#construction owner's representative

[kidsgiftexp]

Project Management Consultancy Services | Adaptive

Looking for top-notch Project Management Consultancy Services? Look no further than Adaptive! Our experienced team offers tailored solutions to streamline your projects, from planning to execution. With a focus on efficiency and quality, we ensure timely delivery and cost-effective outcomes. Trust Adaptive for expert guidance, comprehensive project oversight, and successful results every time.

[bcgroup268]

Why Should Hospitality Real Estate Developers Use a Development Owner’s Representative?

For hospitality real estate developers, leveraging a Development Owners Representative can significantly enhance project outcomes. These representatives act as an extension of real estate development companies , providing expertise and oversight from project inception to completion. By ensuring that every aspect of the development aligns with the developer's vision and goals, they help mitigate risks and streamline the construction process.

A Development Owner’s Representative brings invaluable insights into Commercial real estate construction management. They coordinate between various stakeholders, handle complex logistics, and ensure that projects adhere to budgets and timelines. This comprehensive management approach is particularly beneficial in the hospitality sector, where the integration of design, functionality, and guest experience is crucial.

For real estate development companies, partnering with a Development Owner’s Representative means having a dedicated advocate who prioritizes their interests. This collaboration fosters more efficient communication, better problem-solving, and ultimately, more successful project completions.

Explore the detailed benefits and real-world examples of how a Development Owner’s Representative can elevate your next hospitality project in our latest blog post here.

[aceprojectmanagement]

Owner Representative

[generalcontractorsflorida]

What does an Owner's Agent do in Construction Management of Project?

Hiring an Owner's Agent is helpful in the Construction Management. He will add value to the entire process and complete your project within the deadline without facing significant challenges. You will have your dream project ready on time.

[consultleopardcpm]

Construction owner's representative services nyc

Consult Leopard provides CPM construction schedules, construction consulting services, CPM schedules, construction delay analysis, construction bidding services including CPM baseline schedule development, construction bid template and progress update. https://consultleopard.com/leopard-becomes-oracle-partnernetwork-member/

[aronarchy]

Why we don’t like it when children hit us back

To all the children who have ever been told to “respect” someone that hated them.

March 21, 2023

Even those of us that are disturbed by the thought of how widespread corporal punishment still is in all ranks of society are uncomfortable at the idea of a child defending themself using violence against their oppressors and abusers. A child who hits back proves that the adults “were right all along,” that their violence was justified. Even as they would cheer an adult victim for defending themself fiercely.

Even those “child rights advocates” imagine the right child victim as one who takes it without ever stopping to love “its” owners. Tear-stained and afraid, the child is too innocent to be hit in a guilt-free manner. No one likes to imagine the Brat as Victim—the child who does, according to adultist logic, deserve being hit, because they follow their desires, because they walk the world with their head high, because they talk back, because they are loud, because they are unapologetically here, and resistant to being cast in the role of guest of a world that is just not made for them.

If we are against corporal punishment, the brat is our gotcha, the proof that it is actually not that much of an injustice. The brat unsettles us, so much that the “bad seed” is a stock character in horror, a genre that is much permeated by the adult gaze (defined as “the way children are viewed, represented and portrayed by adults; and finally society’s conception of children and the way this is perpetuated within institutions, and inherent in all interactions with children”), where the adult fear for the subversion of the structures that keep children under control is very much represented.

It might be very well true that the Brat has something unnatural and sinister about them in this world, as they are at constant war with everything that has ever been created, since everything that has been created has been built with the purpose of subjugating them. This is why it feels unnatural to watch a child hitting back instead of cowering. We feel like it’s not right. We feel like history is staring back at us, and all the horror we felt at any rebel and wayward child who has ever lived, we are feeling right now for that reject of the construct of “childhood innocence.” The child who hits back is at such clash with our construction of childhood because we defined violence in all of its forms as the province of the adult, especially the adult in authority.

The adult has an explicit sanction by the state to do violence to the child, while the child has both a social and legal prohibition to even think of defending themself with their fists. Legislation such as “parent-child tort immunity” makes this clear. The adult’s designed place is as the one who hits, and has a right and even an encouragement to do so, the one who acts, as the person. The child’s designed place is as the one who gets hit, and has an obligation to accept that, as the one who suffers acts, as the object. When a child forcibly breaks out of their place, they are reversing the supposed “natural order” in a radical way.

This is why, for the youth liberationist, there should be nothing more beautiful to witness that the child who snaps. We have an unique horror for parricide, and a terrible indifference at the 450 children murdered every year by their parents in just the USA, without even mentioning all the indirect suicides caused by parental abuse. As a Psychology Today article about so-called “parricide” puts it:

Unlike adults who kill their parents, teenagers become parricide offenders when conditions in the home are intolerable but their alternatives are limited. Unlike adults, kids cannot simply leave. The law has made it a crime for young people to run away. Juveniles who commit parricide usually do consider running away, but many do not know any place where they can seek refuge. Those who do run are generally picked up and returned home, or go back on their own: Surviving on the streets is hardly a realistic alternative for youths with meager financial resources, limited education, and few skills.

By far, the severely abused child is the most frequently encountered type of offender. According to Paul Mones, a Los Angeles attorney who specializes in defending adolescent parricide offenders, more than 90 percent have been abused by their parents. In-depth portraits of such youths have frequently shown that they killed because they could no longer tolerate conditions at home. These children were psychologically abused by one or both parents and often suffered physical, sexual, and verbal abuse as well—and witnessed it given to others in the household. They did not typically have histories of severe mental illness or of serious and extensive delinquent behavior. They were not criminally sophisticated. For them, the killings represented an act of desperation—the only way out of a family situation they could no longer endure.

- Heide, Why Kids Kill Parents, 1992.

Despite these being the most frequent conditions of “parricide,” it still brings unique disgust to think about it for most people. The sympathy extended to murdering parents is never extended even to the most desperate child, who chose to kill to not be killed. They chose to stop enduring silently, and that was their greatest crime; that is the crime of the child who hits back. Hell, children aren’t even supposed to talk back. They are not supposed to be anything but grateful for the miserable pieces of space that adults carve out in a world hostile to children for them to live following adult rules. It isn’t rare for children to notice the adult monopoly on violence and force when they interact with figures like teachers, and the way they use words like “respect.” In fact, this social dynamic has been noticed quite often:

Sometimes people use “respect” to mean “treating someone like a person” and sometimes they use “respect” to mean “treating someone like an authority” and sometimes people who are used to being treated like an authority say “if you won’t respect me I won’t respect you” and they mean “if you won’t treat me like an authority I won’t treat you like a person” and they think they’re being fair but they aren’t, and it’s not okay.

