#Then Park Stephenson always gets their asses

[franciswhetsel]

I don't want to mess up the careers of established authors and historians by bringing up 25 year old forum posts, but I'd love to do a write up about the childish mud slinging that was going on on late 90s/early aughts Titanic forums

[gorogorogorochansan]

CP2077 OC ask game *:･ﾟ✧⚔️🤖🔮 [x]

PERSONAL.

1. what is their full name? do they have any nicknames? what are they and why did they get them? His full name is Maximilian Noirceuil Roquentin Vandermeer. Vandermeer to others, Max to his family. His mother just loves French literature and culture.

2. how old are they? how long have they been living on their own? 33 as of 2077. He’s been living on his own for 15 years since he joined Arasaka.

3. what are their astrology signs? sun/moon/rising. He was born on May 2nd 2044, which makes him a sun Taurus, moon Cancer and ascendant Leo.

4. what tarot card from the major arcana would you associate with them? The Devil.

5. are they religious or spiritual in any way? Not at all. Max is rather materialistic and self-indulgent at times.

6. which of the four elements would you associate with them? Air for intellect and mental intention.

9. which of the nine alignments are they? (lawful good etc) Lawful neutral.

10. which of the myers-briggs personality types are they? ESTJ, the Executive.

11. do they have any cyberware? is it cosmetic or is it weaponry/armor? He’s not into combat much, he prefers doing his job quietly if he can. Better yet - a silver tongue coupled with unsettling look can achieve a lot more than a weapon. Hands: Smart Link; Ocular system: Kiroshi Optics; Nervous system: Kerenzikov; Cyberdeck: Stephenson Tech Mk.2; Integumentary system: Optical Camo;  Skeleton: Endoskeleton, Bionic Lungs; Legs: Lynx Paws.

12. what is their occupation? He likes to call himself a free artist but technically he’s a solo. Murder, sabotage, thievery, recovery, delivery - you name it and he’ll do it, quick & clean. A man of high standards he prefers to be silent, precise and effective about his work. Even during his Arasaka days he never shied away from hard or morally repulsive (to some) tasks. A job is a job and needs to be done.

13. if you were to choose a class for them, what would it be? The closest would probably be a Stealth Solo.

14. what is their weapon of choice? HJKE-11 Yukimura pistols & Electric Baton.

15. what is their preferred vehicle or transportation of choice? Black Quadra Turbo-R V-Tech.

16. how would you describe their style? Neomilitarism. Corpo chic through and through.

17. are they a early riser or a night owl? Normally he’s an early riser but not averse to adapt if work demands it.

18. share three songs you associate with them. Eisbrecher - Verrückt [translation] Dorothy - Wicked Ones Oomph! - Augen auf! [translation]

NIGHT CITY.

19. is your character from night city? if no, where were they born? what brought them to night city? if yes, what area of the city did they grow up? He is from Charter Hill, Night City. His maternal family is from North Oak but his parents moved to something more affordable before he was born. He worked his ass off to stay in Charter Hill on his own but after his boss Jenkins lost the power struggle in Arasaka, Vandermeer had to survive and look for a cheaper place.

20. where do they currently live? describe their home. Watson, Little China, near Sutter Street. He rents a small apartment that satisfies his needs, which turned out to be rather simple - a quiet (as much as possible), clean and efficient space that is suitable for living and working in.

21. do they have any favorite spots around NC? Lele Park in the evening and night. And Dark Matter club.

22. do they like to cook for themselves, or eat out? do they prefer restaurants or street food? and how do they feel about vending machine food? He can cook a few things thanks to his mom but generally prefers street food and restaurants. He finds vending machines repulsive.

23. do they prefer the city or the badlands? The city. He loves comfort, hygiene and availability of things only megalopolis can offer. 

24. what gang/faction/corporation do they align with, if any? He prefers to keep balance and mutually beneficial relationships with everyone strictly for business. He always looks for people reasonable enough to bargain with. 

25. which radio station(s) is their favorite? If it’s a car radio then it’s Vexelstrom most of the times. He likes hearing heavy rhythms in the background. When it comes to listening to music at home he has a variety of genres in his playlists from classics and jazz to heavy metal.

