#Seek Vol.20 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

potato-frend-blog · 6 months ago

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Different Types of Propaganda: Part 1

Hello chuckle fucks of Tumblr, it's clear to me that you no fucking clue what propaganda is or how to spot it.

So 1st is what is propaganda?

Definition of propaganda:

the spreading of ideas, information, or rumors to help or injure an institution, a cause, or a person ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one cause or to damage an opposing cause https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/propaganda

dissemination of information—facts, arguments, rumors, half-truths, or lies—to influence public opinion. It is often conveyed through mass media. https://www.britannica.com/topic/propaganda

information, ideas, opinions, or images, often only giving one part of an argument, that are broadcast, published, or in some other way spread to influence people's opinions https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/propaganda

Propaganda Techniques Explained

This video does a good job of summarizing the different techniques

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sybo484veJY (you have to copy the link because the video doesn't allow playback.)

Agenda Setting:

Agenda: a secret aim or reason for doing something. (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/agenda?q=Agenda)

A situation where critics perceive inexplicit political motives (or an institutional tendency to overlook underprivileged perspectives) to lie behind the choice of topics covered (e.g. in the news, current affairs, and documentaries), their relative importance (inferred from sequence and the relative amounts of space or time devoted to them), how they are presented, and what issues are backgrounded or excluded (see also selective representation). Media agendas are often set by ‘authoritative sources’ in government and industry upon which news organizations rely. The primary concern is that those in power thus call attention to issues that suit their agendas and distract attention from those that undermine them. It is usually argued that this influences or determines the terms and scope of public debate—not by telling people what to think but by telling them what to think about and controlling the salience for them of particular issues. (https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095355782)

Agenda setting means the "ability [of the news media] to influence the importance placed on the topics of the public agenda". If a news item is covered frequently and prominently, the audience will regard the issue as more important. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#:~:text=Bandwagon%20and%20%22inevitable%2Dvictory%22,the%20road%20to%20certain%20victory)

(https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Agenda-Setting-Theory-Model_fig1_307536314)

Fear Appeal:

A psychological and rhetorical strategy in persuasive communication such as advertising that seeks to evoke a response of fear or anxiety in the audience by showing them an undesirable outcome that they can avoid by heeding the warning. This strategy is intended to increase the effectiveness of the message and it is commonly used in health and safety campaigns, such as those warning motorists not to drink and drive. (https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095812722?p=emailAWHA3YEy2eMug&d=/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095812722)

For example, fear can be used to drive votes toward a particular candidate or party—a method that relies on our natural instinct to find safety in numbers. And, a meta-analysis conducted by Albarracin and her colleagues found that messages with fear are nearly twice as effective as messages without fear (Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 141, No. 6, 2015). (https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2020/fear-motivator-elections)

(https://thevisualcommunicationguy.com/2017/09/14/the-fear-appeal-advertising/)

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreversible_Damage)

Appeal to Prejudice

Prejudice: an unfair and unreasonable opinion or feeling, especially when formed without enough thought or knowledge. (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/prejudice)

The one who makes the appeal to prejudice attempts to persuade you to act or feel in a certain way by associating his person, product or proposal with a certain one or more of your prejudices, positive or negative – a prejudice being a prejudgment wrapped in emotion and having a history. Not only does he rekindle your prejudice, he also arouses in you warm feelings toward the one (himself) who apparently shares your prejudice. And so it becomes much easier to make you believe or buy whatever he has to offer. (https://agloa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019PropGuidelinesSecD.pdf)

Using loaded or emotive terms to attach value or moral goodness to believing the proposition. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#:~:text=Bandwagon%20and%20%22inevitable%2Dvictory%22,the%20road%20to%20certain%20victory)

Der ewige Jude, a pseudo-documentary directed by Fritz Hippler and influenced by German Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels, featured scenes of Jews in Warsaw and Lodz ghettos. The film was popular in Germany and occupied Europe, with notorious sequences comparing Jews to rats carrying contagion. The film also highlighted the alien nature of East European Jews, with "stereotypical" Polish Jews transformed into "western-looking" Jews. The film's crude characterizations and gruesome footage made it a hit with audiences, demonstrating that there was no difference between Jews in East European ghettos and those in German neighborhoods.( https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/der-ewige-jude)

Inevitable Victory + Bandwagon

Inevitable: certain to happen and unable to be avoided or prevented (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/inevitable?q=Inevitable) + Victory: an occasion when you win a game, competition, election, war, etc. or the fact that you have won. (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/victory?q=Victory) = Certain to happen and cannot to be stopped or averted occasion when you win a game, competition, election, war, etc.

Bandwagon: an activity, group, movement, etc. that has become successful or fashionable and so attracts many new people. (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/bandwagon)

An effort is made to influence you to act in a certain way by asserting or implying that that is what is popular or what the majority is doing (https://agloa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019PropGuidelinesSecD.pdf)

invites those not already on the bandwagon to join those already on the road to certain victory. Those already or at least partially on the bandwagon are reassured that staying aboard is their best course of action. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#:~:text=Bandwagon%20and%20%22inevitable%2Dvictory%22,the%20road%20to%20certain%20victory)

(https://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/the-big-question-about-donald-trumps-rise-in-the-polls)

(https://x.com/AHA_tylersgap/status/734961473265373185/photo/1)

Beautiful People

The type of propaganda that deals with famous people or depicts attractive, happy people. This suggests if people buy a product or follow a certain ideology, they too will be happy or successful. (This is used more in advertising for products, instead of political reasons.) Usually for advertising rather than political purposes, sexual arousal may also be used. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#:~:text=Bandwagon%20and%20%22inevitable%2Dvictory%22,the%20road%20to%20certain%20victory)

depiction of attractive famous people or happy people to associate success or happiness with adherence to an idea or cause or purchase of a product. (https://www.dailywritingtips.com/50-types-of-propaganda/)

(https://quizlet.com/855901690/persuasive-techniques-flash-cards/)

Big lie

The repeated articulation of a complex of events that justify subsequent action. The descriptions of these events have elements of truth, and the "big lie" generalizations merge and eventually supplant the public's accurate perception of the underlying events. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#:~:text=Bandwagon%20and%20%22inevitable%2Dvictory%22,the%20road%20to%20certain%20victory)

A big lie (German: große Lüge) is a gross distortion or misrepresentation of the truth primarily used as a political propaganda technique. The German expression was first used by Adolf Hitler in his book Mein Kampf (1925) to describe how people could be induced to believe so colossal a lie because they would not believe that someone "could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously". Hitler claimed that the technique had been used by Jews to blame Germany's loss in World War I on German general Erich Ludendorff, who was a prominent nationalist political leader in the Weimar Republic. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_lie)

A deliberate gross distortion of the truth is used especially as a propaganda tactic. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20lie)

(https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/big-lie-looms-over-nevadas-legislative-primaries)

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_views_of_Adolf_Hitler#Mein_Kampf)

Black-and-white fallacy

Presenting only two choices, with the product or idea being propagated as the better choice. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

type of cognitive distortion characterized by the tendency to see things in absolutes, with no shades of grey in between. This type of thinking can manifest in various aspects of life, from relationships to work to personal beliefs. (https://www.psychowellnesscenter.com/Blog/how-does-black-and-white-thinking-affects-your-mood-and-behavior)

only two choices are given. You are either for something or against it; there is no middle ground or shades of gray. It is used to polarize issues and negate all attempts to find a common ground. (https://www.cuesta.edu/student/resources/ssc/study_guides/critical_thinking/103_think_logic_errors.html#:~:text=This%20technique%20is%20also%20called,to%20find%20a%20common%20ground)

"“Globalize the Intifada” is a phrase used by pro-Palestinian activists that calls for aggressive resistance against Israel and those who support Israel. The most prominent expressions of intifada have been through violence so this phrase is often understood by those saying and hearing it as encouraging violence against Israelis, Jews, and institutions supporting Israel. While the intent of the person saying this phrase may be different, the impact on the Jewish community remains the same."

(https://www.ajc.org/news/what-does-globalize-the-intifada-mean-and-how-can-it-lead-to-targeting-jews-with-violence)

See when people say "Globalize the Intifada" it implies that there are only two choices in the conflict. One, is the pro-Palestine side, that the aggressive resistance against Israel, and those who support it, and the pro-Israel side is the ones they are against. Without realizing that there is a peaceful option. ( The one I do not know because, one I am not a politician, and international politics is a mess. And two I do not know enough about the conflict to support a peaceful end where everyone is satisfied. )

Cherry picking

suppressing evidence, or the fallacy of incomplete evidence is the act of pointing to individual cases or data that seem to confirm a particular position while ignoring a significant portion of related and similar cases or data that may contradict that position. Cherry-picking may be committed intentionally or unintentionally. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_picking)

Present only evidence confirming your position, while ignoring or withholding an often more significant portion that contradicts it. (https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=29&k=cherry+picking&p=propaganda.php)

Example : “CLAIM: Four recent shootings show there has been an “incredible rise” in transgender or nonbinary mass shooters in the past few years, making the group “by far the largest group committing as a percentage of the population.” Donald Trump Jr. spread the narrative widely on Twitter, claiming the supposed “incredible rise” and later saying there was a clear trend forming. Hundreds of other social media users amplified the idea. Trump Jr. did not respond to a request for comment.” THE FACTS: While specific data on transgender and nonbinary mass shooters can be hard to isolate, available information shows that the overwhelming majority of assailants in mass shootings are cisgender males. In making the claim, social media users are citing four examples over the past five years in which the assailant in a shooting identified as trans or nonbinary: the November killing of five at a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado; a 2019 shooting at a Denver-area school by two shooters, one of them a trans man, that left one student dead and eight wounded; a 2018 shooting at a Maryland warehouse that left four dead, including the shooter; and the shooting Monday in Nashville. The number of mass shootings committed by those identifying as trans or nonbinary — and their ratio compared to mass shootings committed by other groups — is hard to quantify. It depends on the database used, how the act is defined, and how gender identity is recorded — for example, transgender males may statistically be counted as just men. But experts agree that the most reputable information still shows a clear pattern that cisgender males are the most likely to commit such an act of mass violence.” (https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-transgender-nashville-shooting-misinformation-cd62492d066d41e820c138256570978c)

youtube

(02:15: cherry picking definition: Biden highlights only wage growth in "the bottom 40%," while not mentioning that, due to inflation, real wages actually declined for all other income groups.) (https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=29&k=cherry+picking&p=propaganda.php)

Classical conditioning

That is, if A is always present when B is present and B causes a physical reaction (e.g. disgust, pleasure), then when presented with object A in the absence of B, that same reaction will be experienced. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

The behavioral psychological method that systematically transfers feelings, thoughts, or dispositions through relationships. It pairs an object, event, or variable that elicits a particular natural or reflexive response (unconditioned stimulus) with a neutral one to the point that only the presence of the latter is required to induce the originally impulsive and event-specific response. This time, it’s no longer neutral but a conditioned stimulus. (https://www.thecable.ng/classical-conditioning-potent-political-strategy/)

