#National Board of Examinations

[dhallblogs]

NEET PG 2024 revised exam date announced, test to be held in 2 shifts on 11 August 2024.

New Delhi: The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences has announced that the NEET PG examination will be held on August 11. The exam was originally scheduled for June 23. On June 22, nonetheless, it was canceled that evening because of some worries expressed by the authorities. The exam will be conducted in two sessions.

ALSO READ MORE:- https://apacnewsnetwork.com/2024/07/neet-pg-2024-revised-exam-date-announced-test-to-be-held-in-2-shifts-on-11-august-2024/

[shaktiknowledgeblog]

National Board | national board of examination | national board | Results | Education

National Board of Examination will issue the result of the Fellowship Entrance Test on this day, learn date here The National Board of Examination for Medical Sciences is to issue a result of the Fellowship Entrance Test by 7 March. Image Source: NATBOARD.EDU.INNational Board of Examination will be issued till 7 March Result of Fellowship Entrance Test The National Board of Examination for…

[myonexox]

RIVAL TURNED PARTNER

pairing : academic rival!jungwon x female!reader

genre : academic rivals to lovers, fluff, romance

synopsis : you and jungwon, two top-performing students, constantly compete for the highest rank in your class. when paired for a national academic competition, you must set aside your rivalry and work together

word count : 2.9k

the room was thick with tension as the results of the latest schoolwide examination were pinned to the bulletin board. students huddled around, craning their necks to find their scores but all you cared about was one name: yang jungwon.

“second again” you muttered under your breath, your gaze narrowing as you saw his name just above yours on the list. jungwon had taken the top spot. again.

“better luck next time i guess” came a smug voice from behind you. you didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was.

“don’t you have anything better to do than gloat, jungwon?” you snapped, finally facing him. he stood there with that infuriatingly calm smile, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement.

“what? i’m just being supportive” he said, feigning innocence. “after all, second place isn’t that bad, right?”

you clenched your fists, resisting the urge to wipe that grin off his face. “enjoy it while it lasts” you said sharply. “next time i’m taking the top spot”

“well, looking forward to it” he replied, giving you a mock bow before walking away. his confidence made your blood boil but deep down, it also fueled your determination. you’d show him. you always did.

your rivalry with jungwon had started during your very first year at the prestigious decelis academy. from the moment you set foot in the school, you’d been determined to prove yourself. academics were your forte and you weren’t about to let anyone outshine you.

but then came jungwon. the golden boy with perfect grades, a perfect smile and to your dismay, perfect manners. he was polite to everyone, helpful to teachers and adored by classmates. except you. for some reason, he seemed to reserve all his teasing, smirks and playful comments just for you. and as much as you hated to admit it, it worked. he got under your skin like no one else could.

from math tests to science fairs, debates to mock trials, the two of you had always been neck and neck. you’d win one round and he’d win the next, each victory spurring the other to work even harder. it wasn’t just competition, it was war.

“you’re so obsessed with beating him” your best friend had once said, watching as you scribbled furious notes in the library after class.

“i am not obsessed” you’d replied indignantly. “i just… don’t like losing to him”

“uh-huh” she had said, not looking convinced. “well, he seems to like losing to you even less”

you had rolled your eyes, unwilling to entertain the idea that jungwon could be bothered by anything you did. he was always so composed, so infuriatingly sure of himself. it was as if nothing fazed him. and yet, every time you beat him in a test or scored higher in a project, you’d catch the briefest flicker of something in his eyes. annoyance? frustration? it was hard to tell but it was enough to keep you going.

what you didn’t know though, was that jungwon had a secret.

behind his confident exterior and teasing remarks, he had always admired you. from the very first day, when you’d stood up in class to correct the teacher on a math problem, he’d been struck by your determination. you were smart, bold and unrelenting and it fascinated him. but instead of telling you outright, he’d chosen to mask his feelings with playful jabs and constant competition. it was easier that way. safer.

still, there were moments when his true feelings slipped through the cracks. like the time he’d stayed late at the library, pretending to study just so he could keep an eye on you as you worked tirelessly on your history essay. or the time he’d overheard you complaining to your best friend about your struggles with calculus and had “coincidentally” left his neatly written notes on your desk the next day.

“who even writes like this?” you’d muttered, flipping through the notes. but you’d used them anyway and he’d silently celebrated your improved score.

for jungwon, your rivalry was more than just competition. it was his way of staying close to you, of being a part of your world. and though he’d never admit it, he loved the way your eyes lit up with determination whenever you faced off against him. he loved the fire in your voice when you argued, the way you never backed down. he loved you.

but he also knew you’d never believe him if he told you. not when he’d spent years annoying you, pushing your buttons and stealing the spotlight. so he kept his feelings hidden, letting the rivalry be his excuse to stay close to you.

the next day, you found yourself in the library, poring over your textbooks. midterms were just around the corner and you were determined to outscore jungwon this time. you’d even mapped out a new study schedule, complete with color-coded tabs and a list of practice tests.

“planning world domination?” a familiar voice drawled, pulling you out of your thoughts.

you looked up to see him leaning against the bookshelf, his arms crossed and that infuriating smirk on his face. “what do you want?” you asked, glaring at him.

“just checking in on my favorite rival” he said, sliding into the seat across from you. “you look stressed”

“and you look annoyingly relaxed” you shot back. “shouldn’t you be studying right now?”

“i don’t need to” he said, shrugging. “i’m already prepared”

you scoffed. “of course you are” you muttered, flipping through your notes. “you’re always so perfect, aren’t you?”

for a moment, his smirk faltered, replaced by something softer. but before you could notice, it was back. “not perfect” he said lightly. “just better than you”

you glared at him but instead of firing back, you turned your attention to your books. “if you’re not going to study, at least let me focus” you said, hoping he’d take the hint and leave.

but of course he didn’t. instead, he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand as he watched you. “you know” he said after a moment “you’re kind of amazing”

you blinked, caught off guard. “what?”

“your dedication” he said. “the way you work so hard. it’s impressive”

you didn’t know what to say, didn't know how to reply. was this another one of his tricks? another way to throw you off your game?

“are you trying to distract me?” you asked suspiciously.

he chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “maybe” he admitted. “but it’s still true”

you stared at him, trying to figure out what game he was playing. but his expression was unreadable and before you could press further, he stood up.

“anyway, don’t stay up too late” he said, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “wouldn’t want you to burn out before the big test”

and with that, he walked away, leaving you more confused than ever.

══════════════════

the announcement was made on a monday morning right after the school assembly. principal choi’s voice echoed through the gymnasium.

“this year, we are proud to announce that decelis academy will be represented in the national academic competition by two of our finest students, yang jungwon and...” a dramatic pause that you swore was unnecessary “...y/n”

the sound of polite applause rippled through the crowd but your mind went blank. you glanced across the gym to where jungwon was sitting and your eyes met. no. this cannot be happening.

by the time the assembly ended, you’d barely made it out of your seat before he intercepted you near the double doors. “this has to be a joke” he said.

“believe me, i wish it were” you shot back, crossing your arms. “do you think i want to spend weeks working with you?”

“you could’ve fooled me” he replied, his signature smirk making an appearance. “after all, who wouldn’t want to bask in my brilliance?”

you rolled your eyes so hard it almost hurt. “get over yourself, jungwon. just because you’re good at math doesn’t mean i’m going to swoon at the thought of working with you”

he opened his mouth to retort but before he could, a teacher’s voice cut through the tension.

“ah, there you two are!” mr lee, the head of the academic committee, approached with an enthusiastic smile. “congratulations on being selected! i’m sure the two of you will make an excellent team”

you exchanged a glance with jungwon, both of you clearly thinking the same thing, we’re doomed.

your first meeting was scheduled for that afternoon in the library. you arrived early, hoping to claim the best seat and establish some kind of advantage. but of course he was already there, seated comfortably with a stack of neatly arranged notes in front of him.

