#non-compete commentary

[socialjusticefail]

The European Space Agency workers have non-compete clauses that prevent them from moving to another position at ESA with a different contract agency.

[mapsthewanderer]

Caffeine, chemistry and Caleb IX

Synopsis: The café was supposed to be just another coffee shop. For a law student who enjoys her morning coffee and a shy newbie still learning the ropes, it should have been nothing more than part of the daily routine… But then there’s Caleb.

Details: 3200 words of barista Caleb, coming in hot. Non MC!reader as the law student. Expect: premium flirting, a generous pour of banter, and a whole lot of feelings. Harv shows up. The newbie continues to be an absolute legend. And—no spoilers—but let’s just say this story isn’t closing its tab anytime soon heeeh

Parts: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 10, part 11, part 12

Tags: @gavin3469 @unstablemiss @i-messed-up-big-time @mipov101 @zukini-01 @ariakamil @zaynessdarling @gojosballsack69

Terms Pending | pt. 9

You were only planning on tea.

Nothing dramatic. Nothing reckless. Just a cup of something warm, maybe a quiet moment in your usual spot, and—if he was there—a little light flirtation.

And still—your brain, traitor that it is—flickers back. To Caleb. A few days ago. Saying he liked being around you. That it reminded him of someone he used to be, before everything got so heavy.

The last couple of times you’d been there, it had been… fine.

Nice, even. The drinks were still excellent. The lighting still soft. The newbie still mouthing silent commentary behind the espresso machine. But under the banter and half-smiles, something in the air felt tight. Like Caleb was trying to rewind.

Back to the beginning.

Back to when you were just another tired student with a caffeine addiction and a sharp tongue. When he was just a barista showing the newbie how to work the steam wand. Before the farmers market. Before her.

Before everything became something.

But maybe you’re just… the seasonal special.

Because you played along. Smiled. Sipped the drink he slid your way—a double macchiato with cinnamon, honey, and a dusting of powdered ginger that somehow tasted like winter break and bad ideas.

Perfect. Annoyingly so.

You caught his eye over the rim of the cup.

And for a second, you could almost believe he regretted it. Not kissing you. Not letting things shift when they wanted to.

Or maybe that’s just what you wanted to believe.

And maybe that’s why you never told the newbie what happened when he walked you back to campus that evening—because, painfully, at least to you, it felt like Caleb had been trying to rewind. To undo something you weren’t sure was even real yet.

But who knows anymore.

And just as you’re packing up in the library, sliding your laptop into your tote, you hear your name.

“Hey,” a voice says—low, confident, and not the one your brain’s been primed to react to.

You glance up.

Harv. Hair slicked back like he’s auditioning for a 1940s courtroom drama, green eyes sharp and easy.

“Heading out?” he asks, slinging his bag over one shoulder.

You nod. “Yeah. Just grabbing something hot before I crash.”

Without waiting for an answer, he falls into step beside you—like it’s already been decided. “Mind if I join? Thought maybe we could… consolidate cases.” He grins. “Two tired law students. One caffeine run. Efficient.”

You hesitate. Just for a second.

But Harv is… nice. And competent. And handsome in that effortless, second-glance-in-the-hallway kind of way. And bringing Harv along wouldn’t exactly hurt at this point.

Maybe it would help.

Redirect Caleb’s attention to a new target for his barista smugness. Let you drink your damn latte, get your shit together, focus on school.

And still—maybe—catch a glimpse of him.

Just enough to remind yourself that he was never yours to begin with.

And that he never will be.

So you nod. “Sure. Why not.”

The two of you head out into the cool evening. Your steps sync without effort, conversation light, easy. You talk finals. Professors. Nothing important. Nothing messy.

It’s only when you reach the café— lights glowing through the windows, familiar and golden—that you remember what you were actually coming here for.

You open the door.

The bell chimes as you enter, and Caleb looks up.

Standing behind the counter, he’s in a button-down today. Sleeves rolled to the elbows—his most lethal weapon, deployed with casual precision. The apron is perfectly tied and cinched at the waist, like always. His hair’s a little messier than usual.

And of course—the stupid apple charm is still there, catching the light like it knows you’re trying very hard not to think about it today.

For a second, his eyes warm—lit with that slow, beautiful smile.

Until they slide to your left.

To Harv.

And his smile doesn’t exactly vanish, but it shifts. Tightens.

“Golden Girl,” he says, hands already moving. “Figured you might show.”

You step up to the counter. “What gave me away?”

“Could be the look of superiority,” he says, popping open a box of tea like he’s testing the waters. He lifts it to his nose, inhales thoughtfully, then shoots you a smirk. “Or maybe it’s the way your hair’s practically glowing today. What are we feeling—spicy? floral?”

You blink. “Glowing?”

Caleb nods, grinning. “Yeah. Very golden. Very radiant. Not reflecting anything going on inside your brain, obviously, but still impressive.”

You snort. “Charming.”

The tea box tilts in your direction, Caleb raising one brow. “But you’re here late. So… tea?”

You lean in slightly, catching the warm, spiced scent, and raise an eyebrow while pretending not to be impressed.

“Chai latte,” he decides before you can even answer. “We got in a new spice blend. It’s borderline criminal, you’ll love it.”

Just as Harv starts to lean in beside you, curious—

Caleb calmly closes the box and slides it out of reach. Then turns to put it away—no rush, no acknowledgment. He doesn’t even glance up.

Over his shoulder, casual as anything:

“You look like a cortado guy. Double shot, splash of organic milk—something rare, expensive, and just pretentious enough to impress someone who doesn’t know better.”

He still doesn’t look back. Just reaches for the portafilter like he already knew.

You blink.

Harv tilts his head, caught off guard. “How would you know?”

Caleb finally turns then—only halfway—and his eyes find yours instead of Harv’s.

“I’ve got a sixth sense for predictable orders,” he says, slow grin forming. “Present company excluded, of course.”

His gaze lingers on you, warm and fond.

“Some people keep me guessing.”

Your stomach flips. You’re not even holding your cup yet and you feel caffeinated.

He turns back to the counter, reaching for a cup. The chai is poured smoothly, the milk frothed with an ease that almost feels personal. He sprinkles something light across the foam—cinnamon, maybe nutmeg—and sets the finished drink down gently like it’s a peace offering in ceramic.

Then, like it’s nothing, he adds, “Although you do always order for here.”

A beat. A tiny curve to his mouth.

“…Not that I mind.”

Harv clears his throat. “Uhhh… A cortado, yeah.”

Caleb nods once, already turning away—like the order just confirmed what he already knew.

Then he glances back at you, tone warm, familiar.

“How was your day?”

You open your mouth to answer, but—

“We had class together earlier,” Harv offers, lightly. “Contract law.”

Caleb doesn’t even blink in his direction. Instead: “What classes did you have?” he asks you, voice still soft. Still just for you.

You glance at Harv, then back at Caleb. “Uh… Just contracts. A lot of… brain drain.”

A smile tugs at the corner of Caleb’s mouth, like your answer landed exactly where he wanted it to.

Harv leans in slightly, muttering under his breath, just loud enough for you to hear:

“What’d I do to piss him off this time?”

