#but still theres like a very minor chance any of this is related to the bonnie bully

[magentamedicines]

I need people to realize that the Jeremy being talked about in the new help wanted achievements is most likely either the Jeremy from the first help wanted or referencing the MCI Jeremy who was stuffed in the Bonnie animatronic I don't think this is confirmation about the Bonnie Bully and definitely not about him being Cassie's dad 😭😭😭

[terraliensvent]

Definitely agree with you about the lore plot holes and what their focusing on,, like sure the new stuff is cool but there’s so much already existing species stuff that have been here since it’s inception without an explanation…

Synthetic and edible terras are apparently man made so does that mean humans live on Terrah?

What even is a terralien and why are they the way they are?

There’s so many great opportunities for world building that would be many talented world building writers dream to work with but we don’t really get anything..

Also a lot of places in my explanation I was intentionally vague because there IS nothing to specify

Why did Lydia’s attempts to contact her parents not work? I dunno.

How did the planetary terras get separated from the rest of the species? Who the hell knows.

I get the lore is incomplete but like I feel like these may or may not have a good chance of being explored because it seems they aren’t willing to back track and work on the lore of things said previously..

And definitely the worst part is how the lore is found out. I 100% agree with your point about saving the silly codes and puzzles for less important lore like… I get they’re trying to do the whole web ARG thing but it just doesn’t work when everything is so vague… like imagine if the gravity falls ARG was like this😭

Like the show just info dumps a bunch of seemingly random shit and the ARG has all the important shit you actually need to know… but since gravity falls is actually competent you don’t even need to know they HAVE an ARG site to understand the show

All in all this just goes to show like how many people have been saying, how half-baked the lore is rn..

Also noticed people in the terra uprising server found my synopsis of the lore very informative and accurate so uh thanks and glad I could help! :]

post related

youre right, the plot holes here really distract from the "narrative," and again they really should have focused on GENERAL species lore first because now theres the chance things will need to be retconned once they actually do come up with the species lore

the web arg aspect of it can be done well, but not for major parts of lore. tell me about your world and species UPFRONT, dont make me dig around in the files just to find out what the hell a terra even is. save the puzzles and games for minor lore, like personality info about the NPCs. thats a fun way to engage the community while also not taking away from the experience of members who dont know/cant figure out the puzzles. the gravity falls comparison is also really good here, since you can watch the show without engaging with any of the ARG aspects and still have a fully formed narrative, a 10 year old watching the show for the first time can understand the world and events perfectly fine without digging through reddit to read backwards codes. this just reminds me of those people who will give important story details OUTSIDE of the story, like jk rowling tweeting dumbledore is gay, or vivziepop giving important details to the hierarchy of her world in podcasts.

its just another example of how terra staff's priorities are really out of whack, you release yet ANOTHER new subtype when your design approvals are still a mess, you make lore for the new subtype BEFORE the lore of the actual species, and you dont fully deliver on either front because theres next to no actual info on the design guidelines of the planetary subtype and there are really weird restrictions (like only being able to have circular planets) attributed to "lore," then we find this lore out and its got major plotholes and still doesnt explain why the planetary subspecies is only allowed to have planets in the visor and not other celestial bodies

in my ideal world, i think the planetary subspecies could operate the same as the fossil subspecies, where theres a "sub-subspecies" for planets, one for stars, one for galaxies, etc. etc. and then you can have your cake and eat it too. you can make your lore around the "planet" sub-subspecies while also not imposing weird and illogical design restrictions. and of course, this would all be done AFTER the general species lore is completed (and given in an EASILY ACCESSIBLE page on the website none of this ARG bs) because really that should have been done a year ago.

[roleplayhonestybox]

So i have this tale that i just remembered and it only helps when i talk about it, and its rp related so. yea, thoght i'd see what you all think.

i was friends with this new 18 year old why i was still 17. I had a very bad habit of doom scrolling their account and just liking things they reblogged or said. they liked something from a MDNI account and didn't promote it as a MDNI when they reblogged it.

(if you see where this is going or in the small chance witnessed it, im sorry.)

the MDNI account called me out on their profile for all their followers to see, cause i had liked their way of punishing minors who interacted, without realizing. i also got blocked. this still haunts me, cause i didn't have a chance to apologize to them. i never meant to make them or any of their friends uncomfortable. hell i was lucky i didn't get harassed by anyone.

i also don't know if said "friend" reached out to apologize for me or not, they only said i'll be unblocked when im 18. well im 18 and have been for awhile and deleted that account i was blocked on and don't remember theres. so if you somehow see this and still remember, once again im sorry.

.

[starseungs]

➳ romeo and juliet is so overrated. lf

• pairing: lee felix x gn!reader (ft. kim seungmin)

blind dates are shit. and yet you're still roped into one by your wonderful mother who can't wait for you to experience "true romance." but what happens if you end up getting a second date? except its not with who your mom set you up with.

• genre: fluff, humor (romcom?), blind date au, strangers to lovers — 5.2k words

• warnings: mentions of food, blind date gone wrong, first date awkwardness, minor cursing, story is not actually inspired by romeo and juliet (incase the title gives off otherwise)

• note: this is in the same universe as this seungmin fic i also wrote! you can go read that after if you'd like, but this was mainly written as a stand alone, so its not going to affect too much if you decide not to^^ also this was a pain to proofread cz my laptop kept freezing- if theres any mistakes im sorry 💀

2022 ⓒ starseungs on tumblr. do not steal, repost, or edit.

Blind dates are shit. 

That was a motto you lived and breathed by—a belief you were very sure you'd end up taking to the grave. That's how much you detested the concept.

But like any sane person, you had a reason as to why attending a blind date was the last thing you'd ever want to do on a particularly good night—a time you could have used to relax from working the entire week. First of all, you'd much rather go on a date with someone you already knew. It saves the time normally spent trying to converse about the basics using small talk (you'd rather get to the more important topics, please.) And second of all—

—It never worked out for you.

Okay, maybe the second reason accounted for the bigger percentage of why you hated the process of blind dates so much, but who could blame you? Every blind date you've had so far has been either an "I'd-rather-not-experience-romance-in-my-life-anymore" bad, or good but with a catch that immediately turns you off. The only time the match you got vibed well with your standards, it turned out that they were already interested in someone else and were just forced on the date by their pushy mother.

Talk about relatable.

See, as much as you hated blind dates, your mother loved them to oblivion. The woman who birthed you was very determined to snatch you a person that would finally turn your "monochrome-painted single life" into one that had a significant other in it and give you a chance to finally experience bursts of color (her words, not yours.) The whole deal sounded like it came straight out of a fantasy book, one that had the concept of soulmates in it. Sometimes you wondered if she was doing all this so that she could finally leave you in the responsibility of someone else. Granted, you also did know the actual reason she desperately yearns to get you married soon was because apparently their children's lives were her friend group's only source of entertainment.

So when your mother called you out of the blue one night, telling you she'd gone ahead and set up a blind date with you and this other lady that she met in the market's son, you weren't anywhere near surprised. At that point, this was merely another normal day for you. Which was why, like an obedient child, you agreed ever so soullessly, just wanting to get the situation over with as soon as possible. If you had your way, you would have wished for nothing more than to laze on the couch with your roommate Seungmin, trying to watch whatever Netflix had to offer for this bleak afternoon.

But you couldn't—which resulted in you glaring heavily at the guy comfortably melted on your shared couch. He looked like he had not one care in the world, something you could probably trade your precious trinket collection for. "I hate you so much," you whined in defeat, pacing near the kitchen. "Why can't you go instead of me?"

Seungmin scoffed lightly in the background. "Yeah, right. Not interested," he shifted his position to make eye contact with your distressed form, "Just don't go? The world seems to give you bad dates anyway, so why not take fate's obvious advice and stop attending them?"

"But my mom would be so mad! It's also rude for me to stand the guy up after I said I would go…" Your roommate muttered something under his breath, but you had other things to worry about than what you would have guessed were his complaints about your indecisiveness. The date was set for two hours from now, and you haven't even stepped out of the apartment because of nerves.

Sure, you considered blind dates a waste of time for you, but that doesn't mean you don't get nervous when you're literally meeting new people who are expected to hit it off with you. At the end of the day, these were still strangers, and wanting to make a good first impression was a normal thing to feel. At least that's what you keep telling yourself as you tap your foot impatiently against the hardwood floor. You were very well aware of Seungmin's nasty side-eye directed towards your fidgeting, but he can take that complaint up with himself.

Deciding to suck it up and finally go, you called out to your roommate, who had already diverted his eyes to be glued to the TV screen. "Min, I have to go now," you informed him through your light pants, absolutely feeling the rush already even though you were still only trying to get your shoes on at the front.

"Sure. Enjoy," he waved you off quickly, not even bothering to spare you a glance. The show he's been waiting to watch was playing on the screen, letting you know Seungmin was already immersed in the story. You fondly rolled your eyes at his actions before heading out the door.

The outside world was a lot more welcoming today than you would have liked. With the temperature being perfect and the sun having mere hours until it says its goodbyes, casting a dim shade over the streets almost like a filter—it felt too perfect for a day you were expecting to go home and feel sorry for yourself once again. You clicked your tongue at the pitiful reminder and started picking up your pace. The sooner you got this over, the sooner you could return and mope around in the comforts of your warm bed. 

Who needs a significant other? Your bedroom was filled enough on its own.

It almost pained you to walk past the beautiful park, its landscaping coaxing you to stay and live your evening enjoying the gentle breeze. But you were already at your first destination, a whole building apart from the land of temptations, and you bitterly thought that whoever planned to build the two next to each other was a shameless sadist who wanted to ruin what was left of the positivity in people like you.

For someone wearing such an expensive-looking (emphasis on looking) semi-formal attire, one would think that you were heading to your plans via private transport. Clearly, that was what others seemed to think too, each one attempting to peel their eyes off you because of the way you stood out in the busy area. Well, boo hoo to them (and you; especially you), because no. You weren't. Not even a small vehicle called a motorcycle was available for your personal use. In fact, the area being mentioned is actually the train station, which is a few blocks away from your apartment complex. It was expected for the place to be cramped around this time—a rush hour filled with people wanting to go back home after a tiring day.

Oh, how you wanted to be one of them.

Yet instead, you were doing the exact opposite, boarding the public transportation because you had an appointment at dinner time. It's fine; you pat yourself on the back. Free dinner is still free dinner; you were not heading back home a complete loser tonight. That was, of course, if the gentleman you would be meeting in about an hour would be willing to pay the entire bill. The thought alone of the thin roll of paper left a sour taste in your mouth. Or maybe that was just the lemon-flavored toothpaste you used earlier.

The train ride was surprisingly the most bearable part of your day so far. Silence was always appreciated when it was needed, and you definitely needed it now. The white noise provided by the engines and the sound it made when the rails of the track came into contact with the train had you feeling drowsy. It was almost perfect; the ambience was relaxing enough for you to forget about today's agenda. Perhaps if this continued a bit more, you would walk out of this train and change plans to have an exciting "me time." However, that wish was shattered in seconds as you gripped your mobile phone tightly, reading the new message over and over again.

He's looking forward to meeting with you.

You didn't know if the dude was genuinely that deprived of a love life to look forward to meeting with a random person his mother set him up with in the grocery store—or that your own mother was twisting his words just to send you something, anything, that'll make you unable to turn around and ride another train back home. Either way, it looks like it's her lucky day because whatever the deal was, it actually worked on you. 

In a blink of an eye, you were already staring up at the fancy restaurant where it was agreed the two of you would meet. The building itself was already quite intimidating: tall, pristine white pillars you could barely name the material of (you weren't bougie enough for that), high ceilings with multiple intricate chandeliers—each adorned with crystal-like glass—and hints of gold plating along the walls. The people around you were on a different level as well, all dressed up in expensive brands you don't even know how to pronounce. It's safe to say that the place was a whole different world than the one you just came from.

So, what the heck are you even doing here?

How did your mother even arrange this for you? Was the guy a conglomerate's son or something? And if so, you really had to get this over with, stat. As much as you would love the experience, this was too much pressure. The rich life was not for you—money is great, but this much is quite nauseating. It's an acquired taste, you guess. 

"Excuse me, are you looking for your table?" An employee approaches you, most likely having seen your absolute distress over the situation. You quickly accepted the help and told her your name. "Your table with Mr. Seo is the second one to the right, along the windows."

Oh, so his last name was Seo? You knew it was already suspicious when your mother refused to tell you anything about his identity; which, now that you think about it, why did you even agree to? This man could be a serial killer, and you would be walking right into his trap. Still, you thanked the employee and beelined towards the direction she pointed. You saw the table easily, but the scene that accompanied it was not what you had expected.

Confusion hits you like a pile of bricks. That was him, wasn't it? Or were you mistaken? Checking your mother's message to confirm your suspicions (she had sent you another text saying that the guy was already there waiting), you were able to conclude that it was, in fact, the person who was supposed to be your date.

So if that's him, then who's the other one he's with?

"Psst," you heard someone call out. You knew better than to assume it was for you, though. This restaurant is a public space and may very well be getting the attention of another person. Plus, you don't even know anyone else at this place. "I know you heard me. Just look back; I'm talking to you," the voice followed up. But, you won't fall for it—you weren't born yesterday, and that could not have been for you. It's only common sense, right?

"Are you serious?" They sounded exasperated. "Person standing there like an idiot looking at the table by the window where a couple is sitting, please turn to me."

Oh. It's you.

Your head snapped towards the source of the voice, only to find a handsome face of a male around your age staring at you with eyes filled with amusement, his arms crossed and leaning against the tabletop. He looked to be seated alone, without a companion. You only tilted your head slightly as a way of asking what he wants from you.

Motioning over to your blind date's table, he asked, "You've been staring at them for a while. Is that your lover or something?" Your face contorted in offense, baffled at his words.

"What? No?"

"Good," he chuckles briefly, "I thought I'd have to console someone who got cheated on. By the way, do you want to take a seat first? You standing up right now is quite awkward…"

Realizing the scene you must've been making, you took his offer in embarrassment. "Yeah, thanks. But, no—I don't have a lover," you sighed, feeling your energy drain from the situation. "That guy was supposed to be my blind date, though. I have no idea what's happening." The man in front of you laughed. If you didn't agree with him that the turn of events was hilariously comical, then you would've been very annoyed at the action. Though admittedly, his adorable laugh was also a big factor. This man was attractive, no doubt. Why isn't he your date instead?

"That's a funny coincidence, I'm here on a blind date too," he glances over at the same table, "your date is with mine." 

You gaped at the revelation. What is this? A rom-com? There's no way these things actually happen! Or maybe they do—and you experiencing it firsthand right now would be enough proof. Looking at him with concern, you decided to speak. "Should we tell them?" He simply shook his head in response.

"Nah, I'd rather not. Why do you think I hadn't already? Look at them; they seem to be having a great time."

Seeing your two dates interact, there was no doubt they were hitting it off. Which was bad news to you, since now you just ended up wasting your time by coming here. You knew you should've just stayed home and flaked on the guy. Lesson learned: trust your gut instinct. It could save you a whole lot of time (and money, because when are train stations going to be free?) You mean, good for him for finding a date he liked, but this whole thing just turned out to be a huge mistake for you. But even with that, you didn't want to disturb them—you weren't some antagonist who ruins hope for others because they can't get a happy ending. 

