#for our 2 year weekly campaign

[the-digicorn]

No but your honour you don’t understand I just love my lil guy so much they’re just such a lil guy

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - July 22-28

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my new(ly repurposed) Patreon!

1. Four new cheetah cubs born in Saudi Arabia after 40 years of extinction

“[T]he discovery of mummified cheetahs in caves […] which ranged in age from 4,000 to as recent as 120 years, proved that the animals […] once called [Saudi Arabia] home. The realisation kick-started the country’s Cheetah Conservation Program to bring back the cats to their historic Arabian range. […] Dr Mohammed Qurban, CEO of the NCW, said: […] “This motivates us to continue our efforts to restore and reintroduce cheetahs, guided by an integrated strategy designed in accordance with best international practices.””

2. In sub-Saharan Africa, ‘forgotten’ foods could boost climate resilience, nutrition

“[A study published in PNAS] examined “forgotten” crops that may help make sub-Saharan food systems more resilient, and more nutritious, as climate change makes it harder to grow [current staple crops.] [… The study identified 138 indigenous] food crops that were “relatively underresearched, underutilized, or underpromoted in an African context,” but which have the nutrient content and growing stability to support healthy diets and local economies in the region. […] In Eswatini, van Zonneveld and the World Vegetable Center are working with schools to introduce hardy, underutilized vegetables to their gardens, which have typically only grown beans and maize.”

3. Here's how $4 billion in government money is being spent to reduce climate pollution

“[New Orleans was awarded] nearly $50 million to help pay for installing solar on low to middle income homes [… and] plans to green up underserved areas with trees and build out its lackluster bike lane system to provide an alternative to cars. […] In Utah, $75 million will fund several measures from expanding electric vehicles to reducing methane emissions from oil and gas production. [… A] coalition of states led by North Carolina will look to store carbon in lands used for agriculture as well as natural places like wetlands, with more than $400 million. [… This funding is] “providing investments in communities, new jobs, cost savings for everyday Americans, improved air quality, … better health outcomes.””

4. From doom scrolling to hope scrolling: this week’s big Democratic vibe shift

“[Democrats] have been on an emotional rollercoaster for the past few weeks: from grim determination as Biden fought to hang on to his push for a second term, to outright exuberance after he stepped aside and Harris launched her campaign. […] In less than a week, the Harris campaign raised record-breaking sums and signed up more than 100,000 new volunteers[….] This honeymoon phase will end, said Democratic strategist Guy Cecil, warning the election will be a close race, despite this newfound exuberance in his party. [… But v]oters are saying they are excited to vote for Harris and not just against Trump. That’s new.”

5. Biodegradable luminescent polymers show promise for reducing electronic waste

“[A team of scientists discovered that a certain] chemical enables the recycling of [luminescent polymers] while maintaining high light-emitting functions. […] At the end of life, this new polymer can be degraded under either mild acidic conditions (near the pH of stomach acid) or relatively low heat treatment (> 410 F). The resulting materials can be isolated and remade into new materials for future applications. […] The researchers predict this new polymer can be applied to existing technologies, such as displays and medical imaging, and enable new applications […] such as cell phones and computer screens with continued testing.”

6. World’s Biggest Dam Removal Project to Open 420 Miles of Salmon Habitat this Fall

“Reconnecting the river will help salmon and steelhead populations survive a warming climate and [natural disasters….] In the long term, dam removal will significantly improve water quality in the Klamath. “Algae problems in the reservoirs behind the dams were so bad that the water was dangerous for contact […] and not drinkable,” says Fluvial Geomorphologist Brian Cluer. [… The project] will begin to reverse decades of habitat degradation, allow threatened salmon species to be resilient in the face of climate change, and restore tribal connections to their traditional food source.”

7. Biden-Harris Administration Awards $45.1 Million to Expand Mental Health and Substance Use Services Across the Lifespan

““Be it fostering wellness in young people, caring for the unhoused, facilitating treatment and more, this funding directly supports the needs of our neighbors,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. [The funding also supports] recovery and reentry services to adults in the criminal justice system who have a substance use disorder[… and clinics which] serve anyone who asks for help for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay.”

8. The World’s Rarest Crow Will Soon Fly Free on Maui

“[… In] the latest attempt to establish a wild crow population, biologists will investigate if this species can thrive on Maui, an island where it may have never lived before. Translocations outside of a species’ known historical range are rare in conservation work, but for a bird on the brink of extinction, it’s a necessary experiment: Scientists believe the crows will be safer from predators in a new locale—a main reason that past reintroduction attempts failed. […] As the release date approaches, the crows have already undergone extensive preparation for life in the wild. […] “We try to give them the respect that you would give if you were caring for someone’s elder.””

9. An optimist’s guide to the EV battery mining challenge

““Battery minerals have a tremendous benefit over oil, and that’s that you can reuse them.” [… T]he report’s authors found there’s evidence to suggest that [improvements in technology] and recycling have already helped limit demand for battery minerals in spite of this rapid growth — and that further improvements can reduce it even more. [… They] envision a scenario in which new mining for battery materials can basically stop by 2050, as battery recycling meets demand. In this fully realized circular battery economy, the world must extract a total of 125 million tons of battery minerals — a sum that, while hefty, is actually 17 times smaller than the oil currently harvested every year to fuel road transport.”

10. Peekaboo! A baby tree kangaroo debuts at the Bronx Zoo

“The tiny Matschie’s tree kangaroo […] was the third of its kind born at the Bronx Zoo since 2008. [… A] Bronx Zoo spokesperson said that the kangaroo's birth was significant for the network of zoos that aims to preserve genetic diversity among endangered animals. "It's a small population and because of that births are not very common," said Jessica Moody, curator of primates and small mammals at the Bronx Zoo[, …] adding that baby tree kangaroos are “possibly one of the cutest animals to have ever lived. They look like stuffed animals, it's amazing.””