(https://sites.psu.edu/intropsychf19grp7/2019/11/15/classical-conditioning-puppy-training/)

youtube

As you can see, the food products in both these ads have been depicted as mouth-watering and delicious, and are designed to cause consumers to feel hungry. (https://www.advergize.com/marketing/classical-conditioning-examples-in-psychology/#Classical_Conditioning_in_Advertising_Examples)

Ad hominem

A Latin phrase that has come to mean attacking one's opponent, as opposed to attacking their arguments. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

attacking the character or motive of the person making an argument, rather than attacking the argument itself. (https://www.propwatch.org/term_results.php?cat_id=1&id=23&k=ad+hominem)

(https://thinkingispower.com/logical-fallacies/)

youtube

(35:19: ad hominem definition: Warnock attacks the character of Walker and his allies for making allegations against his church, without addressing any of the specific allegations against his church.) (https://www.propwatch.org/term_results.php?cat_id=1&id=23&k=ad+hominem)

Ad nauseam

This uses tireless repetition of an idea. An idea, especially a simple slogan, that is repeated enough times, may begin to be taken as the truth. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

repeating something over and over again, until it forms a mental association and/or becomes perceived as truth. Based on the "mere exposure effect," is a psychological phenomenon by which people tend to develop a preference for things merely because they're familiar to them, including things they don't like. This principle for example makes people more likely to prefer listening to a song they've heard before over a new song they've never heard and to believe something they hear repeatedly, even if they know it's untrue.(https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=24&k=ad+nauseum&p=propaganda.php)

"Make America Great Again"

(https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/donald-trump-dropped-378000-make-america-great-again-hats-2015s-final-quarter-msna786506)

Appeal to authority

Appeals to authority cite prominent figures to support a position, idea, argument, or course of action. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

(also known as an appeal to false or unqualified authority) plays on people’s feelings of respect or familiarity towards a famous person to bypass critical thinking. It’s like someone is telling us “accept this because some authority said it.” (https://www.scribbr.com/fallacies/appeal-to-authority-fallacy/#:~:text=An%20appeal%20to%20authority%20)

appeal to anonymous authority - insisting something is true because an unnamed expert, study, or generalized group (like 'scientists') says it's true (https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=73&k=appeal+to+anonymous+authority&p=propaganda.php)

youtube

(09:56: appeal to anonymous authority see definition: There are "those that say" you can test too much, without identifying who those people are.) (https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=73&k=appeal+to+anonymous+authority&p=propaganda.php)

Cognitive dissonance

People desire to be consistent. Suppose a pollster finds that a certain group of people hates his candidate for senator but loves actor A. They use actor A's endorsement of their candidate to change people's minds because people cannot tolerate inconsistency. They are forced to either dislike the actor or like the candidate. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

Creates a feeling of mental stress when we encounter ideas or beliefs that conflict with our own. (https://www.propwatch.org/term_results.php?id=99&k=cognitive%20dissonance)

Psychological conflict resulting from incongruous beliefs and attitudes held simultaneously. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cognitive%20dissonance)

Common man

The approach attempts to convince the audience that the propagandist's positions reflect the common sense of the people. It is designed to win the confidence of the audience by communicating in the common manner and style of the target audience. Propagandists use ordinary language and mannerisms (and clothe their message in face-to-face and audiovisual communications) in attempting to identify their point of view with that of the average person. A common example of this type of propaganda is a political figure, usually running for a placement, in a backyard or shop doing daily routine things. This image appeals to the common person. With the plain folk's device, the propagandist can win the confidence of persons who resent or distrust foreign-sounding, intellectual speech, words, or mannerisms. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

Establishing a connection with an audience based on being just like one of them and being able to empathize with their concerns. (https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=30&k=common+folk&p=propaganda.php)

youtube

(04:53: common folk see definition) (https://www.propwatch.org/category_results.php?cat_id=1&id=30&k=common+folk&p=propaganda.php)

(https://movieposters.ha.com/itm/movie-posters/war/world-war-ii-propaganda-us-government-printing-office-1944-navy-poster-285-x-40-i-m-proud-of-you-folks-too-jo/a/7132-86871.s)

Cult of personality

A cult of personality arises when an individual uses mass media to create an idealized and heroic public image, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. The hero personality then advocates the positions that the propagandist desires to promote. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

A situation in which a public figure (such as a political leader) is deliberately presented to the people of a country as a great person who should be admired and loved. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cult%20of%20personality)

“Nazi propaganda often focused on glorifying Adolf Hitler as Germany’s sole savior in order to inspire a sense of personal devotion to him. Many films, books, newspapers, magazines, and other items portrayed Hitler as a strong and self-sacrificing father figure who personally embodied the character traits of the “ideal Nazi.”” (https://perspectives.ushmm.org/tag/cult-of-personality)

(Recently appointed as German chancellor, Adolf Hitler greets President Paul von Hindenburg in Potsdam, Germany, on March 21, 1933. This pose was designed to project an image of Hitler as non-threatening to the established order. This particular image is from a popular postcard. The photo also appeared widely in both the German and international press. Hitler appears in civilian dress, bowing in deference to the heavily decorated von Hindenburg. The March 5, 1933, elections had conferred legitimacy on Hitler's leadership.) (https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/making-a-leader)

(https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/30/washington-trump-and-cults-of-personality/)

Demonizing the enemy

Making individuals from the opposing nation, from a different ethnic group, or those who support the opposing viewpoint appear to be subhuman, worthless, or immoral, through suggestion or false accusations. Dehumanizing is also a term used synonymously with demonizing, the latter usually serves as an aspect of the former. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

Psychological process whereby opponents view each other as less than human and thus not deserving of moral consideration. Jews in the eyes of Nazis and Tutsis in the eyes of Hutus (in the Rwandan genocide) are but two examples. Protracted conflict strains relationships and makes it difficult for parties to recognize that they are part of a shared human community. Such conditions often lead to feelings of intense hatred and alienation among conflicting parties. The more severe the conflict, the more the psychological distance between groups will widen.

“During the protracted conflict, feelings of anger, fear, and distrust shape the way that the parties perceive each other. Adversarial attitudes and perceptions develop and parties begin to attribute negative traits to their opponent. They may come to view the opponent as an evil enemy, deficient in moral virtue, or as a dangerous, warlike monster. Such images can stem from a desire for group identity and a need to contrast the distinctive attributes and virtues of one's own group with the vices of the "outside" group…Enemy images are usually black and white. The negative actions of one's opponent are thought to reflect their fundamental evil nature, traits, or motives. One's own faults, as well as the values and motivations behind the actions of one's opponent, are usually discounted, denied, or ignored. It becomes difficult to empathize or see where one's opponent is coming from.”

“Once certain groups are stigmatized as evil, morally inferior, and not fully human, the persecution of those groups becomes more psychologically acceptable. Restraints against aggression and violence begin to disappear. Not surprisingly, dehumanization increases the likelihood of violence and may cause a conflict to escalate out of control. Once a violence break over has occurred, it may seem even more acceptable for people to do things that they would have regarded as morally unthinkable before.Parties may come to believe that destruction of the other side is necessary, and pursue an overwhelming victory that will cause one's opponent to simply disappear. This sort of into-the-sea framing can cause lasting damage to relationships between the conflicting parties, making it more difficult to solve their underlying problems and leading to the loss of more innocent lives."(https://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/dehumanization)

“In Virginia, for example, we are witnessing the most anti-LGBT legislative session in the state’s history. So far, 9 anti-gay and anti-trans bills have been introduced. Some of the bills reveal a fixation with determining the “anatomical sex” of students to ensure that trans students are expelled from communal bathrooms. One goes so far as to impose a $50 civil penalty on any student who uses the “wrong” bathroom. Others seek to prevent trans people from updating their Virginia birth records to match their gender and limit nondiscrimination protections based on sex to people whose gender matches the gender assigned to them at birth.” (https://www.aclu.org/news/lgbtq-rights/legislators-across-country-set-their-sights-transgender-people)

(https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/news/defining-antisemitism-talking-about-israeli-policy-by-using-classical-antisemitic-tropes)

(https://www.tumblr.com/the-library-alcove/search/zionism)

(https://en.abna24.com/story/1410340)

Demoralization

Propaganda towards an adversary to erode fighting spirit, and encourage surrender or defection. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propaganda_techniques#Specific_techniques)

Propaganda in wartime must seek to demoralize enemy morale. A primary objective of propaganda aimed at enemy nations is to break down their will to fight. It seeks to lower the enemy’s will to resist and it does this in several ways. One is to picture the military successes on the propagandist’s side. Another is to picture the armed might and economic power that the enemy has to face. Yet another is to picture the moral superiority of the cause against which the enemy is fighting. It is part of a nation’s strategic plan to intimidate enemy leaders, to separate them from their people, and to break down resistance by producing evidence that the mass of the enemy people have been deceived and misled. (https://www.historians.org/about-aha-and-membership/aha-history-and-archives/gi-roundtable-series/pamphlets/em-2-what-is-propaganda-(1944)/war-propaganda)

(https://x.com/Cluffalo/status/1790011284471083192)

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dailycass-cain · 2 years ago

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So on January 26th yesterday, I looked into how the comics had Cass combat her disability in Dyslexia being not able to read and relate words vocally.

What worked, what didn't, and which era handled the progression better.

At the very core of her very first appearance in Batman #567 by Kelley Puckett and Damion Scott, Barbara Gordon is trying to help Cassandra overcome her disability. And it is her first words spoken that give her father David Cain pause.

Batgirl Vol. 1 #2 gives us the first look into how Cass really doesn't fully care about learning in either study instead focusing on her new vigilante life. That is until running into Robinson and learning WHY words and writing truly matter.

#5 has her run across a metahuman who has mental abilities and because of those rewires her brain to have the capacity to understand.

It's a cheap copout for sure. But it gives Cass a voice in her mind along with the capacity to speak better. Bad news? It screws up her abilities and how her mind was originally wired.

This leads into #6-9 basically being how Cass can get her ability to read body language and learn with the added bonus of her mind continuing to be the way it is. Enter Lady Shiva who gives her this, but at a price aka the crux of what will lead into Batgirl #25.

Batgirl Vol. 1 #20 written by Chuck Dixon (art still by Scott). Where Cass comes to a drop man who's murdered before he can deliver a ransom. Her lack of being able to read leads her to seek out--

-- one Stephanie Brown aka Spoiler. I think at this point the reason Cass went to Steph was that she was afraid Babs would lecture her on neglecting her reading lessons (which she would later on).

Tim Drake, she had just fully befriended (#18), but he was close to Babs. So Cass probably figured he accidentally let slip this and she'd be in trouble. Steph wouldn't she was on the outside from the Bat Family (at this time).

The issue does promise of Cass in attaining another reading teacher (which pays off in the most weirdest place, Convergence: Batgirl #1), but this plot point goes nowhere here. Cass/Steph's friendship would intensify for the next ten issues (#21, 26-28).

