#nep's nonsense

[nepnepian]

No one:

My brain at 3 am: so if the conclave's will becomes Justice's will at the end of Sign, and Justice is controlling the Opus units in the area, who are Gears, how the hell are Dizzy, Paradigm, Sin, and Ky not being effected? You can make an argument for Dizzy and Sin as they both have command Gear blood from Justice herself. Ky has enough willpower to withhold a dragon install without a limiter, something not even Sol can really do, so I'm willing to play into disbelief there, but what about Paradigm??? How is he fighting it? Is Dizzy preventing anything from happening? Is Dizzy and Chronus just playing mental ping pong with Paradigm's mind?? This also brings the question of what is happening to Testament during this whole thing as they aren't in Xrd period. Did they just black out for a few hours and wake up once Chronus was barbecued by St. Elmo's Fire? Would they remember anything if they got effected? Would they feel Justice and immediately start freaking out because of how long she had mind controlled them in the past?

[multitudeofmeus]

Meulin "Too Deaf and High to realize Nepeta popped" Leijon

[gameindestrilusting]

Neptune, Noire, Blanc, and Plutia. Trip to the onsen for fun, nakey flirty time.

Initially you had four tickets to the Onsen. They were going to invite Vert alongside them but unfortunately she had 4 Goddesses online to take care of due to a raid.

So now only Plutia, Blanc, Noire and Nep decided to go. Nep of course could not keep her hands off of Noire and Plutia followed along both girls smothering Noire rubbing her all over her smooth stomach, her round large breasts and even her perfect ass. Of course Noire's body was the most defined of all of them present

"These morons I swear.. you also have mature bodies in your HDD forms, why don't you touch yourselves instead!" Noire was a bit annoyed from having both girls on her and then yelped from being suddenly groped by Neptune from behind

"Nonsense! It's not the same as playing around with your buddies huh Plutie~?" And right at the moment when Neptune asked that question and turned around she saw something that made her shiver in terror "NEPU!?" This only meant one thing...

Of course

SHE was here

"I agree, why don't we play a little game? I miss having my little pets around~" Iris Heart says with a rather twisted expression causing Noire to shiver as well

And then you had Blanc...

Blanc was in the back seemingly annoyed at all this flirting

"Do these bitches ever shut the hell up?"

[nostalgebraist]

homebrew

Homebrew, a very popular package manager for OS X, does not allow the user to install a specific version of a package.

Nor does it allow packages (“formulae” in its lingo) to specify versions or version ranges in their dependencies.

Instead, in Homebrew, packages just have names, and the names mean “the newest version released to Homebrew so far.”

----

For example, here’s Ipython on PyPI and github.   There, you can see lots of different versions, and you can see the newest ones require python >= 3.7, as advised in NEP 0029.

... and here’s Ipython on Homebrew.  There’s only one version, the latest one, whatever the latest one happens to be at $CURRENT_DATE.

And instead of depending on python >= 3.7, it requires python 3.8, which NEP 0029 will not demand until Dec 26, 2021.  And work to bump that requirement to python 3.9 is apparently underway.

Actually, it does not really require python 3.8 (remember, you cannot require versions in Homebrew).  Instead, it just requires “python,” i.e. whatever Homebrew has decided the latest version of python is.

Formulae for apps that require Python 3 should declare an unconditional dependency on "python@3.x". These apps must work with the current Homebrew Python 3.x formula.

If a package developer really wants to make multiple versions available on Homebrew at once, they can request to do so, but must pass a manual curation step, and even if they pass, their special status is provisional.

No more than five versions of a formula (including the main one) will be supported at any given time, regardless of usage. When removing formulae that violate this, we will aim to do so based on usage and support status rather than age.

[...]

Versioned formulae submitted should be expected to be used by a large number of people. If this ceases to be the case, they will be removed.

----

Am I missing something, or is this really bad?

I’ve learned to call `brew install` as rarely as possible, because it will recursively update all dependencies of the thing I’m installing to Homebrew’s current versions -- that’s the only thing it can do, no other versions “exist” -- and this means replacing possibly large quantities of software that works fine with software that might not work.

And once that happens, you can’t get the old versions back.  It was installed and running on your machine a moment ago, but to Homebrew it doesn’t exist anymore.

If you need to get old versions back, because you need your computer to work or some nonsense like that, you will probably find yourself reading this Stack Overflow thread, which has been chugging along since 2010 with no fully satisfying resolution.  Some highlights:

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[bssaz97]

It’s A Halloween Birthday!

A/N: I know this is coming a little late but gotta have a post for the birthday girl! Also thanks to my buddy @darksaiyangoku for inspiring most of this post with me, love ya man! Also every character used in this post is loved and not bashed on, even if some are used for comedic purposes. Onwards and Upwards, let’s go!

- Rose-Xiao-Long Residence -

*ding-dong!~*

Jaune, dressed as an angel warrior, walked to the front door and opened it to greet the new arrivals. Upon opening the door, Jaune is met with Oscar Pine who himself is dressed as Nero (DMC 4).

Jaune: Hey Oscar, glad you can make it! *lowers voice* Is Yang still keeping Ruby occupied?

Oscar: Thankfully yes. How’s preparation going?

Jaune: We just finished, and a few of our guests have arrived so all we gotta do is wait for the lady of the night.

Oscar: Great! Who’s here by the way?

Jaune: That would be Blake, Sun, Nora and Ren.

