#principal protected investment

[danielwillsmith]

Looking for real estate tokenization companies? GreatX brings tokenization of real estate and capital-protected digital asset investment with proof of assurance.

[johnsmithrewind]

Looking for real estate tokenization companies? GreatX brings tokenization of real estate and capital-protected digital asset investment with proof of assurance.

[hugecount]

Proof of Protection: Understanding the Safeguards Behind Investments Backed by U.S. Treasury Bonds | HugeCount

Investing in U.S. Treasury bonds has long been considered a safe and reliable investment option, thanks to their backing by the full faith and credit of the United States government. However, as the investment landscape evolves and digital assets gain prominence, new challenges and opportunities arise. In this article, we will explore how proof of […]

Source: https://hugecount.com/real-estate/proof-of-protection-understanding-the-safeguards-behind-investments-backed-by-u-s-treasury-bonds/

[confluentam]

Principal Protected Investments: Keeping Your Money Safe

Investing can feel risky, especially when markets are unpredictable, but principal protected investments offer a solution that guarantees the safety of your original investment. These financial products ensure that no matter how the market performs, your initial principal remains secure. Ideal for cautious investors, retirees, or those navigating volatile markets, principal-protected investments allow for both safety and potential growth. In this video, we break down how these investments work, who they’re best suited for, and the key benefits they offer in terms of security and peace of mind. Check out the full article to learn more!

[anghraine]

what happens to charlotte lucas if mr. collins dies early (before he inherits longbourne)?

That is the worst possible scenario for her, basically.

Mr Collins's living with regard to Hunsford only lasts for the duration of his life, so she gets nothing from it. Unless her child (she's implied to be pregnant at the end of P&P) is a son and, iirc, falls within a set number of generations as laid out by the original entailment, she also gets nothing with regard to Longbourn (and if the child is a girl, she now has another dependent to worry about and provide for; I think Mr Bennet's daughters would receive preference over Charlotte's if Mr Collins never inherits and there's no son).

There would have been legal documents accompanying their betrothal that laid out exactly how much property or money Charlotte and her potential children would receive during and after the marriage (this is what is meant by references to pin money and jointure; pin money is what the woman will regularly receive for her private expenses during the marriage, and jointure is what she gets if she survives her husband). There's a straightforward example of this with Mr and Mrs Bennet, for instance.

Mrs Bennet brought a dowry of four thousand pounds to the marriage. Mr Bennet or his family settled an additional one thousand pounds on her at the time (23 years earlier). So there's five thousand pounds attached to Mrs Bennet and her children specifically that is essentially secure—the income from it can only go to her or her children. Since her children are all daughters, however, this pretty much automatically includes her daughters' husbands as well, since women were legally and financially subsumed into their husbands' identities upon marriage and it took some legal shenanigans to protect their resources. Lydia's share of Mrs Bennet's fortune, one thousand pounds, effectively goes to Wickham as part of the marriage arrangements, and it's not clear if Lydia's money is legally secured to her in the same way since it was part of bribing Wickham to marry her at all.

(Tangent: a lot of analysis tends to assume that income from a lump sum of this kind would generate an income of 5% of the principal via low-risk, low-reward government investments. Mr Collins himself explicitly estimates that Elizabeth's portion of Mrs Bennet's settlement would generate an income at a 4% rate, leaving her with a mere 40 pounds a-year. This might seem Mr Collins-style negging, but in reality these kinds of safe government investments could and did drop to rates closer to 3% due to various economic upheavals at the time.)

Returning to Charlotte's situation, eighteenth-century advice urged men (even much less affluent men) to set aside a significant portion of their incomes every year to add to what was settled on their wives/children, so that if they died, their children and widows would have more to live on. The original settlement, as in Mrs Bennet's case, could be pretty small, especially for multiple people to live on. Mr Collins is enough of a rules guy that he might set aside the suggested percentages of his income, especially if Lady Catherine considers it proper. But even if we assume he's setting aside, say, 20% of his income, I doubt that would amount to very much if he dies soon; the Hunsford living is good, but not that good, and he's only 25, so there just hasn't been much time. Charlotte would essentially be a poor cousin by marriage of the Bennets and dependent on her own family (already in straitened circumstances) for anything more than her settlement, which given the circumstances wouldn't amount to much.

People often kill Mr Collins young to given Charlotte a chance at a better life, but in reality, this would likely be a disaster for her.

[thewritetofreespeech]

Could I request Ichigo, Grimmjow, and Uryu with a witch s/o?

*heavily based on Burn the Witch series, which is a spin-off from Bleach also by Kubo. Instead of Soul Society being the Reverse London counterpart in Japan, there is a Reverse Tokyo: specializing in the protection, containment or concealment, or eradication if necessary of yokai*

As with most things in Ichigo’s life, it seems, they met by chance.

While he was dealing with a Hollow, they were dealing with a demon drawn to the dark or melancholy energy that deceased spirits trapped in the world. They fight their respective opponents with one another’s support and become fast friends.

Ichigo is fascinated that there is yet another world he doesn’t know about. He takes the knowledge that yokai are real in stride. He’s never seen one, but that doesn’t mean things aren’t real. He’s stoked we he gets to meet one of the less hazardous, furry plush yokai that they keep as a pet.

