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thevoidscreamer · 1 year ago

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Stop Talking About "Proportional Responses" and Read This.

Okay. So as an Intelligence Studies student who has had a longstanding special interest in the Middle East, I feel a little bit compelled to talk about the Israel-Hamas-Palestine situation going on right now.

First off, there are tons of great resources to learn about the history that pertains to this conflict. I highly recommend the book The Contemporary Middle East, 3rd edition, for a good start, but for those of you who don't learn well through reading, Warographics has a great short video that can help you get the bare minimum bit of context necessary to understanding what's going on.

Secondly, it is paramount to note that there are no good guys in this situation aside from the civilians and non-combatants whose lives are being horrendously upended (again) by this conflict. Anyone who tells you that either Israel or Hamas is the sole hero or the sole victim in this story is not looking at the full picture. The world is made up of shades of gray, and there is no truthful black-and-white view of this situation. I caution anyone against listening to those who make statements that glorify the actions of either party or who refuse to accept that both have committed atrocities over the past decades preceding this particular event and the days containing it or who equivocate Palestine with Hamas.

Third, my personal bias is against the use of egregious violence, shock tactics, and ethnic cleansing in any efforts to effect lasting change. I am also against the apartheid state model, the definition of which can be found at this hyperlink. I stand against any form of extremism and terrorism, be they enacted on behalf of an individual, a group, or a recognized state. If you are a proponent of these things, you will not like my analysis. I also assert that LOAC should be staunchly adhered to, not just in letter but also in intent. If you think that exceptions to LOAC should be made to religious or ethnic groups, you will not like my analysis. I do not believe in making exceptions for "divinely inspired" behaviors and I harshly disagree with the assertion of some Christians that Israel reserves the right to reign unfettered damage on any and all others because they are the "apple of G-d's eye."

Fourth, I don't believe in the principle of "reciprocal action" for nations that are actually seeking peace. Responses to terrorist behavior should not be met with equal terrorist behavior. War should not be an avenging action, it should be an procedure that seeks to end the conflict with as little collateral damage as possible. Counter to what most US Americans seem to believe, war is not just bombs and guns. It is ISR, agreements, support, appeals to other countries for aid, international propaganda campaigns, cybersecurity efforts, counterintelligence, economic shifts, and a lot more, all of which has become tremendously more accessible (and impactful) thanks to technological advances. Throwing bodies at the problem and throwing bombs at the bodies until enough people die that it slows down or stops is not our only option anymore, and it hasn't been for a long time.

Finally, I strongly believe in the responsibility that journalists and reporters bear to inform their viewers. Does the average US American news viewer understand Israel's defense capabilities? No, and I wouldn't expect them to. But it's helpful for them to know, when forming their opinions about the conflict. Instead of only showing the tragic final moments of Palestinian and Israeli civilians on loop for the entire 24 hour news cycle, why not dedicate some of that time to discussing the armaments and capabilities of each side of the conflict? What missiles are being used in the air strikes? What about the aircraft? What is the method that the IDF is using to decide where to strike? It's not sensational, but it is important.

Okay so now that that's all out of the way, let's talk specifically about Israel's response to Hamas' coordinated attack on its citizens on 7 October 2023.

My thesis statement here is this: Israel has the knowledge and means to locate and deal with the most important/influential members of Hamas who reside in Gaza while sustaining minimal collateral damage to buildings and civilians, but they have chosen instead to inflict a moderate amount of collateral damage -- more than they have in the past, but less than they are capable of. To what end? That is yet to be seen, though inferences can be made.

In my opinion, this is reckless and will only serve to stoke the flames of anti-Israel sentiment in Palestine and around the world while appealing to the radicalized far-right fringe groups Netanyahu is beholden to, as well as radical Christians, Messianics, and Zionists in the United States. It will not result in peace and will further divide the Middle East and the US along archaic religious extremist lines.

The following post will provide the puzzle pieces that support this hypothesis, and bring them all together in a conclusion.

Let's start by talking about Israel's intelligence apparatus, Mossad. Background on Mossad here for those who need it.

Why is everyone upset with Mossad? Mossad is actually one of the most effective intelligence agencies in the world. The fact that they didn't catch this before it happened comes as such a shock to me as an analyst-in-training that I actually think they may have allowed it to happen in order to enact a war on Palestine. That's simply my impression, but we have yet to see evidence of why this attack was not caught and stopped. The IDF's actions seem to back my hypothesis, but we won't know for sure until the dust settles years from now. At this point, I don't feel speculation is particularly useful.

What benefit does Mossad have to offer now that the conflict has popped off? Hamas is a large organization, estimated at around 20,000 individuals. However, Mossad likely has profiles (and possibly even patterns-of-life) on the high ranking and influential members of Hamas who reside in Gaza. This is because Mossad is a highly adept, globally notable intelligence service, and Hamas is a well-known enemy. Even if Mossad does not have profiles on those individuals, it would only take some patience on Israel's part to locate and identify them and their patterns of life, especially given Israel’s UAV capabilities.

What are Israel's UAV capabilities?

Israel's use of UAVs is not publicly acknowledged, but it is well known that they not only use but manufacture three specific UAVs. In fact, they are one of the world's foremost suppliers of UAV technology.

Of these, the Hermes 900 and Heron TP most resemble the MQ-9 Reaper. Why is this important? Comparison. The MQ-9 Reaper has hella capabilities I won't go into here, but follow this link if you'd like to learn more about the technological marvel that is General Atomics' MQ-9B. What you need to know for this comparison is that the MQ-9 can surveil and destroy a target without that target even knowing the MQ-9 was there. It's stealthy and incredibly precise. The US DOD version has a suite of sensors for all kinds of tasks, and it can carry a decent payload, which is addressed in the next bullet.

The missile we'll be talking about today is the November-class Hellfire. These 104 lb missiles have a unique capability. They are often called a zero-collateral weapon, because they eliminate their target(s) and nothing else. The short of how this missile works is by pressurizing an enclosed space and liquifying what's inside it. This missile does not explode because it has no explosive material. That means no shrapnel, no molten metal, nothing. And, its effects are confined to the four walls, floor, and ceiling of the room it "detonates" in. People in the next room? Unharmed. And it will not pressurize an open space. Which means, by using the laser guided air-to-ground missile system mounted on an aircraft like the MQ-9 or similar, this missile can be deployed to hit one target in an open space and impact no one else. Once deployed, the missile will make impact with the target, destroying it via sheer velocity, bury itself in the ground, and detonate without harming any other people or structures.

So how would Israel get their hands on something like that?

Prior to the Hamas attacks, the Biden administration requested Israel receive $3.3 billion in foreign military financing for the upcoming fiscal year -- the same as the past three years. For comparison, $2.8 billion is going to Europe and Eurasia aid, with an additional $1 billion earmarked specifically for Ukraine. The DOD version of the MQ-9 Reaper costs about $32 million, and Hellfire missiles cost around $120,000 per, including costs for technical support and training -- and its many variants are compatible with multiple platforms, not just the MQ-9.

For context, the Hellfire missile was initially developed in the late 70's. Its newer iterations are much more elegant and efficient, but the point still stands that Israel has had access to the same technology for just as long as everyone else. So even if they were not receiving funding from the US, Israel likely already has figured out an equivalent tool.

Now that we know what the most effective, least damaging option is... what kinds of missiles is Israel using?

Right now, since explosives are still flying, we won't have that information. But we do have information about the last big barrage of missiles and bombs used by Israel on Gaza, back in 2021.

Gravity bombs (mark 82, 83, and 84) fitted with JDAM guidance kits (GBU-38, GBU-32, and GBU-31 respectively) giving the weapon the capability to hit a designated GPS coordinate. These are general purpose bombs built to penetrate concrete and then explode, spreading lethal shrapnel. Lethal area: 2,400 m2

2,000 lb GBU-31 (V)4/B (bunker-buster subvariant), used to level high-rise buildings in Gaza.

500 lb GBU-54 'laser-guided JDAM.'

Semi-active laser-guided Mikholit missile (ATGM). These small missiles can be carried by the smallest of the UAV, but are often deployed by helicopter.

"Spike" or Tammuz NLOS anti-tank missile, which in some models has a staggering range of 16 miles, features a built-in video feed, and can be controlled like a drone.

So... they don't seem to have a track record for using precision missiles that cause minimal collateral damage. Okay, well maybe they have a reason.

So where is Israel sending its explosives?

Gaza is the world's third most densely populated polity, with a population of over 2 million Palestinians -- 70% of those being refugees from other parts of Israel. Below are two maps. The first one shows the population density using dots to depict the general clustering of humans in Gaza. The second one shows the IDF airstrike locations. There is a citation in the image itself, but the hyperlinks in this paragraph take you to the same places. I will let you draw your own conclusions regarding the impact the bombs will have on the Gaza Strip populous, based on the impact locations and population clustering.

From here, it is important to address the considerations that go into what missile to use on a target.

There is generally a three-point system that helps determine which munition is necessitated by which mission and which targets.

Value of target

Missile capability

Estimated collateral deaths

These are all important because of the Law of Armed Combat, sometimes called the International Humanitarian Law, or the Law of War, which is backed by both the Geneva Convention and the Hague Convention. The intention of the LOAC is to minimize collateral damage and unnecessary death, especially to that of non-combatants. And yes, it does apply to "non-international conflict" i.e. engaging in conflict with non-State armed groups -- but it offers a unique exception. "Leaders of non-State armed groups are also subject to attack on the same basis as other members of the group." See subsection 5.7.4 of the DOD Law of War Manual. But that's a rabbit hole for a different day.

How effective was the 2021 bombardment on damaging or destroying Hamas assets?

This is important because the current bombardment is on trajectory to be much more deadly and costly than any IDF bombardment in the past. If the goal of Israel's bombardments is to stop Hamas, then the damage to Hamas should outweigh the damage to the civil Palestinian population. When reading these records, remember that Hamas has controversial political control over Gaza -- many Palestinians do not want Hamas as their governing body, but Hamas enacts legal power there anyway.

Most of the boats and many of the personnel of Hamas' naval cammando force were destroyed

10 Hamas government buildings, including its Interior Ministry, were destroyed

11 military buildings, including one housing Hamas' cyber branch, were destroyed

Five banks that were allegedly linked to Hamas were destroyed

"Nearly 30" (yes, that's the quote) senior commanders and one rocket engineer expert were allegedly killed

The family homes of at least 15 Hamas leaders were destroyed, some including the families inside

Over 60 miles or roughly 20-25% of Hamas' estimated 250-310 mile "Metro," which is an underground tunnel system -- the demolished area included 15 cross-border strike tunnels

Let's compare that to the impact of those same strikes on Gazan infrastructure and non-combatants.

