#refugee job integration

[illgiveyouahint]

2 years since the full scale invasion. 10 years of war. We stand with you, Ukraine

[apocalypseornaw]

It's Real

Dean Winchester x Reader

Dean's back from Michael, everything should be ok but he's staying locked up in his room so you make it a point to find out why.

Smut with feelings

Dean was back. Michael was gone and Dean was back but it felt as if he was still gone. The moment he'd staggered in that door it'd taken everything in you to not rush straight to him. Once you were sure it was him you'd nearly dove into his arms. He'd hugged you tight, whispering in your ear “It's ok sweetheart, I'm ok”

Everything seemed ok on the ride back to the bunker, yeah Dean was a little on the quiet side but considering you could understand. When you parked and got out the impala he was even teasing Sam about his beard as the three of you walked into the bunker from the garage. The moment he walked into the war room and Sam was greeted with “Chief” and you with “Cap” you could see the wall slam into place but you weren't sure why.

In the last week you'd seen Dean a handful of times and that was when you happened to be in the hallway when he headed for a shower or the one to make a run into town and he wanted the snacks he'd added to the list. 

Every time you tried to talk to him he shut you down and it was driving you insane. Yeah he'd been through a lot and yeah it was his default setting to not talk about his feelings but not with you. Any other time he let you in but not this time. 

—-------------

You were sparring with a few hunters from the apocalypse world and had somehow managed to draw a crowd. Ryker and Tyler towered over you in height and Vivian was fast as hell but you were holding your own against the three of them.

You took Tyler out at the knees then ducked under Rykers arm, catching it and using his own momentum to flip him on his back then nodded to Vivian.

You went blow for blow with her but she happened to misstep one time and that was all you needed to pin her. When you offered her a hand up she took it with a grin “Damn Cap who taught you to fight?” You shrugged “I've taken self defense classes mixed with sparring with Sam and Dean along with on the job learning” 

She nodded “Think Dean will join us? I'd love to see you two spar” you didn't want to tell her he was avoiding you at all cost so you just smiled “I'll ask” you turned to grab your water bottle then headed to your room so you could grab a shower.

Dean knew he needed to integrate himself with the hunters inhabiting the bunker but he didn't know how many more times he could see you and Sam working shoulder to shoulder, sharing inside jokes with a look and leading an entire squadron of hunters together. 

He'd heard a few of the hunters talking about how “Cap” and “Chief” were always together, always worked every lead together, stayed up researching together and “Most of the time end up falling asleep together” one of the younger refugees from the apocalypse world had deemed you two a power couple and that was the straw Dean had to hear to know he needed to resign himself to his room for a while.

He'd lost you. Fifteen years of friendship, ten years of wanting you, eight years of loving you. If he'd just said something sooner, hadn't been afraid of losing you as his friend but now he'd lost you to his little brother and he couldn't even be angry, no matter the jealousy eating at him. 

You stepped into the hall and saw Sam had just come out of Dean's room. When he shut the door behind himself he spotted you so you raised your eyebrows “How is he?” He shrugged “He's watching horror movies and has pizza and beer” 

You glanced at Dean's door then asked “Why won't he come out the room? He barely talks to me or anyone for that matter when he does” Sam's eyes softened at your words “Maybe it's time you do that thing you always do with us” 

You waved a hand, asking for an explanation and he laughed “You never let us wallow for long. He won't react to me, Cas, hell even mom. He needs you whether he admits it or not” you laughed “You mean he needs someone as stubborn as he is to out stubborn him?” He nodded “Exactly”

You looked from him to Dean's door then nodded “Wish me luck” he patted your shoulder “Good luck” then headed down the hall.

—---------------

Dean heard a knock at his door and figured it was Sam again “Sammy, I said I'm good” the door creaked open and your face popped around it “Good to know. Can I come in?” 

He tried to ignore the way his chest clenched at your smile. “Of course sweetheart. C'mon” he watched you shut the door then walk further into the room, kicking your boots off before walking over to the bed. 

You grabbed a slice of pizza from the table near the bed then climbed in the bed, laying sideways with your head on his back so you could see the TV considering he was laying on his stomach “Comfy?” He asked with a laugh once you'd taken his beer out of his hand and took a swig before turning back to the pizza “Very much so. You're a wonderful pillow”

You shouldn't be in his bed, shouldn't be laying against him. If you and Sam were…well he didn't want to think too hard about it but he wasn't the type of man to take another man's woman, especially his little brother's. He told himself it was innocent enough. The two of you had done this dozens of times over the years even if this time his mind was running a lot faster than normal.

—-------------

You lay like that through the entirety of Halloween two and halfway through Freddy versus Jason before your mouth had a mind of its own “I miss you Dean. For weeks we had no idea where you were then by some turn Michael let you go and now you're home but I still miss you. You're pulling away from me, from everyone and I don't want to lose you again. You mean too much to me”

He looked over his shoulder at you and grabbed one of your hands, giving it a light squeeze “I'm here sweetheart. I just don't want to take up too much of your time. You got a lot going on Cap” you rolled your eyes at the nickname you'd been dubbed with “I've always got enough time for you. Talk to me”

He let go of your hand then pushed himself back so he could turn to face you as he sat up.“I miss you too but this, coming home to this is a lot” “What do you mean? The hunters?” 

He nodded “The hunters, you and Sam. You two are a unit, you run this whole operation like clockwork. You've built something and I don't know where I fit now”  you smiled slightly “You fit with us Dean. You and Sam are the most important people to me”

He sighed “But you and him are more or it feels that way” you knew the confusion was clear across your face because he just shook his head “Never mind. Can we just go back to the movie?” You nodded “Yeah, sure” 

—-------‐—----------

He laid back down on his stomach and this time you laid down next to him instead of on his back. You had no clue what he meant about you and Sam being more? Had someone said something to make him feel that way? You’d been running on damn near empty for weeks, Mary had taken to hiding your car keys to force you into eating and sleeping and when that didn't work she'd bring in the big guns and threaten to call Jody.

Sam hadn't fared much better. The two of you had been doing everything you could to keep each other's heads above water.  Dean was the person who raised Sam, he'd always been the most important person to him. As for yourself, you loved the man laying next to you. He'd claimed your heart years ago whether he knew it or not. Your chest had felt hollow knowing the man you loved was being used by some dickheaded angel. 

You reached for his hand closest to you, running your fingertips over the back of his hand. He smiled slightly then it was like his mood changed and he pulled his hand away. 

“Sorry” you murmured and moved to sit up but he was already grabbing your wrist to keep you on the bed “Wait sweetheart. Fuck” you sat down in front of him and he turned to face you “Just talk to me Dean. Whatever is going on, we can fix it”

—---------------------

He shook his head, hand dropping your wrist. “I know you and Sam have gotten even closer since I've been gone”

You smiled slightly “Well yeah, leading a bunch of wayward hunters and hunting down some douchey archangel to get you back will do that to ya. Still doesn't explain the change between me and you. Dean you're my best friend, you've always talked to me and now you're shutting me out. I'm not used to it and I don't like it” 

He hated seeing the pain in your eyes and knowing he was the cause of it. He sighed “I know you're with Sam” your head tilted to the side and you stared at him for a moment before you began to laugh. After a moment you covered your mouth with your hand then took a few deep breaths. He was confused as hell but figured you'd give an explanation “Oh Dean, honey you are so smart at times but so damn dumb at others” 

“What?” You shook your head “Me and Sam have gotten closer yeah but not like that. Someone else has my heart and it ain't Sammy”  his eyes flew to your face “Then who?” You shook your head again “Doesn't matter just know it's not your little brother”

He reached forward, cupping your chin with his hand “No way are you gonna tell me some lucky bastard has your heart then not tell me who” you wouldn't meet his eyes so he used his grip on you to turn your face where you had no choice. “You honestly have no idea do you?” You sounded almost sad when you asked and he felt his heart skip. 