The two of them get closer over being so young and saving humanity in secret. S/O teaches them a few ‘normie spell’ that they can also use in combat. And Ichigo teaches them a few direct combat moves.

Uryu is a little more versed in the ‘Reverse Tokyo’ existence. His grandfather and Quincy in general were more invested on learning all about any mortal allies they could have against the Shinigami. Witches being one of them.

Unlike the others, they also bond over being born into this. In most cases, you must be born with magical abilities to past the test to become a full Witch. Much like Quincy.

The construct of their powers is similar as well and they trade notes on how to best to focus their spiritual pressure or magic through their weapons.

Uryu finds their dedication to their magical studies very attractive. The few books that they have let him see have very complex principals and doctrine that goes over his head a lot of the time, which makes them all the more sexy.

He’s never met a witch before, and in his case it doesn’t matter. Humans are just all weak anyway. Their little toys and hand wavy gestures are no match for the true power of an Arrancar.

Or so he thinks, until he’s caged in a weaker version of #68 and they refuse to let him out until he apologizes.

It’s love at first fight.

Grimmjow becomes obsessed with s/o and their newly discovered abilities (at least newly discovered for him). He has to know everything about this power and how he can get it to become stronger.

Second best option: keep s/o around forever so he can use it by proxy.

[dilemmaontwolegs]

Already Gone || MV1 {5}

Pairing: Max Verstappen x spy!fem!reader Summary: It’s a quick trip to Red Bull Racing Headquarters but expecting a job interview would be too simple. Warnings: more illegal activities (expected by now) WC: 2.2k

F1 Masterlist || One || Two || Three || Four || Five || Six

The room was tense as you took a seat beside Max on the couch opposite his Team Principal. No one had spoken since you were escorted into the building with half a dozen security officers and, try as you might, you couldn’t stop the smile playing on your lips. You saw the escort as a compliment, but Max didn’t see it quite the same way and was clearly irritated as he shut the door in their faces.

Christian sat back in his chair and linked his fingers over his pressed shirt. “You have your meeting, so tell me, why should I hire you?”

You were grateful he didn’t want to waste time on small talk, the sooner you sort this out the better. “Because I am clearly smarter than the people you currently have to protect your interests, and quite frankly I’m not going anywhere so you should get used to me.”

“Liefje,” Max warned softly, knowing threats weren’t the way to endear Christian to you.

“You say you are smarter, but we caught you.”

A short laugh escaped before you could contain it and you looked at Max to see his lips twitch in amusement. “You didn’t catch me,” you corrected. “I should have been gone weeks before you ever knew it was me, there was only one reason I stayed.” You squeezed Max’s hand and gave him a small smile. “He caught me.”

“How cute,” Christian commented dryly. 

You ignored the remark since he was clearly still irked by the fact you had stolen from him so you moved on as if he hadn’t spoken at all. “Needless to say, I feel responsible for how the season is going and I want to fix that. You see, I have connections with people in very low places and some of them owe me for saving their asses. Turns out it doesn't take much to convince a handful of key investors of Scuderia Ferrari into dumping a large percentage of their stocks…they are just waiting on my call.”

“And you’ll only make that call after I have hired you.”

You shook your head and pulled your phone out, placing it on the table. “The call is just an olive branch, it’s up to you if you take it or not. But it would be hard for their team to afford to make upgrades when their stocks plummet.” 

He reached over his desk and took the phone that was all set to make the call to the unsaved number on the screen. “So why should I hire you if hitting this button solves my problem?”

“That doesn’t solve your problem, it just solves this problem. Your facilities are still lacking any serious onsite security, you’ve invested money into cybersecurity but next to nothing internally. I could walk in here tomorrow and do it all over again.”

“Babe,” Max chuckled nervously.

“I’m not,” you assured him with a shrug. “I’m just saying I could.”

“Actually,” Christian said as he held up a finger. “Do it. Do it successfully and you’re hired.”

His eyes returned to the phone in his hand and his thumb hit the small green button before putting it on speaker as he pushed it closer to me.

The line connected but no one greeted you as was expected when organising illegal activities. It would be quite damning to answer the phone with your name if the phone was tapped. 

“Greenlight for the pony drop,” you said as you held Christian’s stare over the device. “Your debt is paid.”

The call disconnected and you reclined back in your chair as you slipped the phone back into your pocket. “I suppose I will see you in the morning.”

The long mousy brown wig almost blended into the beige pant suit that was two sizes too big. Both colours were so absolutely mundane that no one would take a second look and the lack of shape was practically an invisibility shield from the eyes of the men working security. They paid absolutely no mind to you as you walked through the front doors and towards the metal scanners. 

At 8.30 in the morning it was the busiest time for people arriving at work and two out of the three lanes leading to the scanners were for foot traffic coming in. It was a simple act of slipping a coin into the pocket of the woman in the lane beside you and waiting for her to step through. All eyes turned on her the moment the alarm was set off and you used the distraction to pass your small cargo around the outside of the scanner as you stepped through, the machine remaining silent. 

You were already halfway down the corridor before they had finished waving the wand over the woman’s clothes and they were none the wiser with who had just entered the building. There was no doubt that more security roamed the halls than before and you slipped into the bathrooms on the next floor as another pair made their way towards you on their rounds. 

