#Southeast Division

[sfppn]

From the Pop Culture Bunker 292

It's Summer Price Madness: The Southeast Division!

FTPCB 292

[kissingwookiees]

watching any western conference game as an east coast nhl fan

[theresattrpgforthat]

hi! have you seen the TTRPGS for Palestine bundle yet? and do you have any recommendations from it

https://tiltify.com/@jesthehuman/ttrpgs-for-palestine

THEME: TTRPGS for Palestine

The TTRPGs for Palestine Bundle is going from April 12 to May 7, so there's not much time left to get it, but here's some recommendations of some really awesome games that you can find in it.

Gubat Banwa, by makapatag.

GUBAT BANWA is a Martial Arts Tactics and War Drama Tabletop RPG where you play as martial artists poised to change the world: Kadungganan: the cavalry, the wandering swordsmen, the tide turners, the knights-errant, the ones to call in darkest night in a world inspired and centering Southeast Asian folklore.

Witness, grand warriors, honorable gallants that trudge and toil under kings and haloes. Witness, KADUNGGANAN, that refulgent name. That blasted name: WITNESS NOW. The end of days is upon us: and the new world MUST BE BORN. Bear your blades, incant your magicks. Cut open your tomorrow from the womb of violence. Inscribe your name upon the very akasha of this world. 

Gubat Banwa is designed for fans of 4th edition D&D, with in-depth character abilities that make you feel both unique and powerful, in a colourful and flavourful world full of vibrant cultures and clashing conflicts. The game uses an action economy with different action options carrying different weights, which also reminds me quite a bit of Lancer. If you want a game that pushes you to strategize with your friends and weigh your advancement options carefully, you want Gubat Banwa.

Gun & Slinger, by Nevyn Holmes.

GUN&SLINGER is an RPG geared for short, episodic sessions about a weapon and a wanderer. A Maestro and two players (Gun and Slinger) set out into a dead planet mutated by a god's forgotten child and hunt strange bounties, investigate the world and unlock hidden powers. During play, they seek to learn the nature of what’s hunting the Slinger, figure out why the Gun is sentient and discover how the world died.

This game is specifically for three players, using the rules of Go Fish as a resolution system. Gun & Slinger is all about using your resources to the best of their ability, and your resources might exist on your character sheet, but they also exist as cards in your hand.

What really intrigues me is the lore that’s baked into your character sheets. One of you is a wanderer in a twisted world, tempted by strange powers that guarantee to change you into a monster. One of you is a sentient magical gun, borne by that wanderer and designed to deliver death and pain.

Gun & Slinger has expansions included, allowing you to instead play as a wanderer possessed by a demon, a mech and a pilot fused as one, or someone who bears a cursed sword. I think the fact that it requires a small table and the fact that the characters’ lives are tied together makes this a high-stakes, terribly intimate game.

Apocalypse Frame, by Binary Star Games.

In a ruined and terraformed world where most of humanity is under the yoke of a brutal regime, the former workers of a once-remote factory - now known as The Collective - have risen up to create a future of freedom from oppression. You are an Ace - a highly skilled pilot referred from a Division in The Collective and assigned a humanoid combat vehicle known as a Frame. You and your Strike Team of fellow Aces must take on The Collective’s greatest threats, ensure its survival, and carve a path for its continued success.

Apocalypse Frame takes mechs and fits them into the LUMEN system, which centres competency as well as fast but effective rounds of combat. The game includes a variety of different threats, allowing you to tailor your campaign to your group’s tastes, and the tailoring doesn’t stop there. You choose both a division that your character belongs to, and then one of three mechs within that division, allowing players to share similar fighting styles but differ in weapons. You can also modify your basic frame, adding general modular systems alongside systems and armaments that can come with your mech, making character creation and progression exciting for folks who love tweaking and tailoring to their heart’s content.

If you’re a fan of Armored Core or Battletech, you’ll want to check out Apocalypse Frame.

Here, There Be Monsters!, by wendi yu.

No matter what they tell you, there’s still weirdness and wonder everywhere. You just have to know where to look. At the edges and cracks of ‘normal’ life we exist, we persist, and we resist: the monsters, the magicians, the anomalies, the freaks, and the outcasts. We gather in the shadows, trying our best to live our lives in a world that, when it doesn’t exactly fear or hate us, doesn't even believe in our existence.

here, there, be monsters! is a rules-lite response to monster-hunting media from the monsters' point of view. It's both a love letter and a middle finger to stuff like Hellboy (and the BPRD), the SCP Foundation, the Men in Black, the World of Darkness games and the Urban Fantasy genre in general. It is an explicitly queer, antifascist and anti-capitalist game about the monstrous and the weird, in any flavor you want, not as something to be feared, but to be cherished and protected.

Here, There, Be Monsters is a love-letter to anyone who has been made to feel monstrous, as well as an homage to media such as Hellboy, the SCP Foundation, and Men in Black. It’s urban fantasy meets organized power structures, and as the monsters, you’re here to burn those structures down.

This game uses descriptive tags to slap onto your characters to represent what they can do. You can choose from a number of different monster character backgrounds to give you guidance towards, and there’s plenty of monsters both in the base game and in the game jam wendi ran back in 2022. If you want a game of power, anti-capitalism, and punching up, this is the game for you.

Pale Dot, by Devin Nelson.

Pale Dot is a collaborative storytelling game for 2-5 players about a crew of non-human cosmonauts leaving their planet to explore a strange solar system, finding threads to unravel the unknown along the way. It is fantastical, surreal, and perhaps very unlike humanity’s own ventures in space exploration. Though one thing is universal: leaving home is terrifying, dangerous, humbling, and a catalyst for changing one’s perspective. 

Pale Dot is a GM-less game where players work together to create an alien setting and subsequently envelop it in cosmic mystery, embodying cosmonauts called Dustlings, as well as one of 5 different settings. During their journey they will be able to travel to 24 different locations within their solar system, each with several prompts for improvisational scenes. Each player will also have to manage the integrity of their cosmonaut and their shared ship while avoiding space's many perils.

