#The Official Author Lady Opaque
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
âA Rose by Any Other Nameâ â Poetry by Lesley Michelle Patterson AKA Lady Opaque
Unwavering, the giant rose topples the base of the concrete seeming insurmountable, let the beauty within us shine out for all to see and let it all be countable. Weâre all our own cherry-red scarlet flower, struggling to grow here in the cement, even if weâre planted in the harsh, unforgiving world as some know it to be. Let all of our souls cry out in beauty and raw truth, of all thatâs ever been done as itâs all been done before. Time ticks on and friends grow older, Seasons change, but the love doesnât go colder. for beauty lies within the eyes of the beholder. Let unspoken sentiments that we whisper to our hurting hearts,
bring soothing sensations onto our minds, bodies, and souls. Let them speak deep truths which require much understanding, let us speak now or forever hold our peace, undemanding. Two people are separate yes, but also are each two parts of the same whole. Iâve never felt divided when Iâm lulled away in your arms. Weâve colored the horizon with tips of our Crayola crayons, and subtly painted the watercolors of our truest emotions, with scarlet red sunsets that will stretch on into forever. It is here with you that I will myself to exist, in this land without logic, lying within our happiness. This is the dawn of all that was and ever will be, with you and I to dance eternity away. Let the unspoken words that linger on our tongues, be so sweet and lavish that they require a translator just to inscribe our love. The unprecedented love that we have for each other, and that healthy self-love that we hear so much about. Take my hand and let me lead you into night timeâs promise, that tomorrow will surely come a New day. Relax within our eveningâs star-speckled glitter and happiness, as we trace the milky way and far away galaxies with our fingertips. All in a vain attempt to understand, that we know not what comes tomorrow, but even through the joy and the sorrow, letâs make it worth it. Letâs open our hearts and minds to unknown possibilities, and then weâll leave the crowds cheering for more, and asking what our surnames were again. Even while no one understands, perfect understanding can be found, if only we will listen to the pauses in between the words. Those very same words that we tell each other more out of habit than anything else. We donât need to understand it or to know, and weâll still be here tomorrow when the sun hazes. White-hot passion smolders within and without us, and weâre left catching our breath in freshly grown meadows of âWe told you so.â Because we are both precious and unrelenting, high and hopeful for the final act. And only love can be spoken, two hearts aching for something real. An unworldly spiritual bond that we keep with ourselves, and a promise to keep on living and loving forever and eternally. A rose by any other name is just as sweet as those we were allowed to pluck as children. Give up your sorrow and chase it away with shooting stars and keepsakes, all in hopes of a better and worthwhile tomorrow where we can be together again. a rose by any other name still blossoms just the same, but some aspire for more than the other flowers. Count the times that weâve laughed as pearls of sand on an ever-whitening beach, and throw some back for darker times when theyâll be much needed. Lace your hands into mine and let us pray for more light, for hope, and a clearer understanding, that a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.
#Poetry #Poem #ARoseByAnyOtherName #PoetryByLesleyPatterson #PoemByLesleyPatterson #ARoseByAnyOtherNamePoem #LesleyPatterson #LesleyMichellePatterson #LadyOpaque #TheOfficialAuthorLadyOpaque #WritingBeautifully #PoetryByLadyOpaque #WritingBeautifullyBlog
https://www.facebook.com/The.Official.Author.Lady.Opaque
https://www.twitter.com/LadyOpaqueBlog
https://www.facebook.com/Writing.Beautifully.Blogs
https://www.instagram.com/writingbeautifullyblog
https://[email protected]
https://www.linkedin.com/in/writingbeautifully
https://ladyopaque.blogspot.com
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/writingbeautifullyblog
https://www.reddit.com/user/WritingBeautifully
https://www.twitter.com/WriteBeautiful
#poetry#poem#love#love poem#poetry by Lesley Patterson#poem by Lesley Patterson#A Rose By Any Other Name#A Rose By Any Other Name Poem#A Rose By Any Other Name by Lesley Patterson#Lesley Patterson#Lady Opaque#The Official Author Lady Opaque#Lesley M Patterson#Lesley Michelle Patterson#Poets#Author#poets of instagram#writer#writing#WritingBeautifully#Writing Beautifully#Writing Community#Writers Network#Writers#Published Author#Independent Author#Freelance#Freelance Writer#Creative#Creative Content
1 note
·
View note
Text
âPale Yellowâ â A Poem by Lesley Michelle Patterson AKA Lady Opaque of WritingBeautifully.com
Pale yellow like her hair,
it feels as though she has always been there.
Shrinking slowly underneath her skin,
don't let it out; never let them in.
I once called her "mellow yellow," and we laughed for hours.
She said that I'm a funny fellow whose embrace empowers.
"My cup runneth over," she said in relation to us.
Over her, my stunning one, I'd forever make a fuss.
I ask why we all suffer she smiles knowingly and answers so simply, "Because we must."
âWithout the intensity of life's ups and downs, where would be our lust?â
Pale yellow honeysuckles sunning in the garden,
smell so floral and rich that I stop to beg their pardon.
They too remind me of my sacred bond with that girl I love from so long ago,
Now I spend my days wondering why I ever let her go...
We drank pale yellow lemonade together which my grandmother made,
Under star-speckled skies, once the sun began to fade.
We once spent the night in a yellow Volkswagen Bug,
and though it was uncomfortable, Iâve never felt so snug.
When she started to get ill I never had the chance to tell her,
That inside of me I was feeling deep emotions stir.
She began to suffer from depression, but it wasnât all that noticeable at first.
6 months later she then took a deadly turn for the worst.
She had taken up cutting and one night she cut deeper than sheâd meant to.
Deep crimson stained her sheets which were once baby pastel blue.
After that incident, they locked her away,
And sheâs been in and out of the hospital since that very day.
Pale yellow like the linoleum floor of the room where I went to visit her.
Itâs been years now and happened so quickly that it all seems a blur.
Stale smell from closed-in asylum walls,
Bleached white corridors and endless halls.
Tears, I had never seen her cry before streamed down her face.
She said, âLook at me Johnathon, Iâve become a disgrace.â
I did my best to assure her that it wasnât true,
and I tried building her up until my face went blue.
Every word I spoke she harshly denied,
and thereâs never been a time Iâve more deeply cried inside.
I wept for my wilting flower,
It was never like her to bend or cower.
It hurt so bad to see her in such distress,
to only be able to stand by while she was in such mess.
The next words she spoke scarred me deeply.
She said, âAfter this visit, I never want you to see me.â
My heart crumbled up inside of itself, and I felt as though I could die.
Despite myself, I broke my strong face and I, too started to cry.
I protested, but she insisted with anguish written on her face,
then the nurses came and said, âVisits overâ and I had to leave that place.
Pale yellow like the cigarette stains on my left hand,
Pale yellow like an hourglasses time sand.
