#food and medicine shortages are already happening

[artsyaprilmr]

Alert legislators to send emergency aid to Artsakh!

(US Citizens)

You can contact the Congress members just in a few clicks: texts for e-mails and phone calls are pre-written! You only need to send them out/call. Please, take your time to help 120.000 people in Artsakh that are currently under blockade organized by fascist dictatorship of Azerbaijan.

[sixhours]

bright spots - chapter 13

Series Chapter Index | Read on AO3 | In progress

Rating: Teen Words: 4.3k Series tags: The Last of Us, The Last of Us (HBO), Joel & Ellie, Joel Miller, Ellie Williams, Marlene, canon divergence, hospital AU, medical stuff, blood, hurt/comfort, angst, canon-typical violence, vomiting, implied rape/sexual assault, I've probably forgotten some so please let me know <3

Ellie

Ellie used to be brave.

She could spend days in the hole without food or sleep or light and come out on the other side mostly sane and ready for more. She turned a gun on her best friend when she got bit and pulled the trigger without hesitation. She was captured and held hostage by the Fireflies for weeks, and when Marlene dropped a fucking bomb about her mother and handed her off to two strangers in the same day, she sucked it up and went willingly. When Sam and Henry died, she dried her tears on the back of her sleeve and helped dig their graves. When Joel was sick, she stitched him up and found food and bartered for medicine, alone. She survived the–

Don’t think about that.

They made it through the winter. They made it to the Fireflies. She let them take her blood and run their tests and cut her open, and if she cried, she cried to herself because that’s what she’d always done.

She never used to need anyone.

But the horde attack seems to have broken her bravery. It’s so stupid because they were safe the whole time. Mostly. Sure, it was hot and smelly and really fucking miserable but it wasn’t like the infected ever got near them. They’d been surrounded by soldiers, six stories up. She’s lived through so much worse.

And yet, it’s like every terrible thing that’s ever happened to her has come crawling back to haunt her, everything she’s ever lost or feared or ached over was carried on the wave of the horde and dumped in her lap.

The nightmares come back. If she’s not dreaming about–

No, no, not that .

She dreams about the infected. She’s trapped in the hole with their clicking and moaning just outside, slimy, rotten flesh clawing for purchase on the walls. She watches Joel die over and over, from a gunshot, a stab wound, a bite. She watches Marlene inject her and feels herself turn, the cold certainty of the fungus spreading beneath her skin, digging long, tendril-like fingers into her brain. It’s a grab bag of horrors, her own Greatest Hits of misery, and every night she fights sleep until it inevitably claims her, until just the act of closing her eyes is enough to spike her heart rate and shorten her breath.

So she goes to Joel. He doesn’t say anything, even though he’s probably getting sick of being crowded out of his own cot by a kid who’s way too old to be crawling into bed with him every night like a fucking toddler. But he just shoves over and lets her steal his blankets and pretend to sleep, even though it’s mostly impossible. Sometimes he’ll rub her back or her hair or her neck–always asking first, because he knows she’s weird about touch after–

Nope. Fuck off.

Two weeks pass like this before they continue the tests; something about the labs getting put back together, a shortage of staff. Marlene stalks around the hospital barking orders, a bomb waiting to go off, jumpy the way FEDRA soldiers always were when terrorist attacks were up.

They do a bone marrow biopsy. Joel argues with Marlene about it, as usual, and Ellie only half listens as they go back and forth.

“She’s tired, can’t you fuckin’ see that? She needs a damn break.”

“We’ve already lost too much time.”

“That ain’t her problem.”

“I’m well aware–”

On and on. It’s the same old shit. But she knows even before they’re finished that she’ll do it because that’s why they’re here, and Joel will go along because she tells him to; he always does. She doesn’t have the energy to make a big deal about their fighting in the meantime.

But this biopsy is worse than any of the other ones combined. The anesthesia is different, but it still makes her sick. Everything hurts after–her back, her legs, her stomach. Her movements feel slow, like her legs weigh a thousand tons each, like she’s trying to move through quicksand and can’t catch her breath.

She’s so fucking tired, but it’s not the kind of tired sleep can fix–not that she’s not getting much of that, either. More and more, she lets her mind go blank, tuning out the noise until she’s just a body waiting for the next needle, the next surgery, the next scar.

She’s tired of being scared. She’s tired of being brave. She’s just tired.

And then she falls.

It was a stupid accident, she got a little dizzy and fell off the chair and bruised her elbow. But Joel makes a big fucking deal of it by getting Marlene and the doctor involved, and soon they’re all crowded in their room and Joel’s doing that pacing thing and he and Marlene are at each others’ throats and the doctor and the nurse are going back and forth over her file. She’s really fucking tired and they’re talking about her appetite and hormones and cycles and low blood pressure and it starts to make sense and there’s a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

They think she’s…

Fuck.

But that’s not fucking possible. She got her stupid period last month. Admittedly she didn’t have one for a while but it’s always weird when she gets stressed, and she was probably starving, and it’s not like she’s even been with anyone like that , or even been around anyone but Joel unless you count–

Not that, not thinking about that.

“I’m not,” she says, but no one hears her, not even Joel. And they’re all still talking over her and her head is buzzing and it occurs to her that she’s only been around Joel and if they think he’s–if they think he might have–

Oh, shit.

They’ll separate them. They’ll kill him.

She looks up at everyone, the nurse and the doctor and Marlene and Joel and she swallows hard, heart racing, and she says it aloud, louder, loud enough to fill the room.

“I’m not fucking pregnant.”

Joel

Things go downhill after the horde attack.

The nightmares are worse than ever. Ellie has never been what Joel would call clingy, but now she rarely leaves his side. Her eyes are dull, missing that curious spark that practically defined their first several months together. It’s too much like the weeks after Silver Lake, when they’d been forced to hole up and wait out the winter.

At the time, he’d blamed her retreat on the bitter cold weather and the lack of food, but deep down, he knew it was more than that. He figured she’d talk about it when she was ready, and before the horde attacked, he thought she might be getting there…but now it’s everything he can do just to keep her attention.

Then they had to do that stupid fuckin’ biopsy, even though he tried to tell Marlene that she needed rest. It’s clear this one cost her something. She bears it more stoically than he would–the kid’s tough as nails–but she shouldn’t fuckin’ have to .

The Fireflies aren’t having a great time of it, either. Joel doesn’t know how many died during the attack, but he guesses at least half Marlene’s military is gone. She doesn’t offer more than clipped reassurances that everything is under control, but he notices a lot of the same guards on rotation in the following weeks, they’re no longer doubled up at the exits, and several once-familiar faces are missing.

Then one day they’re hanging out in the hall, Joel having nudged Ellie out of bed to take a walk around the loop that makes up the fourth floor. They’ve done two laps at a pace that a snail could put to shame and now Ellie spins lazily in her chair while Joel leans against the windows of their room, chin to his chest, passing time. One minute she’s in the chair, the next, there’s a distinct thud and she’s on the floor.

“Shit, Ellie–!”

Lee, on duty nearby, is helping her into a sitting position when Joel kneels beside her.

“The hell happened, kid?”

“She passed out,” Lee says.

“Did not,” Ellie mumbles. “Just dizzy.”

“You were barely moving,” Lee says.

“M’fine, dude,” she mutters.

“Bed,” Joel orders. “I’m callin’ Marlene.”

“I’ll get her,” Lee says. “You take her back to the room.”

Without waiting for her to protest, Joel lifts her– too easily , he thinks, she’s still so damn small -and walks back to their room. The fact that Ellie doesn’t put up a fight at being carried scares him almost as much as the fall.

The nurse at the desk gets up as they approach.

“Call the doctor,” Joel barks.

He doesn’t wait for a response, just carries Ellie into the room, depositing her carefully on the bed, then goes to the bathroom to fill a cup with water from the sink.

“You hit your head?”

“Don’t think so,” she winces, frowning at her elbow. “Bruised my stupid arm, though.”

“D’you remember what happened?” he asks, handing her the water.

 She shrugs but won’t meet his eyes, taking a sip. “Just got dizzy.”

His hand goes to her forehead, checking for a temperature.

“Dude, I’m f–”

The door opens and Marlene walks in with the doctor and the nurse right behind. “The guards said something about a fall?”

“She passed out,” Joel says before Ellie can finish. “Think she’s getting sick.”

“I’m not sick,” Ellie sighs.

The doctor frowns at the chart as the nurse hands it over, then starts taking vitals.

“Been usin’ her like a pincushion,” Joel mutters. Ellie submits to the blood pressure cuff readily enough, but her face is a troubling shade of pale.

Marlene rolls her eyes. “Do you know how much blood we’d have to take to cause something like this?”

“I told you the biopsy was a bad idea. I told you but you don’t fuckin’ listen. She needs rest, not more of your fuckin’ experiments.”

