#but I don't think we should blame regular citizens

[evil-jennifer-hamilton-wb]

Okay so can we all agree that the ABB have a stupid name?

In my Capes in the Dark campaign, I’m gonna re-flavor it to be similar to the original with lung targeting an ethnic group except make him only target the Japanese resident's, because the pan-Asian gang idea is so stupid (like I live in Taiwan, depending on what you believe in, both Chinese and Japanese people could be seen as hostile entity) Anyways the point of this post, does anyone have ideas for a new name for the ABB

[antianakin]

So I recently rewatched Clone Wars, and season 7 was complex for me (mostly because it felt like too much Ahsoka away from the actual Clone Wars). The "Jedi don't care about the common people idea" coming from the sisters wasn't a bad worldbuilding thing since we know canonically Palpatine was trying to build dislike of the Jedi.

But the Mandalore arc where Ahsoka throws a fit because Obi-Wan and Anakin don't have time to go on a side quest for a planet that's not even part of the Republic when the literal Capital and Head Of State are being attacked? "This is why people don't trust the Jedi you only care about the core worlds." Girl took that to heart in the worst way possible.

Yeah, I think my feelings on the season 7 underlying theme is that it went too far in the direction of "the Jedi have lost their way, but Ahsoka realizes that instead of just abandoning the Jedi ways, she should re-discover the TRUE meaning of being a Jedi, unlike those OTHER Jedi who are being too political."

We all know that Filoni likes to try to promote Ahsoka as "better than the other Jedi," it's a reoccurring theme at this point and one that shows up for the first time in season 7 (chronologically at least, it would've shown up first in Rebels actually but it was slightly more subtle then. Slightly). So when Trace and Rafa bring out their sob story and then seem to blame the Jedi for what happened to their family more than, you know, the CRIMINAL WHO BROKE OUT OF PRISON IN THE FIRST PLACE, and the moral of the story at the end of both this arc and continuing into the Siege of Mandalore seems to be that the Jedi have "lost their way" because they no longer really care about the little people in the face of the war.

I think you're right that there's a germ of a good storyline here about how Palpatine's manipulations are working on the regular citizens, but the issue with this is that in order for that to be the story, the story needs to reinforce that what Trace and Rafa feel about the Jedi is WRONG, that the information they think they have is WRONG. But what we really get by the end of the arc is that they're RIGHT, the Jedi HAVE lost their way, and it's ONLY Ahsoka who realizes that and understands the true meaning of being a Jedi.

This continues into the Siege of Mandalore arc when she accuses Obi-Wan (and the Council and the rest of the Order through him) of being too political when they refuse to supply her with an army on a whim. She claims she's "not being fair" which should be an indictment against her entire argument, but it doesn't really feel like it is. It feels like we're supposed to be cheering her on, like "yeah, that's right, Ahsoka, you don't HAVE to be fair because the Jedi aren't being fair!" The Jedi no longer care about the little people and THAT'S why they won't help Bo-Katan take back Mandalore, they ONLY care about the elite in the Core and THAT'S why they prioritize Coruscant.

The issue with this entire theme is how contradictory it is across all of season 7. They claim that the Jedi only care about the elite of Coruscant when they choose to prioritize it except that the entire last arc was about the little people of Coruscant being abandoned by the Jedi in favor of going out to help other planets affected by the war. And the claim is also made in this episode that the Jedi SPECIFICALLY only care about the Chancellor's life, but then Ahsoka advocates for prioritizing Palpatine later because he's Anakin's friend or something like that. So what are we supposed to understand? That protecting Coruscant is only about helping the little people who live there when it's Ahsoka doing it? That defending and protecting Palpatine is only righteous and not about politics when it's Ahsoka doing it?

And THIS is where we get back to Filoni lifting Ahsoka up as better than all of the other Jedi. Ahsoka gets to get away with shit that no other Jedi is ever allowed to get away with. Ahsoka can be contradictory and hypocritical because she has to be right all the time no matter what the situation is because she's Ahsoka and better than everyone else. Specifically, obviously, better than all those other dumb Jedi in the Prequels Jedi Order.

I've seen people try to give benefit of the doubt to this season and claim that Ahsoka being contradictory and hypocritical is the point, that Ahsoka is still young and struggling with her feelings about the Wrong Jedi arc and figuring out who to trust, how to trust herself, and so she's being unfair on purpose and making mistakes, etc etc. And I understand that theory, but I just can't share it because at no point in either arc does it feel like I'm supposed to understand that Ahsoka is WRONG. I'd love for that to have been the story, because honestly I think there's a lot of merit to finally giving Ahsoka flaws again via the Wrong Jedi arc, showing how it's really impacted her and how much she still struggles with it and how it makes her unfair and unkind and lacking in compassion and understanding sometimes when it comes to the Jedi. That it's not necessarily the JEDI who've lost their way, but AHSOKA. If we stayed with the path that the Wrong Jedi left us on of Ahsoka saying that the person she no longer trusts is actually HERSELF, not the Jedi, that could've been great! But season 7 turns around and says "actually no, she just straight-up no longer trusts the Jedi completely but totally trusts herself just fine."

I don't HATE season 7, there's plenty I like about it, and I honestly do like Trace and Rafa and their arc (which seems to be a minority position), but it's also got a lot of things I dislike about it and it'll NEVER be within my most favorite seasons of TCW, honestly.

[silver-wield]

With all the recent flops of Square Enix with he FF series has been making me feel the absence of Hironobu Sakaguchi. His last major role in the FF series was X-2 (which was pretty fun and memorable), every other game after that lost it's magic. Yes they were visually appealing, but storywise—it was pretty meh.

The other writers are awesome at creating concepts, but Sakaguchi just knew how to temper each idea evenly, and make them believable and human despite our already suspended beliefs.

It was the death of Sakaguchi's mother that inspired the theme of the permanence of loss but love everlasting in FF7 and how all the characters dealth with it—and why the overarching story had such a poignant, dark but hopeful theme.

A great video essay explains it here, but basically FF7 RE and RB doesn't feel bleak as it did in the OG. Almost every other location is a tourist spot, even the undercity slums are bright with cheery citizens. Shinra wasn't a hungry snake eating it's own tail—they were—misunderstood. Normal people seem indifferent to Shinra, while in the OG, they were angry at Shinra for ruining their homes and way of life in exchange for minor conveniences.

Even the surrounding area around Midgar didn't seem so polluted, making Avalanche's cause of saving the planet pretty moot. The writers are creating their own "everybody lives" fanfic and it's disappointing.

https://youtu.be/gbU1_yas99E?si=6CnriVMYysW1jPFU

The only ones who seems to have any sense of grieving for what they've lost is Tifa. Thank goodness they love her too much to fumble her character.

Anyway, I just really miss Sakaguchi's guiding hand. Aerith was my least favorite in the OG, I just never liked the cutesy kawaii female characters, but they've made her insufferable in RE and RB.

I wonder how Sakaguchi feels to see his catharsis butchered like that.

Just wanna say none of the ff games have been flops. Even 13 was a hit technically, despite it being a ff7 fanfiction fulfilling toriyama's weird ass shipping fantasy.

The slums are polluted and so is the planet. You think the bay should be full of green water under junon? Monsters are literally the deformation of regular animals. It's in otwtas. And we don't start near midgar, we start in kalm, which in og is situated in a massive green field. We already passed the wasteland at the end of yuffie's intermission scene when the group get on chocobo bill's truck.

And all of junon area is a deadland. Corel is a desert. The only green areas are the grasslands and gongaga, plus the Northwood.

One of Tifa's defining traits is excessive guilt and self blame. We see her literally stopping herself from apologising just for being concerned for the bkack cloaks. It doesn't mean nobody else cares, it just shows she cares too much.

Tbh while I think rebirth is a massive piece of crappy filler story wise, it's not the worst game se ever made (looking at you ff13 series)

[theharrowing]

Revisit Thoughts:

COLLATERAL CHAPTER 1, LET'S GOOOOOO!!!

a little background: as i am sure many are aware, this whole fic started more or less out of a joke. That, That came out, and i made this post about Boss Min coming to collect his payment (hint: it's you lolol.) it was cross-posted to twitter where people told me i needed to write it, and the rest was history. i never really read mafia fics or watch mafia movies, so the first chapter is pretty light and playful because i had absolutely no clue what i was doing.

and now, for the actual reread!!!

(under the cut, for the sake of spoilers!)

poor "boyfriend" never gets a name in this fic lmao. that's how truly useless he is.

i thought it would be fun to have mc be a fashion girlie, and i think it carries on through a few chapters (and pops up a little more) where i actually looked up designer outfits and did my best to describe them. that task became tedious tho, because i am not a fashion girlie, and i began to spend way too much time on designer websites, scouring through dresses lol.