Your silence must have been uncomfortable for the male across from you since he decided to break the silence. "So, random offer—do you still want a date? Maybe we could just be each other's," he says, pointing to you and him.

That... wasn't a bad offer.

In fact, it was a good offer. You didn't know much about this man, but something told your gut to see wherever this took you, and from what you experienced today, always trust your gut. Now, if you had to be honest, his face also played a big part in your spontaneous consideration. You weren't one to judge solely on one person's physical appearance alone, but the guy before you screamed a green flag, and you just couldn't ignore it. As a skeptic might say, you'll believe it when you see it—or, in this situation, you'll regret it once you're given a reason to.

"Sure."

The man before you looked shocked, almost like he couldn't believe that you had agreed to his offer. Was it a joke? Did you read the situation wrong? Maybe he was just trying to lift the mood but actually wanted to go home—you knew you did before this happened. However, all your doubts melted away instantly after seeing his wide smile, eyes sparkling with excitement and newfound interest. You swear you stopped functioning after seeing the sight.

Oh my, he's cute.

You felt your face heat up at the thought that invaded your mind. Get a grip, Y/N! This is a first date—you can't simp right away. At least make yourself seem appealing to the guy! You bit your lip, swallowing heavily at the sudden pressure put on you by your oh-so-fantastic mind. It's fine—you can do this. Icebreakers it is!

"So, what's your name?" You asked curiously, remembering that you've been referring to him as "the man" for the past few minutes that you've known each other. 

He perked up at your question. "It's Felix. Lee Felix," he replied politely while waving his hand for a waiter to bring the menus. After gaining the attention of one, he turned back to you. "What about you?"

"It's Y/N," you responded back. "You have an English name; are you half-foreign?" He hummed at your observation, the low tone catching you off guard. You had already noticed that his voice was deeper than what you had expected from looking at his face, but there was just something extra attractive about that hum. Catching your mind wandering again, you cleared your throat quietly.

"Good catch. I'm actually from Australia," he told you, the grin on his face growing a bit more at the mention of the place. He must really love Australia, huh? "My parents are both Korean, but I grew up there. Came here just a few years ago for work."

Does that mean he's here all alone? That must've been tough for him as well, to live in a whole new country and basically start his life over. You had major respect for people like that; they were what you saw as hardworking and goal-oriented. Sometimes, you even envied them. They could do so much with their lives with that mindset alone. You wish you could be like that someday too. It would be nice to rise above your current state right now—your job was paying enough to get you through the months, but there were still times where you had to worry about finances. Luckily, having a roommate helped with the rent portion of your bills.

Speaking of Seungmin, didn't he say he had an Australian co-worker?

"That's interesting! Australia, huh? I think my roommate mentioned something about having an Australian co-worker. I can't remember his name right now," you shared, "but imagine if you turned out to know each other. If you want, I can ask my roommate to introduce you two! I just thought it'd be nice for you to have another person from Australia with you. Deal with homesickness and all that, you know?"

You didn't think Felix's eyes could shine even brighter, but somehow they managed to do so. "That would be great! Expanding my social circle would be nice too. Making friends is a lot harder now that you're an adult," he sighs.

"You can say that again," you chuckled at his slightly dampened mood. Felix was quite expressive, you noted to yourself. Reading him wasn't hard, but it wasn't as if he put his whole heart on his sleeve either. If he was the type of person to show himself when he found you trustworthy, then you might have to thank him for being comfortable around you. Yes, blind dates didn't normally work for you, but that doesn't mean you didn't try. Of all the dates you've been on, you could only remember one where your efforts were practically zero, and that was just because the guy was a douche from the beginning. Felix was a lot different than the other people you've gone on dates with before—he was relaxed, treated you a lot more casually, yet still emitted that interest. You had a good feeling about where this was going. 

When the menus pulled up, you and Felix had already exchanged some basic interests with each other. This match must've been blessed by the gods because there was a lot you had in common, something you didn't even expect. You and him met under random circumstances, yet you had more chemistry with Felix than you had with any other of your past flings. Which, now that you say it like that, maybe that was why they only stayed as flings.

"Do you see anything you like?" Felix asked from across the table. You quickly scrambled to flip through the menu pages, trying to find something that interested you—too distracted earlier to even do so. Yet, just when you thought you could resume talking to him, you realized a big issue. 

What even were these dishes?

You might have never eaten in a place this fancy before, but—nevermind. That was exactly it. You've never eaten in a place this fancy before and therefore had no idea what all the dishes would taste like. You didn't consider yourself to be such a picky eater, but at that moment, you felt like your appetite was slowly leaving at each description of the meal you read under a dish name—wait, caviar?

Felix seemed to have caught on to your discomfort, because he spoke up once again. "Hey, do they not interest you? It's fine if you don't find something you want to eat," he says in a reassuring tone, letting you know that you don't have to feel bad. "Do you want to perhaps ditch this place? I know a good pizza place down the road." 

Your jaw immediately dropped at his nonchalant suggestion. Is this just something he does often? Make completely random (and baffling) offers? Well, to be fair, both of his offers to you have been good so far. Some pizza would be nice after everything that had happened today. However, this place is super expensive! That was the whole reason you felt uncomfortable ordering from the menu presented to you at the moment. He went through all the trouble of booking this place just for his first date to hit it off with someone else, so you sure weren't about to let his second date, which was you, let the whole reservation go to waste. Rich or not, you still had the decency to respect the effort that was put into getting a table at this place. 

"Felix, you can't be serious," you spluttered out, feeling a bit disoriented due to the situation. "I'm well aware of how much it costs to even be here, so we can't just leave!"

He only chuckles at your worry, making you widen your eyes even more. "Oh, yeah. I know that too. But to be honest, my date was the one who booked this place, it looks like their money was well spent though," he says, glancing back over at the table where your original date and his were, the two conversing naturally while dining. You purse your lips at the information. Okay, maybe that was a valid point. Plus, you really are craving pizza. 

Facing him, you divert your eyes in embarrassment. "I-I would also like pizza." 

Felix wouldn't say it out loud, but he found you really cute. Even more so right now, with you having that shy look on your face. He felt a strong urge to tease you and see more of that adorable expression, but he held himself back. One wrong move, and he'd end up being an asshole. Was it not normal to feel that way? You two have only met after all. But he felt it earlier—you were quite different than the other dates he's had. 

Despite being a very loving person, he wasn't one to believe in love at first sight. Yet, the moment he saw you standing all confused and flustered earlier, it immediately caught his full attention. It was as if fate wanted to bring you two together—and even though it sounds so cheesy, like something out of a romantic comedy, he found himself thinking that he could get on board with it. It wasn't even an hour since you met, and you were already creeping into his heart. It wasn't too fast, but just the right pace to know that something clicked. The feeling felt weird—who knew a stranger could have this much impact on you? He surely didn't. But maybe that was why he felt it a lot stronger than you did—not that he even knew what you thought of him.

Felix himself knows well that he was not a let-the-date-into-his-car kind of person on the first few dates (and most especially on the first date), but somehow he found himself breaking his own rule for the first time ever since getting a vehicle of his own. Not that he would leave his dates to get home on their own, of course—he would always politely offer to pay for their cab home. The idea of taking a (for the most part) random stranger somewhere in his car when it was just the two of them alone didn't sit right with him. Felix is well aware that he could've been seen as uninterested by some of the dates, but it wasn't like they were entirely wrong. He only went on blind dates anyway, so the chance of meeting someone who actually interested him enough to imagine a dating life was not that high in the first place.

Yet here you were, sitting awkwardly beside him on the passenger's seat. It wasn't like you weren't comfortable—okay, maybe you were a bit uncomfortable; but that was only because getting into the car of a person you just met about an hour or more ago was not something you planned for yourself tonight. Heck, none of this was on your list of expected events tonight. Firstly, you didn't even get to say a single word to the date your mom set you up on, and secondly, you scored yourself a completely different person! All you wanted was to stay in your bed the whole evening and mope like the hermit you are. 

Oh, if only Seungmin could see you right now. 

The rumbling sound of the car made itself present to your ears, effectively taking you out of your thoughts. "Let's go?" Felix asks you—the thoughtful gesture awakening butterflies in your stomach. What in the world is going on with you? This man was literally just doing the simplest things, and yet he already seemed to glow in your eyes. You're not falling, are you? You don't fall easily.

At least that's what you believed.

"Y/N?" He questioned, his voice mixed with a hint of concern. "I hope you're alright with all of this. Are you uncomfortable? Maybe I should've asked before we decided to take my car; I'm sorry—do you want to just walk there?" He panicked, which made you panic at his distress too.

"N-no! It's fine; I'm fine—are you fine?" Great, now you were both bundles of nerves. Felix wanted to kick himself for starting the situation. Where did all his earlier confidence go? That, he didn't know. Either way, he wished for it to come back and help him earn some points from you. You, on the other hand, were almost on the verge of collapsing from stress. "Let's just head there," you squeaked, to which Felix only nodded (a bit too quickly.)

"Sorry," Felix sighs, unable to look at you due to his focus on the road. "This is the first time I'm doing this, so I don't know what to do."

You tilted your head at him in confusion. "You mean a date?" He shook his head.

"Driving a date, I mean."

"Really now?" You exclaimed with interest. "I would've never guessed that! You look like the type of guy a lot of people are interested in. You're quite popular, aren't you?"

He chuckles in amusement at your words. "I don't think I'd use that word to describe me. I only do blind dates anyway. Unfortunately I haven't found my person from those ones," he says, glancing at you for a split second, "but maybe the wait was all worth it."

You couldn't help but huff at his act of flirting, rolling your eyes playfully. He got you there. You didn't think Felix would be this smooth, but seeing as he boldly set up a date with you earlier, maybe this was to be expected. "That was a good one, Mr. Lee." At your response, Felix's eyes shone with excitement. He did that a lot when he was happy, you thought mentally. You had to bite back a laugh at how fast he changed up—though you had to admit that was part of his charm.

It was safe to say that the rest of the date went very well. For such a spontaneous plan, you enjoyed it a lot more than you had thought you would. Plus, you found a new pizza place! You'd have to eat there again soon; everything on the menu seemed really good. Unfortunately, you didn't get to eat at the venue because it was full—something Felix panicked over once again. After a while of negotiating (because he wouldn't let it go), you two ended up having an impromptu picnic at a nearby park, enjoying the quiet surroundings that were dimly lit by the street lights. You had never experienced going on a picnic at night before, so this was going to be on the list of firsts you experienced today with Lee Felix—a guy that you didn't even know until a couple hours ago. 

It's crazy how fast someone can come into your life and already make unforgettable memories. In the short period of your date, the two of you learned a lot about each other. Whether both of you would be able to keep this up and progress or not, this was going to be a night you would remember for years to come. Who knows—maybe it would make an exciting old people tale to tell in the future?

"So hey," Felix starts nervously, stopping the car in front of your apartment complex. He pauses for a short second before exhaling and facing you with a determined gaze. "I'm not quite sure about how you feel, but I really enjoyed this date. Do you think we can go on more?" 

"Sure," you were unable to stop the wide smile from appearing on your face, very satisfied with the chance of a second date. "I'd like that."

"Oh, damn. I'm glad," he quickly relaxes before getting alarmed by something and snapping his head towards you again. "Wait, your parents are fine with you not meeting with that other guy right?"

You chuckled at his apprehensive form, entertained by his precaution. "I'm pretty sure my mom just wants me to find someone nice and go marry them."

"Marry? Hold on, that's for a later date," you felt your cheeks warm at the implication of his words, yet Felix keeps going. "But that's good. I thought there was a chance this was going to end up like some Romeo and Juliet thing where your parents get mad because you're supposed to marry the other guy."

"Felix, relax," you managed to comfort him through stifled laughter. "I'm not some high-status rich person, you know?"

After your short conversation to end the night, you enter the apartment complex with a huge smile pasted on your face. Lee Felix was an amazing guy, that's for sure; you still can't believe he wants a second date. You let out a quiet squeal of happiness, speed-walking towards your apartment to brag to your roommate. 

"Yeah, Romeo and Juliet is so overrated anyway."

mastertag 🏷️ : @h0neydewmoon @starzzns @lhskokoro @bookishcalls | let me know if you want to be added or removed^^

[shishikusas]

what’s ur thoughts on the recent happenings with masa? im kinda torn on it myself tbh

hello anon, i'm glad u asked bc i felt like it would be awkward to bring up unprompted

i have a lot of complicated feelings, but most of all i am really concerned for masa's well-being, bc he posted some kind of disturbing vent art before completely vanishing and its been over a week and there has been no activity at all from his account and idk. i just have a bad feeling he has hurt himself..

this isn't me DEFENDING him though, i feel like i should make that very clear if anyone's been on twitter, you've probably seen the thread that was made basically listing all the things masa's done that are bad and i agree with some parts, but others i really don't get

for example: masa's drawn weird stuff involving kids! nothing that could be classified as CP, but still weird nonetheless, and i don't like it at all! this is including adult patch, which i wish i could forget the existence of bc i legit never looked at the lyrics until very recently. it's also important to mention that he hasn't drawn anything like that (to my knowledge) since 2013... almost 10 years ago. so i don't think he's about that anymore, but it's still something that definitely happened

there's also many people parroting the idea that masa doxxed a minor, which is FALSE. he never did anything of the sort. what DID happen was masa brought attention to a person illegally streaming the spider and the kitsune-like lion, and tried to ask him to take it down to no avail. people then sent him personal information on the guy (via DMs) and he essentially was going to use it to take legal action. it may seem harsh, but this person's reupload had almost a million plays on spotify and was actively profiting off of a song that a) masa owns and b) masa wants gone from the internet more than any song he's ever made. eventually, masa apologized on twitter, saying that his fans were never supposed to see this and that it wasn't supposed to go down this way. he deleted all the tweets relating to the spotify guy too.

theres a bunch of other stuff i could get into but it would make this post WAY TOO LONG!! so i'm not unless someone asks abt something specific

one last thing: the reactions i've seen from some 'fans' after his meltdown (idk what else to call it) are fucking disgusting. i've seen ppl say that he's overreacting, that its just bait, or just actively making fun of him for it without a shred of empathy. he very clearly has something going on mentally and we have no idea what his personal life is like, so it's just cruel to act like that. people like that have no conscience and i don't respect them at all

more than anything, i believe in giving people second chances and if/when masa comes back, i am willing to continue being a fan as long as he doesn't pretend like nothing happened. still, i'm really concerned that he won't come back :((

[everythingsinred]

Hey there, I was happy to find your Gakuen Alice posts. I have always been a fan and Gakuen Alice related analysis have almost dried up these days. You touched on something in your NatsuMikan analysis posts, about the child abuse issues in the manga and I am so glad you brought it up. I feel like the manga in general handled it a bit too lightly, and by lightly I mean the perpetrators get forgiven without much repercussions. I would love to discuss this more with you and hear your opinions on it

thanks for this message! i am always missing ga so its very nice when fellow fans send me messages like this ;-;

i have a billion thoughts on the child abuse in ga. tmi ig but im a victim of child abuse myself so that aspect of the manga was actually one of the things that i related to and felt myself drawn to when i first got into it. when i was younger i felt a lot of kinship with natsume and the other da kids because of what they had to go through. on the other hand, this child abuse was handled pretty sloppily and its very disappointing.

the anime is one thing (the way they handle child abuse in the anime is literally a joke and is enough to make someone puke tbh) but the manga really fumbles it as well. having the da class continue to exist even after the esp loses power, as though the da students are CHOOSING to be in it now instead of being forced is a MESS! i hate it! no child should be going on missions or risking their lives for ANYTHING and any school that permits that is neglecting the safety of children and since the school is acting as a guardian, all sorts of ethical and legal conditions are being failed and alice academy is guilty of child endangerment, child neglect, and child abuse! all at once!

i know some ppl (including ig the mangaka herself) think that because the students are electing to participate that it means no crime is being committed but uhhh children cannot "elect" to do something like that. the contracts of minors are not legally binding and if their guardians (parents or school) sign off on something like that then... again.... child endangerment and abuse.

im also a little salty that natsume's mask pretty much disappeared after a while. it was a really great way of showing the tiny casual ways that natsume is abused every day and considering that it was his "symbol" youd think it would be around way more.

natsume still going on missions, the da class still existing, and persona having a "happily ever after" with a student who he abused are all pretty messy! and the thing is that if the ending had been longer and spent more time wrapping up all the characters' stories theres a chance id be a lot less angry! but unfortunately the end is hasty and rushed and so a lot of the loose ends remain untied and the story as a whole isn't "up in the air". it's just... messy.