Did you mean him?   “You have no idea how hard it's been with you not being here Dean. How many times I cried myself to sleep laying against Sam's chest because I knew he was the only person who could come close to knowing the pain I felt. You're his brother, you've been his parent and protector his whole life and I knew he was only person here who loved you anywhere as much as I do” 

“You love me?” He damn near whispered and you nodded “How could I not?” 

—-------------------

One moment you were spilling your heart out and the next Dean was claiming your lips in a hungry kiss. You were stunned for a moment then returned the kiss fully, when you felt his tongue slip into your mouth you gasped lightly and he used that to roll his tongue against yours. The heat roaring to life against every inch of your body from just a kiss seemed damn near impossible but this was Dean.

Holy hell this was Dean. You just confessed your feelings and instead of bolting he was kissing you in a way that had the wetness between your legs growing by the moment. 

When you were finally forced apart for air he leaned his forehead against yours, both of your chests heaving. “Not what I was expecting” you teased breathlessly and he chuckled “Sweetheart, I've been locked up in this room because the thought of you with Sam…I couldn't take it. You're supposed to be mine. The jealousy has been eating me alive, imagining you with him”

You pulled back from him and grinned “You were jealous?” He nodded “Damn right I was. I've loved you for years and the thought that out of all people my little brother would be the one to take you from me? I hated it” you laughed “In that case, come here” 

“No, you come here” he grabbed you by the hips pulling you towards him and turned putting your back down on the bed. He held his weight on his forearms as he hovered over you, catching your lips in another kiss. “Dean” you spoke and he pulled back to look you in the eyes and saw the love and desire there “I want you, please” he smiled “Never beg for me baby. Just tell me what you want” “I want you. All of you”

—----------------

Dean let out a low groan at your words. Fuck, the power you held over him. “You've got me” He promised, catching your lips again. He felt your hands slip under his shirt, silently asking for more access to him. He broke away from your lips long enough to pull the henley he wore off and toss it across the room.

The way you looked at him was like nothing he'd ever experienced. You let your hands trail across his chest, nails scratching lightly “I've always loved your chest, your arms” your praise of his body unlocked something in him. Fuck he loved it. You leaned up to place a kiss at the hollow of his throat and his eyes fluttered shut at the intimacy of the moment. 

When he opened them your eyes were on him, a small smile on your face “No more running from me?” He smiled “No more running” he reached for your shirt so you arched your back off the bed to help him remove it. He tossed it behind him and looked down at you “You're so damn gorgeous”

He crashed his lips against yours and felt your hands gripping his shoulders, pulling him closer to you. He rolled his hips into yours and the moan you let out was better than anything he'd ever heard. 

—-------------

You broke away from Dean's lips your need for air winning in the moment. He kissed down your jaw and to your neck. He pushed your hair back and attacked your neck, kissing and biting the skin there. Your grip on his shoulders tightened “Fuck Dean” 

He moved down your neck, kissing across your clothed chest before looking up at you through those long lashes. He held your eyes as he rolled one breast into his mouth, grazing the sensitive bud with his teeth and enjoying when your breath caught in your throat. His hands slipped under you and you felt the bra give way before he was pulling it off of you and tossing it, giving him full access to your chest. 

“Look at you” he whispered, tongue flicking out to tease at one of your nipples while his fingers of his other hand teased the other. Your fingers slid into his hair, eyes fluttering shut at the pleasure coursing through you. 

He bit down on your nipple and when your eyes flew open he smirked “Cmon baby I'm just starting. I want your eyes on me” “So damn bossy” you teased and he winked at you “You must like me being bossy” “I love it” you admitted watching him kiss down your stomach. 

When he got to your jeans he looked up at you “Are you sure about this? About us?” You rolled your eyes and lifted your hips off the bed as you unzipped your jeans and started to shimmy them down your hips. He laughed lightly before you felt his hands cover yours as he helped you rid your legs of your jeans then slid your panties off as well.

—-----------

“Look at my girl” he whispered in awe. “All yours Dean. What are you gonna do with me now that you've got me?” The look he gave you was enough to make your entire body feel like you were on fire. The promises there, the desire, the love.  “Devour you” his voice was somehow deeper than usual, lust driving it down. 

He started at one ankle, kissing up your leg then your thighs stopping just shy of where you wanted him. When you let out a rather pathetic sounding whine he just laughed darkly “I've waited long enough to have you like this, let me enjoy it” 

He moved to the other leg, repeating the process. This time when he got where you wanted him he glanced up at your face before lowering his mouth to you. The first lick was tentative, teasing but when your hips bucked and a moan of his name fell from your lips it was like a switch flipped. He dove in, a perfect mixture of teeth and tongue working you closer and closer to that edge. 

He slipped first one finger then added a second,easily finding that spot inside of you that made your legs begin to shake. When his lips locked around your clit  at the same time his fingers found that spot your eyes rolled back and your vision went white. The pleasure was like nothing you'd ever experienced, waves after waves of it washing over you as Dean pulled two orgasms back to back from you.

—-------------

When you weakly shoved at his shoulders he pulled back,leaving feather light kisses on your inner thighs “What's wrong sweetheart? Too much?” You wanted to glare at him but knew it wouldn't be very believable. “How the fuck did you do that?” He grinned “Guess no other man has ever made you come back to back before?” You shook your head and he laughed “Good”

You shook your head and reached for his shoulders “C'mere” he kissed his way back up to your body and when he got to your lips you could taste yourself on him.  “Your jeans are still on!” You nearly whined and he laughed “Let me fix that” 

—--------------

He stood up and when he moved to unzip his jeans and push them off his hips you stopped him from climbing back onto the bed. You sat up and reached for him. He moved closer and when your hand slipped under the material of his boxers to wrap around his hard cock he swore under his breath. You slid the boxers down his legs and he stepped out of them. 

You'd always figured Dean was well endowed but seeing it, feeling it in your hand was different. You lowered your mouth to the tip, licking around the head to collect the precum then pulling more of him into your mouth. Your hand worked what of him you couldn't fit as you swirled your tongue over the vein running up his shaft. His head fell back with a groan, his fingers went to your hair, pushing it back from your face, holding it back. 

You could feel the tension in his hips so you tapped his hips letting him know it was ok. He gave a tentative thrust of his hips and when you hollow out your cheeks to allow more of him down your throat he moaned “Fuck you're perfect” he gave a few hard thrusts into your mouth and you took it, swallowing around him and feeling him tense. 

“Fuck baby” he pulled out of your mouth with a wet pop, using his thumb to swipe the spit from your chin “That was amazing but I don't plan to come anywhere expect inside of you tonight” 

—-------------

You scooted back up the bed and he climbed between your legs settling himself there. You could feel his cock nudging at your inner thigh, he hesitated “You're sure?” You nearly growled “Dean Winchester. I fucking love you, I want this I want you! Now for the love of everything fuck me already” 

He laughed lightly and in one roll of his hips buried himself inside of you. You gasped at the fullness you felt, the stretch from how long it'd been since you were with someone else and just how big he was. He left a trail of open mouthed kisses across your jaw.

After a moment the stretch gave way so you let your legs fall apart further before hooking them around his waist. He took that as the go ahead and gave a deep roll of his hips, when the answer was your nails biting into his shoulders he placed a searing kiss against your lips before moving to press his forehead against yours. 

