#but the scandal at the time was the fact that Rain had gotten the messages from Rose McGowan and then sold them for $10000 instead of just

[lzrdprsn]

Tell me more about rain dove?

I mean, there's not a lot more to say than what I already said. In the mid-2010s, Rain Dove was like the first like really popular nonbinary "influencer." At least, the first super popular one that I remember. They would post on insta/Twitter posts like "messages between me and the conservative woman who accused my internet presence of turning her son trans." There was one time where they alleged that they'd been pepper sprayed in a public restroom and that the person who'd done it had sent them DMs. Or people would "reach out" to them about their own experiences or asking for help to support family/friends that had come out. At one point, Rain Dove was popular enough that they got asked to do TedTalks about being nonbinary. They claimed to have gone to Berkeley for Genetic Engineering. They claimed that they were a fire fighter and fought the really bad wild fires in California. A few years later, turns out Rain totally lied about being a fire fighter, lied about going to Berkeley, lied about their degree, etc. So then it was like, "Well, if you lied about all that, what else did you lie about?" And it turns out a lot of the claims about conversations and run ins with transphobes that they allegedly had don't actually hold up under a microscope.

At one point, they'd posted an apology video, but I can't find it now (I'll post it if I find it). I guess my point is just that knowing all of that about them, it makes me wonder about their motives and the validity of some of their most recent comment, claims, and actions regarding Gaza and Palestine.

I'm not saying they're lying about anything now, but I am saying that maybe we should take what they say with a generous grain of salt and a critical lense.

EDIT: The "Exposing Myself: Sharing Secrets and Lies" video has been made private.

Here is an NBC article about all this.

[ceescedasticity]

Jin Guangyao’s Hoarding Problem, part 4

part 1, part 2, part 3

Jin Guangyao is having a really good week, and then suddenly he is having a really bad week.

This is mostly his father's fault. But he does feel that Madam Qin really could have chosen to share this information literally any time earlier in the courtship. Even if it was after Qin Su was pregnant, more time might have enabled him to come up with something! Even if she weren't pregnant calling off the wedding this late would be a significant scandal — what was Madam Qin thinking? Probably she wasn't thinking. No one around him ever thinks.

(He's not exactly thinking his clearest, either, but he doesn't realize that.)

He wants to get out of it. (The marriage still has its good points, if the secret can be guaranteed — but I don't think he would want a marriage which could only produce children who 'had to die'.)

(He could order Wen Qing to prepare an abortifacient, but then, he could in theory procure an abortifacient in any timeline. Honestly I wouldn't even be surprised if Madam Jin quietly keeps a stock on hand in case any of the household staff has a problem. And it seems like something Meng Yao ought to know about, doesn't it? But perhaps Meng Shi insisted he shouldn't pay attention to such filthy things, and he knows no more than most young gentlemen. Still, he could get his hands on one somehow — doing so discreetly is a challenge but not an insurmountable one. The trouble is that without Qin Su's forewarned cooperation, any termination of the pregnancy will be obviously a failed pregnancy, and marrying her is still the only honorable thing, but now with an added taint of sin for premarital sex and the shame of failing to cover it up, he can hear the remarks about his mother already.)

(He could have Qin Su non-fatally poisoned — enough to make her very sick and put off the wedding. But medical examination might reveal the pregnancy, and too long a delay definitely would.) (If he were willing to entertain the idea of telling Qin Su, this would be a good way to buy time to talk. There are so many more possibilities when she's not one of the people who has to be lied to.)

(He could have Qin Su fatally poisoned, and make sure no postmortem exam found the pregnancy, or at least that no one talked about it. But he doesn't have a scapegoat set up for a murder, and Madam Qin might suspect him.) (He also doesn't want to kill her, but that's not what deters him.)

(He could have Qin Su kidnapped, into the Dizang or elsewhere. But he doesn't have a scapegoat ready for that, either, and that still doesn't fix the pregnancy.)

(Now, if he could have her kidnapped, terminate the pregnancy, somehow alter her memory so she doesn't remember there ever was a pregnancy, somehow alter her memory so she doesn't remember the kidnapping, 'rescue' her, give the impression she's temporarily lost her wits from the experience and has probably also been ruined, well, the only compassionate thing is to cancel the wedding, cancel the engagement, send her home to her parents, terrible tragedy, maybe someday she can find happiness elsewhere. If he had a way to alter memories that quickly and precisely he might go with this despite the lack of prepared scapegoat.)

He decides the best option is to go through with the wedding and… deal with it later. Somehow.

(Highlights/"highlights" of the wedding celebrations include, but are not limited to:

It is Jiang Yanli's first major social event since her mourning period concluded. She spends most of her time trying to get Jiang Cheng to stay still long enough for her to talk to him. She's not mad at him!

Lan Xichen averts a disaster when he overhears and shuts down some speculation on whether Jiang Yanli will marry again — she'd have to come with a pretty hefty dowry, what with the health problems and so-so looks and rumored madness — before Jiang Wanyin hears any of it.

Nie Huaisang gets blackout drunk and throws up in the banquet hall, but not before laying the groundwork for five different problems with minor sects he can beg San-ge and Er-ge to help him with.

Su Minshan is totally unaware that Jin Guangyao's good week has become a terrible week and cries tears of joy at his benefactor's good fortune.

Sect Leader Yao gets tipsy and attempts to tell a bawdy story. It does not work very well.

Jin Ling is prevented from inviting himself to the banquet and throws a screaming tantrum not quite out of hearing.

Jin Guangshan comments on Qin Su's hips.

Jin Guangshan offers a minor Sect Leader's daughter jewelry to meet him in an inn in Lanling.

After both of the above incidents Madam Jin glares daggers at Jin Guangyao for some reason.

In fact Madam Jin glares daggers at Jin Guangyao the entire time.

Using the rebuilt Seal, Xue Yang sneaks into Jinlintai proper and steals an entire dessert course out of the kitchen.

On the plus side, he doesn't kill anyone and isn't spotted.

Congratulations!)

(Jiang Yanli eventually corners Jiang Cheng and tells him she isn't mad at him, and he's doing a wonderful job, and as soon as she can get the idea past the Jins she wants to take Jin Ling to Lotus Pier for at least a few months. Jiang Cheng is dubious about the first two assertions but can at least appreciate the third.)

Back in the Dizang it's been convenient that courtship and wedding preparations have occupied so much of Jin Guangyao's attention, because the preliminary results of the 'crying' research have been slightly more disruptive/strange than anticipated. It turns out that it is indeed possible to manually activate the tear glands of a fierce corpse, either by acupuncture needles or by talisman. After this, they will stream for four to six hours no matter what anyone does, which also gives them runny noses. After that, though, their eyes will water when they didn't before. When Wen Ning went through the procedure, he found that he could get tears triggered by emotions. He also discovered that crying gives him a dry mouth — the initial four-hour rain of tears gave him such a dry mouth he couldn't speak for a while.

This spun into everyone getting pulled into a study of 'how do fierce corpses regulate their moisture levels'. Water ghouls don't get waterlogged and fall to pieces. Fierce corpses in deserts don't desiccate and fall to pieces. They must regulate somehow. Missing moisture has to come from somewhere, and extra moisture has to go somewhere, and no one has ever looked into how before. It's disgusting. Xue Yang's never had so much non-homicidal fun in his life. (Well, a little homicidal, since he made the corpses, but not currently actively homicidal.)