For the most part, we don't really get to see fully Cass try and fight her Dyslexia again until the Dylan Horrocks' run with #51 where we learn HOW Cass is expanding her word vocabulary via TV but neglecting on reading.

This bit reads its crux with the infamous #54 (i.e. the one that causes Cass/Babs to fracture away from one another).

In the issue, Cass has to deal with a killer robot that's taking out any place that has a copy of a book that has the codeword to shut it down. We learn during the fight, Cass has been neglecting her studies in reading. Again with the infamous page:

Now Horrocks did this because he was ordered to write Babs off this title (Birds of Prey, the comic Babs was primarily in would be eventually moving away from Gotham). It was the first of that would make the writer leave the comic (and DC Comics altogether).

Regardless again the way the case rattled Cass enough to think about it all and work back into trying to read.

If there was instant positive of writer Andersen Gabrych when he began his run. He made sure this was a reoccurring plot point THROUGHOUT his run starting with #58.

By giving Cass her own diary it enables her better way to try and combat her disability. Along with in the very same issue, Cass trying to actively read a book for the first time on page.

The diary motif would be a hallmark of Gabrych's entire run with the book. So I'm not gonna post every entry. But I think that's why I really loved those first few issues because he covered ALL corners with the character.

You saw it all.

Never once did Gabrych use behind the issues trick. This was a struggle for Cass. I think it better helped resonate the character with readers by doing so. It also went down an angle that was different than Puckett and felt like the better next step from what was built on prior.

Course Cass would still have her bad habits of being an avid TV watcher. So the balance of her trying and struggling was a nice touch.

This came to an ironic fully circle with #67 with Babs returning (for one issue) in the comic and the pair hashing out their differences and mending. But it also reveals a further reason why Babs really wants Cass to learn to read. Again, this is probably the best reason.

She knows Cass wants to be Bruce's heir and be Batman. She knows the only way to fully be that is to get fully conquer her disability. And for the second time in her ongoing we get a look in how Cass's brain was wired from her learning from her father and the metahuman.

And we get the clearest answer how Cass's brain truly operates and why the usual methods in overcoming her disability in reading.

That's the final gift Gabrych gave us.

A hope.

A small faint hope that maybe Cass could learn with whatever writer would take on the character next. The only thing is even he couldn't anticipate what was to come...

Batgirl was canceled with #73 and well the next time we saw Cass and how this disability was handled came in Robin #148.

Alright, before I go into this portion. Newly minted Robin writer (this was his first issue) Adam Beechen came into comics had zero idea of the character of Cassandra Cain, other than what he was told and found.

The DC Editors on Robin did not help him or assist him. They gave him an edict... and he did that edict without question. The result....

Was this INFAMOUS page from Robin #149. Cassandra Cain the character who had the disability of Dyslexia somehow was able to learn another entire language.

That's not even going with the OTHER problem Robin OYL gave us with Cass (but that's an entirely ANOTHER issue). Regardless after the story arc, Beechen (and DC) realized just how badly he screwed up.

Course, the entirety on HOW Cass was suddenly able to learn an entire language with how her brain understood information. Yeah, this was a plot thread nobody truly wanted to answer when the retcons began dropping after Cass's "EVIL" phase to fix it.

In fact, it was Beechen himself who addressed the issue in Batgirl Vol. 2 #1 amongst the CHUNKS of well exposition and history that was the mess DC made of the character from 2006-2007.

So all those issues Babs mentioned in #67? Cass and Alfred fixed them and for the entire MISSING YEAR Cass made great strides to overcome her disability. THAT'S how she was able to understand the Navajo language.

Look I get what Beechen was doing and I also get we were NEVER gonna get the missing stories to showcase that. But to see an entire character's journey in overcoming her disability fixed overnight?

Even with Beechen giving us a classmate in Sal (who's last name we NEVER learn, and is forgettable male love interest #3 for Cass) who gives us the promise of something we never get from the Vol. 1 ongoing. Because DC was gonna DC.

That's basically it for the original run for Cass. That it was a nice harrowing journey that had its bumps but the character was making great strides to be better. Then well the road bumps began to occur and yeah...

I'll give it to Beechen that he tried at the very least to fix the holes he himself caused. But... in the format given it's just crushing how this was fully handled in the end.

Sadly we got nothing more as DC really did a meh job for about five years? We did get this little nugget in Convergence: Batgirl #1 though (somehow connecting that line from waaaaaay back in Batgirl Vol. 1 #20)...

Which is shocking of all places for Cass trying to overcome her disability, Convergence: Batgirl #1 was not the place one ever would think to find that, but we had that surprisingly.

So when Cass was "reintroduced" into the DCU with Batman & Robin Eternal. A reset was in order and writers were allowed back to square one in how to deal with Cass handling her Dyslexia disability.

I will say this for James Tynion IV and Scott Snyder on how they handle putting a metahuman with mental abilities they just slot that character in #11 by introducing the Sculptor who basically fills the same void the meta in Batgirl Vol. 1 #5 did.

Much like the original metahuman, once this link is established Sculptor nopes her way out of the story and is never heard from again.

Which kind of surprises me, because it's something I figured Tynion would maybe address during his Detective Comics run (that had Cass in it) given how much in #11 and 12 establish the character and her origins.

But nope. Nothing further.

So yeah, after this we got James Tynion IV's Detective Comics run that had Cass in it starting from #934-981.

Not surprisingly, Tynion really handled the whole disability issue well than those in the past with the constraints he had. Even more so Juggling multiple characters in this book and going down a better avenue than his predecessors.

And that all begins with #953 with Clayface (Basil Karlo) trying to comfort Cass after learning her mom is Lady Shiva.

By doing this. Tynion lays the seeds on how he'll deal with the issue on Cass combating her disability while also cementing the hallmark of this run, Clayface's rehabilitation and friendship with Cass.

#958 we see Basil teaching Cass Shakespeare by playing audio and having her learn to read and increase her vocabulary via that.

It's probably the best thing Tynion did character-wise with Cass by briefly showing us this but fully giving us a more plausible method than prior on how to deal with her disability.

The fact that this hits throughout this arc (as Cass quotes Shakespeare at a good moment) and is carried over until the very end of his run when Cass meets Barbara in #981.

This version of Cass is actively trying to combat her Dyslexia more than her prior versions, and this Cass is actively doing a better job. Even though we don’t get much Babs teaching Cass (though they do work together in the next arc after this that sets up Batman & the Outsiders). But that run doesn’t dig into Cass’s progress instead going into other routes to touch on with the character.

Unlike what was carried over from Batgirl Vol. 1 to 2 (and between that) Cass has a more concrete subplot here. Where we can SEE and are TOLD of her progress.

That leads us into the current Batgirls ongoing. In #1. where this is a little bit lampshaded. As Cass uses a reading bag to combat criminals to retain stuff she/Steph had that was stolen.

A further bit of subplot is continued throughout and in #4 with Cass now ACTIVELY being a bookworm and reading works of Edgar Allen Poe.

Like it astonishes me that this element of the character has remained actually consistent from point A to B. But it's a nice contrast of things that creators at DC worked on better here than prior.

And no issue highlights that fight of Cass actively wanting to combat her dyslexia then "Sounds" from DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration #1 by Mariko Tamaki and Marcus To.

It's why Tamaki just fully GETS the character of Cass not in every corner of the character. Why many want the writer to handle the character again.

But Tamaki isn't the only one who did a good job in showcasing Cass fighting her disability and the one that does the best job is Shadow of the Batgirl graphic novel. Where writer Sarah Kuhn and artist Nicole Goux go both literally fighting her disability.

And her actively learning to read and increasing her vocabulary by hiding in the library was absolute perfection.

But it also is a nice avenue (and nod to the past) by focusing on a library since that's the location where Barbara Gordon teaches (and again a nice nod to that character's history too).

Quite literally...

That's another layer to why I adore that graphic novel. Just the layer of dimension to BOTH characters while it gives that nod to Babs, the story is clearly more Cass.

Again, Kuhn modernizes everything to perfection.

So there you have the history of Cass and her disability. And my final gift on this day (which has now passed) to celebrate the character of Cassandra Cain.

#cassandra cain #dc comics #barbara gordon #clayface #tim drake #stephanie brown

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incorrectbatfam · 1 year ago

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sorry to bother but i was wondering if you have any comics you read when youre having a hard time? everything sucks rn my grades are shit my cat is sick my friends always hang out without me and i cant get my meds bc im at my dads place and he doesnt believe in mental health. i just scroll thru tumblr and shit bc idk what else to do anymore. sorry if im annoying ik im just a stranger so you can just ignore my rambling if you want

I'm sorry to hear you're going that. I don't know how you prefer to deal with things specifically, so I gathered some stuff that you can pick from depending on what you need.

If you want to laugh

Batman #147

Amazing Spider-Man #258

Super Sons vol. 1

Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy

Batman: Lil Gotham

World's Funnest

If you need to cry

Astonishing X-Men #1

Flashpoint #5

Loving Reaper

Adventure Comics #452

The Sculptor

Superman vol. 1 #712

If you're looking for a distraction

Watchmen

Vixen: NYC

The Walking Dead

Batman: Year One

Proctor Valley Road

Doom Patrol book 1

If you're seeking validation

DC Pride 2022

Black Panther and the Crew

Wayne Family Adventures #45-46

Ms. Marvel vol. 1

Birds of Prey #56-108

Lumberjanes

Finally, if you feel like you're out of options

Superman: Grounded

All-Star Superman #10

Captain America: A Little Help

Marvel Knights 4 #4

Deadpool #20

Robin #156

This one is always worth a try

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milk5 · 1 year ago

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THE MILK5 COFFEE GUIDE VOL. 1

REMOVE #BADBEANS FROM YOUR LIFE FOREVER

If you are a #TrueBlueCoffeeHead and subsisting on supermarket beans and/or frequent visits to big chains like Starbucks, PLEASE help yourself (and your local community, the environment, coffee workers, etc) and buy a pour over filter and freshly roasted, quality beans from a local roaster. Explicitly seek out Fairtrade Organic/Smithsonian Bird Friendly certified beans if possible. The taste of shade-grown coffee is incredibly flavorful AND you can be certain that your beans aren't the product of yucky pesticides, actual slave labor, and the annihilation of millions of acres of rainforest.

To start with what you need, a goose-neck kettle and pour over carafe are good purchases, but a suitably sized mason jar and regular kettle still work on a budget. Learning how to make a great pour over will raise your home coffee game to professional standards without needing to spend literal thousands of dollars on a real grinder/steamer/espresso machine setup -- if you're able to buy all of these items new for less than a thousand dollars, you're going to be down a few hundos in exchange for some pretty shitty machines. Regardless, a pour over setup with good beans will pay for itself VERY rapidly, assuming it replaces frequent Starbucks visits or whatever other chain you were going to. If you frequent a LOCALLY OWNED coffee shop that you like, keep going! You're an important part of the ecosystem.