The cover for Pale Dot gripped me the first time I saw it; a tiny creature in an astronaut suit, looking up in fear at something in the sky, as vegetation blooms inside their helmet. You play as the Dustlings, non-human but sentient species exploring the Cosmos, a strange, horrifying and wonderful universe that changes those who venture into it.

Mechanically, Pale Dot uses a GM-less structure similar to Dream Askew, but there feels to be a much bigger emphasis on the setting your cosmonauts explore, rather than the cosmonauts themselves. Your characters are assembled traits, drives and equipment, almost all of which can be expended to cause or solve problems. Each player is also responsible for at least one setting element, such as The Cosmic Wilderness, The Wondrous Endeavour, or The Omnipresent Danger. As you visit locations, different elements will be prompted to influence the scene, while your cosmonauts try to navigate the scene and try to finish the mission. If you want a game that is collaborative and evocative, I definitely recommend Pale Dot.

Fractal Romance, by Ostrichmonkey Games.

A never ending abstract landscape of rhythm and soft glamour. Wander the halls, rooms, and chambers. Encounter strange Denizens and get to know them better; befriend them, fall in love, just chill. Try and fill out your own blurred edges. Fractal Romance is a tabletop role playing hangout. You will pick up a character to play and explore the Fractal Palace, generating its infinite sprawl and the Denizens that inhabit it, as you play.

Fractal Romance is all about searching; for something you need, something you want, or even for who you are. It feels rather surreal, perhaps like a dream dimension that you are moving through. The game uses a deck of cards to generate rooms, as well as the denizens of this gigantic, dream-like palace. This game uses rather simplistic playbooks, each asking you to choose three descriptive words, and then uses cards to fuel your character’s actions: you have things you can always do, things that cost a card to do, and things that you must do in order to draw another card.

If what you want out of a game is a chill time with friends, moving from one vibe to another, and generating emotional stories for your characters, you might want to check out Fractal Romance.

Himbos of Myth and Mettle, by huge boar.

You are big. Big arms, big tits, big thighs, big brai- you're big where it matters. In addition to a heaving, throbbing body, glistening lightly with a thin sheen of pleasantly fragrant perspirant, you have one singular unifying trait  - come hell or high water, you are going to help.

Himbos of Myth & Mettle is a high fantasy, high camp role playing game of epic proportions (of body), for 2-5 players, one of whom will act as Game Guide.  The rules center around a simple roll under mechanic and prioritize narrative flair and cinematic descriptions. Himbos is inspired by many classic fantasy properties (and could be considered OSR adjacent) , but leans towards a more garish, salacious and queer (gay or odd, pick your fighter) style of play. It is designed with comedy and flamboyance in mind, but is not without it deeper and darker touches. It's definitely not grimdark, but there will probably be blood. Think classic fantasy pulp in style, but contemporary sensibilities, modern rules-lite mechanics, and a player philosophy centred in helping, kindness and being fucking hot.

I’ve heard rave reviews for Himbos, and I think the idea of leading an entire group of well-meaning but possibly over-ambitious adventurers is a great set-up for a game full of laughs. Himbos is very much designed for a light-hearted evening of fun, flirting, and fucking up (but in the best way).

Other Games from the Bundle I've Recommended:

Space Taxi, and Creation Myths, by GothHoblin.

Caltrop Core, by Titanomachy.

Souvenirs, by Rémi Töötätä.

Thunder in Our Hearts, by Marn. S.

Eldritch Courts of Some Repute, by AlanofAllTrades.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Scott Moe says his Saskatchewan Party would issue a directive banning “biological boys” from using school changing rooms with “biological girls” if it forms government again on Oct. 28. Moe says the move is in response to a recent complaint that some biological males changed for gym class with girls at a school in southeast Saskatchewan. He says school divisions should already have change room policies, but a provincial policy would ensure all have the rule in place. The Saskatchewan Party government passed legislation last year that requires parents consent to children under 16 using different names or pronouns at school.

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Tagging: @newsfromstolenland

[vintagelasvegas]

Dean Martin at Las Vegas Country Club, undated circa '69-'71

History of Las Vegas Country Club

aka Las Vegas International Country & Tennis Club ('67-69), Bonanza Country Club ('69-70), Las Vegas Country Club (1971-)

In the mid 60s the former Las Vegas Park Race Track was defunct and the landowner was dead. The estate of Joe W. Brown sold the property in '65 to National Equities Inc., a division of Levin-Townsend Computer Corp.

Chairman Marvin Kratter developed the country club. It opened Oct. ‘67 as International Country Club. The name was changed to Bonanza Country Club in Apr. ‘69 after Levin-Townsend bought the Bonanza Hotel & Casino. The property was sold late ‘70 to Realty Holdings (Moe Dalitz, Harry Lahr, Nate Adelson and Irwin Molasky) who renamed it Las Vegas Country Club. It became a private country club in ‘71, and eventually an equity membership Club that has operated as such to this date.

While the country club was being developed National Equities sold some 60 acres to Kirk Kerkorian for The International Hotel, and 20 acres to Clark County for an expansion of the Convention Center. The southeast section was saved for what would be come Regency Towers, Las Vegas’ first residential high-rise.

• Photos of Las Vegas Country Club

All photos from Las Vegas Country Club. Below: (1) Marvin Kratter (center), others unknown, at a groundbreaking ceremony after the country club was already open. (2) Invitation to the opening of International Country Club. (3) Clubhouse. 3000 Joe W. Brown Dr, Las Vegas.

Sources. Race Track Site of New LV Project. Review-Journal, 8/9/65; International Country Club Golf Club Here. Review-Journal, 12/26/65; New Country Club and Golf Course. Review-Journal, 7/16/67; International Country Club Given New Name. Review-Journal, 4/13/69; Bonanza Golf Club, land sold. Review-Journal, 11/4/70.

