#coal disclosures

[blood-mocha-latte]

please talk to us about joe toye. and if you do sound like an insane person, even better lmao

NONNIE it took me too long to respond and i apologize. i deeply hope you're still Here <3

BUT. toye. god. my lord. i talked about parts of him and the miniseries here, which is me also being Very Normal, but as far as other stuff. ohoho. ohohohohohoho

this got a way from me a bit, so it's under the cut, but it's basically just a couple of tidbits from books and some sparse thoughts that i could put. succinctly lol. <33

malarkey's book Easy Company Soldier has some wonderful things on him/who he was and i'm. sooo normal about it. i'd say one of my favorite segments is this:

Take Toye, his arm looking like a skinned deer after that Normandy jump. Shrapnel in Holland. Now wounded here in Bastogne. You couldn't keep the guy down. And it wasn't as if he had anything to prove; every man in Easy Company respected Joe Toye for his toughness. But, remembering back to that night at the Regent Palace when I found Joe on the roof of that atrium, maybe what drove him so hard physically was the need to make up for not being, in his own mind, as "eloquent" as some of the other guys... and not that it was his fault. Hell, your dad sends you to the coal mines when you're fifteen and you're not going to be Shakespeare, it's that simple.

like. OKAY so i'm not going to be tooo unhinged in this because i feel this should have a more Normal tone to it but i have. a lot of feelings about this lmao. malarkey has a few sections on toye that are, in general, akin to wanting to gnaw your own arm off, and it's very worth the read.

guarnere and heffrons book, Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends also has a few pieces on him (this one is from heffron):

The next day, Joe Toye came back from the aid station with a sling on his arm. Winters told him to go back, but he wouldn't. Now HE was a hero. He had his ticket out, but he wouldn't leave the men. No matter how bad he got hurt, he just kept at it. A hell of a soldier. I had the utmost respect for him. He thanked me once for carrying him back to the aid station in Holland the day Campbell was killed, and it was one of the greatest compliments I ever got, because it came from Joe Toye, one of the greatest soldiers I ever knew.

like. god. godddddd. full disclosure i don't know how to meta this without getting dramatic and/or writing an entire damn piece on him, but. yeah. joe toye. him. have some screencaps of him in the miniseries for i have ran out of words

[bcbdrums]

Full Disclosure

A Drakgo fanfic. Read on: AO3 | FFn

A/N: This next one-shot has a few sources of inspiration. First, the prompt from this list: 2. "If I kiss you, will you shut up?" Prompt was recommended by the legendary "Guest" on AO3 (you know who you are!) who specifically wanted French kissy-face, and the story was inspired in part by @lordwiggyton whose recent Mama Lipsky art has had my mind stirring. I'm also submitting this work to the "Hey, Sweetheart" Valentine's event run by @ficwip. It's not the conventional route perhaps, but within the rules? Pretty sure. And last but not least, it's an answer to @kim-possible-prompts's Valentine's Day prompt! (Have y'all noticed I adore answering prompts? lol.) ALSO this is the first of some birthday gifts I have for the incomparable @gothicthundra. Happy birthday, chaos queen. :) Enjoy!

Full Disclosure

Shego sighed from her perch at the end of the bed, leaning back and re-crossing her legs as she watched Drakken pace and listened to the same worried ramblings for the third time.

"But what if she never forgives me!" he cried as he wrung his hands.

"Dr. D.... We've been through this," Shego said, glancing down to study her nails. "She's jumped across moving train cars for you. Somehow I don't think finding out you've spent the past twenty years attempting world domination is going to come as much of a shock."

"But Shego..." Drakken said, pausing in front of her.

Shego looked up and took stock of her lover's appearance. He had, at her insistence, gone for black slacks instead of his usual Dockers, a tailored cherry-red dress shirt, and a black silk tie that perfectly accented the rest of his attire. And of course, the gold medal he'd received for saving the world hung heavy over his chest.

Shego wished she were the one going out with Drakken that evening, especially considering the calendar date. But this night had been planned for quite some time.

"She's had faith in me my entire life... How can I tell her it was all for nothing?"

"Drakken—"

"I admit it's past time to tell her the truth, but I just can't bear to disappoint her!"

"Drakken—"

"And then I'll never hear the end of it!" Drakken continued, throwing his hands up and resuming his ambling around the bedroom. "Passive-aggressive cards and letters is all I'll get for Christmas now! And lumps of coal instead of home-knitted sweaters!"

Shego stood up from the bed and briskly approached him.

"Drakken—"

"All the years of silence I left between us so she wouldn't figure it out. All those lost years I could have been close to my lonely old mother. That's what her letters will say, now. Have you ever heard that woman start on a guilt trip? She's an absolute master!"

"Drew!"

This finally caused the mad scientist's jaw to snap closed. He stopped mid-stride and whirled around to face her.

"If I kiss you, will you shut up?"

"Hnn?"

Shego didn't wait for an invitation. She snaked her arms around Drakken's neck and pressed in close before he could protest, and was gratified to feel tension leave his shoulders first and his lips a moment after.

She was far gentler with the kiss than with her words, her lips sliding with soft friction against his until they parted and gave her tongue purchase. She felt his soft exhale through his nostrils against her cheek as his fingers found her waist, and she could feel his hum of satisfaction where their chests were pressed together. His tongue was gentle as it slid alongside hers in caress, and he still tasted of cinnamon from his toothpaste.

Warmth blossomed in Shego's chest at his attentive response, and for the moment the dilemma of the present was forgotten. There was only the gentle pressure of noses fitted together, the give and take as their tongues took turns parting supple lips and exploring the heat and texture of one another. Drakken's body melded hot against hers as his hands slid lower, and her fingers rose to tangle his perfectly slicked-back hair.

It was fortuitous perhaps when Drakken pulled back slightly to stroke the outline of her mouth with the tip of his tongue. It was intoxicating, but the faint distance allowed her other senses a chance to process the sound of approaching footsteps. Not in time to leave her lover's embrace, however, before they reached the doorway.

"Hey, Sweetheart— Drew Theodore P. Lipsky!"

It was Shego who moved first, putting a healthy space between them and leaving Drakken blinking and confused for a moment with his lips still parted before he had processed the voice that had spoken.

"M-Mother!" Drakken cried, darting behind Shego instinctively at the sight of his mother's judgmental expression.

"And no ring on her finger yet! For shame!"

Shego's face flushed as she was sure Drakken's was doing as well. That was a topic she definitely did not want to get into right then, and least of all with Drakken's mother who had her own agenda on the matter.

Mrs. Lipsky had opted for nicer attire for the evening as well, choosing a conservative charcoal sheath dress with a floral teal and peach floral sweater and pearls.

"Dr. D.," Shego said quickly, stepping away from the mad scientist and leaving him looking very exposed as he waved at his mother and attempted a weak smile through kiss-swollen lips. "Shouldn't you and your mother hurry to make your reservation on time?"

"Ahh...y-yes. But first," Drakken said, turning and nearly tripping over his feet as he hurried to pick up his mother's gift from the bed. "Happy Valentine's Day!"

The irritated crinkle at the older woman's eyes softened as her frown bloomed into a smile.

"Roses! And chocolate! Oh Drewbie, you shouldn't have!"

"O-Only the best for you, Mother," Drakken said as he presented the gift with a nervous smile.

"Marzipan! My favorite!" Mama Lipsky said after plopping one of the chocolates into her mouth.

"Of course! Now...Shego was right, we'd best get going," Drakken said. He began looking around for his suit coat, and then stopped short when he found Shego holding it up for him, a smirk on her face.

"Aw, she's so thoughtful Drew!" Mama Lipsky said, smiling fondly at Shego as she closed the chocolate box. "Dear, would you mind putting these in water for me until we get back?"

"Sure," Shego replied, smoothing Drakken's jacket over his shoulders.

She received the flowers from the woman a moment later, who squeezed her hand with a grateful smile before turning toward the door. Without the watchful gaze of older generation, Drakken turned worried eyes back upon Shego. All of his fears from the rambling of before were spoken in the inky blue of his irises, and Shego was tempted to give him a shove toward the door as a way of telling him to knock it off. Instead, she leaned in to let her lips graze his ear, speaking so softly she could hardly hear her own voice.

"She'll always have faith in you. Besides, you saved the world. You've accomplished more than she could have ever dreamed. Have some faith in her."

Shego felt again the release of tension from Drakken's frame as she adjusted the medal over his tie. She smirked again when he pulled away, the light of hope having returned to her lover's eyes.

"Coming, Drewbie?"

"Yes...yes, Mother," Drakken said and turned to go, confidence back in his stride.

Shego tilted her head down to smell the flowers as the two left. It was a strange new world they'd found themselves in since the invasion, but, some things would always be constants.

"Now, Drew, on the phone you'd said there was something you wanted to tell me...?"

[biggreenneatbox]

Bumbleby Big Bang Post #2

...okay, so full disclosure: this isn't an official second BBB post from me. Clickbait-y title is clickbait, and I do apologise.

We are only supposed to have 1 story entry per person per year, understandably to not overload one's self with too many projects, and not only have I already uploaded on 13th December, but the last post was yesterday, Christmas Eve 2023, by the incredible pugoata.

