#amir becket

[brighan]

Day 22 | Arcade

Insane gaming hours are ahead of us

[digindydig]

Indy’s Stories

Part 4: A Night at Bowser’s

Indy sat back in her chair as she read the article. She sipped her warm tea slowly, trying to ease her hangover. She scrolled down as her laptop showed a picture of the sole survivors of the Endurance. Lara being one of them. It was past noon when Indy awoke from her slumber and the first thing that came to mind aside from her pounding headache, was of none other than Lara Croft. She spend a good hour searching the web before she found what she was looking for.

“So you’re ‘that’ Croft.” She said out loud, seeing the names of those who perished and photos of the original crewmen. But her headaches were making it difficult to pay attention to important information, she decided to give up the searching for now. Closing the laptop,Indy stood from her seat before her phone dinged as a text came through. It was from Lara. Indy had text her back when she awoke. Would a friend like Croft be good for Indy? Or would it be problematic? After all Indy was a thief, she wasn’t an archeologist like Lara or her grandfather. She was just a person with dumb luck and fast thinking. Some of Indy’s finds where based off of pure luck alone. She may not share the title of an archeologist but she was the highest paid raider. She knew her stuff and she was bloody good at it. Indy wanted to continue their conversation on Lara’s field of studies. She wanted to know how extensive Lara’s knowledge for history was, what places had she seen? What mysteries had she uncovered? But why was Indy so interested? Indy had to think on that. Why was Lara so interesting? They did share the same interests. Or was it that there was something else. Indy remembered the feeling she had when around Lara. Relaxed but intimidating.

‘Have to be careful around Croft.’ Indy would probably talk to Felicity about it.

She texted Lara back before she walked into the bathroom for a shower.

Later that night, Indy peered over the balcony, cold wind blowing through her hair, her green eyes focused on the busy street. Instinctively she was scanning the area, mapping out all the possible escape routes, her mind playing out scenarios. Something she found herself doing a lot, it had gotten worst after she came home. Her senses going into hyper drive even when she was out of danger. Adrenaline rushing, her mind racing. She knew that feeling.

“Heal that wound Indy.” She said to herself, she had a week of thinking and now it was time to do what she came to do. Lara had told her to get it done just like Felicity. She had no choice at this point, it had to be done if Indy wanted answers.

“Shit! Easier said than done.” She said out loud, she hung her head in frustration. She kept telling herself it was for a greater cause, too not let her anger get ahold of her when she saw the man. How would she feel when she see’s her sister or Cedric? It will only be a matter of time before Indy’s past is revealed. It will come to bite her in the ass later and she knew it. Indy wasn’t particularly the favorite in the tomb raiding business. Definitely will have a target on her back if news got out on who she was. She was screwed both ways. Was all of this really worth it? To Indy it definitely was worth it. She will pay a visit to the manor in the morning. The side door behind Indy opened. Felicity joined Her on the balcony. She leaned on the railing looking out into the city. In the far distance stood the Millennium Wheel, London’s big Ferris wheel illuminating. It was breathtaking for those who weren’t locals. it still amazed Felicity in how beautiful it looked at night. She still considers it a death trap but she can admit it was nice to look at. Sound of a ding caught her attention, she watched Indy smile at her phone as she’s texting back. ‘Interesting’

“Thought your weren’t the texting type? What’s the special occasion?” Felicity spoke and it broke Indy’s concentration. She snapped her eyes away from the phone to look at her partner. oddly enough she felt like she’d just been caught, like a child with their hands in a cookie jar. Strange for Indy to feel but she ignored the feeling and went to answer Felicity’s question. She knew Felicity was going to tease her to it if she didn’t tell her. ‘Might as well clear the air I suppose.’ She thought to herself.

“Well if you must know, I took you advice yesterday and made a friend.” Indy said. But was Croft a friend? Or will she become a foe? Indy was a bit unease about telling Felicity about her time with Lara. Was it a wise decision to tell Felicity everything? Yes, no doubt, Indy had to tell her even if she did want to keep Lara as a separate friend away from her already crazy ones. But her and Felicity where best friend’s and best friends don’t keep secrets. To Felicity it was a surprise to see Indy interact with people she didn’t know. Normally if It was work related or if you hadn’t met Indy before, she was cold and distant. That was her defense Mechanism. She didn’t blame the kid though. It was good to see her get out of her shell.

“Is that so? So who’s the unlucky girl?” Felicity had a smirk on her lips. Rolling her eyes at Felicity.

“Funny. But how do you know it’s not a guy?” She shot back. Sure she was going to tell Felicity but doesn’t mean Felicity will get her answer the simple way not after that comment anyways. Letting out a small tsk she knew Indy was lying.

“Because you don’t smile when a man texts you. So nice try.” Felicity said. She playfully punched Indy’s arm. Sometimes Indy forgets that Felicity knows a lot about her. After a few more playful bickering about who was person. The balcony door opened again only this time it was the youngest member of their crew. Another Aussie by the name Jai, he announced that their pizza had arrived. They joint the rest of the crew. The warmth of the apartment was welcoming and the smell of fresh food was enough to make Indy’s mouth water. After being out in the wilderness for so long Indy had to survive off the land, only time she would have something decent to eat was when Indy was in some town. She didn’t realize how much the familiar taste of pizza would make her relived to be back home. Moaning as the favor hits her taste buds.

