#public assets

[eaglesnick]

“The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes.”

Benjamin Disraeli

When the nation overwhelmingly voted the Conservative government out of office they did not expect to be electing Tony Blaire as Prime Minister, but that is exactly what they have done. Sir Keir Starmer may be fronting the new Labour government but it is Tony Blair who is Prime Minister behind the scenes.

The signs were there a year ago for all to see. The Financial Times reported that Starmer had told them:

“Labour should stop trashing Tony Blair - a hate figure for many on the Labour left - especially after pushing the UK into the Iraq war. ‘We have to be proud of that record in government and not be arm’s length about it.’ “ (FT: 07/06/23)

In December the same year we have this headline:

“The moment Keir Starmer revealed himself to be a hardcore Blairite”. (Independent: 12/12/23)

The Blairite government of 1997- 2008 did some good things. Sure Start and adequate funding for the NHS are the most frequently cited examples of good Labour policies. But his list of failures is greater.

He tore up the principle of free university education at the point of delivery and introduced tuition fees. Thanks to Blaire:

Almost 1.8m people owe £50,000 or more in student debt” (BBC News:  02/07/24)

That is a collective student debt of £90,000,000,000.

Blair’s legacy of economic mismanagement goes further and has affected all of us. In 1997, when Blair was elected to office, average income was £15,000 a year, while the average house price was £65,000. When Blair left office in 2007, the average wage had risen to £20,000, but the average house now cost £190,000. In short, under Blair, house prices nearly trebled in price while wages only increased by a third.

The sad fact is, Blair, like governments before and after him, failed to make housing a priority and we are all suffering the price of that policy decision today in the form of a chronic housing shortage, unaffordable rents, and property prices beyond the reach of the vast majority of the population.  

At the same time as house prices were rocketing, the Blair government presided over a massive fall in industrial output. Investment Monitor (24/11/20) reported that manufacturing:

 …”declined in importance with regard to its role within the British economy faster under Blair than under any previous prime minister. The industry accounted for more than 20% of GDP in 1997; by 2007 – when Blair left Number 10 to be replaced by Gordon Brown – this had fallen to 12.4%, and when Labour were voted out of office in 2010 the figure was 10%.

More importantly, when Blair came to power in 1997, income inequality, after years of Thatcherite policies, was at historically high levels, and relative poverty was on the increase. Despite 11 years of a Blairite Labour government ordinary working people saw little change in their economic position, yet under Blaire the rich and wealthy flourished.

“Income inequality changed little...those on relatively low incomes did a little better than those with incomes just above average. However, those right at the top saw their incomes increase very substantially with the result that, on most measures, overall inequality nudged up slightly.”  (Institute for Fiscal Studies: 2013)

In short, under Blairite policies the rich became richer at the expense of ordinary working families.

The Labour Party came into existence to better the lot of working class families. This goal was written down in Clause 4 of the Labour Party Constitution part of which states:

“To secure for the workers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry and the most equitable distribution thereof that may be possible upon the basis of the common ownership of the means of production..."

Implicit in the notion of “common ownership” is the equal distribution of the wealth generated by those commonly owned industries. This was one of the binding principles of the Labour Party up until 1995 when Tony Blaire tore up this socialist, egalitarian ideal and replaced it with a bland statement that amounted to little more than a wish list but no clear indication how those wishes were to be achieved. Gone was the commitment to secure for workers just wages, gone was the commitment to nationalization, and gone was the Labour Party's commitment to socialism.

Twelve years after leaving office, Margaret Thatcher was asked what she considered to be her greatest achievement and is famously reported to have replied: "Tony Blaire and New Labour". What she meant by this is that Tony Blaire had abandoned Labours historical commitment to socialism and greater economic equality, and had instead adopted her philosophy of minimum state protection for workers, the pursuit of corporate profit at any cost, the deregulation of the financial industry and the privatisation of  public assets.

What resulted was the financial crash of 2008, a massive housing shortage as public bodies were no longer allowed to build houses, the gradual erosion of workers pay while the rich became even richer, and national assets such as water and railways being run for private profit rather than providing a decent public service.

Starmer will pursue the same policies as Blaire because he is an unashamed Blairite: This was Sky news headline on 23/05/23:

“Sir Keir Starmer promises his Labour reform will be like Tony Blair's Clause IV 'on steroids'

So next time you look at our new Prime Minister remember who is the puppet master and who the puppet.

