#i respect your decision to boycott the event

[smute]

As a German, do you feel like most of the public supports Palestine or Israel? Because from what I see many of the politicians support the Zionist cause so I wonder if the common people share the same sentiments

you're basically asking me which team i think the majority are rooting for but last time i checked this wasn't a sports match. i honestly wouldn't even know where to begin to explain my views on this war to you. however, in case it was a good faith question:

recent polls show that a majority of germans disapprove of the idf's course of action in light of the many civilian deaths. as a german, my impression is that the VAST majority of people are nothing short of horrified by the suffering of palestinians in gaza and only interested in a non-violent resolution that will bring lasting peace. same as the rest of the world. most germans either disapprove of or openly criticize ANY involvement in armed conflict (ukraine being a notable exception), and the vast majority of people (in fact, the majority of the entire world) condemn israeli settlement policy (that includes german politicians across the spectrum) – in fact, just a year ago, a few months before the attack on october 7, the foreign office warned the israeli government of an escalation of the conflict over new settlement laws for the west bank.

that being said, anything bds-adjacent, anything promoting isolation and escalation over dialogue and mutual understanding, any stance that implies or calls outright for the dissolution of the state of israel will be impossibly hard to sell, not just in germany but in the entire west (however you may define that term) and not only because of the historical ties between many israeli jews and the west, but because israel is too valuable an ally in the region. the relationship between israel and germany specifically is of course a very complex one, and it would be naive to assume that german foreign policy re: israel isn't colored by our shared history, but netanyahu's government has long passed the point of what most people here might defend as the limits of a justified reaction to october 7. they also know that hamas aren't resistance fighters. we're beginning to see that public support for israel's security is not unconditional, is my point. the polls i linked above show that the majority of people (87%) want to put more pressure on the israeli government to guarantee access to humanitarian aid for civilians in gaza, and this was in march

[her-satanic-wiles]

Dawn Chorus - I

Dracopia x Fallen Angel!Reader

When you question the Almighty for a third time, you find yourself on the run and escaping a horde of wrathful angels ready to punish you for your insolence. Whose garden should you fall into than Cardinal Copia’s? And he has more nefarious plans for you.

Masterlist ⛧ Commissioned by anonymous ⛧ Series Masterlist

Words: 6.5k.

Reading Time: 26 min.

Warnings: attempted execution, blood, detailed aftermath of war, detailed deaths of children, detailed grief, detailed pain, mentions of sexual abuse within the church, mentions of rape, torture, violence

Taglist: @da-rulah @teenage-birt-dag @akayuki56 @dopey-fandom-girl @ravensbars @copiaspet622 @onlyhereforghost @ultrahalloweengirl @ad-astra-per-aspera-1976

Author’s note: This part of the story contains the origins of the Zionist argument, claiming that the land of Palestine belongs to Jewish people by will of God. I have written this section of the chapter as close to the Christian Bible as possible in an attempt to avoid Zionist ideology or propaganda - and I want to make one thing abundantly clear: this is a pro-Palestine blog. I will always and forever stand with the people of Palestine, and do my utmost to use my platform to promote the liberation of the Palestinians under Israeli apartheid. Zionism and Zionists have no place at my table. Please continue to boycott companies, platforms and people who send aid and support to the colonial state of Israel. Thank you.

🔞 MDNI 🔞

As this fic is quite dark, I'm choosing to rate it 21+. Please respect my decision. Thank you.

Your heart was pounding in your chest, from the physical exertion or the panic rising in the pit of your stomach, you couldn’t quite tell. Your mind was a contradicting war zone, unsure of which team would win. On the one hand, your brain was buzzing with adrenaline, playing back every event which lead you to this moment: running for your life away from God’s chosen soldiers, avoiding your inevitable demise like a human billionaire and his taxes. You had shown yourself alternate scenarios in which this didn’t happen, in which you’d still be safe in the Humanities Department of Heaven, distributing angels to help God’s children and guide them to the Light. Or enjoying the presence of a fellow guardian angel at the proverbial water cooler. The other side of the battle was autopilot-mode, no thoughts, no feelings, just running to save yourself.

You had a fierce belief in your Leader - almost entirely unwavering and unquestioning. You were His daughter, mirrored in His image and devoted only to Him. You did His bidding as requested, journeyed to realms under His name, played the messenger when He had something important to say to His children. You were there when Gabriel delivered God’s message to the Virgin Mary, hovering in the background and keeping Mary safe from harm in order to protect the coming of Christ. You aided in escaping Peter from prison, making him invisible to the guards as you and some others guided him to freedom by the will of the Almighty.You believed in Him so strongly, that you didn’t need to question Him - because He was always right, and His plan was always just.

You saw how the people of Egypt suffered at the hands of your Lord, and personally watched as the souls of the firstborn children who were slaughtered by Him as an act of protest against Pharaoh and his tyrannic reign. You kept your mouth shut at the livestock, knowing that food could be replenished easily enough. You thought about saying something when you saw the innocence of Egypt battling against the boils that God had given them. By His grace, you could even turn a blind eye to the adult firstborns who were killed as collateral damage. But the children? Some as young as newborns, all the way up to twelve years old. Pure babies without an ounce of hate or sins in their hearts, who didn’t understand the difference between their heathenish beliefs and their Hebrew friends. Who had never whipped a slave, or ordered the execution of God’s children. Who never had the cognitive capacity to think of such a thing, because their brains hadn’t had the chance to learn, to change, to join in God’s favour.

You’d never forget the small boy you watched over in the seconds before he took his last breath, sleeping soundly in his bed after a long day of studying and games. He couldn’t have been older than six. The oldest child to a woman whose husband had passed on mere months before. To a woman who was hanging on by a fragile thread as it was. You watched the boy’s breath rise and fall steadily in his peaceful slumber, until his chest fell for the final time. You watched his soul rise from his body, confused for a moment - painfully unaware that his mortal life had ended. You saw the fear in his eyes when he looked at his lifeless body in his bed, and felt his frustration when his mother ignored his pleas for help, not understanding that she couldn’t see his soul. You observed as Horus came for the child, wrapping His arm around him and offering some comfort to his distress. Horus looked at you as you stood in the doorway of the bedroom, His avian eyes full of the darkest of emotions as He guided yet another soul to the underworld, to have their heart weighed and judged by the guardian at the gates. His loathing poured off of Him as He shot you that look, before disappearing into the night with the child. You didn’t kill the boy, but under the gaze of Horus, you felt as though you had.

Leaving the boy’s home, the streets were full of lost and confused souls, ranging in age and wealth but all sharing the same sorrow and fear. Among the devastation stood your doubts of the Almighty’s plan, and the question of why lingered on your lips even as you were summoned back to Heaven to give a report on the situation - on its success. You felt uncomfortable as you summarised what you saw to the archangel Michael, who looked triumphant in God’s success, knowing he had carried it out perfectly for Him. He thanked you for your hard work - and in that moment, you had never felt so disgusted with yourself.

Of course, your thoughts were never your own, and you were called in to meet with your superiors about your doubts. They seemed to be reasonable, and understanding, especially given that this was your first offense. They promised to set your mind at ease, and reminded you that you were merely a foot-soldier in the Great Plan. You didn’t need to worry, you just needed to do as you were asked. Then they kicked you out of the office with a bad taste in your mouth, and a sense of foreboding of the things to come. Surely His plan couldn’t get any worse?

Then Canaan happened.

After the Israelites escaped slavery in Egypt, they wandered in the wilderness for forty years, led by their leader, Moses. During this time, God promised them a land of their own, a fertile land called Canaan, where they could settle and prosper. When Moses died, a new leader named Joshua arose to lead the Israelites into Canaan. Before entering the land, Joshua received a command from God to conquer it. God promised to be with Joshua and the Israelites, assuring them of victory if they remained faithful. Under the pretext of divine sanction, and God’s name on their lips, the Israelites engaged in systematic warfare, besieging cities, slaughtering men, women, and children, and plundering their possessions. The conquest was marked by bloodshed, devastation, and the utter annihilation of indigenous populations. Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. Jericho fell to ruin, crumbling in ashes on the ground as fire engulfed the buildings and eating everything it could. You watched as they celebrated over the dead, drank themselves into a stupor in the ruined homes, covered in the blood of the innocent. They didn’t bother themselves to move the corpses until the celebrations were over, days after they declared victory.

Despite the humans being unable to see you, you were still a real being wandering the streets of Canaan, sobering at the sights before you. Your beautiful, white wings dragged on the floor as you walked, gathering the dirt and the blood at the tips of your feathers. God’s children had got the land that they were promised, but what was the cost? From the freeing of the Hebrews to the conquering of Canaan, all you could see were the bodies that had been left behind of the civilians caught up in the fight. Though the blood pooled in puddles no more than 3cm deep, it felt as though you were in it up to your neck. You looked at the conquerors in disgust, and with a rage you’d never felt before - especially when you realised that, for Joshua, peace was never an option worthy of consideration. You were suffocated by the sinners that surrounded you, the murderers and looters, the fornicators who lurked in dark alleyways to celebrate with any passerby willing or otherwise. You watched as indigenous stragglers were dealt with, some more humanely than others and you wondered: was this truly God’s will all along? Did He plan for such brutality? Did He allow Joshua to go as far as he did - and did He give Joshua the strength and the power to do so? Or did He look at His children in disgust and disappointment, ashamed of them for turning to sin and Satan so easily in a moment of pure happiness? Despite claiming to worship a God of love and justice, the Israelites demonstrated cruelty and brutality in their pursuit of land and power - and your faith wavered a second time when you realised that your worst fears were true: God really did give Joshua the power to do as he did, and He felt no remorse for it.

You were pulled into your superior’s office again, this time scolded with much less understanding than before. Gabriel and Michael looked at you with disdain, nothing but anger in their eyes and on their faces as you sat before them in the celestial white room, eyes aching from the brightness.

Gabriel, with his luminous wings unfurled, regarded you with a solemn gaze. “Again, ___? Hast thou not learned from thy previous lapse in faith? Our duty as angels is to serve unquestioningly, to uphold the divine order without falter.”

Michael, his expression stern and unwavering, spoke with commanding authority. “Indeed, ___, the Almighty’s will is not for us to question. It is our sacred duty to carry out His commands with unwavering devotion.”

You bowed your head, feeling the weight of their reproach heavy upon you. “I understand, my lords. But I cannot help but struggle with the suffering and turmoil wrought by our actions. Is it not within our power to seek mercy and compassion, even amidst the fulfilment of divine justice?”

Gabriel’s gaze softened, though his tone remained firm. “Our understanding is limited, ___. We cannot comprehend the intricacies of God’s divine plan. It is not for us to question His wisdom or to challenge His authority.”

Michael nodded in agreement. “Our loyalty to the Creator must remain steadfast, even in the face of uncertainty or doubt. We are His instruments, His messengers, and His will shall be done.”

You sighed, “But His will brings the destruction of cities and the deaths of children. His own children. It is difficult for me to truly follow Him when there is so much devastation.”

Gabriel’s brow furrowed slightly at your words, his expression a mix of compassion and admonition. “___,” he said gently, “we are but conduits of His divine will. Our mortal understanding pales in comparison to the grand tapestry of His design. Though we may not comprehend the reasons behind the trials and tribulations, we must trust in His wisdom and benevolence.”