This isn’t me, you think. This is a charade; I should be wearing sneakers and stuffing my face with fried nonsense in front of a food cart, not parading around the hallways of some bougie hotel like a distressed debutante.

this bit is so cute, and honestly, really does seem to highlight a lot about the mc, despite the fact that she almost never wears sneakers once she lives in the Min mansion lmao.

i actually do an okay job of foreshadowing the mc's background in the opening scene, showing how unamused she is by her boyfriend's worries about becoming a drug dealer, and i hadn't really had her backstory fleshed out, just yet. we don't know who she is yet, but there is a hint that she may be used to a world in which drug dealers are commonplace (but blames it on watching old gangster films, hehe.)

we also watch her case the street to see whether any cars look out of place, which is an instinct everyday citizens may not have, further adding to her unknown backstory.

oh man, i have always considered cutting out the conversation with the bar regular because it feels so corny, but i never have gotten the nerve to do it. i think i added it as filler, honestly, so the first chapter wouldn't be so short. (back then i wasn't writing the epics i do today.) i think i also added it to give her someone to relate to/talk to other than her boyfriend.

we need a bingo card for the things she calls her boyfriend, including idiot, annoying shithead, dingus, asshole...lolol.

The man is in a light tan suit with a leopard print shirt and studded belt. His dark brown hair is coiffed off his forehead and long in the back—just past his ears. He is a sight to behold with sharp eyes and a sharper smile, and you squint at him and scoff. Handsome as he is, he looks ridiculous—like he belongs in some low production wild west film—and you wonder if he has a light tan wide flat-brimmed hat with a feather sticking from it somewhere. Or, better yet, with a matching leopard print scarf tied around it. 

LMAOOOOO. this always makes me giggle. Yoongi is so sexy, i needed to have a bit of a go at him.

oh, we also need to keep a running tally of all of mc's nicknames throughout the fic, starting with darling.

i have also made 5 very tiny edits hehehe. 😅

Collateral 🗡️ 1: I know exactly who you are

Your ex-boyfriend gets in over his head working for the local mafia, and Boss Min has come to collect his payment: You.

But was it simply a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or has he always had his sights on you?

INDEX | NEXT

🗡️ Yoongi x Female Reader

🗡️ word count: 5.4k

🗡️ mafia au, strangers to lovers, graphic violence, major character injury, poly, smut, angst, fluff, nsfw, explicit 21+ 

🗡️ warnings: a hint of violence, mention of weapons, description of panic attack 🗡️ beta read by @neoneunnajimin​ 🗡️ posted may 2022 | read on ao3

“Where the fuck are we going?” you hiss, trying to keep up with your boyfriend, who is dragging you through the dining hall of your favorite restaurant—the skyrise wine bar overlooking the river that serves the best Caesar salad you have ever tasted. Like, seriously, whatever they put in that dressing, you need to know.

“Babe, please,” he huffs, “I’ll explain it later just hurry.”

Just hurry, he says, which is convenient for him considering he’s not wearing the latest hot chick scallop pointed-toe Louboutins which are currently squeezing the life out of your fucking toes. At least your legs have range of motion in the vintage Alexander McQueen mid-length black cocktail dress, but your faux fur leopard print knee-length jacket is turning you into a furnace. 

You scurry down the hallway asking yourself what you are even fucking doing here. This isn’t me, you think. This is a charade; I should be wearing sneakers and stuffing my face with fried nonsense in front of a food cart, not parading around the hallways of some bougie hotel like a distressed debutante.

It is not lost on you that, rather than taking the elevator that leads down to the lobby from the restaurant, your boyfriend has dragged you through the penthouse level of a hotel on top of which this restaurant sits, and you are now winding through a carpeted hallway away from the clattering of dishes toward an elevator meant for guests with rooms at that hotel. With the chance to pause and catch your breath, you turn to the man at your side.

“Mind telling me just what the fuck we’re doing?” you pant.

Keep reading

[wwips]

Should plastic be banned?

No. Plastic straws aren't the reason we are dealing with a global climate crisis. If that were the case, fast food places would stop giving them out freely. Or maybe they wouldn't. I don't know. Maybe they're too greedy to stop. Maybe it has nothing to do with greed at all. I'm not even sure what the solution for plastic straws would be. I appreciate the people who are actively trying to find solutions, but it all just feels counterproductive when there's unshakable greedy monsters (corporations) to fight.

Plastic plastic plastic

Plastic Hearts

Isn't it strange that people always call on regular citizens to make a change when we're stuck? We're stuck under capitalism. We're stuck under the government. No liberation, no freedom. It's suffocating. I'm not sure what the solution is. I'm not sure there even is one. Everything gets bogged down under capitalism & greed. It's sickening to think about. I'm nauseous just thinking about it right now.

I feel so helpless in every aspect of my life, in every aspect of life in general. Like nothing can be done, saved, like we're headed towards eternal doom. Are we already there? We are, aren't we? We are in eternal doom.

It's so hard to look up & see the sun even if it's in your face.

Plastic Hearts is an album by Miley Cyrus that was released in 2020. It has songs such as Prisoner with Dua Lipa, Night Crawling with Billy Idol, & Angels Like You. It was one of the best albums of that year & in my opinion, Miley's best album overall.

The pandemic caused so much pain & turmoil. How was everyone expecting to have one of the best years of our lives & that didn't go as planned at ALL? It seems like something to grieve. Saying that out loud sounds wrong...weird. Like I'm not supposed to even say or think it. But I do in reality, if I'm being honest.

I don't understand how I'm always blamed for things I didn't do. It's aggravating.

Plastic

[sidsinning]

i just saw your reblog abt the JP flag thing and I can say I'm thoroughly confused. As someone who leaves in a SEA country that's also been under colonization by multiple imperialist countries before (Japan potently included), we do not see this as an issue at all? I understand that it's a symbol that was used dominantly during that era however I can honestly say as well (i guess for us atleast despite being terrorized by JP during their attempt at colonization and experiencing crimes against humanity) that this flag and symbol holds no larger effect than their regular Japanese Flag. Even so far as to being used by large corporations throughout SEA so I'm thoroughly confused.

There's also the fact that these are widely being used as Japanese Navy flags up to current date. I understand that if something had such great and potent connotations such as the n*zi sw*st*k* it would have been censored even by international request but even when, and looking into the situation as a SEA citizen (Filipino btw), it seems that this is a monopolized issue by Koreans. Not shaming or blaming them just generally confused since we've had our fair share of crimes against humanity from said country as well.

Lots of things can have multiple meanings, specially with symbols and while I hope that this gets resolved by Zag or atleast provide an explanation as to why it was used, I can't help but feel a little deterred by the whole issue and don't know how to feel about it. (Like I don't think it's a big deal but then again that might be due to ignorance or lack of knowledge but I also feel guilty if I'm unknowingly being apathetic for something that apparently causes distress, just really hoping to get some facts straight)

Might tend to bias tho as well since as Filipinos we've received equal mistreatment from both cultures (JP and SK) so idk, extremely confused here.

This is an issue that is very close to people's hearts. I have no doubt that people will have varying opinions on this, but there is a large majority of people in the Asian community who have been deeply hurt by this image due to its background as being used as a hate symbol equivalent to the N*zi flag, as a living symbol of Japanese imperialism. That is undoubtedly what it stands for to them. Not just Koreans, but also Chinese citizens as well as citizens of other East Asian countries. I don't want to discuss any other war crimes committed by Japan you're alluding to because I am not educated enough to, but those events do not cancel out this issue. It is comparable to statues of famous American figures in the south which people have protested to remove due to these figures being slave owners in the past. They are still there, but that doesn't mean they should be.

It is a serious issue that has hurt people enough for an official member of the creative team to release a statement, while the creator of the show shoots himself in the foot by acting like a victim and being a child, as usual. (I understand this ask was sent to me before this statement was released.)

I don't doubt my views on this will be debated on in my replies. I have said my piece and stand with the people who have been hurt by this offensive imagery in the show.

I'm glad to see you're not mindlessly dismissing the people who were offended and have clearly thought deeply about this issue. I hope this statement released can convince you to empathize with the Asian community that has been hurt by this and to support them.

[rantingcrocodile]

I agree with all of that, Miss Croc, thank you. It also makes me so angry whenever people accuse bi women of us being lazy in wlw dating because if it were true that bi people are just a bunch of passive bums who just prioritizes straight relationships, then bi men would also show the same rate of being in mostly straight relationships as well. However, there seems to be a higher trend of bi men who have a lot of MSM and male-with-male relationships with other bi men or gay men, in contrast to bisexual women wrt same sex dating history. Bi men are statistically more likely to perhaps end up with a man than they do end up with a woman, but this trend also shows the same story with bi women. This should pose a serious question: Is this really a matter of the world being very phallocentric, or is it perhaps men as a whole are just way more flexible, open, and aggressive in trying to be with people intimately versus women, who historically and biologically speaking, tend to act more passive and harder to please, even among lesbians/bi women? Lesbians love to shit on bi women about us being more oriented towards being with men rather than with women, but like I stated before, they don't make wlw dating fun or at least as easy and simple than regular straight dating has been curated for us. For all the bullshit that can be found in straight dating and 'gay dating', one thing remains consistent: Men, more often than women, put on all the stops and try to make everything accessible to have all roads leading to dick. Sorry for the harsh joke there lol, but compare that to lesbi dating, where it seems like all the roads are either blocked or have various signs of "We don't date bisluts here go away", "Wrong road, go back", "Gold stars only", "If you have history with men/you're a late bloomer, STOP and go back", "Ew you're a single mom/divorced woman with an ex male partner? TURN BACK", and so on. All the roads that leads to pussy are then, essentially, closed off. Law abiding citizens are going to pay attention and obey the traffic laws and the signs that are telling them to go away, I don't know what else to tell you. :/ To which I will say, harshly, that people can't complain about bi women like this anymore, because if men can get all the women in the world to come with them, it says nothing about the women in question and everything to do with the fact that if a group tells a woman that she is disgusting and unwanted, she is going to go to the other group who tells her that they want her instead. Simple mathematics.

