#and that is why I will always maintain that the current state is a threat to Israeli Jews.

[canichangemyblogname]

For some 20 years, Israel has been claiming that Hamas uses civilian infrastructure to hide themselves behind children and other innocents. And I have maintained that it doesn’t matter how much they claim this, it doesn’t matter where Hamas hosts a command center, the means (carpet bombing civilians) do not justify the end (striking Hamas), and, in fact, using these such means to strike a blow against enemy combatants is expressly forbade. One war crime (hiding among civilians) does not justify another war crime: targeting and killing non-combatants.

After the 2008 Gaza War, the UN deployed a fact-finding mission to conduct an investigation into allegations that Hamas uses civilian locations to shield military activities. The UN issued the “Goldstone Report,” which said among other things that, “On the basis of the investigations it has conducted, the Mission did not find any evidence to support the allegations that hospital facilities were used by the Gaza authorities or by Palestinian armed groups to shield military activities and that ambulances were used to transport combatants or for other military purposes.”

You can read the report below:

As I have previously explained, if you target the civilian population and its infrastructure, you inevitably create a climate where the idea of self-defense is no longer considered radical, but a necessity and you hasten the radicalization of an entire population and their international allies.

[decaf-lesbian]

RS isn't the only place in Brazil in a climate crisis and we need to talk about it.

the main thing i've talked about on this blog since last friday (may 3rd) is the catastrophic floods devastating my home state, Rio Grande do Sul, located in southern Brazil. it's an unprecedent tragedy that we won't be able to recover from anytime soon. but we also can't ignore what's happening in the rest of the country, so i decided to extensively rant about it.

over the course of a week, these historic floods have taken over a state the size of Ecuador, raising the levels of rivers and wiping out entire cities. i've said it before and i'll say it again: this is not natural, although some smooth-brained people might say it is. the last flood of this magnitude in my state was the flood of 1941, which was a result of 24 days of continuous rain, raising the level of the Guaíba lake to 4.75 meters.

the floods we're facing now raised the level of the lake up to 5.30 meters. and it only rained for seven days.

we all hear climate change deniers saying it's just the weather patterns, but it's impossible to deny the fact that human actions are changing them. we didn't have nearly as many torrential rainstorms here a couple years ago, not even in autumn (which is the usual season for it). yet, from 2022 to now, the frequency with which these occur have been cranked up to the max. i used to joke about how it rained every single week, but now it sounds less like a joke and more of a grim commentary on the sad reality we're living.

that's why, in addition to what's happening here, we really need to talk about the climate crisis in the other regions in Brazil.

the center-west and southeastern regions have been suffering from dry weather and a heatwave that has been going on for days (and will still go at LEAST up to may 10th). they are registering temperatures above 30° C/86°F, which means they are having perfect summer weather IN MID AUTUMN. i am not joking; São Paulo has registered an alarming temperature of 32° C/89,6°F, breaking the record for the highest temperature ever registered in a day of may for the last 81 years.

in the northeastern region, the end of last year was marked by an extreme drought intensified by the deforestation of the cerrado biome, which is crucial for maintaining water distribution. and this was basically in the countryside; the coast was the target of heavy torrential rains (and is currently under the threat of more rain). some cities registered an extreme and alarming 240mm of precipitation in just 24 HOURS.

and in the northern region and some parts of the center-west and northeastern regions, the number of wildfires from january to may is already the highest in recorded history (which began to be recorded in 1998 by Inpe): 17.421 spots. and the dry season in the biomes of the Amazon rainforest, cerrado, and pantanal HAS BARELY BEGUN. this is already a horrifying tragedy and it can become one of the worst catastrophes in the history of Brazil if we don't act on it fast.

ever single time something like this happens, scientists from all over the country (and all over the world) warn us of what can happen next. every single time, scientists extensively talk about the human actions that are directly and indirectly interfering with the environment. every single time, nobody listens. every. single. time.

and we still have time. we have the technology and the means to prevent this. and yet the government does absolutely NOTHING to help (hell, in my state only 0,2% of the budget was allocated to preventing climate disasters; an ABYSMALLY low R$50k, which is about US$9.850,00). everyone, and i mean EVERYONE, knows about the ever increasing frequency of extreme climate events. even the DENIERS WON'T DENY IT. this should be enough proof that we need to do something fast or we will irreversibly ruin the only place we can call home. but governments will always prioritize money over lives. always.

these disasters have always happened in Brazil, but they were far apart. this country should be blessed by god and beautiful by nature, like a popular song says. yet we are currently experiencing the worst climatic crisis we have ever seen here. and it will only get worse if we don't stop it now.

[gabessquishytum]

I was thinking about rich bitch Hob, so now, here:

Hob the widower, being “framed” for his husband murder.

Ofc he kill him!!!!!

The old man was boring, he was a pervert, always chasing young men and women, even thought he had an amazing specimen (Hob) as his husband, besides, that man was already going to kick the bucket, so why not speed up that process?

As per usual, Hob contacted his favorite lawyer (and friend) for cases like this.

Not like he had already “lost” four husbands before the “current” one in a span of 10 years, of course, it´s only a coincidence Hob always widows rich old men!!!

Desire tells him that they are tight busy atm, but they will send an equally (if not a little less ◀ Desire´s words) qualified lawyer to help Hob.

Before the first meeting Hob was very anxious, he trusts Desire, but not having them as partner in crime (heh) is already making him feel ill and overall, very down (which, tbh, being in that state of mind helps A LOT in the pictures for the media and maintaining the façade of “sorrowful widower that has been wrongfully pointed as the sole culprit of his husband death”)

But once the gorgeous, regal and very professional Dream enters the picture all worries go away…and panties too.

From Dream´s side, he immediately knew from all evidence that Hob was indeed guilty of his husband murder, but somehow, in between his commitment to his job and the feelings developing towards Hob he let it pass…after all he has a job to do, and he plans to do it as his life depends on it….

(he wants to bang Hob sooooooooooooooooooo bad and that won´t happen if Hob is in jail)

At the end of the trial (in which Hob comes out as innocent) only a week has passed, and Hob has already a new (and hopefully) long lasting, loving, faithful husband 🥰

And if Hob ever finds himself bored of Dream (that case being totally bonkers, both are so into the other in a not healthy way) Dream built an archive of all Hob previous trials.

 (maybe he went into Desire´s place to search for those…putting into use his old lock-picking skills when he was a private investigator…)

Just in case he needs to use that info to keep Hob close to him (threats)  forever (Hob looooooooves that about Dream👌 "YES YES!! YES MY DREAM BE MEAN, BE POSSESSIVE, MANIPULATE MEEE"◀ Hob mind )

Black widow Hob!!!! Fuck yeah!!!!

I love that he found the perfect husband in Dream, of course....... and I can't help but think that these kinky bastards probably use Hob’s criminal history as dirty talk.

When Hob is riding on Dream’s cock, circling his hips and moving with torturous precision, he likes to lean down and wrap his lovely tanned hand around Dream’s slim throat. He'll just rub against his pulse point and grin, and squeeze his hole tight around Dream’s dick. "You know, this is how I finished off number 2. I didn't strangle him, I just put a little pressure right here... and it was too much. His poor old heart just gave out. With his cock right up inside me."

And Dream can't help but moan and cum right there and then.

Or sometimes Hob will be on all fours, having his arse heartily spanked while Dream simultaneously fucks him. He'll whine and plead for mercy, but Dream will lean in and whisper in his ear. "No mercy, darling. Be a good boy for me, otherwise I might start letting things slip..... just like number 3 "slipped" in the shower and cracked his skull open. Let me fill you up, and I will keep quiet about how you pushed him over."

Hob nearly collapses face down on the mattress, he's so turned on. He knows and loves that deep down, Dream is just as dark and awful as he is. He's absolutely keeping Dream forever and ever, even in hell <3

[trans-duckling]

KakaGai Halloween 2024: Our Worst Nightmare

Promts: Nightmare & Memory Pairing: KakaGai Words: 3,528 Summary: There is one thing that becomes your biggest fear once you are a parent; to lose your child. Nothing compares to it. Nobody can prepare you for that feeling. You can just pray that the day never comes for you to hear such horrific news. ---------------------------------------------------- “We will find her” he assured against his husband’s ear. “And once we do, we’ll bring her back home and she will be safe.�� “It feels… It feels like a nightmare.” Their worst nightmare.

The afternoon was slow and calm, just as Kakashi liked it now that him and Gai were retired. Well, technically speaking they could still be called for consults and of course in case of extreme necessity, but… For now it was just peace and quiet. Or as much of that you can get when your husband loves to be vocal while he exercises in the middle of the living room. While you try to read a book.

“Gai, could you count with your inside voice?” he pleaded.

“Of course not, rival! I have too much energy needing to be spent!”

The Hatake raised an eyebrow —even if his husband could not see him— and smirked under the mask. He was about to vocalize the much more desirable way in which Gai could use his energy when he heard the hawk.

Living in Konoha, the sound of the bird was not strange, but if you were —or had been— a shinobi, the call had a different meaning. No wild hawk would circle over a particular house for several minutes just for entertainment.

“Is that...?” his husband asked in mid-push up.

“Sounds like it” he shrugged.

Just to be sure, he closed his book and walked to the garden, holding a hand up to block the sun and check that… Yep, the bird was over them. Great. And just when he had come up with the perfect way to spend the remaining hours of the day.

“Let’s go, Gai.”

Nobody needed to accompany them to the Hokage’s office, the Hatake’s previous position being enough influence to pass through any security. By his side, his husband wheeled effortlessly through the corridor, always keeping his chair ready to speed up in case they started a competition. Kakashi was almost tempted to do so a couple of times.

He knocked on the office’s door out of respect, but didn’t wait for an answer before coming in. Naruto was able to perceive them from any point of the village, anyways.

His student was currently sitting behind his too-full desk, checking a report with an stressed expression on his face. The Hatake knew very well how he felt, having been in that position for way more years than he had intended. Still, Naruto had been the one asking for the job, so…

“Are we at war again?” he joked with a sigh.

The Uzumaki’s fingers trembled just so slightly.

“Of course not, Kakashi-sensei.”

“You should not joke about that, rival!” his husband complained. “I’m sure Naruto-kun has a very good reason to call us here.”

“I hope” he huffed. “Or should I remind you what the term ‘retired’ means?”

There was no annoyed comment following his badger, which definitely indicated something was wrong. Instinctively, Kakashi’s shinobi training came back, detecting each and every person in the building and trying to remember if there had been something going on while they walked to the office. Nothing stood out, which meant that whatever was going on it was still maintained a secret from the common public. Probably the reason why they had been called in, then.

“You’re not here as shinobi, Kakashi-sensei.”

Oh, well.

Wait.

No.

He felt a shiver running through his body. A dormant feeling coming back to life.

“Where is Rei, Naruto?” he demanded, his voice not able to hold back the threat.

The change in the atmosphere was immediate. He saw his student’s expression change and Gai’s body starting to vibrate.

“Two of her teammates were found an hour ago close to the border with Ame” Naruto stated. “One of them is critical, the other one died before they reached the closest hospital.”

No.

NO.

That was not happening. It couldn’t be happening. He had brought his daughter into a world of peace. It was not perfect, but death on duty had become very strange after the War. So that couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t.

“Where is our daughter, Naruto-kun?” Gai beamed, teeth clenching.

“We don’t know” the Hokage admitted. “But before dying, Haoru was able to leave a message: Ambush. Fallen R. Escape.”

