#clear goals and risk tolerance

[stockexperttrading]

Delving into the intricacies of trading, the blog provides a thorough examination of different trading strategies, spotlighting both day trading and swing trading. It further dissects crucial analysis methods, namely technical and fundamental analysis. The narrative underscores the critical role of aligning chosen strategies with individual goals and the guidance that Funded Traders Global can provide in this regard.

[prying-pandora666]

Azula And The Tides: The Most Misread Scene in ATLA

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before:

“The tides scene shows how irrational and spoiled Azula is! She got lucky! She endangered her whole crew for her pride!”

Or any similar variation.

The only problem is it’s not even remotely close to true. Let’s talk about that.

Here is the scene in question for reference:

Seems pretty straightforward, right? I mean, the Captain warned Azula about the tides and she put her ego before reason and made the crew take a huge risk. Horrible leadership and narcissism on her part, right?

Except for one little detail.

Azula was right.

Remember in “The Storm” when Zuko demands his ship chase after the Avatar and his crew warns him that it’s a fool’s errand because they’ll surely perish in the storm? Zuko stubbornly insists his goals are more important than anyone else’s lives, including his Uncle, and demands they drive recklessly into the storm. Sure enough, the crew nearly perishes in the storm, just as predicted, and Zuko is humbled enough to even rescue his Lieutenant that he disrespected earlier in the episode.

I bring this up so we understand how ATLA sets up and then demonstrates its narrative cause and effect. It’s rather straightforward as, after all, this is being written to be inteligible to children.

So what happens with Azula’s ship when she demands they dock right away despite her Captain’s warnings?

The ship docks without incident or injury.

In fact, they dock stealthily enough that neither Zuko nor Iroh see Azula coming and she’s able to surprise them. How would this be possible if the Captain had been correct in his assessment and Azula had just been acting out of ego?

I’ve seen some people argue that Azula just got lucky, like a drunk person driving home in a car. Not that I expect the average person to have extensive knowledge about docking a ship, but it demonstrates a severe gap in knowledge of the subject matter. When it comes to the tides you cannot half-ass it. Either the tides are in or they’re not. Either they’re high enough or they’re not.

And if they’re not, what happens? The rocks you can’t see beneath the waves will shred your ship apart and you will get stuck or outright sink. Best case scenario, if by an act of divine intervention you avoided all the rocks, you’re still screwed because your ship is going to get beached and tip over. Especially with a ship of that size!

You cannot squeak by here. Even with all of our tech and modern day ships, if you don’t respect the tides, you’re going to have a bad time. There is no avoiding this.

It boggles my mind why people assume Azula is the one in the wrong here and not the Captain who is later shown to be so incompetent that he spoils the mission. He was talking down to her and she rightfully put in his place. Cold and ruthless as her method may have been, she was making it clear that she is not to be talked down to or to have her authority questioned. An important skill for a young leader. Look at the comparison with Zuko who couldn’t wrangle his men. They were about to mutiny and would’ve if Iroh hadn’t intervened! Azula has no Iroh to fall back on. She has to manage on her own. And she does! In this same episode we are shown that Azula is a perfectionist who can’t tolerate a single hair out of place. But somehow we are supposed to believe she is also reckless and incompetent? I don’t think so.

We also know that Azula canonically attended the Royal Fire Academy for girls. This wasn’t some preppy finishing school, it was an intense military academy with survival training so deadly that Rangi described having to eat worse than rats to make it out alive. We know Azula excelled in school. Why wouldn’t she know something as basic as how to read the tides? That’s seafaring 101.

Combine that with the fact that all their best naval officers probably perished at the North Pole and it’s easy to glean that this Captain isn’t exactly their A-Team.

So what IS the point of this scene if not to show Azula being irrational, egotistical, or incompetent?

Remember our comparisons to Zuko? The point of this scene is to show how much better and scarier of a leader Azula is. It’s a simple way to convey to the audience that unlike Zuko, Azula *can* and *does* command like a true military leader. She is therefor a more frightening and dangerous opponent for our heroes to face than the already dangerous Prince they’ve been battling since the previous season.

I don’t think this misinterpretation would’ve ever spread so far if some fans weren’t dead set on trying to tear down Azula for the simple crime of being better at things than fan-favorite Zuko.

And I say this as someone who adores Zuko.

[utilitycaster]

ok so this came up in DMs re: cooldown which I'm watching now but...I get where Matt is coming from re "oh, the Arch Heart had some interesting things to say in Downfall" but also as I noted in my tags and like...much of my prior commentary is that kind of an ongoing challenge of Campaign 3 is a group of PCs who are, let's be real, below average for a D&D party at least re: religious and political perspective. And then they see a massive range of other perspectives without any being particularly weighted so they debate and debate but no one actually has any like, facts or analysis, just a lot of hesitant feelings, until recently, which gave the campaign some much-needed direction, except now they just got ANOTHER perspective that still requires considerable risks to themselves and the world and no hard and definitive answer on the fate of Exandria should Predathos be released. Like I think the Arch Heart was totally in character, to be clear! But at some point even if the goal is to say "there's no easy answer", for the story to be good you kind of need there to be a clear if flawed path forward because I do not think the narrative will tolerate well yet another spin cycle of indecision. Like we're in the end game; this is not the time to put someone in the DM chair without saying "here's what we're going for".

[thewistlingbadger]

I noticed the season 2 is AGGRESSIVELY less political than Season 1. So I'm going to examine the ideologies of three zaunites in order to explore this.