Michael’s gaze remained steely, but a hint of empathy flickered in his eyes. “Indeed, ___,” he spoke firmly, “the path of righteousness is not always easy to tread. But it is our duty to carry out His commands, no matter the cost. Our faith must endure even in the face of adversity.”

You felt a pang of uncertainty gnaw at your celestial essence, torn between the call of duty and the ache of compassion. “But what of mercy?” you questioned, your voice tinged with desperation. “What of compassion for His creations, even in their moments of waywardness?”

Gabriel’s voice held a note of solemnity as he responded, “Mercy and justice are intertwined in the divine order, ___. Though His judgments may seem harsh, they are tempered by His boundless love. We must trust that His actions serve a higher purpose, even when they are beyond our comprehension.”

Michael’s voice continued in his firmness, his tone sharp and parental. “Let this be the last time we speak of this, ___. There will be consequences to thy actions the next time thou decidest to question the Almighty.”

You swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his words pressing down upon you like a leaden mantle. The gravity of his warning was unmistakable, a stark reminder of the consequences of defiance in the face of divine authority.

“Yes, my lord,” you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper. “I understand.”

As Gabriel contemplated the situation, a solemn expression settled upon his countenance. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke, his voice measured and grave. “___,” he began, his tone tinged with a sense of sorrow, “in light of thy transgression and the gravity of thy doubts, it is clear that a lesson must be learned.” He paused, as if searching for the right words to convey his thoughts. Then, with a decisive nod, he continued, “I propose thou be assigned a period of reflection and penance. During this time, thou wilt be tasked with assisting souls in need—those who have lost their way, who suffer in anguish, or who cry out for guidance.”

Gabriel’s suggestion carried the weight of solemn judgment, yet also held the promise of redemption. It was a punishment tempered with compassion, an opportunity for growth and renewal amidst the shadows of doubt.

“Thou wilt walk among mortals,” Gabriel concluded, his gaze unwavering, “bearing witness to their struggles and offering solace in the name of the Almighty. May this experience serve to strengthen thy faith and reaffirm thy devotion to His divine will.”

“Let her spend time in Canaan until her penance is served, as she holds so much sympathy for the dead sinners.” Michael suggested, a smug tone oozing from his voice. He almost lit up at the look of protest you shot him, wanting to argue but Gabriel raising a hand and stopping you from speaking.

“It is decided. Thou may only return to us here when thou no longer holdeth contempt for our Lord. Dost thou have anything thou wishest to say?”

You stood and spread your wings, stretching them out and flapping them sharply in frustration. “There are several things I should like to say.” You retorted fiercely. “I shall restrain the urge, however. The Almighty gave me a tongue to use and a brain to think, after all.”

“And thou would doest well to remember that.” Michael commented, the smirk fading from his face. “Go. Leave us, petulant child. Perform thy duties and know thy place.”

Your time in Canaan was dreary - especially given that you didn’t want to be there in the first place, surrounded by those who used His name to spread evil. But still, you guided His creations as you were told to do, their guardian spirit keeping them from harm and returning them to the Light when their own beliefs had wavered. You felt somewhat like a hypocrite, guiding the wayward souls back to their own beliefs when you, yourself, were questioning yours. And, if you were to be truthful, your faith never completely restored to how it was before Canaan was conquered. You still held even the smallest amount of contempt for the Almighty, and silently questioned everything He did, wondering if His plans would succeed in peace or be laced with blood. But eventually, Heaven forgave you and told you that you were welcome to return, and you did so as though it was the easiest choice you had ever made… because, well, it was.

But all of that lead you to your third strike.

It had been some time since you entered the Mortal Realm, choosing to spend your time in Heaven and directing other angels to their tasks. You hadn’t really paid much attention to God’s creations as a result, almost entirely out of the loop. Since your time in Canaan, according to your fellow angels, much had changed. Great churches were built and devoted to God, while wars waged in His name and His word spread to those who needed it the most. Yet, in those churches, you discovered corruption everywhere you looked. The righteous taking their power and using it to abuse others, in God’s very own home, watched by the Saints and Apostles as they committed the most disgusting of acts to the vulnerable and the needy, as though they condoned such behaviour. You saw people, of all ages, routinely touched against their will, forced into submission and shunned if they dared to say anything - blamed by God’s other children for a crime they didn’t commit, but were the victims of instead. You watched the cycle repeat, families torn apart, and all the while the situation was monitored and allowed. Perhaps, even, ordered by the Lord Himself. You couldn’t bear it - you couldn’t fathom that the Almighty who you’d followed blindly your entire life could hurt another being like that, when He often portrayed Himself to be a kind and benevolent soul, a loving father to those who loved him. You needed to know why. Why must he enact such cruelty on his own creations?

You stormed into Michael’s office, where he, Gabriel, and Raphael met, staring at you in disbelief that you’d have the audacity to do such a thing. “I wish to speak with the Lord.” You demanded, anger coursing through your veins like never before.

Raphael’s brows furrowed. “Directly?”

“Yes.”

He laughed in disbelief. “Child, not even we get a direct audience with the Almighty. Whatever could thou say to Him?”

Gabriel sighed, disappointment oozing from his celestial being. “Thy faith hath wavered yet again, hath it not?”

“Aye, I stand before thee once more, yet again with a heart heavy with doubt.”

Michael’s own anger was bubbling under the surface. “Speak, and let us hear thy grievance.”

“My lords, I cannot remain silent any longer. I have witnessed the depths of depravity within the Church, the desecration of innocence by those who claim to be servants of God.”

“Thy words are bold, ___,” Gabriel said, his tone remaining level. “What troubles thee so?”

Your anger surfaced and manifested as a raised voice and shaking limbs. “‘Tis the scourge of sexual abuse that plagues the holy sanctuaries. Innocent children, robbed of their purity by those who should protect them. How can a just and loving God allow such atrocities to persist within His own house?”

Raphael nodded, unfazed by the spectacle in front of him. “Thy anguish is understandable.” He found this more entertaining than impertinent, clearly unaware of your two strikes before. “Yet thou must remember that God’s ways are beyond our understanding.”

“How can we stand idly by while the innocent suffer? Are we not tasked with defending the weak and the vulnerable?”

Gabriel rested his forehead on his hand. “Thou dost speak with passion,” he was exasperated by you, “but thou must not forget thy place. God’s will is inscrutable, and we are but instruments of His divine plan. How many times must we remind thee?”

“I refuse to be silent any longer! I will not turn a blind eye to the suffering of the innocent, even if it means defying the will of my superiors.”

Michael slammed his fist on the white desk, standing from his seat behind it. “Thou dost tread dangerous ground. Thy defiance borders on heresy!”

You echoed his tone. “So be it! I would rather be branded a heretic than remain complicit in the face of such evil. This smells of the Devil, not of our Lord. I do not understand why He sits by and allows it to happen.”

Gabriel tried to keep the peace between all of you, but he was losing control of the situation quickly. “Thy faith hath faltered, and thy words ring with rebellion. Thou must reconsider thy stance before it is too late.”

“I cannot, in good conscience, remain silent any longer. If God truly exists, then He shall judge me for my actions. But I cannot stand by while His name is used to justify such abominations.”

“Then so be it, ___,” Michael resolved through gritted teeth. “If thou wilt not bend to the will of God, then thou must bear the consequences of thy defiance.”

“So be it.”

“Thou hast been found guilty of heresy and defiance against the will of God for the third time. As Archangel of Judgment, it falls upon me to administer thy punishment.”

“Thou may judge me, but know that my heart is true, and my intentions pure.”

“Thy intentions matter not. Thy actions have brought dishonour upon the celestial host, and thy defiance cannot go unpunished.”

Gabriel stood and walked over to his brother, placing a hand on his shoulder and speaking urgently into his ear. “Michael, perhaps we should consider a less severe punishment. Her heart may yet be turned back to the path of righteousness.”

Michael shook his head. “Nay, Gabriel. The time for leniency hath passed. Ariel’s repeated offences demand a swift and decisive response.” All the while, his wrathful gaze never left your face. “Thy fate is sealed. As Archangel of Judgment, I hereby decree that thou shalt be cast out from the celestial realm and condemned to the Abyss.”

Raphael’s eyes widened with shock, but he said nothing.

Gabriel shook his brother and with sadness, he said, “Michael, art thou certain this is the right course of action? Once the sentence is passed, there can be no turning back.”

Michael replied firmly, “It is done, Gabriel. Justice must be served, even if it breaks thy heart. Let the punishment be carried out.”

Knowing your fate was worse than death, your body reacted for you - even before your brain had decided the best course of action. You turned swiftly on your heels and made your escape, wings flapping and trying to gain enough speed to remove yourself from the Heavens. Your heart was pounding in your chest, from the physical exertion or the panic rising from the pit of your stomach, you couldn’t quite tell. Your mind was a contradicting war zone, unsure of which team would win. On the one hand, your brain was buzzing with adrenaline, playing back every event which lead you to this moment: running for your life away from God’s chosen soldiers, avoiding your inevitable demise.

The portal to the Mortal Realm was just in your grasp, so by only the adrenaline that you were running on, you forced yourself to speed up - making a mad dash for the open world in front of you. You could hear Michael’s calls to, “Close that gate! Do not let her through!”

Someone had listened and had begun closing the portal. The closer you got to it, the smaller the hole became, shrinking and shrinking until all you could see was the tiniest speck of blue peeking out. But you couldn’t let that deter you - if you were caught, your future would hold horrors beyond celestial comprehension. You made a dive, perhaps it was your madness that drove you to do it, the adrenaline, or even your desperation, but you dove nonetheless. Your whole body ripped through the closing portal, feeling the walls shut in on you and grip onto your body with a searing, hot pain you’d never experienced before. Escaping from the Heavens was never a kind task, otherwise more angels would have done it, but now you were caught in Earth’s atmosphere, the planet’s gravity pulling you down to its very core with all the force it could muster.

The warmth was the first thing you noticed, the friction caused by the air resistance generated intense heat, turning your body into a blazing inferno akin to a comet streaking across the sky. Your skin prickled and your hair stood on end as the flames licked at your body, consuming everything in their path. The feathers on the outside of your wings were flying off and burning up in the flames, turning to ash in the atmosphere and disappearing entirely. The rush of wind roared in your ears, drowning out all other sounds as you plummeted towards the ground. The air around you shimmered with heat, distorting your vision and adding to the surreal sensation of falling through space. Tears appeared in your eyes but you couldn’t tell if that was because of the pain you could feel or the wind biting against you.

Despite the intense heat and the overwhelming sense of impending doom, there was also a strange beauty to the experience. The fiery trail you left behind painted a mesmerizing picture against the night sky, a fleeting spectacle that few that resided on this planet would ever witness. The sight of the planet from so far above reminded you just how the Almighty had made it: some land, but mostly water. As you fell, you recalled the horrors of the deep, the mammals with sharp teeth and stomachs bigger than your entire body. In that moment, for the first time in a while, you prayed to Him. You begged Him over and over to guide your body to land. You were an angel, you were likely to survive the fall despite the pain you were about to endure, and your weakened state couldn’t handle a battle with a sea creature that only wanted you for lunch.