“punctuality” he said without looking up. “i’m impressed”

“don’t get used to it” you muttered, dropping your bag onto the table with a little more force than necessary.

he finally looked up, raising an eyebrow. “you know, this might actually work better if we don’t spend the entire time trying to out-snark each other”

“i’ll stop if you will” you said, narrowing your eyes.

“deal” he said, leaning back in his chair. “now, let’s talk strategy”

for the next hour, you begrudgingly discussed the competition’s format, dividing up the subjects based on your strengths. you took the lead on literature and history while jungwon claimed science and math. the arrangement made sense but working with him still felt like walking a tightrope.

“you know, like i said” he said at one point, tapping his pen against the table “if you spent less time trying to prove you’re better than me, you might actually enjoy this”

you stared at him, incredulous. “enjoy this? working with you?”

“why not?” he said with a shrug. “i mean, you’re not completely insufferable”

“wow” you said dryly. “high praise coming from you”

he grinned, clearly amused by your sarcasm. “see? you’re already having fun”

you wanted to argue but the truth was, there was something oddly satisfying about the back-and-forth. as much as you hated to admit it, his sharp wit and quick thinking kept you on your toes. and for once, it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

as the weeks went by, the late afternoons in the library became a routine. at first, the sessions were tense, filled with curt remarks and thinly veiled insults. but gradually, something shifted. maybe it was the shared stress of preparing for the competition or the realization that you were, in fact, stronger as a team. whatever it was, the rivalry began to soften, replaced by something resembling… camaraderie?

one evening, as you both pored over a particularly challenging set of practice questions, jungwon let out a frustrated sigh.

“this is ridiculous” he said, running a hand through his hair. “seriously, who even writes these questions? sadists?”

you couldn’t help but laugh. “probably. or people who have way too much free time”

he looked at you, surprised by your laughter and his expression softened. “you know, you should do that more often”

“do what?” you asked, still smiling.

“laugh” he said simply. “it suits you”

you blinked, caught off guard by his words. “uh… thanks?”

he shrugged, turning his attention back to the questions but you couldn’t shake the warmth that his comment had sparked.

as you turned back to your notes, trying to refocus, his words replayed in your mind like a broken record. laugh. it suits you. it wasn’t the kind of comment you expected from him. sharp-tongued, competitive jungwon who seemed to take more joy in annoying you than anything else. but there had been no sarcasm in his tone, no teasing glint in his eye. it had been genuine... or not?

your chest felt strangely tight, a fluttering sensation creeping in as you stole a glance at him. his head was bent over the notebook, scribbling furiously. was he flustered? the thought was almost absurd yet you couldn’t help but wonder.

why does it even matter anyway? you told yourself firmly.

meanwhile, jungwon was equally unsettled. he didn’t know why he’d said it. it had just slipped out. he blamed the late hours and the exhaustion for loosening his filter but deep down, he knew the truth.

he’d always noticed how your laugh lit up your face, how it softened the sharp edges of your determined, competitive demeanor. but saying it out loud? that was new. and now he couldn’t stop glancing at you, wondering if you’d caught on to the meaning behind his words.

get it together, jungwon. he scolded himself, gripping his pen tighter.

══════════════════

the day of the national academic competition arrived earlier than you had expected. you stood in front of the grand auditorium, your heart pounding against your ribcage as you took in the sight of the enormous building. banners bearing the competition’s emblem fluttered in the wind and students from schools across the country poured inside, their faces a mixture of excitement and anxiety.

beside you, jungwon adjusted the strap of his bag as he stared ahead. it was strange seeing him so serious and nervous and you weren’t sure if it comforted you or made you even more nervous.

“well” he said finally, breaking the silence “ready to show everyone why we’re the best?”

you turned to him. despite his confidence, you noticed the way his fingers tapped against the strap of his bag, a subtle tell that he was just as nervous as you were.

“of course” you said, forcing a steady tone. “don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts”

“never” he replied, his smirk widening. “i just hope you can keep up”

rolling your eyes, you let out a small laugh. it was comforting in a way to have him tease you. you both stepped inside the auditorium.

it was massive with rows of seats filled with students, teachers and judges. the stage at the front was set with individual podiums for each team, each equipped with microphones and screens. you and jungwon were directed to your designated podium where your names and school logo were displayed on the screen.

“this is it” he muttered as you both took your places. “no turning back now”

“not that we’d want to” you replied, giving him a small smile.

the competition began with an opening speech from the host, a charismatic professor who welcomed everyone and explained the rules. the format was straightforward. three rounds, each testing a different subject area with increasing difficulty as the rounds progressed. the team with the highest overall score at the end would be crowned the winner.

“let the best team win” the host declared and the first round began.

the first round focused on general knowledge, a rapid-fire session where speed and accuracy were key. as the questions appeared on the screen, you both fell into an unspoken rhythm. he tackled the math and science questions with ease while you handled the history and literature ones. each correct answer brought a rush of adrenaline and you could feel the audience’s energy feeding into your own.

by the end of the first round, your team was tied for first place with another school. as the scores were displayed on the screen, you couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. jungwon leaned closer, his voice low so only you could hear.

“we’ve got this”

the second round was more challenging, focusing on problem-solving and critical thinking. each team was given a series of complex scenarios to analyze, requiring collaboration and quick decision-making.

“okay” you said, scanning the first scenario on the screen. “it’s a logic puzzle. we need to figure out the sequence of events based on the clues given”

he nodded, already jotting down notes. “if we eliminate the impossible options first, that should narrow it down”

for the next several minutes, the two of you worked in sync, bouncing ideas off each other and refining your answers. despite the pressure, you couldn’t help but notice how well you and jungwon complemented each other. where you hesitated, he pushed forward and where he faltered, you stepped in to steady the pace.

“time’s up!” the host called and the answers were submitted.

when your team’s score for the round was announced, it was met with a wave of applause. you were still in first place, pulling ahead of the other teams. jungwon turned to you.

“you’re really good at this” he said.

“so are you” you admitted, the words coming easier than you expected.

the final round was a grueling test of endurance, a mix of all subjects with questions designed to push the competitors to their limits. by this point, exhaustion was setting in but neither of you was willing to back down.

“focus” he said under his breath as the next question appeared. “we’re almost there”

you nodded, channeling every ounce of energy you had left into the competition. the questions came faster, each one more difficult than the last.

when the final buzzer sounded, you felt like you could finally breathe again. the host took the stage, a wide smile on his face as he addressed the audience.

“and now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for. the winners of this year’s national academic competition are...”

the room fell silent.

“decelis academy, yang jungwon and y/n!”

the auditorium erupted into cheers and applause as your names flashed on the screen. you turned to jungwon, your heart racing with disbelief and excitement.

“we did it!” you said, a wide grin spreading across your face.

without thinking, you threw your arms around him, pulling him into a hug, the joy bubbling over before you could stop it. it wasn’t until you felt the solid warmth of his chest against yours that you realized what you’d done.

“oh my gosh i—” you stammered, beginning to pull away but his arms had already come up to steady you.

jungwon stood frozen for a moment, caught completely off guard. his wide eyes met yours and for a second, the world around you seemed to blur. then, slowly, his expression softened. a small, almost shy smile tugged at his lips.

“you’re really happy, huh?” he murmured.

you nodded, too flustered to say anything. your hands dropped from his shoulders.

“me too” he admitted, his smile growing as he stepped back. “we did it, together”

[avocad1s]

Trial By Combat - 3

Requested By: No One. Original Work.

CW: Post-Impostor SAGAU,

Summary: Focalors apologizes

Note: This is so late and I apologize for that!

If vou haven't finished the Fontaine Archon quest, please exit stage left.