Vander: Vander was the first leader of The Undercity and he was given a special focus in season two, so let's look at his ideology. In the beginning, when Vander was a young man, he believed in the idea of The Undercity being it's own independent nation separate from Piltover. We worked alongside Silco to accomplish this goal, as they shared the exact same vision. The two men spent many years of their lives trying to make this happen. However, on one particular night, one of their demonstrations went south. Enforcers came and killed tons of Zaunites who were protesting on the bridge. One of the people lost on the bridge was Felicia, Vander's best friend. He had known her for years and had been around her children as they were growing up, those same kids who were on the bridge that night. From this point on, Vander's entire viewpoint and ideology completely changes on this night. From this point on, Vander abandons the idea of independency in its entirety. He never tries to pursue it again or even make any major changes to Zaun. He actively discourages people from trying to pursue a "better Zaun" because in his opinion, it's not worth the risk of losing people. As a leader, Vander's goal is to maintain the status quo. Nothing he does actively disrupts Piltover's view on Zaun, everything he does plays into that view. Under Vander, nothing changes in Zaun. They're still poor, they're still oppressed. Vander's biggest value is community and protecting everyone, values that are stitched into the fabric of Zaun. In the flashback we see of young Vander and Silco, we see that the last drop is more or less the exact same as it is in act 1 s1. According to Silco's dialogue in season 1 with chem barons, Zaun has always understood the importance of community. He tells them that before Zaun was anything of substance, the only thing that go them by was their loyalty to each other. So even Vander's importance of community isn't unique to him, it was just something he kept fostering that was already commonplace. Vander thinks that if things just stay the same, if they just stick together and keep their heads down, they'll be ok. That is how he leads. He's willing to do anything to keep the makeshift peace between zaun and piltover, and it's not even real peace. It's more akin to mutual tolerance. He has a deal with the enforcers to keep them away, but it's clear that in that deal, Piltover is the one in charge. And when Vander can't offer up his own people, Piltover breaks that deal and sends enforcers to the lanes.

Viktor: Although Viktor was born a zaunite, we mostly saw him in piltover in season 1. However, he's given a special focus in season 2. He spends the season in Zaun and we see how his presence is impacting The Undercity. With his new powers given by the hexcore, he "heals" the zaunites that have the worse afflictions, whether they be disabilities or addictions. He ends up forming a utopia-like community within Zaun, one where everyone is happy and they're self sufficient. This kind of community does challenge Piltover's view of Zaun. In the commune, there is no danger, no dirt, no suffering. Everyone works together, everyone is peaceful, everyone seems happy. This commune doesn't rely on Piltover for anything, they're relying entirely on Viktor on literally every front. However, this commune isn't Zaun. It's a selective place. Viktor isn't making sure all of Zaun has this community, he's only attracting the worst of the worst in a way. He doesn't care about healing zaun, he cares about healing humanity. In Viktor's mind, society would be better if there was no individuality. If everyone was the exact same, then there would be no prejudice, no reason to suffer, etc. Viktor doesn't actually care about fixing the system or even challenging it. He cares about The Glorious Evolution, a world where everyone is equal in every way. But his evolution wouldn't actually fix problems, it would just mask them.

Silco: Silco had no special focus in season two, but he was a significant character in season 1. As a young man, he dreamed of The Nation of Zaun, a world where The Undercity and its citizen are free from Piltover's influence and prejudice. He works with Vander to achieve this goal. However, on one particular night, one of their demonstrations failed. Violence sparked on bridge, and tons of Zaunies who were protesting on the bridge were killed by enforcers . One of the people that died was Felicia, Silco's best friend. Felicia was the one that encouraged Silco and Vander to pursue The Nation of Zaun. She told them that it was worth fighting tooth and nail for not only for them, but for future generations. Felicia's death was a major loss, but it was also a major inspiration. We can draw this conclusion based off some of the things he said in season 1.

"We came from a world were there was never enough to go around, that is why we fight." "You're too young to remember what the undercity was like before it became an 'enterprise'. We had nothing. You know what bore us through those times? Loyalty. Brothers and sisters back to back against whatever the world threw at us. Now I'm forced to share the air with people like you, who leech off their legacies."

Silco was not deterred by the bridge's failure, and he never gave up on the idea of an independent undercity. Even after Vander brayed him and refused to fight, even when he was cast out by Zaunite society. He kept working on his dream. He spent years of planning to make it a reality, until his opportunity came. Everything Silco does directly contradicts Piltover's view of The Undercity. Under Silco, Zaun managed to gain a bit of wealth, industries were established. We can see that overall, Zaun society advanced while Silco was in charge. Silco doesn't operate like a protector like Vander did, or like a messiah like Viktor does. He operates like a politician, because his goal is a free Zaun. Silco is the worst person out of the three men, but he's also the most political and he's the one that combats Piltover's idea of Zaun the most. He was also the most successful out of the three. When Vander died, his community fell apart. Their loyalty was gone and they all suffered. Viktor ends up being defeated in season 2. Silco managed to actually get an offer of independence while he was alive, and when he died, the council voted YES to Zaun independence.

Things do fall apart once Silco dies, but that's because everything was designed around one man and one goal. Silco was the one holding everything together, which is why everything falls apart in the undercity once he's gone. The most devastating thing about his loss, is that his ideas died with him. We don't see a single person speak of Zaunite independence in season 2. The zaunites in season 2 are just fighting against piltover, they're not fighting for independence, The people of zaun have NO IDEA that Silco actually did manage to get them independence. The fact that Sevika gets a council seat at the end of season two means that Zaun is STILL not it's own nation. It's STILL a state of Piltover.

The Nation of Zaun died with Silco.

I'm not sure why season 2 stays away from politics when season 1 was ALL politics- whether it was from Silco or the council. Maybe they got told to stay away from the subject, or they thought it didn't fit with the direction of season two. I don't know. But personally, I think it's a major loss that the show that centered pollical strife no longer cares for politics.

[tanoraqui]

Dungeon Meshi Liveblog: Izutsumi! and Elves

Chilchuck my love, you so fucking asked for that one.

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You woke him from his nap!!

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Asfslkfjsk was the fact that Senshi accidentally made this guy in the show? I don't remember it.

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I love how this fight showcases how fast Izutsumi is. Girl's got a Dex of like 22.

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Fuckin' tragic that this is just a chapter cover and they never actually, so far as I'm aware, dress in sheepskins the way they dressed in frogskins.

