#my anaconda considers it

[joi-in-the-tardis]

I might've had another hindsight realization yesterday... I was saying, when it came out, I saw the movie Anaconda at least twice in the theater and then rented it and then watched it any time it came on TV. But I had no idea why I liked it that much...

Y'all. It was Jennifer Lopez. And men getting eaten by giant snakes. But mostly it was a young Jennifer Lopez.

The queer hindsight is real.

[gallusrostromegalus]

On God I was working on the AEIWAM Outline today but I also got "The AEIWAM cast, post-fic, go to the Aquarium" brainrot so have this:

It kicks off with Retsu seeing Kenpachi deep in thought for once and asking him what he's mulling over and after a moment he asks: "Are there zoos for fish?" "...Pardon?" "There are lotsa fish," he reasons, "-at least as many as there are land animals, but they're all really hard to see, because they're in the water." Retsu considers him for a moment before gently asking "Do you mean The Aquarium?" "The what?"

Retsu, texting Ichigo in the Gotei-13 Groupchat at 2AM: I need you to acquire tickets and human chaperones for a group field trip to The Aquarium Ichigo, who fears her above everyone else in soul society: Yes, Captain. Retsu: If it was just the SWA I'd only ask for tickets but you know what The Lads are like. Ichigo: Unfortunately, Yes. Ichigo: I'll bring the first aid kit, zip ties, duct tape and candy. Retsu: Good man.

Upon Arrival, Kenpachi has already been lectured about "You ARE NOT ALLOWED to fight and/or eat the fish, no matter how annoying and/or delicious they look

Turns out they were lecturing the wrong guy because it's Byakuya that develops a personal rivalry with a grouper ("It's smug expression disgusts me." "Captain that is a FISH.") and has to be talked out of climbing into the tank to fight it

after that he has to hold hands with Rukia or Renji.

Rukia discovers Sea Bunnies and ends up crying about them.

Yachiru gets to see them feeding the Piranha and it's a Spiritual Experience for her.

Later, she gets to see them feed the sharks and it's an EVEN BETTER spiritual Experience.

Hitsugaya learns Penguins are real and not just 'made up for christmas, like the flying reindeer and the guy with the suspect toy charity'.

Momo lights into him about "Penguins are my favorite animal, they've been my favorite animal for decades YOU THOUGHT THEY WERE FAKE?" Hitsugaya: "YOU ALSO USED TO LIKE UNICORNS!" Momo: "THOSE ARE ALSO REAL!" Orihime: "They are?" Momo: "...I keep forgetting they're extinct in the living world."

Tousen gets to experience the Touch Pool and the docents realize what's up so they start pulling out the cool stuff like sea hares and moray eels because he's an adult that can be trusted to pet things gently.

When the group comes back to collect him the staff is letting him hand feed a Pacific Red Octopus, and Yachiru immediately demands she be allowed to as well.

Retsu quietly releases Minazuki into the stingray touch pool so she can "go play with her cousins :)"

Kenpachi and Yamamoto asking "Can we eat it?" about every. single. animal.

The extremely dedicated docent that is *just* Psychic enough to know something is up with this group of chucklefucks so they're following them through the aquarium, but is also genuinely having fun answering every fucking insane question these guys ask.

Yoruichi was not anticipating there to be Tigers at the aquarium (they ARE semi-aquatic and part of a larger exhibit on Tropical Riparian Ecosystems) and she is SUPER NOT JEALOUS of how much Urahara and Baby Labcat like them.

There is also an exhibit with an Anaconda that the docent finds Rangiku staring at with a forlorn expression. Docent: "It's okay, not everyone is a fan of snakes." Rangiku: "What? Oh, no, I love snakes. They just also remind me of my Ex." Docent: *WomanTryingToDoMath.Meme* Docent: *Considers the size of the Anaconda* Docent: "...Ah. Yeah, I'd miss a man like that too."

Renji, Ichigo and Ikkaku going "Its YOU!" to each other over every single red, orange or round creature.

Kenpachi going "IT ME!!" about the black urchins before anyone can get him though.

Shunsui pointing at the sea otters that are holding hands and declaring, tears in his eyes "Jushiro! It's US!" Ukitake then prompty ruins the moment by telling Shunsui Fun Facts about Sea Otters like how they're basically giant marine weasels that will absolutely drown each other's young and maul anyone dumb enough to touch one.

The Dolphins all love Komamura and he is just a little bit smug about this.

Relatedly, not sure if its funnier for Komamura to show up in a Human Gigai, or as Tousen's "Service Dog"

Human Gigai: -Komamura is weirdly stony-faced and sort of intimidating and everyone thinks he's stressed out but really he's used to making micro-expressions and gesturing with his ears so he sorta just forgot how to move his face. -Still Nine and a Half feet tall and smacking his head on Everything

Service Dog: -"He's uh. A Shepherd. Mix." Ichigo says to the aforementioned Docent about what is very obviously a Bigass Timber Wolf. -Sajin doesn't give a rat's ass about his cover and keeps talking to Tousen while in dog form. If anyone looks at him funny he makes direct eye contact and says "Woof. Bark."

Yamamoto vs. Escalator. Catastrophic Beard Incident. 2 injured, 16 Dead but they were like that already.

Ukitake, Retsu, and Tama all Not Shutting Up With Facts About Every Fish Ever because they all share a Special Interest.

They briefly lose Byakuya in the Jellyfish exhibit because Rukia and Renji both thought the other one was holding Byakuya's hand and he is *enchanted* by the wall-sized tank of Moon Jellies.

Ikkaku attempting to talk Yachiru out of getting the ridiculously oversized Great White Shark plushie only for Zaraki to get it for both of them instead.

Everyone had a great time and is Very Tired and so they don't realize anything is amiss until they get back to Ichigo's place and the nightly news comes on. "Hey ichigo?" Yuzu calls. "Why is Ms. Unohana on TV?" The news has a story with a still image of Retsu on CCTV and "Authorities are looking for this woman who somehow ADDED a fully intact and highly venomous short-tailed stingray to the aquarium's touch pool" "OH MY GOD WE FORGOT MINAZUKI!"

[cod-fishing]

Look I normally try to keep it relatively angst free around these parts but…

Ghost with a Medusa tattoo. It’s just so good, so right, and it feels honestly like the most positive thing he could do with his past. Reclaiming it, pasting it on himself, saying ‘yeah, and then I killed the motherfucker, and every single one of his cronies’

And there’s two really good ways to go about this….Ghost who has the tattoo before he ever meets Soap (which is really good - soap seeing it for the first time, going through a whirlwind of complicated emotions, the realization even as he’s experiencing the Devine expanse of Ghosts beautiful unclothed skin for the first time)

But also…soap and ghost are already together when ghost decides to get it. Maybe they’re early in their relationship, still kind of trying to fool themselves that it isn’t as serious as it is between them. But ghost has been thinking about the tattoo for a while, and decides it’s time. Lets Johnny know he’s gonna be off base for the afternoon.

What, got a hot date LT? Soap replies, smirk plastered on his face as always. Nah, you twat, I’m getting some ink, he replies.

Well tell us what it is, then! Thas excitin! Wish I had enough bloody pension to get half tha ink I want, soap grumbles, still unaware, still joking around.

Ghost just looks at him, considering. He probably won’t even know what it means, he wagers. So he tells him, point blank. Big Medusa. Across my back. Anaconda snakes.

But soap gets real quiet, eyes wide. He purses his lips, thinkin a moment.

Well, I got shit-all goin on. Want some company? Soap says, all casual.

And ghost, under his mask, can’t help the little smile that tugs at his lips.

Soap holds ghost’s hand through the entire 8 hour appointment, only stopping to go around the corner for some pasties. It changes them, a little bit. They don’t talk about the tattoo and its meaning again for years, but ghost knows that soap knows, and supports him. He doesn’t refuse when soap offers to help spread ointment on the healing tattoo. He doesn’t shake when, after it’s healed, soap kisses the ghastly figure in between moans and thrusts.