There was something so damn intimate about looking into his eyes while he was so damn deep inside of you. “This is real, isn't it?” He asked and you moved one hand from his shoulder to cup his jaw, understanding the underlying question “It's real Dean. You're here with me” 

He turned his head to kiss the palm of your hand “I love you” you moved your hand back to his shoulder and he kiss you, this one wasn't as hungry as others but it made down to your toes tingle and he gave a hard thrust hitting that spot inside of you with the head of his cock.

—--------------

When your back arched up, pressing your breasts into his chest his thrusts started to get harder and deeper. “Please don't stop” you begged, the pleasure building in your stomach threatening to steal your vision yet again. “Wasn't planning on it” he said, pulling your legs up to his shoulders and nearly folding you in half.

The new angle had you practically screaming his name. The knowledge that he was strong enough to manhandle you like you were nothing drove you crazy. His cock was so damn big and the angle meant he was hitting that spot with every damn thrust. The pleasure was so intense it was borderline pain but better than anything you'd ever experienced.

His hips snapped into yours and you could feel how close you were. His fingers found your clit, rubbing tight circles “Let me feel you baby. I'm so damn close but I need to feel you” 

You felt that pleasure burst as your vision went soft around the edges and a hoarse scream of his name fell from your lips. You could feel his thrusts begin to falter so you gripped his shoulders tightly “Fuck Dean, i want to feel you. Please baby” his face was buried in the bend of your neck and when he buried himself inside of you with one final thrusts the feeling of him coming made a smaller orgasm wash over you, causing your walls to clench down around his cock causing a curse of your name to fall from his lips as well.

—-----------------

He gently eased your legs down, rubbing them gently before pulling out of you. You gasped and he smiled almost shyly “Sorry” you grinned at him sleepily “That was everything Dean”

His smile deepened before he placed a tender kiss on your lips “Let me clean you up a bit” he found his shirt and cleaned you up as best as he could before tossing it at the hamper in the corner. 

—-----------

When he climbed back in bed next to you he asked “Do you need anything? Water? Bodypart massaged?” You shook your head and moved over to be laying halfway on his chest “Just need you to hold me” He wrapped his arms around you and kissed your forehead. You were almost asleep before a thought occurred to you and you started laughing. 

You looked up to see he was staring at you like you'd grown a second head “Baby are you ok?” You nodded “There's like thirty hunters here that probably heard that”

He grinned “Well at least they clearly know you're mine and I'm yours” you grinned “damn right. Now kiss your girl so we can both get some sleep” “Yes ma'am” he replied pulling you into a kiss.

Tagging those who told me to write it lol @deans-baby-momma @lyarr24 @deans-spinster-witch @daughterofapollo-7 @littlemadamred

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Are Cowbirds Invasive?

(Originally published on my website at https://rebeccalexa.com/are-cowbirds-invasive/)

When discussing invasive species, we often think of species that evolved far away on other continents. Here in the United States, thousands of non-native species have been brought here since the dawn of colonization; while not all became established, a significant number have since become aggressively integrated into local habitats, much to the detriment of native species they displace or otherwise harm. But sometimes a species will simply encroach upon an ecosystem adjacent to its native home, and then spreads from there, having the same negative impact as other relatively new arrivals. Which begs the question: are birds on the move like barred owls (Strix varia) and cowbirds invasive?

I want to especially look at the brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater). Like the barred owl, these chunky songbirds have expanded their range in North America in recent decades due to the extensive damage we’ve done to habitats across the continent. Both were particularly affected by the destruction of the Great Plains. Settlers tore up the ancient grasslands with plows, suppressed fires that had kept forests from encroaching, and started a trend of afforestation–planting trees where they aren’t supposed to be–that continues today. In the latter half of the 19th century, the plains bison (Bison bison bison) was slaughtered almost to extinction to make money off the sale of their remains, and to disempower indigenous communities throughout the region who were reliant on this keystone species for their very existence.

The owls hopscotched across the growing number of tree plantations that dotted first settlements, then towns, then sprawling suburbs and cities, and thus were able to reach all the way to the west coast, where they have put serious competitive pressure on the northern spotted owl. The cowbirds, on the other hand, became refugees as all but the last few hundred bison disappeared from the landscape. They instead turned to domestic livestock like cattle for their survival.

(Read the rest under the cut.)

Same Habits, Different Hosts

Brown-headed cowbirds are unusual in that they evolved to migrate with the bison, rather than waiting for new herds to arrive. The birds feed on insects stirred up by the herd’s hooves, along with seeds of grasses and other plants along the way. Cowbirds perching on the backs of these enormous mammals would have been a common sight prior to the bison’s near-extermination, and today they may still be seen watching for prey from on top of cattle, horses and other domestic livestock.

Because cowbirds have spent thousands of years migrating with their bison hosts, they couldn’t afford to settle in one place for months at a time to raise a nest of chicks, particularly as spring and summer would be prime time for finding insects to eat. It might be weeks or even months before a herd would return to a given area, and without the help of the bison the cowbirds would have had a difficult time finding enough insects on their own, let alone for a hungry nest of babies.

So the cowbirds evolved a rather controversial strategy: brood parasitism. Instead of building their own nest, they find someone else’s and leave a few eggs there for the unwitting owners to raise. Some people anthropomorphize the cowbirds as being “bad”, “lazy”, “evil”, and so forth. And, of course, it’s easy to call cowbirds invasive, too, since they literally invade the nests of other animals.

But nature is amoral; there are no inherently good or evil animals. While we may project our distaste for the cowbirds’ practices onto their value as a species, brood parasitism is simply one of a plethora of strategies animals have evolved in order to pass their genes on to the next generation. If it gets the job done, then it is an evolutionary success. Like the mate cannibalism of some mantids and spiders or animal infanticide practiced by male lions, baboons, and dolphins, brood parasitism may be vicious by our standards, but it is a legitimate survival tactic in the sometimes-cutthroat world of nature.

Are Cowbirds Invasive?

We can certainly call cowbirds invasive when they hop into a nest they didn’t build just to drop off an egg. But are they invasive on a more widespread level? Arguably yes. Not all invasive species were physically transported by humans, but the impact is the same: they have a deleterious effect on one or more other species in their habitat. And unlike coyotes, which only spread to new horizons when their competitors were extirpated by human hunters, brown-headed cowbirds are not filling a niche that was previously taken by another species. they are, instead, an often-unwanted addition to local ecology.

In addition to tearing up the Great Plains and then planting trees there, we also cut down massive numbers of trees in historically forested areas across the continent, leaving patches of fields in which cattle and other livestock graze. This has led to the spread of the cowbird beyond its normal range in the prairies. Other bird species that evolved alongside the cowbirds have developed ways to respond to brood parasitism, from throwing cowbird eggs out of the nest, to building a new nest entirely.

A young cowbird sits in a sparrow’s nest. Note the sparrow egg in the lower left corner that has been pushed out of the nest.

But birds in the cowbird’s expanded territory aren’t always so savvy. That includes species that have seen declining numbers in recent decades due to habitat loss, lead and other toxins, and predation by another invasive species, the domestic cat (Felis catus). Since cowbirds and their chicks will both remove their hosts’ eggs from a parasitized nest, and cowbird chicks may toss their host’s young out or steal all their food, this means fewer numbers of the host species being successfully hatched and fledged. All of which means cowbirds are becoming a serious conservation concern.

That being said, we shouldn’t be too quick to dismiss an entire species by calling all cowbirds invasive. Within their native range in the Great Plains, they are an important part of local ecology. And–unlike certain members of our own species–they are not intentionally cruel animals that want to see other living beings suffer. They are simply doing what their ancestors have done for thousands upon thousands of years, and unlike humans they have no capacity to consider the impact on their hosts.