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Not to be Edgy(TM) but I'm pretty sure that by this definition, humans, especially magic-users, are also "monsters."

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The green-growing, snow-free cavern with the barometz suddenly appearing is I'm pretty sure the most blatant the dungeon has been so far about giving people what they want - except possibly for this usually hot & humid floor being freezing in the first place, just because Laios said he didn't like the heat.

I hope it keeps doing this sort of thing after he becomes king. I know that's not how this works but god I love a sentient land, especially one that tries to accommodate its people. Alas that this one's all a honey trap for flies.

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It's very clear to me that, while Izutsumi may genuinely prefer to avoid strenuous effort, either physical or emotional, most of her argument with Marcille in this chapter is about her testing the boundaries of the group's tolerance for her. Where she was before, they'd tell her, "You'd think you could be a little more grateful to us for taking you in." And this is a philosophy that Tade, Izutsumi's closest friend and the one other subordinate-due-to-species person among them, bought into:

Izutsumi was skeptical...but that's still what she lived with. Until now, with this new group, where she's getting mixed messages - or, what feels like mixed messages, between what the group does and says and what she thinks they're saying based on her past experience.

Chilchuck calls her a beast, then basically has her act as distracting bait for a dangerous period of time while the rest of the party (is busy being injured or tending to the injured) does nothing to help, and all Chilchuck does to help Izutsumi kill the ice golem is mark its weak point for her. But then he compliments her skills, apologizes for being rude, and gives her her own pack and bedroll, truly welcoming her to the group. And when she remarks sarcastically that nobody cares about a beast being naked, Marcille only redoubles her efforts to help her keep her modesty, while the others bind Laios's eyes because he's the one who's going to Make It Weird - not Izursumi. Laios stays blindfolded throughout the steam bath scene because the party respects Izutsumi as a person.

So then she starts that fight over food, partly because she genuinely doesn't want to eat gross things - and more importantly, doesn't want to risk becoming even more a monster than most people already view her. But also because she wants, perhaps subconsciously, to see what happens when she's "supposed" to be a "team member" now but she disobeys the more senior members of the group.

This chapter threads two needles, builds two distinctions: between "earning your place" and "pulling your fair weight", and between "doing things you don't like for others (on their orders/for their goals)" and "doing things you don't like for you (for your own goals)." I think it...could do better at it? Like, Tade is kinda failing at step 1, because it's not clear to me that she realizes needing to "be useful" in order to stay is inherently fucked up. But she DOES think of that as her personal goal, even if it's actually externally imposed, and she's okay with putting in hard, sometimes unpleasant work in order to achieve it.

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Kabru internally, triumphantly: CAHOOOOOOOOTS!

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{fond sigh} the Elves from the West on their white ships with avian figureheads... They may be dicks, but we do love a Tolkien reference.

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CANARIES IN THE COAL MINE. I have NO idea if that translation is intended but my god I love it. If it's deliberate, is it a subversion of that concept or is it an indication of what the Elvish government thinks of their crack team of dungeon-delvers?

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BIGGEST, BLUEST EYES OF PERFECT* HONESTY*...followed by the visible pupils of honest evasion. Man, I'm really enjoying the Shuro-Kabru dynamic here, too? Shuro like, "Don't bullshit me. I'm a prince. I'm willing to help, but I know a politician when I see one." They vibe, your honor. They bonded over one of the weirdest and most traumatic meals of both their lives.

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LMAOOOO. This was NOT in the show!

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I love how Namari greets him excitedly and immediately asks for news of Falin, and Shuro says nothing but, really, everything; and Namari changes the subject to something lighter that's still gossip about their friends. I don't really expect it to happen but I'd LOVE to see the whole old Touden party reunite in battle or just around a campfire again, because it's clear they were a very good party of dungeon-competent people who worked and got along well together.

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Srsly though the opening view of this scene is such eloquent dynamic-establishing, vis a vis the elves relationship with the Island Lord and, well, everyone else here. We heard people muttering nervously in the streets, we heard Kabru's brief but heartfelt story of Utaya... And now we get this:

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The words of a man who would definitely for sure not have a single problem, not a one!

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Wait, what shady side business did Shuro have?! I love that Chilchuck is objectively the most reputable person in the party... Except really he fits in with the others: I bet a lot of parties don't want to hire That Bitchy Pushy Halffoot, any more than they want to hire an Easterner with weird vibes or the daughter of an infamous thief. (Or a mysterious elvish mage who won't explain her real reasons for wanting to explore dungeons, but Marcille would've joined the Touden party anyway, for Falin.)

It shows how Laios's trust of others pays off just as often as it doesn't.

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THIS IS IT, THIS SORT OF IMAGINE SPOT IS WHY I LOVE KABRU VERY MUCH.

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THE WORDS OF A MAN WHO WILL DEFINITELY FOR SURE NOT HAVE A SINGLE PROBLEM, NOT A ONE!

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...hot.

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kitty cat

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I like how this sort of comment is obviously genuinely hurting Laios, and Chilchuck does kinda genuinely mean it, but also he's saying it more reflexively than anything. Laios says or does something Particularly Fucking Weird; Chilchuck comments and keeps going along with him. I do look forward to Chilchuck growing accepting of Laios's weirdness rather than just resigned, but it's a good character beat all around.

[fx-signals]

Exploring the Best Free Forex Signals Providers: A Comprehensive Overview

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[hero-israel]

The antizionist crowd loves to shift goalposts, so if they're pressed hard enough on where Jews are supposed to go or Jewish ties to the land, they'll just move to the next talking point.

If Jews are allowed to exist in Palestine, for them, they must have "checks and balances" placed against them. I 100% predict discourse talking about how Jews who remain enfranchised cannot be allowed to vote back in the old "Apartheid" system.

Because it will be very difficult to get the numbers of Palestinian refugees around the world to outnumber Jews, and very difficult to get all the Palestinians to vote for the same things, especially against a Jewish voting bloc that's still half or almost half of the country and only cares about preserving their rights. Preserving Jewish rights would be seen as Apartheid by leftists so that's what we're dealing with.