Part One Part Two Part Four

The rain drops pelted the windows. It seemed never-ending. The sky still looked tormented by the thick overcast of gray clouds that blocked the morning sun. Fontaine hadn’t seen a day of sunshine in days and the Chief Justice couldn’t bring himself to work another day in a row.

No many how many hours he wasted staring at the file created for your case, it did nothing to relieve the amount of sadness he had in his heart. Neuvillette is the most trusted and respected person in the entire nation but even he couldn’t see past the empty accusations the Hydro Archon made.

Once the trial began and he saw your face he had his doubts, your physical appearance was beyond comparison. He didn’t want to believe that you were an imposter, that you had ill intentions but he couldn’t let his personal feelings get in the way of justice.

He wasn’t the only one with these thoughts, people who sat in the audience began to whisper amongst themselves wondering if you really were a fake.

However a few words from Furina were enough to get many people on board.

‘Do not let yourselves be fooled by their appearance my dear people, they want us to let our guard down! I will personally reveal the truth behind their deceit.’

Yet you do not stand trial, you ask to duel for your innocence and he accepts.

That was his biggest mistake.

He knew that you were no match for Clorinde and he knew that he could’ve intervened at any time, but he didn’t.

You laid on the dueling grounds blood quickly poured from your body. Medical staff and Clorinde were quick to carry you away from the public but Neuvillette will never forgive his inaction.

Suddenly he blinks as a raindrop slides down his cheek.

-

Just like she promised, Furina returned to your room at daybreak. Once you were in her line of sight she bows slightly speaking in a soft tone.

“Your Grace, thank you for allowing me to return.”

You say nothing, watching the people down below navigate through the weather with their parasols in hand.

She takes a step forward. Would you allow her to get close to you again? The last thing she wants is for you to yell even if she deserves it. She takes small steps forward, paying close attention to your face taking note of any displeasure you may feel from her presence.

Eventually she was close enough to touch you, she readjusts her hat slightly before kneeling down resting her hand on top of yours. The Archon smiles slightly feeling a sense of relief wash over her.

“I am a fool,” Furina breathes out, “I should’ve been the first to recognize you but I didn’t and now I will pay the price…”

She feels her lips tremble. Was she going to shed tears in front of her God again?

“I know that there’s no way I can fix this but-“

“You’re right Furina,” you interject, “there’s no way you can fix this.”

She looks up at you with watery eyes.

“But I was doing some thinking last night and I want to move on from this.” You finally look down at her examining her expression. “that doesn’t mean I forgive you and I definitely won’t forget what you did.”

Furina let’s out a breath, you truly were a benevolent being. She was ready to do anything for you to give her another chance, even if she had to pull her gnosis out of her chest.

“Thank you for this opportunity Your Grace,” she gives you a smile, “I will do everything in my power to prove my loyalty to you again.”

You decide not to respond to her statement instead turning your gaze to the bundle of flowers on your bedside table. The stems were going limp and the color of the petals were fading. Whoever brought them must’ve forgotten to water them, they’re almost dead now.

Furina stands up wiping her wet cheeks as she gives you a small smile. “Your Grace, would it be alright if I show you around Fontaine? I know everyone would be very happy to see that you’re doing okay.”

You look out the window once more, she was right. There was a large crowd of people who stood outside the building you were in. Many of them holding gifts that they hope to give to you.

You open your mouth to respond but another voice cuts you off.

“Lady Furina that’s not a good idea…”

Clorinde leaned against the threshold of the door, she had dark circles under her eyes as she stared at the two of you. “Their Grace’s wounds are still healing. Walking for extended periods of time could be dangerous.”

Furina pouts slightly at her words but she knew Clorinde was right. If you were to tear your stitches you might not survive another operation, and the mere thought of you dying sends shivers down the Archon’s spine.

“You should let them get plenty of rest for now.” Clorinde suggests, “The medical staff will return tomorrow to change their bandages and give an update on their condition.“

You can see Furina visibly deflate at her words, “I know, I know…”

With a bit more pushing, Furina soon left with Clorinde leaving you alone in the room once again. Suddenly you feel a wave a fatigue wash over you, maybe not getting any sleep throughout the night was a bad idea. You stand from the windowsill and walk slowly over to the bed sinking into the soft material. A sigh leaves your mouth as you close your eyes listening to the sounds of rain against the glass until you eventually fell asleep.

-

You wake up to the sound of small footsteps, their voices are hushed as they walk around the room. You decide to keep your eyes closed, curious what their intentions of coming here were.

“Let’s change the flowers before they wake up. We don’t want to get caught.”

Hmm. So they’re the ones bringing the flowers.

You open your eyes sitting up in bed and your meet with…

…a Melusine?

“Oh no! We’ve been caught!”

The two hang their heads down sadly, as if they were were just caught by their parent.

“So you two were the ones who brought flowers to my bed?”

The Melusine look at each other then at you.

“Monsieur Neuvillette asked us to bring these to you.” One of them confessed.

You blink, “Neuvillette? He asked you to bring these?”

She nods holding the flowers out to you, “will you take them? It would make him really happy if you did.”

You hesitate for a moment, staring at the bouquet in the Melusine’s hands. Even if you couldn’t forgive any of them now for what happened. What good would holding a grudge do?

You take the flowers bringing them to your face to smell the sweet scent. “Thank you for bringing these to me, tell Neuvillette I said thank you.”

The Melusine give you a closed eye smile nodding as they walk towards the door. However before they were fully out of earshot, you hear one of them say:

“Maybe we’ll have some better weather now.”

You look down at the flowers, they truly were beautiful. They were Romaritime flowers, ones they could only be picked with the hydro element. You feel a small smile spread on your face as you replace the other bouquet with the new one. With a busy schedule like his, Neuvillette must’ve went out of his way to get these for you.

-

-

Underneath the cover a darkness, a large ship docks right outside the court of Fontaine.

It was unusual for a ship to come at this time but there was no mistaking that symbol that steered any citizen away as quickly as possible.

“Lady Harbinger, we’ve arrived.”

The Knave stands from her seat, she wasn’t here for diplomatic reasons or for her comrade that rotted in Fontaine’s prison. Her reasons for returning home were purely selfish.

She steps off the boat her heel landing in a puddle the was slowly drying from the warm breeze Sumeru’s desert nearby. The Knave looks up expecting to see rain clouds but is met with thousands of stars spread across the night sky. It was a clear night.

“All of you head to the Northland Bank and do not reveal our true reason for coming here to anyone. I will retrieve Their Grace myself.”

-

© avocad1s 2023

Tagging: @bittersweetorpheus @esthelily @tempestlart @angelofdarkness2 @mmeatt @dxprived4-starboys

If your @ is bolded, for some reason I cannot tag you! :(

If you wish to be removed from the tag list you can comment or inbox me and I’ll take you off :)

[ashstfu]

hello ash. I want some tips on being disciplined.

im a student in my senior year of high schl and am preparing for a national level exam. I keep getting distracted when I'm studying and fall asleep at night feeling guilty for having achieved nothing throughout the day. all my classmates are wayyyyy ahead of me and I know I am more potent than them but I simply can't concentrate and be disciplined like them. any tips? ik you're a stem major yourself so you must have the advice I seek

thanks! xoxo

hi the only advice i have for you is to fucking study. put in some work. this is not a game. this is your fucking future. put in the hours, study, and become the best version of yourself. those hours you spent on social media? what did they ever get you other than headaches, low self esteem, dark eye circles. you won’t be doing tiktok dances or making pinterest boards in the examination hall. plus you can sleep in the coffin. stop taking this lightly. you owe it to yourself to be consistent, disciplined & focused.

being a stem major is so not easy. minimize ur distractions, identify what distracts you the most while studying and try to avoid those things. this might mean studying in a quiet place, using website blockers or apps to limit social media usage, or finding a study buddy to keep you accountable.

establish a study schedule and stick to it as much as possible!!!!!! set aside specific times for studying, breaks, and relaxation.

set achievable goals. this could be completing a certain number of practice questions, reviewing specific chapters, or mastering a particular concept. and reward yourself for the progress made! no matter how small. treat yourself to something you enjoy after completing a study session :) remember, everyone has their own pace and methods of studying. don’t compare yourself to your classmates or feel guilty for not studying in the same way as them, just stick to ur plans and NO MORE FUCKING PROCRASTINATING! bye love u <3

[thesleepyfable]

~ SWTD: Still Here AU Part 22: ~

Reunions Part 2:

And now, it's Addair's turn. The next chapter will be a one-shot release for Halloween. It'll be out tomorrow.

