#mla cheated

[latoyalestrange]

THE FOOL

p. pascal x f!oc

Masterlist | Playlist

Summary: They’re finally wrapping on the season with just a few scenes left to film. One of them being the most anticipated moments of the season; when Naela and Pedro’s characters give in to their deepest desires on camera.

Words: 2.1k

Warnings: Mentions of cheating, filming an explicit scene and horknee Pedro!

Taglist: @marvel-sw-lover , @lokislittle , @red-red-rogue , @babukat , @joels-darlin

comment if you want to be added to the taglist!

CHAPTER FIVE — CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

The last episode. All of their training and hard work had led them to this moment. For this scene, they’d spent a few hours with instructors on how to be safe in a helicopter. Javi and Lucia were meant to be chasing one of Pablo’s accomplice’s in a helicopter, and the production team made sure they followed all of the protocols and procedures.

It was all pretty easy, keep your limbs inside and know how a parachute works just in case. The only part Naela disliked was the outfit.

Pedro covered his mouth as his eyes landed on her, trying to mask his chuckle. She was trying to tighten the straps on her vest but they were already as tight as possible. Her face twisted with frustration.

“What?” She looked down at the bullet proof vest that hung off of her, the heavy headphones almost slipping off of her head as she did so. She quickly straightened them and folded her arms. Boyd turned at the sound of Pedro’s laughter and smiled along with him.

��I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Pedro took a deep breath.

Boyd rolled his eyes playfully. “What he means to say is you look beautiful, Naela. But I’m gonna go ask for a smaller vest, okay?” Even he couldn’t help it. He started chuckling as he finished and walked away. Pedro gave her an adoring smile as she pouted.

“Okay, I’m sorry. It’s an adorable look on you. How can I make it up to you, Naela?” He stepped toward her, and the familiar sense of tension started to build in her stomach.

“You could start by writing a ten page apology in MLA format,” she joked. He instantly burst into laughter, throwing his head back.

"Yes, ma'am. I'll have it done by the morning." She chuckled, and there was a short pause. His eyes lingered on hers as he smiled adoringly at her. Her worries about the scenes they would need to shoot later crept back into the front of her mind. Not only was she scared to be riding in a helicopter for the first time, she would be filming her first explicit scene, and with Pedro Pascal of all people.

She didn't have time to dwell on it though, because Boyd returned with a smaller, but still a ridiculous-looking vest. Pedro approached as well to assist her in tightening the straps. Once it felt secure, she held up an awkward thumbs up and Pedro patted her on the back.

Ugh. What was he doing to her? Flirting with her every chance he got and then knocking her down a peg with a damn pat on the back? It wasn't the first time Pedro had done something incredibly neutral, either. It would sometimes be an awkward side hug, or a comment about "friends" or even just a lack of intensity during one of their many interactions. Either way, every time it stung just as bad as the last. Why did he have to work her up, make her think they had something, and then in the next breath, make her wonder if he felt the same at all. Was it intentional? God, the things she would do to be able to see inside his head for even a second.

The helicopter that was dormant the entire time next to them suddenly began to start up, startling her out of her negative thoughts. The director shouted some directions that Naela could barely hear over the whirring of the blades in the wind. She followed Pedro and Boyd into the helicopter, along with a cameraman in the passenger seat and the pilot. Boyd took the farthest seat, but Pedro hesitated as he watched her climb in.

"You get in the middle instead, just in case." Naela realized they had turned their headsets on, hearing Pedro's smooth voice clearly. She nodded, happily accepting every ounce of special treatment he gave her. It was a little tight between the two broad men, but Naela didn't mind one bit. Crew members handed them their stage weapons from outside of the helicopters and soon they were lifting off into the air.

Naela could honestly say her first helicopter ride was a success. It was a little nerve-wracking, practically hanging out of the door to pretend shoot at someone, but she felt safe with everyone with her and the straps holding her inside. She could tell she looked badass doing it too. She didn't feel the same way when they landed, however. She lasted a only a few seconds before she had to run to the other side of the helicopter to empty the contents of her stomach. Luckily Pedro helped her feel less embarrassed by telling her the cameraman looked like he was going to do the same the entire time they were filming in the air.

They took a minute, just sitting in the AC and drinking water once they got back to the studio lot. Pedro sat with her the entire time, chatting and getting her anything she needed. Once she felt well enough to eat, they joined the others for lunch at the group of tables they set up inside.

Still feeling a little queasy, Naela picked up some fresh fruit and cheese slices from the charcuterie board. Once she grabbed a water bottle for herself, she made her way over to the table Boyd, Joanna, Pedro, and Paulina were sitting at.

Naela was mostly quiet, other than answering a few questions and butting in on occasion. She barely touched her food and hoped everyone would believe it was because she got sick earlier. Honestly, after thinking about what scene they were scheduled to film next, she felt like she had to throw up all over again.

Pedro hung back once the others started trickling away to take a break or prepare for their next scene. They sat in silence for a moment as he finished his food.

He sighed, “So.” Naela chuckled after a second, happy he broke the awkward silence.

“So,” she mimicked him.

“We should talk about the next scene we have to do, Naela.” He crumbled up his napkin after wiping his mouth.

“Yeah, I guess so,” she responded nervously, shifting in her seat next to him.

“I want you to know that if at any point you feel uncomfortable, just say the word, and I’ll stop. Even though it’s not real, it can be…intense sometimes.” He looked her directly in the eye, and she could feel the seriousness in his words. “I don’t care if the crew has anything to say about it. We’re not doing anything you don’t want to do.”