(https://soycrates.tumblr.com/post/115633137923/stimmyabby-sometimes-people-use-respect-to-mean)

But it has received almost no condemnation in the public eye. No voices have raised to contrast the adult monopoly on violence towards child bodies and child minds. No voices have raised to praise the child who hits back. Because they do deserve praise. Because the child who sets their foot down and says this belongs to me, even when it’s something like their own body that they are claiming, is committing one of the most serious crimes against adult society, who wants them dispossessed.

Sources:

“The Adult Gaze: a tool of control and oppression,” https://livingwithoutschool.com/2021/07/29/the-adult-gaze-a-tool-of-control-and-oppression

“Filicide,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filicide

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Today, we have a bunker for sale. It's not as interesting as a decommissioned missile tower. "Originally constructed in the 1960s at a cost of $4.5 million, an equivalent value today exceeding $34 million, this bunker represents the pinnacle of security and resilience." Located in Polo, Missouri, 35 min. from Kansas City, it has 4bds, 2ba, $2M.

The entrance hall has an industrial look, but they tired to make the home look elegant.

It has 2 massive 3,000 pound blast doors, 2.5-foot-thick concrete walls, additional layers of earth & EMP-resistant copper shielding, plus an emergency escape hatch and a towering 177-ft communication tower.

it's roomy- look at the size of the living room. One must wonder why people decorate these with traditional furniture. It needs colorful, modern stuff.

There's a bar for entertaining.

One of the bathrooms.

This is a soundproof room- it's not as if there are any neighbors around, though.

They have a home office here.

Laundry and stuff. The self-sufficient home has a private water well, a pump, and a 10,000-gallon stainless steel water storage tank, all connected to a Water Filtration System.

And, here's your new hobby- it's a glass blowing studio. I wonder if the owner would teach the new owner how to use it.

Looks like a massive air system.

Above the workshop is a large loft area.

There's a family room- notice the windows above, they are for some of the bedrooms. There's also supposed to be a home theater room, but it's not shown.

On the 2nd fl. is the 2nd bath. Not liking the hole in the wall behind the toilet.

This is the kitchen.

This is an odd place to locate the kitchen w/all this other equipment.

Through the kitchen you can see the upstairs living room.

You can see that the kitchen is on the other side.

The bedrooms are off a hall off of the living room.

The bedrooms.

This area serves as a closet.

The plot of land is 10.5 acres and the real estate description suggests that you can built your dream home on it, over the bunker.

[astrojulia]

Tarot Cards as Professions

Navigation:   Masterlist✦Ask Rules✦Feedback Tips

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Major Arcanas:

The Fool: Work with abroad, connections with imports, language teacher, multinationals, entrepreneur, intern, college student, art major.

The Magician: Entrepreneur, job that needs skill with the hands (acupuncture, hairdresser, artisan), actor, salesperson, influencer.

The High Priestess: Education, especially children, nutrition, psychology, cook, housewife, food engineering, toy factory, fortuneteller, spiritual advisor, librarian.

The Empress: Management, business administration, foreign trade, secretariat, translation, decoration, stay-at-home mom, model, cook, farmer.

The Emperor: Business administration, work related to areas of technological innovation, the military or sportsmen, CEO, tycoon.

The Hierophant: Philanthropic areas, ONGs, religious work, social work, diplomacy, and a degree, journalism, writer, editor, priest, spiritual guru, politician.

The Lovers: Sales area in any sector, tourism, theater, advertising, the arts in general, porn star, stripper, masseuse.

The Chariot: Activities related to transport, cars, the latest technology, chauffeur, mechanic, athlete.

Strength: Aesthetics, physical education and various body therapies, medicine, zoologist.

The Hermit: Teacher, writer, doctor, antique dealer, restorer, librarian, gardener.

Wheel of Fortune: Financial market, exchange offices, casinos, lottery houses, stock exchanges, and areas related to public relations, hospitality, game show host.

Justice: Public jobs, won through competitions, politics, police, with government positions, in the diplomatic area, law, insurance company worker.

The Hanged Man: Nurse, auditor, inspector, porter, secretariat, general assistants, yoga instructor, prison guard, philanthropist.

Death: Doctor, farmer, geologist, business administrator, gardener, accountant, assassin, death row executioner, surgeon.

Temperance: Working with liquids in general or with what is transported in liquid form such as alcoholic beverages, medicines, juices. chemist, chef, food critic, regional or even international traffic.

The Devil: Does not limit the individual to a professional wing, so he can also go to extremes for the desire he has, such as landlord, drug lord, sex trafficker.

The Tower: Social assistance, humanitarian aid, medicine, firefighter, police officer, construction worker.

The Star: Music, painting, sculpture, poetry, cinema, makeup artist, dressmaker, beautician, agent, promoter, sound artist, astronomer, harpist, dealer, meteorologist.

The Moon: Oceanographers, sailors, fishermen, owners of bars and restaurants or nightclubs, artists in general, medium, hypnotist, psychiatrist.

The Sun: Motivational speaker, entertainer, comedian, social relationships, work with the public, artist in general, member of society.

Judgment: Work done at home, connection with the law, lawyer, judge, work with disabled or people excluded from society, social assistance, board member, executive producer, director.

The World: Pharmacist, massage therapist, scientist, teacher, community leader, religious leader or priest, fashion designer, makeup artist, interior decorator.

Wands:

Creative industries such as advertising, marketing, and graphic design.

Entrepreneurship and starting your own business.

Athletics, sports coaching, or physical training.

Outdoor jobs like park ranger or tour guide.

Event planning or organizing.

Firefighters or rescue workers.

Ace of Wands: Entrepreneur, startup founder, motivational speaker, fitness coach, personal trainer.

Two of Wands: Business strategist, project manager, travel agent, international consultant, import/export specialist.

Three of Wands: Sales representative, marketing manager, e-commerce entrepreneur, market researcher, international trade coordinator.

Four of Wands: Event planner, wedding coordinator, party organizer, festival manager, hospitality industry professional.

Five of Wands: Conflict resolution specialist, mediator, lawyer, debate coach, competitive sports coach.

Six of Wands: Public relations manager, spokesperson, social media influencer, motivational speaker, winning athlete.