As soon as the door closed, you pulled off the suit jacket and turned it inside out so it was now a white lab coat similar to the other workers in the tech labs on this floor. Next you pulled on a pair of glasses with a hideously bright frame that both drew attention and did not match your face shape because secondhand embarrassment was the simplest way to defer attention away from you.

From all your interactions with Christian you had quickly determined he was a very disciplined man that always stuck to his schedule. There was no reason that wouldn’t he wouldn’t take his 9 o’clock walk to the cafeteria, take his double shot espresso and spend a few minutes out on the glass balcony while reading the sports section of the Sun.

He expected you to sneak into the labs like you had last time, but he had no clue what you really planned.

You left your safe spot in the bathroom when the hour ticked over and took the back stairwell to the top floor where the large office sat empty. You hadn’t even told Max of the plan, you had merely kissed his lips and told him not to worry when he asked you about it in bed last night. He could have pushed it and you would have told him but he was trusting you and that meant everything. 

The thought of Max waiting in the hotel where you left him half asleep was almost enough to distract you but you took a deep breath and pushed your airpods into your ear and dialled the landline number saved. Across the hall, Christian’s PA answered her office phone with a polite greeting and you checked your watch.

“Hi Janine, Charlotte from DHL here,” you spoke sweetly as you watched another minute pass and knew you were short on time before Christian returned. “I have an urgent package for Mr Horner from Oracle Head Office but security won’t let me inside. Is it possible Mr Horner can come and collect it from the front desk?”

Keys rattled and a chair squeaked as the PA stood up, the landline tucked between her head and shoulder as she slipped on her heels she had kicked off under her desk. “Mr Horner doesn’t have time to waste collecting mail,” she said. “I’ll be down in a minute to sign for it.”

She slammed the phone back on the receiver before setting a quick pace to the elevator and pressing the button repeatedly until it arrived. As soon as those doors closed you were moving to the office, armed with a print of Christian’s thumb you had lifted from your phone screen. Maybe the olive branch wasn’t as much a gift of goodwill as you made him believe.

The scanner turned green and you grinned to the camera above the door as you turned the handle, the other hand pulling the wig off your head.

You were bored by the time Christian finally opened his office door to find you reclining in his chair with your ankles crossed over his desk.

“Janine, did you let Y/N in here?” he called out to his PA who had been busy working away since she returned empty handed from reception, oblivious to your presence across the hall.

“I haven’t let anyone in, Sir.” She stood up and peered through the glass walls before her eyes widened with surprise when you waved your fingers her way. “Shall I call security?”

“No need, thank you,” Christian said before stepping inside and closing the door behind him. “How did you get in here?”

“We can talk through the security shortcomings once I’ve signed my contract,” you said with a smile as you unplugged the thumb drive that had been set up with an auto-run program to scan through all the files on Christian’s computer and you tossed it to the stunned boss. “You’ll probably want to destroy that.”

Christian stared at the small piece of tech that had just tethered your futures together and he sighed as he pushed your feet off the desk. “No one sits in my chair. Scoot.”

You jumped to your feet with a mocking salute before making your way to the chair you had sat in only yesterday. “Yes, boss. Oh, and I took the liberty of downloading the security feed, for educational purposes of course.” 

“Of course you did,” he groaned and rubbed at his temples. “So what name am I putting on the damn contract?”

You reached into your pocket and pulled out your ID and a letter with your tax details before sliding them over to him. “Do you know how much harder it was to get a passport in my bona fide birth name? That seems crazy to me.”

A quick rise of his eyebrows was the only indication he agreed with you as he scanned your documents and sent them to HR. “It’ll take them a little while to put the document together.”

“That’s fine, Max will probably still be in bed,” you replied as you lay down on the couch to get comfortable.

Miraculously, the contract was sent through only five minutes later and you borrowed Christian’s fountain pen to sign your name on every line after speed reading through the standard clauses. 

“I’m not your enemy, Horner,” you said as the nib hovered over the final page. “I really am here to help protect Max, and I’m the only one who knows the lengths desperate people go to in this business to win.”

For once he seemed to find your words sincere as he sat back in his chair and sighed, a look of guilt and regret in those tired blue eyes. “You’re not the only one.”

The moment hung heavy as you understood what he was admitting before accepting it with a nod. “Then you know why we have to do better.”

Max looked like he was still waking up when you stepped into the room a little after 10am. He really wasn’t a morning person and you smiled as he blinked up at you from where he hugged his pillow, his hair sticking up at all angles from tossing and turning. 

“Good morning, baby,” you greeted him, placing his coffee order beside the bed before sitting at the edge. 

He sat up with a groan and shifted so he was leaning against the headboard before pulling you onto his lap and burying his face in your neck. “Nothing’s good about mornings,” he murmured. “How did it go?” 

You leaned back into his embrace and pulled out your phone. “Want to see?”

“After,” he said as he took your phone and placed it next to his coffee. “I missed my morning cuddles.”

You turned in his arms so you were straddling his hips and you could mirror him, resting your cheek in the curve of his neck. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he replied before he rolled with you in his arms and nuzzled his face into the valley of your breasts, getting cozy as you combed your fingers through his hair. “Move in with me.”

