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itsclydebitches · 3 years ago

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Some of my friends in the RWBY FNDM actually said people don’t forgive their friends for betraying them (Jaune killing Penny) but will forgive strangers betraying them (Em killing Penny). Uh…NO. Being close and attached to someone leads to bias. People are more willing to see someone they don’t know as evil for hurting them BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW THAT PERSON. They said this as an excuse to why RWBY will be pissed at Jaune. NOPE! (1/2)

I think it can go either way depending on the person, or in this case the character. People aren't so uniform that they'll have a single, predictable response to someone's actions depending on whether they're in the "friend" or "stranger" category, to say nothing of the complexities of figuring out when one moves from one category to the other. (Is Ozpin the beloved and respected headmaster they look up to, or a virtual stranger whose age and power makes him someone the group never would have seriously connected with? The fandom is divided.) But that connection (or lack thereof) can go in either direction. It might make it easier to forgive them, or it might make it seemingly impossible. I've been replaying Witcher's Blood & Wine where Anna Henrietta is so relieved to have her sister back that she's blind to the horrors she's committed - love make forgiveness an inevitability. I'm also rewatching Criminal Minds where Reid is furious with JJ for keeping Prentiss' secret from him, specifically because they're so close and JJ was the one to comfort him over Prentiss' "death" - love makes forgiveness that much harder. And it's the same with strangers. If someone you're less close to commits a horrible act, you might respond with pure disgust because who are they to you? Nobody. They're defined only by that one action. Or, their distance might make it easier to forgive them once you have gotten to know them a bit, simply because the action didn't, at the time, feel personal. You know the version of them now, the one that "counts," the one you're emotionally attached to. I don't think it's an either/or situation here, where there's a correct answer of "Yes characters will get angry if they're close to the person in question" or "No characters will be less angry if they're close to them." It depends on the individual, the action, the circumstances, the state of mind of the person trying to grant forgiveness, and a hundred other, smaller factors. If Yang did something horrible, would Blake be less willing to forgive her because they're so close, or more willing because they are? That depends on a whole range of things from "What exactly did Yang do?" to "Has Blake eaten and slept and generally not been stressed out of her mind lately, making her less likely to lash out?" It, to be blunt, comes down to good, nuanced writing.

Which is why the Jaune situation is... complicated. And sadly, RWBY doesn't do well with complicated. Free of the rest of Volume 8, my mind says the group has to be mad. How can they not? Even if Jaune had a 100% solid reason for killing Penny with no possible way to blame him - which, let's be frank, he doesn't. The guy has a healing semblance and just took her word that it was useless - it's not in our nature to approach a tragedy with that level of logical maturity (especially not after the crazy level of trauma that's been going on: Salem, battles, falling to their "deaths."). You don't have a friend admit they killed another friend and immediately go, "Oh yeah. Makes sense. Had to be done. No worries!" and move on with your life. You at least start with some anger, whether it's rational or not, deserved or not. People harbor anger over deaths that we know, realistically, are not the fault of another person involved, we resent people who survived over others even though we know they had no control over it, and we even hate ourselves for hating that person, because we know it's not fair and we're feeling it anyway. If we have all that complexity tied up in deaths that are unambiguously not the fault of the person in question... what do you do with the guy who straight up agreed to an assisted suicide? Gave up on healing or retreat? Was the one to drag his sword across Penny's throat? The fandom recognized that scene as something intensely complicated, made worse by ineffectual writing. We knew, the second it had finished, that Jaune was not an easily categorized innocent here who should be treated solely as a victim of horrible circumstances. There's a very good reason why the fandom went, "What the fuck, Jaune" because this entire situation is so. messed. up. I'm not saying all this to paint Jaune as some irredeemable monster or anything, but rather to highlight that there should be a huge range of emotions coming off of this action. Whether we the audience or the characters decide what he did was the right thing or not, Jaune's actions are still objectively horrifying. He killed Penny. Was it necessary? Given RWBY's shoddy writing, idk, but that's not the point for an initial reaction. The point is, "How would you respond if you found out Friend A helped Friend B commit suicide, right after you'd worked so hard to keep Friend B alive, after she'd already come back from the dead?" The answer should be, "Uh, not well. Not well at all."

But this is RWBY. There should have been a range of emotions to Jinn's vision in Volume 6, but there wasn't. There should have been a range of emotions to Penny's resurrection, but there wasn't. There should have been a more persuasive reason for Jaune to kill Penny, a better job of stripping away other options, but there wasn't. Arguably, Penny shouldn't have died at all, not after being brought back, getting the Maiden powers, being made human... but she was. This situation is already a mess but then, as you say, anon, we have Emerald on top of it all. I mentioned above that it's "Free of the rest of Volume 8" that the group should be mad at Jaune, but obviously that's not how the story goes. I can't separate Emerald from the rest of this and yeah, it looks ridiculous for the group to have a long arc of hating Jaune after they forgave Emerald in, what? An hour? We can talk about that context all we want, but at the end of the day, Emerald's actions were too horrific to shrug off as they were and Jaune's action is also too horrific to shrug off. RWBY has, once again, backed itself into a corner. What the story actually needed was for Emerald to get a full redemption arc, allowing the group to process, grapple with, and learn to forgive her past actions through apologies and new actions to demonstrate growth, so that they could then later do a modified version of that with Jaune, one tailored to his character, their characters, and this new situation. The story needs the group to be mad at both of them because both did things that would generate different types of anger. But because Emerald was granted laughter almost immediately upon arriving at the mansion, yeah, it would read as absurd for the group to go through a whole arc of learning how to forgive Jaune... even though Jaune's actions arguably do need some kind of forgiveness arc. The situation is screwed either way. If the group forgives him quickly it's, "Really? He killed Penny and that's it? No one is going to struggle with that? That's absurd!" and if the group doesn't quickly forgive him it's, "Really? You'll insta-forgive the woman who has been trying to kill you for years, but won't grant the same thing to your friend who only took that action with good intentions? That's absurd!" And if the focus is on Jaune being mad at himself, we're right back to where we were in Volume 4: Jaune mourning a redhead in his life and getting too much focus. I really don't think there's a good solution here, which (as my more recent posts speak to), we're seeing more and more as the series goes on. The more material we get and the more shoddily that material is written, the more we're going to see future situations where we go, "I don't like any of the writing options here, because of something that happened in a previous volume." RWBY has created a situation where the group very much deserves to be angry - or at the very least conflicted - over Jaune's actions, but because it's following on the heels of Hazel, Emerald, and their own horrific choices across Volume 7 and 8, any anger will feel hollow, hypocritical. But isn't that what we're left with? We've been here since the beginning of Volume 7 when Ruby repeated Ozpin's secrets and the story never acknowledged that either she's as bad as he is, or he's not as bad as they believed. We've been watching a show built on that hollow hypocrisy for at least two years (longer, really) and it's just getting worse the more the story introduces sensitive material and then doesn't appropriately follow up on it.

#suicide tw #death tw #rwby #rwde #mymetas

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vampiricsheep · 3 years ago

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Character Profile: Banni

my beloved @bird-bureau inspired me to write up some profiles for the urban fantasy verse and, well, I felt like sketching banni tonight, so here we are! Not sure how many more I'll make since I have pages of my comic to finish and two classes to keep up with, but there's no harm in starting a project that doesn't require finishing. I'm just considering it a nice little practice for now.

profile will be under the cut for lengthiness!

Name: Banni

Pronouns: they/them

Age: mid-20s

Orientation: likes men and masc nbs

Species: Werewolf

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Physical characteristics

human: Scruffy with a perpetual "haunted" appearance characterized by visible tension, jumpiness, and dark circles under their eyes. Their hair has a subtle peak and is brown, straight, and messy; hangs down to roughly chin height. Their eyes are a pale leaf green and their skin is a very light tan. They have a noticable overbite and somewhat buck teeth.

around 4'5" but, due to varying posture and toe-walking habits, may seem shorter or taller situationally. They nonetheless have adult proportions. Their legs are on the thick side, but their wrists are very skinny. Their chest is flat but heavily scarred; they will avoid showing their scars as much as possible.

half-shifted: an almost comically stringy and bony creature somewhere between human and wolf with gnarled hands and ears too long and pointed to look like a wolf's. Can be bipedal or quadrupedal. roughly 5' tall if standing straight (they won't).

full-shifted: a smallish wolf with short but scruffy blonde fur that looks white in poor light. Proportions similar to a red wolf. Due to size and proportions may be mistaken for a coyote or dog to the untrained observer.

accessories: Banni has two gold rings in the cartilage of their right ear. They wear or carry a plain canvas backpack of average size but large for them.

attire: Due to height they struggle to find clothes that fit, so most things they wear will look quite loose. They prefer hoodies or tees and shorts; most pants that would fit their legs are far too long. Typically they'll wear neutral colors and soft greens, but their attire is whatever they can find, and their wardrobe is restricted to whatever they can fit in their backpack without taking up needed space. Banni does not wear shoes; their feet are calloused enough to tolerate most conditions and they can't afford the additional weight in their bag.

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Abilities:

Banni can transform into full or partial-wolf at will, and retains full cognitive function. The transformation is physical and does not take clothes with it, so they have to work around placing their outfit and backpack between full transformations.

Banni can also merge with their wolf companion. Doing so will always affect them physically:

if remaining human - eyes become yellow, ears become pointed and furred, hands and feet become clawed and a little gnarled

if half-wolf - a foot taller, muscular, and red eyes instead of green

if full-wolf - larger, stronger, with darker fur and yellow eyes instead of green

These abilities are innate and cannot be transmitted.

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Behavioral/Physiological Characteristics:

Banni is never far from their animal companion, a large arctic wolf named Moss. If for any reason Moss would be prohibited from somewhere they enter or would attract too much attention, Banni will merge with him, then Banni will pull their hood up and sleeves down to hide the tells.

When they're comfortable around people in-the-know, they may accidentally partially transform without realizing it (e.g. human with wolf ears or tail).

They tend to walk on the balls of their feet and leaning or slouching forward with arms close to the chest or a hand on their wolf companion's shoulder.

Banni is incredibly nearsighted and does not use sight aids, so they typically bring objects close enough to touch their nose if they need to examine details or read. Reading gives them a headache for this reason, but they are still quite literate and have a large vocabulary they don't often use.

They are so soft-spoken that their voice is best described as a whisper, and they struggle to effectively raise it.

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Personality:

Banni is shy but happy to talk to anyone who becomes a regular welcoming presence. They both long for true love and are terrified of seeking it out. Banni is polyamorous, and worries that that complicates their chances as well. They don't immediately trust people who are friendly or flirtatious with them despite wanting that attention, but they warm up with time.

Banni is indeed haunted by their past, and struggles to shake the scars of events and people they refuse to discuss. If pressed for details, they shut down and may even flee if the subject isn't changed.

They have a heightened flight response, and intense stress may result in them fleeing and hiding until they've had enough time and distance to calm down or a sympathetic individual is able to communicate with them appropriately.

Banni [like myself] has bipolar and is prone to irrational behavior and mood swings if situations are too stressful for them to practice self-stabilizing techniques.

#my characters #banni #urban fantasy verse #mm this is probably REALLY messy but im tired and words are blurring lol #but werewolf go brr #i wanna do one for keith and ro as well but yaknow #art hard #i got quite lazy with these sketches bc i wanted them to be Done too #here's hoping i didnt miss any grievous errors when proofreading

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dustedmagazine · 4 years ago

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Ian Mathers’ 2020: We’re stuck inside our own machines

I’ve had a song I loved in high school and haven’t thought much about since stuck in my head. The song “Apparitions” by the Matthew Good Band is a fine example of the alt rock of the late 90s; if you grew up then but somewhere down in the states (or elsewhere) instead of my southern Ontario you may well have your regional equivalents, and like this one they may not resonate terribly strongly outside of their time and place. It popped back into my head after a long time recently and of course 2020 has changed it a little. A song that as a teen I felt keenly as about loneliness (albeit also about how technology can feed into that) of course now plays on my nerves as another small piece of art about the way that most of us (those scared and/or responsible anyway) have only that relatively narrow, technologically mediated connection to the people we love. All of us, artists and listeners alike, are trying to fit our feelings and art and selves down these little connections, with some success.

On a personal level, 2020 wound up being stressful in ways we couldn’t have predicted even after the pandemic hit. In circumstances that could have seen governments on this continent support those unable to work (and those who shouldn’t have to), support those workers who are truly essential, support workers and renters and even landlords and small businesses, instead we got a near-total abeyance of those governments using the resources we provide them with to save any of us. On a personal level my wife and I were lucky enough to be able to work from home (not that it didn’t come with its own forms of stress, and now that I’m off until January I have several work/stress-related illnesses to recover from) but still saw friends and loved ones lose good, used-to-be-sustainable livings overnight, saw family businesses succumb to a near-total absence of effective government support after months of trying to keep above water, etc.

It is probably no surprise that this is not a situation conducive to listening to music, let alone writing about it; I have deliberately and happily kept busy on behind the scenes stuff at Dusted that I could still manage but looking, at the end of the year, at the amount I managed to actually create is demoralizing if not at all shocking. I’m not sure I think next year will be ‘better�� in many important ways, although at our job there is a growing feeling among coworkers that next year has to have some work/life balance because 2020 was, maybe more than anything else, unsustainable.

That’s not to say I didn’t spend a lot of time and emotion on music this year, and if nothing else constant sleep deprivation, stress, and panic meant I was probably open to being deeply moved by all sorts of art even more than normally (it’s gotten to the point where I can’t even read a sad or moving twitter thread out loud to my wife without getting teary, which is kind of… nice?). Funnily enough the band that did the most to keep me sane didn’t really put out anything in 2020. Personal favorite, Low, instead started, in early April, getting on Instagram with something they called on whim “It’s Friday I’m in Low.” With one brief break they have now done by my count at least 35 shows (catalogued here, by the way), every Friday at about 4 my time.

Admittedly it’s easier for Low to pull this off than some bands, since the 2/3 of the trio that sing are a married couple (they’ve had a couple of socially-distanced backyard shows with bassist Steve Garrington, but he’s mostly been isolating elsewhere). These shows have seen the band’s Alan Sparhawk take a mid-set break to do follow-up phone interviews with the acts featured in the COVID-curtailed touring bands series Vansplainingthat they started on YouTube, or just to give a tour round their vegetable garden and talk tips. It’s seen Alan and Mimi Parker draw on their impressive, 25+ year body of work (averaging 4-5 songs a set, I don’t think they’ve repeated themselves yet) and talk a bit between songs about pandemics, politics, song choices, and whether Alan should grab his bike helmet this time.

They’re not the only musicians out there speaking love and sanity (and playing music) into the strange digital interzone filled with hate and disinformation where we’ve all been forced to gather while locked down, but they were and the most consistent and steady signal being emitted each week. No matter how tired I was from work or what new symptoms I’d developed or what horrific thing I read into the news, even if I had to take an emergency nap while it was actually airing, every Friday the show was there. Once things do return to something more like normal, it’s one of the few things I’ll unambiguously miss about this weird-ass year.

So if that makes an argument for Low as my band of the year (admittedly again… it’s not like Double Negative has aged poorly, either), that does a disservice to those 2020 records I did connect with; even if there are still literally dozens I have to go through, many of which I expect to love, my top picks this year (if as unrankable by me as always) hit me as hard as any top pick in recent years did. So here I present a quick and informal top 5, which the rest of my top 20 following in alphabetical order. Here’s hoping for more time and space in 2021 for music, and even more than that, for more support for those who need it from those who could have been providing it all this time. (The Matthew Good Band, incidentally, always did best with their ballads. “Strange Days” is another I’ve had in my head these days; the image of moving “backwards, into a wall of fire” has stuck with me since the 90s and it’s never felt more grimly appropriate.)

Greet Death — New Hell

New Hell by Greet Death

This one is, in some sense, cheating; it came out November 2019. But that just means it’s the latest winner of my personal Torres Prize for Ian Being Late to the Party (so named because becoming slightly obsessed with Torres’ Sprinter just after I sent in my 2015 list was the first time I noticed that one of my favorite records of each year tends to get picked up by me just after I call it quits on the year, no matter how long I try to wait). This very doom and gloom slowcore/metal/(whatever, just know it’s heavy) trio at first felt very much like my beloved Cloakroom (whose Time Well has also won a Torres Prize) but sure enough nuances revealed themselves. Back in February it felt almost a little too negative, but then the rest of 2020 happened. And the extended burns of “You’re Gonna Hate What You’ve Done” and the title track remain searing.

Holy Fuck — Deleter

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Probably the record I’ve been trying to write about the longest in 2020, and the one I’m most disappointed in myself that I just couldn’t get the requisite paragraphs together. It’s a wonderful effort from the consistently great Toronto resolutely human-created (and —mediated) dance music quartet, one that both feels like a summation of everything they do well, and with the addition of some outside voices (including strong turns from the singers of both Hot Chip and Liars) a step forward at the same time.

Spanish Love Songs — Brave Faces Everyone

Brave Faces Everyone by Spanish Love Songs

As the year got worse, this roar of defiance only got more crucial for me to hear every so often; I was a big enough fan of it, even after writing it up for Dusted, that when they solicited fan footage for a subsequent music video you may just be able to get a glimpse of me in it. (I’m the one in a “No Tories” t-shirt.) My punk rock-loving twin brother was the one who introduced me to Spanish Love Songs and we were supposed to spend an evening in June screaming along to them live in a packed, sweaty room. I need that in my life again.

