#Prudent risk management

[signode-blog]

Mastering Sinohara Intensity Ratio: A Comprehensive Guide to Trading Success

In the vast landscape of financial markets, traders are constantly seeking new strategies and tools to gain an edge. One such tool that has gained traction among seasoned traders is the Sinohara Intensity Ratio. Developed by Japanese trader Hiromitsu Sinohara, this ratio offers a unique perspective on market momentum and trend strength. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve deep into the…

[whats-in-a-sentence]

The claim of 'dangerous product' was also addressed in the NSW Court of Appeal in Mehta v Commonwealth Bank of Australia by Justice Roderick Meagher, who said:

A foreign currency loan is largely a gamble; consequently, it would be unattractive to the timid and the prudent. Nonetheless, there are perfectly rational people who are prepared to gamble; and it is notorious that many borrowers did enter into such transactions at the time without suffering any damage, some of whom actually made a profit. All the experts agreed that it was reasonable for an informed borrower to enter into such transactions. One cannot but have an uneasy feeling that a dogmatic view that such loans are necessarily irrational will lead to the imposition of liability on lenders where justice does not require it.

"Westpac: The Bank That Broke the Bank" - Edna Carew

[godhandler]

tired manager!Nanami x kpop idol!reader

He’s sick, absolutely sick of you. In all his underpaid overworked years as an idol manager, he’s never seen one as impossible as you. 

You’re the centre, lead singer, and the most popular member of your girl group ‘R0ck-Chic’. The princess of K-Pop. Ranked Top10 on Billboard and Melon, brand ambassador for Chanel. Photocards for $1500 retail. Face straight out of a manhwa, bubblegum-sweetheart personality, born a musical genius too!

But that’s just on camera.  

“Prissy bitch.”

Nanami keeps his thoughts to himself. He’s doubling as a bodyguard-cum-manager for your M-Net Music Show, watching you yell at your hairstylist backstage. She accidentally burned a piece of your hair extensions off, but hey, it was a fucking accident! The poor lady is nearly in tears at your cruel words. No one really likes working with you, not your staff, not the other members of your group, because underneath the Estée Lauder Double Wear foundation is a secret none of your massive fanbase knows: You’re a cunt. 

“Nanami-san!” At least you’re still calling him with honorifics, even though he’s cringing thinking about what harsh command your majesty shall bark at him. “God, Nanami-san, where the fuck are you? When’s our show going to begin? Can’t get on stage in time, can’t get my makeup done on time-” You cast an evil look at the makeup-artist, who promptly bursts into tears too. “- I’m surrounded by useless trashcans!”

Miwa, the leader of R0ck-Chic, hesitantly tries to calm you down. “Ah, yn, it’s ok, they’re setting up the stage right now so–”

“– I believe it’s prudent to look at the other groups’ rehearsals and analyse the competition, miss.” Nanami steps in. He really hates his job, having to babysit the most spoilt celeb on the planet. When he speaks, he means it to everyone around you. “Let’s all use this time to the fullest, yes?” 

(Later on he’d go and apologise to the people you brought to tears. Not that he’s under any obligation to do so, he’s simply a gentleman like that. And maybe he cares about your reputation.)

You grumble, taking the ice-chips that Nanami offers you. It’s hard to be angry with diet-abiding ice-chips in your mouth. “Don’t need to ‘analyse’ any stupid competition. R0ck-Chic has me, and I’m the best.” 

The fucking audacity, Nanami cringes. And she’s not even wrong. That’s the worst part. 

You kill it on stage that night. Broadcasted live, the TV ratings spike immediately when you come on screen, bootleg solo fancams flooding Twitter and your ending fairy goes viral. The photocard prices jump up to $2000. 

There’ll be stalkers tonight following the car. I’ll have to drive through the offside path. Nanami took all the security measures that any manager worth their salt would.

Only he didn’t account for how crazy your stalkers would get tonight in particular. Even the offside has large unmarked SUVs, waiting to trail your car to a standstill. Sasaengs.

You’re in your sweatpants, performance makeup off, texting away inside the car that Nanami is driving right now, clearly no idea of how much danger you’re in. A fan would simply take your autograph and leave happily. Sasaengs, especially ones of this calibre, would stab you. At least she’s not screaming. Yet. 

He’s very correct. Because the moment that he tells you that you’ll have to stay in the dance studio tonight (can’t risk leaking the group dorm location to the stalkers), screaming is exactly what you do. 

“You promised I’d go home!” You stamp your feet on the ground, chuck your phone at him, throwing a proper fit. “I’m sick of you stupid fuckers ruining everything! Everyone is dogshit here!” The regular migraine that comes after dinner-time drives nails into Nanani’s temple. “Nanami-san, you dumb fucking gasbag! I’m tired! I-WANT-TO-GO-HOME!”

“SO-DO-I!”

Both you and Nanami are shocked silent. No one has ever talked back to you since you became famous, and you became famous at the age of 5. It’s weird. It’s interesting. 

Poor Nanami-san now has to deal with all the drama you cause as well as this new problem: you might be growing a teeny weeny crush on him.  

Bonus: you have to buy a new phone. stop throwing phones. 

masterlist

a/n: I have insomnia and a bad cold. no one has suffered like me.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Wukog stomped his foot, glaring at his Master.

"Master, they would not hesitate to kill us! Why should we show them mercy when they hold up signs of remorse or change!?" Wukong growled, gesturing towards the bandits, one dead and all other either unconcious, beaten, or tied up, "All letting them live does is let them free to kill and rob more people!"

"It is not out place to decide their fates, Wukong." Tripitaka simply stated, hand held in a prayer sign, "Karma shall come to all eventually, but it is by the Buddha's will, not our vengeance."

"And what if that's why we met them!?" Wukong shot back, "We are on a mission ordained by the Buddha's will, it'd make sense for those who deserve retribution to be put in our path and face karma!"

Tripitaka's brow twitched in annoyance as he smacked the monkey lightly upside the head with his shakujō, "Enough. It is not our place to question the Buddha's intentions. Or have you forgotten that you yourself once faced death and destruction at the hands of those who would not have shown you mercy if not for the Buddha's grace? Many would claim that you and our fellow brothers would deserve no second chances, yet the Bodhisattva Guanyin had chosen to give her mercy upon you and gave you this opportunity. Would it not be prudent to share this blessing to others?"

Wukong grumbled as he turned away, rubbing st the spot where the staff had lightly tapped him. It wasn't meant to hsrn or cause pain in any way, not at all like Sutra. Guess the argument wasn't enough to invoke the monk's wrath.

"I still say it's a stupid risk."

"I would listen to your little master, monkey." The bandit leader, a demon cat with a missing eye, sneered, "Who knows what you might lose if you don't!?"

"I have no reason to listen to a cutthroat!" Wukong lowered back at the cat. How a group of humans managed to get a cat demon amongst their ranks he has no idea. One who apparently found his annoyance amusing as he jsut laughed at Wukong's threat.

"Hey, Shut up!" Wukong barked, shaking him by the scruff. He only stopped, throwing the cat to the ground and stomped off when Tripitaka's voice barked, "wukong, thats enough! Put him down! He is just trying to get a rise form you, ignore him."

"Oh yes, ignore me!" The cat snickered, "But then, if you do, what would happen to the dear prince?"

Wukong paused, tail twitching as Tripitaka furrowed his brows. Their fellow Pilgrims, having been watching the show from the sidelines, glanced at each other in confusion. What prince!? They were ambushed on the side of a road. Miles from any civilization.

"I'm not sure what you mean." Tripitaka admitted, "We... aren't anywhere near any kingdom we know of, much less a prince in peril."

"Your king know what I'm talking about." The cat purred, "You might hold the Monkey King's leash, but how loyal is he when faced with a decision."

"How dare you!" Wukong snarled, "I would never betray my brothers!"

"Even if it meant the life or death of your son?"

Tripitaka sucked his breath his as Wukong's grip on his staff turned white with stiff he got. Silence rang through the clearing as they absorbed what the cat demon had said. Eventually Baije coughed, splattering.

"You must be lying, Brother Wukong doesn't have a kid! We would know, right?"

All eyes turned to the monkey. His fir was bristled, his hands trembled, and his face darkened as he hid it, refusing to look at any of them. Ao Lie tentatively approached, reaching a hand out to touch his arm. "Brother? You're shaking."