So yeah, let's stop blaming bi women and let's maybe discuss ways to make wlw dating, or bi4bi dating, a much better experience for the women who want to have a girlfriend, wife, and so on. <3

The biggest issue is that we will never know the true numbers of bisexuals in whatever kind of relationships until we're liberated purely thanks to the numbers of bisexuals in relationships who won't identify themselves as bisexual. There will be a ton of people who call themselves either "straight," "lesbian" or "gay" when they're actually bisexual because either a) they're closeted and are terrified of others finding out they're bisexual or b) haven't come to terms with their bisexuality. So the numbers right now really are completely useless.

If, hypothetically, we pretend that we know for certain that bisexual women most often partner with men, and that bisexual men most often partner with men, then I think that's a clear sign of biphobic oppression.

That sounds like a complete reach, but hear me out.

If, as the biphobes claim about bisexual women, it's all simply about it being "easier" to partner with the opposite sex to gain "heterosexual privilege," then surely bisexual men would simply partner with women at the same rates as bisexual women.

Instead, I would argue that while bisexual women are reduced to permanently consenting sex toys for men and presumed to always be open to and available to men for male use, bisexual men are presumed to be liars who are afraid to actually come out as gay. That heavy pressure resulting in minority stress would create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Bisexual women told that they'll end up with men and that their attraction to women is "predatory" and "fake" then internalise that, hate themselves, have little-to-no boundaries and then take any man that shows minor interest to feel loved. Bisexual men told that their attraction to women is fake and that they're using liars and manipulators will internalise that, hate themselves and then feel pushed towards partnering with men.

On top of all of this, because there's so much biphobia, even if individual bisexuals get through their own personal issues, it's highly likely that they'll believe in biphobia about other bisexuals, which makes it even harder to date.

Realistically, gay men and just date gay men and lesbians can just date lesbians, and bisexuals could just as easily date other bisexuals and have just as wide a dating pool. But with closeting, biphobia, internalised biphobia, internalised misogyny for bisexual women, then it's a minefield.

The bottom line here is that while we can discuss this all day long, there is an obsession with bisexuals and who we date (or don't date), which does nothing but reduce us to objects that are either good or bad depending on the sex of our partner. It's completely (and deliberately) dehumanising.

Lesbians are lesbians are lesbians, gay men are gay men are gay men, but bisexuals are examined and twisted and turned and only ever conditionally "accepted" on the thinnest ice depending on our partners or who we talk about wanting to partner with. We're never simply accepted as our own individuals with our own individual needs.

It literally does not matter if a bisexual woman only ever wants to date straight men and closets herself forever. She is still subject to the same baseline biphobic oppression that a bisexual woman who only ever wants to date lesbians and closets herself as a lesbian forever. Just as a bisexual woman who is celibate and closets herself as an asexual. It's all because they're bisexual individuals, whatever the rest of their circumstances, because they're people. But biphobes refuse to accept that and see that as ridiculous purely because they don't see us as human - they see us as some monstrous other.

[acephotoman]

Being a superhero has it's perks. Being an alien, not so much. Sure, I was born a U.S. citizen because my mama was, but I'm only second generation Earthling. My grandmother was born on a planet called Tanix, so I'm only part Earthling part Tanixian. Which I mean, there's less than 200 of us on the entire planet, so I guess it's cool and all, except for when the world thinks they get to monitor you.

Granted, being a part of the Superhero Squad isn't a horrible thing. Great benefits, but all of us, not just us Tanixian's, have to undergo random testings, drug and otherwise. Sometimes I think my cousin has the right idea about not being affiliated, but when you're also the grandson of a former President of the United States, it's kind of mandatory.

He and my grandmother founded the Superhero Squad. He wasn't a superhero, just a regular old joe. My grandmother had powers like me though, and she was killed for them. Considering Tanixian's are invulnerable, I still to this day haven't figured out how they killed her, or who even they are. Grandfather Conny, my mother and Dante's mother don't talk about it. I think they all feel somewhat to blame somehow.

For my day job, I'm a reporter for the Daily News out of New York City. I never felt like superheroes other identities should ever be public knowledge, that's why I admire my cousin and what he does. His subversive approach to being a superhero does have it's advantages, but being a part of the Superhero Squad does bring security, and being a registered alien more or less, even if I was born here, does give me peace of mind. Mostly.

When that gets to be too much though, when I just need a break from the world, that's when I fly down south to where my girl lives. Abigail Samms is the love of my life and my safe haven away from the hustle and bustle of the world we live in, especially being a superhero. Which she understands all too well.

She was trained by the Russians as a spy and so much more, but having escaped their clutches, she vowed to right all the wrongs they made her do and now she helps the Superhero Squad out on occasion, especially with covert ops. There’s no one better at infiltration than Abigail. Her mind thinks in ways I could never naturally. It’s even a stretch for it to try and comprehend most of her tactics and strategies.

But what I love most about her was her tenacity and her courage. I know courage is in no short supply in the circles we run in, but her’s goes beyond any I’ve ever seen. The Russians had been about to kill her sister for defecting, but Abigail’s love for her sister broke the mind control they had on her and she ended up taking out everyone at the base where they held her sister captive. No one has seen or heard from Abigail’s sister since it happened, but I knew Abigail would always come to me if she was worried about her sister.

The connection Abigail and I have is unexplainable. From the moment we met, it was serendipitous. Everything just aligned and I fell head over feet in love with her. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her. She’s as much my family as Dante is, but hopefully soon she’ll consider being my wife and then she’ll be the closest of family. Until that day, I’ll take every second I have with her.

Touching down, I fixed my tie and knocked on her door. She wasn’t expecting me, or the flowers I brought, hidden behind my back as I wait for her to open the door, but I loved surprising her.

[dhaaruni]

Was it wrong of liberals/progressives to specifically harp on Trump caging children, rather than one of his administration's countless other failures?

Well, Stephen Miller's immigration politics were visibly vicious and cruel because even people opposed to illegal immigration don't blame literal children who didn't have a choice whether or not to come to this country and don't remotely support treating them as if they're sacks of flour and not living breathing children. Iirc, I think Michelle Obama and Laura Bush co-authored an op-ed about how inhumane Trump and Miller's policies were but then again, George W. Bush was much more pro-immigrant than the current GOP, and has often expressed disappointment that he was unable to pass immigration reform during his presidency due to elected officials on both sides of the aisle (like Bernie Sanders!!) not being amenable.

In addition to deporting like regular people who've been in this country for 20 years, the Trump administration also decimated our legal immigration system so people on H1Bs and with greencards were just fully stalled in their pathways to legal citizenship. However, Dems, and especially Progressives, focus on illegal immigration, which doesn't entirely make sense to me from a politicking standpoint since legal immigration polls infinitely better than illegal immigration, even though I'd argue a nonzero amount of Republicans do lip service to supporting legal immigration given what the Trump administration did to legal immigration channels as well.

And, I REALLY think it was bad politicking (not good or bad policy) for Democrats and especially Progressives to tacitly declare for the entire Democratic Party that "putting literal toddlers in cold metal cages is evil" was rhetorically the same as "Adults who chose to cross the border illegally should automatically be allowed entry into the country as well and given pathways to citizenship." The simple reality is that the level of support Americans have for asylum seekers, economic migrants, and the minor children of those groups being permitted isn't one and the same, and the only people who vote in American elections are American citizens!

My PARENTS are economic migrants, and we didn't get citizenship for 13 years after we moved here, and my parents are far left of most people, immigrants and native-born Americans, on social issues, but a lot of legal immigrants are very opposed to people "jumping the line" so to speak. Their logic is like, "Why should people who break the laws of this country from the get-go be rewarded with citizenship while people who followed all the rules are left languishing in long visa queues?"

Like, Matthew Yglesias wrote about preserving openness to immigration here, and he wrote One Billion Americans so he really put his unpopular opinion out there and stood by it. But like he says, we can't change our immigration laws by denying that laws exist in the first place!

[evanaaml]

Trick or Treat

A little one-shot for #MistyAppreciationDay that I cooked up. Figured, with the holiday closing in, I ought to make it Halloween-themed. Hope you enjoy!

-----------------------------------

"Ok, I think just a few more should do it, what do you think, Azurill?"

"Azu! Zu!"

Misty giggled at her little baby Pokémon as it bounced over the kitchen floor to the little table and grabbed some clementines with its tail.

Halloween was here, and at the Cerulean Gym, Misty, (with her sisters), were put in charge of hosting this year's holiday party. Every year, the Kanto Gym Leaders would take turns hosting holiday events for the league, and more importantly, the people of Kanto. The leaders would often alternate which gym would host which holiday, (with a few exceptions; Lt. Surge insisted on hosting Kanto Independence Day), and this year, the Sensational Sisters were placed in charge of Halloween.