I wonder where she is and if sheâs alright,
and I pray to the Gods every single night,
to hold her and keep her in their sight.
I miss her and ever since Iâve never felt quite right.
Pale yellow like the bandages that covered her wrists,
Lord, I never wanted it to end like this.
 Copyright July 13, 2020
By Lesley Michelle Patterson AKA Lady Opaque of WritingBeautifully.com
Copyright July 13, 2020
#WritingBeautifully#WritingBeautifully.com#Lesley Patterson#Lesley Michelle Patterson#Lady Opaque#The Official Author Lady Opaque#poem#poetry#Poems#poems about mental health#poems about depression#Poems About Regrets#Sad Poems#Pale Yellow
0 notes
Text
A Sinclair Family Christmas Vacation: Sinclair Bros Fluff
Catch me fuckin around with the movie canon to make my writing work... itâs free real estate! This is a Christmas present for the most beautiful goomba of them all, @slashermom who not only has a huge brain and giant meat; but is also one of the kindest most generous people I know. YOUâRE THE BEST M!!!!
ââââââââââââââââââââââ
Youâd officially decide that being âon the lamâ didnât agree with you at all.
The cold truck-stop coffee in the cup holder seemed to look at you mockingly as your stomach gurgled in displeasure. You probably shouldnât have had a second cup without food to go along with it; but all Lester had bought was a handful of Slim Jims and Cheetos and no one besides him was interested in that particular combination.
Youâd been driving for more than ten hours straight today â for the third week in a row - trying to get your small family as far away from Louisiana as possible - all to protect the brothers resting in the seats surrounding you.
The escape from Ambrose and subsequent healing of the twins was something you wished to forget as quickly as possible.
Everything from hiding with Lester from the police, to Vincentâs cries of exhausted pain as you and Lester held him down, to snapping Boâs dislocated jaw back into place were sanguine phantoms you could all see out of the corner of your eyes â but the only thing you could do was keep moving.
So thatâs what you did. State to state, never staying anywhere more than a couple of days, hoping somewhere would feel like home again soon.
âââââââââââââââââââââââ
Colorado was just as beautiful as youâd always imagined it would be.
The Rocky Mountains rose like colossal spires before you, stretching out as far as you could see. You appreciated the view quietly, letting the men sprawled across the bench seats in the back get as much rest as they could before one of them took a shift at the wheel.
A glance down at the thermometer showed the temperature dropping at an alarming rate, and as snow began to fall faster and faster through the frozen air, you were suddenly aware that the light jackets that were plenty of protection in a Southern winter wouldnât do much good when contending with cold like this.
The last dollar bills youâd pulled from an ATM sat heavily in your pocket as you pulled into a Walmart parking lot and slipped out of the car as silently as possible- leaving the heat running and shushing Jonesyâs inquisitive huff with a quick snap of your fingers.
A couple hundred dollars and half an hour later found you burdened down with bags of proper winter clothing and enough McDonaldâs cheeseburgers to feed a small army; trudging back to the car through the quickly accumulating snow.
âââââââââââââââââââââââ-
âVincent! Bo! Wake the fuck up!!â
Lesterâs cries brought both twins out of their slumber like the crash of a gong.
Bo shot up, ready to fight whatever was causing his brother to panic, while Vincent carefully righted himself, still wary of the knife wound on his healing side.
The car was dark, but for a few slivers of grey light slipping past whatever was covering the windows.
Lester was touching the opaque surface with awe â eyes wide as he felt the cold seeping in through the glass.
âIs that⊠snow?â
âAww hell.â Bo grouched âNot this shit againâŠâ
Vincent chuckled at his brothers reactions. The sound ringing clear and unmuffled through the truck from his unmasked face.
The departure from Ambrose had necessitated quick packing by yourself and Lester - and Vincentâs masks had already been confiscated by the local authorities. It had been a rough adjustment for the long-haired man. Not being able to hide his cavernous deformity has sent him into silent depression for days.
The last time the twins had seen snow had been in 1974, right before Lester was born. The unprecedented shift in temperatures had brought a cool two inches of snow to coat the ground in Ambrose, closing shops and canceling schools until it melted.
Vincent remembered enjoying the way the white fluff had turned the streets into a sparkling kingdom, completely foreign and exciting to the young boy.
Bo had not enjoyed the snow in the slightest. This may have had something to do with their father waking them both up at the crack of dawn to shovel the walk; but he couldnât say for sure.
Vincentâs train of thought was interrupted by Lester forcing the frozen door of the car open and immediately yelping in shock as a small hill of snow fell from the roof down the collar of his shirt.
Bo laughed at his brothers misfortune until his bruised jaw became too sore. He rubbed gingerly at his stubbly cheek until the pain abated, looking out at the snow in contemplation.
Having recovered from his snowy bath, Lester poked his head out of the car â giving a low whistle before twisting in his seat and dropping to the ground.
Another cry of consternation was heard from outside, and Vincent quickly opened his own door to see what the matter was. He leaned back in time to avoid getting snow down his own shirt, but gaped stupidly at the picture Lester made â buried nearly to his knees in freshly fallen snow.
âIs it supposed to get this deep?â
Before Vincent could answer Jonesy decided to join the fun, and leapt from the bench between Bo and him to launch herself into the snow.
The younger twin called out after the quickly retreating form of his dog before climbing out of the car and taking off after her himself.
âGET THE FUCK BACK HERE!!!â Bo roared from his seat in the car.
Lester was now chasing after Vincent who was chasing after Jonesy and Bo had had quite enough of these snowy antics thank you very much.
This was the scene you arrived back to, huffing and puffing from behind your scarf.
You stopped by Boâs open door just in time to watch Lester trip over a hidden rock and face-plant into a snow drift.
â⊠what the hell?â
âââââââââââââââââââââââ
It was Christmas Eve and youâd been snowed in.
An hour further inland and the thick flakes had started falling so hard that none of you could see more than five feet in front of the car.
Your saving grace had been the flickering neon of a 24-hour roadside diner, and once you parked, the boys had formed a single-file line through the thigh-deep snow, trying to make it easier for you and Jonesy to trudge along with them.
The warm building was manned by a single grey-haired waitress and two cooks. They were clearly surprised to see anyone braving the blizzard - all the locals having been wise enough to stay indoors during the storm.
Boâs signature charm was enough to secure a place for Jonesy along with the four of you, and after a plateful of pancakes and potful of hot coffee everyone was feeling a bit more like themselves.
Despite the biting wind and whipping snow the mood was festive, as the TV played White Christmas and the cooks sang off-key Christmas carols from the kitchen.
Lester leaned back against the plastic booth seat and patted his stomach.
âOoo boy thatâs a good feeling. Real food. Wish yaâll had let me stop and pick up that doe we saw â sheâd make a nice stew right about now.â
Bo scoffed.