Gaza's only COVID testing and vaccination center was destroyed

Gaza's largest bookstore was destroyed

A critical desalinization plant was disabled

The sewer system was rendered unusable -- reportedly 50% of the water pipeline network was destroyed

53 school buildings were damaged

11 health centers and 6 hospitals were damaged

17,000 residential and commercial units were damaged, including 5 residential towers

An estimated 72,000 Palestinians were rendered homeless

800,000 Gazans lacked access to clean drinking water and were receiving 5 hours of electricity per day, down from 12

At least 243 Gazans were killed, including over 100 women and children

So how is this current conflict shaping up, just five days after it's begun?

Let's look only at total reported deaths so far, because the damage and bombings are still happening and it is not easy to project the impact of something like this.

Gaza: 680, plus 1500 militants reported found dead by Israel

Israel: 900

Hamas Leaders: 3

US: 11

Note: this data is from 10 October, because I could not find a reliable source for reported deaths more recently. However for the curious reader, of the many projected death counts available, I felt AlJazeera would be most accurate.

So what does this all mean?

The current scenario unfolding showcases Israel's prowess in defense and the capabilities they hold, with potential access to precision weapons that minimize collateral damage. However, their choice to utilize munitions that cause significant collateral harm raises pertinent questions about their objectives. Israel's historical actions, while crippling to some of Hamas's assets, have also disproportionately affected Palestinian civilians, disrupting their infrastructure and causing substantial loss of life. It's evident that conflict responses shouldn't be retaliatory actions but must aim for lasting peace.

Israel's approach to the conflict manifests a concerning disregard for the safety of Palestinian civilians residing in Gaza. The destruction of essential infrastructure in 2021, show a pattern of excessive force that suggests a stubbornness against employing more efficient, precise methods of eliminating targets. Instead, their recent actions in the 2023 conflict will inevitably lead to devastating collateral damage that affects non-combatants more than the intended targets. Moreover, these tactics will serve to further tarnish Israel's international image. The global community is increasingly conscious of human rights and the usefulness of discrimination in warfare. Israel’s actions, therefore, risk isolating them in the global theater and could potentially invite international sanctions or legal action, as well as continued aggression from Palestine and its sympathizers. These factors all combine to indicate a blatant disregard for Palestinian civilian lives and a lack of foresight in their strategic actions and international relations.

With technological advancements, nations no longer have to resort to conventional warfare tactics. As the current conflict unfolds, it becomes even more critical to highlight the importance of a balanced approach and the dire need for solutions that prioritize humanity over political or religious objectives. However, Israel and Hamas have both made their positions clear, and neither of those positions reflects the idea of regional security.

Tl;dr ... Israel could have chosen to do better, but they didn't. And that's not okay.

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Note about the author: I grew up in a radicalized far right evangelical household, and at least one of my parents is still radicalized. I did a brief foray into the radicalized far left side of US politics before settling into my current moderate position. As a white, atheist, transgender individual who has experienced homelessness and chronic illness, and who has been a victim of sex trafficking, but who now lives a stable and solidly middle class life with a bachelor's level education and a partner in the military, I recognize that my moderate political position is a privileged one.

I acknowledge that the unfortunate truth is that often the only option left to oppressed groups seeking change is violence, especially provided there is no substantial humanitarian intervention available to them. I believe that Israel's actions will further that sense of no-other-way-out for Palestinians, especially those not affiliated with Hamas.

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whencyclopedia · 8 months ago

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Battle of Waxhaws

The Battle of Waxhaws (29 May 1780) was a small engagement during the southern theater of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) that nevertheless had a significant psychological impact on the Patriots. During the battle, Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton and his infamous British Legion allegedly slaughtered Patriot soldiers who were trying to surrender, increasing the perception of British soldiers as ruthless.

Charleston Under Attack

In March 1780, the chaos and destruction of the Revolutionary War came to South Carolina. Over 10,000 British and German soldiers, under the command of Sir Henry Clinton, had landed at Drayton's Landing, 12 miles (19 km) to the north of the city of Charleston. On 29 March, the army crossed the Ashley River and dug in outside the city's landward defenses, beginning to lay siege. Meanwhile, Royal Navy vessels had entered Charleston Harbor, having slipped past the sandbar that was supposed to prevent such a movement; the panicked American commodore in charge of the city's naval defenses decided to scuttle his eight ships rather than face the firepower of Royal Navy warships. In the ensuing weeks, the British siegeworks inched closer to the walls of Charleston, undeterred by the incessant fire of the American artillery. It was only a matter of time, it seemed, before the Union Jack flew above the walls of Charleston.

Major General Benjamin Lincoln, in charge of the American army within the city, was aware of the direness of his situation. Charleston was, at the time, the jewel of the American South. It was not only the largest city in the South but also the economic center of the region; indigo and rice, two of the most profitable crops grown on South Carolinian plantations, were exported from Charleston docks, the sale of which was used to help fund the United States' war effort. If the city were to fall, the British would not only gain an important foothold in South Carolina but could also more easily control the trade flowing out of the American South, thereby crippling the US economy. Civilian officials begged General Lincoln not to surrender the city, no matter the cost to his army. Lincoln did his best to comply but knew his situation was growing bleaker every day. On 14 April, his route of retreat across the nearby Cooper River was cut when a detachment of British dragoons, led by Lt. Colonel Banastre Tarleton, surprised and defeated the American outpost at Monck's Tavern. Hours later, the energetic Tarleton had captured all major crossing points over the Cooper within 6 miles (10 km) of Charleston. Now, Lincoln's army was well and truly trapped.

Though growing dimmer by the day, Lincoln's situation was not entirely hopeless. General George Washington, commander-in-chief of the American forces, was busy leading the main army in New Jersey and could not come to Lincoln's aid himself; Washington did, however, send two Continental regiments under the Bavarian-born General Johann de Kalb to aid in Charleston's defense. At the same time, Colonel Abraham Buford and the 380 soldiers of the 3rd Virginia Regiment had marched down from Virginia to help protect the Carolinas from the British. By 5 May, Buford's men arrived at Lenud's Ferry, on the northern side of the Santee River, 40 miles (64 km) from Charleston. Here, the Virginians encountered a small party of American troops under Colonel Anthony Walton White and Colonel William Washington (a second cousin of the general). White and Washington had gathered the survivors of Tarleton's raids along the Cooper River and regrouped at Lenud's Ferry.

#History #AmericanRevolution #BanastreTarleton #BattleOfWaxhaws

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bulletin-attal-sejourne · 16 days ago

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Attal: Between Legacy, Leadership, and a Little Bit of Lutte

Meeting his fellow militants and sharing his visions after his destined secession of the Renaissance party, from his ex, might be amongst the few relaxing moments for Gabriel Attal. He has some busy days and priorities after (or during) the Remembrance Day public holiday, and they are no easy nuts to crack. No longer the Minister calling the shots, the leader of the EPR group has to navigate a fragmented National Assembly and seek to carve his own path within a government he doesn't entirely control. These public sources offer a glimpse into his strategic manoeuvring, a blend of assertive pronouncements, subtle jabs, and carefully cultivated alliances.

Education Reform: A "Choc" Dulled by Budget Cuts?

The education reform that Attal championed as Minister of Education, his ambitious "Choc des Savoirs," faces some budgetary headwinds. The grand vision of Act II has been somewhat dimmed by the realities of fiscal constraints. Anne Genetet, the new Minister, has opted for a more modest approach, particularly in expanding "groupes de besoins" in 4th and 3rd grades. While the core of Attal's reform remains - the "groupes de besoins," the early maths bac, the textbook labelling - the scope has been reduced, prompting criticism that the "choc" has lost some of its punch.

La Voix du Nord believes that Genetet is Attal's pick for protecting his legacy. Budget is a hot topping landing him and his predecessors into hot water. Attal finds himself in a delicate position. He can, of course, claim victory, asserting that Act II builds upon the solid foundations he laid. Attal, ever the strategist, takes a more nuanced approach. As he argues that budget cuts threaten the future of France's children, he also positions himself as the champion for greater investment in education It's a clever tactic, allowing him to distance himself from the less ambitious Act II while burnishing his credentials as a defender of education.

Mercosur: A "Non!" That Resonates Across France

The proposed EU-Mercosur trade deal is causing quite a stir in France. French farmers, always a potent political force, are up in arms, fearing a flood of cheap South American beef that would undercut their livelihoods. Environmental groups, concerned about deforestation and pesticide use in South America, are adding their voices to the chorus of dissent. And in a rare display of unity, the French parliament, both Senate and National Assembly, has expressed its overwhelming opposition to the deal.

As the first signatories, Attal emerges as a leading voice against the Mercosur Agreement. The joint declaration with other parliamentary leaders boasting a remarkable 622 signatures has urged the European Commission to reconsider the deal. He also adopts the mantle of "Guardian of Standards," arguing that the deal threatens French agriculture and environmental commitments. With France increasingly isolated in its opposition - countries like Germany and Spain see significant economic benefits from Mercosur- Attal is using this moment to position himself as a defender of French interests on the European stage, something he might be able to work with his ex, as the latter will be appointed as the EVP of trade and prosperity, and had promised to 'not sign' the treaty should it harms European interest.

National Assembly: A "Socle" Shaky and Full of Frictions

The National Assembly, that grand stage of French democracy, currently resembles a rather chaotic dance floor.... The current government, led by Michel Barnier, depends on a fragile "socle commun," a coalition of parties that includes Attal's EPR, the Republicans (LR), the Modem, and Horizons. But this "socle" is proving to be rather shaky, riddled with frictions and power plays....

Attal, leading the largest group within this coalition, is facing a delicate balancing act. He's acutely aware that the French public, weary of political instability, craves a semblance of unity and stability. He's also conscious of the need to assert his own influence and carve out a distinct identity for the EPR.

The recent pension compromise, orchestrated by Laurent Wauquiez, the leader of the LR group, has exposed the tensions within the "socle". While Attal publicly supports the government's efforts to find a compromise, frustration within the EPR ranks simmers as Attal's troops feel sidelined, outmanoeuvred, and somewhat "humiliated" by Wauquiez's deft handling of the pension issue.

Can Attal Juggle It All?