Hurtling towards the ground, the last thing you remembered thinking was, this is how hellfire must feel. And that was when the world went dark.

*

“Clearly … happened … Sister.”

As you slowly regained consciousness, you became painfully aware of the searing agony coursing through every inch of your body. With your eyes tightly shut, you focused on the sensation of pressure and discomfort, trying to piece together what had happened. Your limbs felt heavy and unresponsive, and sharp pains shot through you with every movement. It was as if your body had been battered and broken, the impact of the fall leaving you bruised and battered beyond recognition. All the bones inside were broken, the bridge of your wings included, and your head throbbed beyond belief, as though you had a thousand hammers raging war against your skull.

Despite the overwhelming pain, a sense of relief washed over you as you realized that you were still alive. The thought of having survived such a catastrophic event filled you with a mixture of gratitude and disbelief. Despite everything, He had heard your prayers and allowed you to touch ground - or perhaps this was the worst outcome… perhaps He wished for your pain as penance for your disobedience. Regardless, you would heal and be well, and then you could begin to live with the mortals and hide from Michael and his wrath. You were safe here… you were sure of it.

“… working … heard … looking … angel …”

The voice was registering with you now that you were regaining your cognitive abilities after the crash. Your brain was working over time to translate his words, though, leaving you slightly confused as this was phrasing you’d not heard before. You muttered something, your words coming out in Hebrew and silencing the man.

“What … ?” He asked, speaking some more but the rest of his words sounding fuzzy.

You tried again in Hebrew, but when that proved unyielding, you switched to Arabic.

“… know …?”

With great effort, you forced your eyes open, blinking away tears. Taking in your surroundings, you saw that you were lying amidst a pile of rubble, surrounded by the charred remnants of your fiery descent. You sat up a little, beholding the scene around you that was surreal and unsettling. The ground beneath you was scorched and blackened, a stark contrast to the surrounding, luscious, green landscape. The crater itself was a testament to the sheer force of your impact, a deep indentation in the Earth’s surface that stretched out before you in an almost perfect circle. The air was thick with the acrid smell of smoke and charred debris, making it difficult to breathe. The heat radiating from the ground beneath you was intense, searing your skin and making you sweat profusely despite the chill of the night air.

Looking around, you could see the devastation wrought by your fall. Trees lay shattered and splintered, their branches twisted and blackened by the flames. Rocks and debris littered the ground, scattered in all directions by the force of the impact. On the edge of the crater, the man you heard stood, staring at you in disbelief.

He wore robes; a symphony of rich, deep crimson, a colour that seemed to capture the essence of devotion and authority. Crafted from the finest silk, the fabric cascaded in graceful folds, accentuating the dignified stature of the wearer. Each stitch, meticulously placed, whispered of skilled hands that had laboured to create a garment befitting its esteemed purpose.

The robe’s skirt, adorned with intricate gold and black embroidery, depicted sacred symbols and religious motifs that told tales of faith and tradition - resembling the cross that Yeshua died upon, but placed upside-down. The golden threads shimmered in the ambient light, casting a subtle glow that highlighted the reverence with which the garment had been crafted.

A matching red sash, elegantly tied across the man’s chubby waist hid the many buttons that ran the length of the garment. Its edges, crisply pressed and perfectly straight to show his precision and need to look as clean as possible.

The man’s sleeves, were straight, yet too long for him, as was the rest of his attire. As tidy as these lines were, as much care went into keeping it pristine, it was far too big for him like it had been handed to him from someone else that used to wear it perfectly. The cuffs ended midway down his palms, which, themselves, were hidden beneath leather, black gloves.

One hand was up to his ear, holding something to it and speaking in a tongue you couldn’t understand. Your eyes travelled over his face, his white skin dimmed by the light of the moon, but mismatched eyes shining brightly beneath black paint around his eyes. One was the colour of ice, the other was the colour of the trees. You’d never seen such a thing before in all of God’s creations. A moustache of mouse-brown sat above his top lip, which also had been painted black. As he spoke, you looked at his teeth, perfectly white but canines sharper than most mortal’s dental structures. You had heard of such a thing - rumours spreading amongst the Israelites as they told each other stories in the dark of the night - abominations so foul they ate people, consuming the blood from their bodies and ending their lives in a moment’s notice, hiding in the shadows of the night as the sun would kill them. You’d reported back to Gabriel, who’d confirmed these abominations were the work of Lucifer, an archangel who had fallen many eons ago and had renamed himself to Satan. Your eyes had fallen upon a vampyre, and as your eyes roamed over the rest of his body, you saw your halo clutched in his left hand, pressed between his fingers firmly as though you may make a grab for it at any moment.

You made an attempt to back away from the monster, but the bones in your body were still healing - taking longer now that your halo was in the hands of another and not atop your head as it ought to have been. You took in your surroundings a little more, brain power restoring to maximum as you realised he must be of the ancient Romans, the very same people who had killed Yeshua.

“I pray thee, do not harm me,” you said, your tongue switching to Latin. This got the man to stop again and look at you.

“You’ve hurt yourself enough without me getting involved, haven’t you, Angel?” he asked, responding in Latin back to you. His tone was unsettling, confident and dark. The glint in his eyes mimicked this. “… Latin.” The switch in language made you realise he wasn’t talking to you, but an invisible person in your midst.

“What tongue dost thou speak?”

“You’re a servant of the Betrayer and you don’t know my language?” he laughed, then spoke again to the invisible one. His hand moved from his ear and you saw light coming from his hand - expecting pain from Hell, you flinched. When the pain didn’t come, you heard him again. “It’s just a phone,” he explained, making a mockery of you. “I thought everyone up there knew what was going on down here.”

You sighed, “I have not visited in a while.”

“Oh really? When was the last time you were down here, then?”

“I am not compelled to divulge aught to thee, foul creature!” your voice was laced with disdain as you looked at him, fangs exposed as he grinned at you. He took a step towards the crater, and you tried to move back, howling in pain as you did so and earning another laugh from him.

“Then I’m not compelled to help you get your bearings.”

You stopped for a moment and thought - more knowledge would be useful at this stage. And keeping him talking would buy you some healing time and strengthen to get your halo then run again. “I beheld the passing of Yeshua - and that was mine ultimate moment in this earthly realm.”

The vampyre hissed at Yeshua’s name, almost as if he was in pain just hearing the name of the Holy Son. He straightened himself up and then took a seat on the edge of the crater. “That was two-thousand years ago, Angel. A lot’s changed since then.”

“What other tongue didst thou employ just now?”

“It’s called English. A mixture of Latin, Greek and German.”

A Germanic influence - you wondered why you were only picking up the Latin words at first. You were only prepared with the languages spoke around the time of Yeshua, meaning anything new that had been developed since was completely lost to your ears. Now that you knew the main languages, you commanded, “Speaketh once more in the English tongue.”

“I don’t know what you want me to say.” He replied, but he did so in English.

“I comprehend thy words now. I give thee thanks.”

He scoffed. “That was fast.”

“‘Tis a… gift… from the Almighty.”

He looked at you in disgust.

You felt your body had healed enough for the pain to mostly subside, allowing you to fight your way to your feet. Your wings were still shattered, however, making you feel like a broken bird, vulnerable and weak in the eyes of her prey. The vampyre was preying on you, after all. “I express gratitude for the knowledge shared, yet I must make haste on my journey. I shall reclaim my halo and depart henceforth.” You held out your hand, silently praying that he’d be courteous and return your halo to you.

He looked at your hand and then at you. “Yeah, I don’t think so.” He stood from his seat and took a step towards you, watching you flinch as you stepped back. “The son of the Dark One has an angel in his grasp - what makes you think you’re going anywhere, hm?” He was moving towards you at an alarming rate, rendering your body useless against his speed. He gripped hold of your arm, tightly trapping you beneath his gloved fingers. You struggled against him, pulling back as hard as you could but failing, your body still not strong enough. “The way you fell makes me think you came here without permission, right? Which means, we have a lot to talk about.”

“Release me.”

“Or what?”

“I shall slay thee.”

He simply laughed, before turning to a person who was walking towards you, emerging from the darkness. She was a woman, visibly older than the vampyre and a little chunkier, too. She had long, blonde hair and looked more human than monster, though, you came to quickly realise she was a monster like him, and when she spoke, she did so in English. “The Unholy Father blessed us with a gift tonight,” she commented through a smile.

“What do we do with her now, Sister?” the vampyre asked, English rolling off his tongue easier than the Latin he spoke to you in.

The woman entered the crater and grabbed hold of your chin, looking at your body in one, fell swoop before making her decision. “Take her to the basements and strap her up - we have a lot of questions to ask about her home, don’t we, little angel?”

“Unhand me!” you yelled, struggling against both of their grasps.

The woman gripped onto your wrists and tied a metal chain around them - the metal burned against your skin as you fought against her, the pain getting worse and worse until you were forced to still. “Forged with hellfire,” she explained, “you’re not getting out of that easily.”

The vampyre dragged you across the grass and into a building, smelling old and of incense. You could tell that the building techniques were similar to the Babylonian buildings, but with Roman Corinthian architecture thrown in. There were also elements to this structure that you hadn’t seen before, and was only paying attention to because you needed to escape.

The vampyre pulled you down some steps, travelling further and further below ground as though he were walking you to Hell, until you finally stopped at a door. The room he threw you into was cold and dark, and it smelled almost exclusively of damp. In the centre of the room was a table, propped up on wood and resembling a crucifix. You were strapped onto it, similarly to the Messiah, except your device was made exclusively of hellfire-forged metal, making your entire body tingle with pain. You fought against him all the while, trying your best to escape, but all your efforts proved to be in vain. Once the woman entered the room, the torture truly began.

They both asked you things, questions about Heaven and the Almighty’s plan that you couldn’t answer even if you wanted to. When they were met with answers they didn’t like, they would reopen wounds that had healed and damage your body in ways that were unimaginable once upon a time. Feathers were plucked from your wings to start with, following cuts to your skin, slaps, and then short bursts of hellfire that rose from the ground. But you remained silent throughout, save for your screams of agony.

Eventually, they grew tired, and as the vampyre left, he looked at you and smirked. “We all have eternity, Angel. You’ll be here for the rest of it if you don’t cooperate.” He winked at you. “See you tomorrow.”

The door to the room closed behind them, slamming shut with an echo that reverberated throughout your entire being. Your halo sat on the other side of the room, resting on a table and taunting you. You could hear it crying out for you and your body begging for it. If you wore it, you’d heal in no time and regain all of your strength. But just being in its presence meant it would take longer. You were never without your halo and your holy light, but you’d seen what had happened to angels who were. Fearing that this was to be your fate, you wondered if it would have served you better to be caught by Michael and thrown to the void. Or perhaps you should have just continued on in blind faith of the Almighty, doing His bidding despite your heart breaking each time.

Strapped to Hell’s crucifix, all you could do was think of all the regrets you had, and beg into the darkness that He would show you mercy and allow you to come home. Or die quickly.

Prev. ⛧ Next

[bobgoesw00t]

I wanna take a moment to talk about a few things in regards to the comments and discussions this post on twitxter has brought up, as basically 99.99% of the comments are all the same thing over and over and over again.