What about grinding the beans? Should I get pre-ground beans? Would a cheapo blender-like blade grinder work?

NEVER touch a blade grinder again. It doesn't matter as much if you have #BadBeans, but if you have good beans, ALWAYS use a grinder with a burr; blade grinders just chop up your beans randomly into particles of massively varying sizes, leading to simultaneous over-extraction and under-extraction, generally leading to wildly inconsistent flavors and low repeatability. Burrs will always grind the beans into uniform particles and ensure that you're always (more or less, every cup is different to an extent) getting a consistent flavor. Don't buy a burr grinder -- just bring your beans to a local coffee shop, buy a drink, tip well, and ask the barista if they could grind the beans for you when you can clearly tell that they aren't busy. I have NEVER been refused, just go to a place with less sour employees if they won't help you out. Specify the coarseness that you'd like; smaller grounds have a greater surface area, so they're extracted to a greater extent, resulting in a more intense flavor; coarse grounds are the inverse. Lots of people recommend medium-coarse for pour overs (about 80% coarse 20% fine), but I prefer the stronger flavor of medium/drip (dead middle, 50% coarse 50% fine). It's also better to grind your beans periodically, as freshly-ground beans will taste better, but it's fine to have it pre-ground or ground all at once if you aren't able to easily make coffee shop trips every week or two. As far as roasts go, there's an entire gradient for you to explore -- not just the few that I list here; light roasts have a more sour, fruitier flavor, medium roasts are well rounded, and dark roasts are rich and smokey. Medium-dark is my personal favorite.

Experiment!!! It's all about your own taste, after all.

How do I make a good pour over?

Again, it depends on your taste. My go-to is a vigorous fourth-cup of grounds to 300ml of water; this is easily on the stronger end, but it's what works for me. More common ratios are usually weighed out on a kitchen scale, so consider picking one up if you don't already have one. Document your process until you get to your favorite! I always stop the kettle a little before it gets to its terminal temperature, then pour just enough water onto the grounds to let it bloom -- wait for one minute, and then start pouring a small-ish portion of the water onto the grounds every 20 seconds (this is where my own technique varies the most, it usually takes between 3-4 minutes to finish since I'm not pouring standard amounts; some people DO measure their pours for even greater consistency). Use the stopwatch on your phone, it's much better than keeping track in your head. Make sure to distribute the water evenly over the grounds, particularly making sure to wash the grounds off the sides every pour. When I'm finished, I like to immediately take a sip to see if a splash of milk or half-and-half would help or hurt the cup -- I think a very good cup of coffee can easily stand on its own without anything else, but additives can absolutely help depending on your personal preferences. Just be sure to taste the black coffee before you add anything.

What if I like the syrupy sweet drinks? What about iced coffee?

From my experience working at/visiting coffee shops, Monin is the most common syrup brand I see at local places. As far as iced coffee goes, coldbrew would be probably be the superior option -- it's also pretty easy to make at your home. I'm not going to be writing a guide for coldbrew any time soon, so you're out of luck there. I also never steam my milk if I'm doing a pour over, so I can't really point you to an inexpensive way to do that. Just know that the cheap handheld stick-frothers do not do the same thing as an actual steamer.

What was that about certifications?

Fairtrade is a pretty notable certification for food items produced in areas that have a history for being exploited (so pretty much the bulk of the global south), it can get very complex -- read more about it here. The goal is to ensure that the workers and communities involved in the production of the product receive fair, livable wages, that labor conditions are safe and reasonable, and that the decisions around the production of the product are made by those directly involved in the labor. FTO refers to Fairtrade Organic, which just means that it meets the standards of both Fairtrade AND organic production -- I'm not exactly sure if the organic standards are based on where the coffee is sold, produced, or both, but regardless, it's still a bonus; organic coffee will almost ALWAYS be shade-grown, which is the way that coffee grows naturally. Since coffee is an understory tree in nature, shade-grown coffee is produced more slowly and under a canopy and thus does not require the forest to be damaged or destroyed to grow; however, not all organic coffee will necessarily take place in a completely natural, untouched rain forest setting. Industrial non-organic coffee is most often produced under direct sun in gigantic clear-cut monocrop rows and usually with massive usage of potentially harmful inputs like, such as various pesticides and fertilizers. Direct sun coffee grows faster, but it has a distinctly different taste and is easily the most damaging method of coffee production to both the environment and the local communities. Smithsonian Bird-Friendly is the most rigorous certification for coffee in particular; FTO is more or less a pre-requisite to achieve SBF. Coffee likes to grow in tropical, equatorial environments -- these environments are also the areas of the greatest bird diversity in the world (and, really, biodiversity in general) and the destination for most migratory birds during the winter. The coffee industry has destroyed literal millions of acres of rain forest across the world, which has resulted in the death of billions of birds worldwide over the past 50 years. SBF guarantees the FTO criteria PLUS the additional criteria that the coffee must be produced in forests that are more-or-less in their natural state with thriving diversity of endemic species of flora and fauna. It's harder to find SBF-certified coffee than FT(O)-certified coffee, but the Smithsonian website has a handy vendor locator here. I'm not confident that it works beyond U.S. vendors, so I apologize to anyone interested abroad. Note that some of these certifications may be exclusive to particular continents; I need to do more research on the subject, but the tropical forests around the world vary wildly -- this adds a level of complexity to the goals and criteria of a particular certification. I am confident that all of the certifications that I have mentioned apply to South and Central America (and most likely the Caribbean), so keep that in mind. Also, watch out for phony certifications; big corporations frequently buy out existing certification organizations and/or create new green-sounding organizations to fool well-meaning consumers.

Where should my brand new beans come from?

Like wine, the exact qualities of a bean depend on its terroir, or the specific methods and geographic factors involved in its growth. However, some countries have trends in how the coffee is generally grown; some counties will practice shade-growing more than others and some countries will practice direct-sun industrial methods more than others. As a rule of thumb, Arabica beans are mostly grown in shade or partial shade, while Robusta is generally grown in direct sun. Defer to certifications if applicable.

The following areas primarily practice shade-growing:

Mexico

El Salvador

Peru

Panama

Nicaragua

Guatemala

Cuba

Timor

New Guinea

Ethiopia

Burundi

Rwanda

Tanzania

Zambia (*)

Zimbabwe (*)

Papua New Guinea

Sulawesi

Timor + East Timor

India

The following areas primarily practice direct-sun growing:

Colombia

Brazil

Costa Rica

Hawaii

Yemen

Kenya

Angola

Benin

Central African Republic

Congo

Gabon

Ghana

Guinea

Equatorial Guinea

Ivory Coast

Liberia

Nigeria

Sierra Leone

Togo

Cameroon

Madagascar

Malawi (**)

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Sumatra (***)

Java

Vietnam

China

Jamaica

Again, this is just a rule of thumb; there are exceptions to both and I'm sure that I've left out several production areas. Most of this information comes from the blog Coffee and Conservation, written by ornithologist Julie Craves. I've only tried a very small percentage of these origins; so far, my favorites are Sumatran (Arabica, of course) and Peruvian.

*The source that I got this information from mentioned that some avoid Zambian and Zimbabwean coffee due to concerns of it helping fund violent conflict in the area; this particular article, however, is from 2006 and may be wildly out of date. I couldn't find much more info on this topic when I searched elsewhere.

**They primarily produce Arabica with organic methods, despite the sunny conditions.

***Sumatra is likely the most notable coffee-growing island in Asia; while the majority is Robusta grown on plantations that have deforested a horrifyingly large percentage of the island, the Arabica grown in the north is well-known for its far healthier growing conditions (shade + organic, usually) and extremely distinct flavor.

Volume 2?

I may eventually add on to this post, most likely with a Turkish coffee guide coming next. I used to make Turkish coffee quite frequently, but I would need to dig up my old favorite recipe and cezve first. French press and coldbrew stuff will be in the more distant future if at all.

If any of this info looks wrong, let me know and I'll edit the post :-)

Enjoy your cup!!!!

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bisupergirl · 1 year ago

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i've been rereading a lot of old supergirl comics lately, so i thought i'd make a post with some pre-crisis recommendations for kara <3

THE GIRL WITH THE SEE-THROUGH MIND!

the superman family #168 kara and lena attempt to help a young empath as she suddenly feels compelled to kill herself. one of my fav issues for lena and one of the best storylines from kara's student advisor era. i also really love the relationship kara has with lena, both as linda danvers and as supergirl.

THE BRIMSTONE CONNECTION

the brave and the bold #160 kara's foster father goes missing so she teams up with batman to track him down. i think kara and bruce have a fun dynamic together and i really like how she's characterized here. i do think that this issue kind of downplays how intelligent kara is in order to uplift bruce's detective skills, but regardless i think its a fun team-up.

THE SUPERGIRL GANG

adventure comics #381 kara goes undercover at an all-girls crime fighting school to investigate a string of robberies committed unknowingly by the students. i really like how this issue focuses a bit on kara's investigative abilities and the things she can do better as linda danvers rather than as supergirl. also babs makes an appearance in this story (rise pre-crisis karababs warriors) <3

THE BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL!

adventure comics #412 kara is chosen to fight in a ceremonial battle by a distant planet's ruler. this issue is SO fun and showcases kara's strength so well. it also features art from art saaf who is one of my favorite artists for pre-crisis kara :)

THE ATTACK OF THE ANNIHILATOR!

detective comics #508-510 kara flies to gotham and helps barbara gordon defeat a crazed and mutated scientist who calls himself the annihilator. unfortunately this is the only multi-issue arc kara and babs have together during pre-crisis (not counting crisis on infinite earths i guess), but i do really enjoy this story (again, rise pre-crisis karababs warriors).

A HEAD-FULL OF SNAKES!

supergirl vol 1 #8 after portraying medusa in a play, a curse is placed on kara that turns her hair into snakes and anyone she looks at into stone. another really fun story :) this issue is definitely one of the best from supergirl vol 1.

CRYPT OF THE FROZEN GRAVES

adventure comics #424 kara attempts to uncover the crimes of the san francisco syndicate by gathering information from a former criminal informer. the art in this issue is SO pretty and i really love how kara is characterized here <3 also features the last appearance of pre-crisis nasty luthor </3

THE VISITORS FROM THE VOID

the superman family #184-186 when fred danvers mysteriously disappears after accepting a secret government job, edna danvers seeks out kara for help in finding him. i really love this storyline for how it develops the relationship between kara and her foster parents, and it's a great showcase of kara's anger and how protective she can be over the people she loves.

CELEBRATION!

supergirl vol 2 #20 clark asks kara to meet him at midvale for a surprise—but before she can do that, kara must battle the parasite. kara's 25th anniversary issue :) you can also read action comics #555 before this if you'd like, it takes place concurrently with this issue but shows clark's pov.

and finally—i already included this story on my pinned post with other supergirl storyline recommendations, but i really like this arc so i'm putting it here too:

THE STRANGE REVENGE OF LENA LUTHOR!

the superman family #211-214 takes place within one of my favorite era’s for supergirl! kara (living as an actress in new york at the time) helps her old friend lena thorul get a job and a place to stay after lena’s husband dies. after the villain mind-bomber boost’s her psychic abilities, lena discovers kara’s secret identity.