[dnpbeats]

There is one thing I know for a fact they will never share with us. Like they would rather post a 3 hour video of them making out before sharing. And thats how much they earn and how much they have earned. And If I had one question I could ask them that they had to answer, it wouldn't be "are you married" or anything like that, it would be how much money do you make, and where does that income come from. Because based on the look of the phouse and the price of the clothes they buy, I would not be shocked to find out they are millionaires, but where is that money coming from?? Because surely its not all from video veiws. They have not uploaded consistently enough throughout their career for that imo. And I mean. Yes they are big creators and used to be bigger, but its nothing compared to the numbers of big creators now. They never even broke 10mil subs. Is dragon city seriously paying them that much??? And what about the 5 years where they basically posted nothing and phil did like one 10min video a month. Surely that was not covering mortage costs plus rent of TWO apartments, plus all of dans bougie clothes?? Were they living off of savings from before the haitus??? That brings me back to HOW MUCH WERE THEY MAKING??? This is the phan conspiracy I want them to address.

i also would love to know how much they’re currently making bc im a nosey bitch. but also for sure they are millionaires. like multi-millionaires. think about how much money they were bringing in in their prime (2014-2018). obviously there are their videos, so the adsense money plus any sponsorships. they were getting money from the radio show and also all the other hosting gigs they did for the bbc (those handful of random docs dan did, all the festivals, etc). there was money from their own merch, but also remember that they own irl, so they're getting a cut from other people who were using irl as their merch distributor. then they had the money from tabinof and dapgo. they had the money from tatinof and ii (while we know they lost money on some legs, I'm sure overall it was income gained not lost). also whatever money they got from tatinof + story of tatinof being posted on yt red and then the money from the ii dvd. also other random shit, like they had licensed t-shirts at hot topic (which as a side note is so batshit 😭). also those random two events they did for dapgo (dapgoose 🤩). oh also truth bombs!! also the partnership they had with rize (I want to say they also had one with younow at one point?? but I could be making that up lol). and this is all just stuff off the top of my head, I’m sure there’s more i'm forgetting

and then okay, the hiatus hits, but phil's still making videos, and then dan eventual comes out with ywgttn. (then wad ofc but dan didn't make money on that so 😭 lmao.) but also keep in mind that during this time, they're still getting adsense revenue from anyone rewatching any of their videos, and also like you said im sure they had savings. and on top of all of this, I'm 100000% sure they have investments that we don't know about, because I don't know how they could've not invested any money lmao. like we know they aren't stupid when it comes to business, and investing is something regular ppl do too. so you’d assume for ppl like d&p who are self-employed (and making a shit load of money doing it) they have more investments than most ppl. so like they aren’t mr. beast obviously, but I don’t think dan is losing any sleep over dropping $600 on a shirt

[lennsart]

Sometimes when you love a fanfiction you make fanart about it... And sometimes you make a meme !

@lele5429, I swear I'll make actual serious Retired Assets art someday, but in the meantime here is my contribution 🫡

To everyone else, go check Retired Assets (but do mind the tags) ! I want to eat the writing style, and the author is the sweetest :D

[deadrlngers]

no t to be all dramatic and shit but this year brought me only shit and pain in 500 different sauces and i also really thought at this point i was a worthless stupid idiot that couldnt do shit and would never get to work in a museum bc i'm a fraud and I didn't deserve my degree so like haha 👍 big hit for my mental health but in positive for once

[nonagalleryart]

What's that? You can now legally make money from the famous mouse's IP? Yuh huh! Well sign me up for a ticket on the S.S. Public Domain, as long as he has no gloves and a silly hat he's ours!

*My OC, Please Do Not Steal.

[raens-art]

Konoha used 😘🫰

It's super effective ! !

Template with absolutely no quality control under cut if anyone is interested:

[pineapplefulfillseveryneed]

Knowing less about us is probably better for the mythology. You know, like 'What the hell is going on with those guys?' I like that.

- Russell Mael, 2008 (from Talent Is An Asset - The Story of Sparks by Daryl Easlea)

[dieantik]

gone fishing! 🎣✨

[pengtheplush]

Warming up for future projects:

If Hero Forge won't add olog-hai to the default race menu, then I'll just have to do it myself!

[teine-mallaichte]

Day 1 @ailesswhumptober - public torture/stress position

Asset 48 is accused of insubordination and used as a "lesson".

CW: torture, public torture, living weapon, dehuminisation.

