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xlady-saya · 4 years ago

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Hello! I don’t really use this account a whole lot but I wanted to go ahead and make a pinned post, which I’ll hopefully remember to update frequently lol. Anyways, here’s a collection of the fics I’ve written for aftg, andreil, and others so far ^^

progress comes in small steps series [complete]

and we’re just starting to get it [Rated T, 11.1k]

Neil is nothing and everything all at once, the entire universe for Andrew, however small of a universe that is. Even Aaron is starting to see it, though the pieces still don't line up.

And Andrew is trying to convince Aaron that he's never jealous? Yeah right. You don't spend your entire life being denied, being hurt, going through foster care with nothing to call your own only to be okay with someone else trying to take the one bright piece of life you call yours.

Or, Aaron is done with Andrew's shit and makes it his job to prove his brother wrong.

there’s always more to learn [Rated T, 12.3k]

The subject of Katelyn and Neil hasn't felt like dangerous territory in a long time, but Aaron feels the bomb countdown already coming to an end before Bee even opens her mouth.

"Well, the two of them are so alike," Bee goes on, oblivious to the tension leaking into the space. Her smile is pleasant, teasing. "It just goes to show how you and Andrew have similar tastes despite being so different."

The world freezes on its axis.

Andrew inhales a little too loudly the same time Aaron chokes on his spit. "W-What?"

trust is a slow process [Rated T, 7.3k]

If Katelyn had been stealthier, she could've escaped the crowded dance floor without Andrew seeing her.

But of course, she's no Neil.

Or: Katelyn and Andrew spend some unwanted quality time together, and Katelyn sees things for what they are.

someday there won’t be scowls [Rated T, 8.1k]

Neil finds that even with his mind's best efforts to hang onto the wounds of the past, his opinion of Aaron just isn't what it used to be. He can thank Andrew and Katelyn for a lot of it, but his own observations certainly help.

When he sees Aaron like this, the mix of worry and adoration on his face as he thinks of Katelyn, Neil can't help but feel too exposed himself.

It's a start.

I want this touch to be familiar [Rated E, 38.1k]

Deep down, Andrew knew he would always reach this crossroads, a time where the thought became too strong to ignore.

Going all the way with Neil. It's not something he can continue to avoid thinking about. When Andrew looks back to the days where he held Neil's hands down, when he never got off with him in the same room, he's forced to acknowledge how much he's allowed.

Not allowed. Welcomed. Wanted.

But that’s not all there is to it, and the desire to make a decision finally makes itself known.

if magic exists, you’re the closest thing [Rated T, 16.2k]

The concept of love is not one Andrew understands.

For a long time, it escaped him. It's always fuzzy, always distorted. He'd given up on it long ago, so why is he still chasing answers?

Whatever the reason, he's content to blame Jean Moreau for a lot of things, Katelyn too.

It's their fault he's here, at the happiest place on earth.

this red is for you [Rated T, 10.8k]

Katelyn never considered herself capable of doling out violence.

It has always been a far away thought, dampened by college courses and late night dates with her boyfriend. She lives a stereotypical life, despite everything she's been through with Aaron. Aside from her growing connection with the notoriously troublesome Foxes, nothing much about her life has changed.

Even then, she's learning she's still able to surprise herself. When Katelyn witnesses Neil defending Andrew, her own protective rage rears its head, ready to be explored.

And maybe that's a good thing.

an unconventional crossing [Rated T, 8.1k]

Aaron likes to believe he and Andrew have a lot more practice navigating their conversations now. And he’s right, mostly. But sometimes, challenges arise at the strangest times, and especially when their significant others are concerned.

In which Andrew and Aaron run into each other at the grocery store, and choose not to part ways.

the roads I traveled with you [Rated T, 35.5k]

When his brother gets engaged, Aaron doesn't expect it to send his head spinning as much as it does. Marriage has always felt like a dream, or a nightmare, one he never thought either of them would be able to achieve.

In that moment, Aaron remembers what he's always known, what keeps his head above water. He wants to be with Katelyn forever. That's never been a question. But marriage hadn't been brought up. For so long it was this abstract concept, a fantasy. He'd always reasoned with himself that it would happen, rationally of course it would, but now...

Now Andrew has made the idea a reality, and Aaron has to confront his own wants for his future.

one shots/multichapters

I’ve had a love of my own [Rated T, ongoing]

Despite everything Neil could’ve imagined for his life, he never thought he’d be here, finally giving the world the interview they’ve always wanted.

It’s been decades, but even with his numerous accolades and sports wins, he finds that they’re the least important thing about his life.

Neil can’t help but laugh. Andrew would be so annoyed if he were here.

Of course, Neil only wants to talk about him, and the life they spent together.

slurred [Rated M, 1.6k]

They're not the type of people to give up control, but with each other they're willing to bend the rules.

growing pains [Rated T, 10.6k]

Stuart knows it’s perfectly normal for teenagers to have crushes. That’s why he’s not surprised in the slightest when Neil starts acting strange; lighter, happier. However, what he doesn’t expect is for the crush to leak into his everyday life—or literally take up residence in his house. Or: five times Stuart knew Neil was hiding a nighttime guest, and one time he actually met him.

your hands are mine to hold [Rated E, 6.7k]

It has taken a long time for Thea to accept a lot of aspects of their past. Her eyes track the fear in Kevin's eyes, emboldened by how his own resolve wears it away year by year. She'll never take that sight for granted.

It's hard to ignore the weights on both of them, with their lives so eaten up by the Exy world and memories of the Nest, but one thing has always remained consistent.

Thea trusts Kevin Day with her everything, and she'll never hesitate to follow him into battle.

better than a night light [Rated T, 7.3k]

Neil hasn’t had the chance to examine the feeling of fear in a long time. He’s all too familiar with it though; from the nightmares, to the memories of a cold basement floor, he knows the feeling like the back of his hand.

But this fear is new, loaded with ridiculousness and a complete lack of reason. It’s nothing more than pixels on a screen, far away theories that can’t hurt him like his past can.