One last note: if you are tempted to remove cowbird eggs from a nest, please don’t. First, it’s an activity best carried out by professionals who have a better sense of what nests should be attended to and when. Moreover, egg removal can not only cause the host birds to abandon their nest and their own eggs, but cowbirds are more likely to attack hosts who remove the offending eggs, and you could be setting the nesting pair up for retaliation from the cowbirds. And brown-headed cowbirds, like almost all native birds in the United States, are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which makes it a federal offense to disturb or harm the birds themselves, as well as their eggs or nests. If you are in an area where cowbirds are considered to be invasive, and you are concerned about another species’ nests, contact your state wildlife department or the closest Audubon Society (some of these societies have changed their names in recent years, but fulfills the same roles as before.)

Did you enjoy this post? Consider taking one of my online foraging and natural history classes or hiring me for a guided nature tour, checking out my other articles, or picking up a paperback or ebook I’ve written! You can even buy me a coffee here!

[christian-oc-tournament]

Please vote based on the picture AND the description!

Thomas Hargrove [@build-a-problem-musical]

17, Celeste’s manipulative, popular boyfriend. He is completely aware that she is taking what little she can get no matter how subpar purely because it means she has something that’s hers, and he takes full advantage of that. While he is making her more popular by association, he also aims to make her dependent on him and cut her off from everyone else. He straddles a fine line between manipulation and seeming kindness; this subtlety to him keeps Celeste from noticing the full extent of her situation.

Tiny [On the Other Side @elsabet-writes]

Tiny runs a small cafe on the edge of reality, at the border where the Otherwhere and the human world meet. Once a powerful enchantress, she lost a hand fighting on the losing side of the fae version of a world war. With her hand went her ability to preform spell work, and she’s had to flee the Otherwhere and hide herself among humans. The cafe she runs is something of a half-way house where refugees of the fae war can find shelter and maybe a job while they integrate into human society. Tiny is a woman with a kind heart and a lot of determination. She may have lost her old life, but she’s built herself a new one, and she’ll help others find a way to do the same.

[yuri-for-businesswomen]

to preface, i don't agree with redberryterf. white men aren't better than brown men at all. men are men no matter the shade. white men are just as capable and liable to be violent and misogynist as anyone else. its a cultural clash. brown men raised here are perfectly capable of being as normal about women as any male can be. however , it is true that immigrant men are statistically a lot more likely to be engaged in criminal behavior, they are a lot more likely to incite violence in drinking scenarios, they are alot more likely to be turned away from bars because they creep on the women dancing or are entirely inappropriate and won't respect a no from a woman. they refuse to shake hands with women in professional settings showing lack of respect, there is the incident in cologne. they're alot more likely to participate in gang violence, etc etc. It's not a matter of colour, it's a lack of integration, a lack of cultural understanding or cohesion, but it's not a lack of education on our part. it's actually the second generation immigrant males who grew up here, went to school with us who are more likely to be an issue than the first generation who were just working hard and trying to survive.

source? also all immigranted men or certain groups? i would assume that class, education, country of origin, age etc are important here, not race. groups of young men are generally more prone to risky and violent behaviour. this can also be seen in party tourist hotspots like mallorca, where groups of white tourist men go and wreak havoc in holiday season and have been for decades. and also, a lot of crime (specifically gang violence) is poverty related. job market discrimination - which is only enforced by racial bias like this - and the asylum process - which often takes years of insecurity and lack of perspective while not being allowed to take on employment and is also racist if you compare how white ukrainian refugees are treated vs african/southwest asian refugees - keep them stuck in their male dominated, isolated refugee home world. refugees and immigrants who are given opportunity to get an education and employment are usually way better integrated. they need language classes, therapy, access to education, housing and employment, then a lot of crime will go down. in germany, people like to refer to new years 2015 where groups of north african men sexually harrassed and violated women, as if this is not commonplace anytime groups of men get drunk and party. nobody in germany talks about the sexual violence committed yearly at oktoberfest, for example, because its mostly white german men offending.

[heterotopian]

The Tale of Two Cities according to Stephi and Heiko - Part 434

This week we are showing you some simple buildings that actually don’t look like much. But the work that is done there is definitely worth doing and very important.

The first picture shows a building in Munich that in which social workers give advice to refugees and help them to get the necessary papers, find language classes, help to get a job, etc. Here refugees get help to get started in a new country and hopefully help them to integrate into the new surroundings.

The second buildings hows another help center, this time in Cologne, only for people with disabilities. Again, people with disabilities get advice and a helping hand in getting integrated into society.

While these social workers work with different people, the work is quite similar as it has lot to do with bureaucracy and helping people to get started in a world they are new to or not regarded as capable as „normal“ people.

Puh, that was not that easy to write and I am sure Stephi is way happy that I did this topic.

[nocoffeeforoldmen]

Okay, it's time for an updated "meet the Tavs" because I've made it to Act 3 so many times.

So here's part one, I guess:

Orleyana Eltan

{ eldritch knight absolute ass-kicker with a dab of cleric of torm }

Orla, as she's known, is an outcast child of the patriar. She lived her entire youth dreaming of rising through the ranks of the Flaming Fist, studying and practicing for years at the esteemed Verdashir Academy, despite many warnings from her father who was an honorably discharged fist himself. As she grew, Orla worked ceaselessly to better and protect the Gate, only to find herself cast aside and blackmailed by the city she loved so much. All because she uncovered certain unsavory information on the sudden and brutal murder of her mother–a refugee cleric of Eldath from the former settlement of Reithwin.

For many years that followed, she wandered from place to place utilizing the skills she had gained throughout her training in the acquisition of people and things deemed too difficult or dangerous to obtain. Bounty hunting contracts came and went. People drifted in and out of her life, including her beloved father, whose death shook her to her core.

However, a certain large contract had drawn her back to her city: an ancient artefact wanted by a wizard, whose reputation had certainly been expunged since she had last been home, but a certain Nautiloid has other plans for her...

Also she married the shit out of Gale, and now resides comfortably retired in Waterdeep with their daughter, Teadora. Everything is well, and she is finally, finally at peace.

Vivienne Blackmaw

{ gloomstalker ranger with proficiencies in intimidation and animal handling }

Affectionately known as Viv, Vivienne was raised in the city of Westgate in the seedy underbelly. Most of her youth was spent closely intermingled with various criminal organizations. She was their hired muscle. Anytime someone well guarded needed a good "talking to", Blackmaw would be the one busting down their doors to... just talk. But when left to her own devices in the quiet of the night, Viv longed for more than a paycheck and a sniggering pay on the back for another job well done. There had to be something more than the love of her city's stray cats she would share scraps of her food with. Something good that she could earn.

Her talents and reputation preceded her, though, and an invitation was sent her way all the way from Baldur's Gate with a seemingly innocuous golden band enclosed in the note, citing it would allow her entrance into whatever underground organization was hiring her this time.

She would arrive in Baldur's Gate far later than anticipated with far more tagalongs than she would have imagined.

Someday, when they're old and grey living in their cottage with their assorted animals, Viv will refer to Shadowheart as her Jenny. They are deliriously happy. They've earned that much.

Eirian Illykur

{ cleric of eilistraee who settled in the war domain after some unresolved trauma }

Most of Eirian's childhood is murky in her mind. There are vague memories of the western plateau Eryndlyn. Her mother would hold her close and chide anyone who had questions regarding what the girl's lineage was and why her eyes had yet to take on a red hue. All her recollections are littered with threats of the Spider Queen or the Elder Eye or the Masked Mage. Often, she chose to remember the hymns she would be sung as a lullaby, reciting tales of the deeds of Lady Silverhair instead of the nightmares surrounding them.