[gemsofgreece]

Do greeks consider themselves as eastern european/balkan or do you hate that ? In france, the greek diaspora consider itself eastern euro and feels a bond with other balkaners, unlike the italians and french e.g, BUT on the english speaking internet it is the whole opposite, you seemed to be offended being called something else than southern european. I remember having an argument on reddit where i was saying that greece is EE because commie times arent a good indicators as it was 30 years ago for only 45 years while the old latin west greek east (catholic vs orthodox, rome vs constantinople) division was better as it lasted 2000 years, on top of being ottoman for 4 centuries which was the OG meaning of balkans and that in southEAST europe there is EAST. But all of the greeks said that they were 100% south europe only like the pigs and not e.g montenegro and that they were actually closer to WE.

The average greek and your thoughts on this ?

I can't speak for the average Greek because there's a joke saying "in the room there are three Greeks and seven opinions", you know...

Balkans and East Europe are not synonyms. The Balkans are a small part in the south of East Europe. Greeks are Balkaners to the core but the more you reach into the north fringes of the Balkans and farther towards North East Europe, the similarities start falling apart. In this sense, Greece is indeed more South Europe than East Europe because Greece has similarities with pretty much all South European countries, even Portugal, and it has fewer similarities with, say, the Baltic countries or Poland or Hungary. Personally, I think the region of noticeable similarities to Greece end somewhere across Croatia and Romania. In the East the similarities may extend farther in the countries where Orthodoxy is the prevalent religion so well into Southwest Russia and then towards Caucasus. Anyway my point is, a Greek will likely get more easily along with a Catholic Spanish or a Portuguese person than with a Catholic Slovenian or Hungarian person who are far closer geographically. Therefore, Greece is indeed more South Europe than East Europe.

The Greek people you noticed who did not get along with French or Italians, that's probably incidental. Typically Greeks get along with both South Europeans and other Balkaners, with the southern Greeks and islanders gravitating towards the former and northern Greeks gravitating towards the latter. Perhaps those Greeks were Northern Greeks. Perhaps they also bonded with other Balkaners on the basis of both being immigrants, as opposed to the local French.

Greece is Southeast and Balkan Europe, therefore it is East Europe by definition. The problem is that a) nowadays Greeks have very poor knowledge of history and b) there is this unfortunate stereotype permeating across the continent that tRuE Europe = Northwest Europe and that the east is backwards and underdeveloped. And because Greece is ALSO a honorary member of West Europe, Greeks have latched on this “convenient” opportunity to at least verbally distance themselves from East Europe, losing parts of their identity and their understanding of it in the process.

Now you may ask “what the hell is a honorary member of West Europe”. Well, Greece. Because of this whole “cradle of western civilisation” thing, the West honorarily accepts Greece as part of Western Europe. I don’t know if people realise that while it’s good when someone tells you “I want you to be part of us out of honour”, it’s extremely problematic in its essence because it screams the inherent superiority syndrome of West Europe. “We have picked up your entire culture so we allow you to be considered West Europe.” Well, thanks, but no thanks, folks.

Take a look at that:

See? It was not just angry Reddit Greeks. This is technically the "official" international stance on the matter.

There are in fact even foreign people who don't think Greece is part of the Balkans at all, which is insane because why would you even call it Balkan "peninsula" if not for Greece being in it??????? I repeat, Greece is 100% a Balkan country. Not only that but Greeks are one of the four Palaeo-Balkan peoples (Greeks - Thracians - Illyrians - Dacians).

And here’s where I am going to add one more layer to your mail, the biggest misconception about the Greeks, the one that the foreigners are just as guilty of, if not even more; you said, Greeks are more Eastern Europeans because of East Rome / Byzantine Empire and Ottomans. Well, that’s only part of it. There is simply no part of Greek history that is not eastern because the Ancient Greek was an eastern civilisation! One of the major ancient civilisations springing from the culture hub of the Near East and its periphery. Greeks interacted for centuries with Egyptians, Persians, Hittites, Phoenicians etc before they finally interacted with westerners, the Romans, and to whom they culturally gave more than they took. But even that was forgotten in the Middle Ages in the west (but not in the eastern - of course - Roman / Byzantine Empire). The Ancient Greek heritage was only re-discovered in West Europe during the Renaissance and the Enlightenment and that’s when West Europeans “remembered” suddenly that they are cultural children of the Ancient Greeks (well they aren’t, at least not organically) and therefore they now have to suffer modern Greece being acknowledged as part of the west because they don’t want to spell out that “Western Civilization” is just the formation of several western contemporary societies using elements from the foundations of an ancient Eastern Civilization. Westerners would love to think West sprang from a parthenogenesis but in truth the West sprang from the East.

So, yes, the Greeks started as Easterners, kept being Easterners and they are still Easterners. This however does not mean that they have all that many similarities to Eastern Europeans who expand on the north. Greeks have more connections to the south, the southwest and to the true east. They are technically less now though compared to all past periods of Greece because it is only after the independence and the formation of the modern state that Greeks became so west-oriented. The reason for this was their urgent need to distance themselves as much as possible from Turkey and find allies and supporters in the west, who would be willing to aid and support in the basis of protecting “the cradle of the West”.

Here I must add that the West has indeed taken a lot from Ancient Greece and respects it way more than the East (due to the recent historical and religious developments there). All I say is it was not organic, it was not the natural evolution of the western culture. And I am not saying Greece should distance itself from the West. No, I do think we should have strong bonds and be companions and co-members and allies but that doesn’t mean we should rewrite history and erase our identity in the name of this alliance. I am fine with Greece being the most west-friendly country of East Europe, which it already is. I just wished Greeks celebrated more their Eastern identity, rekindled their relations to any potential alienated eastern friends and did not fall victims into one of the biggest historical propagandas and misconceptions there are: Ancient Greeks = Western and powerful versus Byzantine and Modern Greeks = Eastern therefore useless and different people.