Halloween Special:

Addair and Raffs had no reason to work together on The Beria, but on the farm, they oddly worked well together. Raffs thought Addair must have been a handyman in his previous life because he seemed to know everything. And not just from checking the fences.

When they passed through a deserted field, Addair's eyes caught the attention of a tractor that was beginning to rust. Instead of helping Raffs pry off the broken board for a new one, he lifted and examined the vehicle. From the punctured tires to the cracked clutch. Instead of being frustrated with Addair, Raffs was in awe of him. Not for the god-like strength he now possessed because he knew he could never come close to that, but for how knowledgeable he was.

He watched the engineer point out the faults and how he would fix them. Raffs was always willing to learn, and even if he'll never see farming in his future, it was a good way to break the ice with a man he was told to avoid.

'Will it ever run again?'

'After some trial and error, it might.'

'How do you know that?'

'I've only been an engineer for six years, Raffety. Before that, I did anything to scrape by.' That wasn't an original story. Like Caz, Roy, Innes, and possibly many others, they all came to the rig to either escape something or make a change. Raffs was different. He just followed Brodie. Brodie came for the prospect of money. Something that wasn't at all selfish in this economy.

As the pair finished their round, the sound of the snow crunching beneath their feet got closer. They didn't react at first, thinking it was Caz coming to help as Raffs began to hammer a nail into the post. That was until Addair heard the voice.

'Dad! Dad!'

Like with Gibbo, time froze, but unlike Gibbo, Addair turned with a smile on his face. He dropped the fence board he was holding, leaving Raffs to deal with it alone, and scooped up his son into a hug.

'Richard.' The youngest of his boys. Only seven years old. 'I missed you so much. Did you miss me?' Raffs was surprised. Not just because Richard didn't care what his dad had become, but because he had to remind himself that Addair was a member of the National Front. Looking at him now, you couldn't tell. Here, he was just being a good father. Who knew someone like Addair was a person under his political beliefs?

Richard nodded. 'Did you get my Christmas card?'

'Of course, and I let everyone know you made it. Now, where's Elliot?'

He knew where he was. It was a game the twins would often play. Richard would cause a distraction whilst Elliot tried to scare their dad. It never worked. Addair would either pretend to be scared or figure out his hiding spot. This time, it was the latter. Elliot had snuck is way around by going through the field. Raffs saw but didn't say anything. Instead of scaring his dad, Elliot felt a tendril wrap around his arm and be pulled up and over Addair's head. 'Oh, here he is.'

'Here I am!'

With a laugh, Addair brought his sons into a hug. Being the only one of two infected who still kept his arms had its advantages. Raffs smiled. It was a sweet reunion, but that soon came to a halt thanks to the voice of a woman only a few yards away.

'Calm down? How can I be calm?!' It was Jennifer. She stood beside her second eldest son, George, who looked both shocked and terrified by his mother's rage. Addair noticed, too, and set the boys down besides his work colleague. That was Raffs' cue to take them back to the house. 'My husband, your father, has been turned into that!'

Well, that stung. Still, Addair wasn't worried. He approached Jennifer, who had her back turned, and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She flinched, turned, and took a few steps back. Okay. Now it hurt. Whatever remained of Addair's smile faded, and slight worry began to creep into his mind. He saw her eyes. She was scared, confused, and didn't know what to do with herself. This was Geroge's time to slowly step away and follow his brothers to the house.

'Jennifer. It's okay. It's just me.' She didn't reply. More worry. 'It's okay...'

'Stop saying that, Addair.' Now, complete worry entered his mind. She never called him by his name. Jennifer swallowed her fear, which was born from shock. But, now it was replaced with worry, but she couldn't bring herself to move. 'Look at what's happened to you. How are you okay?'

The words cut deep. Addair's jaw tightened, trying to hold himself strong to her words. A look of shame was in his eyes. Jennifer noticed and began to feel guilty, wondering why did she say such a thing. He wasn't okay, and they both knew that.

Addair carefully held out a hand and reached forward. 'But, it's still me, Jennifer. ' His hand rested on her cheek. After a moment, she leaned her face into him and, like Trots, rested her hand on his wrist. Her shoulders dropped, and she closed her eyes. She moved her head so that her face was in his hand. His smell was still there. Now, Jennifer didn't want to let go. Her fingers traced and touched his wedding ring. Tears swelled, but she stayed strong as she started to play with it.

Addair moved closer and adjusted his body to make it look like he was sitting. Carefully, he pulled and lifted Jennifer up and into one of his signature bear hugs. She clung to him, now no longer caring if she was hugging an exposed organ or blood vessel. 'Does it hurt?'

'No,' Addair answered truthfully. 'Not anymore.' More silence, as the pair enjoyed the moment. 'How's Tommy?' The question broke the hug. Jennifer's eyes were still full of tears.

'Still the same,' she replied as she began to unfurl her scarf to wrap it around Addair. 'The doctor said he still has brain activity, but apart from that, he's still sleeping.' A pause. 'I just want him to wake up.' Now, she began to cry, and Addair pulled her back into a hug. 'But that could take years.'

'And, we'll be there when he does. Okay? Please don't cry, Jenny.' Addair hated seeing his Goddess upset.

Of course, they had to think of Addair. How can he go back into society with a job, let alone go and see his son? That's what he wondered back when the fog was lifted. The question fueled his own anger towards Rennick, but Gibbo got to him first. But this wasn't about him anymore. He was just grateful to be back on land. He was grateful to have his wife in his arms and to see his sons smiling. The only thing they had to worry about now was Tommy.

He felt a kiss on his cheek that tightened the hug. They'll stay like this. At least for a little while.

[readyforevolution]

JACK DANIELS HOLSCLAW (1918-1998)

Tuskegee Airman Jack Daniels Holsclaw was born in Spokane, Washington, on March 21, 1918. His father, Charles, was a clerk in a downtown store, and his mother, Nell, was a manager at Pacific Telephone and Telegraph. Holsclaw attended North Central High School in Spokane, where he excelled both academically and athletically. When he was 15, he became the first black person in Spokane to earn the Eagle Scout badge.

Holsclaw entered Whitworth College in 1935 but transferred to Washington State College (now Washington State University) in 1936 to play baseball. Beginning in his junior year, he played center field and helped the Cougars finish as co-champions of the Northern Division, Pacific Coast Conference. He was the second African American earn a varsity letter in baseball at the college.

In 1939, Holsclaw transferred to a chiropractic program at Western States College in Portland, Oregon, where he met his wife, Bernice Williams. They had one son, Glen. Holsclaw completed the chiropractic program in 1942 and passed the Oregon state board examination.

While there, he enrolled in a government sponsored Civilian Pilot Training Program at Multnomah College and earned his pilot’s license. On October 5, 1942, he enlisted in the army as a private and entered flight school, training at Tuskegee Army Airfield, Alabama. After completing his training, he received his wings and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on July 28, 1943. Lieutenant Holsclaw received advanced training at Selfridge Field near Detroit, Michigan before his squadron was shipped to Italy in December 1943.