“Do you have any idea how fucking good this taste.” Indy sign happily.

“Careful Pup, don’t burn yourself.” Said Dutch. Dutch born and raised in Fort Willams Scotland. He was the oldest of the group and one of Indy’s mentors. For a man in his fifty’s he was well kept, ex military along with Elias. Dutch was a man that really didn’t care about a persons feelings. In her younger years Indy often butted heads with Dutch but because of that, Dutch respected her for it. Dutch would had knocked someone’s lights out if they had talked to him in any ill form but Indy was special to him. Elias was more easy going. After Indy was old enough to tag along with them, Elias began to rely on Indy intuitions and that’s when they found out what made Indy so special. Photographic memory, the kid remembered everything. It was like hitting a gold mine. Over the years their relationship flourished and they gained more people, those Indy considered trustworthy and loyal. Jonathan Becket or Bowser for short, met Indy in the most unexpected and unforgettable time. Rumors where going around about a rookie who’s been picking up hard jobs and coming back loaded, going by the name Indy. Long story short Bowser took a job to steal an artifact from a museum in the middle of a civil war. Getting in was the easy part until Bowser ran into Indy or more into a heavy cast iron skillet Indy had in her grip. That it self started a game of cat and dog. In the end they turned out working better together. Calum Was Jai’s older cousin, they met through Felicity. Calum unlike the others pushed Indy’s buttons and often questioned her judgments on jobs which infuriated Indy at times but his loyalty showed in the end. He was there because Indy needed Jai. The kid was a technical wizard and a hacker to boot. The kid was still in college and stayed with Calum. Indy had no choice but to deal with man.

They all made small talk throughout the night, had a couple of beers. It was nice and relaxing.

“So what are you going to do about your problem, Pup?” Dutch stood next to Indy. He knew why Indy had to go talk to her family and it annoyed him that Amir wasn’t making things easy for her either. Dutch had become very protective over the years. Shaking her head, Indy chugged her beer before she answered.

“Not so sure, At this point I’ll just go with the flow. I’m going to stop by the manor in the morning to get this all over with.” She said. Once more her attention was taken away by her phone. Felicity placed her hand on Indy’s shoulder.

“Do you need me to go with you?” She offered because she knew this was going to be difficult for Indy.

“Or invite that new friend of yours.” She playfully teased but it made Indy chuckle a bit.

“No, This is something I have to do on my own. And I hardly doubt bringing Lara into the mix would help.” She didn’t know why she let Lara’s name slip from her lips but it was too late to take it back now. Much to Felicity’s delight to finally know the person taken Indy’s attention throughout the night.

“Lara? Hmmm sounds like a girls name to me.” She stated. At what joy did Felicity get out of teasing Indy, Indy didn’t know.

“Yes, Her name is Lara and she’s an archeologist to boot.” She didn’t want to say too much about Lara because she didn’t know the her. They had texted all day about little things unrelated to her family situation. It seemed that Lara was avoiding the conversation only telling Indy to go for it. But it seemed Lara was just as interested as Indy was. She asked about Indy’s line of work and other things. Of course Indy played it smart, not telling Lara too much. But sometimes Indy’s curiosity broke through when Lara spoke about history. She only met Croft last night, she was just a stranger whom Indy was curious about. Indy told Felicity and Dutch about her night at the pub where she met Lara but she left out the part about Yamatai.

“Could be a good asset to the team.” Dutch said but Indy shook her head.

“No, keeping her at a distance is the best for now. Until I can find out more about her.” Indy said. she did think about it but there was something in the back of her mind waving red flags and she took that into consideration, maybe now isn’t the right time.

“Smart. Keeping her at a distance until she can be trusted.” Felicity’s said. Dutch and Indy both agreed. The rest of the night was a blur to Indy. She knew when the morning came she will no longer be safe. But her training had to continue if she wanted to truth, she just hope that she doesn’t lose herself in the process.

It took longer then expected. I don’t own Tomb Raider or its characters. I do own mines. I know I didn’t get into details with the other characters but I’ll try to get to them.

[pauldeckerus]

Social Media is Ruining Photography

In the U.S. and most industrialized nations, we have a collective infatuation with technology but a poor understanding of its effects – both intended and unintended. We love asking Siri to play our favorite song, but don’t fully consider the privacy implications of allowing the device to persistently listen to us.

We love the convenience of smartphones, so much so that we’re willing to engage in destructive behavior like texting while driving. And we love the connectedness of social media but are virtually powerless to the dopamine-dependent culture of likes and comments.

At this year’s Photo Plus Expo, I had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion along with Adriana Teresa Letorney (CEO and Founder of Visura), photographer Dusty Wooddell, photographer Rhynna Santos, and moderator Greg Scoblete of PDN to discuss the role and value of social media in photography, and it sparked a lot of competing thoughts.

Is social media ruining photography? A simple yes or no answer is unhelpfully reductive because the answer depends on the context. As the year comes to a close, I thought it would be beneficial to give the topic a more nuanced look on a complex topic that permeates both photography and life in general.