July 15-21 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

AITA for how i played DnD?

I will try to keep this short but give enough info. At the time of the incident this past year, I was 19. I had made a few friends at uni. Someone brought up Dungeons and Dragons and as a group we decided to try it. There were 5 people playing as characters, including me, and one Dungeon Master (DM). The DM is 24, and the other people ranged 19-22.

Maybe it is just who I played with before, but it had always been stressed to me to do actions my character would do. Follow the actions the character would follow. For example, I played in a campaign with someone who in real life is the sweetest, kindest person, but their character was very mean and vengeful. It was fun! They would want to heal someone, but knew it was out of character so decided to NOT do that, and it was realistic for the campaign.

THAT is how I was taught. That is how I've always played. So it comes time for the first session with the uni group. It was a one-shot to learn how to play for the two people who hadn't played before. It was stated that this was solely to learn mechanics, the characters we were would not be used for the actual campaign. Cool!

Well, in this one-shot I had a character who was very self centered. The type to put themselves over the health of the rest of the group. I had never played that before and wanted to try it. It came to a fight and I was wounded and so was another player. This player hadn't played before and chose to run away and abandon the group. I chose to do the same thing because it was in Character. However, I happened to have the one item that could have stopped the cult from taking over and essentially starting the apocalypse. Thus, because I ran, it doomed everyone else.

It didn't seem anyone minded at the time, it was to learn after all. The DM mentioned then that it is a shitty move to choose to run, and you should fight regardless of if you die. I thought that was a stupid thought, why fight a losing battle, but whatever.

We ran through our first campaign that was over a month long. We all died but had a lot of fun. I then turned 20 and had a flare up (I have a chronic illness), I told them they could do a campaign and I would join in once better. The DM didn't want that because I would be joining partway and ruin the integrity. So they decided to postpone.

I got better, all good. I was sick and hospitalized for a week, then a week after I recovered. So it was 2 weeks. We met weekly, so it was only 2 weeks that we were out. Prior to this time we all met on Mondays, but after this i would have to go to therapy on Mondays so DM decided to switch the days to Thursdays which everyone could also do.

We started a new campaign and me and another player decided our characters would be intertwined. They played a character who had been royal and after the usurpation of their throne, they were on the run. I played the loyal knight who would defend them til my death. We made it VERY evident that I would protect them til my death, with no hesitation, and would defend them from any action that could cause them harm.

A fight broke out in our party and the hothead started coming after the exroyal. In character, I put myself in between the two and verbally told them to stop or else I would make them stop. Hothead character escalated and pushed mine and then threw something at the exroyal. Of course, irl we all were laughing and having fun, except the DM. The DM was trying to get everyone back on course.

Now, I could have decided to ignore this and go towards the obvious direction the DM was trying to steer us. But my character would NEVER have let a slight like that occur. So I didnt. My goal was to simply slash at the hothead, but got a nat 20. The DM CHOSE that I killed the hothead. That isnt what I wanted but I went with it and had the great one line of "take this as a warning for the rest of you".

The person who played the hothead was dying of laughter and didn't seem upset, they had a second character ready. Well, at the end of the session the DM asked me to stay behind. They told me that I was a terrible player and that every session thus far, I played the character instead of doing things that would help the newbies. I was also apparently annoying and "you shouldn't turn against those in your party". I told the DM I'm sorry they felt that way, but in my mind it wasn't intentional to kill the dude I simply wanted to like give him a warning. The DM said I was teaching the others bad morale and cooperation, and brought up me running during the oneshot and how I doomed everyone else and it was shitty. I felt bad apologized and said I would think about what they said and then thanked them (that's the customer service representative in me lol).

Well the next week was the week prior to our break. I asked what time we were meeting and was told we weren't meeting this week by the DM. Okay that works. Well, turns out they DID meet. I found out after exroyal messaged me and asked if I felt better and what they can do for me. Apparently, DM told everyone I was having a flare up, when I wasnt. I am not a confrontational person, but I texted DM saying I didn't appreciate that they lied and DM replied saying that it was my fault for playing DND the way I did.

As a few of them messaged me individually, so I texted all the members individually and told them I was not sick and stated that DM had told me there wasn't a session.

Well, we decided to meet at my place and not tell DM. We didn't play DND but a board game. DM found out and started calling me an asshole and how they've been accommodating for me with my illness and the sessions, which they have. DM says they made one mistake and am punishing them for it. I have a lot of anxiety and do feel bad now... AITA?

What are these acronyms?

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

02/26/24 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Cast&Crew;WeeJohnWondays; New Calendar; Watch Party Reminders; Uk Billboard; Trends; Fan Spotlight; Love Notes; DailyDarby/Tonight'sTaika

== Cast & Crew Sightings ==

= Wee John Wonday! =

No guests today! Just the wonderful Kristian Nairn himself! So I didn't get time to write up a synopsis, so I'll give you a few highlights I thought you might like!

Next Wee John Wonday will feature: Ruibo Qian and Anapela Polataivao!

Calypso's Birthday Airing Episode, the guests will be: Con O'Neill and Gypsy Taylor!

Tattoos!

GOT questions!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kristian Nairn (@kristiannairn)

== New Calendar ==

Weekly Calendar! Tomorrow is #TomatoTuesday!

#TomatoTuesday is a day to rave about OFMD's rave ratings on Rotten Tomatoes to different streamers! Please add your own review if you haven't already! Rotten Tomatoes Review Tutorial.