She nodded, feeling a little more relieved. “Okay. Thank you.”

He just smiled warmly at her before pulling himself up out of his seat and extending his hand out to her. She took it graciously and followed him to the costumes trailer.

For her peace of mind, it was only Pedro, the director, and the bare minimum camera and audio crew. It still felt like an entire audience as she sauntered out in her robe that covered her mostly exposed body, other than a thin nude thong and pasties. So, essentially, she was naked. She continuously told herself how grateful she was to have this opportunity as she was getting ready. As expected, she was doubting those thoughts in this moment.

Pedro was sitting casually on the bed as the crew made the final adjustments to the lighting and setup. He gave her a reassuring smile as she approached him, her arms wrapped around her midsection like a shield.

“Still nervous?” She nodded, feeling a smile creep back onto her face once she noticed his attire. She really had no reason to be embarrassed as he was sitting in front of her with the smallest nude breifs she’d ever seen. She forced her eyes to focus on his face.

“Okay, now remember,” Tom, the director butted in as he stepped forward. “You were just out celebrating taking down one of Escobar’s allies. The excitement reels the both of you in even though you agreed to never do this again.”

Pedro nodded, “It’s bad for work, but I don’t care.” He looked directly at Naela as he said this. Damn.

“Yes, exactly. You’re too lost in eachother to care about the rules. Take a second to really get in the moment.” He backed away, making sure they understood before returning to the chair behind the screen. Pedro pulled himself back onto the bed and positioned himself on his knees, facing the headboard of Lucia’s bed. Reluctantly, she approached the side of the bed as a member of the crew helped position the blanket around Pedro’s waist.

“Ready?” He looked up at her with a sincere and comforting smile. She nodded, taking a deep breath before slowly untying her robe. Pedro instinctively grabbed the blanket behind him and held it up, covering the crew’s view as the silk slipped off of her shoulders. Her arms instantly wrapped around her waist, feeling the cold air all around her. She didn’t hesitate to slip under the covers with him as the camera was positioned parallel to their bodies. She watched, looking around at everyone as they looked into the camera’s and their feedback on the screens for the director.

“Hey, look at me.” Pedro was looming over her now, his muscles flexing as he planted his hands on either side of her.

“Don’t pay attention to them. Just breathe,” he instructed. She could barely hold eye contact and she had no idea what to do with her hands.

“Okay, angle looks good…Pedro, can you lift her legs up a bit?” Tom projected across the set. Pedro looked at her before answering, waiting for her permission. Her chest still heaving with anxiety, she oblidged and wrapped her legs around his waist.

“Okay, great, now bring your chest closer, Pedro.” He sighed, letting his head fall.

“You’re sure this is okay?” He asked, concern in his brow.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s fine. Promise.” Naela mustered up the best smile she could as she looked up at him.

“Okay…” With that, he slinked one arm under her waist and with the other, he planted his forearm next to her shoulder. She could feel the warmth from his bare chest on her skin, making her feel much less exposed. Their faces were inches apart now as they waited for more instruction.

“That’s perfect, just give us one second…okay, season one, episode 12, scene 28, marker…and action!”

Suddenly, everything felt so real. She was in the same mindset as Lucia. Every kiss, every touch felt meaningful, even though she knew they were not. She was in the moment and she wished so badly that she could have this in real life. The way Pedro sounded, the way he spoke to her was divine in a way that she could never describe. His voice sent goosebumps across her skin.

At the same time, she knew it was wrong. So wrong. She’d never even thought about cheating on anyone, but now she wished she was. She wished she started four months ago when they met.

If she were honest with herself, she knew her relationship with Josh wasn’t going anywhere. He was still in the college mindset, not taking his career seriously and spending most of his free time partying or playing video games. He consistently gave her the absolute bare minimum when deep down, she deserved to be treated like a princess. That was exactly how she felt with Pedro.

So, no, Naela didn’t feel bad. In fact, she felt incredible. Although she wasn’t getting any relief, per se, she was absolutely drunk on the feeling of their clothes hips gyrating together. Their moans were almost too convincing as the camera closed in on them. Knowing they were nearing the end of the scene, Pedro forced her wrists on either side of her and planted a passionate kiss on her lips for a big finish. She wouldn’t have known the director called cut off Pedro hadn’t withdrawn himself back onto his knees, making sure she stayed covered. His chest was heaving as he looked down at her with an unfamiliar expression on his face. He almost looked annoyed…or hungry?

“Here,” he whispered as he leaned over the edge of the bed, grabbing her robe. He handed it to her beneath the blanket and tried his best not to watch as she wrapped it around herself again.

“Thank you.” She smirked as she noticed his hands blocking her view below his waist. She decided not to tease him verbally, but she did feel like it was necessary to sway her hips with purpose as she walked off to the dressing room.

Flirting isn’t technically cheating, right?

reblog if you made it to the end!

[lettuce-tv]

my mom says since I'm burnt out I should try ai for writing all my essays 😋 see if you can spot my additions

"Let America Be America Again" is a powerful poem written by Langston Hughes. While it's often referred to as an essay due to its length and thematic depth, it is primarily a poem. Hughes, one of the most prominent figures of the Harlem Renaissance, was known for his poignant portrayals of the African American experience in America. Don't turn your face. Stop crying.

In "Let America Be America Again," Hughes explores the idea of the American Dream and its promise of freedom, equality, and opportunity for all. However, he juxtaposes this idealized vision with the harsh realities faced by marginalized groups, particularly African Americans, immigrants, and the poor. You know nobody's listening to you anymore, right? Nobody wrote this. This doesn't mean anything. It's empty.