Ghost knows that soap sees him, unblinking.

[flowerpotmage]

Tight Grip, Broken Dam (1)

Masterlist | Next Chapter >>

You don’t question it anymore, when Miguel appears in your bed at night. He’s not there for sex, no, you’ve never even kissed—though you would be lying if you said you weren’t open to the idea of kissing him. He’s there for comfort. For rest. If only it could stay so simple.

Pair: Miguel O'Hara & GN!Reader

Notes: emotional hurt/comfort, cuddling, crying, bb got traumaaa! ambiguous relationship

Word Count: 1,092

Read this chapter on Ao3 here. If you like my work, please consider leaving kudos there as well! You do not need an account to do so.

A/N: hiiii my writer's block has been killing me, so i went back to my roots with some good old quickie comfort fic featuring spider-man. i hope the rust isn't too visible! (ps: your author [that’s me!] is nonbinary and has they/them pronouns!)

You don’t question it anymore, when Miguel appears in your bed at night. He’s not there for sex, no, you’ve never even kissed—though you would be lying if you said you weren’t open to the idea of kissing him.

He’s there for comfort. For rest.

So when the blanket lifts and the mattress shifts under you with the fluid movement of his body sliding into place next to yours, you hum and shift to make room for him. You don’t get far before one of his arms snakes around your middle. There’s a brief moment where a TV show your mom used to watch flashes through your mind, a woman calling a man’s arms ‘pythons’ and biting her lip in a comical display of attraction. You remember the man in question, and you think if his arms were pythons, Miguel’s are anacondas.

The thought makes you chuckle through your nose.

“What’s so funny?” He whispers, his breath swirling over the back of your neck, tickling and warming the skin there in equal measure.

“Mm. Just something stupid from when I was a kid,” you mumble-whisper back, taking his hand in yours and pulling it up to cradle against your chest, your heart, fingers intertwined.

He hums, shifting and pulling you more snugly against him, resting his face on the back of your neck, the soft breaths from his nose going down the loosened back collar of your pajama shirt. It’s really just an old oversized t-shirt, one you’ve had for much too long and lined with holes around the peeling graphic that rises from the hem, but Miguel has never made you feel bad or self-conscious about it. You both understand the need to hold on to something from the past. He has his videos, and you have old clothes.

You let the silence grow, wrapping the two of you in its soft cotton cocoon. Letting out a deeper relaxed breath, you start to disentangle your fingers from his. His grip tightens, his body tensing so imperceptibly that if you hadn’t been pressed against him with nearly your whole body you wouldn’t have noticed. Even his breath catches for a moment.

“Shh,” you soothe. “I’m not going anywhere.”

He lets out a measured, shaky breath, nodding into the back of your neck. He squeezes your hand gently, and then releases it.

You hum, letting your hand rub comforting lines into his forearm, moving up and down the soft skin and hair. He’s had the forethought to take off his suit this time, at least, and donned the spare clothes you keep in your closet so that he doesn’t dirty your sheets with multiversal grime and blood.

His relaxed grip pulls you in even tighter now—his arm a roller coaster safety bar across your ribs, your back now a part of his chest instead of being pressed to it.

“You’re okay,” you whisper. “Everything is okay.”

You know it’s harder for him some days than others. The trauma of his loss, the weight of his self appointed responsibility in the wake of it, as if he can atone for his sin of having ever wanted.

And then he shivers, and with the fusion of your spine to his sternum it rolls through your own body as if it had started there. You realize, with his next shuddering breath, that he’s not shivering—he’s shaking.

“Miguel? Hey, hey,” you whisper again, shifting in his grip. The safety bar of his arm loosens enough for you to roll over to face him, and yet he still tries to hide his face in your neck, in the pillow. He’s not actually crying, not yet, but you can already see the dam beginning to spill over. It finally breaks when you try to duck your head to see his face, pulling back so you don’t go cross eyed looking for him.

The first tear rolls from his eye closest to the pillow, running a smooth path as it escapes to land on the pillowcase, and his face twists as he holds back a sob.

Immediately you pull him back to you, pulling his face against your collar bone, cradling his head and stroking his hair.

“I’ve got you,” you whisper into the hair above his ear. “I’ve got you.”

And the dam breaks, great shuddering breaths fighting their way out of his chest, up through his throat, out of his gritted teeth to land on you and the space between. The tears come in earnest, and soon your neck is wet with salt and grief, his face pressed into the juncture of your shoulder and neck as if it can protect him from whatever chases him. All the while he keeps his arms around you, his fingers fisting into the back of your shirt, digging into your skin hard enough to bruise. He doesn’t loosen his hold, not for a moment, as if any moment you could evaporate and only his embrace could keep your molecules from floating into the ether.

Eventually the shuddering gentles, then stops, the tears drying up altogether. You continue stroking his hair, your fingers gently grazing his scalp in soothing movements.

And then you do something you’ve never done before, instinct acting before you can second guess yourself at this late hour.

You kiss his hair.

His breath catches, then releases in a strong steady breeze across your salty wet skin and soaked shirt. All of the tension in his body seems to leave with it, his bruising grip going lax and his fingers releasing your shirt.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I don’t normally–”

“Don’t tell me you’re one of those ‘men shouldn’t cry’ types,” you mumble into his hair, tone light and teasing. Only now does it strike you how incredible it is that this enormous man who could probably level your apartment with minimum effort is bundled into your arms, face tucked into your neck. You wonder how it appears, him shrinking down to fit into the embrace of your much shorter frame.

“No,” he huffs through his nose. “No, I just…”

“I know,” you whisper into his hair, pressing another kiss into the soft caramel of it.

“Yeah.”

“Hard day?” you volunteer into the quiet after another moment of petting his hair.

He doesn’t answer with words, simply sighing and tightening his arms around you for a moment, pulling you closer before relaxing again. You hum, and the two of you stay like that, lulled to sleep by the soft rhythm of one another’s heartbeats and breaths.

Masterlist | Next Chapter >>

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

For some reason, I never considered that anacondas were non-venomous. Do you ever see private keepers with pet anacondas? Obviously they're huge and that's a problem (like with burmese and reticulated pythons but...more) , but are there any other reasons why anacondas are or are not good pets?

Pet anacondas pop up occasionally, but it's not just their massive size that makes them a difficult snake to care for! They're semi-aquatic snakes and really need a huge heated water feature big enough for them to swim and dive in, and considering this is a 15-foot snake, that's...a challenging task for private keepers.

A proper anaconda enclosure looks like this:

And that's just a level of care most private keepers simply will not be able to meet.

I've seen it done - one of my buddies from my local herpetological association is the head reptile keeper at a major zoo, and he has an entire basement dedicated to his pet anaconda (who is an absolute sweetheart, by the way) - but it's not something most non-professionals will be able to manage.

Anacondas are incredible snakes, but like most giant snakes, they're just not going to be ethical pets for most people.

[crowleysgirl56]

OH CRAP! I forgot all about Danny Motta’a react video for Good Omens this week! Bad me!

Danny is up to season 2 episode 4. Yeah! 1941 part 2 besties! See my highlights of his reactions below under the cut.

- Danny immediately ties Chappell Roan to Good Omens and I love how he’s inadvertently stumbled onto this considering how her work is basically Aziracrow coded.

- HE NOTICES AZIRAPHALE’S BITCH EYEBROW! Well done Danny. Well done.

- thank you for encouraging us to write fanfiction. We’re WAY ahead of you.

- Danny gets a little bothered about the implication of Aziraphale wanting Crowley sexually and asks if he’s a prude. Yes Danny you’re a prude 😝

- Compares Angela Anaconda to Hell. *Insert meme of the annoyed looking guy with arms crossed and then throws them up yelling I GUESS!