Oscar peeks into the living room but grows a confused expression upon finding only Blake and Sun, both dressed as Han Solo and Princess Leia, present chatting at the Fountain of Blood (punch bowl).

Oscar: Uh Jaune… where’s Ren and Nora?

Jaune: *blank stare* You know where they’re at.

A series of knocking sounds can be heard from a closet in the upstairs level of the house.

Oscar: ...Oh.

Jaune: Yeah… those two came dressed as a Raider and a noble person. Take a guess on who’s who.

Oscar: I’m guessing Nora’s the noble one, right?

Jaune: *laughs* Sure let's go with that.

Oscar: So who else are we waiting on besides Yang and Ruby?

Jaune: That would be Neptune and Weiss. Nep just messaged me that they were getting close, so they should be here any minute.

Oscar: Ok, what about Tai and Qrow?

Jaune: That’s the best part, they’re gonna be a no show. So it’s just us for tonight!

Oscar: Cool!

*ding-dong~*

Jaune: Oh! That must be them right now.

Both huntsmen went to the door and let in both Weiss and Neptune.

Weiss: *dressed as Snow White* Pardon our tardiness, we would have been here sooner but we almost had a run in with the birthday girl and it nearly blew both our covers, so we had to go an alternate route through a local neighborhood.

Jaune: That’s fine Weiss, we’re just happy that you are here. Also nice Snow White costume, is that custom?

Weiss: Of course, I know it seems much but I can’t stand the store bought costumes, the material makes me itch too easily.

Oscar: Fair enough, also what’s your costume Neptune?

Neptune: *Flexes* You like it? I’m dressed as Aquaman, King of Atlantis!

Neptune’s costume looks similar to the final version of DCEU Aquaman’s super suit, however, there are some noticeable additions. Such as the purple starfish masking his nose, a purple belt instead of a gold one, and two purple shells on his chest looking like a bra…

Jaune/Oscar: *try holding in their laughter*

Neptune: Hm?

Jaune: So, where’s Barnacle Boy?

Neptune: *grew a confused expression* What?

Oscar: *snorting and gasping* Is he with Man Ray?

Neptune: Guys what are you talking about? It almost sounds like you think I’m-

Neptune was cut off by the sound of boisterous laughter coming from the punch bowl, where Sun can be seen kneeling over laughing his ass off. This seemed to increase his ire.

Neptune: Why are you laughing? I really am Aquaman.

Jaune: *chuckles* Not with that bra, you’re not.

Neptune: Bra? *Eyes widen in realization* SUN!

Sun, Jaune and Oscar’s laughter increased tenfold.

Sun: *gasping for breath* I-I’m sorry man, I couldn’t resist.

Neptune: Ughh! Gods Damnit! No wonder those kids were saying, “Evil’s Afoot!” It all makes sense now.

Oscar: *wiping away a tear* If it bothers you that much, why don’t you take it off?

Neptune: I can’t, I kinda... glued it on. Plus I’m already here, what’s done is done.

Sun: Nonsense! *grabs the bra and rips it off*

What happened as Sun tore away the bra from the costume was exactly what Neptune warned, thus as the shells came off so too did the chest portion of his costume.

Neptune: ....

Oscar: ...maybe Weiss likes it?

Weiss: It does have a certain appeal, and it does show off your naturalness dear. *she hums rubbing Nep’s exposed chest*

Neptune: ...I’m completely ok with these results.

Night had come, and the group waited another half hour until both Ruby and Yang arrived at the house, who by then had all been hidden and turned off the lights.

Ruby: Hey why’s it so dark in here? *flicks on the lights*

“SURPRISE! Happy Birthday!”

Ruby: *jumps up in her demon warrior costume* Oh my-Guys, what are you all?

Yang: *dressed as Trish* Like your surprise sis?

Ruby: Oh my gods, you were planning this all day?

Yang: Can’t take all the credit, VB here set everything up while I had to keep you busy trick or treating.

Ruby: *eyes watering* Jaune? I thought you had to go on a mission.

Jaune: Yeah… I may have twisted the details on what kind of mission I was gonna be on today. You like it?

Ruby: Dang it, Vomit Boy… I love it! *rubs up and hugs her boyfriend*

Oscar: *walks up to Yang* Thanks for keeping her busy Yang, couldn’t have done it without you.

Yang: It’s no biggie, I’m just glad I can make both of my little devils happy this evening. Also how’s my costume? *she teased while doing a spin*

Oscar: *blushes* It suits you… but it might’ve made more sense to go as Kyrie.

Yang: Aw, but I kinda wanted to bring the ‘devil’ outta you tonight.~

Oscar: ...That’s also good.

Blake: *comes in with a cake* Alright birthday girl, time to make your wish.

The CRWBY:

Happy birthday to you~

Happy birthday to you~

Happy birthday dear Ruby~

Happy birthday to you!~

Ruby: *smiles then blows out her candles* Thank you, all of you. I’m so happy everyone could make it.

The group suddenly hears the sounds of rushing footsteps coming from upstairs and from the stairs they see both Ren and Nora arrive with shocked expressions.

Nora: *dressed as a Mistralian noble* Aw dang it! We missed the best part!

Oscar: Ha! I knew I was right!