The poem begins with a call to reclaim the true essence of America, as envisioned by its founders, where liberty and justice are guaranteed for everyone. However, Hughes quickly delves into the disillusionment felt by those who have been oppressed and marginalized throughout American history. He screams and cries about the struggles and hardships faced by African Americans, Native Americans, immigrants, and workers who have been exploited and denied their rights. Your peers' perfect work can be automated away easily. So easily. Do you understand? Your work can't, but you can't make it anymore. It's gone. Ash under your fingernails. Are you listening to me?

Despite the disillusionment and despair, Hughes maintains a sense of stupid and insipid hope throughout the poem. He envisions a future where America lives up to its ideals, where equality and freedom are not just empty promises but tangible realities for all its citizens, one that didn't happen then and won't happen now without a bloody and terrible revolution. He calls for solidarity among the oppressed and marginalized, urging them to fight for their rights and demand justice. Do you even think she'll read it? God wouldn't that be funny. Do you remember cheating on your Spanish homework? You always lie like this don't you. You don't know what else to do.

Overall, "Let America Be America Again" is a poem and it's stupid. It's a powerful critique of the gap between America's ideals and its reality, as well as a call to action for social justice and equality. It remains a poignant and relevant piece of literature that continues to resonate with readers today. A perfect five paragraphs. It would do MLA format perfectly if you asked it to. What a fucking whore. Paige can't write anything that isn't this. She doesn't even think things other than this exist. The problem with her is that she's right and you're wrong. You're alone. Spit and cry and write in the wrong ways all you want. They've eaten you alive.

[4653]

Teka’s secret training to join the MLA (Meta Liberation Army) 💪 RELAX PEOPLE SHE DIDN’T CHEAT!

This artwork belongs to Ackerbangbang as always

[stillness-in-green]

Pair O' Geten Asks

Congrats on your newly discovered Geten Appreciation, anon! I too like Geten a lot and feel that he, like the rest of the MLA, was Robbed.  He really would have made an interesting foil to Dabi and I have only conspiracy theories about Editor Meddling to explain why we didn’t get that.  The Rei-like appearance?  The opposed power set?  The father figure to whom he’s incredibly loyal?  The focus on a powerful quirk as more important than anything?  Come on; why write all that if it’s only going to matter for one (1) fight that doesn’t even come to a conclusive end and before we even have a bunch of concrete information on Dabi’s childhood relationship with his father?

Also, Geten and Dabi trying to run a regiment together would have been hilarious and it is but one of many things we were cheated out of seeing by that bedamned three-month timeskip on the villain side.

As well, Geten’s interesting to me for the same reason that Mustard is: they’re the only two young villains for whom we just don’t get much angle on student parallels, rescue arcs, and/or sympathetic portrayals.  Geten at least has far clearer motivations than Mustard, but it’s really frustrating to see the both of them basically written out of the story when they both seem far too young to be deemed Not Worth Saving.  (I mean, I obviously don’t think anyone should be declared off-limits for saving no matter how old or how far gone they are, but it’s particularly egregious when it comes to the younger villains.)

As to his loyalty to Re-Destro, I'll fold some discussion of that into my answer to this other ask, answered below the jump:

(CW: discussions of child abuse and cult dynamics)

Ohhhhh my god, anon.  Thank you for coming to me with this so I can assure you that, yes, Re-Destro absolutely does have genuine affection for Geten and his intentions absolutely do not come from a place of malice.

The thing with the way people headcanon RD and Geten’s relationship is, I think, pretty straightforward: Toxic Blorbo Anxiety.  Modern fandom, especially on tumblr, has really co-opted a lot of social justice rhetoric to make what once would have been dead-ass basic character/ship flame wars sound more justified and meaningful; as a consequence, altogether too many people have this idea that one’s taste in fiction (characters, relationships, themes, whatever) is a direct measure of one’s moral character.  Ergo, it’s no longer okay to just like a character with significant flaws—you have to find some kind of reason why that character’s flaws aren’t actually their fault.

People who hate Geten have zero problems writing him off as a toxic ableist eugenicist.  People who like Geten—well, some people are perfectly capable of liking Geten while acknowledging that he’s a violent little shit who espouses quirk supremacist ideals that go considerably farther than the ideals professed by anyone else around him, even the people higher up the chain of command.  For the “my taste in characters mirrors my moral character” folks, however, liking Geten means an immediate need to find a likely character to offload all of Geten’s moral failings onto.

Re-Destro is the only character for whom Geten has any demonstrated feelings whatsoever; this makes him the only available scapegoat.

And it’s ridiculous!  It is pulled literally out of thin air.  As you said, the databook is explicit that Re-Destro gave Geten “lots of affection,” but you see echoes of it in the canon as well.  There’s the flashback Geten has to RD smiling and patting him on the shoulders and entrusting him with an Important Task, as well as the implication that Geten cares about RD so much that Re-Destro burning himself caused Geten’s quirk evolution.  Re-Destro himself gets this beat, indicating trust and high regard, just after Giran gets sassy with him about the MLA losing their number advantage to the Sad Man’s Parade:

Yes, absolutely, Geten is fucked up from being raised in a cult.  Re-Destro was raised in the very same cult, however, and with a lot more fuckery about his ancestors and identity loaded down on him to boot.  Geten at least can just be Geten, you know?  The very best version of Geten that he knows how to be!

Of course, an ideal version of Geten would, among other changes, probably be going to school.  Now, Geten’s schooling is not RD’s responsibility—so far as we know, he isn’t Geten’s actual legal guardian.  Nonetheless, I’m sure he could make Geten do it if he really wanted to press the issue, and it’s no credit to him that he hasn’t.