Lieutenant Holsclaw flew in the 100th Fighter Squadron, 332d Fighter Group, an all-black pursuit squadron. Holsclaw named his favorite P-51 “Bernice Baby” in honor of his wife. The 332d Fighter Group had distinctive red tails giving them the nickname “Red Tails.” The 332d Fighter Group escorted bombers on their runs over enemy territory, shielding them from German fighters. To the bomber crews that were protected by them they were the “Red Tail Angels.”

On July 18, 1944, in an aerial battle over Italy, Holsclaw shot down two German fighters. For this action he received the Distinguished Flying Cross. By December 1944, Holsclaw had completed 68 combat missions, nearing the limit of 70, when he became Assistant Operations Officer, an important administrative position that included aerial mission planning. In January 1945, Holsclaw was promoted to captain.

Captain Holsclaw returned to the United States in June 1945 to serve as assistant base operations officer at Godman Field, Fort Knox, Kentucky. He served as an Air Force ROTC instructor at Tuskegee Institute and then Tennessee State College.

From 1954 to 1957, Holsclaw was assigned to Japan, and from May 1962 to the end of 1964, he served as chief of the training division, Sixth Air Force Reserve Region at Hamilton Air Force Base, California. He directed the preparation of two textbooks to guide incoming air force personnel. Holsclaw retired from the Air Force on December 31, 1964 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

From 1965 to 1973 Holsclaw served as a manager in the Marin County Housing Authority, California. In 1973, he and Bernice returned to Washington where Holsclaw joined the staff at the People’s National Bank in Bellevue. He remained there until his second retirement in 1983. He and Bernice took up residence in Arizona, where Jack Holsclaw died on April 7, 1998, at the age of 80.

In August 2019, the Jonas Babcock Chapter, NSDAR, dedicated a historical marker in the memory of Lt. Col. Holsclaw at the site of his childhood home in Spokane.

[sweet-s0rr0w]

day 26 of @hprecfest - a fic under 5k

Between Two Fires of Beltane by secretsalex - E, 4.8k, 2017

Summary: As the war drags on, Draco becomes a spy for Voldemort and works his way into Harry’s good graces—and his bed. When the Order prepares to invade Malfoy Manor, Draco is forced to examine his loyalties.

Excerpt: Draco wonders if the Order knows that killing Voldemort would only be the beginning.

Harry’s hand is on Draco’s thigh under the table, and his fingers are creeping higher and higher as he talks, arguing again for a direct invasion, practically screaming for action.

He’s still, at heart, convinced that he will win. That he has to win. That good will triumph over evil, et cetera, et cetera. It’s incredibly naïve, but Draco doesn’t blame Harry for it. The alternative is to lie down and die.

“We could mount the invasion,” Harry says, and his hand drifts higher still. He loves to do this, to fondle Draco into insanity while they sit at the table, then dismiss the meeting and pull Draco down onto his lap, impale him on his cock and tell him to fuck himself blind on it. “With Draco’s information, we could take the Manor. Slip through the wards, maybe go unnoticed until we’re right on them.”

The Order is muttering to itself, and about half look to be on-board. Molly Weasley is wringing her hands, but Shacklebolt looks absolutely hungry for blood. Granger’s eyes are ice cold, and Draco wouldn’t want to meet them over wands. Harry may actually have them, finally. May have convinced them a suicide mission is the way to go. He can’t believe Harry is really doing this. He thought it was still a pipedream, even this morning.

Harry clears his throat to be heard over the din, and everyone falls silent. “I will leave it up to a vote. But please, consider it. With Draco in the Order, the Manor can fall."

Draco’s balls are cupped in Harry’s hand when he finishes speaking.

Secretsalex is such a fantastic writer, and this fic feels so much longer than 5k. Draco's panic, his isolation, the feeling of time running out - all of it's so palpable between the desperate journal entries and the short scenes with Harry. Which side will he end up on? We don't know, we suspect he doesn't know. We do know what Harry would do to a traitor; he tells Draco as much, in bed. I love how physical they are with each other - not in a romantic way, but through a sort of overwhelming need for something tangible in such an uncertain world. Great fic, great author, big rec!

If you read it, and especially if you love it, please do let me know! And as always, please do take the time to leave the author a kudos/comment <3

day 1 - first fic you remember reading

day 2 - a fic rated G

day 3 - a fic not on ao3

day 4 - a comfort fic

day 5 - a romantic fic

day 6 - a fic for a ship you don’t normally read

day 7 - the best of your OTP

day 8 - a fic that was recced to you

day 9 - a WIP

day 10 - a fest/event fic

day 11 - an underrated fic

day 12 - a fic from your favourite author

day 13 - a rare pair

day 14 - a fic rated T

day 15 - a fic over 50k

day 16 - a podfic

day 17 - a fic that makes you cry

day 18 - a fic that makes you laugh

day 19 - fanart

day 20 - a fic with fanart

day 21 - a fic rated M

day 22 - a series

day 23 - a crossover or AU fic

day 24 - holiday (vacation)

day 25 - holiday (national holiday)

day 27 - a smokin' hot fic

day 28 - a fic over 100k

day 29 - a fic rated E

[softsoundingsea]

By Luke Gentile

The FBI announced last week its recovery of at least 22 historical artifacts taken after the American victory at the Battle of Okinawa in World War II.

A deal to return the artifacts to the Government of Japan, Okinawa Prefecture, was arranged via the FBI, and a repatriation ceremony will be held after the artifacts return for the first time in nearly eight decades, according to a release from the FBI Boston Division.

Several artifacts date back to the 18th and 19th centuries and hold a place in the long history of Okinawa, including portraits, a hand-drawn map, pottery, and ceramics, the release noted.

“It’s incredibly gratifying when the FBI is able to recover precious cultural property that has been missing for almost 80 years,” Jodi Cohen, the special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Division, said.

“This case highlights the important role the public plays in recognizing and reporting possible stolen art. We’d like to thank the family from Massachusetts who did the right thing in reaching out to us and relinquishing these treasures so we could return them to the people of Okinawa,” Cohen said.

Multiple artifacts now returning to Okinawa were registered with the FBI’s National Stolen Art File in 2001 by the Okinawa Prefectural Board of Education, according to the release.

In 2023, the family of a late World War II veteran (who did not serve in the Pacific) discovered some of the valuable Asian art while they went through his personal items, and they found at least four of the works in the National Stolen Art File, according to the FBI.

“It’s an exciting moment when you watch the scrolls unfurl in front of you and you just witness history, and you witness something that hasn’t been seen by many people in a very long time,” Geoffrey Kelly, an FBI Boston special agent and Art Crime Team member, said.

“These artifacts are culturally significant, they’re important pieces of Japan’s identity. These were especially important because they were portraits of Okinawan kings dating back to the 18th, 19th centuries. This case really illustrates part of the work we do on the Art Crime Team. It’s not always about prosecutions and putting someone in jail. A lot of what we do is making sure stolen property gets back to its rightful owners even if it’s many generations down the road,” Kelly said.

Assisting the FBI in the return of the items was the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Asian Art, according to the release.

“The FBI reached out, asked us for some help making sure they knew how to care for the works and that they had a safe place to store them while they worked out the repatriation details. It’s an honor to be able to help the works go back to their home,” Danielle Bennett, the head of collections management at the National Museum of Asian Art at the Smithsonian Institute, said.

You can see all of the recovered artifacts here.

[beardedmrbean]

Daniel Penny was acquitted Monday of criminally negligent homicide in the chokehold death of Jordan Neely, a 30-year-oldhomeless man with a history of mental illness whose final moments on a New York City subway train were captured on bystander video that set off weeks of protests and captured national attention.

The decision, on the fifth day of deliberations, came after the jury deadlocked Friday on the more serious charge of manslaughter, leading the judge to dismiss it. Penny faced up to four years in prison.