26. if they do merc work, do they have one dedicated fixer? if so, who? It’s Rachel Vogelman (another OC created by @bnbc). They used to be corporate rivals during their Arasaka days. To add fuel to the fire their colleagues believed them to be siblings because of certain visual similarities between the two. When Max lost his job Rachel was the only person he could ask for help. It wasn’t easy, and it still isn’t but they focus on the business side of things. Or at least try to.

27. have they ever had run ins with the badges? He doesn’t like to attract unnecessary attention. Nobody likes when you’re the star of TV news.

28. are they quick to help a stranger in need or do they prefer to stay out of other peoples business? He most likely won’t help unless it can benefit him in any way.

29. do they have any favorite celebrities that frequent or live in NC? how would they feel meeting them? He doesn’t give a shit about celebrities. But he knows Michiko Arasaka, and their first meeting face to face left him baffled to say the least.

RELATIONSHIPS.

30. is your friend a social butterfly or more of a loner? Something in between. He hates useless small talks and fake politeness but understands their necessity when required. 

31. who are their closest chooms in NC? He doesn’t have any. Never cared enough to rely on people and always expected a knife in the back. His most regular stable contact is probably Rachel Vogelman but  they’re not even close to being chooms.

32. do they have anyone they would consider family? His mom and his sister are the only family he needs.

33. what is/was their relationship like with their parents? He loves his mother Jessica who raised him to be a well-rounded personality that can always land on his feet. She’s an economist with a good sense of humor and interest in arts. But he doesn’t have much emotional connection with his father Mark, since the guy is always busy with his retail business.

34. do they have siblings? He has a sister named Brit who is 15 years younger.

35. how would you describe their relationship with their family? Max is close with his family, although they’re all often too busy to meet regularly but they keep in touch.

36. who is their biggest enemy? Detective Marc Sanderson? Hard to say for now because there’s no official lore information on him yet.

37. tell a short story about your character with their best choom. His rivalry with Rachel Vogelman was almost comic at times, which only worked against them as their colleagues called them siblings on purpose. But since the two have mutually beneficial relationships now he can admit Rachel is pretty good at what she does. He won’t tell it to her though to avoid giving her the pleasure. They have both grown up after losing their corporate jobs but some habits die hard.

38. do they have a love interest? if so, who? His current LI is Michiko Arasaka. Initially he'd met her as Ichigo (a Japanese name that means strawberry) in a cyber sex VR club while he still worked in Arasaka. It was a series of encounters they both enjoyed until he abruptly put an end to it during his unemployment. He suspects she started digging info on him because she reached out to him some time after he had made a small name for himself as a solo. 

39. are they in a committed relationship or do they date around? Given the social gap between the two and solely sexual nature of their affair it’s implied they’re in open relationship. Besides it’s unknown if Michiko is still married. However, despite loving sex Max can be picky because he’s slightly fixated on hygiene. Michiko also sparked genuine curiosity and creativity in him with her wild and magnetic personality.

40. has your character ever been in love? if so, with who? No, what is love? He won’t recognize it even if falls in it.

41. do they believe in soulmates? No, he believes in shared goals.

42. do they believe in love at first sight? A ridiculous notion.

43. describe their ideal date. Their idea of romantic evening is to hook up in clubs where it’s noisy and crowded enough to ignore them but also to tickle their nerves. Sometimes they have a follow-up in motels (Michiko knows all the right places) if they can afford it. I don’t mean financially of course. Currently such state of affairs suits both of them perfectly.

44. would your character ever get married? Theoretically he can but marriage is a serious commitment, and right now he’s not interested in making one. And when it comes to Michiko it’s a no-no for a variety of obvious reasons. 

45. what was your characters first impression of their partner(s)? Michiko Arasaka was not someone he expected to see when Ichigo asked for a real life meeting. She definitely enjoyed the effect she made while Max was trying to figure out in his mind if this was a setup. She was bold, straightforward and irresistable - not like anyone he has ever met before. The whole situation felt like getting into a sports car without breaks. Once in a lifetime opportunity, a one-way ticket. And he took it. He suspects he’s not the first and not the last such input for her but life is too short for missing out the fun.