Attal's current challenge is reminiscent of a high-wire act, requiring delicate balance and strategic precision. He must appease the demands of a fragmented National Assembly, maintain his legacies, assert his own political vision, and carefully navigate the ambitions of his rivals, all while maintaining an image of unity and stability.

Will he stumble or soar? That remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Attal is a force to be reckoned with in French politics, and his journey will be captivating to watch. And see you next time.

#gabriel attal #french politics #stephane sejourne #Newsletter #I am sleepy

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bakersstreetirregulars · 10 months ago

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Kingdom Headline, 2/7/24: Beast-Yeast Episode 2 - “Theater of Lies”

⚙️ Sheesh, 3 years already? Guess their economic outlook in this era of gacha saturation’s gotten them very far, especially with the amount of burnout that hit the upper management Cookies here last Cookiemas. This is actually the 3rd Cookie Run 3rd Anniversary that Meringue’s been through. And if you think my count’s off, think again. Puzzle World’s also more than 3 years old, but that anniversary (and their 4th) went silent because essentially nobody but me talks about that game. But since we’re all here, why not make a month out of it?!

Estimated Duration for all Undated Events and Banners: 2/7 - 2/29

Main Events (Including Part 1)

3rd Anniversary Festival - Step right up and join the party with a myriad of games filled with prizes!

White Lily Cookie’s Daily Gifts - 14 days of valuable rewards and new resources. Log in every day to get resources that get you closer to meeting White Lily Cookie: one of the Anniversary’s main prizes.

Mystic Gold: Midsummer Night’s Forest Spirits - A Temporary Shop featuring Mystic gold variants of the two new Legendary Costumes

The new resources, Emerald Pins and Brilliant Rainbow Crystals, are withheld behind other events and in packages

Emerald Pins will be converted into Brilliant Rainbow Crystals after the season ends (10 pins -> 1 crystal)

Brilliant Rainbow Crystals can be spent on returning Mystic costumes in any season

Explore Beast-Yeast! (Ends 3/27) - Clear stages in World Exploration’s Beast-Yeast continent for milestone rewards with new resources up to 75 stages cleared!

Beascuits Event - Get acquainted with the new Beascuits with some new tasks to get ahead!

Lovely Choco Boxes - Mystery boxes filled with random rewards. Open them using Melting Sweet Hearts you can get from your friends!

Melting Sweet Hearts! - Send gifts filled with Melting Sweet Hearts to get milestone rewards featuring a new icon and title!

Silver Kingdom Adventures (Permanent Until Finished) - Get Crystals for clearing stages in the first two episodes of Beast-Yeast for the first time in any difficulty!

Bounty Missions - Today’s Bounties have been updated! Win battles to get milestone rewards including one Star Jelly Concentrate Level 80 to max out a Cookie to the new level cap of 80!

Seasonal Modes

White Lily Pass - An Event Pass with missions and rewards. Includes a premium track including White Lily Cookie’s Soulstones for $14.99

Skirmish Raid - Circus of Shadows - Dare you step into this twisted circus of dark fantasy and illusion? Form three teams and brace yourself for a show unlike any other!

Kingdom Arena - New Frontiers Season 1 (Ends 2/20)

Gift Month - 🫖🗡️ Tea Knight Cookie (Ends 2/21)

Guild Battle - Destiny’s Wrath Season 10

10-3 (2/7 - 2/13)

10-4 (2/14 - 2/20)

Cookie Alliance Season 2-3 (Ends 2/12)

Cookie & Gacha Features

❔ White Lily Cookie - Light of Freedom Nether Gacha

A theory deemed impossible because of the witnessed events from the Tower of Sweet Chaos, the fact that this skill was teased in the TUTORIAL said otherwise. Her skill does area damage that increases with every buff she has, and ensnares enemies in immobilizing vines with bonus aftereffects and extra damage once dispelled or if the target is immune. Her passive can heal and purify her entire team after getting enough debuffs, although activating the buffs gained with this passive is linked with using her skill.

🌷🏹 Silverbell Cookie - Featured Banner

One of the Faeries of the forest. His skill provides DMG Resist and healing over time that scales with buffs held by his teammates while also providing a DPS/stun debuff on enemies damaged by his skill.

Activates bonus passives when Mercurial Knight Cookie is on the same team.

🧚‍♂️🥄 Mercurial Knight Cookie - Featured Banner (Ends 3/13)

The Commander of the Silver Tree Knights. Gains new powers when using his skill. While his skill is active, he heals extra damage (plus damage relative to Max HP for Cookies) and inflicts Mercury Poisoning with each attack. His Final Strike at the end of his skill deals big damage that increases based on his targets’ stacks of Mercury Poisoning (this is damage relative to Max HP for Cookies).

His passive gives him a stack of Amalgamation every second and whenever he gets a debuff. After gaining 60 stacks, he dispels all his debuffs and enters Mercury Storm mode for temporarily increased ATK, ATK SPD, and Max HP. He can’t gain Amalgamation stacks while Mercury Storm is active.

Activates bonus passives when Silverbell Cookie is on the same team.

3rd Anniversary Deluxe Gacha

Anniversary gacha with increased odds for Super Epic+ Cookies and a guaranteed Super Epic+ Cookie every 150 pulls. Only accessible with special gacha tickets found in events and the shop.

Pure Vanilla Cookie’s Viridescent Daydream & White Lily Cookie’s Moonflower Faerie Legendary Costume Gacha

Features a special Title for collecting both costumes

Lunar New Year Special Hanbok Costumes

The Lunar New Year Hanbok Special Costumes for Almond Cookie, Dark Choco Cookie, Oyster Cookie, Moon Rabbit Cookie, Cherry Cookie, and Macaron Cookie are back again! They’ll disappear again with the banner once this update ends.

👻 Blackberry Cookie - Buffed

Blackberry Cookie’s skill now grants an ATK SPD buff and HP Shield in addition to her existing CRIT% buff. This further cements her status as one of the best Rare Cookies in the game!

Major Update Features (Includes Part 1)

Beascuits - Adds extra bonuses to your Cookies

Today’s Bounties - Updated and organized to include new rewards.

Each boss now has a different reward… Skill Powders now stand solely with the Labyrinth Tactician!

Daily attempts increased from 3 to 6, Kingdom Pass increases this cap to 9

Bonus rewards awarded on a given boss on a given day of the week (Sugar Gnome Laboratory technologies that increase rewards apply their bonuses after the daily bonus)

New/Returning players have an extra, temporary bonus on top of the existing bonuses

Added 2.5x Game Speed to standard and arena battles

Cookie and Skill max level increased to 80

Level cap is reachable after achieving Kingdom level 45

Simplified animations for Tree of Wishes, Bear Jelly Balloon, and Bear Jelly Train

Added Cancel button for Balloon Expeditions

You won’t get your Stamina Jellies back if you cancel an expedition

Added scroll bar on the Cookie list screen

Arena Fast-Forward

Allows you to advance to the tier group below last season’s highest tier

Tower of Sweet Chaos now CLOSED.

Searing Keys converted to 500 Coins per key

Related events & achievements now closed

TOSC Package contents will be delivered in full regardless of Tower progress

Unlock TOSC BGM by clearing World Exploration - Crispia, 4-12 in Story Mode

Sugar Gnome Laboratory: Maximum Searing Keys & Searing Key Recharge -> Bounties: More Star Jellies & Bounties: More Coins. Technology levels and costs remain the same.

All TOSC cutscenes in Pastry Cookie’s story are now immediately unlocked for all players in the Tower of Records for free

Added customizable Profile Backgrounds and Badges

Crème Brûlée Cookie and Linzer Cookie’s Soulstones are now in the Mileage Shop

World Exploration: Beast-Yeast

The biggest feature of this anniversary is the new addition of the Beast-Yeast continent. Unlock it by clearing stage 8-30 on Crispia (the preexisting level series through Goddess of Eternal Gold)

Level Explanations coming soon

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neutralgray · 5 months ago

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A Synthesized History: An Amateur Comparison of the Perspectives between the "Patriot's," the "People's," & The "True" History of the United States - Part 18

Full Essay Guide link: XX

(Patriot - Chapter 21 | People - Chapter 23-24 | True - Chapter 35)

The "New Democrat" and American Moral Relativism

Since the end of the second world war, the United States enacted policies of foreign intervention that were wrapped in vaguely humanitarian notions while actually destabilizing 3rd world countries (often already struggling), and collecting any wealth worth taking. The Vietnam war helped highlight what did and did not work about these policies, aiding the U.S. in the efficiency of its questionable foreign intervention. During the Gulf War, under George H. W. Bush, the lessons the U.S. learned from Vietnam were clear:

Rather than go it alone and face scrutiny, the U.S. mobilized a massive international alliance that approved of the invasion

Rather than deploying troops gradually in waves, an overwhelming force was deployed from the start

A clear and concise objective aided in defining a clear exit strategy

Thomas Jefferson once called the nation an "empire of liberty," and that empire was always getting better at being one.

Opinions on Bush were favorable following the Gulf War, but the recession of 1991-1992 and the rescinding of his "no new taxes" campaign promise caused him to be alienated by his own party and lose voter appeal. Following the high deficit spending strategies of Reagan and Bush, people wanted to go in a new direction. Enter William (Bill) Clinton-- the next elected president of the United States.

Bill Clinton was the "new" democrat, a term which suggested significant change in the ideals of the democratic party. Due to the conservative renaissance recently experienced at this point in time, democrats began adopting more middle or right-leaning political takes in order to capture voter interest, such as unregulated freedom of trade, industry, and economic growth. Clinton won the election by lampooning the economy inherited by Bush, but applied policies that would have been fitting for a Republican presidency, such as his as answers to crime and social welfare programs.

Clinton's administration was dedicated to a balanced budget, which meant slashing "non-essentials," just as his republican predecessors had. Social welfare programs such the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) were stripped of their usefulness by new laws and policies such as the ill-named "Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act" of 1996. This act reduced welfare benefits and outlined strict limitations, but did shockingly little to provide the "work opportunities" the name suggested. Some big cities, such as New York, had more people on unemployment than there were employment opportunities even available.

Clinton also wanted to appear "tough on crime." The Republican party had been understood as the "law and order" ticket since Nixon's appeal to the silent majority, and it continued to be a point of contention among voters and politicians alike. In 1993 a religious cult in Waco, Texas, known as the Branch Davidians gave Clinton his chance to be "tough." A failed search warrant for weapons led to a siege between the cult members and the FBI. After weeks of negotiations failed to make any progress, the FBI pleaded its case to the president who ultimately gave the FBI the green-light to storm the cult's compound. The unfortunate outcome was that the compound caught fire in the chaos and 86 people wound up dead: 4 federal agents and 82 cult members, at least 20 of whom were children. While negotiations had been failing, the result of the attack made critics question if the body count was worth the enforcement of order.