âYeah, and where would we keep it genius? Let alone cook it. Nothinâ says âlook at meâ more than a deer tied to your hood.â
You giggled and leaned against Vincent. The deformed twin was sitting in the furthest corner of the booth, making sure to keep his âbad sideâ facing the wall and the beanie hat youâd bought him pulled as low as he could.
He offered you a small smile and took a sip of hot coffee, enjoying the feeling of normalcy, if only for a few hours.
The heated debate was interrupted by the waitress.
âYou folks want a warm-up? Itâll be just about the only warm thing youâll see tonight if youâre planning on braving the roads again.â
âWhy Carol, you read my mind.â Bo offered the waitress a cocky smile, making her shoot him a bemused one of her own. He held out his mug and Carol filled it to the brim, snorting as Bo winked at her.
âIs he always like this?â She asked the group.
Lester and Vincent chuckled as you hummed out a sing-song âIâm afraid so⊠heâs a real lady-killer.â
Bo kicked at you from under the table, but you dodged and stuck out your tongue.
Vincent rapped his knuckled on the table, bringing all attention to him.
âMerry ChristmasâŠâ he said quietly.
A glance at the clock told you all that it was indeed officially Christmas morning.
You smiled, sharing warm looks with Lester and Vincent, returning the holiday sentiment. Bo looked around at you, at his brothers, at his family - bruised and broken, but somehow, still alive and together.
He raised his coffee cup as Bing and Rosemary began singing âWhite Christmasâ.
âAnd a happy New YearâŠâ
#horror movies#jessica writes#slasher fiction#house of wax 2005#house of wax#bo sinclair#lester sinclair#vincent sinclair
179 notes
·
View notes
Text
The R+L=J Reveal in S8 Was About Jonâs Romantic Relationships
Jonâs parentage reveal in S8 was a wasted opportunity from a dramatic perspective: it had virtually no significance in the story. We had no scenes of angst or even bewilderment. And in the two times he chose to share that info with others, the conversations went nothing like he or the audience expected.
First Reveal Conversation, with Daenerys: They never discussed what their new-found familial bond meant for their sexual relationship, although the overtures she made to him after she knew he was her nephew, first in his room at Winterfell and then again at Dragonstone indicate that she was still down for it. But once Jon knew that she was his aunt he was never able to muster the physical passion heâd displayed when heâd obligingly kissed her by the waterfall - though heâd tried when called upon, both in his room at Winterfell and at Dragonstone, because he knew that giving in to her sexually was a good way of distracting and placating her. But he couldnât do it.
So the show used the parentage reveal to sever their romantic tie - although that motive was left opaque to the audience, because Jon and Daenerys never actually discussed it, and because Daenerys still wanted it and Jon tried to oblige her a couple of times, unsuccessfully. What they did make pretty clear was that, for Jon, finding out that Daenerys was his aunt spelled the end of their sexual relationship, even though it would have been to his strategic advantage to continue it, since she wanted it. Jon told Daenerys that he was her nephew as he did, and when he did (could his timing have been any worse?)Â because he assumed that she, like he, would be immediately put off continuing their sexual relationship. He told her despite the problems that he knew revealing his parentage might bring (and did indeed bring). Daenerys surprised him by seeming to disregard their blood tie when it came to wanting to continue their sexual relationship, but she lived up to his worst expectations when she immediately perceived and reacted aggressively to his superior claim to the Iron Throne. He then spent the rest of Season 8, up until the moment he killed her, trying to convince her that he didnât want the Iron Throne and would not be an impediment to her getting what she wanted above all else.
Since Jon didnât want the Iron Throne for himself, why did he make things so much more difficult by revealing that he was her nephew, and the legitimate heir to the throne? Because heâd thought that would mutually end their sexual relationship. It didnât work out the way heâd thought it would, but that was why he he told her. If he hadnât wanted to end their physical relationship thereâd have been no need to tell her, since heâd never intended to pursue his claim.
Second Reveal Conversation, with Arya: As far as we ever saw or have any reason to think, Jon telling Arya that he was actually her cousin, not her bastard half-brother, had absolutely no effect on their relationship. Nor did we ever have reason to think that Jon had believed it would. In the final episode Arya still referred to him as her brother. The parentage reveal meant nothing to Arya when it came to how she viewed her relationship with Jon. So why did Jon feel that he had to tell her? Why was it worth risking Daenerysâs wrath by going against her command that he tell no one, particularly not Arya and Sansa? Seems like a needless risk to take - for Arya as well as for himself. But he couldnât tell Sansa without telling Arya, and I think he felt compelled to tell Sansa when she and Arya confronted him about his blind support of Daenerys.
Second Reveal Conversation, with Sansa: Iâve seen lots of people speculate that in telling Sansa about his parentage, Jon consciously or unconsciously knew that heâd be setting an anti-Daenerys political player into action. The show writers wanted to shoehorn âpoliticsâ into a plot line which, at that point, was really just about a megalomaniacâs will to power and indifference to violence. Plus it gave Tyrion something to do and set up Varysâs execution. But I donât believe that we ever were shown anything that suggested that it was Jonâs intention to have Sansa start recruiting other people to support him over Daenerys. In fact I think we have quite a bit of evidence that it was not. Consider how Jon responded to Varys upon his arrival at Dragonstone. Varysâs overture to him on the beach was the first indication Jon had that Sansa was using the parentage reveal intel that heâd chosen to give her in order to move against Daenerys. How did he react?
Not only did Jon reject Varys during their brief exchange on the beach, he did nothing when Daenerys decided to execute Varys for treason - treason that Varys had undertaken in order to promote Jonâs claim. Jon stood grimly, silently beside Daenerys as she burned Varys alive.
If it had been Jonâs intention (conscious or unconscious) to enable Sansa set that in motion, heâd have felt some obligation to Varys as an ally, either to try to save him, or simply to walk away from Daenerys and her cause after sheâd executed Varys (and that was, after all, the first time Jon got to see for himself the sick thrill Daenerys got from burning people alive). Tyrion expressed remorse about having betrayed Varys, but Jon gave no indication that he felt any responsibility about what had happened to Varys. Instead he obediently headed off to take up his position to attack Kingâs Landing (and Cersei) on Daenerysâs behalf.Â
Jon did not behave like a man who was glad or relieved that others were acting to promote him over Daenerys. So I myself donât subscribe to the premise that Jon told Sansa the truth about his parents hoping/knowing that sheâd start a campaign to promote his candidacy for the Iron Throne. I donât think he foresaw that sheâd do that, and I donât think heâd wanted her to.
So why did he tell Sansa, risking Daenerysâs wrath? I can think of two possible reasons that Jon might have had for this.
Possible Reason 1. He might have wanted Sansa to know that her own right to lead the North was even stronger than theyâd realized.
Heâd always felt uneasy about being declared King in the North when Ned Starkâs true-born daughter was alive, well, and a very able leader.