[giveamadeuschohisownmovie]

RWBY plays Among Us (part 2):

(DEAD BODY REPORTED - Scarlet David. Only Ruby, Weiss, and Blake are left)

Ruby Rose: WEISSITWASBLAKE, WEISSITWASBLAKE, WEISSITWASBLAKE, WEISSITWASBLAKE-

Blake Belladonna: -Whoa, whoa, whoa, Ruby are you gonna let me talk-

Ruby Rose: WEISS, BLAKE VENTED AND KILLED SCARLET. I SAW THE WHOLE THING-

Blake Belladonna: Weiss, if you believe that nonsense, you're gonna throw the whole game for us!

Weiss Schnee: Will you dolts slow down, I can't think straight-

Ruby Rose: IT WAS BLAKE!

Blake Belladonna: NO, IT'S NOT ME. IT WAS RUBY!

(several seconds later..."Blake has been ejected")

(this leads to the "DEFEAT" screen. The impostors were Ruby Rose and Neptune Vasilias. All the players unmute their mics)

Neptune Vasilias: GG! GG! LET'S GO RUBY! WOOOOOOO! I CAN'T BELIEVE WE PULLED THIS OFF!

Ruby Rose: (incoherent screams of joy, followed up by loud clapping noises)

Blake Belladonna: Wow...wow...wow...wow...WOW WEISS. WOW! Just...WOW!

Yang Xiao Long: Weiss, I'm calling you Eiss from now on. Because Ruby stole that W from us!

Scarlet David: (sounds of disappointed groaning)

Sun Wukong: Nep...bro, I've never felt this betrayed in a long while. Why you gotta self-report my body, man? Also, WHY WAS I THE FIRST TO DIE?

Nora Valkyrie: I FRICKIN KNEW IT WAS RUBY FROM THE START!

Jaune Arc: Damn it...I say that Ruby was sus ONE TIME! And then all of RWBY declares me as the impostor and votes me out! Look what happened! LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED!

Lie Ren: Honestly, I can't even be that mad. I'm just happy we at least got Neptune.

Weiss Schnee: (steps away from her laptop and starts pacing her room, fuming with anger)

[becomestorm]

waterlilies is so cute because the dynamic is just nep trying to flirt with handsome brick wall, and getting sniped when ren deadpans really blunt no-nonsense affections back in turn.

[heart-waves]

hey @lothrics-love ,, hey . open the read more. do it >:33

"Sir," Burgerpants said for the fifth time, a growl creeping into his voice. "You have a show today, you can't keep being so distracted."

"Oh, I just can't help it, darling," Mettaton said from his place dramatically sprawled (as much as a box could be, anyways) on his MTT-brand Fainting Couch (complete with neon pink sequins!). "You wouldn't understand."

"You sound like a brooding teenager," is what Burgerpants did not say. Adding 'personal therapist' to his list of jobs he was not being paid enough for, he responded, "Just tell me, boss - It might help to have, uh, a fresh eye on your problem." Also he really wanted to finish setting up the stage so he could go home.

Mettaton sighed, placing his arms over where one might guess his chest to be. "If you must know... There's this darling monster, although the term 'darling' can't even begin to describe them, honestly... Oh, they're just wonderous, darling!"

Burgerpants blinked. "A - you're this twisted up over a crush?" Mettaton scoffed, but before he could state that it was not just a crush, BP continued, "You- you're the star of the Underground, why don't you just ask them out?"

"That's just the thing! I'm the biggest star of all the sky, so- What if they don't think I'm," he tugged a sequin-covered pillow over his screen. "What it they doubt my sincerity?"

"I'm sure they won't," he said, and mumbling added, "You only lie about how well your products work anyways - Listen, just get them some flowers, be yourself, you'll do fine."

"Hmm... Flowers? Oh, how quaint," Mettaton said, moving to stand. "Ooh, but that might work! Thanks ever so much, Burgerpants!"

"You're wel- wait, hey we still have to-" BP paused in front of the now-closed door of the now-empty room. "...Set up the stage."

--

Mettaton rolled through Waterfall, donned in a beige trenchcoat to hide him from his masses of fans he was certain were looking for the chance to just see him ('those darlings,' he thought, though the monster he was thinking of was more important than all the stardom in the world).

He stopped abruptly at the door before him. Taking a second to calm his racing soul, he lightly knocked on the door, and began to fiddle with his coat as he waited.

After what felt like an eternity and was probably a few seconds, the door opened to reveal the monster of Mettaton's dreams - lovely, wonderful, immacu-

"Umm.... Hello?"

Oh! He snapped out if his thoughts, and in a flash removed his coat to reveal himself in all his glory. "Greetings, darling!" Taking their hand and pressing it to his screen, he continued, "Sorry to suprise you like that, dear, have to keep a low profile, what with all my adoring fans."

They brought their free hand to cover a growing smile. "Never would have guessed - oh, um, what brings you here, Metta?" They asked, eyes widening a second later. "If- if it doesn't bother you that I call you that."

"My darling, call me whatever you like," he answered absentmindedly, mind clouded with utter delight to hear his name fall from their lips. "Although... I do hope you'll allow me to offer something in return."

Nep wordlessly took the offered bouquet, eyes lighting up in surprise. "I.. Metta," they said, lightly stroking one of the petals. They were covered in bright pink sequins. "Oh, I love it, you really didn't have to."

Mettaton preened. "Nonsense, my darling, think nothing of it. Ah, although..."

"Yeah?"

Mettaton hoped they couldn't hear how hard his fans were blowing or soul beating. "Would you like to join me for dinner sometime?"