Seven of Wands: Defense attorney, human rights activist, political campaigner, advocate, civil liberties lawyer.

Eight of Wands: Courier, delivery driver, airline pilot, travel blogger, expedition guide.

Nine of Wands: Security guard, bodyguard, soldier, endurance athlete, self-defense instructor.

Ten of Wands: Overworked entrepreneur, project manager, event organizer, professional organizer, heavy equipment operator.

Page of Wands: Assistant in a creative field, aspiring artist, intern in a startup, social media coordinator, apprentice.

Knight of Wands: Travel journalist, adventure tour guide, professional athlete, race car driver, stunt performer.

Queen of Wands: CEO, business owner, charismatic leader, life coach, influential speaker.

King of Wands: Executive manager, entrepreneur, leadership coach, consultant, director of a creative agency.

Cups:

Counseling, therapy, or social work.

Hospitality industry, including restaurant management and bartending.

Wedding planner or event coordinator.

Artistic fields like poetry, writing, or acting.

Healing professions such as nursing or holistic therapy.

Psychologist or counselor specializing in emotions and relationships.

Ace of Cups: Therapist, counselor, social worker, holistic healer, emotional support specialist.

Two of Cups: Marriage counselor, matchmaker, relationship coach, wedding planner, love psychic.

Three of Cups: Event organizer, party planner, celebratory event coordinator, community organizer.

Four of Cups: Meditation teacher, mindfulness coach, spiritual counselor, psychologist, therapist.

Five of Cups: Grief counselor, trauma therapist, hospice worker, emotional healing practitioner, bereavement support.

Six of Cups: Child psychologist, teacher, daycare worker, children's book author, pediatric nurse.

Seven of Cups: Creative writer, fantasy novelist, imaginative artist, dream analyst, visionary.

Eight of Cups: Travel blogger, adventure seeker, spiritual pilgrim, explorer, wanderlust photographer.

Nine of Cups: Life coach, happiness consultant, gratitude coach, self-help author, wellness retreat organizer.

Ten of Cups: Family therapist, marriage and family counselor, foster care advocate, wedding planner, family mediator.

Page of Cups: Creative writer, artist in training, intuitive healer, aspiring therapist, dream interpreter.

Knight of Cups: Actor, romantic poet, musician, art therapist, love and relationship coach.

Queen of Cups: Psychic reader, intuitive healer, counselor, compassionate caregiver, therapist.

King of Cups: Therapist, counselor, intuitive mentor, emotional intelligence trainer, psychologist.

Swords:

Legal professions like lawyers, judges, or law enforcement officers.

Journalists, reporters, or investigators.

IT specialists, computer programmers, or hackers.

Teachers or professors specializing in critical thinking or philosophy.

Military or defense-related careers.

Strategic planners or analysts.

Ace of Swords: Lawyer, judge, legal consultant, investigative journalist, strategic planner.

Two of Swords: Mediator, conflict resolution specialist, negotiator, diplomat, relationship counselor.

Three of Swords: Divorce lawyer, grief counselor, trauma therapist, emotional healer, heart surgeon.

Four of Swords: Rest and relaxation specialist, meditation teacher, spiritual retreat organizer, yoga instructor.

Five of Swords: Military strategist, competitive sports coach, lawyer specializing in litigation, debate coach.

Six of Swords: Travel agent, relocation consultant, therapist specializing in transitions, boat captain.

Seven of Swords: Private investigator, spy, intelligence analyst, cybersecurity expert, undercover agent.

Eight of Swords: Social justice lawyer, human rights advocate, disability rights activist, therapist specializing in limiting beliefs.

Nine of Swords: Insomnia specialist, anxiety therapist, nightmare counselor, sleep coach, mental health counselor.

Ten of Swords: Surgeon, coroner, forensic scientist, mortician, grief counselor.

Page of Swords: Researcher, journalist, fact-checker, apprentice in a legal field, investigative reporter.

Knight of Swords: Military officer, police officer, attorney, competitive fencer, conflict resolution specialist.

Queen of Swords: Judge, lawyer, critic, journalist, literary agent.

King of Swords: Judge, attorney, CEO, strategist, military general.

Pentacles:

Financial advisors or investment bankers.

Real estate agents or property developers.

Agriculture, farming, or gardening.

Architects, builders, or construction workers.

Conservationists or environmentalists.

Accountants or bookkeepers.

Ace of Pentacles: Financial advisor, investment banker, wealth manager, entrepreneur, luxury goods retailer.

Two of Pentacles: Financial analyst, accountant, bookkeeper, event planner, stock trader.

Three of Pentacles: Architect, contractor, project manager, teamwork facilitator, craftsman.

Four of Pentacles: Wealth manager, investor, financial planner, asset protection specialist, treasurer.

Five of Pentacles: Social worker, philanthropist, charity organizer, financial counselor, volunteer.

Six of Pentacles: Philanthropist, humanitarian worker, non-profit manager, social worker, charitable fundraiser.

Seven of Pentacles: Gardener, farmer, agricultural consultant, sustainability expert, botanist.

Eight of Pentacles: Craftsperson, artisan, apprentice, skilled tradesperson, technical trainer.

Nine of Pentacles: Luxury brand manager, independent business owner, successful entrepreneur, vineyard owner, art collector.

Ten of Pentacles: Real estate developer, property investor, family business owner, generational wealth manager, financial advisor.

Page of Pentacles: Intern, student, apprentice in a practical field, aspiring entrepreneur, entry-level employee.

Knight of Pentacles: Accountant, financial planner, farmer, skilled tradesperson, meticulous worker.

Queen of Pentacles: CEO, business owner, property developer, hospitality industry entrepreneur, financial advisor.

King of Pentacles: CEO, business mogul, successful investor, high-level executive, financial consultant.

(CC) AstroJulia Some Rights Reserved

[gothhabiba]

The immediate impact of the Israeli occupation was to exacerbate unemployment: service jobs for the Egyptian army and UN forces vanished, trade with Egypt halted, and the port was closed. Moreover, since the combined GNP of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip was only 2.6 percent of the Israeli GNP in 1967, they faced inevitable integration into the Israeli economy as the occuption continued. Furthermore, Israeli policies increased the Strip's dependency. These practices included permitting only certain Gaza products to be sold within Israel, flooding the Gaza market with Israeli goods, restructuring Gaza's agriculture, and encouraging Arab laborers to work in Israel.