Logically, you either have to expel a certain number of Jews, socially engineer a mass immigration program for Palestinians, when hundreds of thousands of them live in the Americas quite comfortably and probably wouldn't care enough to go, wait decades for the hope that existing Arabs outbreed Jews, or disenfranchise Jews. It's obvious what their first choice is, but their second choice is clear as well.

Say everything goes their way, and peacefully. Say the new Palestinian government, purged of most Jewish influence, starts slowly but surely chipping away at Jewish sovereignty and dignity, which it will eventually. Leftist will cheer all the way and gaslight Jews pointing out the warning signs that dhimmitude is returning, and any organized effort on the part of Palestinian Jews to vote and protest will be seen as anti Arab racism.

Say Jews still have political power in Palestine, it will still be seen as Apartheid because "too many Jews" remain in important government, military, financial, and cultural institutional positions, "too many Jews" vote, and too frequently. They have all the money and power and privileges, don't you know, and they have a vested interest in saying everyone has equal rights but continue to covertly oppress the Palestinians. They will call this Palestine washing or one state washing. Mark my words.

If by some miracle an antizionist can be forced to admit that Jews should not, for moral and practical reasons, be cleansed from the land, I still wholeheartedly believe there's no real solution where they'll be satisfied, because if Jews must remain on the land, then they must be given rights too, and that's what pisses off the antizionists. They want Jews dead or subjugated or just gone so no one has to think about them.

The amount of social engineering their goals call for is neither real-world realistic nor morally tolerable. Also intolerable is the very clearly implied threat of mass violence to back up that attempted "rebalancing". Their approach would quickly devolve into a 1948-style street-by-street civil war with strong racial / religious elements. In one of his final honest comments before he went full Grayzone, Peter Beinart said that a 1SS would probably turn Israel into Lebanon.

On occasion I have attempted to engage anti-Zionists about what the political reality for post-Israeli Jews would be. They were never willing to acknowledge the risks involved or to set out risk-minimization strategies. It's all vindictive, punitive, use-the-Delorean-to-write-a-new-timeline fantasy.

A politics of revenge will not build a free, fair society. You can bet that in the alternate timeline of their 1SS, 30 years later they would still be calling the Jews "former apartheid supporters" or "apartheid beneficiaries", and urging punishments accordingly.

[rachellaurengray]

20 Unexpected Strengths You Uncover When Healing Your Emotional Wounds

Healing emotional wounds is a process that often feels like peeling away layers of your past, but with each layer you shed, you reveal hidden strengths and abilities you may not have even known existed. While the more common benefits of emotional healing—like increased self-awareness and confidence—are well-known, there are many subtler, lesser-thought-of ways that healing can transform your life.

Here are 20 unexpected strengths that can emerge when you face and heal your emotional wounds:

Ability to Embrace Uncertainty Healing lets you become comfortable with the unknown, reducing fear of the future.

Increased Tolerance for Discomfort By healing, you learn to sit with discomfort, making challenging moments less overwhelming.

Reclaiming Lost Energy Emotional healing releases pent-up energy, helping you feel more energized and present.

Heightened Sense of Humor After healing, you can laugh at yourself and the absurdity of life, which brings freedom.

Improved Risk-Taking Healing helps you take calculated risks without being paralyzed by past failures or fears.

Reconnection with Playfulness Healing emotional wounds can bring back a sense of childlike joy and curiosity.

Ability to Be Alone Without Feeling Lonely Healing strengthens your capacity to enjoy solitude, rediscovering self-contentment.

Detachment from External Validation You become less dependent on others' approval and more confident in your own worth.

Clarity in Crisis Emotional healing strengthens your ability to remain calm and clear-headed during chaos.

Flexibility in Mindset You develop an open mind, allowing you to shift perspectives and adapt easily to change.

Deepened Sense of Justice Healing helps you feel a stronger desire to advocate for fairness and equality.

Improved Listening Skills You become a better listener, understanding others more deeply without rushing to respond.

Compassionate Detachment Healing allows you to care deeply for others while maintaining healthy boundaries.

Increased Creative Problem-Solving Emotional healing allows your mind to function more freely, making you a better problem-solver.

Less Attachment to Materialism As you heal emotionally, you may become less focused on external possessions and more on inner fulfillment.

Easier Letting Go of the Past Healing unlocks your ability to release attachments to past mistakes and hurts without dwelling on them.

Sustained Energy for Long-Term Goals After healing, you can stay committed to your long-term goals without getting derailed by emotional distractions.

Authentic Self-Expression Healing enables you to communicate your feelings and thoughts honestly and without fear of judgment.

Heightened Sensitivity to Others’ Needs Emotional healing enhances your ability to sense when others are struggling and respond with empathy.

Breaking Free from Generational Patterns Healing your wounds allows you to stop repeating destructive family patterns and start a new legacy.

Emotional healing is a personal journey that opens the door to a more empowered and authentic life. By confronting your wounds, you may uncover not just a sense of peace, but an entire suite of strengths you didn't realize you had. Each of these hidden gifts offers an opportunity to live more freely, connect more deeply, and become the fullest version of yourself.

[skywrotecreations]

Dissonant Constellations Chapter 13

Date: July 14, 2116 Time: 1:28 a.m. Location: Coalition Guardship Fenrir, Miril Nebula

Rebecca had often imagined what it would be like to meet Daniel Card.

To have her lifetime of dedication to their cause be honored by an audience with such a great man. To have his brilliant smile sparkle for her, as he praised her work as instrumental to achieving their Humanity-saving goals. To know, once and for all, that everything she had sacrificed, all those she had cared for and still harmed for the continuation of the Embers’ mission, had been worth it.

That his ship would be the one to rescue her from that hellhole...that the man himself was going to conduct her debrief...it was the stuff of daydreams and romance novels.

But it was real.

She was in the room with him.