Remember, we’re the product

Sociologist Katherine Cross explained the confounding reality of social media on The Verge’s Why’d You Push that Button podcast:

You are the product being sold by Facebook, Twitter. It shapes not only how we use social media, but what we do to each other on social media. It creates an environment where people are incentivized to turn other people into content b/c the currency of social media is attention. It’s getting likes, followers, raising one’s profile.

How do you raise your social media profile? You have to create content. And the nature of social media is such that it creates these perverse incentives for people to farm each other for content regardless of consent. Regardless of the ethics of doing so b/c that’s what is salable in that attention economy.

In other words, connecting people is the byproduct of a system that collects user-generated content and provides an incentive (likes and comments) for us to literally become addicted. This addiction leads us to behave in ways that often flies in the face of standard kindergarten-fare morals and ethics. This reality is the starting and end point for any discussion over the value of social media. Now let’s add some nuance.

Exposure

Social media creates a direct line of communication with an opt-in audience – rendering traditional gatekeepers less important and less potent. In the print days, the gatekeepers were comprised of a narrow band of publications – with historically white photographers, editors, and publishers – that led to a homogenous gaze.

Digital publishing effectively drives the cost of publishing to zero. Unfortunately, distribution isn’t as egalitarian. Anyone with a Facebook page is aware of the “pay-to-play” dynamic and algorithms that opaquely decide what content gets seen.

Nevertheless, voices that would otherwise be marginalized, ignored and never be seen can be accessed in fractions of a second through the Internet. And social media enables potential virality. Projects like the various incarnations of “@everyday[insert place name]” have become important to dispel stereotypes of exoticism and otherness.

View this post on Instagram

Every time I am in Nairobi I get lost, it changes so fast. photo by @guillaumebonn #nairobi #kenya #dispatchesfromatraveler #architecture #modern #guillaumebonn #buildings

A post shared by Everyday Africa (@everydayafrica) on Sep 12, 2018 at 11:57pm PDT

The ability to directly amass an audience has led to the rise of the influencer class. As pundits debate the rise and fall of influencer marketing, it is clear that photographers like Chris Burkhard, Brandon Woefel, and Murad Osmann wouldn’t otherwise have built such massive followings, which allows them to make a living through photography in non-traditional ways.

View this post on Instagram

Followmeto the night temples of Chongqing with @natalyosmann..love shooting them with a central perspective, so that these temples look like endless stairway to heaven…places like that fill me up with creative energy and gives me ideas. What are your secret places that broaden your creative mind? #Chongqing #CQIFS Следуйзамной в ночные храмы Чунцина. Люблю снимать с центральной перспективой – они всегда кажутся как бесконечные лестницы в небо. Такие места наполняют креативной энергией и идеями, а какие у вас любимые секретные места?

A post shared by MURAD OSMANN (@muradosmann) on Oct 10, 2018 at 9:15am PDT

The exposure potential provided by social media means that we can instantaneously notify our followers about new work or a new exhibit. We can collect RSVP and admission online. We can use social proof (e.g.” Your friend Amir is going to this event”) as a way to hook other people’s interest. These tools are both powerful and damn convenient. We don’t need to argue the counterfactual because we know what the pre-social media world was like: a postcard, a fax, a flyer and a prayer in hopes that people showed up.

Gatekeepers

The art world provides a perfect example of a twisted world of gatekeepers where a handful of galleries have largely determined what is valuable (see art critic Jerry Saltz’s commentary on The Price of Everything).

The phenomenon is paradoxical. On the one hand, we rely on curators to help us filter all the noise, and a handful of platforms to amplify (e.g. TIME’s 51 Instagram photographers to follow in the US). We need what are hopefully well-informed domain experts to help curate the world. But many Buzzfeed-esque sites use the same information to generate their own lists leading to a frustrating sameness. Surf photographers can’t possibly the only genre of photographer in Hawai’i.

On the other hand, the cost of digital publishing is virtually zero. So for better or worse, we can all have a voice. Washington Examiner commentary writer Becket Adams told Vox, “Social media has given us the power to spread nonsense further and faster than ever before.”

With everything accessible at our fingertips, we still need a way to access information. On the web, SEO is the basis for discovery. Social media platforms from YouTube to Facebook to Instagram tend to be much less sophisticated. Algorithms help with discovery (as do geotags, hashtags, etc). What you “like” influences what you see leading to bubbles of reality.

Community

Social media has fulfilled a potential to connect disparate people around the world around shared interest. This ability to build community is true for Neo-Nazis as it is for photographers of different ilk.

From a marketing perspective, the question photographers should ask themselves around social media participation is “Who is your audience you have, and who is the audience you want?” If building a social media audience around your intended audience won’t lead to more paid work, then spending hours trying to build a following is a dubious proposition. But for photographers selling prints, books, workshops, etc, having a big social media following allows for very inexpensive marketing opportunities.

Community extends beyond marketing because a community can support a photographer in non-financial ways. A community is resilient. A community is there for the long haul. You participate, ideally, as an equal member of a community vs a client/service provider relationship. Online photographer communities regularly assist its members with pricing questions, copyright infringements, and other business concerns. I’ve seen more than a handful of photographers ask for financial support through social media for things not connected to their photography (e.g. health issues, natural disasters, personal causes, etc). Social media makes these types of interactions possible.