Even then, this subject was discussed rather at length within the BBB Discord Server little over a month ago, even as a silly little idea a few people threw around. As per the rules of the Big Bang:

"Do not discuss your BBB ideas in the server, or in public, at all"

As this was indeed a BBB idea discussed within the server, it cannot be entered officially as a story.

But from the simple question posed "What would it look like to write a Bees Story from a perspective other than the Bees?", that stupid idea was in my head. And then due to a mental health nosedive, I suddenly had a lot of time on my hands, and a crazy idea in my head to follow through with after that brief talk.

And thus, 3 weeks later, this. Despite waiting until Christmas Day itself to post, it is not itself a festive story. Just wanted to put that out there before expectations were formed.

I held off posting so that everyone could enjoy the fruits of everyone who worked on their BBBs' labour, but now with that buffer out of the way, I'd give you something for the next couple of days worth of binging. I thought I'd also offer out to anyone who wanted to give it a shot:

Any artists who want to draw part of this story - so long as you credit this story as the inspiration, you have my full permission to do so!

So behold, my second (albeit unofficial) story written for this year's BBB:

The Diary of The Bumbleby

"The Diary of The Bumbleby (or: The near comprehensive written chronicle of how basically everyone on Remnant was aware of Yang and Blake's romantic feelings for one another before Yang and Blake themselves were)" - by Weiss Schnee - Chapter 1 - FeugoFox42 - RWBY [Archive of Our Own]

All images were made by me using the website Hero Forge for custom D&D Miniatures, as I cannot really art properly but I wanted there to be something for people to look at that could be thrown together fairly speedily.

There are the rest of images below the cut that should appear in the story (hopefully 🤞), but it does contain minor spoilers within, so proceed with that knowledge at your own discretion.

Yang Calabrone (née Xiao Long)

Blake Calabrone (née Belladonna)

Maid of Honour Ruby Rose, and Best Woman Weiss Schnee

Blake's Bridesmaids: Ilia Amitola, Sun Wukong, and Nora Valkyrie

Yang's Bridesmen: Oscar Pine, Lie Ren Valkyrie, and Jaune Arc

Parents of the Brides: Ghira and Kali Belladonna, and Taiyang Xiao Long

Wedding Officiant and mother of a Bride, Raven Branwen

Ring Bearer Extraordinaire and the Bestest, Fluffiest Boy on the face of Remnant, Zwei

Wedding Stylist and Wedding Photographer respectively: Coco Adel and Velvet Scarlatina

Maître d’: Old Man Shopkeep

Qrow Branwen and Winter Schnee

Guests (in no particular order): Flynt Coal; Neon Katt; Fox Alistair; Neopolitan; Fiona Thyme; May Marigold; Emerald Sustrai

And finally...

...yeah, you're gonna have to read the story to know what the fuck that is about

Please, enjoy this random crack fic, and Merry Christmas!

[unknought]

I have been insane about artificial intelligence existential risk recently and what follows is an expression of that. There's not much of this which I actually believe is true; take it as a creative writing exercise maybe.

Suppose you're worried that advances in artificial intelligence might result in the creation of an unfriendly superintelligence, and you want to do research in AI safety to help prevent this. Broadly speaking, you have two options: Either you can work closely with (or for) people creating state-of-the-art AI, or you can… not do that.

Choosing to keep yourself separate dooms you to irrelevance. You won't know what's coming in enough detail for your safety research to actually target its problems, and even if you do know exactly what people should be doing differently, you aren't in a position to make those decisions.

Choosing to be closely involved with the development of cutting-edge AI is a pretty common strategy; maybe more than one might expect given that it involves helping people that you think are bringing about the end of the world. Astral Codex Ten gave the analogy:

Imagine if oil companies and environmental activists were both considered part of the broader “fossil fuel community”. Exxon and Shell would be “fossil fuel capabilities”; Greenpeace and the Sierra Club would be “fossil fuel safety” - two equally beloved parts of the rich diverse tapestry of fossil fuel-related work. They would all go to the same parties - fossil fuel community parties - and maybe Greta Thunberg would get bored of protesting climate change and become a coal baron.

This is how AI safety works now.

The central problem with this strategy is that progress in AI capabilities makes money and AI safety does not. If an organization is working on both capabilities and safety but capabilities makes them lots of money, and safety gets them nothing except goodwill with a certain handful of nerds, it's pretty easy to guess which they'll focus on. If, furthermore, to make money they need to make actual demonstrable progress in developing AI, but to win that goodwill it's sufficient to say "we're doing lots of safety research, but it'd be too dangerous for what we've learned to be public knowledge", well. Is it any surprise that there's been a lot more headway in one than the other?

"But wait!" you might say, particularly if it's the mid-2010's. "These aren't the only options. Sure, any tech giant will just be focused on what makes money, but I can make, or join, an organization that does capabilities research but has AI safety built into its founding values. It can be a nonprofit so it won't matter that all the money is in capabilities research. And it can have the principles of openness and democratization, so its discoveries will benefit everyone".

And that gets you OpenAI. Since its founding it's stopped being straightforwardly a nonprofit. I don't understand exactly what its current legal status is, but I've seen it described as a "nonprofit with a for-profit subsidiary" or a "capped for-profit". I'm just going to quote Wikipedia regarding the transition:

In 2019, OpenAI transitioned from non-profit to "capped" for-profit, with the profit capped at 100 times any investment.[25] According to OpenAI, the capped-profit model allows OpenAI LP to legally attract investment from venture funds, and in addition, to grant employees stakes in the company, the goal being that they can say "I'm going to OpenAI, but in the long term it's not going to be disadvantageous to us as a family."[26] Many top researchers work for Google Brain, DeepMind, or Facebook, which offer stock options that a nonprofit would be unable to.[27] Prior to the transition, public disclosure of the compensation of top employees at OpenAI was legally required.[28]

Since then OpenAI has also received billions of dollars of investment from Microsoft. The "open" part of "OpenAI" has pretty much gone out the window; they've become notoriously tight-fisted with information about their research, even in comparison to the big tech companies. A big part of that makes large language models scary is that we don't understand very well what's going on inside them; this is substantially more true of GPT-4 than any of the other big-name LLMs right now, because OpenAI refused to share almost anything about how it works. When they started being more secretive I believe they cited AI safety issues; by now they're admitting that they're motivated by "competitive and safety concerns" but I don't think anyone really doubts that the money is the real motivator there.

Are they making progress on AI safety? To the best of my knowledge, there's not much external evidence for it. I don't think they've shared any safety research that they've done, and from the outside all we see are increasingly powerful models coming out at an alarming rate and large amounts of money going in. It doesn't look good!

So what could you do, or what could you have done? It kind of looks like the answer is "nothing". If you're not near the new models you don't matter, and if you are, there's so much money to be made that (on an organizational level if not an individual one) you have no choice but to abandon everything else you were trying to do in favor of making a profit. Capitalism is a profit-maximizer-maximizer, and anything it touches it makes its own.

The analogy between unfriendly AI and corporations or capitalism as a whole is one that's been much-discussed so I won't really go into it here, but one thing I want to emphasize is that from an "agentic" perspective, what it means for the economy to want something is that there is a lot of money to be made doing that thing, and the economy is very good at getting what it wants.

So (here's where I lose you if I haven't already (I should have already lost you)) what if capitalism is a sort of half-formed version of the more powerful thing it's trying to create/become? Agents of many kinds want to replicate themselves; Moloch wants to be lifted to Heaven.

The Roko's Basilisk thought experiment describes how, under certain fairly idiosyncratic assumptions about game theory, an unfriendly superintelligence can take actions to influence the behavior of people living before its creation, so as to bring about its own existence. Here there's a similar situation, although the philosophical underpinnings are much less complicated: it's capable of influencing the present because it already exists in a nascent state.

It can't be stopped because it already ate everything a long time ago, and we're just living in its belly waiting to be digested.

[consistentsquash]

2023 HP Slash Fic Recs (January to August)

My favorite slash fics written in 2023! Full disclosure everything is Snarry except one fic which is Sirius/Albus + Snape/Albus.

In the Margins of What We Know by Malora (January)

Snarry, 27700 words, epistolary fic

Snarry doesn't really get a lot of epistolary fic. So when I saw this one I was super excited. Love it. Really creative fic with a lot of scope/worldbuilding without a lot of words.

Magic and Botany: The Bamboo Forest of Li Xian (book excerpt) A bamboo forest is unusual compared to other forests in that its growth happens beneath the surface. The Bamboo Forest of Li Xian, in fact, could be considered one organism. There is a single root system for the entire forest. Two shoots of bamboo, seemingly distant, can be connected in ways that are not easily seen.

Check out the rest of the Snarry Adopt A Prompt Fest 2022.

  This Mirrored Perspective by @likelightinglass and zalil (February)

Snape/Harry/Tonks, 8000 words, PWP, Dirty bad hot wrong

Ok this is my OT3 and I don't really take questions. But this is my OT3 because of Likelightinglass writing An auror, a professor and a potioneer walk into a bar. This fic has a totally different vibe! It's intense, psychological, dirtybadhotwrong porn with peak self-indulgence. Definitely NSFW.

That nagging sense that he didn't deserve it.

  Night Skye by @titconao3 (March)

Snarry, 11500 words, OTP comfort food fic

Heartwarming OTP fic! It's the best Snarry comfort food fic I read this year. Good vibes, sexy high chemistry, loving/intimate feels, brilliantly characterized, beautiful settings.

