#afd is the death of me

[rocknrollflames]

Day Nineteen: A Picture of Your Favorite Album

30 Day Band Challenge

[jewish-vents]

Just left my New Year’s Eve group. Seems like I will be celebrating on my own today.

Usually, I meet up with some close friends and we’re just having a good time. This time, some new people joined, but also people I know of.

I still had a bad feeling about them tho. One is AFD voter (far right German party), the other just a pick me girl.

Well.

I left.

Every time they lit up a firecracker they either yelled “death to the Jews” or “death to Islam”

Those idiots ruined a day I usually enjoy. And my best friends just said: well I didn’t say it

What a nice evening.

.

[tanadrin]

How do you feel about the Gaza war all but ensuring Trump's reelection by destroying Biden politically?

It might; it's certainly hurt his standing with a number of different groups like Arab-Americans. Whether it will translate into a broader erosion of support I can't tell, and there are so many things that are up in the air still about this election (which is over a year away!) that it's kind of a fool's game to try to predict the outcome now.

I'm not sure that Biden's support for the Israeli bombing campaign/ground invasion is "destroying" him politically at all. That would imply he's paying a real cost among the majority of his supporters, but the Democratic party is quite right-wing on the Israel-Palestine issue at the moment. I think Biden is pursuing the policies that he thinks have broad support among his political faction, and unfortunately I think he may be correct in that assessment.

It goes without saying that if Trump or a similar politician was president now, or was president during a similar crisis in the future, he'd probably be even more enthusiastic about endorsing whatever the Israeli government wanted to do. That troubles me, of course. It would be nice if there were options for the American president other than "endorsing mass murder with a sigh of regret" and "endorsing mass murder with cheering and clapping of hands."

I have a lot of worries. I worry that for all the outrage, nothing will fundamentally change--that Israeli politics will (with Netanyahu in charge or someone else) continue to drift to the right, that Oslo will be the high-water mark for hope for a peaceful resolution in my lifetime. More parochially, I worry about the German government cynically exploiting this situation to justify a stronger anti-immigration and anti-refugee policy, hoping to outflank the AfD on this issue; and I worry that Biden will lose in 2024 and the lesson the Democratic party will take from it isn't "we need to be less like a bunch of cynical neoliberal death cultists" and instead "it was clearly our labor policy that was the problem, let's lurch rightward again." I worry that the lessons we took from World War II have faded already, or were always too narrow in scope--that we are sensitive to fascism only if it marches under literal swastikas, that we care about refugees and genocide only if they can be mythologized as the perfect victim, going meekly to their fate (preferably years after the fact, when it is too late to actually do anything about it).

I think there are a lot of good people in the world doing good things, who want to fight for what's right. But this is a really bleak situation, and none of them are in charge. We could use a leader with real courage who can vigorously articulate an expansive moral vision, something beyond massacre-for-massacre retribution with no end in sight.

[offshore-brinicle]

That was one hell of a part 2 good lordy. I have SO many thoughts but I cannot put all into words for now, here's some though.

Dante is being real quiet [sus especially after how much they talked in canto 5, plus how they seemed seemed realise that they need to actually take part in helping the sinners proper] and they are [seemingly] the only sinner one could connect to Carmen [literally all of the chirstian symbolism, the way the static on her appearances was similar to the static Dante has seen on AFD and their overheating, the fact she seemed to speak through them at that point]. I am probably just reading into things but after the whiplash of how much they usually talk - internally and externally - I am very much getting a sinking feeling something's wrong.

Basements are evil. Hong Lu is rich enough to have a basement in his houses. He will probably have an evil basement. I would bet money on this, especially if its a sort of 'other world' as alluded to in his book (that I have not read. It does mention a Land of Illusion if i recall, however, so possibly a door to that). Bonus points if it ends up being upside down or smth.

Would the 'chaotic' part of the golden bough ( of 'em at least) have any sorta relation to why we Heath's E.G.O seemed unstable? I know most of the other distortions/E.G.O awakenings happened near boughs - which connects to the theory that they are directly related to Carmen and thus allow her to talk to people more easily like with the monolith - either Dante's fragment or a full one, but the specific mention of a chaotic one could mean it's responsible for Bodysack seeming to have corroded, as one can see the warning labels typical of a corroding E.G.O.

Given Faust's change in behaviour - namely stuttering for what I believe to be the first time - regarding the conversations around the 'creation of humans' I do believe this was how she was made. Yi Sang did say he made the tech used within the pods in that very basement, and the fact that he was the first recruit could mean that the Faust who approached him is not the same Faust on the bus. The idea of her being a metric fucktonna ID's layered on top of each other firstly explains the Council of Fausts theory, wherein she is able to talk to other versions of herself, in this case because that's what she is, as well as what Dante says about her looking somewhere else before answering. Mirrors alter perception, so her looking at a different Faust for answers could explain that as well. Work's too with her base E.G.O, wherein three shadows seem to point out an answer on her wall of notes. She has all the knowledge, she just needs her other selves to point it out when needed - thus her evasive attitude when it comes to answers, she needs time to get it pointed out.

On that note, do you think her attitude in Selva Obscura is a reflection of og!Faust, but she drops the act later on once Dante has fully forgotten their past? She doesn't really get that jokey after that.

Like how the middle seemed to be the antithesis of Ishmael in C5 part 2, the ring seems to be Heath's. The middle represented how Ishy as a person was mostly incompatibility with 'the bit', in the form of a situation that is remarkably silly on paper but ended up in near total annihilation of the group. The ring may represent how some may look for deeper meanings in all things from arts to people, which clashes wickedly against Heathcliff's more straightforward approach when it comes to handling situations. The dredges of the ring are those parts of him that overthink and he solves the problem as simply as he's been solving many others.

Cathy in a Coffin reminds me of when Carmen was content enough to haunt the narrative from her Bucket. Nothing else to say here except for the fact it's funny.

But back to Carmen, and more particularly 'fate' regarding distortions. The theme of denying of what 'should've happened' is a decently big theme of limbus - from the rewinding death to even subverting what happens from any literary source material - so if they end up going 'Carmen no Carming' to her later on, defying someone who seems to be as much of a god-like entity as the Head in some ways, I would not be surprised if we either get a visit from Iori, one of Demian's lot or another Lo9 member - x or current. Additionally, defying fate may just be what brings back Heathcliff from the edge, keeping Cathy alive in this mirror world but presumably in a weird weirdass way. My guess is that she distorts and gets nabbed by LCD - but I also just wanna see Moses so.

Also hey what happened to the seven strikes of lightning. Are they gonna be in Heath's distortion dungeon or something? No clue.

And I think that's it. Gonna stare at a wall for a while now methinks

OK SO FIRST UP THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS HERE SO I'LL TRY TO ANSWER TO THESE CONCISELY

Now that you mentioned it, it was always very strange how Faust is Number 2 despite being there first and her mugshot having already been in uniform, so now that you mention her different attitude in the Prologue I honestly see a lot to what you are bringing up here. It was always a personal theory of mine that Faust's real "Mephistopheles" was Sang Yi or Yi Sang somehow, since Sang Yi still to seems to be a rather...odd entity that doesn't correspond to any particular mirror world and is implied by Yi Sang to have some degree of omniscience (and there's also that marked part in the dungeon where he "mysteriously dissapeared" for some time with no explanation), so she might have gotten Yi Sang to do the procedure that would give her this infinite knowledge, specially since even Yi Sang himself emphasizes on her having been "gifted" with omniscience, I Highly doubt he's being figurative here, even more with her EGO's background being the shadows of multiple people.

In regards to Dante not speaking I think it's simply because of the difference in situation, unlike Ishmael who was very clearly out of control due to her own mindset, Heathcliff is being driven over the edge by circumstance -- and some quite insane circumstances at that, so it might be why they could not intervene, but hopefully they'll step up when we get to the next part, specially since we'll be dealing with Distorted Heathcliff....and also, it's very interesting that we actually got Heathcliff's POV on how it felt to Distort. It might be Dante's connection to Carmen and The Sinners aligning at once.