- His reaction to the derringer was beautiful. It just reminds me that I really we hope we get a payoff to that literal Chekov’s gun (Aziraphale’s gun?) in season 3.

- Danny makes the observation that this season is very Aziraphale focused and it’s something that I’ve thought a lot about since it came out. I’ve always considered this season very Aziraphale POV so I wonder what that means for season 3. If we have a switch and it becomes Crowley POV or if it goes back to alternating between the two.

2 more reacts to go people. Get ready to provide comforting blankets to Danny.

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

Here is the koi fish au I kinda typed up?

Pros to nothliting as koi:

1. CONTAINMENT - the yeerk and taxxon population becomes an inert non threat. Koi are basically powerless against humans, and it's not like they could manipulate people cuz what can Koi Esplin offer? And the greatest advantage is we can keep an eye on every single nothlit, because Koi Can't Escape, especially if we keep them in, like, Nevada or Siberia or something.

2. FAMILIAR but UPGRADED environment - a koi pond or an aquarium can be beautiful spaces. Much like a yeerk pool, yeerks natural environment, a koi pond or aquarium can house potentially hundreds of koi, and multiple can be hooked together. They could swim around, thought-speak, take visitors, even read books and use computers (depending on security level). It's a straight upgrade too, because koi experience all 5 senses and pass the mirror test, so even if you're just going from the yeerk pool to the koi pond directly, it's way better than being a yeerk OR a taxxon OR Any Wild Animal

3. COMMUNITY - yeerks, taxxons could live in community together. Humans would definitely bond with yeerks if the aquariums were visitable. Humanity is scarred by the yeerk invasion, but I believe that we could have a path forwards with our new Koi friends. Imagine this (https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/s/fdDEsPmZku) but giant talking goldfish are you kidding me??? I would go every day to talk to my new fish friends. Koi can also live long and fulfilling lives, unlike most wild animals.

4. Anaconda plan flaws - it wasn't clear to me why the yeerks were allowed to turn into apex predators and roam free in the first place. Seems. Likely that you'd get, oh idk, some renegade guerrilla warrior anacondas mixed in with the rest. Maybe even some who saw from precedence a whole bunch can be. If it wasn't completely clear by now, I completely disagree with Cassie on the amazon idea. You can't just loose a bunch of snakes in the amazon! You have no way of controlling the outcomes there. And nobody seems to be considering that they're all going to starve in a few months (sciencedirect com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/lotka-volterra-model). Why not put them in a zoo? Or y'know. A koi pond.

*john hammond voice* Somewhere where we have a bit more control

This is amazing and I love it.

[kaythefloppa]

Wild Kratts: Our Blue and Green World Trailer.

Underneath the cut for those who consider it to be spoilery, but we have a trailer for the one-hour special, Our Blue and Green World, airing April 1st, 2024.

The Kratt brothers disagree on what's better; blue oceans or green forests. Aviva takes on the role of referee to demonstrate how oceans and forests work together to make our living planet, just like Martin and Chris need to keep working together. It's up to the gang to get Martin and Chris back in sync in time to save planet Earth from Zach and Paisley's villainous plans.

This special was first mentioned back in May of 2023 during an interview with Martin Kratt heralding the show's premiere of its 7th season. The original title was Blue and Green: The Living Earth before it was chaned to our Blue and Green World. The episode will feature climates and habitats corresponding with the Kratt's "blue and green." With it, will come the introduction of new Creature Power Suits: The ones we have seen thus far in the trailer are Indri Power, Green Anaconda Power, and Blue Whale Power.

My thoughts:

HOLY SHIT THE BLUE WHALE SUIT

HOLY SHIT THE BLUE WHALE SUIT

HOLY SHIT THE BLUE WHALE SUIT

*calms down.*

Ok but I'm starting to see a weird pattern in the PowerSuits in this season. For some strange reason, they have to retrofit the wearer's mouths to match the ACTUAL anatomy of the animal the suit is based off of. They did it with the Wild Pony and the Mountain Goat Power Suit and both of them were.... ugh. Now they did it with the Blue Whale Suit and to be fair, while I hate that particular feature, it's not enough to make me hate the suit. In fact, I kinda like it more because of how silly it looks (Martin is the perfect person to wear this suit tbh). Still though, I wish they designed it like the Crocodile, Hippo, or Puffin Suit where the giant mouth is simply an attachment that doesn't move while the wearer speaks.

For those who don't know, Indris are the largest species of lemur in the world (alongside Diademed Sifakas). They are the only animals besides humans that can find and use rhythm using "wailing songs" to communicate. They're also critically endangered due to slash and burn of their habitats and poaching for their flesh as delicacies (yeah, very odd that Gourmand isn't here, but I digress). There's an estimate to be less than 10,000 left in the wild and are expected to have a population net decrease by 80% within the next 30 years... yeah, considering that they're endemic to Madagascar, not a very good sign. I didn't even know what an Indri was until reading the article, and if I'm not the only one who had no clue about these guys, it's probably definitely a good sign that they're getting some spotlight in this show.

The Indri Power Suit looks so goofy, but again, something about how silly it looks just makes me appreciate it all the more. I... weirdly expected it to be way bigger like the Puffin Suit, but again that's just me.

I am a huge fan of how they designed the snake-inspired Creature Power Suits in the show. But the Anaconda Creature Power Suit... holy shit.

LOOK AT IT /POS

Look at the markings! Look at the green! Look at the patterns, and the color schemes! Chris FINALLY got a green Creature Power Suit to activate! Our boi won! It's also a pretty clever callback to the Amazon special where Chris met the Anaconda (I really hope the Power Disc for this suit is green because god that would be so aesthetically pleasing).

Ngl, if the old flash games were still on the website, and this was one of the Power Suits I could earn for my character, I'd play it in a heart-beat.

I'm really interested to see the Zach/Paisley team up. This season already started to utilize her better by giving her another solo appearance, and now we're seeing a 1 on 1 team up with her and another villain. I was always gunning for a Paisley/Donita teamup but this works too. They're both very similar characters that can bounce off each other in similar, yet different ways (I actually headcanon that they're related - second cousins to be exact - because of those similarities). The final battle is gonna be kickass.

If you were to tell me without any context at all that this was a screencap from the upcoming WK feature film (that this episode is often mistaken for), I would believe you. Because HOLY SHIT! The linework, the lighting, the hues, AND the shading! I am becoming more and more grateful for the 2-year long hiatus - the animators needed time to cook and they fucking COOKED. For an extended TV episode, this is pretty damn impressive.

People don't talk enough about this, but fun-fact: A lot of the animators of this show had experience working for Disney. Erika Worthylake was one of the artists on this show, doing several beta designs for animals such as wild ponies and salmon sharks. In 2019, she was the lead designer for Anga, one of the new characters in Disney's The Lion Guard (which, much like Wild Kratts, was animated in Toon Boom). Ben Balistreri had collaberated with the Kratt Brothers and Luc Chamberland in 2007 to work on the show's pilot episode, creating several different designs for the animated characters. Ten years later, he became the executive co-producer of Tangled: The Series. Kendal Brouet, who animated A Creature Christmas, worked on The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder in 2022. Just to name a few. It's just a fun little thing that comes up in the back of my mind whenever the topic of WK animation comes up, and this instance of animation is so fucking good that I HAVE to talk about it, because I have MAJOR respect for these guys, and if there were ever moments in the show that remind me "Oh, this slaps," I just remember what these talented artists worked on through the years and it clicks together nicely in my brain.

According to Whrokids, this episode is gonna have a runtime of 58 minutes. I found this screenshot of someone who did far more searching and sleuthing for new episode content (they were the ones who found this trailer actually). I'm not sure how valid this particular screenshot is, but if this is the case, then this will be the longest episode of Wild Kratts in history, and will be the closest thing we get to a Wild Kratts movie (until the actual WK movie is released in theaters).