To end this far too long ongoing discourse, Greeks are all the following:

Europeans

South Europeans

Balkaners

Mediterraneans

(not applying to everybody) descended from Anatolians - Greek Asians - from Asia Minor

East Europeans

currently so politically and financially western allied and so influential to the west that they are essentially perceived to function more like West Europeans than East Europeans, without however being true Western Europeans

[sharp-silver4795]

Creepypasta Mansion HC’s

Ok, I figured yall need to know my “au”(?) for creepypasta if we gonna keep doin this.

Once again, I’m gonna put headers and color codes. There are no warnings necessary.

Color code is by the amount of work each section has to do.

None >> Least >> Decent >> too much

Housing [General]

So I’m a bit conflicted on how I think about “mansion”- either the “traditional” idea of the mansion, or (my more main version) ⬇️

I can see it as “the mansion” is an area of land, and not an actual building. Each of the creeps are grouped in different ways to live together in groups of 3-4. I tend to lean towards this one. So, for these HCs I’m gonna stick to this version.

“The Mansion” is divided into four main sections:

True Mansion: the actual mansion. Only the Slenderman/Operator resides here.

Inner Mansion: the smallest occupied area of the mansion. That being said, it has no divisions. This is reserved for most of the Proxies.

Mid-Mansion: The largest collective area of the mansion. It has four divisions. It is the most occupied.

Outer-Mansion: The largest complete area of the mansion. Has no divisions. Has the least amount of occupants.

The rest of my head cannons are going to be sorted by these areas of the mansion. The true mansion will not be included for obvious reasons.

Inner Mansion

Occupants: Rogue Proxy, Wilson the Basher, Kate the Chaser, Masky, Hoodie, Kat Hunter, Neon Spike (OC)

One cabin with two levels. The girls are on the lower level, the boys are on the second.

They have the least amount of work due to no one actually being able to get that far into the mansion grounds.

Mid-Mansion: Game Freaks

The far western section of the mid manor.

Occupants: BEN Drowned, Lost Silver, Herobrine, Dark Link, Glitchy Red, Sonic.EXE

It has one cabin with only one level, but they’re share rooms.

Mid-Mansion: Circus Freaks

Eastern most area. It actually has two cabins due to disputes between certain individuals

Despite being called “Circus Freaks” not all of them are based on a circus.

Southeast Occupants: Laughing Jack, Jason the Toymaker, Candy Pop

Northeast Occupants: Laughing Jill, Doll Maker, Candy Cane

Out of all the sections of the mid mansion, they have the least amount of work.

Mid-Mansion: Outsiders/Defensive Rebellion

So, backstory: there are two parts of the mansion called the “Rebellion”. This is because they don’t exactly “fit” with other creeps. They’re wildcards, if you will.

Called “Defensive Rebellion” because they are at the second North and South Levels.

There are two cabins, one in the north and one in the south.

Northern Occupants: Jane the Killer, Nina the Killer, Nathan the Nobody

Southern Occupants: Puppeteer, Clockwork, X-Virus

I will probably make a separate HC post for the proxies to explain why X-Virus is here.

The North does nothing. The south has a good bit on their hands though.

Outer-Mansion/Offensive Rebellion

Alright. The largest area of the mansion without divisions.

It has one cabin, and four occupants: Ticci Toby, Jeff the Killer, Eyeless Jack, and Liu Woods. (I refuse to call him Homicidal Liu it just sounds weird.)

They have the most work due to this being the first area of the mansion.

But they paid the big bucks 💰💰💰

They kind of solo the different areas of the OR.

Toby takes the Northeast + East, Jeff takes the Northwest + West, EJ takes the southwest, and Liu takes the southeast.

Other Stuff

To the south of the mansion grounds there is a highway that is right next to the city.

That being said, the south of the mansion is usually how people get in.

The mansion isn’t really big into fighting Zalgo and shit, they just protect the grounds for the most part.

Well, I hope ya liked this one. Sorry that my posts are really long, I just try to be thorough-

[userautumn]

Fact Check & Recap (Oct. 8, 2024):

Mike Johnson, a Republican in the House of Representatives [Legislative Branch, the branch of US Government that has several powers assigned exclusively to it, including the power to initiate revenue bills, impeach federal officials, and elect the President in the case of an Electoral College tie] is hesitant to reconvene the House to provide disaster relief funding until after United States Presidential election, which will occur on November 5th, 2024.

Joe Biden, the current United States President, wrote a letter urging Congress [Congress is comprised of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Senate takes action on bills, resolutions, amendments, motions, nominations, and treaties by voting] to provide funding to the Small Business Administration's disaster relief loan program to help the effected communities rebuild and cover financial losses due to natural disaster.

Mike Johnson is refusing on the grounds that the individual states which were effected "need some time to [calculate the actual damages]."

Donald Trump and the Republican party are claiming that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is allocating funds toward aiding migrants who are entering the country illegally. This information is false. FEMA and Border Control are two different divisions with two different avenues of funding [FEMA is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, and the funds cannot be reappropriated for another division. Source: Congressional Budget Office; FEMA Hurrican Helene Fact Check Rumor Response]

Mike Johnson is using this lie to divide the American people and to foster a sense of distrust in FEMA, one of the agency's Donald Trump plans to gut and disable through state-by-state privatization once he enacts his harrowing Project 2025 plan.

Johnson has said, "The American people are disgusted by [the Biden Administration allegedly using FEMA money for migrant relocation], up with it, and so are Republicans in Congress. And it will stop after Nov. 5, because we’re going to have unified government with Republicans in charge and we will bring sanity back to this situation.”

Source (NBC News):

Mike Johnson won't commit to bringing House back before the election for more hurricane relief.

In a letter to congressional leaders, Biden urged Congress to restore funding to the Small Business Administration’s disaster loan program as it faces potential funding shortfalls.

By Summer Concepcion

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday did not commit to calling Congress back into session before the election after President Joe Biden pressed congressional leaders about potential funding shortfalls in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

In an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” Johnson was asked about Biden’s letter to congressional leaders on Friday requesting more money for federal disaster recovery efforts and after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned that the department doesn’t have enough money to get through the rest of hurricane season.