He flinched as Wukogn shook his arm off, hands clenched at his side, face tilted inwards.

"...Where?"

The first sign of life out of Wukong was a whisper, do quiet and chilling, it took a moment for Tripitaka to realize it had been his student who had spoken. Air got heavy and magic roared to life within it, Wukong's emotions squirling into a typhoon of magic centered around himself, only percievable as a heavy aura about him.

"Brother?" Sha Wujing cautiously questioned pulling Tripitaka closer. When Wukong finally turned they caught their breath as his eyes, blazing red with the most terrible rage they'd yet seen glowed, highlighting the tears hidden behind them.

"Where his he?" Wukong demanded, voice rough and deep, cruel. He pushed past everyone, a raging god on a mission, to confront the laughing demon. "I just tried to sense him. No matter how far i could always sense him. What did you do to him!? WHERE IS MY SON!?"

Even still the cat laughed.

"The Havoc King wasn't too pleased about your last meeting. He has an ultimatum for you, oh Great Sage?" The demon spat, "The little princling for the monk and scriptures. You have three days."

With that the cat stiffened, becoming inanimate. It hadn't been real, a false creature given life only to serve the purpose and then returned to a mere toy once said purpose was finished.nwukong roared in raged, staff shattering the wooden doll. And then the ground next to it. Wukong raged and struck out, not stopping until the puppet was completely turned to dust and the surrounding area was little more than a crater in the ground.

They only dared to approach once his rage had calmed.

"Wukong..." Tripitka started, "You must calm-"

The Monkey King, no longer the friend he once knew, turned on him. Fangs bared loud and proud, fur bristled, he looked every bit the monster his legends used to portray.

"NO! I will not calm down while they have my son!"

"And raging like this will not help." Tripitaka spoke plainly, calmly. It surprised even himself, as Baije and Wujong both cowered and even Ao Lie looked frightened to approach Wukong at this moment, yet all that he felt was a sense of calm and kinship towards his disciple. "This reaction is exactly what they want from you. If we are patient, if we had a true, proper plan before we confront them, not in rage, then we can get him back."

Wukong looked taken aback.

"We?"

"He is your family. Therefore, he is our family." Tripitaka smiled, gently, encouraging, and he dropped his adornments and knelt down to meet his student eye to eye, taking his arms into his own in a show of support, "I know your rage intimately. You're scared. Terrified even. And you're lashing out, but we are here for you, Brother. We will get him back!"

Yeessss. The Hidden Egg AU we discussed.

You know how we joke in the other Stone Egg aus that upon learning of Wukong's condition, the Celestial Realm thinks the Havoc in Heaven was basically a hormonal rampage?

In the Hidden Egg Au... it's true.

Wukong had been pregnant during his time in Heaven. He only discovered for himself around the time of the Bimawen incident. Him and Macaque panicked, barely adults themselves. A honeymoon baby if there ever was one.

So they keep it a secret from everyone. The Brotherhood, the Celestial Realm, even Guanyin is left out of the picture. The only people Wukong trusts to know is his Stalwarts and DBK (who learned on complete accident).

The Peach Banquet had been a step too far for a hormonal pregnant monkey, and Wukong indulged to his hearts content on the food. He wandered into Lao Tzu's not for a hangover cure, but for something to quell his severe nausea and heartburn.

The Egg was born literally hours before Wukong and Erlang's fateful battle. The King's War Form bursting out from maternal rage.

Wukong laughed at every failed execution. At least he could sense that his child was safe at earth, still resting in their shell.

However...

Wukong saw Macaque flee the battle, not knowing that his mate had been taking the Egg to a safer location. Hateful words were shared under the mountain, and many accusations were tossed around in the heat of the moment.

But when Macaque attempted to return to apologise and tell his mate that their son had hatched; he found that the Buddha had sealed the Mountain shut. It appears their meeting had been Wukong's "One Phonecall", and now no one, aside from the Mountain Gods and the Buddha's diciples themselves, could enter or leave to speak with the prisoner inside.

Both Wukong and Macaque spend the next 500 years regreting their words.

Macaque found it only suitable to name the baby what Wukong had suggested; Xiaotian. Their Little Heaven. The Heaven that tje Monkey King fought for.

Xiaotian is very sheltered. His father/bama is overprotective, but is quickly finding that Xiaotian's powers are developing faster than anticipated. The Prince does get to see the outside world at times; Macaque allows his son to attend his performances on the road with the Nine Tailed Vixen. Though these trips are under tight observation.

Basically its sort of an Odyssey Au. A King far from home, his mate holding down the fort of their kingdom, and a lonely Prince wishing more than anything to finally meet their missing parent.

And weeellll...

Xiaotian gets himself into trouble after hearing his mother/baba is on a probation from Buddha, and runs off to seek him out. Only for the Demon King of Havoc to find him first...

When Macaque finds his mate he is going to slap the everloving heck out of him and the monk who's keeping him from home. And hug and kiss him and never let him go again.

Also bonus funny lore; Tripitaka has a sore spot regarding kidnapped family members. He *did* rip out Liu Hong's (murdered his dad/SA'd his mom and kept her hostage for 19+ years) liver while he was still alive, and sacrifced his body to a river dragon to revive his dad. We joked that Tripitaka be fighting some mad rage demons when families are involved.

Ironically, when Tripitaka is captured (a given, and because Wukong refused to bargain) he ends up being the first Pilgrim to meet Xiaotian in person! The scared boy is assured that the monk's diciple is the most loyal, cunning being he knows, and that Wukong would never stop until he has saved those he cares about.

After the incident is said and done - lots of hugs and kisses are shared between the fanily of monkeys. Especially the son and mother who have just met for the first time.

The Pilgrims' journey gains two unoffical members!

The entirety of Heaven feels a chill run up its spine.

[dead-dolphins]

Bratty Heiress Mikasa & Daddy's right Hand Eren like:

Bratty Mikasa, the little terror of her father's law firm, constantly barges into the workplace with trays of cookies, juices, and whatever else she thinks will make the long hours easier for her dad's overworked employees. But a menace? Hardly. The real problem, at least in Eren’s eyes, is that Mikasa isn’t just being sweet—she’s being a total nuisance, disrupting the order of things with her relentless cheer. To everyone else, she's a welcome distraction; to Eren, though, she’s nothing short of a brat.

Mikasa struts around the office in micro skirts, flashing smiles at everyone and being a little too nice for Eren's liking. It stirs something in him—an ugly, possessive jealousy he knows he shouldn’t feel, especially since she’s the boss’s daughter. But Mikasa, with her innocent obliviousness, seems unaware of the signals she’s sending. She doesn’t notice how her sweetness and charm are giving the wrong ideas to some of the other men in the office who have started thinking with their pants instead of their heads. Eren can’t stand it, but what can he do? Taking care from prudent distance, that is.

So Eren endures her constant presence, keeping a watchful eye from his desk as she flits around the office, waiting for the moment when all the other men have left. Only then, when she’s no longer at risk of any unwanted attention, does he allow himself to relax. He stays late, long after the others have gone, lingering in the office until he’s the last one standing. He tells himself it’s to protect her, but the truth is, he’s willingly doing unpaid overtime just to make sure Mikasa is safe, even if she doesn’t realise it.

And gosh! That little beast doesn’t realise nor thank him for it. Indeed, she does what she always do: be a little spoiled brat.

“Ereeeeeeen,” she purrs, her voice low. “Why haven’t you gone home yet, Eren?”

The law firm is quiet, almost eerily so, with just the two of them and her father, who’s locked away in his office, buried in paperwork. It might as well be just the two of them, the empty halls amplifying the tension between them. Eren looks up, and for a moment, he wonders if she knows exactly why he hasn’t left.

But the moment Eren looks at her, he almost regrets it. Mikasa, ever the little brat, saunters over and perches herself right on his desk. Her short skirt fans out around her, and he can’t help but notice how her bare thighs and the edge of her panties are now brushing against the polished wood of HIS desk. Eren feels a wave of panic and something else—something dangerously close to desire—washing over him. He wants to die.

“I was just about to leave, Mikasa,” he says, struggling to keep his voice steady as he forces himself to look anywhere but at her. Just a little longer, he thinks, and she might rub her slit against the edge of the desk. The thought makes his heart pound, but he pushes it away, clinging to his last shred of composure. “Lots of paperwork, you know,” he adds, hoping to steer the conversation back to safer ground, even as his thoughts run wild.