Kakashi’s world became silent for a moment.

Suddenly, he was not in the office anymore. He was inside the room he shared with Gai, his husband fast asleep in their bed while he looked through the window, a baby Rei in his arms. She was awake but silent, looking at him with the same intense glare he had on her. The mask that for years had covered the Hatake’s face rested now on his neck, not wanting to hide any part of his expression from Rei.

Kakashi’s lips moved calmly while he voiced a barely audible melody. He sang about the trip he had gifted his daughter. How life may not always be easy, but it will be worth it. There would be amazing adventures filled with colors. Eternal kisses and laughs. Animals and friends that would accompany her. And that, even if it was from afar, he would always be looking out for her. Making sure she was safe.

The clatter of Gai’s chair over the wooden floor brought him back to the present. He blinked his tears away.

“We’re going to find her” he declared.

“Kakashi-sensei, I understand how you’re feeling, but neither of you are shinobi anymore, which means…”

“It means you cannot order us to stand down” the Hatake growled. “And don’t you dare saying you know how we feel. I know that if Himawari was the one missing, you would be the first one running out of the village to look for her.”

The way Naruto was holding his gaze told him he was right. Of course he was.

“Even so, Kakashi-sensei, this happened in a border with another country, I cannot allow…”

The Uzumaki’s desk cracked at the half, Gai’s fist as quick and efficient as ever.

“SHE’S OUR DAUGHTER!”

The office was not acting as one anymore. Two ANBU guards stood with their tanto out behind the Hokage, Naruto’s hand lifted to stop their attacks. The air was charged with Kakashi’s electric chakra and Gai had acquired a fighting position.

In all his years alive, the Hatake had never thought he would be fighting his blond student and risking be named a rogue. Betraying his own village. But he was a father now. And parents would do the craziest things for their children.

“We won’t back down, Naruto” he mouthed. “If you really think that we’ll stay put at home while somebody else looks for Rei, then you don’t know us at all.”

“Hokage-sama…” one of the guards started.

Naruto let out an angry sigh.

“Tenten is leaving in an hour from the north gate” he indicated.

The tense atmosphere held for a few more seconds, until both Kakashi and Gai retracted enough for the ANBU guards to relax their positions and go back into the shadows. Afterwards, they just nodded, not even bothering with leaving the office. Instead, they shunshined out of it and into their house, supporting each other for it as they had been doing for years.

Neither Kakashi or Gai needed to share words as they moved efficiently through their home, bringing out their mission backpacks from dusty closets and filling them with everything they might need: medical kit, soldier pills, blanket, weapons. Once done, they went outside, to the small storage room Yamato had built for them several years ago. Before Rei, they had put all their shinobi clothes and training items in what was the gym/guest room. Now, that piece of the house belonged to their daughter, and they would make sure she was back in bed to rest from whatever had happened.

While taking his uniform out from the shed, the Hatake found his old hitai-ate, the Konoha symbol still shinning in the middle. He held it in his hands for a few seconds before throwing it away. Neither Gai or him would be leaving the village as shinobi that day.

As a dance they had been practicing since their chunnin years —once Kakashi started to let his husband get close—, they helped each other to adjust safely their clothes, uncapable of ignoring how the body changes they had suffered through the years made wearing them again weird. In less than half an hour, both men were completely ready to leave the house.

However, a hand closed itself around the Hatake’s, stopping his movements as he intended to take their bags.

“Are we forgetting something?” Kakashi asked, turning to face his husband.

He was uncapable of hiding his surprise at Gai’s expression. The other man was standing up, his wheelchair safely hidden in a scroll and his electrical orthosis ready to help him walk and fight again. The chances of such effort causing immeasurable pain in the next days were high, but the Hatake knew better than try to antagonize him. He would do the same, after all.

What he had not being expecting was the fear in his husband’s face, the tears barely holding in his eyes and the small tremble of his upper lip. He was not scared. He was terrified.

“Rival, what if… What if it’s too late?” he mumbled. “I-I can’t…”

Kakashi gave one step forwards to wrap the other man in a tight hug. That way, he was able to blink his own tears away without letting Gai see them. That way, he could fake being the strong one.

“We will find her” he assured against his husband’s ear. “And once we do, we’ll bring her back home and she will be safe.”

“It feels… It feels like a nightmare.”

Their worst nightmare.

“I know” the Hatake nodded. He left a soft kiss on Gai’s cheek before pulling apart, “but we have to leave, now. Rei needs us.”

His heart was beating fast. Probably faster than it had done since they were told their daughter could open the Gates. Faster than it was healthy. Nothing of that mattered, though. He might be anxious. Terrified. Angry. But he had to put all his energy on finding Rei.

Only then he could allow himself to cry. To rest. To breathe.

Gai swept his tears away with the sleeve of his uniform, nodding against the fabric. He pushed air in and out of his lungs before straightening up, a decisive expression on his face.

“Let’s go!”

Tenten found them about fifteen minutes after they abandoned Konoha. She didn’t bother with complaining about them leaving before she could join, almost the same amount of worry probably running through her veins at the moment.

The trio travelled in silence, not stopping unless it was extremely necessary and therefore reaching the border with the Rain Country in a day. Their first stop was the small village close to the post separating the lands, where Naruto had told Tenten she would be able to find the survivor teammate of Rei’s group.

“He woke up just a couple of hours ago” one of the nurses told them after demanding talking with him. “He is severely injured but should be able to answer a few questions. Don’t push him, though.”

Tenten nodded while Gai looked around and Kakashi pulled at his sleeve in a way nobody could notice, the movement necessary to alleviate his nerves. They followed the old woman into a small room with a couple of beeping machines and one lonely bed in the middle of it. The boy laying over the mattress was slightly younger than Rei, maybe about fourteen years old, but looked even younger tucked in like that.

“Rokudaime-sama!” he coughed, trying to incorporate at the vision of them.

“Ease up, young man” Gai said, one hand resting on the boy’s shoulder to force him down on the bed. “We don’t have time for pleasantries, we have to make you a few questions.”

“I… I am sorry” he stated, voice trembling. “We didn’t want to leave Rei behind, but my other teammate was badly injured, and she was our team leader, and she ordered us to go while she… while she bought time.”

Of course she did. Because Rei was her fathers’ daughter and had the Will of Fire embedded in her veins and brain.

“Do you remember where exactly did you separate?” the Hatake asked, tone neutral.

“Y-Yes” the boy coughed. Tenten offered him a glass of water, and he gulped it down before continuing. “It was about a kilometer after crossing the last bridge before the border. “

“And what was her condition?” the kunoichi pushed. “Was she injured as well?”

“A bit, and she had use a good amount of chakra, but not as bad as us.”

The trio exchanged a quick look, nodding in silence before starting to turn around.

“W-Wait!” the boy pleaded. “Don’t you… Don’t you want to know more about the mission and who attacked us? I don’t have a lot of information, but…”

“Worry not, young man” Gai smiled with a “good guy” pose, even if clearly off and unfocused. There was an evident amount of fury in his next words: “Whoever it was, we will make them regret their actions. Rei will be back with us in no time, you’ll see.”

Kakashi closed his hands into fists, holding himself back just enough to avoid drawing blood.

Rei had to be alive. She had to be fine.

And still.

Still…

Life as a shinobi had taught him that children also died.

And parents could be forced to face the unthinkable.

Finding the area where most of the battle had taken place was easy enough. The Alliance made it possible for them to cross the border without a problem, and from there to reach the bridge they had been told about was barely an hour. However, as it was common in the Rain Country, water was pouring from the sky and only a few tracks and destroyed trees and rocks had been left behind as clues to find Rei. Once those came to an end —their daughter probably opting to run away instead of keep fighting—, they had to resort to another method.

Over the years, Kakashi’s sense of smell had lost part of its edge, and especially under the rain he had difficulties finding Rei’s smell. Or rather, knowing in which direction she went. Angry and frustrated at the world and himself, he pulled his mask back up and grabbed a kunai to nick his thumb and summon his hounds.

“Hello, boss!” Pakkun greeted from the top of Bull’s head. “What’s up?”

Ninken aged way slower than common dogs, but his pack was old. They carried injuries and scars with them, and not even their senses were as good as in the past. Still, the Hatake knew he could still count on them.

“I need you to find Rei.”

That was enough to catch everybody’s attention.

“The pup? What’s wrong with her?” the small pug asked with a growl, his nose already moving.

“Her team was assaulted during their last mission” Kakashi hastily explained. “One is dead, the other is hospitalized. We need to find her.”

“Leave that to us, boss” Pakkun barked, jumping down to the ground and facing the rest of the pack. “Hounds, disperse!”

In a blink of an eye, the other seven dogs disappeared with a common and decisive growl. They all had seen Rei grow up, protected her as the newest member of the pack. The Hatake knew they wouldn’t stop until they found her.

The next few minutes were the most tense in Kakashi’s life, not knowing which direction to take and just waiting for a signal.

Finally, a long howl. Shiba.

“North-west!” Pakkun barked, starting to move just as he spoke.

The trio followed the small ninken without hesitation, and as they advanced more and more dogs joined the group until all of them were together again, following the same path. While they ran, a particular smell started to become more noticeable: blood. There were dark spots on some places of the ground next to the tall trees, where the rain hadn’t reached yet. The essence of Rei was equally strong.

The Hatake was not sure for how long they were moving, but the end of the trail became obvious just as he felt that no part of his body was dried anymore. About a kilometer ahead, the forest came to an abrupt end, meeting a stone wall taller than the trees. Just as the group reached the last available branch, the pack of ninken stayed put, not daring to come down on the ground.

Kakashi, Gai and Tenten didn’t think it twice. After all, their presence wouldn’t be as overwhelming for the creatures growling from inside the cavern ahead, as a group of eight hounds would be.

The way those growls echoed in the small clear, even when the dogs emitting them were not visible, indicated that the cave was long and narrow, possibly with only one way out. As they came closer, the aggressive display increased in volume, to the point that the Hatake had to bring a hand up to stop Tenten’s advances. She seemed about to protest for a second, but finally decided to stand back.

Entering the dark cavern could have been uneasy in another situation, but at that moment Kakashi was too worried about his daughter to give a fuck about anything else. That was why he kept walking even as the growls became closer, indicating that Gai and him were not the only ones moving.

It was still surprising to see them, sometimes. A couple of big ninken —Bull’s size—, but with a wolf appearance and well-known names across the Lands, both human and summon. One completely black, only his yellow eyes visible inside the cavern, and another full-white, her shiny teeth reflecting the little light available. Taiyo and Tsuki. The summons that had helped to create the legend of the White Fang.

Hatake Sakumo’s ninken.

They were both injured, judging by the smell they gave off and the dark spots obscuring Tsuki’s fur. Alongside the aggressiveness reflected in their eyes, both had their lips completely up, upper and lower canines in display as they continued growling.

It was endearing, to know they were trying to protect Rei.

Kakashi took down his own mask, showed his canines and growled back.

The action was enough to have them breaking out of the blinding mode they had set themselves on. Now that his eyes had gotten more used to the dark, the Hatake was able to see their tongues licking the still folded lips before their noses moved a bit, tasting the air. At last, their eyes showed some recognition.

“Where is Rei?” he demanded, still with a half-growl.

Taiyo and Tsuki didn’t need to look at each other to know what they were thinking, instead slowly starting their retreating at the same time. Just as Gai and him were about to follow them, a weak voice came from deep in the cavern.

