#it was also heavily pro elitism

[hadesoftheladies]

watching a gentleman in moscow and getting so angry at seeing five black men there because if you really wanted to be progressive you could have added indigenous russian groups like the tatars or buryats or SOMETHING like what is a west african man doing in the tundra that is russia you're gonna make me so ANGR--oh it's written by an american man, of fucking course it is

[workersolidarity]

🇺🇸 🚨

UNITED STATES CONGRESS PASSES SERIES OF ANTI-DEMOCRATIC AND PRO-WAR BILLS DESPITE PUBLIC OPPOSITION

The United States Congress and Senate passed a series of bills, including three controversial anti-democratic and pro-war bills, two of which were tied together, on Saturday, bypassing public opinion and popular opposition to the profligate, pro-war, globalist, Neolib/Neocon agenda currently driving United States domestic and foreign policy.

Included in the bills passed was a bill to force TikTok to divest from its connections with China at risk of being banned immediately, which naturally was tied to a Foreign aid bill.

However, as even Republican Senator Rand Paul mentioned in an opinion piece in Reason Magazine, the Bill is almost certain to lead to more power for American political elites and their administrations to pressure companies like Apple and Google to further ban apps and sites that offer contradictory opinions to that of the invented narratives of the American Political class.

Before long, Americans, many of whom are already poorly informed, and heavily misinformed by their mainstream media, could lose access to critical information that contradicts the narratives of the United States government and corporate elites.

Horrifically, this only the start. The US Congress also extended the newly revised FISA spy laws, which gives the United States government the power to spy on the electronic communications of foreigners, while also conveniently sweeping up the conversations of millions of Americans, as we learned years ago thanks to the sacrifices of whistle blowers and journalists like Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange.

The new FISA Law goes further than this, however, granting US Intelligence agencies the power to spy on the wireless communications of Americans in completely new ways.

A recent Jacobin article describes these new powers as a, "radical expansion of government surveillance that would be ripe for abuse by a future authoritarian leader", or it could just be used by the authoritarian leadership we have right now, and have had for decades.

In fact, when one commentator described the new powers as "Stasi-like," Edward Snowden himself replied with a long post in which he remarked, "invocation of "Stasi-like" is not only a fair characterization of Himes' amendment, it's probably generous. The Stasi dared not even dream of what the Himes amendment provides."

The amendment in question just "tweaks" the current law's definition of an "electronic communication provider," which is being changed to "any service provider," something extremely likely to be abused by the government to force anyone with a business, a modem and people using their broadband to collect the electronic communications of those people, while also forcing their victims into silence.

The government could essentially force Americans to spy on other people and remain silent about it. Cafe's, restaurants, hotels, business landlords, shared workspaces all could get swept up into the investigations of the Intelligence agencies.

Worse still, because picking out the communications of a single user would be next to impossible, all of their victim's data would end up being surrendered to the authorities.

Sadly, the assault on Americans by their own political elites didn't end there, to top this historic day in Congress, at time when the United States public debt is growing at an astounding rate of $1 trillion every 100 days, US lawmakers also passed a series of pro-war aid packages to American allies (vassals) totalling some $95 billion.

Included in the foreign aid bill are aid packages totalling $61 billion for the Ukraine scam, $26 billion for Israel's special genocide operation in the Gaza Strip, and $8 billion to the Indo-Pacific to provoke WWIII with China, at the same time we're also provoking a nuclear holocaust with the Russian Federation.

Also buried in these aid packages is the authorization for the United States government to outright steal the oversees investments of the Russian Federation, and thereby the Russian taxpayers.

Astonishingly, and in direct opposition to the wishes of their own voters, Republican support was won without the possibility of conditioning the aid to any kind of border security, this despite the issue being among the top biggest concerns of Republican voters.

Although much of the money is to be used replenishing the heavily depleted stocks of America's weapons and munitions, it remains unclear where the munitions are expected to come from, as US defense production has remained sluggish and slow to expand despite heavy investments and demand in recent years, despite the rapid urgency with which the policy elite describe the situation.

It bodes poorly for working Americans that only a relatively small handful of lawmakers opposed the bills, producing unlikely bedfellows like Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Mike Lee in the Senate, opposing the FISA bill.

While in the House, the loudest opposition to the foreign aid bill mostly came from populist Republicans such as Marjorie Taylor Greene, Thomas Massie and Paul Goser. Only 58 Congresmembers voted against the Foreign Aid Bill in which the TikTok ban was tucked.

Not one word from American politicians about the need to raise the minimum wage, which hasn't been increased since 2009 despite considerable inflation, nor a word about America's endlessly growing homelessness crises, property crime increases, or the 40-year stagnation of American wages, the deterioration of infrastructure, and precious little was said besides complaints about border security over the immigration crises sparked by American Imperialist adventures and US sanctions.

What we've learned today is that we are highly unlikely to see any changes to the insane behavior of the US and its allies any time soon, neither with regards to the absolutely bonkers Neocon foreign policy leading us to the edge of abyss, nor the spending-for-the-rich/austerity-for-the-poor Neoliberal domestic policy of the last 45 years.

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@WorkerSolidarityNews

Blue: titles are opinion pieces or analysis, and may or may not contain sources.

[grantmentis]

I have no idea who to cheer for in the new league. I loved the Boston Pride but I cannot bring myself to root for the new Boston team right now because of their captain. My NHL team isn't close enough to any of the teams for me to have any geographical reason to follow.

If you had one reason to follow any of the teams, what would it be? Like if someone said "why should I root for this team?" what would you tell them to try to sell them on it?

I might break the one reason thing a little bit my apologies in advance but I’ll keep it brief!

PWHL New York - they’re underdogs and the most blank slate team, not having many nearby college programs. Very fast team with a lot of snipers. Their defense is very fun because it’s all players 26 and younger and then 33 year old SDHL legend Johanna Fällman who made the team out of camp who I think will really be an anchor on a d core with a lot of players who have no/little pro experience. I think this team is also the meanest team (affectionate) if you love some grit. And of course, Corinne Schroeder.

PWHL Minnesota - team for if you like to see prospects turn into stars (or continue to be stars Lol.) As the only Midwest team at the moment I think they’ll have the most foster consistency In the first few years if that is important to you even for players on one year deals. So many players like buchbinder, heise, zumwinkle who’ve been deservedly hyped and performed well in college/internationally making their debut and Minnesota will likely have an advantage getting some of those WCHA players even with the draft. If you’re big into college hockey, this should be your pick.

PWHL Ottawa - if you’re a fan of the global game, this is the team for you. Germany, Japan, Hungary, czechia all represented on this team. With all due respect to Jenner who is fantastic, this will probably heavily be a scoring by committee team and I think has the most balanced forward group in terms of most lines will probably be interchangeable which is something I find very fun. Lexie adzija also is very funny on tiktok

PWHL Toronto - if you’re a big team Canada fan, this is the team for you. Besides having the gm and coaches who were in charge of team Canada, all but two players on their team are Canadian and most have spent some time on either the junior or senior national team. If you’re big into puck moving defenders with good stick handling skills, this team has a lot of them between Flanagan / poulin-labelle / larocque / munroe. This may also be the best dressed team between nurse / Jackson / Flanagan / maltais

PWHL Montreal - if you’re a big analytics nerd and love crazy forechecking and two way forwards, this team is for you. This team is full of beloved veterans and I think both them and Ottawa have a lot of former phf players. Dominika lásková on top of being elite is a bundle of joy

PWHL Boston - I know you said you’re unlikely to root for them but I’ll include em anyway. I’ll admit this is the team that I have the hardest time grasping the identity of, despite all the talent on the roster, but they do look like a team that’s posed to be very consistent throughout the year with some of the best goaltending in the league. That said, my reason for watching them is going to deviate from my other teams. Alina Müller Is a reason to watch on her own, imo, she is the most exciting player in the league and every time she touches the ice is much watch tv.

[transingthoseformers]

OK here are my thoughts on the world building with Megatron insisting on fusion cannon weddings for the bitties.

While Megs is the Champion of Koan, Megatron of Tarn was D-16 long before he was a gladiator and god of war.

So I'm thinking he has some cultural biases from being a Tarnian Miner. And I'd imaging with the danger of the mines and the Functionism very few low caste sparklings had both parents. And they suffered for it. both in terms of being orphaned and lacking legal protections including inheritance rights because their parents weren't permitted to be conjuxed without permission rarely given to miners.

Worse laws came into place that single parent sparklings and sparklings who's parents weren't conjuxed could be taken by the state at any time for any reason under the sun. Clearly non-Forged Sparklings need stable conjuxed families so they could receive the light of Primus not coming from his spark. And Tarn already had a strong taboo about not having a sparkling outside of being conjuxed.