“Jesus Christ, do we have to do this every fucking time? She’s here of her own free will–“

“Because you put all these fuckin’ ideas in her head,” he hisses.

The doctor and nurse are talking between themselves, flipping through the pages of her chart. Joel can’t hear what they’re saying, too incensed at Marlene and her goddamn cure, and then Ellie says something but it’s barely a whisper, and he’s thinking of the MRI scans and the cordyceps vining through her body, the fungus that’s embedded in her fuckin’ brain , too aware of the rush of his own heartbeat in his ears and his voice growing louder. He’s about to bypass Marlene to ask the doctor what the fuck is going on when Ellie speaks up again, this time loud enough to silence everyone else in the room.

“I’m not fucking pregnant.”

Only then does Joel notice she’s gone rigid, curled in on herself, knees drawn up and eyes glazed in a familiar terror.

Joel blinks, barely registering the words, her meaning. “What?”

The doctor remains infuriatingly blasé, speaking to Marlene now. “It’s a possibility. She’s post-pubescent, although we don’t have a record of her cycles–”

“That’s none of your goddamn business,” Joel snaps.

“We’ll do a test to–“

He’s in the doctor’s face before the man can finish, only vaguely aware of Marlene’s hand gripping his arm to hold him back.

“I don’t need a stupid test because I’m not pregnant,” Ellie insists tightly, just as Joel snarls, “Get the fuck out.”

The doctor huffs and looks at Marlene, but for once, there’s no resistance from her.

“Let’s give them a minute,” she sighs.

Joel closes the door behind everyone, wishing he could lock it for good measure. He stays there with his hand on the glass, bracing himself, skin crawling as his anger dissolves into horror. He feels sick. His mind races, thinking of Silver Lake, of all those hours they were separated, of the terrifying possibilities, and she won’t fuckin’ talk to him, she won’t talk about–

“Ellie–”

“I’m not,” she repeats, voice wavering. She’s staring at the foot of the bed, not looking at him, her breath too fast and shallow for his liking. “I–I got my period, like, three weeks ago.”

He turns around slowly. They share a bathroom. He’s not the most observant man, but he’s pretty sure he would have noticed something .

As if reading his mind, she continues, grimacing. “Maria gave me one of those…cup…things.”

He has no idea what that means. He swallows hard, takes a deep breath.

“Kiddo…you can talk to me. ‘Bout anything. I won’t be mad or–or–if somethin’ happened, we can–we can fix it, we can–”

“I know,” she spits. Her whole body is quivering, but her words are tightly controlled. “But I’m telling you the truth.”

“You keep sayin’ that–”

She finally looks at him and he sees angry tears gleaming in her eyes. “Why won’t you believe me?”

“Ellie–I believe you, kiddo, I just–I wasn’t there an’-you won’t…you won’t talk about it.”

At that, she looks away again. “Because I don’t need to.”

“Baby–”

“He didn’t fucking rape me, okay? Is that what you want to hear?”

He flinches, the words landing like a slap. A single tear escapes her lash line, making a wet track down her cheek.

“He tried. He tried and he didn’t–he didn’t get that far. Because I bashed his fucking skull in before he could get his fucking pants off.”

Some dim part of him thinks he should feel relieved, but that’s impossible when her face crumples. He goes to her because he can’t do anything else, sits on the edge of the bed, hand twitching in a vain effort to keep himself from reaching for her.

“Happy now?” she grits out, jaw set. 

“No,�� he breathes. “I could never be happy about that.”

She’s fully panicking now. Every breath sounds high and pitchy, like she’s sucking air through a straw.

“He’s gone, baby. He’s…it’s done. It’s over, you don’t ever have to go back, okay?”

A shuddering hiccup and she lifts her eyes to his. She nods tightly, tremors rippling across her shoulders as she tries to get her breathing under control.

“It’s over,” he repeats, hoping he sounds more certain than he feels. “You’re safe.”

Another jerky nod.

“And…I’m sorry,” he rasps. He wipes at his face in frustration, surprised when his hand comes back wet.

“Wasn’t your fault,” she mutters thickly.

“I’m sorry…I’m sorry that–I shoulda been there, couldn’t–couldn’t help–”

“It doesn’t matter,” she whispers, eyes red but dry. “Doesn’t change anything…right?”

Shame swirls in his gut. She may be right, but the old saws hound him anyway. It’s not enough, this is your fault, you’re failing her, you were always going to fail her. He tentatively reaches out and puts a hand on her knee, hopeful when she doesn’t flinch or pull away.

“I shoulda believed you. I’m sorry.”

Her jaw ticks at that, and she chews on her lip ‘til it’s red and raw. She’s rocking slightly, probably not even aware she’s doing it. She’s going away, he realizes, withdrawing again.

“Ellie?”

He squeezes her knee gently, trying to bring her back.

“C’mon, kiddo, you gotta…you gotta talk to me. You need to–it’s gotta come out. The only way this gets better is if you let it out, and–”

“I can’t,” she whispers, almost a whine, ducking her head. “I know I have to, but I just–I can’t–okay? Not yet. Please…don’t make me.”

Please don’t make me.

His heart cracks and splinters in his chest. She sounds so small, so exhausted. How many times has she been forced, coerced, manipulated by people who claimed to care for her? 

Taking a chance, he clasps one of her hands, cold fingers white as porcelain. He tugs gently, asking a silent question, and she folds forward, pressing herself into his side until he can wrap an arm around her shoulders. He does his best to bundle her into his arms, resting his chin on top of her head.

“Alright. You don’t have to,” he whispers into her hair. “Don’t have to do anythin’ right now, okay? Nothin’ you don’t want.”

She nods, gives a tiny hiccup that might be a sob. It’s a long time before she pulls away, wiping a sleeve over her eyes, looking up at him with her jaw set.

“Tell them they can do the dumb test,” she sniffs. “But I’m not fucking pregnant.”

~*~

“No pregnancy. Her iron and RBCs are low,” the nurse says with finality.

“Told you, fuckers,” Ellie mutters, obviously feeling well enough to snark, although the dark circles under her eyes are even more pronounced than before.

“How the hell did you miss that?” Marlene asks.

The nurse scowls. “Dr. Anderson gets reports with all the lab work, he said nothing to indicate the anemia was a problem.”

“So you’re tellin’ me she’s anemic and your brilliant doctor didn’t think to mention it?” Joel cuts in. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ, you people–”

“Enough,” Marlene snaps, looking back and forth between them, then settles her gaze on the nurse. “What’s the treatment plan?”

“She needs to eat, rest, keep up her strength. Pause the testing until she’s back in healthy range.”

“How long?”

“I can’t say,” the nurse sighs. “If we can find some supplements, we might be able to speed up the process…but the best way is for her to eat.”

And so, two days later, it’s standoff over dinner.

“I can’t.”

“You have to,” Marlene says cooly. “The only way this works is if you keep up your strength, and the only way for you to stay strong is to eat. We’re using precious rations to keep you fed and your blood counts are low.”

Ellie hunches over her half-full tray of food while Marlene hovers. She’s eaten a few bites of vegetables and a piece of bread, but large chunks of venison remain on the tray. He knows why it turns her stomach, why she sends back her trays without touching the stuff.

But he also watched her pass out two days ago.

“I can’t keep it down, it doesn’t fucking work ,” she hisses.

“Come on, Ellie,” Marlene murmurs. “You owe it to us to try.”

“I am trying,” she says. “But my fucking stomach hurts.”

Marlene sighs. “Just…one bite. Try. Please.”

Ellie lets out a disgusted groan, but she picks up a piece of meat with her fork, grimacing as she puts it in her mouth. She chews and her jaw works and works because the stuff is mostly gristle and it’s cooked to the consistency of leather–Joel struggled to choke down his smaller portion, too. He watches her throat bob in a swallow.

Then she’s gagging, choking, and the contents of her stomach–the venison and everything else along with it–are covering the floor next to her bed. She gags and gags, her face red, tears gathering in her eyes.

“Jesus Christ,” Marlene huffs under her breath and that’s the last fucking straw.

“Outside,” Joel snaps, making for the door without waiting for her to answer. When they’re out in the hall, he faces her, snarling. “You don’t talk to her like that.” 

“She needs to eat.”

“She can’t do venison.”

“She’ll have to suck it up,” Marlene says flatly. “Her iron is low and venison is the best source we have at this point–”

“That girl,” he jabs his finger at the window behind her, “is putting her whole fuckin’ life on the line for you. So you can figure out how to get her the stuff she needs without forcin’ it down her fuckin’ throat.”

Her jaw clenches, she blows a hard breath out her nose. 

“Fine,” she snaps. “I’ll send a scavenging party out for supplements. God knows how good they’ll be, but–”

“Whatever you gotta do, I don’t give a shit. But don’t you ever–e ver– talk to her like that again,” he says. “She ain’t your puppet.”

She folds her arms, clicking her tongue. “Heard.”