You shake your head, honest and bewildered. “No idea.”

And you don’t. Because Caleb’s still talking—

“Remember Gideon?” he says, grabbing a filter, voice sliding right back into your orbit. “The guy I told you about?”

And just like that, Harv’s cut from the frame. Again.

But you don’t miss a beat. “Obviously. I don’t forget key witnesses.”

He grins, satisfied. “Last flight lesson? Almost threw up after push-ups. I’ve never seen a man flop that hard.”

You blink. “Why was he doing push-ups in a flight lesson?”

“Punishment,” Caleb says, voice light, eyes still on the milk he’s steaming. “Forgot his checklist. Again. He knows what he did.”

You laugh—too loud—and Caleb’s grin widens. Like you’re the only one here.

He froths the milk like it’s background noise, still looking at you. Still talking to you.

Still acting like Harv doesn’t exist.

And then, without a single beat skipped, he reaches for a to-go cup.

Pours the cortado.

Lids it.

Sets it gently on the counter like it’s nothing more than what it is.

“Cortado,” he says, without looking at Harv. “Enjoy.”

Harv follows you to your usual table like this is a normal study date, sipping from his very to-go cortado like it’s not an insult. He pulls out his laptop with a little too much confidence.

“So,” he says, settling in. “You wanna do a Cicero quiz or something? That history thesis isn’t gonna write itself.”

You nod, half-distracted, pretending to pull up your notes while mentally replaying every smug flick of Caleb’s hand. Your chai latte is still warm in its cup—because of course it is.

The bell over the door chimes, and the newbie walks in. Two earbuds in, a hoodie with something unhinged in pastel script across the front. They spot you instantly, eyes landing on Harv.

Then:

A look.

One that says who the hell is this?

You shrug, subtle. Text under the table.

You: he’s just a guy from class don’t judge me. He followed me and i need a distraction

You see them snort silently before heading behind the counter.

And then—

“Cicero, huh?”

Caleb.

Off-duty now, apron gone, shirt still unfair, jacket on, hair even messier. He walks away from the counter where the newbie’s halfway clocked in and ruffles their hair like this is just part of the routine. The newbie glares but doesn’t flinch.

Then Caleb looks over at you.

And without missing a beat, recites: “Law isn’t just statutes and rules—it lives in us. Part of the human spirit. The human experience.”

You stare at him.

Harv blinks.

The newbie ducks behind the espresso machine to not laugh out loud.

Caleb raises a brow. “What? It’s Cicero.”

Then, like this is completely normal, he pulls out a chair. “Mind if I join your study session? I’m off now.”

There’s a long pause.

You blink at him, then tilt your head.

“Right. Because aviation school isn’t difficult enough—you had to casually minor in legal theory too?”

Caleb grins, completely unfazed. “What can I say? I like a challenge.”

You mutter, “Apparently.”

He hears you. Of course he does. And Caleb looks entirely too pleased about it.

Harv clears his throat. “Uh. I should probably head out, actually. Got another group waiting on me.”

You barely glance up. “Sure.”

Caleb is still seated. Calm. Like he was invited.

You sip your chai, watching him over the rim. “So Cicero, huh?” you say, voice light.

He smirks. “What, you didn’t think I was paying attention?”

“To my law history thesis?”

He shrugs, unbothered. “Heard you and the newbie talking about it. Thought I’d help out.”

You raise a brow. “Help, or show off?”

“Both,” he says. “Obviously.”

And just like that—he’s in. Sitting across from you. Grinning like he hasn’t just wrecked you and your very-much-doomed attempt at a study date.

You narrow your eyes at him over your laptop.

“Okay, philosopher-barista. Since you’re so fluent in Cicero…”

He leans in slightly, interested. “Go on, Golden Girl.”

Blinking once, done hesitating, you say, “Then what does Cicero have to say about someone who clearly has a person—someone carved into their story, part of their human experience or whatever—yet still shows up to ruin a study date in public?”

The grin flickers. Just for a second.

Then he recovers. Shrugs. Smirks.

“Probably that the soul’s complicated. And occasionally reckless.”

You sip your drink, not breaking eye contact. “And loud,” you add. “Let’s not forget loud.”

Caleb tips his head, eyes dancing. “So you’re saying you heard mine coming?”

You snort. “More like felt the turbulence.”

His smile deepens. “Then buckle up, Golden Girl,” he says. “We’re just getting into crosswinds.”

There’s a sharp hiss from the espresso machine behind the bar—too sharp to be accidental.

You glance over.

The newbie is standing perfectly still, one hand paused mid-wipe on a countertop that’s already clean. Their eyes lock with yours like they’re trying to send an emergency transmission using only their soul.

Your phone buzzes under the table.

newbie: you’re INSANE. are you flirting or litigating because either way i’m sweating

Another buzz:

newbie: also. is this what straight people call “study sessions”??

You press your lips together, fighting back a laugh.

Beneath the table, your fingers fly across the screen.

you: his necklace is still on. we’ve lost. let’s just close the case and move on. i don’t have anything left to lose anyway.

newbie: i hate this plotline. but also i’m obsessed.

Caleb glances at your phone, then back at you with a brow raised. “Is that my fan club checking in?”

You raise your cup, deadpan. “Control tower, actually.”

A quiet laugh escapes him—soft and surprised—and it lands somewhere dangerous in your chest. Then he leans in a little—close enough that you feel the warmth roll off him like steam from your chai.

“I just don’t get it,” he says, voice low. “Why you’d want to flirt with someone else.”

A pause.

Then: “Especially not here. In my café.”

Your brows lift, a smile flickering despite yourself.

“Relax,” you murmur. “I never sullied this sacred flirting arena.”

He doesn’t smile back. Not fully. “So you’re saying you and Harv didn’t flirt here?” he asks, tilting his head. His tone isn’t angry. Just sharp.

You set your cup down. “Correct. No flirting happened in the café.”

His eyes narrow—mock offense softening the edge.

“Oh,” he says. “So only at school?”

You blink. “Caleb.”

“Just clarifying,” he says, hands lifted like he’s so innocent.

“I need you to settle,” you say flatly, staring him down. “There’s no logical resolution to this.”

His gaze doesn’t waver. And then—softly, deliberately—his thumb slides over his lower lip, ring finger trailing after it, slow and calculated.

“Is that suggestion still on the table?” he asks, voice dipped in something you’re not ready for. A pause. Then, quieter—rougher: “Or has Harv claimed it now?”

Your brain shorts out for a second.

You stare. Then—deadpan: “Are you actually jealous right now?”

Caleb’s smile is slow. Crooked. A little dangerous.

He doesn’t answer.

Just holds your gaze.

Then—quietly—he mouths:

Yes.

Before you can recover, Caleb reaches out and tugs the end of your braid, like it’s his version of a period at the end of a derailing sentence.

Then he stands.

And walks off.

Frozen in place, the warmth of his touch still clings to your hair—like it might whisper something if you listen closely enough.

A moment later, the newbie appears, slipping into the chair Caleb left behind. They don’t say anything at first. Just hand you a fresh napkin and a stare that says talk.

You press your lips together. Exhale.

“I wasn’t totally honest with you,” you murmur, fingers knotting the napkin. “About… him.”