Much more recently, at least within the last century, Eirian makes her way as a safe haven for those seeking asylum and integration into the overworld society all while aiding in the ailments brought to a local clinic in the lower city of Baldur's Gate. Word of her deeds and generosity had spread in whispers to those specifically escaping the persecution of followers of Lolth. However, mixed with all her good doings was the wretched rumor of the unnecessarily brutal murder of a mother that was said to have refused to divulge where she had stowed her daughter. Little did the crusaders of House Baenre know that a small cache of youths had been stowed away en route to Baldur's Gate not a tenday earlier to avoid the slaughter that otherwise would have been inevitable.

Eirian watched curiously as a pale elf broke his gaze from hers outside the Elfsong Tavern to slink away into a dark alleyway, and the next thing she knew she was awakening aboard a Mindflayer ship.

Eirian finds the pale elf, and he begrudgingly grows to trust her more than... anyone really. He won't admit it, but he's kinder and gentler because of her. That's not to say he won't eagerly and readily join in when she discovers evil that is deserving of slaying.

Once free of their tadpole affliction, there is also the realization that she is, in fact, an incredibly powerful healer. Eventually, he is able to convince her that a try at true resurrection is what he wants. He wants to be free. To walk in the sun again with her.

When he awakens days after their attempt, he relishes the warmth of the sliver of sunlight on his hand as he touches her tear stained cheek.

(I've thought a lot about their post game. Sue me.)

Anyway, this was self indulgent. Thanks for making it this far.

[daloy-politsey]

Saw this on LinkedIn:

I am funding classes for Palestinian refugee kids via our Outschool.org non-profit in partnership with local organizations. I'm proud of this work and invite you to join me by making a donation of $1K or more if you are able (comment for details).

This work is also shaping my thinking of Outschool's vision. Here's some more context:

So far we're helping a little over 100 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Egypt, US and Gaza with English language and AP classes. We have to be selective given funding constraints, and are focused on talented kids most likely to get scholarships to continue their studies. These kids may be the Palestinian leaders of the future and we are giving them hope in a desperate situation.

Here are a few quotes from kids we're supporting:

"My internet has allowed me to attend two classes till now, a calculus class and an IELTS class, both of which were fun. I loved the new way of learning for me."

 "It is a very enjoyable experience and the teachers are very kind, but I was very nervous on my first day and I was not completely ready for the lecture "

"The Calculus teacher is very kind, I really enjoy her classes. The level is good for me because math is my love language."

💙

One thing I have learned through this work is that people in war zones yearn for some semblance of normal humanity. The delightful quotes above are from human teenagers who must be compartmentalizing their ongoing trauma. Integration and healing of this mass trauma will be multi-generational work and is part of the job to be done by the future education system.

Outschool's vision of The Global School is more relevant than ever. We are building an ecosystem of organizations that can deliver far more dynamic and flexible learning than in the past, and so contribute to a path towards hope and healing for more and more people.

I am both daunted by the scale of the task ahead and grateful for the role we can play. We have a duty to the future.

Let's get to it. ✊

[the-faramir]

Niji-iro Midori: The Reluctant Ringmaster

Chapter 6: The Circus of Wayward Wonders

On reaching the Circus of Wayward Wonders, the Celestial Menagerie refugees reunited with their long-lost comrades and met all of the new additions to the circus who had come from other places. The performers met with the ringmaster, Myron “Thunder” Stendhal, to figure out how to integrate their acts with the new schedule, while the support workers found their new assignments. As the circus performances had not yet started, they also reached out to the town of Abberton to take odd jobs to bring in a little income for food and supplies.

Myron and his circus co-founder, Professor Zarlian Kyosophus, warned the Celestial Menagerie refugees not to go around town stealing. “You don’t want to sully the Circus’ reputation. And we refuse to run this show like Dusklight ran hers!”

During downtime, Brondin Stonehammer and some of the existing security guards teamed up to provide basic weapons training to the crew, ensuring that they would be able to hold their own in an actual fight. Bufurug also taught some basics of first aid and healing wounds. Even the Professor took time to educate the group on circus history.

Myron gave Midori the responsibility of advertising the circus in the town, selling tickets, providing information in general, and welcoming audience members to the nightly performances. They even worked out a way for Midori to show off her singing voice, following Myron’s performance introduction with customized songs to introduce the acts.

After a few days, Midori noticed that Bufurug was making no effort to settle in and join the cooking crew. One afternoon, she saw him and some of the others packing up and preparing to go on a journey.

“Apologies, Midori, but I cannot stay. Too much has been happening around the island, and I feel that it is my responsibility to help restore the environment to its former lush glory. I shall be making the pilgrimage to the Hermitage of Blessed Lightning. Harlock Hamdeel is the leader there, and I hope to spend some time with him learning everything that he knows about the aeon orbs’ failure.”

Midori leaned down to give her old friend a hug. “I’ll miss ya. Won’t be the same without ya. An’,” her eyes opened widely, starting to mist over with tears, “well, I’ll also miss your cookin’.”

Bufurug chuckled. “I did hand off some recipe cards to Larry. He will take care of you all, food-wise.”

Midori looked over to Brondin, who was securing his backpack. “Brondin, too? Who will keep trainin’ us?”

Brondin replies, “The security team can help in my absence. I need to make sure this lot makes it through the wilderness without trouble. They’re pretty green.”

Midori turned to Itty-Bitty. “You’re goin’ with ‘em, too?”

Itty-Bitty "I weren't much help back there in the forest with that spinesnapper guy." She rubbed her still-healing shoulder in apology. “I need t’ get better at fightin'. Brondin said 'e'd teach me. So I'm goin' with 'im and Boof. It ain't far, but I gotta lay off performin' while I learn. We'll keep in touch!”

Itty-Bitty picked Midori up off of the ground in a huge bear hug. “See ya, Squirt. Whoo! Yer smellin' a bit ripe. Maybe take a bath or somethin'?”

“Ha ha, what? I just took a bath. Remember? Last week at The Miners’ Den. With a whole bottle o' shampoo and everything!” Itty-Bitty returned Midori to her feet.

Hearing the exchange, Myron came over to Midori. “A moment, please?” He leaned down to her and started whispering in her ear.

Midori nodded and responded as Myron whispered. “Uh-huh.... Yeah.... 'Polite society,' sure.... 'High Gene?' Who is this 'Gene' fella? .... Oh. I see.” Midori’s eyes shifted back and forth from right to left. “Well, see ya 'round, Big Sis. I'll miss ya. Well, now I, uh, have a thing to do.” She turned and sprinted toward the washrooms.

Satisfied with the conversation, Myron straightened up and shook hands with the departing group.

The next month gave the circus much time for practicing and performing for the locals. However, bad news began to filter in. Many of the local crops had begun to die off and fail. The meager harvests were even more meager than the preceding years. Morale around the town was beginning to falter. The townsfolk were certainly in need of some quality entertainment!

At last, the time had come: opening night. The Circus of Wayward Wonders stood ready to start off their first performance! Audience members began to file in through the entrance, filling the big top to capacity, unaware of what was about to unfold….