Misty's sisters, Daisy, Lily, and Violet, preferred to host a summer event, (and Misty could hardly blame them, a part of her did, too), but they didn't complain. Any chance to dress up and socialize was a win for them.

For Misty, it was the new norm.

When she was younger, and her sisters were in charge, the league kept them out of these events. They knew they were young and inexperienced. And Misty was naive, she was traveling, looking to become a water Pokémon master, she didn't think of hosting parties or charities. She thought the gym life was just battling trainer after trainer; she thought nothing of the rules or politics that went with it.

But now that she was the primary leader, things like this were her new life. Battles, as it turns out, were a small part of the gym leader life. She had to work with the league, do a lot of paperwork, keep up-to-date on the healthcare of her Pokémon and her employees, and do plenty of personal appearances for Cerulean City.

But despite it all, the stress and the pressure and the busy lifestyle...she loved it. While it wasn't entirely what she expected when she took over the gym all those years ago, she knew that it would be difficult. And she took that challenge with her head held high. She didn't want it to be easy, she wouldn't have taken the position if she thought it would be. It would just prove to herself that she was up to the task if it worked out. And so far, it had.

Still, a little warning would have been nice.

At the moment, Misty was making snacks for the guests. Her cooking skills, while coming a long way since her childhood days on the road, were still...not up to par for mixed company.

Of course, she wouldn't admit that; of course not.

Instead, she opted to put together food already made. In this case, she was placing tiny celery stalks into clementines for a healthy pumpkin-looking treat. Her cooking may not be the best, but her craftsmanship was impressive.

Azurill hopped back to the table and with a mighty bounce, landed on top to place the clementines down. The green paper gently tied around its tail rustled. Azurill was painted (with Pokemon-friendly paint!), a dark green, and with "leaves" on its tail, made itself to be an Oddish. Misty couldn't help but smile every time she saw her adorable Pokémon in its costume.

As for her, Misty opted to go a bit more mythical. She wore a light blue and white body suit and had wired-lined white ribbon around her waist that stuck out around her body; as if flowing in waves. Attached to the back of her neck was a large hood with a light blue headpiece and long, purple hair. At the moment, it was down, but if she flipped it up, it'd stick up just above her head.

She always felt an attachment to Suicune, the Aurora Pokémon. This was of course no surprise, she felt an attachment to all Water-Pokémon. Certain ones, however, had an aura about them to that she could not help but feel drawn to in more ways than just admiration. Suicune was mist personified.

"How they comin'?" someone asked from outside the kitchen.

"Almost done!", Misty replied.

"Alright, I'm gonna show you my costume; prepared to be, like, mind-blown!" the person stated. Misty shook her head in exasperation, but giggled all the same.

"I'm waiting on baited breath", Misty replied sarcastically. Within moments, Daisy entered the room. Like Misty, she wore a body suit, but it was a much darker blue with light blue bands going down the side and around her waist and chest. She had large fins on her back that looked more like elegant Butterfree wings outside of the water. She had two sets of much smaller fins on her side and abdomen. In her hand was what looked like a flat, black baton with a pink dot on it.

"TADA! What do you think?", Daisy asked, striking a pose with one hand in the air and the other on her hip.

"A Lumineon, fitting! A shame they aren't in Kanto waters, having one in the gym would be amazing", Misty said dreamily. She imagined the glowing aura Pokémon swimming through the pool at night, its glow lighting up the water and making the pool seem almost supernatural.

"Like, don't go off daydreaming again, we need the snacks finished soon! Some guests are already here, and the doors open to the public in an hour", Daisy scolded lightly.

"Yeah, yeah", Misty said, waving her off. Misty wasn't interested in impressing the League's big-wigs, they rarely left their offices for these events anyway; instead opting to sends notices reminding her to "Keep up the standards of the Kanto Pokémon League, esq.".

Yawn.

And she wasn't concerned about making an impression with the gym leaders. Through her journey as a child, she got to know them all on a personal level. Through her new position, that level of friendship only increased; she became tight with all of them. Erika and her hung out on the regular, Misty was the first person who Sabrina opened up to, and whom she was now the closest with, Blaine continued to this day to send her riddles for her to solve, (which she never failed to do), and she became a sort of mentor to Forrest; Brock's younger brother, and the gym leader of Pewter City, (when his brother was away for studies).

Her biggest concerns came from the citizens of the city. Namely, the kids. Since becoming the gym leader, she became a role model for the kids of the city. She would host events at the gym, speak in classrooms, run charities, and of course battle any locals who wanted to test their metal before officially joining the League challenge. They were the ones she wanted to impress, to put a smile on their faces. This was for them.

She began peeling the clementines that Azurill handed her. "I have to say though, Daisy, as beautiful as the costume is, I thought you'd do a little more for the party", Misty stated. Her sisters were known for going all out for all their outfits; regardless of occasion. And while her older sister's costume was well made, it didn't seem to have that "over the top" feature that they were known for. Daisy winked.

"Oh, just watch", Daisy replied. Misty looked on as Daisy reached over to one of the fins on her side. She slid a tiny lever up, and within moments, the blue bands along her body and fins lit up in a fluorescent glow. "Like the Sensational Sisters wouldn't try to be the stars of the evening".

...Ok, she was impressed.

"Wow! That's amazing, Daisy!", Misty said.

"I know, right?", Daisy replied. She walked over towards the table to pick up a platter of the finished treats. "You know, if you weren't so stingy, we were going to add lights to your outfit, too".

"I didn't know you were going to do that, I just wanted to add my own part to the costume is all. I didn't want you three to do all the work for my own costume", Misty replied. Her stubbornness never left her. She knew her sisters were more talented at crafts like costumes than she was, but she didn't have it in her to let them do it all on their own, even if they were happy to. She had to help.

"Well, the ribbons did come out nice, so, I guess you got some of our talent after all", Daisy said. Misty glared daggers at her older sister. Did she really not think about what she said before saying it?

But she let it slide. Since her sisters returned from their trip, and she was put in charge of the gym, they had all made great strides in becoming more of a family. They had their fights and spats, but Misty felt that they were the kind of disagreements that siblings had.

So then the others have similar costumes?", Misty asked.

"You bet!", someone called out. Daisy turned around and Misty glanced over to see Lily and Violet approaching them. Violet stepped into the kitchen, walking sideways through the doorway to fit in. She had several tentacles attached to her waist from a subtle belt. Some tentacles dangled from the belt and hung just above the ground, while others had some sort of support that allowed them to stick out a small ways from her body. Two tentacles were attached to small sticks, which she held in her hand to raise and move like the real thing. She wore brown leggings and a bell-shaped costume with two large glowing plastic orbs on her shoulders, with a smaller glowing one attached to her head via a tiara. She also had a long, jagged stinger, which she currently had just dangling around her neck.

"Awww! Tentacruel! How beautiful!", Misty said.

"Well, I dunno about beautiful, but it sure is illuminating!" Violet replied, lifting two of the tentacles up in a pose with a smile. Misty was insulted at Violet's blatant disregard for one of the most beautiful sea Pokémon.

"What are you, Lily?", Misty asked, ignoring Violet for her crime...for now.

"TOO BIG TO FIT INTO THE ROOM!", Lily whined. The sisters sighed.

Lily had a large shell that hung from her waist and raised up over her head, and a pink sphere around her chest, with black leggings to finish the attire. Around her body within the shell, she had white orbs that glowed similar to her sisters. The shell was too tall and too wide to fit her through the door frame.

"It's just the shell, Lily, like, no one's gonna think you're fat", Violet stated, knowing full-well what she was worried about.

"The costume came out amazing...BUT AT WHAT COST!?", Lily asked out loud.

"The costume looks great, Lily! What did you use to keep it light and bulky like that?", Misty asked.

"DON'T SAY BULKY!", Lily replied in disgust. Violet groaned.

"EVA foam. It's in all of our outfits, including yours", Daisy answered, ignoring Lily's outburst. She used the tail in her hand to point to Misty's hood.

"Oh, really? I just thought it was cardboard", Misty replied, lifting the hood up over her head.

"As if! Like cardboard would be able to keep that form!", Daisy replied. Misty sighed. Her sisters were experts at costumes from all the ballets they put on; they really knew which materials to use and how to make them stand out. If their jobs at the gym didn't work out, Misty thought they could make a career as professional cosplayers.

"Not gonna lie, sis, I'm a little bummed that you didn't go with Lugia for your costume. I mean, like, you SAW it and everything!", Violet exclaimed, recalling her sister's incident in the Orange Islands.

"Lugia was certainly a finalist. I may go with it next year, but that costume would probably take me longer to make", Misty admitted, thinking of the struggle to make its wings and tail manageable.

"Personally, I thought you should have gone with Bruxish, I think it fits you better", Lily said with a sneer, thinking of the large, big-lipped fish. All three sisters burst into laughter at the thought. Misty growled.

"OH WHO ASKED YOU, ANYWAY!?", Misty yelled. Azurill jumped in shock at the outburst. Misty gasped, realizing her error, and rushed over to console the baby.

"Wow, way to go, Misty, scare the poor little baby why don't you?", Daisy said in jest. Misty glared, but kept her cool this time.