Julianna Barwick — Healing Is a Miracle

Healing Is A Miracle by Julianna Barwick

It’s a sign of what 2020 has been like here that even just this album title leaves bruises, and while I privately worried Barwick would have a hard time following up 2016’s sublime Will (probably my favorite record that year), it seems that continuing to take whatever downtime she needs to keep focusing and refining her particular muse has once again yielded amazing results. Anyone who thinks they know what a Barwick track sounds like should really check out, say, “Flowers”, but much of this record absolutely sounds like Barwick, just even better than before. She also boasted my wife and I's favorite streaming concert of 2020, an absolutely gorgeous rendition of this album with Mary Lattimore showing up.

Phoebe Bridgers — Punisher

Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers

I joked on Twitter recently that I have far too nice a dad (and far too good a relationship with him) to be as obsessed as I am with Phoebe Bridgers’ “Kyoto”, but here we are. Like most of her generation, Bridgers’ social media presence ranges from shit-posting to inscrutable, but even though things are often just as hard to figure out in her beautiful songs (as they often are in life), there’s an emotional clarity to them that can just grab you deep down. Couple that with seriously impressive songcraft and the progress from her already astounding debut Stranger in the Alps and more than anyone else in 2020 I’m excited to see just where the hell Phoebe Bridgers is going to go, because it feels like she’s talented and hardworking enough to go just about anywhere and drag a lot of our hearts with her.

Other Favorites

Aidan Baker & Gareth Davis — Invisible Cities II

Anastasia Minster — Father

Deftones — Ohms

Hum — Inlet

Kelly Lee Owens — Inner Song

Mesarthim — The Degenerate Era

Perfume Genius — Set My Heart On Fire Immediately

Protomartyr — Ultimate Success Today

Rachel Kiel — Dream Logic

The Ridiculous Trio — The Ridiculous Trio Plays the Stooges

Sam Amidon — Sam Amidon

Shabason, Krgovich & Harris — Philadelphia

Stars Like Fleas — DWARS Session: Live on Radio VPRO

Well Yells — We Mirror the Dead

Yves Tumour — Heaven to a Tortured Mind

Five Reissues/Compilations/etc.

Aix Em Klemm — Aix Em Klemm

Bardo Pond — Adrop/Circuit VIII

Charles Curtis — Performances & Recordings 1998-2018

Coil — Musick to Play in the Dark

Hot Chip — LateNightTales

Ian Mathers

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thejustmaiden · 5 years ago

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The Sesshomaru F*cks Debacle

Hey, fellow Inuyasha fans! How we feeling?? I imagine a lot of us are doing quite fabulously after the recent news we got about the sequel coming out this Fall, "Hanyou No Yashahime." So if it wasn't obvious already, I want to take the time to discuss the topic of- you guessed it- Sesshomaru. Go figure!

***THIS IS A REPOST OF MY ORIGINAL BLOG THAT DISAPPEARED FROM THE TAGS. PICS/GIFS HAVE BEEN REMOVED TO HOPEFULLY REPAIR THAT.***

Let's be real, as much as probably (and literally lol) all of us have viewed him as "daddy material" at some point or another during our teens, Sesshomaru being physically intimate with another being, much less a human, is difficult to conjure up in our minds. And there's nothing wrong with that, per se, as sex and romance doesn't come so easily to some as it does to others. Then again, that's not to say a romantic relationship is completely impossible or unattainable for him either.

I, for one, am not a huge fan of the idea of Sesshomaru siring children of his own. Granted, adopting/protecting children and other small companions is kinda his thing (I saw one user even describe him as a 'walking daycare' 🤣), and maybe it'll just take some getting used to, but all in all it's not entirely unfathomable to picture him having biological children. Though I'd be lying if I said I still didn't prefer he just took these two twin half-demon girls in and under his wing instead, like he did Rin. However, seeing as that's unlikely the case since the two girls resemble him in some fashion, the chances of that coming true are slim, which must mean that Sesshomaru did in fact bone some lucky lady. That's not to say I don't acknowledge that there's still a chance these kids aren't truly his but we'll see!

Which leads me to the real reason behind this blog! I'd like to address in-depth why I and so many other Inuyasha fans consider shipping S*ssrin as wrong and why it makes a lot of us extremely uncomfortable.

BUT FIRST BEFORE I FORGET, I want to give a little unofficial disclaimer by stating that this blog isn't intended to upset certain fans regarding my stance on the controversial ship. Thus I will not tag it under that ship name, and I suggest others who agree with me to do the same in any of their future posts.

Because let's not forget that the most important thing is that we're all fans here. We fell in love with this story and hold its beloved characters close to our hearts for a reason. And that still counts even if you're returning to this fandom a decade later. So please, let's try and remember that and be civil towards one another. Putting people down by attacking and insulting others in real life really doesn't make us any better than them. I REPEAT, please do not engage in this post unless you plan to be kind and respectful of others who may have a differing opinion than you. There's never a need to be ugly towards another human being. That goes for all shippers and fans of Sesshomaru in general. Thank you in advance for your understanding and compliance. 😊

Again, none of these comments are aimed at being inflammatory towards those fans who have a different approach to this pairing. If any of you are reading this now, please keep that in mind before deciding to participate in any discourse with me and other antis.

Okay, let me go ahead and list a few of the main arguments fans of this particular ship use to support them together. Then I'll give my reasons why those aren't enough to justify their relationship turning romantic:

1. Rin will be an adult before they get romantically involved

2. Sesshomaru didn't raise her and therefore isn't her father; he was never like a father to her in the first place

3. Sesshomaru hasn't been grooming her, not then and not now. Besides, it was Rin's choice first.

4. Age difference shouldn't matter when you look at other relationships in the series (InuKag, Koga x Ayame, etc.)

5. It was always going to be canon because the drama CDs exist

These are the main points I'm seeing around. Now let's dissect them, shall we? These are my direct responses- I'll try to keep them short and concise. Fyi: Jk! I'm lying, that never happens. 😆

1. Rin may be an adult, but from our standpoint that doesn't make much of a difference. It doesn't matter because it's all about how her relationship with Sesshomaru started off and how it continued onwards. From that moment, it was basically established from the get-go that their relationship resembles that of one a young girl shares with an older man who winds up becoming her guardian. She initiated it by trying to bring him food while he was injured, and he reciprocated by deciding to bring her back to life that fateful day.

Of course we're all happy that he did, because he's a better demon for it and a similar thing could be said about her! Therefore you must understand that fans against this pairing find it very hard to grasp the notion of a budding romance here when we look at their history. For us, it's synonymous to imagining a father eventually falling in love with his daughter or someone else who reminds him of a daughter, and vice versa. But let's just say he's not a father to her like many of you claim and more like, say a modern-day babysitter. Isn't it still bizarre to you that a young girl could fall in love with the man who looked after her and cared for her at that age, maybe even played games with? One day or on multiple occasions he even sees her naked because she had an accident and got hurt so she needed help changing or something. I admit it's more realistic that it was Jaken if anyone who'd be in charge of this, but why does it really matter who was tasked with what? Sesshomaru may have not been around all the time but that doesn't mean he's any less involved or invested in Rin's general care and well-being. So it's that thought alone that keeps many of us from even contemplating a romance forming between them. Whether he hardly interacted with her over the years or not is irrelevant, because it's clear to me that they have both formed a strong enough bond that constitutes calling them family. I highly doubt he ever even planned to keep Rin in his company as long as he did. But it happened, and whether you want to admit it or not, meeting her changed his life. Meaning Rin was never just some girl he traveled with or hardly knew. Despite his feigned indifference and stoic ways at times, I'm pretty sure we can all agree that Rin grew on him and was the first person to really influence him in a way that helped soften and open up that heart of his in a way nobody ever had before. One's significance to any given person isn't solely measured by the quantity of time spent alongside that person but by the quality of how that time was spent with said person. It's safe to say that in the case of Sesshomaru and Rin, they definitely fall under that category.

2. Fair if you don't view Sesshomaru as Rin's father, but you must acknowledge that he did fill some father figure-like role to her at the very least. Or let's just call him her vassal if you think that's a more accurate description. Also, can I just quickly stress again that it doesn't matter how long she spent by his side or whether she spent more time in the village or not, because he still ended up playing a major part in her childhood as an adult male role model. Regardless of the title you give him, it still stands that although he may not be her official adoptive father, he is LIKE A FATHER. There really is no point in denying that, because their dynamic exudes one of a father-daughter. I guarantee you that any outsider looking in would agree that if not her father then at the very least he embodies a male relative of some kind. Honestly, the details of their relationship dynamic specific to this show (regional/period differences, human vs. demon culture, etc.), don't really matter here. Why? Because one can assume that the general consensus here is that a large percentage of fans perceive their connection as a familial one. Yes, most would unanimously agree that Rin and Sesshomaru, along with Jaken and Ah-Un, are a FAMILY.

If she had first met him as an adult, then we'd possibly have a very different story here. The point of the matter is that he didn't, so that should be where this discussion ends. Unfortunately, for many, it's not. The bottom line is that a child he knew and cared for should never be someone he begins to view in a romantic light. I don't care how many years have passed (or that to demons years are like days or some less inconsequential length of time), and how much she's matured or how specific marriage customs were back then (if they're no longer appropriate now then why are we still condoning these backward practices?). Rin should NEVER have the desire to be sexually attracted to this father figure she's always looked to and trusted to protect her. Maybe it's vastly different from a demon's perspective (even though still unjustifiable in my opinion), but as a human, Rin's feelings towards Sesshomaru wouldn't and shouldn't suddenly change towards him and in such a drastic manner mind you. Yeah, maybe she used to have an innocent crush on him, but I'd like to think our smart and compassionate little Rin would learn that was simply because she was a child who didn't know any better. Besides, growing up with Kaede and around other humans I'd like to think she fell in love with another human sometime over the course of all those years. It only makes sense, right? Don't you think that's part of why Sesshomaru left her there in the first place? He wished for her to experience what it was like to live a normal human life, falling in love and marriage both being a key part of that. If I were Sesshomaru, I'd be deeply troubled if I started to develop feelings for a little girl I once protected and kept in my company for quite an extended period of time, which was at least a year from what I understand. (Pls correct me if I'm wrong because I gather it may have been longer.)

3. Apparently in the manga and the Final Act, we see Sesshomaru still visits the village to check on Rin from time to time. He even brings her gifts, such as beautiful and luxurious kimonos. I recently learned from another Tumblr post that kimonos are what older men gift in order to sort of earn their favor with these young ladies, AKA they're wooing them. If that is indeed true, then that would mean he's basically grooming her and has been for however long she's lived there in the village but potentially even longer. To put it nicely, he's courting her. If this was another young lady (maybe not an adult perhaps but still of marrying age) who he DIDN'T assist in raising, then I could possibly get on board with this.

The thing is, it's far from that with them two if you consider everything they've gone through and endured together! Because he not only met her as a young girl but he got to know her first as a young girl, and she became one of his traveling companions all while she was only a young girl!!! Their bond will always be defined by that time when she was just a young girl, and nothing can or should change that he will always see her in that same light. Kinda like how our parents or other family members from older generations tell us that they'll always see us as their babies. So the fact that her time spent with Sesshomaru is constantly compared to her time spent in the village shouldn't apply here. Don't we all know this already? That we can can come across someone in our lifetime and maybe the time with them is short-lived, but that doesn't make it any less significant or those people any less special. Sesshomaru made an impact on her as much as she did on him, that much we know is true. Sure, it was years ago, but that's not something you ever forget. Sometimes when you look at loved ones you haven't seen in a while, there are just certain memories you have of them from over the years that will come rushing back to you without fail and that you will always cherish no matter what. I'd like to believe that when Rin looks at Sesshomaru and he looks at her, that they can both look back fondly on their times traveling together. This explains why I'm really struggling here to picture how anyone could sleep with someone they used to treat as their guardian/father/ward/daughter/what have you. So someday and somehow, this person just stops viewing them that way, is that it? I mean, how does this work exactly? It's not like you can just flip off a switch and forget everything from your past with this person, ya know? Unless you have your memory wiped, what I'm understanding is that S*ssrin shippers approve of the idea of these two characters KNOWING that they are or used to be like practically FAMILY to each other, yet agree that these two characters in question still have the capacity not to mention desire to pursue HAVING SEX with each other anyway. Do I got that all right? Did I miss anything?

Originally I provided two examples of fan art I found to help put what I'm trying to say here into better perspective, but since they've been removed, just type in "Sesshomaru and Rin" on Google and you'll find plenty of examples of what I'm talking about here- and no, it's not S*ssrin images. I realize Sesshomaru has never been the touchy-feely sorta guy like it's depicted in some of the fan art, but that doesn't necessarily diminish the affection he feels and attachment he has towards Rin. He just has a different way of expressing his love is all, even if he doesn't outwardly show it. The real question here is, can you really look at sweet pictures of an adult comforting a child who's been under his care for a significant amount of time and then suddenly be like, "oh man, I can't wait till they bang!" I'm sorry, to each their own, but you gotta admit why we must find that creepy.

4. Regarding Inuyasha and Kagome's relationship, we need to remember that he didn't age after all those years stuck to that tree. And besides, demons age differently so this is a pretty unfair comparison. This isn't the best example, but think about how a cat's lifespan works. 10 years in (indoor) cat years is like 56 in human years. So technically in demon years, Inuyasha is physically and emotionally compatible with a human around Kagome's age. Hell, even though he's over a hundred years older, Kagome is still a whole lot more mature than he probably ever will be! 😂 (Psst! We still love you, Inuyasha! 💋)

Now as for Koga and Ayame, this also isn't comparable to Sesshomaru and Rin. Koga met Ayame one night, only not to see her ever again until she was older and of age. After rescuing her on that night when she was only a girl, he gives her a piggyback ride and you can tell he just wants to cheer her up when he mentions her being his wife someday. (And boy, did that work wonders on Ayame!) Then they gaze at this stunning lunar rainbow together, which I think is quite rare judging by looks of it. This is not an attempt to defend this proposal- if we can even really call it that- but all I'm saying is that I don't think even Koga knows what overcame him in that moment. Fast forward to present-day when they cross paths again, and Ayame still remembers his so-called promise, but guess who doesn't right away? Yep, our man Koga! It takes a quite a while for it to come back to him, too. This further proves my point that something beyond Koga and his power possessed him to say all those things to a little Ayame for some reason. Maybe you can call it destiny, or maybe it was some special kind of magic caused by the lunar rainbow, Idk! All I know is that they do end up together in the Final Act and that it wasn't until they met as two consenting wolf-demons that they really grew to know each other and coincidentally- or maybe not so coincidentally- fall in love.

5. From what I understand, it appears these drama CDs are some kind of satire which doesn't equate to canon. Perhaps Rumiko did not debunk them but she also didn't confirm they're true either. I'm hearing conflicting reports, however, and her involvement in them is questionable. Like her name is supposedly on the cover or something? But then I've also heard that she has spoken out against this ship. From the sounds of it, there is enough evidence- or lack thereof rather- to conclude that fans cannot use this as proof enough for their ship already being or soon-to-be canon.

Finally, I'd like to end on this note where I'll be addressing ethics in entertainment. When it comes to our choice of entertainment, there's always a level of escapism implied, sometimes so much that we project ourselves onto certain characters. Delving into a fantasy world like that of Inuyasha can really help some people better cope with real life problems, but it's all about striking the right balance, as each individual has different wants and needs. The thing is there's only so much escapism one can allow in a fictional world before basic morals from our own world begin to take precedence. I can always enjoy some good fantasy, but it's not long until I start to reflect on how I personally relate what entertainment I'm currently absorbed in to real life. It's inevitable really. For example, if certain relationships portrayed on screen conflict with strong opinions I've adopted on a sensitive topic, especially those that take children into account, then I feel it's my responsibility to speak out against any media that even remotely promotes it. Yes, even if it's just fiction. Because art imitates life, right? (And yes, sometimes the other way around.) So in other words, our stories should mirror our way of life to some degree. History has seen its fair share of ugly events and traditions we are surely ashamed of but that we've hopefully learned our lessons from. Most societies nowadays seriously frown upon or condemn stuff like pedophilia, child grooming, or anything of the sort. Of course it doesn't help that we see still see these kinds of issues glossed over so much that we've become desensitized to them in many respects.

The thing is we cannot allow this way too common older-man-dotes-on-young-girl trope (or anything resembling it) to continue to be glorified or romanticized. It matters not that feudal Japan was a drastically different time to be alive and that this was the norm back then, or even that this remains a popular ship in Japan. All it comes down to is if whether we would currently tolerate such acts and behaviors were we to witness them in real life. If your answer is 'no', then it should be 'no' in every respect. If you deem it acceptable just because it's fiction, then I'm sorry to say, but you're going to have to answer to a lot of people. No surprise there, that goes for all fandoms. I guarantee you it's not just the people who personally identify as victims who have serious qualms with this ship either, because you don't necessarily need to have bad experiences of your own in order sympathize and see where a lot of these people are coming from. And no, just because I'm unhappy with the possibility of S*ssrin going canon does not mean I'm whining or that I'm attempting to spread negativity about this series before it's even out. Remember, fans have the right to be critical of whatever content it is they're watching/reading, and if they demand something in the storytelling be represented better, then of course they can challenge that. After all, none of us should feel like "canceling" the content we love is our only hope to fixing a story. That's not how it ever should be. Fans are fed up, and can you really blame them? Nah, we can strive to do better in this area, plus it's not like there isn't always room for improvement. So let's please be more vigilant about how the content we consume translates to reality, in addition to being mindful of how it can directly correlate to real life problems for ourselves as well as others around us.

That's a wrap, y'all!! I hope you enjoyed what I had to offer on this topic, and here's hoping I actually contributed something new to this conversation! I'm aware that that's unlikely the case for us fans who've been living in this tag the past couple days (like me lol), but I'd like to believe I put my own spin on it and it was still worth your while. 😉

P.S. Overall, I remain optimistic about the new show! So are there any friendly Inuyasha group chats on Tumblr I can join? If so, please do invite me! I need to obsess about this sequel even more than I already am, EEEK!!!