[waitineedaname]

Okay way off base headcannons time!! First up is the boy himself, Murderclown! You didnt really go super into details about his powers on the post but I cant step away from the rage idea I got (cause I love classpect stuff and also bringin in that Highblood rage nonsense) and like he can drown people in visions of whatever would set them off? But given that he's already pretty strong on his own he tends to go for brute force instead, next up!! Obviously next gotta go over who all died during murder time! I'm thinking just the basics, which means sadly; Nep, Eq, Fef, and Tavros. Now why do I bring this up? Because I have a very uhhhh specific headcannon that is-let's be real-absolutely off base for what you're going for, probably, most likely. Because if we've got the alpha team then that means we've got the ALPHA team meaning we've got Calliope and Caliborn! Now I tend to be a fan of when it's where they're twins (though I do suppose a Jekyll and Hyde situation would work in this) and I imagine they both have the same basis of powers but use them in different ways, which is essentially narrative manipulation, kinda mirroring when Caliborn took over the narrative of homestuck for a bit, with Caliborn he tends to focus more on manipulating people to his whims, usually preferring to cause chaos, while Calliope tends to focus on manipulation of the world around, like the column of the bridge collapsing or something similar, they are clearly high energy abilities for both meaning it takes a while to build up to being able to use their abilities and large scale things are quite difficult. I bring them up because so far the whole murder time has been described as 'something snapped' and how they dont know what caused Gamzee to go murderclown, so my temporary headcannon is that Caliborn attacked them (havent officially decided why, maybe because he knew certain members would make strong allies?), Gamzee's always been a little unstable but leaning towards the peaceful side of his instability, it wouldnt take much to lean it to the other side given his rage abilities, Eridan is already bitter about Sollux hanging around Fef and her rebuttal, it would be very easy to up that bitterness into dangerous categories leading to a fight, and I know what you're thinking 'oh and then Vriska gets manipulated as well' which would make sense with the common storyline of her being manipulated by Doc Scratch and also manipulating others BUT hear me out on this? What if instead? Tavros was manipulated? He's getting concerned about Vriska's growing need to be a big hero in the spotlight (no one had heard of these guys before so I assume they weren't public about their powers like the Strilondes were) so all that's need to be done is push that concern into slight paranoia, Tavros HAS to get rid of Vriska or she'll ruin everything! This leads to the usual route of Vriska goes too far. She couldve easily disarmed Tavros but instead kills him. Eridan runs off and is chased by Sollux and Kanaya to be taken care of, Vriska (who because of her already bad standing with most members in their group realizes the death of Tavros will not go over well(havent decided if I believe she realizes she couldve not killed him or not)) is chased by Terezi and Aradia (who just because it's complicated to transfer that whole thing over, either never died to begin with, or part of her speaking to the dead powers allows her to come back a limited amount of times???), leaving Gamzee to be chased by Karkat.

....I uh...apparently had a lot of headcannons....whoops and like I know for sure the whole Kanaya headcannon is incorrect because you just said she's holding down the fort but yeah!! Also!!! Rosemary seems to give a lot of people trouble but I'm sure you'll be able to do it!!

DUDE........ omg this was so cool to read holy shit. I don’t want to spoil too much, but you’re actually right with a few of these! Equius, Nepeta, Feferi, and Tavros were the casualties of that Whole Mess, though Tavros was just paralyzed, not killed (and I’m planning for the dead folks to still have a way to be present through Shenanigans). As for the cherubs... hmmm! There is a little plot hole I’ve been trying to fill, so I will keep these incredible takes in mind :O!

There is definitely some outside manipulation involved in the trolls’ situation and it’s only going to get worse, but I hadn’t considered Tavros being involved in that! I could maybe find a way to incorporate that into something... my Tavros stan heart would love to find a way to make him relevant dlkfjdlskfj also you’re actually right with Kanaya! She did handle Eridan, he just didn’t get very far (as opposed to Vriska and Gamzee who fucking Vanished). Terezi is definitely planned to be going after Vriska (I actually have a possible fic for them floating around in my brain) but I could definitely see Aradia being involved too (Make Her Pay Reprise lol)

Thank you so much for sending this holy shit you may have given me a few ideas!

[rcvandenboogaard]

Moskou 1926, volgens Joseph Roth

‘Te Amerikaans’. Dat is een van de meer curieuze oordelen die de schrijver Joseph Roth (1894-1939) velt over de Sovjet-Unie, wanneer hij in 1926 het land bezoekt als verslaggever van de Frankfurter Zeitung. De vergelijking met de nieuwe wereld aan de andere kant van de Atlantische oceaan is geenszins als compliment bedoelt. Roth lijkt zich in zijn reportages - thans gebundeld in Nederlandse vertaling - te storen aan de praktische, no-nonsense instelling van de Russen die hij tegenkomt en die - dat is heel merkwaardig - door hem bij nooit bij naam worden genoemd. Maar het verwijt kan net zo goed slaan op de snelheid waarmee autobussen van het openbaar vervoer door de slecht geplaveide straten van Moskou rijden. ‘Amerikaansheid’ lijkt niet zo concreet bedoeld - tenslotte kun je iedere grote stad ter wereld wel als een imitatie van Amerika wegzetten. De implicatie is duidelijk: Roth gelooft niet in de ‘nieuwe mens’ die volgens de Sovjet-propaganda in Rusland zou zijn opgestaan. De Europese schrijver, telg van het Oostenrijk-Hongarije van voor de Eerste Wereldoorlog, gelooft in de nieuwe mens in Rusland even weinig als in de nieuwe wereld van de VS.