Chapter 1: We Are On a Diplomatic Mission to Absalom

Chapter 2: The Circus Arrives Without Warning

Chapter 3: Hi-Diddle-De-Dee, a Carny's Life for Me

Chapter 4: Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys

Chapter 5: One Does Not Simply Walk Into Abberton

[justforbooks]

Marshall Brickman

Screenwriter, musician and director who won an Oscar, with Woody Allen, for the screenplay of Annie Hall

Marshall Brickman, who has died aged 85, was a successful musician, writer and film director, but will be remembered best for his collaborations with Woody Allen on three of Allen’s best movies: Sleeper (1973), Annie Hall (1977) and Manhattan (1979). The pair won an Oscar for the original screenplay of Annie Hall, which also took the awards for best picture, best director for Allen and best actress for Diane Keaton.

Allen skipped the awards ceremony, and when Brickman accepted the best writer statuette, he said: “Half of this little piece of tin, if not much more, belongs to Woody, who is probably the greatest collaborator anyone could ever wish for. He does a lot of brilliant work. He takes our script and makes it into what you saw. He picks up my lunch check for about five months, and today he refuses to come out of his apartment.”

That apartment was in New York, which played a huge part in those films. Like Allen, Brickman grew up in Brooklyn, though he was born in Rio de Janeiro, where his father, Abram, a refugee from Poland, and his New York-born mother Pauline (nee Wolin) were leftists, who in 1943 returned to America and settled in Flatbush, where Abram ran an import-export business. They exposed Marshall to the Greenwich Village scene of politics and music; he learned to play folk music on the banjo and guitar.

After high school at Brooklyn Tech, he went to the University of Wisconsin, intending to study medicine, but graduated in science and music, influenced by his room-mate and fellow New Yorker Eric Weissberg, who was also a banjo virtuoso.

The city was the fermenting cauldron for the arts in postwar America. Weissberg joined a folk group, the Tarriers, an integrated quartet who had a big hit with Harry Belafonte’s Banana Boat Song (Day-O). When Bob Carey left, Weissberg tabbed Brickman as his replacement. The Tarriers were playing at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village when Allen, a budding standup, opened for them.

Brickman at first thought his jokey intros to the group’s songs might lead him to a comedy career, and he got a job writing for Candid Camera, sharing an office with Joan Rivers. He began writing jokes for Rivers and Allen, but kept a foot in the music world by recording an album with Weissberg, New Dimensions in Banjo and Bluegrass (1963), for which he also wrote jokey liner notes. He then joined John and Michelle Phillips in the New Journeymen, but soon left. Denny Doherty replaced him, and with the addition of Cass Elliot they became the Mamas and Papas.

More importantly, Brickman joined Jack Rollins, who represented Allen, and another joke-writer, Dick Cavett, who got him a gig with Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show. He became Carson’s head writer, mostly because the other writers wanted to avoid responsibility for the “five spots”, the sketches Carson performed in addition to the monologue. When Cavett left to host his own talkshow, Brickman went with him. But in 1972, the record he had made with Weissberg was used as the soundtrack to John Boorman’s film Deliverance (although the famous Dueling Banjos was added by Weissberg and Steve Mandell).

The royalties gave Brickman the chance to relax and join Allen in day-long sessions that, although they never actually wrote scenes together, produced the script for Sleeper.

The fact that these were Allen’s films provided a structure for Brickman’s writing. “Jokes are easy,” he said. “Humour comes to me so easily I’m suspicious of it. I secrete jokes like the pancreas secretes … whatever it is the pancreas secretes.” Like Allen, and Alvy Singer in Annie Hall, Brickman preferred New York to Hollywood; not least because he was invited to a party at Sharon Tate’s house the night of the Manson murders, but had another engagement that night in Santa Monica.

Brickman was lead writer on The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence (1975), which introduced the Swedish Chef. After Manhattan, he moved on to write and direct three films, all of which were edited by his wife, Nina Feinberg, whom he married in 1973.

In Simon (1980), a psychology professor, played by Alan Arkin, is brainwashed in an experiment by bored scientists into believing he comes from outer space. Brickman wrote his most Allen-like film, Lovesick (1983) for Peter Sellers, but after Sellers’s death Dudley Moore starred as the psychiatrist in love with a patient, Elizabeth McGovern; Alec Guinness plays the ghost of Sigmund Freud. In The Manhattan Project (1986), about a high-school student who builds his own atomic bomb, John Lithgow stars alongside actors who became stalwarts in TV – Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City), Jill Eikenberry (LA Law) and John Mahoney (Frasier).

“I pick projects where I don’t mind having lunch with the people,” Brickman quipped, and in the 90s he wrote two adapted screenplays for the director Mark Rydell. For The Boys (1991) is a wartime variant of The Sunshine Boys, in which Bette Midler and estranged spouse James Caan reunite to entertain soldiers in the Korean war. The resemblance of the character (if not the story line) to the entertainer Martha Raye was noticed by many; her lawsuit against the film failed.

Intersection (1994) remade Claude Sautet’s 1970 Les Chose de la Vie, but Richard Gere, Sharon Stone and Lolita Davidovich failed to raise it from melodrama. In 1993 Brickman reunited with Allen, now immersed in scandal around his adopted family with Mia Farrow, to write Manhattan Murder Mystery, which began life as a false start to the Annie Hall script; Diane Keaton replaced Farrow as the star.

Brickman’s final directing came in a 2001 TV movie version of Christopher Durang’s play Sister Mary Explains It All, which starred Keaton as the teaching nun in a sort of American take on Miss Brodie. He then shifted gears, writing the book for the musical Jersey Boys, about the Four Seasons vocal group; it opened on Broadway in 2005, won four Tony awards and ran for 12 years; Brickman also wrote the screenplay for the 2012 film. His Tarriers career helped him understand the quartet’s dynamics, while his musical ability helped his words match the harmonies of the music. He followed up with the book to the Addams Family musical in 2010.

Brickman is survived by Nina and their two daughters, Sophie and Jessica.

🔔 Marshall Jacob Brickman, musician, writer and film director, born 25 August 1939; died 29 November 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[markwatsonsbooks]

#Amreading #Newrelease2024: Prosperity Bonds Agency - Call to Action to G7 by HUSEYIN BURAK ERTEN

Discover the Power of Prosperity Bonds: A Call to Action for the G7

Unlock the potential of innovative financial solutions with "Prosperity Bonds Agency-A Call to Action to G7." This groundbreaking book explores the urgent need for global collaboration to implement prosperity bonds and address the world's most pressing challenges.

In a world where rapid change aligns with the evolving dynamics of geopolitics and our ways of life, H. Burak Erten embarked on a journey to find practical solutions for efficient capital deployment in developed and developing markets. Inspired by Dell Computers' 'Plug and Play' concept, Erten proposes a financial architecture that integrates components already recognized by global capital markets.

The principle of "Share the Risk, Share the Prosperity" promotes the fair and meaningful deployment of resources. Erten's vision is to bridge the gap between developed and emerging markets, fostering a world built on shared values of fairness, equity, respect, inclusivity, and diversity. The proposed G7 bond issuance agency would facilitate low-cost, long-term bond issuances based on the inherent credit ratings of participating nations, leveraging the notion of governments acting as catalysts to mobilize private capital.

Drawing from several capital market structures in the USA and EU, Erten offers numerous benefits for investors through this bond architecture. The strategy relies on risk syndication, ensuring each project is structured as listed bonds in the EU, promoting good corporate governance, transparency, institutionalism, and accountability.

This non-concessionary, profit-oriented entity is designed to prevent wealth transfer from one nation to another, with safeguards to protect G7 taxpayers from defaulted projects. The agency addresses global issues such as economic stimulus, job creation, refugee movements, poverty alleviation, and increased investments in ESG-impact investing.

The book also provides real-world examples and case studies that illustrate the transformative impact of prosperity bonds on developed and emerging markets. It compares prosperity bonds with other initiatives, such as China's Belt and Road and the EU's Global Gateway, highlighting their advantages.