In 1994 Clinton and Congress passed the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act (often simply referred to as the "Crime Bill"), and two years later passed the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. This new series of laws expanded the death penalty to a new range of crimes, limited appeals, and decreased the time between conviction and execution. New guidelines for narcotics (especially in regards to crack cocaine) had severe punishments, such as harsh mandatory minimum sentencing. Federal parole was eliminated and a new "3 strike" system was implemented for repeat offenders. A 3rd felony conviction would earn one life in prison. The bill also provided for over $8 billion in prison funding. Just as with social welfare reforms, though, this series of laws did nothing to address the potential reasons for those crimes or provide aid to communities in which crime might be more rampant. A disproportionate amount of Americans in jail became unemployed roughly a month before their arrest and with these laws in place, jail was an even more likely outcome for many.

Clinton also railed against immigration during his presidency. Immigrants had been an easy target to rally against because as non-voters, their interest largely didn't matter. Dismissing their interests allowed Clinton to emphasize his "America first" attitude and served as another way in which the "new" democrat was now identical to their Republican opponents. Welfare benefits were cut from immigrants, requiring them to be full citizens to continue receiving aid. Thousands of border guards were added to the Mexican/American border. A component of the Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act also allowed the deportation of immigrants convicted of a crime, regardless of the nature of that crime or the amount of time since the crime had been committed.

While Clinton generally targeted social welfare programs, he also reduced the military budget somewhat, with an extensive plan of continuing to reduce it over time. Despite this reduction plan, Clinton had the U.S. military involved in more combat hostilities than any peacetime president before him.

The United States intervened in a civil war in Somalia after an attack by the Somali National Alliance resulted in 25 dead United Nations peacekeepers. U.S. forces led attacks in the region to capture the head chairman of the SNA, General Mohamed Aidid. He remained uncaptured and would later be killed in 1996 by a rival group.

After war broke out in the Balkans among the fractured republics of what was once the nation of Yugoslavia, the U.N. stepped in to attempt brokering peace. The conflict was among Bosnia's Serbs, Croats, and Muslims, who were waging ethnic war against one another. When initial negotiations failed, the U.S. went with its standard tactics of aerial bombardment, backed by the United Nations. This killed in civilians in droves. In 1995 a peace agreement known as the Dayton Accords was reached, though there is doubt if the bombing strategy that led to the deaths of many non-combatants was a necessary step in achieving that peace.

Clinton's administration also continued heavy support of the nation of Israel in the middle eastern region. Israel asserted its "right" to exist, which put it in direct conflict with the region's fundamentalist militant Muslim groups. The support of Israel coupled with the U.S. deaths and failures in Somalia emboldened groups such as al-Qaeda to declare war on the United States. Osama Bin Laden, leader of al-Qaeda, declared this war for three reasons:

Continued U.S. military presence near holy sites such as Mecca and Medina

One-sided support of Israel's occupation of Palestine, which lived on the land before the modern state of Israel had been formed

Strict economic sanctions on Iraq that had been held since the Gulf War in 1991, which were causing undue suffering

Groups such as this were already proving their ability to strike and destabilize, as demonstrated by the al-Qaeda connected 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, which resulted in 6 deaths and over 1000 injuries. Clinton's administration responded to terrorist attacks like this by considering it a law enforcement issue.

Even when the United States was not intervening in foreign affairs, weapons sales to smaller countries would often end up in the hands of warlords who engaged in systemic murder for their bids at power. This indirectly tied the U.S. to regional instability regardless of potential policy intent. In May of 1994, the Baltimore Sun reported that U.S. foreign weapon sales made the country over $32 billion dollars, which was more than twice the $15 billion those sales made in 1992. By 1997, the U.S. was selling more weapons abroad than all other nations combined.

Clinton, once attacked as a "draft dodger" for going out of his way to be saved from service in Vietnam, now wanted to present himself as an unquestionable military man. Besides the various international conflicts under Clinton, the U.S. also had multiple opportunities to turn away from the militaristic, but the powers refused. An international agreement to halt the production of land mines became popular. Many advocates emphasized the dangers of forgotten land mines and the many who had been killed years or even decades after the mines had been left behind. The United States refused to agree. When the Red Cross organization (a humanitarian group) urged governments to prohibit cluster bombs in war, the United States refused. In 1999, the United Nations proposed a permanent international war crimes court. Fearing that some of their prominent military leaders would be culpable under this court, the United States refused.

With the many Republican leanings of the "new" democrat, it was difficult to tell just what distinguished this new center-right philosophy from Republicans other than the name. Clinton did attempt some key policy changes that may be described as "left," though. For one, Clinton did propose some measure of healthcare reform. At this point in world history, the United States was the richest country in the world but did not have universal healthcare benefits like many other industrialized 1st world nations. This attempt was killed off by Republicans, conservative democrats, and insurance lobbyists who all demonized universal healthcare. Potential flaws or shortcomings in a universal healthcare system were stuck under a microscope, but no serious revisions or changes to the current (lack of a) system were considered. Second, Clinton attempted to lift the ban on homosexuals in the military. This effort ended up resulting in the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" compromise, which was a policy dictating that a serviceman's sexuality would not be asked for or disclosed for any reason. Being caught in gay acts would still get one discharged, however.

While Clinton's goal to manage an effective budget was not a particularly original goal, Clinton was the only president in decades that left the office with a budget surplus. That surplus stood at $236 billion dollars by the year 2000 and he cut the federal debt by $500 billion by the time he left office. Other key variables also led to the relatively successful economy of the 1990's.

Computer companies and tech startups grew exponentially due to the public's increasing knowledge and use of the internet, and by 1999, traffic and internet bandwidth usage was doubling every 3 months. There had never been such a historically quick rise of an entire industry, even when considering the massive production and industrial growth of the early 20th century. International trade had also grown, with the U.S. extending into territories that had previously been controlled by the now-defunct Soviet Union. Low energy and oil prices were a consequence of the Gulf War in '91, which also contributed to factors of a booming economy.

Despite the wealth accumulation and production that would indicate a successful economy, that success was not felt by everyone. Wealth was unstable in this decade, with only 34 of the 100 top companies in 1990 still being on that list by 1999. There was also a 25% turnover rate in big multinational firms, which were often predominantly American. Wages increased in some areas but 80% of all income increases between 1980-2000 went to the top 1% of the wealthy. Thousands of jobs left the United States once the Clinton administration established the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA dissolved trading barriers among the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and brought more wealth into the country. However, the wealth entering the country did not necessarily mean it was entering the economy, as is evidenced by the continued massive salary growths of company executives. Meanwhile, jobs that were previously American left for Mexico and the spending power of the middle and lower class was decreasing. People who were employed may have been making "more" in terms of the dollar amount made, but that money carried them less than it had in previous decades. In 1998, the Bureau of Labor Statistics wing of the U.S. Census Bureau determined that 1 out of 3 people worked at or below the poverty level. Between 1990-1998, there was a 95% increase in people filing for bankruptcy, with medical bills often being a frequent factor. For minority populations, these statistics were always worse. Economic suffering at different class and race levels led to compounded suffering among multiple metrics, with one morbid example being the infant mortality rate of black infants being twice as high as white infants.

The 90's, as many decades before it, saw frequent protest movements. These protests did not usually carry the national fervor of the 20's or the 60's, but they were a cry for help for people who felt the country was suffering. These movements culminated in a massive gathering of protestors in Seattle, Washington in 1999. Seattle was the meeting place for the World Trade Organization, which was convening to launch a new series of trade agreements for the next millennium. Protestors included independent consumers, religious groups, labor unions, environmental groups, women's' groups, and more. These groups all shared a common cause against the WTO, whom they saw as a figure for wealth and labor exploitation. The fear was that an expansion of WTO agreements would lead to further human rights violations and suffering. The protest crowds were an estimated 40000, dwarfing any economic organization protest in U.S. history before it and completely overshadowing the trade discussions. In response, officials of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund made declarations committing themselves to the wellness conditions of their workers and cited a general concern for the environment.

During this decade, changes in how Americans consumed and engaged with news also began to take root. For instance, politicians such as Newt Gingrinch found massive popularity on AM radio broadcasting, appealing to conservative voters who had since mobilized as a political force in the 80's. Gingrinch is often credited as the man responsible for breaking a 40+ year democrat hold on the House of Representatives. His success in radio spawned many imitators. Broadcasts like Gingrinch's were sometimes accused of creating an "atmosphere of hate" which was supposedly responsible for inciting disasters such as the Oklahoma City Bombing of 1993, which led to the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.

The rise of the internet as an accessible digital social-scape also gave individuals the ability to report on events before "official" channels reported the news. This amateur reporting led to new communities that investigated news outside of mainstream media narratives. While often conspiratorial, these amateur reports sometimes forced mainstream media channels to cover a story once that story had gained traction online.

Clinton faced criticisms like any president had, but played to keep a moderate appeal. That mainstream appeal was the whole point of the "new democrat" image. To achieve this, Clinton made a career of straddling back and forth between policies associated with either the Republican or Democrat parties, and attempting to establish bipartisan support. His appointed judges to the Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer, were selected because they were considered moderates. Despite this attempted image, though, the president's own behaviors would reek controversy on his administration.

In 1994, Paula Corbin Jones filed a civil lawsuit against Bill Clinton, citing sexual harassment during an event in 1991. This suit led to a series of investigations into the Clintons', which illuminated more extramarital affairs. Another individual, Juanita Broaddrick, came forward and accused the president of raping her in 1978, when Clinton was the attorney general of Arkansas. Lastly, an affair was discovered between Clinton and a young adult intern at the White House. Clinton denied that the affair happened, but when his DNA was discovered on the dress of the intern, any plausible deniability the president had was gone. He addressed the nation and apologized, but the damage to his reputation was already done.

Impeachment proceedings began, with the president being accused of obstruction of justice and lying under oath. The impeachment trial died in the Senate, with neither charge reaching the required amount of votes to oust Clinton from office. He remained president for the remainder of his second term.