The anonymous jury, made up of seven women and five men, were told before they began deliberating that they had to come to a unanimous decision on the top charge of manslaughter in the second degree before moving on to consider criminally negligent homicide. But Judge Maxwell Wiley changed that order Friday after jurors twice sent a note saying they could not reach an agreement.

The judge had also instructed jurors to decide whether Penny’s actions caused Neely’s death and, if so, whether he had acted recklessly and in an unjustified manner.

Neely, a former Michael Jackson impersonator, had been shouting and acting erratically when he boarded a subway train in Manhattan on May 1, 2023. He ranted about being hungry and thirsty and said that he wanted to return to jail and didn’t care if he lived or died, witnesses testified. Penny, 26, a former Marine and Long Island native, placed Neely in a chokehold that prosecutors said lasted almost six minutes. 

A New York City medical examiner ruled that Neely died from compression to his neck as a result of the chokehold.

Penny’s attorneys told jurors that he stepped in because he believed Neely might attack other passengers and he intended only to restrain him until police arrived, which Penny also told police. They also argued that Neely was not killed by the chokehold and that it was impossible to measure how much pressure Penny had applied.

A forensic pathologist hired by the defense testified that Neely died from a combination of his schizophrenia, synthetic marijuana, sickle cell trait and the struggle from being in Penny’s restraint. But the medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Neely, Dr. Cynthia Harris, told jurors it was her medical opinion “that there are no alternative reasonable explanations” for his death and that those proposed by the defense were “so improbable — that it stands shoulder to shoulder with impossibility.”

During cross-examination, one of Penny’s attorneys, Steven Raiser sought to cast doubt on Harris’ testimony about how she and her colleagues had come to a unanimous decision as to Neely’s cause of death. Raiser suggested that they had failed to consider all the facts before making that determination.

He revisited that claim in his closing argument last week.

“I submit to you there was a rush to judgment, based on something other than medical science,” he told jurors.

The case divided people in New York — and beyond — in some cases along political and racial lines. Neely was Black. Penny is white. Some people viewed Penny as callous and his actions as criminal, while others said he was selfless in his attempt to protect fellow passengers.

The case also spurred debates about safety within the city’s subway system and failures in addressing homelessness and mental illness, both of which Neely had struggled with.Jumaane Williams, a Black Democrat who is New York City’s public advocate, was among those who questioned why police let Penny go after questioning him at a precinct hours after Neely’s killing. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also a Democrat, said Neely had been “murdered.” Prominent Republicans like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Matt Gaetz praised Penny and promoted a fundraiser for his legal fund, which has raised more than $3 million. His defense team includes Thomas Kenniff, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for Manhattan District Attorney in 2021. Vickie Paladino, a Republican city councilwoman from Queens, attended last week's closing arguments in support of Penny.

Prosecutors did not dispute that Neely’s actions on the train scared many of the passengers or that he was on synthetic cannabinoids, which were found in his system. In her opening statement, Dafna Yoran, an assistant prosecutor with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, said that Neely had “demanded to be seen” and that despite his not having touched anyone and not having displayed a weapon or threatened to use one, many people in the subway car were frightened of what he might do.

She has said Penny’s “initial intent was even laudable,” but that he was reckless when he continued to choke Neely even after he posed no threat, including after the train doors had opened at the next station and passengers could exit. For some of that time, she said and video showed, two other men helped restrain Neely. One of those men testified that he believed Penny had held the chokehold for too long. At times, she said, he even ignored the pleas of bystanders to let Neely go. In her closing argument, Yoran said that “no one had to die” and that Penny was not justified in his use of physical deadly force.

“You obviously cannot kill someone because they are crazy and ranting and looking menacing,” Yoran told jurors in her closing argument. “No matter what it is that they are saying.”

She also said that Penny “could have easily restrained” Neely “without choking him to death.”

In his closing argument, Raiser prompted jurors to imagine that they were on the train the day Neely boarded “filled with rage and not afraid of any consequences.”

“With you sitting much as you are now in this tightly confined space, looking up at Mr. Neely,” he said. “You have very little room to move and nowhere to run.”

“Danny,” as the defense attorneys referred to Penny throughout the trial, “put his life on the line” and stepped up in the absence of police, Raiser said.

But Yoran challenged the portrayal of Penny as a self-sacrificing and benevolent subway rider. In her opening statement she said that Penny failed to acknowledge Neely’s humanity. She continued that thread in her closing argument, playing video of Penny twice referring to Neely as a “crackhead” in an interview with police and telling jurorsthat he never asked about Neely’s condition.

“There is something else that is glaringly missing from his statement. Any regret. Any remorse. Any self reflection,” she said. She added: “He never expresses any sorrow about the man’s death.”

During deliberations, jurors asked to rewatch bystander videos of Penny restraining Neely, responding officers’ body camera videos and video of Penny’s subsequent interview with two police detectives at a precinct. They also asked to rehear the medical examiner’s testimony about issuing a death certificate before Neely’s full toxicology reports were completed. They also asked for the judge to read back the definitions of recklessness and criminal negligence and to have the definitions in writing.

Penny chose not to testify. During the trial, which began Nov. 1, jurors heard from more than 40 witnesses — subway passengers who witnessed Penny restrain Neely, police officers who responded to the scene, a Marine Corps instructor who taught Penny various chokeholds, the two pathologists, a psychiatric expert and six character witnesses, who included two Marines, Penny’s mother and one of his sisters.

On Wednesday, Neely’s father, Andre Zachery, sued Penny accusing him of negligent contact, assault and battery that caused Neely’s death. The civil suit was filed in New York state’s Supreme Court, a trial-level court in New York state.

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

does all the information on here have actual sources or is some of it ur own creation?

Does all the information here have sources?

Yep! Nothing is pulled out of thin air; it’s all rooted in genuine Doctor Who lore. Some of it is speculative with some creative license because it has to be, but everything is firmly based on established canon. I always prioritise canonical responses and specify when I’m being more theoretical.

🧠 How each area is approached ...

🗣️Language: The Gallifreyan language is a conlang, but whenever there’s a real word or concept in Doctor Who lore, I'll provide that first. I always specify when I have to default to the conlang if I can't provide canonical answers.

📅 Friday Facts: These are always hard, real facts, and I always provide a source.

🧬 Biology: I work in medicine, so this is my special interest. It's more comprehensively constructed than any other area. It bases itself on almost every mention of Gallifreyan and Time Lord biology in any medium, supported by anatomical textbooks, online medical databases, and multiple learning resources. All sources are cross-referenced and analysed, ensuring that the biological systems are both true to Doctor Who lore and scientifically rationalised.

💭 Hypothetical Questions: For random questions like "How do Gallifreyans view balloon animals?" or "Do Gallifreyans wear Speedos?" where there's literally no information at all in lore and probably never will be, I use known facts about Gallifreyan society and biology to create the most plausible answers (and before you ask, it's a personal preference for Speedos and balloon animals are just plain weird not matter what planet you're on).

📚 The sources used include ...

My Brain

Rassilon, Omega, and That Other Guy x (information found here is located in the original source and checked)

TARDIS Wiki x (information found here is located in the original source and checked)

Tardis Technical Index x

Parkin, L. and Pearson, L., 2018. Ahistory: An Unauthorized History of the Doctor Who Universe. Volumes 1-3. 4th ed. Mad Norwegian Press. x x x

Reference Guide x

Discontinuity Guide x

Chrissie’s Transcripts x

Standring, S. 2020. Gray’s Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. Gray’s Anatomy. x

Tortora, G. and Derrickson, B., 2017. Tortora's Principles of anatomy & physiology. 15th ed. Wiley. x

Waugh, A. and Grant, A., 2018. Ross & Wilson anatomy and physiology in health and illness. 13th ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier. x

BMJ Best Practice x

British National Formulary (BNF) x

ClinicalKey x

NICE x

Skills for Health x

Osmosis from Elsevier x

Oxford Medical Handbooks x

Patient for Medical Professional x

You can find the source list for canonical references at the bottom of every post, including this one.