He nods and goes back in, finds Ellie on the floor, attempting to wipe up the vomit. He kneels and gently takes the cloth from her hands to finish the job.

“It’s my mess. I can get it,” Ellie hiccups, cheeks red. He can see her hands shaking as she sits back on her knees.

“Not your fault,” he says. “You can’t eat the meat, you can’t eat it. S’their problem, not yours.”

She sniffs and wipes at her face with her sleeve.

“You brushed your teeth yet?” he asks, standing with a suppressed groan and tossing the soiled towel on the floor outside their room. Let the Fireflies deal with it. “Go on. You’ll feel better if you do.”

Ellie goes to the bathroom and closes the door. He hears the water running. When she returns, her face is damp, cheeks blotchy, eyes red-rimmed. She climbs back into bed still looking defeated.

“I hate to admit it, but Marlene’s right about one thing,” he murmurs. “You gotta eat, kid.”

“I’m trying, asshole,” she spits, chin trembling. “I’m trying but…it’s all…stupid deer meat and I can’t–I can’t. After–”

“Alright,” he soothes, rubbing her back. “I know. Marlene’s gonna try to find…pills or somethin’.”

Her face falls. “That’ll take too long.”

“Hey,” he says, hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly. “They’re on your schedule, not the other way around, right?”

She rolls her eyes but nods, teary.

“K. Why don’t you get back in bed and get some rest. We’ll figure it out.”

For once, she doesn’t argue. Part of him wishes she would.

Ellie is sleeping soundly when Marlene comes back later that night. They take the conversation to the hallway, speaking in low voices so as not to wake her.

“Dr. Anderson wants to do a blood transfusion,” she says. “It’ll work faster than any supplements we’d be able to find.”

“S’it safe?”

“No riskier than giving her expired iron pills or letting her stay anemic,” she says.

“An’ you got everythin’ for that?”

“Well, the Red Cross isn’t exactly operational,” she says drily. “We need to find someone with a matching blood type. My staff are being typed as we speak.”

Joel grimaces. “I’m a universal donor. Test mine. If it’ll help her…”

He trails off, glancing through the window where Ellie is still curled up in bed.

“You sure? You’re clean?”

He glares at her.

“Hey, we both know the QZ life wasn’t exactly squeaky,” she says. “But…I’m not going to turn it down if you’re willing. I’ll send the nurse in to get a blood sample so we can screen you.”

~*~

Screened and typed and confirmed a match, Joel finds himself laid up in bed with a needle in his arm a few days later.

“This is sick, dude,” Ellie says, lounging in her bed, watching intently as his blood fills the pint-sized holding bag at his side. Her fascination remains unnerving–especially now that it’s directed at him.

“Don’t you have somethin’ to do?”

“I am doing something, I’m resting like you said,” she says, rolling over to dangle her head off the side of the bed. Then she perks up. “Oh, shit! I know!”

She goes to her bag on the floor and pulls out her pun book, flipping through the pages.

“Aha,” he mutters. “Will Livingston strikes again.”

“Hey, Joel,” she says, grinning. “I know a couple of vampire puns…but they all suck. Get it? They suck? ‘Cause it’s a vampire.”

“I got it,” he mutters, trying and failing to hold back a smile. It’s been weeks since she’s joked around with him like this, weeks since they’ve been able to have more than short, stilted conversations that usually end with her staring off into space.

“Maybe don’t ‘B negative’ about it, then.”

That earns her a groan.

“Ooh, ooh wait! I got a better one–”

“Highly doubt that,” he drawls, but he’s full-on smiling now.

“I wanted to write a blood pun, but it was all ‘in vein’!”

“That’s terrible. Negative six.”

“You can’t do negative numbers, dude,” she says, flopping back down on the bed with her book.

“Can for that joke.”

She snorts. “I’m gonna age, like, fifty years with your old man blood.”

“Better than passin’ out in the fuckin’ hall,” he says pointedly.

“I guess,” she sighs. “Kinda cool you’re, like, a walking blood supply.”

“Don’t get any ideas. It ain’t an infinite supply. You still gotta eat.”

“I just figured with the…y’know,” she says quietly, gesturing to his stomach, where the scar on his abdomen still pulls a little when he stands too quickly. “You lost a lot of blood…before.”

“Still doin’ better than you in the iron department.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” she hums, thinking, then stretches out with a sigh. “Hey, Joel,” she murmurs, resting her head on her pillow. She blinks sleepily, probably ready for another nap. God, he hopes like hell this transfusion does what it’s supposed to. “Once they do the transfusion thing…does that make us blood relatives?”

“This one of your jokes?”

“No,” she yawns. “S’just funny, when they say ‘blood relation’, they don't mean you share actual blood. Except…we will, kinda.”

“Yeah, I guess we will.”

“S’pretty cool,” she whispers.

“Uh-huh. You’re s’posed to be resting,” he says, watching with fond exasperation as she struggles to keep her eyes open.

She frowns and wrinkles her nose and suddenly looks five years younger, sporting the kind of pout he remembers seeing on Sarah’s face when she was overtired and fighting sleep. “M’not tired.”

“Nice to meet you, Not Tired. I’m Joel,” he says drily. “Go to sleep, kid. I’ll wake you up when I’m done being bled dry over here.”

She rolls her eyes and grumbles something he can’t quite hear– something something show you bled dry, old man– but she turns over with a huff. She’s fast asleep and snoring before the donation bag is full.

[gonzo-rella]

Reposting on this account with hopes that it will spread further. I haven't had much luck on my main account. I have tried sending messages and asks on my other blog @mx-piggy and I have posted a few times in the past 24 hours. But, none of my posts have gained much traction. It's not my place to lose hope, though, and I will continue posting until Noor has the money she needs.

I have recently befriended Noor Ayman (@nourayman), a 21-year-old Palestinian woman living in the Gaza strip. She was studying English commerce at university, but the war has taken her once happy life from her. She has been a lovely person to talk to, and I look forward to staying in touch with her.

Her siblings are Aya, Heba, Malak, Mustafa, Muhammad, Ahmed and Yazan. Her father is Ayman Al-Habil. You can read more about them on the GFM page.

The family has already endured so much in the dire circumstances that so many families are facing in Gaza, such as shortages in food, water and medicine, made worse by the poor sanitation and diseases.

A recent event has been a devastating blow to the family. Their tent has burned down, and the family has been left to live on the street in the freezing cold. Even worse, Noor's brother Ahmed, who is just five years old, was seriously injured. Initially, Noor's relatives took the family in, but they've since kicked them out.

So, the family needs their tent to be replaced, and no doubt they could use money to help cover medical expenses.

The cost of a tent is €2000.

Please donate what you can. The situation is urgent, and this family is suffering enough without this. If you really aren't able to spare as little as the minimum €5, then please share the family's campaign. Help them raise the money they need for a new tent, so that there's one less thing for them to have to worry about.

My heart goes out to Noor. Please don't let her and her family down. I am really concerned about Noor's wellbeing and I fear what will happen if she doesn't get a new tent soon. If I'm worried, I can only imagine how awful she is feeling.

[lizzy-doll-thefoxy]

Servelt the wild kingdom

Servelt It's a kingdom where various types of species live, like people with wings, half-tiger people, half-cat people, etc. The kingdom doesn't have a standard like the others, most of the time those who have rabbit ears are women in servelt women can have bear ears more often There is no magic there, people make do with what they have, there people accept other things like mythological creatures like mermaids, they sometimes come to the kingdom to talk or to buy things There are also a lot of nymphs there, they usually move to servelt and live there like peasants

Dangerous creatures, etc., do not go beyond the gates of the kingdom and are usually killed before they get close to the gates.

The kingdom has a wine tone and plenty of nature nearby, it could be said that the kingdom is a large peaceful forest, but it wasn't always like that, in the past Servelt already faced a war that devastated Half of the kingdom, the king and queen of that time ended up dying after that war and Eduard, their son, ended up taking their place, Eduard ended up remaking the kingdom from 0 and today it is back to being a kingdom Calmly, he always fights for this to continue, the king is extremely closed and interacts little with the people, but that is because of his past, I will soon tell you more about King Eduard

Rules! (For outsiders)

1 Don't try to accommodate the creatures that live here, this is their home they are not bargaining chips here, if you are caught doing this you will be banned

2 Don't try to cut the trees without the king's permission, some trees have fruits that are used as medicines, and these trees only grow here but they take a long time to grow so don't take any risks

3 Do not try to enter the castle without permission you will be stopped immediately

4 Try to respect the culture of the kingdom, here people don't like meat they prefer fruits and other things that don't involve animals so don't kill an animal within the kingdom as this may offend people

Note: Unless it's a dangerous creature like a forest creature outside...these things are not cute little animals...they will kill you

5 Respect the king and The royal family ! And the nobles If you insult him in any way or any noble you will be expelled from the kingdom and depending on what you did executed, remember this is not your kingdom and you are not at home

6 let us know if you are bringing someone else with you, and that it is someone trustworthy, we don't want one of your friends or family to break the rules here

Main food of the kingdom:

Servant people like things that don't kill animals, like eggs and such things, they prefer to raise animals as their pets rather than as food.