Your finger caught in a knot and he winced as you tugged free of it but you had been caught off guard. “You want me to move in with you?”

“I wouldn’t have asked otherwise,” he stated with his blunt sense of humour that made you smile. “Unless you like breaking in.”

“I mean,” you shrugged nonchalantly before he prodded your ribs and a laugh broke free. “There is a certain thrill to some B&E, spices up the relationship don’t you think?”

“Just say yes so we can celebrate and go home.” Max’s hands slipped under your shirt and his thumbs drew circles over your ribs as they climbed higher. “Say yes.”

“Yes, Max,” you giggled as you wrapped your legs around his waist and captured his face in your palms. “I’ve never had a real home before.”

He pushed himself up until his entire body covered yours and his blue eyes stared into your soul as you shared the same breath. “You do now.”

Click here for part six.

Tagging: @octaviareina @omgsuperstarg @mvclff1 @alwaysclassyeagle @icantcomeupwithamusicalname-blog @laneyspaulding19 @booknerd2004-blog @mimimarvelingmarvel @chonkybonky

[arikasugar]

How do you stay covert in the lifestyle? Or how would you recommend to do so (if you’re working full time/live in an affluent area where word gets around/might accidentally date your dad’s coworker/might run into your hs principal)? Thank u💝

so the way I see it, your only option here to avoid disrupting the peace of your personal life is to strictly date and look for potential SDs well outside your area and mitigate the chances of being outed. if word travels quickly it would only take one person to see you out to dinner with an older gentleman for rumors to start circulating, so there isn’t realistically a way for you to sugar in your area that isn’t high risk.

if you’re going to be sugar dating and don’t want people in your home town knowing, you’ll have to start looking well outside your area. you will be investing a little more money and a little more time if you go this route. there isn’t really a way around this, but the good news is that it’ll still pay off if you commit to the extra legwork.

if you haven’t already, get seeking premium to gain access to POTs in other areas. make sure you use different photos from your vanilla social media, and always go by an alias instead of your legal name. you should also get a google voice number if possible for when your conversations move off the app to text instead. remember that you don’t know these people — don’t give them access to any personal info they could look up to find you and link you to your location. this is for safety as well as remaining covert.

you could also invest the gas and time to go out and about in another area, mingling with upper class men the old fashioned way by going to the places they’d typically hang around — country clubs, upscale bars, casinos — do your research on which places are out of earshot from the people in your circle but also have plenty of potential. again, use an alias and google voice for when numbers are exchanged, even if you aren’t close to home.

if you can, confide in at least one person you trust. share your location with them, tell them where you’re going and who you’ll be with, when you’re leaving and what time they should expect you to be back. do anything and everything possible preemptively to protect yourself if you end up in a scary situation.

put your safety over everything else every single time, even if it means you can’t be as covert as you’d like. if you’re ever in trouble — tell someone. your life is worth more than some temporary judgment from people who don’t matter. take care of yourself.

good luck, sugar

xoxo

[liminalweirdo]

over 20,000 people in the United States died of Covid-19 since the beginning of 2024. Millions who avoided death are nonetheless still living with Long Covid, and this number grows each month. We are still in crisis.

Most importantly, though, implementing accessibility measures during an active pandemic is the right thing to do, as it makes events safer for everyone. Black communities, people of color, the disability community at large, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and low-income communities continue to be especially hard-hit by the pandemic and the abandonment of Covid-19 precautions. The pandemic reproduces the very forms of ableism, classism, and racism that existed before 2020. There are millions of already systemically marginalized people who are being further pushed out of public life. This is unjust, and we must do better. 

[However,] a blueprint for radical inclusion and living a full, safer life within the context of Covid-19 exists.

source

Install HEPA filters in your space. Installing a plug-in air purifier in your space is a great place to begin. Because almost all public spaces currently fall short of the ventilation needed for Covid-19 safety, it’s safe to assume that your space would also benefit from this efficient first step. Make sure it’s appropriately sized for your space and continuously running. If funds allow, upgrade your HVAC system to include HEPA filtration.

Practice mask requirements. Consider requiring and providing high-quality masks for everyone who will be in your space and attending your events. Contrary to popular belief, mask requirements do not deter guests in any meaningful numbers. Clean Air Club has been hosting Covid-safer events in Chicago for over a year, and a majority of the mask-required events sell out every time. If obtaining masks for your event is cost-prohibitive, check in with your local mask bloc for assistance.

Collect and share data on the safety of your space and region. Collect data on the ventilation in your space using a carbon dioxide (CO2) monitor. The higher the number, the more attention you need to pay to improving the ventilation and air purification in the space. Open windows and doors, crank up the HVAC, and plug in another purifier. You’ll know you’ve succeeded when the CO2 levels in your space are close to the levels expected outdoors in fresh air (around 400 ppm). As a bonus, this improved ventilation and purification will remediate poor air quality due to climate-change induced wildfires, improve concentration, and aid in accommodating disabling conditions such as asthma and allergies. Data collection should also include monitoring wastewater data, now our most accurate picture of the true prevalence of Covid-19 and other wastewater-monitored viruses in our population at any given time. We can use this data to increase the number of mitigation strategies adopted when wastewater levels are high. Consider creating an internal chart at your organization that lists protocols associated with different wastewater levels, reducing the burden of communication and oversight during higher periods.