Heâd made sure that it was clear that she was Winterfellâs Lady (which presumably meant - I think? - that her children would inherit it. Unclear about that). He did not want to take anything that he felt rightfully belonged to Sansa.
But Jon was about to become irrelevant in the North; he was headed south with the expectation of never returning, probably because he assumed heâd be killed. He even gave away his direwolf! So he wasnât viewing himself as any kind of impediment or challenge to Sansaâs leadership in the North at that point.
In fact, in the immediately preceding scene, Jon had forcefully shut Sansa down for asking to give the soldiers time to recover from the recent battle before sending them south to fight another war. Supporting Sansaâs judgement and authority was not a driving motive for Jon at that time. So I donât think that Jon felt driven to tell Sansa the truth about his parentage from a wish to strengthen her position in the North, because that info wouldnât have changed anything about Sansaâs de facto leadership once he headed south. The North looked to her because a) she was Ned Starkâs legitimate heir, and b) she was a good leader. Jon technically being a Targaryen rather than a Stark bastard had no effect on that.
Possible Reason 2. Jon wanted Sansa to know that he was her cousin because he wanted her to remember him knowing who he truly was, because that truth felt very significant to him for some reason. The show deliberately chose not to show any of the conversation that took place after Jon revealed his parentage to Arya and Sansa, but we did see him subsequently interacting with Arya - their sibling relationship endured, unaffected by the change in official status. We never were shown him speaking one-on-one with Sansa again. We were, however, shown multiple instances of Jon being spurred to finally take Daenerys down, despite his misgivings about killing her, when the threat she posed to Sansaâs safety, specifically, was first mentioned by Arya, and then by Tyrion, and finally by Daenerys herself.
And we saw the lengths that Sansa was willing to go on Jonâs behalf - but unlike Arya, she no longer referred to him as her brother.
Given the show writersâ decision to leave so much out of the story they presented us, the possibility that Jon told Sansa the truth about his parentage because he thought heâd never see her again and he wanted her to at least remember him as her cousin rather than as her half-brother can only be speculation. But I canât think of anything that contradicts this possibility, while the other plausible reason that occurs to me does have some evidence against it.
I think thereâs solid evidence for the conclusion that the reason Jon told Daenerys about their close blood tie was to end their romantic relationship. Given that, it does seem fitting that his reason for telling Sansa that their blood tie wasnât as close as theyâd always believed it to be was to open the door to the possibility of a romantic relationship with her, even if heâd assumed heâd be killed before it could ever be realized.
338 notes
·
View notes
Photo
After a monthâs work of work, editing, and formatting, my original character, Dust McAlan, is officially and canonically queer. This could be a long post, but here goes. To try and make a long story short, around two years ago I came out as a bisexual man. For a kid who was raised conservative and Christian, this felt less like coming out of the closet and more like accepting something that was a part of me which I had never even known was there. Iâd never been given the toolset to accept my sexuality, even when I had defined myself at heterosexual. It was a weird time, and itâs taken the better part of those two years to truly become comfortable as myself as a queer person. But in that time, I decided through various internal conversations that I no longer felt a desire or want to write characters who were cishet white males. Of course, this provided a problem: my favorite character, one who Iâve been writing for over ten years, is a cishet white male. And being essentially my fictional avatar, it had made sense up until this point that Dust McAlan was written that way. He was everything I wasnât: quippy, cool, adventurous, ready to fight, willing to run away when trouble was too much. He was never any good with the ladies, but he had his dalliances. So I thought to myself, âShit, now I canât write that third book Iâve been trying to write. No more trilogy. Shit shit shit.â So I made him bisexual and solved my problem. It started with an innocent Google search. I tried to find a character in literature or film who could be considered a âgayâ or âqueerâ Indiana Jones. I found nothing outside of a fantasy world comic book. To my knowledge -- and please someone correct me, Iâd love to find out there actually is such a character out there -- there is no queer Indiana Jones. So, since Dust is my avatar, and since I came out as bi, maybe I could write him as bisexual, also? But of course, now Iâm waist deep into this series with two books, and heâs had very heteronormative experiences. Would it be too much of a left turn for me to introduce a male love interest in the third book, considering this? And letâs say I wrote the third book this way, if an LGBT+ reader found this and loved it and wanted to go back and read the previous two books, would they be then turned off by the aforementioned heteronormativity? Shit you not, it took me forever and a lot of anxiety to get myself motivated enough to tackle all of this. I wanted to write this third book. I knew he was queer. But I didnât know what the right answer was. So, finally, knowing that I had a plethora of typos that I needed to weed out of those first two books, I went through and added a couple of oblique references to Dust being bi in both books. One of the best things about being an independent author published through Amazon is that I can reedit and then reupload the text of the book whenever I want, so I totally pulled a George Lucas and took advantage of this. In the first book it was more opaque, with references to him having âmen and women in every port,â and being attracted to one male character upon initial encounter. In the second book it was more up front, with him stating heâd attempted to flirt his ass off with one of the male characters to no avail. I tried to add these in without waving a giant neon sign that said SO GAY. Iâm not a fan of hitting the reader over the head with themes, and didnât want to hit the reader over the head with this.
But itâs there now. Heâs canonically bisexual in both books.
He lives in a 1930âČs steam/decopunk world that is obsessed with aviation and is on the brink of World War 2. Heâs a treasure hunter and a racing pilot, and always seems to find himself on the wrong end of the gun when it comes to fellow treasure hunters and pirates. And in the third book, Iâm aiming to send him deep into an undiscovered lost world, searching for the fountain of youth, dodging dinosaurs and maybe even the hidden tribe of the Amazons. Itâs gonna be a fun ride, and yes, pretty damn queer. Writing all of this feels like Iâm coming out all over again, and Iâm nervous as hell, but I think itâs just something I need to do in order to push myself forward and write this next book. I think it could be fun, and who knows? Maybe someone out there is looking for a bisexual treasure hunter and some popcorn-fueled pulp adventures. Thereâs DUST MCALAN AND THE HEART OF THE SERPENT, and also THE CURSE OF THE IRON SKULL. And yes, Amazon is evil, Iâm working on figuring that part out next so that there are other options aside from just that website.
Okay, long post over, thank you to those who read this, Iâm so sorry for taking up your time, but thank you for indulging me. I think I just needed to say all of this and move on and freely accept not just myself, but my work, and my character. So hereâs to all yâall, and if you end up reading any of this, I sincerely hope it meets expectations. I aim to have the next book ready to publish by the end of next year. Fingers crossed!