== WATCH PARTY REMINDERS! ==

= People of Earth S2 =

People of Earth S2 continues tomorrow Feb 27 at 9 pm GMT / 4pm EST / 3pm CST / 1pm PST. Need access? Reach out to @iamadequate1!

#PiratesOfEarth

= Uncle Season 2 Watch Party! =

Wed 28th + Thurs 29th GMT - 8pm / ET - 3pm / PST - 12 pm Streaming on I-player! Outside the UK? Follow this VPN tutorial to learn more.

#ForTheNewUncle

= Joe Lycett Watch Party =

According to the new weekly calendar you can join @lcwebsxoxo for Joe Lycett Watch Party at 10 pm GMT on twitter! #YoureATreasure

== UK Billboard ==

As many of you have heard, the Save OFMD Crew has been working on getting a billboard going in the UK.

"Our goal is to help achieve pick-up for Our Flag Means Death. To do it, we need the show (and the campaign) to continue garnering attention through sustained interest, viewership and fandom growth, and we need to prove to other streamers that picking up the show is a good financial investment."

Since there's so much information, I'm just going to give you some links that you can peruse at your leisure:

Save OFMD Crewmates Billboard Post on Tumblr

Transparency Policy

London Billboard FAQ

SaveOFMD Crew Contact Info

If you'd like to donate to the billboard/truck/subway effort (it's not required) please visit: Save OFMD Ko-Fi

I mentioned in another post-- if you don't feel comfortable reaching out to SaveOFMD Crew directly, and want to chat/forward feedback anonymously, I'm more than happy to do that on your behalf, just shoot me an anon ask. However, I will probably not get to them tonight because it's already very late, sorry! I'll forward them on first thing in the morning for me.

== Trends ==

Sure looks like #OurFlagBBC is still going pretty strong! Great job friends!

== Fan Spotlight ==

= Collages =

Almost at the end of the month of February -- and the Feburary LOVE #OurFlagMeansDeath Collage Fest! from our fabulous crew-mate @WanderingNomad on Twitter! So close to being caught up on the rest of the month!

Day 26: Season 2 Costumes!

Day 10: Ewan Bremner!

Day 11: Joel Fry

Day 12: Ruibo Qian

Wanna be featured in the fan spotlight? Send me a message! We're trying to make sure our creative crewmates are getting a chance to strut their stuff! I've been reaching out to several folks so hopefully we'll have lots more soon!

== Love Notes ==

Hey Lovelies. Tonight, I was gonna write a bunch of stuff but then I found this video of Rhys sending some love and encouragement, and I felt like it was needed more than anything else. I haven't gotten permission to share the full video on here yet, so if I do I'll get it posted. For now, @lividturkeys posted an uplifting section that I think we all need to hear tonight.

"Keep the laughter coming...We stick together and keep bringing love and joy to this planet, it needs it more than ever...Keep laughing, Love you"

== Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika ==

Okay so I'm running out of time, so tonight will be pics not gifs, sorry all. One of these days I'll finish catching up earlier in the day (ha!)

PS: I have no idea why but my 5 year old finds Taika and Rhys HILARIOUS. Like, laugh his ass off roll on the floor laughing when he sees Taika talking and Rhys making silly movements.

[critter-genfic-events]

Post-Campaign Recs

This week, we have six fics that take place post-Campaign 1 and 2! Check them out under the cut, and as always, if you liked them, don't forget to comment and kudos!

He kindly stopped for me by metonymy (5919,General) Warnings: Major Character Death Pairings: None

Vax'ildan sees all of Vox Machina one more time.

Reccer says: Sad and sweet and a perfect coda for Vox Machina

A Conspiracy of Ravens by Senor_Sparklefingers (77384,Teen) Warnings: Canonical character death, pregnancy, choose not to warn Pairings:

Keyleth never claimed to be a good liar. And yet, in spite of that fact, she was able to lie to her closest friends, her family, for an entire year. She hadn't meant to...it just sort of happened.

Reccer says: It's beautiful and bittersweet and won't leave my mind, long after I first read it

The good professor by Stickandthorn (19717,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings: Minor canon relationships

There’s a new Professor at the Soltryce Academy, and he’s about to make life (and gossip) at the school far more interesting.

Reccer says: A fun look at what Caleb is like as a professor

You Try Having Friends Sometime by sunburstsky (1768,Teen) Warnings: lifespan differences, major character death Pairings: Jester Lavorre & Essek Thelyss

Jester promises to message Essek every day. He doesn't believe her. He should've.

Reccer says: It's a very sweet Jessties fic with a bittersweet ending

The Widogast Files by NyxKamelot (2762,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

Three times Professor Widogast hinted at being more than he seemed, and the one time he confirmed it.

Reccer says: A fun professor widogast from his students point of view fic!

keeping your feet off the ground (but never sneaking) by protectoroffaeries (1547,Teen) Warnings: Choose not to warn Pairings:

Velora and her friends talk about siblings

Reccer says: It's a beautiful and emotionally complex outsider point of view

This is one of our weekly communally-generated gen rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. Please note that the summary and content notes are provided by the reccer, and may be different than what the author has provided. Please assume good intentions all around. <3

And hey, anyone includes you!

Next week, we'll be featuring fics featuring Marquet! Taking place in Marquet, about important figures or events in Marquesian history, Marquesian culture - all work!

After that, it'll be Blindness/Deafness, Focusing on Jester, and then one of the Critter Gen Week Prompts for this year!

Oh! Also! Critter Gen Week is happening! Prompt suggestions are now open, if you've got any ideas.

Any fics coming to mind? Well, then use this form to submit! If you're looking for some more, check out some fics written in the critter genfic bingo tag, or the older rec lists! Or you can request your own card and join in on the fun!

