rover. 2018 – The robotic probe Insight lands on Elysium Planitia, Mars. 2019 – A magnitude 6.4 earthquake strikes western Albania leaving at least 52 people dead and over 1000 injured. This was the deadliest earthquake of 2019, and the deadliest to strike the country in 99 years.

[canyouhearthelight]

The Miys, Ch. 40

Typing that title is just bizarre.  I never imagined I would ever write 40 chapters of this, and right now I feel like I am nowhere near the end of the story.  I’m not even sure how it will end, honestly.  This may be what it’s like writing episodes of a Star Trek show....

Special shout out to @baelpenrose for his help in the background on this chapter.  I am pants at military knowledge, while he is super knowledgeable in that area and has been a huge help.

I woke up to a low growl in my ear. “I thought we talked about this, Conor,” I groaned as I rolled over. However, instead of six plus feet of overprotective Irishman, I ended up with a mouthful of fur.

Growling, snarling fur. Lyric, I remembered before snapping into a sitting position.  The enormous dog was lying on my bed in a very calm but alert position, belied by the absolute promise of pain to whoever she was looking at. Mac sat next to her, nonplussed and blinking slowly.  Turning my face to the potential victim, I suppressed another groan.  A familiar face and leather jacket stood in the doorway, hands up to show he meant no harm. “Lyric, it’s fine,” I told my canine protector, resting one hand on her back. “Maverick, what in the world are you doing here?”

Keeping his eyes on the dog, he slowly dropped his hands to his sides. “Tyche cancelled our simulator session today, so I thought I would come check on you.”

“You thought you would, or she thought you would?”

A bashful glance at the floor gave him away. “A little bit of both? I asked how you were doing, and she said she wasn’t with you, she was resting.  I may have asked if you were up to visitors, and she may have told me to come by whether you were up for it or not? Just to make sure you were okay?”

“That sounds about right,” I sighed as I folded my legs and patted the bed for him to sit down.  It was obvious my nap was over, but I didn’t feel like getting out of bed.

Slowly, Maverick made his way over and gingerly sat down to make sure Lyric wouldn’t object to him being closer.  When she just glanced at him and put her head down, he got more comfortable and leaned against the wall. “Who’s the old lady? When did you get a dog?”

“The nice lady who let you in is Grandma Kim,” I scowled. “And this is her dog, Lyric.  They’re professional companions, like Antione, but more for people who need a little mothering and – may – have some paranoia?”  I looked at my lap and scratched the back of my neck. It wasn’t a very comfortable topic.

“So that’s an attack dog?” His eyes got wide as he swung the topic around. My sister and I were always amused talking with Maverick, mostly because he shared our tendency to have several conversations with the same person at the same time. “And I get being good for people with paranoia, but you aren’t paranoid – you have every reason to be scared shitless. Isn’t that what the saying is? ‘It’s not paranoia if they’re actually out to get you’?”

“Attack dog, sidekick to the attack grandma. What did you mean by simulator session?”

“Tyche asked me to teach her how to fly literally everything possible. Not being able to help when the ship was damaged did not make her control freak side happy.  She’s not going to make me eat gross food, is she? That’s what grandmas do, isn’t it? Make you eat gross stuff?”

“That’s a stereotype, for one,” I pointed out. “Second, I promised you that you never have to eat anything you don’t like ever again, and I meant it.  I don’t care if you live on miso soup and pizza, as long as you are eating. Food, with calories, not just vitamins and black coffee. Also, don’t ever let Tyche hear you talk about her ‘control freak side’.  Why didn’t either of you tell me she was training to become a pilot?”

He just shrugged.  I waited, staring him down pointedly. Finally, he huffed. “I figured she would tell you.  You two are super-close, right?  Besides, this is the first time I’ve seen you since you got out of the medical bay, so technically, I told you as soon as I saw you. It was literally the first sentence I used.”

I nodded reluctantly. “Okay, yeah, you did tell me. But you could have sent me a message, you know?”

“She is your sister, not me.”

“Stupid technicality,” I muttered. “Anyway, how’s everything going?”

“She’s really good,” he admitted. “Like everything else about her, it’s kinda scary.  Super determined, ridiculous reflexes. She definitely has what it takes to be an incredible pilot.”

“I’m glad she’s doing great at learning to fly, but I meant how are you?”

“Oh,” he jerked a little in surprise. “Why? No one ever asks me that, and then first Tyche, now you.”

My eyebrows popped up at that. “Wait, no one ever just asks how you’re doing?”

He shook his head. “Just, like, doctors and stuff.” He shrugged like it was no big deal.

I shook my head and dropped it into my hands. Deep breaths.  Can’t kill the people who made him think this was a normal thing. Nope.  They’re probably already dead, and Tyche frowns on necromancy. I raised my head and took a calming breath.  “It’s actually normal human behavior, a way of making sure our friends and family are doing well, or a way of inviting them to tell us about any good or bad things that have been going on.”

“But I’m not your family, and we aren’t friends,” he sounded so confused.

Me, too. “We aren’t?” I asked, puzzled. “I thought we were…. I mean, you asked my sister how I was doing and came by to check on me….”

“Well, yeah.  You’re nice to me, and something bad happened to you, and Tyche’s nice to me, and it upset her, so I wanted to make sure the people who are nice to me are okay.”

“Maverick?”

“Yeah?”

“That is literally what being a friend is.  What you just said.  It’s when people are nice to each other and want to help each other, or just want each other to be okay.”

“Oh.  Does that mean we are friends?”

I laughed and resisted the urge to hug and/or strangle him. “Yes, it means we are friends.”

“Well, that’s pretty cool!” he grinned.

“So, other than teaching my sister to fly, how have you been doing?”

For the next hour, Maverick filled me in on helping with the sensor repairs, training new pilots – not just my sister, apparently – and new foods he had tried. It turned out that he, Zach, Derek, and Sam frequently got together for moral support with trying foods that had been suggested to them.  It was early days, but they had each found a couple of new foods they liked and several foods they knew to avoid. I was asking him to send me a list of the foods they tried and what the verdicts where, when Grandma Kim poked her head in the door.

“I just wanted to grab Lyric and let you know I’m about to be on my way, Miss Reid,” she explained and she called Lyric with a silent gesture. “Were you able to get some rest?”

“I was, thank you. And thank you, Lyric,” I told my nap partner directly, receiving a lolling tongue and doggy grin in return.  “She really did help.  I’m going to think things over for a couple days, and let you know what I decide.”

“Of course,” she nodded approvingly. “I’ll be out of your way, now. Have a good night, you two.” With a nod at Maverick, she left.

“And you said she’s an attack grandma?” Maverick asked as he watched her go. “How does that even work?”