And also, Catherine is def a Carmen expy (I actually did my own analysis some time ago in similarities Kromer, Ahab and Dongbaek had with Carmen too but this one is the most. Insanely explicit similarity) and the fact that she speaks to "Welcome Heathcliff home" at the very end in her own voice alongside Carmen...I can't help but feel she might have been planning to get Heathcliff to Distort all along as part of her personal plan that they can be together happy in Hell. The Overclocking symptoms seem to have been an indicator of Heathcliff approaching Distortion, I really like how...drastically different it feels from the awakened Crow's Eye View and Snagharpoon, and just in general how they completely threw the formula that had been built up until now out of the window (heh)

Either way, thanks for shooting me a message! It's always fun to get to hear other people's observations and theories and share my own two cents along the way

Edit: I forgor but frankly if Hong Lu has yet another Creepy Rich Person basement I think I'll bash my head against the wall. The real moral of Limbus is that basements are bad and evil. Sorry there are just So many good observations here and I'm a bit scatterbrained at times shfhh

In regards to the "fate" thing, I feel like that will be a big part of dealing with Heathcliff next part, Limbus Company as a game and story is built on the reimaginings or "what ifs" or classics, and we've seen it with Yi Sang that his ending was changed in the end; the original Yi Sang died and the protagonist of The Wings commits suicide, but he rejected all of that, while Ishmael was on her path to repeat the cycle of the story of Moby Dick but thanks to Dante and Heathcliff she rejected that as well. And the title of "Clear All Cathy" really establishes from the first moment the goal this time. We'll have to wait another week to see how it rolls.

[3mcwriting]

Any Fan's Dream, Part 20

Taglist: @secretly-sirens, @zeeader, @imdoingathingmom, @x-theolivia, @ainsley-official, @huntress-artemiss, @hoohoohope, @ourgoddessathena, @wiintaersoldier, @vine-enthusiast, @afraidofshrimp, @myfturn, @im-better-than-your-newborn, , @mjaudrey, @igotthisasajokeyetimstillhere, @starr60, @coldmermaidhologram, @daenerysluvrr, @viperchick47, @marvelwomen-arehot, @mynightandstars

So, recently this fic hasn't had much interaction, and I'm not sure why. One of you told me that it can be buggy and hard to reach, so I'm sorry abt that but if you ever wonder abt updates, I'm gonna start up dating every saturday. Just go to my masterlist, then to the afd masterlist and to the new chapter. Hopefully you're all able to find it now.

Any Fan's Dream Masterlist

Synopsis:

When you look around and see Avengers Tower in front of you and Peter Parker beside you, you wonder how the hell you managed to get into the MCU.

The quinjet landed, the atmosphere inside sobering up.

Everyone was checking their gear, ensuring they had everything they needed before they went into the bunker. 

"Is there anything else we should expect inside?" Steve asked you.

You shook your head, but stopped, remembering something. "Actually- he isn't planning on using the Winter Soldiers inside, he's going to kill them. Shit, I can't believe I forgot to tell you."

"Is there anything else?"

You racked your brain. "Well, he plans to lock you in the room and force you to watch the video of the Starks and Sergeant Barnes, but that's easy enough to avoid if you aren't all in one place."

"Okay." Steve nodded. "Thank you." He turned to the rest of the individuals gathered. "We'll be going in in two groups. 3 and 4."

"There's eight of us, though." Wanda pointed out. "Is somebody staying here?"

Your stomach dropped. 

He better not do what you thought he was going to.

"(y/n) hasn't had enough training for this," Steve stated. He looked at you. "I can't let you go out there. You just had a concussion and you don't have your Iron-Man suit. It isn't safe."

You had to take a moment to reign in your frustration. "It isn't safe for anybody out there. I should be able to go. Plus, I know what he's planning. None of you are tech people, I can help you." Your argument was all over the place, but your points were still valid.

Unfortunately, Steve had more valid points. 

He pulled you aside and spoke to you quietly. "You had less than a month of physical training, you were recently injured, you don't have any sort of equipment or protection, and this man wants to tear the Avengers apart. What do you think would happen if you got killed here?"

"My death wouldn't tear the Avengers apart." You almost scoffed, hating the fact that he had a point in terms of your combat prowess. "I'll stay close to you. I won't engage in fighting. But you have to let me help."

Steve thought about it, eventually coming to the conclusion that with a whole team of them against the one guy, you would probably be safer with them than outside in the quinjet by yourself.

"Fine." Steve conceded. "But you absolutely can't engage. When we start fighting, you get away, okay?"

You mulled it over. "Alright."

"Okay, new plan." Steve spoke up, catching the attention of the rest of the people. "Two groups of four. Wanda, Scott, Clint, and Sam, you're a group. Thor, Bucky, (y/n) and I will be a group. The goal of this is to make sure the team stays together. Make sure nobody gets hurt." Everyone could tell who in particular he was worried about getting hurt. "If you find Zemo, call it in."

~~

You looked at the different hallways, unsure of which way led where.

In the movies they never really focused much on this so you couldn't say you knew which way to go, but who could blame you? You never expected to somehow end up in the MCU so it wasn't like you had studied for it. You just had your memory to go off of, and as good as your memory was in remembering Marvel stuff, you hadn't managed to memorize every moment of every Marvel movie.

You just hoped that you had given them enough time to arrive before Zemo wound up killing all the other Winter Soldiers. After all, they were people like Bucky who had been brainwashed and tortured for decades, they didn't deserve the treatment they'd been subjected to. 

But now, there you were, unsure of which hallway to go down and simply following Bucky and Steve, Thor standing beside you while the two of you followed. 

You weren't stupid. You knew why Steve had told you to stay with Thor. Thor was strong enough to protect you rather easily if need be and Steve himself was too occupied to look out for you. You just wished you'd been able to have more training before this, at least then you would be able to pull your own weight in terms of self-defense. Instead, you were just brought along because the rest of the people there weren't exactly geniuses with technology.

Especially with the people in your group. 

Steve and Bucky weren't exactly caught up on current events, better yet, the technology. Thor wasn't even from Earth and was hopeless with tech.

You were tense, knowing that this was probably one of the most serious moments of your life. You felt doubt start to wiggle its way into your mind, but you pushed that wriggly worm down, instead focusing on how you had just compared doubt to a worm and wondering if your mind was just fucking weird. 

You refocused on the situation at hand, scolding yourself internally because this situation really didn't need you zoning out and getting lost in your mind. That was fine late at night when you were trying to fall asleep, but it could present a bit of a problem if fighting started and you were stuck thinking about doubt as a worm. Well, a wriggly worm to be specific, but-

No. Focus, (y/n).

You took a deep breath, looking around the rather ominous hallways the four of you kept turning down, wrinkling your nose at the smell. It was musty and dusty and you were worried you'd end up sneezing and give away where you were. That wouldn't be ideal.

Steve and Bucky climbed up a couple steps, you and Thor following right behind them.

In the movie, Bucky had led Steve and Tony to the large room that held the Winter Soldiers, so you assumed that was what was going to happen now. But you were concerned. In the movie Zemo had made a trap for them. With the plot changed, you didn't know if you had arrived early enough to stop Zemo before his trap was set and the Winter Soldiers were killed.

You arrived in the room and there they were.

It was dark, so dark that if the containers the people were kept in didn't have their own light, you would be blind to your surroundings. You took in a sharp breath, looking at the people sitting in those strange cells. You wanted nothing more than to run up to each of those cells and inspect the glass, ensure that there weren't any bullet holes and the people behind the glass weren't murdered in their inhumane confines.

But you knew you couldn't do that. That would be stupid. So you stayed behind Steve, looking at the cages and trying to discern if someone had indeed shot through them. Unfortunately, the lighting as bad as it was, you were going to have to get closer to actually tell.

As you moved closer, you felt your anticipation grow. From what you could see, none of the cells had any holes in them. 

You almost gasped, but restrained yourself. Unless you were missing something or your eyes weren't reliable, none of the Winter Soldiers had been killed. Sure, they all looked dead because of whatever cryo-freeze thing that Hydra put them in, but none of them had the execution style shot in their head.

Zemo hadn't yet shot them.

You'd arrived before he could do so. 

It wasn't a great time to do so, but you almost smiled. After all, that meant you had managed to change the plot enough that Steve and Bucky were able to arrive before Zemo could set up his plan. It also meant that these six lives hadn't been lost. 

You were already thinking about if you could convince T'Challa to take them back to Wakanda and get them the treatment Bucky was able to get there. With that, maybe those people would be able to escape Hydra's influence and finally be able to live for themselves.