The Balance and Composition of Trade. After only one year of occupation, 72 percent of Gaza's imports came from Israel; no imports were allowed from Egypt, and 1 percent of its imports came from Jordan (the balance came from Europe). This represented a dramatic shift, since all the prewar trade had been either directly with Egypt or with Europe and Asia through the Gaza port. [...]

A decade later the shift in trading patterns was even more pronounced. [...] 91 percent of imports came from Israel, and nothing was imported from Jordan or Egypt. [...] Dates, strawberries, and vegetables were also sold to Israel, and local industries engaged in subcontracting for Israeli firms.

Agriculture and industry were both hard hit by Israeli competition. Israeli eggs, poultry, and even vegetables sell at lower prices than local produce, and virtually all canned and bottled goods come from Israel. [...]

A 15 percent excise tax and soaring inflation erode the profits of merchants and factory owners. Gazans have no way to hedge against inflation, since the Israeli shekel is the only legal tender on the Strip.

Restructuring Agriculture. Israel has prevented farmers from exporting to Israel any items that compete with Israeli produce and has imposed restrictions on the planting of certain crops. As a result, the output of melons, onions, grapes, almonds, olives, and fish has decreased. Farmers need permits to plant trees and vegetables.

[...] The government has encouraged production of some specialized crops, such as strawberries and dates. Farmers in Beit Lahiya village say that they were ordered to grow strawberries and would otherwise have been prevented from using their land and well. These strawberries are marketed exclusively through Ashkelon port by the Israeli export firm Agrexco. No permits, however, have been given to farmers to plant such crops as mangoes and avocados, which are also grown in Israel.

Arab Labor in Israel. In 1970, 10 percent of the Gaza labor force was employed in Israel, but at present approximately 40 percent (35,000 persons) work there. This includes 25,000 workers who are registered with the official labor exchange and another 10,000 who work illegally. The high unemployment within the Strip and the fact that wages inside Israel were five times those in the Strip made such employment irresistible.

[...] Even those holding regular jobs face difficult conditions. For example, it is illegal for them to remain inside Israel from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. But employers and workers collude in circumventing the law so that the workers will not have to spend several hours every day commuting. Farmers let laborers sleep in huts, abandoned buses, or even in the open under the orange trees. In town, workers jam into hostels, sleep on construction sites, or spread out on the floor in restaurants. There have been cases of disasters when workers locked into factories at night were unable to escape when fires broke out. [...]

The overall impact of Israeli economic policy is to turn the Gaza Strip into a large labor camp. The Strip is a source of cheap labor for Israel and its internal economic base is continually eroded.

– 1985. Ann M. Lesch, "Gaza: Forgotten Corner of Palestine." Journal of Palestine Studies 15.1, pp. 43-61. Emphasis mine.

[bcgroup268]

Why might a real estate development firm need a development owner's representative?

Are you curious about the critical role played by a development owner’s representative in the realm of real estate construction management? Dive into this insightful piece to understand the significant impact that these representatives have on the efficiency, profitability, and overall success of commercial real estate development projects. Discover how these representatives bring specialized knowledge and experience to the table and manage large-scale projects. Their strategic planning and expertise not only help projects stay on track but also contribute to the long-term success of the Real Estate Development Firm. If you're interested in learning about the strategic importance of their influence on real estate development, this informative blog is a must-read!

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Reference: 5 Symbols

for your next poem/story (pt. 2)

BA

For the Ancient Egyptians, the Ba was the symbolic representation of the soul.

It takes the form of a small bird with the head of a human being.

Could fly between its owner and the Gods for as long as the body was intact.

The Ba is twinned with the Ka.

If the Ba represented the soul, then the Ka was the “life-force,” the spark of life that animated the body and whose departure resulted in death.

The Ka was sustained with offerings of food and drink, although it was the “ka” or spirit of the food and drink that was consumed.

In the Afterlife, the Ba and the Ka would be reunited to form one single entity.

BECKONING CAT

A friendly little statuette with a warm welcome found all over Japan and China.

What the cat is doing with his paws carries a secret message.

The cute little Maneki Neko or beckoning cat is ubiquitous in Japan and China where he appears in both homes and offices.

Can be seen in Oriental restaurants all over the world and is for many people the ultimate symbol of prosperity and good luck.

Comes in different colors, each of which signifies a different meaning:

For example, a red cat will protect from illness, and

a black one will ward off evil.

The position of the paws also carries a message:

With the right paw raised the cat will bring money and happiness to home and workplace.

A cat raising its left paw will attract new customers for a business.

And a cat with both paws raised hits the jackpot; both home and business will be happy and profitable, attracting good luck, friends, prosperity, and new clients.

This cat is also the symbol of the small Buddhist temple in Tokyo, where the original incident that shot the cat to fame is said to have happened:

Originally the temple was a lowly place, whose impoverished priest would regularly share what little food he had with his pet cat.

One day some Samurai were passing and noticed this cat, who had one paw raised as though to say hello. The warriors stopped, intrigued by the beckoning cat, and went into the temple just as a horrendous rain storm started.

They believed that paying attention to the cat’s invitation had prevented them being struck by lightning. Thereafter, the fortunes of the priest, the temple, and of course the cat, started to change for the better.

BULLA

This is a special charm or amulet that was given to Roman children when they were born.

A sealed locket, the bulla (“bubble” or “knob”) contained magical spells specific to the child in question, such as symbols of protection, or wishes for wealth.

Was constructed of different materials depending on the wealth of the family:

leather for the poorest families and gold or

other precious metals for the wealthiest.

Roman boys put aside their bullae when they reached puberty, and the object was offered to the Gods. Girls wore theirs until the eve of their wedding.

In either case it was considered that the bulla belonged to the child, as part and parcel of their personality.

It is the origin of the name of the Papal Bull, the special edict that hails from the Vatican, which is fastened with an oval seal of the same shape as the bulla.

CALUMET

For the Plains Indians, the pipe, also called the calumet, is one of the most important and recognizable symbols.

Although it is sometimes referred to as the Peace Pipe, shared ceremonially as part of a unifying ritual, the pipe was just as valid a symbol during times of war.

The tobacco used in the pipe is also a powerful magical substance originally intended for ritual use only.

The smoke rising from the pipe signifies a prayer traveling toward the Gods and symbolizes the sacred breath, source of all life.

The fire that lights the pipe symbolizes the Sun and the male element.