Maybe that’s why he’s beginning to not mind it as much. It doesn’t hurt that Andrew is also there to hold him through it.

Playtime [Rated E, 6.7k]

There was a time when Andrew might've questioned being so into this.

Not anymore.

take what you want [Rated E, 5.4k]

Laila has come a long way from her freshman year, past all the worries and pressure to behave a certain way. She never thought she’d realize it here, lounging poolside with her girlfriend.

The urge to seduce Alvarez is just too good to let go.

a product of absence [Rated T, 7.8k]

It’s funny, Andrew thinks, that this would be seen as a curse in any other situation. Two people, thrown apart by time and circumstances, desperately searching for one another.

But Andrew has never doubted Neil’s return. He’s not running, he’s not worried. It’s perhaps the only waiting game that’s been worth it, that he understands, because this bond with Neil has only ever made sense to him.

In another life, Neil made this much clear: they would always find each other in the end.

here I am, there you go again [Rated T, 17.5k]

There's many things about the past Neil chooses to leave behind, and most of the time it's for the best. For some reason though, his brain can't help but cling to the last memories of him.

"My Ex." Neil bites his tongue at the word, because it never feels right. At this point, so many years later, that man is no one. A stranger. He shouldn't presume to know him anymore than his ex should presume to know Neil.

If he remembers Neil at all.

But Neil should know better than anyone that the past always has a way of catching up to him, and this time, he's not as willing to run as he might've initially thought.

losing battle [Rated M, 3.4k]

It's always been Nicky's dream to be closer with his cousins. However, when he opens Andrew's mail to find more than he bargained for, he finds himself regretting the wish. Unfortunately, no matter how much Andrew's warmed up to him in the last few years, Nicky's pretty sure he'll die (literally) if Andrew finds out.

Nicky's mission begins.

temper, temper [Rated T, 3.7k]

"You paid for the deluxe package," Neil says as he scrolls through his payment history to find his client's invoice. His system is simple:

Basic Package: Fuck you. A general statement of displeasure and a brief description of the wrongdoing.

Intermediate Package: Fuck you, with passion. Everything in the basic package, but with additional insults. Customizable for an extra fee.

Deluxe Package: Fuck you to hell. Everything from the first two packages, for an extended period of time, and with extra viciousness.

And it looks like Andrew Minyard is the unlucky soul today.

a new contract [Rated T, 7.2k]

Neil’s request is simple on its face, but infinitely complicated given his history.

“Convince your team to sign me.”

And this was Andrew’s deal: If Neil can prove that he’s serious, that he can build a new life for himself so that he doesn’t end up crawling back to Riko, Andrew will convince his coach to recommend him for recruitment in the fall.

Yes, it was meant to be black and white…

But Andrew should’ve known better. Nothing ever is.

What a Rush [Rated E, 1.6k]

It's always Andrew's goal to stretch Neil's pleasure to its limits, and he's barely begun to scratch the surface.

locked together [Rated E, 8.3k]

Andrew licks his lips and tugs on the tail of the beast inside him, righting it so it can point him in the direction of what he's searching for. Neil looks good on top of him, panting and giddy, and it's rare that Andrew doesn't want to flip them over and make Neil fall apart.

But...every once in a while...

Well, he's relaxed today. He wants to listen, he wants orders, he wants to be controlled so long as the control comes from Neil.

do you like scary movies? [Rated T, 22.5k]

To say Andrew has never seen the benefit in the make-believe would be a lie. However, he finds less and less use for it as he grows older. He especially fails to see the benefits of anything from the horror genre; he’s made plenty of his own mistakes, has seen more than enough to terrify him in his life. He doesn’t need to rely on jump scares and idiotic protagonists.

But when he meets Neil, self-proclaimed horror archivist, he finds that maybe he never gave the genre the credit it was due, and he ends up thanking the dull movies eventually…

They lead him to Neil, the realest thing he’s ever known.

#aftg #andreil #my fics #my writing #all for the game #kateaaron #kevthea #other pairings