It's currently moving along with the anatomy guide, so right now, it's only focused on biology and is a WIP. This source list extracts and examines the relevant information in the DW EU directly from the primary source to help support anatomical concepts. Each extract is contextually checked. It's all ridiculously academic.

🔍 Then there's the evidence hierarchy ...

Because Doctor Who is such a ridiculous universe with a million conflicting sources, I use an evidence hierarchy to harmonise and prioritise information. The highest priority is at the top:

TV Show: Classic and New series are of joint importance, including animations and info on lost episodes. Any conflicts are sorted on a case-by-case basis.

Spin-offs and Extended Broadcast Media: Full spin-off series (Torchwood, SJA, Class, etc.), BBC-produced minisodes, animations, cartoons, trailers, and charity broadcasts.

BBC Books/Audio: BBC-produced main book ranges, audios, and comics.

Big Finish: Main ranges, crossovers, spin-offs. Excludes alternate universe stories like Doctor Who Unbound and Death Comes to Time.

Other BBC-Licensed Material: Books, audios, comics, and board games. Includes Virgin New Adventures, IDW and Titan ranges, and other BBC-licensed content, plus anything that got deleted from above.

Proximal Sources: Production team comments and other relevant but less reliable sources.

At any point, the answers I give could be invalidated by new releases, but at the time of posting, they’re the most likely and detailed responses you could get. I would absolutely detail every source on Tumblr if I could, but I just don't have the time because unfortunately, this isn’t my full-time job 😭 However, the Anatomy and Physiology Guide will be fully referenced when released.

🎉 So, what's GIL all about?

Essentially, GIL is designed to be a kind of information point where you can ask the weirdest, dumbest, and most intriguing questions and I'll try my best to provide accurate and comprehensive answers that align most with established lore. As mentioned, I specialise particularly in Gallifreyan biology, but I'll take pretty much anything.

Why? I have no idea. Help me.

Any orange text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →📢Announcements |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts → Features: ⭐Guest Posts | 🍜Chomp Chomp with Myishu →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[justinspoliticalcorner]

John Pavlovitz at The Beautiful Mess:

Ever since Republicans killed Roe v Wade, I’ve been hearing that Gen Z is so pissed off that Republicans have taken away women’s body autonomy, that they are going to show up en masse in November to reject them and Donald Trump and elect Kamala Harris.

And the numbers are indeed showing unprecedented engagement by young voters and that they’re skewing decidedly Democrat. And while this reality gives me hope for this nation and its future, the idea that teenagers and twenty-somethings are expected to come in and save themselves from a political battle we adults lost, is an indictment of us all. They shouldn’t be in this place to begin with and we need to look in the mirror and face our shared failures: Over one hundred million of us couldn’t be bothered to vote. Others selfishly squandered their votes with third party support. Still others foolishly bought into the lie that Republicans would never overturn a law that was fixed and settled. Others of us may have simply relaxed, believing America would never see the unthinkable happen—until it did. No matter where we have individually fallen short, we all need to examine our consciences, repent from our specific mistakes, and most of all, be a part of repairing the damage we’ve made possible. Collectively, we have allowed Donald Trump, his predatory party, and three purchased, hand-picked Supreme Court justices to legislatively violate our daughters. It’s as simple as that.

We have failed to protect them from and that should fully grieve us all. So, yes, I’m glad Gen Z is disgusted, but we as their parents should be, too. Not only should we be disgusted, we should be vocal and visible. I hope we see more moms and dads come to the defense of all our kids; showing up at school board meetings and town civil gatherings and rallies and courthouse steps and church meetings and on social media and at family gatherings, and most of all in the voting booth. We should be forming a sprawling, outraged army that will flip America Blue without Gen Z’s help. We cannot fail our kids again, as we won’t get another chance to fix anything. As Donald Trump has promised, our votes and voices will not matter after November if we do not prevail. Right now, based on polls, the GOP is a few percentage points or a handful of states or possibly tens of thousands of votes away from instituting a national federal abortion ban, from subjugating every woman to Conservative Evangelical will, from continuing to take children’s healthcare out of the hands of parents and their physicians and into the hands of Conservative politicians.

And they won’t stop there. They will target same-sex marriage. They will continue to remove worker protections from minors, make it easier for adults to marry children, outlaw birth control, eliminate gender-affirming care. Part of Project 2025’s agenda includes erasing LGBTQ young people by removing all mentions of them in government institutions and organizations. Republicans have promised to criminalize LGBTQ advocates and allies and we need to believe them. The sickest of ironies in this moment, is that with all their histrionics and carrying on about the Left endangering the children of this nation, the Republican Party and the Evangelical Church have been projecting. They are the ones targeting our kids: their bodies, their marriages, their medical decisions, their very identities.

Parents and parents alone should make the decisions about what happens to their daughters and sons. These are choices to be made in the sacred space that is a family in their home, free from outside interference. Government does not belong there and the Church, only if invited by personal faith. Republicans and Evangelicals have no right to enter into that space and legislate their moral prejudices or mandate their antiquated theology for the rest of us. Another human being’s body and bedroom is not their jurisdiction: not a politician’s or a pastor’s.

Another home run post by John Pavlovitz.

[mariacallous]

President Donald Trump’s nominees to lead the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, Jay Bhattacharya and Marty Makary, are among the editorial board members of a newly launched scientific journal that includes a group of scientists who promoted herd immunity for Covid-19, criticized pandemic-era public health measures, and downplayed the virus.

Some experts are worried that the journal, which has links to the right-wing news site RealClearPolitics, could become a scientific mouthpiece for the Trump administration and a platform that these experts allege could publish dubious research. Dubbed the Journal of the Academy of Public Health, it was cofounded by Bhattacharya, a health economist at Stanford University, and Martin Kulldorff, formerly a professor of medicine at Harvard University and biostatistician at Mass General Brigham. The journal is associated with the newly formed Academy of Public Health.

“This seems like more of a club newsletter than a scientific journal,” says Gigi Gronvall, an immunologist and professor at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

Bhattacharya and Kulldorff were two of the three authors of the “Great Barrington Declaration,” a manifesto published in October 2020—months before a Covid-19 vaccine was widely available in the United States—in response to the Covid pandemic that called for an end to lockdowns and school closures in favor of pursuing a policy they called “focused protection.” It advocated for herd immunity by allowing those at minimal risk to immediately resume life as normal. Bhattacharya and Kulldorff also publicly objected to Covid vaccine mandates, a position Kulldorff claims led to his dismissal from Harvard and Mass General in 2024.

On its website, the Academy of Public Health says it is “an international association of public health scholars, researchers, and practicing professionals in the field of public health and its many specialties.” The Academy and its associated journal are both funded by the Real Clear Foundation, which also owns RealClearPolitics and awarded Bhattacharya its first annual Samizdat Prize in 2023, an award “for journalists, scholars, and public figures who have resisted censorship and stood for truth,” according to the organization. Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X, is among this year’s winners.

In a February 5 press release, the Real Clear Foundation calls the journal “revolutionary,” saying it will publish “cutting-edge, peer-reviewed, and open access research from the world’s leading scholars of epidemiology, vaccinology, global public health, health policy, and related disciplines.” In its bylaws, the Academy of Public Health says only members can publish in the new journal. To join, you must be nominated by a current member.

Articles published so far include a review of a paper examining the association between vaccines and asthma, a critique of Covid vaccine trials, and a study that concluded that masks were not associated with lower Covid case rates. The journal also published an editorial from Kulldorf arguing that in some ways scientific journals “are now hampering rather than enhancing open scientific discourse.”