#kara zor el #supergirl #read my precrisis supergirl comics boy #god i miss her so bad </3

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dnana-2809-blog · 23 days ago

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Day 19- BL that should be more well-known

I think these 4 are so underrated and more people should know these amazing stories...

◇ Let Dai

◇ Night Beyond Tricornered Window

◇ My Darling Kitten Hair

◇ Gerard & Jacques

Day 20- My Favorite Top

I know I must have forgot some but here are my top 5 fav top from any BL (until now) :

♡ Hua Cheng (TGCF)

♡ Bongchun (Bongchon Bride)

♡ Adam (Barbarities)

♡ Hazuki (Kirai de Isasete)

♡ Mamiya (Hajime no Koi)

Day 21- My Fav Bottom

Here are some of my beloved BL (bottom) characters, I must have forgotten some (sorry) :

♡ Wei Wuxian (MDZS)

♡ Yu Yang (Here U Are)

♡ Katsuragi (Blue Morning)

♡ Ilya (Kouguu no Omega)

♡ Eui Joon (Dangerous Convenience Store)

♡ Shun (Harukaze no Étranger)

Day 22- BL series

Here are some of my favorite BL series ( > 1 vol)

♧ Complex - Ringo Manda

♧ Stigmata Aikon - Hidebu Takahashi

♧ Tabun Korekara Ai no Hibi - Ayu Ikemori

♧ Our Not So Lonely Planet Travel Guide - Abii Abiru

♧ Only Serious About You - Kai Asou

♧ Hide & Seek - Yaya Sakuragi

Day 23- BL oneshot

Here are some fav of my BL one chapter story

♤ How to Start Your First Love at Age 50 (Noda Matsumoto)

♤ The Red- Eyed Offering, Akari (Umako Hareya)

♤ A Fine Day (Nemui Asada)

♤ Gunpuku no Order (Kotaru Kashima)

#wei wuxian #hua cheng #here u are #the night beyond the tricornered window #itoshi no nekokke #harukaze no etranger #our not so lonely planet travel guide #mo dao zu shi #tian guan ci fu #30 days of bl challenge #bl recs

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sunnydaleherald · 5 months ago

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The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Thursday, June 13

XANDER: Laugh now, missy, they assigned you to the booth for law enforcement professionals. BUFFY: (stunned) As in police? XANDER: As in polyester, doughnuts and brutality.

~~What's My Line~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Annoyance by Enigmatist (Spike, Angel, Joyce, Buffy, Not Rated)

kiss that’s black as sea by evesock (Buffy/Willow, E)

Up all Night, I Won't Quit by Hecate (Faith/Katherine Pierce, TVD xover, M)

Love (Spaith; Spike/Faith) by Datherine100 (Spike/Faith, T)

VD/Buffy: Last Battle by Datherine100 (Buffy, Faith, TVD xover, T)

OUAT/Angel: Love Will Conquer by Datherine100 (Cordelia/Hook, Once Upon a Time (TV) xover, T)

In Disarray and Dazed (Spike x Y/N) by itsalwaysteatimeinwonderland (Spike/reader, unrated)

Leaving Sunnydale by Rea (Buffy/Spike, G)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Overheard - Ch. 1-3 by silvain (Giles/Ethan, T)

The Adventures Of Cordelia Chase and Xander Lavelle Harris vol.1: She's Back - Ch. 1-8 by Datherine100 (Xander/Cordelia, T)

and multiple other works by Datherine100, a few directly linked below. all rated T, some are one shot collections. other pairings include: Buffy/Spike, Angelus/Darla, Angel/Darla, Buffy/Angel

Xanya (Xander/Anya) - Ch. 1-3 by Datherine100 (Xander/Anya, T)

Coyle (Cordy/Doyle) - Ch. 1-3 by Datherine100 (Cordelia/Doyle, T)

Biley (Buffy/Riley) - Ch. 1-4 by Datherine100 (Buffy, Riley, T)

The Devil's Trill - Ch. 9 by Murray (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Deliverance From Destiny - Ch. 31 by Ragini (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Reclaimed - Ch. 6 by Holly (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Waiting for You - Ch. 8 by honeygirl51885 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

To All We Guard - Ch. 23 by simmony (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Out of Time: 1942 - Ch. 57 by Jonayla (Buffy, HP xover, FR18)

Ship of The Line – Effect 31 - Ch. 14 by KnifeHand (Xander, Mass Effect and Star Trek xover, FR18)

You Drive Me Out Of My Mind - Ch. 1-35 by Geliot99 (Buffy/Spike, R) COMPLETE!

Bruises - Ch. 20 by hulettwyo (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only)

Bruises - Ch. 19 by hulettwyo (Buffy/Spike, Adult Only)

Waiting for You - Ch. 8 by honeygirl51885 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17)

Dear Journal - Ch. 6 by Desicat (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) COMPLETE!

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: Does it burn? - Ch. 1 by Dirtyaim (Spike, NSFW, rated PG-13)

Artwork: Spuffified: A Collection - Ch. 5 by satinsafe (Buffy/Spike, NSFW, rated PG-13)

Textpost: spuffy + textposts (4/?) by spikespeaches (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Gifset: buffy + angel's claddagh ring by ptieuca (Buffy/Angel, worksafe)

Gifset: buffy + wearing angel's jacket by ptieuca (Buffy/Angel, Giles, Willow, worksafe)

Artwork: “You ask me to dance and you just stand there?” by l0veisntbrains (Buffy/Spike, worksafe)

Gifset: 6x15 || 7x05 by clarkgriffon (Buffy, Anya, Spike, Xander, worksafe)

Gifset: Willow Rosenberg + Outfits (Season 4) by clarkgriffon (Willow, worksafe)

Gifset: Ranking Buffy Summers' hair evolution (as voted by my followers) 6/11 by buffysummers (Buffy, worksafe)

Artwork: ☀️☀️ ATS 219. Belonging ☀️☀️ by tmcarlee (Cordelia, worksafe)

[Reviews & Recaps]

REACTION VIDEO: May 22, 2001: Watching 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Season 5 Finale by 90s Grunge Dreams

[Recs & In Search Of]

l0veisntbrains recs So It Goes by scratchmeout [bonus Spuffy art]

ISO: Pineappleskies1991 seeks Rainy Episodes [from BTVS or ATS]

ISO: thisguy49 seeks shooting location - Does anyone know what school was used to film Angel episode Happy Anniversary

[Fandom Discussions]

POLL: Absolute BEST Faith dream scene? (R2 - bonus round - photos below) by elizadushkudaily

POLL: Vampire Media Guys Round 16: Spike or Klaus Mikaelson? by vampirewrestlinglover

POLL: If Angel existed in “Detroit: Become Human”, would he be pro-android rights or anti-android rights? by giveamadeuschohisownmovie

POLL: Spike from Buffy the vampire slayer, plz. by bedpolls

Anya/Xander vs Other Age Gap Relationships by lightningrain

... Kendra leaves the next day. Where did she stay that night? by finalgirl1984

Cordelia deserved to be back in season 7 for the finale or at least have a comeback... by cordelia-slay

[poll on non-canon crack Buffyverse ships - see commentary in tags] by cangeltwillowinvestigations

Oz in Buffy is often praised for his emotional maturity and calm demeanor... by air--so--sweet

Show me a HERO & I'll write you a T R A G E D Y [Xander rp] by theanimulus

Was Riley Suicidal? by nightshade

I refuse to accept Kennedy as Willow's end game pairing / one true love. updated by garfan

What's your favorite Buffy merchandise? by jigglesauruspuff

behind the scenes photo of amber (tara) in the [new] film ‘i saw the tv glow’ by amigaraaaaaa

Who else is still annoyed that Eliza [who played Faith] wasn't invited to the 20th reunion in 2017? by Other_Thing_2551

Sineya by illvria

Kendra’s existence is confusing. by Complex_Bit_4921

Good point [Riley's sense of masculinity] by jogaforacont

Tara was on a slow and gradual course... to become Buffy's closest friend. by GreyStagg

Unpopular opinion: Willow should have been killed off. by Kat-Attack-52

Angels Timeline [on ATS] by CazzaGal

Los Angeles as a character [in ATS] by Berry-Pie216

Gunn & Fred by Trick-Flight-8749

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

#buffy the vampire slayer #btvs #fan fiction #meta #fan art #ats #angel the series

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dailyanarchistposts · 4 months ago

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The Many Faces of Authority

The complicity of nation-states, NGOs and corporations in creating ecological degradation showed itself again recently, when Denmark announced its plans (praised by Greenpeace as a historic event) to phase out oil drilling in the North Sea by 2050.[20] Parallel to their ambitious goals, Denmark builds hundreds of kilometers of new infrastructure for fossil fuels with the European Baltic Pipe project.[21] This project will also connect to Danish sugar factories on Lolland,[22] an industry releasing the second highest Co2 emissions in Denmark,[23] making it clear that Denmark’s ‘green’ ambitions are heavily misrepresented.

Green NGOs like Greenpeace continue to keep inventory on the destruction of nature and bargain the details of destruction with corporations. In 2010 Greenpeace entered an agreement supporting logging companies in the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement[24] and, recently, praised Mærsk – the planet’s largest shipping company and, until 2017,[25] a big player in the oil industry – merely for refusing to ship a specific Antarctic toothfish.[26] NGOs collaborate with state and capital constantly; they are businesses in and of themselves and constantly sell out movements defending forests, rivers and marine ecosystems [R.F. – see Green Capital & Environmental “Leaders” Won’t Save Us].

Promoting a notion of “net zero” emissions and subsequent carbon trading schemes is leading to a major land grab in the Global South. Industrial scale green energies, which increase the total energy market rather than decreasing fossil fuels, also lead to new profits for energy companies and devastate vast sacrifice zones in poor areas. It is no coincidence that all these technocratic solutions proposed by green NGOs are also supported by energy corporations.

The guises of authoritarianism are plenty and its attempts to resolve environmental issues have failed and led to increased degradation. Representative democracy, and other systems based on bureaucratic authority, have taught us change comes through politicians, corporations, NGOs and, of course, personal consumer choice [R.F. – see Return Fire vol.5 pg65]. The underlaying implication of this narrative is that chaotic organizing, viral direct action (and unrestrained) and immediate change in conduct is not the answer.

We need to recognize that authoritarianism and human-centric claims to supremacy over the earth have been and continue to be the root of socio-ecological crisis. This happens via the church, the State, urbanization and modern mechanical science,[27] all of which seek domination and control over the systems of our planet. This is not to say modern science is not useful, but to remember that it comes at a material and energetic cost [R.F. – see Return Fire vol.5 pg33].