AiLessWhumptober List Complex 27

The midday sun beat relentlessly down on the northern training yard of Complex 27, casting harsh, angular shadows across the rows of assembled assets. Standing in rigid formation, faces blank, eyes locked forward, their posture disciplined and mechanical. At the centre of the yard, a raised platform loomed, a stark reminder of what awaited any who were seen to defy the Facility.

A metallic sound slicing through the eerie silence, pulling every asset's attention to the impending spectacle. The clang echoed off the concrete walls as several handlers approached the platform, chains rattling in their hands.

"Asset 48. Step forward." Sergeant Kerr's voice cracked through the yard like a whip, cold and indifferent.

Ben caught a fleeting glance from Paul standing next to him, a flash of concern in his friend's eyes, an unspoken bond that made Ben feel less alone for a brief moment. He  broke from the formation without hesitation, each step heavy with purpose. He could feel the eyes of his fellow assets on him, they all knew what was coming.

Focus. Don’t show weakness, he told himself, even as his heart raced.

“Insubordination,” they had called it.His refusal to follow a direct order during yesterday’s drill - enough to warrant this public correction.

A message had to be sent. One that would linger, not just in his mind, but in the eyes of every asset forced to watch.

“On your knees,” Kerr ordered, his voice indifferent, as though this were merely another routine part of a normal day.

Ben complied, dropping to his knees, the impact sending a jolt of pain up his legs. He focused on the physical sensation of the concrete, grounding himself as the cold steel of the chains quickly wrapped around his wrists and ankles, binding him in place. Kerr’s voice continued in the background, but Ben had tuned it out. Listening wouldn’t change anything; it wouldn’t ease the inevitable.

Two guards stepped forward with a long metal pole, forcing his arms behind him. They wrenched his limbs into an unnatural position, pulling them high above his back until his shoulders strained under the pressure. Ben could feel his muscles tighten, the ligaments protesting as his body was folded forward, bent at the waist, his chest nearly touching his knees. The pole was locked into place, and with it, the slow, methodical torture began.

A fire ignited within his muscles almost instantly. Stay still. Don’t let them see you struggle. The ache spread, relentless and consuming. Breathe through it. Breathe.

Ben gritted his teeth. Breath shallow. Every inhale burned. The sun beat down, relentless. Too hot. His shoulders - God, his shoulders. Like fire, searing, spreading. He tried to shift, just a fraction, but the chains bit deeper. More pain. Worse pain. Muscles trembling now, quivering. His breath hitched - too fast, too shallow.

Hold on.

His body screamed for release, a primal instinct clawing at his mind, but he would not give them that satisfaction, not now, not yet.

Not ever.

Sergeant Kerr paced slowly around the platform, his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes never leaving Ben’s contorted form. His voice, low and deliberate, carried across the yard. “Insubordination will never be tolerated. None of you are exempt.”

His words were aimed at the assembled assets, though none dared meet his gaze. Ben caught a glance at them, all stood like statues, eyes forward, , faces impassive.  They were absorbing the lesson in silence. Each one knew that it could just as easily be them on the platform tomorrow.

Ben was just a warning, a cautionary tale.

Sergeant Kerr finally came to a stop in front of Ben, crouching down just enough so his voice could reach him without the others hearing. “You’re holding out well, Asset 48,” he muttered. “But I wonder how long it will be before you give in.”

Ben didn’t respond. His jaw clenched, breath ragged but controlled. He wouldn’t speak. He wouldn’t cry out. Whatever Kerr was waiting for, he wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.

With a small, almost imperceptible smirk, Kerr straightened and turned away, addressing the assets once more. “Remember this moment. This is what happens when you disobey. There is no leniency here. No mercy.”

Great. Just what I needed, another lesson in ‘how much more can I take.’ Kerr should be proud. His prize frontliner, reduced to nothing but a lesson. Muscles trembling uncontrollably, arms numb, his weakness on display for all to see.

I can't give in. I can’t let them win.

The weight of everyone’s eyes. He couldn’t see them - he didn’t need to. He could feel them. A hundred silent judgments. His fellow assets, watching, learning. Kerr’s eyes, calculating, predatory. And Paul... Paul standing so close yet unreachable, fists clenched at his sides, powerless to intervene.

I won’t break. I won’t become another lesson.

Stay strong.

He wouldn’t break.

Breathe. Just breathe.

The command, once so clear, now felt distant. His breath came faster, shallow and ragged, slipping out of his control. He gritted his teeth, trying to block out the burning sensation in his lungs, but even that was failing. The pain radiated through every fiber of his being, a relentless tide eroding his willpower.