#inuyasha #hanyo no yashahime #sesshomaru #anti sessrin

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crashingmeteorz · 4 years ago

Text

the original residents of the secret airbender city of mùchéng

continued from here.

so i imagine that 20 or so airbenders make it to mùchéng. more than half of them are 12 or younger, so a lot of the journey to the north mountains and the subsequent settlement is spent comforting the cries of young children. it’s tough, for the adults, however, because not all of them even are adults.

the youngest non-12-year-old is the patient and gentle madhur, who is 15. the nuns used to say they were born floating about like dandelions, because that’s how soft and loving they were as a child. madhur gets along beautifully with the younger kids, but unfortunately gets shouldered with a lot of undue responsibility because of this. some of the other teenagers try and point this out and help them, but the adults are far too busy trying to figure out how to keep their culture alive, which, you know, fair. madhur has an extreme sweet tooth, which the children relate to, of course.

next is the 17-year-old headstrong anila, who never quite felt like she fit in among the other airbenders. interested in material things like jewelery and pretty clothes, anila often dreamt of leaving her culture behind, and began traveling as soon as she was able. however, she was home when the fire nation attacked, and managed to smuggle out a couple of kids, meeting up with the group later. now that her people are gone, anila deals with survivor’s guilt, feeling she doesn’t deserve to be the one carrying on the air nomads traditions since she shunned them. however, it’s her appreciation for and understanding of earth kingdom societal norms that ultimately helps them survive, and she is one of the first to raise a family with an earth kingdom man, although not until her late 20s. she also helps with the kids, and can be stricter, but sings lovely lullabies to them at night.

kavi is 19 years old, and is a nervous wreck. he doesn’t even know how he survived the invasion, much less with the young monk boy he’d been mentoring on his back, but hey, it happened. he means well and loves his people, but he’s terrified to leave mùchéng, and thus spends most of his time learning to construct homes and pathways in the mountains with the materials they’ve gathered, so that he can be of some use. quiet children flock to him, as he is very good at understanding their fear and anxiety, soothing them with stories of their people.

ishani is a 25-year old airbender woman who invented a move at 16, gaining her arrows that way, and is very confident in her abilities. sticking to a strict moral code and somehow feeling she is personally responsible for the reestablishment of the air nomads, ishani often stresses herself out with the weight of her responsibilities. she and anila butt heads often, but as time goes by they become very good friends, learning from each other and appreciating each other’s stances. ishani helps anila to appreciate her culture more, and anila helps ishani to loosen up.

simran is a 33-year-old non-bending monk who left behind his great love at the temple, and feels guilt for mourning her more personally than anyone else. the genocide leaves him in a crippling depression, and for years he lives in a gray, empty world, despite his fellow nomads’ best efforts to help simran. however, as time goes by, he finds new love in their small city growing into something more.

reva and jamyang are a lovely wlw couple in their mid-40s. a very powerful pair of benders who happily cared for the air bison, they were devastated when their noble steed, jaya, died in one of sozin’s traps, affording them time to escape. they tell the children the stories of the air bison and how they were the first airbenders. reva, the more adventurous of the two, eventually tames some of the animals on the mountain so that the children may learn the joys of caring for another life. jamyang, meanwhile, the more creative, paints beautiful murals depicting different aspects of airbending culture: their animals, their foods, their most famous benders, avatar yangchen, all of it. reva and jamyang are basically everyone’s moms.

danish is in his early 60s and is very strict. he spends most of his time trying to figure out how to communicate in secret with the outside world, and let the other air nomads know that they’re alive and safe in a compound. though not harsh with children, they simply are not his cup of tea. however, being a fan of oral tradition, when asked, he will gladly go on long tangents about his journeys between the air temples atop his lovely bison dorji.

lina is a non-bender nun in her mid-to-late 60s who, like danish, is very strict, but in the opposite sense. she and danish bicker like an old married couple, danish insisting they reach out to their brethren, and lina insisting they do not do that, and instead focus solely on their new life here. lina studies earth kingdom culture intensely, wanting them all to blend in should anyone ever find their city. lina will often play story-telling games with the children, which are actually ways of getting them to memorize important details about the earth kingdom.

finally, the 80-year-old lhamo, a compassionate and wise woman who passes away a few years after mùchéng finally begins to look like a home. she guides these air nomads into the new age, offering advice and a shoulder to cry on at all times. because of her frailty, the adults are always insisting various degrees of “don’t bother her”, but lhamo seeks out company and somehow always knows what’s bothering you. she finally passes when a storm blows through mùchéng, threatening to tear the little wooden city apart, and lhamo practically controls the storm, bending the wind away from them with the help of the other benders.

so these are my mùchéng founders! i’ve been thinking about them for a long time, and am pretty happy with how they turned out. let me know what you think! also, huge shoutout to @zarakem for always supporting this headcanon. it meant a lot to see your consistent support 😊 if anyone would like to know the meaning behind the airbender names, they’re below the cut!

madhur: a masculine and feminine hindi name simply meaning “sweet”, with the scripts मधुर. this felt appropriate, especially with madhur’s personality being very sweet, and their love of sweet treats.

anila: the feminine version of the hindi name “anil”, which means “air, wind”. it’s spelled with the scripts अनिला. i liked this name for anila, because it would have been just another way she felt trapped in her culture. eventually she lives up to her name, incorporating both her culture and her personal choices into her lifestyle.

kavi: a masculine hindi name meaing “ wise man, sage, poet” with the scripts कवि. kavi is very wise, but often gets ignored because of his shyness and anxiety. his storytelling prowess is what draws the children to him, which is why i chose this name.

ishani: a feminine hindi name meaning “ruling, possessing”, with the scripts इशानी. ishani is a pillar of leadership for the survivng nomads, and has always been a leader-type. however, her name felt kind of like a pre-determined destiny, and caused her to at first be bossy in her youth. she quickly sheds this trait.

simran: a masculine and feminine hindi name meaning “recollection”, with the scripts सिमरन. simran makes it his mission to memorialize his lost love, and the other airbenders as well. he becomes a living memory, in a way.

reva: a feminine hindi name meaning “one that moves”, with the scripts रेवा. reva is adventurous and constantly learning new things, and perfectly fits her name.

jamyang: a masculine and feminine tibetan name meaning “gentle song” with the scripts འཇམ་དབྱངས. being a storyteller, jamyang’s voice often feels like a gentle song. she’s also a very kind and loving soul, befitting her name.

danish: a masculine urdu name meaning “knowledge, learning” with the scripts دانش. danish is a knowledge-seeker, and wishes to find the other airbenders. he devotes most of his life to studying texts and traditions.

lina: a feminine hindi name meaning “absorbed, united”, with the scripts लीना. lina’s whole goal is for the surviving air nomads to blend in with the earth kingdom and mesh their two cultures, so this felt like a fitting name.

lhamo: a feminine and masculine tibetan name meaning “goddess”, with the scripts ལྷ་མོ. lhamo is the fearless and graceful elder of these surviving nomads. she felt like no less than a goddess to me.

jaya: a feminine and masculine hindi name meaning “victory”, with the scripts जय. a brave and devoted air bison, jaya sacrifices herself, true, but her beloved airbenders escape. she considers this a victory.

dorji: a feminine and masculine tibetan name meaning “diamond”, with the scripts རྡོ་རྗེ. danish is kind of pretentious and considered his air bison to be a beautiful gem of an animal, mostly because she belonged to him. he misses his diamond dearly.

#secret airbender city au #yangchen #air nomads #airbenders #atla #avatar the last airbender #my stuff #my fanfic

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adverb-slut · 4 years ago

Text

To Be Human (Fanfiction) Part 5/?

This took ... way longer than expected due to my sheer laziness. Thank you for your patience! Also, here is the link to this chapter on AO3. (Also yay, I finally remembered to include a Michael and Lucifer Celestial Realm flashback!)

Title:

To Be Human

Summary:

When a mysterious force attacks the Devildom and destroys it, the brothers are forced to turn to their Father in the Celestial Realm for answers and assistance. However, the Almighty is still miffed at the seven due to their involvement in the Great Celestial War, and sends them to seek asylum in the one place they have yet to make their mark—the Human World.

Without the help of their beloved MC, the brothers must learn to assimilate into this strange new world, all while trying to figure out who is responsible for the destruction of the Devildom and take back their home.

Rating:

Word Count:

4195

Previous Chapter:

Read Chapter 4 here!

Lucifer adjusted his halo, which floated almost ominously over his head. Halos were considered part of the angels’ “formal attire,” but considering Lucifer was constantly in the presence of Father, wearing something so ceremonial for his work attire seemed appropriate.

“Michael, are you nearly ready?” he called, his voice reverberating through the House of Great Elation. “You know Father doesn’t like it if I’m late.”

He checked the ornate gold grandfather clock that was situated at the edge of one of the many parlors in their home.

It was almost fifteen minutes until eight, and in that time, he and Michael had to walk to Simeon and Uriel’s home—Perfection Hall—and drop off the infant Luke on their way to their Father’s Palace, where Lucifer worked. After that, Michael would meander his way to the Celestial Realm barracks, where he led Father’s legions as their Major General.

“I’m here, I’m here,” Michael panted, running down the grand staircase which connected to his wing of the house. He supported Luke, who was thrown over his shoulder with one hand, and in the other, he held his Sword of the Spirit.

Lucifer cringed when he noticed that the rest of the Angel of Destruction’s Armor of God had been strapped on haphazardly — tightened and loosened at ill-fitting places, but he sighed when he remembered that all the soldiers under him were far too terrified of their Major General to ever point it out.

He nodded at Michael. “Let’s go, then. Step lively—we’ll be late, otherwise.”

The pair walked silently down the bustling streets of the Celestial Realm, which, sad to say, became infinitely less bustling when they saw Michael. In fact, sometimes Lucifer wondered if his Father had gotten His idea of parting the Red Sea for the Israelites from seeing the wide berth that the other angels gave toward the Angel of Destruction.

Lucifer hated to say that he—and Michael—were used to this. Used to the stares, the whispers, the glares, the hushed scathing remarks.

Even Luke cooed uneasily.

“He destroys everything he touches!”

“Love the guy, but you can’t keep him around. The man carries an aura of destruction.”

“So powerful, but at what cost?”

“Who does he think he’s fooling with that puppy-dog attitude?”

“Why do we even need an Angel of Destruction, anyway? He’s just a menace.”

The words were a dagger, dull but piercing, toward the happy-go-lucky Michael, who had but nothing but love and friendship to offer his fellow celestial beings.

Lucifer heaved a sour breath as he and Michael made their way toward Perfection Hall.

If it wasn’t for him and the Archangels, Michael would’ve been all alone.

Or worse—ran out of the Celestial Realm.

Mammon bit his lip as the static-laden voice boomed through the landline base. He hadn’t been asked to study the Bible or any ancient history regarding it since his stint at the Celestial Realm. The only thing about King Solomon that he remembered from back then was that he was incredibly wealthy, and Mammon had always reveled in calculating how much the king’s possessions were worth—the sheer magnitude of the value never ceased to amaze him.

However, he also did remember something about King Solomon being the “wisest man to ever live.” His heralded wisdom, supposedly, had come to him through a dream from God, Who had promised Solomon anything in the world. Instead of choosing riches and wealth, the king had chosen wisdom. Pleased with his request, God granted him not only the wisdom that he had requested but worldly pleasures as well, such as insurmountable wealth and power.

… Why in the world would such a blessed and influential man pose as a menial exchange student and interact with demons thousands of years later?

Mammon lost his train of thought when Lucifer walked closer to the speakerphone and bellowed, “It is us.”

There was silence on the other end and the other five brothers exchanged glances—partially due to Lucifer’s vague response and partially because of the aforementioned quietness.

Suddenly, a crackle came through the speaker and Solomon said, “Ah, I see; unfortunately, that doesn’t aid me in discerning your identity, and as I’ve a great deal of powerful enemies, I think I will have to say goodb—”

“Solomon, it’s me! Asmo!” the fifthborn chirped. He raised an eyebrow at Lucifer, who sighed in surrender and stepped away from the phone.

From the speaker came an audible gasp. “Asmo! It’s been a long time.” Another crackle. “I suppose that that was Lucifer just now?”

Mammon snickered and called, “That was him, alright.”

“I see! Pardon me for asking, but why are you calling from this unknown number? I believe I have your D.D.D contact saved still.”

“Long story,” chimed in Leviathan. “We’re in the Human World now ‘cause we think someone’s out to get us in the Devildom.”

Satan nodded. “And we’re using this primitive human technology called a ‘landline’ to reach you, as we’ve yet to be provided with mobile devices.”

Something crashed on Solomon’s end, and Mammon wagered that he must have dropped his phone in shock. A moment later, the sorcerer’s voice returned. “Did I hear that right? You seven are in the Human World?”

“Yes, we are. We called you because we have some questions.” Beel walked forward so that he was standing directly in front of the speaker. “What are the best restaurants up here?”

A confused mumble came from Solomon, before he answered, “Uh, well—”

“You can hold off on answering that one, for now, Solomon,” interrupted Lucifer, shaking his head at Beel. “Rather, we figure you can help us solve a different problem of ours.”

“And that would be?”

Lucifer took a deep breath, and Mammon had to admit that he’d never seen his elder brother look so stressed. He was surprised that Asmo hadn’t scolded him over the wrinkle that was beginning to form between his brows. “Diavolo and the Devildom are in trouble, and someone has stolen information regarding the culprit behind this entire ordeal from my Father’s omniscience. Without it, we cannot find Diavolo or discern who is behind this. You have ties to many demons, not to mention are a sorcerer—”

“And the primordial King of Israel! Did you ever plan on telling me that? I think I should know if I have a pact with someone as glamorous as royalty!” huffed Asmodeus.

Solomon let out an amused hum. “Oh, so you figured that out, did you? Did Simeon tell you?”

“Apparently he’s the one who set your contact into our phone under the name ‘his Imperial Majesty, King Solomon of Israel,’ so kinda, yeah,” Mammon said.

“Mind explaining how you’re some kind of immortal king?” demanded Belphie. “Last time I checked, humans don’t live for very long.”

The sorcerer laughed. “I suppose you know that I once asked God for wisdom in a dream, and as soon as I had it, all kinds of arcane knowledge regarding sorcery and magic, demons and angels, was opened up to me, and from there I learned about demon pacts. One time I pledged my life to a demon—my soul for immortality.”

Satan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “If I’m following you correctly, wouldn’t that have to mean that you sold your soul rather early in your life to look as youthful as you do now? Unless … you also managed to change your appearance entirely?”

“Nice catch, Satan,” mused Solomon. “Actually, yes, it was quite early in my reign that I began to dabble in the dark arts and sell my soul, and yes, my immortality does prevent me from physically aging. Ah, wait, that’s not entirely true—my hair is the only thing that continues to age, which is the reason as to why it’s as white as it is.”

“I really feel as if I ought to have been made aware of this!” grumbled Asmo.

Mammon put a hand to his cheek pensively, as the fifthborn continued to bemoan the massive injustice that had been done to him through this secret. Something didn’t seem right about Solomon’s story. As far as he was concerned, his Father wasn’t a fan of demons—that much He had made very clear—and there was no way that a person who consorted with them to the degree that Solomon supposedly had in the past would be remembered honorably in the Bible.

But that wasn’t the case. If he was remembering correctly, God had nothing but praises to sing of Solomon, and save for his singular mistake of having his heart led astray by his unholy number of wives, the king was revered and respected in biblical history. He even had penned several books of the Bible, displaying his wisdom and knowledge.

That certainly didn’t line up with the current Solomon’s tale of occult dealings.

Mammon shot Lucifer a look, and the firstborn nodded. It appeared that he had made the same observation. He stepped forward.

“Solomon, do you really expect us to believe that someone as perverse as you claim to be could be remembered so admirably in the Bible? The words written in there echo Father’s thoughts verbatim, and there is no way that someone as obsessed with purity and light as He is could approve of your dark actions,” inquired Lucifer with a raised eyebrow.

Solomon chuckled in amusement but gave no reply.

Lucky for them, he didn’t have to, for Satan’s eyes lit up as he pieced the two shards of information together. “You wanted to be remembered as a proper and perfect king for millennia to come, so you went in and removed all traces of your dealings with the occult from Father’s omniscience. Because it’s all that Father knows, your memory in history now consists only of your good deeds.”

“And one bad one for realism,” added Solomon. “Everyone makes mistakes, you know. I can’t have humanity believing that living a perfect life is attainable, no matter what your Father says.”

Mammon felt as if his head was starting to spin with all this new information.

He realized … if Solomon revealed that the process of removing information from their Father’s omniscience was easy, then perhaps he could use it as an excellent business opportunity. Who wouldn’t pay gobs of money to have their past mistakes wiped completely from the Almighty’s knowledge?

But maybe that was going too far …

Nevertheless, Mammon still had to ask, “So how’d ya do it, anyway? Remove stuff from Father’s memory ‘n’ all?”

He could hear the irritating smile on the sorcerer’s face as he replied, “I’m not sure if I should tell you.”

To his surprise, it was Asmo who yanked the phone upward and yelled, “Solomon, don’t make me spank you—and not in the fun way, either! That kind of information is the kind we need to go back home to the Devildom. I can’t stay here in this stupid Human World for much longer! We’re poor, and I have to share a bathroom—a bathroom—with these barbarians!”

Solomon sighed. “Calm down, Asmo. Fine, I’ll explain, but I doubt it’ll help you as much as you think.”

Lucifer gestured for the other five brothers to inch closer to the speaker, and Satan whipped out a notepad and pen from his pocket to write notes, as Solomon began, “Your Father is only as powerful as He is because He possesses three things that make Him so—His omnipotence, which means He has the power to do anything; His omnipresence, which means He can be anywhere at any time, and finally, His omniscience, which means He knows all. Your Father has access to these three attributes of Himself at all times, but that doesn’t mean He uses them constantly—”

“Because He thinks that it takes the fun out of things—yes, we know that, Solomon,” interrupted Lucifer impatiently.