A. First off, if you plan on boycotting the final season because of the various things Noah Schnapp has been up to in his personal life/social media when it comes to the conflict in Gaza...don't even fucking bother. Stranger Things is on its final season now so there's literally NO POINT IN BOYCOTTING IT AS IT'S ALREADY AT THE FINISH LINE!!!!!!! If this happened even before the last season, then I would understand the need to boycott it, but we're not...we're on the FINAL SEASON....so if you don't want to watch it, please SHUT THE FUCK UP, DON'T WATCH IT, AND LET THOSE OF US WHO WANT TO SEE HOW IT ALL ENDS ENJOY IT!!!!!

B. Seeing as how all of this "boycott the final season" crap is stemming from Noah's stance on the Gaza conflict and that he's a Zionist, all of you dumb fuckers are forgetting one VERY CRUCIAL ASPECT: THE CONFLICT IS ONE OF THE LONGEST (if not THE LONGEST) TUG-OF-WARS BETWEEN RELIGIOUS GROUPS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR PLANET!!! This debate over which religious folk deserves the land has been happening for centuries now, and there are SO many layers to it that it's gotten to the point where unless someone builds a time machine to go back to when the core issue of the conflict happens, witness it and bring back irrefutable proof for all to see...the only real "answer" (if there even is one right now) is that both sides are neither right nor wrong...just in some sort of weird purgatory. Hell, even if someone DID use a time machine to go back and bring proof, there would be a good chunk of people who would disagree with what was brought forth.

C. Noah Schnapp isn't a god...HE'S FUCKING HUMAN AND HUMANS ARE NOT PERFECT!!!!!!! Everyone, AND I MEAN EVERYONE makes mistakes and has their own thoughts on various things that are a part of the world we live in today. Just because ONE PERSON says or does something you don't agree with, and/or their friend/s agree with them or remain friends with them, doesn't mean it's the end of the world. In the event it happens to be a celebrity of a wildly popular show on Netflix, feel free to say your stance on the issue, then please SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! No one is FORCING YOU TO WATCH THE SHOW/MOVIE OR SUPPORT ANYONE WHO WORKS ON IT. Not to mention EVERYONE IN ENTITLED TO THEIR OWN OPINION.

My personal stance on the crap that's happening in Gaza is that as someone who doesn't have all the facts but believes humans should learn to accept one another regardless of any differences we may have...I don't actually have a stance, rather I'm very neutral and find both sides to be at fault. Same thing with Noah Schnapp, I don't know him personally, and the only time I really hear anything about him or other celebs is if they're trending on tumblr and I just randomly happen to check that part of the website. Therefore, I can't agree with his actions, but I also can't condemn them as I don't have all the facts and I really don't care that much about what he does in his personal time.

More people need to learn how to separate celebs from other aspects of life and remember that they're human just like the rest of us, they make mistakes and either learn from them or don't. ...I also feel like people need to avoid social media more often as it tends to be a place where negativity festers into something that can consume you until you're nothing but a toxic husk of who you once were.

Now despite what I first said, feel free to boycott the final season of Stranger Things if you want to, I won't stop you just like you can't stop me from watching it to see how the journey all these characters have been on concludes. Let people make their own decision on if they want to boycott or not, and if they decide not to, respect their decision and don't harass them about how, "THEIR SUPPORTING GENOCIDE" especially when BOTH SIDES ARE GUILTY OF THAT!!!

[categorysixkaiju]

Visitor Security Officers department at the Seattle Art Museum votes to unionize

posted and up to date as of: 1/16/2022

Some union news that I think people would be interested in and could use a little support.

Here’s the summary of the current situation, taken from this petition where they’re asking for signatures to encourage the museum leadership to voluntarily recognize the union:

“We are the Visitor Service Officers ("VSOs") at the Seattle Art Museum and we're unionizing! During COVID, the Seattle Art Museum took away our remaining retirement benefits, and continued to hold large private events where (due to a lack of sufficient museum COVID safety enforcement policies) our VSOs felt highly at risk to contract COVID. The VSOs attempted through the internal channels the museum offered to address these issues, and we felt our feedback on our working conditions was not listened to. In addition to these issues, the VSO union wants to see the adoption of a seniority system to guarantee that experienced VSOs receive the compensation they deserve for their skilled labor, and healthcare benefits expanded to cover more members of the department. For these reasons and more, we decided to come together and do what we haven't been able to do on our own and form the SAM VSO Union! Our CEO Amada Cruz said in a December email, “If a majority of VSOs want to be represented by a union, we will respect that decision..." (12/17/2021). A supermajority of our coworkers have signed in favor of forming a union and on January 7th of 2022 we requested our employer voluntarily recognize our union.

....

The SAM VSO union is proudly affiliated with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 5 and IUPAT Local 116 the Political, Campaign, Nonprofit, and Allied Workers Union.”

The petition form again: https://forms.gle/TSJV7X7EvY1A47gw8

A small report from The Stranger: https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2022/01/07/64715547/this-week-in-worker-conquests-sams-visitor-service-officers-unionize-uw-researchers-unite-and-is-anybody-missing-the-mariners

VSO Union Instagram

VSO Union Twitter

While I’m not a VSO, I do work at a front line position at SAM and hope that having one of the most critical departments to daily operation unionized will bring some good changes the museum needs. I can also vouch that there’s a lot of good people working as VSOs. Across the board nice, helpful to everyone, and care a lot about making the museum friendly and safe for EVERYONE--rather than making it hostile to the unhoused, low-income, and marginalized people of Seattle, as museum leadership has made it clear they don’t mind doing.

This is still very early stages. Hopefully, the museum leadership will wise up soon and formalize the union. There’s no sort of boycott going on, but if you’re a member of the museum, a donor, part of the Seattle art scene, know someone who is, or just have visited the museum and care about worker’s rights, I definitely encourage you to reach out to the museum directly to voice your support. It helps in the short term of recognizing the Union and in the long term of making it clear people care about the rights of the museum’s staff.

If anything notable happens I’ll reblog with an update.

[emerald-studies]

The powerful  John Lewis

Early Life

John Robert Lewis was born outside of Troy, Alabama, on February 21, 1940. Lewis had a happy childhood — though he needed to work hard to assist his sharecropper parents — but he chafed against the unfairness of segregation. He was particularly disappointed when the Supreme Court ruling in 1954's Brown v. The Board of Education didn't affect his school life. However, hearing Martin Luther King Jr.'s sermons and news of the 1955-56 Montgomery bus boycott inspired Lewis to act for the changes he wanted to see.

Civil Rights Struggle

In 1957, Lewis left Alabama to attend the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville, Tennessee. There, he learned about nonviolent protest and helped to organize sit-ins at segregated lunch counters. He was arrested during these demonstrations, which upset his mother, but Lewis was committed to the Civil Rights Movement and went on to participate in the Freedom Rides of 1961.

Freedom Riders challenged the segregated facilities they encountered at interstate bus terminals in the South, which had been deemed illegal by the Supreme Court. It was dangerous work that resulted in arrests and beatings for many involved, including Lewis.

In 1963, Lewis became chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. That same year, as one of the "Big Six" leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, he helped plan the March on Washington. Lewis—the youngest speaker at the event—had to alter his speech in order to please other organizers, but still delivered a powerful oration that declared, "We all recognize the fact that if any radical social, political and economic changes are to take place in our society, the people, the masses, must bring them about."

After the March on Washington, in 1964, the Civil Rights Act became law. However, this did not make it easier for African Americans to vote in the South. To bring attention to this struggle, Lewis and Hosea Williams led a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, on March 7, 1965. After crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the marchers were attacked by state troopers. Lewis was severely beaten once more, this time suffering a fractured skull.

The violent attacks were recorded and disseminated throughout the country, and the images proved too powerful to ignore. "Bloody Sunday," as the day was labeled, sped up the passage of 1965's Voting Rights Act.

U.S. Congressman

Lewis left the SNCC in 1966. Though devastated by the assassinations of King and Robert Kennedy in 1968, Lewis continued his work to enfranchise minorities. In 1970, he became director of the Voter Education Project. During his tenure, the VEP helped to register millions of minority voters.

Lewis ran for office himself in 1981, winning a seat on the Atlanta City Council. In 1986, he was elected to the House of Representatives. Today, representing Georgia's 5th District, he is one of the most respected members of Congress. Since entering office, he has called for healthcare reform, measures to fight poverty and improvements in education. Most importantly, he oversaw multiple renewals of the Voting Rights Act. When the Supreme Court struck down part of the law in 2013's Shelby County v. Holder, Lewis decried the decision as a "dagger into the heart" of voting rights.

In the wake of the mass shooting that took place on June 12, 2016, in Orlando, Florida, Lewis led a sit-in comprised of approximately 40 House Democrats on the floor of the House of Representatives on June 22nd in an attempt to bring attention and force Congress to address gun violence by taking definitive legislative action. “We have been too quiet for too long,” Lewis said. “There comes a time when you have to say something. You have to make a little noise. You have to move your feet. This is the time.”

The protest came just days after several measures including a bill regarding background checks and adding restrictions on the purchase of guns by people on the federal no-fly list, failed in the Senate. Senator Chris Murphy applauded the protest. Murphy had previously led a filibuster in the Senate which led to the subsequent vote.

Clashing With Donald Trump

Lewis also spoke out against the presidency of Donald Trump, who was elected on November 8, 2016. In an interview with Chuck Todd for NBC News’ Meet the Press, which aired on January 15, 2017, Lewis said he didn’t believe Trump was a “legitimate president” because of Russian interference in the election. “I think the Russians participated in helping this man get elected and they helped destroy the candidacy of Hillary Clinton,” Lewis said in the interview. He also said he would not attend Trump’s inauguration.

Trump responded on Twitter, criticizing Lewis’ work as a congressman and tweeting that Lewis was “All talk, talk, talk - no action or results. Sad!” The president-elect's attack on Lewis came just days before the Martin Luther King holiday, and prompted vocal support of the civil rights icon across social media. Several Democratic lawmakers also joined in support of Lewis, and boycotted Trump’s inauguration.

Trump continued his war of words, tweeting: “John Lewis said about my inauguration, ‘It will be the first one that I've missed.’ WRONG (or lie)! He boycotted Bush 43 also because he...thought it would be hypocritical to attend Bush's swearing-in....he doesn't believe Bush is the true elected president. Sound familiar!”

A spokeswoman for Lewis confirmed that he had missed the inauguration of George W. Bush: "His absence at that time was also a form of dissent. He did not believe the outcome of that election, including the controversies around the results in Florida and the unprecedented intervention of the U.S. Supreme Court, reflected a free, fair and open democratic process.”

Cancer Diagnosis

In December 2019, Lewis announced that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

Although he was "clear-eyed about the prognosis," Lewis said he felt encouraged that medical advancements had made this type of cancer treatable in many cases, adding that he intended to return to work as soon as possible.

Legacy

Though the Supreme Court's decision about the Voting Rights Act was a blow to Lewis, he has been encouraged by the progress that has occurred in his lifetime. After Barack Obama won the presidency in 2008, Lewis stated that "When we were organizing voter-registration drives, going on the Freedom Rides, sitting in, coming here to Washington for the first time, getting arrested, going to jail, being beaten, I never thought—I never dreamed—of the possibility that an African American would one day be elected president of the United States."