46. are they open about their relationship or low key? how would other people feel about them together? Somewhat semi-open. Max’s mom knows and she’s worried for him, although she knows he can take care of himself. And Michiko doesn’t mind him telling about her to his family as he has no friends and isn’t the type to brag, and she doesn’t care if anyone recognizes her in public. Her social circle wouldn’t care about him, and those who might won’t be able to do a thing about it.

47. share a headcanon about your character and their partner(s). Just one? I’ve already got plenty. • Michiko calls him Max and he calls her Ichigo or Ichi (one) because that’s how they’ve met and it's something of their inside joke, a secret; • Michiko keeps him at distance on purpose. She studied his profile long before they’ve met face to face and probably knows what he wants for breakfast before he even wakes up. So she knows Max has opportunistic tendencies like majority of mid-tier corpos. But another reason is that she also doesn’t want things to get serious and complicated between them because it can ruin the fun. She appreciates he doesn’t ask stupid questions or demands more attention than she can give him; • Michiko likes to подъебывать Max. I guess the closest English equivalent would be to tease - cracking suggestive jokes on him, giving him simple presents she finds hilarious, sending him nudes and demanding payment with his in the most inappropriate times. She is amused Max tolerates her shit so stoically - but she’s never malicious, disrespectful or obnoxious. In return Max knows it’s hard to impress someone who comes from the Arasaka bloodline & that it would be safer not to get on their bad side, so he focuses on making her feel good. And strangely it makes him feel good too.  • Max loves to touch her hair. Michiko always looks flawless when they meet and he adores her for it. • When Arasaka Tower was under attack Max called her until she finally picked up as he was genuinely concerned about her safety. He asked if she was alright and offered to take her home but she refused. She doesn’t know he was waiting outside.

48. share three songs you associate with your character and their partner(s). Garbage - Bad Boyfriend Eisbrecher - Exzess Express [translation] Eisbrecher - Rot wie die Liebe [translation] Bonus: Dinah Washington - Relax, Max - a song Michiko likes to tease him with.

NSFW.

49. name three of your characters biggest turn ons. Mature, confident women who know what they want and don’t waste anyone’s time.

50. name three of your characters biggest kinks. Touching Michiko in public - it’s the kink of kinks.

51. do they like having multiple partners or do they prefer monogamy? He doesn’t like being in relationships. The secret to his successful affair with Michiko is that both are totally free of any commitments and expectations from each other. Normally he prefers flings, BDs and cyber sex. But currently his mind is occupied with one specific woman with blue hair.

52. do they watch porn or braindances? Porn is ancient, BDs are far more superior.

53. would your character ever make an explicit braindance? He doesn’t have the right implant for that. He might though but not with Michiko - he’s not that stupid. 

54. do they have any cybernetic enhancements that serve sexual purposes? He’s no netrunner but he got himself a Stephenson cyberdeck that supposedly prolongs orgasms. Turns out the cyberdeck can be useful for other things as well, even moreso as now he doesn’t have a corpo protection and needs to be more careful.

55. do they have a preference for ‘ganic bodies or do they like modifications? He doesn’t like cheap implants. Other than that he doesn’t care.

56. name three of your characters biggest turn offs. Poor hygiene, naivete and girls who don’t know when to quit. 

57. what is their ultimate fantasy? or ““secret”“ kink? Michiko is his ultimate fantasy now. There’s something liberating and intoxicating about having her at the tips of your fingers moaning your name. He feels like he can try anything with her and she won’t say no, although he is aware it’s an illusory freedom.

58. would they ever use any substances like aphrodisiacs, alcohol or drugs during sex? Yes because why not? It’s not necessary but it can’t hurt.

59. what is their wildest sexual experience? A corpo group sex party. It was fun but he doesn’t like joytoys, even premium ones. Had to do a medical check-up afterwards.

60. are they more submissive or dominant? Dominant. But one time Michiko cuffed him to bed and he didn’t mind.

61. does your character need to have an intimate relationship with someone to have sex? or do they prefer being unattached? Unattached is best at the moment. Though he’s not fully aware he’s currently attached.

62. has your character ever participated in group sex? In the past, during his Arasaka days. 

63. do they like to sext or play over the holo? Why not both, depending on situation. 