The crimes levied against the president were clearly no joke and, if presumed true, are crimes worthy of condemning Clinton's moral character. The absurdity, however, is highlighted in the fact that it was these accusations which ignited the media into a firestorm against the president. The bombings of civilians in other countries did not ignite media outrage. The manufacturing and continued selling of weapons to warlords did not ignite media outrage. The suffering of the poor and destitute which was made worse by Clinton's crime bill did not ignite media outrage. The blood and deaths of people in faraway territories had no bearing on average everyday American life. It was the potential of the president being a womanizer, though, that created a lasting controversy which overshadowed his terms as president. This is not to make light of accusations of rape and sexual exploitation, but to highlight the way in which the other barbaric crimes of this world leader were just accepted as "typical." The bombing of foreign countries and the advance of economic trade over the potential human rights that trade may violate were seen as part of the job.

Perhaps it's simple human psychology-- those foreign places were far away and thus not relevant to the average citizen's lived experience. They didn't have the necessary context to care. The resulting moral discrepancy, however, did not match the supposed religious and moral values of what the average American seemed to believe. In 1980, Gallup polls found that 80% of Americans believed in a religious "final judgement." Over 90% claimed to pray and 84% claimed to believe that Jesus was God or the son of God. There was a general rise in non-denominational Christianity across the country. Hispanic immigrants who came over were often Catholic. New youth ministries appealed to teenagers nationwide. These poll results emphasized that despite centuries of growth, the United States of America still had a strong Christian heart underneath the modern politics. The most common responses to Clinton's scandals seemed to undercut that, though. The humanitarian worries were dismissed in favor of the sensationalized, and the entertaining stories were reported over the factual. It was all morally relative.

One other point of national debate during Clinton's administration was the topic of gun control. The United States had (and has) a zealous fervor for gun rights and ownership. The second amendment grants the rights to "bear arms" and this topic was being re-examined in national discussions. The Brady Bill of 1998 required federal background checks for firearm purchases, and imposed a brief waiting period. This act came under some fire for putting restrictions on American rights but the overall relevance of this bill in the national debate was quickly swept away by something much worse the following year.

On April 20, 1999, two twelfth grade students entered their school, Columbine High, and massacred 12 other students and a teacher. Their motives were inconclusive but irrelevant for the larger discussion at hand. The Columbine High School Massacre ignited a fierce debate on whether or not the average person should have the right to easily access weapons with high fire power and significant destructive capabilities. The massacre is also often blamed for the rise of copycat shootings that would plague the United States for the following decades. Despite the national debate over this topic, little changed in the way of gun access. Policy responses to the shooting generally focused on school security and planned police responding to shooting situations.

The legacy of the Clinton administration is thus: a growing economy, bigger disparity between the wealthy and everyone else, more foreign death, and sex scandals that outraged American media more than anything else the president had done. When Bill Clinton left office in early 2001, the United States now found itself in a new millennium. The turn of the millennia invited optimism and the idea of a "new future" focused on progress and digital advancement. Unfortunately, for whatever promises that new future may have held, the consequence of decades of American foreign policy was about to make itself known, and cast a looming shadow on the remainder of American history to this day.

Final Thoughts:

It's surreal being at this point. Up to now I've been studying this history with the eyes of a learner wanting to contextualize how my country was shaped. I wanted to understand the nuances of centuries of politics and how those shadows still weigh on modern issues. But now I am at a point where I was alive for this history. I was born in 1994 so I was a child when most of this was happening, but yet I was here for it. I have reached my personal place in American history.

It's quite shocking to me just how much of the modern political landscape can be contextualized and viewed through the lens of all the history I've thus far absorbed. Even more shocking, I remember being a child and experiencing the shock of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. I remember living through the myriad of changes that happened in this country as a direct result of those attacks. So much of modern political discourse echoes with these remnants of the past, and yet I've not even touched the most infamous and truly fundamental shift in the American empire.

For the actual text, all of the books were useful in compiling this narrative driven re-telling of American history in the 1990's. Maybe I'm being generous, but for the first time in a while, I believe all the text from all the books gave me an equally generous amount of angles with which to understand this decade of political change.

Howard Zinn had an odd chapter during these segments. Chapter 23 of A People's History breaks away from the narrative format and becomes more a political opinion essay. He emphasizes the importance of resistance movements, even when contained. He argues that for too long, our understanding of history has emphasized statesmanship and understated revolt. Class consciousness and rebellion have been the true driving forces of humanitarian change. Even when they fail, they prove the peoples' ability to mobilize and help each other when institutions fail to step in or step in only to make matters worse. I appreciated this perspective. If I were to review the book solely as a mechanical text, I would argue the placement of the chapter may be a bit strange. All of his points feel like they may have been better saved for the afterward-- that final point to emphasize the importance of examining a "grassroots" lens of history. But ultimately, it matters little. The placement may be strange, but the substance is poignant and hopeful.

I think I will save my continued political musings for my final final thoughts, which will come after part 19. I don't want to repeat myself too much, and I'm too close to end to slow down now.

#A Synthesized History #A Patriot's History #A People's History #A True History #Howard Zinn #Larry Schweikart #Michael Allen #Daniel A Sjursen #American history #Educational #Essay

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films-on-a-plane · 1 year ago

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to be watched list (series)

# $#*! My Dad Says (2010–2011) 2 Broke Girls (2011-2017) 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996-2001) 6Teen (2004-2010) 8 Simple Rules… for Dating My Teenage Daughter (2002-2005) 13 Reasons Why (2017-2020) 30 Rock (2006–2013) 101 Dalmatians: The Series (1997-1998)

A According to Jim (2001-2009) Adventure Time (2010-2018) Aladdin (1994-1995) Ally McBeal (1997-2002) American Dragon: Jake Long (2005-2007) Anger Management (2012-2014) Archer (2009-2023) As Told by Ginger (2000-2009) Atypical (2017-2021) Austin & Ally (2011-2016) Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008) Awkward. (2011-2016)

B Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995) Black-ish (2014-2022) Blockbuster (2022) Bluey (2018-) Bob's Burgers (2011-) BoJack Horseman (2014–2020) Boy Meets World (1993-2000) Braceface (2001-2006) Brandy & Mr. Whiskers (2004-2007) Broad City (2014-2019) Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2021) Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003)

C CatDog (1998-2005) Charmed (1998-2006) Community (2009-2015) Cougar Town (2009-2015) Coupling (2000-2004)

D Daria (1997-2002) Dead Like Me (2003-2004) Derry Girls (2018-2022) Disenchantment (2018-2023) Doctor Who (2005-) Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (2012-2013) Drake & Josh (2004-2007)

E Ellen (1994-1998) Emily in Paris (2020-) Everybody Hates Chris (2005-2009) Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005) Everything Sucks! (2018)

F Family Guy (1999– ) Fillmore! (2002-2004) Fleabag (2016-2019) Frasier (1993-2004) Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000) Fresh Off the Boat (2015–2020) Full House (1987-1995) Futurama (1999-)

G Game of Thrones (2011-2019) Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) Ginny & Georgia (2021-) Girl Meets World (2014-2017) Go On (2012-2013) Good Luck, Charlie (2010-2014) Gossip Girl (2007-2012) Gravity Falls (2012-2016) Grim & Evil (2001-2007)

H Hacks (2021-) Hannah Montana (2006-2011) Hercules (1998-1999) House (2004–2012) Home Economics (2021-2023) Home Improvement (1991-1999) Hot in Cleveland (2010-2015) How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014) How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast) (2019-)

I I Am Not Okay with This (2020) iCarly (2007-2012) I Love Lucy (1951-1957) Inside Job (2021–2022) It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-)

J Joey (2004–2006)

K K.C. Undercover (2015-2018) Kevin Can Wait (2016-2018) Killing Eve (2018-2022) Kim Possible (2002-2007) King of the Hill (1997-2010)

L Liv and Maddie (2013-2017) Lilo & Stitch: The Series (2003-2006) Lizzie McGuire (2001-2004) Louie (2010-2015)

M Mad About You (1992-2019) Magnum, P.I. (1980-1988) Malcolm in the Middle (2000-2006) Man vs. Bee (2022) Man with a Plan (2016-220) Maude (1972-1978) Melissa & Joey (2010-2015) Mike & Molly (2010-2016) Modern Family (2009-2020) Monk (2002–2009) Mr. Bean (1990-1995) Mr. Bean (2002-2019) Mr. Sunshine (2011-2012) My Name Is Earl (2005-2009)

N New Girl (2011-2018) Not Dead Yet (2023-)

O Once Upon a Time (2011-2018)

P Parks & Recreation (2009–2015) Party Down (2009-) Pepper Ann (1997-2000) Popeye the Sailor (1960-1962) Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017) Pretty Smart (2021)

R Recess (1997-2001) Regular Show (2010-2017) Rick and Morty (2013–) Rules of Engagement (2007-2013) Russian Doll (2019-)

S Sabrina: The Animated Series (1999-2000) Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996-2003) Sam & Cat (2013-2014) Saved by the Bell (1989-1992) Schitt's Creek (2015-2020) Scooby Doo, Where Are You! (1969-1978) Sean Saves the World (2013-2014) Sex and the City (1998-2004) Seinfeld (1989-1998) Shake It Up (2010-2013) Shameless (2011-2021) Silicon Valley (2014-2019) Single Parents (2018-2020) Skins (2007–2013) So Help Me Todd (2022-) Space Force (2020-2022) Speechless (2016-2019) SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-) Squid Game (2021-) Stranger Things (2016-2025) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006-2007) Suburgatory (2011-2014) Superior Donuts (2017-2018) Superstore (2015-2021)

T That '70s Show (1998-2006) That '90s Show (2023-) That's So Raven (2003-2007) The Brady Binch (1969-1974) The Crew (2021) The Ellen Show (2001-2002) The Emperor's New School (2006-2008) The End of the F***ing World (2017-2019) The Flight Attendant (2020-2022) The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996) The Golden Girls (1985-1992) The Golden Palace (1992-1993) The IT Crowd (2006-2013) The King of Queens (1998-2007) The Last Dance (2020) The Legend of Tarzan (2001-2003) The Little Mermaid (1992-1994) The Loud House (2014-) The Neighborhood (2018-) The New Adventures of Old Christine (2006-2023) The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1988-1991) The Odd Couple (2015-2017) The Office UK (2001-2003) The Pink Panther Show (1969-1970) The Powerpuff Girls (1998-2004) The Replacements (2006-2022) The Suite Life on Deck (2008-2011) The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2005-2008) The Twilight Zone (1959–1964) The Umbrella Academy (2019-2024) The Upshaws (2021-) The White Lotus (2021-2025) The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (2022) Timon & Pumbaa (1995-1999) Tiny Beautiful Things (2023) Totally Spies! (2001-2014) Twin Peaks (1990-1991)

U Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015-2020) Unstable (2023-)

V Veep (2012-2019)

W Web Therapy (2011-2015) Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979) Wednesday (2022-) What I Like About You (2002-2006) Whitney (2011–2013) Will & Grace (1998-2020) W.I.T.C.H. (2004-2006) Wizards of Waverly Place (2007-2012)

X Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001)

Y Young & Hungry (2014-2018)

#to be watched #masterlist #series

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queenofcandynsoda · 2 years ago

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Sol Fertilis History: The Progressive Natalist Party

The Global Drought <- The Formation of the Progressive Natalist Party -> The Great Economic Collapse and Falling Birth Rate

(Happy Sol Fertilis Party Foundation Day~)

Formation of the Progressive Natalist Party

The formation of the Progressive Natalist Party did not start overnight. It took place over the course of two years. During the Global Drought, several political parties in control, both national and local, tried to resolve the growing issues with various degrees of success. Two political parties stand out, the conservative Unified Amendment Party and the liberal Independent Labor Movement. Despite their political differences, the two parties started to communicate with each other about their concerns and how to resolve them.