Worse, the right to be conjuxed was something that was slowly being striped from everyone but the elite. The process by Megatron's youth became something you had to pay heavily for. Upper middle cast could still afford it with much saving or borrowing but imagine the cost for the Marriage license instead of being $60 USD the license itself costs the full average price of a wedding $30,000 USD. And the equivalent of a Justice of the Peace wedding cost instead of $120-150 cost $75,000. The lower cast and the lower middle cast are priced out of being able to get conjuxed. For Disposables not only did they need to find the cash, they also needed permission from the one/company who owned their contract and sponsorship/vetting form a Priest of the Thirteen. Said Priest could choose to waive the fee if he felt the applicants were worthy. In theory it's possible but in reality impossible.

All of Prima's Priests have to come from the Priestly Caste. Most of the rest had to as well in practice even if it wasn't forbidden in the holy texts but there is one Priesthood that accepts Mechs outside of the Priestly Cast. Megatronus, god of War only accepts Warriors for Priests. And in Megatron's stint in the Pits of Kaon, some bright spark thought Megatron becoming a fake Priest of Megatronus for publicity would be a great idea, kinda like a preacher gimmick for pro-wrestling. Megatron refused because while he's not overly religious, it gives him bad vibes. Just spiting on the culture of his city and playing into so many stereotypes. Gladiators like all athletes are superstitious. Megatron is able to insist his adamate refusal is to not risk offending his names sake and his city's patron. He doesn't want his streak at the top cursed.

This old Tank, the priest of Megatronus, is nearly offended as Megatron by the idea of presiding over a fake religious ceremony for the Pit. Even if his temple he can't afford to refuse. the Wheels and gears on Meg's head start turning. Being a real priest even of the Fallen would grant him more social clout and freedom of movement. It would also give his nacient Cause a touch more legitimacy.

So when the Priest coldly rises to stalk out, Megatron rises and state he has no intention in taking part in a religiously themed farce, he also has all the qualifications for being an acolyte aspirant to the priesthood which doubles the insult to Tarn and it's patron. Which gets the Priest's attention. Megatron's manager is chased out of his own office while the Priest and Megatron have a very intense talk about Megatron's motivations.

Megs is a silver tonged bastard and the old priest recognized he has a potential brilliant general on his hands. The youngster has given him a chance to maybe eventually put Prima's priesthood in it's place. The manager is being permitted back to his office so the Priest can inform him Megatron is now in training to be a priest of Megatronus and a dispensation is granted for him to do so in Kaon. The Major Rites of course are to be publicly witnessed and broadcast but only in full. This is when Megatron realizes the old mech in front of him is actually the High Priest of Megatronus.

Megatron becomes a priest of Megatronus and is actually, to his embarrassment, the High Priest by both seniority and military rank by the time the cons get to Earth.

So Megatron through a mixture of spite, using the Autobot code against the Autobots(their own laws force them to return the sparkling to their creators or their designated next of kin,) and lingering Tarnish cultural baggage is enforcing you get someone heavy you gotta marry them. It doesn't happen often because sparking is rare any how and baffles are mandatory, but it does happen. Megatron's point on this is absolute. This has resulted in Autobots and Neutrals being taken prisoner so they can "make an honest mech" out of someone, or be "Made an honest mech" if the Deceptacon sparked them up instead. One of the practical reasons why Fraternization is frowned upon by Autobots.

O yes

Let's break tgus down

Makes sense in a dangerous environment growing up Megatron wouldn't see many dual parents and he saw a lot of bullshit, and how this manifests into mandated shotgun weddings

Also I'm biased but a wedding for 30,000 is very ouch imo

This is fascinating because yeah i can totally see this happening in an au, and i can see why it profoundly affected how he wishes to run things

jesus fucking christ megatron as technically priest, technically, is not something i ever expected to read

Megatron:

Megatron: projects childhood onto his faction

Megs is trying, i can see the gears turning and see what he means, but fuck this is a funny way to go about it, that there is a recipe of a person

Like just fucking imagine getting kidnapped and finding out it was because you got someone pregnant, which you didn't know beforehand. Delightful.

This makes me wonder if anyone was actually banking on this in order to marry the love of their live officially looks at kobd

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Ron Kapeas

Published: Jan 8, 2024

JTA — In a speech marking Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend, Rep. Ritchie Torres likened protesters who have celebrated Hamas’s October 7 massacres to white people in the Jim Crow era who celebrated after the lynching of Black people.

“I was profoundly shaken not only by October 7, but by the aftermath,” Torres, a Black Bronx Democrat, said Friday in a speech at Central Synagogue, a prominent Reform congregation in midtown Manhattan. “I found it utterly horrifying. To see fellow Americans openly cheering and celebrating the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. And for me, the aftermath of October 7 revealed a barbarity of the American heart that reminded me of an earlier and darker time in our nation’s history, a time when the public mobs of Jim Crow would openly celebrate the lynching of African Americans.”

Protests have proliferated since October 7, when Hamas terrorists murdered some 1,200 people, kidnapped around 240 and brutalized thousands more in an invasion from Gaza. They have grown as Israel has waged a war in Gaza to eliminate the terror group, and especially as casualties mounted: So far, close to 25,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, which does not differentiate between fighters and non-combatants and is also believed to tally civilians killed by errant rockets fired by terror groups.

A number of the protests have decried the October 7 violence on Israelis, but others have skated over the initial massacres or have embraced Hamas and described its atrocities as resistance.

Torres, a member of the progressive caucus in Congress, has garnered a reputation as an unstinting supporter of Israel. He has duked it out online with fellow progressives in debates over Israel, a dynamic that has only intensified since October 7. Torres is heavily funded by AIPAC and donors aligned with the pro-Israel lobby, and spoke at a massive rally for Israel in Washington on November 14.

In his speech, Torres alluded to the controversies that assailed elite universities after the presidents of Harvard, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pennsylvania told Congress that calls to commit genocide against Jews did not necessarily violate the schools’ codes of conduct. The ensuing uproar drove Harvard’s and Penn’s presidents to resign.

“What we’ve seen in the aftermath of October 7, is appalling silence and indifference and cowardice from so called leaders in our society from institutions that we once respected and admired,” he said. “And if we as a society cannot bring ourselves to condemn the murder of innocents with moral clarity, then we must ask, what are we becoming as a society? What does that reveal about the depths of antisemitism in the American soul?”

I had the honor of delivering the annual MLK sermon at Central Synagogue.  My speech touches on a range of topics and themes: October 7th, Jim Crow, Leo Frank, MLK, Elie Wiesel, silence, indifference, moral clarity, nonviolence, Israel, Am Yisrael Chai, Hatikvah, and hope. pic.twitter.com/stxqxzgyLi — Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) January 16, 2024

Central is a locus for some of the city’s wealthiest liberal Jewish families, many of whom are also firm supporters of Israel. Dr. Shonni Silverberg, the synagogue president, introduced Torres as a champion of progressive priorities as well as an advocate for Israel, and noted that he is the first openly LGBTQ representative elected from the Bronx.

“Ritchie remains steadfastly focused on the priorities of his South Bronx constituents, expanding access to safe and affordable housing, rebuilding New York economically and ensuring that no child goes hungry and that all receive a good education,” she said. “But he has also shown himself both in and out of Congress to be a great friend of the American Jewish community and Israel.”

--

==

I was shocked, but not surprised. Shocked at how openly, how loudly and how quickly pro-Hamas, pro-terrorism supporters emerged from their Postcolonial Studies, Gender Studies, Intersectional Feminism Studies and other fraudulent sewers in the ivory towers long before Israel ever fired a shot back.

I was not surprised, however, since antisemitism is a cornerstone of Intersectionality, as I posted about more than two years ago:

I naïvely expected that they'd go, "whoa, we didn't mean it like that, that's not what we were after," the standard No True Scotman tactic to distance their enlightened antisemitism from the antisemitism of murderous Islamic jihadists.

But they went the other way and leaned into it, cheering it on, while others tried to gaslight everyone with the usual array of denials that they weren't saying what they were openly saying, and that anyway, if they were saying it, that's not what they meant.

[theyareweird]

My Hero Academia: Tenya Ida —Aesthetic

The Turbo Hero: Ingenium's Character & Personality

Tenya is a student at U.A. High and is training to become a Pro Hero. At first, he looks severe, unfriendly and intimidating. In reality, Tenya is straightforward, earnest, intelligent, sophisticated, disciplined and noble. However, he's a bit clueless about personal interactions due to his elite upbringing. Tenya generally expresses hyperactive and intense behavior. He often exhibits plenty of peculiar tics, like moving his arms in strange chopping patterns or sometimes twitching his body uncontrollably. Yet, Tenya rarely sheds his usual strict expression. He takes everything quite seriously. Tenya is also known for habitually jumping to conclusions, then enthusiastically speaking or acting based on said conclusions. Furthermore, he always attempts to heavily immerse himself into practical exercises. Tenya plays his part as a hero or villain in an overly theatrical manner, as an attempt to appear more authentic. He's extremely dedicated to his studies. Tenya is always eager to learn new things, regardless of whether they have anything to do with Heroics. As Class 1-A's representative, he's obsessed with organization and discipline. Tenya expects his classmates to follow suit with his usually loud and overbearing nature. At the same time, he takes responsibility for the safety and guidance of his classmates in times of crisis. Tenya considers it his duty to protect and keep them away from dangerous situations. He knows how to quickly respond to emergencies, downplay panic and disorder among bystanders. Tenya is quite humble. He's willing to admit to his mistakes, apologize for rude behavior and improve in areas he lacks. Tenya values honor and fair play. He'll become outraged if he's being manipulated by more selfish personalities. Being part of the highly-esteemed Ida Family, Tenya is proud of his lineage and works hard to meet his expectations. He greatly admires his older brother and aspires to become a similar hero.