She sat in a comfortable chair in a huge office on Card’s glorious Coalition Guardship, in front of an impressive wooden desk, and Daniel Card sat opposite her. His Phoenix guards stood diligently to either side of his chair, vigilant against any possible dangers.

He was as handsome as she’d seen in every recording.

It would have been perfect...if they’d let her shower first.

She couldn’t smell anything, but as a kid she had spent enough time around an aunt who smoked to know that didn’t mean she didn’t reek. No one who spent days trapped in a room without a functioning toilet or shower was going to smell good afterwards.

Now she was feet away from her hero.

Reeking.

“Are you comfortable?” Daniel Card gave her a warm smile. “Need anything before we begin? I can send Aiden out for some drinks? Maybe a mint?”

Oh dear god, how bad was her breath?

Rebecca lowered her head in embarrassment. Maybe if she didn’t point her mouth at him, it wouldn’t reach him as strongly––

“Oh, no need for the sour look.” The captain let out a short laugh; sat back in his luxuriously plush chair. “Aiden? Could you go get those mints? And how about some tea? Would you like some tea, Doctor?”

She felt her face flush as she nodded. Why hadn’t they let her shower first? This should have been one of the greatest moments of her life.

“I’m sorry for the smell,” Rebecca said quietly as the Phoenix guard passed her. She knew how sensitive their sense of smell was, and even if she somehow didn’t smell too bad to Card, she had to reek to Aiden.

“No need to apologize,” Card gave her a dismissive hand wave. “I’m the one who didn’t want to wait for a report. So, let’s get started.”

She hesitated. “Will Doctor Hammond be joining us?”

“Corey is headed to a specialist back in the colonies to have his vocal cords tended to,” Card said with a shrug. “He’ll be writing out his version while he travels, and don’t feel like waiting that long. So, congratulations. You get to walk me through it. Now, what the hell happened down there?”

That was...not a question Rebecca had expected to answer on her own, but she was suddenly very glad to be the one giving the report. Given the chance, she was certain Doctor Hammond would have tried to put all the blame on her.

She was so, so tempted to act in kind.

He hadn’t opened the door, after all. Not until their rescue cleared the entire goddamn ship twice over.

Paranoid bastard.

After that final fucking straw, she didn’t feel like covering for him.

Besides, it really was all his fault anyway.

But then there was Rick.

The source of most of the pooled, sticky blood she’d had to step over as they finally escaped that hellhole.

Hammond knew.

Just like she knew what he’d done.

If one of them told, the other could easily retaliate.

Not worth the risk.

“The subject...Kel...was in Stage Three when the...incident happened.” Best to keep it simple. “We were testing her physical limits, and had yet to find a concrete ceiling. It appears her metabolic and healing abilities are vastly superior to that of any other Phoenix our work has studied. I believe she rapidly gained a heightened tolerance to her sedatives, and managed to break out of her restraints before we could find a viable alternative––”

“Why didn’t you just put her back on ice?” Card cut in.

Rebecca winced. “When I say ‘rapidly gained...’ I mean one day the sedative worked fine, and the next, she was tearing my colleagues to pieces. We had no warning of the change until it was too late.”

At least, most of them hadn’t. Hammond could have warned them. Short-sighted asshole.

“Did she make contact with any of the others?” Card’s voice held a nervous edge.

Rebecca shook her head. “The three other subjects were all in stasis, in the hidden room Doctor Hammond and I secured. Kel was supposed to be the first through Stage Three. She never saw them. They are ready to transport to a non-compromised location whenever you wish to move them.”

“Good,” Card muttered. “Kel’s going to be enough trouble. Don’t need any other uninitiateds running around out there. Speaking of: did you put a tracker in her?”

“We did, but I doubt it’s still working,” Rebecca said. “She’s exceptionally intelligent, even for one of our subjects. She would have thought to scan herself, and...well, her pain tolerance is quite high as well. I’m betting she cut it out before she left. Or at least found a way to deactivate it.”

“But you can’t be sure?”

Rebecca shook her head. “I’m sorry, sir. The storeroom jammed all sensor readings going in and out. It kept us alive, and kept the other three subjects concealed, but––”

���But you couldn’t check to see if Kel was still out there, let alone if her tracker worked,” Card let out an annoyed sigh. “And of course, Kel didn’t exactly let anybody send out a real distress signal when she routed you all. Then we couldn’t even start searching the Dolos until that Responders ship was towed away. This is going to be a tough one to track down...”

Rebecca frowned. “A Responders ship?”

“Yeah, apparently Kel sent out a distress beacon of her own,” Card shrugged. “Abducted a trauma surgeon from the first Responders ship that came to help. Not hard to guess why. The rest of their crew is fine, but she left their engines dead in the ether before she left.”

Rebecca blinked. “You let them leave?”

Card shrugged again. “Well, yeah. They’d sent out their position for all the Coalition to see. And I don’t exactly have non-Coalition Guard energy weapons hooked up to this ship. I have to keep this thing inspection-ready. It was either let them go, or have to explain why I blew them up to the next Responders ship that came to check in on them. Get it?”

Okay…it checked out, but it still worried her. That ship sounded like a huge loose end.

But this was Daniel Card.

He had to have more of a plan than he would ever reveal to someone like her.

“Of course sir,” Rebecca nodded. “It would have raised far too many questions.”

“But the captain of that Responders ship still had plenty,” Card shook his head. “Which could be a problem for us, if we can’t find Kel before she does something rash, or if that Responders captain manages to piece something together. Which is actually the second reason I wanted to meet with you today.”

Rebecca blinked. “I...I’m not sure I follow?”

“I’d give the job to Corey if I could,” Card said. “His history would make him a better fit. But he seems to have come out of his ordeal...well, something’s off with him. Beyond just his voice. We can’t reassign him until we’re sure what.”

Rebecca’s heart started pounding in her ears.

They’d find the heightened metabolism.

They’d know what she’d done to save him.

And then they’d start asking questions. Questions that would force her to choose between blatantly lying to her people, or protecting herself. Any minute now, they’d ask if––

“But, we still need a doctor to infiltrate and observe that Responders ship,” Card continued. “One that has already been briefed in this mission, and knows who and what we’re looking for. Are you up for it?”