Carl Bergstrom, a theoretical and evolutionary biologist, believes the journal is part of an ongoing effort to cast doubt around established scientific consensus. “If you can create the illusion that there is not a predominance of opinion that says, vaccines and masks are effective ways of controlling the pandemic, then you can undermine that notion of scientific consensus, you can create uncertainty, and you can push a particular agenda forward,” he says. Peer-reviewed papers, he says, can provide cover to politicians who want to make certain decisions and they can also be used in court.

When reached by phone on Thursday, Kulldorff said Bhattacharya and Makary were approached to be on the editorial board before their nominations by President Trump. “Right now, they are not active members of the board,” he said. (The journal’s website lists Bhattacharya and Makary as “on leave”.) He added that there is “no connection” between the journal and the Trump administration.

Kulldorff told WIRED that the journal will be a venue for open discourse and academic freedom. “I think it’s important that scientists can publish what they think is important science, and then that should be open for discussion, instead of preventing people from publishing,” Kulldorff says.

Kulldorff and Andrew Noymer, an epidemiologist at UC Irvine who has been a proponent of the lab leak theory of Covid’s origin, are named as the journal’s editors in chief. Scott Atlas, who was tapped by Trump to serve on the White House Coronavirus Task Force in 2020, is also named as an editorial board member. Atlas, a radiologist by training, has made false claims that masks don’t work to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

In January, Noymer wrote an op-ed supporting Bhattacharya’s nomination for NIH administrator. In it, he praised Bhattacharya for his open-mindedness to different points of view. That op-ed was published in RealClearPolitics.

Angela Rasmussen, an American virologist and research scientist at the University of Saskatchewan, says she worries that the journal could be used to prop up and legitimize pseudoscientific and anti-public health views. “I don’t think this is going to give them any credit with real scientists. But the public may not know the difference between the Journal of the Academy of Public Health and the New England Journal of Medicine,” she says.

Taylor Dotson, a professor at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology who studies the intersection of science and politics, says there is a “legitimate concern” that the journal could become a repository for evidence that bolsters arguments favored by people in the administration. If confirmed, Bhattacharya and Makary’s boss could potentially be Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, who is known for promoting a wide range of debunked scientific beliefs, including that there is a link between vaccines and autism and that AIDS is not caused by the HIV virus.

Dotson warns that there is a risk that the existence of journals closely aligned with a certain political view might deepen the politicization of science. “The worst-case scenario is you start having the journals for the people who are kind of populist and anti-establishment and the journals for the people who also read NPR and The New York Times.”

The Journal of Public Health is an open-access journal, which means that the articles are free for anyone to access. It also uses open peer review, where the names and comments of scientists who check articles prior to publication are also published along with the article.

“These are good steps,” says Dotson. “It’s good that it is trying to push against the power of the big scientific publishers.” But the researcher also warns that open-access studies might be more prominent and widely cited in the media just because they are easier to find and not because they are necessarily more scientifically rigorous.

Oxford epidemiologist Sunetra Gupta, the third author of the “Great Barrington Declaration,” published a controversial paper in March 2020 that argued that half of the UK population may have already been infected with Covid-19. That paper was a preprint that had not been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal but was widely shared in the media and within government, despite proving later to be incorrect. Gupta is also on the editorial board of the Journal of the Academy of Public Health.

But ultimately, Dotson says, the journal should be judged by the science it publishes and the editorial decisions of the people in charge. If they encourage their reviewers to be rigorous and publish a wide range of high-quality papers, these should be seen as positive signs. “We need to wait and see, but there are reasons to be worried in our political environment,” Dotson says.

[ultraericthered]

Don't believe in what you can see (but I see you, Liam!)

Had some random thoughts to spare regarding Moriarty The Patriot following my viewing of the "Scandal In The British Empire" arc.

This is a series that lives or dies based on how it characterizes and handles the main protagonist, what he does, what he believes, and what he's striving for. And given that the protagonist in question is THE Professor James Moriarty, that had to be a tricky thing to figure out. So I guess it speaks to the writing quality that I am very engaged with how William James Moriarty and his brothers operate and am absolutely on board with the fundamental sentiments behind the motivation and support the revolutionary societal reforms they seek to bring about as their goal....but I also disagree with the angle Liam has settled on and what he believes has to be done to achieve it. Quite vehemently, in fact.

For starters, he wants to destabilize British society through a barrage of well planned, coordinated and directed crime waves throughout the empire, even reaching elsewhere in Europe. It'd be an extreme rarity that such crimes be victimless, and though done towards the end of crippling the power, wealth, and status-based influence of the nobility, there are plenty of non-noble class victims claimed. As part of these crimes, Liam will either commit murders, arrange murders, orchestrate suicides, or just look the other way as an aristocrat is placed in a life-ending situation by his machinations. Breaking laws, ethical norms, and common sense regulations of civil society in ways that harms more than helps is very, very seldom a good, righteous, justified thing no matter what rationalizations could be made for it. Now sometimes I can't fault Liam for what he does (the poisoning of the Viscount was aided by him but mainly required he simply not save the guy just as he himself hadn't save a terminally ill child, Dudley Bale fell off the bridge on his own, etc.), but most of the time his actions fall squarely under the category of "illegal felony".

Then there's the fact that the envisioned crescendo hinges upon the Lord of Crime coercing the masses into unity against a common threat to their homeland and collective well-being, prompting a need to re-asses and reconstruct things under dubious pretenses rather than allowing the people to seriously look at and examine the full reality of their fucked up society to come to a clear-headed, informed consensus on a decided course of action to fix things. It's the same thing Lelouch did in Code Geass R2 and I wasn't entirely okay with that either. I just think it's dickish and not even sustainable in the long term, and to think "I just need to make victims out of enough people to the point where they'll all rise up to want and demand social reforms and changes in their ruling class' leadership, and meritocracy will kick in!" is surprisingly naive for a genius like Liam.

Then there's his hypocrisy. The title "Moriarty the Patriot" is because Liam, in spite of being a criminal mastermind, also cares greatly about Great Britain and has sworn allegience to the crown, believing the nation needs a healthy government, honest law enforcement, non-abusive abiders of Noblesse Oblige in key roles of society's upper levels working alongside commoners, and the monarchy and military kept in-tact in order to thrive. It's that last part that seems like a problematic area, as monarchy by definition puts those of royal blood and status above all other people, and it's been known to allow anyone close to or in the favor of the royals to play parts in shaping how the country is run and how society is influenced. So if Liam wasn't keen on deposing the monarchy and reforming government in Britain altogether, who's to say that, no matter what reforms his plan may yield, the class system won't continue to prevail, aristocracy won't continue to abuse its power, and society won't remain as cruel, unfair, and inequal as it was before? ..... Oh wait, we CAN say that!

Lastly, the senseless martyrdom factor. Liam never valued himself as a priority in his life, never saw in himself any worth to society at large beyond what he could reshape it into, and due to turning to aiding crime and plotting murder even at a young age, he believes his heart is too blackened and his hands are too unclean. So naturally, he plans on the fulfillment of his revolutionary vision to come along with the end of his life. Beneath all the ideals and the honest assessment of what ails British society and does great harm to so many of its people, Liam is driven by a personal desire to leave behind this harsh and unjust world, to give his life to his cause and seal the realization of his envisioned future with his blood, and to validate the self-image he has of an accursed, dreadful, loathsome villain who can bring into reality necessary change only through necessary evil. It's wasteful, corruptive, insensitive, self-loathing, self-destructive, and wrong. (Thankfully I do know Sherlock's around to talk him out of this.)

So yeah, I find the James Moriarty Brothers to be quite the compelling Villain Protagonists/antiheroes, and Liam especially. So much I want to laud him for and just as much I want to kick him for.