[xxrainshadowsxx]

New Elite Chapter 5

I know this is late, but this chapter was a bitch to write. But, I've managed something I'm happy with, so I hope the wait will have been worth it.

As the day of your next scheduled meeting with Mr. Onceler loomed closer, your mind grew ever more scrambled. You’d carefully laid out the pros and cons to both accepting and declining his offer, yet this didn’t bring you the clarity you seeked. No, if anything, it only made you more confused.

On one hand, this would save you. He could keep you from poverty. There were no pretenses with him, no guessing as to what he wanted. He was honest. In the wolf's den of society, true honesty was a rare gift indeed. The truthfulness might be brutal at times, but it was still present.

Could you live with him? Most likely. As insufferable as you often found him to be, he wasn’t vile. You could have conversations with him, and you didn’t even have to worry about minding your tongue; you couldn’t do that with anyone else in the world other than Nellie. He was also young, which was a huge boon for you. Your fears of being forced to marry an old man would be alleviated. 

You could only find one real con; unfortunately, it was a severe problem. Your mother would never accept it. You could lay out all of the explanations Mr. Onceler had given you, as well as any of your own, and still she’d never be swayed. For as much as she often complained you were stubborn, she was even worse in that regard. Doing this behind her back might be so big a betrayal as to cause an estrangement.

You didn’t want that. As much as your mother could annoy you at times, as much as she attempted to dictate your life, she was still your mother. You still loved her. You recognized that she was the way she was because she didn’t know any different. You also didn’t want to leave her alone if this did lead to an estrangement. You would attempt to support her, no matter what, but would she even accept Mr. Onceler’s money? How deep did her prejudices run?

As such, your week was nothing short of agonizing. You felt as though your mind changed at least once an hour, and even sleeping brought no respite; you woke several times in the night, tormented with indecision.

Of course, you couldn’t keep this from Nellie, who was quick to notice and call you out on your new behavior patterns. At first, you attempted to keep it from her, insisting you were fine. But on the third day after Mr. Onceler’s proposition, after she threatened to tell your mother you hadn’t been sleeping, you broke down, weeping in her arms, and telling her everything.

“Nellie, I don’t know what to do,” you moan after your explanation. “He’s offering me more than I could ask for, and I never thought the decision would be mine. And now that it is, I find myself almost wishing it wasn’t. It’s too much, Nellie, what if I make the wrong choice? What if I say no and we never get another shot and we’re left on the street?” you wail.

Nellie sighs heavily. “Miss, you know the choice you want to make. We both know it. You’re just scared of actually making it, if you don’t mind me saying. You’re scared of declaring your decision out loud since you’ve never had that luxury before. But I think you might need to,” she says gently.

Once again, she’s able to articulate your thoughts much better than you can do it yourself. And yet, the fear is still there, causing your lip to tremble. Nellie reaches out and covers your hand with hers. “Talk to your mother,” she advises. “The relationship will be easier to mend if you take steps now instead of hiding this from her until she can’t stop it.” With that, Nellie takes her leave, leaving you thoroughly admonished.

If you said yes, how on earth were you ever going to tell her? And yet, how could you keep it from her? She would hardly fail to notice if gifts came for you, or if you left the house for seemingly unexplained hours to meet with him, and of course, she would be eagle-eyed to his preference for you at any event. If these steps weren’t taken and you announced an engagement without a formal courtship, that would be a scandal to all of New York. You didn’t know if it would be easier to let her know as soon as possible, in which case she would do everything in her power to end it, or wait until an eventual engagement did come, deal with the scandal, but give her less opportunity to ruin the one and only choice you’d ever been given.

Or you could simply avoid it altogether, reject him, and let your fortunes fall where they may. But even with the preference Mr. Hunte had clearly shown you, you couldn’t shake the feeling that Mr. Onceler was giving you the best offer you were going to get.

Nellie clearly thought you were going to accept. That was obvious from her initial advice, and from her insinuations in the following days. Any chance the two of you were away from  your mother’s ears, she’d make some sort of mention that the two of you, together, needed to tell her sooner rather than later. The very thought of doing so made you sick to the stomach.

And before you were ready, before you could make a definitive decision, Saturday arrived, and he would be waiting for you at Central Park. You had to meet him. Whatever you ended up choosing, you felt you at least owed him an answer to his face at this point.

Fate decided to smile a little on you, at the very least. Saturday found your mother bedridden with one of her frequent headaches. While you normally felt sorry for her, today it was a blessing in disguise. It would make leaving the house so much easier. You didn’t like to think of what you were doing as sneaking about, but that wasn’t far from the truth.

You were more nervous than you’d ever been in your life, even more than prior to your debutante, as you had Nellie pin your hair into a hat. Your mind was still split in two, and no last minute certainty came to you. In the face of your choice, your future was murkier than ever.

“I suppose that’ll do, Nellie,” you sigh as she finishes, finding no more reason to stall. You couldn’t be late, you didn’t want him to think you weren’t coming at all, but you also wanted time to slow, even cease altogether. You were beginning to be a little too accustomed to being in two different frames of mind simultaneously.

“Good luck, miss,” Nellie hums. “You’ll make the right choice. You’ve got a good head on your shoulders; it shan’t let you down now.” You simply nod, not trusting yourself to speak.

Before you can talk yourself out of it, you head out the door, being mindful to stay quiet so as not to alert your mother. You keep your head lowered, hoping that the wide brim of the hat you’d insisted on would help give you a little bit of anonymity. If your mother was going to find out about this, it would be much better coming from you than gossiping with the other ladies of New York.

Far too quickly, you make it to the park, and your feet carry you along the path as though they have a mind of their own. And there he is, sitting on a bench, and you still aren’t sure of what you’re going to say.

He stands when he sees you approach, not exactly looking surprised, but definitely pleased. He opens his mouth, but before he can say anything you blurt out, “Why me?”

You can tell that the question catches him off guard, and you didn’t know until you saw him that you needed it answered. You hasten to explain yourself. “There are dozens of girls in New York alone with good names, and I find it impossible to believe all of these families have squandered their fortunes. I can offer you nothing but a name, and with an antagonistic mother, I must be more trouble than I’m reasonably worth. So before I make my decision, I must know. Why are you so determined to win me when you could have anyone?”

He looks utterly taken aback, the first time you’ve seen him in such a state, but he recovers quickly. “I’ve met several upper-class women over the past year,” he says slowly. “When I wasn’t growing my business, I was at some event or another, attempting to bolster my reputation. And all of the single women were exactly the same: vain, vapid, and giggly. They couldn’t string two intelligent words together if their lives depended on it. I confess, it drove me mad.”

You frown slightly at him. “It sounds as if you are an utter tyrant towards women, sir,” you say, your tone turning a bit icy. “It’s a wonder you want to be married at all.”

“I’ve already explained my reasons for needing a marriage. I’m not going to repeat myself,” he huffs. “Now, back to the point at hand. As for why I chose you, you were the first socialite I’ve met who had brains along with a pretty face. I would like to be able to come home at the end of the day and be able to have an intelligent conversation with my wife. You may delight in insulting me, but I would take insults and wit over vapidity any day.”

“I still believe you’re being too harsh,” you sniff. “I’m hardly more intelligent than my peers. I’m just worse at controlling my tongue than they are.”

His lip curls into an amused smile. “Perhaps. But I’m not guaranteed their tongues would loosen upon marriage, or if I really would be marrying someone completely useless. With you, I know exactly what I’m getting myself into. Now, I have given you my answer. What is yours?”

You can feel the word ‘no’ rise to the tip of your tongue. Now that it’s come down the moment you’ve been dreading, it suddenly seems very easy. You simply can’t face estrangement from the only family you’ve ever known to gamble your lot with who remains essentially a stranger.

“Yes.”

The word flies out of your mouth before you’re fully aware of what you’re saying. And when your mind finally does register the enormity of what you’ve just done, you almost take it back.

But you can’t. You can’t make the words come out of your mouth. And now that you’ve accepted his offer, you don’t want to take it back. And for the life of you, you cannot fathom why not.

Mr. Onceler, however, seems to either not notice or he’s choosing to ignore the chaos you’ve just caused inside yourself. The first real smile you’ve seen from him splits his face, which only further solidifies your decision, before he’s able to school his features back to neutrality. “Excellent,” he says simply, but his façade has been broken, even if just for a moment. He was genuinely happy.

Which makes you feel guilty when you know you’re about to dampen his enthusiasm. “We should probably decide quickly what we’re going to do about my mother,” you remind him. “She’s not going to like this. And we can hardly keep a formal courtship a secret; she’s bound to notice. Unless you were planning on keeping the entire courtship a secret until a possible engagement and cause a scandal, which I sincerely hope was not your plan.”

