#covid mention and trigger provided!

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

No mention of masks or other mitigations, but some surprisingly okay covid reporting from the BBC

By Nikki Fox

An NHS matron said that too often people were mistaking Covid for a common cold and a lack of testing could be putting vulnerable people at risk.

Lana Goodwin, who works in Covid services at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust in Billericay, Essex, said she believed people who were not high risk "feel that Covid has gone".

She added that statistics showed many vulnerable people were also not aware they were eligible for anti-viral drugs.

Ms Goodwin said: "I feel the public see [Covid] symptoms as a cold and it doesn't trigger off a response to test."

Ms Goodwin said that her clinic had people testing positive for the virus every day and vulnerable people were "unfortunately still dying from Covid".

Anti-viral drugs to treat Covid were available for high-risk patient groups, such as people with cancer, those who have had stem cell transplants, and people with respiratory or neurological conditions.

In June, people over 85 who lived in their own homes and people over 70 who lived in care homes also became eligible to receive the drugs. Yet during that month only 5% of the patients seen by the clinic in Mid and South Essex were in those categories.

In the week ending 15 November, 122 people in England and Wales died from Covid.

The figure was about one third of the number that died from flu or pneumonia, but Ms Goodwin said giving early anti-viral drugs could reduce hospitalisation and speed up recovery.

She said that it was important people started their treatment within five days of getting symptoms and testing for it to be effective.

'It takes away a lot of worry'

Joe Hall, 44, from Brentwood, Essex, was one of more than 4,000 people who has received anti-viral drugs from the clinic.

He is vulnerable to infection after he had a kidney transplant. He regularly takes immunosuppressants so his body does not reject his new kidney, which means his immune system is not as strong.

Mr Hall shielded in his flat for three months during the pandemic, but he caught the virus in July.

He said he woke up with a scratchy throat and aching all over, so he called 111 and they put him in touch with the Covid clinic in Billericay.

Mr Hall said the intravenous anti-viral medication started to work quickly and by the following day he woke up feeling "a huge amount better".

"I dread to think what would happen if I didn't have the treatment," he said.

"It takes away a lot of the worry... I can go out and about and I know if I catch Covid, it won't be so severe, and for me, that's huge mentally."

Mr Hall said that vulnerable people could not "shield forever" and said the vaccine and availability of anti-viral drugs provided him with an "extra barrier".

The NHS in Mid and South Essex said that vulnerable people could also be protected through Covid vaccinations.

The trust has joined other local healthcare organisations to help run a Covid vaccination service for people who are experiencing homelessness.

It has visited hostels and soup kitchens, such as the HARP charity in Southend, to administer jabs.

Dr Haroon Siddique, a GP at the Thorpe Bay Surgery and Southend Medical Centre, said that because of poor nutrition the immune systems of homeless people were often not as strong.

He added that close contact with other people and a higher prevalence of other health conditions also made rough sleepers vulnerable.

John, who is homeless and disabled, believed that the Covid vaccination was "keeping him safe".

He added because many people who were homeless were living with addictions, they "wouldn't always know the dangers of getting ill from Covid".

The service said local pharmacies provide lateral flow kits free of charge for vulnerable patients.

[yanderes-galore]

Can you do Kenny vs Butters from south park?

Ah yes, the two who are opposite but are totally best friends. Love them too. Aged up as usual. Aiming for after high school but sometime before the covid special.

Take two as I accidentally did not save the last one 😭 Which I am so mad about, why doesn't mobile Tumblr have autosave like PC!? Hopefully it's as good as the last draft-

Yandere! Kenny McCormick vs Butters Stotch

Pairing: Romantic - Rivalry

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Kidnapping, Murder, Delusional behavior, Overprotective behavior, Mentions of marriage/children, Trauma mentioned, Suicide, Violence, Jealousy.

They are both very similar in terms of how they act towards their darling and their end goals.

Kenny is empathetic, sweet, smart, loyal but profane towards his darling.

He has a more intimate take on his obsession than Butters and is much more mature, especially when aged up.

Butters takes on a more innocent view of his obsession.

He's always been gullible, even as an adult.

He's comforting, sweet, gullible, and strives for self improvement.

That last one makes him more considerate towards you.

Kenny and Butters may also both have psychological trauma due to their upbringings.

Kenny because of his death curse.

Butters because of his strict parents.

Kenny's yandere behavior may be Obsessive, Overprotective, Manipulative, Delusional, Cruel, and Clingy.

Butters yandere behavior may be Manipulative/Easily manipulated, Delusional, Gullible, Clingy, Protective.

Out of both of them, you can probably stall Butters obsession with how gullible and non-confrontational he is.

It'll at least leave it to brew just a bit longer.

Butters is honestly the one best to deal with.

If you correct him then you can have a normal relationship with him.

He wants to improve for you!

Kenny... not so much.

They are very similar yanderes it's just Kenny has a more mature view of your relationship.

Butters treats his crush/obsession like the classic innocent view of a pair.

He fantasizes of marriage and children, wanting to get a job that pays well to provide for you.

He isn't really one to kidnap.

In fact, Butters seems like the yandere who'd fail at kidnapping then try to excuse himself.

A way he could do it is if he lured you into his house then locked all the doors.

Then you can get started on planning your relationship!

Kenny has a similar goal of wanting to provide and care for you as his darling.

He isn't sure about marriage but he does want a future where it's just the two of you.

Out of both of them Kenny is probably the one to be more jealous.

He's more capable of kidnapping and murder than Butters.

Although, due to how "submissive" Butters is and how they're both great friends... there's a chance they could share sometimes.

Share is more like tolerate on Kenny's part.

There's times where they can both be near each other and care for you like showing affection.

Although one of them will be too jealous and lash out if it goes on too long.

There's two ways a yandere Butters can go.

Submissive and innocent, delusions being the thing that drives him and he avoids conflict/violence.

Or the falsely innocent yandere that pretends to be all sweet, yet doesn't mind violence or murder if he feels it is necessary.

This brings the question, would they harm each other?

That's kinda in the middle.

Butters may back off if confronted...

But there's also a chance he may harm Kenny if he pushed.

It's rare, yet Butters does adore you...

If he wants to keep you as his he may have to harm his best buddy.

With Kenny there's a moment of hesitance before he tries anything.

Does he really want to harm Butters?

If he also feels pushed for it he may hurt him but not kill him.

Butters may kill Kenny if he loses it, yet it doesn't change anything in the end.

Which leads into getting away from them....

You can get away from Butters if you manipulate him with how gullible he is.

He believes every word you say...

Just don't say you hate/don't love him-

His delusions take over and he'd never let you go.

Kenny is less soft.

He'd kidnap you and refuse to let you go.

You could kill him, sure...

But Kenny will just show up on your door step, willing to overlook that little error.

Butters can't get rid of him and neither can you.

Out of both of them, Kenny is definitely one of the more intense ones.

Despite this they both have the ability to share more than Stan and Kyle.

While those two are also both friends, they are willing to fight and pick at each other to love you.

Kenny and Butters work because of the fact they can tolerate that they both like you.

For a little while, at least.

It doesn't seem like you'll be able to get away from them.

One of them can't die...

The other is so delusional he'd follow you anywhere-

To take this into darker territory...

Butters could do one of those double suicide tropes with his darling.

After all, that would solve the Kenny problem...

It would throw Kenny into grief, however.

This rivalry is very interesting as it teeters between working and not working.

Either way you don't really have a choice on who you go with.

It just depends who's more intense.

[poppyandzena]

This part of the video you archived caught my attention, 5:45. Poppy basically plays semantics to try and clear herself of abuse allegations. The definition she provided is a form of financial abuse, but it’s by no means the only type of financial abuse. Just because the victim has access to their funds, doesn’t mean they aren’t being financially abused. As a therapist, she fucking knows this.

Poppy also completely brushes over how her child wrote a letter of abuse allegations against her and Zena and yet is completely baffled when said child escapes and cuts off all contact. If your response to your child writing an entire letter detailing abuse from you and your partner is to go "nuh-uh, our reciepts say otherwise" instead of self-reflecting, then you're a horrible parent. I'm so fucking glad this child is not blood related to her.