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valthepoetess · 3 days ago

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✮ The Adventures of Saturna ✮ Vol. 1

(This story is in latin spanish available on Wattpad!)

This story tells, pardon the redundancy, the adventures of my oc Saturna Cloudford!

⋆ From the beginning of her life, until giving her heart completely 💕 ⋆ Ship Saturna x Simon Ghost Riley (just because 😍🥰) ⋆ Action, romance, drama, MORE ACTION and more romance. ⋆ References to pop culture lol don't judge. ⋆ I promise you'll have fun!

｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*

Saturna Cloudford is an interesting and passionate woman, Lieutenant and paramedic leader in the UK Armed Forces, mainly in TF141. Here I will immortalize her experiences as the beautiful OC that she is. Enjoy 💕💞

∘₊✧─────────★─────────✧₊∘

Prologue

Saturna Cloudford, born on March 22, 1996, in the beautiful and iconic borough of Queens, NYC, grew up in a house in the suburbs, in a middle-class neighborhood with her father, Oliver Cloudford, and her mother, Marie Conetti.

Oliver was a decorated US Navy Colonel, who perished in battle after 20 years of service, and was awarded a Purple Heart medal in his honor. He died when Saturna would have turned 16 years old. Marie is a woman from Italy, who moved to America to seek a better life away from her family, and then met Oliver.

Saturna is a woman currently 28 years old, with short, dark wavy hair that is very difficult to deal with, just as her mother told her, "hair reflects personality." She is about 1.75 (5'9'') tall, with a usually athletic build, although not very defined. She has quite expressive and dark eyes, a round nose and her upper lip is larger than the lower one (as if they were inverted). Thin and fine eyebrows, and a light brown complexion. Don't forget her tattoos, the most recognizable is a small tattoo of a carnation on her chest (🏵) She also has the logo of her favorite band (Måneskin) tattooed on the back of her neck, and a star design on her lower back.

She has always been outgoing and friendly, exuding self-confidence and mostly good humor. She is kind, thoughtful and passionate, determined in everything she does. She considers herself an activist and has quite liberal morals, although politics is not something she likes very much, she is always up for a debate. He loves to talk, and let's say more than usual. She considers herself an atheist, not a believer in any god per se, but she believes that there is some powerful force that governs everything equally, she considers it the universe. She is agile, flexible and good at hand-to-hand combat, quick to think and skilled at making decisions under pressure. Despite her work, or her life in general, what identifies her is her relaxed and unflappable attitude towards things, she is not someone who gets stressed easily, and she has carried that within her since the beginning of her life. (…)

Now our Sat was heading towards a new chapter in her life. Sitting in the back of the taxi, with her suitcases on her lap, looking out the window with her headphones on and thinking about what kind of adventures she would have now. He was heading to the main base of TaskForce 141, a Multinational Special Operations Unit located in London. Or well, on the outskirts of it. This unit, mostly anti-terrorism, specifically senior commanders like Captain John Price had offered a spot on their team for Cloudford. Also because Sat had been recommended by CIA agent Laswell. Maybe she had seen something useful in her.

Naturally, Saturna was full of doubts and nerves. She was a Lieutenant and a lead paramedic, why would she be indispensable in a place like this, surrounded by military personnel and soldiers far more experienced? “Weren’t there plenty of paramedics here?” she thought. A smile appeared on her face at the thought.

"Great, now my job will be to patch up injured cadets and prescribe meds" she said to herself.

Of course, she was joking. The fact that she was part of such a unit was a complete privilege, and she wasn’t the least bit unhappy about it. She was genuinely excited. Even so, the thought of being treated like a medic or doctor didn’t sit well with her (and that was based on experience). She simply sighed and leaned her head on her hand, gazing out the window as the landscape grew colder and wetter, moving along the lonely road with her favorite song, “So High,” playing in her ears.

At some point during the trip, the horizon changed from dense forests and trees to open, green fields, with the sun now shining more brightly. “That must mean I’m close,” she thought. And indeed, the taxi driver was already glancing at his meter and announcing their arrival. Saturna felt her excitement grow. Then she noticed the large gray barracks with brick walls surrounding it, buildings no taller than five stories, and a wide field in the center of it all. She had arrived at the base.

The taxi came to a stop right in front of the threshold near the end of the road. Saturna’s heart stopped along with the vehicle. She saw the flags waving on either side of the main gate, representing the 141 and the United Kingdom. Moments later, Saturna was out of the car with her carry-on bag, as the driver helped with the luggage from the trunk. As she took her bags in her arms, a bearded man with a distinctive fisherman’s hat walked out through the gate, accompanied by a younger man in a cap. He walked up to the threshold and stopped a few meters in front of Saturna. She was more nervous than ever, but she still paid the driver, rolled her suitcase beside her, and walked toward the Captain. With a big smile, she stood before him.

“Saturna Cloudford, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” the man said as he extended his hand.

“The pleasure is all mine, Captain.” She shook his hand.

“Please, call me Price.”

Saturna nodded, and as Price noticed she had brought more luggage than she could carry, he motioned to his companion to lend her a hand.

“Gaz, come over here,” the Captain said, and Gaz quickly grabbed Saturna’s rolling suitcase.

They headed into the base, with Price walking in front of the two. Saturna looked around, observing and taking in as much as she could while trying to keep up with the quick pace of her new Captain.

“Welcome to our main base,” he said. “This is the meeting point, where you’ll find the cafeteria, common rooms, and the parking area outside, along with some more offices further in. To the south are the residential buildings, and I’ll get you the key to your room as soon as possible. As you can see, there’s the field.” He gestured to the green field in the center of the base. “You can run or train there, as it’s right in front of the gym. We also use it as a shooting range. The gym itself is small, so most soldiers train outside or on the field.”

Saturna listened closely, trying to absorb all the information the Captain was giving her.

“The armory is next to the parking area, which you probably saw on your way in. The showers are close to the residential buildings, connected to the locker rooms. And finally, the medical building was added relatively recently; that’s where most of your work will be.” Price stopped walking and turned to face Saturna, as Gaz stepped beside him. “Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” she replied.

“Good,” Price said in his firm tone. “I’ll leave you to explore the place and get familiar with it. I’ll be in my office and will give you your dorm key later.” Saturna nodded, and Price gave a parting wave.

Saturna was then left standing with Gaz, who was still holding her luggage.

“I’m Kyle, but everyone calls me Gaz,” he finally introduced himself.

“Nice to meet you, Gaz. I’m Saturna.”

“Where are you from?”

“New York, though I’ve been here in London for a few days. And you?”

“I’ve lived here most of my life. But hey, it’s nice to have Americans on base.”

“Why do you say that?” she asked curiously.

“Well, there aren’t many Americans here, and they’re pretty useful in battle. At least the ones I know,” he said with a grin.

“Oh, I see. Well, yes, I’m American. And I think chocolate milk comes from brown cows,” she joked, and Gaz laughed.

“Well, I guess everyone’s got a belief… like that. I like you, Saturna. And because of that, I’ll show you around a bit more—since Price’s ‘tour’ was pretty basic,” he said. “Come on.”

“Sure, thanks,” she replied, and they both began walking around the base.

(...)

Price sat in his office behind the desk, holding Saturna’s file in his hands. With her arrival, as with any new team member, he had to thoroughly review her history before giving final approval. He noticed that the file seemed a bit thick. He sighed and got to work.

He opened it, and the first page was her standard résumé, along with a photo of her.

" SATURNA CLOUDFORD

Full Name: Saturna Cloudford Conetti

Alias(es): "Sat" - "Poetess"

Rank: First Lieutenant (Elite)

Other: Lead Paramedic Rescuer (Elite)

Age: 28

Nationality: American

Date of Birth: March 22, 1996

Place of Birth: Queens, NY, USA

Eye Color: Black

Hair Color: Black

Height: 5'9" / 1.75 m

Weight: Approx. 60 kg

Blood Type: A+

Ethnicity: Mixed (American-Italian)

Native Language: English

Other Languages: Spanish, Italian, French

Marital Status: Single

Address: [N/A]

Insurer: [N/A] "

Everything seemed normal to Price, and he continued to the next page.

"High school and preparatory school completed. Half a year of university at Columbia University, Manhattan, in 2015."

Saturna had been withdrawn after six months from university, by her mother’s decision, without completing her degree in Communications and Journalism. Instead, she was sent to a convent outside of D.C. (Washington), called Santa Clarissa di Fresa, Convento delle Monache e Riformatorio, where she would remain for the rest of the year.

Price was intrigued by the fact that Saturna had left university to be sent to a convent, especially one with a questionable record of conduct. Still, he didn't dwell on it. It wasn't his business, he thought.

In 2017, Price read, Saturna had completed her studies and graduated as a nurse with honors from the Mercy Health Institute in New York. But it seems she didn’t stay in the healthcare center. Instead, in 2019, at the age of 23, she joined the Civil Guard Academy, becoming a paramedic, and months later, a rescuer. From 2019 to 2021, Saturna would be recruited and sent all across the United States alongside the country’s Special Forces, on rescue missions to reach civilians in the most inaccessible places possible. Saturna had no trouble with this work, which is why she was often assigned to those kinds of situations.

The most significant part came in 2022. At the age of 26, Saturna was awarded the "Orange Eagle" distinction, an honor given to rescue operators and civil defenders, for saving and securing 1,433 lives during Hurricane Ian that hit Florida that same year. She was known as "Poetess" for two reasons: The first was her ability to calm civilians, especially children, with her words and quotes. The second reason was that during her time at Columbia, she briefly played in a rock band where she was the lead vocalist, and her stage name was "The Poetess."

Finally, Price reached the last page of the file. It simply mentioned that she had carried out some missions alongside the Armed Forces and the CIA, possibly meeting Kate Laswell in the process, who would later offer her the job in the 141. And the rest, as they say, is history.

"Lord… Finally." Price muttered as he stretched in his chair. "Next time, I'll have someone else review the new recruits' files."

With that, Price gave Saturna's file the green light, marking it with a red seal.

(...)

Saturna knocked on the office door, and Price invited her to come in from inside.

"Here are the keys to your room. It's 505 in Building B," said the Captain, handing her the keys.

"Oh… 505, what a wonderful coincidence," she said with a playful smile as she put the keys in her pocket.

"Huh?" Price asked, not sure what she meant.

"Nothing, sir," she replied. "Thank you for everything so far."

"It's my job. And I expect you to do yours well." Saturna nodded. "Though, after reading and reviewing your history, I have high expectations."

Saturna’s face lit up. She hadn’t expected to make such an impression on her Captain so quickly.

"I’ll give my best. Thank you."

"Dismissed."

Saturna walked across the base to Building B. She had already toured a bit of the base in the afternoon, running into some people who welcomed her, like a friendly Scottish guy they usually called "Soap." When she arrived at 505, her suitcases were already outside the room. Maybe it was Gaz.

She entered with her luggage, taking in her surroundings. It wasn’t a five-star place, but it certainly wasn’t what she had expected. She tested the bed by sitting on it and then lay down, staring at the ceiling.