Besides Xue Yang, all of this has been productive for Wen Qing and Wen Qing, Wei Wuxian is reluctantly fascinated, and Mo Xuanyu is non-reluctantly fascinated. He Zhi and He Jian are not having such a a good time, because all the fierce corpses besides Wen Ning are, you know, their relatives. Mo Xuanyu tries to help by suggesting Xue Yang can swap out the active experimental corpses with some that used to be whichever relatives they hated? There aren't any?! This leads to a discussion of Mo Xuanyu's maternal relatives. Xue Yang offers to kill them if the opportunity arises. Mo Xuanyu doesn't say no.

As soon as Jin Guangyao can get away for a day or two without anyone noticing — some nominal discreet inspection tour — he comes back to the Dizang and brushes off Mo Xuanyu's attempt to present his report on everything that's gone on while Jin Guangyao was busy with courtship and wedding (he doesn't want to think about courtships or weddings). He just goes and orders Wen Qing to invent a poison that can be administered either slowly or in parts, which will make the victim insane with lust and ultimately cause dramatic heart failure, preferably during sexual intercourse.

Wen Qing doesn't ask what his father did to finally push him over the edge, but it's a struggle. She does point out those are extremely specific requirements and she's not an herbalist. She will try if ordered to, but…

Hmmm. Yes. Good point. Perhaps what we want here is a curse. Yiling Laozu, design me a curse.

Wei Wuxian: What? I don't do curses, that was a false accusation—

Wei Wuxian's internal monologue: 'Mad with lust' curses exist, demons hit commoners with them all the time. I don't know the mechanics — well, I have a few ideas how it might work now that I think about it — I don't know how they work, though. A curse to kill someone the next time they have sex should be fairly straightforward, would be more straightforward if I'd gotten around to having sex, not bringing that up. No, I'm not bringing any of this up, I'm going to try to get out of helping Jin Guangyao murder someone. Even if it is probably his father, who deserves it. No. Besides, getting any of this to work on someone with high cultivation would be a challenge— PROBLEM! Would be a problem.

Jin Guangyao leaves him to think about that — for now — and goes down to the cell in the subbasement to (a) look at practically-a-puppet Nie Mingjue and feel smug about his own triumph and superiority, and (b) fantasize about using Nie Mingjue to kill Jin Guangshan.

He sends a message to Qin Su saying he's been injured, but please don't tell anyone, he doesn't want to show weakness. When he gets back, he claims the injury rendered him incapable of sex — but she can't tell anyone, she can't, he'll be ruined. Qin Su is dismayed, but vows she will keep the secret and considers him no less her husband for not being able to fulfill that duty. And at least they have the one child on the way! What a blessing.

Yes. A blessing.

(Qin Su keeps her word and doesn't tell anyone about the 'injury'. She does tell Jiang Yanli, in confidence, that her marriage isn't quite turning out as she expected it to.)

(Meanwhile Madam Jin has nothing against Qin Su personally, but is very determined that everyone remember Jin Guangyao's wife is not on the same level as other Madams Jin. Jiang Yanli does her best to mitigate it, but she still isn't taken as seriously as she should be. When it becomes known Qin Su is pregnant Madam Jin's attitude sours further.)

(Jiang Yanli is privately of the opinion that Qin Su is welcome to be preeminent Madam Jin; she just wants to go back to Yunmeng for good and have A-Ling adopted as a Jiang. Sadly that definitely won't happen unless Jin Guangshan and Madam Jin are both dead.) (Not that she'd be so unfilial as to hope for that.) (Much.)

(Madam Qin dies, somewhere in here. Jin Guangyao is nothing but relieved.) (Did he have something to do with it, besides causing distress by going ahead with the marriage? We may never know.)

Jin Guangyao introduces He Lei to Qin Su, although obviously not under that name. A-Lei is the mute half-wit sister of a loyal servant of his, he says; the man is often away on business so Jin Guangyao promised to find his sister safe and honorable employment — a touching story.

Qin Su promises to be kind to poor half-wit mute A-Lei, and is very patient with her inexperience as a lady's maid and shy nervousness.

Madam Jin not so much. Despite Qin Su's poor taste in husbands, she is still a gentlewoman and deserves better servants than a mangy stray that son of a prostitute brought in, probably out of a brothel.

Jiang Yanli has to try to mitigate this, too. She also makes a few suggestions about ways A-Lei could communicate without speaking — pointing to pictures, perhaps? Hand gestures? Pantomime isn't very dignified, but they ought to let A-Lei express herself…

He Lei runs away from any such suggestions. She's not willing to 'speak' when Jin Guangyao doesn't want her to and jeopardize her siblings.

Jiang Yanli is disappointed, but respects her shyness.

(Nie Huaisang is not going to respect her shyness, especially when he's mostly sure he's seen her among Jinlintai's servants some time before her official appearance, but for the moment he's biding his time.)

He Lei goes to extreme lengths to avoid Jin Guangshan.

Meanwhile Xue Yang hears that Wen Qing is going to see if she can do anything for Wen Ning's sense of taste, next, and "helps" by providing a half-dozen fresh tongues for her to dissect.

(Wei Wuxian's internal monologue: —just mathematically there have to be at least a few resentful ghosts who have it out for Jin Guangshan with sex-related grievances. Now if you could both locate them, and then use their motivation to direct enough other ghosts to overcome Jin Guangshan's level of cultivation… Well, I could, if I had Chenqing and the Seal. Not sure how you'd package it as a curse— Not that I'm trying to package it as a curse this is idle speculation!)

[richrubies]

Part Three: Turbulence (Young West x Reader)

Genre: angst x mistakes

Warning: filler x our hearts

Part One / Part Two

Your shoulders felt heavy, the air in your lungs passing through your lips with a stagger as your eyes met his.

Why was he here? Why was he sitting in AOMG’s conference room of all places?

‘What’s going on?’ you asked Soohyuk shakily, holding on to the door frame for support as the people in the room stood to greet you with bows.

It was meant to be an emergency meeting about the ‘scandal’ and finding solutions to the issue, yet all you seemed to see since arriving was one problem piling onto another, all beginning with Young and ending with Woo.

‘Why is he here?’ you asked no one in particular, tearing your gaze away from Youngwoo who looked just as startled as you, and letting them settle on Pumkin and Naeun from the AOMG PR team.

Soohyuk winced at your tone, pulling out a seat for you to sit on; it was clear that he wasn’t used to his newly appointed CEO position. Everything about his posture screamed that he was intimidated, though that could have been because of the death stare you were currently giving him.

‘We’re here to discuss the articles,’ Naeun reminds the room, cutting through the thick tension while you refused to give Youngwoo another glance. Even his manager suffered the same fate because as far as you were concerned, birds of a feather all flock together.

Naeun slapped a folder in front of you to which you opened, cringing internally at the bold article sitting at the top, one of many which had come after Elle’s magazine release five days ago.

You’d interviewed with Elle, discussing the showcase last month and experiencing your first real fifteen minutes of fame. Naturally, due to your nerves, you’d strayed from the answers you’d rehearsed beforehand, revealing that your motivation for success had come from heartbreak.

You’d given them enough details to know what the last two years of blood sweat and tears meant to you, but nothing vital enough to know who the ex-boyfriend was that had made you so determined.

You’d assumed that it was safe for you to say it. Who could have possibly have known you were talking about Youngwoo? No one could have – not in a million years you’d thought – and it was that exact assumption that had landed you in this mess.

I mean, how were you to know that MKIT had also been invited to feature in the same magazine? A feature piece that could be found on page 93, where Youngwoo admitted that despite his success in Seoul, he felt as if he’d left his heart back in L.A.