In his letter, the president urged Congress to restore funding to the Small Business Administration’s disaster loan program, which was facing potential funding shortfalls even before Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the Southeast. The president noted that the White House requested more funding for the program as Congress prepared a short-term funding bill that passed last month to avert a government shutdown.

Pressed on whether he would call Congress back into session before the election, Johnson replied, “We’ll be back in session immediately after the election.”

“That’s 30 days from now. The thing about these hurricanes and disasters of this magnitude is it takes a while to calculate the actual damages, and the states are going to need some time to do that,” Johnson said, adding that determining “specific needs and requests based upon the actual damages” from natural disasters takes time.

Johnson noted that before Congress went on recess, the day before Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida, Congress appropriated $20 billion additional dollars to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to address immediate needs.

“Then after that, Congress always takes its the due approach of providing what is necessary,” he said. “Congress will provide. We will help people in these disaster-prone areas. It’s an appropriate role for the federal government, and you’ll have bipartisan support for that, and it’ll all happen in due time, and we’ll get that job done. There shouldn’t be any concern about that.”

Johnson’s comments come after Biden said in remarks at the White House last week he expects to ask Congress for a supplemental funding request for areas affected by Hurricane Helene.

Asked at the time whether he would ask Congress to return from recess for a special session for a supplemental request, the president left the possibility open, saying, “That is something I may have to request, but no decision’s been made yet.”

Congress has taken swift action on funding natural disaster relief efforts in the past even when it was on recess, a Biden administration official noted when reached for comment.

Johnson’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Johnson was also pressed about false claims by some Republicans that FEMA was using funds on migrants who have illegally entered the country instead of on the disaster response, which White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called “categorically false” on Friday.

The speaker acknowledged that the streams of funding for the border and hurricane response are different at FEMA before going on to insist that FEMA’s mission is to help people affected by natural disasters, and not engage in funding that helps migrants who crossed the southern border.

Johnson claimed, without evidence, that the Biden administration, Vice President Kamala Harris and Mayorkas “have been engaged in this program,” saying they used taxpayer dollars to assist migrants with resettlement by reimbursing nongovernmental organizations transporting migrants into the country.

“The American people are disgusted by this, up with it, and so are Republicans in Congress,” he said. “And it will stop after Nov. 5, because we’re going to have unified government with Republicans in charge and we will bring sanity back to this situation.”

[preservationofnormalcy]

Are there any other harmful extranormal religions to look out for? Other than Radiant Heart, I mean.

I’ve actually been meaning to put out some information on this. We’ve been seeing a lot of weird stuff lately in certain areas of the country and we haven’t yet collated it into an official statement. I checked and I’m okay to give you a rundown of this ahead of a more detailed overview later on.

If you’re in the southeast of the United States, please keep an eye out for an organization of interest that seems to be self-identifying as Cult of the Coaxial. Currently several members of their organization are wanted for—

You might wanna put a content warning on this one, Norm.

Oh, right. That’s smart. You okay?

I hear hold music in my head when my phone is across the room.

Yeah, that’ll do it. Anyway, uh, content warning for explicit mentions of violence here. Theft, murder, assault, brain uploading, extranormal mutilation and/or vivisection, torture, attempted apotheosis, transmogrification, attempted creation of a post-post-post-human being via cyborgification, trafficking harmful extranormal items, the list sort of goes on.

We’re still trying to nail down a belief system or ontology. The ones we’ve managed to corner are not super…talkative. But we think that they’re related to The Signal, an extranormal force/phenomenon our AbTech division dealt with in the 1980s. We don’t know much about that either, but what we do know is that it travels or exists entirely within analog transmission devices and exerts a cognitohazardous effect on humans or near-humans.

Now, we don’t know how widespread they are, but we’re asking people to keep their eyes open for the following warning signs:

- cathode ray tube televisions behaving oddly

- an abnormal amount of static in televisions or radios

- a heightened interest in cathode ray tube televisions in the local population up to and including theft of such devices

- abnormal appearance and behavior of visually standard coaxial cables including growth, self-propulsion, splitting and “ivy” behavior

- blood or other substances “leaking” from the aforementioned devices

- persons using the aforementioned devices in place of surgically removed body parts, or integrated into the body. This includes coaxial cables, televisions, radios, VHS tapes or players, etc.

- graffiti or markings relating to any of the above

Please report any and all deleterious analog activity to our Office tip line.

[southeastasianists]

The Philippines is known as a country that supports political dynasties, and powerful clans have played a major role in the country’s politics for decades. But in the last week of June, Vice President Sara Duterte made an announcement that rocked the nation as her family appears to be gearing up to take political dynasties to the next level. On June 28, the vice president confirmed that her father, Former President Rodrigo Duterte, and her brothers, Davao First District Rep. Paolo Duterte and Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, will all run for senator in the 2025 elections. 

Social media is all abuzz with news of this development, with those supporting the Duterte camp ecstatic at the possibility of having all three Dutertes in the Senate. However, those who are staunchly against this have been equally loud on Twitter and Facebook, calling the country’s political system a joke. As one of the most influential political families in the country have benefited from the results of a well-executed social media strategy in the last presidential elections, Filipinos can expect that the Internet will once again turn into an all-out war zone in the coming months. But can social media bring about the downfall of political dynasties, or will it take them to new heights? Here’s what you need to know about the influence of social media on political dynasties in the Philippines. 

Social Media Brought the Marcoses Back to Power

For two decades, Filipinos had to submit to the rules of Ferdinand Marcos’ regime as the former president enforced Martial Law. Historians attest that his dictatorship resulted in over 3,000 extrajudicial killings and more than 30,000 tortures, apart from other human rights violations. The Marcoses also infamously stole $5 to $10 billion from the Central Bank of the Philippines as stated in the documents provided by the Presidential Commission on Good Government. 