“For starters, I don’t plan on having a long courtship before getting engaged,” he says, the devilish smirk returning to his face. Insufferable as ever. “And while I don’t feel the need to have a formal announcement, I would like some of your attention at any events that might come up. As long as your mother is sufficiently distracted, I should be able to steal some of your time.”

“And how do you propose to keep her distracted?” you huff impatiently. “My mother still treats me like a child. She watches me close as a hawk.”

“Fortunately, I have a friend who’s more than willing to help,” he grins. “I’ve already learned that this friend is quite good at distracting your mother, as well as anyone else who happens to be in my way.”

You’re about to ask what on Earth he means, but the answer dawns on you before the question falls from your lips. Mrs. Ryan. Of course. Any time he wanted your attention at the last event, she had initiated a conversation with either your mother or Thomas Hunte, leaving Mr. Onceler free to steal you away. While not a foolproof plan, it was something, and Mrs. Ryan could talk for hours. As long as you weren’t overt, you might just get through your courtship without your mother suspecting a thing.

“I suppose that can work,” you acquiesce slowly. “However, if she does begin to suspect something, I would like to tell her, before she hears it through gossip. And we must say something if we do get engaged. If she hears that from someone before we go to her, it will cause an estrangement. I would like to avoid that at all costs.”

“Of course,” he agrees, though there’s still a twinkle in his eye that you’re not sure how to interpret. “I shall defer to your judgment in regards to your mother. I’m not trying to make an enemy of her, but I must say, I hold you and your opinion in much higher regard. You’ve somehow escaped the usual socialite curse, despite your upbringing. That gives me hope that your mother will eventually see sense.”

You wish you shared his optimism. You knew that when you said yes into entering this courtship, your mother would be furious when she inevitably found out. You can only hope and pray that your circumstances would prevent her from cutting you off altogether. You couldn’t bear losing her like that. Which reminded you of something…

“I should be getting home,” you murmur. “She doesn’t know I left. I don’t want to raise her suspicions so soon.”

“Allow me to escort you home?” he asks, offering his arm to you. You almost decline before remembering the deal you just made. Courtships were meant to lead to engagements. To end one could permanently damage your reputation. You didn’t want to give him any reason to end things, and thus, you had no reason to not accept his offer.

Therefore, after just a moment’s hesitation, you place your hand in the crook of his arm, allowing him to lead you out. You say very little, but the silence is comfortable rather than suffocating. Your thoughts were loud enough; you didn’t think you could handle a full conversation.

It seems like a very short time indeed before you reach the door of your home. You glance up at the windows, but your mother’s bedroom still has the curtains drawn tight. You let out a small, almost inaudible, sigh of relief.

You turn to Mr. Onceler, expecting a goodbye. “I hope I shall see you soon,” he murmurs, and you lift the back of your hand for him to kiss it.

He doesn’t. Instead, he bends and places a soft, swift kiss to your cheek. Before you can even process what on earth just happened, he puts his hat back on his head and walks down the street, leaving you beside yourself.

You lift your hand to the spot where his lips had touched, as if they had made a mark you needed to cover. You can feel your face burning crimson. A kiss on the back of the hand was one thing. A kiss on the cheek was something different entirely, and for him to be so brazen as to do it in public… oh, you could just melt from embarrassment right where you stood.

Oh, Lord, what were you going to do if someone saw that? There was no way it wouldn't get back to your mother, and such an ostentatious display would mean you would have to marry him sooner rather than later to protect any shred of your dignity, whether she liked it or not. No one else would risk another courtship, much less an engagement with you, if that went through the gossip mill.

And a small, nagging part of you wonders if that's exactly why he did it. For as much as he parroted that this was your choice, he was marking you as his. That choice, which you still weren't 100% certain of, was now permanent.

You're still standing, frozen as a statue, when Nellie opens the door a crack. “Miss! You must get inside,” she hisses. You blink, then manage to turn and slip in the house.

“Thank goodness,” Nellie breathes as she closes the door. “I've been checking every five minutes for you for the last half an hour. The mail came, and I'm not sure how much longer I could have stalled from bringing it to your mother.”

“Why didn't you?” you question as you take off your wrap. “I hardly think that delivering the mail would cause such a fuss.”

“You'll want to hear this first,” Nellie insists as she presses an envelope into your hand. Your curiosity piqued, you take the letter out and shake it open. Your eyes scan over its contents, though it takes a few read-throughs for the information to fully sink into your mind.

“Oh,” you say softly as you finally grasp the reality of the situation. The letter was an invitation for a ball for you and your mother to attend, your first major event since your debutante.

And the ball was being hosted by the Hunte's.

“What was your decision?” Nellie whispers. “Is this… going to be a problem?”

“Yes. It will,” you confirm. “I agreed to the courtship, but we both decided to forgo a formal announcement. If my mother finds out before we're fully engaged, she will try to stop it, no matter the harm it could do to my reputation. We had a plan in place to stay quiet at events, but if Thomas Hunte makes an offer to my mother, she will accept. And it would rock l all of society, trying to smoothe over the kind of scandal that would cause.”

“I told you, you should have already spoken with your mother,” Nellie chides. “How much damage could she do, realistically? You've already accepted his offer of courtship. Could she really change that when you've already given consent?”

You nod grimly. “If I stay in the courtship after she denounces it, or declares that it was made without her prior approval, I fear she would never speak to me again. I must wait until this reaches an engagement. She would not risk breaking something that big. That would ensure our destruction. And then, I'll just have to try and convince her to stay private with her displeasure.”

Nellie sighs heavily. “Well, you must do what you think is best. I just hope that this will not turn into a situation you regret. I still say you're playing with fire.”

“I know I am,” you murmur. “I realize how delicate the situation is. And I'm doing my best to manage it. But if I had done things the way she wanted, we might have been left off worse than we are now. How many other men would agree to a marriage after realizing I barely have a dowry. How many others would agree to support my mother for the rest of her life? He's giving me more than I knew to ask for, and keeping our financial worries discreet. I would've been a fool not to accept.” As you speak, you realize you're not just convincing Nellie, but yourself as well. And it is working. At this moment, you feel very assured in your decision.

Why you feel that way, however, you aren't entirely sure. By all rights, you should be feeling worse than ever. You knew you were going to be coming up against extremely challenging weeks, perhaps months; however long it took him to propose. You didn't like lying; you had never given much of an opportunity to practice.

And yet, there was some comfort given to you, this overwhelming feeling that you would come out alright on the other side. Despite your mother's best attempts to squash certain things out of you, you'd always been an advocate for women being afforded more rights than they were often given. Now that you'd met someone who was giving you even a small taste of freedom to make your own choices, you found yourself clinging to it. With Mr. Onceler, you might have a small chance of having a bit of a say in your own life. With that in mind, you turn back to Nellie.

“Nell, whatever you say, I've made my choice. I've never been allowed to do that before,” you attempt to explain. “My new courtship, as fragile as some of the conditions surrounding it are, is at least giving me choice. I must keep it. It is a blessing that I had not realized I desperately craved.”

Nellie sighs heavily again. “You know you always have my support,” she begins slowly. “So, I shall help you in whatever way I can. If this is so precious to you, I shouldn't like to see you lose it.” She chews her lip, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “It's just… do you love him?” she asks in a whisper.

It's your turn to let out a sigh of your own. “No,” you state blandly. “But I don't need love. I never imagined marrying for love. He's giving me security, which is the most important thing, and even a little bit of a voice. And though he vexes me from time to time, I believe I can live with him. It's more than I expected. I shall not be so selfish as to wish for love on top of everything.” You give Nellie a quick hug, something you'd never do if your mother were there, but you couldn't be bothered to care at present. The confidante Nellie was to you was priceless.

And whatever happened next, she would stand with you. It was a rich thing, to know you wouldn't be going into this alone. For it was indeed into the unknown that you were surely travelling.

[balloons-in-bold]

To Bring Forth Sweetness: A Prophet Slain

Part two of three in my series on growing up in a cult.

For further context you can read my the artist statement for part one here https://www.tumblr.com/balloons-in-bold/756747631527624704/a-struggle-in-secret-the-wedding-riddle-part-one?source=share

Growing up in a cult can be really damaging. I struggled through many confusing and lonely times, but there was also a lot of good. Everything joyous and nurturing about my childhood was a result of my parent’s mindful parenting. The choices they made can be traced back to their experience in the cult, and their desire to give us better than they were given. Harsh parenting, high control structures, and the inability to rely on family during their upbringing manifested conversely in an environment for us of love and support, a healthy celebration of novel experiences and guilty pleasures, and a rock solid family unit that could weather any storm.

And storms we did weather. After leaving my birthplace of Brazil, we moved to Taiwan, a locale that felt far more like home to my parents who had spent so many years in Asia before I was born. My mom grew up in Macau and met my dad during his time in Japan. Two years after making the move to Taiwan, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake rocked the island, displacing us and tens of thousands of others from their homes. While staying in refugee camps, my parents, displaying a rugged resilience cultivated by the cult’s outsider status, immediately got to work lifting people’s spirits with songs, clown shows, and distributing balloons. 