The weaponization of photography

I’ve written about the weaponization of photography in the past. Suffice it to say, the climate has only gotten worse with the public’s increasing distrust of the media and the misappropriation of photography on wedge issues by both political parties and trolls alike.

For every warm and fuzzy dog photo, there’s a meme-ified migrant photo used out of context and designed to provoke outrage and fear. Social media amplifies messages of good and hate alike and the gatekeepers (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc) have barely acknowledged their responsibility, let alone figured out how to solve the problem of weaponized misinformation.

A glut of photography

Social media isn’t responsible for the glut of photography. As with all creative fields, the emergence of digital technology has driven the cost to produce content to fractions of the analog counterparts.

Social media does contribute to visual sameness and environmental degradation.

But it also allows niches of photography to build passionate communities. Astrophotography, for example, has grown increasingly popular over the past few years, undoubtedly fueled by Milky Way photos on Instagram. Participating in astrophotography necessarily makes the photographer aware of a range of environmental and natural phenomena like dark skies and moon phases. It generates the sale of specialized gear from fast wide-angle primes to tripods.

The ability to find inspiration and cultivate creative agency through social media is enormous.

I’m pro social media

Social media can often cause me unnecessary anxiety. I was a very inactive participant on Twitter until recently, and have found that the increased knowledge on certain issues has largely been outweighed by the noise and anxiety it has induced. We can’t be outraged at everything. We can’t live our lives in search of a snarky response that reaffirms our worldview. We can’t be invested in what some cute person that we have a parasocial relationship with ate for lunch.

But despite this, I’m inspired by the ability to give a voice to the minority, and I’m not just talking about racial or socioeconomic minorities. I mean every photographer who wants to go off into their corner and shoot bugs, bird feathers, cosplay, the Bronx, or food.

The community you deserve is the one you help build. Our participation in social media should be reflective of the real-life world we’d like to live in. Finding creative inspiration and constructively critical voices that help evolve both the business and artistry of photography make social media a powerful, but imperfect tool.

About the author: Allen Murabayashi is the Chairman and co-founder of PhotoShelter, which regularly publishes resources for photographers. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. Allen is a graduate of Yale University, and flosses daily. This article was also published here.

from Photography News https://petapixel.com/2018/11/09/social-media-is-ruining-photography/

[rainyphilosopher]

Must Read Books For Every Book Lover

The DaVinci Code

The DaVinci Code is one of the best mystery and detective novels which is still read by thousands of book followers. Scripted by Dan Brown in the year 2003, the book is based on a mysterious murder inside the Louvre Museum in Paris which is followed by symbologist Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu. Both the duos get engaged in a conspiracy of Priority of Sion and Opus Dei where they found out the possibility of Jesus Christ having been married to his intimate follower, Mary Magdalene. The book also has been picturized into a movie directed by Ron Howard.

Defending Jacob

Defending Jacob was written by author William Landay in the year 2012. The book speaks the story of Andy Barber was worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Massachusetts for more than 20 years and suddenly faces a crime scene where his fourteen-year-old son is charged with the murder of his classmate. Andy is bound to face the trial between his own loyalty and justice where he’s trapped between a nightmare past and an unacceptable future.

Divergent

Divergent is based on the story of Tris Prior who seeks for her identity within a society which is divided into five factions. When each person enters adulthood, he or she must choose a faction to get committed to it for life and Tris chooses Dauntless, the one who pursues bravery above all. However, later Tris realizes that she is a Divergent and she’ll never able to fit into just one faction. With the aim of concealing her status, Tris gets into a threatening war that puts her loved ones into danger. Divergent is the debut novel of American novelist Veronica Roth.

Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is a popular novel by George R.R. Martin, which won a series of awards, including the Locus Award, Nebula Award and the World Fantasy Award in the year 1997. The book is also transformed into an HBO television series and is one of the bestselling novels to date. The book features the clash of the kings, colliding swords and the fiery dragons having a lot of conspiracies and interesting plots and with every sequence, the novel gets more interesting to read.

Gone Girl

Gone Girl is a thriller written by American author Gillian Flynn. The book portrays the mystery of the main character, Nick Dunne, on whether he is involved in his wife’s disappearance or not. Nick and with his wife, Amy, were trapped in a difficult marriage where they struggled for several reasons. Both lose their jobs and relocates to Nick’s small hometown. On their fifth wedding anniversary, Ami goes missing… and the suspense begins here. Nick becomes the prime suspect in Amy’s disappearance because he borrowed her money to start his business and increased her life insurance. Amy’s disappearance leads to several questions that arise in the later chapters.

The Dark Tower Series

The Dark Tower is a series of novels by popular American writer Stephen King. The series includes multiple themes including science, fantasy, horror, thriller and Western. The eight novels of the series are The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, The Dark Tower and The Wind through the Keyhole. The key characters of the series are Roland Deschain, Eddie Dean, Susannah Dean, Jake Chambers, Alain Johns, Oy, Jamie De Curry and Cuthbert Allgood.

Harry Potter

Everyone is familiar with Harry Potter, the half-blood wizard and one of the most popular wizards in the fictional world. Harry Potter, the novel, is written by British author J.K. Rowling, which has a number of series. The novel is based on the life of Harry Potter, a kid who got into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and his main mission was to overcome Lord Voldemort, the Dark Wizard, who wants to become immortal by conquering the wizarding world. Horry Potter’s first series was released in the year 1997 and since then, it has been receiving huge popularity, especially among children.

