#Reeves Family Extra

[cakepoppresent]

Orange Bailey-Moon stopped by the Genius office to break down his hit song, “MUTT.”

[valentinxd]

MAYBE IN ANOTHER UNIVERSE

Prompt: You happen to be an actress in John Wick 3 and had made small appearances in the first two movies, with minimal roles. Now having a small part in the third installment of the famous franchise you get to spend some time with your co-star who is a little too much in character....

Reader has blonde hair and is nicknamed Barbie

Pairing: Keanu Reeves? x Female Reader

Warnings: I also took a bit of freedom and changed bits of the movie for my own purpose. bit yandere behavior, age gap, slight stalking, reader is 29 and Keanu is 55. author is a filmmaker and knows a little too much about how the film world is so I apologize for it. Not proofread

Note: this is my first time posting on this blog but I had another one years ago writing other fanfics but I finally caved and wanted to join this cute little group of babes in the keanuverse. I love reading your work and I enjoy looking for more <3

You were 20 years old when you landed a role in John Wick. You had heard of the name as the comics were circulated among your friends in college and the actor who was attached to it. Keanu Reeves. A long-time crush and fan of his work you pursued acting with hopes of paying off your school and instead found yourself falling in love with it. Despite your family’s concern you traded in your anatomy books of veterinary medicine to the latest stage plays as you devoured words and changed identities. You were a natural.

You had a few small roles here and there, then after a part in a feature film did one of the department heads recommend you to a casting director looking for extras for a new action flick. You accepted it as you were kind to everyone you met which got you jobs easier.

The part you played was small, in the first movie you would be an extra in the Continental Hotel - a hit woman who sat in the lobby and was seen again in the bar, no lines, easy.

Your first day of shooting you were swept away by the glamor of Hollywood magic and several coffees from the crafty table as you were dressed, pressed, and sparkled. Your first role was to sit in a chair and read a book. it didn’t help that you were nervous as it was going to be a long day with multiple scenes. You were in the lobby with a prop suitcase and dressed in a simple dark but stylish outfit as required for your role and making sure you didn’t stand out from the star of the film.

When the director called action and sound was rolling did your heart hammer in your chest, in walked Keanu Reeves in full character and you did everything in power to do as you were told, yet you didn’t stop yourself from stealing a small glance or two.

You were surprised you were allowed to do so but since it was the scene where the famous hitman returned after five long years it went unnoticed, well almost unnoticed. Despite his lines with his costar you could feel someone staring and when you looked up from your book did you see Keanu Reeves staring directly at you, with what appeared to be a saddened expression. Your face was red as you did your best to ignore whatever was going on and stay professional, but your inner fangirl was screaming.

You went through the second scene a few days later and while in the crowd of the dimly lit bar you were chatting with an extra as you were all told to “chat and mingle” to seem realistic. This time Keanu had passed by you with the camera following as he went though his blocking and he once again looked at you with a very intense stare.

You assumed he was just in character, and for the few moments you had for the first two movies were small did they leave some sort of impact on the fans.

Each scene Keanu had passed you or looked your way fans picked up on that and immediately speculated theories and who your character was to the famous Baba Yaga. This prompted the writers to get you a smaller part in the third movie, which meant your two measly scenes of standing and sitting meant a fully fleshed out character and it meant interacting with Keanu Reeves.

You spent the next week freaking out and jumping up and down excited and giddy. You were so focused on your career that you put the thought of meeting your celebrity crush on the back burner.

John Wick 3 was in full swing and you were now near thirty. Almost a full decade had passed since you were first cast and the franchise held a special place in your heart and almost seemed like a second home. You had garnered a few more small roles in local tv shows and and even a few episodes of Euphoria. You recently got a small part in a horror movie filming later on that year as it dragged in production hell but right now you were starting your first major role, even if it was a small part.

You were an assassin given the nickname Barbie who was notorious for costumes and makeup being able to disguise yourself as anyone and anything - within human limits. Your character, despite knowing the risks helped John Wick escape certain peril and ends up crashing with your character while you tend to his wounds and help him escape, unfortunately, this comes at the cost of Barbie’s life as she is supposed to be gunned down.

Yet two weeks before filming you were given a new script, you could tell the director and producer were having a time, whatever was going on they were exhausted and both upset.

“Here’s your new call sheet and script, ignore scene 3 page 9 line 52 please I havent had time to print it.” The assistant was clearly just as exhausted and it made you worry.

“You doing okay?” You ask taking a drink from your water and he shakes his head.

“Cast and Crew shouldn’t be doing each other’s job babe.” The assistant had been an industry staple for decades.

“Who’s making changes?” You ask and he looks around as if a ghost was near while he fiddled with your script.

“America’s sweetheart Reeves, he’s very adamant on some changes. But you didn’t hear shit from me.” He said, “Gus! Where the hell are those apple boxes?!” He turned and stormed off just as Keanu entered the room with the director and cinematographer. You immediately felt small and insecure as you stood with three very powerful men.

You spent a good hour going over lines, body language and what went where. Finally the crew was in place and your start to a career as an actor was just beginning...

“And action.” The director called and you swallowed.

“Thanks for helping me back there.” Keanu, now in character stated quietly. “But you shouldn’t have done that.”

The fake blood looked real as you were bent over a shirtless Keanu stitching up his wound. The art department did a good job as it all looked real.

“Yeah well, you helped me out a time or two, who knew that mob king was into costume design?” You say in character. Both of you continued to go through the scene, his dark eyes never leaving your form.

He sat up and when you turned you two were face to face, you knew his character was deeply devoted to Helen and you knew that in the second movie it was hinted that he had some sort of arrangement with Gianna but never was it mentioned that John Wick had a soft spot for Barbie.

“You’re young and new.” His dark eyes studied you and you were sure those words had another deeper meaning that only he would know.

“Are you saying I’m not now?” You smack his shoulder earning a wince from him as you hit the fake wound.

“Not what I meant Barbie.” He grunted as you profusely apologized.

“You could die for this.” He said, still as close to you as he dared. You could tell by the small movements his hands made, the way his eyes only focused on you, how he spoke, it was softer and gentle.

You wondered if his character was just being kind to a young girl trapped in a dark world like he was but those fan theories you read late in the night didn’t quell your curiosity as you rewatched both movies picking up on his change. You had limited contact with this guy and were an anomaly to his stoic persona for some reason.

“I’m used to being elusive, old man.” You twirl a lock of blond hair and he tilted his head only slightly with a smile.

“Yeah.”

You both got through the scene before having to go to hair and makeup for the fake blood, this was the part you were going to be taken out and your character despite how small she was you found yourself grieving a bit for her. Barbie had a fully fleshed-out story, life and history that the writers created and you added on. You were surprised at how invested they were for even a minor character.

You got done with wardrobe and headed to set when the lights went out. The stage was quiet and you saw flashlights and a generator kick on the storm lights.

You heard the director yell about a power outage as crew rushed around trying to figure out a solution fast. As you walked in the dark with your phone as a light someone grabbed your arm.

“Are you alright?” You heard the soft voice of Keanu Reeves as he reached out to grab you.

“Jesus you scared me!” Your heart pounding in your chest.

“Sorry about that, just didn’t want you trip over some wires.” You noticed a small bundle of cables on the floor and were surprised they were just out in the open until you realized you were in a crew area and wandered too far in the dark.

“Come on let’s get you somewhere wire free.” He joked as he led you toward a dressing room. It was empty save for a few costumes and scripts. It was eerie being a semi dark room and then seeing your reflection, the makeup team did an outstanding job with the fake blood and it didn’t feel sticky or gross, but you sweating did ruin a bit of the carefully applied spatter.

“Mr. Reeves why did you bring me here?” This was roughly the first time you two were talking, outside of the normal greeting and asking if you were okay did you find yourself alone with him.

“Just wanted you safe is all.”