Mikasa doesn’t move, her gaze locked on him with a curious glint in her eyes. “Paperwork, huh?” she murmurs, leaning towards him. The motion only draws his attention to the way her skirt rides up a little higher, and Eren’s grip on his pen tightens.

“Yeah,” he manages, voice tight. “Endless, really.”

She lets out a soft laugh, her eyes never leaving his. “You must be exhausted. All that work, staying late… all alone.” Her words are innocent enough, but there’s something in the way she says them that makes his stomach twist—a sensation he feel slowly going down till it reaches his groin. Oh, fuck.

He forces a smile, trying to hide how much her presence is affecting him. “It’s part of the job. Gotta make sure everything’s in order.” His eyes flicker to the door, hoping her father might suddenly reappear, but the office remains silent.

Mikasa tilts her head, still watching him with that same, unreadable expression. “You’re such a hard worker, Eren. It’s no wonder my father trusts you so much.”

There’s a beat of silence, and then she shifts, her leg brushing against his hand as she adjusts her position. Eren’s breath hitches, and he quickly pulls his hand back, feeling the heat rise in his face. He needs to get out of here, needs to put some distance between them before he loses his control.

“Yeah, well, I should probably head out,” he says, pushing back his chair and standing up a little too quickly.

“So soon?” She dares to ask innocently. “I have to stay a little longer because, oh, you see, daddy isn’t done yet. Are you sure you don't want to stay a little longer?”

Eren gulps, his throat dry as the thought of staying pulls at him with a fierce intensity. Of course he wants to stay—more than anything. He imagines grabbing her, leaning her over that very desk, and teaching her a lesson she wouldn’t soon forget. The idea alone makes his blood boil, the thought of her breathless and submissive beneath him.

But he can’t. He knows he can’t. She’s his boss’s daughter, untouchable in every sense of the word, and the consequences would be catastrophic. He forces himself to keep walking, each step away from her a battle against his own desires. If he doesn’t leave now, he might do something reckless—something unforgivable.

So, defeated, all he can say is, “It’s late.”

Mikasa finally moves, standing as well, though she lingers just a moment longer, her gaze trailing over him in a way that makes his skin prickle. “Goodnight, Eren,” she says softly, the corners of her lips quirking up into a small, knowing smile.

Eren swallows hard, forcing a nod as he gathers his things, desperately trying to ignore the way his heart is racing. “Goodnight, Mikasa.” He turns to leave, but even as he walks away, he can still feel the heat of her gaze on his back, and it takes everything in him not to look back.

@luluvs99 ❤️❤️🥹

[conceptionsofconciousness]

Natives of Pushya Nakshatra are renowned for their exceptional financial acumen. They have a deep understanding of leveraging their resources to their advantage, rather than the other way around. These individuals frequently invest in services that meet the public's needs, securing a consistent flow of loyal customers. Their prudent approach to risk-taking leads them to choose ventures that are both practical and dependable. They are indeed financial geniuses, adeptly managing their resources to forge a stable and prosperous financial future.

More posts on Pushya Nakshatra

Nakshatra Notes Masterpost (Link collection of all 27 Nakshatras)

[shipburner]

Internal Family Skills, part two! This is the Firefighter (FFR) Attribute: Your capacity to resolve crises and take deliberate action in the world. Its six Skills are:

Corpsework

Deliberation

Kagandahang-Loób

Master Plan

Machine Spirits

Utang

[ Manager | Exile | Self ]

Corpsework

Practice self-care and first aid. Understand and respond to the realities of meat.

COOL FOR: Street Medics, Neurasthenics, Trans-sexuals

If you've grown up accustomed to the life of the mind and little else, Corpsework fills in the gaps. You don't need to be attentive to "hunger" or "exhaustion" or "pain": all you need to know to keep your Health pool up is the multitude of ways by which life departs from the human body. In addition to patching up wounds and scrapes, Corpsework cares for the body by routine and procedure. It keeps you clean, fed, and medicated even in the depths of depression and puts you to bed out of the knowledge that revenge bedtime will ruin your tomorrow.

At high levels, Corpsework allows you to take care of your body and others in more and more extreme conditions. You may not be able to fix the problem, but you can keep a problem stable long enough to get the patient to someone who can help. On the other hand, you'll identify health risks everywhere: every surface is potentially contaminated, every meal an exercise in nutritional "balance". But if your Corpsework is too low, you'll blunder through the world in a feeble haze, and if you do notice infirmities, you won't know what to do about them.

Deliberation

Comprehend arguments. Logic it out.

COOL FOR: Academics, Social Maladapts, the Overcautious

Deliberation is your inner skeptic. It's the voice that gets you to slow down your thought processes and ask, "Is that true?" It's great for getting good grades, figuring out the reputability of a text, identifying disordered thought patterns, not getting mad at posts online, and asking yourself if you can really jump across that gap. For you, however, it also occupies the unenviable position of trying desperately to figure out what other people mean through sheer brute-force semantics and abstract knowledge of social convention.

At high levels, Deliberation makes you a lean, mean, reasonin' machine. High on reason, you'll become obsessive about clarity at the cost of social graces, and prudent at the cost of your entire ego when you do inevitably make rash decisions. But with low Deliberation, you'll make rash decisions all the time and generally show yourself as the idiot you're so scared of being.

Kagandahang-Loób

Demonstrate mercy and forgiveness in an entropic universe. Go above and beyond.

COOL FOR: Creditors, Parents, Moral Philosophers

Kagandahang-Loób is the beauty of the will: when Kapwa recognizes the inherent togetherness of people, Kagandahang-Loób inspires generosity to others and forgiveness of debts. Kagandahang-Loób is necessary for being a good person to yourself and others: without its migitating presence, relationships would be crushed under the weight of debts that can never truly be repaid, paradoxically hastening the decay that inspires Utang in the first place. Kagandahang-Loób is a necessary moral compass -- and a powerful tool for building relationships on mutual support rather than indebtedness.

With high Kagandahang-Loób, you'll be able to easily make friends and inspire them to new heights of reciprocal generosity: through teamwork, you may even be able to fly. However, you'll find yourself easily persuaded that wrongdoers had good reasons and find it hard to take decisive action against them. With low Kagandahang-Loób, however, you'll be a literal and emotional miser, ranting about how much everyone owes you.

Machine Spirits

Interact with hardware and software. Listen to and respect your tools.

COOL FOR: Experiential Learners, Digital Natives, Girls Who Read the Manual

You are terminally non-mechanical; you balk without a user interface. If you're not constantly keeping your hand in with classroom assignments, you couldn't improvise outside of stopgap solutions. Still, technology is an essential part of humanity, and for that, you have Machine Spirits. This Skill uses humanity's great compression algorithm, ritual, to understand what a machine is doing, even if you don't understand the why; you learn from your elders (tutorial webpages), approach the machines with respect (following the steps), and enjoy a successful partnership with machines (your devices, generally speaking, function).

At high levels, Machine Spirits makes you obsessive and insecure: do you have a full collection of right tools for vaguely-defined right jobs? Can you get your laptop to do what you want if you spend another hour fucking with it? Have you stored too much of your knowledge outside of your own brain? At low levels, though, your clothes will fall apart, your bicycle will break, and your toilets will clog -- and you definitely don't have the money not to care.

Master Plan

Figure out how to achieve your goals. Control yourself and others.

COOL FOR: Functioning Executives, Evil Geniuses, The Goal-Oriented

Master Plan is a Skill of agency and delegation. Why try to take on the world yourself when you can get other people to take it on for you? Why solve other people's problems, when you can teach them how to solve their own and yours? Master Plan creates causal chains between your starting point and your goal -- not only does it show you the grand road you need to take, it'll give you options for the low road or the high road. Understanding how best to achieve your own wants also teaches you how to incentivize others, and Master Plan is more than happy to use others' wants to achieve your designs.

At high levels, Master Plan makes you arrogant -- you'll assume you know what's best for everyone and that your victory is already assured, and you won't know how to give others dignity or deal with your own failure. But without it, you'll succumb to learned helplessness, reliant on others' plans and too afraid of disturbing them to better your own position.

Utang

Keep track of debt and obligation. Employ financial literacy and historical materialism.