"So, anyway, what guests are here?", Misty asked, changing the topic. Daisy handed the platter in her hand to Violet while she grabbed another one to hand to Lily.

"None of the other gym leaders yet, but they'll be here any minute, I'm sure", Violet answered.

"The mayor's here, and some of his guests", Daisy added.

"No surprise. Any trainers?", Misty asked.

"Uhm...yeah! That Casey girl is here!", Violet answered. Misty's eyes lit up.

"That's wonderful! I was hoping she'd come around. I know she head's back to Johto during the holidays, I'm glad she could stop by before that", Misty said. She had met many trainers on her journeys over the years, plenty of whom she was still in contact with. They would make time to write her notes or video call her, some would even visit if they were in the area. It made her heart feel good that she still had so many friends from her childhood.

"Brock said he'd be over with his family soon, too. Prof. Oak said he was running late, had to pick up Mrs. Ketchum and someone else", Lily said from outside the kitchen.

"Probably Gary. Alright. Did anyone call while I was working in here?", Misty asked.

"Yes! May did. She said that she'll be here! Didn't say what time exactly, but that she can't wait to catch up!", Daisy answered. Misty smiled. May was someone who she only got to meet once or twice in her childhood, but as she got older, she got to hang out with more and more.

Any friend of his would be a friend of hers, given enough time.

She was a coordinator, a field that Misty knew she wouldn't be cut out for, but loved to see. Misty's sisters, who had an interest in coordinating before becoming co-gym leaders, quickly became some of her biggest fans. They were even one of her first sponsors when she was skilled enough to take some on.

"*Sigh* I knew she would. I can't wait to catch up, it's been far too long since we've seen her. I know Dawn can't make it, she's too far away, but she sends her regards!", Misty explained.

"Aww, how sweet!", Lily replied.

"Iris has her own League's party to deal with, Serena is in Hoenn, and...Tracy's been here all day helping set up", Misty said, thinking to herself of what friends could show up.

"Wait, aren't you missing someone?", Violet asked.

There was a pause.

"...No, I'm pretty sure that's it", Misty replied, feeling a little twitch in her chest.

"...Misty, you know you're forgetting someone", Lily replied.

Another twitch, more painful than the last.

Misty turned around to face the little snacks she was making.

"...No, I'm not. Everyone who said they were going to come, already answered", Misty retorted. The sisters looked at one another. They were all thinking the same thing. About the same person.

"Misty...what about Ash?", Daisy asked.

Twitch.

Azurill, sensing a sudden mood change in its trainer, hopped over to her side. Misty just looked at the fruit before her, her mind elsewhere.

"He...isn't coming".

The sensational sisters seemed perplexed at the statement. As if it didn't seem possible.

"Ash isn't coming? Did he say that?", Daisy asked, slightly shocked.

"He didn't say anything, I left him a message, telling him the details, and he didn't respond", Misty answered. The words came out harsher than she intended, but it felt deserved none the less.

"That doesn't seem like him. He's dense, but not rude", Violet replied.

"Yeah, like, are you sure he would just bail on you like that?", Lily asked.

"I don't know, and quite frankly, I don't care", Misty spat back. She grabbed a few clementines, stabbed celery stalks into them, and then held the platter out for one of them to grab. "Here. Done. I'll work on another treat set and then head out". The sisters all looked at one another in a mutual feeling of concern.

The sisters knew their own strengths, they knew they had beauty, charm, and a wit that would rival anyone. But they also knew their own weaknesses.

They knew that, despite all of their shared love of Water Pokémon and the gym, and the training they've put in since their time back home, that they weren't the best trainers. And though there were many, many differences between them and their youngest sister over personalities, and ideas for running the gym to its prime capabilities, that Misty always thought with the gym's best intentions.

They knew that their "runt" of a younger sister, the "not-so sensational sister", was the best the gym had to offer.

And while they had confidence that she'd get over this soon, it still pained them to see her like this. Misty was most certainly not the type to drool over men the way they used to, (or, still do in some cases), but they knew, from the moment they met him, that she had the one. And that one, right now, was hurting her.

Daisy sighed and walked over, taking the platter. She could see, albeit only from a glance, the pain in her sister's face.

"Misty, hun, listen...just, don't judge too harshly, ok? I know he didn't reply, but you don't know why yet. Maybe something came up, maybe there was bad service where he is, maybe he is, in fact, just an idiot...So please...go easy on him, ok? If, afterwards, it turns out he just ditched you, then Hell, I'll drive you to him myself so you can beat his ass", Daisy explained. Lily and Violet shuddered at the thought of her behind the wheel with their sister again. "But, until then, just...keep an open mind, ok?".

Misty clenched her hands, feeling like she was about to explode. Who were they to tell her how to feel about this situation? But...she eventually sighed, and nodded.

"Yeah...you're right", Misty replied.

And it pained her to admit it.

"Alright. Don't take too long with the next snacks, I'm sure these will last until the main course arrives. Most everyone's eating candy anyway", Daisy explained. Misty gave a half-hearted giggle.

Daisy walked away from Misty and looked to her other sisters. They both looked worried for their youngest sibling, but knew that things would be clear in due time.

Call it women's intuition.

From out of the kitchen, Lily turned towards a noise, and giggle aloud.

"Well, I don't know about Ash, but at least you can see Pikachu tonight", Lily said through laughs. Misty turned around in shock as Lily side-stepped to allow something to pass her.

Walking into the kitchen, its hands on either side of its head, was Misty's ever-so faithful companion, Psyduck. Attached to its head by a thick rubber band were long, flimsy pieces of paper, cut out awkwardly into points with black tips drawn on with crayon. Attached over its tail was a tube, which led to an equally poorly-cut Pikachu tail. To compliment the additions, red circles were sloppily painted on its cheeks.

"Psy.Duck.Psy.Duck.Psy.Duck", Psyduck said as it marched towards its trainer. It finished with a final "Psy" as it stopped on front of her.

"Ohhh, bless its little heart, it tried its best", Daisy said, both loving and horrified at Psyduck's attempt at a Pikachu costume.

"How did it struggle to paint simple circles on its cheeks, but made the brown stripes all the way over on its back almost perfect? I swear your Psyduck's like, the weirdest thing on two legs", Violet exclaimed. Psyduck tilted its head in response.

"Psyduck!"

"Oh leave it alone! I think your costume is...wonderfully you, Psyduck!", Misty stated, bending down to give her Pokémon care. The water type smiled as Misty readjusted its ears.

"Well, don't take too long, alright? Psyduck, make sure she comes out to mingle soon, ok?", Daisy said, instructing the duck Pokémon.

"Psyduck!", Psyduck exclaimed, waving its hand in the air. Daisy and Violet then left the kitchen, and, with Lily, went towards the pool area. They wanted to socialize with the elite and friends, but more still, they wanted Misty to have a moment to herself.

They knew things would turn around for her soon enough.

Misty, meanwhile, looked to her little sheet of "Halloween Snack Ideas" she "borrowed" from Serena's blog online to see what to make next. All the snacks were easy to make, and for most of them, they had the ingredients right there in the kitchen. But the more she thought, the more she got anxious. She didn't want to make anything. She didn't want to be there all of a sudden.

What was wrong with her?

She shook her head, and looked back to the sheet. They were easy ideas, Serena made them even simpler by explaining it in easy steps. But she couldn't find the urge to get started. Her mind kept wandering. Kept getting side-tracked.

She groaned.

Eventually, Misty sighed, tossed the sheet aside, and just sat on the stool at the kitchen island. Azurill bounced over and hopped into her arms while Psyduck wobbled over and leaned against her leg from the floor. They both knew what was getting to her.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you two. I don't mean to worry you. I'll be fine, I'm sure of it", Misty said, rubbing Azurill gently. She said it, but she herself didn't believe it. Misty sighed. "Who am I kidding? I don't know when I'll get over this. It's just...so unlike him. If he had told me he couldn't make it, I would have understood. He's missed more parties and events I've had than I can even keep track of. But to just...not respond to me. To just, leave me sitting here, wondering, and...hoping...it hurts".

Misty found herself clutching Azurill tighter to her chest. It wasn't just the lack of response that bothered her, it was that it came from him that really made it hurt. He just didn't do that. He was always busy, always traveling, always training. Working day in and day out to accomplish his dream; something she would never cease to admire.

But he always made time to talk to her.

Maybe she was spoiled over it. Maybe, she thought, that she expected too much from him, and that, realistically, he didn't need to answer every message that came his way from her. Maybe he was busy responding to another female friend of his?

Twitch.

She shook the idea out of her head. What made her think it was a female friend? What made her think it was even a friend he was talking to? It could have been a multitude of things. He could have gotten hung up with a gym battle. He could be traveling out in the wild with no signal. He could be somewheres out there, alone, and with no one to help him.

Twitch.

Again, she shook the thought out of her head. Why did she keep jumping to the worst conclusions? Azurill nuzzled more into her, sensing her anxiety levels rising. Misty sighed. These thoughts of hers were getting out of hand. She wanted to distract herself. She needed to distract herself.

But the motivation wasn't there. She knew what she had to do, and she knew that doing it would help. But try as she might, she couldn't will herself to start, and so she sat, with the same question running through her mind.