#ck burch#dust mcalan#treasure hunter#books#indie author#queer#queer fiction#pulp adventure#decopunk
16 notes
·
View notes
Text
People Who Protect Our Safety Deserve Housing Security
In which Craig Benzine introduces a new Crash Course about U.S. Government and Politics! This class will provide you with an overview of how the government of the United States is assumed to function, and also we\âll get in to how it actually does function. The two aren\ât always the same thing. We\â
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
We must all know then, that what we do on line is watched-over, collected, manipulated, and sold. Big Brother is definitely watching you. Today weâll figure out how, in this episode of this Infographics Show, 10 Unusual Ways that the Government is Spying on You. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL ââș http://bit.ly
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
Whistleblowers â heroes who expose opaque companies and governments or traitors to their own nation compromising security and committing treason? Today in AllTime10s we research 10 people who had a enormous impact on the way we see the planet. What can you think about 10 People Who dared Authorities Se
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
5 Most Beautiful & HIGHLY Forbidden Places On The Planet! âșâș https://goo.gl/K9KwGl ____________________________________________________________________ From the notion that the government is conducted by a few incredibly influential individuals in an Illuminati form scenario, to the atomic briefcase
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
Take a look at these coverups from the government that were concealed from the folks! From secrets of mind control and mystical scandals to aliens and conspiracy theories, these cover ups are completely crazy! Register To New Videos! Http://goo.gl/UIzLeB Watch our \âTop 5 Best Wonderful and strong S
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
Dec 17, 2018 That is an upgrade on the potential revelation of UFO research by the United States authorities, along with the part of Tom DeLonge and his team of government insiders. Grant Cameron discusses the 22 million dollar research program along with also the Significant news outlets that coated as the narrative goes vira
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
Tamil movie actress Stunt Dheena informs Tamilnadu government is currently treating north Chennai individuals are their votes machines, merely to use them for votes. He says There Isnât Any proper roads, school, drinking water available in this area, since the resident of North Chennai Dheena slams TN government plus they don\ât
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
length:
published:
updated:
views:
Have a Look at The X22 Report Spotlight YouTube Channel â https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1rnp-CySclyhxyjA4f14WQ Join the X22 Report On Steemit: https://steemit.com/@x22report Get economic collapse news during the day trip http://x22report.com Report date: 12.15.2017 More proof comes out
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
Http://GeoengineeringWatch.org TO READ OR POST COMMENTS ON THIS VIDEO, PLEASE GO DIRECTLY TO THE ARTICLE http://www.geoengineeringwatch.org/new-cia-agent-whistleblower-risks-all-to-expose-the-shadow-government/ Our hope and purpose is for this video to be shared far and wide, DO NOT RE-UPLOAD this replicate
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
Educational video Assessing The United States Government it\âs parts and functions.
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
We made a collection of videos to illustrate the fundamentals of government and democracy, â the right to vote our three levels of government and how the Canadian electoral system functions. Find out More about Student Vote here: http://studentvote.ca/ Student Loan is program of CIVIX, also a non-partisan charity bui
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
Find out about democracy, oligarchy, and autocracy â the three chief kinds of government.
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
Get 10% off your custom domain or email in Hover at http://www.hover.com/wendover This video was partially dependent on the publication, \âRaven Rock\â from Garrett Graff: http://a.co/23ud2fa Check out my podcast with Brian out of Real Engineering: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/showmakers/id1224583218?
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
AMERICAN NEWS TODAY Original Source: https://goo.gl/wDfGMb BREAKING: Government Official Whoâs Plotted For Months To Bring Trump Down Just Caught Committing MASSIVE Felony Back in the Excellent old days we used to hang traitors to our Nation. Fast forward to 2017 and not only are those people functioning as
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
Government\âs first obligation is to safeguard the individuals, not run their own lives. â Ronald Reagan Visit our website: http://www.TopTrending.com Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TopTrending Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TopTrending Commentator: http://www.youtube.com/user/BaerTaffy Musi
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-is-power-divided-in-the-united-states-government-belinda-stutzman Article II of the United States Constitution allows for three different branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial), along with a method of checks and balances should a
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
Follow Lady Gaga, purchase the album on iTunes, and also more http://bit.ly/m5Dr70
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
Deputy President William Ruto advised governors that the executive expects nothing less than complete collaboration and consultation between the new leadership of the council of governors and the national government . The DP says attacking an executive for allegedly failing to encourage devolution is not a
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
Click⌠Follow Destiny âșSTREAM â http://www.destiny.gg/bigscreen âșTWITTER â https://www.twitter.com/OmniDestiny âșDISCORD â https://discordapp.com/invite/destiny âșREDDIT â https://www.reddit.com/r/Destiny/ Use Destiny\âs online link to purchase things! http://www.amazon.com/?tag=des000-20 Edited by Ga
Duration:
published:
updated:
views:
from Cybernetic Systems http://www.cybernetic-systems.co.uk/people-who-protect-our-safety-deserve-housing-security/
0 notes
Text
âPunch Drunk On Loveâ: A Tori Amos Inspired Poem by Lesley Patterson AKA Lady Opaque of WritingBeautifully.com
I got a bowling ball in my stomach; I got a desert in my mouth.
Figures with my stubbornness, that Iâd go down South.
Walking down the path that leads to all the backstreets,
Iâve been looking for a savior in these dirty sheets.
Wearing my heart on my sleeve, so please donât push and shove.
I got a kick for a dog begging for love.
Iâve got to find a way out of these deep dark blues,
maybe go buy some jewelry and a pair of sparkly shoes.
Dancing in the desert, I have a free-spirited heart,
figures that society would want to tear that apart.
Iâve been praying every day, delaying my delights,
Struggling, carrying on into the darkened sky-lit nights.
Iâm the bearer of my torch, the keeper of my flame,
Iâm the Holy Book until myself, Iâm my sacred name.
Wolves howl in the forests, dogs sleeping down on my bed,
Iâve got a flurry in my chest, a fogginess in my head.
In my orange knickers he cherishes me, heâs my Godsend.
Iâm all punch drunk on love and I donât want this to end.
Aunt Jackie can you tell me is it worth it in the end?
To find the one that soothes our soul, to become our own best friend.
Lying in my wedding dress when the shots rang out,
still trying to piece together what this lifeâs about.
Light bearer lover, oh Satan, oh my Lord,
take your knife and pierce my heart with your sharpest sword.
6 am and where is my spark now?
I know that I can carry on, I just donât know how.
Even if it doesnât work out, even if youâre all wrong,
I am thankful for what we went through baby because it made me strong.
By Lesley Michelle Patterson AKA Lady Opaque
www.WritingBeautifully.com
www.WritingBeautifully.com/Blog
Copyright May 23rd, 2020
* If you enjoyed this poem, please buy me a cup of coffee below! *Â
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/LadyOpaque
Be sure to share, like, subscribe, & follow me for future writings!