Notice how Poppy also doesn't mention the child accessed any of HER funds, just their own trust fund they're entitled to and the COVID relief. As an adult, Poppy's kid, whom I'll call A from now on, would have received a little over 2k cumulatively their own from the relief checks.

I've done some surface level research. If I'm correct, A went to college after high school. COVID happened right in the middle of their college attendance, and then they graduated in 2022. As a recent graduate, getting as job has been FUCKING DIFFICULT in a post-COVID world, and it would have been difficult for A to get a job while balancing their college classes.

Poppy is lying by omission when she says the trust fund was for college and it was drained, implying A never went to college. They did. They also had to deal with Poppy and Zena's pitiful antics prior and post graduation.

"[A] would cry at just the right decible on purpose for me to dissociate." Way to invalidate your child's distress, you fucking cretin. You're not the only one in the world with triggers and mental health issues. To imply that the mere EXISTENCE of A's upset is a purposeful manipulation to make YOU suffer is so self-centered that the irony of you admitting to being terrified of patients with NPD is a fucking self-report.

Spoiled children who aren't abused don't devise a secret escape plan to leave you. It's much easier to soak up mommy's money if they really are the petulant, manipulative child you try to make them out to be. I have every right to believe A when they went out of their way to put a spotlight to your abuse, TO YOUR ADMITTANCE, and then escape when they realized you most likely give more of a shit about incest furry porn and your dead channel than about the emotional welfare of your child.

[coffeewithcutcaffeine]

I need to know more about Voievod! How long have you been working on it? How do you find the balance between storytelling and providing historical information? I'm about to start reading it, and I'm so interested in the process! Bonus question: do you have any playlist or type of music you associate with it?

Oh my God, thank you so much for dropping this into my in box, loveliest! This really makes my entire day. 🥹❤️ Please, excuse my ramblings if this gets too long sksksk.

First of all, thank you so much for giving my fictional monolith a chance! I appreciate it more than words can say and hope you will find it enjoyable! ❤️ I also do think that it is important to mention that it tackles a lot of dark and gory themes so, please, always check the trigger warnings first — some works are not that heavy, but others might be more explicit and graphic in nature, so never hesitate to skip some of them if you find them uncomfortable.

Now on to your questions!

How long have you been working on it?

Voievod in its current form is actually my third attempt, but I have been playing around with Vlad’s story for nine years now. I started working on my first story in 2015, but that was a blend of Vlad the Voivode and Dracula the Vampire — basically, it focused on how he became a vampire. I eventually abandoned that project because I did not really have patience with it and kept rewriting and re-editing many parts of it, and maybe it was a good thing I did because I gradually came to realisation that his character as a mortal man is so much more interesting than the vampire thing.

I tried to give it another shot in early 2020, this time focusing fully on Vlad as the historical figure. The first wave of COVID granted me a lot of free time, so I tried to use that opportunity to work on the story, as well as catch up on any new information from historical research. I wrote a few drafts but abandoned it again after a few months because I sincerely felt like I did not have enough writing experience to pull it off in a way I would be satisfied with.

I started working on the third and current version in February 2023 — I randomly revisited the old drafts from 2020 and started playing around with them a little, expanding the ideas until I managed to write two pieces I was quite proud of. I approached this with a great deal of respect and fear, then realised that I felt confident enough in my writing to perhaps try again. I think it was a good decision to wait and get enough writing experience before getting back to it because, looking back at my previous attempts, my world-building and characterisation have improved. Still, I am taking this as an opportunity to push myself and let myself grow — and every new piece is quite the lesson as I am often plunging into places I thought I would never dare before.

How do you find the balance between storytelling and providing historical information?

I think the hardest part of working on such a project is the research itself. To depict the historical events as accurately as possible, you have to read anything you can get your hands on and absorb as much as possible. I have loads and loads of files filled with notes on figures, events, culture, etc. not only for one but four separate countries as all of them are crucial for the work. Vlad’s story is even more specific because you really have to separate facts from all the debris and junk of propaganda against him that shaped what was known about him for a long time.

Once you become intimately familiar with the research topic and can swim easily through that sea of information, it is not that hard to find that perfect blend. In fact, having that historical information at your disposal really speeds up the process because you do not have to agonise over the plot — all those events are already there, you just follow them. When it comes to many characters from Voievod, we know what their life was like and what their personalities were, so I follow their lead in that regard. And it is fascinating because real life sometimes writes the most compelling stories.

What balances this out is the freedom other aspects give me. We usually come to know historical figures as legends and larger-than-life beings, and they were undoubtedly extraordinary, but they were people first. I get to breathe that humanity into them by depicting what they think, feel, desire, and fear. I make them make mistakes and laugh. There are also people in their lives that we know little or nothing about, so that gives me a lot of space to create characters from scratch — Cătălina is a perfect example of that, and I love having the opportunity to create such a rich and wonderful character. Ultimately, personal relationships give a lot of space to create dynamics as I please, because we know so very little about the private lives of these people.

Do you have any playlist or type of music you associate with it?

Ahhh, I love this question so much! Here is my opportunity to share my beloved baby lmao. 🤭

I have a “soundtrack” playlist on Spotify, which you can find here. I love visualising scenes and playing them in my head like little video tapes, and the right music helps me grasp the mood and emotion of those moments when writing them. Almost all the tracks are actually tied to specific scenes or works. (One is already published and bears the same name. *wink wink*)

Also, as a bonus (let me brag there for a second), here is a Pinterest board for some of the characters from Voievod. ❤️

[benisasoftboi]

I recently purchased the Teletubbies' official Pride tank top, and it is the funniest thing I own. I do think it's a pretty naked example of rainbow capitalism - the slogan 'Big Hugs Big Love' is neither obviously Pride themed, nor even obviously Teletubbies themed, almost as though it was deliberately designed to not be easily associated with their brand if seen by homophobes in public - so I do feel that I may have contributed to something bad here, but it delights me so much to tell people what, exactly, it is that I am wearing. It's just so bizarre that this brand even has Pride merch.

Although, of course, the Teletubbies do have a long history of being associated with gay people. There have been little incidents, like the Talking Po doll that sounds like its calling you a slur, but the most famous is of course the accusations of Tinky Winky's homosexuality during the late 90s. Tinky Winky is purple, and carries a purse, and has a triangle antenna, which were all seen as signs of the gay agenda by conservative pundits. This was of course denied because it was the 90s, and it was a children's show, and also all of the Teletubbies were meant to be little babies themselves. However, in the modern day, the story is very different - Teletubbies has clearly become more comfortable associating itself with LGBT people, and also the Teletubbies are now canonically grown-ups. We know this because in 2021, the official Teletubbies Twitter account took a break from astrology posts to let us know that the Teletubbies are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including pictures of the vaccine cards. Setting aside the strangeness of their second vaccine dates being two weeks in the future from time of posting, and also written American-style despite the Teletubbies being British, these cards importantly provided us with the Teletubbies birthday - February 2, 2003. This is, admittedly, also very strange, as 2003 was after the show's original run ended, but it does indicate the Teletubbies are legally adults, and thus, speculating about their sexualities is now on the table.

The Twitter account has never outright stated that Tinky Winky is gay, but they've heavily implied it (for example, saying he was 'Born This Way' in a tweet at Lady Gaga - one of many unsolicited tweets they've made at various pop stars - or a screenshot of his AOL status mentioning how fabulous he is). They also once suggested that Po and Laa Laa are dating, which, if true, would make Dipsy the only straight one. This makes sense to me, as Dipsy's always had issues with toxic masculinity. I had the Teletubbies CD-ROM game as a kid, and in the rolling game (where you had the Teletubbies roll down a hill and bump into various objects to trigger cut scenes), if Dipsy rolled into the pink skirt, he would act disgusted by it and run away. None of the others objected in this way, and would simply wear the skirt and do a little dance - including Tinky Winky. Going by Twitter now, though, Dipsy seems like a really firm ally to his friends, so I think he may have left that issue in 2006, and all the better for it, I say.

Also, I couldn't find a place to mention this, but Noo Noo uses they/them pronouns.