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alexsmitposts · 5 years ago

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When the Criminal Liars Shout, “Conspiracy Theory!” You Should Stick to the Facts Do you know who coined the curse, “conspiracy theory” or accusation, “you are conspiracy theorist!” – It was nobody less than the CIA in the 1950s, to silence those who saw through the lie of the Cold War against the Soviet Union. This was a complete lie by US war strategists, to install fear in the population in general and in Europeans in particular and to boost the American Military Industrial complex – and presenting a constant threat to the communist Soviet Union. A complementary phrase developed in the last years is “fake news” — people who are saying well-founded truths, are being accused of spreading “false news” – and that by the very media that spread the real false news and lies in the first place. A dystopian world indeed, and most of the public doesn’t capture it. The fear factor is always a crucial element in dividing people, and in corralling them into chambers of fear – which allows anything outside to happen – building up armament, faking an arms race – when there was none. The Soviet Union came out of WWII – where they lost between 25 and 30 million people to safe Europe and the world from fascism. But western history books have it, that it was the United States and her European allies, who foremost defeated Hitler. This false news is continuingly being propagated, last by the recent WWII Victory Celebration on 9 May 2020 – without any consideration of the key role of the Soviet Union – today’s Russia – in defeating the Hitler Nazis. After this enormous sacrifice, the Soviet Union had no intention nor the resources to build up an army to defeat the west – as was being propagated by the US and then being aped by Europe, hence justifying 40 years of a Cold War, based on FEAR. The Cold War destroyed the natural relationship (trade, diplomatic, cultural) between Europe and today’s Russia. Today, however, anybody who dares to remind the western media, politicians and friends of the real conqueror of Hitler, namely the Soviet Union – is a “conspiracy theorist” – or someone who spreads “false news”. The Corona Crisis The latest example of conspiracy galore, is the corona crisis. What is playing out in front of our eyes, a worldwide lockdown of everything, followed almost by every government of this globe with similar severity, quarantine, confinement at home for almost everyone under the “pretext” of protecting you – the people – from an invisible enemy – a corona virus. And every government KNOWS it is a disaster for the national and world economy – it is social suicide. Yet they go along – with the orders of whom? As most of us who look for our own sources of information, outside the mainstream dominated, government dictated or supported lies, data collection and statistics on COVID-19 infections, as well as death rates, are vastly inflated and willingly falsified, to increase the fear factor and prolong the all destructive lockdown. This horrendous cheat is not just actively practiced in the US, but also in Europe. A point in case is Italy Unless solid proof is presented, like by the Italian Member of Parliament and a number of medical doctors, virologists and microbiologists from Italy and other European countries, as well as the US, anybody who refers to the fakeness and unreliability of the statistic is called a conspiracy theorist — a liar. And in some countries people who tell the truth are even liable to fines and legal pursuit. These threats and conspiracy accusations should shut us up. But they don’t and won’t. We want the truth to come out and be known to the entire world. The World Economic Crisis We already now realize the damage of unheard proportions. In the first four months of this so-called, WHO-denominated pandemic, we see a global disaster of proportions far exceeding those of 1929-33 and 2008-09. Never in recorded human history has so much misery been created. Bankruptcies abound, the stock market plunged so far by more than 30% (with some ups and down – called “quick profit taking” by the rich and powerful on the back of the small investors), a meltdown of productive assets, easy prey to be bought by large corporations – unemployment soaring to heights never experienced before by modern humanity, currently at least 37 million Americans out of a job.This does not account for those having given up looking for a job or claiming unemployment. According to Fox Business News, up to 40% may never get back to work. The FED predicts unemployment may reach 50% by the end of the year (in the worst 1929 recession period unemployment attained 25%). These are only US statistics. The situation in more chaotic Europe may be even worse. The International Labor Office (ILO) announced that within months worldwide unemployment may hit 1.6 billion people, half the globes work force. Many of these people, especially in the Global South have already been at the verge of poverty or under the poverty line, living from day to day, with no savings. Now they are condemned to begging – and many, maybe hundreds of millions, to die from famine, according to the World Food Program (WFP). Many if not most of them have no access to health services, no shelter, or any other form of social safety nets, because the COVID-caused economic collapse has wiped out even flimsy social safety structures poor countries may have set up. Misery no end. And this is only the tiny tip of the iceberg. The worst is still to come – when in a few weeks or months a clearer picture of what industries will live or die will emerge – and more people will be relegated to economic paupers. The Real Conspiracy Taking a few steps back – it is clear, it is no coincidence that the entire world is stricken by the same virus. That does not happen naturally – but can happen, as it did, when the virus is artificially implanted in every country – and that at the same time. So, there is a diabolical plan behind this so-called corona-crisis which does not even have to be a crisis, if we look at real disease and death rates – not the inflated, fear-inspiring ones. So, who is behind this all? – Well, without naming names and leaving that guessing up to you, there are several reports and events that have “predicted” such a pandemic. One of the most prominent ones, is the 2010 Rockefeller report – that described in surprising detail what is happening now, and calls it the “Lock Step” scenario. According to the report it should get worse and the current pandemic might be followed by a stronger wave later this year or in 2021. Strangely, the IMF’s economic projections for a “post-Covid economy, foresees 3 scenarios, two of which consider another outbreak in the second half of 2020, or in 2021. Event 201 on 18 October 2019 in NYC, simulating among other atrocities a corona pandemic that would leave 65 million dead within 18 months. This was the final stroke before the planned outbreak. Let’s just say that the evil masterminds behind this monstrous crisis are a few very rich, power-thirsty psychopaths and their families and cronies. They are planning a One World Government, also called the New World Order, or the One World Order – that has been under preparation since the latter part of the last century. It requires total control over the population and- a sizable population reduction. That’s where the eugenics come in. Many of the Rockefeller club, the “Bilderberg Society” members have been advocating population reduction for decades, including Bill Gates. He even bragged about it when in a 2010 TED talk in Southern California, “Innovating to Zero”, he said, “when we do a real god job vaccinating, we may reduce world population by 10% to 15%.” . He wants to eliminate poverty, literally. However, talking about it, and connecting the dots of what we are living today – is Conspiracy Theory. Why are Bill Gates’ new corona vaccines possibly killer vaccines? – Here is how it works. The Gates Foundation first created the pharmaceutical company “Moderna” in Seattle, Washington State, not far from his Microsoft empire, basically to produce tailor-made vaccines for the Gates Foundation. Then the foundation gave US$ 20 million to Moderna for the development of a COVID vaccine. A few days ago, Moncef Slaoas resigned from Moderna’s Board to become White House Director of Operation Warp Speed, a plan to fast-track a COVID vaccine. Nobody seems to bother about the flagrant conflict of interest – let alone the health risk that poses. But it gets even better. The Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), a little-known agency that is hardly in the news, had, according to Whitney Webb (Last American Vagabond) knowledge of the pandemic outbreak at least since last November, possibly earlier. This means that President Trump knew about it, but didn’t do anything about it, rather let it happen. His blaming China today for mishandling the corona crisis is a sheer lie and a propaganda bluff to denigrate China’s reputation and her rising economy and solid currency, the yuan – which may soon take over from the dollar as a key world reserve currency. DARPA is also financially supported by the Bill Gates Foundation. They have been working on new vaccine technologies for several years. The COVID-19 outbreak brought this research work to prominence. DARPA is closely collaborating with Bill Gates in applying this new technology to the vaccine, Bill Gates wants to develop and impose on the world population. According to Whitney Webb, DARPA and its partners agencies are planning to “produce DNA and RNA vaccines, classes of vaccine that has never been approved for human use in the US and involve injecting foreign genetic material into the human body. Notably, it is this very class of vaccine, now being produced by DARPA-partnered companies, that billionaire and global health “philanthropist” Bill Gates recently asserted has him “most excited”, relative to other Covid-19 vaccine candidates.”