COOL FOR: Debtors, Negotiators, Political Animals

Utang is the understanding of debt; in you, it's an overgrown philosophical awareness that there ain't no such thing as a free lunch. That literal economic reality is rooted in the thermodynamic principle it famously describes: living as we do in an entropic universe, others expect debts to be repaid, and your own recognition of entropy creates the desire to repay debts. Not only does Utang manage your money, it opens you up to realpolitik on both literal and interpersonal levels. Utang gives you an idea of what people want, explaining the concerns that govern political action and what you can do for others to make both of you happy.

At high levels, Utang will make you see ulterior motives everywhere; treating everything as a transaction that must be balanced will ruin your personal relationships with bookkeeping and your politics with pessimism. Without it, though, you'll assume that politics and community boil down to stark moral principles -- and without a handle on your debts, you'll be too broke and alone to be able to hold to any principles of your own.

Notes

The visual design for Master Plan is based at least in part on the dual meaning of the Latin word textus, meaning both "weaving" and "narrative".

Thanks again to "Loób and Kapwa: An Introduction to a Filipino Virtue Ethics" (Reyes 2015).

[rain-embrace-nymph]

New Rome has never been the type for gender roles. Girls and boys fought alongside each other, brave and bold, and ready to defend their home. They had no reason to worry.

That is different for Regula, though, because in ancient times, a girl wouldn't do half of the legions things. And usually that wouldn't matter, but they shouldn't risk it, right?

She ends up sitting to the sidelines in every sparring match, often doing "traditionally feminine" things, according to Ancient Rome.

She watches all the other girls fight and all the other boys fight and everyone is fighting and she is just... there. Sewing and baking, to not tempt fate.

Does this make sense. I love ur au tho I have a regula board on pinterest.

You're right, this girl is being raised as feminine in the style of ancient Rome as possible and impossible. She's not even allowed to wear trousers. The ideal antique Roman girl is virtuous and family-oriented. Regula Valeria doesn't really have a problem with the family aspect.

She loves Jason, even if they have no chance of being healthy both individually and together. She loves her sisters, even if they can't love her. She even loves Jupiter Camp. This is the place where she found her family and lost herself. It's worth being a grateful, gentle girl and showing dedication.

Even if something hurts in her bones and she hardly pays attention to her sewing while she snuggles in the shade while others train. She watches and can barely contain the greed in her eyes. Regula Valeria is a good girl, she is skillful, modest, hardworking and devoted, her restraint is the ability to control herself and smoothly flowing tenderness, not severity.

Regula Valeria knows how to do everything she has to do - she cooks deliciously, the house in which she lives with her sisters is always tidy and cozy thanks to her, she knows how to run a household and manage nymph maids. Her sewing is neat and elegant, she is praised and said to be excellent. She bows her head, a crystal smile on her lips, and she knows how to accept gratitude with dignity.

It is important that she is healthy and beautiful, strong in body - she dresses well, her long silky hair is always flawless, her skin is clean and smooth, shining like a pearl.

She is quite educated, God-fearing, chaste [as if someone would really want to approach her and would not set foot if she approached herself], devoted and prudent.

An elegant tall girl in flowing dresses with beautiful hair and a wonderful disposition. The wonderful Daughter of Neptune and the perfect Roman.

A good girl who will blossom into a beautiful maiden.

She's as good as she gets.

She's just as good as Jason is.

[books-and-kids]

My safe families coach (caseworker equivalent) is going to call me today to discuss the details of someone else taking Deshaun. I feel so guilty and inadequate not to be able to finish out his hosting but I can’t figure out a way to. I’m sick and not getting enough sleep, to the point that I felt lightheaded and dizzy last night, but I could grit my teeth and make it through that for 2 more weeks. The problem is work. He’s not allowed back to daycare until he tests negative and is symptom free for 5 days. That’s totally reasonable from daycare’s perspective, but he’s still coughing and very snotty so I suspect it will be many days until he meets that criteria. And while hes home I can only half-work. He needs constant access to me. I’m wearing him in the carrier for many hours each day, but he won’t accept that all day and the rest of the time he has to be near me, climbing all over my lap. If I ignore him he cries. If I try to type, he grabs at the laptop. I can take some calls, but it’s a crapshoot what his mood will be like. Yesterday I had an important external call that I had to take off camera and mic, listening to someone else explain my work while Deshaun screamed in the background.

My job has been incredibly flexible and supportive but it’s been a week (we tested positive last Thursday night) and I don’t want to push it. Right now is busy for me also — I’m leading an important project with a firm deadline based on external factors we can’t change, and it’s already behind schedule. If I don’t finish my pieces of it within the next 1-2 weeks, it won’t happen in time.

There’s just no slack. If daycare is out as the childcare option, there’s nothing left. No partner to trade off childcare with. I’m not allowed to hire a babysitter (safe families would require them to be certified, there’s no prudent parenting standard), and even if I was I can’t imagine finding someone who’d risk getting sick, and even if I could I couldn’t afford it. I have family in the area, but nobody who’d volunteer to babysit a sick child while I work. (Mostly when I hear about people with that kind of family support it’s from their mom, and my mom is dead.)

What am I missing? I know single parents exist and manage sick kids. Do they accept the need to take significant PTO and the limits that places on their ability to perform at work? Do they accept getting no sleep so they can catch up on work after the baby is asleep? I guess if I was truly committed I’d do some combination of those things. Am I a terrible person because I’m not willing to? (I should also say — my job is really important to me. I work for a nonprofit doing the most important work I can think of. In terms of helping people, my job does that more than hosting does. And, I’m in my early career and I want to build my reputation as a top performer. I know there are different considerations for different people.)

Of the three hostings I’ve done that involved daycare, all three have had kids home unexpectedly. Charlie was home for a day and played independently and it went fine. Bella was home for 7 consecutive work days and it wasn’t great, but she watched a lot of Barbie Dreamtopia and we muddled through. Now with Deshaun, today is the 5th consecutive work day (one day off and then 4 days working while also caring for him). Is that level of daytime childcare need typical in yalls experience? If I’m not able to manage it, does that mean I’m not cut out for hosting and should stop doing it?

[ngdrb]

Evaluating the Concerns and Potential Extremism of Project 2025

This far-right, extremist agenda is a threat to a multiracial, diverse democracy

Introduction

Project 2025 has garnered significant attention and sparked debate among various stakeholders. This analysis aims to explore the reasons why some individuals and groups express apprehension about the project and to evaluate whether these concerns are deemed extreme. Additionally, this discourse will consider potential modifications to address these concerns  and Perceptions of Extremism

Scope and Ambition

 Project 2025 has been widely viewed as ambitiously forward-thinking. While some express concerns about its comprehensive scope possibly causing unforeseen disruptions to current systems, critics suggest these challenges are natural in pioneering endeavors. The project's magnitude naturally provokes apprehensions regarding its feasibility and long-term sustainability. However, such bold initiatives are essential to drive innovation and address pressing global challenges. By carefully navigating potential pitfalls and leveraging comprehensive planning, Project 2025 can emerge as a transformative force for progress, laying a robust foundation for a sustainable future.

Political and Social Implications

The project's political and social ramifications are pivotal concerns. Detractors argue it could bring about sweeping alterations to societal norms and governance, potentially marginalizing specific demographics. These transformative shifts are frequently perceived as revolutionary, thereby evoking apprehensions about its radical nature. Such apprehensions underscore the need for a careful examination of its potential impact on inclusivity and social cohesion. It is imperative to navigate these concerns with a balanced approach that ensures equitable outcomes and fosters constructive dialogue about the project's goals and implications for a harmonious society.

Economic Impact

Concerns abound regarding the economic repercussions of Project 2025. Critics contend that the necessary financial resources might overburden public finances, potentially necessitating higher taxes or diverting funds from essential sectors. Such economic uncertainties are seen as fueling perceptions of radicalism. It is crucial to address these apprehensions through careful planning and transparent communication about the project's long-term benefits. By emphasizing strategic economic growth and prudent resource management, we can mitigate fears and build consensus on the project's potential to foster sustainable development and economic stability. This approach ensures that Project 2025 is viewed not as a risk, but as a catalyst for positive change.

