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whump-tr0pes · 4 years

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Honor Bound 2 - 37

Honor Bound 2 - 37 (brainwashing) - @badthingshappenbingo - requested by @walkingchemicalfire

Red X is for posted, white X is for requested.

This is a series. Start here, continued from here.

This is a sequel to Honor Bound.

Cw: mention of death squads, mention of head injury, mention of death of family, mention of child abuse (parent letting child torture someone), abusive language towards an SO, panic attack, mention of death threats

Finn made their way slowly through the woods, tilting their head up, enjoying the feeling of the sun dappling on their face. The breathed deep the clean, cool air, the smell of trees and sky. It was chillier up north and they shivered slightly in their light jacket. The woods were more pine than at Tori’s house.

Finn felt a pang of loss when they thought about Tori’s house. It had been their home for almost four months before they’d started up running missions again, and it was their home base they returned to after every one. It was the one place they’d felt safe in… years. Maybe since they escaped the death squads the destroyed the Junior Defense Corps. It was place they would never see again, now that Gavin’s people knew where it was. It was no longer safe. No longer home.

Anger moved slowly through Finn’s gut. Anger at Gavin, at the system that had created him. Anger at his father, who had guided Gavin to torture Vera when he was ten. Ten. A child. Gavin should have been playing with his friends, climbing trees, building forts and getting underfoot. He should have had a childhood. Instead, his father had taken him down into the basement Vera rarely talked about, and taught him torture.

Joseph Stormbeck broke Gavin. Finn had no illusions about that.

Sometimes it snuck up on them: the bitter resentment at Gavin for what he had done. Finn’s left hand still ached from time to time, when a strong storm came through. Their brain had healed completely, but they still felt a terrible sense of dread that everything they were, every memory, every aspect of them could be erased in a moment with a well-placed blow to the head. Finn had been dizzy for weeks after Gavin had given them a concussion. They knew too well the damage could have been much worse.

And yet, the deepest fury they held in their body for Gavin was for what he did to Ellis. Finn had known going in that Ellis was hurt, wounded, torn apart by the loss of their family. Finn had been prepared to be with Ellis through it, hold them when the loneliness crushed them. They hadn’t been prepared for the damage Gavin had done.

Finn shook their head and pushed the thought away. This wasn’t the place for pain, for ruminating on the past. This forest was the place for enjoyment of the now. This was the place they went with Ellis to be alone, to remember their walks near Tori’s house, the surreptitious love they made in the only place they had true privacy. These walks were for them, and no one else. These walks weren’t for thoughts about Gavin.

Finn glanced at Ellis. They didn’t look nearly as happy to be out here as Finn was.

Finn stopped and took Ellis’s hand, searching their face with their gaze. “Ellis?” Finn said softly, squeezing Ellis’s fingers. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” Ellis grumbled. They pulled their hand out of Finn’s grasp.

Finn chewed their lip. “Okay… You seem mad.”

Ellis crossed their arms and took a step back, away from Finn. “Well, I…” They blew out a slow breath through their nose. “I’m sorry. I’m not fine. I’m fucking pissed.”

Finn swallowed. “Okay. About what?”

Ellis refused to meet Finn’s gaze. “About… about you.”

Finn’s heart beat a little faster. “About, um, me?”

“Yeah.” Ellis shook their head, still staring at a bush to Finn’s left. Refusing to look at them. “You…” Ellis’s jaw worked. “How can you… be so fucking… nice… to Gavin Stormbeck?”

Finn’s eyebrows pulled together in utter confusion. “What? I’m not… nice… What?”

Ellis rolled their eyes. “At breakfast this morning? The bacon?”

Finn balked. “You think that was… being… Ellis, I don’t…”

“You shared with him. You shared your fucking food with him. After everything… everything he’s done…”

“Um, yeah, Ellis,” Finn snapped, defensiveness creeping up their limbs, pulling their shoulders higher around their ears. “I shared my food with him. He’s gonna be with us for, um, a long time. We have to share our shit with him.”

“Well, you…” Ellis stared at the ground. “You didn’t have to be so fucking nice about it.”

Finn threw their hands in the air. “What about that was nice? He asked if anyone wanted the bacon, I did, we split it. What’s the matter with that?”

Ellis ground their teeth. “I don’t… I don’t know, okay?”

“Babe…” Finn’s voice dropped, grew a little softer. “I’m not… I’m not cozying up to him, okay? I’m not… forgetting what he’s done. But he’s different. And I think—”

“He’s different?” Ellis nearly shrieked, the anger in them rising to the surface and bursting through their skin, their voice. “Are you fucking kidding?”

Finn bit down hard on their retort.

“Are you…” Ellis ran their hands roughly through their hair. “Are you… has he fucking brainwashed you, or something? Are you out of your mind?”

“Stop yelling at me,” Finn growled.

Ellis flushed, bright red spreading over the pale skin of their cheeks, creeping down their neck. Shame twisted their features, dampened the rage there.

“I know he’s fucked with us,” Finn snapped. “I fucking remember, okay? I wore a brace on my hand for months because of what he did. I remember watching him torture Isaac. I remember Sam nearly dying. Okay? I’m the one who placed the chest tube in Gray. I’m the one who pulled Sam back from sepsis. I’m the one who cleans up what he did to all of us.” Finn’s lips trembled and their hands started to shake. “I’m the one who put you all back together again.”

Ellis pressed their lips together and stared at the ground, the flush burning deeper on their skin.

“So don’t…” Finn’s hands curled into fists at their sides. “Don’t fucking say I’m brainwashed. Don’t…” Their throat closed up around a sob. They forced it down, ignored the way their eyes burned. “Don’t say… don’t say he fucked with my head. Okay? He… he didn’t. I’m still… still me.” They swallowed the lump in their throat, cursing the tears that fell down their cheeks.