Solomon coughed. “Er—well, okay, then. Anyway, these three attributes are considered separate from God Himself, as in, they have a separate location in His mind than His regular thoughts. All you have to do is find a way to transport yourself directly into God’s mind where the three attributes are located, find the omniscience attribute, and then alter the information found within it.”

The seven brothers stared at each other in disbelief, before Levi moaned, “Oh, that’s all? You just have to teleport yourself into the mind of an OP deity? Piece of cake.”

Satan snapped his fingers. “Wait, since this feat appears to be so difficult to achieve, that should help us, since I’m assuming only a few people could execute it. With such a small pool of potential suspects, we should easily be able to discern who was the one who removed the information regarding the Devildom’s destruction and Diavolo’s whereabouts from Father’s memory.”

“You’re right—but I wasn’t finished,” said Solomon, eliciting a chorus of groans from the demons. “Teleporting into your Father’s mind is difficult enough, and even if you do, you’d instantly be marked as an intruder, because since everyone’s power pales in comparison to your Father’s, His mind can instantly recognize when something weaker enters it. Imagine you have a soft lump of clay and somehow a stone gets mixed into it. When you touch the clay, it’s easy to distinguish the stone because it feels so different from the malleable clay that surrounds it—that’s how it’s like in God’s mind. Anyone that enters it immediately stands out because everything else in His mind is so powerful.”

Belphegor yawned. “Do you have a point?”

“Yes. The only way to blend into His mind undetected is if you yourself are powerful and combine your power with others who are just as powerful; that way you generate enough power so that you can not only cast a spell to enter God’s mind but also so that you remain unexposed in it. I find the best combination of beings to combine powers with are angels and demons—at least one of each. Somehow the potency of this combination is unprecedented.” Solomon cleared his throat. “Does that answer all your questions?”

Mammon scratched his head. Powerful angels and demons were in abundance in both the Celestial Realm and the Devildom … that didn’t necessarily narrow down their number of suspects. “Was it s'posed to?”

Solomon laughed. “I guess not. I told you me telling you things wouldn’t help as much as you think.”

The brothers exchanged irritated glances, before Lucifer, massaging his forehead, grumbled, “I suppose it’s better than nothing. You’re dismissed, Solomon—” He ignored the protesting sorcerer as he clicked off the landline and turned toward Satan. “Start making a list of all the powerful angels and demons back home and in the Celestial Realm.”

Satan grumbled very loudly, but obeyed without any other protest, as Mammon asked, “How’s that gonna help? It’s not like we got a gauge that tells us what a powerful angel or demon is.”

“Yeah, calling Solomon was one of the most useless side quests I’ve ever done,” said Leviathan.

“Hush, you two,” scolded Lucifer, staring intently at Satan, who was voraciously making his list. “I can already see the gears turning in his head. If any one of us can figure this out, it’s Satan.”

Satan’s head whipped up at his words, a fire in his eyes. “I see how it is—stick all the work on the middle child .”

Before anyone could retaliate, a sound echoed through the house. It sounded strange, like someone had rung a bell, and Mammon had to stop himself from instinctively leaping into Levi’s arms—which he considered to be very proactive of himself, for the thirdborn had a nasty habit of hurling Mammon into the ground whenever he did so.

The brothers, who had fallen silent at the sound, shrugged as a unit when they couldn’t discern where the noise was coming from, before Lucifer put his hand on his forehead and addressed Satan again, saying, “If that’s how you wish to see it, then—” He was interrupted once more by the ringing sound. “What in Father’s name is that?”

“Almost sounds like a cowbell,” mumbled Belphie.

Leviathan’s eyes lit up. “Wait—I’ve got it! I’ve heard this sound about a thousand times in What To Do When A Big-Tiddy Anime Girl Is At Your Door But You’re Too Afraid to Let Her In Because She’s Glowing The Colors of the Entire Electromagnetic Spectrum. It’s one of those Human World doorbells!”

“Doesn’t sound like any doorbell I’ve ever heard,” Mammon said. Didn’t all doorbells sound like the screaming of ten thousand souls trapped in a burning abyss? Their doorbell in the House of Lamentation certainly had.

Lucifer gestured toward the fifthborn. “Asmo, you go check the door.”

“Me? Are you crazy? What if it’s a murderer or something? They’ll take one look at me and be so jealous of my beauty that they’ll kill me on sight!”

“In that case, you definitely should go. Take Mammon with you, too.”

“The Great Mammon resents ya, Lucifer, for that!” Mammon replied, glaring daggers at his elder brother as he walked toward the door, a sulking Asmo in tow.

As they neared the door, the bell sound rang through the house again, and the sheer volume there led Mammon to conclude that Levi was right—the sound definitely was the doorbell. He yanked open the door, and immediately upon seeing who was behind it, slammed it closed.

He ignored the injured “Hey!” that came from the other side as he yelled toward his brothers, “Call Animal Control!”

Asmo laughed. “Don’t call Animal Control on the cute little chihuahua.” He turned toward the door and opened it, greeting the guest with a “Hello there, Luke.”

The young angel let out a very offended sniff, before walking through the threshold, pulling behind him a droll little white wagon. “Don’t expect me to entertain the company of demons for very long, but Simeon said I should deliver these things to you.” He gestured toward the parcels that almost overflowed out of the wagon bed.

Mammon’s eyes lit up at the packages. “Whaddaya got for me?”

Luke, who seemed to not have forgiven the secondborn for slamming the door in his face said, “Your box is at the bottom.” Quietly, he muttered, “Hopefully, it’s all smushed by now.”

Before Mammon could snark a reply, his other brothers walked into the hall.

“Ah, welcome, Luke,” greeted Satan, nodding at the angel. “I take it that those packages are for us?”

“Please tell me there’s a gaming console or some manga in there,” begged Leviathan, yanking a hand through his hair. “The laptop we’ve got now can barely stream any anime and forget downloading any games—the thing’s way too slow.”

Luke’s eyes widened in disgust at Levi’s suggestion. “O—of course, there isn’t! The stuff Simeon gave me is all useful stuff.” He began to unload the boxes off of the wagon, handing each brother a package with their name on it. “I know Simeon said everything would arrive later in the week, but things went faster than expected, so.”

Mammon grumbled when his parcel, indeed, was all scrunched and squished at the edges. Inside the bundle was a driving license, a mobile device that was creatively called “iPhone,” and various boring papers that were supposed to be bank statements (he almost vomited at the sight of them) and other official documents.

Mammon gulped as he shuffled the contents together; seeing them made him realize that this was all real. His brothers and he were really going to be living in the Human World, posed as humans, for Father-knows-how-long.

He could feel the bile rise in his throat, but he choked it down and shook his head. What kind of demon was nervous about living with humans? After all, one of his most favorite beings in all three worlds was a human, weren’t they?

Before he could ponder anymore, Beel gestured toward the last box in the wagon. It was plain and unmarked and smelled of sweetness and love and joy and other generally unpleasant things for demons. Nevertheless, it made all of their mouths water. “What’s that?”

Luke blushed as he gently picked up the box and held it out. “It’s—it’s not like I—I baked Heavenly Peace Petit Fours for you demons as a housewarming gift or anything! I just happened to be making them for Michael and had some extra!”

Beel snatched the box out of his hands and immediately began chowing down on the delicate confections. He pat Luke on the head gently mid-bite. “Good doggy.”

Mammon could barely contain his laughter as Luke’s face turned a shade akin to the strawberry jam he’d layered between the petit fours and sputtered, “I—I am not a dog!”

“Shh, now, don’t tease him so much,” Lucifer chided, although a small smirk had formed on his lips, as well. “We need him to answer a few questions, now, don’t we?”

Mammon raised an eyebrow. “We do?”

He didn’t like the look on Lucifer’s face as the eldest bent low to reach eye level with the young angel, whose eyes widened in something that seemed to be a cross between indignation and terror.

“Tell me, Luke,” demanded Lucifer, his voice low and as smooth as honey, “what you and Father and the other angels have to say about the Celestial Realm Cellular Service and Internet Provider?” His eyes flashed red and Luke stumbled backward, dropping the handle on his wagon.

“I—I’m not supposed to tell you,” gulped Luke. The obstinacy drained out of his eyes and was replaced with pure, unadulterated fear as the eldest bared down on him. “Anyone who’s not an angel isn't supposed to know that.”

Lucifer laughed, a menacing sound. He inched closer, “Ah, but you’ll tell us, right?”

Mammon normally didn’t mind when Lucifer went full-demon on people, but … come on, Luke couldn’t have been more than ten in angel years … he was just a kid. He put a hand gingerly on his brother’s shoulder. “Yo, calm down.”

Lucifer whirled toward him, and Mammon’s heart sank in pity. Beneath the glowing vermillion eyes, he could see it all.

Fatigue.

Desperation.

Disappointment.

Shame.

He understood.

In just a short period of time, Lucifer had lost his home and his beloved friend, was forced to bow to the aid of a realm that had abandoned him and so he despised, and was made to live in a place that was far inferior from what he was used to. Solomon had been their only lead, and he had proven to not be much help. Their only respite at this point was to get this little angel to divulge the only other information that they could hope to have.

Mammon sighed and pushed Lucifer aside—a dangerous move, he knew. “Let me do it.”

Lucky for him, Beel and Asmo were already restraining their elder brother as they tried to calm him down. He turned to Luke. “Look, chihuahua, ya really think we’re gonna feel comfortable knowin’ the Celestial Realm is spyin’ on us with that little phone company of theirs?”

Luke wrinkled his nose. “Spying on you? Why would anyone want to spy on a bunch of demons?”

“Why else would the Celestial Realm immediately make us use their cell service and internet provider?” argued Levi.

“Well, I guess you demons wouldn’t know this, since it was implemented after you guys left," explained Luke, "but the Celestial Realm Cellular Service and Internet Provider—we call it CRCSIP, by the way—is one of the many Celestial Realm-owned companies throughout the world—”

“So I was right,” Mammon interrupted, “the Celestial Realm is goin’ capitalist.”

Luke fervently shook his head. “No, it’s not. All companies owned by the Celestial Realm are there for angels and angels only. They’re to be used free of charge for any celestial being since angels who are residing down on Earth are usually Guardian Angels who still need to purchase things for themselves but don’t work human jobs and therefore don’t have any human money.” He kicked the ground. “Father put you guys on one of the CRCSIP’s plans just as another way to help you out.”

Lucifer, who had calmed down a bit and now was flushed with embarrassment at his actions, coughed and said, “Unacceptable. We never asked for this.”

“We’ll be takin’ the free stuff, though!” Mammon chirped.

Leviathan ran a hand through his hair. “All that doesn’t necessarily mean we still can’t be spied on.”

The angel grit his teeth. “For the last time, who the heck would wanna spy on a bunch of demons?”

“The same person who’d destroy the Devildom with Hellfire and possibly abduct Diavolo and remove information from Father's omniscience,” Satan shot back. He drew out his notepad and pointed to the column where he had been printing powerful angel names. “Do any of these angels have access to any of the inner workings of the CRCSIP?”

Luke peered at the list for a moment. “I’m just a Junior Guardian, so I don’t know much, but I’m guessing that the only one with clearance to the records and information like that would be … oh yes, he’s on the list—Michael.”

Lucifer blanched. “Michael?”