[argumentl]

The Freedom of Expression Ep 18 - Baseball with Mercedes Benz logo used by Chiba Lotte Marines.

K: This is Dir en grey's Kaoru with The Freedom of Expression. This program started...how many years ago was it now? 3 or 4 years ago?...on InterFM, asking questions about freedom of expession...with this theme we talked about current news stories each time. From there, we have moved over to Youtube.  There are maybe times when we talk about stuff that isn't really related to expression though..

J: There are.

T: Yeh.

K: I just wanna enjoy talking sometimes.

J: This program has a wide scope.

K: Yeah. Well, today, I mean, on the day of this broadcast, its the opening of the professional baseball season.

J: Oh, June 19th?

K: Yeh. At the point in time of recording this, we don't know exactly what will happen, but..at last baseball is gonna start.

T: And that means...? Kaoru?

K: And that means?

J: And that means?

K: What do you mean?

T: Your beloved Hanshin Tigers!

J: Oh, yeah, his Hanshin Tigers. How will your beloved Hanshin do this year?

K: Oh, they will win by a mile!

J, T: *laugh*

J: *laughing* We shouldn't laugh!

K: Hahaha

J: We really shouldn't laugh! We're so rude!

T: Its because he said straight away, 'by a mile!'.

J: Tell us your rationale for saying that, for saying they'll win by a mile.

K: Well...they're strong.

J: You could say that about anyone! *laughs*

K, T: *laugh*

J: Saying, 'They're that strong'...Yakult fans could say the same.

T: I'd just like to ask again, since when have you been a fan of the Tigers? Since when were you first aware of the Tigers?

K: How old was I?...I think I was probably in the lower grades of elementary school. As far back as I can remember really. My Dad played baseball in a non-professional team. So he had his uniform, and glove, and bat, and stuff in our house. I used to play with him, and he took me to watch games. My first time was at Nishinomiya stadium, I think...the Hankyu Braves. And after that, I wanted to see a game at Koshien.

J: Ehh, really? Oh, so you were going to stadiums from quite a young age?

K: Yeah.

T: How did it feel going Koshien and places back then?

K: It was kinda scary. There was a load of scary looking people there.

T: Scary looking people? *laughs*

K: Like really drunk people, and stuff.

J:Oh, all the hecklers.

K: The staduims didn't look as smart as they do now.

J: Ohh, of course.

K: They were kind of grubby.

J: So about Hanshin doing really well this year, they'll definitely win today's game? Where are they playing today?

T: Today is..

K: Against the Giants, right?

T: Yeah, the Giants.

K: At Tokyo Dome.

T: Their nemesis, the Giants.

J: The legendary fued between the Giants and the Tigers, right?

K: Well, yeah. For the opening match, Tokyo Dome is a bit hard going though.

J: I thought you just said they were gonna win by a mile?!

K: Hahaha.

J: Already thats not the case! 

T: He's suprisingly calm about it, right?

K: No, its just that at the moment, Tokyo Dome carries some not so good memories. I've been to watch them there many times.

T: Oh, right.

K: I don't have very good memories of it.

J: Is it bad?'

T: They'll be starting about now, at 18:00, won't they?

K: They will be, yeh.

J: Don't we upload this at 19:00?

K: Yeh, yeh.

T: Ahh. Oh, they'll be just about finishing the third round or so?

K: Ahh.

J: I see.

K: But they'll probably be hitting ???(バコバコ)*1. They might still be on the second round.

J, T, K: Hahaha.

J: Well, its good to think about it in a positive way.

K: Yeh, yeh, yeh.

J: What are the thoughts of our so called sports journalist about Hanshin's chances this year? *gestures to Tasai*

T: Well, as for me, Hanshin are..I was talking to my wife about this before, and despite being a really popular team, in reality, they rarely win.

K: Yes.

J: Oh, is that right?

K: They never win.

T: Yeh, yeh, yeh

K: They're weak, to start with.

J, T: Haha

K: I even imagine them as a weak team.

T: Yeah.

J: I see. So its not like they are famous for being a strong team like the Giants?

K: The Giants are invincible.

J: Well, yeah.

K: Its like they have to be strong.

J: Yeh, yeh.

K: Hanshin are like...even though they're weak, you like them, haha.

J: Hahaha.

T: So people used to say, Dame Tora!/ No good Tigers!' at one point and stuff. But, what is it? The mentality of Osaka people?

K: Well, even if they loose, it doesn't hurt very deeply.

J: Ahh, right. Unlike Giants fans, who would be hurt at even a small loss. Hanshin fans don't have such a weak heart?

K: We don't.

J: Ahh, amazing.

T: Its incredible, thier popularity. They are more popular than the Giants.

K: Yeh

T: The Sports newspapers down there, if they have like 8 or so pages, 4 or 5 pages will be dedicated to Hanshin.

J: Oh, that much?!

T: They even cover the minor team at Naruouhama, with their results and a comment.

K: The minor team is really well recieved, and everyone gets really carried away with it.

J: Hahaha.

T: Yeh, yeh, yeh.

J: Isn't that the reason they never get that strong?

K: Well, in the end, yes.

T: Hahaha. No, but they are talked about, even as the minor team.

J:Ehh

K: And with all these fans, theres kind of a supporters' association, and everyone gets full of themself.

T: Hahaha.

J: Oh, really? Kami is listening silently though. I wonder what he thinks. Don't gods know much about baseball?

Kami: No, no, I've been listening the whole time. But Hanshin are quite strong, aren't they?  I mean, they are not the best in Japan, but don't they often win? The league win?

K, T: No..

K: They don't.

T: Once in 1985, and once in 2000, that time with Lotte in the Japan series, and once at the time they changed over from Nomura san to Hoshino san.

K: Yeah, league wins.

T: Its only been about 3 or 4 times hasn't it?

Kami: When you say weak...well, they have gotten stronger recently, but I always think of the BayStars as the weakest.

T: Yeah, Yokohama never win either.

Kami: I didn't think Hanshin were that weak.

K: Well, overall, they are getting better. Like, thier average..the gap is closing.

T: Well, Hiroshima won three times in a row. The Central league is sort of bunched up like that. The Giants are just ahead.

J: Just a bit, right. Ahh, it exciting isnt it? How far will Hanshin get this year?! They'll win?

K: Of course.

J: They will win.

T: Should we make a promise to do something if they win?

K: If they win?

T: If they win...or if they don't win? But, they will definitely win, right?

K: Hmm..  *Everyone laughs*

J: Hang on a second, you started by saying they will win by a mile, and now 'Hmm..'. You're saying 'Hmm..' for 5 minutes.

K: Its because I don't know what will happen.

T: Well, yeah. You don't know whats gonna happen.

K: Well, its cause its an irregular season.

J: Well, of course.,

T: Yeah.

K: Cause its a tight schedule.

J: Oh, because its tight?

K: There are no inter-league games, and no All Star games. Im not sure how the climax will go.

Kami: Lets do something if they win.

J: Oh, yeh, if they win.

Kami: If they win.

K: If Hanshin win?

Kami: Yeh, if we did that, we'd be all looking forward, supporting Hashin.

K: Well, ok, if Hanshin win let's do an event on this program.

J, T: Oh!

J: What kind of event?

K: Well, im not sure, it would have to be next year, and I don't know if we could have guests, but lets do something like that.

J:Oh!

K: In that way everyone would be supporting right?

T: Yeah.

J: Shall we do a 'The Freedom of Expression' event?

T: "In celebration of the Hanshin Tigers' win!"

K: Im not sure we need such a crown.

J, T: Hahaha

J: Well, anyhow, we'll do an event.

K:Yeh.

J: I think we've created the motivation for people to support Hanshin with this.

T: Yes, its turned out well.

K: Like a live broadcast or something?

J: Oh, that would be good. Thats a good idea.

K: Well, ok, this isn't what we're supposed to be talking about today.

T: It wasn't supposed to be about Hanshin, was it?

J: Well, as today is the opening of the baseball season, let me share a piece of news concerning professional baseball.

This is the news that Lotte are using a baseball which features the Mercedes Benz logo. Manager Iguchi says, the Marines are at the top too! In the first game of this season at their  main stadium, the Zozo Marines Stadium, the ball they use will have Mercedes Benz Japan's (thier sponsor's) logo printed onto it. This comes to fruition as a result of thier manager Iguchi being a big Merecdes Benz fan. Iguchi said to his team on the 8th, 'Since I started playing professional baseball at age 22, up until now over 20 years later, I've always driven a Mercedes Benz. Just as these cars are admired from around the world, I want the Marines to reach the top this season.'

K: Yeah.

T: Its great, isn't it.

J: Eh, Tasai san, have you seen it?

T: I saw it earlier. Its stamped on about the size of a seal.

J: Is it small?

T: Well, its like 'Benz!'

K: I kinda want one.

T: Yeh, its cool, right?

J: So, it doesn't cause any obstacle when grasping the ball?

T: No, it doesn't. Its just the Benz logo.

J: I see. So its not like it catches on your fingers and effects your throw?

T: Well, I wonder..

K: It doesn't! It would be a problem if it did.

J: It would be problematic, right? But conversely, if you pay money, you can have this type of thing engraved on the ball. What do you think, Kaoru? What if you had the Dir en grey logo put on the ball in one of the Hanshin Tigers' official games?

K: Oh, I'd like that.

T: But I get the feeling that people would want to do that a lot with Hanshin.

J: I wonder how much it costs?

T: Probably a million or so yen. I don't think Mercedes Benz will be the cheapest either.

J: Thats right.

K: But if its on the ball, it won't be seen on TV right?

J: No, it won't.

K: So, you wouldn't even know about it,  unless it was pointed out. ???*2 Also, if the guy who gets a home run puts it on SNS or something.

T: Ahh, that would be ideal.

J: It would normally be plastered all over the fences of the stadium, wouldn't it?

K: Yeah, in the stadium.

J: But its kinda fresh, to put in on the balls.

T: Yeah, its cool.

K: On the balls?

J, T: *laugh*

K: ???

J: No, no, no. *laughing* ????

T: Joe san! Don't soil baseball like that! Its an untainted sport!

J:???*3

T: Yeah *laughs*, so you are tainting it!

J: No, but I really wanna put a Dir en grey logo, or a Tora no ana logo on one Hanshin's baseballs.

T: That would be good.

K: Noo, its impossible.

J: But didn't you do a collaboration with them before?

K: Oh, well that was just like an announcement, but this is totally a sponsor.

J: Well, yeah..right.

K: Right?..The amount of money..

J: Totally different right.

K: Yeah, its on a totally different scale.

J: Well, but I imagine professional baseball players seem tacky to Mercedes Benz.

K: Like a thugs or something.

J: Why do I think that, I wonder? Although they're all the same athletes, soccer players don't give off the same atmosphere to me.

K: But even soccer players seem like they are a bit artificial. They suddenly start dressing up, wearing brand clothes..

T: Yeah.

K: They get off planes, dressed up all smart and stuff.

J: They do, yeah.

T: But that might be the influence of Kazu (Kazoyoshi Miura) or Takeda san since they got into the J League.

J: For some reason, if you talk about fashion in the pro-baseball world, I always think of Kuwata san, for example. Also, Shinjo san (Tsuyoshi Shinjo). They have that kind of image. There's not that many..

T: Ahh, right.

J: Like I don't know many with a sense of fashion.

Kami: I think the same! Thats it. They have no fashion sense. They are not cool at all!

T: Thats right.

Kami: They are real sports people. Whatever they wear, thier muscles swell, it looks kinda wierd.

T: Yeh, yeh.

K: Well, yeh.

Kami: But when baseball players or even soccer players wear thier uniform, they look super cool!

J: Absolutely.

T: Ah, I see.

Kami: When they get off airplanes, I want them to wear thier uniforms.

J: Always in thier uniforms.

T: That would be good, yeah.

Kami: They would look so cool!

J: I see.

T: Well, they are professionals, baseball is technical job, they are the ultimate professionals. If you can play baseball, that is everything, I imagine. Thats my follow-up. 

J,K: *laugh*

K: Well, today, at this time, the game will still be ongoing.

J: Yes, thats right.

K: I'll be praying for an exciting baseball season.

J: And if Hanshin win?!

K: We'll do an event.

T: Pretty good.

K: Well, we'll finish here for today. Please subscribe. Thank you very much.

J, T: Thank you. 

*1 バコバコ - Don't know what this means.

*2 Couldn't catch this.

*3 I'm not fluent enough to translate dirty jokes about balls XD Plus Joe is speaking too fast, and there is too much background laughing...thats my other excuse.