At that, Ellis’s head snapped up and they met Finn’s gaze, regret and guilt heavy in their eyes. “Oh,” Ellis breathed. “Finn, I didn’t mean… I didn’t mean that…”

“I know you’re angry,” Finn said, their voice tight with the sob they were holding down with everything they had. “I know you hate him. And I don’t blame you. I don’t. You can hate him forever. I don’t care. But… I fix people, Ellis. I know when someone is broken. And Gavin is… is broken. You’ve seen him and if you deny it…” Finn shook their head.

“I…”

“You’ve seen how he reacts to blood. You saw him with the bounty hunters. You saw Gavin with Isaac’s blood, when the mob nearly hanged him. You’ve seen how he flinches around Vera. You’ve seen it, right?”

“Yeah,” Ellis whispered, their voice thick with something Finn couldn’t place. They didn’t want to place it. They wanted Ellis to understand.

“And you heard what Isaac said this morning, too, right?” Finn said, their voice still tight but not as loud. They breathed slowly, forced the tearing pressure in their chest down. “You heard him talking about how Gavin’s not sleeping well. And you’ve heard him screaming at night, I know you have.”

Ellis nodded slowly. “I know.”

“I know he’s done some terrible fucking shit, Ellis,” Finn said heavily. “I’m aware. But… look at who his parents are. His father was willing to let him die so he could capture Vera again. His mother was hoping we’d kill him the first chance we got. He’s been raised from birth to be exactly who he was and once he got his shit scrambled, he left.”

“That doesn’t fucking excuse it,” Ellis mumbled, their own eyes shining with tears.

“I didn’t say it does,” Finn said through their teeth. “All I’m saying is…” They pushed out a slow breath through their lips. There was a tightness in their chest that wouldn’t be relieved. “All I’m saying is, he’s changed. And I’m… I’m willing to give him a chance. Even if that chance is just sharing food with him.”

“He doesn’t get a chance with me,” Ellis sneered.

“Well…” Finn gulped, trembling at the wave of terror and rage rising in them. They took a step back from Ellis. “I…”

Ellis’s eyes went wide. “Finn… Are you…?”

“He didn’t fuck with my head,” Finn whispered. “He… he didn’t. I’m not… crazy, I’m not confused…”

Ellis held their hands out plaintively to Finn, biting their lip, taking a half-step in their direction. “I know, babe… I’m sorry…”

“He didn’t… Do you… seriously… think…?” Finn gasped, gulped at the air that seemed to have all rushed out of the forest at once. They stumbled back and nearly fell. Ellis lunged forward and caught them.

“I don’t, babe,” Ellis whimpered, tears rolling down their cheeks. “I’m so—”

“How could you… say that…”

“I didn’t mean it…”

“You did,” Finn sobbed. “You think he’s tricked me. You think I…” They slowly slid to their knees, pressing their face into their hands. “I didn’t know this was… still in my… head…”

“I swear to god, Finn, I didn’t mean it,” Ellis said as they pulled Finn into their arms. “I swear. I’m so… I’m so sorry. He just gets me so… fucking angry…”

“I know.” Finn shuddered and choked out a sob. “I know he does. He hurt you.”

“That doesn’t mean I get to hurt you,” Ellis said against Finn’s hair.

“Ever since… every time I… forget something, or get confused, or get dizzy, anything, I worry… he did lasting damage, that he… he damaged me…”

“He didn’t, babe,” Ellis soothed. “You’re the smartest person I know. You got a little concussion a few months ago and now you’re fine. Everyone gets confused sometimes.”

“But I…” Finn hiccoughed. “I understand why you hate him. He… he showed you your family… And he tortured all of us… But I swear to god, Ellis, he’s different now. He’s changed.” Finn swiped their hand at the tears running down their cheeks. “I see it more every day. He’s not who he was. He can’t be.”

“I know,” Ellis sniffled. They pressed their forehead to Finn’s temple. “I think that’s part of why I’m so… mad… He gets to do all that, be a fucking monster, and then he… he heals. He gets better. He gets us. And I…” They swallowed. “When I… um… went dark…” They pressed a kiss to Finn’s forehead. “There was no one there for me. I was alone. I had nothing. Now he gets… he gets everything.”

“It’s not everything for him,” Finn said softly. “He lost his family, in a different way, and he’s stuck with us. He probably walks around wondering when we’re going to just waste him, every fucking day.”

Ellis sat back, their eyebrows shooting up. “Why do you think that? Why would he think that of us?”

“Um…” Finn wet their lips. “We’ve nearly killed him twice?”

Ellis scoffed. “I mean, yeah, technically, but it was fucking warranted and self-defense both times.”

“And we’ve threatened to kill him more times than I can count since he came to us.”

“Only if he betrayed us!” Ellis’s mouth twisted. “I think that’s kinda obvious!”

“Ellis…” Finn sighed. “It doesn’t matter to him what we think. All that matters is he’s watched us kill the people who hurt us, and he’s on that list.”

Ellis’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. It hurt Finn’s heart to see it. “How do you know so much about what goes on in his head?”

“Because I’m constantly trying to think of how to fix him,” Finn said, exasperated.

Ellis studied Finn’s face. Their eyes moved over their features, looking for something. Maybe hoping for something. “Do you…” Ellis began tentatively. They cleared their throat and tried again. “Do you think he can really change?”

Finn looked down, at their hands twisted in their lap. Ellis reached out to lace their fingers through Finn’s. “Um…” Finn bit their lip. “I th-think… he already has. I think if we just… give him a chance…”

“I don’t trust him enough to give him a chance to hurt us,” Ellis said quietly.