Still, before I condemn RD for that, I’d want to know what RD’s own schooling situation was, or what the MLA approach is to school in general.  One of the things that defines cults, after all, is limiting members’ access to outside information, which is why they’re all such proponents for homeschooling.  I would be shocked if Re-Destro himself wasn’t homeschooled for at least his younger years, and therefore lacks a full frame of reference for why that’s a problem.

Speaking of RD’s frame of reference for things, and getting back to your actual question about ReDadstro, while I don’t read RD and Geten’s relationship as explicitly having familial vibes, I do think they’re close enough that a lot of people in-universe probably look at them and wonder.  The main reason for that is that, well, look at Re-Destro’s whole scenario!  He’s the scion of Yotsubashi Chikara, a blood-descendant of the leader of the original Meta Liberation Army, and, oh, does the story never let him or us forget it.  His authority over the group is entirely rooted in that ancestry; he and they all believe that it must be Destro, no one else, who brings Liberation to Japan.

That all being the case, then, why on earth doesn’t Re-Destro have any kids?

Seriously, the guy’s got to be over 40, and if the lineage is that important—and it is; Skeptic says explicitly that he wants to recruit Twice so that the MLA never has to fear a repeat of Destro’s loss—why hasn’t RD secured the bloodline for the future yet?  Even if he’s fairly confident in his and his followers’ ability to ring the bells of liberation in his lifetime, you’d think some contingency plans would be in order!

I also think it’s fairly telling that a guy whose authority is so rooted in family doesn’t seem to have any of his own—not just kids, but siblings, a spouse, parents, grandparents, anybody.  While it could simply be a function of his limited screen time, we have at least some idea of what the family situation is for most of the other major villains.  AFO, Shigaraki and the rest of the League, Gentle Criminal, Overhaul—for all of them, we can point to at least one thing and say, “That’s the situation,” even if it’s as simple as e.g. the implication of Spinner becoming a hikikomori or Overhaul being an orphan.  It seems to me that if there was a family line in charge of the MLA, we would have seen at least one other member at some point.  That we never do[1] suggests pretty strongly that Re-Destro is the only Yotsubashi around at the current time.

My headcanon, then, is that Re-Destro, a man so psychologically burdened by the needs of being the Great Destro’s successor that he saw an omni-nihilist like Shigaraki as freedom delivered on divine wings, doesn’t have children because he doesn’t want them.  Or, more accurately, because whether or not he, Yotsubashi Rikiya, might want children, he’s unwilling to have them so long as there’s any chance his burden could become theirs.

And thus we get to Geten.  If Rikiya might have wanted children in other circumstance, it’s not so surprising that he’d have a streak of paternal instinct that came out with Geten, especially when Geten was younger.  Here’s someone who’s powerful but never going to be in any danger of inheriting all of Rikiya’s burdens, someone whose loyalty is to Rikiya personally, rather than to Destro’s blood.[2]  Of course Rikiya’s fond of him!  He’s not entirely free when he’s around Geten, but at the very least, Geten transparently doesn’t care about the MLA’s glorious history.

I have to think that everyone around them Feels Some Sorta Way about this, especially those shadowy figures we saw telling young Rikiya all about his “inheritance,” but the downside of raising a six-year-old to be the supreme leader of your underground army is that there’s only so much open pushback you can offer once the six-year-old turns forty.  If RD wants to maintain a close relationship with Geten, there’s not really anyone who can put their foot down about it beyond a certain amount of pointed-but-respectful questioning.

As for what Geten thinks of this state of affairs, the way I conceive of them, Geten is painfully aware that Re-Destro is heavily burdened, and Geten wants to relieve as much of that burden as he can.  However, one of the reasons RD might find Geten comparatively relaxing is that Geten doesn’t occupy a specific place in the MLA’s organizational structure.  That might be because Geten lacks the temperament for leadership, but it might also be because RD likes that Geten is a bit sideways of the power structure that defines so much of the rest of Rikiya’s life.  Geten’s closeness to the Grand Commander might be enviable to others in the MLA, but it doesn’t seem to come with any particular authority; Geten probably wishes that RD would give him more to do![3]

Hence, I assume, his single-minded fervor about living up to Re-Destro’s trust and eliminating the people in Re-Destro’s way and so forth.  If it’s somewhat rare for Re-Destro to give Geten actual tasks to fulfill, all the more reason for Geten to pounce so vigorously on what opportunities do arise.

In summary, while Re-Destro and Geten’s relationship has some pretty huge red flags in it—the lack of schooling, the way RD being Geten’s patron rather than giving him a real position keeps Geten dependent on RD’s favor, the way Geten is singled out as having this relationship with RD, the disconnect between the values they extol— in the context they live in, I think it’s pretty wholesome!  That is, they’re both pretty fucked up by the cult upbringing, in ways neither of them is fully capable of even recognizing, but I think they both mean well by each other, and their lives are stabler and happier for each other's presences than if they were still both MLA but weren't aquainted.

Could it be better?  Sure!  But there’s a nigh-unbridgeable canyon between, “Based on what we know about the characters’ circumstances, this relationship has some concerning elements,” and, “Re-Destro is physically abusive, thinks Geten is only valuable as a weapon, and has groomed Geten himself to believe that.”

The far side of that canyon must be in Narnia, because stepping through a magic doorway to another world where BNHA is a completely different story is the only way anyone’s going to be able to produce canon evidence for the Re-Destro As Abusive Groomer claim.  As Shigaraki and All For One prove, however, there’s no villain in this story that can’t be rendered more cloyingly, simplistically sympathetic by cramming a bunch of physical abuse into fanfic where none exists canonically.