It was an unpredictable and cruel coincidence. It didn’t take long for readers to connect the dots, and less than 24 hours after the release, you’d found your name being blasted all over gossip-sites and articles throughout the nation:

‘The Fairy-Tale Twist: Unhappy Ending between AOMG’ Designer and MKIT Artist.’

‘Heartbreak in L.A. Salvation in Seoul.’

‘MKIT Rain Tears: Following Young West to the Far East.’

‘One-way Ticket to Heartbreak.’

You had to admit, they’d gotten creative with a few of the titles. You could see the humour in it, despite the fact that you’d spent literal years trying – and failing – to get over Youngwoo.

How were you meant to move on from someone who abandoned you? Every relationship after him had ended practically as soon as they started thanks to your newly-developed lack of trust. He’d given you daddy issues, minus the father-figure part, and you’d never gotten closure.

Soohyuk and Naeun were deep in conversation with the table, every so often mentioning ways of how to rectify the situation and regain some of the lost support that had been a result of the gossip, though it was nothing that kept you interested long enough for your thoughts to disappear.

While you were so busy overthinking, you hadn’t heard a word that was being discussed across the table. When you weren’t busy analysing the mess you were in, you were trying to focus on anything but Youngwoo, whose eyes you could feel boring into your skin.

You sat there for over an hour, nodding your head when the table looked at you as if asking for your approval, but otherwise paying no attention at all. Youngwoo was no different. You hadn’t even heard him speak—though you didn’t know if that was because he had been silent the whole time, or because you were so deep in thought that not even his octave that haunted your dreams, could pull you out of the trance.

You were staring down at the file when you felt Soohyuk’s hand gently pat your shoulder, drawing your attention to him as you finally zoned back into the conversation while he smiled down at you proudly as if you were a junkie who’d just agreed to go to rehab; ‘Okay, so it’s settled seeing as all parties are in agreeance. We’ll release an official statement this afternoon announcing an upcoming reconciliation project between Young West and Y/N.’

You heart stopped as you looked up at Soohyuk with shock; surely you had heard him wrong. You were meant to whisper it, though it came out as more of a growl, ‘What the fuck did you just say?’

As Soohyuk repeated their ‘solution’, you couldn’t help but feel ill, knowing that it was your fault that you were going to be stuck collaborating with Youngwoo for the next few weeks.

Unlike earlier where your brain was a muddle of thoughts and worries, the only thought now running through your head was a patronizing, you should have paid attention.

Part Four? foR sURe 

MASTERLIST | MESSAGE ME

[sarapii-peachy]

Paparazzi / Admit One

Pairing: Leo, Ravi/Reader (separated per character)

Request: [anon] falling for a girl despite the scandal it would cause

Word Count: 1,635

Notes: First request, whoo! Starting off strong and tackling both a Leo and Ravi scenario. I don’t really write VIXX as musical artists (if that makes any sense, like I tend to write them in different genres) so this was a little out of my comfort zone, but I think it went well! This is what this blog is for anyway, practice, so thank you for that ^^ It was a bit shorter than I would have liked, but I hope you still enjoy it, anon! For other readers, please don’t be afraid to request away!

// T A E K W O O N ☀

The air was humid and heavy. The kind of summer heat that suffocated your lungs and stuck your hair to your neck in a sticky mess. She wished for a cool breeze, anything to soothe her burning skin as she fanned herself impatiently with the now crumpled university pamphlet in her hand.

She was on her way home from orientation, enrolled in a prestigious liberal arts school in the heart of Seoul just a few months prior. There was a certain allure about the country, the creative aesthetic that drew her to studying here. Trading her hometown on the other side of the world for the far east. Towering buildings and glittering skylines, beautiful oceans, and rolling plains, even if she changed her mind and decided to move out of the bustling metropolis, she wouldn’t have a problem finding another home here.

Meeting others had been a challenge since the move. A foreigner like her stood out in a nation of raven hair, porcelain skin, and slim figures. She was tall with fawn locks and eyes the color of water, rich golden bronze skin. Piercing side glances were a feeling she was used to. Out of disgust or curiosity, she had no idea.

An audible sigh escapes her lips as she’s greeted with a refreshing wave of air conditioning, stepping into a coffee shop just a short walk away from the train station. Several others seem to have a similar idea of cooling down with a cold drink and she takes her place in line.

Her number is called the same time as the barista finishes up another order. Scrolling through the news of her home country when she collides into a firm body and sends her drink tumbling to the floor.

Iced coffee catches the young man’s white t-shirt and he hisses through his teeth. He instinctively steadies her by the crook of her forearm and she doesn’t miss how hot his hand feels on her skin. Must be the summer heat.

She makes the mistake of looking up.

Breathtaking. Lean and tall, taller than her by a full head and that alone is enough to make her swoon. Tousled onyx hair and piercing eyes blown wide in surprise.

And then she sees the coffee stains on his clothes and her cheeks burn crimson.

“I’m s-so sorry,” she stammers out. She can hear unkind murmurs left and right and she wants to melt into a puddle right there.

Don’t they teach manners where she’s from?

She wasn’t even looking.

Stupid foreigner.

She moves to grab some napkins from the countertop but he stops her with another gentle touch to her arm.

“You spilled yours too,” he smiles, his voice breathy and kind. She doesn’t even notice until he motions with his gaze.

Her white shoes, now splashed orange, are now sticking to the floor with her fluttering movements.

“Who even gets a smoothie from a coffee shop?” he teases. Her unease disappears and she can’t help but laugh along with him.

**

He buys her a new drink and they take a window seat nestled in the back of the shop. He tells her his name is Taekwoon and his accent when he tries to pronounce hers makes her smile so wide that her cheeks ache.

She notices the stares rather quickly, rather indiscreet looks cast over shoulders of customers towards them. She feels her mood sour as she picks up more impolite whispers. Of course she would stand out, even more so with such an exceptionally attractive young man sitting in front of her.

He notices her discomfort. “We can go somewhere else if you like?” he offers. She wants nothing more than to spend more time with this new acquaintance but that familiar sinking feeling in her stomach sets in and she shakes her head. “It’s alright, I should head home anyway.” she says. His eyes fall slightly in disappointment.

“When can I see you again?” he asks her.

The question pulls the corners of her lips into a smile. “Sorry?”

“Next weekend. I’ll meet you here, okay?”

He pulls her hand in his and pens down a phone number on the back of a napkin.

(“I’ll write it here in case you spill anything again.”)

**

Their dates slowly progress from coffee outings once he finds out she doesn’t take caffeine well in that form. (“No wonder you ordered a smoothie.”) It’s their seventh night out together, an evening dinner at one of her favorite restaurants when she notices his phone light up on the tabletop. He moves to click it off before his notifications are illuminated but she doesn’t miss the plethora of messages.

She doesn’t think anything of it until out of the corner of her eye, she sees someone gesture in their direction, followed by the muffled snap of a cell phone shutter. Taekwoon pays no mind and looks up from his meal to ask her about dessert when their gazes lock and everything falls into place.

She remembers seeing that face somewhere before, buried within her subconscious. An early morning segment on the news of a music group coming back with a new album, the main vocalist’s serenade filling her kitchen as she fixed breakfast.

Leo, she remembers. She nearly drops her fork.

“This is..this is such a bad idea…” she murmurs to no one in particular.

He stops chewing. “What did you say, sweetheart?”

That does nothing to stop her pulse from skyrocketing at the fact that she’s currently dining with a pop star.

“I don’t think we should do this anymore..” she says. He definitely heard that.

“What?”

She bites her lip but the words still tumble out.