Consider additional mitigation layers. Some of the other layers of protection from the swiss cheese model include: pre-event testing, far-UVC lights, providing options for virtual participation, and asking guests to stay home if they’re showing any symptoms of contagious or novel illness. Consider promoting individualized mitigation approaches within your organizations, such as the usage of nasal spray and CPC mouthwash. The key is to remain creative, flexible, and open to adding layers of protection in response to changing risk levels in the environment.

Open up lines of communication. As you implement mitigation layers, communicate them to your community. Ask them how they’ve been impacted by Covid-19 and give people space to share their access needs and ideas. This will provide a crucial why behind your actions and investments. Using the accessibility principle of designing for the highest possible need, your virus safety plan should accommodate the most vulnerable and impacted community members rather than those who have high risk thresholds or behave as though the pandemic is over. Part of effective pandemic communication includes providing accessibility and virus safety information in an Access Note or in an Accessibility Guide. This information should be repeated often in marketing and outreach materials.

Resources

[formulaphoe]

the rise of christian horner

note: this post mentions the sexual misconduct allegations from earlier this year

image source: daily express

when you think of formula 1, names like hamilton, verstappen, and ferrari come to mind. yet, behind the roaring engines and the glitz of the paddock, there's another name that stands tall—christian horner, the team principal of red bull racing, a figure as pivotal to the team's success as the drivers themselves.

early days and career beginnings

image source: reddit

born on november 16, 1973, in leamington spa, england, christian horner's love for motorsport ignited at a young age. he started his racing career in karting, making his first foray into single-seater racing at the tender age of 18. his ambition saw him compete in various championships, though he never quite made it to the pinnacle of racing. he soon realised that his talents lay not behind the wheel, but in strategy and management.

christian's big break came when he founded his own team, arden international, which competed in formula 3000. under his guidance, arden quickly made a name for itself, attracting talents like the future f1 champion, sebastian vettel. this success didn't go unnoticed, and in 2005, horner was approached by red bull to take the reins of their newly-acquired formula 1 team.

a new era at red bull racing

image source: f1

taking charge at just 31 years old, christian was young, but undeniably ambitious. under his leadership, red bull racing transformed from a mid-field contender to a dominant force in formula 1. the turning point came in 2010 when the team clinched its first constructors' championship, a feat they would go on to repeat four times consecutively. the secret to their success? a combination of innovative engineering, strategic vision, and, crucially, a knack for nurturing talent.

challenges and triumphs

image source: everythingf1

while christian has enjoyed much success, his journey has not been without its challenges. the fierce rivalry with mercedes during the 2010s tested his mettle. the era of lewis hamilton's dominance also presented obstacles, yet christian was instrumental in navigating the team through the complexities of regulations, technical advancements, and the ever-shifting dynamics of f1 politics.

in recent seasons, with the emergence of max verstappen, christian's vision started to bear fruit once again. verstappen's talent, paired with the team's unwavering support, has led to a resurgence, including a spectacular championship win in 2021 that send the f1 world into a frenzy. christian's strategic decisions during these critical races, especially in high-pressure situations, have shown his prowess in not just managing a team, but leading it to glory.

allegations

image source: the independent

earlier this year, christian faced allegations of inappropriate behavior that rocked the motorsport community. these accusations were serious and came amidst a broader reckoning in formula 1 regarding workplace and sexual misconduct.

as investigations unfolded, it was evident that the situation mirrored a growing concern in formula 1, where issues of harassment and misconduct were being brought to light. industry leaders faced increasing pressure to address these matters transparently and responsibly. christian's case highlighted the urgent need for better policies and practices to protect individuals in the paddock.

christian publicly denied the allegations and was acquitted of all accusations.

the future of red bull racing

image source: planetf1

as we look ahead, christian's ambitions for red bull racing are clear. with the team investing heavily in its infrastructure and talent, the aim is to maintain their competitive edge. the new regulations on the horizon present both challenges and opportunities, and christian's strategic foresight will be essential as the sport continues to evolve.

with the team's legacy growing and new talents on the rise, christian's role is more crucial than ever. his vision for sustainable racing and commitment to innovation will shape not just red bull racing, but potentially the entire landscape of formula 1.

sources

"christian horner." wikipedia, 2 oct. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Horner

taranto, steven. "christian horner situation, explained: formula one red bull team principal accused of 'inappropriate behavior." cbs sports, 8 mar. 2024, www.cbssports.com/motor-sports/news/christian-horner-situation-explained-formula-one-red-bull-team-principal-accused-of-inappropriate-behavior/

shaw, graham. "christian horner: the life and times of an f1 great with a spice girl wife." gpfans, 28 feb. 2024, www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/87455/christian-horner/

"christian horner: 'it was my first time in a single-seater." winfield, winfieldracingschool.com/christian-horner-red-bull-team-principal-it-was-my-first-time-in-a-single-seater/

braybrook, rebecca. "who is christian horner? red bull boss' history and net worth." motorsport, 28 feb. 2024, www.motorsport.com/f1/news/christian-horner-red-bull-team-principal-career-history-net-worth/10580854/

specter, emma. "formula 1's sexual-misconduct scandal, explained." vogue, 18 mar. 2024, www.vogue.com/article/christian-horner-formula-1-sexual-misconduct-allegations

if any errors or typos are noticed, PLS PLS point them out via comment, ask, or dm. if there is a specific topic you would like me to cover, send in an ask and i'll look into it!