SUBSCRIBE HERE:
https://ladyopaque.wixsite.com/writingbeautifully
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
https://www.facebook.com/The.Official.Author.Lady.Opaque
https://www.twitter.com/LadyOpaqueBlog
https://twitter.com/WriteBeautiful
https://twitter.com/LiteraryMagick
https://www.ladyopaque.blogspot.com
https://www.instagram.com/writingbeautifullyblog/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/writingbeautifully
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/writingbeautifullyblog
https://medium.com/@lady.of.the.opaque
#WritingBeautifully#WritingBeautifully.com#writing#writingcommunity#The Writing Beautifully Blog#Lady Opaque#Lesley Patterson#Lesley Michelle Patterson#Poem#Poetry#The Official Author Lady Opaque#Poems#Writers#Creative Writing#Creative#Tori Amos#Punch Drunk On Love#Love Poem#Tribute#Tribute Poem#Tori Amos Tribute#Tori Amos Tribute Poem#Writers Network#writing community#writers community#Writers Life#Author#Poet
0 notes
Text
Mind Of A Killer: FBI Questions Vegas Gunmanâs Girlfriend
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
https://storage.googleapis.com/afs-prod/media/media:a8bd5a2b1c3342b4bf7081c2a2cd1f33/576.mp4
LAS VEGAS â FBI agents questioned the Las Vegas gunmanâs girlfriend on Wednesday as they struggled to get inside the mind of Stephen Paddock, a frustratingly opaque figure who carried out his high-rise massacre without leaving the plain-sight clues often found after major acts of bloodshed.
Three days after Paddock gunned down 59 people, Marilou Danley was interviewed at the FBIâs office in Los Angeles and had an attorney with her, according to a law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Danley, 62, who has been called a âperson of interestâ by investigators, was met by federal agents Tuesday night when she arrived at the Los Angeles airport from her native Philippines after more than two weeks abroad.
Investigators are busy reconstructing Paddockâs life, behavior and the people he encountered in the weeks leading up to the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said. That includes examining his computer and cellphone.
But as of Wednesday, investigators were unable to explain what led Paddock to rain heavy fire down on a country music festival Sunday night from the windows of his 32nd-floor room at the Mandalay Bay hotel casino. He killed himself as police closed in. The attack left more than 500 people injured.
Two sisters of Marilou Danley say Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock sent Danley away so that he could plan the shooting. (Oct. 4)
âThis individual and this attack didnât leave the sort of immediately accessible thumbprints that you find on some mass casualty attacks,â McCabe said.
The 64-year-old retired accountant quietly stockpiled an arsenal of high-powered weapons while pursuing a passion for high-stakes gambling at Nevada casinos, where his game of choice was video poker, a relatively solitary pursuit with no dealer and no humans to play against.
Neighbors described Paddock as friendly, but he wasnât close to them.
âHe was a private guy. Thatâs why you canât find out anything about him,â his brother, Eric Paddock, said from his home in Florida. As for what triggered the massacre, the brother said: âSomething happened that drove him into the pit of hell.â
Occasionally, Paddock shared news of his gambling winnings, his brother said, recalling a photo text message he received showing a $40,000 payout.
It was in a casino where Paddock met his girlfriend, who was a high-limit hostess for Club Paradise at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno, Eric Paddock told The Washington Post.
Danleyâs sisters in Australia said that they believe she was unaware of Paddockâs murderous plans and that he sent her away so she wouldnât interfere.
In a TV interview in Australia, the sisters â whose faces were obscured and their names withheld â called Danley âa good personâ who would have stopped Paddock had she been there.
âShe didnât even know that she was going to the Philippines until Steve said, âMarilou, I found you a cheap ticket to the Philippines,ââ said one of the sisters, who live near Brisbane.
A brother, Reynaldo Bustos, told ABC from his home outside Manila that Danley had assured him: âDo not panic. I have a clean conscience.â
A receptionist at the office of Los Angeles-based defense attorney Matthew Lombard confirmed he was representing Danley but would not comment further.
Paddock wired $100,000 to the Philippines days before the shooting, a U.S. official not authorized to speak publicly because of the continuing investigation said on condition of anonymity. Investigators are trying to trace that money.
Also, casino regulators are looking closely at Paddockâs gambling habits and checking their records to see whether he had any disputes with casinos or fellow patrons. In addition, investigators are examining a dozen financial reports filed in recent weeks when he bought more than $10,000 in casino chips.
Paddock had no known criminal history. Public records contained no indication of any financial problems, and his brother described him as a wealthy real estate investor.
âI believe, based on what I have been told, the issue was not that he was under financial stress,â said Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, the ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump met privately with victims at a Las Vegas hospital Wednesday, praising them and the doctors who treated them.
âIt makes you very proud to be an American when you see the job that theyâve done,â he said.
Trump then headed to police headquarters, where he met with officers and dispatchers who responded to the shooting.
Paddock had stockpiled 47 guns since 1982 and bought 33 of them, mostly rifles, over the past year alone, right up until three days before the attack, Jill Snyder, an agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, told CBS on Wednesday.
By KEN RITTER, MICHAEL BALSAMO and BRIAN MELLEY - Oct 4 4:40 PM EDT
___
Melley reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Jim Gomez and Teresa Cerojano in Manila, Philippines; Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles; and Richard Lardner, Eric Tucker, Sadie Gurman and Tami Abdollah in Washington contributed to this report.
___
For complete coverage of the Las Vegas shooting, click here: https://apnews.com/tag/LasVegasmassshooting .
0 notes
Text
Khadija Sharife, the author of the article published by the portal allafrica.com, looks at the relationship between the private China International Fund (China International Fund), the state oil company of Angola Sonangol and the Zimbabwe diamond fields, based in Hong Kong. Khadija Sharif is a correspondent for Africa Report Africa. He also conducts research for the English Tax Justice Network on tax issues and is a visiting scientist at the Center for Civil Society at KwaZulu-Natal University in South Africa.
What does the rise of Manuel Vicente mean for Zimbabwe on the career ladder and what is the role of China in this whole matter? It is believed that Vicente is scheduled to serve as Vice President of Angola, Jose Eduardo dos Santos, one of the oldest African dictators to win in the upcoming 2012 presidential election. Having taken office, dos Santos can well take a five-year vacation, providing work on the continuous management of the state of Manuel Vicente.
Currently, Vicente heads the state oil company Sonangol, connected by at least nine different branches with China International Fund (CIF). The fund is the largest foreign investor in Zimbabwe ($ 8 billion), active in various sectors, including infrastructure facilities and at the same time the diamond industry, through the company Sino-Zim.
The use of Hong Kong as a jurisdiction zone becomes more understandable in the study of opaque legal and financial services that generate not so small a percentage of the country's GDP. As the Financial Secrecy Index discloses, companies are not required to disclose information about trust funds, owners, beneficiary property in public and official sources. This is exactly the secrecy, which is so much cherished by all sorts of political and corporate swindlers - including the use of nominal figures in order to hide the identity of the people involved in it.
The company's materials provided by the sources confirmed the information carefully collected by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission in 2009, which indicated CIF's connection with the PRC government. For example, the company is located at Suites 1011-1012, 10 / F, Two Pacific Place. It was registered on 3 December 2003; Among the main shareholders is Dayuan International Development Limited (99%), located at a similar address, and a certain business lady named Lo Fung Hung (1%).