Hunger Games

Hunger Games is a series of three adventurous novels- The Hunger Games (2008), Catching Fire (2009) and Mockingjay (2010), which is authored by Suzanne Collins. The series depicts the deadly battle fought by the main characters, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, who face the consequences of every action. All the three novels are adapted by Hollywood. The first two series were both New York Times Bestsellers and Mockingjay topped among the all three novels. Hunger Games is one of the bestselling series till date and you will hardly find any book lover not reading it.

The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner is the story of Amir and Hassan, who are best friends and Hassan is the young Hazara servant of Amir’s father. The novel is authored by Afghan-American writer Khaled Hosseini and published in the year 2003. The story continues with a number of serial events including the fall of Afghanistan’s monarchy, the migration of refugees to Pakistan and the United States and the rise of Taliban government. The Kite Runner has been New York Times Bestseller for more than two years with over seven million copies sold in the United States. Also, a film and a few stage performances had been adapted from this novel.

Life of Pi

Life of Pi is an adventure story authored by Yann Martel in the year 2001. The novel depicts the life of Piscine Molitor Patel “Pi”, a boy who hailed from Pondicherry, India. At an early age, Pi faces a severe shipwreck after which he survives for 227 days in a lone lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean, accompanied by a Royal Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker. The story speaks about how Pi survived with Richard Parker for so many days and how they departed. A movie was also adapted from this novel later on. Life of Pi has sold ten million copies worldwide.

The Thorn Birds

Authored by Australian author Colleen McCullough, The Thorn Birds is a family saga of dreams, passions, struggles and forbidden love. In 1983, the novel was adapted a television miniseries that became too famous in the United States. The Thorn Birds tells the story of Meggie Cleary, who never possesses her dream man and Ralph de Bricassart, whose love for Meggie will follow him forever. The Thorn Birds has been one of the bestselling novels of all times. It is much appreciated by keen book lovers around the world.

The Pact

The Pact is a love story that turns into an unforeseen reality. Authored by Jodi Picoult, the novel is based on the love life of Chris and Emily who were soul mates since they were kids. Chris and Emily lived next to each other and shared everything beginning from Chinese food to chicken pox. They have been best friends until they reached high school where their friendship turned into something more than that. The climax comes when Emily is a gunshot in her head when she was 17 and Chris tells police that the single bullet he intended to keep for himself.

The Husband’s Secret

The Husband’s Secret is a thought-provoking novel that tells how much possible it is to know our spouse, dearest people and ourselves. The story depicts the secret letter of a husband who wanted his letter to be opened by his wife, Cecilia Fitzpatrick only after his death. The letter reveals his deepest and darkest secrets that would shatter the lives of his dear ones. Cecilia is a successful businesswoman, a devoted wife, and mother, but that single letter was about to change her life forever. The Husband’s Secret was authored by Liane Moriarty in the 2013 and is one of the bestselling novels worldwide.

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in our Stars is a heart touching love story of a 16-year-old cancer patient Hazel Grace Lancaster and a 17-year-old boy Augustus Waters who’s suffering from osteosarcoma. Both Hazel and Augustus have a small life ahead and they have a similar interest called books where both exchange their favorite books to be read by the other. After reading the book, Augustus finds that the book does not have any conclusion. The story depicts both Hazel and Augustus has a short life faced by the gloomy face of death. The Fault in our Stars was written by author John Green and was published in the year 2012.

Outlander

Outlander is also known as Cross Stitch in the United Kingdom and was authored by Diana Gabaldon in the year 1991. The story focuses on the 20th century British Army nurse Claire Randall, whose time travels to the 18th century while enjoying her second honeymoon in Scotland. There Claire finds romance with James Fraser and a lot of adventure. Outlander is blended of several genres like historical fiction, romance, adventure, and science fiction. A television series was also adapted from the novel in 2014. Outlander is one of the bestselling novels to date.

Pillars of the Earth

Pillars of the Earth was published in the year 1989 and is a historical novel authored by Ken Follett. The novel is about the building of a cathedral in the fictional town Kingsbridge, England. The plot is set in the 12th century between the time of the sinking White Ship and the murder of Thomas Becket. Ken Follett is famous for writing thriller genre and Pillars of the Earth turned out his bestselling novel. The book was chosen in the United States for Oprah’s Book Club in the year 2007 and was also listed in BBC’s Big Read at number 33.

See more at http://kindlebooksamazon.com

[zarojel-hu-online-hirmagazi-blog]

Popper Péter: Orbán Viktornak nem volt gyerekszobája – „ kiskorukban a papa, vagy a mama nem vágta szájon magukat, ha valakiről ilyen csúnyán beszéltek?"