[opencommunion]

"The resistances to slavery were the principal grounds for the radically alternative political culture that coalesced in the Black communities of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the era of revolutionary, liberal, and nationalist impulses among Europeans in North America. Among Blacks, the rule of law was respected for its power rather than for any resemblance to justice or a moral order. For the slaves, the rule of law was an injustice, a mercurial and violent companion to their humiliations, a form of physical abuse, a force for the destruction of their families, and an omnipresent cruelty to their loved ones. Even for free Blacks, the rule of law was too often a cruel hypocrisy, impotent in protecting their tenuous status. For both the slaves and the free Blacks, even as revolutionary fervor increased among the colonists, the masquerades of the law were becoming more transparent: the domestic slave trade displaced the African slave trade in the late eighteenth century. With this new economy of slavery, the separation of slave families by sale and the kidnapping and enslavement of free Blacks increased astronomically.

To the very contrary, the rebellious colonial ruling class sought to invest the rule of law with a moral authority sufficient to justify their rejection of British authority. As slave traders and merchants, as slaveholders and propagandists, as lawyers, ministers, and civil authorities for slavery, the most influential men and women among the emergent American community used the rule of law as the warrant for the justness of their claims and practices. By their law they hunted, traded, bought, and sold other human beings; waged war against, whipped, dismembered, burned, hanged, and tortured their property for possessing a human will; treated their colonist servants and laboring classes with the customary disdain of the English gentle classes. Now this same law was to serve their revolutionary ambitions, their right to liberty.

On this score, the Blacks, particularly the slaves, possessed conflicting opinions. The 5,000 Blacks who fought for American independence fought for liberty, and had a very different vision of national freedom than the one imagined by their countrymen. But as we shall see, many thousands of Blacks would fight against independence, not for love of imperial Britain but because they understood that Black freedom was otherwise unobtainable. Like the Native American nations that sided with the British, the Black Loyalists sought to employ the British army to serve their own interests, for their own ends. Long after the defeated British had departed, their allies, the Native Americans and the Blacks, continued the struggle for liberty. For generations to come, Native Americans recognized America as a colonial power, and Blacks read the new nation as tyrannical. Their suspicion of and opposition toward American society survived in the political cultures of Blacks and Native Americans for the next two hundred years."

Cedric Robinson, Black Movements in America (1997)

[queenshelby]

Yes! Mr Murphy (Rewritten)

PART 20: HAPPY 23RD BIRTHDAY

Pairing: Cillian Murphy x Reader

Warning: Angst, Age Gap, Teacher x Student, Fluff, Smut

The following day…

Today was the day of your 23rd birthday and this, in itself, made you a little nervous for two reasons.

The first reason was that Cillian had organised dinner and drinks at one of the local Dublin bars and, since you were keeping your relationship a secret from everyone else, being seen together in public was worrisome. Not only was Cillian a rather famous actor, but also was he still your lecturer for another six weeks following your two-week mid-semester break, which was due to commence next Monday.

Thus, if you were to be found out, it would be a disaster for you both and, for some reason though, Cillian did not appear to be concerned about this in the slightest.

Cillian had invited your friend Emma, as well as his friends Dermont and Connie to attend, thinking that, at least this way, you would not be alone. If you were to be seen together with other people, you could have both been there by chance and, due to the busy nature of this particular bar, you could have shared a table for convenience, especially since, at this venue, bookings for less than four people were not permitted.

Emma, of course, concurred with Cillian on this matter. He clearly had some experience in avoiding attention, given his status, and he most certainly was invested in protecting you from any adverse actions by the school’s principal.

The other concern you had about tonight however was a little more nerve wrecking for you as Cillian still believed that you were turning thirty today whereas, the truth was, that you were only turning twenty-three.

You had still not told him about your real age and felt incredibly guilty and nervous about it, knowing that he would be rather upset if he found out. You were worried that he would break up with you if he knew that he was almost exactly twice your age and, this, you did not want to risk.

“You know you have to tell him at some point though, don’t you?” Emma reminded you as you got ready for the evening, wearing a pair of black jeans and a white blouson style top, the draped fabric of which was giving the illusion that your breasts were a little larger than they actually were.

“I know Em, but I am worried that he will just break it off” you told him as you looked into the mirror, wanting to look good for your boyfriend even though you knew that he really did not care about what you were wearing.

“He said that he loves you, so I doubt that he would break up with you over your age. You have spent almost every night with him in the past three weeks and, honestly, for an actor, it is not a big deal to be with someone much younger. Look at DiCaprio. He always dates women half his age” Emma teased while adjusting your top so that the neckline of it fell softly along your collarbone, showing your soft skin. You could just see the outline of your bra under the silky fabric and had to admit that, by designing this blouse, Emma had done a good job.

“Cillian isn’t like that though Emma. He is quite normal, I suppose” you tried to explain, seeing that Cillian hated his celebrity status and so did you. It was not something of interest to you and Emma was very well aware of that.