Twisting balloons was a widely taught skill in the cult, both as a way of making money, and as a form of community outreach. Balloons, music, and selling literature were the primary modes of support for many large commune homes due to the cult’s restrictive policies heavily discouraging the working of regular “systemite” jobs. Despite Asia being home in their hearts, my parents had to move us to America, to seek medical care for various health problems they were struggling with. Ever since the early days of the cult, David Berg prophesied a coming doom and destruction for America, which he styled as the whore of Babylon from Revelations 17. He preached against the relentless wars waged in foreign nations, and against the complacency of the American Evangelical churches in ignoring Jesus’s more radical teachings of asceticism and acceptance, styling himself as an iconoclast and table flipper in the image of Jesus rebuking the Pharisee establishment. I still carry these sentiments with me today. I was fed anti-America messaging throughout publications and music which worked with the isolating, not-of-this-world lifestyle to create an identity of elite separation from the country in which we lived. This, despite the often comically rabid christian-nationalist, pro Imperialist content found in the a-Beka homeschool curriculum we used. Cognitive dissonance and lack of certainty in what I was being taught would be an ever growing thorn in my worldview throughout my time in the cult. More important than the inconveniently present patriotism, was the lack of education about evolution in our curriculum. More than any other outside teaching, evolution was maligned as the most evil and dehumanizing work of Satan that we had to be indoctrinated against. As a supplement to the homeschooling material, we were given the Kent Hovind creationist seminars, which I, an enthusiastic student of science, practically memorized by heart. Many things could have ended up catalyzing my doubts in college, but learning about evolution from an unbiased perspective had me realizing I couldn’t rely on the trust I had in the worldview that had been forced on me, and the only way forward was to reevaluate everything from the ground up. I wrote in the previous part in this series on the isolation and loneliness I experienced as a result of being homeschooled. The limited opportunities for socialization was made up for with an encouragement of extracurricular learning. Since an early age I was taught how to teach myself, utilizing the library system, internet forums, and pirated software. I became skilled in Photoshop, 3D modeling, music, and eventually balloons.

Balloon twisting was a skill taught to me at the age of 16 by my parents. Many ex-cult members have negative feelings about balloons due to its association with the cult, but I value the connection as the convenient illustration of the unique circumstances throughout my family history that led to me being the person I am today. A history tracing back to my great grandfather, David Berg, who got his start preaching to wayward hippies at Huntington Beach in the late 60s. As well intentioned as the group may have started out, the radical views on sex that “Grandpa” developed, when combined with the all encompassing authoritarian nature of the cult he created, led to some truly stomach churning abuses. I was shielded by abuse in part due to the careful parenting of my parents, and due to the doctrinal overhauls that took place in previous generations after much international backlash and public scrutiny. A story of institutionalized abuse, coverup, reform, and gaslighting that I uncovered piece by piece as I was given more freedom to read the cult’s antiquated teachings. David Berg kept his likeness hidden for much of the cult’s existence in order to evade consequences for the abuses he perpetrated and made commonplace. Only after his passing did the cult release a photo book so his many thousands of followers could finally know the leader they’d been so dedicated to. When in hiding, his appearance was substituted with a friendly and wise old anthropomorphic lion character. This is the lion I would render in balloon form, to burn the man in effigy, mixing both crucifixion and heretic-at-the-stake imagery, a fitting end to such a self-styled rebel prophet. Out of his disemboweled corpse flows honey, like honey from the lion’s carcass that Samson would construct his riddle around. The honey meets with a hexagonal honeycomb pattern composed entirely of classic balloon dogs. The iconographic symbol of balloon art, connecting my family’s past in the cult with the medium I sculpt with today. The large 6 x 7 foot painting that makes up the background is a more abstract form of the sculpture’s themes of beauty and goodness derived from chaos and despair. The various textures are created using many different techniques and acrylic mediums. Palette knives, piping bags, and custom hexagon silicone molds were used with modeling paste, acrylic gels, and crackle paste to evoke the gore and viscera of a decaying corpse alongside the life and structure of a buzzing beehive.

Working on a project over both the long and short term, with paintings that take months, and balloon sculptures that take days, puts in perspective the complexity of understanding someone’s story. To truly understand someone, you need to take in both their immediate lived and felt experiences, and the sometimes long and complicated history and context within which those events take place. Creating this balloon sculpture for display while also setting up the rest of my exhibition posed more of a challenge than if I were to have worked solely in private. But it  all came together and I’m glad so many people got a chance to see it in person. There will be one final balloon sculpture/painting part in the series but I’ll be taking my time with it and setting up an event sometime in the future for its exhibition. Maybe as part of a group show; we’ll see. 

[corpsesrottinginacelestialgarden]

Welcome to our blog! This is our "get to know us" post. Our DNI is under the cut.

We are a system. When we put a name saying a specific thing on our posts, those are alters speaking with their respective names labeled. Our system is fictive-heavy. We will do our best to tag those posts as "Postal System Speaks." Our fictive alters may quote or reference their source material, talk like their source material for a joke, and occasionally talk like their source material briefly for creative/artistic reasons. They might even roleplay as the character of their source material from time to time. Most of us think role-playing can be fun, but we want people to understand that they are talking as different people in the system, not a singular guy roleplaying a bunch of characters.

We don't feel comfortable sharing everyone's names. The alters that are generally present most often on here (who will sorta share their names/sources) are several P1 Dudes, Postal 1 Demons, P2 Dudes, Redux Dudes, and Redux Demons. We have a lot of doubles, as in repeats of the same character source material for a fictive. (Made up example: having 7 different P1 Dudes.) We will not share their more personal names/nicknames publicly. Most are he/him unless otherwise specified. We often don't always know who is fronting, however. It's not always easy to detect.

We reblog and plan to post art and special effects makeup that may sometimes involve fake gore/blood/violence. We will do our best to add trigger warnings, but we may forget sometimes on accident. We're heavily into horror. If these things are an issue for you to see, you may not want to follow us.

We may be making and posting music+sound effects eventually.

DNI: Minors, racists, sexists, ableists, LGBTQ+-phobes, body shamers, fascists, pro-authoritarians, etc. Anything that involves being an "ist" or a "phobe" is a hard no.

If we accidentally interact with, like, or reblog something/someone from our DNI criteria, just know it was an honest mistake. In fact, you could let us know! We wanna be aware.

NO TCC/Columbiners! We literally can't tell the difference between who is simply studying and who is romanticizing/condoning things. There are too many folks being dishonest as hell about it on this platform, interacting with our posts. Block us, or we'll block you. Either way, we're not interested in your engagement. To the ones that condone: Go fuck yourself. Your favorite killer is not Postal Dude. RWS does not like you. We do not like you.

Likes:

-People who strive for authenticity and personal growth through a healthy sense of accountability.

-People who care about the importance of mental health and human psychology.

-Openly passionate neurodivergent people. Though, we like passion in general.

~Music~

-Metal (No subgenre is off limits. Fuck elitism. We love experimental genre mixing.)

-Grind, Beatdown Hardcore, Mathcore, Goregrind, Deathgrind,

-Goth Rock, Darkwave, Coldwave, Deathrock, Post-Punk, and pretty much any dark gothy ethereal synthy stuff

-Aggrotech, Dark Electro, Elecrtro-Industrial, and some other things we can't recall right now.

-Prog Rock, experimental rock

-Memphis Rap, Boom Bap, G-Funk, Chopped and Screwed, and Phonk

-We occasionally enjoy Pop.

-We like atmospheric/audio soundscapes and concept albums.

-We love listening to video game soundtracks. Our go-to is usually Silent Hill 1-4, Postal 1+Redux, or TES: Oblivion. We are also big on the God of War soundtracks.

~Games~

-Horror/Dark Thriller (We are complete goblins about all things horror). We go nuts for psychological themes.

-Action Adventure/ARPGs with well-fleshed out storylines. Old school Point and Click Adventure games.

-FPS, 3PS, and Twin-stick Shooters

-Stealth

-Puzzle

-Relaxing Sanboxy stuff

-This isn't a genre, but anything that poses major philosophical questions gets us going.

~Movies~

-Horror/Thriller

-Adventure

-Comedy

-Sci-fi

-Fantasy

-Documentaries

Dislikes:

-Sports

-The vast majority of current political discourse online. We have our own political beliefs. We just don't like getting into arguing and fighting with people over it online. Obviously, we dislike bigotry. We would describe ourselves as anarchists with a strong interest in humanitarian aid.

-People that disregard healthy boundaries.

-People that justify cruel or unjust behavior under the guise of being a "good person."

-People who refuse to acknowledge the difference between empathizing with/understanding a perspective and condoning it.

-If you romanticize serial killers or mass shooters in any capacity, get the hell away from us. We are not your friends. We have zero tolerance for this. No, Postal Dude, a character written with a deliberately anti-violence message, is not just like your favorite mass shooter. Get professional help, bud. We will not harass you nor encourage harm to you, but if you are forcing your views into the Postal fandom, we will say something about it.