“D-Dad? …Papa?”

Their eyes met in a second, open wide as if neither of them could really believe they had just heard their daughter’s voice. As if they had truly lost hope.

They ran.

The annoying sound that Gai’s orthosis made whenever it got too wet echoed in the wall as they advanced. And, at last, they saw the dim light of a small fire, the tunnel becoming just slightly bigger when turning to the left. There, in a corner sitting against a rock, Rei held her side with eyes that barely stayed open.

A quickly scan of the situation made the Hatake skip a beat. Her right leg was being supported by a hastily done sling, and a loose bandage went around her belly, blood coming from one of the sides and making a path to the ground. There were some other small wounds, but those two were the primary ones he could see and care about.

Gai and him moved with coordinated expertise, checking for more serious trauma and exchanging quick glances as they took in the situation. Judging by the amount of blood coming from the still open wound, how white Rei was and the fact that she was barely conscious…

“I… I’m… t-tired” the kunoichi mumbled, head just staying up with Gai’s support.

Kakashi’s heart beat faster. They were going to loose her. She was going to die in their arms and his worst nightmare would become true.

His breath caught. The image of a smiley baby flooded his mind. He blinked his tears away.

“Take her” he said to his husband. “Save our daughter, Gai.”

The other man held his gaze for a moment, as if needing that time to truly believe what he had said. Then, he nodded. His right hand went down to his orthosis, turning the electrical features off before coming closer to Rei and hold her up in his strong arms. His eyes set on Kakashi just for one second.

“Run.”

Gai disappeared.

The Hatake gave himself ten seconds to panic once he was left alone. Then, he turned around and ran as well, as far as possible from the image that would hunt him for the rest of his life.

[kwisatzworld]

If you have an interest in football, you may have had the opportunity to attend a live match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. If so, you might have noticed how the local fans, of either team, often whistle and even insult the opposing team every time they touch the ball, and with even more fervor if it's the star player of the rival team (currently Ronaldo or Messi). If they consider that player to be arrogant or if they have previously played for the other team (as was the case with Luis Figo), the boos are even more intense.

If you pause to think, you will see that this attitude directly stems from fear. Fear that the rival team may be better and win the game. Fear that Messi or Ronaldo might have a standout day and tip the match against our team. “Remember that unjust criticism is often a hidden compliment. No one kicks a dead dog!” as Dale Carnegie once said. And it’s true: people don’t fear the weak; they simply ignore them. That's why the level of anger or hatred decreases as the level of the opponent decreases, unless there is a historical rivalry, as is the case with Atlético and Real Madrid, or Espanyol and Barça.

In my case, I have never lacked haters. First, because I have always been competing for top positions. Second, because I have a strong character and have always said what I think, not what the fans or my rivals want to hear. In that sense, I am not as well-liked by the majority as other more reserved riders.

Unlike countries like the United States, where those who confidently display their success are applauded, in Spain, athletes who demonstrate great humility, who are part of a united family and stay out of trouble, both in competition and in their private lives, are more favorably viewed. In my case, especially at the beginning of my career, I behaved in precisely the opposite way that an "ideal" athlete should, so my detractors had plenty of reasons to channel their hatred (or fear) toward me.

“Casually,” most of the criticism came from some fans of my rivals. There are fans who simply support their rider, but others need to criticize or jeer at their rivals. It happened with Pedrosa when we were both in the 250cc, and the Spanish public divided into “Pedrosistas” and “Lorenzistas”. It happened with Márquez when he entered MotoGP, and I openly commented that he was too aggressive in overtaking. And since my debut in MotoGP, I have always faced it from the most hardcore Rossi fans, who since 2008 saw me as a threat to his reign, both in the MotoGP championship and in the Yamaha team.

After winning the 2015 world championship, these criticisms, insults, and jeers have become even more common, both at the world circuit and on social media. In Márquez’s case, who also began experiencing it that year due to the incident between Rossi and him, it may have been a greater emotional burden since he had always carefully maintained his image as the “ideal” athlete. Moreover, they were “friends”, and Rossi’s fans respected him and considered him, due to talent and age difference, the natural heir. All of that changed when Valentino started to “smell” his tenth world championship. To achieve it, clashes on the track between the two became inevitable. The situation became even more tense when in the press conference of the Malaysian Grand Prix, Rossi accused Márquez of deliberately helping me win the championship. From that point on, the two of us became enemies for the millions of 46 fans. In my case, because we always had a tense relationship and I was the rival who could snatch his long-awaited tenth world title; in Márquez’s case, supposedly for conspiring in my favor.

If you pay attention, the word “detractor” resembles “destructor”. It is related to destroying, eliminating, annihilating. How do the most radical fans attempt to “eliminate”, or at least weaken, the rival? By trying to get into their heads. By demoralizing them, sending negative messages like “you’re very bad,” “you have no personality,” “you’re not even in the same league as my rider,” etc.

Lately, when I check my Twitter or Instagram, in the comments on my photos, I see messages like these: “loser,” “go home,” “you can't tame the beast,” “take the money and run,” “retire, you're making a fool of yourself,” etc. After reading them, I have sometimes checked the recipient’s username. Curiously, the nicknames of these individuals always end with the same number.

[zehglitch]

The Fallen Angel

Ezephr's backstory

— 3

Content Warnings: Human experimentation, child experimentation, kidnapping, violence, toying with people, mentions of death, abuse/starvation, mentions of children killing each other, dehumanization, bullying, some harsh language

Chapter 3 — A Strong Girl

Today, he’d made his final decision. X1 was far too valuable to risk losing so early on…he needed to implement one of their tests prior to any contests. He was fairly interested in seeing what would happen to it inside of a growing body, but his main motive was preserving the subject. If he got to have a show from doing so, that was just a bonus. He had begun preparations early on, taking any children that managed to survive in the pit so he could perfect the project, test the limits of it. At this point, they had an abundance of important data.

Currently, he’d sent one of the cloaked to retrieve the angel, allowing him to sit back in the office chair and scan over the data. There couldn't be any mistakes in this experiment--none. He wouldn't allow his precious, rare chance to slip away from him so easily. Not now. Finding anything even close to the results he desired this early on in their project was exceedingly uncommon, to the point of never actually happening. He had his doubts, yes, but he’d also never had an angel before. This could very well open new opportunities for them.

He would like to get another one, but they lived in massive groups referred to as flocks. Each and every one of them was a threat on their own, but in their swarms you might as well accept your inevitable death. The only creature with no base element that developed any sort of unlisted magic you could dream of. He wasn't certain what led to them always varying in their power, seeing as inheritance had no affect, but had no way of confirming the cause. To him, that was detestable, but unavoidable. Not much he could do about it.

The doctor smirked. Well, until now anyway. He had an angel in his grasp for the first, and possibly last, time. It was exhilarating. Throwing about the possibilities in his mind for now, he spun the chair and pushed it over to the line of chemicals, double checking the process they were going through. The liquid was still coming out black, despite the many efforts made to keep it the same hue as blood. He hummed, moving on with a shrug. Oh well, that didn't change the quality. Color wasn't quite as important as the function. He looked at a bubbling tank. The implant was ready.

He heard the telltale sign of the laboratory door sliding open with a hiss, bringing him to swivel the chair and face who entered. Perfect, they brought the angel. Maintaining a faux smile, he calmly stated, “Ah, welcome, X1.” He crossed his legs, setting a hand on his knee while the other gestured around the room. “I’m glad you could get here unharmed.” He caught the barely suppressed flinch from his words and nearly lost himself. Mind on the matter, doctor. “Please, lay down over here.” He waved to a silver table.

His cloaked man set the wary child down before moving to block the door, arms crossed behind their back. Exactly as instructed. The doctor watched how the boy looked around the room, wondering what he thought of the items he'd never seen before. Patience…he could pick the boy’s brain as much as he desired later. What caught him off guard, however, was the defiant, closed fisted stance X1 took while staring daggers at him. “Why? Father, what do you want from me after abandoning us?” That was fairly surprising.

He felt both the outrage of his subject questioning him, and the absolute delight over the tenacity shown from a frightened five year old. Gorgeous. He tilted his head. “Whatever do you mean? I never abandoned you, I am simply waiting. Now, lay on the table and I will answer all your questions.” X1 clearly didn’t want to listen, but the doctor watched with satisfaction as the child gave in and approached the table. He didn't approve of someone simple minded, but he did enjoy someone who resisted, but still bent to his will in the end.

Once the angel was situated, having done so slowly and cautiously, the doctor rolled his chair over and offered the boy a smile. He was met with vague disdain. “Stay still, alright? This won't hurt a bit.” He hit the switch and watched with glee as the metal bars came up to restrain him. They snapped down quickly and almost painfully tight, preventing any form of real resistance without causing pain. Of course, the boy panicked…that wasn’t the best response he could've gotten, but it was expected. That's why the doctor frowned.

It was a tad disappointing to have the angel react how any child would, though he’d give credit for the unnatural silence. He turned away from the struggling child, only for his attention to be brought back when the boy spoke up. “You said you’d answer my questions. All of them.” The doctor gave the angel a cursory glance before waving for the boy to ask. “...why did you move us? What sound was mother making when you did?” He seemed to hesitate, as if he needed to think his questions through. “Why am I in here?”

The doctor turned only to retrieve the vial of anesthetic, filling his syringe. “You were moved simply for turning five years old. You had to relocate for the new batch of children and for your graduation. Your mother…I assume she must’ve been growling. It’s a nasty habit of critters, you see.” He tested the function of the syringe and went back over to the boy. “As for your being here…it’s simple, really. You’re better than the rest and I’m giving you my personal care.” To the point he planned to do this operation himself rather than delegate it.

X1 had such a fascinating expression over this information, but in the end he looked the doctor in the eye. Interesting…the subjects usually avoided that. “If…I let you do whatever, will you keep X4 safe and teach me more?” The man blinked in surprise, then gave a soft laugh while shaking his head. That was simply absurd. The boy had such a serious, yet hopeful expression, but he had no clue. The fool. He’d do whatever he liked to this boy…although it could be worth offering a reward. The doctor decided to make note of what had been asked for.

He clicked his tongue. “Ridiculous. As if you had a choice in the matter.” He swiftly injected the anesthetic in the boy’s pinned arm, then reached up and tapped the bar that was over his neck. “You’re just a useful product I’m improving. Don’t be mistaken. Perhaps if you win in the pit, I’ll consider your requests.” He watched the child fade away, patiently waiting for the medicine to take hold. When it had, he undid the restraints and removed the clothes, pulling the container holding the organ closer. “You certainly don’t need all these organs…”

☾︎☀︎︎☽︎

It…wasn’t that surprising they were being treated this way. From the beginning, trust didn’t exist in that strange home of theirs. Not for her. X4 readjusted, waiting patiently for her brother to come back and trying her best to not look around this place. It was full of screams, crying, begging…and not from her cellmates. She knew her change was bothering X1, but how could she explain the dark shape following him around ever since he got hit for their food. For her food. Why couldn't she just bring herself to move and get it without his help?

Guilt was eating away at her more and more as time passed in this cage. She let him heal her, but she failed to protect him. Instead, he used his body as her shield while she did what? Nothing. Nothing at all, except stare at the floor to avoid what she saw present in this cage. X1 was her brother, why couldn't she help him like she used to anymore? When he was taken away from her, she didn't even try to grab for him and…she saw the way his face twisted and tears formed in his eyes. But the worst part was his following resignation.