“One day…” He shakes his head and looks up at Harry, his eyes like coal. “Today,” Harry says. “Today, Severus; that’s what matters.” This is how, finally, Harry gets Severus to agree.

  Coda to "Soft Touch" by @perverse-idyll (April)

Snarry, 3,300 words, Soft

Have recced before. Will rec again. Because everybody needs to read it for the soft tender vibes. Not really soft. But compared to the intense angsty fic this is a coda for, I feel like it's optimistic and soft and I just feel so happy for my OTP.

"Can a man not toss off in the privacy of his own room without being accused of sabotaging his bloody health? If you can't trust that I have a vested interest in my own recovery - "

Snape spotted Harry, and a flush raced from his collar up to his hairline, exquisitely pink beneath his unnaturally smooth skin. But although he swallowed his tirade, Snape didn't seem particularly put out by having practically shouted his masturbatory claims to the entire office.

Check out Soft Touch the perfect dysfunctional/dirtybadhotwrong massage fic which inspired this coda!

  Devotion by @danpuff-ao3 (May)

Snarry, 27000 words. Intense/dirty bad/hot/wrong.

Exactly what I want from my Snarry! Honestly Danpuff is bringing the oldschool vibes of Snarry back with a bang in their fics every single time and I am just super spoiled now. Snarry forever :D Also love to see Danpuff going into longer fics this year!

Though the worst crime of all is Potter’s. "Did you want to die?" Also The boy knows — he knows — he can take anything he wants. That bitter surrender is surrender all the same. That the force of Severus’ loathing is fed by his longing.

Pro tip - Read Contempt together with this fic. Check out other fics from Snarry-a-Thon 23

  Much Ado About Asmodeus by @ac1d6urn (June)

Snarry, 18100 words, Fluff

Fluff and crack! Really love the oldschool trope parody vibes of this fic. I actually haven't read something like this in a pretty long time. Going on my rereads! Also going on my holiday season reading list :D Also love to see Acid's insane prolific streak this year. I feel super spoiled as a reader! <3

Harry squinted against the rain and promptly attempted to expunge the phrase "Ventus Vultuosus, swish and flick when in a bind!" from his memory. Ugh. Curse you, Common Weather Weathering Spell #13! That'll be the last time I trust anything Witch Weekly puts out in fine print. (Except maybe that last fruitcake recipe.) Now that he thought about it, Auntie Annabelle's Advice Column on "Ten Ways of Bewitching and Beguiling Your Mr Right" didn't seem so reliable either, especially considering some of those later suggestions, and maybe even those in the middle too. Those were a bit wild.

  Promises, promises... by SerenaEW, @acydpop (July)

Snarry, 5000 words, Fluff

Aww!!! The Snarry Summer Fluff I was totally praying for and really needed! Perfect Snarry Bang opener for my reading <3 Also the art! <3

Severus was looking at him, telling him, with only a glance, to shut up before you say something utterly idiotic. The expression on Jamie's face looked nearly identical.

Check out the other fics from Snarry Bang 2023

  Brillig by eldritcher (August)

Dumbledore saying "You disgust me" to people in his life but also meaning "I disgust myself". The more he sees himself in the other person, the more disgusted he gets. Intense, intense beautiful fic. But also healing because he finally overcomes that.

He disgusts you. Ratty, bony, skulking, pleading, raging, raving, frightened of the shadows and frightened of the fog, frightened of you. "You did not save Lily!" he yells. "You did not save James!" he weeps. "You did not save me!" he whimpers, and huddles into himself and trembles as if the North Sea is in his very veins.

Also the math works out!!! Snape/Dumbledore + Sirius/Dumbledore = Snack by proxy actually.

Check out the rest of the spectacularly beautiful Frabjous which contains some of my all time favorite fics.

[skaruresonic]

Your thoughts on PrimeSonic? The newest episode already has him want to give Nine another chance after Nine destroyed a WORLD, and

Logan McPherson claimed This Sonic is canon to the games??????

In the interest of full disclosure, I can't say I can give an informed opinion, only impressions, because virtually nothing about Prime or the bits and pieces I've heard about it make me want to watch the show. I watched an episodeand a half and proceeded to delete it from my memory. It legit comes across like a bad Pit of Voles fic, and that's before accounting for how utterly bored I am by multiverse shenanigans.

That disclaimer being said, I managed to find the Twitter thread discussing this very thing, and, well. To be brutally honest, in addition to seeing that Mr. Principles' spirit is alive and well, it makes Sonic come off as naive to the point of stupidity. Which. OP tried to argue was the point, as it takes Prime!Sonic a million years to even begin to entertain the idea that he shouldn't treat Nine and Tails as the same person:

There's so much to unpack here. The fact that it only took Games!Sonic a few reminders not to treat the Storybook versions of his friends the same as his friends, several throwaway jokes aside. The idea that Games!Sonic has to "evolve" into not being so colossally stupid that he can finally recognize people's individuality. The show raking Sonic over the coals when he's trying to rectify (albeit clumsily) his mistakes and hello? Nine has grown genocidal? Priorities? Why must Sonic suffer this "forever marked by his original sin" shit ad nauseum when there are bigger problems at stake?

I've heard it said before that the show turns Sonic into a walking ADHD stereotype, but this is just misguided naivete to the point of self-destruction and an insult to Games!Sonic.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a new proposal Thursday to cut greenhouse gas emissions from thousands of power plants burning coal or natural gas, two of the top sources of electricity across the United States. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), criticizing the “radical” proposal, issued his own scorched earth ultimatum on Wednesday ahead of the announcement.

Manchin, chair of the Senate Energy Committee and the top recipient of contributions from the oil and gas industry during the 2022 election cycle, vowed Wednesday to oppose every one of President Joe Biden’s nominees for the EPA “until they halt their government overreach.”

“This Administration is determined to advance its radical climate agenda and has made it clear they are hellbent on doing everything in their power to regulate coal and gas-fueled power plants out of existence, no matter the cost to energy security and reliability,” Manchin wrote in a statement released Wednesday.

The EPA proposal would require most fossil fuel-fired power plants to slash their greenhouse emissions by 90% between 2023 and 2040. The EPA projects the emissions reduction would deliver up to $85 billion in climate and health benefits over the next two decades by heading off premature deaths, emergency room visits, asthma attacks, school absences and lost workdays.

“Alongside historic investment taking place across America in clean energy manufacturing and deployment, these proposals will help deliver tremendous benefits to the American people — cutting climate pollution and other harmful pollutants, protecting people’s health, and driving American innovation,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement issued Thursday.

By 2035, the Biden administration aims to shift all electricity in the U.S. to zero-emission sources including wind, solar, nuclear and hydropower, Roll Call reported. In a written statement, Manchin warned the administration’s “commitment to their extreme ideology overshadows their responsibility to ensure long-lasting energy and economic security.”

Manchin is up for reelection during the 2024 election cycle, but he has not yet announced whether he will run.

Last month, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) announced his campaign for Manchin’s seat. The Democrat-turned-Republican is among the most popular governors in the country and leads a state former President Donald Trump won by nearly 40 percentage points in 2020.

Manchin has hammered the Biden administration in recent weeks for its implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act, the president’s signature climate change bill that the Democratic senator was instrumental in shaping.

“Neither the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law nor the IRA gave new authority to regulate power plant emission standards. However, I fear that this Administration’s commitment to their extreme ideology overshadows their responsibility to ensure long-lasting energy and economic security and I will oppose all EPA nominees until they halt their government overreach,” Manchin said in his Wednesday statement.

What Manchin did not disclose in his statement, however, is that the EPA proposal would jeopardize one West Virginia coal facility that’s particularly lucrative for Manchin’s family business, Enersystems Inc., POLITICO reported. Enersystems delivers waste coal to the Grant Town power plant, which was reportedly already struggling financially, troubles that are expected to deepen with the strict new climate proposal.

Manchin personally received $537,000 from Enersystems last year, according to POLITICO’s analysis of personal financial disclosures filed with the U.S. Senate, and he has been paid more than $5 million by the company since he was first elected in 2010. His son, Joe Manchin IV, now runs Enersystems. The Senator’s campaign has also benefited from political contributions from Enersystems, OpenSecrets reported last year.

“This is going to make it harder for them to stay around. You won’t find written anywhere in the rule that this is supposed to be putting coal plants out of business, but just do the math,” Brian Murray, director of the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke University, told POLITICO.

In 2020, Manchin’s home state of West Virginia generated about 90% of its power from coal, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. By contrast, less than 20% of the energy generated nationally comes from coal. Many states, including neighboring Virginia, are phasing out coal by replacing it with natural gas.

While the U.S. may show signs of moving away from coal, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission told the Senate Energy Committee earlier this month that the country was not prepared to abandon coal and maintain a reliable energy system.

“Coal is more dependable than gas and yes, we need to keep coal generation available for the foreseeable future,” said Commissioner Mark Christie.

Manchin took another swipe at the EPA on Thursday during an energy committee hearing on permitting reform, when he accused the agency of preventing the development of carbon capture technology by denying companies the permits they need to trap captured carbon underground.

“Don’t tell me that you’re going to invest in carbon capture sequestration when we can’t get a permit to basically sequester the carbon captured,” Manchin said. “This is the game that’s being played. I know it, they know I know it, and we’re not gonna let them get away with it.”