“This,” she gestures to the two of them, “a-and me. Someone like you shouldn’t be with me. I’m too different, I draw attention. You deserve someone more..” her words trail off and she hides her face. She feels that same gentle touch on her arm.

“Don’t you think I went into this business for attention? I’m used to it.” he says behind a kind smile. She’s about to interject but he continues. “And you’re not just a publicity stunt, you’re so much more than that.”

Again, he takes her hand in his like that blistering hot day not so long ago. “It’s not a crime.” he whispers and the camera shutters fire off like bullets, “Let them see,”

// ☽ W O N SH I K

Cozy mornings like this is what she loved about Sundays. The traffic had been light to the bookstore despite the rain, but that did little to spoil her mood. Her paycheck had come in the week prior and she was dead set on treating herself to some new reads, thank you very much.

The Classics section was one of her favorites, if she had to choose of course. With the mint chamomile tea she had sipped with breakfast this morning having cleared her mind, she begins her process of thumbing through pages and covers for a taste.

Another figure joins her just a few shelves down. Sporting silver hair and a button down plaid shirt paired with dark jeans, a Brontë book in hand. She studies him as he studies his novel, his fingers ghosting over the text.

“Jane Eyre? I haven’t seen many people here pick that up.”

He looks up from his page and flashes her a grin. “Yeah, I have this soft spot for romance novels.”

“The English edition you’re reading, can you understand it?”

“No,” he laughs, “but I’m learning. I’ve heard there’s some gothic elements and I wanted to give it a shot.”

“If that’s what you’re reading it for, I wouldn’t recommend that one,” she says. And just like that, she’s bonding with a complete stranger over literary devices. “Try this,” she hands him a copy of Frankenstein and mentally thanks her high school English teacher for those boring lectures on 19th century literature. More mystery and rustic for obvious reasons.

He lets out a low whistle and skims the excerpt on the back.

“I think I’ll really enjoy this, thank you.”

She mirrors his smile and goes back to the shelf in front of her before there’s a tap on her shoulder.

“Have you read this?” he asks. It’s a hefty hardcover. War & Peace.

She chuckles. “I can’t say that I have.” She flips through it and finds something wedged between the pages. A phone number scrawled on notebook paper.

“And you can use that as a bookmark.”

**

Wonshik takes her to record stores and music concerts, fitting places for two intellectual minds as he liked to call it. She learns that he has a thing for music and composing, something she hadn’t expected from his cool exterior.

They go to the museum one rainy afternoon. She likes seeing him babble with childlike excitement about the Roman and Greek exhibits, staying respectfully quiet while she studies romantic paintings.

He insists on paying for their lunch at the museum restaurant on the first floor despite how expensive it is. They giggle over a shared meal of overpriced sandwiches and bottled juice.

**

She finds out about his musical career that weekend. After the museum, he had spent quite a bit of time jotting down in a notebook, to which her quick eyes had spotted lyrics and sketches.

She had gotten up to leave then, worried about his future as an artist and the scandal it would cause, how a relationship would hinder his creativity with distractions.

“I don’t want you to feel like you’re the problem. You’re the complete opposite of that,” he says after her and stops her in the doorway, “You’re my muse. You inspire me.”

Her blood roars in her ears. “Still,” she whispers, “If your company finds out..”

He shakes his head with a chuckle. “Then they’ll only know what their music came from.”

[madlost1]

I was bored and did all the questions on one of those ask me things.

Get to know me a little bit after the break if your interested:

The meaning behind my url: No meaning at all just a user name that I mad up a while back when I needed one.

A picture of me: posted one last night.

How many tattoos i have and what they are: 6 Godzilla text in Japanese, Charisma.com logo, Sucy Manbavaran portrait, Doctor Who quote, Sailor Moon symbols, Ruby Rose (RWBY) picture.

Last time i cried and why: Last night thinking about someone.

Piercings i have: 4 (2 in each ear)

Favorite band: Babymetal followed very very closely by AC/DC

Biggest turn offs: Dishonestly is probably the biggest one, smoking, manipulation, uh some other stuff that is slipping my mind right now. Physically nothing though the mind is more important to me then looks.

Top 5 (insert subject): I’ll go movies 1)Sucker Punch (2011) 2) The Blues Brothers 3) Casablanca 4) Inglourious Basterds 5) Army of Darkness 

Tattoos i want: Too many but the next will probably be either a Sailor Saturn or the Straw Hat Pirates Logo.

Biggest turn ons: Honestly (obviously), Being nice. Physically Short Hair and Glasses fuck me right up.

Age: 27 (28 next month)

Ideas of a perfect date: Dinner, Mini golf, and a movie to cap the night off

Life goal: Just to live a happy life with a significant other.

Piercings i want: no more I’m done

Relationship status: Single (feels like it will be that way forever)

Favorite movie: Easy already did this one but Sucker Punch (2011) most would probably say it was because of the skimpily dressed girls or the action scenes but if you look past all of the there is a really deep and intricate story being told behind it all with multiple interpretations of what is actually going on.

A fact about my life: I shouldn’t really be here typing this today since I should have died when I was a baby.

Phobia:  Autophobia (more specifically a fear of dying alone)

Middle name: John

Height: 5′9″ or 5′10″ don’t know anymore

Are you a virgin? yeah

What’s your shoe size? depends on brand 11 in Converse up to 12.5 in Nike

What’s your sexual orientation? Straight

Do you smoke, drink, or take any drugs? None of the above

Someone you miss: Honestly I miss texting my crush.

What’s one thing you regret? I regret a lot of things biggest one probably being not giving the one girl that was willing to me a chance a chance myself.

First celebrity you think of when someone says attractive: Oh boy celebrity crush I’m going to have to say Mami Sasazaki from the Japanese band Scandal.

Favorite ice cream? Strawberry

One insecurity: My looks

What my last text message says: That wasn’t work or family related it was kind of a long one to that girl that I told I didn’t think I should ask her out. ( which I later found out she had a boyfriend already any way so there was no point to it to begin with).

Have you ever taken a picture naked? No

Have you ever painted your room? Yes

Have you ever kissed a member of the same sex? No

Have you ever slept naked? No

Have you ever danced in front of your mirror? No

Have you ever had a crush? Oh god yes I’m pretty sure everyone has. I still do.

Have you ever been dumped? You kind of have to be in a relationship for that to happen in the first place so no.

Have you ever stole money from a friend? Who the hell does that? No. Even if I borrow a couple bucks I always pay them back.

Have you ever gotten in a car with people you just met? No

Have you ever been in a fist fight? I’ve never thrown a punch because I will never hit a woman which leads me to the fact that my cousin was kind of an idiot and punched me a couple of times, and I also got punched in the face by some girl on the bus ride on the way home from school one day in Middle School because she said me and one of my other cousins were being too loud. (More literally a case of us talking about music I think it was, her and her friend sitting in the seat in front of us and her turning around and saying shut the fuck up and when I said no she punched me in the mouth.)

Have you ever snuck out of your house? No

Have you ever had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back? I mean I do right now.

Have you ever been arrested? No

Have you ever made out with a stranger? Np

Have you ever met up with a member of the opposite sex somewhere? Whats met up with? Gone somewhere with then yes.

Have you ever left your house without telling your parents? Of course

Have you ever had a crush on your neighbor? No

Have you ever ditched school to do something more fun? No

Have you ever slept in a bed with a member of the same sex? Assuming my dad doesn’t count (listen 6 people on vacation in a 2 bed hotel room is not ideal) then no.