[jmtorres]

potentially triggering mental illness post ahead? someone tell me how to tag this

i was reading about the acadia psych wards scandals and thinking how this was eroding the trust in mental health care i have built up, because what that particular company was doing abusively/without cause is the thing i was scared of that stopped me from getting treatment for pushing two decades--that i was afraid of psychiatric hold, and institutionalization, if i admitted to being depressed enough to be suicidal to anyone

and acadia was holding people under the "danger to themselves or others" clause without that even being true. there was a mention of a person who was just trying to get their bipolar meds adjusted, and another who was seeking therapy. NIGHTMARE FUEL. direct line to what i trained myself was paranoia so i could ask for help.

and someone pointed out that the entire psychiatric system is carceral, that acadia is egregious but all psych hospitals are incentivized to hold people against their will (as long as they have insurance to pay i guess) and I was like I see your point intellectually but i cannot handle this

anyway then i remembered I've been seeing my therapist & psych provider on video since the beginning of covid and the deep and profound relief that I can receive care without being in a space where it's easy for them to physically restrain me.

is this why shit like Betterhelp keeps getting used despite their terrible track record with patient privacy and other crap? because the safety of asking for treatment remotely is such a draw?

[farfarahleeya]

As we simultaneously stroll around the physical world and scroll around the virtual world, our activities in either world are being woven into each other... like a multi-coloured (or multi-realm) basket. Going with this analogy that popped in my head, let's look at the weaving of activism and protest in this basket. Specifically, I'd like to explore the question, "how digital is digital activism and protest?"

Trigger Warning --- please proceed with utmost care and caution if the topics below are sensitive to you --- (mentions of harassment, racism, xenophobia, ableism)

Introduction

In 2023, Fuentes observed that digital activism and protest began as a response to the internet's borderless nature. The power of the internet provided a global stage for activists, overcoming the limitations of physical boundaries. Similar to how political figures seek international support, ordinary citizens harnessed the internet to amplify their voices and causes. One standout example was witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when people turned to digital platforms to initiate movements and lend a helping hand. As the pandemic confined us behind closed doors, digital activism emerged as a potent force. Citizens recognized that their physical efforts alone couldn't suffice, and the internet became their ally. They transitioned from storming the streets with signs to storming the digital timeline with impactful hashtags. This shift exemplified the transformative potential of digital activism and protest, demonstrating that individuals could break free from geographical constraints to effect change on a global scale.

Case Studies

Let's look at two examples, Ain Husniza and #StopAsianHate, to see how digital activism can turn into something even bigger.

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── #MakeSchoolASaferPlace ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮

Ain Husniza, a courageous student in Malaysia, harnessed the power of the internet to confront a significant issue plaguing her country's education system: the silent acceptance of sexual harassment within schools. Ain began her journey by sharing her personal story, a story that struck a chord with many others who had suffered in silence. Through the rallying cry of #MakeSchoolASaferPlace, she and her peers aimed to illuminate the extent of this pervasive issue on a global stage.

Initially, Ain and her friends turned to social media as their platform to discuss this problem. Their goal was to raise awareness about the distressingly common nature of sexual harassment in educational institutions. However, something far more profound emerged from this digital dialogue. As students began sharing their own stories, it became abundantly clear that the issue was not isolated but systemic, affecting a much larger population than initially presumed. What had begun as an online conversation soon evolved into a powerful protest, exemplifying the transformative potential of digital activism.

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── #StopAsianHate ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮

#StopAsianHate gained momentum as a grassroots movement in response to the alarming increase in hate crimes targeting Asian communities. It all began with people sharing their experiences and frustrations on social media. They utilised the hashtag to declare that the injustices inflicted upon Asian individuals were unacceptable. Many recounted their own encounters with discrimination, while others offered messages of support and solidarity.

However, this movement's impact extended far beyond the realm of online conversations. People were driven to transform their outrage into meaningful action. They initiated online petitions and fundraising efforts to address the issue head-on. Notably, individuals like Alex Qi embarked on projects to enrich libraries with books detailing Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) history and culture. This educational initiative was aimed at countering stereotypes and promoting a deeper understanding of AAPI communities. It exemplified how digital activism can seamlessly transition into a digital protest, symbolising a collective move from voicing concerns online to creating tangible, real-world change.

︾ ︾ ︾ ︾ ︾

These examples teach us that when people come together on the internet and start talking about important issues, it can lead to even bigger things. Digital activism can turn into a powerful force for change.

Challenges and Critiques

Digital activism and protests, while powerful, are not immune to challenges and criticisms, including the issues of slacktivism and performative activism. Slacktivism involves superficial engagement, like merely liking or sharing posts, creating an illusion of progress without tangible results. Performative activism, on the other hand, often entails more visible actions but may be perceived as insincere or self-serving, lacking true commitment to a cause.

These challenges can hinder the effectiveness of online movements. To address them, it is crucial for activists and their supporters to transition from superficial engagement to concrete actions, like signing petitions, attending physical protests, volunteering, or educating themselves about the causes they support. Online platforms should create safe spaces and regulate harmful content, while media literacy efforts can combat the spread of misinformation.

Recognising and mitigating the challenges of digital activism and protests can result in meaningful real-world change, ensuring that the online energy translates into a genuine impact.

~ TLDR ~

slacktivism -> an organisation posting #PrayForLocation, but not donating, volunteering, or helping in any way

performative activism -> vlogging yourself giving KFC to beggars so you could monetise the video

proper activism -> researching #ableism, deleting slurs and offensive terms from your vocabulary, calling out people who use them

Conclusion

In our exploration of digital activism and protest, we've seen how the digital world can help people connect and make a difference on a global scale. But remember, these movements are closely tied to real-world problems. So, when asked, "How digital is digital activism and protest?" we found that while the internet is a powerful tool, the heart of these movements lies in the actual challenges people face. True activism, whether online or in the real world, requires real action and a commitment to change. In the end, these movements connect the online and offline worlds and are all about making a real difference in people's lives.

︵‿︵‿ References ‿︵‿︵

Fuentes, MA 2023, digital activism, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 January, viewed 19 October 2023, <https://www.britannica.com/topic/digital-activism>.

[mil-raea]

“We’re never lost if we can find each other.”

This advertisement was created by Facebook in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago with the slogan “We're never lost if we can find each other”. It highlighted the importance of communication amid the global crisis. The advertisement began by showing the empty streets, buildings, and landmarks during the pandemic and the struggling faces of frontline workers and hospital patients. The voiceover talked about the difficulties citizens are confronted with and the breakdowns they triggered; but as the individuals faced their loved ones through video calls, they could not help but smile. This showed that people can find strength through other people, as long as there is communication. This advertisement aimed to capture the hearts of citizens placed under a lockdown, especially frontline workers who worked arduously to save people from the spreading virus. Endorsing the usage of Facebook during the pandemic was a good tactic, as the company provides free chat and call services. It was a win-win situation for both parties — users and the company alike. The Facebook community can contact their loved ones as they like through messaging, calling, or video calling while the company earns money from the services they provide. Like most advertisements during the COVID-19 crisis, the video showcased roads and buildings void of people, a scenery anyone who experienced the pandemic knew all too well. Along with its relatable commentary, this seized the attention of the viewers. Currently, the advertisement has 722,599 views on YouTube, which demonstrates its impact to the people in the app.

“Salamat Shopee!”

This advertisement endorsed Shopee’s free shipping promo during their 9.9, or September 9th, sale two years ago. Jackie Chan, an international superstar known for his martial arts movies, appeared and, while in the middle of a fight, checked his phone to find a Shopee notification. His and the other stuntmen’s clothing then transformed into orange jumpsuits as they started dancing to a Shopee theme song. Through their performance, Shopee’s free shipping vouchers, daily P1 deals, and 20% cashback promos for the “9.9 Super Shopping Day” were introduced. This advertisement aimed to attract online buyers to engage in their shopping event, especially thrifty individuals who do not usually shop when there are no discounts or sale promos. While it was easy to be misled by the advertiser’s words and confused by the instructions to claim the promos, the 9.9 Shopee deals were still convenient for online shoppers as they offer a lesser price on items. At the time this endorsement was released, the country had been recovering from the spike of unemployment rate due to pandemic. From the 17.6 percent unemployment rate in April 2020, the country successfully reached a rate of 8.9 percent in September 2021, which was way closer to the pre-pandemic rate of 5.1 percent (Philippine Statistics Authority [PSA], 2019, 2021). Hence, Shopee’s 9.9 Sale was advantageous to buyers who were only earning back their income due to the inconvenience caused by the pandemic. No media manipulation was present in the video; however, consumers tend to be confused with the process of availing Shopee’s free shopping vouchers and other promos in the application. The advertisement piqued the interest of the audience by hiring Jackie Chan, an international movie star, as mentioned earlier. As he is not a Filipino, it was amusing to see him featured in a Philippine commercial. Moreover, he sang and danced to a Filipino Shopee jingle and ended the endorsement of the shopping application by saying the iconic Shopee line, “Salamat Shopee.”