Finn squeezed their hand. “Maybe we won’t have to.”

“But he’ll have to come with us south,” Ellis said, their voice shaking. “He can’t stay up here. He can’t go further north. They’ll kill him. He’s got to stay under our protection, for…” They swallowed hard. “Forever. And there’s no way Isaac would trust him enough to ever bring him on missions.”

Finn laughed, and Ellis’s shoulders relaxed an inch. “Oh, no. We’ll definitely have to take him with us, but yeah, there’s no way Gavin goes on missions. The day Isaac trusts Gavin is the day I’ll know I really have gone insane.”

Ellis smiled and held Finn tight. “I’m sorry,” Ellis said quietly.

“Me too,” Finn murmured, and pulled Ellis in for a deep kiss.

Continued here

@untilthepainstarts, @womping-grounds, @free-2bmee, @quirkykayleetam, @walkingchemicalfire, @inpainandsuffering, @redwingedwhump, @burtlederp, @castielamigos-whump-side-blog, @insomniacscoprio, @cursedscribbles, @whumpywhumper, @stxck-fxck, @omega-em-z-02, @whumps-the-word, @slaintetowhump, @finder-of-rings, @cinnamonflavoredhugs, @thatsthewhump, @im-just-here-for-the-whump, @orchidscript

#honor bound 2 #bad things happen bingo #brainwashing #whump #emotional whump #Fillis #angst #mention of death squads tw #parental abuse tw #head injury #mention of death of children tw #mention of consensual sex #abusive language to significant other tw #gavin is my bisexual disaster child #panic attack #death threats tw #my oc: Finn

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onlinebusinessreviewsblog · 3 years

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Sex between undercover Met officers and public not uncommon

Online Business Reviews

Sexual activity between undercover Met Police officers and members of the public who did not know their true identities was "not uncommon" from the mid-1970s, a public inquiry has heard.

David Barr QC told the Undercover Policing Inquiry (UCPI) that some officers in the then all-male Metropolitan Police Special Demonstration Squad (SDS) would make jokes about intimate relationships in front of managers.

No written instructions have been found governing sexual relationships by officers in the shadowy unit, but the inquiry heard that there is evidence that, between 1972 and 1983, at least five had intimate contact with as many as 12 women.

Mr Barr said: "It can safely be said that, from the mid-1970s onwards, sexual contact between SDS officers in their undercover identities and members of the public was not uncommon."

One of the women, known as Mary, became involved with "ladies' man" Richard Clark, and said: "Had I known he was a police officer there is absolutely no way I would have had any sexual contact with him at all."

Another officer, known as Vince Miller, claimed he had four one-night stands with different women, but one of these, Madeleine, said the relationship lasted a couple of months and she was "very upset" when he disappeared.

A third, who used the name Jim Pickford, was with his second wife when he went undercover, but met a woman during his deployment who he went on to marry and have a child with.

Mr Barr said there was some evidence that officers had been warned off having intimate relationships, but "we will also be hearing evidence that there was comment and joking amongst SDS undercover officers about sexual relationships that, it is stated, would have been made in the presence of managers."

The latest series of hearings in the Undercover Policing Inquiry began on Wednesday, looking at the SDS between 1972 and 1983.

Piers Corbyn who is expected to give evidence during the latest series of hearings in the public inquiry into undercover policing. Jacob King/PA Wire

This period saw the first time that officers became involved in sexual relationships with members of the public, and were instructed to use aspects of the identities of dead children to shore up their cover names.

Witnesses will include Celia Stubbs, the partner of anti-fascist campaigner Blair Peach, who died when he was hit over the head by a police officer during a protest in Southall, west London, in 1979.

The demonstration came amid tensions arising from the National Front mounting a general election campaign that year.

Mr Barr told the inquiry that the campaign for justice for Mr Peach was described by officers as "the subsequent campaign against the police".

And in the 1979 annual SDS report, it was stated: "The death of Blair Peach, an active supporter of the Anti-Nazi League, which was a consequence of a violent anti-fascist demonstration in Southall, provided the extreme left-wing with an opportunity to mount a sustained campaign to discredit and criticise the police."

The SDS maintained that reporting on the campaign allowed uniformed officers to be deployed to locations where public unrest may occur.

Lord Peter Hain who is expected to give evidence during the latest series of hearings in the public inquiry into undercover policing. Jack Hill/The Times/PA Wire

Mr Barr said: "We note the defensive language to describe the Blair Peach justice campaign and the fact that reporting on it was communicated to the Home Office as having been part of an invaluable service.

"We shall need to examine the motives for reporting on the campaign."

Earlier, the Metropolitan Police repeated apologies for officers having sexual relationships and using the identities of dead children without their families' consent.

In a statement released by the Met on Wednesday, Helen Ball, Assistant Commissioner for Professionalism, said the period included rioting and the start of the IRA bombing campaign in England.

She said: "It was against this challenging backdrop that the SDS were operating.

"In this part of the inquiry, evidence will also be heard about officers' actions and behaviour, which in some instances were clearly inappropriate and unacceptable - certainly by modern standards, and in some cases by the standards of the time in which they occurred.

"The inquiry will hear examples of undercover officers entering into inappropriate sexual relationships with women they met during their deployments and of undercover officers using the identities of deceased children - a practice that does not happen now.

"The Met acknowledges that these cases caused significant harm and distress, and for this we are sorry."

The Undercover Policing Inquiry (UCPI) was set up in 2015 to look at the activities of two shadowy police units after condemnation of undercover tactics.