-Proshippers: We will not harass or attack you as that serves no purpose, but we also will not tolerate you justifying harmful paraphilias.

-Syscourse: We are traumagenic. We find people/systems being incredibly cruel to each other on both sides of the argument. Abusing, harassing, and fake claiming is not ok to do. This stands no matter how frustrating or misinformed some people may be over system related information. Human psychology is still in its infancy in terms of understanding the complexities of many disorders.

[cornus27florida]

Hogwarts AU Lore - dive deep

Basically my fanart of GwenDerick in hogwarts AU make me thinks of HC story' but IDK if I ever realizes it to be true TBH.. (something to do before going to bed but can't due to me waiting for my energy in Hogwarts Mystery recharge)

Talk about the tags first there!!

Tags:

Mutual pining (Frederick the protagonist of this story instead the Canon CPC where he's the deuteragonist) is fancying Gwen, unaware that Gwen fancies him too as 'the only boy that could be awakes in History of Magic lectures' + very cute hunk that loves shared favorite books

Romance: come mainly from Gwen/Frederick, and the grudging respect-to-lovers Prez/Whitney & Leopold/Jamie, tired to be perfect/accepting the flaws Blaine/Maria, and Triad Quidditch Aces - Lorena Chaser, Lance Keeper, Suzy Beater

Nerd duo that loves ToRT, Monika/Orson

The Divination model student/the Charm model student Nell/Jolie

The counsellors couple SyRon [So.. 7 ships? Well actually 8 haha math sucks)

Mystery and Drama (in short, CPC main goal is to search the Clam then destroy it - unaware that their 2 'missed recruits' is holding the biggest key leads as Gwen's father is the one that hides it and know the exact location while Frederick's father secretly makes 'private dark organization' to sought the Clam's unlimited knowledge power - idk how to lead it to that far

That fic will become pro all Plaid x Pastel thou (except LeoMie cuz it different kingdoms) - Why? Cuz;

make note that not only I am changing age so does years, their persona are also different than CPC Canon - as for example in the world of them inside becomes witches and wizards , so is not making sense to have Frederick still thoughts Gwen as a witch while could makes Freddie fancies Gwen from early on (in their 4th year! It makes Frederick 15 while Gwen 14)

CPC in this story isn't acronym for Cursed Princess Club but "Cursed People Club'" because kingdoms in this story doesn't exist, but Hogwarts are 'elite school' - that the students there come from Houses of Families (also they're 'so assorted' like various races skins etc but generally no difference which bloodline they are, IK it's make no blood purity bigotry but well gotta make things simple and the goal of this story unlike Canon HP after all)

Btw the houses (not inside the Hogwarts, but of families) is still the name of article/element of clothes so we have House of Monochrome for example (same analogy with Sirius' Family, House of Black)

all the interactions and relationship building happened 'naturally' not like CPC which happened due to arranged/forced/accidental event ~> well tbh not all meetings like that but well it dominating like yk arranged marriage, accidental meeting between Whitney and Frederick? Is not happening here, their first meeting is formal one at the first gathering of CPC in room of requirement

Also in this story, curses are not affecting the person's life as heavily as Canon CPC - not because it could be cured easily but because it's more on normality. Because when 'practising' magics, the example of one becomes 'permanently' older looking is not something that grave situation but more like "ouch it happen.. dw you'll lives on and even it not cured we'll understand and accept you in society"

But cursed people also could 'hiding' themself in sense to not inconveniences other (like Aurelia's and Renee situation that granted permission to no need eating in public a.k.a the great hall, because one'll disintegrate utensils (although here it easily fixed with reparo charm) and one will throws out frogs any time she 'talks' - hence the reason they're BFF in this story although in different houses which is Hufflepuff and Slyterin: they're eating at the kitchen together

I haven't fleshed out details about how CPC members become cursed (as no kingdoms, no kidnapping little princess for being a pet crow for example) so some things will differentiate

Also I am WhitPernia shipper and I like to not have them started with wrong foot as Whitney accidentally cursing Calpernia - but they're indeed have a "troubled, mysterious past" - yet they're choosen by the headmaster/mistrrss as respective head boy and head girl with special mission that explained in the next paragraph…

Headmaster/mistress secretly gives mission to respected head boy and head girl to forcing a secret group to find a highly coveted powerful artifact - the Omniscient Clam, and sought to destroy it. It's inherited secret task but always failed till Prez and Whitney decides to taking advantage of their situation being cursed.

Apparently, in this story cursed people could 'detects' curses either be it from people or things - like as being cursed people gives them ability to identifying curses - with various degree and methods (so it's incomparable, cursed people just feels 'curse' without standarized way which make results varied - and curses comes from anything, anywhere, and always changing

I've already imagined how the first meeting go for CPC! Ofc it happened at the Room of Requirement

Frederick mistaken as a cursed people because his exclaim when got a howler from Leland which resulting to him get kicked out from the library being heard by Prez' spider "Urgh, I feel cursed!" - without hearing the next part about mocking Leland silently

While Gwen due to her appearance, unlike half-breed of any 'beasts' known so far in the story world (Braided Island in this story is the origin place of the cursed artifact of the Omniscient Clam and so isolated - only Jack ever visits it with a Professor that inviting Lilyth to study at Hogwarts decades ago)

Our main couple mistaken as cursed makes the CPC wary at first, but this about story of developments and twists - the members that likely not knowing anything actually the jackpot to fullfilling secret mission from headmaster

Non CPC couple (LeoMie, Blaine/Maria, Lorena/Lance/Suzanna) kinda becomes background couples but integral to the story -

they are realizing their youngest siblings gone so often routinely and becomes close with assorted people espc the head boy and head girl

prob the story could leads to Gwen and Frederick trying to give any 'reasons' to hides what CPC is

~ while at the same time realized their father is the key leads to CPC's mission

Also like Canon CPC, CPC in this story is the sanctuary for cursed people hanging out together and feels stronger together

Cursed people in this story have more lightened burden at the society than canon, but doesn't mean the support system' no neededthe moral story' also differs a bit from the Canon CPC which is 'learning relationship of self-love with hunt of romantic love' -> imho it could be: your parents aren't defined you, Power isn't everything, cursed people have feelings toowelp not really romance hahaha also sorry if those ships is not what the readers like, like the Triad if Lorena and Lance and Suzy!

[eventiderpg]

Eventideevent05: The Aftermath

The night of day sixty soon turns into day sixty-seven of the rebellion. A week flies by quickly. Rebel forces were able to make their way through the tribute center with minimal casualties, saving each captive as well as Calista Hearting, Natalia Morrissey, Sarah Kline, and Tiberius Germaine. Most of the list freely roam District Thirteen now.

Wind of the security breech has also made its way around The Capitol. It's broadcasted that the insurgence has kidnapped tributes, victors, and elites to suffer the same fate that Thea Ellis had previously warned Panem about. This has shaken many, especially those who reside in The Capitol. Nobody other than those on the ground truly know what happened the night of day sixty.

Roles:

Plutarch Heavensbee - Command: Plutarch will be in constant contact with those in The Capitol as well as relaying information directly to President Coin.

Beetee Latier - Hacker: Well-versed in technology, the hackers will terminate the prison hall’s security system and target the CCTV control room. The hackers will warn the soldiers of any approaching danger.

Cressida Astor - Filming: The buildup of the flight to The Capitol as well as the return to District Thirteen had been recorded for propos.

Brutus Steele & Cadence Kentwell - Sniper: On the rooftop of a neighboring building, the snipers will act as lookout and alert the soldiers if Peacekeepers arrive or if any other suspicious activity occurs.

Effie Trinket & Haymitch Abernathy - Communication: Working from District Thirteen, communication will work as a step between Command and the higher-ups of District Thirteen to relay information.

Ezra Klair & Juniper - Soldiers: Using the information gained by the scouts, they will tread forth afterwards and take down any Capitol troops that stand between them and the captives. Secondary to this, they can also lead captives to the pro-rebel hovercraft.

Johanna Mason & Sterling Whitvale - Assists: These are soldiers whose primary objective will be to take captives and navigate them to the pro-rebel hovercraft.

There is potential for additional muses and roles to be added.

OCCURANCES:

Following the bombing of District Thirteen and The Mockingjay's frustrations, President Coin decided it was time for the rescue mission. The rescue would take place during the night of Day Sixty at approximately 2130.

Prior to the rescue, several individuals had been lead to the tribute center. Natalia Morrissey and Tiberius Germaine had been directed by Constantinus Snow to meet at the location. Sarah Kline had been made to visit Annie Cresta on the fourth floor. And last but not least, Calista Hearting had been escorted there after a sizzling interview with Caesar Flickerman. All would find themselves on the rescue hovercraft.

While infiltrating the center, Finnick Odair shot a live propo regarding secrets well kept from Panem, but not exactly within The Capitol.

Rebels found relatively easy access within the center. This was hardly luck as it was made known that Coriolanus Snow had his eyes on it. Threat was laid bare to Katniss Everdeen that all had been intentional.