[lorwolfofficial]

Hello Lorfolk! This month, we have some exciting new content and development plans to unveil, including details about Chapter 2 and a brand-new mutation pattern. Read on to find out more!

What’s New?

Chapter 2 Expansion Announcement

Fawn Pattern

Happy Pride Month

Chapter 2 Expansion Announcement: Dark Horizons

A dark shadow looms ever closer…

Our team is happy to reveal our project roadmap on Lorwolf's first expansion, titled 'Dark Horizons.' This expansion will bring a new chapter to the campaign, as well as increasing lorwolves’ level cap, new patterns, companions, lore, and so much more! Dark Horizons will feature brand-new experiences and content that will test your skills, unravel hidden lore, and expand the world for you to explore. Prepare to step into the unknown and face the growing darkness. 

Work on weeklies, pack events, bug fixing, etc. will remain as normal as we continue tackling the expansion projects listed below. (Please note that this list is not exhaustive and the launch date has not been decided yet; additional content is likely to be added in the future as development and testing continues.)

We want to express our deep gratitude for your unwavering support over the years. Your support has been instrumental in our journey, and we hope this expansion will bring even more joy and excitement for our players, both new and old!

Fawn Mutation Pattern

And that’s not all; we are delighted to unveil Lorwolf’s first-ever mutation pattern, Fawn! This pattern’s Accent layer adds a small set of antlers, giving it a charming appearance. We plan on adding even more mutation patterns in the future like extra tails, horns, claws, etc. This pattern is available via Marvin’s Mole Market for a set number of pebbles. 

We invite our players to try this new Fawn pattern on the Wolf Demo.

Rainbow Featured Items

Happy Pride Month, Lorfolk! June’s featured items are back in stock at Marvin’s Mole Market! Check out the Featured Items section and grab your rainbow gear today. They will remain in the shop until July 1st.

[darkmaga-retard]

Introducing the top ten stories they chose not to tell you this week.

The Vigilant Fox

Aug 25, 2024

#10 - Data analyst reveals where the COVID vaccine deaths are hiding.

The government is oddly silent on 155K excess deaths from a single cause since late 2020.

The condition is not myocarditis. It's acute kidney injury (AKI), a serious condition where the kidneys suddenly stop working properly.

But what's causing all the acute kidney injuries? According to John Beaudoin, it's primarily two things:

1. The deadly COVID hospital protocols (Remdesivir).

2. The COVID-19 injections.

Beaudoin’s data shows acute kidney injury (AKI) deaths surged to 200% of normal levels in 2021.

AKI deaths continued to rise in 2022, hitting a staggering 300% above normal, “while COVID-19 inversely decreased to negligible incidence rates.”

Even after Biden declared the COVID emergency over, excess deaths from AKI remained disturbingly high in 2023.

Beaudoin’s data gets a chilling confirmation from Ed Dowd, who estimates 153K excess deaths nationwide from acute kidney injury alone over the last few years.

“There are more life years lost to acute renal failure alone than COVID, than polio, than smallpox ... than anything in the past 100 years in the United States, except for World War II. It's the biggest killer, and yet the government's not talking about it,” Beaudoin lamented.

(Watch our exclusive interview with John Beaudoin)

SEE MORE REVEALING STORIES BELOW:

#9 - RFK Jr. endorses Trump and delivers a historic speech for the ages.

#8 - CNN anchor admits Kennedy’s endorsement is “huge” and “everything.”

#7 - Trump masterfully shuts down reporter accusing him of campaigning in town “associated with white supremacy.”

While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe to this page for more weekly news roundups each Sunday.Subscribe

#6 - Man savagely trolls oblivious BBC reporter at the DNC with a spot-on impersonation of a Kamala Harris supporter.

#5 - Tucker Carlson identifies Kamala Harris’s speech as “the hallmark of evil.”

#4 - British college empowers nurses to deny medical care to “racists.”

#3 - Shocking U.S. government report concludes fluoride lowers IQ in children.

(Watch our exclusive interview with investigative journalist Derrick Broze)

#2 - The coroner who conducted the autopsy on the Trump shooter wants to keep it secret.

#1 - Trump and RFK Jr. drop two major bombshells in historic announcement.

Share

BONUS #1 - Watch RFK Jr. Expose Four Toxic Substances That Are in Your Food

BONUS #2 - How to Get Ivermectin, Z-Pak, and More

BONUS #3 - Telegram CEO Arrested in France for Refusing to Follow Censorship Laws

BONUS #4 - How to Prepare for the Worst Possible Scenario

BONUS #5 - HUGE! RFK Jr. Teases More Big Names Joining Forces with Trump - “Wait Until You See the Next Additions”

[bizarrequazar]

GJ and ZZH Updates — May 12-18

previous week || all posts

This is part of a weekly series collecting updates from and relating to Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan.

This post is not wholly comprehensive and is intended as an overview, links provided lead to further details. Dates are in accordance with China Standard Time, the organization is chronological. My own biases on some things are reflected here. Anything I include that is not concretely known is indicated as such, and you’re welcome to do your own research and draw your own conclusions as you see fit. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or additions. :)

[Glossary of names and terms] [Masterlist of my posts about the situation with Zhang Zhehan]

05-12 → Gong Jun reposted a post in memory of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Added caption: "I have never forgotten it in the past 16 years. Bless Wenchuan with everlasting life." The same was also reposted by his studio, added caption: "Remember the pain and pay tribute to the new life. May the world be well and the country and the people be safe."

→ Gong Jun's studio posted fourteen photos from Go Fighting! episode 4. Caption: "Unlocking the limited baby-raising day! The clown brother @ Gong Jun Simon battles wits and courage with the kid brother, slaying the whole audience~ 😎 Please look forward to more exciting things"

→ Go Fighting! episode 4 aired. [full ep with subs]

→ Gong Jun Outdoor Office posted three memes of him from the Go Fighting! episode.