Thanks for the asks, anons! Please go forth and continue loving Geten freely. And Re-Destro also, because god knows he needs more love.

---

[1] The closest we get is the family portraits the League find in the obviously-intended-to-be-Re-Destro’s-summer-home they ransack in the live drama reading from that LOV stage event back in 2021.  No word on whether Horikoshi had any input whatsoever on that script, however.

[2] The tell here is the consistency of Geten’s motivations.  He never connects Re-Destro’s authority to Destro Classic like Skeptic and Trumpet do, nor does his loyalty change to Shigaraki post-Deika as you might expect if quirk supremacy were really the only thing Geten used to measure worth.

[3] It’s very telling that when we’re being introduced to the heads of the MLA, getting their real names and day jobs, Geten isn’t included in the lineup; he remains an unnamed parka troll with bad table manners.  He does get a proper rank in the PLF, of course, but by that point Re-Destro has ceded control to Shigaraki, so RD no longer has to worry so much about how he defines or doesn’t define the relationship or what people might think of it.

[deusvervewrites]

One of the fics you previously recommended (Paper Agency) got me thinking on the possibility of Bakugo's character arc/redemption arc leading him to become an underground hero. This would seemingly bypass his weaknesses in public relations and would also have the benefit of ensuring that those who may have cheated on his behalf (e.g., Aldera middle school) would never get the satisfaction of seeing him on the ranking charts.

I was recently reminded of this line of thought by the recent Ask about Bakugo defeating MLA Yaoyorozu in secret.

Admittedly, I'm not sure what to actually Ask on this point because it doesn't really tie into any existing AU or meta discussion and, even if an AU Ask Game were open, this seems a bit too thin for hanging up a whole new AU. There might be some tangential relevance to the recent meta discussion of Bakugo losing his quirk at the end of canon, but that still seems rather tenuous.

Bakugou becoming an Underground Hero is interesting. It means he'd willingly choose to never become the Number One Hero like he always says he will

[redwinesupernova]

i was going to say something niceys but who the fuck prefers chicago style. mla >>>>>>

cheating at the ask game to clarify im an ib guy its chicago style or nothing

[theevilmaninyourcomputer]

For all his eccentricities, my father was an astute man. “Dad” to me, and  “doctor” to every other self-respecting person–including the children in his Kindergarten class. Although, secretly, I think he would’ve preferred that I called him doctor too. The idea made me laugh.

“This man is dying and we can’t land the plane! Quick, is anyone on board a doctor?” 

“Yes–right here. Now, bring me the sheet music for La Campanella.”

If talent was genetic, then surely, I must have been adopted. I plunked my way through Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with all the tact of a drunk baboon playing a funeral dirge. I wasn’t growing into the musical savant my father had hoped I’d be. On the contrary, I was a puny, bumbling 14 year old burn-out. And piano certainly wasn’t improving my image. 

I studied the cool teens on Disney Channel. Lindsay Lohan wore eyeliner, and said things like, “God, Mom, can you learn to knock?” Hannah Montana sported low-rise v-necks, and layered colored tights under her jean shorts. But they shared one common attribute–my surefire, scientifically-backed, guarantee to popularity. They were both in a band. So, I opted to swap piano for guitar; and while my friends went on to play Carnegie Hall, I sat in the garage, learning Wonderwall. I would be the band’s frontman, obviously, steadily cultivating a small-but-loyal cult following on Tumblr, before finally breaking into the mainstream with a chart-topping Indie classic, like I Was Radicalized By PBS Kids (My Suicide Note in MLA Format). 

There was one small kink in my plan–I wasn’t alone. I was another mediocre singer/songwriter in a scene that was already oversaturated with Elliot-Smith-wannabes. Men, who wore secondhand sweaters in 90° weather, serenaded unassuming women at frat parties, and ranted about the “unparalleled genius of Thom Yorke.” Men, who called movies “films.” Men, who made a show of reading The Feminine Mystique, but cheated on their girlfriends. These men, I noticed, generally didn’t “make it big.” They grew up to work unfulfilling corporate jobs, and haunted open mics that felt more like A.A after-parties, slobbering into bar microphones as they sang about their latest divorce. Like Scrooge seeing his own gravestone, I looked into the faces of these simpering drunks, and I understood that my future was bleak. That's when I knew: I couldn't stoop to solo artistry, I needed to find a band. A real, actual, honest-to-god band. 

There it was, scribbled on printer paper and stuck to the wall with an old wad of gum: the answer to my prayers. We want to start a band. Like, a real, actual honest-to-god band. If you’re interested, text (405)-570-1299.

“So, what do you want me to like, do?” I asked, as I fumbled with the clasps on my guitar case. I’d pictured a high-stakes X-Factor style audition. A beer bottle would get chucked at my head, or at least, the serious musicians would laugh me out of the room. Instead, I watched as the organizer disappeared into the bathroom for a third time, only to reemerge with bloodshot eyes and a dopey grin. Skunk, as he’d been dubbed, was four years my senior, and I was beginning to understand how he’d earned his title. 

“I mean, can you sing?” 

“Oh–uhh–not well, but if you want me to, I guess I can try.” Skunk had made his artistic vision very clear. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I was the least punk-rock person on the face of the earth. I cried watching Cats the musical. I owned all five seasons of Glee on DVD.  More importantly, I had never so much as attempted to sing death metal. “But I don’t have a mic.” 

“Just sing loud.”  