New Post has been published on https://zarojel.hu/popper-orban-papa-vagy-a-mama-nem-vagta-szajon-magukat/

Popper Péter: Orbán Viktornak nem volt gyerekszobája – „ kiskorukban a papa, vagy a mama nem vágta szájon magukat, ha valakiről ilyen csúnyán beszéltek?"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Orbán Viktor egyike azon kevés magyar politikusoknak, aki 1990 óta a parlamentben ülnek. Igazi ősbölény, aki sok mindent megélt, igazi hétpróbás játékos. Hosszú pályafutása alatt elért mindent, amit ezen a pályán elérhetett. A loboncos hajú fiatal demokratából napjainkra már semmi sem maradt. Nem ifjú, őszülő halántékú, hosszú ideje nem is demokrata. A valódi verdiktet a Fidesz-vezérről elősz��r Popper Péter mondta ki.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”135522″ img_size=”800×600″ add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center” onclick=”link_image” css=”.vc_custom_1500313887418background-image: url(https://www.zarojel.hu/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/small_header_bg-1.png?id=4336) !important;background-position: 0 0 !important;background-repeat: repeat !important;”][vc_column_text]

“A haza nem lehet ellenzékben”

A 2002-es választási vereséget talán még ma sem  dolgozta fel.

 A haza nem lehet ellenzékben” harsogta a Várban a Dísz-téren, amikor csapatait hadba szólította. A vereséget képtelen volt elismerni, hiszen számára “járt” a kormányfői tisztség. Ami az elmúlt 15 évben hazánkban történt, az többnyire az akkori bukásához vezethető vissza.

A magyar társadalom a végletekig megosztott, óriási feszültségek vannak az emberekben. A politika besurrant a mindennapi életünkbe, indulatokat gerjeszt, gyűlöletet kelt. Mára a miniszterelnök kisgömböcként maga alá gyűrt mindent. Aki nem az ő oldalán áll, az idegenszívű, hazaáruló, nincs helye a hazában.

A plakátkampányok sorával az emberek legalantasabb ösztöneire játszott rá, felkorbácsolta a szenvedélyeket. Állandóan harcban, talán még saját magával is. Gesztusai, mimikája, a zsebbe dugott kéz, a felvett pózok azt sejtetik, hogy kisebbségi komplexusai vannak,  nem igazán tud mit kezdeni a helyzetével. Úgy viselkedik, mint elefánt a porcelánboltban.

Az elmúlt évek alatt több pszichológus is foglalkozott Orbán Viktor személyével. Újraolvasva az egykori megállapításokat, csettinthetünk egyet, hiszen az évekkel ezelőtt írtak olyanok, mintha napjainkban készültek volna.

(fotó: internet)

Popper Péter sajnos már nincs köztünk, nyilatkozatai, tanulmányai azonban elérhetők. Először 2002-ben, a választások második fordulója előtt, a hírhedt TF – es beszéd után,  a Hetek c. lapban megjelent interjújából szemezgetünk. A  beszédre talán még sokan emlékeznek, szinte háborús helyzetet hozott létre az országban.

Orbánnak és társainak nincs értékrendje

(fotó: internet)

A pszichológus szerint Orbánnak és társainak nincs értékrendje, kizárólag a hatalom tartja együtt a pártot. Úgy fogalmazott:

A Fidesznek és vele együtt a miniszterelnöknek semmiféle eszmei, ideológiai elkötelezettsége nincs. Csak ahogy az érdek szele fúj. Tudniillik, a hatalom paranoiás akarása nem ideológiai elkötelezettség. Becket egyik drámája jut eszembe, ahol az egyik pasi azt mondja a királynak: “Felség, a mi erőnk abban van, hogy nem tudjuk, mit akarunk”. Ez a nem tudás a jellemtelen manőverezések végtelen szabadságát nyitja meg előttük. Tessék megnézni, milyen végtelen szabadságban manőverezett a Fidesz az egyházellenes, liberális oldalról az egyre konzervatívabb, önkényuralmi módszereket alkalmazó, képmutató ájtatoskodásig.

Popper úgy vélte:

“Orbán meg van győződve arról, hogy az országnak az a legjobb, ha ő van hatalmon. De a hatalom megtartása érdekében mondott szlogenjeit már nem hiszi el. Csak azt gondolja, ezt meg kell tennie a hazáért, a nagy célért, ami minden eszközt szentesít. ”

A pszichológus kemény kritikát fogalmazott meg a Fidesz által kialakított politikai rendszerről is:

 A mai politikát a harmadik vonalbeli emberek művelik, ez látszik az érvelésük primitívségén, a parlament otromba, goromba stílusán. Magyarországon nincsenek szakképzett, tanult politikusok, akiket egyetemen képeznének erre. Ki kell, hogy mondjam, a parlamentben lévő emberek nagy része silány nívójú. Autodidakták.

Szerinte Orbán a hatalomba kerülése után tekintélyelvű viszonyokat alakított ki, később mindinkább érezhető volt rajta a hatalmi megszállottság, a saját hatalmam mindenek felett attitűdje. Ebből kiindulva mondta:

 Számomra ő már akkor is mini duce volt. Képzelje el, fel kellett állni a minisztereknek, mikor belépett közéjük Orbán. Ezen akkorát nevettem! Én két Orbán Viktort ismerek. Az egyik megszólalásaiból és megnyilvánulásaiból világosan látszik, hogy egy nagyszerűen felkészített ember, aki másodperc pontossággal betartja, amire begyakoroltatták. Sokszor annyira jól csinálja, mintha akkor találná ki, mintha spontán lenne. De van egy másik Orbán Viktor is, aki néha megszólal a felkészítésen kívül, improvizál saját anyagokat. Na, ez már gyengébb.