References

Philippine Statistics Authority [PSA]. (2019). Preliminary results of the 2019 annual estimates of labor force survey (LFS). https://psa.gov.ph/statistics/survey/labor-and-employment/labor-force-survey/title/Preliminary%20Results%20of%20the%202019%20Annual%20Estimates%20of%20Labor%20Force%20Survey%20%28LFS%29

Philippine Statistics Authority [PSA]. (2021). Unemployment rate in December 2021 is estimated at 6.6 percent. https://psa.gov.ph/content/unemployment-rate-december-2021-estimated-66-percent

[bitcoincables]

Bitcoin Crash to $10,000 Still Possible, Warns Crypto Analyst

Crypto analyst and trader Justin Bennett has warned that Bitcoin (BTC) may still experience a significant market crash in this cycle. He suggests that the cryptocurrency could decline by over 74% from its current value if a black swan event triggers a severe correction. Bennett points to the possibility of Bitcoin following a similar price pattern as it did in 2020 during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. He highlights the chart analysis that shows Bitcoin could collapse to the diagonal support level. Bennett also takes into account the performance of the Euro against the US dollar (EUR/USD), which he believes indicates a downward trend for Bitcoin and the wider crypto market.

To support his prediction, Bennett states that there are systemic issues that could contribute to Bitcoin's potential crash. While COVID-19 was a black swan event, he mentions that there are numerous other factors that could trigger a similar event. The trader provides a monthly chart that suggests Bitcoin could face resistance at the Fibonacci retracement level of 0.768 and subsequently collapse to the diagonal support level reached during the pandemic. Furthermore, Bennett argues that the performance of the Euro against the US dollar is an additional warning sign for the broader crypto market, potentially indicating a downward trend.

For the full article, please visit here.

Tags: Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency, MarketCrash, Analysis

[maimahidol]

hi everyone! ah, it’s been so long! :( i’ve missed you all terribly. quite a few things happened, so i’ll leave the rambly update under the cut below, as well as some in-character updates and the likes! 

my winter break went really well! i just turned 23, and was able to rest after finals. unfortunately, ( trigger ) tested positive around the time i was supposed to return from my hiatus and also started my new semester at the same time! which is why i’ve been away for a little longer. i’m doing really well now! :) onto mai, i’m going to be dropping her birthday threads (specifically) since it’s been some time now. i’m more than happy to hc any of the current threads, threads that were supposed to happen, or any of the plots in the post in general! for the time being, i’ll say that mai left the program temporarily to take care of work related things. <3 onto jaehyun, i’ll probably state the same reason and say that he had to return back home due to his minister status!

that’s all <3 i’ll be reaching back out to my ims and begin plotting again!

[ladychlo]

Hi Chay, I really hope you're doing well!

As I send this, I would also mention that triggering words and mentions of violence, gun violence, police violence, and political discuss are ahead, but I'd just love to clear something up real quick for anyone who'd be willing to read.

But this is also incredibly upsetting, so it's totally okay if you don't want to read this, Chay!

I saw what you said in tags under that post about France and Iran's actions towards hijab, and now I'm saying this as an Iranian, hijabi woman.

The problem in Iran isn't about why people do or don't wear hijab, why some wear it this way or that way, or why don't we just thwart the entire governing system and replace it with a secular one. That's the surface of it.

Even when Iran did have a semi-secular system, before 1979 and the Iranian revolution, the problem was the same as one would have in France now. The governing system (back at the time a constitutional monarchy with parliament to the boot) deemed having hijab as 'old-school', 'brainwashed', 'forced'. The government sought to 'modernize' Iran, and wanted to start with hijab. Half the reason for people of Iran rioting back in the day and starting a revolution with an Islamic leader to centre it all was because there wasn't freedom for people to be themselves in Iran.

Be themselves with their religious beliefs, or with the lack of it. Be themselves with their cultures and clothes and languages and freedom of speech, of choice, of a simple thought.

That's not what's happening in Iran now. Outside world seems to think that people killing each other in the streets over religious beliefs is all fine and dandy, but religion is not just religion here anymore. The majority of society, especially here in Tehran, think of the governing system as not only a bunch of dictators with a holier-than-thou attitude (which they are), but also as a system that does not fucking listen to them, does not fucking see them, and does not fucking care.

Because it just doesn't. They don't care, hell they couldn't give less damns, and on top of it all, so couldn't the rest of the world.

Imagine sitting in your house and seeing that the EU has administrated new sanctions upon the government for its violence against the people, as if EU gives a fuck. As if EU doesn't bloody know that the upper high people in the government don't even know how many sanctions Iran is under because it won't change a fucking thing for them. Who dies in the hospitals because we don't have volume expanders? Definitely not them! Who died because we didn't have covid vaccines to provide people with? Certainly not them! Who does the ever rising inflation crush economically? Surely not the Goddamned fuckers drawing the marrow from the society's very bones!

Now look at it this way: If I, a member of society, wear hijab, then it must mean that I support the very muslim (they're not fucking muslim, the shit they do can be found nowhere in Islam) governing system that puts people in cages economically, culturally, and socially, gives order to the riot police and military forces to shoot people, and adds the blood, sweat and tears of the people like seasoning to their foods, right?

Unlike what the governing system wants people to think, over forty years of 'Islamic' ruling has brought nothing but distaste for Islam as a religion to the hungry, caged, pressured society. Why? Because they drag Islam's name everywhere. Why did you kill that person? God said so. Why did you rig that election? It must be a sign from the God. Why don't you guys just let people live their lives? God wants us all to go to heaven. Why have we been under forty years worth of sanctions? May God give you strength!

See? There is no real Islam in Iran. To the youth of this country, me included, us and them worship different Gods, follow different religions. But what does the majority of the society see? The same people, the same thought, the same beliefs.

The same group of men and women in power who all deserve the same punishment. The same men and women who think they should be shot and beaten in the streets. The same men and women who, once they walk inside a room, all discussions of politics should go hushed, because you never know; They might just call up the government to throw all of you treasonous people in prison.

The problem in Iran is that society is slowly tearing itself apart while the government eats popcorn from bowls of gold engraved with the words 'capitalism', watching as the police shoots women who are the same age as their own little sisters on the streets they drive bulletproof cars in.

That's the tragedy happening in Iran. It's an all out, yet silent civil war that's been brewing underneath the skin of this country since God knows when. Movements like this will eventually end on the streets, and the government will hold its head up and say 'See? Yet another plan of our enemies quelled! Death to the enemies of Islam!' like it did back in 1999, 2009, 2019, while grieving people sit by their TV's and send death to the governing system under their breaths. People snarl and glower at each other on the streets, and taxi drivers will complain all the way about how fucked life is, implying that it's ‘you guys' fault for supporting the government’ and you, for the life you hold within yourself, can't open your mouth and say a simple ‘I don't’, because who would believe you? You wear hijab.

And western people sit out there, enjoying little or large amounts of freedom of speech and art and music and cinema and whatever else we just don't have freedom for in Iran, in countries that are not under hundreds of sanctions for this and that, as they see the people in Iran shouting for freedom, and encourage them to go for it, thwart the government, start a revolution!

As if it's that easy, as simple as reading headlines on papers and watching videos on screens. As if that brings freedom, not another set of probkems that are just in a different shape, but have the same root; You vs. Us.

That's what happened in 1979, and everyone thought they have freedom in the palm of their hands. Look at it now. Does this look like freedom to you? Women without hijab are under the threat of a government they should be respected by, and women with hijab are under the threat of a society they should belong to.

I live in Iran, and I wear hijab, while my sister doesn't. We have different social groups, because her friends glare at me on the street, and my friends scoff at hers if they see them. Because over a hundred years of oppression leads to this: We're deemed as silent enemies by the society, even if we share blood, candies, love and respect.