Climate

the climate there is generally calm and the rains are Gentle, winter is good and not as cold as in the shadow kingdom

Good side of the kingdom:

The economy is good you will probably live well here, the nobles generally like to interact with the people and are not like the majority who see people as objects, servelt is a partner of the shadow kingdom

So I have a war, the king of shadows will help

Their passion for animals helps a lot, and there is never a shortage of food there because they always have animals to To recall eggs, milk, etc.

The tax rate here is good for people and they rarely fail to pay

Bad points

The king, unlike the nobles, doesn't like interacting with people, it's very difficult for that to happen, The queen is dead, she died brutally murdered and no one knows who did it, the king is in constant depression because of this, the creatures that live there are sometimes hunted by outsiders But this is already being resolved, the kingdom has a rivalry with the red kingdom because of the war between them in the past

Final notes from me:

Finally stop revealing about this kingdom AAAAAAAAAA I'm happy for that:'3 creating this kingdom from 0 was a Torture lol I'm going to eat something now

[artsychaosbean]

Why are people so ableist?

I will never understand this world. I'm epileptic, the medications don't work for me, I throw medicine up because my stomach is irreparably messed up because of malpractice from my childhood doctor. I reject medications involuntarily. It causes me severe pain. On top of that asthma and epileptic medications are EXPENSIVE, you cant pay for rent, food and bills, supplements for deficiencies AND 6 different medications for different ailments. One medication alone can cost me around 100 - 120$ in my town its so overpriced it used to be 80 - 90$ but then it went up in my local pharmacies from shortages and C-vid losses. (per week. they only give you a WEEKS worth in my town they dont do months) An inhaler is going to be 300 - 700$ in my town the medication will be 80 - 100$ per month. tell me where I get that money. Thats NOT affordable. Not when im already paying 100$ in supplements, not when im pitching in for bills and rent and food already. Not when im kicked off of disability because they want more people working and are trying to force disabled people into jobs. Yeah thats what has happened to me. Because I can physically move my limbs im not "disabled enough" for help even if I have seizures, even if I have tourettes, even if I have a compromised immune system, even if I have a messed up knee, shoulders, wrists, ankles, neck and back that are permenantly injured and don't have full functionality, are weak and in constant pain. But I'm "not disabled enough" So nope can't get my medications covered either. Im not in a job so I cant get covered by that either. I haven't lost a job so again cant get covered through that gov benefit. The only gov benefit I get is 580$ every year thats ALL I get. I can't even afford dental and I have cavities, I can't afford eye care and my vision isn't the best and my glasses are broken.

[txemrn]

Hii 😍

What if your MC / LI sent the wrong picture to the wrong number? It can be a fun or spicy pic

Bahahaha! Oh PR, the silliness you bring out of me... Thank you for sending me this Ask! 🖤 Here's a short (but I couldn't find an appropriate pic for this, but I'm sure y'all can use your imagination... )🤣

Word Count: ~970

Warning: language; brief crude humor

AN: Some characters belong to Pixelberry; Erin belongs to @kat-tia801; the rest are my random OCs/friend group for the Ramseys; this is pure silliness (that no one should probably read lol) that I'm not even sure if it would actually happen (LOL); BUT it was fun, and it was totally inspired by Grey's Anatomy (IYKYK)

~🖤~

"Oh no!" Tatum whimpers to herself. "No, no, no!"

She stares at her handheld mirror in horror as the intimate area between her thighs appears to be swelling with raised red bumps right before her eyes. She groans in frustration, grabbing a back scratcher, and thrashing it vigorously across her itchy skin.

Her phone pings. She growls in agony, tossing the wooden device across the floor and swiping across her phone.

Ethan: Checking out now. You almost ready?

Tatum's toes begin to curl as her manic desire to tear off her flesh begins to grow. Why did this have to be happening now?

Tonight was the annual "Thankmas" dinner with the Ramsey's closest and dearest friends. Because of PTO blackouts and staffing shortages, it is near impossible for everyone to get together on the actual holidays. So, they pick a weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas–hence the name– to celebrate together, complete with tons of food, booze, games and gifts.

After they went on a long hike with their dogs during lunch, Ethan went to the liquor store while Tatum started getting ready for the evening. But while sitting at her vanity, she found herself feeling slightly itchy on her inner thighs. Before long, she was rubbing her private areas on the textured fabric of her stool. After drawing blood with her fingernails, she started using more blunt objects. 

She knows better than to scratch, but this sudden rash was unbelievably miserable. Where the heck did this come from?

Tatum: Do you mind stopping at Rite Aid?

Ethan: ???

Tatum's phone pings again, this time receiving a message from their Thankmas group chat.

THANKMAS 2022

Julian: does everyone have the address?

Bryce: we're good! On our way

Victor: yes, parking in the back? We're heading that way

Shit. Everyone was already heading to the Santiago's home, and here she was, more interested in investing in a stainless steel cheese grater. Christ, she needs alcohol. And a new va-jay-jay.

Her phone pings.

Ethan: what do you need?

Tatum: I have a rash.

Ethan: Lovely.

Tatum: I'm serious, and I'm pretty sure I've clawed off my epidermis.

Ethan: Do you think it's from our hike?

Tatum: Shit. Our hike... remember when I needed to pee?

Tatum: Shit! This might be poison ivy!

Tatum: 😭

Ethan: where is it?

Tatum switches to her phone's camera function, and takes a quick shot of her inner thigh and partial visual of her labia. But, before she can send the pic of her puffy bottom, Tatum's cell alerts her of an incoming message from the Thanksmas group.

THANKMAS 2022

Julian: Ramseys: haven't heart from you. You good? Heading this way?

Tatum scoffs, rolling her eyes. Give me a second, Jules!

She clicks on Ethan's contact, pulling up the last message they were a part of. She pastes the picture of her swollen areas and clicks send.

She starts googling various over-the-counter remedies for itching relief, all of which they do not keep readily in their medicine cabinet.

Picking out a more comfortable outfit for the evening, Tatum's phone suddenly begins to ping incessasntly of text messages.

What?

The pings finally stop, only to be interrupted by her ringtone, alerting her of a phone call. She looks at the screen, Ethan's name illuminating. 

"Hey," she answers pathetically, but she is quickly cut off.

"Tatum, what the fuck!?" Ethan restrains a roar.

"What–?" 

"The picture, Tate!"

"Isn't it awful?" She begins to scratch again. "Do you think it's poison ivy?"

"I don't know," he barks sarcastically, "let's ask one of our friends what they think is on your vagina!"

"Huh?" Tatum swipes through her phone and realizes her mistake: she sent her infected crotch shot to their closest friends. First, she had a message from her best friend Erin Winters-Lahela.

Erin: IS THAT YOUR KITTY-CAT?!

Erin: HELL! WTF DID ETHAN DO TO YOU!??!

Then she clicked on the group message

THANKMAS 2022

Bryce: is that a raw turkey?

Bryce: are we having turkey?

Julian: LMAO! Looks more like a pussycat...

Bryce: oh snap 😱

Erin: Bryce, you better stop looking!

Erin: tabbing

Erin: down

Julian: a hairless one...

Erin: to

Chelsea: JULIAN MOISES! STOP LOOKING!

Chelsea: Tatum WTF?!

Erin: get

Victor: is that poison ivy?

Erin: pic

Erin: off

Erin: the

Abigail: Victor and I agree. We enlarged the pic. It looks like poison ivy. Our daughter had that this summer. U need some cortisone. I have a homemade jar of cortisone, essential oils and oatmeal u can have.

Abigail: I wouldn't wear any underwear if I were u.

Julian: that kitty needs some attention, Ethan

Julian: and she's going to be without panties?!

Ethan: JFC

Erin: screen

Julian: I volunteer to help if she can't reach. With the ointments.

Chelsea: JULES! SHUT UP!

A sudden queasiness hits Tatum's stomach. "Oh no–"

"Oh yes!" Ethan sighs, his irritation apparent.

"Oh my God, we can't go now. Oh my God, don't make me go--"

"Tate," he exhales heavily into silence. "Let's get you taken care of first. Let me grab some ointment." He sighs in irritation again. "I'm calling the ER--"

"The ER?"

"You need steroids--"

"Ethan!" She panics, tears forming in her eyes. "I just flashed my cooch to our best friends! I don't want anyone else from the hospital to see it--" She is interrupted by a deep chuckle coming over the receiver. "Ethan Jonah Ramsey... are you... laughing at me?" Ethan's snickers turn into a heavy laughter as Tatum begins to see red. "This isn't funny, Rams!"

"Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he clears his throat. "But I do have good news for you."