The company Dayuan, founded in 2003, until 2006 was called Beiya International Development Limited. The company is predominantly owned by New Bright International Development Limited, whose board of directors includes Hung (Hung) and Veronica Fung (Veronica Fung).
The worn Hong Kong names and identification numbers of the Hung directors - P178129 (8) - and Fung - D553467 (5) - were listed as the two main leaders of the corporate Queensway pyramid (and Golden China Consultants, nominally engaged in secretarial services, also listed on the exchange ).
And openly, and even privately (if you believe Chinese officials of the lower and middle level) there is no connection between the Chinese government and CIF in the framework of any official partnership. But according to rumors, the fund is connected with the Chinese government under the cover of often changing officials, illegal financing, trade in resources and secret beneficiaries.
Another person from the five-piece web of directors of the company Queensway - Wu Yang (Wu Yang) - was listed at China, Beijing, st. Dong Chang 14, 28 / F (28 / F 14 Dong Chang'an Street, Beijing, China), where the Ministry of State Security is located, although this connection is considered closed.
Others argue that the CIF relationship with the PRC is purely commercial. The Angolan activist and journalist Rafael de Morais cites the words of a Chinese official who cynically stated that "the CIF has no experience in construction or advisory documents. Mostly, these are brokers contracting with the Angolan government and then selling them to other Chinese companies with huge profits for themselves. "
No matter how opaque the CIF ties to the Chinese government, as for Angola, it is impossible to deny the benefits that come through joint ventures, and $ 2.9 billion in funds for Angolan construction projects led by the Office of National Reconstruction (Gabinete de Reconstrução Nacional) and Funded by China International Fund Limited (CIFL).
http://rough-polished.com/ru/expertise/56074.html
0 notes
Text
When Life Is In The Hands Of Human Traffickers
When Life Is In The Hands Of Human Traffickers / 14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez 14ymedio, Generation Y, Yoani Sanchez, 4 February 2017 â The wifi signal barely crosses the glass. The wireless network at JosĂ© MartĂ International Airport only covers the boarding area. But a woman presses her whole body against the opaque window that separates the travelers' area to communicate with human traffickers who are holding her daughter in Mexico. For half any hour the lady reveals her despair. "I don't have that much money, if I had it I would send it right now," she prays through IMO. The videochat is cut several times by the poor quality of the connection On the other side, the voice of a man repeats, without backing off, "Three hundred dollars so she can return on Tuesday." The woman wipes her tears and unsuccessfully asks for a reduction. Nearby, a maid who cleans the bathroom passes by, idly dragging a cart with cleaning supplies. A customs official walks by, absorbed, and pretends he is not listening to the disturbing request projected from the screen of the phone, "Don't kill her, don't kill her." The scene happens in a place crowded with people, most of whom are passengers about to board a transatlantic flight, or a new commercial route to the United States, and there are also the family members and friends who have come to see them off. No one shows any sign of hearing the drama developing a few feet away. A tourist tosses back a beer just as the woman is asking the man for half an hour to "collect the money." She starts the race against the clock. She calls several contacts from her IMO address book, but the first four, at least, don't answer. On the fifth try, a shrill voice on the other end says, "Hello." "I need a huge favor, you can't say no," the lady stammers. But the head that can be seen on the screen shakes from side to side. "Are you crazy? And if after you pay this money they don't let her go?" asks the voice. The tension makes the hand holding the phone start to tremble and her granddaughter, who has accompanied her, helps her hold on to it. Several more calls and the money is not forthcoming. Finally a serious voice says yes, he can lend the money if the woman will pay it back "in two installments" to his sister in Havana. The mother agrees, promises she can "repay every cent," although it sounds like a formula to get out of a bind. The man believes her. Now they must arrange the details. The victim doesn't have a bank account but the mother will send information about "how to send the money." This is how the kidnappers get paid. Only then will they allow her to fly from Cancun to Havana, or at least that is what they promise. In the middle of last year the Mexican authorities shut down a network trafficking in undocumented people from Cuba that operated in this tourist area in the Mexican state of Qunitana Roo. The end of the "wet foot/dry foot" policy this January has left many migrants in the hands of the coyotes, who don't hesitate to turn to extortion to make up for the reduction in the flow of Cubans and, as a result, their loss of earnings. The wifi signal is lost altogether, but the mother is feeling relieved. "She was in a large group, about 20 people," she tells her granddaughter. A simple calculation allows us to know how much the captors will earn on "freeing" all those they are holding. Nothing ends with the delivery of the money. "She is going to want to go again," concludes the mother, the instant she hangs up from the last videochat. "I can't stand it here, I can't" she repeats, while walking toward the escalator filled with smiling and tanned tourists. Source: When Life Is In The Hands Of Human Traffickers / 14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez â Translating Cuba - http://ift.tt/2kvPTmi via Blogger http://ift.tt/2l7TeLH
0 notes
Text
When Life Is In The Hands Of Human Traffickers / 14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez
Terminal 3 in Jose Marti International Airport in Havana (14ymedio) 14ymedio, Generation Y, Yoani Sanchez, 4 February 2017 - The wifi signal barely crosses the glass. The wireless network at José Martà International Airport only covers the boarding area. But a woman presses her whole body against the opaque window that separates the travelers' area to communicate with human traffickers who are holding her daughter in Mexico. For half any hour the lady reveals her despair. "I don't have that much money, if I had it I would send it right now," she prays through IMO. The videochat is cut several times by the poor quality of the connection On the other side, the voice of a man repeats, without backing off, "Three hundred dollars so she can return on Tuesday." The woman wipes her tears and unsuccessfully asks for a reduction. Nearby, a maid who cleans the bathroom passes by, idly dragging a cart with cleaning supplies. A customs official walks by, absorbed, and pretends he is not listening to the disturbing request projected from the screen of the phone, "Don't kill her, don't kill her." The scene happens in a place crowded with people, most of whom are passengers about to board a transatlantic flight, or a new commercial route to the United States, and there are also the family members and friends who have come to see them off. No one shows any sign of hearing the drama developing a few feet away. A tourist tosses back a beer just as the woman is asking the man for half an hour to "collect the money." She starts the race against the clock. She calls several contacts from her IMO address book, but the first four, at least, don't answer. On the fifth try, a shrill voice on the other end says, "Hello." "I need a huge favor, you can't say no," the lady stammers. But the head that can be seen on the screen shakes from side to side. "Are you crazy? And if after you pay this money they don't let her go?" asks the voice. The tension makes the hand holding the phone start to tremble and her granddaughter, who has accompanied her, helps her hold on to it. Several more calls and the money is not forthcoming. Finally a serious voice says yes, he can lend the money if the woman will pay it back "in two installments" to his sister in Havana. The mother agrees, promises she can "repay every cent," although it sounds like a formula to get out of a bind. The man believes her. Now they must arrange the details. The victim doesn't have a bank account but the mother will send information about "how to send the money." This is how the kidnappers get paid. Only then will they allow her to fly from Cancun to Havana, or at least that is what they promise. In the middle of last year the Mexican authorities shut down a network trafficking in undocumented people from Cuba that operated in this tourist area in the Mexican state of Qunitana Roo. The end of the "wet foot/dry foot" policy this January has left many migrants in the hands of the coyotes, who don't hesitate to turn to extortion to make up for the reduction in the flow of Cubans and, as a result, their loss of earnings. The wifi signal is lost altogether, but the mother is feeling relieved. "She was in a large group, about 20 people," she tells her granddaughter. A simple calculation allows us to know how much the captors will earn on "freeing" all those they are holding. Nothing ends with the delivery of the money. "She is going to want to go again," concludes the mother, the instant she hangs up from the last videochat. "I can't stand it here, I can't" she repeats, while walking toward the escalator filled with smiling and tanned tourists. 14ymedio, Cuba's first independent daily digital news outlet, published directly from the island, is available in Spanish here. Translations of selected articles in English are here.