"I was going to get rid of them before you arrived, but I suppose I can do that later." Helmut Zemo's voice crackled over the old intercom.

Steve and Bucky instantly went tense and battle-ready. Thor moved closer to you, ready to shield you from whatever was going to happen.

"Unfortunately," Zemo continued, "I didn't expect your arrival so soon. But as I said before, I can deal with that later."

"You killed innocent people to bring us here," Steve's voice held an undercurrent of anger you'd never heard in person before. "Why?"

"An unfortunate necessity," Zemo conceded, "I do apologize to you for any injuries you might've retained, (y/n)(l/n). The bombing was important to the plan, although the deaths are regrettable."

You almost said 'No problem' out of habit but managed to stop yourself from doing so because it was just a bit of a problem.

"Don't speak to her," Steve ordered. "You caused so much pain. For what?"

"I thought about nothing else for over a year. I studied you. I followed you." 

You knew why Zemo had done what he did, and while it was tragic, it didn't excuse bombing a building. 

"Again, my apologies, (y/n)(l/n). I never wanted to hurt any children."

You almost felt insulted by that but then realized it was probably best to just ignore the statement. There were, after all, more important things to worry about. Besides, you felt uneasy. Sure, you knew things were much better than in the movie but you had the horrible sense that something was going to go horrendously wrong. 

Your eyes swept the room, roving over the six empty glowing cells, the corners hidden by shadows, the-

Wait a fucking minute-

Empty cells?

Oh, fuck.

"Guys, the cell things are empty," you alerted the people with you. 

Fuckfuckfuckfuck where were they?

You flinched when the lights in the cells went out, darkness crashing down like a tidal wave, ready to pull you beneath and leave you never to be seen again.

"As I said before," Zemo's voice came over the intercom again, "I did not expect you all so soon. And unfortunately, the Iron-Man isn't here, which messes up another plan of mine. You really have thwarted a couple of my plans and it is quite annoying; but as you Americans say, 'the show must go on'."

"I know he said he was going to kill them, but I think he decided to give them one last go before he did." You tried to control your voice as you spoke, but it was rising as you got more nervous. You looked around uselessly, the darkness too thick for you to see anybody or anything. You felt the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up, every muscle in your body tensing as your nerves rose.

You reached out, knowing Thor was right beside you only a couple feet from you when the lights went out. "Thor, are you there?"

"I am right here, Lady (y/n)." You felt relief wash over you when you heard his voice. "Do not move, Lady (y/n), let me find you."

"Okay." Even with the comfort Thor brought you, every moment of silence in that pitch-black room made you more and more uneasy. 

You felt a hand reach out and grab your arm, almost giving you a heart attack.

"Lady (y/n), is that you?"

"Ye-" 

Your words were cut off, a hand covering your mouth while another one wrapped around your waist and pulled you backward. You tried to scream, but the hand over your mouth only muffled the noise. Remembering the training Natasha had taught you, you desperately tried to get out of the assaulter's grasp but to no avail. Your movements were too slow, too amateur to work on an assassin trained for decades. 

"Lady (y/n), where did you go?" Thor's voice held uncharacteristic urgency. "Lady (y/n)?"

"(y/n)!" Now Steve's voice was breaking through the silence, the cry of your name reaching your ears and while you wanted nothing more than to respond, you were left to try to scream, again only muffled noises. 

"I think I heard her," Bucky's voice popped up. "(y/n), try to make as much noise as possible."

You screamed, the noise still muffled but louder than before. The person holding you wrapped an arm around your throat, applying pressure slowly. You tried to claw at their arm, use your legs to knock them off balance, but nothing worked. They were too strong, stance too sturdy, and far too well trained for your efforts to do much more than annoy them. 

You clawed desperately at the arm as the person but more and more pressure on your throat. Although the arm was only choking you for mere seconds, it felt never-ending. Something was happening to you, your airway being closed off, you felt like you were...you couldn't- you couldn't....breathe...

~~

The lights in the cells turned back on, leaving Steve, Thor, and Bucky looking for you anxiously. Unfortunately, they weren't left with much time to search for you when six people came out of the shadows and decided to attack.

"WHERE IS LADY (Y/N)?" Thor thundered, voice rough thunder is loud. 

Steve was focused, desperately trying to keep the two assassins back but too distracted by looking for you to focus. He had let you come along with them, he had allowed this to happen. If you were dead....

No, you couldn't be dead. 

"YOU WILL NOT TELL ME WHERE SHE IS? FINE, I HAVE NO NEED FOR YOU THEN." Slamming his hammer on the floor, Thor sent out shocks of electricity at the two people trying to attack him, knocking them unconscious. In quick succession, he managed to render the rest of the assassins unconscious as well. 

No longer occupied by trying to defend himself, Steve searched the room for you; Bucky and Thor followed his lead. 

They looked up as footsteps approached, running footsteps. 

Instantly on guard again, they all tensed, ready to fight the newcomers.

Wanda emerged, Scott behind her. A few moments later, Clint and Same came in, escorting a bound Helmut Zemo with them. 

Footsteps loud against the stone floor, Steve stormed over to the incapacitated man. "Where is she." His words a demand for answers, not a question.

"I told you I did not want the death of a child on my mind." Was all Zemo said. 

Wanda tilted her head. "He ordered one of the Winter Soldiers to knock her unconscious before the fighting began." She had read his mind, desperate to find out where her friend was.

Weak coughing was heard from one of the shadowy corners. "I...I'm over here."

[restless-one]

What we know so far, Addendum:

So a man in Magdeburg used a car to attack a Christmas market. 200 people are injured, 5 people are dead, one of them a 9 year old boy. The man who did it was arrested. There is video of his arrest. So far I have only seen one. Maybe they will release more later, but right now, there is only one.

The man has been in trouble with the law before, but only for lesser things like disturbing the peace, pulling fire alarms without an emergency and slander.

The man worked as a doctor in a Jail (which means they should have put his CV under the proverbial microscope).

He has given an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung in 2019 in which he said there is no good Islam and he had renounced the religion.

He was not a member of the AFD, but he sympathised and reblogged their posts.

There is circulating a picture of an e-mail online that seems to be a warning about said man.... unfortunately, the addressee of said e-mail is the police of Berlin, New Jersey, not the police of Berlin, Germany.

The police has searched his home, but have, so far not said if they have found something.

They did a drug test and it was positive, but as a doctor, he would know which dose and drug to use.

They found that he used the emergency entrance to the Christmas market to do his deed, which means there was planning involved. This was not a "simple" Amok run, this was premeditated.

He has been posting on X a lot. He sounded like a conspiracy nut and that is not a criminal offence. His post are very Islam-phobic and he was not happy about the immigration of Islam people.

The police is asking for any videos that people might have made.

It is still way to early for all the info to form a cohesive image, we only have pieces of the whole and already people try to twist it, so it fits their preferred outcome. The right wing say there were 34 deaths and five attackers with bombs in their cars and the attacker were Syrian. Another say there were 11 deaths and it was an Islamic attack. They are already planning marches for Monday.

Even here, on this site, someone reblogged my earlier post commenting that the man was shouting "Allah Akbar" when he was arrested. Unless he has access to another video of the man's arrest than me, that is false. The video I have seen is 50 seconds long, the man is lying on the floor with the hands on his back and is not saying anything. A police man is shouting "geh nich zu nah ran, nich zu nah ran" which can be translated "Don't go too close, not too close."

Should another video exist I will try and find it. But so far those are all the infos we have.

This is all we know so far.

Oh PS: A day before the attack, the German Chancellor lost (predictably) a "Misstrauensvotum" (Vote of no confidence) which means that there will be an Election early next Year for a new German Federal Parliament and with that, a new Chancellor. So Elon Musk's demand for the Chancellor to step down was completely superfluous. Which he would have known if he had a done a simple Google search before tweeting.

[outsidereveries]

as my prediction about biden stepping out of the elections got accurate, accept this post as update that's related on the usa elections on 5th november 2024.

since a few important events happened, i'll try to ask as objectively as possible.

disclaimer 2: my actual political opinions and views doesn't matter in my readings. i'm as neutral as possible, as i have to be. if i happen to be biased according to you, then the energies that i sensed are leaning towards the side that you might see in my posts. in this case, i am really trying to be as objective as possible as sometimes i absorb the current energies in extreme ways.