Rebecca blinked.

A...a field assignment?

She’d never done anything like that before. She was a researcher. She’d never even been anywhere that wasn’t either part of an Embers colony, or an Embers-controlled vessel.

“Are...are you sure you want me?” Rebecca cringed even as she spoke. Who was she to question him?

Then again, he didn’t know what she’d done. He wasn’t working with all the facts.

“Not really a better choice,” Card shrugged. “Like I said, we’re not looking to brief anybody new on this mission. Best to keep this quiet, got it? So will you do us a favor and just accept already?”

A heartbreaking, selfish thought flashed through her mind.

She wasn’t a traitor, but she was sure Hammond could make her seem that way if he needed to save his own skin. And if Hammond turned on her, and opened his smarmy mouth about what she’d done to Rick...

Well, she knew what happened to traitors.

She wasn’t one.

She wasn’t.

Still, this might be her only chance.

She’d never been taught what it took to survive without the benevolence of the Cards. If she could provide useful information to her leaders, while learning what she’d need to start over, hidden somewhere deep in Coalition space, in case Hammond decided to ruin her...that was definitely something she was interested in.

“Of course, sir.” Rebecca smiled. “It would be an honor.”

“Wonderful,” Card grinned, then looked to the Phoenix guard at his left. “Can you take it from here, Fletcher?”

The Phoenix guard gave a short nod. “Yes, sir.”

“Good man,” Card nodded approvingly back, then gave Rebecca a wink. “The Embers are depending on you, doctor. Have fun.”

In a moment that made Rebecca question if she was just hallucinating this whole interaction back in that horrid room on the Dolos, Daniel Card suddenly seemed to...glitch.

Then vanished altogether.

“Cameograms have come a long way, haven’t they?” The Phoenix––Fletcher, Card had said his name was—said. There was a quirk to his left eyebrow the doctor took to be amusement.

Oh.

“I’ve never seen one so realistic,” Rebecca admitted. “But I thought this was the Fenrir? Isn’t Captain Card––”

“Captain Card is a very busy man,” Fletcher sat in Card’s chair. “He had appointments elsewhere that could not be delayed, even for a mission as vital as this. You understand.”

“Of course.” She wanted to be disappointed that she hadn’t actually been in the same room as Captain Daniel Card, but all she could feel was relief that she hadn’t actually filled his nostrils with B.O....

Wait, then what was that mint comment––

“Aiden should be back with those drinks any minute,” Fletcher said. “Along with the necessary documents we will need to modify your background into one suitable for this mission. We’ll need to begin backdating those files as soon as possible. The more time they spend in the First Responder’s systems before your...transfer, the less likely they are to be questioned. And of course, we will need to rehearse your answers to questions you will undoubtedly be asked while undercover. Professional and personal. The next few weeks are going to be long, doctor. And you likely will not be able to return home for months, if not years, once you infiltrate this vessel. Are you certain you are prepared for this?”

Absolutely not.

But she was not dying in prison.

Or worse.

...Likely worse.

“It’s an honor,” Rebecca said enthusiastically.

Then winced as Fletcher wrinkled his nose.

Cover | Synopsis | Chapter 1 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 14

[pastel-charm-14]

∞ ₒ ˚ ° 𐐒 navigating financial wellness *:..｡o○

start by tracking your income and expenses to get a clear picture of your financial situation. then, set realistic spending limits for each category, prioritizing essentials like housing, food, and transportation while allocating funds for savings and debt repayment.

make saving a non-negotiable part of your budgeting strategy. aim to build an emergency fund with enough money to cover three to six months' worth of living expenses, providing a safety net for unexpected expenses or income disruptions.

consider investing your savings in a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, and other assets to generate long-term growth and build wealth over time. educate yourself about investment options, risk tolerance, and investment strategies to make informed decisions aligned with your financial goals.

if you have debt, prioritize paying it off strategically by focusing on high-interest debts first while making minimum payments on other debts. explore options for debt consolidation, refinancing, or negotiating lower interest rates to reduce the burden of debt repayment.

resist the temptation to keep up with the Joneses and instead focus on living below your means. practice frugality, prioritize needs over wants, and avoid lifestyle inflation to free up more money for saving, investing, and building wealth.

streamline your financial management by setting up automatic transfers for saving, investing, and bill payments. take advantage of technology and financial apps to track your spending, monitor your accounts, and stay organized with minimal effort.

empower yourself with knowledge and skills to make informed financial decisions. educate yourself about personal finance topics such as budgeting, saving, investing, taxes, retirement planning, and estate planning to build a solid foundation for financial success.

here's to your financial wellness and prosperity!

- love, pastel

[fideidefenswhore]

Contrary to characterisations of Mary as timid, her actions suggest she had a high tolerance of risk and this duplicity makes it clear she was preparing to scheme for her own ends. In 1538, there were two goals she might have been pursuing: recognition as Henry's heir, after Edward, or marriage to enable her to escape the complexities of life in England, perhaps with a view to an invasion of England later to assert her rights. In fact, we can see from correspondence that Mary was not privy to, that her trust in Charles [V] was, if not entirely misplaced, certainly greater than he merited.

The King’s Pearl: Henry VIII and His Daughter Mary, Melita Thomas

[unpluggedfinancial]

Financial Self-Improvement: Empower Yourself with Smart Money Habits

Step 1: Start With a Financial Assessment

Just like you would begin a fitness journey by assessing your current health, financial self-improvement starts with evaluating your financial situation. This means taking a good look at your income, expenses, debts, and savings. Ask yourself:

How much debt do I have, and what is my plan to pay it off?

Am I living within my means or relying on credit?

Do I have an emergency fund in place?

What are my long-term financial goals?

This honest assessment will give you a clear picture of where you are now and what you need to work on.