“She told about some of her training…. I think she was special forces for some government agency at one point. Lots of combat and weapons training. She said very few people on the Ark can land one hit on her, and that no one can do it twice. She was very certain when she said it, too, like it wasn’t a boast, it was just a simple fact.”

“Sounds like a Green Beret or SAS, honestly,” he nodded.  “She’s American, but that doesn’t mean she couldn’t have gotten the training, especially depending on when she was enlisted.  If it was after the inception of the Global Parliament, chances are higher that’s the case. It would be easier to tell you if I could see her sparring – different countries have different fighting styles, even once the Parliament was established.  Lyric tells me definitely the North American or European Council, though, for sure.”

I shook my head with a smile.  It was always interesting to watch someone who was so bad at being people flip gears and remind you that he really is incredibly smart.  I really wanted to watch Conor and Maverick interact one day.  Preferably soon, and hopefully after being released from my medication schedule so that food could be involved.  The prospect was very entertaining.  Which reminded me. “Have you ever met Conor?”

“Who?”

That answered that question. “A very close friend of mine and Tyche’s,” I explained. “In fact, if you hang around long enough today, you’ll probably get to meet him.  He heads over here after work most nights, stays with me so I can sleep.”

“Your sister said something about that,” he confessed. “She said you haven’t been sleeping well since you came out of your coma.  So, when she said you still can’t sleep alone, that’s where this Conor guy comes in?”

“Yeah.  It just makes me feel safer,” I shrugged.

“And the dog?”

“Tyche and Antoine recommended I consider Grandma Kim as a companion, to help me transition back to something vaguely resembling normal.  I don’t want to keep depending on people as much as I have been lately.  I’m already in the process of returning to my position on the Council, and I sent over my approved selections for a new assistant so my sister can focus on her actual job and quit burning the candle at both ends.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “That makes sense.  I could tell you like helping people, but Zach was constantly reminding you to eat, so I don’t think you’re very good at taking care of yourself.  It’s got to be hard needing to lean on other people when you’re used to being the one momming all over people.”

“That was… surprisingly insightful,” I admitted.

“I have my moments,” he grinned. “Do you think you’ll do it?”

“Maybe?” I tilted my head side to side. “Grandma Kim made a good point about the fact that needing her wouldn’t be a burden to her – it’s literally her job.  And it would let me get back on more familiar ground with my friends and family.  You only saw part of it.” It was my turn to grin. “We used to have what we called ‘family dinner’ once a week.  It was like a sacred time for all of us, but fun and messy at the same time.  Tyche and I would take turns making dinner for everyone, we would try new foods.  Sometimes it was a bunch of us, sometimes it was just me, my sister, Conor, and – “ I choked mid-ramble. Arantxa.  Clearing my throat and fighting back tears and the urge to vomit, I tried to soldier on. “Yeah. Sometimes it was just us.”

Maverick tilted his head, eyebrows furrowed. “You really were close, weren’t you?”

I nodded silently, a lump forming in my throat.

“Dude, that sucks,” he stated emphatically. “I knew what she did was pretty bad – I mean, I saw what she did.  It’s hard to deny something like that when it’s right in front of your face. But I didn’t realize that you two were so close other than working together.  What kind of monster does that to someone they are so close to?”

I held up a hand to stop him from going any further.  He just pushed it back in my lap. “No, you need to hear this, even if I’m a jerk for saying it.  When we were on Level One, you barely knew me but you were so nice to me.  You didn’t have to be, no one asked you to be, not even me.  You could have let me keep on the way I had been for the majority of my life, but then I found out it is literally impossible for you to not care.  No one had cared that much about me since I was six.  And then, I had to walk in that room and find you beaten beyond recognition, almost dead. I was about to lose the only person who seemed to give a shit about me and see me as more than an appliance – all over again, just like with my parents.  And now? Now I find out that you considered her family?  If you went so far above and beyond for a guy you barely knew, how much did you do for her? And she still did that?  That’s a monster.  That’s worse than any boogeyman in the closet or under the bed.  That is a living, breathing monster.  And that sucks.”

I sniffed as hard as I could and wiped the tears that were rolling down my cheeks. “I really don’t like talking about it,” I whispered.  “I just want to forget about it.”

“You told me I didn’t deserve what my aunt did to me, what the military did to me. I’m telling you now, you didn’t deserve what happened.  I think you need to hear that, because I don’t know if anyone has told you, or if you believed them.”

“I just want my life back,” I cried. “I want everything back to normal! I want to sleep in my bed like a fucking adult! I want to take a hot shower, instead of having my teeth rattled in the sonic cleanser!  I want this big gaping hole in all my stories to go away!!”

“Yeah, I get that.  I feel like that sometimes, too.  I want to eat foods that other people seem to like.  I want to be able to socialize normally.  No one should have an aversion to rice, you know? It’s like, the most boring food in existence, but I can’t even look at it.  Kind of how you can’t shower.  I’ve spent my whole life wanting to just be like everyone else, to stop being the weirdo in the room.”

“Maverick, you’re aren’t a weirdo,” I shook my head.

“Neither are you,” he said pointedly.  “I’ve never known you any other way, remember?  This is all perfectly normal Sophia behavior from where I’m sitting. And I’m so bad at being normal, how am I supposed to know if you’re not doing it right?”

That got a reluctant giggle out of me. “Let’s just be weird together.  You, me, Tyche… Derek, everyone.  Except Conor. He’s actually pretty normal.”

“That’s weird enough,” Maverick said in a horrified tone.

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[morethanonepage]

YOU ARE AN OWL 🦉

OWL CHARACTERISTICS: Eloquent • Sincere • Conservative

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Tyto alba

COLLECTIVE TERM: A parliament of owls

 THE OWL PERSONALITY IS SOBER

The owl is the tranquil face of the bird personalities. A creature of great integrity, its quiet demeanor accords it an air of mystery and diffidence, and it is widely recognized as a serene, wise observer of human society. Always well-groomed, it is a noble individual with elegantly chiseled features that border on the fine edge of beauty and homeliness. Its large eyes are often framed by handsome eyeglasses.

Owls have developed quite a reputation for intelligence, but it's really their calm, insightful natures that give this impression. Instead of an intellectual approach to life, they employ their deeper spiritual senses to guide them and -- like their nocturnal cohorts the bats -- have a deeply philosophical bent.

Spending much of their time in solitary pursuits, owls like to hole up in quiet working environments and venture out only when necessary. They are not playful creatures. Only engaging in exercise and activities in order to keep physically fit, they avoid more gregarious animal personalities like dogs, dolphins, and sea lions.