[democratic party]

who's the candidate for president (energy-wise): this person might not want to do it at first, to be honest. so far i see they're known person, somehow. as of now they might be very optimistic and hopeful, however they doubt themselves. they don't think they can do it.

3 of cups, the star, ace of swords • 7 of wands

since there were rumors of who the candidate can be, and it seems to be a woman, will that be...

kamala harris, like i sensed before: currently it could be her, and i can see her trying to do her best. however, she might not win in the end as there can be someone who'll be better. still, she's more prepared than before. it's just not 100% certain whether she'll be the candidate or not.

the hierophant, 8 of swords rx, strength • 6 of swords

hillary clinton (even though she already supports kamala): as she was an one on these in 2016, she seems to think otherwise. clinton believes for real that harris should continue what biden's 2024 campaign had to be in one way or another. roughly, i'd say no. she's a watcher in all of this situation.

page of cups, 6 of cups, 7 of swords rx • the high priestess

michelle obama: as i see her husband's influence through her, she seems to be very stubborn to not do it. michelle really believes that there have to be someone who suits it better than her. despite all the positive cards that i'm seeing, in the end she might be persuaded by her husband to be the democratic candidate.

ace of cups, 2 of cups, the star, 4 of pentacles • 3 of pentacles

if i have to do mtl for the future candidate from dp, it'll be kamala/michelle and then hillary. as of now it's 50:50 between harris and obama.

future reactions of the new democratic candidate: they seem to be very positive from the party's thoughts. i can see they'll gain even more money.. change in plans, i am leaning towards mrs. obama

5 of pentacles rx, ace of wands, the magician • the sun

future vp (vice-president) candidate from democratic party: so far the energy is still unknown to me, therefore this isn't that known person. they might be married though. i am leaning towards a man... an older man.

the high priestess, 4 of pentacles rx, 9 of swords rx • queen of wands

[republican party]

will the new duo from the democratic party change how trump will do in the elections: when it comes to trump's relevance, it might actually go even higher. the only change i can see is inside of the supporters of trump and them being more vulnerable in one way or another, more protective and might say way more things than it might be expected. there's very similar energy to some of the european far-right parties' supporters such as afd, rn, vazrazhdane and others that i don't know their names, supporters and even policies in the trump supporters. there can be change behind the scenes too in the tactics surrounding trump and his team.

death, 6 of swords rx, 3 of pentacles, 9 of wands, 3 of cups • ace of swords

is the republican candidate for president certain: yep, seems like it

the empress, queen of swords, the sun • king of cups

is the republican candidate for vp stable: as of now, yes. during trump's campaign, vance should be cautious of his intentions and actions as he's more prone to fuck himself up.

7 of cups, 10 of cups, 9 of pentacles rx • 2 of swords rx

future debates: when it comes to trump, he will act more delicate, more careful to the future candidate from the democratic party. whether if it's kamala or michelle, his tactics won't be exactly the same. from what i see, he might act similar to how he acted with hillary clinton back in 2015/2016, at first he'll be way more cautious but with the time he'll act like usual.

from the other side i don't feel any suprises, i except for them to try to make the usa citizens remember that scandal trump had with that 🍿⭐️ but .. won't work? and eventually other similar stuff to try to lower trump's revelance

4 of swords, 7 of swords rx, 8 of pentacles • the emperor

election day: although the day is cruicial, i can see the turnout being extremely low, around 50 to 55 percent currently. there might be extremely low amount of people who'll vote early in-person or even on the election day. i see many people voting absentee or by mail. for the trump supporters, this might save actually the whole world to them as that's extremely influental on them.

judgement, 8 of cups, the devil rx, 6 of wands, page of pentacles • the world

who might win: as of now it's more likely trump. strength is the biggest key to me who because of the actions.

4 of pentacles rx, the hierophant, strength • 3 of cups

[ozma914]

Firefighters, Death, and Cancer

 We lost one of our past firefighters this month, and a present long-time member is fighting a deadly disease.

Joe Meyer was one of my trainees when I was an Albion Fire Department instructor, and he remained a member for ten years, alongside his brother. 

That's Joe second from left, beside me. I particularly liked this group of trainees, only partially because they came in a group--it can be hard to train one or two firefighters to do a job that requires a team. They were a great bunch.

Here's Joe's obituary:

Joe was a character, and not just because he could pull off a cowboy hat with his turnout gear. (I don't remember the circumstances behind this photo ... maybe he just got cold easily, like I do. That's probably not it.)

Mitch Fiandt remains a member of the AFD, after transferring from the Orange Township Fire Department when he moved many years ago. He has, I think, six or eight years on me in the longevity department.

Now Mitch is fighting cancer, which is sadly not an unusual thing for firefighters. I've had a couple of scares myself, but Mitch is pretty sick--treatment is ongoing. Chemo, as anyone who has experienced it themselves or through loved ones knows, is rough by any standards.

So say a prayer for Mitch, Joe, and their families, and if you don't pray send good thoughts their way. I expect it's not going to be a fun holiday season for anyone involved.

We and our books can be found ... everywhere:

·        Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO

·        Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/"Mark R Hunter"

·        Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4898846.Mark_R_Hunter

·        Blog: https://markrhunter.blogspot.com/

·        Website: http://www.markrhunter.com/

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·        Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkRHunter914

·        Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markrhunter/

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·        Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MarkRHunter

·        Substack:  https://substack.com/@markrhunter

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·        Smashwords:  https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ozma914

[simplicius-simplicissimus]

Disbelief and Sadness!

My wife's aunt is an US citizen (her husband was an US Army helicopter pilot) and has lived in the USA for decades. Before the US election she visited Germany and we also talked about the situation in the USA - and of course compared it with recent German history. It's hard to bear when a people runs after a fool and just throws their identity and centuries of heritage into the gutter. Thinking and talking about this fact in our history was very emotional for me. I guess that a similar emotion flashed through Jimmy Kimmel's head as well and brought tears to his eyes:

I watch a lot of US news (thanks to YouTube) because I have learned to love the country, culture and people on many trips - and because developments there also have an impact on Europe. It was often annoying when American journalists, politicians or even comedians (also Jimmy Kimmel!) spoke condescendingly about Germany out of a feeling of “moral superiority” - whose history they often only know parts of (mostly just the last 120 years) and even then don’t really understand it. We (at least I am) probably know their history better than they ours🤓. But that's just how Americans are: like a carefree, immaculate, self-centered, almost naive child….that faces now adulthood! Maybe they understand now - because it can happen that overnight you start to live in a different country. I made the following comment on the video above:

„Welcome to the club - Germany's last dictator was not elected with a majority👏🥳! “Project 2025” is the plan of the now open “fascist GOP” to “bring the country into line” at the federal level. The „technical term“ from the „one o one“ for dictators is called „Gleichschaltung“ (synchronization). Germans know this term very well because it’s taught in school - not to apply it, but not to fall for it again! Some idiots over here vote for them (AFD) anyway. Churchill once said: „The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.“

By they way, the GOP has been doing this „synchronization thing“ openly and shamelessly through gerrymandering and voter suppression at the state level for years. These boys and girls are no longer interested in “democracy” - they have long been switched to play another game called “autocracy”. The “Democrats” on the other side want to continue to stick to the “rules of the game”🤦🏼‍♂️.

The good news is: you can also get rid of autocrats - giving up is not the order of the day! Sometimes even bloodless - like the Poles with their PIS party government recently (by the way, the PIS party introduced a nationwide abortion ban!). But sometimes (and that is the bad news) it can cost destroyed cities, destroyed cultural treasures, destroyed identity, destroyed international reputation (Germany used to be known as the country of poets and thinkers - today as the country that killed 6 million Jews) or 6.6 million own deaths (5.5 million soldiers who fought for the wrong ideals and 1.1 million civilian deaths).

I hope that „this dilemma“ ends for you the “Polish way” - and that one day you will not be asked: “Why didn’t you prevent this?” or “What did you do about it?” All the best for your future from over the Atlantic - but I fear it’s going to be a rough ride 👋🏻.“

Moderate Americans must do their homework now - and we Europeans ours!