Gain insights into practical steps and strategies for deploying prosperity bonds, from governance structures to risk syndication and stakeholder engagement. Be inspired by a compelling vision for a more equitable and sustainable world, and find out how you can be part of this global movement.

Erten's model is applicable and replicable for many initiatives launched with participating members from other organizations, regional or global. This financial architecture can unlock capital in many other ways with participants of differing natures.

Join the Call to Action movement towards a more prosperous and sustainable world with "Prosperity Bonds Agency - A Call to Action to G7.

Order YOUR Copy NOW: https://amzn.to/4bqhVHY via @amazon

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s pushing Canada’s immigration system to soften its approach to processing visa applications and put less focus on the risk of visitors overstaying their short-term visas.

“We’re also trying to do a better job around temporary visas,” Trudeau said Friday.

“The system — I’ll be honest — is still based around, ‘Prove to me that you won’t stay if you come,’ right?” he said, arguing that it is easier for applicants to “convince” immigration officials to grant them visas if they have “a good job and a home and a house and a good status back home.”

On the other hand, people who are strongly motivated to be in Canada for family reasons could be seen by officials as more likely to overstay, he suggested: “If your mom talks about how much she loves you and just wants to be there (in Canada), and you’re there all alone, that’s scary.” [...]

Trudeau responded that it is vital for Canadians to have faith in the integrity of their immigration system. But he also suggested that he had asked Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to take a less defensive posture when issuing visas.

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[kuekyuuq]

One of the things that bug me about how CWSG ended...

And no, it's not (just) a certain lacking endgame XD

We've got a serialized show about Supergirl, Kara Zor-El, Kara Danvers. And yet the show spent overall so little time on her.

She got traumatized several times over, it got implied that she suffers from claustrophobia and PTSD. Yet it was never fully addressed, the next episode Kara just moved on, carried about - as if this was an episodic show. Which, yes, with the freak-of-the-week nature it was at certain points, but it also did in many others aim to have connected and continuous plots, story and character developments...

Now, what is it that bugs me in this installment?

Kara coming out to the world as Supergirl. Aaaand cut. Show over.

Is this a continuation or inevitable destination of Kara's struggles? Well, I argue, no.

What we did have was Kara struggling to find her place in the world. Kara is many things. She's a (no longer) orphan. She's (no longer) the last daughter of Krypton. Kara(thought she was but really is no more) the last Kryptonian to carry Krypton’s legacy, history, culture, education.. everything.

... Kara is Kryptonian. Was raised as one until she was 13, throughout the majority of her informative years. Kara Zor-El. Kara has incredible powers, which her very nature dictates she uses for good, become a hero. Supergirl. Kara is.. a refugee, adopted and in some ways till the end of the show at times struggling to fully integrate herself as: Kara Danvers. Kara's nature, without her powers also have her to strive to help others, uncover and fight bad things. A reporter. Kara's also just the girl who loves musicals, Big Belly Burger, Karaoke, hates greens, wants a perfect partner at Game Night... Just Kara. Kara is a sister. Kara is a daughter. Kara is a loyal friend...

Several times in the show, whenever Kara was struggling, Kara thought she had to chose between Supergirl or Kara Danvers.

The Black Mercy clearly showed Kara’s longing to be Kara Zor-El, missing the what-if.

During her redK incident some more seeds of that were sown, her red-veined self mildly risking her identity - but mostly showing that Kara was unhappy playing herself down (e.g. as Kara Danvers at work).

The downside of revealing herself was depicted in the 100th episode.

There were more instances whenever Kara became overwhelmed, that she wondered if her duality (person vs. persona) was the cause of her problems. 

But the solution was NEVER to go full Supergirl! 

It was always something else. ALWAYS, the show, told us, showed us, Kara was ultimately happier being bouncy Kara Danvers at the office and the proud hero on the streets.  That despite her pain and whichever most recent trauma, neither her cape nor the glasses were the problem. Nor was the double-act. [...except when it came to Lena]

Kara considered going full-time Supergirl in season 6 (episode 16), too. Alex and William (quoting Kara who quoted Cat) talked her out of it by letting her know, she can have it all, taking one step at a time, and maybe not all at once - because she's got a team, a family! 

And then she does it anyway.

She also becomes editor-in-chief at CatCo (which likely cuts down her investigative reporting time by a great chunk... You know, the very thing she loved about the job, loved so much it even - temporarily - did cost her that very job).

Oh, and there was also this:

The argument was made, that the whole double-life spiel had long since lead to Kara no longer knowing who she really was.

But did it?

I mean... yeah, it sure can be stressful at times, but... right, speaking of stress. Kara made that decision after

being part of reshaping the universe (and having witnessed the death of all of them beforehand!)

which reshaped Kara's history she now has no knowledge of (due to being a Paragon) or, if J'onn or her stay in the fractured PZ somehow bestowed her with her Prime-Earth memories, she now has two sets of memories...

she had been cast into the Phantom Zone again, where she had to suffer at the hands... claws... of the Phantoms and their nightmare inducing powers which are known to drive people insane for them eventually no longer being able to tell reality and the nightmare apart.

she found out her father was still alive and she sent him off to Argo / her mother - her family now well, whole and alive somewhere out in the universe

loosing yet another friend (William)

...

So, she tells the world she's Supergirl,

which will not erase the in episode 100 mentioned threats to her fam's lives

while the Children Of Liberty had been beheaded, the mistrust in people is still around

two years prior, during the Red Daughter incident, she had been declared public enemy number one

her sister's got a kid

ALL her prior reasons not to do so, have not magically evaporated!

I know, she's the Paragon of Hope, but...

People know Supergirl. Only very few know Kara Danvers. Hardly anyone on Earth ever knew about Kara Zor-El.

So, ask yourself, after revealing herself to the world, how would/will people perceive her now?

I think it's very naive to think, that Kara can be "herself" when people (at Al's bar, Noonans, work, performing the rare interview she manages to squeeze in between supering and her new, demanding job at CatCo) now either get star-struck or nervous at "meeting Supergirl", or at worst can't think past her being an (over-powered) alien. Supergirl is (in)FAMOUS! There is only Supergirl now, in the eye of the public, to anyone she meets. ...how could that possibly help her be more “herself”? The only people who she can be herself are the ones she could all along - her friends and family.  If anything it made going for a walk much more stressful, whereas Kara Danvers could eat ice cream without judging her for the messy way she may go about it in her eagerness... 

Is she being more honest?

Yes. There’s no more need to “fly on the bus”, am I rite? No more lies. 

Does this lead to her being more true to herself?

...on the surface at least, yes.

Does this lead to her being able to live as herself, her true and authentic self?

No, and not for some decades either (eventually, far away in the future, her having taken that step, and others following her example, this may very well lead to people not making distinctions anymore, being a Hero possibly just becoming considered yet another job, like a fireman/-woman or police officer).

Just a few years ago they've built the woman a friggin statue!

So, no. I do not think - and the show has not given me anything to believe otherwise, rather kept affirming my conclusion - that Kara would indeed be able to live as "herself" after the finale episode and her public "coming out".

I think the writers or whoever was in charge of that decision only saw the superficial symbolism (and a woke pro-LGTBQ+ implication). But they've entirely ignored Kara's path, her evolution and her experiences.

Truth be told, if there had been a seventh season after this cliffhanger (which it essentially was, as it raised more questions than it provided answers and/or closure), it would have had to have featured Kara facing the plenty-fold backlash of that decision. But making the show about Kara - the character - may have been a bit too much to ask for anyway... Maybe even culminating in her needing to call back Mxy to cash in her do-over raincheck.