Fucking. Hyped.

[thlayli-ra]

Ficlet Request - Treat - Being playfully clingy in the mornings when one has an off day and the other has to rush to work - PunkIntyre + Seth Rollins (idk if they have a poly ship name yet?)

I’m sure plenty of people will request whump fics and I will enjoy every bit of it as it comes, but for now, I just want something cute and domestic 🥰😂

Something cute and domestic coming right up! 🥰

Treat - 'Being Playfully Clingy'

Characters - Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, CM Punk

Rating - Teen and up

Warnings - None apply, domestic fluff

Drew was a hugger. And that was fine! Lovely actually. Especially on those lazy Sunday morning where all three of them would be tucked up in bed with nowhere to go and nothing to do, and Drew (in the middle where he liked to be) would wrap both of his titanic arms around his boyfriends and snuggle them in close. The soft, comforting body heat would lull them all back into a pleasant doze and they would stay that way for hours and hours.

That was the beauty of Drew, really - there was plenty of him to go around.

However, when there was only the two of them at home, Drew could be, well, how to put it delicately, he was... clingy as hell! Seth knew this well, considering he'd been going out with Drew the longest, and he also knew that the Scot was really missing his newer boyfriend. The pout he wore when they went their separate ways after Raw was devastating.

'I'm sorry, Big Guy,' Punk lamented, trying to breath as the huge Scot wrapped his arms tightly around his chest and refused to let go. 'I'm staying at the hotel tonight and driving onto the next town for NXT, remember? Got my special guest referee duties to do.'

'He'll be fine,' Seth said with a warm roll of his eyes, finally prising Drew's massive hands off of Punk. 'You have a safe journey tomorrow and we'll see you Thursday.'

'Bright and early, I promise,' Punk said, accepting a kiss from his sharply dressed boyfriend. 'Oh, and thanks for lending me your booty shorts.'

'Yeah, well, somebody's gotta wear them,' Seth joked with a shrug, 'since they arrived too late for the you two's match at Summerslam.'

'Well, thanks to you, I now know what not to do when officiating,' Punk gave a cheeky grin, opening the door to his rental. 'Love you.'

'Love ya, hon,' Seth returned.

'Love you, Punky,' Drew chimed in, watching crestfallen as the car drove away into the night.

Ever since then, Drew had followed Seth around like a overly affectionate cat, no, not so much a cat, more like, a full grown adult male Siberian tiger, wrapping his giant paws around Seth and gently digging its claws in, refusing to let go.

And that was fine! When they were both off with nothing to do. But today, Seth was scheduled for some media work, the first of which started in two hours and he was still stuck fast in bed with Drew's anaconda arms and legs coiled around him. He'd been awake for a while now, ever since his alarm had sounded at seven, but Drew (still loitering in the middle of the bed, even with Punk gone and all that extra space available) had whimpered 'no, no', rolled over and grabbed him.

Seth had allowed it. He knew this would be a tough morning for Drew and he fully expected him to be even clingier than usual so they lay for another half hour, spooning, Seth the tiny demitasse spoon compared to Drew and his extra large serving ladle. But time was now ticking on and Seth needed to get showered and smartly dressed and be out that door on time.

Peeking over his shoulder he found Drew's eyes shut, a serene look on his face as he dozed peacefully. Seth carefully slipped his hands under Drew's and gently opened them up in order to free himself when they abruptly clamped down again, gripping tighter.

'Nooo,' Drew grumbled into his shoulder blades, rubbing his face against Seth's bare back.

'I know but I got to, sweetie,' Seth said. 'I've got work to do today.'

'No!' Drew huffed like a toddler. 'Stay.'

'Believe me I would love to but Hunter would have my head on a platter if I missed these appearances.' An idea popped into Seth's head. 'You wanna come shower with me?'

Drew practically leapt out of bed with excitement.

So they showered together. And that was fine! They'd just had a new, larger unit installed so that the three of them could fit in together, which, it turned out was for the best, otherwise Punk would have hogged it all the goddamn time. Steaming hot showers, strong coffee and baked goods - his three main vices, which was a damn sight better than drugs, cigarettes or alcohol. None of them drank, although Drew enjoyed an alcohol-free beer with Sheamus now and again, so at least they didn't any awkwardness with that to contend with.

Speaking of awkwardness, this current shower was proving to be difficult seeing as Seth had what he could only describe as the equivalent of a bear-skin rug draped over him like a cape. 'Hey Drew, you mind moving over so I can-' The bear gave a growl and buried its snout deeper into the nape of Seth's neck. 'Ok, fine. Not like anybody will be seeing my back anyways.'

He eventually managed to wriggle out from between the Scot's tentacles long enough to slap on a pair of dress pants and an immaculately pressed button-down shirt but as soon as he'd fastened one cuff, it was snared between two jaws of a colossal Venus flytrap. 'Uh, Drew,' Seth cocked a brow at the Scot who sat on the bed, decked in only a towel knotted around his waist, dripping wet with his long, drenched hair sticking to his neck and shoulders, 'I kinda need that hand.'

'Tough,' Drew smirked cheekily.

'Fine, I can do my other cuff when I get there,' Seth sighed, adding with a mutter under his breath, 'and my tie and put on my jacket and my shoes and...'

Normally Seth would make something filling like pancakes for breakfast, and while he stood at the stove, Drew would come up behind him, place his arms on Seth's waist and his chin on Seth's shoulder and comment on how delicious it smelled. And that was fine! But today, Seth had no time to make anything fancy for breakfast, so instead he opted for a quick bowl of bran cereal with a dollap of milk. But he couldn't bend down to open the dishwasher with Drew pressed right up against him, and had to shuffle to the pantry under both of their weight and Drew's huge arm around his shoulders made it impossible for him to reach up - 'Uh, Drew, honey, can you grab me the- oh, thanks! - and then he had to drag them both across to the fridge then he couldn't sit down because he was now two human beings, one of which was the size of a house, fused together so he had to stand at the counter instead and as soon as he dipped his spoon into the cereal and tried to lift it to his mouth, Drew grabbed hold of his wrist and peppered kisses down his arm and-

-and now, this was really getting into the 'not fine' territory!

'Shit, is that the time?' Seth gasped at the wall clock. He was officially running late, and Seth Rollins never ran late. So he hobbled off in a panic, Drew still clinging to his shoulders like a fucking silver back mountain gorilla who'd been raised by spider monkeys to try and find his shoes (which he had no hope of shining before he left) and his jacket (which he'd hoped to press but had to give up on that too) and his open cuff caught on a door handle and his ears heard a horrible shredding noise and now his entire sleeve was torn apart and flapping around and when he glanced back at the clock, another twenty fucking minutes had passed!

'DREW! GET OFF!'

'No!'

'I'm meant to be at the studio in ten minutes and at this rate I'll hit the rush hour traffic. I need to go now!'

'Noooo!'

'Punk will be back any minute, so please, you only have to be by yourself for an hour or so at the most-'

'Noooooo!'

'URGH!' Seth despaired, but another three minutes had passed and he had to get out that door. So he gritted his teeth and squared his shoulders and waded to the front door like a kid at the carnival dragging around the comically over-sized bear he'd won at the stalls. That was... made entirely out of glue and bricks for some reason! 'Drew,' he grunted with each hard-fought step. 'I really. Really. Have to. GO!'

Just before he reached the door, it opened. A man stepped in and immediately jumped with fright at the sight of a bedraggled Seth lugging a huge, hairy Scotsman in a towel on his back. 'Uh... hi,' he said.

'PUNKY!' Drew cheered, hopping off of Seth. 'You're home!'

'Perfect timing,' Seth said, flying past Punk out the door, but not before planting a cute kiss on his cheek and whispering in his ear. 'He's all yours now.'