-Simplicius Simplicissimus

„It happened so slowly. Yeah, kind of overnight. We woke up one morning and Europe was at war.“

-Lee Miller in movie „Lee“

[porter-alternativerock]

Interview with PORTER about the single "Tout Est Pardonné" with PUNKHEAD (USA)

Wir sind voller Freude über das nette Interview im US-amerikanischen PunkHead Magazine im Artist Spotlight <3

PUNKHEAD: Can you tell us more about "Tout Est Pardonné?"

Markus: I have to expand a little, if I may. The song is our 4th single release from the album "GENOSHA", which will also be released on vinyl as a whole in 2024. The whole album is based on a comprehensive premise in which we depict our own fictional world, but one that is very similar to our real world. Basically a small parallel universe. However, here we have the opportunity to illuminate the story of individual characters who all live in this world and have to struggle with the adversities that prevail there. For this song, however, we have made a crucial exception to the rest of the concept. At the moment, we have to observe in a very real way that totalitarian and fascist structures seem to be consolidating worldwide, even here in Germany. As a band, we can't just bang out some fantasy lyrics, we want to set an example for tolerance and democracy. That has always been the basic note in our lyrics, but on "Genosha" it is now more concrete. Our core conceptual questions are "what kind of world do we want to live in", "how much freedom is enough to feel truly free" and "how much coercion leads to a life determined by others". These are very important questions for us at the moment, as fascist parties such as the AfD are enjoying unexpectedly high levels of popularity in Germany.

"Tout Est Pardonné" is our answer to this. Musically, we lead the listener a little astray with this airy, melancholic song. By our standards, you might even hear almost cheerful tendencies here. But: we have borrowed the lyrics almost entirely from the German resistance fighter against the Nazis, Sophie Scholl, from 1943. In the face of her certain death - the fascists had sentenced her to death by guillotine - she showed incredible courage and said extremely strong, important words. This song is about courage. About remaining human in times of pure inhumanity. It is a warning in today's times, which are preparing to allow what has happened, the unimaginable, to be seen as forgettable. But it is also about the indispensable hope that can endure even in the darkest times of human existence - must endure if we all want to stand a chance against the senseless barbarism of unscrupulous dictators and their stooges. Sophie Scholl believed to the end that barbarism can be overcome, that sheer evil will not outlast all time, that freedom is attainable for all.

PUNKHEAD: How did you approach the arrangement and composition of the music for "Tout Est Pardonné?"

Lars: The songwriting process usually starts with me improvising on the guitar. It's a jumble of riffs and chord progressions for quite a while. At some point, an initial idea emerges that sounds to me like it could be the basis for a new song. It was exactly the same with Tout est Pardonné and I ended up in the rehearsal room with the rest of the band with the riff that now makes up the chorus of the song. Then the actual songwriting begins. Because our songs are never really built around a single riff, they always have different parts that tell a story with dramaturgy in their sequence. We also improvise a lot in this phase of songwriting, usually as a band in the rehearsal room. From this point onwards, everyone contributes to the process with their ideas for the flow of the song and, of course, with the categorisation of their instrument. Markus and Volker provide the driving groove on "Tout est Pardonné". With his lead guitar, Frank emphasises the moods that the song is supposed to have at various points. Above all this, Raimund's "catchy" melodic arcs provide what primarily stays in the listener's ear.

In "Tout est Pardonné", the riff in the intro is so strong that it can also carry the chorus well. But we also needed a part that emphasises the vocals with the lyrics, a classic verse part really. That's how the part came about in which, apart from the vocals, only the bass and drums play. This gives the song a nice "storytelling" character at this point, which actually sounds very carefree with the subsequent lead guitar playing. Originally, this guitar melody even filled the entire verse section and ran parallel to the vocals. In the end, however, we decided to split the verse into two parts. So the vocals have their place first and then the cheerful-sounding guitar melody. We thought both were so strong that vocals and guitar shouldn't "fight" with each other. The following part, as an introduction to the chorus, actually seems so threatening because of Frank's lead guitar alone. Without that, the chord sequence would actually be quite friendly. But this way it is a fitting transition to the chorus, which is so important in terms of content.

Markus always has a lot of very good lyrics in the drawer, so we can see which lyrics might fit the music while a song is still being written in the rehearsal room. And so the lyrics and music usually influence each other quite early on in the songwriting process, because neither is available in a final version at that point. However, during the entire process of creating "Tout est Pardonné", we weren't sure whether it would work to combine these strong and important words by Sophie Scholl with the positive musical energy of the song. We were all the more surprised when the finished song gave us goosebumps when we heard it.

With all the songs for the album "Genosha", there is one thing that went differently than usual. In the middle of the creation process, due to the illness of our singer at the time, which had a very negative effect on his voice, we had to start looking for a new singer, which we fortunately found in Raimund. Raimund already had all the songs in a demo version complete with lyrics. He then took on one song after the other without the other band members giving him any instructions. As Frank's melodic guitar parts are always very much orientated towards the vocal melody, he also had to rework "Tout est Pardonné" after Raimund's new vocal parts were finished. Thanks to our own studio, which we now have, we were then able to put "Tout est Pardonné" together piece by piece into what it is now, independently of external producers and the costs involved.

PUNKHEAD: How did you work with the producer or engineers to bring your vision for this song to life?

Markus: In earlier productions, we never had full control over the sound and also too little idea of how to really record songs, to be honest. And as with many other bands, there are translation errors and different views between the band on the one hand and the producer and mixer on the other. On top of that, many producers often want to put their own stamp on the band and their sound, and that's not always what the band wants - especially when they've been around as long as we have and have a very clear idea of where they want to go.

Thanks to our guitarist Lars, we have been in an extremely comfortable position in this respect for some time now. Over the last few years, Lars has familiarised himself more and more with things like audio engineering, sound design and recording, so that all recording processes are now in his hands. With the exception of the basic tracks for drums and bass, which we recorded in the specialised Goldsoundmusic studio near Dortmund, everything was done in Lars' own studio. So we didn't have to explain our vision to anyone externally or describe in complicated terms how PORTER should sound on "GENOSHA". And what can I say, the whole thing turned out exactly as we had imagined. On the one hand, we've finally put an end to being dictated to and on the other, the "Genosha" songs sound the way we always wanted them to. For the first time really. You could say that the sound of Porter 2024 is finally as grown up as we are.

PUNKHEAD: Are there any specific themes or messages that you aim to convey through your music?

Markus: Basically, we've already mentioned that above. It's very important to us that our lyrics have a meaning and aren't just decorative accessories for the melodies. But it is also very important that this can only be an offer from us. To like PORTER songs, you don't necessarily have to pay attention to the lyrics and we are also very aware that many people don't pay any attention to them. That's okay too. But if you do, you'll get something out of it, I think. And since ‘Genosha’ may not be a classic concept album, but it is nevertheless based on a concept in terms of content, you can spend some time with this world in which individuals are struggling to find their place and are confronted with very specific social problems that we are perhaps all more or less familiar with.

This concept is also strongly supported visually by the cover artwork. All the singles and the album itself feature images by the great Berlin photographer Jürgen Bürgin, whose photographic approach is basically very close to the messages of our lyrics. In our eyes, the two complement each other perfectly.

PUNKHEAD: Are there any upcoming projects or releases that you're particularly excited about?

Lars: We are particularly looking forward to the release of our "latest" song. We haven't decided exactly what it will be called yet. There are almost 8 years between this and the other songs on the album. We went back to Goldsound Studios to record the bass and drums there in order to revive and capture the special "vibe" that surrounds the recordings of "Genosha". We will draw the line under the Genosha project with the release of the entire album on vinyl. This will be another very special moment that we are all looking forward to! ..... #interview #review #newsingle

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Are Americans feeling like they get enough sleep? (AP) If you’re feeling—YAWN—sleepy or tired while you read this and wish you could get some more shut-eye, you’re not alone. A majority of Americans say they would feel better if they could have more sleep, according to a new poll. But in the U.S., the ethos of grinding and pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps is ubiquitous, both in the country’s beginnings and our current environment of always-on technology and work hours. And getting enough sleep can seem like a dream. The Gallup poll, released Monday, found 57% of Americans say they would feel better if they could get more sleep, while only 42% say they are getting as much sleep as they need. That’s a first in Gallup polling since 2001; in 2013, when Americans were last asked, it was just about the reverse—56% saying they got the needed sleep and 43% saying they didn’t.