Did she…do something wrong? X4 chanced looking around their shared cage, trying to understand the situation. She was alone with that girl…and the others, but that girl was the scariest. Reaching up to fuss with her dirty, tangled pink hair, she attempted to distract herself. Would she get to eat with him gone? Probably not. She shook her head, then hurriedly avoided their eyes when that drew their attention. No, please just stay away and continue ignoring the quiet girl. She wasn't going to cause any trouble, they didn’t need to watch her.

She squeezed her eyes shut, wanting to block out the world as the voices flooded her mind again. No, please be quiet! Her hands went over her ears to block it out, but that never seemed to help. With a very soft whimper, she pushed herself further into the corner and wished she was hidden. She never asked to be able to see these things, to hear them…they were scary and loud and violent. X4 suppressed her shaking as best she could while biting her lip. She wanted X1 back, finding all her thoughts focusing on that gentle, kind boy. Yeah. She depended on him far too much.

☾︎☀︎︎☽︎

She finds herself woken up by a heavy force slamming into her shoulder. Dully, she hears someone shouting at her as well, but…she had a hard time focusing after coming out of sleep. The scary things were all screaming and cackling and making a raucous loud enough to disorient her. Then a dark foot came hurtling towards her face. With a gasp, X4 shoved herself away, sitting up and scrambling back from the attack. Her heart beat wildly, abandoning the thought of the stones digging into her skin in order to dodge another strike.

Focusing on her surroundings, it took her a considerable moment to distinguish between her cellmate and the strange, creepy things she could always see. What? Her cellmate was attacking her? She was never attack liked this before--oh. X1 wasn't here this time. In a hurry, she shoved her tired body off the ground and moved away from the older girl. Why was she being attacked anyway? The thought briefly occurred to her that she’d slept and X1 was still gone--where was she? Rather than allow her time to wake up, a new attack aimed for her and landed right in the gut.

Can't breathe. She clutched her stomach weakly, looking up at the angry girl and just staring at her. What did she want? X4, with a part of herself returning, managed to stand up and stare the hostile girl in the eyes, of course, she couldn't speak at all, but she wasn't backing down anyway. The girl sneered at her. “What? Just because that dumbass protects you, you think you're safe?” She waved around the cage. “He’s not here.” Her claws jabbed at X4 when she roughly poked the young elf. “And I’m tired of your smug face in my corner.”

X4 just continued to stare, but unlike X1 she couldn't hide the wince when a claw pierced her skin. However…she stepped forward, causing the claw to go in deeper. She wore a glare of her own as she rode through the burn. Faintly, she was aware of something cool streaming down her face, but she didn’t stop. All of this ended when the older girl slapped her, the force throwing her back to the floor. There was momentary silence in their cage, all of them taking in the situation. X4 was much smaller than the other girl, so it hadn’t been interesting in the slightest at first.

Now, they were curious. The older girl growled quietly at the elf. “You…are you just copying that crazy bastard now? I’m calling your bluff, right now.” She gave no time between her threat and swiping at the younger child with her claws fully poised for the attack. X4 bit her lip painfully hard when those claws ripped through her skin and clothes, then tried to kick her attacker. She stepped on her legs, stopping that effort before it hardly began. Her blue eyes, lacking a pupil from her race, stared at the other girl with contempt.

Of course, her attacker wasn't stopping, but the room suddenly exploded to life around the two. X4’s eyes were glowing as she shoved at the girl, shocking herself when an unknown force sent her flying. The elf sat there stunned, watching the creepy and scary things she’d always seen…protecting her. Her gaze darted to her cellmates, finding the angry girl already standing, but not approaching, just staring. Could none of them see this? She didn't stand, dully aware of a horrible ache in her legs from being stepped on, but she scooted away from everyone.

Momentary silence, then the girl shouted, “I’m the strongest here, you can’t do that to me!” X4 had never understood why all the older kids in the cages were obsessed with being stronger than everyone else. Still, that didn't change the fact that she was now being charged. With a nervous sound, she threw her hands out in the hope of defending herself…and watched as the scary things rushed for the girl. A gasp escaped her, seeing that girl being slammed against the bars of the cage. X4 blinked, catching sight of the name on her neck. Y12.

Her long, dark purple hair had always hidden her name and she never answered if asked about it. X4 studied Y12 for a long time, hoping she was okay but too scared to go over and check. If she did, she’d get hurt, right? And if she didn’t get hurt, then Y12 was hurt a lot more than she thought. She really hoped not. That would be really, really bad. X4 didn’t want to hurt her…well, she didn't, the scary things did. The elf looked at the creepy beings, stiffening when she caught them all staring directly at her, as if waiting for something.

She shuddered, a cold chill trailing down her spine. Before she could dwell on it, Y12 groaned and pushed herself up. As if she’d never been knocked down, her dangerous red eyes boring a hole through the child. Everything about her behavior screamed danger, causing X4 to roughly shove herself against the wall. There was an immediate response from the creatures around her, all of them swarming to be in front of her. There was a breeze inside the cage from their movement, and Y12 was studying it closely.

In the end, the girl clicked her tongue and turned away, storming back to the single bed available. “This ain’t worth it. You’re a breakable freak just like that other one.” She whirled around though. “But I control this space. You got that?” X4 didn’t supply a response, merely shrinking into herself and earning a scoff from the older girl. She watched the other lay on the bed, then hugged herself. Did this…mean she was safe? Was she going to be hit more later? Did she get hurt too? X4 squeezed her legs tightly. She didn’t like hurting people.

In the end, she was back to wishing her brother was here for her. Whether she did it or not, she felt like those things had hurt that girl because of her. She was the only one who could see them, after all. Where was he? Was he coming back? If he didn’t come back…she didn’t know what she’d do. She glanced at her other two siblings, catching them staring at her. Weakly, she offered them a smile, the same one she gave all her siblings back home. They both pouted, their bottom lips poking out and their eyes getting teary.

She shook her head slowly, knowing they might get hit if they came over to her. And yet…despite the bad situation, she was happy to see that they were still who she remembered. X2 and X3 were both so kind…whatever the others had been doing, they looked so scared. She wasn’t fully aware of what all had gone on in the very beginning. She could recall zoning out or covering her ears and eyes when the others would scream, but she also knew X1 had always been right in front of her throughout all of that. She wished he would’ve helped them too.

X4 turned away from them, wincing as the movement both brought pain and the sound of quiet whines from her siblings. She touched where it hurt, grimacing at the sharp feedback it earned. When she raised her hand, it was covered in blood. That…probably wasn’t good. Remembering something their mother had taught them, she ripped off the already torn part of her clothes and tried to wrap around the area. Turns out, getting fabric from clothes was really hard if there wasn't already a tear. Having learned that, she used the rip to get more when needed.

Every motion hurt, but she made an effort to get herself patched up. X1 could heal her when he comes back…she held onto that thought desperately. He will come back. She can do this badly and he’ll help her. He’s not gone. She tried to keep her mind off how two people would leave, and only one came back. That wouldn't be him. Her brother was strong…he was kind, but he wouldn't leave her. He told her so. She pulled the fabric tight and winced, but didn’t stop. Mother had told them it had to be tight. While finishing it up and barely maintaining conscious, she wondered again where her little brother went to, and…when he’d come back to her.

—

Masterpost

Backstory Master

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—

Taglist: @nobodywritingao3 , @dragooned-speaks

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[fantabulousblog]

Bees Protection

I'm a lover of nature, I've always been passionated by the bees.

As a child, I was captivated by their skillful organization, their effective communication, their intricate social structure, and their capacity to collaborate for the benefit of the swarm - and this fascination has only grown as I became an adult.

I am deeply concerned about the decline of the bee population and I am doing whatever I can to help. The most concerning part is that I can see the slow decline of their population even from my balcony.

I've created a few artwork on this subject to raise awareness, try to remind people of the current situation of bees and explain why they are essential to the ecosystem.

Importance of bees in human food production

Bees are one of the most important pollinators of crops and wildflowers. They play a vital role in the ecosystem and are responsible for the pollination of around 80% of the world’s plants.

If we just consider them under the angle of human feeding, they are responsible for the pollination of 75% of cultivated plants including 90% of fruit trees ! Without them, therefore, almost no more fruits and vegetables, or oilseeds (rapeseed, peanuts, olives, …), nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, …) …

In addition, the presence of wild pollinators in a field makes it possible to increase – sometimes double – the yields of certain fruits and vegetables, such as apples or tomatoes. They also aid in the genetic mixing of plants and their adaptation to weather hazards. Ultimately, pollinators are vital for the quality, quantity, and diversity of our food.

Threats to Bee Populations

Despite their importance, bee populations are in danger. They are facing a multitude of threats to their survival, from disease and parasites to the devastating effects of climate change.

As temperatures rise and habitats become increasingly disrupted, bees are struggling to find the resources they need to survive.

In addition to their already weakened immune systems, they are also at risk of contracting deadly diseases like the American foulbrood.

Parasites such as the Varroa or the Small Hive Beetle can also wreak havoc on bee colonies, destroying their habitat and leaving them vulnerable to attack. But that's not all – the Asian hornet is the ultimate predator, posing an even greater threat to bee populations.

As if that weren't enough, bees are also struggling to cope with the changing climate, which is causing their traditional habitats to become increasingly inhospitable.

They are being forced to search for new areas to feed, and the lack of suitable food sources is taking its toll. It's clear that if we don't take steps to protect bees, their future is in serious jeopardy.

All of these factors contribute to the steep decline in bee populations, putting our food system and ecosystems in danger.

How to Protect Bees

There are many things that individuals and organizations can do to help protect bees. Here are some examples:

- Avoid using harmful chemicals: Choose natural alternatives to pesticides and herbicides to reduce harm to bees and other wildlife.

Find a list of chemicals to avoid in your garden etablished and maintained by the center for food safety here

- Plant native flowering plants: Bees need food sources, and native flowers can provide needed nutrients.

Find a list of native flowering plants useful to the bees classified by state here (United States)

- Support organizations that protect bees: Nonprofits and other groups play an important role in bee conservation.

Find a short list of non-profit worldwide organizations that protect bees here (there are many more)

- Advocate for bee protection: Speak up for bees and encourage others to do the same by contacting your elected officials or through social media.

Conclusion

Bees may be small creatures, but they play a critical role in our world. By protecting bees and their habitats, we are not only safeguarding our food systems and ecosystems but ensuring our own survival on this planet. Whether you’re a farmer, a consumer, or simply someone like me who cares about the environment, there are many ways that you can help make a difference !

Discover Fantabuloustef bees artwork on Redbubble

Discover Fantabuloustef bees artwork on Zazzle

Discover Fantabuloustef bees artwork on Spreadshirt

The money made from the sales of my artwork around bees will help me planting and taking care of bee-useful flowers.

[queenoftheboard]

a possessive kiss that is meant to stake a claim ( either initiating ! )

♕ kiss & tell . accepting

It wasn't supposed to happen like this - neither of the moves carefully planed by either Daigo or Eirene ended up with them on a hospital bed, actually fighting for their life after a grave injury. Theirs was a dangerous world filled with unsavory attempts on their positions, sure - but they were better than that.

They were above these things - they should always emerge victorious; the threats lurking in the dark surrounding their respective career paths were meant to be an incentive to keep things interesting, for them to continue to play the game with vigor but never losing. Eirene did not do loss, defeat, retreat; hers was a too brilliant track record of victory upon victory to have it tarnished now.