Peeta Mellark had been found in his torture chamber. Though he endured a hijacking session less than an hour prior, the man was heavily sedated at President Snow's request.

Amara Silverhorn was found next door in chamber 21. She appeared catatonic even as rebels turned off the device she was forced to watch.

From the fourth floor of the building, both Annie Cresta and Sarah Kline had been retrieved. Annie was nervous that she had somehow failed a test and was being lead to her own slaughter.

Thea Ellis, Cecelia Whitvale, and Enobaria Ismene were found in the cellblock. Thea had been rescued by Ezra Klair. Enobaria had been rescued by Brutus Steele. The sniper would soon perish due to his selfless act.

In total, thirteen rebels passed due to this mission. Twelve were considered honorable. The hovercraft landed in District Thirteen on Day 61 at 0012.

Of the ten rescued, two were imprisoned. Due to their families Calista Hearting and Sarah Kline are being held as collateral. Their official reason for captivity is spreading slanderous information about the rebellion.

Of the remaining eight, seven were warmly greeted. Enobaria Ismene faced a bomb squad instantaneously due to her electric collar being unable to be previously taken off in The Capitol.

Though he was greeted warmly, within 10 minutes time of reaching District Thirteen, Peeta Mellark's sedative had worn off. Almost like it was deliberate. It had been. Katniss Everdeen did not receive a warm welcome.

Those rescued from The Capitol were kept on a psych hold in the medical ward. Those who weren't kept in the cells were only observed for twenty-four hours. Those that had been in the cells received four days. Some captives have since been released, other had not.

All individuals rescued were interrogated. Those who had previously aired pro-Capitol thoughts during The Rebellion were interrogated more intensely.

More information is likely to be added.

A new era has officially begun! Although this event begins on December 2nd, it does not have a definitive end date yet and will be decided through the consensus of all members. However, the event will be the longest one yet as wars tend to take years before any peace and order is reached. Please tag any posts relating to this event with #eventideevent05. In the roleplay, this event officially begins at the point when all muses have had a chance to have a breather after the rescue. Specifically, it will be seven days from the mission. It is highly encouraged to plot and thread what happened over the past week. Anything that happened prior to that however should be tagged #eventidepast!

The Capitol and District Thirteen info channels have been updated to reflect the new survey information. If you haven't filled it out and you wish for your character information to be there, please feel free to still answer that survey or send info via your designated plotting channel in the discord. Additionally, your muse can still be added to the rescue mission by request as more information will be continued to be determined and posted.

In a few days, EVENTIDERPG will be hitting its seventh month mark. Thank you for sticking it out with us! As always, happy roleplaying!

[naritaren]

"Switchblade" Jay White expected to leave NJPW

A major name in wrestling's contract is up very soon.

Fightful Select has learned that Switchblade Jay White's contract is up relatively soon, and is expected to leave New Japan Pro Wrestling, per those in the company. Those that we've spoken to believe both WWE and All Elite Wrestling are interested in getting the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, however, WWE sources seemed confident they would land him. However, that's far from official as it was noted from sources within multiple companies that they can't officially reach out to him until his deal is up. Until that happens, there's no guarantee he'll leave NJPW.

White is booked in a "loser leaves Japan" match in Osaka, Japan on February 11 against Hikuleo. WWE has also long expressed interest in Hikuleo, which puts the result of the match in doubt. Those on the NJPW roster are of the belief that Jay White wants to be in the United States for the time being.

We're told that WWE was has heavily recruited him, which White himself confirmed to Fightful happened in early 2021, and we're told had only accelerated. White worked IMPACT Wrestling and AEW during his NJPW run, but wasn't under contract to either, and he'd told us prior to 2021 he'd never been approached by AEW, but has since enjoyed his experiences there. 

White headlined Wrestle Kingdom against Kazuchika Okada, where he'd drop the IWGP World Heavyweight Title.

It was reported years ago that Jay White was under NJPW contract until 2025, and AEW had interest. However, in speaking with Jay White across several interviews, he told Fightful "them approaching me and some contract I was on, both things 100% false.”

We're told no deal is finalized, and can't be until Jay White's New Japan Pro Wrestling deal is up. Fightful has reached out to NJPW officially, as well as Jay White, but haven't heard back.

[guerramecanica123]

almalakionomics

Combining capitalism and monarchy gives us a system known as almalakionomics. Here’s how it works:

1. **Monarch as CEO**: The monarch isn’t just a symbolic leader but acts almost like a CEO, managing the country with the mindset of a corporate executive. The royal family owns significant portions of the nation’s resources or industries, making them not just political rulers but also business magnates.

2. **Private ownership**: Key industries, businesses, and assets could be owned or controlled by the royal family and powerful elites. The kingdom also encourages entrepreneurship, with other wealthy individuals being granted charters and monopolies, which would further enrich the monarchy through taxes, royalties, or direct profits.

3. **Regulatory Control**: To maintain stability and ensure profit, the monarchy imposes strict regulations or favours certain industries, creating a pro-business but heavily controlled economy. align the interests of the monarchy with the success of its business sectors.

4. Taxation and Wealth Redistribution: Citizens would be taxed not only to fund the state’s infrastructure and public services but to ensure the monarchy’s wealth. The monarchy could invest in luxury services, such as elite healthcare and education, primarily accessible to the wealthy.

5. **Social Hierarchy**: Social classes are more pronounced, with the royal family and a circle of ultra-wealthy elites at the top. Power and wealth would remain concentrated within a few families or corporations that align with the monarchy, while the general public could face restrictions in social mobility.

[superego-imagines]

I definitely understand what you're saying, and appreciate this point. I think a lot of the people who claim that superheroes are fascist are looking at things a bit superficially. Superheroes have highly antifascist origins, and on a very literal level were invented to oppose German fascism.

However, they also have some bones that could then be taken in a fascist direction, such as the idea of an Ubermensch leading the masses, patriotism, violent anti-crime policies, vigilante violence, etc. This is not to say that superheroes are inherently fascist but rather that they have the potential to be misused in this capacity.

Frank Miller is one of the most famous and influential names in comics who in many ways created the rise in violent fascistic and anti-heroes in the late 80s and 90s such as his take on Batman and the Punisher (not exclusive to Frank Miller). Ironically, Garth Ennis's take on the Punisher is both heavily inspired by Frank's work with Batman but taking it up a notch and his work with the Boys is largely an extension of this project. This emphasis that both Ennis and Miller place on the idea of an "invasive social degeneracy" that is coddled by weak liberal elites and can only be solved via violent vigilantes is highly reminiscent of fascist ideas. And uses the same language that is used to rally far right young men into radical terrorist organizations.

While they both tend to justify this language by making the opposition to their fascist Macho Men be the most extreme forms of evil they can imagine (usually pedophilia) they sometimes show their asses, such as the extreme Islamaphobia of Miller in Holy Terror or that the main moral flaw of Jack from Jupiter that supposedly puts him on par with the rest of the team is having sex with transgender women.

And that's just modern comics, Steve Ditko who is one of the biggest figures in Marvel comics alongside Stan Lee is a hardcore Randian Objectivist who regularly shares while not fascist, but fairly anti-humanist, pro-authority opinions. Besides the same "Great Man protecting the pathetic, stupid, selfish masses" that all super hero stories fall into a little bit, he often depicts protestors in a consistently bad light, and in his Mr. A stories where he had complete creative control would say all criminals and criminal enablers (i.e. people who disagreed with him) should die. While not explicitly, specifically fascist, these are highly extremist and right-wing ideas that speak to the same driving forces of fascism, this idea of a socially degenerate parasite class that must be eliminated.

These are three of some of the most influential figures in comics and not only do their stories and characters have roots in fascism but the hundreds of stories and characters inspired by their work also have these echoes of fascism. Once again, I think it's extremely disingenuous and unfair to say that all superheroes are fascist. That ignores both their origins and the countless talented and passionate writers and artists who have strived to tell fantastic stories about helping people and kindness and equality and justice, who are just as influential. The superhero is no more fascist than the movie monster or Noir Detective or any other broad archetype.

That said, in the long history of superheroes, there have been many times that this archetype has been used to spread fascist and far-right ideas. And these are some of the most mainstream and well-known interpretations of the archetype, including the very story that the Boys creators are adapting. So it is a worthwhile and justified criticism of the archetype and I believe they are doing a decent job discussing it, and using the archetype as a vehicle to tell a broader political message.

I still can't get over the fact that the creators of The Boys TV show think superheroes are fascist.

Superheroes were made largely by Jewish people, many of whom fled antisemitic persecution. American Superheroes fought the Nazis before the real America join the war. Superheroes are vigilantes who use their strength to protect the weak.

Superheroes are as anti-fascist as they come.

[ozzyscollectiblehub]

The Power and Passion of Wrestling: A Sport of Strength, Skill, and Spectacle

Wrestling is one of the oldest and most dynamic forms of competition known to humankind. Rooted in ancient civilizations, from the Olympic games of ancient Greece to the folk wrestling traditions found worldwide, this sport combines physical strength, mental strategy, and raw athleticism. But wrestling is more than just a contest of brute force; it’s a blend of technique, tradition, and drama that has captured the imaginations of people for centuries.