“I think I’ll be okay from a few cables and the lights should be on soon.” You reply with a smile and he tilted his head, a little too much like John Wick.

“It might be awhile.” He stated, you swore you saw a change in his facial expression and you chalked it up to his years of experience.

“Is this a normal occurrence?” You asked fidgeting with the costume ring you were wearing.

“Not like this, this gives me enough time.” He stated so casually and you looked up a bit surprised.

“Please tell me you’re joking?” You had hoped with how he was acting but you had realized you never met the Keanu Reeves the internet gushed over, the sweet bass playing single man who loved dogs and motorcycles.

This Keanu was a little different. A little too much like his smart and skilled character.

“You take method acting a little too far.” You said, attempting as a joke but more in a bit of fear.

“Oh?” He put his hands in his pockets and there was a realization that maybe you weren’t talking to a sane person.

“Yeah, you seem a little too invested in this character.” You state, “Have you thought of maybe not being John Wick for a few minutes?"

The man before you studied you with an intensity you had only seen on a screen, the same intensity John Wick only had. He stood and grabbed you by the arm and yanked you close to him. You gasped and cried out in protest but his hardened gaze silenced you.

“I didn’t get this far to watch you die again.” He said.

“Die again?” You were still trying to process his actions and if he had anything to do with the power outage.

“I’m not letting this universe dictate my life and I’m sure as hell not letting you go.” He used his jacket sleeve to wipe away the fake blood and crush be dammed your costar was nuts.

“I don’t think so.” You try to pull away, “Listen I have no idea what the hell you’re going on about with your other universe bullshit but people will notice we’re missing and -“ Before you could finish your sentence a rag was shoved in your face and you soon collapsed against your costar.

Once the power was back on the crew spent the remainder of the day looking for you as a very confused Keanu Reeves was found in a locked room. He couldn’t say exactly who locked him in there only that he was sure the person looked a bit too much like his own reflection...

[beardedmrbean]

Lessons in Manliness from Bass Reeves _________________

It’s Never Too Late for a Man to Have a Second Act

Bass Reeves was born a slave in Arkansas in 1838. When the Civil War broke out, his white master joined the Confederate Army and took Reeves along to serve as his body servant. Reeves bided his time, until one night he saw an opening, laid out his master with his mighty fists, and took off for the hills a free man. He was taken in by the Keetoowah, an abolitionist sect of the Cherokee Nation.

When the war was over, he struck out on his own and settled with his family in Van Buren, Arkansas, making a good living as a farmer and horse breeder. He was the first black man to settle in Van Buren, and he built his family an eight room house with his own hands.

He started making some extra money by helping the U.S. Marshals with scouting and tracking and soon earned a reputation for himself as a man who knew what he was doing and could be relied upon.

He was commissioned as a Deputy U.S. Marshal in his own right in 1875, when he was 38 years old. During this time marshals were paid for the number of criminals brought in and the distance traveled in capturing them and bringing them back to court. With so many miles to cover in Indian Territory, and with his legendary effectiveness for tracking down wrong-doers, Reeves made a great living at his job. And so it was only as he was nearing 40 that he found his true calling.

Compensate for Weaknesses by Cultivating Signature Strengths

“My mom always said she heard that Bass was so tough he could spit on a brick and bust it in two!” -Willabelle Shultz, granddaughter of fellow marshal

Because he grew up a slave, Bass Reeves did not know how to read or write. Being an illiterate U.S. Marshal was highly unusual—the men needed to fill out forms and reports–but Bass got and kept his job by compensating for this weakness with other valuable strengths.

First, he could speak the Muskogee language of the Creeks and Seminoles, and he could also converse pretty well in the languages of the other Five Civilized Tribes. He took the time to get to know the tribes and their customs, and they respected him for it. His friendly and sterling reputation among Indians, blacks, and whites alike led folks to trust him and give him assistance and tips they didn’t feel comfortable sharing with other marshals.

Reeves knew Indian Territory like the back of his hand, and his scouting and tracking skills were second to none.

But his most notable strength was his prowess with firearms. He carried two big .45 caliber six-shooters and wore them with their handles facing forward. He employed the cross-handed draw, as he believed it was the fastest way for a man to grab his guns. And indeed, he was known as a man who could draw with lightning fast speed; numerous men tried to beat him, and 14 of them died in the attempt.

But unlike what you see in movies, cowboys in the West did not rely on their pistols; those were their back-up firearms. A cowboy’s weapon of choice was his trusty Winchester rifle, and that was the gun Reeves used most. But he was a proficient marksman with both weapons. Ambidextrous and always cool under pressure, Reeves could fire an accurate shot with pistol or rifle, with his left hand or his right. It was said he could draw “a bead as fine as a spider’s web on a frosty morning” and “shoot the left hind leg off of a contended fly sitting on a mule’s ear at a hundred yards and never ruffle a hair.”

Turkey shoot competitions were popular at territorial fairs and picnics, but Reeves was banned from entering them because he was too darn good. Once, when he saw 6 wolves tearing at a steer, he took them all out with just 8 shots from the back of a galloping horse.

The Mind Is Just as Powerful a Weapon as the Gun

“If Reeves were fictional, he would be a combination of Sherlock Holmes, Superman, and the Lone Ranger.” -Historian Art Burton

Despite Bass’ legendary strength and prowess with firearms, he didn’t simply go after criminals with guns and fists blazing. Rather, he took a far slower, methodical, and ultimately more effective approach. He was an intuitive and quick-thinking detective who often got his man from being smart and crafty.

Reeves was a master of disguise, a tactic he used to sneak up on unsuspecting outlaws. They would undoubtedly see a giant black man on a giant horse coming for them, so when Bass was closing in on a man, he would switch to a smaller ride, and he learned tricks from the Indians on how to look smaller in the saddle.

And often he would ditch the horse all together. For example, one time he dressed like a farmer and lumbered along in a ramshackle wagon pulled by old oxen. He drove the wagon close to a cabin where six outlaws where holed up, and as he passed their hide out, he pretended to get the wagon snagged on a large tree stump. When the outlaws came out to help this humble farmer, he coolly reached into his overalls, drew out his six-shooters, and placed the men under arrest.

On another occasion, Reeves was after two outlaws who were hiding out at their mother’s house. Reeves camped 28 miles away to be sure they didn’t see him coming or hear he was in the area. Then he ditched his marshal duds and stashed his handcuffs and six-shooters under a set of dirty, baggy clothes, flat shoes, and a large floppy hat into which he shot three bullet holes. Dressed like a typical tramp, Reeves sauntered up to the felons’ hideout and asked for something to eat, showing them his bullet-ridden hat and explaining how he had been shot at by marshals and was famished from having walked for miles to flee the law. Having ingratiated himself as a fellow outlaw, the men ate together and decided to join forces on a future heist. After everyone had fallen asleep for the night, Reeves crept up to the two outlaws and handcuffed them in their sleep, careful not to wake them. In the morning, Reeves bounded into the room and woke them up with his booming voice, “Come on, boys, let’s get going from here!” As the men tried to get out bed, they quickly realized they’d been had by crafty old Bass Reeves.

Be Reliable–The Details Matter

Even though he was a tough-as-nails badass, locals also remembered Reeves as a man known for his “politeness and courteous manner” and as someone who was “kind,” “sympathetic,”  and “always neatly dressed.” He was also a man who took pride in getting the details right.

Reeves was unable to read or write and yet part of his job was to write up reports on his arrests and serve subpoenas to witnesses. So when he had to write a report, he would dictate to someone else and sign with an “X.” When he would get a stack of subpoenas to serve to different people, he would memorize the names like symbols and have people read the subpoenas out loud to him until he memorized what symbol went with what subpoena.

He took great pride in the fact that he never once served the wrong subpoena to the wrong person. In fact, many of the courts specially requested that their subpoenas be served by Reeves because he was so reliable.

Keep Cool. Always.