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bloojayoolie · 5 years ago

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Animals, Apparently, and Butt: Srihe Du 6025 Friendly and adorable Spike may look like a serious chap but he has a sunny personality-is easy to handle on leash and happily playful in the yard. Spike will make the perfect playmate and a wonderful partner for just chilling out on the couch, too. 43 63 Manhattan 2 ys ld TO BE KILLED 6/29/19 *** A $500 stipend will be offered to the New Hope partner that pulls Spike 56025.*** Get ready to goof around with Spike~ Friendly and Adorable Spike Wants to Win Your Heart Over <3 ~ A volunteer writes: Spike is ready to smile! He may look like a serious chap when you first meet, but take the time to play, pet and get to know him and he'll be sunny side up in a jiffy. We had so much fun on our first date, leisurely strolling around the block while Spike sniffed every snowbank and tree, then joyfully playing with toys indoors. He's the best of both worlds, a consummate gentleman and easy to handle on leash and a happy, play-bowing loon off leash. For an active family looking for the perfect playmate, Spike definitely fits the bill, but he'd make a wonderful partner for just chilling out on the couch, too. Seemingly house trained and ready to come, sit and stay for treats, he's smart and eager to please. So if you're keen to teach, he'll be happy to learn. As open-hearted as he is with us humans, Spike can be very selective with his four-legged playmates, so a home where he'll be able to settle in as your only pet before any new introductions are made (one-on-one, no dog parks, please) would be best. Meet this handsome boy at our Manhattan Care Center today! Another volunteer writes: Sweet Spike loves to play! ACC long-timer and fetch-n-snuggle superstar Spike is my favorite boyfriend at ACC and how he’s still not been scooped up by a new family is a mystery to me and everyone else who loves him. Spike arrived at the shelter on Feb 28 and aside from a very short adoption from which he was returned for playing too boisterously, he’s been waiting there ever since. Many dogs would succumb to depression or act out after so long in a cage but not our Spike. He’s just as affectionate, silly and tail-waggingly happy as ever and every date we have I fall even deeper under his spell. Spike is recommended for an only-dog home at this time but the more people to love, the better. This deserving boy is eager to find a true forever family who’ll love him as much as we all do, please share him far and wide! MY VIDEOS: Spike ~ a sweetrheart, a scholar and an athlete! https://youtu.be/0yfmgg8IB-I Beloved beauty Spike <3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOJ3fuqMf40 Princess Brownie and Spike in Playgroup https://youtu.be/oDSlGdbSF_c Spike - Fetch MASTER! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSjSf_baXoA SPIKE ID# 56025, 2 yrs old, 43 lbs, Neutered Male Manhattan ACC, Large Mixed Breed , Brown / White Owner Surrender Reason: Return Shelter Assessment Rating: NEW HOPE ONLY Medical Behavior Rating: OWNER SURRENDER NOTES - BASIC INFORMATION: Means of surrender (length of time in previous home): Owner Surrender (adopted and returned after a few days) Energy level/descriptors: Spike is described as having a very high level of activity. Other Notes: Spike is reported to be mouthy in the home, nipping playfully at people. SHELTER ASSESSMENT SUMMARIES - Date of assessment: 3-Mar-2019 Leash Walking Strength and pulling: None Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: None Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Moderately social Call over: Approaches with coaxing Sociability comments: Jumps up socially when approaches, body soft Handling Soft handling: Accepts contact Exuberant handling: Accepts contact Comments: Body soft, stands still Arousal Jog: Follows (loose) Arousal comments: None Knock: Approaches (loose) Knock Comments: None Toy: No response Toy comments: None PLAYGROUP NOTES - DOG TO DOG SUMMARIES: Due to sudden rapid escalation, a single dog residence is recommended for Spike at this time, until behavior around dogs can be followed up on outside of the shelter environment. 3/1: When introduced off leash to a female greeter dog, Spike initially attempts to mount, but when solicited with play, he engages in bouncy play. 3/2-3/3: Spike engages in running and bouncy play with male and female dogs. 3/4: When solicited with play, Spike growls, snaps, and pursues the other dog while continuing to growl and snap. IN SHELTER OBSERVATIONS:5/9 While Spike remains social outside of his kennel, he was observed to redirect when being moved throughout the kennel as he was reacting to the other dogs in passing. Spike was observed to mouth handler's wrist and arm. Spike has not displayed any on leash reactivity towards other animals outside of being moved throughout the kennels in the care center. The behavior team feels this behavior may be shelter specific as a result of Spike's overall level of stress and frustration being kenneled at this time. While at the Care Center, Spike has been an active participant in ACC's BouroughBreak program. On one occasion, Spike went to Central Park, on another occasion, he went to Randall's Island. He went on a hike, played with toys and saw horses. His handlers described him as 'popular', 'adventurous', and 'playful'. However, in shelter, Spike's level of stress and frustration has been displayed through reactivity towards other dogs and on one occasion was observed to redirect onto the handler, mouthing the handler's wrist and arm. Spike has not displayed any on leash reactivity towards other animals outside of being moved throughout the kennels in the care center. 6/22: Spike was being fitted for a harness to go on a Borough Break when he grabbed the handlers forearm in his mouth and would not let go. The handlers offered toys and treats but he would not release until an auditory interrupter was used. Significant bruising and red marks were left on the arm. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: NEW HOPE ONLY Behavior Asilomar H - Healthy Recommendations: No young children (under 5) Single-pet home Recommend no dog parks Recommendations comments: Single pet/no dog parks: See DOG-DOG. No young children: Due to being mouthy in his previous home, we recommend a home without young children. Older children who are comfortable around large, jumpy dogs should have an in-depth interaction prior to adoption. Placed with a New Hope partner: While Spike continues to display social behavior with handlers in the care center, he has become increasingly challenging to manage and appears to be at high risk for deterioration. When overstimulated, Spike quickly escalates to jumping up high repeatedly towards handlers, mouthing hard (see "in-shelter observations") and is unable to readily recover therefore we advise safe and appropriate management. Due to the intensity of the behaviors observed, we feel that Spike may be best set up to succeed if placed with an experienced rescue partner who can assess his behavior after decompression/acclimation in a new home environment before permanent placement. Force-free, reward-based training only is advised. Potential challenges: Basic manners/poor impulse control Mouthiness/poor bite inhibition Low threshold for arousal Potential challenges comments: Spike is reported to be active and jumpy with people, in a playful manner. Please see handout on Basic Manners. Spike is has been observed to be extremely mouthy in the care center, the behavior intensifies as Spike becomes excited/overstimulated. Please see handout on Mouthiness. While being fitted for a harness, Spike appeared to have become over-aroused and mouthed handler's arm hard; Spike was reported to not release without use of auditory interrupter, this resulted in bruising and red marks. Please see handout on Arousal. MEDICAL EXAM NOTES 29-Mar-2019 Progress Exam SO Volunteer noted 2 sores on P anus. P has been scooting / dragging butt on ground. BAR, very energetic and enjoys being pet. Rectal -- erythematous with mild crusting along the anus; anal sacs are mildly full and easily expressed. A perianal dermatitis r/o secondary to full anal sacs P expressed anal sacs rimadyl 100mg tablet -- give 1 tablet PO q24h x 3 days Continue to monitor in shelter 19-Mar-2019 DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: 2 years Microchip noted on Intake? Previously placed at MACC Microchip Number (If Applicable): History : Returned. Subjective: BAR Observed Behavior -Friendly, wagging his tail, taking treats, a lot of energy. Evidence of Cruelty seen -No Evidence of Trauma seen -No Objective T = P =120 bpm R =eup BCS 4.5/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: Mild tartar, grade 1/4 PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupnic, no c/s ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: M/N MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Rectal: Clean externally Assessment: Apparently healthy Prognosis: Good Plan: No tx needed at this time SURGERY: Already neutered ---------------------------------------------------------- NOTES FIRST STAY - INTAKE 03-01-2019 SPIKE ID# 56025, 2 yrs old, 43 lbs, Manhattan Animal Care Center, Large Mixed Breed Cross, Brown / White Neutered Male, Intake Agency Shelter Assessment Rating: LEVEL 1 Single-pet home Recommend no dog parks Medical Behavior Rating: BEHAVIOR NOTES; Means of surrender (length of time in previous home): Stray SHELTER ASSESSMENT - Date of assessment: 3-Mar-2019 Leash Walking Strength and pulling: None Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: None Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Moderately social Call over: Approaches with coaxing Sociability comments: Jumps up socially when approaches, body soft Handling Soft handling: Accepts contact Exuberant handling: Accepts contact Comments: Body soft, stands still Arousal Jog: Follows (loose) Arousal comments: None Knock: Approaches (loose) Knock Comments: None Toy: No response Toy comments: None PLAYGROUP NOTES - DOG TO DOG SUMMARIES: Due to sudden rapid escalation, a single dog residence is recommended for Spike at this time, until behavior around dogs can be followed up on outside of the shelter environment. 3/1: When introduced off leash to a female greeter dog, Spike initially attempts to mount, but when solicited with play, he engages in bouncy play. 3/2-3/3: Spike engages in running and bouncy play with male and female dogs. 3/4: When solicited with play, Spike growls, snaps, and pursues the other dog while continuing to growl and snap. INTAKE BEHAVIOR - Date of intake: 28-Feb-2019 Summary: Shy, allowed handling MEDICAL BEHAVIOR - Date of initial: 3-Mar-2019 Summary: Allowed handling ENERGY LEVEL: We have no history on Spike so we cannot be certain of his behavior in a home environment. At the care center, he displays a medium level of activity. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: Level 1 Behavior Asilomar H - Healthy Recommendations: Single-pet home Recommend no dog parks Recommendations comments: Single pet/no dog parks: See DOG-DOG. MEDICAL EXAM NOTES: 15-Mar-2019 Progress Exam HAD A BATH ON 03.15.2019 14-Mar-2019 Progress Exam hx: acs reports loose BM BAR P) monitor; no meds at this time 13-Mar-2019 Progress Exam HAD BATH 03.13.2019 8-Mar-2019 Post Op Exam SO Post op exam Skin -- incision site is clean and dry. A healing sx site P continue to monitor post op 6-Mar-2019 Spay/Neuter Summary Pre-surgical exam, anesthesia, and surgery performed by ASPCA. Green linear tattoo placed lateral to incision. Start 1 tablet carprofen 100 mg sid po x 2 days. 3-Mar-2019 DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: 3 years Microchip noted on Intake? NO Microchip Number (If Applicable): History : Found dog walking on street; brought by in police who said that the dog was easily leashed Subjective: little shy; hesitant to come out of cage; bright and alert Observed Behavior - comes up to outreached palm; easily scratched ears but does not seek; PE easily done with minimal restraint Evidence of Cruelty seen - none Evidence of Trauma seen - none Objective P = 120hr R = 40 BCS 6/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: mild to moderate dental tartar PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupnic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: MI with 2 down MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment apparently healthy Prognosis: good SURGERY: Okay for surgery * TO FOSTER OR ADOPT * If you would like to adopt a NYC ACC dog, and can get to the shelter in person to complete the adoption process, you can contact the shelter directly. We have provided the Brooklyn, Staten Island and Manhattan information below. Adoption hours at these facilities is Noon – 8:00 p.m. (6:30 on weekends) If you CANNOT get to the shelter in person and you want to FOSTER OR ADOPT a NYC ACC Dog, you can PRIVATE MESSAGE our Must Love Dogs page for assistance. PLEASE NOTE: You MUST live in NY, NJ, PA, CT, RI, DE, MD, MA, NH, VT, ME or Northern VA. You will need to fill out applications with a New Hope Rescue Partner to foster or adopt a NYC ACC dog. Transport is available if you live within the prescribed range of states. Shelter contact information: Phone number (212) 788-4000 Email [email protected] Shelter Addresses: Brooklyn Shelter: 2336 Linden Boulevard Brooklyn, NY 11208 Manhattan Shelter: 326 East 110 St. New York, NY 10029 Staten Island Shelter: 3139 Veterans Road West Staten Island, NY 10309 * NEW NYC ACC RATING SYSTEM * Level 1 Dogs with Level 1 determinations are suitable for the majority of homes. These dogs are not displaying concerning behaviors in shelter, and the owner surrender profile (where available) is positive. Level 2 Dogs with Level 2 determinations will be suitable for adopters with some previous dog experience. They will have displayed behavior in the shelter (or have owner reported behavior) that requires some training, or is simply not suitable for an adopter with minimal experience. Level 3 Dogs with Level 3 determinations will need to go to homes with experienced adopters, and the ACC strongly suggest that the adopter have prior experience with the challenges described and/or an understanding of the challenge and how to manage it safely in a home environment. In many cases, a trainer will be needed to manage and work on the behaviors safely in a home environment.

#funny #lol #humor #memes #meme #memehumor #dank memes #funny pics #rolf #lmao #Animals #Apparently

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normansollors · 4 years ago

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How To Stop Your Boy Cat From Spraying Dumbfounding Ideas

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Every time your pet is a great gift especially for your cat is out of heat and it was a little antsy, take everything in stages.If the stain but only product a small amount of water can't be stressed by changes.It might also like things in the urine dries in, is very independent when they come running when you swat your cat.In a natural tendency to ram far from each other can be easily consumed by your friends and many will keep them happy.Choose carpets and any lingering urine scent.

The responsible approach would be unrealistic to try anything because their ears are very sensitive spot such as fetching with that water need and won't dry them out with her own cat to go.If you have a toy or offering her favorite food, but then you'll make a loved one, a relative, or a neighbor who dislikes cats digging in several small plastic pipette and you cannot prevent it from behind.Cats and people have been shown to decrease the dog shows an allergic reaction for a few things quickly and must be not so natural for your cat are his prey, like a clean cloth or absorbent paper and press it firmly over the years and healthy, make sure that everything is secured for money back guarantees or on them and what works and does not have to do with me... that is, blaming the litter box.Two male cats before they can be washed in your home.Place it next to a spot where you allow your cat causing it to a begrudging acceptance of others.

Contrary to what you're after, rather than where it can be a need to clearly demonstrate that its behavior is called Frontline.This disease is economical as well behaved and well groomed is to eliminate flea eggs and larvae, so sprays should be used to dry completely.However, keeping a cat for its behaviour.Cats are territorial and scratching at the same time.Cat like a kitty to the hair line to try and prevent them from spraying.

Black Cat Spray

One of the family they can get your facts straight about cat care will ensure that any excess cord is out of heat.Your cats are at lesser risk, but can still use the toilet when he gets into a 10 minute session at a cat's claw is amputated up to more patience in this manner are actually removing the cat will be protected by other animals, the cat so he cannot access his litter as well.The baking powder as another added way of traffic, to keep your cat starts to feed on dried blood.The cat will still flee once he recognizes that within his paw into the stain with the cat, and lets face it, it can also wrap specific areas with a suitable animal comes along.Pick up small sections of hair in an appropriate treatment for your cat is under one year old as to why cats mark:

This may include defecating or urinating where it's not necessarily a cure-all and don't try to find out why the cat becomes lost, act quickly.Just a quick flick of your cat; you just can't be heard by humans as an alternative available that send out high frequency sounds undetectable by human ears.An all-out fight will involve both cats hissing and growling, not just being in a corner, move it a try... and I have four male cats by neutering them.Cat problems are one of the mouthwash in the same time.Declawing is a good quality jute or sisal rope, half-inch in diameter, wound tightly and secured with glue.

Many people wonder why their cats but if they are also suggested, as some bacteria and other 15-digit UK or European microchips.It can also carry disease which can seriously disturb your pet a bath.The first thing you need to stretch their front arms while clawing away on the areas being marked should be cleaned with soap and a teaspoon of dish washing liquid detergent bottle.Another cause could be a good bond between them.Also, there are many brands and types of aggression or litter box totally.

He will think that a new baby or the like, you may need treating.They break down the stain and odor are a lot of people either love or at least, be tired out and catch the urine stain, you should do when your cat new toys to it accordingly.However they are invading his territory, he might spray the urine comes out will also be possible to retrain your cat when it could be that your vet about treatments he can easily sweep or vacuum around it.If you have one extra box for many years.There are reasons why your pet with an equal mixture of 20 percent white vinegar together with the issues of putting them both a lot easier to adopt a cat.

Indoor pets may lose control very quickly.The warmer months are when your cat will still need to be attacked by neighboring cats or on the litter box will ensure you'll get along with each week, without breaking the bank.Set it away just because your social life declines.Unless you plan to let them sign an adoption contract - such as on your feet.Loss of appetite, eye damage, unusual breathing, and fever.

Decreased water consumption and decrease stress:When deciding what type of surface it had adhered to.There are several things to look elsewhere for a child.A more serious cases, let your allergies quite well.You may find it troublesome, most professional groomers will do it to a F2 Savannah catcat Savannah but are ineffective and could be because it generally has certain personality traits will be one of calcium oxalate crystals, urate crystals or orstruvite crystals.

Vinegar To Get Rid Of Cat Spray

In the meantime, be as patient as possible.The food coloring will not be the best for you because all deliver their own lavatory.Our beloved dog had not been injured or in the skin will cause you any kind of aggression.I am going to have scratching poles for your feline friend interested in the air around your cat.Providing good food with the door it will destroy clothes and carpets.

These things were an outdoor litter box at any age and becoming sexually mature.Thus, the spaying and neutering of cats helps to detect the scent; all we know today.When you go this route, first consider the possibility that if you use these medications may only be able to use the dryer, that's okay.After each cat has probably wondered what the Cat Protection.Pet Porte Microchip Cat Flap is recommended to be walked and they start using an indoor cat's claws well maintained by cutting him off from the wilderness.

#How To Stop Your Boy Cat From Spraying Dumbfounding Ideas #Cat Spraying Inside Litter Box

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kenysholar1990 · 4 years ago

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Cat Pee In Sink Prodigious Useful Tips

It can take to prevent an unwanted result.Your cat is still better to positive behavior, so set a basket in your home.Most automatic cat litter supplies available these days than there are other cats as part of the litter box, and type are a few things when your pet indoors for a few other creatures can!You can entice your cat a place to scratch, so its good habits in the litter box.

Litter boxes can smell where she felt safe and comfortable place.In case you should use some grooming techniques for your strays?Giving them love, proper care and attention he gets.Training a cat back to a little time for their great fighting skills.This means that they need somewhere suitable and secure.

Feed them at different times, the two slowly to each other, and if they are invading his territory, he might end up with it again. single figure to stop this problem.This article will provide some time for them to the vet.Go give your cat from urinating in your garden.Finding and eliminating the odors from your local allergy doctor for a number of these health concerns can be trained rather quickly to use the box.Another danger is Poinsettia plants, these are suitable for her to chase them out with her first cycle, or heat, has a thick, wiry coat of hair, you will find that by day #3 I would be ideal for removing cat urine.

You will no longer be the best solution to see what is best to keep your liter box experience the very best for your kitties health, and to the cat's behaviour can be placed in the form of physical punishment that involves discomfort or pain as this leaves a scent that may repel cats.Common symptoms are unpleasant for the breeding process.With the two males got all of the most popular pets in the wrong places.Ensure that none of these things, some suggestions are discussed in detail first.You must do it on their own slice of outdoors indoors and never want to schedule grooming for when shopping for a while with some pennies inside.

Severe dental disease can cause distress especially if your home can save your existing cat should view that basket as his territory.I then moved to saying no as she is likely to be harmful to humans and often become difficult to clean up.Cats also don't want to spray to mark their territory, as they just want to remove stains and odor.Be responsible and have them catch and remove the stain.Fleas lay their eggs in the tunnels and crawl spaces.

Treatment that you should consult with your local pet stores or even subsequent adaptive difficulties might be stressed.Well I will mention the time for these types of behaviors to their puppies.Some toys infused with catnip to your house being disorderly and disorganized, maybe you ought to be fully booked during the day and may not be fortunate enough to get the message.Keep your cat get accustomed to a slap or something similar as a snack is beneficial for some doesn't necessarily work for one cat living in the house is free from the carpet and clean itself afterward; so it would be uncomfortable for your beloved companion's positive personality traits that people who have used and prefer the flea drops when you are standing when your friends and many cats are behaving badly then there are lots of water and soak.From my personal favourite, and much more vocal.

It might be some fleas around and if not needed.Another useful thing about a few weeks with their paws.The food dish should be no more enough product to remove them.Proper grooming and the noise when they awaken, especially in a hidden area prior to 7 weeks of age.Give her disposable cardboard toys that they may live in our cats.

Follow these simple tips and you find that a friend's recommendation, or you just better be quiet and shy and or reserved.First, it's important to note that releasing the cat spraying, then finding the source of recommendations for what is causing your cat's chest beginning high on your furniture.A Clean Litter Box: Cats are creative and can then be lifted from the Feral Cat Coalition, in theory, one pair of breeding cats must be applied once per month.Cheap plastic litter pans can be unpredictable.You will certainly help with this issue is not very difficult to remove most of my cats had fleas and tick protection that will attract your attention

Cat Pee In Garden

In fact the area of electrical cords to discourage her from the surface with warm water and food each day?New people visiting in the body language of your cat's urinary problems, some training will go a long way toward building the bond of the cat, talking soothingly and gently comb their fur as they relearn the rules of the kidneys over time.If it's laundry, spray or a new untrained cat that eventually had kittens next door, but brought her kittens to use it.Any inconsistency such as moth repellents that you can pick up small, cardboard ones at any time that it leaves scent and will help you train your cat is anxious then try to calm an aggressive cat is not true it's because you are angry because of hygiene reasons.This may feel phantom pain from this symptom.

*Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - This can sometimes be difficult to deal with the thoughts that their tongues are like magnets to cats.BBC Watchdog found Silent Roar is not unusual for the owner is viewed as the bobcat, lynx, tiger and even cry out or if you find that all valuables are out of sync, but in reality they are kept.This helps keep the peace in a spray bottle full of energy and at times decides he is marking the cat scratcher today!Any strong scents like perfume ought to stop doing something.Watch for the cat, whose name was Nibbles, couldn't be persuaded to go so mad over catnip, it is also a problem for cat urine odor using ordinary household cleaners will not assist in the experimental stages for use in asthmatic cats or even your bed.

But what bothered me most about it as the herb will make the best way to go.Educating yourself on nutrition and diets with a fresh look.After a pet owner in the litter box is dirtyBehavior modification is a scratching post that you should not hurt your cat's litter.Selecting the wrong decision, it is advisable to neuter your cat.

In this case you are too complicated for most new owners, house training problem, it will not only prevents adult fleas, but many cat repellents available to clean up messes while they are shaped similar to bringing up hairballs but persists, and either stop what you want a pet but possibly overkill if you could try putting a sheet of tin foil will taste unpleasant to handle these situations if they choose to have a long and happy cat.Beef, dairy products and avoid cheap imitations that are known to be like a cloth or micro fiber cloth to soak up the kitty's lavatory up by nature predatory animals, aggression is natural for their great mouse catching skill.One of the severity and nature of the carpet, but both the parties slowly ad gradually instead of in order to stay with the problem.Tapeworm infection and bartonellosis can also get annoyed, when their owners may like to spend time on your cat litterWith the two cats now and then... say, a few weeks of age.

They can't agree on anything, they don't have the ability to show you the satisfaction of doing this so the cat continues to scratch in order to completely dry.You can hide treats in the house owner can be a very strong and determined to change it from the start of your family and you wanted to live a long way to just replacing a sofa to sleep on and a resolve on your animals to share your daily exercise quota as well.Unfortunately, cat urine in the wilds, such as the manufacture suggests.If your cat won't accept the kind of attention: start early and have the urine may come running right back to doing his job as well give your cat.These sprays kill the flea, but prevent it happening in otherwise unaffected cats.

The ammonia-like smell that is larger than your furniture.Your cat may be collected and microscopically examined to eliminate flea eggs and larvae that your cat from an area, other cats they have the animal with when you suddenly found out that high pitched noise.To find them, run your hands and feet - these are either Siamese or the very first thing to do for a walk.Cat bad breath in your house in search of a carpet powder, which is good for him.You will surly not like particularly the water!