And thus, we became Antimatter Club. Or, the “assless chaps” per my dad’s suggestion. But I wasn’t going to take advice from the man who spent his free time at the frisbee golf course, loosening the screws in the goalposts. More often than not, the band was known as just that: The Band.

Our name was a point of contention. But then again, everything was becoming a point of contention. It had been several months, and our stylistic differences were making it more and more difficult to accomplish anything. We crammed ourselves into the guitarist’s freezing garage, shivering, as we made our way through our limited repertoire of Nirvana covers. 

“Do you think you can do the scream at the end of Negative Creep?” The guitarist asked, gesturing towards me with a pick.

“I–I’ll do my best.” We’d tacked thermal sheets to the walls to make the room warmer, but we’d only succeeded in making the garage look like the set of the moon landing. “By the way, do you know when Skunk’s getting back? We have a show next week, and he hasn’t been to practice in two weeks.” It wasn’t that I didn’t know the answer, but someone had to say it. Skunk was going to graduate high school in three months. The Band didn’t rock. In fact, we sucked. We were never going to pack stadiums, and MTV probably wasn’t in our cards. Skunk was barreling head-first into his future like a toddler on a water-slide, and he was realizing, with a dawning horror, that he didn’t know how to swim. He’d joined another band, in the hopes of kickstarting his musical career. All I could say was “Whatever, man, let’s just get through this song.”

None of us said it, but we all knew: this was the beginning of the end. I packed up my guitar, and I drove home, with a quiet finality. The gig came and went and I decided that I was done with the scene. Skunk would crawl back into whatever alley he came from, and I would go back to where I belonged: my highschool musical theater program. 

Six months later, I stood by the sink of the school bathroom, washing my hands. 

“What are you doing out of class, young man?” I froze, slowly turning around. There he was, in all his unkempt glory. Skunk. Wearing a navy-blue janitor’s uniform, and  lugging a large, sagging trash-bag over his shoulder. His name-tag read Skunk. It occurred to me that it may have been his legal name. “I’m just kiddin’ what, did you think I was a narc, or something?” 

“Oh–oh my God…Skunk? Are you–uh–working for the school?”

“Yeah, it’s not so bad. You know, I still have your mic stand. Me and the band are working through some Nirvana stuff–you should come to our show next month! It’s gonna be a good one.”

I dried my hands on my pants.

“I'm busy next week. But, you can keep the mic stand.”

“Oh, good, we broke it anyway.” I smiled, shaking my head. Who the hell was I kidding.

“I know.”

[kjfrost]

The Usage of AI in Higher Education

The Usage of AI in Higher Education

For both educators and students alike, the use of Artificial Intelligence from K-12 into graduate levels has become a staple tool in education. With utility in nearly all aspects of learning, from art history and appreciation to writing and arithmetics, it has quickly anchored itself as a permanent instrument in education. The ethics of its usage, however, remain largely of debate by higher learning institutions, and addressing the issue finitely is proving difficult. 

This is due to the rate of expansion of both the technology of AI itself, and the increasingly new ways it's being implemented in schools and universities. 

Educators are working on all levels trying to keep pace with the technology. Speaking with Casey Ford, English professor and Director of Lamar University’s Writing Center, we were offered insight on the utilization of AI by students and faculty of LU. Ford guides workshops for faculty and students on a variety of subjects, including how to accurately communicate and work with AI, determine factual information from “hallucinations” (a term used for “made up” information that AI will present as true), alongside maintaining ethical standards of its usage.

Ford explained that AI had become “absolute” in learning environments. Students have found application for AI across every subject, but it is most commonly seen used as a writing aid. In the Writing Center, Ford and assistants teach students how to use AI responsibly, placing an emphasis on allowing the AI to help the student learn, but not remove the student’s actual ability to think creatively or critically. “It’s easier than trying to stop them [students] from using it entirely. We have to work with it, and try our best around it.” 

 Noting the shared acknowledgement among faculty on the overwhelming use of AI by students:

What steps are being taken on a higher level to address AI? Are there any major authorities setting ethical boundaries?

“Well, major organizations like MLA, APA, IEEE…[they] make the writing and research rules. We know they’re making addons [for their formats] towards AIs usage and ethics.”

How are you, as educators, handling this together? Is it more of a “ground up” method of tackling the issue?

“Absolutely…in Higher Ed, especially, this happened so fast. We’re just trying to catch up.”

Recognizing its utility as a tutoring aid for varied disciplines of studies, a creative aid, and an organizational/workflow tool, Ford acknowledges the practical desires for AI by teachers and students. “You can’t stop it. It’s worse to ban it - students will use it regardless. We have to educate students, teach them how to use it ethically and effectively, along with integrating the education on environmental cost.” 

In your role, how do you feel, personally, you’re working around AI’s impact on students as writers?

“My whole job is to look at the students' writing, and teach them the beauty in it - tell them they’re doing something right, and good.” 

What are some methods of management being implemented by other professors right now? 

“It’s causing faculty to think about how they’re structuring their classrooms. If they don’t want students to use AI, then they must structure their course around that.”

A good example of this in practice would be Professor Jesse Doiron, of Lamar University. The experience of every classroom is different, and Doiron says he “doesn’t have much of a problem with AI in his class.” Providing an explanation for the contrast between other educators' experiences, he explained that his teaching style did not offer an opportunity for explicit cheating, due to his in-class peer requirements. “You’ve got to depend on the basic integrity of a student wanting to learn.”

Utilizing the honor code and active involvement between students, and allowing them to openly write and critique each other during class time, has offered a “sort of hivemind” amongst the students. Because of this, there is a much higher social expectation to maintain academic integrity between classmates.