“Reeves was never known to show the slightest excitement under any circumstance. He does not know what fear is. Place a warrant for arrest in his hands and no circumstance can cause him to deviate. ” –Oklahoma City Weekly Times-Journal, 1907

Bass Reeves had an uncanny ability to stay calm and cool, even when he was in a really tight spot.

He found himself in that kind of tight spot while looking to arrest a murderer, Jim Webb, who was hanging out with posseman Floyd Smith at a ranch house. Reeves and his partner moseyed up, tried to pull the old, “we’re just regular cowboys passing through” trick, and sat down to get some breakfast. But the two men weren’t buying it and sat glaring at the marshals, pistols at the ready in their hands. An hour went by and Reeves and his partner still didn’t have an opening to make a move on the outlaws. But when Webb was momentarily distracted by a noise outside, Reeves jumped up, wrapped his large hand around Webb’s throat, and shoved his Colt .45 in the surprised man’s face. Webb meekly surrendered. Reeves’ partner was supposed to jump in and grab Smith, but he froze. Smith fired two shots at Reeves; he dodged them both, and with his hand still around Webb’s neck, he turned and took Smith out with one shot. Then he ordered his partner to handcuff Webb and called it a day.

Reeves was the target of numerous assassination attempts but he often saved his own neck by staying completely calm and in control. One time, he met two men out riding who knew who he was and wanted him dead. They drew their guns and forced him off his horse. One of the men asked if Reeves had any last words, and Bass answered that he would really appreciate it if one of them could read him a letter from his wife before finishing him off. He reached into his saddlebag for the letter and handed it over. As soon as the would-be-assassin reached for the letter, Bass put one of his hands around the man’s throat, used his other hand to draw his gun, and said, “Son of a bitch, now you’re under arrest!” The outlaw’s partner was so surprised he dropped his gun, and Reeves put both men in chains.

Another time, Reeves faced a similar situation; this time three wanted outlaws forced him from his horse and were about to do him in. He showed them the warrants he had for their arrest and asked them for the date, so he could jot it down for his records when he turned the men into jail. The leader of the group laughed and said,“You are ready to turn in now.” But having dropped his guard for just a second, Reeves drew his six-shooter as fast as lightning and grabbed the barrel of the man’s gun. The outlaw fired three times, but Reeves again dodged the bullets. At the same time, and with his hand still around the barrel of the first man’s gun, he shot the second man, and then hit the third man over the head with his six-shooter, killing him. All in a day’s work for Deputy U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves.

Build a Bridge

When Reeves was appointed a marshal by Judge Parker, the judge reminded him that “he would be in a position to serve as a deputy to show the lawful as well as the lawless that a black man was the equal of any other law enforcement officer on the frontier.”

Bass took this responsibility seriously.

Black law enforcement officers were a rarity in other parts of the country, but more common in Indian Territory and surrounding states like Texas. In fact, despite Hollywood’s depiction of the Old West as lily white, 25% of cowboys in Texas were African-American.

Because of the reputation Bass earned as a marshal who was honest, effective, and doggedly persistent–the Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal of the Western District, Bud Ledbetter, called Bass, “one of the bravest men this country has ever known”–more black marshals were hired in Indian Territory; a couple dozen were part of the service during Bass’ tenure. Nowhere else in the country could a black man arrest a white man. Bass had paved the way, and done one of the manliest things a man can do—build a bridge and a legacy for others to follow.

Sadly, when Oklahoma became a state in 1907, it instituted Jim Crow laws that forced black marshals out of the service. Despite his legendary record as a deputy marshal, Reeves had to take a job as a municipal policeman in the town of Muskogee the year before he died. But his shining example of manhood cannot so easily be passed over and still speaks to us today.

[eaglesnick]

“When the rich rob the poor its called business. When the poor fight back its called violence” - Mark Twain

Although I think winter fuel payments to pensioners should be means tested , I also believe the super wealthy in Britain should be made to  pay a little extra towards the “black hole" in the economy.

Reeves and Starmer’s argument for cutting winter fuel payments to all but the poorest pensioners is not that wealthier pensioners don’t need  tax-payer handouts, but they have to make this cut to help fill the £22bn deficit in public finances left by the previous Tory government.

If they believe what they say then there are other ways to raise the necessary taxes without penalising the poorest within our communities.

The Times Rich List informs us that the 50 wealthiest people in Britain are ALL multi billionaires. The combined wealth of these 50 people is estimated to be between £500 -£700 billion depending on whose figures you use.

Talking of the gross economic inequalities in the UK Sharon Graham of the Unite Union said:

What Unite propose is that rather than “pick pocket” 10 million pensioners of £300, Starmer and Reeves should introduce a Wealth Tax. If the government were to introduce a 1% tax on the 1% of wealthiest families in Britain, this would raise £25bn, more than enough to fill the so-called “black hole".

According to Unite this tax would affect:

“The top 1%, broadly those people with £4 million clear and no mortgages. Anything over that would be taxed at 1%. So if you had £6 million and no mortgage, just clear assets and money, then it would be 1% on your extra £2 million” (Sharon Graham, Mirror, 09/09/24)

I do not know how accurate Unites figures are but the wealthiest 1% of UK households are extremely rich indeed.

Approximately 685,500 households make up the richest 1% of British families.

"In the UK, the analysis found, the richest 1 per cent of people are now wealthier than 70 per cent of the population combined. The richest 685,500 people in Britain are worth a total of £2.8 trillion ($3.4 trillion), compared with 48 million people in the UK whose combined wealth totals £2.4 trillion.” (The National: 16/01/23)

 (Just in case you don’t know, a trillion is 1,000,000,000,000)

Clearly this group can afford to pay higher taxes. According to the Financial Times, (07/01/22)  the richest 1% of UK households had wealth that was 230 times higher than for the least wealthy.

Starmer and Reeves could levy a wealth tax on the richest 1% of UK families but will they? Taking money from the poor is by far the easiest option. With wealth comes influence and power and these families are not shy to in wielding that power and influence to protect their interests.

Before the election Labour said they had no plans for a wealth tax.

“Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has ruled out any version of a wealth tax on the richest in society should Labour win the next general election." BBC News: 27/08/23)

Despite the “unexpected shock" of finding a £22 billion black hole in the economy Labour insists it still has no intension of introducing a tax on wealth.

“Labour has no plans to adopt Unites wealth tax plan, says cabinet minister” (LBC: 25/09/24)

Economic politics as usual then!

Seriously, what is the point of a Labour government if it does not at least try to introduce policies that ensure a fairer distribution of wealth? Only the morally bankrupt would prefer to “pick pocket” the poor rather than tax the rich.

 Where is Robin Hood when you need him?

[luverofralts]

Arkhelios Adventures

“Master Thorne? I'm sorry for bothering you at home, I just needed to talk to someone.”

Adam peeked his head into the front hallway, looking for any signs of the warlock. 

“Master Thorne?”

“Adam! What a lovely surprise,” a voice called from the kitchen. Within seconds, Evren Thorne appeared, looking flustered. “I was just helping Luci with her homework. That stuff's has gotten a lot harder than what I had at her age. I mean, math's not too much of an issue for an architect, but the essays and vocabulary sheets? I'm struggling.”

Adam laughed along with the warlock, but still seemed shy. Evren's heart began to sink, wondering just why his stepson's boyfriend was visiting him. It had to be something bad for the teen to show up all alone.

“Is there something I can help you with?” he asked cautiously. “Is something wrong?”

Adam nodded, sinking Evren's heart even lower.

“I need to talk to you about something that I can't tell my parents. Something I don't understand and I don't think they'd like me knowing.”

Something he can't tell his parents? Is he pregnant? Is he suffering from more complications from Theo?

Evren sighed and gestured towards his office.

“Let's have a talk then. I'm always happy to be an adult that you can turn to. You and Theo can tell me anything.”

"Rien, I don't think that Dad would want us to make magic circles on the floor. He got pretty mad last time."