64. has your character ever ghosted someone after a sexual encounter? Yes because he doesn’t like attachment. The reason he didn’t ghost Ichigo was that she was always creative during their virtual meetings.

65. how would they react if they were ghosted by someone they like after a sexual encounter? If Michiko ghosted him he’d be probably pissed and then upset. But he suspects she’d tell him first because there’s a certain amount of trust between them.

66. do they prefer kink oriented sex or spontaneous passionate sex? Usually the latter but the former is good too.

67. how do they get down on their own? quick and easy or do they have to romance themselves a little? It depends on a moment.

68. in what outfit do they feel sexiest? how do they dress to impress? Naked is the best. He dresses sharp because that’s how he was raised and also because it makes him feel good about himself. He mostly prefers clean black suits.

69. do they like having music on while they have sex? share three songs they’d play while getting down. He usually doesn’t care but Michiko likes to put on something energetic and loud when they’re in motels. This is just to give the idea of the mood: Fatboy Slim - Ya Mama Beastie Boys - Sabotage Mylène Farmer - Des larmes

[cksmart-world]

The completely unnecessary analysis

by Christopher Smart

April 13, 2021

HEY MORMONLAND — THIS BUD'S FOR YOU

People out in the real world often make fun of Utah — but just because Mormons (almost) never drink and (almost) never swear is no reason to poke fun. The Beehive State has always had the reputation of a place where you can't get a drink. But that's not really true because, according to Wilson and the band, locals always keep a bottle of George Dickel under the driver's seat. Well, listen, times have changed and you can now go to a restaurant and get a drink as long as your children are blindfolded. And lookit, we now have Five Wives Vodka and Polygamy Porter. See, we do have a sense of humor. And now even Budweiser has caught on. The Tribune's booze specialist, Kathy 'Straight-Up' Stephenson, broke the news that specially designed Budweiser bottles will be emblazoned with Utah cuss words, such as, “Oh My Heck” and “Frick Yeah” as part of its “The Beer Utah Swears By” campaign. (We are not making this up.) The labels will have scenes of Delicate Arch and the Wasatch Mountains. But no, the Salt Lake LDS Temple won't grace any beer bottles — that's just a swig too far. Still, you know Utah (Mormon) lawmakers are going to hate this. Can't you just hear them: “We told you, start selling 5 percent beer and everything goes right to shit, er um, heck.”

CROWING FOR JIM CROW

Voter suppression is as American as ball park hot dogs and them suckers at Delta and Coca-Cola should just shut the fuck up, said Sen. Mitch 'Corporate Bucks' McConnell after CEOs from a number of large corporations came out against new Georgia voting laws aimed at restricting minority access. SHOCKER — Utah's Republican congressional delegation got on board with McConnell to push back — hey let's boycott Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, Porsche USA, UPS, Bank of America and Major League Baseball, who don't know their ass from third base. (Great strategy — just keep digging, guys.) This ain't no Jim Crow, crowed Georgia Gov. Brian P. Kemp, who as secretary of state purged over 340,000 voters just before he ran for governor. He beat Stacey Abrams by less than 55,000 votes. Georgia Republicans tightened up voting restrictions again after Joe Biden won the state as did two Democrats in Senate races. Texas and other states followed suit — Jim Crow who? In 2013 the U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision cut the heart out of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that required federal oversight of states with histories of discrimination. Voter suppression is no longer a problem, explained Chief Justice John Roberts. Cock-A-Doodle-Do.

LIARS, LIARS, PANTS ON FIRES

The sky is falling and so is our democracy. Lucky thing, seven Democrats are going to save it — the democracy not the sky. Utah's Ben 'Boy Scout' McAdams along with former representatives from New York, South Carolina, Oklahoma and New Mexico, as well as former candidates from New York and Indiana, have created Shield PAC — to shield Dems from GOP bullshit. “Our plan is to counter the torrent of lies that helped cost us our elections in 2020,” they wrote in a column for USA Today. If they're talking about people like Burgess 'I've-Got-A-Secret' Owens, then we can hardly blame them. According to Owens, Democrats are socialists who eat baby parts on pizza. The PAC hopes to get its message out early in 2022 to avoid being labeled commie baby-eaters. “Republicans will lie about [Democrats] because it worked against us and because they have nothing else to run on,” they wrote. “They have abandoned their long-held principles [and] they have no new ideas... ” Don't you wonder what would happen if the Utah Democratic Party did something like that at a grass-roots level? We could have a two-party state. Never mind, they’re too busy eating lunch on the expense account at The New Yorker. (And no, they didn't order pizza).