After the assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr., Marcos was blamed for his death. The family immediately fell from grace as Aquino’s supporters joined hands to support his widow, Corazon Aquino, during the People Power Revolution of 1986. Mrs. Aquino became the new President of the Philippines, while the Marcoses were exiled in Hawaii. In 1989, the matriarch, Imelda, as well as Marcos’ children were allowed to return to the country, and from there, they started planning their political comeback. Their return to politics started with Imelda winning a congressional seat in 1995, while her children, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Imee Marcos, won positions in local government. 

After Bongbong was elected as a senator in the 2010 elections, it was only a matter of time before he decided to run in the presidential elections. In 2022, Bongbong was up against nine other presidential candidates, the most notable being Leni Robredo, who was the Vice President at that time. It was reported that social media campaigns to discredit Robredo, a strong disinformation campaign, and online efforts to revise history contributed to Bongbong’s win, putting the Marcoses firmly back in power. That election year was one of the most divisive times in Philippine history, as it resulted in the falling out of families, the shut down of a major TV network, and increased hostility in social media platforms. 

Political Dynasties and Their Hold on Social Media

Political analysts are saying that the Philippines is where it is right now because certain politicians have turned public office into family businesses. With everyone complaining about the ever-increasing prices of commodities, lack of jobs, and non-stop graft and corruption for so many years now, many would think that Filipinos should have had enough of political families by this time. However, with politicians becoming social media savvy in recent years, it’s likely that more political dynasties will rise in the future. With the majority of Filipinos perpetually online, it’s likely that political clans will take to the Internet to gather support for their family members who are vying for a place in politics.

Other than the Dutertes, political analyst Edmund Tayao predicts that there will be more families running together in the upcoming senate elections. Siblings Pia and Alan Cayetano currently have seats in the senate, and so do Cynthia Villar and her son Mark. They are all projected to run for reelection in 2025. Meanwhile, 3 members of the Tulfo family, which has four members in congress, are also said to run in the senate elections. Their bid for a senate seat will be confirmed upon the filing of Certificates of Candidacy in October.

Countering Political Misinformation on Social Media

Certain influencers have found ways to spread disinformation on social media as a way to promote some political families, but anti-disinformation advocates have also taken to TikTok and Facebook to fight political misinformation. Genealogist Mona Magno-Veluz is one such TikTok personality who is actively battling historical and political misinformation. There’s also the local civic society organization Break the Fake movement, which regularly holds seminars to train influencers to fact-check their sources. 

AI tools have also been used by fact-checking initiatives such as FactsFirstPH to fight disinformation. Meanwhile, to inform the youth about election-related information, nonprofit corporation Pinas Forward created the E-Boto website, which contains background information for all national candidates, presented in a Gen Z-friendly, TikTok style.

Can Social Media Eradicate Political Dynasties in the Philippines?

Social media has made it easier to access information, but it has also created opportunities to spread disinformation and propaganda techniques to sway the results of elections. Knowing how to distinguish facts from lies, and putting a stop to historical revisionism can protect Filipinos from repeating past mistakes. Fact-checking information, hearing the opinions of a diverse group of people, and educating the public about the dangers of disinformation, fear mongering, hate speech, and cyberbullying may all help to boost the nation’s media literacy and prevent political families from dominating in the upcoming elections. 

But as long as Filipinos keep voting for candidates who share the same beliefs and principles as their family members who are in power, no amount of protests on Facebook or Twitter can change the country’s political landscape. As proven by the current administration, social media will continue to be a valuable tool for political dynasties jockeying for power. After all, it helped a once shunned family to regain their place in politics, so no one should be surprised if it enables multiple family members – even those who are blatantly unqualified – to be elected into public office. 

Nina Sumsy Nina Sumsy is a freelance writer with a background in journalism

[eretzyisrael]

BY ALLISON TOMBROS KORMAN

As the war ramped up, it was clear that this issue was not going away. Not only was I struggling to process Oct. 7 with friends, family, and my community, I was also navigating the conflict every day at work. As the only Jewish voice in the organization, I was repeatedly put in the position to speak for all Jewish people—an impossible task—or to defend my perspective and why it did not align with that of Jewish Voices for Peace, a group that purports to represent Jews but rejects the basic premise of a Jewish homeland, or similar entities. At the same time, if I advocated for DCAF staying out of this discussion, I was told I was silencing the organization and its staff. I shared my heartbreak about the violence against both Israelis and Palestinians and how, though complex, these feelings could coexist. In return, it was explained to me, often by people with no direct connection to the land or its people, that I needed to understand “context.”

At the same time, other abortion funds and reproductive health organizations began issuing statements about what was happening in Gaza. These statements contained much of the same offensive nomenclature as DCAF’s draft and some, like ARC-Southeast’s letter, went further, calling Zionism—the belief that Israel simply has a right to exist—“a contradiction to Reproductive Justice.” Every member of the DCAF staff except me signed on to a letter to the board advising them that they would be participating in a walkout in support of Palestine. The letter noted, “We are using our collective power as DCAF workers to show up for Gazans and call for an immediate ceasefire, as well as liberation for Palestinians ... we cannot ignore the mass violations to human rights and sexual and reproductive health outcomes that we’re seeing out of Gaza.” Remarkably, the letter neglected any mention of health outcomes for the Israeli survivors of rape or assault, or for the hostages.

In an effort to work collaboratively and keep focused on our primary objectives, we agreed that establishing social media procedures was a critical next step. On Nov. 14, I and the communications team sat down to decide what, if anything, DCAF would be posting about the war and to ensure there were not more situations like that which occurred around the “Gaza Carousel.” I recognized that my colleagues felt strongly that DCAF should weigh in on this discussion, and in an effort to compromise, I agreed to a process that would allow DCAF to uplift existing content from trusted partners in the field, but not create original content, as this would be beyond our expertise. We agreed to abstain from using nomenclature that could be distracting or divisive to our community, such as the “Free Palestine” hashtag or calling Israel’s actions “genocide.” We developed a system to review and discuss potentially controversial content related to the war before posting, starting with a small group of reviewers, including me, and escalating to a vote by a mix of board and staff.