-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
from DIYS http://ift.tt/2kEXHo9
0 notes
Text
Why AstraZeneca and others racing to make a COVID-19 vaccine should be more open about the process
The risks of poor disclosure. Mongkolchon Akesin
AstraZeneca is resuming medical trials for the COVID-19 vaccine, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19, following affirmation thatâs protected to take action. The trials have been paused when one of many contributors developed an âunexplained sicknessâ.
The pause is over, however the issues that it raises about transparency usually are not. When AstraZeneca introduced the pause on September 8, it was reported initially as an indication of biopharma corporations taking a prudent method to security protocols.
This was underlined by the truth that on the identical day because the announcement, the CEOs of 9 biopharma corporations, together with AstraZeneca, signed the We Stand With Science pledge to clarify their ongoing dedication to creating and testing potential COVID-19 vaccines in accordance with excessive moral requirements and sound scientific rules.
In doing so, these corporations had been in search of to pre-empt issues some individuals have that medicines regulators within the US specifically would possibly prematurely approve a vaccine within the face of political strain and thereby put the general public in danger.
But the announcement that trials had resumed got here within the face of criticism from some quarters that AstraZeneca had been withholding info from the general public. It introduced the pause after being questioned about it by well being information website STAT Information and. The corporate gave no particulars concerning the nature of the participantâs sickness.
These particulars have been as a substitute revealed by STAT Information later the identical week, which said that AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot had elaborated on the explanations behind the pause throughout a non-public convention name with traders, arrange by US funding financial institution JP Morgan. Soriot reportedly advised them the participant in query was a lady within the UK who skilled neurological signs per the uncommon however severe spinal inflammatory dysfunction, transverse myelitis.
It was additionally reported to have emerged in the course of the name that trials had already been halted as soon as, in July, after a participant skilled neurological signs which it later transpired have been MS and unconnected to the trial. Given the worldwide public consideration on the vaccine race, the shortage of publicly obtainable info from the corporate and the opposite companions within the undertaking is shocking.
That is occurring in a local weather the place many individuals would already be very reluctant to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine hesitancy AND SCEPTICISM was frequent earlier than the pandemic, and isnât getting higher: a 3rd of People say they might refuse a vaccine, whereas within the UK solely half of individuals would positively comply with be vaccinated.
Thereâs a actual danger that lack of transparency about medical trials would possibly gas vaccine scepticism and in the end result in giant sections of the inhabitants refusing vaccination. This might impede rollout and doubtlessly exacerbate the pandemic.
The dangers of silence
A key motive for declining public confidence in vaccines is the tendency for biopharma corporations to deal with medical trials knowledge as proprietary mental rights that should be protected as confidential info and commerce secrets and techniques. AstraZeneca mentioned that it couldnât disclose additional medical info on the explanations for the trial pause.
The EU regulation on medical trials states that such info can be publicly obtainable except sure exceptions apply, together with the necessity to shield commercially confidential info except there may be an overriding public curiosity in disclosure.
On one stage, biopharma corporations are legitimately defending their industrial investments by retaining trials knowledge confidential. However with COVID-19, there may be absolutely an overriding public curiosity in disclosure. Even earlier than medical path outcomes are submitted to a medicines company, public disclosure must be paramount.
Additionally, the notion that medical trials knowledge must be thought of proprietary info relies on the presumption that itâs non-public finance paying for the trials. However within the case of COVID-19 vaccines, huge quantities of public cash are contributing to the funding.
Learn extra: Coronavirus: how international locations intention to get the vaccine first by slicing opaque provide offers
Within the case of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, the general public cash concerned is extensively acknowledged in official databases which clarify that the trials are being funded by the College of Oxford, with the UK authorities having given the college an extra ÂŁ65.5 million in the direction of the undertaking.
The vaccine was in reality co-invented by the college and spin-out firm Vaccitech. AstraZeneca is concerned below a licensing settlement, with duty for world growth, manufacturing and distribution. Provided that the phrases of this settlement are confidential, itâs troublesome to remark additional, however itâs arduous to justify confidential trials when a lot public cash is concerned â notably given the degrees of vaccine hesitancy.
Political strain
Coupled with that is the big political strain to get vaccines authorised. It has been extensively reported that the US Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) is being closely pressed by the Trump administration to approve a vaccine forward of the presidential election on November 3.
Most People now suppose the FDA might transfer with undue haste to approve vaccines earlier than part Three trials have been concluded. This has led FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn to insist that the company is not going to rush the method.
The FDA has additionally issued suggestions on creating and licensing COVID-19 vaccines, whereas stating that itâll use an unbiased advisory committee to watch business compliance, however the voluntary nature of that initiative has failed to spice up public confidence.
Even biopharma corporations acknowledge that persons are skeptial concerning the closely politicised fast-tracked vaccine timeline. The timing of the We Stand With Science pledge is due to this fact important.
However regardless of the pledge and the resumption of trials, AstraZenecaâs public response to its trial drawback is an indication of the non-public sector making use of outdated guidelines to new circumstances. COVID-19 is a game-changer when it comes to how the general public funds medical trials and scrutinises vaccine security. We have to construct public confidence in vaccines and higher communication is important. Biopharma corporations might not but have come to phrases with these new realities, and this dangers entrenching vaccine hesitancy additional.
Duncan Matthews doesnât work for, seek the advice of, personal shares in or obtain funding from any firm or group that will profit from this text, and has disclosed no related affiliations past their educational appointment.
from Growth News https://growthnews.in/why-astrazeneca-and-others-racing-to-make-a-covid-19-vaccine-should-be-more-open-about-the-process/ via https://growthnews.in
0 notes