Owls are not without their assertive side, however, and won't hesitate to use their razor-sharp tongues to settle arguments. Rarely the aggressor in a confrontation, owls only fight when their survival or honor is at stake, and show no desire for a prolonged or physical struggle. Owls espouse nonviolence, think logically, and argue persuasively.

THE OWL’S CAREER

As an astute observer of human nature, owls are eminently suited to be judges or diplomats. Their trustworthiness and dependability makes them perfect for positions of responsibility... perhaps as bank managers, heads of state, or religious leaders. A conscientious worker, an owl takes its responsibilities seriously and, when it accepts the burden of public office, it does so with the grace and skill typical of its species.

With an enormous capacity for hard work, owls achieve great things in almost any field they choose. This success doesn't always translate into financial rewards, when they are drawn to jobs in the teaching profession, which invariably satisfies their need to impart wisdom to others.

OWLS IN THE WILD

In the wild, owls often live in churches and empty houses and are prone to swooping out of the dark with a ghostly appearance. Their eerie hoots create a mournful backdrop to their spooky behavior, and these sounds are probably responsible for the origin of a number of ghost stories.

Although owls can sometimes be seen by day, they function best at twilight and patrol their regular routes hunting for mice and squirrels.

Owls are able to hunt in complete darkness, having evolved a system of "outer ears" hidden under their feathers, and by detecting slight differences in the timing of their prey's noises, owls are able to zero in on prey by sound alone; thanks to their asymmetrical ear flaps,

CAREERS & HOBBIES

Teachers • Bank managers • Judges • Diplomats

Reading • Debating • Chess • Philosophy

LOVE & FRIENDSHIP

Unlike many other terrestrial creatures, the owl is not a prisoner of its sex-drive. With an air of refined sensuality, it’s hardly shy about throwing itself into the physical aspects of a relationship, and when it focuses its sharp ardor on its lover, it ignites a quite a steamy and animated encounter.

The owl views sex as a complement to its relationships, and certainly not as the key component. It would do well to recognize the significance of physical affection outside the bedroom, for its partner is often starved for non-sexual reassurance.

The owl considers itself to be excellent company and is quite happy spending time in its own active mind, which slows its search for a long-term partner. Drawn to people who can match its sedate disposition, the owl finds the noble swan to be an ideal physical and emotional match. But achieving long-lasting relationships often proves difficult for this intensely spiritual creature.  This is perhaps why the owl finds its nocturnal companions, the fox and bat, to be the best candidates to fill its complex needs.

[haileystones]

Master in Peace and Conflict Studies Application Essay

The name “Tausug”, means, literally, “people of the current.” We are found mainly in the areas around the Sulu archipelago, but since 1974 -- when the main island of Jolo was overtaken by paramilitary forces, with thousands fleeing their homes for safety -- have spread out to areas such as Zamboanga City. Within Jolo, in the area known as Patikul, is where my father was born and raised. I always wondered why my father’s relatives, particularly my Ina (grandmother) and my Apah Masir (Uncle), never wanted me to visit. As an adult, I figured out why; my father’s hometown is a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf Group, a Jihadist militant group that has sworn allegiance to ISIS and had wreaked havoc on the islands of Jolo and Basilan since the 1990’s. They had wanted to protect me.

This has led to an interesting home life. My father was the furthest thing from a terrorist; he was a police officer who was often assigned to different remote locations all over Mindanao. Because of this, I was raised solely by my mother. Then there was also the unorthodox situation of being my father’s second family; as a Muslim man, he could marry up to four wives. My mother, who was born a Catholic and raised me in the Catholic faith, was the second. His first family had, until his death, no idea that we even existed.

The current of my life seems strange to many people, but it was my normal. I was raised with a lot of love. As my mother was a college professor, she brought me to her MBA classes often. I would sit and listen and absorb everything she was saying about target audiences and financial management. She never pressured me to want to pursue higher education, but I wanted to be exactly like her. I still do.

Everything changed, however, when I entered my teen years. On one hand, I had found a passion for writing; I have kept a journal since I was 11, and then I soon expanded to blogging. By 13, I was published in Mindanews.com under the “Batang Mindanaw” section, and to this day I am one of its youngest contributors. By 14, I was a regular columnist for the Mindanao Times, the oldest newspaper in Davao. By 16, I published a book entitled “Haileystones: A Journey Through Time” with Mindanews Publications.

On the other hand, I suffered unimaginable losses. By the time I was 15 years old, I had lost both of my parents to cancer. My father died in June, and then my mother passed in December of the same year. I was lucky enough to have had relatives that were willing to pay my way through university, but I was otherwise left to my own devices.

My education is what saved me from falling into despair after everything that happened. I had wanted to be a journalist, but after my parents’ deaths, I grew even more determined to pursue higher education. While I relished the feeling of chasing after stories --my undergrad major, from the University of the Philippines, is in communication and media-- I found myself mostly drawn to the stories of the Bangsamoro people. Although the majority of Filipinos are Roman Catholic, there is a significant Muslim minority that make up the thirteen tribes of the Bangsamoro. Because of this, they have been given autonomy over their ancestral domains and are currently in the transition to become a parliamentary state, still under the Republic of the Philippines.

Everything changed when I had the opportunity to interview for Al Qalam Executive Director Mussolini Lidasan. He decided to take a chance on me. As the communications specialist of the institute, I write a lot: speeches, proposals, and even design programs that we then implement to our target beneficiaries in the Bangsamoro. With my boss’ appointment as a Member of Parliament (MP) to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, we are also active in the political processes that brought about the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. I have been, among other things, a documenter, facilitator, speaker, resource person, researcher, and organizer for various programs under the institute.

Given Al Qalam’s focus on dialogue, I have been privy to several discussions across different platforms on the dynamics of conflict. The motivations as to why people would join extremist groups, for example, vary across different socioeconomic groups. Those who are on the grassroots level cite a lack of basic services as to why they took up arms, while those who are in more urbanized settings cite social isolation and a lack of a sense of purpose. Given the complexity of the issues at hand, I have come to see that furthering my education through earning a master’s degree would be the best way for me to understand these issues further.

One professional accomplishment that I am proud of was being a part of the MSummit Moro National Youth Conference in 2018; 100 Moro youth from all over the Philippines were present at this event. During this time, we also presented the MPower Awards that awarded outstanding Moro youth in the school, community, and professional arenas. This initiative was done through the funding of the United States Embassy in Manila.

My work with the youth is what drew me to the University of Otago. I have had the opportunity to meet David Strachan, New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines, when he visited the Al Qalam Institute earlier this year. It was during this visit where he spoke to students and staff members of the Ateneo de Davao to apply for further study to New Zealand universities. I knew that I wanted to pursue a master’s degree abroad, and the friendly nature and diverse cultural backgrounds that comprise the people of New Zealand piqued my interest. After further research, I found that the University of Otago offered a Master’s in Peace and Conflict Studies, which seemed a perfect fit for my work and interests. I did not hesitate to apply.