Sitting by Daigo's side at his secluded hospital room, it was difficult to put into words why his current state caused the Irishwoman so much distress. At a rational level, it was easy to try to pass it off as some business concern - without her more important (and strongest) ally, there would be a power vacuum where Quinn would be vulnerable. If not in terms of actual reputation, then surely where shareholding value was measured if the same returns were not maintained due to external influence and disturbances.

But she had been faced with complex corporate aspects before: corrupt officers, mountains of red tape upon arriving at a new country, language barriers - Eirene Campbell had persevered and triumphed; it would stand to reason that she would perform in the same way now, regardless of the figure of the Sixth Chairman being at the helm or not. Surely she could find another truce with his successor, right? Daigo wasn't the only sensible yakuza on the planet.

But then... Why did it feel like he was? Why was Eirene so keen on seeing him recovered and back to the chess board if he was not the only player out there?

A pained groan attracted her attention - and the differently colored eyes blinked, finding the Tojo chairman's black ones looking back at her. Daigo was confused - a more understanding situation than her own warring feelings over matters she couldn't fully explain from a rational standpoint. At the suggestion that he was going to move on his bed, Eirene scrambled to her feet, bending over his figure and fixing the pillows to assist the yakuza in adjusting himself in a way that was comfortable. It was only when they separated that the blonde realized how close they had been - despite everything during the past month, they were still...

...Rivals. Opposites sides to a cold war at best, leaders of a truce disputed behind their backs.

But the rapid drumming of Eirene's heartbeat did not leave her alone; the fact that Daigo had regained consciousness and evidently acknowledged her identity was a relief, but the woman's pulse remained increased. What was it, then? He would make it through, he was safe, it was only a matter of days (months, maybe) until he was back to his immensely oppressive office at the clan headquarters, both of them surrounded by their attentive bodyguards, scheduling meetings at pre-approved public places, exchanging witty and scathing e-mails...

Before Eirene could logically understand what she was doing, she bent down and pressed lips against his. It was not her best moment - or Daigo's, really. The man was barely awake or able to consent, not to mention under recovery and hurting all over. And yet - the woman kissed him in a way that was nothing short of possessive, imprinting a million feelings the CEO lacked the ability to put into words at his side, and pulling away in such a state that she looked like the one in need of a supply of oxygen instead.

"You're mine, Dojima. I swear if something had happened to you on the top of that godforsaken tower, I'd have dragged you back from hell myself," Eirene breathed against his face, resting her forehead against his for a minute. The yakuza's facial expression was like a kaleidoscope, shifting through different emotions but eventually settling on something like amusement.

"So you could..." he paused, a soft cough following and making Eirene aware that she needed to give him space. The Campbell heiress pulled back, straightening up her spine in a more dignified fashion. Her left hand wiped away something off her face - but they were not tears or any indication of some sort of distress; they couldn't be.

"So you could kill me instead?" the yakuza repeated himself and finished his thoughts, a ragged grin taking residence on his face. Despite the pale color of his hospital gown, the dull shade of the walls around them and the irritating noise of the monitors, that made it all change; if Daigo was fit enough to make these jokes (and to smile like that), he would make it, then. He would pull through.

Eirene snickered, eyes rolling backwards in a rather exaggerated fashion before locking onto his features again. Sighing next, her hand went to his face, cupping the side with softness and care despite the content of their words - to anyone else, it would have sounded strange; to the two of them, there was no contrast between speech and action, really. It was just an elaborate play.

"See, Daigo-kun? I knew you'd see it my way," a grin curved her painted lips next, and Eirene moved a thumb over his skin, pleased to see he felt warm to her hand (as he should), "I'll have no kings sacrificing themselves on the board - this is not how we play chess back at home," the Quinn CEO joked, but it was clear they were also not technically speaking of Eirene's favorite hobby.

"Now, be a darling and get well soon. I'll have the heads of whoever hurt you in the meanwhile," the woman spoke in a tone that was deceptively sweet. Although Eirene had no way to actually force Daigo to comply with the first part of her words, the threat that the second part of her sentence promised was very real, "No one wins a game I'm a part of, Daigo-kun. I won't let them get away with it."

[female-malice]

It is a refined form of brewing that uses microorganisms to make ingredients we currently get from animals or plants. While our ancient ancestors made bread, cheese, and beer by using the microorganisms that were randomly present in their environment, today’s precision fermentation can genetically reprogramme microorganisms to make exact nutrients. Here’s how to do it:

Choose a specific microorganism such as a yeast or bacteria.

Genetically engineer the microorganism with the DNA sequences coding for the amino acids which form the protein you want to create – such as the proteins found in cow’s milk: casein and whey.

Put the microorganisms in a fermentation tank with some simple nutrients and sugars.

Ferment! (Just like beer.)

Harvest food-grade ingredients that are biologically identical to those you’d get from an animal and mix them up into sellable familiar products (like dairy milk, cream or cheese…).

According to a new analysis in the Reboot Food report, protein from microorganisms uses up to 40,900 times less land than beef, meaning that such ‘farm-free foods’ could produce the entire world’s protein requirements on just 420km2 of land – an area of land smaller than Greater London*

This would not only save 3/4s of global agricultural land for nature restoration and carbon drawdown but would also release up to 91% less greenhouse gases per calorie produced.

Precision fermentation is already used to produce 99% of the global insulin supply and 90% of the global rennet. Today PF milk proteins and PF egg whites have already reached the US grocery market.

Emma Smart, Coordinator of Replanet UK says “The precision fermentation revolution is as significant and consequential for our natural world and climate as the dawn of farming was 10,000 years ago. Only this time, today’s food revolution promises a new age for non-human life of regeneration not devastation.”

–

Solarpunk perspective:

This is huge. If we can end industrial animal agriculture in the next 5 years, we can avoid the worst climate emergency threats. We'll still have to weather mega storms for a few decades and open our hearts to a few million refugees. But we'll get through it together and we won't do it on an empty stomach.

Doomer perspective:

This is a disruptive technological application that promotes global equality. The global superpowers need animal agriculture so they can maintain their exploitation hierarchy. They want to speed-run the apocalypse. They want to be on top of the world when the world ends. And they want to see it end in their lifetime. "I was the best at this game all the way up to the end!"

So they'll do everything they can to suppress disruptive technological applications. That's why they will always choose oil over solar and animal agriculture over precision fermentation.

It won't just be a few decades of storms. We'll hit the tipping point cascade. Our entire global biodiversity system will unravel. 90% of species will go extinct. And humanity will die slowly and painfully of novel zoonotic diseases that spread globally through feral cattle. Our refusal to replace domesticated cows with domesticated microbes will ultimately lead to a feral zombie cow apocalypse plague.

Regional activism perspective:

Global superpowers are meaningless fools. As common people, we can remake society to suit our changing needs. Find out the total volume of animal protein your town consumes. Draft a municipal precision fermentation infrastructure plan. Spread flyers and leaflets everywhere. Start a RePlanet/Precision Fermentation advocacy group in your city.

The best place to meet people who would be extremely passionate about this technology is geek cafes and boardgame shops. Or better yet, a Star Trek convention. Precision fermentation is a Star Trek technology. It's called a "food replicator" in Star Trek. Rebranding from "precision fermentation" to "food replication" may help people be more open minded.

[ausetkmt]

The economics of how structural racism damages us all – The Catalyst

One of the most influential events of 2020 was the death of George Floyd at the hands of Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao. Sparking nationwide protests, these events served as a stark reminder for the majority of Americans that the implicit racism that has always been intertwined with American society, and by extension its government, is very much alive.

With that being said, despite several months of protests and several criminal justice reform bills being passed (at a painstakingly slow pace with the issue being far from solved), the general public has seemed to once again have set the systemic racism issue onto the backburner.

Perhaps with the start of jury selection for the primary killer of Mr. Floyd, Derek Chauvin, however, the issue of American systemic racism will once again be recognized by the American government as the major threat to the American public that it is.

Unfortunately, with headlines such as “Derek Chauvin murder trial delayed for decision on extra charge” (The Guardian), and “Derek Chauvin Trial May Be Delayed Over Court Ruling on Third-Degree Murder” (The New York Times), it does not appear that the American criminal justice system has recognized the severity of systemic racism.

So why has this happened? It is almost universally agreed upon that racism is morally detestable, so why is our government so slow to act? Well, I, and probably many other fellow cynics, would argue that in our current society, money speaks louder than morals.

This assumption can be supported by the numerous cases of markets and governments becoming hopelessly intertwined. The post-2008 $700 billion bailouts of the banks are a perfect example of this.

While generally agreed upon (in moral terms) that the massive banks that caused the crisis should not be bailed out at the expense of the lower and middle classes, the size and power of these banks made it so that unless one wanted to see an economic collapse comparable to the Great Depression, a bailout was necessary to maintain relative economic well-being.

While the nature of the post-2008 world is an entire essay in it of itself, I hope that my brief examination of this topic has illustrated the relevance of my earlier assertion that in our current society money overpowers ideals.

This assertion is necessary for understanding the relevance of the rest of this article, as from this point onward I wish to address the issue of systemic racism. I wish to address it, not from a moral standpoint but rather from an economic standpoint.

Using basic economic theory (and several empirical cases to highlight my hypothesis), I hope to illustrate that a continued government failure to address the systemic racism issue is a real threat in the economic terms that our current political-economic system seems to value.

The idea that systemic racism is an economic threat is hardly a new concept to contemporary American politics. With the aforementioned Black Lives Matter protests in mind, the economic effects of structural racism against Black Americans are easy to find and distinct. A 2013 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development study concluded that prospective Black homeowners are shown 17.7% fewer homes compared to comparable white prospective homeowners.

Similarly, in 2011, Bank of America settled a $335 million lawsuit after acquiring Countrywide, amid accusations of charging 200,000 Black and Hispanic borrowers higher fees on the basis of race. Yet, while all these issues are incredibly problematic, they are also reflective a specific type of economic racism: supplier-based discrimination.

Supplier-based discrimination, as the name suggests, is discrimination on the part of the seller. While it is definitely problematic, according to market-based economic theory, supplier discrimination tends to sort itself out because charging a certain minority group more or hiring that group less invites competing firms to create specific policies that cater to the certain group and reap more of a profit.

In simplest terms, the market “sorts” out supplier-based discrimination in the long run. Now while that theory only applies if we presuppose that all actors in the market are solely profit-driven, (and aren’t influenced by inherent emotional factors like racism), there does appear to be some level of merit to this theory, as a study by Devah Pager provided some empirical support to this claim.

The center for American Progress, however, provided data that suggests that even near full employment, Black unemployment remains 2 to 1, when compared to white unemployment. Nevertheless, due to the ongoing debate over the “effects” of supplier-based discrimination, I believe that the supply side of the racial economic argument is a dead end.

Thus, I want to take another approach in spurring those with power to take decisive action. That approach is the other form of discrimination: consumer-based discrimination. As the name suggests, this is preference-based discrimination done by the consumer, and unlike its supply side counterpart, market economic theory doesn’t argue that the problem will solve itself. The logic is relatively easy to follow: if consumers don’t want to see or interact with a certain minority group then it is in each supplier’s best interest to enforce discriminatory policies. So, is this an issue? Is general American society really that racist?