"Hrmm?"

"I just looked up who was covering ER tonight, and luckily it's someone who's already seen your crotch."

"Huh?" Tatum curiously mutters. "Who?"

Ethan tries to stifle his titters. "Um... that would be Dr. Tobias Carrick."

~🖤~

Tags (please let me know if you'd like to be added/removed)

PERMA

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ALL OPH

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[lunacyn24]

Barefoot Gen

To me, this was a movie that was unexpected in the trajectory of following the journey of the main boy, Gen, pictured. Barefoot Gen debuted in 1983, but the story of Gen and his family took place in the 1940’s Hiroshima when Japan was in the midst of warfare during World War 2. In this movie, we see depictions of the strife occurring throughout Japan with expansive starvation and malnutrition due to the massive food shortage during this time. After some research, I came to find out that the effect of food shortage was worsened due to the Japanese government policies that placed restrictive prices on the populace that was already struggling to make ends meet. Gen and his little brother, Shinji, even go as far as searching for carp fish in an old man’s pond to help their pregnant Mother. At first, Gen, who is the oldest brother, has a carefree attitude about all that is happening like hiding in bunkers when “the enemy” is spotted. But, he does realize the severity of the situation as it pertains to his family during and after the bombing of Hiroshima. When Hiroshima is bombed, we are shown graphic and horrific depictions of the populace dying horrific deaths due to initial bombing and after-effects of the bomb such as radiation, radioactive rain, contaminated water, and malnutrition. Barefoot Gen further shows the series of unfortunate events that followed after the bombing by showing how mothers struggled to breastfeed their young due to their own lack of food and medicine. Throughout this film, the audience is watching Gen’s story unfold through his eyes as a 6 year old. We see the grief, the naiveté, the large impact of responsibility Gen goes through because he’s the one his Mother and Ryuta rely on in the desolate world they live in. Barefoot Gen highlights the social, economic, and political strife that struck Japan during and in the aftermath of World War 2.

[pannaginip]

In October 2020, activist Reina Mae Nasino, surrounded by cops, wrapped up in full protective gear, and wearing handcuffs, attended her baby’s funeral.

Nasino and her baby River became icons of injustice, not just of the crackdown on dissent during the Duterte administration, but of the conditions of detained mothers who simply want to care for their newborn babies. Baby River was separated from Nasino at birth, and died when she was only three months old.

Here [in the mothers' ward] stay persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who are pregnant, or had just given birth. The mothers’ ward consists of six beds, a shared bathroom with curtains serving as a door, a meager pantry, faded stickers of cartoon characters on the walls, and a shelf of dusty toys.

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) has a measly P15-medicine budget per PDL, per day. According to lone resident doctor and Corrections Technical Chief Superintendent Maria Lourdes Razon, this already accounts for everything medical – from medicines to medical supplies like cotton balls and alcohol, and even period products. There’s no separate budget for a PDL who is pregnant or ill.

In [Correctional Institution for Women (CIW)], according to Razon, PDLs who have prescription medicines have to deposit in the pharmacy whatever money is provided by their families. The pharmacy then deducts from the fund whatever medicines PDLs avail of.

When needed, and especially for births, CIW’s pregnant PDLs are referred to the Mandaluyong City Medical Center (MCMC), a stone’s throw from the prison. Razon claimed that the PDLs who need procedures need not shell out any money, as it is a public hospital. But such does not seem to be the case – if Maria’s experience is any indication.

A shortage of resources and medical staff compromises the quality and accessibility of healthcare services, particularly in terms of prenatal and postnatal care. This situation forces pregnant PDLs to bear the financial burden of medical expenses, as Maria herself experienced.

After securing permits to leave the facility, PDLs from CIW are accompanied by an escort and a nurse. There have been reported issues, however, according to [Dr. Jonelle Baloloy, chief resident of the MCMC OB-GYN ward], of PDLs “having difficulties in securing permits to leave the facility.”

It doesn’t help that the P15-medical budget covers the mothers only. Babies, who have their own needs like diapers, clothes, and hygiene products, are not PDLs and are excluded from the budget. While there is a separate P70-food allocation per day, or just P23.33 for a meal, pregnant PDLs and breastfeeding mothers need more because they also require special nutrition, like increased fluid intake.

Karen Bantang from the CHR Gender Division also cited the alarming concern about postpartum depression among mother PDLs. A study conducted by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development found that 15.6% of Filipino women experience depression during pregnancy and 19.8% after childbirth. The pregnant PDLs of CIW aren’t any different.

2024 Mar. 30

The police arrested [Rose, an elderly PDL] for a charge which turned out to be connivance in drug usage. “What did they mean, connivance? I didn’t have any drugs on me. I also turned out negative on my drug test. Well, it just so happened that it was my house [that my husband was using].”

“What hurts is how long I was away from [my children’s] side. And now, I’ve been in prison for another 20 years. I’ve been away from them for 40 years now,” she said.

The family she now has is found in the CIW mothers’ ward. She plays a vital role there, where she has been assisting in the care of both PDLs and babies since 2010 due to the lack of medical personnel who can monitor them at all times.

When mothers in prison have such an option [to keep their newborn babies with them], the assumption is that they’d prefer to maximize that time with their babies as much as possible. But with an uncertain future and feelings of being ill-equipped to care for their babies, some mothers choose to let their babies out early.

CIW rules say that when a PDL under their care gives birth, the babies may stay with the mothers for a maximum period of one year. But according to lone resident doctor and Corrections Technical Chief Superintendent Maria Lourdes Razon, at least in her past year working at CIW, there are no babies who have celebrated their birthdays in the facility.

Lawyer Gian Taruc from the Visitorial Division of the Commission on Human Rights pointed out the disparity among the Philippines’ regional members.

“In other countries that are equally Third World countries too, like Malaysia and Bangkok, they are able to implement these programs. They have policies that allow them to give proper care for female PDLs. So why not in the Philippines?” he said.

The deficiency of mental support for mother PDLs is a persisting reality even beyond the walls of CIW. Nasino also cited similar psychological harassment inside the Manila City Jail where she was detained.

“From my experience [in Manila City Jail] when I gave birth, there was this condemnation from the guards blaming me for the situation of my baby. They would tell me: ‘It was you who got yourself imprisoned, so why should you rely on us for your pregnancy?’ This is why other PDLs who feel unwell would opt not to say anything instead,” she said.

Rose does not allow the women under her care to mingle with the general, congested population. It’s a precaution to keep the mothers and babies healthy. Most of the time, the babies do not have access to vaccines.

In the House of Representatives, the Makabayan bloc filed House Bill No. 570, or the Parents in Jail bill.

Nasino’s case is particularly cited in the bill’s explanatory note. It highlights the need to provide prisoners, especially mothers, the necessary mechanisms and facilities to enjoy their parental rights and ensure that the needs of their children are attended to while they are incarcerated.

If the CIW had their way, each PDL would have a minimum P100-medicine budget per day, Razon said.

More could be done for the mothers at CIW, who already have decent living conditions – and more so for mothers in jails who don’t even have that shelf of dusty toys, or their own ward.

2024 Mar. 31

[yousef-al-amin]

Refugee camp turned into concentration camp

The notorious Al-Hol refugee camp in Eastern Syria in the American zone of occupation has already been repeatedly marked for the worst. The situation in the camp is described by many as a humanitarian disaster. With a total capacity of the camp of 11 thousand people, about 10 thousand currently live there. At the same time, there is a catastrophic shortage of water, medicine, medical personnel and food in the camp; up to 20 people die in the camp every day. It would seem that these conditions are already inhumane and inhumane, but the militants, controlled by the camp administration, and therefore by Washington, are harshly suppressing attempts to escape from this terrible place. At the same time, the militants do not hesitate to use any methods to suppress the attempts of ordinary people to escape from this hell. And, of course, all this is happening under the hypocritical statements of the United States about “respecting human rights.”

[amirblogerov]

Refugee camp turned into concentration camp

The notorious Al-Hol refugee camp in Eastern Syria has already been repeatedly marked for the worst. The situation in the camp is described by many as a humanitarian disaster. With a total capacity of the camp of 11 thousand people, about 10 thousand currently live there. At the same time, there is a catastrophic shortage of water, medicine, medical personnel and food in the camp; up to 20 people die in the camp every day. It would seem that these conditions are already inhumane and inhumane, but the militants, controlled by the camp administration, and therefore by Washington, are harshly suppressing attempts to escape from this terrible place. At the same time, the militants do not hesitate to use any methods to suppress the attempts of ordinary people to escape from this hell. And, of course, all this is happening under the hypocritical statements of the United States about “respecting human rights.”