“I know” she thus said as it was nearly time to leave. “But either way, the longer you put it off, the worse his reaction will be” she then pointed out and, of course, you knew that she was right so you decided to do it today, when you were alone at his house, after your little birthday celebration.

You were going to tell him your real age and see what he had to say about that, hoping that he would forgive you for lying to him.

With that in mind, you took one final look in the mirror and sighed while Emma had a quiet chuckle.

“With you wearing this, he is not going to care about your age. He will just think about having sex with you instead because you look so hot in my newest creation” she then said proudly as she watched your curls bouncing around your shoulders, complimenting your outfit.

“Well, let’s hope you are right” you told her before you finally tossed your hair over shoulder and reached for your jacket.

Twenty minutes later…

Several minutes later, you arrived at the bar Cillian had chosen for your birthday celebration and, when you walked inside, you realised it was rather fancy.

The lobby alone looked like something out of a movie, with high ceilings and impeccable surfaces. There was a DJ on stage and several high tables scattered across the dimly lit ballroom. There even was a dance floor and a large bar on one end of the room where you spotted Dermont fetching some drinks.

Dermont too spotted you almost at the same time and waved a little too obviously, causing you to chuckle before walking over towards him with your friend Emma in tow.

“Emma, right?” Dermont asked after wishing you a happy birthday. He vaguely remembered your friend from the pub where you had first met Cillian a few months ago, which was way before he was your lecturer. It was the night that changed everything for you.

“Yes” she said before greeting Dermont who was just about to place his order with the bartender.  

"We've got a booth over there. What are you drinking?” he thus said quickly and, you both of ordered a gin and tonic before you walked over to the table where Cillian and Connie had been waiting for you.

"Look at you. This top looks amazing!" Connie exclaimed while standing up and wishing you a happy birthday before introducing herself to Emma while, at the same time, you gave a Cillian a brief and somewhat friendly kiss on the cheek.

“You look absolutely stunning” he whispered into your ear and you smiled at him nervously before there was a chorus of “Happy Birthdays” for you.

“Thanks guys” you then said with blushing cheeks, hating the attention, before sitting down by Cillian’s side and, as soon as you took your seat, his hand came over towards your lap, which was something that took you by surprise.

“Is this why you booked a booth?” you whispered at him teasingly while only Emma could see what he was doing, namely holding your hand secretively beneath the table.

“Absolutely” Cillian smiled before the entire group watched you somewhat awkwardly until, finally, Dermont broke the silence.

“So, how does it feel to have hit the next decade of your life?” he asked before pointing out that one would have expected you to want a big party.

“Uhm, yeah it feels alright I suppose and I always hated parties so this get together is perfect” you told him in response before seeking to change the topic and asking Dermont about his radio show and his upcoming interview with Cillian.

“Interviewing your friend must be weird though, right?” Emma asked as soon as you brought it up and this gave raise to an interesting conversation which allowed you to learn a bit more about Cillian’s friendship with him.

Just as the conversation kept going though and Dermont shared some funny stories about Cillian’s youth, thereby embarrassing him slightly, a familiar face appeared in the crowd and approached the table.

“How funny seeing you here, all together” Cillian’s assistant said as she approached you, wearing an elegant black dress and a pair of matching high heels which was an outfit more suitable to a place like this than yours.

“Huh, what an interesting coincidence” you responded, swallowing harshly, and looking at her with some confusion.

“It is, isn’t it?” Kit lied, having been there on purpose. “It’s your birthday today, isn’t it? I remember Cillian telling me about” she then pointed out and Cillian too looked a little confused now as he had no recollection of telling her.

“I did?” he wondered whereas, the truth was, that Kit had looked at the schedule on Cillian’s iPhone to which, as his assistant, she had access.

As such, his dairy marked your 30th birthday as today and, when he booked a table for this venue online, the booking reference popped up on his calendar as well.

“Yes you did” Kit said nonetheless, causing Cillian to shrug his shoulders while she continued on. “But, I didn’t know that you were celebrating it here. What a cool place” Kit then said before asking you whether you liked the venue and, of course, you nodded while, secretively, you just wanted her to leave. You always had a weird feeling about her and knew that she was interested in Cillian in a romantic or sexual way. You could simply tell by how behaviour but did not want to sound like the jealous girlfriend so remained largely silent about it.

“It’s really nice. Cillian picked it. He did a good job” you thus told her while leaning against him, seeking his attention which was something that made Kit cringe.

“I love this place. I am here for a friend’s 35th birthday party tonight” Kit told you nonetheless before bringing up your age. ”You are turning thirty, right?” she asked and you reluctantly nodded again before, finally, one of her friends came up and pulled her towards the bar.

“Jeez, Kit looks like she’s up for a big night” Dermont chuckled as he watched her wander off and grab a shot of tequila from the tray handed to her and her friend by one of the waiters.

“Looks like it. She’s been a bit sad lately so she probably needs to let her hair down” Cillian told Dermont who wanted to know what was going on.

“Sad about what?” he asked, knowing that, just a few months ago, when Cillian ended it with Danielle, Kit also left her long-time boyfriend Oisin.

“Not sure. I don’t usually ask her about her personal life” Cillian responded before reaching for your hand again, this time more obviously that before.

“You are good boss then” you winked just as, somewhat suddenly, the music stopped and the DJ who had been playing for the past hour picked up the microphone in order to make an announcement.