Roth bezoekt Moskou in 1926, een beetje vergeten periode uit de geschiedenis van de Sovjet-Unie. Het zijn de jaren van de NEP, de Nieuwe Economische Politiek. Nadat de jaren van de revolutie, en in aansluiting daarop de burgeroorlog, het voormalige imperium in chaos en economische afgrond terecht hadden doen komen, leek het de nieuwe machthebbers een goed idee in sommige opzichten even pas op de plaats te maken met de opbouw van de socialistische samenleving. Particulier ondernemerschap en handel mochten opeens weer, op kleine schaal. Woorden als ‘winst’ en ‘markt’ doken weer op in het spraakgebruik. In 1928 was het afgelopen met de NEP. Toen consolideerde Josef Stalin zijn macht en begon de Sovjet-structuur zoals die tot ongeveer 1985 heeft bestaan, met een centraal geleide-, staatsmonopolistische economie - tot 1953 in combinatie met terreur en dwangarbeid op grote schaal. 

De NEP werd grondig begraven in de collectieve herinnering van overheidswege. Ik herinner me nog hoe ik, onder Gorbatsjov, in 1986 bij lezing van een hoofdartikel in het partijblad Pravda een woord tegenkwam dat ik niet kende: pribyl. Ik zich het op in het woordenboek. Pribyl betekent winst - een begrip dat tot dan toe kennelijk nooit was opgedoken in de beleidsstukken en toespraken die ik voor mijn werk las. 

Joseph Roth weet niet - of hij kan het niet weten - dat de Sovjet-Unie die hij in 1926 in ogenschouw neemt niet de socialistische samenleving is die de stichters van de Sovjet-Unie voor ogen staat; dat de NEP niet meer is dan een tijdelijk bedoelde tussenfase. Politiek en ideologie lijken hem trouwens überhaupt maar heel weinig te interesseren - een tweede opmerkelijke lacune in deze reportages, naast dus het ontbreken van verwijzingen naar de personen die hij tegenkomt. De reportages voor de Frankfurter Zeitung zijn meer een soort vrij abstracte zedenschetsen. Roth was een groot schrijver, dat is in veel van de stukken uit de Sovjet-Unie  duidelijk te merken - in de sfeerbeschrijving van een grensovergang bijvoorbeeld. Er staat ook veel door de tijd achterhaald geneuzel tegenover in deze bundel - over de leninistische nationaliteiten-politiek bijvoorbeeld, waarvan Roth trouwens terecht vermoedt dat die niet zozeer gericht is op de bloei van de nationaliteiten als op de verbreiding van de socialistische doelstellingen in de nationale taal.

Over Roths verblijf in Moskou bestaat, afgezien dus van diens eigen artikelen en brieven, nog een tweede bron, het Moskauer Tagebuch van Walter Benjamin, dat pas in 1980 postuum is uitgegeven.  Het verschil tussen twee Duitstalige schrijvers en hun ervaringen in de USSR had niet groter kunnen zijn. Benjamin is in Moskou op uitnodiging van een organisatie van communistische intellectuelen - dezelfden die het onder het stalinisme zwaar te verduren zullen krijgen en wier revolutionair élan ook in 1926 al voor een groot deel lijkt uitgedoofd. Benjamin had zich eigenlijk voorgenomen dat de kennismaking met de Sovjet-Unie hem ertoe brengen zou, zich nu eindelijk eenduidig te engageren met de communistische zaak en in Duitsland lid van de KPD te worden. Maar het komt er niet van: de kennismaking met de Sovjet-realiteit is een moeilijk verteerbare deceptie. Twee maanden waart Benjamin rond in de verarmde, smerige grote stad Moskou. Zijn slechte humeur wordt nog versterkt door zijn seksuele verlangen naar de Letse theatermaakster Asja Lacis, die hij in 1924 op Capri heeft leren kennen. Nu woont ze in Moskou en Benjamin wil echt ontzettend graag weer met haar naar bed. Maar dat komt er maar één keer van, snel op de hotelkamer. Want Asja is steeds maar ziek en bovendien wijkt haar echtgenoot - de Oostenrijkse theaterman Bernard Reich - zelden van haar zijde. Benjamin wordt gek van verlangen.

En van de ontmoeting met Roth - de avond voordat deze tot zijn opluchting de thuisreis weer denkt te aanvaarden - wordt Benjamin ook niet echt vrolijk. Roth heeft sterstatus bij zijn bezoek. Hij is in de Sovjet-Unie op uitnodiging van VOKS, een ambtelijke instantie die tot taak heeft belangrijke ‘burgerlijke’ intellectuelen uit het buitenland enthousiast te maken voor de Sovjet-Unie, en van hen te maken wat fellow-travellers genoemd wordt. In tegenstelling tot Benjamin, die als bijna-communist in een armoedig hotel is ondergebracht waarover hij zich in het dagboek bitter beklaagt, bewoont de burgerlijke journalist Roth een comfortabele suite in een van de beste hotels van de stad. Tijdens de nachtelijke ontmoeting zegt Roth tegen Benjamin dat hij als vrijwel overtuigd ‘bolsjewiek’ naar de USSR is gekomen, maar weggaat als ‘royalist’, dat wil zeggen als iemand die meent dat het pre-revolutionaire Rusland beter af was. Uit Benjamins aantekeningen blijkt eigenlijk niet dat Roth zich hier aan een retorische overdrijving schuldig maakt.