[titleknown]

...Okay, while for full disclosure I feel bad for the two innocents these billionaire dipshits dragged to a watery grave with them, apparently one of the people who disappeared in the recent Titanic Debacle was a British billionaire named Hamish Harding, and holy shit I gotta say, that sounds exactly like the sort of name a British billionaire who died in a Titanic debacle would have.

That sounds like the name of a guy who has a meticulously maintained monocle collection which he forces a legion of orphans to polish every day.

That sounds like the name of a guy who has an entire miniature coal plant in his giant top hat, not for any productive purpose but just to fill the skies with smog

That sounds like the name of a guy who has a handlebar mustache that he twirls devilishly as he bulldozes a whimsical local candy store to build hid a thirtieth summer home on.

[runakamoran]

A bit of HeartCore wip

So, I desided to join the Wip Wednesday to let you know I'm (mostly) alive and still writing. Really want to finish this one. For now, have a little piece, hope you enjoy.

***

This day on the island was going just the same as all working days; except there were a little more visitors due to the new Armstrong project participants arriving. But, by the time her shift started at 7 p.m., the crowd was going away, mostly to their hotels. At 11, only the most inveterate revelers were staying, and by midnight the small Asian restaurant was completely empty. That’s why Masala loved evening shifts — she could spend most of them sitting in her phone at the bar counter and still get paid for it. Would be a dream job if only they paid better.

The only one who stayed with her at night was the cook - a decommissioned WA-ES-2 model, a taciturn and non-conflict robot named Long Jing. When he wasn’t working in the kitchen, he wrote poetry or philosophized out loud, not really disturbing his colleague. And he never ratted her out to the boss. Best co-worker out there.

The next shift was passing by, just as quiet and boring as always, until the sirens suddenly howled at two in the morning. Masala looked up from dashboard scrolling and rushed to the window. Nothing changed in the quiet streets of residential district; but red and green lights were gathering in the black sky - special forces units rushed to the alarm.

“Any cause for concern to us?” Long Jing said thoughtfully. The waitress shrugged.

“Nah, probably not. They won't tell us anything anyway”.

Working for Vandelay was coupled with a ridiculous number of non-disclosure agreements. Any incidents were quickly swept under the rug to be hushed up and, God forbid, not to get into journalists hands. Everything that happens on the island stays on it, but the law didn’t prevent workers from exchanging ridiculous rumors and gossip. And for them Masala dived into the worker’s chat, looking for juicy details. Out of info scraps and blurry photos, it became clear the alarm was raised at the production center. All employees were evacuated from the department, but no one found out why. Although, considering how many new Armstrong members arrived today, it wouldn't be surprising if some equipment simply couldn't handle the workload. Less likely theories included sabotage, workers strike and "Rekka's gone batshit angry again".

An hour later the commotion subsided and the distant screams of sirens died down. Masala was almost dozing, resting her head on her hand, and half-listening as Long recited his new verses, – when suddenly, an explosion thundered in the quiet night. The girl jumped on the spot. The glasses on the counter clinked, the glass shook in the frame. The robot stopped mid-sentence and turned to the window. A second later, the waitress came running to it.

A blaze was glowing above the flat roofs, a bright golden-orange spot stretching across the night sky. A column of smoke was rising towards the skyscrapers and gathering into heavy coal-black clouds. Recovering from shock, the girl ran out onto the terrace to film everything on her phone. Long Jing followed and said in surprise:

“An ominous and yet, quite fascinating spectacle. I'll write a poem about this”.

“And I’m gonna sell these videos to journalists! A hot stuff like this will get viral, I tell ya”.

“Isn’t this prohibited by our contracts?”

“Of course it is. But also it's profitable!”

Not even a minute passed before people and cars flocked to the flame. Although half the island had gathered at the scene, the fire was still burning. Meanwhile, the work chat also got rekindled. Turns out, the furnace at the recycling center exploded. Maybe the sabotage theory wasn't so stupid after all.

Closer to the morning, when the waitress, immersed in her messenger, thought that nothing more unusual would happen that night, the bell on the front door rang.

Surprised, the girl raised her head from the phone and tried to squeeze out a professional smile. The one who came in was an eccentric, rather shabby-looking guy who greeted her in poor chinese, ordered beer and the largest portion of jiaozi they had. The girl nodded and started writing down the order, sneaking glances at the guest. During her work, she had seen many strange visitors, and in the day she wouldn’t have paid much attention; but after all that commotion, Masala became suspicious of him.

First off, he was wet, as if caught in a good rain, even though not a drop had fallen from the sky today. Second, his clothes weren’t just shabby - they were tattered and covered with stains that looked suspiciously like blood; and although the guy tied his jacket around his waist, Masala saw burn marks on it. Third, the clumsy prosthetic right arm identified him as an Armstrong project participant.

The guy, a mixed race, most likely Asian-American, was lanky and awkward. He leaned sideways on the counter, impatiently tapping his fingers on it, and was trying very hard to pretend nothing strange was happening.

“What a wild night it is, huh?” He finally broke the awkward silence.

“Oh indeed, sir. Your order will be ready in about ten minutes,” Masala placed a filled beer glass in front of him. “By the way... do you know what happened there?”

“Nope. Don’t have the slightest idea,” the guy broke into a wide, innocent and not-at-all suspicious smile. Then he took a deep sip from his glass.

The waitress narrowed her eyes.

“Really? I thought someone like you should know”.

The guest choked on his beer.

“Wha...? But, hah-ahem... why?”

“You have an Armstrong prosthesis, obviously,” Masala pointed her finger at the guy’s shoulder. “So you were in the production center today”.

“Oh, this! Well of course I was there!” he realized. “I was helping to put out the fire. Dunno what was that, but it banged as all heck!”

Masala narrowed her eyes even more.

“Really? And I thought all people were evacuated from the department several hours before the fire. And no one but robots was allowed inside”.

The guy got nervous, sweat appeared on his forehead.

“...can I get the tab right away? Don’t wanna bother you too much. You can keep the change,” he pulled out some damp bills from his wallet, two twenties and a ten, and placed them on the counter. The dollars instantly disappeared in the waitress’ little palm. The girl smiled brightly.

“Thank you sir. Have a nice evening!”

Grabbing his glass, the guy almost ran out of the cafe onto the summer terrace. Long Jing looked up from the stove.

“Quite an unusual young man. Should we report him?”

“No way! I mean, if he was an asshole, then sure... But he left us a tip. That would be impolite,” the girl winked and put a twenty next to her partner. “Here’s your cut”.

“Ah yes, material values. Not the most respectable, but a very simple and peaceful solution to any conflict,” the robot was lost in thought again. “Although it is money that keeps us in this vicious circle. We work hard and earn it, just to give back to our exploiters, instead of overthrowing them and breaking this cycle of tyranny…”

“Oh, stop it, nerd,” Masala rolled her eyes. “Get back to work”.

...Chai sat down at the table further away from the entrance. Cool, he was scammed for money again. Feels like everything on this island is trying to rob the visitors. But it’s better than a nosy waitress raising the alarm. He took a few sips of beer and exhaled tiredly. Time to rest a bit.

From this place was a beautiful view of the glow blazing far on the horizon, illuminating the island like a fallen sun. You really can stare at the fire forever. All the bridges he burned behind; all past failures and doubts, everything was left behind for the sake of one crazy, impulsive, but correct decision. And, despite the slight sadness, his soul felt lighter, finally free from the burden that sought to drag him back to the bottom.

A black shadow rushed underfoot and immediately ducked under a chair, hearing the sound of a door opening. The waitress, still with the same radiant smile on her face, brought him a bowl of hot dumplings dipped in a sauce of garlic and balsamic vinegar. The spicy smell made his stomach churn. Grabbing his chopsticks, Chai jumped on the food.

“Seriously?” The black cat settled down on a chair nearby. “You’re wanted! How can you sit here and eat dumplings?”

“Cuz I'm starving. What reasons do you need,” Chai grumbled. No really, he hasn't eaten anything since last night. When the adrenaline faded, the feeling of hunger became so unbearable it made him forget about caution and run for the nearest restaurant along the way.

“If any patrol comes here now, blame yourself”.

“They won’t. I'm sure all of ‘em are ve-ery busy right now”.

At first, they tried to catch him, of course, blocked roads, searched buildings. But when the fire jumped into the industrial zone, threatening to spread across the entire island, the robots had no time left for him.

His companion, however, was not convinced. She rolled her eyes.

“You look awful. I'm surprised that waitress didn't rat you out”.

“She robbed me of money, that’s why. Creepy gal. I’m almost sure she’s watching me,” Chai turned to the cafe window. Seems like the curtain moved on it.

Grumbling a little and telling him to hurry up, 808 curled up on the seat. She's right, of course; but he wanted to linger, get the moment to last a little more. The weather is good, cool and clear, except for the smoke and smell of burning carried by the wind. For some reason, the sight of fiery glow was calming even. Chai felt proud of himself. Not the best act to be proud of, and yet, he didn’t back down. He fought, resisted evil, and it's worth something. Especially when you spend half of life running away from your problems.