Their eyebrows lift, but they wait.

“There was a moment,” you say. “Well, a lot of moments. And then this almost-kiss. And he said he liked being around me, and I said he could kiss me goodnight, kind of as a joke, and then he said we’d fail the test because he wouldn’t want to stop—”

They blink, slow.

“Okay, wow.”

You laugh, hollow. “Yeah.”

A beat.

“So,” you say, glancing at them. “If it were you. What would you do?”

They bite at their tongue piercing, thoughtful. Then shrug.

“I mean… I’m shy,” they say. “But even I’d kiss him.”

Your mouth opens, then closes.

“Because it’s basically there,” they add, eyes locked on yours. “Right? The tension? The orbit? You’re just circling.”

And maybe it hits harder because just five minutes ago, you texted them: his necklace is still on. we’ve lost. let’s just close the case and move on. i don’t have anything left to lose anyway.

Apparently, you do.

And it’s walking away from the café—still managing to rearrange your gravity as it goes.

You stare at your chai latte, heart still skipping like it’s on trial.

Yeah.

That’s the last straw.

You’re up before your brain catches up—grabbing your coat, nearly tripping over a chair, the newbie calling after you with a startled, “Wait, are you actually—”

But you’re already out the door.

The cold air hits you like a closing argument. You scan the street—there. Caleb’s halfway down the block, hands in his pockets, the wind tugging at his jacket.

You run.

Call his name. Once. Twice.

He turns just as you reach him, breathless and probably flushed to hell.

Fingers hook into his sleeve, tugging him toward you with zero ceremony. You meet his eyes and look him dead in the eyes.

“Okay,” you say, barely thinking. “Listen. We’re exclusive.”

His brows lift. “What?”

“Flirting partners in crime,” you clarify, breath still catching. “You and me. That’s it. Forever. No substitutions. No refunds.”

There’s a beat.

Then he laughs—low and stunned and real—and shakes his head.

“You’re trouble.”

Your smile curls. “So are you.”

And somehow, that feels like the most honest thing you’ve said all day.

“You’re ridiculous.”

You nod, eyes still on his. “And you like it.”

He doesn’t answer.

Not right away.

Because your eyes have dropped—to his neck.

The necklace is gone.

The chain, the charm—not there.

Your gaze flicks lower.

He’s holding it in one hand. Loosely. Like it’s no longer tethered to him. Like it’s just a thing now, not a weight.

“Noticed,” he says quietly.

You nod once. Breath caught. “I’m a law student. I notice everything.”

He steps closer.

His hands come up cupping your face like he’s memorizing it. The chain is still looped around one of his fingers, the charm cold against your cheek—something old brushing against something new.

And he’s looking at you like this—you—might just be the thing worth choosing after all.

“Do we seal the deal, then?” he murmurs, voice low and reckless and completely unfair. “… Legally speaking.”

You open your mouth. No words arrive.

He exhales, thumb brushing your cheekbone. “I should’ve kissed you that night.”

The words fall somewhere between confession and apology.

“I regret a lot of things,” he adds softly. “But not this.”

And then he leans in, gaze flicking from your eyes to your lips.

The moment you’ve both been circling for weeks.

And finally—he kisses you.

Like he means it.

Like he’s sure.

Like he’s sealing it in writing.

Your fingers curl into his jacket before you even realize they’ve moved. His hand’s at your waist, the necklace clinking faintly between you.

Just like that.

The chain slips from his fingers—not to the ground, but into yours.

He lifts it gently, his eyes never leaving your face, and with a quiet sort of reverence… fastens it around your neck.

A silent exchange.

No trial. No verdict. Just a temporary recess. Terms to be negotiated later.

“I should really be more careful around lucky girls,” he murmurs, eyes locked on yours.

You shake your head, smile flickering. “No. You should be careful around me.”

His breath catches—just slightly.

Then he nods once, like he already knows.

And leans in.

Breath against your cheek.

Mouth brushing yours.

And then he kisses you again—deeper this time, like he’s sealing something in place. Your fingers find his, resting at your collarbone now—right over the charm.

Whatever this is, it’s real.

Real enough for a date.

Real enough for a another chapter.

He pulls back, just enough to meet your eyes again. “This doesn’t fix everything,” he murmurs. “But maybe it’s a start.”

You nod. And try to breathe.

His past.

Your present.

Not forever. Not yet. But something real enough to hold onto—at least until the next latte.

——————————————————————————

Chapter 10

——————————————————————————

Writer’s note: Sooo… What was meant to be the end is starting to look a lot like a beginning. Because love stories don’t end with a kiss. Not when there are study halls, texted legal hot takes, suspicious baked goods, and way too many feelings left on the counter. So yes—we’re keeping the café open. We’re not done yet. Not even close. See you in Chapter 10. I might need a lil extra time to make the outline of where I want the story to go next hehe. Okey then, thank you for reading 🫶🏻

[boyfridged]

leslie does not appear in the post-crisis crime alley intro. in her stead, there's another older woman whose work is thought to be altruistic, one with potential to transform the lives of the desperate and condemned (from such a young age, too) -- ma gunn. of course, soon we learn that her charity is but a ruse, and she uses her reputation and position to exploit those most vulnerable. here it is -- the cynical 'subversion' that will become the staple of the post-crisis batman for years to come.

but arguably, despite the appearances, it is not ma gunn who truly takes leslie's place in the narrative. that place being, of course, both the symbol of the hope of the crime alley and a counterpoint to batman's philosophy. it is, instead, the main character of second chances -- jason. jason, whom bruce meets in the same alley his parents died, but who makes bruce laugh upon their first encounter. jason, who has a strong sense of justice, despite it not quite aligning with bruce's -- jason who does not care about what bruce thinks of him being a thief, jason who insists it does not make him a crook; jason who has no care for the label of 'criminality' in itself (just as leslie, who insists that talking of 'criminals' in the alley is non-productive and that in targeting them, bruce would just prey on those unfortunate). jason who is to become gotham's light as robin, but who also is tied to its darkest place.

there is, of course, a problem here -- jason is a child. and so, what was seen as a genuine challenge to batman before -- the lack of care for the 'criminal' label, is now seen as a corruption of the youth that can be "treated" like all disease that crime is (and can be also used as an excuse for the child endangerment - by collins and so, by bruce whom he writes too). and surely, soon enough, without much commentary from the narrative itself, after a timeskip, we are introduced to jason whose background is of very little relevance. as a child, and as robin, he is (for a time) malleable. he believes in batman just as dick grayson did. until starlin takes the run over, and jason is to become a 'challenge' again -- but this time there is no authentic consideration for the politics and societal reality behind it. the conflict that leads to aditf is first and foremost one around bruce's role as a parent, and less so about his strategy. and even in the garzonas' case, there's this confusion -- jason's complaints are not about the system, but about their efficiency. it's all back to batman's theoretical framework. and when jason comes back from the dead, year after -- that is what happens with the red hood modus operandi too. all of this a direct reference to competence of batman, jason's background becoming a stereotype it was supposed to go against.