05-13 → Za posted a commercial featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ The Instagram posted ten photos of "Zhang Zhehan" running.

→ PRSR posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

05-14 → Nothing of note.

05-15 → Gong Jun posted a commercial he did for Messika, announcing himself as their new spokesperson. (1129 kadian) Caption: "Delighted to join forces with Parisian fine jewelry brand @ Messika. Please follow me to explore the charm of sliding diamonds and experience the 'new attitude of diamonds' together." He also posted this to his Instagram, caption: "Shine bright like a diamond." (originally in English)

→ Messika posted two photo ads [1] [2] featuring Gong Jun. (1129 kadian on the first)

→ The Instagram posted five photos of "Zhang Zhehan" running and two photos of feet, because Hewitt can't resist sharing his fetish.

05-16 → Gong Jun posted four photos from his ad campaign with Messika to his Xiao Hong Shu. Caption: "Ouch See you at Cannes, the next stop for work photos ✌️" One of these was also crossposted to both his and Messika's Instagrams.

→ One of the antis sued by Gong Jun is currently being restricted from high consumption (ie. not allowed to use first-class public services) for not complying with court orders. The anti in question had been running over 20 different accounts that he used to promote Zhang Sanjian and other associated people, and to harass and post malicious content about Gong Jun. No prior history of him being a Zhang Zhehan fan has been found, strongly suggesting that he was paid to run these accounts.

05-17 → Two photo ads Gong Jun did for Tissot were crossposted both both their Instagram and his.

→ The Instagram posted five photos of "Zhang Zhehan" and five of scenery.

→ Gong Jun attended the Cannes Film Festival, where he walked the red carpet for Kinds of Kindness. Fan Observation: At one point some fans in the audience yelled "Ba!" In videos, you can see Gong Jun smile and wave at them. 🥺

→ Jia Nailiang posted a silly douyin of himself and Gong Jun. Caption: "Why is our transition by clinking glasses different from others?"

→ Gong Jun posted nine photos of himself in Cannes. Caption: "Encounter with a widdle pubby." These were also posted to his Instagram, caption: "Wandering in Cannes. 🐶🐶🐶" (originally in English)

05-18 → Gong Jun's studio posted another six photos of him in Cannes. Caption: "A classic suit style paired with a unique hand-made corsage (feat. Children of the Stars), @ Gong Jun Simon's inspiration is unfettered, warm and healing, listening to the sound of every lonely universe turning."

→ L'Oreal posted a video of Gong Jun arriving in Cannes.

→ Za posted a promotional video spoken by Gong Jun. (1129 kadian)

→ Gong Jun's studio posted six photos of him in the red carpet at Cannes. Caption: "Red carpet moments! The beautiful southern France and the gentle breeze illuminate the character of the gentleman @ Gong Jun Simon."

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a behind the scenes video from the photoshoot at Cannes. Caption: "The beach? The market! @ Gong Jun Simon’s citywalk has its own ideas 😎"

Additional Reading: → The novel This Time It's Real by Ann Liang was discovered to include several mentions of Gong Jun, specifically in the context of him being an example of a beautiful man. → Something I'm able to include here because I'm late lol: It has been announced that Gong Jun's drama Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Chapter will premiere on iQiyi on 05-23.

previous week || all posts

[wuxian-vs-wangji]

Girl what do you DO??

I work for 2 television production groups, one is based in a major international corporation doing video production for their own internal use, the other is a television station I've been at 10 years.

I produce a weekly political roundtable discussion show (I am actually 4/5 producers, I've just gradually become half the show credit list).

I also produce local and state-wide ads.

I also also have voiceover and voice acting responsibilities. We partner with nearly every museum in the city, so they occasionally send an exhibit manager over to have me record voice work for exhibit stuff (like, my first case of this was reading a letter from a woman to her husband fighting in the civil war, things they play as part of displays or for ambiance).

Through a bit of a twist of luck, I am also one of the voices for the awareness campaign for the suicide prevention hotline. They liked my voice and asked for permission to expand use of my ad state-wide.

I also do video and graphics editing, handle interviews as needed, produce episodes occasionally for our web series, and my original training is audio and camera, so I fill in there, too.

Oh, and script writing/editing.

I do everything basically, hence me owning most of the credit list 😅

[fans4wga]

Support Entertainment Workers On The Strike Line

"Roughly 172,000 entertainment workers are currently striking, and many are walking picket lines across Los Angeles this summer during an historic heat wave. For the first time in over 60 years, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild/ American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) are on strike at the same time, essentially halting entertainment production as members seek a fair contract. Picketers outside production giants like Amazon, Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner Brothers are braving blistering conditions 5 days a week this summer in order to make their voices heard demanding higher wages, calling out unfair streaming compensation packages, the lack of regulation around the use of AI, and many more unjust grievances.

Regarding the timeline for a resolution, one studio executive was quoted as saying, “The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses.” Right now, this strike is the front line of the labor movement.

You can find a picket line here: https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike/picket-schedules-and-locations

The Plan

Community Solidarity Project is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that works to support organizations and campaigns in their work for justice and empowerment through event production, logistics management and donation gathering. As the entertainment industry, which is at the heart of Los Angeles, walks off the lot in the name of just and modernized working conditions, our organization is a grassroots partner to striking members in the struggle for workers' rights in 2023.

We are working alongside Strike Captains to mobilize and allocate community resources to support members on the line. With all eyes on Hollywood, consistently strong and well-populated picket lines are a crucial component to showing the media and studio bosses how much public support there is for workers' rights.