. This is not conspiracy theory; this is real conspiracy. This sounds like the kind of medical trials Hitler’s medical team has carried out. The perpetrators were condemned at Nuremberg. In our dystopian world, nobody will be punished, even if thousands or maybe hundreds of thousands will die from the Gates WHO-supported rush with an untested vaccine. Though, it would match the eugenics agenda. *** The so called (by WHO) COVID-19 “is the biggest scam ever perpetrated on the human race.” It is a multi-generational lie that has become a ‘false normal’, says Dr. Sherry Tenpenny, founder of the Tenpenny Integrative Medical Center. And as a piece of reference enhancing her reputation, she has 20 years of vaccine research experience and her articles are translated in 12 languages and she appears frequently on radio and TV to educate parents. “By putting vaccines into our bodies, we are inserting foreign matter, toxins, into our cells, like mercury and aluminum.” In legal terms vaccines are “unavoidably unsafe”. Through pharma lobbying, in 1986 Congress has passed the National Childhood Vaccine Children Act, a law whereby pharmaceutical companies cannot be sued for any damage their vaccines cause, including death. Vaccines have enormous side effects, especially in small children, causing various lasting diseases, like peanut allergies, asthma, eczema and – yes – autism. Particularly harmful vaccines are western-made MMR (measles), polio and DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough). Russian made vaccines have different compositions and have helped prevent millions from polio and other debilitating, crippling or killing diseases. Since 2002, when revenues from vaccines for US pharma companies amounted to about US$ 8 billion, revenues and profits have skyrocketed to more than 60 billion per year by 2020. Every new vaccine is worth about a billion dollars. Anybody who speaks out against vaccination, irrespective of the evidence given, is labeled a conspiracy theorist by the media, and often by the pharma-coopted medical society. People start understanding that Bill Gates and his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) call the shots on public health around the world, especially on vaccination – vaccination against the corona virus. The sinister new vaccine that Bill Gates in tandem with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), one of 27 agencies of the National Institute of Health (NIH), and supported by CDC and WHO – and in cooperation with DARPA – are described above. All Gates promoted vaccines are made by wester pharma-corporations. You should know, that the Bill Gates Foundation also generously funds NIAID, NIH and CDC. Both CDC and NIH own several hundred if not thousands of vaccine patents. So, they have a vested interest in promoting vaccination, no matter how much harm they cause to the population. But this cannot be questioned, let alone criticized – else you will be denigrated as a conspiracy theorist. In fact, western Governments hire psychologists, sociologist and medical doctors to give interviews and talk to the media, on conspiracy theories – in a last-ditch effort to dissuade people from thinking. And many still fall for the lie, but evermore stick to their own investigated information – and demonstrate and protest, often with civil disobedience, against harsh government measure of police -and often military crackdowns. They call out against Bill Gates and WHO, a corrupted organization that receives half to three quarters of its annual budget from private donors, mostly the pharma industry, Bill Gates, but also telecom-industries (that’s why WHO has been silent on the potentially nefarious effects of 5G). Bill Gates is the biggest single donor of WHO. Conflict of interest is never discussed in the media. Those who know the truth and don’t hesitate calling it out, are silenced by being called conspirators, liars by the media and – of course, by much of the medical community. In fact, Bill Gates literally calls the shots on matters of public health that affects the entire world. People – be aware! Also speaking out against vaccines and the lab produced viruses from which eventually vaccines are derived, is Dr. Judy Mikovits, a long-time NIAID micro-biologist, who has been severely punished by Dr. Fauci for defending her research results which Fauci wanted to hide. Her book, “Plague of Corruption” is currently Amazon’s number one Bestseller. That in itself tells a story of a public awakening. Referring to her and her numerous interviews, peer-reviewed scientific articles and her book, is called a conspiracy, because even her own outspokenness is called conspiracy – all in an effort to shut up critics of the current system, of the current new-normal that will soon require universal vaccination (Bill Gates with a sly smile wants to vaccinate 7 billion people in the next ten years). Will it be compulsory? Against most countries Constitutional and Democratic Rights? We don’t know. Seveb billion is a slight exaggeration, because Russia and China will certainly not vaccinate their people with vaccines produced under Bill Gates funding and supervision. But even if it is not compulsory, there may be so many “legal” hindrances put in place by western governments that most people eventually will roll over and accept the possibly killer vaccine that Bill Gates and his association of pharmaceuticals (GAVI) supported by WHO, will impose on humanity. For example, you may not be able to receive or renew your driver’s license, going to concerts, to the movies, to sports events, to fly – and so on. That’s all been talked about and is part of the 2010 Rockefeller Report’s ”Lock Step” scenario , in which we are currently hopelessly navigating – under lockdown and with social distancing’ – so nobody can get together and possibly organize a plot against these draconian inhuman measures. *** Robert F. Kennedy Jr., JFK’s, nephew, founder of “Children’s Health Defense” an NGO advocacy organization has this to say: “Bill Gates is the world’s largest vaccine producer and the single largest donor to WHO and the CDC Foundation. Those agencies are now marketing-arms for his vaccine empire. In January 2019, Gates had WHO declare “vaccine hesitancy” the top “global health threat” (with Ebola, cancer, war, and drug-resistant pathogens), signaling a worldwide Pharma Gold Rush to mandate vaccines to all people. Gates maxed-out in donations to Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff’s Political Action Committee (PAC). In February 2019, Schiff wrote to Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Pinterest, demanding they censor “vaccine misinformation, “a term meaning all skepticism toward government and industry pronouncements about vaccine safety or efficacy––whether true or not. – “Vaccines are both effective and safe,” Schiff wrote. “There is no evidence to suggest that vaccines cause life-threatening or disabling disease.” This was misinformation. A year earlier, Schiff pushed a bill to hike the Vaccine Court admin budget to $11,200,000 to reduce vaccine injury backlogs. The court had already paid out $4 billion for vaccine deaths and disabilities. Facebook and Pinterest said that they will rely on Gates’s WHO and CDC to say which on-line statements are ��misinformation or hoaxes.” Facebook and Google hired “FactChecker” (Politifact) to censor vaccine misinformation. The Gates Foundation is “FactChecker’s” largest funder. In his article, “Fact Checker, a Propaganda Device,” investigative journalist Jeremy Hammond concludes, “Facebook is guilty of misinforming its users about vaccine safety… They have no problem with lies about vaccine safety and effectiveness, as long as it’s intended to persuade parents to vaccinate their children.” On May 4, 2017, FactChecker declared as false, Del Bigtree’s statement, “Vaccines include aluminum and mercury, which are neurotoxins, and vaccines cause encephalopathy.” FactChecker explained, “Current data show vaccines are safe and do not cause toxicity or encephalopathy.” [However], manufacturer’s inserts reveal that many vaccines contain aluminum and mercury, and cause encephalopathy. – Finally, massive gifts to NPR & PBS buy Gates biased vaccine coverage. This statement is from public media Highwire. “I’m (Robert Kennedy) not anti-vaccine. I’m against dangerous, shoddily tested, zero liability vaccines with toxic ingredients. If someone came up with a thoroughly tested vaccine that was completely safe and efficient, one that performed as promised, one that made people healthier rather than sicker, I’d be for it. – Indeed, only an idiot would oppose it. But under no condition, would I support mandatory vaccination. Government has no right to force citizens to take unwanted medicines or to submit to involuntary medical interventions.” And he adds: “Google is a vaccine company. It has a $760 million partnership with Glaxo-the world’s largest vaccine maker and similar deals with Sanofi and Merck to mine your medical information. Googles mother company, Alphabet, has 4 vaccines developers working on flu, and other, vaccines.” Google and Youtube are removing videos from highly experienced doctors, epidemiologists, biologists and virologists – censuring is also the new normal – but they are promoting a billionaire software developer and a 16 year old climate change “expert” about viruses and vaccines — what does that say for the media, for the governments that support and finance the media. The Strategy behind shouting Conspiracy – Conspiracy Theorist There is a lot of psychology behind the strategy – leading people to a state of cognitive dissonance, of believing a narrative they know is a fiction, meaning, you know there is something not quite right, but you don’t’ dare questioning it. Why? Because of being called a conspiracy theorist. And why does that matter? Because it is a demeaning term, robbing the accused of his credibility (well thought-out by the CIA in the 1950s). Somebody stamped as a conspiracy theorist, believing in conspiracy theories – in fake news, makes you a lesser person in your friends’ eyes. So, they may avoid you – and if you stick to your opinion, you may gradually move into isolation. Being isolated, no friends, is fear-provoking. So, better believe the official narrative. The silver lining around this dark cloud is ever more visible and ever brighter. Be self-assured. Don’t cave in. Stick to your own research, to your opinion, regardless of being insulted as a conspiracy theorist. Stand up for what you believe – and do it with passion. Other people also have doubts, and when they see people defending their believes with passion, they may join you. And so, a critical mass grows. And the conspiracy theory strategy loses rapidly power – and fades away. Fading is already visible throughout European and US cities, where tens of thousands take to the streets, defending their civil and human and Constitutional Rights. These are encouraging signs. Hope never fades – until “we shall overcome.”