From Olympic-style wrestling to the theatrical world of professional wrestling, the sport’s influence is vast and varied. Let’s explore the key aspects of wrestling and why it remains such a compelling and enduring force in the world of sports.

A Brief History of Wrestling

Wrestling’s origins date back thousands of years, with depictions found in ancient cave drawings and records from civilizations like Egypt, Babylon, and Greece. In these early societies, wrestling was often seen as a test of personal honor, physical prowess, and even a method of conflict resolution.

The sport became institutionalized with the ancient Greek Olympic Games, where wrestling was one of the key events. Greek wrestling, known as pale, emphasized throws, holds, and pins, and it became symbolic of discipline, endurance, and the pursuit of glory. As the sport evolved over time, different regions developed their own styles — sumo wrestling in Japan, lucha libre in Mexico, and Greco-Roman wrestling across Europe, each adding its own flavor to the mix.

Modern Olympic wrestling has two main styles:

Freestyle Wrestling: Wrestlers can use their entire bodies to attack and defend.

Greco-Roman Wrestling: This style focuses solely on upper-body techniques, forbidding the use of legs in offense or defense.

The Appeal of Wrestling

At its core, wrestling is a battle of will, strength, and technique. Unlike many sports that rely heavily on teamwork, wrestling is intensely individual — there’s no one to pass the ball to, no one to share the responsibility. When the whistle blows, it’s one athlete against another, testing not only physical ability but also mental toughness.

Some of the key elements that make wrestling such an appealing sport include:

Discipline and Conditioning: Wrestlers are among the most physically fit athletes in the world. The training is grueling, demanding extreme levels of endurance, agility, and power. Wrestlers must maintain strict diets and engage in intense conditioning, often pushing their bodies to the limits to make weight classes and ensure they’re in peak form.

Strategy and Technique: Wrestling isn’t just about overpowering your opponent. It requires a deep understanding of techniques, from single-leg takedowns to complex submission holds. Wrestlers must think quickly, adapting to their opponent’s moves and finding the right moment to strike or counter. Every match is a chess game of positioning, leverage, and timing.

Mental Toughness: Wrestling is as much a mental sport as it is physical. Wrestlers must remain calm under pressure, make split-second decisions, and never give up — even when they’re down on the mat. The sport teaches resilience, focus, and the ability to bounce back from defeat.

Professional Wrestling: The Spectacle

While amateur wrestling showcases pure athleticism, professional wrestling brings the element of entertainment into the fold. Promotions like WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), AEW (All Elite Wrestling), and New Japan Pro-Wrestling have taken the essence of wrestling and added storytelling, character development, and dramatic flair.

Professional wrestling has evolved into a global phenomenon, with larger-than-life characters, over-the-top theatrics, and carefully choreographed matches that blend athleticism with entertainment. Unlike amateur wrestling, pro wrestling isn’t a legitimate competition; it’s a scripted form of performance that combines athletic feats with narrative-driven drama.

Some might argue that professional wrestling is more theater than sport, but there’s no denying the physical toll it takes on its athletes. Pro wrestlers endure grueling schedules, long hours on the road, and frequent injuries from their high-flying stunts, body slams, and dangerous falls. Yet, what draws millions of fans to professional wrestling events and broadcasts is the electrifying combination of athleticism, storytelling, and pure spectacle.

The Global Influence of Wrestling

Wrestling’s appeal stretches across continents and cultures, with different styles reflecting local traditions and values.

Sumo Wrestling: In Japan, sumo wrestling is a centuries-old tradition that blends athletic competition with ritual and ceremony. Sumo wrestlers, known as rikishi, engage in intense matches where the goal is to push the opponent out of the ring or force them to touch the ground with any part of their body other than their feet. Sumo remains deeply connected to Japanese culture, with each match filled with ceremonial significance.

Lucha Libre: In Mexico, wrestling takes on a unique form with lucha libre, where masked wrestlers (known as luchadores) perform acrobatic moves and high-flying maneuvers. Lucha libre’s colorful costumes and fast-paced action have made it a beloved cultural phenomenon, influencing professional wrestling styles worldwide.

Greco-Roman and Freestyle Wrestling: Across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, both Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling dominate amateur wrestling competitions, including the Olympics. These styles emphasize technical precision and physical strength, and they are considered the pinnacle of the sport’s athletic achievements.

Wrestling’s Role in Modern Sports

In today’s world, wrestling continues to thrive at both amateur and professional levels. The sport’s visibility has grown through collegiate wrestling programs, international competitions, and popular promotions like WWE. Additionally, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) has highlighted the importance of wrestling skills, as many top fighters have a wrestling background, using grappling techniques to gain an advantage in the octagon.

Wrestling’s popularity isn’t just limited to competitive sports. Its values — discipline, mental toughness, and perseverance — are often taught in schools and youth programs, helping to build character in young athletes. The sport teaches participants how to win and lose with grace, instilling a work ethic that translates well beyond the mat.

The Future of Wrestling

As wrestling continues to evolve, its influence will only grow. The rise of female wrestling, both at the amateur and professional levels, is one of the most exciting developments in recent years. Women’s wrestling has gained significant momentum, with more opportunities and greater visibility for female athletes in the sport, from Olympic champions like Helen Maroulis to WWE superstars like Becky Lynch.

With the continued expansion of MMA, freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling techniques are becoming more integrated into various combat sports, reinforcing the sport’s relevance and necessity in broader athletic competition.

Wrestling’s Enduring Legacy

Wrestling is a sport that has stood the test of time, evolving from ancient combat to a modern global spectacle. Its appeal lies in its raw simplicity — two athletes battling for dominance — while the layers of technique, discipline, and strategy make it endlessly fascinating for competitors and fans alike.

Whether you’re a fan of the technical mastery of Olympic wrestling, the larger-than-life drama of professional wrestling, or the cultural traditions embedded in sumo or lucha libre, there’s no denying that wrestling is a sport of passion, power, and pride. As it continues to grow and influence new generations of athletes, wrestling’s impact on the world of sports remains as strong as ever.

[futuristicpaintercat]

The Explosive Growth of the eSports Industry: The Rise of Competitive Gaming

Over the past decade, the eSports industry has seen immense growth in popularity and viewership. What started as a niche hobby for hardcore gamers has exploded into a billion-dollar global industry. Major tournament championships now attract millions of viewers online and thousands of LAN attendees. Tournament prize pools rival and sometimes surpass traditional sports events. In 2020 alone, global revenues reached over $1 billion for the first time. This growth shows no signs of slowing down as gaming and it continue penetrating mainstream culture. The Rising Star Players and Teams At the center of competitive gaming are the star players and elite professional teams. Those at the top can now make millions of dollars per year through salaries, tournament winnings, sponsorships and endorsements. Just like traditional sports superstars, the best Esports athletes achieve celebrity status with huge social media followings. Leading teams like Team Liquid, T1, and G2 Esports have valuations exceeding $200 million as major brands back top rosters. Its players are now viewed as serious athletes who train for countless hours perfecting their skills. The commitment levels of pros are on par with other competitive disciplines. Increasing Corporate Sponsorships and Events As it gain wider recognition, blue-chip companies are investing heavily through sponsorships and partnership deals. Major tournaments now feature activations from Fortune 500 brands. For example, at League of Legends Worlds 2020, sponsors featured household names like Mastercard, Alienware and State Farm. They see its marketing as an effective youth-oriented channel. Live event spectacles are also rising as companies leverage it to engage audiences. Intel sponsors premier stadium event Extreme Masters with tens of thousands of LAN attendees. Similarly, League of Legends Champions Korea averages over 10,000 live viewers per match at Seoul's Jamsil Stadium. Esports' affinity with online and digital lifestyle also meshes well with technology sponsors. Automakers are also entering the space seeing parallels with motorsports audiences. Future: Continued Expansion and Evolution All forecasts point to sustained long-term growth of competitive gaming. The arrival of PlayStation, Xbox and Switch consoles in living rooms fueled explosive casual play. Those players are now the core demographic driving esports interest and viewership. By 2023, global revenues could near $3 billion according to some estimates as broadcast deals and sponsorship rise. Existing franchised leagues like the LEC and LCS will continue minting millions of fans. Meanwhile, new titles like Fortnite and Valorant also cultivate sizable infrastructures that could rival current giants like League and Overwatch. Audience demand is spurring investment as the industry creates structured ecosystems bringing amateur and pro levels closer together. With esports firmly entrenched in youth culture, its continued evolution of tournaments, teams and careers seems inevitable. After over 20 years of grassroots progress, competitive gaming has solidified as an integral part of modern entertainment.

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About Author:

Ravina Pandya, Content Writer, has a strong foothold in the market research industry. She specializes in writing well-researched articles from different industries, including food and beverages, information and technology, healthcare, chemical and materials, etc. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravina-pandya-1a3984191)