So, no.

I see what the show was trying to say.

"Be yourself, don't hide, be proud." And that IS a good message.

But within the context of the show? Oh, boi, this one failed hard IMO.

My advice for Kara Danvers? 

TAKE A VACATION! Really, just be "Kara" for a while. No Super, no Danvers, no Zor-El. Just kick up your legs, DEAL with your trauma (talk to Kelly!), clean up shop, find your center, focus on your needs for a while.

Go sing Karaoke with your extended found family. Eat buckets of ice cream. Watch every musical in existence. Maybe even go and visit your re-united parents! Go on a road-trip with your bestie. 🥷 Finally take some time off to mourn: Red Daughter, William, Jeremiah (for good), Oliver... Go meet your nephews! There's two of them now, and they are teens already!

Trust your friends, trust in them having your back, that the world won't get destroyed (again) just because you take a few months of a sabbatical or to just limit yourself to rescuing kittens and helping grandmas cross the streets for a while. Maybe you'll even find a hook for a story to snag yourself another Pulitzer while you're just out there enjoying the world.

And yes, just ENJOY the world you've saved (over and over and over and...) for once! There's so much beauty in it. Prove to yourself why it is all worth it!

Because, Kara is NOT just Supergirl OR Kara Danvers OR just Kara...

She's all of the above and so much more.

Revealing herself to the world is not changing that it isn’t an instant solution to Kara's multitude of problems, her traumas, her inner(!) duality (tripality? quadrality?...).

The seasons have put her through the ringer several times over without giving her a chance to breathe, have thrown trauma, drama, loss, grief, shock and terror at her over and over and over again. She's a former last Kryptonian orphan refugee adopted by humans who has her parents back but estranged by time and space, facing xenophobia, racism, sexism (lots of 'isms...) left and right, had to face, fight and lose her own "evil" twin, possibly contradicting memories of her teenage years up to Crisis, keeps losing even when she's winning, spreads herself way too thin because of Big Bads constantly showing up....

For Rao's sake! The girl really doesn't know who she is anymore!

And it only on the surface leads back to her being a reporter and a Super both day and night.

There is a reason the comic book arc of Superman revealing himself got retconned / axed. ...after all, if I grasped that correctly, it was Lex' great idea for Sups to reveal himself to the world...

And no. I don't think either Cat nor Lena meant for Kara to come out like that. They were being supportive. Cat in her "you need to figure out what you want, so just dive, Kara!" way and Lena in the more gentle "whatever you feel is right to you, my one true love best friend" approach. Cat was trying to push Kara (meant well, but IMO after the previous events just wrapped up, a bit of a bad timing). And Lena was ...kinda enabling, having just come on the other end of her own life-long trauma spiel and possibly being over-supportive after the year of hell...

So yeah, I've got issues with the last few minutes of the finale. In my head-canon it was Kara's fever dream after she finally had a full night's sleep after the final show-down.

Feel free to disagree!

TL;DR:

“I was missing the point. It is not about what you do. It is about who you love.” 

- Cat Grant [2x21]

#Kue out.

[mothtarts]

i wrote an essay a while ago for an armenian scholarship contest, the prompt if i remember correctly was somthung to the lines of “how should we deal with the artsakh situation.” anways here’s the essay cause it didn’t get the scholarship💀

Armenian history is full of inspiring revolutionaries fighting and dying for our protection, and our most beloved folktales focus on warriors who bled and died for our motherland. My own family history consists of my fedayi great grandfather, a courageous freedom fighter protecting our land from Turkish genociders. Our culture revolves around this mindset, and our children dream of being like these figures. A community can never be blamed for violence as a reaction if their oppressors have used violence against them first and continuously. It is a form of survival for us to think and live like this, but, we as a community must also be smarter, be stronger, and be more humane than the people who try to destroy us.

Our first priority should be to house and relocate the displaced refugees from Artsakh, as they are the number one victims from the crisis. There are many abandoned buildings from when Armenia was under U.S.S.R control, and the government should repurpose the old apartment units, factories and hotels to house the refugees. Most camps for the refugees force them to vacate in about a week, leaving the people of Artsakh with virtually no support in trying to rebuild their lives. Many of the immigrants have also not been able to work for months because of the conflict, and they would be unable to pay for housing in even the most deplorable conditions. A solution to both these problems is to have the Armenian government pay the scattered refugees to refurbish and build their own housing. Lots of the apartments in Yerevan and Armenia in general need to be updated and redone to properly house people. Keeping the villages and communities together is also important, as they have built in support groups and will be able to provide more for each other. The displaced children could be integrated into the Armenian education system. If any of their old teachers are still with them they can also be given jobs in the schools and still teach their students, and make money to help them reconstruct their livelihoods. There is also a problem of humanitarian aid, Azerbaijan is an ally to many members of NATO. Turkey is one of these countries, which itself has a huge allyship with the United States. Armenia needs to begin aligning itself with other persecuted countries and peoples, by combining and aligning our strengths we will be able to help each other find freedom. Armenia was dealt the unfortunate hand of being one of the few countries without oil in the Middle East without oil, so finding allies to help trade and boost the economy of Armenia will then provide the refugees with more funding. The mentality of viewing every non Armenian as so completely different, literally calling them "odars" or strangers will lead to our own self-destruction. Armenia is surrounded by enemies, but it still has allies in its Diaspora community. Humanitarian Aid can and has been provided by millions of Armenians around the world. Children in school run bake sales and clothes drives, the adults rally and educate themselves to pressure their governments to help.These small acts come together to help change the world. The biggest problem after this is how to support the 100,000 refugees to provide for themselves in the long term. Integrating them must be done carefully, the main way we will approach this challenge is by the two communities working together. The leaders of both communities can come together in official government settings to accomplish actual progress in how to solve more long term- issues. Finally, our biggest source of hope for the future of Armenia are the children, whether they live in Armenia or outside of it. By educating them about Artsakh and inspiring them to want to help their land will directly result in it not being forgotten. Armenians will want to fight for their land, Armenians will have to fight for their land because it is ours. Even if we are not from Artsakh we share the same blood as them, and that blood is found in the mountains of Artsakh.

Our community needs support, the displaced people of Artsakh need the help of the Armenian people. We can do this by not focusing on only the terrors and evils of war, even though they are important, but by finding solutions. We have a tendency to think of only the negatives of life as an Armenian, but we must be positive. Not just for ourselves but for the fate of the Armenian people.

[christian-oc-tournament]

Please vote based on the picture AND the description!

Tiny [On the Other Side @elsabet-writes]

Tiny runs a small cafe on the edge of reality, at the border where the Otherwhere and the human world meet. Once a powerful enchantress, she lost a hand fighting on the losing side of the fae version of a world war. With her hand went her ability to preform spell work, and she’s had to flee the Otherwhere and hide herself among humans. The cafe she runs is something of a half-way house where refugees of the fae war can find shelter and maybe a job while they integrate into human society. Tiny is a woman with a kind heart and a lot of determination. She may have lost her old life, but she’s built herself a new one, and she’ll help others find a way to do the same.

Tsuname [Lost Eye @kazeharuhime]

Tsuname is a member of the Wotren race, fish-like people capable of changing from land form to water form. He lives on an island on his home planet amongst his people. One day he is taken captive by space pirates and forever changed. He struggles to return to his world, only to find that when he does, he himself is now the danger due to years of slavery and the effect it's had on his psyche. He now must struggle to turn to normalcy after becoming the monster he's always feared, but he isn't alone in this journey. Someone else who has walked a similar path is there to help him through his storms. Though whether even this figure is enough to help him remains to be seen.