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dragons-in-bowties-blog · 6 years ago

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Opinion: Trump says it's a “scary time for young men.” That's not true

Author Michael Arceneaux talks Donald Trump, Brett Kavanaugh, and the absurdity of prioritizing the “fears” of young men before the experiences of sexual assault survivors.

As we've come to learn in his still relatively short but nonetheless exasperating, exhausting time as president, Donald Trump's debasement of the office moves at a freakishly accelerated pace. Every single day of this ongoing nightmare, one has to wonder not if Trump will reveal himself to be an inhumane boob-but how many times that day and to what extent? On Tuesday night, the man who once defended Neo-Nazis by calling them “very fine people” and who endorsed a person credibly accused of pedophilia for the U.S. Senate decided it was time to up the despicable ante: He mocked the victim of an alleged sexual assault during a rally in Mississippi.

WATCH: President Trump mocks Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Trump's Supreme Court pick Judge Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct, during rally in Mississippi. https://t.co/pZfWN8IFMV pic.twitter.com/81YEs8oXr5

- MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 3, 2018

He mocked Dr. Christine Blasey Ford-the woman who came forward to testify in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault during their high school years. Trump mocked Dr. Ford's trauma to the cheers and laughs of adults. Children were present. I know that cable news pundits already bore the hell out of people with their trite, cliche-ridden newspaper columns about “both sides” showing selective morality, but there is only one major U.S. party that has its president mocking women who were sexually assaulted.

That cruel reality makes me think of the other remarkable thing President Trump said on Tuesday just hours prior: “It's a very scary time for young men in America.”

Trump tells reporters on the South Lawn that it is a scary and difficult time for young men in America.

- Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) October 2, 2018

It is perplexing (to say the least) that Trump would say this now given his history with those accused of sexual violence-notably, the time he infamously took out a newspaper ad calling for the death of the Central Park Five. Despite DNA evidence exonerating them, then-candidate Trump continued to profess their guilt decades after the matter had been settled. On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked about this hypocrisy, but as she often does, she forgoed facts and straight answers in favor of spouting fables about the wannabe tyrant she habitually lies for.

It would be easy to dismiss Trump's remarks as the ramblings of a sociopathic buffoon, but like his racism, like his sexism, like his xenophobia, like his transphobia, and like his homophobia, Trump is the id of the Republican Party, and to some extent, a major bloc of the electorate. It's not just his son Donald Trump Jr. echoing these sentiments, it is people like Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and well, Republican voters themselves. But still, it's not just conservatives who seem to buy into this notion that we ought to care more about the concerns of the accused than the accuser. This misogyny pervades our entire patriarchal society: The idea that we must worry more about what can happen to a man's career before we can focus on the life of a woman whom his abuse has impacted. That ultimately, and simply, men matter more.

Veteran Republican pollster Frank Luntz explained to the Washington Post that among Republicans, “There is a feeling of being guilty until proven innocent. In this era of #MeToo, there are a lot of men-and some women-who believe that justice no longer exists in America, that the accusation is enough to destroy someone's career and someone's life.”