[artsyaprilmr]

I thought if people see the pictures it will be easier to connect number 120.000 with the actual living breathing people. Artsakh is in total blockade, meaning there's no way in and no way out. Food and medicine shortages are already happening. Artsakhi armenians have been going on protests fighting for their right to exist on their ancestral land. Huge amounts of people are participating yet I see no coverage in the media outside of Armenia. The only solidarity from the outside comes from diasporans. Look at these photos and remember those people, who while being in a terrible situation are still braver than any western activist.

(photos via @/infocom_am on twitter)

Artsakh has been blocked for 2 weeks already, 120.000 people are deprived of their human rights, many of them are children. Tomorrow is Christmas, and on this very special holiday consider supporting indigenous christian nation by donating to good causes.

URGENT:

Solar Haghorti - provide hot water to the Haghorti village in Artsakh

Sunrise in Artsakh - solar water heaters for Artsakh (please read the page, donation button is in the text, it's easy to miss)

OTHER:

Armenian food bank - food, clothing, medicine

VIVA foundation - doctors and medicine (25% of what i get from my commissions this winter will go here btw)

All for Armenia - support vulnerable populations, displaced families and border communities in Armenia

Kooyrigs - aid for those living in areas highly targeted by azer\\baijan

MIASEEN - stability for families in need

[biblenewsprophecy]

How to Prep for War

With the turmoil in the Middle East between Hamas, Israel, and others, some are concerned about the outbreak of World War Three. Daisy Luther, the webmaster of the 'Organic Prepper' site, posted an article on October 27, 2023 titled 'How I’m Prepping for War' where she explains reasons people would want to prepare by storing food, medicines, and gold before WWIII can break out, based upon what happened in WWII as well as current official US government policy.The 'Wall Street Journal' reported that there has been a substantial increase in "doomsday preppers" in the USA since 2020. Are the weapons of Christian warfare carnal or spiritual? Should Christians stockpile anything or just rely on the Lord? What did Jesus say the focus for Christians should be? Will preppers who head to the mountains be safe according to the Bible? What about the "seven last plagues" of Revelation 16? Will most Christians not be protected during the coming Great Tribulation? Who is the group of Christians that Jesus promised to protect from the coming "hour of trial'? Is putting confidence in God and striving to live as a Philadelphian Christian the only real prepping solution? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these matters.

A written article of related interest is available titled 'OP: How I’m Prepping for War; ZH: Doomsday Prepping Is Trendy All Of A Sudden'

OP: How I’m Prepping for War; ZH: Doomsday Prepping Is Trendy All Of A Sudden

COGWriter

Daisy Luther, the webmaster of the Organic Prepper site, posted the following:

How I’m Prepping for War

October 27, 2023

We all hope that the world will dodge a bullet again and avoid diving into World War III. But things aren’t looking great. Aside from tensions in the Middle East in which we are not directly involved, last night, the US conducted air strikes in Syria against Iranian-funded militias in retaliation for recent attacks against American soldiers in the region. Then there’s the trouble from within – we can’t agree on anything, everyone is fighting over Israel vs. Palestine, and this assessment suggests that we’re ripe for a civil war as well.

This, of course, is all out of our hands. The decisions to join in global conflicts aren’t made by folks like us, and civil war is another matter altogether. So what is a prepper to do?

Well, we can’t stop the drums of war, but we can prepare for it.

Why I’m prepping for war

A friend of mine has been researching shortages from WW2, and that’s a great place to start. In America, we faced the rationing of things such as food, shoes, metal, paper, and rubber. The priority was given to the soldiers, and whatever was left over was divvied up by civilians. I’m not sure we will have the exact same shortages this time, as war, like many other things, has moved into the digital age, but soldiers will still need food, shoes, rubber things like tires, and metal for manufacturing vehicles and weapons.

What with things being digital, a wise person might also look into things that require motherboards and circuits – computers, other devices, and vehicles.

It’s important to note that the Defense Production Act is already in place to force our factories to produce what is needed for national defense and prioritize national defense customers over civilians. …

One of the first things that will likely be rationed or in shortage would be food. I’m beefing up the preps for my family by shopping the sales, packing things away as carefully as possible to prevent degradation and pests, and filling my small home to the rafters …

Precious metals have long been the savings accounts of the savvy. I know, I know. You can’t eat gold. But you can put it back, hidden carefully, and use it to re-establish yourself once things have calmed down. https://www.theorganicprepper.com/prepping-for-war/

Yes, their are often shortages during war. And yes, governments prioritize the military and various other government priorities above their regular citizens.

Now it is not just Daisy Luther prepping now. The Wall Street Journal and ZeroHedge posted the following:

Who Counts as a Disaster Prepper These Days? Lots of Us

More people are prepping for a few weeks of flood, fire or other urgent situations by buying supplies to get them through

October 17, 2023

Disaster preparedness, once the province of fringe groups and so-called preppers convinced doomsday was at hand, has a new face.

A renewed interest in self-reliance is driving city dwellers and suburbanites to stock their homes and cars for emergencies, owners of disaster-preparedness businesses say. https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/emergency-preppers-disaster-kits-go-bags-9db4a9cf

Doomsday Prepping Is Trendy All Of A Sudden

October 26, 2023

In the days before Covid, doomsday preppers were ridiculed and shunned as part of the fringe minority. Now, they’re being celebrated with their own spread in the The Wall Street Journal entitled: “Who Counts as a Disaster Prepper These Days? Lots of Us”.

In the article, the Journal points out that there is a “renewed interest in self-reliance” in stocking for emergencies. The article asks whether it has to do with supply chain shortages and empty grocery shelves.

We can’t help but ask if it could be people want to front load items before additional 10% annual price hikes? Or if it could possibly have anything to do with the fact that we appear to be on the brink of World War 3? …

The Journal writes that approximately 33% of the 2,179 U.S. adults polled by financial-services firm Finder in April reported spending an average of $149 over the last year on essentials like non-perishable food, medical supplies, and bottled water. This marks an increase from the roughly 20% who indicated doing so in 2020. …

“People are becoming more and more aware of the problems in the world and how fallible things are,” added John Ramey, founder of self-reliance training site The Prepared. “It’s a totally new market,” added Marlon Smith, who runs a $300 Urban and Outdoor Survival class. https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/doomsday-prepping-trendy-all-sudden

Jesus taught rough times would come.

7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:7-8)

21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)

So, Jesus said there will be wars, food shortages, and troubles–we have been seeing these this year.

Let me add that the USA, for one example, will end up much worse than even most preppers think.

Is hording food, gold, and medicines the answer to prep for war of the Great Tribulation?

No.

Jesus warned:

19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

Notice the following from the Apostle Paul:

4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4)

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints — (Ephesians 6:11-18)

Now, that does NOT mean that stocking up on necessities and having food and money for emergencies is not a good idea.

The Bible also teaches:

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8)

22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children (Proverbs 13:22a).

3 A prudent man forsees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished (Proverbs 22:3).

The old Radio and Worldwide Church of God also taught:

Understand thoroughly, brethren, before we go into the technical and physical details that NO MANNER OR AMOUNT OF FOOD STORAGE CAN SAVE YOU! Only God can!

If you get to looking to the physical, dedicating all your time, efforts and energies to food storage to save your physical life — then you will be the greatest loser of all time! Read Luke 9:24-25 — “For whosoever will save his life [seek to selfishly maintain his physical life at all costs] shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?”

Avoid the extremes!

Don’t be super and pseudo-spiritual and declare that you are going to trust the Lord and not do anything for yourself. Remember God’s admonition given through Solomon, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer [the time of plenty] and gathereth her food in the harvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8.) We have been warned ahead of time and should do everything within our power to prepare, ALL THE TIME KNOWING ONLY GOD CAN SAVE US THROUGH THESE END-TIME CATASTROPHES!

And DON’T become a food fanatic! Don’t look to the physical. Pray for Godly BALANCE. In fact it would be a good idea for you to do JUST THAT RIGHT NOW! (Schurter D. Prepare for Famine! Good News, April-May 1966)

Of course, since gold is regarded as a disaster hedge by many investors, prudence might dictate that perhaps a small fraction of your liquid assets be in gold: (Caulkins J. WHEN MONEY FAILS. Good News, WCG, October-November 1979)

As the article implies, the Bible is warning that we can have the wrong focus and that if our priorities are too much on the physical that we can lose it all.

Notice something else that Jesus taught:

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:25-33)

Have the right focus.

As Christians, “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Most preppers are overly focused on the physical and not the spiritual–ancient Israel made the same mistakes (cf. 1 Samuel 12:12). And that is even true for MOST end time Christians.

Furthermore, consider that the most preppers have not taken into account the seven last plagues.

These final plagues are described in Revelation 16:

1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”

2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.

4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying:

“You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things. 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, And You have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.”

7 And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.

10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.

First, painful sores will appear on those still subservient to the beast (Revelation 16:2). The second and third plagues turn the seas, rivers and springs of water into blood (verses 3-7).