A public outcry was sparked when it was revealed that women had been tricked into sexual relationships with undercover officers and that police spies had used the identities of dead children without their families' permission.

Family justice campaigns, including for murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, were spied upon; and there are claims that some officers were arrested or prosecuted for crimes under fake identities, leading to alleged miscarriages of justice for their co-defendants.

The two units being examined are the Metropolitan Police's Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), which existed between 1968 and 2008, and the undercover part of the National Public Order Intelligence Unit (NPOIU), which existed between 1999 and 2010.

During the current batch of hearings, being chaired by Sir John Mitting, the deployment of 29 undercover officers will be examined, who on average were on assignment for three to five years.

To date the mammoth inquiry has cost more than £36 million, although Tory peer Lord Moylan estimated last week that this could rise to £100 million, including police costs, by the time the inquiry reports in 2023.

The inquiry was adjourned until Thursday.

We at Online Business Reviews provide useful tips and resources on online marketing processes, strategies, tools and much more that would be helpful to any online marketer.

https://onlinebusinessreviewsblog.blogspot.com/2021/04/sex-between-undercover-met-officers-and.html

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orindasfinest · 5 years

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TDFL PR W#1

Welcome to the first installment of the TouchDongers Foobaw Lig Power Rankings yadda yadda this doesn’t really require any introduction – reading this is kind of like waking up in a virtual gulag in a Black Mirror episode. You can feign ignorance all you want, but you know deep down why you’re here, Mohamed Jetta.

I’m hosting this on tumblr because it’s barely more public than a google doc thanks to the porn ban that whisked away all my piss bookmarks just as I was starting to make real inroads on a new fetish. Thanks for nothing you Puritan technocrats. If the pageviews from this post give you 35 more cents in your next worthless sale I demand compensation in the form of 45 second clips of coeds soaking granite countertops.

Pay your league dues so I can indulge my second favorite fluffing pastime of mailing people ostentatious shit they don’t need. I’m accepting submissions for the name of the championship trophy. Current front-runner is The Shiny Hiney so you might want to get on that (and I’m not talking about scaling Griffin’s stark-white cracked mountainside prone to avalanches and civilian suffocation)

WITH PLENTY OF FAFFING ABOUT

10. Leaguema Balls (Dirty Mike)

Record: 0-1 | PF: 73 | PA: 167.7

Playing Next: Airstrip One Ezekiels Engels (Derv)

Questionable Decision of the Week: Living with the knowledge that he gave himself forehead welts

The only man in double digits for team score created a gulf between himself and the rest of the field almost as big as the space between his eyeballs. I’m not saying Mike’s squad is already done for, but on the heels of many players demanding trades from Miami after their week one demolition, Travis Kelce called his agent and said he wouldn’t do another mind-numbingly stupid McDonald’s commercial until he was cut loose to go play for another Dongers contender. Not only was this performance abysmal, but I can’t even label it an outlier because Devonta Freeman is now hurt and his 3 other major skill players are from the NFC North where points are harder to find than Josh Gordon’s 2 week AA chip.

9. Airstrip One Ezekiels Engels (Derv)

Record: 0-1 | PF: 120.9 | PA: 151.6

Playing Next: I just fukcing did this one

Questionable Decision of the Week: the Mets

Writing a summary of Derv’s fantasy prospects feels a lot like breaking the news to a wounded soldier that he’s had to have his dick amputated. Sure, you’re not technically dead, but what is there to live for? Derv has two good quarterbacks in a league where you can only start one, which marks the first and last time she’ll have two men vying for one of her slots. Zeke ended his holdout just in time to put up 12 points a game because Jerruh will be GOT DAMNED if he pays anyone an obscene amount of money and then has them succeed. Her best wide receiver made softcore porn with Pete Carroll. I’d rather read The Sun Also Rises again than keep looking at this roster to make any more jokes.

8. James White is Right (Tori)

Record: 0-1 | PF: 131.2 | PA: 173.4

Playing Next: The Queen’s Booty Lickers (Liv)

Questionable Decision of the Week: Thinking that being introverted is a substitute for a personality

Tori ran into a Clemson-scented buzzsaw this week and was really not at fault for the enormity of her loss, which is more than I can say about the fact that 85% of her Sundays vanish into her duvet cover because she got alcohol poisioning after gagging down 3 jello shots and looking at her bottle of listerine before she got into bed. That considered, though, she’s going to need Austin Ekeler to keep putting up 40-point games like he’s not a body double from ‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’ AND she’ll need Matt Ryan to learn what side of a football holds the white thingies for her to get any kind of consistent production going forward. Much like she would say about Sacramento being a gangrenous taint, “I just don’t see it.”

7. Sean’s Hard Mangos (sean)

Record: 0-1 | PF: 130.7 | PA: 136.2

Playing Next: Mark Ruffalo’s Ruffalo Bills (Aidan)

Questionable Decision of the Week: Paying more than the cost of a Notre Dame education for a military-grade laser-guided beard trimmer

Sean dropped his game versus Griffin in the closest fight since the donnybrook between his ex-girlfriend and sanity. A couple breaks here and there and he might have come away with a W. Unfortunately, Tyreek Hill will be out for an indefinite period of time after finding out that it’s hard to box with people who aren’t 5 years old and Evan Engram is going to put up 28 points again as soon as Father Jenkins decides it’s high time to adhere to his vow of poverty. His third-leading scorer this week was his kicker. Last time everyone discovered so obviously that something fishy was afoot Sean needed his location tracked to a downtrodden dormitory fuck-barn.