If given the opportunity to earn a Master’s in Peace and Conflict Studies, I would be able to contribute my experience in working directly with Moro communities, especially in youth engagement and with their fight to the right to self-determination. Given that I am Moro myself, I would also offer my perspective and insight towards how truth and reconciliation affects positive peace outcomes. I would also be motivated to return home and design research and programs around the concepts I would learn from this degree.

I have seen through my work just how damaging violence can be to entire communities, and it is situations like this that have drawn people to causing more harm. Transitional justice dictates that community healing is most effective when coming from a multi-sectoral, holistic approach. It is a lengthy process that considers both rehabilitation and reintroduction to society of those who have committed these abuses, and there are not enough people who understand truth and reconciliation under these terms. More importantly, I would want to understand public policy that relates directly to peacebuilding and good governance. It is here within these larger social structures where change can become most effective, even as I still work with people in the grassroots communities.

With this particular degree, and with the support of a New Zealand Scholarship under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, I would be able to use the knowledge I gained and apply it back to the communities we serve. I hope to complete this program as a full-time student within one year. It is also my hope that I start on time for Semester One in February of 2020.

The opportunity to study abroad, and at institutions such as the University of Otago, should not just be open to people like me who have had some level of privilege. I was fortunate enough to have had an education and to have reason to apply for programs like this. The people of the Bangsamoro, my people, deserve the same. I hope that, if I break through this particular glass ceiling, others will follow.

In Islam, much emphasis is given to the process of seeking knowledge, especially if it is for the benefit of the greater ummah. As a daughter of the current, I have been fortunate enough to be called to serve my people in this manner. My longing for family has become part of a greater longing for social justice and reform, and it is in this line of work where I have found my way home.

[primal-screamer-blog1]

Mutually Assured Destruction 

Rating: Mature Pairing: Nikki Sixx/F. OC Playlist Here Description: Growing restless in his discontent, Nikki Sixx is plagued with past anxieties that he never could find the courage to confront. He’d seen and done it all but when it came to Ruby Moon, he’d always felt he had unfinished business. Now, years after their tumultuous relationship had seemingly come to an end, Nikki finds himself compulsively recounting memories and asking questions only she would have the answers to.  ***Warnings: mature themes, sexual themes, descriptions of sexual encounters, alcohol, drug use, violence, cursing 

1981

Clad in all black and asleep in a patch of sun on the floor, Nikki resembled a big black cat snoring the afternoon away.  It was warm in California but even warmer in the apartment where they refused to clean or open a window.  Smoke hung thick in the air, thick as the smell, creating an unfortunate atmosphere completely unique to the apartment’s toxic ecosystem.  In the corner of the barren living room, Tommy’s stereo clicked a constant metronome since last night when Nikki fell asleep with it on, eating up his favorite X tape in the process  He couldn’t be bothered.  Nikki is not home right now.  Summer demanded more from him than his usual rough-n-tumble; more kids in town meant more shows meant more girls, more sweat, more parties. His spot on the floor, not four feet from the couch, was a testament to that.

However, none of that mattered.  Not when addicts were concerned, least of all.  Ruby had her own problems and her own pressures.  Right now, her main concern was the growing tension in her jaw and how she hadn’t been able to pull her tongue off the roof of her mouth since she woke up that morning. She was hungover, she was fiending and she had to go to work - with a smile on her face- in just a few hours.  None of this would have been a problem if she had been able to find her drugs to get her head straight.  When she couldn’t, however, she knew she wouldn’t have to look much farther than the Crue house after spending last night there.

There was no need to kick in the lock, though.  The door was always unlocked.  

“Wake the fuck up, Sixx!” A heeled red leather boot stuck him in the thigh.  Awareness flooded in.

“God! Damn it!”  Nikki’s eyes shot open, curling in on himself before he was able to understand what was going on.  Ruby stood over him, her long legs wrapped in black denim, shaggy black hair falling in her face; her long leopard print duster flapped wildly around.  “Give me my fucking drugs, Nikki!” She shouted in her thick New York accent.  He shielded his tired eyes from the sun streaming in around her silhouette.  He propped himself up on one elbow and felt around in his motorcycle vest pockets for sunglasses and cigarettes.

“Why don’t you fuck off, Ruby?” He croaked, his throat coated with phlegm from a night of chain smoking and snorting pills. He slowly pulled his sunglasses on and was able to see the pissed off look on her face.

“ Me   fuck off?!”  She stared at him in disbelief as he lit up a Parliament.  

“Yeah you!  Fuck off!  What the fuck are you even doing here anyway?” He groaned.

“My fucking drugs, Nikki!  I know you took them!” She snatched his cigarette out of his hand and pushed him in the chest.  

“I don’t have your drugs!” He swatted her hand away and backed up from under her. “Get one of those assholes at the strip club to buy you some if you snorted em all up.”

“Bullshit!” She whipped off her coat and threw it at him.  “Where’s my speed, Sixx?”

“I don’t even  do   speed, you fucking psycho!” Nikki stood up, rising a foot taller than her, still in his platform boots from last night.  

“Oh, I’m the psycho?!” She challenged him as he approached her, towering over her and taking his cigarette back.  Nikki bit his lip and held back a spiteful grin, taking a deep drag.  “You might wanna reconsider your angle, Moon.” He looked down at her, smoke pouring from his nostrils.

“Ruby!” Vince swung around the front door frame, hanging into the living room.  He was panting from having to follow her for four city blocks while she mumbled to herself about kicking Nikki’s ass.  “Ruby, knock it off!”  He took two quick, long strides across the room and got in between them as Nikki stepped to her.  “Both of you, stop being fucking crazy.” He put a hand on Ruby’s shoulder and attempted to push her away from Nikki. “C’mon, come smoke a cigarette with me, let’s go calm down.”  

“Oh, fuck off, Vinnie! He fucking stole from me!” She threw her arms out.  

“Yeah, fuck off Vinnie.” Nikki laughed from behind him.

“Hey, fuck you, man! I don’t gotta be part of this!”

“Then don’t be! You should both fuck off!” Nikki threw his arms out and turned to the kitchen for a morning beer.

“Ruby,” Vince ignored him and turned back to her. “Ruby, c’mon, let’s go smoke and relax, he’s not gonna give you your drugs back.”

“Because I don’t have them!”  Nikki shouted from the fridge.