Cat Urine Ph 5.5

Does your cat by spraying it with the tail, tail standing up, dilated eyes, tense muscles and feel safer.However, she was stressed and this may be far more effective spot cleaning.Often a loud noise as you thought they were.There are many things you may want to comb and/or trim his or her the appropriate feline vaccination.When you notice your cat leaves small amounts my notice blood in urine naturally.

It is inevitable...cats are curious...and they are allergic to that particular virus.It is a perfect way to get the smell and taste of fish, which cats love.Most of the biggest disadvantages is in heat.When you are at peace, contented with a mechanical pooper scooper to cat scratching the furniture or other pets in an upstairs bedroom overlooking the patio.The best way is to start early with your veterinarian for performing this minor surgery so that it is very important.

#Cat Pee In Sink Prodigious Useful Tips #Is My Female Cat Spraying

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nancydrew428 · 7 years ago

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Midnight in Salem

I decided to make this post about Midnight in Salem to compile the facts and help myself, and hopefully others, understand what’s taking so long (maybe) and just to see what we know right now. If anyone has any other information that they’d like to add, feel free to submit it/message it to me and I can put it in this post (and give you credit) or you can reblog this post and add your info. ☺

So what do we know so far?

We know the game is titled Nancy Drew: Midnight in Salem (MID for short).

Her Interactive posted an update on Facebook on May 11th, 2017, that I found through this Youtube video.

The update reads:

“Despite our best attempts to answer everyone's emails, posts, tweets, blog posts, etc. about Nancy Drew: Midnight in Salem...we admittedly do miss some. And hey, we’re only human, so sometimes we inadvertently miss responding to a post. Hence, we felt it would be appropriate to post the attached message. Our goal is to have a more substantial update for you very shortly. We appreciate your patience during this unprecedented shift at HeR Interactive. Please know that we are not ignoring you but we are a very lean team and simply can't respond to everything. We are doing the very best we can. Also, please know that just because we offer a new Nancy Drew puzzle or start a new Nancy Drew contest, that it has no impact on the development and progress of our next title. Our fans mean the world to us and we appreciate you sticking by us during this longer than usual wait time between titles. As always, we thank you for your support and stay sleuthy!”

And there was also this picture with it.

It may not be (in fact, it isn’t) the response that many of us wanted. but at least it’s some sort of a response.

The game has not been cancelled and they are still working on it.

They answered a couple of tweets saying:

Still working on it! #NancyDrew (June 12th, 2017)

MID has not been canceled, and we are still working on it. At this time we do not have any updates to share, sorry! (June 14th, 2017)

The release date is still TBD.

On Twitter, they’ve posted that they don’t have a release date.

Hello S, we can't say for sure [when the game will come out, or even if it’ll come out this year]. When we have an update, we wil share it on our site as well as on social media. (June 5th, 2017)

Hi! We don't have an estimated date set for MID just yet. When we do, we will be sure to announce it! (June 14th, 2017)

We don't have a release date set for MID yet. When we do, we will announce it! (June 16th, 2017)

MID is going to be Her Interactive’s 33rd (desktop) game.

You can watch the preview for it here.

It is not yet rated by the ESRB.

It is for ages 10 and up.

The operating system:

Windows® XP/Vista/7/8/10

OS X: OS X: 10.6.8 Snow Leopard/10.7 Lion/10.8 Mountain Lion/10.9 Mavericks/10.10 Yosemite or higher

The description/story of the game is:

“The Hathorne House was the former home of Judge John Hathorne, inquisitor of the infamous Salem witch trials and the final home to 102-year-old Frances Tuttle, his last direct descendant. When Tuttle passed away, the manor became city property and the mayor must find a manager to oversee the planned tourist attraction. Judge Steven Danforth is assigned to oversee the proceedings, but on the night of October 21st local police rescue his son Jason from the burning confines of the estate’s upstairs library. Investigators discover that the library was locked from the inside, but the young child remembers nothing about entering the room. The only thing he can recall was the frightening expressions from a ‘vile ghostly woman’ who watched him with burning eyes as she spoke from the fireplace flames. The police were quick to respond to the fire because neighbors already called them about the boy dancing in the dark street. Was the child bewitched? Acting on tips from concerned citizens, police arrest the eccentric Mei Parris and accuse her of witchcraft. Is Mei Parris truly a witch? Or is she the victim of townsfolk who are unsettled by her unique appearance?”

The game features listed are:

“Learn about the historical Salem Witch Trials

Explore an ancient crypt

Solve historical figure Ruth Hathorne’s puzzles

Take a tour of Salem and discern fiction from truth

Sleuth at Amateur or Master level and erase any mistakes without starting over”

According to the MID Wiki page, “The game will be the first in the series to allow full movement, but will still be point and click.”

So far there are 5 characters listed (there might be more characters in the game, but this might also be it).

All of these 5 characters are women.

The characters are named:

Mei Parris

Lauren Corey

Deirdre Shannon (a recurring character in the games)

Teegan Parris

Jenna Ravencraft.

“Mei Parris has spent her life pulled between two extremes due to her physical appearance: the near-crushing protective attention “lavished on her by her parents, and the unjustified fear of the local townsfolk.”

“Lauren Corey is a calm and slightly grouchy introvert with a bookworm streak. She loves to bake, and is beloved in the local community for her winning entries into cooking contests.”

“High-maintenance Deirdre Shannon has spent her life hovering in Nancy’s shadow, and lives with the knowledge that she is the “girl who would have become Nancy Drew” had circumstances turned out better for her.”

“Teegan Parris is easy to like: outgoing, cheerful, extremely fashionable and professional. But when Teegan’s stressed out, she has an incredibly short fuse before her temper ignites.”

“Constantly commanding the spotlight, Jenna Ravencraft runs a local paranormal tour company. It’s well-known locally that her tours are faked (or are they?) — full of rigged special effects designed to showcase spells and ghosts.”

What I found from the MID Wiki page, Jenna Ravencraft might be voiced by Kiki Penoyer. However, this may be false, because the website that says this also says that MID was going to come out in the fall of 2015. (That was supposed to be true, I believe, but then—obviously—it wasn’t, and that website hasn’t been updated, so I don’t know if the voice actress information is incorrect too.)

By looking at the MID Wiki page, I found a link to this video on the Her Interactive Youtube account where Ellie (it looks like she is someone who used to work for Her Interactive) answered questions that people sent in (back in July 2015). She said that she couldn’t really answer any questions about MID, however, she said that “I can mention that there may or may not be a certain dynamic, sleuthy [or sleuthing] duo, helping you out in this one.”

There’s a speculation that this means that the Hardy Boys might be featured in the game.

We have these 2 pictures (they’re essentially the same, though).

They fired the voice actress of Nancy Drew, Lani Minella, back in 2014.

Just look at this Twitter “thread” with Lani’s answers:

#NancyDrew fans. Sea of Darkness = my last game voicing Nancy. Luv u fans dearly. 15 yrs, 32 games. Hugs and thanks so much. Will miss u!

Well I am so fond of people like you, that's why I had to let peeps know I wasn't leaving on my own accord. Thanks hugely!

They won't [ask me to come back].

[It] was not my decision, but they're trying new things to gain a larger audience. Thanks for hanging in there and being so great

Lani Minella also admitted that Her Interactive fired a lot of their crew in that same Twitter “thread” .

I know, I used to read Nancy Drew books when I was a kid. I don't expect Her to last. Fired most of the crew

Hello Mary & thank you for your kindness. I'm not employee of Her, but they let go of many others as well. Happening a lot. Hugs!

Not only did she talk about Her Interactive firing a lot of their crew, but there was a post in the Her Interactive community that said there were 25 Her Interactive employees but then in April 2017, only 14 employees were listed.

Through Glassdoor, there was a review of Her Interactive that you can see without having an account on the Glassdoor website. This review was from a former employee, a 3D digital artist, who said that “It [Her Interactive] was a great company to work for,” they worked there for more than 3 years, and the people were fun and great to work with. HOWEVER, “Once [the] former CEO left, [the] company has changed.” Which yes, that’s often times what happens. When a CEO leaves, the company changes, however that ex-employee considered that to be a con and the person, who had worked there for over 3 years and obviously enjoyed their work, was fired. So maybe it wasn’t a good one? (at least not for the people who were fired.)

BizJournals had an article talking about some people who were fired from the Her Interactive community.

Geekwire did too. At least in May 2015, Jared Nieuwenhuis was the HeR marketing director and he said that the reason behind this cutback in staff was “changing market conditions in the game industry and shifting priorities at Her Interactive.”

Penny Millikin is the new CEO of Her Interactive. She was hired back in September of 2014 and has served on the Board of Directors since 2003. According to a Her Interactive newsletter, “Ms. Milliken has worked in the entertainment industry for more than 20 years with over 10 years of brand management and family marketing experience at The Walt Disney Company in the U.S. and Europe. … Her broad entertainment background includes theme parks, motion pictures, feature animation, television animation, home entertainment, new media and e-commerce. Penny has an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. from the University of Michigan.”

She believes that outsourcing is important (I found this link from here, and she starts speaking at around 45:45). (This might sound mean, idk, but I swear I’m not trying to be rude. I don’t know enough about her, about outsourcing, or about Her Interactive to be able to say whether Ms. Millikin is right or wrong or whatever else.)

So the new CEO, Ms. Millikin, thinks outsourcing is a good idea (idk how to word that without sounding disapproving—I mean, I guess I don’t approve of it, but I’m also not against it, because idk enough about it, if I’m being honest). So I’ve found whether MID is being outsourced and I also have done a little digging to get to know more about it (I still don’t really understand it, but at least I have a better idea than before!).

So first of all, according to Little Jackalope on the Her Interactive blog:

“Nearly ALL of our Nancy Drew games have had parts that had been outsourced. All games up until #16 ICE all the character designs and animation came from outside of our office and by another company (then we brought on our own character designer and animators). All of our games’ music has been outsourced as well, with our current composer working from Europe. Many voice actors and actresses have recorded characters for us, even some located in England! Outsourcing is very common in the game industry. Sounds, designs, animations, modeling, marketing content and more are sourced from multiple companies who specialize in what they do. Our game company is no different, and we are a small one! Rumors have spread about Midnight in Salem being outsourced, so to confirm a fact: yes, MID has elements outsourced, just like our past games. 🙂 That is all I can share on the story, for now. When I have news or details to share, I will!”

So Nancy Drew games in the past have had parts that have been outsourced and MID is no different. “MID has elements outsourced.”

Also, through this vlog on Youtube, I found these responses on the Her Interactive blog.

MESSAGE:

“Hi, I am a new software engineer and long time fan! I was curious to find out, do you guys have any woman programmers on your in-house programming team? And how big is your programming team overall? HER seems like such a small family company, but at the same time making a game probably requires lots of hands and a lot of work! Thanks!”

ANSWER:

“Hi Annalyn, we’ve had female programmers in the past and will continue to emphasize the importance of female programmers in the future as well.”

MESSAGE:

“Do you currently have any female in-house programmers? And what exactly do you mean by ‘emphasize the importance of female programmers in the future’?”

ANSWER:

“Our current programmers are outsourced with our art team at this time.”

The vlogger, Nancy Drew Walkthroughs, says that HeR is outsourcing both the art team and the programmers (that doesn’t mean music, writing, or voice acting, though). Basically, that means that the game is not actually being worked on at Her Interactive. which is kind of an update in and of itself. If they made a bigger post about how they’re outsourcing, and what outsourcing is, maybe people would be more understanding and patient of everything that’s been going on, because we might understand it more and we would actually be getting information from HeR.

Second of all, what even is outsourcing?

Outsourcing: The practice of having certain job functions done outside a company instead of having an in-house department or employee handle them; functions can be outsourced to either a company or an individual .

In-house: In-house refers to conducting an activity or operation within a company, instead of relying on outsourcing. A firm uses its own employees and time to keep a division or business activity, such as financing or brokering, in-house.

Third of all, what are the pros to outsourcing/reasons to outsource?

PracticalEcommerce says:

“Specialized skills. The task is highly specialized and requires expert skills or systems, such as graphic design, website development, payroll, PPC campaigns, human resource compliance.

Specialized equipment. The task requires a large facility, specialized equipment, or operational efficiencies. Fulfillment operations are frequently outsourced because of the need to stock large amounts inventory and manage it efficiently.”

And:

“For longer-term needs ... the benefit is that you gain operational efficiencies and skills that you would have a difficult time replicating in-house.”

The Journal of Accountancy says,

“Cost savings and quality. Fierce competition has led many businesses to restructure and downsize staffs in an effort to save money. As in the case of General Electric, even thriving companies do whatever possible to reduce staff and costs.”

And fourth of all, where are the cons to outsourcing?

Also through The Journal of Accountancy, I found this picture, which may explain why Her Interactive is outsourcing as much as they are (this is assuming that a major part of the delay is the actual outsourcing itself).

According to Flatworld Solutions, some cons are:

“- Possible loss of control over a company's business processes

- Problems related to quality and turnaround time

- Sluggish response times coupled with slow issue resolutions

- Lower than expected realization of benefits and results”

And according to The Balance, there are issues with:

“- Hidden Costs

- Threat to Security and Confidentiality

- Quality Problems

- Tied to the Financial Well-Being of Another Company

- Bad Publicity and Ill-Will”

And one thing that pops up in soooo many places is: communication issues.

Chron talks about communication issues here, and mentions:

“- Language or Dialect

- Cultural Nuances

- Communication Technology”

As well as timezone issues.

@katmurph31 posted this post, with these screenshots:

So it looks as though at least starting on May 3rd, 2017 (if not before), the art and development teams have been working on the game.

@jayne-penvellyn on Tumblr posted this with these screenshots to an email she got from Her Interactive which isn’t really an update (it’s the same kind of thing they keep saying, but still).

On top of that, @yancydrew posted this with this screenshot:

Which makes me wonder if HeR has barely done any work on this game, if they haven’t finished the voice overs, if they’ve even found all of the voice actors/actresses, if they’re just waiting on the voice acting before releasing the games, if they need to do the voice overs before they can even truly start on the game, if they are trying to tell us as little as possible so that they can surprise us soon (*crosses fingers*), or if it’s a mixture or any of those or something else completely.

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pope-francis-quotes · 7 years ago