thankfully, before all that happens, and quite hurriedly post-crisis, someone (barr) realises leslie needs a comeback -- and it is the best she was ever written, her voice clear and strong. my beginning... and my probable end is, to me, the batman thesis. here we have bruce wayne, loving -- and here we have all of bruce's flaws exposed. leslie's first ever complaint post-crisis is about jason's role as robin, and so she becomes a cassandra, but it's so important to pay attention to their relationships. "you're doing it for yourself" is what leslie says, and she is right in believing it is not jason who needs robin. and jason, there, on a hospital bed, between them -- this is what his role in the narrative becomes. a consequence of a grand idea of batman that leslie was always against; but also someone who's life stretches in between these two beliefs, someone who came all the way from being so like leslie, only for him to become so entangled in vigilantism that there's hardly any reference to any of it left. and leslie was there, to see.

how both of their stances get stereotyped; how their initial roles get delegated into villainy or (in case of leslie) pettiness, is in a way a litmus paper for the condition of batman's comics. and it's just absurd how we never get to see them together after jason's resurrection; how the two most important characters of the crime alley cannot be afforded to share narrative space. that is, of course, because it would mean a confrontation of what jason was, and what he became.

[liketwoswansinbalance]

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fall??

Did you mean "fail?" Unless you meant literally falling, I will answer as if you wrote "fail." You can correct me if that is the wrong interpretation, and I could answer the question again.

Assign first-class experts to solve the world's problems... so I wouldn't have to do it all—assuming the technicality is that I start the projects, then they probably would not fail. Would that loophole work? (Realistically, if it didn't work, I don't think I'd actually be altruistic enough to do all that...) Would I have to see the projects through to completion? That's quite a lot of work. But doing this would likely mean I will probably have a clean conscience for the rest of my life, ideally, because, I know I should if I had the power to do so.

In relation to #1, even if this is non-necessary, also assign people to figure out if there's life on other planets. I just want to know. Don't need to contact whatever is out there—I don't want anything to go wrong. I'd just want to possibly spy on them for a little while. The problem is: spying is unethical, so I'd have to convince myself that I'm either doing it for cautionary reasons or as a longitudinal, naturalistic "study." This could be a pandora's jar, so I might take it off the list.

Cure stupidity and herd mentality. (Curing all physical ailments is built into no. 1 already.) Or better yet, get someone else to do it. (At the same time, we could argue that these qualities are part of being human or flawed, and that we shouldn't tamper with our human-ness. In which case, just no. Also, we would lose part of our former connection to literature, pre-cure. For instance, we would no longer comprehend the meaning of the trope: "love causes poor judgment." So, would it be worth it? Even if the world were terraformed and otherwise reshaped in more metaphorical ways to be "perfect," I think we would still manage to invent new problems because it's what we've always done as a species. Thus, there needs to be a reasonable stopping point. And, I'm not sure what that point is, meaning several other items on this list might have to be struck out.)

Have the world's politicians be... better somehow? Ensure they are sane and moral, that they trust science, are scientifically-literate... I feel, perhaps, like we might get better results if we chose science-fiction writers, particularly those who've managed to predict our present and know how to do social commentary. They seem to be aware of and actually care about the state of humanity. (I'm not really well-informed enough to make any decisions, but I know well enough that the world needs people of varied knowledge and skillsets to continue on. So, I'm not completely, intentionally trying to valorize only what I'm interested in. I'm just biased like any other human being is.)

Delegate everything I don't like doing to competent people (like cooking), and reap the benefits of the exact outcomes I'd want every time. If they were successful, I'd never have a problem with dust and no one would ever move my stacks of books and paper, which often collect dust.

Turn myself immortal and gain eternal youth. (This should probably be item no. 1 on the list, actually, to account for how long the first few tasks could potentially take.) Then use those means on others who would want it done. If it's someone I don't like, I could still let them become immortal, and would just tell them after this favor not to cross paths with me again. I would also try to convince anyone I want to keep around to stay.

No. 6 would attract too much publicity. I'd need a way to continue being relatively anonymous, except for what I would selectively want to be recognized for. (If I couldn't fail at it, I'd love to become the next "Shakespeare" or some kind of literary giant... and maybe then have the world forget about me... and be rediscovered and reinterpreted by future generations who use my original and/or revolutionary works as required reading in their syllabi. That'd be striking and cool. I'm not sure how I would stop suffering from belatedness though.)

Find a way to never sleep, never eat, never exercise, and not experience cognitive decline. I would only do the ones I like doing.

Find a way to resurrect people from the dead. (I already know this has too much margin for catastrophe, so there would have to be restrictions on what can and cannot be done. At the same time, I am also aware this would violate nature, so it might have to be removed from the list. Who am I to decree the rules?)

I haven't addressed religion yet. I'd have to find some way to alleviate my guilt, but that's more of a temporary fix and not a real solution. I'd have to find some way to remain a mostly good or at least harmless person, assuming I'm mostly one now. If there's no reason for anyone, any force, or anything to object to my existence, I would hope I would be allowed to continue on with my plans.

If there were some way to affirm what I think my personal beliefs are, that would be great. At the same time, that defeats the point of faith, and so, I'm not sure what to do about this dilemma.

Learn everything I want to learn now that I have infinite time to learn it (and infinite time to procrastinate).

Consume all the media I want to consume and also never miss new installments or works of art because I wouldn't be outlived by creators.

Become some kind of successful writer. I mentioned this before, but to specify: maybe a novelist or maybe an academic critic—why not both?! Sky's the limit!

Eventually, if I could never fail, I might wonder about whether anything could ever be a challenge or worth doing anymore. (Doubt that will happen since I have a fear of failure anyway—and being cured of it would be a wonderful reality to live in!)

And so, I could want to die eventually. (Again, highly doubt that will happen.)

In case: It's not my top priority, but: study philosophy, so I don't become corrupt, apathetic, or suicidal since I know things can happen to the human psyche after too long.

If no. 1 didn't happen, and humans were faced with climate change as well as other problems, then I would want to die before the planet were barren and ruined, so I wouldn't have to live under dystopian conditions.

Some of the above might not happen because I may procrastinate too much. That would suggest that the revised item no. 1 should be: conquer procrastination once and for all, and only then proceed in a rough order.

[mlembug]

how should I go about looking for fonts? what fonts are your go-to for scanlation? you clearly know a lot about this topic :>

I had a bit of deja vu about this "what fonts are your go-to for scanlation", and turns out I got this question before... from you, not to mention. Though I can add a bit of commentary anyway, as there's a bunch of resources I either forgot to mention or I wasn't aware of at the time.

mangafonts.carrd.co - lists a bunch of fonts and an example of how they're used in official manga translations, of which the letterers are more likely to be competent than an average scanlator.

Vorbis' Typesetting Guide - this one is pretty old (2004), so keep it in mind, but it includes a font review section from someone who is way more opinionated on this topic than me, and reading through these reviews can give you some idea about what problems can a font have in the first place.