Roth’s eigen stukken, omzichtig als ze zijn, geven veel minder aanwijzingen over zijn stellingname. Duidelijk is dat de gevierde auteur, die in tegenstelling tot Benjamin heel het reusachtige land wordt rond gesleept, het er niet bijster naar zijn zin heeft: Odessa en Charkov bijvoorbeeld zijn vreselijke oorden, slechts Bakoe, aan de Kaspische zee, kan er nog een beetje mee door. Het is misschien aantrekkelijk om in Roth’s slechte humeur over de ‘on-europese’ Sovjet-Unie een visionaire kritiek te zien: al voor de stalinistische terreur was het grondig mis in Sovjet-Rusland. Daartegen spreekt dat het vooral de eigenaardigheden van de NEP-periode zijn, die zijn gram opwekken. Het gesjacher op straat, de manier waarop sommige Russen uit de oude bourgeoisie erin geslaagd zijn zich op te werpen tot een soort van ‘nieuwe rijken’ - het is voor Roth op zoek naar de nieuwe mens allemaal aanleiding tot bittere deceptie, lijkt het. Slechts dat in de Sovjet-Unie antisemitisme bij wet verboden is, vermag zijn onverdeelde goedkeuring weg te dragen. De kritische toon in de stukken blijft bij dit alles min of meer omfloerst - het lijkt erop dat de gevierde auteur zijn gastheren niet al te zeer heeft willen ontrieven.

Op één gebied heeft Roth zeer uitgesproken meningen: seksualiteit en de positie van de vrouw in de Sovjet-maatschappij. De Sovjet-Unie gold in deze jaren twintig als een land met een vrije seksuele moraal, waar vrouwen niet preuts waren, de geslachtsdaad vergeleken werd met ‘het drinken van een glas water’ en echtscheiding eerder regel dan uitzondering. Roth blijkt van dit alles een krachtig tegenstander: hij betreurt het verdwijnen van elegantie bij vrouwen, en de directe benadering in sexualibus in het algemeen. Vanwaar deze duidelijke stellingname bij een auteur die in een brief laat weten, in twee maanden onvoldoende stof te hebben opgedaan voor een boek over de Sovjet-Unie en zich verder vrij voorzichtig uitlaat in zijn literaire reportages? Het is bekend dat de organisatie VOKS, bij de pogingen om bij de buitenlandse gast goodwill te kweken voor het socialisme, absoluut niet te beroerd was om deze te laten kennismaken met de moderne seksuele moraal in het vaderland van het socialisme. Dus wellicht had Joseph Roth hier meer authentieke kennis opgedaan, dan ten aanzien van - bijvoorbeeld - de economische politiek. 

Zowel Roth als Benjamin deden in de Sovjet-Unie van de jaren twintig weinig inspiratie op: de nieuwe mens bleek in de straten van Moskou een weerbarstig object voor bewondering. Maar dat zou, voor sommige intellectuelen, veranderen in de jaren dertig, toen Stalin met harde hand regeerde en menigeen zich maar al te snel liet verleiden, in de Sovjet-Unie de toekomst van de mensheid te zien. Soviet communism - A new civilisation? heette het beruchte boek van Sidney en Betrice Webb uit 1932, resultaat van een eveneens door VOKS ‘gecoördineerd’ reisje. In de tweede druk verdween ook nog eens het vraagteken uit de boektitel. Een totalitaire werkelijkheid, en dictatoriaal bestuur zijn kennelijk beter voor de pr in het buitenland, dan een halfslachtige, maar minder bloeddorstige formule als de NEP.

Joseph Roth: Spoken in Moskou. Reportages en brieven uit Rusland. Vertaling Els Snick. Voorwoord Tom Lanoye. Uitgeverij Bas Lubberhuizen, 2018.

Walter Benjamin: Dagboek uit Moskou. Vertaling Hans Hom. De Arbeiderspers, Privé-domein nr. 97, POD. 

Afbeelding boven: Joseph Rot in 1926. Afbeeldingen onder: Moskou in de jaren twintig - straatkinderen (waarvan er duizenden door Moskou zwierven), straathandel en de buiten zijn oevers getreden rivier de Moskva ter hoogte van de kathedraal. 

[nepnepian]

You know your ass is sleep deprived when you start wondering to yourself if a mosquito would turn into a gear after biting another gear because of gear blood having gear cells in them. All because there is a little pest in your room as you're trying to sleep that keeps trying to bite you despite having taken your comfort blanket and literally whipped the little bastard out of existence and yet it still fucking persists.

[multitudeofmeus]

Weed smoking session where nep and Meulin both puff up and round up on smoke as they drag.

I feel like one or both of them would lose track of how full they were starting to feel and end up popping in a haze, accidentally hotboxing the other and any poor bystanders.

The Leijon "catnip" sessions are fairly strange, even without the strain of fwoomp-inducing nip. They just kinda sit there, take drags of various joints, and ramble about whatever comes into their mind with no filter at all. In their eyes, nothing else matters but them and the universe.

But sometimes they forget a few things, like:

-How long have they been there?

-How many joints have they had?

-How do you exhale the weed smoke?