Fiolett pleaded with her half-sister, but Adrienne refused to listen. Everard silently nodded his support, but said nothing. Once Rien got her mind set on something, there was no talking her out of it.

"Fi, we're so close to something, I can't give up now. If I can save lives, then Dad won't mind. Theo's almost home, and this happens before he can arrive! There's a darkness I can't describe and it's coming! Soon!"

“So what's up? How can I help?”

Adam toyed with his fingers nervously, unable to meet Evren's worried look.

“I had a bad dream a few days ago,” he began, and Evren tried not to sigh with relief. A dream or magic question he could answer. “It involved something bad. Something bad is coming. I don't know when or where, but something is coming.”

“What imagery was there? Were there any symbols that you recognized? Was the fear that something's coming a feeling you had or something someone said to you?”

“It was said to me. Victoriana was being consumed by the Void and gave me two names to look into and said something about following currents in the ocean. I don't understand any of it. But I do have a lead on one of the names, but…it's kinda out of my league. I need advice from someone as experienced as you are. If I tell my parents, they're just going to worry. Ever since I was…injured, they think I'm going to break if I try anything difficult. I know I can handle this with a push in the right direction. I wouldn't have had the dream if I couldn't.”

Evren paused, suddenly intensely interested in Adam's questions.

“Names? What were the names?”

“Atem and a Riley Reeves,” Adam replied, looking hopefully at the adult who could help him solve this. “Theo met with Lukas again, and they said that Riley was their sister. Their dead sister.”

“Hmmm. That does complicate things, but it also may help narrow down what these names have in common. I, too, have been given a list of names from a trusted source. The first two are the same as the names you were given, but I have an extra name. One that has proven to be easier to research than the other two.”

Adam stared intensely at the warlock, unable to hide his interest.

“Who?”

“An Alicia Wenlock. It took some digging, but I found her. She was an artist, a mother, a princess and a veteran of the demon wars. She had one biological son and an adopted daughter. She married into the Crystal Cove royal family when she married Prince Cowen Wenlock.” Evren gestured to the pictures behind him. “She painted these. Several are self portraits or portraits of her family during the war.”

“What does an ancient princess have to do with the sister of a god? Who's this Atem guy? Do you have a lead on that?”

Evren shook his head.

“No, but Spector is a Strangetown name. The oldest, most powerful families still carry it. I was told it was Atem's last name, so perhaps our answer lies there.”

“Did your source tell you what was going to happen? Is something bad really coming? We can stop it, right?”

Evren smiled kindly. 

“Anything is possible when magic users work together. Sharing our burdens with our coven makes hard tasks easy.”

“You can't tell my parents that I had the dream!” Adam shouted, starting to anxiously pace. “If they think I'm in danger or a part of some mission, they're going to lock me in the school and never let me leave! You promised that you'd help me!”

Evren rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

“I will contact your father and tell him the list of names that I've been given, and add that there was an additional, secret person who corroborated my own vision. If he has any insight, I'll let you know, but the adults will handle this. You and especially Theo are to step aside on this matter. I'm glad that you trust me enough to come forward with this information, and I will not betray your confidence. I'll see if I can get an answer for you.”

“Okay, but just my dad,” Adam replied, looking skeptical. “If my mom thinks this is related to what Theo did, or that he's involved in any way, she'll never let me see him again.”

“Okay. Just your dad.”

Adrienne watched her stepfather leave in a shimmering beam of light. He and Master Maricourt would surely have an interesting conversation, but one that was far too late. It was all too late.

“We have a problem.”

Evren stormed into the office of the coven leader and closed the door behind him. Ewan looked up from his work wearily.

“When don't we? What's this problem? Please don't say it concerns Theo. I'm just finalizing the paperwork for his return to school next semester, I can't protect him if he's already got himself into a mess.”

“No, this is a personal matter,” Evren said, only half lying. “I had a visitation from an old friend last week with a concerning puzzle.”

Ewan sighed, throwing down his pen on his desk dramatically.

“You certainly know how to get someone's attention, Evren. Tell me more about this puzzle.”

Evren recapped the message he'd received from Reogus and added on the disturbing dream from his anonymous source. Ewan's face grew more grim as Evren spoke. He looked just as concerned as Evren.

“Evren, I have to tell you something that you cannot repeat,” Ewan said, his face unreadable. “If you breathe a word of this to anyone else, I will eject you from this coven myself. Do I make myself clear?”

Evren nodded, but his mind was reeling. He'd somehow wandered unwillingly into something big, and while he was capable of protecting himself, he worried about Adam. If Adam was involved with this, then Theo undoubtedly would be too.

Ewan snapped his fingers and a privacy spell slammed against the door, locking in place. The need for this level of secrecy was never a good sign when dealing with magic.

“You've been very clear, Ewan. You have my word that whatever you have to say will not leave this room.” 

“I appreciate that. You've been a loyal member of our coven from the day you joined and I trust you. What I have to tell you concerns Edana and an incredible abuse of magic she witnessed. There is something…amiss with the world lately. There have been ghost sightings for the first time in centuries. Actual ghosts. Translucent and floating in the air, just like in the stories.”

“But the reapers- that's their responsibility, isn't it? No one can reenter the world after death unless they've been trained as a reaper. That's what we were always told back home at least.”

“That's always been my understanding as well,” Ewan confirmed. “Edana had a dream about her brother and visited his grave shortly after, where apparently, he appeared to her with a dire warning. Apparently, she needs to look for Atem, the grandson of Death. Adam was returned to his proper realm before he could say anything else.”

“I don't think I've heard of Atem before this conversation. I just figured he must be from Strangetown with a last name like Spector. How does he fit in with all of this? What does any of this mean? I mean, Riley and Alicia are long dead, and presumably Atem is also if he's a reaper working for Death. How are we supposed to contact them? By séance?”

“Maybe the link between them is a war? Old Strangetown was always at war, and the Demon Wars went on for almost two decades. Did Riley die in a war?”

“How am I supposed to find out where the sister of the life deity died?” Evren groaned. “Where did she live? When did she live? Does she have a record of existing in any country still around today? This will take a long time to research, if I can even research her at all.”

“Leave it with me then,” Ewan decided. “Do I have your permission to share this information with Edana? She's already begun researching Atem and this information will likely help her a great deal.”

“Of course. Please keep me informed on what she finds. I may be able to help if Reogus trusted me with these names.”

Ewan turned to collect his thoughts as he frequently did in coven meetings. Clearly, their meeting was finished.

“I'll come to you if there is any progress. Thank you again for coming to me with this. I truly appreciate the trust you have in me.”

“Good luck. I have a feeling that we're going to need all the eyes on this as we can.”

[legitimatesatanspawn]

Facts retained about Crisis Core from the original PSP release:

Zack is now Fanfic tier Shounen Idiot Hero. My dumb forgetfulness in casting Poisona or using Antidotes is now completely in character for the main character.

Genesis is Prototype Sephiroth Gackt Edition and is a total Theater Brat who has no business showing up whenever/wherever he does.

Dumbapples.

Genesis's weird epic poem turned play that reminds me more of the Epitaph of Twilight from .hack// than anything from the FF games. "LOVELESS" looked like a perfume brand or something in OG FF7 so "Loveless" being his and Midgar's obsession is an odd take.

Angeal is Prototype Zack Swoler Edition who never uses the sword his dad broke his back to pay off because somehow it is more Family Honour to never use it.

Sephiroth is tired office man who low key vibrates in "someday going to snap" energy.

Tseng is young and its the first time I get a full look at that weird zipper-suit the Turks wear. Also I don't think he actually helped me in-game?

Is Veld in this game? Probably not. Wait no Vincent wasn't (technically) in this game, the inexplicable appearance was in Before Crisis. Dude just went out of the coffin for a fanservice cameo and then went back in and his buddy left him there.