While it is incredibly difficult to quantify a given society as more or less racist, I would argue the metrics we do have suggest that consumer-based racism can be a real problem. Harvard Implicit Bias tests suggest that about 68% of its correspondents have some level of subconscious preference for white-presenting individuals over Black-presenting individuals.

When we consider that notion with other general observations such as white supremacists hijacking Black Lives Matter protests and the continued existence of “sundown towns,” the conclusion that large sectors of our population might have an unconscious bias against Black Americans seems less and less outlandish. Now obviously this is a moral crisis, but if you remember at the beginning of this piece, I promised I would highlight how this is an economic crisis.

When minority inventors or future entrepreneurs face a heightened aberrance from consumers, they are naturally less likely to succeed and/or feel confident in their future economic prospects. Furthermore, when we consider that Black Americans face heightened resistance from our criminal justice system (according to a 2017 U.S. Sentencing Commission Study) it is easy to imagine that faith in these institutions begins to falter.

When faith in a society’s abilities to enforce and protect property rights begins to falter for a minority group, economic development suffers a hit as well. In more clear-cut terms, if you think you will become a target for racism by opening a business, or you do not trust the government to settle matters if your store is robbed, why would you ever open a business in the first place?

More importantly, the implications of this concept have devastating consequences. Lisa Cook, a researcher who studied the effects of racism on Black patent holders between 1870 and 1940, found that the wealth that America lost due to Black inventors being discouraged to innovate due to racism is equivalent to about a medium-sized European nation at the time. In other words, the American government’s general apathy to addressing societal racism, and reforming and increasing trust in our criminal justice system, heavily limits our GDP growth rates.

Now the conclusion I reached throughout this article might seem initially bland. I essentially concluded that racism is bad, a take that really isn’t that controversial. So why even take the time (and the length) to spell this argument out, and how exactly is it relevant to the Derek Chauvin trial?

To answer those questions I want to once again point to the concepts I laid out earlier. While it may appear cynical, we live in a world where money speaks louder than ideals. So rather it is not the “what” that I concluded but the “how” that I concluded that matters.

I truly believe that an argument that outlines why systemic racism has real tangible detrimental effects, not only for Black Americans but also for the rich and powerful, is thousands of times more effective than a simplistic moral “ought” claim. It quite literally sets a tangible basis for reparations and restoring what was stolen.

So, for the upcoming Derek Chauvin trial America is faced with a choice: will it continue to shoot itself in its own foot and turn its back on its citizens? Or will it finally take the first steps in restoring faith in a broken criminal justice system and repair the economic ruin that it has left far too long in its own wake?

With cases such as Laquan McDonald’s and Breonna Taylor’s in mind, I cannot say that I am hopeful, but I know for certain that this April I will be watching and demanding a long-overdue step in the right direction.

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[portablefrailty]

Not voting for Joe Biden in November out of protest over Palestine is not going to help the people of Palestine. The GOP is vociferously supportive of any move Bibi makes to maintain Israeli hegemony and his own, the crueler the better.

Hate Biden's backing of Israel all you want but his actions are consistent with decades of American foreign policy. As Israel's chief backer, American prestige is bound up with that nation's success. Israel is also a key node in America's web of overseas military alliances that has helped ensure relative peace since World War II. Walking away from Israel would undermine confidence in our strategic partnerships everywhere. It would not only make the US look bad but actually make us less safe.

Biden also understood the cold geopolitical reality that Hamas' brutal and unprovoked attack required a response. Any nation intent on its own survival has to take open existential threats to its national security seriously. Flagrant attacks on that security must always be met with credible force--especially when your state is surrounded by rivals openly bent on your destruction who are watching for any sign of weakness. Israel has gone to war or been attacked by its neighbors several times in its 76 year history--multiple times by whole coalitions of foreign enemies. In 1972 Israel's delegation to the Munich Olympic games was slaughtered en masse on live television. During the 2000s, suicide bombings killed thousands of its citizens.

The October attack was merely the freshest outrage.

Israel has survived through tenacity, strength and preparation to meet any threat. Israel's philosophical approach is to conflict is to always hit back harder. To make the aggressor regret their actions so bitterly that it takes at least a generation before they think about trying anything again.

It's why they're still here.

Hamas factored Israel's notorious counterpunching tendencies into their plans when they attacked last October. In fact it was a key feature of their larger strategic vision. They launched a portion of their forces on a suicide attack so cruel and brazen that Israel had to respond and embedded the rest so thickly in heart of Gaza's population centers that the counterattackers would have to wade through thousands of innocents being exploited as human shields to deliver retribution.

It was a plan as diabolical as it was brilliant.

Like anyone with a basic knowledge of modern warfare, Joe Biden understood that there was never going to be a resolution to the current war that did not entail tremendous suffering amongst the Gazan people. 80 years of continual conflict can give a people a siege mentality. They can become hardened, stubborn, vindictive, or paranoid. They can lose any sense of proportion regarding suffering and violence. Launched by such a people, limited punitive campaigns can easily give rise to moments of cruelty and wanton slaughter. It happens in most wars.

Joe Biden is dealing with a crisis not of his making nor completely within his control. To keep the fire confined to one dumpster, the president has conditioned American support on the understanding that he expects Israel to exercise some kind of restraint: to get the job done with the minimum of unpreventable harm to the civilians in Gaza. His efforts have been equivocal at best but have not been completely in vain. Israel has had to play along with ongoing negotiation efforts. They've had to permit rudimentary on-the-ground relief efforts to enter to Gaza. The Israeli leaders have also slowed the pace of the campaign. Passions have begun to cool and the pressure of global opinion increasingly weighs on Tel Aviv. Biden is sometimes slow to call out Israel's worst abuses, but he has done so more than once and voiced his willingness to withdraw support if the things don't improve.

The war has been an ugly one so far but it could also be far worse and I think Joe Biden deserves some credit for that.

If Trump is returned to power, however, Netanyahu will be unchained, free to indulge his darker impulses. Meanwhile, on college campuses across the US, the current wave of pro-Palestinian protests will be stamped out by riot squads and hard right shit kickers in masks. More Palestinian children will die.

So if you really care about saving lives, look past your impatience with Biden's ancience and awkwardness and let nothing distract you from the all-important business of voting Democrat. First, prevent the rise of tyranny in the America. Then go save the world.

I'm just going to leave this here, because this woman said what I've been trying to articulate for ages much more effectively and succinctly than I've been able to

[taxbywaxworth]

Here’s my political hot take: if you don’t consistently vote in not only your local elections, but your local primaries, I do not give a shit about your opinions on the current state of party policy nationally. I was 17 in November of 2016, it was the last election I was unable to vote in, and it crushed me, made me feel like I was powerless to help people around me, so I have made a point to learn about candidates in every local primary and general election and actually vote for progressive change at every level.

I’ve seen this fail, of course, there was a progressive candidate for state senate from my district who lost to a more moderate incumbent, there was a clerk of courts candidate this year who was pushing hard for justice system reform who got blown out by a 20 year incumbent. I’ve also seen this work, that state senate candidate ran for city Councelor a few years later and won a seat by less than 20 votes.

What I’ve never seen is someone within 10 years of my age at a voting booth during a local primary election. My voting district encompasses a college, I vote on a college campus and have never seen any college students voting in the local primaries.

The one thing politicians care about above all else is keeping their jobs, especially on the national level you have to appeal to a large enough group of people who actually vote in order to have a chance at winning. If you don’t show them that you’re someone who goes out and votes they will not try to appeal to you, and I get why people don’t want to vote for presidential candidates who are at best complicit in genocide, but I guarantee that there are candidates on your local primary ballot who agree with you enough to be someone worth fighting for.

If young progressives turned out for local primaries at the same rate that old conservatives do the candidates at the state level would have no choice but to move further left to attempt to capture that new voting block. And once that happens at the state level enough it would begin to be reflected nationally.

I get that all that sounds overly optimistic, but we exist within a system, and the ONLY way to actually have leverage against politicians is to be someone who they could count on to vote their way who is threatening to not vote for them. If you never vote and are threatening to not vote that’s not a threat, that’s the status quo and you’re maintaining it.

Especially on the local level this can work extremely effectively, the young progressive who won a city council seat by less that 20 votes? The Councelor he unseated had tied himself closely to a mayoral candidate who was spouting off dangerous rhetoric. I had voted for that Councelor in the previous city council election, but 20 of us who did before didn’t this time because we disagreed with where he’d aligned himself, and that was enough to ACTUALLY MAKE CHANGE.

If you don’t vote at every opportunity then you don’t get a say, literally, that’s not me being rude that’s me explaining how the system works. Ideologically, leftist ideals are more popular now than ever, but that isn’t reflected in elections because young progressives have incredibly low voting rates.

“I’m sick of voting for the lesser of two evils” great news you don’t have to if you actually bothered to learn about your local primary candidates. There are actual opportunities to not only mitigate harm but to ACTUALLY CHANGE THINGS FOR THE BETTER and A LOT of people in my generation with similar ideals just sit at home when given that opportunity.

If someone who consistently voted came up to me and said “I’m not willing to vote in this presidential election because I cannot support Kamala Harris because she supports genocide” I would disagree with them because while I believe that any amount of genocide is morally repugnant I also believe that less genocide is always preferable to more genocide. But I would listen, I would care about their opinion and I would be willing to let myself be swayed.

But when someone who never votes tells me they’re sitting out this election for whatever reason I don’t give a shit, because they’re not taking a stand, they’re doing nothing, which they always do, and that’s not activism that’s just lazy.

TL;DR: I don’t care about your opinions about the status quo unless you’ve actually taken the simplest step possible to try and change it.

[pumpacti0n]

I plan on replying in full to that one response to my post about the seizing of state power and why anarchists reject it. but for now I can take the opportunity to use current events as an example to illustrate why this conflation of authority with self defense is awful and hazardous.

from the very beginning of the isareli settler occupation until now, every pro-israel entity has framed the ongoing genocide of palestinians as "self defense". so, according to them, there's no hypocrisy in condemning "political violence" because their attacks are portrayed as justified and reasonable responses to the october 7 attacks. this way, all of the collateral damage can be blamed on the alleged "instigators" indefinitely.

a similar framing is often used to protect cops against any consequences for killing someone while attempting to chase or arrest another target, or killing a target they believe (or claim to believe,) present a threat to them. this is what happened with the black panther party and COINTELPRO, for example, during the assassination plot against Fred Hampton and a number of other influential radical figures.

that, combined with the "guilty until proven innocent" bias when it comes to the colonized masses, is what helps give politicians the confidence to say things like "political violence is unacceptable" that are blatantly false.

the slaves, the colonized, the cult leader's followers, the party, must fall in line or die at the whims of their masters, because their use of power over others is made into law, thus considered legitimate and necessary.

the "spin" is critical tactic for any political project that relies on centralized and hierarchical power structures. it allows those at the top of any given hierarchy to avoid criticism and flip the script, a textbook maneuver for individual abusers that can scale all the way up to the level of a state's ruling class.

when the ruling class have access to the means of sustaining life itself as well as the means to inflict harm in order to restrict them, dishonesty is hardly off the table as a tactic to ensure their power goes unchallenged. in fact, it is required.

this is all the more reason to demand specificity and transparency around what constitutes self-defense and what amounts to authorities seeking to preserve the power structures that force the masses into submission. this is not to be taken lightly, because the results are always the same: power structures preserving themselves for an exclusive minority of individuals at the expense of those at the very bottom.

if everything from a slave revolt and free breakfast programs to the bombing of a school or hospital can be labelled "authoritarian", then the word truly has no value and this mystification only helps maintain the status quo, not its necessary destruction.

states, by their very nature, resist bottom-up organization. it can't be any other way. no state has ever created itself without the wholesale destruction of the society existing prior to it, nor can exist independently of the social stratification and resource hoarding necessary to ransom the captive population into obedience or entice them into positions as middle-managers and overseers. whether we call this a vanguard or not changes jack shit about the power dynamics at play.

the price of statehood is always passed along somewhere, to some group or another, someone must be the beast of burden whose labor is used to plow the field while the politicians and capitalists feast on the fruit it grows and sells it back at a profit.

and if these beasts rise up, not to find some poor soul to take their places, but to do away with this relationship in its entirety, to liken them to their former masters and claim that they are using similar means for similar ends is a total farce, and you don't have to call yourself an anarchist to recognize that, just someone who can tell the difference between a bullied person suffering and a bully getting his ass kicked.