A küldetéses politikusokról

(fotó: internet)

A Fidesz-vezetők egyik baja, hogy a semmiből kerültek a hatalomba, nincs hátterük, nincs hova visszavonulniuk. Nem mindegy, hogy valaki az élete során bizonyít, és úgy kerül a politikába, vagy az iskolapadból. Mert utána aztán valóban a semmibe hullik. Kell lenni emberi, szakmai tartaléknak, visszavonulási területnek. Higgadtabb, biztosabb, hitelesebb az ember személyisége, mert a második vonal biztonságot ad.

A legnagyobb veszélyt a küldetéses politikusok jelentik. Ők saját fényezésüket fontosabbnál tartják a közösség érdekeinél. Popper kiemelte:

Ezért van az a szörnyűség, hogy a rossz politika szétszed évtizedes barátságokat, családokat; elszakít egymástól szerető kollégákat. Az ember nagyon rosszul tűri, ha azt sugallják neki, hogy a szerelme, az apja, az anyja vagy a kollégája a Sátán követe. Na, innen származik ez az embertelen, félelmetes gyűlölet, amit mára már az óvodába is bevittek. És ott van az ágyamban, a munkahelyemen, a pénztárcámban és a hűtőszekrényemben”

A választások eredményét ismerjük, Orbán ellenzékbe került, két cikluson át. Popper Péter 2005-ben a 168 óra c. hetilapban írt jellemrajzot a bukott kormányfőről. A több mint tíz évvel ezelőtt írtak is  bizonyítják, hogy Popper milyen jól ismerte az emberi lelket, képes volt  aprónak tűnő jelekből is hiteles kórképet felállítani. A portrét úgy készítette, hogy egy szót sem beszélt Orbánnal és bevallotta, nem kedveli. Nem tagadja ugyanakkor azt sem, hogy a kezdetekkor még rokonszenvesnek gondolta a Fideszt. Csalódnia kellett:

És évről évre jobban megharagudtam rájuk. Mert kiárusították fiatalságukat, tisztaságukat, hitelességüket. Kiderült, hogy csak választásoktól választásokig terjed a látóterük, soha nem lesz belőlük a szó churchilli értelmében államférfi, csak politikai sakálok csoportja. Valaki egyszer figyelmeztetett: Vigyázz! Ezek bűnözők!

Elmondása szerint akkor még nem hitte el, nem gondolta, hogy eddig süllyedhetnek a demokrácia reménységei. Idővel rájött az ismerősének igazsága vagyon:

Ma már tudom.  Orbán Viktor neve számomra szimbólummá vált. Egy nyolcvan év óta lezüllött ország még mélyebb politikai lezüllesztésének a szimbólumává. Holott a sors megadta neki a ritka lehetőséget, hogy sarokkő lehetett volna a magyar történelemben. De ő pénzt akart keresni. Népvezér akart lenni. Tündökölni akart az emberek felett. Ezt is megkapta. Látni fogjuk még, amint eldobott kőként az út szélén hever….

Popper szerint Orbánból hiányzik mindaz, ami az igazi államférfiakban megvan, közhelyekkel “szórakoztatja” hódolóit.

Kisemberségét bizonyítja, hogy amikor elfogy az előre betanult kész szöveg, bizony dermesztő butaságok hagyják el ajakát.

Közgazdasági, és financiális nonszenszek, szobák, és kerekek számát latolgató lózungok, fürdőszobában borotválkozás közben kitalált indián bölcsességek,- “döglött lovat ne sarkantyúzz” színvonalon – és piros-fehér-zöld jelszavak végtelen áradatban.

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Orbán már régen nem tudja kicsoda

És ezt mentségére mondom. Mert ha tudja, és hidegvérrel váltogatva emeli ki jelmeztárából a különböző vallásokat, politikai stílusokat, polgári vagy forradalmi, sőt ellenforradalmi értékeket, identitáslátszatokat, akkor valóban sötét közéleti maffiózó. Ám valószínűleg már belegabalyodott önmaga sokféleségébe, s időnként diszkrét külföldi szanatóriumokba kell elvonulnia némi belső nagytakarításra.

Popper szerint a vagyon utáni vágya mindennél erősebb az egykori szegény alcsúti fiatalembernek, akit elkapott a gépszíj.

Ezek a Fidesz-fiúk is kik lehetnének egy normális polgári világban? Tehát most kell gazdagodni, markolni, szerezni évekre, évtizedekre előre,mindenáron biztosítani a család jövőjét. Így lesz, a nagyokat álmodó államférfiból, kicsiket üzletelő családfő, és gondoskodó apa. Ma már világos, hogy Orbán nem igazán kreatív, nem igazán alkotóképes. A nagy mű megteremtését most a nagy karrier helyettesíti.

A pszichológus Orbán lételemének tartotta a küzdelmet, a harcot. Olyan ember, akinek nincs egy nyugodt pillanata sem, folyamatosan új ellenségre van szüksége.

Örökké markolni kell a kardot, örökké erősnek kell látszani. Soha nem  adatik meg az elfáradás, a gyengeség bevallásának boldog pillanata, nem kapja meg azt a simogató melegséget, amikor fülét-farkát eleresztve eldobja magát egy sátor előtt, és csak sütteti magát a nappal…

Vajon mi lesz, ha eljön a bukás?