Have you ever seen someone die? No

Have you ever been on a plane? Yeas

Have you ever kissed a picture? No

Have you ever slept in until 3? I can’t sleep that late. I can lay in bed all damn day though.

Have you ever love someone or miss someone right now? Love is a strong word. I don’t want to use it but I guess it is kind of what it is. 

Have you ever laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by? Yes

Have you ever made a snow angel? Yes

Have you ever played dress up? Yes

Have you ever cheated while playing a game? Yes

Have you ever been lonely? All the damn time

Have you ever fallen asleep at work/school? Yes

Have you ever been to a club? No

Have you ever felt an earthquake? No

Have you ever touched a snake? Yes

Have you ever ran a red light? Accidentally when I was first learning to drive.

Have you ever been suspended from school? No

Have you ever had detention? Yes 3 times all BS if you ask me. Me and my cousin got into a argument in like 5th grade that led to us both getting it. I think it was 7th grade computer class when a couple of us were fucking around and I hit a couple keys on a keyboard by accident and the piece of crap computer froze so I got hit with that one. And a lunch detention for a week because I accidentally spit mashed potatoes over a couple of people at lunch at while I admit it looked bad because I was trying to eat mashed potatoes with a straw the teachers way over reacted. 

Have you ever been in a car accident? A little bump on a rain slick road when every one slammed on their brakes. Unfortunately I was on the down slope of a hill and slid down it into the back of the car in front of me. No damage all was good.

Have you ever hated the way you look? Always

Have you ever witnessed a crime? Shoplifting I guess but that’s what happens when you work in retail.

Have you ever pole danced? No

Have you ever been lost? No

Have you ever been to the opposite side of the country? Yes

Have you ever felt like dying? Nah as much as I say I want to there is no point to it. Just live your life. You never know how important your life may be to someone else and how your absence in life may affect them.

Have you ever cried yourself to sleep? Yeah last night

Have you ever sang karaoke? Alone in my room and in my car I sing along to songs all the time but that doesn’t really count.

Have you ever done something you told yourself you wouldn’t? Tried drinking a few times. Taste of alcohol is horrible to me anymore though.

Have you ever laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Uhm the aforementioned mashed potato incident with is kind of why the mashed potatoes went everywhere

Have you ever slept with someone at least 5 years older or younger? I never slept with anyone

Have you ever kissed in the rain? Never kissed anyone

Have you ever sang in the shower? Yes

Have you ever made out in a park? Never kissed anyone

Have you ever dream that you married someone? Yes

Have you ever glued your hand to something? Yes model kits all the time

Have you ever got your tongue stuck to a flag pole? no

Have you ever ever gone to school partially naked? no

Have you ever been a cheerleader? no

Have you ever sat on a roof top? Yes but thats because I used to help my dad re-do roofs  all the time when I was younger.

Have you ever brush your teeth? I brush my teeth every day

Have you ever ever too scared to watch scary movies alone? I used to not be able to watch them before bed because I would get nighmares but it hasn’t happened for awhile

Have you ever played chicken? No

Have you ever been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on? Yes

Have you ever been told you’re hot by a complete stranger? No

Have you ever broken a bone? No (actually probably my toe at one point but I never went to the doctor for it.)

Have you ever been easily amused? I am very easily amused

Have you ever laughed so hard you cried? Yes 

Have you ever mooned/flashed someone? No

Have you ever cheated on a test? No

Have you ever forgotten someone’s name? It happens sometimes

Have you ever met someone who didn’t seem real? Yes

Have you ever give us one thing about you that no one knows. Not yet

[thegoddamnfangirl]

Truth Or Dare

This is an Avengers crash/crack fic. It is absurd and Loki is here.

"This is an emergency. Everybody report to the living room at once- auth. Tony Stark," announced JARVIS.

 This caused a bit of chaos around the tower. JARVIS repeated the announcement with double the urgency.

 Thor burst into the designated room, vanilla icing smeared on his face, brandishing Mjolnir.

 Steve followed, sprinting into the room showing clear signs of having hurried into his uniform- his shirt was inside out.

  With a poof, Loki teleported beside Tony wearing nothing but a pair of bright green briefs with gold L's on them, socks and his helmet.

 Bruce had just finished Hulking out in his special cell. He hurried in, holding up his recently enlargened pants.

  Nat followed Bruce, looking collected and alert.

Last of all, Clint, soaking wet with with shampoo bubbles in his hair and a patterned Iron Man towel around his waist ran in, holding a cluster of arrows he had haphazardly grabbed.

  "What's happening?" he asked, waving about the arrows. "Loki lost his conk again?"

 "No," said Tony. "But I'm flattered, Legolas."

"What- oh," said Clint, looking at his towel and going red.

  "Loki- you have personalized boxers?" asked Nat with a snigger.

 "May I ask what your ardent interest in and about my boxers is?" shot Loki, smirking.

 Nat was about to reply when Steve burst out.

 "Stark! Do you mind telling us what the great emergency is?"

 "Oh, yeah!" said Tony. "I'm bored," he announced.

There was silence. Then all at once, people began to yell at Tony.

  "I RUSHED OUT OF THE SHOWER!" screamed Clint.

  "I WAS DRESSING MYSELF!" yelled Loki.

   "I WAS EATING CAKE!" bellowed Thor.

    "I WAS HULKING OUT," Bruce sort of bellowed, loudly but not very loudly- he left all the blustery noisiness to his alter ego.

    "I was asleep," said Steve mournfully.

  "Oh, be quiet," snapped Tony. "This is to remind you all that you guys owe me for last week's Hulk fiasco (sorry about that, Brucie) and I demand compliance!"

 Nat sighed, making herself comfortable in an armchair.

  "I'm gonna go finish up with my shower," growled Clint.

All the doors slammed shut and locked.

  "Thank you, JARVIS," said Tony.

"Now you all remember thanking me and in Loki's case offering to pay me back for saving your hides. I'm bored, so...." Tony leaned on the counter in front of the bar.

  "Who's up for a few party games?" he asked, grinning like crazy.

  Nobody answered.

Bruce sniffed the air.

  "Are you...drunk?" he asked, reproach in his voice.

 "Eh, maybe a little," shrugged Tony.

Loki rolled his eyes.

  "I'm leaving," he huffed.

"Before you poof away, Reindeer Games," said Tony, "people are going to get humiliated. You're gonna miss a great show."

 Loki frowned. He did like to see people get humiliated. He curled up on the couch.

 Steve sighed, sitting down cross legged on the carpet. He was used to Tony's mulish stubbornness by now.

  "Truth or Dare!" Toby announced gleefully, pulling out a bottle of vodka and chugging some.

"Does anybody have a belt?" asked Bruce.

 Tony gave him his own.

"So, if everybody's resigned to their fate-" Tony began.

Clint cleared his throat.

  "Oh, yeah, the Lord of the Rings reject," muttered Tony.

  "At least let me get my pants," pleaded Clint.

Tony swung the vodka again.

  "I don't think so," he slurred gently.

Clint's eye twitched.

   "I HAVE SHAMPOO IN MY HAIR" he yelled.

"My brother can take care of that," said Thor, prodding Loki.  Loki sighed and waved his hand. There was a faint green glow, and Clint's hair was suddenly dry, fluffy and strangely, pink.

 Everybody stifled giggles. Clint ran a hand through his hair. It felt dry. Ah well.

   "Pants?" he asked.

Loki waved his hand again, and the towel fashioned itself into a pair of Iron Man patterned boxers.

 Sulkily, Clint sat down in an egg chair.

"Everyone set now?" asked Tony. "It's Truth or Dare time."