Technological and Ethical Concerns

The integration of advanced technologies in Project 2025 raises significant ethical and privacy concerns, making it a contentious initiative. The potential for surveillance, data misuse, and erosion of individual freedoms stokes widespread fears. As we embrace these technologies, we must address the ethical implications to safeguard privacy and uphold fundamental rights. Ensuring transparent and responsible use of data can alleviate concerns and foster trust. By prioritizing ethical considerations, Project 2025 can become a beacon of innovation that respects privacy and individual freedoms, turning a potential threat into an opportunity for responsible technological advancement.

Potential for Adaptation

To mitigate the perceived extremism of Project 2025 and address the apprehensions, the following adaptations could be considered:

Incremental Implementation

Adopting a phased approach to project implementation offers the opportunity for continuous assessment and refinement at each stage. This strategy not only facilitates better risk management but also mitigates concerns about abrupt changes. By breaking down the project into manageable phases, we can identify and address issues promptly, ensuring smoother transitions and more effective solutions. This method fosters a more controlled and adaptable environment, increasing the likelihood of success while minimizing disruption. Embracing this incremental approach will ultimately lead to more sustainable and positive outcomes for the entire team.

Transparent Communication

Improving transparency regarding the project’s objectives, procedures, and potential outcomes is crucial for fostering public trust. Engaging openly with stakeholders and employing effective communication strategies are essential steps in combating misinformation and alleviating concerns. By clearly articulating our goals and methods, we can establish credibility and reassure the community about the project’s positive impacts. Emphasizing these aspects not only enhances understanding but also cultivates a supportive environment where informed decisions can be made collaboratively. This approach ensures that all parties are well-informed and aligned, promoting a constructive dialogue that strengthens confidence and minimizes uncertainties.

Ethical Guidelines and Oversight

Implementing stringent ethical guidelines and independent oversight mechanisms effectively addresses worries regarding privacy and data security. Prioritizing ethical considerations not only safeguards sensitive information but also cultivates trust and support from the public. By adhering to these principles, we demonstrate our commitment to transparency and accountability, fostering a climate where individuals feel secure and valued. This approach not only mitigates risks but also enhances our credibility, ensuring that our practices align with the highest standards of integrity and responsibility. Ultimately, integrating robust ethical frameworks is pivotal in garnering widespread endorsement and maintaining ethical leadership in data management.

Economic Safeguards

Implementing economic safeguards is crucial to shield vulnerable groups and promote fair resource allocation, alleviating concerns about financial burdens. Transparent budgeting and stringent financial accountability are indispensable in fostering trust and ensuring equitable distribution of resources. By instituting these measures, we not only protect the most vulnerable but also uphold principles of fairness and responsibility. This proactive approach not only mitigates fears of economic strain but also lays the foundation for a sustainable and inclusive economic framework that benefits all segments of society.

Conclusion

Project 2025’s ambitious nature and potential for significant societal impact inevitably lead to concerns about its extremism. By understanding these apprehensions and considering adaptive strategies, it is possible to address the fears and work towards a more balanced and acceptable implementation. Engaging with stakeholders, ensuring transparency, and prioritizing ethical considerations are critical steps in this

[cosmiccannibalcamille]

Wealth Indicators in the Birth Chart

     It’s ~officially~ Taurus Season, which makes it the perfect time to start talking about money, finances, wealth and prosperity. (Especially since 2024 Taurus Season is loaded with key dates for maximizing your worth and manifesting some serious cash.) 

     Do you ever wonder why some people seem to effortlessly attract abundance and prosperity into their lives while others struggle to make ends meet? The answer may lie in the stars – more specifically, in your birth chart. Astrology offers invaluable insights into your financial potential, revealing key indicators and markers that can guide us towards greater wealth and prosperity.

The Money Planets: Jupiter and Venus

     In astrology, Jupiter and Venus are often referred to as the "money planets" due to their association with abundance, wealth, and financial success. Jupiter represents expansion, growth, and opportunities, while Venus governs money, luxury, and material possessions. The placement of these planets in your birth chart can provide clues about your financial potential and how you attract wealth into your life.

     For example, individuals with Jupiter or Venus prominently placed in their birth chart, such as in the 2nd or 8th house, are likely to experience greater financial abundance and success. Additionally, positive aspects between Jupiter/Venus and other planets can further enhance one's financial prospects, indicating opportunities for growth and prosperity.

The Wealth Houses: 2nd and 8th House

     In astrology, the 2nd and 8th houses are traditionally associated with money, possessions, and wealth accumulation. The 2nd house governs personal finances, earned income, and material resources, while the 8th house represents shared finances, investments, and financial partnerships.

     If you have planets or significant points (such as the Sun or Moon) in these houses, you may possess a natural aptitude for managing money, building wealth, and making shrewd financial decisions. Additionally, aspects between planets in the 2nd and 8th houses can provide further insights into one's financial strengths and challenges.

The Midas Touch: Aspects and Configurations

     In astrology, aspects – the angles formed between planets in the birth chart – play a crucial role in determining our financial destiny. Favorable aspects, such as trines and sextiles, indicate ease and harmony in financial matters, while challenging aspects, such as squares and oppositions, may present obstacles and challenges to overcome.

     For example, individuals with a harmonious aspect between Jupiter and Venus, such as a trine or sextile, may enjoy financial windfalls, opportunities for growth, and a natural ability to attract wealth into their lives. Conversely, individuals with challenging aspects between these planets may need to work harder to achieve financial success, overcoming obstacles and setbacks along the way.

Practical Tips for Harnessing Your Financial Potential

     While astrology can provide valuable insights into our financial potential, it's essential to remember that we have the power to shape our own destinies. By harnessing the insights gleaned from our birth charts, we can take proactive steps to maximize our financial potential and attract greater abundance into our lives. Here are some practical tips for leveraging your wealth indicators in the birth chart:

Set Clear Financial Goals: Define your financial objectives and create a plan to achieve them. Whether it's saving for a home, starting a business, or investing in the stock market, having clear goals can help focus your energy and efforts.

Develop Financial Literacy: Educate yourself about personal finance, investing, and wealth-building strategies. The more you know about money management, the better equipped you'll be to make informed decisions and grow your wealth.

Take Calculated Risks: While it's essential to be prudent with your finances, don't be afraid to take calculated risks when opportunities present themselves. Whether it's starting a new venture or investing in a promising opportunity, sometimes the greatest rewards come from stepping outside your comfort zone.

Cultivate an Abundance Mindset: Shift your mindset from scarcity to abundance by focusing on gratitude, positivity, and abundance. By cultivating an abundance mindset, you'll attract more wealth and prosperity into your life.

Get a Money & Abundance Chart Reading: This reading is an invaluable tool designed to empower you with insights, clarity, and confidence on your path to wealth and prosperity.

Join Cosmic Cannibal LIVE for the Charting Wealth: Astrology Money Manifestation Workshop.  Dive deep into your birth chart and uncover the unique planetary placements and aspects influencing your financial destiny. Learn proven techniques and manifestation hacks tailored to your astrological profile, empowering you to attract money and abundance effortlessly.

     So yes, astrology offers valuable insights into your financial potential, revealing key indicators and markers that can guide you towards greater wealth and prosperity. By understanding and leveraging your wealth indicators in the birth chart, you can take proactive steps to maximize our financial potential and attract greater abundance into your life. Remember, the stars may influence your financial destiny, but ultimately, it's up to you to shape your own financial futures.

Read the article in full at CosmicCannibal.com

[talabib]

Mastering the Art of Investing: Practical Strategies for Insightful Decision-Making

Key Point:

Making smart and insightful investment decisions is an attainable goal with the right strategies in place. By recognizing your limitations, managing emotions, seeking professional guidance, and aligning your investments with personal objectives, you can cultivate a robust and successful investment portfolio that stands the test of time.

Sound investment decisions are the bedrock of financial success. However, navigating the complex world of investing can be challenging, even for the most seasoned investors. This post explores practical strategies for making smart and insightful investment decisions, empowering you to grow your wealth with confidence and finesse.

Recognize the Limits of your Abilities

In both life and investing, it is crucial to acknowledge the boundaries of our expertise. Overestimating our abilities can lead to ill-advised decisions and, ultimately, financial losses. By cultivating humility and seeking external guidance when necessary, we can minimize risks and make more informed investment choices.

Manage Emotional Influence on Decision-Making

Emotions can significantly impact our ability to make rational decisions. To circumvent the sway of emotions, adopt a disciplined approach to investing, relying on data-driven analysis and long-term strategies rather than succumbing to impulsive reactions.