And that is the one thing I don't wish upon anyone else in the world. Because there's nothing more heartbreaking than sharing a room at home, laughing at silly vidoes and cooing over cats, and once outside, you can't even share the same world with your own twin.

That's the full image of what's happening in Iran.

.

[illneverrecover]

forever young pt 1(m) | ot7 bts

➛pairing: zombie!BTS x scientist!reader // side focus Seokjin x reader  ➛genre: zombie!AU, apocalypse!AU, technically idolverse!AU, loosely inspired by Warm Bodies. Humor, action, eventual smut ➛word count: 3785 ➛rating: M ➛warnings: graphic descriptions of violence, descriptions of gore (hopefully not too graphic), mentions of death, brain eating (it is a zombie AU, after all), brief mention of lab rats, cursing, dubious science, poorly timed jokes. will add to warnings as additional chapters come out.  ➛summary: Creating the world’s first immortality serum has been your greatest scientific feat - until it was stolen and sold on the black market. Oh, and also it turned whomever injected with it into the living undead. Whoops. ➛notes: It’s alive! I know it’s been forever, but I’m happy to present to you my fic for the @thebtswritersclub fic exchange! I was paired with the lovely @erotikkook who requested a zombie AU, but with BTS as the zombies. He basically gave me free reign from there (the first mistake) but I really had a lot of fun with this and creating this world. Per usual, the story took off and y’all know I can never just shut up, so I’ve decided to make this a multi-chaptered fic. I hope you enjoy, and if you do, please let me know! Feedback keeps the wheels turning for the next installment. 😉 Thank you to @jimins-ass-eater for being a sounding board and beta reading this for me, you’re the best noodle. Also thank you to @quinnkoo for making this banner way cooler than it was, listening to me ramble about this fic for approximately 6 hours while road tripping, and providing me excellent advice. I’d be a mess without you both, per usual. 🖤 ➛tagging: @ditttiii​ (because she asked me to and I can never say no to her😘) ➛song: Artificial Love - EXO & Epilogue: Young Forever - BTS Ch.1 | Ch. 2

They say that a memory that’s tied to one of the five senses makes it more powerful. That the minute you experience the trigger - whether it be a song, the softness of grass beneath your feet, or the taste of a strong coffee - it will all come flooding back, thrusting you back into that exact moment.

Maybe that's why the smell of burnt popcorn always reminded you of the start of the zombie apocalypse. 

It wasn’t your fault, not really. At least not the burnt popcorn. You had asked your lab manager more times than you could count to replace the shitty microwave circa 1990 in the breakroom, considering all it did was overcook items until they were unrecognizable while sparking like a firecracker, but he never listened. 

However, you were responsible for the lab that day, and you had abandoned your post. Jess, your lab partner, had been stressing over the deadline for the new strain of Ebola she was supposed to create a vaccine for, and since you had finished initial testing on your most recent project, you offered to provide her some sustenance. It didn’t cross your mind to lock the door to your private workspace, considering the only people who were ever in the building were your trusted coworkers, and the vaccine storage itself had a passcode. 

Turns out, a passcode that thieves had no issue figuring out. 

Sure, you should have been on higher alert. Once the CEO of HYBE Laboratories had gone on the news announcing that they had discovered the ‘cure’ for aging by creating the first immortality serum, the buzz that kicked up around the place had you on edge. HYBE Laboratories was already one of the largest research labs in Seoul, it’s prestige on the rise ever since it helped the first vaccine for COVID-19, back in 2020. The spotlight was already on, the pressure growing daily to create the next big thing. You knew the CEO was trying to keep interest alive, but it was a premature announcement; you had only finished up the first round of trials on IM04-Alpha, and while the numbers and reactions in the study rats looked good, it was still too early to tell. Two more rounds would be needed to ensure there were no side effects, and under strict orders you had pushed ahead sooner than you normally felt comfortable with. Kihyun, your dedicated lab assistant, had just finished helping you set up the second round, and while the virus was incubating in your test subjects, you had instructed him to lock up any excess serum just in case. 

Not that it mattered.

While airing out the smoky microwave, shouting to Jess that she should be appreciative at your attempts to feed her, you heard something you hadn’t experienced in your time at the lab - a loud staccato bang, echoing off the pristine white walls until it made your ears ring.

A gunshot.

It took a moment to place it, like your brain couldn’t understand the juxtaposition of that sound in a place like this.

After that, it was over before it really began, honestly. Three men donned in all black had broken in, went straight to your incubator, and disabled the code before stealing every last sample of IM04-Beta that you had left. Someone had pressed one of the silent alarms, but it was too late - they were gone in a flash, leaving nothing behind but the lingering smell of burnt popcorn.

It turned out your hunch of it being ‘too soon’ to tell was a correct one. Over the next day, while the lab was scrambling to figure out how to move forward, you watched the beta group of the rats. You saw when the infected rats started to act strange; how they began to almost hunt the control group, cornering them one by one within the labyrinth of their tank. You noted how they started becoming aggressive towards them, teaming up if need be to get the unvaccinated ones to bend to their wills. And finally, your eyes widened with fear when they began to attack, sharp teeth aiming for the skulls of the unsuspecting rodents.

You were breathing heavy, your pulse an audible metronome as you continued to watch, body frozen at the brutal scene. You thought about pressing the ‘kill switch’ which would immediately gas the tank and end the experiment swiftly, but you couldn’t will your hand. The consequences of not seeing this through to the end paralyzed your movements, the scientist within rationalizing the importance of finishing what you started. 

Which then gave you time to see the previously deceased rats start to twitch, their small bodies jerking before staggering on unsteady feet, coming back to life.

It was like watching a puzzle form in slow motion, the pieces sliding into place as you realized what you had actually created. What those rats were doing, what their goal was. The brain. They were going for the brain. Not a cure for aging, not a fountain of youth - but instead, a zombie virus. One that had been stolen. 

Okay, maybe the start of the zombie apocalypse was partially your fault.

Seokjin was so tired of walking.

His feet had been aching for what felt like days, his knees barely lifting to put one foot in front of the other. It was like he’d been dredging through a thick swamp despite the cityscape laid before him, and all he could think about was sitting down for an hour or five and kicking them up for a proper relaxation. 

Which was a bit strange, considering he was undead.

Should he even be able to feel discomfort? He pondered it for a bit, before the thought drifted. Maybe Namjoon would know. This whole thing was still so new to them - to the world - that maybe it was asking for too much. Bang PD’s crazy ass certainly hadn’t known anything about the “immortality vaccine” he had paid to have stolen, blindly thrusting it upon Seokjin and the others after a board meeting a few days ago.

All the CEO had cared about was the optics, the idea of idols that could ‘live forever’. The marketing campaign he could run, the merch that would be dropped. Promising fans that they could enjoy their favorites for generations to come. “We would be writing history,” he had promised the group, seemingly skirting around any questions involving the validity of this vaccine. 

Forever young.

Which made sense after it was already too late, when the entirety of the boy band formerly known as Bangtan were now flesh hungry zombies.

They only learned the truth once they had devoured Bang PDs brain - his memories and thoughts rushing through their synapses, satiating their hunger. It wasn’t like they had wanted to eat their boss - truly, they didn’t - but some of the others had already turned, attacking him and the few remaining humans in the room before anyone could understand what was happening. Seokjin felt like he was in a fog, the phrase ‘no harm no foul’ barely registering before he was reaching for what was left inside of the man’s skull, shoving it into his mouth before promptly passing more to his brothers. 

It was only once their bellies were full that the haze over their thoughts started to lift, a sudden clarity coming into focus. One second, all they could think about was eating, flesh, hungry, more - and then there was a flash of light, a pounding behind their eyes. Thoughts started to flow as if they had stepped into Bang PD’s shoes, seeing the world from his eyes. It was then that Seokjin realized what had happened, remembered who he was, and a quick scan of his bandmate’s faces told him he wasn’t the only one. 

Their eyes were all wide, showing off the almost glowing red vessels that had taken over the once pristine white, snaking around the irises as if in pursuit. In his peripherals, Seokjin saw the other zombies coming to, realizing what they’d done before racing out of the room, leaving just his brothers and the corpses of those too far gone. 