On cue, Drew rushed towards Punk and lifted him right up off his feet in an excruciating bear hug. Out the corner of his eye, the tattooed man saw Seth make a run for the car, and sweet freedom. Joke was on him though. There was nowhere he'd rather be than right here.

'Hey Big Guy,' Punk smiled down at Drew, accepting every kiss and hug and nuzzle that came his way. 'I missed you too.'

[teecupangel]

Eyy it's Titanoboa! Desmond anon and I found a new snake for Desmond

https://www.tumblr.com/warriorcatsofficialfacts/743110736781492224/hi-do-yall-mind-if-i-misuse-this-blog-entirely?source=share

Nonny, I saw the video and my first thought was this scene from Anaconda: Blood Orchid.

Just imagine redcoats trying to cross a similar body of water and they just start getting taken out one by one.

Hell, we can change it up a bit and have Desmond’s natural habitat being the bayou in New Orleans. Have Aveline be the one to first meet Desmond who is stalking the entirety of the bayou. He recognized her from Ratonhnhaké:ton’s memories so he doesn’t hurt her and even try to assist her whenever he can.

Aveline believes him to be a smart snake who just so happen to have a taste for the people that can be considered as her enemies.

She considered him an ally that she needs to be cautious about.

Desmond just likes to chill and help out whenever he sees Aveline.

The first time Ratonhnhaké:ton joins Aveline in the bayou though…

Desmond just curled around him and tried to snuggle him. Aveline was worried Desmond wanted to eat him for like… a second or so before she realized that, nah, Desmond is just, strangely, affectionate towards Ratonhnhaké:ton.

[shifting---patterns]

Wearing Time: Carpe Diem and the Artistry of Anti-Fashion (Pt. 1 / 2)

In today's article, I want to tell you something about what I consider the most important and influential artist collective in avant-garde fashion.

A collective whose artists, their labels, and their design language have impressed me so much that it has completely changed my perspective on how clothing is created, what its purpose really is, and the impact it can have.

/// Carpe Diem, an avant-garde designer collective, was founded in 1996 in Perugia, Italy, by Maurizio Altieri. There are conflicting reports on the founding year, with sources mentioning 1994, 1998, and 1999 (the latter mentioned by Maurizio Amadei of M.A+ in a podcast with Lucentement). The visionary minds, particularly Maurizio Altieri, initially specialized in leather design, working with materials such as horsehide, cowhide, and anaconda.

These materials underwent intricate hand treatments, including washing, distressing, crushing, and burial in the ground for months. Carpe Diem quickly established itself as an avant-garde trailblazer, gaining recognition for its commitment to quality and craftsmanship. Originally concentrating on shoes, the brand later expanded its offerings to include clothing.

In 2006, Carpe Diem disbanded due to its increasing mainstream popularity, paving the way for other brands to follow its innovative path. This marked the peak of Carpe Diem's fame, with celebrities like Brad Pitt seen wearing their leather shirts. The surge in investor interest eventually led to Maurizio Altieri abandoning the label.

In recent years, Carpe Diem has been acquired by a Japanese company, resulting in the reissue of some designs and the introduction of new ones. However, signs indicate that Altieri and his colleagues are no longer actively involved in the design process.

Carpe Diem's influence extends to avant-garde brands like Carol Christian Poell, Boris Bidjan Saberi, Layer-0, and others, incorporating designs such as twisted seams, dropped-crotch trousers, asymmetric plackets, and J-cut pants. The brand's collections, including L'Maltieri (knitwear), Sartoria (made-to-measure), and Linea (jackets, pants, and T-shirts), aimed to diversify offerings.

The Linea collection, utilizing a 3x3 modular system, features interchangeable and conceptually connected laser-cut jackets, cotton pants, and T-shirts.

Sartoria, a customized line derived from Linea, maintains the "arte povera" aesthetic with crumpled, washed, and treated leather. Custom items required visits to a Parisian garage for fitting and digital photography, and delivery took 60 days, utilizing leather buried in the deserts of Afghanistan.

The distinctive feature of hanging garments on meat hooks pays homage to the label's origins as a leather house. The Sartoria line has evolved into the fifth line named Anatomica, propably my favorite collection of Carpe Diem.

Now, let's introduce the creative minds behind Carpe Diem in detail: Maurizio Altieri Maurizio Altieri, the visionary founder of Carpe Diem, is a perfectionist who brings an academic background in business and law to the world of fashion. His professional journey began at Chrome Hearts, where he honed fundamental skills in craftsmanship and leather treatment. In 1996, Altieri departed from Chrome Hearts to establish Carpe Diem, driven by a philosophy to craft timeless, useful, and handmade pieces from the finest materials.

Altieri's unique approach materialized through the application of distinctive treatments and washes, setting his creations apart. Notably, Maurizio Altieri rejects traditional editorials and advertising, firmly believing that the craftsmanship and quality of his pieces should speak for themselves. This commitment to craftsmanship is vividly demonstrated through a series of collections known as the "Continues Collection," showcasing an enduring dedication to the art of craftsmanship and the creation of timeless fashion experiences. Post-Carpe Diem, Altieri embarked on various projects, including m_moriabc, active in the fashion world since 2012.

Beyond demonstrating Altieri's exceptional talent for creating memorable brand names, m_moriabc is renowned for its handmade footwear crafted through special Norwegian craftsmanship. Altieri's ambitious pursuit involves capturing the essence of time itself in his creations, symbolized by the names A, B, and C, each representing distinct lines that embody aspects of the past, present, and future.

Avantindietro, launched in 2009, stands out as another notable project, offering a minimalist response to Carpe Diem's initial collection. In a collaborative effort two years later, Altieri partnered with Alessio Zero, the Italian designer behind Layer-O, to produce a small offering of shoes made from leather buried years earlier, adding a fascinating narrative to the creations.

Altieri's current venture, the art project Vnapersona, further underscores his dedication to pushing artistic boundaries. Through these endeavors, Maurizio Altieri continues to leave an indelible mark on the fashion landscape, weaving together elements of time, craftsmanship, and innovation.

Maurizio Amadei Maurizio Amadei played a pivotal role in shaping the distinctive identity of Carpe Diem's leather products, encompassing accessories and jackets. During his tenure as a designer at Carpe Diem, Amadei demonstrated a unique exploration of human anatomy, sculpting pieces to follow the lines of the body's muscles. This innovative approach not only left an indelible mark on his designs at Carpe Diem but continued to influence his subsequent work.

Following the conclusion of Carpe Diem in 2006, Maurizio Amadei founded M.A+ as a spiritual successor to the renowned "Continues Collection." The unmistakable parallels between the two collections are evident in Amadei's inaugural M.A+ collection, where a standout piece was a large shoulder bag crafted from a single seamless piece of leather—a hallmark reminiscent of Carpe Diem. The introduction of the cross motif in this collection became the emblem of Amadei's design ethos, defining sought-after pieces like the 925 Sterling Silver Cross Belt.

M.A+ seamlessly carried forward many of the distinctive design techniques for leather while integrating cozy cotton fabrics into seamless one-piece silhouettes. Amadei's deliberate use of blunt knives for cutting and processing garment hems serves as a nod to Altieri's design philosophy. The overarching objective was to envelop the wearer in a second skin—an uncomplicated construction that is seamless yet refined.

In the present day, M.A+ stands out with flawlessly crafted garments in an array of materials such as silk and satin, garnering significant attention for their luxurious functionality. The allure extends to the patterned garments within the M.A+ collection, complementing the outstanding leather and shoe products. Amadei's design DNA is deeply rooted in principles of simplicity and minimalism, with stitches employed only when necessary. This commitment to minimalism is further emphasized by the absence of tags conveying fabric or size information—a testament to Maurizio Amadei's sophistication and meticulous attention to detail in his designs.