The pipe itself is equivalent to the prayer that is offered up from it.

Considered so important that in Native American tradition it is described as though it were a person, and each of its components has the name of a body part.

In addition, the bowl is described as an altar, and the stem, the passage of the breath extending from the human body.

CANDLE

Symbolizes light in the darkness in a way that a light bulb simply cannot do.

It represents the element of fire as a benevolent force.

Made even more powerful if the candle is made of wax, a substance made by a magical creature, the bee.

The colors of candles are significant in magical practices:

For example, pink is said to attract love.

Black candles are used in dark magic.

Source ⚜ More: On Symbols ⚜ Writing Notes & References

[aceprojectmanagement]

Owner Representative

[leportraitducadavre]

You know there’s a weird connection between the fandom’s perceived idea of “good writing” and their personal feelings about specific characters. “I like this character, therefore, they’re well written” and viceversa, “I dislike this character, therefore, they’re badly written” –I’ve seen this in many fandoms and with different characters, but there’s no fandom where this is more noticeable than in the “anti Sakura” portion of the audience.

Before we start, let me be clear on something: I don’t personally like Sakura, I don’t consider myself a fan of hers (or her stans, which are just as annoying as Hinata’s), nor I believe she’s the “heroine” of a story that has no room for a character with such status (I’ve said this before, Naruto is the hero and Sasuke is the antagonist -there’s no necessity nor space for anyone else as Sakura is merely the female character with most panel time, yet she doesn’t move the plot forward and she isn’t relevant to the development of other key characters, as most of them completely ignore her existence).

“Likeability” isn’t a determining factor when it comes to labelling a character “well” or “badly” written, such notion relies on subjective factors which makes it impossible to objectively determine the overall value of a character inside a story.

The most important factor to label a character “goodly written” has more to do with how well they represent their theological narrative. For instance, Danzo -who I genuinely despise, is amazingly written, as he spot on tackles the subject of extreme-nationalistic world view, while Itachi -on the other hand, is sort-of all over the place as he subscribes to Danzo’s ideology and defends it with the same actions, yet Kishimoto desperately wanted to keep him inside the “good guys” group, which ultimately failed and took down anything Itachi might have had going for him (besides other inconsistencies as he’s presented as a genius who made nothing but mistake after mistake). There’s a reason why the antagonists are often the ones with the best characterizations, as they aren’t tied to been “morally correct” or “likeable” in order to reflect their thematic plot, which is why the better characters in Naruto happen to be Uchiha (Sasuke, Obito, Madara).

Sakura has no weight inside the plot, as she is mostly used for support of either Naruto and (to a lesser extent) Sasuke, she stands narratively in the same spectrum as most “good” characters of the show, so she’s thematically not much more relevant than the rest of K-11; yet she’s given more depth than many other characters, as she’s a layered character of whom we see both her strengths and flaws, something we can’t say for other characters, such as Hinata.

In the Hyüga princess™’s case, her personality is mostly one dimensional as she is a thematic piece used to deepen Neji’s character. In case you haven’t noticed, she was constructed in opposition to him: She needs to be shy in order for Naruto to take pity on her when Neji insults her (as Neji is mostly arrogant and outspoken), she’s comically bad because Neji is a prodigy, she’s “a freak” (said by Naruto himself) because Neji isn't, she’s a slave owner because Neji is her slave, and so on –the only thing she has that wasn’t built in order to oppose her cousin was her infatuation with Naruto, something she makes a priority.

Everything we “know” about Hinata was mostly fandom-made, Hinata is shy and soft spoken, why is she considered “nice”? We never saw her worrying about anyone but Naruto: She was glad Kiba lost his match and offered Naruto the ointment to treat his wounds, she diminished her cousin’s trauma and endorsed the oppressive system of her clan, we never see her visiting Kiba after he returned from his mission to bring Sasuke back to Konoha (something we see Ino and Sakura do with their respective teammates, and while Hinata was recovering from Neji’s attack, she had enough strength to train and go see the Chünin Exams final stage, at no point is mentioned she was bed-ridden, as Sasuke had enough time to recover from Gaara’s attack before escaping the village), she thought about Naruto’s warm hand seconds after her cousin died and she was the only character not shown to be glad about Shikamaru being alive as we saw her pouting and thinking about how much she wanted to be beside Naruto. Furthermore, is there any scene in which she appears where she’s not thinking or talking about Naruto or where he is not the main focus?

How come a character designed to be nothing more than support (for Neji and Naruto, as her infatuation with him was built in order to have some oppositional force to the idea of “nobody likes him”, as Naruto has an unrequited love for Sakura during the whole duration of the manga) is “better written” than Sakura, who despite herself being also support she has far more thematically ground to move around (Kishimoto explores through her different themes, even if they aren’t relevant to the plot itself, such as romantical obsession, low self-esteem and the decisions/characteristics that are driven by it, female friendship, and few others).

Honest question: It’s her sad background reason enough to like Hinata? Do you truly need a “compelling” backstory in order to claim a character is “better written” than others? Sakura was bullied because she was shy, Hinata -being the Hyüga heir, wasn’t shown to suffer the same fate at the hands of her classmates. Think about it this way, while Sakura was being bullied and had to be helped by Ino, Hinata was being trained by her father and witnessing Hiashi torture her uncle while Neji cried, helpless! –and just a few years later, she used that exact knowledge to insult him! So she’s not really that nice after all!

What is it with the obsession of both fandoms with the idea of “potential” and how, apparently, they were “robbed of it” (what “potential”? When did Hinata even hint at improving her fighting techniques? She was defeated every single time! When did Sakura, who canonically has a smaller chakra pool than both Sasuke and Naruto, have the possibility of surpass literally Ashura and Indra’s reincarnations? Them having more panel time will mean absolutely nothing as we’ll see them doing the exact same thing we already see them do only twice as much. “Potential” is about exploring a latent ability of them, Hinata has none and Sakura’s chakra flux control was properly exploited!).

There’s more to say about this, but I’m honestly tired at this point…

[megamindsecretlair]

Be My Little Darling - Interlude

Chapter 12 Chapter 13

Pairing: Loki x Black!Fem!reader / Plus Size reader

Warnings: 18+. Minors DNI. You are in charge of your own reading experience. ANGST. There's ANGST. Mentions of grief, violence and negative self talk. Soft Loki.