Sara's Fonts on Ko-Fi - free fonts for commercial and non-commercial use

Comicraft, Blambot - paid fonts, dedicated to comics

Kimberly Geswein - paid fonts, various decorative ones

DaFont - font catalog, fonts grouped by category, general purpose

For scanlation I've been using a collection of fonts findable on MangaDex forums on a thread titled "Scanlation Font Resource", but this one is ‍🏴‍☠️

For purposes of comics you likely want to pick a "main font" for text (and reuse that one for thought bubbles, hence the requirement for the font to provide an italic version rather than relying on Faux Italic), a "shout font", a "side font" if there are going to be side remarks done outside of the bubble, and a bunch of side fonts for sound effects, signs, and other decorative texts (like chapter titles or similar)

[horrorfilmlesbian]

a few (non spoilerly) highlights of Enigma Tales:

Cardassians loving news programs so much they have like a billion 'casts going all the time

Mhevet being incredibly competent at her job of running the Constabulary & stopping Garak from committing more war crimes (secodary objective but no less important)

Something something Garak is self aware enough to know he can be quite easily corrupted even if his heart is in the right place so he's surrounding himself with Good People instead of people pleasers

The uh. Letters to Julian. Powerful concentrations of Yearning.

[unsent] gets me every time

Garak acting like a bitchy guard dog the moment someone tries to get to Julian. Goodwill GONE

Elima Antok!!!!!! Woman of all time. Yet another reason to cry about

Parmak canonically texting Garak commentary on the news as it happens. Imagine how cunty those texts would get.

Dr Pulaski meeting Garak and immediately having beef. #haters both of them.

Garak, the entire time, just wants to sit down and read his new book but things do NOT stop happening. Except for when he has to remind himself he's not in his war crimes era again.

[lenalenouilleisblogging]

2024 feminist movie retrospective ~ day 10

It's RAPID FIRE REVIEWS TIME !! ROUND 3

I don't have enough to say about these next films to write full reviews, but i still want to mention them, these are some of the ones i watched in theaters in May/June of 2024.

Sooooo fucking fun. Also the romance is actually, like, good?? Romantic subplots are always a chore in action movies but this was so sweet and cute?? It's barely a subplot actually, it's pretty important to the narrative. Which is probably why it works. I've loved every David Leitch feature that I've seen (so, everything but the Fast & Furious spinoff) and this one is no exception. Great dynamic camera work, fun editing, just a really entertaining good time. Will put you in a good mood. You can tell all the cast is having a lot of fun. Also this movie pays homage to stunt work and stunt workers and that's needed! These people rock. Loved that this had BTS footage in the end credits, I missed that. My little brother has a crush on Winston Duke AND Ryan Gosling AND Aaron Taylor Johnson so needless to say he had the time of his LIFE at the cinema 😹😹

trailer

The most successful film of the year in french theaters. I can see why, this is exactly the kind of simple thing the french public just eats up. The movie fulfills its mission pretty much perfectly. It's about being heartwarming, funny, and to give visibility to people with certain disabilities. Apparently non-profit organizations for disabled adults (like the one we see in the film) saw a massive increase in support, donations and volunteers after the release of this film. That's great, I hope it keeps going! There was a bit of a scandal at Cannes film festival because not a single brand wanted to sponsor the cast on the red carpet, but the director got pissed off. Not only did they end up getting their haute couture sponsor, they ended up being the biggest sensation on the red carpet! Look at them! 🩵🥹

Watching this in theaters was sooo fun. Fullest showing i've seen all year. I've also never seen so many people in wheelchairs at my theater at the same time?? The crowd was laughing at every joke, such a fun community moment. I cannot believe some people are calling the movie insensitive because there are mean jokes towards the characters. THIS IS A FRENCH COMEDY. Of course it's gonna be mean as fuck. AND ALMOST THE WHOLE CAST IS DISABLED. Saying that mockery is fine except for some groups because they "can't take it" is fucking insane especially when no one from said group agrees with you. Performative "activists" are so annoying.

trailer

Japanese humor usually works well on me so I expected a good laugh. What I didn't expect were the feels? Right in the kokoro omg. Loved the editing, loved the rhythm. Very dynamic and full of fun, entertaining ideas. On top of that there's a layer of commentary about (japanese) work culture that's very interesting and works SUPER well with the concept. The characters are very archetypal but they're also very interesting and watchable. The two female characters in particular stayed with me. The third act was so touching and original. Completely unexpected but so sweet and profound. A great time. I LOVE TIME LOOP STORIESSSS

trailer

A bit like Das Lehrerzimmer, this feels like a 2 hour long panic attack. So claustrophobic, so effective. The whole cast is acting its ass off. The dialogues and the interactions feel so real. That ending too! One of the best endings of the year lol. Such a competent, tightly-nit project! What a ride. I ate my fingers to the bone watching this x)

trailer

I low-key expected to hate this 😭 I only knew that this is supposed to be like, THE "polyamorous" movie. But it's not that at all, it's much more interesting??? Everyone who watches this film has an opinion on which ship is endgame, I'm in the gay team 💪 I love the female character but I don't like the vibe between her and either of the guys. The two guys tho??? Immaculate chemistry I NEED them to fuck on-screen. That being said, the story wasn't fascinating to me. The writing is great, but it's just not my style at all. If that story had been in any other film I would have forgotten everything about it a week after seeing it. BUT it's not the case.

This was one of my FAVOURITES film of the year in terms of film-making. Like, top 5 maybe. This is EXTRAORDINARY. The soundtrack is fucking balls to the walls insane and it's unlike anything I've heard before in a movie. It's great to listen to by itself but in the film it's just... It's perfect. I never would have thought i'd ever see homoerotic tennis matches set to trance music in theaters but there's a first for everything lol. The editing, the shot composition, the pacing ARG I WANNA EAT THIS MOVIE IT SCRATCHES MY BRAIN SO PERFECTLY. Watching this in theaters with my mom (a huge tennis fan) was one of my best experiences last year. I KNOW that 10 years from now i will still remember that final match point scene. Hoooooolyyyyy shit go watch this.

trailer

You can definitely tell it's a novel adaptation. I don't say that as a compliment unfortunately. Way too much explanation and talking from beginning to end. It feels like the exposition never stops. That being said, the movie has some great design ideas, some beautiful shots and beautiful photography. Also it's cool that one of the main characters is an older woman. I also REALLY admire the film for its commitment to its own narrative. It's very trendy right now to make horror/somber movies as cryptic and nonsensical as possible just for the sake of it. This film has a very detailed lore and wants you to understand it. Not the film of the year, but will appeal to those of you who like interesting fantasy concepts and spooky vibes. A pretty fun watch.

trailer

I was told this was THE lesbian film of the year. Is it? Well, maybe… 😳 Be warned tho ! This is first and foremost a violent revenge film. Drugs are also a big theme, which made this a bit of a hard watch for me. (I have my personal issues with this subject and I generally avoid it. I didn't know it was in the film. But oh well.)

In yesterday's review, i said that i LOVE when SSA characters are in stories that aren't specific to "gay cinema". And this film is exactly what i like! This story COULD have been about a straight couple, but it isn't. Very cool 😎

It's horny, it's violent, it's weird, it's original, it's super satisfying. I loved the use of color in this. The actresses are GREAT. And also, I happen to have a thing for super buff women. So.... Mamma mia.... 😳🏳️‍🌈 It's a destructive and toxic love story told in a super interesting way, all wrapped up in a great 80s aesthetic. Not for the faint of heart.

trailer

My mom really wanted to go see this because she had heard good reviews and she loves the main actress. This is THE WORST thing I've seen this year, bar none 😭😭😭 My brother and I just couldn't take the film seriously and we kept laughing. That put my mom in a SUPER bad mood and she pouted the rest of the evening...