Leverage the Expertise of an Advisor

Engaging a professional financial advisor is a prudent investment decision. Their wealth of knowledge and experience can help you navigate market complexities and identify opportunities tailored to your financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment horizon.

Maintain Composure Amidst Market Volatility

Periods of market turbulence can incite panic among investors. However, it is essential to remain level-headed and maintain a long-term perspective during such times. Avoid making impulsive decisions based on short-term fluctuations and focus on your overarching financial objectives.

Assess Company Management Actions Over Rhetoric

When evaluating potential investments, examine the actions of a company's management rather than relying solely on their statements. This approach ensures a more accurate understanding of the organization's performance, financial health, and growth prospects.

Prioritize Value Over Glamour in Investment Selection

The most expensive investment options are not always the wisest choices. Focus on identifying value rather than being swayed by glamorous or high-priced options. This strategy promotes long-term financial growth and mitigates the risk of overpaying for underperforming assets.

Exercise Caution with Novel and Exotic Investments

While unique and exotic investment opportunities may appear enticing, approach them with caution. Ensure thorough research and due diligence before committing to such investments, as they may carry higher risks and potential pitfalls.

Align Investments with Personal Goals

Invest according to your individual objectives rather than adhering to generic rules or mimicking the choices of others. Personalized investment strategies are more likely to yield favorable results, as they account for your unique financial circumstances, risk appetite, and long-term aspirations.

Making smart and insightful investment decisions is an attainable goal with the right strategies in place. By recognizing your limitations, managing emotions, seeking professional guidance, and aligning your investments with personal objectives, you can cultivate a robust and successful investment portfolio that stands the test of time.

Action plan: Learn a few simple rules and ignore the rest of the advice you receive. 

It’s easy to become completely overwhelmed by the volume of advice available about investing. However, you don’t need to become an expert on the stock market in order to become a good investor. 

Just like an amateur poker player can go far if he simply learns to fold his worst hands and bet on his best ones, a novice investor can become very competent just by following a few simple rules. For example, he should learn not to overreact to dips in the market and make sure to purchase value stocks instead of glamour stocks. 

[finvestmentpro]

Which Small-Cap Funds Are Holding the Largest Cash Positions?

 When it comes to investing in small-cap mutual funds, one of the savvy investors often examine is the amount of cash reserves held by the fund. High cash reserves can provide a cushion during fluctuating markets, allowing fund managers to grab opportunities

as they protect or arise against downturns. small-cap funds, which typically invest in smaller companies with higher growth potential, are often more changing than large-cap funds, making the management of cash even more critical.

In this article, We will know the small-cap mutual funds that are currently holding substantial cash reserves.

Why Cash Reserves Matter in Small-Cap Funds.

Cash reserves are a vital component in a fund's strategy, especially in the small-cap sector. Small-cap stocks are known for their potential to generate higher returns, but they can also experience significant price swings due to market volatility or changes in investor sentiment. When a small-cap fund has a healthy amount of cash on hand, the fund manager can make tactical decisions during market downturns. For instance, they may choose to invest in undervalued stocks or wait for better market conditions before deploying more capital. Conversely, too little cash can expose the fund to liquidity risks, forcing managers to sell off assets at less-than-ideal prices.

Top Small-Cap Funds with Significant Cash Holdings

 While many small-cap mutual funds are fully invested inequities, some maintain higher cash positions to balance risk and take advantage of future buying opportunities. Below are a few small-cap mutual funds known for their prudent cash management strategies:

1. XYZ Small-Cap Growth Fund

   This fund is known for its cautious approach, with nearly 15% of its assets in cash and cash equivalents. The fund's managers believe in holding cash during periods of market uncertainty, allowing them to take advantage of attractive stock valuations when the opportunity arises.

2.  ABC Small-Cap Value Fund

   A veteran in the small-cap space, ABC Small-Cap Value Fund has maintained approximately 12% of its portfolio in cash. This strategy helps it mitigate the risks associated with investing in small, volatile companies, especially during economic downturns.

3. 123 Small-Cap Dividend Fund

   While typically focused on smaller companies that pay dividends, this fund also keeps a significant portion of its assets in cash—around 10%. The fund manager uses this cash to navigate market turbulence and seek out dividend-paying companies with strong growth prospects.

4. PQR Small-Cap Aggressive Fund  

   Known for its more aggressive investment style, PQR still holds about 8% of its assets in cash, particularly as a buffer against unexpected market swings. This allows the fund manager to pivot quickly in response to changing market conditions while maintaining a focus on high-growth small-cap stocks.

While cash reserves may not always lead to short-term gains, they offer fund managers flexibility and security during uncertain times. For investors who prioritize risk management, choosing small-cap mutual funds with significant cash holdings can be a wise move. These funds are better equipped to navigate volatile markets and capitalize on opportunities as they arise. Always consider a fund’s overall strategy and investment philosophy before making your investment decision.

[thibosworld]

MANAGING YOUR FINANCES

A Comprehensive Guide to Saving Money and Sticking to a Budget

Saving money and adhering to a budget can be challenging for many individuals. It demands significant discipline and commitment. Often, the most daunting aspect of saving is simply getting started. This guide provides a step-by-step approach to develop a straightforward and realistic strategy for saving towards both short-term and long-term goals, whether it’s purchasing a house, buying a car, or fulfilling a lifelong dream of traveling the world. By prioritizing essential expenses and cutting out non-essentials, you can achieve your financial objectives. Here are some effective tips to help you manage your finances. .... Get an affordable auto insurance cover clik here https://tmtrcks.com/238479/186

Tip 1: Track Your Expenses

The initial step in saving money is to understand your spending habits. Keep a detailed record of all expenses, including small purchases like coffee and household items, in addition to regular monthly bills. You can use methods that suit you best, such as a notebook, a spreadsheet, or an online spending tracker. After compiling your data, categorize your expenses—such as gas, groceries, and housing—and calculate thee

Tip 2: Include Savings in Your Budget

With a clear understanding of your monthly expenses, you can create a budget that reflects your income and expenditures. This budget should enable you to plan your spending and minimize overspending. Remember to include irregular expenses, such as car maintenance. Allocate a specific amount for savings, starting with an amount that feels manageable. Gradually aim to increase your savings to 15-20% of your income.

Tip 3: Cut Back on Spending

If you find it challenging to save as much as you’d like, it may be time to reassess your expenses. Identify non-essential items, such as entertainment and dining out, where you can cut back. Additionally, explore options to reduce fixed monthly costs, like car insurance or cell phone plans. Implementing small changes in your daily spending can lead to significant savings over time.

Tip 4: Set Savings Goals

Establishing clear savings goals can be a powerful motivator. Consider what you wish to save for in both the short term (one to three years) and the long term (four years or more). Estimate the amount needed and the timeframe to reach those goals. This clarity will help you stay focused and disciplined in your savings efforts.

Tip 5: Determine Your Financial Priorities

Your financial goals will significantly influence how you allocate your savings. For instance, if you anticipate needing a new car soon, it’s prudent to start saving for it now. However, don’t lose sight of long-term goals like retirement. Prioritizing your savings objectives will help you distribute your resources effectively and ensure that all important financial needs are addressed.

Tip 6: Choose the Right Tools

Various savings and investment accounts can help you achieve both short-term and long-term goals. You don’t have to limit yourself to a single option. Carefully evaluate account features such as balance minimums, fees, interest rates, and risk levels. This will enable you to select a combination of tools that best suits your savings objectives.

Short-term Goals

For immediate access to funds, consider FDIC-insured deposit accounts like:

-Savings Accounts .Easy access to your money.

- Certificates of Deposit (CDs) Typically offer higher interest rates in exchange for locking your funds for a set period.

Long-term Goals

For future needs, such as retirement or education, consider:

IRAs or 529 Plans Tax-efficient savings accounts.

Securities Stocks or mutual funds accessible through brokerage accounts.

Tip 7: Automate Your Savings

Most banks provide automated transfer options between checking and savings accounts. You can decide when and how much to transfer, or even set up your direct deposit to allocate a portion of your paycheck directly into savings. This automation reduces the temptation to spend and simplifies the saving process. Additionally, consider using credit card rewards or spare change programs that round up purchases and deposit the difference into a savings account.

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Tip 8: Monitor Your Progress

Regularly review your budget and track your savings progress. Monthly assessments not only help you stay on course with your savings plan but also allow you to identify and resolve any issues promptly. Understanding your savings trajectory may inspire you to discover even more effective ways to reach your financial goals faster.