The third one was often the most troublesome, given the cramped room they were hotboxing. Even more so when they're both suspect of swelling up.

Eventually, the pressure gets too much (not that they feel it) and they both tend to pop. You'd think that would be bad, but given how dazed and confused they were to begin with, it's not much of a change.

Still aches a bit when the high wears off, though.

[shark-from-the-park]

Can it be that I have not yet reblogged this box of delights from long ago... 😱😱😱

Collins with Cat! A no-nonsense Silna! An extremely loving and extremely cute and extremely fluffy good-boy Nep!!! An extremely ruffled, rugged, raggedy, be-cardiganed, bed-headed good-boy Francis (looking so handsome and so bedraggled in his little cardigan.... My poor heart....)!!! 😱😱😱🥴🥴🥴👀👀👀💀💀💀🦈🦈🦈

My darling, you spoil me so, I do not deserve it!

Assorted doodles for @shark-from-the-park’s British politics AU

[townienews]

The Townie Crier - Tuesday May 1, 2018

**notice no "It's Gonna Be May" cutesy Timberlake meme here** (mostly because It's Already May! And that meme doesn't exist)

pic.twitter.com/8FPEJMTqmf

— Boston Bobby (@TheBostonBobby) May 1, 2018

Welcome to The Crier for May 1, 2018. Yeah, we settled on a name for this daily ding dong post. @daelderstatesmn suggested that title and gets himself a shirt, and you get this highly digestable dose of daily Boston sports goodness. Links, tweets and videos aplenty. So let's briefly remember a Monday night that exhausted our thumbs and eyes equally...for more better than more worse. Or however that goes.

Let’s goooooooo

A post shared by Celtics GreenRunsDeep (@greenrunsdeep) on Apr 28, 2018 at 7:38pm PDT

And buoyed by that vintage double troll job playoff shirt that all in attendanc eat The Gahden 2.0 received, the hot shooting Celtics dispatched the Sixers (on a 20-1 streak rolling into Monday) in Game 1 of the ECSF, 117-101. Well, the shirt helped. So did great shooting from 3, team heart and hustle (the signature of this undermanned but never to be underestimated Celtics team), and some kickass individual efforts. Like The Buffet (my new name for Horford). Fahk that Average Al or Ordinary Al nonsense. That's old fake news, which is the worst kind. Al's getting it doen all over, from every inch of the court. He's The Buffet because he provides everything you need, and when you need it you can always go back for more. He's one of many making Ainge look like a friggin genius of late. And he'll tell you what you can do with your "Al is average and I can't draft" takes...

Danny Ainge status: still a competitor. pic.twitter.com/TcOWQL0OqQ

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 1, 2018

No, but seriously, Horford has been great. It's like one of those high school rom-coms where there's no attraction until the kids get in detention of are stranded in some absurd situation together, and then suddenly love blooms. COnvenient how that works.

Al Horford has been a monster in these playoffs. An absolute force on both ends. Hopefully we've heard the last of the "overpaid Al" stuff. #Celtics

— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) May 1, 2018

Oh...and if you're feeling THE BUFFET as much as we are, might I suggest a new Horford jersey or such? (**shameless merch plug**)

Umm...back to Ainge being a boss at his job? I think again, if not especially with Fultz on display miserably in the Garden, he came out smelling like fresh beer and roses when Tatum went off. Again. This kid's all-around everything is absurd. AND HE CAN'T LEGALLY DRINK.

"He's a rookie!" #CUsRise 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/t8bwFeHQMn

— '03 Kliff Kingsbury (@fearthe_beard11) May 1, 2018

Granted, the likes of Tatum and Horford were enabled offensively by Philadelphia's famous "Phantom Zone" defense.

Nice defense pic.twitter.com/rhxmDFMVpc

— John Karalis 🇬🇷 (@RedsArmy_John) May 1, 2018

But nothing - not fatigue, Philly's hot streak, an invisible defense - nothing was holding Terry Rozier back. This friggin guy...

The Boston sports fan heart is pretty full these days. But Terry Rozier is fighting hard to find himself a place in there.

— Fitzy (@FitzyGFY) May 1, 2018

Calling him SAVAGE for his pregame and in-game antics would be correct, but also an understatement. He's a savage, alright. And a beast. And the easiest guy to like and rally around. A savage rally beast. Filling in for Kyrie and dropping 29 in Game One against the Sixers? Draining threes left and right. And setting the emotional tone for the team and the night upon arrival...

Drew Bledsoe knows who Terry Rozier is! (Via @espn) pic.twitter.com/NoNI2pT76b

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 1, 2018

And now we've got this unexpected random magical bromance between Rozier and Drew Bledsoe? Couldn't ever have seen that coming, but that's the magic of playoffs in Boston. Can never be enough love for Drew by me. That he's become the symbol or icon, rally monkey of the Celtics playoff run thanks to an accidental troll job? (Guinness vice) BRILLIANT! Everyone needs to wear their Bledsoe jersey to work this week. So they can reach their peak Rozier level. Game 2 Thursday night, already can't friggin wait! And that genius Brad Stevens has deployed a stellar lineup to counter what should be quite acharge from the Sixers...