The following morning, I circulated the notes from that meeting to DCAF leadership and members of the Board. At 3 p.m. that day, I was alerted by a Jewish DCAF volunteer that the DCAF Instagram feed featured graphics from The Washington Post about deaths in Gaza with commentary overlaid, specifically that “collective punishment is the tool of fascists” and that what was happening in Gaza was “a prime and top-of-mind example of said collective punishment.” I immediately flagged this for the communications team and asked if perhaps the content was posted inadvertently since it violated the norms we had established in the meeting the previous day. Surely, equating the actions of the entire State of Israel with fascism was a perspective that needed to be discussed as potentially controversial. They assured me the post was intentional (they later stealthily removed it).

Immediately, DCAF received angry messages from Jewish members of their community. The messages criticized DCAF for being so one-sided on the issue. They were furious that DCAF, who claimed to deeply value reproductive justice, had remained silent on the rapes of Israeli women. They stated that as Jews, they felt abandoned by and isolated from the organization.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

I would like to hear you elaborate :D

-Sky Floor

Well don't mind if I do! :D (Y'all are spoiling me tonight <3)

The noble families and divisions of Hyrule were like this:

To the northwest of the castle lay the Mountains and Forests of Peace, a land coveted for its sacred history. Legend claims that gods descended from the sky here. (The Breach of Demise is here, but at this stage it’s hidden in narrow canyons and forgotten to the world, except for legend – the Master Sword rests here, and hasn’t been touched since Skyward Sword Link placed it there). It’s run by House Serenne. This land would later be the place where Link, Hero of Power, uses the sword to maintain the seal on one of the pieces of Ganon’s soul, and the Temple of the Sacred Sword will be built there in the future. The area is known for its religious history and attracts many pilgrims. Its primary staple, therefore, is tourism. It also houses the Sages, which gives it a great amount of political power.

Directly north of the castle is the Lost Woods. The forest is mostly left alone, but the area outside of it house several villages, and it has a heavy military presence. The people who live here are used to fighting against the strange creatures of the woods and the occasional beast, as well as hunting or their resources as there isn’t much space for farming. They’re hardy and produce many soldiers for Hyrule. It’s known as the Woodlands, and its run by House Laruson.

Northeast of the castle is Death Mountain. King Ozen foolishly auctioned this land off to a rich Hylian family, infuriating the Gorons, though they didn’t have the ability to fight the entire Hyrulian army. It’s run by House Ishita. Zelda works to break the Ishita hold on the area, as Goron uprisings become prevalent after the war when they see weakness they can exploit.

To the south is Lake Hylia, a massive body of water with a few fishing villages lining its shores. These villages also trade with the elusive Zora. South of the lake are more settlements, but they’re not part of Hyrule. They offer trade with the fishing villages, though. This area is run by House Mabe.

Central Hyrule is still ruled by the king. It houses Kakariko Village and is a bustling place for trade. It also boasts the largest population of wild horses and has a booming horse business as a result. Lady Lon is the richest rancher in the land.

To the southwest are the Wastelands – an area that is mostly devoid of settlements except for the few who managed to make a home there. They are among the hardiest of Hyrule, and they are the few who interact with the Gerudo. No noble bothered to claim this land, and it’s therefore run entirely by the marshal of the area. After the war, this area is heavily reinforced and populated by soldiers, bringing trade and business to the area. A general is in charge of the Wastelands until Zelda places a noble in its care – Lady Muni of House Ishita, who agreed to it when she recognized that Ishita was going to lose its power in the Goron lands.

The Gerudo desert is massive – it spans the southern border of Hyrule in its entirety. It has several cities within its expanses, and its center of trade is in the Wastelands. The largest city is Lagema Town, and the two other settlements are Lanayru Village and Roosen Village. Lanayru is the farthest away, resting in the southeast, while Roosen is directly south and Lagema is the southwest. Roosen deals with Ordon Province, an independent province from Hyrule, while Lanayru sits in what remains of the Lanayru Desert. The magic of timeshift instruments has been lost, but glowing crystals and mysterious discoveries of the past still tantalize the few who manage to make it out there. Lagema has a rough history with the Wastelands, sometimes trading and sometimes stealing from them. Lagema is the seat of authority for the Gerudo people. After the war, all three settlements have been destroyed. Hemisi builds Gerudo Town in the southwest, while a scant amount of Gerudo survivors refuse to listen to her rule because of the actions of her father. She leaves them, protecting the rest of her people. Eventually, the Gerudo rebuild themselves but have a shaky relationship with Hyrule.

The Seven Sages

The Sage of Light – Traditionally a member of the royal family. The sage’s seat has been empty, and King Ozen had planned to fill it with Zelda when she came of age. Zelda does traditionally fill this role, though it’s not made official until the other sages try to put someone in there to get power. Eventually is filled by Zelda’s daughter, Missa.

The Sage of Shadow – Peloz, a female Sheikah who is very powerful in magic. Aunt to Chief Impa. Very strongly in league with the royal family. Did not like the coup, and did not acknowledge Zelda as the rightful ruler until Link married her.

The Sage of Water – Bansen, a Hylian male from the region of the Wetlands, where Lake Hylia is. He has good relations with the Zora, a mysterious water species of people that Hyrule has had trouble having any kind of relationship with. He’s pretty neutral in terms of loyalties; tries to do his duty, but he won’t sway the Zora one way or the other, and he does not want to get involved in the political war brewing, but also doesn’t want his life to be a living hell, so he’ll sway for whoever pressures him the most.

The Sage of Time – Another traditional position of the royal family. Tradition was broken when King Ozen gave it to one of his lovers, Ora. She holds no magic over time, but it was an open position to be filled. As such, she’ll do anything to maintain this position as it gives her prestige and power. Usually does so by sleeping with whoever she needs to. She tries this with Link and it does not go well. However, they can’t just throw her out despite the dishonor she tries to push on Link, and he despises that. It’s another point of contention between him and Zelda. Eventually, Zelda finds a way to get rid of her, and Sonia takes her place.