[dzthenerd490]

File: Thankskilling

SCP#: AEC

Code Name: The Immortal Psychotic Turkey

Object Class: Joke

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-AEC has been frozen within a freezer at Site-AC. The freezer is kept at -196 degrees Celsius and must always be maintained so that SCP-AEC never wakes up. AFA-2 unit is entrusted to maintain the freezer and is armed with a Foundation Shotgun with I round should SCP-AEC ever break containment.

Description: SCP-AEC is a demonic turkey that was seemingly created by an ancient ritual cast sometime back during the 1600's by a native American necromancer. It is believed this particular necromancer worshiped a chaos god which explains SCP-AEC's awful personality and anomalous abilities.

SCP-AEC has abnormal strength and speed allowing him to wield a wide arrange of weapons with great precision and accuracy. Ironically, included with his intelligence and efficiency in killing, SCP-AEC has this anomalous effect that everyone around him becomes stupider and stupider. This effect seems to be limited to only those of Caucasian ethnicity which is the main target of SCP-AEC. SCP-AEC is also immortal and can recover from any form of death or can even possess a new turkey dead or alive to be his new vessel. SCP-AEC seems to be solely driven to find every Caucasian he comes across and makes horrible and offensive jokes while he kills them... that's essentially all there is to him.

SCP-AEC was discovered in 2009 when the small town of [data expunged] was terrorized by SCP-AEC and despite their numerous attempts to kill it he always came back. Staff within the Telecommunications Monitoring Office intercepted several calls and peals for help from surrounding areas about a killer turkey in the area. Though as time went on the callers got more drunk sounding and less coherent. Believing it all to be the result of a Cognito Hazard, AFA-2's was sent into the area to assess the threat and record the data through Cognito Hazard filters.

Surprisingly the AFA-2's managed to capture SCP-AEC rather easily and brought him to Foundation custody with ease. As a surprise bonus the civilians in the area quickly recovered their mental states and concluded that it was all a dream, thus no amnestics were needed. Unfortunately, Foundation staff trying to test SCP-AEC reported having headaches, memory loss, and shifting in personality. Like with the survivors of the incident, only after leaving SCP-AEC's vicinity did they start feeling better. As such it was decided that SCP-AEC would be tested with remote programing with AFA-2's instead of physical staff.

By current Foundation standards SCP-AEC doesn't pose a physical threat and cannot caused a containment breech. However, he also never sleeps and has the ability to possess anything relating to a turkey as a means to escape. It is for this reason that he was frozen in a freezer, to ensure he never gets out. Because of the lack of remarkability of this anomaly and the stupidity of its properties in general, is why it is labeled as Object Class Joke.

.

SCP: Horror Movie Files Hub

[izdatazn]

S.U.I.T.S - Terran's Hidden War

TERRA 16 - Production Line

Viktor recovered exceptionally well after a day or two despite being overwhelmed by Lyn, it didn’t phase him that someone stronger then him won him in fist fight. The past few days have been highly chaotic, as our adversaries achieved a significant victory in revealing the concealed threat associated with SUITS. The internet and news media have been in a frenzy over the possibility of another space attack, while SUITS are doing their best to extinguish the flames. Unfortunately, my team was captured on video confronting Lyn and subsequently featured prominently by news outlets. 

Consequently, numerous online individuals have taken it upon themselves to play detective and unravel the true identities of these unfamiliar individuals. They managed to dig up information about Viktor Krauss, who was born in the mid-1900s during World War II. Fortunately for me, they haven't been able to uncover any details about myself since my face and personal information are readily available on the internet.

I joined the others in a meeting where we were instructed to keep a low profile while SUITS investigated Lyn's whereabouts. We took refuge deep in the forest north of Shenzhen to avoid attracting attention from onlookers and government military forces in general. As a result of what happened in Shenzhen, SUITS now operate within groups disguised as civilians in order not to burden citizens with worries about their daily lives. We decided to maintain this façade so that we wouldn't cause additional concerns among citizens

“Hey look, Viktor.” Miyoung spoke. “You’re famous on the internet.”

“Really?” Viktor shouted, excitedly. “Viktor always wanted to be famous!” He laughed.

Isabel joined us last and took a seat on the sofa. A holographic representation of Daisuke and Kumiko appeared, leading the virtual meeting with thousands of SUITS participating.

Daisuke sighed, scratching his head as he glanced over his notes. He looked like he hadn't slept since the incident in Shenzhen, and it appeared that Kumiko was equally exhausted. He spoke up, saying, "Kumiko, why don't you start while I gather myself?"

She began her explanation by stating, "The liquid drug we obtained from our samples in Shenzhen is an extraterrestrial enhanced substance for soldiers that was created by the Zyger brothers eons ago. They named this drug creation Kyeclate. Its use for commercial and military purposes has been strictly forbidden." Kumiko shared a model displaying an enemy human who had died due to its effects. "We also acquired another sample from another user who wasn't as fortunate. In real-time events, when this drug is injected into a human body, it instantaneously destroys their organs but takes control of the host body instead, as seen with Lyn." She concluded her investigation.

"Thank you, Kumiko," Daisuke sighed. He continued, "Regarding the Shenzhen event, I have reports that millions have been killed by the events with thousands injured or still missing. We are exerting all efforts to contain this information and extinguish the flame. The SUITS Organization and World Governments are collaborating to achieve this goal as well as assisting on the ground. It poses a significant challenge as our adversaries perceive it as their triumph—aiming to instill fear in humanity and demonstrate that any country or city can be targeted at any moment. Our priority is to prevent another incident like Shenzhen from occurring. "

He then changed the subject, saying, "Now that we have addressed that issue, we have discovered that the bomb detonated in Shenzhen was an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP). Most of you are already familiar with EMPs due to your battlefield experience; however, there may be some newcomers who are not familiar with it yet. An EMP disrupts electronic devices over a wide area; even SUITS technology is not immune to its effects. Nevertheless, we are currently working on integrating anti-EMP technology into our illusion defense shields. The north illusion tower in Shenzhen was not disrupted by the EMP thanks to Xiuying's energy manipulation ability which dispelled the burst. We were fortunate that the civilians in the northern part of Shenzhen were unaffected, but unfortunately, the rest of the city is now facing turmoil. We are currently in the process of replacing the illusion shields. The fact that XingDai Technology's main headquarters was struck by an EMP blast does not imply that other branches of XingDai cannot construct the towers. The damage to the main headquarters does not necessarily have any implications, as SUITS have the ability to import resources as needed. Please ensure that your equipment and hovercrafts are in optimal condition or require replacement."

He changed the subject. "Lyn Morse was seen a few hours ago fleeing towards Vietnam after the Shenzhen attack and suddenly disappeared deep into the forest. We have the entire country on lockdown in order to capture Lyn if she manages to escape. SUITS can pinpoint her exact location in Vietnam, so I will deploy two teams on the ground as soon as possible."

While still in the meeting, I noticed a mail notification popping up. It was from Daisuke himself. Viktor excused himself from the meeting and went straight to the bridge. We felt the hovercraft’s engine quiet home as it began to head south.

"Stay vigilant and cautious," Daisuke emphasized, “we believe that Lyn is calling for reinforcement as we speak.

"Big Bertha alerted us, saying, 'Today is Monday June 11th, 2079.'

'Thank you, Bertha,' we replied. We had arrived in Vietnam the day before and finally reached Lyn's location today. However, we had lost track of her exact whereabouts upon entering the area; therefore, we relied on her last known position. We decided to stop near the riverside, which was close to where Lyn was hiding deep within the forest.

While waiting for another team to join us on our expedition, Miyoung, Isabel and I thought it would be a good idea to take some time for rest and relaxation. Viktor was checking Big Bertha's equipment and fixing minor internal damages caused by the EMP. That's his way of resting and relaxing while ensuring excellent performance from Big Bertha.”

I sat by the riverside, with a fishing rod beside me, mesmerized by the breathtaking scenery of Vietnam's countryside. It was a peaceful moment, listening to the gentle flow of the river and the rustling sounds of animals. The tranquility eventually lured me into a deep slumber, and when I woke up some time later, I noticed another fishing rod next to mine. Turning towards my right, I saw someone sitting beside me.

"Did I wake you up, Kobayashi?" he chuckled. "My apologies."

I rubbed my eyes and yawned. "How long was I asleep for?” I noticed the sun almost setting. I must’ve been napping for a while.

"My team arrived half an hour ago," he replied. "So it must have been quite a while."

"And who might you be?" I asked as I reached for my rod and held it firmly. Glancing at his bucket, I noticed a couple of fish.

"Looks like SUITS didn't provide you with my dossier," he chuckled again. "My name is Nehir Dogan. Pleasure to finally meet you."

"I'm Issei Kobayashi," I said with another yawn. "Since you're here, let's get started on our mission.”

"What's the rush?" Nehir questioned. "Lyn hasn't changed her location since she arrived. Let's have dinner with our catch first before we continue. Your team thought it would be a good idea to prepare for dinner." Turning around, I saw our teammates preparing food and starting a fire.

Nehir looked at me and suggested, "How about this Kobayashi? We take our time catching fish while an ancient person shares their story." He grabbed two bottles from the cooler next to him and handed one to me.

"I don't drink," I objected.

"Nonsense! A beer won't do any harm," Nehir insisted.

Reluctantly taking the bottle from him, we clinked them together, and he swiftly opened his bottle and took a drink. He began, "I was born in 1425 in the Ottoman Empire, into a well-to-do family. When I turned twenty, I joined the army and dedicated my life to the Empire as a Janissary Commander. I participated in the Siege of Constantinople. On May 28th, 1453, one day before the Ottoman Empire captured Constaninople, I died. Three days later, I woke up in a SUITS facility revived by Joseph II of Constantinople, presumed dead. Like everyone else here, I witnessed empires rise and fall, experienced two great world wars - and now here we are today."

"That was just a brief version before you joined SUITS," I remarked.

Nehir chuckled again. "Indeed it was. But since our team is calling for us now, let me tell you more about myself." He stood up and reeled in his fishing rod. "Looks like they're not biting anymore but at least I caught close to a dozen."

"I'll make sure Viktor doesn't eat more than three tonight," I replied as we headed towards our teammates' call.