Why didn't Ash answer?

A commotion in the pool area startled her out of her thoughts momentarily. Misty could just make out the voice of her sisters talking to a person or persons. More guests were arriving.

It was as much motivation as she was going to get, she thought. Misty sighed, and stood up, placing Azurill down on the table in the process. Looking at the sheet momentarily once more, she decided on a snack and grabbed several bananas. She handed some to Psyduck.

"Here, peel these for me, please", Misty said. Psyduck took the bananas and began to peel the skins away with its sharp webbed claws. Misty herself peeled a banana and then cut it in half. Then, with a chocolate-filled pipping bag, began to draw the tiniest of dots on the ends of the bananas. Within seconds, a ghost face had formed. Serena's "Boo-Nanas".

With Psyduck's help, Misty managed to make a fair amount within only a couple minutes. Before she knew it, she almost had enough for a platter's worth. While it was still in the back of her mind, her concerns over Ash weren't controlling her like they did moments before.

"Ok, that's a fair amount done. Let's get a few more and we can send it out...Psyduck?", Misty asked, holding her hand out and expecting to be given a peeled banana. She turned to see that Psyduck was smelling the air. "What is it? You smell something? Wonder if the main courses arrived from the restaurant?", Misty wondered aloud. Azurill also began sniffing the air. Soon, both Pokémon recognized the scent and turned to the door. The sound of something dragging caught Misty's attention.

Entering the kitchen was a small creature, draped in some kind of old-looking sheet. Small black dots were on the lower form, while the head looked to be a misshapen form of a Pikachu. Eyes, cheeks, and a smile were drawn on with some form of crayon, as were the ear tips, not unlike Psyduck's. The head was limp, bobbing left and right and refusing to sit upright. A stick for a tail was stuck to the end of the sheet, by a means Misty could not immediately tell. The figure stood there, not saying a word.

Admittedly, Misty was creeped out, but she recognized the costume. It was a Mimikkyu, a Pokémon from the Alola region.

"Well, hello there", Misty said politely. There was no response from the Mimikkyu. "Hmm, well, I know what you're supposed to be. The question is, are you the real deal? Or are you a costume within a costume?". The figure raised up, the sides of the sheet extending out ever so slightly from the lower body, as it groaned. Misty sighed, no dark appendages.

"Ok, well you're not a real Mimikkyu. So who are you?", Misty asked. The figure darted with surprising across the kitchen floor and to the table, hoping up with ease. It crawled over to the gym leader and sat there, staring at her as the head bobbled more. Misty was creeped out, but sighed. "Ok, being stubborn huh?". She put her hand on the head, stopping it from moving. The figure shuttered, causing Misty to actually tense up. It groaned loudly as Misty held its head.

She heard of the legends surrounding the ghost type. And while she had the utmost confidence that this was nothing more than a Pokémon, dressed up as a Mimikkyu, the hesitation was still there. None the less, she gulped and lifted the head up, and the sheet with it.

"PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII....KACHU-PI!".

Her heart skipped a beat, both from relief, and shock.

"P-Pikachu!? What, how!?", Misty asked. The mouse Pokémon had raised its paws up, growling menacingly as its costume was revealed, in an attempt to be scary. But ultimately greeted its female friend with its usual smile.

"But wait, if you're here, then...", Misty said, realizing the inevitable truth. She covered her mouth and immediately began fighting tears that were suddenly forming as she turned to the doorway. Just popping into view was a man, dressed up in a store-bought Entei costume. The man lowered the mask, revealing the face.

"Hiya, Mist...been awhile".

Misty, despite the well of emotions she was feeling, both positive and negative, couldn't stop herself as the two embraced in a large hug. Ash wrapped his arms around her tight and she felt like she would melt into him. He smelled like dirt road and wild grass, with hints of dewdrops. A combination of scents she missed, and grew to love over time.

"Damn, still got an inch on me, thought for certain I'd be taller. I think we're both done growing, too", Ash joked.

"Ash...", Misty said, smiling with tears coming down her face. "...you ABSOLUTE ASSHOLE!".

Misty immediately stepped back and punched him in the arm, causing him to jump back and rub it firmly.

"Ow! Damn, still got a killer punch I see!", Ash replied. Pikachu sighed. It appeared as if little changed over the years. It hopped down from the table with Azurill to catch up with its friend Psyduck, and admire its rendition of itself.

"What the HELL were you thinking!?", Misty asked. Despite the tears and rage inside of her, she was smiling and laughing as she asked it. She was a whole mess of emotions and she didn't know which one was in control at the moment.

"I was thinking that my plan went off without a hitch", Ash replied, still rubbing his arm.

"Your plan!?", Misty asked.

"Yeah! Your sisters knew! I asked them what costume you were wearing, so that I could match it...but dang, you really had to go all-out and make me look cheap, didn't you?", Ash explained, looking over Misty's costume.

"They knew!? Argh! I'm gonna KILL THEM!", Misty growled, nearly tearing her hood off.

"Actually, they seemed pretty upset with me, too. Did you not know I was coming or something?", Ash asked.

Twitch.

There was a moment of silence. Misty turned towards the trainer. He looked genuinely perplexed. It was a look she swore was stuck to his face nine hours of the day.

"...How could I, when you DON'T ANSWER!?", Misty asked. Ash stood back from the angry response, and Misty could tell he was rearing to protect his other arm.

"Woah, woah, I did respond!", Ash exclaimed. He then fumbled in his costume pants pocket and pulled out his Poképhone. He unlocked the screen and immediately began going through his messages. "See, look, you sent me the text, asking if I would come to the party, and showing me your official invite sheet, and yadda yadda, and here I said...".

There was a pause.

Ash groaned heavily. Pikachu did the same. He tapped a button, and within a few seconds, Misty heard the sound of a water droplet. She recognized it as her custom ringtone for a text message. She grabbed her Poképhone from off the table to see, on her screen, a single message.

"Why not both? ;)"

Twitch.

"I uh...I thought I hit send...I apparently did not...", Ash said sheepishly. Pikachu slapped its forehead.

"...Ash...", Misty said.

"Y...Yes?", Ash asked.

"...You are, in fact...just an idiot", Misty exclaimed. Ash sighed.

"Oh, yeah, that I knew", Ash replied. He expected much worse.

"Why not both?", Misty asked, referring to the message.

"Uh, yeah. Your message. After you sent me the image of your paper invite you sent out to people, you asked me, "So, Trick, or Treat?". And that was my answer.

"...Both?", Misty asked.

"Yeah, the treat was that I'd be here for you. The trick...well, the trick was technically Pikachu's costume, in an attempt to scare you, but I guess this little incident is more of a trick now?", Ash replied with a nervous chuckle. Misty sighed and covered her eyes with her hands. In doing so, more tears came out. They were residual, but it was enough for Ash to notice. He rushed over and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Misty, I'm so sorry, I swear to you, I didn't intend to hurt your feelings. I wondered why you didn't respond, and I didn't think to check and see if the message sent, I figured you were just busy with preparations and talked to your sisters about me coming over. I guess they thought that you got a reply from me until tonight", Ash quickly explained. His chest hurt from seeing Misty tear up like that. Especially that it happened because of him.

"Ash...the amount of emotional pain you've briefly given me...is nothing, compared to the amount of PHYSICAL pain I'm going to put you through after the party", Misty exclaimed. Ash shuddered. "And once I tell your mom what you did, she'll probably add to it".

"...You wouldn't".

"Gyarados won't even be able to eat your remains, they'll be so pulverized".

"...Pikachu wouldn't let that happen to me".

"Piiiii", Pikachu answered.

"Once again, you've proven to be just the BEST friend I could ask for!", Ash said sarcastically.

"But for now...", Misty started. She slowly leaned into Ash and wrapped her arms around him. "...let me just...sit here a bit?" She closed her eyes, took in a wiff of his scent, and smiled. Ash smiled himself, wrapped his arms around her, and closed his eyes.

"Take as long as you need...Happy Halloween, Misty".

------------------------------------------------------

I haven't stopped writing and editing this story for the last few hours, and I'm EXHAUSTED. I'm so sorry if this story isn't up to snuff; I'm out of practice. This was my contribution to Misty Appreciation Day, hope you enjoyed!

-EVAN AAML

[clockworkspider]

Wanting to experience luxury is human and understandable, but we do still have to face the fact that the biggest contributors to wealth disparity isn't actually billionaires, but the upper-middle class.

Literally all the mentioned small luxuries comes with its own social issues. Automobile ownership creates a heavy toll on both the environment and public infrastructure, when ride-sharing, public transit, and cycling are the much more sustainable/efficient option. But cities and policies are built to accommodate cars because car owners are also voters. It is the average car owners that demands for funding to go into building more roads and parking spaces as opposed to better public transit. It is the average car owners that demands for options on affordable gas, thus fuelling into more gas related projects and blocking taxes on carbon.

The major contributor to NIMBY-ism isn't billionaire investors but regular homeowners looking to protect/inflate their own real-estate value by preventing more affordable homes from being built around them.

The biggest contributor to food-related greenhouse gases isn't wagyu steak or the gold truffle, it's the fact that average citizens expect to eat beef on a regular basis.