[roguestarsailor]

thoughts about emily in paris

pros:

- mindy (+she has her own storyline and gets her growth and conclusion) - fashion is cute lol im not particularly big fan of fashion nor would i ever wear what emily wears but i enjoy it! - love the girl in big city trope (living vicariously through it cuz covid) - dumping deadweight bf to live ur life - hot neighbor - “le vagin” post - even bringing up women’s trouble w sex as they get older ??? - cute as apartment (which realistically would cost ~4k a month??) - chance meeting w people and becoming friends/lovers - cute outdoor seatings - go getter career orientated woman who has expertise in their field to make everything work out!! like imagine a career that is so smooth. being able to find contacts so seamlessly i want that!!1 - seeing the france country side! that shit is ~beautiful~ - that fucken view from her apartment that she doesn’t complain about not being able to afford - gabriel’s apartment w the dark green wall color in his kitchen [chiefs kiss] - getting fired but she keeps showing up to work anyways and everyones like it takes years to be officially fired lol i love that - calling out capitalism when she explained merck and how they created a disease, found a solution for the disease and then marketed the shit out of the solution - its just fun and quirky and relaxing to watch

cons:

- crazy rich asians stereotype (which isnt necessarily bad but i wish i could have seen like a regular trying to get by asian character) - emily sleeps w a minor BIG PROBLEM. i feel like a lot of netflix romcom shows/movies will always feature a young boy falling in love w the main leading lady. im thinking about Desperados and how at one point she gets into the wrong hotel room and shes like in her bath towel and this greasy kid comes up and she of course falls and he sees her nude. like why????? please take minors out of this pls - very american savior complex (although but ive been to paris in HS and i had to have a few conversations where i really think some parian’s views are dated) - there were quite a few older men?? which isnt exactly bad but idk mind the age gaps - that weird relationship emily has w camille and gaberial???? she knows but she still kisses him?? he kisses her back?? they also fucked too??? but she knows?? but also why are camille and gabe together anyways when they clearly arent working out??? - lack of public transport scenes. europe has one of the best public transports in the world and u cannot NOT ride it. its always on time and that shit blows my stupid american brain and its a shame that its not talked about. (although it is truly disgusting sometimes but thats the quirks) - french men aren’t that greaT??? theyre just regular men like where you’ll find literally anywhere - where the pocs at?? are they sleeping?? i know in paris has signifcantly more people and more crowds and more pocs than u can imagine!! - marketing. please stop. theres plenty of careers out there. its either journalist or marketing or advertisement. like are there no other jobs women want?? - that bratty movie star that emily had to babysit - like i hate that trope so much and its so stupid. of course the kid actress is gonna drink and do a shit ton of drugs and run away and trick the handler and fuck around and of course the handler (emily) will run around trying to find the kid and at the same be like fuck it and party w the kid and forget to be the working professional. ugh i hate it - hyping social media. like i get it; influencer culture is changing marketing and is related to emily but i feel like why couldnt this be a story without pulling in the social media aspects?? i think its just annoying to watch influencers through a medium that is suppose to take me away from IRL social media. i dont have my thoughts together w this one yet but that part annoyed me. having the perfect social is such a stressful thing that to showcase it as this fun thing is off putting??

--

first thoughts i might come back and edit this page when more thoughts come. i did skim through the tags for EIP and both the good and bad comments for this show is correct! i love any media that romanticize living in another city and being this awesome career woman and finding love at every corner and making friends easily and living in the dream apartment and never complain about money but i can also be critical of it!

[aplpaca]

rambling about jacanas from the last post here bc i was gonna put it in the tags on that post but it got way too long to fit,,

so like jacanas are one of the few bird species that has a polyandrous mating system, meaning that the female mates with multiple males, who then raise a nest of chicks.  this is opposed to polygyny, the system most nonmonogamous birds exhibit. in polygyny, the male mates with multiple females, who do more of the “work” the chicks (in some species the male helps raise the young but has a lesser role, in some species hes not involved in raising the young).

and something thats common in species with polygynous mating systems (such as red wing blackbirds) is for females to have extra-pair mates.  in extra pair-matings, the female will have one male that she nests with, but will “sneak” onto other males territories to mate with the one there, and then come back to her nest mate’s territory. and like as far as i know, male jacanas dont do an equivalent of that? or if they do it hasnt been studied

so thatd be something interesting to look at - whether extra-pair matings are a thing in polyandrous systems and what factors could be contribiting to that. itd also prob be interesting to look at the paternity of nests.  cause the female does mate with the male whos nest she lays eggs in, but she also mates with a bunch of other males.  and unless they have some mechanism to segregate eggs by who fertilized them (which would be highly complicated and also , she’s just laying them at random in different nests.  which means, like in polygynous systems, theres a pretty high chance that several, if not all, of the chicks a male raises arent his biological offspring.

and like, in a lot of polygynous species, males have developed behaviors to try to prevent their females from getting extra pair matings.  bc raising a nest of kids that arent yours does not help you spread your genes, natural selection favors behaviors that would prevent that.  so like some of these species’ males have evolved to try to prevent the female from leaving their territory, or to put less effort into caring for young if they think the female left the nest too much (and therefore is likely to have “cheated”).  these kind of behaviors maximize their chance of raising their own offspring while putting other males’ offspring at a disadvantage.

but that kind of thing wouldnt happen in jacanas.  because the females lay the eggs, theres a 100% chance of the offspring being theirs.  even if a male were to go mate with an additional female, her mating success would be unaffected.  so there would be no evolutionary pressure for the females to become “restrictive” about their males’ behaviors.

but what about the males mating success? wouldnt it still be beneficial for him to give advantage to his own offspring over others?  theoretically yes, but he doesnt exactly have a way to do that when his offspring have just as much a chance of being in his own nest as someone elses.  he cant stop the female from having her harem, so he would have to “develop” a way to distinguish his own offspring from others. so if a male could tell his young apart from others, he could favor the chicks in his nest that happen to be his biological offspring.  and this might be an advantage for a certain amount of time. 

however, once the behavior/ability spread to any significant portion of the population, it would likely end up backfiring and wiping itself out. because while a male would be able to favor their own offspring, so would others. and unlike in a polygynous system, the eggs are consistently placed at random (as opposed to it being more likely that some of the eggs are yours with some others thrown in). so when the young of a male 1 (who can distinguish and favor his own young) get put in the nest of male 2 (who also has the ability), male 1′s young then end up at a disadvantage.  and if a male happens to not be related to any of the young in his nest, his reproductive success is now 0 because the other males wont care for his offspring.  now apply that across a whole community and youve got drastically reduced offspring success for everyone.  this would likely weed out the selective males before they became a majority in the population.  at the very lest it would probably prevent them from becoming more than a small minority. so basically, because females distribute their eggs randomly, male jacanas’ reproductive success is better served by all males caring for all the young in their nest equally than it would be by attempting to favor their biological offspring.  

ima end here bc i should be editing a paper thats due tonight but also,,,the evolution of this system would be super interesting to look into.  my guess would be some kind of kin selection thing in its evolutionary history? like maybe there could have been a polyandrous system where females mated with males that were all related to each other. so itd be male siblings taking care of each others young, which would increase both their direct and indirect reproductive success.  and then random mating could have become a thing later on after the “take care of your whole nest and dont distinguish” was standard.  and then, becuase it was still beneficial to take care of your whole nest, that trait stayed.  except instead of being reinforced by “i am directly raising my offspring and other offspring related to me” its reinforced by “not complying with this would be shooting myself in the foot”.

hell yeah     

[nbapprentice]

there’s so, so, SO much nonsense surrounding this game that i’m gonna do my best to separate it into digestible bits, with its own categories. even then this is... wow. it’s big.

Warning tags will be added at the start of every section, but the general gist is: incest, pedophilia mentions, fetishization of rape and abuse, fetishization of mlm, fetishization of people of color, racism, ableism, nb erasure and transphobia. aside of the warnings, this post will also touch upon Scummy Business Practices

let’s get going

Dana Rune’s and Elle’s lack of moral fiber: #incest #pedophilia#rape and abuse fetishization #homophobia

tl;dr: dana loves incest porn, elle loves guy on guy rape, and the both of them are friends with at least one pedophile

dana rune has run, is still running an incest zine (please visit my faq on what i think about “thats not really incest” and “it’s just fictional!”). The Arcana, as a dev team, clearly does not care, as shown in their e-mail responses.

dana also very much doesn’t care and has reacted to any criticism on this by dismissing people and blocking actual incest victims who tried to contact her about it claiming it was for her “mental health”

in some tweets she claims she “interprets” the characters as not siblings, but she never really cared enough to cover her ass when it all began (she happily admits she’d “cross the incest line”)

dana has commissioned artists who also ship incest, draw near-pedophilic art that’s supposed to pass as acceptable because the character involved is supposedly not a minor despite looking like a child down to wearing pigtails (the character is also wearing a racist-ass belly dancer outfit), AND even made white-washed fanart of The Arcana.

dana follows twitter user kapymui who also produces incestuous Fire Emblem art

dana has retweeted omocat long after it came out that omocat is, at the very least, consuming pedophilic content (on “omocat didn’t know what shota meant!”: yes they did)

moving on, elle has a long, long, LONG history of fetishizing mlm and the rape and abuse that comes with yaoi and had a rich, RICH “yaoi” tag before they deleted their tumblr

they curiously deleted their tumblr right after i made this reblog

shortly after that, tumblr user thalassiq remade and started attacking and insulting any blogs criticizing them - even people providing support in IMs. Since this doesn’t match Dana and Elle’s normal pity parties I’m personally willing to believe they were just a person wanting to start shit - but it’s so telling how Elle used this chance to dismiss everyone who disagrees with them by calling them “children” and did not even bother to offer a kind word to people who were harassed and even had their trauma mocked by this person. It costs 0 dollars to say “that was not me but I’m sorry about people who were hurt.”

Dana and Elle are close with Ava’s Demon creator Michelle Czajkowski aka that one person who endorses child porn of her characters, and even had her draw a promo image for the game. Michelle has been creating highly sexualized content of her minor characters for a while now.

ok so elle and dana are gross freaks, how is that related to the game?

oh it’s very very related

Dana Rune’s and Elle’s lack of moral fiber that’s Actually Inside The Game or The Game’s Blog: now with more #racism #fetishization of poc and mlm #whitewashing #fat hate #pedophilia #nb erasure #transphobia

tl;dr: the arcana is filled to the brim with racism! so much of it! haha holy shit! and that’s not even where it ends!!!

their game is rated PG-13 but includes incredibly sexual situations such as Julian making this fucking face while getting off on pain. This isn’t the only time Dana and Elle use their videogame aimed at young teens to showcase their kinks and fetishes. I have no issue with NSFW or titillating content, as long as it’s rated accordingly. This content is NOT and it’s a blatant disregard for their audience just to have a larger, more pliable demographic and have more money sent their way.

if you start your argument with “well, teenagers look at porn” 1. shut up 2. theres a HUGE difference between teenagers going after adult content aimed at adults, and adults creating content they know will be seen by kids barely starting puberty

as pointed above, dana has 0 qualms literally commissioning people who make whitewashed fanart of her own fucking game that’s supposed to be all about the inclusivity and safe spaces

thearcanagame blog has a pattern of reblogging whitewashed fanart (before you come in swinging with the good ole “ITS THE LIGHTING”: 1. no it isnt 2. the artist should’ve picked better lightning then 3. i draw and post shit online too so dont come telling me i just dont understaaaand),

fanart of their fat characters showed skinnier than they are in their sprites (although to be real for a moment - Portia is curvy at most and them behaving she’s fat rep is HILARIOUS).

going back to NSFW content: nadia and asra are overwhemlingly sexualized in the game, and were the first to have sexualized CGs and sprites introduced.

CGs: Asra’s here, here aND HERE, Nadia’s here with a NSFW warning because she’s just got her whole fucking ass out. Sprites: Asra’s thank god for whoever compiled it all in one image, Nadia’s and once again, NSFW warning lmfao!

Julian’s sprites on the other hand are noticeably tamer, including the one where he’s fucking strapped in leather. His only sexual (NSFW warning because its literally softcore tentacle porn WHICH, ONCE AGAIN, SHOULDN’T BE PUT IN A GAME AIMED AT 13YOS) CGs were also included months after Nadia and Asra received any of theirs.

Through all of the updates, people have constantly requested that Asra and Nadia’s sexualization be toned down, and time after time The Arcana just churned out fetishistic, hypersexualized content at an absurd rate, especially when compared to the one white love interest.

Oh, speaking of the one white love interest: Julian is based off of Jeff Goldblum (this is not spectulation - they p much bring it up at any given time) but like. If Jeff Goldblum was white. They base their favorite love interest off their supposed favorite man in the world but casually leave his skin tone behind. Lmao.

they also play favorites very obviously - in the prologue, Nadia and Asra have a romance paid scene each. Julian has a scene... that requires no coins. Julian was also the first LI to receive three CGs, two of them requiring no coins, while both Asra’s and Nadia’s first CGs were behind a paywall

Dana and Elle have been notoriously skittish about confirming or denying their characters’ ethnicities. After hyping for weeks on thearcanagame that they would confirm the character’s races they basically made a post that amounted to “well they’re not white lol!”

they only relented after the perfectly understandable outrage... and posted a thread about it on Elle’s twitter. Nothing on the actual thearcanagame blog. Anyway, here’s the thread. Note how there’s mention of Julian being Jeff Goldblum... but nothing about him and Portia being Jewish (or “fantasy Jewish” as it were).

The one time they did confirm their jewishness dana then backpedaled and said she shouldn’t have done that lol.

another fun tidbit of how well The Arcana handles race and how much it cares about feedback from fans: an ask was sent about an anon begging for Nadia to step on them. The blog, with the finesse of a bunch of horny dumbasses, didn’t just publish the ask, but approved of it (even though the fans of color had long, long, LONG been telling everyone not to fetishize Nadia into a “step on me kween” wet dream). People were outraged, of course, and the blog ~apologized~ and said they were still learning.... then a new chapter included a scene of Nadia stepping on the Apprentice. 🙃

not to mention elle, on their twitter, made a passive aggressive “women can be doms?” tweet, trying to twist it into a “yr oppressing women” angle (when the issue is that women of color are always constantly portrayed as aggressive and domineering)

Now for a wombo combo of racism and Elle’s fetishization of mlm:

the devs have spoken at length of how Julian’s and Asra’s relationship was quite unhealthy. In a paid scene in Asra’s route, they’re depicted as Asra being disgusted w Julian touching him+Julian following Asra to his shop when Asra refused his offer to go with him (aka julian... stalked him lmfao).

.......... this scene is promptly followed by a highly sexual scenario where Julian’s pain fetish is played up. Remember how this game is rated PG-13? Me neither. Asra’s previous disgust with Julian is also forgotten, for some reason (and by some reason i mean Elle wants to make them fuck w/o buildup or logic).

Then Asra’s route has yet another paid scene dedicated to Asrian, even though he’s supposed to not even like Julian! And be head over heels with the Apprentice! But Elle just has to make these two be entangled despite insisting their relationship was not good for either of them!

Now here’s the kicker: Julian doesn’t have any paid scenes related to his romance with Asra. Note how it’s one of the brown LIs whose route is highjacked by the white LI, but not vice versa. Hmmmmm.

Now, on the topic of Asra: thearcanagame has said repeatedly that he’s nb and uses he/him pronouns, and promised (since last year) that there would be dialogue where he speaks about his gender

as of the making of this post such dialogue still does not exist

so basically asra is the nb to dumbledore’s gay: anyone who just plays the game w/o keeping up with the official blog has no idea of what asra’s gender is supposed to be.

aka he’s not nb. he’s just a cis guy. the arcana just doesn’t want to put its money where its mouth is, i dont care if elle is nb themself. the team made a promise which has not been fulfilled yet and i suspect will not be.

instead, our introduction to canon nb characters is... these two.

By “these two” i mean neither vulgora nor valdemar are even fucking human, and stick out like sore thumbs with their monstruousness.

so our nb rep is... non-human villains. a few books later one of Nadia’s sisters with they/them pronouns shows up, but that’s too little too late on top of the fact that we should’ve known Asra was nb from the first to begin with. It’s a fucking embarrassment and an insult.

at least two villains are visibly disabled (Lucio’s missing arm and Volta’s blind eye+intentionally asymmetrical face). Julian’s eye doesn’t count because, spoilers, he’s not lacking an eye and even if he was it’d still be hidden behind a dashing eyepatch instead of grotesquely displayed as a sign of his lacking morality.

BUT WAIT! IT DOESN’T EVEN END THERE!