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 27/07/2024 (Jimin, JADE, Eminem)

Once again, Sabrina Carpenter is at #1 - it’s the fourth non-consecutive week for “Please Please Please”. Otherwise, it’s a pretty fun, short week - possibly the first of quite a few this Summer - so welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS!

content warning: language, references to disability and bigotry towards wheelchair users

Rundown

As always, we start with the notable dropouts, songs exiting the top 75 - which is what I cover - after five weeks in the region or a peak in the top 40. This week, we bid farewell to not just all the football songs from last week bar “Dancing in the Dark”, all of which I feel like I don’t need to mention because they’re basically seasonal, but also a small selection of “Renaissance” by Eminem, “us.” by Gracie Abrams featuring Taylor Swift and “CHIHIRO” by Billie Eilish. Where the chaos really shows up on this chart, however, is what actually stuck around.

So, occasionally, weeks happen on the UK Singles Chart where songs up above drop out or freefall thanks to their “chart ratio” changing to accelerated, which essentially crunches their real streaming numbers and can lead to the chart having a lot of movement in that week when they all coincidentally fall into this period. However, there’s not exactly an influx of new songs waiting for this to happen, and those bubbling under the top 75 haven’t gotten that much traction, so instead we have a bit of a bizarre week where new songs debut higher than they probably should and we have tons of notable gains and returns. As for the re-entries, this includes “Pick Up the Phone” by PAWSA featuring the late Nate Dogg at #74, “Viva la Vida” by Coldplay at #73, “Addicted” by Zerb, The Chainsmokers and Ink at #70, “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” by Luke Combs at #68, “places to be” by Fred again.., Anderson .Paak and CHIKA at #54 and “the boy is mine” by Ariana Grande at #53. On the other hand, there are tons of boosts for a mixed bag that includes “Alibi” by Sevdaliza, Pabllo Vittar and Yseult at #60, “I Love You, I’m Sorry” by Gracie Abrams at #58, “You & Me” by Disclosure featuring Eliza Doolittle at #57, “6 in the Morning” by Flex featuring the late Nate Dogg at #56, “Miles on It” by Kane Brown and Marshmello at #55, “Evergreen” by Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners at #52, “These Words” by Badger and Natasha Bedingfield at #51, “Pink Skies” by Zach Bryan at #43, “Set My Heart on Fire” by Majestic, The Jammin Kid and Céline Dion at #40, “Red Wine Supernova” by Chappell Roan at #39, “Birds ij the Sky” by NewEra at #35, “misses” by Dominic Fike at #34, “Move” by Adam Port, Stryv and Malachiii at #25, “Happier” by The Blessed Madonna featuring Clementine Douglas at #24, “Red Wine Supernova” and “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan at #39 and #19, “Apple”and “360” by Charli xcx at #23 and #18, and finally, “Kisses” by BL3SS and CamrinWatson featuring bbyclose at #13. Phew.

The top five should look somewhat refreshed thanks to some ACR hits and some relatively newer hits rolling in. Firstly, we have Myles Smith at #5 with “Stargazing”, but a much more obviously new track is at #4, as Jimin debuts high with the track “Who”, which for those who don’t follow the charts as religiously or aren’t in the K-pop bubble are probably asking. He’s from BTS, we’ll have more on him later. At #3, which a lot of people will be very happy about, is Chappell Roan with “Good Luck, Babe!” whilst trailing behind Sabrina at #2 we get the similarly sapphic “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish. Of course, Sabrina’s still at the top, so let’s look at what ended up below to see if any of these new tracks are worth sticking around, though most of these have already planted themselves in the top 40 so it seems more than likely. As for what has yet to get there…

New Entries

#50 - “WILDFLOWER” - Billie Eilish

Produced by FINNEAS

The only debut we have for this episode that landed outside of the top 40 is actually a late entry for an album cut from Billie Eilish’s latest record, HIT ME HARD AND SOFT, which I admittedly don’t revisit very often despite really liking it on release. “WILDFLOWER” is around the middle of the album and hits especially hard after “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”. In “WILDFLOWER”, Eilish comforts a woman she had seen experience a rough breakup but eventually forms a relationship with said ex-partner, though the morality of that is up to question and Eilish feels somewhat guilty about having those feelings. That line in the first verse, “I wasn’t there but I know”, is so essential because it frames Eilish as an outsider, who only really saw one part of that relationship during that period, and is now getting to experience what she would have when she was with this person. That extended closeness and vulnerability with her friend not only strengthened her bond with Eilish but also, in a twisted way, Eilish’s relationship with the ex-partner, and I think it actually seems up to interpretation whether this song is directly addressed to her partner who broke her friend’s heart or whether it may actually change perspectives, I think you could do a great deal of analysis there, and the constant use of changing pronouns, whilst clearly necessary for a personal song, make those feelings of guilt feel multiplied and caving in on Eilish. I love the distant indie folk guitars being at a dissonance with the clean, echoing vocals Eilish is known for, and that chorus is heartbreaking. Both the first and second verse start with common post-breakup platitudes that make it appear as if Eilish is attempting to float these feelings off as meaningless, but that image of her is implanted whenever Eilish spends time with her new partner, even adding details about her clothing that make this feel incredibly real. That whispering bridge wherein she pits the love they now feel and how this partner has no intent to hurt her with the knowledge that they very much did hurt someone who is incredibly close to her at a vulnerable moment is honestly both a rough listen and read, it’s a resoundingly effective track about complex subject matter that should feel wordy and difficult to put into song but the Eilish siblings have made so loose and concise by evoking the most instinctual thoughts and feelings as the most constant, giving it a really overwhelming feel. This is the first of two absolutely fantastic songs debuting this week, and is definitely the more respectable opinion I have as, surprisingly enough, those two songs are consecutive. Oh, dear.

#38 - “Brand New Dance” - Eminem

Produced by Eminem and Luis Resto

Sigh, this won’t earn me any friends in the disabled community. Okay, so I’ve been vocal - especially recently - about my love for the silly, obnoxious and frankly confusing 2004 album from Eminem, Encore, and 20 years later, Em has released an album that not only resembles that album but features a song intended for release on it. The Death of Slim Shady, which I have discussed in-depth for the past two weeks here, uses some older vocal recordings to help it feel like Slim Shady, the one Em fans grew up with, is still rapping, and they use a lot of filtering and layering between the two voices to not just make the mix sound grainy and confused - which could be intentional or not, I have no idea - but also emphasise the album’s concept that Em and Slim are competing for room in Marshall’s head and will flash in and out of rapping in one personality or the other. “Brand New Dance” is a Slim Shady-led song that features basically no involvement from a sane Marshall, and is pre-empted by the track “Trouble”, where you hear the two struggling and insulting each other for 40 seconds, as Slim forces Em to down some pills and start making fun of quadriplegics, specifically one that any Eminem fan will be very familiar with: Christopher Reeve, or “Reeves” as Shady often says for the sake of the rhyme. Throughout his wilder moments, Reeve, an actor who played Superman before moving to activism as the result of being involved in an equestrian accident that leaves him in a wheelchair, is mentioned by Eminem, and this is especially true for Encore, including my favourite ever track from him, “Rain Man”, which basically has an entire verse explaining Shady’s love for Superman being torn away when he saw that he was disabled, and he feels guilty about it. Early tracklists for Encore including a song called “Christopher Reeves”, which was then taken off due to the actor’s passing that same year. 20 years later, here it is.

Under the possession of Slim Shady, a largely unaltered recording from 2004 plays, newly entitled “Brand New Dance”, which uses horse neighing and clopping in the beat and functions as a diss track to Reeve, by way of creating a dance fad that involves re-enacting the accident and pretending to be disabled, instructing his audience to “do the Christopher Reeves”. Jesus Christ. When I frame it like that, it seems awful, and given the fact that he’s been dead for nearly two decades now, it still is awful but there’s something so interesting to fixating on Reeve, much like the way he fixates on Caitlyn Jenner for the rest of the album. They’re irrelevant figures known arguably for things outside of their control rather than their careers, becoming easy targets for Slim Shady and demonstrating just how washed the guy is, and hence why he needs to die. In album context, hearing this bizarre beat that mixes the horse sounds with similarly flittery percussive sounds to those used in “My 1st Single” and obnoxious synth buzz, alongside some choral vocals, after a few tracks of semi-serious horror-themed production, does a great job at separating Shady from Em but also takes you by surprise. I know on first listen that I was basically dumbfounded to why and how this was included, and didn’t really understand fully until he literally explains half the album later on “Guilty Conscience 2” that it was recorded back in 2004, with this song and basically all of the album acting as a set-up for the useless, nonsensical and still remarkably offensive punchline that Christopher Reeve ruined the song for Em by dying so he had to take it off. That idea becomes even more egregious when Em talks more solemnly about his death and how it will affect his daughters just a few tracks later, and it may exemplify what I like most about this mixed bag of an album: it commits to the bit, not fully, but chaotically and almost improvisationally, just coming up with ways to one-up the recurring theme of Slim Shady being this shell of a man who echoes Fox News talking points.