The Celtics have announced their Game 2 lineup: -PG: T. Rozier -SG: T. Rozier -SF: T. Rozier -PF: J. Tatum -C: A. Horford Bench -Terry Rozier -T. Rozier -Rozier -PG #12 -The guy in the Drew Bledsoe jersey -The guy Ainge wouldn’t trade for 100 first round picks

— NOTSportsCenter (@NOTSportsCenter) May 1, 2018

Oh - and Sports Radio and Hot Take Nation who will give the Celtics no credit and say that Philly played no D ("Philly used the New England D plan from SB 52" - you'll hear that shit)...you guys can tuck it and suck it!

via GIPHY

Meanwhile, in other Boston professional sports persons team playoff action...the Bruins lost to the Lightning 4-2. Gonna be honest (Monday was National Honesty Day)...I didn't really watch much. Beex were up 1-0. Woprst case (which played out) they go home split. So nice work, head help high, fellas. I thought the C's need my attention Monday (I don't parent mutliple children well). I read something about a bad call, Marchand getting hosed, Cassidy, who's a feisty sonofabitch in a Men's Wearhouse suit, wasn't happy. Good! A happy hockey cocach is an ineffective one (or so I heard...or not...I don't know hockey). They'll come back, chip on shoulder, tied in best of 5 with home ice in their pocket. Wednesday night, maybe the Bruins should all come to work wearing Drew Bledsoe jerseys??? Because this QB rally showing for a different hockey team didn't make me feel any better...

I really didn’t need to follow a Bruins loss by immediately seeing Jimmy G pump up the Sharks. God damn, plunge the dagger

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) May 1, 2018

And on the same night he was named to the NFL Network Top 100!

He has yet to lose a game as a starter 👀@49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo (@JimmyG_10) is #90 on the countdown!#NFLTop100 pic.twitter.com/SPwl3KIbtL

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) May 1, 2018

When Tom Brady did an appearance with Jim Gray and said he didn't feel apreciated by the Pats (**cough** Belichick)

Tom Brady was asked today at the Milken Institute Global Conference if he feels appreciated by the Patriots. His response: "I plead the 5th..." pic.twitter.com/8Tl6k5emj9

— Tom E. Curran (@tomecurran) May 1, 2018

Come on, Sports! Can't I just enjoy this Celtics win and the Pats draft, and the night, and maybe a whole week without any Pats related off-field disharmony or disturbance or disfunction or other dis- words? Not now...nope. Not. I can't...spent too much time wondering WTF with TFB and the NEP this offseason after the February 4th flying nutpunch. All set, check please! I'll pass. Too busy feeling good about what's coming this week, this fall...we'll just leave at it Tom being a sass, keeping the Pats atop page views for a while, taking attention away from the other teams who don't need the scrutiny? AWW MAN! Tom, you magnanimous SOB! Or maybe it was to get you in the news to elevate Best Buddies ride awareness? No press is bad press, right? Just ask Michelle Wolf! **NEXT MORNING UPDATE-AGE** There are plenty of sound bites of Brady paying due respect to Belichick and saying he knows BB is best for him, tough to play for, and that they make each other their best. Which is what we've all always known. Again, they don't need to quilt together or share recipes or watch "This Is Us"., Just win football! Enough Fake Foxboro News! Alright, enough of that for now. We'll let it slide until someone tells me I should give aflying summer sausage. OH...and the Sox won, beat the bumbling Royals, 10-6. E-Rod sucked himself off early, but fear not - healty Xandah to the rescue.

Heads up we got a piss missile on the Pike expect delays seek alternate route pic.twitter.com/HoKIUe6hOs

— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) May 1, 2018

2 wins in a row? HOT STREAK AHOY! use caution when handling these Sawx! KC coming to town might be the perfect remedy to flush last week away like a carton of old chineser food you know will smell the garbage barrle up too much. Alright, so there we go - C'ss and Sawx win! Bruins lose! Brady wants the love. Now let's all carry on and booze. Hapy Tueday, ya humps. More soon - make sure you catch the Draft webcast, and all-new slew of NFL FAN THERAPY coming all week long. GFY!

[purrfectstrangers]

*Gamzee began drooling a little bit himself, he lifted her face up to meet his before dragging his tongue across her cheek. His stomach growled as he sweat enhanced taste his his tongue. He would've done it again, until he heard the shower turn off. He grumbled, knowing he'd only have half an hour until Kurloz got his facepaint back on.* I hOpE yOu CaN sTrEtCh, SiS, bEcAuSe It'Ll FeEl A lOt BiGgEr WhEn We'Re DoNe. *His thrusting spead up and he began burrowing himself in even faster than before*

She neowed as she felt his wet tongue tasting her, syill smelling Dirk on his breath, though it was more acrid and humid now, like he was close to churning fully away.

Nep didn't register Kurloz's progress, and when Gamzee bagan again, she had no time to prepare. All at once, Gamzee's hips bucked and gave her a few more inches. He pushed deep into her, her cervix parting for his tapered tip as he started to press right into the very core of her. His tip was visibly exploring her, prodding enough to make an outine appear on her stomach. She shuddered and stuttered out nonsense about "being his slurry-bucket" and "needing her nook to kiss his" and other such mad lewdities. She did sink down with his next thrust, however, and her stretched, olive leaking cunny kissed the base of his monster... She kept pushing down, grinding and bucking as her bulge, which looked like a human clit compared to the absolute slab of purple meat he was shoving into her womb, leaked olive material onto the floor.

[lofisprites]

One of my favorite memories from my PI timeline is watching my daughter Nep draw on the walls when she was six and try to explain all the little nonsensical drawings...! Also meeting my husband...

oh wow thats just pure