The Arcana Exploits The App Business Model To Price Their Full Game at $500, $1000 if the three extra routes make it out, and they never delivered their Kickstarter rewards:

tl;dr: you heard me

the original price per route was planned on being $1.99

they took that “subject to change” really seriously, it seems, because now each route, once the game is fully out, is estimated to cost around $170 each.

both those screenshots are taken from this post which explains in detail just how truly scummy all of The Arcana’s business model and decisions are: https://mysticmicrotransactions.tumblr.com/post/174308723344/dishonesty-from-the-arcana

the tl;dr is basically what’s listed in the beginning of this section, but other highlights from that post are: the use of addictive gambling mechanics such the Wheel of Fortune, and the dazzling calls to action in the new mini-game.

something that The Arcana supporters forget (or choose to ignore) is the fact that for a long, long time the game did not have the mini-game or the log-in rewards for coins. Players depended only on the gambling of the WoF or paying absurd amounts of money for the new chapters.

the devs went from playing the victims who were unable of controlling prices to (as spoken of in the link from mysticmicrotransactions) saying the making of the game (a pathetic little app game backed by a studio and a kickstarter) justifies the prices

they also gave people false hope about maybe changing the prices in the future, all while bleeding money from loyal players in “micro” transactions

the arcana literally added a $99.99 coins option on their latest update

in case it hasn’t sunk in yet: you can pay a hundred dollars upfront to the arcana, and you still will not have access to the whole game

there is no defense to this

none

“it’s free stop whining” let me explain:

“spend months on end accumulating fake currency or pay hundreds of dollars up-front to be able to play” is a scummy business model no matter how you look at it

if i can spend $60 upfront to play an AAA game there’s no excuse to demand more than that for a game with much smaller and, honestly, inferior content

the combination of there being already far and few games featuring lgbt characters and characters of color AND the little cult of personality set up by Dana and Elle makes people feel that spending money to support them is an acceptable expense.

it’s not

manipulating people into spending ridiculous amounts of money and then claiming “it’s their choice” is just scummy business, baby, and thats all the arcana does

the devs are brats who instead of admitting $500 is absurd for a game instead write petty little caricatures into their game - like, lbr: dana, elle, if i could afford diamonds in my hair i wouldn’t have even bothered with your shitstain of a game

despite bragging that ppl would get the full story w/o needing to pay, the paid scenes are pretty much required - the first few books of julian’s route have no romance without accessing any of the paid options. you dont even get so much as a kiss in without handing coins over. many, many people were baffled when julian had a teary break-up scene when from their perspective they hadn’t even started building a relationship.

wow that’s more than i ever thought it’d be

and i’ve been aware of their bullshit for near a whole year now!

i don’t have much of a note to end this on, other than: the arcana just isn’t even that good. it suffers from weak writing, pathetic character development and above all actually harmful content. do not try to argue with me on any of these points unless you’ve read all of that, because whatever you have to say i’ve likely mentioned before. if you still are that determined to yell at a me on the internet, please preface your argument with the phrase “I’m a pee pee poo poo man” so I know you’ve read everything in here. thank you!

[occasionalfugo]

but haven't you shipped fugo with adults such as ghiaccio and doppio? and also have drawn sexualized/suggestive art of fugo (a minor)? hypocrite

((look, it doesnt give you a good reason to be mean to me if you simply cant read. but despite this fact im gonna take a chance and explain everything to you here one more time.

i am running this blog as an adult fugo for two fucking real-life years from the very beginning of the blog. and its all in the description and in the rules. he’s 21 years old by now and continues to age.

this is percisely why i’m not flirting or trying to go out with any characters that are minors by their blogs canon, because that would be fucking creepy!!!!!!!!!!!!at this point theres only one narancia that is an adult of the same age as fugo, so i eagerly interact with them when i get the chance, but i still get shit for drawing pretty art with them, saying that im “drawing sexualized minors”. fucking look at the blog descriptions for once, please.

so this brings us to the next point.doppio stuff was a joke. i allowed it to happen because fugo is an adult and because doppio was a somewhat age-less baby gremlin. and it still was never meant to be serious!i dont ship that shit for real and i do not recommend doing that to anyone. i’ve made multiple disclaimer posts even back then when that event was active that i do not fucking support shipping that stuff for real.

then there’s the ghiaccio thing, which i have three things to say about:

1. ghiaccio’s canon age was never mentioned and i, for the life of me, have never seen him as being older than 17 in canon. i was majorly surprised to find out that the fandom for some reason thinks that he’s 20-something.

2. i asked the mod of the ghiaccio blog about the age of their character and i only proceeded with the dating scenario after i found out that their ghiaccio and my fugo are around the same age by their blogs canon.

3. I do not ship that outside of the blogs, i wouldnt go like “hey what if vento aureo fugo and ghia met and dated wouldnt that be hot spicy”. it worked only for our blogs specifically. i didnt suddenly consider every ghiaccio on the planet to be fugo’s boyfriend. which is why that dating mini-event had to come to an end when the mod of the ghiaccio blog didnt have much time to make content for it. i’m not about just creating content out of my head and forcing it down people’s throats, since, again, i do not ship that outside of the blogs!

so at the end of this post i’m gonna say this again:

I’ve started this blog as a 19 year old Fugo. After two actual years of blogging he’s now 21. He’s been an adult in european countries for a while now and now he’s a full adult even in america. If I ever see any of you call my blog’s Fugo a minor again, I’m going to block you, beacause you obviously hadnt read the rules and about of this blog.

I’ve always fucking been on the side of sensible people who dont tolerate freaky bullshit that’s happening in the fandom, yet I get called a hypocrite and being put in the same row as actual fucking pedophiles and incest lovers. All for trying to properly play as an adult version of a character. It’s really upsetting me.

i barely see vento aureo fugo and mine as the same character at this point and i do my best to show that with every single post that my fugo has grown, learned and matured. i see a proper line between a teenage boy and the man from this blog.

i was with kin fugo from back when i was a minor myself and i started this blog as him being an adult because im now an adult as well. to be able to grow together with him further and share similar experiences and be able to relate to him. thats why i’m doing this.

so please, if you don’t want to bother yourself with looking further in what you’re dealing with on my blog and reading some disclaimers, then dont bother yourself with sending me stuff like this. please.))

[tumblunni]

Misc headcanons for Directator's assistant director yokai sidekicks!

* I think the Nosirs are actually brothers but for these guys i think theyre just a bunch of unrelated employees who share a uniform. Maybe draw them with variations in height and weight and stuff to tell them apart? And they probably have different hair under the hats.

* this yokai species is a water element fishman thing possibly based on The Shadow Over Innsmouth. Cos ive been doing a lot of thinking on why the heck they have those weird face markings and with the bulgy eyes they kinda do match the description of the early stage Deep Ones in that story. Either that or theyre kappas who hide their weak spot under caps. (Cappas?)

* their only power as yokai is super strength. They probably surprise people a lot by being so powerful, cos they never really bother to fight unless their boss is in trouble. Its mostly just an 'ultimate assistant' power that helps them carry lots of stuff for maximum efficiency.

* theres probably variants of this yokai for every type of minor job ever. I feel like its just the thing you turn into when youre a very normal dude who just wants to continue your normal job in the underworld. This trio are 100% content working for Directator and their idea of a peaceful afterlife is just the same as their regular life! No aspirations for bigger superpowers or anything, just gimme that magic ability to be even better at the job i love~

* not sure about names for the trio yet except one of them should be jerome cos thats a nice name. Their origin story is just that theyre unrelated employees who worked under Directator when he was human, and sorta bonded together into The Directator Protection Club. They were his most loyal assistants who stayed with him even as the studio made flop after flop, and even followed him into hell in the end. (Died trying to save him from a studio fire) They were all kind of aimless young adults for one reason or another, who didnt have much good in their life aside from this job and didnt have any positive familial figures except this strange little family they found together. So theyre not blood related but they treat each other like siblings and see Directator as a cool uncle figure that they all look up to. And theyre all roommates together now in the yokai world so basically yeah they got adopted in all senses except the Actually Saying It Out Loud sense

* Aside from their general shared personality of Being Cute And Enthusiastic And Supporting Their Boss i feel like maybe there are some small differences you notice after a while? From the titanic episode it seemed like one of them was kinda dopey innocently hero worshipping the boss and one of them was a sassy trickster who loved a chance to mess with the heroes, just based on the different way they animated them obeying the order to toss the heroes off the bungee jump. And one of them was shown dressing as a lady waitress in one of the scenes in the first episode, so im gonna grab that opportunity and say she's a trans girl. They all dress very similar while on the job just cos its practical clothing for work, but you can tell her apart by a small ponytail at the back of their identical hairstyles. (Probably the cute flame ponytail style like ghoulfather!) Off duty she likes to dress a bit more femme, but her bros still support her as a woman no matter how she dresses. The only way to get these perpetually smiling doofuses to start a fight is to mix them up and misgender her! (Well, that or be mean to the boss also. Theyre just very ride or die for each other!)

* There actually are more of these yokai aside from the main three, Directator has picked up a few more employees over the years since he died. He can probably summon infinate hordes of them like ghoulfather can do with his mafia goons! Its just that these three have the main emotional bond with him so he trusts them to do all the most important jobs.

* they have an ultimate transformation that is just them on each other's shoulders in a trenchcoat. Their acting skill is so good that everyone universally believes this is a new form and they even gain boosted stats!

* in battle maybe their ability would be some sort of adaptability thing to reflect how theyre such multitalented helpers? Like 'all attacks are treated as non elemental' or 'changes elements to match the last hit taken'?

* also probably in battle theyd have combo abilities with directator, like he's able to revive them automatically whenever he gets a critical hit or something. I feel like them having low hp and frequently knocking themselves out in the process of protecting him is very in character

* directator remembers all their birthdays and throws a super theatrical big ol party~! They also celebrate the day each of them got hired and the day they made their first successful film in the yokai world, and then every time they have a new success too. Basically they love excuses to show how much they care for each other! Best buddies cinema club 4ever!!!

* Even though Directator can now poof up illusions of any set and costumes using his powers, he still prefers to let the assistants make all the most important critical stuff for each movie. He just feels sad that his newfound powers would be taking away a fun bonding experience that they used to have. But also obviously working your ass off to make everything on a short deadline ruins the fun of making arts and crafts together, so he's grateful he can take some of the work off their shoulders.

* the shape of directator's powers as a yokai came from not from his egotism but from his dying wish being to ease the burden on his employees who were always so loyal to him. He also likes to use his illusions to help them out with stuff even when theyre not working, though he still has to say lights camera action and etc so its a lil funny. Like 'oh no assistant number 3 is going out on a date and her dress is ruined!' then he runs in with one of those clapboard things and is like CUT! TAKE TWO! *poofs up an illusion dress with a star wipe transition* Keeps pausing the scene and telling her boyfriend to show more emotion, lol. Like overprotective dad cliche but its more 'are you hammy enough to be worthy of my niece?? Show me your best death scene!' Also has an entire orchestra follow them around and do a soundtrack to their date. 'Darling it'll be a sensation! Directator's secret masterpiece: the film only you get to see! Cmon boys this is our most important production yet!' Very well intentioned but predictably he ends up ruining the date by trying so hard to make it perfect for her, and she's like 'aww dont worry boss, if that guy cant handle my family then he's not the right dude for me anyway' *hugs and end of episode* *but also yknow..he still learns his lesson and interferes less in his friends's lives next time*

* maybe two of the trio have the same names? Like "here's my supreme team: Ashley A, Ashley B and Jerome!"

* give them a special attack where they just three hit combo Directator with a big ol wholesome hug of admiration and all his stats go up. 'Boss you really brightened up our lives!' 'And our afterlife!'

[bjro233]

The Life of a Gay Man and His Need To Prove It

#1 The “Gay Gene”

               Although it has only been found in males, a linkage to males and homosexuality has been discovered by Dean Hamer and colleagues. On X chromosomes there is an unidentified gene that these scientists have named Xq28, which they relate directly to homosexuality. It’s a very controversial theory but ultimately purposes so many answers.            

#2 Evidence is Mounting for Homosexual Men

               “In 1993, genetic variations in a region on the X chromosome in men were linked to whether they were heterosexual or homosexual, and in 1995, a region on chromosome 8 was identified.” says Andy Coghlan from thenewscientist.com. This just proves that no, gay men don’t just wake up one morning and say “Hey, I wanna try dick today.”

#3 The Third Gender: Muxes

              In southern Mexico, the Zapotec people recognize a third gender called Muxes. In our culture, they would be known as homosexual people and transgendered people. This just makes me realize that some cultures, although so old, are so ahead of their time, open-minded, and progressive. Another reason to yell @ Donald Trump, don’t build the damn wall.  

  #4 We Are Not Alone

              Listen, science isn’t the only thing that proves this theory. Look at our environment and what isn’t directly affected by or altered by humans. “Homosexual behaviour is a natural biological feature and is common among non-human animals. In at least one species – sheep – individual animals have been known to form lasting preferences for same-sex partners.” says Australias Science Channel. Fun Fact: the oldest living tortoise who was thought to be female but was actually male only mated with males. Thus showing why no babies were being born.

#5 Should We Care About Giving Reason To Being Gay?

                Of course, being gay myself, you’re faced with a lot of harassment, questioning, judgment, and bigotry. Religion really attacks you, and you’re forced to feel like an outcast and forced into a stereotype. So, given the chance and these scientific findings, it can help explain to people who don’t believe/understand. It normalizes sexuality, it lowers being/feeling like a minority. “It adds yet more evidence that sexual orientation is not a ‘lifestyle choice’. But the real significance is that it takes us one step closer to understanding the origins of one of the most fascinating and important features of human beings.” says Dean Hammer from newscientist.com.

#6 Being A Watermelon in A Sea Full of Cacti

                      One word: Grindr. If you’re a gay male, you either gagged or hid your face in shamefulness for using the app. My need to prove myself starts here, it completely drains lives of romance and relationship oriented people. It sends a message that all gay men are they same, they’re horny and only want to bone. “The mental health professionals I spoke to are seeing problematic Grindr use in their clinics. And there is little published guidance on how to help those who are struggling.” says Jack Turban with Vox.com. This app is notorious for only being used to have sex, and it’s showing and obviously causing detrimental effects on gay men.

#7 Breaking Stereotypes One Straight @ A Time

                    Growing up, I only had girlfriends. Instead of playing basketball or throwing a football at recess, after school, in college, etc... I jumped rope. I learned how to french braid, I sang and danced. I yearned for the male on male friendship, or bromance you may say. I never got it because theres a stereotype, “I don’t have a problem with gay guys, but if he hits on me its game over.” Now, I can say once straight cis men give me a shot, they realize the stupidity behind it. I always here, “I’m not gay, but you’re one of the coolest dudes.” which isn’t ideal, but it’s progress.                    

#8 Trouble in the Workplace

                     When I bring up LGBTQ issues to acquaintances, a lot of the times i’m faced with “I don’t think gay people have a lot of issues nowadays”. But we dont, thats why I feel its so important for me to prove myself, my life, and what comes along with it. The facts, the struggles, the ugly truth. “59% said that where they live, they are less likely to be afforded employment opportunities because they are part of the LGBTQ community. One in five stated that they have had difficulty when applying for positions.” says victoryinstitute.net

#9 Let’s Prove Stats Wrong!