More thoughts here.

Holy shit Disney. Fucking yikes. This is genuinely embarrassing. The quality drop of the animation is fucking insane. This looks so much worse than the previous one, the textures are worse, the movements feel more clunky and the facial expressions aren't as dynamic. Why were some members of the cast replaced by less famous actors? Did the Walt Disney fucking company run out of budget to pay the original ones? Literally one of the only things i was excited about was hearing Bill Hader and you took that away from me!! Where the fuck is Michael Giacchino?? His soundtrack for the first film is beautiful and super iconic!!

Narratively it's a clone of the first film, but with less stakes. It feels like an AI generated sequel. It doesn't even make sense in the universe of this story, because those concepts SHOULD have been introduced in the first one!! Ayo Edebiri's character serves NO purpose in the film. If you remove her from the script NOTHING CHANGES. She just exists to look cute on the poster and so they can say they got Ayo Edebiri in the film. I love her as much as the next lesbian, but this is fucking awful. The only thing i liked was Adèle Exarchopoulos's character. She was cute. It's funny that one of the emotions is french for no reason. She made me laugh. But apart from that it was all just fucking cancer. Sure it has fun and heartwarming moments, but it's so cynical and disgusting.

And OF COURSE, this broke the record for most successful animated film ever. I hate hollywood. Thank glob the record was broken again 7 months later. This is the quality of a straight to DVD sequel. Like in the good old days 🤪🤪 Except it came out in theaters. AND IT MADE 1.6 BILLION DOLLARS. I'm gonna kms. If you wanna watch a good film, watch the first one. It's not perfect but almost. It was fresh and original, it was genuine and emotional. THIS one is just... What if capitalism was a movie?

That's it for May/June! I also saw The Dead don't Hurt, Le Deuxième Acte and the Bikeriders but I got nothing to say about those

[emilysidhe]

I watched the first two episodes of the new Murderbot TV show last night.

I have a couple of broad concerns - in a visual medium, they can only include a fraction of Murderbot’s narration and therefore have to seek additional sources of comedy outside of its sarcastic commentary, but I question the decision to lean so hard on the “weird hippy-dippies unprepared for reality”-ness of PresAux at the expense of making all the human characters less smart and competent than they are in the book, while leaving most of the opportunities for biting humor at the expense of the Corporation Rim’s cartoonishly enmeshed surveillance-state and deep enshittification on the table (at least for now.) And I understand how making the whole team initially suspicious and wary of SecUnit adds some needed tension to the early episodes, but it makes the character interactions that are taken from the book, where the non-Gurathins treat Murderbot like a person, seem inconsistent.

Still, I saw enough that I liked that I intend to keep watching and see what they do with later episodes.

[my-adhd-gremlin-blog]

I am as disappointed as everyone else is with the final season of The Umbrella Academy, but I also have some of my own Thoughts™️. Allow me to weigh in.

We can all agree that the finale was absolute dogshit, right? I've seen a lot of commentary about the character assassination of Number Five, and the cursed as fuck crack ship that should've stayed in the deep recesses of ao3, where no one could find it. But there was also absolutely no character development for any of them in the end? Not really?

Luther still has unresolved daddy issues (why else would he be squatting in the condemned building of the Academy?). And he just, what, gave up looking for his wife? Luther "loverboy" Hargreeves. The man who chased and pined for Allison almost his entire life gave up on HIS WIFE after/within six years? No way.

Diego's character basically went nowhere. Four seasons, and he still didn't come to any kind of realisation that, hey, maybe he is enough. No. If he isn't in Luther's shadow, he's insecure about his marriage, or his powers, and being "strong enough." Everything was a competition to him, even though he was the only one competing. He deserved a little bit of self-love, but apparently, "self-destruct" is all he gets.

Allison had her ups and downs, and they let her end on a fucking down? Her arch was the most disappointing. We literally see her trying to be a better, more honest person in s1, and then a human rights activist in s2. Her powers are morally grey, sure, but she had so much potential. Then she just straight up becomes a villain and has barely any redemption for it? Her character started on a high. It was natural progression for her to hit a low. But not that low. And she never really came back up from it. In six years, it seemed like she made no real effort to make up for what she did. A couple of good decisions do not make up for a multitude of bad ones.

Which brings me to Klaus. I wasn't sold on sober, germaphobe Klaus to begin with. I thought it was just a little bit too out of character. But I'll take that any day than what happened to him this season. And to his credit, his hypochondria after losing his powers at least made sense. But he'd made so much progress, not just on his sobriety but on embracing his powers rather than being afraid. (Also, he and Allison being codependent on each other like that was not healthy).

This season made Ben, as a character, pretty much pointless. From the beginning, it seemed like his death was supposed to bring the Academy together, narratively speaking. It was his "purpose" to die and become a sort of martyr to his siblings (I mean, it didn't work, so even then, Ben kinda died unnecessarily). But in reality, his death wasn't a teachable moment, it was just murder. And without Ben, the story still would have ended the same way. Any of the children born from the marigold could have brought about the cleanse, it didn't necessarily HAVE to be Ben. And with the number of timelines there were, it was probably inevitable that it would happen in at least one of them. They all died pointlessly, but Ben's deaths were especially pointless.

Viktor was about the only character that DID have some development. He finally stood up to his father and received at least some validation for his mistreatment as a kid. Not that it ended up mattering because his relationship with his siblings was practically non-existent at this point. All he'd ever wanted was to be a part of the team, and yet apparently made no effort in six years to see his siblings and actually be a part of the family. It makes no sense for his character.

I hate that Lila was a damsel in distress for most of this season. She's a grown woman who we know is fully capable of standing up for herself, but it felt like she was reduced to just her role in the family. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with being a mother or a wife, but that seemed to be ALL her character was this season, when we know she's more than that. The one thing she got to herself was taken away from her coz it hurt "poor Diego's feelings 🥺". Grow up 🙄. And I am not touching the other thing with a ten foot barge pole.

Now, obviously, there's Five. People have already talked about how his character was completely butchered this season. No, Five of the past would not have given up so easily. Despite the jabs and the squabbling, Five loved his family. He fought hard to get back to them when he was stranded. After a struggle like that, why the fuck WOULD he stop fighting to keep his family together?

I'm not saying all of these characters had to be good, outstanding citizens by the end of the show. But they should have at least had a journey from season one. Instead, they either went backwards or in circles. And in the end, none of it mattered anyway.

This season was so fucking stupid. It completely undermined the rest of the story. What was the point in literally anything that happened in the previous seasons if it was just leading up to all of it being erased? This is some, "and it was all a dream" bullshit, and I'm not here for it.