6. Mark Ruffalo’s Ruffalo Bills (Aidan)

Record: 1-0 | PF: 151.6 | PA: 120.9

Playing Next: Reading comprehension

Questionable Decision of the Week: $45 says he’s still doing Fontaine to all of his roommates and they’re plotting in equal measures to cut him out of the will and to put a steak knife in his femoral artery

Big boy trade man saw his wheeling and dealing pay off, running contrary to his favorite Silver-and-Black organization, and to the time he swapped his dignity for his desktop toaster oven. Drew Brees stepped up, and not just on the baby footstool he uses to properly gaze into the bathroom mirror to examine his face birthmark that looks like Spaghetti-O cum. Julio and JuJu took the field, which is worth 15 points apiece in standard ESPN scoring. Outside of that, though, we have another aberrant kicker performance, this one from Harrison “Anal” Butker, and Josh Jacobs putting up 25 against a Broncos defense more porous than an Aidan snap group selfie. Expect a greater fall from grace than that of the Robert Pattinson Porsche launching itself from the car WTC.

5. Cartoon Colt Copulation (Gabe)

Record: 0-1 | PF: 127.1 | PA: 145.3

Playing Next: The Birds Have Arrived (John)

Questionable Decision of the Week: Drafting from Hawaii during my last day on that particular vacation because I value disposable carnal pleasures more than lasting memories with my aging and loving parents

This ranking is like the number of inches I used to tell Tinder hookers after snapping them at 2AM: obviously inflated because I think I’m in control. A charitable read tells you that all of my risky/reachy picks paid off in spades and that I was one Desean Jackson start from starting the season off strong. A realistic assessment brings you back to the reality of the fact that depending on Desean Jackson for a victory is a lot like expecting me to bring you to orgasm. I’m just going to drop out before anyone crosses the line. Can’t wait to be 0-6 by the time AJ Green and Golden Tate come back, leaving me in a scramble for respectability that nobody respects, much like how I acquired my college degree.

4. Poo Poo Point Diarrheas (Griff)

Record: 1-0 | PF: 136.2 | PA: 130.7

Playing Next: TEAM DUMPSTER BEARS (Lauren)

Questionable Decision of the Week: Being really fucking amped about his band despite ostensibly not being under the influence of cocaine

Griffin’s starting lineup is the quintessential example of boom or bust, which is odd, because I thought the quintessential example of boom or bust was his nightly decision between offing himself and masturbating. Every single one of his starting skill players suits up for the Panthers, the Chargers, or the Rams. That diversity is so poor that it makes Mendoza look like the fucking United Nations. I’d tell you to branch out, Griff, but your bench is thinner than you if you were half your size and if half your size wasn’t also still fat. Will Lutz, your kicker, almost tripled the score of your quarterback. As the signal-caller in question is none other than Cameron Newton, I imagine that we won’t be hearing from Tori for a while, as her resultant pussy surge at a black man’s failure sent all of her electronics into traction.

3. TEAM DUMPSTER BEARS (Lolo)

Record: 1-0 | PF: 173.4 | PA: 131.2

Playing Next: What cruel twist of fate caused me to do the rankings like this

Questionable Decision of the Week: Letting me find out you actually own a Deshaun Watson jersey as if I didn’t already have enough roasting ammunition

Wowie! High score! Hope you’re hard at work roasting up some tasty crow for me to eat after my little draft-day Clemson jab because A) You cook so infrequently you thought a “burner” was one of the twitter accounts you use to solicit Hunter Renfrow dick pics and B) this is the last week you even sniff this stratosphere of point-getting. It is not often I flex my fantasy football “expertise” because clearly I don’t know shit about fuck but anyone who’s played this sick game of roulette for more than one season has learned the unalienable truth that you CANNOT TRUST SAMMY WATKINS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Holy god that 46.8-spot is a bigger mirage than someone looking at your hair under favorable light and thinking it has volume. Sammy will get run over by a stock car, Deshaun will have his spleen removed in week 6 when Laremy Tunsil turns his back on a bootleg to get fitted for a new nicotine gas mask, and your chances of success will disappear faster than your willingness to take on any more of my emotional baggage once I let you in the cargo hold. Much like our relationship, enjoy it while it lasts.

2. The Queen’s Booty Lickers (Liv)

Record: 1-0 | PF: 145.3 | PA: 127.1

Playing Next: James White is Right (Tori)

Questionable Decision of the Week: We won’t find out till next week, when she gets in contact again and sends 14 messages, 13 of which relate to topics nobody remembers and 1 of which is feloniously horny

It is cruel fucking fate that the Eagles stans would fly to the top of the power rankings from the word go. I know I attract toxic elements to my life, but being friends with multiple people from Philadelphia is like trying to run a fever to get out of going to school and instead having both your arms fed into an original Eli Whitney cotton gin. Liv didn’t even draft her squad, which probably explains why both Dak and Amari are both properly valued and are on this roster, ready to put up a combined 245 points a game because NFC East teams treat defense like Louis CK does consent. They don’t really think about it much. Hey Liv, hope that reflective road vest is enough to save you when Griffin trips coming out of a show and rolls downhill for 5 miles. It’s a good thing you have OBJ because you both look like closeted lesbians trying to stand out in Catholic school.

1. The Birds Have Arrived (John)

Record: 1-0 | PF: 167.7 | PA: 73

Playing Next: Cartoon Colt Copulation (idk some guy, poor bastard)

Questionable Decision of the Week: Getting piss on the floor of his bathroom, totally missing my mouth

This is a truly upsetting squad about which to write a recap. John’s team put up the second-most points with consistent performances across the board despite having AB and Melvin Gordon on the shelf. I haven’t been this worried about two people returning since John’s parents told him they were just going down to the store for a pack of cigarettes. It’s tough to not look at this lineup and be intimidated, so now we all know how John’s organs feel when they receive the message from his tastebuds that there’s a combination of peanut butter, salsa, Drano, and barbeque sauce slathered on a cheesesteak coming down the hatch. At least that sub is still more palatable than his dating life. John wanted me to hear two words: Antonio Brown. I got 2(1) words for ya, John: You’re the Anthony Fantano of book reviews if Fantano looked like Steve Brule and had the follower base of the Shakers.