               Statistics can be demeaning, not all the time are they helpful or good. Sadly, for the LGBTQ+ community, the stats are disheartening. For example, LGBTQ people are 5X as likely to commit suicide than heterosexual people says thetrevorproject.org. 77% of LGBTQ youth reported are depressed, have anxiety, and/or have feelings of worthlessness says hrc.org. So, to all the heterosexual people out there wondering where their “Straight month” or “Straight parade is”, you have it, 11 months out of the year because you dont have struggles like that.

#10 Trans People are Simply, People.

                  Working with white, privileged, conservative, middle-to-upper class women, i’m forced to hear a lot of what they believe and how they think and what political decision they have recently made. Now and then, obvious and not so obvious transgendered women come into the store to shop and they outwardly treat them different or question the “real gender” of the person. I ask myself why whatever is under their clothes matter so much to them. When I tell them they are a woman, and that’s all they are, they are confused and partly agitated because I didn’t give them the answer they wanted to hear. Saddening fact? In a national study, 40% of transgender adults reported having made a suicide attempt. 92% of these individuals reported having attempted suicide before the age of 25 says thetrevorproject.org. Maybe if we stop making people feel so different, and start working toward progression instead of sticking our nose where it doesnt belong, we could actually get somewhere. Proving myself, to help the Trans community.

#11 “Gay People Can’t Naturally Reproduce”

                          I want a family, I want someone to call my husband. My son or daughter, my family. I need that in my life weather it is “natural” or not. People are so pressed about the natural way of things, but they can’t see that a majority of LGBTQ people who don’t reproduce via a man and a woman, help reduce the amount of foster children.14,000 foster children are being raised by Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual foster parents says Movement Advanced Project. Just because I am a man, married to a man, with our own children doesn’t make us any less capable for raising a family. 

#12 LG(B)TQ+

                Another group of people that are drastically hated on for being themselves. Human beings can’t grasp that someone may actually be more concerned about someones personality rather than their sexual organs. According to 2013 research by the University of Pittsburgh, 15% of people did not categorize bisexuality as a legitimate sexuality, with straight men being three times as likely to think it's "not a thing." People looking at you and just thinking you’re fake or just too horny. It’s pathetic, hence another reason to prove myself, my sexuality, for the other groups in my community.

#13 You Can Be Cured With Some Treatment & Religion - Mackelmore

                     Ever since before me, for a very long time, we were taught that there are conversion treatments, that being gay was a mental disability, a deformity. There were actually shock therapy treatments and conversion camps for LGBTQ+ people, people were killed in the midst of these treatments. But heres, *tap tap* the mutha f*ucking, *tap tap* TEA! American Psychological Association undertook a thorough review of the existing research on the efficacy of conversion therapy and their report noted that there was very little  research on sexual orientation change efforts (SOCEs) and that the "results of scientifically valid research indicate that it is unlikely that individuals will be able to reduce same-sex attractions or increase other-sex sexual attractions through SOCE." says hrc.com. Today there are still states that legalize this method!! Stop this!!

#14 The Importance of PRIDE

                   This isn’t just a time for LGBTQ+ people and allies to strut down the street in cute colorful clothing. This parade we participate in is a lesson, its teaching others about what we’re trying to do. Policies, laws, and other arguments we want and need heard. During the 2000s, battles at local, state, and national levels were being fought for marriage equality. Pride parades were utilized to educate the public, generate support, and encourage lawmakers to vote in favor of LGBT rights says thegayfamilylawmaker.com. We need to educate people on the education pride parades actually do. If it wasn’t for these parades, we wouldn’t have made the progress we have today. 

#15 The Audacity!?

                 My need to prove myself may be... borderline pathetic. HOWEVER, it’s so important and necessary in today’s society. The fact that just in 1982, it was okay to openly discriminate against LGBTQ people. IN 1996, it was BANNED to marry unless it was between a man and a women. Only in 2011 was “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” finally repealed. This may sound like good news... but then BAM! THIS YEAR, President Trump banned Transgender people from being in the military.(CNN.com) Every time we feel like we’re ahead, we get knocked back down a few steps. This is why it is important, this is why it is necessary, this is why i’m doing it. 

REFERENCES

https://australiascience.tv/science-of-sexuality/

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cross-cultural-evidence-for-the-genetics-of-homosexuality/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2155810-what-do-the-new-gay-genes-tell-us-about-sexual-orientation/

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/genetics-dna-homosexuality-gay-orientation-attractiveness-straight

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/10/giant-study-links-dna-variants-same-sex-behavior

https://www.cnn.com/2015/06/19/us/lgbt-rights-milestones-fast-facts/index.html

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/4/4/17177058/grindr-gay-men-mental-health-psychiatrist

https://victoryinstitute.org/issue-at-a-glance-lgbtq-employment-discrimination/

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/preventing-suicide/facts-about-suicide/#sm.00001tfv8n5yekdvsq5f6al6h6i7u

https://www.hrc.org/resources/2018-lgbtq-youth-report

https://justlists.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/familyequality/

[spacegayapollo]

just some dumb thoughts i kinda wanted to write down, ill try not to make it long...

for the past year i havent seen a therapist... i saw a girl about three times but it wasnt really working out plus i was so busy and didnt have that connect super well to keep seeing her so i stopped. With recent events ive thought itd probably be a really good idea to go back to seeing one but now that im 20 im not longer on any medical plan that covers it so id have to pay for it myself. plus the major part is finding someone who deals with transgendered issues and also depression and anxiety. The thing is that i cant go to my mom to help me with that cus im still in the closet completely to my family. I think this year im gonna tell my family im bi because well, its twenty gayteen, its the best time to do so. I know my step dad knows because his gf told him accedently and i know hes cool with it but i havent OFFICALLY come out to him. I dont really know why im so scared to? Even with the very off chance that my mom kicks me out, i can stay with him. So why the fuck am i so scared? Im SO open about it to my friends and coworkers, i just dont know why my brain works like this.

Ive also been thinking about taking medication. Ive been going to therapy since i was 11 years old and clearly just that alone isnt gonna fix me, sure its helped but i still feel like shit. so i need that extra help. I want it, but im not finacially in that spot. I think i will be this summer, with how well my new jobs been going. And i am really happy there, ive had like 3 bad days in the span of the 6 months ive worked there and two of those days werent even work related it was cus i just got in my own head too much. and people notice. 

and that gets me to the last thing i wanted to go off about. My coworkers. i love them all so fucking much, like so much ive never loved a group of people so quickly and so much in my whole life. theyre all amazing. But sometimes someone will say something as a joke and its not a joke to me, and i dont know how to seriously tell them not to make that joke. and i cant get mad at them because they dont know, ive been careful to not tell them TOO much about myself. Sometimes someone will use my first name, and i cant explain WHY i hate it so much because then id have to come out as trans to them and for one thing im not ready for that and for another it might cost my rapid moving up. Like im going to become a sous chef, but theres that small chance that someone higher up is transphobic and im not going to take that risk until im ready, and my position is secured. I know it wont be a shock to anyone im close with at work cus we all “joke” about how im barely female or how im some we mass of meat from outer space. 

Regardless of that and a few other minor things, i am happy with where im at. Considering i thought id be dead at 18, im doing pretty fucking well. 

[patriotsnet]

How Many Republicans Are Needed To Vote For Impeachment

New Post has been published on https://www.patriotsnet.com/how-many-republicans-are-needed-to-vote-for-impeachment/

How Many Republicans Are Needed To Vote For Impeachment

Youtube Suspends Trumps Channel For At Least Seven Days

YouTube said on Tuesday that it had suspended President Trumps channel over concern about ongoing potential for violence, in the latest move by one of the large tech companies to limit the president online.

In a on YouTubes official account, the Google-owned video site said it had suspended Mr. Trumps account after one of his recent videos violated its policy banning content that spreads misinformation about widespread election fraud. YouTube said Mr. Trump would not be able to upload new content for at least seven days to his channel, which had about 2.8 million subscribers. YouTube also said it was indefinitely disabling comments on the video in question.

It was not immediately clear which video resulted in the suspension of the presidents account.

1/ After review, and in light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence, we removed new content uploaded to Donald J. Trumps channel for violating our policies. It now has its 1st strike & is temporarily prevented from uploading new content for a *minimum* of 7 days.

YouTubeInsider January 13, 2021

Trump Impeachment: Several Republicans To Join Democrats In House Vote

US Capitol riots

The US House of Representatives is deciding whether to impeach President Donald Trump over his role in last week’s storming of Congress.

Democrats accuse the president of encouraging his supporters to attack the Capitol building. Five people died.

Some in Mr Trump’s Republican party say they will join Democrats to impeach him on Wednesday, formally charging the president with inciting insurrection.

President Trump has rejected any responsibility for the violence.

The riot last Wednesday happened after Mr Trump told supporters at a rally in Washington DC to “fight like hell” against the result of November’s election.

As the House continued its debate, Mr Trump responded to the latest reports of planned protests, urging calm.

“I urge that there must be NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind,” he said in statement released by the White House.

“That is not what I stand for, and it is not what America stands for.

“I call on ALL Americans to help ease tensions and calm tempers. Thank You.”

Pelosi Names Nine Democrats To Lead The Impeachment Effort

Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday named nine Democrats as managers of the trial of President Trump on charges of inciting a violent mob of his supporters to storm the Capitol, where rioters ransacked the seat of American government and killed a Capitol Police officer.

The nine managers, all lawyers, have expertise in constitutional law, civil rights and law enforcement. They will be the new faces of the impeachment drive after Americans last year grew accustomed to seeing Representatives Adam Schiff, Democrat of California and the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, and Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York and the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, as the leaders of Mr. Trumps first impeachment trial.

The managers come from across the country and represent different ideological wings of the party. Of the nine, seven are people of color, L.G.B.T.Q. or women.

It is their constitutional and patriotic duty to present the case for the presidents impeachment and removal, Ms. Pelosi said of the managers. They will do so guided by their great love of country, determination to protect our democracy and loyalty to our oath to the Constitution.

Im honored to be on a team with extremely distinguished lawyers and representatives, Mr. Raskin said. We have a tremendous responsibility on our shoulders right now.

Will A Second Impeachment Bar Trump Running From Office In 2024

Not necessarily. If he was found guilty, theres no immediate punishment, since he is no longer in office. The Senate could, with a simple majority vote, bar him from holding federal elective office in the future. With the Senate split 50-50, and the vice-president, Kamala Harris, holding the casting vote, that could pass quite simply.

There is a constitutional argument to be had that the Democrat-controlled Senate might try to do this anyway even if Trump is found not guilty, by invoking section three of the post-civil war 14th amendment to the US constitution. That forbids anyone who has engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the US from holding federal office, but that is likely to be the subject of a significant legal dispute should it arise.

An earlier version of this article was amended on 13 January 2021. It had incorrectly said that not a single Republican in the Senate found Trump guilty in his first impeachment trial. In fact, one Republican senator, Mitt Romney, voted to impeach him on one charge. The article was republished on 10 February to reflect updated developments with the trial.

Republicans Cant Impeach Joe Biden At Least Not Yet

The ongoing chaos in Afghanistan has led many Republicans to, understandably, criticize President Joe Biden. But at the same time, some have decided to go a step further and call for his impeachment.

Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene filed three articles of impeachment last week against Mr Biden, while Sen Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, his former friend, has called for his impeachment as well.

But if the idea of impeaching Mr Biden sounds ludicrous and politically unfeasible, thats because it is. While Mr Graham, who went from being one of former president Donald Trumps biggest critics to his biggest apologist in the Senate, and Ms Greene, who has done nothing but promote absurd conspiracy theories and antagonize her fellow members, may want to take advantage of the crisis, there is little to no feasible way for it to begin, at least for now.

First and foremost, the major reason is that Republicans are in the minority in the House and the Senate. While some Democrats may not be happy with how Mr Biden managed Afghanistan, immigration or the eviction moratorium, all of which Ms Greene cited, they arent going to collaborate with Republicans to impeach him.

The remote chance of this passing the House aside, if it makes it to the Senate, Republicans would again have to contend with the fact they are in the minority and two-thirds of all Senators need to vote for a conviction. In the last impeachment earlier this year, only seven Republican Senators broke rank.

Read More

Trump Calls For ‘no Violence’ As Congress Moves To Impeach Him For Role In Riot

This time, there will be more. Some Republican senators have called on Trump to resign, and even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he is undecided at this point.

Trump’s impeachment won’t lead to his removal even if he is convicted because of the timeline. The Senate is adjourned until Tuesday. The next day, Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president. But there’s another penalty the Constitution allows for as a result of a Senate conviction that could be appealing to some Republican senators banning Trump from holding “office” again.

While there is some debate as to the definition of “office” in the Constitution and whether that would apply to running for president or even Congress, that kind of public rebuke would send a strong message that Republicans are ready to move on from Trumpism.

Will The Stimulus Bill Boost Democrats Electoral Prospects

But is this opposition real or just noise? After all, were still a long way from the 2022 primaries, which leaves plenty of time for anger surrounding their votes to impeach Trump to fade.

related:Sometimes Senators Just Retire. Dont Read Too Much Into The Recent GOP Exodus. Read more. »

At first glance, the seriousness of the primary challengers does vary quite a bit, ranging from the very serious that is, other elected officials, who tend to be stronger candidates to political newcomers like a conservative activist best known for getting married in a MAGA dress. Yet, in most cases, these representatives should all have at least some reason to be concerned about winning renomination in 2022 especially those who hail from more Republican-leaning districts.

Republicans who voted to impeach face primary challenges

The 10 House Republicans who backed impeachment, including whether they were publicly admonished by state or local Republican Party committees and whether they have a primary challenger

Representative -10.9

*Valadao lost reelection in Californias 21st Congressional District in 2018 but won the seat back in 2020.

Admonishment includes a censure or public rebuke by a Republican Party committee at the state, district or county level.

related:Why Republicans Dont Fear An Electoral Backlash For Opposing Really Popular Parts Of Bidens Agenda Read more. »

related:Confidence Interval: Republicans Will Win Back Congress In 2022 Read more. »

House Impeaches Trump A 2nd Time Citing Insurrection At Us Capitol

This vote could expose some of them to potential primary challenges from the right as well as possible safety threats, but for all of them Trump had simply gone too far. Multiple House Republicans said threats toward them and their families were factors weighing on their decisions on whether to impeach this president.

Ten out of 211 Republicans in the House is hardly an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, and clearly, most Republicans’ sympathies still lie with Trump and his ardent base of followers. But the 10 represent something significant the most members of a president’s party to vote for his impeachment in U.S. history.

Will Trump Be Impeached

As Democrats hold a majority in the House, the vote is likely to pass.

“We have been asked to turn a blind eye to the criminality, corruption and blatant disregard to the rule of law by the tyrant president we have in the White House,” Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar said in the House debate.

“We as a nation can no longer look away.”

Did Trump’s words at rally incite the riot?

At least nine Republicans have voted in favour impeachment, but the majority remain loyal to the president.

“Instead of moving forward as a unifying force, the majority in the House is choosing to divide us further… Let us look forward, not backward. Let us come together, not apart,” Republican Tom Cole told the House.

He was one of 139 Republicans who last week voted against accepting the result of the 2020 election and Mr Trump’s defeat.

Once it has passed in the House of Representatives, the impeachment article will then head for the Senate, where a trial will be held to determine the president’s guilt.