The Programs

We have partnered with local grocery stores as well as Best Food Trucks to bring weekly donations of water, sports drinks, fresh fruit, and lunch to a minimum of four picket lines for an initial period of 4 weeks, with the potential to go longer if the strikes continue.

Water, sports drinks & fruit: This effort is already underway, with resources being delivered to four strike lines weekly starting the week of Monday, July 17.

Lunch from Best Food Trucks: This partnership enables us to regularly bring high quality lunches to picketers on a reliable schedule.

Financial Goals

In order to sustain these efforts, we need to raise a minimum of $3200 per week. Here's how those numbers break down:

$6/lunch x 100 people x 4 studio locations = $2,400/week

5 cases/water + 5 cases/sports drinks + 2 cases/fruit x 4 locations = $800/week

As this effort grows, we could aim to cover 10 separate strike lines, 5 days a week! But to get this off the ground, we need to start with the first week at the $3200 mark, and then the first month at a minimum $12,800. By that time, we hope to be exceeding our goals and growing the amount of coverage this effort can sustain.

Historical Significance

Since the mid-1800s, Los Angeles has been a Union Town. At that time, workers in professions such as baking, cigar making, metalworking, printing, and carpentry organized themselves to demand better conditions and fair wages from bosses. Filmmaking began to unionize in the 1890s when IATSE - the International Association of Theatrical and Stage Employees - formed in response to worker exploitation in that industry. Within a few short decades, the Writers Guild of America (WGA), the Screen Actors Guild (SAG), and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) all took root in Hollywood in order to protect the labor and talent upon which filmmaking and entertainment are built. Today, those labor organizations are rising up again to protect the workers in a modernized entertainment industry.

Support the labor movement today in a uniquely Los Angeles way, by providing much needed sustenance to striking entertainment workers."

[slothquisitor]

I just want to ramble somewhere about the pure emotional damage that my DM is subjecting me to in our current D&D campaign.

So, I'm playing a character that I fully based a bit of her backstory around the premise of Mass Effect 2, when like Shepard dies but comes back and it's like...been two years. I was a bit disappointed in ME2 for not allowing us to really dig into and explore the idea that it's been two years for everyone, but no time has passed for Shepard.

My character is a fallen aasimar echo knight who woke up two years after she died saving her friends and husband. I told my DM I didn't want to know what happened during those two years and when asked on a scale of 1-10 how okay I was with him messing with my character, I said 11. And oh my god, he's delivering.

We've been playing this campaign pretty much weekly for almost nine months, and I have not had my character interact much at all with her past. Mostly because she's fucking afraid of what she'll find, and also because she came back, but very clearly came back wrong. But shit happened in-game that made her afraid that her husband might be in trouble. So, finally, she got up the courage to scry on her husband (we have a magic item that allows for that).

Her entire existence thus far has been about like, figuring out this mystery of what she is and who she became when she died so that she feels like she can go home. So that she can go back to the people she loved. And she scryed on her husband only to discover that he has fully moved on. She saw him in a house with a woman and a baby, and just...content. And like, some part of her is glad. He's safe, he's unbothered. She genuinely loves him and just wants him to be happy, but there's another part of of her that just wanted so badly to get back to him and now she knows she'll never be able to.

It's just so fucking sad. My poor girl just doesn't know what the point of all this is anymore. Finally, in the moment that her fear for his safety outweighed her fear of seeing what his life might be without her, she loses him all over again. I just haven't recovered!

I really live to dig into these sort of emotional arcs (if you've read any of my fic, you know this), so I have full faith and trust in my DM that we're going to build a really beautiful story from this, but man what a punch to the gut it was in session.

Anyway, I just love D&D so much and playing with such good friends who are so invested in each other's characters and stories and who love each other. I didn't think I'd be in my 30s sitting around my kitchen table and playing make believe with my friends on a regular basis, but I love it so much.

[thefringespod]

Its the last day of 2023 and the last #AudioDramaSunday of the year! Here's my last wrap up of weekly listens for 2023, starting with @thenightpost. I listened to the mini-episodes between s1 and s2 today and they're so much fun! I'm excited to get back to listening this week!

Up next we have @innbetween which im officially caught up on and AHHH I really love this show. The concept of moments between campaigns is so brilliant and Hannah Wright does such a good job with writing it. S5 starts THIS WEEK (or right now for patrons) and its going to be great

New @somewhereohio was MARVELOUS this week I love hearing more of what Orange is doing and the editing that brought that section to life was incredible. I also just love that all of season 2 so far has been dipshit teen shenanigans underscored with horror. Its excellent

This week's @woebegonepod was absolutely phenomenal it went back and forth between making me feel emotional to making me laugh and then the ENDING gods no one is doing it like Dylan woe.begone is. There is a cw for gore and it comes in a way I did not expect but in a wild way

Episode 3 of the Grotto and Athan has once again just. Knocked it out of the park. Between the music for this show and the incredible voice acting that's involved and the *mystery* of it all, The Grotto is quickly becoming a favorite of mine and yall should listen

And I would be remiss if I didnt give one last plug for @souloperatorpod which starts TOMORROW for patrons on their patreon and next week for everyone. Tot has put so much work into this and yall are gonna love it. Im incredibly proud of Tot and can't wait to see her blow yall away

Since this is the last ADS of the year, I want to shout out some shows that kept me company in 2023: @ethicstownpod, Super Suits, The Technomancy Project, @liarsandleechespod, Tiny Terrors, @doyoucopypod, @eelerschoice, @224bbaker, @kingmakerpod, @karenonepercent, @tellnotalespod, and @thewyrdsidepodcast (just to name a few)

These are all absolutely wonderful shows that I would highly recommend to anyone and everyone. Also a lot of them are up for the Audio Verse Awards so if you haven't voted yet please consider some of the shows above!