Simone Cecchetto Simone Cecchetto, during his tenure at Carpe Diem, brought an exceptional perspective and creative flair to the realm of shoe and accessory design. Influenced by his background in body art, Cecchetto delved into the "Second Body" project of Sartoria or Anatomica at Carpe Diem, an exploration of the concept of leather as a second skin on the human body.

His visionary approach extended to innovative ideas such as integrating chips into leather jumpsuits, enabling the tracking of digital images and movements—a seamless fusion of traditional craftsmanship with modern technological elements.

Despite Maurizio Amadei's primary responsibility for leather goods, Cecchetto collaborated directly with Altieri to optimize their products. Despite lacking formal training as a shoemaker, Cecchetto's deep passion for shaping leather led him to assume the role of footwear design at Carpe Diem, allowing him to preserve the brand's legacy in shoe design.

Following the closure of Carpe Diem, Cecchetto sought refuge at Rick Owens briefly, only to realize a misalignment with Owens' avant-garde aesthetic. This experience served as a catalyst for him to chart his own course, resulting in the establishment of his label, Augusta, later renamed A Diciannoveventitre and A1923. The name Augusta pays homage to his grandmother, embodying the brand's principles of simplicity inherited from her. A1923 revolves around the principle of Wabi-Sabi, a Japanese philosophy seeking beauty in natural irregularities.

Cecchetto's unwavering dedication is evident in the meticulous sourcing and processing of leather, compensating for his lack of formal training with experimentation and craftsmanship. A1923 stands out with its niche offerings, featuring handmade leather shoes and bags for men. The collection includes distinctive elements such as boots with double zippers and sneaker-boot hybrids, adorned with worn-out laces and intense colors. This testament to Simone Cecchetto's ability to preserve creative integrity while forging his own path underscores his continued contribution to the creation of influential and unique designs.

/// Part two is coming in a couple of days!

Davis Jahn

[nohiketoosmall]

Ranking Plush Cobras 🐍

Part 1: ranking plush anacondas 🐍

"Cobra" is a little vaguer than anaconda, because "cobras" include a specific genus and the common names of a variety of snake species. As such, I'll give them more leeway in terms of color accuracy, but I think the shape of the hood will make or break these snake plushes.

Cobra Stuffed Animal by Wild Republic

Length: 54 in

11/10. I chose cobras after I found this guy because I love him, so much. Her cute little face. Their perfect little hood. They look like they're smiling. I can't see the back, but I think this is a creative interpretation of a monocled cobra, which can be striped. The spectacled cobra also has similar front-hood ornamentation, usually seem more "freckled" than "striped". I think this could pass for a creative interpretation of both. Unlike most snake plushies, the proportion of the head is much more accurate and in my opinion, cuter. Wild Republic really redeemed themselves from last time.

Cobra Snake Plush by Top Toy

1.5m

4/10, this guy certainly has the look of maybe a king cobra, and that chunky head shape so many retailers seem to use for snakes actually fits the cobra. But if I want a plush of a deadly snake I would prefer it have the :< expression of a cobra and the big, charming eyes. Also, king cobras should have round pupils.

Cobra Pillow Snake by Unknown (via whiteblackstore)

2.1m

8/10 This is one of the longer cobra plushes, and he has an excellent shape, very huggable, soft, and does look like he'd work as a pillow although I couldn't confirm whether there is wire in her body. I'll note that even the product photo seems to have a manufacturing defect in one eye. This cobra was found on several websites, but I couldn't find the manu. The cape cobra can be orange, so even that works!

Plush Cobra by Haihuiyuan (?) (via aliexpress)

Length unknown

10/10 considering the size and simplicity I actually really like these ones. They all look a little angry but extremely cute, which is what I want in a cobra stuffie. Not angry as in vicious but angry like you just walked in on them at a bad moment and they turned around in surprise. Again, the cobras have heads the same size as their body, which I think is great. There are no blue cobras (I think) but I will accept this inaccuracy for the sake of cuteness.

Cobra snake plush by iharttoys

1+ m

2/10. My partner described these as "muppet like" and I actually added a point of that because thats a cute concept, but I hate these. I despise cartoon animals with this much white in their eyes, but other than that I think the hood just looks awful, like terrible finds, and the scales look too fish-y because they're big. I wish more plushies had open mouths, though, but I would definitely put fangs in them if I did an open mouth.

Cobra Stuffed Animal by WildRepublic (2)

12in* *standing up, longer uncoiled.

6/10 This small cobra is like the platonic ideal of cobra plushes. Its fairly accurate in color, fairly accurate in shape, and uses simple patterns effectively. Its like an 8/10 for accuracy, but it just doesn't charm me as much as some of the others I've seen.

Realistic stuffed cobra by Aurora (via stuffedsafari on pinterest)

13in* *may be standing up, couldnt find confirmation, looks to be longer uncoiled

9/10 another excellent cobra plush. This is more perfect than I ever could have imagined. The material used looks to be textured with different textures on top and bottom. My only complaint with the toy is the hood should be connected a little lower to match the shape of the head. My other complaint is that I can't actually find this anywhere for sale- I think it was sold out but still appeared on the pinterest page for the online store.

Foilkins Cobra by WildRepublic (3)

54in

7/10 I really like the vibe of this guy. Definitely a more flashy variety, not really trying to be realistic with its gimmick of having shiny scales, but it has a cute shape. Could use a bigger hood, maybe. Adorable though.

Cuddlekins cobra by Wildrepublic (4 or 2b?)

12in* *probably longer uncoiled, unclear

7/10 I have no idea if this is real. This snake is present on the wildrepublic amazon page and I could find no other pictures of it. Here is the saga of what I found about it:

One US reviewer posted a photo (2022) of what they purchased and it was clearly the cobra reviewed in WR 2, which does not have the fancier materials. The WR website has the WR 2 snake as being $23 but the amazon listing lists WR 4 as $55. In fact, a UK reviewer on Amazon from 2023 posted that the snake was not shiny and in the photo it looks the same as WR 2. I do hope people aren't buying for $55 from amazon when it is only $22 on their website- assuming everyone is getting WR 2 instead of the above picture. I did check and confirm the prices for plushes are normally the same on amazon and their website. I also went ahead and reported this to amazon, although I have no idea whether they take action on things like this.

Stuffed cobra from Sunny Toy (via stuffedark)

62in

8/10 Now THIS is what I'm looking for when I see a snake with an open mouth. This guy is discontinued so I couldn't find many details but he appears to be a puppet. I love his little fangs and delightful expression. Definitely a shape > pattern and color design, but it works.

Stuffed cobra from Fiesta Toy (via stuffedark)

49in

10/10 I think this snake has excellent vibes and could be my friend. no notes.

Wild Eyes king cobra by Animal Planet

38in (?)

1/10 I despise this snake. Its so ugly. why would you do this to me.

In conclusion

There are way more cobras than anacondas, and I would say they're generally more charming. I think the hood makes the cobra plushes instantly recognizable, but it also seems to be the only thing that will convince designers to make a snake plushes head a reasonable size compared to its body. Most of the hoods do tend to be a bit fin-ish and the nicer ones have the hood taper down the body.

Cobras dont always have their hood up- they do so as a threat display- so I've been ruminating on the techniques one could use to make a fold-out hood without ruining the plushness of the toy. I have not been able to think up a good solution.

[nardo-headcanons]

akatsuki reactions to getting the anaconda nicki minaj single for a present (im sorry it had 2 be done)

I got this request at 2 AM and I almost answered it right then and there. Thank you anon. This is what I run my blog for.

The Akatsuki getting the Anaconda Nicki Minaj single for a present + BONUS

Deidara is taken aback, but he is not one to decline a gift. He listens to it once but gets bored of it rather quickly. He gifts the box (and the g string thong it comes with) to Tobi and tries making himself look generous in the process.

Hidan appreciates how explicit the song is and how it goes against the norms. He listens to it from time to time, and also tries annoying Kakuzu with it.