In addition to continuing his work in Congress, Lewis has reached out to a younger generation by helping to create a series of graphic novels about his work in the Civil Rights Movement. In 2016, he won the National Book Award for the third installment in the series March: Book Three, which marks the first time a graphic novel has received the honor.

He accepted the award with co-writer Andrew Aydin and illustrator Nate Powell and spoke of its significance in an emotional acceptance speech. “Some of you know I grew up in rural Alabama, very poor, very few books in our home,” Lewis said. “I remember in 1956, when I was 16 years old, going to the public library to get library cards, and we were told the library was for whites only and not for coloreds. And to come here and receive this honor, it’s too much.”

He also spoke about the importance of books in his life. “I had a wonderful teacher in elementary school who told me: ‘Read, my child, read’, and I tried to read everything," he said. "I love books.”

The civil rights icon has also been honored with numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the NAACP's Spingarn Medal and the sole John F. Kennedy "Profile in Courage Award" for Lifetime Achievement.” (source)

Glad he’s still around!

[faranae]

Why not buy from bad dragon? I've always heard they're a really good brand.

(WARNING: THIS POST IS NOT EXPLICIT, BUT DOES REFER TO NSFW THEMES WITH STERILE EDUCATIONAL TERMINOLOGY. PLEASE STAY WITHIN YOUR COMFORT LEVEL AND READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.)

Let me open by saying this particular brand of community drama is quite ancient at this point. 

I was trying to be a bit tongue-in-cheek, but I should have said “do your research before buying from Bad Dragon” rather than making a blanket statement. The company may have made changes in recent years that I’m not aware of. While I as always welcome any corrections, please respect I have no intention of ending my boycott.

(There should be a readmore here! >:V Let me know if Tumblr breaks it!)

Bad Dragon, for those who aren’t aware, is a US adult entertainment company that designs and manufactures adult toys based on fantasy creatures. They are/were a bit unique. (Minors: This is one of those times where I’m going to just acknowledge you’ll probably Google it even if I politely ask you not to, which I am. At the least, please be safe with your internet browsing.)

Basically Bad Dragon was for a long time the brand when it came to this niche. They were the Kleenex of oversized adult fantasy toys in that everyone knew the name and associated it with that type of product. That is a very bad analogy in hindsight but I’m keeping it. 

While BD does make some great products out of quality body-safe materials (what I’d normally judge such a company on), it’s not their products I take issue with. The company itself has some... Interesting prior experience regarding designs, theft, and lack of credit/compensation for artists among other very questionable practices. 

DISCLAIMER: I’m going to keep these points somewhat short both to avoid triggering descriptions and so that if you want more information you’ll have to do some research. There are entire websites dedicated to information on BD, though the quality varies.

I’m not an expert source on this, just a consumer explaining the reasoning behind their choice to boycott. I’ll be double-checking a few things and adding events as I go to keep misremembering to a minimum. I will not be including any points that are not easily verifiable, so y’all can form your own opinions if you’re keen to research. 

ABSOLUTES:

BD at one point sold and marketed an “adolescent” model. Self-explanatory why this squicked me out, I hope;

BD continues to sell multiple products based on children’s media;

BD owned and operated a user-run instructional site focused on “scientific” animal molestation. It was taken offline when it brought bad media to a new business venture;

For quite some time the product pages/measurements were set up in a very misleading and often inaccurate manner; 

The ENTIRE Labs debacle, a program which BD used as a design and content farm, where they locked the program for months yet still claimed ownership of the designs submitted and sent legal action to artists for going elsewhere;

BD’s printing company has used source files to distribute prints without their clients’ consent;

ALLEGATIONS:

Multiple allegations of bestiality-related abuse practiced by company founders and owners, at least one of which may have had charges brought;

Multiple allegations of sexual assault regarding a former owner;

Multiple allegations of manufacturing products based on lifted designs from contests and forums without compensation or credit to the original artists;

Multiple allegations of employee mistreatment;

This isn’t extensive, and there’s a lot more accusations floating around out there than I thought while I was checking up on stuff. 

The company may be doing a lot better nowadays! I don’t know, and at this point I don’t particularly care to look. I made my decision a while back and there are far more options out there who sell safe and ethical alternatives which are better in many ways. /endrant

[stopfakerapeclaims-blog]

THIS GUY IS FALSELY ACCUSED, STOP SLANDERING HIM. HOW COULD YOU TERRIBLE PEOPLE ATTACK A VICTIM OF A FALSE ACCUSATIONLIKE YOU DID. I HAVE VIDEO PROOF OF MY INNOCENCE. I NEVER wanted to post something like this, but the threats made on my life have given me no other choice.But being a victim of false accusations is extremely damaging AND dangerous. But unfortunately there aren't going to be 200+ shares of my side of the story, because the truth is not as sensational as a dramatic lie.As I said before, I did not want to do this, it feels violating and wrong, but I am absolutely sickened by the false rape claims and rumors going around about me from "Aria" (on facebook) ie "Stephanie" (as I knew her). We went to Japan together in 2016, where she came on to me and seduced ME the second night we were there. We had a consensual relationship over the entire course of this trip. I took a consensual video during our first encounter, and it VERY clearly shows that it was NOTHING like what she is claiming now, years later. She stated “He decided to take what he wanted by force,” which is so entirely the opposite of what actually happened - in this video she can be heard saying “yes”, “please more”, and “yeah”. Its the definition of not only consent, but enthusiastic consent, which is a very important distinction.WHY did I record this? Because her and I were friends and I thought it would be something we would have fun watching together later. I asked before I recorded us together. I don't EVER record something private without the other person knowing. It would be deceitful and ruin the moment entirely to do so.My lawyers advised me that it would be dangerous to release the video on the internet - she could claim it was revenge porn or harassment, even if it was ONLY done with the intention of defending myself, and that’s why you can just listen to the audio here:https://streamable.com/zxkqi So the question is, WHY is she saying I raped her? I can’t BEGIN to guess what’s going on in someone else’s head, or why they’d lie about something so devastating and traumatic, but Wikipedia lists ELEVEN possible reasons for false accusations of rape (I will list them below). All I can do is share the facts from that trip as I know themYou see, that entire trip me and Stephanie started arguing about the last person on the trip, we'll call him "J" to respect his privacy, who complained the entire trip. Stephanie and I disagreed on how to handle it, my approach trying to be to ignore the behavior and hope he learned to deal with his problems maturely, and Stephanie was taking his side by trying to coddle him and condone his actions. A lot of the problems were him refusing to leave the room to trips and food with all of us possibly because he misunderstood and thought he had to pay for everything when I was in fact paying for it, or perhaps he didn't like the idea of me paying for everything (despite it being a company trip so he was fully covered by the organization) I can’t know which it was for sure.I tried many times over the trip to calm J down and explain that he didn't need to worry so much, but the stress of being in Japan was too much for him. Traveling and being in a foregin country can be really stressful for some people! The last and most extreme moment was when we stepped off the bus in front of the Takadanobaba station and he started violently hitting himself in the forehead with his hand on a public street. I don't know why, I think maybe he forgot something. It was a level of behaviour that was beyond what I had ever dealt with personally and none of us were equipped to help him. When he was stressed sometimes he would make a strange whining noise and bite down on his arm hard in front of people, and that was alarming enough, but this was the final straw in him working for us as a company, and there I made the decision that he wouldn't be working with the conventions going forward. We take on almost anyone as a volunteer, because I believe everyone deserves at least a first chance despite any disorders or problems them may have socially, but sadly it doesn’t always work out in the end, like with J. Stephanie and I fought a lot all trip long about “J” to no resolve. Stephanie is still friends with this person, they’re friends on Facebook and they were one of the first to share Stephanie’s post. Maybe this is some kind of “revenge” for not being nice enough to her friend. But again, how can I really know what someone else is thinking? I can only make educated guesses.I do know that Stephanie has bipolar disorder, and I tried helping her through her issues when we were friends. I learned she had been sexually assaulted before, and I had always felt really bad for her, as anyone would. We spent hours and hours talking in Japan, hanging out, watching movies, cuddling, and yes, sex too. What motivates her actions now, I have no idea, but there are eleven possible reasons listed on wikipedia: confusion, revenge, material gain, producing an alibi, memory conformity, recovered memory therapy, attention, sympathy, a disturbed mental state, relabeling, and regret.With Stephanie there were no drugs, no excessive drinking, no coercion of any kind. I did not threaten to send her home. I did not try or even consider withholding any events or activities from her. SHE wanted to spend time with ME and hang out with me. I flirted with her online, we sent dozens of memes back and forth too, and then in person SHE always initiated everything. Putting her hand on my leg, scooting closer to me, making sexual innuendos, overall being quite clear about her intentionsHOW can you get in a fight with someone and then automatically claim that all past consensual sex you had was rape? Changing your mind months later does not make something rape. In the past I haven't ever been able to defend myself with hard proof because I didn't know where the rumors were coming from. I've gotten threats to my own safety because of these claims. I had people say they will boycott my cons because of these claims. I’ve had people mercilessly harass my friends and family because of these claims. But her own words are PROVABLY false.As anyone would, I kept a screenshot of exactly what she said at first. “After I made it clear that I wasn't interested, he decided to take what he wanted by force. This was on one of the first days of a month long trip.”That’s what she said, and it’s plain as day not true. I know that now somehow the story will magically change - it’s called “moving the goalpost”, where now instead of “force” she will claim something like coercion, or change her story entirely. When people are caught in a lie they often change their story, suddenly remember things differently, and make up new lies to cover their original lies that were seen through. I know some people won’t believe me no matter what proof I have because they’ve made up their minds about me and the situation. Maybe they have a personal issue with me and this fits their narrative that I’m a bad personFalse rape accusations are tragically real and more common than one would think. Some people say the number is "barely 2%" - but multiple studies conducted in a wide variety of manners have concluded numbers from 2% as high as 25%. Read wikipedia, there are numerous academically-backed studies on there. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_accusation_of_rapeI'm so sorry to any of my friends who have had to deal with drama because of this person. I know friends who know me incredibly well have had to defend my name because they heard about rumors or are friends with someone who believes this.Now, do not bully, slander, or harass this person under any circumstances. I don't want you to harass them, I don’t want to make them ‘pay’, or make them suffer like I have, I only want to be left alone myself to live my life. DO share this message as far and wide as you can. I am so hurt by these absolutely malicious attacks that I don't deserve. I strive to run the safest and most welcoming conventions in the world, with people by my side who feel even stronger than I do about it! Thank you for reading all of this and supporting me through this awful time.

[legends-of-shield]

This is going to be a long post about why I think this season of Supergirl has been less than satisfactory. And no, it has nothing to do with supercorp not being canon.

First of all, the writers totally retconned Lena as a character. While she has always shown sign of being morally grey, she also always wanted to be better than her family. She's also too smart to think that the stupid non nocere and taking away people's will would be the answer to make people stop hurting each other. I'm all about the conflict between Kara and Lena, I just think it has been poorly handled. Sure, we had some great scenes so far, including the reveal at the Pulitzer ceremony and the confrontation in the fortress, but again, they could have those, they could have Lena swaying to a world of hurt and anger and betrayal without making her have that stupid plan and completely assassinating her character.