Trump’s New York jury selection a challenge in a city of strong opinions (Reuters) When prospective New York City jurors gather for Donald Trump’s hush money criminal trial on Monday, it may be tough to find ones who don’t have an opinion about the brash businessman-turned-politician who began building his real estate empire in Manhattan decades ago. They will be questioned by lawyers for the Republican presidential candidate and the state of New York seeking to uncover biases and possible political agendas before impaneling 12 jurors to hear what could be the only criminal case Trump faces before the November U.S. election. “There is almost nobody in New York who doesn’t have an opinion about Donald Trump,” said trial lawyer Paul Applebaum, who is not involved in the case. “A lot of people think he’s either Satan incarnate or the second coming of Jesus.”

Wolves (Les Echos/France) For the past 30 years, the number of wolves has steadily increased in France — great news for biodiversity but not for farmers. Eradicated from the country around 1930, wolves started returning to France in the early 1990s, arriving from Italy. The number of individuals has almost doubled in the past five years to reach 1,104, according to the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB). Wolf attacks have officially caused the death of just over 12,000 farm animals each year. Behind the issue of cohabitating with wolves lie fractures tearing contemporary European societies apart. A standoff is forming between two words that ignore each other geographically and sociologically and accuse each other of bad faith. Claude Font, general secretary of the National Sheep Federation, says that there are “two worlds that can’t agree with each other”: one, made up of “those who have to live alongside predators”; and the other composed of “those who dream of wolves and biodiversity while they go back home comfortably in the evening."

Far Right’s Ties to Russia Sow Rising Alarm in Germany (NYT) To enter a secret session of Germany’s Parliament, lawmakers must lock their phones and leave them outside. Inside, they are not even allowed to take notes. Yet to many politicians, these precautions against espionage now feel like something of a farce. Because seated alongside them in those classified meetings are members of the Alternative for Germany, the far-right party known by its German abbreviation, AfD. In the past few months alone, a leading AfD politician was accused of taking money from pro-Kremlin strategists. One of the party’s parliamentary aides was exposed as having links to a Russian intelligence operative. And some of its state lawmakers flew to Moscow to observe Russia’s stage-managed elections. “To know with certainty that sitting there, while these sensitive issues are discussed, are lawmakers with proven connections to Moscow—it doesn’t just make me uncomfortable. It worries me,” said Erhard Grundl, a Green party member of the Parliament’s foreign affairs committee. The AfD called such comments “baseless.”

Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries deepen tensions with U.S. (Washington Post) When Vice President Harris met privately with Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference in February, she told the Ukrainian leader something he didn’t want to hear: Refrain from attacking Russian oil refineries, a tactic U.S. officials believed would raise global energy prices and invite more aggressive Russian retaliation inside Ukraine. The request, according to officials familiar with the matter, irritated Zelensky and his top aides, who view Kyiv’s string of drone strikes on Russian energy facilities as a rare bright spot in a grinding war with a bigger and better equipped foe. Zelensky brushed off the recommendation. Instead of acquiescing to the U.S. requests, Ukraine doubled down on the strategy, striking a range of Russian facilities, including an April 2 attack on Russia’s third-largest refinery 800 miles from the front. The incidents have exacerbated tensions in a strained relationship with the U.S. The long-range Ukrainian strikes, which have hit more than a dozen refineries since January and disrupted at least 10 percent of Russian oil refinery capacity, come as President Biden ramps up his reelection campaign and global oil prices reach a six-month high.

In Modi’s India, opponents and journalists feel the squeeze ahead of election (AP) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government are increasingly wielding strong-arm tactics to subdue political opponents and critics of the ruling Hindu-nationalist party ahead of the nationwide elections that begin this week. A decade into power, and on the cusp of securing five more years, the Modi government is reversing India’s decadeslong commitment to multiparty democracy and secularism. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has brought corruption charges against many officials from its main rival, the Congress Party, but few convictions. Dozens of politicians from other opposition parties are under investigation or in jail. And just last month, Modi’s government froze the Congress party’s bank accounts for what it said was non-payment of taxes. Peaceful protests have been crushed with force. A once free and diverse press is threatened. Violence is on the rise against the Muslim minority. And the country’s judiciary increasingly aligns with the executive branch.

A new equation (Washington Post) With its first-ever direct military attack on Israel, Iran crossed old red lines and created a precedent in its decades-long shadow war with the Jewish state. Iran “decided to create a new equation,” said the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, in an interview with state-run television Sunday. “From now on, if Israel attacks Iranian interests, figures and citizens anywhere, we will retaliate from Iran.” As a show of force, the attack was unprecedented in scope, but analysts said it was also carefully choreographed—giving Israel and its allies time to prepare, and providing the Israeli government a possible off-ramp amid fears of a widening war. The assault was designed with the knowledge that Israel’s “multi-layer systems would prevent most of the weapons from reaching a target,” said Sima Shine, head of the Iran program at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. “That outcome made space for Netanyahu and senior leaders to strike a more measured tone than they could if one of the missiles had taken out an apartment building or barracks.”       Tehran has consistently signaled it has no desire for a head-on conflict. However, after an Israeli airstrike on a diplomatic compound in Damascus killed two Iranian generals this month, the country felt compelled to respond. Over the past few months, Israel has stepped up its strikes on Iranian interests across the region. The attack in Damascus was especially provocative because of its target—a diplomatic compound, traditionally exempted from hostilities—and because it killed two senior generals in Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps. There was a sense that “Iran’s passivity had encouraged Israel to push the envelope too far,” said Ali Vaez, the Iran project director for the International Crisis Group. Vaez said Iran’s rulers were under increasing pressure to respond to Israel directly.

Iran attack on Israel adds to airline troubles in Middle East (Reuters) Global airlines faced disruptions to flights on Monday after Iran’s missile and drone attacks on Israel further narrowed options for planes navigating between Europe and Asia. Iran’s attack on Israel by more than 300 missiles and drones, which were mostly shot down by Israel’s U.S.-backed missile defence system, caused chaos in the aviation industry. At least a dozen airlines have had to cancel or reroute flights over the last two days, including Qantas, Germany’s Lufthansa, United Airlines and Air India. This was the biggest single disruption to air travel since the attack on the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001, according to Mark Zee, founder of OPSGROUP, which monitors airspace and airports.

Gazans trying to return to their homes in the north say Israeli troops fired on them. (NYT) As thousands of displaced Palestinians tried to return to their homes in northern Gaza on Sunday, Israeli troops fired at the crowd, forcing people to turn back in panic, according to an emergency worker and two people who tried to make the journey. Wafa, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency, reported that five people were killed and 23 wounded by Israeli gunfire and artillery in the incident on Al-Rashid Street south of Gaza City as a crowd of Gazans headed north to their homes. For months, the Israeli military has barred Palestinians who have been displaced by the war in Gaza from returning to their homes in northern Gaza. It has become a sticking point in negotiations between Israel and Hamas.

Sudan marks grim anniversary of civil war in shadow of other conflicts (Washington Post) Exactly a year ago, Sudan’s ruinous collapse began. Tensions between two powerful rival factions that had already carved out fiefdoms in the country—the Sudanese Armed Forces, headed by Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), headed by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo—exploded into open war. Airstrikes hit civilian centers; militiamen and vigilantes set up checkpoints and looted neighborhoods. The capital, Khartoum, transformed into a sprawling battlefield. The conflict flared elsewhere in the African nation of close to 50 million people, including the already war-ravaged region of Darfur. Twelve months on, the humanitarian situation in Sudan is astonishingly grim. The country is the site of the world’s largest displacement crisis, with more than a fifth of its population forced out of their homes by the civil war, as well as earlier rounds of conflict. Nearly a third of the population is acutely food insecure, according to U.N. data. Some 19 million children are out of school; an estimated 3 million Sudanese children are malnourished. Yet the wars in Ukraine and Gaza—exacerbated furthermore by the recent escalation between Israel and Iran—have put Sudan’s tragedy in the shade.

Russian soldiers arrive in Niger as relationship with U.S. deteriorates (Washington Post) Russian military personnel arrived in Niger this week, according to Nigerien state television, less than one month after the military junta announced that it was ending military agreements with the United States. The arrival of the Russian men in military fatigues marked the first concrete step in a new security arrangement between Russia and Niger. State television identified them as “Russian military instructors,” and said they would be providing training and equipment to the Nigerien military.