I can’t. I—

His thoughts stumbled over themselves, faltering. For the first time, an unshakable truth pressed at the edges of his consciousness. He was going to break. He could feel it, an inevitability creeping in like a tide rising against a shore. He tried to suppress it, clinging to the last shreds of his resolve. But his body was no longer listening. His muscles twitched involuntarily, his vision narrowing to pinpricks of light, and the sounds of the yard faded into a distant hum.

No. Hold on. Just a little longer.

Ben squeezed his eyes shut, blocking out the brightness of the sun, the stifling heat that pressed in on him from every side. He tried to remember something else—anything else. Each breath came shallower than the last, his chest tightening against the pressure building inside him.

No. Just a little longer. Don’t let them win. Don’t let Kerr win.

He searched desperately for an anchor, something solid to hold onto. His vision was tunnelling now, narrowing to a blur of shadows and light. He blinked, trying to clear the haze, but the world remained stubbornly distant. His heartbeat hammered in his ears, a frantic rhythm that made his head spin. His lungs screamed for more air, but every attempt to inhale sent a new wave of pain crashing through his chest.

Don’t break

But his body was no longer listening.

The panic set in then, fast and brutal. His mind raced, instincts screaming at him to move, to fight, to breathe. But he couldn’t. His body was locked in place, the chains biting into his wrists and ankles, the pole forcing his arms up at a horrific angle. He squeezed his eyes shut, the brightness of the sun turning into a blinding white haze. His limbs were trembling, betraying him, shaking violently as the pain overwhelmed every nerve. His breath hitched again.

*No. Don’t. Not here. Not in front of them.*

And then it happened.

The gasp slipped out—barely audible, but it shattered the silence like glass.

It wasn’t a scream. But it was enough.

And then it came.

A gasp.

Quiet.

Barely audible.

 But it shattered the silence like a scream.

He had failed. Right there, in front of them all.

The second gasp tore free from his throat, more a whimper this time, echoing through the yard like a death knell. The shame crashed over him, hot and suffocating, as if the sun’s rays had turned to ice. He could feel the weight of his peers' silent judgments, each stare a reminder of his failure.

His body had betrayed him, proof in his shaking arms and ragged breath. A second gasp escaped him, louder, sharper, as the pain surged again. He didn’t need to look to know Paul had seen - they all had.

Now, they knew the truth: he wasn’t strong enough.

[valorianknights]

I hope it's not too late to join that trend of drawing Huntlow storyboards.

Man. I really wish we got that tomato faced Hunter in Labyrinth Runners tho.

He's perfect your honor ❤️

Gus, my bby.

Also RIP Flapjack 🪦

I swear, Hunter is so obvious about his crush that I wonder if Willow figured it out before he realized he even had a crush.

[aita-blorbos]

(OC/Pathfinder in D&D setting) WIBTA for creating a weapon? I (13/X, I'm a goblin, we age quickly) recently had a revelation that could quickly turn the tide of a war. I've been working on perfecting my bombs for years, and recently discovered how to imbue spell effects into them after observing a sorcerer trying to commit heinous acts against a small village, The particular spell that I'm seeking to emulate a variant of Fog that uh. Does rather nasty things to anyone caught in the area. There's an army marching on the home city of our party's Paladin (31/M), numbering in the thousands, and if I commit to this, thousands of enemy soldiers will die, but likewise, many would die on BOTH sides if my party and I don't stop the invasion before it starts. There's not really a diplomatic option at this point, and we're probably going to have to take many lives either way. Our hunter doesn't seem to care, but I plan on sitting down to chat with the paladin, regardless. Edit: Apparently he's a War Priest? This is news to me, I thought only Paladins could use that kind of healing magic... Edit 2: The spell in question is apparently called Cloudkill, and the system I'm developing would enable the deployment of about six instances of it in about as many seconds. Edit 3: We're presently on the border of the Underdark, and deep underground, so I'm not worried about it spreading too far towards civilization, I'm JUST worried about the existence of these potential weapons and what they could do in the wrong hands. Also uh. If it might accidentally kill -too- efficiently.

[untamedeventuality]

stumbled into the weird grey area of artist training an ai on their own stuff so they can put out free resources for people… not mad, just lightly confused how to proceed

[transingthoseformers]

actually the mecha having holoavatars and using them to just be is amazing actually

[tarmac-rat]

So the absolute wrong lesson I'm choosing to take away from this new wave of fandom drama is that I should never ever buy a gaming PC