Hollander is an even more Inept Hojo. And looks vaguely like Pokemon's Professor Birch.

The Three Firsts all have stalker fangroups. Some even have two. SE really said Midgar's super thirsty.

The fanciest dressed smug looking blond man is somehow not the most extra new character in the cast. Also his outfit isn't as insane as Reeve's from Dirge of Cerberus, one of the two PS2 SE games I keep forgetting to play. (The other is The Bouncer.)

Hojo exists here and looks like a rat who gets pissy the more you trash his expectations for your skill level. I find this hilarious.

Turks and SOLDIER are at war with each other and happily would trash each other in VR Missions I mean the Job Board tasks.

The ACTUAL war between Wutai and ShinRa exists and Yuffie is the tiniest little idiot who is lucky that the invading force was Zack or she'd be dead.

Limit Breaks are now a gacha gamble roulette thing that I swore was rigged against me. Also raises questions about what the DMW system was like in-setting if its somehow scanning people from the future.

[tilbageidanmark]

MOVIES I WATCHED THIS WEEK (#197)

"How did she get forgotten?"

BE NATURAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHÉ (2018) was one of the best documentaries I saw last year. And because I focus more and more on women-directed movies, I had to watch it again. What a unique, fascinating pioneer she was, and how much did her amazing achievements change the world. Narrated by (another prodigy) Jodie Foster. Like ‘The Méliès Mystery’ biography, these two are a must-see for any serious film lover. Even in re-view, the story moved me greatly. 10/10. ♻️.

Extra: Another film essay about the same topic, FILMS DIRECTED BY WOMEN IN THE SILENT ERA (2013) tells of some of the 80 women who directed 850+ movies between 1896 to 1927 (but not too well). [*Female Directors*]

🍿

"Do you think we can go for a walk with a lobster...?"

THE WHEELCHAIR (1960) is my second bizarre black comedy by Marco Ferreri (after 'La Grande Bouffe'). A different kind of an anarchistic story about a 70-year-old Spanish man who's determined to buy a mobility scooter, a motorized wheelchair, like many of his invalid acquaintances, while his tyrannical family would rather commit him to an insane asylum, for spending their inheritance. It's just so wild and so fresh. The copy I saw was extra-crisp, and included the dark ending which Franco's censure board forced deleting. (Screenshot Above).

The trailer.

🍿

2 WITH BRITISH CHILD ACTRESS PAMELA FRANKLIN:

🍿 “For those who like that sort of thing that is the sort of things they like…”

THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE (1969) sparkled because of Maggie Smith's spectacular acting. But her frustrated spinster, an uppity teacher at an all-girl boarding school in 1930's Edinburgh was such a confusing character; Stuck-up and prissy, fascistic and manipulative, eventually she loses your sympathy. She is a strong, independent feminist, but also a fascist follower of Mussolini and Franco [But not Hitler - that would have been a politically-incorrect step too far]. And when the sex undercurrents start boiling over the surface, and the teachers start sleeping with each other and with their teenager girls, things get grotesquely complicated.

🍿 (Extra: A sketch from S8E10 of the CAROL BURNETT SHOW, where newly-famous movie star Maggie Smith comes to visit the home of her old collage friends. I never watched any television with laugh tracks, and I'm not going to start now). 1/10.

🍿 THE INNOCENTS (1961), a Gothic ghost story of a governess caring for two children at a remote country estate. Based on a Henry James novella, with a script co-written by Truman Capote, it's a formal British Victorian Gentry fantasy about inexplicable "possession". 11 year old Pamela Franklin gave a wonderful performance as the little haunted girl, but the whole premise of this glorious upper-class supernatural world, and Deborah Kerr's always 'proper' and sexually-repressed personality, were not for me. 2/10.

🍿

KEANU REEVES X 2:

🍿 First watch: The classic dystopian fairy tale THE MATRIX, which went on to spawn a $3 billion sci-fi franchise. There were plenty of visual flourishes, and original special effects in it [The 'digital rain' code, slow-motion 'bullet time', the Kung-fu wire photography, jumping from building to building, the stylized action scenes], but I hated it from the very beginning, and for the life of me, couldn't understand how this ever become a Thing: The fortune-cookie pseudo-philosophy, the faux mysticism and cyberpunk "camp" aesthetics are just not for me. Once you don't accept that the "Red Pill / Blue Pill" metaphor is a legitimate thought experiment which is worth taking seriously, the rest of the mambo-jumbo nerd-bubble becomes just a stupid teenage game. Yes, we are all slaves, living in a virtual reality simulation, but this is not a Plato's Cave allegory. Not even 'Blade Runner'... 2/10. [*Female Directors*]

🍿 ANYONE CAN QUANTUM (2016), a self-congratulatory trifle narrated by Keanu. Another speculative science-fiction piece in which Paul Rudd plays Quantum Chess with Steven Hawking. Silly. 1/10.

🍿

FELA KUTI, LIVE AT GLASTONBURY, a 1984 concert film of the legendary Afro-beat musician, political activist and band leader. He was an improvising innovator genius, somewhere between Frank Zappa and Miles Davis. The concert included only 2 of his very long songs, some of his own fantastic drumming, and lengthy dancing-twerking by some of his 27 wives. But it wasn't his best music or performance. Also, the YouTube copy was of poor quality: I hope that in 3-4 years we'll be able to re-watch it on a highly-upgraded A.I. version.

🍿

BILLY WILDER DIRECTS X 2:

🍿 WHAT WOULD BILLY WILDER DO?, a new 'Every Frame A Picture' video essay. A return to the original old style of Tony Zhou & Taylor Ramos!

🍿 ... But Wilder's 'comedy' STALAG 17 (1953) didn't age well, for me. A POW Camp that is run like a German Bed & Breakfast, and where the chummy Nazis treat their prisoners in a courteous and friendly manner, was too irritating and far-fetched. The only redeeming quality was lead actor William Holden. Otto Preminger played a buffoonish Nazi officer. 2/10.

(In Israel of the 1950s–1960s, "Stalag" was a generic term for pornographic material with a theme of sadistic sexual activity between female SS officers and prisoners of war. I read a couple when I was 10-12.)

🍿

THE HANGOVER, the terrific comedy about the antics of the four members of the 'Wolfpack', each with his distinct and well-defined personality. A perfect script and dialogue, so dumb and so funny. It's clearly about 'Acceleration', where each new step drives the story higher into more outrageous & absurd levels. Again, it's hard to imagine that such harmless throwaway foolery grossed $1.4 billion! 9/10. Re-watch. ♻️.

🍿

MILK X 2:

🍿 According to IMDb, there are over 100 movies (mostly shorts though) that are titled 'MILK', not counting many TV-episodes. Why is that?

MILK (2020), a vegetarian German short with the most disgusting soundtrack, which asks the question: What would happen if people were to be used in the same way as dairy cows?

🍿 MILK, my third by British Andrea Arnold, her debut short from 1998. A story of a woman who gives birth to a stillborn baby, and doesn't know what to do with her sorrow. [*Female Directors*]

🍿

2 MORE FROM ERIC KISSACK:

🍿 'The Gunfighter' was one of the best short films about invisible voices in the Old Wild West. His new THE MOVE is somehow similar in that there's a science fiction kink to the physical reality, which cannot be explained. But while Amanda Crew (Monica Hall from 'Silicon Valley') is still cute as a button, the boyfriend who moves with her into their new apartment with 'the portal' is just an irritating dude.

🍿 WEREWOLVES (2014) also reminds me of 'The Gunfighter'. Obviously, some of the same people, arguments, inner logic. Who's the Werewolf?

🍿

A BUNCH OF SHORTS:

🍿 RELAX WITH GEORGE CLOONEY AT THE END OF A MOVIE: Michael Clayton dreams of 'The Descendants' watching 'March of the Penguins'. Can be used for a chill session.