Yes, luxury clothing brand has dumped all their excess into landfill, but so does fast fashion, and there's a lot more of the latter, which also must rely on cheap labour to produce.

Tourism has terrible environmental impact and puts heavy strain on public infrastructures on major cities. Simply by the fact that a lot more people will be visiting a destination. When I visited a major city, I stayed in air b&b because it was the most affordable option. Half the apartments were air b&b. That's spaces built for citizens to LIVE in.

Capitalism may favor the ultra-rich, but the majority of purchasing power still lies with the middle-class. Elections can be bought but it still (for a good part) favors the majority.

I don't necessarily think anyone should feel guilt for wanting or pursuing luxury. It's fine to desire for comfort. But you have to acknowledge that our desires don't come in a vacuum.

My mother, who grew up wearing hand-me-downs, value quality much more than style when it comes to clothes. She will pick out the ugliest shit because the seams are properly sewn and the material will last. The emphasis on using "style" to express our authenticity is a distinctively capitalist idea that's sold to us to make us buy more shit (clothes, tasteful furnitures) to reflect our ever changing mood/personality.

A house is not inherently more comfortable to live in than a high-rise, and not everyone is suitable for driving, but land and automobile ownership has its own appeal as a signifier of "you've made it" in North America. Of course there are real benefits to both, but the cultural significance is a major factor of why people feel so emotionally attached to owning these things.

Yes, it's unconscionable that the ultra-rich have unimaginable wealth. But practically, it's actually the democratization of luxury that's the biggest challenge to sustainability and wealth distribution.

As individuals, we should not feel guilt for desiring/pursuing luxury. We have the right and freedom to live the best lives we can. But when it comes down to supporting policies and public infrastructure, we have to keep in mind that we can't just blame everything on the ultra-rich, sometimes you have to vote against your own interest for the sake of sustainability and equity.

As that one Tumblr post puts it, "I am not exempt from 'fuck'em'"

Don’t confuse my hatred of the hyperwealthy for jealousy over what they have. I don’t want a six figure sports car, or a 40 room mansion, or a gold leaf truffle wagyu steak dinner. I want redistribution of wealth that allows for infrastructural support of all citizens’ basic survival needs.

[fly-pow-bye]

Powerpuff Girls 2016 - “Drama Bomb”

Written by: Haley Mancini

Written & Storyboarded by: Alicia Chan, John West

Directed by: Nick Jennings, Bob Boyle

More drama for your mamas...and daughters.

The episode begins with the beginning of a school play based on the food pyramid from the 90's, with everyone dressed up as a food item. Not only do we see the return of Robin Snyder in a sort of voiced role, though we never quite get to hear just her voice, we get to see all of our favorite students. And by favorite students, I mean just Barry. Go, Barry, you spinning bowl of chicken noodle soup, you.

Unfortunately, the kid's talents are not showing here, as they're all painfully off-key. Even the last episode that focused on play's idea of Blossom and Jared being the main stars of Townsville Elementary's drama class has seemingly been thrown out, as at least Blossom gets an intentionally bad singing voice as well. Instead, it's Bubbles that's the big star, as she gets to properly sing the big ending song about how treats are good when they're part of a...something. She couldn't figure out the last word in her song, much to the joy of the drama teacher.

A Star Is Blossom still has to be canon, because this episode also features Ms. Moss, the drama teacher that just can't believe she's working with such children. The joke, of course, being that these children are, in fact, children. At least, most of them are obviously children, at least one of them are pretty questionable.

She at least has a good reason for this sudden bout of perfectionism: the stakes have changed. After Buttercup, who is in the play as a T-Bone steak, does the obvious joke with that, she reveals that Citysville's greatest playwrite is coming to this elementary school, and if this play was good, they could go on tour with this amazing play about fruit!

We cut right from the failed rehearsals to the final version of the play, which is, according to a sign gag and not anything in the play itself, The Five Food Groups: A Hero's Journey. Even after watching this episode several times, I'm not sure what the "A Hero's Journey" is supposed to signify. I would guess it's supposed to refer to this plot about the Tomato, played by everyone's favorite brick, in his journey to identify whether he is a fruit or a vegetable, but where does Bubbles' song fit in all of this?

Then again, it's more likely one couldn't even make out what these kids are singing, as they're off-key and can't seem to sing in-time either. Of course, this is all intentional, but it's still bad enough to be hard to listen to. Ms. Moss hopes that Belle Lakes wouldn't notice, maybe possibly giving her a slight break since these are just elementary school students.

That's not the case, as she's bored watching this drivel. Finally, a character I can relate to. But hey, at least that lady right next to her is loving it! Also loving it is good ol' Sitcom Dad, who is taking pictures with this smartphone. You'd think someone who is bad at computers would use some sort of old-timey camera. Good thing the Professor shouldn't fit that description!

This reception doesn't please Ms. Moss at all. If she doesn't do anything quickly, this performance will bomb! That last word gives her an idea.

Ms. Moss continues her affinity with using mystic objects from mystic sources, though this item is a little less fantastic than the play that summons butch viking women. In this case, it's a Drama Bomb that was given to her after she graduated at an academy for master thespians, which, for some unexplained reason, is made up entirely of people in cloaks. When this bomb explodes, it makes anyone caught in the blast 10 times more dramatic!

She happens to have this bomb in a glass case that says "In Case Of Lack of Talent", and I'd say that should have been broken 114 times by now. She calls for a brief intermission, gathering all the students, and then throwing the bomb at them. Covering everything in pink glitter, the bomb's effects appear to be negligible...at least, for a few seconds.

Buttercup: Ugh, what was that?

Blossom: I don't know...it's...

Blossom and Buttercup: Magical!

Ms. Moss quickly comes in to say this is all brilliant, and tells them to go to their places with a really ugly zoom-in to her mouth. No real explanation other than "see, Ms. Moss is cuckoo!", I'm not going to show it, and you're welcome.

Thanks to the power of that Drama Bomb, that opening song from before turns into a big, artsy, and dramatic song in the style of the Cell Block Tango scene from Chicago. The unique coloring, the similar style of the song, and it even goes right down to how the food items in the pyramid looks like they're in jail cells. Honestly, I actually like this choice in visuals.

As for the audio, it's interesting to say the least, if not that memorable or catchy. It's still the same voice actors and voice actresses singing the songs here. I was 100% thinking they were going to pull out some actual singer to dub in for these characters, but it's just the regular actors actually trying to sound good. Less ideal, but less awkward than the alternative.

There is this shot with Blossom and you-know-who embracing that's just randomly in there, even though thankfully this is not a play where Blossom and Jared are the love interests. At least, as far as the viewers can tell, anyway. It does make sense in the play, since it's either two vegetables or a fruit and a vegetable, but I cannot forget all of that baggage from those fantasy scenes from Season 1 and 2.

Belle Lakes starts to get overjoyed at this. That lady right next to her is also still liking this, though the lack of change in her expression is worrying me. And, of course, Sitcom Dad is still sneaking around, taking smartphone pictures. Now that they're supposedly talented now, there's not even a joke here other than the Sitcom Dad creeping out that one guy. I wouldn't blame him.

Blossom and Buttercup are confused, as they can't help themselves but dramatically enter rooms, make dramatic poses, and speak with dramatic lines. Well, Buttercup is just dabbing and speaking as if Bart Simpson got an even worse cold than usual, but I can see what she's trying to do. At least Blossom's Shakespeare-esque lines are fitting here, and she says them relatively well.

Suddenly, the cellphone hotline rings, and Blossom asks what evil besieges the poor Mayor, and...

...it turns out that this episode features Discount Jojo as the villain again, stealing the dome from Town Hall as a decoration! I would say that this continues a streak with episodes with main villains voiced by Roger L. Jackson, but Ms. Moss is a far bigger threat here.

The Puffs attempt to leave, only to be stopped by the power of the Drama Bomb. As Ms. Moss explains, the show must go on, who cares if Townsville becomes a burning crater in the ground. She doesn't exactly say that last line, but she might as well say it.

They don't really turn Discount Jojo's crime spree into a B-plot. We just get this one scene where Jojo is so confused that, no matter how many crimes he makes and how long he makes his laughter, the Powerpuff Girls aren't stopping him. I guess I could see some humor in how Jojo is worried that the usual rhythm of things just isn't happening, it reminds me of that scene from that one episode of Batman: The Animated Series.

Joker: Without Batman, crime has no punchline.

It was done far better there, but I'm not going to hate on the reboot for not living up to those impossibly high standards. No dramatic lines from Jojo here, as much as it would be oddly fitting for this episode, but he does ask what could possibly be so vital that it would prevent the Powerpuff Girls from giving him a slideshow beatdown?

This at least decently transitions to the scene where Blossom dramatically exclaims that it's vital to know if the tomato is a vegetable or not, and even the Tomato does not know. By the way, if you're wondering where the Chicago styling is here, they pretty much forget about it beyond that one scene.

Also pretty much gone is any semblance of a followable plot in this play. I'm not expecting anything Shakespearean to show up in this reboot with or without that Drama Bomb, but there's no real connection between this tomato plot and Bubbles' final song.