They were officially created on April 3rd when the two parties combined after two years of negotiations. They are known as the Progressive Natalist Party. Despite having “Natalist” in their name, they don’t consider themselves to be “pro-birth” but see themselves as “pro-child”, “pro-fertility”, “pro-farmer”, “pro-family”, “anti-poverty”, and “pro-peace”. There is some controversy since these would only have Alpha and Delta leadership while limiting Beta and partially excluding Gamma and Omega participation.

In the Portuguese town where they were first elected, they approved fertilizers, new farming equipment, better crop rotation, and better care of livestock. The livelihood of the people approved greatly. The new mayor, Cezar Rosário, then met a young Omega woman named Lillemore Solberg, a Swedish woman working with the farmers. They fall in love and got married shortly after.

The PNP was getting more popular due to its agricultural development, bringing in more support and membership. As time goes on, they got younger members, especially those who are internet savvy. The Alpha members who helped create and expand the PNP are currently known as the Founding Fathers and Mothers.

Later on, they got people such as Concetta Angelone, Vincenzo Ciccone, and Paviel Nedyalko, who have ideas to improve society in other fields, such as horticulture, religion, and technology.

#Sol Fertilis #dystopian omegaverse #dystopia #dystopic #dystopian #omegaverse au #omegaverse #history

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lowkeyclueless5137 · 2 years ago

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Intermission 2-3

Intermission! The time where we cannonically wreck mementos, have some shenanigans and try to live the normal student life.

So let's see what we will have on the list today, since Intermissions always lead to new palaces in the end. :3

What we will cover:

-Public reaction

-Some childhood friends bonding

-Babysitting Cheeka

-Widening our group of aquitances

-messing around with Mementos

-The fantastic adventures of Cheeka the detective!

Simple points :3

Now onto the well deserved break :3

Of course, the public didn't take well the whole confession thing. While this was took in as the first official sign of the Phanthom thieves returning from the public, at least it was now known that the changes of hearts were back on track.

But it was such an old time that most tried to be reasonable. Like that was a 1 time thing. It was forgotten for the most part. The police doesn't even have the files anymore. It was useless to evoke the past so the public took it with a grain of salt.

After all... Weren't the og Phanthom thieves now older? No matter how you put it, it would be very hard in any instance.

That was the public's take on things. Now about our group.

Rook was the first one who came with the news about the school board holding a few meetings regarding the problem of a new principal. So for now, Kosei high was free of the school terror, much like Shujin was free of the bullying problem.

But all the news about the change of heart were immediately brushed off in just a few days. If you asked about it, most people would just say they don't remember or even hear about it. Why?

There was a more interesting news report, regarding a very important party in between some wealthy heads of economical tycoons. It was by no surprise that Haru had to attend with Akira. It was said that today, on the

But they had no school from 3rd to 5th of May, but the 6th was a Sunday, so 4 days of what Ace declared as 'freedom'. But also with the 3rd being occupied by the party and the 4th overtaking with the news about the Extravagant party and apparently the arrival of the Asim bilionare and her heir.

So what to do on the 5th and 6th? Riddle and Ortho were still on babysitting duty, so their options were pretty limited. Thankfully, everyone was pretty much sorting their things out.

Floyd was spending more time with Mikan. He didn't say too much, but apparently Mikan's parents wanted her to move schools, but to do that, they also moved cities. It was drastic, but no one decided to question it. Currently Floyd tries to help his friend with the whole moving process, while also contemplating how to maintain a friendship at distance.

Vil took his loss of persona summoning as a way to contemplate a bit about himself. He did get a few acting offers, but he wasn't that sure if he should pursue it so early, when he is still unsure.

Rook wants to hunt for beauty, so he goes after his gut. Riddle isn't really sure about what exactly is Rook looking for, but he just leaves the man to be. He gives them the most Intel about any rumor or news even before they start to spread around.

Deuce was the unfortunate soul who had Makoto put him to study, as he was not keeping well the pace with math. Yeah, his mom can accept not perfect grades, but she cannot let her son be left behind with the study material.

Ace tho, was trying to get some money. He did play it off as him just wanting to buy some things for himself, but Riddle knew better. He didn't disclose anything, playing it off as just Ace being Ace.

And Jade was just roaming around. He did drop by Leblanc, especially since Futaba did say that on the 5th of June, since it was sure as hell Haru and Akira couldn't take the twins to a party solely meant for business and the riches being richy mfs, they had to be babysitted by 'auntie Futaba'.

And Idia was absolutely not ok with it. While Ortho doesn't really remember about it since he was just a small child then, Idia was older, so he remembered the menaces that those 2 were. :3c

But Futaba told him that 'unless you have plans for the night, you can't escape it. Idia does ask if Riddle would be down for sharing the attic, but the redhead is absolutely not sharing it.

The reason: Idia might find their money shoe box. Ortho said that Idia can't find out until May is over.

Idia does wail about it. And sure his attempts at getting out of it were tracked down when Vil messaged the gc on why was Idia saying that he needs to sleep at him on the 5th june to avoid a 'disastrous wold ending event'.

But on the 6th, Idia busted in happily at Leblanc in the morning. Leona was also there with Cheeka for babysitting duty, but surprisingly Idia didn't care as he had to slam the news to his mom.

He got a sleepover on the 5th june!

At that Ortho spit his water out in surprise and Futaba had to arrange her glasses properly bc she sure didn't believe that. Riddle was unfazed as Cheeka was asking him about the crossword he was doing in the newspaper.

Only when Idia leaves, saying that apparently he will meet up with Vil, Cheeka asks if by chance, Idia is going to see his girlfriend. Ortho swats it off, saying that Vil is just Idia's friend.

But Vil comes a few minutes after Idia leaves, saying that he was in the aera and dropped by for a coffee. Leona already leaved so it was time for cheeka to be hyper, saying that it's a mistery of where Idia went, since it was clear that he lied about it.

Futaba sure was growing suspicious about what Idia might be up to. Ortho also voiced his worry that Idia always managed somehow to get in trouble.

Cheeka tho, seemed to be very excited about it, insisting to investigate and play detective.

Riddle was the one who stepped down his foot and says that they can't go and spy on Idia, but Ortho already was egging on Cheeka, Futaba wanted to see where this went and Vil also wanted to see for how long did Idia use him as an excuse to cover up something else.

So cue the investigation team! With newspaper that they cut some holes through! Riddle still doesn't appreciate that they didn't spare the crosswords. :'3

They get immediately busted by Trey, but he is chill with it, leaving them to be, although he would say that it was very funny to see them hide behind buildings as if they were running from police or smth. Even Futaba was doing it.

But where was Idia going? Well, at first he was dropping by a flower shop, looking at the flowers and texting smth on his phone, before apparently he pointed at a few flowers, asking about them. It was a bit wierd to see Idia making an effort to maintain the discussion, but in the end, he seemed to have gotten what he wanted as the seller gave him a few packs and off he was.

Idia's next stop was, wierdly, the park. And at this point, Trey also followed and was curious what was going on.

~~~~~~~~

Hiding behind a tree, Riddle felt awkward. This was by no means mementos or even a palace. There were big chances people will spot him and consider him wierd, but with cheeka clearly hyped about being a detective and the others encouraging this endeavors, Riddle might as well just use his first opening to vanish from there and go at Leblanc.

Idia tho, leaned over the railing to the lake, waiting as he looked around, eyes lazily darting around as chirps of birds were heard around. After a few minutes, he exhaled and grabbed his phone, pressing on it a bit before putting it to his ear with a smile.

Ortho yelped as his phone vibrated in his pocket. Picking it up, the younger Kitagawa gulped as he saw who the caller was. "You are in trouble... I can't help you out, kiddo..." Futaba whispered. With a trembling hand, Ortho answered the call. "hello, big brother..." He awkwardly said at the phone. "Hello, Ortho! I just called you to see how you are doing with that very important favour I asked of you... You remember it, right?" Idia said with a wierdly calm tone. "Favor? Yeah! Yeah... I didn't forget! Why do you ask?" Ortho awkwardly responded, although he was clearly lying.

"Because I never asked anything out of you~"

Beep!

Freezing in place, the group looked slowly behind them at the unamused Idia. "You really thought you can trick me?" He asked with a cocky smile, puffing. "Very funny... Really... But you'll need more than that to get me..." He mused, before his smile wiped off.

"Mom... You still need to tend to the counter... Now I... Will go to the real destination I wanted to go... Bye..." The boy turned onto his heel and dissappeared among the crowds.

"He's good..." Cheeka whined. "Alright... Enough detective investigation... It's lunch time..." Trey nudged the group. "Oh yeah... Hey... Since you are Riddle's buddy... Why don't you come to LeBlanc with us? We have curry..." Futaba offered.

~~~~~~~~

Trey was polite, trying not to be a bother, but already it was made the decision. On their way in, they also saw Che'nya, who automatically was added to the lunch group.

As they were chatting, Trey did note that Leblanc had a great coffee. He apparently was a big fan of coffee. Futaba points out that out of the whole family, Ortho is the only one who can't stand coffee. Idia is a coffee addict, much like his mother. Ortho points out that his dad will literally drink anything without complain, including paint water.

Che'nya was alright with coffee, but Riddle was another one who couldn't really stand it, so he drank tea with Cheeka and Ortho.

But the topic shifted over to school. Trey said that he studies at a school outside Shibuya, so that's why his parent's bakery was so close to the Shibuya's border. He was also classmates with Che'nya. Riddle said that he was studying at Shujin, with Ortho.