By implementing these strategies, you can cultivate a disciplined approach to budgeting and saving, paving the way to achieve your financial aspirations

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[shannaraisles]

Ulterior Motives - @artilaz

For the delightful @artilaz, who has been patient and truly inspiring to work with. Thank you so much, my lovely!

Ulterior Motives

Laughter rang through the clearing, two voices joined in shared amusement at some private joke that bit at his heart.

Tristan ... and Wyll. Enjoying time alone, together.

Gale paused in his foraging as a wave of bitterness swept through his heart. How had this happened again? How had he thought to find some love that would soothe and inspire him, only to have that prospective love ease away at the first sign of his, Gale’s, attachment to them? What had he done this time? Was he just impossible to grow close to, after so many years spent devoted to Mystra?

He stopped those thoughts firmly before they could spiral out of his control. No, he was not some new-formed pup with more eagerness than sense. This situation they had all found themselves in was one fraught with tension and no little danger, and there was no blame to be cast on those who sought to alleviate that tension with the comfort of finding a kindred soul among their companions. Wyll was a good man; he would treat Tristan well, show the young princeling the world and all its wonders with adventure and kindness and, above all else, love. But knowing that did not soothe the sting in his own heart as he contemplated the hopes he had held to be that guide and lover to Tristan Trevelyan, whose shy warmth and bold eyes had kindled feelings in the Gale Dekarios of old.

He sighed to himself, rising to his feet with his armful of herbs gathered from the shaded roots of the trees. Perhaps he was too old for Tristan. Perhaps he was too dour. Was he too talkative? Oh gods ... did he talk about Mystra too much? Tara had warned him that, if he ever met another love of his life, he should not mention his goddess too much. Did Tristan believe him still enamoured of Mystra? It would make sense. Who would take a risk with their heart on a man who could not, for the life of him, shut up about the woman who rejected him so thoroughly because he did not know when to quit?

There was a clue in there somewhere, he was sure. 

The murmur of the younger men’s voices reached him again, too distant to make out the words, and another laugh, this time solely from Tristan. The shy, awkward laugh that had wrapped itself around Gale’s heart with hope and joy. The laugh he had fooled himself into thinking belonged only to himself ...

“Pull yourself together, man,” he muttered, straightening his shoulders. “His heart is his own to give to whom he chooses. Who can blame him? It’s not much of a choice between a fine, handsome adventurer, and a washed up magician with a death sentence.”

Now, the thing to do would be to leave now and get back to the camp before the two men realised they were overheard or discovered. He would set to cooking the evening meal, and when everyone was settled, he would find a way to get Tristan alone and make sure the younger man knew that there were no hard feelings. 

Even if there were hard feelings, there was no need to hurt Tristan with them. He had already been through so much, fought so hard to just be accepted for who he was ... What right did Gale have to demand from him anything he was not wholly able to give? Gale, who had had everything handed to him and still managed to screw it up; did he even have the right to hope for the love of a man like Tristan, much less mourn when it did not come to pass?

But he had lingered too long; footsteps cracking over fallen twigs echoed into his mind, and he found himself looking up at the sight of Tristan and Wyll returning to the camp, retracing their steps along the same path he himself had chosen in foraging for herbs. The two men faltered in their stride, awkwardness flaring between all three as the silence stretched out. 

“Ah,” Wyll said finally, taking a prudent step away from Tristan’s side. “I will leave you both to what, I am sure, will be satisfying conversation.”

Gale watched as the warlock gave Tristan a look that seemed to hold stern yet affectionate meaning, as Tristan’s cheeks flushed just a little and his head ducked under the pointedness of that look. He didn’t watch Wyll walk away, his eyes returning to Tristan in the still forest silence that now enveloped them. 

A silence that lingered for too long, just as he had, stretching out the moments into seconds, into minutes, unwilling to break and have this be the last moment to share for themselves. 

Tristan raised a hand to his own neck, rubbing nervously as he opened his mouth. 

“Gale, I -”

“Please,” Gale interrupted, one hand rising to prevent those words as though by sheer will alone. “Don’t say it. It does not take a genius of any intellect to put the pieces together, and we both know I am somewhat overqualified to do that.”

“You don’t -”

“I wish you all the happiness in the world,” the wizard went on, not allowing the other man to speak, afraid that if Tristan were to say anything at all that he might embarrass himself further than he already had. “Wyll is a good man. He does not deserve you, but ... I venture to state that no one does. You are indescribable, Tristan. The one who earns your love is a lucky person indeed.” 

He sighed, unable to keep that one sigh of his disappointment from his little speech.

“I will trespass no further upon your emotions,” he promised, offering a firm nod as though to underline his intentions. “Happiness is not to be sniffed at, nor held back for the sake of another. Be happy, Tristan.”

What was that look on the younger man’s face now? Tristan was staring at him, azure eyes wide with ... disbelief? Incredulity? Pain? No, no, no, pain was the last thing Gale had wanted to give him. He’d thought that in stepping aside he would be seeing relief in Tristan’s eyes, perhaps even a smile on his handsome face. Not this near numbing uncertainty and wounded sweetness. 

“Are you ... breaking up with me?” Tristan finally said, the quiver in his voice tearing at the open wound in Gale’s.

“Sweet Mystra, no!” Gale lurched forward, one hand outstretched yet afraid to actually touch him. “No, I ... I thought you were ...” He gestured behind himself, along the trail Wyll had taken back to camp. “Are you and Wyll not lovers, then?”

Tristan stared a moment longer. Then incredulity gave way to laughter, relief, the warm sound Gale enjoyed so much employed now as almost a mockery to his confusion and upset. He must have shown that distress all too plainly, for Tristan was swift to swallow that laugh, reaching out to take Gale’s outstretched hand between his own. 

“Wyll is a dear friend,” he said, “but it is not Wyll I guard in battle, Gale. It is not Wyll’s company I seek out at every opportunity.”

“Yet the time you do seek with him is sought in private, away from others’ eyes,” Gale pointed out, perhaps a shade petulant in the wake of Tristan’s amusement. Hope was flaring in his chest, refusing to be swallowed by pragmatism no matter how hard he tried. 

“Well, he’s the only other person who knows how to dance the courtly dances,” Tristan said, and Gale felt a sudden sharp pang of idiocy threaten to stab him in his heart. Had he totally misread the situation? “You said you ... you said you liked to dance! And ... well ...” He let out a harsh sigh, more an expression of frustration than annoyance. “I am nowhere near good enough for this, yet.”

Gale felt a tug on his hand, his body lurching into a new position, shoulder to shoulder with Tristan, facing into the trees. Instinct drilled into him over many years of society gatherings drew his spine straight, raised his chin until he was looking into Tristan’s eyes, listening to the younger man count down to the first steps of a galliard, the energetic dance that Wyll seemed to prefer of an evening. Tristan’s hand belatedly caught hold of Gale’s as they began to move, feet flicking in time to a beat Gale knew by heart and Tristan seemed to hold somewhere in his head.

And Gale’s heart began to beat again.

There was little grace in Tristan’s movement, no practised elegance to smooth his steps. But the little frown between his brows as he focused fiercely on those steps, the mumble of his lips as he fought to keep both the beat and the steps in mind ... Gale could not help but melt. So much secrecy, so much misplaced hurt, simply because one of them wanted to give the other a surprise, and the other was too damned insecure to let him have his moments in private to deliver that surprise when he was ready. 

Yet for all his fierce concentration, his hands were sure and gentle as fingers gripped and twisted between Gale’s, each change of position and direction perfect as Gale could have wished for. Oh, he would have been laughed off the floor of any society ball in Waterdeep, but for Gale ... here and now, melting into the knowledge that Tristan’s ulterior motives had been entirely for his benefit, Gale could not imagine a more perfect dance than this. Even when toes were accidentally victimised by stray steps, or hands gripped tighter than necessary to prevent a fall, nothing could possibly have Gale’s heart soaring higher than the certainty that Tristan cared enough for him to learn something that so clearly did not come naturally. 

At the last stumble, he found himself laughing - not at, but with - hoping that the softness he could see in Tristan’s eyes was reflected in his own expression. For once, he did not want to be the wizard, but simply the man ... a man who was touched and moved, and needed to do something to prove his feelings now, once and for all. 