The Sage of Fire – Kuzu, a Hylian male from House Ishita. Given the fact that Zelda seems keen on giving the Goron lands back to the Gorons, lands which belong to House Ishita, Kuzu is very staunchly against her.

The Sage of Spirit – Ophea, a member of House Serenne. Her family traditionally fills this role, which is another reason they managed to become powerful enough to rule the entire region. Clearly not going to be in favor of Zelda since she overthrew the man who gave her family more power.

The Sage of Lightning – Originally Elkan, a warrior known as the Thunder Knight due to his booming battle cry and powerful fighting abilities. Staunchly loyal to the royal family. Died during the war. One of Zelda’s first tasks is to replace him at the end of the war, and she chooses Elkan’s son, Molik. Molik is not as strong a warrior, but he is just as proud and wishes to do his part. His loyalty to the queen is what earns him this position.

[bethanysnow]

Breakeven.

Prt 1.

Bang Chan X Plus Size Reader. Fluff mild angst. Slow burn?

The news broke that V from BTS's stalker was apprehended. The fact that someone got so close sent shock waves through the major companies to up security. Guards for even the groups that didn't have a major following, it felt incredibly necessary. Keeping the artists behind closed doors like hamsters in wheels and a very colorful and elaborate cage. The studio Stray Kids though did the majority of their work for their latest mixtape was across the street from a cafe. The road was mainly foot traffic and standing there on the concrete pavement was a woman with a guitar.

A foreigner. As divisive as that word is in South Korea, that's what she was...singing in English songs from a while back. Breakeven by The Script, Need You Now by Lady Antebellum. This heartache verbalized in the cry of the street. She bowed quietly with the smallest smile if people tipped her, that's at least what Chan noticed from his tower. Yes, the great tower of the unmarked building in the middle of the city. No one knew he was there, nor what the building was. Everyone below him just too busy with their own day to notice. He was grateful for that, but he found himself wanting to be amongst the people. Be there, go grocery shopping, go to a cafe. Exist in the cosmos of the cosmopolitin. So, looking out of the window of the studio he watched this woman. Living vicariously through her. He could hear her if he tried really hard with the window open, but most of the time it was when he snuck into the building he could hear.

Felix was setting down his things in a chair before seeing his friend deep in thought, not moving a muscle, just looking out the window. Walking beside him the blonde followed his eyeline to the girl.

"You know you can go say hi-"

Chan jumped not noticing the new presence slamming his hand over his heart. "Ah!-oh, hi...I dunno what you're talking about..." Brushing the comment off. Felix just raised a brow.

"You stand here and what...stare at her? Man, that's creepy- you wear a mask and a hat and go over. Say Hello"

Chan just shrugged. That was the thing with Bang Chan. With his life experience, the thing he never wanted was to be hurt like he was in the past. To suffer again the things he did getting here. There of course are other things, but when you are in this life it's far easier to make up stories about the driver, the barista, or grocery delivery person? Then to actually...know them. For then they could leave and you would be left alone. Parasocial relationships go both ways remember? So Chan for the first time in a while has had the time to look at the same girl and imagine. Imagine her life, why was she in Korea? Why did she always sing sad songs? Maybe she was a student and this is how she made extra money, or was stranded here and needed to find funds for a plane back home. Or just she liked singing.

So many questions and thoughts and contemplations on the idea of a person, a person he didn't know. While he and Felix went actually into the studio to work he couldn't get her off his mind.

~~

Y/n though was very busy at work. It was hard to get people to notice you when you're in a larger body. At least notice you for the right reasons, notice the voice, the talent (as if). Southeast Asia had the beauty standard of a pin and people paid millions of dollars to fit it. The clothes, the almost infantilization of women? 'Cutesy' shit that made her skin crawl, she could dress like an idol, speak the language fluently, get her hair done at those fancy salons that give you tea; wouldn't be enough. So Y/n decided not to participate. She would sing, play guitar, and let that be the reason she was content. Be understood and heard through music. A couple months out of the year she visited a cousin who lived in Busan for work. Taking a week or so to visit Seoul it was her mission to live. Experience everything she could. That included what she normally did back home, just...here. Where Y/n would sing in front of a Starbucks or a dunkin, or dutch bros really whatever mall adjacent location would allow her to get a set in. Finding a cafe who agreed to let her perform on their property she set up. She just knew this wasn't a hot spot for tourism so felt comfortable in her ignorance if someone made comments she wouldn't super be able to understand them.

So she sang. Song after song not noticing at all the peering eyes from the man a floor above her.

Where Chris was watching. Dreaming of what she sounded like when she laughed, if she had a boyfriend or if he really should say hi to her...fate would have to decide as the rest of 3racha filed into the studio.

And so.....fate did decide.

~too be continued

[captain-price-unofficially]

An LCVP from the US Coast Guard's USS LST-168 taking Australian troops of the 7th Division ashore during the landings at Balikpapan, southeast coatcoat of Borneo, on 1 July 1945.

[rabbitcruiser]

Allen's Lookout, BC (No. 1)

The Liard River of the North American boreal forest flows through Yukon, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, Canada. Rising in the Saint Cyr Range of the Pelly Mountains in southeastern Yukon, it flows 1,115 km (693 mi) southeast through British Columbia, marking the northern end of the Rocky Mountains and then curving northeast back into Yukon and Northwest Territories, draining into the Mackenzie River at Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories. The river drains approximately 277,100 km2 (107,000 sq mi) of boreal forest and muskeg.

The river habitats are a subsection of the Lower Mackenzie Freshwater Ecoregion. The area around the river in Yukon is called the Liard River Valley, and the Alaska Highway follows the river for part of its route. This surrounding area is also referred to as the Liard Plain, and is a physiographic section of the larger Yukon–Tanana Uplands province, which in turn is part of the larger Intermontane Plateaus physiographic division.

The Liard River is a crossing area for Nahanni wood bison.

Source: Wikipedia