See ya next week!

-Commish

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peopleofnewhampshire · 7 years

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George Bancroft, The History of New Hampshire, 1842

Page 111: To the people of New Hampshire this peace gave a grateful respite. They were dispirited and reduced. The war had broken up their trade and husbandry, and weighed them down with a heavy burden of debt. The earth also was less fruitful than before; as if the kindly skies withheld their gifts at such an exhibition of the follies and cruelties of man. The governor was obliged to impress men to guard the outposts; and sometimes these were dismissed for want of provisions. In this situation, they applied to Massachusetts for assistance. Their application found that colony overwhelmed with witchcraft, and rent with feuds about the charter. Superstition and party spirit had usurped the place of reason, and the defense of themselves and their neighbors was neglected for the ghostly orgies of the witch-finder and the quarrels of the old and new chartists.

Page 138: The growing unpopularity of Shute admonished him, at this time, to return to England. Although the people of New Hampshire were quiet under his administration, yet there was rising in Massachusetts a violent and increasing opposition. Having been a solider in his youth, and accustomed to military command and obedience, he was poorly prepared to brook the crosses and perplexities of political life. He did not possess that evenness of temper and calmness, which are so necessary for the management of difficult affairs. It was in the midst of an Indian war, when difficulties surrounded the government, that he left for England, and Lieutenant Governor Wentworth succeeded to the chair. It was resolved to prosecute the war vigorously. Wentworth, in the absence of Shute, took the field as commander-in-chief, and displayed the prudence and energy of an able leader. He was careful to supply the garrisons with stores and to visit them in person, to see that the duties of all were strictly performed.

Page 146: The battle of Lovewell’s pond was the most obstinate and destructive encounter in the war. Commissioners were now despatched, on the part of New England, to Vaudruil, governor of Canada, to complain of the countenance he had given to the Indians. This procured the ransom of some captives, and exerted an influence favorable to peace. After a few months, a treaty was ratified at Falmouth. Never were the people of New Hampshire so well trained to war as at this period. Ranging parties constantly traversed the woods, as far north as the White Mountains. Every man of forty years had seen twenty years of war. They had been taught to handle arms from the cradle, and, by long practice, had become expert marksmen. They were hardy and intrepid, and knew the lurking places of the foe. Accustomed to fatigue and familiar with danger, they bore with composure the greatest privations, and surmounted with alacrity the most formidable difficulties.

Page 230: Everything indicated that the people of New Hampshire were fast uniting with the views of Massachusetts and the other colonies. In vain did the governor labor to prevent the free action of the people. In vain did he dissolve and adjourn their meetings. In vain did he declare them illegal. The rose when he entered among them to declare their proceedings void; but no sooner had he retired than they resumed their seats and proceeded, unrestricted by forms. An authority was rising in the province above the authority of the governor—an authority founded on the broad basis of the people’s will—an authority before which the shadow of royal government was destined to pass away. The people appointed committees of correspondence, and chose delegates to the provincial congress at Philadelphia; and nowhere were the proceedings of the congress more universally approved. “Our atmosphere threatens a hurricane,” wrote the governor to a confidential friend. “I have strove in vain, almost to death, to prevent it. If I can, at last, bring out of it safety to my country, and honor to our sovereign, my labors will be joyful.”

Page 231: The people of New Hampshire soon gave an example of the spirit by which the whole country was animated equally with themselves. An order had been passed by the king in council prohibiting the exportation of gunpowder to America. A copy of it was brought by express to Portsmouth, at a time when a ship of war was daily expected from Boston to take possession of fort William and Mary. The committee of the town, with secrecy and despatch, collected a company from Portsmouth and some of the neighboring towns, and, before the governor had any suspicion of their intentions, they proceeded to Newcastle and assaulted the fort before the troops had arrived. The captain and five men, who were the whole of the garrison, were taken into custody, and one hundred barrels of powder were carried off. The next day another company removed fifteen of the lighter cannon, together with all the small arms and other warlike stores. These were carefully secreted in the several towns, under the care of the committees, and afterwards did effectual service at Bunker’s Hill. Major John Sullivan and John Langdon were the leaders in this expedition. No sooner was it accomplished, than the Scarborough frigate and sloop of war Canseau arrived, with several companies of soldiers. They took possession of the fort, but found only the heavy cannon. Sullivan and Langdon were afterwards chosen delegates to the next general congress, to be holden on the tenth of May.

Page 247: While such was the enthusiasm for liberty, it was but natural that a violent resentment should be kindled against those who still adhered to the royal cause. These took the name of tories; their opponents, the name of whigs, or sons of liberty. The tories were persecuted with relentless fury. Some of them were arrested and imprisoned. Some fled to Nova Scotia, or to England, some joined the British army in Boston. Others were restricted to certain limits, and their motions continually watched. The passions of jealousy, hatred and revenge were under no restraint. Although many lamented these excesses, there seemed to be no effectual remedy. All the bands of ancient authority were broken. The courts were shut; the sword of magistracy was sheathed. But amidst the general laxity in the forms of government, order prevailed; reputation, life and property were still secure; thus proving that it is not in outward forms of austerity, or sanguinary punishments, or nicely written codes, or veneration for what is old, that our rights find protection—but in the potent, though unseen, influence of family ties, virtuous habits and lofty example. These contributed more, at this time, to maintain order than any other authority; thus illustrating how much stronger are the secret than the apparent bonds of society. But the people of New Hampshire proceeded to perfect, as far as possible, their provisional government. The convention which had assembled at Exeter, was elected but for six months. Previous to their dissolution in November, they made provisions, pursuant to the recommendations of congress, for calling a new convention, which should be a more full representation of the people. They sent copies of these provisions to the several towns, and dissolved. The elections were forthwith held. The new convention promptly assembled, and drew up a temporary form of government.