Step 2: Set Clear, Achievable Financial Goals

Without a destination, it's hard to make progress. Setting clear financial goals provides direction and motivation. Whether you want to pay off debt, save for a home, or invest in your future, defining these goals will guide your financial decisions.

Break down your goals into short-term (6 months to 1 year), medium-term (1 to 5 years), and long-term (5 years or more) objectives. For example, paying off high-interest debt might be a short-term goal, while investing for retirement could be a long-term objective.

Step 3: Budgeting—The Foundation of Financial Success

Budgeting is a key habit that separates financial success from financial stress. By creating and sticking to a budget, you ensure that your money is working for you, not the other way around. Start by listing all sources of income and tracking your expenses. Prioritize essentials, cut unnecessary spending, and allocate funds for savings and investments.

Budgeting also opens your eyes to "money leaks"—areas where you could be overspending without realizing it. Use budgeting apps or a simple spreadsheet to track your spending and hold yourself accountable.

Step 4: Build a Healthy Relationship with Money

A lot of financial self-improvement is about mindset. Cultivate a healthy relationship with money by understanding its true value. Money is a tool to provide security, freedom, and opportunity, not something to be feared or revered.

Focus on the psychology of money and work to break any negative patterns or habits, such as impulse buying or treating credit as an extension of your income. Mindful spending and saving will strengthen your financial resilience.

Step 5: Educate Yourself

The financial world is always evolving, and knowledge is power. Take time to educate yourself about personal finance, investing, and how money works. Whether you choose books, podcasts, blogs, or online courses, staying informed empowers you to make smarter decisions.

Step 6: Develop an Investment Strategy

Financial self-improvement isn’t just about saving; it’s also about growing your wealth through smart investing. Start by learning the basics of investing, including the power of compound interest, risk management, and diversification. Explore low-cost index funds, real estate, or even Bitcoin, depending on your risk tolerance and goals.

A common and effective strategy is Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA)—investing a fixed amount of money at regular intervals, regardless of market conditions. This helps smooth out the impact of market volatility and builds wealth over time.

Step 7: Stay Consistent and Adapt

Consistency is the cornerstone of self-improvement. Whether it’s following a budget, investing regularly, or learning more about personal finance, progress takes time. Stay the course, and remember that financial improvement is a marathon, not a sprint.

At the same time, be flexible and willing to adapt. Life is unpredictable, and your financial strategy may need to change as your circumstances evolve. The key is to remain proactive and adjust your approach when necessary.

Conclusion: Financial Self-Improvement as a Lifelong Journey

Financial self-improvement is about more than just building wealth—it's about taking control of your life and creating a foundation for long-term success. By setting goals, developing smart money habits, and continually educating yourself, you can achieve the financial freedom that allows you to live life on your terms.

Take Action Towards Financial Independence

If this article has sparked your interest in the transformative potential of Bitcoin, there's so much more to explore! Dive deeper into the world of financial independence and revolutionize your understanding of money by following my blog and subscribing to my YouTube channel.

🌐 Blog: Unplugged Financial Blog Stay updated with insightful articles, detailed analyses, and practical advice on navigating the evolving financial landscape. Learn about the history of money, the flaws in our current financial systems, and how Bitcoin can offer a path to a more secure and independent financial future.

📺 YouTube Channel: Unplugged Financial Subscribe to our YouTube channel for engaging video content that breaks down complex financial topics into easy-to-understand segments. From in-depth discussions on monetary policies to the latest trends in cryptocurrency, our videos will equip you with the knowledge you need to make informed financial decisions.

👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated with our latest content. Whether you're a seasoned investor, a curious newcomer, or someone concerned about the future of your financial health, our community is here to support you on your journey to financial independence.

Support the Cause

If you enjoyed what you read and believe in the mission of spreading awareness about Bitcoin, I would greatly appreciate your support. Every little bit helps keep the content going and allows me to continue educating others about the future of finance.

Donate Bitcoin: bc1qpn98s4gtlvy686jne0sr8ccvfaxz646kk2tl8lu38zz4dvyyvflqgddylk

[krueger4eva]

Top 12 LGBT Horror Characters

11. Deena Johnson (played by Kiana Madeira) from the Fear Street trilogy

TW: death, murder

*spoilers for Fear Street: 1994, Fear Street: 1978, and Fear Street: 1666*

Based on R.L. Stine’s iconic teen horror novel series, Netflix’s Fear Street Trilogy tells the story of a rivalry between two neighboring towns that spans across centuries: the upper-class Sunnyvale and the impoverished Shadyside. Since the 1600s, Sunnydale has thrived with wealth, a safe community, and an impeccable reputation. Meanwhile, if you live in Shadyside, you are at risk of residing in squalor, having your property vandalized, or being murdered by someone close to you.

School band drummer Deena can vouch for this. Living with an alcoholic absentee father, having to be responsible for herself and her brother Josh, and having to grow up in “the murder capital of the United States” has led her to adopt a jaded exterior to mask her emotional vulnerabilities.

Now, let me be honest here. Despite her having an interesting character background, I did not like Deena for the first half of Fear Street: 1994, but it is not for the reasons above.

The reason I could barely tolerate Deena is that she acted so entitled to her ex-girlfriend, Samantha. For some reason, she is heartbroken over Sam dating someone else, even though DEENA broke up with her. In addition, the reason she broke up Sam is because Sam and her family moved from Shadyside to Sunnyvale.

Deena! Sam’s parents made the decision to move, not Sam. As a child, she had no say in the matter!

Finally, to quote Sam in the movie, “I am half an hour away”. To which Deena replies, “It might as well be the goddamn moon”. Ugh…

At that moment, I was thinking Sam deserved a better girlfriend than Deena.

Now, I can discuss why I began to like Deena more throughout the trilogy.

Despite her prickly behavior, she was determined, resourceful, and loyal to her loved ones. In order to save her brother, her girlfriend, and her town from destruction, Deena led the mission to defeat the undead corpses of past Shadyside killers and uncover the secrets behind the infamous curse.