Itachi is conflicted with that box in his hands. You just handed it to him without elaborating, and now he is blankly staring at it. He will gift it to Sasuke with a straight face. It has a snake on it so he should like it, right?

Kakuzu recognizes that this is a limited edition single box, so he doesn't touch it and sells it to the highest bidder.

Kisame will thank you for the gift and feign a smile, the song isn't really to his taste. The g-string also leaves him a little confused... It's not even his size.

Konan will reluctantly accept it, she is a little digusted with the lyrics. However, she will secretly wear the thong and even look for a matching bralette.

Nagato refuses the gift. He has more important things to take care of and wants you to act like a proper criminal.

Orochimaru might be the funniest one. He actually listens to the song, enjoying the beat and the fast rapping. The fact anacondas are mentioned are a plus.

BONUS

Sasori also doesn't accept the gift and will forever look down on you for even considering giving you such a gift. Will call you "pervert fool" for the rest of your time in the Akatsuki.

Tobi loves gifts. He gladly accepts it, thinking you profusely. However, he will embarrass you by wearing the thong to Akatsuki meetings and loudly stating that it was you who gave it to him.

White Zetsu studies the box and its contents. He is really intrigued what humans have come up with over the years, trying to evoke a deeper meaning from the lyrics.

Black Zetsu meanwhile, is overcome with a rage against humanity and what it has come to. This is not the world he wanted to reincarnate his mother into. It takes some convincing from White Zetsu to continue with his plan and avoid the doom of humanity once and for all.

[loneberry]

September 11, 1973: On the 50th Anniversary of the Coup in Chile 

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the coup d’état in Chile, when a fascist junta led by dictator Augusto Pinochet overthrew the democratically elected socialist government of Salvador Allende. For those of us who are on the left, the story should be familiar by now: Allende had charted a ‘Chilean way to socialism' ("La vía chilena al socialismo") quite distinct from the Soviet Union and communist China, a peaceful path to socialism that was fundamentally anti-authoritarian, combining worker power with respect for civil liberties, freedom of the press, and a principled commitment to democratic process. For leftists who had become disillusioned with the Soviet drift into authoritarianism, Chile was a bright spot on an otherwise gloomy Cold War map.

What happened in Chile was one of the darkest chapters in the history of US interventionism. In August 1970, Henry Kissinger, who was then Nixon’s national security adviser, commissioned a study on the consequences of a possible Allende victory in the upcoming Chilean presidential election. Kissinger, Nixon, and the CIA—all under the spell of Cold War derangement syndrome—determined the US should pursue a policy of blocking the ascent of Allende, lest a socialist Chile generate a “domino effect” in the region. 

When Allende won the presidency, the US did everything in their power to destroy his government: they meddled in Chilean elections, leveraged their control of the international financial system to destroy the economy of Chile (which they also did through an economic boycott), and sowed social chaos through sponsoring terrorism and a shutdown of the transportation sector, bringing the country to the brink of civil war. Particularly infuriating to the Americans was Allende’s nationalization of the copper mining industry, which was around 70% of Chile’s economy at the time and was controlled by US mining companies like Anaconda, Kennecott and the Cerro Corporation. When the CIA’s campaign of sabotage failed to destroy the socialist experiment in Chile, they resorted to assisting general Augusto Pinochet's plot to overthrow the democratically elected government. What followed was a gruesome campaign of repression against workers, leftists, poets, activists, students, and ordinary Chileans—stadiums were turned into concentration camps where supporters of Allende’s Popular Unity government were tortured and murdered. During Pinochet’s 17-year reign of terror, 3,200 people were executed and 40,000 people were detained, tortured, or disappeared, 1,469 of whom remain unaccounted for. Chile was then used as a laboratory for neoliberal economic policies, where the Chicago boys and their ilk tested out their terrible ideas on a population forced to live under a military dictatorship.

It shatters my heart, thinking about this history. I feel a personal attachment to Chile, not only because my partner is Chilean (his father left during the dictatorship), but because I’ve always considered Chile to be a world capital of poetry and anti-authoritarian leftism. The filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky asks, “In how many countries does a real poetic atmosphere exist? Without a doubt, ancient China was a land of poetry. But I think, in the 1950s in Chile, we lived poetically like in no other country in the world.” (Poetry left China long ago — oh how I wish I��d been around to witness the poetic flowering of the Tang era!) Chile has one of the greatest literary traditions of the twentieth century, producing such giants as Bolaño and Neruda, and more recently, Cecilia Vicuña and Raúl Zurita, among others. 

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the coup, the Harvard Film Archive has been  screening Patricio Guzmán’s magisterial trilogy, The Battle of Chile, along with a program of Chilean cinema. I watched part I and II the last two nights and will watch part III tonight. It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Guzmán’s work, and even quoted his beautiful film Nostalgia for the Light in the conclusion of my book Carceral Capitalism, when I wrote about the Chilean political prisoners who studied astronomy while incarcerated in the Atacama Desert. Bless Patricio Guzmán. This man has devoted his life and filmmaking career to the excavation of the Chilean soul. 

Parts I and II utterly destroyed me. I left the theater last night shaken to my core, my face covered in tears. 

The films are all the more remarkable when you consider it was made by a scrappy team of six people using film stock provided by the great documentarian Chris Marker. After the coup, four of the filmmakers were arrested. The footage was smuggled out of Chile and the exiled filmmakers completed the films in Cuba. Sadly, in 1974, the Pinochet regime disappeared cameraman Jorge Müller Silva, who is assumed dead. 

It’s one thing to know the macro-story of what happened in Chile and quite another to see the view from the ground: the footage of the upswell of support for radical transformation, the marches, the street battles, the internal debates on the left about how to stop the fascist creep, the descent into chaos, the face of the military officer as he aims his pistol at the Argentine cameraman Leonard Hendrickson during the failed putsch of June 1973 (an ominous prelude to the September coup), the audio recordings of Allende on the morning of September 11, the bombing of Palacio de La Moneda—the military is closing in. Allende is dead. The crumbling edifice of the presidential palace becomes the rubble of revolutionary dreams—the bombs, a dirge for what was never even given a chance to live.

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Hi! So, I just started watching a documentary series aimed mainly at kids, following everyday life at the Bergen Aquarium in Norway.

And they have some reptiles. I an not an expert on the handling shown in the series, but I'm sure they know what they're doing.

But early on in season 1, they get a green anaconda from the Crocodile Zoo in Denmark. Just a little one, about 2,5 meters long. And the narrator says that it is considered one of the most dangerous snakes in the world? Is that correct??? Or just making drama for the intended audience of children?

Have you ever handled one?

Thank you!

Hmm, it might be stretching the truth a little bit, but sure, under the right (very specific) circumstances, green anacondas can be dangerous to humans. They're one of the few snakes that can actually get big enough to really kill or even eat an adult person, although a snake big enough to do so is exceptionally large and it's vanishingly rare.

I have handled green anacondas! They're lovely. Too big for most private keepers to even think about owning, but one of my herpetology friends is the director of a zoo and converted his basement into an enclosure for his, and she's a sweetheart. Anacondas can be a bit grumpy but well-socialized ones are a treat.

As with any large snake, it's not safe to handle any snake over about 12 feet long on your own, just because they don't know their own strength and accidents can happen! But personality-wise anacondas are lovely. They're just so big that handling them is a group effort!

[some-pers0n]

Alright gamers! I've collected a list of notes that my friends were able to pick up on while reading the leaked guide. It's a bit disjointed and hard since it's quite difficult to read, but here we go. Under the cut is a bulletpoint list of it all.

This is the video I'm talking about, by the way.