Being a Tuesday night, the venue was not as busy as usual and, when he congratulated two of the other guests on their achievements, you were not really surprised by it.

These announcements related to a work function that was being held in one of the set aside areas and everyone cheered for the strangers who, after several years, were finally promoted in whatever position they were in.

“We also have a couple of birthdays here today” the DJ then went on to say and, unfortunately for you, this was something you did not want to hear about.

“Cill, please tell me that you didn’t make this a big deal” you thus whispered to Cillian who shook his head.

“No, I didn’t. I know you hate the attention babe” he reassured you, holding your hand, while the DJ congratulated Kit’s friend on her 35th birthday before, finally, moving on to you.

“Oh, for fuck sake” you sighed quietly, thinking that he was about to wish you a happy 30th birthday, but this was not at all what he had intended. He knew how old you were and someone had to have given this information to him.

“And we have another birthday girl here tonight, turning a tender 23 years old!” he thus said before calling out your name and offering you, just like the others, a glass of champagne on the house.

TO BE CONTINUED. PLEASE COMMENT AND ENGAGE.

[homzfund1]

Homz Fund offers Capital Protected Investments, principal protection and is backed by US Treasury Bond, construction bond, FHA Insurance, and performance bond. To know visit https://www.homzfund.com/capital-protection/

[dailycharacteroption]

Kraken Slayer (Paladin Archetype)

(art by Fran-Hdez on DeviantArt)

I can’t remember how many times I’ve said it, but I don’t get how D&D and Pathfinder did krakens as a concept.

Giant predatory squid that attacks ships? Check.

It’s also a fully intelligent creature and is almost always a tyrant monster that enslaves and rules over smaller aquatic beings, conjures storms to bring trouble to surface mortals, and so on…. Ok? Why??

Intellectually, I understand, D&D needed a giant monstrous threat underwater which could be like a dragon in not just power level but scheming, but they had already made the classic chromatic dragons all terrestrial, leaving only the bronze dragon, a metallic dragon, as the only one of the core 10 that live in the ocean. (Also, they probably were at least a little influenced by Cthulhu, but were not keen to make a tentacled monstrous overlord too close to it while Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu RPG had the rights to use those monsters directly.)

But the fact that kraken are such powerful and typically evil aquatic monsters alongside the alghollthu means that to the aquatic peoples living below the waves, they fill much the same role in their folklore, as great evils that heroes must arise to slay on occasion.

Enter the kraken slayer, a form of paladin seen among aquatic cultures that seeks to protect others from the depredations of the evil that lurks in the depths, be they krakens, alghollthu, cults of monstrous underwater gods, and so on.

The tradition originated among the tritons, those goodly aquatic folk that originated from the Plane of Water, which does have it’s own kraken problems on occasion. However, it has since spread to other goodly peoples beneath the waves, (and in theory, above the waves as well, assuming that such heroes have a method of consistently surviving and moving freely underwater.)

As is fitting of their focus, these divine warriors alter their smite slightly so that it is aquatic and water-based evils that particularly suffer when they unleash their divine wrath upon them.

They also gain immunity to poison in addition to disease, useful given how many toxic foes there are beneath the waves.

Their divine bonds also vary, with those that bond with their weapons eschewing elemental damage to instead improve their weapon’s performance in water. Meanwhile, those that choose a mount must bond with a creature suitable for the waves, big enough to cling to while it swims, though they thankfully do not limit you on this as long as it makes sense.

Krakens, like their mundane cephalopod kin and many other creatures, use grappling and constriction as weapons, and so their aura blesses them and those nearby with the ability to slip free of grapples with surprising ease.

With no ability to magically grant freedom of movement, this archetype is pretty much exclusive to the aquatic playable ancestries unless you’re willing to invest a lot in magical solutions. That being said, it’s a pretty good way to alter the abilities of a paladin to better serve being underwater. Definitely consider it if you’re playing both an aquatic ancestry and a paladin, and if the campaign takes place at least a considerable bit underwater.

The lore for the archetype states that these warriors must balance hunting the monsters of the deep with protecting their people from them, but I find that’s primarily what the paladin experience is like: remembering that you are a defender of the people first, and not abandon them to chase down the wicked out of bloodlust and zealotry.

The southern part of Malgalos Rainforest opens up into a river delta where the massive mangrove trees rise out of the silt, and the waters run deep indeed in places. Long have the vanara of that region held alliance with the tritons of the deeper water, and a few have even learned a few arts from them, using magic to join them as defenders of the continental shelf, fighting off creatures from darker waters.

Though he dislikes the facility on principal, the kraken slayer Shophis has agreed to attend the grand opening of Balkas the Inscruitable’s underwater palace, which comes complete with a menagerie with simulated environments where monsters from around the world are kept, such as bloodbrush from the Sanaan Desert, and so on. However, Balkas’ underwater jewel has raise the interest of several underwater powers that seek to either destroy it, or worse, claim it for their own.

For generations, the kraken slayer order of the merfolk city of Angilas has only been so in name only, being no krakens sighted in the region for nearly two centuries. However, just because they are not seen does not mean they are not present, and the recent arrival of a group of adventurers may force the hand of the clandestine cephalopod that has been manipulating their society from the shadows.