Now forgetting this whole Lena and Kara conflict, we have Leviathan. A hero tv show is only as good as their villain and last season with Lex was proof of that. And this season, is honestly anyone interested in Leviathan? This plot is moving too slowly, no one cares about them and that doesn't make good television.

We have beloved characters being sidelined or, in Kelly's case, being demoted to only serve the purpose of being the love interest (which is what happened with Floriana, probably why she quit the show and the writers keep repeating the same mistakes). Nia is a very talented journalist and powerful hero and I feel as if we hardly seen her this season. Kelly probably had a total of 5 minutes screentime so far. And what happened to the heart of the show, Kara and Alex' relationship? I miss their sisterly camaraderie. I do gotta give props for the Brainy direction however, Jesse Rath is an amazing actor and his arc of joining Lex seems like the only interesting arc so far.

Another bad thing? Recycling storylines. Last season we had Lex pretending to be Earth's hero, people buying it and Kara doing whatever she can to expose him. This season we have, you guessed it, Lex pretending to be Earth's hero, people buying it and Kara wanting to expose him. Jon Cryer is amazing and he portrayed the best live version of Lex Luthor IMO, but this was not to best way to bring him back.

Then we have the whole William thing. Sure, it turns out he's not the bad guy we all thought he was and he was only a jerk so that he could get close to Andrea, but he still treated Kara like sh*t. And Kara told him that she would not forget his actions even if they were pretend. By trying to force them together, The CW is perpetuating the trope that women like and are attracted to guys that mistreat them and that is not a good example to set to their young audience. It's one thing to make Kara understand his reasoning and joining forces, it's another completely different story to make her forget everything William's put her through. Also their romance just feels forced, if the writers wanted so much to bring another LI couldn't they have at least developed their relationship first?

But what has bugged me about this season the most has been their treatment of Kara. She has lost so much, has been through hell more times than anyone could handle and the writers don't explore that. They hardly show that she has some deep issues. After watching Argo burn again the writers had the perfect opportunity to explore Kara's mental issues and anger but instead, it was treated like a mundane event. Sure, Argo was restored, the Earths were merged, but she still watched everything turn to dust, Kara remembers it, and as far as she knows, there is only one Earth left now, and just like that it's back to normal? You figured she'd need some therapy after everything that she has seen, Kara is an empathetic character and knowing how many lives are gone would take a huge toll on her. Legends of Tomorrow was the only show post crisis so far to have a character (Sara) show signs of PTSD, and yes, Legends - the show that is always making fun of itself was the one that handled the issue better.

Edit: I don't think #BoycottSupergirl is the answer, or acting entitled. We are fans and we need to respect the creative decisions of the writers, producers and show runners. If you're not enjoying the show, stop watching it or you can let them know, as long as you do it politely. Entitlement, bullying and hatred never got anyone far.

You know people with no power of the direction the show takes? Actors. I get that David Harewood has taken some things personally and is feeling attacked by the fandom, but that is only happening because of the vocal few that decided to blame him and as a consequence tarnished the entire fandom in his eyes. Is he also acting like a petty teenager? Yes, but because of that the fandom should be better. Another person not deserving of any hatred is Staz Nair, he has always been about female empowerment, was always sweet with the fans he engaged with. He is NOT to blame for the romance between Kara and William.

So please, if you want to have your voices heard, appeal to the producers and writers on Twitter, send letters to them. Just don't demand anything. When you make your case, be polite, tell them that the show is no longer about feminism. Tell them that they are encouraging a pattern of romanticizing toxic relationships, tell them anything really. Just don't be rude.

And remember, this whole boycott thing, if it works, could maybe get the show cancelled and there are a lot of young girls who still watch the show, some who have Supergirl as a way to escape the real world. We need to think of them and try to make the show better for them.

[mongoose232323]

So #MoscowMitch McConnell Just Told Large

Corporations To Just STFU And Stop Trying

To Commit Economic Blackmail But Interjecting

Themselves Into The “Right To Vote” Issue Or

He’ll Blackmail Them By Taking Away Their

Big Tax Cuts.

Basically He Said Just “Give Us The Money And

Shut The Hell Up Beaches!!”

.

Mitch McConnell Threatens Businesses

Of 'Serious Consequences' After Many

Condemn Georgia's Restrictive Voting Law

From The Article

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned big businesses they would face "serious consequences" after accusing them of employing "economic blackmail" in attempts to influence voting laws as the backlash over Georgia's elections law that imposes voting restrictions intensifies.

"From election law to environmentalism to radical social agendas to the Second Amendment, parts of the private sector keep dabbling in behaving like a woke parallel government," the Kentucky Republican said in a statement Monday. "Corporations will invite serious consequences if they become a vehicle for far-left mobs to hijack our country from outside the constitutional order."

"Businesses must not use economic blackmail to spread disinformation and push bad ideas that citizens reject at the ballot box," he added.

His statement comes after Major League Baseball's decision to no longer host the All-Star Game in Atlanta, potentially sparking other boycotts of the state, and several businesses including Delta and Coca-Cola condemned the new Georgia elections law following public pressure.

The statements by McConnell are particularly notable not only because he has long championed the involvement of corporate money in politics -- a past position he attempted to square with new remarks on Tuesday -- but because the Republican Party traditionally has been more sympathetic to big business.

During a news conference in Louisville, Kentucky, Tuesday, McConnell reiterated his warning to corporate America to "stay out of politics" and to not be "intimidated by the left," blasting the MLB and other corporations' decision to "jump into the middle of a highly controversial issue" as "stupid."

McConnell has previously supported businesses involvement in politics, including backing the US Supreme Court's 2010 decision in the Citizens United case, which allowed big businesses more power to spend freely in federal elections. In 2014, he spoke out against Democrats' attempts to allow Congress to set limits on corporate campaign spending in federal elections, calling it a threat to basic speech rights.

Asked about how he squares his support of Citizens United with his call for corporations to stay out of politics in the debate over election laws, McConnell said, "They have a right to participate in the political process. They do."

"But selecting how you do that in a way that doesn't completely alienate an awful lot of people who depend on your products strikes me as not very smart," he said, adding earlier, "Republicans drink Coca-Cola too, and we fly, and we like baseball."

In his statement Monday, McConnell accused Democrats of lying about the Georgia law hastily passed by state Republicans and signed into law last month by GOP Gov. Brian Kemp.

He disputed the claim from President Joe Biden and others that the Georgia voting law is reminiscent or worse than Jim Crow-era laws, arguing that "nobody really thinks this current dispute comes anywhere near the horrific racist brutality of segregation."

"Our private sector must stop taking cues from the Outrage-Industrial Complex. Americans do not need or want big business to amplify disinformation or react to every manufactured controversy with frantic left-wing signaling," McConnell said in his statement, adding that "it's jaw-dropping to see powerful American institutions not just permit themselves to be bullied, but join in the bullying themselves."

McConnell also slammed congressional Democrats' sweeping elections legislation, the "For the People Act," as a "power grab" of all 50 states' election laws and the Federal Election Commission that "is impossible to defend, so the left wants to deflect." The measure, which does not have enough votes in the US Senate to pass, would override many of the restrictive provisions in the new Georgia law and others like it.

The Georgia law imposes voter identification requirements for absentee ballots, allows state officials to take over local elections boards, limits the use of ballot drop boxes and makes it a crime to give or offer voters food and drink as they wait in line to vote.

Republican advocates for the law argue that it makes Georgia's elections more secure and that it expands access to voting -- pointing to the law's requirement for each county to have a minimum of one drop box for absentee ballots and expansion of early voting in many counties.

The law, however, dramatically reduces some large counties' number of drop boxes, significantly shortens both the overall length of runoff campaigns and the early voting period for runoff elections and shortens the duration of the absentee voting period.

MLB's move to relocate the All-Star Game, potentially costing Georgia $100 million in lost economic impact, was the first in response to the state election law. Atlanta Democratic Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on CNN Saturday predicted that it would be the "first of many boycotts of our state to come."

During a news conference Saturday, Kemp vehemently defended the Georgia elections law and said he would not waver or be swayed if Georgia were to lose more events, thus costing the state more business and tourism dollars.

He accused MLB of putting Democrats' wishes "ahead of the economic well-being of hard-working Georgians who were counting on the All-Star Game for a paycheck."

Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, like other Democrats, said he respected MLB's decision, but hoped businesses would protest the law not by boycotting the state, but "by coming here and fighting voter suppression head on."

After the law was passed, some of the nation's most prominent Black business leaders called out their Fortune 500 peers for their muted response to new laws that restrict voting across the country, and challenged them to be more forceful in condemning what they said were deliberate attempts by Republicans to limit the number of Black Americans casting ballots in key states.

Last week, American Airlines and Dell Technologies spoke out against a Texas elections bill that would place new restrictions on the voting process, particularly for those living in densely populated counties.

At an event in his home state Monday, McConnell said he "found it completely discouraging to find a bunch of corporate CEOs getting in the middle of politics."

"My advice to the corporate CEOs of America is to stay out of politics," he added.

During his Tuesday event in Louisville, McConnell said he supports CEOs contributing to politicians.

"That's fine. It's legal, it's appropriate. I support that. I'm talking about taking a position on a highly incendiary issue like this and punishing a community or a state because you don't like a particular law they passed? I just think it's stupid," he said.

Cliff Albright, the co-founder of voting rights group Black Voters Matter Fund, accused McConnell of "hypocrisy."

"Mitch McConnell and others have demonstrated their hypocrisy on this issue, whether it's the issue of not wanting businesses to be involved in politics -- which is a first for Mitch McConnell -- or whether this is an issue of saying, they don't like 'canceling' stuff, although they are on a regular basis, trying to cancel our voting rights," Albright told reporters during a virtual news conference Tuesday.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/04/06/politics/mcconnell-businesses-georgia-elections-law/index.html

[go-redgirl]

Nolte: Joe Biden and Stacey Abrams Lied. Democrat-Run Atlanta Died

His Fraudulency Joe Biden barely walked away with Georgia’s electoral votes in 2020. Stacey Abrams nearly won the state’s 2018 gubernatorial race. Both would like to win Georgia in coming elections and now both, due to their shameless and deliberate lies, have screwed Georgia and its citizens out of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) All-Star game, which was set to generate at least $100 million.

The irony, however, is that it is the Democrat-run city of Atlanta that’s going to take the $100 million wipe-out in the neck, that’s going to lose all that money — money that could have done tremendous good in a city ravaged by the pandemic.

Well, thanks to the Democrat voters of Atlanta, their own city has just been hit with a second pandemic: a pandemic of lies that wiped $100 million in revenue and spending right off the table. All those jobs… All those customers for struggling small businesses…

Well, all I can say is LOL.

Atlanta has not had a Republican mayor in nearly 150 years. Atlanta also helped put Biden in the White House. And Atlanta is where Abrams’ power base lies. Yes, the Democrat morons of Atlanta helped to create these two monsters and now the Democrat morons of Atlanta are reaping what they sowed.

Did I mention LOL?

This $100 million massacre is the result of only one thing:  Atlanta’s idiot Democrats empowering Biden and Abrams — two shameless racial arsonists and liars.