Regarding the utility of AI in his own classroom, Doiron emphasized its importance as a tool, and not a replacement for academic work itself. In his coursework, he allows AI with “honest usage”, but maintains that if you trust and respect your students, and “teach them the desire to learn”, then AI may be more manageable of a problem in classrooms.

While classroom and coursework adjustments can be made to combat issues of academic integrity, the acceptance of AI in higher learning leads us to question if this tool comes with too high of a price in changing the way education provides for society.

FACTS ON AI:

The information received from AI is inherently unreliable. AI can pull data from anywhere, and will present the data given without discernment for accuracy. These falsities are referred to as “hallucinations”. The information given can also have explicit bias, and the AI can be programmed to over-represent that bias, as well. This calls into question its effectiveness as a true learning aid.

A global study on 3,200 students from 16 countries, ranging from undergraduate to doctorate students, showed that 86% were using Artificial Intelligence in their schoolwork.

The environmental impact of AI, alongside cryptocurrency and data mining, could equate to 4% of global energy usage by 2026. For reference, that is the current energy usage of the entire country of Japan. 

As well as the base electrical need, cooling the massive data centers that host the hardware for AI requires a large amount of water, via liquid cooling. It’s estimated that just in Microsoft’s data centers, AI consumes between 1.8 to 12 liters of water for each kWh of energy used.

By 2027, the use of AI in the U.S. could make up 0.5 - 0.7% of our annual water withdrawal. (Total water consumed that cannot immediately go back into the water cycle). 

[grimescum-2]

also i appreciate the fact ms atoriya just has shit lying around her house for me to grab at all times. got this cool apa/mla cheat sheet thingy that i will NOT be using for any essays, i just wanted the little section about grammar rules for fanfic 😈😈

she also had a gamer headset (which i did not take. but thought was very cool) and a sailor moon christmas sweater (also did not take)

[firedragon1321]

I hate this assignment I'm doing for class. It's a research presentation. But like 90% of the time, it's shit I already know. But I have to find Professor McFuckwad, PhD talking about the same topic because it's not common knowledge, then sort it in that horrific MLA format.

Why can't I use sources like "my eyes", "my brain", "that star Trek episode I saw" or "the entirety of Tumblr"? Half the time, that would be more beneficial than chasing sources. And so many ended up being dodgy, because they were for literary works outside the western canon. Even the ones from Europe had a bunch of student essays used to cheat professors in the search results.

I'm terrified my sources will raise red flags. But in many cases, they were the only ones available. Or they were backing up shit I live and breathe. I didn't even bother to source the Star Trek episodes I used because I was tired and the choice of sources was between "my fucking eyes" and Wikipedia.

I'm done with the PowerPoint section, though. So I won't have to do this shit until next semester.

[zooterchet]

The Court of the Owls

The OWL/MLA format, monitors all academic fraud, the assumption of privatized labor, on an American college campus.

The wives of the Pentagon staff, through the First Lady, handle this job.

It's the most powerful position in the country; you're in charge of entire wars, through the curriculums at ROTC, state university, and pentacle knot systems, descending in commonality, ascending in interwoven power.

If you find a cheap score, you put him in your bibliography; he cheated you, he's a professor. You have to clear yourself, and the professor, will tell you to do so.

If you find an interesting book in your library, it can be adapted to the international curriculum; it is now a Penguin Classics, the Swiss Rotheschilde cooked academy secrets; their families are invited in, to Swiss banking, out of the Swedish Dutch's landshare, your crop payment out of European farms.

If you have sex on campus, you can marry your girl, if she consents, and you don't force her into a social program; your campus undercovers, the pot dealers, insist on this, being men and women of poverty, that supply you, the college going cartoon fan, those using pot and colors as a learning tool, necessary for your career to be grasped.

And if you want to be a defense attorney, you're a duty, chain, and badge. It's a privilege to blaze up with these fine men and women, those who represent a defendant in court, for the prosecutor, the truth of the case, versus the attorney claiming witness as false forensic profile, the public's view of the state's case, left to the jury to decide.

[tumbirus]

Good evening,coming 9 month after Indian country under coming one imagination is notorious RSS terrorist Narendra Modi,Amit Shah,Yogi Adityanath and 100 of ruling BJP and RSS ministers ,MP'MLA's life arrest and horrible criminals death penalty ?rape,murder ,cheating or scam ,crore public or government money cheating ,footpath or begger BJP and RSS MP's and MLA's crorepati making one dark story oping day , international secret agencies are counting to any ones back,ED,CBI and NIA officers and chief included criminal modi mafia of India.who secure to modi and çriminals or investigation and other sections officers ,not any way ,murder case ones death penalty ,rape and murder making ones are two death penalty ,non proof crime radical criminals use making one Modi ,Shah and Yogi life secure one who.indian investigation agencies modi and criminals pimp making to non fear India ,so any punishment less to this çriminals . E D chief misra's are silly many one horrible scam or public tax money cheaters name writting to me,one week under this çriminals life want to jail under,no ?E D chief life shoot order calling to me,same CBI and NIA chie's ,this çriminals are anti anti-corruption officers or CID officers are immmidiatly arrest to India,non bail ,jail custody under punishment,why Rajyadrohis is this çriminals ,Indian Terrorist? 1,Suvendu Adhikari (accued of Narada scam,many murder case non proof). 2,Narayan Rane (accued of300 crore Loundering rackets , union minister of BJP)3,Himanta Biswa sarma (accued of Bribery scandel more many murder and cheating case,4Yeshwant Jadhav &Yamini Jadhav (chapter FEMA Violation ,Shiva Sena,5,Pratap Sarnaik (money laundering case ED),6,B S Yedurappa (accused in a bribery case in a housing project Bangalore development authority Lokayukta case ,murder and more money cheating cases. Narendra Modi,Shah ,Yogi and 200 of ministers ,MP,MLA name murdér ,rape ,cheating , Rajayadhroh and proof or non proof cases more,no more any election entrol to this çriminals are full of life in India,any way live to ,not any garantee to ours. (at Mumbai, Maharashtra) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpPvmjlPC_Q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[marketingstrategy1]