Post script — Well that's about it for another week here at Smart Bomb where we keep track of those zany Utah Republicans so you don't have to. Speaking of which, Gov. Spencer Cox, the congressional delegation and every Republican who loves freedom and Tasty Cream Donuts has put Joe Biden on notice: If you mess with Bears Ears and Grand-Staircase-Escalante national monuments without unilaterally our permission we will get real mad and hold our breath until... That's pretty rich when you consider it was former Sen. Orrin Hatch who induced the Once and Future King to slice up said monuments after ego massages with happy endings. Trump cut Bears Ears by 85 percent and Grand Staircase by half. Unilaterally, you say? Well, get this: President Obama asked Utah leaders to propose a plan for Bears Ears, but the so-called “Public Lands Initiative” sponsored by former Utah Rep. Rob Bishop was purposely stillborn. Oil, gas and minerals are practically nil there, but these lands and antiquities need protection from what Ed Abbey called “industrial tourism” — exhibit #1 Moab. National monument designations would go a long way toward protecting them. It's too bad it will drive Utah Republicans nuts — or should we say nuttsier.

Well Wilson, you and guys like to roam red rock country to get your minds right. So what do you and the band have that will give us that earthy clean freedom-thing that makes it all worthwhile:

Just listen to the wind blow Let it blow, let it blow Sand over my trail I got my saddle on the ground And that ol' moon, he can still be found Hidin' in the desert sky And when I die let me die With a dream in my mind A smile on my face and no trouble behind And no cross on my grave To show my restin' place So I can listen to the wind blow Let it blow, let it blow Sand over my trail I got my saddle on the ground And that ol' moon, he can still be found Hidin' in the desert sky...

(Desert Skies — Marshall Tucker Band)

[bugclub-archive-blog]

all the questions :)