Georgia passed a perfectly reasonable voter integrity bill that, in many ways, expanded the opportunity to vote. At the same time, it instituted vital safeguards, such as voter ID, something popular with 70 percent of the American people, including black Americans.

But these two racial demagogues and serial liars lied and lied and lied and lied about this bill. They claim it cut early voting hours — lie. They claim water could not be given to people waiting in line to vote — lie. They claim it restricted absentee voting — lie.

And now it’s all backfired right in Democrat-run Atlanta’s stupid face. The racial arsonists intimidated the pantywaists and Nancy-boys in corporate America and then MLB picked up and moved its All-Star game to Boulder, Colorado, a state that also requires voter ID, a state with fewer early voting days… And all I can say is LOL.

Oh, and now that it’s too late, Joe Biden — the racial demagogue who, just like Abrams, called Georgia’s new law “Jim Crow” (even though Biden’s home state of Delaware has even more restrictive voting laws) and said he would back an All-Star boycott — is blaming others for his wicked handiwork.

“He was not dictating for what Major League Baseball should do, that they should — dictating they should move the All-Star game,” White House Press Secretary Lyin’ Ginger said on Monday. “That was their decision, they made that decision, and as he stated earlier he certainly supports that.”

Yeah, because “Jim Crow on steroids” really gave the MLB a choice.

And guess who the other racial arsonist is now expressing regret over the Democrat-run city of Atlanta losing a much-needed $100 million?

Governor-In-Her-Own-Twisted-Mind Stacey Abrams:

My full statement on @MLB All-Star Game: #gapol pic.twitter.com/mq4DauVQ8B

— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) April 2, 2021

“Like many Georgians, I am disappointed that the MLB is relocating the All-Star game … As I have stated, I respect all boycotts, although, I do not want to see Georgia’s families hurt by lost events or jobs.”

Too late, sweetheart, your demagoguery and straight-up lies just wiped out $100 million for your own Democrats in Atlanta.

And her statement is also a lie. Georgians were not hurt by this. The people of Atlanta were hurt by this, and that’s what makes the irony of it all so delicious.

You morons in Atlanta got exactly what you voted for: lies and racial arson, and now you’re out $100 million, and all I can say is LOL.

_________________________________________________________

Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC. Follow his Facebook Page here.

[luxlightly]

Thoughts On Proper Protest. Re: The Cates Fiasco p2

[Part 1]

If we want to have any effect as a community of readers on the current state of the Venom comics, it’s important to have a focus and a direction. Let’s make a break down in the same style as the example I gave in the last post.

1: An action is proposed. To fire Cates and/or retcon or otherwise invalidate much of his run’s content. This has obviously already been done. The idea is out there. 

2: Gathering of information. Gather information on why the events of the run, specifically the most recent issue, is so offensive and damaging to Venom as a character, the Venom comics, Venom comic fans, and Marvel comics as a whole. Consider the current social and political climate. The #metoo and #i’mnotok movements are going strong and gaining a lot of traction. Consider and analyze why, in a time that sexual assault is such a hot button issue and is being treated with a seriousness that it hasn’t always been in the past, the implications of having a hero character be revealed as a rapist. How that reflects on Marvel, and also on Disney, who cater largely to younger audiences and care heavily about their image.

3: Organized protest. Protest is a show, as I said. So make a show of it. Going on social media, contacting, calling, and writing to Marvel and Disney to show them that their customers (who vote with their dollar on whether they keep their jobs) are upset and intend not to purchase their wares until action is taken. Pair that with boycotts. The importance in this kind of thing is 1:numbers. Marvel has to get an idea that the scope of the offense is large enough to cause a decrease in their profit directly or by indirectly damaging their reputation and image. That it will either directly make the current run sell less, or that it will overall make the character less marketable and therefore less valuable. 2: Professionalism. Companies are quick to be dismissive of reactions they see as being purely based on impulse and passing emotion. Well worded, polite but stern letters make more impact than strings of expletives which companies can discount as being a “fleeting emotion” that is only shared by a small, hot headed minority. Letters directly to Disney and Marvel should be worded as the business dealings they are. You are expressing that you are disappointed in their product and do not intend to continue doing business with them until your concerns are addressed. Money is what corporations care about. More than anything else. Informal social media protest through things like twitter can obviously be less professional but it still pays to avoid insults without a backing in solid criticism. 

From there, it hopefully goes on to Disney/Marvel making a decision to respect the wishes of its customers and take action. In terms of actions everyone can take, here’s a simple list:

Write to Disney/Marvel directly at spideyoffice@marvel.com (Be sure to Mark your letters “okay to print”). Be professional, but clear in how upset you are. If you are a long time fan, mention this. Let them know they’re losing customers, not just not gaining new ones.

Make posts on social media expressing your distaste. Use the hashtag “#CanCates” (’can’as in to fire) to keep the movement unified. @ Marvel and Disney directly. DO NOT @ Cates. It just allows him to more easily add his voice to the discussion, which we don’t want. 

Warn others against the run. Let parents who may not know anything about comics know not to buy it for their kids, not knowing about the offensive material of later issues. Let it become a topic that people who don’t know a thing about comics and don’t much care to know about and have feelings about. 

Most importantly, if it wasn’t obvious: DON’T BUY ANY OF THE CURRENT RUN COMICS. None of this means a thing if the run continues to get our money.

[thisdaynews]

Mailafia Knocks CBN Over Decision To Stop Sale Of FX To BDCs

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/mailafia-knocks-cbn-over-decision-to-stop-sale-of-fx-to-bdcs/

Mailafia Knocks CBN Over Decision To Stop Sale Of FX To BDCs

Previous Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Obadiah Mailafia, has censured the zenith bank for halting the offer of Foreign Exchange (FX) to Bureau De Change (BDCs) administrators.

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Naija News had revealed that the CBN lead representative, Godwin Emefiele, declared on Tuesday that the summit bank will presently don’t offer dollars and other unfamiliar monetary standards to Bureau De Change (BDCs) administrators the nation over.

Talking after a gathering of the financial arrangement council, Emefiele asserted that the BDCs administrators have become a course for unlawful monetary streams working with degenerate individuals to direct tax evasion in Nigeria.

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Yet, in a meeting with The Punch on Wednesday, Mailafia said that the boycott of unfamiliar trade to Bureau De Change administrators might demolish the worth of the naira.

The previous official competitor added that business banks in Nigeria can’t be trusted with the deals of forex.

The financial analyst said the banks will focus on their inclinations and just make accessible to the public anything that remains, adding that forex may turn out to be scant because of regulatory cycles in the business banks.

He said: “In case we are not cautious, that choice will really deteriorate the naira esteem in light of the fact that the BDCs, you could stroll into any of them anyplace and inside five minutes, they will take care of you yet the banks, you need to head to your closest bank, you need to line more often than not.

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“The CBN has not revealed to us the rate, the banks will need to make a benefit over the authority rate, we don’t know whether they will make a respectable benefit or they will opportunist.

“Brokers were the greatest specialists in round-stumbling. Old propensities, I don’t think they change. Panthers are probably not going to change their spots.

“Thus, we might wind up in a situation where there is shortage and the straightforward financial matters of interest and supply reveals to you that where there is increment shortage, cost is probably going to shoot up.

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“In the event that bank administration makes it hard for individuals to get to dollar, what it implies is that the organizations, deterrents and bottlenecks are probably going to squeeze supply and tension on supply might mean an expansion popular for the dollar and more noteworthy fall of the naira, on the off chance that we don’t play the cards well.”

He added: “How might you absolutely trust these business banks in light of the fact that the greater part of them will need to corner the dollar for themselves and anything that remains, then, at that point they would now be able to impart to the market at a rate they need?” he questioned.

“On the naira, it’s difficult the hidden monetary basics that matters like loan fee, swelling, etc, these things matter and the degree of obligation influence it yet there are the non-quantifiable components like viciousness, shakiness, country banditry and psychological oppression, those things sabotage the useful limit of the economy.

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“They additionally annihilate social capital, the trust that holds the local area together to do organizations together.”

[mulanrelease]

Mulan Is Here... Now What?

The Walt Disney Company:

September 4 marked a new moment for your company as the remake of the animated Mulan premiered on Disney+ Premier Access. Given the constraints caused by COVID-19, this release marked a new era for the streaming giant as the movie’s success or failure could greatly impact decisions regarding future films. As such, the conversation surrounding Mulan’s digital release resulted in both positive and negative sentiments in the world of social media.

With a timeframe between August 30 and September 5, I monitored the commentary leading to and shortly after the movie’s debut by following the conversational threads on Twitter and Facebook. For Twitter, I gathered 100 tweets with the hashtags #MulanDisney, #Mulan2020 and #Mulan to measure their impression and influence on the conversation. Further, by conducting a content analysis of the tweets and comments, I was able to garner community-driven keywords that represent the organic sentiments behind the movie and its digital experience.

The Results Are In

As indicated in graphs A, B and C for the hashtags #MulanDisney, #Mulan2020 and #Mulan respectively, the overall sentiment is favorable towards the movie and its viewing experience. Out of 100 tweets for these hashtags, around 60% of viewers were looking forward to the release and found it stayed true to the premise of the original. However, all graphs show that almost half of the analyzed data negatively criticized the movie’s storyline, believing it to be disconnected from the magic created by the 1998 classic.

What Audiences Are Really Saying

The examination of the most prominent community-driven keywords prior to and after the release in the aforementioned hashtags showcased your company’s brand positioning. As indicated in graph D, with the keyword “movie night” at 34%, consumers have shown they anticipated Mulan to be the event of their evening, especially when joined by the keyword “family” at 16%. This combination demonstrates that your company reflects well in the family unit, as we can conclude that viewers feel at ease to watch your movies with their loved ones. Further, the trend behind “live action” at 20% illustrates the image your company is creating in the minds of those that might still believe Disney focuses on animation only. The favorable conversation that accompanies this keyword exemplifies that newer generations are open to Disney taking on the live-action market. Conversely, due to the leading actress’s controversial political views, the keyword “boycott Mulan” takes 21% of the conversation, demonstrating your audience requires your company to take a stance on current social issues. The majority of those interacting with this keyword have stated it is no longer acceptable for companies to stay silent, but that they should voice their positions through their actions.

Recommendations for a Bright Future

Through engaging content, strong visuals and compelling videos, your company has kept the conversation surrounding Mulan’s release in the forefront of your audience’s minds. By using influencers and promotional efforts, #MulanDisney, #Mulan2020 and #Mulan have generated exciting buzz for the movie’s premiere. However, by not engaging with prospective viewers nor speaking up about the negative keywords, your company has created a vacuum with consumers instead of being in charge of the narrative. Given this, I propose two measures that could help shift the story in your favor while staying true to your public.

1. Be Part of the Conversation: Consumers are most loyal to brands with which they feel a connection. While your content invites the public to participate, you too should engage in the dialogue. There is much to be said about two-way communication, and events such as a movie release would be a prime opportunity for your company to gather support and strengthen positive relationships.

2. Take Control of the Narrative: It is no longer enough to stay silent amidst social unrest. In today’s society, those who do not voice their positions take the risk of letting others do so for them. In establishing your company’s positions—or at the very least stating what it does not believe—you take the first step in having control of what is being said surrounding your product, service and reputation. By staying silent, keywords such as “boycott Mulan” can have lasting repercussions and irreparably damage your image.