Ruby gritted her teeth while she locked eyes with Vince.  He knew Nikki was lying.  She knew he knew Nikki was lying  “Please.” He pleaded with her quietly, watching her try not to explode.  He knew he’d be the one dealing with Nikki’s side of the argument long after it was over.  He just wanted it to stop.  He felt like they’d been having the same fights for as long as he’d known the both of them.

“Fuck you, Nikki!” She stomped towards the kitchen, almost colliding with him as he rounded back into the living room.  She shoved him in the chest, hard, and he actually stumbled back a bit.  She finally took her voice down.  “Just admit it!  You were being all nice and sweet to me last night, getting me all fucked up and stupid so that you could fucking steal from me! Just say it!” She shoved him again, almost begging at this point.  

Nikki chugged his beer and looked away from her.  He offered her a lazy shrug.

“To be fair, that does sound like something I’d do.”

Vince rolled his eyes. “God damn it.” He said under his breath.

Ruby barked a sarcastic laugh.  Her face flushed hot and she had to turn away from him, feeling like tears might start falling.  She shook her head and held her hands up, still laughing spitefully.  “You are so fucking awful, Nikki Sixx.”

“Oh, like you’re not!” Nikki shouted and held his middle finger up at her as she stormed out the front door, finally slamming it shut.  

“Dude!” Vince shouted, feeling eternally frustrated.

“What, am I supposed to feel bad?” Nikki was still heated, still pacing and nearly shouting. He finished off his beer and tossed it onto the kitchen pile.  “She’s fucking nuts, dude! I’ve been telling you that!”  

“You’re both nuts!”

“Yo! Shut the fuck up!” Tommy’s muffled shouting and pounding came from the other side of the living room wall, still attempting to achieve his full 12 hours of beauty rest.  A knowing grin cracked across Nikki’s face when a high pitched squeal started making its way out of the bedroom.  Vince had to fight not to laugh with him.  A messy blonde came teetering out on tiger print heels, pulling down her lime green banded dress and wiping her nose.  She paused, looking from Nikki to Vince and feeling exposed as she interrupted their conversation.

“Um…sorry.” She squeaked, hanging her head and squaring her shoulders in as she stalked past them, well aware of them both checking her out.

“Later.” Vince smiled at her flirtatiously and watched her ass wiggle as she left.  Once she was out of sight, she was out of mind and Vince turned back to Nikki.  

“Listen, Ruby doesn’t need speed anyway, dude.” Nikki waved him off and threw himself down on the couch, groaning and stretching out.

“She clearly fucking needs speed, dude.  Fucking find some. You owe me, man.”  Vince pointed a finger at him before ducking back outside.  “Not a good favor to cash in on, Vin!” Nikki shouted out at him.

Outside, Ruby stood against the brick wall of the boys apartment building, slapping a bic lighter against her palm and failing to light the cigarette hanging from her red painted lips.  

“Shit.” Her hand cupped around her cigarette tip, the black nail polish on her thumb chipping away.  

“Here.”  Vince showed up with his silver zippo and lit the tip. He watched her as she took three short nervous puffs, anxiously averting her gaze to the cracks in the pavement, the spiders crawling across the outside awning, trying to look anywhere but into his searching expression.  

“What?” She spat at him, sounding harsher than she had meant.  Vince didn’t pay it any mind.

“Are you okay?” He asked her, knowing no one had in quite some time.  She still couldn’t help but let out a short derisive laugh in spite of herself. “Yeah, Vin.” She gave him a cheeky smile that came across more like scowl.  “I’m just great.” She hung her head and looked away again.  He cocked his head at her and moved into her field of vision.

“I’m serious, Ruby.” He stroked her sad face with his thumb.  “What’s wrong?”

Ruby finally pulled her green eyes up to his and almost smiled.  Vince was sweet and Vince was hot.  It’s what made him so easy to deal with; Vince was simple and he wasn’t insightful enough to understand why she wasn’t interested in doing anything other than momentarily distracting herself with him.  He came with little complication and close to no baggage.  He wasn’t concerned when she lied to him about sleeping with other men, because he was sleeping with other women and he didn’t feel bad endough about it to tell her.  That’s the way she wanted it with him.  But over time, as he got to know her and as he got used to her, he had started caring about her. And it was beginning to become obvious that, despite being extremely unattentive, he was becoming infatuated with her.  

“I uh…” She began, shakily.  “I dunno, Vince.” She gently pushed his hand away.  Whatever hopefulness his expression may have held dropped. Somehow, he understood what it was she hadn’t been saying this whole time.  She wasn’t thinking about losing her drugs; she was thinking about Nikki.  Despite the nature of their relationship, Vince and Ruby had gotten close and had a lot of fun together.  But he wasn’t so clueless that he didn’t see her walls were up.  For awhile he couldn’t figure out why, but eventually he started catching on to how Ruby and Nikki reacted to each other. Vince never minded it; it made sense to him.  Besides, her distance allowed him more freedom to do what he wanted, which was perfect for a guy like him.  But after awhile, it was becoming hard on his ego the closer he tried to get to her.

A tear finally fell down her cheek.

“He just used to be my best friend.” She admitted, offering a sad shrug.  She didn’t know why that wasn’t the whole truth, but it was true enough that Vince could understand with a bit more sympathy.

“Yeah.” He leaned up on the wall next to her and frowned.  “Yeah, I know.  You two used to be a lot closer, actually.”

“I just don’t get it.” She exhaled smoke.  “He’s so mean to me now.”

“Yeah, but I mean….” Vince hadn’t known either of them long, but he was immediately reminded of cheap shots, screaming matches, pushing and shoving and endless taunting between them.  “You two have always fought. Y’know, you’re both pretty volatile and headstrong in that way.  And Nikki’s never really been the nicest guy.”

“Yeah, but not like this, Vinnie.  He never would’ve stole from me before.  He knows what it’s like.” She sighed and put her cigarette out on the bottom of her boot.

“That is really…..fucked up, actually.” Vince agreed, considering the breach of trust for the first time since this whole thing began in the morning when she kicked the sheets off him in bed.

“Yeah.” She shook her head and tried to brush it off.  “I gotta head to the Veil.  I gotta score something before my shift so I can at least try to get through it. Thanks for….I dunno, trying to talk to me I guess.” She offered him a weak smile.

Vince saw the sadness in her smile and despite everything, he didn’t want to send her off feeling this low.  She was, after all, still his friend too, and he didn’t intend for that to change.  He shoved her in the shoulder. “Want me to ride with you?”

“I dunno, Vince…” She felt like she was leading him on whenever he got so eager.  “They don’t really like us bringing guys around.”