🍿 THE PROCESS OF MAKING A CELLO is a 27 minutes of wordless zen: Watching a Japanese master craftsman hand-build a cello in the course of 6 months. Perfect for another chilling out evening.

🍿 HOW IN THE WORLD ISN'T THIS FILM A CLASSIC? is the latest from 'Moviewise', an intellectual essayist with an indefinable accent. I've seen a bunch of his videos before, as well as the subject of this terrific analyses, John Farrow's stylish 1948 'The big clock'. A great introduction to both film and reviewer. 9/10.

🍿 The 'Script Sleuth' analyses some SCREENWRITING TIPS IN 'GOODFELLAS': Character, The Story World, Dramatic Irony, Narration, Humanity and Consequences.

🍿 TO YOUR HEALTH was a cute animated PSA, commissioned by the Michigan State Board Of Alcoholism in 1956. Cheers!

🍿 THE LANGUAGE OF FACES (1961), my first film by humanist John Korty, the man who inspired Coppola and Lucas to move their studios to Northern California. It's a visual anti-nuclear essay about pacifism, which was sponsored by a Quaker group. It describes a vigil that 1,000 cold-war protesters held, standing in silent for two days in front of the Pentagon.

🍿 THE HISTORY OF THE PINK PANTHER FILMS - Should i watch 'The return of the pink panther'? or 'A shot in the dark'?

🍿 THE QUEEN'S MONASTERY (1988) is a British fairy tale using watercolor animation. [*Female Director*]

🍿 I was interested to find movies based on Jorge Luis Borges stories, but the 1971 Italian THE MINOTAUR MASK wasn't it. A man with a plastic King Kong mask pondering his existence in badly-lit cellars and uttering philosophical platitudes was experimentally silly.

🍿  

(ALL MY FILM REVIEWS - HERE).

[cakepoppresent]

You are the love of my life And I sing this song to you

[lady-asteria]

So if you’ve seen either “Inside Job” or “The Hollow”, I would love to hear your thoughts on both of those shows.

I haven’t watched Inside Job yet (hear great things and is in my to-watch list), but I have watched -I'm rewatching, actually- The Hollow and I really like it.

There are spoilers here for both seasons.

Saying this as someone who just can't handle horror, I believe they mix it quite well (kind of like Gravity Falls) with the lore clues and the characters. Specially our main trio bc I'm invested in the things that happens to them, so the horror doesn't stop me from watching.

Something lot of books and shows do, bc it works, it placing strangers in a new world, so the audience discover the things at the same time the character does. Here is that extra layer of them not knowing who they are. Which, let's be honest, is scary as hell. So we are also learning who they are at the same time they do, but also, until what point is the real them? How much their subconscious affect their memory loss?

Then S2 show us that yes, that's who Adam, Kai and Mira are (with differences, of course) lovely flawed teenagers with a kind heart.

It should be over, but they are, once again, there. In the game. And isn't it weird? We know they won, that they make it home, so why are they there?

S2 also gives us the other side: Their families, their fears (and, oh, my poor Adam) and, hey viewer! remember that other group? They actually know each other. From Mira and Skeet's sweet childhood friendship (rip Skeet, you made me fear the other five could die, you deserved your virtual happy ending) To Reeve and Adam's beef (with poor Mira in the middle) And, of course, Kai remembering and being rightfully angry at Vanessa (even if she knew it was a videogame) but also being the first one to forgive her bc he's aware all of them are flawed and she didn't want to harm them. (As well as calling out The Hollow for stealing their dates)

And that's the good stuff, the interpersonal relationships.

Idk, I just really love these babies.

The world itself is cool, working as a videogame (I'm not an expert), it remind me of that Mario's game with 8 worlds, each one with their different settings. (Again, not an expert) but it works more as an excuse to develop the characters -just my opinion-

In short, it's catching with a cast easy to get invested over.

[adamwatchesmovies]

John Wick (2014)

John Wick takes a familiar story and makes it its own. The film refines the revenge genre to its bare essentials and then fills the room that's been freed with its own mythology. With wicked gunplay and stunts, it’s hard to tell if the people who made it knew they were starting a new franchise or if it was the critical and commercial success it gathered that made this more than a one-and-done.

Ex-assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is mourning his wife, who just died. He’s got nothing left to lose, except for his car and her last gift: a puppy. When some thugs who have no business messing with him do so, they unleash a world of pain on themselves, their subordinates and anyone associated with them.

We’ve seen countless paths of revenge that begin with a home invasion that leaves the (usually, but not always) male protagonist mourning the loss of their spouse and/or family. Writing the future victims’ dialogue must be extra challenging because you want to convey that they’re special without investing too much time in their scenes - the sooner they’re dead, the sooner the story can begin. Intentionally or not, this can make the spouses/family feel like they're merely props to advance the story. Writer Derek Kolstad takes this idea to such a minimalistic extreme I’m not even sure if it can be called problematic anymore. Helen (Bridget Moynahan) is already dead when the movie begins. What sets John on his rampage is the puppy she’s given him. When Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen) kills it, he transforms into the most shootable face on earth.

Once the bullets start flying, it’s a delectable buffet of violence. It isn’t merely that John Wick kills all of the goons in his path, it’s that he does with ruthless efficiency. There are no quips or jokes. The odds are massively stacked against him but he keeps going, always making the kills clean and efficient. Someone will get a bullet in the chest, and another in the head to make sure they’re dead. Every move feels calculated, optimized. You can tell he’s been through this carousel before and it doesn’t take him long to get back into the swing of things.

There’s plenty of talk between the Russian mobsters about the fact that John is “Baba Yaga” and “The man you send in to kill the boogeyman” but the film excels at showing rather than telling. A perfect example is a scene in which John and one of his assailants are fighting. Briefly, they’re separated by a thin wall. Realizing who’s on the other side, the Russian turns around and fires at shoulder level. Meanwhile, John ducks and shoots up at a 45 degree angle.

Numerous or not, the men employed by Iosef’s father, Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nywvist), would need to have an exceptionally good day to stand a chance against John. More likely to take him down are the myriad of other assassins we meet during the film - all members of an elaborate secret organization living among us. There’s a lot more going on here than a violent fantasy. John Wick is set in a world of rules and side-branches. There are cleaning services to dispose of bodies, special currency, elaborate communication systems, safe havens, special medical services and more. The taste this movie gives you makes you eager for more.

The only significant criticism I have is directed towards the dialogue, which can occasionally make the film feel a little more self-important than it actually is. No matter. Director Chad Stahelski has made a stylish action film with its own identity. It’s fast-pasted. The action scenes are memorable. So are the characters. Keanu Reeves is excellent in the role. In fact, he was made for it (or it for him, whichever). You can tell he’s doing most if not all of the stunts, which allows you to feel the impact of every bullet and beating. You're excited to see more once John Wick is done. (December 3, 2021)

[ask-mysterious-muses]

"5 more minutes..."

Name: Grey Lull

Nicknames: Sleepyhead, Nerd, Kid

Age: 16

Residence: Cellia Central Manor

Gender: Male

Orientation: Bi

Occupation: Pokemon Trainer, Pokémon Ranger

Family: UNKNOWN

Good Traits: Talented Trainer, Unphased by most of the real horrors, unassuming

Bad Traits: Technologically inept, Freezes at the sight of anything ritualistic, Can sleep anywhere between 8 hours or 2 weeks, Too curious, easily gets lost

Likes: Battling, Mysteries, the fancy bow tie Reeve gave him, exploring

Dislikes: Computers, Programming, Curses

Extra: Claims not to know where he came from, but that's only half the truth. He knows he was in an old canceled Monstermon Game, can remember the loops of the different runs from testers trying to get passed Shinto as well as his death from her bricking the game when the last tester used debug to catch her, but nothing from before. His only hints were some old news articles related to the creators of the game claiming they used an old ritual to use the soul of a dead boy instead of actually programming a protagonist. None of them included names or locations.