(fotó internet)

Milyen sors várhat a magát tévedhetetlennek, nélkülözhetetlennek gondoló politikusra? Popper így fogalmazott: “S ha egyszer az is elvétetik tőle? Lesz helyette nagy pénz? Nagy foci? Vagy akkor már felejteni kell? Alkohol? Idegösszeomlás? Nehogy a végén kivirágozzon belőle valami paranoia féle. Egyszer már majdnem elkezdődött. Felcsúti Szent Viktor, akire Szűz Mária titokban rábízta Magyarországot. Miket ki nem talál ez a fiú!”

Popper, két évvel később, egy rendezvényen, – a Népszava szerint– az akkori ellenzéki vezér kormánnyal szembeni erőszakos, durva kiszólásoktól sem mentes nyilvános szereplései kapcsán így kelt ki magából:

Aki magyar vele tart? Kiskorukban a mama, vagy a papa nem szólt, vagy nem vágta szájon magukat, ha valakiről ilyen csúnyán beszéltek? Különben e jelzőknek nincs különösebb jelentőségük. Csak azt bizonyítják, hogy hazánk ex-miniszterelnökének hiányos volt a nevelése, vagy ahogy polgári körökben mondani szokták nem volt gyerekszobája.

(fotó: internet)

Popper Péter 2010-ben, a második Orbán kormány megalakulása előtt elhunyt. Már nem láthatta, hogyan élt vissza a kétharmados hatalmával a Fidesz, hogyan  vált  Orbán „örökös” miniszterelnökké. Az évekkel korábban írtak, mintha tegnap lettek volna papírra vetve. A szakember hatalmas műveltsége mellett, talán látnoki képességekkel is rendelkezhetett, a miniszterelnökről felvázolt kép annyira tökéletesnek mondható.

A 2010 óta hatalomban töltött évek alatt a felcsúti Napóleon negatív jellemvonásai csak erősödtek, gátlástalansága, hatalomhoz való görcsös ragaszkodása már betegesnek is mondható. A  kisgömböc bukása azonban elkerülhetetlen, csak idő kérdése.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]JTNDY2VudGVyJTNFJTNDc2NyaXB0JTIwYXN5bmMlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjIlMkYlMkZwYWdlYWQyLmdvb2dsZXN5bmRpY2F0aW9uLmNvbSUyRnBhZ2VhZCUyRmpzJTJGYWRzYnlnb29nbGUuanMlMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZzY3JpcHQlM0UlMEElM0MlMjEtLSUyMFBvc3QtaGFybWFkaWsteiVDMyVBMXIlQzMlQjNqZWwlMjAtLSUzRSUwQSUzQ2lucyUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIyYWRzYnlnb29nbGUlMjIlMEElMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlMjBzdHlsZSUzRCUyMmRpc3BsYXklM0FibG9jayUyMiUwQSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMGRhdGEtYWQtY2xpZW50JTNEJTIyY2EtcHViLTI2Mjk3NDgyODM2NzI1MTAlMjIlMEElMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlMjBkYXRhLWFkLXNsb3QlM0QlMjI0MzU2OTg4NzgyJTIyJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwZGF0YS1hZC1mb3JtYXQlM0QlMjJhdXRvJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGaW5zJTNFJTBBJTNDc2NyaXB0JTNFJTBBJTI4YWRzYnlnb29nbGUlMjAlM0QlMjB3aW5kb3cuYWRzYnlnb29nbGUlMjAlN0MlN0MlMjAlNUIlNUQlMjkucHVzaCUyOCU3QiU3RCUyOSUzQiUwQSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRSUzQyUyRmNlbnRlciUzRQ==[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[brighan]

Because I already went on a rant on Twitter: Regarding some comments I'm seeing about Amir (Warframe 1999) and his lines/personality:

I knew some people would complain about how bubbly he is and thinking of him as a child or less of an adult than the rest of the Hex. It is very clear he's written in a (assuming, no need to clarify from DE because it already resonates) AuADHD code.

As someone in the spectrum it is extremely hurting to see people making said assumptions. I am used to be seen and dismissed from important conversations just because I have a bubbly personality (and I'm read as a woman, but that's another topic) and clear autistic traits.

The fact someone behaves in a certain way doesn't mean people have the right to reduce them to a child. Again, it is extremely damaging, rude and plain ignorant. You don't know how my mind works. You don't know the complexity of it all. I don't know everything and I give people the benefit of the doubt and I try to be as nice as possible in the healthiest way for everyone involved with me.

That doesn't mean I'm naive or have a less complex thought process than you.

So, yeah, I am begging people who are making these kind of assumptions to stop infantilizing people in the spectrum. Not sure if the right word is ableist, in *MY* specific case I don't consider it a disability, but for sure it is rude as fuck in my opinion.

Oh and also my Drifter is going to bang him 💅

I am keeping my expectations realistic about what we will get in game, but there will be nasty in my sketchbook. Cope with it.

Yet again, in a more jokinly/positive tone, DE passively calling me out *again*, this time with the Volt 'tysm. I projected my gender (before I realized my identity) in my tenno, then forgot about their hair color and tinted mine purple before my break with the game, and now this.

Me Volt/Amir

🤝

The

[brighan]

Mentally I'm here