And that's when the door opened and at Leblanc, a tall boy entered. He didn't look from around, due to his darker skin complexity, but he politely asked for a cup of coffee, even saluting Trey.

Trey mentioned that this is his kouhai, Jack. He is a track and field star at their school, but he is also wanted by other sports clubs due to his athletic abilities. Jack was a bit awkward, but nonetheless he was a nice guy.

Ortho tho, does check on the gc about their next target. So far, they would go to mementos at evening, when no one would question some teens meeting up, also when Cheeka would be taken home by Leona. And their mementos adventures were successful as they would get rotten desires a few per day. Rook and Vil took the positions of main informants, as they would keep tabs on the Phan site and also hear the rumors going around.

A tad bit later, Leona also comes to pick Cheeka up, asking if by chance, on the 5th of June they could babysit cheeka the whole night. Riddle wanted to protest, but at the sound of double the payment, Ortho immediately accepted.

Once everyone had to leave and the closing time came, Ortho and Riddle were desemned along Yusuke to clean around. Riddle did ask why Ortho accepted, even if by the end of the month, they would win the bet anyway. Ortho pointed out that it doesn't hurt to have some extra money in case of anything.

Yusuke does find it amusing how the 2 got in the babysitting gig just for a bet. Riddle does point out that Idia will never find about their secret piggy bank with the money for the bet. Yusuke did praise that they had patience to put aside money, even for petty reasons.

Riddle does ask how Yusuke is doing, as they didn't hear much from him. Yusuke responds by saying that one of his pupils participated in a painting contest and he wanted to give his imput and guidance in such a moment. Sure, the pupil didn't win first place, only just a mention, but Yusuke said that if they were content with their work, then it's the equivalent of first place anyway.

Unfortunately, Ortho didn't really have the call for painting, nor did Idia. Idia was more like Futaba, but Ortho did inherit the artistic side... Just on the music side of the art. Riddle wanted to say Ortho also inherited being a drama queen, but he decided against it.

Yusuke did mention how currently he was searching for some inspiration for his next work, but until that comes, he will assist more than usual his pupils and look around the city and maybe the metaverse as well. Ortho told Riddle that once, he caught his father hanging upside down, looking at chonky's back. The birb really didn't give a damn about it, but Yusuke got his inspiration for a beautiful painting, so Ortho never questioned this inspiration thing.

Riddle admitted that he didn't really try to draw more than what it was required of him. Maybe mathematical drawings, but not artistic ones. He does know how to play the cello tho as his grandmother on his father's side knew how to play it. But she was living in Kyoto, so visiting her would most likely be during the holidays.

The next day, back to school, baby!

Words spread fast around the Kosei high incident, Shujin students being on edge as this sounds like what happened to Neige.

At lunch, our usual group did decide to eat together, since it was their new usual, talking about different mundane things. Ace and Deuce bickered over some trivial thing, Ortho shared some gossip he heard around the first years and Jade just enjoyed his time eating whatever mushroom dish he had.

But Vil also brought up the very important party on the 5th. As his father is a quite important figure in the acting industry, Vil got a hold of a scoop regarding the guests of the party.

Apparently, the fearsome Draconia clan will attend.

Ace jokingly asked if they were some sort of yakuza, but Ortho filled in the blank: the Draconias were a long line of royalty from Europe, having a small, yet thriving, country. It is said that currently they have both wealth, influence and power. It is very little known about the heir to thee throne, but the only available thing was that it was just a sole heir, the current queen's grandson.

Riddle did say that his queen had a meeting with queen Draconia for diplomatic matters. At this, Deuce dumbly asks if Riddle wasn't from Japan.

Big palmface moment. :/

Riddle bring up the fact his father is Japanese... He actually lived all of his life in England. Ortho did bring up that he didn't sound like a foreigner at all. Riddle just changes the topic back to the list of guests.

Vil initially brought it up because it was said that the heir to the throne will be present as well and that every guest had a +1 with them. Ace bluntly said that they shouldn't mingle in some foreign fancy ass's love life. Jade did note that initially, only his mom was invited, but her +1 was Ren, who clearly was more than prepared to see if his charm was still maxed out.

But for their near future plans, Riddle had in mind a proper hangout with Trey and Che'nya. Ortho did whine that how come he is ditching on him their babysitting business. Riddle returns it by saying that Ortho ditched it on him on the 2nd just to go out with some classmates.

And again, some time passed. It came to the 10th of May when Riddle had to do an errand for Futaba. Ortho was left with Cheeka to babysit or more like watch TV in the attic.

Riddle had a small list of things to buy. Futaba gave him the money plus a bonus to treat himself with something. Ortho always said that this was the thing that usually would motivate them to actually do the errands. Those extra yen meant to be used how they wanted.

So Riddle had to go through the list. One thing was left: an extra pack of gummy worms. And just his luck: on the shelf from the shop, only one pack was left.

But once he grabbed it, Riddle realised that someone else also grabbed it. It was a short lavender haired boy with big blue eyes. Riddle did tug a bit on the bag, saying that he needs it, but the boy responded in some broken ass Japanese that he didn't understand and please use English.

And so, Riddle repeated himself, in English, the other saying that he has some fancy ass accent. It was clear that the boy had a very southern accent and boy Riddle wasn't ready for this headache. Still he insisted to get the bag of gummies, to which the other also wanted the bag, since it was on his list as well.

Their fight gets broken by Azul, who steps in and nags the boy(also in English), named Epel, that he should let the other have the pack. Riddle does reassure that it's no problem, before he recognised Azul and points out that he is Floyd and Jade's buddy.

Azul just swats it off and apologises for Epel, saying that currently he came from America and has a hard time getting used to things around, including the language.

And even if Riddle won in the end, he also picked up Epel addressing to Azul as 'brother' as the 2 left and the shorter was whining about something. And that made Riddle to raise a brow, since the twins clearly didn't mention anything about Azul having a brother.

Later that same day. The group meet up to deal with some mementos requests. Floyd ofc had Morgana with him since they needed the Monabus. :3

But once they did enter the metaverse, they heard a confused Humm and a mention about how the underground station didn't do this before.

Turning around, the group meet a tall guy with Raven hair that looked very confused around. He was surprisingly calm as he asked when will the train he wanted to get in will come or if by chance, they saw a loud guy with mint green hair. Dude wasn't even fazed at the group of people in wierd costumes and the cat-creature.

Siren said that they needed to move, but then again, they couldn't have this guy know their identities. Who knew where he could rat them or blackmail.

So abducting the guy it is!

More like just asking for him to get in the van... And he immediately agreed. Like dude?! Pls? How did you survive the city?!

But nonetheless, they kept the guy with Mona while dealing with shadows. There were the roaming ones on the road, then some of their targets, which were weaker. The whole operation was going smoothly, even with the wierd guy who was more bothered about the architecture of the place.

But then, Siren picked up a huge distortion signal. Like it was almost becoming a palace. And even if they had the list cleared out, it would be better to prevent the palace from forming and having to deal with it later.

So they reached a quite smartly dressed man. One who seemed to look down on them since he saw them. And their wierd guest seemed to recognise him, more than that, he seemed enraged with the mere presence of the man.

Unfortunately, this shadow was tougher than the others. It was after all, very close to developing a palace on its own. Ofc it would be stronger. :v

And the misterious boy looked like he had enough of it.

~~~~(Tw for blood)~~~~

Taking a deep breath, the boy was composing himself. He couldn't allow to slip, to leave that pristine appearance. The man before him did wrongs, so many wrongs, but nonetheless he should be judged with a calm mind.

Are you going to ignore the blood that spilled onto his hands?

Like a bullet, the boy felt an immense headache. Gasping for air, he felt like he was suffocating. Mona saw that, backing away slowly as the creature knew what was going to happen.

It is unfair... How this man wasn't punished for his deeds. He killed any chance of your dear 'father' ever seeing the light of justice... Are you simply going to watch how everything that was built by you, be destroyed just for some greedy man's desires?

"He will pay..." The boy breathed, feeling something over his face. It was light, but it was glued over his face, the need to get it off taking over his rational mind.

The shadow in question noticed him. "And there you were... The little prick that insisted I didn't do my case right... What? You thought that just because I didn't say the entire truth, your dear 'father' wouldn't be where he is now? Grow some sense, kid! This isn't a fairytale... This is the real world... And the real world is ruled by money..." The man boasted.

I am thou... Thou art I... Silence will never be the answer to those who seek to hurt for their gain... Embrace me... Embrace the blade of justice... And never let go of it...

"Indeed... This isn't a fairytale..." The boy laughed like a maniac as with one hand he ripped off the mask off his face, blood spilling over his face as the golden eyes returned to their piercing green. "BECAUSE-" He yelled as the blue fire exploded under his feet, crackling as it rose up and swirled, throwing the shadow to the ground.

"I, Malleus Draconia, will never forgive those who have wronged me or my close ones..." he declared, pointing his long sword toward the shadow as behind him, a dragon like creature made out of vines and thorns roared, spitting an abundence of green flames in the air, illuminating the whole place with a wicked light.

"kneel before me and beg for forgiveness... Or taste my blade of justice..."

~~~~~~~~

Well... Talk about dramatic... :')

Yeah... Malleus wasn't having it. Like at all. Man was ready to murder right then and there. Thankfully his low stamina kicked in right before he could kill the shadow for good and cause a mental shutdown irl.

So with that shadow handled, they could only jump in the Monabus and go back to the real world. :3

Malleus was silent the whole ride. He made it clear that he wanted to be addressed as just Malleus for now. The others gave him a short rundown of everything and why he was in this wierd attire with a wierd mask along with what was that thing he just fought. For the rest of the ride, Malleus only listened and let everything to sink in.

Once back in the real world tho, Malleus simply said that he needs to process things. He promised he will not disclose anything to anyone for now and with that, he left once the loud boy he was looking for was heard around.

Now all of the thieves group had a big dread. Riddle, for instance, could bearly catch any sleep. He was simply too worried about what Malleus might do.

But that's when he gets a notification on his phone. Since he didn't have sleep, he went to check on it.

And it was from his father!

Sure, unlike his mom who demanded a long report phonecall every day, his father said that he was very occupied at the hospital, but still he did message Riddle from time to time. It was either to ask how he was doing or to show him what shenanigans happened during his shift. It was appreciated that he opted for messages as it was understandable he was very busy.