   "What is this play of 'Truth or Dare' that you wish us to partake in?" asked Thor.

  "The Midgardian equivalent of our old game Questions and Commands," explained Loki. "Don't you read?"

   Thor brightened at the familiar name. "Proceed, Stark!" he said.

  "Okay, den," smiled Tony, tottering a little.

"Blondie, you first," he said,  pointing at Thor. "Truth or Dare?"

  "Truth," shrugged Thor.

"Hm," said Tony. "What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever been caught wearing?"

Thor blushed.

"Loki'd underwear," volunteered Loki."In fact," continued the trickster God, "he's probably wearing them now."

   A wave of his hand resulted in Thor's pants melting away, and sure enough, he was wearing bright green tighties with the words "Loki'd" printed across his behind in clear, bold gold.

  Tony wolf whistled. Nat snickered.

"Loki's turn," said Nat. "Truth or Dare?"

   "Dare," said Loki immediately.

Nat thought for a while. "I dare you to make out with Tony for thirty seconds," she said finally.

 "NO!" cried Tony in terror. Loki rolled his eyes. He glowed green and suddenly, there was a beautiful girl in his place.

  She had familiar high cheekbones, a regal expression, jade eyes and lush black hair that fell to her shoulders in thick, rapid curls.

  "I'll simply use my female form," Female Loki said.

Tony frowned. "Are you telling me you could've been a hot chick all this time we had to put up with you?"

  Female Loki just hissed before pulling him up and kissing him. Nat counted to thirty.

 Returning back to her place on the couch, Female Loki turned back into Male Loki.

  "Boring," he yawned.

Tony stared into a distance, looking fazed.

    "Nat," said Clint.

"Dare," she said.

  Tony seemed to snap out of it. "Revenge time!" he exclaimed.

  "I dare you to strip to your underwear and sit on Loki's lap for the whole game," said Tony.

 "Tony!"

This came from Steve. He was red in the face and looking scandalized.

  Nat was scowling, but she complied. Loki smirked like anything as she set herself down on his lap.

Clint was snarling slightly. Steve looked nonplussed, as if he wanted to protest on Nat’s behalf.

  "Stevie's turn!" said Tony, his voice slurring more than ever.

  "Truth," said Steve instantly. It was obvious that he didn't want to get caught up in any shady dares.

  "Truth!" grinned Nat. "Alright then, Cap. Given a choice between Tony and Clint, who would you marry?"

 "Why dyu always pick on me?" whined Tony.

Steve looked perplexed. He glanced at the pink haired Clint. Then at Tony. Then back at Clint.

  "Clint, I s'pose," he muttered.

  "HA!" yelled Clint. "Taste defeat, Iron britches!"

Tony gasped in a hurt way.

   "The good doctor has fallen asleep," observed Thor.

  Sure enough, Bruce was curled up, sleeping peacefully

  "Aw, let 'im sleep," said Tony."Clint’s turn, then."

   "Dare," said Clint. He was a brave lil birdy, after all.

 "I dare you to video message Fury and proclaim- I am Legolas of the Elven folk, and I take no orders from one eyed Big People!" said Loki. He had read The Lord of The Rings, being the bookworm he was.

 "Legolas wouldn't say that," frowned Clint.

"No, but YOU will," said Tony. "In the state you are in, too, half naked and such."

  Clint sighed.

"JARVIS, video message to Nick Fury," he said.

  A small screen slid in front of him from the ceiling.

 "Calling SHEILD," said JARVIS.

After a couple of minutes, Nick Fury's scarred bald head appeared in front of them.

  "I AM LEGOLAS OF THE ELVEN FOLK, AND I SHALL NOT TAKE ORDERS FROM ONE EYED BIG PEOPLE!" Clint screeched.

  Fury stared.

"Barton," he said, after a long spell of bated breath silence. "Why the HELL are you wearing Iron Man underwear?"

  After Fury was done yelling, Tony cut off all communication.

  "My turn!" said the alcohol dazed rich kid happily. "Truth!"

 "On a scale of zero to ten, how attractive dyu find Fury?" asked Clint.

  "Five," said Tony. "Five for that  freaking awesome eye patch."

  "Pass this around," he added, taking a swig from the bottle of vodka and then handing it to Thor.

  "Trying to get us drunk, Stark?" asked Loki after he took a sip.

  "Tha's the general idea, yas," murmured Tony. "Thorie, Truth or Dare?"

  "Truth," said Thor, and Loki could sense unease in his voice.

  "What's the worst thing you've ever done to Loki?" asked Nat. "As in, the most unjust thing he didn't have coming to him."

  Thor frowned. "I suppose Loki had better answer that," said the god.

   "Definitely the beating you gave me after I cut off Sif's hair," said Loki.

  "Just a beating?" yawned Tony.

"He broke three of my ribs and left me lying out in the rain in the dent my body had made," stated Loki.

"Harsh," said Nat. She meant it.

"Do you remember how soundly Mother and Fa- I mean, Odin- had spanked you?" Loki cheekily asked a very ashamed looking Thor.

 "Roasted my rear, you mean," said Thor, grimly. "It would be weeks before I could sit down properly. But it was well deserved."

  Clint let out an explosive snort of laughter.

"Imagine Thor getting spanked," he said.

 Thor suddenly pulled Loki into a hug. Nat fell off his lap.

  "I'm sorry for everything awful I've ever done to you, Lo," he said.

  "Yeah, okay Thor," said Loki in a constricted voice, his green eyes bulging. "Leggo, you're crushing me."

  Thor let go.

Tony burst into tears. The alcohol had finally gotten to him.

  "THAT WAS SO SWEET," he bawled. " AND THE NICKNAME! LO!"

  Nat clambered back onto Loki's lap.

Tony wiped his tears and grabbed some tissues to blow his nose.

  "That WAS sweet," agreed Steve, smiling at Thor.Steve knew Thor really loved his misfit of a little brother. He wondered if Loki felt the same way.

  "Loki!" Clint called out.

"Truth," shrugged Loki.

Nat snickered. "The God of Lies picks truth. What shall we ask you?"

 Steve cleared his throat. "May I?" he asked politely.

Clint nodded. "But make it good."

Steve's face was set. Loki wondered what the oh-so very valiant Captain could have to ask him.

  "Loki, I'm going to give you a situation," began Steve. "You get to rule both Asgard and Midgard."

 "I'm liking this," grinned the trickster.

"But," said Steve. "You have to kill Thor first. Would you do it?"

Loki's face went blank. Thor didn't dare look at him, for fear of glimpsing his thoughts.

  "Haven't I already tried to kill him several times?" asked Loki stiffly.

  "What would you pick NOW?" insisted Steve. " after everything he's done for you. After he fought Odin to give you another chance, after he faced Fury's...well, fury. After he openly defied his superiors by allowing you to use your magic because he knows it makes you happy. What would you pick now, right now, this very moment?"

  Loki struggled for a few moments.

 "I would not harm him," he exhaled, almost as if the words hurt him. He eased up. "Two realms are a measly reward for killing this wild brute." He sounded snarky. He didn't mean that, and Thor knew it.

 Tony began to cry again. Thor smiled. Then he pulled Loki into another hug, as a very disgruntled Natasha slipped to the floor again.

  "Thorki bromance!" sobbed Tony.

Steve have him a weird look. "You read too much fanfiction,” he said.

 Thor released Loki.

"You don't know your own brute strength," wheezed Loki. "I think you broke a rib. Again."

 Thor laughed gaily.

"Nat?" asked Clint.

  "Truth," she said.

"Right," said a slightly recovered, red eyed Tony. "According to you, who's the hottest guy in this room?"     Nat frowned.