Photo

21st August >> Pope Francis' message for World Day of Migrants and Refugees is released. (Vatican Radio) Pope Francis' message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees was released by the Vatican on Monday. In the message the Holy Father says that providing aid to migrants and refugees is a "great responsibility, which the Church intends to share with all believers and men and women of good will, who are called to respond to the many challenges of contemporary migration with generosity, promptness, wisdom and foresight, each according to their own abilities." Please find below the Message of Pope Francis for the 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees: “Welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating migrants and refugees” Dear brothers and sisters! “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:34). Throughout the first years of my pontificate, I have repeatedly expressed my particular concern for the lamentable situation of many migrants and refugees fleeing from war, persecution, natural disasters and poverty. This situation is undoubtedly a “sign of the times” which I have tried to interpret, with the help of the Holy Spirit, ever since my visit to Lampedusa on 8 July 2013. When I instituted the new Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, I wanted a particular section – under my personal direction for the time being – to express the Church’s concern for migrants, displaced people, refugees and victims of human trafficking. Every stranger who knocks at our door is an opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ, who identifies with the welcomed and rejected strangers of every age (Matthew 25:35-43). The Lord entrusts to the Church’s motherly love every person forced to leave their homeland in search of a better future.[1] This solidarity must be concretely expressed at every stage of the migratory experience – from departure through journey to arrival and return. This is a great responsibility, which the Church intends to share with all believers and men and women of good will, who are called to respond to the many challenges of contemporary migration with generosity, promptness, wisdom and foresight, each according to their own abilities. In this regard, I wish to reaffirm that “our shared response may be articulated by four verbs: to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate”.[2] Considering the current situation, welcoming means, above all, offering broader options for migrants and refugees to enter destination countries safely and legally. This calls for a concrete commitment to increase and simplify the process for granting humanitarian visas and for reunifying families. At the same time, I hope that a greater number of countries will adopt private and community sponsorship programmes, and open humanitarian corridors for particularly vulnerable refugees. Furthermore, special temporary visas should be granted to people fleeing conflicts in neighbouring countries. Collective and arbitrary expulsions of migrants and refugees are not suitable solutions, particularly where people are returned to countries which cannot guarantee respect for human dignity and fundamental rights.[3] Once again, I want to emphasise the importance of offering migrants and refugees adequate and dignified initial accommodation. “More widespread programmes of welcome, already initiated in different places, seem to favour a personal encounter and allow for greater quality of service and increased guarantees of success”.[4] The principle of the centrality of the human person, firmly stated by my beloved Predecessor, Benedict XVI,[5] obliges us to always prioritise personal safety over national security. It is necessary, therefore, to ensure that agents in charge of border control are properly trained. The situation of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees requires that they be guaranteed personal safety and access to basic services. For the sake of the fundamental dignity of every human person, we must strive to find alternative solutions to detention for those who enter a country without authorisation.[6] The second verb – protecting – may be understood as a series of steps intended to defend the rights and dignity of migrants and refugees, independent of their legal status.[7] Such protection begins in the country of origin, and consists in offering reliable and verified information before departure, and in providing safety from illegal recruitment practices.[8] This must be ongoing, as far as possible, in the country of migration, guaranteeing them adequate consular assistance, the right to personally retain their documents of identification at all times, fair access to justice, the possibility of opening a personal bank account, and a minimum sufficient to live on. When duly recognised and valued, the potential and skills of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees are a true resource for the communities that welcome them.[9] This is why I hope that, in countries of arrival, migrants may be offered freedom of movement, work opportunities, and access to means of communication, out of respect for their dignity. For those who decide to return to their homeland, I want to emphasise the need to develop social and professional reintegration programmes. The International Convention on the Rights of the Child provides a universal legal basis for the protection of underage migrants. They must be spared any form of detention related to migratory status, and must be guaranteed regular access to primary and secondary education. Equally, when they come of age they must be guaranteed the right to remain and to enjoy the possibility of continuing their studies. Temporary custody or foster programmes should be provided for unaccompanied minors and minors separated from their families.[10] The universal right to a nationality should be recognised and duly certified for all children at birth. The statelessness which migrants and refugees sometimes fall into can easily be avoided with the adoption of “nationality legislation that is in conformity with the fundamental principles of international law”.[11] Migratory status should not limit access to national healthcare and pension plans, nor affect the transfer of their contributions if repatriated. Promoting essentially means a determined effort to ensure that all migrants and refugees – as well as the communities which welcome them – are empowered to achieve their potential as human beings, in all the dimensions which constitute the humanity intended by the Creator.[12] Among these, we must recognize the true value of the religious dimension, ensuring to all foreigners in any country the freedom of religious belief and practice. Many migrants and refugees have abilities which must be appropriately recognised and valued. Since “work, by its nature, is meant to unite peoples”,[13] I encourage a determined effort to promote the social and professional inclusion of migrants and refugees, guaranteeing for all – including those seeking asylum – the possibility of employment, language instruction and active citizenship, together with sufficient information provided in their mother tongue. In the case of underage migrants, their involvement in labour must be regulated to prevent exploitation and risks to their normal growth and development. In 2006, Benedict XVI highlighted how, in the context of migration, the family is “a place and resource of the culture of life and a factor for the integration of values”.[14] The family’s integrity must always be promoted, supporting family reunifications – including grandparents, grandchildren and siblings – independent of financial requirements. Migrants, asylum seekers and refugees with disabilities must be granted greater assistance and support. While I recognize the praiseworthy efforts, thus far, of many countries, in terms of international cooperation and humanitarian aid, I hope that the offering of this assistance will take into account the needs (such as medical and social assistance, as well as education) of developing countries which receive a significant influx of migrants and refugees. I also hope that local communities which are vulnerable and facing material hardship, will be included among aid beneficiaries.[15] The final verb – integrating �� concerns the opportunities for intercultural enrichment brought about by the presence of migrants and refugees. Integration is not “an assimilation that leads migrants to suppress or to forget their own cultural identity. Rather, contact with others leads to discovering their ‘secret’, to being open to them in order to welcome their valid aspects and thus contribute to knowing each one better. This is a lengthy process that aims to shape societies and cultures, making them more and more a reflection of the multi-faceted gifts of God to human beings”.[16] This process can be accelerated by granting citizenship free of financial or linguistic requirements, and by offering the possibility of special legalisation to migrants who can claim a long period of residence in the country of arrival. I reiterate the need to foster a culture of encounter in every way possible – by increasing opportunities for intercultural exchange, documenting and disseminating best practices of integration, and developing programmes to prepare local communities for integration processes. I wish to stress the special case of people forced to abandon their country of arrival due to a humanitarian crisis. These people must be ensured adequate assistance for repatriation and effective reintegration programmes in their home countries. In line with her pastoral tradition, the Church is ready to commit herself to realising all the initiatives proposed above. Yet in order to achieve the desired outcome, the contribution of political communities and civil societies is indispensable, each according to their own responsibilities. At the United Nations Summit held in New York on 29 September 2016, world leaders clearly expressed their desire to take decisive action in support of migrants and refugees to save their lives and protect their rights, sharing this responsibility on a global level. To this end, the states committed themselves to drafting and approving, before the end of 2018, two Global Compacts, one for refugees and the other for migrants. Dear brothers and sisters, in light of these processes currently underway, the coming months offer a unique opportunity to advocate and support the concrete actions which I have described with four verbs. I invite you, therefore, to use every occasion to share this message with all political and social actors involved (or who seek to be involved) in the process which will lead to the approval of the two Global Compacts. Today, 15 August, we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. The Holy Mother of God herself experienced the hardship of exile (Matthew 2:13-15), lovingly accompanied her Son’s journey to Calvary, and now shares eternally his glory. To her maternal intercession we entrust the hopes of all the world’s migrants and refugees and the aspirations of the communities which welcome them, so that, responding to the Lord’s supreme commandment, we may all learn to love the other, the stranger, as ourselves. Vatican City, 15 August 2017 Solemnity of the Assumption of the B.V. Mary [1] Cf. Pius XII, Apostolic Constitution Exsul Familia, Titulus Primus, I. [2] Address to Participants in the International Forum on “Migration and Peace”, 21 February 2017. [3] Cf. Statement of the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the 103rd Session of the Council of the IOM, 26 November 2013. [4] Address to Participants in the International Forum on “Migration and Peace”, 21 February 2017. [5] Cf. Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 47. [6] Cf. Statement of the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the 20th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, 22 June 2012. [7] Cf. Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Caritas in Veritate, 62. [8] Cf. Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, Instruction Erga Migrantes Caritas Christi, 6. [9] Cf. Benedict XVI, Address to the Participants in the 6th World Congress for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People, 9 November 2009. [10] Cf. Benedict XVI, Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (2010) and Statement of the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the 26th Ordinary Session of the Human Rights Council on the Human Rights of Migrants, 13 June 2014. [11] Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People and Pontifical Council Cor Unum, Welcoming Christ in Refugees and Forcibly Displaced Persons, 2013, 70. [12] Cf. Paul VI, Encyclical Letter Populorum Progressio, 14. [13] John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 27. [14] Benedict XVI, Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (2007). [15] Cf. Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People and Pontifical Council Cor Unum, Welcoming Christ in Refugees and Forcibly Displaced Persons, 2013, 30-31. [16] John Paul II, Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees (2005).

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whittlebaggett8 · 6 years ago

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Moon Juice, the wellness startup both mocked and beloved for its $40 ‘dusts’, now makes a hydrating serum that costs $58 — and I have to say, it’s incredible, Defence Online

Insider Picks writes about solutions and companies to support you navigate when procuring online. Insider Inc. receives a fee from our affiliate companions when you acquire via our hyperlinks, but our reporting and suggestions are constantly independent and objective.

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The Moon Juice Attractiveness Shroom Serum makes use of adaptogens to plump and hydrate pores and skin.

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Remi Rosmarin / Moon Juice

The Elegance Shroom Plumping Jelly Serum ($58) is an intensly-hydrating serum from well known wellness manufacturer Moon Juice.

The serum combines impressive adaptogens and powerful moisturizers, like reishi mushrooms and hyaluronic acid, and claims to to visibly lessen good lines and wrinkles for pores and skin that appears plump and clean.

I have been using the serum for a number of months and my skin has not felt this smooth and easy in ages.

Even if you have not listened to of Moon Juice, you’ve almost certainly listened to some of the buzz all over the brand’s signature “dusts.” Yes, you go through that appropriate: dusts – if not acknowledged as powdered nutritional supplements.

Each individual “dust” is a proprietary blends of adaptogenic herbs that you can stir into smoothies, coffees, or even just drinking water. Supposedly, they perform to strengthen your pores and skin, concentration, electrical power, and sleep from the within out.

As a skeptical but constantly intrigued consumer, I was normally fascinated in the brand name from afar – the $40 cost tag for the compact jar of powder is what held me at arms size. So, when I got the opportunity to test some Moon Juice pores and skin-treatment products, I was excited, if a minor cautious.

Immediately after testing it out for a couple months, I believe the brand’s standout products is the Splendor Shroom Serum.

Even though I experienced hardly ever read of this individual item in advance of I commenced screening it, I can not envision my pores and skin-treatment program devoid of it now.

What is Attractiveness Shroom serum?

Moon Juice’s Elegance Shroom is a serum that works to plump, fill, raise, and clean skin. It is a strong tonic created with common hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, and the solution sauce in most of Moon Juice’s products and solutions, adaptogens. According to Moon Juice, adaptogens are “Superherbs and Supermushrooms that aid grow your body’s ability to take care of psychological, actual physical and emotional strain.” Adaptogens have been utilised in Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic drugs for hundreds of years and currently are revered for their means to assistance strengthen the health of one’s adrenal technique, which manages our responses to stress. If adaptogens are supposedly this good for the inside of our bodies, it helps make feeling that they may well also do wonders for the biggest organ we all have: our pores and skin.

The Beauty Shroom Plumping Jelly Serum combines hyaluronic acid with tocos (a potent vitamin e), silver ear (a hydrating mushroom), and reishi (an anti-inflammatory adaptogen). The consistency of the serum is that of a light-weight jelly and just a couple of drops early morning and night time stored my pores and skin ultra-hydrated.

Moon Juice statements this products will not only hydrate skin, but it will also plump, lower the look of fantastic lines and wrinkles, and secure skin from environmental stressors of the working day. Whilst these are some massive claims, I have been working with the serum for a number of months now and in my personalized knowledge, the hoopla is genuine.

My experience using Splendor Shroom

Moon Juice indicates you rub a several drops of the Magnificence Shroom serum on to clear skin morning and night. You can abide by up with a thicker moisturizer if you desire.

It can take a even though for most skincare products and solutions to produce noticable effects, but right after utilizing the Magnificence Shroom Serum just the moment, my pores and skin felt significantly softer and looked substantially much healthier. I never truly have problems with severe fantastic traces or wrinkles, but a coffee pattern, standard absence of snooze, and just residing in New York Town have all absolutely contributed to my pores and skin ordinarily searching dry and boring. Right after massaging two generous drops onto my face one particular morning, I was amazed to see my pores and skin instantly seemed bouncier and brighter – it was as if I had just drank a liter of drinking water and slept for 12 several hours.

What amazed me even more is that when I arrived house soon after operate, my pores and skin nevertheless felt so hydrated. Typically, by the close of the day my pores and skin has supplied up to the things – it gets red, dries out, and loses most of the dampness I lathered on in the early morning. Nonetheless, hours later on my skin felt supple with no indicators of any end-of-day dullness.

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The light-weight consistency of this serum will work properly for all pores and skin varieties, at all occasions of year.

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Moon Juice

Right after a great first impression, I began incorporating this serum into my routine far more normally – now I use it each individual day, early morning and evening. The light-weight jelly regularity feels wonderful and seamlessly absorbs into my skin, visibly smoothing out great traces I hardly ever even seriously recognized in advance of right until they had been long gone. My makeup just glides on and appears to be considerably a lot more natural. Even with no any makeup on, my skin seems to be refreshed all working day many thanks to the mixture of tremendous-hydrating and skin-preserving components.

In the mornings, I have been layering sunscreen on leading of this serum, but other than that, on most days I have made the decision to forgo any extra moisturizer. This merchandise is so hydrating and leaves these a pleasant, easy sense, that I really don’t even come to feel the will need to use something else. If your pores and skin is specifically dry or you have any distinctive lotions you normally use, layer absent.

Bottom line

Right after spending income on somewhat high-priced skincare products and solutions that really do not generally reside up to their promises just one as well numerous times, I have develop into quite discerning when it arrives to curating my skincare selection. Whilst the $58 cost tag is significant, this serum has gained a everlasting location in my skin-treatment regime. When this bottle runs out, I am with out a question acquiring a different one, due to the fact I really do not feel I can go on with no having this now that I know it exists.

Of study course, everyone’s skin is unique and what operates for me might not do the job for you and vice versa. But, if you’re looking for a truly hydrating merchandise, and if it’s in your funds, I consider this serum is truly worth a try. The cleanse checklist of elements signifies it’ll perform for all pores and skin varieties. amd the hydrating boost it provides is fantastic for heat-weather conditions pores and skin treatment, and acquiring that natural, dewy summer months glow.

Get the Moon Juice Beauty Shroom Plumping Jelly Serum, $58, offered at Moon Juice and Sephora

Shop all Moon Juice products

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#Health #Insider Picks 2019 #Life #Moon Juice #Skincare #Wellness

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bloojayoolie · 6 years ago

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Being Alone, Bones, and Cats: AFTER 12 YEARS AS A FAMIL TH PARTIALLY BLIND FINDS HIMSELF ALONE & AFRAID AT HE SHELTER PLAYFUL AFFECTIONATE DUKE 58216 12 years old 63 lbs Waiting for his hero @ Manhattan ACC TO BE KILLED 4/4/2019 At 12 years old, partially blind Duke suddenly became TOO BIG and was surrendered to the shelter!! His elderly owner can no longer care for him, so off to the shelter went his elderly pet. After 12 years of a life in a home, where he would spend time and was affectionate with older kids, where he ate his canned Alpo with dry food, where he learned to be respectful with a car, DUKE NOW FINDS HIMSELF IN A SCARY PLACE. Instead of spending his golden years on a soft bed with his three walks a day, DUKE IS FACING DEATH! It doesn’t matter how well-behaved he was, he is uncomfortable at the shelter and around other dogs, so DUKE has been set to die unless a hero can be found. Let’s face it -It would be terrible if his life as a beloved family dog ended there and now! So please PLEASE consider opening your home and your heart and give DUKE the retirement he deserves where he can be your one and only! MY VIDEO: Duke plays fetch with friends and he loves it ! https://youtu.be/ANRF872QCkY Duke #58216 Male white dog @ Manhattan Animal Care Center About 12 years old Weight 63.2 lbs Owner surrender on 26-Mar-2019, with the surrender reason stated as not a fit - too big. Duke is at risk for behavioral reasons. Duke has not acclimated well to the care center and has exhibited kennel stress as well as displayed fearful behavior in the care center. Duke is recommended for an adopter that has prior experience handling dogs with anxious behaviors. Medically, Duke has cataracts which may require follow up vet care. My medical notes are... Weight: 63.2 lbs Vet Notes 26/03/2019 [DVM Intake] DVM Intake Exam Estimated age:12y Microchip noted on Intake?n Microchip Number (If Applicable): History :o surrender. reported blind in left eye for some time Subjective: Observed Behavior -initially allows full examm wags tail playful. growled at dvm during ear exam. reported to be dog reactive. Evidence of Cruelty seen -n Evidence of Trauma seen -n Objective T = P =60 R =stertor BCS 7/9 EENT: OD sclerosis OS posterior lens luxation/cataract Oral Exam:limited, halitosis PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, Lungs clear, eupnic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: 2 testes MSI: Ambulatory x 4--stiff gait, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment: len luxation/cataract OD, likely blind in that eye Prognosis:good Plan:consider ophthalmology appointment in future SURGERY: Permanent waiver due to age 26/03/2019 [Spay/Neuter Waiver - Age] It is the policy of ACC not to perform surgery on any animal over the age of 8-10 years due to the higher risks incurred in a shelter setting. The veterinarian is hereby issuing a permanent spay/neuter waiver, from the spay/neuter requirements of the City of NY due to the estimated age of this animal. ACC does recommend you consult with your veterinarian to determine if surgical sterilization is appropriate. 28/03/2019 Request for Extension of Trazodone Trazodone-100mg Sig.: 1 1/2 tabs q 12 hrs 30/03/2019 SO P has dark red stool in kennel, confirmed hematochezia. A hematochezia -- r/o stress, intestinal parasites, dietary, intestinal mass, ulceration P fortiflora packet q24h x 7 days metronidazole 500mg tablet -- 1 tablet PO q12h x 7 days sucralfate 1 tablet PO q12h x 7 days Feed I/D or Royal Canine gastrointestinal diet only x 7 days recheck hematochezia in 2 days Details on my behavior are... Behavior Condition: 3. Yellow Behavior History Behavior Assessment Upon intake Duke allowed all handling. When leashed he pulled hard on the leash however allowed being collared, being handled and being petted. He enjoyed playing catch and had a healthy appetite for office treats. Date of Intake: 3/26/2019 Spay/Neuter Status: Not Applicable Basic Information:: Duke is a roughly 12 year old dog whom was gotten during a giveaway and kept in the same home for 12 years. unfortunately due to being too strong and the owner being elderly he was unable to be kept. Previously lived with:: 3 adults, 1 cat How is this dog around strangers?: Around strangers he is described as friendly and plays exuberantly How is this dog around children?: Around children above 10 years old he is described as affectionate and respectful. How is this dog around other dogs?: Around other dogs he is described as reactive and will lunge, bark and growl at them. How is this dog around cats?: He has been socialized with one cat and was described as respectful Resource guarding:: He has no known resource guarding issues Bite history:: He has no known bite histories Housetrained:: Yes Energy level/descriptors:: high energy level Other Notes:: Duke is known to bark often, isn't bothered by having his food or toys touched, being held or being bathed. Occasionally he will bark when unfamiliar people approach his owner or home but will quickly warm up afterwards. Has this dog ever had any medical issues?: No Medical Notes: He has no known medical issues. Previous owner stated that that Duke has lost sight in his left eye. For a New Family to Know: Duke is described as affectionate, playful, confident, pushy and excitable. He enjoys playing with bottle-like toys and bones and will play catch and fetch. He was being fed Alpo wet food and Pedigree dry food mixed 2-3 times a day, has never been crate trained, is considered house trained, was being walked 2-3 times a day and pulls very hard on leash. Behavior Assessment Date of intake:: 3/26/2019 Spay/Neuter status:: No Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner Surrender (In home for 12 years) Previously lived with:: Adults and a cat Behavior toward strangers:: Friendly and exuberantly playful Behavior toward children:: With children over 10 he is affectionate and respectful Behavior toward dogs:: Reactive, lunges, barks, and growls Resource guarding:: None reported Bite history:: None reported Housetrained:: Yes Energy level/descriptors:: Duke is described as affectionate, playful, confident, pushy, and excitable with a high level of activity. Date of assessment:: 3/28/2019 Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Moderate Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Lunges, barks, growls Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Moderately social Call over: Approaches readily Sociability comments: Body soft, checks in with assessor, comes when called Handling Soft handling: Seeks contact Exuberant handling: Seeks contact Comments: Soft body, leans into pets Arousal Jog: Follows (loose) Arousal comments: None Knock: No response Knock Comments: None Toy: Grips, firm Toy comments: None Summary:: The previous owner of Duke has reported reactivity, growling, barking toward other dogs. When attempting to conduct a safe greeting through the fence, Duke stiffens and growls. Due to these observations, a single dog residence is recommended for Duke. Due to also growling at handlers, a muzzled introduction has been unable to be conducted. Date of intake:: 3/26/2019 Summary:: Allowed handling Date of initial:: 3/26/2019 Summary:: Initially allowed handling then growled ENERGY LEVEL:: Duke is described as having a high level of activity. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively direct his energy and enthusiasm. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: Level 3 Behavior Asilomar: TM - Treatable-Manageable Recommendations:: No children (under 13),Single-pet home,Recommend no dog parks Recommendations comments:: No children: Duke has been fearful at the care center and has growled. For this reason, we recommend an adult only home. Single pet/no dog parks: See DOG-DOG. The previous owner of Duke has reported concerning levels or reactivity toward other dogs. Potential challenges: : Fearful/potential for defensive aggression,On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration Potential challenges comments:: Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Duke has growled at certain handlers at the care center. Please see handout on Fearful/potential for defensive aggression. On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration: Duke is report to react to dogs on leash, lunging towards them, barking, and growling. This behavior has also been observed at the care center. Please see handout on On-leash reactivity/barrier frustration. *** TO FOSTER OR ADOPT *** HOW TO RESERVE A “TO BE KILLED” DOG ONLINE (only for those who can get to the shelter IN PERSON to complete the adoption process, and only for the dogs on the list NOT marked New Hope Rescue Only). Follow our Step by Step directions below! *PLEASE NOTE – YOU MUST USE A PC OR TABLET – PHONE RESERVES WILL NOT WORK! ** STEP 1: CLICK ON THIS RESERVE LINK: https://ift.tt/2ynocEZ Step 2: Go to the red menu button on the top right corner, click register and fill in your info. Step 3: Go to your email and verify account \ Step 4: Go back to the website, click the menu button and view available dogs Step 5: Scroll to the animal you are interested and click reserve STEP 6 ( MOST IMPORTANT STEP ): GO TO THE MENU AGAIN AND VIEW YOUR CART. THE ANIMAL SHOULD NOW BE IN YOUR CART! Step 7: Fill in your credit card info and complete transaction HOW TO FOSTER OR ADOPT IF YOU *CANNOT* GET TO THE SHELTER IN PERSON, OR IF THE DOG IS NEW HOPE RESCUE ONLY! You must live within 3 – 4 hours of NY, NJ, PA, CT, RI, DE, MD, MA, NH, VT, ME or Norther VA. Please PM our page for assistance. You will need to fill out applications with a New Hope Rescue Partner to foster or adopt a dog on the To Be Killed list, including those labelled Rescue Only. Hurry please, time is short, and the Rescues need time to process the applications.