The moments with her brother Josh were especially endearing and heartwarming without being too saccharine. These new dangerous circumstances forced them to rely on each other more than ever on a goal greater than themselves.

Deena even became a better girlfriend to Sam as she risks danger at every turn and goes through the ends of the Earth to save her life.

With the help of the spirit of Sarah Fier, Deena breaks the centuries-long curse on Shadyside and shares Fier’s story to clear her name.

Over the course of a few days, Deena evolved from high school band geek to an unexpected hometown heroine.

Next

Previous

[entrepreneur22]

Strengths and Weaknesses

SIMRAANDEEP SINGH SANDHU

As an aspiring entrepreneur, understanding my strengths and weaknesses is crucial for my growth and success. One of my key strengths is my creativity and ability to come up with innovative solutions to challenges. For instance, while developing Sandhu Garden Maintaining Business, I identified an opportunity to integrate sustainable gardening practices, which sets my business apart from competitors. I’m also strong in time management, consistently balancing multiple responsibilities, such as my course load, while working part-time and planning my business. My ability to build relationships and communicate effectively is another asset, as it helps me connect with customers and understand their needs.

However, I recognize some areas that need improvement. A significant weakness I have is in financial management. Although I understand basic budgeting, I am less confident in projecting long-term financials or managing the cash flow required for business expansion. To address this, I plan to take additional finance-related courses and seek mentorship from professionals in this area. Another area for growth is my risk tolerance. I tend to overanalyze decisions and hesitate in situations involving uncertainty. To overcome this, I aim to improve my decision-making skills by setting clear goals, taking calculated risks, and learning from each experience.

By building on my strengths and addressing these weaknesses, I can become a more confident and capable entrepreneur.

[drdemonprince]

Also internal family systems anon I havent forgot you! Here are some late night vacation thoughts:

You described not wanting to go to therapy as meaning a person isn't presently interested in healing. There's an assumption lurking in there that it would be good for a therapist in training to check. Not all therapeutic experiences bring healing, some make a person's life way worse, and because of the power differential it can be actively damaging to some populations who desperately need more agency and can't risk losing it. Sometimes accepting oneself and not believing that one needs an authority figure to help them find healing is far more beneficial, some people do not want any change of any kind regardless and that's up to them, etc. I know youre well intentioned on this that's why I'm bringing it up. Therapists need to be very aware of how much power and pain they can be bringing to the room.

You mentioned that the goal of IFS therapy is in fact identity integration, and I stand corrected! I still think for some the parts framework can be triggering, especially for maskers who view themselves as having separate selves and don't enjoy/benefit from that, but I hear you that such a metaphor can be avoided by the therapist. I hope lots of IFS therapists are as aware of this and willing to tweak the language as you!

Finally, you asked about my own prior issues with regard to depersonalization and a fractured sense of self. To be honest, I and a hypnodom used hard core brainwashing files on me for hours per day for weeks to create a robotic persona that was controlling my life and locking away my emotions most hours of the day and bombarding my consciousness with identity and emotion erasing mantras all the times that it wasnt. it was all terribly sexy but it turned me insane. I know other kinky autistics with similar breakdown experiences. I have to steer pretty clear from some talk of being an internal system because it makes me dissociate like crazy bc my brain is very very inclined to do it. it already was before all this shit and then i dug in a huge groove in it by force. ive actually had multiple breakdowns with various attempts at this type of thing, but that was the worst one.

today i cant really tolerate the idea of me having separate selves or parts vying for control with one another. highly insane making topic. far better for me to instead think of myself as a dynamic being in an ever evolving context. an external view of the context and moment is far more helpful to me bc i already gaze inward and hyper analyze my inclinations and history a debilitating amount. my routines my environment how im treating my body, all that i can change.

but again, ymmv! ive heard many autistics say they love ifs.

[viitlumi]

Arcane Verse Info Drop - Vito

Vito's rise to independence wasn’t a sudden shift but a gradual, calculated process. In his early days, like many others trying to survive in Zaun, Vito worked under the Chem-Baron Finn. For a while, Vito played his role within Finn’s ranks, using his sharp mind to secure his family’s safety and navigate the complex web of Zaun’s underworld in the background.

Working for Finn gave him access to resources and connections that were essential for keeping him and his sisters safe. Vito’s ability to read situations and people quickly made him valuable to Finn. He handled delicate negotiations and deals, earning Finn’s trust as someone who could solve problems without violence, but rather charming and diplomatic pragmatism.

But Vito was always looking ahead. While he was working for Finn, he began quietly building his own network of contacts, informants, and allies. He knew that if he wanted real control over his life and his family’s future, he couldn’t rely on Finn’s protection forever. Vito needed his own power base, and he was willing to take the time to create it.

The breaking point came during a meeting where Finn, true to his nature, intentionally provoked a rival faction. This wasn’t unusual, but this time, Finn dragged Vito and the others into the conflict unnecessarily, putting them all at risk. Vito realized then that Finn’s reckless behavior was not just dangerous—it was a risk to his own carefully built plans. Finn’s need to control and escalate every situation was a liability Vito could no longer tolerate.

Shortly after that incident, Vito made his move. By then, he had gathered enough influence in both Piltover and Zaun to operate independently. He severed ties with Finn, knowing full well that he wouldn’t be happy about it. Finn, recognizing that Vito knew too much about his operations, initially threatened him. But Vito had already positioned himself carefully—he made it clear that any attempt on his life would lead to consequences that Finn couldn’t control.

Vito never wanted to be a Chem-Baron himself. His goal was simple: independence and immunity. He had built enough power and influence to ensure that neither Finn nor any other Chem-Baron could touch him without repercussions. Vito’s strength lay not in overt power but in his ability to manipulate events from behind the scenes, using information and connections to protect himself and his family.

In the end, Vito’s departure from Finn’s service wasn’t just a power move—it was a smart, strategic decision. He had outgrown the need to be someone else’s subordinate and had created a position where he could operate freely, using his network to safeguard his family’s interests without getting drawn into the dangerous politics of the Chem-Barons.