"Well," she said, leaning against Loki's legs, "I suppose one of these two gods. At any rate it seems like sculpted abs are a part of the standard God package. But if I had to pick, I would say Loki."

Clint made a funny noise. He looked like a kicked puppy.

 Nat rolled her eyes. Then, to everybody's surprise, she blew him a kiss.  "Ah, Clintasha," sighed Tony.

"Freak," muttered Clint.

  "Clint, Truth or Dare?" asked Nat.

 "Dare," replied Clint. He just never learned.

Thor grinned.

  "Well, then, O Hawk Eyed one, I dare you to dye your bow and arrows pink, dress up as Cupid and go outside, to the street, proclaiming yourself as the deity of love!" said Thor.

  "Ooh," grinned Nat. "This'll be good."

Clint groaned.

  "Go on, Hawkie," said Tony. "Follow your orders like a good little baby bird."

 "I'm game," sighed Clint.

"JARVIS, OPEN SESAME!" bellowed Tony. All the doors opened.

 "Thor," said Loki, "fetch Barton's weapons. I shall take care of the dressing up."

 Thor got up and went out of the room. He returned carrying Clint's bow and a quiver full of arrows.

 Loki began muttering some Nordic incantations.

The quiver became transparent. Inside it, the arrow heads turned pink and heart shaped, while the shafts turned white. The bow reshaped into half a heart, also pink in color.

 "As for Barton himself," said Loki. "His hair is already pink. His Ironman boxers deserve display, so I'll leave them be. But he needs these."

   He waved his hand. Tiny angel wings sprouted from Clint's shoulder blades.

 "Do not worry, they are mere illusions," said Loki idly.

 Several love themed tattoos came up over Clint's torso.

  "You are to say- Behold, the hit man of love!" instructed Loki.

   With false bravado, Clint headed out of the Tower, the Avengers peering outside from the balcony.

Poor Clint was on the pedestrian path  "Omg, look, Hawkeye-" began some teenage girls, stopping short as they digested his appearance.

  A small crowd of people began to gather around him.

"HAWKEYE?! I'M NOT HAWKEYE! I'M CUPID! BEHOLD, THE HIT MAN OF LOVE!" he yelled, jumping up and waving about his bow.

   Cameras flashed. Clint posed. There were whispers of 'drunk', 'on crack' and 'Ironman boxers!?'.

  "Hawkeye! CUPID!" said one of the journalists that always hung about the tower.

   With as much dignity he could muster, Clint turned on his heel and headed back inside the tower. He was followed by wolf whistles.

   "Welcome back, Cupid," said Loki as he entered the living room.

     Clint bared his teeth.

He tossed his pink and white weapon aside.

   "It's Tony's turn, isn't it?" he asked.

"Mmrph," said Tony. He was gagged and tied to a support pillar.

   "Don't ask," said Steve.

"I guess Tony's out then," said Clint. "Which makes it Thor's turn," he added. Only Nat heard the dangerous undertone.

   Thor gulped. He had already picked truth twice in a row. His reputation as a brave Aesir was on the line. If he picked truth again, his companions would think him a coward. And Hawkeye was just looking to pay Thor back for the cupid dare.

   "Well, Thor?" asked Clint.

"Dare," said Thor with a sudden burst of courage. He was a prince and a god! He feared not children's games.

  Long story short, he ended up in the dungeons of Asgard for a week. Loki was delighted and proclaimed Clint his best friend, a title Clint immediately forfeited.

[vegas-glitz]

Unsuccessful Company Leadership - Lessons in Company Greed

http://topicsofnote.com/?p=9739&utm_source=SocialAutoPoster&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Tumblr

Corporate greed has lately dominated the headlines in the United States. The list of fallen and disgraced Main Executive Officers and Chief Economical Officers is prolonged and alarming, and the tales rising from the rubble of big companies are very disturbing.

How did this all come to go? What ended up the triggers? Who unsuccessful to guide? What occur to educating ethics?

Ethics is now being taught in the school rooms in the Graduate Universities of Enterprise all through American and now the environment. It is much too small and a quite late. The paradox is at these identical Graduate Schools of Business, is that fewer than two a long time back the MBA lessons had been hearing and finding out all the rewards, govt "benefits," tricks of the boardroom, and the tales of "large bucks", war stories of corporate raiders, merger and acquisition mega-millionaire and billionaires, and king's ransom "golden parachutes."

It should not surprise anybody that having Ivan Bosky bragging about his rewarding bargains that they ended up building a deficiency of morals virtue and coveting all the toys and "perks." The environment of the immoral entire world of greedy CEO is entire of 100 foot yachts, 10,000 sq. ft houses with tennis courts, media rooms, and 10 motor vehicle garages, immorality and affairs, correct objective for a senior govt, predicted habits, and necessary for all effective CEO's.

For the Ivan Bosky to be invited to produce a major lecture to all the MBA students of 1 of the most prestigious Graduate Educational facilities of Enterprise with the unbelievable information: "GREED IS Excellent!" is beyong perception in an institution of increased understanding. Universities are meant to establish are leaders, not our blunders.

It is as unfortunate but telling comment on the point out of our collective lack of ethical integrity which the well-liked film, WALL Road, experienced actor Michael Douglas, as Company Raider Gordon Geeko, which he portraited as a abundant tycoon of market. In the motion picture, Gordon Geeko is presented as a powerful offer maker with no morals. Geeko in the movie makes use of genuine rates and shut paraphrases the quickly to be indicted, fined, and jailed Ivan Bosky message "GREED IS Very good!" It is extremely unfortunate remark that that same information was delivered to the environment and all the hopeful employees who now understood that it was Ok to steal, lie, and cheat!

The occasions of the previous 10 many years expose a material flaw in the ethical material of some beforehand perfectly-revered corporate leaders. The at any time-current tension of the up coming quarter's revenue, and the push to raise "earnings for each share" and push up the stock price have prompted some senior executives of American corporations to ignore the basic morals of honesty, in particular if the information is undesirable. Sad to say, some of the company executives began to believe that their very own press kits, misplaced their moral compasses, and fell victims to the illness of corporate greed. All of the executives whose behavior is described over have unsuccessful to exhibit "ethical virtue" or reside a life regular with fundamental honesty, the basic standard legal guidelines of the Old Testomony's, "10 Commandments."

Just as we ideally elevate our possess little ones by all those a few fantastic academics, "illustration, illustration, and example," we must need that our leaders and other essential purpose styles supply the "correct instance." Ethical advantage has been regrettably missing in these top rated executives in big American publicly traded corporations. In order to construct trust, Individuals have to have to have that our company and political leaders exhibit by each and every motion, imagined, and deed that they stand for honesty and integrity. The leaders described earlier mentioned failed to be dependable. These fallen govt have shown failed leadership.

Permit's stroll by the latest company crime scene and the success of preaching in the Ivy Halls in the MBA classrooms that in fact making revenue no matter of the expense to other and that "Greed is Excellent!" to the MBA learners and complete the world that has unfolded from instructing the "Seeds of Greed." The merged losses from corporate fraud, company greed, career losses, and Federal Authorities bailouts are climbing day by day into the dozens of Trillions of Dollar.

The totals only carry on to develop, and the economic issues they make materially adversely influence the steadiness of the stock sector. The legitimate tragedy is the devastation to millions of unique buyers' finances and the own havoc to the staff who shed not only their jobs but their retirement all at the very same time.