About one third through his journey, is able to freely travel to the Dream Realm

Main Team:

Shinto (Definitely a Hypno)

Pede (Scolipede)

Bork (Manectric)

Swamp (Swampert)

Feather (Fearow)

Snowflake (Frosslass)

Grey, and a mysterious Pokeball that contained a much calmer Shinto, was found on the beach near Darkroot town by the Grass type Gym Leader Ava. He ended up befriending her and Scarlett before they helped him set out on his Pokémon journey.

Of course, his journey quickly turned into a mission of destiny. He can only hope he doesn't die a third time.

[eaglesnick]

THE MORAL ECONOMY (Part 1)

I was listening to the news on Saturday when a man trying to get football supporters to Wembley said he was having difficulties because of the rail strike. Luckily, he had managed to book some coaches but they had cost twice as much as normal because of increased demand due to the strike.

Nothing very unusual about that you might say but is it really acceptable to raise prices simply because of an increase in demand? Or is raising prices when no extra costs have been incurred by the seller pure greed?  None of us like the grotesque profits being made by energy suppliers using the excuse of war in Ukraine: it is blatant war profiteering. But is the act of doubling or trebling the price of a coach trip to Wembley because of a rail strike any different?

Milton Friedman, economic guru to Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Regan, argues that the business of business is to maximise profits for the shareholders. In his 1970 paper "The Social Responsibility of Business is to increase Profits” he argued that corporate managers should:

“conduct the business in accordance with [shareholders’] desires, which generally will be to make as much money as possible…"

Although the title of Friedman’s paper contains the phrase “social responsibility” he is quick to dismiss any notions of social justice. In the very first paragraph of his paper he argues that people who believe business has the social responsibility of "providing employment, eliminating discrimination, avoiding pollution" and other "social ends” are socialists and therefore the enemy. Businessmen who talk of anything other than maximising profits for their shareholders are described as:

“-preaching pure and unadulterated socialism. Businessmen who talk this way are unwitting puppets of the intellectual forces that have been undermining the basis of a free society these past decades.”

The Tory love affair with Milton Friedman’s economic views that started with Thatcher has never been stronger. The rise of the Tory right has seen a resurgence in neoliberalism as an ideology - the notion that free-markets and competition are the prime and natural organisers of society, wherein the “market” sorts society into a natural hierarchy of winners and losers and that any attempt to change this "natural order" is counter-productive.

Dominic Raab, Liz Truss and Savid Javid all seek to " implement the ideology in its most extreme form”, said the Guardian way back in 2019. We all know what happened to the economy during the short reign of Liz Truss, and we all know what happened to the right-wing bully Dominic Raab. But although these two extremists have been found out, the doctrine of maximising profit at all costs still has widespread support, not only amongst the Tory faithful but also within the Labour leadership.

Sadly, the Labour Party is no longer a socialist party, intent on redistributing wealth and looking after the welfare of ordinary working families. Instead it has once again become a slightly watered-down version of the Tory Party and neoliberal economics, where maximising profit, WHATEVER the cost, is the primary goal.

Am I exaggerating? I think not. We know that only yesterday Starmer was claiming to be Blair “on steroids”. We also know that Margaret Thatcher regarded Blair as her greatest legacy to the nation as he and his Labour government adopted the same doctrine of free market economics as she advocated. Make no mistake, Starmer is also prepared to put corporate and business profit before people. But don’t take my word for it.

Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have set about convincing firms that they are the party of profit, writes Cameron’s skills tsar and ex-CBI chief Paul Drechsler.” (Independent: 13/02/23)

When the ex-boss of the CBI,the UK’s largest employers organisation (now in its final death throws due to sexual scandal and harassment within its ranks) praises the leader of the Labour Party for his commitment to business and maximising profits you know something has gone seriously wrong. When one of David Cameron’s top aids tells Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves that Labour is becoming THE party of business, then ordinary working people are in trouble.

The Labour Party may still exist, but it is in  name only.

[firsttarotreader]

Sometimes people who went thru traumas now build walls of protection in fear of being hurt again. And often play neutral or even build boundaries with themselves because of anxiety and depression caused by heartbreak,loss... i feel he suppress his true emotions and projects himself neutral,like not hoping too much in case he deepest desires don't come to fruition. Like keanu reeves very similar sweet guy lots of past trauma was single for years had easy hook ups, wished to be a dad but he says it's too late now and now found love in mid to late 50s with a women not too far from his age. Maybe pp is similar a sweet romantic soul who deeply desire all but fears from prior failed relationships he was hopeful for and now plays extra safe. Like you can see he is very shy and loving and longs for contact with people. But reading all the interviews, videos,podcasts,or old things he wrote it shows he dreamed off a wedding a family that perfect movie like romance but picked the wrong partners because he doesn't see redflags right away maybe because of being daydreamer ,he hopes for the best. Now I feel he is 48 he possibly still dreams deep down of a partner and a family but doesn't chase it. If it happens it happens. And I'm sure if he finds someone that he feels safe to fully open himself too and completes him he will be over the moon.

Anon, I understand what you mean but we need to let go of this idea that he needs to have a relationship to be happy. He doesn’t. He might have been hurt before but he’s fine now. Let him enjoy his single life!!

[emeraldspiral]

Random thing I noticed watching a let’s play of FFVII. Not a single one of the 9 playable characters has any siblings.

Cloud - Father died when he was young and his mother was killed by Sephiroth. No siblings.

Tifa - Mother died when she was young and her father was killed by Sephiroth. No siblings.

Barrett - Lost his wife, his best friend, and his best friend’s wife and adopted his best friend’s daughter. No siblings.

Aerith - Father killed by SHINRA shortly after she was born, mother killed a few years later. Adopted by Elmyra Gainsborough. No siblings.

Red XIII - Mother “left for dead” by father, who actually died defending Cosmo Canyon. No siblings.

Reeve/Cait Sith - I’ve read that he has parents he is close to. No siblings.

Vincent - Father was a scientist who died. Could’ve been Sephiroth’s dad if he wasn’t cucked by Hojo. No siblings.

Yuffie - Mother died when she was young, father still alive. No siblings.

Cid - Has a live-in girlfriend/assistant. No siblings.

Additionally;

Sephiroth - Mother encased in ice shortly after birth. Presumably no siblings because if Hojo got it on with anyone else you can bet he’d do the same to them what he did to Sephiroth and we’d know about it.

Zack - Both parents alive. No siblings.

Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo - Literally the only siblings in the entire FFVII universe, and they’re not even really siblings, they’re just Sephiroth split into three different bodies.

Where’s the deep dive conspiracy theory about the world of FFVII having a law forbidding families to have more than one child due to overpopulation/resource shortage concerns to make it extra dystopian? Maybe with SHINRA leveraging that to their advantage by convincing people if they let them build reactors someday the prosperity will allow for siblings to exist in the world again.

[cheerfulomelette]

[Image ID]

A series of tweets from Robert G. Reeve (username RobertGReeve). Tweets read:

I'm back from a week at my mom's house and now I'm getting ads for her toothpaste brand, the brand I've been putting in my mouth for a week. We never talked about this brand or googled it or anything like that.

As a privacy tech worker let me explain why this is happening. (thread emoji)

First of all, your social media apps are not listening to you. This is a conspiracy theory. It's been debunked over and over again.

But frankly they don't nee to because everything else you give them unthinkingly is is way cheaper and way more powerful.

Your apps collect a ton of data from your phone. Your unique device ID. Your location. Your demographics. We know this.

Data aggregators pay to pull in data from EVERYWHERE. When I use my discount card at the grocery story? Every purchase? That's a dataset for sale.

They can match my Harris Teeter purchase to my twitter account because I gave both those companies my email address and phone number and I agreed to all that data-sharing when I accepted those terms of service and the privacy policy.

Here's where eit gets truly nuts, though.

If my phone is regularly in the same GPS location as another phone, they take note of that. They start reconstructing the web of people I'm in regular contact with.