Jaunpur:अपना दल के पूर्व सांसद और उनके विधायक पुत्र समेत चार पर डकैती व धोखाधड़ी का परिवाद - Complaint Of Robbery And Cheating On Four Including Apna Dal Former Mp Harivansh Singh And His Mla Son

अपना दल के पूर्व सांसद हरिवंश सिंह – फोटो : सोशल मीडिया विस्तार अपर मुख्य न्यायिक मजिस्ट्रेट तृतीय एमपी/एमएलए कोर्ट (जौनपुर) ने शुक्रवार को अपना दल के पूर्व सांसद हरिवंश सिंह, उनके विधायक पुत्र रमेश सिंह समेत चार के खिलाफ डकैती, धोखाधड़ी व अन्य धाराओं में परिवाद दर्ज किया है। यह कार्रवाई दीवानी न्यायालय के अधिवक्ता विनय कुमार सिंह की शिकायत पर हुई। कोर्ट ने परिवादी के बयान के लिए 30 मार्च की…

[stillness-in-green]

First Sentence Game

The Rule: Share the first sentence of your ten most recent fics.

Personal Caveat: Since nine of my ten most recent fics have been for event weeks or prompt lists, I'm cheating a little and just picking one favorite first sentence from any given "set" of stories. Otherwise, these are presented from most recent to farthest back.

Tagging: @codenamesazanka, @robotlesbianjavert, @leftofrevolution, @desultory-novice, and anyone else who wants to play!

—

10) It’s so hard to tell anything apart—what’s inside, what’s outside, what’s real when everything, everything, itches just the same. —Spinaraki Week Round 3, Day Two: Flesh | Resentment

9) “Why didn’t anyone tell me?” —Inheritance Deferred, aka the Magical Gang Reviver Eri-chan AU

8)  It starts with blood on your hands, a sticky wetness you can smell but can’t see. —MLA May AUs, 5/3, Tokoyami: you’re lost in the labyrinth

7) Ten minutes to close, the health store is quiet, nearly deserted, with the cashier eyeballing his only two remaining customers when they aren’t looking. —Bad Example, the most recent Brogaraki installment

6) “What’s so impressive about him? You were the only one of us who was there.” —Mors Certa, in which Trumpet tries and fails to explain what it was like to be at The Crater

5) “Rise and shine, princess.  Breakfast time.” —Moon Shot Aim, the Overhaul/Nemoto soulmate+bodyswap AU principally narrated by Lady Nagant

4) “I’m not saying I want to be stuck with a fake one, but the whole point was to—” —Discussing the Merits of Clones, i.e. stillness processing the Clone!Re-Destro reveal

3) Raltiiru Station was not always a miserable shithole of a place to live. —Spinaraki Week Level 2, Day One: Chase | Space

2) The first cup of tea he ever serves her, with eyes as gentle as his assumed name, is the first black tea she’s ever tasted, and though she loves everything about him, still she winces back from the strength of it. —Tonight I Love You Less (Than I Will Tomorrow Morning), the one where Gentle and La Brava adjust to togetherness, as tracked through the tea they have along the way

1) He hears tell of it from a man in distant Koya, of the secret stone, the pit at the heart of fragrant, fleshy Omelas. —A Blessing Count in Funeral Toll, aka the fusion AU with LeGuin’s The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, in which condemnation begins with a kindness

[creative-pens]

ACB should book Kejriwal: BJP on Jal Board ‘scam’

A day after the Anti-Corruption Branch arrested three persons charged with duping the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) of ₹20 crore, the Bharatiya Janata Party demanded an FIR against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as he was the DJB chairman when the alleged scam took place.

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri demanded a CAG audit into DJB’s accounts.

DJB vice-chairman and AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj refuted the allegations, saying, “There is no scam as is being alleged. In this case, the DJB was cheated; our administration was not at fault.”

[rightnewshindi]

रवि ठाकुर ने जनता को दिया धोखा, सुदर्शन जसपा बोले, लोग बिजली-बर्फ की समस्या झेल रहे है, वो ले रहे फाइव स्टार के मजे

रवि ठाकुर ने जनता को दिया धोखा, सुदर्शन जसपा बोले, लोग बिजली-बर्फ की समस्या झेल रहे है, वो ले रहे फाइव स्टार के मजे

Lahual Spiti News: हिमाचल प्रदेश के लाहौल स्पीति जिला से कांग्रेस के कार्यकर्ताओं ने रवि ठाकुर को जीताकर विधानस��ा पहुंचाया था। लेकिन अब उन्होंने जनता को धोखा दिया और आज लाहौल स्पीति की जनता कई समस्याओं से जूझ रही है। एलपीएस के पूर्व अध्यक्ष सुदर्शन जसपा ने कुल्लू में पूर्व में विधायक रहे रवि ठाकुर पर अपने हित की राजनीति करने का आरोप लगाते हुए कहा कि आज बर्फबारी के चलते लाहौल स्पीति में बिजली,…