80% of black voters believe Dr. Ford over Kavanaugh, as do 66% of hispanic voters. Only 40% of white voters do. When split by gender, 46% of white women believe Dr. Ford and 43% believe Kavanaugh, a statistically insignificant difference Only 37% of white men believe Dr. Ford. pic.twitter.com/EAfWlqm9Xj

- Mangy Jay (@magi_jay) October 1, 2018

In a new Quinnipiac poll released on Monday, the survey found that 51% of white voters believe Kavanaugh should be confirmed. Meanwhile, 80% of Black voters believe Dr. Ford over Kavanaugh. For, Latinx voters, it is 66% who believe Dr. Ford. Only 40% of white voters believe her account, and when split by gender, 46% of white women believe Dr. Ford and 43% believe Kavanaugh. In sum, Luntz has a point-no matter how irrational, delusional, and disgusting the viewpoint is among those who hold it.

In fact, despite the faux condemnation of Trump's remarks by select Senate Republicans like Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Jeff Flake, it is still likely that Judge Brett Kavanaugh-the man Ford claims once tried to rape her 36 years ago-will be confirmed to the Supreme Court in light of continued support among Republican leadership and, per Gallup, most Republicans. And apparently, with the support of most white voters.

"Everything he said was factual." Sen. Graham on Trump's comments about Dr. Ford on Tuesday night:https://t.co/Q0I74DW79T pic.twitter.com/TbiIyoa9q2

- MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 3, 2018

So, my question is, how exactly is it a “scary time for young men” in America? It is a far scarier time for women in this country given that we have an American president-one serially accused of sexual assault himself, no less-who will belittle a survivor of sexual assault.

It is a far scarier time for women given that a major political party has no qualms propping up a sexual abuser to a position of power-literally to the laughs of white voters.

As RAINN notes: “Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. And every 8 minutes, that victim is a child. Meanwhile, only 6 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison.”

Men are scared? I wish men were more afraid of facing consequences for abusing women and girls, but given the climate we live in and the longstanding statistics about sexual assault, why would they be? Look at the man who stands behind the podium with the symbol of the U.S. presidency and look at the support he maintains. I long for a better day, but no serious person would kid themselves into thinking we need to worry about young men in America.

And all that concern about men being falsely accused? About survivors “[wanting] to destroy people,” as Trump also said on Tuesday? Studies reveal that it is more likely for a man to be sexually assaulted than falsely accused of rape. “Unfounded” or false rape accusations only make up 2 to 10 percent of rape allegations. In an interview with Vice.com, University of Kansas Law Professor Corey Rayburn Yung said, “The false reporting rate [for rape] is lower than lots of crimes.”

False accusations of rape do happen, but they are rare. Rarer than being struck by lightning -- in your house. If you're not lying awake at night worrying that lightning will come through your window and electrocute you, you shouldn't worry about being falsely accused of rape.

- Jeremy C. Young (@jeremycyoung) September 29, 2018

We need to care more about the women and girls of this country who are not only susceptible to abuse, but burdened by a patriarchal system in which their abuser is still likely to harm without consequence.

Michael Arceneaux is the New York Times bestselling author of the recently released book I Can't Date Jesus from Atria Books/Simon & Schuster. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Rolling Stone, Essence, The Guardian, Mic, and more. Follow him on Twitter.

The post Opinion: Trump says it's a “scary time for young men.” That's not true appeared first on HelloGiggles.

0 notes

typhoonprecious-blog · 6 years ago

Text

Opinion: Trump says it's a “scary time for young men.” That's not true

Author Michael Arceneaux talks Donald Trump, Brett Kavanaugh, and the absurdity of prioritizing the “fears” of young men before the experiences of sexual assault survivors.

- MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 3, 2018

That cruel reality makes me think of the other remarkable thing President Trump said on Tuesday just hours prior: “It's a very scary time for young men in America.”

Trump tells reporters on the South Lawn that it is a scary and difficult time for young men in America.

- Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) October 2, 2018

- Mangy Jay (@magi_jay) October 1, 2018

"Everything he said was factual." Sen. Graham on Trump's comments about Dr. Ford on Tuesday night:https://t.co/Q0I74DW79T pic.twitter.com/TbiIyoa9q2

- MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 3, 2018

It is a far scarier time for women given that a major political party has no qualms propping up a sexual abuser to a position of power-literally to the laughs of white voters.

As RAINN notes: “Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. And every 8 minutes, that victim is a child. Meanwhile, only 6 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison.”

- Jeremy C. Young (@jeremycyoung) September 29, 2018

The post Opinion: Trump says it's a “scary time for young men.” That's not true appeared first on HelloGiggles.

0 notes

inkundu1 · 6 years ago

Text

Opinion: Trump says it's a “scary time for young men.” That's not true

Author Michael Arceneaux talks Donald Trump, Brett Kavanaugh, and the absurdity of prioritizing the “fears” of young men before the experiences of sexual assault survivors.

- MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 3, 2018

That cruel reality makes me think of the other remarkable thing President Trump said on Tuesday just hours prior: “It's a very scary time for young men in America.”

Trump tells reporters on the South Lawn that it is a scary and difficult time for young men in America.

- Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) October 2, 2018

- Mangy Jay (@magi_jay) October 1, 2018

"Everything he said was factual." Sen. Graham on Trump's comments about Dr. Ford on Tuesday night:https://t.co/Q0I74DW79T pic.twitter.com/TbiIyoa9q2

- MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 3, 2018

It is a far scarier time for women given that a major political party has no qualms propping up a sexual abuser to a position of power-literally to the laughs of white voters.

As RAINN notes: “Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. And every 8 minutes, that victim is a child. Meanwhile, only 6 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison.”

- Jeremy C. Young (@jeremycyoung) September 29, 2018

The post Opinion: Trump says it's a “scary time for young men.” That's not true appeared first on HelloGiggles.

0 notes

cowgirluli-blog · 6 years ago

Text

Opinion: Trump says it's a “scary time for young men.” That's not true

Author Michael Arceneaux talks Donald Trump, Brett Kavanaugh, and the absurdity of prioritizing the “fears” of young men before the experiences of sexual assault survivors.

- MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 3, 2018

That cruel reality makes me think of the other remarkable thing President Trump said on Tuesday just hours prior: “It's a very scary time for young men in America.”

Trump tells reporters on the South Lawn that it is a scary and difficult time for young men in America.

- Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) October 2, 2018

- Mangy Jay (@magi_jay) October 1, 2018

"Everything he said was factual." Sen. Graham on Trump's comments about Dr. Ford on Tuesday night:https://t.co/Q0I74DW79T pic.twitter.com/TbiIyoa9q2

- MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 3, 2018

It is a far scarier time for women given that a major political party has no qualms propping up a sexual abuser to a position of power-literally to the laughs of white voters.

As RAINN notes: “Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. And every 8 minutes, that victim is a child. Meanwhile, only 6 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison.”

- Jeremy C. Young (@jeremycyoung) September 29, 2018

The post Opinion: Trump says it's a “scary time for young men.” That's not true appeared first on HelloGiggles.

0 notes

ungracefulswan-blog · 6 years ago

Text

Opinion: Trump says it's a “scary time for young men.” That's not true

Author Michael Arceneaux talks Donald Trump, Brett Kavanaugh, and the absurdity of prioritizing the “fears” of young men before the experiences of sexual assault survivors.

- MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 3, 2018

That cruel reality makes me think of the other remarkable thing President Trump said on Tuesday just hours prior: “It's a very scary time for young men in America.”

Trump tells reporters on the South Lawn that it is a scary and difficult time for young men in America.

- Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) October 2, 2018

- Mangy Jay (@magi_jay) October 1, 2018

"Everything he said was factual." Sen. Graham on Trump's comments about Dr. Ford on Tuesday night:https://t.co/Q0I74DW79T pic.twitter.com/TbiIyoa9q2

- MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 3, 2018

It is a far scarier time for women given that a major political party has no qualms propping up a sexual abuser to a position of power-literally to the laughs of white voters.

As RAINN notes: “Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. And every 8 minutes, that victim is a child. Meanwhile, only 6 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison.”

- Jeremy C. Young (@jeremycyoung) September 29, 2018

The post Opinion: Trump says it's a “scary time for young men.” That's not true appeared first on HelloGiggles.

0 notes

theinternetismylyfe-blog · 6 years ago

Text

Opinion: Trump says it's a “scary time for young men.” That's not true

Author Michael Arceneaux talks Donald Trump, Brett Kavanaugh, and the absurdity of prioritizing the “fears” of young men before the experiences of sexual assault survivors.

- MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 3, 2018

That cruel reality makes me think of the other remarkable thing President Trump said on Tuesday just hours prior: “It's a very scary time for young men in America.”

Trump tells reporters on the South Lawn that it is a scary and difficult time for young men in America.

- Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) October 2, 2018

- Mangy Jay (@magi_jay) October 1, 2018

"Everything he said was factual." Sen. Graham on Trump's comments about Dr. Ford on Tuesday night:https://t.co/Q0I74DW79T pic.twitter.com/TbiIyoa9q2

- MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 3, 2018

It is a far scarier time for women given that a major political party has no qualms propping up a sexual abuser to a position of power-literally to the laughs of white voters.

As RAINN notes: “Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. And every 8 minutes, that victim is a child. Meanwhile, only 6 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison.”

- Jeremy C. Young (@jeremycyoung) September 29, 2018

The post Opinion: Trump says it's a “scary time for young men.” That's not true appeared first on HelloGiggles.

0 notes

wp-yahoo-style-1042-yahoopa-blog · 7 years ago

Text

'Feminine' and blond but never 'shrill': Why female sportscasters look sexy on the field

Graphic: Quinn Lemmers for Yahoo Lifestyle

When Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton laughed at sports reporter Jourdan Rodrigue for asking a question about routes recently — “It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes,” he said with a smirk (apologizing later, after Dannon Oikos dropped him from its ads) — he added to a running list of examples that show women in sports media being belittled for simply doing their jobs.

But the incident also drew attention to another aspect of the sexism that women who are sportscasters confront regularly: that of the carefully constructed, perfectly feminine, never-too-threatening image that seems to be such a requirement of the job.

The landscape reflects a deeply embedded sexism in the world of sports media — which Cheryl Cooky, associate professor of American studies at Purdue University, refers to as “a mediated man cave created by sports news and sports broadcasting” that “retains this kind of fantastical world where men are the center and women are literally and figuratively on the sidelines, there for men’s entertainment,” she tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

Erin Andrews during a game between the Denver Broncos and the Dallas Cowboys in September. (Photo: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

“The attractiveness level of female [sports] reporters, especially female reporters on television, is astronomical compared to men,” she adds. “Male commentators may be attractive, but it’s not a job requirement.”

Jimena Sanchez in 2015 in Mexico City. (Photo: Getty Images)

Consider that, before the recent Cam Newton incident, Rodrigue could hardly be considered a household name. And unlike her peers, say, Jimena Sanchez or Charissa Thompson, she hasn’t appeared on any “Hottest Babes in Sports” media rankings — a vehicle through which some women in the biz are catapulted to fame. Nor has Rodrigue appeared on any magazine covers wearing a bikini or a green bustier crop top and bodycon miniskirt, as has the popular Erin Andrews (who recently made headlines for wearing a sequin blazer on the field).

In fact, an internet search of “top female sportscasters” yields a list largely populated by young, blond, ultra-feminine women, as well as countless rankings of the “hottest female sports broadcasters,” “hottest women of ESPN ,” and 15 of Fox Sports’ “hottest babes.”