[chewydolls]

Feliz Carnaval for all QSMP watchers 🎉✨️

I'm not good with explanations but I separated some curious facts and traditions of the brazilian Carnaval for all the non-brazilians who want to know more about our festivities

Though its origin has some Catholic roots, modern Carnaval is a secular party where people go to street festivals dressed up in shiny costumes or beach wear, drink out in the open, watch parades on TV and send their kids to school looking like Miraculous Ladybug.

People who go out to celebrate Carnaval in the street/beach are called "foliões" and the groups where those people aglomerate, usually following a moving performer (ie a singer performing in a vehicle), are called "blocos"

One of our most beautiful traditions is the "desfile das escolas de samba", parades where different groups, called Escolas de Samba (Schools of Samba, not actual schools), compete in an event that includes very intricate cars, costumes and samba (a musical genre). Each school has a theme, usually related to social commentary and elements of our culture

Some states have a costume called "mela-mela" where the foliões throw sticky food at each other, most commonly flour, tho eggs are not unheard of. This is still not the worse thing someone can throw at you when you're out on the streets

Children use the Carnaval to dress up at school, like some kids do on Halloween minus the scary costumes. Superheros costumes are specially popular

Child-friendly Carnaval is famous for the use of confetti and foam spray. Kids go to school all dressed up and paint each other's hair with shitty pink spray

Other brazilians are welcome to add more traditions if I left anything out!

There's a genre of music you hear on Carnaval called "marchinhas". They're short, simple and often full of innuendos. One of the most popular marchinhas is called, in lit translation, "Mommy I want to suck". Yeah.

In general, Carnaval is a moment to break social rules and go wild. Kiss that stranger you just met. Play soccer with your bros wearing a dress. Engage in some petty food fight with a 7 yo. Go to work in cat ears. People will not judge you (that much)

[jesncin]

I appreciate most of your takes but don't understand how you look at a character like livewire, a character created in the middle of a 90's feminist movement and come to the conclusion she's supposed to a be a caricature of classical racist conservatism

?? huh is this an elaborate joke I'm missing out on?? Like you're roleplaying as a Shockateer? There's no tone indicators so I'm left to my own perception that you're being serious so I'll have to respond in seriousness. I'm gonna be so embarrassed if this is a joke :(((

So...just because a character is made "in the middle of the 90's" or "feminist movement" doesn't...mean they're a feminist character? Like with that logic, Tana Moon is a feminist icon I guess. Also "caricature of classical racist conservatism"? man, I kinda envy how people think the way I write her is Cartoony Evil Racism and not a toned down depiction of how personalities like Posie Parker, Matt Walsh, and Blaire White talk. I suppose I'm glad you haven't encountered anyone that awful. Good for you! 👍

Livewire meta under the cut fellas

I feel like you don't have a very holistic view of Livewire's character. Because while yes, she has been used for feminist critique in the show and comics, that's not all there is to her character. My take on Livewire is a commentary on how white womanhood intersects with parasocial internet grifts and the larger way identity gets filtered online. It's a take influenced by how she literally started out as a controversial provocative shock jock in STAS.

There's so much potential to re-imagine her hatred of Superman as a commentary on how white women feel justified in harassing marginalized men because it looks like a punch-up to misogyny. The way she uses the accident Superman caused as a way to white-woman-victimize herself and prime her audience to hate him more. You can take the spinoff comic where she only lets women speak on the air as her presenting a black and white, non-intersectional view of social progress. Kind of like how TERFs keep fantasizing about a world without men as a utopia? In CW Supergirl, Livewire plays into internalized misogyny and homophobia to jab at Supergirl. Not showing up for her fellow women if you ask me.

Because while yes, Leslie has been shown to be a character who had to deal with sexism, she's also a really compelling narrative for an imperfect victim. Just because a character deals with sexist hardship, doesn't mean it makes her a feminist ideal y'know? Leslie lashes out and weaponizes her victimhood, she uses her audience to bully others.

I think one of the flaws to the longevity of her character as a villain is because her narrow hatred of Supes makes her themes short lived. So I really want to expand it through Satoshi Kon-style deconstruction of how people juggle having multiple identities in the modern era. In the (bleh) Batgirl Burnside comic Livewire shows up in, she returns as a being of energy who doesn't remember who she was before. In STAS, it's left ambiguous whether she actually believes what she says about Superman or if it's all part of an act that "pays the bills!".

Imagine the opportunity to make it so she pieced together a sense of self from the fractured way her audience viewed her! What a great way to talk about how parasocial relationships make us think we know a person from the bombastic way they present themselves (Casually Comics thought of this brilliant take). DCSHG has been the most competent reimagining of Livewire. A perfect update of her shock jock origins into the internet era that revitalizes her attention-seeking traits into the clout-chasing grind of social media personality.

All this to say, Livewire's way more that just "sassy woman on the radio fighting against The Man!" I think making her a punk appropriating, rebellious, internet personality who uses her privilege to marginalize others for clout and money is a natural, more political progression of what DCSHG built with her character.

I don't really understand how you can look at a character whose most prominent iterations involve her bullying and targeting people (including other women) and tell me she's "feminist" unless you actually believe in Leslie's version of White Woman Girl Power. Any kind of "feminism" that touts Hating Men as a major point should be something to be critical of.

[socialjusticefail]

This article is praising NLRB for filing a complaint against a non-compete as an unfair labor practice.

[freightertonowhere]

ok I know the common thing said about kendrick lamar (especially on this site) is that he's a generational hater. sure that’s true, but his legacy should be way more than that. kendrick lamar is the greatest storyteller and possibly the greatest Artist of our generation.

yeah yeah that's a big statement. but no one in pop culture is doing it like him. it's not even close. people often say that he's the only rapper to win a Pulitzer, but really he's the only artist in ANY non-classical genre to win it. and it's so deserved!

his discography feels like an ongoing novel with a consistent core theme: navigating the duality of human nature while searching for salvation (which assumes different meanings and forms across each album). and in this novelistic discography, kendrick has the classic character flaw of pride. at best, this trait allows him to pursue ambitious creative endeavors, and at worst, it fuels a self-destructive savior complex. the dualities he navigates range from overt good/evil war/peace dichotomies to subtextual competing motivations

along the way, he addresses complex topics of institutional racism, survivors guilt, generational trauma, self esteem, and much more- all while making bangers and talking his shit. he strikes a complicated balance of addressing these issues without seeming too preachy because he filters the sociopolitical thought the personal. any commentary is delicately woven into his character and his search for salvation. you get the sense that he's absorbing the world around him with eyes wide open, even if you don't fully agree with his conclusions or how he conveys what he sees

and gnx represents an interesting point in the novel of his discography where he DID finally find salvation- in himself and his pen- and unflinchingly declared 'I deserve it all.' from a narrative perspective, I wonder if the core theme will shift moving forward as his salvation brings him dangerously close to his self-described weaknesses, or if the lessons he’s learned along the way will lead him elsewhere

other point's I can't figure out how to integrate into this essay:

we often view vulnerability in songwriting as telling a really personal and often difficult story, which kendrick does but then takes a step further. he's not afraid to show the worst parts of himself or use his own hypocrisy as a muse. it's really hard to apply modern social media-driven morality tests to him bc he'll often get to the point first

his fans try to decode his his art like he’s the zodiac killer, but the reason they feel like there’s more than meets the eye is because there is. he DOES use layers of subtle storytelling and imagery to convey an idea

people can and do interpret his work in many ways and still be correct because great art is subjective and we process it individually. that’s why scholars can analyze a great novel or composition for a century

he’s very very good at rapping. like that halftime performance was not normal

tldr: if you're just finding out about kendrick through the beef then please go check out his music! you're in for some great generational art!