"To think that just a few weeks ago I was sharing an apartment with strangers," she said to herself. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand beside the bed. It was 8:50 p.m. "Alright, time to get to work."

Saturna got up from the bed and hurried to unpack her things, adding a little shine to her new room. She filled the place with her style, placing her clothes in the empty dresser in the corner, toiletries on top of it, her belongings like a notebook and pens on the desk next to the window, a small dreamcatcher hanging on the window, as well as her thousand accessories, including quartz necklaces, handmade bracelets, and countless pairs of earrings in all shapes, colors, and styles. To finish, she placed a framed photo of her and her best friend from college on the nightstand next to the bed.

"Good…" she said, looking around with satisfaction. She hadn’t made the biggest change of all, but at least the place now had her personality.

She was starting a new chapter in her life. There was still so much ahead to go through, to live, and to experience on a path filled with adventures, and she was determined to give her best. To think that just a few weeks ago, when she arrived in London hoping for a new job thanks to Laswell, she was living uncomfortably in a small apartment, sharing space with complete strangers. And to think that just a few years ago, when she was back in her home country, she worked tirelessly day after day to create a better future by doing what she loved: helping people. And to think that all of this stemmed from her drive to follow in her father Oliver's footsteps, and one day be remembered and respected just as he was in life. And to think that all of this came about because she chased her dreams and gained independence, leaving her mother’s home… Now, she was here, living what she had once only dreamed of. This was much bigger than she had imagined, she thought. It was far more important.

And she was grateful for every part of the journey that had brought her here.

｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ☆｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

THANKS!!!!!1111!!111

#HistoryandChronology #✮ The Adventures of Saturna ✮ Vol. 1 #original story #prologue #Saturna Cloudford #call of duty #cod oc #oc #call of duty modern warfare #cod mw2 #oneshot

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tawakkull · 2 months ago

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SPIRITUALITY IN ISLAM: PART 20: IKHLAS (SINCERITY OR PURITY OF INTENTION)

Ikhlas has been interpreted as being upright, sincere, and pure; being distant from show and ostentation in one’s intention and conduct; and being closed to whatever clouds or fouls the heart. Purity of intention, straightforwardness in thought, pursuit of no worldly purposes in one’s relationship with God, and loyalty in servanthood to God are also included here.

Ikhlas requires that one pursue nothing worldly while worshipping and obeying God, that one fulfills the duty of servanthood only because God orders it, and that one remains silent concerning any personal experiences of God’s special treatment and special gifts and seek only His approval and pleasure.

Sincerity is one of the most significant qualities of those most faithful or loyal to God; loyalty is regarded as a source, and sincerity as a sweet water originating from it.

The most eloquent of humanity, upon him be peace and blessings, declared that one who drinks uninterruptedly from this water for forty days will find channels of wisdom opened from his or her heart to his or her tongue, and that such a person will always speak wisdom.

Loyalty or faithfulness is the primary attribute of Prophethood, and sincerity is its most lustrous dimension. Sincerity is innate in the Prophets; all other people try to obtain it during their lifetime. Among them, for example, the Qur'an describes the Prophet Moses as one made sincere (19:51).

Faithfulness and sincerity were as intrinsic and essential to the Prophets as air and water are to the lives of those who communicate the Prophets’ message to others in every age.

In addition, they were the Prophets’ most important sources of power. The Prophets were convinced that they could not take one step forward without sincerity, and the representatives of the cause of Prophethood must believe that they will be able to achieve nothing without it. Faithfulness and sincerity are two wings or two deep oceans extending from Divine Favor and Grace to an individual’s heart. One who can sail in these oceans or fly with these wings will reach the destination, for they are under God’s protection. God values that which is done to please Him, regardless of its apparent size or importance, not the quantity of deeds. Therefore, He values a small deed done with sincerity over many deeds done without sincerity.

Sincerity is an attitude of the heart, and God views an individual according to his or her heart’s inclination.

The Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, declares:

Assuredly, God does not consider your bodies, nor your appearances. Rather, He considers your hearts. [ Muslim, “Birr,” 33; Ibn Maja, “Zuhd,” 9. ]

Sincerity is a mysterious Divine credit granted to those who are purehearted in order to increase what is little and to deepen what is shallow, and to give finite (limited) worship infinite reward. One can use it to purchase the most valuable things in the markets of this world and the next, for it is esteemed, welcomed, and respected where others suffer great misery. This mysterious power of sincerity caused God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, to declare:

Be sincere in your religion; little work (with sincerity) is enough for you, [ ‘Abd al-Ra'uf Munawi, Fayd al-Qadir, 6 vols. (Beirut 1093 ah / 1682 ce) 1:216. ]

and:

Be sincere in your deeds, for God only accepts what is done with sincerity. [ Ibid., 1:217. ]

If we consider a deed to be a body, sincerity is its soul. If a deed represents one wing of pair of wings, sincerity is the other. A body without soul is of no worth, and nothing can fly with only one wing. How fine are Mawlana Jalal al-Din al-Rumi’s words:

You should be sincere in all your deeds,

So that the Majestic Lord may accept them.

Sincerity is the wing of the bird of the acts of obedience.

Without a wing, how can you fly to the abode of prosperity?

The following words of Bayazid al-Bistami are also very apt:

I worshipped my Lord for thirty years with all my strength. Then I heard a voice saying:

O Bayazid! The treasures of God Almighty are full of acts of worship. If you intend to reach Him, see yourself as small at the door of God and be sincere in your deeds.

For some, sincerity involves hiding from others when performing supererogatory deeds and avoiding all show and ostentation.

For others, it means that whether one is or is not seen while performing religious deeds is not important.

Still for others, it means being so involved in worship or religious deeds in consideration of God’s pleasure that one does not even remember whether one should be sincere or not.

Self-supervision is an essential dimension of sincerity, and a truly sincere person does not consider any possible spiritual pleasure that may be derived, or speculate upon whether it will ensure entrance to Paradise.

Sincerity is a mystery between God and a servant, and God puts it in the hearts of those He loves. One whose heart is awakened to sincerity does not worry about being praised or accused, exalted or debased, aware or unaware of deeds, or being rewarded. Such a person does not change, and behaves in the same way in public and in private.

#allah #god #islam #muslim #revert #convert #convert islam #revert islam #revert help #revert help team #help #quran #islam help #converthelp #how to convert to islam #convert to islam #welcome to islam

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lgbtqmanga · 3 months ago

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New Releases August 20, 2024

Hate Me, but Let Me Stay (manga) vol. 1 by Hijiki

Ever since the assault that led to his unexpected pregnancy as a teen, Koga Naoto, an omega, has harbored a deep fear and distrust toward alphas. He's even convinced himself that he doesn't need a mate. After all, hasn't he raised his daughter, Shizuku, just fine on his own? Still, at the behest of his concerned mother, Naoto reluctantly attends a matchmaking party. There he meets Tsuchiya Hazuki, a teenage alpha who declares that Naoto is his destined mate. Naoto does his best to ignore the young man's advances, but he can't deny the way he feels in Hazuki's presence. Can Naoto overcome his fear and admit that maybe, just maybe, he might not hate this one alpha?

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun: Erha He Ta De Bai Mao Shizun (novel) vol. 6 by Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou (Meatbun Doesn't Eat Meat) with illustrations and cover art by St

After two lifetimes of misunderstandings, Mo Ran and Chu Wanning have at last opened their hearts to one another. Mo Ran is determined to treat Chu Wanning with all the devotion his teacher deserves, but Chu Wanning has his doubts: has Mo Ran truly turned his attention from his first love, the beautiful Shi Mei, so easily? Yet the pair must put aside the bloom of new love all too soon. When a crucial clue about Xu Shuanglin’s whereabouts comes to light, the foremost powers of the cultivation realm set out to confront him. But the more devious moves their opponent makes, the greater Mo Ran’s suspicion grows that behind Xu Shuanglin lurks another player—a true mastermind who holds all the pieces.

My First Love's Kiss (novel) vol. 1 by Hitoma Iruma

Takasora Hoshi’s life is upended when a girl from her class named Umi Mizuike and her mother temporarily move into her family’s cramped apartment. From the outset of this arrangement, Takasora finds herself annoyed by Umi’s behavior…and her good looks. And though the two girls initially agree to avoid interfering in each other’s lives, Takasora can’t help but start to wonder where Umi keeps wandering off to at night… From the author of Adachi and Shimamura comes the bittersweet tale of two high school girls whose lives are thrust together under the same roof.

She Likes Gays, but Not Me (manga) vol. 2 by Akira Hirahara and Naoto Asahara

“I wonder why people like us are born.” Continuing to keep his sexuality a secret, Jun decides to start dating his classmate Sae. They go on dates, they kiss—but as much as Jun wants to prove he can do more and keep up the ruse, things don’t go as planned. Yet just as he thinks of being honest with Sae, he receives a sudden, devastating message from Mr. Fahrenheit…

The Summer Hikaru Died (manga) vol. 4 by Mokumokuren

Two boys grew up together in a certain village—Yoshiki and Hikaru. One day, Yoshiki became sure that Hikaru was no longer himself. He resolved to accept the new “Hikaru,” whatever happened to his friend. But now he’s decided to research the history of “Nounuki-sama” and Kubitachi to understand what this creature truly is. The situation evolves unpredictably, outside the boys’ control. Who will make the next move, and what will they find?

Tied to You (manhwa) vol. 2 by Chelliace and WHAT

His heart torn from the bittersweet pain of Jiseok’s sweetness and affection, Wooseo has turned instead to his Ring Partner, Jigeon, unaware of the older’s deep-rooted feelings for him. In a moment of drunken weakness, Wooseo seeks comfort from his “stand-in Jiseok”…and the two of them kiss?! But Jiseok isn’t completely oblivious—and he’s starting to catch onto the fact that something may be going on between his brother and his best friend…

Welcome Back, Alice (manga) vol. 7 by Shuzo Oshimi

FINAL VOLUME

Yohei, Kei, and Yui want to be loved for who they are. Yet somehow they keep making the wrong choices, hurting not just the people around them, but also themselves. And when Yohei ends up in the hospital, it becomes a wake-up call for all three of them.

A White Rose in Bloom (manga) vol. 3 by Asumiko Nakamura

Ruby is a student at an elite European boarding school. Things are going pretty well for her until she finds out that she won’t be able to go home for Christmas. Instead, she’ll be stuck at school with only one other student—the aloof and beautiful Steph—for company. As Ruby tries to understand Steph, she becomes more and more attracted to her. But can she break through Steph’s icy exterior in this latest volume?

#new releases #lgbt manga #queer manga #danmei #novels #manga #manhwa

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novankenn · 1 year ago

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Secrets Vol 1

IF you're looking for more Female!Jaune / Gender swapped Jaune I have another FIC that might suit your tastes.