A two-thirds majority would be needed there to convict Mr Trump, meaning at least 17 Republicans would have to vote for conviction. As many as 20 Senate Republicans are open to convicting the president, the New York Times reports.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he had not yet decided whether or not he would vote in favour of impeachment.

The Senate will not reconvene this week and probably not until 19 January, according to Mr McConnell’s spokesman.

Who Presides Over The Trial

Trumps first impeachment was presided over by chief justice of the supreme court, John Roberts, as set out in the constitution. However, as this trial is of a former president, 80-year-old Patrick Leahy, the longest-serving Democratic senator who holds the title of president pro tempore will preside. It will be prosecuted by a team of nine impeachment managers from the House, and the whole Senate was sworn in as the jury on 26 January.

Drafted Articles Of Impeachment

Within hours of the Capitol attack, multiple members of Congress began to call for the impeachment of Donald Trump as president. Several representatives began the process of independently drafting various articles of impeachment. Of these attempts, the first to become public were those of Representative Ilhan Omar ” rel=”nofollow”>D) who drafted and introduced articles of impeachment against Trump.

Representative David Cicilline ” rel=”nofollow”>D) separately drafted an article of impeachment. The text was obtained by CNN on January 8. On Twitter, Cicilline acknowledged the coauthorship of Ted Lieu and Jamie Raskin, and said that “more than 110” members had signed on to this article. “Article I: Incitement of Insurrection” accuses Trump of having “willfully made statements that encouragedand foreseeably resulted inimminent lawless action at the Capitol”. As a result of incitement by Trump, “a mob unlawfully breached the Capitol” and “engaged in violent, deadly, destructive, and seditious acts”. On January 10, it was announced that the bill had gathered 210 cosponsors in the House.

Twice As Many Republicans Vote To Impeach Trump Than Democrats Voted To Remove Clinton

More in the House voted for the second impeachment of President Donald Trump on Wednesday than voted in favor of impeaching President Bill Clinton in 1998.

The House voted to impeach Trump in the aftermath of riots at the U.S. Capitol in January, an event many have said Trump incited, by a vote of 232-197. Four Republican members of the House declined to vote. While a majority of Republicans chose to stand behind Trump and his baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, 10 GOP members decided to break ranks with Trump and call for his impeachment.

FOX News

Trump’s second impeachment was seen as the most bipartisan impeachment in U.S. history. Only 5 Democrats broke ranks to vote for impeaching Clinton. During the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson in 1868, only 7 Republicans joined with Democrats to vote in favor of Johnson’s impeachment.

A majority of the 10 Republicans who voted for Trump’s impeachment represent districts that voted for Trump in the 2020 election.

Ohio Republican Representative Anthony Gonzalez announced his support for impeaching Trump on Wednesday.

“When I consider the full scope of events leading up to January 6th including the President’s lack of response as the United States Capitol was under attack,” Gonzalez wrote, “I am compelled to support impeachment.”

Michigan Representative Peter Meijer, who supported a resolution to censure Trump on Tuesday, voted for impeachment on Wednesday.

Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment.

Gop Senators Say Only A Few Republicans Will Vote To Convict Trump

Alexander Bolton

Republicans say the chances that former President TrumpDonald TrumpCapitol Police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt says he saved lives on Jan. 6Biden presses Fox’s Doocey about Trump-Taliban dealBiden says deadly attack won’t alter US evacuation mission in Afghanistan will be convicted in an impeachment trial are plummeting, despite lingering anger among some Republicans over his actions.

Only five or six Republican senators at the most seem likely to vote for impeachment, far fewer than the number needed, GOP sources say.

A two-thirds majority vote would be necessary for a conviction, something that would require at least 17 GOP votes if every Democrat votes to convict Trump.

Senators say a few things have moved in Trump’s favor.

One significant development is that Trump decided not to pardon any of the individuals charged with taking part in the Capitol riot, which would have lost him more Republican support.

I thought if he pardoned people who had been part of this invasion of the Capitol, that would have pushed the number higher because that would have said, These are my guys, said one Republican senator, who requested anonymity to speak about how GOP senators are likely to vote.

GOP senators are also worried about a political backlash from the former presidents fervent supporters.

I do think his supporters would be very upset, the lawmaker said.

At the same time, this lawmaker warned of the dangers of the party being too beholden to Trump.

What To Watch For

While Trumps impeachment in the House is a foregone conclusion, conviction in the Senate is a far murkier question. A handful of senators have advocated Trumps resignation or removal without explicitly voicing support for impeachment, but Democrats may struggle to muster the 17 GOP votes needed to get the necessary two-thirds majority. Additionally, McConnell has signaled a Senate impeachment trial likely wouldnt occur until after Trump has left office.

The House Impeached Trump

An impeachment vote in the House happened today, Wednesday, December 18. A markup of the articles happened last week and now the House has formally voted on impeachment.

The Constitution only allows impeachment on the grounds of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Articles of impeachment are essentially formal allegations against the President.

You can read all the laws on impeachment proceedings .

A simple majority vote was needed in the House to impeach Trump. This would be fairly easy, since the Democrats have a majority in the House. If all 435 House members vote, they would need 218 votes for a majority to be reached. There are 235 Democrats in office in the House, one Independent, and 199 Republicans, Reuters explained.  Thats more than enough to reach the majority need to impeach Trump.

For Article 1, abuse of power, there were 230 votes for impeachment, 197 votes against, and 1 present from Tulsi Gabbard.

BREAKING: A historic vote: President Donald J. Trump has been impeached by the House of Representatives for Article I: Abuse of Power. Final vote: 230-197-1.

Brandi Buchman December 19, 2019

But thats not enough to remove him.

Gop Leader Mccarthy: Trump ‘bears Responsibility’ For Violence Won’t Vote To Impeach

Some ambitious Republican senators have never been as on board the Trump train as the more feverish GOP members in the House, and the former might be open to convicting Trump. But their ambition cuts two ways on the one hand, voting to ban Trump opens a lane to carry the Republican mantle in 2024 and be the party’s new standard-bearer, but, on the other, it has the potential to alienate many of the 74 million who voted for Trump, and whose votes they need.

It’s a long shot that Trump would ultimately be convicted, because 17 Republicans would need to join Democrats to get the two-thirds majority needed for a conviction. But it’s growing clearer that a majority of the Senate will vote to convict him, reflecting the number of Americans who are in favor of impeachment, disapproved of the job Trump has done and voted for his opponent in the 2020 presidential election.

Correction Jan. 14, 2021

A previous version of this story incorrectly said Rep. Peter Meijer is a West Point graduate. Meijer attended West Point, but he is a graduate of Columbia University.

Bidens Team Lobbies Congress To Quickly Confirm National Security Nominees

President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.s transition team hopes to persuade Senate Republicans to help him quickly confirm his top national security nominees with the goal of having them confirmed on Inauguration Day, next Wednesday.

Mr. Biden is particularly eager to see the confirmation of his nominee to run the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, given the departments important role in monitoring and defending against extremist threats, including right-wing groups threatening violence against political leaders.

The transition teams plan to lobby Republicans both publicly and privately was first reported on Tuesday, and confirmed by a transition official.

Republicans currently control the Senate, its committees and floor schedules. Democrats will take control of the chamber on Jan. 20 once Mr. Biden is sworn in, thanks to their two newly-elected senators from the Georgia runoffs and the tiebreaking vote ensured in a 50-50 Senate by incoming Vice President Kamala Harris.

Mr. Biden and his aides also hope to win quick confirmation for his nominee to lead the Department of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III an effort that will also require winning over Democrats who are reluctant to grant Mr. Austin a waiver that is required for recently-retired members of the military from leading the Pentagon. While it is the Senate that confirms cabinet nominees, both the House and Senate must approve the waiver for Mr. Austin.

Trump Struggles On Defense Strategy To Combat Impeachment Inquiry

Instead, and often in lieu of delving into the facts of the case, they’ve lined up behind one of a series of arguments for Trump staying in place that include:

Trump’s personal favorite that he did “nothing wrong;”

But if he did, whatever he may have done wrong does not rise to the level of an impeachable offense;

Maybe Trump withheld U.S. funds from Ukraine while he sought an investigation into the Biden family but there’s no proof that the release of funds was conditioned on a promise for the probe to begin ;

Still, even if there was a quid pro quo, there was no corrupt intent on the part of the president ;

And no matter what Trump may have done, the investigative process Democrats have pursued has been so unfair to him that it has invalidated impeachment.

But splintered as it has been, that GOP defense has been working so far in one concrete respect: Not a single Republican lawmaker has said publicly that he or she will vote to impeach Trump or remove him from office, highlighting just how difficult the task will be for Democrats as they pursue the most serious sanction a president can face.

When the House voted last month on rules of procedure for the remainder of its impeachment inquiry a step the GOP had clamored for Republicans were completely unified in voting against the resolution.

Democrats 10 Republicans Vote To Impeach Trump For A 2nd Time

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EmbedEmbed

NPR’s Tonya Mosley talks to House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina after Trump’s impeachment for incitement of insurrection. The article now goes to the Senate, which convenes next week.

TONYA MOSLEY, HOST:

President Trump has been impeached for a second time. This time, the charge is inciting an insurrection. Yesterday started with hours of debate on the floor of the House of Representatives. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opened the session saying last week’s riot was a culmination of months of doubt sown over the election by Trump.

NANCY PELOSI: And then came that day of fire we all experienced. The president must be impeached. And I believe the president must be convicted by the Senate, a constitutional remedy that will ensure that the republic will be safe from this man who was so resolutely determined to tear down the things that we hold dear and that hold us together.

MOSLEY: But Republicans, for the most part, stood by the president. Here’s Representative Jason Smith.

JASON SMITH: The people are hurting. Our colleagues are hurting. This is a reckless impeachment. This will only bring up the hate and fire more than ever before.

MOSLEY: Ten Republicans broke with their party to support impeachment, including Representative Dan Newhouse.

JAMES CLYBURN: Good morning. Thank you very much for having me.

MOSLEY: Yeah.

MOSLEY: You don’t think that it’s 17? Yeah…

MOSLEY: That’s House Majority Whip James Clyburn.

Facebook

Republican Support For Trump On Decline Ahead Of Impeachment Vote

Republicans offered only modest reproach when President Donald Trump said there were very fine people on both sides of a white supremacist rally. They stayed in line when Trump was caught pressuring a foreign leader and later defended his handling of a deadly pandemic.

But with a sudden force, the wall of Republican support that has enabled Trump to weather a seemingly endless series of crises is beginning to erode.

Trumps weakened standing among his own party will come into sharper focus on Wednesday when the House is expected to impeach the president for inciting a riot at the U.S. Capitol last week. A handful of Republicans have already said theyll join the effort, a number that could grow as the vote nears.

Read more: Donald Trump faces 2nd impeachment vote as McConnell rejects calls for immediate trial

The choice facing Republicans isnt just about the immediate fate of Trump, who has just seven days left in his presidency. Its about whether the partys elected leaders are ready to move on from Trump, who remains popular with many GOP voters but is now toxic in much of Washington.

How they proceed could determine whether the party remains viable in upcoming elections or splinters in a way that could limit their relevance.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy blamed Trump for the attack on the U.S. Capitol last week after arguing against the presidents impeachment on Wednesday.

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine gets Health Canada approval for kids 12+

___

[statetalks]

How Many Republicans Are Needed To Vote For Impeachment

Youtube Suspends Trumps Channel For At Least Seven Days

YouTube said on Tuesday that it had suspended President Trumps channel over concern about ongoing potential for violence, in the latest move by one of the large tech companies to limit the president online.

In a on YouTubes official account, the Google-owned video site said it had suspended Mr. Trumps account after one of his recent videos violated its policy banning content that spreads misinformation about widespread election fraud. YouTube said Mr. Trump would not be able to upload new content for at least seven days to his channel, which had about 2.8 million subscribers. YouTube also said it was indefinitely disabling comments on the video in question.

It was not immediately clear which video resulted in the suspension of the presidents account.

1/ After review, and in light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence, we removed new content uploaded to Donald J. Trumps channel for violating our policies. It now has its 1st strike & is temporarily prevented from uploading new content for a *minimum* of 7 days.

YouTubeInsider January 13, 2021

Trump Impeachment: Several Republicans To Join Democrats In House Vote

US Capitol riots

The US House of Representatives is deciding whether to impeach President Donald Trump over his role in last week’s storming of Congress.

Democrats accuse the president of encouraging his supporters to attack the Capitol building. Five people died.

Some in Mr Trump’s Republican party say they will join Democrats to impeach him on Wednesday, formally charging the president with inciting insurrection.

President Trump has rejected any responsibility for the violence.

The riot last Wednesday happened after Mr Trump told supporters at a rally in Washington DC to “fight like hell” against the result of November’s election.

As the House continued its debate, Mr Trump responded to the latest reports of planned protests, urging calm.

“I urge that there must be NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind,” he said in statement released by the White House.

“That is not what I stand for, and it is not what America stands for.

“I call on ALL Americans to help ease tensions and calm tempers. Thank You.”

Pelosi Names Nine Democrats To Lead The Impeachment Effort

Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday named nine Democrats as managers of the trial of President Trump on charges of inciting a violent mob of his supporters to storm the Capitol, where rioters ransacked the seat of American government and killed a Capitol Police officer.

The nine managers, all lawyers, have expertise in constitutional law, civil rights and law enforcement. They will be the new faces of the impeachment drive after Americans last year grew accustomed to seeing Representatives Adam Schiff, Democrat of California and the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, and Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York and the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, as the leaders of Mr. Trumps first impeachment trial.

The managers come from across the country and represent different ideological wings of the party. Of the nine, seven are people of color, L.G.B.T.Q. or women.

It is their constitutional and patriotic duty to present the case for the presidents impeachment and removal, Ms. Pelosi said of the managers. They will do so guided by their great love of country, determination to protect our democracy and loyalty to our oath to the Constitution.

Im honored to be on a team with extremely distinguished lawyers and representatives, Mr. Raskin said. We have a tremendous responsibility on our shoulders right now.

Will A Second Impeachment Bar Trump Running From Office In 2024

Not necessarily. If he was found guilty, theres no immediate punishment, since he is no longer in office. The Senate could, with a simple majority vote, bar him from holding federal elective office in the future. With the Senate split 50-50, and the vice-president, Kamala Harris, holding the casting vote, that could pass quite simply.

There is a constitutional argument to be had that the Democrat-controlled Senate might try to do this anyway even if Trump is found not guilty, by invoking section three of the post-civil war 14th amendment to the US constitution. That forbids anyone who has engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the US from holding federal office, but that is likely to be the subject of a significant legal dispute should it arise.

An earlier version of this article was amended on 13 January 2021. It had incorrectly said that not a single Republican in the Senate found Trump guilty in his first impeachment trial. In fact, one Republican senator, Mitt Romney, voted to impeach him on one charge. The article was republished on 10 February to reflect updated developments with the trial.

Republicans Cant Impeach Joe Biden At Least Not Yet

The ongoing chaos in Afghanistan has led many Republicans to, understandably, criticize President Joe Biden. But at the same time, some have decided to go a step further and call for his impeachment.

Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene filed three articles of impeachment last week against Mr Biden, while Sen Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, his former friend, has called for his impeachment as well.