[cmchill]

I've changed across people complaining about Legend of Korra, but so far I LOVE it! (I'm four episodes in.)

The explorations of difficulties in society are so real. The conflict and commentary feels so natural and relevant; it feels almost painful to watch sometimes because of the very real difficulties and dilemmas portrayed (and the characters' understandable naivete in dealing with them).

Like, right now, (spoilers for episode four) we've got a sports team that can't compete because they don't have enough money for the pot. The team captain "coincidentally" meets the daughter of a big industry leader (who has a whole rags to riches narrative for himself). Daughter and dad both are sympathetic, and industry dad, who got off the ground "thanks to one selfless loan" himself, wants to fund the team's chances! They really remind him of his younger self.... Just one catch: wear his logo in the match. (He's literally inventing sponsorships right now.)

Thing is, not coincidentally AT ALL, this is the pro bending team Korra joined! This is totally a plot to get the Avatar to promote this guy's business... But they can't compete without the money... she's gonna be in quite the dilemma. And like. This would completely entirely happen in our world if we had the same things 😭 it basically already does! It's TOO REAL

And the whole benders/non-benders thing, with the way there IS definitely inequality that REALLY DOES NEED to be addressed, yet also people are taking advantage of the unrest to spread divisive rhetorice and accumulate power... 😬😫

The way mobs form and benders are used to exploit and extort people...

The way some fire-benders just take (probably underpaid) shifts shooting lightning at things in an assembly line (like we saw Mako doing last episode)...

The way people channel and exploit different kinds of power in all kinds of way

Nothing is ever perfect but this show IS quite good so far

[queerwolf79]

Dean Winchester and the Spellbinding (Literally) Senior Year

Title: Dean Winchester and the Spellbinding (Literally) Senior Year

Author: @queerwolfsstuff

Artist: @rezal-art

Link to Story: https://archiveofourown.org/works/55897192/chapters/141938545

Link to Art Masterpost: https://www.tumblr.com/rezal-art/750715243331715072/art-masterpost-for-dean-winchester-and-the

Rating: Teen and Up

Tags: Supernatural/Harry Potter Crossover, Set During Year Four, Re-write of Goblet of Fire, Canon Divergent, Wizard Dean Winchester from Ilvermorny, Wizard Castiel from Durmstrang, First Kiss, Action/Adventure, Romantic Comedy, Krum Who?, Dean Winchester and Cedric Diggory Bromance, The Triwizard Tournament from a Spectator’s Perspective, Hermione Gets the Respect She Deserves, Satirical Commentary, Queer and Trans Friendly Hogwarts 

Summary:

Dean Winchester, a senior from Ilvermorny, a wizarding school in Massachusetts, will be the first American student to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as part of a newly implemented Foreign Exchange program. And what a year to do so! With the return of the ill-fated and once banned Triwizard Tournament, and an extended invitation to two other European wizarding schools, Dean is going to learn more than just Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts in his final year. There is something dastardly afoot! Someone has tampered with the Goblet of Fire, naming Harry Potter, an underaged, famous wizard as one of the Champions magically bound to compete in the dangerous tournament. What was supposed to be Dean’s coast year before college is soon going to test him more than a final exam ever could. With the help of some new friends, and a dark-haired, blue-eyed wizard with a Russian accent, Dean plans to find out what is really happening within the halls of Hogwarts.

Notes: Many thanks to the mods of the @cdrcrossoverbang and my amazing artist @rezal-art! This literally wouldn't have happened without you!

If you decide to give this fic a shot, I hope you enjoy it!

*As a gender non-conforming person, I want to say any and all research done was without use of official sources that would benefit the source creator.

[argumate]

American economists like Paul Krugman and Maurice Obstfeld deny that foreigners can drive US internal imbalances, but if Chinese consumption responds to Chinese policies, this means that by controlling its trade and capital account, Beijing drives not just China's internal imbalances but also its external imbalances (the two must always be perfectly aligned). But if Chinese policies can drive its external imbalances, they also drive the external imbalances of the rest of the world and, like it or not, "the rest of the world" might include the US.

@raginrayguns Pettis today; I think Krugman can still claim that Reagan is responsible for the imbalances by noting his role in financial deregulation? or there is this commentary:

Tax differences also influence international capital flows. Both defenders and critics of the Reagan administration’s 1981 tax cuts agree that they caused increased capital inflows during the eighties. Defenders argue that U.S. investments became more profitable after tax than non-U.S. investments, both to U.S. investors and to foreign investors, while critics argue that large federal deficits drew the capital inflows.

but the timeline in China is something like this:

1976: Mao Zedong dies 1978: Deng Xiaoping takes power 1979: first special economic zone, joint ventures, foreign investment 1984: price liberalisation and moves away from central planning

this led to the biggest economic turnaround in world history:

In the pre-reform period, industry was largely stagnant and the socialist system presented few incentives for improvements in quality and productivity. With the introduction of the dual-price system and greater autonomy for enterprise managers, productivity increased greatly in the early 1980s. Foreign enterprises and newly formed Township and Village Enterprises, owned by local government and often de facto private firms, competed successfully with state-owned enterprises. By the 1990s, large-scale privatizations reduced the market share of both the Township and Village Enterprises and state-owned enterprises and increased the private sector's market share. The state sector's share of industrial output dropped from 81% in 1980 to 15% in 2005. Foreign capital controls much of Chinese industry and plays an important role.

From virtually an industrial backwater in 1978, China is now the world's biggest producer of concrete, steel, ships and textiles, and has the world's largest automobile market. Chinese steel output quadrupled between 1980 and 2000, and from 2000 to 2006 rose from 128.5 million tons to 418.8 million tons, one-third of global production. Labor productivity at some Chinese steel firms exceeds Western productivity. From 1975 to 1992, China's automobile production rose from 139,800 to 1.1 million, rising to 9.35 million in 2008. Light industries such as textiles saw an even greater increase, due to reduced government interference. Chinese textile exports increased from 4.6% of world exports in 1980 to 24.1% in 2005. Textile output increased 18-fold over the same period.

This increase in production is largely the result of the removal of barriers to entry and increased competition; the number of industrial firms rose from 377,300 in 1980 to nearly 8 million in 1990 and 1996; the 2004 economic census, which excluded enterprises with annual sales below RMB 5 million, counted 1.33 million manufacturing firms, with Jiangsu and Zhejiang reporting more firms than the nationwide total for 1980. Compared to other East Asian industrial growth spurts, China's industrial performance exceeded Japan's but remained behind South Korea and Taiwan's economies.

Reagan cutting taxes, running deficits, and raising interest rates obviously had an economic effect but China changing from a Maoist backwater to the industrial powerhouse of the world surely had more of an impact (and of course Japan, Korea, and Taiwan also maintained their export surplus throughout this period).