“No way, I can’t stick around anyway. We got a gig later!  But we don’t gotta talk and I’ll totally eat you out in the parking lot.” He flashed a gorgeous crooked smile at her and winked.   She rolled her eyes at his frankness but couldn’t help smiling too.

“That does actually sound really nice.”

“There’s a smile.” He laughed.

“Don’t over do it, Neil.”

From inside, on the couch, Nikki watched out the window as Ruby and Vince sped off in her white Trans Am.  He shook his head and sneered, pretending to pick at the bass in his lap while he listened for her loud exhaust to fade out of ear shot.  He picked up his head again and peaked out the window to be sure they were gone before pulling a small plastic wrap of white amphetamine powder out of his back pocket.

Tommy stumbled out of his bedroom, all arms and legs in nothing but a pair of Reeboks.  He held onto his big swinging dick to assume the illusion of modesty in front of his friend.  “Hey man.” He mumbled sleepily at Nikki on his way to get a beer out of the fridge.  Nikki gave the bag a hard snort and thumped his foot on the floor. “Woo!” He threw his head back and swallowed the drip hard, feeling warmth spread behind his face.  He was finally awake.  

“Whatchu got, homie?” Tommy laughed and fell down on the couch next to Nikki, spreading his legs out and covering his junk with the one dirty pillow they had.

“What’d you think I got, man?” Nikki laughed, plucking away on his bass, his head cleared of tension.

“Dude! Is that Ruby’s? I thought you were yellin’ all morning about how you didn’t have that!” He slapped Nikki on the shoulder.  Nikki grimaced and smacked him back harder.

“Of course it’s Ruby’s.  She’s the one with a job, man.  Besides, it’s not like she pays for this shit anyway.”

“She doesn’t?”

“Fuck no!” Nikki exclaimed, dipping his finger in the bag. “She gets it from this rich foreign dude she fucks in the Valley.  That’s why it’s so goddamn good!”  He shouted before shoving a finger up into Tommy’s gums without warning.  Tommy laughed.  “Fuck yeah!” He lapped at his gums as Nikki buried his nose in the last of it.  “You mean she’s not fucking Vinnie anymore?” He asked. “I kinda liked them together, dude, I thought that was nice.” Tommy smiled, ever the romantic.  Nikki pulled back before screwing up his face and frowning.  “Are you fucking demented?”

“What?!”

“Nothing.” Nikki shook his head and pulled his notebook out from under the couch cushion.  “She’s still fucking Vinnie.  She’s fucking everyone.”

“Dude, that’s not true at all!  You gotta like...not talk about her like that.”

“The fuck are you a feminist for all of a sudden?” Nikki kicked Tommy’s foot, getting agitated with the direction this was going.   

“Yeah. Right.” Tommy laughed again, kicking the heel of Nikki’s boot in return.  “I dunno, man, I just think it’s kind of fucked up.  Ruby’s our friend and shit.  It makes me real sad to see you two fighting so much. She like….gave you a place to stay when you first showed up here.  She’s always at our shows.  Her band rules.  Why are you stealing shit from her, man?”

Nikki wasn’t expecting to have this conversation, not with Tommy least of all people and not this early in the day.  He shot Tommy a suspicious look.

“You know, I really thought you’d have my back on this.”

“Have your back on what?! I just don’t get it.” Tommy slapped Nikki playfully in the chest.  “C’mon, dude! I really wanna know what’s going on.”

Nikki shrugged, nodding his head to a bassline he was scribbling out in his notebook.  He honestly didn’t know what to say.  His disdain for Ruby had arrived seemingly out of nowhere.  Where she once made him feel seen and heard and understood, warm and familiar, she now made him feel isolated and awkward; uncomfortable in his own skin and less than.  He liked it even less than he understood it.  He shook his head, deciding that thinking about it made him feel worse. In his anxious and urgent mind, he decided that Ruby was causing him more harm than good. All he cared about right now, all he wanted to care about, was finishing this bass line.  He didn’t need an interrogation from his only other friend.  “She’s just some girl Vince is fucking now, man.” He shot.

“Damn.” Tommy stared at him.  He didn’t laugh this time.  In fact, he looked pretty upset.  “You are one cold mother fucker, bro.”

Nikki didn’t look at him.  Instead, he stopped writing and stood up, throwing his bass down to the floor and shoving his rolled up notebook in his back pocket.  He made his way to his bedroom. He wasn’t going to listen to this.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

***fan fiction writers are creators too! we work really hard and put a lot of time into our stories. if you enjoy someone’s content, please consider leaving them a comment. it’s really helpful! thank you.

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 2 September 2019

Quick Bits:

Agents of Atlas #2 again seems to focus more on Amadeus Cho and his perspective than the rest of the team, but it’s still very entertaining. Greg Pak, Nico Leon, Pop Mhan, Federico Blee, and Joe Sabino continue to weave together intrigue, superhero action, and romance with a very interesting mystery evolving. 

| Published by Marvel

Animosity #23 is part one of “Rites of Passage” from Marguerite Bennett, Elton Thomasi, Roberto De Latorre, Rob Schwager, and Taylor Esposito. While Jesse and her caravan continue to try to make it out west, her animal friends attempt to plan for her upcoming 13th birthday. Wonderful character moments here and further insight into the horrors that the animals have seen.

| Published by AfterShock

Battlepug #1 brings the web comic to regular monthly print comics from Mike Norton, Allen Passalaqua, and Crank! While it does help to have read the previous adventures, you can pick up and enjoy this humorous take on sword and sorcery fairly easily. Some very nice humour in the “Covfefe” puppet.

| Published by Image

Berserker Unbound #2 is another wonderful issue from Jeff Lemire, Mike Deodato Jr., Frank Martin, and Steve Wands. The art alone from Deodato and Martin is wonderful, deftly mixing the modern and the archaic. It’s also very interesting to see the barbarian trying to navigate our strange modern world and the fact that he can’t understand anything that anyone is saying.

| Published by Dark Horse

Birthright #39 gives us the confrontation with Mastema. Learning that she’s pretty much thoroughly insane and that the entire two worlds are screwed. At least, from her perspective. The colour work here from Adriano Lucas is positively brilliant.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Breaklands #1 is a Comixology digital original from Justin Jordan, Tyasseta, Sarah Stern, and Rachel Deering. It’s different, bloody, and intriguing as to what’s going on. The opening suggests a kind of weird cult, the past gives the impression of post-apocalyptic tribes or gangs. 