His fingers grazed Tristan’s jaw, a tender touch that wanted to convey so much more than just physical sweetness. 

“I am the greatest fool there ever was,” he admitted, wry humour quirking the corner of his smile as he drew the younger man’s brow to his own, inviting intimacy in the wake of something no one else had ever done for him. “Can you ever forgive me for my weakness?”

Tristan’s smile was audible even as Gale closed his eyes, feeling his lover’s hands find their resting place at his sides. 

“There’s nothing to forgive,” he murmured. “And for all your foolishness, you are my fool ... at least, I hope you are.”

“Oh, I am.” Gale’s laugh was a mere ghost of sound, unwilling to break the comfort of this one, special moment for anything in the world. “I will never question your ulterior motives again.”

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Colin Wright

Published: Aug 28, 2023

One might think the fact that the medical establishment is endorsing and performing experimental, irreversible, and often sterilizing medical procedures on children would be an immense journalistic discovery. But a recent New York Times article—investigating allegations made by Jamie Reed, a former case manager at the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital who blew the whistle on medical malpractice at the clinic traveling under the guise of “gender-affirming care”—downplays the results of that discovery in a way that privileges personal testimony over evidence.

Reed’s allegations were numerous. She claimed that the clinic was inundated with requests for transition services without adequate protocols to handle them, that patients were hastily approved for transitioning despite notable mental-health comorbidities, that individuals were not fully briefed on the risks and side effects of their prescribed medications, and that any opposition within the clinic was quelled. As Leor Sapir observes, the Times investigation corroborated most of Reed’s claims. A discerning reader who cuts through the article’s euphemisms and sidesteps the author’s political asides would discern as much.

Indeed, the newspaper of record has verified concerns that critics of “gender-affirming care” have raised for years. The current influx of trans-identified youth, primarily girls with no previous gender-related distress, symbolizes a fresh patient group exhibiting a new and as-yet-unstudied form of gender dysphoria. Gender-affirming care is experimental, with no long-term, rigorous studies demonstrating its advantages over the many obvious risks.

Yet throughout, the Times article alludes to the realities of pediatric gender medicine, while simultaneously obscuring them. Consider some representative quotes.

[A]ccording to an internal presentation from 2021, 73 percent of new patients were identified as girls at birth. Gender clinics in Western Europe, Canada and the United States have reported a similarly disproportionate sex skew that has bewildered clinicians.

Here, the Times concedes that the children currently fueling the unprecedented surge in gender-clinic referrals differ significantly from the group (natal males) that the original, ostensibly more cautious, “Dutch protocol” for pediatric sex-trait modification was intended to serve. As a Reuters investigation recently revealed, U.S. gender clinics aren’t adhering even to the Dutch approach. Instead, they’re adopting a less rigorous, highly medicalized “gender-affirming” model, which entails automatic social transition and on-demand puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries. Considering that this form of gender dysphoria is new and rapid, it would seem prudent to gather more data about its possible causes before offering medical interventions.

Pediatric gender medicine is a nascent specialty, and few studies have tracked how patients fare in the long term, making it difficult for doctors to judge who is likely to benefit.

This dramatic understatement amounts to an admission that the current practice of “affirming” a child’s cross-sex identity with hormones and surgeries is completely experimental. It follows that advocates’ claims that such interventions are beneficial or “life-saving” are not based on any high-quality research. Those who have meticulously monitored the data have been aware of this from the beginning, and systematic reviews conducted in Sweden, Finland, and the U.K. support this view. Yet, despite such evidence, U.S. medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, have obstinately maintained a pro-affirmation stance.

It’s clear the St. Louis clinic benefited many adolescents: Eighteen patients and parents said that their experiences there were overwhelmingly positive, and they refuted Ms. Reed’s depiction of it.

This particularly jarring statement showcases the post hoc, ergo propter hoc (“after this, therefore because of this”) fallacy: it presumes a causal relationship between phenomena merely because one follows the other. Being cautious of this fallacy, especially in the realm of human health, is fundamental to evidence-based medicine.

Few deny that many individuals are genuinely satisfied with the results of their hormonal or surgical transition. I’ve heard heartfelt accounts from minors stating that their mental well-being improved after gender-affirming treatment, and I don’t question their sincerity. However, modern medicine doesn’t—or shouldn’t—gauge the success of a treatment based purely on a patient’s personal testimony. Without comprehensive long-term-outcomes data and controlled experiments—which Ghorayshi acknowledges do not exist—it remains impossible to know whether the “positive” outcomes mentioned by the patients she references flow from the gender-affirming procedures or if the same contentment could have been achieved without resorting to body-altering hormones and surgery.

The Times article inadvertently suggests the importance of evidence-based medicine. Evaluating the effectiveness of a drug or surgery solely based on patient satisfaction constitutes a significant departure from its fundamental objectives. Were observers to start taking personal testimonies as sufficient evidence for the success of a medical treatment, the FDA would become obsolete. We’d all be forced to embrace the extravagant and pseudoscientific assertions of any self-styled health guru or medical quack.

Compare the use of testimony to support gender-affirming care at the St. Louis hospital with the Minnesota-based “healing center” known as Spring Forest Qigong (SFQ). SFQ champions the use of an ancient Chinese ritual called “external qigong” to heal the afflicted. According to its website, illnesses, or “dis-eases,” as they are fancifully labeled, are the result of “energy blockages within the body.” SFQ asserts that qigong is the magical wand that dispels these obstructions, thereby restoring the body’s “natural balance.” This involves the enigmatic Qigong Master Chunyi Lin waving his hands over one’s body, channeling energies and dissolving said blockages. If the idea of driving all the way to Minnesota for treatment seems tedious, fear not: Master Lin generously offers to transmit these energies and conduct qigong sessions over the phone.

The SFQ site provides links to several “scientific” articles from the Journal of Holistic Nursing and The American Journal of Chinese Medicine. These papers, apparently, endorse external qigong as an antidote for chronic pain. But for novices to the mystical realm of SFQ and qigong, the site offers glowing testimonials from satisfied SFQ customers.

One says: “I’ve tried different medicines. They gave relief but didn’t cure me. This season I’ve lived allergy free and I credit it to the [Spring Forest Qigong] Active Exercises I've been doing [for the past six months]. I didn’t take even one pill. Since there weren’t any other changes in my lifestyle, diet, or anything, I credit the [SFQ] active exercise. Channels were cleared, immune system adjusted and here I am, happy and allergy free.”

Another: “I was breathing into the shoulder and seeing the pain turn to air or smoke each night before I went to sleep, and it got better and better and better. I went back to the doctor months later and showed him the improvement. He said, ‘There is no way you should be able to do what you’re doing. You should be in excruciating pain. I can’t explain how you can do it, but whatever you’re doing, don’t stop.’”

Still another: “Chunyi Lin and Spring Forest have had an amazing impact on my life. It’s given me a way to live life more fully, happier. To me it’s a God send. The practice of Qigong is something everyone can benefit from. Once you have had an experience with Qigong you want to keep it a part of your life.”

One woman even says that qigong eradicated her Stage 4 breast cancer: “I rejected conventional cancer treatments from your classically trained oncologists because they didn’t work the first time. This time it was my life that hung in the balance and I was resolved to find alternative measures to find healing. And, fast forward, after six, seven months of both medical treatments and visiting with Master Lin in the Spring Forest Qigong Center I am completely healed. My cancer’s gone. My doctors call me a ‘walking miracle.’”

Should doctors and scientists view these “overwhelmingly positive” experiences as clear proof that Qigong Master Chunyi Lin healed these patients by simply waving his hands over their bodies (or through the phone) to dispel their energy blockages? Should we confidently endorse external qigong for people with Stage 4 breast or liver cancer? Probably not. Instead, we’d likely advocate for rigorous testing of external qigong through randomized control trials, demanding tangible evidence of its benefit before suggesting it could treat even minor ailments.

But if we’d be hesitant to accept these testimonials about how qigong cured some people’s energy imbalance, then why are many political progressives so quick to accept similar testimonials from minors who claim their mind-body imbalance was corrected after undergoing sex-trait modification procedures? Why is such testimony taken as definitive proof of these procedures’ benefits? Ideology couldn’t possibly be the reason—right?

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By the way, this is intentional. It's part of the postmodern goal of deconstructing objective reality.