Here on the Fringes we're almost halfway through the season!! This week's episode is currently live for our crowdfunder backers and our patreons at patreon.com/PineTreePods. I'm quite proud of this episode and next week's episode and can't wait to hear y'alls response :)

And over on @forgedbondspod our cast has been finalized! Thank you to everyone who submitted an audition, there were so many incredibly talented people who did so and there were many hard choices but I think yall will like the cast we have. Official cast announcement coming soon!

That's all for this YEAR! I'm excited to see what 2024 will bring and can't wait to keep sharing the stories I have in the works with y'all

Thank you to everyone who followed along with the Fringes this year! Looking forward to seeing y'all again in 2024 💜

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

WIBTA if I leave a DND campaign due to being annoyed by another player's behavior?

I (30'sNB) just really need some perspective to see if I am being overdramatic or if my instincts are correct.

I've been in a DnD campaign since 2022. The party consists of 4 players and the DM. We originally started out with 2 players and some guests, because the person who was originally slated to be player #3 had to drop out. In case it matters, we play online bi-weekly. Around half way through 2022 our definitive 3rd player joined, who we'll call Jenner (30?M). He is a nice guy and when he's engaged he's an awesome player, but very often he has to drop out of sessions last minute because he over scheduled or his mental health is playing up. If he is actually in session he's usually very sleepy or distracted.

The other players and the DM want to give him a lot of leeway, because we're all people with mental health issues, but I'm honestly sick of his shit to put it bluntly. I'm very much of the opinion that if you make a commitment like this you need to show up or drop out. I understand that this is difficult. I also have to put in genuine effort due to having my own mental health issues and I can't always make it. However, in the 2 years of playing I've seen Jenner maybe twice really actively engaged.

I have talked to the DM and the other players who do understand the issue I have, but don't seem inclined to do anything about it. I don't know if they have talked to him in private. I haven't because I really don't know him outside of the context of DnD, so I feel uncomfortable bringing it up.

For our next session on Saturday he cancelled again and I kind of want to tell my DM I'm dropping out. It feels a bit like giving an ultimatum and I don't want anyone to chose between us. But I'm also over having to compensate and do extra work because one player isn't there or isn't paying attention. So again, AITA for wanting to leave this campaign?

What are these acronyms?

[inquisitive-june]

This week’s theme is “Methods of Managing the Psychological Impact of Misogyny/Feminism”

I wanted academic sources on what the psychological impacts of misogyny were, even if they seemed obvious.  I started by looking for studies on the effects of living in fear of male violence, but with no luck. I found several sources on the intersection of psychology and misogyny, but they were too broad or unrelated. However, I started to notice trends in the sources I read.

This review (1) of the history of Positive Psychology explained how it enforces the American Dream, the nuclear family, and conservative values.  The field was male-dominated, and it was used to silence second wave feminists. For example, Phyllis Schlafly argued that if housewives were unhappy, it was because they didn’t have the right frame of mind. According to positive psychology, morals are universal, so it’s used to argue that gender roles are innate. Feminists who argued that being a housewife was oppressive were seen as having an unnatural worldview.

Another review (2) defined a type of trolling called “Gendertrolling,” which is used to silence women.  It’s different from other types of trolling in that it can last for years, spans multiple platforms (and real life), and is usually conducted by several people. For example, Rebecca Watson was asked to speak at an atheism conference on how to attract more women to the movement.  After the conference, a man she had never met got in the elevator with her and asked her up to his hotel room for “coffee” at about 4 am.  In a video, she treated it like a lighthearted story and said “Guys, don’t do that” with a laugh.  She received rape and death threats and men posted graphic photos of corpses on her Facebook page.  The campaign is ongoing.  The paper argued that this is a silencing tactic used against women who speak up against misogyny, or sometimes just speak up in a male-dominated industry.

In all of the papers I read, the common trend was silencing.  Women voiced their opinions, often about sexism, and men banded together to intimidate or gaslight them. None of the sources adequately addressed how to combat these tactics, but since the weekly topic is managing the effects of misogyny I thought I’d suggest a few.

1. We have to speak up.  The point of these campaigns is to silence us, but we must remember that if we weren’t a threat they wouldn’t bother. Speaking up allows other women to recognize and combat misogyny.  It also shows men that this behavior won’t be tolerated.

2. Support other women.  Some of the victims of gender trolling felt overwhelmed by the hundreds of rape and death threats they received.  It made them feel like everyone was against them.  We need to show that women who speak up will be supported, even if we can’t drown out the violent threats.

These two aren’t mutually exclusive.  The more women who speak up, the easier it will be to connect with one another.  The more we connect with one another, the more we will recognize and call out misogyny in our lives.

Sources

1.   McElya, M. (n.d.). JUST WEAR YOUR SMILE: THE GENDER POLITICS OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY. 21.  

2.   Mantilla, K. (2013). Gendertrolling: Misogyny Adapts to New Media. 9.  

3. Stark, C. A. (2019). Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Psychological Oppression. The Monist, 102(2), 221–235. https://doi.org/10.1093/monist/onz007  

4. Dworkin, E. R., & Weaver, T. L. (2021). The impact of sociocultural contexts on mental health following sexual violence: A conceptual model. Psychology of Violence, 11(5), 476–487. https://doi.org/10.1037/vio0000350  

Note: I only reference the first two sources, but the others were part of my research. I did not think they were as relevant to this topic, but I still found them useful.