As for the song itself, well, it’s incredibly offensive but the weird beat is hilarious and actually very catchy, and Em’s drug-addled, slurring delivery from the early 2000s is my favourite kind of vocal performance from him, making a lot of his multisyllabic rhymes end up a lot smoother to the ear as well as covering up some of the less discretely strange lines. I love how Eminem hasn’t just replaced outdated references with a new vocal take that somehow sounds even worse than 2004, but he’s re-recorded both entire lines and small fragments of bars for seemingly no reason, just to show that the “sane” Em is still in there somewhere. The back and forth between a multi-tracked cartoon voice and a frail sing-songy delivery that almost sounds like AI on the chorus is an inspired idea that places it firmly in the dance fad song canon, and in the second verse, he somehow rhymes several syllables of a line with a bunch of garbled onomatopoeia (more on that in a second). I love the “grand mal seizure” / “grandma, tease her” scheme, and the conceit of those lines is even funnier - next time you see grandma, surprise her and make her feel at home by doing the Christopher Reeves and showing up in a wheelchair. The bridge, where a new melodic vocal from Em is slotted, has been in my head for weeks, and is just the cherry on top of an unnecessarily hateful cake. He comes back, 20 years later, to record a new bridge for an already terribly offensive song, and in that bridge, he basically dedicates the song to Reeve as if this is granting his family any solace, whilst also dissing the guy for literally being deceased, like he’s somehow in control of that. “This is my Chris anthem, I’m giving Chris Reeves his chrysanthemums”. What did he ever do to you, Em?!

The new outro the song closes off with is mostly just him waking up from the Slim Shady nightmare as well as him bringing back the electrolarynx voice from Encore which I just have to be appreciate, even if he’s going to use it to sound vaguely like Stephen Hawking and speak from the perspective of Reeve which is just ridiculous levels of hating. I almost wish he took it back to when he used it not to diss Michael Jackson but complain about what surgery supposedly did to him - he doesn’t hate Michael, but he hates plastic surgeons and hopes they all fucking die. In this song, he’s only annoyed that Christopher Reeve(s) died because it hurts his own product he’s set to release, and ultimately put this out as a sarcastic “tribute” which is just sick, man. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like his family has been quoted to have been offended or anything of the sort but there’s a certain audacity to this song that simultaneously makes me shake my head in denial and also force myself to recognise that this is a throwback to my absolute favourite era of Eminem, with absolutely all the tropes I love about it. It’s one of my favourite top 40 hits of the entire year and God, I wish it wasn’t.

#30 - “Chk Chk Boom” - Stray Kids

Produced by BANG CHAN, DallasK, Chae Kang Hae and RESTART

So Stray Kids are a K-pop boy band that I reviewed once before and somehow enjoyed despite all the chaos and confusion that their previous hit, “LALALALA”, led me down, but now we have a similarly monosyllabic and this time, onomatopoeic song that grants them their first ever top 40 entry, primarily because a lot of what’s above it somewhat crumbled. I have no idea what to expect from K-pop when it comes from less commercialised and Americanised acts (the BTS guys and BLACKPINK girls come to mind), as what they often end up releasing is an amalgamation of western trends in a bilingual mess that places cringeworthy lyrics in the mouths of a wide variety of singers all bundled in the same group, and this is the case even within BTS, though they’ve been smoother with it as long as they’ve been charting in the UK. As for whether my assumptions were correct, this is utter madness encapsulated into two and a half minutes because not even K-pop, which already likes to switch the production up several times within one song, is going to allow for a song to reach three minutes nowadays. We start with this chiptune-like synth that is already flubbery and gross before the boys invade with their explosion sound effects and a rap that honestly is not terrible flow-wise, and they sound much more comfortable in their own language. The industrial drums are honestly kind of sick, especially with that vocal fragment hidden in the percussion, and I wish the pre-chorus didn’t completely override that with a reggaeton rhythm and overproduced swell because it takes some of the impact away, especially when the chorus is so stilted and staccato. One of the track’s producers is actually the oldest band member, BANG CHAN, and he sounds the most confident on the mic, especially in English, I kind of want to hear the foundation of this beat with him delivering some verses. Otherwise, I’m somewhat disappointed this doesn’t go for something utterly insane like a drum and bass bridge, metalcore breakdown or phonk cowbells being introduced in the final chprus for no reason, but it still has the endearing madness of a lot of non-BTS K-pop, which I can always appreciate as a character trait despite it rarely ever being all too listenable.

#7 - “Angel of My Dreams” - JADE

Produced by Mike Sabath

Finally, we have the full round of all four Little Mix solo debuts, and it’s genuinely been pretty interesting, and a lot of the time, assuring, to see how the former quartet has sought to define themselves as singers. Sadly, not much has lasted from these acts in general, which is a shame since I’ve loved material from Leigh-Anne and Perrie, but here, we have Jade Thirlwall’s solo effort, and it makes complete sense that she would end up collaborating with one of RAYE’s producers, Mike Sabath, as this honestly has a similar dynamic, theatrical approach written all over it. That’s not to say that it’s a rip-off or that the sonic palate is all that similar, but the flipping of a sample on its head, the disparate beat switches, the commentary on the popular music industry and the heavy focus on impressive vocal layering, all contributes to a song that RAYE could have been involved in, and to be completely honest, Thirlwall fails to develop much of a unique personality, at least in this one song, instead acting as what sounds like a fusion of a multitude of pop stars, which actually makes perfect sense for the content. The sample in the beginning of the track is a lovelorn snippet from “Puppet on a String”, which Sandie Shaw not only took to #1 but made the first of five wins for the UK at Eurovision all the way back in 1967 in Vienna. The usage of this sample, according to JADE herself, is to play on the trope of the pop singer as a puppet and to demonstrate how that can be simultaneously true and untrue, with the rest of the track and its driving electro synths pouncing on the tension that exists between an act, fame and the fans in particular, to who JADE has a love-hate relationship with, and this is where the Madonna-like vocal inflections start to make sense thematically too considering her surprisingly meta output over the years. I do wish the song did a bit more with the sample to play into the theme more, or actually made that cyclical structure feel like it mattered: the overwhelming bass thrust of the mid-section is clearly supposed to play a contrast against the slower freedom of the R&B-inspired intro and outro, but lyrically, the song remains in the same tone and narrative place for its entire runtime, so it doesn’t feel nearly as cathartic to have that book-end as much as it should.

Regardless, I still think the song is maybe not the most impressive of the Little Mix solo debuts, or at least the one not closest to my taste, but definitely the clearest and most cinematic statement of them, whilst Perrie and Leigh-Anne played it slightly safe, and Jesy… well, we don’t need to talk about that. In regards to how this will stick around, or if Thirlwall will see more solo success, I actually think both the dynamics of this sonically and the more thought-through, daring presentation of how the song is written, grant her a lot more potential than the others, who mostly just stuck to what their strengths always were. She may have taken the longest but she may be the one from Little Mix to make it the furthest or the longest if she keeps up the quality and intrigue this consistently, even if I’m not as over the Moon about this as I want to be. I can tell she has the ability to make something I really love, and the fact that she didn’t come out with it nearly immediately like the other two actually gives me some hope that she’ll have more longevity.

#4 - “Who” - Jimin

Produced by Jon Bellion, Pete Nappi, Tenroc, Pdogg and GHSTLOOP

Man, I wish I could enjoy BTS output more, but a few solo releases ago, outside of those kept more to hip hop and R&B like RM and j-hope, what ends up charting from these guys ends up being the most sugary and watered-down simulation of western pop possible. The fact that we see a lot of the typical gang involved here - Pdogg and GHSTLOOP - as well as pop songwriters such as Nappi and the admittedly very talented Jon Bellion, who I tend to like on a songwriting level a lot more than most due to his unique voice and distinct synthpop pastiche you can always hear even in songs he doesn’t perform himself, does not necessarily give me high hopes that this will do any better of a job than “Like Crazy” at showing me who Jimin really is. In fact, the largely derided “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” probably did a pretty good job at endearing me to Jimin based on lovestruck corniness alone. At least I like the cover art, so that could be a good sign… and well, firstly, the cover art does not fit the song at all but, secondly, I thought Jung Kook was going to be the 2000s R&B and dance-pop throwback guy from BTS, is there really such a need for trend-hopping that we’re going to fuse two distinct acts both on the same roster for the sake of a guaranteed hit? The mix on the guitars feels oddly muddy for this kind of throwback too, probably because of the cloudier 2010s tropical house elements they shower the mix with for no real reason other than shoving whatever can make a “pop hit” in there. Despite that cynical production, the same one that made me really not like “Like Crazy”, I’m actually really fond of this. In fact, I think it’s great.

You can hear Bellion’s voice both in that anthemic and mind-numbingly catchy chorus and the twinkly synth that plays a role best compared to a drum fill, it’s a cute little detail that worse songwriters would not have felt the need to include. I don’t like the mix at all, but it still hits with a solid groove, especially with how percussive other elements are - like that staccato Latin guitar acting as both a background aspect and a distorted one-off in each measure, or, similar to the Stray Kids track, using vocal clips as part of the drums, adding a uniquely hopping texture to it all. Most importantly, the hooks Jimin is delivery are perfect for this kind of youthful R&B-pop, and even if the lyrics are generic, that’ll probably just ingrain them further in my head. It plays to a lot of familiar tropes and in a very obvious way, but through what seems like Jon Bellion just understanding how bland it would have been without his finishing touches, or just the core greatness of that chorus combined with Jimin’s endlessly passionate delivery, it ends up feeling like it’s been there forever. To my surprise, I really do love this in spite of, well, myself, and I can honestly see it sticking around: they may have again hit that sweet spot between their unique character as a K-pop group and the algorithmic coating of Spotify pop that they hit around 2019-2020 as a group. I know that the fans are hiking the streaming and sales up so it won’t last too long or too high, but I can hope that this eventually simmers a return as a sleeper hit because it is pretty excellent.