| Published by Justin Jordan

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #8 is a prelude to the “Hellmouth” crossover event with Angel, but I’ll say that it is essential to the overall storyline. This issue basically sets up the entire thing, even while still doing prologuey things. Great art from David López and Raúl Angulo. And, despite what Angel (at least that’s who I assume is in that devil mask) and Xander say, the “bat” costume is great, even if it doesn’t make sense.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Conan the Barbarian #9 takes us on a trip through Conan’s hallucinations of monsters he felled in battle as he tries to lead a group of people caught underground in the lair of the Undergod. Incredibly impressive artwork from Mahmud Asrar and Matthew Wilson. As we get a bit of reminiscence here, it feels as though we’re approaching the end of this arc.

| Published by Marvel

Crowded #9 is pretty intense as Vita and Charlie breach a hotel and try to get the information on who set up the Reapr campaign from one of Charlie’s old “friends”. It goes about as well as you’d expect. Christopher Sebela, Ro Stein, Ted Brandt, Tríona Farrell, and Cardinal Rae continue to keep this story on its toes, speeding along as fast as it can.

| Published by Image

Dark Red #6 begins the next arc from Tim Seeley, Corin Howell, Mark Englert, and Carlos Mangual. It tosses more complications into Chip’s life in the form of a “cleaner” enthralled to another vampire and a family of were-jaguars fleeing from an El Salvadoran gang.

| Published by AfterShock

DCeased: A Good Day to Die #1 expands the story a bit further with this one shot featuring a reunion of some of the Bwa-Ha-Ha era of the Justice League and a few other guests. Great art from Laura Braga, Darick Robertson, Richard Friend, Trevor Scott, and Rain Beredo.

| Published by DC Comics

Deathstroke #47 continues “Deathstroke RIP” and it’s going to do your head in a bit. A banged, bruised, beaten-up, and confused Slade shows up with a bad attitude and we’re unsure how he’s back from the dead and acting fairly un-Slade-like. Also, Jericho gets his Doctor Manhattan moment. Priest, Fernando Pasarin, Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz, Cam Smith, Wade von Grawbadger, Jeromy Cox, and Willie Schubert are definitely continuing to keep this interesting.

| Published by DC Comics

Die #7 catches up with the other half of the party in Isabelle and Chuck and, well, Chuck is an asshole. Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans, and Clayton Cowles manage to out-bleak the previous issue, but in a way that doesn’t elicit sympathy this time. It’s interesting as to how they build up Chuck, elaborate on his backstory, and make him even more thoroughly unlikeable.

| Published by Image

Doom Patrol: Weight of the Worlds #3 is fairly impressive, with Gerard Way, Jeremy Lambert, Steve Orlando, Doc Shaner, Tamra Bonvillain, and Simon Bowland managing to become even more inventive with the narrative for an already incredibly inventive series. This one takes the convention of a flashforward and presents it as an issue of Doom Patrol in the future, weaving in some hard-boiled narration through a series of novels. Great work here all around.

| Published by DC Comics / Young Animal

Everything #1 is weird. Very weird. This first issue from Christopher Cantwell, INJ Culbard, and Steve Wands feels like it’s mostly about setting up the atmosphere and briefly introducing many of the characters as the new Everything Store opens up in Michigan. Love the art from Culbard.

| Published by Dark Horse / Berger Books

Fallen World #5 concludes what has been an excellent series setting up the next stage of the 4002 AD time period of the Valiant universe from Dan Abnett, Adam Pollina, Ulises Arreola, and Jeff Powell. The art from Pollina and Arreola is gorgeous, really leaning hard into the weird and wonderful of the future.

| Published by Valiant

Fantastic Four #14 kicks off “Point of Origin” celebrating the initial launch of the Fantastic Four’s expedition that turned them into the Fantastic Four. The shifting timeline makes this feel weird, but it’s still an interesting premise. Great art from Paco Medina and Jesus Aburtov.

| Published by Marvel

Future Foundation #2 is more fun from Jeremy Whitley, Will Robson, Paco Diaz, Daniele Orlandini, Greg Menzie, Chris O’Halloran, and Joe Caramagna. Why exactly the kids would mistake a younger looking Maker as their own Reed Richards is anyone’s guess, but this is still an entertaining prison break story building upon loose threads from Secret Wars.

| Published by Marvel

Ghost Spider Annual #1 continues the “Acts of Evil” theme running through this year’s annuals as Gwen takes on Arcade and a host of Spider-Man’s villains and allies. It’s a good story from Vita Ayala, Pere Pérez, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Clayton Cowles that helps Gwen get a sense of place when it comes to some of the differences between Earths-65 and -616/

| Published by Marvel

Giant Days #54 is the end to the series, but there’s one more issue in the story in the Giant Days: As Time Goes By special. Still, John Allison, Max Sarin, Whitney Cogar, and Jim Campbell gives us one last hurrah as Daisy, Esther, and Susan spend the summer together before graduation, tying up some loose ends, before saying goodbye to one another. It’s an emotional end, full of the eccentricities and humour that have been a hallmark of the series.

| Published by Boom Entertainment / BOOM! Box

The Green Lantern #11 continues the multiversal adventure. This is really some of the fun, eccentric science fiction-y superheroics that Grant Morrison really excels at along with gorgeous artwork from Liam Sharp and Steve Oliff. I quite like Sharp’s Neal Adams-esque Batman GL and it’s neat to see the Green Lantern oath’s differences across multiple universes.

| Published by DC Comics

Harley Quinn #65 kind of does an end run around the “Year of the Villain” content, incorporating it as a couple pages of the comic within the comic, while the rest of the issue is devoted to Harley dealing with the grief of the loss of her mother. By kind of ignoring it. Escaping to the Coney Island Volcano Island and getting a bit...rustic. Sam Humphries, Sami Basri, Hi-Fi, and Dave Sharpe also keep Harley’s trials going along nicely.

| Published by DC Comics

Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy #1 follows up on Poison Ivy’s new status after regrowing herself from the death sustained in Heroes in Crisis. Now, I can’t say I exactly liked that series or what happened, but I do think that Jody Houser, Adriano Melo, Mark Morales, Hi-Fi, and Gabriela Downie make the most of it and turn it around into an entertaining start to this new story. Also, a nice pick up on both the broader “Year of the Villain” event (even though there’s no event banner) and on the new developments in Justice League Dark about the Parliament of Flowers and the Floronic Man.

| Published by DC Comics

Immortal Hulk #23 brings the fight to Fortean. It’s absolutely brutal on both sides. Joe Bennett, Ruy José, Belardino Brabo, Paul Mounts, and Matt Milla really do an incredible job with the action here. And the end is stuff of nightmares.

| Published by Marvel

Justice League #31 continues the “Justice/Doom War”. It’s very, very nice to see the Justice Society back in the mainline DC universe. Combined with the Legion of Super-Heroes back, it’s a wonderful time to see these two teams back. Feels good. It also helps that Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Jorge Jimenez, Alejandro Sanchez, and Tom Napolitano have JSA nestled within a great story, flinging the Justice League through the past and future.