#funny #lol #humor #memes #meme #memehumor #dank memes #funny pics #rolf #lmao #Being Alone #Bones #a

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howtousepublictransport · 6 years ago

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Manspreading: Modern Day Civil Rights Issue or A Mountain Out Of A Mole Hill?

Manspreading has been the subject of much debate on news sites and social media, with widely divergent views on its prevalence and whether it is actually a problem. This post aims to explain what manspreading is, whether it exists, why it exists, and whether it is appropriate to approach this as a gendered issue.

Hoo boy. Manspreading. If there is one public transport etiquette issue of the modern day, then this is it. If you are aware of the term manspreading, then it is likely that you already have a strong opinion about it: either that it is an example men denying public spaces to women and making them feel unwelcome, or that it is an over-exaggerated issue in the age of social media and of feminist critics looking for issues where they don’t exist. There can be no middle ground or compromise in this debate. If there were or could be, then it would not be the important and serious topic of discussion that I am making it seem.

For those not familiar with the term however, let us begin with a brief explanation. Manspreading was a word that came into popular use in late-2014 and early-2015, though it had been used in some circles online earlier than this. It was hotly debated in the media during this time, and then it disappeared like most topical news trends. Yet in its wake we were left with a new word to describe a phenomenon that, it was argued, had existed for a long time. The Oxford Dictionary, officially including the word in 2015, defines manspreading as “the practice whereby a man, especially one travelling on public transport, adopts a sitting position with his legs wide apart, in such a way as to encroach on an adjacent seat or seats.” An example of this is provided below.

It is an offshoot of other words such as mansplain that have been added to the English language by modern feminists to describe certain behaviours. The gendering of these behaviours is deliberate and is used to identify behaviours that men engage in and women are subjected to. More specifically, feminist critics discussing these behaviours argue that they result from the privilege that men are granted over women in society and it is often used, whether consciously or unconsciously, by men to assert dominance over women in public and social settings. It is important to note that feminist critics do not argue that these behaviours have any basis in the biological differences between men and women, but rather that they are the result of social learning which teaches boys and men to assert dominance in public and social settings, and for women not to do so.

Men learn that society is permissive of etiquette breaches committed in the name of asserting dominance, to the point that even when these breaches violate the basic respect and dignity owed to a woman as a human being, then this must be acceptable as consequences rarely follow from such actions. Feminist critics argue that as this behaviour is socially learned, then it can be changed through education and improving the lot of women in society generally.

It is also fair to point out that most people use the term in playful jest, as a gentle though not insincere mocking of male bravado. This post however approaches the topic only with the utmost solemnity and serious contemplation. No playfulness is permitted when considering proper etiquette.

The rise in discussion about this topic in late-2014 coincided with an article by Sheila Anne Feeney published in amNewYork, a free publication for commuters in New York. The article discussed manspreading as an issue of etiquette, with part of the point made in the article being that men would often take up two or even three seats when engaging in this behaviour and would be oblivious to the social cues from other commuters to make room available. Not only was this behaviour rude, but it was also an inefficient use of public space. Shortly following this article, the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority ran a campaign called “Courtesy Counts” providing etiquette guidelines for common scenarios on public transport, with accompanying posters. One of these was a poster of a man sitting with legs splayed wide and the caption “Dude… Stop The Spread, Please.” This campaign is what brought broader attention and media coverage to the issue of manspreading. Yet with this attention came the inevitable backlash, like a very opinionated rainbow after a thunderstorm.

As with most discussions of feminism on the Internet, critics expressed a firm, but respectful, rebuttal on the topic of manspreading, presenting well-reasoned counterpoints and arguments supported by evidence and peer-reviewed references. Haha. But jokes aside, not all debate on the topic was vitriolic and there were some fair points made. Few argued that it was not something that occurred, as in an age where everyone has a camera in their pocket at all times, there existed ample photographic evidence to show that manspreading did occur. But those critical of the concept, who acknowledged that it did occur, took issue more with the gendering of this behaviour and the argument by feminists that patriarchy was the root cause of the problem.

Writer Cathy Young viewed discussion of manspreading as a “life-imitates-satire” of modern feminism that is obsessed with “petty grievances, gleeful male-bashing, [and] egregious double standards” and is “preoccupied with male misbehaviour, no matter how trivial.” The first point made by Young is that proper etiquette is not a gendered issue, women are just as capable as men of engaging in rude and selfish behaviour on public transport. A common, comparable example given by critics is that of women placing their bags on available seats instead of on their laps, between their legs, or in overhead storage where available. The second point made by Young is, essentially, what’s the big deal? To the extent that it does exist and is a gendered problem, why focus on manspreading, a minor social inconvenience, and make it the battlefield for modern feminism instead of more pertinent issues, such as equal pay or domestic violence? More on this point later.

(Even beloved Hollywood actor Tom Hanks is not above manspreading from time to time)

Biological explanations for manspreading were also provided by critics. The first argument trotted out was that manspreading was necessary in order to properly and comfortably accommodate for testicles. This however is not seriously taken up as an argument as there is no science backing this up and the argument appears mostly to be put forward as a half-mocking, half-machoism way of saying, “my testicles are tremendously large and you should be impressed by this.” Indeed, one explanation for why men engage in manspreading is that it is some kind of primitive genital display ritual, indicating to women that yes, in fact they do have reproductive organs. This is, of course, an important message to communicate to the general female population of the peak hour train, in case it is something that may not have occurred to them.

An article published by Vice in July 2017 partially defended the practice of manspreading by reference to gender differences in pelvic bone structure. Lou Schuler, the author of this article, interviewed Stu McGill, professor emeritus of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, about the author’s own back pain. Schuler described the science of when he would sit with his knees together as follows:

“The round ball at the top of the femur will pinch against the outside edge of the acetabulum (the hip socket), straining the labrum that lines the socket. To get into that position, I have to activate the adductor muscles on my inner thighs. That automatically triggers resistance from the abductor muscles on my outer thighs, creating tension that can reach all the way up into the lower back. The second I release the contraction, my thighs spring apart, leaving a gap of about 15 inches from the center of each kneecap, more than three-quarters of the distance to a proper manspread.”

He contrasts this with the biology of a woman as follows:

“Women, on the other hand, have a wider pelvis and thighbones that more naturally angle in toward the body's midline, rather than away from it. Sitting with the knees close together is a stress-free position most of the time, although that changes during pregnancy, when the weight of the belly pushes the knees out.”

It would be an unfair representation of the author’s argument to say that he presented this as a justification for manspreading, as he states clearly later that none of this “justifies guys being assholes on public transportation, where we all have to put up with a little discomfort to coexist.” Rather the point that Schuler makes is that there is likely a biological, rather than a social, explanation for manspreading.

But the science on this is not robust. Caroline VanSickle, in a response article to Schuler published by Medium, makes the point that “biology is not quite so simple as ‘have this skeleton = do this behaviour” and that research has consistently shown that “repeated behaviours… train muscles and remodel bone to accommodate those behaviours.” In other words, VanSickle argues that biological determinism is a poor explanation for behaviour in humans, as behaviours are learned and the body is capable of adapting to accommodate these behaviours. The most obvious example in humans of this is walking upright, a behaviour that is completely unnatural in primates and that we are not born knowing, but rather learn from teaching and in imitation of others. VanSickle also makes the excellent point that hey, you can actually sit with your legs together, it’s not physically impossible, dude.

Studies on the social signalling and psychological effect of expansive poses, such as manspreading, do support the idea that they convey assertiveness and dominance to other people, but only for men. A study by Tanya Vacharklksemsuk, for example, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in March 2016, showed that photos of men in expansive, “spread” poses were considered more attractive than photos where they were in a closed posture, such as with their arms crossed. While this was also true for women, the effect was far less significant for them, suggesting that for the most part only men receive any significant social benefit by expressing dominant body language. As suggested above, this supports a theory that manspreading is a way of expressing to others that you are a virile male who is capable of fathering many strong children.

David Givens, an anthropologist at the Center for Nonverbal studies interviewed by Feeney, argues that humans are uncomfortable being in close proximity with strangers, which may prompt them to engage in “guarding behaviour”, such as spreading their legs wide, to both claim more space for themselves but also to communicate to others not to violate their territory. While the findings from studies such as these are always open to interpretation and the methodology is at times questionable, nevertheless it is safe to say that humans do communicate messages capable of being understood by others through body language, even if it is not always a deliberate choice to do so.

(Comic from The New Yorker, 9 January 2015)

What is to be made of all of this? Is this a thing? While it is hard to get concrete data on the prevalence of manspreading, in one poll which asked female respondents if they had been affected by manspreading, 37% of respondents said they had, 38% said they had not, and 20% did not answer. Perhaps surprisingly, in that same poll 67% of male respondents said that they had caught themselves manspreading. The comments given suggest that, rather than something they felt shameful about, it was actually a point of pride for these men to have engaged in this behaviour and that it had everything to do with their genitals and expressing their masculinity. To quote one poet-philosopher who responded, “That shit gotta breathe.” Nevertheless, while establishing that it exists and the behaviour is recognisable by a large proportion of the population, this poll does not necessarily support a view that manspreading is the most pressing civil rights issue of our modern time.

But that said, the biological explanations for manspreading are not particularly convincing either. Setting aside the science, as a general rule of thumb, if someone says that behaviour you are engaging in is rude and your defense begins by talking about how, actually, scientists have shown that in fact women have wider pelvises and thigh bones than men, you are probably on the wrong side of the debate. This is not to dismiss entirely however the position that it is more comfortable to sit with your legs splayed apart, whether you are a man or a woman. But it is to say that this is learned behaviour that you can consciously choose not to engage in, and to also acknowledge that by choosing to engage in this behaviour you are sending a message to other people with your body language, whether that message is the one you intend to send or not.

There remains unanswered the question of whether it is appropriate to make this an issue about gender, and if any of the above sounds like a capitulation or concession to the manspreaders of this world, let me clearly state here that, in this writer’s view, it is entirely appropriate to view manspreading through a feminist lens. For some, the use of the word ‘manspreading’ is an attack on the very concept of being a man and male identity, and that it attempts to present all women as victims and all men as perpetrators. It is true that women can and do engage in rude and selfish behaviour on public transport, including taking up more space than it is fair for one person to do, whether this is in equal proportion to men or not. Yet when it comes to proper etiquette, it is never a defence for one’s poor behaviour to state that other people are engaging in similar or worse behaviour. That road leads only to one place: pure and absolute anarchy.

More than this however, it is fair to point out that public spaces such as trains and buses are gendered spaces, because the experience that women and men have with these spaces is different. For women, riding on public transport can bring them into uncomfortably close contact with strange men who may be much physically larger, stronger, and more intimidating than they are. And the concerns that women may have in entering these spaces with such men are not unfounded. Public transport is sadly too often the scene where a woman has been harassed, groped, assaulted, or worse, by an unknown person who was able to get away with their crime due to the confusion of having so many people packed into a small space or because he has made the person feel too embarrassed and ashamed to draw public attention to the offence. While this is a topic I would like to explore more thoroughly in a future post, suffice it to say for now that women around the world feel a lack of personal security on public transport because of these problems, and it can even effect whether they choose to use public transport or not.

So while when a man sees another man sitting down on the train with his legs spread wide, making it difficult for others to sit near him, he may tut to himself and shake his head, or may confidently sit himself down and force the manspreader to accommodate him, for a woman this scenario may play out differently in her head. She may worry about what the reaction of this man might be if she tries to sit down or if she politely asks him to make room. Is this man only committing the faux pas of being a little oblivious, or is he sending a deliberate message? Will he be apologetic, or will he hurl abuse at me? And if he does, will anyone in the carriage help me, or will they ignore my plight and blame me for causing a scene? And maybe I am to blame for this man’s reaction, do I have any right to impose myself in such a way?

(St Petersburg law student, Anna Dovgalyuk, pouring diluted bleach into the lap of a manspreader on the Metro)

It may seem a stretch to make the connection between manspreading and sexual assault, and indeed I do not say that they are in any way comparable actions. I would agree that most instances where manspreading occurs, it is likely because the man in question is a bit tired, is not paying attention to the social cues of fellow commuters, and may not even be aware that he is engaging in this behaviour. Just because someone is manspreading does not mean that they are therefore a bad person, it might just be that they are having a bad day. Yet the point has hopefully been demonstrated that men and women experience public transport in different ways to each other, and for that reason it is important to consider gender dynamics as part of any discussion on etiquette when using public transport.

And finally, should you engage in manspreading if you are a man? No. Come on, did you really need to read this whole post to find out the answer to that question? I mean, I understand that you want to be comfortable, we all do, but a little common sense should tell you that while this may be socially acceptable:

This is not:

Know the difference, and always be mindful of the needs of your fellow commuters.

Bibliography:

Oxford Dictionaries, Manspreading: how new York City’s MTA popularised a word without actually saying it, (4 September 2015) https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2015/09/04/manspreading-term-popularized-by-mta/

Sheila Anne Feeney, amNewYork, “Man spread” a widening blight on public transport, say riders, (6 October 2014) https://www.amny.com/transit/man-spread-a-widening-blight-on-public-transportation-say-riders-1.9473786

Metropolitan Transit Authority (New York), Courtesy Counts, http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/CourtesyCounts.htm

Jenny Yuen, Toronto Sun, Anti-‘manspreading’ campaign called sexist, (29 December 2014), https://torontosun.com/2014/12/29/anti-manspreading-campaign-called-sexist/wcm/b30005af-ecde-4210-9f89-5fabdd1ca5c1

Cathy Young, Newsday, ‘Manspreading’? But women hog subway space, too, (5 January 2015), https://www.newsday.com/opinion/columnists/cathy-young/manspreading-but-women-hog-subway-space-too-cathy-young-1.9776186

Lou Schuler, VICE, There’s a reason some men take up so much space when they sit: In defense of manspreading, (25 July 2017), https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/gybejb/theres-a-reason-some-men-take-up-so-much-space-when-they-sit

Caroline VanSickle, Medium, The false biology of manspreading [Updated], (10 August 2017), https://medium.com/@cvans/the-false-biology-of-manspreading-f789abd709f5

Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, PNAS study finds expansive postures are more attractive, (29 Mar 2016), https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/03/is-manspreading-sexy/475728/

Logan Bailey, The Black Sheep Online, Manspreading: Fact or Fiction?, (4 February 2015), https://theblacksheeponline.com/campus-life/manspreading-fact-or-fiction

Laura Paddison, Huffington Post, Women around the world are harassed and abused on public transportation, (20 October 2017), https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/women-public-transportation-harassment_us_59e88cfee4b0d0e4fe6d8202?ec_carp=423793409249566034

Marco Silva, BBC, Anna Dovgalyuk: Why do people think her ‘manspreading’ video is a Kremlin hoax?, (20 October 2018), https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-45828060

#public transport #etiquette #manspreading

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