I look forward to hearing your insight.

[karmamgmt5]

5 Compliance Mistakes You May Not Know You’re Making

Thinking little of the significance of staying agreeable with business laws and guidelines is perhaps the greatest slip-up you can make as a business.

The expense of being reviewed or sued and discovered resistant can place a genuine gouge in your benefits and your organization's notoriety. It can even affect your capacity to employ.

In the event that you figure most laws and guidelines don't have any significant bearing to your organization since you have few workers, reconsider. With regard to consistency, private ventures are regularly dependent upon similar laws and guidelines that administer huge organizations.

Also, on the HR Audit solution off chance that you do get captured, arguing numbness won't be an adequate reason.

We should take a gander at five of the most widely recognized consistence botches.

1. Grouping representatives mistakenly

A misguided judgment exists that organizations have a decision about how to group workers as excluded or non-absolved, and in this way, whether a representative is paid a payor hourly. The truth of the matter is the Department of Labor has unmistakable principles that blueprint what comprises absolved and non-excluded positions.

Because somebody works in an office, versus at a sales register or on an assembling line doesn't mean they are excluded from being paid extra time. Occupation obligations, duties, and pay rate all factor into whether a worker is proclaimed absolved (not paid additional time) or non-excluded (paid extra time). 

2. Not taking care of employing administrative work appropriately

It sounds sufficiently straightforward, however, while enlisting new representatives numerous organizations neglect to check the right qualification to-work reports, neglect to record their documentation, or continue absent or fragmented I-9 structures. The inability to keep sufficient records can get you into lawful high temp water rapidly.

Before you document any procuring administrative work, be certain all structures are totally rounded out, including dates and marks. You should likewise affirm that there is legitimate and substantial supporting qualification documentation with the I-9 structure.

Frequently, representatives neglect to give the right supporting documentation, for example, a driver's permit and standardized savings card, in light of the fact that their manager doesn't appropriately illuminate them regarding what's adequate.

3. Disregarding security guidelines

In the event that you haven't checked on the state and government Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) decides that apply to your business, you're putting your workers and your business at a noteworthy hazard.

Numerous littler organizations may not understand that some wellbeing guidelines apply to all organizations, not only those over a specific size. Specifically, OSHA's General Duty Clause requires each business, paying little respect to estimate, to furnish Human Resource Audit solution each worker with a position of a business that is free from perceived risks.

This normally appears as forklift drivers getting sheltered tasks preparing, and consolation to utilize gave defensive apparatus, for example, hard caps, ear insurance, and eye security for representatives who need it.

4. Neglecting to remain consistent during fast development

Especially during times of fast development, it tends to be anything but difficult to overlook that bigger representative numbers typically implies a more prominent consistency presentation.

For example, because of the expenses of conforming to the Affordable Care Act, a few organizations may attempt to remain underneath the 50-representative edge by renaming a few specialists as self-employed entities. Notwithstanding, it isn't so straightforward.

There are explicit principles for what comprises a self-employed entity. It might consider contractual workers a business of one individual who offers their administrations to various gatherings.  

5. Not keeping current

One of the top HR botches business pioneers make is a straightforward inability to stay aware of the numerous administrative offices and decisions that oversee the association.

The number of HR compliance Solutions offices and their related work laws have become massively in the course of the most recent couple of years, and that gives no indications of evolving. You should know about the offices that oversee zones, for example,

l Wiped out leave arrangements

l Representative protection laws

l Procuring guidelines, for example, "boycott the crate" rules

l Work environment wellbeing and wellbeing laws

l Payday laws, for example, last pay rules and finance finding rules

l Recordkeeping prerequisites

l Additional time pay laws

l Hostile to segregation and against badgering laws

l Nearby, state and government family leave laws

The pattern for regions to institute guidelines that are more stringent than state or government laws includes another layer of unpredictability for business pioneers attempting to remain current.

[ksgrossman1]

Who Puts Clouds In Your Coffee

Somebody else changing our coffee can really cause a brouhaha. 

I belong to a local no-frills gym. For me, it's perfect because I mostly work out on the cardio machines, it's cheap, and it's within bicycling distance of my house.

A lot of people have been members there for quite a few years, and a new owner took over a couple of years ago. He made some changes over the course of the first few months which I believe were positive changes.

However, he made one change that damaged the taste in the mouths of many members.

After offering free coffee for many years by way of a little coffee pot, the new owner took the coffee pot away. No more free coffee. 

Amongst the members, a revolution brewed. This little act caused some serious cultural damage. I’m assuming it was a cost-saving measure, but the damage to the culture may have been more significant. The gym still survives, but many long-term members definitely left due to many of the changes.

Who puts clouds in your coffee?

Think about these types of situations within your own communities. What decisions have other people made, and what decisions have you made, that caused greater damage than anticipated? 

I would argue, the gym owner showed a lack of respect for the culture of the gym. He made a decision in a vacuum, without truly caring about the expectations of the membership.

I remember another hot mess over coffee from a few years ago.

Starbucks released a simple red cup for the holidays that year, rather than a more festive offering as they had done the previous years. Many people felt this simple red cup represented an attack on Christmas and Christianity. There were editorials and cries for boycott. The controversy boiled further when Dunkin' Donuts released their holiday cup. Something many considered to be more festive than the Starbucks offering.

In retrospect, these events seem to be minor distastes that everybody weathered. I could certainly argue Starbucks and my gym should have thought more about their clients’ expectations, and they should have evaluated other alternatives to meet everybody's goals.

The true lesson is we CAN'T control what cup our favorite coffee shop chooses to serve our coffee in. We also CAN’T control whether our local gym even offers free coffee. We CAN control how we react to their behavior.

Let me say that again, but more globally. We CAN'T control what other people do. We CAN control how we react to their behavior.

Starbucks can't put clouds in your coffee. Neither can my local gym. Only you can do that. 

Other people can't control your behavior; only you can do that.

[wp-yahoo-style-1042-yahoopa-blog]

Two 'Teacher of the Year' recipients skipped the White House ceremony: 'Speak up if you don’t agree with something'

"Teacher of the Year" recipients Kelly Holstine of Minnesota and Jessica Dueñas of Kentucky skipped the 2019 ceremony to protest the Trump administration. (Screenshot: Facebook/Speak Up For Education and Kids)

Two educators honored as “Teacher of the Year” in their respective states skipped the annual White House award ceremony for their marginalized students.

Jessica Dueñas, Kentucky’s 2019 Teacher of the Year and Kelly Holstine, Minnesota’s 2018 Teacher of the Year were not among five dozen of their esteemed peers at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building for the Monday tradition led by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and Vice-President Mike Pence. Teachers who attended also stood for a photo with President Trump, who made a surprise showing.

Education secretary Betsy DeVos oversaw the April 29th Teacher of the Year awards at the White House. Two teachers skipped the event on principal. (Photo: Getty Images)

Skipping was the right decision, says Holstine, who first deliberated with her students, administration, and Emma, her wife of two-and-a-half years. The English teacher at Tokata Learning Center, an alternative high school in Shakopee, is the first openly-gay teacher to receive the award. “As a gender nonconforming lesbian, the policies of the Trump administration have been hateful and I see the painful impact in my students,” Holstine, 45, of St. Paul, tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

In particular, Holstine mentions the U.S. Department of Education’s recent revocation of Title IX rights that allow students to use bathrooms that serve their gender expression. “I know transgender students at other school who purposefully don’t eat or drink all day long to avoid using the ‘wrong’ bathroom,” says Holstine.

Dueñas, a first-generation Latina, won for her work at Oldham County Middle School in La Grange, where she worked in special education for four years. She now teaches at W.E.B. DuBois Academy in Louisville, an all-boys middle school whose demographic is 90 percent African American.

“The day after the 2016 election, my former undocumented students came to school crying, worried they would be deported,” Dueñas, 34, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “We also had non-Latino students who chanted, ‘Build the wall.’”

Dueñas’s current students, many from inner city areas, are more fearful of white supremacy. “They know the systemic issues as young black men,” Dueñas tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

Dueñas explained on Tuesday in a press conference with Holstine that her mother moved from Costa Rica to the United States where she once lived as an undocumented citizen. “This administration’s treatment of the Latino community has really broken my heart, the way in which families have been separated at the border — and there are students at the border right now who should be in our classroom,” she said.

“Right now, we are currently under attack in terms of losing public school funding and privatization of our schools,” Dueña said in the conference. “Also, teachers are under attack in terms of their pensions being diminished and changed.” Recently, opposition to pension reform, Kentucky teachers partook in mass sick-outs which forced six school districts to temporarily close, according to NBC News.

Wisconsin Teacher of the Year Sarahi Monterrey went to the White House. “My dad said, ‘I want you to go and I want him to know you were proud to be born in El Salvador,’” the El Salvadorian immigrant who teaches English at Waukesha North High School, told the Star-Tribune. “So I’m in there yesterday and [Trump] gets to me and I said, ‘I’m originally from El Salvador and I’m proud to represent Wisconsin.’ You could tell from his face that he knew what I meant. And he said, ‘Oh, I was just there,’ because he was just in Green Bay for a rally.”

In 2018, President Donald Trump gave the National Teacher of the Year award to Washington educator Mandy Manning. She accepted wearing pins for transgender and LGBTQ rights. (Photo: Getty Images)

Holstine and Dueñas know their colleagues don’t all approve of their boycott. “Some were very excited — we live in a diverse county and our teachers reflect that,” Dueñas tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “Other people were unsure but they still went. I heard it was fun to see the Oval Office.”

However, they stood for their students. “My kids sent me a bunch of hand-clap emojis,” Holstine tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “I represent those who face targeted harassment and discrimination — particularly one Somalian Muslim student who wears a hijab. People yell at her on the street that she’s a terrorist. But she’s the nicest person and gives the best hugs.”

Dueñas tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “Many parents thanked me for not going. My students are still processing the world, so I’m showing them to speak up if you don’t agree with something.”

Last year, reported Politico, President Trump handed the National Teacher of the Year award to Mandy Manning of Washington, who teaches refugee children. To accept, Manning wore pins to represent transgender and LGBTQ rights and the Women’s March. She also gave Trump letters written by her immigrant students.

This year, Rodney Robinson, a social studies teacher at Virgie Binford Education Center in Richmond, Virginia, was named 2019 National Teacher of the Year, according to a press release from the Council of Chief State School Officers, which organizes the event. Robinson has taught for two decades, currently at a juvenile detention center.

“My kids are in survival mode 24/7. And so a lot of times, when they come into the detention center, they're struggling to understand it all...” he told NPR.

Robinson undermined the current administration in a 2018 Ted Talk. "Today, in the face of a government that assaults minorities, that denies the rights of gays, lesbians and transgendered people; a government that separates asylum seeking families and locks their children in cages, it's not the adults who must stand up to these inhumane acts," he said. "It's the children who must lead the way. So rise up, young people, what you do best."

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

Kamala Harris slams Florida's new bill to arm teachers with guns: They 'don’t need a gun. They need a raise.'

Middle school teacher says she was fired over topless selfie sent to boyfriend

School board member apologizes for grabbing teacher by the throat on video: ‘I acted out of fear and self-defense’

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