[simonloweblog]

A glimpse into 2024-sadly there will be little to celebrate.

The Democrats unwillingness to control US borders, gas, food prices and mortgage rates may well scupper Biden’s chances for re-election. His best hope is surely to ditch Kamala Harris and ask Newsom onto the ticket. That would allay fears of her becoming President in the event of him becoming incapacitated and bring the popular Governor of America's largest State in as an attractive alternative to the currently increasingly unpopular Biden.

If Trump pulls off his attempt at a second term, he will take up his animosity to NATO, where he left off last time which will further endanger peace in Europe and be what Putin has waited patiently for over the past four years.

Continued German economic stagnation and a possible recession would likely result in a bigger swing to the right and the AFD, who already garner over 22% of the popular vote; comparisons to the Weimar republic may stir in the mind.

Macron's continued weakness in France will give further impetus to Marie Le Penn and the Right , not to mention Mr. Wilders in Holland, whilst Vicktor Orban’s continued blackmailing of his EU partners all combine to weaken the European “experiment”. Putin's total mobilisation expected next Spring could be a turning point in the war with Ukraine particularly if Congress fails to backup its financial and military aid to them. If Zelensky's brave but stretched army falters and the US becomes isolationist under a Trump Presidency then an emboldened Putin will pose a real threat to the rest of the former Soviet satellites and Eastern Europe itself. The E.U. that hitherto have been unable to coordinate an effective joint foreign policy will have to put aside its members individual chauvinistic tendencies if they are to prevent further potential Russian aggression. 

Meanwhile in the UK, a general election next year is likely to bring to an end fourteen years of poor Tory government. The sixth, soon to be the 7th  largest economy in the world, continues to suffer from poor productivity, extremely high national debt costing the Treasury more than £100 billion a year in interest payments (which matches the entire cost of the continuously overstretched NHS.) will cripple any future government’s  budget maneuverability. the Labour party will repeat the usual mantra and claim that they will pay for new policies by increasing productivity and grow the economy by percentages that no recent government has managed to produce. Lieing to the electorate is now the norm in almost all countries that still hold elections.

The ongoing “nth” war between Israel and the Palestinians will not come to an end any time soon and a settlement with a two State solution is no more likely to happen in the foreseeable future than it has been since 1948. More suffering, more waste, more death.

After 28 COP meetings and the increasingly dramatic changes to climate and the consequences thereof over the recent past it is depressingly sad that the final communique from the assembled Nations who have just gathered in the UAE could only muster an agreement to “Transition Away” from the use of fossil fuels. The dramatic advances in solar, wind and other renewables has now made them economically viable and effective but the fuel producers and the consequences of the Ukraine war on energy security means that the pace of change needed to avoid calamity is not being met.

As a natural optimist I normally look forward to the opportunities that every new year can bring but I have to admit that looking ahead to next year does not fill me with positive thoughts.  Of all the above my greatest fear is that as a baby boomer who has enjoyed over 70 years of peace in Europe, that this era may be coming to an end.

I wish you all a Merry Xmas and a peaceful and Happy New Year.

[ask-beacons-finest]

AFD!Blake, sitting on a stool in her parent's kitchen, visiting Menagerie for a while: Yeah so, saving money to get a personal car has been uhh...little difficult, aha. So. I was ummm, wondering-

AFD!Kali, leaning on the counter of the kitchen island across from Blake, raising an eyebrow, sternly: Blake Violet Belladonna. You know very well that you won't learn a thing about proper money management if I were to just buy you a car.

AFD!Blake, pouts: Dad would've bought me a car.

AFD!Kali, with a sigh: Well your father isn't here with us, is he?

AFD!Blake, slides down and rests her head on her arms, frowning: Yeah I know, I know. I miss him. Sorry.

AFD!Kali, placing a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder: It's okay dear, I miss him too.

AFD!Ghira, walking into the room, a look of betrayal and disbelief on his face, slowly removing his glasses: Could you...two not talk as though I were dead?

AFD!Blake, sadly: Sometimes I feel like I could still hear his voice.

AFD!Kali, wiping her eye, nodding: Yeah, me too darling, me too.

AFD!Ghira, shrugging his arms in awe: Honestly? Honestly? Kali is this because I said I'm too busy to join you both in visiting your parents? Darling, I am the chieftain of Menagerie and I have a responsibility to my people and-

AFD!Kali, sadly shaking her head: I don't know dear, maybe I'll just remarry.

AFD!Blake, nodding, putting on a soft smile: Yeah, yeah you deserve at least that happiness mom.

AFD!Ghira, staring at the two in utter astonishment, lets out a defeated sigh after a moment and slumps, walking off, his voice dry: Let me cancel some meetings. I'll go get our coats.

AFD!Kali, smiling bright as he walks off, then turns to Blake and her smile turns devious, motioning as if she were cracking a whip: Whoopshhh.

AFD!Blake, covering a giggling fit, mimicking her mother: Whoopshhh!

[avacoleman]

more from my firefighter!Carlos fic. This is a smidge suggestive so keep that in mind; this story will be rated e~

“Can I get you anything else?” the barista asks.

Before TK can think much of it, he’s rattling off Carlos’ usual to her.

Back in the car, his dad says nothing of the third cup that sits in the tray alongside their orders and TK is glad for it.

He spends the entire trip wondering if this gesture will seem odd in Carlos’ mind.

At the station, his father takes his drink straight up to his office to begin on paperwork, leaving TK free to set up camp in the kitchen alone.

Carlos bustles into the kitchen about five minutes later, running a hand through his hair. It’s been weeks and though they are wearing the exact same thing, TK can’t imagine anyone looking as good as Carlos does in his AFD uniform.

He’s all form fitted on top and firm thighs clad in snug material on the bottom that looks more or less painted on. It’s far too early in the morning for this, he thinks. 

TK pulls his gaze upwards and pushes the extra cup towards him wordlessly.

Carlos’ brows furrow, a bemused look on his face as he reaches out to take it.

“What’s this for?” he asks, reading the scribbled order on the cup.

“Figured you might not have had the chance this morning,” TK says nonchalantly, finally finding his voice. “Thought you could use the fuel.”

“You know how I take my coffee?”

TK cringes a bit.

“Is that weird?”

Carlos smiles and shakes his head.

“I think it’s nice that you noticed…that you care enough to. Thank you,” he says, lifting the cup to his lips.

He takes a sip and looks at TK over the lid briefly. TK can’t tear his eyes away though he knows he should. Carlos licks his lips as he sets the cup back down and TK’s jaw clenches at the flash of pink.

It shouldn’t be so obscene, but he knows that his bias is talking here. More than anything he wishes he could run his own tongue across Carlos’ mouth, learn the taste and feel of those lips he’s been fantasizing about.

“How is it?” he asks, his voice a bit coarser than he’s anticipating.

Carlos startles a bit but quickly recovers, like TK pulled him from his thoughts.

“Delicious. You’re a quick study.”

He licks his lips again and TK swallows hard, standing a bit straighter.

“So I’ve been told before.”

Carlos raises a brow, something in his expression changing minutely.

“Hmm, wonder what else you could be taught.”

TK feels his cock stiffen at those words, the teasing glint in Carlos’ eyes.

Before he can even drum up a response, Mateo comes into the kitchen, clapping his hands together. It’s enough to distract TK– and not a moment too soon.

He peers over at his friend who catches sight of the cafe cups now that both he and Carlos are facing him.

“Oh sweet, you guys did a coffee run?”

TK’s face flushes.

“Uh, no. Not exactly, sorry. I’ve got you next time though. At least we’ve got a good machine here though. Just as good as from a shop.”

Mateo holds his hands up.

“I’m not touching Cap’s machine again. That thing hates me and I don’t have a death wish.”

TK shakes his head and pushes off from the counter, glad for the distraction as he crosses the room and puts much needed space between him and Carlos.

“Fine, I’ll do it. How about that?”

“Good idea.”

Mateo and Carlos follow him over, Mateo settling on the opposite side of the counter like he’s really at a coffee shop. Carlos stands beside TK, an inch or two too close. TK can feel the warmth of his body.

It makes his throat dry.

Carlos places a hand on the back of his neck, his thumb brushing along his skin just so. The hairs there stand at attention. TK fumbles a bit, coffee grounds spilling on the pristine countertop.