The fourth plague turns the normally, life-giving sun into a life-destroying power as the sun heats the earth to incredible temperatures. This fourth plague will still not bring mankind to repentance (verses 8-9). The fifth plague causes massive pain and plunges the beast’s realm into darkness (verses 10-11.)

But many, instead of putting their confidence in God, are hoping shelters and stored food will work.

While many doomsday preppers and most Christians seem to think that they will survive well during the 3 1/2 years that starts with the Great Tribulation, there are factors that they have not considered–or at least not well enough.

Those without food or shelters will seek out those with both–hence theft and worse will happen–Additionally, it needs to be emphasized, is that God does not promise to physically protect all Christians in the end times.

That said, Bible shows that some few will escape the captivity that will impact the Anglo-American peoples and will go to the mountains:

16 ‘Those who survive will escape and be on the mountains Like doves of the valleys, All of them mourning, Each for his iniquity. 17 Every hand will be feeble, And every knee will be as weak as water. (Ezekiel 7:16-17)

Yet, notice also something from the prophets Amos and Jeremiah:

9 ‘Assemble on the mountains of Samaria; See great tumults in her midst, And the oppressed within her. 10 For they do not know to do right, ‘Says the Lord, ‘Who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.’” 11 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “An adversary shall be all around the land; He shall sap your strength from you, And your palaces shall be plundered.” 12 Thus says the Lord: “As a shepherd takes from the mouth of a lion Two legs or a piece of an ear, So shall the children of Israel be taken out Who dwell in Samaria — In the corner of a bed and on the edge of a couch! 13 Hear and testify against the house of Jacob,”Says the Lord God, the God of hosts, 14 ‘That in the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will also visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; And the horns of the altar shall be cut off And fall to the ground. (Amos 3:9-14)

19 They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for us in the wilderness (Lamentations 4:19).

The above indicates that some will be hiding in the mountains, and other places in the USA, while others are will be taken out of the USA (which is the prophetic Samaria–see Spiritual Samaritans: Old and New). Most of the Anglos that are not killed will be made slaves. Hiding in the mountains may protect a few for a time, but it will be relatively few that survive that way for long.

They will be pursued.

But didn’t Jesus teach to flee to the mountains?

Well, yes for the mountains of Judea:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Matthew 24:15-16)

But He also did not say one should plan to stay in them. Consider that Jesus then added:

17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! (Matthew 24:17-19)

Now this does not mean that Jesus expected one to go to a stocked bunker. Only that those in Judea who have not fled before they see the abomination will not have time to do anything then except flee. In time, any who are Philadelphian Christians will go elsewhere (see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra).

Notice something else that Jesus taught:

36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:36)

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie — indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”‘ (Revelation 3:7-13)

Jesus tells His followers to watch, pray, and change enough to be accounted worthy to escape these things. Physical protection from the coming hour of trial is possible to those who will properly heed the word of God (cf. Zephaniah 2:1-3). Jesus clarifies in Revelation 3 that He is specifically referring to providing protection to the Philadelphian Christians.

Furthermore the Bible is clear that NOT ALL CHRISTIANS are promised this protection:

14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:14-17)

Two types of Christians are discussed above. A group that flees to a place and the rest that do not do so. Notice also what will happen to many Christians in the end times:

1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. … 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. (Revelation 13:1,5-7)

If you are alive during this time and you do not want to be overcome by the coming Beast, YOU MUST live as a Philadelphian Christian–do not deceive yourself otherwise.

Jesus gave the following warning to most end time Christians:

15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked — 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:14-19)

While there is value in doing some physical prepping, proper spiritual prepping–which MOST END TIME CHRISTIANS WILL NOT DO–is so much more important.

For more on who will be protected and where they will be protected, please check out the article There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra.

UPDATE 10/29/23: We just uploaded the following prepper-related video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

15:10

How to Prep for War

With the turmoil in the Middle East between Hamas, Israel, and others, some are concerned about the outbreak of World War Three. Daisy Luther, the webmaster of the ‘Organic Prepper’ site, posted an article on October 27, 2023 titled ‘How I’m Prepping for War’ where she explains reasons people would want to prepare by storing food, medicines, and gold before WWIII can break out, based upon what happened in WWII as well as current official US government policy.The ‘Wall Street Journal’ reported that there has been a substantial increase in “doomsday preppers” in the USA since 2020. Are the weapons of Christian warfare carnal or spiritual? Should Christians stockpile anything or just rely on the Lord? What did Jesus say the focus for Christians should be? Will preppers who head to the mountains be safe according to the Bible? What about the “seven last plagues” of Revelation 16? Will most Christians not be protected during the coming Great Tribulation? Who is the group of Christians that Jesus promised to protect from the coming “hour of trial’? Is putting confidence in God and striving to live as a Philadelphian Christian the only real prepping solution? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these matters.

Here is a link to the sermonette video: How to Prep for War.

Put your confidence in God, not bunkers.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra

This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory.

Related video: Might Petra be the Place of Safety?

Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?

Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?

Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or 2025 or?

Related video: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035?

Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?

Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind?

Related video: Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture?

This is PETRA! This is a 1962 Good News article by the late Dr. Hoeh. Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something? Here is a version in the Spanish language Escrituras sobre Preparación física para los Cristianos. Here is a link to a related sermon: Physical preparedness for Christians. Here is a link to a shorter video: How to Prep for War.

Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy Is the USA mentioned in Bible prophecy? Some Protestants say yes, while others say no. What does the Bible really teach? Learn the truth about this. There is also a video available: Is The United States Mentioned In Bible Prophecy?

Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors What are some errors that various Protestants hold to that will tend to prevent them from knowing when the Great Tribulation will begin? A related video is titled Ten Dangerous Protestant Prophetic Errors.

Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.

USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. A related sermon is titled: Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?

The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold?

The Dangerous Rise of Preterists Has the Great Tribulation finished? What was the view of early Christians? Why is the preterist view dangerous? A related sermon video is titled Preterism: You’ve Gotta Be Kidding…Right?

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real? Will the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas? British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism? Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future. A sermon of related interest is also available: Canada in Prophecy. Australia and New Zealand in Prophecy Do biblical prophecies help explain the wealth blessings for Australia and New Zealand? Might cursings from disobedience come in the 21st century? Here is a link to a related sermon: Australia and New Zealand: Origins and Prophecy. Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes? How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios? Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture? Did the Bible teach that Jesus raptures Christians prior to the start of the Great Tribulation? What did Jesus Himself teach? Do the scriptural passages that Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins point to prove their left behind pre-tribulation rapture assertions? Do all Christians get protected from the Great Tribulation? Who does the Bible teach will get protected? Is the Great Tribulation the ‘wrath to come’ that Christians are promised protection from? This is a video. Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differ from most Protestants How the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. As far as some changes affecting Protestantism, watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware! [Português: Esperança do salvação: Como a igreja do deus difere da maioria de protestantes] When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2023, 2024, or 2025? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation start in 2022 or 2023? Notice also: Can Jesus return in 2023 or 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año  de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero. 4. The Thyatira Church Era was predominant circa 1050 A.D. to circa 1600 A.D. The Church during the Inquisition. It claimed succession from the apostles. Here is a link toa related sermon: Thyatira, Succession, and Jezebel. 5. The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses some early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, CG7-Salem, Jerusalem 7DCG, and COG-7th Day-Denver. Here are two historical sermons: Sardis Church Era: Beginnings, Doctrines, and Leaders and Sardis: SDBs, SDAs, & CG7s. 6. The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God. 7. The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots.  They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 50+ Laodicean Prophetic Errors. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors? The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in hundreds of languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

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Why It Is Must To Check Best OTC Wegovy Alternatives

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The Digital Divide in China's Epidemic

Since 2019, China has been taking measures to separate severely affected areas from ordinary areas and manage them separately. Therefore, many cities or regions have experienced lockdowns. However, residents in regions with different levels of development experience very different life under lockdown. Personally, this is caused by digital divide (Jan A.G.M.van DijkEnvelopeWorld et al., 2006) in different areas with economic difference.

In March of this year, I lived in Shanghai, China, and experienced a 2-month lockdown. Although prices had risen a lot at that time, our daily basic needs were fully met after a little confusion and tension in the early days. Except when nucleic acid testing is required, residents are asked to stay in their homes or rooms and not allowed to go outside of their doors. However, we can buy all the daily necessities we need through WeChat groups, online stores and online communities. Some residents have even purchased refrigerators, which will be delivered directly out of the door of the purchasers by community volunteers.