As night descended upon us, the only source of illumination was the radiant full moon above, with not a single cloud in sight. Engaging in delightful dinner conversation, we prepared ourselves to make our way towards Lyn's location. Our skilled tracker, Miyoung, led us deep into the forest as we followed her every move. Eventually, she guided us to a cave entrance where she sensed not only Lyn's presence but also faint indications of at least a dozen other individuals nearby. Understanding the potential threat posed by our enemies, Miyoung positioned herself strategically at an escape route should they choose to flee. Relying on Miyoung's gathered intelligence, it became apparent that there were multiple layers within the compound. Since she could only detect feeble heartbeats, we deduced that there must be more than just a dozen individuals hiding within its confines.

We gathered the necessary equipment to penetrate the compound, which included putting on armored suits. The suits were equipped with an Ocular Surveillance Apparatus integrated into their helmets, enabling us to identify both allies and enemies even in low-light conditions. As I secured my helmet onto my head, the helmet system activated, displaying a green outline of my nearby teammates. The system included human heart rates and health, as well as current temperature. The inclusion of the O.S.A system is a remarkable addition to the helmet's array of basic features. Additionally, we made a deliberate decision to approach this mission systematically rather than recklessly charging without a plan.

Viktor assumed leadership as our first commander. Utilizing his abilities to manipulate the ground beneath him, he skillfully created a robust shield constructed from rock. With confidence in his hands and shield at the ready, he advanced forward. The rest of our team closely followed until we arrived at a corner leading to an entranceway.

As Viktor rounded the corner, we were confronted by several defense guns, gradually taking aim at him. Acting swiftly, Viktor seized handfuls of gravel from the adjacent wall and hurled them at the defense guns, rendering them inoperative before they could take aim or shoot. Viktor successfully cleared the area, but we hoped that our actions hadn't alerted our enemies. After a brief wait of a couple minutes, we cautiously proceeded forward.

We stood next to the wall by the entrance door, and I noticed a large handprint on the steel surface, causing the door to be slightly ajar. A hush came over us as we patiently listened for any faint sounds coming from the other side of the door. We heard a faint growl after a couple of minutes of silence. Viktor grasped the door handle firmly while I positioned myself ready to confront the enemy once inside the facility.

Viktor opened the door, and I rushed in quickly followed by Nehir and our teammates. I swiftly took down an enemy standing near the door, and then dozens more enemies charged towards us. We eliminated them swiftly before more could enter the room. In response to this swarm, we unleashed a barrage of gunfire until we realized that conventional weapons wouldn't stop them. We dropped our guns and used our elemental manipulation skills to take down the swarm. It took a couple of minutes for us to clear the entire section as we moved to the other end of the room. Silence descended upon us as we regrouped.

Scanning the room, I noticed multiple belt converters bolted in place and shattered tubes scattered about. As I crossed the room again, I reached for my gun and refilled it.

"What are we looking at?" I gasped, continuing to scan the room. "These bodies don't appear human."

"Could it be a production facility?" Nehir replied. "My team will head to the lower levels."

"And I will go to explore on the upper floors."

Our teams split up, remaining cautious of any lingering enemies who did not follow the sounds of our gunfight. My team proceeded upstairs and eliminated the few remaining enemies in the hallways. We cleared the rooms on the upper floor. As we made our way towards the main room, I noticed multiple handprints on the wall. It wasn't just human blood smeared on the walls, but also extraterrestrial blood. The blood wasn't only on the walls; it was also smeared across the floor and ceiling.

"What happened here?" Isabel asked, her voice filled with concern. "Did Lyn do this?" I quickly scanned my surroundings as we cautiously moved forward. We observed several lifeless bodyguards scattered across the floor, but what disturbed us even more was a trail of blood leading towards the main room. As Isabel and Viktor followed the blood trail to the conference room, I ventured into the main room which led me to a shattered double door.

Viktor burst into the room and swiftly crossed the main area. Together, we entered and meticulously surveyed our surroundings before confirming that it was clear. After composing ourselves and thoroughly examining the main room, we discovered that it mirrored the hallway - consoles destroyed, lifeless bodies strewn on the floor with blood stains everywhere. Nestled in one corner of the room lay an unfamiliar deceased creature whose attire suggested its significance. We scoured through facilities on the upper level in search of clues about what had transpired here.

I heard static coming from my ear comms. Nehir spoke. “You might want to see this.” We left the upper floor, crossed the production room, and descended to the lower levels. It was the same landscape as the upper floors, it seemed like no one made out alive from whoever did this. We joined Nehir’s team in front of a thick metal door left slightly ajar. I noticed vapor seeping out the room.

“What are we looking at?” I asked.

“It’s a cold vault storage.” He answered. “And something or someone is in there.”

“Lyn?”

We heard faint noises emanating from the cold storage room, which continued persistently. As a result, we quickly formed a formation and encircled the vault. We kept hearing groaning sounds emerging from within the vault for several minutes. Viktor stepped forward and firmly grasped the handle of the vault. After pausing for a few seconds, he proceeded to pull open the vault door. Nehir took the lead, with me and the rest of our team closely following behind. Viktor limped past me and trailed after Nehir. It was dark in the cold vault but it was the same as outside the vault. Blood, dead bodies, and shattered tubes scattered in front of me. 

We traced the source of the groaning sound that reverberated throughout the room, leading us to a repulsive figure seated under a flickering light. Nehir, Viktor, and I formed a circle around the figure while the rest of our group inspected the surrounding areas. As we waited, her body swayed back and forth. Once they finished their search, they joined us and encircled the figure as well. Nehir carefully examined the creature who held a crate filled with broken tubes.

“Lyn Morse.” Nehir spoke. She responded with a groan. He took a few step forward at the creature. Nehir lowered his gun and firmly held his hilt. “We’re here to detain you.” A green light illuminated the room as it grew from his hilt.

Lyn's speech was incoherent, but we noticed that she kept repeating the same phrase over and over when our communication device picked it up. Before the translation kicked in, she was garbling. The repetition continued relentlessly.

"Kill me."

I lowered my gun and observed as Nehir stood over her. He raised his energy sword, gripping it firmly with both hands. Nehir swung the sword, severing her head from her body. Though her head fell off, her body continued to breathe while she chanted ceaselessly. Abandoning the gun, I approached the decapitated head. Drawing my sword, it burst into flames and illuminated the room even more brightly. Placing the sharp edge against her head, I pierced through it. Her face ignited into flames as she persisted in chanting until it turned to ashes. Then there was silence, leaving Lyn's body swaying back and forth on its own.

Nehir declared solemnly, "Lyn Morse of Seven Clubs is deceased."

On Thursday, June 14th, 2079, a few days after we raided a production facility manufacturing the Kyeclate drug, Lyn Morse was declared dead. However, her body remained active to this day. SUITS decided to study it in order to gain information on how the drug affects the human body. Her words continued to echo in my ears and haunted me. I found myself in a private meeting with Kokoro, Daisuke, my team, and Nehir. They were planning to announce their findings soon but wanted to discuss it with us first.

Kokoro began by stating, "Lyn Morse's time of death occurred during her fight with Viktor. The Kyeclate drug kept her body alive and desperate for more, causing it to follow the scent of the nearest drug located deep in the Vietnamese forest. Even when Lyn's head was severed from her body by Nehir, it still remained intact and alive as shown in the footage. This is an extremely dangerous drug, Kobayashi," she concluded.

Daisuke then shared his findings by saying, "We have compiled various scans into augmented reality footage which I will now play." Surroundings materialized around us as we watched footage of Lyn entering the facility frantically. She forcefully opened doors and walked past security before becoming increasingly violent and killing everyone she encountered including destroying the conveyor belt system. Lyn proceeded upstairs to a main room where she killed remaining scientists and guards. She eventually confronted an important figure whom she also killed before heading towards a cold storage vault where the footage ended for us. It then rewound back to Lyn's confrontation with that figure.

"Do you recognize that person?" I asked curiously. "They don't appear human like other beings we saw at the facility."

"We are currently conducting further investigations," Daisuke replied confidently.

"As for Raquel Gustov or Ranzell Kackzut and other affiliated groups, we must stop them before human conflicts escalate," Daisuke added.

[jim-fetter-illustrations]

Capitalism is a cherished fairy tale, not real, but we want it to be real, so it is?!?!?

It's almost like the Parable: The Emperor Has No Clothes.

All the experts knew the emperor was naked and had no clothes on, but the people praised the emperor playing along so they too could live, and benefit from the lie.

This is like Capitalism, and despite its ubiquity, MOST economists say capitalism has many flaws and problems. In short, capitalism can cause – inequality, market failure, damage to the environment, short-termism, excess materialism and boom and bust economic cycles.

Well like it already has several times.

And to end capitalism in trade for a more humanitarian system would only mean the end of millions of pointless and destructive jobs.

But the super wealthy would have to work for a living too, and that's why capitalism will never end, because most people work for those super wealthy, in really pointless jobs.

We all understood, or at least kept voting for the rules of the capitalistic game, we just don't like how extreme it's become over the years since now we can't quit, and can only be eliminated from playing anymore.

Ya see,..... Theologians have always warned humanity of the threat of compromise.

When it comes to our own human survival,.... because we often go out of our way when there is money to be made.

We convince ourselves that it’s not so serious of a risk, or even that it isn’t happening, like the Emperor Parable, because of profits gained.

In the back of our minds, there’s a voice whispering, "if it were really that bad of an idea someone, something would have stop it obviously???"..... and that rarely happens with capitalism, what does happen is collapse, and not the collapse of those who started the foundations cracking, but those who trusted those who they put in charge.

We know that our planet is complex natural system,... the atmosphere, ocean currents, the soil, the planet's ecosystem itself, and all systems follow certain mathematical rules.

Capitalism doesn't!

Because it can't regulate itself when Greeds involved in the equation, and human beings are greedy creatures at heart, our faith based religions teach greed by teaching not to be greedy by telling followlers to have no other gods before them, which causes people to be suspicious of other gods and religions and to be greedy for their own God, and were doing this unwittingly......

So maintaining a state of equilibrium is OUT THE WINDOW logically.

Once this equilibrium tips, it always falls into a new state of equilibrium, which is often impossible to reverse.

Then comes the crashes, which usually drag other systems down too, triggering a cascade of chaos known as systemic capitalism collapse. This is what happened during the 2008 housing crash where millions across the globe lost their homes to the banks because their homes were worth less than they owed under the new bankrupt system that arose.

Like I said "those who trusted those who they put in charge" lost everything they had. And it was all chalked up to Greedy mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and the collapse of the housing market that threatened worldwide insolvency.

Sooooooo federal intervention to rescue banks and restore confidence to the finance sector had to be done,......... in layman terms the Taxpayer had to cough up billions of dollars to save their own capitalism they themselves supported, and voted for.

Talk about a dumb-ass............

So the real culprits were never really caught and are still billionaires sitting pretty today, no doubt planning how their next dark money, corruption, and shift of power into high gear extreme capitalism will work out.

While you keep following their rules of order.

While we are all changing the subject to something more understandable because we don't understand capitalism's eventuality totally, as most of us are on the bottom of that trickle down.

I'm not sure if there is a way to avoid collapse at this moment in time, except to OWE NOTHING TO ANYONE, because when our capitalism collapses as it has many times before, those who OWE get hit the hardest, that's the way the game works, the way those who we put in charge, and who we trusted want it.

This has been a bipartisan (both parties) corruption for decades now, and it's unlikely to change given who we are given to vote for.

Unless you don't vote for republican or democrat, and instead vote for an independent party you feel is more humanitarian.

Just a passing thought I've had for decades....... or keep playing the game, maybe you'll land on free parking and get the $200................

But I doubt it........

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