Summary: Loki is the exclusive owner of the hottest club in New Asgard. Dubbed the Nine Realms, each of the nine rooms represent a different realm. You are his second in command, working the floors and ensuring everyone is having fun. An attack on the club affects everyone, you most of all. Loki wrangles with his own demons in search of you.

Word Count: 3,511k

Masterlist

A/N: Whew! Sorry for the long wait, but I couldn't get the thought of his POV out of my head before moving on to an attack plan. This week's been shitty and this definitely helped me! The care and feeding of your favorite artists starts with a comment or reblog!

Taglist: @cantstayawaycani @braverthanthenewworld @monaeesstuff @chaos-4baby @dayjlovesromance @soft-persephone @mybonafidefeelings @nerdieforpedro @browngirldominion @thecookiebratz @we-outsiiiide @foxherder @itzgabz22 @iv0rysoap @amethyst09 @ciaqui @harmshake @nworbaij @judymfmoody @abcdestinyyyy

Loki

“You…bastard,” you sighed.

“I don’t know how else to be,” he said. 

Loki knew he went too far this time. He usually liked to toy with you, pushing your boundaries to see how far he could go before you truly snapped. He knew he walked a fine line but he had to know. Some deep part of him had to know where your line was. Where he couldn’t cross. 

You yanked your wrist out of his grasp, panting with unreleased gasps. He wanted you to let loose. He wanted you to yell and scream and rage at him. It was all he’d ever known and he wanted to see what it would take for you to break. 

“We promised no lies between us. And if you can’t give me that Loki, you can’t have me.”

He’d never heard you sound so…defeated. Angry sure, frustrated definitely, but defeated? That word didn’t belong in the same sentence as you. You refused to look at him so Loki opened his mouth, ready to fall to his knees and tell you how sorry he was. Words would never do. They were inadequate. 

Ideas flew through his mind on the right way to make up for the fucked up game of cat and mouse he played with you. He only ever wanted you to love him, but love wasn’t easy. Love was snide remarks and hiding in the shadows. Love was cruel secrets. He didn’t want that with you.

The blasted screaming started. Your eyes widened and you tore off down the hallway towards the sound. Loki clenched his fists and ran after you. He was going to strangle that damn saboteur if it was the last thing he did. The fiend had caused too much pain and misery. It was a wonder he still had a club left standing. 

The screams came from the Helheim room, thick black smoke rolling out of it in waves. Loki’s employees and customers ran screaming from the room. Blood-curdling screams that would make a lesser man wet himself. 

You attempted to enter but Loki held you back. “I don’t like the way this looks,” he said. He stared at the thick fog. It was almost too thick. Man-made. Or perhaps magically inclined. He didn’t want you anywhere near it.

You only turned liquid eyes to him, constructed two batons, and rushed inside. “Darling!”

Fear. Loki was not unaccustomed to fear. He’d been raised and humbled by it. There had been an ever present pressure in his chest as he grew up in the shadow of Thor and the bastard son of Odin. He felt it often whenever he came so close to death he could kiss its lips. Thanos was the latest harbinger of it and Loki didn’t think he’d survive it.

He was wrong. This, he couldn’t survive. The moment you were swallowed up into the fog, an icy hand slipped around his heart and he thought he’d collapse from the strain. Getting to you was more important, his life be damned.

He rushed in right after you and it felt like slamming into a wall of slimy muck. He couldn’t see two inches from his nose, let alone determine where you were in this mess. The fog seeped everywhere. Up his nose, in his eyes, and in his mouth. He gagged on the foul taste.

“Sweetie! Baby!” Loki turned to the sound of your voice, but he couldn’t pinpoint where you were. 

“Darling!” Loki barreled forward in the room, not caring what he ran into or who he ran over. He needed to know that you were okay. He couldn’t allow the last words you ever spoke to him be that he couldn’t have you. He couldn’t allow it. He wouldn’t allow it. He’d spend every waking moment taking back what he did if it just meant that you’d be safe. 

“Call out!” 

Loki heard your voice coming from the right side of the room. Problem was, he didn’t know how close or how far you were away. 

Panic edged its way into his consciousness as he moved forward. “Call out!” You cried out again, but you sounded fainter. Far away. 

“Darling!” Loki called. 

“Loki!” Was that fear he heard in your voice? Loki threw out a beam of green light to combat the fog. It didn’t penetrate it in the slightest. 

A curl of laughter made him whip around to face more black fog. He tried again and again to shine the green light and hoped to find his way to you. Your name fell from Loki’s lips as he tried tricks up his sleeve to clear away the fog. Nothing worked.

“Please,” Loki whispered. He wasn’t one for prayer. He had no use for foolish words carried on the wind for Odin to find. As his heart began to crack into two, he stopped moving briefly to cast his eyes upwards.

“Frigga…Mother, help her,” he pleaded. He didn’t know if his words were welcome in Valhalla. He’d likely never see it. But you…you would be celebrated there. A true warrior to your core. And today was not the day that you were taken from him. He didn’t care if he didn’t deserve you. He’d make sure you were safe. 

“Darling!” Loki yelled.

“Loki!” You echoed. Where were you? 

Loki’s panicked gasps only ensured that more of the thick fog entered his system. He began to feel fuzzy around the edges, like he drank tainted meade and couldn’t keep his wits about him. 

There was a clanging crash of chairs and metal off in the distance. Loki turned towards the sound but there was nothing to see. He didn’t know where it came from. 

“Is this all the attention I’m worth, Loki?”

Dread stopped Loki’s attempts at flashing his green light. That voice wasn’t right, but the inflection. The tone. Loki looked around, eyes darting for any glimpse of you. He just needed one. One to confirm that you were alright. 

“I leave you clues to know who I am and yet all you concern yourself with is your pet?” 

“No,” Loki whispered. “Why the games? Why not reveal yourself?” Loki couldn’t be sure but he thought he saw pinpricks of light at a good distance from him. 

“I want to see the look on your face when you figure it out. Until then, the fun must continue. But I will not be ignored!” The voices sounded distorted, there was definitely more than one. 

“Darling,” Loki breathed. A rush of fear and panic kept Loki rooted to the spot. There were only two other people in the universe who could conjure something like this. Who could throw voices, cast illusions. His mother and Enchantress. 

Loki refused to speak her name, refused to give voice to his doubts. Let her have her fun at the moment. Now it all clicked into place. Parlor tricks. Mean pranks. Things designed to irritate, confuse, and leave someone feeling unsettled. He taught her that. He should have known.