The advertisers can cross-reference my interests and browsing history and purchase history to those around me. It starts to show ME different ads based on the people AROUND me.

Family. Friends. Coworkers.

It will see me ads for things I DON'T Want, but I knows that someone I'm in regular contact with might want.

To subliminally get me to start a conversation about, I don't know, fucking toothpaste.

It never needed to listen to me for this. It's just comparing aggregated metadata.

So. They know my mom's toothpaste. The know I was at my mom's. They know my Twitter. Now I get Twitter ads for mom's toothpaste.

Your data isn't just about you. It's about how it can be used against every person you know, and people you don't. To shape behaviour unconsciously.

Apple's latest updates block app's tracking and Facebook is MAD. They're BEGGING you to just press accept and go back to business as usual.

Block the fuck of of every app's ads. It's not about you:your data shapes the Internet.

[End image ID]

Apart from clicking 'do not accept', what else can you do about it?

Firstly, I'm going to plug Firefox as the only non-Chrome based Browser out there. Chrome is made by Google/Alphabet and Alphabet is an advertising company. Most, if not all, big tech companies are.

Then I'm going to plug some plugins. If you don't know what plugins are, now is a great time to learn! They're small pieces of extra software that run on top of (plug in to) an existing app. They're also called extensions (because they extend the app's functionality).

Here's what I use to keep my data mine:

HTTPS Everywhere

An HTTPS connection means the website you're visiting hasn’t been modified before it loaded and that any data you submit to that website can’t be seen by anyone else. HTTPS Everywhere is an extension/plugin made by the nonprofit group the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and it automatically loads websites over HTTPS wherever that's an option.

(nb: Firefox enables this by default in Private Browsing mode and has an option to force HTTPS connections in regular mode in its Privacy and Security menu)

Privacy Badger

Another EFF extension, Privacy Badger blocks invisible third-party trackers on websites. It looks at all the components of a web page, learns which ones track you across the internet, then stops them from loading.

Notably, it only blocks ads that don't respect Do Not Follow headers, which is an option you can (and, imo, should) enable in Firefox's settings.

Privacy Possum

Privacy Possum was written by one of the developers who worked on Privacy Badger, and has some extra features, but - because tracking companies have infinitely more resources and political power than nonprofits or individual app developers - it emphasises costing tracking companies money over user protection.

Privacy Possum's main feature over Badger is "data poisoning" - it does background searches for random things to introduce junk data into your advertising profile.

uBlock Origin

Ad blockers do exactly what you'd expect from the name: they block ads from loading. Since the tracking software is often built into the ad itself that means they also block the tracking code.

Be careful with impersonators: there are a number of untrustworthy extensions that use a similar name in the hope you're not fully paying attention. Fortunately, once it's installed, you can just leave it to work in the background.

ClearURLs

Links are another way to track your movement across the Internet. You know how sometimes links look way longer than they ought to? Some of that might be data that tells the website where you came from (eg: email vs Facebook). ClearURLs removes that extra bumpf.

Multi-Account Containers

Multi-Account Containers, wich come as standard in Firefox, help to isolate your browsing activity. You can have one container for work tabs, and another for online banking, another for social media - and nothing in any of those tables will be able to track anything in any other. You can also have multiple accounts for the same website open in different containers, so you don't need to log in and out all the time, and you can put known arsehole sites like Facebook or Twitter in a container, so it can't follow you around.

[nightguide]

ABOUT MY CRIB: RED FORCE 1

ANYBODY WITH DAVID TENNANT ON THE TEAM IS GOING TO SUFFER WITH A HEARTBREAK (GEORGIA TENNANT NOT RELEVANT ANYMORE, YOU'RE SCREWED BY MEDIA MIGRAINE (YOUR FAULT)

TAYLOR ADAMS TEAMED WITH BRIAN COX ON YOUR TEAM IS GOING TO DIE OF AN INTRUSIVE KENNY MCCORMACK ATTACK BY VIRAL THOUGHTS ABOUT A COSMIC SUPER TURTLE (TEAM DED BY DEFAULT)

BAD IDEA TO MAKE DEMI LOVATO DO ALL UR SIDE QUESTS FOR YOU (SHE WILL NEVER GET IT (MEDIA DOWNFALL BY CONTROVERSY (SHE IS NOT THAT FAMOUS)

WILL SMITH ON YOUR TEAM (OUTCASTED ON FRESH PRINCE (GOOD LUCK ON YOUR OWN (NATURAL TRAITOR)

LRAAZ IS GONNA FALL THE 'PAKISTANI THEORIST CRIED AMINA' (NO POINT WITH AMINA INVOLVED (SAME PLOTLINE)

SAIRA (WE ARE LADY PARTS) WORKS FOR HOUSE M.D. (IS GOING TO KILL YOU BY THEORY (HER BFF ALMOST DIED THAT DAY)

HOUSE M.D. ON YOUR TEAM (NO MORE KINDNESS, HIS KID IS JUST BORN: WILL EAT YOU OUT FOR CLOUT (NATURALLY AGAINST FRY (DON'T EVEN HIM WITH STEPHEN FRY (ASSAULTS YOU OUT OF QUIZZING (EXTRA ON QI)

STEPHEN FRY AINT YO' SIDE NIGGA (UNCLE PRO)

MADONNA IS ON HER OWN

EMINEM CHOSE HIS SIDE QUEST (SILLY STRING COUSIN GETTING MORE MONEY (IMAAN) HE GOES THERE (NO MASJID RULES FOR YOU ANYMORE)

SABRINA CARPENTER IS ALLERGIC TO YOU (GO THERE)

JUSTIN BIEBER IS A DISS GOD (MAKE ALLAH YOUR DnD PARTNER

BRIDGIT MENDLER IS GOING TO GO 'BREATHE ME METAL' (BEST FRIEND DIED FOR SWIFT, FUCK YOU FOR HER (SACRIFICED YOU FOR 'HER')

STEPHEN MULHERN IS NOT YOUR 'LUCKY MONEY' (DONT TRY A FRAMED HOUDINI FOR THAT SIDE-TONGUE (LIVED LONG ENOUGH FOR BULLETS TO INSPIRE HIM IN THE MATRIX (KEANU REEVES IS NATURALLY AFRAID OF HIM)

PATRICK SWAYZE IS A LAZY JONAH KAGEN

ANSON SEABRA IS A GOAT (ONLY BFF IS A GIRLY GOAT LOVING HIM RIGHT BACK)

TAYLOR SWIFT IS TRAIN'S DEMAGORGON (ADAM AND STEVE)

ANY ONE OF CILLIANS KIDS IS NATURALLY GOING TO FAN FICTION YOUR WAY INTO ANYTHING (TRAINED BY LINNA DURING RAMADAN)

CILLIANS WIFE SHITS ON YOU (OSCARS GLORY)

T.I. BUSTS A LIGHTBULB (IN MEMORY OF) YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN

JAY-Z EATS DICK (NEW SIDE QUEST) CAN'T BEAT EM, JOIN EM (GREATEST DOWNFALL IF PAIRED WITH EMINEM IN THE GROUP)

MILEY CYRUS GRASSES ON YOU (FEEDS IT RIGHT BACK TO SAUDI LEG (SHE A GOOD HOE)

YOU BETRAYED LINNA IF YOU GOT OLIVIA RODRIGO WITH A BASSETT AND A ROAN (SHE AFTER YOUR MEHR BLOOD MONEY FOR GOOD KUSH (KISSED LANCELOTS DI-)

SELENA GOMEZ WITH A BRIDGIT (SAY GOODBYE TO ALLAH GOMEZ)

ROAN WITH A LANCELOT (GOOD LUCK EATING THEIR THEORY (KNOWING LINNA)

ALL ABOUT YOU (SUCK WITH A BLACK AND MENDLER TOGETHER (SYLVANIAN FAMILY ENERGY NOW)