After the initial shock wore off, it was then they tried to share what they knew - their speech still limited, but better than before. Namjoon was the one who had put it all together; that the serum was not what they thought it was, what their bodies now craved, how they could continue to gain more of their humanity back.

Ironically, by eating more brains. 

They’ve been wandering in a mindless state since, unsure of where to go. It had only been a few hours, hadn’t it? Time seemed to move differently now, a concept that slid through Seokjin’s fingertips. The world was in between the stages of grief, locked in somewhere in the middle of shock and denial. As they staggered from the disarray of the HYBE entertainment building, the coexistence of some people screaming and running with the others milling about like it was a normal workday had made Seokjin feel queasy.

Despite the lack of direction, they knew it was best to keep their heads down and keep moving. It had been Taehyung who pointed out the glaring news reports blaring from every screen, warning others of the rapidly spreading virus, how to protect themselves from the undead assailants. Regardless of the public announcements, it had been an unspoken agreement that they wouldn’t kill to live, instead searching for those who were already incapacitated to feed from. The brain of their former boss seemed to have satiated them for the time being, so instead they focused on finding shelter - wherever that may be.

“So, where are we going?” Yoongi drawled, voice rough with misuse. Despite the tone falling a bit flat in his new undead state, Seokjin could feel the scorn coming from the shorter man.

“Somewhere safe,” a voice up ahead grunted. Namjoon turned slightly to eye them all. “Somewhere quiet.”

A heavy silence befell the group as they continued their shuffling, trying their best not to stand out. How ironic; they had spent most of their lives ensuring that they would always be known by the world, and now they were trying to slink into the unknown of the same streets they had come from.

It had taken hours to put distance between them and the entertainment building, with only a few breaks to hide when there were too many people around. It was draining to be on such high alert, Seokjin’s shoulders dropping their tension when the group reached a series of back streets.  They were trailing down a dark alley somewhere in the heart of Seoul, and Seokjin started to notice the familiarity of the buildings around them. Why did it look so familiar? Had he been here before?

He racked his brain, trying to remember anything from before. It felt like he was trudging through quicksand within his mind, each memory slightly out of reach before he was swept away, sinking deeper.

Shuffling up towards Namjoon, Seokjin bumped his shoulder, groaning a semblance of his name to get his attention. Dropping his voice low, he raised a brow. “Where?”

Luckily, Namjoon seemed to understand what he was asking, eyeing the others before turning back towards the eldest. “Not sure, not yet anyway.” 

Seokjin could feel the unease in his brother's voice, but he recognized the steely look in his reddened eyes. He was determined; willing to stop at nothing to make sure that they were safe and taken care of, even in this new and terrifying reality.

He nodded in acknowledgement, gaze scanning their surroundings. Seokjin knew he recognized the signs they were walking underneath, the words passing through his brain before taking flight yet again. Jaw tightening in frustration, he took a shaky breath to steady himself, stubbornness burning in his veins. He knew this area, that much was clear. It could be the key to getting them all to a safe haven, so it was important to remember. He needed to remember.

Lost in thought, Seokjin didn’t notice that Namjoon had stopped, body fixed with a singular hand raised. They all stilled, barely breathing when they finally realized what had unsettled their leader - a few male voices, up ahead and to the right. 

It was disturbing how easily he could smell them, how his ears seemingly perked up at the sound of fresh blood pumping through their veins. Seokjin briefly wondered if the others could all sense the life force of the strangers, if they could also practically taste the bottom shelf whiskey that was coating their breath. 

Disgust roiled in his stomach - not only for his new found senses, but also for the lack of taste in the strange men. Bottom shelf whiskey? In the apocalypse? The least they could do was spring for a mid shelf, though he’d recommend the Glenlivet on the rocks, like his brother served at his restaurant-

The restaurant. That’s what was tickling at the back of his brain, what this alley was reminding him of. His brother’s steakhouse was in this district, just right around the corner if his memory was to be trusted.

Which, it wasn’t. But what did he have to lose?

Leaning towards Namjoon, he whispered his realization, quiet enough that the drunken men were still none the wiser of their presence. “My brothers restaurant,” he hissed, inclining his head. “Few blocks that way. It’ll be safe.”

Namjoon curled his lip into a small smile. “Good,” he murmured, turning back to the others to share the plan. They all nod their agreement before slinking down the alley past the men, pausing before turning onto the sidewalk. They will have to walk near the main road in order to cross to the right side of the street, but it should be a quick escape as long as they keep moving. Seokjin can practically feel his feet vibrate in the promise of relief.

Before they can continue, Jungkook reached out, grabbing at the elder’s shoulder. “Hyung,” he murmured through gravel, his voice practically unrecognizable. “I think… I’m hungry, again.” 

He blinked at Seokjin, his doe eyes still wide and innocent, despite the current hell. His other hand clutched at his stomach, as if he could hold the need into place if only he pressed hard enough. 

It’s the fear that is evident in the way Jungkook knitted his brow together, how he gasped to breathe through the craving that spurred Seokjin to speak. “It’s okay, we’ll find something.” He paused to glance around, eyes drawn to a cacophony of yells and chaos a few buildings down. Swallowing thickly, he grasped the younger man's shoulder assuredly. “We’ll find someone, over there.”

Seokjin’s reassuring words soothed Jungkook, the latter grinning widely in silent approval. Another game of zombie telephone has the others in agreement of the planned pit stop, and Seokjin squares his shoulders back as best he can as they continued forward.

As the world continues to fall apart around them, Seokjin finds himself surprisingly unbothered by anything other than keeping him and his brothers alive - well, undead, technically - and wondered about the last time he had felt this free.

It’s Jimin who spots the young man slumped up against the side of the coffee shop, eyes closed in permanent rest. From his scent it was clear that he was recently deceased, the deep crack in the side of his skull lightly trickling blood and confirming the likely cause of death.

Hoseok was serving as look out, eyes scanning around them but only finding more bodies in worse shape than the one in front of them. “All clear,” he grunts, turning back towards the group.

Jungkook is hovering, clearly hesitant despite the obvious hunger raging in his gaze. 

“He looks young,” he mumbles, eyeing the others. It was a strange sensation, to have his brain fighting so hard against the new instincts that have taken root within his new body. He can tell that the others are having similar thoughts, everyone completely silent as they contemplate over the person that will be their next meal. 

“Handsome, too,” Jimin adds, licking his lips. 

Scoffing, Seokjin rolls his eyes, nudging Jungkook out of the way to crouch in front of the dead man. “I look better, and I’m undead.”

A chorus of groans echo behind him, and he grins before reaching for the body. Their victim had been sharply dressed; a pinstripe button up was expertly tucked into form fitting black slacks, shiny walnut oxfords still tightly laced on each foot. Seokjin appraised him with interest, deciding he must have been someone pretty important or well off to be dressed in this manner, especially during a zombie outbreak. Curiosity has him reaching for the man’s pockets, sliding his wallet snugly into his own dark trousers before reaching for the corpse’s head.

“Now’s time to look away if you need,” he throws over his shoulder, eyes now focused on the task at hand. It was surprisingly easy for Seokjin to tap into his more feral side, his vision pulsing as he made quick work to extract the brain of the poor soul in front of them. It was completely intact, untouched by whatever had ravaged the humans in this vicinity, and he admired it with interest before holding it out in offering to his brothers.

For a breath, no one moves, instead all staring at the pink organ cradled in Seokjin’s palms like it was holy, a thing of reverence. In some ways, it was - it was the thing that kept their undead hearts beating, the only sustenance they’ll require from this point forward. 

Finally, Namjoon outstretched his arm, reaching for a fistful. “Everyone should take some,” he orders, swallowing thickly. “We can save the rest for later.” 

Without hesitation, five more hands join the others, each grabbing a piece before tossing it back without ceremony. Seokjin waits for the others before plucking out some for himself, chewing thoughtfully as he pondered what the best way to transport a human brain would be in an apocalyptic setting. 

A few feet from their latest meal a hard plastic cooler rested on it’s side, the contents long torn from it and leaving it empty - and a perfect vessel. Dropping the remaining goods inside, he makes quick work of securing the lid before handing it over to Yoongi, who takes it without question.