Week 5 @people_style #NFLStyle I'll say it again..if @rosiehw is wearing it, then I'm invested! Blazer, sequins, & football….yes plz.. Details at @people_style @paige #rosiehwxpaige #styledbyanita . . . . . . . . . #instadaily #instagood #nfl #blazer #sequins #paige #footballfashionista #fryeboots

A post shared by Erin Andrews (@erinandrews) on Oct 12, 2017 at 1:10pm PDT

What you won’t find in a ranking of the “top female sportscasters” are names like Beth Mowins, the first woman in 30 years to call the plays for an NFL game (along with two men) or Lesley Visser, the only sportscaster ever — male or female — who has worked on Final Four, NBA Finals, World Series, Triple Crown, Monday Night Football, the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the World Figure Skating Championships, and the U.S. Open network broadcasts.

A post shared by Charissa Thompson (@charissajthompson) on Sep 21, 2017 at 3:56pm PDT

Regardless of what women in sports media have achieved since they began covering athletics in 1975, it seems as though the most well-known figures remain those not with Emmy Awards or Hall of Fame honors, but those with magazine spreads in Maxim or Playboy. (The first female sportscaster, Phyllis George, began her career as Miss America 1971.)

Academics and researchers have long studied what happens when women enter the hyper-masculine world of sports. Jamie Skerski, a communications professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder, wrote a book on the subject, From Sidelines to Centerfolds: The Commodification of Female Sportscasters, in which Skerski describes a world in which women occupy three primary tropes: cheerleaders, sexualized sidekicks, and feminized “gossips.”

Washington Post Nationals reporter Chelsea Janes can attest to, at the very least, being mistaken for the first.

When I asked to go to Wrigley, cab driver asked if I was a cheerleader. Said yes this time. It was easier.

— Chelsea Janes (@chelsea_janes) October 9, 2017

“I do think it is largely about safely incorporating women into an industry defined by masculinity without disrupting the underlying values,” Skerski explains to Yahoo Lifestyle regarding the constant gendered evaluation. “Women are ‘allowed to enter’ if they hold up those heterosexual ideals and don’t rock the boat.”

Michela Musto, a University of Southern California researcher and co-author of a report on subtle sexism of women in sports, has another theory: “A lot of research has found that women athletes overemphasize cultural signs of womanhood to ensure they are perceived as sufficiently feminine in spite of their athleticism,” Musto tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “Since sports media remains an overwhelmingly male-dominated institution, women reporters might face similar, sexist pressures.”

As indicated by all those rankings of the hottest women in sports media, heterosexual ideals still include things like wearing clothes that are feminine but don’t make you look like you’re trying too hard; nailing the “no-makeup makeup look”; making sure your voice is in no way “shrill,” triggering memories of a nagging wife-mother-girlfriend-sister type; and, for the love of God (see also: Roger Goodell), do not deprive people of a blonde on the field (talking to you, Charissa Thompson.)

Charissa Thompson. (Photo: Getty Images, Inset: Fox Sports)

Laurie Graham King, a Dallas-based stylist whose clients frequently appear on sports broadcasts (as does Graham King herself) confirms as much, describing a client who worked for the NFL Network and was “encouraged to look feminine, but in a tasteful way.”

“You don’t want to be the girl who’s trying too hard and looks desperate, then you’re just going to be the laughingstock,” Graham King tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

There are official dress codes in addition to the unofficial guidelines that stylists like Graham King points out. In 2011, Major League Baseball instituted a dress code for media, including the ban of open-toe shoes, shorts, bare midriffs, and tank tops. In response to those who implied the dress code might be sexist (how many men wear tank tops on a baseball field?) Susan Slussler, vice president of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, said, simply, “Don’t dress like a hobo and don’t dress like a ho, those are the extremes they’re looking at.”

It’s important to note that embracing femininity is not a bad thing, and that women sportscasters who also pose for a men’s magazine aren’t to blame for what Marie Hardin, dean of the College of Communications at Penn State University and a former sports reporter herself, calls a “cultural problem.”

“There’s a lot of finger pointing, but the truth is, if we had fans who were much more willing to turn off the TV set or turn away from imagery of women that doesn’t appropriately acknowledge their expertise, things might change,” she tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

One sports reporter with a particularly unique insight on gender bias in the biz is Christina Kahrl (pictured below), a transgender woman covering Major League Baseball for ESPN, who has had the experience of working in the industry as both a man and a woman.

Christina Kahrl, a senior editor at ESPN, has reported on Major League Baseball for decades. She says her experience reporting as a woman, after she transitioned from a man, exposed subtle difference in how women are treated in sports, despite what their professional experience may be. (Photo: Courtesy Christina Kahrl)

During her first trip back to work after transitioning, Kahrl sat in the press box at the Robert F. Kennedy stadium, waiting for a Washington Nationals game to begin. “An old AP reporter was sitting next to me and saw me with my scorecard,” she tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “and he turns and says, ‘You know, if you need any help with that, I can help you.’ I just laughed and said, ‘I’ve been keeping score for 30 years. I think I know what I’m doing.'”

Karhl reflects on the moment, adding, “I thought, ‘So, that’s what being patronized in a professional environment feels like. That never would have happened to me before. Suddenly, I show up in heels and a skirt and it’s an automatic, unthinking assumption on the part of this particular gentleman that I might need help. It wasn’t malicious, but it was automatic, patriarchal.”

But for as innumerable are the cases in which women in sports media are patronized for doing their jobs, Skerski notes that we’ve been moving in the right direction — albeit slowly and not without hiccups — since she published her book in 2013.

“There are more women behind the desks at ESPN, Beth Mowins has been in the broadcast booth for NFL games, and Jessica Mendoza offers commentary for MLB,” Skerski says.

Even Deadspin, the same site that attacked Charissa Thompson for her hair color change nearly a decade ago, has put an end to its sexist articles, doing a complete 180 by calling out sexist internet commenters. Its current editor, Tim Marchman, tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “It’s a little unnerving how sports media generally works. Women are judged very openly and particularly on their appearance in a way men aren’t.”

Any back-patting in the world of sports media is premature, Skerski says. “Google female sportscasters, and you’ll see the sexualization that still exists. And women are by far more likely to be criticized, berated, and trolled online for simply being a woman in a man’s domain.”

Finally, Skerski adds, “Female sports reporters need to have extra thick skin — or are encouraged to show skin to enhance their value. Both are obviously troublesome.”