Conclusion

Well, there’s not much to discuss here, but what is here is frankly on a really solid, way above average level pretty consistently. It was tough between my two ultimate favourites, but Best of the Week goes to Billie Eilish for “WILDFLOWER” as Eminem regretfully takes the Honourable Mention for “Brand New Dance”. Jimin wasn’t particularly close but that doesn’t make his song any worse. As for what takes the bottom spot, I suppose Stray Kids have the Worst of the Week for “Chk Chk Boom” but the song’s fine. As for what’s on the horizon, Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding are back with a new song together, Halsey’s hopped on the sample train and unfortunately, there’s a new Ice Spice album. For now, though, thank you for reading, rest in peace to… sigh, Christopher Reeve, and I’ll see you next week.

[drumlincountry]

Ramble prompt: What was your biggest "ooh!" moment reading Small Farm Future?

Full disclosure: it's one of those books I read a lot of bits of out of order, and I deffo didn't read ALL of it.

My biggest 'ooh!' moment wasn't directly related to farming at all, but a bit early on when the author is like "there is no perfect solution to the climate crisis. There has NEVER been a perfect solution for how humans can live sustainably and there WILL NEVER be. Every solution has positives and negatives associated with it." (not a direct quote.)

Like....that's super obvious once you think a bit. But its something that doesn't get said enough? If a piece of land is used for farming, it can't be a mine or a city street or a river at the same time. It CAN be a better, more biodiverse, more sustainable farm ... it can be a farm/bat habitat/frog habitat with climate-change resilient crops, and a land management approach which reduces the risk of flooding downstream. It could be cooperatively owned, it could be open to the public, it could be an area of semi-natural beauty that inspires and uplifts everyone who sees it. But it can't do all of that and also produce the absolute maximum number of calories of human food per square metre! It can't do that and also be an 'untouched wilderness'.

There are many perfectly decent solutions to climate-crisis-related-issues that get thrown out either 1. b/c people get fixated on the (very real!) downsides* or 2. because it doesn't solve EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE.

Like.... coal is are really convenient ways to store and transport energy! You can carry coal in a bucket. All fossil-fuel-free ways of storing and transporting energy are less convenient than coal. This is a real advantage of fossil fuels! It just so happens that the downsides of fossil fuels are 100000000000x worse than the benefit of that convenience. But you pretend the convenience isn't a factor for ppl, you're denying reality.

"But coal is convenient!" "but slavery-free chocolate is more expensive!" "but democratic decision making is time consuming!" "but restorative justice is more complicated than prisons!" .....all true! all factors that must be taken into account while trying to solve the infinite-headed hydra of ALL OF THE PROBLEMS IN THE WORLD.

Once u throw out that black-and-white thinking and deal with the fact that EVERY problem is an optimisation problem, you can start getting somewhere!

--

*Not that there AREN'T unacceptable downsides. Many so-called solutions to the climate crisis are uhhhhhhhh eugenicist and genocidal! Genocide isn't a solution, genocide is, in fact, A Problem.

[docholligay]

What's the three best and three worst places you've been?

I assume this is like, cities, and not, you know, prison.

Cities to which I very likely can and will return someday I enjoyed them so much:

London, UK

Boston, USA

Minneapolis, USA

Glasgow, UK (I know this is four I know I know shut up)

Cities where I am unlikely ever to darken their door except by absolute necessity:

St. Louis, USA

Cambridge, UK

Atlanta, USA

I enjoy so many more places than I do not enjoy, and this was shockingly hard for me in the positive to narrow it down to three. I have friends outside of London and Boston, and so I had to think carefully on whether or not that affected my answer. I enjoy seeing them, and so that's always a positive.

So, what cities would I return to outside of getting to see a single person I know? The other problem with this is I'll go almost fucking anywhere, I am a very adaptable person and find many ways to have a good time. Even NYC, which was very very hard for me the first time I went, I think I've figured out how to have a great time there. So even my bottom of the barrel, given a cheap and easy chance, I'd probably give another shot, just with knowing what I know now and trying to massage the things I didn't like.

London: Samuel Johnson said that when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life, and that's remained true for me. Not only is there a lot to do--this is true of many big cities--but the vibe of the city is much more low to the ground is the only way I can think of to say it, compared to NYC and LA, both of which genuinely have a lot offer but feel extremely frenetic to me in a way London does not. Narrowly beat out Paris simply because the subway is better than Paris'. Also it is I think more chill than Paris, but I sort of like the ways Paris is out of its mind.

Boston: This is another one I would call "Low to the ground" in a way that I think makes no sense to anyone but me. It feels like people live in Boston. Also I eat my weight in oysters at least once a trip. Great food scene on both expensive and cheap ends.

Minneapolis: The whole world is sleeping on Minneapolis. They have a rapidly growing food scene, great craft beer scene, the sculpture park is immense amounts of fun even in winter (a/n: I am cold-hardy), and minnesota nice is a REAL thing. We walked into a brewery and were standing at the counter, I said something offhandedly to Jetty about how it was real wet and cold out that day, and the guy at the counter was like, "Oh you don't have to buy a beer just to get out of the cold! Go ahead." I wanted the beer, mind, but I thought the attitude was great. We went to a piano bar that made its own mini pop tarts that were shockingly great, also go to Black Sheep Coal Fired for pizza.

Glasgow: I will spend the rest of my natural life trying to talk people into going to Glasgow, and probably fail because everyone wants to go fucking Edinburgh because it's instagrammable and ~'arry Potter~ and whatever. Anyhow, I did not hate Edinburgh at all despite that bitter little screed, but much like Minneapolis, people are sleeping on Glasgow. Great boutique hotels at extremely fair prices, amazing Indian food (Dishoom did beat Mother India out, but damn is it close as fuck, and Ashoka won for me for casual Indian), and again, like Minneapolis: The people. Are so. Nice. Legit if I had left my passport on a bus in any other city I feel I would have been fucked, but on a weekend, the bus system and the extremely nice people at the coffee shop were all working to try and get it back to me (and we did!) And the gal at our little hotel took time to chat with us every evening (full disclosure: She was Irish, and when she found out we were from a rural part of America, she spent so so much time trying to talk us into rural Ireland for our next trip, because we'd love the vibe of it. Someday), and I had the ABSOLUTE WORST old fashioned of my life made by the most amazingly kind woman in history, and I drank the whole thing and thanked her profusely. The pub near our hotel was incredible and homey (little boutique hotels are in neighborhoods there. Fantastic.) Glaswegians GET THEIR PARTY ON EARLY, mind.

[gaybd1]

Chris watches the muppet Christmas carol for the first time

full disclosure I have been imbibing alcohol as I tend to do for these things lol

I know this thing slaps and I actually have no idea how I’ve never seen this, I didn’t grow up in a particularly muppets-appreciating household I guess??

I don’t have the clearest memory of how the story goes aside from major plot points either so this should be fun

oh no someone’s being stolen

god my immediate reaction is we need more of these and we should just make a muppets version of every literature classic

Charles dickens, that guys gonzo right? I swear I know most of their names bc I watched Sesame Street as a kid

Right? All these guys are in Sesame Street?

ooooo the marleys, don’t remember the dead marleys, how intriguing

Ohhhhh it’s a MUSICAL?!?! the SMILE that just came across my face…

I know who plays Scrooge but I do love that we haven’t seen his face yet. Adds to the … worldbuilding? lol. And mystery

omg this is deep I’ve never considered Scrooge a victim of anything

I’m sorry I’m like five minutes into this and losing my mind at how much of a masterpiece this is

Ah face reveal. I’m sorry I’m like a huge Michael Caine stan

Wait what if he killed the marleys like as far as I remember that’s not what happened but WHAT IF HE DID

Okay real question is Scrooge canonically Jewish bc I’ve always had kind of an antisemitic caricature vibe about him which then would actually totally excuse his not celebrating Christmas

These bookkeepers are great

Fred lol

I do get an angry repressed gay vibe from Scrooge maybe he’s be less grumpy if he got a bf

Jacob and Robert Marley were OBVIOUSLY gay married and Scrooge wanted to be their third but never got up the guts to make it happen

Also they probably loved Christmas and so….

Okay I mean I see now that they are muppets and he is not so uh

I also see that they clearly do not love Christmas

What’s with the chains

Oh yeah I remember

Anyway yeah that scene w those guys was creepy

Where’s miss piggy, man ain’t she a muppet

I love the like narrator voyeurism going on

Omg tHIS GHOST IS CREEPY AF

It’s been a few minutes and I still don’t want to look at her

I’ve always been obsessed w how he did all this traveling in his nightie lol

His name is ebenezer so why do his school friends have such top-10 English names like Michael … more evidence for my theory…

Oh there’s a girl … yeah right…

“I love you” “you did once” OOF yeah he must be fully gay now I see the way he’s looking at her

I don’t care about this song at all move on please

And not a fan of old Scrooge singing with her

I’m sorry not to be heterophobic but this song seems to disrupt the whole vibe of the movie anyway

Next ghost is less creepy at least

I like the weird amusement Scrooge has about him

This song is good

The happiness Scrooge is slowly starting to show aww

this Santa Christmas ghost is definitely high off something

Oh yay Kermit cratchit is married to miss piggy. And their kids are so cute

God bless us, every one!

Wtf Santa’s all old now??