Speaking of which, Bubbles is still moping that she can't figure out what that last word in the song is. This scene comes up way too often; it feels more like filler. I could at least appreciate them being over-dramatic, but other than that, it's just "waaah, I can't figure out my liiiines!"

In the end, they say they will do it together...as a whole! This word actually ends up being that word Bubbles was supposed to rhyme with "bowl". I mean, what else could it be? Treats are better than eating coal? You got to pay the troll toll? This show needs some quality control? Would have went with that one.

Essentially singing the same song as her attempt at the end song from the rehearsal scene from the beginning, since it was the only relatively good thing about it, I guess, she finally nails the end song with the help of her sisters. Belle really loved this play, and the uphill rollercoaster with Sitcom Dad still keeps going up without any real conclusion. What does conclude is the spell from the Drama Bomb, signified with some sparkles. The Powerpuff Girls are glad that they're finally free.

However, in the end, Ms. Moss learned absolutely nothing, as she promises to use a drama bomb on every play on this day forward, and then rolls out of the room. How she's going to get more of them will never be explained. The Powerpuff Girls seemingly pay it no mind that future plays might indirectly cause the destruction of Townsville, and decide, now that the show has ended, to finally take on Discount Jojo.

This isn't a bad way to end this episode. Such a old-school beating, not only does it end with a bruised Discount, it even comes with the classic line:

Blossom: Not so fast, Mojo Jojo!

If it actually had Bubbles and Buttercup saying Mojo and Jojo respectively, it would have been perfect, but I shouldn’t compare this show to that show’s impossibly high-to-this-show standards, either. The episode ends with a line that fits in with the rest of the episode, which is more than what I could say about some episodes.

Bubbles: And...scene!

I would have preferred a dramatic line read from Tom Kenny and hearts, but alas.

Does the title fit?

Name of the object, though it does cause drama in pretty much any way I can think of.

How does it stack up?

I'm a little in the middle with this episode. There isn’t much to the episode beyond some dramatic line reads, some better than others. However, it has some nice shots, and the songs, the ones that aren't meant to be terrible, are at least passable. It’s watchable, but I wouldn’t lie and say that yawning playwrite didn’t represent me at some points.

Next, Watch It, did they botch it?

← Checkin' Out ☆ Watch It! →

[whimsically-ominously-auspice]

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A post shared by snoopdogg (@snoopdogg) on May 26, 2020 at 10:01pm PDT

One of my new passions

This latest with one cop on a niggas neck and one on his lungs and another on his legs while he was handcuffed.

Has me black out murderous rage against all 4 cops present.

I wish our society felt safe enough to attack racist bigots that abuse their power to murder for no cause.

Had those people standing around been able to attack those police and save that man... I don't blame them. I feel sorry for the sight they saw. But I know I would have.

I wish more people had the courage to be crazy like me and do what it takes to save a life.

As i said i don't blame them, many times I haven't been brave as i wanted to be.

I'm thankful they were courageous enough to video this way justice can be served. I read one person did talk back and advocate.

I wish we had the mob mentality to save his life.

Tree informs me the one standing to the side kept calling for backup to help the victim.

Tree does inform me the victim whom died was indeed an ass hole whom I would have killed myself but I would also have killed all three cops.

Thus it's a racist and crime of hypocrisy from those cops... What it was is they were all working together and they had the store call when he was in Just to kill him. As I suspected it was full blown murder. Nothing less.

Tree says they were all laundering drug money together. The 4 police.

The one holding the legs and the one standing alone didn't really want to kill their accomplice. The one standing realize he would be next and so he tried to stop the death of the victim. Tree informs me.

That is all the information tree says we need to know.

I feel if it's an off duty job they should done it without their uniforms. But they chose to represent the Minneapolis, Minnesota police as white men and kill a topless black man in handcuffs while completely defenseless against whom he thought was his friends.

Tree says "to prove they were tough"

I think it's more than that. I think they were trying to prove black lives do not matter and they wanted to prove that all people, no matter their color but most especially African American, are powerless and they have all the power. And theyre invincible. Its far beyond being tough, it's being Godly.

And tree and i spoke about how the man was shirtless and while i couldn't see much of his body due to the car, it looked like he did work out and was buff. And as Tree points out as i did see as well "it took four of them to take that strong black man down" "So it didn't prove they were tough but weak and surly not godly but pompous asses wearing the orange style masks." Says tree and i quote exactly

It makes me angry. I would screamed that at them. How weak they were. As a young person I would pulled them off and fought them.

I feel so much rage, I probably would now.. They would be lying there bleeding and I would look around and go "huh. Oh. Look what I did" then walk away quietly as they lied to themselves it didn't happen that some fst broken hearted lady with bad hips and back whom can barely walk knocked them all out in less than 30 seconds and didn't even really notice she did.

The purse i have today is small but it is an elegant and nicely built hard sided purse. If I was there i would hit them in the head at least 90 mph and knocked them the fuck out and caused internal bleeding like I did Denise then kicked them to cause it to burst all in less than 30 seconds. My body in auto mode and i would feel nothing. No pain. Only strength from God in heaven. And my parents, that are true angels would protect me from danger. So i could walk away free and clear without a broken purse.

It only takes one person. Not a mob mentality. But I wish we had that. I wish we all had that goodness from God that causes us to black out with rage against injustice.

I know tree tells me the victim was Zulululu and y'all know i hate them. But it isn't the point. The point wad the actions of the police.

Now take the same 4 people. The black guy and the 3 white guys in an alley all in sweat pants and wife beaters and tattoos. I wouldn't care. Because it would represent their relationships. They were all co-conspirators in money laundering and in cahoots to be in a friendship, all 5 of them regardless of color.

Putting on their uniforms changed all of that.

When I'm meeting with kidnappers. Money laundering. Murderers. Usually I am the only girl. The only Madame. The only Mob Boss Type that is female.

So apply gender to color... Im just one of the guys. Im not there to have sex or be raped. Usually they try but usually one of the others get jealous or i have a real protector to stop it from happening.

So apply color to gender. I'm just one of the guys. The victim of African American decent is no different than the ones of European. If one of the guys tries to kill me then they do and i can fight back. Same with color. If 3 white guys pounce a black guy he has the right to fight back

It is about context.

As a girl if i try to kill one of the guys they have a right to fight back

If an African American tried to kill an European American like myself the European has a right to fight back

But making it a cop vs criminal when the cops are criminals as well becomes a totally different scenario.

If I saw 5 Zulululu all standing in the alley and they are marked (these were not and wouldn't be as they are non violent [or were] and were just drug dealing and not human trafficking) and 1 was black and 2 was Asian and 2 were white, i would kill them all equally. The same exact 5 guys in any clothes including police uniform marked for kidnapping or rape. I would killed them all equally.

However in this situation that did actually occur. I would have saved the black man. Because of presentation.

Doesn't matter he's Zulululu. Or he laundered money. Its the presentation of 3 white cops killing one black man.

I see people. Bodies. I dont see alien race.

I see race of human skin and cultural differences and abuse of power.

So I would have saved the victim despite who he was.

Now May be I would found out after he was a human trafficker and if he was released at home, I would then go murder him in cold blood myself after saving him. IF that was the situation and i found out the TRUTH after wards. I would realized i made a mistake

If the media made a fuss, i would admit to it.

As part of the CIA and part of a Pentagon task force by default, I am allowed to do such things. Legally. As a military operation.

So, I'm not speaking as a private citizen. Or just a regular random person.

I'm not speaking as a police officer -- it is Illegal for police to do such a thing.

But as part of the military I am allowed

My mortgage company doesn't require me to pay my mortgage because i am listed as a MIA/POW. Location unknown.

Which means i have military status. As part of the military and as a counter head in the CIA.

MIA is missing in action due to amnesia and my physical handicap and disabilities like walking and standing.

POW is prisoner of war. As you all noted on the T.V. and here the aliens are trying to play "capture the queen" which is me. And currently Nathaniel and Denise have me as a POW.

Location unknown. Means they don't know my ability to focus or what I can do. What Alice in Wonderland Rabbit Hole I'll pop out next.

So i don't pay the mortgage. The mortgage says its okay. We will hold onto it. When the military and government can find you and save you, they will give you money you can pay.

Because as a MIA/POW. Location unknown. I do not receive a paycheck. So, the mortgage company understands that when i am found then there will be a large sum of payments waiting for me to be paid out. My monthly paycheck. They hold it for me in hopes i will be found and returned home. In the event of my death, the mortgage company is promised to be paid what is owed from my payments owed to me with permission of my next of kin.

This occurs with will MIA/POW. Location Unknown in the military and contractors that may have been kidnapped that work abroad.

So it is a nice perk.

To be tortured and held captive. In Hell to find out you have all your paychecks waiting and your home? Its pretty fucking amazing.

So that's pretty much all there is to say

Of course thank you for saving my house. I sure prayed a lot about it. And begged for mercy.

And I'm sorry for the people who witnessed the murder of a black man. And I'm thankful it was recorded and no one else was hurt.

At least you know the truth about him. And I hope that does squelch a little of that rage. Hopefully it gets illegal drugs off the streets. That shit is bad.,cocaine and heroin. I hate that shit.,but not as much as human trafficking

Of course I'd kill a bitch on herion pretty fucking fast