Loki kept his features schooled. He didn’t know how much she could see or hear at the moment. 

“Sweetie!” 

Loki moved towards the sound of your voice. He scrambled through the fog, getting absolutely nowhere. Chortling laughter echoed in the wide room, poking fun at his desperate attempts to reach you. It felt like he was swimming upstream and he’d never reach you.

What if he didn’t? What if you succumbed to your fear? He didn’t even know what you were most afraid of. You’d kept that part to yourself. And as much as he wanted to crack you open and learn all your secrets, he wanted your trust more.

Too many unresolved things were between you. You weren’t allowed to leave him. Weren’t allowed to haul off and get kidnapped, or worse, killed by Enchantress before he had a chance to repent. To surrender to your mercy. He had been a complete ass to you. That wasn’t the way he wanted to treat you. That wasn’t the way he wanted you to know him. That wasn’t the way he wanted to treat the love of his life. 

You screamed and Loki’s jaw went slack. He rushed forward, a clawing need burning through his legs to reach you before anything bad happened to you. As if the fog didn’t exist, it parted revealing you standing in the middle of the room faced away from him. 

“Darling!” Loki rushed forward, turning you by the shoulders. You turned towards him with a pained expression, burning twins of emerald in your eyes. Not Darling.

“It should have been you,” you said. 

Loki knew it was an illusion. A damn convincing one. Your eyes turned back to its original color and you rubbed your head as if coming out of a trance. He didn’t want to trust it. But what if? What if?

Loki rubbed your arms. You felt real enough. But he’d also been inside the fog long enough to become affected by it. Seeing and feeling things that weren’t there. It had been one of the first lessons he taught Enchantress. One of the first things he made sure she knew how to wield like a weapon. 

“Darling?” 

“Loki? Please, I’m scared.” Your voice was so small. So timid. He couldn’t trust it. But he wanted to. Gods he wanted to. 

“No, no, no, I’m sorry!” You screamed. 

Loki looked at the figure before him that was distinctly not you. You smiled as if you had been found out, shrugging that it was no big deal that you got caught. 

“Darling!” Loki screamed. The figure in front of him stepped closer and ran a knife through his stomach. There was pain sure but…illusion. Had to be. He’d been stabbed enough times to know the difference between an illusion and a real knife. Didn’t mean it didn’t really fucking hurt though.

The smoke obscured the figure that looked like you and Loki fell to his knees. He couldn’t reach you. The realization made his chest hurt and his eyes burn. He couldn’t save you from this. Save you from her.

All this time, Enchantress had been watching Loki and the way he was with you. The way he looked forward to seeing you every day. He replayed the image of you on his doorstep, confident in nothing but a coat to cover your delicious body. The way you surrendered beneath him.

“Please,” Loki whispered. He’d give anything, do anything, be anything if it meant that he could get you out of here unscathed. 

“You’re a disappointment, Loki. Nothing but an Asgardian child’s nightmare,” Odin’s distinct voice rang throughout the room. 

Loki flipped his head back to look his father in the eye. He told himself that it was another trick. But gods…he looked the exact same. Down to his flowing white hair. 

“I should have left you on that godforsaken ice planet and been rid of you. A boil on my house since the moment I brought you home,” Odin said. The smug bastard looked Loki up and down with his one eye. 

Loki grinned, falling back on his usual sneering authority. “You can do better than that, Father.” 

“We need no longer speak, Brother,” Thor’s voice rang loud and clear as he stepped from the fog next to Odin. 

Loki’s grin faltered, but he kept up the pretense. He had to. He had to keep going. He couldn’t succumb to the mounting pressure in his chest that whispered for him to give up. To lay down. To stop fighting. 

Loki always had a strong sense of self-preservation. Growing up in the palace, he studied under his mother. The one person who didn’t look at him like he was a dark stain on the golden family. 

He always felt different. Odd. Whenever Odin spoke of becoming King of Asgard, he always knew that he was speaking more to Thor than to Loki. Always knew that when it came right down to it, Loki wasn’t even a thought. 

“There is no reason for us to speak as you can’t be trusted.” Loki looked into fake-Thor’s eyes. He was round and dumpy as he had been in the streets. As he had been since the fall of Thanos. It couldn’t be the real Thor and yet…

“Why do you continue to visit, Brother, knowing that I want nothing to do with you? If it wasn’t for you and your selfishness, Thanos wouldn’t have gotten hold of the Tesseract. You brought this blight upon us,” Thor spat at him.

The pain in his chest worsened. He knew he wasn’t bleeding out, but what good were thoughts when the physical manifestation was eating him from the inside out? 

He longed to see you. To hear you laugh. Hear you call him all manner of names under the sun. He yearned to see you beneath him, wrapped up in him, and looking at him with something other than disdain. Like he meant something. 

“I didn’t know,” Loki responded. The weight was too great. It’d be so easy for Loki to lie down. To not take anymore. These verisimilitudes were damn convincing. They crowded Loki as he bent at the waist, head nearly touching the floor. 

He didn’t want to give Enchantress anymore ammunition against him. But there was no use. Frigga appeared next and folded her arms. A cruel smile split her lips. 

“Oh, Loki. Did you really think I’d help your little whore of a pet?” 

“Stop this, at once!” Loki’s voice broke as he looked away from the venom in his mother’s eyes. “Mother, please.” 

Reality and fantasy blended in his head. He knew what was true and yet the illusions of his family began spewing all manner of things he thought about himself over the years. He was useless, worthless, a trickster, couldn’t be trusted. Their words echoed and meshed together. A ringing cacophony of negative words thrown at him. 

“No!” 

Your voice was like a single ray of sunshine in the bleak room. You sounded like how he felt. Afraid. Desolate. He had to get to you. If nothing else, he needed you to be safe.

“That’s the problem with trying to use this trick on me. There’s nothing you can say that I don’t already tell myself,” Loki said to the visages of his family. His broken, tortured, screwed up family.

They all sneered at him. “Yes, we know you’re oh so powerful. But are you powerful enough to save your pet?” Frigga leaned close and ran her hand down Loki’s face. She even got his mother’s scent nearly so. 

“Better hurry,” Frigga whispered.

“No, no, no, I’m sorry!” You screamed.

Loki scrambled to his feet and ran after your screaming voice. You had to be locked in some sort of nightmare. Trapped by your own demons. That’s what the spell did. Cracked open your skull and read your thoughts like an open book. It laid bare all the admonishing negative self talk. All the things people punished themselves for.