However, when the same situation happens in some small cities, everything becomes different, such as we all know, Xinjiang. Xinjiang province has a large area but a small population. As a result, residences in the city are not as concentrated as in Shanghai, making online shopping difficult. In addition, Xinjiang is not an economically developed region, which causes online trade more difficult, and the government does not have enough money to buy supplies. If a person is infected with the new coronavirus, Xinjiang cannot even provide treatment in time. Therefore, during the three months when the epidemic in Xinjiang was the worst, it was difficult for people to buy necessities like food, let alone basic medicines. At this moment, the fire broke out. Due to the rush at the beginning of the lockdown, many people were asked to stay into their apartments immediately before they had time to move private cars, so the fire exit were blocked by these cars. The fire broke out three months later, when winter was already approaching, the engine of private cars were difficult to start due to the low temperature. Then the fire exit failed to open, and it was difficult for fire trucks to enter the scene, resulting in the death of more than 10 people. The fire was like a fuse, igniting the long-suppressed emotions in people's hearts. With food shortages and living difficulties, people can no longer bear being locked down.

Both Shanghai and Xinjiang are cities in China, but their residents have experienced a completely different life under lockdown, which is due to the digital divide caused by economic differences. Shanghai is the most developed city in China, with strong economic advantages and the attention of the whole country. Since blocked in March, I can see the number of new cases in Shanghai every day on social media and related reports from the country's mainstream media. Many opinion leaders also live in Shanghai, owning social media accounts with millions of fans, which made it possible to see Vlogs recording these leaders’ lives under the ban. However, before the fire broke out in Xinjiang, I didn't even know that the epidemic was so serious. On social media, not being reported means that it did not happen and will not receive any attention, just like the Gulf War mentioned by Baudrillard (1995) in " The Gulf War did not happen ".

I feel very sorry and sad for the disaster that occurred in China's epidemic, but I still haven't come up with a solution, because the shortcomings of economic development and digital divide cannot be quickly made up. Perhaps, what kind of solutions or ideas do you have? Hope to get a reply!

Reference:

Author links open overlay panelJan A.G.M.van DijkEnvelopeWorld, DijkEnvelopeWorld, J. A. G. M., & AbstractFrom the end of the 1990s onwards the digital divide. (2006, July 25). Digital Divide Research, achievements and shortcomings. Poetics. Retrieved December 16, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304422X06000167

Walsh, J. (1995). The Gulf War did not happen: Politics, culture and Warfare post-Vietnam. Amazon. Retrieved December 16, 2022, from https://www.amazon.com/Gulf-War-Did-Not-Happen/dp/1857422864

[fishoutofcamelot]

As requested by @vallirenwrites​, my theories as mentioned in my notes to the reblog of this post. 

The question: How did Uther commit genocide against a bunch of sorcerers and also literal dragons without dying 50 times over? 

It’s a valid question. If just one sorcerer could easily kill Uther, then how did he survive the height of the Purge when a whole community of sorcerers would conceivably be gunning for him at the same time? If one dragon can burn Camelot to the ground, then how could Uther have possibly fared against 100 of them?

Well, here’s one possibility: divide and conquer.

Many other people have mentioned, say, Balinor and Gaius in the notes of that post. It’s confirmed canonically that Balinor was tricked into helping Uther chain up Kilgharrah, and it wouldn’t be surprising if Gaius used his magic against his own people too. 

And that’s definitely on the right track. Uther could probably only subdue magic by relying on other magic users and then betraying them. We know for a fact that he did just that with both Nimueh and Balinor, albeit for different reasons. 

Many people, myself included, have theorized that the real reason Uther started the Purge was because magic is a threat to hierarchy. That is to say, letting poor people learn or at least have access to such a useful skill would equalize the power dynamics between nobility and peasantry. If a poor person has access to magic, they can resist authority. They can turn to magic for food and medicine and protection instead of relying on knights and kings. If they don’t like a king, it’s that much easier to depose the bastard. And if a peasant has magic while a noble doesn’t, then suddenly the peasant arguably has more power in that scenario. 

Long story short, magic is a logistical nightmare for authoritarianism.

Resource and education management within the lower class was, if not the main reason behind the Purge, then a very beneficial side effect.

As Gaius says in episode 1 when Merlin asks him about the Purge, magic users started getting bolder. Started, according to him, doing bad stuff with it. But remember that Gaius is a noble too, probably, or at the very least he’s very chummy with a lot of them. And we know he’s at least marginally sympathetic/supportive of Uther’s cause. With the stuff about nobles in mind, we must now analyze what he meant when he said that sorcerers were using their magic for evil and that the Purge was a necessary evil to curb their chaos. Maybe they were using their magic for evil - from the perspective of a frightened noble. 

So here’s how I think it happened:

Peasants started noticing that with magic on their side, they could rise up against oppressive nobles. They could start claiming some power and land for themselves. Maybe Camelot saw itself on the verge of a political revolution. 

Naturally, Uther and the other nobles started to sweat. What do we do about this? Well, if they’re using magic to educate and protect themselves, just take away the magic! 

I don’t think it started with a snap-and-turn illegalization of magic. A dramatic law hammering the country in an instant like that would have seen a lot more criticism and resistance. But if it happened gradually, over time, then what begins as a few restrictive policies on magic use might eventually slippery-slope into wholesale genocide. 

Some nobles have magic. But even they have a vested interest in this new campaign to restrict magic from the poor. Letting poor people use magic puts them on equal footing after all, and those magic-using nobles are still nobles after all. Best to keep magic with those who deserve it - that is to say, rich people.

Uther has their support now. He uses the help of nobles and their magic to enforce and subjugate poorer magic users. Maybe they use the Gean Canagh to steal magic from a few of their more outspoken rebels. Maybe they use magic restraints of some kind, but whether those canonically exist remains unknown.

First, a sales tax is imposed on all magic items and spellbooks, which gets more expensive with every passing month. Eventually, only the wealthy can afford them. 

Then, magic-users need to put their name into a registry. Refusal to enter the registry will be met with punishment. 

Next, anyone whose name is in the registry needs to pay a spell-casting tax. If you take your name off the registry, you no longer pay the tax - but casting spells while unregistered will result in banishment. 

After that, only certain spells can be cast without a certain permit or license, which you need to be of noble descent.

Then, crimes involving magic face harshened punishments. Torture, banishment, having your magic taken by the Gean Canagh - and in the most extreme cases, execution.

Bit by bit, magic becomes more risky to use and less accessible to the lower class, enabling the nobility to consolidate their power over the kingdom. But it doesn’t end there.

He tells the dragonlords to keep their dragons under control. Convinces them to keep them in stables instead of letting them roam free, for the sake of protecting scared villagers. Feed them less. Dragons die due from starvation, restrictive enclosures, and depression.

Then it turns more sinister. Just kill a few of your dragons, only a few, Uther says - dragons require a lot of food and land to survive, and all these dragons flying around are gonna cause a food shortage. Just kill the old and sick ones, the runts, the wasted space. Don’t hatch quite so many eggs. Don’t hatch any eggs.

All the while, Uther started a propaganda campaign. To alert the non-magical masses to be wary of their magic-using friends. They may seem innocent now, but peasants don’t have the proper education or know-how to use magic without hurting others. If you use magic too much, the power will corrupt you. And those sorcerers whose magic we stripped away? They were conspiring against the crown. They were trying to destroy the kingdom.

Now non-magical peasants don’t trust their magical companions as much as they used to. People don’t trust magic like they used to. That rebel movement everyone was so fond of a month ago? Now that’s an extremist militia of power-hungry sorcerers. 

But even that isn’t enough. Nobles and peasants is a good division, but how do you keep the peasants from uniting against the upper class? Simple. You turn the peasants against each other too. And you do this by turning types of magic-users against each other. You turn religious magic-users like druids and priestesses against the more secular ones. You turn naturally gifted ones like dragonlords and seers against those who had to study for their magic.

(This part, turning the naturals against the studyers, is probably what caused such a discrepancy between narratives. Gaius tells Merlin that magic is something to be learned, while Balinor is insistent that you either have it or you don’t. Boom, now we’ve got gatekeeping in the magic community.)

All this unrest and suspicion within the kingdom begins to reach a boiling point. The nobles point to this as further evidence that peasants can’t be trusted with magic, if they’re going to be so volatile about it.

Then Ygraine dies. Whether or not it’s intentional, her death is used to perpetuate the anti-magic movement, and Nimueh is hung up as a scapegoat. 

By now, many dragons are dead, and those that aren’t already dead are weak and dying. Resources to help magic-users learn and study have been restricted, so a lot of them don’t know or can’t cast the higher level stuff. Most of the powerful and rebellious magic-users have either been executed or had their magic taken away. And the magic community is so distrustful and restless that no one trusts each other enough to unite under the cause of rebellion.

After years of gradually squeezing the magic community, they are now too weak and spread too thin to lead an effective uprising. They’ve been cut off from their magical resources and spellbooks. They’ve been divided and turned against each other. Not only that, but all magic-users are in a registry, meaning Uther knows exactly who to target first. 

The magic-using nobles think they’ll be spared at first, that Uther would never betray them. But the king proves himself far more ruthless than predicted, and within a week the air is clouded with smoke from noble pyres.

That’s how I think it happened, anyway. Could be totally off tho!