1. selfieI post enough2. what would you name your future kids?I have a lot of names I love…sophia + Sadie are my favorites 💞 3. do you miss anyone?Yea, one or two people. One is my dad4. what are you looking forward to?My anniversary with my bf :)5. is there anyone who can always make you smile?My dogs 💞 6. is it hard for you to get over someone?No!! Damn near the second I’m away from someone I can’t even comprehend their existence anymore so…no. that’s also why it’s easy for me to not miss people I’ve been away from for a long time 7. what was your life like last year? When it started I was doing an independent sort of thing where I thought I was finding who I was but I was just influenced by things and music and people and I was actually completely wrong about the person I thought I wanted to be. She wasn’t that great. At the very end of the year I was taking a serious stand for myself. I think I grew a lot 8. have you ever cried because you were so annoyed?Yes this is usually why I cry. Probably like 75% of the time it’s cause I’m stressing9. who did you last see in person?I’m with Emilio and Antonio rn!10. are you good at hiding your feelings?So good. Scary good. I don’t do it a lot, almost never anymore, but I know that I can. Its no good in my experience11. are you listening to music right now?No. But we are video chatting anyone and everyone who is active on fb rn. 10/10 12. what is something you want right now?I want a cup noodles but without the wait.13. how do you feel right now?Very happy and very comfy. I just washed alL out sheets and blankets and they’re super soft and smell delicious14. when was the last time someone of the opposite sex hugged you?Earlier when my husband got home from work he gave me and Capone a big hug 💟 15. personality descriptionOf myself? It’s not my place to say 16. have you ever wanted to tell someone something but you didn’t?Yes, a million billion times, even right this second, 17. opinion on insecurities.Eh. They’re never as bad as you think. I guess that’s a given18. do you miss how things were a year ago?Eh, sorta! It was getting warm and I was smoking hella bud with Emilio just like now, and I miss how that felt. I miss how it felt being his friend even though I never wanna be just his friend again. I don’t miss my old job at all. I guess mostly what I miss was how I was on the road a lot last May and doing my own thing usually all by myself. I didn’t even see my friends that much last May, it was a weird month. I wouldn’t wanna go back, but I’d rather be in last May than last winter or fall 2015.19. have you ever been to New York?Yes and I loved every second of it.20. what is your favourite song at the moment?Maybe love by Kendrick Lamar or redbone. Loyalty + pride are also good ass songs. 21. age and birthday?20, born March 2422. description of crush.Handsome as hell, gold in his eyes and his hair when the sun shines on him23. fear(s)Puppets on strings and going insane. I answered this the other day so it’s been on the mind a little bit 24. height5'425. role modelNot sure. My dad’s smart26. idol(s)Helen Stephenson 27. things i hateLies, deceit, racism, sexism, backstabbing, 28. i’ll love you if…You have good intentions and good jokes29. favourite film(s)The boondock saints is one of my favorites. I also love Harold and Maude30. favourite tv show(s)The office, scrubs, unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, 30 rock, Malcolm in the middle, my name is Earl, parks and rec, that 70s show, 31. 3 random facts1.Cabbage is a descendant of the mustard plant.2. Kale is a descendant of the mustard plant.3. Multiple plants are descendants of the mustard plant.32. are your friends mainly girls or guys?I guess guys33. something you want to learnMore about plant identification. I wanna be able to go into the forest and know by name what I’m looking at. I learned a few this spring walking around rum village 🌿34. most embarrassing momentMy dad finding my journals a bunch of years back. Even worse was when my family went through my room while I was locked up in the hospital. My grandma and aunt use to take me to ponderosa for breakfast to give me the sex talk once a year it sucked35. favourite subjectScience!! Earth science in particular. I did good in geometry so I like that by default but I wouldn’t wanna do math rn. I’d totally do some science shit rn though36. 3 dreams you want to fulfill?See America, see the world, and marry my baby daddy37. favourite actor/actressI don’t have any in particular38. favourite comedian(s)Man, me and Emilio watched a bunch of standup this spring. I love john mulaney. I wish I could give you more names but I’m forgetful39. favourite sport(s)I love playing baseball but I like watching hockey and football40. favourite memoryJeez, who knows. Any family vacation I went on was always a high point. On one trip we went to sleeping Bear dunes in Michigan and I climbed up the biggest hill realllllly fast and everyone was impressed. That was cool41. relationship statusMarried and chillin42. favourite book(s)Catcher in the rye, the great Gatsby, hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, journey to the center of the earth, 20000 leagues under the sea!!! I love that last one so much43. favourite song ever100% by sonic youth and a very certain acoustic performance of wasted and ready by Ben kweller 💐44. age you get mistaken forProbably anything younger than 2045. how you found out about your idolGoth girl message boards 46. what my last text message says“Sorry we did this”47. turn onsDon’t wanna make this blog nsfw but I’m bout to get some d later so that’s kind of working for me 48. turn offsPpl being mean to me49. where i want to be right nowHere is fine 50. favourite picture of your idolNow I regret making Helen my idol she probably thinks I’m so lame 51. starsignAries sun that’s all y'all need to know52. something i’m talented atKissing emilio53. 5 things that make me happyCup noodles, stuffed animals, new makeup, making money, being out In nature 54. something thats worrying me at the momentI’m about to start a new job it’s a little nerve-racking you know 55. tumblr friendsI don’t know if we are friends (I want to be) but I have some really cool mutuals whom I love to watch flourish 🌸 like @angel-macabre @corporateaccount @lushdeath @312413 @heartshapedspiderweb @cheapexorcisms @sediao and others I know I am forgetting this doesn’t mean I love and respect you any less it just means I’m turnt up bitch and tired as hell56. favourite food(s)“The soup”. Its Emilio’s dad’s recipe and I’m confident that I’ve mastered it.57. favourite animal(s)Weasels and dogs58. description of my best friendHandsome as hell, gold in his hair and his eyes when the sun shines on him59. why i joined tumblrI can’t even remember!! It was so long ago…this blog isn’t even my first blog. I wish I could remember why I started it and what I first posted. My first blog is long, long gone. Wish I could find it! Fun fact: my first urls were auricy, fiftene, (and then sixtene on my birthday), boysister, zodomy, and a bunch of others, but I’ve been bugclub for like 4 years now

🌻💞🌻💞🌻💞