And this time, his father first apologized for the late hour he sent the message, before sending another message, saying that he got a free day on the day of the fireworks festival. Riddle ofc responded saying that it was great. His dad didn't even bring up the late hour of the response, him immediately asking if he had any plans for that day, Riddle replying that he didn't.

For the end of the convo, his dad sent a photo of his hedgehog, saying that he says goodnight to Riddle as well.

Sunday tho, Malleus comes at Leblanc! And thankfully alone. He introduced himself to Futaba as Marcus and that he had some matters to discuss with his 'friend', Riddle.

Behind the counter, Ortho and Riddle exchanged very worried glances, but nonetheless, Riddle had to step out like and deal with it like a man. Since Malleus requested for some privacy, the 2 had to take it to the attic. Ortho had to keep on Cheeka tho.

In the attic, Malleus apologised for his rash acting in mementos. He didn't really have any excuse for his rage. He explained that the man was a prosecutor, one who framed his father figure, which was just a university teacher at that time. He got fired because of it and demoted to a high school teacher. He did say that he was homeschooled, so he had no idea when Riddle would finish his studies. This is why he opted to talk on the first Sunday.

Riddle did ask why he wanted to talk. Malleus responds that mementos wasn't his first time in the metaverse. A few months ago, he happened to stumble upon a very wierd place. He currently suspects that it is a palace. And he wants to investigate it as there was something concerning him in there.

Riddle responded that he needs to consult with his team members. It was a group decision.

In reality, Riddle really didn't know what to respond to it.

So the team gathers up in the afternoon, after Cheeka leaves with Leona. Malleus was also there and re-explained his request: help him uncover the truth behind the palace he srumbled upon months ago. He did answer Vil's question about why was he using another name in public: his grandmother wanted to protect his identity and safety as the sole heir to the throne of his country. His grandma was good friends with the prime minister and so he had another ID under a fake name.

And the team agrees to help the prince.

So on Monday, after classes, all of them gather up at the location Malleus gave them: in front of the court house from this district. Before entering, they had to choose a codename for Malleus. Deuce brought up the fact that his mask resembled a dragon with horns, just like in European children stories. For that, Malleus suggests Draco and the others just roll with it. Using his own phone, Malleus accessed the metaverse and to his history, there was 1 palace in question.

And so, they found themselves back in the metaverse, in a lavish flower garden. The flowers were all colorful and their smell was calming, alluring even. But it wasn't about the garden now.

Draco presented to them a gigantic cathedral made out of dark grey stone with golden roofs and tall towers. The architecture could be compared to the infamous Notre Dame judging from the arcades and the intricate stained glass windows, the front one which depicted an angel that was spreading greenish petals as a blessing for the people. The tallest of the towers having a far more intricate decoration, with stained glass windows at the top, very opace to hide the insides of the tower.

Now without further ado, they had to step inside and see what this 'holy' place had in store for them.

And this is how we start the arc of the 3rd Palace!

And Malleus is now in the party! He's a bit confused, but he got the spirit! :D

Now we will explore this absolute train wreck. :3c

What do you think will happen? Since our rooster is:

Rose

Flame

Heart

Spade

Siren

Knight

Draco

Mona

Fox

Noir

Joker

It's a bit funny to me that the persona users for the 1st palace(13) was actually a bigger number than the current available party members(11). :3c

And if you know me... You know how I work with these numbers. >:3c

Until next time! Buh bye! :D

#twisted wonderland #p5 x twst #The Intermission!#This time delivering a new party member and more lore!#Oh this is already a mess #Watch me mess it up even more :3

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lboogie1906 · 3 days ago

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President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh (November 27, 1947) was born in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia to Omar Guelleh and Moumina Rirache into the Mamassans clan of the Issa. He worked as a civil servant with the French colonial administration of the Republic of Djibouti, and two years later, he became a police inspector.

He was installed as president of Djibouti in 1999, following the political footsteps of his uncle, Hassan Gouled Aptidon, a former president who had led the country since independence 22 years earlier. He is married to Kadra Mahamoud Haid, and they have two daughters. She has a son from a previous marriage.

In the 2005 election, he was the only candidate on the ballot and secured 100 percent of the vote. In 2006, he conferred the full university status to the University of Djibouti. In 2015, he met with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi during a Bilateral Meeting of the 3rd India Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi to discuss enhancing ties between India and Djibouti regarding trade, economy, and cultural development.

In 2019, he received “The Padma Vibhushan” decorative award, India’s second-highest civilian award, for his accomplishment in safely removing Indian citizens from neighboring war-torn Yemen. His country hosts Chinese and Japanese military bases that are vital in combatting piracy in the Western part of the Indian Ocean region.

In 2021, He won a 5th term as president of Djibouti in a multi-party election. He received 97.44% of the vote. His major political rival in the nation, the Union for National Salvation, boycotted the last election claiming it would not be free or ethical. The president continues to support the close ties his country has with France which had controlled the nation during the colonial era. France granted Djibouti independence in 1977. He promoted the economic integration of African nations but has resisted calls to merge his small country with its larger neighbors, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia. He has managed to maintain close ties with the US, Russia, and China who all consider Djibouti vital to their international interests. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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varlski566 · 19 days ago

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Los gehts daut!

Do Daut so we can grow

oh that sounds good put that in Daut.

Thank you Father

I think the new primitive of trust FATHER also means that 3rd-party developers, entrepreneurs, and creators can build on top of crypto-powered platforms without worrying about whether the rules of the game will change later on. In an era in which the internet is increasingly controlled by a handful of large tech incumbents, it’s more important than ever to create the right economic conditions for developers, creators, and entrepreneurs. Trust will also enable new kinds of governance where communities collectively make important decisions about how networks evolve, what behaviors are permitted, and how economic benefits are distributed.

This will do for now Father. Ataaaaingo.

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eruhamster · 24 days ago

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damn if only someone could have told them that parading around a corpse until the last possible minute and then stubbornly refusing to host a primary and instead just giving us a person who wasnt a popular candidate when she ran in the last primary, who then proceeded to run purely on trump-esc anti-immigration promises and never shutting up about project 2025 but offering no solution to preventing it, all while refusing to stand up against genocide or acknowledge the economic crisis we're in, would be a bad fucking idea

the votes are still coming in but basically no one new voted for trump. people straight up just didn't vote democrat

can't even blame 3rd parties bc she lost just that fucking bad

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lordfrezon · 1 month ago

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My initial reaction to this would be pretty mean to you so I'm going to assume that you are just uninformed and not actively malicious.

TL;DR: voting is harm reduction and the USA's voting system sucks.

For the unaware, the USA is a first-past-the-post system, meaning that the first candidate to get 50%+1 first choice votes wins, with the loser(s) getting nothing. Additionally, only one candidate represents a district, whether that be a small part of a state or the entire country as happens in the presidential election.

What this results in is something called Duverger's Law, which argues that such systems tend to result in two-party systems. And the USA does indeed have two primary parties. There's some other minor ones but their vote share tends to be minimal because of the factors posted above, though the USA has had 2-3 times where 3rd parties had outsized effects on the Presidential election but that's for another time.

The two major parties in the USA are the Democrats and the Republicans. They both have long and stories histories but the short description of them is as follows. The Democrats are a Center-Right party that is referred to as a "big tent" party, meaning they'll let more or less any ideology in from leftists to conservatives. They advocate generally for increased federal government spending in social programs, slow leftward movement on social and economic issues, and whatever they think will get them votes this cycle, they're pretty craven like that.

The Republicans are a Far-Right, effectively fascist party. They advocate for extreme cuts to federal government, for reversals of 70+ years of social changes, and post-2016 for fascism and an effective dictatorship for their party's head, Donald Trump. Their plans are detailed in the Project 2025 document, summaries and the full text of which can be found online.

Now that the basics are down let's dive into what OP is talking about and accusing centrist Democrats of advocating for.

"Can't vote third party" If the goal of the Democratic party is to win, they're going to say you should vote for them and not third parties, yes. But beyond that, if the goal is for the Republicans to lose then voting third party is explicitly incorrect. Third party votes by definition go towards neither of the two major parties. And due to the systemic constraints discussed above, this effectively means that in most municipalities your vote is wasted as it will not elect anyone. This is not a good thing, for the record, and some municipalities have instituted Ranked Choice voting to deal with this, though this is not common in the USA. Regardless, voting third party is effectively voting for no one, which means you are not voting for the Not-Fascist party.

"Can't not vote" voting is a right and you do indeed have the option to not vote. This is not true across all democracies, many actually mandate voting but the USA does not. However, again, not voting means you are not voting for the Not-Fascist party. There isn't an option at the end of the day where if not enough people vote they cancel the election and get new candidates. One of the two major party candidates (Kamala Harris or Donald Trump) is going to be President come next January. Not voting deprives you of the choice of which one you want.

"Can't participate or not participate in electoralism except by voting for guy/girl" I'm not sure what OP meant by electoralism as that's a specific phrase they likely did not mean, but if they meant the electoral system, well yes, the only way to participate in that is by voting (or by volunteering at an election site which I highly recommend doing). If they meant the political system, yes, bad actors will say "why are you critiquing our candidate when the other one is Satan" and those people are to be ignored for those comments. Unfortunately, their end goal of "vote blue" is still correct here to avoid putting the Fascist in power.

"The entire world will combust instantly" so the point OP is using hyperbole to mock is the idea that Donald Trump has explicitly said that if he wins he's going to go to war against Mexico and Iran. During his last term he ratcheted up tensions with North Korea and China. He made allies and kowtowed to dictators in Russia and Turkey. Electing him is also likely to empower other fascist movements around the world which are already empowered. So overall, bad things for the world.

"99% Hitler" ah yes good ol' Godwin's Law. People having different politics, even right wing ones, does not make them Hitler, true shock. Now, is there valid reason to criticize the mainstream Democratic Party's acceptance of/resignation to genocide and overall far right policies? Absolutely, but saying someone is "99% Hitler" is not a good choice to make an argument.

"with no chance for change or anyone else to win" Maybe you don't remember what it was like before healthcare was overhauled, or when gay marriage wasn't legal, or when we were at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, but these are all things that happened to change under Democratic presidents. Yeah, you can critique them for not doing it faster and for continuing regressive policies, but change does happen.

Donald Trump and the Republican party are fascists. They have made it explicit that their intention is to dismantle the American democratic system. Kamala Harris sucks ass as a candidate, but she's better than actual fascists.

Can I get controversial for a second and say that it's really funny how many usamerican liberals seem to actually really really really want a one party state with show elections every few years but are too far up their own arse to realise that that's often what they're appearing to argue for

#Politics #us politics

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