But if the idea of impeaching Mr Biden sounds ludicrous and politically unfeasible, thats because it is. While Mr Graham, who went from being one of former president Donald Trumps biggest critics to his biggest apologist in the Senate, and Ms Greene, who has done nothing but promote absurd conspiracy theories and antagonize her fellow members, may want to take advantage of the crisis, there is little to no feasible way for it to begin, at least for now.

First and foremost, the major reason is that Republicans are in the minority in the House and the Senate. While some Democrats may not be happy with how Mr Biden managed Afghanistan, immigration or the eviction moratorium, all of which Ms Greene cited, they arent going to collaborate with Republicans to impeach him.

The remote chance of this passing the House aside, if it makes it to the Senate, Republicans would again have to contend with the fact they are in the minority and two-thirds of all Senators need to vote for a conviction. In the last impeachment earlier this year, only seven Republican Senators broke rank.

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Trump Calls For ‘no Violence’ As Congress Moves To Impeach Him For Role In Riot

This time, there will be more. Some Republican senators have called on Trump to resign, and even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he is undecided at this point.

Trump’s impeachment won’t lead to his removal even if he is convicted because of the timeline. The Senate is adjourned until Tuesday. The next day, Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president. But there’s another penalty the Constitution allows for as a result of a Senate conviction that could be appealing to some Republican senators banning Trump from holding “office” again.

While there is some debate as to the definition of “office” in the Constitution and whether that would apply to running for president or even Congress, that kind of public rebuke would send a strong message that Republicans are ready to move on from Trumpism.

Will The Stimulus Bill Boost Democrats Electoral Prospects

But is this opposition real or just noise? After all, were still a long way from the 2022 primaries, which leaves plenty of time for anger surrounding their votes to impeach Trump to fade.

related:Sometimes Senators Just Retire. Dont Read Too Much Into The Recent GOP Exodus. Read more. »

At first glance, the seriousness of the primary challengers does vary quite a bit, ranging from the very serious that is, other elected officials, who tend to be stronger candidates to political newcomers like a conservative activist best known for getting married in a MAGA dress. Yet, in most cases, these representatives should all have at least some reason to be concerned about winning renomination in 2022 especially those who hail from more Republican-leaning districts.

Republicans who voted to impeach face primary challenges

The 10 House Republicans who backed impeachment, including whether they were publicly admonished by state or local Republican Party committees and whether they have a primary challenger

Representative -10.9

*Valadao lost reelection in Californias 21st Congressional District in 2018 but won the seat back in 2020.

Admonishment includes a censure or public rebuke by a Republican Party committee at the state, district or county level.

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related:Confidence Interval: Republicans Will Win Back Congress In 2022 Read more. »

House Impeaches Trump A 2nd Time Citing Insurrection At Us Capitol

This vote could expose some of them to potential primary challenges from the right as well as possible safety threats, but for all of them Trump had simply gone too far. Multiple House Republicans said threats toward them and their families were factors weighing on their decisions on whether to impeach this president.

Ten out of 211 Republicans in the House is hardly an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, and clearly, most Republicans’ sympathies still lie with Trump and his ardent base of followers. But the 10 represent something significant the most members of a president’s party to vote for his impeachment in U.S. history.

Will Trump Be Impeached

As Democrats hold a majority in the House, the vote is likely to pass.

“We have been asked to turn a blind eye to the criminality, corruption and blatant disregard to the rule of law by the tyrant president we have in the White House,” Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar said in the House debate.

“We as a nation can no longer look away.”

Did Trump’s words at rally incite the riot?

At least nine Republicans have voted in favour impeachment, but the majority remain loyal to the president.

“Instead of moving forward as a unifying force, the majority in the House is choosing to divide us further… Let us look forward, not backward. Let us come together, not apart,” Republican Tom Cole told the House.

He was one of 139 Republicans who last week voted against accepting the result of the 2020 election and Mr Trump’s defeat.

Once it has passed in the House of Representatives, the impeachment article will then head for the Senate, where a trial will be held to determine the president’s guilt.

A two-thirds majority would be needed there to convict Mr Trump, meaning at least 17 Republicans would have to vote for conviction. As many as 20 Senate Republicans are open to convicting the president, the New York Times reports.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he had not yet decided whether or not he would vote in favour of impeachment.

The Senate will not reconvene this week and probably not until 19 January, according to Mr McConnell’s spokesman.

Who Presides Over The Trial

Trumps first impeachment was presided over by chief justice of the supreme court, John Roberts, as set out in the constitution. However, as this trial is of a former president, 80-year-old Patrick Leahy, the longest-serving Democratic senator who holds the title of president pro tempore will preside. It will be prosecuted by a team of nine impeachment managers from the House, and the whole Senate was sworn in as the jury on 26 January.

Drafted Articles Of Impeachment

Within hours of the Capitol attack, multiple members of Congress began to call for the impeachment of Donald Trump as president. Several representatives began the process of independently drafting various articles of impeachment. Of these attempts, the first to become public were those of Representative Ilhan Omar ” rel=”nofollow”>D) who drafted and introduced articles of impeachment against Trump.

Representative David Cicilline ” rel=”nofollow”>D) separately drafted an article of impeachment. The text was obtained by CNN on January 8. On Twitter, Cicilline acknowledged the coauthorship of Ted Lieu and Jamie Raskin, and said that “more than 110” members had signed on to this article. “Article I: Incitement of Insurrection” accuses Trump of having “willfully made statements that encouragedand foreseeably resulted inimminent lawless action at the Capitol”. As a result of incitement by Trump, “a mob unlawfully breached the Capitol” and “engaged in violent, deadly, destructive, and seditious acts”. On January 10, it was announced that the bill had gathered 210 cosponsors in the House.

Twice As Many Republicans Vote To Impeach Trump Than Democrats Voted To Remove Clinton

More in the House voted for the second impeachment of President Donald Trump on Wednesday than voted in favor of impeaching President Bill Clinton in 1998.

The House voted to impeach Trump in the aftermath of riots at the U.S. Capitol in January, an event many have said Trump incited, by a vote of 232-197. Four Republican members of the House declined to vote. While a majority of Republicans chose to stand behind Trump and his baseless claims of widespread voter fraud, 10 GOP members decided to break ranks with Trump and call for his impeachment.

FOX News

Trump’s second impeachment was seen as the most bipartisan impeachment in U.S. history. Only 5 Democrats broke ranks to vote for impeaching Clinton. During the impeachment of President Andrew Johnson in 1868, only 7 Republicans joined with Democrats to vote in favor of Johnson’s impeachment.

A majority of the 10 Republicans who voted for Trump’s impeachment represent districts that voted for Trump in the 2020 election.

Ohio Republican Representative Anthony Gonzalez announced his support for impeaching Trump on Wednesday.

“When I consider the full scope of events leading up to January 6th including the President’s lack of response as the United States Capitol was under attack,” Gonzalez wrote, “I am compelled to support impeachment.”

Michigan Representative Peter Meijer, who supported a resolution to censure Trump on Tuesday, voted for impeachment on Wednesday.

Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment.

Gop Senators Say Only A Few Republicans Will Vote To Convict Trump

Alexander Bolton

Republicans say the chances that former President TrumpDonald TrumpCapitol Police officer who shot Ashli Babbitt says he saved lives on Jan. 6Biden presses Fox’s Doocey about Trump-Taliban dealBiden says deadly attack won’t alter US evacuation mission in Afghanistan will be convicted in an impeachment trial are plummeting, despite lingering anger among some Republicans over his actions.

Only five or six Republican senators at the most seem likely to vote for impeachment, far fewer than the number needed, GOP sources say.

A two-thirds majority vote would be necessary for a conviction, something that would require at least 17 GOP votes if every Democrat votes to convict Trump.

Senators say a few things have moved in Trump’s favor.

One significant development is that Trump decided not to pardon any of the individuals charged with taking part in the Capitol riot, which would have lost him more Republican support.

I thought if he pardoned people who had been part of this invasion of the Capitol, that would have pushed the number higher because that would have said, These are my guys, said one Republican senator, who requested anonymity to speak about how GOP senators are likely to vote.

GOP senators are also worried about a political backlash from the former presidents fervent supporters.

I do think his supporters would be very upset, the lawmaker said.

At the same time, this lawmaker warned of the dangers of the party being too beholden to Trump.

What To Watch For

While Trumps impeachment in the House is a foregone conclusion, conviction in the Senate is a far murkier question. A handful of senators have advocated Trumps resignation or removal without explicitly voicing support for impeachment, but Democrats may struggle to muster the 17 GOP votes needed to get the necessary two-thirds majority. Additionally, McConnell has signaled a Senate impeachment trial likely wouldnt occur until after Trump has left office.

The House Impeached Trump

An impeachment vote in the House happened today, Wednesday, December 18. A markup of the articles happened last week and now the House has formally voted on impeachment.

The Constitution only allows impeachment on the grounds of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Articles of impeachment are essentially formal allegations against the President.

You can read all the laws on impeachment proceedings .

A simple majority vote was needed in the House to impeach Trump. This would be fairly easy, since the Democrats have a majority in the House. If all 435 House members vote, they would need 218 votes for a majority to be reached. There are 235 Democrats in office in the House, one Independent, and 199 Republicans, Reuters explained.  Thats more than enough to reach the majority need to impeach Trump.

For Article 1, abuse of power, there were 230 votes for impeachment, 197 votes against, and 1 present from Tulsi Gabbard.

BREAKING: A historic vote: President Donald J. Trump has been impeached by the House of Representatives for Article I: Abuse of Power. Final vote: 230-197-1.

Brandi Buchman December 19, 2019

But thats not enough to remove him.

Gop Leader Mccarthy: Trump ‘bears Responsibility’ For Violence Won’t Vote To Impeach

Some ambitious Republican senators have never been as on board the Trump train as the more feverish GOP members in the House, and the former might be open to convicting Trump. But their ambition cuts two ways on the one hand, voting to ban Trump opens a lane to carry the Republican mantle in 2024 and be the party’s new standard-bearer, but, on the other, it has the potential to alienate many of the 74 million who voted for Trump, and whose votes they need.

It’s a long shot that Trump would ultimately be convicted, because 17 Republicans would need to join Democrats to get the two-thirds majority needed for a conviction. But it’s growing clearer that a majority of the Senate will vote to convict him, reflecting the number of Americans who are in favor of impeachment, disapproved of the job Trump has done and voted for his opponent in the 2020 presidential election.

Correction Jan. 14, 2021

A previous version of this story incorrectly said Rep. Peter Meijer is a West Point graduate. Meijer attended West Point, but he is a graduate of Columbia University.

Bidens Team Lobbies Congress To Quickly Confirm National Security Nominees

President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.s transition team hopes to persuade Senate Republicans to help him quickly confirm his top national security nominees with the goal of having them confirmed on Inauguration Day, next Wednesday.

Mr. Biden is particularly eager to see the confirmation of his nominee to run the Department of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, given the departments important role in monitoring and defending against extremist threats, including right-wing groups threatening violence against political leaders.

The transition teams plan to lobby Republicans both publicly and privately was first reported on Tuesday, and confirmed by a transition official.

Republicans currently control the Senate, its committees and floor schedules. Democrats will take control of the chamber on Jan. 20 once Mr. Biden is sworn in, thanks to their two newly-elected senators from the Georgia runoffs and the tiebreaking vote ensured in a 50-50 Senate by incoming Vice President Kamala Harris.

Mr. Biden and his aides also hope to win quick confirmation for his nominee to lead the Department of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III an effort that will also require winning over Democrats who are reluctant to grant Mr. Austin a waiver that is required for recently-retired members of the military from leading the Pentagon. While it is the Senate that confirms cabinet nominees, both the House and Senate must approve the waiver for Mr. Austin.

Trump Struggles On Defense Strategy To Combat Impeachment Inquiry

Instead, and often in lieu of delving into the facts of the case, they’ve lined up behind one of a series of arguments for Trump staying in place that include:

Trump’s personal favorite that he did “nothing wrong;”

But if he did, whatever he may have done wrong does not rise to the level of an impeachable offense;

Maybe Trump withheld U.S. funds from Ukraine while he sought an investigation into the Biden family but there’s no proof that the release of funds was conditioned on a promise for the probe to begin ;

Still, even if there was a quid pro quo, there was no corrupt intent on the part of the president ;

And no matter what Trump may have done, the investigative process Democrats have pursued has been so unfair to him that it has invalidated impeachment.

But splintered as it has been, that GOP defense has been working so far in one concrete respect: Not a single Republican lawmaker has said publicly that he or she will vote to impeach Trump or remove him from office, highlighting just how difficult the task will be for Democrats as they pursue the most serious sanction a president can face.

When the House voted last month on rules of procedure for the remainder of its impeachment inquiry a step the GOP had clamored for Republicans were completely unified in voting against the resolution.

Democrats 10 Republicans Vote To Impeach Trump For A 2nd Time

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NPR’s Tonya Mosley talks to House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina after Trump’s impeachment for incitement of insurrection. The article now goes to the Senate, which convenes next week.

TONYA MOSLEY, HOST:

President Trump has been impeached for a second time. This time, the charge is inciting an insurrection. Yesterday started with hours of debate on the floor of the House of Representatives. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opened the session saying last week’s riot was a culmination of months of doubt sown over the election by Trump.

NANCY PELOSI: And then came that day of fire we all experienced. The president must be impeached. And I believe the president must be convicted by the Senate, a constitutional remedy that will ensure that the republic will be safe from this man who was so resolutely determined to tear down the things that we hold dear and that hold us together.

MOSLEY: But Republicans, for the most part, stood by the president. Here’s Representative Jason Smith.

JASON SMITH: The people are hurting. Our colleagues are hurting. This is a reckless impeachment. This will only bring up the hate and fire more than ever before.

MOSLEY: Ten Republicans broke with their party to support impeachment, including Representative Dan Newhouse.

JAMES CLYBURN: Good morning. Thank you very much for having me.

MOSLEY: Yeah.

MOSLEY: You don’t think that it’s 17? Yeah…

MOSLEY: That’s House Majority Whip James Clyburn.

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Republican Support For Trump On Decline Ahead Of Impeachment Vote

Republicans offered only modest reproach when President Donald Trump said there were very fine people on both sides of a white supremacist rally. They stayed in line when Trump was caught pressuring a foreign leader and later defended his handling of a deadly pandemic.

But with a sudden force, the wall of Republican support that has enabled Trump to weather a seemingly endless series of crises is beginning to erode.

Trumps weakened standing among his own party will come into sharper focus on Wednesday when the House is expected to impeach the president for inciting a riot at the U.S. Capitol last week. A handful of Republicans have already said theyll join the effort, a number that could grow as the vote nears.

Read more: Donald Trump faces 2nd impeachment vote as McConnell rejects calls for immediate trial

The choice facing Republicans isnt just about the immediate fate of Trump, who has just seven days left in his presidency. Its about whether the partys elected leaders are ready to move on from Trump, who remains popular with many GOP voters but is now toxic in much of Washington.

How they proceed could determine whether the party remains viable in upcoming elections or splinters in a way that could limit their relevance.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy blamed Trump for the attack on the U.S. Capitol last week after arguing against the presidents impeachment on Wednesday.

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source https://www.patriotsnet.com/how-many-republicans-are-needed-to-vote-for-impeachment/