Page 291: The legislation of this, as well as a few preceding and subsequent years, evinces at once great economy in the legislature and great financial distress among the people. In 1791, the salary of the governor was fixed at two hundred pounds, of the chief justice at one hundred and seventy pounds, and the secretary of state at fifty pounds per annum. Laws, granting relief to towns—directing the treasurer not to issue extents for outstanding taxes—providing for the receipt of specie in payment of public dues, at the rate of one pound for two in state notes—granting reviews and staying ,for a limited time, all proceedings against bondsmen, were of frequent occurrence, and indicated, in characters not to be mistaken, the severity of those financial embarrassments, which the expenses of the war had imposed upon the people of New Hampshire, and which neither the unrivaled industry nor the reviving enterprise of its citizens had yet been able to remove.

Page 294: In conclusion, they solemnly “remonstrated against the said act, so far as it relates to the assumption of the state debts,” and requested that, “if the assumption must be carried into effect, New Hampshire might be placed on an equal footing with other states.” Opposed as they then were in their political attachments, it is a singular circumstance, that, at this early period, Virginia and New Hampshire occupied the same ground upon this important question. Though generally belonging in name to that federal party, which was by many deemed to favor a concentration of all political power in the general government, the people of New Hampshire showed, on more occasions than one, a firm attachment to democratic principles, and a patriotic zeal for their rights as citizens of a sovereign state.

Page 362: The people of New Hampshire contributed no less to the success of the war than they did to its commencement. Its hardy citizens were to be found in every hard-fought field. Its seaboard contributed its weather-beaten seamen to man our navy, and sent whole companies to mingle in the conflict which raged on our frontiers. Recruits swarmed to the seat of war from every part of the state. Every village furnished its squad. Every scattered settlement among the mountains contributed its man. In some instances whole families came forward at the call of their country; and father and son left their little homestead in the wilderness and marched to the post of danger together. Had these brave men remained quietly by their own firesides, and left to others the noble task of defending their country, far different would have been the result of the elections at home; and far different, too, there is reason to believe, the result of some of those fierce conflicts on the frontier, in which the American flag floated in triumph over body fields and vanquished enemies.

Page 425: While such was the state of things at home, the people of New Hampshire had seen a revolution progressing in Connecticut, similar to that which was now beginning among themselves. Ever since the first settlement of Connecticut, the people had groaned under an oppressive system of religious intolerance. It was a complete and most odious union of church and state. None but the standing order of clergy could there obtain a legal support; and the laws for the support of that order were such a direct violation of the right of every man to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, that by many they were deemed “disgraceful to humanity.” Often was the parish collector seen robbing the humble dwelling of honest poverty of its table, chairs and andirons, or selling at vendue the cow of the poor laborer, on which the subsistence of his family depended, in order to load with luxuries the table of an indolent priest, or clothe in purple those who partook with him of the spoils of the poor. All ministers of the standing order were viewed as thieves and robbers—as wolves in sheep’s clothing—who had gained a dishonest entrance into the fold, and whom it was the duty of the standing order to drive out.

Page 426: In 1818, a bill was reported to the convention of that state, confirming freedom of conscience to all. Every man possessed of real independence and enlightened views, rejoiced at a revolution which sundered so monstrous a union of the church and the state in Connecticut. The clergy of the standing order deprecated—mourned—threatened, and exclaimed, “Alas! for that great city!” But the vast concourse of the people joined in thanksgiving for its destruction. Such was the change which the people of New Hampshire had witnessed in a neighboring state. They themselves were bound by a system less odious in the degree of practical evil which it inflicted, but in principle essentially the same. The act of the 13th of Anne, empowered towns to hire and settle ministers, and to pay them a stipulated salary from the town taxes. This was not directly a union of church and state; but it operated most oppressively. Each town could select a minister of a particular persuasion, and every citizen was compelled to contribute toward the support of the clergyman and to build the church, unless he could prove that he belonged to a different persuasion and regularly attended public worship elsewhere on the Lord’s day.

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hyperfocus-museum · 4 years

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Tori Vega

As someone who is very new to Victorious, having just watched it for the first time at the end of February and nearing the end of a third re-watch now, I have a lot of thoughts about Tori.

When I watched the show for the first time, I’ll be honest. I hated Tori. I went into the show as a Jade stan, having watched plenty of compilations and listened to others’ opinions on her which, as a very suggestible person, definitely influenced the way I saw her. Then I read a lot of stuff on both sides of the debate and decided to re-watch the show objectively.

Y’all.

Tori Vega doesn’t deserve all of the hate she gets. She doesn’t deserve hate at all, as a matter of fact. This is going to focus in mainly on Jade and Tori since most of the hatred for Tori seems to stem from her treatment of Jade which, as I’ll show, has its’ reasons.

To start from the beginning: the stage kiss with Beck in the pilot.

The first thing one has to remember is that Tori literally did nothing to Jade. She accidentally bumped into Beck and was trying to make up for her mistake by attempting to get the coffee stain out. Sure, she had a brain glitch at the cute boy smiling at her, who wouldn’t, especially when you’re touching their chest?