It didn’t work half as well on Loki because he already did that on a daily basis. You, however, you sweet, beautiful woman pushed those thoughts to the background. Tried to bury them deep. But your grief was loud.

Gods, you sounded like a wounded animal. Clawing and screaming at nothing. His heart successfully cracked down the middle and shattered within his chest as seeing the confusion and fear on your face. 

“Darling, Darling,” Loki said, shaking you gently to wake you from the nightmare. Gods, what must you see at the moment? What horrible torment did you endure day after day on top of what he had planned?

Loki flipped you over. You blinked at him, swimming up from whatever dark place you were in. Recognition dawned in your eyes before you gasped, pointing behind him. “Loki, look out!” You yelled. 

“No! No! No! Not him! Take me!” You yelled with a raw, singed throat. You fought with Loki, fought to climb to your knees. 

“Darling, gods,” Loki breathed. He tried to hug you or press you to his chest. You fought him. You were so drained, your hits barely landed. You were spent, strength depleted. And still you fought some invisible beast.

“Take me! Take me! Take me!” You said, over and over.

Pain laced through Loki’s heart. Did you really think…? Did you really believe that he would allow you to sacrifice yourself for the likes of him? 

You suddenly screamed, clutching your head like it was about to burst. Loki called your name, repeating it over and over. He wasn’t strong enough to break the spell. He wasn’t strong enough to lure you out of the nightmare and show you that everything was okay. 

You finally passed out to the sound of him calling your name again and again.

Loki moved you to his office where he could keep a close eye on you. He didn’t want to risk bringing you back to his place. He demanded a doctor be located and brought to his office. He left the clean up to Honey and some of the other staff who weren’t affected by the fog. Not like the ones who were hit full force.

All night, people came in and out to check on you until Loki finally closed the door, stating that you needed to rest. Your face was scrunched in pain in sleep and Loki finally sat vigil by your side.

He clasped your hand in his, bringing your cold hand to his lips and pressing soft kisses there. Alone, with no one to overhear, Loki finally let the tears fall. All the pent up, dire emotions that swam in his head and chest, he let loose with a string of tears running down his face.

“Mother, if you still want to hear from me, please don’t punish her. Don’t take her away from me. Bring her back. Return her to me and I will spend the rest of my days earning her love. Please, Mother,” Loki prayed. 

You woke up a few times in the night, waking long enough to check on the club. When you woke up for good and confessed your love to him, Loki was so shocked he didn’t know what to do. He knew he needed you to know how he felt though. 

He expected many things, but a night of confession wasn’t it. He expected you to hate him, loathe him, cast him out from your presence. Instead, you opened yourself to him and trusted him with your secrets. He did the same in kind.

“For a night of confessions, I have one more.” He took a deep breath. He wasn’t sure how well you’d take this news on top of everything you had been through tonight. But you were tough. His brave Darling. You rubbed his hand and looked at him. 

“I know who the saboteur is now. Enchantress. She…when the loneliness grew too much for me to bear, I thought I’d fashion myself a companion. I taught her how to use magic like how my mother showed me. But she thirsted for power, not companionship. And now she’s rightfully back, taking her hatred out on me for what I did to her.” 

“Fuck that. She’s batshit crazy and she’s gonna hear from me about that little stunt she pulled,” you said. Fire burned in your eyes and Loki smiled, loved seeing the spark return. It was a damned good sight better than you passed out on the couch.

“This is a demon from my past, Darling. I will take care of her,” Loki said. Or die trying. But as long as you were safe, Loki could finally enter Hel and begin his long, cursed life anew. 

“I know that look, Loki. We can fight her together,” you said.

“You nearly died from shock, Darling!” Loki didn’t mean to yell, but now that you were awake he could feel all of his worrying and frustration flood his system. He nearly lost you. The doctor declared that one minute longer and your heart would have given out. 

“If you go, I go,” you said, your face set in a determined grimace.

Loki looked at you. He rubbed his face and sighed. He didn’t want to argue this point. He didn’t want to put any extra strain on you.

“For tonight, Darling, can we argue about this in the morning? I just want to feel that you’re safe,” he confessed softly.

You smiled, nodded, and opened your arms. There wasn’t a whole lot of room on the couch for you both, but Loki was thin. He slid right in beside you and held you close. Felt your heart thumping beneath your chest. Felt the rhythm of your breathing. The soft fan of your breath across his neck.

“Sleep, Darling. I’ll protect you,” he said. He idly rubbed your back until your breathing evened out. He thought you already passed out, so when you murmured, he almost didn’t catch it.

“I’ll protect you too.”

WHEW! Always more Loki to love!

Masterlist | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13

[seat-safety-switch]

Big-engined, long-wheelbase sedans are the foundation that this civilization used to be constructed upon. You could throw the entire family into the car, drive across the country, and bear witness to the greatest things we offered. On your trip, you’d see other sedans: nicer ones, and less nice ones, and ones about the same level of niceness as yours. Things were great back then.

You could still get a bigger sedan. A really big one. That way, you’d know that you were more important than the other sedan owners. Even today, movies use these vehicles (no longer made for decades!) to represent that a character is incomprehensibly rich. They stand out. There was just one problem: automakers needed more margin. What if they could take a nice cheap truck, and then sell that truck to regular people, and charge a little (or a lot) extra to make that truck more tolerable for long-distance driving?

Now, everyone tools around in too-high sports-utility vehicles with huge wheels. That sense of proletarian community has been replaced by a level of paranoia that used to only be witnessed in tank commanders. They’re out to get you, the advertisers said: bad roads. Dirt roads. Mud. Snow. Other cars on the road. Carjackers. You’re better than them. You should get a bigger car, and then you can really fuck them up.

This line of advertising worked great, because it also presided over a time where the social contract was being torn up in a million different ways. Advertisers aren’t stupid: they know exactly what you’re panicked about, and they’ll reach in and sell you the cure to it. Or at least, whatever they have to sell, marketed as said cure. Sports utility vehicles flourished on our highways.

Personally, I’m going to resist this for as long as possible, and not just because even used 20-year-old SUVs cost more than I paid for my last bail. Like every cultural warrior whose time has passed, I want to hold onto the imagined zenith of our way of life, positive til my last breath that one day humanity will see the light and return home. All they have to do is see my shitty Belvedere, and the column of blue exhaust that it leaves behind on even moderate throttle pressure, and know in their bones: there was a better way.