| Published by DC Comics

Lois Lane #3 is worth it for the art from Mike Perkins and Paul Mounts by itself. The fight between the two Questions is incredible, beautiful flow of action and energy all through the exchange. Also, we get some follow up on Superman protecting Lois adding complications. There could be an argument made that this story is unfolding at roughly a snail’s pace, but that would overlook the wonderful character moments occurring, the atmosphere, and epic action sequences. 

| Published by DC Comics

Midnight Vista #1 is a wonderful start to this story from Eliot Rahal, Clara Meath, Mark Englert, and Taylor Esposito. It’s an alien abduction story told pretty much straight and its intriguing as to how the disbelievers in this tale are going to deal with, even amid the very real kidnapping and lost time that occurs. I love Meath’s line art here.

| Published by AfterShock

No One Left to Fight #3 hits hard a couple times, first in Winda’s decidedly horrible way of handling rejection and jealousy and then in the Hierophant’s temptation of rebuilding Valé, fixing what ails him. More great work from Aubrey Sitterson, Fico Ossio, Raciel Avila, and Taylor Esposito. This book is a feast.

| Published by Dark Horse

Pretty Deadly: The Rat #1 is a very welcome return of this series, shifting time frame again to ‘30s Los Angeles and adopting a noir style. The artwork from Emma Rios and Jordie Bellaire is drop dead gorgeous, seemingly coming up with new styles and approaches to storytelling. The film stills in particular are very impressive.

| Published by Image

Savage Avengers #5 brings a bloody and brutal “end” to the first arc from Gerry Duggan, Mike Deodato Jr., Frank Martin, and Travis Lanham. It’s not so much a conclusion as a chapter break, ending the bit with the Marrow God, but transitioning into whatever will come next in the war against Kulan Gath.

| Published by Marvel

Sea of Stars #3 is another showcase for Stephen Green and Rico Renzi to just illustrate the hell out of some really cool stuff. This one shifts primary focus back to Kadyn and his interstellar entourage and it’s hilarious. The kid does kid things that drive his space monkey and space whale friends insane. Especially taunting a quarkshark.

| Published by Image

Something is Killing the Children #1 begins a rather disquieting horror series from James Tynion IV, Werther Dell’Edera, Miquel Muerto, and AndWorld Design. It’s brutal, bloody, and filled with all of the terror that you get from a frightened kid who just watched his friends get butchered. This is a visceral horror that punches you right in the gut. Very well done.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Spawn #300 is not a bad anniversary issue, a fairly hefty book featuring a lead “chapter” with gorgeous artwork from returning long term Spawn line artist Greg Capullo, kicking off with something disturbing, then leading into a combination of the story threads that Todd McFarlane has been weaving for some time now. While there is a foundation on the old, this one also sets up a fair amount of what’s coming. Great art throughout from Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo, J. Scott Campbell, Jason Shawn Alexander, Jerome Opeña, Jonathan Glapion, FCO Plascencia, Brian Haberlin, Peter Steigerwald, and Matt Hollingsworth.

| Published by Image

Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order - Dark Temple #1 is a tie in to the forthcoming video game from Electronic Arts by Matthew Rosenberg, Paolo Villanelli, Arif Prianto, and Joe Sabino. It centres around a padawan who somehow managed to escape Order 66 on a recently-joined Republic world of Ontotho and the mystery of a temple that she was sent to investigate.

| Published by Marvel

Supergirl #33 concludes Kara’s quest and “The House of El: United”, giving her perspective on the founding of the United Planets in Superman #14. It’s a decent end here, opening up new possibilities for what we’ll see next.

| Published by DC Comics

Triage #1 is a very impressive debut from Phillip Sevy and Frank Cvetkovic. Interesting set up of variations on the same woman, Evie, across multiple worlds, and a mystery as to what’s going on. Sevy’s art here is gorgeous.

| Published by Dark Horse

Usagi Yojimbo #4 begins a new two-part arc in “The Hero” as Usagi agrees to escort an author caught in a controlling, loveless marriage to her father. There’s a really nice opening sequence in this one with zombies.

| Published by IDW

Vampirella/Red Sonja #1 is a pretty good start to this series from Jordie Bellaire, Drew Moss, Rebecca Nalty, and Becca Carey. It’s set in 1969 and built around the Dyatlov Pass Incident, which sends Vampirella out there to investigate to potentially find a “friend”. Beautiful art from Moss and Nalty. 

| Published by Dynamite

Web of Black Widow #1 is wonderful. Stephen Mooney was born to draw espionage thrillers, having done so incredibly on his own Half Past Danger as well as The Dead Hand and James Bond 007. He has a style that reminds me of Dave Stevens and it just works perfectly for this kind of story. Add to that Jody Houser, Tríona Farrell, and Cory Petit, throw in a mystery born out of Natasha’s past and continued questioning her own status as her since she was brought back from death, and you’ve got a recipe for a near perfect storm of a debut.

| Published by Marvel

Wyrd #4 concludes what has been an intriguing series from Curt Pires, Antonio Fuso, Stefano Simeone, and Micah Myers.  This has been a rather interesting story of superpowers seemingly gone wrong and it ties up with a Superman analogue as a child going homicidal. It’s dark, but it feels real.

| Published by Dark Horse

Other Highlights: Absolute Carnage: Scream #2, Absolute Carnage: Symbiote Spider-Man #1, Alpha Flight: True North #1, Amazing Spider-Man: Going Big #1, Archie #707, Batman/TMNT III #5, Champions #9, Charlie’s Angels vs. Bionic Woman #3, Curse Words #24, The Death-Defying Devil #2, Descendent #5, The Dreaming #13, The Goon #6, House of X #4, Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #1, Marvel Action: Spider-Man #8, Nuclear Winter - Volume 3, Old Man Quill #9, The Punisher #15, Redneck #23, Rick and Morty Present Flesh Curtains #1, Section Zero #6, Space Bandits #3, Star Trek: Discovery - Aftermath #1, Star Wars #71, Superman: Up in the Sky #3, Transformers/Ghostbusters #4, Turok #5, The Wicked + The Divine #45

Recommended Collections: Age of X-Man: Prisoner X, Black Badge - Volume 2, Catwoman - Volume 2: Far From Gotham, Hellboy and the BPRD: 1956, Immortal Hulk - Volume 4: Abomination, Infinite Dark - Volume 2, Outcast - Volume 7, Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider - Volume 2: Impossible Year, Superb - Volume 4: The Kids aren’t Alright, War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas, X-Force - Volume 2: Counterfeit King

d. emerson eddy is currently suffering the effects of a very gassy pug.