Before he could turn to address the group, a sharp pain throbbed in his skull, Seokjin cursing as he clutched at his temple. A bright light was suddenly burning behind his eyes, and he squeezed them shut in an useless defense against the images that flashed before him, disjointed and foreign. He’s felt this before, right after he ate a chunk of Bang PD, and the realization dawns as he forces himself to stop struggling against the movie in his mind.

His memories.

Forcing himself to focus, he tries to make sense of what he’s seeing - a blink of an apartment, well designed and clean; a brush of shoulders as he makes way into a glass enclosed room, white adorning all the walls and tables and the coats of those around him. Hands that were not his own, but felt like they could be reaching for vials, placing them in machines Seokjin had never seen before; diligently taking notes on a state of the art computer. 

There was so much - a whole life, all in a breath, in a single bite - but there was one thing that showed up repeatedly, constantly, making Seokjin’s undead heart race and threaten to burst within his chest. 

A woman, achingly beautiful, her smile contagious but not in the way that causes monstrosities like him - but in that peaceful way that feels like coming home. If the memories being shown were a movie of this man's life, then she was the main star; snapshots of her flipping through his vision so quickly he could barely catch his breath. She was everywhere - in the sterile white of the glass room, handing him things with a gentle smirk on her painted lips. Smoothing her dress while waiting for him at a bar, eyes lighting when she catches him staring. Hair messy and eyes drooping with exhaustion, draped haphazardly over a worn out couch arm. 

She was everywhere, and it burned Seokjin from the inside out as the memories took root; spiraling and ensnaring the depths of his mind before sinking to his chest, smoldering embers just waiting for a gust of air to become a raging inferno once more.

“Hyung?” a voice called, fuzzy and distant at first as the ringing in Seokjin’s ears slowly dissipated. 

Coming to, he found the others staring at him, pupils blown as they regarded him carefully. Taehyung reaches for his arm then, repeating his previous words. “Hyung, what did you see?” 

It took Seokjin a beat to comprehend what he was being asked, and he scanned the dark eyes of the younger man. “How did you know I saw something?” 

“We all did,” Jungkook replies, Taehyung nodding in assurance. Another slow blink had the words settling, and clarity came to him swiftly.

They all ate the same brain, which means they all had the same memories imposed into their heads, just like before. They saw everything that Seokjin had seen, which means that they-

“Did you see the woman too?” Jungkook whispers in awe, his face softening. “I’ve never seen anything like her.”

The others all murmur their confirmation, talking over each other with their new found vocabulary as they reminisce over the memories that now felt as real as their own. Excitement bubbled within the group, their expressions becoming more animated and light as they spoke - the first sparks of something more than dread on their faces since this ordeal began. Seokjin swallowed thickly around the lump forming at the base of his throat, his heart galloping painfully. 

What does this mean? Were these images now securely his own, or just remnants of a previous life of a poor trodden man? Why did it feel like things had suddenly changed? And worst of all, why does the fact that his brothers experienced the same thoughts and feelings as he did cause a tiny seed of jealousy to bury itself dangerously low in his gut?

He wanted to tell them to settle down and let him speak, wanted to usher them into the safety net of the nearby restaurant as previously planned so that they could sit down and figure out their next steps, but instead, Seokjin said the only words that felt right in that moment.

“We need to find her.”

[bonyfish]

okay so here is what i have done today in my attempt to get the updated COVID vaccine:

10:15am. call CVS. they said the problem they'd been having earlier this week with insurance had been resolved, so now the only problem is that i have secondary insurance in addition to medicaid which means they're not legally allowed to bill medicaid. i told them i'd already called two different agencies about this problem on monday and had it resolved. they said to call again.

called Family & Social Services Administration. they said this wasn't an issue on their end and i needed to call my insurance.

called Kroger to see if they give COVID shots so i could just bypass this issue entirely (they don't)

called my doctor's office and left a message asking if they give COVID shots

called the company that administers my medicaid insurance and had the conversations mentioned in the above chain of posts, where we ultimately determined that there's no problem and everything should be working.

called the company i got insurance through during the brief window when i lost medicaid coverage from 2020-2021 to see if i was still in their system. they confirmed my coverage had been terminated in 2021 and everything should be working.

called CVS again. they said i was still listed in their system as having primary insurance other than medicaid, none of this was their problem, and I needed to call my insurance company.

called the company that administers my medicaid insurance again and determined that the second insurance that was triggering this problem was my father's insurance from his government job, which I haven't been covered under since 2017, and which indeed he likely doesn't even have anymore since he retired at some point in the last few years. the representative who determined this got rid of it in the system and made sure it wouldn't cause any issues, and then transferred me to the pharmacy coverage line, and said to tell them i need an override so i can get my shot without having to wait for these changes to percolate

the person on the pharmacy line says the COVID vaccine is covered under "medical" and not "pharmacy", so she puts me on hold so that she can call a different branch of the insurance company

meanwhile, my doctor's office leaves me a message saying they do not administer the new COVID vaccine

I am transferred to another branch of the phone tree, where I am informed that they cannot issue an override because there is no record of a denied claim coming from CVS. the problem is so incomprehensible from every angle that the representative by all appearances at this point gives up on CVS entirely and puts me on an extended hold so they can call around town trying to find any other medical provider who will administer the new COVID vaccine

by this point it is 1pm and I have been on this particular phone call for an hour.

the representative returns and says that the CVS minute clinic will bill the shot as medical and not pharmacy, thus bypassing whatever fuckery is going on, but all the minute clinics in the state appear to have the same phone number and all of them are out of the vaccine

this representative decides to give up and transfer me to the "concierge" which to be honest is a word I only know in connection with that TV show starring the guy who played Ax in the live action Animorphs, and i don't think that's what this person does

the concierge listens patiently as i explain everything and says, "well, it should be working," and i very nearly become hysterical. however, she says she'll familiarize herself with my case and get in touch with CVS herself. she takes my phone number, gives me a way to contact her, and says she'll call back before 5pm.

By this point it is 2 o'clock, I have cancelled my delivery shift, and all I have gotten done today is making phone calls.

I still have not gotten my updated COVID vaccine.

Doing interpretive dance to the hold music as I try for the second time to untangle the bizarre web of misapprehensions and errors preventing my updated COVID vaccine from being covered by my insurance

[myleftpinkytoe]

Part of what makes fiction and fandom so interesting is that it really shows how much people are willing to forgive once empathy is established, once a person becomes a PERSON.

There are lots of fan-favourite characters that are just SO relatable and SO kind but have ALSO done objectively terrible things. If, in the real world, someone told me the basic bones of what certain characters did, my first automatic thought would be "oh, so that person is like, bad." But when it's characters I feel like I KNOW, who's stories i have followed, who I have watched grow and change and regret their actions, when THEY do or have done those same terrible things, I... don't think that. It's a very similar feeling to when a close family member/ good friend does something bad in real life, where I KNOW that they aren't a bad person, because I KNOW them, and I KNOW that they just made a mistake and regret it and that they deserve forgiveness. But... more, in fiction, because I've never had a friend commit any war crimes (that I know of >.>).

The real world implications are interesting. I often see/ hear people make throwaway comments about how people in jail don't deserve basic human rights (covid saw a spike in these opinions being aired). And I think I see where those people are coming from, even though I disagree. It's easy to say that people who steal, for example, deserve to go to jail, when "stealing" is placed in abstract terms. But when you remove the abstract, and add in the person? When they may have had their reasons, or their situation may have been desperate, or maybe just made a mistake??? That "prisoners aren't people" reasoning falls away, even ignoring the possibility of innocent people being charged. And fiction really helps us practice feeling that empathy and helps us recognize that good people sometimes do bad things

Some people in fandom HATE fan-forgiveness. There is a not-insignificant part of fandom that decries such things, because x character doesn't "deserve" forgiveness, or because they think it perpetrates the idea of getting away with murder (sometimes literally) with no consequences. Often, it is pointed out that "sexy" characters get forgiven more frequently/ easily. That last argument especially is a fair criticism, but I think the issue there is that ugly characters should also get more forgiveness. The other two arguments are more... wiggly. Debatable. Subjective.