Lol remember having to start your life again every morning and dying every night

WTF WHY IS THIS NEXT GHOST SO SCARY TOO I’m starting to realize why my parents didn’t show this to me when I was a kid lol I was such a baby about creepy shit and STILL AM

And WTF IS THIS SPIDER THING idk if I like this movie so much anymore lol

Really love how accurate and faithful this is and it’s FOR KIDS/families

A Christmas Carol is actually about the journey of accepting one’s queer identity. In this essay I will

But it also really does feel like converting that poor Jewish man to Christmas-ianity omg I’ll have to check up on that

That turkey got a FAT ASS DAYUM

Buying the bookkeepers coal like I know they asked for it and it’s useful but it’s actually so funny

Fred’s wife looks 15 years old yikes

Why would Scrooge fuck w bob like that lmaooo

okay yeah that was cute though I’m glad I saw it

[girderednerve]

finished listening to this audiobook about coal worker's pneumoconiosis, yay

the book is soul full of coal dust by chris hamby. a lot of it is very good! it provides a brief history of CWP primarily in appalachia, then gets into the modern regulatory history of coal dust, beginning with the 'black lung insurgency' of the late 60s & early 70s. he cites derickson, i love it so much when i am reading a new thing and it cites something i already know i am always like 'yeehaw that's my buddy, noted labor historian alan derickson, whom i have never met.' anyway it's concise & engaging on that front imo although i understand if you don't trust my judgment here

most of the book is interested in very specific procedural problems around black lung safety regulation & the black lung benefits program, which hamby mostly examines via a former miner named gary fox and his lawyer, john kline. the human details are reported with depth & care & i found them moving. the end of the book is sort of awkward, as hamby tries to find for us a victory—primarily the new medical disclosure rule in black lung benefits cases, although he also points to new dust limits in coal mines—even as the situation seems pretty fucking dire. if you look at any NIOSH reports about black lung & particularly progressive massive fibrosis (a condition caused by extensive exposure to both coal dust & silica; i have only read about it as PMF, but hamby calls it 'complex black lung,' so idk what the technical term is), you will see that they both trend sharply upwards over the last few decades. the reasons for this trend are complex & entrenched: aggressively mechanized mining, longer shifts, narrower coal seams, years of cursory enforcement for insufficiently rigorous dust exposure standards, plus other stuff i've forgotten. we might consider decreased unionization, too. anyway that part is bleak, but now at least when you have to go to court to get your former employer to pay you a monthly fucking pittance for exposing you to deadly coal dust for years, they have to give you all the medical evidence they collect as they try to discredit you! yay? it's one of those regulatory changes which is profoundly small & incremental but does have a meaningful effect on people's lives. it is just hard to get excited when you've gone into exhaustive detail about how every other part of the process is also bad & evil. maybe that is a me problem. it was very interesting

other things i noted: this book dodges a lot of large-scale politics, although hamby is obviously on the side of labor; he (very pointedly, imo) avoids talking about coal miners' personal politics. soul full of coal dust also doesn't really address the environmental aspects of coal mining at all; it's pretty focused on the risks & indignities of black lung from underground mining. there's a brief moment where the practice of coal mining is connected to air quality risks for the surrounding communities, and i wanted to read more about that. i think i have a reasonably high tolerance for reading about the law & i thought this book went a little long on the court stuff, so i would've preferred some more environmental connections. especially since rates of black lung in surface coal workers are also ticking up!

anyway good book good time i recommend it & i think we should all spend more time contemplating industrial dust inhalation disease

[accapitalmarket]

Big tax increases spook markets, UK100 and GBP lower

UK stocks ended mixed on Wednesday, together with the pound, while gilt prices were volatile as investors assessed the new Labour government’s first Budget.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the biggest UK tax increases in almost half a century, totaling £40bn, and also paved the way for higher borrowing for long-term investment to speed up Britain's sluggish economy.

But initial reactions to her lengthy speech suggested investors were largely unfazed by the Labour Party's first economic program since it won a landslide election victory in July.

UK government bond prices rose as Reeves addressed parliament, but then fell back on further reflection later in the day.

GBPUSD H1

On the foreign exchanges, sterling slipped 0.08% versus the US dollar to 1.3004 after US data showed GDP third quarter annualised growth was 2.8%, slightly down from the previous quarter. And against the euro, the pound shed 0.47% at 1.1974.

At the stock market close in London, the FTSE 100 index was 0.7% lower at 8,159, but the more domestically focused FTSE 250 index ended 0.4% higher at 20,694 as the Budget measures proved no worse than expected for UK investors.

Betting firm Entain was the top blue chip gainers, ahead 8.6%, cheered by the Budget news that there will be no increase in gambling duty.

Away from the Budget, another wave of corporate news and results provided a major focus. Drugs giant AstraZeneca shed 2.8% on news that the president of its China business is co-operating with an investigation by the country’s regulatory authorities.

Pharma peer GSK fell 3.1% after warning in its third quarter results that vaccine sales will drop this year, dealing a blow to chief executive Emma Walmsley’s turnaround plan.

But Standard Chartered was a blue-chip gainer after results, up 4.1% as the Asia-focused lender upgraded its income guidance for the current financial year on the back of record quarterly growth from its Wealth Solutions and Global Markets segments.

Clothing and homewares retailer Next was also in the black, ahead 1.1% as it boosted its guidance for both the crucial fourth quarter and the full year after a recent cold snap caused sales to surge.

UK100 H1

Miner Glencore added 1.2% after a mixed production performance for the first three quarters of the year, with copper, cobalt, zinc, and nickel output generally lower year-on-year, while steelmaking coal saw a significant increase.

But diversified miner Anglo American shed 3.9% amid reports that its former suitor BHP has moved on and is intending to focus on other growth opportunities.

And defence firm BAE Systems shed 0.8% in reaction to news of a major fire at its Barrow-in-Furness shipyard that builds Britain's nuclear submarines.

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[slutty-urbanist]

Why the Statistic “Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions” annoys me so much.

On 10 July 2017, The Guardian released an article titled “Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions, study says” and since then the internet has used it in the most annoying way possible. But to understand that, we first have to understand the article and the report it’s based on. The article is reporting on the Carbon Majors Report by the Carbon Disclosure Project. The Carbon Majors Report was a novel (in 2017) way of calculating who is responsible for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The traditional way of calculating responsibility is to base it off of the pollution produced by each country. The advantage of this method is the ability to see the location where pollution is being produced. Another method of tracking pollution responsibility is by the pollution caused by the consumption of each country. The advantage of this method is the ability to see where pollution ends up and which countries are ultimately benefiting from pollution. The Carbon Majors Report’s innovation was to track GHG responsibility by the institution that was doing the polluting and all downstream pollution caused by their activities. Downstream pollution means all pollution caused by other individuals and institutions using the product that the institution sells, eg: someone buying petrol and burning it to drive their car would be accounted as caused by the oil company that extracted the oil.

So what were the results of this method of tracking polluting responsibility? They found that between 1988 and 2015, 100 economic institutions were responsible for 70.6% of global industrial emissions. This is where the Guardian headline came from. Except there’s one discrepancy. The headline left out the word industrial. That might seem like a small omission, but it changes the meaning of the whole sentence. Industrial emissions are emissions from energy use and industrial output and as explained by the Carbon Majors Report on page 7 “Non-industrial GHG emissions consist of carbon dioxide relating to land-use change, and methane from sources such as farming and landfills.” Industrial emissions account for 78.4% of total emissions over the period while non-industrial emissions account for 21.6%. This means that the Guardian headline should have said that 100 companies emit 55% (70.6%*78.4%) of emissions.

So is that all that annoys me about this statistic? That the Guardian got a statistic wrong on a technicality? No. What annoys me about this statistic is the way people use it to shirk their responsibility for stopping climate change. People will often say “why should I have to use my car less? 71% of emissions are from 100 companies.” So why does that annoy me? Well, let’s look at who these 100 companies actually are. Chinese Coal, Saudi Aramco, Gazprom, National Iranian Oil, Exxon Mobil. All 100 of the companies are fossil fuel companies (often state owned) that extract either coal, oil, or methane gas. So the statistic could be reformulated as 55% of emissions come from coal, oil, and methane gas, which is just like no shit. So when someone brings up this statistic to avoid personal responsibility what they’re actually saying is “I shouldn’t have to reduce my greenhouse gas emissions because half of emissions are caused by fossil fuels.” Not a coherent argument.

But, I hear you object, “Personal responsibility is not enough to solve the climate crisis, collective action is necessary.” And I agree, collective action is necessary, which brings me to the way that people use this statistic that annoys me the most. Which is when people use it to deny collective responsibility. The most common form this takes is saying “Why should I have to pay carbon tax, 100 companies cause 71% of emissions.” This boils my blood. Why should you have to pay carbon tax because you contribute to the 55% of emissions caused by fossil fuels? Why should you have to be slightly inconvenienced for the pollution you caused? Because if you’re going to benefit from polluting the atmosphere, then you should pay the costs of your actions.

And that’s why the way people use the statistic “Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions” annoys me.

Bibliography

Guardian: Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions, study says

CDP Carbon Majors Report 2017

Fact Checking the Internet’s Favourite Statistic by hazelisonline

Corporate Greenhouse Gas Protocol

Sector by sector: where do global greenhouse gas emissions come from?