Jade completely overreacted, as she often does; making Tori play a dog should have been punishment enough, but pouring coffee over the head of a new girl in her first minutes at a new school is just cruel and unnecessary.

The stage kiss? Not Tori’s finest moment but it was her standing up to a bully. It was her way of telling Jade that she wouldn’t be pushed around and, if we want to point fingers, what about Beck? Tori owed Jade nothing at that point; nothing. She didn’t even know anything about her but her name and the fact that she was overly possessive of Beck.

Beck, however, has been dating Jade for almost two years. He should know her insecurities, how jealous she gets, and he could have easily refused the kiss because he should have known that it would hurt Jade.

But instead, Jade and most of the fandom seem to lay all of the blame at Tori’s feet. I’ve only ever seen one person (publicly, at least) point out that Beck is really the one at fault in this instance and that’s really sad, honestly. And it’s a recurring problem throughout the series, people blaming Tori for things that either aren’t her fault or that she tries to make amends over as soon as she realizes what she’s done.

In fact, there’s only one instance I can remember where she was in the wrong but didn’t apologize, and honestly, even it’s understandable. Let’s skip ahead and talk about Prome Wrecker, shall we?

Prome Wrecker is a really misjudged episode, in my opinion. People act as though Tori deliberately set out to ruin Jade’s performance, but she didn’t. Honestly, Jade sabotaged herself. Imagine being a playwright and gathering tons of supplies and putting loads of preparation into a performance, including printing out flyers, but not booking the space.

Now, I’m not saying that Tori was in the right to insist on having her prome, but I’m sure we can all agree that the experience taught Jade something about responsibility.

And, the truth of the matter is, sometimes Tori fights back and it’s usually when Jade comes in, guns blazing, demanding that Tori do something. Just off the top of my head, I can give you this episode and Brain Squeezers as an example. Tori has anger problems, this is canon. She hulks out sometimes and does things she’ll later regret, this is also canon. This episode is one of those times.

Jade comes in, even more antagonistic than usual, and orders Tori to cancel her prome. Tori gets pissed and refuses and then Jade does everything she can to sabotage the actual prome.

Where am I going with this? Simple: the reason that Tori never apologizes to Jade about this is because Jade never gives her a chance to feel bad about it. Rather, Jade is constantly pushing the issue and stoking the flames of her anger without giving her a chance to settle down and think about it rationally.

They’re both at fault here.

Honestly, I could go on and on but this is probably long enough.

But I do wanna say one more thing.

Tori Vega coming to Hollywood Arts is the best thing that could have happened to Jade West.

“No one talks to me like that!”

“Obviously someone should.”

The truth about Jade West is that, as much as she hates it, she needs someone to challenge her, to call her out on her bullshit and to fight back.

She is surrounded by yes men; even her own boyfriend is frustratingly patronizing and lets her get away with murder. Everyone is too scared of her to fight back and so she stays bitter and cruel and mean and with no one she can really count on... until Tori comes along.

Tori isn’t afraid to fight back; she doesn’t just sit there and take Jade’s abuse, but she doesn’t try to change her either. She accepts Jade the way she is but still believes she can be a better person.

And that, my friends, is why it’s Tori that Jade chooses to go to in Jade Dumps Beck. She’s hurting and in desperate need of help and she chose Tori. Ever wonder why? Well.

Tori is the only person Jade’s ever pushed who didn’t go. She’s the only person who fought back against her cruelty with kindness, who dared to tell Jade West that she could be nice to her sometimes. She’s the only person who hasn’t met Jade’s intimidation tactics with fear but with kindness and understanding instead, even when she has every reason in the world to hate her.

Jade knows that she can go to Tori and be herself in a way that she can’t with anyone else because Tori’s proven that she can be trusted, whether Jade likes it or not. She can take off her mask with her and still feel safe.

And, by the end of the series, the better person we see Jade becoming?

That’s all Tori’s influence and encouragement and the way that she believes in her.

Tori Vega is absolutely, 110% the influence Jade West needed in her life and the entire show really is about their journey. I’m just forever sad that it was cut short.

In conclusion, now that this has turned into my usual ADHD mess of a ramble, Tori Vega is no angel but she doesn’t deserve 99% of the hate she gets for being the protagonist of a kid’s show. She makes mistakes, sure, but she almost always apologizes and tries to fix them. So much of what she gets blamed for is misplaced blame at its’ worst and it feels like Jade blaming her for them getting locked behind the lasers in Wanko’s Warehouse to me.

Try watching Victorious through objective eyes next time, paying extra attention to Tori. She just might surprise you.

And, all of this being said, if you just don’t like her because you think she’s boring or any other reason, that’s fair. This post isn’t directed at you.This post is for the people who will see Beck kiss a girl in front of his overly jealous and possessive girlfriend and blame the girl. This is for the people who think Jade West can do no wrong even though she almost (and should have, realistically speaking) killed Tori over a stupid lead in a play.

I love Jade, I really do; she’s my favorite character but she’s a terrible human being. I’m just sick of her getting away with all the shit she does to Tori and the second Tori fights back, she’s getting hated on. It’s not fair.

Victorious isn’t made up of perfect characters, far from it. Tori has her faults as much as the rest of them, but somehow she gets all of the hate and I just had to say something.

Thanks for coming to my TED Talk, please help yourself to cookies and Wahoo Punch on your way out.

#victorious #tori vega #tori vega defense squad #tori vega defense squad rise up #jade west #a rant #character analysis #ship analysis #jori #jade x tori #tori x jade #i have a lot of feelings #and i'm quarantined #so I figured why not #it needed to be said

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