And a quite couple of notes:

This isn't the full thing. Several pages were skipped during it. Some sections cut-off abruptly because of that

Some things simply aren't readable (at least to those I've worked with and myself) because of the motion blur from the pages turning and the slightly low quality

I'll leave out a bit of stuff from the stories that aren't terribly relevant (like what happens in them) as I don't really consider them lore. Only bits and pieces from them that are relevant I'll include

With that being said, let us begin with the lore dump.

MudWings chose their own names

MudWings have adobe buildings

MudWings have royal balls

Burn threatened Coral to try and get her into joining her side, but Coral refused

Burn pretty much tried intimidating all of the tribes into siding with her via blackmail

Blaze tried to get Coral on her side and the letter was so disjointed that "she could barely write or string a sentence together"

^ "It was abundantly likely that she had never read a single one of Coral's bestselling scrolls"

Blister bribed Coral into joining her side by promising the treasure that she stolen from the SandWing treasury before she left

Blister memorized all of Coral's scrolls so that Coral would like her more

After the burning of the Summer Palace, the SeaWings refused to speak to Blister because it was only then that Coral realized that Blister was fishy with the death of Kestrel and also manipulating her the whole time

There is a letter from Anemone to Tamarin that's basically a love confession plus a vent dump

^ Anemone tells Tamarin about how she was incredibly isolated her whole life and had no social life due to her mother and status as a princess and animus. She had never seen another dragon that wasn't a SeaWing (except Blister) until the DoD came. She writes about how she wishes that there was a town like Possibility built near the borders of the Sea Kingdom so that the MudWings, RainWings, and SeaWings could all mingle about. She also talks about her insecurities over being a ruler and wishes that Auklet will be the one to step up and claim the throne. Anemone writes about how she feels intense guilt for attempting to kill her family and says that Auklet hasn't done anything like that, thus would be a better queen

^ Anemone wanted to gift Tamarin a pearl but Kinkajou didn't allow for it because she suspected it was enchanted

The Rainforest Kingdom has "strange geological formations" that can be dangerous

Dragonbite vipers have an evolutionary cousin called Lanceheads, which live in the rain forest

Glory theorizes that the reason why the screaming monkeys from THK adapted to scream like that was because it was done by the NightWings so that they would lose sleep, resulting in an easier takeover

RainWing knowledge was limited for ages because of how some outsiders would go in and never return, which is why RainWing venom was unknown

RainWing assassins are real

^ RainWing assassins were known to hunt during the day while NightWing assassins worked during the night

Queen Anaconda's grandmother outlawed the use of venom on dragons due to its lethal nature and later tried to disband her army because of a peace treaty she signed between the RainWings, MudWings, and SkyWings

^ Because of no war, the RainWings become more laid-back and this is why they're like the way they are in the modern day

There is a story about a NightWing named Comet who was hatched under "a" comet (no particular comet specified) and with no full moons. He was supposed to be powerless, yet he had a vision. The story cuts-off there

There's a part with a couple pieces of SandWing treasure

^Desert Tiara: This tiara, worn by queens for centuries, is [???] from silver into spikes resembling cactus spines, and embedded with crystals to represent the precious [???] of the sandwing kingdom

^The Twilight Necklace: This necklace is a long, thin, coiled chain made of a [???] black metal, possibly of NightWing origin. Care should also be taken when [???] [???]"

^The SandWing Scepter: The scepter is a staff of oak wood, plated with [???] gold, and inlaid with onyx and pearls. Records suggest the scepter is possibly [???] [???] and [???] animus-touched, but care should be used when handling the scepter [???] [???] [???]"

^Assorted Gems and Coins: Likely in [???] stamped with Queen Oasis' symbol

Smolder keeps Rose on a leash via a bracelet he got for her and has her in a cage when she's not being good or it's night time

IceWings do not use scrolls to preserve stories, instead using "bards", which are storytellers. They are chosen from birth

^ There is a story about a bard named Caribou in the book who's from The-Village-Of-The-Plentiful-Seals, a village near the gift of sustenance, which are three lakes where if a dragon sticks their claws into the water they'll always catch a seal

Nearly every generation in each family has someone named Caribou to honor an animus whose name was Caribou

Icewings have a yearly feast where they go to The-Village-Of-The-Plentiful-Seals where they eat, sing, tell stories, and dance for five days and five nights

The aurora borealis is said to be the Great Ice Dragon's frostbreath

There are Great Ice Dragon temples that feed the poor and hungry for free

Where-No-Dragon-Goes-Hungry is another village and has a MASSIVE statue of Caribou carved out of whale bone

Where-No-Dragon-Goes-Hungry also does a yearly competition on who can make the best caribou sculpture

We-Venerate-and-Remember-Caribou also has a market that stays open all year and holds the Great ice Dragon temples

Noble IceWings despised the gift of sustenance due to believing that it was a easy way of getting food, saying that it only are lazy and that they should work for their food and be useful to the tribe

Canyon was the name of the Skywing King who married Scarlet. He was like Scarlet, but a man. Obsessed with his appearance and a bit egotistical

Skywings have marriage rituals where the two lovers will fly up in the clouds and say wedding vows or something. They do this alone, there are no wedding guests or anything like that

^ This changed when Scarlet became queen, and she threw lavish parties for marriages, but people didn't really like that (because Scarlet would also have gladiator fights as part of the "party") so most dragons would either do the wedding ritual in secret or would just not marry

SilkWing schools take their dragonets to their hive's misbehavior way twice a year to terrify the young dragonets into obedience

^ "Do HiveWing dragonets get traumatized this way? Nope."

Here are some rules that are listed that SilkWings must follow:

"SilkWings are assigned professions suited to their limited set of skills as a tribe and begin work as soon as they have wings."

"SilkWing partnerships (marriages) are designated by Queen Wasp and her sisters, and are binding unless the queen chooses to sever them."

"To preserve the dignity and unity of our two tribes, personal relationships between HiveWings and SilkWings are not tolerated."

"No trees are allowed in the Hives, neither planted in your terrariums or gardens, nor portrayed in our art, in solemn commemoration of all the lives lost during the tree wars."

"To ensure their safe transit throughout the Hives, all SilkWings must wear bracelets designating their school or place of work at all times. Travel between hives must be cleared with supervisors and local HiveWing authorities."

"All dragons must refrain from stealing or destroying property"

"Each SilkWing metamorphosis must take place within the cocoon."

SilkWing dragonets are taught only by HiveWings, and are told that all HiveWings learn what SilkWings learn at a much much younger age in order to keep SilkWings feeling inferior

Silkwings who are especially good at something, or just quick with their work, are often assigned tasks that are much harder for them. "Troublemakers" are always given the hardest jobs. Io theorizes this is to keep SilkWings too busy and too tired to wish for a better future

Yellowjacket Hive is the "manufacturing" hive and has factories and stuff. They produce glasses, lamps, and book printers. They also have a university that specializes in engineering

Hornet Hive is the economy hive, where shops are everywhere, everyone is in accounting, and has a university for commerce, and apparently there are companies or something because Hornet Hive is where people manage their employees which are scattered throughout the continent

Vinegaroon Hive specialized in ecology, and has a bunch of cool fish in a lake (they get eaten). Dragons from Vinegaroon Hive are usually the ones to lead research expeditions? They also host hunting trips

Mantis Hive is still just "The College Place" where they teach HiveWings to become professors for the other colleges in other hives. They also focus on innovation, and part of the hive collapsed a while ago which is theorized to be from an industrial experiment

Tsetse Hive specializes in doctor stuff and healing and stuff. They probably have a med school. It is now basically confirmed that Tsetse Hive has a prison where anyone over the age of 50 is sent. since Wasp cant control elderly dragons

LeafWings don't have very much

There's some letters from Sequoia to someone named Linden, and then Belladona takes over and sends a letter to Sequoia about how her letters are no longer welcome but most of the words are too blurry to make out. I think this part is just about how the PoisonWings and SapWings used to have friendlier relations, but Belladonna changed this when she took over