No one else seems to notice.

“I’m gonna catch up with Paul,” Carlos announces. “I’ll see you guys in a bit?”

Mateo nods and waves. TK looks at Carlos whose focus is on Mateo as he smiles at the young firefighter. But he lowers his hand, letting it run down the full length of TK’s back, stopping right above his ass at his belt.

This wouldn’t look like anything to anyone viewing them now but Carlos’ touch does something to him, makes him want to stay under his hold forever— if only he could.

“Thanks again,” is all Carlos says to him before tipping his cup and heading out of the kitchen.

TK watches him go, stunned for a moment and trying to make sense of their exchange. He looks to Mateo who is apparently none the wiser and begins prattling on about where the best grounds come from.

TK is grateful for the counter being the perfect height to hide how hard he is.

[marjansmarwani]

I’m gonna hold you forever

17. “The only person I need right now is you.”

996 words || ao3

I’ve decided the new rule for this is under 1k because I have been failing miserably at the under 500 rule. And yes, I have written two things related to the last episode and yes, I am posting another one. But it’s been basically written in my head for a few days and @moviegeek03 is an enabler so here it is. The code used on the radio are from FDNY because that’s what I could find on google but it works. Spoilers for 2x02. 

Send in a request if you’d like: I am working off this list and this list.

---------

“Is there somewhere I can take you?” Carlos asks Lily as they drive away, both of their eyes flicking back to the rearview mirror and the sinister glow of lava behind them. 

“Home, I guess,” she said with a sigh, finally pulling her eyes off of the glow of the lava. “I am going to drink an entire bottle of wine, take a long bath, and prepare myself to explain this to my insurance company tomorrow. How many times do you think I’ll get laughed off the phone when I say ‘lava ate my food truck’ before I get someone to take me seriously?” 

“To be fair, I’m pretty sure this will be all over the news by tomorrow.” 

“I guess, but I’m still not looking forward to it. Besides, lava and scorpions? What higher being did I piss off?”

Carlos chuckled as he rolled to a stop at a red light and was about to answer when dispatch came over the radio, “AFD, need 1 available unit to take over for Station 126 for a 10-45, code 1.” 

He froze, hands tightening on the steering wheel as he stared down at the radio, sure he heard it right but praying that he hadn’t. Lily noticed his tension as she glanced at him. 

“What does that mean?” she asked quietly.

“It means that there is a death on scene,” he said lowly, “and the only reason they would need to be relieved is if it was one of the crew. It’s protocol.”

“Oh,” Lily replied in the same tone, “that’s awful.” 

“My boyfriend is a firefighter with the 126.” 

The words were out before he could stop them. It was unprofessional, but he couldn’t help it. It’s all he can think of in this moment, it’s the only thought inside his head. The possibility that it could be TK was a fear large enough to swallow every bit of reason in his mind. He could see Lily shifting uncomfortably in the passenger seat though and he used that as his reminder. He was on the job, he still had someone in his care. He needed to get her home, he could deal with the rest later. 

“I’m sorry,” he told her, “I shouldn’t have…”

“No, it’s fine,” she assured him, interrupting his directionless apology, “really. I’m sorry, too. This day, it’s been a real shit show hasn’t it?” 

Despite everything, Carlos smiled, “Yeah, you could say that.” 

“But listen, if I can survive a food truck full of scorpions surrounded by lava, then anything is possible. Your boyfriend’s probably fine.” 

He looked at her and saw her expression was full of hope and sincerity. He was impressed she could manage to stay so positive, given everything, but he would be lying if he said it also didn’t give him a little bit of hope. 

“Thanks. Let’s get you home so you can get started on that bottle of wine, yeah?” 

“That sounds like the best idea I’ve heard all day.” 

-------

It wasn’t TK. 

When Carlos had returned to the precinct after dropping Lily off the first thing he had done was track down his Captain and demand any updates she might have. When she had told him it was one of the paramedics he had almost been toppled by the sheer force of relief washing over him. The guilt had followed a moment later. 

Carlos had spent so many hours with the entire station, they were all his friends. He had been there just this morning; laughing and joking with the teams over tumor cake. He had been brought into the fold of their family and now one of them was gone and he felt relieved. He knew why, he knew it made sense. It didn’t make him feel any better. 

The nagging guilt stayed with him as he wrapped up his shift and headed home. The hot shower he took did nothing to help; this guilt wouldn’t be so easily washed away. As soon as he was done he headed back downstairs, taking a seat in the middle of the staircase. If he knew Owen Strand he wouldn’t keep the crew there tonight. He would want them to be with their loved ones, to seek comfort. In all honesty he wasn’t sure where TK would end up, but he hoped it was here. He needed to see him, he needed to hold him in his arms. He wanted to have him here and never let him go. 

He knew that wasn’t possible, but he’d settle for tonight. 

It wasn’t long before he heard the familiar sound of keys in the lock and the door slowly swung open to reveal TK, looking so different from his usual self. Their eyes met and Carlos held out a hand. TK headed towards him, slowly falling into Carlos’s embrace as he went. Carlos wrapped his arms around him gratefully, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. He savored the feeling of him in his arms, the sight of him safe and whole. He wasn’t okay and Carlos knew that, but he was alive and that was a start. 

“I’m sorry,” he said softly into TK’s hair. 

“Me too,” TK replied, voice thick. 

Carlos clutched him even tighter. All he wanted was to have him here, where he knew he was safe. But he wasn’t sure that was what TK needed in this moment. “Are you sure you don’t want to be with your crew right now?” 

TK nodded, clutching Carlos’s arm tighter, “The only person I need right now is you. I think I need some distance right now, just for tonight.” 

Carlos nodded and pressed another kiss to his head, “I’ll always be here for you Ty, no matter what.”  

He meant it, too. The guilt was still there, nagging and relentless, but he could ignore it. He would ignore that and anything else for tonight. Because TK was safe and that was all he needed. 

[beardedmrbean]

Results from the presidential election are in. Well, actually, they've been in for quite a while now.

Macron wins, what a shocker. The fact that Le 🖋️ got to the second round was a godsend for him. As long as he didn't mess up big time, it would go just like November 2020, except with even less people voting for his opponent.

What I don't understand is how everyone can agree that Macron is a piss poor president who'd sell his own mother for a McChicken, yet he can still get enough votes to get to the second turn.

Oh, wait, I remember : People still try to strategize, and won't vote for a candidate who they don't think is gonna win from fear of "wasting their vote". It's like they think this is a game show, and they'll win big money if they vote for the candidate who ends up winning.

Are you telling me that, out of the dozen of candidates on the ballots, from left to right (but no liberal, except Macron the vaccine-mandate liberal and Mélenchon the statist liberal), a quarter of people saw the last five years of protests, government overteach, and overall fucking over everyone, and think "Hmm, I hate all those candidates, only Macron is the one I want"

I mean, yeah, he calls himself a centrist and his 2017 program sounded pretty level headed to me, probably enough to earn my vote, but there's this thing called empirical evidence, and I believe the last few years have made enough of that to show he's not a good candidate.

I'm rambling a little, but I really hate the fact that people "strategize" their first turn vote. It's not a fucking game show, you don't have to pick the one who's gonna win or the "lesser of two evils", there are other candidates and there's literally no consequence if you "get it wrong" by voting for a candidate who ends up taking only a small percentage of the votes.

For the first round you should really vote for who you think would do the best job, it's just mind blowing to me that they don't do that we get that here with the party primaries.

2020 the dems weren't looking for the person who would be best for the job (obviously) but who they thought had the best chance of winning against Trump, and ya it worked but look where it's gotten us.

Then we've got lesser of two evils voting, which is just terrible.

System is never going to change until enough people realize that they're going to need to suck it up and take the L for several years in order to grow support for a party that can make a difference and maybe not be evil.

Too many people are making this kind of thing out to be a life or death situation, which ya it could turn into but it's gonna take a long time to get there and maybe if you and enough other people stopped voting for evil you could keep it from happening at all.

With you guys I did enjoy seeing everyone like they do in Germany when the AfD gets anything going, just closing ranks and voting against whatever they're promoting regardless of if it's good or not. All the parties rallying behind Macron which should be worrying they shouldn't ALL back him especially since many of them probably hate him.