[critter-genfic-events]

Pre-Campaign Genfic Recs

This week, we have seven gen fics that take place pre-campaign (or pre-stream for Campaign 1). Childhood relationships, chance encounters, and formative experiences under the cut. And as ever, don't forget to comment and kudos if you like them!

the last true mouthpiece by hanap (35722,Teen)

Warnings: None

Pairings: Essek & Verin

Essek has been chosen by the Luxon, but all Verin sees is his brother being corrupted by the light.

Reccer says: An amazing take on Essek and Verin's relationship, and why Essek is the way he is from Verin's point of view

some ever after no one could predict by QueenWithABeeThrone (15343,Teen)

Warnings: None

Pairings: Una Ermendrud & Artagan

Over thirty years ago, Una Ermendrud went into the Feywild and met a satyr named Garmelie. thirty years later, Caleb reunites with his godfather.

Reccer says: I love the practicality of Una in this, and the way she interacts with the fey

Metamorphic by MasterQwertster (11910,Teen)

Warnings: None

Pairings:

It's a fucking experience to have your flesh slowly turn into a stoney version of itself. aka: Ashton as they physically become the Punk Rock we know and love

Reccer says: It's an interesting look at Ashton's days at the Greymoore Home and how his shift into an earth genasi went.

Fiddle in the Woods by janto321 (FaceofMer) (1104,General)

Warnings:

Pairings: Laudna & Mollymauk Tealeaf

Laudna hears music in the woods and discovers a circus camped for the night

Reccer says: It's a fun crossover, and what could have been

The Cut of His Jib by Nenia458 (6542,Teen)

Warnings: referenced torture, ptsd, flashbacks

Pairings: Vax'ildan Vessar & Percy De Rolo

Along the treacherous route to a job, Vax (1) does not stab Percy for flirting with his sister (2) successfully stabs a pirate (3) learns something about their gunslinger that fundamentally changes his opinion of the man.

Reccer says: It's great character work for both Percy and Vax

When the Caught Fly Spins a Web of Its Own by bluegreenamber (908,Mature)

Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, fantasy racism, torture

Pairings: none

Lucien learns at a young age never to get caught by unwelcome parties in the Run.

Reccer says: I loved this glimpse into a young Lucien

A Thought Exercise by thought (4096,Teen)

Warnings: None

Pairings: Evandrin & Laerynn

Evandrin makes a choice

Reccer says: I liked it

This is one of our weekly communally-generated gen rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. Please note that the summary and content notes are provided by the reccer, and may be different than what the author has provided. Please assume good intentions all around. <3

And hey, anyone includes you!

Next week, we'll be featuring Parties! Crashing parties, throwing parties, (weddings?), it all goes

Then, it'll be focused on the Calamity, Transformation, and then Post-Campaign

Any fics coming to mind? Well, then use this form to submit!

[adrl-pt]

Today marks the anniversary of our weekly demonstrations. For a whole year, we have been gathering here every Saturday at 14:30 outside the Russian Embassy in Lisbon.

Reflecting on why we hold these rallies, we remember the bitter anniversary - 2 years ago, we were shocked by footage of the Russian army's atrocities in Bucha and Irpen. Today, we aim to make a significant impact. https://ru.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/04/03/eu-trip-to-bucha

We are highlighting the Orphans Feeding Foundation and its founder, Mariam Lambert. They recently celebrated their 2nd anniversary in their mission to help Ukraine. In these 2 years, they've succeeded in repatriating 36 children to Ukraine and evacuating 112 people from frontline areas, including Bakhmut and Soledar. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/orphans-feeding_ukraine-standwithukraine-activity-7173940041415581696-vd-p

We're supporting their Bring Kids Back UA program and encourage others to do the same. Donation link below. https://www.orphans-feeding-foundation.org/bring-kids-back-ua-program/

Our second focus today is the Venezuelans' international protest for fair elections. Putin's recent self-reappointment, masquerading as an election, mirrors dictator Nicolas Maduro's plans for July 28.

Maria Corina Machado has been unfairly barred from the Venezuelan presidential election by the government. https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mar%C3%ADa_Corina_Machado The Venezuelan authorities are obstructing the registration of the united opposition candidate, Professor Corina Yoris, supported by Maria and winner of the primaries. https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-election-machado-opposition-candidate-13cf51349679a63ed679967c218aa959 More than 5 million Venezuelans abroad are being denied registration for voting, citing lack of voting machines. https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/latin-america/venezuelas-huge-diaspora-struggles-to-register-to-vote-for-election.phtml

The motivations for the protest are:

Support for Maria Corina Machado, denouncing that her political rights continue to be violated. And at the same time, the arbitrariness of the Maduro's regime in not allowing a unitary candidacy represented by Professor Corina Yoris.

For the cessation of human rights violations, political persecutions and arbitrary arrests of the members of the Campaign Command of the Maria Corina Machado's political party.

Due to the requirement of electoral conditions to be able to vote abroad. Venezuelan embassies and consulates around the world are violating the right to elect more than 4 million Venezuelans who are able to vote.

Remember, the 2018 Venezuelan elections were not recognized by Europe, the U.S., and most Latin American countries. Additionally, there are about 300 political prisoners in Venezuela. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Venezuelan_presidential_election

In Russia, the number of political prisoners has reached several thousand. https://meduza.io/feature/2023/11/23/skolko-lyudey-v-rossii-presleduyut-po-politicheskim-motivam-po-kakim-statyam-obychno-sudyat-politzaklyuchennyh-a-kakoy-region-samyy-opasnyy-s-tochki-zreniya-repressiy

Join us on Tuesday, April 9, for a screening of “The Dmitriev Case.” This film highlights the struggle of an elderly historian against the Russian government's erasure of history, leading to his imprisonment for 15 years. After the film, we'll discuss the preservation of historical memory and Russia's historical policy. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/libertylisbon/1217415