Summary : Jaune Arc had never wanted to be a huntress. She dreamed of being a dance instructor and a homemaker. Very happy to live a quiet and unassuming life in the Hamlet of Ansel, surrounded by the rest of her family. Then one day, those dreams were engulfed in a raging inferno, and Jaune was thrust into a situation she didn't want to be in. Cloaked in deception, and surrounded by lies, Jaune struggles to justify it all, and remain true to who she is.

Prologue : (2151 Words)

Nathaniel Arc and his daughter Violet were busy taking inventory during one of the few days that Ansel Dry-Goods was closed for business. The medium-sized general goods and feed store was the second of the businesses the family of ten owned and ran in the well defended Hamlet of Ansel. The first was the Grimm-head tavern and Inn. A quaint and comfortable, safe place for the weary traveller and the locals to relax and enjoy good company. All in all, the tight-knit family was doing well for themselves.

The blaring of the town’s alarm, caused the pair to drop what they were doing to rush outside. The community wide alarm only went off for a couple of reasons, the first was approaching grimm, the second was fire. While the walls that surrounded that hamlet were composed of mine debris coated with imported concrete, most of the buildings contained within were made of locally harvested timber. An out of control fire would be as disastrous, if not more so, than a large scale grimm attack.

Once outside, Nathaniel saw the smoke, and broke into a dead on sprint. The distance wasn’t far, but it felt like miles for him to cover. The fire brigade was already at work, hosing down the structure in an attempt to keep the flames from spreading further. He forced his way through the small gaggle of onlookers, ignoring any complaints; all which died when they understood who had shoved them aside.

“Jasmine!” he bellowed, hoping his voice would carry over the noise of people, water, flames and sirens. “Jasmine!”

“Nat!” drew his attention to the side, and forced a sigh of relief, at least until he closed, and noticed that his wife of 20 plus years face was a mix of fear and dread.

“Jas, what’s…” as he spoke, he took a rapid head count. He knew the twins were on wall duty today, Violet had been with him at the store, and Saphron was in Argus. That left four to be at home, and he only saw three. His three youngest. “Where?”

“She’s still inside.” Jasmine choked out, barely keeping herself composed as her daughters clutched at her clothing, seeking the security only she could bring them through contact. “I tried… but it was too much… too fast…”

“Where was she?”

“Where’s Jaune?” Violet yelled as she finally caught up to her father, and noticed the missing form of her twin sister. “Where’s Jaune?”

“She was in her room… I heard her screaming…”

Nathaniel didn’t wait to hear anymore. Grabbing Violet’s wrist, he pulled her over next to her mother and raised a single finger. The universal fatherly symbol for stay and wait. He didn’t wait for her to acknowledge before he released his grip and twisted about on his heels and dashed for the front door of the family home that sat attached to the inn. The flames were already starting to spread into the structure of the family’s second business. Calling on his partial huntsman training, he pulled on every ounce of his aura, coating his body in a protective barrier. A shield he hoped would allow him to find his missing child. He didn’t even reach the path to the door, before four members of the brigade intercepted him.

“Nat no!”

“Jaune’s still fucking in there!”

“There’s nothing you can do!”

“Like fuck, there isn’t!” Nathaniel cursed and struggled, but even as angry, desperate and aura empowered as he was, the combined hold of four men, who were also aura using members of the Town Watch, he made no head way. “Let me go! I have to get to…”

Before he could finish, the family home fell. Collapsing in upon itself, in a shower of soot, ash and sparks. All the fight fled Nathaniel at that point. He could hear the wails of his wife and children, as his own heart broke, and if it hadn’t been for the men who had been holding him back, that were now holding him up, he would have crumpled to the dirt. He felt hollow as the flames continued to eat through the timbers that had once been the home of his family. Even with seven safe, he felt like a failure. What type of father would let one of his own die alone, when he could have prevented it?

“Nat, go see to Jas and the girls.” one of the men, holding him up, offered, “Let us do our job.”

Nathaniel Arc just nodded, his body heavy and unwieldy. He stumbled several times over his own feet as he crossed the short distance to his waiting and stricken family. He wrapped his arms about his daughter Violet as she launched herself at him, her small hands closed into fists, and ineffectually bouncing off his wide chest. Nathaniel would weather her anger, it was all he could do. His sorrow filled blue eyes sought out the equally hurting, sharp greens of his beloved. She was clutching the three youngest to her. Doing her best through her own pain to comfort their confusion and hurt.

/=/

The fire continued to burn into the night, gutting the family’s inn and tavern, in addition to completely consuming their home. As the now family of nine tried to come to terms with their loss, the town guard assembled in force. This was just the type of event that could draw the grimm, and they wouldn’t allow themselves to be caught unprepared. It would be a long night for them, as it would be for the Arc family.

Taking shelter in the store, Nathaniel, with some help from Violet and the twins Vert and Jade, had cleared out part of the back storeroom. Making enough room for the family to sleep within proximity of one another. Though both Jasmine and he knew there would be little in the way of sleeping this night.

“You have to call her.” Jasmine told her husband. “She needs to know.”

“How am I supposed to do that? How do you even start that conversation?”

“I don’t know.” Jasmine replied, “But Jaune is… was special to her. She needs to know, needs to hear it from one of us.”

“I know.” Nathaniel sighed, as he attempted not to move much and disturb the sleeping form of Juniper, who had nestled into his chest. “I get it, just how?”

“Just be straight with her. Tell her what happened…”

“If I hadn’t been stopped, I could have…”

“No you couldn’t, you know that. If you had gone in there for her…”

“She’s going to want to know, how…”

“Not right away.” Jasmine reached over the sleeping form of Violet, who was firmly fastened to her mother’s waist, and patted her husband on his knee. “Call her, and I’ll take care of telling Saph.”

Nathaniel just nodded, and carefully transferred the sleeping form of Juniper to a space near her mother. The young girl whimpered, and for a moment he paused in his motions. But then he relented. With the utmost care, he placed the youngest of his family down next to her mother, before rising to his own feet, and pulling out his scroll. With a nod to his wife, he stepped out of the back room, walked through the darkened interior of the store, and out into the street. At the best of times, the link to the CCT, made video calls choppy.

It didn’t take much for him to locate her contact info, with her being near the top of his list. His thumb hovered over the call icon, and after a deep and pained sigh, he tapped it. It rang twice before being answered. The video was like he had figured, a little choppy and delayed, and with the time difference between Ansel and Vale it was going to be early for Glynda.

“Nat, what’s…”

“I know it’s early Glyn, but there was a fire…” Nathaniel paused, out of all of his children, Jaune in particular was special to Glynda.

“A fire? Is everyone…”

“I’m sorry Glyn… I tried, but…” Nate felt the tears start to roll down his cheeks. All his bottled up emotions finally starting to seep out.

“Nat?”

“We lost… we lost…”

“Nat, you’re scaring me. What happened? Is every…”

“I couldn’t save her… I tried, but they held me back… I couldn’t…”

“Nat?”

“Jaune… Jaune was trapped inside…” Nathaniel couldn’t hold it in anymore and openly began to sob. “We…”

“No… no… no… it has to be a mistake…” Glynda’s voice was breaking up and Nat knew it wasn’t from the poor connection quality, “She can’t…”

“I’m so sorry, Glyn… I tried, I really…” Nate couldn’t continue. The sight of Glynda, his sister-in-law, finally breaking down, was the final piece, and he fell completely apart. “I tried… I tried…”

Glynda said nothing as her emotions were written all over her face. Shock, despair, disbelief, and horror. It was her tear filled sharp green eyes that were the most telling, as they were filled with absolute and utter grief. So caught up in their shared grief, Nathaniel didn’t notice the head of the fire brigade rushing towards him, shouting.

“What?” Nathaniel asked as in confusion when the man grabbing him by the shoulders. “I…”

“We found her!” the man, who Nathaniel remembered, was Alex Hawthorne. “We found Jaune!”

“Do I have to…”

“She’s ALIVE!”

“What?”

“We found her ALIVE!”

“Where? How?”

“I don’t have a fucking clue how, but we found her in the basement, she must have fell through the floors when the place collapsed, but she’s alive, Nate, she’s fucking alive!”

“Take me to her!” Nate snapped as he dropped his scroll to the ground and grabbed Alex by the shoulders.

“Nat, what’s going on?” Glynda shouted out over the poor connection of the scroll. She had heard some of what had been shouted, but not enough came through clearly enough for her to understand. “NAT!”

“Jasmine and the girls! Someone has…”

“I’ll take care of it. Get your ass to the clinic.” Alex ordered the confused father, as he shoved him down the road towards the town’s medical clinic. “Get there, I’ll tell Jas.” Nathaniel nodded numbly, as he took a couple more stumbling steps, and then a thought shot through his mind. He nearly tripped in his haste to grabbed his dropped scroll, and as soon as his hand closed about it, he snapped it up to his face.

“They found her and she’s ALIVE!”

“She’s…”

“She’s alive, Glyn. She’s alive.”

“I… I…” Nathaniel watched as Glynda wiped her eyes on her sleeve, taking the moment to collect her thoughts. “I’ll be there in six hours.”

/=/

Glynda, Nathaniel; and Jasmine were in the waiting room, leaving their daughters, in the recovery room with Jaune. Juniper and Blanche curled up on the bed with Jaune, while Noir and Violet stood close by, holding her hands. The final two, Vert and Jade, stood at the door, almost as if to guard their sister’s tear filled reunion.

“Her leg is broken, she has a sprained wrist, and a possible concussion. The doc thinks every injury was a result of falling two stories into the basement. There is no sign of any burns, or indications of smoke inhalation.” Nate reported to his haggard looking sister-in-law while his wife hugged her tightly. “No one has any clue how, and we’re not going to question it. It’s a miracle… a fucking miracle.”

“How did the fire start?” Glynda managed to get out as she was fighting to keep her swirling tempest of emotions under control. “Do we know?”

“No.” Nate replied, as the brigade was waiting for an official inspector to come in on the next commercial flight. “All Alex, he’s head of the brigade, would say is he never saw anything like it. A fire getting that hot, that quickly.”

“Jas, did you?”

“I heard Jaune screaming, and when I tried to rush upstairs to check on her… flames just started rolling down the hallway.” Jasmine bit her lip. “I could have pushed through it with my aura, but I had Noir, Blanche and Juniper to get out.”

“What is it, Glyn?” Nate asked, as he noticed the look that was replacing the one of relief that had been etched on Glynda’s face. “You’re thinking about something, what is it?”

“Could she have activated a semblance?” Glynda offered.

“Doubtful, unless she can do it without her aura unlocked.” Nate replied.

“Maybe it spontaneously…?”

“Again doubtful… but we can have it checked for.” Nate replied, “It would be a plausible explanation for everything… or at least most of it.”

“Do you think I can get some time alone with her?” Glynda asked as Jasmine finally released her grip on her older sister. “Do you think the girls will mind?”

“Not for their favourite aunt.” Jasmine replied with a relieved grin.

“I’m their only aunt.”

#rwby #jaune arc #female!jaune #cross posted from AO3 #updates every monday

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