You can tell a lot about a person by how much they're willing to forgive, in a fictional character or otherwise, because it speaks to that person's morals and how they view redemption. It's very hard to quantify human suffering, but we do it every day. How much good must someone do to make up for the bad? When someone says "this character hasn't done enough to be redeemed", that is a statement of their view on moral balances, and how they've quantified that suffering. And that's not even mentioning the question of "who is to blame?" If I steal an artifact, and that action triggers a war that leads to thousands of deaths, am I responsible for those thousands? What if the political situation was such that a war was almost guaranteed to happen anyways? Am I to blame, or does responsibility rest on the politicians who declared the war? Did Gavrilo Princip kill 20 million people, or did he just kill one: Franz Ferdinand?

The thing is, there's no easy answer to those questions, but fiction provides a good place to practice our answers.

When I see people writing redemption arcs fanfics, or loving a good character redemption, what I see is a human belief in forgiveness. A real hope that people can change for the better, and move past what they have done to do good. There is still a sense of moral balance, a need for consequences and to right wrongs, but we WANT them to be better. We cheer for the villain who does the right thing. And I like that. I want more of that.

It's so easy to look at someone on the surface, see the bones of their story, and judge them. To put them in neatly labeled boxes of "good" and "bad". And maybe some people ARE irredeemable, but in my experience, the vast majority of people can do better. What's more, they want to do better. Want to BE better. I really believe that no one wants to be "evil": they just stop caring about being good. And if there is no forgiveness, then why would someone care about being good? If I'm put in a locked box labeled "bad" with no way to get out, then why should I try to be any different?

Forgiveness gives people the opportunity to be better. Fiction has long explored that, and the realm of fandom explores that as well.

[traumasurvivorshelpingsurvivors]

Tw mentions of CSA, menstruation, and doctor stuffs, would prefer if a female would answer

Hi I'm looking for some advice. I'm 20 years old and I've been having a period for 11 years now, I just recently found out that you're suppose to see the gynecologist after you have your first period. Well I didn't because the person who sexually abused me was my dad and a 9 y/o with CSA trauma going to a gynecologist would've been bad for him. Anyways I'm triggered by doctors, and doctor appointments usually end up triggering me in all sorts of ways anyways but a gynecologist just sounds absolutely freaking terrifying to me, what advice would you offer to a CSA survivor who is long overdue for a gynecologist appointment? Also is it really that important? Like im sexually active so it probably is but I would prefer to avoid it if I can.

Obligatory disclaimer that I'm not a medical professional and this is not medical advice...

While it is recommended that you see a gynecologist around 13, it's really not dire unless there's symptoms or other issues. The main reason it's recommended is that at that age people may not know what abnormal symptoms to see a doctor about, and also because it's nice to get to know the gynecologist while nothing is wrong and build some comfort before anything awkward or uncomfortable like a pelvic exam comes up.

If you're 20 and sexually active, it's probably a good idea to get tested for STDs, and within the next year or so it would be good to get your first pap smear (it's to test for cervical cancer, and is especially important if you haven't had the HPV vaccine). It was probably not super important to see one in your teens, but at this point in your life it's pretty important to access some gynecological care (whether from an actual gynecologist or otherwise).

If male gynecologists make you uncomfortable because of your dad, you can definitely go see a female gynecologist. Depending on your area, you may also be able to get pap smears and STI testing from a nurse practitioner, or registered nurse. Would either of those options be less scary to you? Do you have a regular doctor who is less terrifying than seeing a random stranger? If yes, it may be worth asking your regular doctor if they are comfortable providing you with basic care (pap smears and STD swabs are not super technical and many general practitioners/family doctors are comfortable doing them).

You mention being sexually active. Do you have an intimate partner who could come with you and make the visits less intimidating/scary? Or a close friend? You have the right to bring someone with you. I usually bring my partner to gynecologist appointments. When anyone gave me grief during COVID I told them I needed him to help me due to a disability (anxiety is a real disability and you do not need to explain yourself).

- Mod Allison

[reaching-for-roses]

Bare with me, this is long and rambling.. but I hope it will be worth your time. And if not, maybe it will at least help me to get it off my chest.

I will change fonts and colors throughout, to make the post easier to read for anyone who has trouble reading huge walls of text, like myself.

**Some possible triggering content within, but I will only mention them briefly: pet death, covid, heart attack, hospitals/doctors, financial problems, panic attacks/anxiety, cancer, medication, psychiatric care, general health issues, vehicle safety/possibility of wrecking**

~~~~~~~~~~~◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇~~~~~~~~~~~

These last few months have been filled with prayers. More than I think I've ever prayed.

To give you some background information, but without going into too much detail, I'll just say that my family and I have experienced two very traumatic pet deaths, a couple covid scares, a family member was diagnosed with cancer, and my dad has been in and out of the hospital due to heart disease after having a heart attack in September.

Along with all of that, there have been no shortage of financial woes as well as problems with our vehicle.

Life has not been easy lately. My mental health has suffered immensely as a result, and I've had more panic attacks than ever. Thankfully I currently am taking medication for that, which helps a ton. The problem is that I got the medication as a "one-time/ emergency" perscription at the local health department. The doctor told me I needed to see a psychiatrist for any more.

She suggested a local center that works with people who are low income. The issue here is that I don't want to go there, since I've already had one bad experience there. But I most likely can't afford anything else (if I can even afford that). So I've even been having anxiety about having anxiety and having to ration anxiety meds. Not fun, to say the least.

Today, my partner and I are out driving around when I feel the need to check on my dad. I call him and he tells me that he just got home from work, but something strange happened on the way home:

He had passed out while driving.

By some miracle, he was only about a mile from home, and was traveling on a side road going about 30 mph. But here's the amazing part..

He only had a couple of seconds to realize what was happening, and in that time he managed to hit the brake. By some miracle his foot stayed on the brake while he was out, and when he woke again the vehicle was still stopped.

We have no idea how long he was out for sure, but we think it was only a moment. After he woke, he took a second to figure out where he was and what had happened, and then he drove the rest of the way home.

When I talked to him on the phone I was shocked. Naturally my first thought was to get home as quickly as possible and get him to the hospital to get checked out.

We did so, and the doctor found no certain cause for what happened other than his blood pressure being wonky, he was slightly dehydrated, and all of the new medications he's on could be messing with him. They gave him some fluids and discharged him, reccomending a follow up with a cardiologist.

The entire day since finding out this news, all I could think of was how incredibly fortunate he was to have not crashed his vehicle when that happened. If he had been on the main road still (the one he was on moments before) he would have been going 60 mph with cars ahead and behind him. That hospital visit would have been very different.

I kept thinking about how I got the urge to check on him, not even 20 minutes after it happened. About how my partner and I were already in the area, even though we hadn't really planned to be.

I can't help but feel that all of it was a blessing. That it could have been so much worse.

These last few months have been filled with prayers. Prayers of grief, prayers seeking connection, prayers asking for guidance. But mostly.. prayers asking the gods to keep my loved ones safe and healthy.

I've asked Apollon, Asklepios and Hygeia to watch over my dad with his health issues, to help his doctors provide the best care, and for all of us to be protected against Covid.

I've sought comfort from Hestia and Aphrodite through rituals of self care, done in their honor as much as my own.

But the deity I've spoken with most has been Hermes.

Hermes, friend of man. God of humanity.

He has been there for me in so many ways. Not always in the way I wanted, but in the way I needed.

I believe the gods can't always interfere. Maybe sometimes they can't change what fate has in store for us. Maybe even they have rules to play by.

But I still believe they try. They do what they can, when they can, for us.

So Hermes, if you're listening..

I know what you did today. Words can't express how grateful I am.. but thank you.

I know Hermes isn't the only god who's watched over me or my family. In some way, at one time or another, they all have.

I appreciate each and every one of them. For every little thing they've done. Even if I didn't notice at the time.

I adore the theoi. They have provided me with more comfort and joy than I ever could have dreamed of.

I know that life has been hard lately. And I also know that it will get harder sometimes before it gets better. But I am learning to trust in my gods and their ability to lend me strength, hope, and comfort whenever I need it most. That whenever they can interfere to help me out, they will.

I hope that whatever is going on in your life right now, no matter your difficulties.. you are able to find peace. Even if we can't always see it, in the midst of our mortal worries, insecurities and distractions.. I hope you know that you aren't alone. That even if you feel helpless, the gods are there. They will always listen. They will always provide in whatever way they are able.

♡