Even the watchdog New York Stock Exchange (NTSE) has experienced a scandal. Retiring Chairman Dick Grasso's notorious multi-million greenback retirement bundle, approved by the NYSE Board of Administrators, stunned everyone when the more than $ 139.5 million payout bundle offer grew to become public know-how.

The senior executives at Enron have turn out to be an icon of company greed, substantial fraud, dishonesty, unethical behavior, and failed leadership. Andrew and Lea Fastow have fallen from grace, plea bargained, and have been convicted. Andrew, Enron's former CFO, will commence to commence his 10-year sentence for securities and wire fraud as quickly as his multi-millionaire heiress spouse, Lea, completes her one-year jail time period for insider buying and selling of Enron stock in her family charity. Lea Fastow, along with Enron senior executives Kenneth Lay, the (now deceased) founder and former Chairman of Enron, Jeffery Skilling, the previous President and CEO of Enron, and Richard Causey, Main Accounting Officer of Enron, all denied any wrongdoing. The juries have attempted them and found them guilty, guilty and responsible.

Enron's Kenneth Lay, Jeffery Skilling, and Richard Causey all arrogantly refused to plea deal with federal prosecutors, or acknowledge their guilt. All 3 of them are now experimented with and convicted on a selection of legal prices like securities fraud, bribery, collusion and conspiracy to commit fraud, wire fraud, filing wrong monetary statements, and quite a few more. In addition to the legal charges pending, there are civil lawsuits from buyers and workforce who have shed billions in the tumble of Enron.

The late Kenneth Lay continued to proclaim his innocence of any prison functions at Enron, even just after his conviction. He moreover claimed that he, the founder and former Chairman of Enron, was unaware of the Enron monetary aspects. Nevertheless just before the United States Senate Committee Lay as a substitute of testifying he took "the...Fifth" The conclusion will have to be drawn that Lay appreciates he is responsible of various felony acts. He was plainly not willing to admit his guilt just before the United States Senate Committee.

Enron is, regrettably, just portion of the long record of corporate greed plaguing The us in the 21st Century. Bernard Ebbers, former CEO of [MCI] WorldCom Inc., was indicted and convicted on prices of conspiracy, securities fraud, and making fake regulatory filings. The Prosecutors allege and it was properly confirmed to the jury that Ebber's was the ring chief in an $ 11 billion accounting fraud. "

Flamboyant and extravagant former CEO of Tyco Intercontinental Ltd. L. Dennis Kozlowski and his ex-Main Financial Officer Mark Swartz are both about to head back to Federal Court for a retrial. Kozlowski has been dubbed the poster boy for company extra. He was convicted on a selection of legal expenses together with stealing $ 600 million from Tyco Company, and it's shareholders ..

Kozlowski's exploits with females and wild spending are all comprehensive in the e-book, Testosterone Inc: Tales of CEOs Absent Wild (Byron, 2004). He portrays Kozlowski, along with Jack Welsh, previous Chairman of Normal Electric, "Chainsaw" Al Dunlap of Sunbeam, and Revlon's Ron Pearlman, as having toes of clay and the morality of rock stars - drunk on ability and pushed by sex, greed, extravagance, and glamor.

Richard Scrushy, founder and previous Main Government Officer of HealthSouth Corp, is another in the checklist of CEOs who deny any wrongdoing. He was acquitted on the criminal rates of fiscal improprieties. But, William Owens, previous Chief Monetary Officer of HealthSouth, and 4 other HealthSouth previous CFOs have all plead guilty.

Scrushy was accused of supporting overstate the corporation earnings by just about $ 3 billion from 1996 to 2003. Scrushy was indicted by a federal grand jury on 85 counts of fraud, income laundering, and other offenses. He faced 650 years in jail and $ 36 million in fines on these rates.

At Scrushy's demo, Leif Murphy, a former HealthSouth Vice President, who labored in the business's treasury office and is not billed with a crime, presented harming testimony about Scrushy. Murphy testified that Scrushy experienced gotten very angry and Scrushy had yelled at Murphy when Leif Murphy challenged Scrushy on the launch of false fiscal facts. Not withstanding the simple fact that Scrushy's string of four Chief Monetary Officers in which convicted or plead guilt, Scrushy was identified not guilt of all prison expenses.

The federal government also was seeking $ 278 million in forfeitures from Scrushy, who has proclaimed "I am an innocent male" many instances, together with in his job interview on CBS's "60 Minutes" on Oct 26, 2003. His legal professionals in some way managed to get him off on these legal costs similar to important fraud at HealthSouth, only have Richard Scrushy get convicted on expenses several counts of bribery and his now in jail.

At Fannie Mae, the profession of perfectly-revered CEO Franklin Raines came to an abrupt end when the Business of Federal Housing Organization Oversight compelled a quite resistant Fannie Mae Board of Directors to oust Raines. Raines, Fannie Mae's Board, and his supporters insisted that he was culpable for the misuse of obscure accounting requirements. But his friend ideas were being turned down and his testimony was not recognized as the entire truth of the matter by the SEC, the US Congress, or the community.

Raines rose from remaining a bad child from Seattle to graduate from Harvard, earn a Rhodes scholarship, and getting to be White House Budget Director, before remaining tapped to be the CEO of Fannie Mae. Now Raines' rewarding severance package deal ("early retirement") has turn into a new concern of competition. There have been very well documented scenarios of enormous fraud, mismanagement, and accounting faults at Fannie Mae during Raines' tenure as CEO.

Even though Raines has by no means been convicted of perpetrating or approving the fraudulent accounting, there was a main uproar around his severance deal when the information broke that he experienced evidently been negligent in overseeing accounting capabilities at Fannie Mae. Still someway astonishingly, the then fallen and sacked Franklin Raines (just after the US Government took above and bailed out Fannie Mae) turned a "money advisor" to then US Presidential Applicant, US Senator Barrack H. Obama,

In this put up-Enron, put up-WorldCom, and publish-Tyco planet, the policies are currently being enforced on the enjoying fields of company The united states. Even a single of the premier and most worthwhile insurance policy firms in the planet, American Intercontinental Group Inc. (AIG), has had a serious bout with equally the Securities & Trade Commission and the US Justice Division, commencing back again several years back.

The money troubles and fraud at AIG seriously began in 2001 (or it's possible even earlier), but took 3 years for SEC securities regulators to capture it. In 2004, the SEC knowledgeable AIG that it was checking out submitting securities fraud expenses from it for their non arms duration romance with PNC Economical Solutions Team Inc. and what the SEC call a pattern of assisting PNC conceal their underperforming financial loans, commencing clear again in at the very least 2001.

The entire effects of the seeds of greed sown previously this ten years and subsequent misdeeds have resulted in the important disaster at AIG, which has now been unveiled in 2008 and 2009. Now, the failing of AIG has resulted in the Federal Federal government Bailout is costing American's Billions and Billions of Taxpayer Dollars.

The checklist of the indicted and fallen corporate leaders is extended and developing. In August of 2003 it was claimed that story of the misdeeds of Adlephia's John Rigas, and two of his sons unsuccessful arrived to gentle. They were indicted and convicted of defrauding Adlephia Communications Corp. of $ 2.5 billion.

One particular of the lessons that these leaders really should have acquired and lived was basic ethics or morals. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 [HR 3763], passed by the United States Congress on January 23, 2003 and instantly signed into regulation by President George W. Bush.

From a basic moral, maybe even a religious point of view, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act would not have been vital if company executives had just lived the "10 Commandments," or at least just three of them: "Thou shalt not steal," "Thou shalt not covet, "and" Thou shalt not bear bogus witness. "

Resource by Dr Howard Edward Haller